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libbydmccarthy's review against another edition
4.0
I haven't finished this yet but I have a good sense of it and I plan to finish it. This is not really a traditional cookbook. It does have recipes, but that's not really the main point. He breaks cooking down into different methods of heating things (grill, boil, braise, etc) and talks about each of those methods. I really like the scientific explanations- often on the molecular level. This is just what I need to help me become a better chef, and really understand how to cook. Also, I have never read a cookbook and laughed out loud. A lot. You might not laugh if you're not a dork though. :) I think my main complaint is that there aren't enough pictures (there are some drawings, but no real photos. I think there are some descriptions that could use them) and also there are occasionally some terms that are unexplained in the text, but then you come to find out they are in the appendix later- though it's hard to know they are in the appendix without just reading the whole thing. Sometimes he does point you to where to find the explanation though. Laziness?
findthosedreams's review
4.0
this is an awesome cookbook! it has more detail on the science behind cooking than just directions for the recipe. when you understand what is happening, you dont need a lot of extra directions anyway. alot of the recipes are for foods i dont normally eat like seafood and duck (i wouldnt even know where to buy duck), so its not quite my dream cookbook. even so, i'd like to have my own copy on hand some day.
alibubba's review against another edition
5.0
The best thing about Alton Brown, both on his TV show Good Eats and in his cookbooks, is that he actually gets down to the nitty gritty on how to go about creating different dishes. From how to pick out the best fresh lobster at the grocery store to how to best rig your oven thermometer, Alton Brown shows you clearly how-to, rather than leaving you guessing like most books and shows.
cubuckeye's review
5.0
This is a wonderful book to read when you're too busy to get into a novel... it's good when you have 5 minutes here, 5 minutes there.
Plus, it's Alton Brown!
Plus, it's Alton Brown!
shayneh's review
4.0
I love Alton's style--he always leaves me feeling smarter and like I know something... special! Good info here, and good inspiration to try something different.
lawrencebr's review against another edition
5.0
Don't get me wrong, I don't usually read cook books just for fun. This book is very interesting to me though, he explains the history and science between different methods of cooking and different dishes. This is a very good book, both for the food and the know-how contained in it.
cmbohn's review
3.0
I am a big fan of Alton Brown's show on The Food Network, Good Eats. So I looked forward to reading his cookbook. But I have to admit this is not what I expected. The book is organized by cooking method, which seems a little strange to begin with. Then there are no pictures of any of the recipes. There are fun little sidenotes, and interesting tips, but the recipes are constructed in a rather strange way.
Then again, Brown has so many little quirks and extreme preferences that I don't intend to follow. So some of the recipes are not really of interest to me. And then, worst of all, no desserts! OK, maybe that's not really the worst, but I love dessert!
Still, I did find a few recipes and note a few tips I plan to try. I keep reading about how great a brine makes your meat taste, so I plan to try that one. Here's the most basic one, and yet, the easiest to try!
A Perfect Baked Potato
Preheat oven to 350. Wash and dry potato. Poke holes in it with a fork. Then rub lightly the entire potato with a little canola oil. This makes a crunchy skin on the potato. Sprinkle the outside with salt. Place the potato directly on the rack in the oven. Cook for about 1 hour.
I haven't tried it yet, but since I love baked potatoes, I will try it soon!
Then again, Brown has so many little quirks and extreme preferences that I don't intend to follow. So some of the recipes are not really of interest to me. And then, worst of all, no desserts! OK, maybe that's not really the worst, but I love dessert!
Still, I did find a few recipes and note a few tips I plan to try. I keep reading about how great a brine makes your meat taste, so I plan to try that one. Here's the most basic one, and yet, the easiest to try!
A Perfect Baked Potato
Preheat oven to 350. Wash and dry potato. Poke holes in it with a fork. Then rub lightly the entire potato with a little canola oil. This makes a crunchy skin on the potato. Sprinkle the outside with salt. Place the potato directly on the rack in the oven. Cook for about 1 hour.
I haven't tried it yet, but since I love baked potatoes, I will try it soon!
spiderfly's review
2.0
I was excited to read a more science-oriented book about cooking. I love to learn why things work the way they do. This didn't really deliver, though.