Tag: Cookery »

Cooking is one of the most valuable life skills out there. It's also one that's very easy to miss out on for too long. Cooking Basics is an app that teaches its users the absolute basics (right down to how to mash potatoes properly) while also offering some great recipe ideas. These ideas can easily be applied elsewhere, too, ensuring that users have the foundations to be great cooks.

Laid out much like an interactive book, Cooking Basics is easy to browse. Its introduction offers up a series of class for learning the basics. These include lessons on how to set up the kitchen appropriately, how to chop safely, and how to measure accurately. In many of the cases, tasty recipes are used to illustrate a point as well as immediately teach the user how to prepare certain meals.

Delving further into the app demonstrates how much more information is contained within. A series of basic tutorials cover simple things like how to tell if pasta is cooked and how to peel fruits and vegetables effectively. It's all then reinforced by the huge selection of recipes. There's no fine-dining here, it's all about typical meal ideas that people would actually want to cook regularly.

All kinds of scenarios are covered here, from breakfast to supper and with plenty of light snacks in between. It's a great mix that covers loads of ground. Each recipe is clearly described with step by step instructions ensuring users know what they're doing at all times, as well as focuses placed on specific techniques. A shopping list feature as well as timer settings make things all the simpler. When it comes to identifying a specific leaf or vegetable, the app clearly labels them so it's easy to learn as one goes along.

Using various different forms of media, from videos, audio clips to images and text, Cooking Basics is an ideal starting point for beginners. There are great recipes for experienced cooks too, but I'd lean towards only truly recommending this to newbies, given the price. Nothing quite beats the satisfaction of cooking a great meal all by one's self and it beats takeout or ready meals easily. For $7.99, this is a great, fun and healthy step to take for the apprehensive chef.

Who likes cake and other baked goods? Nearly everyone, right? 50 Easiest ever baking recipes from olive magazine provides exactly what it says: 50 easy to bake recipes.

Every skill level is catered for here and, in reality, over 50 recipes from easy cupcakes to cookies and New York-style baked cheesecakes.

Tantalizing photos of every dessert is included along with a clear-to-read ingredients list and step-by-step instructions. Six different categories make it easy to browse through the collection comprising of Celebration cakes, big cakes, little cakes, cookies and biscuits, tarts, pies and pastries, as well as sweet bread and muffins. 50 Easiest ever baking recipes from olive magazine even comes with some handy to know cookery tips and shopping recommendations.

There should be something within the collection to keep everyone with a sweet tooth happy.

50 Easiest ever baking recipes from olive magazine is out now for the iPad and priced at $4.99.

Thanks to the ever steady growth of social networking, savvy users are keen to use specialist services. While those seeking work may look to LinkedIn, foodie types can revel in the wonders of DishPal.

DishPal allows users to share dishes and ideas with friends and other food fans, all from within the app. Offering Facebook style commenting services along with photo uploading capabilities, DishPal goes one step further with the ability to participate in themed parties in which people can share their preferences and tastes while learning new ideas connected to the theme. Tagging functionality also aids users in discovering new ways to cook and new friends.

Also offered is a magazine section that can be customized according to the user's tastes, comprising of exactly what they enjoy most in the food world.

It's all tantalizingly attractive and a great way to share new recipe ideas and creations.

DishPal is out now and it's free.