A Recipe for Cooking

Book excerpt: Celebrate the joys of a great day in the kitchen and a meal shared with family and friends with this follow-up to the bestselling, IACP Award-winning Twelve Recipes, featuring next level, home-cook-friendly recipes for occasions large and small. Twelve Recipes provided the basic techniques and recipes for essential home cooking. Now, A Recipe for Cooking takes home cooks to the next level. Cal Peternell gives you everything you need to cook for big get-togethers, holiday feasts, family occasions, and for a special dinner for two. He organizes the recipes by season to help cooks plan their meals from first bite to last—how a meal should start, what should be the main attraction, what should be served alongside, and how to choose the perfect finish. Illustrated with charming color photos and drawings, A Recipes for Cooking offers a range of delicious, easy-to-master fare: Savory Tart with Onions, Olive, and Anchovies; Shredded Zucchini Fritters with Basil Mayonnaise; Citrus Salad with Ginger, Cilantro, and Saffron-toasted Pistachios; Fish and Shellfish Soup; Rolled Pork Loin Roast Stuffed with Olives and Herbs; Lasagna Bolognese; Belgian Endive Gratin with Gruyere and Prosciutto; and a Blood Orange and Buttermilk Tart. Each of Cal's recipes utilizes the freshest, most delicious ingredients of each season. Here are meals to share with close family and good friends—to laugh, drink, and cook with—as well as dishes that give you some quiet time in the kitchen, slicing, seasoning, and simmering. With food to make introductions, to commemorate, to celebrate, even, on occasion, to gently instigate, A Recipe for Cooking is Cal Peternell at his wittiest, warmest, and most inspiring.