Is cooking an art or science? What is the best way to learn cooking?

We all need to eat and the best way to realize that need is to learn how to cook your own meals. Cooking does not have to be complicated, in fact it can be so simple that anyone who wants to learn how, can.

All it takes is some basic tools, time devoted to doing the and a few essential ingredients.

I view cooking as both an art form and a science. There are some basic things that you need to know, for example how to boil water. Water is boiling when the bubbles in it, that begin to form at the bottom of the pot, rise to the surface.

Making your own food offers you a wide-range of choices and possibilities. A sandwich can be s simple as a slice of tomato and a dab of mayo on two slice of bread or a three decker clubhouse with bacon, chicken lettuce and mayo.

The one takes a little more time than the other but a recipe which is a set of instructions will guide you through even the most complicated meal.

The best way to learn to cook is to cook. People learn by doing and seeing as how you have to eat, you might as well get started.

Sandwiches are food but even though they can be very creative and bring your imagination into play to truly get into the cooking experience you need to prepare something hot.

Now you could live off a raw food diet and that will require its own skills but for now let’s stick with the basics.

What you will need:

There are a few tools that are essential to food preparation. You need at least a hot plate with one functioning burner, two or three burners are better but one will get you going.

You need a fry pan and a sauce pot. A spatula and a stirring spoon are also most useful as is a measuring cup.

You will need at least one cookbook. When deciding which one to buy and the array of possibilities is vast, first ask yourself what foods you enjoy eating on a regular basis. Second, how much do you know about cooking? If you have never boiled water and live off of take-out than get a very basic cook book.

The Internet is a great source of recipes and cooking tips.

You can begin your self-taught cooking course by:

1- Assess what tools for cooking you have on hand.

2- What do you enjoy eating?

3- Can you make one of the favourite foods with the tools you have.

This may be time to hit the Internet. Do a search for a recipe for the meal you have chosen. Read the information carefully. Now, do you have all the tools, pot, pan, measuring cup and so on? If you do, do you understand the recipe? If yes, then do you have the ingredients? If not, can you buy them locally?

If the answer is no then pick another recipe.

When you have all that you need. Simply follow the recipe exactly as it is written. Do not stray from that path; it is there to guide you to the tasty end.

Once you have prepared a dish a few times, you can let the art take over from the science and make the changes that suit your own palette.

Now you can cook.