What Good Cooks Know: 20 Years of Test Kitchen Expertise in One Essential Handbook

by America's Test Kitchen (Editor)

After more than 20 years of obsessive research and testing, America's Test Kitchen has literally written the book on how to master your kitchen. Logically organized and packed with step photography, this will be the ultimate one-stop resource for both shopping and cooking.

Have you ever wished that your kitchen came with instructions? Let the experts at America's most trusted test kitchen show you the ropes in this new illustrated compendium of techniques, tips, tricks, recipes, and reviews for the home cook. This is a handbook for everyone, beginner to expert, that is not only useful but also entertaining, thought-provoking, and utterly unique. It will appeal to longtime fans of the magazine who want to see behind the scenes as well as to novice cooks who want to get everything right in the kitchen from the beginning. Never before has America's Test Kitchen revealed the secrets behind our extensive testing procedures and exacting recipe development process; in this new book, come behind the scenes to see how we pick the best equipment and ingredients and create the most foolproof recipes out there. With dozens of equipment recommendations, hundreds of ingredient entries, mini lessons on basic cooking skills and useful kitchen science, plus illustrated step-by-step instructions for 50 of our most essential recipes.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Photography

448 pages, Hardcover

Published October 25, 2016

About the author

America's Test Kitchen, based in a brand new state-of-the-art 60,000 sq. ft. facility with over 15,000 sq. ft. of test kitchens and studio space, in Boston's Seaport District, is dedicated to finding the very best recipes for home cooks. Over 50 full-time (admittedly obsessive) test cooks spend their days testing recipes 30, 40, up to 100 times, tweaking every variable until they understand how and why recipes work. They also test cookware and supermarket ingredients so viewers can bypass marketing hype and buy the best quality products. As the home of Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines, and publisher of more than one dozen cookbooks each year, America's Test Kitchen has earned the respect of the publishing industry, the culinary world, and millions of home cooks. America's Test Kitchen the television show launched in 2001, and the company added a second television program, Cook's Country, in 2008.

Discover, learn, and expand your cooking repertoire with Julia Collin Davison, Bridget Lancaster, Jack Bishop, Dan Souza, Lisa McManus, Tucker Shaw, Bryan Roof, and our fabulous team of test cooks!

Learn more at https://www.americastestkitchen.com/.

Reviews

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best kind of cookbook to keep in your kitchen. what good cooks know by America's Test Kitchen has all kinds of information, some recipes, and covers "20 years of Test Kitchen expertise." It is the kind of cookbook one would reach for to solve a problem such as a recipe is in the Metric System, but you only know the US measuring system. This book has on page 354-355 the conversion scale for these two measuring systems as well as Fahrenheit to Celsius so one would just get the book and look it up. This book informs a home cook how to buy chicken, veal, cuts of beef, pork, and others. It also explains how to make pie dough with vodka, a fool proof way according to America's Test Kitchen. It list favorite products that have gone through America's Test Kitchen's testing process. Refrigerator storage tips are also in the book. Lots of information that will solve a home Cook's difficulties are found in this book. It is very readable and easy to understand. If one likes to cook, having this book in her/his kitchen will enable all to go more smoothly, and one will learn something new just about every time the book is opened. Highly recommended!

[Marisa Eikenberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like to cook and really enjoy learning the science behind the recipes and techniques, then you'll definitely want to pick up this book.

I really enjoyed learning how America's Test Kitchen tests products, recipes, and ingredients. It was nice to see a bit of a "peek behind the curtain" for this wonderful company.

I also happen to own The America's Test Kitchen Cooking School Cookbook so much of the tips and instructions in this book were the same. So if you already own that book, I wouldn't recommend picking up this one. But if this is your first taste of cooking techniques and America's Test Kitchen, I would highly recommend it.

4 Stars.

[Ariadna73 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book about kitchen tools, kitchen gadgets, how to find the best ingredients and how to best manipulate and prepare them. In other words, is a book that contais all you ever wanted to know about your kitchen but were affraid to ask. The pleasure of reading this book has no description. You need to savor it page by page to see by yourself how much potential are there in such an important place of our lives: the adored kitchen.

This is the cover page of the book. There is a black and white photo of a kitchen shelf that looks exactly as mine. I imagine they sent a spy to my house and I did not realize it ;-)



The following is some editorial information an a simple table of contents that make no justice to the whole wealth of information contained in this wonderful book.



Here is an excerpt of the introduction and my favorite picture of the book: a lady in the kitchen, surounded by all kinds of kitchen gadgets.



On knives and pans...





Here are some aparts of the explanations on the best food types to select for our pantry:





4







































I absolutely loved, adored, enjoyed and utilized this book with great pleasure. This is one of those books that makes you say "now, that is a great book about the topic I am interested in!". I will keep it dearly stored in a very high place of honor on my shelf.

***

I also have a blog! Link here:

http://lunairereadings.blogspot.com

[Amanda Knox · Rating 3 out of 5]

At the outset I thought this book would strictly talk food science. I was pleasantly surprised to see thorough chapters evaluating kitchen appliances and necessities as well as pantry staples (best butters, best pastas, etc.). I was disappointed that some of their suggestions bordered on impractical and unnecessary. For example, some of the “best” whatevers cost hundreds of dollars. But on the other hand, the Test Kitchen makes reasonable arguments for things like having both aluminum and glass bake ware. The actual food science bit is brief, but helpful, and covers the basics. Overall, I would be very happy if someone gifted me this book (I would probably even consider gifting it to others), but I wouldn’t go out and buy it for myself.

[Ja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Food nerds rejoice. America's Test Kitchen has another great compendium of food knowledge.

I love America's Test Kitchen and what they do to ensure what they recommend is a 100% satisfaction guarantee sticker. This new book shows that a lot of love and care when into the writing and publishing of this. It's beautifully adorned with colorful pictures throughout, all the more that makes you just want to get up and cook.

The book is divided into two core sections: knowledge and recipes. The knowledge section gives readers the rundown of things like what makes a good chef's knife, how recipes are tested, explanations on what brands are the best of a particular ingredient, and even some scientific know-how of reactions and tastes. For many knowledgeable chefs and home cooks, this may not necessarily be any new information. But it is laid out in a way to entice even the most seasoned cook to continue reading.

The recipe section is where it gets more fun. There are plenty of recipes, each one with six full color pictures to show what is happening in each of the major steps. The recipes are far from exhaustive; perhaps a few types of foods from each major category, like beef/chicken/turkey, fish, pasta, breads, and desserts. Nonetheless, they are enough to make you say, 'I can do that' and go out to the store to buy what you need.

A great book for anyone who simply loves cooking. If you're looking for something more science heavy, check out The Science of Good Cooking: Master 50 Simple Concepts to Enjoy a Lifetime of Success in the Kitchen or The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science, both which focus in depth on what's scientifically going on when you cook your food.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pictures of recipes? Yes, all the recipes featured step by step pictures.
Commentary on recipes? Yes.
Nutrition facts? No.
Recipe Style? The basics.
Any keepers? No.

This feels exactly like a textbook you'd get in Home Economics class. The first 230 pages examine equipment and ingredients, followed by approximately 50 basic recipes. This would be great for someone with absolutely zero kitchen experience.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just paging through, I got a great tip on making Chocolate Crinkle Cookies that sounds like it'll solve the problem of confectioners' sugar being absorbed.

This is a book that has something to teach you whether you're an experienced chef, competent cook/baker or a beginner in the kitchen. Great for a college student, someone just starting out or newlyweds. Solid information and explanations of equipment and ingredients. Besides techniques, you're taken inside the world of tests with products ranked.

Now, I have a tip on making those cookies and also the results of a whole tomato test that will save me money, Hunts Whole Tomatoes tested better than the often called for San Marzano brand.

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say this was a helpful read in my quest to become a better home cook would be an understatement. I've read a few helpful cook books but this one is a necessity on every home cook's shelf.
I would gift this at weddings, and Christmas. I will shove this book in every one of my friend's faces. I will treasure it and constantly use it as a go to for understanding the fundamentals in cooking. This book has very helpful tips to aid in your journey to understanding how to not just cook good food, but love it! What more can I say? I made a successful Risotto for the first time the other day and I'm in love with this book!

[Anne Fabing · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful expansive cookbook that shares multiple little known secrets and tips. As an accomplished cook and baker of 30 years, even I had many things I learned from this book. It's definitely a keeper.

[Barbara Pearlman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent reference book for cooks with a few basic recipes. It is a summary of the best tips and reviews of Cook's Illustrated Magazine. I recommend this book for anyone who is into cooking and baking. I pick it up from time to time and get fascinating information from it.

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection of cooking tips. This book is so good at explaining what their favorite products and appliances are and why. It also gives really good cooking advice and the reasoning behind each tip.

[Chad Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

America's Test Kitchen delivers a manual for the home cook.

[Ietrio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its biggest quality: its size.

Its biggest problem: its size.

Not special. But if you have it, there are enough things you can use. Nothing a google search won't give you.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a pretty seasoned cook, but still found some helpful tidbits in here about soup bases, peanut butter, yeast and more. Totally worth the read.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are many things in here that aren't too useful (stocking a pantry, etc). This combined with the sizeable recipe section makes this book less useful than some of its peers

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

the intoduction says it all "This book is for all the cooks who have ever wished that their kitchens came with an instruction manual"; a fabulous book for any age cook

[Goth Gone Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book - I sat and read (devoured?) it for the fun cooking tidbits, but have not tried any of the recipes yet.

[Victoria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great cooking tips (must have ingredients and how to store) and tool suggestions. But I believe a great cook shouldn't need that much equipment. I believe in keeping things simple. Interesting book all the same. I made a lot of notes to explore on my own. I'm a novice cook that enjoys eating well.

[Dray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book for entry level cooks. Test kitchen does a great job of explaining methodologies and techniques as well as testing a wide variety of tools and recipes. Having cooked for a while and watched lots of how to videos there were still nuggets of wisdom to be learned. Of particular worth was the section on the science of ...(fat, frying, taste, salt etc). Recommended.

[Jean MacLeod · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of useful information and new techniques. I'm making the roast chicken tomorrow tonight and will see how that works out with its high-temperature setting. I'll also give the Easy Pound Cake a whirl down the line. Using melted butter rather than creaming is a new twist. I can hardly wait.

[Patience · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good beginning reference book from America’s Test Kitchen. This book would be a good alternative for readers who feel overwhelmed by the size of The America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School Cookbook.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm pretty picky abot what cookbooks and food-oriented books that I actually buy, since I can easily get ideas from the library and the internet, but this one just might make the cut as a very handy reference book.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a marvelous resource for anyone serious about learning to cook or just to improve their cooking skills.

[Boya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good book for beginners!

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for anyone who wants to know more about the kitchen, but doesn't know where to start. Just what I needed.

[Laura Eggen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one has a lot of very helpful hints and tips, but (as I suppose should be expected) they are VERY particular and exacting in their cooking. Not really my style (Hahaha).

[Bookish Ninjaaaaaa! · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have.

[Hana Adrienne · Rating 2 out of 5]

didnt have shit i didn’t already know

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great cookbook, has a lot of great tips and tricks. Recommends tools, describes food items, and has recipes. Enjoy the methodical science American Test Kitchen does for testing.

[Emmaly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m learning how to cook, this book has definitely helped me pick up on important techniques that every cook should know. It also has recipes to put into practice all the techniques you’ve learned