Here’s some “Cooking 101″ for you. Anyone who can follow directions, knows a little math, and has some common sense can learn to cook, and possibly put together a fairly decent meal the very first time. Sure it may not look straight from Betty Crocker, but it will taste fairly well, and not poison anyone! First you will need basic things every kitchen should have.
Utensils and pots and pans. Every cook should have these items, and while there are products available that will cost you thousands of dollars, here are some basic things to start with. No matter what kinds of pots and pans you will use, get them with non stick surfaces, including any baking pans and cookie sheets. They will be much easier to clean, and use, and the greater the quality, the easier the food comes away from the surface.
You’ll also need to get together some knives, spoons, measuring cups and spoons, and whisks. Also, it would be helpful to purchase a decent set of mixing bowls. The metal ones are much easier to clean and maintain than other kinds. You will need a few metal and plastic spatulas and some larger forks and spoons. You should have two basic can opener; one that removes the entire and one that removes just the inner lid so you can drain things like canned tuna.
Most cooking will require a few staples that you will use almost every day when cooking common items. You should get some basic spices like salt and pepper, and some others like garlic, cinnamon, and oregano. You can find nice spice sets at kitchen supply centers and retail stores.
You will also want to stock your pantry with baking soda, baking powder, cooking oil, light brown sugar, flour, and sugar. You can find complete lists of items needed for cooking basics online. You can use these same websites to find some basic recipes, but remember to start off small. You can also order some great cook books online that will be very helpful.
You’ll find that cooking charts are very helpful. They can be used as a quick reference to find out the temperature you need to cook meats and poultry at as well as how long to cook them. These charts also include other useful facts. You will find charts that provide detailed measurements for weight, volume, etc. You can find useful charts online that can be downloaded and printed. Precise measurement is important to the quality and taste of the food you prepare.
It’s really helpful to get a binder so all your cooking basics information will be organized in one place. You can include information and recipes from a variety of sources like friends, family, websites, magazines, and newspapers. This is something you could pass down to your kids if it’s well taken care of.
You can find these tips for cooking basics as well as many more online. You can find them at your library or in a retail store. Most community colleges offer classes on cooking basics on up to advanced courses. Who knows, if you really fall in love with cooking you may even want to take advantage of the career opportunities in the culinary field.
