Ten Tips for Getting Comfortable in the Kitchen

Let's be honest. The reason there's been such an explosion in the blogosphere is because blowhards like me can give advice and there's no one telling us to shut up! We've all heard that it's much better to listen than to give advice. And we nod in agreement. (By the way, I have yet to meet someone who says they're a bad listener. All of us think we're good listeners.) But I've got some unabashed advice today. I've been thinking about how much time shopping, prepping, cooking, and cleaning up takes, and how miserable it would be to not enjoy some of those tasks. Because eating has so much to do with community, health, and well-being, I really believe it's worth the investment of learning and time. (This will not surprise you, I know.) Here's a few tips that might help you along the way:

1. Cook a lot. And by "cook," I don't mean an elaborate four-course meal. I mean, get out a pan, scrounge in the fridge, and try to make something at least once a day. You'll learn more this way than throwing a big dinner party.
2. Limit eating out. Think of it this way--you can't be good friends with someone you don't spend time with.  I love eating out, but it's expensive, dangerous for the waistline, and doesn't allow you the quality time in your kitchen that will make you healthier and a better cook.
3. Pick a few easy, healthy things and get really good at them. Don't worry about being inventive at first. Focus on technique, timing, and simple ingredients. If you never "progress" beyond this, you're still ahead of most people.
4. Build a pantry. I hesitate to give a pantry list. When I stumble across one that Martha Stewart or Nigella Lawson has authored, I only get discouraged.  1) Where would I find the room? 2) I'd have to take out a second mortgage on the house to stock a pantry like that.  But here's a modest (cooking--not baking) list: extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, a good pepper grinder and peppercorns, kosher salt, lemons and limes, a couple kinds of vinegar, canned tomatoes, dried and canned beans, onions, garlic, canned coconut milk, a couple kinds of rice, pasta, soy sauce, red pepper flakes, eggs, plain yogurt, fresh ginger, mustard, parmesan, cheddar, and feta.
5. Have a few cookbooks and pieces of kitchen equipment that won't let you down. Here's another place where the lists can get really long and expensive. I'm always comforted by the stories and photos of amazing home cooks in Thailand or China who have one wok, one wok spatula, one cleaver, and one burner. I get annoyed with the ceaseless gadgets trotted in front of us.  Just like expensive cameras don't make good photographers, fancy kitchen equipment doesn't make you a good cook. Here are the things I couldn't live without: chef's knife, serrated knife, paring knife, 8" nonstick skillet, cast iron skillet, large stockpot, small and large saucepan, wok, rice cooker, colander, bench scraper, 3 heavy aluminum cookie sheets with rims, parchment paper, blender or immersion blender, garlic press, lemon reamer, microplane zester, kitchen shears, mixer, big and little whisks, and yes, my food processor. As for cookbooks, you don't need many. I couldn't live without Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything, my two Gourmet cookbooks, and The Silver Palate New Basics.
6. Inventory and clean your fridge frequently and commit to using what's in there. If you are cooking for a family and using lots of fresh produce, this is no small task.  Using what's in there is a creative constraint--you'll end up throwing some collard greens in with your morning eggs or roasting up the aging parsnips for soup.  I can't think of anything else that will go further in making you a good cook.
7. Make your kitchen as inviting as possible. As I've mentioned ad nauseam, our house is very small. And I don't pay much attention to it. EXCEPT for the kitchen, which I've meticulously arranged to be as practical and inviting as possible. This means things like hanging up a knife strip, not letting the dirty dishes stack up, finding a workable solution for spices and dry goods, periodically weeding out dishes or appliances I don't like or use, having music in here. If your kitchen isn't well-organized, you won't feel like cooking in it. And organized means organized according to your sensibilities.  It doesn't mean an antiseptic lab from the pages of Dwell.
8. Engage a friend as your personal cooking coach. Find someone in your life who's better in the kitchen than you are. Ask if you can watch them cook. Ask if you can call them in the middle of dinner with inane questions. Ask them to taste things you make and give you honest feedback.
9. Keep a log of your exploits. It can be an old notebook, an online journal. Whatever. Something that helps you remember what you've learned, the recipes you want to stay away from in the future, your stunning successes.
10. Remember that perfect is the enemy of good. I always say that I love to know things, but I don't like learning them. Learning means lots of mistakes and frustrations. But I promise you--every mindful minute in the kitchen makes you a better cook. Perfection is not the goal--enjoyment and health is.

I feel so blessed to share my kitchen with you. Here's to cooking with confidence and playfulness.

Comments

[bethany]

you are my #8. many times over. :) i love the picture of your kitchen...it makes me feel like i'm not so far away from it. so familiar and so comforting. i can't wait to spend time with you. xo

[Kamille]

this is a lovely list. I especially like #7 & #10. Organization to what works for me. And not striving for perfection. I love your little kitchen with the light streaming in. My kitchen is so very small too, and one of the biggest compliments is, "Kamille, I'm so amazed you can create such good food in such a tiny space!" Thanks for sharing!

[Em]

Hear, hear. I don't know how many times I've called with questions in the middle of cooking dinner! Back in the days when the MK's had a home phone sometimes I'd get Yancey and he's good help in the kitchen dept too. Great post, Sarah. Tons of practical achievable advice.

[Pam]

This is a great post, Sarah!! As my friend, Ruth, would say, "A high-end vanity kitchen does not a cook make." Even Sara Moulton frequently talks about her small kitchen. Check out the "Kitchen 4-B" online videos if you haven't already done so. Jill Santopietro is a kindred soul, that's for sure! Your kitchen has great appeal in every way!

[stacey snacks]

I have decided this year to cook more and go out less.
I cook for my blog, so why not just cook for friends and share the results?
Save a little money, drink a little more wine with friends.
What a nice kitchen you have! Love it!

[Elenor]

Thanks for showing us a little more of your kitchen. A great post with some helpful reminders!

[Elenor]

p.s. since moving to a very small town (with little or no takeout options), I cook pretty much everynight. I love the savings and the food is so much better. Plus. . . it is great motivation to scour for new recipes and ways to use up what we have on hand (local grocery store options are limited too).

[Rhubarb and Venison]

I have a small house too, and I love it if only because of the thoughtfulness it brings to simple things like what to keep in the pantry, what do I really need, how many pairs of yoga pants are really necessary to my survival...so tips #4 and 5 all the way. :)

[T. Ro. Dub.]

You are an inspiration. Thanks so much for this encouragement. So glad you shared these thoughts. As someone looking to expand her abilities in the kitchen, I love that you presented some great practical next steps that are not too intimidating. I look forward to taking these next steps (and my husband is looking forward to it, too!). Number 1 especially hit home for me because I have mostly been practicing at dinner parties, but that isn't much help when it is time for an everyday dinner on an average Tuesday night! (Not to mention the pressure of getting it right at a dinner party!) Thanks, again.

[Jen]

Thanks for these helpful tips. I read your blog several times a week and you have me in the kitchen more than I've ever been. Your recipes are delicious and your writing is delightful. Thanks again!

[molly]

What? No asparagus steamer?!? I am so cancelling my subscription;)

Love that opening shot, it is the picture of perfect efficiency. And I'm with you on the wok shots. Remarkable what can be done on a propane flame and no refrigeration.

[Jessica]

This is so true. I just started cooking a lot for myself recently and I'm figuring out that the only way I'm going to get better is if I keep doing it. Also #6.. I've learned that I can't put produce in drawers because I forget about it and it ends up going bad before I even use it!

[Biz]

I absolutely love how your prep is right next to your stove, with items all within reach!

My problem is that my cupboards are deep, and I can never "see" what I have. I decided over the Christmas break I want my husband to install shelves in my basement for pantry items so that I can see what I actually have.

Thanks for sharing your kitchen with us!

[Eating Made Easy (Amelia)]

I love these tips, so practical and realistic, which is just my style. I especially like #2, because like you say -- if you don't cook, you'll never feel comfortable cooking, and you have to start somewhere!

[jordan]

fantastic post sarah. thank you. i needed to be reminded of #10 right now, in particular. can't wait to see you.

[mfm]

Your kitchen is one of my favorite places in the whole world, It's the place you always let me know you love me.

[Pam]

This makes me teary, mfm! What a great thing for a Mom to say. It sounds as though it all began in your kitchen!!

[Anne]

Great post Sarah and I love your tidy little kitchen, it looks very hard working. I can't live without The Joy of Cooking. It's my go to cookbook bible and the fact that my dad once dined at Erma Rombauer's house one time makes it even more cherished. :)

[sarahmk]

Hi Anne! You dined at Erma's house?! I have a thing for celebrity sightings. And that sounds like a lot more than a sighting.

[jack]

For what it's worth, count me as someone who's not a great listener, even though my job demands good listening. Ah well.,,

Especially like numbers 5,6, and 10. Nice post.

[Anne]

No, not me (see died in 1962) but my dad did while in college—it must have been in the 1950s or early 60s. He said he remembered how she went out in her yard to cut herbs—not too common back then—and made a delicious meal. :)

[Sam]

This is a wonderful, smart and thoughtful list. Thanks.

[Julie Hunt]

Hi! I just learned of your blog from our mutual friend of a friend, Jill. I love it! I agree completely with this list. Thanks for sharing!

[Week 4–And she just keep]

[...] learning more about how to get around your kitchen, I can’t recommend reading this blog post, Ten Tips for Getting Comfortable in the Kitchen, enough.  I know I have suggested it before, but I really think the advice is solid.  I read it [...]