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If you could only have one cookbook,  The New Best Recipe is the one to have. This cookbook is great for the aspiring chef or baker in your home. There are over 1,000 recipes that cover everything from angel food cake, chicken parmesan and rack of lamb to zucchini bread.

The New Best Recipe is written by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated. They also produce the TV show America’s Test Kitchen. In both Cook’s Illustrated magazine and the TV show, the editors and chefs are “renowned for their obsessive dedication to finding the best methods of American home cooking.” This cookbook is much more than a listing of 1,000 recipes.

Each recipe is tested using different ingredients, cooking methods and equipment. The folks at America’s Test Kitchen explain their rationale for the recipe that gets into the book, which they determined to be the best recipe after extensive testing. They also provide tips and advice on proper cooking/baking techniques. You’ll get advice on brining poultry, butterflying chicken, cutting stew meat and everything else in between.

The editors also explain the food science behind cooking such as, “how brining works to ensure juicy meat and why butter should be added before dairy for the silkiest mashed potatoes.” I’ve tried dozens of recipes from this cookbook and each dish I’ve prepared has always been delicious. Below is a picture of some pot roast I made a few years ago. Had I known I was going to post the picture one day, I would have given more thought to the presentation. 

I particularly enjoy the dessert recipes in this book. The thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies, brownies and individual fallen chocolate cake recipes are a staple in my dessert offerings. If you are looking for pretty photographs or personal anecdotes, this book may not be for you. However, if you like to learn about proper technique, choosing the appropriate cut of meat or ingredient and using the right equipment then you are going to love The New Best Recipe!