“The kitchen’s a laboratory, and everything that happens there has to do with science. It’s biology, chemistry, physics. Yes, there’s history. Yes, there’s artistry. Yes, to all of that. But what happened there, what actually happens to the food is all science.” Food critic-Alton Brown
No-one is born a great cook, one learns by doing” – Chef Julia Child
“It is important to experiment and endlessly seek after creating the best possible flavors when preparing foods. That means not being afraid to experiment with various ingredients.” – Chef Rocco DiSpirito
Every now and again, I get inspired in the kitchen. I look at things a different way and want to experiment. I come up with concoctions that some people would consider weird or odd. But, to my surprise they come out quite tasty! For example, I make a cookies and cream protein shake in a shaker bottle with milk and ice after my workouts. One day, I decided to blend my same shake with a scoop of hazelnut chocolate spread. It came out AMAZING! I was wowed by the taste and texture change! Another time, I needed to make a quick meal. We had cooked noodles already, but I wasn’t feeling red sauce. Instead, I mixed 1 tablespoon with a few shakes of garlic powder, minced onion, and parmesan cheese. Viola, homemade garlic parmesan pasta sauce!
I’m sure most people would say these recipes are too simple or easy to make. But, I just want to make a point here. You can view your kitchen as a science lab. You see, cooking is a form of science. Different cooking methods use heat, cooling, mixing, blending, and others to create chemical and physical changes to the ingredients. When these ingredients react and/ or interact with each other, the possible combinations are endless!
Long story short, cooking is a skill. Anyone can learn the skill. It comes with trial and error. It’s ok to move out of your comfort zone in the kitchen. Trying something new can be an exciting experience. That’s how you can get better. The resulting dishes you make may surprise you! As Always, Eat, Move, and Improve!
*Readers: Have you ever cooked up anything in the kitchen that was new to you? How did it go? Comment below and let us know your experiences!*
Oh all the time! Yesterday I created a shrimp pasta dish with mushrooms, asparagus, red peppers, onions, black olives – it’s fun to experiment. All we have to do is think, “mmm, what if?” 🙂
Yes! Thank you for sharing your recipe! Sounds amazing, too. I agree. All we have to do is step out of our routine and try new things.
So true! Of course there was a tablespoon of real butter, a little cream cheese and some white wine too. Anything in moderation, I just use less of it 🙂
Oh yeah! As long as the good stuff outnumbers the bad! When did a little white wine hurt anyone??