George Geary teaches baking classes in more than 100 cooking schools across North America every year. The author of 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes, 125 Best Biscuit Mix Recipes, and The Complete Baking Cookbook . He lives in Los Angeles.

Denise Gee is a native of Natchez, Mississippi, and has written for Southern Living and Better Homes and Gardens. She and her husband, Robert M. Peacock, live in Dallas. Robert M. Peacock, whose work has appeared in Southern Living, lives in Dallas. Her latest book is Southern Drinks.

Marcy Goldman is a professional baker and restaurant bakery consultant as well as a freelance writer.  Her writing has appeared in national magazines and major newspapers, including Bon AppÚtit, Food & Wine, Chocolatier, McCall's, The New York Times, Washington Post, Detroit Free Press, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, and many others.  She lives in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Her latest cookbook is A Passion for Baking.

Joyce Goldstein is a nationally known chef, author, teacher, and Mediterranean cooking expert. Her numerous books include Italian Slow and Savory , Solo Suppers, Enoteca, Cucina Ebraica and Antipasti . She lives in San Francisco.

Dorie Greenspan has written or cowritten eight cookbooks, including "'Baking with Julia"', which won a James Beard Award and an IACP Award,' "'Desserts"' by Pierre Hermé, which was named IACP Cookbook of the Year' and "'Chocolate Desserts"' by Pierre Hermé, which won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award for the best English-language cookbook. She created many recipes for "'The All-New Joy of Cooking"' and is a special correspondent for Bon Appétit, for which she writes the "'Tools of the Trade"' column. Her latest book is Baking: From My Home to Yours. 

George Greenstein, a third-generation professional baker, owned and ran a Jewish bakery on Long Island until his retirement to Monroe Township, New Jersey, more than 10 years ago. He wrote Secrets of a Jewish Baker.

Chef Mark Gaier from Arrows (Ogunquit, ME) defines Grilling as: "Grilling cooking over an open fire or charcoal."

Grilling is to cook over direct heat such as open flame or coals.  Food is placed on a grill over the heat and cooks one side at a time.  The most popular form of this sort of cooking is done on a barbeque.

Ian Hemphill lives in Sydney, Australia, and grew up working in his family's spice business. He opened a specialty shop called Herbie's Spices, which boasts one of the largest selections of herbs and spices for sale and export in the southern hemisphere. His books include The Spice and Herb Bible.

Fergus Henderson trained as an architect before becoming a chef. He opened the French House Dining Room in 1992 and left it to start St. John in 1994. He is the author of the cult classic Nose to Tail Eating, which won the André Simon Award in 2000, and Beyond Nose to Tail. He lives in London.

Beth Hensperger is a writer for the San Jose Mercury News, has been educating and writing about the art of baking for 25 years. Taking a cross-cultural approach to traditional recipes, she has authored several cookbooks, including the James Beard Award winner The Bread Bible and the best-selling The Bread Lover’s Bread Machine Cookbook. She has been twice nominated for the Julia Child/IACP Cookbook Award. Her other cookbooks include Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two, and The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook.

Ron Herbst, long a passionate and dedicated wine expert, is also a wine and food journalist. His best-selling The New Wine Lover’s Companion received rave reviews and is now the wine dictionary on several internet sites, including Condé Nast’s “Eipcurious.” Ron has collaborated with his wife Sharon Tyler Herbst on many books on food and drink including the Cheese Lover's Companion.

Sharon Tyler Herbst was an award-winning author of many books on cooking and dining. She was also a food and travel journalist, and a media personality who made many appearances on national radio and television shows, and a past president of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Her books included the Food Lover's Companion, Wine Lover's Companion and Cheese Lover's Companion.

Peter Hertzmann has taught knife skills and cooking at Sur La Table as well as privately in both France and the United States. He also authors the e-zine à la carte. He lives in Palo Alto, California.  Knife Skills Illustrated is his first book.

Kate Heyhoe is the founder and Executive Editor of GlobalGourmet.com, a pioneering food e-zine, and a contributor to many magazines, including Better Homes and Gardens, Saveur, and Great Chefs. Her cookbooks include Macho Nachos, Harvesting the Dream: The Rags-to-Riches Tale of the Sutter Home Winery, The Stubb's Bar-B-Q Cookbook, and Great Bar Food at Home .

Sandy Hill has worked as an editor, a contributor, and a writer for numerous publications, including Vogue, Mademoiselle, Bride’s, Condé Nast Traveler, Allure, Men’s Journal, and USA Today. She may be best known for her successful quest to climb the “seven summits,” the highest mountain on every continent, including Mt. Everest, about which she reported on camera and online for NBC News. In 2000, she realized another dream, to own a vineyard and ranch in California. Sandy now divides her time between her Oak Savanna Vineyard (located in Santa Barbara County), New York City, Miami, and Alamos, Mexico. Fandango is her latest book.

Laxmi Hiremath has taught Indian cooking for more than a decade and a San Francisco Chronicle food writers. Author of the critically acclaimed Laxmi's Vegetarian Kitchen and Dances of Spices, she has written for such publications as Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Better Homes and Gardens, and Fine Cooking.

David Joachim has authored, edited, or collaborated on more than 25 cookbooks including Mastering the Grill. He lives in Pennsylvania.

Judy Bart Kancigor started Cooking Jewish as a family project. She is a freelance food writer and columnist for the Orange County Register. A popular teacher of Jewish cooking and family life, she speaks at synagogues, women’s organizations, and cooking schools. She lives with her husband, Barry, in Fullerton, California.

Julie Kaufman is the deputy food editor of the San Jose Mercury News and the co-author, with Beth Hensperger, of Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook and The Ultimate Rice Cooker Cookbook.

Paula Lambert is the owner of the Mozzarella Company, which produces and sells handcrafted cheeses throughout the United States. Lambert was the President of the International Association of Culinary Professionals for 2000. She lives in Dallas with her husband, Jim, who loves cheese almost as much as she does.  Her cookbooks include Cheese, Glorious Cheese and The Cheese Lover's Cookbook and Guide.

David Lebovitz is a former pastry chef at Chez Panisse. He is also a sought-after cooking instructor, a frequent contributor to food publications, and a popular blogger. He lives in Paris, France, where he leads chocolate tours of the city. His cookbooks include The Great Chocolate Book and Perfect Scoop.

John Littlewood is the executive chef at the Westerbeke Ranch Retreat Center in Sonoma, California. His work has been featured in Bon Appétit and Cooking Light magazines, and he has demonstrated his recipes at the Culinary Institute of America in the Napa Valley. He lives in Sonoma, California. Celebrating the Seasons at Westerbeke Ranch is his first cookbook.

Nancie McDermott is an expert on the food and culture of Thailand. She has written several cookbooks and contributes recipes and features on food and travel to Food & Wine, Bon Appetit and national newspapers. She lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and teaches cooking classes nationwide.  Her cookbooks include 300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes and Southern Cakes.

Steve McDonagh and his partner Dan Smith, aka The Hearty Boys, have thrown parties for everyone from Hillary Clinton to Northwestern University. Their television series, Party Line with the Hearty Boys, began after they won The Next Food Network Star. They have appeared on CBS’ The Early Show, and in Life, The New Yorker, the New York Times, and other publications. They live in Chicago, where they recently opened their first restaurant, HB: A Hearty Boys Spot. Talk with Your Mouth Full is their first cookbook.

Alice Medrich is inspired and inspiring. In Berkeley, California, in the 1970s, her dessert shop, Cocolat, set new standards of excellence. She has been learning, teaching, and sharing what she loves about dessert making for thirty years. She brings to us an obsessive approach to recipes (meticulously written and tested), a commitment to quality ingredients, and a profound understanding of technique. Her contributions have resulted in the country’s highest cookbook honors, including three Cookbooks of the Year, most recently from the International Association of Culinary Professionals for BitterSweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate. Her other books include Pure Dessert and Chocolate Holidays. Alice lives in Berkeley with her daughter, Lucy.

Chef Morimoto has been the Japanese iron chef on the Food Network's weekly show, "Iron Chef," and its spinoff "Iron Chef America," since 1999. The show airs in the United States, Canada, Australia, Israel, and Hong Kong. Formerly the Executive Chef of the Sony Club and Nobu, Chef Morimoto now has his own restaurants in New York, Philadelphia, Tokyo, and Mumbai, and also created his own brand of sake and beer. "Morimoto" is his first cookbook.

Kathy FitzHenry from The Occasional Gourmet (San Francisco, CA) defines Muscovado as: "Muscovado is also known as the moist sugar. It is an unrefined sugar that takes its name and color from the sugar cane juice it is made from. It carries a very strong molasses flavor. It is a very dark brown color, coarser and stickier than most brown sugars. It offers good resistance to high temperatures with a reasonably good shelf life. This unrefined sugar goes well with coffee and other beverages. "

Andrea Nguyen is a food writer and teacher based in Santa Cruz, California. She founded the Viet World Kitchen website, the most comprehensive resource on the Internet devoted to the food and culture of Vietnam. She has written for Saveur, the Los Angeles Times, and the San Jose Mercury News. She recently led a tour of Little Saigon in Orange County for the Travel Channel/Epicurious TV. Into the Vietnamese Kitchen is her first cookbook.

Graduate of the Cordon Bleu Cooking School in London, Jill O'Connor has authored Phyllo, Easter Treats, Simple French Desserts, and Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey. She lives in Coronado, California.

Kathy FitzHenry from The Occasional Gourmet (San Francisco, CA) defines Olive Oil as: "Olive oils vary in flavor and can be thick or thin. They have a fairly low smoke point of 300-320 degrees and are broadly intended to be used as elements of a salad dressing, a finishing oil, or to lightly sauté vegetables, pasta etc. Be careful with these oils as they can turn bitter if they are allowed to smoke."

Inés Ortega has worked with her mother, Simone, for many years, and is an established and highly regarded food writer in her own right. Her latest cookbook is 1080 Recipes.

Simone Ortega has been writing about cooking for over 50 years. Three generations of Spaniards have learned to cook with her books on gastronomy, which have sold millions of copies nationwide. She is considered one of the foremost authorities on traditional Spanish cooking. Her latest cookbook is 1080 Recipes.

In pan frying, food is cooked in a frying pan, the favorite being a cast iron pan just like Grandma had, with a little fat over high heat.  Pan frying is great for steaks if you do not mind the clean up.

Lou Seibert Pappas is the author of numerous cookbooks including Fondue, Coffee Cakes, Ice Creams & Sorbets; Crème Brûlée; Pancakes & Waffles; Biscotti; The Christmas Candy Book; The Christmas Cookie Book; Crêpes; and Omelettes, Soufflés & Frittatas. She lives in Palo Alto, California.

James Peterson is an award-winning cookbook writer and cooking teacher, whose career began as a young cook in Paris. In the mid-eighties, he was a partner and cook at the Greenwich Village restaurant Le Petit Robert. He is the author of nine award-winning and short-listed cookbooks, including the James Beard Cookbook of the Year Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making, as well as Essentials of Cooking, Glorious French Food, What's a Cook to Do?, and Cooking. He teaches, writes about, photographs, lives, breathes, and cooks fine food.

Valerie Peterson is a writer with over fifteen years of experience working with cookbooks. She grew up in Yonkers, New York, where her second favorite toy was her Easy-Bake Oven. She now lives in Manhattan. Her latest cookbook is Cookie Craft.

Patty Pinner is the author of Sweets: A Collection of Soul Food Desserts and Memories, which Maida Heater called “a rare treasure.” An employee of the U.S. Postal Service, she lives in Saginaw, Michigan. Her latest cookbook is Sweety Pies: An Uncommon Collection of Womanish Observations, with Pie.

Jairemarie Pomo is chef-at-large for Hog Island Oyster Company and teaches oyster cooking classes in the San Francisco Bay Area. She also leads writing workshops out of her home in Inverness, California, just steps from Tomales Bay, where Hog Island oysters are grown. The Hog Island Oyster Lover's Cookbook is her first cookbook.

Lorna Sass author of Pressure Perfect and Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way shares with us her definition of Pressure Cooking:

"In a pressure cooker, food becomes tender in one-third the standard cooking time. How does this happen?  Once you've locked the lid in place and set the cooker over high heat, the liquid inside comes to a boil and produces steam.  Because the lid has an air-tight seal, the steam gets trapped inside the pot and forces the internal pressure to build up to approximately 15 pounds per square inch.

Under 15 pounds of pressure, water boils at 250 degrees Fahrenheit rather than the standard 212 degrees.  Since the water is 38 degrees hotter than usual, the food fibers break down and the flavors mingle in one-third the standard cooking time.  That's why a pot roast becomes fork-tender in one hour instead of three, and split peas melt into a puree in 20 minutes rather than 60.

When purchasing a pressure cooker, examine the lid. First make sure that it's simple to lock the lid into place and to remove it after cooking. Then determine what kind of pressure regulator the cooker uses and how easy it is to determine when high pressure is reached.

There are three types of pressure regulators (so named because they regulate the amount of pressure in the cooker):

• The most sophisticated type is a spring-valve regulator, used in many cookers imported from Europe. Although designs vary, most spring-valve regulators have a small brightly colored rod or cylinder that pops up as the pressure builds.  When the rod comes up high enough to reveal a designated mark, the cook knows at a glance when high pressure is reached.  

• The second type is a removable, round metal weight that sits on top of the vent pipe.  This design is used in American pressure cookers like Presto and Mirro and in some imported brands. When high pressure is reached, the weight gently rocks back and forth, giving this cooker the familiar nickname of "jiggle-top".  

• The third type, called a developed weight regulator, is used in many imports.  Think of it as a jiggle-top in disguise since it sits on top of the vent pipe, but gets locked into position before cooking begins. This regulator lifts up slightly when high pressure is reached but, since it rarely jiggles, the cook must observe carefully to know when high pressure is reached.

Charlotte Puckette, author of Ethnic Paris, is a chef and owner of a catering company in Paris, France. She was born in Charleston, South Carolina. She developed her passion for cooking while she was traveling and working in East Africa. Currently Charlotte is actively introducing people to ethnic cuisine through her catering and Paris market tours.

Donna-Marie Pye is an author, home economist, food writer and recipe developer for food publications and food marketing boards, and author of several cookbooks including America's Best Slow Cooker Recipes, The Best Family Slow Cooker Recipes, and 300 Slow Cooker Favorites.

Born in Kerala, India, freelance food writer Ammini Ramachandran immigrated to the United States in 1971. She writes a column on spices, and her recipes and articles have appeared in The Providence Journal, Flavor & Fortune, and Food History Primer. Her first cookbook is Grains, Greens, and Grated Coconuts.

Chef Ezra Tilte from chezvous (Toronto, Canad) defines Ramps: "Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are among the first plants to emerge in the spring. They grow in moist, deciduous forests like Maple and have a distinct aroma and flavour, similar to spring onions and garlic."

A.J. Rathbun is a freelance food and entertaining writer and the author of Party Drinks! His work has appeared in numerous national publications. A.J. also teaches mixology classes at cooking schools. His latest book is Good Spirits.

Michael Recchiuti started his chocolate business in San Francisco in 1997 after a successful career at some of the top restaurants in Philadelphia. His chocolates were soon recognized for their sophistication and originality, and they have been featured in the New York Times, Food & Wine, and many other publications. He lives in San Francisco. He is the co-author of Chocolate Obsession with Fran Gage.

Peter Reinhart is a full-time baking instructor at Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was the cofounder of the legendary Brother Juniper's Bakery in Santa Rosa, California, and is the author of six books on bread baking, including Brother Juniper's Bread Book, Whole Grain Breads and the 2002 James Beard and IACP Book of the Year, The Bread Baker's Apprentice.

Stephane Reynaud is co-owner of the restaurant Villa 9 Trois in Montreuil, just outside of Paris, France. Pork & Sons is his first cookbook.

Kathy FitzHenry from The Occasional Gourmet (San Francisco, CA) defines Rice Bran Oil as: "This is a favorite cooking oil in Japan. It is light, high in vitamin E and has a relatively high smoke point making it ideal for vegetable tempuras."

Lenny Rice left the East Coast for Napa in 1996, to teach at Robert Mondavi Winery. In 2000, he formed the original culinary team at Copia with Brigid Callinan. Lenny has since become head cheesemonger at Cowgirl Creamery/Tomales Bay Foods. He lives in Petaluma, California. Fondue is his first cookbook.

Michel Richard, chef of Citronelle in Washington, D.C., made that rarest of leaps in the world of food—from the pastry kitchen to chef of one of the country’s foremost restaurants. A chef who inspires colleagues with his creativity of invention, he was among the first chefs inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who in American Food and Wine. He has been a guest on Good Morning America and the Food Network, and is featured regularly in such publications as Gourmet. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and children. Susie Heller, executive producer of PBS’s Chef Story, has produced award-winning television cooking series and co-authored numerous award-winning books, among them The French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller and Bouchon by Thomas Keller and Jeffrey Cerciello. She lives in Napa, California. Peter Kaminsky is a cookbook author and a New York Times columnist, and was the Underground Gourmet for New York magazine. He has written books with chefs Gray Kunz, Daniel Boulud, and Fabio Trabocchi. He lives in New York City. His latest cookbook is Happy in the Kitchen.