anyone have tips for learning way around a kitchen?  One of my goals for the year is to contribute a bit more with meals, and I want to expand my repertoire a bit–but it seems to me like the first step is learning to use the tools properly.  I figure proper knife skills, some help with terminology, etc

If you can pick up some books, I'd get some Julia Child, James Beard and a Joy of Cooking.

The best thing to do is find a few simple things and learn how to do those really well. My secrets for good cooking are fresh, local ingredients. Eat what's in season. Start with soups and salads. I don't mean lettuce with shit on top of it, learn how to make a nice pasta salad, a nice coleslaw, a nice bean salad. Learn how to make stocks so you can make those soups from scratch. Don't rely on opening packets of sauces and seasonings. Learn how to do that stuff from scratch.

I like to think of cooking times in 'episodes of friends' or some other trite show that's always on TV. Sometimes it seems like a lot of work to dice onions and garlic, and make a sauce from scratch, but I can usually make a wicked meal from start to finish in less than an hour.

Pan sauces are a good thing to learn how to make if you enjoy meat often.

What are some of your favourite things to eat? Learn to make those for starters, I think. Try and buy all of your food from farmers and the farmers markets. People are often wondering why my food tastes so good, and usually has to do with the quality of the ingredients I put in my food. I was lucky in that I grew up with parents that are both avid cooks, and I'm really into local eating and love going to the farmers market… but if I had to start all over again, I'd pick a favourite meal of mine and dissect it and learn how to do everything from scratch.