EveryDayCook

by Alton Brown

My name is Alton Brown, and I wrote this book. It’s my first in a few years because I’ve been a little busy with TV stuff and interwebs stuff and live stage show stuff. Sure, I’ve been cooking, but it’s been mostly to feed myself and people in my immediate vicinity—which is really what a cook is supposed to do, right? Well, one day I was sitting around trying to organize my recipes, and I realized that I should put them into a personal collection. One thing led to another, and here’s EveryDayCook. There’s still plenty of science and hopefully some humor in here (my agent says that’s my “wheelhouse”), but unlike in my other books, a lot of attention went into the photos, which were all taken on my iPhone (take that, Instagram) and are suitable for framing. As for the recipes, which are arranged by time of day, they’re pretty darned tasty. Highlights include: 
 
• Morning: Buttermilk Lassi, Overnight Coconut Oats, Nitrous Pancakes 
• Coffee Break: Cold Brew Coffee, Lacquered Bacon, Seedy Date Bars
• Noon: Smoky the Meat Loaf, Grilled Cheese Grilled Sandwich, “EnchiLasagna” or “Lasagnalada”
• Afternoon: Green Grape Cobbler, Crispy Chickpeas, Savory Greek Yogurt Dip
• Evening: Bad Day Bitter Martini, Mussels-O-Miso, Garam Masalmon Steaks
• Anytime: The General’s Fried Chicken, Roasted Chile Salsa, Peach Punch Pops
• Later: Cider House Fondue, Open Sesame Noodles, Chocapocalypse Cookie
 
So let’s review: 101 recipes with mouthwatering photos, a plethora of useful insights on methods, tools, and ingredients all written by an “award-winning and influential educator and tastemaker.” That last part is from the PR office. Real people don’t talk like that.

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

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 27, 2016

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

[G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably not many people actually “read” a cookbook, right?

But when that book is by Alton Brown, you are doing yourself a disservice to simply look at the recipes. It’s funny, insightful, and fascinating. I’d expect nothing less from the creator of “Good Eats” the hands down best show ever on Food Network.

There are three major things to recommend this cookbook:

1. Almost every recipe comes with a brief description as to why he likes it or some history of the dish, which is fascinating reading on its own.
2. He has separate sections about what you should have in your pantry as basics, and what equipment you need. Be warned that some of the pantry items are pretty unique and if you live in a remote rural location, you’ll probably be challenged finding them all. For myself, the most daunting undertaking would be acquiring all the cooking tools needed. I don’t own a food processor. Or a dutch oven. Or a pressure cooker. And I recently lost my blender to an ill-fated attempt at pumpkin puree. But I’m strongly considering acquiring or re-acquiring all of them as I can afford them.
3. The food looks terrific. How can you go wrong with something called Snapper Dome which requires 3 POUNDS OF SALT (for baking, not for actual consumption, but still…3 POUNDS OF SALT)!

I’m anxious to try out many of these recipes. Oh, and I had the pleasure of meeting him and getting my book signed at a reading thanks to the keen eye of my wife!

[Mischenko · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great cookbook by Alton Brown! It has a good mix of recipes, and a few healthy ones. All are easy recipes. Worth keeping in your kitchen!

5*****

[Jan Polep · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two things I like in a cookbook...BIG pictures and selections that include something I might actually eat. Winner, winner...chicken piccata dinner. Oh, and a good index. I may even try fish sticks for the very first time. Seriously.

[Melenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not a beginners cookbook; however, it is highly entertaining. I did actually read it cover to cover and enjoyed myself, even though I will probably never cook or eat anything in it because I am a picky child.

There are a ton of great dishes and the pictures are amazing. All taken with an iPhone if I remember correctly.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this out from the library because I couldn't wait until Christmas/Birthday time. We ate from the book for about a week or so, here's what I thought:

No Can Tomato Soup and Grilled cheese, p 52-53 - I loved the method of cooking the tomato soup in the pressure cooker, but it wasn't my favorite taste wise. The grilled cheese was wonderful. My husband had fun grilling the sandwich.

Turkey Sliders, p 63 - delicious. Even my picky brother ate them.

Brussels sprouts with bacon, p 137 - amazing. This is a keeper for sure. Served these with the sliders.

Peanut Butter Cookies, p 97 - easy and delicious. A bit crumbly though.

Chicken Parmsean Balls with Weekend Sauce, p 76 - WORTH THE COST OF THE BOOK! This recipe is a keeper. As is the sauce, which could stand on its own for a quick meal.

Roasted Thanksgiving Quinoa Salad, p 71 - good, healthy dinner. I added dried cranberries because why not?

Oatmeal - I'm not a fan of oatmeal, but I like to try things I don't like every once in a while to see if a different method or recipe might change me. Nope. My son liked it though.

This is a fantastic cookbook. I knew I would love it and I did. Can't wait to get it for myself!

[Ren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh, Alton. I loved Good Eats and enjoy his Good Eats book series with all the science and hopped this would be some those lines. Sadly, this just want meant for me, which is fine. I didn't expect much from the recipes since I'm vegan so that was no real surprise. The thing that annoyed me though was that in the index, there is a list of the "vegetarian" recipes... Alton, beef broth and anchovies are NOT vegetarian. *sigh* While a vegetarian would know this and either skip the recipe or make an appropriate substitution, someone trying to be nice and make a vegetarian dish for a friend or family might not realize so it bugs me when recipes (or menu items) are mislabeled like this.

[Thom · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of pictures, humor, and a dash of science behind these recipes. These were chosen by AB because they are his favorites, his go-to dishes. I may try a few of these, but many are outside my taste zone - not to mention the equipment requirements.

[Dominika · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's face it, you'd probably know whether you'd love this book just by looking at Alton Brown's sex face on the cover. The recipes in here are unique yet attainable (with a few exceptions that are more due to the equipment involved than the actual ingredients). Unlike a lot of Brown's other cookbooks, this is more personal and less instructional. The few recipes I've made have been good, although that's to be expected. There's also a very strong visual element to this book, with gorgeous photography and a great layout making this a fantastic book to leave out for guests to flip through. While I have other cookbooks that I enjoy displaying, this one is probably the most aesthetically pleasing while still functioning well as an instruction manual for food. I got it as a gift, so I'd recommend it for all those Good Eats fans in your life.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

Although I am aware of, and actually admire, Alton Brown's eccentric and scientific approach to cooking I was mislead by the title of this cookbook. These recipes feature foods I can't imagine wanting to create daily, using recipes I can't imagine being able to locate regularly, using equipment I certainly don't want to clean daily.

I had a good laugh at the equipment featured, honestly. I have quite an arsenal of cooking gadgets but this was so extra. Some of the best ones: a 14 inch cast iron camp oven with legs, a blowtorch, a nitrous oxide cream whipper, a smoker.

[Janet Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Brown's attitude toward food. It's obvious he likes to eat, and his recipes are always both accurate and easy to follow. My skill as a cook owes him some credit. This time there are a couple of things to say. One refers to an oyster po' boy. Of course the instructions for cooking the oysters are perfect, but after having eaten po' boys in southern Louisiana and Houston, I have to say that if you can't get the right bread, just forget the whole thing. The bread needs to be very crisp on the outside, light as a feather inside, and a home baker doesn't have the sort of oven to do this. In my part of NC, the "French bread" is delicious, but a heavy and dense version that is all wrong for a po' boy, or for any sandwich, IMO. I was watching the latest episode of "The Tunnel" last night and reminded that everytime the characters are eating in France, they consume French bread sandwiches--not especially spectacularly filled (probably just some of that wonderful French ham), but the bread collapses as they bite into it and the mikes pick up that marvelous crunch. I am so hungry I want to drive 900 miles tonight to NO!!!

The second thing is a recipe that is entirely in grams--ok, I have a scale, but never expected to weigh every single ingredient. Furthermore, as a newcomer to weighing ingredients metrically, it's pretty hard for me to anticipate beyond knowing that a pound of anything is about 200 grams and dividing from that point--doesn't help me to eyeball 15 grams of olive oil and having cooked for more than 6 decades, I'm not seriously in need of lessons to modify my hard earned expertise.

[Kylara Jensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved reading the section on hardware especially but also pantry and methods. Alton Brown has such a good way of explaining things with a little fun snarky tongue in cheek thing going on.

As for browsing the recipes, there are some I want to try, some that sound good but also seem really intimidating and some that seem out of my taste-bud range or just plain unrealistic for me to ever do.

I mean, it's interesting that this book is called everyday cook, but in reality this is not a book for noobs or everyday home cooks. It's for people looking to up the level of their cooking game. Be prepared to go out of your comfort zone and cook with anchovies and nos handheld whipped cream dispenser (but probably not in the same recipe.

Would I buy this book? That's always the question I ask myself when I read cookbooks. I'd probably get a digital copy.

[Lynnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Alton Brown. He is, in fact, on the list of people I'd like to have a martini with (especially if he wants to make the appetizers!). His recipes are always solid & this collection is no exception. Some of these are recipes he's already shared- on line or on tv- but there are also plenty of new ideas to explore. He does use some less-than-common ingredients but nothing that seems to hard to get my hands on. I can't wait to try some of his ideas.

[Violinknitter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several of these recipes have already become regular staples for me (Overnight Coconut Oats & My Big Fat Greek Salad), and there are a few others I really want a chance to try. (Especially the tomato soup, now that I have a pressure cooker!)

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to tell you what I told a friend earlier - is it a book? Did you read it? Great, then it counts.

This year I'm getting into cooking, mostly because I want to be able to feed my husband and convince him that no, we do not need to go out to eat, but also because I wanted to take up a hobby this year outside of reading, school, and whatever else it is I do. Cooking it is!

I've always admired Alton Brown. Good Eats was on the TV when I was growing up quite a lot, and it was always entertaining, even if my childlike mind didn't quite understand what was going on.

I don't need to tell you that Brown is FUNNY, at least he is to me. Over the course of reading this book cover to cover, I laughed out loud a lot, because you can just hear his voice in each of these recipes. I mean, hearing a voice in recipes is just impressive.

I've already made one recipe from this book (black beans/brown rice) and it was delicious. Can't wait to dive into more of his recipes and improve my culinary repertoire.

[Amy Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. The recipes that I tried worked. I enjoy Alton's sense of humor.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read! Alton Brown makes the kitchen accessible, for noobs and veterans alike. I definitely learned a lot through the read, and came away with plenty of recipes I want to try.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a cookbook, so I've not read every page of this book yet. But I did read all of the front material and skimmed many of the recipes. I've not yet made anything (though I have plans to try many recipes). I love Alton Brown. I loved him before reading this and I love him more now. He combines humor and precise cooking methods together.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always love Alton Brown's cookbooks. Excellent recipes and snarky intros.

[Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really love Alton Brown but I'm not really a great cook. So this is a bit over my head, but it's colorful and fun and a lot of interesting sounding recipes.

[Andree Sanborn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very exotic cookbook for us New Englanders. Many of the ingredients simply aren't available here (the Asian and Latin ones). But I've learned another method for cleaning my cast iron, have more spice mix recipes, a fish stick recipe (with a custard that acts as tartar sauce), plus other good things, like fried cheeseburger, blueberry cake, banana bread, and peanut butter cookie recipes. Also, pumpkin cheesecake and black beans and rice, both of which I have to adapt for homegrown ingredients that are not in cans. The book was worth the price, but unfortunately, I'm not adventurous enough to try many of the new flavors.

[Tori Centanni]

Funny, insightful... and this is a book full of recipes. I'm a huge fan of Alton Brown, and have been since Good Eats. My mom used to watch Food Network relentlessly, and my brothers and I despaired at how it was the only thing on our one television all day long. But then Good Eats arrived, and it was the one show my whole family loved.

I got to meet Alton at his signing and get this book signed (got a copy signed for my mom as well), and I'm excited to try the recipes within.

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful cookbook written in typical Alton style. Brown loves to give you the science behind how recipes work. Do you want to know what Alton has in his pantry? ...in his hardware (utensil) drawer? ...in his spice collection? ...at his bar? You can learn all this through wonderful pictures and descriptions. I can't wait to try his "My Big Fat Greek Chicken Salad", "Chicken Parmesan Balls", and "The Last Pizza Dough I'll ever Need"!

[Alacrity17 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes I read cookbooks, especially ones written by Alton Brown. I enjoyed this one a lot as it was filled some useful recipes and lots of funny commentary. My one quibble about this book is Alton comes across like a very grumpy old man in places and his "do this because I said so" humour wears thin in places. Otherwise, a great read.

[Jessica Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a huge Alton Brown fan! Reading this cookbook was so fun- I can’t wait to read more. He’s funny and so smart! I learned you can start pasta in cold water and save a lot of time, that what we know as grilled cheese is actually griddled, and that dates don’t raise blood sugar!

This book is organized by time of day that Alton eats the item- do you like how I took this pic of the midnight mug cake in the dark with a flashlight? I think I’m clever 💁🏼‍♀️ I’m a sucker for mug cakes as a single mom who gets hungry late at night so I was excited about this. Best texture of any mug cake I’ve had- needed something extra though, which was resolved with the addition of salted caramel sauce!

I’ve always loved hamburger stroganoff so I had to try the mushroom stroganoff. He said he loved it as a kid but felt meat didn’t belong there. The goat cheese in it is pretty intense but I liked it! I do think the meat belongs there though 😉.

I really liked the Beale Street Cheeseburger. The patty is deep-fried and yes right- least greasy burger ever. I have a pretty sensitive stomach when it comes to fat and zero pain after eating this 😍

And finally, the Open Sesame Noodles. Wow. I was so happy the recipe makes too much sauce so I got to have it again for lunch. And those pickled cucumbers are scrumptious. Amazing!

[Min · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Alton Brown book. I know, this may stun most Americans. I am a fan of his Good Eats, but I was never avid enough to keep up with him. I enjoyed the Dining on Asphalt series as well. There are a few of his recipes from his shows that are part of my main dishes.
When I came across this I thought why not check it out to see what I could learn.
It has his charming sardonic humor, and his classic advice about which items, and ingredients one must absolutely have-- at least to make these recipes that is.
He begins with a collection of photographs of the essentials of ingredients, equipment, and methods. He then organizes the recipes by time of day, from Morning, Coffee Break, through to Anytime, and Later. The index will guide with recipes by category, or method. Throughout with his recipe introductions he offers sometimes a history, its nutritional advantage, or at the least, some encouragement to try something different from the expected-- such as a use of anchovies in new ways.

As anticipated, there are a few new recipes from him that I shall add to my main repertoire. He is a favorite chef from whom I like to check what he's done with a recipe. It is so very often, easy to do, and an exploration of new techniques, and ingredients to create something wonderful.

[Jennifer Naslund Deutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for Christmas and have slowly been making may way through cooking a recipe here and there. Lots of pictures and Alton is a very engaging/entertaining writer (my mom and I had a couple of laugh out loud moments).

This is definitely not a beginners cookbook, but I asked for it knowing this. I wanted a challenge and to learn some new techniques. Keep in mind Alton's cook books are very gadget heavy (although he will recommend alternatives). I'll call out three recipes in particular:

-Enchilada Lasagna: Although the recipe was tasty, it took a while to assemble and cook, and by the end of it I almost wished I'd just made regular enchiladas. The red sauce recipe was very good and I have since reused it in other recipes.

-Chicken Tikka: I didn't have all the spices on hand that I needed but was able to improvise a bit. Recipe was very tasty. Would make again.

-Lacquered Bacon: This was amazing. I subbed brown sugar but it still turned out fantastic. Definitely a treat but super easy.

Overall I enjoyed the recipes and look forward to tackling some of the more challenging ones. 4/5.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed AB's TV presence, but his previous cookbooks have sometimes felt more like textbooks than practical manuals. And that had a place, but I am pleased he's come out with something more appealing to the eye and geared towards a more typical home cook. The photos in this book (shot by Mr Brown with his iphone) are beautiful and support the content nicely. The recipes, despite the title, are sometimes on the more complicated and/or whimsical side, but are generally approachable. Of those I've tried so far, I'd say I liked more than 50%, which is good for a cookbook in my experience. My favorite has been the chicken parmigiana meatballs. My most significant complaint is the organization. The "chapters" don't make a lot of sense to be (those meatballs, for example, are listed as a mid-day meal) and the index is not very helpful (the thai chicken wings are not listed under "chicken"). Overall I enjoyed this latest endeavor and look forward to trying more of the recipies!

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Alton since I was a kid, watching his crazy science antics and classic creations on Good Eats. Being recently reintroduced to him, I've noticed his character hasn't changed, if a bit more "classy" than what he used to be. Upon seeing this book on sale at the local bookstore, I quickly snatched it up and devoured it. This has quickly risen to be one of my favourites (in cookbooks that is).
While staying true to his nerdy perfectionist ways, he brings an air of simplicity and homeyness through this book. Unlike many of today's cookbooks which always seem to be out to prove how unique they are, with their difficult-to-find ingredients and long-winded techniques, Alton's recipes in EveryDayCook carry a fresh breeze of "I can do that" or "Oh, I have that already" through the kitchen, while still carrying his perfectionist attitude to the most ordinary recipe (aka Scrambled Eggs).
It also reads the way he talks and I frequently heard his voice through the text. "Plates? We don't need no stinkin' plates!" "SCIENCE" "If you don't have this...you should."
Alton is someone who refuses to fit in the mold and while he might not be for everyone, I shall continue to read and eat my way through this book, enjoying every bit of it.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been on my "want to read" list for a long time. I am glad I finally got a copy and yes, this cookbook is a 'reader', from the list of required kitchen gadgets to the little asides on each recipes. Nice big colourful pictures and descriptions! There are quite a few recipes in here that I will definitely be trying...(the oatmeal banana bread is baking in my oven right now and smells divine)...and he uses ingredients that I love, like anchovies and Kimchi. That said, a large percentage of the recipes are in grams, which I find bothersome. I am used to, say, whipping up a banana bread in 5 minutes. Browns version took quite a bit longer, needing a scale, a blender, a hand mixer (because I don't have a proper counter mixer) and made a real mess. He has a long list of required kitchen gadgets as well but I for one will not be buying a vintage ice cream spade or a whipped cream siphon anytime soon. On the plus side, he provides nice pantry recipes for blackening powder, five spice powder and herbes de Provence. If you are a cook looking for something just a bit different or a cookbook collector like me, get yourself a copy of this one.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0/5.0 - I like Alton Brown, we've been watching him (although not lately) for more than 20 years. In fact, I actually bought my husband his first book, I'm Just Here for the Food: Food + Heat = Cooking. And, we're going to see his show this weekend. But this one was really hard for me to rate. I settled on a 3 because although the writing and humor is a 4, there were very few recipes I would actually try (maybe the mushroom stroganoff, gf peanut cookies, and bourbon bread pudding), but these aren't enough to justify spending the bucks to buy the book which too often calls for ingredients we never use, or gadgets that we don't need.