Kathy's Kitchen Laws

I have the bad habit of turning out lists of "laws" that I think are both humorous and helpful (in a tongue-in-cheek kind of way.

So without further ado, here are Kathy's Kitchen Laws:


1) Safety first. Knives, pots, pans, stoves, ovens, graters, and other things are sharp or hot. Exercise care at all times. Mind your fingers, use oven mitts and grab tools only by the handle. Also, wooden utensils can and will catch fire, so may plastic utensils. Don't leave them in the pot or pan while cooking.

2) Recipes should be seen as guidelines, not absolute rules. You can change them to suit your tastes and needs.

3) All the ingredients you're using are already dead. Don't be afraid to experiment.

4) Try to always get the ingredients yourself. That way you can make sure you get what you need or want, especially when you want or need to make substitutions.

5) When possible, sample the ingredients first (this doesn't apply to raw meats and eggs).

6) Tasting while coking is a valuable thing to do. Just remember it's VERY HOT. Let it cool a bit or blow on it before tasting.

7) A bit too much spice is often better than a bit too little, the major exceptions are very hot chilies.

8) Cooking is supposed to be a fun, enjoyable activity. If you don't like it, look for alternatives. Restaurants are expensive and leave you little choice of ingredients, but perhaps you can pay a neighbor, colleague or the maid to cook for you.

9) When learning to cook you will ruin things, make mistakes and otherwise produce some things that are not very good or downright inedible. Accept it, learn from them and move on. But don't get discouraged. Unless you lack all sense of taste and smell, you will get better in time.

10) If in doubt about cutting or trimming off a piece of vegetable or meat, cut it off.

11) Changing a recipe makes it your own. Accept the responsibility if the result isn't good.


12) Chop, cut and separate all the ingredients before you start cooking.

13) There are some things you can leave unattended on a stove for a few minutes. A pan with cooking oil and vegetables or meat isn't one of them. Quite aside from ruining the food, you could set the kitchen on fire. (very appropriate number, don't you think?)

14) Always clean up after you're done cooking.

Feel free to comment or chime in.