"Think of this as a one-stop culinary school in a book (without years of inescapable debt!). It will teach you foundational techniques and basic food science to hone your skills and intuition, whether you're a skilled veteran who wants to look at things from another perspective or you've never even boiled an egg. Each chapter explores a topic that I believe is indispensable to any cook, with equal emphasis on savory and pastry--because a good cook shouldn't be afraid or anything in the kitchen. You can pick a few recipes at random and have a great meal. Or you can treat each chapter like a class: Read through the chapter to learn the concepts, then cook the recipes to gain practical knowledge of each technique. This book isn't just about the recipes (although there's a ton of them); it's about the techniques. Once you learn how to sear a chicken thigh in a skillet so the skin gets crisp while the meat stays juicy, you can easily translate that skill to the open fire of a grill. Become an expert in basic egg cookery and simple sautés, and those temperature-management chops will prime you for deep-frying and the fast action of wok stir-fries. The ultimate goal is for you to gain a deep understanding of cooking so that you can confidently try new cuisines, get creative in the kitchen, and, most important, make dinner."-- Inside front cover.