What would be a good starting point for someone who wants to learn how to cook?

Question

Whenever i have enough time (rather than just eating frozen foods as so many of us young students tend to turn to) i do enjoy cooking/preparing foods for myself, however half the time i dont know what ingredients to use to enhance flavours, what spices/herbs are best for certain foods, or even just quick, tasty food to make when you've not a lot of time on your hands

any sug./ websites?

Answer 1

Get yourself a giant cookbook - maybe one for beginners and start picking out recipes you like the look of.

I prefer cook books with photos in, as then you get an idea of what the food will come like, but my boyfriend wont use any book other than The classic 100 beginners recipes and I have to admit, it is good - even thought it has no photos.  They also do a range of other books (i.e. the classic 1000 student recipes).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Classic-1000-Beg...

It might be a good starting point, or if you find another recipe book with good choice and simple to follow recipes.  Then you just pick a couple of recipes a week, buy all the ingredients and follow the instructions.  Soon you'll get to know different methods, and what flavours go well together and you can start experimenting with flavours on your own.

Alternatively (if you can afford it) you can go to a cookery course.  Most colleges do evening classes in cooking for beginners, plus other things like entertaining, baking or indian cookery.  They can be a bit expensive though.

Good luck and enjoy!

Answer 2

Jamie Oliver wrote a book called How To cook which is brillaint, gives all the basics and helps you to think about what goes with what. You also have the best tool you can possibly have and that's you! Try something, see what you feel goes with diff things, be guided by your likes and dislikes.

Answer 3

Find yourself a copy of The Reader's Digest Cookery Year (or New Cookery Year). Inside either of those you'll find practically everything you'd ever want to know. I bought one years ago when it was first published and I STILL refer to it most times I want to check on a recipe or method - and normally, the first thing I'd say would be to steer clear of anything connected with RD but this one was a real winner!

Answer 4

recipesource.com it has food from different countries, you can look up a certain ingredient, whatever. its the best. simple one. 1 cup baking mix like bisquik, 1 egg, 1 cup milk.  put 2 tsp of oregano and basil- mixed, chop up pepperoni, add mozzeralla cheese,- 1 cup or so, drained can of mushrooms, mix together, fry like pancakes. instead of syrup, heat up pizza sauce. awesome takes a few minutes to make. any pizza combo works for this

Answer 5

The best way to start is to go to the library, and find a few cookbooks with recipes that sound good, then try them.

I'd recommend looking at the Joy of Cooking.  It doesn't have any pretty pictures, but it is full of important info.

Answer 6

Go to the Food Network, online or on Cable.

Answer 7

i find www.foodnetwork.com/  really helpful because you can be very precise when looking for recipes like how long it takes to prepare or specific ingredients etc.

Or you can buy special student recipe books

Answer 8

Frequenting a good cooking course given by a famous cook

Answer 9

allrecipes.com GO THERE... Its amazing!

Answer 10

Mom is the best place to start. You get passed down old family recipes before they are lost. You learn to cook foods familiar to you so you will no how they should taste and why they taste the way they do.

Cookbooks are fine, but you really don't know if it is supposed to taste the way it does, if you've never tried a certain dish.

With Mom you get to learn why certain things go together or not.

Go to Mom whenever possible. Granny if shes still around, they really enjoy passing recipes down.

Answer 11

When i got married, i received the best gift someone could have ever given me.... a Betty Crocker cook book (bridal edition).  I have learned to be a very good cook because of this book...it actually shows you how to do things like bake bread with illustrations and also how to cut up a chicken with illusrations...has loads of tips to be successful in everything.  If you cant find that cookbook...find one like it that goes back to the basics.

Answer 12

Use your spare time looking up recipes & watch cookery shows. I know it sounds lame, but you will learn a lot while also igniting the passion that comes with cooking (which you seem to already have). I am learning to cook through my girlfriend and trial & error is your only man. Experiment to reach your true potential, then bask in the glory & praise from your lady friends. Gordon Ramsey may come across as a prick, but he has undeniable talent & passion.

Answer 13

If your school has a home ec class i would start out with that. Then i would turn to your mom or dad to help u  

Answer 14

any cook book would be good but i personally i am lazy.... really salt and pepper are always the great basics.... experiment with white vinegar and balsamic vinegar.... also with white and red cooking wines... my favorite is red pepper and garlic.... you can even use ketchup, get a chicken breast put some salt and pepper, put some ketchup, little mustard (not too much it burns when cooking), and maybe some worcester sauce... depends on your taste buds you can use almost anything you can think of.... salt pepper and lime is also great!

Answer 15

There's plenty of great cooking classes out there to try. I just did a pasta cooking class on the weekend. I learnt some great recipes and neat tricks - like the best way to cut up onion and make your own garlic paste.

I booked the class through this site, they have heaps of different cuisines available http://www.redballoondays.com.au/categor...

Happy cooking!

Answer 16

just go with what you feel, you'd know the basic's and just use trial and error, that's the best way to learn, and you have lab-rats... i mean housemates to practice on!!