Tips and Techniques

These are a few tips and techniques I've picked up from cooking classes.  Things you may or may not know, but that can help you become an experienced home cook.

Sign up for cooking classes at your local kitchen stores. It's always fun to participate in a 'hands-on' class if available and you will learn so much from the teacher and other classmates. The best part is learning about the ingredients, where to buy them locally, and trying new things you wouldn't normally make.

There are some basic cooking books you can also access in the library - and the website E-HOW will even show you how to boil an egg!

Measuring and Tools 

Use a glass measuring cup for liquids. Use the nested measuring cups for dry ingredients.

Always spoon flour into the cups lightly and then level the flour off by passing a knife over the top of the measuring cup. This way, you don't pack the flour in, and the amount is more accurate.

When measuring baking powder or soda, level the top off with a knife or edge of the container.

Always pre-heat the oven for baking. Quickly put the cookies etc in the oven to maintain the temperature. For baked goods, generally cook on the middle rack, unless otherwise specified in the recipe.  If you are warming something up in the oven, you can put it in while the oven is heating.

A good kitchen scale is a must if you like baking. You can get exact weights in grams or ounces which is great if you're using recipes with metric measurements. Then you can use the scale to weigh packages and calculate postage! Dual purpose.

Purchase a whisk that is rubber coated - you can use it to whisk in your non-stick pans without worrying about scratching them.

Invest in a high-quality set of stainless steel pots and pans. They will last a long time if you take care of them and give you even cooking. Get the ones that can go into the oven as well, so you can prepare dishes that are sautéed and then put in the oven to roast in the same pan.

Buy "Bar Keepers Friend" cleaning powder to clean your pots and pans. It also will removed fresh turmeric stains from knives or counters.

Invest in a good set of knives.  You don't need to have a large selection, but a good chef's knife, paring knife, tomato knife and a medium sized chopping knife are worth purchasing. A bread knife and de-boning knife are two more knives that are very useful. I recently discovered the ceramic knives "Kyocera". They are excellent for chopping herbs without bruising them, and also for cutting vegetables and fruits.

Cooking Tips 

When you are sautéing, first preheat the pan on medium to medium-high. Then add your oil, before adding your onion, garlic, vegetables etc as per the recipe. If you add oil to a cold pan and then turn the heat on, the oil will get too hot and start to smoke. Always have all your ingredients ready and prepared before you start cooking. Mise en place is a French term for "everything in it's place." If you get used to doing this before you start cooking, it will make things easier and more organized. So put your different ingredients in small bowls - lined up, ready to go.

When cooking pasta or rice follow the package directions. Always boil water first before adding the pasta and salt the water just before adding the pasta.  If the package says 10 minutes, set the timer for 8 and check it. You can't uncook pasta, so keep checking it and then drain it and serve promptly.
If you're making pasta or risotto, cook them last.  These are dishes that shouldn't wait too long.

When cooking scrambled eggs, use a low heat to avoid the eggs burning and creating brown crusty egg pieces. Stirring the eggs constantly while they cook will give you smaller egg pieces and a 'creamy' consistency. Letting them sit a bit, then stirring will create larger pieces of egg and a more fluffy but drier consistency. When you're making fried eggs, a good tip to prevent sticking and make the flipping easier is to add about 1 TBS water to the pan, once the white has set. This frees up the egg to slide in the pan as the water goes under it and you will have no sticking and no burning of your eggs! Perfect every time.

Allowing meat to 'rest' after it's cooked, lets the juices distribute evenly into the meat all the juices running out when you cut into it. To keep the meat warm while it's resting, cover lightly with foil and then cover the foil with 2 t-towels to keep warm. Rest for 8-10 minutes.

Food Presentation

When preparing a menu there are a few things to keep in mind. The color of the food is important when plating the meal. It should have a range of colors, and look pleasing to the eye. For example, you would not serve a white fish with mashed potatoes and cauliflower. Along the same lines, if you're serving an appetizer, salad, main dish, do not repeat a particular ingredient in the dishes. For example do not have garlic or tomatoes or shrimp in more than one dish. Particularly at a dinner party, if someone has a food aversion you are unaware of, you would limit the dishes they could eat by repeating any one ingredient.
Use a garnish to decorate the plate. If you have made chicken with rosemary for example, you could put a fresh sprig of rosemary on the chicken. Basil pairs well with tomatoes.  The garnish can go on each plate, or on a platter.
Add fresh herbs near the end of cooking so they maintain their freshness.

Food Storage

Always store tomatoes at room temperature.

Store onions and bananas at room temperature but away from other fruits/vegetables as they cause other fruits to spoil quickly.

The warmest part of the fridge is the door.  This is a good area to store herbs as the really cold temperatures will make basil turn black. Ideal fridge temperature is 40F.  If you find your produce is spoiling fast, check the temperature with a thermometer as this may be the cause if your fridge is too warm.

Store fresh ginger and turmeric by wrapping it in a damp paper towel, and putting it in a baggie in the fridge.

Green onions will regenerate if you put the white roots in a glass of water (with the small amount of green out of the water). New shoots will grow.

Frozen food can also spoil and get 'freezer burn.'  It's a good idea to date items so you know how long they've been in your freezer. There are guidelines on how long to keep certain foods frozen. But try to freeze as little as possible and eat fresh foods as much as you can. Check this website for information:
www.stilltasty.com
www.eatingwell.com/article/286048/the-best-way-to-strore-fruits-and-veggies/

Party Planning

When you're planning a dinner party, there's a few things you can do to make things run smoothly and allow you to enjoy the time with your guests.

When you invite the guests, ask if they have any food allergies or aversions or dietary restrictions.  This way, you won't have a shrimp cocktail appetizer only to find out someone at the table has a shell fish allergy.  If you entertain a lot, you can prepare an 'Entertaining Log' on the computer showing the date, menu, guest list and food allergies. It's nice to know what you served particularly if you have the same people over.

Set the table the night before the party. You don't want to be ironing napkins, or polishing flatware or wine glasses as your guest arrive.

It's easy to make a small center piece of flowers from your garden or a bouquet. Cut the flowers and using a soup bowl, place them in the bowl tightly to create a low profile burst of color in the center of your table.  Or use a rectangle serving platter and lay fresh cuttings of bougainvillea or another vine with flowers. This looks stunning and it's so easy.

Prepare the vegetables ahead if possible. So they would only require warming up to accompany the main dish. Select easy menus that don't require a lot of time when your guests arrive.

Normally if you invite guests for 6:00 pm, dinner should be served at 7:00 pm. One hour after arrival.

There are two ways to serve a crowd - buffet is good for a large group.  If you have 6-8 people, you can decide on a buffet style, or platters that are passed around to everyone. This means more dishes, serving utensils and clean up and you need more room on your table or serving table for the dishes.  If you go this route, a good tip is to use post-it notes on each dish you make sure you have everything ready when the food is ready.
Another idea is to collect the main plates after the appetizer and set them out on your counter. Have one of the guests help you and plate the food for each guest.  Serve the women first, then the men.
Work quickly so the food stays hot. Serve dishes from the left side and pick up dishes from the right side of your guest.
Etiquette calls for guests to wait till the host is seated and takes the first bite.

You can request no cell phones at the table.
When out for dinner, place purses under the table, at your feet, or on your chair.
Turn your cell phone off and refrain from getting it out for any reason unless there's an emergency.
This tells your guests they are important and you can enjoy an evening with no distractions.
Sunglasses, keys, hats etc should not be on the table when dining.

Have soft drinks available for the designated drivers or those who do not drink alcohol.

If you are invited to someone's home for dinner, it's always a nice gesture to call the next day thanking the host, or to mail a thank you note. A thank you note via e-mail is also acceptable.

And if you're not up to spending the time to do the big party, you can organize an evening out at a restaurant with everyone.  Look for places that have a private room for 8-10. Usually there is no cost for the room.