Helpful Hints to get more out of my Cookbook


It is not meant to be a teaching aid, but a source of ideas and easy to prepare, moderately gourmet recipes on short notice. They have been collected over the last twenty five years from travels around the world, from chefs, waiters, relatives, acquaintances and friends, the names of many are now forgotten. Some are my own creations. After each recipe is the city from which it came. There are literally millions of recipes in the public domain, some are very different, some are similar, if you can improve any of the recipes in this book, do it without hesitation.

There are only four helpful suggestions I would like to mention in this book. The first is time management. Plan ahead, make a list, organize your shopping. Time is of the essence. If you do not manage your time effectively, and you are a working person, you will have to sacrifice your family time. The recipes in this book are easy to make, the ingredients are easy to find in local stores, they do not take much time to cook and they do not sacrifice quality to achieve these objectives. It is not difficult to be a working person and creative in the kitchen at the same time. If the recipe does not appear to be clear, read it over a few times until everything falls into place.

The second suggestion is for you to manage your kitchen effectively. Keep it stocked with basics like chicken and beef stock, spices and staples. It minimizes having to go shopping for one or two items at convenience stores. Organize your cupboards to minimize searching for items and utensils. Organize your refrigerator for the same reasons and keep it clean to reduce spoilage. Utilize plastic fridge containers and bags for storing leftovers and keeping items fresh. Clean up as you go so things do not pile up. Use tin foil and the barbecue to minimize messy cleanups. The following reference table may be useful:

ONE TABLESPOON = THREE TEASPOONS
ONE CUP = EIGHT OUNCES = 16 TABLESPOONS
The third suggestion is health management. The recipes in this book are verbatim from the sources. To make them calorie wise or less offensive to one's cardiovascular system substitute with light, low fat, low cholesterol, calorie wise ingredients.

The fourth and final suggestion that I would like to mention is that there is a definite relationship between the success rate of a recipe and the degree of hunger the potential diners are experiencing prior to sitting down at your table. If your guests or family members are full of appetizers and various beverages or tired when they arrive at your dinner table they will not have the appropriate degree of appreciation for your efforts.

Go forth into your kitchen with confidence and do not hesitate to try something new, improvise where and when required or create a better way. If you do not succeed with a recipe the first time, think about it, and try it again until you do.