Title | : | The Complete Americas Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2010 |
Author | : | |
Rating | : | |
ISBN | : | 1933615559 |
ISBN-10 | : | 9781933615554 |
Language | : | English |
Format Type | : | Hardcover |
Number of Pages | : | 646 |
Publication | : | First published October 1, 2009 |
The Complete Americas Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook 2001-2010 Reviews
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I love America's Test Kitchen, and I love their thoroughness in achieving the best recipes. Why don't I like the book? It weighs a ton. It hurts to pick it up. How useful can a book be that you don't even want to lift. One of my librarians has carpal tunnel syndrome. I present "Exhibit A."
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This book is massive. Not far from the heft of an unabridged Webster's.
But it has the full recipes, techniques, and product reviews of a full decade of America's Test Kitchen. These folks approach culinary arts with scientific method and the results are astounding. Exploring the pages I learned new ways to fry an egg (it worked! No flipping required), innovative techniques to infuse old recipes with new flavors, and more new kitchen experiments than I'll ever get around to in one lifetime.
While it is a little too hefty to fit in my kitchen cookbook shelf, it makes a great reference. I am especially partial to the product reviews which operate similarly to Consumer Reports, but specific for foods and kitchen equipment. (I admit, I purchased their recommended spiralizer as a Christmas present for my wife who had been longing for one.) Great if you're looking for something beyond the same-old recipes and to simply advance your culinary expertise.
I also found it fun to sort of "window shop" through the pages. Usually, these sessions end with my staring at the kitchen mumbling, "I could make that." -
Sometime last year I decided to hook up my television again and it didn't take long for me to become a fan of the AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN and COOK'S COUNTRY television shows. The gang helped me fine tune some techniques and they showed me some delicious recipes.
Soooo... I borrowed this cookbook from my local library to see if I wanted to purchase a copy.
I actually have a different ATK cookbook which I got many years ago. I remember giving it 5 stars because I loved how it had so many pictures, many of which showed each step of the recipe. It was very comforting to have around.
Fast forward and I'm not sure I'm as big a fan of the books as I once was. For one, the shear size of these monstrosities makes them difficult to use. Can you imagine trying to find a book rest so you could use this book I the kitchen?
Which brings us to how exactly do you use recipes from this huge book. Do you write the recipe down on a separate piece of paper so you can take that with you, or do you make a photocopy?
And this whole size-thing was also a problem when it came to flipping through sections to look for inspiration for tonight’s dinner. To be frank, the selection was a bit overwhelming and with the exception of the baking section, not inspiring at all.
Ultimately I decided not to purchase this book. I think I can find many of the recipes online, and when I get enough recipes stacked up that I can’t find, I’ll simply pay for a year of access to the ATK/CC’s website. -
This cookbook is incredibly racist to Chinese cooking.
It heaps praise, and if not praise, objective respect, to every other East Asian dish but repeatedly stereotypes and labels Chinese cooking as "greasy" and "oily" but when you look at the recipes they offer it is all take-out crap that Chinese people made for Western taste buds - trust me that if you think Chinese cooking is greasy, you don't know anything about Chinese cuisine. Oh and there's nothing wrong with take-out places because to me, they serve the same function as your beloved greasy diner. It is what it is - comfort food for the masses.
Anyways, I do like America's Test Kitchen but it royally pissed me off when I was reviewing their Asian section, especially when they started going to town on woks and saying that they're not that good to cook with (?!). The complete audacity of these editors who don't even realize how condescending and ignorant they sound, with their cultural hegemony and white European superiority showing.
I enjoy their one-pan meals, their paella recipe was very helpful, and they have one of my favourite banana bread recipes of all-time. -
The cheese is creating a web from my spoon to the bowl, the toast soaking up the broth ever so rich from the onions that were simmering in the pot for such a short time: this tasted like restaurant quality soup yet I prepared it in less than an hour. To think that this was the streamlined version and it tasted like this, I hated to think what the classic version of their French onion soup tasted like, I don’t know if I could handle the anticipation of waiting twice as long for this gooey goodness. One recipe down and more than 1,100 left to try and I am contemplating whether to buy this mammoth of a book. Yes, this baby is big weighing in at around 6 pounds (yes, I put it on my scale) but I have to tell you, I love with a big LOVE American Test Kitchen cookbooks. Ask me why and I can tell you that I have made plenty of their recipes and not one of them has failed me. Not one of them has been bad. Not one of them has been a waste of my money. I have many of their cookbooks and I am a subscriber of their monthly magazine and they are the truly the best. Why? Because they talk cooking, like I like to talk about books. They are the masters of cooking, they test things over and over again to give you the best recipe and with each recipe they tell you why that recipe works. Sometimes you will find that their recipes take a bit of time, but it is totally worth it! It’s like the holy grail of cooking when you cook with the American Test Kitchen behind you. They even have a television program on public television and a website (see I am addicted to their brand). I am really in love with this cookbook but the price tag has me dragging my feet, retail value is $45.00. Yep, I might have to wait till after the holidays on this one and just see if magically it somehow lands onto my bookshelf somehow.
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Sometimes a good reference. I am not sure I like their techniques. They seem slightly biased in favour of speed and shortcuts. Still their analytical commentary on some recipes is valuable and they often introduce updates to old recipes which is interesting. For example compensating for the changes in cream over the years. That's stuff I did not think about.
I am not a fan of their taste in seasoning which I find kinda bland. We really part company on the BBQ. Of course I do not know what the New England approach to meat is but it really doesn't seem to be very sophisticted. I think all those beach pit clam bakes have given them a tradition of steam instead of fire.
I buy their magazine publication as much for the equipment reviews and tips info as for the recipes. -
This book is packed with hundreds of pages of recipes. Each one says how they tested the recipe and chose the best method. There's also their top equipment choices and technique tips. I can't wait to start trying some of these recipes.
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I had the first 5 year cookbook, but gifted that one to a friend, so I "needed" this cookbook! It's a big book, over 1000 pages! But.....I know ANY recipe I try, will be amazing!
I've already made the sticky buns....absolutely perfectly sticky and nutty! -
My goto book for a lot of recipies
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I didn't actually read all of this book but it's a pretty awesome resource and I want to keep a copy in my log for future reference.
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it goes without saying that the america's test kitchen crew is to be revered, along with anything they publish. i use their italian cookbook like a bible (my husband is italian, i lived in italy for several years, and the cuisine most heavily represented in my cookbook collection is italian, and yet ATK is my go-to for most every basic italian recipe), and i find their detailed analyses and explanations incredibly valuable and instructive.
i have heard that many ATK cookbooks are frustrating republications of the same recipes, over and over, which makes a compendium of every ATK recipe ever tested all the more valuable -- no need to ever buy another! this book offers a good, solid foundation in soups, salads, italian, take-out (pan-asian), french, tex-mex, cakes, pies, cookies . . . and on, and on, and on.
the explanations in the collection are seriously edited down but still get to the heart of why certain decisions were made in the kitchen; and there are a smattering of their valuable kitchen product and foodstuff recommendations. the recipes i've tried so far have been fantastic: in fact, the single skillet ziti was a revelation. really. their process flies in the face of centuries of italian culinary know-how, but it WORKS.
the compendium is heavy on recipes, light on photographs, but still an invaluable resource. once again, ATK has hit it out of the ballpark.
i think to get five stars from me the production would have had to be glossier (let's face it -- in a post-Martha world the bar has been raised, and we expect more out of our cookbooks, looks included), and i would have to spend even more time with the cookbook producing flawless recipes (which i will, over time).
*** UPDATED 1/15 ***
i realize i rely on my ATK cookbook less and less these days because other, exciting, chefs are edging out the competition with brilliant recipes AND brilliant production. what i mean is that ATK has brilliantly tested recipes, yes, and will please, but much of what i require when poring over cookbooks and trying to figure out a menu is visual stimulation. ATK has very, very few pictures, and those are black and white. and even the recipes they email me that are full color lack the amazing lighting and detail work that can help me understand the promise of a great recipe. not every cook is as visual an information gatherer as i am, so this will not be a minus for every cook; but for me, the lack of emphasis on quality photography and production is definitely making ATK less of a resource for me than it has been in years past. -
Frankly, this is the best cookbook I own. America's Test Kitchen simply can't be beat. So long as you follow the directions, using the correct equipment and ingredients, you will ALWAYS end up with the most delicious end-result you can imagine. In the two years I have had this book, I've tried dozens of recipes and I would (and have, in many cases) cook them all again. The equipment and ingredient reviews at the end of the book are EXTREMELY helpful, to boot. I have improved my home kitchen setup remarkably thanks to following ATK's recommendations. The only negative here has nothing to with the contents of the book but with the physical book itself. It's too large. A few months ago, the spine completely cracked and now there's a huge gap along the spine between the pages when you open to the baking section. Who knows how long it will be before the pages start falling out. They chose a terrible binding method for a book this size. I seriously use this cookbook all the time, more often than any other, so it will be very disappointing if things start coming apart completely. Because of the binding issue, I will never buy another single-volume collection of all the America's Test Kitchen TV recipes. They need to start publishing one volume per season. Until they do, I will keep using my current book. There are plenty of bang-up recipes in here to keep me going for years and years!
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2011
790 pages
I recently received this book when I bought the combination book and dvds of the PBS TV series, American Test Kitchen. Features from 2001 to 2011 are included, the recipes, the product tests, the science behind the cooking techniques. My daughter and I love this series and found it made us better cooks. I love reading the text and it can stand alone of the TV series. If you like the show you will like this book.
The books I bought as a combo, were suppose to come with the DVDs but they are on back-order. I am very unhappy that they were not delivered together and may not be available till after Christmas.
I am not happy with Cooks Illustrated / American Test Kitchen. Communications with them has been minimal and I do not know the status of my DVD order. I do not know if there is any way to get these books and dvds without going through them, but I will never order any more products from them without the guarantee of a timely delivery.
Nonnie,
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Who doesn't like good food?! The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook has everything you need to know about testing out Home Cooking. Their recipes are chosen after trying out at least a dozen or so versions of a recipe, presenting their best one. The test cooks on the TV show are not actors but real cooks using real kitchens, as revealed in this book.
This book also has many suggestions on what to look for when buying your kitchen gadgets and equipment so you don't have to waste your time and money trying out what might be the latest but useless item.
It's almost impossible to describe the amount of knowledge that is shared in this book, as it's not only a cook book but bits and pieces of how recipes are developed, what it takes to become a test cook, and how this all comes together.
I have to say, we watch this show on TV, but having the book at our side makes it fun to try our hands at new and tasty recipes. -
If you are going to purchase ANY cookbook, I recommend this be it. We actually purchased this and the videos that go with it (the show really is cute and comes on PBS) and they are an absolute necessity. I have my degree in Culinary Arts and this is my go-to book when I'm looking for something.
What's most neat about these people (book and videos) is that they have taken recipes and tried it every way to perfect it so that you don't have to go through all of that trouble. They explain all of this to you, letting you know why you're doing this this and this instead of that that and that and make it very interesting in the process.
Between you and me, my most favorite recipe on here is the drop biscuits - they are so delicious - but shhh don't tell anyone (people are always asking me for the recipe and I tell them it's a secret). -
Family Bible. Outstanding (so far) in nearly every respect. I've cooked around 40 or so of the non-desert recipes and nearly all the desert and baking, and I really love this book. Classic recipes made with painstaking care, very helpful reviews of kitchen gadgets, and I love the chapter devoted exclusively to thanksgiving staples. In my opinion, the only stumble is to be found in the Tex-Mex recipes. Perhaps there is a regional difference, but I found the few I've tried to be very bland. Truly awful - like Chili's. So to those of us in the southwest, simply tear out those thirty pages and the less said the better. Afterward it's pure gold. I've gravitated more and more to this cookbook as time goes on and now it's my go to book for nearly everything. This book replaces a whole shelf of inferiors.
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From the best cooking show on TV - the show that instructs you how to cook things you'll actually make & eat at home (what a concept!) - comes this excellent compendium of recipes from the first decade of the show. Organized well & with all the explanations of how these recipes work (much like their Cook's Illustrated magazine does). Granted, sometimes their recipes remind me of that old SNL bit "The Anal Retentive Chef" with their level of precise detail, but the basic rules that a cookbook should (a) be useful and (b) improve dishes you're already familiar with making are exemplified by this volume.
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The aroma of slow cooker Minestrone fills the house as I write this review. Cook's Country offers so many pointers and explanations of why their cooking methodology works. If you are a foodie and like to know the why behind the 'how-to' goes into great cooking, then this is the book for you.
I have the previous edition in book form and this most recent edition in electronic format.
Cook's Country is well worth the expense, and having in e-book format is such a nice feature because I don't have to lug it around but still get to enjoy the pictures as I read all the nuances behind awesome cooking techniques. -
I first checked this book out from the library. I loved it so much I kept renewing it until the one I ordered arrived. There is so much more in here than just recipes. This book teaches you skills you can adapt and use in other recipes. There are product reviews for both food and kitchen tools that could save you a lot of time or money. When you purchase this book make sure to look for the latest up to date version. The actual copy I own is the 2001-2016 version.
There are lots of great color photographs of finished items and there are even step-by-step photos of some of the processes. -
This is one of my favorite books of all time. (Thanks Mom!) I use it at least a couple of times a week and the recipes are straightforward, don't generally take too much time, and have never failed. This morning, for example, I decided to try the french toast recipe. I've made french toast for most of my life and figured things couldn't be much different - but this was great! There were really only small changes to what I've typically done, but they made a big difference. That's what you get by testing all the ingredients and procedures until they are perfect. Thank you ATK!
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Christopher Kimball and staff are probably the most anal retentive chefs out there. But the results of their diligent kitchen work are oh so apparent in this book.
I've personally made many recipes in this book and while most of them are not the easiest, they certainly have wowed my taste buds.
I definitely recommend this for any foodie who's looking for a comprehensive cookbook filled with the best of the best recipes. -
A new one to my shelf, and already my second most used cookbook. I've found some small differences in the recipes between this book and other Test Kitchen cookbooks (one that comes to mind is the slightly different measurements in the Almost No-Knead Bread here and in the Baking book). This one also doesn't always include all of the testing detail that some of the smaller editions have. But it's a nicely edited, concise cookbook with lots of new favorites.
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Yes, I'm putting a cookbook on my Goodreads shelf. Mainly because this book is SO FULL of awesome information. Got this one for Christmas and I have been pouring over it ever since. I just love the notes on each recipe explaining what is hard about that particular recipe and the way they went about to make sure they got it right. Very very useful. I have made several dishes and each one has turned out well.
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Excellent; like "Good Eats" meets "Bill Nye the Science Guy," every single recipe and product recommendation is prefaced by an explanation; why some tomato soups fail, why this one works, how other recipes were tried, etc. A great read for anyone investing in pieces for their kitchen; they test and rank everything from plastic wrap to stand mixers and portable grills. Worthwhile to own for a reference volume, too.
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BEST Cookbook EVER!!!!! And I have rea some cook books. This one is the boss of them all. Not necessarily for beginners. You have to be willing to do some seemingly inconsequential, yet oh so important baby steps to achieve perfection, but is is oh so worth it. When you bite into the most amazing triple chocolate cookie you have ever seen or tasted, or let sauce from the most amazing beef stew drip down your chin, you will know it was worth the effort.
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I love America's Test Kitchen! I love how well they test their recipes, and I love reading about why each recipe works (and what could cause it to not work).
Do you ever follow a recipe as precisely as you can, and still it doesn't turn out right? America's Test Kitchen prevents that. They test, test, and test their recipes. They try various brands of an ingredient to improved flavor, texture, and more. It's delicious and educational. A great book! -
This book is fantastic whether you watch the PBS series or not. The book contains more than 850 foolproof recipes and dozens of tips and techniques. All the recipes include the "whys' of the ingredients and processes chosen, not just a list of directions The book also includes a wealth of supporting information and purchasing guides. Be forewarn… The book is 2 inches thick and heavy!