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February 11, 2012
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Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen

Cook's Country From America's Test Kitchen

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In their new series, the cast and crew of America’s Test Kitchen crash the headquarters of Cook’s Country magazine, a renovated 1806 farmhouse with a working test kitchen, a live studio audience, two barns and the odd neighbor with a knack for stopping by with urgent cooking problems.

In Cook’s Country From America’s Test Kitchen, the familiar team from public television’s most-watched cooking show revisits recipes from the American repertoire, including lost recipes (chocolate blackout cake), regional favorites (California barbecued tri-tip) and new classics (raspberry chiffon pie). Christopher Kimball, Bridget Lancaster, Julia Collin-Davison, Jack Bishop and Adam Ried bring their same no-nonsense approach to cooking as they reconstruct time-honored, family-friendly recipes for the home cook.

The testers and tasters at Cook’s Country turn a frugal eye toward the most reliable and cost-effective cookware, kitchen tools and supermarket foods over the course of four segments: Cook’s Country Recipes with Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin-Davison, Food Tastings with Jack Bishop, Equipment Testing with Adam Ried and Test Kitchen Tips and Techniques.

In the recipe segments, chefs Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin-Davison cook America’s favorite recipes from Cook’s Country magazine with host Christopher Kimball. Bridget and Julia deconstruct each recipe to reveal the Cook’s Country test kitchen secrets to foolproof cooking at home. Next, Jack Bishop challenges Christopher Kimball to taste supermarket staples in front of a live audience, and then reveals the test kitchen’s top recommendations for potato chips, jarred spaghetti sauce, orange juice and more.

Later, equipment expert Adam Ried takes Kimball through his unbiased selections — from dish detergents to inexpensive stand mixers and essential kitchen gadgets. In the tips segment, Kimball shares practical suggestions and techniques designed to make home cooking easier. Topics include: cleaning and caring for cast-iron cookware, buying and cooking beef roasts and the top-10 baking mistakes (and how to avoid them).

Distributed by: American Public Television (APT)

Adam Ried

Adam Ried is the keeper of the Equipment Corner on America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen.

Bridget Lancaster

Bridget Lancaster is the executive food editor for TV and radio of Cook’s Country magazine, currently responsible for all recipe testing and development in Cook’s Country and an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen.

Chris Kimball

Chris Kimball is the host of America’s Test Kitchen, a public television cooking show now in its eleventh season, and host and executive producer of Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen, which debuted in September 2008.

Jack Bishop

Jack Bishop is the editorial director of America’s Test Kitchen. He is the tasting lab expert on America’s Test Kitchen, the top-rated public television cooking show, and Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen, which debuted in September 2008.

Julia Collin Davison

Julia Collin Davison is a senior editor for the books division of America’s Test Kitchen and is an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen. She is also a cast member of the Cook’s Country TV show.

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Sunday Dinner
#102
Test Kitchen Tips and Techniques: Christopher Kimball takes the mystery out of buying beef roasts and recommends the best cooking application for each cut. Sunday Best Garlic Roast Beef: Bridget Lancaster makes garlic roast beef, a classic Sunday dinner, with an inexpensive roast rather than a traditional (and more costly) prime cut. Mashed Potato Casserole: Julia Collin-Davison combats bland, gluey and dense potatoes with the test kitchen's secrets to achieving a fluffy and creamy mashed potato casserole without sacrificing convenience. Equipment Testing: Adam Ried tests regular and environmentally friendly liquid dish soaps and discovers that some of these household staples are "cleaner" than others.

Feeding A Crowd, Italian-Style
#103
Meatballs and Marinara: Bridget Lancaster uses nontraditional methods to make tender and moist meatballs then serves them with a rich, yet easy-to-make, marinara. Sunday Gravy: Julia Collin-Davison streamlines the process of making Italian gravy (a hearty, slow-simmered tomato sauce cooked with everything from meatballs to pork chops) without sacrificing taste or texture by using a slow cooker. Equipment Testing: Adam Ried pits eight inexpensive pans against the test kitchen's favorite top-of-the-line saucepan. Can the $20 pan outperform the $200 one? Tasting: Christopher Kimball taste-tests jarred spaghetti sauces in front of a live audience while Jack Bishop reveals tasters' likes and dislikes.

Southern Regional Recipes
#104
Lexington-Style Pulled Pork: Bridget Lancaster simplifies the classic recipe for authentic Lexington-style pulled pork by combining grilling and oven-roasting. Memphis Coleslaw: Julia Collin-Davison employs a sweet mustard dressing and a splash of vinegar when making Memphis chopped coleslaw, a barbecue joint staple. Equipment: Adam Ried tests seven indoor grills priced under $80 and reveals which models meet test-kitchen standards. Tasting: Jack Bishop asks Christopher Kimball to sample boiled hot dogs in front of a live audience to determine which has the best "snap" and meaty flavor.

Autumn Supper
#105
Old-Fashioned Pork Roast: Bridget Lancaster teaches Christopher Kimball the test kitchen tricks to cooking a moist, flavorful and affordable pork roast. Cranberry Apple Crisp: Julia Collin-Davison shares the test kitchen secrets to achieving the right balance of flavors and discovers how to avoid a soggy crisp. Equipment: Only the test kitchen would measure the output efficiency - the amount of pepper yielded per twist - of pepper mills. Adam Ried explains to Christopher Kimball the hallmarks of a good pepper mill.

All-American Picnic
#106
Extra-Crunchy Fried Chicken: Bridget Lancaster proves to Christopher Kimball it is possible to make extra-crunchy, yet juicy, fried chicken at home. All-American Potato Salad: Julia Collin-Davison shares secrets to turning a usually mushy and bland barbecue staple into a flavorful potato salad. 60-Second Cooking Class: Test kitchen director Erin McMurrer demonstrates the perfect way to hard-cook eggs. Tasting: Christopher Kimball taste-tests potato chips in front a live audience while Jack Bishop explains why the right combination of three basic ingredients - potatoes, oil and salt - makes a difference. Test Kitchen Tips and Techniques: Christopher Kimball demonstrates how to season, maintain, recondition and clean cast-iron cookware, used in home kitchens for centuries.

Easy As Pie
#107
Pat-in-Pan Pastry and Raspberry Chiffon Pie: Throw away those rolling pins! Bridget Lancaster tops off a foolproof pat-in-the-pan pastry crust with a light, fluffy and fruity raspberry chiffon pie. Tasting: Christopher Kimball taste-tests store-bought pie crusts in front of a live audience while Jack Bishop reveals whether convenience brands stack up against a flaky, buttery homemade pie crust.

Steakhouse Favorites
#108
Broiled Steaks: Bridget Lancaster broils steaks in the oven and reveals the secrets to creating a perfect sear without the benefit of a skillet or a grill. Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes: Julia Collin-Davison translates a steakhouse recipe for stuffed baked potatoes for the home cook. (The trick: use one extra potato.) Equipment: Adam Ried sets out to prove the value of reasonably priced steak knives to a dubious Christopher Kimball. Find out which ones make the cut. Test Kitchen Tips and Techniques: Christopher Kimball describes the different kinds of steak cuts and provides tips on buying them.

Barbecued Chicken
#109
Classic Barbecued Chicken: Bridget Lancaster shows host Christopher Kimball the foolproof way to grill this notoriously challenging summer dish. Best Potluck Mac and Cheese: Julia Collin-Davison bakes a creamy, sturdy and rich casserole-style macaroni and cheese. Tasting: Jack Bishop challenges Christopher Kimball to taste-test bottled barbecue sauces in front of a live audience and reveals that the bottled varieties are as good as barbecue sauce made-from-scratch.

Regional Chops
#110
Smoked Double-Thick Pork Chops: Bridget Lancaster solves the problems associated with grilling double-thick pork chops and shows Christopher Kimball the test kitchen's method for grilling chops with great taste, good color and maximum tenderness. Tennessee Whiskey-Glazed Pork Chops: Julia Collin-Davison reinvents this restaurant dish for the home cook by using a single skillet to maximize real whiskey flavor and avoid coating the chops with an overly sweet barbecue sauce. Equipment Testing: Adam Ried walks Christopher Kimball through the test kitchen's recommendations for the best kitchen gadgets and describes the importance of each to the serious home cook.

Midwestern Favorites
#111
Chicago Ribs: This slow-and-low cooking method - smoked at about 200 degrees for at least eight hours - delivers the moist, tender meat that defines Chicago ribs. Intrepid Bridget Lancaster figures out how to replicate the same method at home in half the time. Cincinnati Chili: Julia Collin-Davison streamlines this regional concoction of chili served over spaghetti and often topped with beans, onion, oyster crackers, cheddar cheese and even hot dogs. Tasting: Jack Bishop asks Christopher Kimball to taste-test cheddar cheese in front of a live audience to find out if supermarket brands can compete with the pricier farmhouse brands, particularly those from his home state of Vermont.

California Grilling
#112
California Barbecued Tri-Tip, Barbecued Beans, and Santa Maria Salsa: Bridget Lancaster shows Christopher Kimball how the test kitchen translated the regional recipe for California Barbecued Tri-Tip (a large tri-tip cut of beef seasoned with only salt, pepper and garlic) to work on any grill and serves it up with barbecued beans and an authentic Santa Maria salsa. Tasting: Jack Bishop prompts Christopher Kimball to taste supermarket salsas, jarred and fresh, in front of a live audience to determine if store-bought brands can compete with homemade salsa. General Ideas: Christopher Kimball presents the test kitchen's top recommendations for essential grilling gadgets and gear and demonstrates the benefits of each.