The kitchen is the heart of every home, but then, why do most of us know so little about it? Passing along just the sort of tips that your grandma knew, Dominique DeVito shares suggestions on making a foolproof pie crust, knowing which cooking oil to use, determining when meat is fully cooked, and staying dry-eyed when slicing an onion. Along with enticing photos and quotations by such figures as James Beard, Mark Twain, Jane Austen, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, this beautifully formatted book includes a dozen recipes for such essentials as crab cakes, fried chicken, apple pie, and chocolate chip cookies.