Resources for learning new culinary skills?

[borgr]

We are learning new skills now that we were less used to (specifically creams and foams)

Where do you learn read and find resources to deeply understand new culinary skills?

So we can start collecting books on a matter, but are there groups collected searchable resources that are deeper than recipes? Facebook groups? Websites of lore rather than bottom lines? There's EG, but anything else?

[AlaMoi]

methinks you're on the wrong track.

 

if you want to acquire "expertise" in creating a "foam" - there are millions of videos demonstrating the technique.

and . . . it's a technique . . . not a "skill"

the "skill" required is the willingness to watch, learn, do-it-yourself, recognize and correct any 'error'

 

you can read books until the ink falls off the paper - the reason restaurants 'take on' apprentices is so they learn first hand by watching and doing.

 

stupid simple example:  I do luv' a good crepe....  watched a couple Pepin videos on how he makes crepes, a couple tries later, , , I can crepe with the best of them . . .

[JeanneCake]

4 hours ago, AlaMoi said:

the "skill" required is the willingness to watch, learn, do-it-yourself, recognize and correct any 'error'

 

you can read books until the ink falls off the paper - the reason restaurants 'take on' apprentices is so they learn first hand by watching and doing.

 

 

I think you can "teach yourself" if you have a good foundation.  But if you are a novice, or by yourself, the trial and error can be frustrating - why did something work the first time but  not the second?  If the video goes into detail about why the process/technique works and what can go wrong then that's helpful.  Knowing who to trust is the key.

 

Just today, I was looking for recipes for Tres Leches cakes, and one recipe with more than 50 positive reviews that I found online actually wrote to not let the cooling cake get exposed to "outside air" because that would make the cake "too eggy". 🙄

[Alex]

14 hours ago, borgr said:

There's EG, but anything else?

 

Wait—there are other sites?

[gfweb]

11 minutes ago, Alex said:

 

Wait—there are other sites?

Not as good though

 

[AAQuesada]

There is an app called Gronda that you might like

 

https://webflow.gronda.com

[AlaMoi]

". . . . - why did something work the first time but  not the second?  "

 

it usually goes something along the lines of:  "I followed the recipe exactly, except I didn't have xxxx so I substituted zzzz and . . . "

[btbyrd]

ChefSteps has a course on whipping siphons and one on hydrocolloids. Those can help you understand foams. If you're interested in siphoned foams in particular, iSi (the siphon manufacturer) has a YouTube channel and recipes on their website.

 

Modernist Cuisine is the best text resource on foams , creams, and airs and it's probably the best resource for a normal non-chemist to learn about hydrocolloids and their practical applications.

 

For a good online text resource, check out Texture: a hydrocolloid recipe collection edited by Martin Lersch. 

 

Random tip: if you want to make an acidic flavored whipped cream (like lemon or lime flavor) you can set the citrus into a gel with agar, then blend it into a fluid gel and add it to the whipper with the cream. This will keep it from breaking. I think Dave Arnold came up with that technique.

[Mike.12lu]

Hey,

 

i'm from France, i don't know if you have these websites, but for me it's pretty useful when i want to do new recipes or just to discover a recipe, sometimes i just put the name of a product like zuchini and he's gona give me a few recipe with zuchini, it's called "Marmiton" or another one cool is "Jow"

[AAQuesada]

I'll check out Jow!  Marmiton I've used, also 750g, Le Fooding has some cool recipes as does Elle magazine (Fr)