National Culinary Arts Month celebrated in July

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Everyone likes a good meal, a tasty snack, a delicious entrée, a well-prepared dish. Culinary arts is not only the act of preparing any of those but also the act of presenting it in a creative, aesthetically-pleasing “looks too good to eat” way or creating unique dishes using ingredients in fresh and creative ways.

The practice of preparing foods has existed since the beginning of time, but it is safe to say the techniques used to cook and prepare meals have evolved over time. From earthenware to glass baking dishes, from wooden bowls over fire to metal pots and pans, to plastic and microwaves, the methods used to cook food have changed drastically throughout history.

It was in the 4th century B.C. that the first recipe was recorded in the form of a poem and by the 3rd century B.C. a typical kitchen included a variety of cooking utensils that could be used to fry, boil, or heat a variety of meats from domesticated livestock as well as vegetables and herbs that were being harvested. While there are accounts of cooks sharing recipes in the 18th century, it wasn’t until 1896 that the first recognized cookbook, “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook,”  was published. Fifty years later, in 1946, NBC aired the first nationally televised cooking show.

While there are post-secondary schools across the country that offer further education that can take anywhere from one to four years depending on the program as they teach and prepare the next generation of chefs, bakers, and food-innovators, there is nothing wrong with trying out culinary skills at home.

Today, there are cooking shows and cooking game shows and cooking contests and cooking YouTube channels and step-by-step directions for almost any dish on Pinterest. But best of all, White County youth can learn to cook at THE KITCHEN, which is an after-school 4-H project group for youth in grades 4 through 12.

“We provide a fun, engaging experience where youth learn basic culinary skills, nutrition, food and kitchen safety, food preparation, measure dry/wet ingredients as well as culinary techniques used in cooking,” RoseAnn Dodson, the 4-H agent at UT Extension White County, said. “We also get to travel the world learning about different cultures through food.”

Dodson spoke about a day camp that White County youth are currently involved in with the theme “Vieni a vivere I’ltalia - Come experience Italy!” Dodson said students are learning how to make fresh pasta, several classic sauces, and Italian desserts.

Contact RoseAnn or Kiley at (931) 836-3348 for more information about THE KITCHEN.  Dodson encouraged those looking to grow their culinary skills to call the UT Extension office or to check out the UT Extension White County Facebook page.