Is there a secret to feeling more confident when cooking French food, recipes always seem so complicated?
I would check out "Julia Child and Company" and "Julia Child and More Company" – they are beautifully illustrated books, and the photographs show how the finished recipe should look, as well as steps to get there. There are sections in the back on "Basics" as well. The steps doen’t seem so complicated when you are doing them along with a visual guide. Also, these books have complete menus so your first meals will be less stressful since you know everything will work together. I did this my first years working with French recipes, and these Julia Child menus and recipes were superb.
David Goodridge says: I would recommend home chefs to just relax and enjoy the whole process of cooking. Recipes are actually only a guideline for cooking. It’s important to read them thoroughly and have an understanding of the ingredients and the method behind them, but it’s also good to think the process through and try to have a little fun and enjoy it all. Confidence also comes with practice, as with any skill. So if you’re planning an important meal at home, it would be good to plan ahead, purchase the ingredients you need, then give yourself a practice run to see what can be improved. Come the day, you’ll feel more confident because you’ll already have had some practice!
