Skill 12 of 16

A dressing from scratch

Oil, something sour, a pinch of salt, and a jar to shake it in.

What it means

Whisk

Whisking means beating quickly with a whisk or a fork to blend things together. It smooths out lumps and mixes eggs, oil or sauces evenly.

How you’ll know: It all looks one even color and texture, with no streaks or lumps.

Emulsify

Emulsifying means whisking or shaking oil with a watery liquid, like vinegar or pasta water, until they blend into one smooth sauce. It makes dressings and sauces creamy instead of greasy.

How you’ll know: It looks smooth, slightly thick and one even color, with no oil beading on top.

Drizzle

Drizzling means pouring a thin, slow stream over the top of something. A thin stream spreads a little flavor a long way.

How you’ll know: You see thin lines across the food, not a puddle collecting underneath.

To taste

To taste means there’s no exact amount: add a little, taste, and add more if it needs it. You’re the judge, and it’s easy to add more but hard to take any out.

How you’ll know: Each taste gets a little better, and you stop when it tastes good to you.