Growing up I loved to eat.  My mom usually did all the cooking.  I never watched her but she did make a mean marinara sauce.  I then joined the food industry as a chef and general manager.  There is so much information on food and cooking that I did not know before entering the food industry.  I put together some points that would help you in your kitchen just to shed some light on various cooking terms and standards that can help you out.  Here is part 1:

 Different types of cooking techniques:

• To bake:  This one is easy.  Throw that roast, pie or casserole in that oven.  This is the method of cooking with dry convected heat without any fat or liquid added.
• To Simmer:  This is cooking  of a liquid.  The temperature is from 185 – 200 degrees.  The advantage of cooking  instead of boiling is less shrinking, less loss of liquid evaporation and less breakup of fragile, textured food such as fish.
• To Boil:  The cooking at liquid at 212 degrees.  Rapid convection takes place and loss of lots of liquid occurs.  You do not have to boil many food products.  Most common is eggs and pasta.
• To Poach:  This is the cooking of liquid at a temperature range of 150 – 185 degrees.  The food should barely be covered and is this method is used for tender foods such as fish.  Many recipes use the liquid after the cooking process to create a sauce.
• To Blanch:  In the food industry this is used often.  This is a [Read more →]