Sur La Table has won legions of fans for the award-gathering, meticulous, and beautiful cookbooks they have given us, and they now share 500 tricks and secrets that would take a novice cook years to learn. Compiled by instructor Rick Rodgers, an award-winner himself, Tips Cooks Love is a compact book, but is jammed with enough information to turn an instinctive cook into a great cook, make day-to-day cooking easier, or help a novice save the day if disaster strikes. There are fixes to ordinary problems, tips that will save time, even a few strategies to help the budget by saving money. "These invaluable insights -what French chefs call trucs - will help you to refine your culinary skills and learn the fine points essential to great cooking."
Arranged alphabetically and with an index for quick reference, the book is easy to use, and fascinating to read even when not in the kitchen. Ask a question -
- How can one cook an apple pie without the apples shrinking? The answer is given, along with a recipe to create the perfect pie to grace the holiday table.
-Should you or should you not serve wine with artichokes? Why is this a problem?
-What happens to meat when it is brined? Which meats are good candidates for brining?
-Why do I have a can in my hand when I want to peel garlic?
-Why does risotto need to be stirred and stirred? Does it really matter?
-How long do the essential oils in herbs and spices last?
In addition to tips, there are charts and lists, such as one that guides you to the vegetables and fruits that have the most or the least amount of pesticide residues; volume equivalents, both large and small; meat doneness temperatures; baking pan volumes, a money-saving chart for substitutions when you don't have the size pan a recipe suggests. There are also longer cooking explanations guiding the cook to perfect deep frying, perfect roasting, perfect braising.
Diminutive in size and priced gently for the pocketbook, this is a wonderful stocking stuffer for your favorite cook, whether beginner or not .
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