I just received this book from Amazon and I can't get over how much I love it! If this book is anything, it is a confidence builder. You know how recipes will often say: cream the butter, knead the dough, etc. and just assume you know how? Well this book finally teaches you how to do all of those little steps which recipes never fully explain. This book is essentially a codebook for cooking and baking! I'm convinced that learning techniques is one of the keys to successfully start cooking and baking.I'm a visual learner and this book is filled to the brim with photos. Not only are the photos absolutely beautiful, they are extremely useful. There are hundreds of techniques and every single one of them shows several large, beautiful step by step photos. Every single page is glossy with full color. It is fun just to browse through because it is such a beautiful book! Definitely would make a lovely gift for someone.There are tons of techniques about how to properly cut food, including different types of meats, fruits, herbs, veggies, and even frozen pies. It also demonstrates how to cream butter, knead dough, use a pastry bag, make fresh soup stocks, peel and pit fruits, etc. There are also a few basic recipes scattered throughout the book (sauces, dough, gravy).The book also includes an overview of kitchen tools, which I'll be honest was not overly helpful. The explanation for each tool was obvious and kind of "no duh". Here's an example describing an electronic kitchen timer: "These timers feature a digital display that beeps when the time is up...some sit on the counter, while others use a magnetic strip to stick to appliances." Ok, come on, that's kind of a no brainer, even for me. But I did find the section describing the different types of knives useful.Also, some of these techniques I will never use, like making handmade pasta. But I admit it was still fascinating to read about it. I've always wondered how people make pasta by hand.If you are a curious person in general you will love this book. This is one of my most favorite books ever, cooking or otherwise! This book solved so many little mysteries for me. I'd just about given up on cooking, thinking it wasn't for me, but this book has given me so much more confidence in the kitchen. In fact, today I'm going to the grocery store to stock up on supplies and give a few recipes a try!