Cook's Illustrated

My favorite articles are those that delve into the development of the recipe featured. These articles all provide a standard format of describing the "perfect" representation of the items and then the authors explain their process for creating their final recipes and the method by which to read and make the recipes. While this sounds scientific (and indeed, it is), the writing is delightful and down-to-earth, not dry or esoteric as other gourmet magazines. In addition, sidebar articles explore choosing particular ingredients or comparisons of different brands or gadgets relating to the recipe shown and give clear direction where the more elusive ingredients and gadgets can be purchased.

While I am not always confident that the recipes in other magazines or cookbooks have been tested, I am always certain that the recipes in Cooks Illustrated have been rigorously reviewed and have been designed to be made by the average cook, not trained culinary experts. If you are seeking a magazine that provides tried-and-true recipes for basic food items (ranging from Beef Stroganoff to Salade Nicoise), this is a perfect choice. It is obvious that this magazine is a work of love for its editors and writers. There are no advertisements, and the only color photos are on the inside of the back page of the magazine.

(At one time, Cooks Illustrated had a special featured area on Amazon.com. The articles posted there are still available on Amazon.com, but you have to dig. Search under the book The Best Recipe, click through to the book description, and under "Book Information" in the left column, click the Amazon.com articles link and explore from there. These articles are great--albeit more brief and non-illustrated--versions of the articles in the magazine.)


A great magazine even for the culinarily-challenged   November 4, 2004
 62 out of 63 found this review helpful

"Cook's Illustrated" serves as a mentor to me and others who refused to learn the art and science of cookery in the kitchens of their loved ones. I did take a home economics class in high school, but my main memory of it is my teacher's repeated iteration of "Oh mercy, Elaine. Mercy." It took a long diet of college jello and Spanish Rice, and then a marriage in which neither of us fathomed the mysteries of the kitchen to get me interested in the art of cooking for myself and others.

Most of the other magazines in the culinary market don't seem to cater to the cooking-challenged. For instance, the seemingly simple instruction "beat enough sugar into the meringue to stiffen it" caused me to set the oven on fire. I added cups and cups of sugar to my three egg whites and the darn meringue finally got grainy, which I figured was the equivalent of 'stiff.' Not so. Once enough heat was applied, the meringue flooded over the sides of the pie plate and set the oven ablaze. It was not easy explaining my culinary mishap to a sceptical fireman.

My inadvertent attempt at incendiarism wouldn't have happened if I had been following a recipe in "Cook's Illustrated." Here the recipes are lovingly detailed, and there diagrams on 'simple' techniques such as How to Slice an Onion. Most of you probably learned about such matters at your mother's knee, but I was more interested in Astronomy than Onions back in the good old days when someone cooked for me. As a consequence, I've been slicing onions incorrectly until the December 2004 "Cook's Illustrated" hit the newstand.

The contributors to this magazine test their recipes multiple times, varying the ingredients, using different cooking utensils, until they get what they consider to be the perfect outcome. For instance, in the article on "Balsamic Braised Chicken," John Olson writes: "At that point, I stopped my tests with the high-end vinegar. Simmering such a vinegar might well be considered high crime in Italy. All the time and effort expended to create its subtle flavor balance would be wasted, as boiling destroys it. (This is not a problem with the cheap stuff.)"

"Cook's Illustrated" recipes are adventures into a mysterious art, as well as producers of wonderful dishes. The editors don't accept advertisements, so you can trust their ingredient and product recommendations. If you are a fan of the show, "America's Test Kitchen" on public television, then you'll definitely love the magazine that details this program's favorite recipes. Also check out their website at cooksillustrated.com for eleven years worth of recipes.



For those who love to cook   July 10, 2002
 27 out of 27 found this review helpful

This magazine series is an excellent source of information beyond the wonderful recipes and cooking tips. For each simple recipe, there is a story behind how the formula was derived. Each recipe is painstakingly prepared in a test kitchen to get the best results -- with suggestions for alternative approaches.

The standard format is that each magazine has approximately ten good recipes plus some cooking gear/tips. Each recipe is given with a brief history, the trials in the kitchen and then the recipe/instructions/hints.

As an example, the editor goes into great detail about the perfect New York Cheesecake. He provides information about the impact of adding additional eggs or egg yolks, tips on making a graham cracker crust easier to fill the pan, and why cracks happen (and how to avoid them.) All of this was done as a learning process (I tried this and the result was... so I tried this and ...)

The recipes are all wonderful. I have yet to be unsuccessful with anything I have tried. You will find this magazine well worth the cost if you enjoy the process as much as the preparation.

However, if you are just looking for the best recipes, I would suggest skipping the subscription and buying the cookbooks from the "Best Recipe" series that the magazine editors have also published.


For *real* cooks, absolutely the best!   July 31, 2003
 22 out of 23 found this review helpful

Shortly after the last kid left home six years ago, I took early retirement and began doing almost all the cooking for the two adults remaining in the house, plus occasional guests. I'm a pretty good cook out of sheer self-defense, because I really enjoy good food. But I'm not a gourmet; I don't do peacock tongues and I consider fads like "vertical food" pointless affectations. But I do a mean jambalaya, and my spaghetti carbonara is always in demand at family parties, and whenever the kids come home to visit they insist on my biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast. For all these reasons, for the kind of cook -- and eater -- I am, COOK'S ILLUSTRATED is simply the best kitchen magazine around. They deconstruct classic recipes, figuring out what *makes* the "best" version of something the best, and going through piles of ingredients until they get everything exactly right. They expect you to pay attention to what you're doing, but the ingredients and the implements are never unobtainable, and the methods are never bizarre. The letters to the editor often consist of questions to which the staff will chase down a canonical answer. There's no advertising (except for their own books, several of which I own) and the beautifully executed pen-and-ink drawings are far preferable to photographs in demonstrating methods and pointing out details. I'm also pleased that I can nearly always recognize the mystery tool featured in the "What Is It?" column. And if that's not enough, Christopher Kimball's editorial page essays, usually about people and food events in his small home town in Vermont, are modest gems.


The Ultimate Kitchen Companion   February 2, 2004
 21 out of 23 found this review helpful

Cook's Illustated gives us a master's cooking class with every magazine. This is the ultimate in food preparation.

Founder and Editor Christopher Kimball writes a superb editorial. This issue he expounded on a family funeral that ended as a real Thanksgiving dinner. He has a way with words as he does with food. He loves, food, family and cooking- as do I!

This issue continues with "Quick Tips" from readers. Who would have thought to put milk in the bottom of your coffee carafe, resulting in a pot of steaming hot coffee with milk? Or how to really clean your cheese grater.

And then on to recipes for chicken and rice Indian-style, juicy weeknight pork chops, provencal pizza, spinach lasagna, perfecting baklava and better orange salads. On to finding the perfect brownie- chewy, not-over-the-top, yet chocolatey brownie. The baker tired many recipes until she perfected this recipe for us!

A tasting of nine "dark" chocolates revealed an industry with little regulation and two widely available and inexpensive brands that beat out the pricier competition. No, I am not going to tell you which brands are best-you will need to find out for yourself.

What makes a better baking pan-you can spend from $9 to $95 does more money buy you a better pan? Ah Ha..

And finally "Kitchen Notes" test results, buying tips and advice related to stories past and present, directly from the test kitchen.

You cannot go wrong with this magazine. I share it with friends. I give subscriptions as a gift. I read it from cover to cover. I try the recipes- making the brownies as I write....No home should be without this Cook's Illustrated magazine. prisrob