Departmental Policy: The key ingredients in a memorable dish are freshness and love.

Any one who knows me or has seen me knows I love to cook. Cooking is rapidly becoming a lost art, since 'a can of this, and a box of that' isn't cooking. Cooking begins in a grocery store, finding the ingredients, then deciding on a menu. My recommendations fall into two categories:

• Books from which you can learn technique as well as recipes. These books provide enough detail that a developing cook can find answers. "How to" is included.
• Books which stretch our culinary experience. A bit more demanding perhaps, but include ethnic and regional dishes, and new eating experiences