Scott BresslerMany of us will be moving into apartments this summer, be the move for a summer adventure of a post-graduation job. For better or for worse, this means introducing ourselves to that scary place called the kitchen. Maybe the most valuable culinary skills you have involve a microwave, or maybe you can only boil water. Don’t worry-there are plenty of ways to expand your repertoire.
Perhaps one of the best ways to learn how to cook is taking a class. You can actually see what you’re supposed to be doing and the instructor can help with any problems you have. My favorite cooking school has to be Kitchen Conservatory (8021 Clayton Rd., 314.862.2110). Only 10 minutes away from campus by car, this place has a wide selection of classes on various types of cuisines, all taught in on-site learning kitchens. Classes range from two to three hours and are held either mid-morning or later in the evening.
Kitchen Conservatory has a few classes that are particularly good for novice chefs. There will also be a “Knife Skills” class ($40) offered on May 3 that teaches how to choose and use knives. A cook who wants a comprehensive education, however, should start with “The Basics of Cooking” ($175). Starting in September, this four-week class teaches a student how to saut‚, roast, pan-sear, stir-fry, make sauces and more. It will be held on Wednesday nights from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The full cooking class schedule and online registration can be found at www.kitchenconservatory.com. No matter what class you decide to take, you’ll receive a 10 percent store discount afterwards for just that day.
Another great place for classes is The Viking Store (1811 S. Brentwood). Their full schedule and sign-up is online at www.vikingcookingschool.com. For a four-hour culinary immersion, try their “One Day Culinary Basics” ($125). This class covers knife skills, kitchen safety and sanitation, saut‚ing, stocks, basic sauces and baking. If you really want to know as much about cooking as possible, go for “Cook Without a Book” ($389). After this 12-week class, which teaches you everything from stocks and sauces to pastries and cakes, you’ll be ready to tackle that kitchen with gusto. A little too intense? You can go to a single class from the series for $49.
Classes aren’t for everyone-maybe you’re a traditionalist who prefers to learn from a book. The most comprehensive beginner’s cookbook I’ve found is Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food” (Wiley Publications, Inc., $35.00). As “The Minimalist” columnist for the New York Times, this guy certainly knows how to make cooking simple. His recipes are straightforward, and unfamiliar techniques like preparing corn or carving a turkey are explained in sidebars with detailed illustrations. Some ingredient buying tips are included as well.
An unfortunate drawback to Bittman’s book is its heft. At 900 pages, this book may be difficult to carry around the kitchen-or to the cashier, for that matter. And then there’s the price. If either of these are concerns, go for the smaller version, “How to Cook Everything: The Basics” ($20). Beware that this book lives up to its title and only includes very basic recipes. Still, its inclusion of the how-to illustrations and its ability to lie flat when opened make it worth your while.
Of course, not everyone wants as much information as Bittman provides. If this is you, try “Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen Cookbook: 100+ Great Recipes with Foolproof Instructions” (Houghton Mifflin, $15.95). I’ve actually picked this up for friends who have moved into apartments, partly for the funny title as well as the recipes. Designated as Very Easy, Easy or Not-So-Easy, this cookbook’s recipes should help the absolute beginner gain some confidence in the kitchen. “Mom tips” and “Mom warnings” convey all the common sense that isn’t known by new cooks. One complaint about this book is that its ingredient lists can run a bit long because the recipes don’t rely too much on packaged foods. That’s not always a bad thing, though.
And what if you want some cooking lessons for free? No, I’m not talking about cable; I’m talking about podcasts. With the rising popularity of programs like iTunes, people have been creating and posting shows on their favorite hobbies, including food and cooking. Looking under the Food section in my iTunes, I came across a podcast called “Start Cooking.” Actually a videocast, each episode shows how to make a particular recipe, like Irish bread or lasagna. The videos are short and a little jerky, but the grocery and equipment lists at the end of each episode allow for easy identification of these items in the grocery store or kitchen.
The kitchen doesn’t have to be a scary place and picking up some new skills at a class or from a book or podcast may help make the introduction to preparing your own food a little easier. Good luck and bon app‚tit!