Elemental Cooking: Mastering the Foundation of Flavor

Discover the extraordinary power of cooking's most fundamental elements

In this transformative workshop series, Chef Ling Halbert invites home cooks to reconsider the building blocks we so often take for granted. "Elemental Cooking" examines four critical components that form the foundation of all exceptional dishes:

Workshop Focus:

SALT: Beyond Basic Seasoning
Explore the natural world of salts—from flaky sea salt to mineral-rich pink Himalayan. This gift from the earth is a treasure for good health and enjoyable food. Learn precise salting techniques that elevate rather than overwhelm, and discover how timing your salt application drastically changes flavor development.

WATER: The Overlooked Ingredient
Water constitutes up to 90% of many dishes, yet we rarely consider its quality and properties. Examine how water hardness affects pasta, how temperature controls extraction in teas and stocks, and why the right water is crucial for perfect bread dough hydration.

OIL: The Carrier of Flavour
Master the selection and application of oils beyond basic cooking. Understand smoke points, flavor profiles, essential oils in cooking, and the transformative effects of infusion. Learn to use the few oils that will bring a highlight to your home cooking.

COLOR: The Visual Palette
Delve into the combination of colours that please the eyes. The first sight of a colourful dish excite the tasta buds and bring an excitemnt of anticipation. Rainbows in the sky are not everyday, but we can create happy rainbows of colour in our everyday cooking. Develop techniques to preserve vibrant colors through proper cooking methods and learn how visual composition impacts perceived taste.

Key Takeaways:

Playfully dance with layering and balancing these four elements
Co-create dishes with these elements and our own creativity.
Understand the basic grounding that these elements provide.
Sensory uplift to develop your palate's sensitivity to subtle differences
Practical applications for immediate implementation in your cooking

Reserve your place today to transform your understanding of cooking's most essential elements

You can choose which sessions to attend or attend them all when you 'Get Tickets'

4 Monday evening sessions:
* 7 April
* 14 April
* 28 April
* 5 May
Time: 6pm-6:35pm

Ling's engaging fusion cooking featuring:

Delicious and Nutritious with creativity
How to be creative with what you've got on hand
'One Pot Policy' to make an easy cleanup.
Fulfilling vegetarian and vegan approach
Fun and Laughter
Ecotherapy and Planet Care in the kitchen
Giving value to spending time in the kitchen looking after yourself and others

Come to Blacktown for the class or Zoom in from where you are!