Lesson One: Fundamentals of Heat and Material in Cooking

Now, I realize you probably read the title of this lesson and rolled your eyes...
"We're starting with a science lecture?? When do I get to start making food?!"
But let me stop you there!

The purpose of this intro is to demistify the nature of cooking! There are plenty of people out there who were never properly exposed to the process of cooking from a young age, and these people tend to develop the mindset that cooking is an inherently scary activity; that there are too many variables to consider, and it's better to just not try at all.
What I'll be doing in this lesson is pulling back the veil and starting from the very beginning: demonstrating the basics of heat and material in cooking. You may not think it now, but these are very crucial facets of learning how to cook! Let's get into it!

Heat is the most basic factor of cooking. From the very start of humanity's history with cooking, one of the first facets we discovered was that "thing in fire is generally tastier and safer to eat". But as familiar as we are with heat and fire, a lot of people don't stop to properly consider how it factors into the cooking process. I want you to envision a steak. There are multiple different categories of "done-ness" for a steak, but most people wouldn't know how to achieve any certain one. Below is a chart I drew up to provide a loose visualization of this concept:



The temperature and amount of time you cook something is a very crucial thing to consider when trying to achieve a certain end result in your cooking. Low temperatures for a longer period of time ensure more thorough cooking throughout your food, while high temperatures for shorter periods of time (referred to as "searing") result in more cooking on the outside, while the inside remains less affected. If you were to cook a thicker cut of meat, you would want to have it at a lower temperature for a longer period of time. If you were to cook a thinner cut, or you wanted a meat like a steak to be more rare on the inside, you would apply higher temperatures for less time. With this dynamic application of heat in mind, as well as the thickness of the food you're intending to cook, you'll be able to better achieve the effect you want to have on the end product. Be sure to always cook your foods according to safety guidelines to avoid food poisoning!

[INSERT BLURB ABOUT GETTING TO KNOW YOUR HEAT SOURCE]

Just to recap: low temps and slow times for thicker foods, high temps and lower times for thinner foods! (generally)

Materials
Most people aren't aware that certain types of cookware require differing levels of care and upkeep in order to keep them in peak condition. In this next passage, I'll go over the different materials that cookware is typically made of, and some general guidelines to keep them working better for longer. If you're unsure of the material of your pots and pans, feel free to do some research online to find out!

Stainless Steel - A favorite in restaurant kitchens, this cooking material is known for its durability and resistance to wear. While it is very long-lasting, it can be very finicky to cook on stainless steel without having food stick to the bottom. Although the more health-conscious people may not like to hear this, the key is to always use plenty of oil when cooking with stainless steel. Throw some butter in your pans! Line your baking tins with shortening! Always be generous with your oil when it comes to stainless steel, because oil is one of the key factors of successful cooking.
    When you're cleaning stainless steel, don't be afraid to hit it with the hard stuff! As it's known for its durability, it can withstand things like steel wool without many issues. Don't be afraid to get a little heavy duty if you end up with food stuck to the pan after your meal!

Teflon/Ceramic Coating - While these are generally favored by casual chefs for their ease of use, any pan with a "nonstick coating" requires a certain level of gentleness. Nonstick coatings are usually very thin, and can wear away easily with abrasive force. These nonstick materials can also be harmful to the body if ingested, so be careful to not use any metal utensils with these. Stick to plastic, wood or silicone utensils with your nonstick pans to get the most use out of them!
    In addition, use some caution when washing nonstick coated pans. They can't take as much of a beating the way stainless steel can, so avoid using any metallic abrasives to clean them. Usually your typical kitchen sponge can do an efficient job.

Cast Iron - While it's also very durable and long lasting, cast iron is usually only used by seasoned chefs. The upkeep for cast iron is typically a lot more involved than the previous two, so you may want to hold off on familiarizing yourself with it until you're more experienced in the kitchen. For those who are still willing to take the plunge, there are plenty of articles online specializing in caring for cast iron cookware. I'm honestly not too well versed in it myself, and I don't see it useful to go in depth about cooking materials that are more intermediate in an article about beginner cooking.

With all this in mind, I encourage you all to do your own research to figure out which cookwares are the best for your needs!

[INSERT BLURB ABOUT STANDARD PAN SIZES (MAYBE)]

Now that we're a little more well-versed in how cooking WORKS, let's start off with our first recipe. I picked this one, because it's usually one of the first things most people learn how to cook: the humble fried egg. In addition to being a food that people eat on a fairly common basis, a fried egg is also very hard to mess up with the proper instructions. With our knowledge of heat and material, we'll be able to cook an egg to sunny-side perfection!

Frying an egg - The Heartstrings Method

NOTE TO SELF: take photos to include in this part

You'll need:

• A small (5") frying pan
• A fitting pan lid
• A stovetop / any heat source
• A spatula (you shouldn't need to use this, but keep one on hand just in case)
• 1/2 tablespoon of butter
• One large egg
• Salt
• Shredded cheese (optional)

STEP ONE
Put the frying pan over medium heat and add the butter. Let it melt and sizzle in the pan until it starts to turn brown and the bubbling starts to subside. If the butter isn't changing color after a couple minutes, gradually bump up the heat settings until it starts to reach the desired color.

STEP TWO
Crack the egg into the pan and add a sprinkle of salt over top, putting extra on the yolk of the egg. Put the lid over the pan and keep an eye the top of the egg.

STEP THREE (optional)
After the top starts to look more cooked, open the lid and sprinkle a pinch of cheese onto the surface of the egg and return the lid again.

STEP FOUR
Pay attention to the surface of the yolk! Just when it goes white over the top, remove the pan from the heat and remove the lid. (If you keep the lid on, the inside of the yolk will continue to cook and become jammy instead of staying runny)
    HOW DOES THAT WORK?
    When you put a lid on a hot frying pan, it begins to act as more of an oven. Instead of having heat on one side that escapes, we create a centralized pocket of hot air that circulates inside the pan. This method has been used for centuries for people to "bake" with just a stovetop / heat source.

STEP FIVE
Immediately transfer to a plate and enjoy with a piece of buttered toast!

Now we've successfully made our first dish! I applaud you for finally making the jump and defying whatever conditions were causing you to be adverse to cooking!

I hope this web post has helped you begin your journey to becoming a well-versed cook. Now you see that, like most basic skills, the subject really isn't that daunting once you've been equipped with the proper information and finally get down to it. Cooking can be relaxing, rewarding, and FUN with enough practice, and anyone can do it if they just put their minds to it!

Please keep your eyes open for the next installment of June's Cooking Seminars!