200 Skills Every Cook Must Have: The Step-by-step Methods That Will Turn a Good Cook into a Great Cook

"Think of this book as cooking skills for dummies ratcheted up to a higher level.... Well organized and explained."
--Booklist

"This book will turn a good cook into a great cook."
--Vancouver Sun

This step-by-step guide to essential cooking techniques explains and illustrates every important cooking method that, once mastered, will give a cook the confidence to make all dishes, no matter the challenge.

The ten chapters describe essential tools and equipment, and explain tried-and-tested procedures to prepare a wide range of items perfectly and consistently.

The book includes:

• Essential Equipment: Knives, utensils, pots and pans, ovenware, bakeware, gadgets and machines
• Sauces: Gravy, vinaigrette, mayonnaise, hollandaise, pastry cream, caramel, chocolate, and more
• Vegetables: Slicing, julienne, charring peppers, peeling tomatoes and more
• Fruits and Nuts: Peeling, skinning, pitting, poaching fruit and more
• Meat: Cuts of beef, lamb and pork; boning, roasting and more
• Poultry: Trussing, stuffing, spatchcocking, boning, jointing and more
• Fish: Boning, filleting, poaching, broiling, and more
• Seafood: Deveining shrimp, cracking crab, preparing squid, and more
• Eggs: Testing eggs for freshness, poaching, baking, souffle and more
• Pastry and Baking: Puff pastry, buttercream, pavlova and more
• Pasta, Grain, Legume, Bread: Ravioli, risotto, polenta, croutons and more
• Broths: Brown, vegetable, and fish broths; skimming and freezing
• Spices: Toasting and grinding spices, using a vanilla bean

200 Skills Every Cook Must Have is the one secret ingredient that turns any cook into a great one.

Clara Paul attended Ballymaloe Cookery School. She runs her own catering company, contributes recipes to various publications, and is head chef at Books For Cooks. Eric Treuille owns and operates Books For Cooks and is a regular cooking demonstrator. His books include Cordon Bleu Techniques.