The Best of America's Test Kitchen: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings

Lemme preface by stating that I am incredibly exacting when it comes to my home, my kitchen and what I choose to serve to my family and friends. And that's why this book is so special and unique. Because I know without a shadow of doubt that anything published by Cook's Illustrated and Chris Kimball (the editor-at-large) is always going to be Perfect! I suppose it was about 2 years ago when I first got turned on to America's Test Kitchen (the hugely popular cooking series produced by WGBH and the master-chefs at Cook's Illustrated Magazine.) I just got so sick of watching the Food Network dumb-down their programming and otherwise bastardize the domestic arts. And, if I had to watch that little overpaid hog make 1 more ludicrous concoction I was (literally) going to gag. So when I stumbled upon America's Test Kitchen on my local Public Broadcasting Service I was more than eager to soak up all of their valuable information. Since then, I have purchased some of America's Test Kitchen DVD sets and many of their books. The Best of America's Test Kitchen - 2007 is my very favorite book, though. This book is useful and practical on so many levels. This isn't just a cookbook, it's a cookbook written by domestic artists who understand who their audience is and who also know the importance of practicality. This is a hardcover, 312 page book that measures roughly 11 X 8. The book also includes tons of full color pictures, diagrams and guides and tips. I also enjoy the smaller pictures included in just about every recipe that shows pictures of what the food should look like as you're preparing it (this helps so much!) The book includes a dust-jacket, but I always remove this simply because it tends to get dirty when I'm cooking. The actual cover of the book is almost coated with this shimmery-type of paper that is resistant to stains and splatters (this also helps a lot.) Oh, and 1 more thing I enjoy about the general make-up of the book is that it nicely stands up on its own, without any additional effort on my part. The book includes easy-to-understand, step-by-step recipes that this cook can tell were written with care. Because America's Test Kitchen includes the names of some of the best brands (based on their extensive unbiased research) to use with most of the recipes as well. Each recipe starts out with an in-depth description of each dish; describing what could go wrong, what they changed and other points to look for. I have never used nor read any other cookbook that went to such great lengths as America's Test Kitchen! They really go the extra step to make sure their readers prepare only the finest recipes. All of their recipes are second to none. I read the book cover to cover and I can honestly tell you that there is not 1 single recipe that was thrown in as "filler." This book was not simply slopped together (like so many cookbooks these days are.) No way. The experts at Cook's Illustrated would never stand for that. Every single recipe

I'm a big fan of America's Test Kitchen, and the recipes in this book are really great. The spaghetti sauce and meat sections are my favorite.

This is a beautiful cookbook which has stripped away lengthy prose about their test procedures. That's just fine with me. I can look up the "whys" with my online subscription. The book is not thinner on the recipes, although it is does include lighter fare. Great! I know the recipes are tested to taste wonderful, and happily they won't make me fat or fatter, as the case may be. I am happy about this and so is my husband. They are really keeping up with the times.

I love to cook and I am always looking for gifts for my best friends.We review cookbooks like some people review the latest detective story. I love the color photos. Part of the challenge of cooking is not only to make it taste good, but also to make it look beautiful. We just love all the hint's and test kitchen tips with the illustrations. How could a cookbook get better? I love the deep dish apple pie on page 243. I can't wait to get into my kitchen to duplicate it....thanks for the great christmas gift. I am so excited.

I fail to understand the complaints of two previous reviewers. This beautiful glossy volume is an excellent compendium of previosly publisned Cook's Illustrated recipes. In style and format it would make an excellent first choice for anyone wishing to be introduced to a selection of the best of the best recipes from America's Teet Kitchen (i. e. Cook's Illustrated) without the tediousness of having to wade through lengthy descriptions of how the recipes were arrived at. The cooks at America's Test Kitchen test each recipe up to fifty! times, often in several versions before arriving at the what they (and their taste testers) feel is the very best recipe. No other cookbooks offer this degree of security to the home cook. Chapters include: Starters and Salads, Soups and Stews, Vegetables and Side Dishes, Eggs and Breads, Pasta, Meat, Poultry, Seafood, and Desserts. Throughout, are guides and charts to everything from grains to the best bakeware (also kitchen tested). The recipes range from familiar comfort food (e. g. Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Glazed Meatloaf, and Deep-dish Apple Pie) to "show-off" company fare (e.g. Baked Brie en Croute, Grill-roasted Chinese Style Duck, and Dark Chocolate Mousse). If your looking for recipes that work everytime, do yourself a favor and purchase any Cook's Illustrated cookbook, including this one. You won't be dissappointed.