The Itty Bitty Kitchen Handbook: Everything You Need to Know About Setting Up and Cooking in the Most Ridiculously Small Kitchen in the World--Your Own Review

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(More customer reviews)For those of us who choose to live in urban areas, it usually follows that we trade space for the excitement of city living. At the same time, the desire to have a warm, inviting kitchen even in a small space is natural--it's a hallmark of domesticity and comfort. Believe it or not, for many of us, the tiny kitchen is not where you make coffee, put take-out on plates or store sweaters in the oven. (All fairly common in NYC). The kitchen is the heart of the home. And even the smalled home needs that.
In his wonderful book, Justin Spring shows you how to make the most of even the tiniest kitchen with practical tips, great recipes and ideas about organization. (This is priceless advice even if you live in a mansion.) His gentle wit and terrific advice fill the book and make it a consistent pleasure. The drawings are great, too, and for its small size the book is beautifully designed...seems like there's a theme here.
Quite simply, Spring shows us that size doesn't matter. It's the intelligence, ingenuity and inventiveness that goes into the kitchen that guarantees what comes out--the warmth, care and great food that give even the tiniest kitchen a big and loving heart.

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Cooking for Two: 2009,The Year's Best Recipes Cut Down to Size Review

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(More customer reviews)Great cookbook! I think this will be the new thing I give as a wedding/shower gift although all the kitchen product reviews make it a better engagement gift, to have it when you register! I have tried a few recipes so far out of this and have also read through many of them. I like how precise the directions are, although I will admit that being a less experienced cook I have had a couple messups (like not mincing onions small enough to cook in the time they suggest, or maybe my burner was too low?) but these were truly my own fault and could have been avoided. Either way, I learned! So far I have tried the Bi Bim Bop, Shrimp and Cheddar Grits (twice! yum!), Spaghetti with Parmesan, Breadcrumbs & Fried Egg as well as one side- the Garlicky Green Beans. All were good recipes that i would make again. They offer lots of clever short cuts, so many how-to's and I think the index by ingredient is genius for allowing you to plan a week's worth of foods using up certain ingredients (like cabbage, heavy cream, ricotta cheese) by seeing what else you can make with it. That may be a feature of other cookbooks but it was new to me. There are chapters that focus more on weeknight meals, where they try to make it quick and involve few dishes but I like that they also include more involved, labor-of-love recipes. One thing I am looking forward to trying is the 2 person lasagna made in a loaf pan, though there are lots of nice ideas like that. I also have the Best of America's Test Kitchen for 2009 and although it's great, I would have gotten just this book had I seen it first. (I'll will still use it for when I'm cooking for more people though!) Just started watching the show and subscribed to Cook's Illustrated, nothing like going overboard! But if it gets me to cook more I'll take it. Glad to hear in the Amazon video that it will be an annual cookbook!

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Frustrated by wasting food you just can't eat or ingredients you can't use up? Tired of trying to figure out how to scale down a recipe so it doesn't serve an army? For this innovative cookbook, the editors and cooks at America's Test Kitchen thought big but cooked small. We revamped our best recipes from the year to serve two. You'll find everything from simple weeknight fare to special occasion dinners to salads, soups, sides and desserts. Birthday cake for two? We've got you covered! A great gift for empty nesters, newlyweds, single people, young families (because new moms & dads are sick of eating mac-n-cheese) and more. Cooking for Two includes our guaranteed and much-loved equipment recommendations, Notes from the Test Kitchen feature, and ingredient ratings. The Smart Shopper's Guide in the front of the book instructs your grocery shopping and meal planning by helping you make the most of ingredients.

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Cooking for Two: 2010 Review

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(More customer reviews)A lot of cooking for one or two cookbooks seem to have larger recipes that are just cut in half without much more thought. Not so with this book- the respected test kitchen behind it has clearly put a lot of thought and testing into this new series of books catering to smaller quantity cooks. There are recipes are for classics as well as more modern-style dishes, and every one I've tried has worked well. The book has many full color photos as well as smaller black and white photos that illustrate steps in a recipe, or show what you DON'T want the final product to look like. There are frequent sidebars offering additional information on ingredients and technique, and most welcome are the ones that suggest ways to use up an ingredient. ( I can never use up a whole carton of buttermilk). The authors even include a list of cookware especially suited for smaller quantities. The layout of the book is clean , easy to read , and well- organized, making this an excellent cookbook overall.

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America's Table sets the 2010 Table for Two in this popular annual cookbook. Scaling back recipes that serve 8 or more to serve 2 doesn't always mean simple division. It can mean adjusting spices in various ways, using different pans and utensils, and utilizing ingredients in smarter, more cost effective ways. The test cooks at America's Test Kitchen take our best recipes from throughout the year and scale them back for two.

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Going Solo in the Kitchen Review

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(More customer reviews)How refreshing to enjoy a realistic approach to cooking for one! Ingredients used throughout the cookbook are those that the average person has on hand, unlike most cookbooks on the market. In the rare event that a special ingredient is called for, an explanation is provided on how to shop for the ingredient and how to store it for maximum shelf life. Realistic freezer space is also considered, which gives this book an edge over others.
I greatly appreciate the modifications at the end of many recipes indicating what other ingredients may be substituted effectively (eg: to use chicken instead of shrimp, do this...). To me, learning a cooking technique has become more valuable after reading this book than simply memorizing a recipe. Offered suggestions for modifications illustrates the intention of each recipe (the specific process used, if you will). People say that cooking is not a mystery; it is simply a skill acquired through learning a few cooking methods and adjusting them creatively. This book helped me learn the basics so I can Finally begin to do my own exploring.
I have searched for years for a practical cookbook such as this. Since I began experimenting with recipes found in this text, my friends absolutely rave about my cooking! And for me, I have found myself declining invitations for fast food or pizza in favor of trying a new recipe in my own kitchen using a few leftovers from the previous day. I'm eating healthier, losing weight, and saving money. What could be better? Thank you for this book! Bravo!

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The Best Simple Recipes Review

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(More customer reviews)As a "seasoned" cook, I've been down most of the cooking routes: from the French classics, to one-hour gourmet, to complex vegetarian, to severe, healthy cooking by the docs. Now, I lean to this cookbook's style: simple, tasty, fresh and light -- somewhere between poached quenelles and fried tofu. This is a good grouping of contemporary recipes with zip, often with international flair (oriental, Mexican, etc.). Some recipes are updated twists on old faves like Tuna Melt but with artichokes; BLT salad using mayo-smeared croutons; vegetarian chili with corn; Southwestern salmon cakes. Others take classics but ditch the complex and daunting preparation-- like switching paper-thin potato slices for a potato chip mix or skipping the fish-steaming by laying salmon atop the asparagus, or using rotisserie chicken for a flavorful- but quick-chicken soup. Some clever ideas that work! The book has some surprising ingredient combos like kielbasa with potato leek soup. I appreciate the explanatory notes on the thoughtful but concise hows and whys of the recipes, and am impressed with the recommendations of brand name grocery items that they have tested. It's instructive without being pedantic or fussy. For those of us who like to see the cook in action, there are selected photos of some of the techniques and I picked up a few new ones. This is the kind of cookbook you can actually USE everyday, without resorting to the dumbed-down or goofy ones, or those with exotic hard-to-find ingredients or lengthy preparation. It reflects how we cook these days, and I plan to use it often.

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Most quick-recipe collections promise a lot but deliver very little. Bland, uninspired dishes may be fast, but will you make them again? And clever gimmicks sound great, but in reality, they rarely make sense. The team at America's Test Kitchen has created more than 200 easy-to-make 30-minute recipes that guarantee impressive results with a minimum of effort. With our test kitchen know-how (and relentless testing) we found ways to make naturally fast dishes faster, and traditionally slow-cooked dinners a weeknight option. But one thing we never did was settle on shortcuts that shortchanged flavor. Some compromises simply aren't worth making. No matter the path taken, every recipe in this book is foolproof, full-flavores and fast. And they come with our promise to you: Recipes that work. Every time.

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