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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Kitchen Tips
Presents for the cook
Our gift to you: Cooking tips to make life better in the kitchen
6 essentials to make you a better cook
Order in the kitchen? The French have an answer to cooking chaos
Knife Skills
Sharpening your knife skills
Steeling yourself: Learning how to hone your knives will keep your cuts safe and true
Learning the best cuts
Twice the dice: Using two knives can double efficiency and minimize prep time
Mastering the perfect diced onion
There’s another way to slice it: In which we return to the noble onion
Tricks for tackling ripe summer fruit
Sharpening your skills on a whole bird
Spatchcocking makes cooking a bird quicker
Chicken takes a romantic turn
Orange supremes add elegant touch
Fillet your way to dinner: Butterflying a whole fish puts you in control of your food and saves money
More than one way to chop a nut
Preparation and Cooking Techniques
You’ll flip for this sauteing skill: Cook food evenly— and look cool doing it
Come into the fold: French technique intensifies flavor, eases cleanup
Stir-frying puts some sizzle in a cook’s repertoire
Building a better burger
Stuffing pork chops in no time: Endless variations for elegant dinner
Braise away the winter blues: Roll up warm relief in the form of a classic Italian braciola
Praising braising: Slow-cooking technique brings out the best in many cuts of meat
Take one roast, tie up in knots: Trussing a roast makes a neat package for more even cooking—and is easier to master
Smoky sensation: Easy, age-old technique yields an outdoor flavor
Why you need to learn this
To brine is divine: A simple soak locks moisture and flavor into lean meats
Running hot and cold: Blanching and shocking serve many kitchen needs
French elegance, on the double
Don’t fear the mussels: Cleaning, cooking these tasty bivalves is a snap
CIY (cure it yourself): You can buy corned beef, sure. But when you make it at home, you won’t believe the flavor and texture
Bathed in simplicity: The bain-marie is an old school technique to heat food without scorching
Poaching perfection: Underused technique brings out the best in many fruits
Fricassee elevates humble chicken
Frenching 101: Technique dresses up pork chops for fancier dining
A toast to bringing out flavor
Listen for the whistling: And more tips that will help you make the best fries ever
Old-school tool: Food mill uses old-fashioned technology to produce smooth-as-silk purees and sauces
Sticking with it: Though skewers are a familiar tool, these tips will help you perfect your results
Grilling wizardry applies to veggies too: These tips help bring out flavor and preserve texture
Stocks, Sauces, Condiments and Other Pantry Essentials
Stocking up: It takes lots of time, yes, but then your freezer will be full of delicious homemade broth
Taking stock: That turkey carcass has life left in it as a source for soups, sauces
Learning curves: How to build flavor in a perfect pureed soup
Confit: an ingredient for the ages
A French sauce blends bitter with the sweet
Ghee whiz: Making clarified butter is a snap and gives you more cooking fat
Whisked away: Emulsions lead way to irresistible—and easy to make—vinaigrettes and sauces
Immersed in emulsions: Beurre blanc sauce is easy to make—and here’s a trick to keep it from separating
The wonder of homemade vinegar: Simple process has sweet rewards
Homemade mayonnaise whisks up in a jiffy—and is worth the effort
Roux the day: Versatile base lends itself to myriad sauces and soups
A treasure-trove of flavors can be found in pan sauces
Follow these simple steps and you’ll get the perfect sauce ... and the rest is gravy
Dairy, Eggs, Crepes, Pastry, and Other Breakfast Dishes
Egg poaching secret: Leave it alone
The elegant egg: French approach to omelets creates lovely presentation and great flavor
Over easy, over and over! You have to break a few (dozen) eggs to master the technique
Shirred pleasure: Easy-to-make egg dish perfect for brunch
Egg + milk + bread—Simple equation adds up to a foolproof dish: French toast
With crepes, dinner options endless
Dinner or dessert? Crepes fill the bill
To make the crepes
Whipping up homemade ricotta gets you bragging rights and a fresh, pure result
Anatomy of a smoothie: Learning to master this drink can lead to further improvisation in the kitchen
Rice, Pasta, Vegetables, and Fruits
As simple as stir, stir, stir: Learn risotto basics, then dive into a gazillion variations of classic dish
Filling you in on stuffed pasta: Mashed potatoes help reveal the secrets
The skinny on fresh herbs: Slicing technique takes practice, but will give dishes an elegant finish
Rolling with peppers for a clean, efficient cut
Mincing or creaming controls the bite of garlic
Getting to the root of the matter with parsnips
Whip potatoes into shape: Secrets on avoiding a gluey, stiff or lumpy flavorless mess
We’re ready: Bring on the tomatoes! Concasse is springboard for using season’s bounty
How to make the most of autumn’s apple harvest
Holiday Meals
7 steps to a successful holiday meal
How to carve a turkey: Take the bird apart in the privacy of the kitchen with these detailed steps
Simple steps for matzo balls that float
After a long, slow cook, even the toughest bird (or meat) is ready to be pulled apart
Baking and Desserts
Whipping up dessert: Discovering many levels of goodness of freshly whipped cream
Conquer all muffins: Once you master the basic method, baking is a breeze
In pie heaven: A perfect dough begins with understanding the fat
Here’s looking at you, cookie: How to give home-baked treats a professional look
Frosting a cake like a pro
It’s the layers: Simple guidelines help your puff pastry rise
A simple dough that stands up to the job: When pie just isn’t elegant enough, pate sucree is the answer
Take a poundcake...When good isn’t good enough, use this classic dessert (and break the bread habit) to build unexpected delights
How to make a classic
Photo Credits
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