what would you want to learn in a "cooking 101" class i am teaching soon?

Answer 1

Safe food handling, touching on everything from buying, storing, preparing, and storage of left-overs. If the crazy things that my friends do when it comes to food safety is any indication, this is one area that DEFINITELY needs to be taught.

After that, I'd talk about balanced diets and give them fun, simple recipes incorporating basic cooking techniques. You'd be covering two subjects at the same time.

Hope that helps.

Answer 2

I always wanted to know all the secretes that make things easier. There are so many thing I wish I would have listened when my Grandma said to do them now I have mostly forgotten them but there are so many little hidden secrets to cooking that make it so much easier as far as clean up and baking secrets...

Also, I think its important to learn the general rules of cooking, best temperatures to use, what racks work best for different dishes, easy clean up tip all of those things help.

And make it fun I took a cooking class once that was so boring it was all I could do to keep from falling asleep..

Answer 3

Definately how to use yeast. And how to make good stir-fries. How to test cakes and baked breads to make sure they are done.

Teach about different spices and their uses too, and how to make a few basic marinades.

I grew up around a lot of this stuff, but I find it disturbing how many people don't. In fact, just a year or so ago I had to teach a girl how to cook via IMs because she was used to using a microwave and suddenly found herself without one.

Good luck with your class!

Answer 4

1.Baking different cakes
2. Making different spaghetti sauces
3. How to bake pies
4. Right temperatures for cooking meats.
5. Learning to strech a meal (Using chicken+Lower cost things) for people on a budget!
6. Edible Vegitarian dishes

Answer 5

Focus on principles, like they do in Cooks Illustrated.

Knife skills.

How to peel garlic by whacking it first. How to dice onions without crying (ski mask or swim googles is best.)

How to dice up mirepoix ingredients quicklly, saute, and deglaze a fond to make a sauce or the basis for a soup, a sofrito, or for jazzing up store-bought spaghetti sauce.

How to make a roux and how to make some of the mother sauces.

Braising, because it makes its own sauce.

How to stir fry vegetables in a skillet, at very high heat. How to flip them in the pan like they do on TV (different techniques for skillet and straight sided pan. Tell them to practice on the back porch.)

What ingredients to use for marinating the meats in a stir fry, and how little time the meat needs to marinate. (10-20 mins, not hours.)

How to roast a chicken. Then how to carve it as if it were practice for carving a turkey. How to make gravy from the drippings.

How easy it is to bake a pie if you use a frozen piecrust. How to make tarte tatin. Other easy desserts with fruit. How to make piecrust from scratch.

One good foolproof cake recipe.

Answer 6

Knife skills, how to prep vegetables etc quickly, also how to correct mistakes , for instance what to do if a sauce has lumps, how to make basic sauces and soups, how to cook meat so it doesnt turn out like leather, how to make basic pasta sauce recipes using simple things from the fridge like, cherry tomatoes, olives, fresh basil and garlic, fresh grated cheese
Lots of people seem scared of cooking, if they knew the basics and realised most of the best recipes come from using fresh ingredients and a bit of imagination we would all eat healthier

Answer 7

Eggs: How old is too old. How can you tell. How to cook hard boiled eggs without cracking and without the dark ring around the yolk which slides out of the shell easily when peeled. Need good looking eggs for salads.

How to make different kinds of brown gravy or white sauces.

How to successfully make different kinds of pizzas or focaccias or cheese breads.

Answer 8

I would want to learn how to make quick meals for the week and a few special meals for other occasions. Perhaps a romantic dinner or a dish to contribute to a holiday potluck. Desserts are fun too.

Answer 9

I would like to know how to make a really cheesey potato
augratan dish. I don't want the store bought kind, there o.k.
in a fix but to bake it myself would be better. Now i've made
myself hungry. Thats what i would like to learn. Any ideas?

Answer 10

I would do different sections. So for breakfast - I know I would love to know how to make something good/easy like french toast or scrambled eggs. Then lunch, I would love to know how to make an awesome grilled sandwich or a simple soup. Dinner - a fish or chicken dinner then can be oven bound.