Cooking Books

Book was in excellent condition. There was no mildew smell, and this is very important to me.

I searched this out for the biscuit recipe but have to say all the recipes I have used have turned out lovely. Each recipe is well explained, well thoughtout and overall it is a very easy cookbook to use.

This cookbook is one of my most ragged cookbooks. It is the one I look for when I want to fix something special or homey. The stew recipe is absolutely the best!
Elaine Littau
Author of "Nan's Journey"

Yes, this is an excelent book. I cant think of a single recipe that I have made from this book that has resulted in a failure. However there are a few things that get to me when using the book.
1. The Index: The index in this book is perhaps the most absurd index I have ever encountered. I dont know who formatted it but they should never be allowed to create an index for the rest of their career. The way things are tabbed, spaced, and positioned on the page makes it almost impossible to find what you are looking for without sitting down and seriously taking time to search.

2. Christopher "I am depressed" Kimball - At the intro to every single recipe he startes it out with some depressing horror story "Most apple pies turn out soggy, burnt, too crispy, too moist, rotten, dog food..." "most roast recipies turn out like cardboard cooked in a lava flow"

he is depressing.
but cookbook good

I love this cookbook I recently recieved it from good friend and have used it so much since then which is saying alot since I have a vast selction of cookbooks. I learn so much and am content to just sit and read this book, the writing is stunning and I can't even begin on the recipes. The cauliflower recipes are to die for, they take a normally bland vegetable and totally spice it up. I think that if you don't cook alot you would be content with just this cookbook in your kitchen. And if your an avid cook this book is for you as well. I give it five stars and two thumbs-up.

It's a very thorough, well researched cookbook. Very good for a new cook because recipes have been tested and retested. Recipes are pretty much in the 'no fail even if you try' category.

I love to read this book. I just brought this book, so I've not a chance to try any recipes in this book yet. Eventhough this book doesn't have any beautiful finished food pictures shown inside, I enjoyed to read. I just realise that I love to read people tell story about the food, how the recipe come up, than just put only recipes in the cooking book with beautiful fake pictures, but in reality the recipes didn't work. I will try some recipes soon.

This cookbook was loaned to me and as I was looking through it realized I had to have my own copy. I also got a copy for my nephew who is a good cook and getting married soon. I thought it would be a great gift for him and his bride. This book covers all the basics with easy recipes and great illustrations.

First I will start by saying that I have never followed Cooks Illustrated or understood the belabored recipe-testing involved for this book. I have passed it up many times because the recipes looked too basic, and not gourmet or innovative. Boy, was I wrong! I was lucky to find a copy of this little gem at a discount store at third off the cover price, and it was worth every cent! The detailed journey taken by the test kitchen beginning each recipe is so helpful, and I enjoy learning what didn't work, and why. This book is loaded with helpful hints that are easy to follow. The chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe was truly amazing, and I've made three batches already! I've never had blueberry muffins that were memorable, until I tried the ones in this book. Amazing. The double chocolate chunk cookies were equally superb. I can't wait to try some of the entres. If they are as tried and true as the baked goods, then this volume will become a standard reference in my home. I have also purchased The New Best International Recipe and Baking Illustrated. I have many cookbooks, and few are as reliable. This book saves you the time of making something that comes out mediocre and money for ingredients that inevitably get thrown away. As an avid cookbook collector, I can honestly say that it's been a long time since I've bought a book that makes me this enthusiastic about trying every recipe cover to cover. If the entres turn out as fantastic, then I will be posting many of my old cookbooks for you on Amazon!

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 cannot get enough of these cupcakes! I just made the simple chocolate cupcakes with the rich chocolate mousse topping last night. I jazzed them up with a little layer of homemade raspberry jam. There are not only plenty of unique and delicious (not to mention easy) recipes, they almost all have variations to try out. The ingredients are easy to keep on hand, the variety has something for everyone, and the cream cheese frosting is to die for!
Also, the writing is funny and fun, like cooking with your best girlfriend. My husband and I make these cupcakes together and in less than an hour we have cupcakes that are cooled and iced. We always laugh about the commentary in the recipes, my favorite being, "use a double boiler to melt down the chocolate chips. Of course, you don't have a double boiler, so use..." I just love that feel of these cupcakes as something you do with family and friends, not in a formal kitchen.
Enjoy!

It was a chilly Sunday morning in March when my parents announced they were going to become vegans. In their hazy, half-asleep state, the morning radio show to which their alarm was set had been replaced with a talk show. That morning's guest was a doctor and very vocal vegan who insisted easy weight loss was within one's grasp if one simply went vegan. After a week of listening to my pensioner parents insist that they needed to become vegans, I went to Barnes and Noble and picked up every vegan cookbook I could find: Vegan with a Vengeance and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World being the two books our small local store kept in stock.

Five weeks later and several pounds lighter, my parents gave up veganism after I had to, once again, stop them from ordering a cheese and bean burrito or honey-mustard salad dressing because they didn't actually understand what vegan meant. However, I kept the cookbooks, and have referred to them ever since whenever a work potluck or party required me to bring cupcakes.

My office is filled with people who have a variety of dietary restrictions -- many women self-diagnosed with IBS, one with so many digestive problems almost everything you can name will kill her, and one with celiac's disease. Yet, inevitably, I can find a recipe that will satisfy those with sensitive tummies and still be satisfying to those who can eat almost anything.

The Mucho Margarita cupcakes were a hit, and my concoction based on the Vanilla and Agave Nectar cupcakes with peanut buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache are ridiculously popular at home.

But it's not just the amazing results that make these light, fluffy, and oh-so-delicious recipes a hit. It's also the ease of the directions, which I don't need a culinary degree to decipher and the simple ingredients. Yes, agave nectar was hard to come by until a Wegman's opened in my area, and I still have trouble finding green tea powder, but so much of this is so simple, I was able to whip up a dozen last night within an hour, and without going to the store to buy any special ingredients. So their quick, easy, and delicious!

The best part, though, is that unless you let your secret slip, most people do not know that they are vegan!

And did I mention the taste? The texture? The perfection of these little cakes that are like gateway drugs into veganism in general? The book should come with a warning that you will experiment with more vegan cookbooks after you bite into one of these sweet treats if your only aversion in the past has been the bad texture or flavor of vegan food.

God, that's good.

Even if you aren't vegan, do yourself a favor and give this cookbook a try! Wonderfully innovative and delicious recipies, easy to follow instructions and great ingredient suggestions make this gem of a book suitable for anyone on any budget. I made the mocha version of the chocolate cupcake and it was so freaking great I just had to rush to the computer and write a review. Seriously. Even if you have never baked anything in your life, the authors offer trouble shooting tips and explanations of ingredients for those who need a little extra help.
You won't have buyer's remorse, but you may feel a little guilty after eating a way too many cupcakes...

I LOVE this cupcake cookbook! I've baked from it 2 times already, served it to non-vegans and vegans alike, and they were the hit of the office! This is a wonderful book with easy to follow recipes and hints on baking vegan style. I'm not a fancy schmancy cook or chef and this is plain friggin great. Just buy it, bake some and eat them until your in a sugar coma.

I haven't made my way through ALL of the recipes in this wonderful cookbook, but am approaching half of them. Every time I've tried one of the recipes I've found them very easy to follow and the results are delightful, delicious every single time. The almond cupcakes, with or without the apricot jam, are a big hit and have been requested many times now. I've also done then with an almond butter cream, instead of the apricot glaze, and rolled into toasted almond slivers -- looked beautiful and tasted wonderful. Other faves & raves have been the chocolate stout, banana split, gingerbread, chocolate chip pumpkin, and the green tea cupcakes!

This is a really good book makes it easy to create a great loaf and explains the methods really well

First off, that scathing one star review..throw it away. The poster sounds like a person who failed baking school and works in a low quality/mass producing corporate bakery.

Now..for a review.

This book is a MUST HAVE for anyone who wishes to learn to make great bread. The author explains the process from start to finish with many great tips he learned from years of professional experience. He will show you the way to create bread so good, you will have people ask you what bakery you got it at.

I will say, however, that if you are looking for a book that is "bread making made easy!!", this is not it. The formulas take some time, attention and effort to accomplish; you have to put your time in. You will also have to learn the basics of bread making science-nothing too heavy but there will be a few concepts you have to learn.

If you like baking, get the book, hop in, and go for it!

I'm not going to make you read a tome just to find out what i think. This book has such a wealth of knowledge to help you improve your bread baking skills. The formula instructions are clear and easy to understand. The only drawbacks that this book brings are in it's quality of publishing. The book was published in China, it is hardcover but, the cover stock used is very weak and flexes under the weight of the book.

Just wanted to let you know that the quality of the information surpasses the quality of the book itself.

It would be nice if there were some points on what to do next time if your bread doesn't turn out as planned. All of my breads turned out much heavier than illustrated in diagrams. My Italian & Ciabatta breads were better but nothing like shown in the pictures (Those use 100% bread flour). The Ciabatta bread did not require a window pane test so I was hoping that would come out better, in case I wasn't really passing it, even though I thought I was.

The Lavash Crackers show different shades and textures. Mind came kind of the same except were the thinner parts were somewhat over done. In general it was too thick, bread like. I thought I rolled it out to more than 15" x 12" he called for but adjusted for the fact I held back more than half to try to make a pita, not sure what he mean't by "paper thin".

It is inspirational, if only my breads actually turned out better. I have cooked for awhile, but this is my first attempt at bread.

I like the book, it's different than any other bread book I have and now merging recipes from other bread baking books and this one, its helps shake things up a bit. My only complaint is some of the measures are still in volume and not weights. How much does 1 TSP weigh? If I'm going to weigh the flour I should also weigh the yeast.

Over all I LIKE this book.

From history to the chemical make up.All food items are explained and studied.It will give you a different aspect when you cook next time and an excellent conversation ice breakers around the dinner table.
Good reading

I purchased this book as a gift to a friend with culinary interests. He was immediately smitten, as were other foody friends. It had been recommended to me by a friend in the culinary field as "a cooking bible"

Remains the "go to" source for scientific evidence based food knowledge and a good read

This book is great for students and teachers that want to know the scientific information about cooking and baking. For example it explains the chemical changes in leavening, emulsions, and so much more. It talks about the nature of plants, dairy, all of the cookingmethods. Oh I dont think the author missed a single detail in this hows, whys, and whos of cooking. I highly recommended it to keep in your house.

It is a good book but I do not recommend it for new cooks.

Sandra

My friends and I wouldn't be without this Grilling book for our husbands!
They love it and barbecue more than ever!
You only need this one, forget the others. My friend has
been using it for 3 years and recommended it to me. A very good
gift to give someone for Christmas, Birthday, etc.

A very good book covering all types of meats & preparations to BBQ.
Lots of usefull info.

I used to eat every meal out. I bought a grill because it is getting so expensive to eat out. I bought this book to teach me how to use it. This book is great. It removes the guess work, for every question I've had the answer is there. One tip, buy the book before you buy the grill because it even covers what to look for in a grill.

Bought this book shortly after buying our Weber grill. After having a copy checked out of the library for 2 months, decided it was time to buy my own copy. My husband would take it to bed for evening reading, even had me read him a "bedtime story" from it (recipe for baby back ribs). This book is fantastic for those of us (like me) who need help with the grilling basics, but equally wonderful for those who are just looking for recipes. The pictures are wonderful, step-by-step directions on preparing the meat. Lots of great rubs and sauces in the back. Has both a general index and a recipe index.

Steve Raichlen is the King of grilling and in his book "How to Grill", Steve covers everything you need to know about grilling. Written so that even someone who has never grilled can start from purchasing a grill to in-depth tips and techniques that even a backyard grilling warrior can learn from.

The book includes sections on the different types of grills, heat sources and grilling techniques such as smoking, direct and in-direct grilling. It also lists all the tools and accessories that you will need to get started.

Thoughtfully laid out the book's recipe sections is carefully divided into catergories. Contents of book include getting started, beef and veal, pork and sausages, lamb, chicken and more, fish, shellfish, vegetables, desserts, rubs, sauces, and condiments and grills and gear.

This book is not just a cookbook but an entire book of grilling know-how. It's a great addition to any kitchen library.

I read the negative reviews for this book before I purchased it. Nevertheless, I still ordered it. While the book is kinda like a phonebook type of product, the information in it is priceless. It covers so many topics. I strongly recommend it.

This book reads like having your grandmother orate all the great folklore, recipes, and wisdom as garnered from years of living in the country.
Anything from making homemade taffy to choosing livestock.
The book was aimed at transitioning people into country living as if an old friend were showing you the ropes.
Think of this book as getting your medical degree in General Practice as opposed to Pulmonary Medicine. (You won't be an expert in any one thing, but will gleen 80% of what you need to know in all areas).
There are other books that cater to specifics areas, but this one really glues them all together.

Everyone in America should have a copy of this book. You can learn how to do practically everything the old fashioned way from this book. I have been using her original book for 30 years and have learned an enormous amount of information about living close to the land. Fun to read, full of practical information, we always keep it close at hand for reference. We all had better start taking seriously the need to take care of ourselves to some extent and soon. What are you going to do when the grocery stores shut down?

Carla Emery and her book, The Encyclopedia of Country Living, have long been considered a pillar of strength and a fount of knowlege in the homesteading community. This book is full of instruction, advice, and anecdotes on the homesteading lifestyle. Because of the confines of a single volume, it doesn't have the detail and depth of the "Today's Homestead" series of books,Today's Homestead: Volume I, but it is a well-loved and important book in the history of homesteading. It holds an honored spot in my book shelf and is a "must have" for any homestead library.

New to back to basics type lifestyle and still in the city but wanted to get a "head start". Worh every single red penny that I paid for it. It will forever have a spot on my kitchen book shelf and I cannot imagine trying to homestead without it. Fabulous book!

Marcella Hazan's cookbooks are all great. This is the BEST. The characteristic that sets her book apart from all others is not the ingredients and not lucious looking pictures (there are no photos), but rather the important processes she describes in clear detail. I bought this as a gift for someone but have owned this version for five years and its earlier edition for 25 years and have never been disappointed. She is the best. Period. You'll never need another Italian cookbook.

I only received this book a couple weeks ago.
The 3 recipes I cooked were okay.
I had reservations about the two chicken breast filet recipes:
cooking times requested are very short and your filets can come out raw.
-She should've been more specific on to tell when its done by detailing the weight of the breast filets to use.

However, other recipes, especially the pasta ones, look really good!
Looking foward to using this book more.

This is a hefty book - lots of detail, lots of instruction and pretty strict about how things need to be done. As someone who hasn't ventured outside of my comfort zone for cooking, this structure can be very helpful - but it can also complicate things as I have to prepare everything in advance and rarely can pull off a recipe in this book with a low stocked pantry.

Still, I can't fault the book for my need to prepare - overall it's great and when I do have the time to make a special trip for all the right ingredients I know I'll have everything spelled out for me. The thing is huge so it's not easy to move around a kitchen counter with a couple of fingers in the middle of cooking, but like my title indicates, it's like a text book. There's more than just recipes, there's reference information, instruction on preparation and history. A very well rounded book.

...I've referred to this book over the years for technique and authenticity of Italian cooking...it is a wonderful book. I agree that it is on par with Julia Child's French cookbook. I've made many of the recipes and they are fabulous....the poached shrimp, easy and delicious...the grilled shrimp with flavored breadcrumbs is another favorite, the Lemon, garlic & parsley chicken cutlets is marvelous...her focaccia recipe is the best...fried tomatoes......I can go on and on. Ms. Hazan has given us a remarkable gift.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, the depth of her knowledge of Italian cookery is amazing, on the other, the lack of specifics and inaccurate cooking times can be quite frustrating. This caveat should suffice: when making use of these recipes, make constant use of your tasting spoon!

I made Pasta e fagioli with fresh cranberry beans according to Ms. Hazan's recipe, and, because of Ms. Hazan's widely-acknowledged eminence, I followed her recipe precisely, something I rarely do, as I am an experienced cook. Her time for cooking the beans (45 minutes), left me with undercooked beans; they should have cooked for at least an hour and fifteen minutes, if not an hour and a half. No big deal, except I added the pasta at the point Ms. Hazan recommended.

I am sure that this book will be an invaluable resource to anyone who wants to learn Italian cooking, just make sure to test and modify these recipes as necessary ahead of time; following them as is can result in flubbed meals.

I have the WORST time ordering on Amazon.com. I ended up with two of these cookbooks (one new and one used). That was after I was told they were out of stock/unavailable. I DON'T want to pay to ship it back!! I have ordered from Amazon.com before and had problems. I will avoid this website in the future!

This is not only a great book of recipes, but the high quality paper and the beautiful pictures make this a perfect coffee table book. Leaf through it when you have a few minutes to get inspired for the next grilled meal.

I cook for myself and I like to keep things simple. When I see interesting recipes that list two or three ingredients that I know I would never have at the same time, I cease to consider making that meal. Most recipes in this book list fairly basic ingredients that most kitchens would have on hand.

The author doesn't just use terms for techniques that many more experienced cooks would know, but gives a little detail on how to do the procedure for the novice. Besides the recipes, many topics on basics are covered in the front of the book. Humor is used on occasion, which can lighten the mood for the harried grill-master with hungry guests to feed.

I liked this book so much, I purchased two more for friends who don't eat to live, but live to eat.

This is a great guide to a first time owner of a Weber Grill.The recipes are easy to make and the tips and anecdotle information are great!!!

I have to bow down to this book as the best grilling book EVER. We've tried many of the recipes and never been disappointed. Plus, it's entertaining to read with great pictures. Can't ask for much more than that.

Excellent book on grilling, I wanted a book on Charcoal but found this book full of good information that can be used by both gas and woodl

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.