I think that this is an area I am going to spend a lot of time focusing. After reading Michel Roux’s book about sauces I became super inspired. As my love C could tell you, I’m always trying out some sauce, tweaking, refining or just trying something new. After all this reading I believe that there is a great complexity to sauces and that they can do so much to compliment a dish but can also wreck utter havoc and destroy a good intentioned dish. You know what they say; “the road to hell…”.
Beyond the obvious considerations of adding moisture or making a dish more succulent, adding visual appeal and playing with texture I think that there is much more going on with sauce. For example Michel Roux’s favorite sauce is a fairly simple cucumber sauce and this is coming from a guy who in one summer just for kicks came up with over one hundred sauces.
There are so many elements and variables in sauces that it is something I can see myself spending the rest of my life focusing on. You can dramatically alter a dish by utilizing a well executed sauce. And as a typical meal has multiple courses that gives your sauces a chance to shine, different sauces, on different plates and foods.
Again I go back to the question, what is a sauce for? It certainly should not outshine the dish that you are serving. It needs to be harmonious. It can offer contrast in terms of colour or texture but in no way should the sauce ever become the primary focus. If that was the case then you should just serve it garnished in a bowl. Thus the consideration is in what amounts, in what textures, colours, smells, sounds, tastes do you utilize a sauce to discover its full potential and harmonize the dish?
I’ve been playing with two or three sauces lately that I feel will be on my first menu. One is a Veloute based sauce. One a Espagnole and the last an emulsion. I will write about these later when I have gone further down the experimentation hole.
As it is my C’s day to shine and realize dreams I include this quote from Thoreau; “Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” Today my love, YOU ARE AWAKE and so beautiful. I love you.
As for the rest of you. Wake up. Find your dream. Be inspired. Love, laugh, live and find inside yourself who you really are. Enjoy the rest of your day.
A la prochaine
SDM
Friday, March 28, 2008
Hollandaise Derived Sauces (Makes all dreams Rich and Creamy)
Hollandaise is an emulsion combining egg yolk, clarified butter, a white wine reduction with cider vinegar, shallot and peppercorn with water, lemon juice and salt and pepper. The following are derived from Hollandaise.
Bavaroise is served with fish and contains crayfish, butter, 35% cream and diced crayfish as garnish.
Béarnaise is used for grilled meats and contains a tarragon reduction as well as tarragon and chervil as garnish.
Choron. Well we’ve covered this one haven’t we. And I will have you all know that my technique is getting better and my flavour is consistent. SO AWESOME!
Foyot or Valois sauce is used with grilled meat and offal containing béarnaise and glace de viande.
Maltaise is used with Asparagus and contains blood orange.
Mousseline is used for boiled fish and asparagus and contains 35% cream.
Paloise is used for grilled meats and contains a mint reduction (again think almost Gastrique) and fresh mint as garnish.
Royal is used for poached white meat and shallow poached fish and is made by combining equal parts of Veloute, Hollandaise and 35 % cream.
As you can see I’ve been busy learning. The next post is going to speak about sauces a little more abstractly.
A la prochaine
SDM
Bavaroise is served with fish and contains crayfish, butter, 35% cream and diced crayfish as garnish.
Béarnaise is used for grilled meats and contains a tarragon reduction as well as tarragon and chervil as garnish.
Choron. Well we’ve covered this one haven’t we. And I will have you all know that my technique is getting better and my flavour is consistent. SO AWESOME!
Foyot or Valois sauce is used with grilled meat and offal containing béarnaise and glace de viande.
Maltaise is used with Asparagus and contains blood orange.
Mousseline is used for boiled fish and asparagus and contains 35% cream.
Paloise is used for grilled meats and contains a mint reduction (again think almost Gastrique) and fresh mint as garnish.
Royal is used for poached white meat and shallow poached fish and is made by combining equal parts of Veloute, Hollandaise and 35 % cream.
As you can see I’ve been busy learning. The next post is going to speak about sauces a little more abstractly.
A la prochaine
SDM
Veloute (definitely dream and aspirations sauces)
Veloute is made of a roux, a light stock and of course salt and pepper. It is predominantly used as a vehicle for fish or poultry. The following are derived from Veloute as a base.
Albufera is served with poached or braised fish and is comprised of Sauce Supreme, meat glaze and pimento butter.
Allemande is used on poultry and consists of mushroom, egg yolks and lemon.
Americane is used on fish and contains anchovies, fish trim and butter.
Aurore is served with egg whites and poultry and consists of tomato puree.
Aurore Maigre is served with fish and contains fish trim and butter.
Aux Crevettes is used with egg and fish and contains fish trim, cream, shrimp shells and butter.
Bercy is used on fish and contains shallots, white wine, fish trim, butter and chopped parsley.
Bonnefoy used with grilled fish and other white meats. It is made with White Bordelaise and white wine and veloute and finished with tarragon.
Bretonne is used with fish and contains fish trim, cream, leeks, celery, onions and mushrooms.
Chivry is used with poached and braised poultry and contains white wine, chervil, parsley, tarragon, shallots and chives.
Diplomate used with large whole fish and contains fish trim, butter, lobster meat and truffle.
Normande is used with Sole Normande and contains fish trim, mushrooms, mussels, lemon juice and egg yolks.
Supreme is used for poultry and contains mushroom, 35% cream and butter
Veron is used for fish and contains Sauce Normande, Sauce Tyrolienne, meat glaze and anchovy essence.
Villeroy is used to coat items that are going to be breaded and contains mushrooms, egg yolks, lemon, ham and truffle.
Vin Banc is used for fish and contains fish trim, egg yolks and butter.
Back with Hollandaise next.
A la prochaine
SDM
Albufera is served with poached or braised fish and is comprised of Sauce Supreme, meat glaze and pimento butter.
Allemande is used on poultry and consists of mushroom, egg yolks and lemon.
Americane is used on fish and contains anchovies, fish trim and butter.
Aurore is served with egg whites and poultry and consists of tomato puree.
Aurore Maigre is served with fish and contains fish trim and butter.
Aux Crevettes is used with egg and fish and contains fish trim, cream, shrimp shells and butter.
Bercy is used on fish and contains shallots, white wine, fish trim, butter and chopped parsley.
Bonnefoy used with grilled fish and other white meats. It is made with White Bordelaise and white wine and veloute and finished with tarragon.
Bretonne is used with fish and contains fish trim, cream, leeks, celery, onions and mushrooms.
Chivry is used with poached and braised poultry and contains white wine, chervil, parsley, tarragon, shallots and chives.
Diplomate used with large whole fish and contains fish trim, butter, lobster meat and truffle.
Normande is used with Sole Normande and contains fish trim, mushrooms, mussels, lemon juice and egg yolks.
Supreme is used for poultry and contains mushroom, 35% cream and butter
Veron is used for fish and contains Sauce Normande, Sauce Tyrolienne, meat glaze and anchovy essence.
Villeroy is used to coat items that are going to be breaded and contains mushrooms, egg yolks, lemon, ham and truffle.
Vin Banc is used for fish and contains fish trim, egg yolks and butter.
Back with Hollandaise next.
A la prochaine
SDM
White Sauce (Maybe these go with realized dreams and aspirations?)
White Sauces are used for the their texture and appearance. You use a white stock (veal, chicken or fish) seasoned with aromatics and thickening using a white roux. White sauces are temperamental and require constant care as they can burn easily.
I learned about seven variations on the white sauce which I share with you now.
Bohemienne which is usually served with cold fish or poached salmon is white sauce based combined with tarragon and it is usually served cold.
Cardinal is usually served with fish, truffles and lobster and is built from white sauce and adding truffles and lobster.
Ecossaise is served with eggs and made by adding eggs to white sauce.
Homard a L’anglaise is predominantly used for fish and contains anchovy essence, diced lobster and a pinch of cayenne.
Huitres is usually served with poached fish and contains oyster.
Mornay is also served with poached fish and contains Gruyere, Parmesan and butter.
Sauce a l’anglaise is a dessert sauce and contains eggs and nutmeg.
Back with Veloute next.
A la prochaine
SDM
I learned about seven variations on the white sauce which I share with you now.
Bohemienne which is usually served with cold fish or poached salmon is white sauce based combined with tarragon and it is usually served cold.
Cardinal is usually served with fish, truffles and lobster and is built from white sauce and adding truffles and lobster.
Ecossaise is served with eggs and made by adding eggs to white sauce.
Homard a L’anglaise is predominantly used for fish and contains anchovy essence, diced lobster and a pinch of cayenne.
Huitres is usually served with poached fish and contains oyster.
Mornay is also served with poached fish and contains Gruyere, Parmesan and butter.
Sauce a l’anglaise is a dessert sauce and contains eggs and nutmeg.
Back with Veloute next.
A la prochaine
SDM
Espagnole or Brown Sauces (Do they go with dreams realized and auditions?)
The ultimate success of an Espagnole or brown sauce is like everything else in cooking on great ingredients of excellent quality. Using a great base stock will enhance your sauce by adding a fabulous aroma and well-balanced flavour. To make a brown sauce you start with a large volume of stock, additional bones (dependant on what you are after), a well browned Mire Pois, Tomato Paste, roux and a sachet d’epices or bouquet garni. I discovered at least 19 sauces this morning that are derived from Brown Sauce or Espagnole.
Bigarde Sauce which is usually served with feathered game or duck is made from brown sauce and adding caramelized sugar diluted in vinegar (think Gastrique), orange and lemon juices then finished with julienne lemon zest.
Bordelaise is used widely for red meats regardless of cooking method though of course I prefer grilling and slow roasting. It is brown sauce built upon with red wine, shallot, peppercorns, thyme, bay and lemon juice and then finished with meat glaze.
Bourguignonne is usually served with eggs or beef and is brown sauce base with red wine, shallot, thyme, parsley, bay and mushrooms. It is finished with butter and a dash of cayenne.
Bretonne is usually served with Green Beans a la Bretonne. It contains onions, butter, white wine, tomato, garlic and parsley.
Charcutiere is served with smoked pork and is Sauce Robert with julienned cornichons.
Chasseur is usually served with beef and furred game and is made of mushrooms, shallots, white wine, brandy, tomato, butter, tarragon, chervil and parsley.
Cherry is served with duck or venison and contains port, pate spice, orange zest and juice, red currant jelly and cherries.
Chevreuil is served with beef, feathered or furred game and consists of Poivrade Sauce with bacon, red win, a dash of sugar and a pinch of cayenne.
Diane is served with feather or furred game and contains a standard Mire Pois, game trim, bay, thyme, parsley, white wine, peppercorns, butter, 35% cream, truffle and cooked egg white.
Financiere is usually served with beef and has Madeira and truffle essence
Genevoise is usually served with Salmon or Trout and contains a white mire pois, Salmon trim, red wine, anchovy essence and butter.
Gratin is served with white fish or sole and consists of white wine, fish trim, shallots and parsley.
Italienne is served mainly with poultry and fish and consists of tomatoes, ham, tarragon, chervil and parsley.
Matelote is served with eel predominantly though it can be used sparingly in other ways and consists of red wine, mushroom, fish trim and parsley.
Mushroom is used for beef, veal and poultry and consists of mushroom and butter.
Poivrade is used with furred game and consists of a mire pois, game trim, bay, thyme, parsley, white wine, peppercorns and butter.
Regence is used with a variety of sautéed kidneys and livers and consists of red wine, mire pois, butter and truffle.
Robert Sauce is used for grilled pork and consists of onions, butter, white wine, sugar, mustard and diluted a touch.
Zingara is used with veal and poultry and consists of shallots, breadcrumb, butter, parsley and lemon juice.
In the next post I will be speaking about Veloute or White Sauce. Back in a flash.
A la prochaine
SDM
Bigarde Sauce which is usually served with feathered game or duck is made from brown sauce and adding caramelized sugar diluted in vinegar (think Gastrique), orange and lemon juices then finished with julienne lemon zest.
Bordelaise is used widely for red meats regardless of cooking method though of course I prefer grilling and slow roasting. It is brown sauce built upon with red wine, shallot, peppercorns, thyme, bay and lemon juice and then finished with meat glaze.
Bourguignonne is usually served with eggs or beef and is brown sauce base with red wine, shallot, thyme, parsley, bay and mushrooms. It is finished with butter and a dash of cayenne.
Bretonne is usually served with Green Beans a la Bretonne. It contains onions, butter, white wine, tomato, garlic and parsley.
Charcutiere is served with smoked pork and is Sauce Robert with julienned cornichons.
Chasseur is usually served with beef and furred game and is made of mushrooms, shallots, white wine, brandy, tomato, butter, tarragon, chervil and parsley.
Cherry is served with duck or venison and contains port, pate spice, orange zest and juice, red currant jelly and cherries.
Chevreuil is served with beef, feathered or furred game and consists of Poivrade Sauce with bacon, red win, a dash of sugar and a pinch of cayenne.
Diane is served with feather or furred game and contains a standard Mire Pois, game trim, bay, thyme, parsley, white wine, peppercorns, butter, 35% cream, truffle and cooked egg white.
Financiere is usually served with beef and has Madeira and truffle essence
Genevoise is usually served with Salmon or Trout and contains a white mire pois, Salmon trim, red wine, anchovy essence and butter.
Gratin is served with white fish or sole and consists of white wine, fish trim, shallots and parsley.
Italienne is served mainly with poultry and fish and consists of tomatoes, ham, tarragon, chervil and parsley.
Matelote is served with eel predominantly though it can be used sparingly in other ways and consists of red wine, mushroom, fish trim and parsley.
Mushroom is used for beef, veal and poultry and consists of mushroom and butter.
Poivrade is used with furred game and consists of a mire pois, game trim, bay, thyme, parsley, white wine, peppercorns and butter.
Regence is used with a variety of sautéed kidneys and livers and consists of red wine, mire pois, butter and truffle.
Robert Sauce is used for grilled pork and consists of onions, butter, white wine, sugar, mustard and diluted a touch.
Zingara is used with veal and poultry and consists of shallots, breadcrumb, butter, parsley and lemon juice.
In the next post I will be speaking about Veloute or White Sauce. Back in a flash.
A la prochaine
SDM
What kind of sauce goes with dreams and auditions?
First off to my love, C, today is the culmination of years of hard work and determination. Not to mention talent and a spirit that is unparalleled. Today is your day. The day that your dreams and aspirations come to a crossroads. I know that you are going to rock it just I am rocking the kitchen because that is what we are meant to do. I love you and send you all the support I can on this your big day. You are always on the marquee of my life in bright lights and today is just another step towards your destiny and ours.
Due to the lack of ability to put in as many keywords as I would like I’m having to separate this post into several posts. We are delving my friends into the wonderfully complex world of sauces today.
What is the purpose of a sauce? What is it meant to do? Is it a vehicle? Or is it a component? As I wrote about in an earlier post there are five mother sauces in classical French cooking. They are;
Béchamel
Espagnole
Veloute
Hollandaise
Tomato
These sauces can be subdivided, built upon, reduced and made into literally hundreds of different variations. But before we touch on any of those I wanted to explain about Bouquets Garni, Sachets, Oignon Brule and Pique, Matignon, Roux and clarified butter .
These are aromatic preparations of vegetables and herbs which are used to enhance and support dish flavours. As a flavour agent these can infuse flavour into stock, sauce and soup as well as enhance the aroma. Bouquets and sachets are typically used together and bound in cheesecloth for easy removal at the prescribed time. Bouquet Garni is made of fresh herbs and vegetables ties together in a bundle. Sachets are comprised of ingredients and flavouring agents such as peppercorns, herbs and spices. Oignon Brule and Oignon Pique are flavouring agents based on whole, half or quartered onions. The first is exactly as the name suggests, a browned or slightly darkened onion. The second includes pressing things into the onion such as cloves.
A standard bouquet according to the Culinary Institute of America which is sufficient to flavour 3.84 Litres of liquid contains;
1 Sprig of Thyme
3 or 4 Parsley stems
1 Bay Leaf
2 or 3 Leek Leaves and 1 Stalk celery
A standard sachet d’epices to flavour 3.84 Litres of liquid contains;
3 or 4 Parsley Stems
1 Sprig of Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
2 grams of Cracked Peppercorns
1 Garlic Clove
Asian aromatics consist of 2 parts Ginger, 2 parts Garlic and 1 part Green Onion. Then of course you have the Cajun Trinity (Mire Pois) 2 parts Onion, 1 part green Pepper and 1 part celery.
A Matignon is used as a compliment to braised or fried dishes and consists of;
99 g Ham
128 g Onion
128 g Carrot
57 g Celery
1 Sprig Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
Roux is a thickening agent for soups, stews, some dishes and sauces requiring a certain flavour. Roux will change the colour of a sauce and give it a toasted nutty flavour (Dark Roux). Roux can be made of numerous ingredients but usually includes a starch and some type of fat. I.e. Butter and Flour which then cooked to remove the cereal (read flour) taste. When making a roux you have to avoid extreme temperatures to prevent lumping. Cool or room temperature roux is easier to combine than ice cold roux because the fat is not solid. Very cold liquid should not be used as it will harden the roux thereby eliminating its thickening powers.
Roux is not limited to flour (and when using flour make sure that you use all purpose as it is the best for roux). You can also use Arrowroot, Cornstarch, Tapioca, Potato Starch and Rice Flour. Each of these has a different character that it brings to the party and are used according to the result that you are seeking.
Clarified Butter is made by heating the butter so that you can skim off the milk solids and water. By doing this the butter then is open to higher temperatures. 1 pound of butter will yield approximately 320 g of clarified butter.
A liaison is a mixture of egg yolk and cream (35% is best) to enrich and slightly thicken sauces and soups. It is also used to add body and sheen as well as enrich the dish. To thicken 24 fluid ounces add 3 parts 35% and 1 part egg yolk.
So step one of my sauce knowledge has included learning and internalizing all these things. The next post is going to touch on Brown Sauce or Espagnole.
I hope that you all are having an awesome day and are inspired. For the love of my life I include this quote from Charles R. Swindoll; “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” And your attitude is amazing. Go kick ass today lover. I know you can and will because of everything you are. I'm infinitely proud of you.
To everyone else, spread your wings and realize your dreams. It is the best feeling in the world.
A la prochaine
SDM
Due to the lack of ability to put in as many keywords as I would like I’m having to separate this post into several posts. We are delving my friends into the wonderfully complex world of sauces today.
What is the purpose of a sauce? What is it meant to do? Is it a vehicle? Or is it a component? As I wrote about in an earlier post there are five mother sauces in classical French cooking. They are;
Béchamel
Espagnole
Veloute
Hollandaise
Tomato
These sauces can be subdivided, built upon, reduced and made into literally hundreds of different variations. But before we touch on any of those I wanted to explain about Bouquets Garni, Sachets, Oignon Brule and Pique, Matignon, Roux and clarified butter .
These are aromatic preparations of vegetables and herbs which are used to enhance and support dish flavours. As a flavour agent these can infuse flavour into stock, sauce and soup as well as enhance the aroma. Bouquets and sachets are typically used together and bound in cheesecloth for easy removal at the prescribed time. Bouquet Garni is made of fresh herbs and vegetables ties together in a bundle. Sachets are comprised of ingredients and flavouring agents such as peppercorns, herbs and spices. Oignon Brule and Oignon Pique are flavouring agents based on whole, half or quartered onions. The first is exactly as the name suggests, a browned or slightly darkened onion. The second includes pressing things into the onion such as cloves.
A standard bouquet according to the Culinary Institute of America which is sufficient to flavour 3.84 Litres of liquid contains;
1 Sprig of Thyme
3 or 4 Parsley stems
1 Bay Leaf
2 or 3 Leek Leaves and 1 Stalk celery
A standard sachet d’epices to flavour 3.84 Litres of liquid contains;
3 or 4 Parsley Stems
1 Sprig of Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
2 grams of Cracked Peppercorns
1 Garlic Clove
Asian aromatics consist of 2 parts Ginger, 2 parts Garlic and 1 part Green Onion. Then of course you have the Cajun Trinity (Mire Pois) 2 parts Onion, 1 part green Pepper and 1 part celery.
A Matignon is used as a compliment to braised or fried dishes and consists of;
99 g Ham
128 g Onion
128 g Carrot
57 g Celery
1 Sprig Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
Roux is a thickening agent for soups, stews, some dishes and sauces requiring a certain flavour. Roux will change the colour of a sauce and give it a toasted nutty flavour (Dark Roux). Roux can be made of numerous ingredients but usually includes a starch and some type of fat. I.e. Butter and Flour which then cooked to remove the cereal (read flour) taste. When making a roux you have to avoid extreme temperatures to prevent lumping. Cool or room temperature roux is easier to combine than ice cold roux because the fat is not solid. Very cold liquid should not be used as it will harden the roux thereby eliminating its thickening powers.
Roux is not limited to flour (and when using flour make sure that you use all purpose as it is the best for roux). You can also use Arrowroot, Cornstarch, Tapioca, Potato Starch and Rice Flour. Each of these has a different character that it brings to the party and are used according to the result that you are seeking.
Clarified Butter is made by heating the butter so that you can skim off the milk solids and water. By doing this the butter then is open to higher temperatures. 1 pound of butter will yield approximately 320 g of clarified butter.
A liaison is a mixture of egg yolk and cream (35% is best) to enrich and slightly thicken sauces and soups. It is also used to add body and sheen as well as enrich the dish. To thicken 24 fluid ounces add 3 parts 35% and 1 part egg yolk.
So step one of my sauce knowledge has included learning and internalizing all these things. The next post is going to touch on Brown Sauce or Espagnole.
I hope that you all are having an awesome day and are inspired. For the love of my life I include this quote from Charles R. Swindoll; “The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” And your attitude is amazing. Go kick ass today lover. I know you can and will because of everything you are. I'm infinitely proud of you.
To everyone else, spread your wings and realize your dreams. It is the best feeling in the world.
A la prochaine
SDM
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
We’re All Just Sensitive People (file under With So Much To Give)
I want to start this post by saying that I’m so proud of the love of my life, my future wife and the mother of our children for the great success she has had in NYC. Babe, I’m so proud of you. I knew that you would kick ass and you did, have and will continue to. You are a true rarified and unique gem and I’m grateful to know you, to be with you and to share love with you. You are amazing. That said…
What does it mean to feel? To taste? Smell? Hear? What does it mean when one person likes one thing and another something else? I know that these questions might seem like a reductum ad absurdum but I assure you they are not. In the kitchen I now find myself wondering why what is crunchy to one is not to another. How the sound is heard, analyzed and internalized. Flavour is an easy one because every one has a different palate and different taste sensations. Is everything that I am doing now subjective? Or is there objectivity? Is there a way to create a universally appealing dish? Anyone? These are questions that I have running through my head at least eighteen hours a day.
Another question I have running through my head right now is; if you could have any meal what would it be? I’ve now come to expand it to any meal at any time. Before expanding it my answer was the Emperor’s Banquet inside the Forbidden City. I know that at this particular moment given the fact that China has the Olympics and that there are all kinds of geo political forces at work that it may not be the politically correct answer but really. The Emperor’s feast. For those of you who are unaware of what the Emperor’s Feast is just go here; http://www.flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=234 . Now obviously the feast has changed a bit. But still can you imagine being a party to something like that even today.
In terms of the historical context it is hard for me to decide which meal I would want and in what time period. There are so many people that I would love to have dinner with from history that the question could literally take ten lifetimes for me to answer. What about you? What meal would you want?
So in the past week I have read about four hundred and fifty very dense pages on the culinary arts. I didn’t write yesterday because I was trying to figure out how best to present it to you. I decided to give a salient top down view of what I’ve learned.
Obviously I wrote last week about the culinary journey I took around the world. That journey now complete I have started trying to figure out if there is a way to mix, as example) traditional Polish food with French? Or Japanese with Southern? Or you get the idea. Food is meant to be played with, experimented with and enjoyed. If you enjoy something from one culture and another, why not find a way to marry the two. Harmony of course being the goal. I believe that the answer to harmony will come from being true to the ingredient, exposing its strength as well as its weakness and letting the palate work it all out. But we’ll see as time goes by how that changes for me.
I learned all proteins as well. The various cuts, what they are used for and some of their flavour profiles. On my next day off I will spend some time explaining further. As it is right now, I’m going to study.
I hope you all are doing well. I trust that you are all working on isolating your dream and taking the first steps to get there.
The Dalai Lama once said; “I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”
I hope you all find inner peace. I have and am grateful to those both outside and inside the kitchen that have helped me find it.
Dream inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
What does it mean to feel? To taste? Smell? Hear? What does it mean when one person likes one thing and another something else? I know that these questions might seem like a reductum ad absurdum but I assure you they are not. In the kitchen I now find myself wondering why what is crunchy to one is not to another. How the sound is heard, analyzed and internalized. Flavour is an easy one because every one has a different palate and different taste sensations. Is everything that I am doing now subjective? Or is there objectivity? Is there a way to create a universally appealing dish? Anyone? These are questions that I have running through my head at least eighteen hours a day.
Another question I have running through my head right now is; if you could have any meal what would it be? I’ve now come to expand it to any meal at any time. Before expanding it my answer was the Emperor’s Banquet inside the Forbidden City. I know that at this particular moment given the fact that China has the Olympics and that there are all kinds of geo political forces at work that it may not be the politically correct answer but really. The Emperor’s feast. For those of you who are unaware of what the Emperor’s Feast is just go here; http://www.flavorandfortune.com/dataaccess/article.php?ID=234 . Now obviously the feast has changed a bit. But still can you imagine being a party to something like that even today.
In terms of the historical context it is hard for me to decide which meal I would want and in what time period. There are so many people that I would love to have dinner with from history that the question could literally take ten lifetimes for me to answer. What about you? What meal would you want?
So in the past week I have read about four hundred and fifty very dense pages on the culinary arts. I didn’t write yesterday because I was trying to figure out how best to present it to you. I decided to give a salient top down view of what I’ve learned.
Obviously I wrote last week about the culinary journey I took around the world. That journey now complete I have started trying to figure out if there is a way to mix, as example) traditional Polish food with French? Or Japanese with Southern? Or you get the idea. Food is meant to be played with, experimented with and enjoyed. If you enjoy something from one culture and another, why not find a way to marry the two. Harmony of course being the goal. I believe that the answer to harmony will come from being true to the ingredient, exposing its strength as well as its weakness and letting the palate work it all out. But we’ll see as time goes by how that changes for me.
I learned all proteins as well. The various cuts, what they are used for and some of their flavour profiles. On my next day off I will spend some time explaining further. As it is right now, I’m going to study.
I hope you all are doing well. I trust that you are all working on isolating your dream and taking the first steps to get there.
The Dalai Lama once said; “I believe that the very purpose of life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we desire contentment. In my own limited experience I have found that the more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well being. Cultivating a close, warmhearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. It helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the principal source of success in life. Since we are not solely material creatures, it is a mistake to place all our hopes for happiness on external development alone. The key is to develop inner peace.”
I hope you all find inner peace. I have and am grateful to those both outside and inside the kitchen that have helped me find it.
Dream inspired.
A la prochaine
SDM
Monday, March 24, 2008
Michel Roux and Sauces (file under REALLY?)
As I mentioned in my post on Saturday Executive Chef loaned me another book, Michel Roux’s; “Sauces.” I’ve been reading it this morning for about five hours I guess it is now and I’ve just finished tearing through it. This book is a must for anyone who is serious about cooking. Sauces are, as I’ve mentioned before, one of the foundations of all that is right and just in cooking. Of course, as I mentioned in a previous post, the French developed sauces because the ingredients they had were not great as a stand-alone item and therefore had to be hidden by a sauce. In a current context sauces are not used to hide ingredients or make something that doesn’t taste good taste good. Today sauces are used as a compliment. An element that can add colour, texture, aroma, etc.
Upon opening the book I got a wider understanding of the Roux principles. With a mastery that few have on the planet today he takes items and enhances them. Sauces, as the title would suggest, is all about sauces, how to make them and how to enhance them. One of the things that struck me was when Roux said; “Any excess is ridiculous!” This stands out in my mind because I have been in some of the finer eating establishments in the world and some of them practice excess as a means of disguising something, such as an inadequacy. I know this sounds like a harsh comment but after reading that I started to think to some of the restaurants I’ve been too and wondered whether what I was eating was adding complexity and character. I started to look at the excess of a certain one and was actually able to isolate what they were attempting and why. I could only think of two restaurants where I believe that excess was the principle and I will not name them here.
I spend a good portion of my work concentrating on stocks. As Roux says stocks are the base of a great sauce. As I’ve mentioned before the veal jus that I work on is the result of a veal stock and remi combination allowed to reduce which takes three days to come to the proper consistency, clarity, colour and flavour. A sauce, it would seem to me, among certain people, is nothing but an additive, something added as an afterthought for some unknown reason. I however, as stated earlier, look at sauce as one of two things. A wonderful compliment to an extraordinary meal or as a so so drab going through the motions experience. Stocks are the very lifeblood of sauces. It is from their complexity that the seemingly simple sauce is born.
Roux talks about striking a happy balance and that’s what I believe a sauce is for. To create harmony between the ingredients, to accentuate rather than to thrill. Sure a sauce can be absolutely divine and thrilling but what is its purpose?
Having read this book this morning and learning that Roux created more than 100 sauces (most of which were included in the book) caused me to see that there is so much to learn. For example he has one sauce that he uses that caused me to think that perhaps I would use it as a base and change minor elements within it to reflect the flavour profile that I am seeking. And I am seeking a flavour profile. I just don’t know exactly how to explain it yet.
Roux is a talented writer and an even more talented Chef. I would strongly recommend this book for anyone who is serious about cooking. It opened up my eyes to how I can create a dish starting at the end (the sauce) or at the beginning (the main ingredient or star of the plate). There are no hard and fast rules as to how to create a dish and lately I seem to find myself starting in the middle. With an ingredient but no divine inspiration with what to do with it. That is of course until I figure out accompaniments and sauce.
I understand why Executive Chef gave me this book to go through next. It is another element in the classical training that I am receiving.
I also went through the Nigel Didcock book over the past week or so. I really liked some of the elements of his dishes, he presents beautiful plates and without knowingly having eaten something he created (I’ve been to the Granite Club quite a bit growing up) I can’t comment on flavour. I can say that there is a great complexity to his dishes and I wondered whether or not the complexity would still allow the flavour to come through as the star or whether it was the presentation itself. I can tell you that the recipes sound incredible and I will attempt to do one or two of his dishes.
I keep going back to the question form over function. Form? Or Function? Or both? Can there be a harmony between the two on the plate. I believe there can be and it is something that I work on. I also believe that Head and Executive Chefs present plates that are beautiful but moreover that the taste is the star of the show no question.
At any rate, now I’m going back to read the CIA’s “The Professional Chef.” I will be back later today with an update on that. I’m so excited at all I am learning and I can actually feel it in the depth of my soul. Genuinely happy and out there trying to be me is a wonderful place to be in my life… FINALLY!
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said; “The high prize of life, the crowning fortune of man, is to be born with a bias to some pursuit which finds him in employment and happiness.” Happiness is not some elusive conceptual dreamland. It is a reality that you can choose to live each and every day. Finally, after 33 years of life I internally (and outwardly) know that I have found that purpose and moreover that that purpose has brought me endless happiness and hitherto untold joy. Who knew?
I’ll be back, but in the time between then and now, dream inspired, love life, laugh and sing.
A la prochaine
SDM
Upon opening the book I got a wider understanding of the Roux principles. With a mastery that few have on the planet today he takes items and enhances them. Sauces, as the title would suggest, is all about sauces, how to make them and how to enhance them. One of the things that struck me was when Roux said; “Any excess is ridiculous!” This stands out in my mind because I have been in some of the finer eating establishments in the world and some of them practice excess as a means of disguising something, such as an inadequacy. I know this sounds like a harsh comment but after reading that I started to think to some of the restaurants I’ve been too and wondered whether what I was eating was adding complexity and character. I started to look at the excess of a certain one and was actually able to isolate what they were attempting and why. I could only think of two restaurants where I believe that excess was the principle and I will not name them here.
I spend a good portion of my work concentrating on stocks. As Roux says stocks are the base of a great sauce. As I’ve mentioned before the veal jus that I work on is the result of a veal stock and remi combination allowed to reduce which takes three days to come to the proper consistency, clarity, colour and flavour. A sauce, it would seem to me, among certain people, is nothing but an additive, something added as an afterthought for some unknown reason. I however, as stated earlier, look at sauce as one of two things. A wonderful compliment to an extraordinary meal or as a so so drab going through the motions experience. Stocks are the very lifeblood of sauces. It is from their complexity that the seemingly simple sauce is born.
Roux talks about striking a happy balance and that’s what I believe a sauce is for. To create harmony between the ingredients, to accentuate rather than to thrill. Sure a sauce can be absolutely divine and thrilling but what is its purpose?
Having read this book this morning and learning that Roux created more than 100 sauces (most of which were included in the book) caused me to see that there is so much to learn. For example he has one sauce that he uses that caused me to think that perhaps I would use it as a base and change minor elements within it to reflect the flavour profile that I am seeking. And I am seeking a flavour profile. I just don’t know exactly how to explain it yet.
Roux is a talented writer and an even more talented Chef. I would strongly recommend this book for anyone who is serious about cooking. It opened up my eyes to how I can create a dish starting at the end (the sauce) or at the beginning (the main ingredient or star of the plate). There are no hard and fast rules as to how to create a dish and lately I seem to find myself starting in the middle. With an ingredient but no divine inspiration with what to do with it. That is of course until I figure out accompaniments and sauce.
I understand why Executive Chef gave me this book to go through next. It is another element in the classical training that I am receiving.
I also went through the Nigel Didcock book over the past week or so. I really liked some of the elements of his dishes, he presents beautiful plates and without knowingly having eaten something he created (I’ve been to the Granite Club quite a bit growing up) I can’t comment on flavour. I can say that there is a great complexity to his dishes and I wondered whether or not the complexity would still allow the flavour to come through as the star or whether it was the presentation itself. I can tell you that the recipes sound incredible and I will attempt to do one or two of his dishes.
I keep going back to the question form over function. Form? Or Function? Or both? Can there be a harmony between the two on the plate. I believe there can be and it is something that I work on. I also believe that Head and Executive Chefs present plates that are beautiful but moreover that the taste is the star of the show no question.
At any rate, now I’m going back to read the CIA’s “The Professional Chef.” I will be back later today with an update on that. I’m so excited at all I am learning and I can actually feel it in the depth of my soul. Genuinely happy and out there trying to be me is a wonderful place to be in my life… FINALLY!
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said; “The high prize of life, the crowning fortune of man, is to be born with a bias to some pursuit which finds him in employment and happiness.” Happiness is not some elusive conceptual dreamland. It is a reality that you can choose to live each and every day. Finally, after 33 years of life I internally (and outwardly) know that I have found that purpose and moreover that that purpose has brought me endless happiness and hitherto untold joy. Who knew?
I’ll be back, but in the time between then and now, dream inspired, love life, laugh and sing.
A la prochaine
SDM
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Brunch Prep and Surprise Tasting Menu (file under exciting)
I hope this finds you all well. I myself am up at the crack of dawn because there is so much that I need to get done.
As always on Saturday I started doing prep for brunch. L was on vacation that meant that we all had to pick up the slack. I developed a further appreciation of L and how hard he works and the things he gets accomplished in a day. He really is a machin (misspelled on purpose). I didn’t really have to do anything for the line; my primary focus was on the brunch prep.
Brunch prep involves each of the following;
Crack 2 case eggs
Dice red onion, peppers, mushrooms, Kessler and green onion
Prep the sausage, bacon and peameal
Cut Top butt into useable sections (in this case 10)
Make Greek Salad, Tuscan Bean, Roasted Vegetables, Meat Platters (8), Cheese Platters (8), Fruit Platters (a lot), Chicken Salad, Potato Salad, Caprese Salad (8 platters), Waffle Batter, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, strawberry compote, babaganoush, whipped butter, whipped cream cheese
These are just some of the things that I got done today. I had only been scheduled until five but because there was so much to get done I said that I was more than willing and able to stay and that I was willing to come in earlier tomorrow in order to make sure that we got everything done.
Chef J was working near me and I saw that something was up and asked what was going on. As Head Chef was not there Chef J went out to deal with something and then came back. I asked what was up and he said that we had to do a tasting menu on the fly. He started thinking about it and I felt that I had an opportunity to assist both with the idea and construction. For about seven or eight minutes I blurted out things that came to mind that I would do if I had to build a menu quick. It was fun bouncing ideas off of him and he was bouncing ideas of me too. After this short time Chef J developed the plan and we started working it.
We made a four course appetizer tasting and a main course. We started with an amuse Bouche of Wild Mushroom Gnocchi with a cream sauce, spinach and crispy pancetta on top. Second tasting was a stuffed quail. Third course was a Salmon Tartare wrapped in a crepe. Fourth was Curried apricot and duck. It was exciting and exhilarating to develop something and execute it so quickly. I loved it. I really felt as if I was in my element. Moreover Chef J really appreciated it as well and said so several times. He actually said that my blurting things out helped him to create what he did and that he was super appreciative of my assistance.
I also realized again today that when I think about what I am doing too much rather than just do it it becomes like a chore, it is extremely difficult and I find that I fight my mind and my body. BUT, when I just do what I know how to do and don’t over complicate it with unnecessary thoughts I can execute quite well. I know that time and experience are my best teachers but I now also know that I need to quiet my mind quite a bit more when I am in the kitchen.
By quiet what I am referring to is that nagging little voice that is inside all of our heads. It is filled with malice, mean spiritedness, doubt, fear, etc. I’m sure you all know that little voice and the way that it causes you to respond either physically or through a loss of mental acuity. I am making a concerted effort this week to silence that voice and to allow my body to do what it knows how to do.
I also got a new knife today. This caused an excitement that used to be reserved for the death of a pen or the purchase of a new one. My heart actually skipped a beat as I put a new tool in my hand. A tool that means far more to me as I realize my life’s purpose and my own personal if not selfish realization of my dreams. I purchased another Mac knife (www.macknife.com ). (I really like the style, construction, weighting, ease of use and sharpness). The one I just bought can be found here; http://www.macknife.com/images/knives/pmsk65.gif .
As well I also wanted to make a side note about my last post. I often consider the other side of food. In Canada, and in fact in the industrialized world we take food for granted. It is a secondary concern or even lower. The reason for this is that we live in a society of gross (read a lot) abundance. Think of the industrialized world as if it were a child of wealth. There are two kinds of children who grow up in wealth. Those that have a full appreciation and understanding of it and then there are the wayward ones that become spoiled, complacent and unaware of the lengths that are gone to for wealth to amass. With food in the industrialized world we are the exact same as the second child. I mention all this because my mother lives on the ground in Africa. She is surrounded by poverty and lack and I felt that I needed to mention that we are spoiled here and have little or no understanding of how the food we eat arrives at our plate and have even less respect for it (in most cases). I wasn’t even going to make this side note but I felt it was important to try to get everyone to see that food is much more than what we put on our plate or is put on the plate in front of us. Yes of course it is sustenance but if you look at the world today you will see that food is used as a weapon, as a tool and there is an ugly side to it.
But this realization is something I have known my whole life. It is also something that I plan on working to correct. We have no attachment to our food here. Most kids could not tell you that a carrot grows underground or that a mushroom grows in the dark. Most kids today have not seen a farm, whether animal or vegetable, and as such there is little or no appreciation for the food we eat. Do you think that if we took a child from Africa, India or China and brought them to a farm that they would have a greater appreciation then would a child from the industrialized world?
At any rate Monday is my day off and I plan on finishing The Nigel Didcock book. Moreover, Executive Chef gave me another great book; Michel Roux’s “Sauces.” And let me just tell you how excited I am to tear through that while sipping a great whiskey.
Thus I leave you with the following thought from Albert Schweitzer; “Ethics cannot be based upon our obligations toward [people], but they are complete and natural only when we feel this Reverence for Life and the desire to have compassion for and to help all creatures insofar as it is in our power. I think that this ethic will become more and more recognized because of its great naturalness and because it is the foundation of a true humanism toward which we must strive if our culture is to become truly ethical.”
I hope you are all truly inspired today, tomorrow and next week. Dream big and HAPPY EASTER!
A la prochaine
SDM
As always on Saturday I started doing prep for brunch. L was on vacation that meant that we all had to pick up the slack. I developed a further appreciation of L and how hard he works and the things he gets accomplished in a day. He really is a machin (misspelled on purpose). I didn’t really have to do anything for the line; my primary focus was on the brunch prep.
Brunch prep involves each of the following;
Crack 2 case eggs
Dice red onion, peppers, mushrooms, Kessler and green onion
Prep the sausage, bacon and peameal
Cut Top butt into useable sections (in this case 10)
Make Greek Salad, Tuscan Bean, Roasted Vegetables, Meat Platters (8), Cheese Platters (8), Fruit Platters (a lot), Chicken Salad, Potato Salad, Caprese Salad (8 platters), Waffle Batter, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, strawberry compote, babaganoush, whipped butter, whipped cream cheese
These are just some of the things that I got done today. I had only been scheduled until five but because there was so much to get done I said that I was more than willing and able to stay and that I was willing to come in earlier tomorrow in order to make sure that we got everything done.
Chef J was working near me and I saw that something was up and asked what was going on. As Head Chef was not there Chef J went out to deal with something and then came back. I asked what was up and he said that we had to do a tasting menu on the fly. He started thinking about it and I felt that I had an opportunity to assist both with the idea and construction. For about seven or eight minutes I blurted out things that came to mind that I would do if I had to build a menu quick. It was fun bouncing ideas off of him and he was bouncing ideas of me too. After this short time Chef J developed the plan and we started working it.
We made a four course appetizer tasting and a main course. We started with an amuse Bouche of Wild Mushroom Gnocchi with a cream sauce, spinach and crispy pancetta on top. Second tasting was a stuffed quail. Third course was a Salmon Tartare wrapped in a crepe. Fourth was Curried apricot and duck. It was exciting and exhilarating to develop something and execute it so quickly. I loved it. I really felt as if I was in my element. Moreover Chef J really appreciated it as well and said so several times. He actually said that my blurting things out helped him to create what he did and that he was super appreciative of my assistance.
I also realized again today that when I think about what I am doing too much rather than just do it it becomes like a chore, it is extremely difficult and I find that I fight my mind and my body. BUT, when I just do what I know how to do and don’t over complicate it with unnecessary thoughts I can execute quite well. I know that time and experience are my best teachers but I now also know that I need to quiet my mind quite a bit more when I am in the kitchen.
By quiet what I am referring to is that nagging little voice that is inside all of our heads. It is filled with malice, mean spiritedness, doubt, fear, etc. I’m sure you all know that little voice and the way that it causes you to respond either physically or through a loss of mental acuity. I am making a concerted effort this week to silence that voice and to allow my body to do what it knows how to do.
I also got a new knife today. This caused an excitement that used to be reserved for the death of a pen or the purchase of a new one. My heart actually skipped a beat as I put a new tool in my hand. A tool that means far more to me as I realize my life’s purpose and my own personal if not selfish realization of my dreams. I purchased another Mac knife (www.macknife.com ). (I really like the style, construction, weighting, ease of use and sharpness). The one I just bought can be found here; http://www.macknife.com/images/knives/pmsk65.gif .
As well I also wanted to make a side note about my last post. I often consider the other side of food. In Canada, and in fact in the industrialized world we take food for granted. It is a secondary concern or even lower. The reason for this is that we live in a society of gross (read a lot) abundance. Think of the industrialized world as if it were a child of wealth. There are two kinds of children who grow up in wealth. Those that have a full appreciation and understanding of it and then there are the wayward ones that become spoiled, complacent and unaware of the lengths that are gone to for wealth to amass. With food in the industrialized world we are the exact same as the second child. I mention all this because my mother lives on the ground in Africa. She is surrounded by poverty and lack and I felt that I needed to mention that we are spoiled here and have little or no understanding of how the food we eat arrives at our plate and have even less respect for it (in most cases). I wasn’t even going to make this side note but I felt it was important to try to get everyone to see that food is much more than what we put on our plate or is put on the plate in front of us. Yes of course it is sustenance but if you look at the world today you will see that food is used as a weapon, as a tool and there is an ugly side to it.
But this realization is something I have known my whole life. It is also something that I plan on working to correct. We have no attachment to our food here. Most kids could not tell you that a carrot grows underground or that a mushroom grows in the dark. Most kids today have not seen a farm, whether animal or vegetable, and as such there is little or no appreciation for the food we eat. Do you think that if we took a child from Africa, India or China and brought them to a farm that they would have a greater appreciation then would a child from the industrialized world?
At any rate Monday is my day off and I plan on finishing The Nigel Didcock book. Moreover, Executive Chef gave me another great book; Michel Roux’s “Sauces.” And let me just tell you how excited I am to tear through that while sipping a great whiskey.
Thus I leave you with the following thought from Albert Schweitzer; “Ethics cannot be based upon our obligations toward [people], but they are complete and natural only when we feel this Reverence for Life and the desire to have compassion for and to help all creatures insofar as it is in our power. I think that this ethic will become more and more recognized because of its great naturalness and because it is the foundation of a true humanism toward which we must strive if our culture is to become truly ethical.”
I hope you are all truly inspired today, tomorrow and next week. Dream big and HAPPY EASTER!
A la prochaine
SDM
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