The food world is more crowded these days, but I think that there are more opportunities.

I don't know if there's a method that I'd like to see younger people bring back, I just want to see everyone of every age in the kitchen.

Cooking and baking are pleasures and I want everyone to be able to experience and share them.

You can use melted butter instead of oil, but your cake may be a little denser.

Real French people don't bake! At least they don't bake anything complicated, finicky, tricky or unreliable.

I use color as my chief guide. But I always squeeze an avocado - you want the fruit to feel close to the skin. If you can feel a separation, the avocado is past its prime. The avocado should have a little give, but not much.

Adam Roberts is an original: smart, funny, talented, endlessly inquisitive, an A student and, happily for us, an A+ teacher. Everyone from beginner cooks to sure hands will learn something new on each page. And even if, like Adam's mom's, your stove stores shoes and handbags, you'll still be charmed by Secrets-it's a great read.