I'm sure that when I started looking at cookbooks, they always had a glossary of terms. They didn't necessarily assume knowledge. Surely they could still put that in? Perhaps they don't think poeple would bother to read it.

A while ago, one of our TV chef-types, published basic cookery books teaching people how to cook, assuming no knowledge whatsoever. Foolproof recipes for everything from cooking storecupboard staples to really quite accomplished dishes. It was aimed at people, possibly students, leaving home for the first time; and it attempted to equip readers with good techniques for cooking fresh food, who might otherwise only eat heated or take-away meals. She took an enormous amount of flak at the time for telling people how to boil an egg, but the books were very successful.