10 Tips to Become a Better Cook

!±8± 10 Tips to Become a Better Cook

If you're new to cooking, then you'll probably be watching all the cookery programmes you can, asking others for advice and trying to learn more about how you can get better. If you're more experienced, then perhaps you're stuck in a rut, cooking the same things all the time. Here's how you can progress and be a better cook.

Here are some tips.

1. It's important that you use good quality fresh ingredients. Whatever you cook, will taste better if you use nice fresh ingredients. Why not get your fruit form a greengrocers, and your meat from a butcher? It might be a bit more expensive, but it'll definitely be worth it and you'll learn which vegetables, and which cuts of meat will be best for the dish you're cooking.

2. Good cookware is a worthwhile investment. You'll soon notice that your food cooks more evenly, cooks quicker and tastes better too. It will last for many years and be easy to clean. Remember, that if it's good enough to be used by a world famous chef in their kitchen, it's probably good enough for your kitchen!

3. Try not to get too ambitious too quickly. You'll want to be able to cook the basics first, before you try and create delicate masterpieces, or 5 course meals for a dinner party

4. Constantly be on the look out for recipes that you might like. As well as recipe books, why not see if there are any in your daily newspaper, monthly magazines or on the websites you visit. You're also likely to find dedicated recipe sites which can give you some ideas if you're stuck.

5. It's a good idea to get to know your cooker well. Some recipes will make allowances for fan assisted ovens, or for gas ovens. You'll need to learn whether your cooker is actually at the temperature it says it's at.

6. It's not the end of the world if your dishes don't turn out quite as you'd hoped. At least you tried. You might be able to salvage the meal, or maybe you'll make something else instead.

7. If things don't go according to plan, you'll want to be able to learn from your mistakes. Perhaps your oven wasn't at the right temperature. Perhaps one part was ready too soon, or maybe you forgot to put the oven on. Whatever went wrong, as long as you can learn from it, it's not wasted.

8. You might want to learn from others. Perhaps you'll ask friends and relatives about their favourite recipes, or what size pans they use. You'll be able to use their experience to help you become a better cook.

9. If you're stuck for ideas, why not as other people to help you? Ask your family what they'd like to eat, or what they'd like you to be able to cook, and see if you can do it.

10. Above all, cooking should be fun. If you're not enjoying it, then why not take a break, and see if you can get some inspiration from somewhere else, or ask someone else to do the cooking for a change?

Now you know how you can be a better cook, what's stopping you from putting on your apron?

10 Tips to Become a Better Cook

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Why You Need the Right Cookware

!±8± Why You Need the Right Cookware

Whether you're a novice who enjoys cooking, a whizz in the kitchen, or only cook because you have to, you'll want to have the right cookware to make cooking easier and quicker.

Here's why you need the right cookware

1. It's important to have enough saucepans, and the saucepans you need. There's no point in having saucepans you know you'll never use again. Perhaps you've been given pans, or have accumulated them, and are not sure if you really need them.

2. Having the right size of pans is worthwhile too. There's no point in using a huge pan for cooking beans on toast for yourself, and there's no point in using several pans to cook pasta or rice for a family meal. The right pans for the right dishes will make a difference.

3. If some of your other cookware such as your baking trays, lasagna dish and other dishes and pans that go in the oven are past their best, then it might be a good idea to replace them. Perhaps you'll cook more exciting or more complex or healthier meals if you have better baking trays, or a larger ovenproof dish.

4. If you're struggling with a temperamental mixer or blender, or have lost some weights for your scales, then why not see whether you can find something more appropriate? Maybe you'll get a food processor so that you don't need your blender or liquidiser any more. Having digital kitchen scales will mean that you don't have to find a home for weights, or need imperial and metric weights.

5. Having a pressure cooker will mean that your food will cook more quickly and also retain its flavour and the all important nutrients. Perhaps you'll be able to save time when cooking so that you can spend more time with your family. If you don't enjoy cooking, then any way of speeding up cooking has got to be worth it.

6. A roaster will enable you to cook meat evenly, and allow the meat to keep its flavour whilst it cooks. As they are non stick, they're easy to clean too. You don't need to save your roast dinner for a Sunday lunch, you can have a roast during the week too.

7. A good quality knife set is important, so that you can cut your bread, fruit and vegetables and meat precisely. No matter whether you're cutting carrots, cake or chicken, you'll find that you'll get a lot of use out of your knives. If you're keen on cooking, it's worth getting a knife set that will last.

8. If your cookware has seen better days, and you have pans with a missing or cracked lid, wobbly handles or are badly burnt or worn out, then you'll want to get replacements. There's no point in using dangerous cookware as you won't want to spill boiling liquids on yourself, or risk a dish cracking and breaking on you.

9. Perhaps you'll establish that you need new pans and that it would make sense to get a cookware set to save money. You'll find common sized pans from the leading kitchenware brands, and you know that they will last and be up to the job. In addition, new pan technology means that you'll get better results from a new cookware set too.

10. Value for money from your pans, and no matter whether you cook for fun, and host dinner parties, or just cook because you want to eat food that's healthier than takeaways or ready meals, you'll want the right cookware. Professional cookware might seem expensive, but it will be worth it if you cook a lot, and want fantastic results. You know that your pans are reliable and won't let you down. If you're still learning how to cook, and just want the essential pots and pans, then perhaps a more basic cookware set will be more appropriate.

Now you know why having the right cookware is important, you'll want to make sure that your pots and pans are up to the job, and that you can make your cooking tastier and quicker.

Why You Need the Right Cookware

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Ten Cooking Tips For Beginners

!±8± Ten Cooking Tips For Beginners

Whether you're a novice in the kitchen or just trying to better your existing skills, these 10 top tips may help. Cooking is meant to be fun - and here's how...

1. Give yourself plenty of time - the only thing worse than rushing your food when you eat, is rushing it when you cook. Give yourself a deadline and you'll no doubt be stressed and covered in flour by the time your ETA comes alone. Until you're comfortable and confident in the kitchen, don't set yourself unrealistic expectations.

2. Do a checklist of ingredients - having half your food cooking when you realise you've forgotten an essential ingredient will have you in a panic, so check the list before you go shopping and then again before you start cooking.

3. Try meals out for yourself first - if you try new dishes out on a dinner party, you're asking for trouble. By trying new dishes for yourself and maybe your other half, you can perfect them for when the next dinner party comes along. Alternatively, share the knowledge that your trying something new with your dinner guests. It'll take the pressure off and you'll enjoy the cooking experience much more.

4. Use top quality cookware - if your pots and pans have seen better days, then it might be time to upgrade your kitchen equipment. Ranges like Anolon, Circulon and Meyer are all excellent choices and, most important of all, you can rely on them to last you through many happy years of cooking.

5. Find popular recipes - when starting off, even the simplest of dishes can seem frightening. However, there are many excellent 'cooking for beginners'-type books on the market that will help you with the basics, while some of the bigger ones will even be useful as you develop your cooking skills.

6. Stick to things you like - it can be tricky determining the success of your culinary adventures if you're not sure what you're cooking is supposed to taste like when done well, so stay with what you know. Then, when you're feeling more daring, use your well-honed cooking skills to help you expand your palate.

7. Get tips from friends and family - struggling to get your gravy just right? Is your meat too dry? Whatever niggling problems you have in the kitchen, it's a safe bet that someone you know will have the answer. Tap into that resource whenever you can and you'll be well on your way to success. And if they can't help, then why not try the internet?

8. Get your kitchen how you want it - if you're using your own kitchen, make sure everything is where you want it. You don't want to rummaging through cupboards half-way through cooking. If you let anyone else in your kitchen, make sure they leave things where they found them.

9. Watch cookery shows - find the chefs you like and watch their TV shows. They're a great source of inspiration and some even help you to cook while you watch.

10. Have fun with it - in other words, don't put pressure on yourself and, if you're not enjoying it, take a break and wait for your enthusiasm to return. There's nothing worse than cooking if you're not in the mood.

So, if you have the right food, the right cookware set and plenty of ideas, why not start cooking tonight?

Ten Cooking Tips For Beginners

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10 Steps to Boost Your Kitchen Confidence

!±8± 10 Steps to Boost Your Kitchen Confidence

Want to be better at cooking, but lack confidence in the kitchen? Here are 10 steps to help you assert your authority in the most important room of the house.

1. Friends and family - It's a good idea to collect as much sage advice as you can and there's no better place than your family and friends. Mum's are particularly rich sources of tips, but Dads, aunts, best friends and siblings are all worth tapping up for advice.

2. Simple recipes - You want to start simple, which means finding a few dishes that you want to master. TV chefs are a good place to start, but it's not a bad idea to find a cookbook for beginners with some everyday recipes.

3. Cook for one - When you're just starting off, it's not a great idea to offer to cook for everyone. For one, if it goes wrong, a lot of people will be hungry and you may be put off stepping back in the kitchen. Cook for yourself or you and your partner to begin with and build confidence bit by bit.

4. Give yourself plenty of time - One of the best ways to build confidence is by avoiding deadlines that could put yourself under extra pressure. Keep it simple in the week and tackle slightly more detailed recipes when you have more time at the weekend.

5. Have a back up plan - Why not take all the pressure off yourself and have ready to heat up meal in the fridge. That way, it doesn't matter whether you succeed or not, as you know you won't go hungry. The less pressure and more fun you have, the more confidence you will build and soon there'll be no need for back-ups.

6. Get yourself good quality cookware - By investing in some new cookware, you will see a marked improved in your meals. For one, old and misshapen cookware tends to hinder the cooking process, but also it's also much more pleasant to cook with good equipment.

7. Get to know ingredients - The other thing that can have a big bearing on how well your dishes turn out is the ingredients, so start to identify the difference between good and bad ingredients and when to make sure you're sparing no expense.

8. Practice - Don't expect to be great straight away, just focus on having fun. It'll make practising seem less like work and more enjoyable and we all know what practice makes...

9. Get a little more adventurous - By now, you should be developing some useful skills and, most importantly, more confidence. As you feel more comfortable in the kitchen, begin to get a little more adventurous with what you cook. You may suffer a few knock-backs, but the previous steps will ensure you're ready to bounce back.

10. Love food - The easiest way to develop a flair for cooking is to love food. If it's a real passion, that will show in the meals you serve and will give you the encouragement you need to keep improving.

Now you're ready to begin, why not invest in some new kitchen cookware? Why not go for stainless steel cookware or some Circulon pans? How about Meyer or Anolon cookware? The best cookware will help provide the best results.

10 Steps to Boost Your Kitchen Confidence

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Best Kitchen Knife Set On a Modest Budget

!±8± Best Kitchen Knife Set On a Modest Budget

Choosing a kitchen knife set is one of the toughest things for any avid home cook to do. You don't want to go too cheap on the set you're buying because you know that the quality just won't be there. You'd really like one of the top-notch sets from a company like Global, but it just isn't in the budget. Getting a good set is important because you'll be using it pretty much every day. Luckily for you, there are some great mid-range kitchen knife sets on the market. The following tips will help you to save money and still get the quality you're looking for.

Pickings are slim for those looking to spend less than a hundred dollars on a knife set. There are really only a couple brands I'd recommend that sell sets for less than a hundred dollars. The first is Farberware. While you aren't going to find a set of Farberware knives in the kitchen of most chef's world-wide, you're getting a good blade for the money. The value stops at the blade. Farberware sets look nice, but it's obvious where they cut corners to keep the cost down. The handles are cheap, and are easily dinged up and chipped. As long as you aren't rough with your knife set, you can get a decent blade for a good price from Farberware.

The second sub-100 dollar kitchen knife set I'd recommend is any one of the many cheaper Ginsu sets. it might be surprising to some to hear that Ginsu knives are made in America. They are made from Japanese steel in a manner similar to the way samurai swords used to be made. Ginsu knives were made famous in the early 80's via a set of infomercials showing them cutting through all kinds of things normal knives couldn't handle. The cheaper Ginsu knives are made of a lower grade of Japanese steel than the high-end sets, but you still get a super-sharp set of knives at a low price. Just make sure you clean and dry them after every use and they'll last you a long time.

If you can afford to spend a little bit more money, you'll be rewarded with a much better set of knives. The sets on offer for between one and two hundred dollars are made of better steel, and will last longer than the cheaper sets. JA Henckels, Calphalon and Chicago Cutlery all make good sets in this price range, as does Anolon. When you look at people's wish lists on Amazon, you'll see sets from all 3 of these fine makers of cutlery showing up time and time again. If I had to pick one, I'd probably go with Analon, but that just comes down to personal preference.

Best Kitchen Knife Set On a Modest Budget

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