Arts & Culture

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED: Flavorful Italian Favorites

By Jennifer Robinson / Web Producer

Published April 7, 2017 at 11:06 AM PDT

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED launches season 17 with new hosts Bridget Lancaster (pictured) and Julia Collin Davison. Bridget and Julia have been fixtures on the show from the very beginning, sharing their cooking skills and deep knowledge of food with viewers over the hundreds of recipes they’ve prepared on air as test cooks.

Airs Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 2 p.m. on KPBS TV

Our show is filmed in a 2,500-square-foot working test kitchen that's home to 50 test cooks and editors.

In this episode, host Bridget Lancaster shows host Julia Collin Davison how to make perfect cheese and tomato lasagna. Next, tasting expert Jack Bishop challenges Julia to a tasting of jarred anchovies.

Finally, test cook Keith Dresser uncovers the secrets to really good garlic bread.

Become a KPBS sponsor

WATCH ON YOUR SCHEDULE:

Episodes from past seasons are now available for online viewing.

CONNECT:

AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN is on Facebook, Google +, Pinterest, Instagram, and you can follow @TestKitchen on Twitter.

Keith Dresser uncovers the secrets to really good garlic bread.

In the test kitchen we go through a lot of Parmesan cheese. And our taste tests show us time and again that real Parmigiano-Reggiano, while more expensive than imitations, is worth every penny. Because we go through so much, we often buy huge quarter wheels of Parmigiano-Reggiano and break them down ourselves into smaller wedges. While doing so we’ve often noticed that the cheese towards the rind is crumblier than that in the center. And some of our test cooks swear that the exterior cheese has better flavor and boasts more of those pleasant crunchy crystals. But is that possible? Is there really a big difference between the exterior and interior? And should that inform which part you buy? We set up an experiment to answer all of these questions.

LEARN TO COOK WITH AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN:

Do you know about the online cooking school? Our one-of-a-kind online cooking courses, taught by test kitchen experts, will help you become the best cook you know. Start a free trial today.

Become a KPBS sponsor

SEASON 17:

AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED launches Season 17 with new hosts Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin Davison. Bridget and Julia have been fixtures on the show from the very beginning, sharing their cooking skills and deep knowledge of food with viewers over the hundreds of recipes they’ve prepared on air as test cooks. The skilled duo lead a team of test cooks as they deconstruct recipes and reveal the test kitchen’s secrets to foolproof cooking at home.

This season, newcomers Elle Simone, Keith Dresser, and Tim Chin join veteran test cooks Dan Souza and Becky Hays, and COOK'S COUNTRY'S Erin McMurrer to master such dishes as grilled pizza, baked Alaska, chicken and sausage gumbo and more. The series also features the popular segments viewers know and love.

Test cooks group photo (left to right): Erin McMurrer (center), Keith Dresser, Tim Chin, Dan Souza, Elle Simon and Becky Hays.

In "The Tasting Lab," returning expert Jack Bishop challenges Bridget and Julia to taste-test supermarket staples before revealing the series' top food recommendations. Then, equipment tester Adam Ried takes the hosts through an exhaustive and unbiased search for the best kitchen items in "Equipment Corner." Meanwhile, in "Gadgets Galore," Lisa McManus reviews her favorite gadgets and reveals which ones are worth the cost—or not.

CREDITS:

Produced by America's Test Kitchen, LLC presented by WETA and American Public Television.