Introduction

My aim is to take the fear out of cooking. Take the time to learn a handful of basic cooking techniques through my recipes and you’ll soon discover, if you haven’t already, that working in the kitchen is fun. And the results—the food itself—are one of the best pleasures of life. I don’t mean to imply that cooking is a breeze, requiring no work at all or thinking or planning. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be surprised how easily things will go. And besides, any pleasure requires a little effort.