Cooking is one of those handy skills that everyone should learn. Most would agree that they love to ...

1. Cook Like You Mean It With These Tips
Cooking is one of those handy skills that everyone should learn. Most would agree that they love to
eat, especially food that is prepared by a loved one! Unfortunately, not everyone has as much skill as
they desire. This article is packed with tips and tricks to make you a better cook.
When possible, complete all of the prep work in advance. This will simplify matters when you are
cooking your meals. That way, when you're ready to cook, it takes some of the stress out of it,
especially if you have a deadline to meet. You can spare yourself a great deal of hassle by doing prep
work in advance.
For optimal safety, use only sharp knives when preparing food. Blunted knives do not cut things
well, and they can also pose a safety hazard. When trying to forcefully use a dull knife to cut a
vegetable it becomes a lot easier for you to cut yourself than when you use a sharp knife.
Apples don't have to be just for fall or winter cooking. With proper storage they can last for months.
To avoid rotting, store apples in open-mesh bags or baskets in a cool basement or in the produce
drawer of your refrigerator. If one of the apples in a bag begins spoiling, the rest will soon follow.
The overall quality of vegetables is affected by the length of cooking time. Slow-cooked vegetables
lose nutritional value and taste. These cooking techniques are much healthier. Adapting the
principle of faster cooking times is a crucial element in serving better quality vegetables to your
family and friends.
Garlic may be a tasty addition to your meals, but the smell that stays on your hands is a bit of a
downside. After cooking with garlic, rub your hands across a stainless steel table or sink to rid them
of the smell. This will clean your hands, while preventing any odors from being transferred to the
next food item you touch.
The ideal way to cook a pumpkin is to first place the pumpkin upright on the cutting surface. Cut the
pumpkin in half, then down the middle. On a baking sheet, put one of the halves face down. Use a
different baking sheet for the other half. Sprinkle the baking sheets with water, and put the pumpkin
in a 350-degree (Fahrenheit) oven for one hour.
Seasoning should be applied in small amounts throughout the cooking process rather than all at
once. Then the foods absorb the seasonings rather than being caked with them.
Get only the freshest garlic from the grocery store when you're preparing a recipe that calls for it.
Usually, fresher garlic will have a sweeter taste. Fresh garlic is hard, not wrinkled, or mushy-feeling.
Try drying your own fresh tomatoes. Slice a large, ripened tomato in half-inch-thick slices. If you are
using Roma tomatoes, slice them lengthwise into two pieces. Put the tomato on a rack and rub them
with salt. The next step is to put the rack on an old cookie sheet and then place in an oven set at
http://www.foodsafety.gov/ 190 degrees for at least 10 hours. Put the tomatoes in plastic bags, and
store them in the freezer. Dried tomatoes can be placed into a jar that is filled with fresh herbs and
olive oil. The tomatoes will need to be refrigerated and should be consumed within a couple of
weeks.

2. In order for herbs and spices to remain fresh and flavorful, they need to be kept in an area that is
cool and dim. Herbs and spices stored above the range or in direct sunlight will degrade their
flavors.
It is necessary for all cooks to organize their cooking supplies. If they are not properly organized,
you will wind up rummaging around to find what you need. Store items of a similar nature together.
As an example, you may want to keep all of your spices together.
If you buy unripened fruits, keep them in a plastic bag fitted with holes. Ethylene gas is produced as
a by-product of the ripening process. When they are placed in a perforated bag, the air can circulate,
which ensures the ethylene gas is absorbed, so the fruit retains its great taste.
You should let your meat rest prior to serving. Few people understand how important it is to allow
the meal itself to rest before serving it. Many are tempted to quickly serve food hot off the grill or
stovetop. Doing so actually causes you to miss out on some extra flavors. It's also important that the
food simply http://bigeasylondon.wix.com/bigeasycoventgarden cools down and rests for awhile for
flavor's sake. Give it a few minutes, and it should be ready to go.
As you can see, cooking can be easy. With the right techniques, creating delicious dishes for family
and friends can suddenly become a breeze! Now that you have been introduced to these great tips
and tricks, you just need to make the time to go and give them a try!