I purchased this cookbook a while ago and have used it as a reference for just about everything!  This book explains to the home cook why and how certain techniques work.  I recommend this cookbook to anyone who wants to learn to cook, who wants to improve their cooking, and to anyone who just loves to cook.  The last recipe I tried, sautéed chicken breasts in a tarragon butter sauce, was mouthwatering!  It could be my new gift idea for my favorite cooks.