Starter Cook

February 1, 2012
The kitchen beginner can be all too easily intimidated and quickly frustrated by unfamiliar equipment, strange-sounding vocabulary, and mysterious ingredients. This introduction to cooking guides the tyro through a plethora of information. Larsen begins by inventorying the basic utensils that make cooking possible: knives, pans, and appliances large and small. She then turns to techniques and surveys the rules of cooking, how to deal with problems, and how to ensure that people don't fall ill from food-safety missteps. Only then does she turn to food itself, describing various meats and plant products that make up a meal. If you're looking for recipes, you won't find any here. This is a general introduction to cooking, furnishing background information and basic definitions of fundamental cooking terms. Boxes scattered throughout the text offer pithy advice and comments on nutrition, technique, and cost control. Color photographs supplement the text.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)