I discovered Alton Brown during the last few seasons of Good Eats, and I was instantly a fan. You’ve got to appreciate someone who can make a good martini. Brown’s Monty Python humor and Bill Nye nerdiness was right up my alley. Since the show ended, he seemed to publicly take off his apron and put on a jacket, acting as host and performer in many popular shows, a podcast, and live road show. But, if you’re like me, and missed Alton behind the stove, then get excited. EveryDayCook feels like his triumphant return as a cook.
The book’s a welcome evolution from what Brown did with Good Eats. While you won’t find yeast puppets, you will find his familiar humor and meticulous attention to detail. Each recipe is broken down with Brown explaining how to prepare the dish in a simple and clear way. It’s very apparent that this was a personal project for him, and that he had a hand in every aspect of the book, even the photography.
Each and every picture in the book was taken using an iPhone. A 6s Plus to be specific. Why? Because he uses an iPhone. But then, because he’s Alton freaking Brown he takes it a step further, and uses a top-down perspective for all of the photos. Now for non-photographers out there, just know, this is an incredibly difficult angle to shoot at. There are lighting issues, shadows can be a nightmare, you’re left wondering what kind of masochist would do this? Alton Brown, that’s who. It shows how much he cares. This is no cookie-cutter cookbook – it’s uniquely his.
The recipes are amazing. The photography’s delightful. Pick up a copy.
Note: Fans have found some typos in the book (nobody’s perfect). A full list of corrections can be found here. And while a 2nd printing will of course fix all of these, if you grab a copy now, you’ll have a cool collector’s edition with a few fun Easter Eggs.
See sample pages from this book at Wink.
Alton Brown: EveryDayCook
Alton Brown
Ballantine Books
2016, 256 pages, 9.3 x 9.3 x 1 inches (hardcover)
