I starting learning to cook for the same reason most guys do: to impress women. The first time I brought crab legs to the table during a date in high school I was met with an, “Aww, you’re so sweet!” I couldn’t help but thinking, “Really? I didn’t even have to cook these things, I just heated them up.” (Plus, they were on sale.) That’s when I learned the value and various benefits of impressing other people with your skills in the kitchen.
The following tricks may not make you a culinary expert, but they’ll certainly help you look like you know what you’re doing. And hell, if you get good enough at faking it maybe they’ll even let you write for Creative Loafing.
1. Learn to do that flip thing with a saute pan. You’ve seen it on TV, now it’s time to try it yourself. The ability to do that thing where you flip food in a skillet is not only great for showmanship, but will actually make certain cooking tasks easier. It takes a bit of practice, but it’s nothing you can’t handle.
Take a skillet with a rounded edge, push forward from your shoulder in a quick motion and stop. The food keeps going up the side and into the air. Landing it back in the pan is more of an acquired skill. Practice using dried beans until you get the hang of it. Otherwise, get ready with a mop.
2. Learn the merits of using Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. This trick may be the single most important upgrade you can make in your cooking habits. Plus, it looks a lot cooler than using those little shakers. Store your salt in a shallow container (you’ll lose points if you keep it in the box) and divvy out the goods in pinches. Fresh ground pepper always classes up your cooking. I like those classic giant wooden grinders made by Peugeot, pepper-mill-pioneer-turned-crappy-French-auto-maker.
This article appears in Aug 26 – Sep 1, 2010.