Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful
Review: This is the best cookbook I have ever purchased (I have about 10). I have not found any of the recipes to be complicated - in fact they are far more simple than I would have expected. Everything I have made from this book has been delicious. Here is an example:
I have always loved French Toast. I always order it when I go out to breakfast and I have made it so many times that I have grown to really love my own recipe. When I saw that "The Best Recipe" included a French Toast recipe, I had to make it. It was completely different from the way I always have it - there was no cinnamon, there was much more milk than egg, flour and salt were included in the batter. Well, it was delicious, BY FAR the best French Toast I have ever had. I can't wait to make it again. I asked my boyfriend (who never has an interest in French Toast) to try it - he loved it. I had similiarly positive experiences with the chicken, chicken salad, meatloaf, and lasagne recipes. I am looking forward to trying others!
Rating:
Summary: terrific explanations on every subject imaginable
Review: I bought the book more for the prose than for the recipes. Terrific explanations of the how's and why's of cooking.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent cookbook
Review: 'Best' is so subjective and cooking is such a matter of pride that I doubt any cookbook could satisfy everyone's definition of one best recipe for every dish. This cookbook provides excellent recipes that work well for almost any skill level.The rationale behind their methods and choices is given in such a way that cooks can adapt the recipes to suit their own tastes. It's an excellent cookbook for beginners and cooks who's skills are growing with experience in that it provides the why of cooking along with a great recipe. The best? Maybe not, but a darn good start and lessons learned from the techniques presented and ingredient explanations never waste your time. It certainly belongs on your cookbook shelf along with your copy of The Joy Of Cooking.
Rating:
Summary: If you want to make it , you'll find it in here
Review: I've found myself several times wracking my brain on what to fix for dinner. VOILA!! Pick an ingredient in your pantry/freezer and you can be sure to find a delicious dish out of this book. I've even given the cookbook to my sister-in-law as a gift. Whenever trying to plan family menus for next week. This book surely comes out of my collection of over 2 hundred cookbooks.
Rating: 
Summary: Highly recommended!
Review: I really like this cookbook. More for the information surrounding the recipes than for the recipes themselves. I learned a great deal from reading this book thoroughly. Not that the recipes aren't good; they are, though it's not for me to say if they're the best. I thought the recipe for Clam Chowder was pretty lackluster, but maybe I'm spoiled by having so many great versions available here in New England. Really, my one complaint is the index; I find it extremely difficult to use as there is so little typographical differentiation between headings, such as Beef, and the contents, like Roasted. But, the fact that I care about the index tells you I use this book. You will, too.
Rating:
Summary: An Essential to All Kitchens
Review: I am an experience gourmet chef. I purchased this book based on the publisher's reputation, and a quick read thru at the store. My wife has recently started cooking and she uses the Best Recipe as a true reference when preparing meals. Its recipes are user friendly and tasty. I believe its recipes and articles concerning cooking techniques compliments every chef, from the gourmet to the novice. Best Recipe lets us know How and Why things work the way they do, hence encouraging each chef think out of the box. A definite keeper. This is a great gift for any chef, regardless of experience.
Rating:
Summary: Great for all except roasts
Review: We are very critical of most cook books, but this is consistently excellent. The basic receipies are almost foolproof for anyone, and the addiional info provides a more experienced or experimental cook all the info needed to modify it to suit them. The only weakness is the treatment of roasts - I prefer a more agressive treatment - to achieve a more browned exterior at any doneness. Try Kafkas book 'Roasting' and with these two books you can cover all the basics. This is even better than our prior bible 'The Joy of Cooking'
Rating:
Summary: The Definitive Essential Cookbook
Review: I almost hesitate to advise people to buy this book, for the selfish reason of wanting to hoard these cooking secrets. Seriously, though, I have learned skills and methods I had never seen elsewhere, and it has improved my cooking immensely. It wasn't that bad before! I have successfully made many recipes from this book and have found in most cases it IS "the Best Recipe." Before I cook anything from another cookbook, I cross-check against The Best Recipe first. Everyone who loves to cook and takes pride in flawless execution should own this book. The only thing that could possibly improve TBR would be a full color illustration and photo section.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Cooking Teacher
Review: My sister bought this book for me, and our 4 Sister's-in-Law, all of whom are excellent cooks. We RAVE about this book. For one thing, it explains WHY they selected each recipe, after experimenting with the better of several recipes, then they add in some variations to provide you with the guidelines to "make it your own."
I've learned SO MUCH about what ingredients--and timing-- do to alter the outcome of recipes; whether they're baking, grilling, or sauteing.
The only limitation is space, so they can't go on and on. But, if you only bought ONE cookbook for your favorite cook, give them this one. They'll pleasure you forever...
Rating:
Summary: The Consumer Reports of Cookbooks -- Essential
Review: The reviewer who said that this book was about salt and pepper either missed the point or is showing his culinary inexperience. The folks who put this invaluable resource together may "only" be presenting basic-looking recipes for turkey, bread, et cetera... but the point is that these recipes WORK like no others. The editors cooked some SEVENTY turkeys to find the absolutely perfect way to do it, every time. That kind of mad attention to basics is what this book is about. Are you looking to impress your friends with the latest brain-dead trendoid pasta-foccacia-souffle-with-cilantro-roux concoction? If so, then yeah, you should shop elsewhere (and get some new friends). Want to make elite-restaurant-quality prime rib in your home oven? This book will tell you how... and the techniques it will recommend are NOT what the "olde classics" will tell you to do. That's the value of this book. Get it.
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