Cooking is an art

Preparation of food in steal, teflon or casserole cookware enables the preparation of meals with less fat and at lower temperatures.

Food is a need, satisfaction, pleasure, passion and sometimes an exciting exploration.

History of food preparation

Man has been confronted with the problem of finding food ever since the time of collecting roots of plants and fruit berries. The supplies were small at first so people started using stones, and later ever more subtle weapons and tools to provide themselves and their families with food supplies. It is believed that already in ancient times people learned to preserve food in the sun and wind or burry it in earth or sand in order to prevent its premature deterioration.

Until the discovery of fire, cooking - as it is today - was unknown. The discovery of fire completely changed man's approach to food. Food, such as yeastless pastry, was prepared on a hot stone covered in ashes, and meat and fish were poked on a stick and grilled. It was the beginning of thermal processing of food which developed with the creation of clay and later metal cookware. The secrets behind food preparation were transmitted orally from generation to generation. First recipes, written on clay tables, date back to 1500 BC. In the 6th century BC first cooks appeared in Persia. Culinary skills from Persia were brought to Greece in the 5th century BC where writer Teripson wrote the first culinary book, and his disciple Arhestratos wrote the first encyclopedia of the entire culinary knowledge until then.

In the course of their great conquests of war the Romans witnessed various new discoveries, including discoveries in the field of gastronomy, and they developed various ways of preparing, for that time, luxurious and abundant feasts. Poorer layers of society ate mostly vegetables while meat came to their table only on holidays.

As in all other spheres, the Middle Ages saw the stagnation in culinary art. Meals of that time were stodgy and filling; few novelties in the kitchen were brought by crusaders who introduced spices such as cumin, anise, pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove.

Culinary art experienced revitalization in the 14th century, first in Italy and later in France, where it reached its peak in the 17th century. That is the reason why in the world, regardless of new trends, French cuisine is considered exceptional for its outstanding merits in development of culinary art.

Thermal processing of food

Most food has to undergo some kind of thermal processing in order to be suitable for human consumption. Heat as essential element of food processing enhances efficiency and digestibility of nutrients and raises health quality of prepared food.

New-old trends in food preparation

Heat as essential element of food processing enhances efficiency and digestibility of nutrients and raises health quality of prepared foods.

Owing to new scientific and nutritional knowledge and rapid flow of information, modern man is increasingly changing his dietary habits. As a result, culinary art and modern technology follow latest advances in related sciences. By using modern cooking stoves, particularly ovens, we're trying to keep and preserve as much of high quality nutritional values, natural flavors, and freshness of ingredients as possible.

When we relate historical knowledge of thermal preparation of food to modern technology, we get the old-new ways of preparing food. Methods of thermal processing of food in the oven are:

• Steaming (60 to 98°C) - washed, sliced and seasoned food is processed by steaming -   boneless sardines are steamed at 65°C for about 8 minutes and then marinated in olive oil, hake fillets are steamed at 80°C; chicken breasts at 80°C for about 20 minutes, fresh vegetables are prepared at 80-98°C for about 20 minutes depending on the hardness of vegetables ( if previously treated at low temperatures - the time of vegetable preparation will be shorter); caramel cream at 80°C for 60 minutes.
• Baking - by using hot air with the addition of moisture (40-250°C) - we get crispy and juicy roasted meat, stewed dishes, and tasty sauces.

Meat turning, saucing and opening the oven is not necessary here, thus the time of food preparation is reduced. Until recently, housewives were faced with the biggest problem in determining the condition of baked meat or fish from the inside. The problem was solved very simply:  by using a probe which, when spiked into the meat, clearly and on time signals when the baking is over, thus excluding the necessity to monitor the preparation.

Food is prepared on stove in steal, teflon and casseroles cookware which enables us to prepare meals with less fat and at lower temperatures.

In line with the latest trends such thermally processed food is often combined with fresh vegetables and fruits.