Betty Crocker Why It Works: Insider Secrets to Great Food Book

High 3s -- will possibly upgrade rating upon further use

a creative, healthful approach to cooking. as is often the case, jamie oliver's salad creations are the bomb (of particular note are his Fava Bean and Crispy Pancetta Salad with a Pea, Pecorino, and Mint Dressing and his Moorish Crunch Salad). but i also found his dessert selections approachable and helpful (especially the recipe for Perfectly Sweet Pastry, which offers a manageable technique that doesn't overwork the dough, as i so frequently do, and forms the basis for a number of his sweets herein; of further note are his candied almonds, for which i can already think of tens of uses beyond those he suggests off the bat).

other recipes are a delightful mix of technique (acid-cooking, braising, roasting, raw, etc.) and culinary origin (english, moroccan, chinese, italian, etc.), relying on fresh ingredients.

each recipe is well photographed -- usually in finished form, occasionally (and less helpfully) in medias res -- and has a light-hearted, engaging introduction, followed by easy-to-understand preparation steps comprised of mostly easy-to-obtain ingredients.

this cookbook is neither a basics cookbook (like Joy of Cooking or Mastering the Art of French Cooking) nor mind-bending and genre-defining (anything ottolenghi). but it's a lovely nexus of the two -- recognizable ingredients and beloved preparations with a twist -- and will make a fun palate challenge to beginning home cooks and those looking for a slight switch-up to their regular menus, alike.