Calling All Foodies! The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs

January 14, 2019
goodreadswithronna
Children's Book Reviews, Cookbook, Diet & Nutrition, Growing Up & Facts of Life, Health, Middle Grade Nonfiction

THE COMPLETE COOKBOOK FOR YOUNG CHEFS
by America’s Test Kitchen
Interior photography by America’s Test Kitchen
Interior illustrations by Sourcebooks, Inc.
(Sourcebooks Jabberwocky; $19.99, Ages 8-12)

★Starred Review – Booklist
The #1 New York Times Best Seller
An Amazon Best Book of 2018

Middle-grade foodie or picky eater? The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs, a National and Regional Indie Bestseller from America’s Test Kitchen, works for both kinds of kid. Foodies will enjoy testing their know-how; picky eaters get involved in the process, opening doors to new foods. The text guides the inexperienced, starting with the basics: “read carefully, stay focused, practice safety, mistakes are OK.” Tools, kitchen lingo, and how to best do things are explained. Fancy touches such as garnishing and plating make dishes shine.

int artwork + photography from The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America's Test Kitchen — Interior spread from The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs by America’s Test Kitchen with Interior photography by America’s Test Kitchen and Interior illustrations by Sourcebooks, Inc, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky ©2018.

Beautiful color photos accompany the 100+ kid-tested and kid-approved recipes. Each is rated with one to three chef hats to quickly identify the difficulty level (more hats = more complexity). Symbols also note whether the recipe requires a knife, microwave, stovetop, oven, or if no knives or heat are necessary. For example, hummus is a one-hat, no knife/heat recipe, whereas Mexican Street Corn warrants three hats, the use of a knife, microwave, and oven. Using the Tea, No Kettle method, my daughter tried steeping tea bags at room temperature to make tea without bitter notes and that worked really well. I also found the suggestion in Decorating Cupcakes to keep sprinkles within the cookie cutter a clever idea and would recommend this anyone, especially to add a special design touch.

The book concludes by explaining the US Department of Agriculture’s MyPlate illustration to help kids recognize the major food groups and portioning. Each Complete Cookbook recipe has a caloric and nutritional breakdown in an easy-reference chart, a no-pressure way for kids to read about choices they can make each day. Also mentioned are the benefits of eating with others, exercising, and understanding that “it’s about good habits—not perfection.” These important messages communicate that we make a difference in our lives, one choice at a time.

Click here for America’s Test Kitchen kids website.