Cute so rarely cuts it in cookbooks. Filip Verheyden’s “The Basics” (Melville House, 2007, $29.95) is the exception.

This tiny, yet hefty book delivers on the promise of its title. Simple, one-page entries walk readers through kitchen basics, from how to marinate and stew to the difference between julienne, brunoise and chiffonade (cutting styles).

The first part of the book focuses on technique, with the rest dedicated to ingredients and essential recipes (including mashed potatoes, mayonnaise, boiled eggs, jams and jellies, pasta dough, ice cream and a whole series of sauces hot and cold).

The best part – each entry is just a few sentences long and is accompanied by a photo.

It would be easy to treat a book such as this as a novelty. But it is a great concept. Many kitchen how-to guides get lost in the complexity of the material they try to explain. But so pared down is Verheyden’s effort, that’s not possible here.