Ideally the cookbook assumes familiarity with the MIRIAD Users Guide, in particular Chapters 2 (the miriad shell), 3 (plotting and the device= keyword), 4 (what MIRIAD datasets really are). Chapter 5 on visibility data is in particular important, it deals with the different types of calibration tables, and a description of the powerful select= keyword. Chapter 6 on image data is much shorter but also important to read. Chapter 10 on flagging is also important. Since this particular Users Guide was most recently overhauled by the ATNF team, some of the procedures described in there are somewhat ATNF specific. Hence our CARMA cookbook.