A great little cookbook

Actually, this is a book that I recommend for many reasons, not only the recipes:  Chef's Secrets:  Insider Techniques from Today's Culinary Masters ("as told to Francine Maroukian"). It's a tiny fun and useful book, published by Quirk Press.

 You may not want to know how to peel a tomato with a blowtorch -- in fact, I'm hoping that you don't -- but there are a lot of good tricks in this book.  It's also really interesting to read about the convoluted paths that many chefs took before they ended up in the kitchen (maybe there's hope for Todaysfrase yet!!!).  I also recommend this as a gift, because odds are overwhelming that people won't have it.

I'm going to make the guacamole recipe as soon as I say goodbye for now.  Ingredients:  3 tbsp chopped white onion, divided; 1/2 tsp chopped serrano chiles; 1 1/2 tsp finely chopped cilantro (I know that this is an abomination, but I am forced to leave this out because my significant other is a cilantro hater from way back); 1/2 tsp salt (I use sea salt); 1 ripe Hass avocado; 1 small tomato, chopped with seeds and center removed.  

In small bowl, thoroughly mash 1 tbsp of the chopped onion, the chile, 1/2 tsp cilantro, and the salt with the back of a wooden spoon (actually I don't have a wooden spoon in Montauk, but I doubt that this really matters in the larger scheme of things). 

Scoop out the avocado, place it in the bowl with the onion paste.  Stir thoroughly to coat with the paste.  Add the remaining onion and cilantro (if only I could) and the tomato.  Gently fold to incorporate all ingredients.  Add more chopped chiles and salt to taste.  TF-ers, I love avocado and eat it at least once a day.  Do you have any good recipes to share?