THE ART OF COOKING
The kitchen is the place in our homes where we tend to spend plenty of our time, given that it is where we prepare our food and enjoy time with our families. So why not making sure it is a place you actually love spending time in? Having a clean, disinfected, and organized kitchen, that is functional and adapts to our needs is important. However, creating a space that also inspires us is more than relevant.
I always thought that cooking is the most beautiful of the arts out there; I find it fascinating how the mix of specific ingredients in certain quantities results in flavors, colors, and textures that end up being delicious meals. Almost heavenly sometimes. It’s simply pure art created in our kitchens!
When cooking, I personally prefer to have an organized and inspiring space because I get things done quicker, but not everyone functions the same way, so I’d say it’s something personal, and you should explore.
Why am I saying all this? Because based on my experience, I want to share with you some recommendations on what has worked very well for me when creating a pleasant environment to prepare our food in. Besides that, always keeping in mind the importance of reducing food waste and using as much as we can the ingredients we already have in our pantry and fridge. With no further ado, let’s get started:
Tips on creating the perfect space to cook in.
Pay attention to your ingredients. Selecting good quality organic ingredients is important, but not essential.
Wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly before using them. It is more likely for the washed fruits and veggies to spoil faster, which is why I recommend to only clean them before using.
Washing our hands constantly when cooking helps us avoid cross-contamination between our ingredients and utensils.
Clean and organize the kitchen. By doing this, we’ll have all our ingredients laid out, and we can make sure to use them before they go to waste.
Have plants in your kitchen. Fresh herbs are a good option, though I personally prefer normal plants. These not only purify the air but also brighten the ambiance. They foster creativity, productivity, and relaxation. If you end up choosing the herbs, on top of all these, the herbs also add greater flavor to our food and fill the space with a pleasant scent.
Use an apron. Even better if the apron is a nice one. Not only will it help protect our clothing, but it will make us feel more professional in what we are doing, some sort of Chefs if I may. It is important that we feel at ease, this way we will be more comfortable and ready for action.
Have clean and dry towels for our hands within easy reach.
Having background music while cooking has its benefits. It improves our mood and favors our focus and time management.
Tips while you are cooking:
Never rinse your hot pots and pans with cold water. In time, doing this can lead them to distort and crack, besides reducing their lifespan.
Clean, dry and organize all the utensils while you are cooking. This way, we will have more time to enjoy once our food is served.
Don’t wash your big and sharp knives in the dishwasher. The high temperature in the appliance will ruin the sharpness of the blade and the handle.
We could continue here with so much more, but I’d say these are my top recommendations when it comes to creating a great place to prepare our meals in. What else would you add to this list?