The

Western
Kitchen
Western kitchen
basics for an
international
audience
Jaylyn Winters & Ryan
Faulder

Tables of Contents
Introduction ... Page 3
Methods of Cooking .... Page 4
Common Tools .. Page 5 6
Types of Knives ....... Page 7
Common Ingredients Page 8
Fluid Conversions Page 9
Unit Conversions ....... Page 11 - 13

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Introduction

Kitchens across the world are very different in aspects ranging from ingredients used to
the tools of the trade. A western kitchen can be very foreign to somebody that who has
recently moved to a western country. Often times western kitchens do not even use
common heating methods from other cultures. Western kitchens utilize either electric or
petroleum based heating sources which pose a unique problem for people unfamiliar
with the western kitchen. There is also safety concerns associated with not being
familiar with a countries kitchen practices. If someone is not properly trained with using
different styles of knives they run the potential of cutting themselves or harming the
ingredients theyre handling. Also care needs to be given to how each tool is handled
and maintained. American eating practices also need to be discussed because each
culture has vastly different eating etiquettes.

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Methods of Cooking
Saut This means to cook food over a high heat in an open shallow
pan using fat or to brown food.

Fry- This is cooking in hot fat oil. It can either be done in a sauting
fashion, shallow where the fat oil covers the food partially, or deep
where the food is completely covered in the fat oil. The food should be
added to the fat oil when it is heated to about 350-375 degrees
Fahrenheit.
Boil/Simmer- This is using a deep pot or saucepan to distribute heat
evenly through the food. When boiling at a high temperature the liquid
in the pot will bubble. Simmering cooks the food slower than boiling and
requires less heat.
Broil- This is using the conventional oven broiler to cook your food.
Broiling works faster as the dry heat moves through the food in the
oven.

Bake- This is cooking food using dry heat for a long period of time
instead of radiation.

Grill- This is cooking food on an open fire.

Roast- This is cooking food in an uncovered pan in the oven.

Temperature can be adjusting according to the food cooking.

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Common Tools
Spoon- An eating utensil used for liquid or semi-liquid foods. It can also be used to stir
or mix.
Fork- An eating utensil with narrow tines at the opposite end of the handle used to lift
or hold food.
Spatula- Used for moving and flipping food on a skillet.

Ladle - Used for scooping liquids, often used with soups or sauces.

Corkscrew - Used for opening bottles with a cork in them. ie. Wine, Olive Oil or
vinegar
Grater (Shredder) Used to grate food into fine pieces.

Scissors - Used to cut ingredients, useful in cutting sinuous vegetables

and poultry bones.
Timer - Used to maintain time when cooking.

Thermometer - Used to check the temperature of food.

Baster - Used to coat food with a sauce or marinade

Whisk Used to blend ingredients smoothly with air.
Rolling pin Used to flatten and remove air from dough.

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Tongs Used to grip and lift foods.

Scale Used to measure weight of ingredients.
Liquid Measuring Cups Used to measure liquid ingredients.

Dry Measuring Cups- Used to measure dry ingredients.

Oven Mitts Gloves used to protect hands from heat when grabbing
hot metal items.
Cutting Board Wooded or plastic board used to cut on to protect
kitchen surfaces.
Funnel- A hollow cone that helps transfer liquid or grain sized
ingredients into a small hole.
Mandoline- A slicer used to dice or create crinkle cuts.
Meat Tenderizer- A hand tool used to prepare meat for cooking.

Mortar and pestle- A hand tool to crush and grind ingredients into a powder or paste.

Potato Ricer- A hand tool that pushes a potato through small holes to
ensure smooth mashed potatoes.

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Knives
Paring- The paring knife is usually between three and four inches and
comes to a light point. Paring knives allow for a great range of control.
The paring knife can be used on nearly all ingredients and because of
this it is often the first knife that a budding chef will choose to purchase.
Boning A boning knife is usually between four and five inches and is
used for removing meat from bones. The knife tapers to a sharp edge
providing for a clean cut.
Chefs The chefs knife is typically between six and twelve inches in
length and tapers to medium point. The chefs knife is very versatile
and can be used for meats, fruits and vegetables. Due to its large size
the chefs knife makes it easy to cut large amounts of ingredients.
Bread- The bread knife is typically between eight and nine inches with
a serrated blade that comes to a dull point. This knife has a singular
purpose of cutting bread and pastrys.
Cleaver A cleaver is usually between seven to ten inches and has
no point. The cleaver is used for cutting through the bones of meat
and crushing seed or garlic.
Butter The butter knife is typically fourteen-fifteen centimeters in length and has a dull
edge and rounded tip. This knife is used for spreading.
Steak- A great steak knife is very sharp to cut through meats.

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Common Ingredients
FlourButterSugarMilk
Subset creamSaltPepperGarlicRicePotatoBeansPastaOnionsOatmealYeastVinegarVanilla ExtractCheese-

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Imperial Units vs Metric Units of Measurement

Fluid Conversions
Cups
1

2
/3

1
/3
1
/4
1
/8
1
/16

Fluid Oz Tablespoon Teaspoon Milliliter

8
6
5
4
3
2
1
1

16
12
11
8
5
4
2
2

48
36
32
24
16
12
6
6

240
180
160
120
80
60
30
15

Temperature Conversions
Electric

Celsius

Fahrenheit

Approximation
Slow
Moderatly Slow
Moderate
Moderately Hot
Hot
Very Hot

120 to 150
150 to 160
175 to 205
220 to 230
245 to 260
275 to 290

250 to 300
300 to 325
350 to 400
425 to 450
475 to 500
525 to 550

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Mass Conversions
Imperial
oz
oz
1 oz
2 oz
3 oz
4 oz (1/4 lb)
5 oz (1/3 lb)
6 oz
7 oz
8 oz (1/2 lb)
9 oz
10 oz (2/3 lb)
11 oz
12 oz (3/4 lb)
13 oz
14 oz
15 oz
16 oz (1 lb)
2 lb (2 lb)

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Metric
7g
15 g
30 g
55 g
85 g
115 g
140 g
170 g
200 g
225 g
255 g
300 g
310 g
340 g
370 g
400 g
425 g
450 g
900 g

Abbreviations

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