Always read a recipe completely before diving into it. As you read the recipe, it will become virtual reality. For example, if reading, “Take one stick of butter at room temperature and mix it with 1/2 cup of sugar,” imagine the mixture in a bowl, turning into a cream …

Later on, when really mixing the two ingredients, it won’t feel so unfamiliar because you already played it out in your mind.

Text ©2010 Nancy DeLucia Real