Mastering the art of French Cooking is the theme for this collection of French Cooking Recipes. One of the biggest differentiating factors between a self-schooled chef and one who has graduated from a formal culinary institution is the inclusion of French cooking techniques into his or her repertoire.  French cooking used to be a daily event in some lives. If you’ve taken amateur cooking classes through culinary schools like the French Culinary Institute, you’ll already know how to prepare the foundations for most recipes: stocks and broths. French food is really just code for “comfort food”. Think about it: French bread with a pat of homemade garlic butter, a steaming bowl of French onion soup, a beautifully cut steak, and an array of cream-filled French desserts. If that doesn’t scream “comfort food”, nothing does. French cooking not only nourished the body; it nourished the soul. If you believe what the media tells you, food is a bad thing. Everything seems to be about justifying every morsel you put in your mouth. Sure it’s good to eat a healthy, balanced diet. Obtain the basics of knife selection, safety and proper handling. Determine which part of the knife (tip, cutting edge, heel) is appropriate for the type of cut required. Discover the correct cutting technique for certain foods (soft/hard vegetables, meats, citrus, garlic, onions, etc.). Practice common cutting methods such as peeling and turning, paring, chopping, dicing and mincing

The trick is to have the basics on hand at all times. That way, when you find out that guests are arriving for supper (and it’s already four o’clock!) you won’t be reduced to opening canned beans. It’s okay to mix food choices too. Maybe you’ve got two or three types of bread left in the house, but not really enough of any one to serve a loaf. No problem! Cut the bread up in chunks and serve it in a bowl with some dipping oil. If you’ve got frozen French cuisine in your freezer, pop it out, defrost in the microwave, and set it all out on the table. Create a mini buffet for your guests to serve themselves. Instead of them leaving your house thinking you weren’t prepared and didn’t have anything made, they’ll think you’re a genius for coming up with such a great idea in such a short period of time.

Have you ever wondered with the difference between moist-heat and dry-heat cookery is? Find out how sauteeing differs from pan frying. Learn to properly deep-fat fry certain foods for the best taste, texture and consistency. Classic French cooking courses offer hands-on training in heating methods such as braising, boiling, stewing, steaming; broiling, roasting, griddling, grilling, pan roasting and pan searing.

So the next time you’re feeling down in the dumps, crack open the French cookbooks and whip up a delicious meal. Uncork a bottle of wine, invite a friend over, and enjoy that comfort food. Who knows, the process of French cooking may lift your spirits before you even lift a fork to your mouth.