to pans or burning. Fats are anessential nutrient, too, keeping your skin
and hair healthy, storing energy for when
you need it, and more. They’re in meats,
nuts, most dairy, and some fruits and veg-
etables, such as avocados and olives. But
you’ll need to have fats such as vegetable
oils and butter on hand as staples, too.
Salt Box
Salt sharpens flavor—even though it isn’t food. It’s a
chemical compound called sodium chloride, which is
found in the ground as rock salt or dissolved in seawater.
Every animal and plant contains some salt, too—ever
notice how salty your tears or sweat is? Without salt,
muscles and nerves wouldn’t work right. Just don’t
overdo it in food, because too much is bad for you. The
tongue is designed to taste small amounts of salt, so go
light on it when you cook. It’s easy to add salt to food,
but really hard to take it out.
Seasonings
Savory and sweet: These are the two basic kinds of sea-
sonings. Salt and pepper are used in nearly every savory
dish, and sugar or honey is added to most sweet foods. To
enhance and fine-tune flavors, most recipes also call for
certain spices, herbs, and plant extracts that you’ll want to
keep on hand.
Fresh or Dried?
Fresh herbs and spices are delicious.
They don’t last long, though, so having
dried versions in the cupboard means you’ve
got what you need in a pinch. If a recipe calls
for fresh or dried, and you plan to use the other,
you’ll need to adjust the amount, because dried
versions are usually more intense than fresh.
Using dried instead of fresh?
Add about ⅓ what the recipe says.
Using fresh instead of dried?
Add about 3 times as much.
different foods for
different folks
You’re at the cafeteria with friends, and nobody orders the same thing.
You choose the hamburger with lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Your
BFF never eats meat; she asks for the grilled cheese and black beans.
Another girl has fruit salad and a turkey sandwich but says hold the
cheese—she’s allergic to dairy.
You make choices every time you cook or eat, and some of those
choices involve particular kinds of diets.
Omnivores eat both plant and
animal foods. (“Omni” is Latin for
“all,” and “vore” comes from a Latin
word meaning “to eat.”)
Vegetarians usually don’t eat
any kind of meat or fish, but they
do eat other protein-rich foods
that come from animals, such as
milk, cheese, and eggs.
Vegans follow a stricter diet
than vegetarians. They don’t eat
meat, fish, or any animal products,
including dairy, eggs, or honey.
Vegans get their protein from
plant sources such as beans, nuts,
and tofu.
Flexitarians have a mostly
vegetarian diet, but they occasionally eat fish or meat such as chicken.
Sometimes people follow special diets for health reasons. People who
have trouble digesting grains such as wheat or barley will eat a gluten-
free diet. (Gluten is a protein found in some grains.) They avoid breads, cookies, or pastas made with regular flour but can eat these foods if they’re made with gluten-free flours such as rice flour or cornmeal.
Lots of people have food allergies, too. Eating even a tiny bit of a par-
ticular food—such as peanuts, shellfish, milk, or eggs—can be dangerous
to them.
People also follow special diets for religious reasons. For instance, Jewish
and Islamic traditions forbid eating pork, and many Hindus will not eat
beef or are completely vegetarian.
The good cook’s rule of thumb: Always check
with your guests about allergies and traditions before
planning a meal.
tools
& rules
the safe kitchen
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