• Food
    • Restaurants
    • Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Eats
  • Community
    • Politics
    • Health
    • Development
    • Education
    • The Way It Was
  • Arts & Agenda
    • Music
    • Art
    • Film & TV
    • Books
    • Things to Do
  • Life & Style
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Recreation
    • Fitness & Wellness
    • Shopping
    • Travel
  • Events
    • Best of Detroit Party 2025
    • Hour Media Events
    • Partner Events
    • Party Pics
    • Photography Request Form
  • Best of Detroit 2025
    • Best of Detroit 2025 Winners & Finalists
    • Best of Detroit Party 2025
  • Video
  • Resources
    • Best of Senior Care
    • Company Milestone Profiles
    • Excellence in Care
    • Faces of Detroit
    • Give Detroit
    • Canna-Business
    • Women Who Move Detroit
    • Parents’ Guide to College
    • Professionals
    • Dentists
    • Doctors
    • Restaurants
    • Shopping
  • Magazine
    • Other Publications
    • Archive
    • Careers
    • Digital Edition
    • My Account
    • Subscribe
    • Purchase Single Issues
    • Newsletters
    • Where to Find
    • Advertise
    • Staff
    • Contact
Sign in
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Create an account
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Sign up
Welcome!Register for an account
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Password recovery
Recover your password
Search
  • Subscribe
  • Archive
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Restaurants
  • Doctors
  • Dentists
  • Shopping
  • Professionals
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Create an account
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Create an account
Welcome! Register for an account
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
Hour Detroit Magazine
  • Food
    • Restaurants
    • Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Eats
  • Community
    • Politics
    • Health
    • Development
    • Education
    • The Way It Was
  • Arts & Agenda
    • Music
    • Art
    • Film & TV
    • Books
    • Things to Do
  • Life & Style
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Recreation
    • Fitness & Wellness
    • Shopping
    • Travel
  • Events
    • Best of Detroit Party 2025
    • Hour Media Events
    • Partner Events
    • Party Pics
    • Photography Request Form
  • Best of Detroit 2025
    • Best of Detroit 2025 Winners & Finalists
    • Best of Detroit Party 2025
  • Video
  • Resources
    • Best of Senior Care
    • Company Milestone Profiles
    • Excellence in Care
    • Faces of Detroit
    • Give Detroit
    • Canna-Business
    • Women Who Move Detroit
    • Parents’ Guide to College
    • Professionals
    • Dentists
    • Doctors
    • Restaurants
    • Shopping
  • Magazine
    • Other Publications
    • Archive
    • Careers
    • Digital Edition
    • My Account
    • Subscribe
    • Purchase Single Issues
    • Newsletters
    • Where to Find
    • Advertise
    • Staff
    • Contact
Home Special Section Advertising Creative Cuisine Builds on the Basics
  • Special Section Advertising
Promotion

Creative Cuisine Builds on the Basics

By
Special Advertising Section
-
March 16, 2018
2624
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp
    Special Advertising Section

    Whether it’s standard American food, ethnic fare, or a tempting dessert, everyone has their favorite. And while many people appreciate the taste sensations of gastronomic wonders prepared by others, there are plenty of would-be chefs who enjoy making food in their own kitchens. For those individuals, spending time cooking is a delight, and they derive much pleasure in perfecting their cuisine for family and friends.

    Take it from the experts, the professional chefs: No matter the style or the complexity of the dish, great cooking starts with a good foundation, and that includes knowing the “tricks” the pros use to achieve the best results. That alone will save you time and frustration.

    Most professional chefs will tell you they began their career by mastering time-honored recipes and techniques. They learned about the main ingredients, the proper ratios, and the correct temperatures before they tried their own variations. Once you master the basics, it’s much easier to experiment with different versions of a recipe, adding flavorful flair and adjusting ingredients to please your own palate. Be careful to modify only one element at a time, and take notes. Perhaps you can even improve on Grandma’s pot roast recipe.


    Q: I’m familiar with pierogi, kielbasa, and stuffed cabbage. What other traditional Polish dishes might I enjoy?

    A: One dish that’s not as well known outside of Poland, but just as delicious as those mentioned above, is bigos, or hunter’s stew. It may seem like a type of sauerkraut, but it’s much more. Bigos always starts with shredded, fresh cabbage and sauerkraut, along with some type of meat. It’s important to use sauerkraut made the old-fashioned way — naturally fermented with plain water and sea salt, and not with vinegar, or it won’t taste the same. The best type of meat to use is smoked pork, whether it’s pulled pork, smoked sausage (more traditional), or bacon. Some recipe variations call for tomatoes or mushrooms, along with traditional Polish spices. While caramelized onions aren’t required, we think they should be.

    If you can be patient, the ideal method for cooking bigos is to heat it, freeze it, reheat it, refrigerate it, and heat it again, as the temperature changes intensify the flavor. Then it’s ready to savor — along with a nice, fresh slice of Polish rye bread and Polish beer.

    Polka Restaurant & Beer Cafe
    Edwardski Mepham
    Chef
    2908 E. Maple Rd.
    Troy, MI 48083
    248-817-2601
    www.goPolka.com


    Q: How can I, as a home cook, elevate my own culinary skills?

    A: As with mastering any skill, it takes practice. When basic tasks become second nature, a chef can create an environment where efficiency is maximized — which frees up time to create daily soups, make menu changes, and ensure specials are truly special. Each day, a professional chef must repeat the same recipes, trying them constantly and improving ratios. Every time I make potatoes at home and have extra time, I focus on one element, such as the seasoning, so the recipe is the truest reflection of the flavors I wish to portray.

    I believe you can learn from books or personal instruction. I recommend The Professional Chef, by the Culinary Institute of America, which suggests a lot of starting points. For example, the book teaches you how to make basic bread, and then you can play with the recipes.

    Keep at it. When first making pasta, I ended up with a big, sticky mess. But I really like pasta, and I wanted to learn, so I kept trying until I got it right. Every time you cook, take notes. Otherwise, when you find a version that everyone loves, they’ll want you to make the recipe again — but you won’t know how. Be creative, adding your own touches. Make dishes you find happiness in. After all, that’s what we’re all trying to do — put happiness on a plate.

    The Waterfront Restaurant & Lounge
    Jake Harte
    Chef/General Manager
    507 Biddle Ave.
    Wyandotte, MI 48192
    734-286-9046
    thewaterfrontwyandotte.com


    Q: Why temper food?

    A: One of the easiest ways to help you achieve the perfect “cook” of a steak, (such as) medium-rare, is to temper it. We all know we need to let steaks rest after cooking before we even think about slicing them, but a less well-known technique is to let them sit at room temperature before cooking.

    Thirty minutes or so for a 1-inch-thick steak should do the trick. This brings the steak closer to room temperature, setting you up to get the perfect sear. It also requires less cooking time, resulting in a more consistent color throughout the steak. Add a light coating of your favorite cooking oil, season it well with good salt and freshly cracked pepper, sear it high, flip it once, let it rest, and enjoy.

    MotorCity Casino Hotel
    Michael Golden
    Executive Chef
    2901 Grand River Ave.
    Detroit, MI 48201
    866-PLAY-MCC
    motorcitycasino.com/iridescence

     
     





    • TAGS
    • Chef Q&A (Special Section)
    Facebook
    Twitter
    WhatsApp
      Previous articleSpecial Needs Patients Find Comfort With Local Dentists
      Next articleBe Careful Before You Spritz Your Perfume – You Could Be Breaking the Law
      Special Advertising Section

      RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

      Sponsored

      Discover the Best of Senior Care

      Promotion

      Tips for Success

      Promotion

      August Offers a Bounty of Fresh Flavors

       

      NEWSLETTERS

         

      DIGITAL SPONSORS

       
       
       

      FROM OUR PARTNERS

      Sponsored

      “Because of You”: A Story of Faith, Family, and...

      June 19, 2025
      Sponsored

      Anytime Fitness

      June 9, 2025
      Sponsored

      Say Goodbye to Back Pain & Sciatica

      June 9, 2025
      Hour Detroit Magazine
      ABOUT US
      Hour Detroit Magazine brings you stories of regional interest along with the best restaurants, clubs, events and useful resources.
      FOLLOW US
      • Archive
      • Careers
      • Subscribe
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Terms & Conditions
      • Privacy & Cookies Policy
      • Staff
      • Hour Media Corporate
      © 2025 - Hour Detroit Magazine
      Near me
      40 miles