Book-Off – FoodWatcher

Got Cooking Questions? These Food Science Cookbooks Have Answers

This post is part of our community-driven book tournament, The Big Community Book-Off. With your help, we’re finding the best books across categories (from bread to pasta, one-bowl to weeknight-friendly, and cake to cookies, to name a few), and putting…

This post is part of our community-driven book tournament, The Big Community Book-Off. With your help, we're finding the best books across categories (from bread to pasta, one-bowl to weeknight-friendly, and cake to cookies, to name a few), and putting them through a series of rigorous reviews—considered, tested, and written by none other than you.

Each month, Food52 community members cook their way through five cookbooks around one subject (from bread and cake to the kitchen basics) and select a winner. The reviewers have held a chocolate chip cookie bake-off and put the Instant Pot through its paces.

We Found the Best One-Pan Cookbook

This review is part of our community-driven book tournament, The Big Community Book-Off. With your help, we’re finding the best books across categories (from bread to pasta, Instant Pots to cooking fundamentals, and cake to cookies, to name a few) and putting them through a series of rigorous reviews—considered, tested, and written by none other than you. And so, let’s hand it off to our community members Jo-Anne, Michelle, and Judith. Here are their reviews of your five favorite one-pan books—and their nail-biting verdict on which one reigned supreme.

After a year of cooking for ourselves more than ever before, even our favorite recipes had become a bit boring. We were all looking for some magic in these five cookbooks that promised flavorful meals that basically cooked themselves in the oven or on the stovetop—all in one pan.

Our 5 Favorite One-Pan Cookbooks

Each month, Food52 community members cook their way through five cookbooks around one subject (vegan food! cookies! the Instant Pot!) and dub a winner. Our reviewers have baked bread and cakes, and eaten plenty of vegetables, too.

This Is the Best Vegan Cookbook (For Everyone)

We’d originally introduced you to three community members, Grace, Rohita, and Jared. Unfortunately, during the review process, Grace tested positive for COVID-19 and lost her sense of smell and taste, making judging recipes a nearly impossible task. While she wasn’t able to fully participate in the final review, Grace still shared some of her thoughts on the cookbooks. We wish her a speedy recovery!

These 5 Plant-Based Cookbooks Aren’t Only for Vegans

For the last year, ambitious community members have cooked their way through five cookbooks each month and dubbed a winner. From books about bread baking to everything you need to know about cooking with Instant Pots, we closed out 2020 with—what else?—the best book on cookies.

The Big Community Book-Off is Back & We Need Your Help!

What’s your favorite cookbook? Whatever your answer, we’d venture to guess it’s not the same as your best friend’s, partner’s, or even your own had we asked last year. Much as you love your dog-eared copy of a decades-old renowned cookbook, perhaps one…

What’s your favorite cookbook? Whatever your answer, we’d venture to guess it's not the same as your best friend’s, partner’s, or even your own had we asked last year. Much as you love your dog-eared copy of a decades-old renowned cookbook, perhaps one published just a few months ago has earned a special place in your heart (and on your dinner table.)

Here at Food52, we’re on a mission to find the best cookbooks, which is why last year we launched the Big Community Book-Off, a series of thoughtful cookbook reviews—considered, tested, and written by none other than you, our Food52 community.

We Found the Best Instant Pot Cookbook

This review is part of our community-driven book tournament, The Big Community Book-Off. With your help, we’re finding the best books across categories (from bread to pasta, one-bowl to weeknight-friendly, and cake to cookies, to name a few), and putting them through a series of rigorous reviews—considered, tested, and written by none other than you. And so, let’s hand it off to our community members Sarah, Robin, and Rosa. Here are their reviews of your five favorite Instant Pot books—and their nail-biting verdict on which one reigned supreme.

We came about our love for the Instant Pot in different ways. Sarah wanted to know if the Instant Pot was everything it was hyped up to be, and if it could save valuable cooking time between busy work shifts. Rosa bought the Instant Pot because a certain Instant Pot cookbook made her finally say, “yes!” Robin, like many of you, wanted the ability to cook time-intensive meals faster without sacrificing the integrity of the dishes, and to shave hours off meal prep.

Your 5 Favorite Books for Dinner in An Instant

This post is part of our new community-driven book tournament, The Big Community Book-Off. With your help, we’re finding the best books across categories (from bread to pasta, one-bowl to weeknight-friendly, and cake to cookies, to name a few), and put…

This post is part of our new community-driven book tournament, The Big Community Book-Off. With your help, we're finding the best books across categories (from bread to pasta, one-bowl to weeknight-friendly, and cake to cookies, to name a few), and putting them through a series of rigorous reviews—considered, tested, and written by none other than you.

Last month, community members Ruth, Erin, and Shereen subjected many, many vegetables to stem-to-tip testing, in search of the category’s best.