From the people who bring you America's Test Kitchen, "The New Best Recipe" is a monolithic book with just about every American recipe imaginable. Have you ever wondered what would happen if you had brined your pork before breading and frying it? Or if you had used panko instead of Italian bread crumbs? Well, the people at Cook's Illustrated help to answer those questions by giving you a detailed account of about a dozen or more different techniques they experimented with for just ONE recipe. Admittedly this compulsively formulaic method sometimes results in strange and overly elaborate directions, but it is informative all the same and it's an excellent go-to book if you're ever stuck wondering exactly how to get something just right.
This is the perfect resource for beginners as well because the explanations of how to use the recipes are detailed and the side information detailing equipment and techniques to use is plentiful. And because you are practically guaranteed to create a delicious dish regardless of your level of experience, it is a very encouraging book to cook from.
For experienced cooks, it's an extremely interesting read that will never fail to teach you something new. Beyond the recipes themselves, you'll learn exactly why each choice is made at every step of the process. You'll also be exposed to a great deal of history behind the dishes and how different techniques came to be. The greatest joy might just be sifting through all the recipes and finding the one that blows your own classic recipe out of the water!
To see the new Top 5 Essential Cookbooks Reviews list, follow me to Globetrotter Diaries.
Globetrotter Diaries is a cooking food blog that explores the culinary cultures around the world by cooking a local dish each week and providing tips and techniques to help you in the kitchen. We hope you'll join us on our adventures!
No comments:
Post a Comment