Description:
Cheers for Fran McCullough and Suzanne Hamlin, editors of The Best American Recipes 2000. As with previous Best editions, they've culled a truly choice collection from a year's worth of eligible recipes from books, magazines, newspapers, and the Internet. It's an all-occasion crop ranging from the unabashedly down-home Beer Can Chicken to chef Thomas Keller's cheese strips molded in an egg carton. What makes the difference in projects such as this is the quality of editorial taste and the compilers' commitment to recipe practicality. In both these matters McCullough and Hamlin excel. "Most of all," the editors write, "we love smart recipes that maximize flavor," and these they've provided in satisfying abundance. Ranging from starters and breads to desserts and drinks, the recipes cover the classic to the exotic-but-definitely-worth-trying varieties. Examples from the repertoire include Mexican Pistachio Soup, Puffy Maine Pancakes, and Indonesian Ginger Chicken. There are also dishes, such as Texas Lemon Bomb (coiffed with meringue swirls), that are simply, though never frivolously, fun. With a "Year in Food" rundown (food comeback of the year: the egg), tips, cooking notes, and serving suggestions, The Best American Recipes 2000 makes an important culinary bookshelf addition while providing true cooking and eating enjoyment. --Arthur Boehm
| 
