The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2009: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings (Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook: The Year's Best Recipes) [Hardcover]

America's Test Kitchen (Author, Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2008 | Series: Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook: The Year's Best Recipes

There's only one book that brings the best of the nearly 1,000 recipes we develop each year directly to America's Test Kitchen fans. The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2009 is a virtual yearbook of the most interesting work produced by the kitchen, pulled together from every corner of our company: Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines, our bi-monthly special interest publications, our best-selling cookbooks, and our award winning public television shows. Each test cook's voice comes through clearly in the first-person narratives that accompany each master recipe providing an intimate peek into our testing process.
This year's collection of more than 200 recipes includes: Southern-Style Skillet Cornbread (from Cook's Country), Lasagna di Carnivale (The Best International Recipe), and Apricot Almond Bundt Cake (The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book).
Notes from the Test Kitchen accompany each recipe where we keep the home cook on the right path - from ingredient and equipment particulars to techniques. We've also created a substantial resource section, complete with six in-depth two-page spreads from Cook's Illustrated magazine featuring how-to guides like Mastering the Art of Stew; and Stocking a Baking Pantry. This major section also features the year's best quick tips, as well as the testings and tastings from both Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines.
This popular yearbook has become a holiday favorite for cooking enthusiasts across the country.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Cook's Illustrated (October 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1933615338
• ISBN-13: 978-1933615332
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #393,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

America's Test Kitchen is a 2,500 square foot kitchen located outside of Boston. It is the home of Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines and is the workday destination for over 3 dozen test cooks, editors and cookware specialists. Our mission is to test recipes until we understand how and why they work and arrive at the best version. We also test kitchen equipment and supermarket ingredients in search of brands that offer the best value and performance. You can watch us work by tuning in to our public television show, America's Test Kitchen.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Grab the public library's copy before you buy (details), January 8, 2009

By 

Patrick W. Crabtree "The Old Grottomaster" (Lucasville, OH USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2009: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings (Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook: The Year's Best Recipes) (Hardcover)

I'm a little hesitant these days on rushing out to purchase each and every America's Test Kitchen cookbook. Some are spectacular while others are not of much use to everyday cooks like me. Here's a GREAT one:

The America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

...and here's a lame one:

Americas Best Lost Recipes: 121 heirloom recipes too good to forget


If you've seen the PBS Television Program, "America's Test Kitchen," then you'll know why people are so attracted to their spin-off cookbooks. Program Host Christopher Kimball's mantra is, "We do the work so you don't have to." And they do. Their recipes are quite excellent, (but not necessarily "the very best" in all cases.)

For this cookbook, we're getting the "crème of the crop" of the organization's best 200 recipes from this past year. The editors have also included information from two of the program's popular cameo features, the culinary equipment reviews and, the "tasting" reviews.

Here are the book chapters:

1. Introduction

2. Starters & Salads

3. Soups & Stews

4. Vegetables & Side Dishes

5. Breakfast & Breads

6. Pasta

7. Meat

8. Poultry

9. Seafood

10. Desserts

11. Test Kitchen Resources

12. Index


I have tried a number of these down-to-earth recipes and they're just great. The average cook will find many old stand-bys in here (much improved in most instances) and a good number of innovative recipes which will spark the family's interest at the supper table.

I have only two so-so issues with this cookbook:

-- Due to some overkill in giving details on recipe background and in the recipe preparation(s), the font size is resultantly pretty darn small. You'll find it difficult to post this cookbook in your kitchen and then read along as you cook -- you'll need to squint your eyes.

-- In the tasting section, I found myself frequently disagreeing with the selections which have been recommended and thus, they do me little good. As an example, they recommend Prego Marinara Italian [pasta] Sauce, a product which practically makes me physically ill when I taste it. Conversely they do not recommend Classico Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce, which is one of my big favorites. Whether I'm right or wrong is not the issue -- the fact is that we all have our preferences and these judgments are so very subjective from person to person that I question the value of including this section in the book.


The equipment section (a version of consumer reports) is pretty spot-on, these items not being quite so dependent upon our personal likes and dislikes. With kitchen equipment, most folks seem to share their likes for the same good features. In fact, I bought the pepper mill that they recommended and I find that it suits me just fine.

The book, at 360 pages in length and 8 ½" x 11" x 1" in dimension, is very nicely bound with a rugged dust jacket. The pages are of heavy stock and you'll discover a profusion of helpful illustrations which mostly facilitate better culinary techniques. There are also lots of color photographs of the various completed dishes found throughout the book.

In summary, while this is not a foundational, general cookbook, it's still a great supplement to such works. Noting my minor reservations above, I can recommend it but you might want to check it out at the public library first, before buying, to see if it fits your personal needs.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worth it for the cover recipe alone, October 30, 2008

By 

Raquel (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2009: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings (Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook: The Year's Best Recipes) (Hardcover)

I got the book entirely based on the tiramisu recipe on the front. It's the BEST tiramisu I've ever tasted. These cookbooks, all of them, are phenomenal. If you want something tried and tested, you won't go wrong with anything here. This book only lives up to the fine reputation that ATK has.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best cookbook!, November 27, 2008

By 

Amy Zachary - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2009: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings (Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook: The Year's Best Recipes) (Hardcover)

I have had the earlier version of this cookbook for years and love it. It is actually as much fun to read as it is to cook with. The show on PBS is also fun. Anytime I am thinking about adding a piece of equipment to my kitchen-I always reference this to see if there is a type or brand they recommend-like a new cake pan or roasting pan. It is a treasure and very easy to use. IT is great for the novice cook or a foody like me!

Amy