So, when The New York Times published their review of cookbooks for kids, I was disheartened. My 11 year old loves to cook; and, we gave her a cookbook to inspire her. It’s a pretty little book called “The Basics,” that had been well-reviewed by numerous magazines.

Day, one she gets the book and chooses rice pilaf. Simple, easy. It’s 11 am, dinner’s not until 6, rice pilaf takes, what? An hour to prepare? I figure that reading the cookbook will help her reading skills, so I don’t bother to look at the recipe.

When 5:00 rolls around my daughter pulls the cookbook out. Ready. “Ok, Mommy! Ingredient #1 … chicken stock!” I head to the pantry for the boxed stock, as I wait to hear what I need next — shallot? Onion? Rice.

Silence as she studies the book.

“Mommy! We need a chicken!”

“For the chicken broth. First we need a chicken!”

Well, the book is called “the Basics,” and it’s meant to teach those basic techniques that every good cook knows.

It’s a start. The boxed chicken broth was ok. I’ll teach her how to make stock soon and have started saving the backs of whole chickens. Next time we make rice pilaf, we’ll be ready to go.