Customer Reviews

Beat This! Cookbook: Absolutely Unbeatable Knock-'em-Dead Recipes for the Very Best Dishes

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

For those of us who like to lie in bed and read cookbooks like other people read novels, Ann Hodgman's superb "Beat This!" is a surefire winner. You will find yourself nudging your bed partner to read aloud the funny parts--which is most of the book (I can't think of any other cookbooks you'd want to read aloud from, with the exception of Hodgman's wonderful sequel, aptly entitled "Beat That!").

Hodgman has been launched from the late lamented SPY magazine to writing cookbooks and although her trajectory might seem a little strange, I think she has landed exactly where she should. I love this woman AND her cookbooks! The title of the book refers to Hodgman's challenge to readers to come up with better recipes than she provides herein. It's a real challenge, believe me--everything I've tried from both this cookbook AND the sequel has been wonderful.

I can't finish this review without quoting at least briefly from Hodgman. The woman is a hoot:

[On Mom-Style Chocolate Cake] "This cake is straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting, but it tastes even better than . . . uh . . . paint and canvas, I guess. Even for a nice traditional cake, the best mixing method can be found in Rose Levy Beranbaum's 'Cake Bible,' which is such a good book that I think the Gideons should put it in hotel rooms instead of the regular Bible."

[on Perfect Fudge, if You're Lucky] "My problem has always been that 50% of the fudge I make turns out creamy and delicious, and 50% turns out like chips of flint."

[On The Best Regular (Or I Guess I Should Say Classic) Apple Pie] "Remind me why people like apple pie so much? Well, partly because of the cinnamon, or at least that's why I like it. It took a McDonald's apple pie, of all things, to make me realize how important cinnamon is. (I'm saying 'of all things' to make it sound as though I never eat at McDonald's.)"

Buy this book and cook and laugh--what a great combination!

I love this book. My mom got it for me years ago, and lately I've been bringing stuff I've baked into the office. I've now converted three co-workers, who each went out and bought this AND her second cookbook, "Beat That." I bought "One Bite Won't Kill You" (for moms of picky kids) for my sister-in-law for Christmas. She loves that.

It's just the perfect cookbook to have when you're in the mood for something specific, and you want it to knock people's socks off: gingerbread, cornbread, chocolate chip cookies, brownies, etc etc. To own it is to love it!

I have to admit that when I bought this book years ago, I was disaponted because it has no pictures. (And I love pictures). But...something cought my eye: Ann Hodgman says in her book "My feeling is that every main dish is better if you add some bacon" and actually another million funny coments, but that is why I kept reading and reading.
First recipe I tried was the "Best Banana Bread", page 23 (my book opens at that page all by it self)"FANTASTIC".
Carrot Cake, page 47: OUT OF THIS WORLD (and I don't even like carrot cake).
I seriously belive that by the time I finished trying all this recipes I would be able to say that they are "all" magnificent.
Thank you Ann Hodgman for you great palate and your incredible sence of humor!

Love all the other 5-star-rating-reviews out there, for me, same same! This and Beat That are two cookbooks that you will want to read right through (and try every recipe) Hodgman is not only super funny, but she also seems to pipe up at exactly the right time during a recipe. You know, when you are asking yourself, "Hmmm, is it supposed to look like *that*??!!" Ann typically has a comment such as, "it's supposed to look like this..." Many of the techniques that she suggests in her recipes are ones that I have used again and again in my cooking without a book experiences. She just know how to tell it so right.

Some of the recipes are pretty involved, and she always says so up front, so at least you will know what you're getting yourself into. Run, to buy this book and get cookin' I tell ya! Then you will just have to have Beat That! as well.

I am so, so pleased to find that Beat This! is back in print - and, even better news - that it now has a sibling - Beat That!. Beat This! might be the only cookbook I've ever read purely for pleasure. Ann Hodgman is the honest "voice of mom" you've always wanted to hear, and her sprightly commentary on family traditions ("My new husband actually played a record on Christmas night. A record! When (according to my family's traditions) you're supposed to pretend electricity doesn't exist at Christmastime! And he wanted lights on the tree...."), candy thermometers and all sorts of other things actually make me laugh out loud.

And the recipes are superb. So wonderful, in some cases, that I've found myself passing them off to guests as old family secrets rather than reveal my source. (Of course, I always told myself I was saving my guests the pain of finding out that this book was out of print...) Included are staples such as chocolate cake, fried chicken, and meat loaf, but there are other fun surprises, too. Did you even know you wanted the best Kimchi recepe? Or the best Artichoke and Mushroom Salad? How about the best Presto Torta? But trust me - you do and you will, once you buy this book, wonder how you ever did without them.

This is the type of cookbook you can sit around and read and really enjoy. It's funny. The directions are easy and very few recipes call for anything exotic. These are not the most low fat recipes or the most easiest recipes- but the best of the best recipes. But, that doesn't mean the meals are all hard or difficult to make, just that if they are a little bit time consuming, it promises to be worth the time. A fun read and great recipes. Enjoy

This is an outstanding cookbook with a collection of new takes on old favorite ingredients and recipes that will please most any palette. Standbys like macaroni & cheese, soda bread, pot roast, and egg salad are given new life, and new dishes like salsa soup, ginger squares are certain to become new staples. The dishes are generally easy to prepare and made with easily availible ingredients, and are sure to be family favorites and crowd pleasers.

Everything I have made from these cookbooks I have loved (and so have my friends). Hodgman's premise is that these books contain the absolute best recipe for eggnog, brownies, chicken salad, whatever. I don't always agree that every recipe is the pinnacle for that particular food, but she is always very close to the mark. Both of her books are great and really fun to read.

Ann Hodgman is hilarious! You will love her head notes preceding each recipe and her witty, offhand comments for techniques and ingredients. She should write a blog about food. She doesn't take herself or her food too seriously (thank goodness) but you can tell she serious about flavor and taste. My husband raved about her "Best Ever Beef Stew" and ate it every day for 3 days--he consumed almost the whole batch--I had one bowl! I also bought her cookbook for picky eaters--also very funny with lots of recipes to try for kids who are wary about green flecks in their food.

I've checked this book out the library so many times I feel guilty about hogging it (but I don't really care enough to leave it for someone else). It was out of print for awhile and I'm so happy I can finally buy my own copy. The recipes are dead-on great! The beef stew is better than Mom ever made it. Buy this book!