“Cooking” means many things!
Different ways of cooking:
The narrow sense of the expression “to cook“ (Latin “coquere“: cook, boil, ripen) means heating a liquid until it reaches its boiling point. In a broader sense, it means brewing and preparing food.
Boil
To submerge food in water at the boiling point of 100°C.
Cook in boiling water
Steam forms and escapes the water in bubbles. This mixes the food that is being cooked, for example pasta.
Simmer
The food is only submitted to gentle heat and remains unmoved.
Steam
The steam reaches a temperature of 100°C and the food is placed above the water in a sieve. This method preserves vitamins as leaching out is prevented.
Sauté
To cook in very little liquid.
Glaze
To sauté vegetables with high sugar content, for example carrots.
Poach
Sensitive food is poached at a temperature of 75 to 95 °C. Poaching does not damage them they way that boiling them would.
Pressure cook
Pressure-cooking means cooking food in liquid at a temperature of 100 and 120°C under pressure. This means the pot must be firmly sealed. Pressure-cooking reduces the regular cooking time and protects nutrients and vitamins. No oxygen is used in this cooking method, so the foods original flavour is preserved. As the pot is under great pressure during the cooking process, it is impossible to open it to check to food’s consistency.
Cooking devices.
Pressure-cooker
Steam is retained and an over pressure created. This way, the water can be heated to approximately 120°C. By increasing the temperature, the cooking time is reduced. Advantage: vitamins are preserved.
People often use steam cookers, pressure-cookers, and woks with applications for steaming, rice cookers and conventional pots made of stainless steel or another material to prepare food with water or steam. Steam cookers were invented in the mid-seventies. Because of the way they work and their reduced cooking times, the food loses few nutrients and vitamins and different dishes can be prepared together without their flavours mixing.
Electric kettles, coffee and espresso machines are used to prepare hot beverages like tea, coffee, coffee-based drinks, espresso, cocoa and stock. Soda making machines are also popular. They make drinking water fizzy by adding carbon dioxide and flavoured syrups can be added to the water.
In gastronomy, special cookers like the Vario cooker, double boilers (heated water tubs that keep food warm) and large, cauldron-like pots are used.
Other household appliances that use water:
Many refrigerator and freezer manufacturers offer integrated systems that make ice cubes. Small ice cube making devices that fit on the table are also popular. When filtered water is used, the ice cubes are relatively clear.
Other domestic devices that use water are egg cookers, cleaning devices that use steam or spray water, (instant) steam irons, etc.
Electric oral irrigators provide dental care on a daily basis.
Indoor fountains, mist generators and air conditioning give rooms a good feel.
In beauty parlours, vapour machines are used for pre-treatment. Unlike in inhalers, the substance is heated directly instead of a solution being evaporated. In classical and alternative medicine, these devices are also used to treat respiratory problems and to gently administer medication.
Using steam, babies’ bottles can be disinfected in an environmentally friendly way and without chemicals.
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