Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen

Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen
Genre	Cooking
Presented by	Christopher Kimball
Starring	Christopher Kimball, Bridget Lancaster, Julia Colin-Davison, Erin McMurrer
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of seasons	4
No. of episodes	42
Production
Location(s)	Rupert, Vermont
Running time	27 minutes
Broadcast
Original run	2008 – present
External links
Website

Cook's Country from America's Test Kitchen is a half-hour cooking show on PBS. The show is shot in a renovated 1806 farmhouse located in Rupert, Vermont.

Cast and Content

Cook's Country is structured similarly to America's Test Kitchen, with nearly the same cast. Christopher Kimball, Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin-Davison are primarily featured, with Erin McMurrer making occasional appearances beginning in Season 2. As in ATK, Jack Bishop is in charge of the Tasting Lab, while Adam Ried features new products in the Equipment Corner. While Cook's Country follows an identical format as far as show layout is concerned, there are notable differences between the two. Cook's Country features recipes that are more rustic and commonly thought of as "comfort food". There is emphasis on recipes from different sections of America, specifically from the South and Southwestern cultures.

The Tasting Lab segments feature a live audience, who watch as Kimball and Bishop taste-test the featured product(s). This is fundamentally different from ATK, where only Kimball and Bishop are shot.

During Season 1, Kimball's neighbor Axel Blomberg would occasionally appear on-screen with a dish of the featured recipe, claiming that his wife Donna had made it and that it was usually badly executed, in keeping with the "country" theme of the show. This is similar to the beginning of recipe segments on ATK, where Kimball would display the featured item before the changes of the chefs were applied.

Some of Blomberg's commonly-uttered phrases were, "Donna done it again!", and "You're the expert" (referring to Kimball's suggestions to make the recipe better). He does not appear in any episodes after Season 1.

The theme music, "Right Between Your Eyes", is performed by the San Francisco bluegrass band, Hot Buttered Rum.

A title card at the end of each episode of Season 1 reads "In Memory of Felicia Armstrong (1978-2007)". Felicia Armstrong, who worked as a kitchen assistant with the crew of America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country, was brutally murdered on November 1, 2007 by her boyfriend, Benjamin C. Ploski, who reportedly had a record of domestic violence. She was 29 years old at the time of her death.^[1]

Some fans were questioning what had happened to test cook Julia Colin-Davison during Season 2, as she does not appear during any episode, and Bridget Lancaster and Erin McMurrer were the only on-screen appearances during this season. It was later revealed that Colin-Davison and her husband had given birth to a daughter shortly before Season 2 episodes were scheduled to be shot. Colin-Davison returned in Season 3.^[2]

Underwriters

1. Fisher & Paykel appliances, specifically the DCS brand (Seasons 1, 2 & 3)
2. cooking.com, an online marketplace for cooks, both professional and home-based (Seasons 1, 2 & 3)
3. White Flower Farm, a gardening superstore located in Litchfield, Connecticut (Season 1)
4. VIVA Towels (Seasons 2 & 3)
5. Chore Boy (Seasons 2 & 3)
6. Idaho potatoes (Season 2)
7. Valley Fig Growers (Seasons 2 & 3)

Season 1 Episodes (2008)

Ep	Title	Recipes	Equipment Corner	Tasting Lab	Tips & Techniques	Cast
1	Forgotten Cakes	Chocolate "Blackout" Cake Strawberry Jell-O "Poke" Cake	N/A	Milk Chocolate	Perfect Baking Secrets	Regular cast
2	Sunday Dinner	Sunday Garlic Roast Beef Mashed Potato Casserole	Liquid Dish Detergents	N/A	Buying Beef Roasts	Regular cast Axel appears in this episode.
3	Feeding a Crowd, Italian-Style	Meatballs and Marinara Sunday Gravy	Large Saucepans	Jarred Pasta Sauces	N/A	Regular cast
4	Southern Regional Recipes	Lexington-Style Pulled Pork Memphis Coleslaw	Tabletop Grills	Hot Dogs	N/A	Julia Collin-Davison only
5	Autumn Supper	Old-Fashioned Roast Pork Cranberry-Apple Crisp	Pepper Mills	N/A	N/A	Regular cast Axel appears in this episode.
6	All-American Picnic	Extra-Crunchy Fried Chicken All-American Potato Salad Hard-Cooked Eggs	N/A	Potato Chips	Cast Iron Care	Regular cast Erin McMurrer appears in this episode.
7	Easy as Pie	Raspberry Chiffon Pie No-Fear Pie Crust	N/A	Pie Crusts	N/A	Bridget Lancaster only
8	Steakhouse Favorites	Broiled Steaks Super-Stuffed Baked Potatoes	Steak Knives Electric Knife Sharpeners	N/A	N/A	Regular cast Axel appears in this episode.
9	Barbecued Chicken	Classic Barbecued Chicken Classic Barbecued Chicken on a Gas Grill Best Potluck Macaroni and Cheese	N/A	Barbecue Sauces	N/A	Regular cast Axel appears in this episode.
10	Regional Chops	Smoked Double-Thick Pork Chops Smoked Double-Thick Pork Chops on a Gas Grill Tennessee Whiskey-Glazed Pork Chops	Top Kitchen Essentials	N/A	N/A	Regular cast
11	Midwestern Favorites	Chicago-Style Barbecued Ribs Cincinnati Chili	N/A	Cheddar Cheeses	N/A	Regular cast
12	California Grilling	California Barbecue Tri-Tip and Beans Santa Maria Salsa	N/A	Jarred Salsas	Essential Grilling Gadgets	Bridget Lancaster only
13	Diner Favorites	Fluffy Diner-Style Cheese Omelet Short Order Home Fries	Cast-Iron Skillets	Orange Juice	N/A	Regular cast

Season 2 Episodes (2009)

Ep	Title	Recipes	Equipment Corner	Tasting Lab	Tips & Techniques	Cast
1	Old-Fashioned Roast Beef Dinner	Classic Roast Beef and Gravy Perfect Popovers	Plastic Wrap	N/A	N/A	Bridget Lancaster only
2	Pucker-Up Pies	Mile-High Lemon Meringue Pie Icebox Key Lime Pie	Stand Mixers	N/A	N/A	Regular cast This is the first regular appearance of Erin McMurrer on the show.
3	Rise and Shine	Ultimate Cinnamon Buns Better-Than-The-Box Pancake Mix	Stovetop Griddles	Maple and Pancake Syrup	N/A	Regular cast
4	Surefire Seafood	Wood-Grilled Salmon Baked Stuffed Shrimp	N/A	Tartar Sauce	N/A	Regular cast
5	Super Fudgy Cake	Tunnel of Fudge Cake	N/A	Boxed Brownie Mixes	Top Tips for Oven Baking	Bridget Lancaster only
6	Chili and Cornbread	Chili Con Carne Southern-Style Skillet Cornbread	Can Openers	N/A	N/A	Bridget Lancaster only
7	Southern BBQ	Alabama BBQ Chicken Tangy Apple-Cabbage Slaw	N/A	Iced Tea	N/A	Bridget Lancaster only Tim Pennell (Call in Guest)
8	Fail-Safe Thanksgiving	Old-Fashioned Roast Turkey with Gravy Garlic Mashed Potatoes	N/A	Frozen Dinner Rolls	How to Buy a Chef's Knife	Bridget Lancaster only
9	Fried Chicken	Creole Fried Chicken Grilled Corn on the Cob	Dutch Ovens	Microwave Popcorn	Tips for Fool-Proof Deep Frying	Bridget Lancaster only
10	Texas Beef Barbecue	Shredded Barbecued Beef Ranch Potato Salad	Ice Cream Makers	Whole Wheat Bread	N/A	Bridget Lancaster only
11	Stovetop Desserts	Skillet Peach Cobbler Blueberry Grunt	N/A	Fresh Lemon Substitutes	N/A	Regular cast
12	Perfect Pork	Grilled Mustard-Glazed Pork Loin Cider-Braised Pork Chops	N/A	Coarse-Grain Mustard	Prepping a Gas Grill	Regular cast
13	Historical Cakes	Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Cold Oven Pound Cake	Loaf Pans	N/A	Perfectly Baked Cakes	Regular cast

Season 3 Episodes (2010)

Ep	Title	Recipes	Equipment Corner	Tasting Lab	Tips & Techniques	Cast
1	Two Perfect Pies	Shaker Lemon Pie Icebox Strawberry Pie	Pie Plates	Low-Fat Strawberry Yogurt	N/A	Regular cast
2	Family Supper	Glazed Meatloaf Crunch Potato Wedges	Dish Towels	N/A	Avoiding Common Cooking Mistakes	Bridget Lancaster only
3	Old Fashioned Pork	Pan-Fried Pork Chops Slow-Cooker Pork Pot Roast Mashed Sweet Potatoes	Vacuum Sealers	N/A	N/A	Regular cast
4	Southern Comfort Food	Sweet Corn Spoonbread Batter-Fried Chicken	N/A	Bottled Iced Teas with Lemon	N/A	Regular cast
5	Beef Meets Grill	Classic Steak Sauce Char-Grilled Steaks Texas Barbecued Beef Ribs	Paper Plates	N/A	N/A	Regular cast
6	Everybody Loves Chocolate	Texas Sheet Cake Chocolate Cream Cupcakes	N/A	Hot Cocoa	N\A	Regular cast
7	Hearty Italian Meals	Italian Pot Roast Baked Manicotti with Meat Sauce	Pizza Wheels	N/A	N/A	Regular cast
8	Northern Cookout	Cornell Chicken Syracuse Salt Potatoes Jucy Lucy Burgers	N/A	Bottled Barbecue Sauce	N/A	Regular cast
9	The Chemistry of Cakes	Angel Food Cake Lemon Pudding Cake	Hand-Held Mixers Tube Pans	N/A	N/A	Regular cast
10	Southwestern Suppers	Easy Chicken Tacos Beef Enchiladas	N/A	Canned Baked Beans	Top Freezer Tricks	Regular cast
11	Breakfast Showstoppers	Monkey Bread Dutch Baby	Toasters (Inexpensive 4-Slice)	Decaffeinated Coffees	N/A	Regular cast
12	Chicken Two Ways	Roast Lemon Chicken Skillet Chicken Parmesan	N/A	Canned Chicken Noodle Soup	Cooking With Chicken	Regular cast
13	Ultimate Ham Dinner	Cider-Baked Ham Delmonico Potatoes Cornmeal Biscuits	Electric Knives	N/A	N/A	Regular cast

Season 4 Episodes (2011)

Ep	Title	Recipes	Equipment Corner	Tasting Lab	Tips & Techniques	Cast
1	Roast Beef Dinner	Herbed Roast Beef Whipped Potatoes	Multi-Event Kitchen Timers	N/A	Top Sirloin Cooking With Salt	Regular cast
2	Icebox Desserts	French Silk Chocolate Pie Lemon Icebox Cheesecake		Choclate Ice Cream
3	Fancy Chicken	Foolproof Chicken Cordon Bleu Apple Cider Chicken	N/A	Black Forrest Deli Ham	How To Cut a Whole Chicken	Regular cast
4	Tropical Barbecue	Huli Huli Chicken Chinese-Style Barbecued Spareribs	Pastry Brushes	Reduced-Fat Potato Chips		Regular cast
5	Bayou Classics	Gumbo, Lane Cake		Long-Grain Rice
6	Retro Desserts	Banana Pudding Chiffon Cake	Fine-Mesh Strainers	N/A	N/A	Regular cast
7	Family Favorites	Swiss Steak Baked Potato Fans	Immersion Blenders	Tomato Paste	N/A	Regular cast
8	Not Just for Kids	Chicken Nuggets Macaroni and Cheese with Tomatoes	Broiler-Safe Baking dishes	Yellow Mustard	N/A	Regular cast
9	Fried Chicken and Biscuits	Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Cat Head Biscuits	Spider Skimmers	Whole Kosher Dill Pickles	Princes in Nashville	Regular cast
10	Road Food at Home	Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Brisket Beer Battered Onion Rings	Slow Cookers
11	Autumn Desserts	Baked Apple Dumplings Old-Fashioned Pecan pie	Cake Carriers
12	Grilling	Grilled Thin-Cut Pork Chops Grilled Potato Hobo Paks Brilled Butterflied Lemon Chicken	Grill Tongs
13	St. Louis Cooking	St. Louis-Style Pizza St. Louis BBQ Pork Steaks		Supermarket Pepperoni

References

1. ^ Patrick McArdle (2007). "Two Dead in Rupert Murder-Suicide". Rutland Herald. http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071103/NEWS04/711030364/1003/NEWS02. Retrieved 2010-9-18. 
2. ^ "Cook's Illustrated Bulletin Board". Cook's Illustrated Bulletin Board. 2010. http://www.cooksillustrated.com/ibb/posts.aspx?postID=300287&postRepeater1-p=1#300308. Retrieved 2011-5-14. 

External Links

• Official Website