One of the most amazing things about food is the way it lets us explore the world. The right food can take you from one side of the planet to the other in a matter of hours. That’s part of the joy of going to restaurants. Finding somewhere that serves food that’s really authentic to a culture can take an evening from good to great.
But have you ever tried to cook something at home and felt like it lacked that authenticity that makes restaurant quality food so amazing? Well, look no further than these three ways that you can bring that touch of authentic culture to your home cooking.
Get the right equipment
Most food can be cooked with the most basic equipment, that’s one of the best things about cooking. But if you’re looking to make your cooking more authentic, then being able to use the same equipment that other cultures and high-class chefs use can certainly make a big difference. Traditional neapolitan pizza is incredibly difficult to get right in a standard oven. The thin crust ends up as dry as a cracker before the cheese has even had a chance to melt. But with a genuine pizza oven, you can get that perfect Italian style pizza at home. If you feel like you just can’t get your food to taste the way you want it to, look into the tools that are traditionally used to make it.
Choose your ingredients carefully
In the same way different equipment can make the same recipe taste completely differently, finding the best ingredients can do the same thing. It might not seem like it’s the kind of thing that would make a huge difference, but it is. Finding genuine, fresh produce can open up taste sensations that you might not have even realized were possible. The first time you trade your supermarket’s standard tomatoes for some real Sam Marzano tomatoes, it’ll blow your mind!
Learn from the best
There really has never been a better time to develop your culinary skills. For the longest time, cooking techniques and secrets were closely guarded by culinary schools and held within expensive cookbooks. Nowadays, you just need to head over to Youtube or TikTok and you’ll find amazing chefs (some of the best in the world, in fact) who are dedicated to sharing their skills with the world totally for free. That way, even if you start out not knowing your jullienne from your mis-en-place, it only takes a quick Google search to turn you into a true expert in the kitchen.
Of course, one thing that you should always remember is that home cooking is never going to be the same as restaurant cooking. Restaurants have industry leading equipment and ingredients that most of us could never possibly afford. The joy of home cooking is in creating something yourself. It’s in being able to make food that’s exactly the way you and your family like it. Don’t worry if it’s not exactly the same as food from another culture, that’s what traveling and restaurants are for!
