There are lots of things you can learn from big, popular food blogs, especially when you’re first learning how to cook. However, there are a few basic lessons conspicuously absent from their indices. You can find a trick for just about every cooking method on the planet, but tell me: do you know how to properly read and execute a recipe?

The devil’s in the details, my friends. It sure is fun to fly by the seat of your pants, improvising with seasonings and garnishes enthusiastically. If there’s one thing I wish I had learned sooner, and the one thing you should take away from this rant, it’s that the more time you put into the recipe, the better it will turn out. Today I am going to talk about how I format recipes on this blog, and give you some pointers for pre-preparation. Like, the stuff you do before preparing to do stuff.

Serving Size and Timing

In the recipes I post or develop for the Cursory Cook, there are two things always included. The first is serving size. It’s confounding to see recipes posted without this indicator; you may try planning a dinner party but end up with enough soup for only half the diners! Or a romantic meal for two might end up being enough to feed a family of eight. Armed with this information and a bit of planning, most of the recipes I share can be halved or doubled.

The second item always included is the amount of time it takes to make the recipe. If there is a long period during the recipe where you need not attend directly to the dish, I will also include an “active” cooking time. This way you have an idea of roughly how much time you’ll be chained to the stove, instead of chatting with friends or catching the latest episode of It’s Always Sunny.

No matter how straightforward the timing looks, however, there are some hidden, time-consuming steps to factor into creating a dish. If a list of ingredients contains adjectives like “diced”, “minced”, “julienned” etc., know that the time it takes for you to prepare the ingredient is not included in the overall cooking time. If you’re chiffonading herbs for the first time, and need to stop to watch a video demonstration, that adds up to a good 5-10 minutes where, after more experience, it may take you only 2.

Ingredients

The first thing you probably look at when you see a recipe is the list of ingredients. Just because an ingredient list is long does not mean the dish is overly complex, so don’t be afraid! However, it’s wise to make sure you can access all the ingredients well before the moment you begin cooking. At least a day before you attempt to conquer a new recipe, pop into your pantry or head to the grocery store with the recipe in-hand, to make sure you have all the ingredients at the ready. If you already have the ingredient, make sure you have enough. There is nothing worse than running out of flour in the middle of making bread or biscuits. And heaven forbid you have to ask your neighbor to borrow some sugar…

Equipment

When you next move onto the text of the recipe, usually called “Procedures” or “Directions”, you will get an idea of what equipment you need to make the dish. There are plenty of substitutions you can make for certain common items. For instance, you may be able to use a couple forks in place of a whisk, or an apple slicer in place of a masher. But you cannot skimp on having a food processor, or a large skillet. Sorry, it’s non-negotiable! Read through the procedures and take mental notes on what you’re reaching for in each step. If you don’t have it, and Google yields no easy DIY hack to replicate the instrument, then make a careful consideration before running out and purchasing it. A KitchenAid stand mixer for those rare batches of holiday cookies? Or a pasta maker for your first attempt at linguine? Maybe not, but you’ll figure out your equipment needs eventually.

Write it Out

So you’ve read the recipe. You have the ingredients, and an empty wine bottle to use in place of a rolling pin. Great! Now, the best thing you can do is write the whole thing out in your own words, with your own estimates of timing for ingredient prep. This is doubly true if you are making a whole meal, where multiple dishes will need to be coordinated to finish at a certain time.

I have a little notebook I use for this purpose. The margins are riddled with notes and doodles, and time stamps next to each step so I don’t get too far ahead or behind. It might seem silly to sit down for 20 minutes before you even start cooking to write things out and think through them, but it lets you be frantic for those 20 minutes so you’re not running around halfway through the procedures like a chicken with its head cut off. Cooking, even if you’re doing it for guests, should be a calming experience. Be a calm-headed chicken.

Mis-en-place

You’ve written out your own instructions! No one will judge you for your poor spelling, no worries. The final step before you begin cooking is to arrange your mis-en-place. This is a fancy way of saying chop, dice, and prep almost everything before you begin assembling or cooking. Set the liquids out in little bowls and dry ingredients alongside them or on a cutting board, and get out the tools you’ll need so you’re not ransacking the cabinets while the garlic burns. Vinaigrettes and sauces can be put together ahead of time, to save yourself from worrying too much about them in the moment.

On this blog, you will always find commentary after each of the recipes posted, clarifying instructions and reminding you of potential hiccups. This is a means to get you to think through the whole process and, inevitably, gain more confidence in the kitchen. If you follow these steps and keep a level head, you can tackle some complex recipes for some really wonderful (and wonderfully timed) meals!