When it comes to good food, there are plenty of familiar adages. The hints and tips in this article can elevate your cooking from a means of nourishing your family to a much-anticipated daily event of “gastronomical” importance.
Make sure that all of your spices are stored away from heat and light. Shelf life can be significantly decreased for those spices which have been exposed to too much light, dampness and heat. When a spice is placed in a cool area with very little light, its life is extended and it will taste better. Keeping your spices fresh can improve the taste of every recipe you prepare.
Do not throw away the product of your hard work. Mix two spoons of water and one spoon of corn starch in a bowl. Stir this mixture into the thin sauce and it will thicken up. The mixture should be added slowly and constantly stirred so that it doesn’t get too thick.
Always cook what you know whenever you are cooking for someone special. Don’t try to create a new dish when you’re not experienced in cooking it already. This will help to make cooking more enjoyable and less stressful.
They will act like a sponge and just soak up a lot of that water. Get a wet cloth instead, and wipe off each mushroom by hand.
Like many types of delicious ingredients, there’s a downside to using garlic: its scent can transfer to your hands. After touching garlic or another strong-smelling ingredient, stop and rub your hands on your stainless steel faucet. Your hands will be free from adding the garlic scent and flavor to other foods.
Many liquids are interchangeable within a recipe; try replacing the water or milk with something new. In place of water, try adding beef or chicken broth, juice or even water used to cook vegetables. Substitute sour cream, buttermilk or even yogurt in place of regular milk. Using a variety of liquids can add a bit of zest to a favorite recipe and even make it more nutritious.
Measure how much oil you use when cooking! This will help you lower the fat content when you cook as opposed to just pouring directly into the pan without measuring. Measuring the oil will let you closely examine how much oil you are using.
It is important for every cook to have their cooking supplies organized. If your supplies are disorganized, you will waste time running around trying to find everything. Try to keep things with similar purposes in proximity to one another. For instance, keep your spices in a cabinet, your baking goods in another, and cooking utensils together in a drawer.
Blot raw meat before you grill or sear it. Before cooking ground meat it is always important to blot away moisture. Any moisture that remains there will be released during cooking. The extra moisture will sizzle away. This leads to the meat getting steamed, instead of what you want, which is to sear it.
Food is the foundation of life; it can be incredibly powerful. You can use the tips provided to wow your loved ones the next time you cook.