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Monday, May 28, 2012

Chillis

I don't like spicy foods but you never know when you have to use them in your cooking or you accidentally ate something too spicy to handle. Here are some tips on how to handle chillis.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Kauai!


I just got back from my week long trip to Kauai! I went to Oahu two years ago. I hope to go to all the big islands in my life time. Funny thing is I have yet to leave the country. I have an entire lifetime so no sweat. Anyway, as with any trips I always have to make sure I eat at delicious restaurants.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Fats & Oils

- Flavorful plant oils include olive, sesame, walnut, almond, and hazelnut oils. Their distinctive flavors are changed by heat, and best preserved when the oils are added at the end of cooking.

- Fats and oils slowly break down and become rancid. Exposure to light, warmth, and/or air causes them to develop stale, cardboard, paint aromas and a harsh taste.

- Liquid oils are especially prone to rancidity, while solid fats are more stable.

- Use the freshest fats and oils possible. Check use-by dates, and buy them in small quantities so they don't sit in your pantry for weeks or months.

- When using stored fats, scrape the surface layer away and discard it. This is where rancid flavors accumulate.

- Taste oils and fats before cooking with them. Off flavors will get into the food, and are also a sign that the oil or fat will deteriorate further during cooking.

- Nonstick sprays combine a small amount of vegetable oil with emulsifiers and other chemicals that help prevent food from adhering to pan surfaces. Most sprays begin to brown and smoke at around 350F/175C


Source: Keys to Good Cooking: A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes by Harold McGee

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Keys to Good Cooking: A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes

I am officially done with my first year of medical school! This has been an interesting year. As much as I miss my parents and having to adjust to the workload I love having my own kitchen. I hope you guys enjoy all my cooking adventures as much I did this school year. I am home and don't have my cooking stuff so for the next month I will be posting some tips from this book my friend Connie gave me. It is called Keys to Good Cooking: A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes