Many people want to learn the culinary arts but are intimidated by the skill set required. Luckily, with cooking, you can move slowly and try new things a little bit at a time. By using the tips laid out here, you’ll be cooking excellent meals soon.
Try to keep your spices and herbs in a dark, cool area of your kitchen. Common kitchen conditions, such as heat, light, and humidity, will destroy the flavor of herbs and spices. Generally speaking, spices that have been ground will keep their flavor for about one year. Whole spices last longer, possibly as long as five years. Storing spices in glass containers with a tight-fitting lid will keep them best.
Overdo it a little when you bake a pie crust. Your crust should be a deep caramel as opposed to a light goldenrod. That deeper color shows that the sugar has caramelized. This creates a crisp crust, which is also sweeter.
Do you ever hesitate to toss moldy food? Is it a good practice to save them by cutting out the rotten, moldy part? Cutting off rotten bits of fruit will not make them safer. The bacteria that causes mold goes deeper than you think, so it’s always best to throw away food with even the smallest of mold spots.
By completing some food preparation ahead of time you can simplify your cooking process. Try looking at recipes and see what can be done in advance without spoiling. There is a lot you can do the day before to prepare for the next day’s meal. This is a great time saver, and can make that complex recipe into something that is quick and fun.
Give pre-cut, raw potatoes a cold water bath for a half-hour prior to frying for crispier French fries. By leaving the potatoes to soak up cold water, the fibers are reinforced. This makes it so when you fry them, they’ll withstand the heat better and won’t break down completely.
It’s easy to cultivate your cooking skills and prepare delicious, nourishing meals when you make use of advice like that presented above. Once you start making more and more meals at home, you’ll realize how much money you are saving and how healthy you are eating. And one of the best things about cooking your own food is you control things like fat, sugar and salt, so you family eats healthier. Use these great tips to make delicious, healthy and affordable meals that the whole family will love!