Now's The Time For A Culinary Education

One of the subjects I'm asked about most often is how to get started in a culinary career. Contrary to popular opinion, cooking is not something you just "pick up."

One is not born into the culinary arts. In fact, it takes a strong program to make a strong chef. Most of the chefs I have known come from culinary arts schools. They found that their culinary careers are successful because of what they learned as part of their culinary educations.

A number of them work professionally and also teach at culinary arts schools, because they believe in passing on the love of cooking they gained from their own culinary arts school experience and from the chefs who taught them.

One thing I advise young would-be chefs is that the appreciation of fine cuisine is rising. Start your culinary education now and you'll be ready to step into a culinary career just as the demand for graduates of culinary arts programs reaches its highest peak.

And Now: Today's Culinary Tip

Today's tip from my kitchen concerns de-glazing. De-glazing is the process of removing bits of vegetables or meat from the bottom of your saut� pan while you are cooking. A good example is the process of saut�ing onions.

You heat the sliced or chopped onions gently in melted butter or olive oil until the onions are translucent and slightly browned. A sticky brown residue forms on the bottom of the pan.

Don't wait until the pan is cool and scrub it out; just add liquid, and let it float out. Use water or chicken stock - even white wine - to de-glaze the pan. The liquid now has the flavor of the saut�ed onions and can be used in making your sauce.