Fine Cooking: Presentation Is All That Really Matters
Not everyone is really aware of what is actually meant by the term fine cooking and many people in fact have been under the impression that it has to do with cooking that helps to churn out more delicious tasting meals as compared with ordinary cooking. However, fine cooking really has a lot more to do with how the dish is presented and looks are a very important aspect to this form of cooking.
Fine Cooking: Small Paintings
Of course, fine cooking also does mean tastier food; however, presentation of the dish is the more important aspect and in fact, many of the dishes are presented in a manner that the plate resembles a small painting instead of just being heaped on the plate.
The art of fine cooking can easily be learnt and once mastered this art will help you create dishes just like the ones prepared in fancy restaurants and hotels. You may of course also have to enroll in a culinary school, though for ordinary food preparations that are to be served at home, you may not need to be trained at a culinary school.
Natural abilities in cooking as well as a bit of talent will help you in your quest to learn the art of fine cooking and in addition you will also be called upon to research your subject as well as follow television programs that deal with cooking. Even the Internet can throw up some useful tips as well as show you delightful recipes that can be used in fine cooking.
Having learnt the art of fine cooking you can then even seek employment in a restaurant or hotel. A certificate from a culinary school will also be an advantage. Whether you wish to learn fine cooking for professional purposes or just for use at home, you can certainly learn enough about this art to prepare some very delightful and tasty dishes.
Your friends and family members will appreciate the effort that you have put into preparing dishes and hopefully their taste buds will sparkle after tasting the meals you have prepared. Of course, the dishes will also be a real joy to behold and it will give both the eyes as well as the mouth a treat that will not be easily forgotten.
It will of course pay to learn some of the many different fine cooking recipes that in turn will turn ordinary dishes into exotic fare. Learning to cook roast lemon cooking in the tradition of fine cooking will certainly prove to be a very rewarding experience.
Buy Lobsters, Live or Frozen
The best way to buy lobster is when they are alive and fresh off the boat. There are also live lobsters available in aquarium or tanks of seafood markets or groceries. If you find these places inaccessible then the alternative way is to buy frozen lobsters.
Frozen lobsters in supermarkets must be examined carefully. Chances are the lobster has passed through different suppliers since it’s been caught from its habitat. Check for discoloration, if one is not sure of the quality, the best option is not to buy it, but if you have to buy lobster, then the preferable option is to cook it right away.
If you have the opportunity to buy lobsters live and fresh, then one should be discerning as to who would have the honor of entertaining your discriminating palate. It all begins in the proper selection.
When buying lobsters, one first must examine the holding tank. Examine the tank for presence of dead lobsters, for algae and if the clarity of the water. If there’s no overcrowding and water’s clear then it’s time to select for your lobster.
Lobsters that are usually sold weighs between 1 to 3 pounds. Although the heavier the lobster means it’s meatier, there are some who prefer those fewer than two pounds because of its tenderness.
The second thing to look out for when buying lobster is to check lobster activity. An active lobster usually moves its claws. If the lobster is sluggish and seems to be moving slowly, do not worry, the tank may seem to be cold for its taste so the best thing to do is pick it up.
Be careful when picking up the lobster, make sure that you place your thumb behind the claws while your forefinger holds the body. See if the lobster’s tail would curl and flap around. Uncurl the tail and make sure it curls back when you release your hold. The lobster claws should not also be drooping. Do not buy a lobster that cannot curl back its tail and with drooping claws, chances are it has only a few moments to live.
Finally, check for hard shell versus soft shell. Hard shell means it has more meat, while soft shell lobsters are lobsters that just have molted. The most important thing to remember is soft shells are cheaper because of the space in between the shell and meat.
Now that you know the criteria for buying lobster, the next step is cooking it and enjoying it with friends and family.
Different Ways of Cooking Lobsters
Cooking lobsters does not involve rocket science, or it is not as difficult as you might think. There are a lot of ways in cooking a lobster, either by boiling, steaming, grilling, baking and even broiling.
The first way of cooking lobster is boiling. It is the simplest way; just select a pot big enough to hold water that can cover the lobsters completely. Add two tablespoons of salt for every 2 liters of water. Bring the water into a rolling boil. Put the lobsters in claws first and begin timing from the moment the water boils. Boil the lobster for 10 minutes for the first pound of weight and additional 3 minutes for every extra pound. Once cook, drain the lobster and serve it hot.
Steaming is also another way of cooking lobster. It is a great way to cook but not overcook the delicate meat of the lobster. This requires longer cooking time and the result is a tasty, succulent, juicy lobster meat. One can start the steaming process by having a steamer set up. Put a steamer insert inside a lobster pot. Pour 2 inches of water and add one tablespoon of salt. Cover the pot with the lid and boil the water. Once the water is boiling, place the lobster in the pot, cover it with a lid and start timing when the water is boiling. Steam the lobster for 14 minutes for the first pound of weight and 3 minutes for each additional pound. Once the boiling is done, drain the lobster and serve immediately.
Grilling can also do cooking lobster. In grilling, the first step is boiling it for only 5 minutes, then place it on its back. Preheat the grill between medium to high heat. While waiting for the grill to heat, use a sharp knife in cutting the lobster down the middle. Remove the black vein, the green tomalley and the sand sac which is located in the head area. Baste the lobster meat with butter place it on the grill, shell side down for 10 minutes, until it is cooked.
To broil or bake the lobster, prepare it the same way as grilling it. Place the lobster at least eight inches from the flame in a shallow fry or sauté pan, with the cut side down for 4 minutes. When the shell turns to a bright red color, turn, reapply butter and finish for another 3 minutes. Use the same method in the oven at 425 degrees.
In cooking lobsters, make sure that it is cooked thoroughly. Overcooking it will result in tougher meat, loss of flavor, and meat shrinkage. So be careful in choosing how to cook your lobsters.
Catering Ideas for Different Types of Events
Catering ideas for different event have a lot of variety. A lot of factors will influence your choice when coming up with the most suitable menu for a specific event. Perhaps the most influential factors are the location of the event or the type of event. Once you know what those two factors are, then it will be easier to decide whether the preparation is elaborate or low-key.
Weddings are perhaps on the top list of catering events that need to be considered. You have a choice of either a seafood buffet party or meat buffet party or even a combination of both. For seafood buffets you have choice of steamed lobster claws, crab legs, shrimp, and scallops wrapped in bacon. These items are sure hit to the guests. Combine these with regular rice or red rice, green beans, small vegetables, and coleslaw to balance with the steamed seafood
For the meat selection, you can opt for roast beef, ribs, sliced ham, turkey or chicken as an alternative. Then you can match them with choices of vegetables such as green beans, broccoli, or a nice salad bar. Rice and baked potatoes is a must in this choice of menu.
For children´s party such as birthdays, make sure that the catering ideas you have in mind are accommodating to little fingers. Pizzas are highly recommended for kiddie parties and they can be decorated to make them look more attractive to the kids. You can also throw in the mix peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. For healthier snacks you can also put in low fat ice cream and some celery and cheese sticks in the menu.
For kiddie parties never forget to include in the menu these items: hotdog on sticks or sandwiches, ham and cheese rolls, and cupcakes and cookies. These are the just haves for any children´s party.
For bridal showers or baby showers finger foods are the best types of foods that you can throw in on the menu. Sandwiches, stuffed mushrooms, baked or mashed potatoes, and tray filled with a variety of small fruits are recommended for the occasion. You can throw in some chocolates or mini chocolates cakes as this is what considered as the main course by a majority of people when it comes to bridal and baby showers.
Whatever type of event you have in your hands, just remember never to forget putting in desserts into your catering ideas as it will put a nice closing touch to a happy and exciting event.
How to Enjoy Frozen Lobster
A lot of people prefer purchasing frozen lobster than to a live one. According to them, if you buy a live one, you have to cook it quickly. By purchasing a frozen lobster, there is always time to choose when to devour it, also allows for any margin of errors. If something comes up, and you can’t cook the lobster on that particular night, there will still be other nights to enjoy your frozen lobster.
The most common and usual type of frozen lobster is the frozen lobster tails. Always buy frozen lobster tails from reputable stores. Some would try to increase the weight and preserve the tail for long periods of time by injecting it with water. A result of this is an increased weight in tail but the meat is just the same hence you pay more than it’s actually worth. Look also for discoloration on the tail. Discoloration is the graying in the areas of a frozen lobster, specially the shell, and black and yellow spots on the meat. If you think that the frozen lobster is passed its shelf life, or if you feel that it doesn’t look good, then don’t buy it anymore. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Since you can buy a higher-quality frozen lobster, there is more opportunity to enjoy this luxurious delicacy. Here is a step on how to cook frozen lobster. Begin by letting the lobster thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking. Unthawed tails results to tougher meat when cooked.
For quicker or speedier thaw, place the lobster in a plastic bag and immersed in water. A suggested way of cooking this thawed out lobster is by steaming, Bring 4 to 5 cups of water to the pot. Boil it until it steams. Place the lobster in the rack and cover the pot. Wait till the lobster turns red and the flesh becomes white. Steam for 14 minutes for the first pound, and additional 3 minutes for each additional pound.
Once the frozen lobster is cooked, remove it from the rack, run some cold water on the lobster. This stops the cooking process, and would make sure that your lobster won’t be overcooked.
This is just one way to enjoy lobster. There are plenty of opportunities to try lobster since frozen lobster is available anywhere.
Lobster Delivery
Lobsters are considered to be a delicacy all over the world. There are some countries that have easier access to lobsters while there are some who need lobster delivery to enjoy a feast. The secret to having a good lobster feast is looking for a company that can deliver immediately with a fair reimbursement policy in case the lobster dies in transit.
Lobster delivery makes a party look classy with lobsters on its fare. It is one of the best ways to purchase live lobsters for lobster delivery; the only thing to do is make a right selection. You would be able to get what type of lobsters and lobster parts directly from the moment the lobster leaves the boat and right to your doorstep. There are even cooking tips, manuals that are included with the lobster once you purchase an order.
Before, a lot of people have a hard time getting fresh lobsters, but now, acquiring it is just a matter of choosing from a number of options available. There are a lot of lobster delivery companies that can service your needs by providing the right attention for the delivery of lobsters. These companies often guarantee freshness and quick delivery but one still has to be careful in choosing these companies. It is important to check the shipping costs, though it may convenient to order from them, it may take a toll on your wallet. The least you can do is compare lobster delivery costs from at least two companies. Shipping costs can vary for each company so the best way is to compare and check different companies’ prices for shipping lobster of the same weight.
Many of the lobster delivery companies offer overnight and next day delivery of lobsters. Find out how these deliveries will be shipped. If it is shipped live, remember that the lobsters are perishable so it must be delivered the quickest way possible. Although a lot of lobster delivery companies would do everything to prevent lobsters from dying in transit, occasionally a lobster or two will perish after being delivered to the customer. Find out first what is the company policy regarding lobsters dying in transit. Will they offer a discount or reimburse you for the cost of the lobster and the shipping?
Finally, try to eat the lobster the day it arrives but if you can’t, boil it or steam it then run cold water over it and place it in the refrigerator in a sealed container. There is a shelf life to this so after the lobster delivery, it is best to eat it as soon as possible.
