America's Test Kitchen is known for its television show, magazines and many cookbooks showcasing exhaustively tested and carefully written recipes. 100 Recipes is a selection that "not only covers the bases in terms of what skills and techniques ought to be at the fingertips of a good home cook, it's also a list of... recipes where we think that the test kitchen has added real value and has explored new territory." The book is organized into "Absolute Essentials" (Scrambled Eggs, Roast Chicken, Blueberry Pie), "Surprising Essentials" (Poached Salmon, Vegetarian Chili, Yellow Layer Cake) and "Global Essentials" (Chicken Tagine, Vietnamese Pho, Latin American Flan). It's broken down further with 20 top-five recipe lists for different types of cooks, including budget-minded, health-minded, kids, vegetarians and "tired." A section on conversions and equivalents and a fine index complete this perfect package: a solid choice for any beginner or for experienced cooks looking for a new trick or two. --Sara Catterall