1. Follow directions to the letter. If the recipe calls for a certain ingredient, don't ignore it (at least the first couple of times you use it). The people who have developed these sauces have used these specific ingredients in the recipe.

2. Use accurate measurements. I know firsthand the temptation to add just a pinch of that and a dollop of this when making sauces, but how can you recreate a sauce masterpiece if you don't measure the ingredients as you go?

3. Always use the freshest ingredients possible. You'll wind up with better-tasting sauces. It never pays to cut corners on your ingredients.

4. Strive for balance in all things. If you are using pungent woods such as hickory, mesquite, oak, or pecan in your barbecuing or grilling, you'll have better results using a lighter-flavored sauce than one that will compete with the meat and smoke. Too many conflicting tastes will ultimately ruin your hard work.

5. Remember that sauces are meant to complement your cooking, not hide it. View barbecue sauces as condiments, the same way mustard and ketchup enhance a hot dog. Barbecue sauce should help draw out the flavor of your barbecued and grilled meats, not overpower it.

6. Write everything down! You'll be thinking up all sorts of interesting combinations of liquids, spices, herbs, and flavors, and mixing up one heck of a recipe, but when you want to recreate it later you will forget how you did it! Don't waste that precious culinary inspiration. Write down exactly what you do every time you make up a new sauce. Your creation could become the next big seller!

7. Experiment. Hey, variety is the spice of life! You'd be surprised how a little experimentation can lead to a truly tasty discovery in the kitchen.

8. Most of all have fun! Cooking is an activity you can enjoy by yourself or with friends and family. Nothing brings more people together with big, happy smiles than well-prepared barbecue, complemented by a sauce you've made from scratch.