Cooking Techniques 1

My mother was a no-recipe, standard cook. She just did what came naturally in the kitchen. Today the culinary arts is beckoning us to break all barriers. People are renovating kitchens, buying expensive pots and pans and expensive kitchen tools in the hope they can turn into better cooks.

And while better cooks don't get born overnight, the right tools and setting make cooking a lot easier.


When it comes to tools, keep it simple and stick to a few basic rules of the thumb. Buy the best quality you can afford and learn to take care of it.

Knifes: look for high quality forged brands that offer balance and have a good feel in your hand. You need four knives: a 8- to 10-inch chef, a serrated or bread knife, a paring knife, a boning knife, plus a high-quality diamond steel knife. Before using, sharpen the knife with a steel. Keep the knives sharp and never put in the sink or dishwasher.

Saute pans: a couple of good commercial-grade pan are all you need. Make sure they don't have plastic handles.

Sauce pans: A small 1-1/2 quart and a 3-quart will do. They should be oven proof. Also consider a 8- to 12-quart Dutch-oven for pasta, stock or soups.

Cutting boards: At least 3 plastic cutting boards -- not wood -- because of sanitary concerns. Use them separately as follows: (1) for pork and beef, (2) for chicken and fish, (3) for veggies.


Blenders: The must have includes a Kitchen Aid, which I don't own . . . hint, hint Christmas is almost here. I have an immersion blender: also called a stick blender it blends/mix soups, vinaigrettes, or drinks in the container you prepared them in.

The final aspect of a successful chef is the storing of leftovers. Storage presents a health issue at a public establishment as well as at home. How long you keep food safely under refrigeration or in the freezer differs from item to item. It is easy to tell when salad greens are gross and should be replenished. But meat, eggs and fish aren't as apparent unless they smell.

Properly storing foods weather in ziplock bags or in plastic containers is the first step. The trick is to know the food life's expectancy. Consume the food item before that period expires. When in doubt, throw it out.