Barto, I agree that most cookbooks are useless when it comes to learning technique and theory, but there are some that are very useful. Check out the actual text they use in culinary schools, the most popular being The New Professional Chef. They cover all the various dry heat and moist heat cooking methods, and once you learn the fine differences in these methods, It will help immensly in day to day application. They will also move from the basics, i.e. butchering, stocks, sauce theory, and product knowledge, to advanced techniques, some of which I haven't had a need for in years. Nothing, of course, beats lots and lots of practice cooking(and eating) good food.