From

by Beverly Tjerngren

The other day a friend of mine loaned me the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Companion (2000, Chuck Williams, General Editor), and after just a minute or two of leafing through it I knew I had to buy a copy of my own.

The book's jacket calls it "part troubleshooter, part culinary encyclopedia, and always a fun and fascinating read," and the Kitchen Companion delivers on all of these promises. It's chock-full of information and advice for cooks of all stripes, from novices to gourmets. Inside you'll find, among other things, information about ingredients, cookware and equipment, cooking techniques and terms, and illustrations, all organized in alphabetical order and presented in an easy-to-read format.

Two of my favorite features in the guide are "Quick Tips" and "Quick Bites," helpful hints and little snippets of information that could come in handy, for both cooks and trivia buffs. For instance, did you know that when it comes to coffee, "'tropical' names--Sumatra, Jamaica, Kenya--refer to the source of beans, while European names--French, Italian, Viennese--describe the roast"? Me, neither, but as a wannabe coffee connoisseur, it's information I've filed away for future reference. The Kitchen Companion has dozens, at least, of tidbits like this that will help you have more fun and better success in the kitchen.

I must warn you, however, that this volume is so much fun on its own that there's a risk you'll get stuck reading through it and never make it from the couch to the kitchen!