'Secret Ingredient Beef Stew' from 'The Food52 Cookbook.  Courtesy William Morrow: An imprint of Harper Collins Publishers

Spending time cooking in the kitchen with friends and family isn’t just about eating — it’s also about sharing and learning together.  How often have you tried making your grandmother’s family recipe, only to discover that it doesn’t taste the same as when she made it?  Maybe she added an extra ingredient that wasn’t listed, or a “pinch of this” isn’t exactly the same as a teaspoon.

Food writers Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs discovered that the kitchen was a place of learning and creating and sharing between family and friends — and created an online community which mimics just that.

Food52 is an online food community where users can post and share recipes with other users.  With an interactive hotline for food questions, and recipe testers who test submitted recipes, you’re sure to find the best recipes the internet has to offer.

For 52 weeks, users submitted their best recipes to contests in a specific category.  Themed categories like “Your Best Summer Fish Recipe” or “Your Best New Year’s Resolution Dish” were able to narrow the thousands of recipes on the site.  Then, Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs tested the recipes and selected their favorites.  The Food52 community voted for the best recipe each week, and thus “The Food52 Cookbook” was created.

Each recipe in the book mimics the feel of the website, with user comments, tips and behind-the-scenes photos.  For your foodies friends who are big fans of the “Food52? community, or who are avid cookbook collectors — this cookbook is perfect.  Unlike the usual cookbooks created by one chef, this is a collaborative effort of home chefs across America.  Like the recipes you share with family and friends in your kitchen, this cookbook brings together the creativity and learning process right into your home.  It’s the ideal book for expanding your food boundaries in the comfort of your kitchen.

Try this “Secret Ingredient Beef Stew” recipe for the most delicious stew you’ve tasted with the most unusual ingredient.

Find more information on “The Food52 Cookbook” here.