Cook's Treat

Do you know what a Cook's Treat is? In many traditional recipes, some ingredients are used for a bit of flavoring and then discarded, or only used in part of the finished product. A Cook's Treat is that little morsel of food that the cook consumes in the kitchen, quietly, as a reward for the hard work of preparing the meal.

When I'm working in the kitchen with strawberries, I reserve three or four of the juicy red berries for my favorite Cook's Treat. Make Fresh Strawberry Pie or Turkey Salad with Raspberry Mint Dressing this weekend. When you're done cooking, pour yourself a large glass of cold milk and sit in a comfy chair with the strawberries. Take a bite of strawberry, eat it, then take a sip of milk. If you've never done this before, you will be astounded at how sweet and fresh the milk tastes. Something about the acidity of the berries increases your perception of sugar in the milk.

I love making these little secret discoveries that increase my appreciation of food and our senses. What are some of your favorite food secrets?