Food is essential for survival. But eating should be much more than merely a means of survival. Food tastes even better when you cook it yourself. Nothing feels as good as creating something your taste buds, and those of your guests, absolutely love. Here are some tips that will kick your cooking skills up a notch.
Don’t add the dressing until right before serving. You’ll be glad you have your prep work done when it’s time to cook. When you’re ready to begin cooking and have set your deadline to finish, you can get really stressed. Try to complete your preparations, so you can avoid scrambling later on.
Bake pie and tart crusts for a longer time than you think is really necessary. Go past the usual pale tan color and take them to a caramel gold. This deeper color is evidence that the sugar has caramelized in the crust for added sweetness.
Season meat very sparingly to begin with and add more during the cooking process. Careful seasoning is especially require in meatloaf and meatballs. Do not cook the entire thing right after you season it. A better option is to season the small piece and allow it to cook. The aroma of the food as it cooks will also give you a clue to the amount of seasoning you need to add.
During cooking, it’s essential that you have sharp knives accessible. Dull knives are difficult to use and they are dangerous to cut with too. The chance of accidentally cutting yourself while using a dull knife to cut steak is way higher than using a sharp knife to cut the same steak.
Have you felt bad before when you have had to throw away your moldy fruit? Have you ever been tempted to cut the rotten bits out of a piece of fruit and eat the rest? There are no two ways about it; rotting fruit is unhealthful. Any rotten or moldy fruits should be discarded immediately, even if it just looks like surface mold. Mold can actually be deeper in the fruit, even if you can’t see it. When you consume it, it can cause a number of illnesses.
Apples spoil quickly if stored incorrectly. To properly store them, you should keep them in a plastic bag and in a cool temperature. Make sure you check them periodically, however, because even one spoiled apple can cause the others in the bag to rot very rapidly.
When you approach cooking in the right way and with the right knowledge, it can prove to be as much fun as consuming the great dishes you create. Use the suggestions outlined above to aid in your cooking skills, while adding your own personal touches along the way. By doing this, not a day will go by where your culinary skills are not asked for or asked about.