Stirring the Pot

Gift for my hushand that has made several of Tyler's dishes from the food network and He is just starting to cook as a hobby. Great and easy directions for him to follow. The dishes have been really good too.

I have followed Tyler Florence for years and practice regularly his style and techniques in my kitchen. I don't own all of his books as I don't need an oversized collection of my favorite chefs but peruse reviews and tables of contents on occasion for a book that I might use quite often so that it really pays for itself. This is definately one that I recommend keeping in your kitchen. The recipes inside are ones that are enjoyed by all of our family members, including the kids. He has great tips on how to arrange your kitchen to make it more user friendly. This would make a great gift as well for a novice or a seasoned chef. Enjoy! Shawn

Such a book! Recipes, advice...I am a good cook, but when I read what I should be doing in my kitchen I put the book down and first of all cleaned out the refrigerator, because Tyler gave me permission. Then I cleaned out the freezer, because without his permission everything would have gone a considerable time longer before I felt I could throw food out! I really gave my whole kitchen a good going over and then shared the book with my kids instead of my telling them what to do. All the recipes and tips tried so far are also knockout. Great book.

When I first noticed that Tyler was releasing two books the same month I thought it was a ploy to sell twice as many books. When I looked through them however, I realized that they were really very different in style. Dinner at My Place offers menus for meals, although any of the dishes can be prepared independently. The theme is more about creating whole meals for friends and family. Stirring the Pot is more about teaching different cooking techniques and what types of dishes are best produced using those techniques. There are lessons on stocking your kitchen, purchasing gadgets, sharpening knives, etc. But then the book's chapters are titled things like "Roasting," "Braising," "Frying," etc. Each chapter offers a selection of great recipes using that cooking method. I understand why Tyler released the books separately, but I also know why I purchased both of them. Because they are great!

I am glad that cooks like Tyler Florence publish books that break down the kitchen to us. He gives his expertise on how the layout of your kitchen can help reduce your cooking time, the right knives, tools, and simple recipes that are sure to please any hungry crowd. If you are looking for a cookbook that will educate you and challenge you to change your way of cooking...this is the book for you.