Rating: 
Summary: awesome basic book...
Review: I am SO glad I bought this book; it covers a huge range of food and gives in-depth discussion as to why the editors chose the particular recipe they did. Even if you don't agree with the final result, it is still fascinating, although I admit that the way it's written makes the editors sound a little slow witted. Each recipe seems to have taken weeks to develop -- the testers never managed to hit a great recipe on the first or even fifth try... Nevertheless, it is immensely enjoyable. For instance, the introduction on fried chicken discusses whether to soak it or not, what to soak the raw chicken in (buttermilk, water, milk?), what to dredge it in, how long to let it sit after dredging, what kind of fat to fry it in (peanut oil, lard, vegie oil, crisco?), what perfect temperature to fry at to minimize grease absorbtion (the authors note that chicken fried in crisco only absorbed 1 tsp.) and whether to cover the pan or not while it's cooking. Whew! The editors also discuss various types of chocolate chips (most testers preferred a supermarket brand, not an exotic French brand, because that's what most grew up with, the authors surmise). From layer cakes to ham and split pea soup to pasta salad to BBQ, most basic dishes are covered. I eat ethnic food most of the time and this book still appealed to me, probably because the recipes appear to be delicious. By the way, the seasonings are NOT limited to salt and pepper, but include various spices. Many recipes have variations included at the end.
Rating:
Summary: Great Recipes
Review: In a nutshell: If you like Cook's Illustrated Magazine,you will love this cookbook.
Rating:
Summary: If you want PERFECT food...
Review: Cooks Magazine is for people who want to UNDERSTAND basic food, and perfect it. You'll learn about chemical reactions, and what makes food work, so that you can fly on your own when it comes to cooking, instead of being chained to an incomprehensible recipe. Unlike "Bon Appetit," Cooks will teach you technique and what makes good equipment, all part of cooking perfection. The Best Recipe is a stunning tribute to this type of cooking, and you will find yourself reading it like a novel, underlining key passages along the way. There is more to being a great cook than having a good recipe from some flashy magazine with artistic food photos. From focaccia to buttermilk biscuits, or mac and cheese to braised lamb shanks, this book teaches you a lot. You will be amazed at the food you can turn out with this volume by your side. And at $20, it is the cheapest food course you could ever enroll in.
Rating: 
Summary: The Best Recipe Cook Book
Review: I think this Cookbook is wonderful, great recipes. The only thing I have against it is that all pictures of recipes (except) the front cover are all black and white. I personaly do not mind paying a little more to get the pictures in color they are much more appealing and this makes you want to make the receipe. I also feel that you should tell people when they are in color and also when they are not.
Rating:
Summary: This is one to get!
Review: I have several of the Cooking Illustrated cookbooks. This is typical of their cook books, in debt coverage of the recipes they do cover. All recipes I have ever tried from Cooking Illustrated have all been good to out of this world. This book continues their fine tradation. This book is not for the novice cook, but someone who enjoys cooking and wants to learn quite a bit more in the science behind the cooking.
Rating:
Summary: Great Cookbook!
Review: The 5 star reviews for The Best Recipe are "right on!" The report and recipe for Barbecue Ribs with Coleslaw is so enlightening that after all these years, I can REALLY produce awesome ribs that get all the raves, and with very little effort! Just these secrets alone are worth the price of the book, but it is crammed with other great repasts.
Rating:
Summary: My copy already looks dogeared....
Review: The Best Recipe is my current favorite cookbook. Everything I've made from this book has been perfect. I am a professional chef and an avid home cook. I've had the book only two weeks, and I can confirm that the grilled pork tenderloin, fruit cobbler, flourless chocolate cake, brownies, potato salad, broccoli soup and grilled shrimp were the best I've ever made. I take this book to work every day and lug it home again at night so I can consult it at any time. I am ordering another copy. This is a book you'll turn to again and again, even if you don't cook often.
Rating:
Summary: The one book to own ... if you love to "cook"
Review: An incredible book. I have never enjoyed following recipes, but with the indepth, common-sense explanations that are provided on even the simplest dish/food/project, I follow these recipes and get fantastic results. An enjoyable read. I have always wanted to know "why" and the editors of this book provide that throughout, in an understandable, interesting and, even, fun way.
Rating:
Summary: If you like to read cookbooks as well as cook from them...
Review: This book is fantastic! Every recipe has a "story" to it which describes why they chose this or that ingrediant. Every time I have cook using this book, the results been wonderful! I have already given this book as a gift to two non cooks and one who I consider a "gourmet"-I can not say enough good things about what this book has to offer any cook-experienced or not!
Rating:
Summary: Tradition + Research + Science
Review: I will try to say something that other reviewers haven't already said.There are 4 things that elevate this cookbook above so many others: 1) Recipe testing. The editors do their research in finding most (if not all) of the possible ways a certain dish has been prepared. Then they test them to find which is the best. They often invent their own best recipe as a hybrid of the recipes they found in their research. 2) The author(s) state the objectives for the results of a recipe. They let you know what goal they have in mind with each recipe. You may disagree with their goal, but they do a good job of finding (or creating) the best recipe to meet their objective. 3) The recipes explain the process that was gone through to come to their "best" result. You won't have to repeat any of their trials (or errors) in your own cooking. 4) Technique is as important as the list of ingredients. There are many "simple" recipes here, but if a cook does not know the best way to prepare the basics--the building blocks--then all the embellishment in the world will not really cover up the bad pie crust or the over-cooked meat. This book has become a sort of cooking bible for me. When I find a recipe from another source, I frequently consult The Best Recipe to see if there isn't some light it can shed. I can rattle off a list of techniques and recipes which have become "absolute" in my own kitchen (the angel food cake, grilled prok tenderloin, the brined chicken, the hard-boiled egg technique, etc.), but the list would be too long to include in this review. As to some reviewers' comments about the salt+pepper+meat or "meat and potatoes" recipes, they are somewhat true. However, I would estimate (from scanning the book) that 75% of the "basic" recipes include variations in seasonings, ingredients or sauce. Sometimes they include 3 or 4 variations. And there are plenty of Italian, French, Asian, Mexican, etc. flavors in the book to keep your taste buds from being bored for a long time. I think one of the most frustrating aspects of so many cookbooks is that the recipes often do not produce satisfying results. In these cookbooks the list of ingredients or photos may be appealing but the actual result is often a "mistake" I will not repeat. "The Best Recipe" has almost always produced satisfying results for me (and my table guests). So far I have only found one recipe I will not repeat, and that was probably due to my personal taste (the recipe did turn out as they said it would). I wish every cookbook I owned had a success rate like this one!
|
