Before I was married, my cooking skills were extremely limited. I could make chicken on the stove, warm up anything in a box or can, of course, but trust me when I say I have come a LONG way since then. (And I still have a LONG way to go before I will be really happy with my cooking skills.) I am the person who didn't realize you had to add milk to boxed mac n cheese, after all! lol I did my best to watch cooking shows whenever I could - I fell in love with the Food Network when we finally scored that first apartment. ;) I think it was always on. The Food Network is the one thing I really miss about not having cable anymore these days. I watch what cooking shows I can with the Internet, but it's not the same as on the TV.
I was excited to get the chance to review the new cooking DVD set,
Cooking From A To Zest. It's a four volume set of DVDs that includes a step by step guide to planning, preparing and cooking like pro. I would have loved this DVD as a bridal shower gift!
Each "volume" of the set discussed something different. Volume One was about kitchen basics. You learn what a kitchen needs to have, from the right kind of pots and pans (granted, certain brands were discussed because they had a hand in the DVD set, but other brands are just as good if not better), to choosing knives. (Now you see why I suggest getting this before you create a wedding registry, so you can take what you have learned and not register for items you don't need!) The host takes you on a visit to her favorite small grocery store, located just down from here in Portland, Oregon, where she talks about what to have on hand at all times in your pantry, and how to purchase food items.
Now, the one thing that bothered me in the beginning is that the "host" (Kierstin Buchner) was sitting in a chair in front of a fireplace, not anywhere near the kitchen. It's a cooking DVD, she should be in the kitchen. Just sayin'....
Next, she goes on to talk about how to prepare food using certain styles of cuts, such as julienne cuts, etc. Now let me say this is the same sort of things you would learn at a cooking school, and therefore your food should be looking "pretty". But as a frugal chef, I was kind of horrified at how she was cutting veggies - I saw so much waste I cringed. If you need your dishes to look pretty because you are a professional chef, or you are hosting a very special dinner, that's one thing. But I hope anyone learning cooking skills for day to day life in the kitchen at home remembers that you can still use all the leftover pieces in your kitchen even if in other dishes than the one you are preparing that night - dishes do not need to look "pretty" for your kids. (Well, except for fun shaped foods sometimes - but that's different animal! lol)
As you can see, it's all basic stuff that many cooking shows "assume" you already know, when let's face it, a lot of us don't! So this post isn't a mile long with play by play notes - Volume two is all about making your own stock, soups, and sauces. Volume three is about preparing salads and dressings, how to make different vegetable dishes such as blanching (deer in the headlights look over here whenever a show would talk about blanching - I had no idea, and have never done it). It also talks about to make rice without the help of a rice cooker (Yes, I paid attention very well when watching this, but I'm not holding my breath next time I go to try! LOL) It also talks about pasta dishes, which is something every frugal chef could use for new ideas. Volume four is all about eggs, meat, poultry, and fish. Even if you're a vegetarian, it's still entertaining to watch and learn from.
I suggest watching a volume a week, and soak in all the details. You'll probably want to watch some sections more than once, and if possible, watch it from your kitchen so you can try things as the host is showing them, like you would if you were in a class. By the way, for those used to some of the more exuberant chefs out there on Food Network, Ms. Buchner is a little more subdued.
Cooking From A To Zest retails for $59.99, which I am sure is a little bit of a sticker shock to some folks. It is high, yes, but if you have ever taken a cooking class, you know that this is pretty cheap. I know I looked into one for my DH and I last year because I thought it would be fun, and for a 3 hour class, it was almost $100! Eeek! With
Cooking From A To Zest, at least you can watch it at your own pace, rewind and replay things as you are trying them at home, and you can refer back to it easily for years to come. You can also host fun cooking classes at home with your friends using it! (And if all else fails, put in a request at your local library for this title - it definitely is a library worthy title, and other patrons would thank you)
Cooking From A To Zest runs a total of 493 minutes long over the 4 disc set. It is full screen edition, and available now through
Amazon and through their website,
www.cookingfromatozest.com.
