If you think American cooking means opening a package and tossing the contents into the microwave, think again. On the one hand, it's true that Americans thrive on cold cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch and instant dinners. From busy homemakers to professional people, many Americans enjoy the convenience of prepackaged meals that can be ready to serve in 10 minutes or less. On the other hand, many Americans recognize the value of cooking skills. Parents-especially mothers-see the importance of training their children-especially daughters-in the culinary arts. Most Americans will admit that there's nothing better than a good home-cooked meal. But with cooking, as with any other skill, good results don't happen by accident.

　　假如您以为美式烹饪就是打开一个料理盒而将里头的东西拋进微波炉加热，那你得改变想法了。从某一方面来说，美国人以早餐的冷麦片，午餐的三明治及快餐晚餐而发育健壮，这倒是真的。从忙碌的家庭主妇到上班族，许多美国人喜欢享受事先包装好的便餐所带来的方便，这些速餐在不到10分钟内就可上桌。从另一个角度来看，许多美国人都认同厨艺的价值。父母亲--特别是妈妈看到训练孩子，尤其是女儿，烹饪艺术的重要性。大多数的美国人都承认没有什么比得上一顿自家做的餐点。而谈到烹饪，一如其它的技巧，好的成果并非偶然天成的。

　　Probably every cook has his or her own cooking style. But there are some basic techniques and principles that most people follow. For example, baking is a primary method of preparing food in America. The dinner menu often has casseroles, roast meats and other baked goods. For that reason, Americans would find it next to impossible to live without an oven. American cooks give special attention to the balance of foods, too. In planning a big meal they try to include a meat, a few vegetables, some bread or pasta and often a dessert. They also like to make sure the meal is colorful. Having several different colors of food on the plate usually makes for a healthy meal.

　　大概每一位厨师都有他自己的烹饪方式。但仍有一些基本方法和原则是大多数的人遵行的。例如，烘培在美国是烹饪的一种主要方法，晚餐菜单上通常有“焗烤菜”，烤肉及其它的烘培食物。因此，美国人会觉得没有烤箱几乎是无法过活。美国厨师们也特别留意食物的均衡。在计划一顿大餐时，他们会试着加入肉，几样蔬菜，一些面包或面食，而且通常有甜点。他们也喜欢使餐点色彩亮丽。若盘中有不同色彩的食物，通常令人觉得是健康的一餐。