Essential and varied cooking experience presented in 265 expert tips. This compendium contains 265 tremendously useful cooking tips, techniques, shortcuts and indispensable recipes that cooks of all experience will find to be valuable additions to their skill set. Step-by-step photographs, labeled diagrams, tables, charts, "fix it" and "try it" features, and much more make this compendium an indispensable resource. The book covers a wide range of topics in seven thematic chapters with 20 delicious recipes scattered throughout to practice techniques. There is comprehensive information on essential pantry ingredients and practical tools. The book's sections include: * Fish -- using fresh fish, cooking fish, shellfish, sustainable fish alternatives, sushi * Meat -- tenderizing meat, cooking steak, the versatility of pork, lamb, popular poultry * Grains and legumes -- how to make rice, perfect risotto, pasta sauces, homemade pasta * Vegetables and fruits -- chopping, slicing, peeling, greens, mushrooms, herbs, garlic and the essential spices, nuts and seeds, oils * Dairy -- understanding dairy ingredients, 30 ways to prepare eggs, cheese, and other dairy * Baking -- utensils and ingredients, art of pastry, basic baking knowledge, breads and cakes * Dinner's at 8 -- presentation techniques and menus. Concise text, step-by-step color photographs and instructions fill the user-friendly spreads.