As a self-taught chef and creator of The Amateur Gourmet website, Adam Roberts knows the challenges you face in bringing fresh, creative homemade meals to the table without burning down the house or bruising your self-esteem. But as he shows in this exciting new book, the effort is worth it and good eating doesn’t have to be difficult. To prove his point, Roberts has assembled a five-star lineup of some of the food world’s most eminent authorities for your culinary education. In this illuminating and hilarious “Kitchen 101,” Adam Roberts teaches you how to bring good food into your life. Learn the “Ten Commandments of Dining Out” courtesy of Ruth Reichl, editor in chief of Gourmet magazine. Discover why the New York Times ’s Amanda Hesser urges you never to bring a grocery list to the market. Get knife lessons from a top sous-chef at Manhattan’s famous Union Square Cafe, and accompany the intrepid author as he dines alone at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Paris. From how to chop an onion to how to cook a seven-course meal that dazzles your friends, Roberts shares the skills you need to overcome your food phobias, impress your parents, woo a date, and create sophisticated dishes with everyday ease. Packed with recipes, menus plans, shopping tips, and anecdotes, The Amateur Gourmet provides you with all the ingredients for the foodie lifestyle. All you need is a healthy appetite and a taste for adventure! " The Amateur Gourmet is Adam Roberts' witty, engaging account of how he went from being a frozen-pizza-eating law student to a passionate home-cook and food writer. For anyone seeking to venture beyond toaster meals into the pleasurable world of sauteeing and braising, Roberts is the perfect guide." —Matt Lee and Ted Lee, authors of The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook “If you think foodies take themselves too seriously, you'll love tagging along as Adam embarks with his friends on one challenge after another on the road to gourmet-hood. This is a funny, helpful companion for anyone who's ever felt intimidated by the world of fine food.”—Clotilde Dusoulier, author of Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen "Adam Roberts is a delightful and compelling new voice in the food world. I'm a fan of his blog and am amazed to see how effortlessly and well his exuberant sense of food and cooking and the world translate to actual pages. What great company he is!"—Michael Ruhlman, author of Charcuterie and The Reach of a Chef “Any one who's ever understood that eating well and living well go hand in hand will relish this tale of one man's personal food awakening. With humor and moxie, Roberts dives headfirst into the captivating world of food—from marketing to cooking to dining—to discover invaluable life lessons about appetite, culture, love and doing dishes. "—Molly Stevens, author of All About Braising "Adam Roberts shares his step-by-step pursuit of becoming a true 'gourmet' with his inimitable wit and hard-won wisdom. From prepping pasta to dealing with the last dirty dish (and everything edible in between) follow Adam’s cleverly crafted journey from being an awkward amateur to a full-fledged culinary connoisseur." —David Lebovitz, author of The Perfect Scoop and The Great Book of Chocolate “Adam's book is a knockout—great reading and great fun, packed with good ideas, even for an old time cook like myself. I love his failures and his triumphs. I love his good clear directions and his joy in discovering himself through food.” —Marsha Norman, playwright “Sweet and smart and generously spirited, The Amateur Gourmet is a funny, honest gustatory coming of age saga. Like a lot of us who write about food, Adam Roberts discovered that the pleasures of the table and the kitchen really can save your soul.” —Ed Levine, founder of seriouseats.com “Adam Roberts, the self-styled kitchen novice behind the popular blog amateur gourmet.com .... has become a sort of Rachael Ray for young foodie urbanites.”– Boston Globe “Charming.... A kitchen travelogue.... The book’s primary feature is its delight in learning something new.”— Publishers Weekly Adam D. Roberts has a JD from Emory University Law School and an MFA in dramatic writing from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. His website, www.amateurgourmet.com, was named one of the Best Sites on the Web by PC magazine. He lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn, and is currently working on a novel. Chapter One Start with Spaghetti The story goes that Mom, recently married, prepared a spaghetti dinner for Dad to enjoy upon coming home from work. According to her, she spent the day shopping for ingredients, rolling the meatballs, simmering the sauce. Dad, an ambitious young dentist, spent the day drilling holes in people's mouths and wiping saliva off their chins. He came home very hungry. I suppose Mom welcomed him home with open arms and then declared that there was a feast to be had on the kitchen table: spaghetti and meatballs. Co