Collected here for reference are some annotated basic recipes and techniques I think every cook will find useful. We’ll visit the egg, and I’ll encourage you to make your own mayonnaise. If the thought of whisking it by hand puts you off, know that it isn’t really a strenuous chore. Homemade mayonnaise is worth the effort.
Making yogurt, crème fraîche, or a mild fromage blanc is easy and fun, as well as economical. Learning these basics of home-cultured dairy may awaken your intrepid inner cheesemaker.
Electric rice cookers are great, but you don’t need one to make great rice. There’s a little tutorial here that’s meant to demystify the process, since even very competent cooks get nervous when making rice.
Two classic, ultrasimple Italian pasta dishes are here to remind you that a delicious meal can be had in a matter of minutes, even with a mostly bare cupboard. And for a little more effort, a pair of easy Asian noodle dishes may keep you from ordering in.
When you’re a long distance from a decent bakery, knowing how to produce a good loaf or a tray of biscuits will serve you well. Pizza Bianca, daubed with olive oil and seasoned with rosemary and sea salt, is eminently doable and always well received. Of course, the dough recipe can be used for any kind of pizza.
I also give you recipes for making five types of homemade broth in small batches. You’ll never convince me that canned broth or the stuff in shelf-stable cartons is as good as the real deal.