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HOW TO READ A RECIPE
A basic skill needed to be a good cook is the ability to read, understand, and follow a recipe. There are some basic tips one should take into consideration when reading a recipe. The following are just a few of these tips:
- Read the entire recipe at least once, and more than once if it is a complicated one. This allows you to assess whether you have all of the ingredients necessary to prepare the dish, and the equipment and time to prepare the dish properly. There is nothing worse than getting through most of the recipe, but find that you don't have an important ingredient.
- Get all of the ingredients and materials you will need to make the dish ready before you begin. This will save you time later and guarantee you have everything you need to complete the recipe.
- Be careful of abbreviations used in recipes. Tbsp or tbsp refers to tablespoon, while Tsp or tsp refers to teaspoon. A mix-up of these two commonly used measurements could result in a disaster, or at least a sub-par dish. On the other hand, don't be afraid to explore with spices, especially those that add extra punch, such as cinnamon or cayenne pepper. Just be sure you don't increase the quantity by too much all at once. It is always better to have to add a little more to taste later, since you can't necessarily take it away if you add too much.
- If an oven needs to be preheated, a pan warmed up, or a dish greased, then be sure to do that when called for in the recipe. You don't want your dish to have to wait around for the oven to get warm, since this could change the texture or quality of the dish.
- Don't skip some steps because they seem unnecessary. For example, sifting flour or powdered (confectioner's) sugar may sound like a time-consuming and useless task, but it isn't. This tiny step can make a huge difference in the texture and quality of a dish, which is very important when you are baking. Lumps are hardly ever a good thing.
- When a recipe gives a range for the time to cook, heat, cool, or freeze a food, always start checking the food at the low end of that range. It is better to check multiple times than risk overcooking a dish. This range is to be used as a guideline, not a rule. It is possible you may have to cook a dish longer than advised due to humidity, elevation, inefficiency of heating source, etc. Be patient, cooking is indeed a science and many variables can play a factor in a dish's success.
- Most of all - have fun and be creative. Once you have mastered a dish, explore with alternative ingredients to put your own twist on a favorite. Have friends, family, and coworkers try your dishes and give you feedback. Everyone needs a critic, it keeps us on our toes and constantly striving to better our craft. Use their feedback to tweek your creations and develop your signature dishes.
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