How To Read Your Recipe

Read your recipe carefully. Check to be sure that you have everything it calls for on hand.

Get all of the needed ingredients together before you start.

When there is a blind cook in the family it is especially important that there be a special place for everything and that things are always in their place. Braille markers may be used on containers which cannot be distinguished in some other way, as for canned goods, but most ingredients can be located easily by the shape, size or location of the container. If there is any doubt one can always rely on taste, touch, or smell.

Collect all of the utensils you will need, checking the amounts in your recipe so that you will use a bowl or pan of the right size. A blind cook will find it easier to mix or cook in a slightly larger bowl or pan to prevent beating out or boiling over.

If the oven is to be used, turn it on and set at correct temperature before beginning to mix — To set the oven control on your stove turn it to lowest position and then learn to judge by distance or ridges on knob how far to turn for different temperatures. You may mark the knob on your stove with small notches made with a file or with raised lines or dots of plastic cement applied from a tube or cone.

Measure Accurately

All measurements are level full unless otherwise stated. Flour is measured without packing after sifting. Sift flour on a piece of paper before measuring, being sure the paper is big enough to catch all flour. Spoon flour lightly into dry measuring cup until heaping full, level off with straight edge knife or spatula. Do not shake cup.

Granulated and confectioners’ sugar may be measured in the same way but brown sugar should be packed in the cup.

Baking powder, soda, salt, spices, etc. should be measured by filling the spoon heaping full and leveling with straight edge. The blind cook may find it easier to level the top of spoons with her finger.

It is a help to the cook who doesn’t see if ingredients which she uses often, such as salt, pepper, soda, baking powder, coffee, sugar, etc., are kept in large-mouth containers so that she can dip into the container rather than pour or shake the ingredient into the spoon or cup.

Have shortening or butter at room temperature. Pack in cup or spoon and level. Clean out with fingers or rubber spatula.

To measure liquids place cup on flat surface, hold finger tip inside cup to tell when cup is full. Fill cup near bowl or pan so you will not have far to carry it if it is full.

Now you are ready to start combining and mixing according to instructions.

Cooking

Playing with fire can be dangerous so be sure that you know how to operate your stove safely whether you use gas, electricity, oil or wood. If you use gas with pilot light or matches, be careful not to strike a match if gas has been escaping. Your good sense of smell will help you here.

It’s safer to place pan on burner before you turn on fire — getting pan on center of burner, and turn off before you remove
pan.

Always turn handles of pans toward the center of stove so that you will not hit the handles in passing and knock them off the stove. Hold the handle of the pan with one hand while you stir with the other to keep from stirring pan off stove. When putting in or removing a pan from a hot oven — with a pot lifter in hand find the front of rack, pull out, place or remove pan, replace rack.

How to tell when it is done — If it’s boiling, test with a fork or take out a small amount, cool and mash between fingers — use this method for rice, spaghetti, potatoes, etc.

If it’s frying use your nose. You can tell when foods smell brown. Tap with your fork to see if they feel crusty. To turn food in the frying pan lift with fork or tongs until the edge just touches the pan and turn over gently so as not to splash grease. When putting food in hot frying pan, as chicken or steak, hold the piece until it touches the pan before you let go.

Never drop into hot grease. Do not overcrowd the frying pan. Bacon can be cooked in a hot oven without turning. When baking — use a timer or your Braille watch. Test meat with a fork for tenderness, test cake by pressing lightly with finger. If it springs back it is done or if a toothpick comes out clean it is done. For bread test to see if it feels crusty and smells brown.

If you are short on time; or find preparation difficult, try out some of the ready-to-cook frozen foods, mixes, and partially cooked bakery products.

When you plan meals stick to simple menus that you are sure you can handle and allow yourself plenty of time. Set the table early. Start long-cooking dishes first or do those that won’t hurt to stand so you’ll have time for last minute things just before you serve.

Put your head to work and you’ll probably come up with many more ideas to make your cooking an interesting challenge. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t taste just right at first. It takes lots of practice to be a good cook.