Advice On Being A Good Cook

posted on 10/10/2009

A lot of people these days really don't have a clue when it comes to cooking. Making things from scratch (that is from basic ingredients) is becoming a lost art, and that is a real shame. When you know how to cook, you save money and you have complete control over the ingredients in the food you eat. Being a good cook just makes good sense.

Here are a few basic tips to help you become a good cook.

Start simple. It doesn't take a lot of ingredients or a lot of steps to make delicious, healthful foods. In fact. The less you do to high quality, natural food, the more nutrition you are likely to retain. Be sure to follow safe cooking guidelines as far as washing produce and cooking meat thoroughly, but understand that it doesn't really take a lot to make good food wonderful.

I taught myself how to cook as a young teenager by joining a cookbook club. I made a lot of mistakes and a lot of big messes, but it has paid off! If you have friends or family members who are good cooks, spend time with them. Watch cooking shows if you enjoy them. Take a little time browsing the cookbook section of your local bookstore to find a book that is easy and enjoyable for you to read and use. A solid sort of book, like a Betty Crocker cookbook that gives clear instructions on basic cooking rules, substitutions, and so on is a good cornerstone for your cookbook collection.

When you first start cooking, do a lot of taste testing. As you follow a recipe, have a taste after adding each ingredient (within safety standards, of course) to become familiar with the flavors of your spices. The more experienced you become, the less you will need to do this. You gather an understanding of what goes well together and why. I don't taste my cooking until it is on my plate now, and I am always happy with it.

Take time to learn what you are doing before you get too creative! Always measure carefully - at least at first. It may look romantic and fun to just toss spices and whatnot into your brew, but you may be sorry in the end. Pay close attention to the amounts listed in your recipe, and do not stray from them until you are very familiar with the recipe and have gained enough experience to know what you are doing. I measure in the palm of my hand, but I have been cooking for almost 40 years! I still measure very carefully, with utensils, when I have a new recipe.

Be careful not to overcook or to use a temperature that is too high. You can always turn up the heat if things aren't cooking quickly enough, but once you have burned a dish, it is ruined. You will have to start over again. Additionally, cooking at lower temperatures preserves nutrients. Just be sure to follow safety standards as far as having your meat thoroughly cooked and bringing dishes like soups, stews, beans and rice to a boil for 4 minutes or so before lowering the heat to simmer.

When you are outfitting your kitchen, buy the best quality items you can afford. Get pots and pans with heavy copper bottoms that conduct heat well, and then take good care of them. They will last a lifetime and save you a lot of frustration. It is hard to enjoy cooking or to do it well when you are trying to use inferior materials.

Copyright:SuzanneBennett:October 10, 2009

For more about simple cooking, you may enjoy:

Sweet Wheat Bread
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1029990/sweet_wheat_bread_recipe.html?cat=5

World's Best & Quickest Sweet Potato Recipe
http://hubpages.com/hub/Worlds-Best--Quickest-Sweet-Potato-Recipe

Advice On Meat & Potatoes For One
http://advice.com/article.jsp?id=e0619539607642eb911f360dcc3cd30a

Photo:
Title: EO In Her Kitchen
Attribution License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/
Photographer: Mo Riza: everystockphoto.com

A bright, lively kitchen makes cooking more fun!