#culinary education

[fieriframes]

[FIERI: All from Lou Ramirez, whose culinary education led him]

[ihavetomotivatemyself]

Ya girl has passed her ServSafe exam!

[mrbeefgnaw]

How The Fuck To Bake with Professor Beefgnaw, Part 1: Three Important Rules of Baking

So there was A Situation(TM) in my Fundamentals of Baking midterm this week that made me kind of painfully aware that some of y'all need help.

I get it. If you've never done anything in a kitchen except microwave shit and maybe throw together a cake from a box mix and canned frosting, even a Fundamentals-level course whose very first day of class literally starts with "this is a whisk, you use it for..." might be overwhelming. And basic culinary literacy--i.e. being able to read and follow a recipe, know how to measure ingredients correctly, and understand why the recipe tells you to do something--is not exactly treated as a priority in public education unless you happen to have a culinary department at your high school and you are actively taking classes in that program.

So I, Alex Beefgnaw, pastry student and home baker with delusions of grandeur, am going to teach y'all the most basic of basics: how to get ready to bake something.

No, not "how to bake something." We ain't there yet. I'm going to talk to you about how to read a recipe, check your ingredients, get your shit set up, and make sure you have all of the ingredients, tools, and bakeware you need BEFORE you get to the actual baking.

Now before we do anything else, let me explain three things you're going to learn in baking real damn quick, three things that can ruin your recipe and your day:

THE METHOD BY WHICH YOU MIX YOUR INGREDIENTS MATTERS.

THE ORDER IN WHICH YOU ADD YOUR INGREDIENTS MATTERS.

THE TEMPERATURE OF YOUR INGREDIENTS MATTERS.

When you think about it, most of your baked goods are going to consist of varying amounts of the same four or five main ingredients: flour, fat, eggs, sugar, and maybe a liquid. But how the hell do those same core ingredients make everything from soft buttery cakes to crunchy cookies and everything in between?

We did a really cool experiment a couple weeks into this class, where we made two batches of muffins with the exact same ingredients in the exact same amounts, baked at the exact same time and temperature, and the only difference was the mixing method. For Batch 1, we used what's called the "muffin method" where you mix all your dry ingredients together, then mix all your liquids and the melted/liquid fat together, then dump the wets into the drys and mix just until everything's evenly distributed. For batch 2, we creamed the fat and sugar together in the stand mixer, then added our wets and flour. (We'll talk more about the different mixing methods in a later post)

Batch 1 came out kind of coarse and mealy, like cornbread. Batch 2 came out soft and fine and fluffy, like cake. Same ingredients, same amounts, two completely different batches of muffins.

This is why you especially have to pay attention to the recipe in scratch baking. If the cookie recipe starts with "cream softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy" and you say "hm! I will not do that!" and you just hum everything including your rock-hard cold butter and cold eggs and sugar and flour and chocolate chips into the Kitchenaid at once and crank it up to high, you're gonna have a bad time and you're gonna have shitty cookies.

Your mixing method matters, the order in which you add ingredients matters, and the temperature of your ingredients matters. If your recipe tells you to add your shit in a specific order, at a specific temperature, using a specific mixing method, there is a reason. If you don't do what the recipe says, you're not going to get the product you're trying to get. Internalize that.

[iicanewdelhi]

Knife Skills Mastery: A Key Step in Culinary Arts Programs and Bakery & Confectionery Training

Knife skills are the foundation of every successful chef’s journey. This blog explores essential techniques, safety practices, and advanced cuts that transform beginners into confident professionals. Students enrolled in Culinary Arts Programs and the Diploma in Bakery and Confectionery can greatly benefit from mastering these skills, as precision and control are vital in every aspect of food preparation. From chopping vegetables to creating intricate garnishes, strong knife technique sets the stage for excellence in the kitchen.

Knife Skills Mastery: From Beginner to Pro

Every aspiring chef dreams of creating culinary masterpieces that delight the senses. But behind every perfectly diced vegetable, delicate…

[smolerfoodstylist]

https://smolerfoodstylist.com/anchovy-mayonnaise-recipe-elevate-your-culinary-creations/

[iicanewdelhi]

Top 10 Essential Skills You Gain from a Professional Baking Course

Discover the top 10 must-have skills taught in a professional baking course at IICA. From mastering pastry techniques to understanding kitchen hygiene and presentation, this blog highlights everything an aspiring baker needs. Perfect for those serious about turning their passion for baking into a successful career.

https://www.chefiica.com/blogs/bakery-and-patisserie/10-must-have-skills-you-ll-learn-in-a-professional-baking-course

[quatrequartsolivier]

Our world is changing at lightning speed with tech revolutions! 🚀 But are we losing our core values? This article explores the impact of #AI, #Internet, and #MobileTech on society, and how #Gastronomy can help us transmit essential fundamentals. Read more 👇

Technological Revolutions: Between Progress and Loss of Fundamentals

[iicanewdelhi]

Global Flavors Meet Indian Kitchens: Culinary Fusion at IICA

Explore the artistry of culinary fusion, where International Institute of Culinary Arts, seamlessly merges global gastronomic influences with India’s rich culinary heritage. This showcases how IICA’s culinary arts programs empower aspiring chefs to craft innovative dishes by blending international flavors with traditional Indian techniques. With its courses to become a chef in India, IICA equips students with the advanced skills and creative vision needed to master the evolving world of fusion cuisine and lead in the global culinary landscape.