Im just here for the food

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5.0 out of 5 stars but dwelves into the theory of cooking methods and gives you the tools to understand what is going on when making food rather th

Reviewed in the United States on 14 January 2016

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Simply put, this is the science behind cooking laid out in a practical approach. Alton Brown doesn't just teach you how to cook certain meals, as an ordinary cook-book would, but dwelves into the theory of cooking methods and gives you the tools to understand what is going on when making food rather than having you blindly repeat a recipe - useful information when something goes wrong, or if you have different cooking apparatus than the person who wrote the recipe, or if you can expand the recipe you're making by taking a few extra steps (i.e., taking leftover meat drippings/fat which you would normally throw away and turning them into a sauce/roux, or saving leftover bones for stock, etc.) The book reads much like an episode of "Good Eats," and is laced with Alton's humor and interesting stories.

If you ever want to start inventing your own recipes rather than staying bound to a cookbook or blind guess-work, this is well worth your time. It also contains a lot of 'kitchen hacks' that allow you to get things done on the cheap or in a pinch. Just like every Alton Brown's cookbook, I love it!!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Teaches you to the techniques of cooking, it's not just a list of recipies

Reviewed in the United States on 11 January 2015

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As a beginning cook with no idea where to start this is my favorite. It's specially good for those who do not know what it is that they don't know when about cooking; by this I mean that you would not be able to compile a list of techniques you need to learn to become a master chef. I bought this book along with How to Cook Without a Book, and How to Cook Everything. To me what's great about this book is it goes 1 technique at a time and the recipes are really there to teach the technique. How to Cook without a Book is more about how to make up your own recipes, and How to Cook Everything is a dense list of recipes (more of a reference). Also this book is funny because it's Alton Brown.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great general cooking book

Reviewed in the United States on 21 July 2005

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Far too many cook books delve right into the recipes without first exploring the basics of cooking. This is where Alton's book gloriously shines. The book is separated by cooking method (frying, boiling, roasting, grilling, etc.) which then goes into many details on how and why the food cooks the way it does, and methods and tips on how to do it best. Once it's all covered from "software" (basic ingredients needed for the cooking method) to "hardware" (necessary supplies), Alton then gives some "master" recipes which is meant to give the cook some freedom and try new things.

Overall the book is an excellent, easy read. Sometimes it does get a bit too technical or dry (when it comes to fats, for example) but it does try its best to illustrate the points with wonderful diagrams and comparisons. Still, the vast array of information given in the book has given me new insight to the many methods of cooking and it has since made me want to get to the kitchen and turning on the stove. This is definitely not a recipe book, but indeed a book on the very act of cooking. It's a definite must for new cooks brushing up on general information or seasoned veterans seeking to understand why certain things occur and why.

5.0 out of 5 stars A new classic! Good information, OUTSTANDING presentation

Reviewed in the United States on 22 April 2002

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If you care enough about food to be reading this review, but don't know who Alton Brown is, all I can say is, "For shame! Get thee to a cable or sattelite provider that has the Food Network, then watch every episode of Good Eats!" I'll wait till you're done...
Now that you know who wrote this book, I'm sure you'll understand why I pre-ordered it the second I heard it would be coming out. As you know (you do know now, right?) Alton Brown is the "Mr. Wizard" of cooking. He presents the science behind all kinds of cooking in a way that anyone can understand and enjoy.
"I'm Just Here For the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking" is the first in what will hopefully a series of books about the scientific principles underlying various recipes and cooking methods. This book focuses almost exclusively on the various methods of applying heat to food, what they do, how they affect foods, and how to control them. The presentation (in form and visual style) is reminiscent of a grade school textbook, but the text is light, easy to understand, and very witty.
Alton Brown is not a lightweight when it comes to erudition, either, but somehow the man can quote Brillat-Savarin and Greek philosophers without sounding stuffy. I only wish Brown had been there to collaborate with Harold McGee on "On Food and Cooking : The Science and Lore of the Kitchen" (ISBN 0684843285, still the most comprehensive work on food science and history available), or to give style tips for "The Curious Cook: More Kitchen Science and Lore" (ISBN 0020098014, and a good read nonethless). While those books may be more comprehensive and technically-oriented than this book, the style can get kind of tough to handle in those books.
As I have said, "Food + Heat = Cooking" focuses on cooking methods, rather than ingredients, which is a bit of a switch from the usual style of Brown's TV show. He doesn't ignore the ingredients, though. Instead, he choses to present each ingredient in the context of a method of cooking, and discuss the effects of the cooking methods on the ingredients. It's an interesting approach, and one that results in a more recipe-oriented approach than any of the other works I've read on the science of cooking. (I've also read "The Science of Cooking"/ISBN 3540674667 and "The Inquisitive Cook"/ISBN 0805045414).
In other words, this is not just a text book, it's also a cookbook. I really admire Brown's ability to balance the two goals.
My only complaints are that the book could have used a bit more editing (there were several typos and some minor factual errors), and the paper stock was a bit too thick, so that I always felt like I was turning two or more pages at a time. Minor faults, I know, but I don't want you to think I didn't try to find fault with the book.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the principles of cooking and how to apply them in real-life situations.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book on Cooking Techniques

Reviewed in the United States on 6 August 2002

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This isn't really a cookbook, it's a book on the science behind cooking. There are recipes, but they aren't the focus of the book. The point of the book is to teach you cooking techniques so you can build your own recipes. If you're like me and rarely follow recipes exactly as written, this is the book for you. There is also some info on what kind of things to look for when buying cookware.
The only problem I have is that when I want to find one of the recipes in the book it is very difficult to do so. The book is arranged by cooking technique and the recipes usually have humorous names. If you can remember the name it's no problem, just look it up in the index. It would be great if there was a cross-refence arranged by food types to help you find recipes.
I love the author's TV show, "Good Eats" so I thought I would get this book. If you like the show you will like this book. It has all the things I love-- cooking, science and humor.