Modernist Cuisine at Home

This book has just arrived and already I can't praise it enough. To get some idea of the sheer content and breadth of this book - check out the content list on their site: [...] - I can't even begin to review the detail of the topics covered but will give a couple of lines on who it may suit. I'd describe myself as an enthusiastic home cook with a growing shelf of cooking books and countertop of kitchen gadgets (including a sous vide cooker). I'm happy to take time over recipes but don't possess the skills or resources of a professional kitchen. I have read (or at least dipped into) a large number of cookbooks which have excellent content including the full version of modernist cuisine. The recipes that inspire you in the likes of the Fat Duck Cookbook, Under Pressure and titles of similar calibre are mainly beyond what one can reasonably hope to replicate in the home kitchen due to all the individual parts that go into each dish. This book manages to contain similar dishes but quickly gets to the crux of why something should be cooked in a certain way, explains it simply and gives an interesting recipe that incorporates it (without requiring 8 other parts to be prepared before plating). The stunning photography challenges any coffee table cookbook yet this is not a book that is likely to remain there. There are so many recipes that will inspire you and all are accessible to a (enthusiastic) home cook. It's printed on the highest quality art paper and includes a cooking proof kitchen manual that includes all the recipes on washable, tear resistant paper. If you have a passion for cooking (or know someone that does) just buy the book - it's well worth the cost and there's no way you can be disappointed.

Most recipes require some novel equipment for your kitchen (e.g. sous-vide equipment, ice cream maker, smoker, NO2/CO2 siphon). If you are not interested in buying some of this equipment, this book (and style of cooking) just is not for you. Nothing wrong with that; just don't buy the book to become disappointed. This should be your first book on modernist cooking (or molecular gastronomy or whatever you want to call it). I like the focus on every-day cooking as opposed to fancy cooking - it makes it easier to take some of the techniques on board. (I do own the big Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, which is more encyclopaedic and directed towards professional chefs its an overwhelming book.) In contrast, the current book only makes use of equipment that easily can be bought in most large kitchen stores. If I had written this publication, I would have pushed the envelope a little bit further, but I understand the choice made my its authors. Naturally, there is quite a bit of overlap in content between the two books, but the authors have really written a new book. The recipes all seems to be new. They must have continued to experiment after the first publication and then decided to write it all up. So if you are an amateur chef like me that feels a bit overwhelmed by the big set, you will like this book. If you are a professional chef, I think this book is for you as its easy to digest and let you then use your creativity. The book provides a lot of recipes that are variations on a theme. In the regard the book resembles Ash's John Ash: Cooking One on One : Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food from a Master Teacher. Even though that book does not have any modernist cuisine at all only classic cuisine that is tried & tested. One thing which I find great & is VERY helpful, which I wish would become the standard for cookbooks from now on: measurements are given in weight, volume and scaling percentages! that's right! Weighing is much easier and more efficient. The scaling method is very useful when wanting to make a recipe for 2 or for 12 or even 20. Digital scales are so cheap and useful that I believe that every kitchen should have one sitting on the work top. If you haven't used one when baking, borrow one from a friend and try it -- once you do, you'll be a convert, and you'll thank Myhrvold and Bilet and all the team at The Cooking Lab for this extra measure of help and usefulness. Now if only other cookbook writers and their publishers would take their cue and provide us this. I have also bought Heston Blumenthal at Home, which is more a rather random collection of modernist cuisine dishes that can be done at home. I like the book, but this current book is a much better choice. Stay away from The Family Meal: Home Cooking with Ferran Adria. Given the title it it hard to believe, but that book is not written by Adria and it is not about home cooking. (you can read my reviews on both) My only real complaint is the book has a long chapter of what equipment to buy. I wish the authors would provide some additional comments and tests of equipment on their webpage. Currently, their website has such a section, but it sadly contains largely out of date weblinks. So don't let the size and weight of the book put you off -- that is just for reading and reference even though it has the recipes in it. What you will use in the kitchen is the smaller spiral bound plasticized pages book with just the recipes. Splattered? The pages wipe clean. Open it up to a recipe and the pages lie flat. Easy to use in kitchen while cooking. But wait, there's more: there are charts giving guidance on various cooking methods for various cuts of meat, etc., such as best cooking methods for tough cuts of meat and then listing the various ways -- pressure cooker, braising, sous vide, etc for different cuts of meat. And excellent overview. As I say, this book is useful for all skill levels.

Modernist Cusine at home is a fantastic book demonstrating how to use the science in a home environment. It is a practical guide to "how to get it done"; whereas the original Modernist Cuisine goes in details on why and takes no short cuts and makes no compromises. In short, it is the volume which pulls the first set together for those without an extensive professional kitchen and unlimited access to ingredients and equipment. The focus of the book is on techniques and use of equipment which are new or recently had a renaissance. Favorite equipment includes pressure cooker, water bath / CVAP oven and vacuum sealer. As many do not have a water bath and vacuum sealer, makeshift alternative solutions are given. Common to the equipment is that their best use can often be explained by science, thus taking the guesswork out of the equation. The sections focus on common dishes, such as pizza, burgers, steaks, roast chicken, salmon, vegetables and pies. Many of the recipes offer alternative variations, encouraging the cook to use the fundamental technique while creating their own dishes. By using the on common dishes, it becomes more clear how the techniques can then be applied to many other tried, tested and true recipes. The book is not meant as an entry level cook book for someone who needs to learn some tricks to keep themselves fed. It is geared towards those who want to learn how to make the most out of available tools and characteristics of various foods, and raise the flavor to a new level. Although in no way necessary, it is my belief this book will inspire more to buy the first set, so as to gain a deeper understanding. The book keeps the extremely high standard for food photography, a pure delight to look at, also making it a great book for the coffee table!

This seemed intimidating when it arrived because of its sheer volume and the apparent complexity of the dishes, because I am pretty sure no home cook would cook like this ordinarily, so I was well and truly out of my comfort zone.. However if you can get past this initial doubt this along with Heston's at home has been the most rewarding cook book I have purchased. The techniques and recipes are clearly laid out and are really very simple to follow once you get your head around the different format of the layout. This isn't a book to go to if you are looking to knock up a really quick dish of an evening. You need to give yourself lots of time. Without fail everything I have cooked from this has been superb. The quality of the stocks and a couple of the jus' alone make it a really worthwhile investment. This book will technically challenge most home cooks but my word it is so worth it. As far as the price goes in this case I genuinely believe that you are getting what you pay for. Sheer unadulterated quality and hours of pleasure both cooking and enjoying the food.

The information and pictures in this book are truly amazing. I have only made one recipe so far, the caramelized carrot soup, and it has totally opened my eyes. Who knew carrots could taste so amazing?! I have made 3 or 4 variations of it with different veggies, all good. The only potential negative is that about 90% of recipes require either pressure cooker or sous vide machine. (They do describe a method of cooking sous vide using mostly stuff you already have to avoid costly equipment purchase but we havent tried that yet.) We bought a pressure cooker because of this book and are so glad we did. Also some recipes ask for slightly off the beaten track ingredients and we live in Norway where odd ingredients and interesting cuts of meat are hard to find but anyone in UK, US or places with big grocery stores wont have a problem. That being said I still consider this a most worthy investment in our cooking and look forward to showing off our new food to friends and family :)

This gorgeous epic tome is A3 sized, comes with a spiral bound kitchen recipe companion, some food porn prints suitable for framing, and a scratch off serial#, all bound in nice storage box that weighs nearly 5.5kg! Overwhelmed by its unwieldiness and underwhelmed by recipe's for pedestrian cheeseburgers, wings, and mac n cheese. Best tip was from the included registration website link leading me to the cheaper interactive media iOS App. Much more practical and useful for the Modernist cook!

This book is an amazing addition to your cooking library. The quality of the pictures and explanations is fantastic, and the recipes are very realistic to make at home. Explanations are clear and the kitchen-proof booklet is a fantastic idea that I wish all my other books had. I've already tried a few recipes and I loved the outcome. The caramelized carrot soup tastes unreal. Definitely worth the price.

I've been looking to the normal collection since it was released however it was far to big and expensive (5 huge volumes). With this new version, smaller, cheaper and home oriented I could not ignore it anymore. I bought it and have gone through it page by page and it is simply amazing. Very very detailed, with amazing photos and a spectacular presentation. The fact that it includes a "kitchen safe" version of the recipes is great and adds that final touch. I'me very satisfied by it and I recommend it.

I can't say enough about how cool this book is. I've only tried a couple recipes, but i love that they are written for maximum reproducibility. I already had most of the tools needed for many of the recipes (pressure cooker, hand blender, sous vide setup) and really enjoyed the gorgeous photos. I also loved that the companion "cookbook" with just the recipes has waterproof pages, totally designed for being in the kitchen with you. There's so much great information in this book, it's definitely become a new favorite.

The first cookbook I ever read head to tail within a week followed by a shopping spree in order to acquire a Jaccard, a pressure cooker and a blowtorch. Used a whipping siphon for the first time in my life. Beautiful 🤩 photos and impressive Cut through of stoves etc . The recipes are easy to scale up or down , which is great and the recipes are printed on user friendly paper washable in an extra ring book.

Il titolo rende l'idea... passare dalla cucina casareccia approssimativa (dove non si sa mai come sarà il risultato) all'approccio ingegneristico dove la cucina diventa una scienza esatta e replicabile se fatta debita attenzione. Purtroppo non economicissimo ma pure bello come oggetto.

That’s a bible for cookers and enthusiasts! An obligatory reading on techniques and modern processes of cooking.

Wonderful book, delivered impeccably.