Best Cookbooks, Food & Wine
Beloved byGwyneth Paltrow ('This might be my favorite thing ever') and with half a million Facebook fans and counting, Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real f*cking food. Yeah, plenty of blogs and cookbooks preach about how to eat more kale, whyginger fights inflammation, and how to cook with microgreens andnettles. Intheir first cookbook, they're throwing down more than 100 recipes fortheir best-loved meals, snacks and sides for beginning cooks to homechefs. “Dear reader, I love Thug Kitchen's cooking.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I live in Portland, the mecca of all things vegan, and my non-vegan friends have been clawing at my door to eat these recipes instead of eating out. I wish they had prep and cook times listed for recipes, but I have to read the recipe and make an educated guess. The food is delicious, the tone is funny, and I have been talking it up to my friends."
"Most of the reviews ive read before purchasing this book are mostly people complaining about the cursing, that they didn't know it was vegan and that the ingredients are too "fancy". UHM, it isn't literally them supporting thugs.. its like a metaphor.. they are thugs in the kitchen, they toughen you up and motivate you in almost a boot camp sort of way. therefore they're they thugs in the kitchen telling you how to get that sh*t right.. Now as for the fancy ingredient complain.. one guy said smoked paprika was too fancy and hard to find... which is not.. at all.. it should be a staple in any cooks spice rack.. Aminos might be hard to find but i seen those even in low level market places and farmers markets or nurserys or co-ops.. health stores, nutritionists or a damn WHOLE FOODS! with all the gmo and crazy processes they're doing lately its surprising people aren't paying attention to minor details like that and then they complain about it like if the author set them up...*sigh*. Now for my honest review; first Id like to say im Hispanic and raised with ethnic foods. I'm trying to establish a routine where the most used items are already cutup and stored somehow for easy access.. perhaps when i do a week food prep. you don't miss the meat at all... i do wish there were more recipes and more versatile breakfast ideas with more fruit but its still a good way to kick-start a detox or life style.. it weans you and really does motivate you if you don't mind the potty mouth. Their sweet potatoes fried rice is also yummy and they have this peanut dipping sauce yum! Some recipes i feel are missing something but maybe thats just my habits and culture that are used to different sides a big slab of meat."
"Love love love this cook book."
"It's worth every penny if you follow a plant based diet, are thinking about following a plant based diet, or just want a fun, delicious cookbook to add variety to you meals. I've been plant based for about one year now, and I don't crave cheese or any animal products, but every now and then I do like to experiment with some old favorites, like lasagna. Really, mad props to all your hard work, it has made my life a whole lot easier and tastier..."
"They include tons of extra info besides recipes, like what these ingredients you may never have heard of before going Vegan are, and where at in the store you can find them."
#1 New York Times Bestseller Thug Kitchen started their wildly popular web site to inspire people to eat some Goddamn vegetables and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Beloved by Gwyneth Paltrow ("This might be my favorite thing ever") and named Saveur 's Best New Food blog of 2013--with half a million Facebook fans and counting--Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real f*cking food. Thug Kitchen lives in the real world. So, Thug Kitchen, good luck, and keep doing what you're doing.” ― Jamie Oliver The Thug Kitchen crew is an LA-based duo.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I live in Portland, the mecca of all things vegan, and my non-vegan friends have been clawing at my door to eat these recipes instead of eating out. I wish they had prep and cook times listed for recipes, but I have to read the recipe and make an educated guess. The food is delicious, the tone is funny, and I have been talking it up to my friends."
"Most of the reviews ive read before purchasing this book are mostly people complaining about the cursing, that they didn't know it was vegan and that the ingredients are too "fancy". UHM, it isn't literally them supporting thugs.. its like a metaphor.. they are thugs in the kitchen, they toughen you up and motivate you in almost a boot camp sort of way. therefore they're they thugs in the kitchen telling you how to get that sh*t right.. Now as for the fancy ingredient complain.. one guy said smoked paprika was too fancy and hard to find... which is not.. at all.. it should be a staple in any cooks spice rack.. Aminos might be hard to find but i seen those even in low level market places and farmers markets or nurserys or co-ops.. health stores, nutritionists or a damn WHOLE FOODS! with all the gmo and crazy processes they're doing lately its surprising people aren't paying attention to minor details like that and then they complain about it like if the author set them up...*sigh*. Now for my honest review; first Id like to say im Hispanic and raised with ethnic foods. I'm trying to establish a routine where the most used items are already cutup and stored somehow for easy access.. perhaps when i do a week food prep. you don't miss the meat at all... i do wish there were more recipes and more versatile breakfast ideas with more fruit but its still a good way to kick-start a detox or life style.. it weans you and really does motivate you if you don't mind the potty mouth. Their sweet potatoes fried rice is also yummy and they have this peanut dipping sauce yum! Some recipes i feel are missing something but maybe thats just my habits and culture that are used to different sides a big slab of meat."
"Love love love this cook book."
"It's worth every penny if you follow a plant based diet, are thinking about following a plant based diet, or just want a fun, delicious cookbook to add variety to you meals. I've been plant based for about one year now, and I don't crave cheese or any animal products, but every now and then I do like to experiment with some old favorites, like lasagna. Really, mad props to all your hard work, it has made my life a whole lot easier and tastier..."
"They include tons of extra info besides recipes, like what these ingredients you may never have heard of before going Vegan are, and where at in the store you can find them."
How to make homemade mac 'n' cheese that is as satisfyingly gooey and velvety-smooth as the blue box stuff, but far tastier? In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more. “[Kenji] approaches recipe development with monomaniacal zeal, then shares the delicious results with the infectious enthusiasm of the coolest teacher you had in high school.”. - The Globe and Mail.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon""The Food Lab" by Lopez-Alt is a dense collection of science based tips, explanations, techniques, and recipes for the home cook. I really like the way this book has been laid out: - The introduction is a modest overview of the author and his background followed by some really helpful information on equipment (such as an explanation on techniques for holding knives, how heat transfers through metal for consideration in what type of pan to use, essential equipment to have in your kitchen, and how to store and organize your fridge and pantry). * Cooked Vegetables has a great range of side dishes such as Brussels sprouts, Mexican street corn salad, roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and quite a few more recipes. Recipes in this chapter include mac 'n' cheese, risotto, linguine with clams, lasagna, and spaghetti. - The front and back book covers insides have conversion tables to be opened or flipped to quickly as a reference."
"And this book is great, and beautiful, full of photos, his great sense of humor, and excellent instructions. I was just hoping to see more of that type of food, whereas this book is targeted towards beginners (not to say that experienced cooks can't get value out of this book, because it's full of great info) or more specifically, towards people who haven't been reading his column all this time. Though in the meanwhile, there are already recipes I've got bookmarked to try out, like his puttanesca, pot roast, oven fries, THAT MEATLOAF, not to mention his excellent egg salad, which I've previously made from the site…. I'm so glad to be able to pay Kenji back in some form for the years of free content on Serious Eats and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cooking and improving their skills, in particular beginner cooks."
"Like most cookbooks today, it begins with a background of the author, who is an MIT grad turned culinary scientist. There are some things which go contrary to cooking norms (flip your steak often, and searing does not lock in juice), but there are explanations for the methods behinds the madness. Even if you never bother to make a recipe from this book verbatim, it will greatly increase your cooking skills from practical knowledge of physics, chemistry, taste, and technique."
Best Asian Cooking, Food & Wine
In Maangchi’s Real Korean Cooking, she shows how to cook all the country’s best dishes, from few-ingredient dishes (Spicy Napa Cabbage) to those made familiar by Korean restaurants (L.A. Galbi, Bulgogi, Korean Fried Chicken) to homey one-pots like Bibimbap.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I've been a fan of Maangchi's website and YouTube channel for a couple of years. A glossary of ingredients includes photos, descriptions, and food names in both English and Korean. Included is also a fascinating introduction to the basics of traditional Korean meals and the culture that surrounds them. I was particularly thrilled to find recipes for making kitchen staples such as homemade gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) and rice liquor. If you are a meat eater, you'll find more than enough to keep you happy, including the secret to that famous Korean fried chicken everyone loves so much. Tonight we made vegetable leaf wraps with rice and apple dipping sauce, and stir fried kale with soybean paste. I spread a small amount of this on leafy greens and rolled it around a bit of rice for bite sized packets that made my mouth burst from all the flavor!"
"All recipes come with a final picture of the dish, with some coming with pictures of the cooking process. Maangchi has a section dedicated to showing small pictures and descriptions of the essential Korean ingredients and equipment used in the cookbook. The largest section is the side dish section, one of the main reasons I bought the book! There is a small section in the back of the book listing what a typical Korean day is in terms of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner), and as well as lists of dishes typically served during holidays. The pictures of the dishes do not always follow the recipe underneath. Some recipes will say that the picture of the dish is on the following page. I understand that some recipes are complex and fitting a picture in along with the recipe is not feasible, but it would have been helpful to see, perhaps, a tiny picture of the finished dish next to the dish name, and then have a larger picture (maybe from a different angle, or so) showing more details of the dish."
"Pictured below: 1) The Bulgogi (really flavorful grilled beef) - p223 and Stir-Fried Kale with Soybean Paste - p138 are fantastic. It's like sushi, but has sesame oil instead of vinegar in the rice, and the fillings are different: crab, seasoned ground beef, egg, pickled radish, and garlicky spinach. It's a rice cake soup with brisket, egg, scallions, etc."
"If you’re tired of the same old hamburgers and spaghetti and grilled chicken breasts, pick up this book and prepare to have your culinary mind blown."
Best Baking
Whether you’re a total beginner or a serious baker, Flour Water Salt Yeas t has a recipe that suits your skill level and time constraints: Start with a straight dough and have fresh bread ready by supper time, or explore pre-ferments with a bread that uses biga or poolish. Featuring a tutorial on baker’s percentages, advice for manipulating ingredients ratios to create custom doughs, tips for adapting bread baking schedules to fit your day-to-day life, and an entire chapter that demystifies the levain-making process, Flour Water Salt Yeast is an indispensable resource for bakers who want to make their daily bread exceptional bread. Winner, IACP Awards 2013 - Baking: Savory or Sweet. Winner, James Beard Foundation Award 2013 - Baking and Dessert “If books full of stunning bread porn — all craggy crusts, yeasty bubbles and floured work surfaces — are your thing, here's Flour Water Salt Yeast by Ken Forkish.” —Eater National. "Legendary Portland baker Ken Forkish (of the watershed Ken's Artisan Bakery and much-loved Ken's Artisan Pizza) has joined the ranks of the lauded letterers with his mammoth new cookbook Water Flour Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza. "Divided into four sections (“The Principles of Artisan Bread,” “Basic Bread Recipes,” “Levain Bread Recipes,” and “Pizza Recipes”), with recipes broken down by breads made with store-bought yeast, breads made with long-fermented simple doughs, and doughs made with pre-ferments, the book presents recipes accessible to novices, while providing a different approach for making dough to experienced bakers. The man abandoned his past, courageously stepped off the cliff and followed his passion, and the result has been a gift to all of us: great breads, fabulous pizzas, and now this beautiful book— Flour Water Salt Yeast —in which he reveals all.” —Peter Reinhart, author of Artisan Breads Every Day and The Joy of Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free Baking “Ken nails it, end of story, when it comes to the best levain bread or the thinnest, most perfect pizza crust you’ve ever had.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"First off, if you are looking for a book of great, simple recipes that you can throw in the breadmaker real quick once you get home, this is NOT the book for you. You will learn how to literally use temperature and times as ingredients and how these can make bread made with the very same ingredients VERY different. The recipes are for lean dough, non-enriched breads, made straight, with delayed fermentation, and finally as pure sourdough. This book is a fantastic stepping stone for more varied texts (Bread Bible, Bread Baker's Apprentice, and the all but sacred bread text "The Taste of Bread" by Raymond Calvel)."
"But what Ken Forkish has done here is not simply to give you recipes, but to teach you to think with the flexibility that bread baking demands, and to also demand creativity out of you to go past what's in the book. There's a fantastic section on how to make recipes your own, whether it be about flour choices (and the different hydration requirements that some flours require), rearranging schedules to make your bread revolve around your life, the various options you have with levains, how to document your experimentation so that you can reproduce the results the next time."
Best Beverages & Wine
Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine will help you make sense of it all in a unique infographic wine book. Designed by the creators of WineFolly.com, which has won Wine Blogger of the Year from the International Wine & Spirits Competition, this book combines sleek, modern information design with data visualization and gives readers pragmatic answers to all their wine questions, including: Court of Masters, Certified Sommelier (Level 2) 40 Under 40, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, 2015-2016 Wine Blogger of the Year, International Wine and Spirits Competition, 2013-14 Top Wine Writer, Quora, 2012.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The page that explains how to write useful personal wine notes, for example, instantly organizes the way you do your evaluations of wine."
"and to also have discovered your terrific blog, Wine Folly."
"This guide is beautiful, simple to use, and immediately gets you drinking and analyzing wine."
"Great info-graphics to describe a fun topic."
"This book is fantastic for the average wine enthusiast like me."
"Plenty of basic information with pictures and diagrams."
"The author's enthusiasm for wine is infectious and she has a true talent for sharing her knowledge."
"And I love the details... a good Glossary and Index, vintage suggestions,, regional differences and common styles, great tasting profile graphics, food pairings... Lots of info in a 9x7 softcover!"
Best Canning & Preserving
From America’s “master griller” ( Esquire ), a step-by-step guide to cold-smoking, hot-smoking, and smoke-roasting, and a collection of 100 innovative recipes for smoking every kind of food, from starters to desserts. As someone who has been smoking meat his whole life, even I found new ground covered in this smart, accessible book.”. --Myron Mixon, author and host of BBQ Pitmasters, Smoked, and BBQ Rules. “If your version of heaven has smoked meats waiting beyond the pearly gates, then Project Smoke is your bible.”. --Tom Colicchio, author, chef/owner Crafted hospitality, and host of Top Chef. Project Smoke is both an indispensible guidebook to mastering smoking techniques and a cookbook billowing with innovative recipes, from the usual suspects like appetizers and meats to the more surprising desserts, cocktails, and condiments.”— Taste of the South. There’s hot smoking and cold-smoking, smoke-braising, tea-smoking, “caveman” smoking direct on embers, and stovetop smoking.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PS: Unlike some self-loving "I am the best, buy my books because they tell you how good I am" super BBQ champions, these two authors provide complete recipes and techniques that actually work and produce amazing results."
"I have been wanting to make smoked deviled eggs for a long time but couldn't think of a way to make it worth without overlooking the egg, and this book has the perfect solution."
"From the Martha Stewart of grilling comes Raichlen's new book which features recipes from his latest PBS series."
"I've made a few of the recipes in this book so far and everyone has complemented me on how delicious everything is."
"Really high quality pictures with easy to follow instructions."
"This guy has some great recipes."
"I like to try new things in my smoker."
"great addition to the back yard barbecue... Superbly written with tons of interesting side facts."
Best Celebrity & TV Show Cookbooks
How to make homemade mac 'n' cheese that is as satisfyingly gooey and velvety-smooth as the blue box stuff, but far tastier? In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more. “[Kenji] approaches recipe development with monomaniacal zeal, then shares the delicious results with the infectious enthusiasm of the coolest teacher you had in high school.”. - The Globe and Mail.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon""The Food Lab" by Lopez-Alt is a dense collection of science based tips, explanations, techniques, and recipes for the home cook. I really like the way this book has been laid out: - The introduction is a modest overview of the author and his background followed by some really helpful information on equipment (such as an explanation on techniques for holding knives, how heat transfers through metal for consideration in what type of pan to use, essential equipment to have in your kitchen, and how to store and organize your fridge and pantry). * Cooked Vegetables has a great range of side dishes such as Brussels sprouts, Mexican street corn salad, roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and quite a few more recipes. Recipes in this chapter include mac 'n' cheese, risotto, linguine with clams, lasagna, and spaghetti. - The front and back book covers insides have conversion tables to be opened or flipped to quickly as a reference."
"And this book is great, and beautiful, full of photos, his great sense of humor, and excellent instructions. I was just hoping to see more of that type of food, whereas this book is targeted towards beginners (not to say that experienced cooks can't get value out of this book, because it's full of great info) or more specifically, towards people who haven't been reading his column all this time. Though in the meanwhile, there are already recipes I've got bookmarked to try out, like his puttanesca, pot roast, oven fries, THAT MEATLOAF, not to mention his excellent egg salad, which I've previously made from the site…. I'm so glad to be able to pay Kenji back in some form for the years of free content on Serious Eats and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cooking and improving their skills, in particular beginner cooks."
"Like most cookbooks today, it begins with a background of the author, who is an MIT grad turned culinary scientist. There are some things which go contrary to cooking norms (flip your steak often, and searing does not lock in juice), but there are explanations for the methods behinds the madness. Even if you never bother to make a recipe from this book verbatim, it will greatly increase your cooking skills from practical knowledge of physics, chemistry, taste, and technique."
Best Cooking Education & Reference
New York Times Bestseller. Named one of the Best Books of 2017 by NPR, Buzzfeed, The. Atlantic , The. Washington Post , Chicago Tribune , Rachel Ray Every Day , San Francisco Chronicle , Vice Munchies, Elle.com, Glamour , Eater, Newsday, Minneapolis Star Tribune , The Seattle Times , Tampa Bay Times , Tasting Table, Modern Farmer , Publishers Weekly, and more. Refer to the canon of 100 essential recipes—and dozens of variations—to put the lessons into practice and make bright, balanced vinaigrettes, perfectly caramelized roast vegetables, tender braised meats, and light, flaky pastry doughs. "Just reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will make you a better cook, adept at seasoning, balancing, understanding what it really is you’re doing and why... Make room on the bedside table—and the countertop." "My favorite metacookbook...[Nosrat] offers a beautifully simple checklist for ensuring a dish ends up in a good place...This is the book of cooking grammar that so many novices would benefit from... Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is written smoothly and casually, and kept breezy via charming watercolors by the perceptive Bay Area artist Wendy MacNaughton...Nosrat’s book would be of value both to people who don’t consider themselves cooks and to people actively striving to become better ones." "A cookbook that will make you a better cook...with helpful, charming illustrations from artist Wendy MacNaughton." Samin Nosrat just published “Salt Fat Acid Heat — Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” and I daresay this one is essential...That’s the fabulous thing about this book — it teaches readers about cooking, how to employ various techniques, and how to grasp that any subtle variations in technique can have significant impacts upon our end results. It is possible to learn how to cook great food...This book is bound to become an indispensable addition to cookbook shelves throughout America." "Nosrat’s beautiful, approachable book demonstrates how these four are the only elements necessary to make delicious meals anywhere, any time."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Best text about cooking I've ever read."
"I've always loved the "why" in cooking and baking (like the Cooks Illustrated approach and The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science) - but I love that she narrows it down to four basic elements. But this books and others, like Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking are important because they give you the tools to innovate and recipes become starting points. I wish I had this book 20 years ago when I started seriously cooking."
"I love the fold out on p. 193 "what should I cook" that advises to go back and read the book through before you practice...a brilliant observation that the book is about "the journey, not the destination" as are so many things we pursue and experience."
"This cookbook goes into detail about how the four elements, salt, fat, acid and heat, are used to create great dishes!"
"Not a collection of recipes, though the book does contain recipes, but a clear, thoughtful and good humored explanation of the major elements of cooking -- salt, fat, acid and heat."
"Colorful doodles keep you engaged and having fun while learning, as well as a helpful guide on what to always have stocked in terms of spices and bare necessity kitchen utensils."
Best Culinary Arts & Techniques
The #1 bestselling author and Food Network personality at last answers that age-old question—“What's for Dinner?”—bringing together more than 125 simple, scrumptious, step-by-step recipes for delicious dinners the whole family will love.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl for straight comfort food. Ree’s books have photos of both the finished dish and photos of the process making the dish, which makes her books terrific to empower teenagers to get going independently, and feel really proud bringing those yummy dishes to smiling people at the table. Pictured below: 1) Huevos Rancheros – p6, with Enchilada Sauce – p8, and Pico De Gallo – p23. She has you make them in those cute little disposable tins if you’re going to freeze them. One is to add a red bell pepper, and my husband had just brought one in from the garden, so that went in, too. I am embarrassed to say that I was wondering what sort of bowls Ree had that these 4 servings could fit in. It's a make ahead and just needs 40 minutes in the oven when you're ready."
"There is also several sections on different types of side dishes and even desserts so readers can mix and match main dishes with the sides and desserts they like to make a complete meal. I was especially pleased with the section on freezer meals. While basic and certainly not an attempt to be a treatise on the subject, this section gives readers the opportunity to prepare staples to keep frozen and then provides several different ways that those frozen staples can be used to make different meals."
"The purpose of the cookbook is tactile: Some of us just like holding a book of lovely recipes in our hands, flipping the pages and attaching sticky notes all over it.. Well, I've flipped the pages of this book and I give it five stars."
"So I have been a stay at home mom for 15 years, and I have been working full time now for 5 months. (cook, bake, take care of kids, grocery shopping, etc) Now that I'm working, I don't want my family eating the crap from fast food or pre made food from the stores (too many add ins that aren't good for you). I have bought cook books before (none of hers) and was disappointed because the ingredients were either too expensive or there was only a couple of recipes that my family would actually eat."
Best Cooking by Ingredient
Today, Franklin Barbecue has grown into the most popular, critically lauded, and obsessed-over barbecue joint in the country (if not the world)—and Franklin is the winner of every major barbecue award there is. “I used to think Aaron Franklin was a genius: There was his rise from backyard dabbler to king of Texas pitmasters; his mind-altering brisket that made normally rational people (myself included) wait hours for the chance to eat it; and his insistence that game-changing barbecue doesn’t come from miracles but rather elbow grease. And instead of just listing ingredients and rattling off generic recipes, these pages tell the story of a place and a barbecue tradition steeped in history. In it, he exposes the sacred insights of a top pitmaster—information that can otherwise only be learned from long nights spent staring at a fire, shovel in hand, constantly prodding and pinching your meat to figure out that ‘just perfect’ point of doneness.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"He had a passion, he tinkered, he produced some really bad BBQ but persevered, he paid attention to the details, tweaked some to experiment, found out what worked and what didn't and then, over time, became an expert with a well-developed sense of intuition. The truth is that formula has worked for hundreds of people, great writers, radio hosts, businessmen, programmers and other professionals uses that exact same set of steps to become masters, read their biographies and listen to their interviews, it's the same story. It's hard work, it's not because Aaron uses pickle juice blessed by a New Orleans witch doctor during an eclipse as an injection precisely 14.373581 hours before it goes on the grill. You won't buy this book and then suddenly be able to cook the best BBQ on the planet, but you'll have a deeper understanding of the craft and you'll know where you should experiment and where you should learn from his mistakes."
"Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Smoking Manifesto. This is not a cookbook. ;) He walks you through the smoking of 4 meats, then goes on to recipes for a few sauces and a few sides."
"It is a great book on how Aaron Franklin does his BBQ, his history and the path of an individual to obtain goals."
"Not a ton of recipes but so much information on technique, philosophy, food prep, seasoning, equipment and smoke it will make your head spin."
"I have followed his instruction for brisket to the letter and even though I've never eaten at Franklin Barbecue (yet), it was the best brisket I had ever eaten."
"I bought this as a gift for my BBQ smoker friend."
"Giving the reasons to why makes it a truly helpful book for learning the art of BBQ."
"If you want to try something totally simple, yet totally awesome, try cooking beef ribs first if anything else -- it's simple and just pain good."
Best Dessert Baking
The long-awaited first cookbook from the creator and host of the Internet’s most popular baking show, Nerdy Nummies : a collection of Rosanna Pansino’s all-time favorite geeky recipes as well as sensational new recipes exclusive to this book. Rosanna Pansino is the New York Times bestselling author of The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook and creator and host of Nerdy Nummies, YouTube’s most popular baking show.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Ours came out VERY salty and after watching Ro's video, we realized the book calls for salted butter and 2 teaspoons baking soda (it should be 1 teaspoon according to the video and the butter was not specified so maybe try unsalted butter)."
"My next creation to bake is the MARIO run princess peach 🍑 cake 🎂 so when I got this book in the mail ,I was super happy !!!"
"This book has so many great recipes."
"My 15 year old niece is very into baking, so I got her this cookbook along with a silicone spatula & whisk."
"Great recipes in here...lots of fun."
"I got her this cookbook as a gift and she is very excited to make some recipes from it."
"Everything I could have dreamed of."
"About the seller , the book arrive soonner than i expected in excelente condition, definitly buy it from them again."
Best Entertaining & Holiday Cooking
Ree Drummond—accidental country girl, award-winning blogger, Food Network personality, and #1 New York Times bestselling author—presents The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays , a fantastic collection of recipes, photos, and homespun humor to help you celebrate all through the year. Whether it's the anticipation of Christmastime or the ghoulish glee of Halloween, if I see a holiday on the horizon, I simply can't contain my excitement. There's just something about the traditions, the family togetherness, the resurfacing of childhood memories . The Pioneer Woman Cooks: A Year of Holidays is an all-out celebration of the scrumptious, mouthwatering recipes that define our favorite occasions throughout the year. From luck-inducing Hoppin' John on New Year's Day, to a perfectly savory/sweet Glazed Easter Ham, to luscious Caramel Apples on Halloween, to a crowd-pleasing Thanksgiving feast with all the fixins, these pages are positively brimming with recipes guaranteed to make your holidays deliciously memorable . Host a party for the Big Game for your football-loving friends, make Mom a lovely Mother's Day breakfast-in-bed, invite your sweetie to a Valentine's Day romantic dinner for two .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl for straight comfort food. Ree’s books have photos of both the finished dish and photos of the process making the dish, which makes her books terrific to empower teenagers to get going independently, and feel really proud bringing those yummy dishes to smiling people at the table. Pictured below: 1) Huevos Rancheros – p6, with Enchilada Sauce – p8, and Pico De Gallo – p23. She has you make them in those cute little disposable tins if you’re going to freeze them. One is to add a red bell pepper, and my husband had just brought one in from the garden, so that went in, too. I am embarrassed to say that I was wondering what sort of bowls Ree had that these 4 servings could fit in. It's a make ahead and just needs 40 minutes in the oven when you're ready."
"So I have been a stay at home mom for 15 years, and I have been working full time now for 5 months. (cook, bake, take care of kids, grocery shopping, etc) Now that I'm working, I don't want my family eating the crap from fast food or pre made food from the stores (too many add ins that aren't good for you). I have bought cook books before (none of hers) and was disappointed because the ingredients were either too expensive or there was only a couple of recipes that my family would actually eat."
"There is also several sections on different types of side dishes and even desserts so readers can mix and match main dishes with the sides and desserts they like to make a complete meal. I was especially pleased with the section on freezer meals. While basic and certainly not an attempt to be a treatise on the subject, this section gives readers the opportunity to prepare staples to keep frozen and then provides several different ways that those frozen staples can be used to make different meals."
"The purpose of the cookbook is tactile: Some of us just like holding a book of lovely recipes in our hands, flipping the pages and attaching sticky notes all over it.. Well, I've flipped the pages of this book and I give it five stars."
Best Italian Cooking, Food & Wine
Essentials of Italian Cooking is a culinary bible for anyone looking to master the art of Italian cooking, bringing together Marcella Hazan’s most beloved books, The Classic Italian Cook Book and More Classic Italian Cooking , in a single volume, updated and expanded with new entries and 50 new recipes. We're not talking spaghetti and meatballs here--Hazan's cuisine consists of polenta, risotto, squid braised with tomatoes and white wine, sautéed swiss chard with olive oil and garlic.... Twenty years ago, when Hazan first exploded into the American consciousness with The Classic Italian Cook Book and More Classic Italian Cooking , such recipes were revolutionary.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Ravioli Filled with Sweet Potatoes (flavored with amaretti cookies, prosciutto, parmigiano-reggiano, parsley, and nutmeg) in a Butter and Parmesan cheese sauce was just outstanding. The pancetta, herbs, garlic and anchovy flavors were spot on, but the addition of the dried porcini mushrooms made the dish really special."
"Some of her dishes are a bit time consuming but one can sometimes find ways to simplify."
"I found the book to be in incredibly good condition despite your warning that it may have suffered significant water damage."
"Absolutely wonderful."
"I must admit I was hesitant to buy another Italian cookbook... but this book is awesome... it is loaded with information and recipes..."
"It was a gift and I am looking forward to sampling the results."
"Classic and timeless food and culture."
"Like all the other reviews, it is an excellent, informative book on Italian cuisine."
Best Kitchen Appliance Cooking
From America’s “master griller” ( Esquire ), a step-by-step guide to cold-smoking, hot-smoking, and smoke-roasting, and a collection of 100 innovative recipes for smoking every kind of food, from starters to desserts. As someone who has been smoking meat his whole life, even I found new ground covered in this smart, accessible book.”. --Myron Mixon, author and host of BBQ Pitmasters, Smoked, and BBQ Rules. “If your version of heaven has smoked meats waiting beyond the pearly gates, then Project Smoke is your bible.”. --Tom Colicchio, author, chef/owner Crafted hospitality, and host of Top Chef. Project Smoke is both an indispensible guidebook to mastering smoking techniques and a cookbook billowing with innovative recipes, from the usual suspects like appetizers and meats to the more surprising desserts, cocktails, and condiments.”— Taste of the South. There’s hot smoking and cold-smoking, smoke-braising, tea-smoking, “caveman” smoking direct on embers, and stovetop smoking. Bible® cookbook series, which includes the new Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades; Project Smoke; The Barbecue Bible ; and How to Grill . His TV shows include the PBS series Steven Raichlen’s Project Smoke (currently in its 3rd season); Primal Grill; and Barbecue University , and the French language series Les Incontournables du BBQ and Le Maitre du Grill.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"PS: Unlike some self-loving "I am the best, buy my books because they tell you how good I am" super BBQ champions, these two authors provide complete recipes and techniques that actually work and produce amazing results."
"I have been wanting to make smoked deviled eggs for a long time but couldn't think of a way to make it worth without overlooking the egg, and this book has the perfect solution."
"From the Martha Stewart of grilling comes Raichlen's new book which features recipes from his latest PBS series."
"I've made a few of the recipes in this book so far and everyone has complemented me on how delicious everything is."
"Really high quality pictures with easy to follow instructions."
"This guy has some great recipes."
"I like to try new things in my smoker."
"great addition to the back yard barbecue... Superbly written with tons of interesting side facts."
Best Main Courses & Side Dishes
With its warm, edgy humor, outstanding vocal cast, and signature musical numbers, Bob’s Burgers has become one of the most acclaimed and popular animated series on television, winning the 2014 Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program and inspiring a hit ongoing comic book and original sound track album. "Now fans can get the ultimate Bob’s Burgers experience at home with seventy-five straight from the show but actually edible Burgers of the Day. "[ The Bob’s Burgers Burger Book ] offers more than 70 recipes based on the puns from the show, often paired with cartoons featuring the characters interpreting the themes of the burgers. …The Bob’s Burgers Burger Book is what a good media tie-in should be . [ The Bob's Burgers Burger Book ] is a real cookbook that should inspire you to do some real cooking. [ The Bob's Burgers Burger Book ] is an absolute must for any culinary inclined Bob's Burgers fan ." "Now anyone can create their own Burger of the Day from the award-winning show, Bob's Burgers . "With colorful character illustrations, easy to follow directions and recipes like 'Bleu is the Warmest Cheese Burger,' 'Bruschetta-Bout-It Burger' and 'I Know Why the Cajun Burger Sings,' [ The Bob's Burgers Burger Book ] is half cookbook, half memorabilia and 100 percent bad dad joke ." Even if it does, you can make all of Bob's recipes yourself from The Bob's Burgers Burger Book: Real Recipes for Joke Burgers ." "[ The Bob's Burgers Burger Book is] dedicated to recipes inspired by the puckish imaginary names given to Burgers of the Day in the Fox animated series 'Bob's Burgers,' featuring burger-slinging Bob Belcher and his family trying to run a mom-and-pop fast-food operation. The Bob's Burgers Burger Book manages to do just tha t, probably because it was written by creator Loren Bouchard and the writers of the Fox cartoon, which centers around the adventures of a family that runs a small-town burger restaurant. " The Bob’s Burgers Burger Book gives hungry fans their best chance to eat one of Bob Belcher’s beloved specialty Burgers of the Day in seventy-five original, practical recipes . Serve the 'Sweaty Palms Burger (comes with Hearts of Palm)' to your ultimate crush, just like Tina Belcher, or ponder modern American literature with the 'I Know Why the Cajun Burger Sings Burger.'. Featuring 75 original recipes and illustrated in the style of the show, [ The Bob's Burgers Burger Book ] compiles recipes from blog 'The Bob's Burgers Experiment,' including the Bleu is the Warmest Cheese Burger, the Bruschetta-Bout-It Burger and more." "The recipes in [ The Bob's Burgers Burger Book ] are easy to follow and delicious!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This cookbook is better than it has any right to beef."
"It's a book of puns, and there are a few burgers in here to try, but basically it's just a funny book to leave lying around."
"This is an adorable little cook book full of lots of interesting ideas for different ways to make hamburgers."
"Unfortunately, I bought this as a gift so I have not gotten the full benefits of this cook book."
"Bought as a birthday gift for a friend and to amp u p their grilling season."
"Excellent book with fun recipes and calls to jokes on the show, it's definitely for fans of the series above all."
"Bought for a gift and the recipient loved it!"
"I am extremely excited to try out these recipes."
Best Outdoor Cooking
Today, Franklin Barbecue has grown into the most popular, critically lauded, and obsessed-over barbecue joint in the country (if not the world)—and Franklin is the winner of every major barbecue award there is. “I used to think Aaron Franklin was a genius: There was his rise from backyard dabbler to king of Texas pitmasters; his mind-altering brisket that made normally rational people (myself included) wait hours for the chance to eat it; and his insistence that game-changing barbecue doesn’t come from miracles but rather elbow grease. And instead of just listing ingredients and rattling off generic recipes, these pages tell the story of a place and a barbecue tradition steeped in history. In it, he exposes the sacred insights of a top pitmaster—information that can otherwise only be learned from long nights spent staring at a fire, shovel in hand, constantly prodding and pinching your meat to figure out that ‘just perfect’ point of doneness.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"He had a passion, he tinkered, he produced some really bad BBQ but persevered, he paid attention to the details, tweaked some to experiment, found out what worked and what didn't and then, over time, became an expert with a well-developed sense of intuition. The truth is that formula has worked for hundreds of people, great writers, radio hosts, businessmen, programmers and other professionals uses that exact same set of steps to become masters, read their biographies and listen to their interviews, it's the same story. It's hard work, it's not because Aaron uses pickle juice blessed by a New Orleans witch doctor during an eclipse as an injection precisely 14.373581 hours before it goes on the grill. You won't buy this book and then suddenly be able to cook the best BBQ on the planet, but you'll have a deeper understanding of the craft and you'll know where you should experiment and where you should learn from his mistakes."
"Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Smoking Manifesto. This is not a cookbook. ;) He walks you through the smoking of 4 meats, then goes on to recipes for a few sauces and a few sides."
"I found the two books contradicted each other fairly often, but "Meathead" had scientific data and analysis to back up his conclusions and recommendations."
"I smoked a brisket last weekend and it might not be his recipe or even come close to his recipe I tried my best."
"If you have the time to invest in a brisket, you have the time to invest in this book."
Best Professional Cooking
Now, the ninth edition features an all-new, user-friendly design that guides readers through each cooking technique, starting with a basic formula, outlining the method at-a-glance, offering expert tips, covering each method with beautiful step-by-step photography, and finishing with recipes that use the basic techniques. "Well-researched and documented, The Culinary Institute of America's latest offering includes the essential tools to become a successful modern chef. " The Professional Chef continues to be an incredibly valuable reference guide that we keep handy in all our restaurant kitchens." "This important book is a classic resource, an indispensable reference for both the professional and serious home cook."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Despite learning much on my own over the years, I wanted slightly more information on technique and skill than can often be seen in cooking videos and TV shows. It is filled with pages of incredibly useful information, such as various cooking methods, different proteins and their cuts, how to identify grains and spices, how to cook what, and so much more - really, everything you need to know. If you don't need to cook for more than yourself and one other person, be prepared to learn how to scale down (learning is never a bad thing)."
"As Monsieur Paul says, it's the Bible for all chefs including amateurs (me :))."
"A must-have if you're serious about cooking."
"Got this for my boyfriend and he loved it!"
"This was a gift for my boyfriend who was graduating from culinary school.....He absolutely loves this book."
"This was a gift."
"Bought this book for my husband."
"Great book for pros."
Best Regional & International Cooking & Wine
How to make homemade mac 'n' cheese that is as satisfyingly gooey and velvety-smooth as the blue box stuff, but far tastier? In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more. “[Kenji] approaches recipe development with monomaniacal zeal, then shares the delicious results with the infectious enthusiasm of the coolest teacher you had in high school.”. - The Globe and Mail.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon""The Food Lab" by Lopez-Alt is a dense collection of science based tips, explanations, techniques, and recipes for the home cook. I really like the way this book has been laid out: - The introduction is a modest overview of the author and his background followed by some really helpful information on equipment (such as an explanation on techniques for holding knives, how heat transfers through metal for consideration in what type of pan to use, essential equipment to have in your kitchen, and how to store and organize your fridge and pantry). * Cooked Vegetables has a great range of side dishes such as Brussels sprouts, Mexican street corn salad, roasted cauliflower, mashed potatoes, glazed carrots, and quite a few more recipes. Recipes in this chapter include mac 'n' cheese, risotto, linguine with clams, lasagna, and spaghetti. - The front and back book covers insides have conversion tables to be opened or flipped to quickly as a reference."
"And this book is great, and beautiful, full of photos, his great sense of humor, and excellent instructions. I was just hoping to see more of that type of food, whereas this book is targeted towards beginners (not to say that experienced cooks can't get value out of this book, because it's full of great info) or more specifically, towards people who haven't been reading his column all this time. Though in the meanwhile, there are already recipes I've got bookmarked to try out, like his puttanesca, pot roast, oven fries, THAT MEATLOAF, not to mention his excellent egg salad, which I've previously made from the site…. I'm so glad to be able to pay Kenji back in some form for the years of free content on Serious Eats and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in cooking and improving their skills, in particular beginner cooks."
"Like most cookbooks today, it begins with a background of the author, who is an MIT grad turned culinary scientist. There are some things which go contrary to cooking norms (flip your steak often, and searing does not lock in juice), but there are explanations for the methods behinds the madness. Even if you never bother to make a recipe from this book verbatim, it will greatly increase your cooking skills from practical knowledge of physics, chemistry, taste, and technique."
Best Special Diet Cooking
Beloved byGwyneth Paltrow ('This might be my favorite thing ever') and with half a million Facebook fans and counting, Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real f*cking food. Yeah, plenty of blogs and cookbooks preach about how to eat more kale, whyginger fights inflammation, and how to cook with microgreens andnettles. Intheir first cookbook, they're throwing down more than 100 recipes fortheir best-loved meals, snacks and sides for beginning cooks to homechefs. “Dear reader, I love Thug Kitchen's cooking.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I live in Portland, the mecca of all things vegan, and my non-vegan friends have been clawing at my door to eat these recipes instead of eating out. I wish they had prep and cook times listed for recipes, but I have to read the recipe and make an educated guess. The food is delicious, the tone is funny, and I have been talking it up to my friends."
"Most of the reviews ive read before purchasing this book are mostly people complaining about the cursing, that they didn't know it was vegan and that the ingredients are too "fancy". UHM, it isn't literally them supporting thugs.. its like a metaphor.. they are thugs in the kitchen, they toughen you up and motivate you in almost a boot camp sort of way. therefore they're they thugs in the kitchen telling you how to get that sh*t right.. Now as for the fancy ingredient complain.. one guy said smoked paprika was too fancy and hard to find... which is not.. at all.. it should be a staple in any cooks spice rack.. Aminos might be hard to find but i seen those even in low level market places and farmers markets or nurserys or co-ops.. health stores, nutritionists or a damn WHOLE FOODS! with all the gmo and crazy processes they're doing lately its surprising people aren't paying attention to minor details like that and then they complain about it like if the author set them up...*sigh*. Now for my honest review; first Id like to say im Hispanic and raised with ethnic foods. I'm trying to establish a routine where the most used items are already cutup and stored somehow for easy access.. perhaps when i do a week food prep. you don't miss the meat at all... i do wish there were more recipes and more versatile breakfast ideas with more fruit but its still a good way to kick-start a detox or life style.. it weans you and really does motivate you if you don't mind the potty mouth. Their sweet potatoes fried rice is also yummy and they have this peanut dipping sauce yum! Some recipes i feel are missing something but maybe thats just my habits and culture that are used to different sides a big slab of meat."
"Love love love this cook book."
"It's worth every penny if you follow a plant based diet, are thinking about following a plant based diet, or just want a fun, delicious cookbook to add variety to you meals. I've been plant based for about one year now, and I don't crave cheese or any animal products, but every now and then I do like to experiment with some old favorites, like lasagna. Really, mad props to all your hard work, it has made my life a whole lot easier and tastier..."
"Meals are surprisingly fast to make (not sure who's saying they're not unless they're used to HotPockets for dinner) and are super tasty!"
"No reason to throw a cuss word after every word."