Includes index.

In the early 1970s, James Beard was approached by American Way, American Airlines' in-flight magazine, to write a monthly column in the form of a series of cooking lessons. He agreed, finally writing seventy columns for the magazine, thirty-nine of which are collected for the first time in James Beard's Simple Foods. Loosely organized under the headings "Beard's Basics," "Preparing and Cooking A to Z," and "Holiday Specials," these engaging essays, all written in the hands-on, unpretentious style for which James Beard was best known and most admired, range in topics covering the difference between larding and barding, as well as how to sear, glaze, and dredge; how to make sense of the various cuts of beef, from brisket and shank to the loin and rib roast; the basics of baking bread; how to eat raw oysters; and even how to make ice cream and sherbet at home. In addition to Beard's one-of-a-kind advice, there are more than ninety recipes, including two for chili, both of which are meant to be piled over a frankfurter to create a Coney Island Red Hot; how to make your own corned beef and pastrami; gooseberry cobbler; heartwarming Christmastime recipes for eggnog and grog; and much more. Throughout, Beard recalls people, places, and foods from his childhood in Oregon's apple country to shopping in San Francisco's Chinatown for fresh seafood, all of which makes James Beard's Simple Foods necessary and delightful reading for all food lovers