Freeing Filling From Flour

Book team test cook Danielle DeSiato-Hallman, left, and assistant test cook Meaghen Chace scoop up samples of eight different versions of the same recipe for chicken pot pie filling, each one replacing the traditional wheat flour-based roux with a different thickening agent (such as tapioca flour, arrowroot and cornstarch) in an effort to find the best substitute during recipe testing for an upcoming book of gluten-free recipes. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Cookie Cutter

Food stylist Marie Piraino gives a sheet of parchment paper a trim as she finalizes the setup for a beauty shot of Coffee-Toffee Cookies during a photo shoot for this year’s Christmas Cookies special issue. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Over-Stuffed

Editorial director of magazines John “Doc” Willoughby, right, checks the density of a skillet full of stuffing prepared by test kitchen intern Seth Schrage, left, by giving it a push with a rubber spatula as Cook’s Country senior editor Bryan Roof looks on during a test to see just how much our in-development recipe can yield without overloading the skillet during cooking. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Chocolate Rain On Candy Canes

Cook’s Country test cook Cristin Walsh uses a spoon to drip melted chocolate over candy cane-shaped hazelnut sandwich cookies while preparing one of eleven different holiday cookie recipes, all of which will be judged by a panel of tasters for the magazine’s annual holiday cookie contest. Yes, we know it’s June – our publication schedule means we’re always preparing seasonal food at odd times of the year, but here at the Test Kitchen, it’s never a bad time for cookies. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Crustacean Preparation

Book team test cook Sara Mayer removes a cooked lobster from a pot of boiling water while preparing for a photo shoot of New England-style Lobster Rolls for an upcoming publication. Hopefully she’ll have some leftovers! See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Try A Couple Tenders

Associate tasting and testing editor Amy Graves types up her responses to a taste test of homemade chicken tenders ahead of an upcoming Cook’s Country feature on finding the best store-bought breadcrumbs. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Feta Accompli

Cook’s Illustrated test cook Dan Cellucci doses a Dutch oven full of warmed goat’s milk with a dilute solution of liquid rennet to kick off the process of making feta cheese, a recipe for which will appear in an upcoming special issue. Rennet, a complex of enzymes with a storied place in the cheese-making tradition, is the agent that will coagulate the milk, helping it solidify into the final delicious product. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

A South-Of-The-Border Sprinkle

Test kitchen intern Andrew Pugh puts the final cheesy touches on a batch of bean enchiladas while preparing a taste test of five variations on the classic Mexican dish as part of recipe development for an upcoming issue of Cook’s Illustrated. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Fruits Of Labor

Cook’s Illustrated executive food editor Keith Dresser, surrounded by tasters, scoops up a sample of a dish he’s developing for a feature of winter fruit salads in order to better dissect the feedback from the tasting panel. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Christmas In June?

Assistant special issues test cook Cecelia Jenkins transfers cut-out shapes of sugar cookie dough to a baking sheet while working on a recipe for this year’s Christmas Cookies issue. Yes, we’re perfectly aware that it’s early June, but in order to meet our publication deadlines, we’ve got to start working on our recipes months in advance, no matter what the season. (Besides, is it ever really a bad time for cookies? We think not.) See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Taking A Crumble

Book team test cook Danielle DeSiato-Hallman, right, and senior editor Louise Emerick scoop up samples of five different recipes for apple crumble while developing a new gluten-free version of the dessert for an upcoming book. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Shaking Up Bacon

Cook’s Illustrated test cook Lan Lam prepares a batch of bacon in a skillet to use as a control sample during a test of several different ways to cook everyone’s favorite breakfast meat, including the accordion-style aluminum foil and baking sheet rig at bottom right. What’s your favorite way to make bacon? See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Checking Up On Chocolate

Associate tastings and testings editor Hannah Crowley, left, shows Test Kitchen intern Marysol Varela the differences between custards made with two different types of bittersweet chocolate as she prepares several iterations of our recipe for Chocolate Pots de Crème in order to make sure that the results of a previous taste and performance test hold true a second time. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Foiled Again

Cook’s Country senior editor Diane Unger drizzles a spoonful of lime juice over a plate of chicken and vegetables ahead of a tasting of several different versions of chicken baked in foil (a riff on the classic French technique of cooking en papillote in which food is prepared in a parchment envelope) while developing a recipe for an upcoming issue of Cook’s Country Magazine. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36

Getting Creative With Quinoa

Cook’s Illustrated senior editor Dan Souza pours a bowl of toasted quinoa into a saucepan full of aromatics as trays full of ingredients (including peanuts, green onions and cumin) stand by for post-cooking addition during an early test for an upcoming feature on creative ways to cook and flavor quinoa. See more behind-the-scenes photos at: http://bit.ly/o0qi36