https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j Made with curiosity en-us 2020-09-23 16:23:06 UTC 2020-09-27 18:28:58 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f37d.png adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/772948812 In this article, the author defines mise en place as having all of your ingredients prepared and ready to go before you start cooking. If you were to directly translate mise en place from French to English, it simply means "to put in place". The article goes on to highlight the importance of utilizing mise en place both in professional and home kitchens as this organizational technique allows for a more streamlined cooking experience, helping to prevent any accidental overlooking of ingredients and recipe steps. No matter the level of cooking, reading through the recipe and collecting all the required ingredients and tools prior to beginning will save time and reduce the opportunity for mistakes to be made, resulting in a better cooking and dining experience for everyone involved. The author of this article states that professional cooks' usage of mise en place is what allows restaurants to generate and serve the large number of dishes they do in a relatively short period of time.  This makes sense as utilizing mise en place cuts down on the time required to search for ingredients and tools, allowing dishes to be produced as promptly as possible. The article quotes that mise en place is truly a state of mind that grants the power of keeping and prioritizing several tasks in mind concurrently, essentially suggesting that mise en place is a tool that can be used in all areas in life and not just in the kitchen. For example, mise en place could be applied during a study session in terms of ensuring you have all your required materials before beginning, like your computer, notes, pencil, and a glass of water. Checking to make sure you have all of your necessary supplies with you before starting to work would ensure your study session and train of thought are not interrupted by having to leave your work space to grab something. To conclude, the article provides a couple helpful analogies to link the concept of mise en place to real-world cooking experiences, like making a sandwich or putting together a stir-fry, linking this potentially formally unfamiliar term to relatable everyday kitchen experiences. ]]> 2020-09-23 16:52:56 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/772948812 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773025599 This article very effectively breaks down the seemingly obvious steps that go into following a recipe, highlighting the potential negative outcomes that may arise should one fail to regard these supposedly insignificant processes and details. The article is separated into five sections, three of which pertain to reading and following recipes, that all discuss different aspects pertaining to reading and understanding a recipe. The first section describes why It is so important to read a recipe all the way through before starting to cook. The article states that reading the whole recipe allows for the identification of any hidden ingredients as well as noting any ingredients that are used in two places throughout the recipe (ex. an egg being used for batter and in egg wash). The ultimate conclusion that can be drawn from reading the recipe all the way through is that it saves time in all aspects of the cooking experience which is very beneficial especially in our busy day and age that often prevents people from making their own food entirely. The article also highlights why it is so important to respect the order of the recipe's ingredients as they are oftentimes listed in order of use. By understanding the order of the ingredients list, people can easily set up mise en place, allowing for a more efficient cooking experience (refer to "How to be Efficient in the Kitchen). Finally, the third section discusses how the placement of commas in the ingredients list can be very telling in terms of how much of an ingredient should be added into the recipe. For example, "1 cup of chopped walnuts" means to measure the walnuts after they have been chopped, however, "1 cup of walnuts, chopped" means to measure the walnuts whole and then chop them up. This is an important, potentially unknown, tip that can help people better interpret a recipe, ultimately ensuring the best results possible.]]> 2020-09-23 17:09:55 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773025599 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773885356 This article goes through several different areas of kitchen equipment and comprehensively details how one should take care of them to ensure the equipment can perform effectively and last for a long time. The equipment that is highlighted includes: knives, pots and pans, cutting boards, plastic and rubber items, and coffeemakers. The author breaks down the pots and pans section into three subcategories, being all types, stainless steel, and nonstick, and the cutting board category into two subcategories, being wooden cutting boards and plastic cutting boards. By doing so, readers are provided with even more detailed information that they will be better able to apply to their own kitchens depending on the type of equipment they own. This article discusses how often to clean things, such as how coffeemakers should be sanitized once a month, and the various methods that different equipment should be cleaned, such as how all knives should be washed by hand, in great detail. The abundance of beneficial information found in this article on the proper upkeep of a wide range of kitchen tools is very advantageous to readers as practicing the correct care of kitchen equipment will help the tools last as long as possible, saving money as there will be less need to replace things. Also, practicing the preferred maintenance of kitchen tools will help them work to the best of their ability, consequently making the food produced using them higher quality. Finally, following the correct cleaning procedures for these tools and equipment will ensure the kitchen is kept as clean and hygienic as possible which is extremely important when dealing with food in order to prevent things like cross contamination.]]> 2020-09-23 21:41:37 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773885356 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773886491 This article details several different kinds of knives and their individual uses in order to help people choose the correct knife when working in the kitchen to provide the most straightforward and fast cooking experience possible. Choosing the wrong knife for a job can feel cumbersome, make the task at hand take longer to complete, and may even lead to injury. This article details the chef knife as a multipurpose wonder that can be used for the widest variety of tasks and is especially useful when you have a larger item to cut up. The paring knife is described as the knife used when you want small jobs done well, such as peeling and de-seeding various fruits and vegetables, and the utility knife is characterized as the Goldilocks of these knives in terms of size as its bigger than the paring knife but smaller than the chef's knife. The utility knife is used for tasks such as mincing vegetables and slicing herbs. The article also lists and describes a variety of specialty knives, such as the fillet knife and the cleaver, for more specialized tasks. Finally, the article discusses the importance in keeping knives sharp as sharp knives are safe since you are able to control them more precisely and know exactly where the blade is going whereas dull knives can be unpredictable, making them more dangerous. Ensuring the proper upkeep of knives is a very important safety tip that should not be overlooked to avoid injuries. This article provides a substantial amount of helpful information for those beginning to cook. Knowing the correct knife to use for particular tasks will help save time and limit injuries caused by using a knife not suitable for the job at hand. Once you understand the role that the different types of knives play, you are able to move more efficiently and confidently around the kitchen, making for a much more enjoyable cooking experience.]]> 2020-09-23 21:42:21 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773886491 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773889077 This how-to video can be used as a very valuable tool in terms of learning and mastering a variety of different knife cuts in the kitchen.  While there is no talking in this video, there are written instructions on the screen that go along with the demonstration. This video thoroughly goes through eight of the basic knife cuts, including large dice, julienne, and brunoise, and even provides a visual at the end of all the various knife cuts together, helping viewers to identify the differences between each cut. The benefits of grasping these various knife cuts is very beneficial as it allows your dishes to cook through more evenly and look more presentable. Watching, comprehending, and following along with this video is also an effective way to improve your knife skills, helping you to advance your proficiency in the kitchen so that you can continue to try increasingly complicated recipes while also saving time. ]]> 2020-09-23 21:43:58 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773889077 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773892439 This video details the differences between liquid and dry measuring cups and demonstrates the importance of using both for their respective ingredients. To illustrate why you should use liquid measuring cups to measure liquid ingredients and dry measuring cups to measure dry ingredients, the video uses the opposite measuring cups to measure out a cup of flour and a cup of milk. After weighing the measured ingredients to test the accuracy of the measuring cups, they found using the wrong measuring cup can make you up to 25% off your target amount. This discrepancy in accuracy when measuring dry ingredients in liquid measuring cups is due to there being no way to accurately level the ingredient off and the discrepancy in accuracy when measuring liquid ingredients in dry measuring cups is a result of overflowing caused by the surface tension of the liquid which allows it to sit above the rim of the measuring cup, consequently increasing the volume. Ultimately, the conclusion is drawn that yes, it is important to use the correct measuring cups for their respective ingredients. This video's information is very useful to those in the kitchen, particularly when baking, as using the wrong kind of measuring cup can have a truly drastic impact on the results. This drastic impact is demonstrated in the video by comparing a cake that was made with 25% more liquid than the recipe called for and the same cake that followed the recipe perfectly. The cake made with poorly measured ingredients is much more dense and flat than the cake made with the correct amount of ingredients, effectively portraying the importance of using the right measuring cups for their intended ingredients. Even though using the right measuring cup may seem to be a commonsense practice, it is truly an important step to consider in the kitchen because being as accurate as possible when following a recipe when will ensure the ideal outcome, creating a better cooking and dining experience for all of those involved.]]> 2020-09-23 21:45:51 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773892439 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773910724 This source provides a very useful infographic that details 18 different cooking techniques in a very informative and organized manner. This infographic is separated into 18 different boxes for each cooking technique and provides a definition and pictures of the kitchen tools and equipment that should be used with each technique. Some of the cooking techniques detailed in this infographic include pressure cooking, pan roasting, poaching, and boiling. The infographic's simplistic layout, use of pictures, succinct word choice, and comprehensive information makes it a very helpful, practical, and easy to follow visual tool. Since this infographic includes a mix of both simple and more complex, sophisticated cooking techniques, it is perfect for both beginners just starting to cook, those looking to expand their cooking abilities, and those looking for a real challenge. This infographic is a very useful tool for those looking to broaden their recipe rotation as, when trying a new recipe, it is very helpful for navigating any unfamiliar cooking techniques easily. Finally, by providing pictures of the kitchen tools that accompany each technique, this infographic ensures readers know exactly what tools to use to be successful at the various cooking methods. This is beneficial as readers can identify whether they have the equipment needed for the cooking technique at hand and is especially helpful for the more complicated and unfamiliar techniques, such as smoking and sous vide.]]> 2020-09-23 21:57:44 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/773910724 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/777524185 This pdf provides a very straightforward and comprehensible look at the three commonly used recipe formats. For each of these recipe formats, being standard, narrative, and active recipe formats, there is a brief description and example. This source also provides some positives and negatives about each of the different recipe formats. By providing an example of each type of recipe format, it is very easy for readers to connect this potentially unfamiliar vocabulary to the recipes they see in their own kitchens and recipe books. Also, by using clear language and being very succinct, this source gets the information across in a very coherent manner. It is important for people to understand the differences between these three common recipe formats for when they are cooking in their own kitchens. Being able to recognize these recipe formats will be beneficial in terms of knowing whether you have to read through the recipe to identify all the ingredients before setting up your mise en place or if you can go ahead with setting up your mise en place right away because the recipe format lists the ingredients at the very beginning. Ultimately, understanding the difference between these recipe formats will make for a smoother experience in the kitchen as you will be better equipped to navigate the reading, understanding, and setup of the recipe and your kitchen space.]]> 2020-09-24 20:31:57 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/777524185 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/777551271 This article thoroughly details how to measure common ingredients, such as flour, sugar, semi-liquid ingredients like peanut butter, and solid fats. Each bullet point discusses how to measure out specific ingredients, going into great detail about the different steps each ingredient must go through in order to be measured correctly, illustrating the great range in variation for measuring ingredients. The bullet point that talks about how to measure solid fats discusses the liquid displacement method which is an effective way to avoid having a difficult mess to clean up after measuring ingredients like shortening and margarine. This article also provides two charts, a dry ingredient equivalents chart and wet ingredient equivalents chart, to help with converting measurements. Finally, the article also stresses that precise measurements are more critical to the success of baking recipes than they are to cooking recipes. Overall, it is essential to know how to correctly measure specific ingredients in order to obtain the desired results in the kitchen. Despite the fact that recipes have to go through successful tolerance testing, being the practice of testing whether or not recipes work out when the ingredient measurements are varied slightly, before being published, the basic measuring rules still have to be followed for preferable results to be achieved. The article even says being able to measure accurately is probably the most important cooking skill in the kitchen, truly highlighting the significance of the information and tips found in this article.]]> 2020-09-24 20:42:54 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/777551271 adamgeor564 https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/777577791 This article discusses how to choose the ideal kitchen tools depending on the utensil's material, your personal budget, as well as highlighting the importance of doing extensive research prior to purchasing any equipment. In terms of considering the utensils' material, the article suggests buying pots and pans made of materials that are easy to clean, such as stainless steel, and also notes how its important to buy stirring and cleaning and equipment that will not scratch your pots and pans. By considering the materials of your kitchen tools, you will be better able to effectively clean and care for them, resulting in equipment that lasts longer and a more hygienic kitchen space. In terms of adhering to your budget, this article says that you can still look and buy quality kitchen tools, however, you might have to avoid sets of equipment as they are generally more expensive and probably contain unnecessary additional tools. Also, to save money, the author suggests staying away from nonessential tools, such as pizza cutters, and to instead focus on buying higher quality essential equipment first. Buying high quality essentials will ensure you can complete majority of tasks required by any recipe and will help save money on kitchen equipment by reducing the likelihood you have to purchase new tools due to potential damage. Finally, this article stresses the need to research your kitchen tools prior to purchasing anything. Instead of buying the first piece of equipment you see, conduct research through outlets like cooking shows, magazines, and online sources such as reviews so that you can ensure you are looking at all your options in order to make effective comparisons between quality and price. Failing to conduct adequate research could lead to the purchase of poor quality products that have a very short lifespan, ultimately costing more money to repeatedly replace than it would have to purchase a high quality tool the first time around. On the other hand, failing to conduct adequate research could also lead you to fall for an advertisement scam, causing you to spend way too much on a product that could have been bought for a potentially much cheaper price for the same quality. ]]> 2020-09-24 20:54:40 UTC https://padlet.com/adamgeor564/g90bhlscbuz59d5j/wish/777577791