Welcome to my little corner of culinary delights.  From last three articles, I hope everyone recognized the need for self-education.  Self-education should be the end result of accumulated information.  In short, what you learn is only the basis for discovery.  But this education must first be focused.  Discovering new results is done through self-education.  Self-education requires self-discipline along with self-confidence of succeeding; the three S’s.  Only from self-education can one build upon discoveries. Basically, that for which I am promoting in my articles, deals with learning from background information for self-advancement.  In short, this is the purpose of education.  This is how I learned and taught myself that I now offer to you so you may build upon it and succeed from there.

Although I have specifically focused upon this method of learning in these last few articles, I had already interlaced much of it throughout my instructions.  Therefore, refer to my back issues to relearn and thus gain more.  I expressed it as “methodology”.  I have given step by step instructions of the processes.  I included examples.  All of this is to help toward your culinary education.  This in turn should help you enjoy the various facets in culinary.  For that, I will rehearse past examples that I see to be most helpful.  It is not as painful as it may sound.

Regardless how I see methodology as being most important to culinary education, I have yet to find a local college that offers a course in it.  To gain it, as I have, would again require self-education.

The example of my swan dessert is a prime example of this.  To the novice, this achievement might seem out of the common reach.  But never let that stop you from trying.  Never underestimate yourself.  Take heart, it is not all that difficult.  With a little basic education in methodology, you can create your own novel recipes.  I have encouraged this throughout my articles.  “If I can do it, you can.”  Primarily, have confidence in yourself.  Secondarily, allow no one to undermined that confidence.  And thirdly, use that confidence to achieve and serve. Never give up or give in when your mission is to advance yourself, and especially, others.  Outside of your basic needs, little is worth doing if it does not serve the common good for the future.  Forgive my tendency to become philosophical at times.  Back to business at hand.

As with anything else worth pursuing, there are certain necessary basics.  For inventing a recipe, the flavors must be balanced and all spices and herbs used expertly.  By expertly, I mean that they should never overpower but to enhance.  There are many times I have used spices for effecting the flavor rather than for taste.  The effect is to give a subtle lift to the flavor such as nutmeg and Worcestershire sauce does to bechamel.  Also, the food item itself needs to complement the full meal.  Attractiveness does not hurt.

Until next time, peace to all.