This is really an outstanding source of information, not just recipes, but for pretty much anything involved in cooking in general. A lot of the recipes have some steps that might be difficult and this book does a great job of really breaking them down and explaining them so even the novice cook can get a handle on process.

I bought this book as a pretty novice chef myself with barely any knowledge going into it and have learned quite a lot from the book. The step-by-step procedures for things even as simple as preparing various vegetables and explanations of different meat cuts really helps to build your initial knowledge of cooking in general and helps a great deal when working with any type of recipe. I also really like how the book explains why certain ingredients are in recipes and what they do to the taste, texture, and look of the food. This also helps for the reader to get a better understanding of the ingredients themselves rather then just take the transformation from ingredients to dinner to be magic. I also like how they also talk about some of the other variations they have tried on a lot of generic recipes and why they liked the one they feature better then those.

Overall, this is a must have for anyone that is looking to expand their knowledge in cooking further, especially if you are just getting started.

I purchased this about six weeks ago on the strength of the reviews here and on my increasing familiarity with America's Test Kitchen and bound annuals of the CI magazine. I thought it would be a nice reference to have, and it is, but it is much, much more than that. I'm a bit of a cooking "geek" myself. I like to know the whys and wherefores and not just blindly follow a recipe. In fact, most of my cooking is done without any recipes at all. I know what to do because I have learned most of the basic techniques and have a good sense of what flavors and textures go together. But I am constantly on the lookout to hone the techniques I already have and to learn new and better ones. That's why this book and all the CI books and magazines are so good. They are really learning tools. By working through their recipes for basic dishes you learn how to do it better, more efficiently, and bring out the best flavors. Thanks to this book I have finally figured out how to make a good pie dough. Their process for partially mixing flour and fats in the food processor, but then not adding the water to the mixture in the processor, but doing it on the counter by hand, made all the difference in the world for me. I now have much greater control over the process and can apply this technique to any different pie dough recipe I come across. Same is true for the pork chops I made the other night. This is not something I cook everyday, so I wanted some help with technique and timing. One of the things CI has taught me is to always use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of cooked food so that you take it off the heat at the peak of flavor and juicyness. And it worked beautifully. So thanks, Cooks Illustrated, for one of the best tools a cook can have. This book is one that would make an excellent present for any young person setting up their own household who is serious about wanting to learn to cook.

While I have always respected the work that Cook's Illustrated does, I have had some difficulty with their way of doing business over the years. More to do with unauthorized credit card charges, and being sent items I didn't order than anything regarding their recipes. I didn't like The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (can you say bland?), and was a little nervous about this one. But I ordered it based on the reviews. I'm really glad I did. Almost everything I've made has been exceptional, and the instructions leave nothing to the imagination. As a Southerner, however, I must agree with the other reviewers who note that the Southern/Creole/Cajun dishes are travesties. Onion, celery and GREEN pepper are the Holy Trinity for a reason, don't mess with that. Other than that, I have no complaints. It's a worthy investment.

Had to get a cook book within 2 days so I made a list of 5 star cook books and went to Barnes & Noble to actually look at them - I'm not a cook the book is a present.

This book is a quantum leap ahead of the others. It wasn't just recipes and suggestions like the others but so much additional information as many of the other reviewers have described so well.

Paid full price for it - bummer. But it's wrapped and delivered.

The reviews on Amazon really helped, great resource.

Great book for the inner chef. You should know some cooking techniques to appreciate the instructions in this book. This is not a quick fix, make it simple and cheap kind of recipe book. It has detailed instuctions, trial and error recipies, and I love this book. It has made me a better cook !

I highly recommend this for anyone interested in really learning the basics of cooking. It offers an in-depth description of each recipe so you learn why you're performing each step, allowing you to learn more about the process of cooking instead of just following a recipe.

great cookbook!!

explains basic cooking concepts.

great recipes!!

i love this cookbook

With the vast array of recipes available online this is the only cookbook you truly need. The thing I like best about the book is that it not only has recipes it tells you the how's and why's of each recipe. For instance, the chocolate chip cookie recipe explains why just barely melted butter is the best and how to shape the cookie to make it turn out bakery quality. The explanations make the chemistry of baking and cooking understandable. I think these recipies and explantions have helped elevate my cooking and baking.

This book is great and filled with excellent information. It has tried out many was to cook an item and they are all covered I highly recommend this for every cook who want to know the best way to create a recipe.

This is up to date. Changes [vastly improves]the way I cook nearly every week. These editors test hundreds of ways to cook a meat loaf--so you don't have to. And kitchen product reviews save tons of time.

If you want a cookbook that not only has the absolute best recipes, but is also an easy read text book? Then this is the one for you. I own 30+ cookbooks and I got this for a birthday present and I absolutely love it. I have used at least 4 times since receiving and it is my new go to cookbook. The recipes are easy to read with basic ingredients. If you have questions about just about anything this is the book that will answer them for you... It's a MUST for seasoned cooks and beginners alike.. I just gave as a gift the ultimate compliment to a gift..

I bought this book as a gift for my boyfriend, and we have subsequently used it many times within the past month or so. It contains recipes for virtually every type of course or beverage. I also enjoy the background information given on the Test Kitchen's research methods and findings -- why the recipes contained in the book made the cut where others have not. This is a very practical and interesting recipe book.

The recipes are all very good and I appreciate the thorough explanations of how they came to perfect each recipe. It was nice that they did the trial and error so we don't have to. I loved this cookbook so much that I purchased the second one.

I was very content for this purchase : no expensive, shipping in time. I am ready to repeat my experience with a new purchase. Thanks guys !

This is the best cookbook ever! Just buy it you will see what
I mean. Great Reading, Great Cooking.

I purchased this book for my husband as a Christmas gift recently after reading the reviews. We're new fans of Cook's Illustrated so thought this would make a good present. Secretly I purchased the book so I could use it myself as well. We've only made a couple recipes so far but they were delicious. Many of the recipes require more time to prepare than just a few minutes so we will probably be using it mostly for weekend cooking when we have the time. Both of us love reading the information that precedes the recipes. We also love the tips and product information disbursed throughout the book. We've learned a lot already. I'm very glad I purchased the cookbook and I know we'll get enjoyment of it for years to come.

The cookbook came in excellent condition and on time. The book itself is even more indepth than the very first edition, The Best Recipe. The illustrations, step by step instructions and top notch recipies make it easier for a novice like myself to cook delicious dishes.

I think this book is great for many folks. The new cook who really has no clue how to complete the most basic of techniques. This will really break it down an explain it for you. They will not only give you the ingredients but they will also tell you the WHY of why you are using those ingredients, which is key to helping you build the base skills that will allow you to succeed in creating you own spin on many of these dishes.

I purchases after a great recommendation from a co-worker. It really has mostly everything. It is facinating to read the various iterations that they went through to really perfect each recipe. I have found myself just going through and adding tons of pot-its marking what I want to tackle for myself. I appreciate the details illustrations, but the one thing I might want would be some colored photos for some dishes.

The reviews cover this cookbook very well and I can only add that for me the book is wonderful. I like the detailed explanations of how and why the recipes work. I followed the recipes to the letter to make Thanksgiving dinner; all turned out perfectly. CI does a wonderful job and if you take the time to understand the methods and techniques you will improve your skills.

I'm a fair cook, of the country meat and potatoes and apple pie variety. Well, include Italian dishes in that. And Tex-Mex. And catfish, and a few other things. I was a charter subscriber nearly thirty years ago to Cook's Illustrated and there's seldom an issue goes by that I don't find one of two things I immediately want to fix. And I always enjoy the methodological and sidebar discussions even for dishes that are not to my taste. When the first edition of this now-hefty volume was published in 1999, I bought a copy immediately and began filling it with post-its. It quickly became my kitchen Bible and its tried and true renditions of all the classic American recipes became the canon. But it contained only ("only"!) 500 recipes. The second edition is twice the size of the first, more than 1,000 recipes, all following the same test-to-destruction methods Christopher Kimball and his staff have made famous. (I should note that some have been reworked and revised/improved, and a few deleted, mostly for updated nutritional reasons.) And "best" is right. It's not just hyperbole. As he says in the Introduction, "We mean simply the best version of a particular recipe (in a particular style) that we can develop in our kitchen through our testing process." Put their version of anything up against one from any other book or magazine, and the CI version will nearly always prove superior. And they'll always tell you why, so the magazine and this book are also an ongoing educational process. Open the volume at random and you'll probably see at least one title on any given page that will start you salivating: Home-Corned Beef Brisket and Cabbage, New England Style. Pozole Rojo. Buttermilk Pancakes. Spicy Sichuan Noodles with Pork. Boston Baked Beans. Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyere. Cinnamon-Raisin Bagels. Blueberry Pie. And on and on and on. And nowhere will you find weird ingredients or expensive single-tasker utensils. There are thirty-two chapters, from Appetizers to Puddings and Custards, and there are frequent illustrated mini-lessons on such topics as slicing an onion, rolling out pizza dough, deglazing, and slicing a T-bone steak. And for all this, the price is rather less than two best-selling novels. It's the perfect wedding or Christmas gift for the cooking (or eating) enthusiast; I've given away at least half a dozen copies in the past five years. I own three shelves of cookbooks -- but this is the one I would take to a desert island.

This book has NO photos and was a huge disappointment to me. I'll be returning it.

I'm still learning how to cook. I can follow a recipe pretty well. I have gotten lots of compliments on all the stuff that I'm making. Granted, none of it is original. I find stuff online and in books like this one.

The one thing that I like is LOADS of pictures. I'm never sure if what I'm making is turning out correctly. Perhaps this confidence will come in time. Right now, I would like more of a step by step approach.

I enjoy all of the background information that they give you in this book. I find that really interesting and helpful. I'm looking forward to trying out alot of this stuff.

I don't get the tv show out here. Perhaps that will change. But I do enjoy the clips that are on the internet.

No real table of contents. An insufficient index. No distinct chapters (by page separation). New recipes start wherever, usually at the bottom right side of the left page. Half the food products they recommend in the back of the book comes with the caveat: "Not sold west of the Mississippi River," yet they claim their recipes are for ordinary kitchens and ordinary home cooks. Their "field research" on some things does not stand up to real world experience.

I could go go on, but you get the drift: the layout of this book is awful, and its ATK authors should be embarrassed by it. One example, they claim that a 12" skillet works better than a wok on a stove, but obviously they don't know how to cook with a wok. Their method is more akin to Paula Deen's cheeto-fixins' with extra twangy syrup on the side rather than cooking in one. Hilariously, they claimed they could only get their wok up to 335-degrees. I presume they were using a cheap Wal-Mart brand flat aluminum or thin carbon wok, which no self-respecting cook would even consider. The chicken chapter is the book's worst. ATK doesn't like chicken because "it dries out." Their solution is to buy the super-expensive Kosher chicken or spend a day brining it yourself. Because when it comes to cooking, MONEY is no object to these people!

However, this is the book you want in their set. Why? Because if you peruse them, more than 90% of all the recipes in every other ATK book is found here. Anything you miss you can get online at their site. It's a fine recipe book, but don't take their "advice and tips" without doing your own testing or research. You'll find that people in Boston don't know as much as they claim to know.

I am a professional chef. I bought a series of books for my adult children but have found there are mistakes. In the Best book with the creme caramel on the cover the chocolate cake is wrong. I made it once and thought I made a mistake, so made it again and had the same bad results. I called the company's corporate office and told them of the mistake. They were EXTREMELY rude...telling me that they do not mistakes...that they were "America's test kitchen". I suggested they test it again and a woman called me back to say there was indeed a mistake which they would correct in future printings. She also promised a complimentary book, which I never received. When I called about the book, I never got a return phone call. We wasted a lot of ingredients and time. In addition their miracle recipes are often so muddled up that it would be better to buy a professional book. My daughter recently made the chocolate cake in their new Best of magazine...I looked at the recipe and found it to be poorly written with bad methods. As well the ingredient list is not followed by procedure in proper order..the instructions were a nightmare to follow...but worse, the cake and ganache frosting were mediocre at "Best". America's test kitchen is making money, not food. They say the most mundane and incorrect things both in the book and on TV...booooo

This is by far the best cook book I have ever tested. Without a doubt anything I make out of this book is absolutley fantastic! My mind is at ease when I know I am making something from 'The Best Of...' (what we call it). The sour cream blueberry coffee cake and New England Clam Chowder are among our favorites. It is a little gourmet, but it is well worth it! I have almost resorted to only making things if it's from this book. Everything else is just okay once you've had a taste of The New Best Recipe Book.

I bought this after reviewing a friend's copy. It is my favorite cookbook. The explanations on how the recipes were created are awesome and I love all of the tips on cookware. I bought this particular copy for a girlfriend who is getting married, a perfect shower gift!

One of the most helpful cookbooks I have ever purchased. You learn so much from about cooking by reading all of their trial & error. Each and every recipe I have tried has been excellent - honestly the best of the best. I've given this cookbook to countless people as a gift, and it is helpful no matter what their skill level. Highly, highly recommended for all cooks.

This is a wonderful book. It has so much information and provides info on getting the best results.

It is a great bridal shower present!

I've had varying degrees of success using other cookbooks over the years, but every recipe I've used in this book has been terrific. And I think that's the best way to judge a cookbook. I love that with this cookbook you can either stay very simple or get very complex. I like to stick with the simple. And you would think that because simple recipes have been done over and over again using basically the same recipe in so many cookbooks, that this one wouldn't be any different. But this book gets waaaay into the details of the BEST way to cook even simple recipes. It tells you why it's best to cook at a certain temperature, or using a certain kind of pan, etc... And if you're not into reading all the details of the 50 ways they've tried to cook each dish, that's fine too. You can just go directly to the recipe and cook. But enough gabbing... Take it from me and the other 200+ people who gave this book 5 stars. Buy this book and you will cook food like you've never cooked before.

This book is not for everyday cooking as many recipes are too time consuming. These are good recipes, but some must be adjusted for the taste of your family and community. Just because the test kitchen liked the recipe doesn't mean your family and friends will agree. For instance, if I were to put mushrooms in a recipe, no one would eat the end product. If I'm looking for the best recipe available, I check out recipezaar, allrecipes, and other cooking sites where hundreds of cooks throughout the country have evaluated the recipe and given suggestions for improvement or variations. I'll use this book to compare with the wonderful recipes I already have in my files. I may be making some changes to my recipe files.

I've been cooking forever, and still learned so much from this book. I now buy it for all the bridal showers I go to - and this summer that is quite a lot.

The authors have tested each recipe multiple times and tried every possible avenue. Thus those of us reading it know that the results are the best possible. I've been a caterer for years and wish I'd had this available.

This book is amazing. I'm newly married and did not start cooking until I bought this book. I read reviews on Amazon, and bought it as a gift for a family member. I started reading it and thought it was so good, I bought one for myself. I didn't cook often before getting this book, but this book is a great starting place as well as a great book for those who know their way around a kitchen pretty well. I love that they explain everything they tried before making the recipes. There is SO much in this book, you won't want to put it down. The chicken parm recipe is the best thing I've ever eaten! Buy this book for you and a friend!

I'll make this review relatively short and sweet. This book is amazing. It's easy to read and follow and the recipes always turn out great. I made lamb tagine tonight (a Moroccan lamb stew with dried fruits, spices, tomatoes & onions) and my lamb-hating fiance had seconds! It was perfect. If you love food, and you want to impress people with your cooking skills (even if you're a beginner, and I am, believe me) you need this cookbook! It's HUGE, but I can accept the extra space it takes on my counter because it's so useful. It's full of all kinds of tips, product recommendations, trial-and-error recipe stories, and diagrams. Perfection!

This book is great: Clarity on the recipes, and background explanation if you want to know more about the lengths they went to in perfecting the recipe.

It really helps eliminate that little nagging voice I sometimes get "Maybe I should add 3 eggs instead of 2" etc, knowing that they already tried several combinations of ingredients to arrive at the given recipe.

One of the best cookbooks I have used!

I am very happy with the cookbook. It is a little larger than I expected but it will be used for years and years in our family

I love this book.. it is a staple in our kitchen and THE go-to book when it comes to anything related to cooking.
It's well written with detailed reviews on equipment and ingredients.

There are recipes on here that I have made over 20 times! I can't say that for any other cookbook I own.

A great gift for the bachelor, single gal, or newlywed couple!

This is a great cookbook - I've already tried many yummy recipes from it - easy, clear and concise directions.

LOVE THIS BOOK! My husband and I recieved this cookboook for a gift several years ago and have always found it informative and helpful when preparing items we have never cooked or wanting to shake up an old recipe. We purchased this cookbook for a bride to be and feel it will be a great asset to any kitchen whether your a seasoned cook or someone just starting out!

If I could have only one cookbook (I pray that never happens!) it would be this one. Every recipe works beautifully; I can count on everything I make out of this book to taste the way it should. ATK has taken the guess work out of which recipe to follow; I trust the information and the testing that ATK has compiled. It's like having Chris Kimball and his team in the kitchen with you. This is one of the larger cookbooks out there, and it rarely spends any time on the shelf in my house. I highly recommend it for the expert as well as the novice cook. If you're good, this can help you be better. If you're just starting out, you can benefit from those who have walked before you. You don't have to fail your way to success anymore.

Every recipe I try is wonderful. I love the information given before each recipe as well.

I have the earlier edition and purchased the updated one as a gift for a friend. It looks like an excellent book also. My only complaint is that the index at the back is not as readable as it could be.

I love cookbooks and have hundreds more than I would like to admit. Which means I am always trying new recipes. For the most part,the recipes in the Best Recipe series are normal, common type recipes. If you are looking for something artsy and innovative, this is not necessarily my first stop. But the truth is, these recipes NEVER fail. I can't tell you how many times I have tried out a recipe from Cook's Illustrated on guests - without trying it first. I always come out looking like a genius. I think some people get bogged down by all of the descriptions on how the recipes came about. It is fascinating stuff if you are a cooking geek (like me). But you can just skip over all of it and go straight to the recipes and start cooking like a pro. I give all of my novice friends this cookbook when they want to learn to cook.

I have tons of cookbooks and this is one of the very few I leave on my counter so I can use it all the time. I really like the Cook's Illustrated magazines and this book is basically all of the magazine recipes rolled into one place. Worth every penny!

The Test Kitchen goes through several recipes and over until they fine tune the recipe that works best. The work pays off because the recipes here really taste great and are pretty easy to make compared to some. The best thing about this book is the cooks explain why each dish should be made the way they've prescribed, and why certain methods were removed or altered from tradition. I like that their finding concluded a "less is more" approach is often the best. An example is their chocolate mousse recipe. They pretty much take most of the other flavoring agents out that others put in and it allows for the basic flavor of the chocolate to come out. Just a great recipe book overall.

This book is just amazing in that it gives the background on recipes, methods of cooking, as well as recipes. Well worth the cost.

My rating is 4.5 stars of 5 stars.

I highly recommend this book and I bought it based on the great reviews.
I am happy I bought it, I love the fact it's like an encyclopedia. I can't wait to read it all. This book is everything I am looking for and I believe EVERY kitchen should have one.

It's big and this is great cause u get more for your buck. I am happy this book is 1000+ pages long.

I minused half a star for 2 reasons:

1) No pics available except at the beginning of each chapter there is 1 single black and white pic.
2) I didn't quite like the index at all.

but nothing is perfect and this is as perfect as it gets.


I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!

As a food geek, I love how they'll actually go into explicit detail on what does and doesn't work in any given recipe. The book covers equipment, technique and recipes.

It's fantastic for a beginning-to-moderately experienced cook looking to really learn more about the how and why of cooking.

The alfredo recipe alone is worth the price of this book. Every recipe I have tried has been a hit, and fortunately with so many recipes I will always be able to keep busy in the kitchen with this infinitely helpful tome.

I don't cook. Everyone knows it. When invited to a potluck, I invariably bring a cheese platter or a store-bought dessert. So imagine my surprise when I picked up this book, read it almost cover-to-cover and suddenly discovered that I enjoy cooking! Every recipe I've tried turns out perfectly and tastes delicious, and each one is a lesson in not just the hows, but the whys of cooking. This year I prepared a multi-course holiday dinner--a never-to-be-imagined feat--and was rewarded by the sight of my finicky teenage son licking his plate and asking for more! I cannot recommend this book highly enough to the inexperienced cook. It will arm you with the knowledge and confidence you need to tackle just about anything in the kitchen.