I have a lot of friends that up until a year or so ago, couldn't do much more than boil some pasta and make some eggs.

Now that cooking at home has become such a popular past time, people who never had the inclination are popping into the kitchen to whip up a little something.

If you're considering starting to cook, I highly recommend starting with The Competent Cook: Essential Tools, Techniques, and Recipes for the Modern At-Home Cook.

It is the type of thing that I wish I'd had back when I started cooking all those years ago!

I like that it has a simple and clean layout, so it is visually unintimidating - very important when you're starting out!

And it goes through everything you need to know, without being textbook-y, which I so appreciate because there is nothing worse than trying to grasp a whole bunch of information and feeling like it's just too beyond you.

Included are the techniques and tools to get you through any recipe, as well as some really great dishes that will wow the crowd and have them thinking that you are oh-so-gourmet (Champagne Cranberry Sauce, Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Fried Sage, Roast Duck with Bing Cherries)!

Soon your pantry will be full and your cupboards stocked with the essentials tools and accessories that every chef needs. You will be making your own salad dressings, pouring over the meat at the butchers and coming home to prepare homemade meals that are not only made with love, but are made well.

Thanks to The Competent Cook!