Whether you've never picked up a knife or you're an accomplished chef, there are only four basic factors that determine how good your food will taste. Salt, Fat, Acid, and Heat are the four cardinal directions of cooking, and they will guide you as you choose which ingredients to use and how to cook them, and they will tell you why last minute adjustments will ensure that food tastes exactly as it should. This book will change the way you think about cooking and eating, and help you find your bearings in any kitchen, with any ingredients, while cooking any meal. -- Adapted from introduction.

Foreword -- Introduction -- How to use this book -- Part one: the four elements of good cooking. Salt -- Fat -- Acid -- Heat -- What to cook -- Part two: recipes and recommendations. Kitchen basics -- Recipes: Salads; Dressings; Vegetables; Stock and soups; Beans, grains, and pasta; Eggs; Fish; Thirteen ways of looking at a chicken; Meat; Sauces; Butter-and-flour doughs; Sweets -- Cooking lessons -- Suggested menus -- Tips for further reading.