Herb and spice blends are combinations of flavors that are commonly found in many dishes. Although they are pre-mixed and sold in stores, most can be mixed by the cook as needed. This is what I recommend, because your homemade … [Read more...]
Moist Heat Cooking Methods
November 16, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
There are four basic moist heat cooking methods. Moist heat refers to applying heat to food by submerging it into a hot liquid or by exposing it to steam. All four procedures are integral to a professional chef's cooking … [Read more...]
Knife Blade Material
September 9, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
Before you begin to worry about what types of knives you need, I suggest you bone up on knife blade material. Here I discuss knife construction from a material perspective. A good knife begins with a single piece of metal or … [Read more...]
Kitchen Utensils and Appliances
August 3, 2011 By - 3 Comments
Stocking your kitchen with high quality kitchen utensils and appliances is a key element in becoming a gourmet cook. If I've learned one thing in my 30 years of cooking, it is that having the right tool for the job is of … [Read more...]
Kitchen Staples
July 7, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
Never mind your stapler. Here we are discussing kitchen staples, or foods that are used often and in many different dishes. These are things like spices and herbs. It is very important to have them easily accessible, as you … [Read more...]
Principles of Cooking
May 26, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
To cook foods successfully, you must understand the science and principles of cooking. Now, bear with me. Yes, this page is about the science and principles of gourmet cooking, but please trust me, it is neither difficult to … [Read more...]
Uses For Herbs and Spices
May 12, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
Below I'd like to share with you the basic list of uses for herbs and spices that I started with. Their proper use leads to better-flavored and distinctively different dishes. Developing a natural sense of when to use which … [Read more...]
Vinegar Types
May 8, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
Many vinegar types are primarily used in food preparation, particularly in pickling processes, vinaigrettes, and other salad dressings. It is also an ingredient in sauces, such as mustard, ketchup, and mayonnaise, as well as a … [Read more...]
Kitchen Measurement Tools
May 5, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
Quality kitchen measurement tools are very important, because recipe ingredients must be measured precisely, especially in baking, and foods should be measured when served to control portion size and cost. The kitchen … [Read more...]
Kitchen Knife Types
April 10, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
Mark my words, you will collect many kitchen knife types with many specialized functions during your life as a gourmet cook. No matter how many knives you have, it seems you are always happening upon something new and different, … [Read more...]
Gourmet Spices
April 2, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
Gourmet spices include all the old standards, along with a whole world of exotic and exciting spices unknown to most would-be cooks. I'm always surprised when I see a friend's "spice rack" and it contains only salt, pepper … [Read more...]
Gourmet Cookware
March 9, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
Gourmet cookware should be selected for its shape, size, ability to conduct heat evenly and overall quality for construction. Of course, if you're like me, you'll also want to consider style, color, and the general aesthetics of … [Read more...]
Gourmet Condiments
February 4, 2011 By - Leave a Comment
No gourmet cooking site worth its salt can overlook gourmet condiments. Not that there really are such things as gourmet vs. regular condiments, but even gourmet cooking benefits from the availability of condiments. A condiment … [Read more...]
Garnishing
January 19, 2011 By - 2 Comments
Garnishing is simply any attempt to add color and/or flavor so as to accent or dress up a dish you are serving. A garnish ties everything together! Whether you are cooking at the White House or just at your house, it can go a … [Read more...]
Food Thickening Agents
December 12, 2010 By - Leave a Comment
I've decided to devote a separate page to food thickening agents. Why? Well, as noted elsewhere in my website, attaining a certain expertise with sauce making is a big part of becoming a gourmet cook. And one cannot achieve this … [Read more...]
Dry Heat Cooking Methods
November 4, 2010 By - Leave a Comment
Dry heat cooking methods include broiling, grilling, roasting, baking, sauteing, pan-frying, and deep-frying. Obviously, it would be very hard to be a gourmet cook and not be familiar with all of these cooking methods. Certain … [Read more...]
Food Strainers
October 17, 2010 By - Leave a Comment
A big part of being a gourmet cook is knowing which tool best suits which purpose . . . and having that tool at hand. This definitely goes for food strainers, as using the wrong one is hardly better than using none at all. Trust … [Read more...]
What Is A Leek?
October 13, 2010 By - 3 Comments
A leek is a member of the lily family. They look like large, overgrown scallions with a fat white tip and wide green leaves. Their flavor is sweeter and stronger than scallions, but milder than common bulb onions. Trim the root … [Read more...]
Food Processing Equipment
October 9, 2010 By - Leave a Comment
One of the real benefits of living in the modern age is our modern-day food processing equipment. Imagine how much time and effort it used to take to make homemade peanut butter or knead enough dough for a few loaves of bread. … [Read more...]
Mise En Place | Everything In Its Place
September 6, 2010 By - Leave a Comment
Mise En Place (MEEZ ahn plahs) is a French term referring to having all the ingredients necessary for a dish prepared and ready to combine, up to the point of cooking. Mise En Place (meez ahn plahs) means literally, "to put in … [Read more...]
