Rating: 
Summary: Tradition + Research + Science
Review: This book makes substantial claims in its title. But the authors have a reason for their claims. This is not a book of recipes from one person's (subjective) viewpoint. Almost all the recipes were "arrived at" by a common process. 1. Collect various, diverse and classic recipes for a given dish. 2. Prepare the various recipes. 3. Test the results (usually results are tested by a substantial panel) 4. If applicable, consult food scientists regarding certain chemical or physical reactions or properties. 5. Produce a recipe which combines everything learned from the process. The result is a recipe which tastes best to most people. What also results are several benefits to the cook: 1) The recipes are often steamlined (if a traditional or classic technique does not produce flavor it is jettisoned). 2) The recipes usually revolve around a core technique that can be applied to other dishes in a cook's repertoire. 3) If the cook takes time to read all the work done by the editors he will be able to avoid many "mistakes" in his own experimenting. As to the reviewer's comment about so many meat+salt+pepper recipes, I believe he missed 2 things: 1) nearly all the recipes of that nature have significant seasoning/ingredient variations after the basic recipe, 2) the point of these recipes was the TECHNIQUE. When I was a neophyte "gourmet" I liked long recipes with complex techniques. Now that I'm older (and wiser) I can ALSO appreciate plain chicken or beef which truly have been well-cooked. But this book also gives you variety as well--there are Italian, Mexican, French, Asian, etc. flavors here along with the American standards. Having tried very many of these recipes I agree that they are usually "best". My family and friends also agree. The chicken brining technique and the hard-boiled egg recipe have become absolute in my own cooking. In the short time I have owned it, this book has seen more use than many of my old favorites because the results are so reliably "the best."
Rating:
Summary: Looking for a wedding present? This is the cookbook
Review: I love this book for four reasons. One, this book has wonderful recipes that have never failed me. Thanksgiving turkey; grilled chicken; pizza crust; black beans; pie crust; Sunday muffins; oatmeal cookies--these are all pretty basic foods, but the secrets to making them delicious eluded me until I started using this book. Two, the explanations of the author's trial and error have given me a much better understanding of the rationale behind using certain cooking techniques and ingredients. Normally I'm the kind of cook that likes to pick and choose from several recipes for any given dish, and combine them based on whatever I happen to have on hand. The explanations of authors' trial and error in developing these recipes have helped me understand when it's okay to substitute ingredients or methods and when that's not a great idea. Three, for the most part this book calls for basic ingredients you can find in a normal grocery store. Four, although their emphasis is on quality, the authors pay attention to convenience as well. All in all, this is the best cookbook I've ever seen for cooks who want to consistently make delicious food but also want to have a life.
Rating:
Summary: One of My Favorites
Review: My wife and I love to cook. One of our favorite hobbies is collecting cookbooks of all types. The Best Recipe is currently our favorite. The recipes are straightforward, contain ingredients that are readily accessible at our local supermarket, with unparalleled preparation instructions. Every recipe that I've tried has been wonderful. This is the perfect book for anyone who is a beginning or more experienced cook. I love the way they have painstakingly tried dozens of variations in preparing each recipe to find what technique is just right. This is the best book I've seen to learn cooking techniques that work wonderfully. I have made delicious prime rib before, but the simple tips I found in this book have elevated my prime rib to restaurant status. This is a book that my wife and I will be using for a long time to come. It makes a great gift too!
Rating:
Summary: Great Kitchen Tool
Review: This is one of the best cookbooks I own. It is thorough, well organized, and informative. All types of foods are included here, and with 700 recipes, you can be assured you will find what you are looking for. I thought the cooking experiments were interesting, though not required reading for success with the recipes. I did not think the recipes were too simplistic, since many contain many variations with sauces or seasonings. It is important to remember that the best cooking is with prime ingredients well assembled and prepared. This is the kind of cooking for the modern age with wonderful food, the best recipes, and great variety.
Rating: 
Summary: great read, cool info, plain food
Review: I agree with the reviewer who points out that the non-baking recipes are pretty unadventurous. I feel the same way about Cook's Illustrated Magazine. Half of the recipes they "perfect" are for things I would *never* make: "Classic American Cooking." That said, I LOVE reading their obsessive descriptions of WHY certain things work or didn't. I've learned a lot about cooking *techniques* that can translate to more exciting recipes. But I tend to cook from 3 or 4 recipes simultaneously, freely adapting them to make a dish utterly unlike any of those described in the recipes. The Best Recipe is great for those who want to make really good versions of some fairly standard "meat & potatoes" American classics, OR for those who are intrigued by the science of cooking (what do butter molecules do that margerine molecules don't?), OR by those who (like me) want a book full of cooking "strategies" more than recipes themselves.
Rating:
Summary: An Indispensable Reference and 'How-To' Book!
Review: I have several hundred cookbooks. This book is right at the top in terms of quality and ease of use. I have made the chicken stock, and it is several orders of magnitude better than any other stock recipe I have ever tried. I truly love to use it and feel confident that anyone who loves the process of cooking (as well as the results) will enjoy the wealth of information and tips. This is not like any other cookbook you have!
Rating: 
Summary: Great recipes but "Where are the pictures?"
Review: We thought this book was really helpful in providing a good basic level of understanding in many areas of cooking techniques. However, the only thing it really seemed to be notably lacking were good pictures. There are indeed some pictures in the book, but they are really limited to black and white sketches. If the goal of this book is to provide a good overall book to the masses more illustrations would definitely be in order (and pictures of the end result!)
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have
Review: The explanations in this book are terrific! I've have grown tremendously as a chef thanks to this book. My family now has a much larger variety of foods for dinner because I've learned how to roast everything from cornish game hens to chuck-eye roasts. Let's face it, you are investing money, time and energy every time you make something, be it rack of lamb or angle food cake. You can find recipes anywhere; on websites, newspapers, t.v etc. But my bet is on the recipes in this book. It provides the understanding that all chefs should have. P.S. If you are using a Circulon roasting pan, adding a little water to the roasting pan for the roast beef recipe keeps the outside from overcooking and the inside from being raw. The heavy duty metal in Circulon pans build up more heat than other thinner pans.
Rating:
Summary: Not only HOW but WHY
Review: I love this book! It not only contains lots of delicious recipies but it also explains cooking techniques (WHY one does certain things) and HOW the techniques and ingrediants affect the outcome of the dish. The recipies are great, and I like that rather than simply following directions the book explains the concepts. I feel like I am actually learning about cooking and food chemistry while preparing delicious things to eat. Of course you could just dive right into the recipies if you don't care why one pie crust tastes better than another. This is definatly a great book to give as a gift (but get one for yourself too!)
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous book, worth every penny
Review: Of all my cookbooks this one is my favorite. If you love to cook or just want to be able to turn out delicious meals reliably this is the book to get. I enjoy reading the processes they used to get to their "best" recipe, but even if you don't the recipes are well worth the price of admission. Every recipe I've tried (sauteed chicken breast, pan-fried steak, pork chops, etc) has turned out beautifully. Best of all many of the recipes are quick and don't require a lot of ingredients. I like being able to get home at night and get dinner to the table quickly. So far I've mainly focused on main dish meats and sides of veggies. The desserts section looks delicious, but isn't low fat. Overall, I love this book because I know when I try a recipe it will turn out the way they say it will. So far I and my family have loved everything.
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