The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2007

Apparently America's Test Kitchen puts out one of these books every year.  I have to admit, I'm surprised!  The volume of work that clearly went into producing this book must have been staggering.  

Although admittedly it seems that the book itself is just cherry-picked awesome stuff from the Test Kitchen Empire.  According to the back of the book this includes eight different books produced during the year, plus a television show.  

So in theory, if you are consuming all that other Test Kitchen stuff, everything in this book would probably be old hat by now.  But if, like me, you have only the vaguest recollection of having heard the phrase "America's Test Kitchen," then you will be delighted by this book.  DELIGHTED I TELL YOU.

One thing I appreciate in the realm of cooking is some kind of approximation of the scientific method.  You try something, and if it doesn't work out, you try something else.  America's Test Kitchen has this in spades.  The little anecdotes alongside the recipes include mentions of having baked, say, dozens of batches of brownies before finding the blend of ingredients that was just so.

I also like that the various authors freely admit that some recipes have problems.  Morning Glory muffins are often grim and gummy.  Trifles are frequently soggy and haphazardly assembled.  Omelets can be chewy.  Only by admitting problems can we find solutions and improve them.

(I still don't believe they managed to craft an edible Morning Glory muffin, though.  I'll pass on that one.)

The pictures are gorgeous, and the recipes are clear and easy to follow.  But it's everything aside from the recipes that really makes this book shine.  It includes honest product reviews that come from experience (more expensive and fancier isn't always better) and sidebar notes like how to create a non-stick work surface without adding flour (spray oil) and which light cream cheese is the best and why (Cabot's 50%).

Each recipe starts off with a paragraph about "what makes this a best recipe."  It may be a blend of flavors, a streamlined technique, or just that they were able to make a semi-okay thing better.  For example, what makes their Creole Crab Cakes a best recipe is that "we were sick and tired of crab-flecked dough balls being passed off as crab cakes."  

It then goes on to talk about how they experimented with ingredients before finding the right ratio of meat to binder, why they chose a slightly unusual spice blend, and so forth.  This particular recipe also includes a sidebar on "where things can go wrong" (always be sure to chill them before frying) and "what you can do ahead of time" (make the sauce, and shape the cakes).

This attention to detail and comprehensive additional information is what makes The Best of America's Test Kitchen so readable.  It's a valuable resource, sure, but it's also an enjoyable book to sit down and read from cover to cover.  And I say that as someone who is not a habitual cookbook reader!