Molly Stevens - All About Braising

I would like to raise a glass to the many generous and extraordinary people who helped bring this book to the table. I feel incredibly fortunate to count you as friends, colleagues, and advisers. Heres to you!

First, I offer my sincere thanks to all of you who shared recipes, answered questions, tasted, tested, and generally cheered me on. In particular, I am grateful to Amy Albert, Jennifer Armentrout, Steve Bogart, Annie Copps, Abby Dodge, Maryellen Driscoll, Doralece Dullaghan, Cynthia Cromwell Fallen, Sarah Jay, Barbara Haber, Martha Holmberg, Fran McCullough, Susie Middleton, Randall Price, Grard Rubaud, Robin Schempp, Steve Schimoler, Ari Weinzweig, Anne Willan, and Daphne Zepos.

A big debt of gratitude goes to Judy Rodgers and Sam Hayward, who so generously welcomed me into their kitchens (Zuni Caf and Fore Street Grill, respectively) when I was floundering and just needed to cook. Thanks also to Debbie Funkhouser for digging through old texts at the Schlesinger Library on my behalf. And to Nancy Harmon Jenkins for taking the time to set me straight on a few details of Italian cooking. A special thanks to my brother, Reed, and his wife, Carolyn, for being my braising sleuths in western New York and for falling head-over-heels for the Caribbean Pork Shoulder. And to Ron Savenor at Savenors Market in Boston for his help unraveling the mysteries of meat.

To my recipe testers: to the incomparable Didi Davis who bailed me out of more than a few tough spots and solved many of my biggest recipe riddles; to Mariana Velasquez, whose company I enjoyed in the kitchen on many long Saturday afternoons; to Kate Hays, whom I admire for the calm and confident way she approaches cooking; and to Charlie Hays, who jumped in at the end for several last-minute run-throughs. Thank you all for making sure that my recipes deliver.

One of my greatest pleasures in the process was observing the making of the beautiful photographs in the sure hands of the talented food-stylist Michael Pederson, and the equally gifted and amiable photography team of Andrea Gentl and Marty Hyers. Greatest thanks to all of you along with your fabulous team, including Tracey Harlor, Yill Ruchala, Sabine Tucker (for those gorgeous props), Alethia Weingarten, and Kate Sears.

In addition to the great-looking photos, I feel so lucky to include the work of two first-rate contributors. Thank you to Tim Gaiser for the enlightened and thoughtful wine notes. And to Yevgeniy Solovyev for the beautiful illustrations.

Huge thanks go to the entire team at Norton for doing such a wonderful job at every step of the way. They include Julia Druskin, Andy Marasia, Debra Morton Hoyt, Nancy Palmquist, Don Rifkin, Susan Sanfrey, Louise Brockett, Bill Rusin, and Jeannie Luciano. Extra special thanks to Erik Johnson, whom I pestered with endless loose ends and last minute fixes. Never once did he falter or lose patience. And to Judith Sutton for her careful and astute copyediting. And to Barbara Bachman for the elegant design that brings it all together so perfectly.

This book would probably not exist if it werent for the determination and dedication of my editor, Maria Guarnaschelli, who decided long before I did that I was up to the task. In addition to her encouragement, I am profoundly grateful to Maria for her thorough and intelligent editing and for truly caring about every detail at every pass.

Heartfelt thanks to Marian Young, my agent, counselor, and friend, who so gracefully looked after me during the making of this book. And to my dear friend Roy Finamore, who is always there when I most need help. There is no one I would rather share a kitchen with.

Finally, I am forever grateful to my entire family for their undying support and sincere interest, to Elizabeth for remaining my best friend for so long, and to Mark, for, well, everything.

If I were able to communicate only one lesson to students and aspiring cooks, it would be: Cook. Cook from scratch. Cook often. Cook whenever you can. Cook whatever you can. Cook for your family and your friends. Cook for yourself even when you are alone. Cook when you are going to visit and bring along whatever you made. The act of cooking on a regular basis will make you a better cook and will improve the quality of your life and of those around you. Im convinced of it.

If I were allowed to offer a second lesson, it would be to learn about your ingredients and to shop for the best ingredients you can find. No matter how good your technique, or how elaborate your equipment, high-quality ingredients will always translate into better tasting food. Throughout this book, I have included tips and advice on how to shop for certain ingredients: fresh fish, different cuts of meat, less-familiar vegetables, exotic spices, and the like. Learning how to choose your food at the market is as important as learning to how to hold a knife.

Having said that, many students and friends tell me about the time constraints they face and that the very act of having to shop can deter them from cooking. As much as I am an advocate for buying naturally raised meats and poultry and locally grown produce, I know thats not always possible for everyone. Say you want to braise a chicken for your family but the only chicken you can find at the supermarket on your way home is one thats been factory-farmed, deep-chilled, and shipped halfway across the country. Its 4:30 in the afternoon, and theres no time to make a trip to another market that might sell better poultry. What do you do? Well, if it comes down to a matter of cooking or not cooking dinner for your family, I recommend buying the commercially raised chicken. Make a satisfying, home-cooked meal, and sit down and enjoy it with your family.

In writing this book, I have been careful to test and retest the recipes using all manner of ingredients, from the very best locally grown produce and naturally raised meats to the more generic fare sold in ordinary supermarkets. I wanted to be sure that the recipes would work for a cook unable to get to a farmers market or specialty market and unwilling to deal with the inconvenience of mail-order. I also wanted to write a book for cooks, like myself, who shop at local farm stands, gourmet stores, and specialized meat and fish shops. Will there be a difference in taste? Certainly, but as long as you follow the basic techniques, I promise you will turn out tasty, nourishing food that will please you and those you share it with.

Ill be the first to admit that I am a spoiled cook. I spend my days studying, shopping for, writing about, and preparing food. Its what I do. So its nothing for me to go to three separate markets in search of a particular ingredient. Plus, I live in Vermont and am active in the Vermont Fresh Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating partnerships between farmers, chefs, and consumers. This means that I am surrounded by like-minded people and have access to an inspiring range of excellent local products.

Do I wish more cooks were dedicated to learning about, seeking out, and spending more money on the best-quality ingredients and were willing to boycott mediocre ones? Yes. Do I think that the retailers and distributors would take notice? Yes. Do I demand that you become an activist and only shop at farmers markets to cook the food in this book? Not for a minute. I return again and again to my first lesson: cook. If all you can manage is a stop at the big-box grocery store on your way home from a full day, I applaud you for taking the time to shop for fresh ingredients and cook from scratch. My recipes are as much for you as they are for the serious cook dedicated to procuring the finest ingredients.