Answering Your Culinary Schools Questions

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There is something relaxing about cooking a favorite meal at home. The delicious aromas while the food is cooking and then there is the final product awaiting your taste buds. Have you ever given any thought to taking your love and passion for food and making it into a career?

Many people are finding rewarding careers in the food industry. Culinary schools are experiencing record enrollment thanks in part to television shows such as ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ and ‘Top Chef’.

Each week participants put their cooking skills to the test and it makes others yearn to be in the kitchen doing the same thing. Even if cooking is not your idea of fun there are other aspects of the food industry that are taught in culinary schools.

You may want to work on the business side. Where ever your passion for food lies, a culinary school can help you find the skills you need. In this article we will cover the basics of culinary schools and what you can expect from this fiery career choice.

What do culinary schools teach?

Culinary schools begin with the basics of the kitchen. One of the first lessons you will learn is about kitchen safety such as handling knives and what to do in an emergency such as a fire. You will learn basic food preparation guidelines such as what temperature is acceptable on meats.

You will learn basic accounting, computer skills, inventory management and even some psychology. Culinary schools want you to have a diverse background because the workplace is so diverse. The most important lesson you learn is how to work together as a team. One person cannot run a restaurant or kitchen alone so teamwork is absolutely essential.

Are culinary schools all about learning how to cook?

You may be surprised to learn that culinary schools do teach more than kitchen skills such as knife handling and how to make a souffle. They also teach students how to deal with the public, how to handle finances and how to manage inventory.

There is also instruction on how to communicate effectively as well as manage employees. Culinary schools want to give you a broad background on the food industry. The more information you have the better prepared you will be when you graduate.

Do certain schools specialize in different areas of the culinary world?

There are schools that do specialize in certain cuisines but you would typically find these specialized schools overseas. The culinary schools in the United States tend to teach a broad spectrum since culinary palates are so diverse here. Should you wish to study French cuisine exclusively it would be best to attend a school in France where you can learn from the masters of the trade.

What are some of the jobs that I can expect to work in after I graduate from a culinary school?

There are a wide variety of jobs that can open up for you once you have graduated from a culinary school. You can be a line chef, an assistant baker, a restaurant manager and even be a pantry cook. Do not expect to get out of school and immediately become a master chef.

It takes years of hard work in order to obtain the level of experience that you need in order to say you are a master chef. You may study for ten years under another chef before you go out on your own. Eventually you will gain the knowledge and skills you need in order to be considered a master chef. The trick is patience and practice.

Enrich your knowledge further about culinary schools from Mike Selvon portal. We appreciate your feedback at our cooking school blog where a free gift awaits you.

Culinary Arts and The Famous Chefs of History Like Careme, Escoffier, Ranhofer and Julia Child

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The French have been the leaders and are recognized as the innovators in the culinary arts scene since the beginning of time, and most of the famous chefs in history are French. The well known and famous chefs that are not French, nevertheless, are trained in the art of cooking with the classical French style.

Antoine Careme well known as the “King of Chefs and the Chef of Kings,” and who began as an abandoned child. It was Paris, in the 18th century, where Antoine Careme was left alone at the door step of a restrauteur, and became the father of “haute cuisine” in the 19th century which is the high art of French cooking. French statesman and Diplomat Talleyrand-Perigord, the future King George IV, Czar Alexander I, and James Rothschild a powerful banker, Careme was the Chef to these world leaders and aristocrats. Careme is well known for his famous writings on the art of cooking, included in the writings is the famed “The Art of French Cooking” or L’Art de la Cuisine Francaise. The masterpiece contains five volumes of information and knowledge on the history of French cooking, table settings, menu planning, recipes in the hundreds, and much more.

George Auguste Escoffier, who is also French, in the late 19th and early 20th century modernized Careme’s elaborate style of cuisine by his ingenious simplification of the food. With partner Cesar Ritz, and as a chef George Auguste Escoffier lent his culinary skills and talents to open the Carlton and Ritz hotels, and on the German Passenger Liner (Imperator) , 1913, went on to impress passengers such as Kaiser William II of Germany who was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia. The Peach Melba is a classic dessert, invented in 1892 or 1893 by chef Auguste Escoffier, and Escoffier created this famous treat for Australian singer Nellie Melba. Escoffier is well known for such famous treats as Peach Melba. Escoffier wrote volumes on the art of cooking, but within the commercial kitchens, Escoffier was largely responsible as the mover and shaker in the improvement of the working conditions. Escoffier was a stickler for cleanliness, and Escoffier demanded the same cleanliness from the working staff. Escoffier was also against any type of swearing or violence from his workers and all these types of behaviour was forbidden, and at the time swearing or violence was common in the kitchens among apprentices and older cooking staff.

The grandson of a chef, and a restrauteur’s son, Charles Ranhofer will go down in history as one of great chefs, and the very first French chef to bring the style and grandeur of France’s cuisine to North America. Charles Ranhofer was the head chef, and ran its kitchens at the famous Delmonico’s Restaurant in New York for over 30 years. Charles Ranhofer culinary creatations such as Baked Alaska and Lobster Newburg, plus many others were introduced and served to a host of foreign dignitaries, President Andrew Johnson, President U.S. Grant and Charles Dickens, among others.

One of the most famous and gifted chefs of all time is not French, her name is Julia Child and she is an American, author, and television personality, who introduced French cuisine and cooking techniques to the American mainstream, through her television programs and many cookbooks. Mastering the Art of French Cooking is one of the more famous cookbooks that Julia Child wrote in 1961, and with the series The French Chef, showcasing her sui generis television persona, which started in 1963.

Born in California, and at the age of 34 Julia Child started her cooking career, and a move to France where she had her grand epiphany, a sudden realization that good food is more than mashed potatoes and roast beef. Julia Child enrolled and got a culinary arts education at the esteemed Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. Later, with two partners, Julia Child wrote the cookbook “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”, and became the very first “celebrity chef” with more cookbooks, television programs, newspaper columns, and magazine articles. She received the French Legion of Honor in 2000 and the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003. Julia Child also received honorary doctorates from Harvard University, her alma mater Smith College, and several other universities. Julia Child brought to North America exquisite French cuisine as much with her “have-a-good-time” attitude toward the art of cooking as she did with her cooking skill, talent and expertise.

To all of these great chefs who have turned cooking into a real art form, and for their incredible talents, giftedness and tireless contributions to cooking, everybody owes a Hugh debt. James Murray is a successful writer and online Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM) expert providing valuable tips and advice for those interested in seo and sem strategies. His numerous articles found on the Internet, provide useful and factual seo and sem information and insight. Some of his websites are : http://www.seo-worldwide.net , http://www.atclickbank.com , http://www.website-submissions-worldwide.com

Chef’s Culinary Garden at Beechwood Inn

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The Chef’s Culinary Garden at Beechwood Inn, Clayton, GA

The Northeast Georgia Mountains are home to some of Georgia’s leading fresh food producers. Vegetables, fruit, flowers, cheese, wine, nuts, grain, poultry, eggs, fish, pork and cattle are all seasonally available throughout the area. An abundance of fresh water, combined with soil rich in nutrients and a temperate climate offer a recipe for great fresh seasonal foods. Rabun County is particularly known for its cabbage crop. Maybe it’s the soil, but the cabbage grown here just tastes better. As spring moves towards summer we can hardly wait for our first ears of Osage Silver Queen Corn.

With all this local abundance we fret each spring as to what things we should plant in our culinary garden next to the Inn. We’ve been to restaurants where just moments before you are seated for dinner you observe the chef clad in her white coat tip toe into the gardens to snip fresh herbs and edible flowers. You just know you are in for a treat. We want to offer the type of experience where the diner sees and tastes things on their plate they know came out of the garden minutes before. The chef’s culinary garden should provide wonderful products but also needs to be close to the kitchen’s back door so it is as handy as walking into the pantry. And we want the garden to enhance and add to the variety, color and unique flavors for our guests’ dining experience.

Through the years we have honed our culinary garden to our style of cooking. Here is what we have planned for this year. We will plant a hedge of Genovese basil, as well as about 8 other varieties and colors. Other necessities include bay, dill, English thyme, tarragon, mints, lavender, oregano, rosemary, sage, parsley, savory and fennel; a rainbow of toy box tomatoes, lemon verbena, bee balm, heirloom tomatoes, edible flowers to bloom in succession. We also have an established asparagus patch, raspberries, blueberries, two varieties of crabapples, wild cherries (for drying), peaches, plums and a forest of Chanterelles. We can also count on Leckie Stack supplying us with some seasonal fruits from the Stack farm including Asian pears, persimmons and grapes. And Jenny Sanders will share with us wild ingredients in season such as ramps, elderflowers and berries, fiddleheads and a variety of mushrooms.

We would plant an acre of basil if we could. To many gardeners, basil is the king of herbs. Basil can play many roles while basking in the sun. Basil is essential in our kitchen, but it is also highly ornamental in our gardens and on our tables. We add branches to bouquets of flowers. Hot summer days become bearable if I can pluck fresh basil and use it in pestos, herbal vinegars, vegetable dishes and, most heavenly of all, nestle the leaves between slices of fresh bread along with a large slice of a ripe heirloom tomato and some creamy homemade mayo. Members of the mint family, basils are native to India, Africa and Asia but have a long, rich history of legend and use worldwide. Basil is best used fresh. Small leafed varieties can be grown in a pot on a sunny windowsill during the winter. To preserve summer’s flavor for winter make plenty of pesto and freeze it. We make sure that each year our garden has several Thai Basil plants. It is characterized by a strong licorice fragrance and flavor. Thai basil has many applications in the Beechwood kitchen due to its flavor appeal. It is the highlight of many Asian cuisines, including Thai, Vietnamese and Indian fare. The inn’s specialty is Thai Basil Rolls with Satay Peanut Sauce.

Another staple that we plant each spring is lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla). It is native to South America and grows well in North Georgia, but it does not survive our winters outdoors. The Spanish brought it to Europe where it was used in perfume. It has been a favorite for garden rooms in North America since its introduction in the 1800’s. It has a clean, sharp lemon scent that makes it the Queen of lemon-scented herbs. In Gone with the Wind, lemon verbena is mentioned as Scarlet O’Hara’s mother’s favorite plant. One whiff of the smell, and I predict you will not want to live without this luscious smelling herb.

The inn’s specialty is lemon verbena ice cream but we use the leaves in a number of recipes. It makes an excellent tea, especially when blended with mint. It can also be used to brighten the taste of fish, poultry, veggie marinades, stuffing, salad dressing, sorbets, pana cotta, jellies, and vinegar. As the leaves are tough, remove them before serving. Finely crumbled dried leaves can be added to the batters of carrot, banana, or zucchini bread. Try adding some to cooked rice just before serving.

A rainbow of toy box tomatoes is essential to our culinary garden each year. They are cherry and grape tomatoes in a variety of wonderful colors and flavors, some heirloom some hybrid. The most important thing to the chef is the palette of colors and unique flavors they offer. Some are sugary and sweet some are puckeringly tart. But oh are they beautiful in tarts, salads, bruschettas and as garnish. Last year we planted about a dozen varieties and I had to resist eating them while I picked them fresh off the vine. We plant them in giant containers and they surround the Beechwood gardens. We will often see guests plucking a sample as they walk by.

Our heirloom tomatoes are good in almost anything but one of our favorite recipes is Black Krim Tomato Marmalade. Our wild cherries and crabapples are very tart, so they are best used in coulis, jams and remoulades. The blueberries and raspberries will find their way fresh to our breakfast table and also baked into muffins, breads and sinfully wonderful desserts.

The gardens also yield a succession of seasonal edible flowers. Today, many restaurant chefs and innovative home cooks garnish their plates with flower blossoms for a touch of elegance. They can be sprinkled on salads or added to your recipe. The secret to success when using edible flowers is to keep the dish simple. Most edible flowers have a very delicate taste, so when using them as a flavor component do not add them to something that already has strong flavors. Today this nearly lost art is enjoying a revival.

Not all flowers are edible, and the edible varieties should be grown without the use of pesticides or other chemicals. Edible flowers should be carefully identified and in some cases there are only parts of the flower that are edible (in some flowers the anthers should be removed). The Beechwood Chefs will often use a flower as the central part of an appetizer or entre. For instance, we use colorful organic daylilies and fill them with a light stuffing of local goat cheese and fresh herbs.

Writing about our culinary garden and thinking of these recipes makes us long for tomato season once again. Planting our culinary garden each spring renews our spirit and brings us joy. We appreciate the efforts brought to bear by local farmers and ranchers, but most of all we thank God for the variety and abundance of fresh products we bring to our table.

by Chef David Darugh http://www.beechwoodinn.ws

Beechwood Inn is Georgia’s Premier Wine Country Inn

The History Of Thai Food And Its Many Influences

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Whether you like your food spicy, sweet, sour, or salty, Thai food has all these flavors and more. Unique in nature because it appeals to everyones food instincts, Thai cuisine is not just bursting with flavor, but every mouthful of it creates an explosive sensation in the mouth, whether its a stir-fry dish, a noodle/rice dish, or a curry. Undoubtedly, its this explosion of taste that is pushing Thai food on the list of most popular cuisines in the world as well as in North America. So who or what gets the credit of having developed such a fantastic blend of flavors that appeal to everyones taste buds? What factors inspired the Thai people to create such fantastic gourmet combinations and the seamless blend of flavors, tastes, and aromas? Why wait; lets find out!

The culinary culture of this royal country boasts of a rich and ancient history. History has it that Thais had already begun to enjoy the Siamese cuisine during the 13th century. Siamese cuisine consisted of servings of seafood and meat dishes along with fresh local vegetables, spices and herbs such as pepper and garlic, on a bed of rice. Due to open borders with neighboring countries, Thailands style of cooking started absorbing influences from India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, and China. Thai food began being cooked with spices, ingredients, and even cookware from these countries. For example, the Thais learned to use, now their most important culinary tool – the steel wok as well as learnt how to create noodles. India contributed in the form of turmeric, chillies, cumin, coriander, and many other Indian spices. However, in addition to adapting the best cooking styles from others, Thais didnt forgo their styles completely. Instead they combined the best of both worlds and created Thai food as we know of it today. An example of this fact is that though Thai food uses noodles in the dishes, these noodles are made from rice and not wheat or egg as with Chinese or Italian dishes.

Other important influences that contributed to the growth and taste of Thai food include spicy flavors of Burmese sambals or red chilly sauces; exotic rice dishes inspired by Indonesian cuisine, and Malaysian curries. In fact, interestingly, one of the most well-known Thai Red Curry dishes is called Penang after the Malaysian state!

Food, as with life, adapts, develops, and enhances itself with time and cultural influences. With the sharing of knowledge, ingredients, and interaction, cuisines mature just like Thai cuisine has.

For more such interesting information on Thai food history and other interesting facts visit our Thai Food website- http://www.templeofthai.com/

Culinary Delights and Culture from Birmingham Serviced Apartments-00-4062

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The Library of Birmingham couldnt be more different from its predecessor, the Birmingham Central Library – a Brutalist concrete structure that is a labyrinth of corridors and escalators inside. The new library, which is due to be finished in the summer of 2013, is a glass building, colourful and full of light, and will certainly be a more contemporary and attractive addition to Birminghams cityscape.

It will also be much more than a library. The new building will share a reception and box office desk with the Birmingham Rep Theatre, and within the building there will be an outdoor amphitheatre, music centre, exhibition gallery and a gilded 10th-floor Shakespeare pavilion. Supporters of the library hope that it will show other libraries how to adapt in response to an ever changing, digitalised society.

The new library is just part of a cultural and architectural regeneration that has made Birmingham a thriving centre of business and innovation. The Bullring, which was completed in 2003, and the office developments in Brindley Place and other canal-side locations have helped to make Birmingham an attractive place to locate a business. This has been supported by innovations in business accommodation; in particular, there are now a number of Birmingham serviced apartments in the centre of the city. Some of these, such as the serviced apartments in the Rotunda building, make the most of Birminghams heritage by restyling old architecture with contemporary furnishings and facilities.

Birmingham is one of the UKs most populous cities, but its importance as a cultural destination is often forgotten. The city is home to a number of theatres, as well as one of the countrys oldest cinemas, the Electric Cinema, and fascinating areas such as the Custard Factory where local artists have set up individual shops and cafes. This is another facet of the city that makes it an attractive location for business visitors, and because the city centre is easy to get around on foot, the serviced apartments Birmingham has to offer are all within easy walking distance of these attractions.

Staying in a Birmingham serviced apartment also allows guests to enjoy Birminghams many and varied culinary delights. Although its famed for its balti houses and traditional pubs, Birmingham also has a number of high-end restaurants, from French bistros such as Chez Jules to the Indian fusion restaurants that line Broad Street. A number of farmers markets are held across the city each month and the area is dotted with delicatessens and food shops, from independent stores to larger shops such as Selfridges. Living in one of the serviced apartments Birmingham has to offer allows business travellers to buy food in the city centre and cook it in the privacy of what feels like their own home. They also, of course, have the option of eating out in one of the citys many restaurants whenever they choose.