Done, by James Peterson, Chronicle Books, 223 pages, $33.50
A recipe will provide the recommended cooking time and tell you how to combine ingredients, but there is a large margin for error that extends from under-to overcooked.
Knowing when any given dish is ready to be removed from the heat is crucial to the final tasting.
James Peterson wants to take that guesswork out of your food preparation and educate people on how to know when their food is done.
In his opening chapter called "How we determine doneness" Peterson examines the various techniques that are applied to different foods. In this process, all the senses are used to make that important decision.
He describes the proper technique for a broad range of cooking that includes sautéing, braising, poaching and more.
Peterson divides the book into food groups, starting with sauces, eggs, roots, vegetables, rice and beans. From there he moves on to meats and groups them as seafood, poultry, pork and lamb, and beef, before finishing the book with sweets and breads.
In every example he combines his descriptions with colour photographs to better explain what the perfect result will look like.
With a colourful design filled with terrific graphics that complement the text and photographs, this book is a visual delight, as well as being an invaluable guide to better results for all your cooking.
