Becoming a Better Cook - The Dos and Don'ts

Whether you're passionate about food and want to be able to cook it for yourself or feel there's room for improvement in your culinary expertise, here are our 'Dos and Don'ts of cooking' to help you become a master in the kitchen.

circulon pans

The Dos...

CIRCULON PANS

Do use quality fresh ingredients - Ever wondered about the difference in quality between restaurants. The quality of the chef or cook is one obvious factor, but perhaps the biggest one is the quality of the food. It may be more expensive, but once you know the best cuts of meat and the finest vegetables, your dishes will come alive with flavour.

Do invest in good cookware - If you're tired of an oven that doesn't do its job properly or a pan that's uneven, you'll be staggered by the improvement you'll see when using new quality equipment. The better the quality the longer it'll last, too. Check out which cookware the expert chefs use - they know quality when they see it.

Do look out for new recipes - The best way to become enthusiastic about cooking is to introduce variety. Buy recipe books, search the web and check for recipes in newspapers and magazines. You may find a simple idea to inspire a whole new dish, or find a step-by-step guide to help you gain confidence.

Do get to know your cooker well - Unfortunately, over time cookers can become a little unreliable and the temperature it says it's cooking at might not be the truth. It can lead to meats not cooking through or waiting twice as long to have your Sunday roast. The better you know your oven's performance - however inaccurate - the better you can judge cooking times.

Do ask those around you for advice and tips - Remember those lovely Sunday dinners your mum used to make? Chances are she didn't start off being able to make them like that, or even if she did, there's a chance one or two elements of it - such as gravy or the vegetables - didn't go to plan. Take in all the wisdom you can get from people with experience.

The Don'ts

Don't get too ambitious to begin with - There's nothing worse than being a novice at something you want to be good at, but it's best to take your time rather than rush. Don't take on complicated dishes; master the basics first and then move on to more experimental meals.

Don't worry if your dishes don't work out - You're just starting out - or at the very least you've acknowledged room for improvement - so it's only natural that it's going to take time to get to where you want to be. Have a back up plan if you're really hungry, but don't get discouraged and try again soon.

Don't make the same mistakes next time - Repeating your mistakes will no doubt leave you bewildered and disappointed, which isn't going to keep you enthusiastic about cooking. Maybe the temperature was wrong, maybe you added too much salt...etc. Whatever the reason, don't hide from your mistakes - learn from them.

Don't be afraid to ask for feedback - If you're cooking for a loved one, tell them to offer constructive feedback. Find out what they like and what they don't like and use it to decide how to improve the dish. If you are afraid, you'll be going round in circles.

Don't make it all about work - Cooking is meant to be fun, so if you're stressed or worried about what you're doing, then you're doing it wrong. If you're not enjoying it, take a break and ask someone else to cook for a change.

Now you're on your way to becoming a better cook, why not get the cookware set to take you to the next level?

Becoming a Better Cook - The Dos and Don'ts

KitchenwareXpress.co.uk has a wide range to choose, including Anolon Cookware, Circulon Cookware and many other top of the line kitchen cookware ranges.

CIRCULON PANS

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.

circulon pans

Here are some tips.

CIRCULON PANS

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

If you need inspiration, or new kitchen cookware, you'll find everything you need at KitchenwareXpress.co.uk. From full sets of Anolon Cookware and Circulon Pans to pressure cookers and cutlery, Kitchenware Express has what you need. Why not see what else can make your cooking better? Remember, if you spend time in the kitchen, you should spend time at Kitchenware Express too.

CIRCULON PANS