Cooking Formulas: X + Y = Something Good

  • By Jess Dang
  • December 3, 2011

A friend recently asked why I chose to include a plus sign in our logo. While it’s meant to be silent (we are called Cook Smarts, not Cook Plus Smarts), the decision to include an addition sign was a purposeful one. After all when you break it down to the basics, cooking is all about the process of adding. We cook by bringing ingredients together, layering flavors upon flavors. We create an edible meal by combining an array of cooking formulas, bringing ingredients to life in different ways. The key to becoming a good cook comes with understanding what ingredients to marry together and knowing the basic cooking formulas.

Once you grasp these fundamentals, you’ll be freed from the burden of having to consult cookbooks and follow recipes. You’ll be able to set off on your weekly grocery shopping trip without a rigid list and just buy what’s fresh or on sale because you know the cooking formulas that will allow you to prepare just about anything. That is the ultimate goal of COOK + SMARTS: teaching the home cook how to fish and showing them that it’s a lot easier than they think.

Whether you’re working with me face-to-face or just reading this blog virtually, all of our content will be geared towards helping you understand and master the basics to make your time in the kitchen and grocery store easier and happier. One of the main categories we’ll be featuring in the blog is our Cooking Formula series. We’ll be sure to slowly cover all the formulas you need to know and teach you how to build upon them to create quick, easy, and healthy meals. Our first entry is coming up soon and will feature one of my favorite and most-used cooking formulas. Beyond that, we’ve got all sorts of wisdom and tips we’re excited to impart and have many projects we’re working on, so be sure to check in frequently to see what smarts we’re cooking up for you.

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