This can be done over an open wood fire, over charcoal, briquettes, on a brazier or a hibachi or on a gas fire or electric grill. Do not burn charcoal in the house because of the danger of carbon monoxide fumes. To start a wood or charcoal fire, place a wadded paper and kindling beneath the fuel and light it. Or use an electric lighter for charcoal. Avoid charcoal lighter fluid. This might flavour the food. Never use gasoline or any other highly combustible liquid. A wood fire is ready for cooking when it has become a mass of glowing embers. The trick to cooking the food to the desired degree of doneness without charring it is controlling the heat. You can do this two ways; by moving the grill higher or lower or by dispersing the coal with a poker or tongs so that the heat is less intense. Start the food four to six inches from the heat. The thicker the cut of meat, the farther from the fire it should be. Have a squirt bottle of water ready to extinguish the flames caused by melted fat.
 

Meat, poultry and fish are often basted while they are cooking in the oven to keep them from drying out and to add to the flavour. Basting involves covering the food with pan juices, butter, marinade or sauce. To keep the oven from losing heat, move the food to the stove top while basting it. Use a bulb baster, spoon, or brush to pick up juices from the bottom on the pan. Squirt, ladle or brush the juices over the cooking food. Return the food to the oven. Repeat the basting at regular intervals.

Blanching: Ways and reasons of blanching foods. Foods are blanched in different ways for different purposes. When preparing a fruit or vegetable for cooking or canning, plunging it briefly into boiling water helps retain its flavour, colour and texture. Another type of blanching loosens the skins of such foods as almonds and tomatoes so that you can skin them more easily. Put the food in a sieve or colander and pour boiling water over it. Prior to freezing, vegetables should be blanched briefly in boiling water to destroy the enzymes that break down the foods; after blanching, drop the vegetables into cold water to stop the cooking action. Blanching also used to remove a strong taste - the saltiness of meats like bacon, for instance. Bring the food to a boil in water, boil three to five minutes and then drain the water.