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Notice of Public Meeting: Kalamazoo Public Library Board of Trustees | July 27 | 5:30 pm | Central Library/Van Deusen Room. The packet of information for the meeting can be found on the library’s website. 

NOTICE: Due to a power outage, Oshtemo Branch Library is closed Tuesday, July 21 until further notice.  

Book

Obsessed with the best : 100+ methodically perfected recipes : based on 20+ head-to-head tests

Call Number

  • 641.5 Q88 (CEN, EAS, OSH)

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Edition

First edition.

Publication Information

New York, NY : William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2026]

Physical Description

373 pages : color illustrations ; 26 cm

Summary

Obsessed with the Best presents food writer Ella Quittner's systematic exploration of cooking and baking techniques. Drawing on her "Absolute Best Tests" series, Quittner compares multiple methods for preparing common dishes, reporting the results of 24 structured tests. The book includes more than 100 recipes that emphasize foundational techniques and variations designed to maximize flavor. Alongside dishes ranging from biscuits and roast chicken to vegetables and desserts, Quittner incorporates brief reported essays about people and culinary traditions connected to the pursuit of "the best." The work blends practical instruction with culinary research, offering readers both tested guidance and contextual stories about cooking practices.

Contents

  • List of recipes
  • Introduction to the book, and what you will need
  • A note on ingredients
  • Where to begin?
  • From the ground or nearby
  • Attention-seekers
  • Desserts to eat in bed, or standing over the sink or seated like a lady
  • You got to the end! : now take a break from trying to be perfect.

Subjects