Culinary Arts
Culinary Arts
Research Student:
Muhammad Sawrim Ahsun
Batch#6
Submitted To:
Miss Komal Kazmi
Research Supervisor:
Sir Danish Munir
Introduction to Culinary Arts
Breaking apart the term, culinary means “related to cooking” and arts refers to any
broad area of interest. So, put simply, culinary arts refer to the art of preparation,
cooking, presentation, and service of food. This may often be in the form of meals in
a restaurant, but culinary arts can refer to all professions that involve food service.An
integral part of the culinary arts are the tools, known as cooking or kitchen utensils,
that are used by both professional chefs and home cooks alike. Professionals in the
culinary arts often call these utensils by the French term "batterie de cuisine". These
tools vary in materials and use. Cooking implements are made with anything from
wood, glass, and various types of metals, to the newer silicone and plastic that can be
seen in many kitchens today.
Within the realm of the culinary arts, there is a wide array of different cooking
techniques that originate from various cultures and continue to develop over time as
these techniques are shared between cultures and progress with new technology.
Different cooking techniques require the use of certain tools, foods and heat sources
in order to produce a specific desired result. The professional kitchen may utilize
certain techniques that a home cook might not, such as the use of an expensive
professional grill. Culinary arts covers a wide spectrum of disciplines. These include
food science and nutrition, the quality of the ingredients, seasonality, flavors and
textures, styling and color on the plate, and more. Under this vast umbrella, there are
many specialties, niches, and job titles.
Despite the term, culinary arts are actually part art and part science. Understanding
what’s happening on a chemical or cellular level when cooking can give cooks and
chefs more freedom to experiment and come up with unique and clever recipes,
pairings, and platings – as well as make ingredient substitutions, as is common in the
plant-based culinary arts.
Therefore, culinarians are disciplined creatives that combine science and art to make
something distinctive. While the taste of the food is obviously important, the culinary
arts encompass all of our senses to create a rich and multifaceted experience.
In the kitchen, the phrase is used as a noun (i.e., the setup of the array of ingredients),
a verb (i.e., the process of preparing) and a state of mind. The term's broader
meanings can be applied to classrooms, hospitals, IT departments, and elsewhere.
The term has also been used outside of cooking: psychologists Weisberg, et al., used
the phrase to refer to "how one's stance towards a given environment places
constraints on what one feels able to do within that environment, and how these
assessments and predispositions impact the process of preparing to act." They used
the term in a study of how a school became safer after security measures – like metal
detectors and bars on the windows – were removed, leading to the unexpected
outcome.
Elements of Cooking
When you break down all recipes, you find they consist of four basic elements: salt,
fat, acid, and heat.
Salt – Salt things so they taste like the sea. This means using more salt than you’re
comfortable with, testing and adding along the way.
Fat – Fat is good and offers delicious and mouth-watering textures. And as long as
you are using healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, egg yolks, etc.) there is no harm.
Acid – Tang. Good food has that awesome tang to it, and that tang comes from acid.
You usually get the tang from citrus, vinegar and wine (if you haven’t tried cooking
with wine yet, then check out our guide). Also, most condiments we add to food are
acidic. Acid just seems to ‘perk up’ the flavor.
Heat – Of course cooking requires heat, and according to Nosrat, heat boils down to
getting your desired result on the inside as well as the outside of your food. Think of
the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. When heated correctly, you get the crispy, toasty
bread on the outside and the warm and gooey cheese in the middle.
There are a few rules of thumb when cooking with herbs and spices:
Fresh herbs – These add some nice bold flavor and are best used in roasting and
sautéing, or as a final garnish.
Dried herbs – These should be used in dishes that also will be using oil or butter, or
some kind of cooking fat, because they will infuse the fat with flavor. Also, dried herbs
tend to lose their potency when they are dried, so you’ll need to use more than you
would if you were using their fresh counterparts.
Spices – Spices are generally used in their dried form and tend to pack a really big
punch, so a little goes a long way.
Flavor profiling
What is a flavor profile? A flavor profile is the combination of flavors and elements
used in a dish. It’s basically when the witch throws all the ingredients together in the
cauldron, stirs them up and then the magic happens, figuratively speaking.
Our tongues can taste and feel different flavors. Some primary elements with
examples are:
● Sour - lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, vinegar (red wine, balsamic,
apple cider), tomatoes, pickled vegetables
● Sweet - carrots, sweet potatoes, corn, butternut squash, sugar snap peas,
fennel, most fruit, parsnips
● Salty - kosher salt, sea salt, fish sauce, soy sauce, seaweed, hard cheeses like
parmesan
● Spicy - hot sauce, wasabi, horseradish, dijon mustard, harissa, jalepenos,
habaneros, arugula, raw radishes, watercress
● Unami - (the savoriness of the dish, ingredients that taste meaty or earthy)
mushrooms, bacon, meats, beans
● Bitter - coffee, cacao, grapefruit juice, endives, broccoli, spinach, kale,
radicchio
● Texture - creamy, flaky, silky, crunchy, crispy, juicy, hard, soft, crumbly,
greasy, gooey, moist, mushy
● Temperature - hot, ice cold, cool, room temp, warm
One other thing I must hit on for flavor profiles are aromatics. Aromatics are aromatic
vegetables, herbs and sometimes meats that are often cooked in some kind of fat (oil,
butter, coconut milk, etc) to help release the flavors and create a flavor base for the
dish. Examples of common aromatics are onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, cilantro, bay
leaves and scallions.
Certain elements will react with others and make the experience enjoyable. For
example, adding salt to a baked item makes it more sweet. If your salad dressing is too
sour, add some sweetness to mellow it out. These are examples of how combining
ingredients can balance or enhance different flavors.
The 11 spices below are featured in tons of cuisines from around the world, so there's
no doubt they'll come in handy no matter what you're cooking. Here, registered
dietitians and cooking experts explain why they're must-haves for any home cook.
1. Cinnamon
When you want to add a bit of sweetness to something (without using sugar),
cinnamon is the spice for the job, Nita Sharda, R.D., founder of Carrots and Cake
Balanced Nutrition Consulting, tells SELF. She likes to sprinkle some on top of her
yogurt and overnight oats, or even on root veggies like sweet potatoes and butternut
squash. "Cinnamon has a great way of imparting sweetness to anything it's added to,"
she explains.
2. Paprika
"Paprika is another spice that works well with most foods," Maxine Yeung, R.D.,
trained pastry chef and owner of the Wellness Whisk, tells SELF. She likes to use it on
roasted meats and vegetables, but you can use it in so many other dishes, too. I often
add paprika to shakshuka (an egg and pepper dish popular in the Middle East and
North Africa), or chili, and it's great in an assortment of Eastern European dishes like
chicken paprikash and goulash. Also, if you ever make tacos or fajitas, paprika is key
for throwing together some homemade taco seasoning.
3. Black Pepper
"Every home cook should have black pepper on hand," Amy Gorin, M.S., R.D.N., owner
of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area, tells SELF. She says it can spice up
literally anything, whether that's something expected like a pasta or a salad, or a more
surprising dish like a savory yogurt parfait.
4. Onion Powder
When you don't have fresh onions on hand, the dehydrated version can be a great
alternative, says Gorin. She uses onion powder in everything from tomato sauces and
5. Garlic Powder
Gorin uses garlic powder the same way she uses onion powder (and often in
tandem)—basically in any dish that could use a little garlicky kick.
6. Dried Herbs
Unless you have a garden, fresh herbs aren't always the easiest ingredients to have on
hand. Dried herbs will last way longer, and they'll help you make something flavorful
even when you're running low on ingredients. Gorin keeps dried dill, basil, rosemary,
cilantro, oregano, and parsley around for things like pasta, frittatas, salads,
sandwiches, and more.
7. Ginger
"If I don't use fresh ginger, you bet I have powdered ginger on hand," says Sharda.
She likes the way it can add a kick to almost any recipe. You could even put a spoonful
or two of the stuff in hot water and call it tea!
8. Turmeric
Turmeric is well-known for its bold color, but it's also worth having around for its
flavor, which is slightly bitter and spicy. Sharda uses it to add a vibrant touch to
steamed milk and rice, and Yeung loves including it in just about everything, whether
that's her morning smoothie or roasted veggies for dinner.
Red pepper flakes are the best for adding a spicy kick to your food without changing
the overall flavor of the dish. Incorporate them early in the cooking process—stew
them in a marinara sauce or chili, or sauté them with veggies or meat—or use them as
a garnish, and sprinkle directly on top of your plate for a final touch. Gorin likes to do
this with things like pizza and salads for a bit of heat.
This spice packs a lot of flavor because it's not just one spice. It's actually a blend of
spices and herbs that originated in India, and you can buy it at most supermarkets or
even make it yourself. It can sometimes be made of many different ingredients, but
most versions contain at least coriander, turmeric, cumin, and fenugreek. Gorin likes
to add it to things like pumpkin soup and stir-fry, but it also tastes great in stews,
salad dressings, scrambled eggs, and on roasted vegetables.
11. Nutmeg
As another spice that can add a bit of sweetness to your food, nutmeg is great on top of
fruit and in yogurt and oatmeal. Fair warning: A little goes a long way with nutmeg.
Use a pinch and you'll add warmth and spiciness to your food, but just a bit too much
and you'll overpower all the other flavors. In general, try to stick with a teaspoon (or
less) at a time.
2. SAUCEPAN
A saucepan is perfect for when you need to cook something with liquids, such as
boiling pasta and vegetables or simmering sauces and beans. A 4-quart saucepan is
easy to maneuver and handle, and is great whether you’re cooking for 1 or 4. Try this
3.5-quart non-stick one or this 4-quart stainless steel sauce pan.
3. STOCK POT
For bigger batches of soups, stews, and pasta, you’ll want to have a 12-quart stock pot
around. Its base allows for even heating, so your soups cook evenly.
4. SHEET PANS
These pans can get a lot of action, including roasting vegetables, baking meats,
toasting nuts, and of course, baking cookies. They also make for an easy clean-up with
sheet pan dinners.
6. KNIVES
If you’re cooking, you’re going to be using a knife. If you only have money and space
for one knife, get a chef’s knife. You will use this knife for 90% of your food prep, so
buy a nice one and take care of it. However, we highly recommend getting a serrated
knife and a paring knife as well since they serve different purposes – serrated knives
let you slice through tomatoes and bread with ease, and paring knives are great for
smaller, more delicate jobs, when a big knife just doesn’t cut it. (We like to use the
Global grand, but buy whatever feels right in your hand!)
7. MEASURING SPOONS
Even if you like to “eyeball” ingredients, it’s handy to have a set of measuring spoons
around for the times you need precise measurements. But also, they double as mini
spoons for scooping spices and dried herbs! This magnetic set here is narrow enough
to fit into spice jars, and they stick together so you don’t ever have to worry about
losing the teaspoon or misplacing the tablespoon!
8. MEASURING CUPS
Measuring cups are absolutely crucial If you’re a baker, but it’s also great for everyday
cooking. We like to keep a 4-piece set for measuring dried ingredients and small
amounts of liquid. A 1-quart glass measuring cup makes measuring liquids a lot more
convenient and efficient, and you can also make sauces and vinaigrettes right inside
and then simply pour it into whatever you’re cooking up.
9. WOODEN SPOONS
Wooden spoons are not abrasive on your cooking surfaces and they’ll last forever. Just
don’t put them in the dishwasher! Choose a set that has a variety of wooden spoons,
like this 6-piece set, so that you can use it for different kinds of cooking.
11. PEELER
When you’re setting up your kitchen with the basics, you want to make sure you have
a good, sharp peeler to remove the peels of vegetables, shave off cheese, or make
veggie ribbons.
12. WHISK
While forks and chopsticks can be handy, a whisk is quicker and more efficient for
emulsifying ingredients like vinegars and oils. We make vinaigrettes and marinades to
season up salads and everything else almost nightly, so a whisk comes in very handy!
13. TONGS
Tongs are like your extended hands and are super useful in the kitchen! Not only are
they used to flip big pieces of food, but they also help move ingredients around in a
frying pan or on a sheet pan without the risk of burns.
15. COLANDER
Every kitchen needs a heavy-duty colander for draining out boiled pasta and
vegetables. It is also used for draining canned beans and freshly washed veggies.
Reading a recipe and aren’t sure about some of the terms included? Don’t worry, we
have a list of common culinary terms for just that situation!
➔ Al dente
To cook food until just firm, usually referring to pasta, but can include
vegetables.
➔ Bake
To cook food in an oven using dry heat.
➔ Baste
To moisten food while cooking by spooning, brushing, or squirting a liquid,
such as meat drippings to stock, to add flavor and prevent it from drying out.
➔ Beat
To stir rapidly in a circular motion to make a smooth mixture, using a whisk,
spoon, or mixer.
➔ Braise
To cook first by browning the food in butter or oil, then gently simmering in a
small amount of liquid over low heat for a long period of time in a covered pan
until tender.
➔ Broil
To expose food to direct heat on a rack or spit, often used for melting food like
cheese.
➔ Brown
To cook over high heat (usually on the stove-top) to brown food.
➔ Caramelize
To heat sugar until it liquefies and becomes a syrup.
➔ Chop
To cut vegetables into large squares, usually specified by the recipe.
➔ Cream
To beat ingredients (usually sugar and a fat) until smooth and fluffy.
➔ Cube
Like chopping, it is to cut food into small cubes, usually about 1/2 inch.
➔ Dash
1/8 teaspoon.
➔ Dice
To cut into small pieces, usually 1/4 to 1/8 chunks.
➔ Dollop
A spoonful of a semi-solid food, like whipped cream or masted potatoes, placed
on top of another food.
➔ Dredge
To lightly coat uncooked food with a dry mixture, usually with flour, cornmeal,
or bread crumbs, to be pan fried or sautéed.
➔ Dress
To coat foods with a sauce, such as salad.
➔ Drizzle
To pour liquid back and forth over a dish in a fine stream, usually melted butter,
oil, syrup, or melted chocolate.
➔ Dust
To coat lightly with a powdery ingredients, such as confectioners’ sugar or
cocoa.
➔ Fillet
To cut the bones from a piece of meat, poultry, or fish.
➔ Flambé
To drizzle a flammable spirit over a food while its cooking, to ignite the just
before serving.
➔ Fold
To combine light ingredients, such as whipped cream or beaten eggs whites,
with a heavier mixture, using a over-and-under motion.
➔ Glaze
To coat foods with mixtures such as jellies or sauces.
➔ Grate
Creates tiny pieces of food, best for things like cheese to melt quickly or a
vegetable used in a sauce.
➔ Grease
To coat the interior of a pan or dish with shortening, oil, or butter to prevent
food from sticking during cooking.
➔ Julienne
Cutting vegetables until long, thin stripes, approximately 1/4 inch thick and 1
inch long.
➔ Knead
The process of mixing dough with the hands or a mixer
➔ Marinate
To soak in a sauce or flavored liquid for a long period of time, usually a meat,
poultry or fish.
➔ Mince
To cut as small as possible, most commonly used with garlic.
➔ Pan Fry
Cook larger chunks of food over medium-heat, flipping once only.
➔ Parboil
To partially cook by boiling, usually to prepare the food for cooking by another
method.
➔ Poach
To cook gently over very low heat, in barely simmering water just to cover.
➔ Purée is to mash or grind food until completely smooth.
➔ Roast is like baking but concerning meat or poultry, it is to cook food in an oven
using dry heat.
➔ Sauté is to cook small pieces of food over a medium-high heat with oil in a pan,
usually to brown food.
➔ Scald is to heat liquid almost to a boil until bubbles begin forming just around
the edge.
➔ Sear is to brown the surface of meat by quick-cooking over high heat into order
to seal in the meat’s juices.
➔ Shred is Done on a grater with larger holes, resulting in long, smooth stripes to
cook or melt.
➔ Simmer is to Bring a pot to a boil, then reduce the heat until there are no
bubbles.
➔ Skim is to remove fat or foam from the surface a liquid.
➔ Steam is to cook food on a rack or in a steamer set over boiling or simmering
water
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