On Cooking is essentially an entire cooking course contained within an 1152 page book. This encyclopedic culinary book covers every imaginable topic from identification of foods, to demonstrating how to properly hold a knife to techniques and procedures (like cutting vegetables and grilling meats to roasting poultry and preparing sauces) and most importantly, creation of successful recipes. Many of the 750 recipes have step-by-step procedural photo sequences to assist the aspiring home chef. The recipe variety and complexity are one of the book's hallmarks. Basic recipes from collard greens and meatloaf to classic dishes like Crabcakes Benedict, as well as, new-style cooking like Duck Prosciutto with Fresh Mango being fine examples of the depth and breadth of recipe content.
Sarah Labensky is a cookbook author, academic administrator, cooking teacher, working caterer, industry consultant, active community volunteer, and passionate culinary professional. Chef Sarah is Founding Director of the Culinary Arts Institute at Mississippi University for Women. Prior to joining MUW's faculty, she was a Professor of Culinary Arts at Scottsdale (Arizona) Community College. Before teaching, Chef Sarah spent many years as a working pastry cook and caterer.
Chef Sarah is active in numerous professional organizations. A member of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP), she was recently elected as that Association's Secretary-Treasurer. Chef Sarah is also a member of The American Culinary Federation, The James Beard Foundation and Les Dames d'Escoffier.