By Chuck R Stewart

Baking is one of the most popular hobbies that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. You will surely find great fulfillment baking your own muffins, breads, tarts and pancakes brownies. At an early age you start to handle the appropriate bake ware with a little help from your moms. Most of us have experienced during childhood baking our specially designed cakes with our moms by our side. You still giggle while you reminisce how you struggled with the proper use of cake pan molds while closely following your mom’s instructions.

Nonetheless, the activity can also be a bit of struggle even for adults who are not properly guided and assisted by an individual who is not only an expert in baking but are also good at teaching how to bake. How sad it is if you end up with a cake that will not rise or one that ends up with a soggy bottom.

What is unfortunate about these things is that they may not be the result of your imagined shortcomings or mistakes in the baking process. Many things can possibly go wrong and the culprit may not always be the person doing the baking. The problem may be due to inferior cake molds and other baking equipment.

Thus, it is essential that you use only the prescribed baking molds and other implements for baking generally considered as appropriate. If you don’t want to go through a very messy baking activity it is important that you take cognizance of the following tips and guidelines in selecting the appropriate cake ware.

The baking equipment comes in various types of materials, shapes and sizes. The available materials include silver materials that are anodized, stainless steel, glass, non-stick, and silicon.

The aluminum type of cake ware comes in two types; the hard anodized and the silver anodized. This type of cake ware is made using the electro-chemical procedure. This process produces a hardened baking equipment that is also peel, blister and rust-resistant.

The silicon bake ware is your all-around and all-purpose cake ware as it can be used in the freezer, microwave and the oven. This type of material is a recent addition to our present kitchen collection. It is fast gaining popularity and acceptance for its durability and storage capability. It also has the capacity to hold up to temperatures of up to 580 F. It has the property of transferring the heat that it absorbs directly to the food and it immediately stops cooking as soon as it is taken out from the oven. This prevents the browning results we normally experience from other type of cake ware.

The non-stick type of cake ware is either made out of steel or aluminum. Its main feature is the special coating that is applied on its surface that provides its non-stick character. This cake ware is perfect for baking layered cakes, muffins and cupcakes where you are required to remove it from the baking dish for immediate serving.

These are just some of the more common types of cake ware. Once you decide to do some serious baking, the learning process must also involve a study on the types of baking items and how they are used in order to create the perfect cakes and pastries.

Chuck R. Stewarts wife recently purchased specialty molds and bakeware, including cake pan molds, online for their daughters birthday party.

Article Source: Chuck R. Stewart == Three Types of Bakeware That You Can Rely On

By Ori Pas

Chef Knives are divided into four main categories by the types of material used to make them.

The prices of a cooks knife are usually consistent with the amount of work put in to produce the blade, and the material value.

Now I say usually because there are many brand names that will ad a significant amount of money to the cost of the knife.

The chef knife materials are:

1. Carbon Steel
2. Stainless Steel
3. Laminated
4. Ceramic

There are also two main ways for making the blade for the knife:

1. Forged
2. Pressed

Carbon Steel Chef Knife Blade:

Carbon Steel is an alloy of Iron and approximately 1% Carbon.

It will produce a very sharp edge that will hold for a longer time.

Most “Super Steel” Knife Blades that are forged in the far east (mostly Japan) are made of Carbon Steel alloys which may include Chrome, Vanadium, Cobalt, Molybdenum and other elements.

Some names of the “Super Steel” blade materials are VG-10 which is a compound of iron, carbon, Cobalt, Vanadium, Molybdenum that is only available in Japan or ZDP-189 which is made by Hitachi Japan.

The best Chef Knives are made of Carbon Steel which is folded over itself several time, it can be from just 2 folds and up to 800 folds.

What comes out of these folded blades are what we call today “Damascus Steel” which is a chef knife that shows the layers of steel and carbon on the blade.

Most knife blades use 16 or 33 folds, the better and more expensive ones can use 67 folds and up.

What each fold does is give the chef knife more steel fibers and that gives it flexibility and durability that no other material can give.

Some brand names that use this type of chef knife blade technique are Spyderco, Kershaw, Sakura, Kyocera, and more.

The next segment will be about Stainless Steel Chef Knife Blades.

Ori is a Chef and has been cooking for a long time. Having used every chef knife available in the passed 20 years, I have decided to share my knowledge. I hope you enjoy the articles. You can get more information at http://www.kitchen-chef-knife.com

Article Source: Ori Pas == Chef Knife Blades and Materials – Part I

By Dorit Sasson

A latke-kugel otherwise known as a large, thick potato pancake that needs to be cut in squares or wedges is just a larger potato pancake. Mama’s version of the easy-to-make Chanukah recipe is a bit different.

A “kugel” is the Yiddish word for “pudding.” It usually refers to a pudding made either with potatoes or with noodles. “Lake” is the Yiddish for “potato pancake,” one of the traditional foods prepared by Eastern Europeans Jews for Chanukah. The latke is cooked in oil and so reminds us of the oil found by the Maccabees, which burned miraculously for eight nights.

Latke Kugel Recipe:

Ingredients

• 4-6 large potatoes
• 2-3 eggs
• 1/4 cup matzah meal
• 1 tablespoon wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon salt (more or less)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Oil for frying – or a mixture of oil and margarine

Instructions:

1. Peel and grate the potatoes, and drain the liquid through the sieve into a bowl, but reserve the potato starch at the bottom of the bowl after pouring off the liquid. Then mix the eggs, matzah meal, wheat germ, salt, and honey with the grated potatoes and potato starch. Add more matzah meal if the mixture is too loose.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot, pour the entire potato mixture into the pan and brown over medium heat. Carefully lift the sides and bottom with a spatula to make sure there is enough oil. Lower the heat, and cover the pan.
3. After the latke-kugel has a crisp crust and is set and partially cooked, then carefully slide the latke-kugel onto a plate larger than the pan, using a spatula to help detach the crust from the pan. Place another large plate gently over the latke-kugel, and invert them so that the uncooked side of the latke kugel is now on the bottom of the second plate, with the browned crust on top. Slide the latke-kugel carefully back into the frying pan (add more oil if necessary) and raise the heat. After browning the bottom crust, cover the pan, lower the heat and cook the latke-kugel until it is cooked through thoroughly. Keep checking so that the bottom doesn’t burn. About 30-45 minutes.
4. When cooked, remove the entire latke-kugel onto a large plate and serve by cutting into wedges.
5. If you prefer baking, pour oil and then the entire potato mixture into a baking pan (round or square or rectangle). Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour or until there is a crisp crust around the sides and bottom of the latke-kugel.

Papa’s Latkes

Ingredients:

• 4-5 large potatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup matzoh meal
• salt and pepper
• vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Peel potatoes, wash in cold water, grate finely.

2. Grate onion on larger side of grater.

3. Beat 2 eggs and add to mixture.

4. Blend in matzoh meal, and salt and pepper to taste with other ingredients.

5. Heat 1″ layer of vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Drop in 1 heaping tablespoon of mixture for each latke, and when it sizzles turn over until it’s crisp and golden.

6. Drain on paper towels.

7. Serve with sour cream or applesauce.

You might like to add parsley, dill, apples, raisins, cinnamon – or even cayenne pepper to your latke recipe.

Serves about 6 people, depending on their appetites.

Enjoy!

Make Your Teaching Sparkle. Teach for Success. Make a difference in the classroom. Subscribe to The New Teacher Resource Center, the FREE e-zine for teacher. Receive the e-book, “Taking Charge in the Classroom” when you subscribe by visiting the New Teacher Resource Center at http://www.newteachersignup.com. Dorit Sasson is a freelance writer, educator and founder and director of the New Teacher Resource Center.

Article Source: Dorit Sasson == Potato Latke Recipes For Chanukah

By June Carr

If you love to cook, there is nothing more important than having the right tools. Just as a carpenter needs his favorite saw and hammer, so too does the gourmet cook need that perfect piece of cookware. Of course not all of us are as fortunate as others when it comes to affording cookware, and some of us must consider our budget, the eating habits of our family, as well as finding time to cook the perfect meal; but once those bridges are crossed, the sweet aroma of dinner will soon be wafting it way from your kitchen.

One of the most important points when choosing your cookware is to consider how it’s made and what material (metals) make up its core. While those details can easily be overlooked when basing your decision on price, it’s a detail that should most certainly be considered. If you’ll take the time to learn about how the various cooking surfaces affect the outcome, you’ll understand how to make the best choice, based on time, budget, and cooking preferences.

One of the best types of cookware is made primarily from stainless steel; it’s usually priced moderately, is durable, strong, resistant to corrosion and does not react to alkaline or acidic materials. You’ll find you can use less cooking oil, thus the nutritional value is maintained, and you’ll find cleanup are a snap.

Of course everything comes with their good and bad points, with stainless steel the minus is the way it conducts heat, which in a word is inefficiently. Not to be daunted and coming to the rescue is a thick aluminum or copper core in the bottom. When this is combined with stainless steel, you have a piece of cookware that heats evenly, is easy to clean, and maintains its appearance for years into the future.

Nonstick pans, which are praised by cooks everywhere, especially those who are cooking low fat meals, are a tool of the trade and allow intricate (and flavorful) meals to be cooked without a messy clean up. There are some concerns you need to take note of (environmental questions have been raised concerning perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) a chemical used to bond the nonstick coating to the pan) and while there is no direct evidence that this is transferred to the food being cooked, it is a point to be considered. Laying that negative to rest (but do your own checking) cleanup is a breeze but be careful not to scratch the surface, or it will quickly lose its nonstick properties.

This is easily accomplished by using wooden, plastic, or coated utensils when cooking and keeping the piece out of the dishwasher, only washing in hot soapy water. Do this and you’ll have a shining centerpiece of cooking elegance for years to come.

The old standard (been around for hundreds of years) is cast iron which is relatively inexpensive, conducts heat evenly and is perfect for searing or frying. Of course it’s not a perfect world, nor is cast iron the perfect cookware and you need to keep your piece clean and dry to avoid rust, stains or pitting. A light application of cooking oil is suggested if you’ll be storing it for long periods.

NOTE: Cast iron cookware should not be washed in soapy water; instead it should be wiped clean, and dry with a paper towel.

Of course a miracle of the modern age is aluminum cookware, which is usually inexpensive, light weight, and an excellent conductor of heat. The negative? Aluminum will react to acidic or alkaline foods, and over time could begin to spoil the taste of your meal.

Because of this aluminum cookware is normally coated with stainless steel or an anodized coating, with this combination it’s an excellent cookware choice and your food will be protected. In most cases aluminum cookware doesn’t require any special type of cleaning, and hot soapy water if just find.

DISHWASHING NOTE: While we all enjoy the ease and convenience of a dishwasher, it’s best to hand wash and dry your choice cookware, this will maintain it’s quality finish well into the future.

An expensive, but beautiful cookware choice is copper; it conducts and responds to heat quickly, cooks evening, cools quickly when heat is removed and allows your food to achieve that perfect blend of culinary perfection.

Personally I love copper cookware, but I’ve learned (the hard way) that copper can react to moisture, salty food, and sometimes high humidity. Left unchecked this could cause your food to have a slightly metallic taste. Of course the cooking engineers understood this and normally will line copper cookware with silver or stainless steel, which will enhance its qualities and for the most case eliminate the negatives.

If you’re someone who enjoys cooking, or simply enjoy the taste of a well cooked meal, take the time to do a little research, then you’ll know exactly what your need to be the perfect gourmet cook.

Using the just the right piece of cookware can spell the difference between a meal hastily thrown together and a true gourmet experience. For those interested in learning more about cooking with premium cookware, please stop by and peruse what we have to offer.

Article Source: June Carr == Cooking, Cookware and the Perfect Gourmet Meal

Are you trying to think up birthday cake decorating ideas? If you are planning to make a cake for a kid’s birthday party, make sure it is a memorable event. Kids love birthdays for a variety of reasons including the presents and the cake! Instead of just buying the typical sheet cake from the grocery store, you can make your own creation.

The internet is full of cake decorating ideas for all kinds of themes. It does not matter if you want to make a cake for a boy or a girl, you can find all kinds of ideas and supplies needed to make just about any cake. All of the decorations can be found online!

One of the most popular girl themes is Disney Princesses. You can decorate your cake using just one princess or a multitude of them. Of course, you may decide to use Belle, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella. You may want to even use actual princess figurines that your little girl can keep for years to come.

There are plenty of birthday cake decorating ideas for boys too. Boys especially like cakes with superhero decorations. Spiderman cakes are pretty popular, for instance, and there are plenty of designs and images online you can look at for some ideas.

You can never go wrong with cupcakes, either. The great thing about cupcakes is that you can make each one unique if you want, whereas you can only do so much on one cake. You can make a batch of cupcakes and decorate half for girls and the other half for boys.

One great unisex cake idea would be Looney Tunes characters. Animals are also a great theme that most children love. There are all sorts of cat, dog and other animal decorations available online.

You might want to ask your kids what sort of cake they want. They may want to assist you in making the cake or cupcakes. That is a great way to spend family time and build memories. Plus, they will be proud of what they create and can brag to their friends!

You can make frosting from scratch or buy pre-made frosting. It is up to you how you handle frosting, but you will definitely want to purchase decorations. You might need stencils, food coloring, sprinkles, figurines, etc.

When you are looking for birthday cake decorating ideas, you must know where to find the right accessories at the best prices! Did you know that you can also get online cake decorating lessons?

Tags : cake decorating, Cooking, desserts, family