There are many different cooking styles and techniques, in turn offering a wide variety of cooking experiences for people world-wide. Some of the more popular styles and techniques that are outlined in our Cooking Experience ebook along with various recipe suggestions, include:
Baking – This method covers making bread and cakes. The process involves dry heat inside an oven. In some cultures heated stones work, too.
Broiling – This technique has a variety of uses, basically it involves cooking food ib boiling water in a pan on a hob or burner. Some recipes call for food not to be added until after the liquid boils; others before. Variations here include steaming – like placing a colander of vegetables over boiling water to steam them, or using a special pan to achieve this, and also using a pressure cooker with meat and or vegetables inside.
Crock Pot cooking – People who enjoy mixing ingredients, then leaving the whole lot together to slow cook love crock pot cooking. This is often the preferred method for two-career families on the go with little time to cook. You can make really tasty meals that are prepared before leaving for work and hen slow cook in time for you to return home.
Flame / Fire / Kiln – These methods involve using fire or a kiln to cook food; for example, in Indian cookery, a kiln is popular for breads and meat dishes such as shish kebab, flaming desserts or flambe style foods are where the food is flamed before eating, and pizza cooked via a wood fire is very popular these days.
Frying – This popular method unfortunately isn’t always the healthiest. Top fast foods today include cooking via variations of this method called deep frying; French fries, fish sandwiches, fruit pies, onion rings; and sautéing – frying in butter. However, there are healthy foods which come from stir frying and which are incredibly tasty, think of thai style stir fry vegetables and chicken.
Lite – For the particularly health-conscious, the most popular way to cook lite meals is to opt for substitutions, replacing high fat with lower fat content. One of the substituates invloves replacing applesauce for oil in brownie mixes.
Once A Month – Some organised families who want to save money from eating out and also provide healthy meals for their families, despite time problems, choose to cook once a month. Basically, they cook huge batches of a variety of meals once a month and then divide them up to store them in the freezer. This is convenience food at its best, you know exactly what has gone into this but it simply needs to be removed from the freezer, heated and served..
Microwave cooking – This is a very popular method especially with younger cooks, microwaves provide quick solutions for heating up leftovers and cooking frozen foods as well as mess free porridge, scrambled eggs and fish dishes.
Barbecuing / Grilling – The choice for outdoor fun, dads often prefer (or get roped into) this cooking experience.
Rotisserie – This style of cooking is great for chicken and turkey where the meat is slow cooked on a spit in its own juices, very healthy and tasty.
Drying – Fruits and jerky-style meats are favorites here although it is an art that many people no longer have time for, preferring to go to the store and pick up a pack or a jar when the mood takes them.
Toaster Oven – This method is perfect for smaller families and single people. The units take up less space, use less heat and often require less cooking time than conventional ovens.
These are just the tip of the cooking styles and techniques that are available nowadays. Stay tuned for more! And remember, if you’re in a hurry for the holidays or other special occasions – or even just for fun, grab your copy of:
“The Cooking Experience” from the link below.. Until the next time - enjoy!
