Kitchen Survival Guide

The thought of her grown son unarmed in an empty kitchen prompted Brody ( Cooking with Memories ) to write this wisecracking encyclopedia of first-kitchen recipes and advice. In part one, ``Welcome to Your Kitchen,'' she leads neophytes through the basics of appliances, organization and equipment in sections that discuss how to defrost a refrigerator (with trays of hot water, not a hair dryer); when bulk shopping is not cost-effective; how to clean lettuce; and why the first great Rule of the Kitchenstet is ``Everything has its place.'' Unfussy charts on meat temperatures, cooking terms and substitutions are useful, providing easy access to information that even practiced cooks forget. Part two, ``135sic Recipes to Get You Through Life,'' spans a family's lifetime repertoire, from macaroni and cheese to brisket. More modern recipes include brown rice Creole shrimp and strawberries with raspberry sauce. This is a good supplement to the traditional first cookbook, which may daunt a new cook. The only drawback may be Brody's tone: her brassy one-liners and admonitions will seem either amusing and practical or talky and slightly condescending. (June)