Cooks Illustrated is my favorite culinary magazine; it is also, I think, the most underrated. The articles are in depth and truly explain why and how the chefs in the test kitchen came to each specific recipe. After reading a recipe, and the steps the team takes to get to that recipe, I always have complete certainty that the dish will work—and that I will know what happened if it doesn’t. There is literally no room for error in these formulas. It doesn’t have the glossy color photos like other food mags, but it doesn’t have any misses, either—only hits.
In this issue, I read about tandoori chicken and how to make in about a two hour-long process instead of the typical 24. I liked reading the article because it gave me so much background and depth about the dish. I feel as though I could serve it and really talk it up. Though I didn’t try them, the recipes and accompanying articles, for wiener schnitzel and French omelets were also very illuminating. The discussion of the crispy coating on the pork cutlets led me to ponder other deep fried dishes and the general quest for getting the perfect fry. Josh DeChellis had a short-lived but tasty restaurant on Carmine Street a few years ago that dealt whole-heartedly with this issue. His fixation was even in the name: BarFry. I have found fantastically fried asparagus at Barbone in the East Village and impeccable onion rings at Walter Foods on Grand Street in Williamsburg. The omelet article references Julia Childs’ 11-page doctrine on French omelets and then gives a much easier method. Noted, and next time I will try.
Most of all, I love the Quick Tips page. This is a spread of little kitchen tips, submitted by cooks across the country. It is, hands down, the most useful collection of information out there. Ideas on how to keep an avocado green, how to keep syrup warm, and how to un-lump pudding were in this issue. If you do not have a Culinista cooking your meals, the quick tips are a must read!
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