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I've been going to the church of America's Test Kitchen/Cooks Illustrated/Cook's Country for about 6/7 years now. I buy a ton of their books, watch both shows, and read both magazines (might start listening to their podcast again too). It's very rare that I get a bad recipe from them. If I had anything bad to say about them is that I'm too reliant on them for recipes, but that's just because everything usually turns out excellent. With ATK (and watching Good Eats) I literally went from cooking hamburger helper bullshit to making some of the best meals I've ever had, restaurant or home cooked. Their recipes are very specific and detailed so I know that may not jive with the more professional types. However, I feel the Cooks Illustrated Magazine is a great read for anyone regardless of skill level. They're always coming up with innovative techniques and their taste tests and equipment reviews are excellent. I have a subscription to their website which grants me access to almost all their recipes. If I buy a book of theirs, I tend to get the subject specific books instead of the general ones like The America's Test Kitchen New Family Cookbook and The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book, though I've heard great things. Some of my favorites are: 1. The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook. It's rare to find a healthy eating book that is actually concerned about taste. It seems like most healthy "make over" books I've read had recipes that are just poor substitutes for the real thing. This book has actually made me prefer the healthier version of dishes. A few highlights for me are their salad dressings, stir fries, pestos, chicken parm, and desserts. 2. The Cook's Illustrated Guide To Grilling And Barbecue. BBQ and Grilling (especially with charcoal) used to be very intimidating before I got this book. Now I feel like I can cook anything. The technique section alone is worth the price of this book. I've yet to see a book that explains the fundamentals and intricacies of BBQ and Grilling as well as this book does. 3. The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook. As much as I like to spend 3 hours cooking dinner every night in the kitchen, I just can't with my 9-5 job. Much like the healthy book, many quick dinner books either skimp on the flavor or lie to you about how much time it really takes (like not including prep time). This book does neither. They rigorously test the cooking times and I find it fairly accurate. My goal is to cook everything I eat unless I'm away from out of town, I'm dining socially, or it's a special occasion. This book helps me do that. So yeah, I've been drinking their kool-aid for a long time now. I don't regret it at all, and it's certainly made me a much better cook. However, I'm curious to see what everyone else posts as I'm hoping to branch out some more from ATK this year. I think I will pick up that Ratio book. I remember wanting to check it out when it came out. Seems like it's standing the test of time.
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Mar 24, 2015 06:40
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| # ¿ May 15, 2024 01:52 |
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