Good Eats 3: The Later Years

Good Eats

by Alton Brown

As Good Eats enjoys its 14th season on the Food Network, its popularity continues unabated. Fans can’t get enough of Alton Brown’s wildly inventive, science-geeky, food-loving spirit. It’s no wonder, then, that the first two volumes in STC’s Good Eats series were New York Times bestsellers.

Like Volumes 1 and 2, Good Eats 3: The Later Years packs a bounty of information and entertainment between its covers. More than 200 recipes are accompanied by hundreds of photographs, drawings, and stills from the show, as well as lots of science-of-food facts, cooking tips, food trivia, behind-the-scenes glimpses—and bonus sock puppet instructions! In chapters devoted to everything from pomegranates to pretzels, mincemeat to molasses, Alton delivers delicious recipes along with fascinating background in a book that’s as fun to read as it is to cook from. Good Eats 3 will be a must-have addition to the bookshelves and kitchen counters of Alton lovers everywhere.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Reference, Culinary, Science

432 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2011

About the author

Alton Brown is an American food personality, cinematographer, author, and actor. He is the creator and host of the Food Network television show Good Eats, the miniseries Feasting on Asphalt and the main commentator on Iron Chef America.
Brown received a degree in drama from the University of Georgia. He first worked in cinematography and film production, and was the director of photography on the music video for R.E.M.'s "The One I Love". He also worked as a steadicam operator on the Spike Lee film School Daze.

At some point, he noticed that he was very dissatisfied with the quality of cooking shows then airing on American television, so he set out to produce his own show. Not possessing the requisite knowledge, he enrolled in the New England Culinary Institute, from which he graduated in 1997. Brown states that he had been a poor science student in high school and college, so he began to study the subject as he took cooking training and felt the need to understand the underlying processes of cooking.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that you visit over and over again. I love Alton Brown, and this show is definitely my favorite food show of all time. There are some things I will likely never try (like building my own tandoor oven), but there are so many things that I have already adopted as part of my own cooking routine that have helped me improve.

A solid 5 stars!

[David Schwan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While still interesting the third and last book in the series is not as good as the previous books (still worthy of three stars). Lots of details on specific topics unlike the first two books.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book! I'm a big fan of Alton Brown but have never seen "Good Eats" (I know, how is that even possible?). I wanted to read the book before buying a signed copy at Barnes & Noble (since I wasn't able to attend a local signing, unfortunately).

And, the book absolutely lives up to--and indeed, exceeds--my expectations. I loved everything about it. It illustrates why I love Alton Brown and why I am totally going to go binge "Good Eats" now. :D The (dry) humor. The recipes. The entertainment. All the things I would want to learn were already provided for me. HE READ MY MIND.

Brilliant book. :D Much squeeing. Now pardon me ... I have a signed book to order. :)

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alton Brown is so extra that he's going to show you how to make the best possible home version of something even if you have to go to the hardware store and construct some complicated rig to do it. Practical? No. But educational, and a fun project (maybe even a science fair project?) Yes. This isn't going to give you many last minute weekday meal solutions (though I have added a few to my weekly meal plotting - the flour tortillas are not much more complicated than pancakes and well worth it) but if you're looking for a book to cook through (a'la Julie and Julia) you could do worse than the whole trilogy (so yeah, start with #1). And the more you learn about what happens to food and why, you'll be better able to avoid kitchen catastrophies as well as freestyle more often with success.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another food chemist read from Alton Brown that I'll never remember all that I've learned reading this trilogy. Some scholars believe the apple Eve ate in the Garden of Eden was actually a pomegranate. County Cork, Ireland was once the beef curing capital of Europe. Coffee beans aren't beans at all bur rather the pits of coffee berries. The only apple native to America is the crabapple.
The first canning factory opened in England in 1813. It takes 4,400 cranberries to produce 1 gallon of juice. Gingerbread men were created for the court of Queen Elizabeth I. Read up people....you won't be sorry. These books are awesome. Great recipes along the way too.

[Dray · Rating 3 out of 5]

i am going to check out the TV series, on which the books are based but... although filled with historical and scientific factoids about various dishes I found the book aimed at a younger audience. I did not find the recipes all that interesting or expansive in terms of enlarging the cook's skill set. A book cannot be all things to all people and i acknowledge that. I find myself wishing i had liked the book more than I did.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Brown is an American treasure! Good Eats combines two of my loves - food and science!

Reader's note: I didn't "read" this book cover-to-cover. It's a cookbook. (Does anyone read a cookbook cover-to-cover?) I did a quick cover-to-cover survey of the entire book.

However, I have used several recipes from the book.

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Alton Brown and Good Eats, so, what's not to like? Terrific recipes and the text reads like an episode of the show.

[Olivia Ambrose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating as always. Definitely a few recipes I want to save and make. But I have to admit, I was skimming more than I had been for the previous two books.

[Maureen Sawyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too busy for me. I'd prefer to get his recipes online from the food network.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

buffalo wings

[Gladimore · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gonna be honest, I barely read this. I was accosted by the busyness on the pages. I couldn't handle having to search for what I wanted. Too distracting.

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked up this book at a library book sale. While I'm a fan of the show, I hate the higgledy-piggledy nature of this book. Good recipes and lots of information, but I despise the chaotic layout.

[Dan Appel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read somewhere that a very large percentage of those who purchase cookbooks do so, not to try the recipes but for the joy of reading them.

I must confess that I love reading good cookbooks - and I enjoy cooking the recipe jewels I find. Cooking for me is relaxing, creative and a welcome relief from the stress of my daily life.

So, I have decided to include a number of my favorite cookbooks so that you can enjoy them as well.

Alton Brown is a former science teacher and his approach on the television series that this and the other two volumes in the series is built on, reflect his desire that we not only understand cooking but that we also understand why things happen certain ways when we are cooking. He is one of my heroes!

This final volume in the series is built on the final episodes and recipes of the series. It is good reading and good cooking!

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've loved Good Eats since the beginning, even though it is a bit campy (i.e. the Okra episode). Alton Brown is very informational and scientific though, and I love how that continues through the Good Eats cookbooks. I definitely have marked more recipes in this cookbook than in Volume 1, with recipes like Salted Caramel (my current obsession), Cauliflower Cheese, Mincemeat Pie (one of my hubby's favorite Christmas treats), homemade vanilla wafers for Banana Pudding, Beer Bread, and Meat Sauce and Spaghetti, just to name a few.

[Alisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much larger book than I expected. Has ALL the details from the last 80 or so Good Eats episodes. A comprehensive companion to each episode, with all the explanations, recipes (which he calls "applications"--more scientific!), and pictures. Captures the spirit of the show pretty well. Small print in some sections, and so much information that it is impossible to read it in a short time. More suitable to select an episode or two at a time. Could be fun to watch the shows with this book handy.
Comes with a pattern for a sock puppet and accessorizing stickers for said puppet.

[Millie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Want to make 5 hour classic dishes using a few expensive ingredients like porcini, only so that you can find out that you prefer the simple recipes you already knew?

The spaghetti and meat sauce - I prefer my own recipe.
The bread pudding - Marcus Samuelsson's bread pudding using coconut milk takes much less preparation and tastes more decadent without being as unhealthy for you.

The only recipe I have to give alton kudos for isn't in this book. It's his brine for Turkey. That's it. He amuses me, but I am not trying another tedious recipe only to taste it and go 'meh'.

[Angie Lisle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The three books in The Good Eats series are, essentially, transcripts for Alton Brown's show, Good Eats - which I watched religiously. I refer to these three books as my "Kitchen Bible." I love how Brown explains the science behind the recipes - it gives me so much more control of my food when I know how and why it cooks/tastes/feels a certain way.

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is so odd to me that I don't care for these books. I feel like Alton Brown on TV is so easy to follow and careful in presenting the steps. Yet the books are hard to follow and don't seem to present things in any sort of order. For instance, the TV show realy SHOWED how to spatchcock a bird; in the book, there are ridiculous, childish, bewildering diagrams.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book. I like Good Eats the TV show, and I like learning about the science behind the cooking. I can say that I've already successfully made two things out of the book (Shepard's Pie and Marshmallows), with plans to make more items. The recipes are easy to follow, and the information with them is great! A really solid cook book.

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The library didn't have volume 2, so I can't compare this to that, only to volume 1. This gets basically the same review as volume 1, but not quite as good. There is practically no trivia in this book, which makes it nearly a transcript of the show, with recipes (all by weight). Fine, but not great.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read all three of the "Good Eats" books. This is probably my least favorite because of one particular episode. I really like Alton Brown, but to cook like like him you'd need a kitchen the size of the Taj Majal and equipment to match. Many of the characters that made the series enjoyable are not featured in these pages.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good-bye to the series, and a little sad for me since I love "Good Eats".

[Ashley]

Really enjoyed the behind the scenes look as well as a scientific explanation over why food cooks/bakes/reacts the way it does.

[Bill]

Browsing the library copy before the one I ordered comes in.

[Abraham Ray]

nice cookbook/episode guide!

[Rose Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

A disappointment after the previous 2 "Good Eats" books. This one is simply not their equal in terms of usability, information and layout.

[Fran · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learn a lot when reading Alton Brown. And when I make the recipes I always get... Good Eats.

[Eric Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good collection of AB's recipes with the usual history/science info on the side. I am sad Good Eats is gone, but glad to have the three cookbooks from the show.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

yummy recipies but not all taste as good as they look on the show.