The Piglet Cookbook Tournament is fast approaching, and this year, we're shaking things up a bit. Inspired both by suggestions from the Food52 community and by the amazing lot of cookbooks out this year, we will be featuring a Community Pick on each day of the Piglet. And since you're the community, we'll need your help in reviewing some of this year's most-loved cookbooks.
Want to get involved? Call dibs on your favorite in the comment section below (up to 5 testers per book, please), and the rest is simple: order your book, test out a few recipes, maybe cook a meal or two, and send us your reviews by January 30th. Reviews should be under 500 words and explain what you liked about the book, why the recipes worked (or didn't), and what sets the cookbook apart from others. Most importantly, make it a great read. Just like we do for our contests, we'll pick the best community review for each book and feature it on the site. Now get cooking -- and be sure to tell us all about it!Â
Modernist Cuisine at Home by Nathan Myhrvold & Maxime Bilet
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Joy the Baker Cookbook:100 Simple and Comforting Recipes by Joy Wilson
Cook Fight: 2 Cooks, 12 Challenges, 125 Recipes, an Epic Battle for Kitchen Dominance by Julia Moskin & Kim Severson Â
Afield: A Chef's Guide to Preparing and Cooking Wild Game and Fish by Jesse Griffiths
Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza by Ken Forkish
The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee: Growing, Roasting, and Drinking, with Recipes by James Freeman, Caitlin Freeman & Tara Duggan
Faviken by Magnus Nilsson
The Art of Cooking Vegetables by Alain PassardÂ
Gran Cocina Latina: The Food of Latin America by Maricel E. Presilla
Ripe by Nigel Slater
The Piglet—inspired by The Morning News' Tournament of Books—is where the 16 most notable cookbooks of the year face off in a NCAA-style bracketed tournament. Watch the action and weigh in on the results!
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Written by: Marian Bull
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109 Comments
Kenzi W.
January 29, 2013
Hi everyone! Just a reminder that all Community Picks reviews are due by tomorrow, January 30th, in order to be considered. Can't wait to read them all!
CamillaMMann
January 29, 2013
Emailed my review on Sunday. Can't wait to read what everyone else wrote!
aargersi
January 29, 2013
Me too - Kenzi I sent from another email address and not sure I SIGNED it - I will send a follow-up email in a few to make sure you guys know that was me ...
Kenzi W.
January 7, 2013
Hi all, since some of you have still been asking, I'm reposting my comment from below: We're full! Thanks everyone, we can't wait to read the reviews!
But by all means, please test if you like -- your takes will be welcome in the comments when we start releasing the reviews.
But by all means, please test if you like -- your takes will be welcome in the comments when we start releasing the reviews.
Lynne F.
January 5, 2013
Hi, guys. Super idea to get everyone involved in the Piglet. Don't mean to strain the process, but could you publish a list of confirmed contributors? I asked for Gran Cocina Latina when there was room (I think!), just wanted to make sure it's a go before I turn my family into guinea pigs, lol.
Kenzi W.
January 5, 2013
Someone asked this on the other thread, and this was my response: since this is operating just like Community Picks for a contest would, we're sticking with our guideline to keep reviewers private so that people will feel comfortable giving honest reviews. But yes, I have you down! Looking forward to the review.
Kenzi W.
January 4, 2013
We're full! Thanks everyone, we can't wait to read the reviews!
CamillaMMann
January 4, 2013
Kenzi, just wanted to make sure I'm reviewing Afield. When I asked if there was still room, you said 'yes'. But before I wrote that I'd take it, I saw your announcement that you're full. Please just let me know. Thanks!
Joel M.
January 4, 2013
I'd take on Faviken if I had some leeway to alter ingredients if necessary (access could be a problem)...
Kenzi W.
January 4, 2013
UPDATE: We have one slot left for Afield, otherwise, everything is full. Thanks to everyone for taking part!
Kenzi W.
January 4, 2013
New rule of thumb for book-claiming: if I haven't told you otherwise, consider yourself in! So excited to see so much enthusiasm for this.
There'sAlwaysPie
January 4, 2013
I will test out the Blue Bottle Cookbook if there is still availability..
Kenzi W.
January 4, 2013
UPDATE: The only books with slots left are Faviken, Blue Bottle, Afield, and Modernist Cuisine. Happy testing!
hardlikearmour
January 4, 2013
Could you compile the 2 posts on Piglet Community Picks? Maybe also do an update showing the testers of each book? I just went through both posts and found the only books w/o the full allotment of testers are: Afield and Faviken. In addition several books have more than 5 dibs-callers: Flour Water Salt Yeast, Joy the Baker, Cook Fight, and Gran Cocina Latina.
jenniebgood
January 4, 2013
Agreed - I signed up for Cook Fight some time ago. Hope I'm down for that one.
Lynne F.
January 4, 2013
I just bought it for myself as a Christmas present so, if it's possible, I'd love to review Gran Cucina Latina.
Elea W.
January 4, 2013
I'd love to be part of Faviken if possible- I picked this up last month and fell head over heels in love with it!
brooklynsam
January 4, 2013
Count me in as another request for Flour Water Salt Yeast! If that's not available, I would like to try the Joy the Baker Cookbook.
Catherine K.
January 4, 2013
Hi Kenzi - I commented about an hour ago for Joy the Baker (below) but not sure if I'm in? Hope so!
singing_baker
December 10, 2012
I would love to do modernist cuisine at home! I don't think there are five testers yet.
AntoniaJames
December 3, 2012
I'll test "Flour Water Salt Yeast." My sons and I will be baking/cooking up a storm when they're back for the holidays, plus, I've been wanting for awhile to work with other kinds of starters, so the timing could not be more perfect. ;o)
FoodieFlirt
December 2, 2012
Carolyn Z: Yes, the Blue Bottle book has 90+pages of recipes. - a large portion of them are food recipes vs beverage recipes. HTH.
AntoniaJames
December 3, 2012
Carolyn Z, if you click through from the link above to the Amazon page, you can "Search Inside this Book" to see the entire table of contents. I've been a regular patron of the Blue Bottle Coffee flagship/roasting facility in the East Bay for quite awhile, where they sell many of the treats the recipes for which are in the book. So go for it! ;o)
Heather M.
December 1, 2012
I'd like to review Joy the Baker Cookbook, if there aren't 5 signed up! :)
duclosbe1
December 1, 2012
I'd love to review the Joy the Baker Cookbook--I have made a few recipes from it already, and I'd love to get back into the food52 community!
MzEvaD
December 1, 2012
I'll take Modernist @ Home! I've been playing around with this stuff already, and I'd like to take it more seriously.
Brooke G.
November 28, 2012
I'll take Afield! Just bought it, excited to see Jesse & Jody's art! Already adore them, being an Austinite; I want to try out the recipes we have at Dai Due Supper Clubs & at the Farmer's markets!!
Kenzi W.
November 28, 2012
So thrilled to have you all be testing! If you've commented so far, we have you marked down for your book.
LLStone
November 27, 2012
Gosh, it's a hard choice between a couple of these, but please add me to the list to test Flour Water Salt Yeast. I'll fire up the wood burning oven and do my best to take good photos!
cookinginvictoria
November 27, 2012
I would love to test The Art of Cooking Vegetables, please! All of these titles sound wonderful.
aargersi
November 27, 2012
I am in for Afield! Dispatching the nephews and their guns right now ... and we already have dove and venison waiting ... here ducky ducky ducky!!!!!
LucyS
November 27, 2012
Aargersi, this comment makes me super jealous. You have nephews to do your game meat-fetching? Amazing.
aargersi
November 27, 2012
Hey LucyS - I do indeed! Well, they hunt, I mooch more like. Either way, I get a cut of the critters. Ha! Get it? A cut! OK that was bad ....
juliana
November 27, 2012
I'd love to review Ripe! I love Tender and Nigel Slater. I've been looking for an excuse to get the book too!
LucyS
November 27, 2012
I'd like to review Gran Cocina Latina please!! It looks like there are only 3 other testers so far....
AshleyLC
November 27, 2012
I'd love to review Cook Fight. Very interesting take on the usual cookbook format.
alygator
November 27, 2012
I would also love to review Flour Water Salt Yeast. It was actually on my Christmas wish list so you have given me a chance to treat myself!
alygator
November 27, 2012
I would also love to review Flour Water Salt Yeast, too. It is on my Christmas wish list already so you have given me the go ahead to buy myself a treat!
hardlikearmour
November 27, 2012
I'll take Flour Water Salt Yeast. I do love me some Ken's Artisan yummies!
Cristina S.
November 27, 2012
Ripe! I am in love with this book anyway, so I'm happy to keep cooking/rave about it.
China M.
November 27, 2012
I'd love to test out Allain Passard's The Art of Cooking with Vegetables!
Greenstuff
November 27, 2012
Wow! I can't imagine how a cook in Berkeley, California is going to pull off "local" ingredients from northern Sweden, but I'm in for Faviken.
fiveandspice
November 27, 2012
I would love to review Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee! I was looking for an excuse to order it.
Carolyn Z.
December 1, 2012
Me too. Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee. Does it have many recipes? I tried to check on Amazon ...
FoodieFlirt
December 2, 2012
Carolyn Z: Yes, the a Blue Bottle book has 90+ pages of recipes. Most of them are food recipes vs. drink recipes. HTH.
Tarragon
November 27, 2012
I'd like to test Gran Cocina Latina. Thank you!
MaryMaryCulinary
November 27, 2012
Me too! I am excitedly waiting for it. It's not often I order a cookbook sight unseen but I just couldn't resist this one.
See what other Food52 readers are saying.