Tasty - Tasty Adulting

What is adulting? Adulting is stepping up to the plate when it matters. But adulting is also phoning it in when you need to. Adulting is enjoying the freedom that comes with independence, and adulting is learning that actions have consequences. Adulting is treating yourself in flush times, nourishing yourself in lean times, and eating cake for breakfast because you can. Adulting is about having fun, living thoughtfully, taking responsibility, making bad decisions, throwing caution to the wind, practicing self-care, and being iconic.

Did you think we were talking about life ? No, that was about this book. Its called Adulting .

Welcome to the essential kitchen guide for the young (or young-at-heart) adult. From breakfast to dinner, dining solo to hosting friends, its everything you need to know about food thats delicious, interesting, and grown as hell.

How? Well, Adulting is like your favorite teacher in high school who gave you serious life lessons, but also let you skip class sometimes. Youll find advice for stocking a pantry with smart ingredients and help in equipping a kitchen thats ready to tackle anything. Plus the recipes are exactly the kind of fun, exciting, tasty (get it?) meals youll be proud to show off! Well be there all along the way to offer smart tips to keep you on track, teach you something new, and improve your confidence in the kitchen. Adulthood means learning to let go, take care of yourself, and, well, grow up. Whether youre moving into your first apartment or youve had get my life together on your to-do list for years, there is completely necessary advice in this book for you.

HOW TO APPROACH A RECIPE

Read it. No, seriously. Read it all the way through. Then read it again.

Dont skip the headnote or sidebarthese contain important information. We have specifically outlined Life Skills for you throughout this book. These are the technique-driven tips and hacks that we want you to be able to take with you to the next cookbook and the one after that. Theyre our grown-up gifts to you.

Notice if there are long gaps in active time, like baking or refrigeration. Imagine each step of the process and see if any questions come up for you. Basically, think of a recipe as a map: Look at where youre going and be sure you know how youre getting there. If youre not sure, look it up! Theres a time to wing it and a time to learn. Preparation time is about learning.

Now start to gather your ingredients. Check out how they are all prepared, especially if its in more than one way. Prepare and separate them as instructed. Chop everything so youre not wasting time doing that later (or worse, overcooking one thing while you rush to slice the next thing!). Use a plate, bowls, and/or a cutting board to arrange your ingredients into groups so theyll be together when you need them. Do four dry spices go in the pot at the same time? Premeasure them all into a small bowl so you can accomplish that in a flick of the wrist. Are onions going in right after the butter? Line them up side by side so you can work in order. If there is a long gap in active time, prepare only what you need now. Use the downtime to prepare for the next portion so the ingredients are fresh.

This very adult act of being prepared is called mise en place ; its a French term that means put in place. It might seem like a waste of time to mise en place instead of tackling each step on the fly, but trust us on this one: An organized cook is a relaxed cook. And saying it in French is even more mature.

HOW TO NAIL IT EVERY TIME

This is the fun part. Turn on a playlist you love, crank the volume, and start with step one.

Remember that cooking is not a race. Relax and work with focus. Dont rush to the next step because you think the food is ready or because youre hangry. Confirm that what is supposed to happen is actually happeningour recipes will always give you a time range, but well also tell you how to know its working. Use your senses to check in constantly. Are you hearing a sizzle when the chicken breast hits the pan? Do those biscuits look golden brown? Can you smell the spice mix blooming? Does that sauted bell pepper feel crisp or tender or crisp-tender?

The most important sense of all is the sense of taste. Taste, taste, taste, every step of the way! The number one thing that takes a dish from wahhh to wow is seasoning well. Keep a small bowl of kosher salt and a pepper grinder within reach. As each component is finished, take a little bite and ask yourself: Does this taste good? If you think so, it seems likely others will, too.

Finally, every pro cook knows that a clean workspace is the best workspace. Move prep bowls or plates to the sink as you empty them (bonus points if you find time to wash them during a pause in active cooking time!), wipe down the counter, clean your cutting board in between uses, and keep your utensils on a rest. Nothing feels better than sitting down to eat with half the dishes already done.

HOW TO NAIL IT WHEN YOURE DEFINITELY NOT NAILING IT