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Seasoning & Tasting
Salt, acid, fat, heat — and the habit of tasting that separates cooks from recipe-followers.
Seasoning is not just salt at the end. Salt applied early penetrates and seasons from within; salt at the end sits on the surface and pops. Pasta water should taste of the sea; blanching water too. Meat wants salt long before the pan.
When a dish tastes flat, the answer is usually not more salt but acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar — which brightens everything it touches. When it tastes harsh, fat rounds it. When it tastes boring, texture and heat (chili, black pepper) wake it up.
Taste at every stage. Not to check if it's done — to learn what each stage tastes like, so your instincts have data.
Season in layers: a little at each stage beats a lot at the end.
Taste, adjust one thing, taste again.
Finish with flake salt, fresh acid, or good oil where it will hit the tongue directly.