Semi Ho made and Rachael Ray are just too cutesy for me. I want some shows on the real ins and outs of gourmet cooking!

Also, if anyone knows of any shows on wine that would be good too.

What ever happend to the show Great Chefs?

Making the Right Choices
Anytime you feel like cooking gourmet food at home, you would do well to follow these tips, so that your family gets the best food which tastes equally good.

1) Always get the best quality foods. Any recipe that requires a particular cut of meat, see that you get just that, even if it is more costly. Although there may be other less expensive cuts of meat, by using the one that the recipe recommends, will ensure that your efforts in cooking will be rewarded, as it will be authentic.

2) While cooking, professionals usually use convection ovens, and this is probably not what is used in homes. Therefore, if a temperature converter is used (this can be found on the web) then you can make the necessary adjustments with regard to the cooking temperature and the time taken for cooking, so that your dish can turn out perfect. When you search for a gourmet recipe, make sure that you find out the type of oven that is used, so that you can make the necessary adjustments.

3) Sometimes, many ingredients are difficult to find, and these are a must in gourmet cooking. In that case, you would do well to consult with your fishmonger or butcher, so that they can help you with useful tips. The supermarket is usually stocked with most of the ingredients that you will need while preparing a gourmet dish, but a better idea is the specialty location which will have all the ingredients required in gourmet cooking.

There are so many gourmet choices and that is what makes the dishes so popular and the taste so great. But it requires time to see that you get the right quality of meat, the ingredients, whether they are fancy
vegetables, cheeses or exotic spices to make the dish tasty and outstanding. You will find that preparing a gourmet dish will be expensive, as the ingredients will have to be top notch. It will also take longer to
prepare but that is what gourmet food is all about – perfection and taste. So be patient and enjoy the final result.

Gourmet cooking is felt to be something best avoided by the majority of people because it is too expensive and surrounded by social snobbery. Gourmet cooking is for the rich and those who have more money than sense.

That image of gourmet cooking dates back to the nineteenth century when French chefs dominated the industry. The best restaurants and the richest households employed French chefs.

Those chefs were trained in a rigorous system that aimed to keep professional secrets within a tightly knit group. The chef’s livelihood depended on maintaining his craft exclusivity. Equally his employer’s status depended on the exclusivity of the chef.

Today cooking is much more democratic. Few young chefs today would tolerate the kind of ritual humiliation that apprentice chefs suffered in old fashioned kitchens. Television chefs have demonstrated their skills before a wide public and college courses offer intensive training in arts once the preserve of elite kitchens.

As more people dine out on a regular basis the snobbery once associated with restaurants has become a thing of the past. The restaurant that allows its waiters to be rude to the customers will soon go out of business.

The food that is considered to be gourmet food has also changed. In the past the idea of gourmet food was to get as far as way as possible from peasant food. Today the same peasant dishes are likely to be on the menu of top restaurants. Simplicity and natural taste is everything. The rich sauces and elaborate dishes of old style gourmet food have been swept away.

A simple bruschetta made of a slice of bread covered in tomato sauce and toasted could be considered gourmet food. Yet a few centuries ago the same food would have been eaten by poor people.

The key thing in gourmet food today is the quality of the ingredients and the integrity of the final dish. If the bread is made with unbleached flour without any of the additives ususally found in commercially made bread, allowed to rise slowly and baked in a wood fired oven then you are off to a good start. The sauce should, of course, be freshly made not out of a far. It should be made from tomatoes with the best flavour not the tasteless varieties that are usually found on the supermarket shelves. It should be well seasoned with garlic and fresh herbs.

A dish prepared in that way will be something out of ordinary. It will justifiably rate as gourmet food although it is, in itself, very simple and demands no special skills to make it.

Those who possess the ability to achieve the highest standards in creating gourmet cooking are usually very successful in this field. As well as being able to command a high salary for their services they can achieve a high status in this profitable, yet meticulous, industry. For those talented professionels endless opportunities are open to them wether it be opening and running a catering establishment, designing cookery books or guesting in cookery programmes on television. The better they master their craft the more in demand they will be.

Being a successful gourmet cook is not only reliant on a certain amount of artistic flair but an elemet of science is required. Gourmet cooking does require study and dedication, but, above all, will only succeed if the gourmet cook is brave enough to experiment with ingredients that he or she knows will combine well together. A good gourmet good will possess an exceptional palate. So, with the courage of their convictions they can create a sublime taste experience.

The choice of menu for a gourmet cook is in some way reliant upon what ingredients are at their best for that time of year. A good gourmet cook would make a sacrifice on the quality of their meat or produce. Knowing how to flavour your dish correctly is quite a talent. You need to be able to distinguish subtle flavours of herbs and spices in your dishes, as well as whatever else you have included in your creation. Your ingredients should complement each other, not one overpowering the other.

We take our enjoyment in gourmet food from many of our senses. Of course, the flavour and texture must be perfect, but your dish must be visibly appealing. Garnishing is an important element to gourmet cooking and will enhance the appearance of your dish. We also rely on our sense of smell to increase our pleasure in food and the inclusion of ingredients that have a wonderful bouquet all add to the experience All your dishes should be presented with care and creativity, and skillfully arranged.

Attention should always be taken when displaying your meal, regardless how simple or complicated it may be. With a little artistic licence even an ordinary meal can be transformed. Gourmet cooking is a subject that is limitless. New recipes or ingredients from other parts of the world are constantly being experimented with. Gourmet cooking is exciting and challenging but certainly not for the unadventurous or those who wish to stick to tried and tested philosophy.
For those who wish to push the boundaries of their knowledge are willing to learn more about gourmet cooking there is a wealth of support, advice and hands-on training programmes.

Great gourmet food is ever changing and evolving. This is largely due to those enthusiastic individuals who are passionate about achieving the highest standard in gourmet cooking and are unafraid to try new and interesting combinations by experimenting with previously untried ingredients. Gourmet cooks never compromise in their quest for excellence and our always accepting of new and interesting ideas from whatever part of the globe they come from. Like any other subject in life the more effort that is put in the greater the rewards. But the key to success is to enjoy being creative and take the greatest of pleasure in what you are doing! If you possess these qualities you may be on the road to a wonderful career in gourmet cooking.

When it comes to cooking gourmet food the two rules mentioned above are the only hard and fast rules. Everything else is purely a matter of adventure and taste. Now this doesn’t mean that any and everyone can become a gourmet cook simply by going out and purchasing the finest and freshest of ingredients and throwing them into a pot. There is some degree of art involved when it comes to gourmet cooking and a large degree of skill that is necessary in order to achieve these culinary masterpieces.

You should also understand and be prepared to discover that fresh ingredients are not always available so there are times when compromises must be made when cooking gourmet meals. For this reason you capitalize on what is in season and plan your meals accordingly whenever possible. One important quality when it comes to cooking gourmet food is the layering of flavors. You should be able to taste the meat or seafood as well as the vegetables, herbs, and spices that comprise your skillfully prepared meal.

You should not however rely on taste or aroma alone when cooking gourmet foods. As I mentioned above gourmet cooking is a large degree skill but there is some degree of art involved. For this reason, presentation is a key component of the gourmet dining experience. Through a few freshly chopped herbs on the plate before placing the food or top the food with appealing and aromatic herbs that will compliment the flavor of the meal you have prepared. Present the fruits and vegetable sides in a visually appealing fashion rather than simply tossing them onto a plate.

With proper presentation even foods that were simple to prepare can take on the flavor of a gourmet feast. This is something you should keep in mind whether your cooking plans for the evening involve the gourmet or the every day. The thing about gourmet cooking is that it is to some degree more art than science. This means that there is always room to improve your skills and stretch your limits as a cook. There will always be the next great challenge or the ‘what if’ when it comes to flavor combinations.

In fact, some of the greatest foods began with someone asking, “What would happen if I added this?” Always ask what if and always seek to improve your skills. The good news if this is an avenue you wish to pursue is that there are often gourmet cooking classes offered at gourmet food shops in your area. Some colleges or local community programs will also offer these sorts of classes for a few if you are interested. This means that there are almost always opportunities to broaden your experiences with gourmet cooking and expand your horizons.

Whether this is your first time considering gourmet cooking or you are an old pro, keep in mind that skills can be learned over time with the proper motivation and an open and honest desire to learn. If you want to learn more about gourmet cooking there is really nothing to stop you from doing so other than yourself. The Internet, your local library, and many bookstores across the country have countless volumes of information that can help you get started on your journey to gourmet cooking bliss.

But gourmet cooking can be achieved at home if you are willing to devote some time and attention to it. Gourmet cooking is essentially good cooking that uses the best ingredients and has a certain integrity to it.

Gourmet cooking can be simple food. Increasingly, even top restaurants are serving food that would once have been regarded as the food of poor people. But today when our palates are assaulted by some much processed food this kind of food has an authenticity that most of our diet lacks.

A simple meal of cheese sourced from a farm’s own dairy and hand made bread is a gourmet meal. A braised leg of spring lamb with minted new potatoes dug up only hours ago is a gourmet cooking.

Regional specialities cooked slowly with care and attention are gourmet cooking. When most food is fast food, slow food is gourmet food.

If gourmet cooking is about paying attention to ingredients it is also about paying attention to yourself. A gourmet cook must have integrity too. It is important to take pride in yourself. Hone your skills and always be prepared to learn more.

Books are useful. The best books are those that explain techniques rather than just give you recipes. It is your skill in technique that will make you a gourmet cook once you have good quality ingredients.

Some skills need to be learned from the experts. Consider enrolling on a course. A few days spent with a chef, a baker or a butcher will impart skills that cannot be picked up from a book. Not least working with a real artist in these trades will inspire you in your quest to become a gourmet cook.

Equipment is important to a gourmet cook. This doesn’t mean acquiring a battery of fancy gadgets. All you need are knives and pans but they should be of the best quality you can afford. That goes especially for knives and take care to keep them sharp. Have respect for your equipment and it will help you to become a gourmet cook.

If one word sums up what being a gourmet cook means it is that – respect. As a gourmet cook you must respect your ingredients, the skills of others, your diners, your equipment, and above all yourself. That is the only way to become a gourmet cook.