Nowadays food programmes and glossy magazines encourage us to emulate the creations of celebrity chefs at home but less experienced cooks will often find their attempts frustrating. That's where this book comes in. It strips cooking down to the bare essentials, focusing on straightforward ways of preparing top-quality ingredients which allow the food to speak for itself, without an emphasis on fiddly presentation and shock-value cooking. The recipes have been carefully selected and developed to ensure maximum flavour for minimum effort. Throughout the book, basic techniques are explained in detail, using clear step-by-step illustration sequences to ensure that every cook - whatever their level of experience - can create meals to enjoy and be proud of. These are the techniques which many people wish they had learned as children, but didn't; and they are skills which food writers often take for granted. This unique book makes no assumptions, and teaches the inexperienced cook from the ground up. About the author Carol Wilson is a food writer, cookery consultant, and restaurant inspector. She is a contributor to numerous publications including Country Kitchen and Watirose Food Illustrated, and the UKTV Food channel. Carol is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and has authored more than ten cookbooks.