Classic Recipes

Gr 4 Up—Some cooks improvise, while others prefer specific instructions. Most of the 12 fairly simple recipes in each book yield fine results if followed exactly, but also serve as jumping-off points for experimentation. A "Mastering the Basics" column in each title gives guidelines for foundational techniques or recipes: using an oven, boiling pasta, making meringues, etc. Front matter emphasizes planning: gathering ingredients, timing, as well as nutrition and quantities. Big, tempting stock photos throughout are somewhat misleading, as they don't necessarily represent the exact recipes. Likewise, photos feature teens and young adults, even though these books are appropriate for younger kids as well. And while these recipes offer practice with excellent next-level techniques like zesting a lemon or using a piping bag, they assume basic familiarity with the tools and techniques.