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Editor’s Note: We’re sharing these cooking tips, originally published in January 2021, to help ignite your sense of confidence in the kitchen—no matter how much culinary experience you may have.
I miss a lot of things about the pre-pandemic world, but dining out is definitely in the top three. I miss sitting at the bar sipping a cocktail. I miss sharing meals with friends and trying foods I might never have thought of at home.
However, if the pandemic has one big silver lining, it’s that many of us have had to adapt by trying some of this restaurant’s creativity in our kitchens.
I’ve absolutely loved watching my friends and co-workers pick up a new hobby over the past 10 months. My Instagram feed changed overnight from shots of crowded restaurant interiors to a wealth of daily home cooking successes. But despite all this new (albeit forced) inspiration, not everyone can simply turn on the stove and feel confident enough to whip up whatever recipe is trending this week.
The good news is that practice makes perfect. And you don’t even need to be perfect when it comes to cooking (baking is another story, but we’ll discuss that again). Some simple cooking tips and techniques will help make cooking faster, easier and more enjoyable. Master these, and you’ll be able to cook just about anything.
Read cookbooks.
That’s right – don’t flip their pages just to get tonight’s recipe. Keep it near your bed and read what they offer, which recipes seem attractive to you, and any descriptions of techniques. I also recommend looking for rude cooks when looking for cookbooks. Reading becomes more enjoyable when the author does not take himself too seriously. Six seasons: a new way with vegetables And the food lab Great places to start.
Watch cooking shows on Netflix and YouTube.
Tough homework, right? The Great British Bread Show It can be more than just guilty pleasure. You can learn a lot from the people who cook and bake more than you do – from the mistakes they make to their successes. Not to mention Paul and Mary usually have some good tips and tricks to share.
I also recommend watching YouTube and Instagram videos Created by chefs from different cultures. Many of us were raised in the United States by parents who spent the 80s and 90s making very similar beige dishes with the same methods. When you learn from other cultures, you will not only be experiencing new foods, but also new ways of cooking.
Re-cook your favorite meals in the restaurant.
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t sat in a restaurant in months. And I miss him… so much. If you’re looking for inspiration for a good salad or a nighttime meal, find your favorite restaurant’s menu. Look at the ingredients they use and guess the measurements. It might not turn out quite the same, but it’s a good practice and can help build your intuition. Just don’t forget to support restaurants with some fast food, too. We want them when this thing is over.
Don’t compare yourself to others.
One of my best friends is a great cook. I mean, unbelievable. I will never be as good as her.
I also hate bread. I watch people make beautiful cakes on Instagram and think, I must try it! Then I do, and it does absolutely nothing for me.
Food should bring joy, and you should make things that you and your loved ones enjoy eating. If you can do that, you can consider your dish a huge success.
Despite being a very competitive person, I learned to let that go into the kitchen. I like that cooking is a release at the end of a long day, and not something else that adds stress. Food should bring joy, and you should make things that you and your loved ones enjoy eating. If you can do that, you can consider your dish a huge success.
Buy one or two good knives and sharpen them regularly.
Cutting fruits and vegetables with a blunt knife can make any cook want to escape from the kitchen. You don’t need a whole set of knives to be a great chef. A good chef’s knife and paring knife will help you identify most recipes. Others are just add-ons (and frankly they don’t have to be expensive).
Stock your kitchen.
Cooking becomes easier when you don’t need to go to the grocery store every day. We would love to have the following on your hand Anytime, so when inspiration comes, we can cook. We like to buy most of this in bulk at Costco.
Stock: Plenty of olive oil, canola oil, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, canned tomatoes, pasta, a variety of dry and canned beans, garlic, onions, bread, tortillas, canned anchovies, potatoes or sweet potatoes, honey, salt, and legumes. Pepper, red pepper flakes, lots of dried spices, all baking seasoning
Fridge/Freezer: Butter (chilled and room temperature), celery and carrots for soups, Kalamata olives, a variety of shredded/chopped cheeses, feta, lettuce, tomato, lemon
Learn how to season your food properly.
Salt and pepper are your best friend when it comes to cooking. You can make or break a dish with these two simple ingredients. The food is unusually bland, while foods with extra spices can taste way too salty. Just remember these two tips: Taste your food while it’s cooking – not just after. And you can always add more salt. Difficult to remove from plate.
Don’t worry if you mess around.
The only way to become more confident in cooking is to make mistakes and learn from them.
At the fitting end of a disastrous year, the last thing I made in 2020 was tiramisu. It took five hours, and it sucked. But now I know what went wrong, and I won’t let it happen again. The only way to become more confident in cooking is to make mistakes and learn from them. This wealth of knowledge will grow over time, and before you know it, you will be amazed by your friends and family on a regular basis.
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