Everything you really need to know about buying, cooking, and storing food is here in one easy-to-use volume. Packed with essential information for both the experienced and the beginning cook, this is a kitchen encyclopedia to keep handy when you need fast, accurate answers to your food questions.
This book is exactly what the title says: essential. This has something for beginning to advanced cooks. The first chapter covers definitions. What's the difference between dice and chop? How do you braise? All covered in this book. It also covers how to plan menus and shop, what the well-stocked kitchen needs, how to store foods. It covers food additives and nutrition as well. But the most useful chapter, I think, is the one that's called "How much of What." How many egg whites or graham crackers make one cup? How large a roast do you need? It goes by weight, volume, and serving size. This book is very helpful.