Alton Brown explores the science behind breads, cakes, cookies, pies, and custards, explaining it in his own inimitable style. Recipes cover all th...
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reviews
Apr 23, 2011
Sara
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I loved this book. It was a bit pricey, but I got it cheap at a store closing. If I had $30+ a pop to blow, I'd get every single one of his books. I have never sat down and read a cookbook as if it were a real book before. But I started yesterday thinking I'd have a glance here and there and learn a few things in between reading my other book.
Instead I stayed up reading until 3 in the morning, went to bed, and woke up to start reading again. Of course I didn't read the recipes too thorough More...
Instead I stayed up reading until 3 in the morning, went to bed, and woke up to start reading again. Of course I didn't read the recipes too thorough More...
Dec 28, 2008
Jamie
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Read my review of A.B.'s original cookbook, since I don't want to repeat myself about his style or philosophy on teaching folks how to cook.
Baking is largely defined by the "method," the process by which the ingredients are mixed prior to baking. Things like the Muffin Method (wet ingredients mixed, dry ingredients mixed separately, then combined) or the Biscuit Method (cold fat cut into flour) are taught before they are applied to specific recipes. It even has these page f More...
Baking is largely defined by the "method," the process by which the ingredients are mixed prior to baking. Things like the Muffin Method (wet ingredients mixed, dry ingredients mixed separately, then combined) or the Biscuit Method (cold fat cut into flour) are taught before they are applied to specific recipes. It even has these page f More...
Jun 29, 2009
SheWunders
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Reads more like a science text book than your standard cookbook. I'm hoping the tips learned here will help me with my baking technique.
The only thing that I didn't like about Mr. Brown's style is that it isn't geared towards quick or fool-proof baking at all. This is book is for those who want to master a difficult (but tasty) craft. I'm some where in between those who want to do it quick and do it perfectly, so I might to follow all of Mr. Brown's instructions, but I'm defini More...
The only thing that I didn't like about Mr. Brown's style is that it isn't geared towards quick or fool-proof baking at all. This is book is for those who want to master a difficult (but tasty) craft. I'm some where in between those who want to do it quick and do it perfectly, so I might to follow all of Mr. Brown's instructions, but I'm defini More...
Apr 09, 2010
Justin
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A really great book if you're a baker and have a scientific mind. Me, not so much. I know baking is a science and I definitely consider myself a baker, but the book was a little much for me. I didn't get out of it what I was hoping to in terms of grasping how one ingredient reacts to another, or this causes that, etc.
The book has lots of diagrams and when something is explained there is a visual to go along with the explanation when possible. One thing I really liked about the bo More...
The book has lots of diagrams and when something is explained there is a visual to go along with the explanation when possible. One thing I really liked about the bo More...
Mar 14, 2008
Beli_grrl
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I was waiting to review this until I had tried a recipe and tonight I did. I made the peanut butter cookies. I have made many batches of peanut butter cookies over the years and have never had a bad batch. Alton's are very good cookies, but not my favorite. They're kind of crunchy, and I like a chewier cookie, but that's just me. Don't get me wrong; AB's are excellent, too.
The real reason I'm giving this book 5 stars is that it's just such an interesting read for someone who loves More...
The real reason I'm giving this book 5 stars is that it's just such an interesting read for someone who loves More...
Jan 02, 2008
Katie
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Not as good as the first book. In "I'm Just Here for the Food", AB had a very casual, minimalist attitude towards tools and techniques: keep it cheap but heavy; you don't need a thousand pans to be a good cook; good cooking is really only variations on a very few common themes, so learn to trust your instincts and play around a little, and people will think you're fabulous.
Now, baking is a more fastidious endeavor so you can't be quite as hippie about it, and he seems to More...
Now, baking is a more fastidious endeavor so you can't be quite as hippie about it, and he seems to More...
Dec 20, 2009
William
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Just like "I'm Just Here for the Food," this book teaches WHY you do things as you do in baking. First of all, it bakes by mass, not volume which allows for more repeatable results and is simply faster. There is no careful measurement with a scale. Pour until it is enough. Move on.
It helps that the recipes are often excellent too. The banana bread particularly never fails and Chocolate Muffins #7 are amazing with surprisingly little fat given the resulting taste and
It helps that the recipes are often excellent too. The banana bread particularly never fails and Chocolate Muffins #7 are amazing with surprisingly little fat given the resulting taste and
Apr 07, 2008
Sherpa
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Sherpa the Baker, who'd think that? Anyways, If you're looking for a cookbook, this is NOT the book for you. However, if you are looking for a book that begins with a 60 or so page explanation of the science behind baking, you're in luck. The entire book which includes a good number of recipes looks to instruct the reader in how to consistently make excellent baked goods of all kinds; yeast breads, muffins, cookies, etc, by taking a unique approach to the categorization of these items, the mi
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Jan 08, 2010
Andrea
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This is a great book... not because of the recipes (although I've modified his cookie recipe to make my own killer one) but because of how he breaks down and simplifies the different procedures. Baking, much more than regular cooking, is an exact science. He not only tells you what to do, but WHY, and in what order to get the proper results.
Indispensable.
Indispensable.
Jun 10, 2009
Rosita Chiquita Juanita
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Tons of factual baking education going on here, which is great! Serve me up a plate, I'm hungerin'! And clear, with humor that fits in nicely. But: I only tried four recipes, but they weren't home-runs, and there were tricky bits to them that you think Mr.Technique would have given you the heads-up about (Frustrating doughs, laughing so I will not cry). There's a bunch of scientific details in here that don't seem so need-to-know, and thus I dozed off some times. Also, I have heard from several
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May 18, 2010
Cherie
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Great reading if you want to understand the chemistry of baking. I don't expect to use all the recipes in this book. And despite his case for some ingredients over others, I have my own preferences. But it's a really helpful reference if you want to make your own ingredient substitutions, since you'll learn why each ingredient is important to a recipe.
Feb 23, 2009
Scott
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I love this cookbook. Miles got it for me when he met Alton Brown during an appearance at Book Passage in Marin. Alton even signed the foam core promotional sign and gave it to Miles which he still has 3 years later. It is primarily a baking cookbook and in Alton Brown style it deconstructs and explains the science behind baking.
Dec 28, 2008
Chris
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Ok, this is where the rubber meets the road. After all, I am more of a baker than someone who makes read food. I kind of wish that there were more recipes in the book overall, but it is a great reference to the different "styles" of baking and why you need to use the muffin method instead of creaming to make things turn out right.
Jan 04, 2012
Laree
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I honestly read this like it was a novel. So many amazing explanations for why things work and why they don't - at a molecular level. So many perfect ideas (like freezing your butter and then using a cheese grater to cut it in!), so many yummy recipes. Now I just need a good scale to weigh all my ingredients!
Jan 15, 2012
Amy
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My only complaint is that this book can require flipping back and forth. By putting forth his own theory of recipe construction, Brown requires the cook to learn his language. Still, this book is filled with great information and the a recipe for the best cheesecake I have ever had/made.
Jul 09, 2009
Kelsey
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I love this book because I love the science behind things. It was so interesting to learn all about how ingredients work together. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys cooking.
Dec 12, 2011
Carmen
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He should be called "The Anal Chef", but this ex-architect's extremely analytical approach to baking appeals to me (I wonder why? - DON'T ANSWER THAT!). Not just recipes here, but thorough explanations of how it works. AND the pizza dough is great! It cooks up soft & bubbly - not unlike a NY Sicilian pie - and much better than the Mark Bittman recipe i had been using.
Mar 24, 2009
Heather
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Once you read his book on cooking, (I'm Just Here for the Food), you'll totally want to read this one on baking...
Nov 20, 2011
Adrienne
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I met Alton at a book signing for this book. He was awesome. I wish I had told him what his show meant to me.
Jul 29, 2011
Catherine
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He is not to my taste, but he does an outstanding job of explaining the chemistry of how things work
Aug 03, 2011
Sarah
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Love that this book has formulas instead of recipes in some areas. Makes creating your own breads and muffins a whole lot easier. I also like that it teaches cooking in concepts rather than in rules.
Sep 09, 2009
Heather
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Picked this up at the library and decided to see if anything looked good. Of course I only saw that it was Alton Brown, not that it was a baking cookbook.
Oct 18, 2011
Andrea
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i really liked this book. it helped with my senior project a lot. now im gonna go get the first 1.
Apr 11, 2010
Mary
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Love it! Please see my review for Food + Heat = Cooking (my thoughts are about the same).
Aug 05, 2011
Scott
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Breaking down recipes into methods--wouldn't mind seeing more cookbooks like this.
Nov 25, 2009
Nathan
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Good book, great info. Not as many pictures or visuals as his other books, which was a little disappointing. Otherwise, worth the time. We made wheat thin crackers from a recipe in the book. Lots of fun!
Feb 05, 2011
Erin
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Lots of informative stuff in here. Some rather brilliant ideas in fact. Certainly tricks I'll be trying in the future when I am in my new kitchen.
Dec 14, 2008
Kate
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Reading this is making me feel like "why bother baking if you don't own a stand mixer?"
