In my heavy FoodChannel viewing days I was never a very big fan of his--he does ahve a really nice flair with pulling fairly inexperienced cooks through a meal that they hope to pull off--sometimes bringing the menu down to earth and making it very easy to follow--and the cookbook reflects this talent--I would recommend it for someone who wants to make a few simple things but has no talent in the kitchen.

While I generally despise the idea of the celebrity chef, I have used the Delaware County Public Library to explore the world a bit. While Tyler's book has absolutely nothing vegan going on, I did pick up some great tips and learn of new foods that I look forward to experimenting with. Here's a few: Carmelized onions w/ olives, buttered cabbage and carmelized apples; fenugreek in a vinaigarette; and quince paste. YUM!

I have made some of the most fabulous meals from this book. And he is the son-in-law of a friend of mine, so I'm pushing this one ;) Great photos, beautiful book - I have it right on my counter!

This cook book is fantastic. I have a major crush on Tyler. And I love everything that he makes. He keeps things simple yet creative. A lot of his recipes are old school italian cooking with a hint of modern flare. He is a big fan of procuitto and so am I. He also does a lot of sweet/savory dishes which are great for your taste buds.

The linguine and clams recipe is my all time favorite so it has to get 5 stars.

seems like something that would appeal to all those people of the 1970s
that would adore Hong Kong Shrimp Toast

carmelized onion toast

baguette - unsalted butter - onions
anchovies - fresh thyme
kosher salt - black pepper
parmigiano-reggiano - extra-virgin olive oil
nicoise olives

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people think this is his best cookbook
must be the spaghetti

Love this book! Great recipes that I use weekly.

Try the Ultimate Spaghetti and Meatballs on Page 172. Full of beautiful food pics too. Very Good!

Everything looks so yummy, easy and not a lot of ingredients. I love his spaghetti and meatballs. I make them about once a month.

Tyler’s Ultimate offers up some great recipes to tantalize your palate and stretch your appreciation for great combinations of all things fresh, simple and wholesome.

Hubby fell in love with Tyler’s show on Food Network a while back, and espoused, ad nauseam, how simple and delicious all his dishes looked, so he finally decided to bite the bullet and order this book for (ahem) himself to try (himself, of course, meaning the Mrs.). What hubby doesn’t realize is that Tyler throws all these dishes together so easily because someone else has done all the prep for him (and the clean-up!). While most are fairly uncomplicated, don’t expect to throw them together in the time a half-hour TV show host does.

Most of these dishes *are* fairly simple to put together, and the instructions are clear, but they are time consuming – almost all of the time being in the prep work. When you are working with all fresh ingredients, it takes time to get them ready. However, it’s worth it. So many of these concoctions are to-die-for. Some of my favorites are the French onion soup, mussels with white wine, thyme, garlic and lemon (so simple!) and their accompanying herbed garlic bread, scallop saltimbocca, mouth-watering pot roast with velvet potato puree, sausage with brown sugar/thyme caramelized apples, roast chicken Provencal, the ultimate berry trifle (hubby contributes his made-from-scratch pound cake to this – he’s the baker in the family – but Tyler says store-bought is fine), and vanilla pots de crème (his version of crème brulee sans blow torch).

I have made close to half the recipes found here so far, and am eagerly awaiting the warmer weather to try some of the grilling recipes, salads and cold dishes. However, keep in mind that you may need to be willing to buy some specialized cooking equipment and cookware. While most people (or maybe not) have a Dutch oven, you’ll need a food mill to have the velvet potatoes come out right. (I don’t have the money to invest in one, but if you decrease the amount of heavy cream and simply whip them with a hand-held egg beater, your potatoes will still be more delicious than any other version of “mashed potatoes” you’ve ever had. It’s the consistency of the potatoes the food mill produces that allows all that cream to be soaked up by the starch.) You’ll also need a heavy-duty blender or food processor for some of the dishes, too, and the correct skillets, oven-going crockery, the right-sized roasting pan, 8 ounce ramekins ….

Although I wouldn’t say this cookbook is quite for the absolute beginner, Tyler does have videos online of himself making these dishes, so you can check those out to see what it is you’re going for. It’s helpful to see it all coming together and what the finished result should look like so you know you’re on the right track. While there is, of course, some weird chef-y type stuff that I may or may not try (and I just can’t get into a minestrone that’s chicken broth-based), if you’ve mastered your Better Homes Cookbook (a great cookbook for the absolute beginner) and you’re ready to stretch your talent, this book is for you. However, keep in mind that many of these recipes are time consuming, so it’s probably not realistic for a busy Mom or Dad who has been working all day and/or shuttling kids around and just doesn’t have the time and energy to spend on them at the end of a busy day. Also, a lot of them don’t create huge portions, so may not be realistic if you have a large family to feed. But if you’ve got the time and inclination … bon appétit – you’ll enjoy.

Some of my favorite recipes! Great Pictures! So Soulful.

Beautiful cookbook and the recipes look like they are the ultimate! Still need an autograph for this one. Tyler, please answer my requests! :)