The directions are very clear and the techniques well explained. We bought a copy of this for my daughter's 10th birthday. She is now mumble-mumble years old and has become an excellent cook.

Great for cooks who aren't sure of the basics and like to follow directions. For every basic technique that has a two-page spread complete with photos of each step, there are at least a couple additional recipes that use that technique in the section.
A good gift for someone out on their own for the first time or newlyweds. Also good for new cooks.
As weird as I am about not measuring, I still use this for my noodles and my potato salad recipes.