Welcome to Gaia! :: View User's Journal | Gaia Journals

The below article is mostly about private chef, I hope you like and if so feel free to tell others. Also addressed is the subject executive chef hire

Being a new cook can be a bit overwhelming at times. Not everyone has a natural ability to cook. Luckily, everyone can learn to cook well. Becoming the best cook you can is all about learning as much as you can! Read below to learn some techniques which will make preparing dishes easy.

However, there is a way that your efforts can be saved and the sauce still used. Mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Continually stir the sauce while adding corn starch slowly. For sauce that is too thick, add liquid until your sauce is at the desired consistency.

If you are seasoning meat, cook a little piece of it to test the seasoning before cooking it all. You have to use caution when seasoning certain meats, such as meatballs, meatloaf and hamburgers. Do not cook all of the meat immediately after seasoning. Instead, form a small patty and cook that first. Once you've tasted the meat, change the seasoning accordingly, then cook the entire piece of meat.

Vegetables should be cooked rapidly to obtain peak results. Vegetables which are cooked slowly can lose their taste and valuable nutrients. These quick cooking techniques will produce generally, healthier vegetable sides. So in summary, cook your vegetables for the shortest amount of time possible.

Keep in mind that tofu and beans are excellent sources of protein when you want to add more protein to your diet. These can be found at most grocery stores these days. Frying the tofu in a low-sodium soy sauce is a tasty alternative to eating meat for dinner! Beans can be used in vegetarian chili, added to baked goods, or just boiled with herbs and vegetables.

This will help to keep your fruits fresh for much longer. You will also have fruit handy that is not normally available during that season.

Any food that needs seasoning should have the seasoning added while the food is being cooked. You can be sure that you are not cooking away the extra flavoring, but instead are making the desired impact that you want your spices to have.

If it can be hectic getting dinner ready in time, try preparing ingredients the night before. Cut up vegetables and onions, put the meat in the marinade, or make the sauce before going to bed at night. You will feel less stressed and a bit more eager to cook when you wake up.

After eating turkey, whether for Thanksgiving or otherwise, do not throw away the leftovers. Instead, cut the turkey into smaller pieces, store it in a container that's airtight, and freeze it. Doing this will keep the turkey fresh for several weeks, and it can be made into a sandwich or a salad whenever you want.

If you have purchased unripened fruits, put them into a plastic bag that is perforated. As they ripen, they will create ethylene gas. When they are placed in a perforated bag, the air can circulate, which ensures the ethylene gas is absorbed, so the fruit retains its great taste.

When using fresh herbs in your meal, including dill and parsley, place the herbs together in bunches, and cut them with scissors. This method of cutting herbs provides a drier, more flavorful product than chopping.

Always follow instructions to the letter whenever you cook macaroni and cheese. The macaroni will be perfection if you choose to cook it in this manner. After the cheese has melted on the noodles, you will be able to enjoy macaroni that is divine. A solid spoon should be used when serving the macaroni masterpiece. Spice it up with some type of pepper!

When preparing a salsa that won't be used immediately, rinse any raw onions you are using in cold water and dry them well. Fresh onions can emit sulfurous gas. If you wait long enough until the onions start emitting gas, your salsa could be ruined. Rinsing and drying the chopped onions removes this gas.

Cooking doesn't come naturally to everyone, but with the correct directions you will improve your culinary skills in no time. It is not all that complicated. If you follow the tips in this article while you are cooking, you will be on your way to becoming a master chef.