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The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science
The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science | J. Kenji López-Alt
The New York Times bestselling winner of the 2016 James Beard Award for General Cooking and the IACP Cookbook of the Year Award. A grand tour of the science of cooking explored through popular American dishes, illustrated in full color. Ever wondered how to pan-fry a steak with a charred crust and an interior that's perfectly medium-rare from edge to edge when you cut into it? How to make homemade mac 'n' cheese that is as satisfyingly gooey and velvety-smooth as the blue box stuff, but far tastier? How to roast a succulent, moist turkey (forget about brining!)—and use a foolproof method that works every time? As Serious Eats's culinary nerd-in-residence, J. Kenji López-Alt has pondered all these questions and more. In The Food Lab, Kenji focuses on the science behind beloved American dishes, delving into the interactions between heat, energy, and molecules that create great food. Kenji shows that often, conventional methods don’t work that well, and home cooks can achieve far better results using new—but simple—techniques. In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
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Flaneurette
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Today was the first time I visited my library since the pandemic started, it was so nice to finally be there in person! Also went to Barnes & Noble for the first time in ages and bought the tagged book. Two of my kids also got or renewed their own library cards because they are fully vaccinated as of last Saturday. Lots of good bookish stuff today. #bookhaul

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JacqMac
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Time to pull out my favourite cookbook. Peeping for tomorrow‘s dinner.

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JacqMac
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We are celebrating solstice a little early. Trying to fit it around everyone‘s schedule was a bit of a challenge this year. I know I say it all the time, but this cookbook is the best cookbook. Happy early Solstice, Littens!

LauraJ Happy Solstice! 4y
tpixie Lovely chicken! I‘ll have to check out the book. I cook Ina Garten‘s ‘ the perfect roasted chicken‘ but yours looks delicious too! https://www.recipe-diaries.com/ina-gartens-perfect-roast-chicken/ (edited) 4y
tpixie ( my 34th wedding anniversary is in the Solstice!) 4y
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alisiakae Happy Yule! 4y
JacqMac @tpixie It was actually a turkey. Just a small 10lbs one though. I would have preferred a chicken, but I was outvoted. Lol Happy Anniversary! 🥂 4y
LeahBergen Yum! 4y
tpixie @JacqMac well it‘s hard to tell size in the photo. It looks delicious 😋 😂🤪😊 4y
tpixie ( I guess that is a roasting pan! And those are big legs!!! ) (edited) 4y
kspenmoll Looks delicious! 4y
50 likes3 stack adds9 comments
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Beatlefan129
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Mehso-so

This chunkster of a cookbook is great for someone who is looking for evidence based recipes. Ever wondered if you should salt your steaks before grilling? J. Kenji Lopez-Alt has tried 5 different ways of doing it and provides graphs to show you the results. Oddly enough, he also writes like he thinks he should be some sort of stand-up comedian, taking cracks at his wife and mother in a strangely off-putting way. Skip the text if you can.

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kgriffith
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Love seeing action like this from people whose politics I didn‘t necessarily know anything about, but whose work I‘ve enjoyed. Kenji is my go-to chef on Serious Eats, and his book is great for its blend of storytelling and science. Looks like I know one meal I‘ll be making this weekend. #betterthanchickfila

LogiKitty ðŸ¸ðŸµðŸ‘¸ 5y
saresmoore I haven‘t set foot in a Chick-fil-A in a lotta years, but I didn‘t realize that the Salvation Army was a bigoted organization! Bluuurg. 5y
JacqMac The Food Lab is my favourite cookbook ever. Now I love it even more! 5y
35 likes1 stack add3 comments
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kgriffith
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Anyone participating in #POCathon?? I just found out about it on Instagram and twitter and I‘m in. I went to my nearest shelves to find this book of poetry to meet one of the challenges, then saw my coffee table book in the background: also qualifies for the ‘thon, though there‘s no cookbook challenge 😋 Also featured: a Soul box from Penzeys, which needs to be mailed to Seattle. From like six months ago.

Christine LOVE The Food Lab/Kenji!! 6y
kgriffith @Christine Same! He/Serious Eats is/are my go-to for cooking methods. 6y
36 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Pen_Meets_Paper
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Got to breakfast.

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Pen_Meets_Paper
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Gonna try a cookbook next.

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reema
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Pickpick

I love to cook but deep down I‘m a science nerd. If you break something down with science, I‘m yours. This book is not just a cookbook, it is THE reference book you absolutely need for your kitchen. Want to make the perfect poached egg? He‘s got you. Need lots of pictures so you know what you‘re doing? He‘s got you. And there‘s good food too.

2 likes1 stack add
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MicheleinPhilly
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Holy toledo this thing is a BRICK. Actually it‘s more like a cinder block. I almost dropped the box when he handed it to me. 💪ðŸ¼#bookmail

JacqMac 😂I can‘t wait to see what you make! 6y
MicheleinPhilly @JacqMac Now I know why this has it‘s own permanent spot on @LectricSheep‘s counter - once you put it down, you can‘t move it without stretching first. 6y
LectricSheep 😆 you‘re not wrong. 6y
LauraBeth I need this 6y
66 likes4 comments
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JacqMac
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Sunday-ing. I own a lot of cookbooks. This is my favorite. Ever.

LectricSheep My partner swears by Food Lab. It‘s always out: it has its own little altar in our kitchen. I don‘t complain because everything he makes out of it is amazing (the meatloaf— oh my god). 6y
MicheleinPhilly 🤔Would you say it‘s written in an “accessible†fashion? 6y
Yellowpigeon I love their website. So many of our standard recipes come from there 6y
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JacqMac @MicheleinPhilly Very accessible. This is the book I‘m buying all of my kids when they move into their first place. 6y
JacqMac @LectricSheep 👠I have never had a bad recipe from it. 6y
JacqMac @Yellowpigeon So great. And you can easily tweak them once you have the basics. 6y
MicheleinPhilly Excellent! Ordered! 6y
JacqMac @MicheleinPhilly 👠I love being part of #BlameItOnLitsy 😂 6y
MicheleinPhilly Well the way I see it, if it makes me a better cook my wife will actually be grateful that I bought it. Crap! I should have thrown a few more books in there while I was at it. Oh well. There‘s always next week. 6y
JacqMac @MicheleinPhilly 😂 Good luck! I always add a book or three. 6y
60 likes3 stack adds10 comments
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BooksForEmpathy
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Birthday dinner for Ian! Kenji López-Alt is a genius and we made beef Wellington and mac + cheese + creamed spinach with his recipes. Followed by birthday chocolate brownies with peanut butter frosting ??!

Cinfhen Sounds delish 😋happy birthdayâ€¼ï¸ 7y
Owlizabeth Oh yummmmmmmm 7y
MrBook Happy birthday, Ian!!! 7y
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DebinHawaii Looks amazing! 😋 7y
saresmoore Awesome! Happy birthday, Ian! This photo is so meta. 7y
MamaGina That meal looks incredible!🤓 7y
books_from_my_shelves It's amazing! Happy birthday! 7y
Zelma Wow, looks absolutely delicious! 😋 7y
MissSarahLou Yum!! 7y
emilyhaldi Yummy!! 7y
Jaimelire Yum 7y
97 likes1 stack add12 comments
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BooksForEmpathy
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Pickpick

Good morning! Here's some cookbook love â¤ï¸: The Food Lab is amazing. It's GIGANTIC and filled with the most specific and science-y recipes that are guaranteed to please and teach you something new. For anyone who follows Kenji & his work, buy this one!

Today we made his buttermilk pancakes (some plain and some with my favorite addition of dried cranberries). They are fluffy and delicious and even though it takes about 30 min, it's SO worth it.

readinginthedark ðŸ˜Yum! 7y
MyNamesParadise Omnomnom!! 7y
kammartinez His chapter on eggs is amazing :D. His tips for the perfect poached eggs are too tricky to perform first thing in the morning without caffeine, but I appreciate the research that went into figuring out just how to make them XD. 7y
110 likes6 stack adds3 comments
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sarahmaclean
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Finally, time to sit quietly with my best loot. #thankssanta #foodlit #cookbooks

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Sandra
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"I am a nerd, and I'm proud of it."
What a great way to start a cookbook!

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kgriffith
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I'm gonna have to show this to my algebra teacher, we just discussed the inverse square law last week ðŸ˜

cathysaid Who says you won't use algebra in the future? 😜 7y
10 likes1 comment
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kgriffith
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Let's hope this was a good use of the $10 off $25 amazon coupon... #LitsyCooks

Lindy I found this really interesting. 7y
kgriffith Some folks in the sous vide fb group I'm in got to talking about it, and I was in an impulse-buying mood this weekend 😊 7y
Amandajoy This cookbook is amazing! 7y
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Crystalblu
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I may still be slightly sick, but Thanksgiving isn't going to plan itself ;) This book is my newest cookbook obsession #recomendsday dropping the science on the how and why of cooking!

BooksForYears Spatchcocking! 7y
Crystalblu @BooksForYears That's the plan! 7y
tpixie Splat hcooking! What a funny name !! Looks like it 'splat '! 😜 7y
10 likes3 comments
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JacqMac
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I have many overflowing shelves of cookbooks. This one is my favorite. Flawless food every time. #cookbooklove #photoadaynov16

BookBabe 👌🻠7y
Christine Agreed!! 7y
42 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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AileenRR
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Fun annotations! 😂 I had to return the book before I was finished though; someone put it on hold. I'll end up checking this one out again.

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Christine
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My tastiest shelfie. ðŸ½ðŸ“š #24in48 #readathon

BookishFeminist It looks beautiful! 8y
RealLifeReading For Cod & Country! What a title!! 8y
Christine @BookishFeminist Aww, thanks! 8y
Christine @RealLifeReading Right? 😄 It's a pretty great cookbook. 8y
28 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Spiderfelt
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Dear Husband, this book was written for you, and all those who geek out when the latest issue of Cooks Illustrated arrives in the mail. I'm sorry I didn't crack the cover of this library book before Father's Day, but I don't believe there is a Statute of Limitations on gifts. @Pokhra

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Aloyacano
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One of my major summer reads.

UnabridgedTomes Drooling over those macarons! (And the book, too) 8y
3 likes1 comment