I know I've seen some of Rachel Ray's books in the malls, so I know what I'm hunting down for the old man for Christmas. Cooking method instruction a la Alton Brown is exactly what he needs! I think he heard that joke about the woman cutting the end off her ham before baking it because 'mom did it like that', and 'grandma did it like that' and 'great- grandma did it like that' and it turned out great-grandma's roasting pan wasn't big enough. Now he's dead certain people cook by blind learning that he can obviously improve upon and he needs convincing that there is actual method to the perceived madness.