Life-Changing Skill #4: Creating a Signature Dish
The secret of many successful people isn't that they're experts in everything. It's that they've learned to do one thing, and they do it well. Cooking and entertaining is the same way. It's not about having the most exotic or unique dishes. It's about having one thing that makes everyone drool. In the spirit of entertaining more and stressing less, our fourth life-changing skill is creating a signature dish.
The Benefits of a Signature Style
A signature dish is one that everyone associates with you. Like it or not, you probably already have one--it just may be a bucket of fried chicken or a bag of Lay's. Why not be known for something that's special and sinfully delicious? Beyond impressing the lucky tasters, having a signature dish has another, more important, benefit. It's a fail-safe. Whether someone throws a last-minute potluck or you end up with unexpected company, your signature dish is your savior.
First of all, you won't have to stress while you flip through cookbooks, searching for something intriguing. Secondly, you won't have to dash to the grocer's for ingredients (we'll explain that more in a minute). You also won't have to deal with the consequences when it turns out less than, well, edible. Once you've mastered a crowd-pleasing dish, your confidence and creativity soar while your stress levels drop.
The Art of Culinary Effortlessness
There are three main components to creating a signature dish. The first is trial and error. Find a dish that you love and that most others do, too. It probably won't have any really exotic ingredients since you want it to appeal to a broad spectrum. It can be as simple as triple chocolate chip cookies or as special as a frittata. Second, you have to make it over and over. Get the point where you can make it in your sleep and you're set. A signature dish is no good to you (or anyone else) if it only comes out delicious half the time, so start practicing (or pick something easy to start with). The third component consists of the ingredients. Keep them on hand at all times and you'll be ready for anything.
Now, if you love to cook, your signature dish will probably evolve and change, and you'll probably have a special dish that you love for every course. However, if you're like a lot of women, cooking is not your forte. If that's the case, try to find a dessert and a main dish and perfect each. Don't worry if your dish is a breakfast food and you need to provide a dinner dish. If you've spent the time to create a no-fail signature dish, it will so delicious that people won't care. In fact, they'll probably be disappointed if you don't bring this dish! Are you starting to see the beauty of the signature dish? It's less work for you and people adore it. This is a skill that will pay for years to come, so start experimenting today and whip up something tasty for tomorrow.
Discover the Seven Fab Skills:
Seven Life-Changing Skills to Learn: Introduction
Life-Changing Skill #1: Sewing on a Button
Life-Changing Skill #2: Investing in the Stock Market
Life-Changing Skill #3: Tellling a Great Joke
Life-Changing Skill #4: Creating a Signature Dish
Life-Changing Skill #5: Getting to the Point
Life-Changing Skill #6: Walking in Heels
Life-Changing Skill #7: Winning (and Losing) Gracefully
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