Explains cook wear the best ( )

I bought this book just after I started my first professional job and had a kitchen of my very own to stock. And like many I had no idea what the heck to buy! or why I should buy it or anything else. Trust Alton to save my sanity. Alton doesn't tell you what brands or models to buy (he even suggests that you look at something like Consumer Reports for that.) No what Alton does is walk you through what types of things you might want in your kitchen, why you might want them, and what types of things you should look for in the products--just like he does on his show.

Each chapter is broken down into the various types of things (small appliances, pots, knives, etc) and Alton begins with what types of the items he has in his kitchen along with what he would save if there was a fire (in other words what he thinks is really necessary.) He puts it in simple easy to understand language of what to look for (what type of metal should it be made out of and why; what types of options it should have; etc), while sharing his own experiences with what he has and why he has it along the way.

This book still sits on my book shelf and when I start thinking about a new piece of kitchen equipment that I need, whether or a pot or an appliance, I pick up this book and get some ideas of what the heck to look for. I highly recommend this book for anyone starting out on their own or just looking at upgrading their kitchen. ( )

Surprisingly enough, there is such a thing as an entertaining and funny book about kitchen supplies. In Gear for Your Kitchen Alton Brown breaks down all of the necessary (and sometimes not quite necessary) items that home cooks need for their kitchens. While he rarely recommends specific brands of products he does make a point of going through specific advantages and disadvantages of the equipment and to look for when buying. Unitaskers are shunned (with the exception of his bean frencher) in favor of utensils that can perform several functions. For example, why own a melon baller and an ice cream scoop when a spring-loaded disher will do both, as well as scoop mashed potatoes and muffin batter and make perfectly sculpted meatballs?

The best part of Brown’s book is the culinary uses he finds for non-kitchen items. His bench scraper is a sheetrock knife. His pie server is a mortar trowel. Instead of spending 30 dollars on a pizza stone, he bought a piece of unglazed quarry tile for 99 cents at a hardware store. The tips and tricks Brown offers for manipulating everyday kitchen tools are clever and inventive.

The recipes in Gear for Your Kitchen are few and far between. But this is not a cookbook. Think of it as music theory for chefs. Music theory won’t show anyone how to play a specific instrument, but it will give you the foundation for music making. Likewise this book doesn’t teach anyone how to cook. Instead, it gives the basic knowledge you need to create a kitchen that will help you become a better cook. ( )

Excellent book with practical advice for the home cook regarding kitchen tools. Alton preaches a discipline of a kitchen stripped down to its bare essentials, forsaking single use gadgets (in most cases) for more utilitarian fares. You'll be surprised at some of the practices he preaches - in addition to shopping at a real kitchen supply store, he also seems to spend about equal time shopping at Home Depot and the local Walmart garden center for tools, and saving a bundle while he does it.

This book works best as a shelf reference book, and would work great as a gift for a young person new to cooking. The more experienced home cook might want to get it from the local library to get some new ideas on kitchen tools. ( )

If you ever needed to know what you need and don't need in your kitchen, this is the book. Alton Brown reviews almost every piece of kitchen equipment known and tells what's the best for the job and why along with why some things are not that great. This is a must for anyone that cares about pots and pans and knives and everything else and wants function over looks. ( )