How to learn to cook. Teaching kids and teens how to cook

In the new issue of the column on effective self-education, we, together with experts, figure out what should be in the kitchen of a novice cook and which Moscow schools it makes sense to look into to cook the best steak.

First, ask yourself: why do you need this? At the very beginning, I would recommend listening to the call of the heart and learning how to cook, if there is any response. If it doesn't work, don't force yourself. Cooking should be fun.

You can start with good cooking shows, preferably foreign ones. It is possible from books, but learning to read a recipe is very difficult. "Fry until golden brown”,“ sauté the onion ”- what is it? Understanding comes only with experience. I think it's best to go to culinary master classes. There you see what the chef is doing, you can always ask again, write down, besides, secrets are usually revealed there that are not written in books. Now there are a lot of video recipes on the Internet, you can also watch them.

As for the utensils needed to start, you should have a good knife, a cutting board (preferably two), a heavy-bottomed saucepan, a frying pan and a heat-resistant dish. Everything is very simple, you will not need a temperature probe or noisette right away. While conducting master classes, I often come across people who do not know how to cook, but spend themselves on something difficult. However, first you need to master the elementary frying pan and knife.

It is good if there are always eggs, cream, milk, cheese, some greens, olive and butter in the refrigerator. All products are simple, but their combination will allow you to do something at any time. Flour, butter, egg - this is already shortbread dough. No need to buy a bunch of spices at once.

Explain what is the perfect dish, impossible. Someone likes one thing, someone else. Perhaps the ideal is the right combination products. At my master classes, I always talk about the need to feel the measure. For some reason, the participants seem to think that putting a lot of things on a plate is good. For example, sometimes we make pizza. Some guests think that if they are poor yeast dough put all the ingredients, it will be delicious. But it's not.

Worth reading cookbooks different good chefs while listening to yourself. If you love cheese with greens, do something with it. Love meat - cook it. You have to do what you like. I started cooking with soups and second courses, I didn’t like making salads and desserts. Now I love to cook everything.

You can only learn by practicing. If you just read and look at the screen, nothing will work. Cooking is chemistry and physics. If you practice every day - of course, you can learn how to cook.

It is important to understand that the ball is not ruled by detailed recipe how to cut vegetables, boil broth and add meat, but understanding why we do certain actions. It is the theoretical basis that allows us to come up with our own own dishes"from what was in the fridge."

To learn how to cook well and tasty, you need to remember one thing important rule: do not listen to girlfriends, mothers and grandmothers, no matter how tasty their borscht may seem to you. Sometimes the level of such homemade dishes is very primitive. Undoubtedly, mom's soup and grandmother's pancakes may seem to you the height of gastronomic pleasure, but this is far from being the case.

Like any other field, cooking requires following the rules, as well as attention to detail and processes. First you need to learn the basics. Which base sauces there are ways in which one type of cutting vegetables differs from another and, most importantly, where and in what context certain skills need to be applied. It's best to start with basic dishes, studying their history, subtleties and important technological moments. Take risotto with mushrooms and learn how to cook broths, work with rice; understand how to make a dish bigger and brighter using mushrooms different types. We started cooking "Bolognese" - and understood the "rule 1110" when cooking pasta, learned how to make meat stew- and made friends with tomato bases for sauces.

It is worth stocking up on important and useful tools. First of all, you will need a pair of different, necessarily sharp knives, a heavy frying pan, a cutting board. IN confectionery business- kitchen scales, spatulas and whisks, good mixer. When we have learned to hold a knife in our hand and understand how a whisk differs from a spatula, we need to think about what ingredients are important to keep on hand. Everyone has their own taste, but it's great when there is always a bag of flour in the kitchen, fresh vegetables, a package of rice and spaghetti, a slice good cheese and a jar of tomato sauce. Season dishes with fresh herbs and ground pepper, and your family will begin to suspect you of cooking witchcraft.

After the base is mastered, it's time to take on a more complex matter - taste. Need to try. Many, often and the best. At least once a month it is useful to dine in a really good expensive restaurant, while traveling to visit local markets for seafood, vegetables and bakeries. Try and analyze what and why you like, combinations of which products delight. Feel free to ask the chefs who surprised you why this soup is so delicious. Perhaps the secret is quite simple, but knowing it will open new doors to the world of gastronomy.

What to read

Channel Jamie Oliver food tube

On his channel, Jamie Oliver does what he loves most: cooking. delicious food and gives simple tips viewers. Moreover, this is not just a collection of recipes, but a full-fledged interactive gastronomic channel-transmission. Other chefs, Jamie's friends, are also regular guests. In the new year, Jamie decided to launch a series healthy meals, snacks and drinks, so you can start monitoring your health in a pleasant company.

Learn to Cook

One of the most useful resources for those who decide to master the basic skills of cooking. Each article is like a full-fledged guide dedicated to one product: its types, cooking methods and mistakes to avoid. The text is generously accompanied by photographs and videos, so it is almost impossible to make a mistake with the color of a well-done salmon steak.

"Afisha-Food"

A huge database of recipes from cuisines around the world, which are added by the users themselves. If amateur experience seems dubious, here are recipes from the now-defunct Afisha-Food magazine. Most of them are trustworthy.

Where to study in Moscow

When: the nearest lesson "Cocktails for two" - February 14

How many: 150,000 rubles for a basic cooking course, master classes - from 3,000 rubles

Project Meet&Greet

Meet&Greet open kitchen is not quite cooking school. Rather, it is one of the ways to pass the time, cook and eat several dishes, while learning some culinary secrets. The school was founded by friends and hosts of the Two and a Half Cooks program Christina Chernyakhovskaya and Albina Preis. Meetings are held twice a week: dinner is served on Wednesdays, and brunch on Sundays. Menus, which usually consist of two or three courses, are announced a few days in advance on the website and in social networks. In the same place, project participants regularly share proven recipes.

Where: Cafe Burger Brothers

When: every Wednesday at 20:00 and Sunday at 12:00

How many: 1,800 rubles for dinner, 1,000 rubles for brunch

Culinary school of Yulia Vysotskaya

In the school of the host of the TV program “We Eat at Home”, familiar to everyone, there are many master classes that add up in cycles: “ Italian Cuisine», « Russian feast”,“ Refined Asia ”and so on. Each master class is independent, but by attending several classes within the same course, you can gain versatile knowledge on the topic.

Where: studios at Belorusskaya, Okhotny Ryad and Mega Khimki

When: daily, depending on the site

How many: 900–3,000 rubles

Cooking Workshop Just Cook

Another school where theory prefers practice. At the master classes, participants prepare three dishes each, following the advice of two professional chefs. Then they all sit down at the table together and try the result of the lesson. Classes are devoted to French, Russian, Pan-Asian and other cuisines of the world, but there are also separate master classes - for example, on fish or dumplings.

Where: Bratislavskaya, 18, building 1; Leningradsky prospect, 80, building 12A

When: Wednesday to Sunday, depending on venue

How many: 2,000 rubles per lesson

To surprise your loved ones with new gourmet dishes you won't need much time. No special skills are required. Here I want to talk about some of my techniques that help me create new dishes for our table every day. How to learn to cook tasty and varied?

There was a time when I considered cooking a boring chore. When I was able to cook only 7-10 different dishes, and these dishes were quite primitive. Side dish (just rice, buckwheat, potatoes or pasta) plus meat. well in special occasions I added mushrooms or tomatoes to the meat, and it was already considered a delicacy ... Fortunately, those days are long gone. Of course, I do not invent fundamentally new dishes every day. But my husband is constantly surprised: “What are you tasty dish cooked today! To which I usually modestly declare that I once prepared something similar ... And the answer is heard: “Yes? I don’t remember... But is it possible to remember all your dishes?

All these secrets almost do not require extra time. After all, my daughter does not give me the opportunity to cook for hours. Once I wrote about how I cook dinner with a six-month-old child (""), but now my daughter is already over a year old, and the old strategy does not work ... Therefore, in the process of cooking, every minute counts.

How to learn how to cook in a variety of ways without wasting time?

Secret one. Use spices.

If you think that spices are ground pepper, which you need to sprinkle your dish at the end of cooking ... You are mistaken. Dry spices must first be fried in oil, only then they will reveal their taste. Don't worry, it's very simple. Before throwing vegetables into a frying pan (or into a saucepan), melt butter or olive oil (butter is better) there. Then throw in about half a teaspoon of each spice... Stir and fry the spices until you can smell them. bright aroma(approximately 1-3 minutes). That's all, then throw in other products, mix and cook as usual. Determine the amount of spices yourself, I usually use more spices than I wrote above. What spices? Experiment. Basic set: asafoetida (it can be ordered online or bought in specialized stores), cumin (I prefer ground, I use an electric pepper grinder), coriander (also ground), curry and black pepper. Too difficult? Don't worry, just a curry mix will do to start with. It's easy to buy, you don't have to grind it, just fry it in oil.

Second secret. Use simple sauces.

Sauce is a very strong word. In our understanding, a sauce is something that is difficult to prepare and served in a separate bowl... No, that's not what we're talking about here. Here we are talking about how to give your dish a special taste, using simple ingredients.

Brine. Pickled cucumber or tomato brine goes well with many fried and stewed dishes. It is almost impossible to "overdo it" with him. In the process of cooking, add a little brine to the pan - the dish will not be so dry and will acquire a slight taste of pickles. Therefore, everything that is combined with pickles can be safely watered with brine. The brine goes especially well with fried or stewed potatoes.

tomato paste. I prefer puree fresh tomatoes, which I will write about below. But tomato paste can be easily added to many fried and stews and also in soups.

Soy sauce. Here you need to be more careful. But if you adore rolls and the aroma of soy sauce brings back pleasant memories for you, try lightly pouring the sauce over pasta or potatoes.

Milk. You can add quite a bit of milk to fried foods. Here you need to be very careful, there should be a few tablespoons of milk in a large frying pan ... Or better - less. milk (in correct doses) makes the dish more tender.

I have only two universal simple sauces which I sometimes add to my meals.

sour cream sauce . Ideally, it should be prepared separately. Fry in butter spices (the basic set described above) and add sour cream (300-400 grams per large frying pan). Turn off the heat, stir, the sour cream will melt itself. The resulting sauce is very tasty to pour over any stew, any fried dish. Be sure to try this sauce, we are all delighted with it. But cooking separately... It doesn't always work out. Therefore, I simply add sour cream to the dish at the very end of cooking.

Tomato sauce . For this sauce, you will need a blender. Be sure to remove the skin from the tomatoes! Dip the tomatoes for a minute in boiling water, after which it is easily removed! We turn the peeled tomatoes into puree with a blender ... And add to the dish at the very end of cooking.

Secret third. Add new ingredients to your dishes.

If you are wondering how to learn how to cook tasty and varied, think about what products you do not use in your menu ... I will help you with this.

What is the place of vegetables in your diet? Zucchini, eggplant, peppers and more? But this is not only healthy, but also tasty ... You just need to add them a little to your main dishes.

Vegetables can complement absolutely any side dish ... And they can also become an independent dish. You will cut an eggplant in one to two minutes. It doesn't even need to be cleaned! How will your fried potatoes, if you add small pieces of eggplant to it! Buckwheat will become much more interesting if you find a little stewed vegetables- for example, zucchini and bell pepper. The same can be said about rice or pasta. How often do you use cauliflower? Or broccoli? Or simply green pea?

Cauliflower and broccoli are easy to make. But if you don’t have time at all, you can buy them frozen! I only buy frozen vegetables if I can't find them in fresh. However, frozen broccoli or cauliflower pieces can be used. all year round! In all large (and not so) supermarkets you will find a lot of frozen vegetables. Use them on your menu! So you make your dishes healthy and delicious. Pay attention to frozen spinach, frozen green beans... You can also buy mixtures of vegetables. It will make your table richer without wasting time!

Simpler products will also come to your aid - canned green peas and beans ... Nuts, dried fruits ... Cheese (especially Adyghe) ... All this can be successfully used in cooking.

Secret four. Use not regular products.

No, you don't have to get dried frogs or some tropical plants. Many supermarkets have products for Japanese or Chinese food... You don't have to learn how to cook like a Japanese, you can just use rice noodles instead of plain pasta. Yes, it will cost more. But this is not red caviar, and you won't go broke paying 60 or 80 rubles for a pack of noodles. But this simple product will add new notes to your menu ... Try rice, buckwheat and egg noodles... Such an assortment will allow you to learn how to cook tasty and varied. Try different varieties rice... And look out for unusual legumes. Instead of green peas and beans, you can add mung bean, quinoa or chickpeas to the dish. One serious disadvantage is that these products need to be cooked for a long time (about an hour), and sometimes even pre-soaked (chickpeas). However, it's worth it!

Secret five. Don't be afraid to experiment!

A spoiled dish is not a tragedy, and not the end of the world! Who does not take risks ... He always cooks only simple, long-boring dishes!

If you are interested in specific recipes, . But keep in mind, there are no spices in this book, at that time I did not understand how to use them. Here I tried to help you come up with a lot of a variety of recipes. After all, cooking is art. That's why I love doing it myself (""). Tell us your secrets! How do you manage to cook tasty and varied?

The prospect of cooking for yourself can be daunting. If you are not in a relationship and live on your own or are just about to move out of your parental home, then you should learn how to cook. Homemade meals not only help you save money on eateries and restaurants, but also help you stay fit, as they are usually healthier and more satisfying than processed foods found in restaurants. fast food. You will need simple kitchen utensils, the basics of culinary arts and constant practice to learn how to cook.

Steps

Part 1

Buy supplies

Get kitchen utensils. They can include expensive and high-quality utensils, as well as simple things like wooden spoons. At the very beginning, there is no need to rush and spend large sums. Buy what you need: a whisk, long-handled spoons, a metal and silicone spatula.

Buy pots and pans. On the shelves of supermarkets you can find an abundance of pots, pans and appliances designed to make work in the kitchen easier. Ignore them and buy the most basic: a pot, a small ladle with a handle and a frying pan. These three appliances can satisfy almost any need in the kitchen.

Change the set according to your needs. For example, if you are cooking in small quantities, then instead of a pot and a frying pan, you can buy only a tall frying pan.

Buy measuring cups and spoons. As a rule, recipes indicate the exact amount of ingredients, so you can not do without measuring cups and spoons. Each element is needed in a single quantity, since the dishes can always be washed, but be sure to buy a complete set of spoons and cups. For convenience, a glass measuring container that can hold at least two glasses will not interfere.
- Some recipes call for aluminum-free utensils. When choosing measuring cups and spoons, give preference to products made of high-quality plastic or stainless steel.
Buy at least one quality paring knife. Poor-quality or blunt knives turn the cooking process into hard labor. First of all, make sure you have at least one quality sharp knife which will allow you to prepare the recipe. It is a sharp knife that will allow you to get diced tomatoes, not tomato puree.

Buy at least one simple cookbook. You will need at least one book with simple recipes. Buy the Beginner's Edition to find more than just different Not complicated recipes but also get familiar with the terminology and basic tools.
- Choose a book for beginners with recipes for certain dishes. For example, buy a cookbook from Italian dishes if you want to focus on pasta dishes and sauces.
- Before buying a book, you should read the reviews and reviews.
- If you don't have a book, use one of the many beginner cooking apps.
Part 2
Learn the highlights
1. Learn the safety rules. In the kitchen, you do not need to use a protective suit and gloves, but general rules safety must be observed. So, never let raw meat contact with other foods and always clean the work surface after cooking to prevent bacterial growth and cross-contamination.
  - Cook meat separately from other foods. Use a separate knife, cutting board, and even another work surface.
  - Vegetables and fruits are not particularly dangerous, but always disinfect the surfaces on which they were placed. Food particles can become a source of mold and bacteria.
2. Follow the recipes exactly. It is not uncommon to feel like changing a recipe or substituting ingredients, but be sure to follow the directions exactly. During the cooking process, chemical reactions and combine flavors that give the dish an unsurpassed taste. Strictly follow the recipes until you have a complete understanding of chemical processes and easy to combine different flavors.
  - After a while, you will start to improvise and add to (or simplify) recipes, but first you need to master the basics in order to gain the necessary experience and culinary flair.
3. Start with breakfast. Breakfast dishes are usually among the simplest, and the recipe is quite difficult to make a mistake. First, try cooking different dishes from eggs, then move on to pancakes and pancakes, and then to pastries and more complex recipes.
  - If you cook your own breakfast, you will develop the habit of eating breakfast regularly, which will help you maintain an optimal weight and get an energy boost for the whole day.
4. Gradually reduce the number of simple meals. After a while, try to add zest to simple recipes like sandwiches or steam vegetables. For example, grilled cheese is a whole field for experiments with various types cheese, bread, fruits and vegetables. start doing simple meals not so ordinary as to feel self-confidence.
  - No need to cheat at every opportunity, but simple helpers like ready sauce pesto and salsa will help you get rid of excessive stress when learning culinary tricks.
  - If you like the product, then find out the recipe and cook the dish yourself.
5. Learn how to cook soups and stir-fries. Soups and stir-fries are a great next step in expanding your skills as they are also hard to mess up (given a very simple and clear recipe). First, prepare a decoction of vegetables and gradually move on to more complex dishes like broccoli and cheese soup.
  - Soup and stir-fry is a great way to go when you don't have much time. Place all ingredients in a large slow cooker, set low temperature and leave it all night or until the evening to treat yourself to a ready-made dinner after work.
6. Move on to casseroles. When you master the recipes for different types of soup and roast, it's time to move on to casseroles. They are no longer as easy to prepare as soup, breakfast and sandwiches, but mistakes are still forgivable, thanks to the traditional appearance casseroles (all products are mixed) and a variety of flavors.
Part 3
Practice your skills
1. Make a menu. At first, you can not do without routine and simplicity. Simplify the task and create a menu for each day of the week, and mark each recipe brought to life. Don't let cooking become a chore.
  - Having a plan in advance will help you feel confident in your abilities and will simplify the process of shopping for groceries for the whole week.
2. Prepare new dishes at least once a week. At first, any dish will be a new dish for you. When the first one accumulates culinary experience, keep cooking at least one new dish a week to keep you feeling fresh and learning new skills.

If you want to become an excellent chef who can always please guests and comes up with recipes himself, your dream is easy enough to fulfill. Learn something new, devote time to cooking every day for a month - and the result will surprise you! So here are some simple tips to get you there.

Sharpen your knives

If you can't even cut an avocado effortlessly, how will you cook it? interesting dishes? In some stores, you can even sharpen knives for free! Try to put all the knives in your house in order.

Learn to cut onions

Cut off the top of the bulb and discard it. Remove the top layers and then slice the onion vertically. After that, cut horizontally - that's it! This is the correct way to cut an onion.

Learn how to cook rice the right way

Always remember that one part of rice needs two parts of water. This ideal proportion, which will help you achieve fluffy and tasty rice.

Learn how to make a poached egg

Always crack an egg into a small bowl before pouring it into the water. Then the yolk will remain intact. If you want to feed a large number of people, try baking eggs in a muffin tin.

Leave fat after frying

If you fried bacon, leave the fat in the pan - you can fry pancakes or scrambled eggs on it.

Learn how to make pickled vegetables

The ability to cook pickled vegetables seems impressive, but it's quite simple! You will need vinegar, water, salt and sugar for the brine, as well as chopped vegetables and spices. Just mix the ingredients for the brine and heat them in a saucepan, and then pour the vegetables in a jar and put it in the refrigerator after cooling. These vegetables can be stored for three weeks!

Learn to use clippings

Vegetable trimmings, bones, and hard cheese rind make a great base for the broth. Collect them in a bag in the freezer until you are ready to make a fragrant soup.

Try new spices

For example, discover turmeric. It is very tasty and extremely healthy.

Swap an aluminum pan for a cast iron one

Cast iron pans handle all temperatures, last a very long time, and are great for many dishes.

Buy more pots and pans

What separates an amateur from a professional? Pan size! If you use a frying pan or pot that is too small, your food may not cook evenly.

Store chicken breasts in the freezer

From chicken breast you can quickly prepare a wonderful dinner, so it's worth always keeping a small supply on hand.

Try a new vegetable

For example, try turnips. You can use it in fries, mashed potatoes or stir-fries, and you can add it to soups.

Store cheese in oil

Top with mozzarella, feta or goat cheese olive oil with spices to make it more fragrant and tastier.

Try while cooking

Season your food and taste it while cooking. If something is missing, you can always add.

Prepare a new dish with your favorite foods

Love cauliflower? Make tacos with her! Roast her large pieces or just bake the whole head of cabbage!

Make homemade burgers and freeze them

Make homemade burger patties. They can be beef, fish or vegetables. Freeze them and you will always have an option to surprise your guests.

Make soup from scratch

Stop using convenience foods, learn how to make soup yourself. It's worth it.

Buy soy sauce, lemons and parmesan

These Ingredients Can Transform Almost Any unleavened dish. Always keep them handy.

Make your own jam

Your breakfast will be much more pleasant! You can make jam in just five minutes.

Learn to roast vegetables

Remember the tip about the bigger pot? The same goes for the baking dish. When you cook vegetables, they should not be too tight for everything to turn out crispy.

Cook something in red wine

Learn how to make pasta in red wine sauce. This is an incredibly delicious dish.

Try a new kind of meat

For example, lamb. Or pork chops. You can even decide on offal, for example, the liver.

Make your own bread and freeze it

You can make your own tortillas for dinner and then freeze them. Then they can be used for two weeks.

Taste new varieties of fish and seafood

Try scallops, cod, mussels or tuna. Do not limit yourself to the usual varieties of fish.

Add Salt to Salads

This secret seems too simple, but it great way combine all flavors. It is salt that creates the difference between a mixture of products and a delicious salad.

Try a new kind of cereal

You can try quinoa or amaranth. It's delicious and useful varieties cereals that you like.

Add wine to butter

If you make gourmet butter, you will immediately feel like a skilled cook.

Go to specialty stores

A large supermarket is very convenient, but you can find more in specialty cheese or vegetable stores. interesting products Plus, they'll be fresh. Be sure to try to visit such a store, you will immediately understand the difference.

Buy a small grater

With a special grater, you can grate Parmesan directly over your guests' plate. This is a simple detail, but it makes a huge impression on others.

Make simple desserts

Don't spend hours in the kitchen. A bowl fresh fruit with whipped cream - it's no less tasty than a complex soufflé. You can just relax and enjoy your food!

To learn how to cook, you need to practice a few basic cooking techniques. Almost everyone knows how to fry, boil and stew. Now try to cook something like this:

Stir fry. Very fast frying. You need to pour quite a bit of oil, spread it over the pan, wait until it is hot, and throw prepared foods into it. Stir-fry involves constant stirring. Sometimes you can add special sauces(Finding such a sauce is easy - the packaging will indicate that this is a stir-fry sauce).
Baking. The perfect way cook vegetables. It does not require any skills at all: you need to put the vegetables in a pan or on a baking sheet, salt, sprinkle with your favorite herbs and spices, pour over with oil and put in a preheated oven. The only difficulty is to take out the pan in time.

Annie/Flickr.com

Caramelization. Something between roasting and simmering. A long process that helps "pull" the sugar out of foods (such as onions or carrots) and turn it into caramel. finished product is different sweet taste, dark color and strong aroma. What is this technique for? It helps to make ordinary products tastier or to use them when creating unusual dishes. For example, caramelized onions can be used as an ingredient in steak sauce, pie filling, or the base of the famous French soup.

Learn the Ingredients

Why is cooking so cool? Because it is very fun and interesting. Entertain yourself - try to find five different ways cook chicken with vegetables. It turns out that you can make pasta, cook soup, bake everything together, cook stew or fry thin slices in an Asian way.

Learn also a few win-win combinations. It will be quite difficult to make a tasteless dish out of them.

Fish and lemon. A combination that can be used for frying, and for baking, and for any other method of preparing fish.
Tomatoes, garlic, paprika, cheese. The first three ingredients are ideal in soups, sauces, stews and when baking. Obviously pasta or pizza is one of the first three ingredients excellent with cheese.

Esimpraim/Flickr.com

Eggs and bacon, vegetables and bacon. The fact is that bacon itself is an uninteresting product. However, he has a characteristic bright taste. Pair it with scrambled eggs for the perfect balance. The same goes for vegetables. Bacon gives them a smoky note, makes them tastier and richer.
Melon and ham. Salad containing pieces of sweet and fragrant melon and slices delicious ham, can't be bad. You can also add ripe figs. There is a way to make this food combination even better: drink a good glass of wine.
Poultry and fruits (chicken and orange, duck and apples). It is not necessary to wrap the meat with fruits on all sides, imitating a cornucopia. Show your imagination: add orange zest to the marinade; do to the bird applesauce. Do not be afraid. It will definitely turn out delicious.

Learn to use spices

It is not enough to understand only the ingredients. You also need to learn spices. We have selected some classic, time-tested combinations with which your dish will definitely become brighter. But you should definitely not stop there and try to combine new spices.

For vegetables

Black pepper, garlic, rosemary.
Black pepper, garlic, dill, horseradish, celery.
Black pepper, red pepper, garlic, dill, parsley, horseradish.

Susy Morris/Flickr.com

For meat dishes

Anise, coriander, dill, nutmeg, white pepper, paprika.
Fennel, celery, cardamom, onion, white pepper.
Allspice, black pepper, cloves, ginger, onion.

For soups

Marjoram, mint, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme.
Celery, marjoram, parsley, savory, basil.
All kinds of bouquets garni: French, German, English.

And one more hint: study the composition ready-made kits spices and find interesting combinations for yourself. And then collect such a combination yourself to be sure of the quality of the mixture of herbs.

Learn to Use Lemon

If you are afraid of making the dish too sour, start with dishes that cannot be spoiled with lemon. First, cook the fish. Then add lemon juice in vegetables (for example, broccoli before roasting). Lemon is also put in a hodgepodge. It perfectly emphasizes the taste of this rich soup. This fruit can be used almost anywhere, but you need to do it carefully. If you remove the zest from a lemon, do not hook the white part under the skin - it is bitter.

Use cheese

Not liking cheese is practically a crime. There are so many different tastes that you just need to find yours. Cheese, soft cheese, hard cheese, blue cheese ... It can be used as a main ingredient or as a spice. In general, it is difficult to do without cheese.

Salt with soy sauce

Be sure to try cooking with soy sauce. If Asian notes in dishes you will like it, it will be just great.

Firstly, soy sauce perfectly emphasizes the taste of vegetables, meat and fish.

Secondly, if you like soy sauce, you can prepare the ingredients ahead of time, and then in a matter of minutes you can make wonderful rice with vegetables and seafood, ramen, udon with broth, and so on. Soy sauce will combine the ingredients into one delicious dish.

If you love and know how to cook with soy sauce try also cooking something with miso paste.

Make friends with interests

Which knife is used to cut meat and which knife to cut bread? Is it normal that the broth is covered thick foam? What to do with it? What should be normal cream? These and other questions that inevitably appear during cooking should be asked to someone. You can search the internet for answers. But it is better if you have like-minded people - friends who want to learn how to cook. You can learn how to cook from books, instructions and videos. But it's better to get a "comrade in misfortune" and learn the secrets of cooking together.