"Modernist Cuisine at Home" by Myhrvold and Bilet

[JBailey]

Ordered day 1 and after seeing the list of chapters from Chris, very happy I did so! Now comes the wait...

[jmolinari]

The index/recipes look awesome. Can't wait

[ScottyBoy]

Oh, what's this? A little desert in the end eh?

[Chris Hennes]

Yeah, they thought a cookbook for home cooks seemed odd without it, so they expanded on their custard work from the original Modernist Cuisine.

[Charcuterer]

I think the chapter on carnitas has me the most excited. All of those recipes look like something I would love to try. The item for "frozen steak" has me intrigued too.

[nathanm]

I am glad that everybody is excited! The content is arguably all new. Most recipes are totally new, the only possible exception one could argue on the margin is that we have new versions of some recipes like mac and cheese and caramelized carrot soup. Literally speaking they are new becaues we changed the recipe - for example, we no longer call for carrageenan in the mac and cheese, and simplified it in some other ways. We simplifed the carrot soup, but more important, we added new soups that use the same technique with other vegetables.

We tried to pick recipes that illustrated important technques, so you can build on them to make all sorts of variations. As somebody commented up thread, our main point with MC was technique - yes there are lots of recipes but the technique and understanding was our top priority.

in MCAH we still like technique but we are more recipe focussed. We also tried to make the recipes focus on less formal food - in MC we have recipes from Thomas Keller, Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal which are great, but are of the nature of dishes served at those high end places. That isn't really what people at home tend to cook and eat. So MCAH has chicken wings, steaks, roast chicken and other much simpler and less formal fare.

To answer a couple questions above, the page size is the same as MC - the hardcover volume is bascially the same size as MC volumes. The MCAH kitchen manual (with washable waterproof paper) is the same page size as the one for MC. The box for the boxed set now includes a place for the kitchen manual, but it isn't made of acrylic, because that proved to be too expensive.

The frozen steak is very cool dish - you cook a steak directly from its frozen state, without defrosting first. The carnitas recipe is great too, but then again, I have a built in bias - if I don't think a recipe is great, it doesn't go in the book.

Unlike with MC we ordered a lot of them up front, so we are not thinking that there will be shortages. But having shown that I am bad at forecasting before, it's not clear how much credibility that has .

So far Amazon has had the book at list price, but I suspect that it will drop lower before the book ships (MC certainly did, and almost all books do). The way Amazon ordering works, if you order early you automatically get the benefit of any price drop between the time you ordered and the time the book ships.

[ScottyBoy]

Awesomesauce!

Very cool that it's a worthwhile addition for those of us with the full set.

And it only took 2 hours today to get some people onboard with a pre order that weren't up to buy the big boy books.

Edited June 27, 2012 by ScottyBoy (log)

[Charcuterer]

Pre-ordered! I told my wife that for my birthday I would love a copy of MCaH and she went right in and placed the pre-order. Shame that it comes out almost 2 months after my birthday. Oh, well I have it to look forward to.

Thanks for the reply Nathan it's always good to hear from you.

[Broken English]

I wonder why Chris Young isn't involved in this project.

[coz]

Thanks Nathan I'm excited for your new book! I'm certain it will be another hit.

[md8232]

I've preordered MCAH and after working my way midpoint thru the Cooking With thread ordered MC last night.

I'd like to know if MC or MCAH include calorie counts?

[Chris Hennes]

The original MC does not, so I'd doubt if MCAH does.

[ACST]

I just found out about is and I'm absolutely psyched about this. Finally a version I can afford (kinda), can't wait for it.

[laharre]

I love the original set. I definitely will be getting this, as it seems they're trying to make more of the recipes applicable to a home kitchen. I at present only have a water bath and pressure cooker as far as modernist equipment goes. I'd like to see them take on baking next, or possibly a book on understanding the processes behind "do it yourself" food preparations (brewing/cheesemaking/other fermented foods/canning).

[Baselerd]

I love the original set. I definitely will be getting this, as it seems they're trying to make more of the recipes applicable to a home kitchen. I at present only have a water bath and pressure cooker as far as modernist equipment goes. I'd like to see them take on baking next, or possibly a book on understanding the processes behind "do it yourself" food preparations (brewing/cheesemaking/other fermented foods/canning).

The original MC has sections on canning, modernist cheese making (although not hugely comprehensive) and some fermented foods (and faux-fermented using Fermento).

[thayes1c]

Any other preorderers getting antsy waiting for the price to drop? I mean, I'm sure it's worth the sticker price but the release is just a few weeks away and I'd figured to would've dropped by now.

[chefmd]

Check out book depository with current price 105 and free delivery.

http://www.bookdepository.com/Modernist-Cuisine-Nathan-Myhrvold/9780982761014

[rotuts]

great Tip

Ill go there!

[Kerry Beal]

$86.12 at Amazon.ca

[rotuts]

Interesting. AmazonUSA hasnt dropped yet! have to keep a close eye on this!

prize offered to first to spot Amazon USA price drop! (TBD)

[Todd in Chicago]

I placed my pre-order the day it was announced without hesitation; and I'm the proud owner of one of the first 500 copies in the US of the original set... :-).

Hmmmm....yes, I would expect to see a price drop. Based on what was posted about the "Book Depository", I may place my order there instead as $35 could almost buy a whole other "normal" cookbook! (I think I have a cookbook problem).

I am totally not familiar with the Book Depository; is this legit and do they have a history?

Cheers...

Todd in Chicago

[Shelby]

Oh man, I've wanted to buy the main set so badly, but I can't justify the cost (yet). This is still expensive, but far more do-able. I'M IN!!!!!!!!!!

[rotuts]

I imagine if those Canadians can discount it so will the amazonians south of the border.

I think Amazon notifies you just before the ship the book so you can cancel if you find it elsewhere cheaper, but not sure.

dont know about the B.D.

of course a Sturdy Soul could take a Big Hit for the Team ( its football day in America ) and call Amazon:

Edited September 23, 2012 by rotuts (log)

[jmolinari]

Would it be better to wait for revision 2, with errata/typo corrections like MC original set? Just sayin'......

(PS i love MC, just miffed by the errors).

[Merkinz]

Would it be better to wait for revision 2, with errata/typo corrections like MC original set? Just sayin'......

(PS i love MC, just miffed by the errors).

I imagine they made bigger runs of this new book so you may be waiting a while! ... and at least they do provide an erratas page, I'm looking your way Ferran Adria