The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook

This book does not disappoint. I love that it explains why they choose the methods they do and it simplifies my understanding of the recipes.

C'est une super livre dans lequel il y a des milliers de recettes qui sont la base de la cuisine. Dans chaque recette ils expliquent pourquoi cette recette a marché. Absolument génial. Toutes les recettes qui j'ai utilisées de cette bouquin étaient une réussite. Je recommande vivement.

The thing I love about Cook's Illustrated is that every recipe is tested fully in the test kitchen. You know how some cookbooks have some recipes that just don't work? Never the case with this magazine which spends test kitchen time comparing things like pie crust recipes so that they work out the best one and tell you why.Considering so many cookbooks now offer something like 30 recipes, this is an encyclopedia compared to many being released today. This has TWO THOUSAND RECIPES! But what's better is that, even though you have both familiar and unfamiliar recipes in the book (Creamy Herbed Spinach dip but also a few other versions you likely hadn't thought of like Cilantro-Lime Spinach Dip with Chipotle Chile), you also have the tips on how to cook things that you might not have learned. Even though I went to culinary school, I still learn things from this magazine (the cookbook is compiled from their top magazine recipes) sometimes and most home cooks could soak up this stuff like a sponge because it's SO helpful: like how to pick out scallops at the store, or why you need to use the vodka in the tempura shrimp, or how to form a tart shell. These are all recipes where they compared lots of recipes and the test kitchen cooks chose the best--not just a bunch of recipes because they had flavors that were new. So, for example, while there are loads of recipes you'll come across and love that you may not have seen before like the caramelized onion dip rather than the usual "French Onion Dip", there are also the tried and true ones that they perfected, like deviled eggs. And they tell you why that recipe works the best.Even though this book is so loaded with recipes that you aren't going to have pages and pages taken up by photos (because the pages here all contain recipes--a huge amount) there are illustrations, like using a plastic bag to pipe the filling into deviled eggs, and how to do it for those cooks who have not used that method.The directions for each recipe are far more detailed than with most cookbooks. For example, rather than saying "Use a large pot" It will say "Use a pot that 9 quarts of liquid will fit in"...so for those who have no kitchen skills, you'll master everything like a pro without one ounce of confusion. For the pros, you'll likely pick up not only new recipes, but new skills as well. How can you not with this amount of info?You also have several versions of dishes so you can make choices. So while you'll learn how to clean shrimp easily and perfectly for the shrimp tempura, for example, you'll also be able to choose from several dipping sauces or even make several different ones so that your guests have choices. Such as:Teppanyaki Mustard Dipping SauceGinger Soy Dipping SauceChili Aioli Dipping SauceAll of which can also be used with the Spanish Style Garlic Shrimp RecipeEvery kind of recipe is available no matter what your special dietary needs are or what the occasion for cooking may be, whether a family meal or lavish gourmet party, whether vegetarian or all meat, appetizers, even spiced nut recipes and loads of desserts.At the start of each recipe it says "Why this Recipe Works" and you learn a lot from why that version is better than many recipes out there, and you know it will turn out right. For example, there are tons of pie crust recipes on the internet and in cookbooks--their test kitchen tries out the most popular and the experts tell you which recipe won and why.So while there are already nearly 400 reviews on this cookbook, I loved it enough that I had to share some of the contents to help you see the range of recipes and why this may be one of those books you hand down to the next generation with notes and highlights in the borders--it just has so much inside:A VERY SMALL EXAMPLE OF THE RECIPES WITHIN:CORN AND BLACK BEAN QUESADILLAS WITH PEPPER JACK CHEESEULTIMATE HUMMUS AND HUMMUS WITH SMOKED PAPRIKABRUSCHETTA WITH GRILLED PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMSBRUSCHETTA WITH PORT CARAMELIZED ONIONS, BLUE CHEESE AND WALNUTSBRUSCHETTA WITH SUMMER SQUASH, BACON AND BLUE CHEESE(AND ABOUT 10 OTHER RECIPES FOR BRUSCHETTA)6 APPLE SAUCE RECIPES EVEN!LOADS OF SALADS LIKE CHEF'S SALAND WITH FENNEL, ASIAGO, AND SALAMI OR ITALIAN BREAD SALAD TO LOADS OF GREENSASIAN BARBECUE GLAZE FOR CORNISH GAME HENSASIAGO CHEESE AND PARM GARLIC BREADBACON AND BROWNED BUTTER VINAIGRETTEOLD FASHIONED BEEF STEW WITH BACONBACON, ONION, AND SCALLION OMELET FILLINGASPARAGUS, RED PEPPER AND SPINACH WITH SHERRY VINEGAR AND GOAT CHEESEBASICS LIKE SALSA, GUACAMOLE, AND HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSINGBAKED MAC AND CHEESEBAKED MANICOTTI SEVERAL DIFFERENT WAYSABOUT 20 KINDS OF BARBECUESTEAMED MUSSELS WITH BASIL AND CURRYLOTS OF CHICKEN RECIPESLOTS OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF BREAD AND TIPS ON IT TURNING OUT PERFECTLY WHICH ARE OFTEN THINGS OVERLOOKEDPIZZA RECIPESPORK CHOP RECIPESLOTS OF STEAK AND BEEF RECIPES, ALL KINDS OF FLAVORS FROM TRADITIONAL TO UNIQUE--EVERY CUT AND KIND YOU CAN IMAGINELOADS OF BEAN RECIPES AND HOW TO USE THEM AND STORE THEMPASTAS WITHOUT MEAT TO PASTAS WITH SLOW SIMMERED MEAT SAUCESTIR FRYSBELGIAN BEEF, BEER AND ONION STEWCLASSICS LIKE BEEF STROGANOFFBASIC GRILLED HAMBURGERS TO FANCY HAMBURGERS LIKE GRILLED HAMBURGERS WITH COGNAC, MUSTARD, AND CHIVES OR GARLIC, CHIPOTLES AND SCALLIONSDRINKS LIKE HOW TO MAKE THE BEST FRESH MARGARITAS OR SANGRIAEVEN THE BEAN RECIPES ARE EXTENSIVE SUCH AS STUFFED ZUCCHINI WITH :BLACK BEANS, CORN AND CHIPOTLE CHILESLOTS OF DIFFERENT LEMONADE RECIPESPANCAKE RECIPESLOADS OF BISCUIT RECIPESPECAN BREAD PUDDING WITH BOURBON AND ORANGGEPUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH GRAHAM PECAN CRUSTLOADS OF STUFFING RECIPES: FROM BAKED HERB TO SPICY CORNBREAD WITH RED PEPPER OR CHIPOTLE WITH SAUSAGE....THINK THAT'S ALL? SURPRISE! THAT IS ONLY IN THE "B" SECTION OF THE COOKBOOK! AND THAT'S NOT EVEN A SMIDGEN OF THE RECIPES IN THAT SECTION!Yes, this one is extensive...I had a bag gf potatoes and this gave me so many different ideas that they were gone quickly! If you have anything like that that you aren't sure to cook with--basics like green beans, rice, broccoli, etc--you can simply look through the index of this book and see what ingredients you have on hand to make something out of. Or what you want to run to the store to create, gourmet or simple.I find myself reaching for this cookbook above all others lately because I know that no matter what I cook it will be tried and true and the flavors working beautifully together.This has so many recipes that it's like owning a collection of cookbooks such as loads of dessert cookbooks, bread cookbooks, breakfast cookbooks, side dish cookbooks and every kind of main dish cookbook...appetizers, dips, soups, stews, stir fries and more...2,000 of their best recipes...what else can be said? You'll surely find something you love!This looks beautiful on your kitchen counter, either laying flat or like I have it, closed on my cookbook holder. Beautiful cover and ready to assist you when needed.

NO le falta de nada, explicado paso a paso, con muchísima variedad de recetas de todo tipo. Obligatorio en una cocina.

Dont expect glossy pages or pictures, this book is better than that pretentious rubbish we get to see from "celeb chefs" cook books nowadays.There are clear explanations to why they use the methods they use, they talk to you by dumbing down, although it is American in principle they have spent an awful lot of effort in perfecting these recipes that really do work by the way.No need to convert American Weights and measures as this is all done for you. I have quite a lot of cook books but this one in my opinion is at number one of my reach for list. I am never out of the kitchen now giving this book a thorough going over, now my Mrs thinks i am turning into a "Feeder" lol far from it, it has giving me a renewed interest in all aspects of cooking.For what you get from this cook book, the shere ammount of recipes (2000) goodness me, and clear concise explanation Why they chose the methods and how is a bargain. So if you are umming and ahhhhing about the price, dont let what you think is more than what you want to spend, lets face it with this book you surely get what you pay for.An excellent cook book. If you choose not to get this book, for me you lose out in the long run.