Toss That Kitchen Timer and Thermometer and Use the 5 Senses Instead!

Toss That Kitchen Timer and Thermometer and Use the 5 Senses Instead!

In her cookbook, Nosrat suggests using a combination of tools and your senses to judge the progress of your food. We've learned that, over time, you develop an instinct that's as reliable as your favorite cookbook.

“When you read recipes, think of temperatures and cooking times as strong suggestions, rather than fixed rules,” Samin writes. “Set your timer for a few minutes less than a recipe might suggest, then use all of your senses to check for doneness.”

“Strong suggestions” is just the thing—because yes, the recipe you’re following has been tested, and the temperatures and times given for a reason. But every stove and frying pan and oven is different (mine, for example, runs a little bit cold and follows the tilt of my very slanted kitchen floor, yielding slope-topped cakes). The dial, the timer, and the thermometer all ensure consistency—but when we’re completely reliant on them, we lose faith in our own instincts; we’re more likely to trust the recipe than ourselves. And yet we, the cooks, are the active agents in a recipe! What good’s a recipe if we’re not listening to (and looking at, smelling, prodding, and tasting) the food itself?

So what do you think of this suggestion? How much do you depend on your thermometer and timer, and how much do you rely on how food looks, smells and tastes? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!

Article Source: Food52

https://food52.com/blog/19309-why-you-should-ignore-your-thermometer-timer





1 Comment

  1. Nancy Foster
    Nancy Foster May 03, 20:58

    Mindee Reece Suzi Obermeier Look familiar?

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