Culinary Arts Basics: The Fundamentals of Cooking
By Danilo Alfaro, About.com Guide to Culinary Arts
Get the basics on everything to do with the culinary arts, including basic cooking methods, knife skills, making stocks and sauces, and more!
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.
- All About Food Safety
- When Food Goes Bad
- Ground Beef and Food Safety
- Chicken, Poultry and Food Safety
- Slow Cookers and Food Safety
- Cutting Boards and Food Safety
- Food Temperature Danger Zone
- Key Food Handling Temperatures
- Food Illness FAQ
- Common Food-Borne Pathogens
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.
- The Anatomy of a Chef's Knife
- How to Use A Chef's Knife
- How To Chop an Onion
- How to Core and Seed a Bell Pepper
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.
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.
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!
