Cook's Illustrated 2002 (Cook's Illustrated Annuals)

Rating:
Summary: Impossible to be outdone!
Review: Cook's Illustrated 1994 Collector's Edition is a [great deal] for the work involved. Any of the Cook's Illustrated volumes can be considered the perfect practical book available in the culinary world today. For American tables, no other book compares.

This annual includes 'pot roast perfected', 'making crisp long lasting biscotti', 'foolproof brown rice', 'rating juice extractors', 'how to roast root vegetables', 'preparing tropical fruit', 'how to make mustard at home', 'raspberry charlotte royale', 'chicken broth blind tasting', 'culinary uses for homemade juices', 'making bakery-style sticky buns', 'which juice extractor should you buy?', 'inexpensive ports fail test', 'scones in 20 minutes', 'roast leg of lamb perfected', 'how to cook beets', 'quickest puff pastry', 'making puff pastry, 'risotto rules', 'when only fresh coconut will do', 'basic brownies', 'which canned tomatoes should you buy?', 'slicing through knife myths', 'rating the bargains of Spain', 'cookbook reviews', 'perfect pound cake', 'rating bread machines', 'rediscovering fried chicken', 'five easy sauces for fish', 'cleaning squid, shrimp, and soft-shelled crab', 'free-form fruit tart', 'quick granitas', 'are bread machines worth the dough?', 'foolproof bread machine recipes', 'perfect potato salad', 'real tabbooleh', 'how to cut vegetables', 'rating mayonnaise', 'how to make authentic barbecues ribs at home', 'fresh corn tamales with tomatillo-chile sauce', 'a new way to prepare shrimp', 'stone fruit relishes', 'the best granola', 'six chocolate cakes', 'testing mini food processors', 'perfect pie crust', 'sour cream pastry strudel', 'the way to cook pork chops', 'how to make Asian dumplings', 'quick homemade pickles', 'cooking tender greens', 'vegetable pasta sauces', secrets of butterflied chicken', 'rating toasters', 'the best way to cook a goose', 'popovers perfected', 'classic lasagna made easy', 'authentic Panforte Di Siena', 'new uses for cranberries', 'how to cook butternut squash', 'how to carve turkey and goose', 'fish stew basics', 'no-weep lemon meringue pie', 'are expensive chocolates worth the money?', 'rating nonstick skillets', 'finding the best California sparklers', and many, many recipes.

Rating:
Summary: THE test kitchen
Review: Cook's Illustrated 1997 Collector's Edition is part of a series that saves us the time by testing and tasting everything we've always wanted to know, but lacked the resources to do ourselves. They provide detailed explanations for why they liked what they did and why it's the 'best'. The sweet and sour taste buds of everyone varies, so these valuable details allow the reader to determine what is the 'best' as well.

This annual includes 'curry demystified', 'how to cook basmati rice', 'the best hot cocoa', 'rediscovering whole wheat bread', 'porcini mushroom pasta sauces', 'citrus secrets', 'big, beautiful muffins', 'reinventing macaroni and cheese', 'the problem with oatmeal cookies', 'how to roast a whole turkey breast', 'rating unsweetened chocolates', 'testing roasting racks for poultry', 'tasting burgundies', 'cookbook reviews', 'chicken and dumplings', 'tender spinach salads', 'rediscovering corned beef and cabbage', 'Irish soda bread', 'food processor crepes', 'how to cook shoulder lamb chops', 'the best buttermilk doughnuts', 'key lime pie in minutes', 'braised celery', 'all canned crushed tomatoes are not the same', 'do electric knife sharpeners really work?', 'rating electric knife sharpeners', 'tasting non-chardonnay white wines', 'foolproof focaccia', 'the secrets of panfrying steaks', '20-minute tomato sauce', 'how to cook sugar snap peas', 'how to buy, cook, and serve lobster', 'real strawberry shortcake', 'lace cookies', 'two French toasts', 'how to poach an egg', 'choosing the right saucepan', 'rating saucepans', 'rating orange juices', 'tasting Italian wines', 'how to grill salmon', 'supreme chicken salads', 'making sense of mayonnaise', 'crunchy cucumber salads', 'building a better shrimp cocktail', 'how to grill bone-in chicken breasts', 'home-style pulled pork barbecue', 'great hot fudge sauce', 'semifreddo', 'fruit upside-down cake', 'rating salsas', 'rating instant-read thermometers', 'rating beers', 'quick vegetable lasagne', 'quick broccoli side dishes', 'the secrets of prebaking pie shells', 'quiche worth eating', 'better than store-bought bagels', 'how to use Chinese cleavers', 'pan-sauteed pork tenderloin', 'how to roast Cornish hens', 'caesar salad rediscovered', 'homemade rugelach', 'rating canned beans', 'rating full-size food processors', 'tasting Bordeaux under 20 dollars', 'traditional latkes', 'how to perfectly roast a stuffed turkey', 'quick winter relishes', 'holiday pork roast', 'pasta with clam sauce', 'how to make a gingerbread alpine cottage', 'the best roasted onions', 'all-sason apple pie', 'holiday eggnog', 'a simple chocolate truffle', 'rating white chocolate', 'rating corkscrews', and many, many recipes.

Rating:
Summary: Reap the benefits!
Review: Cook's Illustrated 2002 Collector's Edition has a little bit of everything. It includes cookbook reviews, unique kitchen gadgets in the 'what is it?' section, quick tips, kitchen notes, letters from readers, and resources for items provided. The annuals in this series are packed with enough information that they can successfully standalone or strengthen in value if one owns the entire set. While the science of cooking cannot be argued, the likes and dislikes for a particular flavor is quite subjective. Hence, detailed information allows the reader to gain new knowledge, yet provides the ability to see how they might want to prepare the dish differently to accommodate their taste buds. Very thorough!

This annual also includes 'homemade spring rolls', 'discovering chicken vesuvio', 'secrets of caramelized onions', 'improving beef stroganoff', 'the best breaded pork cutlets', 'parchment paper: kitchen workhorse', 'pantry pasta sauces with tuna', 'testing manual can openers', 'how to braise Belgian endive', 'profiteroles at home', 'soft, chewy molasses spice cookies', 'tasting molasses', 'tasting chickens', 'rating large saucepans', 'pan-roasting halibut', 'chicken paprikash', 'really good cheddar soup', 'how to cook a pot roast', 'wilted spinach salads', 'spaghetti puttanesca in 11 minutes', 'artichokes made easy', 'the best cauliflower gratin', 'testing gratin dishes', 'simplifying pound cake', 'perfecting New York-style cheesecake', 'rating oven thermometers', 'testing your home oven', 'rating cheddar cheese', 'grilling thick pork chops', 'shopping for chops', 'ground beef tacos', 'tasting taco shells', 'step-by-step making your own taco shells', 'taking the jumble our of jambalaya', 'tasting pork', 'the new classic chicken Caesar salad', 'Thai-style stir-fried vegetables', 'rediscovering spinach dip', 'trimming and tying meat and poultry', 'introducing Greek-style garlic-lemon potatoes', 'potatoes done right', 'really good fruit smoothies', 'how much fruit to buy', 'quick and easy cinnamon buns', 'testing supermarket cinnamon buns', 'easiest hot fudge pudding cake', 'the truth about French roast coffee', 'tasting French roast coffee', 'rating charcoal grills', 'tasting anchovies', 'barbecued baby back ribs', 'when smoking wood, is wood just wood?', 'building a better salade nicoise', 'tasting tuna packed in oil', 'pad Thai at home', 'tamarind options', 'soaking noodles', 'grilling steak, Tuscan style', 'choosing charcoal', 'nachos done right', 'tasting supermarket guacamole', 'leafy salads 101', 'French potato salad', 'spice rubs for grilled chicken', 'buttermilk coleslaw', 'ice cream sandwiches made easy', 'tasting chocolate ice cream', 'best blueberry cobbler', 'tasting frozen berries', 'tasting tortilla chips', 'rating food choppers and slicers', 'how to pan-roast chicken', 'kung pao shrimp at home', 'Tuscan-style roast pork loin', 'creamy dips for crudites', 'faster lasagna', 'tasting dried pasta', 'crudites done right', 'simplifying applesauce', 'better Greek salad', 'moist, tender corn muffins', 'all cornmeals are not the same', 'poached pear and almond tart', 'tasting salt', 'rating inexpensive nonstick skillets', 'sour cream coffee cake', 'smothered pork chops', 'mulled wine worth drinking', 'roast beef and Yorkshire pudding', 'mashed sweet potatoes', 'testing potato mashers', 'yam I am', 'an illustrated guide to beef roasts', 'tasting store-bought gravy', 'pasta and broccoli', 'perfect wild rice pilaf', 'rediscovering chocolate mousse cake', 'testing springform pans', 'the best sugar cookies', 'tasting unsweetened chocolate', 'rating chef's knives, and many, many recipes.