Basic facts on pie dough: The best flour to use is pastry flour. Fat used is regular hydrogenated shortening; however, butter, lard and other fats may also be used in place or blended with the shortening. The water or milk needs to be cold when added to the flour mixture, it should be 40*F or [...]

Quick Breads are valued for the ease and speed with which they can be made. They are made without yeast. A quick bread does not have to rise (proof). They have a cake like appearance and a lighter texture than yeast breads. Quick breads are grouped according to the type of mixture which they are [...]

So here we go, starting week #11 if culinary school. This term we will be in, “Intro To Baking”, “Nutrition” and “American Regional Cuisine”. If you notice there is a letter right after the week number. This will address the various classes and separate the multiple posts for the blog. My goal is to blog [...]

POTATOES Potatoes are a starchy vegetable.  The starch molecules don’t begin to soften during cooking until they reach the gelantinization range, which in the potato is about 137 to 150.  At this temperature the cells in the potato beginning to take on water and they swell and then finally soften. There are over 3000 varieties [...]