Things to Remember When Cooking

By : Christine Steendahl

The difference between a good cook and a great cook can generally be as simple as a couple good cooking tips. Cooking ideas can help us make cooking dishes much simpler and avoid the many obstacles in food preparation. While it is true that experience, patience and knowledge are key when cooking, a few practical cooking ideas can definitely make many good cooks look like master chefs. Following are just a few cooking ideas that will ultimately help you in the kitchen.

Food Safety Tips
First off, the best way to make sure that your food tastes the very best that it can is to use fresh ingredients. When shopping in the grocery store or produce market make sure you view each item that you purchase, checking it for freshness or ripeness. While most packaged foods include an expiration date located on the container, most foods such as fresh produce must be looked over individually. It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with general produce and the art of spotting top quality produce in your local supermarket.

As far as meats go, make sure that the meats (beef, poultry and fish) you purchase are fresh. In addition, when using meat for a meal keep all meats refrigerated until using, any utensils you use with the meat or that come into contact with the meat should be cleaned with soap and water. Regarding serving, make sure that meats are cooked thoroughly and reach a safe temperature. Cooked foods should reach at least 140 degrees F. Use a cooking thermometer to measure the temperature. It should be noted that while cooked foods should reach 140 degrees F., foods that are chilled such as dairy products should always be stored refrigerated less than 40 degrees F.

Tools of the Trade
Just like a good car mechanic has the proper tools to fix a car, make sure your kitchen is stocked with items that will help you create dishes easily and properly. This includes a good set of knives, pots, pans and measuring cups. You might also want to have on hand a good blender and food processor.

Low Fat Cooking
Many people make the mistake of associating low fat cooking with bland, tasteless cooking. This is absolutely false. In fact, low fat cooking can be colorful, vibrant and extremely flavorful. The key is to incorporate a variety of fresh spices, herbs, olive oil and put some thought into the dishes you select. For instance, you can make almost any dish a low fact dish just by ensuring the least amount of oil is used, and opting for lean cuts of beef and pork. In general, chicken and turkey are almost always low in fat and fish is also a great choice for any reduced fat dish.

Beverage Selection
Keep in mind that a meal includes not only the food, but the beverage as well. You can enhance a meal by pairing it with a quality beverage. Whether it is a nice wine, flavorful sparkling mineral water or a top notch cocktail, a beverage can easily make a ho hum meal outstanding. 

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