"Where Cooking Begins" by Carla Lalli Music
The beloved Bon Appétit editor’s first cookbook
by Patrick JanelleMy fondest memories of working with Carla Lalli Music, who helms the Bon Appétit test kitchen, are centered around the "free table," where snacks and goodies were dropped after deliveries from PR companies and office-wide celebrations.
Carla was always down to chat, and she was never too good to join me for a taste of whatever bizarre morsel presented itself. Since then—along with a few of the other test kitchen staff—she’s become a hit on the BA YouTube channel. Her first cookbook, Where Cooking Begins, which is filled with that same down-to-earth, practical approach that I fell in love with in the art department, is a culmination of everything she has learned—and taught—at the illustrious magazine.
The cookbook, with gorgeous images by Gentl and Hyers (also frequent BA contributors) and prop styling by Carla’s own sister, Nina, is filled with 270 pages of approachable, updated classics. In addition to listing ingredients in the usual manner, each recipe makes it easy to game plan the prep by grouping ingredients in several categories: pantry staples, fresh market purchases, and—should you choose—more exotic ingredients for putting a spin on the basic recipe. The first quarter of the book is devoted to explaining techniques, acting as a primer for roasting, steaming, boiling and confiting. And in a nice design touch, the primer pages are printed on matte paper, creating a tactile contrast with the glossy recipe pages.
Since publishing, the book has become a hit and instant classic. One more reason to love Carla.