Twelve Recipes

He may be chef at the legendary Chez Panisse, but when his oldest son was preparing to go off to college, Cal Peternell realized that even a chef's son wasn't completely prepared to cook on his own.

Although he made dinners for his wife and three sons all the time, he'd never fully taught them the basic elements of cooking-the core of knowledge that would carry them through a lifetime in the home kitchen. What could he do but put together his philosophy of home cooking-a delicious, life-altering course of instruction-for his son? But as much as they prepped, sauteed, baked, and ate, his son left for college still needing to call home for help in the kitchen. Cal spent many phone calls explaining how to cook the recipes they loved to eat, a running food narrative that would become the heart of this book.

The chapters are built around the core foods and dishes that comprise a successful home cook's arsenal, with skill building upon skill, including:
1. Toast, crumbs and croutons
2. Eggs
3. Beans
4. Vinaigrettes: Oily and Creamy, and some thoughts on salads
5. Pasta with Tomato: Ragu Finto, all'Amatriciana, Arrabiata, Puttanesca, Marinara, Meatballs
6. Pasta Otherwise: Pesto, Aglio e Olio, Sage and Butter, Carbonara
7. Rice: Boiled, Risotto
8. Vegetables: Sauteed and Boiled and Mashed Potatoes (and Polenta)
8 1/2. Soup: Sauteed Onions + Boiled Vegetables + Blender = Soup!
9. Vegetables, Roasted
10. Roasted Chicken
11. Braised Meats: Chicken, Duck and Pork
12. Cake: Happy Birthday!

Each chapter gives the "recipe" for success with a particular food, so that along with specifics on how to make, say, Pasta Puttanesca, readers will gain a deep understanding of the mysteries and charms of pasta with tomato sauce in all its beautiful variations.

Each tip, instruction, and recipe connects with others to weave into a larger story. If you know how to store bread properly to make toast, you'll also be able to make rustic croutons, which can then be mixed with vegetables and stuffed into a chicken for roasting. Food connects with life connects with food in Twelve Recipes. The journey is pure pleasure and the destination is delicious.