New Year's Resolutions for Competent Cooks

About author / Lauren Braun Costello

The competent cook; food stylist; cooking instructor; graduate French Culinary Institute. To die for dish? Maple glazed bacon wrapped roast turkey. Yep, bacon wrapped.

The problem with New Year's resolutions is that they can be awfully tough to keep.  We tend to make resolutions for the more trying things in life that we wish to change but somehow rarely do.  This year I thought it might be nice to help all the Competent Cooks out there make some positive changes in the new year.  Each resolution is attainable and will surely improve life in the kitchen.  

I Resolve to Use What Is in My Fridge. . . Freezer. . . Pantry. . .
We all fall victim to using only what is in front of our faces or, worse yet, what comes to mind when planning to cook.  I have dozens of interesting condiments on one shelf in my refrigerator, and not all of them make the cut when I contemplate cooking my next meal.

There are several ways to combat this problem.  To start, follow the rule of FIFO, or First In First Out.  As Chef Rebecca Michaels put it in her article Back of the House 101, "store your perishables with the oldest in the front and the newest in the back."  Along those lines, you may want to make it a habit of rotating non-perishables from time to time to ensure that you are aware of your full inventory and making the most of it.  

Just last week I had to move some jars around to make room for a batch of applesauce.  It was then that I stumbled across a condiment I had forgotten all about: watermelon jam.  The seal had not yet been broken, so there was no concern about spoilage.  Now that I know I have it, I can make use of this jam with all the entertaining this holiday season.  

The same is true for the freezer and the pantry.  Move the items in the back to front so that you see what you have in there.  Have you been buying jars of tomato sauce all this time only to discover that you already had two hidden behind some boxes of pasta?  Use what you already have, then buy more.  You will avoid clutter, spend more wisely and waste less.

I Resolve to Cook Something New
Even we chefs repeat what we know and love.  But it is so important to break free from the mold and cook something outside of your usual repertoire.  Just like in sport or academics, it is difficult to grow as a cook if you do not challenge yourself.  If you cook something new, chances are that the technique or ingredients you use will find their way into some of your longstanding favorites, improving the flavors of your standard fare, or the way you prepare it.

If you are reading this article, your mouse is hovering over a web page that with one click can bring you to literally tens of thousands of recipes.  Click outside the box, so to speak, and try an ethnicity, technique, or food type that is usually not on your radar.  Do you love to eat Indian food, but are afraid to cook it?  Give it a try.  You will be a better cook for it.

I Resolve to Eat Something New
I firmly believe that to be a good cook you must be a good eater.  This is not an endorsement for overeating, but it is essential to taste, try, and be open to new cuisines in order to be the best possible cook.  All the senses are critical to the art of cooking.  Without tasting, smelling and seeing new foods, you are missing out on an array of flavors that might otherwise influence and pervade your palate.

My grandmother had a rule: you must try everything three times.  She was right, and this is true on all matters of taste (people, art, etc.).  If you try something once and do not like it, try it again.  After that, if you give it one more chance, especially when prepared differently than you have tasted before, you may be surprised to find that you love it.  Eat new foods and your cooking will surely improve.

I Resolve to Share Recipes
Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, the eighteenth century French epicure, once said that, "the discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of the human race than the discovery of a star."  I could not agree more.  If recipes were not shared, these discoveries would be forgotten.  In sharing recipes, we keep these dishes alive through the generations.  Whether you visit CDKitchen.com to find recipes or post them, you are taking part in the world's most common language--food!  If you find a good recipe, do not keep it to yourself.  Share it!  

In that spirit, try my delicious macaroni and cheese recipe (below) with friends and family gathered around the table.  It is the perfect way to start the new year!

Serves/Makes: 8

• 1 pound uncooked elbow macaroni pasta
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese
• 2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup breadcrumbs or extra cheese for topping