Discussion Segment

Learn the underlying science and secrets to forming great crust and crumb.

Technique Segment

Learn the step by step process for mixing, forming, proofing and baking sourdough bread. Also, the “No-Knead” method is discussed in detail.

Home Work Assignment

Bake your very own sourdough bread using the recipe below. This recipe will allow you to mix, form and bake your sourdough bread from start to finish in 4 hours.

Culinary Quick Tip

• High Altitude Baking (Baking above 5,000ft)

How did your sourdough bread turn out? Questions or comments about the process? Post them below!

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If you have anymore questions regarding sourdough, please feel free to ask them in the comment section of this post.

For more information on this subject, I recommend The Fresh Loaf.com.

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In This Episode

Discussion Segment

• Learn about the four major ingredients of bread making, flour, water, salt and yeast, and the importance of their interaction.
• The difference between Instant Dry Yeast, Active Dry Yeast, Cake Yeast, and which type you should be using.
• The Different Types of Flour Available and which is the best for baking bread.

Technique Segment

• Learn about the “baker’s percentage” and its importance.
• The different types of Sourdough Starters and Pre-Ferments used, how best to use them, and which is the right one for you.
• How to make and maintain your very own sourdough starter.

Do you use Sourdough Starters or Pre-Ferments when baking bread? Which do you prefer, and what are some of the problems you’ve encountered along the way?

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Post tags: Bread, Podcast, Sourdough

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Canapes are those nice little one bite hors d’oeuvre that you’ll find at cocktail parties and wine tastings.

Books Referenced

• Hors d’Oeuvres At Home With The Culinary Institute Of America

Listen to this episode by clicking the “Play Now” link below. Also available on iTunes.

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Videos Mentioned In This Podcast

• Composed Salad Video – Butter Lettuce
• Plating Video Part One
• Plating Video Part Two

Books Referenced

• The Flavor Bible
• Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen (CIA)

Supporting Articles

• Flavor and Texture Pairing for Composed Salads
• Roasted Beet Napoleon

Discuss On The Forum

• FCS Episode 16 Discussion Thread
• FCS Episode 16 Homework Assignment

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In this episode of The Free Culinary School Podcast we continue our Garde Manger Course with a lesson on creamy and emulsified salad dressing, and talk about some classic salads such as the Ceasar, Cobb and Louis.

In the Discussion Segment you will learn:

• How to make an emulsified creamy dressing.
• How to make classical creamy dressings such as Ranch, Blue Cheese and Thousand Island.
• When you should and should not use creamy salad dressings.

In the Technique Segment you will learn:

• The components of Caesar, Cobb and Louis Salad.
• The history of the Louis, Cobb and Caesar, and how they were developed.
• How to make these classical salads your own!

And in the Culinary Quick Tip:

• Secrets ingredients used by professional chefs in their creamy salad dressings!

Take The Listener Survey

• If you haven’t already, please take a moment to complete the FCS listener survey. Your opinion counts and will help shape the future of FCS!

Related Articles

• Understanding Emulsions and How They Work
• Check out this article on the use of MSG in Cooking.

Support Forum

• Question’s or comments? Post them to this thread.
• Take the FCS Episode 15 Quiz!
• FCS Episode 15 Homework Assignment
• Take the Episode 15 Poll

Don’t Forget Your New E-Mail Bonus!

If you’re already signed up for the free FCS Newsletter then don’t worry, I’ve already sent you a copy of the new bonus video on How To Sharpen Your Knife Like A Pro.

If you haven’t signed up for the free FCS Newsletter than simply enter your primary e-mail in the form below to receive your free bonus content including the video on How To Sharpen Your Knife Like A Pro. And don’t worry, like  anyone who’s already on my list will tell you, I never send spam, I never sell your e-mail and you can unsubscribe at anytime and still be my friend.

I respect your privacy and adhere to a strict privacy policy.

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Post tags: Cooking Podcast, Culinary School Articles, Recipes

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In this episode of the Free Culinary School Podcast, we start or next series with a 4 episode basic course on Garde Manger, which is also know as the “pantry” or “cold kitchen.” Traditionally, Garde Manger is the first station that every cook will work when just starting out in a professional kitchen, and the techniques of Garde Manger must be mastered before the cook is allowed to move onto the hot line.

In this Episode’s Discussion Segment:

• How to choose and classify salad greens.
• How to make an informed decision on when to use certain types of greens for salads.
• When you should use bitter greens vs crispy and tender greens.
• How to make a balanced mesculin mix.

In the Technique Segment:

• We talk about what makes up a classical vinaigrette.
• We discuss the molecular make up of vinegar, and why its important to making a vinaigrette.
• How to make a balanced vinaigrette by understanding basic flavor structure.

And in the Culinary Quick Tip:

• How to wash and store salad greens for maximum freshness and shelf life.

Supporting Articles for this podcast:

• How To Make a Vinaigrette: Technique and Recipes
• Understanding Emulsions and How They Work
• FCS Episode 8| Hollandaise Sauce

Books Referenced In This Episode:

• The Pasta Bible by Silvi Rizzi

© Jacob for Free Culinary School.com, 2009. | Permalink | 7 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cooking Podcast, Culinary School Articles, Salads, Vinaigrette

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In this episode of The Free Culinary School Podcast, listener questions about food and cooking are answered.

But first, let me apologize for my absence. It has been too long since the release of the last FCS podcast, but I have a really good excuse. As some of you already know, I have been working for the past few years as a Sous Chef in a fine dining restaurant. However, I just got hired for my first Executive Chef position at a local fine dining establishment.

This new position came right at the busiest time of the season for Lake Tahoe, so I’m just now able to catch my breath.

In this episode I answer listener questions on:

• What kind of salts do you really need, and what’s the deal with all those fancy sea salts?
• Why does blending your tomato sauce mute some of the flavors?
• Do corian cutting boards ruin your good chef knives?
• Does adjusting the baking soda in chocolate chip cookies effect their texture, and what’s the best method for making a chewy chocolate chip cookie.
• When should you add garlic to a dish, and how do you control its kick?
• How much bones do you need for chicken stock and can you use a leftover carcass from a roasted chicken dinner?
• How can a broke culinary school student expand his/her pallet?
• Are food allergies a deal break for aspiring culinary school students?
• How can you read a recipe to make it your own?
• What is tomato paste and should it be used?
• Can you use hydrogenated fat for frying and confit?

As always, you can e-mail me your questions and comments directly by clicking on the contact link at the top of the page, or you can leave your questions and comments by clicking on the comment button below.

© Jacob for Free Culinary School.com, 2009. | Permalink | 6 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cooking, Cooking Podcast, Food Questions Answered

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In this Episode of the Free Culinary School Podcast, we finish our five part series on the French Mother Sauces with a lesson on Sauce Espagnole, also know as Sauce Brune or Brown Sauce.

Sauce Espagnole is the classical brown mother sauce from which modern age demi-glaces and their secondary sauces are derived. Chances are, if you’ve eaten at a fine restaurant lately, one of their signature sauces is a “Demi” based sauce.

In This Episode

• Discussion Segment: We talk about methods and techniques used in modern day sauce making, including how to reinforce the flavors of your sauce and sauce “a la minute.”
• Technique Segment: We go over the classical recipe and technique used to make Sauce Espagnole, and talk about some of its more popular derivatives including Demi-Glace, Sauce Robert, and Sauce Bordelasie.
• Culinary Quick Tip: We talk about the three components needed to finish your sauce just like a pro.

Also, the next episode of The Free Culinary School Podcast will be a listener question and comment show. So if you have a question about the information covered in the last 12 episodes, or any other question restaurant or culinary related, e-mail them to jacob [at] FreeCulinarySchool.com or click on the contact link above.

Cook With Passion!

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Post tags: Culinary School Articles, French Cooking, French Mother Sauces, How To Cook

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In this Episode of the Free Culinary School Podcast, we continue with part four in out mother sauce series, and talk about the classical technique used to make Sauce Tomat, better known as Tomato Sauce. We also finish our three part series on thickening agents, and in the culinary quick tip, I teach you how to make home made pasta from scratch!

Posts Referenced In This Episode

• How To Roast Garlic
• How To Blanch Garlic
• How To Make a Roux and It’s Proportions
• How To Make Classical Sauce Tomat and Some Variations on the Recipe

Websites Referenced In This Show

• Kamikaze Cookery: Check out their post on “Cooking the Perfect Bologanise“, and all the other culinary shenanigans they’re up to.
• Social Marketing at One Up Web: Check out the post on “Foodies Going Social.“
• Mattias Posterous: Check out his post on the risotto he made.

Also, a special thanks to Endoxi for allowing me to share one of their songs from their new album, New Blood, Old Soul. Make sure to stay tuned at the end of this episode to hear their song, “I’ve Come A Long Way.”

Questions or comments? Let me know by clicking on the comment button below.

© Jacob for Free Culinary School.com, 2008. | Permalink | 4 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cooking Podcast, culinary podcast, French Cooking, How To Cook, Mother Sauces

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The Free Culinary School Podcast turns double digits! In this episode, we continue our five part series on the Mother Sauces with part three; Bechamel and it’s derivatives. In this Episode:

• How To Make Bechamel and It’s Derivatives Including Mornay, Mustard Sauce and Cream Sauce
• We Continue our three part series on thickening agents for sauces and soups
• Question Segment: I answer the Egg/Acid Paradox posed by listener Luke
• Culinary Quick Tip: How to use sauce Bechamel to make a simple and delicious Macaroni and Cheese

A Special Thanks To:

• Randall McMurphy at RandallPMcMurphy.blogspot.com/
• Tara of the Wuthering Minds blog.

Books Referenced In This Episode:

• Culinary Artistry by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page
• On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee
• Professional Cooking by Wayne Gisslen

If you have any question or comments about the show, please leave them by clicking on the comment button below.

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Post tags: Culinary School Articles, French Cooking, How To Cook, Recipes

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Also, in the discussion segment, we start a three part series on one of the most important aspects to sauce making; thickening agents. In this episode, we discuss how to make a roux, and how to use a liaison as a thickening agent.

Supporting Resources for this Podcast

• How To Make and Use a Roux
• How To Make and Use a Liaison
• How To Make Sauce Veloute and Its Derivatives
• How To Make Mayonnaise, Aioli and Their Derivatives
• The Imperial to Metric Calculator that I mentioned for all my metric friends.

Also, I want to know what your favorite Thanksgiving Recipes are. To tell me about your recipe or to leave a question or comment about the show, click on the comment button below.

© Jacob for Free Culinary School.com, 2008. | Permalink | 2 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cooking Podcast, French Cooking, How To Cook, Recipes

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The Five Mother Sauces are the basis to a huge percentage of any sauce that you may attempt to make. Understanding these “Leading” sauces will empower you to understand the underlying technique of classical sauce making, ultimately allowing you to create your own masterpieces.

In this Episode:

• What is an Emulsion and How Does It Work
• How To Make Hollandaise – A French Mother Sauce

Plus, listener questions are answered:

• Rick question on what’s better; a 10″ chef’s knife, a santoku, or a Chinese cleaver?
• Michael’s question on whether or not professional chef’s read and follow recipes.
• And David’s question on what kind of tools you need in a professional kitchen.

Also, in the culinary quick tip, I give you a couple of tips on how to properly poach eggs using the traditional method and the restaurant method.

Questions or comments about the show? Click on the comment button below!

© Jacob for Free Culinary School.com, 2008. | Permalink | 8 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cooking Podcast, Mother Sauces, Recipe, Recipe Podcast

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In this episode of The Free Culinary School Podcast, we finish the final segment of our three part series on basic hot side cooking technique.

In This Episode

• Discussion Segment – I answer Dino’s question about Olive Oil being used as a go to cooking oil.
• Technique Segment – We discuss the Basics of Frying, Confit and Deep Fat Poaching. Also, professional tips and tricks for these techniques are discussed.
• Question and Comment Segment – I answer Stephen’s question regarding how to cook proteins to their proper finished temperatures.
• In The Culinary Quick Tip – I go over the proper professional technique used for breading items before they are deep fried.

Also, as discussed in this episode, here is a link to some of the new culinary books that I’m excited about reading.

Other Resources Mentioned In This Episode

• Thanks to Brina and PiggyRibs.com for their support!
• Check out Old Fat Sailor’s Tomato Sauce Recipe and Mickey’s Cheese Cake Recipe.
• How to make a Stabilized Butter Emulsion using Xanthan Gum.

If you have any questions or comments about the information covered in this episode, please comment below or click on the contact link at the top of this page to send me an e-mail.

Cook With Passion!

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Post tags: Cooking Podcast, How To Cook, Professional Chef, Recipes

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Also in this episode, I answer Scott’s question on what it takes to become a professional chef and if culinary school is really necessary.

Supporting Articles For This Episode

• How To Braise (Lamb Shank & Beef Short Ribs)
• How To Poach (Recipe for Poached Fillet of Sole)
• How To Roast (Technique for Roasting a Whole Prime Rib)
• Court Bouillon Recipe
• How To Properly Make Clarified Butter

Plus, in the Culinary Quick Tip:

• How to clarify stock for consommé using gelatin sheets!

Also I announce the launch of listener generated content. If you would like to contribute a recipe or article to the Free Culinary School Blog, click here for more information.

I want to hear your comments on this episode! Do you have any advice for Scott as he contemplates whether or not he should go to culinary school and pursue becoming a professional chef? Also, which cooking and food blogs do you follow and why? My favorite food blogs that I follow are listed here.

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Post tags: Cooking, Cooking Blogs, Cooking Podcast, Food, Recipes

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In our discussion segment we revisit stocks, and discuss the “dark side” of haute cuisine, including the use of bullion cubes and stock bases.

In This Episode

• Stocks revisited – Comments and questions from Caponemang, Old Fat Sailor and Homecooker are discussed.
• How to Saute
• How to Sear
• How to Pan Roast (Roti)
• How to Properly Season a Cast Iron Pan

Plus listener questions get answered and the true meaning of mashed potatoes is debated.

Books Referenced In This Episode

• The Escoffier Cookbook – Auguste Escoffier
• On Food and Cooking – Harold McGee
• The French Laundry Cookbook – Thomas Keller
• Food Lover’s Companion – Sharon Tyler Herbst

Also, check out Home Brewer Brian’s Website to learn all about brewing at home, one of my favorite pastimes.

Do you have any questions or comments about the show? Simply click the comment button below to let me know!

© Jacob for Free Culinary School.com, 2008. | Permalink | 11 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cooking, Cooking Podcast, Cooking Technique, Food

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In this episode you learn the basics of mastering these starches so you can begin to put together your entrees. In the discussion segment we go over why Risotto, Polenta and Mashed potatoes are so important, and the components of a standard entree.

In This Episode

• The Components of a Standard Entree
• How To Cook Risotto
• How To Cook Polenta
• How To Make Perfect Mashed Potatoes

Also, in the Culinary Quick Tip, I give you a top secret tip that I’ve never told anyone before on how to make potato puree with any viscosity that you desire.

Plus, listener questions get answered!

Tools Mentioned In This Episode

• Food Mills
• Kitchen Aid Mixer
• Cuisinart Food Processor

What did you think of this episode and what is your favorite technique for making the starches we discussed? Let me know by clicking the comment button below.

© Jacob for Free Culinary School.com, 2008. | Permalink | 28 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cooking, Cooking Podcast, Food, Food and Drink, Recipe

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We talk about why you really add salt to the blanching water, and some of the folklore surrounding it.

Discussed in this Episode:

• The Bizarre Foods tasting menu we did at the Big Water Grille.
• What is your death row meal, (mine is braised chicken thighs).
• The basics of blanching.
• And how to build your pallet.

Books Referenced For This Podcast

• My Last Supper – 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals, by Melanie Dunea
• What Einstein Told His Cook, by Robert L. Wolke
• What Einstein Told His Cook 2, by Robert L. Wolke
• The French Laundry Cookbook, by Thomas Keller and Michael Rhulman
• The Whole Beast – Nose To Tail Eating, by Fergus Henderson

If you would like to play along in the “Death Row Meal Game,” click here now to tell us what your last supper would be.

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In the discussion segment we go over in detail the qualities of a great stock. These qualities are:

• A good stock is devoid of fat
• It will have nice body, and good mouth feel; it will not be watery
• It has a good, clean, rich color that is appropriate to the kind of stock made

In our technique segment, we go over the four major stocks that are out there including:

• Veal
• Chicken
• Vegetable
• Fish Stock (Fish Fumet)
  

And in the culinary quick tip, I give you a couple of tips that professional chefs use while making stocks in a restaurant kitchen.

Also, as I mentioned in the podcast, there are a couple of tools I recommend you use to make a stock. These are:

• Heavy Bottom Sauce or Stock Pot
• Heavy Bottom Roasting Pan
• China Cap (Conical Strainer)
• Chinois (Fine Conical Strainer)

To get started, listen to the podcast below, then head over to the “How To Cook” section of Free Culinary School.com and read the blog post on How To Make Great Stock.

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Post tags: Cooking Podcast, Culinary School Articles, How To Cook, Stocks

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In this episode you’ll learn:

• What kind of knives you really need in your kitchen
• How to pick out the right kind of knives for you
• Basic knife skills such as how to dice, julienne, brunoise and batonnet.

And if your looking for photos on how to hold your knife, how to use your guide hand, and how to dice and batonnet, just click on the corresponding links.

Do you have any questions or comments regarding the show or knife skills? Just click on the comment button below to ask that burning question that you need answered.

© Jacob for Free Culinary School.com, 2008. | Permalink | 3 comments | Add to del.icio.us
Post tags: Cooking Podcast, Free Culinary School, Knife Skills

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