Part of becoming an adult is becoming more self-sufficient. A major, often dangerous part of this new-found independence is learning to cook: You're going to need to know eventually, and it's a great skill to have no matter who you are.
Even if your parents currently cook for you, it's a good idea to learn a few basics so you know you're ready when you move out.
The most important part of cooking? “Don't burn down the house.”
No matter what chefs or cookbooks say, this is the key to all cookery, crucial for any cuisine, and we're going to help you master this fundamental fact.
Our first clip is a scaled-down demonstration put on by the Mythbusters.
Keep in mind that this demonstration only uses a fraction of the oil and water you would find in a house fire. Water on a full-scale grease fire would result in an even larger fireball.
Our second is a clip from the Today Show, showing the dangers of leaving the stove unattended.
Remember that the fire that they cut to is burning in real time. The fire erupts at around 1:15, and by 2:00 the cabinets are already engulfed in flames.
Finally, we have a short-but-sweet list of tips that will cover all the most common cooking dangers:
Simple, straightforward advice that can help keep your kitchen safe.