Coming to Australia this year has really exposed me to a myriad of new flavours (and people). With so many places to cook like Fenner Hall, B&G and even in Bruce Hall’s South Kitchen (undoubtedly my favourite), it has been a really interesting learning experience – there’s just so much to learn just from the kitchen alone!
People usually marvel at those who can cook, and I mean those that prepare heavenly delicacies that are so good you’d think it is orgasmic. Well, I’d say that you don’t have to be a good cook to be able to do that. All you really need… is a really good recipe. And, of course, a little bit of practice to just correct little errors here and there to bring your dish to perfection. Voila! A masterpiece!
Now, do not think that you are plagiarizing someone else’s creation or masterpiece. We’re just following instructions in the recipe really, and if you are still not unhappy about the whole copying issue, modify the recipe to suite your own taste. Make it uniquely your recipe. Try something totally different, don’t let the phrase ‘usually done this way’ stop you. The kitchen is really a wonderful place to let your creative juices flow!
Timing is everything. Although I bake more than I cook, if there is one culinary lesson that I’d like to impart, it’d definitely be this one. Especially true in baking, that extra few minutes (or lack of) will determine whether your cake is overcooked or just baked to perfection. Planning ahead before starting to prepare your meal allows you to do multiple jobs within a given time frame.
While waiting for your food to be ready, I’d recommend investing those little bits of time into garnishing your food. They say first impressions matter, and I can’t help but agree. Looking good is just as important as tasting good. It’s all part of a package. Even simple things like the name of the dish can make a difference – imagine this: how would you react if I served you ‘crab ice cream’1, as compared to a similar item but named ‘frozen crab bisque’ instead?
inset:
Honeyed-ginger dumplings with honeyed-ginger and almond snack
The quality of the food that you prepare will at times be limited by the choice of ingredients used. For starters, if you are unfamiliar with how different ingredients complement each other, you could even try adjusting the recommended proportions of the ingredients listed in the recipes that you already have. They’re usually just suggestions, not rules.
All things said and done, I think the most important ingredient for any successful recipe… is love. It motivates the aspiring chef to give his best, and I believe that you can really taste the amount of effort a person added to his cooking, and that makes all the difference.
Bon appétit.
1Savoury ices were popular in Victorian times but have long since fallen out of fashion.
