Baking Versus Cooking
Baking requires precision as opposed to cooking which allow for more adventure...
By Jeff Gustafson
We’re all different. No two individuals are exactly alike; however,
there are some general categories that seem to hold true. For instance,
there are the Morning People and the Night People. I am definitely of
the latter variety. About 9:00 p.m. something kicks into gear—a burst
of energy, creativity, and feeling totally alive—and I could work until
daylight, and have done so many times. Mornings are an entirely
different story—for the first 30 minutes of the day I hardly know which
planet I’m on. There are some Morning People in my family. They awake
with the birds, happy, cheerful, and ready to meet the day with a
smile—it’s disgusting! Suffice it to say, we just don’t understand each
other.
In the culinary category there are also two basic classes of people
as I see it: the Bakers and the Cooks. Baking is a very precise
science. Flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, soda, milk, buttermilk,
flavorings, shortening, oil, butter or other ingredients are used in a
variety of ways in baked goods recipes, but they interact with each
other in very specific ways. Measurements have to be precise or it’s
disasterville in the kitchen. Commercial bakers even weigh their
ingredients to assure they’re using just the right amount. Cookbooks
have recipes that are tested and re-tested until the directions shown,
if followed, will result in a tasty dish. There is very little room for
personal variations unless the baker has a great deal of experience.
When we see a famous chef on TV appearing to simply mix in this and
that in a somewhat carefree manner, it’s just because he or she has put
in a great deal of time learning basic measurements and techniques that
yield that mouth-watering masterpiece.
Although I can turn out a good cake or pie when I have to, it’s not
what I enjoy most. A few of my baking experiments have yielded some
“interesting” results, like the time I thought I’d vary a
mini-chocolate cupcake recipe. I added some extra chocolate, filled the
cupcakes with raspberry jam to which I had added raspberry liqueur, and
just knew I had created little masterpieces. What I took out of the
oven was a pan full of mini-disasters that resembled lumps of coal! So
much for baking innovation.
Apart from my creative baking experiments, there’s the whole other
category of baking blunders. Recently, I prepared a batch of
cranberry-orange muffins to thank a friend for his help with a computer
problem. When he took the first bite, I knew something was definitely
amiss by the scrunched up look on this face. He ran for the kitchen
garbage can, spit out the offending mouthful and said, “Sorry, but that
tasted terrible!” As I looked at the recipe again it dawned on me that
in my haste to get the muffins in the oven before he arrived I had
forgotten one very vital ingredient—sugar! This was another reminder to
me that baking is a precise science that requires careful attention. If
one ingredient isn’t measured correctly or, in this case ignored, the
result can be completely inedible.
On the other hand, there’s COOKING, which I love! I’m fascinated
with creating new recipes, varying others to make them look and taste
just a bit different, or using ingredients in new ways.
For instance, take that good old American standby, potato salad.
Most of us have our favorite recipe, but have you ever thought of some
ways to vary your version? Take potatoes, the main ingredient. Do you
go with Russet, Yukon Gold, White Rose, Baby Reds, or some of the more
than 40 other less known varieties that are grown? And what about the
onion family? We have lots of choices there too: white, sweet, and
red onions, scallions, chives, or shallots, to name a few. Dressings
are another story. Some people prefer mayonnaise; others, salad
dressing, a creamy sour cream mixture, French dressing or a light
vinaigrette. Then there are the add-ins, which can vary greatly. Some
people don’t consider it a real potato salad without the addition of
chopped, hard-cooked eggs. Others prefer crumbled bacon bits, chopped
pickles, sweet relish, or a variety of crisp vegetables. You get the
idea—with cooking, there’s room for innovation, and that sparks the
creative side of me.
I am definitely a Cook as opposed to the esteemed title of Baker. My
motto is, “a pinch of this, a smidge of that, a little bit of that
spice to kick up the flavor, and don’t forget the lemon zest.”
Which kind of culinary aficionado are you—a Baker or a Cook?
Jeff Gustafson and MyHATT, An international dinner club concept where people get to know people one bite at a time...thank you to Arlene Hawkinson for her contribution and my entire MyHATT staff for the educational content for world culture, the history, world traditions, the international menus for this wondeful family activity website... http://www.myhatt.com
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