Cooking Lessons Cooking Knowledge 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A recipe says to cook pasta 'al dente.' What texture is being described?
- Completely soft throughout
- Chewy because it was cooked without salt
- Tender but still firm to the bite (Correct answer)
- Crunchy and undercooked in the center
Correct answer: Tender but still firm to the bite
Al dente is Italian for 'to the tooth,' meaning pasta that offers slight resistance when bitten.
Question 2: You are making a vinaigrette and it keeps separating. Which ingredient helps emulsify oil and vinegar?
- Dijon mustard (Correct answer)
- Table salt
- Granulated sugar
- Chopped parsley
Correct answer: Dijon mustard
Mustard contains compounds that stabilize the oil-and-vinegar emulsion so it stays blended.
Question 3: What is the difference between a simmer and a boil?
- A boil occurs at a lower temperature than a simmer
- There is no difference between the two
- A simmer has small gentle bubbles below boiling, while a boil has large rapid bubbles (Correct answer)
- A simmer only happens with a lid on the pot
Correct answer: A simmer has small gentle bubbles below boiling, while a boil has large rapid bubbles
A simmer stays around 185-205°F with gentle bubbles, while a boil is a rolling 212°F with vigorous bubbling.
Question 4: Why is mise en place important in a professional kitchen?
- It makes food taste saltier
- It is a legal health-code requirement in the US
- It is only needed when baking bread
- Having ingredients prepped and organized before cooking prevents mistakes and delays (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Having ingredients prepped and organized before cooking prevents mistakes and delays
Mise en place, or 'everything in its place,' ensures smooth, efficient cooking with no mid-recipe scrambling.
Question 5: Which knife cut produces small cubes about 1/8 inch on each side?
- Batonnet
- Chiffonade
- Julienne
- Brunoise (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Brunoise
Brunoise is the classic fine dice of roughly 1/8-inch cubes, usually cut from julienne strips.
Question 6: When seasoning a dish, why is it best to add salt gradually throughout cooking rather than all at the end?
- Adding salt at the end is unsafe
- Salt added early evaporates completely
- Layering salt builds deeper flavor and prevents over-salting (Correct answer)
- Salt only dissolves in cold food
Correct answer: Layering salt builds deeper flavor and prevents over-salting
Seasoning in stages lets salt penetrate ingredients and lets you taste and adjust as you go.
Question 7: What happens to eggs if they are scrambled over heat that is too high?
- They turn bright orange
- They double in volume permanently
- They stay runny and never set
- They become rubbery and weep liquid (Correct answer)
Correct answer: They become rubbery and weep liquid
High heat over-coagulates egg proteins, squeezing out moisture and creating a tough, rubbery texture.
Cooking Lessons Cooking Knowledge 3
A recipe says to cook pasta 'al dente.' What texture is being described?