As a child and teen, I made meals from recipes. Following them exactly or improvising creates a learning experience. Knowledge of complementary and contrary spices paved the way to creating new combinations suited to my tastes with regular household ingredients. Technique is imperative to preparing gourmet food, without the gourmet prices.
My family assisted in discovering techniques related to personalized cooking. Grandmother Betty was raised on a farm. When she made chicken soup she boiled the whole chicken. Mentioning cooking food in order, chicken, onions and dash of salt are boiled to make broth. Then chicken is cleaned and bones crushed to add marrow. Carrots and celery are added first. Potatoes are added last because they only take twenty minutes to cook. It took all day to cook, yet we had soup for a week.
Grandmother Mary's husband, my Grandfather, was a diabetic. Assisting with flavor, not everything needs salt and sugar. One day I wanted hamburger and fries. Making them the way she new how, the burger was well-done; however, it was missing the crust I was accustom to when my mother fried burgers at home. Limp and unappealing when attempting to make my own hamburgers, it seemed well-done meant burnt. Realizing lowering cooked it without burning; now the only crust is made with seasoning.
Mom rarely cooked at home. Having experience working in a deli, she fries everything. The bigger contribution was stacking sandwiches with preferring marinated and canned ingredients. Pickled beets, artichokes and sweet jalapenos, she was never afraid of condiments and adding a bit of deli flavor to everything.
In college I worked at a few restaurants. Working as a pizza cook, I would prepare topping and doe for the evening shift. Briefly working in a deli and as a barista, I learned how to place bagels on flat on the cutting board and cut across so both sides are even. Though never owning a cappuccino machine, I can reheat a mocha chino in seconds.
Interest in health food and veganism inspired a new way of cooking. I enjoy making food everyone enjoys. Going to restaurants and looking at a few cook books, it was unique and affluent. Often bitter or lacking flavor, a tip is to add sea salt to vegetables. It was edible. It was at this time I found vegetable broth and began to make vegan food taste like traditional meals to share on holidays with friends and family. No longer avoiding their snacks, the experience contributed to healthier regular meals at home.
To understand flavor, taste food. People don't need fancy degrees or workshops to understand when something tastes good. After tasting a wide variety of dishes, it makes sense to switch out a slice of ham for a slice of tomato. The most important factor in creating a delicious vegan meal is using vegetable bouillon. The "Sweet Stir Fry Rice" offers a full range of preparations. In this recipe don't use the meat or egg option if you are vegetarian. Spice combinations provide a flavorful dish.
Each recipe explains a technique. Techniques are simple after trying them. As long as the instructions are followed, results are favorable. "The Perfect Ham, Eggs and Cheese Sandwich" is a recipe that shares insights into what is happening as the sandwich cooks. These nuances make technique memorable when trying other complicated recipes.
A few appendixes cover preparation of several short dishes that intersect with a larger array of breakfasts, lunches or dinners. Baking and boiling are healthier than frying. However, fried foods require special techniques for exceptional results.
Recipes are a great way to develop a sense of flavor. Testing different dishes on my family, some dishes never go wrong. Cooking opens new, favorable experiences. Keeping the classical treatment in mind, there are several issues when preferring healthy, vegan and vegetarian meals; however, people can have both flavor for health.
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