At a local supermarket, two women push half-filled grocery carts. The ladies are good friends, but they couldn't be more different. One is a stay-at-home housewife who loves to create culinary masterpieces from scratch. The other is a training supervisor at a prestigious advertising agency. Household chores, particularly those in the kitchen, are not her idea of fun. The two ladies stop for a moment in the frozen foods section. "I'm so tired," sighs the professional woman. "I don't know what to do about supper." Her friend suggests, "What about a microwave dinner?" The weary professional sighs, "No, I don't feel like cooking tonight."

　　在(zai)一(yi)間(jian)本(ben)地(di)的(de)超(chao)市(shi)裏(li)，兩(liang)位(wei)女(nv)士(shi)推(tui)著(zhe)半(ban)滿(man)的(de)購(gou)物(wu)車(che)。這(zhe)兩(liang)位(wei)女(nv)士(shi)是(shi)好(hao)朋(peng)友(you)，但(dan)兩(liang)人(ren)之(zhi)間(jian)的(de)差(cha)異(yi)是(shi)大(da)得(de)不(bu)能(neng)再(zai)大(da)了(le)。一(yi)位(wei)是(shi)持(chi)家(jia)的(de)主(zhu)婦(fu)
，她(ta)喜(xi)歡(huan)大(da)展(zhan)廚(chu)藝(yi)

，從(cong)全(quan)生(sheng)的(de)作(zuo)料(liao)，一(yi)步(bu)一(yi)步(bu)創(chuang)造(zao)佳(jia)肴(yao)傑(jie)作(zuo)。另(ling)一(yi)位(wei)是(shi)在(zai)一(yi)家(jia)頗(po)具(ju)聲(sheng)望(wang)的(de)廣(guang)告(gao)公(gong)司(si)任(ren)職(zhi)人(ren)事(shi)訓(xun)練(lian)主(zhu)管(guan)。家(jia)務(wu)瑣(suo)事(shi)
，特(te)別(bie)是(shi)廚(chu)房(fang)事(shi)，並(bing)非(fei)她(ta)樂(le)趣(qu)所(suo)在(zai)。二(er)位(wei)女(nv)士(shi)在(zai)冷(leng)凍(dong)食(shi)物(wu)區(qu)前(qian)停(ting)了(le)一(yi)會(hui)兒(er)。職(zhi)業(ye)婦(fu)女(nv)歎(tan)道(dao)：「我好累，我不知晚餐要作什麼好。」她的朋友建議說：「何不來一頓微波爐晚餐。」這位疲憊的職業婦女又歎道：「不

，我今晚不想作飯。」

　　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(jia)如(ru)您(nin)以(yi)為(wei)美(mei)式(shi)烹(peng)飪(ren)就(jiu)是(shi)打(da)開(kai)一(yi)個(ge)料(liao)理(li)盒(he)而(er)將(jiang)裏(li)頭(tou)的(de)東(dong)西(xi)拋(拋)進(jin)微(wei)波(bo)爐(lu)加(jia)熱(re)
，那(na)你(ni)得(de)改(gai)變(bian)想(xiang)法(fa)了(le)。從(cong)某(mou)一(yi)方(fang)麵(mian)來(lai)說(shuo)，美(mei)國(guo)人(ren)以(yi)早(zao)餐(can)的(de)冷(leng)麥(mai)片(pian)，午(wu)餐(can)的(de)三(san)明(ming)治(zhi)及(ji)快(kuai)餐(can)晚(wan)餐(can)而(er)發(fa)育(yu)健(jian)壯(zhuang)

，這(zhe)倒(dao)是(shi)真(zhen)的(de)。從(cong)忙(mang)碌(lu)的(de)家(jia)庭(ting)主(zhu)婦(fu)到(dao)上(shang)班(ban)族(zu)，許(xu)多(duo)美(mei)國(guo)人(ren)喜(xi)歡(huan)享(xiang)受(shou)事(shi)先(xian)包(bao)裝(zhuang)好(hao)的(de)便(bian)餐(can)所(suo)帶(dai)來(lai)的(de)方(fang)便(bian)

，這(zhe)些(xie)速(su)餐(can)在(zai)不(bu)到(dao)10分鍾內就可上桌。從另一個角度來看
，許多美國人都認同廚藝的價值。父母親--特別是媽媽看到訓練孩子，尤其是女兒，烹飪藝術的重要*。大多數的美國人都承認沒有什麼比得上一頓自家做的餐點。而談到烹飪，一如其它的技巧，好的成果並非偶然天成的。

　　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(da)概(gai)每(mei)一(yi)位(wei)廚(chu)師(shi)都(dou)有(you)他(ta)自(zi)己(ji)的(de)烹(peng)飪(ren)方(fang)式(shi)。但(dan)仍(reng)有(you)一(yi)些(xie)基(ji)本(ben)方(fang)法(fa)和(he)原(yuan)則(ze)是(shi)大(da)多(duo)數(shu)的(de)人(ren)遵(zun)行(xing)的(de)。例(li)如(ru)，烘(hong)培(pei)在(zai)美(mei)國(guo)是(shi)烹(peng)飪(ren)的(de)一(yi)種(zhong)主(zhu)要(yao)方(fang)法(fa)，晚(wan)餐(can)菜(cai)單(dan)上(shang)通(tong)常(chang)有(you)「焗烤菜」，kaoroujiqitadehongpeishiwu。yinci
，meiguorenhuijiaodemeiyoukaoxiangjihushiwufaguohuo。meiguochushimenyetebieliuyishiwudejunheng。zaijihuayidundacanshi，tamenhuishizhejiarurou，jiyangshucai，yixiemianbaohuomianshi
，erqietongchangyoutiandian。tamenyexihuanshicandiansecailiangli。ruopanzhongyoubutongsecaideshiwu，tongchanglingrenjiaodeshijiankangdeyican。

　　For those who need guidance in their cooking, or for those who have just run out of ideas, recipes are lifesavers. Recipes list all the ingredients for a dish (generally in the order used), the amount of each to use, and a description of how to put them together. Finding recipes in America is as easy as pie. Most good cooks have a shelf full of cookbooks ranging from locally published recipe collections to national bestsellers like the Betty Crocker Cookbook. Magazines devoted to home management, such as Good Housekeeping and Family Circle, are chock-full of scrumptious selections. Friends often augment their recipe collection by passing around their favorites written on cards.

　　對於那些在烹飪方麵需要指導
、或已江郎才盡的人，食譜就是救星。食譜列出做每一道菜所需要的所有材料(通常是依照使用的順序列出)，每(mei)一(yi)種(zhong)的(de)用(yong)量(liang)以(yi)及(ji)如(ru)何(he)將(jiang)它(ta)們(men)搭(da)配(pei)的(de)說(shuo)明(ming)。在(zai)美(mei)國(guo)尋(xun)找(zhao)食(shi)譜(pu)可(ke)謂(wei)易(yi)如(ru)反(fan)掌(zhang)。大(da)多(duo)數(shu)的(de)好(hao)廚(chu)師(shi)們(men)都(dou)有(you)一(yi)架(jia)子(zi)的(de)食(shi)譜(pu)，從(cong)本(ben)地(di)出(chu)版(ban)的(de)各(ge)式(shi)食(shi)譜(pu)到(dao)像(xiang)「蓓蒂?克勞克」的全國暢銷食譜。一般理家雜誌
，如「好管家」及「家庭圈」都滿滿地刊載很多美味的精選食譜。朋友們經常把自己最愛的食譜寫在卡片上，相互傳閱
，來增加自己的食譜收藏。

　　For experienced cooks, true artists that they are, recipes are merely reference points. They often make adjustments as they go along, depending on the quantity of people they need to serve, the ingredients they have available and their personal taste. Some cooks use recipes very little, preferring instead to depend on their intuition as they add a pinch of this and a dash of that to create just the right flavors.

　　對dui於yu經jing驗yan豐feng富fu的de廚chu師shi，他ta們men是shi真zhen正zheng的de藝yi術shu家jia，食shi譜pu僅jin僅jin是shi作zuo為wei參can考kao，他ta們men常chang常chang一yi邊bian做zuo菜cai，一yi邊bian依yi照zhao他ta們men宴yan請qing的de人ren數shu，現xian有you的de作zuo料liao以yi及ji個ge人ren的de口kou味wei，來lai調tiao整zheng食shi譜pu。有you些xie廚chu師shi們men很hen少shao參can照zhao食shi譜pu，反fan而er比bi較jiao喜xi歡huan憑ping自zi己ji的de直zhi覺jiao加jia一yi點dian這zhe個ge，加jia一yi點dian那na個ge，來lai作zuo出chu剛gang好hao的de味wei道dao。

　　Of course, Americans don't have a corner on the market when it comes to good cooking. Wherever you go in the world, people love to eat. As a result, every culture and nationality has its own share of mouth-watering delicacies. And America, as a "land of immigrants," has imported practically all varieties of cooking. Most good cooks in America are "fluent" in several cooking "dialects": Mexican, Italian, Chinese and good old American style, just to name a few. But whatever the dialect, cooking is a language everyone understands.

　　當然，談到好廚藝，美國人並非獨占鼇頭
，無論您到世界何處，人們總是愛吃。所以，每一個文化及國家都有它特有的、令人垂涎三尺的佳肴。而美國，這個「移民之地」實際上也引進了各式的烹調。在美國大多數的名廚對於幾種烹飪「方言」都很「流利」。隨便舉幾個例子：墨西哥、意大利、中國以及傳統美國風味。且不論那一種「方言」，烹飪是一種人人皆懂的語言。