The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

This book is big and bulky. However, it's quality and quantity in one with really nice recipes, as well as the science behind the processes. Nice hard cover with glossy pages that are sown in for durability. I don't think that they'll be detaching over time and use. It's full of interesting information, thorough explanations and super photos. You can curl up with it on the couch and read for hours. Recipes, so far, have not disappointed. The spatchcock chicken was the best oven roasted bird that I've ever made. The gooey mac n' cheese is do die for! It's organized by universal cooking techniques for mainly savory foods. There isn't a dessert section, which I don't mind at all. Love the author's sense of humor. Over the years, I've had questions about cooking and foods that have gone unanswered, even after searching on the web. However, here and there, I find an answer to something that I've wondered about in the past. This book ties up lots of loose ends! Well worth the money.

This book is fantastic. I have bought copies for myself, my sister, my girlfriend and my mum. I love it. They love it. Its amazing and its the first book that I recommend to anyone who wants to fall in love with cooking.This is the perfect book for you if:1) You want to understand the reasons behind the cooking processes that you use, rather than just following along and doing what you're told.2) You are a little bit "sciencey" and enjoy the idea of applying that in the kitchen.3) You want a cook book that is a combination of science, readable anecdotes, and delicious recipes.4) You demand that recipes work, use ingredients that you can find, are accompanied by pictures that draw you in, and require step-by-step instructions in the kitchen.This is not to say that this is all you will ever need to cook out of, but it is a brilliant base to understand your food, cook delicious dishes from, and spark a love of cooking.Things to be aware of:1) This book leans towards american cooking2) This book doesn't contain any baking/dessert recipes3) This book is big. And i mean BIG. This isn't a draw back for me but my girlfriend struggles with the weight of it a bit.I really can't recommend this book highly enough and hope that you buy it and enjoy it as much as I do!!

I was so surprised when this book arrived -- considerably larger than I expected, packed full of amazing information, beautiful photography and written in a cheerful, self-deprecating style that makes it fun as well as informative to read. The sections on eggs, steaks and roasts are particularly interesting to me and have definitely changed how I make even the most basic of things (salting eggs before omelettes etc.!).The recipes are basic but aimed at highlighting the techniques and differences rather than highlighting anything particularly culinary and as such are a perfect complement to the techniques discussed.My only gripe is that this book -- a book that talks about precise measurements and obviously aimed at an international audience -- uses archiac, out-dated and imprecise measuring units that are only used in Liberia, Myanmar and the US. What's quart?! Why are "cups" used for items that should be measured by mass? He even states himself (p.501) that you should use the metric system for a variety of reasons -- would have loved to have seen him follow his own advice, as this would save the rest of the world doing manual conversions on each recipe! Thankfully, I keep my Alexa in the kitchen...Even with this frustration, it isn't enough to detract from the huge effort that has gone into this book. 5 stars!

... whether cooking or just eating!I bought this book as a gift for someone who loves cooking and is interested in the science behind the various cooking processes. It was enthusiastically received and I look forward to eating the recipes from it, accompanied by explanation of how it works.It's a hefty volume, beautifully produced and illustrated. I hope there is a sequel about cakes and puddings - sweet things are not covered.

The best cook book I've had. It's unpretentious, informative and generally delicious.I use this as a bit of a text book but it also has great recipes that are relatively simple for the home cook. It's more of a coffee table book with real practical value.If I have an ingredient and I want to find a way to cook it, I'll use this book as it covers almost everything.I've perfected a few staple items like eggs and chicken since having this book which help for general weekday cooking. It's not quite the book you'd get for putting together a spectacular weekend meal but I'd recommend it.

This is probably the best cookery book I've ever bought.The writing is clear, witty, and to the point. The amount of effort underlying the book - research, trial and error, experimentation - is huge (the picture showing boiled eggs between 0 and 12 minutes, for instance, shows how obsessive the author is).I've tried many of the recipes, and they all work brilliantly - some of the best meals I've managed to date. The book includes sections on technique, on new ways to achieve common goals, and the photography is really useful.