For cook’s always trying to hone their skills, this cookbook is a must have! Christopher Kimball can seem like a know-it-all when you watch him on television or read the magazine, but I think he actually may know everything; at least it seems so as I look through this amazing book!

As you know, Cook’s Illustrated is the magazine put out by America’s Test Kitchen. It is very much like Consumer Reports for cooks; it is advertisement free and filled with tips on food preparation as well as kitchen tools. After 20 years, the editors of Cook’s Illustrated have collected 2,000 of their favorite recipes. Need I say more? But I will. The book’s index is 76 pages long! I love a good index. The Table of Contents at the beginning of the book lists each recipe as well as each variation. I often go to the Table of Contents for inspiration. And then there are the recipes themselves. First each recipe is preceded by a paragraph explaining why the recipe works and tips for expanding the concepts. In general, the ingredient lists are not scary and the instructions are straight forward.
A great gift for both new and experienced cooks! ~Patti