The last few decades have seen an explosion of interest in cooking as well as a serious breakdown in the language of the kitchen. The result: chaos. In The Elements of Cooking, Michael Ruhlman seeks to clear the babble and put us all on an even playing field. His explanations of terms and especially techniques are concise, clear, even diplomatic. Best of all they make sense.
Can’t tell a
Confit from a
Chiffonade? You need Ruhlman’s 12th book aimed to demystify the craft of food preparation. Perfect for any “foodie” or amateur chef, excerpts on
Beurre Manié,
Ganache, and
Pâte a Choux can be
found on his blog.

Ruhlman inspecting Bourdain’s
Cassoulet