Lorna Sass is an award-winning cook-book author whose groundbreaking Cooking Under Pressure is credited with reviving America's enthusiasm for the pressure cooker. She is also the author of Pressure Perfect and Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way. She and her collection of PCs reside on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Sauté is the prima ballerina of the frying techniques.  Use a small amount of fat over high heat and quickly fry thin tender pieces of food until golden.  Great for veal scallops and all kinds of fish. Sautéing is done in an open shallow pan known as a sauté pan.

Jennie Schacht is a culinary writer and consultant who has worked with Michael Chiarello and Napa-based "wedding cake baker to the stars" Sam Godfrey of Perfect Endings. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Her latest cookbook is The Wine Lover’s Dessert Cookbook.

Andrew Schloss is a well-known teacher, food writer, cookbook author, and food industry consultant. He lives in Pennsylvania. He has authored numerous cookbooks including Mastering the Grill.

Sally Schneider is the author of the award-winning cookbook A New Way to Cook. A former chef, Sally is a regular contributor to radio's "The Splendid Table," and writes a syndicated newspaper column for Universal Press Syndicate called "The Improvisational Cook." Sally has written for numerous publications, including Food & Wine, Saveur, Real Simple, Self, and Metropolitan Home. She lives in New York City. Her latest book is The Improvisational Cook.

Kathy FitzHenry from The Occasional Gourmet (San Francisco, CA) defines Sesame Oil as: "This delicate oil comes in both a dark and light version. With a smoke point of about 350 degrees, the nuttier light version can be used for light sautéing, while the dark version is generally used as a finishing oil. Remember to use this oil relatively quickly, as it will turn rancid if left too long in a cabinet."

Liquid is simmering when it reaches a temperature between 185°F - 195°F and tiny bubbles form that gently rise and collapse just below the surface. Simmer is used for reductions, soups and stews. If your sauce is sputtering out of the pan you are not in the simmer mode, you are close to boiling. Turn down the heat, stir the contents of the pot and check frequently so the bottom of the pot and the contents do not burn.  

Marie Simmons is a cooking teacher and author who has won both a James Beard Award and a Julia Child Award.  She is the culinary director of Copia, a food and wine cultural center in Napa, California. She is a frequent contributor to Cooking Light, Prevention, Cottage Living, and Eating Well. Her books include Fresh and Fast, The Light Touch Cookbook, Rice: The Amazing Grain, Lighter Quicker Better, 365 Ways to Cook Pasta and The Good Egg.

Ilana Simon is a food writer, editor and author of The 125 Best Fondue Recipe and 125 Best Indoor Grill Recipes. She lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Dan Smith and his partner Steve McDonagh, 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.

Olivia Kiang Snaije, author of Ethnic Paris, was born in Alexandria, Egypt, of Chinese and American parents and grew up in Italy, France, and the United States. She is a journalist and has worked in New York, Paris, and Milan; she recently moved to London from Paris.

Gail D. Sokol is an award-winning professional in the culinary arts industry with demonstrated success in baking and pastry arts, supervision and training, and classical cuisine. In addition, she has been featured on many weekly radio and television programs. Chef Sokol is currently an Instructor of Baking at Schenectady County Community College in Schenectady, New York. She is the author of About Professional Baking.

Marlena Spieler is the author of over 50 cookbooks published worldwide, including Grilled Cheese and Macaroni and Cheese, and has written for Bon Appetit and Saveur . She writes the San Francisco Chronicle award-winning food column "The Roving Feast" and is a three-time James Beard nominee. Born in Sacramento, California, she lives in Hampshire, England.

Martha Stamps is a honors graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. The author of four cookbooks, she has created recipes that have appeared in numerous magazines, including Southern Living and Victoria, and she has appeared as a guest on the Martha Stewart Living television show and others. She owns and operates Martha's at the Plantation, a restaurant on the grounds of historic Belle Meade Plantation that specializes in seasonally inspired regional foods. Stamps lives in Nashville, Tennessee. Her latest book is The New New Southern Basics.

Steaming is to cook food on a rack in a covered pan over gently boiling water until tender crisp.  Water should not touch or seep through the steam rack.   Steaming is the best low fat method there is and is wonderful for vegetables.

Tom Stevenson has been writing about wine for nearly thirty years and is the author of more than 20 books. He's been nominated on three occasions as Wine Writer of the Year and received the coveted Wine Literary Award, America's lifetime achievement award for wine writing. His latest book is Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia.

Amyjo Johnson from Food for Change defines Stevia as "Stevia is a plant that originates in the Brazilian rainforest. The powdered form is between 200-400% sweeter than white sugar. It is non-caloric, does not promote tooth decay and is said to be an acceptable form of sugar for diabetics and those with blood sugar imbalances."

When stir-frying, food is cut into bite size pieces and stirred continually over extremely high heat in either a flat or a round bottomed wok. Remember the wok should be very hot before adding the oil. Stir Frying is similar to sautéing only with much higher heat and smaller pieces of food.

Amyjo Johnson from Food for Change defines Sucanat as "Abbreviation for Sugar Cane Natural.  It is a granular sweetener that consists of evaporated sugar cane juice.  It has approximately the same sweetness as sugar.  It retains most of the vitamins and minerals of the sugar cane. "

Judith Sutton is a cookbook editor and former pastry chef. In addition to Sweet Gratitude, Judith is the co-author of Truffles: Ultimate Luxury and Everyday Pleasure, as well as a frequent contributor to Chocolatier, Food & Wine, Fine Cooking, and Gourmet. She lives in New York City with her cat, Roxy.