Sara Moulton is the founder of the New York Women's Culinary Alliance, food editor of Good Morning America, executive chef of Gourmet, author of numerous cookbooks and the host of various TV shows, so how she found time to create the bible Home Cooking 101 is a mystery. What is not mysterious is cooking with Moulton's expert help. Moulton declares, "If you selected 10 people and handed them the same recipe... you'd end up with 10 different dishes... because good cooking is all about the details."
She begins with the 10 basics of great home cooking (for example, "get organized" and "buy a good knife"), lists 31 of her favorite tools, and makes ingredient recommendations (avocados are Hass, black pepper is freshly ground, etc.). Moulton covers soups, stocks and salads; then Quick and Quicker Entrees (Greek Diner Souffléed Omelet and Quick Tomato, Goat Cheese, and Fresh Herb Penne), Meal in a Pan (like Mushroom and Leek Shepherd's Pie and Stuffed Egg Roulade), and Cooking When You Have More Time (Baked Arctic Char with Chermoula; Roast Turkey). A section on vegetarian and vegan dishes includes Portobello Cheesesteaks, Saag Paneer and Roasted Pumpkin Farrotto. Each recipe focuses on a specific tip or method to "sharpen your sense of taste." Tips proliferate--like why never to buy pre-chopped tomatoes in a can, how to toss a salad properly and suggestions for tastier beans. Home Cooking 101 lives up to its title--a wonderful resource for novice cooks who wish to become experts. --Kristen Galles from Book Club Classics