No matter your age, learning to cook is essential and fun. And for those of us who have gone too far overboard trying to compete with restaurants, going back to the basics and solidifying the foundations of cooking is a must, reminding us what food is really all about. Fancy foods come from culinary classics and today, Mark Bittman was in the studio showing us some rudimentary skills to make meals delicious, nutritious and foolproof. His new cookbook HOW TO COOK EVERYTHING: THE BASICS published this month takes us from setting up your pantry to producing delectable dishes from scratch. And with any luck it will stop me from making meals that all taste exactly the same!

Mark Bittman photo courtesy of Dan Macey