The Best Kitchen Quick Tips: 534 Tricks, Techniques, and Shortcuts for the Curious Cook

by Cook's Illustrated, John Burgoyne (Illustrator)

But what is a quick tip? For the editors of Cook's Illustrated it's an easier way of performing a kitchen task that either saves time or money or improves the quality of the outcome. The tip may call for an odd appliance such as a hair dryer (for smoothing chocolate frosting) or a surprising ingredient such as miniature marshmallows (placed on the ends of toothpicks to hold plastic wrap above an iced cake). You will find practical tricks for peeling tomatoes, chopping garlic, knowing when your steamer is out of water (add marbles to the bottom of the pot) and toasting pine nuts (use a popcorn popper). Arranged alphabetically it takes you through softening Almond Paste to drying Wine Glasses on chopsticks.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Reference, Food, Nonfiction, Foodie

350 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of these tips were completely stupid. But I can't help but be fond of books that offer little cooking hints, even the ones that are pointless.

[Dan Stern · Rating 4 out of 5]

The editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine have compiled some of the most inventive kitchen tips published in Cook's over the last decade. Regular readers of the magazine will recognize the Quick Tips from the corresponding feature, which features ideas submitted by Cook's readers. The 534 tips, techniques, and shortcuts are presented in alphabetical order, from almond paste (how to soften it) to zucchini (seeding it). So, finding the tip you need is effortless.
The tips run the gamut from food preparation (removing corn kernels from the cob) to clean-up (removing silverware from the dishwasher easily) to ingredient selection (distinguishing hard- from soft-shelled lobsters) to grilling (oiling the cooking grate) to food storage (freezing meat) and everything in between. Each tip is illustrated in one or more hand-drawn, straight-forward diagrams, making implementation simple. Although some of the tips are somewhat obvious, most are ingenious and will truly help you prepare food in an easier and more efficient manner. Most highly recommended.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

some clever little tidbits like putting a piece of plastic over the bowl of the Cuisinart before putting on the top so that you don't have to clean all those nooks and crannies that seem so hard to get to.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Organized alphabetically which I found less than useful. Most of the tips weren't interesting and some seemed like common knowledge/sense

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had this book for several years and hardly looked in it. So, I finally decided that the best way to find helpful quick tips would be just to read through the entire book. That is what I suggest doing.

There are a lot of tips I would never use, but it is 834 tips, so you can't expect to be able to use all of them! However, there are definitely some that will come in handy. The book is easy to read; it is in alphabetical order and each tip has a comment about how something might be difficult and then a description of the tip as well as an illustration to go with it. Now that I've read the book and have an idea of what's in it, it will be easy for me to flip back to a tip and review it.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My super thoughtful husband got me this book and it really was so great. I read it from cover to cover just so I would know what was in it. I've used a couple of the tips already. Some were kind of no-brainer tips that I already knew, but some I would have never thought of or known. Others I wouldn't use simply because I'm not a super fancy cook, but I'm sure someone else would find them useful. Highly recommended to any cooks out there!

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

An alphabetical listing of ideas to lessen mess and make cooking easier. Contains some new and some old chestnuts (yes, we all know now to put a miniature marshmallow at the bottom of an ice cream cone. Everyone with internet got that Martha Stewart forward).

Especially useful for people making things ahead of time and freezing into individual services, as well as improvising utensils in a pinch.

[S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm reading the updated version of this called '834 Kitchen Quick Tips: Techniques and Shortcuts for the Curious Cook' and it's amazing. It's an alphabetical listing of tips like how to slice bok choy, peel a kiwi or use the mixer, splatter free. I wish I remembered all the tips!

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

i've become a big fan of Cook's Illustrated magazine. love any reference type book that saves prep and clean up time.

[Tawni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not really what I expected. This is a book you want to just keep on hand for random things you might question, but I don't think I would ever use it.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such clever ideas in this book!

[Marshaferz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I read it. Over time. Wonderful tips here, with excellent illustrations. I'd expect nothing less from Cook's.