Cook’s Country and America’s Test Kitchen are two closely related brands that provide extensive cooking advice through magazines, TV shows, websites, and books. Though they have many similarities, there are some key differences between the two brands.
Quick Answers
Here are quick answers to some common questions about the differences between Cook’s Country and America’s Test Kitchen:
- Ownership: Both are owned by the same company, Boston Common Press.
- Editorial Staff: The editorial staffs overlap significantly between the two brands.
- Mission: Cook’s Country focuses on traditional American recipes and ingredients while America’s Test Kitchen covers a broader range of cuisines and techniques.
- Tone: Cook’s Country has a more laidback, country-kitchen vibe compared to the more detailed, scientific approach of America’s Test Kitchen.
- Recipes: There is some recipe overlap between the two, but each brand offers many unique recipes.
- Media Focus: America’s Test Kitchen publishes magazines and books while Cook’s Country is more TV-focused.
Ownership and History
Cook’s Country and America’s Test Kitchen were both founded by the same company, Boston Common Press. America’s Test Kitchen was founded first in 1992 while Cook’s Country debuted in 2004.
Christopher Kimball was an original founder of America’s Test Kitchen and became editor-in-chief of Cook’s Country when it launched. In 2016, Kimball left both brands after not being able to come to an agreement over his contract.
Despite Kimball’s departure, both Cook’s Country and America’s Test Kitchen have continued on successfully under the ownership and direction of Boston Common Press.
Editorial Staff
There is significant overlap in editorial staff between the two brands:
- Bridget Lancaster started at America’s Test Kitchen in 1997 and is now co-host of Cook’s Country from America’s Test Kitchen.
- Julia Collin Davison joined America’s Test Kitchen in 1999 and co-hosts Cook’s Country.
- Many chefs, editors, and product specialists contribute to both brands.
However, America’s Test Kitchen does maintain its own unique staff including current editor-in-chief Jack Bishop and reviews editor Lisa McManus.
Mission and Areas of Focus
While the two brands have a lot of similarities, Cook’s Country differentiates itself by focusing on traditional recipes, home-cooking techniques, and American food culture:
- Emphasizes traditions and recipes from across different U.S. regions including New England, Midwest, Southern, etc.
- Heavy focus on recipes that make use of ingredients and food products readily available at American grocery stores.
- Prioritizes recipes, tips, and techniques used in home kitchens rather than professional restaurant kitchens.
- Targets home cooks looking for traditional, nostalgic American dishes.
In contrast, America’s Test Kitchen covers a much broader range of cuisines and cooking techniques:
- International cuisine from Italian, Indian, Chinese, Mexican, etc.
- Health-focused recipes like paleo, gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan
- Advanced cooking techniques like sous vide or molecular gastronomy
- Baking and breadmaking
- Broad appeal to all types of home cooks
Tone and Style
The tones and styles of the two brands are noticeably different:
| Cook’s Country | America’s Test Kitchen |
|---|---|
| Laidback, casual tone | Very detailed and almost scientific |
| Focuses on nostalgia and comfort | More contemporary |
| Warm and conversational | Precise and exacting |
| Rustic country kitchen vibe | Modern kitchen lab vibe |
Cook’s Country aims to feel like spending time cooking with your grandma in her country kitchen whereas America’s Test Kitchen is like an elaborate cooking lab running experiments to find the “best” recipe.
Media and Content
While both brands produce a variety of content across books, magazines, online, TV, etc. there are some differences in media focus:
- Cook’s Country is more TV-focused, known for their popular PBS show.
- They publish one seasonal magazine per year.
- Most of their recipes and content tie back to their TV shows.
- America’s Test Kitchen has more magazine and book content.
- They publish Cook’s Illustrated and Cook’s Country magazines.
- They regularly release highly detailed cookbooks on various topics.
- Their TV show highlights content from their magazines and books.
Recipes and Ingredients
There is definitely some recipe overlap between the two brands, especially for classic American dishes. However, each brand offers their own unique recipes.
Cook’s Country is more likely to cover recipes like:
- Classic desserts like apple pie, strawberry rhubarb pie, cookies
- Beef dishes like meatloaf, beef stew, pot roast
- Southern recipes like cornbread, bisquits and sausage gravy, chicken fried steak
- Comfort foods like mashed potatoes, chicken pot pie, mac and cheese
- Regional specialties like New England clam chowder, Philly cheesesteak
Whereas America’s Test Kitchen may include more:
- International cuisines: Chinese, Mexican, Indian, Italian etc.
- Vegetarian main dishes
- Advanced cooking methods: sous vide, pressure cooking
- Complex baked goods: croissants, French pastries, layer cakes
Cook’s Country emphasizes ingredients commonly found in traditional American cooking like:
- Butter
- Vegetable and canola oil
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated white sugar
While America’s Test Kitchen makes use of a wider range of specialty ingredients like:
- Olive oil
- Almond flour
- Coconut oil
- Alternative sweeteners like honey or maple syrup
Reviews and Equipment Recommendations
Both brands are known for providing in-depth equipment and product reviews, but the America’s Test Kitchen reviews are especially exhaustive.
Some examples of the extensive reviews from America’s Test Kitchen include:
- Comparing 16 brands of baking sheets and narrowing down to top picks
- Testing 7 waffle irons to determine the ones that produced the crispiest, fluffiest waffles
- Rating food processors on criteria like speed, capacity, ease of use, and clarity of instructions
Cook’s Country offers reviews tailored to home cooks focused on traditional American cooking, like reviews of:
- Cast iron vs. enameled cast iron Dutch ovens
- Electric vs. stovetop pressure cookers
- Pie plates and casserole dishes
Cooking Philosophy
Both brands aim to find the “best” recipes through repeated testing. However, Cook’s Country allows a bit more flexibility while America’s Test Kitchen is highly precise.
The America’s Test Kitchen approach involves:
- Extensively testing recipes, often making the same recipe 20+ times while tweaking a different variable each time.
- Meticulously measuring every ingredient for accuracy.
- Following recipe instructions down to precise minutes and temperatures.
The Cook’s Country philosophy recognizes that more variance can be allowed in traditional home cooking methods, especially for one-bowl recipes like cookies. Their approach includes:
- Acknowledging minor changes to recipes aren’t disastrous.
- Allowing flexibility in preparation time or baking time when variability is common.
- Providing tips for how to adjust a recipe rather than an exact prescription.
Conclusion
While Cook’s Country and America’s Test Kitchen have many commonalities in their mission to provide well-tested recipes and cooking advice, Cook’s Country stands apart with its focus on traditional American cooking and rural kitchen wisdom. America’s Test Kitchen takes a wider, more global and contemporary view of cooking. Understanding these differences can help choose which brand best suits your cooking needs and style.