Rating: 
Summary: With Pam Anderson, you get it "Right"
Review: Excellent Book. Each recipe explains what elements were tested (e.g., cooking temperature, cooking time, ingredient mix, what seasonings how much and when, correct cooking methods). I consider myself, at the least, an experienced cook, even if I can not claim to be an excellent one. Pam's research easily improved my technique on several classic favorites.
Sorry ...no glossy photos...don't be put off by that...it is wonderful, concise, and easy reading.
Ok Let's get serious: Chicken Soup, Clam Chowder, Beef Soup, Stir Fry, Macaroni and Cheese,Pizza, Chicken, Fried Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie, Hamburger*, Meat Loaf*, Beef Stew**, Special Dinners: Roast Turkey, Cornish Hen, Prime Rib, Pork Roast, Lobster. Side Dishes: Cole Slaw, Greens, Corn-on-the-cob, Potato Salad, Mashed Potatoes. Breads: Bread, Corn Bread, Muffins, Pancakes. Desserts: Various Cobblers, Strawberry Shortcake, Apple Pie, Lemon Meringue, Cream Pie, Cheese Cake (various textures), Brownies, Rolled Cookies. That's It. She has done her homework and you will be a better cook for having bought the book. I have not read "Cook's Illustrated" so I can't comment.
Brian
P.S. For 5 stars, you got to have those glossy photos. Am I right?
Rating:
Summary: Great start for beginners
Review: If you are a novice cook looking to add a few American classics to your repertoire, then this is the book for you. All of the (albeit few) recipes it contains are well-tested (no surprises) and taste very good. Still, it must be noted that the recipes in this book are few in number, very basic, and many of them are variations of each other. Furthermore, almost identical versions of these recipes can be found in the much more ample Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen cookbooks- they are better buys for your money and, in my opinion, provide the same quality. But if simplicity and an easy layout appeal to you, then pick up Anderson's book.
Rating: 
Summary: Recommened Highly
Review: I have only made a few of the recipes in this book. All have been outstanding. The brownies are the best I have ever had, period. Her recipe, The Perfect Prime Rib, is just that. Anyone looking for a cookbook with lots of recipes may want to look elsewhere, however The Perfect Recipe has recipes that we all know and love.
Rating:
Summary: Necessary for Every Cook
Review: The Perfect Recipe is a /must have/ for anyone who cooks more than 5 times a year. You can cook an entire Thanksgiving dinner with only one book as reference (Turkey and gravy, mashed potatoes, bread, apple pie, cheesecake...) or you can make a simple dinner for every day use.I made my first turkey using Pam's brining instructions, and it came out wonderful! It was juicy on the inside and very brown and delicious looking on the outside. My relatives were in awe (and some backstabbing ones were disappointed) that it turned out so well. The recipes are easy to follow, and I enjoyed the "behind the scenes" chapter. I've always wondered the why's in recipes and it's great to have it there. Of course, you can always skip the introductions if this doesn't interest you. I recommend this book to anyone who is serious about quality cooking.
Rating:
Summary: Great Cookbook and Friendly tone
Review: I subscribe to CI and have one of their books as well. Yes, the recipes are the same in many cases, but what makes Anderson's book a bit better is the friendly tone. The chicken stock was wonderful and who would have known that a simple hamburger could taste so good? I also love the stir fry section with the many selections of sauces and have tried the oyster sauce and was very impressed with the results. Tonight I am trying the butterflied chicken with lemon, rosemary and garlic, and am quiet sure it will be delish as well. I wish she had a show on FoodTV!!
Rating:
Summary: everyday cooking, What works, and WHY
Review: I've owned this book for 3 years. I sat down and read it cover to cover when I first owned it, and still refer back to it frequently. It IS written in the style of Cook's Illustrated, but since I'm a relatively new reader of that magazine, repeating info from the magazine articles didn't bother me at all. I love this book for precisely the same reason I love the Cook's Illustrated.
If something doesn't appeal to my tastes, when Ms Anderson does her investigation into which techniques & ingredients work best and why, she gives you the rules that help you adapt the recipe to suit your own tastes. She is chatty and comfortable to read. She writes like you're standing in the kitchen with her while she works.
Her French Bread is so crusty and tasty, my friends are amazed and I hate to tell them it's the easiest bread I've ever made. It whips up in the food processor in less than a minute and only has 4 ingredients.
When I'm looking on how to prepare a specific dish, I always look here first, knowing I'll get the best information from this book if it's one of the dishes covered.
I do recommend this book highly. It not only has good basic recipes (as well as some interesting dressed up versions), but your understanding of cooking techniques will broaden, improving all your cooking.
Rating: 
Summary: A disappointment if you subscribe to Cook's Illustrated
Review: This is a pretty good cookbook on its own merits, but it's hard to separate Pam Anderson's effort here from her work at Cook's Illustrated magazine. As a subscriber, I am already paying quite a bit each year for her insights, so it was disappointing to see how much material here is lifted almost verbatim from the magazine. The realm of culinaria is so broad, I would think Ms. Anderson would accept the challenge of creating all-new material for this book. Sadly, that is definitely not the case and readers of this book and Cook's Illustrated will feel somewhat shorted by their investment in both products.
Rating:
Summary: Good eats
Review: I purchased this book for myself and then after going through it, I used it as a Birthday gift, and the person I gave it to really enjoyed it, so I now need to repurchase it for myself.
Rating:
Summary: FIVE STARS....HOWEVER
Review: I love the idea of taking basic recipes such as macaron & cheese and trying recipe after recipe until the perfect dish emerges. Not many of us have the time, energy, or incentive to do such a thing on even one dish. I hope Pam Anderson will write a sequel featuring other dishes. Pam's chatty style makes the book fun to read. The format is easy to understand and follow. Given the background and experience of Pam Anderson as well as the price of the book, it's surprising that a major publisher like Houghton-Mifflin would publish such an UGLY book to showcase these recipes. The bound maroon cover would be more suitable for WAR AND PEACE. The few sketches in the book are useful, but this Plain Jane book needs color photos and some fresh ideas to get rid of its dull appearance.
Rating:
Summary: First rate
Review: I'm a big fan of "Cook's Illustrated" magazine, where Ms. Anderson used to work and honed her technique. This is not a comprehensive cook book by any means; rather it contains the definitive recipes for some classic American dishes. I have made the brownies (which Ms. Anderson says was the most difficult "perfect recipe" to achieve) and the apple pie. Both were big hits and inspired friends to buy this book. I highly recommend this book.
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