Cooking is a form of artifice because the taste of food is both good and bad. Good taste cannot be achieved unless one knows what is wrong with each ingredient and takes steps to correct them. A case in point: The knowledgeable proper cook knows the flavor of fresh fruit and canot improve on it. However, raw chicken has a metalic taste, beef is palatable but for the rank flavor of blood and raw fish which is inspipid - all these meats must be further improved on to be palatable.

The use of parts is also favored by the Chinese cook who knows that the white meat of chicken is done earlier than the dark meat and that the wings are stewed and the leg is fried, while the skin is crisp. The breast meat is sauteed and minced.

It is knowing these things that makes a successful dish or meal.