Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Understanding the Joy of Cooking

By Alice Sy

The joy of cooking lies in every individual. It doesn't matter if you love to cook or you love to eat, it is still considered one and the same with each playing a vital part in the Culinary Arts. In order for cooking to become enjoyable, someone has to love eating its finished results; otherwise what would be the purpose of cooking?

Cooking is described as the preparation of food for eating. Cooking is also considered the oldest and most needed craft that man has ever known. It involves the application of different methods, such as applying dry heat, use of heated liquids and fats, curing, pickling, and smoking.

When fire was discovered, the joy of cooking started to spark among the hearts of men. Many tried to experiment cooking different foods directly over the fire since pottery wasn't available then. They either cooked the food directly over the fire or they wrapped and steamed them over embers.

At the time, there was no fire to cook your food with and no potter to cook your food on. What man did was to eat his food directly from a catch. Man then discovered that there are certain foods that can be eaten raw such as fish, fruits, vegetables, and insects.

The history of cooking can be traced back between the time humans discovered fire and the Neolithic period, otherwise known as the Stone Age. Before they learned to make fire, and use it to prepare food, they ate their food fresh. They also consumed fruits and vegetables, fish, and insects.

When pottery came into the picture, man was brought to heaven. Man started to discover how you can alter the taste and texture of certain foods when exposed to different cooking mechanism. The great taste, the rich flavor, and the amazing texture strengthened man's joy of cooking and making it into a profession.

The Culinary Arts has identified two types of cooking and five forms of cooking food with the use of heat. All these were studied for the love of cooking and for the goal of improving and perfecting the art.

Everybody loves to eat food, however, cooking it in different ways made eating food a much more memorable experience. It is this appreciation that man needs to feel in order to understand the joy of cooking. - 16492

About the Author: