<b>In <i>The Elements of Cooking, New York Times </i>bestselling author Michael Ruhlman deconstructs the essential knowledge of the kitchen to reveal what professional chefs know only after years of training and experience. </b><br /><br />With alphabetically ordered entries and eight beautifully written essays, Ruhlman outlines what it takes to cook well: understanding heat, using the right tools, cooking with eggs, making stock, making sauce, salting food, what a cook should read, and exploring the most important skill to have in the kitchen, finesse. <i>The Elements of Cooking </i>gives everyone the tools they need to go from being a good cook to a great one.