Food

Food Preparation Guidelines
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The difference between a good cook and a great cook can generally be as minute as a few good cooking tricks. Cooking hints can help us make preparing dishes much easier and side step the many pitfalls in cooking. While it is true that experience, patience and knowledge are key when cooking, a few practical cooking suggestions can definitely make many good cooks look like master chefs. Here are just a few cooking suggestions that will ultimately help you in the kitchen.

Food Safety Tips
First off, the best way to ensure that your food tastes the very best that it can is to make sure that it is fresh. When shopping in the supermarket or produce market be sure you view each item that you purchase, looking it over for freshness or ripeness. While most packaged foods have an expiration date located on the container, almost all foods such as fresh produce must be looked over individually. It’s also a good suggestion to familiarize yourself with general produce and the art of finding top quality produce in your local grocery store.

When it comes to meat, make sure that the meats (beef, poultry and fish) you purchase are fresh. Additionally, when using 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 cooking 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.

Tools of the Trade
Just like a good car mechanic has the right 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 cooking with bland, tasteless cooking. This is absolutely false. In fact, low fat cooking can be colorful, vibrant and extremely flavorful. The key is to utilize a variety of fresh spices, herbs, olive oil and put some thought into the dishes you select. For example, 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 general, chicken and turkey are almost always low fat and fish is also a great option for any reduced fat dish.

Beverage Selection
Remember that a meal includes not only the food, but the beverage as well. You can enhance a meal by accompanying it with a superb beverage. Whether it is a nice wine, delicious sparkling mineral water or a top notch cocktail, a beverage can easily make a standard meal one to remember.