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(6 reviews)

I actually only bought this book around the end of the cookbooker challenge (or maybe even after?), because I read all those raving reviews and figured it must be worth it. And yes, it is a very good book. I love all the step-by-step instructions he provides for several recipes/techniques, and the feeling that you can trust his vast knowledge and experience.

And yet I find the book quite intimidating. It's really not quite the book for normal day-to-day cooking, though it probably could be, if you take the time to get acquainted with it (and preferably stick to some of the simpler recipes).

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This is a beautiful cookbook filled with classic American dishes. The recipes, for the most part, are complicated, multi-step affairs, although there are notable exceptions. I usually like to cook simpler recipes, and if I do take more time with a recipe, I want it to be over-the-top delicious. I also don't like to cook with as much fat as many of these recipes call for.

Most of the recipes I tried turned out beautifully and deliciously. I have found that the simpler recipes were the more successful ones. Cod en persillade, marinated feta and tarragon chicken all come to mind. Some of the more complicated dishes were absolutely scrumptious to eat, but would have to be reserved for special occasions because of the fat content, such as the hash, chocolate brownies and garlic bread.

On the other hand, some recipes flopped, and were doubly disappointing because of the effort required to make them. Others were very complicated to make, and I have made simpler versions that were just as good, if not better. I'm thinking particularly of the blue cheese dressing and oven-dried tomatoes. These were the exception, rather than the rule, though.

As a whole, I enjoy looking through this gorgeous cookbook and cooking from it occasionally. But I tend to reserve it for special-occasion cooking or when I am in the mood to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

(edited 19th March 2012) report

This book has single handedly changed the way I cook. At times it was trying to take the longer route and execute the items exacally as TK writes them in the book, but really I have never been steered wrong and have never come across so many recipes that are just outstanding. I find myself using the same techniques and the same thinking when making other dishes. I plan on cooking my way through the whole book....perhaps then I'll have to update this review, but I highly recommend those who have a passion about cooking to buy this book. Most things in this book take time to make, but are well worth the effort. The wisdom that pours through the pages were enough for me to buy the book even without cooking any recipes. Enjoy!

(edited 15th August 2010) report

I really like this cookbook and love the Cookbooker Challenge. Without it I probably wouldn't have purchased this book. It has been so much fun to see what other people are cooking! This book is beautiful to look at, well laid out and has so many useful tips. It would make a great coffee table book except for the fact that my copy is now looking well used from the challenge.

I like that there are many easy recipes to make. These have few ingredients or can be prepped ahead, yet they still come out tasting restaurant-worthy like the Wild Cod en Persillade and the Pan-Roasted Halibut. However, there are also so many recipes that require numerous steps like the Iceberg Lettuce Slices. Who knew a salad could be so complicated!?

Almost everything I have made has been really, really good and Keller's cooking times are pretty spot on. Some negatives? In addition to being turned off by the overly complicated dishes I have found that I really didn't need to use nearly as much butter as some of the dishes call for- especially some of the vegetable dishes. They are still great with less. Also- the Piment d'Espellete that seems to feature frequently in many of the recipes I have been most interested in is $196 a pound!!! ($54 for four ounces!) at Kalustyan's here in NYC. I find this outrageous even if you are using just a little at a time. But if those are my only complaints, so be it!

I really love this cookbook and am looking forward to trying even more recipes- as are my family and friends. Though they would really appreciate it if I would stop photographing the dishes as they come out of the kitchen, so they can eat food that is still hot. Everything just looks and tastes so delicious that I feel the need to document it!

(edited 31st July 2010) report

The recipes here are definitely a step above the regular (I think I used the phrase 'step above' more than once in my recipe reviews!).

These are not quick recipes - they all involve some techniques and ingredients taken from the restaurant world, but at the same time, they are not fancy restaurant recipes - they're meant to be enjoyed with family and friends, and although they will often impress, are not self-conscious 'show-off' recipes.

So far, so good - everything has been very good and I'm learning things I didn't know before.

(edited 23rd April 2010) report

The recipes might seem elaborate, but Keller likes to walk you through each step. It's worth going through them all too, as the end result has always been delicious and satisfying.

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