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ninabina's review
3.0
Maybe 3.5? I loved all the graphs and explanations for why you should or shouldn’t do different steps. Everything else was meh.
To address a point some of the other reviewers brought up- the personal anecdotes can be hit or miss depending on the person, but I didn’t find them particularly problematic (granted I skipped the ground meat section).
Another negative point is that a lot of this info can be found online— I borrowed the book from the library, so I didn’t pay $30+ for it, which I think was ideal because I wasn’t annoyed when I found a lot of this information for free online on the serious eats site. If you’re thinking about buying it, maybe check out the website first to see if there’s an article talking about whatever you’re curious about.
A cookbook can sometimes be worth it because of the organization, but the author organized things based off of his personal preferences, so I don’t think that’s an advantage that this book has. I would’ve preferred if the book was split up like the salt, fat, acid, and heat book. Having the science and explanations in the front with the recipes in the back would’ve saved me a good amount of time.
To address a point some of the other reviewers brought up- the personal anecdotes can be hit or miss depending on the person, but I didn’t find them particularly problematic (granted I skipped the ground meat section).
Another negative point is that a lot of this info can be found online— I borrowed the book from the library, so I didn’t pay $30+ for it, which I think was ideal because I wasn’t annoyed when I found a lot of this information for free online on the serious eats site. If you’re thinking about buying it, maybe check out the website first to see if there’s an article talking about whatever you’re curious about.
A cookbook can sometimes be worth it because of the organization, but the author organized things based off of his personal preferences, so I don’t think that’s an advantage that this book has. I would’ve preferred if the book was split up like the salt, fat, acid, and heat book. Having the science and explanations in the front with the recipes in the back would’ve saved me a good amount of time.
julcoh's review
5.0
Encyclopedic tome of science-based food techniques. If you don't deadlift regularly don't attempt to pick this cookbook up.
myke5k's review
5.0
When do you mark a cookbook as “read”? When you’ve read the entire thing? When you’ve cooked every recipe?
Anyway, this cookbook is one of my favorites.
Anyway, this cookbook is one of my favorites.
tedhekman's review
5.0
Perhaps the best cookbook I've ever read. It's like a bible. He teaches you everything and he has so many cool tricks to implement in the kitchen. Highly, highly recommend.
elleh's review
Heavily America-centric. Flows miserably and is more shite recipes than actually teaching you anything about the science of home-cooking. Miserable.
duparker's review
3.0
This is an attractive book about cooking. Not necessarily a cook book per say, though there are recipes. You aren't going to hold this book open and cook from it. You will read it and learn from it and at times cringe at the bad humor. I have enjoyed the author's blog, and YouTube videos. They are very well done and very educational and entertaining. That said, the problem with this book is that it feels very static and doesn't have that same charisma that the other sources do.