Cooking for Beginners

There is a lot of learning that must be done in order to
become a good cook and then there is becoming a great cook.
But that takes time and plenty of dishes that could have
came out better - and they will-someday. But that's O.K.
everyone starts somewhere. And the best place to start
cooking for beginners is in the kitchen, of course.

Naturally, there is all kinds of cooking: American, Chinese,
Japanese, Indian, European and etc. All of these types of
cooking takes time and training to learn how to master the
basics. But it can be done because it has been by many
already.

Maybe you are not the best cook yet and maybe that may never
happen. But always remember that someone is not quite as
good as you. Probably you'll be better than most ever will
be. O.K. so much for having the right attitude and
self-esteem.

Whatever your reason for cooking or learning to cook you
should always begin with the basics. The first thing that
you need to learn is what the different terminology you will
find in recipes actually means. There are many new and
sometimes foreign sounding terms that you will find in
common recipes. These terms can mean the difference in
recipe success or failure. You should be able to find a good
section in any inclusive cookbook that explains the
different definitions for unfamiliar terminology. If you
aren't absolutely certain what is meant by "folding in the
eggs" it is in your best interests to look it up.

So take this valuable hint: Try simple recipes at first and
then get a little braver by tackling a few more difficult
dishes. Many recipes will tell you just how difficult it is
to make. But you will soon know by just looking at the
recipe.

Another good idea is that once you get some experience with
different (successful) dishes, make yourself a catalog or
diary of dishes that went over well. Put the date and
comments in the diary.

This will come in handy when you just don't know what to
cook or a special occasion is coming and you want to be sure
to make it successful and fun.

As you learn new recipes and improve your culinary skills
and talents you will discover that preparing your own meals
from scratch is much more rewarding than preparing
prepackaged meals that are purchased from the shelves of
your local supermarkets. You will also discover as your
experience and confidence grows that you will find yourself
more and more often improvising as you go and adjusting
recipes to meet your personal preferences.

So what's the secret to learning the basics and becoming a
good cook? Just do it! (over and over).

Source: http://www.articleviral.com/Article/Cooking-for-Beginners/75657