Cottage Food Laws Making Profits From Your Kitchen

If you search for a baking forum, several will pop up showcasing discussions about women worldwide using their home-based kitchens to bake cakes, cookies, pies, cupcakes, breads and more, all in an effort to make extra income and show-off their culinary talents. In 2002, Warren Brown, moonlighted as a cake baker, eventually leaving his job as a Washington DC lawyer to take his deliciously amazing cakes to the masses two bakeries. Today Brown has seven locations across Maryland, Virginia and the nations capitol.

Everyone knows someone who can create a delicious cake or pie; In fact, if you stroll through any community farmer’s market you will see folks selling their homemade baked goods, apple butter or heirloom candy? The ability to sell a food specialty is made possible in most United States (U.S.) communities by the existence of “cottage food laws;” a special law giving home food processors permission to make potentially non hazardous food products from the home kitchen. In the U.S., cottage food laws are different for every state so home food processor’s must check with their individual state regulatory agency to learn about specific food processing rules and food labeling requirements; while all other states may require the use of a licensed commercial kitchen.

Today eleven states currently have house bills pending, and the residents are hopeful these cottage food laws will pass bringing that much needed shot in the arm to their local economies. There is really no way of knowing how many home-based bakers and small food processors there are across America, however one thing is for certain, today the consumers desire for homemade, clean label foods with no preservatives opens the door for all food entrepreneurs ready and willing to become essential commodities in their community.

The list of states below have cottage food law legislation pending:

Arizona
HB2103 – 501R – I
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/50leg/1r/bills/hb2103p.htm

Arkansas
The newest state to pass a cottage food law
http://www.arkansashouse.org/public/php/pdf_viewer.php?pdf=ftp://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/Bills/2011/Public/HB1323.pdf

Maryland
http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/06hse/html/msa12262.html

South Dakota
South Dakota Bill (HB1240)
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/50leg/1r/bills/hb2103p.htm

Washington State
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?year=2011&bill=5748

Top Culinary Schools of the World

Boiling water without burning it may seem like a simple process but in reality there are some individuals who simply do not know their way around the kitchen. They cannot tell you the difference between saut and broil. Culinary students who are interested in the top culinary schools must have some background in the kitchen if they hope to become an executive chef one day.

They have to know the basics if they want that ‘A’ on their souffle. It can be a demanding career and one that is tough on the body, mind and ego but for those who have the determination the pay off is extraordinary.ry.

Top culinary schools are not everywhere. There are many located throughout the United States that offer a comprehensive cooking degree upon completion, yet there are some that do not and so you must go online. The only online school that may be applicable, should you want to run the front end of a restaurant, is The University of Phoenix with their Hospitality and Business Management program. However, this program will only teach you how to run the front of a restaurant, as it will not include any instruction in the culinary arts.

Many cooking colleges offer a special type of arts program that is world renowned. At the California School of Culinary Arts Pasadena, you can partake in the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts program, about which most people are most familiar.

It is a great curriculum that offers three distinct programs, which you can either take separately or all together. They offer the culinary arts program, a baking program and a program that focuses on Hospitality and Restaurant Management.

If you are not thinking about obtaining a certificate or degree and simply want to further your skills and knowledge in the kitchen, then you may want to think about specialized classes in one area of culinary delight. You could take a Thai cooking school class or even an Italian cooking school class to teach you how to make those wonderful dishes you order at restaurants.

Choosing from among the top culinary schools can be difficult for students. Not everyone is cut out to be a chef. Some people never aspire to learn how to make the dishes served in five star restaurants. But for those who persevere and learn the tricks of the trade it can be a rewarding career filled with excitement and advancement. It is a dream of a lifetime for those individuals.

Many people were asking as to where they can find the best culinary education on earth. Many of them are wondering what the best culinary arts schools are. Well, the answers to these questions are typically provided by the culinary arts school rankings, which for long years have been considered as one of the most valuable tools for identifying which of the available culinary arts schools is best.

Yes, culinary school ranking is not a new concept. It has been around for years now, making it so common in the culinary education industry. However, although the culinary arts school ranking can give you the list of the top rated culinary arts schools, it’s not a good basis to say that ones presented on the list are truly the best schools. While it is acceptable to say that there are few very well-known and respected culinary schools on earth, it doesn’t follow that these respected institutions are the “best” ones.

My experience has taken me through a vast selection of resorts, 5 star hotels, restaurants, catering companies, cafe’s, boat charters, retail deli’s, cooking classes and major events providing me with experience of all levels of cooking with a huge influence in Modern Australian cuisine and a strong French background.

I have firm experience in a fast-paced environment with extensive knowledge of functions and a la carte menus and also the ability to put together successful degustation and canape menus both on and off site.

Both ‘live-to-air’ radio presentations and pre-recorded segments on;

– ABC Perth

– ABC Radio National

– RTRfm

– Radio Fremantle

– 6EBA

– ABC Rural WA

On going artcles in high profile magazines and newspapers such as;

– Flourish Magazine

– Quest Newspapers

– Coffs Coast Advocate

– Byron Bay Echo

– Fishing Western Australia

– Merredin Wheatbelt Mercury

– Nude Food Magazine

– Busselton Dunsborough Times

– The Kalgoorlie Miner

– Echo Newspaper

– Examiner Newspaper

– Post Newspaper

– Pizza News Australia (online magazine)

– Community News Blog (online blog)

– WA Health and Fitness Magazine (online magazine)

– Frigidaire Quality Appliances (online website contribution)

top 10 culinary schools in the world

How to Choose the Best Microwave Oven

A modern kitchen is not complete without an old tried and trusted microwave oven. Most people know how to use a microwave and the benefits that it provides for your cooking exploits, but they are pretty much clueless when it comes to choosing the ideal oven for their cooking ventures. There are a few fundamental aspects that are worthy of taking note before you purchase your microwave oven.

For a lot of people, the most highlighted aspect of a microwave oven would be its volume and size. An oven of appropriate capacity and volume is necessary depending on your cooking needs. Choosing an oversized microwave to cook your daily chicken fillets would be foolhardy to say the least. Flipping the cards around, you wouldnt want to have a small oven to execute your culinary skills with. Integrating ovens of an appropriate size tailored for your requirements would help a lot in enhancing your cooking exploits. Microwave ovens come in an assortment of sizes; ranging from a tiny one cubic feet to a gigantic 2.5 cubic feet or more.

The next important criteria of selecting a microwave oven would be the strength of the punch that it packs. The strength of such microwaves is usually measured by the wattage that it delivers. Large scale microwave ovens can go upwards of 1500 watts. Choosing a microwave with a wattage exceeding your personal requirements would usually result in overcooked food specimens. Consult your local supplier or expert regarding the tailored wattage for your own needs before committing to a microwave purchase.

Congratulations! By now you would already have an idea of the desired size and the wattage of your desired microwave, but that is just half of the whole puzzle. The next point to consider when choosing such an oven would be the perks and functions hidden within the shell of it. Modern microwaves are filled with a plethora of different specific perks, tweaks and special add-ons. First of all, we take a look at the basic appeals of your chosen oven. A functioning microwave MUST have a decent turntable to back up its claim. The turntable is the primary tool for you to cook with your microwave and it must be both rigid and big enough to do a good job. Should your turntable be lacking in the aforementioned aspects, then you can expect you pot roast to be cooked on one side and be cold on the other. Lighting in the microwave is also essential to give you a good perspective of your food specimen. You have to see how your food cooks in an oven more than anything. There are a bevy of other elementary functions to consider, therefore proper consultation is advised before you purchase your microwave oven.

By now we have covered the basic functions and hardware of a microwave. The next key point would be an ovens appeal and how it stands out amongst the rest. Latest microwaves come with abundance of special add-ons; such as programmable menu screens, automated cooking options and even popcorn keys. These attributes are only useful once the basic appeal of a microwave is met. Once you are happy with the basic attributes of a unit, these are the extra perks which you would consider to help assert your choice from the others. A simple programmable sidebar can make a normal microwave oven stand out of the chasing pack.

There you have it. These are the basic aspects you would need to consider before committing to a microwave purchase. The budget for a microwave should be allocated based on your cooking needs as well as desired requirements of microwave. Budget microwaves are cheap, but they are only there to help you cook and rehear your food. If you wish to have a trustworthy kitchen counterpart there, then taking the extra mile to purchase a premium unit would go a long way to enhance your overall satisfaction.

Create an Outdoor Haven with Steel Jardinieres and Everything In-Between

Spring outdoor design ideas are not hard to come by with the age of the internet and the newest raved about online pin board. In this weeks article we’ll explore the newest trends on how to focus all these design ideas into two simple rules and transform your backyard into a landscaped outdoor haven.

Right now is the time of year when most of the country is enjoying every free moment they can outdoors. Winter has past and warm sunny afternoons are upon us. Why not jump ahead a bit and get to work on designing a chic landscaped backyard. Treat your outdoor space with care and create splendid simple comfort with these two rules. Buy french steel jardinieres and naturally pair them a garden pendant lighting scheme.

This years unique jardinieres and creative lighting schemes are transforming outdoor spaces into landscaped outdoor havens. By building boundaries and sectioning off different areas in your yard you can create comfortable eating and sitting areas with minimal effort. Most outdoor design lovers are not always familiar with our french terminology so we’re also going to give you a short lesson on the meaning of the word, popular shapes and styles as well as where you can find these beautiful works of art in your very own local marketplace.

A jardinire is a receptacle (usually a ceramic pot or urn) or more rarely a stand upon which, or into which, plants may be placed. (The French themselves refer to tabletop versions of such receptacles as cachepots.) Jardinires tend to be highly decorative. They are sometimes used as garden accent elements for large plants and for raised culinary and herb gardens. Jardinieres come in all shapes and sizes but for this particular season large steel octagon jardiniere are la crme de la crme. It’s common design practice to combine three different sizes of the octagonal jardinieres together forming a triangle visual pattern. This placement also allows taller plants to grow vertically in the background and gorgeous hanging plants to spill out in front. You can easily bring lavishing color and balance to your outdoor space by filling these few different sized steel jardinieres to the brim with unique trees, perennials and succulents. Mixing and matching these beautiful pallets of floral colors create focal points for your guest to enjoy during the hot summer months. A few world renown artists have beautifully custom designed these popular octagon jardinieres in the Malibu California area but, if you’re not living in close proximity contact your local ceramist and see if they can’t create a mold for you. If you live for the best contact Malibu’s ceramist and have one shipped to your local area.

After you place your jardinieres around your landscaped backyard accent them with some key lighting. Garden pendants and custom outdoor chandeliers are a spectacular option for producing a elegant space. Buy a plain frosted glass light fixture or brighten up your garden with a hint of color. This season we’re in love with rose color pendants and bronze accented chandeliers. Either way these articulate lights paired with those octagon jardinieres will add a chic modern style to your outdoor landscape and transform your backyard into an outdoor haven. Enjoy!

What You Need To Know Before Going To Culinary Schools

The number of cooking schools is growing, and many high school students and interested professionals want to know which of these schools offer competitive culinary education. But these people should be concerned more of the fundamental factors that would affect their lives the moment they set foot in the world of culinary arts.

You may think of culinary schools with grandeur and you may have high praises for people who finish the course, putting them in some kind of pedestal, as if they have accomplished something grand. The real thing for most of these people is far from your imagination.

Cooking schools are expensive.

That is just one thing you have to keep in mind. It is so expensive that many aspirants are discouraged at the first sight of the cost. They may opt for student loans to come by funds necessary for schooling. Many finish the course worried about how they are going to pay the debt.

There are many chefs who obtained their expertise without having to go through expensive education. In fact, some had to learn it for free working in the kitchens of restaurants or hotels. Not all can be that lucky though. Some had to start from somewhere like their very own kitchens. The lure of culinary school is the presence of nice equipment, state-of-the-art facilities, and seasoned chefs to provide instruction.

Many chefs think that all types of cooking education are essentially the same. Methods of cooking do not change wherever you take the course. Hence, expensive culinary education will not necessarily prepare you for the real thing. At the end of the day, it is your skill and passion that will make you do the job and not the name of the school or the cost of the education.

A culinary career is not just about cooking.

This is something all students in culinary schools should know and understand. Some are too excited to learn how to bake pastry or cook beef stewand they immediately think a culinary school can get them there. If you think of learning the art of cooking because you want to be the house cook, you probably should learn cooking another way, because it is impractical. But if you have money to burn, go ahead.

Some people imagine grand careers as chefs, but this is far from the reality. Only a few people land high paying jobs when they graduate. Many will have to deal with average paying jobs in restaurants or hotels if they ever find jobs. But if you have a passion for culinary arts, you should have no problem being in the tough industry. You may even enjoy it.

Culinary jobs involve working with other people. Collaboration is just one thing. If you are a chef working at restaurants, you have to take orders from the owner. Sometimes, your food will be criticized even if it looks nice and tastes good. This is what interested culinary students should understand. Do not enroll in a culinary school with the expectation that you will be a grand, rich chef in the future. Do so because it is what you want and you clearly know the possibilities.