Definition of Cookery:
Cookery is defined as a "chemical process", the mixing of ingredients; the application and withdrawal of heat; decision-making, technical knowledge and manipulative skills. In the more advanced stages a further element occurs- that of creativity. Cookery is considered to be both an art and technology. Food preparation is a modern term in professional cookery. It denotes preparation and cooking. It follows a flow pattern which commences with the purchasing and selection of materials, their handling, processing and the ultimate presentation of the dishes to the customer, where "food service" takes over. In French, the word "Cuisine" denotes the art of cooking- preparing dishes, and the place- the kitchen in which they are prepared.
The Origin of Cooking:
The art of cooking is ancient. The first cook was a primitive man, who had put a chunk of meat close to the fire, which he had lit to warm himself. He discovered that the meat heated in this way was not only tasty but it was also easier to masticate. From this moment in unrecorded past cooking has evolved to reach the present level of sophistication.
Classes of Professional Cookery:
There are 3 classes of professional cookery, associated with the craftsman and they are graded according to the quality of the materials used. The classes are:
(1) Cuisine simple or plain cookery, where the basic necessities are used and the craftsman produces dishes of the highest standard possible with a minimum number of materials.
(2) Cuisine Bourgeoise or middle class cookery. This type of cookery provides better materials and in the hands of the craftsman these materials produce more complicated dishes of a better quality.
(3) Cuisine Haute or high cookery is that in which the very best possible materials are used. The craftsman uses these materials to their best advantage and produces dishes of the best quality. This class produces highly complicated dishes i.e. classical dishes.
Origins of modern cookery
Vegetarian and ethnic dishes
The most common reason vegetarians do not eat meat, is their dislike of killing animals for food. Religion and health are the other main reasons.
Some vegetarians will not eat any foods of animal origin, e.g. eggs, milk, honey even though they do not involve the death of animals. Some will not wear clothes, shoes or accessories, which are made from leather. Some will not eat particular vegetables. Vegetarians tend to feel that it is wasteful and/or unhealthy to eat foods, which are over-refined, e.g. white flour and white rice, or they have the major part of the proteins, mineral and fiber content is removed after processing. Some people used to orders food stuff in their natural form, but cannot be considered actually vegetarians. They prefer foods, which are unrefined or unprocessed as possible.
The various degrees of vegetarianism's have names:
· Semi-vegetarians or demi-vegetarians: those who eat mainly vegetarian diet , but occasionally eat meat and fish
· Ova-lacto-vegetarian: diet includes milk, dairy products and eggs. The majority of vegetarians in the UK are of this type. Besides meat, fish and poultry they will not eat products made from dead animals, e.g. suet, lard.
· Lacto-vegetarian: eggs are also excluded from the diet.
· Ovo- vegetarian: includes eggs but not milk or milk products.
· Vegan: eats vegetables, fruits and other products of plants (e.g. milk, cheese made from soya). All foods of animal origin are excluded.
· Fruitarian or Fructarian: diet consists only of raw fruit, nuts and berries. They usually exclude all grains and processed foods. Honey may not be acceptable.
The evolution of Vegetarianism
Historically, vegetarianism was often based on philosophical beliefs. Followers of certain sects of Hinduism and Buddhism have a centuries old tradition of not eating animal flesh because of beliefs in the sacredness of all life and the re-incarnation of souls into the bodies of other living things. Roman Catholic Trappist monks still practice vegetarianism to fulfill their vows of austerity and self-sacrifice.
Modern vegetarianism entered public consciousness during the 19th century. Beginning in 1847, the Vegetarian Society, a British non-religious organization, popularized the term vegetarian. The promotion of vegetarianism gained strength worldwide in 1908 when the International Vegetarian Union was founded: the Union, which brings together vegetarian societies from all over the world in a series of congresses, is still operating as a nonprofit organization. Some 20th century vegetarians tend to reject eating meat because they believe that killing of animals is both unnecessary and cruel. Other vegetarians also believe that using available land to raise vegetables and grain instead of cattle and other animals makes good economical and ecological sense.
Vegetarianism and health
More recently, people have adopted vegetarian diets based on scientific studies showing that diets high in fatty animal foods may contribute to the early development of disease, including obesity, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and colorectal cancer.
The vegetarian plant-based diet typically has the advantage of being low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and salt, but it can be lacking in other ways. Vegetarians need to plan their diets with special care in order to obtain the essential nutrients received from diets that include meat, fish, and poultry.
HINDUS
Food observances help to define caste ranking: Brahmins are the highest caste because they eat only those foods prepared in the finest manner (pakka), everyone else takes inferior (kacca) food. Pakka is the only kind that can be offered in feasts to gods, to guests of high status, and to persons who provide honorific services. Food is regarded as pakka if it contains ghee (clarified butter), which is very costly fat and which is believed to promote health and virility. Kacca is defined as inferior because it contains ghee; it is used as ordinary family fare or as daily payment for servants and artisans.
When food serves as payment for services (e.g. washing), the quality of the food depends on the relative ranks of the parties to the transaction; the person making the payment gives inferior food, such as coarser bread, to a lower ranking person performing the service. Performance of a service denotes that a person is ready to accept some kind of food, and giving food denotes an expectation that a service will be performed. Members of subordinate castes pick up the dirty plates of members of superior castes, as at village feasts. Food left on plates after eating is defined as garbage (jutha); it is felt to be polluted by the eater’s saliva. This garbage may be handled in the family by a person whose status is lower than the eater’s, such as a wife. Such food may be fed to domestic animals; among humans outside the family it can only be given to members of the lower castes, such as sweepers. The highest Brahmins do not accept any cooked food from members of any caste, but uncooked food may be received from or handled by members of any caste. Nor will such Brahmins accept water across caste lines. Cow’s milk is ritually pure and cannot be defiled, but a Brahmin will not accept milk from an untouchable – a member of the lowest caste groups – lest it has been diluted with water.
KOSHER
Yiddish Kosher, Hebrew KASHER (fit or proper), in Judaism, the fitness of an object for ritual purposes. Though generally applied to foods that meet the requirements of the dietary laws.
Concerning the dietary laws, kosher implies:
(1) That the food is not derived from animals, birds or fish prohibited in Leviticus 11 or Deuteronomy 14
(2) That the animals or birds have been slaughtered by ritual method of shehitah.
(3) That the meat has been salted to remove the blood after the carcass has been critically examined for physical blemishes and that the ischiatic nerve has been removed from the hindquarters and
(4) That meat and milk have not been cooked together and that different utensils have been employed.
So called Kosher wine is prepared under observation to prevent libations to idols and by Talmudic extension to avoid handling by non Jews. The special method of slaughtering animals called shehitah, consists of an incision made across the neck of the animal or fowl by a qualified person specially trained for ritual slaughter, with a special knife that is razor sharp and has a smooth edge with absolutely no nicks. The cutting must be made by moving the knife in a single swift uninterrupted sweep, and not by pressure or by stabbing. The cut severs the arteries, rendering the animal unconscious and permitting the blood to drain from the body. The slaughterer recites a prayer before the act.
VEGANISM
Veganism practice of excluding all animal products and their derivatives from the diet for moral, social, or religious motives. Veganism has stricter principles that vegetarianism – meat, poultry and fish are all rejected, but so are animal derived food stuffs such as dairy produce and gelatin. Most vegans’ adherents of veganism, also condemn the wearing of fur and leather.
The reasons why people became vegans vary. The majority of vegans condemn the killing or exploitation of animals for profit: some believe in the health benefits of a vegan diet: many also argue that the maintenance of animals is an uneconomic use of natural resources, and that the land used to graze animals would be better used to grow crops and thus increase the world’s food supply.
MUSLIMS
As with many aspects of personal life, the Koran also provides guidelines on eating and drinking. Muslims are forbidden to consume certain kinds of food and drink. Two of the most commonly known are:
· Pork
· Alcoholic beverages
Any animal that has died from natural causes is also forbidden. Muslims may only eat from an animal that has been slaughtered properly -- blood drained as much as possible. Although mentioned specifically as wine, many Muslims avoid alcohol by avoiding cooking wine and any alcohol-based medicine.
Islam places a very strong emphasis on cleanliness in everything. As such, before performing our daily prayers, ablution, as means of cleansing cleanliness is also extended to toher matters, especially in context of food and drink.
The Qur'an has numerous injunctions, instructing Muslims to choose and consume good and wholesome foodstuffs.
In the selection of food and drink, Islam has laid down three very important guidelines, namely:
1. Whether the consumption of foodstuff is prohibited by Allah,
2. Whether the foodstuff is obtained through Halal or Haram means, and
3. Whether or not the material is harmful to health.
There are several factors that determine the Halal/Haram status of a particular foodstuff. Amongst others, it is dependent on its nature, how it is processed and how it is obtained. As an example, any product from pig would be considered as Haram because the material itself is Haram. On the other hand, beef from an animal which has not been slaughtered according to Islamic rites would still be considered Haram. And of course, a stolen foodstuff or foodstuffs that ar acquired through means that are incompatible with Islamic teaching, would also be Haram. Food and drink that are poisonous or intoxicating are obviously Haram because they are harmful to health.
If we look carefully, the concept of Haram in Islam has very specific motives, namely:
1. To preserve the purity of religion.
2. To safeguard the Islamic mentality.
3. To preserve life.
4. To safeguard property.
5. To safeguard future generations.
6. To maintain self-respect and integrity.
Thus the consumption of Haram foods and drinks may have undesirable effects on the above mentioned factors.
In the context of our daily food intake, any foodstuff that causes, or has the potential to cause, any negative effect to the mind, spirit, integrity and health, is Haram. The habitual consumption of Haram foods may be manifested by the exhibition of impure spirit, unsound mind, impairment of personal character and unhealthy body.
Islam has introduced the concept of slaughter, whereby a naturally Halal animal would have to be properly slaughtered prior to consumption. The act of slaughtering is to ensure the quality of meat and to avoid any microbial contamination. For example, a dead but unslaughtered animal is normally associated with disease. Most disease originated or carried in the animal's blood. Therefore, slaughtering is mandatory to ensure the complete drainage of blood from the animal's body, thus minimizing the chance of microbial infection. This is compatible with the overall concept of cleanliness that is always emphasized in Islam.
Apart from ensuring the cleanliness of foodstuffs, Islam prohibits the usage of any materials that are detrimental to spiritual or mental well-being of a person, such as alcoholic drinks, drugs, etc. Since Islam has always encouraged its followers to choose wholesome, clean and Halal foods, this awareness is always propagated in the Muslim society. This awareness is strengthened by the widespread knowledge, extolling the virtues of consuming clean and Halal food, and its relationship to our daily religious practices. The population nowadays is even more exposed to the various kinds of ingredients and manufactured foods, arising from the advancement of science and technology in more pertinent examples of such materials are the food additives "Gelatine" and "Emulsifiers" or the addition of rennet in cheese manufacture. The Muslim communities would like to know whether or not the ingredients or the finished foods contain any Haram substance. These products can become Halal if the raw materials are Halal and the process in compatible with the Islamic way. To determine the Halal/Haram status of foodstuffs and other materials, Islam has alid general guidelines on this matter, namely:
ü All the raw materials and ingredients used must be Halal.
ü Naturally Halal animals, such as cattle, goats etc. must be slaughtered according to Islamic rites, the rituals specify that the act must be performed by a mentally sound Muslim, to sever the blood and respiratory channels of the animal, using a very sharp cutting tool such as a knife.
ü The Halal ingredient must not be mixed, or even come into contact with Haram materials, such as products from pig or dog, during storage, transport, cooking, serving etc.
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