The Kitchen Counter Cooking School: How A Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices Into Fearless Home Cooks (2011) - Plot & Excerpts
Kathleen Flinn is a chef and food writer who decided to give cooking lessons to the clueless. This book documents the journey that she and her students take while learning the basics of knife skills and taste-testing things from salt to fish. I think I missed out a little by listening to this rather than reading since she included a lot of recipes and "taste profiles" (collections of spices and ingredients) that can be added to many of the basic recipes to change their flavor. She also discussed the history of food preparation, food marketing, food waste, hunger, and creative ways to combine leftovers. This book helps me envision how to organize events and support fledgling cooks. Now to figure out all the logistics. One learning -- it takes at least part of a village. Organize a team. I am so grateful to Kathleen Flinn for the work involved in trying out an idea that flamed up inside her, and then doing it. One learning -- it takes at least part of a village to do this well. Organize a team. Another: do fancier events to raise money for the classes, and invite some portion of the paying guests to come help prepare. Amazed that they will do it! (Not really - cooking together is magical and soul-satisfying, but still I needed this specific reminder.)
What do You think about The Kitchen Counter Cooking School: How A Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices Into Fearless Home Cooks (2011)?
Part memoir and part how-to, this book was a great read.
—Tsmiles2325
Basics - how to begin breaking processed food habits.
—nessa
A humorous and educational look at cooking.
—andrea
