How to Cook Everything - The Basics (2003)

How to Cook Everything: The Basics, the 2012 edition with 1,000 photos Mark Bittman's beginner companion to his giant How to Cook Everything breaks recipe instructions down to the smallest steps, then backs them with 1,000 color photographs of both the finished dish and the technique. The chapters run from easiest to most challenging, starting with breakfast, so the book doubles as a course you can work through in order. It runs to nearly 500 pages, which sounds daunting, but the bulk comes from pictures and explanation rather than fussy recipes. A sensible pick for someone who wants one dependable reference on the counter for years, not a book outgrown in a month.