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There will always be kitchen disasters, and private and commercial kitchens have had their share of them.  Some of them may be funny, while some of them may be annoying.  However, all of them will be a waste of time.  Instead of having a smooth work flow in the kitchen, it will be interrupted by chaos and confusion as things get sorted out.

For this reason, here are some ways on how you can avoid kitchen disasters.  This is perfect for those who are working in commercial kitchens as well as those who are planning to cook for a large number of people like dinner parties.

Burning Food

You would definitely not want to burn the food you are cooking.  Not only is it a waste of money, but it is also a waste of time and effort.  You will burn the food you are cooking if you do not follow the recipe, and you will also burn the food if you do not watch what you are cooking.  Burning the food is also more common if you are using a new oven or are trying out a new recipe.  Now, to avoid kitchen disasters like this, you need to follow the recipe exactly, of course.

You should know that the temperatures of ovens differ, so if you are using a new oven, be sure to set the timer at the midway point of the original instruction.  The same can be done if you are trying out a new recipe.  Say for example the recipe calls for 12 minutes cooking time in the kitchen.  What you can do is to set it for 6 minutes.  This way, you can gauge the cooking food and adjust the timer as needed.  If it looks almost done, then you will know that it will need a couple more minutes in the oven.  If it looks raw, then you can add more minutes to the timer.

Boiling Pots

Boiling and overflowing pots are also common kitchen disasters.  This is most especially true if you forgot to check the sauce that you are making or forgot to check the pasta water.  If you are going to walk away from the stovetop even for just a few minutes, you should set the timer as a reminder for you that something is cooking over the stovetop.  Aside from this, you should also check the flame or the setting for the temperature.  Remember, things will boil too quickly if the temperature is too high, so be sure to check that you are using the right temperature.

Another tip that you can use is to place a wooden spoon inside the open pot if you are going to leave the stovetop for a few minutes.  The wooden spoon will prevent the pot from overflowing.

Kitchen Fires

Kitchen fires are one of the scariest and deadliest kitchen disasters.  This can happen too quickly that it will catch you off-guard.  For this reason, it is important that you always use the utensils and kitchen appliances as instructed by the manufacturers.  You also have to be very careful, especially if you are using oil and wine in your dishes.

For this reason, always have the kitchen fire extinguisher near you when you are cooking.  Do not use water to douse the fire because it can cause more damage.  Instead, cover the fire with a wet blanket to douse the fire if there is no kitchen fire extinguisher near you.

Planning Ahead

Now, one of the things that you can do to really avoid kitchen disasters is to plan ahead.  This includes planning the menu, the dishes that you are going to serve, and the ingredients.  You also need to have the kitchen items and appliances that you are going to need within reach, aside from having all the ingredients prepared and near you.  For this reason, be sure to prepare everything so as to have a smooth flow.

Planning ahead also includes the dishes that you have to cook first since it will take a longer time for them to be cooked, the dishes that you can cook at the same time, and the dishes that you can cook last since it will only take a few minutes for them to be done.

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Our very different cuisines did not just spring out from nowhere.  It has a beginning and a history.  So when we eat a particular cuisine, it will seem like we are being transported back in time where that particular dish started and getting a taste of what history tasted like those hundreds and thousands of years ago.  Here is a look at historical or medieval cuisine where all our lovely dishes began.

What Shaped Historical Cuisine?

As stated above, what we call cuisine did not just happen.  It developed slowly over time, and it has been shaped not only by the land and its produce but also by the people, their culture, and their needs.  Aside from this, historical cuisine also encompasses the eating habits of the people as well as their cooking techniques and methods.

Other factors that shaped historical cuisine include the events that were happening during the period, the social classes of the people, their social norms, and their religions and beliefs.  There is also the belief that upper class deserves refined and very expensive cuisine, while the working class deserves less refined and less expensive cuisine, simply because there is the idea that one’s food should resemble one’s labor.  So if you do manual labor to make a living, then your food should be coarser and cheaper than what the rich people usually have.

The Early Cuisine

If there was one thing that was very important to the diet of the people who lived during the Middle Ages is that it was the cereals.  It has always been a part of the people’s diet, with the rich having wheat and the poor having barley as well as rye and oat.  Rice was a later introduction to Europe though.

When it comes to meat, again, the upper society were the only ones who can afford meat particularly since it was a bit expensive during the Medieval Ages.  In fact, game was normally only seen on the nobilities’ tables.  Other types of meat that were also prevalent during that period were the usual pork as well as chicken, and they also have the domestic fowl.  However, beef, on the other hand, was not the common for the simple reason that the butchers will have to invest more not only in land but also in feeds if they want to raise livestock like cows.

As for fish, those who live near water have fresh fish daily, the staples of which include cod as well as herring.  However, those who live inland have to rely on the different techniques to preserve fish.  Some of these techniques are smoking as well as drying, and you also have pickling as well as salting.  In fact, these techniques are not only used for fish alone as they also use it on meat to preserve it.

The poor have the local herbs and spices, of course, and these are those that can be found in the forest as well as those that can be grown in their gardens.  On the other hand, the rich people get to enjoy exotic spices, especially if those purchased from traders who bring imported goods from neighboring lands.

During the late Medieval Period, upper class society’s cuisine became more refined with the use of seasonings.  The most common of which are vinegar as well as verjuice.  They also made use of wine in their cooking to enhance the flavor of the dish.  It was also during this period that the combination of spices and seasonings were used to create exotic flavors such as sweet and sour.

This is also the period wherein they began using sauce thickeners in their soups as well as sauces and stews, the most common of which is almonds and almond milk.

The historical or medieval cuisine made use of ingredients that were available to them.  There were exotic spices, other exotic meats, and food imports brought by traders, but it is usually the upper class who can afford such luxurious items.  However, the traditional historical or medieval cuisine was soon influenced by the many wars, crusades, and invasions that were so prevalent during that period.

Ingredients Utilized in Historical or Medieval Cuisine

* The following list is, by no means, exhaustive.  It is only intended as a reference source.

Cereals:  Rye, barley, buckwheat, millet, oats, wheat, rice

Vegetables:  Cabbage, beets, onions, garlic, carrots.

Fruits:  Lemons, citrons, bitter oranges, pomegranates, quinces, grapes, apples, pears, plums, strawberries, figs, dates.

Dairy Products:  Milk, cheese.

Meats:  Wild game, mutton, lamb, veal, pork, hedgehog, porcupine.

Birds and Fowls:  Swans, peafowl, quail, partridge, storks, cranes, larks, linnets, chicken, duck, geese.

Fish and Seafood:  Herring, cod, mollusks, oysters, mussels, scallops, crayfish, pike, carp, bream, perch, lamprey, trout.

Bake Mete Ryalle or Pork Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. pork
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. mace
• 2 tsp. cubebs
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 4 tbsp. butter

Procedure:

Boil or slow-cook the pork until tender. Allow to cool and then chop into small pieces. Add spices and sugar, put into pie crust, dot with butter, cover with a top crust, and bake at 350°F until golden brown – about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Bukkenade or Beef Stew

Ingredients:

• 2-3 lbs. beef, cut into cubes
• 1 tbsp. parsley
• 1 tsp. sage
• 1 tsp. hyssop
• 1/2 tsp. cloves
• 1/4 tsp. mace
• 4 egg yolks
• 3/8 cups verjuice (if verjuice is unavailable, use 1/4 cup wine and 1/8 cup lemon juice)
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. salt
• pinch saffron

Procedure:

Put the beef into a large pot along with water to cover – about 8 cups. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off and discard any scum that forms on the surface. Add parsley, sage, hyssop, cloves, and mace. Stir well and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the beef is tender. Temper the egg yolks in a separate bowl by slowly whisking in a cup or two of the broth from the pot. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot along with the egg mixture and stir. Remove from heat when as soon as it comes back to a boil.

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Chef Michel Guerard is considered as one of the fathers of the Nouvelle Cuisine.  In a nutshell, this simply means a new approach to traditional French cooking and is characterized by the lightness of the dishes as it does away with heavy sauces and complicated cooking techniques.  Instead, it focuses more on enhancing the natural flavors of the ingredients of the dish by using less ingredients.  Chef Guerard is also the founder of Cuisine Minceur, which is somewhat similar to the Nouvelle Cuisine in that it is lighter than the traditional French cuisine but different in such a way that it is lighter still than the Nouvelle Cuisine and does not make the diner feel “heavy” when he finishes the course.  His culinary techniques and approaches to cooking French cuisine have earned him and his restaurants http://www.michelguerard.com/#/uk/ numerous awards and recognitions.  Right now, Chef Guerard has three Michelin stars to boast of.

Chef Guerard was born in Vetheuil, Val-d’Oise on the 27th of March 1933.  When asked about his reasons why he pursued a career in the culinary world, the first memory that comes into his mind was a time when he watched his grandmother prepare and bake a pastry dish.

His interest sparked, he then went on to become n apprentice in Mantes-La-Jolie’s Kleber Alix patisserie.  It was here that he furthered his knowledge on pastry making as well as traditional French cuisine.  Aside from this, he also found work at a variety of top restaurants in Paris, some of which include Maxim’s and Le Lido.  In 1958, Chef Guerard received his first award while he was working as the Hotel de Crillon’s pastry chef.  He was awarded the Meilleur Ouvrier de France Patisserie.

It was in 1965 that he decided to launch his first restaurant in Asnieres.  He bought a bistro and named it Le Pot-au-Feu.  Good and famous friends such as the Troisgros brothers and Paul Bocuse as well as Alain Chapel, among others, came to attend the opening of his first venture.  Two years later, Chef Guerard earned his first Michelin star in 1967, and in 1971, it earned is second star.  His restaurant was doing very well until a road-widening project made him close shop.

The next year, he met Christine Barthelemy, his future wife.  Her father owns the Biotherm chain of spas and hotels, and when they got married in the mid 1970s, he relocated with her to Eugenie-les-Bairns where she was managing and operating an ailing spa.  Together, they decided to completely revamp the spa.  The couple not only restored and refurbished the spa’s building, but Chef Guerard also made a totally new cuisine to suit the purposes of the spa, thus, the Cuisine Minceur.  It was like the Nouvelle Cuisine but much more lighter and much more healthier than the former.  Pretty soon, his cuisine began receiving the attention of Parisians who not only want to eat healthy foods but to also enjoy delicious meals at the same time.  In no time at all, people began trekking to their spa.  Three years after, he received his third Michelin star.

Chef Guerard opened other restaurants in the area with his wife, and they also subsequently received accolades and awards from numerous award-giving bodies such as the Michelin Guide.  As a chef, Chef Guerard also received numerous honors such as the Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur and Chevalier of the Ordre du Merite Agricole, among others.

Chef Guerard has written numerous books that have been well received by the culinary community.  Some of his books include Grande Cuisine Minceur and La Cuisine Gourmande.  Aspiring chefs from all over the globe also come to his restaurants to work under his tutelage.

Chef Michel Guerard’s Armagnac-Drunken Capon

Ingredients:

• 1 young capon, about 2.8 kg/6 lb.
• 2 large pig’s feet, pre-cooked and quartered
• 250 g (9 oz.) smoked bacon, in 16 thin slices
• 50 g (3 tbsp.) butter
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Marinade:

• 400 g (14 oz.) carrot
• 200 g (7 oz.) onion
• 750 ml (3 cups) red Madiran wine
• 1 large bouquet garni
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2 large pieces of orange zest

Sauce and garnish:

• 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) Armagnac
• 1 liter (4 cups) chicken stock
• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
• 50 g (2 oz.) flour
• Salt and pepper
• 16 balls of pumpkin, cooked in salted water
• 32 pearl onions
• 32 small white mushrooms
• 1 bunch of parsley

Procedures:

Marinating the capon – the day before:

1. Cut the capon up into 16 pieces.
2. Lay them out on a work surface and season with a few grindings of pepper; the salt will be provided by the bacon.
3. Wrap each piece of capon in a slice of bacon. Fasten each bacon slice with a toothpick to keep it in place.
4. Place the bacon-wrapped capon pieces in a bowl; cover with the diced carrot and onion, bouquet garni, garlic cloves, orange peel and Madiran wine.

Cooking the capon:

1. The next day, drain the capon pieces and pat dry with a cloth.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. When it begins to smoke, brown the capon pieces for 5 minutes on each side.
3. Drain the capon pieces and transfer to a preheated Dutch oven containing 50 g (3 tbsp.) of heated butter. Add the drained diced carrot and onion from the marinade (4); continue sautéing, sprinkling the sugar over top, then the flour, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spatula. Place the quartered pig’s feet on top of the mixture.
4. Pour on the Armagnac, flambé, and add the wine from the marinade (4) with the bouquet garni, garlic and chicken stock.
5. Bring to a boil, cover and cook in a low oven at a bare simmer for 1 3/4 hours.
6. A half hour before the end of the cooking time, add the pearl onions and mushrooms, sautéed until golden brown, to the pot.

Finishing and serving:

1. Once everything is cooked, remove the capon pieces, pig’s feet, pearl onions, mushrooms and bouquet garni with a skimmer. Remove the toothpicks and keep everything hot.
2. Pour the cooking liquid into a blender with half the diced carrot and onion and the orange peel. Purée to make a smooth sauce.
3. Return the capon, pig’s feet and remaining diced vegetables to the Dutch oven (or a more elegant serving dish, if you wish) .
4. Strain the sauce through a sieve and pour over the capon. Sprinkle the pearl onions, mushrooms and coarsely-chopped parsley over top.
5. Garnish with 16 little pumpkin balls.

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World food shortage – a scary thought, right?  One that seems so alien in light of our very full grocery stores, people stocking up on unnecessary amounts of food in their pantries, food wastage, and people throwing away unopened cans and packages of food after their expiration dates.  It really is crazy to think that world food shortage is going to affect us, especially those who live in developed countries where we have an abundance of everything.  But we have reason to fear it because world food shortage is just as real as the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan this March 11, 2011.

What Causes World Food Shortage?

There are a lot of causative factors as to why there is an imminent, as the scientists say, world food shortage right now.

The most common and probably the biggest cause of all is the humongous rise in the world population.  In fact, scientists say that the population explosion that is happening right now, especially in third world countries, is draining the world of its natural resources.  Lands are being bled dry for the food crops that it can produce.  Couple that with the fact that there is the increased population of livestock and poultry to cope with the demand of the consumers, and you have yourself an abused land.  Aside from this, there are also the illegal and overfishing problems that our waters face as well as the environmental degradation problems such as air, land, and water pollution and deforestation, among others.

Another cause of world food shortage is the natural disasters that strike the world.  It cannot be denied that there are more and more natural disasters occurring.  Tornadoes, hurricanes, storms, blizzards, typhoons are stronger and lasts longer than normal, and they occur more frequently, too.  Water levels are higher so there are more flooding, and droughts are more regular than ever in some parts of the globe.  Experts say that these climate changes we are experiencing right now can be attributed to the greenhouse effect, which is due to pollution.

Of course, there are also earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and other natural calamities that greatly affect food production.

However, if there is one thing that will hasten the occurrence of world food shortage is that it is the increased demand for food.  Our ailing earth just cannot produce what we all need, and some of us have to deal with hunger and go to bed hungry.

The Impact of World Food Shortage on Prices

Aside from going hungry because the world cannot produce enough food at the rate we need it to so as to meet the global demands of the consumers, the prices of major commodities are also expected to increase.  It is like a domino effect, really, a small change resulting to a similar change, then another change, then another.

Here is a quick look at this domino effect.

There is a population explosion that is going on right now, and it is becoming quite alarming.  Because of the population explosion, there is the need for more land where we can put up more homes, thus, the deforestation problems.  Of course, we will need food to feed the growing population, so there is the problem of overfarming as well as overfishing.  Both the land and the sea are being drained of their natural resources just so we could meet the global demands for food.  Because of deforestation and the increased pressure on the land and the sea to produce food, be it legal or illegal means, there is then the general degradation of the environment.  Of course, this will ultimately lead to what we do not want, which is decreased food production.  The land and water can no longer provide us the food we need at the rate we are growing, so more and more people will starve.  Because of starvation, food shortage, and poverty, revolts and uprisings will happen.  If this happens in oil-rich countries, oil production is temporarily but greatly reduced.  Reduced oil production means increased fuel prices simply because there is a bigger demand for oil consumption than oil production.  This then will lead to increased prices of the major commodities, particularly food.  Why?  Simply because that grocery store a few blocks away from your home needs fuel to run its coolers and refrigerators, and he has no choice but to increase the food prices because of the higher cost of the oil supply and the higher cost of freight charges to transport precious oil to the grocery store.  And the vicious cycle is repeated all over again.

The scary thing is that this reality is happening right now.  Major natural disasters like the earthquake and tsunami in Japan are going to greatly reduce the food production of the country.  They are producing food for their people as well as exporting food products to other parts of the globe, and the natural disaster that struck this month plus the threat of the nuclear meltdown and contaminated food products are going to take its toll on the country.  The people who are living in the hard-hit areas are now experiencing food shortage, and the countries that receive food imports from Japan are also going to experience the loss.

Aside from this, starvation in places plagued by droughts or floods is also happening.  After all, who can grow food crops in dry or flooded land?

Wars are also happening in the Middle East and North African regions, and these are greatly affecting oil production.  In fact, we are now experiencing increasing oil prices with some talks of oil rationing in some parts of the globe.  Naturally, prices of other major commodities in the market are increasing along with the increasing oil price.

But there is hope to overcome this.  This will certainly not be resolved in a day or a few years, and it will definitely not come from our leaders and policy makers.  It will have to come from us.

World food shortage – a scary thought, right?  But a reality nonetheless.

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