A Confident Cook: Recipes for Joyous, No-Pressure Fun in the Kitchen

Hall, former host of the Today Show and currently of her self-titled syndicated talk show, enlists her good friend Steiling (a Chopped champion) to take home cooks on a culinary journey that emerged from the authors’ collaborations on morning show segments. After they first met on the set of Today, they linked up to bring more kitchen confidence to Hall’s repertoire, helping to fill a void created by her father’s recent passing. The book begins with a pantry-stocking primer, then a common-sense gadget guide, including recommendations for best kitchen placement. A primer on deconstructing recipe reading is a nice element, as is coverage of basic techniques to be used in the book’s recipes (like boiling, searing, emulsifying, and roasting). The remainder of the book offers menus and dishes for all sizes of gatherings, including single-person meals. The recipes represent the tastes and favorites of the authors but are highly relatable when they include snippets from conversations between them While some readers may wish for more story surrounding the family-favorite dishes, cooks will have a great variety of recipes to select from, and the inclusion of specialty mocktails is a treat.