Courses Books

Every single recipe in this book is amazing, and extremely easy to follow.
Along with the recipes themselves is plenty of information and illustrations explaining the science behind certain ingredients, equipment and cooking methods.

The book reads like the television series, which is fantastic. Everything about this book blows me away.

I can't say enough...This book is, and I mean this, just as good as "The Joy of Cooking". Seriously.

I bounce between those two and ignore the 50 or so other cookbooks I now own.

Thanks to Cooks Illustrated for making me a GOOD chef!

I purchased this cookbook because it was recommended by a friend. I love it! It is fun to read and is so informative about what makes a recipe better and guess what?.....You cook better, too!! My husband loves the meals from it.
I gave it to my daughter-in-law for her birthday. She received 3 cookbooks and this one is her favorite....she just raves about it. Now, her nightime reading is the "New Best Recipe Cookbook".....

It has no great receipes,
it is only a very classic recipes done with small change.

Book is not that illustrative as mentioned by others reviews

I agree with one of the reviewers that he/she feels like a pro using the "The Best" series. I've cooked from this book and several of "The Best" Series and they ALL came up excellent according to the people and guests to whom I'd served them: from Asian to Italian to restaurant cooking, and many more. It takes away the guessing from what I've been doing. I agree with the editors that their books are simply the BEST. Unpretentious, simple, and straight-forward. Their equipment testing and food tasting are always reliable since they sample as many a brands as necessary with as many tasters too. So, how can that go wrong. They bring home cooking back with fun and enjoyment. I always learn something when I read their books as they are all informative, not intimidating, and fun to read.

I'm a guy in my early 20's just learning how to cook for myself... this book is amazing. precise, detailed instructions on how to do things that a novice like me wouldn't otherwise know how to do. it's become like my cooking bible, an indispensable fixture around my kitchen.

Good book about bread baking. this is the second book i have read on this subject and this one is much better than the other. i followed the focaccia recipe and it turned out GREAT!!

Next recipe to try is the stollen.

The Bread Baker's Apprentice book is a good entry book for bread baking.

Most recipes are based on commercial yeast (as opposed to sourdough), making them more suitable for most readers. Those who are looking for sourdough based recipes should look elsewhere (for example Daniel Leader's Bread Alone).

My favorite recipe are bagels. Simple and great tasting. Bagels recipe alone is enough to buy this book. Retarded baguet taste great too. There are many recepies from around the world.

If you don't want to mess with sourdough, than I highly recomend this book.

Although I have been a long-time satisfied customer, I now feel an obligation to warn you against purchasing this from Amazon. If you do, you will risk having an experience similar to mine and receiving a damaged book, or even receiving two damaged books.

Based upon two successive experiences, it appears that Amazon has either (1) discontinued its policy of using shrink-wrap to protect its books or (2) it continues to have such policy but does not adequately supervise its shipping department personnel so that books will not be unnecessarily damaged. In either event, its efforts to protect books during transit does not appear to be as reliable as before.

Initially, I decided to order Peter Reinhart's outstanding book from Amazon after seeing it at a local book store. I placed the order in the usual manner and was somewhat surprised to discover that inadequate packing material was used. Because the book was not protected with shrink wrap, it slid back and forth within the delivery box during transit which caused a signifigant rip in the upper right corner of the dust jacket, slight damage to the corner of the book, and damage to the entire front of the dust jacket when it was polished by the friction of rubbing against the interior of the cardboard box during transit.

Alright, I know what you're thinking. It's a minor item. Just contact customer service.

I did that. The first email response that I received was that Amazon did not have any control over the use of plastic wrap and that it was up to the book suppliers to do so.

Since the manner in which earlier books were consistently wrapped in shrink-wrap and the wrapping appeared to be similar regardless of the publisher, the initial answer that I received from customer service made no sense to me.

I pressed on. I contacted Amazon's customer service again and explained the situation. This time, I was told that Amazon would send a replacement and was told "please be assured that this will be packaged securely as you expect."

This sounded good. I wrapped the first book, stood in line at the post office, and mailed it back.

When the second book arrived, it, too, was packed loosely with no protective shrink wrap. As a result, the dust cover is somewhat polished, but not as bad as the first one. The book, however, does not have the same appearance as a new, undamaged one.

I sent another email to Amazon's customer service and waited for a reply. None came, or at least none has so far.

I'm going to keep the book, and I am not going to waste any more time at the post office. Peter Reinhart has some excellent ideas and I'm grateful that he shared them. The text within the book is well worthwhile. When I buy another book, however, I'm going to buy it at my local book store.

This is another great book to have if you want to make bread! Once you start reading you can't put this book down. The breads bake up so wonderfully. I highly recomend this book.

I'm an idiot baker, but a little snooty about the bread I buy. So when I turned out the best baguette I've probably ever had, inside or outside of France, I knew this was a keeper. The book looks too pretty to be useful, but it rocks. Want the chemistry behind baking? Check. Want helpful photos demonstrating technique? Check. Want recipes that make complex and amazing bread? Yeah, baby. I've also made perfect, chewy bagels, gorgeous Pain a l'Ancienne, and challah. One of the best features of this book is that Reinhart doesn't tell you to go out and buy a bunch of bread tools: the back of a good cookie sheet will serve fine as a baking stone (just one of many examples). I'm all for that.

Downside: we're looking at potential double digits weight gain here. Sigh.

Betty Crocker's Cooky Book is one of my favorite books. I purchased my original copy in 1967 and have used it for YEARS. All the receipes bring back memories of Christmas holiday baking with all the "children" who were a part of our lives for 40 years. Thank you for letting me find another copy of this book.

This book is full of precious memories for me. I can not remember a Christmas or occasion that my mother didn't pull this Cooky book out and flip threw it with me looking for the perfect cookies to bake. I'd spend days in the kitchen with my mother baking the most wonderful smelling and tasting cookies in the world to me. I'm now 33 and still flip threw this book finding cookies to bake for all occasions with my mother and friends. I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants easy to make great cookies and great memories with family.

I bought Betty Crocker Cooky Book for my daughters recently. My mother first used this book in the 1960s and I got a copy to use with my children. Now they are grown and will use the cook book for making all kinds of cookies with their children. It's a must have for anyone who likes to bake (and eat!) cookies.

Ginny

I have baked cookies from the recipes in this book for over 40 years and have given as gifts to friends and relatives at least 25 copies. The cookie recipes are classic and will tempt every cookie eater.

Betty Crocker's Cooky Book is wonderful. It is an exact replica of the same book I grew up on, making cookies with my mom at Christmas time. The recipes are great, and the pictures are all "vintage," reminiscent of the 60's. Some recipes are tried and true--absolutely wonderful and have been passed around at cookie exchanges for decades. The new one might have more updated pictures and a few new recipes, but this one from back when my mom was a new wife is a keepsake that you can share with your own kids when cookie baking time rolls around again in December.

In this book Alton Brown stays true to who he is on the show. Entertaining and very insightful. This is a great book for someone who loves food and the process of cooking. Especially for those who are interested in the why part of the how. Highly recommended.

Alton Brown is a genius. His forward in the book explains that a recipe is analogous to a set of directions to a house, but what if there's a detour? Or what if you want to go somewhere else after? You're stuck. But now, what if you knew the whole map of the area, not just rote directions. That's what Alton teaches. He organizes by chapters centered on methods of cooking, not types of food. He explains things in software (food) and hardware (pans, utensils, etc).

It's more of a science angle at food, and probably won't help expert cooks, but for someone like me it's great.

If you like Good Eats, then buy this book. Immediately. If you want to learn about the science of cooking and use it as a springboard to improve your cooking technique across the board (and seriously, who wouldn't), then buy this book. Immediately. Through Good Eats and his books, Alton Brown has been become my culinary inspiration and hero. Just get it people. You won't regret it. :-)

Get this, and read it as if it is a novel or some non-fiction.

Yes, of course, there are recipes. But, the most interesting parts are the narrative sections and not the "put 12 oz of something, and 10 cans of something else" you'd find other books - perfection through preciseness don't work in cooking (well, there is a place for it, but not all the time).

Enjoy the book, and enjoy the food!

Like most people here, I bought this book because I enjoy Good Eats on TV.
I am, however, a very experienced cook...so while I enjoyed this book a great deal, I can't say I learned anything or even picked up any new recipes. (Plus, it's just not the same without Alton's voice.)
However...
I am going to give this as an XMas gift to two young gentlemen I know who are fresh out of college & who will be cooking for themselves for the first time ever come September. I have no doubt it will come in handy for them.

This book was exactly what I was looking for. It not only has great recipes in it but also explains the whys of baking. Want to know WHY you don't stir muffins or brownies too much? Want to know WHY your bread dough sometimes doesn't rise right? This book has it all. A great read along with the recipes. Plus, it was $10 cheaper through Amazon than from King Arthur itself.

If you haven't taken time to look this one over, if you're a serious baker, you're missing out on some of the best recipes and information about quality baking! I've been baking for more than 30 years and this is a terrific addition to my cookbook collection that I'll use frequently!

I love my cookbook that I received. It was what I expected it to be and more. It came in a timely manner.

A culinarys arts teacher highly recommeds this King Arthur book. It shipped quickly and was packaged well.

I received this book as a gift this past Christmas, and it is by far the most-used cookbook I own. I have a special penchant for baking, but am only still learning (before this cookbook, I'd only ever really baked cookies).

I can say, then, that this cookbook is excellent for the learning baker. This is the book I used to learn to bake bread (like their delicious and easy Vermont Maple Honey Bread, and the much more complex but oh-so-worth-it Crostini with Basil, Chevre, and Sundried Tomato), and bagels, and the Simple but Perfect Pancake.

The only possible criticism I can muster is that sometimes I cut down a little on the salt and sugar (I don't like things very sweet), but I think with every cookbook you have to learn the writer's taste so you can adjust them to yours.

I LOVE to bake, and I love that just about anything I could want is contained in this book -- along with extremely detailed commentary so that you understand what you're doing, instead of just following directions.

It's those very clear directions, interesting facts, and the indispensable elaboration on specific ingredients in the back of the book that make this a book from which you learn not just recipes but actually how to bake.

So good job, King Arthur Flour -- I'm incredibly grateful I received this book!

This book is huge. No basic magic trick is missed. The text is easy to understand and the illustrations are great. I also enjoyed the added little tips on presentation that hightens the tricks, adding comedy and entertainment. This is definately a must-have for all beginning magicians. At this price, this book is a great value, even for those of us just wanting a few little tricks to amaze our friends. I bought this book for a ten-year-old. He is just a little young to be able to idependantly use the entire book. However, I believe that within a few years, he will need no assistance at all reading and interpreting the book. There are so many tricks described in the book that I think he will be using it for a long time to come.

This is the instruction manual that I use to teach new magicians.
Lawrence O'Leary

I've always fascinated by magic. And for those guys who like to entertain the women, will find an absolute importance of magic in their routine. The tricks in this book are ranging in difficulty and definitely require times, energy and whole lot of practices to execute.

I was expecting there will be lots of impromptu magics, the kinds I like to entertain people. Quite dissapointed to find the section to be basic and not very impressive. However, if you are a professional magician without this book, you'll be like a man in LA without a car. Thus I can say that this book is critical and mainly focused for stage magicians.

This book is wonderful for anyone wanting to learn magic tricks. This book explains how each trick will appear to the audience and then gives very detailed instructions with drawings showing each step. I used the information in the book to teach rope tricks to a bunch of third grade cubscouts. The parents were so impressed with the tricks that they wanted to learn them too.

Many times applauded, this classic for teaching magic is practically unequaled. If you want to learn magic from scratch, this book is what you need.

I decided to purchase this cookbook after buying a new ice cream machine. After reading the reviews I thought to give it a try. This is a great source for everything related to making your own frozen desserts. The additional sections on toppings etc. was a great bonus. KC

If you love to make ice-cream and enjoy all kinds of unique flavors then this book is for you!!! I've made so many different flavors and each turns out like magic!!! Never store bought ice-cream again!!! Love this book!

Granted, ice cream recipes are all variations on a certain theme... but Dave Lebovitz has taken the trial-and-error out of figuring which variation makes the perfect chocolate ice cream, and which is good for fruit sorbet. I've tried 7 recipes from this book so far, and all of them have come out brilliantly. Buy it!

This is an awesome book of recipes for ice creams, sorbets, sherberts, granitas and misc. other things that have to do with ice cream. It is a well put together collection and the author's writing style is not only interesting but downright fun...almost as fun as tasting the finished melting masterpeices that he describes. This book gives you all the essentials, the basic must-have ice cream recipes and then it goes on to include recipes that are imaginative and sound absolutely sinful. I really like that most of the recipes don't require ingredients that are hard to find or never heard of. I also like that the author tells you when to use specific high quality ingredients that make a difference in the end product and that are actually worth your time and money to use. These recipes are simple yet elegantly luscious. This book has expanded not only my waistline but also how I think about the possibilities of frozen confections.

This is the best ice cream book i have ever read. I have enjoyed making the different kinds of "ice cream". Lots of information to help understand the ingredients.

We visited the Rather Sweet Bakery in Fredericksburg, TX last year and I LOVED it. We ended up going there for breakfast every morning we were there. When I saw she had a book with the actual recipes from her restaurant I could not resist.

Everything I have made has been perfect. These recipes are not for the person looking to lose weight (butter, suger, YUMMY!), but they are absolutely delicious. I have not had one thing come out less than delicious. I love the scones, kolaches, and chocolate chip cookies (the best I have ever made or eaten). If I cooked from this as much as I wanted I would be so fat (but very happy). I swear this cookbook has made my husband and little boys love me more!!!

Buy this book!

One note, most recipes make enough for a party, so I would suggest cutting the recipes in half if you are a family of 4 like us.

As the owner of more than 700 Cookbooks, I can't honestly say that both books by this Author are my Favorites. I am planning a trip especially to visit the Bakery & Cafe for the real experience.

This cookbook is terrific on all counts--great recipes (the Sugar Saucers are the end-all, be-all sugar cookie), beautiful coffee table book, and entertaining read. The fact that the book is printed on glossy paper means the pages will stand up to the occasional butter sputter and drool from looking at all of the wonderful photos. I really enjoyed reading the introduction and narratives that precede each chapter and recipe--a nice addition for those of us who can only dream about visiting Rather Sweet's Bakery & Cafe. I look forward to working my way through all the recipes!

Just the recipe of the ALL SOLD OUT CHICKEN POT PIES alone is reason enough to buy this book. They are incredible!
The Texas tortilla soup is a favorite. The desserts are extra yummy too.

I visited Rather Sweet Restaurant in Fredricksburg, Texas with a friend. We both had chocolate cake for desert and decided it was the best we had ever had. So I was on a quest for the recipe. I found it in this book, made it for a party and got the same results! Heaven, this lady can bake and tell you how to bake too!

After reading all the positive reviews of this book I had high hopes. I've made a number of the recipes from this book and they have all produced mediocre results or been failures. This seems to be the fault of the recipes as I usually have great success with baking. I would recommend Beatrice Ojakangas's baking books as much better alternatives to this one.

This is an excellent book for those who wish to learn the ART of baking. For many, including myself, baking is a labor of love, and an expression of spirit.
Those who like clear-cut recipes may not be comfortable with this book as the recipes are interspersed with notes, drawings, etc, and the recipes require a bit of learning by doing.
I like that every step is paired with an explanation of why/what it does.
I received this book as a wedding gift, and I will definitely be passing this one along to others.

good god, i have tried to make bread periodically over the years only to end up with a heavy dense product that was never any good. if i had found this book back when i first tried making bread i would have been much better off. this book is excellent, i picked it up after watching the author's dvd how to cook your life and he explained things so well that i had to get it, and i was not disappointed. the book is incrediblely easy to follow though i recommend photo copying the instruction pages so you don't get the book goey like i did. but the bread turned out light and fluffy on the very first attempt and the flavor was great. i can't wait to bake my way through this book. and if you are like i was wanting to bake bread but intimidated by it. this is the book for you.

This book was an amazing find for me. I have always been of the mind that bread baking is too much trouble and too much time for the results. But I wanted to try and fortunately happened upon this book. Not only can I now bake wonderful bread, but I also am gaining a deeper understanding of myself through the process of baking bread as I am guided by this book.

I know this may sound like a bunch of new-agey gobbledygook, but if you really want to feel like you're accomplishing something when you bake bread (especially if you are a beginning bread baker), this would be a good book for you. One of the things I like best about it is that it provides step-by-step instructions on how to bake bread in general, and then gives you the recipes to fit into the process. The book also tells you what kind of (basic) equipment works best. But it's also very open in saying that all of its instructions are merely guidelines, and the person reading it is left feeling free to deviate out of desire and/or necessity.

The Tassajara Bread Book is also an enjoyable read, and has some fantastic recipes in it (I use the egg bagel recipe to make Challah that is even better than the Challah from Trader Joe's!).

For years I have been intimidated by bread - previous attempts have been disasterous: I have baked loaves so dense they have their own gravitational field, or a bread-like substance somewhat akin to crackers lies in the bread pan. I had almost given up on it, until a friend handed me this book and said, "Don't be afraid of the bread - try this."

The recipies are simple, and the instructions are idiot-proof with diagrams on how to mix, knead and shape the dough. My first tenative attempts were not bad - certainly I have much more to learn and to tinker with, but Brown's clear instructions make the process remarkably easy. In addition to the "idiot-proofing" of bread making, the book has a wide variety of recipes for all kinds of bread: pastries, muffins, rolls, even dessert breads. It is not too much of a stretch to claim that for most of us, there is no need for any other books about making bread if you own _The Tassajara Bread Book_. If I can be successful using it, anybody can - therefore I strongly recommend it to anyone struggling with breadmaking.

I discovered Clotilde's blog only after purchasing this book. The recipes are simple, call for fresh ingredients and are absolutely delicious. Highly recommended!

Delightful approach, and all the directions you need to recreate the special dishes with real ease. Best of all the improvisations inspired by my lack of certain ingredients were excellent as well, and made me feel as creative as the author herself. Been cooking for decades, and never dared to try icecream, but emboldened by the luscious photographs (bravo for shots of real food, not styled food) have taken a plunge from which there is no turning back. Merci. Will follow up with the Paris adventures before my Paris trip in October. Have already booked a meal at the hidden kitchen. Now to winkle out how to visit the food market at Rungis without spending a fortune on permits or tours.....

Beatifully written. I would love to be one of the author's neighbours or friends and be invited to try her creations and experiments. She overflows with warmth and generosity ... we could all learn alot from her, and not just how to cook and eat well.

This book is great and Clotilde is an interesting writer. She has written the book as a novel and that makes it so, so interesting. Makes you want to cook and feed your friends. Congratulations Clotilde!!

"Chocolate & Zucchini" is an entertaining combination of Clotilde Dusoulier's thoughts on food, cooking, and the Parisian lifestyle, and recipes chosen to reflect that lifestyle in a way American audiences can recreate. For my own tastes (so to speak), I could have done with more discussion and fewer recipes, but I certainly cannot complain. For one thing, it sounds like her forthcoming second book is more along those lines. And for another, these recipes are quite good -- I made the Biscuits Très Chocolate (p. 229) for a friend's birthday present, and they were very well received.

The author is a charming, and dare I say "sweet," guide, with a command of English that transcends mere fluency to being distinctive and very personal. One of the reasons I wished there was more personal narrative was because I liked that voice. Good thing we have her blog -- and, as I said, her next book. I'm looking forward to getting into that as soon as I can. Perhaps with a plate of biscuits très chocolate.