The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition by Cook's Illustrated Magazine
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Book Reviews of The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition
Book Review: Amazing book
Summary: 5 Stars
I have had this cookbook for a couple of months and have yet to be disappointed with a single thing I have made. The recipes are explained in detail, and I believe this book has made me a better cook simply by providing the "science" behind what makes a recipe work (for example adding baking soda to add more browning to a baked good). This has become my cooking bible and I have since ordered two more books from the same publisher.
Recipes I've made from the book that were fantastic include:
Devils Food Cake with Coffee Buttercream Icing (YUM!)
Chicken Marsala
Guacamole (so easy, yet so delicious)
Hummus (again, easy - it's fun and cheaper to make your own!)
Ratatouille
Stir Fried Pork (tasted better than a Chinese restaurant)
I've made a ton of others, but these are recent ones that come to mind. There are also numerous "sidebar" articles throughout the book with various equipment and ingredient reviews. I've followed a number of these recommendations and have also been very pleased.
In summary, this book is well worth the price and you will be on your way to serving fantastic meals to your family with relative ease!
Book Review: If you need to know 'why' a particular method is best, this is the cookbook for you.
Summary: 5 Stars
I think this cookbook strongly appeals to those of us who like to know exactly why something works. If you have ever seen 'America's Test Kitchen' on television, then you know exactly what to expect in this book.
I was particularly impressed with the scientific discussion on brining poultry. I had no idea that the ions in salt cause the protein molecules in the meat to rearrange themselves in such a way that the meat becomes more tender. The level of the discussion is perfect -- you do not need a science degree to understand it, but if you have one, you will still appreciate the discussion.
I also enjoy that the cookbook includes a detailed discussion on each recipe -- including the best type of garlic to use for cooking. The scope is broad, covering equipment to chicken brands. I also like the objective approach of the book. When they tell you that something was judged best, they tell you what factors are considered good. Sometimes, several variations on a recipe are included.
This cookbook is truly comprehensive and is ideal for someone new to cooking or for the seasoned cook who would like to know how to improve his/her techniques based on what is tried and true.
Book Review: Great recipes, plus the science, with excellent organization
Summary: 5 Stars
This is probably the best cookbook we own (and we own a lot of them). If you have ever read Cook's Illustrated magazine, you will know what to expect. The recipes have been developed painstakingly by the editors through experimentation (and they explain the process they use). It is comprehensive - it has every classic recipe I can think of and quite a few I wouldn't have. The ingredients are typically attainable in normal supermarkets and the techniques are explained along with the recipes, so you don't have to go searching.
I like that the explanations of why and how are included along with the recipes and my wife likes that those explanations are not embedded, so they don't bog you down. We have made a lot of recipes in this book and they are consistently excellent and the book is formatted to be easy to use while cooking - this is rare in cookbooks with so much technique and explanation.
This book is fantastic for people who want more than just a list of recipes. If you watch the Food Network and like Alton Brown - this is the kind of book you will enjoy. If you are shopping for a gift for a wedding shower, this would be an excellent choice.
Book Review: If I only could have one cookbook, this would be it.
Summary: 5 Stars
I have been interested in food and cooking for 30+ years and consider myself an excellent home cook. Over the years I have acquired hundreds of cookbooks, a "professional" kitchen, and just about every top of the line kitchen tool, appliance, and piece of cookware available. Yet in the last few months since I bought this book, my culinary abilities and results have risen to a higher level. Who would think that you can make amazing homemade pasta in about a half hour? The yeast and quick breads, meatloaf and meatballs, brined poultry and pork, in fact, everything I have tried has been outstanding. I served their Osso Buco and Risotto at a dinner party and the guests literally applauded at the table! The recipes are clear, easy to follow, using no more ingredients or tools than are absolutely necessary. The explanations of why some methods work better than others and how they came to a particular recipe are fascinating. I highly recommend this book and two others from the same editors: Restaurant Favorites at Home and Italian Classics. If you like to cook and appreciate good food, you will thoroughly enjoy these books.Book Review: Excellent cooking reference
Summary: 5 Stars
I love this cookbook since they explain the process they used, rationale, and results for every recipe. Many of the recipes are outstanding (meatballs, chicken stock, chocolate cake). Haven't made anything that was bad. But the thing I love about this cookbook is that, even if you make a recipe and end up not loving the results, you're in a much better position for future iterations. For example, I wouldn't say their creme brulee is my favorite, but I was able to build on what Cooks Illustrated did in the lab and get my favorite version on the second try. I'm no kitchen newbie, and I'm confident that I would've eventually gotten there myself, but this definitely saved me time and ingredients. My mom or grandmother may have turned to Joy of Cooking to answer all of those "How do I..." and "How long do I...." cooking questions. I turn here.
Also -- I'd agree with some of the other reviewers: if you get this, don't also get the Best 30-Minute Recipe and the Best Light Recipes unless you recognize that there's a big overlap in content and you just want different cookbooks that you can easily turn to based on theme.