Rating: 
Summary: The One Cookbook Anyone Who Loves to Cook Needs
Review: I've been buying cookbooks for decades. I'll buy cookbooks for just one recipe I'm dying to learn. The funny thing is, I'm really not that good of a cook, but I love working in the kitchen.This cookbook just blows me away. Just like the Cooks International PBS television series, it explains the why of cooking. Lasagne without ricotta? Beef marinade without acid? How could that be? The explanations are there, and they make total sense. I sit in my bedroom reading this book at night. I read about the things I already know how to make, looking for the subtle ideas to make them perfect. It's really not a cookbook even though it's got hundreds of recipes. It's more a book about cooking, and it's got me more inspired than all of the scores of books I've bought before. I'll give these guys the best compliment I can think of: I wish I had written it.
Rating:
Summary: A Fun, Classic Cookbook!
Review: From one (who like many reviewers) has a collection of 200+ cookbooks, and who reads cookbooks as though they were novels-this is a classic! I subscribe to Cooks Illustrated,though only for a short while so I haven't seen many of these recipes, but I love this book! The detail is just enough to be helpful-information on adjusting the oven racks for certain recipes-higher, lower, etc.. I love the science sections which tell why certain things happen when you are cooking certain foods. At the beginning of each section, I like the editors explaining how they tested, what worked, and what didn't work for them. The recipes are not fancy, and they are basic classic recipes, but very well researched, and the choices of recipes included will appeal to many people. The Peanut Butter cookies were great, as was the Braised Green Beans Italian Style, and the Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing. I only received the book a few days ago, and I am anxious to try some of the other recipes-a great addition to any cookbook library!
Rating:
Summary: The ultimate cookbook
Review: I like to cook and receive at least one cookbook for christmas, birthdays, etc. I received this cookbook as a gift about 1.5 years ago and literally have been blown away. This cook book is extremely consistant - every single recipe I have tried (I would estimate 40+) has been superb. It is rare that a recipe coming from this cookbook doesn't cross over immediately into the "best I have ever had" column". Didn't think you could ever be ecstatic about staples such as meatloaf, roasted chicken, cole slaw, or pancakes? The recipes for these (among many others) items are so good that you will keep coming back. The biggest strength of this cookbook is that it focuses on technique. It is a real "how to" book that details cooking in general - choosing ingredients, knife work, pan work, etc. Most major recipes come with a detailed description of the testing that went into the choosing of "the best recipe". Knowing the "why" in addition to the what is extremely helpful to the recreational cook. (this one anyway) At Christmas I purchased a $100+ prime standing rib roast. Using this cookbook, reading the sections on how to select the roast, how to age it, how to trim and prepare it, how to cook it, I had little doubt that the expensive cut of meat would turn out perfectly, which it did. All of the other recipes that I found for this cut of meat were incomplete and would have introduced unnecessary anxiety, and maybe a subpar roast. This is the first cookbook I reach for (Joy of Cooking is so lonely), and I would literally trade the other 30 on the shelf for this one without thinking twice. Makes a great gift.
Rating: 
Summary: Warning! Warning!
Review: This book has a tendency to throw out tradition for "revisionist" recipes. For example, their lasagne doesn't include ricotta/cottage cheese because it doesn't "look right." As a result, it doesn't "TASTE right"! Sacrificing taste for looks isn't the good sign of a cookbook to me. (Presentation doesn't hurt, but, please, get your priorities straight!). The Beef Stew has a wine & chicken broth-based sauce (like a good portion of the recipes) instead of the more traditional & hearty, gravy-like sauce. The meatloaf is more traditional, but it's not above average. As far as the clam chowder, I've had better with Campbell's Home Cooking canned chowder. It doesn't have much of a clam taste--the potatoes & bacon come through with stronger flavor. It's not that the recipes are bad, I mean, I thought the Beef Goulash was great, but they're not the "best recipes", which in my opinion would have the best tasting traditional recipes. The book also mentions how they tried 70 recipes for gumbo on the inside sleeve, but, guess what?-- no recipe for gumbo in the book! On the plus side, this book is fascinating for it's explanations of how & why things work the way they do when cooking. Overall, this is just another cookbook with a gimmick to get you to buy it, by saying they've tried 70 times to "get it right." But in the end, they don't "get it right." Like I said before, the recipes aren't bad, but what's lasagne without ricotta cheese?
Rating:
Summary: Kitchen Helper
Review: I received this book for Christmas and I love it. It is unlike any other cookbook I own (and I own alot of cookbooks!)It provides fool-proof ways to cook practically everything. I've deemed it my kitchen helper. I believe the recipes are quite tasty and flavorful. Tonight I made Sauteed Chicken Breast Cutlets with a Lemon-Caper Sauce and Quick-Cooked Carrots with Red Wine Vinegar and Thyme. I've never been able to sautee chicken breasts without them turning dry and rubbery. These turned out perfectly brown and very moist. My mother-in-law made the Prime rib Roast for Christmas Dinner. It was excellent. I love the fact that the book is educational as well - I've learned so much already about techniques and what works and what doesn't and why, just from reading this cookbook. It is alot more than just another recipe book. I'm going to give this to all my friends. I would highly recommend it. It would make a great gift for a wedding shower gift. I'm newly married myself and trying to teach myself how to cook. My husband loves the book too.
Rating:
Summary: Warning! Warning!
Review: This book has a tendency to throw out tradition for "revisionist" recipes. For example, their lasagne doesn't include ricotta/cottage cheese because it doesn't "look right." As a result, it doesn't "TASTE right"! Sacrificing taste for looks isn't the good sign of a cookbook to me. (Presentation doesn't hurt, but, please, get your priorities straight!). The Beef Stew has a wine & chicken broth-based sauce (like a good portion of the recipes) instead of the more traditional & hearty, gravy-like sauce. The meatloaf is more traditional, but it's not above average. As far as the clam chowder, I've had better with Campbell's Home Cooking canned chowder. It doesn't have much of a clam taste--the potatoes & bacon come through with stronger flavor. It's not that the recipes are bad, I mean, I thought the Beef Goulash was great, but they're not the "best recipes", which in my opinion would have the best tasting traditional recipes. The book also mentions how they tried 70 recipes for gumbo on the inside sleeve, but, guess what?-- no recipe for gumbo in the book! On the plus side, this book is fascinating for it's explanations of how & why things work the way they do when cooking. Overall, this is just another cookbook with a gimmick to get you to buy it, by saying they've tried 70 times to "get it right." But in the end, they don't "get it right." Like I said before, the recipes aren't bad, but what's lasagne without ricotta cheese?
Rating:
Summary: A GREAT cookbook!
Review: I received this book about a month ago, and have been absolutely thrilled! I have now learned the best way to cook everything from chicken and turkey to yeast bread and cookies. While some reviews have complained that the recipes for meat and poultry are very basic, I found this very helpful - now that I know the best way to roast a turkey, I feel comfortable experimenting with spices and herbs to change the flavors. My favorite feature of the book is the commentary that precedes each recipe. Reading the steps that the authors went through to achieve perfection, you learn to avoid many common and uncommon cooking mistakes. If you love to cook, but have too many complicated cookbooks, buy this book! Understanding the basics will help you cook anything better!
Rating:
Summary: A great cookbook for all the basics
Review: The thing that sets The Best Recipe apart from other cookbooks is that you never have to worry about a "failed" recipe. Everything comes out exactly as the book says. It's great, especially for people who are somewhat inept, especially at baking. I rely on the muffin, quick bread, and fruit crisp recipes. They always come out great. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning the science behind cooking and baking, as well as anyone looking for a basic cookbook that's not as overwhelming as Joy of Cooking.
Rating:
Summary: Don't stir the risotto?
Review: The Best Recipe offers new insights to common dishes. The emphasis is on technique as much as ingredients. Ever wondered how to get crispy skin on your roast chicken? Rub the skin once with butter and never, ever baste. How do you make the ultimate Bolognese sauce? Two reductions of milk and wine followed by long, slow cooking. How do you get extra-tender ribs? Wrap them in tin-foil and let them rest in a paper bag for a full hour after cooking. This practical guide to cooking tries to debunk common myths and reduce work in the kitchen, and usually succeeds. The recipes are simple where they can be and complex only where they need to be. The recipe for risotto is pure heresy: add most of the liquid at once, and stir only a little at the end. I've tried the traditional method (a little liquid at a time, constant stirring) and The Best Recipe method, and there's not much difference. Still, I enjoy stirring my risottos and think they're just a little creamier because of the extra effort. But the point of this book isn't to make cooking easier. The only shortcuts offered are those that don't reduce the quality of the final product. The recipe for chili asks you to roast your own chilies and grind your own chili powder. Why? Chili made with homemade chili powder is "fuller and warmer" than chili made with commercial chili powder. And making your own chili powder is fun, provided you have a respirator handy. The recipes here are standard classics. You won't find esoteric dishes or beautiful photos showing off elaborate presentations. What you will find is an instruction manual for making better food. It's the science of getting food right that counts here. If you enjoy cooking but sometimes find yourself wondering why you're endlessly stirring the risotto, get this book.
Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars But With Comments
Review: I wouldn't have any qualms about recommending this cookbook to anyone who was looking for 'one cookbook that pulls it all together'. I like how they have done extensive testing to come up with, in their opinion, is the best recipe for a dish. I have had success following their key lime pie recommendations. I ran into problems with their creme brulee recipe. None of the ramekins I found were 'safe for broiler' and their method recommends melting dried brown sugar under a broiler. I found that my usual method, a Home Depot blowtorch doesn't work on brown sugar. So, I went back to granulated sugar and a blowtorch and it worked great. The creme brulee recipe itself was iffy, very eggy and none of us really liked it. I think a better recipe would be based on: 1 pint heavy cream, 8 egg yolks, 1 ounce brown sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon vanilla for the creme brulee custard. The flan (creme caramel) recipe in this cookbook is very good, however. Soon, I will begin cooking entrees and vegetables using these recipes. Reading them over, they look like they will prove very successful. I enjoy reading the book, and plan to use it as my reference cookbook along with Joy of Cooking and The Bread Maker's Apprentice.
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