When a recipe calls for “one tablespoon” of something, does that mean a heaping tablespoon or a level tablespoon?
If you’re following the recipe word for word, one tablespoon means a level measuring spoon.
Be sure to follow recipes exactly and be precisely level on your measurements when preparing baked goods or pastries.
When I measure a teaspoon of baking powder or baking soda for pastries, I scrape across the flat top of the measuring teaspoon with the straight edge of an index card.
When I cook other dishes, however, I tend to take more liberties. To me, cooking word for word from a recipe is a task. I enjoy cooking meals without recipes and take pleasure in planning a menu while I’m pushing a shopping cart or rooting through my pantry.
Don’t get me wrong. I use a sensible balance of ingredients to develop flavor, texture and an appealing appearance. Don’t toss in a heaping tablespoon of spice just to make the recipe taste better or you risk allowing one flavor to overpower the dish. More is not always better; balanced flavor is better. The only way to learn is through experience. So cook often! Cook breakfast. Cook dinner every night. Cook for yourself. Cook for your family. Cook for your friends. Cook on weekends for fun!
Ultimately, the liberties you take completely depend upon your experience and comfort level in the kitchen. To achieve more comfort, it is important to first learn the cooking basics. Chef school gave me the basics — freeing my hands and mind to create works of art and to have fun with food. I recommend attending a cooking class or culinary school, if only to enrich your life. You can find an accredited culinary school at most community colleges.
But for now, follow a tested recipe and measure precisely. Learn the basics as you cook. Experiment a little each time you repeat a recipe. Someday, the ingredients and procedure will be more your ideas than the original author’s ideas. And then you can claim the recipe as your signature dish.