Testing methods for making ice cream vessels requires patience and persistence, but the results are worth it.
April 5, 2012 Associate books editor Dan Zuccarello removes a just-cooled ice cream cone from its shaping apparatus before transferring it to a bin holding the rest of the in-development recipe's yield. Tweet | Permalink
When a dish's name is synonymous with "ho-hum," it's up to our photo team to make sure it looks its best.
April 4, 2012 In preparation for a special issues shoot, photo team test cook Chris O'Connor sears up the sides of a skillet roast as potatoes destined to be smashed and served as a side boil away on the stovetop. Tweet | Permalink
Getting a great grilled look on a nice steak is fine, but for our money, we'll test grill pans by other means.
April 3, 2012 Tasting and testing associate editor Amy Graves examines burn marks on one of several wooden blocks used in testing a variety of cast iron grill pans. Stay tuned for the results! Tweet | Permalink
We make sure our ingredients measure up before prepping them to be photographed.
April 2, 2012 Test kitchen intern Blaire Newhard uses a ruler to measure the thickness of each one of a row of beef short ribs to determine which are optimally sized to look best on camera ahead of a photo shoot. Tweet | Permalink
What to do when you can't buy cookies from former Brownies? Make your own!
March 30, 2012 Book team test cook Rebecca Morris cuts rounds off a log of chilled chocolate cookie dough while testing a recipe for a homemade take on Thin Mints, the classic Girl Scout cookies. Tweet | Permalink
When you've got a recipe that could go any direction, a five-recipe test is the best way to pick a lane.
March 29, 2012 From left, test kitchen manager Erin McMurrer, Cook's Illustrated associate editor Dan Souza and Cook's Illustrated assistant test cook Celeste Rogers plate up components of several different approaches to a French-inspired recipe for a whole poached chicken. Tweet | Permalink
Even when you're surrounded by food all day, sometimes you've got to do your own thing at lunchtime.
March 28, 2012 Cook's Country senior editor Bryan Roof cuts up some slices of smoked salmon to put in a mid-day salad, currently in the bowl at bottom left. (But why make your own lunch when the kitchen's churning out food all day, you ask? Believe it or not, test-tasting the same dishes over the course of their development isn't always so much fun. Check out an account of the experience here.) Tweet | Permalink
Those holes on your sweet snack crackers aren't just for show, you know.
March 27, 2012 Book team test cook Kate Williams uses a wooden skewer to poke holes in (or, in cooking lingo, "dock") a tray of soon-to-be graham crackers. This process not only gives the finished product its signature appearance, it also keeps large air bubbles from forming in the dough during cooking, keeping your crackers nice and flat. Tweet | Permalink
Testing a recipe that everyone's grandmother has supposedly perfected means making tons of samples.
March 26, 2012 Cook's Illustrated associate editor Andrew Janjigian drains oil from a couple of latkes (as another latke recipe is prepared on the next range over) during preparation for a five-recipe test of the classic potato pancakes. Tweet | Permalink
We're making some interesting discoveries as we re-work comfort food classics.
March 23, 2012 From left, executive food editor for books Julia Collin Davison, book team test cook Danielle DeSiato-Hallman and associate books editor Christie Morrison peel cheese off of an order of take-out nachos in an effort to find out how much of the promised beef topping is actually present during a "field test" of popular restaurant dishes, part of the recipe development process for an upcoming book of made-over comfort food recipes. Tweet | Permalink
