I saw Michael Ruhlman, the food author and Iron Chef judge, on Saturday at the Cleveland Heights Borders. He was discussing his new book The Elements of Cooking. He’s a bit more laid back in person than on television, but that’s probably because, well, most of us would act a bit differenty in front of a camera. That said, his drive to get people to understand the “fundamentals of cooking” (a phrase he uttered around four times), finesse, etc. is just as salient in person as in his most recent book or on television. He gave an “extra condensed” version of cooking basics in response to a question a woman had on how to cook with only a small apartment and an electric range. He essentially said to salt liberally, frequently and as far in advance of cooking as possible; and to sauté on very high heat with a sturdy pan (not a nonstick one) for most applications. He advised that you salt meat, chicken, etc. the moment it enters your house, even if you’ll be using it days later.
Ruhlman answered a question I had about good local cooking apples, as the only kind he mentions in his book are Granny Smith. I’ll definitely be picking up some Winesap and/or Mutsu apples at Zagara’s sometime soon.
He’s a very entertaining speaker–he had plenty of good stories about the Culinary Institute of America, the French Laundry restaurant and his stint as a struggling writer–and I’d recommend going to a reading if you get a chance. For those of you reading in the Heights, he’s also our neighbor!
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