National Culinary Arts Awareness Month

July is National Culinary Arts Awareness month. If you’re not a pro when it comes to the kitchen, this month is the perfect time to try your hand at cooking! Here are some helpful tips for beginning chefs:

• Keep basic equipment in your home: Invest in a good set of sharp knives and maintain them. You’ll also want sturdy pots and pans on hand, as well as a set of glass baking dishes and measuring spoons and cups. Smaller appliances like a hand blender are bound to come in handy, too, as you learn the ins and outs of food preparation.
• Try out a new recipe (perhaps from the “Easy Eats” section of CobornsDelivers.com!): Start small by selecting a recipe with just a few ingredients and see how it goes!
• Familiarize yourself with cooking terms: If you’re not sure what the difference is between baking, braising, broiling, grilling, roasting, and poaching, use an online cooking dictionary like Epicurious to learn more!
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help: If a friend, family member, or co-worker is a master chef, see if you can shadow them as they make a meal. You might also consider taking a class at your local market, community college, or specialty grocer. To keep costs low, think about online tutorials or computer software programs as an additional option.
• Make it fun! If you make a mistake, don’t get frustrated – just try again! Every chef needs an assistant, so enlist the help of your friends, your spouse, or your children. Crank up the radio and have a good time cutting, chopping, and dicing your way to a culinary masterpiece!

So while you might not be an Emeril Lagasse or a Bobby Flay right away, these pointers are a great place to start! If you’re not ready to host a dinner party just yet, let CobornsDelivers cater your next meal or function. Prepared sandwich trays and meat and cheese platters are great summertime fare until you earn your apron. Happy cooking!