Culinary Arts Basics: The Fundamentals of Cooking
By Danilo Alfaro, About.com Guide
Food Safety
There aren't many absolute rules in the culinary arts, but following safe food handling procedures is a must. Learn the dos and don'ts of food safety and sanitation.
- When Food Goes Bad
- Ground Beef and Food Safety
- Chicken, Poultry and Food Safety
- Slow Cookers and Food Safety
- Brown Bag Lunches and Food Safety
- Food Safety Quiz
- Cutting Boards and Food Safety
- Food Temperature Danger Zone
- Key Food Handling Temperatures
- Food Illness FAQ
- Common Food-Borne Pathogens
- How to Wash Your Hands
Knife Skills & Basic Knife Cuts
Learn the right way to hold your chef's knife and proper cutting technique. Also see illustrated examples and tutorials on the basic knife cuts.
- Basic Knife Cuts
- Photo Gallery of Knife Cuts
- How to Core and Seed a Bell Pepper
- How to Make an Allumette Cut
Cooking Principles
Learn about dry heat and moist heat and the various cooking methods typical of each, as well as which cooking method is appropriate for different foods and recipes.
- What is Cooking?
- Getting Food Hot
- The Basic Cooking Methods
- How To Cook Anything
- Dry-Heat Cooking Methods
- Moist-Heat Cooking Methods
- Does Searing Meat "Seal In" Juices?
- 5 Ways to Improve Your Cooking
- The Maillard Reaction
- Cooking at High Altitudes
Stocks & Sauces
An understanding of stocks and sauces will take your cooking to the next level, and learning to prepare them will help build fundamental culinary skills.
- Stock Making Basics
- How to Make White Stock
- Chicken Stock Recipe
- White Veal Stock Recipe
- Vegetable Stock Recipe
- Chicken Velouté Sauce
- Suprême Sauce Recipe
- How to Make Brown Stock
- Making Brown Stock: Step-By-Step
- Espagnole: Basic Brown Sauce
- Demi-Glace Recipe
- Beurre Blanc Sauce
- Béchamel Sauce Recipe
- Red Wine Reduction Sauce
Quick Reference
If weights, measurements or culinary definitions have you baffled, don't worry — this quick reference area will help get you back on track!