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Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Cooking, Boating, and Outdoors
January 10, 2008
Amongst the most widely known and best loved cookbooks of all time, The Joy of Cooking, has been published time upon time since its official public release in 1936. Although initially published privately by Irma S. Rombauer in 1931, numerous revisions have since taken place since then. The most drastic of these occured in 1997 when it went through a major rewrite, in which the majority of the material was ghostwritten by master chefs who wrote in a style very different to the initial writings of Irma Rombauer. Even so, Irma S. Rombuaer herself had always intended the book to be a commercial adventure and did everything in her power to make first print run wsuccessful enough to support her, so perhaps she wouldn’t have disapproved too strongly.
In 1931, Irma had recently become a widow, and at 54 years of age, she used the $3000 left to her by her deceased spouse to self-publish the first edition of The Joy of Cooking. In March, 1936 the initial print run of Joy of Cooking ran to 10,000 copies at a recommended retail price of $2.50 per copy. After her death in 1962, the sixth edition of The Joy of Cooking came out in print. Some time later, in 1975, The Joy of Cooking was heavily reworked and revised by Marion Rombauer Becker. A new version of this book has just been released to mark the 75th anniversary of Irma Rombauer’s original self-published book, although it is markedly different from the original.
The Joy of Cooking is brimming with recipe tips. These never fail to absorb the reader with its practical approach to an extensive range of culinary delights. Take for example, the tip for creating ice for drinks. This explains that using clear, filtered water instead of water strong to the taste will avoid imparting unwanted flavour to your favourite drinks. Simple advice, granted, but it could make all the difference to your pre barbeque get together on the patio.
A further tip advises the reader to stop sandwiches going soggy by packing ingredients rich in water, such as tomatoes, lettuce and pickle slices, into a plastic bag and not to use them to make the final sandwich until you are ready to eat.
The volume contains pretty well all there is to know about cooking, be it breakfast or brunch, canning or preservatives, soups or stews - all the dishes and desserts you grew up with.
Over the years, The Joy of Cooking has been garnered with countless accolades from the likes of Julia Child, Paula Deen and Tyler Florence. Often described as ‘One of the most important books on American Cooking,’ it has become standard reading for everyone who needs a reference guide to support their culinary endeavours or an instant Gourmet Cooking Class. You can expect to pick up the current hardcover edition for $30.
An instant Gourmet Cooking Class in American cuisine.
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Eoin Beckett is a freelance writer and editor. He writes both short fiction and non-fiction for both online and print publications. Although he stems from Ireland, since his teens he has lived in countries all over the world and has forgotten many - but not all - of the Irish songs he grew up with. He currently lives and works in Copenhagen, Denmark.
There is more to get your teeth into at Eoin’s site http://www.gourmet-cooking-class.com
November 2, 2007
It?s birthday time. And it is time for you to arrange your child?s birthday party.
There is so much to think about and do.
Firstly you need to find some invitations and write on them. This is after arguing about how many can come and who to invite.
You will need to come up with a menu of food and then either buy it or make it.
There are the decorations. Balloons, streamers, table cloth, banners?…
The party favors for all the guest to take home. Some food for the parents that stay. A party outfit for your child, something for you.
Argh! Does it ever stop.
And then, of course is the cake. Oh mi ? the CAKE.
What to do? Well by this stage there is no budget left (that blew out at the invitation stage).
Do you make something?
You could.
But of course your child wants a cake that looks like a dalmatian puppy/palomino pony/tyrannosaurus/a transformer ? that transforms/harry potter/hogwats. (What ever happened to Humpty Dumpty?)
Too hard, too tiring and not enough time.
OK. Lets try something novel.
Why not make (or buy) enough cupcakes for each child to have one. Cover with plain frosting.
And then ?.
Let the Children decorate.
All you need do is to set out an array of candies, sprinkles and chocolates. And let each child decorate their own cupcake.
For smaller children just let them decorate which ever way they like.
But for older children, maybe you could set a theme. You could even go as far as to award prizes. Though, I do suggest enough prizes for each child. They could be awarded for the best use of candy, the most original, for thinking outside the square, most life like etc etc.
This not only solves the cake issue but keeps them occupied for ages.
And to cherish the moment, why not take a photo of each child?s completed cake.
Until our next Cooking Encounter
Enjoy Cooking!
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Lisa loves cooking and sharing her food ideas. She also loves Cupcakes and shares her recipes and decoration ideas at http://www.cupcake-creations.com, with you.
**Webmasters - Please feel free to add this article to your site. Just remember to ensure the links remain live and static. Regards Lisa**
November 1, 2007
In the world of cake decorating, there is probably no more misunderstood and misused term than ?Sugarcraft.?
Is sugarcraft just another word for icing?
Is it a type of cake decoration?
If you troll through the countless threads appearing on cake decorating forums, sugarcraft questions appear frequently.
Quite simply, sugarcraft is an intricate form of cake decorating that utilizes three-dimensional modeling. The art of sugarcraft stands in sharp contrast to more basic styles of decoration.
A basic design often employs a series of icing dots that form an overall pattern, whereas the sugarcraft style takes the extra step of modeling figures onto the cake. Several professional cake decorators compare sugarcraft to the art of sculpting.
Sugarcraft uses a type of icing dough known as rolled fondant. In relation to cake decorating and sugarcraft, fondant is a type of icing that can be used both for covering cakes and for making icing decorations. It is manipulated much in the same way as play-dough.
Sugarcraft decorators will roll fondant into sheets and drape over cakes or cut and shape to make icing decorations such as ribbons, flowers, and bows. Any decent sugarcraft manual worth its weight in icing will suggest preparing fondant in advance and storing it within an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When preparing a rolled fondant for sugarcraft decorating, it is best to avoid using any liquid food coloring. Liquid food coloring can turn fondant into a runny mess, so it is best to use coloring paste.
The learning curve for the sugarcraft decorating style can be steep and frustrating. Unlike the popular ?decorate-by-number? style that is built around an easy-to-follow pattern, sugarcraft takes visual guidance and months of practice.
For those serious about learning the art of sugarcraft, established decorators often suggest investing in a step-by-step cake decorating video/DVD or signing up for a class specializing in the sugarcraft method.
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Samantha Mitchell, Co-Author
Cake Decorating Made Easy! Vol. 1 & 2
The World?s First Cake Decorating Video Books
To discover the wonderful world of cake decorating, sign up for your free cake decorating video tips at Cake Decorating Made Easy
October 30, 2007
That?s the question we all ask ourselves every time we buy a pot, a pan or kettle. With so many types and brands on the market, it all seems to confusing. Truth be known, cookware has not changed much in the last hundred years. Oh sure it?s added new materials and a bit of polish here and there and some color. It?s now stamped out rather than being hammered out by hand or cast in a mold. It has cleaner, smoother lines to it. It comes with a verity of non-stick coatings or without any coating. It comes in a rainbow of colors to fit into any d?cor or color scheme. So how do we know which is best? Each has its strong points and its weaknesses. Cast iron is very good at maintaining even heat distribution and if seasoned and maintained properly, has a much better non-stick coating than coated cookware. Also, it will last a lifetime and is low cost. But many people don?t want to keep up the care that it takes, (although it is not all that much) and it is heavy. Copper is great at distributing heat also, but needs a lot of attention to keep up that lovely polished gleaming look.
Copper tends to tarnish with use so you will have to stay on top of the maintenance if you want it to always shine. Also some foods with high acidity content will dull the finish, (such as tomato products). Aluminum is a good low cost investment, but it too has it drawbacks. Here again foods with high acidity will darken the pots to a grayish blue look inside. My sauce pot looks like that now. Stainless steel is good in the over all usability and still maintaining its looks. Stainless steel cookware is actually composed of several different materials. Stainless steel cookware is composed primarily of Steel, but better-quality products include Nickel, and all products also include chromium, and either copper or aluminum. While it is the chromium that prevents the rusting, Nickel adds to the brightness of your cookware, and produces a more durable and rust-resistant pot or pan. Stainless Steel cookware is rated by the following terms: 18/0, 18/8 or 18/10. This describes the Chromium/Nickel ratio. All acceptable Stainless Steel Cookware is 18% Chromium. You will also see this rating in your flatware. Those with an 18/0 will be dull in brightness, while an 18/10 would be shinny and much brighter. Also, stainless steel does not conduct heat well and has disks added to the bottom of the pot or pan. You see this as copper bottomed cookware or some with aluminum discs. These tend to distribute the heat better.
So let?s cut to the chase. Which cookware is best? Well that, in my estimation, it is up to the buyer. What is the item that best fit your needs, your d?cor and your lifestyle and how much work are you willing to put into maintenance. Add all these factors together and you will come to a decision on what to purchase. The next factor is price. How much do you want to invest in cookware? Let me say this, ?You get what you pay for?. But just remember, there is a difference between ?cheap? and ?low-cost? or ?discounted? cookware. And what pieces do you buy? Here?s a pointer or two to help you with that. Cookware sets offer great savings over purchasing your sauce pans, soup and stock pots and frying pans individually. You want to find a set that has the right sizes of pots and pans for your kitchen and cooking needs. When deciding on cookware, think about owning it for life. So you will want to buy quality pots and pans that last, and that will be happy with. Buy sets that are durable and also fit your d?cor. With cheap cookware, whether it’s copper, aluminum or even stainless steel, your pots and pans may warp over time, or have lids that don?t quite fit, and will end up costing you more in the long run when you toss them out to buy more. Does brand name mean anything? Not to me. I can?t saut? a steak any better with a Calphalon pan than I can in the same size Lincoln Ware pan, (Lincoln Ware is used in most restaurant and professional kitchens across America).
There is another area that I want to address. ?Specialty cookware?. What do we mean? These are core pieces that do not come in a normal cookware set, (i.e. roasters, stock pots or other utility pieces. When considering a roaster, step up to the plate and buy a good one. Make sure it?s solidly constructed and will last you forever. Buy quality, don?t skimp here. And stop using those flimsy aluminum foil roasters that buckle every time when you take it from the oven and it burns you. Get one with a solid lid and solid handles to grip and lift with safely. Think about your stock pot needs. What is the most you cook up at any one time? If you say a nine or ten quart will do me, opt for a sixteen or more. It?s not that much more and down the road you will be glad you did. I have a sixteen and also a twenty four quart. Over the years both have come into play more than I ever expected either to. Everything from pasta party?s to shrimp boils.
OK, so maybe I didn?t answer the question directly. Maybe there is no right or wrong answer here. At least I now have you thinking in the right direction. But remember these factors: 1. Quality 2. Fits the need 3. Fits the d?cor 4. Maintenance 5. Safety and 6. Price . If you take the time to evaluate all of these factors, I know you will make a more informed purchase and be much happier with your purchases. You now have the power to choose. Enjoy your choices.
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Clyde Sloan has lived in the Houston, Texas area for nearly thirty five years. He has seized many opportunities to learn and experience cultural foods the East Texas region has to offer. With over 30 years experience in the food industry, Clyde certainly understands the importance of food preparation and most definitely presentation.
Clyde began his entrepreneurial endeavors ten years ago. He founded a in-home dinning service business simply called ‘Dinning in with Clyde.’ This service consisted of a full five course dinner prepared right in your own kitchen and served directly from the stove to you and your guests.
He also introduced his ?E-STORE? which offers a variety of kitchen products such as: quality appliances, flatware, dinnerware, cookware, cutlery and much more. In addition, his website provides kitchen hints and tips that are helpful when cooking or baking. Visit www.kitchenappliancesnmore and learn the twenty ways to fold a napkin, how to set a formal table, and how to remove twenty five different stains from cloth napkins and table covers.
October 27, 2007
If your family is anything like my family, they will be completely sick and tired of choking down meatloaf and spaghetti every other day. Kids need variety in their meals. The trouble is, sometimes the family cook runs out of ideas about things to serve for dinner!
Perhaps the best step to take is to give your meal routine a taste infusion. If you use puff pastries as a regular part of your meal options, you will achieve this goal. Some of us even have puff pastry in our freezers but don’t know the best ways to prepare it. That’s why I’m here! I’ll show you how you can use this yummy food to create lots of new and different meal options.
It’s not difficult to bake puff pastries. Get yourself an oven and a timer and get started! Puff pastries cook at 200-300 degrees Centigrade. Always check your puff pastry slightly before you think it will have finished baking to avoid burning. You will do fine if you keep your eyes peeled!
I can make tons of different dishes more tasty by using puff pastries. The puff pastry ingredient makes such a great difference and my mini pizzas and roasts taste altogether more flavorful because of it!
But what delicious dishes am I talking about? You may not be quite sure what I am referring to. That’s why I’m going to give you some examples!
For example, puff pastry makes great, simple, and delicious cookies. Get some cookie cutters together and cut out little shapes from the puff pastry. You can glaze these cookie pieces with a beaten together mixture of eggs and milk. Stick these cookies in your oven and once they are done, frost them or leave them crunchy and flavorful. Tada! Your last-minute guests won’t go hungry now.
Here is another dessert recipe. Take four pieces of puff pastry and lay them out. Put about a spoonful size piece of fruit in the middle and fold the pastry around it. Once you have made sure that no fruit is poking out from the crimped edges, glaze the outside of the dessert with your egg wash. After you have done this, put an apricot and some sugar on the top and put this dessert in the oven for approximately 15 minutes. Your delicious pastry is perfect for a post dinner treat!
There are many different ways you can cook puff pastry. Don’t let your baking experience be limited by the options I have listed here– go ahead and experiment with your own recipes! I can bet that whether you are making mini pizzas, appetizers, or garnishes, your guests will be delighted!
I have put forward a few recipes but now it’s your turn. Get to baking and show the world how creative you can be!
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Lorna Freemont is an author who is interested in most subjects known to man and she eagerly talks about all these subjects both in person as well as in writing. Find more writings by Lorna concerning food at Food And You.
Yes you can use your blender for more than just making a smoothie.
You probably already have one. Did you get one as a wedding present, house warming gift, or just got yourself on in a fit of culinary madness? Maybe you inherited a family member?s just in hope of someday making that dreamed of smoothie. It might even be sitting on your counter or under it gathering dust.
Wherever it is dig it out! That trusty dusty old blender can help you get out of the kitchen in a hurry.
As a time saving device a blender is one of the tops. Just read some of these ideas to find out how.
1. You can chop vegetables that you may need chopped fine in the blender. Do small amounts and blend with short bursts until you reach the desired texture. Such as carrots and cabbage for coleslaw.
2.Make bread crumbs from your blender. Use your fresher breads for fresh crumbs. Your day old bread for dryer courser crumbs. Make cracker crumbs and even cookie crumbs for your desserts and pie crusts.
3.Your blender can even be used to make cakes, cookies, muffins and pies. Blend things like your butter and eggs together and then remove from the blender to stir in your flours and dry goods.
4.You can also grate cheese in your blender. Use small 1 to 2 inch cubes and grate away. Of course it won?t look like the cheese you buy in the nice little packages in the grocery store but if you?re shredding for things like a quiche or casserole topping it?s going to melt down so who cares!
Some tips to keep in mind.
Mashed potatoes and egg whites don?t do well in the blender. Egg whites will never nice and stiff and your cooked potatoes will turn into soup instead of nice and fluffy.
Stop your blender occasionally and mix things together with a rubber spatula.
After you?re done and have emptied the container of your foods, run the blender a few seconds with some hot soapy water to make sure all the food particles have been removed before sending it through your dishwasher or hand washing it.
Happy Quick Cooking!
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O Quinn is a food enthusiast who likes to feed her family delicious as gourmet as possible meals without spending a lot of time in the kitchen. For more on home and family Homemaking Organized
For lovely Planners and Home Organizers visit The Homemaking
Organized Boutique.
October 26, 2007
Sometimes we can get over-sensitive to home food hygiene. You see mothers all the time, spraying what are effectively chemicals on kitchen surfaces where it can get into the food. What effect will this have we wonder? Ironically if you don’t get exposed to bacteria or germs, your immune system doesn’t know how to fight them when you meet it outside the home.
However, you need to operate a good clean system when you are dealing with different types of food so you can stay healthy without the over-use of chemicals. Here are the key points to remember:
? Wash and dry your hands well before and after handling food.
? All meat, poultry and eggs should be cooked through to kill any bacteria.
? If you are cooking a chicken, don’t wash it as you may spread bacteria ? the heat will kill everything when you cook it.
? Don’t use the same utensils and surfaces to cut or prepare raw meat and vegetables. Change the knife!
? Clean counters and boards well with anti-bacterial cleaner or put them in the dishwasher after they have been in contact with raw meat. Never cut something else on a board that you have been using to cut raw meat or poultry.
? Wash fruits and vegetables under running tap water and scrub well to remove pesticides and any bacteria.
? Don’t leave produce at room temperature for long periods as bacteria can flourish.
? If you have leftovers, cool them completely, then cover well and store in the fridge. If the food has been lying around in kitchen heat for a long time, throw it away, don’t put it in the fridge. You will be storing up trouble.
? When you open the fridge, close it as soon as possible as the temperature drops to match room temperature and the food goes off.
? Empty your fridge and clean shelves and walls frequently.
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Anne Kennedy is managing editor of http://www.greatfood.ie, irelands biggest and best recipe, food and wine website.
October 25, 2007
A forged knive is durable tool made for a lifetime use by the serious cook. The blade is precision-forged from one solid piece of steel and perfectly balanced. The edge is skilfully honed by hand and therefore incredibly sharp and easy maintainable.
Cutting different types of food requires different types of knives.
There is no one universal knife that can be used for the multitude of cutting tasks.
The enjoyment of gourmet food begins with the preparation and the right tool.
In order to cut small vegetables and fruit a small blade is to be favoured; for slicing bread, ripe tomatoes or a crispy roast, a knife with a wavy or serrated edge is the right tool.a long and straight edge is ideal for carving; and the Cook?s knife, the most important tool in a kitchen is ideal for all food preparations including mincing, dicing and slicing. It is the manual food processor.
There is a specific blade for a specific purpose:
The blade with the straight edge
The straight edge allows a smooth and clean cut. When carving no fibres are torn out of the meat. This edge can be used for firm and soft food like meat, vegetables and fruit.
The blade with the serrated edge
The wavy or serrated edge allows an easy cut through crusty food like a traditional roast and crispy bread.
The blade with the hollow edge
When cutting an air pocket is created between the hollow edge and the slice. This prevents the food from sticking to the blade and allows for finer slices.
The Sharpening Steel
With regular use, any knife?s edge will lose it?s ‘bite’.
Use a sharpening steel to realign the edge and to keep it sharp. This will insure a lifetime of cooking pleasures.
The Diamond Sharpening Steel
But also dull knives can easily be sharpened by using a sharpening steel which is coated with industrial diamonds.
Honing / Sharpening Technique
Hold the steel with your left and the knife with your right hand (lefties simply do the opposite) and guide the blade with light pressure across the steel. Do this in an arching motion at a 20 degree angle side-to-side. Repeat this process 6 - 8 times. With practice, you will find this becomes an easy motion. Never stroke each side more than once in succession. That?s all. Now your knife should be as sharp as the first time you used it. By the way, please use a steel which is longer than the knife you hone.
With the proper care, one can contribute to the
long life of a knife, and it is not difficult. The construction technique and the materials used to manufacture the forged knives ensure that they are dishwasher safe. If you value your tools we recommend that, after each use, you wash your knives with warm water and a little detergent, rinse carefully and dry with a towel. Corrosive food particles will not affect your blade if washed off directly after use.
For proper storage we recommend the following options:
Knife blocks in a variety of shapes, colors and configurations. The handy knife block provides protection for your blades as well as a visual compliment to your kitchen decor.
Magnet Bars in wood, synthetic material or aluminium. Two extra strong magnet segments provide a safe, easily visible and space saving storage option. Mounting materials are included with each magnet bar.
Cook?s cases in rolls and briefcase styles. This is the ideal method for professionals to store and transport their tools safely.
How to choose a knife
Depending on the possibilities and the range of models available, you will choose one or more criteria among the ones below.
Choosing by weight:
Between 2 knifes of the same size and for the same use, go for the heavier one. This will probably mean a forged knife with a fairly thick blade.
Choosing according to your habits:
Everything goes in the dishwasher or not?
If you are used to putting everything into the dishwasher after use, check for the manufacturer?s ?dishwasher safe? label and avoid wooden handles.
If you think you are patient enough to rinse and dry your knife after each use then let yourself be guided by other criteria.
Choosing according to important details:
The cutting edge
Check that both sides of the blade have been sharpened.
Go for ?straight? edges rather than serrated ones, except for special knives (bread, tomato or steak).
Assembly
Check that there is no looseness or space where the blade joins the handle.
Food remnants could build up there and ferment.
Choosing according to look:
If you are still not sure, give preference to a knife that appealed to you straight away. After all, your intuition is a sense that is just as good as sight or touch.
Choosing according to price:
The most expensive is not always the best, but the cheapest is often the worst choice.
Choosing according to brand:
At www.KnivesForCooking.com you will find the A-brands of Forged high Quality Knives.
Wusthof, Sabatier, Zwilling (by Henckels) and KAI.
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Ron Toma is an enthousiatic home cook, with an extensive experience in the industry. Now focussing on the tools of the trade with his website http://www.knivesforcooking.com
September 29, 2007
For those looking for information on how to get started with barbeque smokers, you can start with your basic water smoker. If you have little experience they are ideal since they are fairly inexpensive, easy to handle, and still give terrific flavor to your meat. You will notice that the smoking will give your food that extra zest not available elsewhere.
What Does A Smoker Consist Of?
Barbecue smokers basically consist of a fire pan that resides under the cooking racks, with a water container right in the middle. The moisture that is given off from the water will serve as a way to regulate the heat, all the while producing a tantalizing meal. The meat will end up tender and moist, with a nice flavor.
Depending on your specific needs or budget, you can find a nice smoker for as little as $50. Obviously the more expensive models will have additional features like extra heating vents or larger capacity racks. Before spending the extra money make sure you understand what it is that costs you more. If you are a beginner, it may make sense to start out with a low-end smoker to get comfortable with the whole process. As you become more adept at smoking your meat, you can upgrade to one with more features. Brinkmann and Weber are two respected grill companies that also have a nice lineup of smokers.
You can also opt for an electric smoker. You would use pre-moistened wood chips for the smoking, but you wouldn’t have the mess of the traditional smokers. On the other hand, you will also miss out on the tell-tale smoke in your eyes and fire jumping up and down. Again, it’s a matter of preference as to which model is right for you.
The old-time grillers will tell you that the best smokers are the log burning pits. The fire is located at the base of a big drum, fueled by several regular wood logs. The meat is placed in this drum along with a pan of water. An optimal number of vents will keep the temperature just right, while regulating the amount of smoke that passes over the food. This will give you the traditional meat smoking experience and likely yield the best flavor. This is not for everyone, however, as you will likely have more cleanup than other methods and your clothes will smell like smoke.
One thing you will realize is that part of the appeal of barbeque smokers is the grilling experience. Sure the food tastes great, but you will get enjoyment while you grill.
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