Can Anyone Be a Gourmet Cook?
Anyone can become a better cook, but true gourmet cooking is an art form. A style of food preparation that uses the freshest and highest quality ingredients. To enjoy authentic gourmet food, it’s good to prepare your food soon after after purchasing the ingredients. Not only do you want to purchase the freshest ingredients when cooking gourmet meals but you also want to ensure that you are purchasing ingredients of superior quality.
Those who can master gourmet cooking and food preparation have a lot of career options available to them. From cafes to catering, or opening up their own restaurant, talented individuals who are entrepreneurial in spirit often do quite well in the world of business if their skills are sufficient.
When it comes to cooking gourmet food the two rules mentioned above are the only hard and fast rules. Everything else is purely a matter of adventure and taste. Not everyone can become a gourmet cook simply by going out and purchasing the finest and freshest of ingredients and throwing them into a pot. As mentioned above, it is an art form, so there is some degree of art involved when it comes to gourmet cooking. A good amount of skill is necessary in order to achieve these culinary masterpieces.
In saying that, anyone can learns these skills.
Know your herbs and spices
One important quality when it comes to cooking gourmet food is the layering of flavors. You should be able to taste the meat or seafood as well as the vegetables, herbs and spices that make up your skillfully prepared meal.
Knowing your Herbs and Spices will give you an upper hand in getting more flavour and depth in your meals. They are also the secret to making healthy food taste delicious, naturally.
The quickest way to get to know them is to get yourself a well stocked collection and start playing around. Pick up some basic herbs and spices in your next supermarket run, and go from there. Basics include parsley, basil, oregano, bay leaves, coriander, paprika, cumin, chilli powder, just to name a few, and of course the most basic, salt and pepper.
Better still, grow some of your own for freshness and seasonality.
Experimenting with herbs and spices will, in time, improve your palate. This in turn helps you to become a better gourmet cook.
Have the Right Kitchen Tools
You don’t need to break the bank buying kitchen tools; have the basics and you’re off to a good start. You can start collecting fancier items as you learn. Of course, the better the equipment, the easier it is to experiment with many different types of foods.
Essential items include a good knife set, decent chopping board, several types of pots and pans, a baking dish, baking trays, food thermometer, mesh strainer, kitchen scales, mixing bowls, and a variety of utensils or a good utensil set. With a few good tools you can cook just about anything.
Having the appropriate cooking equipment is important to achieve gourmet cooking success and with so many great kitchen gadgets and utensils out there, it’s almost too easy to find a kitchen tool that makes your life easier.
Simplicity and Presentation
You can not rely on taste or aroma alone when cooking gourmet foods. As I mentioned above gourmet cooking requires a large degree of skill and there is an art involved. For this reason, presentation is a key component of the gourmet dining experience. Something simple can also be gourmet, depending on many things.
With proper presentation even foods that were simple to prepare can take on the flavor of a gourmet feast. This is something you should keep in mind whether your cooking plans for the evening are to be gourmet or in your everyday cooking. The thing about gourmet cooking is that it is to some degree, more art than science. This means that there is always room to improve your skills and stretch your limits as a cook. There will always be the next great challenge or the ‘what if’ when it comes to flavour combinations.
Placing a few freshly chopped herbs on the plate before placing the food, or on top of the food with appealing and aromatic herbs, will compliment the flavour of the meal you have prepared. Also, present any fruits and vegetable sides in a visually appealing fashion rather than simply tossing them onto a plate.
Some of the greatest foods began with someone asking, “What would happen if I added this?” Always ask what if, play around, and always seek to improve your skills.
While fresh ingredients are not always available, there are times when compromises must be made when cooking gourmet meals. So choose what is in season and plan your meals accordingly whenever possible. Growing your own can be a great way to learn what’s in season when, and to top up your knowledge on fresh produce.
Whether this is your first time considering gourmet cooking or you are an old pro, keep in mind that skills can be learned over time with the proper motivation and an open and honest desire to learn. If you want to learn more about gourmet cooking there is really nothing to stop you from doing so other than yourself. The Internet, your local library, and many bookstores out there have countless volumes of information that can help you get started on your journey to gourmet cooking bliss.
