I’m Just Here for More Food: Food x Mixing + Heat = Baking

Posted on May 7, 2008 - Filed Under Hardcover |

Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1584793414
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
Average Customer Review: (From 57 total reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com:
Alton Brown’s I’m Just Here for More Food: Food x Mixing + Heat = Baking should be required reading for those who truly want to learn how to become great bakers. In his own off-beat style Alton explains the science behind the process simply and in a manner you will not only remember, but subconsciously apply to all your baking endeavors. What is salt’s role in the baking process? Why use eggs? Why is the way you mix important to overall success? Stylized and presented like his first book and popular Food Network show Good Eats, Baking is more like a goofy textbook rather then a pretty, photographed book with a bunch of recipes. If you are looking for a couple of quick, simple recipes to make cookies or bread, keep looking. If it’s an education about the “Whats,” “Whys,” and “Hows” of baking with the intent to lift your skills to a new level: welcome!

Baking is a precise science that needs to be followed to the letter if you want success. It is highly recommended to read the introduction and “The Parts Department” section before attempting any of the recipes in this book. The essence of Alton Brown’s book is not to simply follow recipes, but to get a deep understanding of what is going on during the baking process. The introduction goes over the layout of the book and how it should be used (the ingenious “method flaps” for instance), the low down on how to read recipes, the importance of measuring by weight vs. volume, and baking’s five core steps. The “Parts” section explains just that: ingredients. What is the chemical make up of proteins, carbs, and fats? Why is their interrelationship so important to success? How well do you know flour, eggs, sugar, and baking soda? Once you have the basics down and your parts measured it’s time to get mixing. The rest of the book is smartly broken up by the six major mixing methods (Muffin, Biscuit, Creaming, Straight Dough, Egg Foam, and Custards). Each technique is explored in detail with recipes to follow. You won’t find any ultra fancy recipes in Baking. The focus here is on the basics and getting the basics down right. Rediscover some old favorites like chocolate cookies and muffins, buttermilk pancakes, biscuits, shortcake, multigrain loaf bread, and good old fashioned cheesecake. There is no denying it, follow Alton’s advice and you will be a better baker. Guaranteed. –Rob Bracco

Book Description:
In his best-selling first book, Food Network star Alton Brown described what happens when food meets heat. Now Brown is back and ready to revolutionize the world of baking-and more. Breads, cakes, cookies, pies, custards, ice creams: The popular host of Good Eats explores the science behind our favorite sweets-and savories-explaining it all in his own inimitable style.

The book opens with a complete encyclopedia of the core ingredients or “the molecular pantry”-what they are, what they do, and how they play together (or don’t). The main part of the book is divided by mixing method: Biscuit, Creaming, Muffin, Straight Dough, Modified Dough, Eggfoam, Custards, and a section called As Well As . . . , which includes such specialized methods as crepes, popovers, mousse, and doughnuts. .

To underscore the importance-and ease-of mastering the mixing techniques, the book features a special design that adds a half-page flap to the opening page of each mixing section. Printed on the flap is the master mixing technique to serve as a ready reference for each recipe that follows in that section.

The more than 80 recipes cover all the basics any baked-good lover could covet, from pie crust to funnel cake to homemade Pop Tarts to cheese soufflÃ©. Select master recipes feature variations that underscore the effects of altering ingredient ratios or preparation methods. The classic chocolate chip cookie, for example, can be interpreted in soft, chewy, and crispy consistencies.

At 304 pages, the trivia-filled tome also contains all the fun components Brown fans have come to expect: fact-packed sidebars, intricate illustrations, glossaries, appendices, equipment lists-the works. It’s everything readers have been waiting for . . . and more! AUTHOR BIO: Alton Brown is the writer, director, and host of the popular Food Network television program Good Eats. His first book, I’m Just Here For the Food, received the 2003 James Beard Foundation KitchenAid Book Award for Best Reference Book. His second book, Alton Brown’s Gear For Your Kitchen, was nominated for both a James Beard and an IACP cookbook award.

Customer Reviews

Errors by Rusty Collichio
Typos in a cookbook, wasting ingredients, what could be worse? I’ve always enjoyed watching Alton on the food network, he makes so much sense and his explanations of how ingredients work together chemically are fascinating. But I regreat buying a book that must have been rushed to press and not proofread.

Must-have for the amateur baker by J. Barad
I’ve always had a fondness for baking, but I never really took it seriously. I had one or two recipes I would just make over and over again, and I never really understood why sometimes it came out great and other times not so much. And then this book happened…

For the amateur baker, I think Alton Brown’s book is a must-have. There’s so much in here that you would have a lot of trouble picking up on your own, let alone from one single book.

Everything in here is a gem such as his equipment recommendations and his explanations of seemingly unimportant tasks (e.g: sifting). His journey from pizza dough to brioche is not to be missed!

I’ve only made a few recipes so far: Old-school muffins, chocolate muffins, banana bread, and carrot cake. I’m saving everything else for when I get my Kitchenaid pro 600 which is coming tomorrow. (another AB recommendation.)

Both the carrot cake and banana bread have gotten me “That’s the best I’ve ever had” comments. The chocolate muffins came out a little too dry, and the old-school muffins were decent.

The only gripe I probably have with the book is that every recipe seems to require I get “just one more piece” of equipment. It seems like I can’t make a recipe until I buy all the requisite pieces. I’m actually a little blown away by how much I’ve spent on baking equipment in the past few weeks with this book.

Also, sometimes Alton will be very specific describing one aspect of a recipe, but gloss over some other obscure parts which can sometimes be confusing.

Buy it now!

I’m Just Here For MORE FOOD by Andrew D. Gawboy
I bought this book on a recomendation from a friend. The reason I bought the book was because the book went on to explain cooking in a scientific way. It is how AB learned and understand how to cook. It is also the best way I am learning how to cook. I don’t recomend this book for people looking for simple recipies but instead read this book to learn about techniques on how to cook. Along with “I am just here for the food” these books are the best books for cooking that I have ever bought.

My dad the chef approves! by Cubfangirl1
My dad is a retired chef and is VERRRRY picky when it comes to cookbooks. He loves this book because it talks a lot about the different techniques, it is not just straight recipes. He received this as a Christmas present and has been raving about it ever since. to me, his word is good as gold:-)

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