A "How To Cook" book from ... Wine Spectator ??

If you've ever wanted to buy a comprehensive cookbook, one that does more than spew out a bunch of recipes and actually tries to teach you something about cooking in a systematic way, but have found those books (like the 7-inch hardcover published by the CIA) a bit unwieldy, you gotta get the September 30, 2007 issue of Wine Spectator, aptly titled "How To Cook." It tells you (virtually) everything you need to become an adequate cook, from getting the right equipment and putting your mise in place, to how to poach, roast, grill, bake, braise, steam, boil, fry and stew, not to mention toss a few salads and puree some soups. It's got a good section on how to prepare the basic sauces used in french cooking, and also a section on how to prepare, maintain and use good stocks, the key, in my opinion, to competent home cooking. And at $5, it's certainly a sensible investment for your kitchen or library. It's a great "cooking 101" for the uninitiated but eager.