my first month of cooking // what i learned

 I.

Read through the recipes before starting again, including going to the grocery store. Always read the recipes. Read the reviews after, they're helpful. Trust me. Double check everything on your list and cross it out as you go along, because if you don't, you'll probably forget to buy something you really need (sometimes even the main ingredient.)

II.

Every recipe out there seems to call for salt. The only measurements tools you ever seem to use are the 1 cup, 1 tbs, and 1/4 tsp.  Things that come in handy: having a food processor, parchment paper, butter, all purpose flour, eggs, a whisk, lots of spoons, nonstick cookware, a spatula scraper, a variety of different spices, and lots of time on your hands.

III.

I'm really bad at measuring and I always lose count. I'm also bad at following recipes. I've learned that it's good to not expect your first try to be perfect, but it's good to try again. Practice helps you improve, like with anything else in life. You won't be good at it at first, but if you keep going, you'll get better. Even though I'm nowhere near good at cooking or baking, I love looking at recipes and getting new ideas.

 IV.

I love taking pictures of my food; I put my camera strap across my shoulder so I'll always have it on me while I'm in the kitchen (except for when I'm washing dishes - that's just asking for trouble). By the time I'm done with everything, my food is already cold. But that's okay. I've never been a big fan of eating my food while it's hot anyway.

V.

But what I love most is that I'm always making mistakes, because that's how I improve. That's how I get better. I learn from my mistakes and I'm more aware the next time around. I love spending hours at a time making food. I love taking photos of my food. I even love washing dishes. I also waste less food this way because I'm eating in more rather than eating out. I pay more attention to the produce at the store.

Learning to cook and bake has been such a rewarding experience so far despite burning myself sometimes and having killed our small oven.