Rating: 
Summary: The Science of Good Cooking
Review: The Best Recipe books have an interesting perspective on cooking and cookbooks. Resolutely scientific, recipes are developed in their test kitchens according to methodical experimentation -- you get not only the best recipe, but insight into the variations of the recipe that failed. This makes for interesting reading, and highlights many practical errors and pitfalls that spoil a good clam chowder or weaken a chicken paprikash. For example, they put to test the idea that beef bourguignon is only as good as the wine used in the cooking. (The answer, sadly, is yes -- good wine makes better beef bourguignon.) In many places, this puts them at odds with staunch traditionalists, advocating, for example, the use of canned stock in certain dishes (which is tantamount for many cooks to a heresy). The systematic approach might then threaten the art of cooking, while advocating a new scientific approach, but the results in my experience (not only this book but also from cooking illustrated from which the recipes are drawn) tend to be quite good -- and like any good scientific result, reliable. It is worth noting that because of this detailed approach to classic dishes as problems that must be solved, there are relatively few recipes in the book relative to its length. I enjoy the reports, though they might put off someone looking for straightforward recipes.
Rating: 
Summary: FANTASTIC RECIPES!
Review: These recipes were chosen over many others as a result of trial and error testing. The result is a well-organized book with delicious soup and stew recipes. With the cool days of fall and winter ahead, especially in my country, soups and stews become almost a staple meal, particularly for lunches. The chikcen noodle soup contained in this one is actually my favourite, and do not think for one minute all chicken noodle soup is chicken noodle soup because this recipe definitely stands out. Clam chowder and lobster bisque are also big hits in Eastern Canada, especially for those of us who living on this small Island where fishing is a primary resource. Clams, mussels, oysters and lobster are abundant in season. If you are a fan of soups and stews, invest in this terrific book. The book also contains all kinds of useful tips and techniques but what impressed me the most was definitely the recipes.
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC RECIPES!
Review: These recipes were chosen over many others as a result of trial and error testing. The result is a well-organized book with delicious soup and stew recipes. With the cool days of fall and winter ahead, especially in my country, soups and stews become almost a staple meal, particularly for lunches. The chikcen noodle soup contained in this one is actually my favourite, and do not think for one minute all chicken noodle soup is chicken noodle soup because this recipe definitely stands out. Clam chowder and lobster bisque are also big hits in Eastern Canada, especially for those of us who living on this small Island where fishing is a primary resource. Clams, mussels, oysters and lobster are abundant in season. If you are a fan of soups and stews, invest in this terrific book. The book also contains all kinds of useful tips and techniques but what impressed me the most was definitely the recipes.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful foundation for creating stock and soups
Review: This is a wonderful book because it highlights the science and deterministic nature of good cooking. They first suggest some basics for your kitchen, aiming to be practical and spending only where it truly makes a difference. Next, is a foundation of beef, chicken, vegetable and seafood stock recipes. I enjoy reading these because they're very methodical in trying to understand how to best do things, often suggesting short cuts where "20% of the effort results in 90% of the flavor." There's clearly substantial trial and error, but nice summary of what worked and didn't. I was especially delighted to see they covered a variety of international cuisines, including Thai and Indian curries (from scratch!), borscht, miso, boullabaisse, minestrone, and gazpacho. This is easily a "must have" for the creative cook.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful foundation for creating stock and soups
Review: This is a wonderful book because it highlights the science and deterministic nature of good cooking. They first suggest some basics for your kitchen, aiming to be practical and spending only where it truly makes a difference. Next, is a foundation of beef, chicken, vegetable and seafood stock recipes. I enjoy reading these because they're very methodical in trying to understand how to best do things, often suggesting short cuts where "20% of the effort results in 90% of the flavor." There's clearly substantial trial and error, but nice summary of what worked and didn't. I was especially delighted to see they covered a variety of international cuisines, including Thai and Indian curries (from scratch!), borscht, miso, boullabaisse, minestrone, and gazpacho. This is easily a "must have" for the creative cook.
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