Knowing your kitchen

How Well Do You Know Your Kitchen

Research by Chef Nazzareno 0

Defining Menu Courses Courses & Formalities A meal can be as simple as one plate of food or as complex as multiple courses. The formality of a meal frequently determines the number of courses to be served and often a more formal meal means more courses. Some restaurants offer multi-course tasting, or degustation menus that include numerous small courses each only a few bites in size. These courses are designed to complement each other and usually increase in richness and intensity as the meal progresses. Most cultures have their own norms when it comes to coursing a meal and therefore a traditional dinner in Italy is most likely much different than one served in China, Morocco, Mexico, or even France. In the United States a meal often consists of an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert but this formula is not set in stone and there is really no right or wrong way to do it. How many and which courses are served can be determined by the diner, the chef, or the host and often depends on what the occasion is or where the meal is taking place.

Guide to Meal Courses The Amuse Bouche At certain restaurants, before the meal begins, diners are presented with a complimentary hors d'oeuvre called an "amuse," which is typically very flavorful and intended to "amuse" or stimulate the palate. These are usually offered as a gift from the chef and are intended to get the diner excited about the meal by offering a bit of insight as to what the chef is capable of.

Appetizers Appetizers, also called starters, are the first course of a meal and are served in small portions because more courses usually follow. Because they are smaller in size, appetizers are usually heightened in flavor and, like the amuse, are intended to get your palate and internal organs stimulated in preparation for the remainder of the meal.

The Salad Course The salad course is sometimes served in addition to an appetizer--sometimes it is the appetizer and sometimes it is served at the end of the meal following the entree, before the dessert. Salads are light enough to satisfy, but not fill up a diner before they get to the rest of their meal. When served at the end of a meal, a salad aids in

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digestion and cleanses the palate before dessert is served. It is traditional in many European cultures to eat the salad following, rather than preceding, the entree.

The Soup Course The soup course, much like the salad course, is served either in addition to the appetizer or as the appetizer itself. A soup can be anything from a light, clear broth to a hearty puree and the type of soup being offered is often determined by what is to follow in the meal.

The Pasta Course - Traditional Italian Menu In Italian dining the pasta course is a traditional part of the meal and is served following the appetizer, prior to the entree. The Italian pasta course is much smaller than a typical American sized portion.

The Main Course The main course, often referred to as the entree, is the savory culmination of the meal that all of the other courses have built up to. The main course usually consists of the largest portion of the meal and in many cases features some type of protein.

Sometimes a meal is divided into multiple entrees, such as a fish and a meat course, but generally there is only one main course.

The Cheese Course If a cheese course is being served, it is usually done after the entree and before, or in lieu of, dessert. The cheese course can be as simple as one piece of cheese on its own or as elaborate as a sampling of numerous cheeses and various accompaniments such as bread, fruit, and nuts.

The Dessert Course Dessert is the final course and often the one people most look forward to. The dessert course always features something sweet and is designed to round out a meal and satisfy the craving for sweetness that many people have after eating savoury foods.

The Petit Fours Petit Fours are tiny, bite sized desserts like cookies, candies, or tarts that are sometimes presented at the end of a meal as a final small treat.

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Food and Drink Pairing The Most Important Rule of Food and Drink Pairing The most important thing to know when it comes to food and beverage pairing is that if you like it, it's a good match for you. Food and beverage pairing, like most aspects of consumption, is totally subjective and differs from person to person. Many of us have been made to believe that only certain beverages are appropriate with certain foods, and this has been especially true as far as wine is concerned. It is now more commonly recognized, however, that every person's tastes are different and that there is no right or wrong when it comes to this topic.

Pairing Food and Wine When there is mention of food and beverage pairing, wine is probably the beverage that comes to mind first. Wine has been paired with foods for centuries and is inarguably one of the finest complements to a meal. What is arguable, however, is which wines are best with which foods. There are classic pairings that most would agree were made for each other and which, when put together, seem to bring both components to new heights--seared foie gras with Sauternes and raw oysters with Chablis. Drinking Sauternes with your oysters and Chablis with your foie gras is no less correct, however, if that is what you prefer. Wine experts agree that all wines have underlying flavours and aromas ranging anywhere from strawberries to wet soil and it is often easier to pair a wine with a food if you have some knowledge of these flavours and what complements them.

Pairing Food and Beer Beer is another beverage that goes very well with many foods. It is produced in so many different styles with flavour that range from light and fruity to rich and complex that it is often better suited to certain foods than wine. A thick cut of steak, for example, pairs beautifully with a rich, dry stout. Sushi is perfectly complemented by light Japanese style beers and amber beers offer great relief and flavour balance with spicy foods. Even a thick, malty beer can offer an original and delicious accompaniment to dessert.

Pairing Food and Cocktails Cocktails have gained stature in the culinary world recently and bar tenders and mixologists are often influenced by food flavour combinations when creating innovative, new cocktails. The latest trend is in creating cocktails that are specifically designed to pair well with certain foods. There are some classic cocktails that include savoury foods such as olives, onions, and tomato juice. Today we find cocktails flavoured with more unusual ingredients such as fragrant herbs, chili peppers, pickled 3

vegetables, and jasmine. It is not uncommon to see restaurants featuring multi-course meals with cocktails pairings instead of wine. Some restaurants also offer food pairings that have been designed to be eaten with high end liquors such as whisky or tequila, served on their own or over ice.

Beyond Alcohol Non-alcoholic beverage choices are abundant today and extend far beyond the limited choices of the past. Homemade sodas are infused with creative flavourings like herbs and spices, lemonades and teas are made with fruits and herbs, and many nonalcoholic versions of creative new cocktails are offered and are delicious when paired with food. =============================================================

The Principles of Plating There are no hard and fast rules to determine how a dish is to be plated, but there are standards and guidelines that have been proven to work. Balance is the key element to success in the creation of any dish and that element applies to many areas of the plating process as well.

Achieving Balance: Proteins, Starches and Vegetables One primary consideration when putting together a dish is nutritional balance. It has long been stated that a nutritionally balanced plate contains a protein, a starch, and a vegetable. As nutritional guidelines change and the understanding of the human body becomes more refined, dietary recommendations have become more specific. The old standard of protein, vegetable, and starch has been broken down further to emphasize lean cuts of meat, starches that are high in fibre and vegetables that are prepared in a way that does not diminish their nutritive value. Until recently, protein was believed to be the most important part of a dish and should therefore be the predominant component--making up 50 percent of the overall plate. That belief has shifted, however, and recommendations today are that vegetables and whole grains should predominate with protein coming in much smaller portions.

Consider Taste and Texture When it comes to plating, texture and taste are each important to consider. A well balanced dish might feature one main flavor, but that should be complemented by other flavours that are intended to accent and enhance. If you are serving a spicy dish such as curry, for example, it would be good to balance it out with something that cools the mouth, like yogurt and perhaps something neutral to balance out the spice, such as rice. Texture is another component to factor in and a well thought out dish has 4

more than one texture. The multiple textures in a dish should play off of and enhance each other. A smooth, creamy soup accompanied by crispy crackers is a good example of this.

Pretty Plating Visual appeal is another thing to consider. A good chef envisions how a dish is going to be plated long before the food actually gets to the plate. Some chefs go so far as to make a sketch of a dish when they begin to conceptualize it, which assists them in determining what is needed to make a dish visually enticing. How food is placed on the plate greatly influences how the dish is received by the diner. A plate of food should look full and satisfying, but should never appear overflowing or sloppy. Leave a little bit of space between items helps a plate to look clean and uncluttered. In addition to the spacing of the food, the height of various items on a plate can offer some nice visual appeal. Giant towers of food are overly contrived and impossible to navigate. Flat, one dimensional plates are boring and offer little in the way of appeal.

Once again the concept of balance comes into play and it might be a good idea to have certain items on a plate mounded higher or moulded into shapes in order to offer contrast to other items the a plate.

When balance, based on nutrition; flavour; texture; and appearance is factored into the creation of a dish, you are presenting a plate of food that is appealing to the diner from all angles. =============================================================

Cooking Tools and Equipment The Well Stocked Kitchen Everyone can relate to taking up a new hobby and going out and buying the most expensive, top of the line equipment, only to find it shoved in the back of a closet collecting dust just a few short months later. The same is true with cooking and cooking equipment. As fun as it can be to stock up on the infinite styles, shapes, and colours of specialized kitchen equipment, most are superfluous and not required for a well functioning kitchen.

It is a good idea to invest in quality, but this does not mean that you must purchase the most expensive equipment because price is not necessarily a reflection of quality and there are plenty of very good tools priced in an affordable range. While fancy home cooking stores are popular and are set up in a way that makes you feel like you must

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own even the silliest of gadgets, restaurant supply stores are usually more affordable and in most cases the best place to purchase kitchen equipment.

If you are just starting to equip your kitchen, it makes sense to start small and add to your collection as your interest, skill level, and need dictate. A simple selection of cooking vessels, utensils, and appliances is the best place to begin.

The variety and selection of cooking vessels available for purchase today is vast and it is not uncommon to purchase far more than you can ever possibly use. The best plan is to start out with just a few and buy more if the need presents itself.

Must Have Kitchen Tools Sauté Pans Sauté pans, or frying pans, are distinguished by size, what they are made of, and the angle of the sides of the pan. The most practical pan is one that has a large, flat bottom and sides that angle outward. Most cooks can get along fine with 3 sizes of pans--an 8", 10", and 12".   

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Copper pans are at the top of the list as far as quality and consistent heating goes, but they are also the most expensive to purchase.

Stainless steel pans are a good choice because they conduct heat well and are durable, but they too can be quite expensive.

Aluminium pans are a good choice because they are less expensive than stainless steel and do an acceptable job with heat distribution; their downfall is that they have a tendency to warp and dent easily and can sometimes react with certain ingredients, which gives an off taste to your food.

Cast iron is a wonderful cooking medium and offers a sturdy, consistent heating source. Cast iron pans are comparatively inexpensive and if treated right can last indefinitely. They are, however, much heavier to lift than other pans and can react in a negative way when cooking acidic foods.

It's always useful to have one non-stick pan in the house, but generally speaking, these pans do not last long, their surfaces are easily scratched, and they can not be used at high temperatures. Regardless of which pans you purchase, you should be sure to buy pans with riveted metal handles and appropriate sized lids.

Saucepans and Pots The numerous options available for sauté pans are also available for saucepans and pots. Copper is the top of the line, but also the most expensive. Stainless steel is your best bet and aluminum follows as a more affordable second choice. As for size, three smaller pots--1 1/2, 3, and 5 quarts--can be used for basic needs. You should also have one very large pot--10 quarts--for cooking pasta, braising meats, and making large batches of soup. Tight fitting lids are important as well.

If you are someone who finds them making meal decisions at the last minute, a pressure cooker might be a worthwhile investment. Available in many sizes and price ranges, these pots function by cooking food under intense pressure which causes the 6

boiling point to increase and allows foods to cook in a fraction of the time. With a pressure cooker, you can cook a beef stew in about 20 minutes and other dishes, like soups and chicken, are ready in far less time than that. If you are an organized person who has little time to cook at the end of the day, a slow cooker might be a better investment. Ingredients for a slow cooked meal can be placed in the pot in the morning and at day's end you can have a complete meal waiting for you.

Baking or Roasting Pans Baking or roasting pans are an important component of every kitchen. Purchase a metal 9x13" pan and a 9x9" square pan and you should be set. You might find that a rectangular, glass 9x13" pan can come in quite handy as well. If you intend on doing any type of baking you should have two 9" round cake pans, a 12 cup muffin tin, a loaf pan and a 9" or 10" glass pie plate. You should have at least three or four baking sheets as well. Restaurant supply stores often sell these as half sheet pans, which fit into standard sized ovens and are thicker and sturdier than most store bought cookie sheets.

Mixing Bowls Mixing bowls are indispensable and you will find numerous uses for them that you never previously considered. Stainless steel bowls are preferable because they are durable, multi functional, and relatively inexpensive. A set of five or six nesting stainless steel bowls in varying sizes is all you should need. It is also handy to have a set of four or six very small bowls, or ramekins to hold salt and small quantities of other things such as chopped herbs.

Utensils and Gadgets So many different utensils and gadgets are available that just thinking about it is daunting. Put the following on the short list of basic utensils that are really vital to a well supplied kitchen:                 

Wooden and slotted spoons Rubber and metal spatulas Ladle Whisk Sturdy set of tongs Rolling pin Wine and bottle opener Can opener Grater, zester, and peeler Colander and a fine meshed strainer Timer Meat thermometer Pastry brushes Citrus reamer Kitchen shears Funnel Measuring spoons 7

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Clear measuring cup for liquids and a set of metal measuring cups for solids Two cutting boards--one you use only for raw chicken and one for everything else. Plastic and wooden cutting boards are equally good and which one you buy is really a matter of preference.

Knives Purchasing knives can be an overwhelming task because there are so many makes, sizes, and styles to choose from. Most cooks are perfectly supplied with three basic knives--an 8" or 9" chef's knife, a serrated knife, and a 3" or 4" paring knife. Look for knives made from high carbon steel because they don't stain or discolour easily. Most knives come with plastic or wooden handles and come in a range of prices. Your best choice is the knife that feels most comfortable in your hand and is easy for you to work with. Buy a honing steel at the same time so that you can clean up the edge on your knife in between sharpening.

Electrical Appliances A few electric appliances will enable you to perform just about any task you desire. 

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Food processors have an infinite number of functions and are at the top of the list when it comes to practicality and usefulness. You should purchase one with a large volume capacity and a powerful motor that can hold up to extended use.

Standing mixers are invaluable if you spend any time baking bread or making desserts. If you are not going to be kneading dough, you might want to opt for a hand mixer that costs much less still performs many of the same functions as a standing mixture.

Blenders are handy for making beverages, vinaigrettes, and for blending soups and sauces.

Toaster ovens, particularly those with convection options, are great for cooking and heating smaller quantities of foods.

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Cooking Trends Good Home Cooking Makes a Comeback Over the last fifty years people in Europe have spent less time cooking and eating at home and have instead come to depend on restaurants, fast food, and convenience foods from grocery stores. Some claim they don't have the time, or the talent, for preparing meals at home and for many the act of eating has little to do with enjoyment and more to do with simply providing themselves with sustenance as they whirl through their busy lives. Restaurant trends regularly fluctuate as a reflection of what people are most interested in eating. It is no surprise, therefore, to find the more restaurant menus feature comfort foods associated with home cooking like meatloaf, 8

macaroni and cheese, and pot roast. It is ironic and reflective of how far we have moved from tradition that we now go out and pay for home style meals.

Recently, there has been a shift and cooking and eating at home has come back into fashion. In large part this is due to the struggling economy. The rise in status of chefs from behind the scenes blue collar workers to media superstars has also contributed as well as an increased awareness of organic, sustainable, and locally produced foods and a fairly aggressive campaign that shows people just how easy it is to produce a great meal at home.

Becoming a Chef: First Steps & Considerations Cooking can be as simple or as complex as you choose to make it. Cookbooks, magazines, and television shows all strive to make this point by teaching fast and easy ways to prepare great dishes and meals. A basic understanding of food and cooking techniques goes a long way and once you have the basics down it is just a matter of accessibility to ingredients, personal taste, and your ability to build upon what you know to determine what it is you will prepare. A tremendous sense of accomplishment, as well as instant gratification, comes from cooking and it is not at all uncommon for people to be quite surprised by what they are capable of producing.

This is often all the encouragement they need to continue their pursuit and to challenge themselves with more difficult tasks each time they cook.

Knowledge of farming practices, where food comes from, how food is handled at processing plants and restaurants, food allergies, and the types of additives in processed foods are all topics that are getting a great deal of focus lately. With so many unknowns, some comfort can be found in purchasing raw ingredients and preparing them yourself. Food related health issues are also of great concern today and it is much easier to have total control over your intake if you are responsible for how your food is being prepared and what is added to it.

Cost is another factor that has influenced the increase in the number of people who are eating at home. With the economy in flux, factors like gas prices, unemployment, the cost of health insurance, weather patterns, and even immigration issues all directly influence restaurant profitability and it is becoming more and more expensive to dine out. Cooking at home was once done out of necessity and not only was food prepared at home, but it was also grown and raised there. Putting that much personal effort into food allowed people to have a much greater consciousness in terms of waste and made them think about planning and preparing for the future. Food was not only cooked day to day as it was need, but was also prepared and preserved during bountiful times so that there would be sustenance available when food was less accessible. In coming full circle, whether due to necessity or interest, people are once again realizing that it makes sense and is far more cost effective to cook and eat at home.

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How to Cook Lamb Setting the Record Straight on Lamb Lamb is a staple in the diets of many cultures including India, Greece, Spain, France, and countries throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Americans, however, eat far less lamb on average than people from these other countries. Lamb is often thought to be strong and gamey in flavour, and while this is often true, that is characteristic more of older lamb--over 12 months of age. The majority of the lamb sold in the U.S. comes from animals between 5 and 12 months old and while distinctive in flavour, is typically not too intense or overwhelming.

Selecting the Perfect Lamb Lamb should be bought when it is light red and fine grained in appearance. Older lamb, or mutton, has a darker, purple hue and is much more pungent in aroma and flavour and the meat is tougher. Lamb should never have an unpleasant odor and the fat on lamb should always be white, never yellow or brownish. The ends of the bones on lamb should appear moist, red, and porous and not brown or dried and crusty.

Lamb is sold in many different cuts. The rib and loin produce the tenderest meat, which should be cooked over high heat for a short amount of time. Other tougher cuts, such as the shoulder and leg, hold up well when being braised or stewed, but lamb is such a small animal that most of the meat is tender enough to be cooked with a dry heat method. Tender cuts of lamb are at their best when cooked to no more than medium and are ideal in flavour and moisture when served at a temperature closer to medium-rare. Obviously, tougher cuts cannot benefit from being served at this temperature. Ground lamb is as popular in many other cultures as ground beef is in the U.S. It is used in everything from meatballs to patties and is incorporated into many dishes along with flavourful grains and vegetables.

Preparing Lamb Because of its robust flavour, lamb lends itself to numerous preparations and accompaniments. Greek style lamb is typically prepared with strong, savoury flavours such as garlic, rosemary, lemon, and coarse sea salt. Lamb prepared in North Africa, however, is often served on the sweeter side and accompanied by such things as prunes, dried apricots, and honey. Lamb is extremely versatile and, with some creativity and good planning, can be transformed into a truly delicious and memorable meal that is sure to win over even the most sceptical.

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How to Cook Pork, the Other White meat Choosing the Right Cut of Pork Much like beef, pork has always been considered to be unhealthy and fatty and as a result, leaner breeds of pigs are being raised in the Europe. today. The flavour of pork is fairly mild and lends itself equally to savoury, aromatic and sweeter, fruity preparations. As previously described with other types of meat, cooking techniques vary base on which cut is being used. There are leaner cuts like the tenderloin and chops, which are perfect for roasting and grilling. Less lean cuts like the shoulder and belly are at their best when cooked long and slow.

Follow these standards to purchase pork:    

The meat should be firm to the touch and reddish-pink in colour and should never have a grey hue to it.

The texture should be fine grained and the pork should not have an excessive amount of exterior fat.

Any fat that is present should be white in colour and never yellow or browning.

Finally, pork should have a mild, sweet smell and should never feel slimy or sticky.

How to Cook Perfect Pork Over the past century it has been drilled into the American mind that pork should be cooked until well done because of the possibility of contracting trichinosis, a parasite that at one time was prevalent in pigs in the U.S. Even though trichinosis has been almost completely eradicated in America today, the cooking guidelines for pork have not been updated to reflect this. These outdated cooking methods, combined with leaner breeds of pigs, often result in dry, chewy, overcooked pork. It is therefore important to have some knowledge of what the current acceptable cooking practices are.

A piece of lean pork like the tenderloin, for example, is at its best when it is cooked to a temperature of medium, thus retaining a bit of pink colour in the centre. To attain this, the meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of about 150 degrees.

While the pork may appear shockingly undercooked to those who were taught to fear pink in their pork, it is perfectly safe to eat because the trichinosis parasite is killed at a temperature of 137oF, far below the final internal temperature of the pork. Cooking a piece of lean pork until it is well done results in something similar to shoe leather. ==========================================================

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How to Cook Poultry Get to Know you’re Chicken...

Chicken is one of the most popular and widely consumed meats in the world. Because of the popularity of chicken, chickens are literally mass produced today often in ways that are unhealthy for both the animal and the consumer. It is therefore extremely important to have an understanding of where your chicken comes from and how it has been handled. Because the labelling on chickens is often inconsistent and unreliable, the best option is to purchase your chicken at a place that knows where it came from and how it was raised. If this is not possible, however, you are best off looking for chickens that are free range, organic, and raised without hormones or drugs.

A Cut Above: Learn to Speak Chicken Chicken is sold in a variety of sizes and packaged in numerous ways from the whole bird to individual parts. Typically whole chickens less than four pounds are referred to as fryers or broilers; anything over four pounds is called a roaster. Very large chickens are often called stewing chickens and should be used only for braising or stewing because these chickens are older and the meat is often quite tough.

Techniques for Cooking Chicken Depending on which parts of the chicken are being cooked, different cooking techniques should be used. The white meat, or breast, is extremely lean and not all that flavourful. Dry rubs, brines, and marinades are all good ways to impart chicken breasts with flavour before cooking them. Cooking them with the skin on and the bone intact helps retain moisture and maintain flavour.

Boneless skinless breasts have very low moisture content and tend to dry out no matter which way or how quickly they are cooked. Chicken breasts are best cooked at high heat for a short amount of time. Grilling, sautéing, and roasting are all good options. Dark meat, or leg meat, is far more flavourful than white meat and cooks up moist and tender regardless of which technique is used. Slowly braised dark meat chicken, such as in a Moroccan tagine or stew, is full of flavour and moisture, but chicken thighs cooked on a grill or sauté are just as moist and delicious. Because of its mild, neutral flavour, and rapid cooking time, chicken lends itself to unlimited flavour combinations and cooking techniques. ============================================================

Your Guide to Beef 12

Where's the Beef? A European Staple Beef has always been a staple in the European diet. Because of increasing health concerns regarding heart disease, cholesterol, and obesity, however, leaner breeds of cattle have been introduced into the European. market in recent years. Despite the often negative image given to beef, there are benefits to eating it as well. Beef is extremely high in protein, iron, and B12 vitamins. These nutrients are more efficiently absorbed when eaten in meat than when taken as supplements.

Choosing the Best Beef Cuts When purchasing beef, there are certain guidelines that will help to identify the best quality cuts. Beef should always be light red to slightly brownish-red in colour. If it is dark or splotchy, it is probably old. It should be moist to the touch but should not be sitting in pool of liquid and should never feel slimy, sticky, or wet. Beef should have a distinct smell, but should never smell sour or unpleasant. It should appear well marbled; meaning the fat that runs throughout the meat should be ample and evenly distributed. The fat on the exterior should be white in colour and never yellow or browning. As with all meats, certain cuts of beef are higher in fat and certain cuts are leaner. Some are tender and some are tougher. All these factors determine how a cut of beef should be cooked.

Beef's tenderness is determined by which muscle of the animal it comes from. The meat from the back of the steer is a lot less worked than the meat from the legs, neck, and underside. Cuts such as tenderloin and top loin (New York Strip) come from a steer's back and have a fine grained texture and low amount of connective tissue.

These cuts can be cooked over high, direct heat and yield a tender, flavourful piece of steak. Cuts such as the chuck (shoulder) and brisket come from the side of the cow and have a coarse grain and a fair amount of connective tissue. These cuts are best prepared with slow, moist cooking that allows the connective tissue to break down and become gelatinous and fork tender.

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Getting To the Meat of It 13

Choosing the Right Cut for the Job Many factors come into play when cooking meat, including determining which cut is best suited to the dish that you are preparing, having some knowledge of where the meat comes from, and deciding how you plan to cook it. Lean, tender cuts of meat require less preparation and less complex methods of cooking than those that are more muscular or higher in collagen or cartilage. Those tougher cuts require a long, slow cooking process and often more complex preparation before the meat is cooked.

What Determines Meat Quality?

Quality and flavour are first determined by how the animal is treated early in its life.

The breed, age, diet, and living conditions of the animal as well as how it is slaughtered, how it is stored, and how it is packaged and shipped are all factors that contribute. The best quality meats are those from animals that have been raised on a natural diet of hormone, antibiotic, and pesticide free organic food and those that are allowed to spend time outdoors grazing and roaming, rather than being kept indoors with limited room to move. Certified organic meats meet these requirements. Meats labeled 'natural' imply that the meat was raised with minimal processing and without artificial ingredients but the term is sometimes vague and never a guarantee that the meat is of top quality or that it will meet your high standards.

How to Prepare Your Meat for Cooking A number of techniques can be used to prepare a piece of meat before it is cooked.

Choosing the correct preparation depends on which cut of meat you are using and how you are using it. Some techniques alter the natural shape of meat and poultry-tying them with butchers twine before they are cooked. This ensures that they are uniform in size and thickness and will cook evenly throughout. To impart certain flavours before cooking you can use a rub or a marinade. A dry rub is a mixture of herbs and /or spices that are blended together and then rubbed into a piece of meat and allowed to penetrate and flavour it.

Spice Up Your Recipe with a Marinade Marinades are flavourings that penetrate meat in liquid form. They often contain acidic ingredients such as lemon juice or soy sauce, and the acid acts as a tenderizer and slightly break down the structure of the meat. For this reason, marinades are most often used for tougher cuts that can benefit from some of the tenderizing effects, while rubs, or marinating for just a short amount of time are better for leaner cuts.

Building the Perfect Brine Brine is a combination of salt and water, and sometimes sugar and other flavourings.

Heavily-salted brine can be used as a cure for meats that are going to be cooked very slowly, smoked, or air dried. Some of the water in the meat is replaced by the salt, which provides a less desirable environment for bacteria and decreases the chances of spoilage. Brining with a lower salt content is done to impart flavour and increase moisture and always results in a juicier piece of meat. For a quicker effect, meats are sometimes injected with flavoured liquids using a special meat syringe. While this 14

does not give the same overall moisture increasing effect as brine, it imparts flavour throughout the meat.

What Cooking Method is best?

How a piece of meat should be cooked is determined mostly by the cut. Leaner, smaller cuts of meat are best cooked using a dry heat method, while larger, tougher cuts of meat are best when cooked using a wet heat method. Grilling, broiling, sautéing, stir frying, and roasting are all dry heat cooking techniques. The first four techniques allow meats to cook quickly and do not involve a lot of preparation prior to cooking.

Grilling and Broiling Meat Grilling and broiling are techniques that expose the meat directly to the heat source.

With both techniques, the meat takes on a smoky flavour as parts of the meat char from the intense direct heat. With grilling, the heat source is below the meat while in broiling the heat comes from above.

Sautéing and Stir Frying Meat Sautéing and stir frying are both done in pans on the stovetop and both use a small amount of fat and high heat. Stir fries are used mostly in Asian cooking. It is characteristic for all of the ingredients used in a stir fry to be cut to roughly the same size prior to stir frying. The ingredients are cooked individually and then ultimately combined together and often finished with some type of sauce.

Roasting Meat With roasting, food cooks surrounded by hot, dry air in an enclosed environment-most often in an oven, although a covered grill can also be used. Tender cuts of meat, such as beef filet or lamb racks, are roasted at a very high temperature (200°c.and above) for a short period of time. This allows the outside of the meat to brown and caramelize quickly enough that the inside does not lose a lot of moisture. Tougher, thicker cuts of meat are roasted at a much lower temperature (250 to 300 degrees) for a longer period of time, often for many hours. By maintaining an even, low cooking temperature, fat and moisture are more likely to be retained, which results in a tender, juicy roast.

Braising, Stewing and Beyond Wet heat cooking methods include braising and stewing, poaching, and cooking 'en papillote.' Braising cooks meats in liquid in a sealed container. Most meats are well seared before braising, which allows the deep, rich flavour of the browned meat to be incorporated into the flavour of the braise. Braises and stews cook for a long period of time on low heat. This process converts the collagen in the meat, which is tough to chew, into gelatine, which literally melts in your mouth. The key to producing a good braise is to maintain an even cooking temperature and to not cook for longer than instructed. Even though braised foods are cooked in liquid, overcooking causes

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moisture to be drawn out and results in a piece of meat that is as tough and inedible as one that is overcooked in dry heat.

Poaching is a cooking method in which meat is submerged in a liquid that is kept at a consistent temperature. Poaching is usually done with smaller cuts of meat cooked at a higher temperature for a shorter amount of time than braising and stewing. Cooking 'en papillote' is a French technique in which an item is basically steamed within an enclosed packet made from either parchment paper or foil. Vegetables and herbs and sometimes a small amount of liquid are placed in the packet along with the main ingredient. The packet is then placed in a very hot oven and as the vegetables and liquid release moisture they steam the contents of the packet until it is cooked.

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Preparing Raw Fish In this lesson, we'll explore raw fish preparations, including Crudo, Tartare, and seafood.

In the Raw: Crudo, Tartare and Beyond Crudo means "raw" in Italian. It is a stylish way to serve raw fish both in Italy and in Italian restaurants in America, perhaps as a response to the popularity of sushi, which crudo resembles.

There are a number of ways to prepare raw fish, called variously crudo, carpaccio, and tartare. These names are open to personal interpretation and, to a certain extent, may be used interchangeably. Broadly speaking, however, the different names represent different ways of cutting the fish: carpaccio refers to very thin slices, crudo to thicker pieces, and tartara to small bits, or dice. The decision about whether to serve carpaccio or tartare is also a practical one; after filleting and portioning a whole fish, for example, a chef may use good quality, leftover scraps for making a tartare because they are not large enough for a carpaccio.

All three preparations are traditionally dressed with a few quality ingredients: olive oil, an acid (lemon juice or a vinegar), and salt. The chef may embellish with whatever flavourings he or she likes, including but not limited to fresh herbs and spices.

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Cooking Seafood: Poaching and Cooking En Papillote In this lesson, we'll take a closer look at two techniques: poaching and cooking in parchment paper (en papillote).

Poaching Seafood Seafood may be poached in a simple vegetable broth seasoned with white wine and/or vinegar. This broth, called a court bouillon, imparts additional flavour during cooking.

Seafood that will be served cold should be allowed to cool in the broth. Be sure to take this into consideration when determining cooking time.

Ready for more tips?

Keep the temperature of the broth stable at around 82°c. 



Wrap aromatics in cheesecloth so they are easily removed once the broth has cooked and the seafood won't need to be cleaned of stray vegetables and herbs.

Add shrimp to simmering broth and then remove the pan from heat. The shrimp will cook in the residual heat from the broth.

Cooking Seafood en papillote This technique, which combines of baking, braising, and steaming, cooks the fish in its own juices while trapping them to serve as a sauce. Follow these hints to get started:   

For each piece of fish, fold a piece of parchment paper in half and cut a rectangle 12 to 14 inches long, and 9 to 10 inches wide.

Brush the bottom edge of the pouch with lightly beaten egg white. Fold over the top and crimp the edges to seal.

Place the pouch on a baking sheet and bake at 246°c for 8 to 10 minutes for thin fillets, or 15 minutes for thick fillets.

Guide to Cooking Shellfish Most shellfish lend themselves to a wide array of preparations. Shellfish are high in protein, iron, and vitamin B, and they are relatively low in calories and fat.

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Three Categories of Shellfish: When you think of shellfish, you probably think of it in terms of lobster, shrimp, crab, and so on. Technically, however, there are three categories of shellfish. As a chef, it’s important to get to know all these different types and how to best prepare them: 1. Crustaceans: invertebrate animals with a skeleton or shell. Crustaceans are, for the most part, saltwater animals; crayfish live in freshwater. The crustacean family includes lobster, spiny lobster, rock lobster, crab, shrimp, prawns, and crayfish.

2. Mollusks: divided into two categories: bivalves and univalves. Bivalves are saltwater creatures with two shells such as oysters and clams, whereas univalves, such as snails and winkles, have only one shell and can live in saltwater or on land.

3. Cephalopods include squid, cuttlefish, and octopus. Cephalopods are somewhat inverted—they have a muscular exterior mantle on the outside of their shell. They move by expelling water from a siphon under their heads.

Cephalopods generally have well-developed eyes, and they can eject ink from an ink sac as a means of defending or hiding themselves from predators.

Purchasing and Storing Shellfish Most crustaceans must be alive and vigorous when purchased. When buying shrimp, the meat should look springy and moist. Lobsters should feel heavy and full with all claws and feet intact.

Shellfish should be cooked as soon as possible after purchasing. Refrigerate live crustaceans at 4°c. on a bed of seaweed or damp newspaper. Shelled shrimp and shucked scallops may be stored wrapped in plastic. Mussels and clams are refrigerated in netting t allow them to breathe.

Cooking the Perfect Shellfish A number of techniques can be used to cook shellfish, such as: sautéing, grilling, baking, frying, and more. Check out the recipes on the right for more detailed instructions. You can also skip ahead to Lesson 4 to get the scoop on cooking all types of seafood.

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Storing and Preserving Fresh Fish 18

In ancient times, there were three fundamental methods of preserving fish: refrigeration on ice, salting, and pickling (or fermentation). In this lesson, we'll explore using ice and salting for preserving fish.

Keeping Fish on Ice After delivery, fish should be cleaned, trimmed, and stored on crushed ice. Most whole fish with skin on can be stored directly in ice. Here are a few more tips:    

Fillets should not come in direct contact with ice to avoid damaging the flavor and texture of the flesh.

There must be drainage openings in storage units so the fish does not soak in water Ice must be changed daily.

Any fish that is held on ice for too long will lose flavour, and the flesh will lose its natural elasticity. Certain saltwater fish, such as brill, sole, and turbot, can be held for several days. Others, such as whiting, sardines, skate, and most freshwater fish, are too fragile to be held for a long time.

Preserving Fish with Salt Salting has long been a popular method of preserving fish such as anchovies, eels, sardines, herring, tuna, and tuna eggs. Some fish, like cod, were typically salted and dried onboard ship. The baccalà, [salt cod] as it was known, was sold throughout Europe and the Mediterranean.

Salt cod must be soaked before cooking. To prepare salt cod for cooking:  

Rinse salt cod. Place in bowl, and cover with cold water.

Let soak 48 hours, changing the water three times during soaking.

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Preparing Fish -- The Basics Despite its continuing popularity, working with fish remains difficult for many cooks out there. In this lesson, we'll explore the basics of selecting and preparing fish for cooking.

All fish have four sections—the head, the trunk or body, the tail, and fins. Fish are 70 percent water and 10 to 20 percent protein, plus traces of minerals, vitamins A, B, and D, glucides [carbohydrates], and lipids. There are 160 calories per 100 grams for fatty fish and 70 calories per 100 grams for lean fish.

Selecting Fresh Fish 

Fish should have a brilliant appearance with scales firmly in place.

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    

Eyes should be bright, shiny, convex, and completely full.

Gills should be brightly coloured, moist, and filled with blood.

The anus should be tightly closed and the stomach should be firm and intact.

The flesh should feel firm and slightly resistant to the touch.

Finally, fresh fish should smell fresh and clean, not "fishy."

Preparing Fish for Cooking   

There is considerable loss when cleaning and portioning fish. The edible portion of a fish may only be 40 percent of its original weight.

The portion size of fish required for a main course is 100 to 150 grams per serving.

Fish may be skinned before cooking, but it is useful to leave the skin on delicate fillets such as flounder or sole because it helps hold the fish together.

To prevent curling while cooking, score the skin of the fillet with a knife.

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Preparing Roots and Tubers Root Vegetables vs. Tubers Root vegetables (beets, carrots, and parsnips) and tubers (potatoes, yams, and jicama) are very similar in that they are both parts of a plant that grow under ground and whose main function is to store energy for the plant. This stored energy is used by the plant as fuel for growth, propagation, and reproduction.

During the winter, the underground portion of a plant stores vital energy after the leaves die back, which allows the plant to survive the winter and regenerate in the spring. Roots have strong absorption abilities and draw water and minerals from the soil for nourishment. For this reason they are very high in nutrients and an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Tubers tend to have a lower nutrient content but are packed with stored energy and are thus an excellent form of carbohydrates.

Choosing the Perfect Vegetables When purchasing, look for roots and tubers that are firm, heavy, and smooth skinned.

If their leaves are attached, they should be crisp and bright green in colour. Root vegetables tend to lose what little moisture they have quickly, so they are best stored without their greens, wrapped in a damp paper towel in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator. Tubers are best stored in a dark, cool, well ventilated place and not in the refrigerator. Most roots can be eaten raw or cooked; tubers, with the exception of jicama, are mostly eaten cooked.

Preparing Bulb Vegetables 20

Onions the Basics Onions and garlic are the most common types of edible bulbs. Onions come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and flavour intensities and can be prepared in an endless number of ways. With some types of onions only the bulb is consumed whereas with others both the bulb and the shoot are eaten. Onions and garlic have a distinct flavour that makes them all similar, but the intensity of flavour and varying degrees of harshness and sweetness is what distinguishes them from one another.

All about Green Onions Onions are usually divided into two categories, green and dry. Green onions are those that are harvested while the shoots are still young and green and before the bulb have had time to mature. They are eaten raw and cooked. Scallions, spring onions, chives, and leeks all fall into this category. When purchasing green onions, look for those that have an even green colour with no brownish patches. Avoid any that are limp, cracked, or dried out or yellowing. Green onions should be stored in the refrigerator.

All about Dry Onions Dry onions can be red, white, or yellow in colour and are harvested when the bulb has reached maturity, the shoots have died, and the onions are left with a papery covering.

As these onions dry, the pigments in the skin determine colour, which varies depending on variety. Dry onions for the most part are quite similar in flavour and can be used interchangeably in recipes. Some types of dry onions, such as Vidalias and Walla Wallas, are harvested very early and have a thinner skin and a higher concentration of sugar than other dry onions. These onions have such a sweet, mild flavour that they are often eaten raw. Shallots are another type of dry onion that is smaller than its counterparts and mild in flavour. Shallots tend to have two to three individual bulbs that grow next to each other under their papery outer skin.

When purchasing dry onions, look for those that they are firm and have a dry, smooth outer skin. Avoid those with soft spots, sprouts, or mould. These onions should be stored in a well ventilated, cool, dark place away from potatoes, which give off moisture and cause the onions to sprout and rot. It is best not to store onions in the refrigerator because the moisture and lack of air circulation causes them to rot quickly.

All about Garlic Garlic is grown in much the same way as dry onions and is harvested in the same way, once the shoots have died and the outer skin becomes tough. A bulb, or head, of garlic consists of a cluster of individual cloves that are each covered in papery, white skin.

Garlic is revered for its contribution to both the culinary and medicinal worlds. Garlic adds a unique, delicious flavourings to foods and while it has a pungent, sometimes harsh flavour when eaten raw, the flavour mellows and sweetens as it is cooked.

Garlic is claimed to have medicinal benefits that range from reducing cholesterol, regulating blood sugar levels, fighting infections, and cancer prevention. Garlic

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should be stored in the same way as other dry onions, but because it has lower moisture content, it stores well in the refrigerator. =============================================================

Preparing Veggies - Stalks, Inflorescent, And Legumes All about Stalk Vegetables Stalks are a category of vegetables whose stalks or stems are eaten. Stalks are best when they are young, small, and tender. The older and larger the get, the more fibrous and tough to chew they become. When purchasing stalk vegetables, look for those that are firm and smooth, without any discoloured spots or bruising. Stalks tend to be very unique and intense in flavour and in most cases cooking mellows the intensity. Some of the better known stalks are celery, rhubarb, cardoons, asparagus, and fennel (although fennel is often categorized as a root.) Stalks are best stored wrapped in a damp paper towel and placed in a perforated bag in the refrigerator.

Getting to Know Inflorescent Vegetables Inflorescent are vegetables whose flowers or buds are eaten. Some of the more common inflorescent are broccoli, cauliflower, rapini, and artichokes. When purchasing broccoli, cauliflower, and rapini, look for bunches with florets that have compact clusters and avoid any with open flowers or those that are yellow, bruised, or wilted. Artichokes should be compact and heavy for their size with leaves that are tightly packed together. Loosely spread leaves indicate an older, overripe artichokes that is tough with a very large choke. Inflorescent are best when stored in a perforated bag in a refrigerator drawer.

The Ins and Outs of Legumes Legumes, while not technically vegetables, are often categorized as such. Legumes are plants that produce edible seeds in pods that are often also edible. The legumes that are most often associated with and treated as vegetables are green and wax beans; sugar, snap, and English peas; soybeans and fava or broad beans. When purchasing fresh legumes, always look for pods that they are bright green and smooth looking.

Avoid any that appear to be bruised, wrinkled, yellow, or spotted. Most legumes do not store well because their sugars quickly convert to starch and they become bitter or tasteless.

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How to Prepare Leafy Greens Go Green: The Ins and Outs of Green Leafy Vegetables The term greens refer to a variety of leafy green vegetables that can be served raw or cooked. Salad greens vary greatly in size, shape, colour, and flavour. Some are sold as heads and some as individual leaves. Flavour and colour often go together--mild, sweet, pale coloured butter and romaine lettuce and spicy, bitter dark green watercress and arugula. Mild flavoured greens are relatively neutral and pair well with just about any ingredients. Bitter and spicy greens lend themselves well to more intense flavours such as sweet fruit and ingredients higher in fat like cheese or bacon. Dark, leafy greens are extremely nutritious and very high in many vitamins and minerals.

Know Your Greens Cooking greens are frequently used in the Asian and Mediterranean cuisines and are an important part of regional cuisine in the southern United States. Many, such as cabbage, mustard greens, dandelion greens, kale, and collard greens have strong or spicy flavors and some like escarole, chard, and spinach are a bit less intense.

All greens have a high water content and shrink in size, often by more than half, when cooked. For this reason, you must purchase a large quantity of greens to end up with a proper portion. The quantity of uncooked greens is deceiving and it is crucial to consider what the cooked portion will look like when adding oil or seasonings, otherwise you may end up with a very oily or over-seasoned dish. Some greens like spinach cook almost instantly and are best done so over high heat. Other greens, particularly those that have tougher leaves and stems, take substantially longer to cook and should be cooked at a lower temperature for a longer amount of time.

Choose the Perfect Green When purchasing greens either to be eaten raw or cooked, it is best to choose those that are young and tender and are brightly coloured and not wilted. You should avoid greens with dry, split stems, yellow or brown leaves, and those that are very wet or have rotted, mushy spots on them. Most greens are available fresh year round. Most greens are best eaten as close to purchase as possible and are best stored in a perforated bag in the refrigerator. Greens are mostly made up of water and tend to go bad within a few days of purchase.

Vegetables Basics Vegetables: More than Just a Pretty Plate The array of vegetables available in grocery stores and farmers markets today is astounding. With health and nutritional consciousness becoming a top priority in many people's lives, vegetable consumption has gained popularity like never before.

Not only are we seeing an increase in the variety of different types of vegetables, but there is also more variety in types as well. Until recently, if you wanted to purchase 23

some potatoes, for example, your choices were somewhat limited. Today, however, you can choose from russets, Yukon Golds, Yellow Finns, fingerlings, purple Peruvians, butterballs, red creamers, yellow creamers, and that is just a partial list.

Eat (and Cook) with the Season All of this variety often makes the decision making process difficult. A number of factors are taken into consideration when deciding which vegetables to use. The most important thing to remember is to choose vegetables that are at their seasonal best and that are the freshest. How you cook your vegetables is really a matter of personal preference, but there are certain techniques that are more suited to certain types of vegetables than others. Cooking techniques affect qualities such as colour, flavour, texture, and nutrients.

Cooking Techniques: How to Prepare Perfect Veggies The most common methods for cooking vegetables are boiling or simmering, steaming, stir-frying or sautĂŠing, roasting, grilling and broiling, stewing and braising, and frying. Let's talk a bit about these different techniques, and when to use which:

Boiling and Simmering Boiling and simmering vegetables is a fast and effective way to cook them, but can sometimes water-log them and deplete their nutrients. This is a great technique for vegetables that are going to be mashed or pureed because it cooks them through and makes them very soft.

Steaming Vegetables Steaming is often a favourite way to cook vegetables because they retain their colour, flavour, and nutrients and cook fairly quickly. Stir frying and sautĂŠing are good techniques for vegetables that have been par cooked or for those where you want a nice, brown colour on the outside.

Roasting Vegetables Roasting is a good technique to use for larger, denser vegetables, with thick skins like potatoes and winter squash. Vegetables for roasting are usually left whole or cut into large pieces, and are allowed to cook from the inside out. Roasting allows the sugars in the vegetables to rise to the surface and caramelize, resulting in a rich, brown color and often sweet flavour.

Grilling and Broiling Vegetables Grilling and broiling are good cooking techniques for vegetables that are dry to the touch, but have relatively high moisture content. The key to great grilled or broiled vegetables is to make sure that they are cooked over high, direct heat and that they

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take on colour and flavour from the heat source before they start to give off any liquid. Grilling or broiling at too low a temperature results in a vegetable that just steams and turns to mush. Often, grilled and broiled vegetables are brushed with a little bit of oil to attract the heat and get the cooking process moving more quickly.

Stewing and Braising Vegetables Stewing and braising are techniques that cook vegetables for a longer time at a lower temperature. Like stewing and braising meats, stewed vegetables are often cut into smaller pieces while braised vegetables are typically cooked in large pieces or whole.

This cooking method allows the vegetables to cook and be served in their own juices, thus retaining most of their nutrients and providing the true, full flavour of the vegetable.

Frying Vegetables Frying vegetables is quite common, and while certainly the least nutritious way to serve them, it is one of the tastiest. The best vegetables for frying are those that are low in moisture and cook quickly. Frying allows a vegetable to become brown and crispy on the outside while remaining soft and creamy in the centre.

How to Select Fresh Vegetables Purchasing, storage, and preparation are all factors that also affect vegetable cookery.

As previously mentioned, the best vegetables are those that are in season and freshly picked. Look for vegetables that are firm, brightly coloured, and not bruised or damaged. Ideally purchasing vegetables from a farmers market where they have just been picked and are at their freshest and most nutritious would be best. As vegetables age, they decrease in nutritional value, flavour, and often in texture.

Properly Store Your Veggies Once purchased, vegetables need to be properly stored so they remain at their best until you are ready to use them. Potatoes and hard squash should be stored in a cool, dark and dry place. Onions and garlic should be stored in the same way, but should not be stored near potatoes as they have an adverse effect on each other. Tomatoes are best stored at room temperature unless they are over-ripe, in which case they should be refrigerated and used quickly. Most other vegetables should be refrigerated in a clean, dry bag until you are ready to use them. Remove the leafy tops from any vegetables that have them, such as carrots or beets, before refrigerating because the leaves absorb moisture from the vegetables and cause them to lose moisture more quickly.

Prepping Your Veggies Without exception, all vegetables should be wiped, or washed, before you prepare them. Even those vegetables that are peeled should have any excess dirt removed

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before you proceed with them. A soft brush is often preferred for washing vegetables and can get into difficult crevices that may not otherwise be reached.

Peeling and trimming vegetable skins like carrots and potatoes is a common practice.

Sometimes vegetables like broccoli or asparagus have a tough outer layer on the stalk or stem. In this case the tough, fibrous outer layers are removed and the tender, edible layers revealed. Some other preparation techniques include removing the ends and strings from pod vegetables such as green beans and snap peas or removing outer leaves from artichokes. Some vegetables like peppers must be cleaned internally before they are ready for use; the seeds also need to be removed. Leeks and scallions need to have any dirt and grit that has accumulated inside removed.

Vegetables can be classified in any number of ways and this is sometimes confusing because some vegetables fall into a number of categories. For the sake of consistency, we will categorize vegetables in future lessons by which part of the plant is to be eaten.

When is a Vegetable Really a Fruit?

The distinction between fruits and vegetables is often blurred when it comes to cooking. Many foods are technically fruits, but are treated as vegetables when they are consumed and fall into a broad category known as fruit vegetables. Botanically speaking, fruits are the ripened ovary and seeds of a plant that reproduce when they are pollinated. Most people choose to distinguish fruits and vegetables by taste and categorize fruits as being sweet and vegetables as being savoury.

Some of the more common fruit vegetables are tomatoes, peppers, avocados, cucumbers, eggplant, and squash. While many of these do have some sweetness to them, they are much lower in sugar than traditional fruits and are typically eaten in savoury preparations and not desserts.

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Al Dente!

Spaghetti and Beyond...

String or strand-shaped pasta is made from sheets of pasta that have been rolled out very thin and cut into different widths, like fettuccine or pappardelle, or it is pushed through the small holes of a special machine to make pastas like spaghetti or Capellini. String pastas are best used with light, smooth sauces that don't have large chunks in them. Then you are able to get both sauce and pasta in one bite without the larger bits sliding off. The best choice is a sauce that coats all of the pasta strands evenly and clings to them. This helps to keep the pasta strands from sticking to one another as they are eaten. These sauces can be as simple as olive oil and chopped garlic or more complex like Alfredo or pesto sauce. A general rule of thumb is, the thicker and heavier the pasta, the thicker and heavier the sauce can be.

Dried vs. Fresh Pasta String pasta is sold both dried and fresh with advantages to both. Dried pasta can be stored indefinitely and when it is cooked it has a solid bite, a dense texture, and lends itself to well to hearty sauces. Dried pasta typically takes anywhere from 10-20 minutes to cook. Fresh pasta is very light and silky and cooks very quickly, often in 35 minutes. Fresh pasta is best with lighter sauces that do not overpower its delicate flavour and texture. Fresh pasta can only be stored for about a week in the refrigerator, but it also freezes quite well and in most cases does not need to be thawed before it is added to the boiling water.

Shaped Pasta Shaped Pasta Basics: Pasta comes in an infinite number of shapes and sizes and whether the shapes are straight or curvy, hollow or solid, flat or raised, they all have one thing in common-they have been designed to hold onto sauce so that it does not drip off before the pasta reaches your mouth. Shaped pastas are generally extruded from a special machine that uses different dies to form and cut each individual shape. Die cut pasta is more often sold dried than fresh because the individual pieces are often somewhat thick and heavy and if sold fresh would get crushed by their own weight and stick together.

Shapes Add Texture, Variety to a Chef's experience Each shape has a different texture and mouth feel and the pasta actually used is often determined by this. The smallest shapes, such as orzo, a rice shaped pasta, are often used in soups. Long ribbons are often used with light sauces or simple olive oil preparations. Smaller, bite sized shapes are frequently used in baked dishes, such as casseroles, in pasta salads, or for children because they are easier to pick up than long noodles. Some shapes look the same, but vary in size. These different sized shapes are 27

often used for completely different preparations. Pasta shells are a good example. At their smallest, sometimes no larger than a pea before they are cooked, they are used in broth or hearty soups. As they increase in size, they are used for dishes such as macaroni and cheese and when they are quite large, they are used for stuffed shells.

Shaped Pasta It is difficult to keep track of all of the pasta names because there are so many and they are often pronounced quite similarly. Some shapes are named after animals such as farfalle (butterflies), lumaconi (giant snails), and creste di galli (cockscombs).

Some pasta shapes are named after industrial items such as fusilli (corkscrews) and radiatori, which resemble small radiators or grills. And still other shapes have somewhat odd names such as orecchiette which resemble and are named for little ears and perhaps the strangest, strozzapreti, which means "priest strangler." They are about 3 inches long and are rolled lengthwise into a shape that resembles a rolled towel.

While certain pastas are often used for specific preparations, like lasagna or cannelloni, the pasta actually used is most often left up to the whim of the chef.

Stuffed Pasta Stuffed Pasta Basics Stuffed pasta is filling sealed between two pieces of fresh pasta. Because pasta is so neutral in flavour, it lends itself to a myriad of fillings. While ricotta cheese and meat are the most traditional, today, with the creativity and playfulness of chefs, pasta fillings range from winter squash to goat cheese to barely cooked egg yolks.

Numerous shapes and sizes of stuffed pastas are available from large tubes, such as cannelloni, to the often tiny agnolotti. A number of cultures have their own versions of stuffed pasta such as the Chinese pot sticker, Jewish kreplach, and Russian pierogi to name a few.

The Rules for Making Stuffed Pasta When making stuffed pasta, there are a few basic rules that should be followed to ensure success. The dough for these pastas should be soft and malleable, never stiff or dry. The filling must be tasted before it is put into the dough to ensure that it is well seasoned and flavoured. It is nearly impossible to compensate for a bland or overseasoned filling with sauces or other ingredients, and is therefore crucial that the sauce be perfect before you begin stuffing the pasta.

Pasta sheets should be rolled out and then worked with one at a time. Once the filling has been placed on a sheet of pasta, the pasta is then either folded over and cut into shapes and sealed, or another piece of pasta is placed on top and then the edges are sealed. Stuffed pasta is sometimes cut into shapes, such as small circles or squares or folded into different shapes such as tortellini. Sometimes a mold or a press is used to form the stuffed pasta. It is very important to make sure that filled pasta is sealed completely so that the filling does not seep out while the pasta cooks and that no water is allowed to get inside the pasta, which would make the filling watery and runny. All air pockets must be pressed out as the pasta is sealed or they can burst open 28

as the pasta cooks. It is most common to use water, egg, or just egg yolk, to seal the edges and ensure that the seal remains tight.

Stuffed pasta lends itself to a variety of sauces, but like most other pastas, is at its best when it is sauced lightly so that the flavour of the filling is not overpowered by the sauce. Richer fillings, such as meat or goat cheese do, however, lend themselves to a more intense and flavourful sauce.

What are the Origins of Pasta?

The origin of pasta is a heavily disputed topic and depending on who is asked, there are a number of answers. Many believe that pasta was invented by the Etruscans in 400 BC and there is evidence that shows that they developed tools that were used to mix flour into dough, roll dough out on a surface, and cut it into strips. Others believe that pasta was invented by the Chinese long before the Etruscans and brought to Europe by Marco Polo. Despite its origins, pasta is practically ubiquitous today and while it is most commonly associated with Italy, it is eaten world wide.

Pasta is popular in many cultures, is made using many different types of flours and flavourings, and comes in a variety of shapes and forms. Most commonly, pasta in Italy is made from semolina flour, made from a hard wheat called durum. Durum wheat holds up better than any other flour when it is cooked as pasta. Other less hearty flours have a tendency to go from uncooked to mushy very rapidly and are not very forgiving. Some other types of flour used to make pasta in other countries are all purpose, spelt, whole wheat, quinoa, rice, potato, soybean, buckwheat, mung bean, chick pea, yam, and sweet potato.

What Makes Pasta so Popular?

There are many reasons pasta holds such popularity in so many cultures. It is easy to make, inexpensive to buy, and the dried version stores very well indefinitely. Pasta is extremely versatile and lends itself to many different preparations and accompaniments. It can be eaten as an appetizer, an entree, in soups, and in salads. It can be layered, stuffed, baked, boiled, fried, and sautĂŠed. Pasta dough can be flavoured with anything from black pepper to squid ink or it can be made plain and then stuffed with different ingredients. It is also almost always additionally flavoured after it is cooked by sauces, broths, or even just olive oil and garlic.

There are over 350 different known dried pasta shapes in Italy today (some say there are as many as 500!). Shaped pasta is designed to grab and hold onto sauce and often has ridges or grooves on the outside, which aids in holding the sauce better. Fresh pasta is tenderer than dried pasta and cooks much more quickly. Dried pasta tends to be a little chewier and holds up better to heartier preparations such as ragus and cream sauces whereas fresh pasta holds up better with simple sauces and additions.

Get Fresh: How to Make Your Own Pasta While making pasta at home is a fairly simple task, it takes numerous attempts before you really get a feel for pasta making. Once you do grasp it, however, and can tell just by sight and touch whether or not your pasta is correct, the possibilities and variations 29

are endless. Proper measurement of ingredients is the key to great pasta. It can be made entirely by hand, or much more easily in a food processor or stand up mixer. It is imperative that once the pasta is made, it is allowed to rest for a period of time so that the gluten in the flour is given a chance to relax before being worked. Allowing the dough to rest results in pasta that is much more pliable and easier to work with when rolled and shaped.

How to Cook the Perfect Pasta Cooking pasta is very easy, but certain procedures ensure perfectly cooked pasta each time. Pasta needs to be cooked in the proper amount of rapidly boiling water in a vessel that is large enough to allow it room to expand as it cooks. Oil should never be added to pasta water because sauces will slide off the pasta. Pasta water should always be generously salted because pasta dough is typically made with very little salt. It is easier to impart the flavour into the pasta as it absorbs the water than it is when adding it to the cooked pasta. It is crucial that pasta be stirred immediately upon being placed in the water and then occasionally while it cooks, to prevent it from clumping together and to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

How Long to Cook Your Pasta The cooking time for pasta varies depending on which type of pasta is being cooked.

Fresh pasta usually cooks in about 5 minutes while dried pasta takes anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes. If the pasta is going to be cooked again, like lasagna or baked pasta, it should be pulled before it is fully cooked to avoid ultimately overcooking it. You can shock cooked pasta in ice water or run it under cold water to stop it from cooking immediately. However, you never want to do this to pasta that is being served immediately because you can rinse away the starch that assists in sauce adhering to the pasta.

Al Dent - To the Tooth!

Pasta that is going to be eaten right away should be cooked to 'al dente' or until it is just soft, but still has a little bit of a bite to it. 'Al dente' translates as 'to the tooth' meaning that it should not be soft or chalky when you bite into it, but should be cooked through but still a little bit firm. Once cooked, pasta should be immediately removed from the pot and then tossed in sauce or placed in warm bowls and sauced immediately thereafter. It is always a good idea to keep a little bit of the cooking water to loosen up sauces if they become too thick before you serve them. Once plated, pasta should be eaten right away while it is fresh and piping hot.

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Broth Based Soups Stocks vs. Broths: What’s the Difference?

The main distinction between stocks and broths is that stocks are generally made only with bones while broths are made with meat. Stocks are often intended to be used in the preparation of other dishes whereas broths are meant to be eaten as is. Often, for an extra deep flavour, broths are made by cooking meat in stock, rather than just water. Of course, vegetable stock and even water can always be used as the base to broth soups, but the flavour is rarely as complex and deep as those made with some sort of meat base.

Broth Soups Offer a World of Possibilities Broth soups range from the rustic, such as grandmas chicken soup with noodles, to the refined, such as crystal clear consommé with perfectly placed garnishes.

Regardless of the end product, however, the key to these soups is the same--a well balanced, flavourful base. The best broth soups have little to no fat floating in them and the flavours of the separate components mesh well, but remain distinct.

Practically every culture has its own version of a broth based soup ranging from the classic beef based French onion soup, to Japanese miso soup to Italian minestrone.

Chinese egg drop soup, in which uncooked scrambled egg is added to the hot simmering liquid just before it is served and allowed to coagulate into thin yellow ribbons within the broth, is an example of classic broth soup.

Preparing Cream Soups Redefining Cream Soups The term cream soup once only applied to those soups that were made from a roux base combined with milk to make béchamel, or combined with stock to make veloute.

Today the term has been broadened to include soups that incorporate cream, but do not necessarily begin with a roux. To further expand on the modern definition, many cream soups incorporate sour cream, fresh cream, or yogurt.

How to Make a Roux Roux is made by combining some type of fat (typically butter) with flour in equal parts by weight. The fat is warmed over medium heat and then the flour is added to it all at once. The roux is then cooked while being stirred constantly for about 5-8 minutes. The consistency of a proper roux should resemble very wet sand. Depending on how the roux is being used, it is sometimes cooked for an additional amount of time until it is blonde or even brown in colour. For the purpose of cream soups, however, a white roux is almost always used.

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The Scoop on Béchamel Béchamel has many different applications and derivatives in classical cooking. It is made by slowly whisking warm milk into roux until no lumps remain and then simmering to ensure that the taste of raw flour is totally cooked out. The top of the béchamel is skimmed as needed to remove any impurities that rise to the surface as it cooks. It is crucial to keep an eye on béchamel and stir often to prevent it from scorching. After the proper cooking time, the béchamel is seasoned with salt and white pepper (black pepper would leave noticeable flecks in the white sauce) and strained through cheesecloth. Depending on its use, the béchamel can then be flavoured with any number of herbs, spices, and other flavourings. A correct béchamel should be silky with no graininess and should have a nice sheen.

About Classic Veloutes Veloute is basically the same as béchamel; however white stock is used in the place of milk. The stock is generally made from chicken, veal, or fish depending on how the veloute will be used. When used as a soup base, Veloutes are classically finished with cream and sometimes egg yolks. =============================================================

Preparing Hearty Stews and Bean Soups Stews and Bean Soups Offer Rich Flavour Stews and bean soups are both thick and hearty, and typically rich and flavourful enough to be eaten as a one dish meal. Stews are typically meat based, but there are variations. Bean soups can be made with just about any type of bean including legumes, which are not technically beans but often fall into that category.

Making Traditional Stews Traditional stews are made in the same way as any standard braise except the ingredients for a stew are cut into bite-sized pieces, thus decreasing the overall cooking time. Stews are typically begun by searing the meat separately and then combining it with the remaining ingredients. The end result of this type of stew is typically dark and rich in colour. Sometimes a white stew is desired and is generally made from pale cuts of meat such as chicken or veal. The meat for this dish is first blanched instead of seared to create a luscious, ivory colour. Regardless of how the meat is initially treated, the goal is to finish with a dish in which the meat is so tender it practically melts in your mouth. Stews are almost always cooked in stock and contain a variety of vegetables, which are often added at different times during the cooking process depending on how quickly they cook. In addition to meat stews, there are some fish and shellfish based stews. These stews typically cook in less liquid and for a shorter amount of time.

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Dishing Up Rich Bean Soups Bean soups are rich in texture and usually subtle in actual bean flavour. They can be served as they are made, with the beans left whole, or they can be pureed and strained for a smooth, silky consistency. Beans are often used in broth based soups, left whole to add a burst of individual flavour as they are bitten into with each spoonful. If the clean, natural flavour of the bean is desired, additional ingredients are usually not added except for some subtle vegetables. A simple, sweet white bean puree with the garnish of a flavoured oil or sprinkling of a chopped fresh herb is a good example of this. Often, however, the bean is used more for texture than overall flavour and a number of interesting ingredients are added to make a soup with many layers of flavour. A good example of this would be a black bean soup seasoned with bright, piquant spices and chiles and limes to give it some extra zip.

Preparing Stocks Stocks Form a Foundation for Good Taste Stocks provide the foundation for a variety of dishes. They are extremely versatile and depending on how they are made can be used in an infinite number of ways. Most commonly stocks are used as a primary ingredient for soups, sauces, and braises.

Stocks are also used in poaching or steaming, as an alternative to water in such dishes as rice and Polenta, and even as a substitute for oil in some vinaigrettes and pestos.

Stocks are prepared by cooking meat, poultry or fish bones, vegetables, herbs, and other aromatics in water for a long period of time. The end result is a very flavourful and complex liquid. While the ingredients that go into a stock may vary, the techniques used to make stocks and the ratio of ingredients remain basically the same.

It is extremely important not to allow stocks to boil as they cook. This often causes impurities and fat to be dispersed in the liquid. The fat is extremely difficult to remove after the stock is finished. Instead, a stock should be simmered over a medium, even heat and the top should be skimmed frequently to remove anything that floats to the surface. The most commonly used stocks are white, brown, and vegetable.

Light White Stocks White stocks are made with bones that are typically quickly blanched before they are combined with the other ingredients. The blanching allows the impurities, which may cause a stock to become cloudy, to be leached out before the bones are used for the stock, which results in a clear liquid. Typically only pale coloured vegetables are used in these stocks to avoid imparting any colour.

Rich Brown Stocks Brown stocks are made similarly to white stocks, but in this case the bones and vegetables are roasted before they are combined with the water and aromatics. Most brown stocks include some type of tomato product and the ideal brown stock is rich in colour and flavour. Often, after brown stocks have been strained and the fat that rises 33

to the top removed, they are placed in a clean pot and put back onto the stove to cook down even further. The stock is simmered until it has been reduced to a fraction of its original volume and viscous and syrupy when warm and quite gelatinous when cold.

This reduction is called a glace and is extremely concentrated in flavour. Glazes are often used as a sauce as is or sometimes with a few ingredients added to balance it out a bit. Glazes are also often used as the finishing component to many sauces and impart a deep, intense undertone and a lush, silky mouth feel.

Hearty Vegetable Stocks Vegetable stocks are often made from left over end pieces, peelings, and scraps from any combination of vegetables used in the kitchen. This technique, however, often results in an imbalanced stock with one or two flavours predominating. A good vegetable stock should have an even balance of flavour and not be overwhelmed by any one taste. Therefore it is preferable to follow a set recipe rather than relying on only what you have on hand. =============================================================

Butter Sauces It's Better with Butter Sauces Butter sauces are those which use butter as their foundation and primary flavour.

Some are made from butter which has been melted and then finished with other ingredients, such as a brown butter-caper sauce. Others are made by slowly adding melted butter to an egg base such as a hollandaise or bĂŠarnaise sauce, and some are made by incorporating whole, soft butter into a reduction such as with a beurre blanc.

There are also compound butters which are made by adding different ingredients such as herbs or sun dried tomatoes to softened butter and then letting it harden back into its original state. These compound butters are sliced and placed upon something hot, such as a just-cooked steak, and allowed to melt onto the food creating a simple sauce.

Concocting Wine Sauces Why Make a Sauce with Wine?

Wine is a commonly used ingredient in sauce making, and both red and white wines make great sauces. Typically these sauces are made by cooking off the alcohol and then reducing the wines until they become syrupy in consistency and concentrated in flavour. Once the wine is reduced, this reduction is then built upon using other ingredients such as stocks, juices, and purees. There are an endless number of renditions of wine sauces, and they can be used on everything from grilled steak to ice cream. Fortified wines, such as Madeira, port and Marsala are often used in smaller quantities as the addition to, as opposed to the foundation of, a particular sauce. These wines are intense in flavour, and only a small amount is needed to impart an intense flavour. In the following recipes you will see both red and white wine featured.

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Making Vinaigrettes and Dressings Mixing It Up: Vinaigrettes and Dressings In the simplest terms, a vinaigrette is a combination of oil and vinegar which is typically used on salads and other cold dishes. The ratio for a basic vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. The vinaigrette can be flavoured with any type of ingredients from herbs to juices to nuts. The word dressing is often used interchangeably with vinaigrette and while it serves basically the same function, a dressing is often more thick and creamy than a vinaigrette.

Preparing Cream Sauces - Roux and You Cream Sauce Variations The heading "cream sauce" is somewhat misleading as often times there is very little or no cream in what is considered a basic cream sauce. Most cream sauces start with a base of butter and flour (called a roux) which is combined with warmed milk and sometimes, although substantially less often, cream. A few other variations include cream sauces which are made from cream that has been reduced until thickened and then combined with other ingredients, those in which the cream is steeped with different aromatic flavourings, those which use sour cream instead of regular heavy cream, and those which use cream as the final addition to, rather than the foundation of a sauce. In the following recipes you will find a couple of variations on cream sauces.

Preparing Tomato and Vegetable Sauces The History of Tomato Sauces Tomatoes were a common ingredient in the diet of ancient South Americans but were not introduced to Europe until the 16th century by explorers coming from the New World. Because they grow well in a warmer climate, tomatoes quickly became popular in southern Europe. After World War I, the status of tomato sauce was lifted as Auguste Escoffier updated Antonin Careme's 19th century list of mother (or grand) sauces by including tomato sauce as one of them. The mother sauces are considered the foundation from which all sauces in classical cuisine are derived. Today tomatoes are found in just about every culture and there are an infinite number of sauces that are tomato based.

Moving Ahead with Tomatoes and Vegetable Sauces In the mid 20th century, as nouvelle cuisine gained in popularity over the heavier, classical cuisine, the trend of using fewer ingredients and making lighter, more simple food became the new way of cooking. Traditional sauce components such as butter, 35

cream, flour, and meat stocks were replaced with lighter, fresher ingredients such as vegetables and fruits. Today that trend has grown even stronger as chefs now commonly use extracted juices and pure vegetable and fruit purees as the sauces themselves.

Working With Thickening Agents - Beyond the Roux Preparing Rich, Thick Soups and Sauces Many techniques and ingredients are used to thicken soups. While many classic soup recipes call for thickening using roux, today there are a variety of ways to add body and tighten up a soup that is too watery. Eggs, vegetables, and starches all offer options to adjust the consistency of a soup. The ingredients of the soup usually dictate which thickening is used for the desired end result.

Eggs: A Volatile Thickener The least common and most volatile soup thickener is eggs. Eggs are used as a liaison in many cream sauces and desserts and can also be used to thicken a soup. Regardless of its use, the technique is always the same. The eggs (often just the yolks) are placed in a bowl and whisked together with a small amount of the hot liquid to temper the eggs. Cold eggs scramble if added directly to the soup without tempering. The warmed eggs are then added back to the soup and slowly warmed until the soup thickens. This usually takes only a few minutes. The soup must be immediately removed from the heat and/or transferred into another container so that it does not continue to cook. These soups need to be served immediately after preparation because the eggs do not hold up well and if kept warm or reheated run a good risk of breaking down.

Thicken with Robust Starches Soups are often thickened with cooked potatoes, beans, or other starchy vegetables, which are added just before the soup is finished. If it is to be served as a puree, the vegetables can be added to the entire batch of soup and everything pureed together. If it is not going to be a straight puree, then a portion of the finished soup can be blended as is, or with the addition of a starchy vegetable, and then stirred back into the original pot of soup. Either way the flavour is not being diluted and if anything becoming more intensified as the puree is incorporated.

Thickening with Grain: Flour, Rice and More Flour, cornstarch, rice, and bread are also good thickeners. Flour and cornstarch are a little less desirable because they sometimes impart a grainy consistency and undesirable flavour. In a pinch, however, they are good last minute solutions. Rice and bread are often used in the same way as vegetables. With rice you also run the risk of graininess if it is not properly cooked or pureed. Bread offers one of the best thickening options. A simple white bread, without crust or any seeds can be added to the soup once it is completed, allowed to absorb the liquid for a few minutes, and then pureed. The end result is a luscious, silky texture.

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Sauce Basics Classic Sauces Boost Your Culinary Repertoire A sauce is a combination of ingredients which are used to enhance the taste of, add moisture to, or offer visual appeal to a particular dish. The history of sauce making is vast and runs through many centuries of time and cultures throughout the world. One of the most notable periods of sauce development came at a time before refrigeration was invented. Sauces were developed to either mask the intense salt flavour which came from preserving meats or were used to hide the putrid flavour of food which had started to spoil. As refrigeration became more available and preservation techniques left food more palatable, the nature of sauces began to change as well. Those which were once heavy and intensely flavoured were replaced with lighter versions more subtle in flavour and used more as a garnish than a flavour intended to predominate.

Redefining Classic Sauce Techniques Classical sauce making is a precise and often time-consuming task which was designed to give consistent results. While variations within the traditional sauces existed, there was typically not a lot of room for experimentation and creativity on the part of the chef. Today, as exposure to culture and cuisine around the world becomes more accessible, we have started to see a strong shift as chefs become less regimented and more creative in the ways in which they approach sauce making. Regardless of the end result, however, there is almost always a traditional, historical technique being used at its foundation and it is therefore imperative that you have a keen knowledge of the basics before you attempt to improvise. Many believe that a chef's ability to make a proper sauce is the standard by which all of the rest of his or her cooking should be judged.

Learn the History behind Sauces There are numerous references which can teach you the history and techniques of sauce making, and I strongly recommend that you access some of them so that you have a basic understanding of sauce making. Sauces have an infinite range in terms of flavour, texture, and how and when they are used. Some cultures use sauces as the foundation of a dish intended to bind ingredients together such as with an Indian curry or Coq au Vin. Other cultures use sauces as an accompaniment intended to enhance the flavours and textures of certain ingredients such as a salsa or chutney. And still others use sauces as an integral component of a dish such as a marinara sauce on pasta or vinaigrette on a salad. In the following recipes you will receive a small sampling of some of the more popular varieties of sauces in the culinary world today.

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Growing and Storing Herbs How to Grow Herbs at Home Growing herbs at home is easy and satisfying, as well as economical. If you purchase herbs in bunches at grocery stores, they can cost upwards of $2.00 each, and few people manage to use the entire bunch before it goes bad. It is far more resourceful to have a pot of herbs growing from which you can snip just the amount you need as you need it. Growing herbs at home is simple to do both indoors and out. Choose a sunny spot outside or a room or window inside that gets a lot of direct sunlight. You can also use grow lights, which allow you to grow herbs just about anywhere.

Place herbs in individual pots or save space by planting a variety of them together in larger pots. Chances are you won't require much more than a few sprigs at a time anyway. You can easily start herbs from seeds or seedling plants and a short time later, you can reap the benefits of your plantings. If planting herbs is not an option for you, you can purchase a bunch and keep them in a cool place, in a glass of water much like a bouquet of flowers, often for weeks at a time.

How to Store Herbs Trim the bottoms of the stems and place the herbs in a glass or vase large enough to hold them securely, making certain that nothing but the bottom half of the stems are touching the water. Place the glass of herbs in a window or a sunny part of your kitchen and snip the leaves from the top as needed. When the water begins to discolour, replace it with fresh water. You can cover the tops of the herbs loosely with plastic wrap to retain some moisture, or just spritz them regularly with water to keep them moist.

Improper herb storage is often the culprit in the short lived existence of most purchased herbs. Too much moisture, extreme temperatures, and other unfavourable environments can greatly affect the life and quality of fresh herbs. When purchasing, look for herbs with fresh looking leaves that are not wilted and do not have brown, slimy, or mouldy spots. Drier, woody herbs like rosemary, sage, and thyme should be placed in a perforated plastic bag or wrapped loosely in plastic wrap and stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. They should last about a week. Leafier herbs, like parsley and cilantro are more susceptible to moisture and cold. Wrap these herbs in a slightly damp paper towel and place them in a perforated plastic bag. You can also store them in a crisper drawer, preferably set for low humidity.

Most herbs do quite well when frozen or dried. This is a good storage solution if you have a bumper crop of herbs. Freezing herbs maintains colour and flavour as well as most of their nutritive properties, although they become limp when thawed and retain their taste only when used with cooked foods.

Some people recommend blanching the leaves and then drying them well before freezing. The easiest way is to simply pick the leaves from the stems and wash and 38

dry them well (a salad spinner works great for this). If you are planning on crumbling the leaves once they are frozen, you can place them in plastic bags and, once frozen, crumble them into tiny pieces. If you intend to use leaves individually, spread them onto a paper towel lined baking tray and place the tray in the freezer. Once the herbs are frozen, you can place them in a bag or storage container where they won't stick together. The herbs last for up to six months before their quality begins to diminish.

Frozen herbs should be used straight out of the freezer and added to your food at the last minute.

Drying herbs is also a good storage solution, although it does not retain as much of the pure flavour or nutrients as freezing does. Drying can be done indoors or out and is usually done by way of laying herbs on a rack or tying them in bunches and hanging them to be dried by circulating air. Herbs can also be dried in an electric dehydrator or in the microwave. Dried herbs last about a year in an air tight container before their flavour fades. A ratio of 1:3 should be used when substituting dried herbs for fresh.

Herb Basics Definition of an Herb An herb is a flowering plant generally characterized as having a woody to soft stem and leaves, seeds, or roots that are used in culinary, medicinal, nutritional, household, and cosmetic applications.

The History of Herbs across the World The use of herbs has existed as long as civilization, with the earliest evidence dating back to at least 2000 BC in India, China, and Egypt. During the Middle Ages, herbs and spices from the Far and Middle East were introduced to Europe where their culinary merits were quickly realized. Europeans were taught about new and exotic flavours, which they started incorporating into dishes to add new dimension and flavour.

Hundreds of years would pass before refrigeration was invented, and so early foods were often stored and preserved for many months before they were consumed. Herbs and spices played a major role in food preservation not only because many were known to have properties that facilitated preservation, but also because their often intense flavours helped to disguise the pungency of foods that were bordering on rancid, making them substantially more palatable. Today herbs are used to add and infuse flavour to a range of foods and beverages, and they have increased in popularity in products such as teas, flavoured oils, vinegars, butters, and more.

Using Herbs as Medicine Before their culinary applications, herbs were primarily used for medicinal purposes.

Many medicines today, such as aspirin and morphine, have ingredients that are derived from herbs that had been used for ages to treat the same ailments. There is a

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strong belief among many people that herbal remedies are effective in treating everything from acne to high blood pressure to calming the nerves.

In the Western world, a good deal of controversy with regards to the efficacy of herbal medicines has been evident because not much research has been done to support these claims. That being said, herbs have been used for centuries throughout the world to cure and prevent ailments. Denying the effectiveness of these treatments as a whole seems a bit premature. Recently, with the new consciousness and concern about what people are putting in their bodies, there has been a shift back into the exploration of using herbs, and other naturally derived ingredients, to aid in health.

Herbs Play a Role in Nutrition Many herbs also have nutritional benefits, including as a source of antioxidants.

Antioxidants, such as beta carotene, help to prevent and repair cell damage in the human body and have also been linked with impeding the onset of problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Oregano, marjoram, and thyme are all high in antioxidants and because there is so little water in these herbs in relation to their size, the amount is highly concentrated. Consuming just a small amount of these herbs could have noticeable nutritional benefits. Many herbs are also rich in vitamins, particularly A, B, and C. Parsley contains a high amount of vitamin C with more per volume than in an orange.

Other Uses of Herbs In addition to the previously mentioned applications, herbs have numerous household uses as well. Rosemary and oregano have antiseptic and cleansing properties, while mint and thyme are good repellents for many types of insects. Fragrant herbs like lavender and lemon verbena are used as air and laundry fresheners and any number of herb combinations can be used to make potpourris and scented candles. Herbs, in their vast range of colours, also provide a safe and natural way of dyeing yarn and fabrics.

The use of plants and herbs for beauty and cosmetic purposes can also be traced back numerous centuries. In addition to soaps and lotions, herbs are used in shampoos, hair colouring, skin cleansers, toothpastes, perfumes, make up, and bath infusions.

Mint, Basil, Parsley, Coriander, and Tarragon Mint: The word mint has its origins in Greek mythology. It is said that when Pluto's wife discovered that he was in love with the beautiful nymph Mint he, she was overcome by jealous rage and transformed the nymph into a plant. Pluto, unable to reverse his wife's actions, was at least able to transform the plant into one of fragrant beauty.

Mint is commonly found in warmer regions including Europe, Asia, South Africa, the Americas, and Australia.

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There are at least 25 species of mint including peppermint, spearmint, apple, chocolate, pineapple, and ginger mint. All mint has similar cooling, menthol undertones but each type also has a subtle, unique flavour that distinguishes it from other types. Mint, as most people recognize it, has pairs of leaves that sit opposite each other on the plants uniquely square shaped stems. The leaves are usually bright to deep green in colour and often have jagged, serrated leaves.

The culinary uses for mint are infinite and it has both sweet and savoury applications.

It is often used in sweetened beverages such as Moroccan mint tea or mint juleps and as a popular flavouring for candy, gum, and desserts. In savoury cooking, two of the more classical parings for mint are with lamb and with fresh peas. It is also frequently used in Middle Eastern cookery in dishes like tabouli. Medicinally, mint is used for intestinal issues, to clear the sinuses, and to help soothe headaches, toothaches, and sore mouths and throats.

Basil: The King of Herbs Basil is native to India, Africa, and Asia, but is cultivated the world around. It is characterized by long stems with large, soft leaves that range in colour from lime green to deep purple and range in shape from long and thin to tall and rotund.

Although there are numerous varieties of basil, the most common are Italian or sweet, Thai, lemon, cinnamon, and opal. Most basil has a deep, slightly peppery flavour with a hint of sweetness and traces of mint and clove. The names of many types of basil reveal what its underlying flavors are, for example lemon and cinnamon.

Pesto is probably the first food that comes to mind when basil is mentioned because it is an extremely popular pasta sauce made from basil, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and Parmesan cheese. Tomatoes are a perfect flavour match for basil and many classic Italian dishes, such as the Margherita pizza and the soup pappa al pomodoro, are made with tomatoes, basil, and just a few other ingredients, each of which greatly highlights the other. Basil is wonderful eaten raw in salads and sandwiches and equally delicious when added to cooked dishes like soups, roasts, and vegetables. It is often used to aid in digestion and some believe that it helps reduce headaches and calm the nerves.

Parsley Parsley is indigenous to the Mediterranean regions as well as parts of the Middle East, South America and Africa. It flourishes in moderate climates and does not respond well to high amounts of humidity. Parsley has often received the unfair distinction of being a flavourless culinary afterthought good only for adding colour to food. On the contrary, parsley actually has a bright, vibrant flavour that can surprisingly enhance any dish to which it is added. The two most popular types of parsley are curly parsley and Italian, or flat leaf parsley. Curly parsley is recognized by its tightly bunched, bright green leaves and a milder taste and crisper texture. The Italian variety is more fragrant and bold in taste with less bitterness than its curly counterpart and is recognized by its flat leaves with a saw-toothed pattern.

Parsley leaves are often used in a Middle Eastern and North African food, particularly salads and cold dishes. It can also be used to season more delicately flavoured dishes 41

like eggs, simple pastas, and fish. Parsley is often used in combination with other herbs. Two of the better known examples are the French blend of fines herbs and gremolata, an Italian mixture of lemon zest, garlic, and parsley. It is one of the most nutritious of all the herbs with large amounts of antioxidants and vitamins. It is also a natural breath freshener and is sometimes used to help with bladder and urinary tract problems.

Cilantro and Coriander Like many of the herbs discussed, cilantro (or coriander) has its origins in the Mediterranean regions, even though it is more commonly associated with Mexican and Asian cuisines. Cilantro is one of the most powerful and distinctive tasting herbs and the one that elicits more emotion in people (particularly among those who dislike it) than any other. For those who like it, the flavour of cilantro is often described as aromatic and zesty with flavours of sage and citrus. Those who don't like it typically abhor its taste, describing it as soapy, medicinal, and bitter. It has been suggested that there is actually some type of enzymatic change happening in their bodies that affects how the taste of cilantro is perceived.

Cilantro is used freely in Mexican and Southeast Asian food and because the flavour profiles from these distant regions of the world are so different, the flavour of cilantro actually tastes different depending on which foods you are eating it with. When added to salsas in Mexican cuisine, cilantro blends with the other ingredients brightening the flavours while at the same time helping to cool and tone down some of the heat from the chillies. In many Southeast Asian dishes, such as the traditional Thai coconut soup tom kah gai, cilantro is added to what starts out as a fairly neutral flavoured broth and along with other aromatic flavourings such as kaffir lime and galangal root, helps to perfume the broth, adding more fragrance than actual flavour to the dish.

Cilantro is similar to Italian parsley in appearance having jagged edged, bright green, flat leaves attached to a long stem, but cilantro's leaves are more rounded than those of Italian parsley. If there is ever any doubt as to which is which, just smell them and you can immediately distinguish one from the other. Cilantro is sometimes used to aid in digestion, but otherwise does not have many medicinal uses.

How to Use Tarragon Tarragon is native to Siberia and the Caspian Sea area and is now widely cultivated in Europe, the United States, and Asia. Characterized by its anise-like flavour, it can be a delicate enhancer in small amounts and completely overpowering in larger quantities or if it has been cooked for too long. It grows on slim, tender stems and has long, narrow dark green leaves. Tarragon is often used in combination with other herbs so that is does not overpower a dish. It is a nice accompaniment to fish, meat, and poultry as well as hearty vegetables. Tarragon is the primary ingredient in the wellknown sauces bĂŠarnaise and remoulded that have a rich foundation that can hold up to the intense flavour of the herb. Tarragon also lends itself well to acidic ingredients such as vinegars and citrus, which help to mellow some of its intensity. Tarragon doesn't have any real medicinal uses, but it does have a numbing affect on the tongue and inside of the mouth if you chew on a leaf or two.

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Rosemary, Sage, and Savoury Rosemary: Dish up a Distinctive Flavour Rosemary is one of the hardiest of plants to thrive in hot, dry conditions. Native to the hillsides of Portugal, Spain, and the Mediterranean regions, it is now widely cultivated throughout much of the world. Rosemary has thick, woody stems and green and white, tough, needle like leaves. Rosemary leaves have high oil content, a strong pine fragrance, and a flavour similar to mint and pine. It pairs very well with other strong flavoured foods like lamb, beef, and game and makes a good marinade for all of these. It is also a good match, in small quantities, for bold flavoured vegetables and can infuse a subtle, fragrant undertone when a whole sprig is placed in a pot of soup or stew to steep for a short period of time. Rosemary has antiseptic and antioxidant properties and is often used as an air freshener and in cosmetics.

Be Wise and Add Sage to Recipes Sage is a pale green shrub with woody stems and slightly fuzzy, long, and somewhat narrow leaves. Native to the northern Mediterranean and cultivated world wide, sage is a hardy plant that survives well under many conditions. The flavour of sage can be described as somewhat similar to camphor with hints of lemon and a slight bitterness.

Sage is probably recognizable to most Americans as a flavour that evokes memories of Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing. It goes without saying that sage is a natural complement to poultry, but is also quite nice when paired with pork and veal and when simmered slowly in stews or pots of beans. Younger, more tender, and less intensely flavoured leaves can be used sparingly in salads, with eggs, and with some vegetables. Sage is known for many of its antiseptic and astringent properties and has been useful in treating sore throats, cuts, and bruises. It is also widely used in the production of cosmetics because of its soothing properties and calming fragrance.

How to Use Winter and Summer Savoury There are two types of savory used in cooking--winter savory and summer savory.

Both originate from the Mediterranean region and Western and Central Asia. It is believed that savory was introduced to England by the Romans during Caesar's reign.

Both types grow as a small, woody bush with leaves that are attached in pairs at the stem, are long and narrow at the base, and a bit wider at the tip. Summer savory leaves are soft and more grey-green turning to purple in late summer. Its counterpart, winter savory, has leaves that are dark green and glossy. Winter savory has a deeper, more piney taste, similar to rosemary and is commonly paired with heartier foods such as game, red meats and pates and sausage.

Both types of savory are good matches for all types of beans and legumes and in fact are referred to by the Germans as the bean's herb. While winter savory lends itself to hearty food preparations, summer savory is more often used with lighter beans and legumes such as green beans and lentils. It also pairs well with chicken, lighter meats and most types of vegetables and is palatable enough to be eaten raw when added to salads and other fresh dishes. Savory is commonly used in herb blends, particularly a Middle Eastern blend za'tar, which is a mix of savory, thyme, and marjoram. Savory 43

has a history of medicinal uses, the most common being regulating the sex drive. It was believed that winter savory decreased sexual desire while summer savory was thought to be an aphrodisiac. It's no wonder that summer savory became the more popular of the two. Savory also aids in digestion and has astringent and antiseptic properties. ============================================================

Hors D'oeuvres and Canapés Hors d' oeuvres are small, bite-sized morsels that are either served before the start of a meal or instead of a meal. Sometimes also referred to as canapés, they can be served banquet style and laid out on platters for guests to help themselves or they can be passed around to guests on trays by food servers. Hors d'oeuvres must be very flavourful and perfectly seasoned because the balance and blend of all of the components must be clearly projected in just a bite or two of food.

Creating and designing an hors d'oeuvre or canapé menu requires a good deal of thought and planning. Not only must an hors d'oeuvre be small enough to be held in the hand and eaten, but it must also be self contained enough that it doesn't crumble apart when bitten into, flavourful enough to be satisfying in such small quantities, and visually appealing enough that the guest wants to eat it. When creating a canapé menu, variety is the factor that should be most strongly considered. It is best to offer a good assortment of ingredients such as meat, fish, vegetables, and cheese as well as an array of edible bases such as bread, pancakes, vegetables, fruit, and pastry shells.

Sometimes, instead of sitting on a base, an hors d'oeuvre is threaded on a skewer or served in tiny dishes or glasses.

Other factors to consider when composing the menu relate to preparation and presentation. Even the most basic cocktail party requires 3 or 4 different canapés if one is to satisfy the guests and keep them from getting bored with their choices. If each one requires a great deal of time to prepare, for example making 100 little pancakes, then this must be factored into the overall menu. Designing a menu with items that require many hours of preparation also requires cooking for days in advance and can be a risk in terms of the freshness of ingredients. An important factor to consider is the availability of ample storage space. A better choice would be to select a couple of canapés that are perhaps more labor intensive, such as tartlets or pancakes, and then a couple that are less so, such as a mousse piped onto a cracker or stuffed endive spears.

Presentation is another major consideration, particularly in terms of how much work is required to construct and finish the hors d'oeuvre before they are ready to be served.

Those that require a good deal of detail and precision generally take longer to complete and therefore take longer to get out to the guests. Extensive focus on a single item also takes away from moving quickly onto other items and can make the flow of food out of the kitchen extremely slow, something that is never well received.

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A well thought out menu should have a few items that can be pre-assembled, and will hold up well, and then only one or two that require a multi-step process for completion. For example, if you are putting together a platter of canapĂŠs that each require a mere 2 minutes to assemble, it takes 20 minutes to send out just 10 pieces.

Because they are so small, they are rapidly consumed in a matter of seconds and hungry guests will be anxiously awaiting their next piece. It would not be possible to assemble hors d'oeuvres such as these fast enough to keep up with the pace of consumption (unless there were a plethora of chefs in the kitchen, which is typically not the case). It is therefore important to balance labour intensive items with those that can go out quickly and keep the guests appeased.

Creating new ideas and recipes is often the most fun part of the menu process. Many chefs look beyond bite-sized foods to classics and traditional foods to get inspiration for variations that they think will be appealing in a smaller size. A popular example of this is the grilled cheese sandwich. Basic and simple at best in its original form, when sized down for an hors d'oeuvre it can be made using interesting breads and unusual cheeses, zipped up with a drizzle of truffle oil, or even accompanied by a demitasse of creamy tomato soup. Suddenly, something considered completely ordinary is transformed into something fun, creative, and new. This particular hors d'oeuvre also falls into the category of those that can be prepared ahead of time and require very little time and effort to serve. The sandwiches can be toasted, cut, and placed on trays to be quickly reheated before they are served. The soup can be made and then held warm in a thermos or coffee pot. The serving process would then be as simple as reheating the sandwiches, placing them on a platter and pouring the soup into the tiny sized espresso cups just before serving. Guests will be delighted by something so familiar that flaunts new flavours, the originality of the transformation of the dish, and even the nostalgia of the soup and sandwich combination.

Visual appeal is one last component to consider when designing an hors d'oeuvre menu. Each hors d'oeuvre should be appealing to the eye as well as the palate. A good balance of colour, shape, and dimension is as vital to a canapĂŠ as a good balance of flavour. It is therefore important to thoroughly think through the appearance of each item to make sure that there is enough diversity. Making a colour sketch of each canapĂŠ as it is envisioned allows the chef to have a clear idea of how they will look and is also quite useful when trying to explain the hors d'oeuvres to those who are preparing them. Simple garnishes such as the leaf of an herb or a crushed pink peppercorn can be the perfect finishing touch that elevates the appearance of the hors d'oeuvre to a new level and making it appear complete and balanced.

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Appetizers The appetizer, or the first course of the meal, is the specialty of garde manger and pantry chefs. An appetizer is the perfect way to whet the diner's appetite and to give a preview of what to expect from the rest of the meal. In the restaurant world, appetizers are not only put on a menu for the pleasure of the guest, but it in fact, serve several functions from the kitchen's perspective as well.

Appetizers are the part of the menu that allows the chef to show the most creativity and experimentation. Because there are often a greater number of appetizers than entrees on a menu, the chef has room to be playful with ingredients and flavors and can often cross culinary and cultural borders to create new dishes. Entree menus tend to be limited to the standards--meat, fish, poultry--and can allow for one or two more unusual additions, but mostly need to provide something that appeals to everyone because just about everyone who comes into a restaurant orders an entree.

It is not necessarily the case, however, that each customer orders an appetizer and if even they do there is usually a green salad or simple soup tucked in among even the most creative of appetizers that appeals to just about anyone. The trend of featuring small plates or tapas on the menu seems to be continually growing. Many diners are applying this concept to regular restaurant menus by ordering multiple appetizers in place of the standard appetizer-entree combination. Ordering in this way allows the diner to sample more dishes for roughly the same price and presents an array of diverse ingredients and flavours, which makes what many consider to be a more interesting overall dining experience.

Because appetizer portions are smaller than entrees, chefs are able to use more intense flavours and interesting combinations. They can also use expensive ingredients, like foie gras and caviar, because they are using less of them. One of the biggest issues that affect a restaurant's profitability is its food cost. Food that is wasted has already been paid for and instead of making back the money spent on that food plus a profit, the restaurant that wastes food simply loses money. Often entire sides of meat and whole birds are purchased because it is less costly to buy animal products this way, and break them down into different cuts and portions, than it is to purchase each cut individually.

Sides of meat and whole birds do include parts that are not necessarily desirable if put on a menu as they are, such as meat and fat scraps and chicken innards. When combined with other ingredients, however, these less than desirable parts can be transformed into something magical. Delicious terrines and rillettes are made from beef and pork scraps and chicken liver pate and duck leg confit are made from less commonly used parts of poultry. A few simple techniques can transform parts that are often regarded as unusable into something not only delicious for the customer, but also profitable for the restaurant. These items, and many more like them, have their roots in the garde manger of long ago when food was scarce and people learned to use every part of an animal so that they wouldn't starve. In the restaurants of today that same concept of usage correlates to profit.

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Garde Manger in the Modern World Many factions of today's food industry have their origins in garde manger. When the term was coined in the middle Ages, it referred to a room in the homes of nobility and the wealthy that was dedicated to preparing and storing foods. These rooms were typically located underground where conditions were most favourable for the long term storage of food. As restaurants became ubiquitous, the meaning and responsibilities of garde manger expanded, particularly after the invention of refrigeration. Garde manger as it applied to the restaurant kitchen was similar to what it was in homes. It referred to designated areas that were kept at a cooler temperature and used specifically for preparing and storing cold foods as well as referring to those chefs who controlled that area.

Garde mangers today have numerous roles in restaurant and hotel kitchens ranging from basic appetizer preparation and service to elaborate and expansive buffet and banquet presentations. Many restaurants now refer to the garde manger station as the pantry station and have simplified the responsibilities to the preparation and service of the appetizers on the restaurant menu. This is not to imply that the pantry chef's job is simple, in fact it is often the most complex of all of the stations. Many restaurant pantry stations are responsible for both cold and hot appetizers and each individual appetizer is usually composed of numerous ingredients. Menus also frequently offer a greater number of appetizers than they do entrees, which means that the amount of time that goes into the preparation of these dishes is often greater. A solid capacity for timing and organization is required in order for them to be well executed.

In hotels and restaurants that do large banquets and buffets, the garde manger's responsibilities are also quite complex. They are not only responsible for preparing all of the food, but they are also responsible for creating beautiful and elaborate presentations of these foods often in great quantities. Many buffets consist of hors d'oeuvres and canapĂŠs that require exacting work to create precisely assembled, uniform sized pieces. Regardless of the type of food they are preparing, these chefs are also responsible for making the entire table appear visually appealing, which regularly requires producing hand carved garnishes, flower arrangements, and even ice sculptures. It is therefore necessary that their skill sets be vast and that their attention to detail be precise.

Garde mangers of the past laid the groundwork for artisan food as it is known today.

While this type of food production has been common in Europe for quite some time, it has really only recently risen in popularity in the United States. Boutique retailers specializing in things such as salumi or charcuterie (prepared meat products such as sausage, salami, pate, bacon, and ham), family run farms with small productions of exceptional goat, sheep and cow's milk cheeses, bee keepers making their own honey, orchards making fresh jams and preserves, and so on, are all becoming common throughout the United States.

As Europeans focus on gaining a greater insight into where their food comes from and how it is prepared, they are learning that smaller production means greater control over the product. It is generally true that companies focusing on just a few products are able to put more time and care into perfecting those items and maintaining their 47

consistency than those companies who mass produce. While artisan products are usually higher in cost than mass produced items the saying "you get what you pay for" was never truer than it is in this case. Quality, craftsmanship and pride are all factors that make these products unique and that make consumers seek them out.

What Is Garde Manger The History of Garde Manger

Garde manger is one of those terms that refer to so many things it is difficult to know where to begin talking about it. Not only does it refer to a cooking position in the traditional French kitchen brigade, it also refers to the station or area of the kitchen where those cooks prepare and store their food, as well as to the type of food they create. So literally, a garde manger works at the garde manger preparing garde manger. If you aren't totally confused yet or even if you are, read on and hopefully it will all start to become clearer.

In contemporary terms, garde manger refers to that part of a service kitchen that is responsible for preparing appetizers, namely cold food items and is often referred to as the pantry. The term translates as� keep to eat" and dates back to the Middle Ages when the households of nobility and the very wealthy had a designated space dedicated to food that was being stored to be eaten at a later time. The areas themselves were referred to as garde manger and were typically located under ground where the temperature was naturally cooler and provided a better environment for food storage.

Household employees, known as garde mangers or stewards, were responsible for maintaining the garde manger area and prepared, stocked, and distributed all of the food that was stored there. As food resources began to increase, due to improved hunting and farming practices and the domestication of animals, it became necessary for them to acquire new preservation and storage techniques. Much of the food on hand needed to be prepared in such a way that it could be held and consumed throughout the year without spoiling. Stewards used numerous techniques including curing, smoking, brining, drying, pickling, and canning to ensure that the food they were responsible for would last until it was ready to be eaten. They became proficient in new techniques and also adapted existing techniques for making sausage, pates, and even cheese.

As the proficiency of their stewards increased, many people saw an opportunity to make a profit from their employee's skills as well as their larder. Thus emerged the practice of selling, buying, and trading these homemade goods. As commerce in this area grew, it became necessary for the government to intervene to preserve integrity and ensure the safety of the food that was being prepared and sold.

Specialized professions emerged outside of the home from this new form of commerce, and as specific guidelines were laid out, workers began refining their craft accordingly. From this grew trade guilds, which developed systems that set standards for workmanship and the price of goods and protected businesses and employees.

Guilds were designed so that each member went through the same training process, 48

beginning with an apprenticeship and culminating in the mastery of the craft. Trained guildsmen started to open their own specialty shops and with that came the availability of those highly sought-after products that were previously difficult to acquire if one was not wealthy enough to be able to afford a garde manger of their own.

The onset of the French Revolution brought about a good deal of change. As the war began, many wealthy homeowners were forced to flee their homes leaving their household staff members behind to fend for themselves. As wealthy households toppled, countless garde mangers suddenly found themselves out of work and many flocked to restaurants and hotels to seek employment in a field where they could use their already well honed skills. Their knowledge of food handling, storage, and preparation made them easily employable and a welcome asset to most establishments. It was at this time that the garde manger station and position were developed in professional kitchens and where the modern garde manger and pantry stations find their roots. =============================================================

Different types of kitchen knives and their uses Here is a list of different types of knives and their uses.

Paring knife - Every kitchen should have a paring knife.

A multipurpose knife used for small jobs such as topping and tailing vegetables, removing skins from onions and preparing small fruits.

Turning knife – You won’t always find these in home kitchen but an essential if you are making a unique style presentation.

A turning knife has a very small curved blade designed to ‘turn” vegetables into a barrel shape for presentation purposes.

Filleting knife – a filleting knife has a medium-length blade that is narrow and flexible so it can bend while running along the bone structure of fish, particularly flat fish.

Boning knife - A boning knife has a short to medium blade that is pointed at the end.

It should be strong and rigid, not flexible like a filleting knife. The point is designed to get close to bones and cut away the meat.

General Chef’s knife – This is my favourite knife. It is a multi-purpose knife.

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It can be used on many different commodities such as vegetables, fruits, meat and poultry.

The knife can be used across a variety of cutting techniques, including chopping, dicing shredding and slicing.

Palette knife – I don’t know why it is call a knife but this knife is not designed for cutting purposes. It is blunt but flexible; it is used for manoeuvring around tricky situations. For example: it is used to turn items over during the cooking process for example sautéed potatoes. It is also used for lifting food from the pan to plate.

The second use is spreading, for example butter to bread, cream to a cake. A palette knife is usually fairly long, although they vary quite a lot in length and is flexible so it can get underneath food items.

Carving knife - it has a long, thin blade, the knife should be very sharp to ensure neat, accurate and efficient cutting.

It usually comes with a carving fork which is larger and stronger than a standard fork.

It is designed to support the meats while they are being carved.

Serrated knife - This knife comes with serrated edges are designed to slice certain foods like bread or vegetables with firm skins such as tomatoes and capsicums.

Serrated knife have a long thin blade to assist in the sawing type motion required when slicing.

Reminder- Knife Safety Knives are particularly dangerous pieces of equipment if used incorrectly, however they are essential item for anyone working in the kitchen. Here are some reminders: 

Always place a knife on the bench to give to another person, rather that passes it by hand to the person.

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Never hold knives in the air or hold them with fingers overlapping the cutting zone.

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Don't use the knife as a screwdriver or can opener.

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Don't wave a knife around, point with it or turn around with it in your hand.

Place on the bench and then turn to talk to others.

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Never transport food on the blade of a knife.

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Never leave knives in sinks or under items. Blades are hazards when not in a visual range.

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Always keep the knives separate and individually contained, wrapped or held with the point of the knives secured, this includes in your toolbox or even in the picnic basket. Never hide knives under anything.

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