Cooking Tips
Tricks to Make You Look Like a Master Chef
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The difference between a good cook and a great cook can usually be as small as a couple good tips. tips can help us make preparing dishes much easier and side step the many obstacles in cooking. While it is true that experience, patience and knowledge are key when cooking, a few basic ideas can definitely make many good cooks look like master chefs. Following are just a few ideas that will ultimately help you in the kitchen.

Food Safety Tips
First off, the best way to make sure that your food tastes the very best that it can is to use fresh food. When shopping in the supermarket or produce market make sure you look over each item that you buy, checking it for freshness or ripeness. While most packaged foods have an expiration date located on the container, most foods such as fresh produce must be viewed individually. It’s also a good idea to get familiar with general produce and the art of finding high quality produce in your local supermarket.

As far as meats go, make sure that the meats (beef, poultry and fish) you purchase are fresh. In addition, when preparing meat for a meal keep all meats refrigerated until using, any utensils you use with the meat or that come into contact with the meat should be cleaned with soap and water. Regarding serving, make sure that meats are cooked thoroughly and reach a safe temperature. Cooked foods should reach at least 140 degrees F. Use a thermometer to measure the temperature. It should be noted that while cooked foods should reach 140 degrees F., foods that are chilled such as dairy products should always be stored refrigerated less than 40 degrees F.

Use the Right Tools
Just like a good car mechanic has the correct tools to fix a car, make sure your kitchen is stocked with items that will help you create dishes easily and properly. This includes a good set of knives, pots, pans and measuring cups. You might also want to invest in a nice blender and food processor.

Reduced Fat Cooking
A lot of people make the mistake of associating low fat with bland, tasteless cooking. This is not the case. In fact, low fat can be colorful, vibrant and extremely tasty. The key is to use a

variety of fresh spices, herbs, olive oil and put some thought into the dishes you select. For instance, you can make almost any dish a low fact dish just by ensuring the least amount of oil is used, and opting for lean cuts of beef and pork. In fact, chicken and turkey are usually low in fat and fish is also a great choice for any low fat dish.

Beverage Selection
Remember that a meal includes not just the food, but the beverage as well. You can enhance almost any meal by accompanying it with a quality beverage. Whether it is a nice wine, flavorful sparkling mineral water or a top notch cocktail, a beverage can easily make a regular meal one to remember.

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