Introduction to the art of cookery & Culinary history

Introduction 

Cookery is defined as a ―chemical process the mixing of ingredients; the application and withdrawal of heat to raw ingredients to make it more easily digestible, palatable and safe for human consumption. Cookery is considered to be both an art and science. 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 much easier to masticate. From this moment, in unrecorded past, cooking has evolved to reach the present level of sophistication. Humankind in the beginning ate to survive. Now also we still eat to survive, however efforts have been made to make the food more enjoyable like cooking meats and vegetables in different ways to make them more easily eaten, digestible and to make them more attractive, palatable and to have wider choice. This is the art associated with the preparation of food. However it is not solely the artful manipulation and combination of food which results in good tasting products. Nutritional aspects, the effects of combining various foodstuffs and the use of modern technology can be considered the science of cooking. The ―how of cooking‖ can be considered to be the art and the ―why of cooking could be the science. Balancing the art and science must be the goal of every professional chef.

Culinary History

Development of the culinary art from the middle ages to modern cookery: The phrase ―a brief history of culinary preparation‖ is, at best, misleading and, at worst, a bald faced lie. It is not possible to do justice, in a brief manner, to a subject, which is equivalent to the history of human race. This art and science began more than 300,000 years ago when, according to carbon dating, man began to use fire for the preparation of food. There have been very few discoveries or inventions of humanity since fire that have been not affected, in some manner, the preparation of food. When was salt first used in food preparation? How did various spices and herbs begin to be used? These and many other questions concerning the history of food preparation cannot be answered. However, as archaeology has slowly uncovered the ancient civilization around the world, it has unearthed an increasingly large body of knowledge concerning the world over. When humans first used herbs and spices is not known, but their importance in the ancient world is known. The acquisition of these and other foodstuffs was a prime factor in the development of trade routes throughout both the western and eastern hemispheres. Alexander the great brought to Greece spices from the Orient and melons and other fruits from Persia. The trade routes begun by Alexander were later used by the Ptolemy‘s of Egypt and then by the Roman Empire. Spices and herbs hold a special place in the history of mankind, having been as eagerly sought as gold, silver and jewels. A less glamorous culinary cousin of spices, grain has always been the key to the might of nations. The treasures of Africa were not simply gold, ivory and jewels of Rome. Africa was more important as the breadbasket of the Empire. The pound of grain, which was the right of every citizen of Rome, came from the fertile fields of North Africa. It was to protect these shipments of grain that the Roman Empire cleared the Mediterranean Sea of pirates and built a system of roads, many parts are still in use today. Historically, the procuring of various foods has always been of great significance for the Roman Empire it was gram, or the English Empire tea and sugar. Culinary development initially was tied to developments within an individual country or region; however as each region came in contact with people from other areas, ideas were exchanged. The result was a traceable progression in the development of food preparation from the Egyptians, to the Assyrians, to the Babylonians, to the Greeks, to the Romans, and then directs forerunners of the French kitchen. The French kitchen is the cornerstone for most historians of the beginning of modern dining in the western world. A pattern of refinement and development of culinary preparation began with the early Egyptians rulers and continued to the time of Persians. The Greeks refined the tradition of cooking; in fact Greek contribution towards the kitchen was frying pan and few other things. The citizens of early Rome were admirers of all things Greek made and invented, but the development of cuisine in the region of Rome is an example of how cuisines have developed in regions all over the world. In the Roman Empire there were two levels of culinary development taking place simultaneously. The one most often discussed is that of the ruling elite and their effect on foods. The Romans are to be credited with introducing to the rest of Europe a sense of culinary art. At the age of 14 years a young man name Grillaume of Tirel was a kitchen boy who cooked huge roast in front of the open fire. This young boy was destined to be the founder of the movement towards the modern French kitchen. Throughout the twentieth century the kitchen and menu have been streamlined. Preparations have come to be viewed from the standpoint of nutritional value as well as taste. There is no question that the history of culinary preparation has just begun, whether the issue is kitchen organization, style of service, cuisine and many other issues.

CULINARY HISTORY OF INDIA

Culinary skills and arts of a country are backed by the ―origin‖ which can precisely be termed as ―Culinary History‖. The origin of each country‘s eating habits however have arisen due to the influence from within the country itself or from its neighbors and some other influence such as climatic conditions, agriculture, religious aspects etc. Indian cooking has developed–from a purely vegetarian style to today‘s mixed style in the process, artistically absorbing the culinary styles of all the subcontinents, past invaders which include Persians, Greeks, Romans, Mugals, French, Portuguese and the British. Over 5,000 years of recorded history and even before, one gathers from its legends and great epics, India had been invaded by armies, traders and immigrants from all over the world. Some of the conquerors were the Aryans during the second millennium BC, the Greeks, led by Alexander the great in 326 BC, the Mugals in the 16th Century, the British in the 18th and 19th centuries, but these were interspreads with more observe and more exotic incursions of Mugals, Sythian, Pasthians, Kushans, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Portuguese and Dutch and throughout this successions of invaders there remained pockets of tribal and aboriginal life in the more daunting mountain, country and in the less accessible inland areas. After the independence and partition of India, there was a mass exodus of people to Great Britain, Africa and other parts of the world. They took with them eating habits and spices, and soon Africa started cultivating those spices. The mass migration of Asians in the 60‘s and 70‘s from east Africa and the sub–continent to Great Britain and other parts of Europe brought Indian food to the notice of everyone. The sub-continent of India and Pakistan covers about 4 million sq. km. and comprises of many different cultures and regions of which the main being Hindus and Muslims. Equally in the matter of religion an exceedingly important even crucial aspect of Indian life, the country displays a profession of faith, practices and observances as it is the home of Hinduism, and Buddhism and the religions of the Jains, the Sikhs etc. India as mentioned earlier has a large population of Muslims and Hindus and contains as well different seats of Christians, one of the oldest settlements of Jews in the world. Zoroastrians, animists and a number of minor faiths all of these have contributed too in their own manner and ways and attributed to the rich texture of Indian life and living. After all these centuries of foreign contact, India and most of the South East Asia should still be screened from the western would be such a formidable barrier of fantasy, half-truths, misconceptions and sheer ignorance. Even food, one of the first and most immediate contacts a traveler makes with a foreign country remains virtually unexplored and a great and varied cuisine involved from indigenous sources and outside culture seems to have been reduced in western mind. Travel brings about a maximum contact of food habits of various countries, thereby spreading of spices and delicious. Common culinary skills inherited over the years in each type of: 

1. Rotis or Indian bread

 2. Rice preparation

 3. Meat, fish and vegetable with grinding of masalas.

4. Indian sweets 

HISTORY OF COOKING 

 

The story of food service is long and interesting, one dating far back to the very beginning of civilization. Humans began eating the product of their picking such as mushrooms, roots, and fruits. Then, they began to kill or catch animals and eat their flesh. In the same time, they used and then made fire, cooked meat or flesh was first eaten, said the legend, by accident when someone dropped his share of meat in the fire and discovered it was better. The same happened with the use of salt when someone dropped his food on a piece of rock where seawater had evaporated. Later, one was introduced agriculture and both cereals and pulses were grown as well as fruit trees introduced by the Romans (peaches, lemon, cherries, apricots, walnuts and plums) from there faraway trips to Eastern countries. Game meat was the almost unique one eaten until came Geese and Pork breeding. The Romans also taught French how to make bread and wine, which has remained the French staple diet even today. Cumin and vinegar were the first spices and condiment used. Onion and garlic the main aromatics. Spices came from Asia and were highly priced. At the period of III century most of the commodities were used. In a kitchen, one could find ginger, cloves, chilies, saffron, nutmeg, bay leaf, cumin and turmeric when the spice road was opened. Soups were served – origin of the word ―Soup‖ comes from the Old French language where a ―Soupe‖ was a slice of bread. Other says it comes from Sanskrit words Su (well) Pa (feed) giving ―Supa‖ good food. This detail is taken from the very first French Cookery Book (―The Master‖) given by Philip VI and Charles V. Guillamme Tirel, Larder Master of the Royal Kitchens was the first known famous Chef de Cuisine (1392) and still today, a restaurant in Paris has his name.

The story of food service is long and interesting, one dating far back to the very beginning of civilization. Humans began eating the product of their picking such as mushrooms, roots, and fruits. Then, they began to kill or catch animals and eat their flesh. In the same time, they used and then made fire, cooked meat or flesh was first eaten, said the legend, by accident when someone dropped his share of meat in the fire and discovered it was better. The same happened with the use of salt when someone dropped his food on a piece of rock where seawater had evaporated. Later, one was introduced agriculture and both cereals and pulses were grown as well as fruit trees introduced by the Romans (peaches, lemon, cherries, apricots, walnuts and plums) from there faraway trips to Eastern countries. Game meat was the almost unique one eaten until came Geese and Pork breeding. The Romans also taught French how to make bread and wine, which has remained the French staple diet even today. Cumin and vinegar were the first spices and condiment used. Onion and garlic the main aromatics. Spices came from Asia and were highly priced. At the period of III century most of the commodities were used. In a kitchen, one could find ginger, cloves, chilies, saffron, nutmeg, bay leaf, cumin and turmeric when the spice road was opened. Soups were served – origin of the word ―Soup‖ comes from the Old French language where a ―Soupe‖ was a slice of bread. Other says it comes from Sanskrit words Su (well) Pa (feed) giving ―Supa‖ good food. This detail is taken from the very first French Cookery Book (―The Master‖) given by Philip VI and Charles V. Guillamme Tirel, Larder Master of the Royal Kitchens was the first known famous Chef de Cuisine (1392) and still today, a restaurant in Paris has his name.treated him with respect befitting a skilled artisan. In the beginning his duty was of making bread but later it included the overall charge of entire kitchen and other kitchen slaves and all the aspects of food preparation were under his control. He was given assistance and public acclaim for the feast he prepared. There was a special law, which permitted him with exclusive rights to prepare new dish and sell it to public. The Magieros were the first to make cooking a respectable profession and set standards for its practice. An apprentice system was set up. The novice had to work for 2 years under an established Magiero. He had to study from many books the culinary art. The profession grew to one of the greatest respect and the Magieros in Greece became free to continue to practice of the culinary profession. They were available to work for pay and some held steady jobs. Most of them worked only when banquets worthy of their attention was being held. The people of ancient Greece loved to eat and developed many customs relating to food and its place in daily life. Three meals were eaten in a day, one after getting up, like bread dipped in wine, one in the afternoon which was a simple meal varying from household to household and the principle meal in the evening consisting of two courses, meat with accompaniments and dessert. Kitchens in Greece were well supplied with pork, beef, goat, which was prepared by boiling or roasting. Sausages in different sizes and shapes were popular. In the beginning the Greeks didn‘t eat in bowl and dish but later on they took to it. Sardines with their favourite vegetables like cabbage, lettuce, beans and lentils were eaten regularly, and for dessert, fruit like figs, pomegranates, apples, pears, and grapes were very common. Athens was famous for its parties. 

The Greeks liked to socialize and loved to eat in company and at any given opportunity banquet or party was given. They dined in a semi reclined position and used the right arm and hand for eating. Food was eaten from baskets but eventually two sizes of china plates were developed. The meat corner was lined by the only man with a knife in the dining room and it was his duty to cut everybody‘s requirement of meat portions into bites sized pieces. Forks were not used but everybody had a spoon like implement to handle gravy and soup. Main dishes were eaten directly from serving dishes; everyone ate rapidly to ensure that they would get the most of their share as possible. The decline of Greece and ultimate defeat came about in 146 BC when they were conquered by Rome. Meanwhile the Greek merchants and the Greek soldiers spread their customs wherever they went. The merchants were even able to establish colonies in the name of Greece in the southern part of Italy and there was a continuos exchange of information. Thus the discoveries and refinement of Egypt and Greece were soon transplanted to Italy. 

The Roman Empire: The condition of the Greek colonies in south Italy did not change, people continued their more primitive existence, providing food for themselves, providing shelter and protecting themselves from attack. They realized that defense was an important consideration and so they built villages on hills. The collection of these villages grew to be a great heart of an Empire called Rome by thousands. Soon Romans built up strong army to defend themselves and any attack of aggression was crushed heavily. Later they carried out invasions and the lands owned by the soldiers were annexed and added to the Empire, thus expanding the Roman Empire. The average Roman citizen was not rich, they were shepherds in farms. Meals were of fruits, vegetable, porridge, and wine. They ate pork and meat. The number of meals varied depending upon religious customs, but the pleasure of food and dining played an important role in the life of Roman elite‘s who were very rich and could afford the very best from anywhere in the world. They had staffs able to produce the most exquisite of dishes. These people were quick to sample foods from other places and were in fact so intent on the discovery of new tastes and sensations that they even set expeditions to far concerns of the world in search of such things. They found some of the culinary inspiration in Asia Minor they came back with appetite for oriental food. It was then that meals began to demand more preparation and expense. The Romans captured the Greek colonies in the south and were very impressed with food prepared by Magieros who they sent to Rome as slaves to work as cooks in the houses of wealthy citizens. And when Rome captured Greece, some more Magieros were sent back to Rome. The captured Magieros accepted their fate and went about teaching the Roman about the artistry of food. In due time they received great acclaim for accomplishments and some were freed by grateful masters. It was during this year that the duties of the kitchen were 1st separated and departmentalized and in 25 AD man called Apicus wrote the first cook book. The Romans were great meat eaters and birds were highly popular, they loved to use all sorts of condiments, they had no cane or beet sugar so they used grapes syrup and honey. To meet the new demands made by changed tastes Rome developed a sophisticated system of food production, importing and marketing. So they set up a centralized market where all kinds of foodstuffs were sold. The Roman Empire, top heavy with power and luxury and corruption was deteriorating and by a 76 AD it collapsed. All over Europe darkness fell, people returned to a life in small rural villages and led a simple life eating simple food. The 1400 years period of decline and recovery is known as Dark or Medieval period. The Dark Age was a period of decline and subsequent recovery for the fortunes of food and dinging customs. Like everything else they sank to a very low point before recovery got underway. The culinary achievements of Greece and Rome were stored in written words to be discovered later. The basic social system at this time was Aendalism where someone who declared themselves as kings and this in turn to be subdivided and given to lords who in return paid tax and loyalty to the king owned large areas. The lords‘ in turn again assigned lands to tenants or serfs, who tilled the land, grew crops, raised animals. Half or more of the produce went to the Lord who in turn gave some to the king and kept some for himself. This way the lords and kings lived comfortably at the costs of the serfs. This Aendalism produced 2 levels in society with each one with distinctive habits. The serfs existed on a diet of salt, pork, black beans, turnips and cabbage. While the Lords and kings stuffed themselves with a minimum of 30 dishes a meal. 

Life in the Castle: The great hall was the only place where there was a fire lit. It was in this place that every member of the castle took the meals, which at times numbered well over a thousand. The room held tables and everyone sat on benches with no backs, there was no tablecloth used during most of the Dark ages. Besides the crowd having their meals there were number of animals and at times the knights also came in with mounts. Since there was no organization of meal service everybody stood around talking and arguing till his or her turn came to eat.