Obvious, But Not So Obvious Vol. 1: How to Cook & Master Your Kitchen

Kitchen basics for beginners, from essential gear and knife skills to food safety and easy everyday meals.

Somewhere along the way, everyone decided that cooking is something you just pick up. If nobody stood next to you and showed you, there's no reason you should know why the pan smokes or why the chicken is raw in the middle. This book is that person standing next to you. Home cooking runs on a surprisingly small number of ideas: dry food browns and wet food steams, salt early, a sharp knife is safer than a dull one, and a thermometer beats guessing. Learn those, and most recipes suddenly make sense. You were missing a few rules, and rules can be learned in an afternoon.

Inside you'll learn:

• The few tools worth owning, and a starter pantry
• How to hold a knife, protect your fingers and dice an onion
• What the stove knobs really mean, and how to handle a grease fire
• Pasta, rice, eggs and five-minute pan sauces
• What food dates mean and how long leftovers last
• Safe cooking temperatures, so you never guess if chicken is done

Every chapter starts from zero, in plain words, with step-by-step instructions and safety notes. 46 simple drawings, flowcharts and checklists make each step easy to follow.

What you get: an instant PDF download in full colour, 12 chapters, in two sizes: A4 (71 pages, best for printing) and A5 (best for phones and tablets).

Obvious, But Not So Obvious is a series of life-skills guides for beginners and young adults. Also in the series: How to Fix & Maintain Your Home; How to Care for Your Car; How to Manage Your Money & Paperwork; and How to Handle Your Tech & Stay Safe Online. Get all five in one book with the Master Edition: How to Master Everyday Life.