It's All in the Timing: Plan, Cook, and Serve Great Meals with Confidence

by Gail Monaghan

At the outset of her career, acclaimed food writer and cooking instructor Gail Monaghan graduated from culinary school knowing a multitude of professional techniques and boasting a vast repertoire of delicious recipes. But alone in her own kitchen, she quickly realized that orchestrating "dinner for company" wasn't as simple as it seemed. The rib roast overcooked while the garlic custard refused to set. A first-course soufflé was on the table—and falling—while guests were stuck in traffic. Friends had finished off the hors d’oeuvres while the turkey remained raw in the oven.

Even for the most experienced home cooks, seamless meal preparation can be a chronological puzzle. The more elaborate the meal, the more difficult it is to serve each dish on time—and at the right temperature. Monaghan has spent years mastering the fine art of culinary timing, which she now shares with her cooking students. It's All in the Timing , Monaghan's ultimate guide to smooth, stress-free home entertaining, enables readers to learn her secrets of prep and process and use them in their own kitchens.

Like all classic cookbooks, It's All in the Timing teaches readers the how-tos of its recipes. Uniquely, it also shares the when -tos by organizing the recipes into more than 20 well-crafted menus. Culled from Monaghan's more than 30 years of home entertaining and culinary instruction, this book demystifies the preparation of each menu, treating the entire meal as an extended recipe.

The book offers tips for meals that range from the modest and basic to the elaborate. From the simple luncheon to the grand holiday dinner, each menu begins with an Order of Preparations list—a snapshot of what to make, when to make it, and how to avoid common problems, ensuring your meal unfolds like clockwork. Each menu includes not only detailed recipes for each component but also Monaghan's thoughtful commentary and variation suggestions. The book also includes an additional section of bonus recipes, pantry essentials, and other secrets to culinary success.

This step-by-step guide to serving flawless, flavorful meals at home provides readers with the invaluable insights and hard-earned wisdom Monaghan has offered her culinary students for more than 15 years. With more than 130 recipes, 21 well-crafted menus, and countless tips from Monaghan's deep knowledge bank, It's All in the Timing is required reading for ambitious home cooks everywhere.

320 pages, Hardcover

Published November 15, 2016

Reviews

[Sandra Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

How many of you have planned a special dinner and then found yourself frantically trying to juggle everything, get it done on time and then are so exhausted you can't really enjoy the party yourself. This book is exactly what you need! Not only does it put together great menus for everything from a Mexican Fiesta to Summer Refresher, Picnic Table, Brunch and three major holidays, but it breaks it all down to exactly what you need to prep or cook when! At the beginning of each menu it lists each dish, the page number the recipe is on, and when you need to begin the prep. From there she goes into Order of Preparation with when you start it and what order you do each thing. For instance, on the Thanksgiving menu it starts 1 week ahead of time when you complete Steps 1 and 2 for the Cranberry-Tangerine Relish and goes to time to serve where it lists 6 steps in order to complete the meal. There are tips and head starts scattered throughout the book as well.

You don't have to use this book exclusively for dinner parties, though. Each recipe can be made on its own as well, so don't be put off that you don't really host dinner parties. You can still use and enjoy this book.

It's All in the Timing is an absolute genius of a book and delightful to read and cook from. I have thoroughly enjoyed it, and am happy to recommend it.

I received a copy of this book from Agate Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.