Unlike other cookbooks that only show photos of the finished project, each Williams-Sonoma Mastering title, with more than 300 full-color photographs, takes you through every stage of a recipe from mise en place to garnishing. You see what every step should look like, feel like, and taste like so clearly it's as though a master chef is standing right next to you.

The special Troubleshooting tips not only show you where and how things can go wrong--with detailed photos and explanations--but how to fix those problems without having to start all over again.

The all-new recipes in Hors D'Oeuvres; Soups & Stews; Pasta, Noodles & Dumplings; and Beef & Veal were developed specifically for the Mastering series. Unique among cookbooks, each title teaches cooks to master basic techniques and recipes and then shows how to build on the basics with the more complex variations. For example, you will learn the techniques of roasting, sauteing, grilling, and braising; how to make the perfect chicken stock; and how to integrate thise basics to create dishes as tantalizing and as varied as Veal Chops with Lemon and Sage or Chateaubriand with Bearnaise Sauce.

Destined to become classsics, the Williams-Sonoma Mastering cookbooks will transform every reader--from novice to seasoned home cook--into a confodent, competent master of their kitchen.