Cooking is not just about following recipes; it’s an art that can be honed with clever techniques and unexpected ingredients. Interestingly, some of the best cooking tips come from an unlikely source—our favorite TV shows and movies.
You might not go to fiction TV shows for tips on how to cook, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t learn a lot from watching some cool shows.
Here are 20 cooking tips we’ve learned from the stars of the screen, each backed by a cinematic or television reference that might surprise you!
Chicken Stock With Chicken Feet
In the Prime TV series Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a character recommends using chicken feet for chicken stock. The reason? Chicken feet are rich in collagen, which thickens the broth, giving it a rich texture and deep flavor. This tip not only improves the quality of your stock but also encourages using less commonly utilized chicken parts.
Sour Cream in Scrambled Eggs
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As taught by Ralphie in The Sopranos, adding a dollop of sour cream to scrambled eggs before cooking them makes the eggs exceptionally light and fluffy. The acidity and fat content of sour cream helps retain moisture, preventing the eggs from drying out and creating a creamy texture that’s simply irresistible.
Toss the Spaghetti in the Sauce
Another tip from Ralphie of The Sopranos; he suggests tossing spaghetti with a bit of sauce directly in the pan. This method ensures that the pasta is evenly coated and allows the sauce to adhere better, making each bite flavorful. The residual heat also helps absorb the sauce into the pasta, enhancing the overall taste.
Salt Your Hot Chocolate
In Modern Family, Manny Delgado’s friend mentions a tip: adding a pinch of salt to hot chocolate. This might sound odd, but a bit of salt can intensify the chocolate flavor, transforming your average hot cocoa into a rich, complex beverage that tantalizes your taste buds.
Corn Buttering Idea
A clever technique from War Games involves buttering corn. Instead of applying butter directly to the corn, the characters butter a piece of bread and then roll the corn on the buttered bread. This evenly spreads the butter and keeps your hands clean!
Prepping Dough With Powdered Sugar
Alton Brown from Good Eats suggests using powdered sugar instead of flour to roll out cookie dough. This swap prevents the dough from absorbing too much flour, making the cookies tough. Powdered sugar contributes to a sweeter, tender texture in baked goods.
Perfect Scrambled Eggs With Water
On The Real Housewives of New York, Luanne shares her secret for perfect scrambled eggs: adding a splash of water. This simple addition helps steam the eggs gently as they cook, resulting in softer, more delicate curds.
New Potato Method
In the series The Bear, a chef revolutionizes making mashed potatoes by using baked potatoes instead of boiled. Baking intensifies the potato’s natural flavors and prevents them from waterlogging, leading to richer, creamier mashed potatoes.
Boiled Egg Twang
In Weeds, Nancy Botwin enjoys boiled eggs with a squirt of mustard. This adds a tangy twist to a simple snack, enhancing the flavor with minimal effort and maximum taste.
Strained Eggs for Uniformity
Also, a chef strains scrambled eggs through a mesh from The Bear to ensure they’re perfectly uniform with no white streaks. This technique results in exceptionally smooth and visually appealing eggs.
Salty Like the Ocean
Gordon Ramsey, known for his meticulous standards, instructs that pasta water should be salted enough to resemble seawater. This ensures the pasta is seasoned from the inside out, which is crucial for achieving depth of flavor.
Proper Tomato Cutting
The Hunt introduces the use of a serrated knife for slicing tomatoes. The saw-like edge of a serrated knife cuts through the tomato skin cleanly without crushing the delicate flesh inside, ensuring beautifully intact slices.
Toad in the Hole
V for Vendetta showcases a delightful recipe where an egg is fried within a bread cutout. This charming and simple dish combines the comfort of toast with the richness of a perfectly cooked egg, all in one harmonious bite.
Mayo on Grilled Cheese
The sitcom Reba reveals a game-changing tip: spread mayonnaise outside your grilled cheese instead of butter. Mayo has a higher smoke point and adds a tangy flavor that compliments the cheese wonderfully, resulting in a perfectly crisp exterior.
Garlic Peeling Tip
Worst Cooks in America offers a practical tip: use the flat side of a knife to smash garlic cloves. This method breaks the clove slightly, making the skin loosen and peel off effortlessly, saving time and hassle.
Perfecting Eggs With Slow Stirring
In The Woman in the House Across the Street, it’s suggested to stir eggs slowly in one direction for about five minutes. This technique helps the proteins in the eggs to align, forming smooth strands instead of clumps, which are key for silky scrambled eggs.
The One Flip Rule
One Tree Hill teaches that the secret to a perfect burger is flipping it only once. This minimizes the loss of juices, ensuring a juicier, more flavorful patty.
Calming Onions
Scott Conant from Chopped advises soaking raw onions in ice water before serving. This reduces their pungency, making them milder and more palatable in salads and garnishes.
Beautiful Brown Rice
Alton Brown again comes through with a tip for cooking brown rice in the oven. This method promotes even cooking and prevents any grains from getting burnt or undercooked, often a risk when cooked on the stovetop.
Crumple Parchment
Martha Stewart suggests crumpling parchment paper before baking. This makes the paper more pliable and easier to mold into pans, which is especially useful for baking bread or lining a cake tin.
8 Fruits to Avoid if You Have Diabetes
Managing diabetes doesn’t have to be challenging. Eliminating these fruits from your diet can help you better control your blood sugar levels and manage diabetes. Consume other diabetic-friendly fruits like raspberries, blackberries, avocados, green apples, and kiwis to get essential minerals and vitamins.
Here are fruits you need to avoid if you have diabetes.
8 Fruits to Avoid if You Have Diabetes
20 Food to Stockpile (For the Best Chance of Survival)
A well-stocked pantry can provide peace of mind and empower you to handle any situation. Whether it’s a natural disaster, economic instability, or simply unexpected guests, having a stash of versatile essential foods can make all the difference.
Here’s a list of 20 of the best foods to stockpile, ensuring you’re ready for whatever comes your way.
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