The Five Secrets of Great Cooks

One of life's simple pleasures is great tasting food; unfortunately, most recipes leave out the "essential tips - the secrets" that ensure a flavorful dish and the accolades from family and friends. In times past, cooking was a shared responsibility among the women in the family. They would impart the recipe secrets for the family coleslaw as they worked alongside each other:

1. Cooking with the individuals in mind - the audience. "Your Dad will only eat coleslaw if the dressing is perfect blend of sweet and tart (not too sweet and not too sour), so balancing the right ratio of mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar is imperative."

2. How the cooking is done always affects the outcome - the technique. "Grandma likes her slaw cut in very thin ribbons or she won't eat it; here's how to cut it thinly."

3. The freshness and the type of ingredients are essential for the right flavor - the taste. "I only use green cabbage versus red cabbage because it is a bit sweeter and the texture is not as tough, and it doesn't turn everything red when adding onions, pineapple or apples."

4. Getting the food on the table the same time - the timing. "When making this meal, I always cook this part first, since it takes the longest, even though the recipe doesn't mention that. I also make the dressing before cutting the vegetables for the slaw so the flavors have time to marry. If you make it at the last minute, the garlic will taste too strong and overpower the dish."

5. Explanation of what a cook does intuitively - why do that. "I want all the dishes in the meal to complement each other, which then makes the meal a symphony of flavors, not just one flavor note here or there. The basic recipe is good, but changing the recipe makes the meal great, so depending on the main dish I will vary the coleslaw ingredients to harmonize the flavors of the entire meal. If we're having BBQ I use the Apple slaw recipe; if I am serving Mexican food, I substitute the vinegar and apple for lime juice, Mexican spices and cilantro, and if we're having Lamb Pita Pockets, I make a Greek version of the dressing and add different vegetables to the coleslaw."

The surest way to get these "secrets" is to have a conversation with a good cook and find out what they do intuitively and skillfully. These conversations are priceless for absorbing the "essentials" of cooking a great meal. Engage your friends and family in conversation; ask them:

1. Audience - "What is it about this recipe that people love? What makes it special? What is your tried and true recipe that people love?"

2. Technique - "What techniques should I pay attention to in making this? How important is it to follow the recipe? You cut vegetables so fast; can you teach me how to do that? How can you tell if the meat is done if you don't use a thermometer?" What techniques do you use to make this dish easier to cook? What are you favorite kitchen tools you wouldn't be without?"

3. Taste -What flavor, texture or color should the finished dish have? Why do you use this combination of ingredients? What are some of your kitchen secrets that make these dishes taste so good? What is it about using this specific type of spice in this dish that makes it taste so good? What are some of your favorite herbs and spices that you use and what brands have the best taste?"

4. Timing - "I struggle with getting everything on the table at the same time; how do you successfully get it done? Why is it important to start this dish only one hour before serving? Why can't you let this dish sit in a warm oven for over 30 minutes?"

5. Why Do That - "Why do you use this specific brand of flour or spice, and why do you think it tastes better this way? What do you wish you had known when you were first cooking this dish? Why do you vary the basic slaw recipe when it tastes great as it is? How do you come up with new versions from the basic recipe?"

When you don't have a skilled cook at hand and you need some instant kitchen wisdom, you can access websites like EatWell and RecipeSource. After you have found a recipe that sounds good, read the "comment section" because this is where you strike gold. You get a wealth of recipe variations, effective ingredient substitutions, easy techniques for making the dish, and different ways to improve recipes to match the taste requirements of your audience.

Food is meant to be enjoyed with people, and that starts in the kitchen. When you are serious about unlocking the secret of creating wonderful meals, it is the rare cook who will refuse to share their talent and skill. In fact, most cooks love to share what they know - they are just waiting to be asked.

Angela Gonzalez lives with her husband and her dog Abby on a half-acre that is full of fruit and nut trees, along with a garden that supplies flowers and fresh produce. When she's not in the kitchen or the vegetable patch, Angela is making small batch, premium BBQ Sauce at http://www.PapaDons-Sauces.com

A goal of Angela's is to help communities build small scale food production that feeds people locally and is economically viable. One of Angela's favorite quotes is a Chinese proverb, "What's the best time to plant a tree? One hundred years ago. What the second best time? Today." Angela believes that "today" is the best time to make a difference in whatever you do.