Lacking confidence in the kitchen? This book walks through everyday cooking skills to help the average person out at home.
About the Author
Kathleen Flinn was trained at the Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Upon completion of their culinary program, she was left clueless as to where to take her career. She wanted to use her highly trained skill set to help the average person.
One day she came across a clueless shopper in the grocery store and began following her closely. It became apparent that this stranger in the supermarket was in dire need of Kathleen’s help.
The Kitchen Counter Cooking School
Kathleen began this book with the inspiration of the lost woman in the grocery store. She sought out ordinary people in the Seattle area and interviewd each participant individually in their home. The interview consisted of a pantry inspection and a cooking demonstration. Nine individuals were selected to be students in Kathleen’s class.
Every “student” was much different than the next,and made for a very interesting dynamic in the commercial kitchen; everyone brought a new strength and weakness to the table. The class began with no clear permanent direction, but evolved into a life changing experience for the students.
Kathleen’s students learned the basics of knife skills, improving food choices and trusting their very own taste buds. It reminded me of the information Julia Child focused on. The students came away with the skills to walk into a grocery store and find exactly what they needed and purchase it most economically. These are skills a lot of ordinary folks are lacking. For many, the grocery store is an intimidating place that leads people to choose convenience foods.
The way this book is written makes it helpful for any confused home cook. Kathleen’s relaxed style in the cooking school comes across in her book as well. While it would be extremely beneficial for everyone to be a student in her class (yet highly unlikely) it would be just as beneficial for everyone to read this book.
Be sure to check out The Kitchen Counter Cooking School. Even if you already feel super savvy in the kitchen, you may be missing one skill set that could take your home chef skills to the next level! It never hurts to take a minute to clean up your cooking skills!
