Cooking Tips

The cheese fondue is a delicious Swiss dish with a rich history. Its roots can be traced back to the 18th century. As Switzerland became industrialized, the concept behind cheese fondue was popularized by cheese and wine makers. By the 20th century, many Swiss towns and cantons offered their own varieties of the cheese fondue, using the many available local ingredients such as cheese and wine.

Ingredients of a basic cheese fondue

A cheese fondue usually consists of a blend of different cheese types, seasoning, and wine. Corn flour, potato starch, or corn starch is added into the mixture so as to avoid separation. The mixture is then diluted by adding in white wine, beer, or kirsch. For every one person, the ideal mixture consists of 100 ml white wine. This is then mixed into 200 grams of hard and semi-hard cheese such as raclette, Emmental, or Vacherin.

Tips to create the perfect cheese fondue

To create the perfect cheese fondue, it should be continuously stirred as it is heated in a caquelon. Bread or other food items are then cut into little pieces, and are dipped into the mixture with a fondue fork. You can also experiment with various types of hard and semi-hard cheese to get that taste you are looking for.

Because the cheese fondue is a communal dish, certain social rules or etiquette are followed by the Swiss. The tongue or lips shouldn't touch the fondue fork, and once a food item has been dipped and tasted, it's considered rude to dip it again into the fondue.

Any cooking enthusiast and foodie would know that sometimes it is not just the food that matters. The gourmet cooking oils used in cooking or dressing the food also add to the taste.

EVOO

EVOO pertains to extra virgin olive oil. This is probably one of the most common gourmet cooking oils around. EVOO is used as dressing and for cooking. The brand of EVOO you use can actually vary the taste of salads and the like. Each EVOO brand has different qualities. When you use EVOO for cooking, you also make a healthy heart choice since EVOO has monounsaturated fats, which is a good kind of fat.

Avocado kernel oil

Avocado kernel oil is also gaining popularity currently. Avocado kernel oil is more used as salad dressing. The avocado adds a very distinct yummy taste. Plus, there’s the additional advantage of having good oil in your diet. Avocado kernel oil is full of monounsaturated fatty acids, which are good for you.

Grapeseed oil

Grapeseed oil, on the other hand, is a type of vegetable oil made from the seeds of grapes, which are common by-products when making wine. Commonly, grapeseed oil is used for frying and as salad dressing.

If you're a health buff who had just enough of good fish treats and chicken gourmet meals, I bet you wouldn't think of actual pork tenderloin as an alternative to your future gourmet meals. This is because those damn pigs don't know what good dietary eating habits are, you know. But what would annoy you more are those nutritionists who now bluntly state that actual pork tenderloin, apart from other hog cuts, is actually leaner than the skinless chicken! It really is! I don't know, but those pigs we have nowadays just might have gone a major overhaul on their diet and all.

Hog raisers and other pork-producing establishments have made the necessary modifications on how they feed their livestock. Nutritionists these days have found out that the pork that is available in grocers and markets are now low in fat. Yes, lower in damn fat than what we had back then. This is because of new techniques in feeding livestock, specifically hogs. These nutritionists have made the actual research to back up their claims, you know. The USDA has found out that actual pork tenderloin, apart from other pork cuts, is even leaner than chicken, or even the leanest portions of actual skinless chicken!

Skinless chicken, specifically the breast portion of it, actually contains more fat than pork tenderloin. The USDA has found out that every 4 ounces (of serving) of tasty pork tenderloin has 3 grams of damn fat. This is in comparison to the 3-gram fat to be found on higher, or heavier, chicken breast servings. Yes, even the skinless type. With this, people are no longer limited when it comes to healthy gourmet meals! After all, wouldn't food types that are leaner than skinless chicken be a worthy addition to your future gourmet meals? Aside from fish, that is.

Everybody loves cakes. Don't you agree? In fact, a richly flavored recipe never fails to allure anyone who looks at it. A sweet and attractive looking cake always makes people want to have a slice of it. So what makes cakes so attractive that even a diabetic would sometimes sneak for a bite or two? What's the secret in baking cakes?

Well, baking a cake is just like cooking other recipes. Of course, you have to use the best materials and ingredients. Yes, none but the best! Another is the process of mixing and baking. These two elements are very important in getting a good output. Mixing the batter requires a lot of patience on your part. You should not hurry doing the steps. Instead, do them well and your efforts would be rewarded. When you are learning the art of baking, don't be discouraged after producing hard lumps during your initial tries. Try and try until you get it perfect.

Although the best ingredients are necessary in baking, the result depends more on how a person makes use of them. For, two people can use the same ingredients and tools and yet produce the opposite result. Baking cake is all about passion and patience. They always bring nice rewards in the end.

Thanksgiving is still far away but since I am a budding Wolfgang Puck fan these days, I am going to talk turkey. I don't mean to cluck, but cooking might not be the easiest job to do. Unless you are going to dine in a swanky world-class hotel for Thanksgiving, you still have to go through the aggravating process of choosing the right bird to buy and how to cook it. With many variations-- frozen, fresh, natural, kosher, self-basting, etcetera etcetera-- you cannot simply grab one from the local supermarket and cook it anyway you want. You still have to decide how you should cook it-- breast up, breast down, uncovered, grill, barbecue, roast... whew! So now, I will give you some tips what to do with your turkey.

If you have bought a frozen turkey, thawing it before cooking is important. Defrost time depends on the size of your bird. For example, a 12-pound turkey usually takes 2 days to thaw and a 24-pound might take you 3-4 days. Seasoning add flavor, so you should season your turkey's inside with salt and pepper and anything else that your yummy recipe requires you to put in. You could also coat the bird's skin with butter if you want it to be crispy. Roast your bird at 325 degrees Fahrenheit with the bird's legs pointing to the back. A 16-24 pound stuffed turkey takes about 12 to 15 minutes to cook per pound. With regards to carving your bird, an electric knife is easier to use and provides neat results.

One of the most troublesome experiences in the kitchen is cutting onions. Everyone is aware that slicing an onion irritates the eyes and makes you shed tears. There have been numerous tips on how to make cutting onions a less toilful food preparation activity. Before we get into that, let us first understand why onions make us cry.

When the flesh of the onion is sliced open, sulfur fumes are released in the atmosphere. When these fumes and your eyes get in contact with each other, tears are produced. Why does this happen? Because a mild dose of sulfuric acid is emitted when the fumes enter your eyes, which naturally contains moisture. You're eye gets irritated which makes it produce more tears, to flush the acid. Remember to avoid rubbing your eyes when this happens.

So what are the ways that would prevent us from crying when cutting onions? A simple way is to wash the onion after making the initial cut and continue cutting the rest while letting cold water run all over it. Another way is to heat an onion before you chop it or peel it and then refrigerate it for about an hour before you do the chopping. You may also chop an onion with an electric fan blowing some air away from you. That way the harmful fumes never get in contact with your eyes.

Baked mussels are a real treat! It's my favorite, and it doesn't take a long time to prepare, neither does it cost much. All it needs is cheese (the quick melt type, I prefer), crushed garlic, and butter. Of course, you'd be needing an oven, an oven pan, tin foil, and minimal baking skills. No need for precision and accuracy because most of the ingredients are only served as toppings or spread on the mussels.

First thing you'd have to do is prepare the oven pan by covering it with tin foil, then applying butter on the foil where the mussels are going to be placed. Then, apply the butter on the mussels, then the crushed garlic, and finally the cheese - next thing to do now is prepare the oven. An oven is preferred, but you can do even with a microwave oven.

The heat of your oven and the weight of the mussels you are baking at a given time would define the time it would take for the mussels to bake just right. Microwave energy has faster effects when it comes to baking than basic heat energy. But, remember that these mussels would taste the best when left with the appropriate time to cook just right.

PASTA. Just the sound of that word can make me hungry and crave. If deserted on an island and had to choose one dish for a lifetime consumption, without a doubt, I would choose pastas. Being a certified pasta-lover, I have learned some tricks of pasta preparation and I'll gladly share it with you.

First cooking trick is to use plenty of water so that the pasta would not stick together. Second, to bring out pasta's natural flavor, add more or less a tablespoon of sea salt per pound of pasta. Third, as much as possible, use a wooden pasta to bend it as it cooks but don't break it to fit the pot. Stirring the pasta will prevent it from sticking with each other. Lastly, as soon as the pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander.

Contrary to the general practice, pasta should not be oversauced or else, its natural flavor will not stand out. The best part of preparing pasta, at least in my opinion, is the adding of cheese. The bottom line is our cooking skills can either make or break the pasta. Perhaps, the greatest pasta dishes in the world are those that are served with warmth and affection.

Baking cakes is one of my hobbies, which I recently learned. Well, I just love cakes so much. Who isn't going to love them? In fact, staring at their delicately beautiful design is already an indulgence. But wait until you get a small slice of a rich cake recipe. Cakes are simply irresistible.

One thing I have learned from the very beginning is that it is not that easy to make such tasty deserts. The truth is that I had to take out a number of burnt or hardened lumps out of the oven before I was able to make a good one. But even one who has perfected the skill practices the same care each time he mixes the ingredients and puts the batter into the hot oven.

Baking the tastiest cakes is not merely about following the recipe instructions. It is about passion and patience. Try to rush sometime and you can see for yourself what you will get. Take time. A certain care is necessary from the moment you blend the ingredients until the final product is made. Cakes are tasty delights not only because of the usual ingredients, but also because of their secret ingredient, which is the love the baker puts in his product and his care for those whom his cakes are meant.

Did you know that garlic has so many things to tell about? Yes, there are different kinds of garlic, with different flavors. The mild flavored garlics are called Simoneti and Burgundy. The medium tasted garlic are the Red and Locati; and Metechi and Chinese Purple garlic are the strong tastes. We know that garlic has many uses, too. It can be used for cooking, for medicine, and toppings for some dishes and pastries. When you set minced garlic with vinegar into a dried fish, it will surely have a great taste. When you leave powder garlic into your tuna fish salad, your salad will have a gentle chili savor. When you sprinkle it on bread, definitely you will get a garlic bread!

Cooking time has a significant factor in cooking garlic. If you let the garlic stay in the pan longer, it will give a lesser taste, creamier and subtle. The smell will become milder, too. If you like to get the rich flavor of garlic, put the pieces of garlic into the food a minute before you remove the pan from the heat.

We all know that a special gourmet recipe requires the best picked and fresh ingredients. And, one of the most difficult preparation procedures is selecting what's in and what's out. Fresh is in, especially when it comes to fish products since fish meat is best cooked and served if its flesh is still tender and still smells like the ocean. If you are a fish lover faced with the problem of choosing fresh fish, here are some suggestions.

When you go to the market, go to a fish vendor that sells different kinds of fish, the more varied, the better chance of ending up to the perfect choice. Try to smell the fish and if the odor does not make your nose wrinkle, then it is fresh. Take note, also, of the fish's skin: it must still be compact without scars or tears. However, though some fish have sunken eyes, you can still determine its freshness by its color: if it's clear, it's fresh.

It is highly suggested that soon as the fish arrived at the kitchen, it should be set aside uncovered to prevent the fish having bad odor and bacteria. When the fish is exposed to the air, there is low probability that bacteria will grow in its flesh and develop an unlikable smell. If you want your fish to really smell good, you can rub it with lemon juice and wash it afterwards. Now, you can start cooking your favorite fresh fish recipe.
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Got no place for your lemons? Squeeze them on your favorite gourmet recipe. Citrus fruits spice up your meals if you choose them wisely. Recipes that require that tangy taste such as marinades, sauces and vinaigrettes all deserve to be mixed with something not too-exotic yet flavorful ingredient.

You may have encountered these recipes before, but never thought that adding lemons, oranges, tangerines and tomatoes could make them even more mouth-watering. Try putting citrus fruits on your Mushroom Herb Chicken, Steak Teriyaki, Seafood, Pork Tenderloin and Dressings. Not only do they become zesty, they also contain Vitamin C--an essential nutrient for our health.