The older you get, the less likely you are to order pancakes for breakfast. That's probably a good thing. There is nothing less healthyish for an adult, or more appealing to a five-year-old, than a syrup-drenched stack of refined flour, butter, and eggs.

I use a cake tester to check the doneness of everything from fish to vegetables. The point on it is duller than a paring knife, so you get a much better feel for how finished something actually is. Oh yeah, and when it comes to cake, a toothpick is the move. The rougher surface is more likely to show you what the crumb inside looks like.

I have half a cutlery shop's worth of spoons in my pocket at all times designated for tasting.

Invest in decent cookware. One $80 skillet is better than a $100 13-piece set that has nine things you don't need.

If cooking isn't fun for you, then do whatever it takes to make it fun.

I would never try to make ketchup from scratch. Or Dijon mustard, for that matter. These condiments, and plenty of others, are hard to improve upon and even harder to reproduce in a home kitchen.