Good Eats: The Early Years
by Alton Brown
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Book Reviews of Good Eats: The Early Years
Book Review: Excellent book, but missing a few key recipes
Summary: 4 Stars
Alton Brown is, quite simply, the best talent the Food Network has, and this book is a great review of the first few years of Good Eats. Brown manages to cram all the important stuff in each episode into less than a page in each chapter, as well as bringing *most* of the best recipes from each show into the book and giving much background and trivia on the production and cast of each show. It's a very worthy addition to anyone's cooking science shelf.
That said, I wish they hadn't left out a lot of the second-string recipes -- there's only one chocolate chip cookie recipe out of a show that featured three (though there's presumably enough information in the "knowledge concentrate" to recreate them), and the recipe for stovetop mac and cheese (a huge favorite of mine, and one I've recommended to others) simply isn't here. That's rather a shame -- it's not like they're hard to find on the Food Network website, but in focusing only on the marquee recipes Brown left out a lot of hidden gems.
Still, nothing that is in here is the least bit disappointing, and most of it is flat out awesome; it's not the bible of kitchen geekery by a long shot, but it definitely belongs on the same shelf with Shirley Corriher, Harold McGee, and Hervé This.
Book Review: Great book with tons of information
Summary: 5 Stars
I've always been a Good Eats fan and this book delivers really the "goods"... Each episode that the book covers is combed for the most important facts, recipes, and procedures and puts them into a nice package. It's like watching the episodes, but faster and with even more trivia and facts (yet obviously more reading).
The positives have already been covered by many reviewers and I have a feeling I won't be running out of reading material anytime soon. The recipes are nicely laid out and clear to read. I particularly like how Alton bolds the hardware (pans, spatulas, etc.) because he realizes how important proper hardware is as the software (recipe ingredients).
One negative is I that I agree there needs to be a better way of listing and organizing the individual recipes (or applications as the book refers to them). A book is only as good as its reference, which while is pretty complete in itself, sometimes you just want to look through a list of recipes and recipes only when trying to plan meals. Still, it's a relatively small issue.
I highly recommend this impressive tome to any Good Eats fan or fellow cook interested in the "why's" of cooking, in addition to some seriously tasty food.
Book Review: Great if you never make any deviations
Summary: 1 Stars
I'll just use one recipe to show you what's wrong with this book.
Steak.
The book says to cook rib eye until it gets to 130F for medium rare...which is great, if you want your steak medium rare...
In a normal cook book I would say "ok" but Alton Brown professes to be a food educator and yet the recipes don't seem to allow for any deviation without research elsewhere...I shouldn't have to head online to find out what the internal temperature of a steak needs to be if I want it medium...I shouldn't have to wonder if the same recipe will work for a tenderloin (lower fat content) than a rib eye or if I need to change anything if my rib eye is 8oz instead of 15...
The worst part is that the tv show tells you the temperature for a medium steak...so the book actually removes crucial information from the show!
So we're treated to a diagram of a cow (who cares) and none of the information a reasonable cook might need to deviate from a recipe with confidence.
I had really high hopes for this book but I think it's a poor buy compared to other books out there and won't buy "middle years" or Alton Brown again.
Book Review: The Cult Manual
Summary: 5 Stars
Good Eats is hands down, my favorite cooking show of all time. It's just as knowledge-packed as America's Test Kitchen, but waaaaaaaay more entertaining. Alton Brown's cookbooks, with the exception of Gear (my favorite), come really close to feeling like the show, but don't quite get you there. Enter Good Eats The Early Years.
Grab a copy; you're holding the essence of Good Eats in your hands. I say hands because this book has heft, at almost 400 pages, it is comprehensive to say the least. It takes you through seasons 1-6. None of the pages are wasted.
This neither a book for the novice nor the home expert. (Try his other books for that.) It is first and foremost a book for the Good Eats cult. Brown has "bested" the recipes from the shows as well as added new ones. You get the science and a healthy dose of the behind-the-scenes stuff that make the show work (think Behind the Eats.) Never fear, the detailed info on how to build his hardware-store influenced kitchen gadgets is included. I suggest cover-to-cover reading so that you don't miss anything.
I love this book!!!
Book Review: My cooking Bible
Summary: 5 Stars
I have loved Alton Brown for ages and when this book came out I was beyond excited. It has everything I'd expect and is very detailed as far as technique and applications. Some things to know, however, is that you cannot make his recipes without having the proper equipment. You must have a kitchen scale or none of the recipes will work. A probe thermometer and instant read thermometer are also good things to have. Also, sometimes his technique is more important than the recipe itself. I'll be honest, I don't love his chocolate chip cookie recipe. But it's the technique, such as creaming the sugar and butter, that make ANY cookie recipe better. Also, don't forget to read the random notes and the introduction. Alton is hilarious. The cookbook is almost worth it just to get his "AB interviews AB." I highly recommend this cookbook for both the beginner and advanced cook. Don't forget about his other books, either, Good Eats 2: The Middle Years having just come out and the last book due out next year.