Ravindra

Another one one Wine trends

2010-10-21T13:45:00.000+05:30

Chemistry-set wine pairing

BEPPI CROSARIOL | Columnist profile | E-mail

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, Jul. 15, 2009 9:50AM EDT

Last updated Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010 6:11PM EDT

First there was molecular gastronomy, the chemistry-set cooking movement that gave us parmesan foam, fruit-juice “caviar” and Rice Krispies paella.

Now, thanks to a Quebec sommelier, there's molecular wine pairing, a hard-core, science-based approach to matching grub and grape.

Having roast lamb? Don't waste it on an ill-advised red Bordeaux, the old standby trotted out by generations of sommeliers. Lamb's characteristic flavour comes from thymol, an aromatic compound found in the oil of, yes, thyme. It's also a flavour note associated with red wines from the southern Languedoc region of France, such as Minervois, Corbières or St. Chinian.

“If you have aromatic molecules from the same family, when they come together, it's greater than the sum of its parts,” says François Chartier, whose new book, Papilles et molécules (Tastebuds and Molecules), is in its second printing just six weeks after publication.

If Catalan superchef Ferran Adrià is the leading missionary of molecular gastronomy, Mr. Chartier is his counterpart with a corkscrew. In fact, Mr. Adrià has several times invited the sommelier to his restaurant El Bulli, where Mr. Chartier helps suggest new flavour combinations for the menu, such as cauliflower with papaya. The Spaniard also co-wrote, with partner Juli Soler, the book's foreword, lauding it as “a paramount work, the foundation stone, the first step into a new world that is now open wide in all its splendour to those who love gastronomy.”

Papilles et mol écules reassuringly affirms such classic matches as oysters with muscadet and sauternes with foie gras. But it also boldly goes where few earnest wine snobs have gone before, touting scores of far-out pairings that might garner red-pencil marks in a sommelier exam.

One example: dishes flavoured with the Mediterranean herb rosemary and the white wines of France's northern Alsace region.

“When I started research on rosemary, I discovered five or six compounds which are related to the family called terpenes,” Mr. Chartier told me over the phone from his home in Sainte-Adèle, about an hour from Montreal. “These are found in moscato, riesling and gewurztraminer, yet those grapes don't grow on the Mediterranean shore. They grow in Alsace. And rosemary doesn't grow in Alsace. Each time I tried it, the matching was fabulous, especially with riesling.” For the record, terpenes are hydrocarbon molecules generally associated with coniferous plants and also can impart a pine-like aroma to riesling.

Another surprising discovery was oak-aged wines with pork. Usually, experts suggest non-oaked, fruit-forward wines to go with pork. This is based on the observation that pork often is served with fruit accompaniments such as apricots, plums or even pineapple. Oak aging tends to tone down a wine's fruit character, imparting notes of toastiness, vanilla and even a butterscotch character.

Mr. Chartier's scientific reasoning, however, takes note of the fact that pork contains lactones, aromatic compounds that give aroma to apricots but which also are imparted by oak-barrel aging.

Perhaps Mr. Chartier's most controversial recommendation is high-alcohol wines with spicy foods. Conventional thinking in wine-nerd circles has long been that alcohol fuels the fire. But Mr. Chartier says it's simply not true. For what it's worth, I think he's right; try spicy Thai dishes with high-alcohol gewurztraminer from Alsace or red zinfandel from California and be amazed by the synergy.

In fact, two of the worst partners for hot food are beverages many people instinctively reach for in Thai restaurants: light white wines and beer. “It's completely crazy,” Mr. Chartier says. In the case of beer, “the CO{-2} will make the burn more hot. It's like putting oil on fire. You need something full-bodied and preferably sweet instead.”

My favourite Chartier suggestions are pairings I happened to discover independently through empirical testing long ago, and have championed for years: Indian curries with viognier, and chili-spiced foods such as Buffalo wings with Niagara baco noir.

Though Mr. Chartier, 44, has been a sommelier for 20 years, his interest in food chemistry was sparked by health concerns. Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in the mid-1990s, he hit a low point in 2001. Seizing on an MS diet championed by the late physician Roy Swank, he gradually nursed himself back to health.

In the process, he befriended cancer researcher Richard Béliveau of the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. Dr. Béliveau, an expert in the healing powers of plant compounds and author of the bestseller Foods that Fight Cancer , is also a wine lover. He encouraged Mr. Chartier to study possible aromatic-molecule links between plants and wine. “These molecules biologically are self-defence mechanisms of plants, because plants don't have legs to run away from danger,” Dr. Béliveau says. “They therefore represent the flavour signature of the plant.”

Only recently have we begun to understand the chemical origin of those flavours, he adds.

With access to aromatic-molecule research compiled by Dr. Béliveau and scientists at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Mr. Chartier began to map out what he calls bridge ingredients that could be added to meats, fish or vegetables or used in sauces to create harmony with specific wines. Mint, for example, has dominant flavour compounds that are shared with parsley, fennel and tarragon. So he began to theorize that a wine that goes well with mint, specifically a sauvignon blanc, should pair well with dishes based on those other ingredients.

Dr. Béliveau calls it a “rational approach to epicureanism.”

Martin Loignon, a senior scientist in Montreal with PerkinElmer, a large environmental-sciences company, also helped Mr. Chartier and applauds his initiative. “Very few chefs have a scientific background,” Dr. Loignon says. “The information was out there, but what François did was bring it together and make the link. This is what scientists do, they make the links. He's got this sense of observation that is essential to any scientist.”

If it all sounds a little too pretentious or academic for a subject as visceral and hedonistic as eating, Mr. Chartier counters that applying science to your choice of wine is no different than carefully selecting foods for cooking. Why take the trouble to prepare a meal with complementary flavours and serve the dish with a jarring beverage? “It's like cooking with bad ingredients,” he says.

FRIENDLY FLAVOURS

Foods infused with the following ingredients tend to pair well with the corresponding wines and liquors. Cinnamon Pinot noir, grenache, ice cider, oloroso sherry

Chili peppers Sake, viognier, German riesling (spätlese & auslese), Tavel rosé, zinfandel, baco noir, ripasso Ginger Gewurztraminer, French or Spanish grenache, Alsatian pinot gris, New World cabernet sauvignon

Maple syrup Sake nigori, amber or dark beer, tawny port, dark rum, bourbon, kirsch, amaretto

Mint/basil/fennel/parsley Sauvignon blanc, verdejo (Rueda)

Rosemary Alsatian whites such as riesling or muscat, Spanish albarino, fino sherry

Saffron Riesling, fino sherry, rosé win

Food & Wine Paring

2010-10-21T13:40:00.000+05:30

Food and wine pairings, the next generation

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Published Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010 4:52PM EDT

Last updated Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2010 5:30PM EDT

Bloomy cheeses (such as Camembert, Brie or Époisses) Conventional pairing: red Burgundy. New pairing: oak-aged chardonnay from the New World. Reason: Diacetyl, found in the cheese, helps give butter and cheese its flavour, and oaky chardonnays taste buttery.

Blue cheeses (such as Stilton)

Conventional pairing: vintage port. New pairings: Sauternes, late-harvest gewurztraminer, fino or manzanilla sherry, or New World oaky chardonnay. Reason: a host of aromatic molecules and fatty acids that resonate with the wines. Port remains a good alternative, but try a relatively young, 15-year-old vintage.

Roast pork

Conventional pairing: light-bodied red. New pairing: white wine aged on its lees (yeast sediment left over from fermentation), such as a roussanne from southern France, or an oak-aged white, such as a full-bodied California chardonnay. Reason: Pork is rich in lactones and so are the wines.

Braised beef

Conventional pairings: Barolo (a tannic, high-acid red from Italy) or, in the case of boeuf bourguignon, red Burgundy, which usually is light- or medium-bodied. New pairing: rich, voluptuous reds, such as grenache-syrah-mourvèdre blends from Australia, or an Italian Amarone. Reason: The wines’ velvety texture will harmonize with the rich, saucy meat.

Lamb

Conventional pairing: cabernet sauvignon. New pairing: grenache-syrah-mourvèdre blends from the Languedoc-Roussillon or Rhône Valley regions of southern France. Reason: Lamb shares aromatic compounds found in thyme; many southern French reds display notes of herbs. If the lamb is cooked with rosemary, try riesling; the pine-scented herb and wine both contain terpenes.

Sushi

Conventional pairing: sake. New pairing: semi-sweet riesling, such as a spatlese from Germany. Reason: “Sushi is complex,” Mr. Chartier said. “There are a lot of different things in a sushi dinner – pickled ginger, wasabi, soy sauce. The best wine to manage all of that is a sweet wine, but not too sweet.” Alternative: wheat beer.

Smoked salmon

Conventional pairings: Champagne or whisky. New pairing: oak-aged whites, especially oloroso or amontillado sherry. Reason: Smoked fish develops aromatic compounds found in charred wood barrels.

Curries

Conventional pairing (at least in Britain): lager. New pairing: aged white wine, such as a vin jaune from the Jura region of France or a Sauternes from Bordeaux or tokay from Hungary. As whites age in bottle (after, say, five years), they begin to develop the flavour of sotolon, a highly aromatic compound found in curry.

Spicy food (such as Thai)

Conventional pairing: beer or cold water. New pairing: sweet or high-alcohol whites, such as California viognier or medium-sweet riesling. Reason: Carbonation fuels the fire, while sugar and alcohol (though ideally not over 14.5 per cent) will tame it. “You can’t drink water, you cannot drink an acidic beverage, you cannot drink carbonated beverages,” Mr. Chartier said. Alternative: sweet Nigori sake.

Pizza

Conventional pairing: Italian red such as Chianti. New pairing: Depends on the toppings, but if you like green peppers, a cabernet franc such as a Chinon or Bourgueil from France’s Loire Valley. Reason: The bell pepper and the wine are high in herbal compounds known as pyrazines
.

What’s Hot Today- Wine and Spicy Food

2010-09-13T16:43:00.002+05:30

What’s Hot Today- Wine and Spicy Food

By Steven Kolpan

In the old days of wine and food pairing, the choice of a particular wine to accompany a particular dish was fairly predictable—white wine with fish, red wine with meat. The pairings were also Eurocentric, meaning that the marriage of food and wine was largely based on the classics. French wines, or wines made from the classic French grape varietals, were paired with dishes that featured the four mother sauces of Carême—Béchamel, Espagnole, Velouté, or Allemande, or their derivatives developed later by Escoffier—tomato, butter, and emulsified sauces as well as Mornay, Bordelaise, and others. In fact, back in the day, the job of a sommelier was pretty easy— taste the sauces in the kitchen and pair the wine in the dining room.

Many of the wine and food matches derived from the classic European approach have withstood the test of time, and the pairings continue to make for a satisfying dining experience. But today’s chefs are creating dishes that are lighter than the classics, and, perhaps more important, are cooking in the context of a global village. No longer content to focus solely on the traditions of Carême and Escoffier, chefs are looking and traveling all over the world for inspiration. Today’s wine service professionals need to follow their lead, catch that inspiration, and pair exciting wines with creative dishes that are either true to, or based on the spirit of, foods from the Mediterranean, Asia, Central and South America, and other places in the world with a dynamic food culture.

One of the most compelling trends in today’s restaurants is the sea change in the palate of both chefs and guests. Spicy food, from a reasonably mild mole of Mexico to a fiery hot chili sauce of China, has taken center stage in many restaurants, and customers are “eating it up.” Spicy foods add visceral excitement to dining, and cry out for a beverage that will cool down the heat while simultaneously highlighting background flavors and textures. In the not-too-distant past, beer was the go-to drink for heat and spice, and most of the time a cold beer will chill the chilies without offending the rest of the dish. Clearly, beer is a simple solution. Beer is also a cultural talisman, as many spicy-food cultures— India, China, and Mexico for example—have been closely identified with producing craft beers as well as national brands.

The world is changing. Practically overnight, China has become the sixth largest wine-producing nation in the world, and India is coming on strong. Mexico has a small but active wine industry. Still, we don’t drink much wine from these countries; at least not yet. While chefs and restaurateurs want to offer great food and wine pairings with spicy dishes, creating the ideal marriage of wine and spice can be challenging, testing the palates and creativity of chefs and wine professionals. But the results can be sublime.

Breaking the Rules

I am a great believer in rules, except when it comes to food and wine pairing. Unlike many of my fellow wine professionals, I believe that:

• Wine is a food that just happens to be in a glass.

• Just as anyone can choose anything he/she wants to eat, the same person should be able to choose anything that he/she wants to drink.

• Although I believe in absolute freedom where wine and food are concerned, there are some helpful guidelines that may lead us to highly successful wine and food pairings.

Where spicy food is concerned, I can’t emphasize enough that the traditional “rules” should be trashed, while attention must still be paid to some pretty simple guidelines.

In general, when pairing food and wine the intensity of the food and the intensity of the wine should be nearly equivalent—meet power with power. Light dishes with light-bodied wines, red meats and rich sauces with reds. When it comes to spicy food, forget that. A Thai beef salad, redolent of fresh lime juice and chilies, is not going to work with most red wines, even though the protein in the dish is beef. Think of the rare beef as a condiment to the salad—a lovely, rich texture, but with the sweet/sour lime juice and the spice of the chilies as the “center of the plate.” Did someone say “off-dry Riesling” or “Cava,” that great affordable sparkling wine from the Catalan region of Spain? Congratulations! You “get” it.

The fiery spice of chilies or other spice-laden ingredients can be a problem for many wines because of relatively high levels of alcohol in the wine, the tannins in red wines and oak-driven whites, and the relatively low acidity in popular wines from warm climates.

Alcohol

Every sip of wine, every bite of food amplifies both the alcohol in the wine and the heat of the dish. So unless your restaurant patron likes to sweat while eating, high alcohol does not work with spicy food.

Tannins

The astringent, near-bitter elements of wine make the heat of the dish “pop,” while overwhelming every delicate nuance of flavor and texture in that dish.

Acidity

Low levels of acidity don’t refresh or cleanse the palate of heat and spice, and don’t encourage another bite of food or another sip of wine.

Let’s look at a semi-dry Riesling from the Mosel region of Germany, the Columbia Valley of Washington State, or the Finger Lakes Region of New York paired with that Thai beef salad. The very slight sweetness in this relatively low-alcohol wine actually will neutralize some of the heat of the chilies, making for a milder palate sensation. And the high acidity of a Riesling wine from a cool climate will refresh and “scrape” the heat from the palate, while matching the refreshing sweet/sour flavors of the fresh lime juice. The beauty of this pairing is that the rare beef stands out as a silky, sexy texture, but because it is a small, thinly sliced portion bathed in spice and lime, its power is ameliorated by its condiments. With the Riesling, the spicy beef becomes an earthy but delicate component of the dish, contrasting with the citrus of the lime juice and the refreshing acidity of the wine.

If we pair the same dish with a sparkling Spanish Cava; a Prosecco from Veneto, Italy; a Sekt from Germany; an extra-dry Champagne; or a Blanc de Blancs méthode champenoise bubbly from California, all of the Riesling-Thai beef salad interactions occur, plus one big contrasting interaction. The bubbles in the wine, coupled with fruit and acidity, really cleanse the palate efficiently, cooling off the heat, matching the acidity of the lime, and creating a bit of an instant marinade for the beef, rendering it richer and smoother as a background texture to the dish.

Contrast Not Complement

The key to pairing spicy food with wine is to create a contrasting relationship between the two flavor elements, not a complement. Fruity and/or off-dry white wines, a bubbly, or a dry to semi-dry still or sparkling rosé are the ideal choices for pairing with spicy food. Light fruit-driven reds, such as Beaujolais or Valpolicella, as well as lighter Pinot Noir, Merlot, and Zinfandel can work well with moderately spicy food, especially if you chill the wines for about a half hour before service to bring out their essential fruit. It would be a mistake to pair a spicy dish with an oaky Chardonnay. The oak and alcohol would fight the heat. A robust red, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, would end up tasting bitter because of the tannins. Instead, try a Sauvignon Blanc or unoaked Chardonnay (Chablis is the benchmark of this style), a White Zinfandel, or a chilled Fleurie from the Beaujolais region of France.

Hot Recommendations

Whether you’re serving spicy dishes from the Americas, Asia, the Mediterranean, or beyond, here are some wines that will almost always create a slam-dunk marriage with spicy food. Experiment with these and inevitably you will find a union that will lead to a lifelong and happy marriage in the glass and on the plate.

White Wines

Riesling: Dry to semi-dry wines from the Mosel region of Germany, the Columbia Valley of Washington State, or the Finger Lakes of New York State

Chenin Blanc: Vouvray or Saumur from the Loire Valley of France, and varietal Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch, South Africa or Nasik, India

Sauvignon Blanc: New World Sauvignon Blanc with its “fruit salad in a glass” flavors, shines in wines from Marlborough, New Zealand, as well as wines from California and South Africa. Sauvignon Blanc from Chile is getting better and better and is a great and economical choice for a wine by the glass.

Gewürztraminer: “Gewürz” means spicy in German, so if you want to enhance the spice in a moderately spicy dish, choose this wonderful varietal, traditionally from Alsace, France, and bone dry. Off-dry to semi-sweet versions of the wine, actually more appropriate with a heavier dose of spice, are coming from California and Washington State.

Chardonnay: Avoid oak-and-alcohol bombs at all costs, but do choose unoaked, lighter examples of this wine from Chablis in Burgundy, France, as well as Australia, New Zealand, Italy, and California.

Viognier: The ancestral home for this grape is the Rhône Valley of France, but those wines tend to be a bit full and perhaps too dry for spicy food. Look for simpler hazelnut and stone-fruit-laden Viognier wines from California or Australia.

Vinho Verde: This fruit-driven, off-dry, ultra-light-bodied, highly affordable white from Minho, Portugal is the ideal foil for seriously spicy food.

Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio: Pinot Gris from Alsace might be too powerful with spicy food while the fruity, nutty Pinot Gris from Oregon is ideal. Don’t forget the easy drinking Pinot Grigio from Northeast Italy—it’s terrific.

Torrontes:While everyone knows about Malbec from Argentina, its signature white grape is still something of a secret. Floral, perfumed, fresh-and-fruity Torrontes is a wonderful match with spicy seafood dishes.

Rueda: Named for its denominación in Spain, Rueda produces only white wines, featuring the fruity, juicy Verdejo grape. That juiciness is what makes Rueda wines perfect with hot and spicy dishes.

Moschofilero: Greece’s answer to Riesling, Moschofilero—from the Mantinia wine region of the island of Peloponnese—is a wine that will cool even the spiciest dishes, providing just a bit of charming fruit to the mix.

Sparkling Wines

Just about any good sparkling wine from a cool climate— the lighter and fruitier the better—will work well with heat and spice. Try Cava from Spain or Prosecco from Italy, they are both extraordinary values. Fine sparklers from California, Washington State, Oregon, New Mexico, and New York State, as well as Asti (white bubbly) or Brachetto d’Acqui (light red bubbly), both from Piedmont, Italy, are great and low in alcohol. For a real surprise, treat your customers to fruit-driven, off-dry sparkling Shiraz from Australia or a semi-sparkling, low-alcohol Lambrusco from Emilia-Romagna.

Rosé/Blush Wines

Thirst-quenching, dry- to off-dry rosés from Spain, France, Italy, California, or Australia will create another fruit-driven “sauce” for spicy dishes. The strawberry/ cranberry/raspberry notes pop right out of the wine. And don’t forget the previously ubiquitous, and undeservedly maligned, semi-dry to semi-sweet White Zinfandel if you want to calm that heat down with the tastes of berries and peaches.

Red Wines

When it comes to reds, look for simpler wines that don’t have much more body than a rosé. That means Beaujolais, or any Gamay-based wine, Valpolicella, simple Chianti, a lighter Côtes-du-Rhône, and inexpensive examples of Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, or Merlot. A good rule of thumb: if the red wine can’t take chilling in the wine fridge before service, don’t pair it with spicy food. If a bit of chill brings out its fresh, red fruits, then that’s the red you want to counter the heat.

So, when it comes to hot and spicy food, go with cool and fruity wine. Think about the perfect wine to put out the fire of the dish while highlighting background flavors and textures, and don’t be afraid to go off the beaten path in your wine choices. Forget the oaky Chardonnays and the tannic Cabernets, and instead offer your customers something new, different, and memorable. Fruit and spice living in perfect harmony— let the music play.

Steven Kolpan, C.W.E., C.H.E. is The Charmer Sunbelt Group Endowed Chair in Wine and Spirits, and a professor in wine studies at the CIA. Steven (along with co-authors Brian Smith and Michael Weiss) is the recipient of the 2009 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Beverage Book and the 2009 Georges Duboeuf Wine Book of the Year for Wine Wise.

Guys ask these questions from ur F&B Teacher

2010-09-03T12:26:00.002+05:30

WINE

Q. Which was the first law to regulate the retail trade of wine?

Q. Where were the first hollow glass drinking vessels, which developed into modern-day wine glasses, developed?

Q. Name the Roman Emperor who forbade the planting of any more vines in Italy to save land for grain cultivation.

Q. Which legendary eighth-century emperor was responsible for codifying rules covering the planting of vines and wine-making in France and Germany?

Q. Where were the first modern wine bottles developed?

Q. Which action of the English Parliament was the cause of the rise in popularity of port from Portugal’s Douro Valley?

Q. Who was the Dutch doctor who first brought vines to South Africa’s Cape in 1655?

Q. Name the American President who was an active promoter of wine in his country.

Q. Who was the legendary Bordeaux professor who established modern wine-making practices like temperature-controlled fermentation?

Q. Which famous wine-producing district in Bordeaux was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1999?

Q. Name the two top wine labels from Bordeaux owned by the luxury empire, LVMH?

Q. Name the three Champagne brands that are universally regarded as the icons of excellence. (One of the brands, incidentally, is the favourite of rappers.)

Q. Which Champagne brand has become associated with James Bond?

Q. What was Sir Winston Churchill’s favourite Champagne?

Q. Name the five largest-selling non-vintage Champagne brands?

Q. Which is the only major wine-producing region in France that labels its wines by grape variety, as they do in the New World?

Q. Why do top Bordeaux wines spend up to two years in a barrique – or oak barrels?

Q. Why do top Bordeaux estates use new oak barrels for fermenting, maturing, or conditioning wine before bottling?

Q. Which is the most widely planted red grape variety in Italy?

Q. Name the grape variety that makes the legendary wines of Barolo and Barbaresco.

Q. DNA studies have proved that the birthplace of Gewurtztraminer, the grape variety linked with Alsace, is an Italian village (or commune). What is the name of this village?

Q. What is the origin of the term frascati, which is the name of a popular wine-producing region in Central Italy?

Q. Which is the most famous South African wine-producing region?

Q. Under European Union rules, the word Champagne cannot be used to describe the sparkling wines produced anywhere else in the world. What is the name used by South African sparkling wine producers to brand their product?

Q. Give the abbreviation by which the giant cooperative that regulated every aspect of the South African wine industry till 1997 is known as.

Q. Name the New Zealand winery that was responsible for the rise of Marlborough as the world’s premier region for the production of Sauignon Blanc?

Q. Name the associate professor of neurology who doubles as the owner and wine-maker for Pegasus Bay, the popular New Zealand wine brand.

Q. What are the four building blocks of wine?

Q. What is botrytis?

Q. Which are the latitudes where the world’s vineyards are concentrated?

Q. What are the natural acids that appear in wine?

Q. What is aftertaste?

Q. What are tannins?

Q. What is balance?

Q. What is the red grape variety known as Syrah in France called in the New World?

Q. What are the grape varieties that are together responsible for the creation of Pinotage, the famous South African wine grape?

Q. Which is the most planted wine grape variety in the world?

Cork Tree

2010-08-26T15:54:00.000+05:30

Cork Oak

Close up of Trunk

Scrapped Trunks

Trunk Close up

Cork Oak after Scrapping

Wine & Food Matching Science or Art?

2010-08-26T14:54:00.002+05:30

(By Randy Caparoso)

Wine is always called a combination of art and science, and in our schools cooking is always called a food science. If anything, the “art” of matching wine and food has always been one of the least understood aspects of wine appreciation, and a lot of that is because many of our leading wine “experts” (journalists, winemakers, judges, etc.) simply do not understand the science behind the concept.

This is understandable because much of what we know about wine and food matching is a priori – a matter what we know from tried-and-true experience. Therefore, experts and everyday people alike know a good Cabernet Sauvignon is a good match for roast beef, but can we really explicate the sensory reasons why? One could make a valid point that explication has never really been necessary, but consider the cooking done by many of our restaurant chefs, and by ourselves at home, today: beef is no longer just roasted. Nowadays we’ll marinate it in salty-sweet-spicy marinades, drench it in sweet fruit or Port infused demi-glace, serve it with hot-vinegary barbecue sauces, douse it lime and chili peppers, top it with lemony couscous or tropical fruit salsas, and on and on. Are these, then, the ideal matches for a typically big, hefty Cabernet Sauvignon? You can say yes; but objectively speaking, there are probably a number of other red wines that could make a better match.

So if anything, an understanding of wine and food matching from a sensory or scientific perspective is exactly what we need this complicated culinary age. But I’ve always found it helpful to start with a simple premise: that foods and wines are matched in the exact same way as the way they are tasted – on the palate, where it comes together. In other words, wines are matched with dishes the same way that, say, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is matched with a dollop of hot chocolate syrup, sliced bananas, whipped cream, nuts and a cherry – a plethora of delicious, complimenting sensations. Vanilla ice cream, on the other hand, is not a good match with ketchup and anchovies. We may know this, but do we know why?

In the course of my own work in the culinary industry over the years I’ve found it helpful to know and understand the following six basic principles that help us understand wine and food matching in more of an empirical rather than vague or instinctive way:

1st Principle: WINE IS A FOOD

All food and wine matching is more easily understood when the taste components of wines are thought of in the same way as ingredients in a dish. Just like good cooking involves a balancing of ingredients and technique, good wine/food matching involves focusing on how specific components in wines interact and achieve a sense of balance and harmony with specific components in dishes.

2nd Principle: THE FIVE BASIC TASTE SENSATIONS

That is to say, what your taste buds perceive, whether you are tasting wine or food:

Sweetness – Related to amount of residual sugar in both foods and wines; sensed by taste buds located towards at the tip of the tongue.

Sour/tartness – Degree of acidity in both foods and wines (more so in whites than in reds); tasted at the center and sides of the tongue.

Saltiness – Not a significant component in wine, but important in how a wine relates to it in foods; tasted near center of tongue.

Bitterness – Tasted in many foods, and in the tannin content of red wines (to a lesser degree in whites); tasted towards the rear of the tongue.

Umami – The flattering, amino acid related sense of “deliciousness” found in many foods, and to a limited extent in wines (location of “umami taste buds” on palate indeterminate)

3rd Principle: KEY TACTILE SENSATIONS

Like the hot/cold of chocolate syrup and ice cream, these are some key factors in many food/wine matches:

Density, body or weight – The sense of light vs. heavy contributed by proteins, fats and/or carbs in foods, and primarily related to degree of alcohol content in wines (bolstered by tannin in reds)

Soft/crisp textures – Tactile contrasts in foods; and in wines, smooth or easy vs. hard, sharp or angular.

Spicy/hot – Feel of heat when chiles, peppers or horseradishes are used in foods; not felt as a tactile sensation in wines, but suggested in aromas and flavors (“spice” notes).

4th Principle: FLAVOR IS AROMA RELATED

Without the sense of smell, neither foods nor wines have “flavor.” Example: the taste and tactile sensations in an apple, a pineapple, and an onion are similar in that they are all sweet, crisp yet juicy, with some degree of acidity, but they all give a distinctly different flavor perceived through the sense of smell.

By the same token, both Cabernet Sauvignon and a Petite Sirah are two types of red wine that tend to be dark, full bodied, dry, and fairly hard in tannin; but the Cabernet gives aromas and flavors of herbal, minty, berry/cassis aromas and flavors, whereas the Petite Sirah gives ripe berry/blueberry and black peppercorn-like aromas and flavors.

5th Principle: THE TWO WAYS WINES & FOODS ARE SUCCESSFULLY MATCHED

Two gastronomic pioneers of the 1980s, David Rosengarten and Joshua Wesson, deserve full credit for first formulating these two self-evident concepts for food and wine:

Similarities – When there are similar taste sensations in both a dish and a wine (example: the buttery sauce in a fish dish enhanced by the creamy or buttery texture of an oak barrel fermented white wine).

6th Principle: INTRINSICALLY BALANCED FOODS & WINES MAKE THE BEST MATCHES

No matter what your personal taste, invariably you discover this natural occurrence: the easiest foods and the easiest wines to find a match for are the ones with their own intrinsic sense of harmony and balance. This is because taste buds and sensations of tactile qualities work for you collectively.

When you add salt to a pineapple, for example, you not only make the pineapple salty, you also increase the sensation of sweetness and decrease the sensation of sourness. But when it comes to food as it relates to wine, it is always easier to match a dish that does not need as much alteration of taste (like throwing salt on a pineapple) to make it taste better; and vice-versa in the way a wine relates to food. The simple solution is to find matching components of similarity and contrast in foods and wines that are already well balanced.

This is not to say that a young, overly bitter or hard textured Cabernet Sauvignon cannot be served with food. But it does narrow your food choices somewhat: instead of a lamb chop finished with a sweet natural plum reduction or a slightly salty, spice scented Asian marinade – ingredients that can make gamy lamb more interesting, but increase a young Cabernet’s toughness -- you are probably relegated to simply grilling the lamb to a slight char to at least reduce the drying effect of the wine’s tannins, and serving it with a more neutral sauce (if any) made with Cabernet and the lamb’s own natural juices.

Then again, if the Cabernet is extremely rough to the point that it is barely drinkable, not even the simplest piece of charred meat will help it taste better. The same thing for a lamb chop that is drenched in a sauce or marinade that is too sweet, too salty, too spicy hot or sour: the palate knows when a dish is unbalanced, and so even the finest, smoothest, most elegantly balanced Cabernet Sauvignon will not make that poorly prepared lamb taste better.

After this, it’s all a matter of actual tasting, and soon becoming familiar with the wines we like – just as we continue to discover delicious, new foods – followed by the combinations that make the most sense to you. The nice thing is the fact that the variations in both foods and wines are virtually endless, and so it will always be as much fun as you want it to be.

CLASSIC & CONTEMPORARY MATCHES

There are many old standby, tried-and-true wine and food matches, as well as a number of others reflecting more contemporary style dining, all based upon the basic, commonsense principles of food and wine matching. As food and wine for thought, a few interesting examples:

o Full bodied, dry, richly flavorful white wines (like Chardonnay and Viognier) with meatier “other white” meats (like pork, veal and chicken) in richly flavorful sauces

o White wines with zesty acidity (i.e. Sauvignon Blanc) with foods with matching degrees of acidity (like salads in mildly sharp vinaigrettes, or cheeses like Chèvre)

o Slightly sweet yet zesty white wines (like German Rieslings) with seafoods prepared with slightly sweet, sour, salty, and even spicy-hot sauces and ingredients (since sugar in wine and as a food ingredient brings contrasting balance to spicy, salty or acidic sensations)

o Soft red wines (like Pinot Noir and Beaujolais) with soft but full flavored red fish (like salmon and tuna)

o Zesty, pungent, earthy/foresty red wines (like Chianti Classico and Rosso di Montalcino from Tuscany) with zesty, Italian influenced dishes (use of pasta, tomato, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and resiny herbs like oregano and rosemary)

o High tannin reds (like a youthful Cabernet Sauvignon) with slight bitterness or astringency with red meats prepared with slightly bitter peppercorns, vegetables, or char from wood grilling

o Bright, zesty, sweetly fruit scented red wines (like red Zinfandel and Syrah) with fatty meats in zesty, sweet or even spicy sauces and marinades (re barbecued or even teriyaki style beef or pork ribs)

o Big, herbaceous, minty or cedary Cabernet Sauvignon based reds (from France’s Bordeaux, California or Australia) with red meats in sauces reduced with aromatic green herbs (mint, thyme, sage, etc.)

o Smoky, toasty, aggressively oaked wines (like many Chardonnays, and most ultrapremium reds) with white or red meats that are aggressively grilled, roasted or wood-smoked

o Sweet, high acid, intensely fruity “late harvest” whites with sweet desserts made with fruits retaining natural fruit acidity (berries and stone fruits peach and pear)

o Sweet, full bodied wines (fortified reds like Port and Banyuls from France, or golden colored Sauternes from France) contrasting with salty blue cheeses (like Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Maytag Blue)

o Sweet, full bodied, fortified reds (like Port and Banyuls) with bitter/sweet chocolate desserts

Flavour of the Spanish Countryside

2010-08-25T16:51:00.000+05:30

(Courtesy- Food & Beverage Business Review)

If you can imagine enough, then a languid sip of sidra on a murky evening, or in a sunny morning for that matter, does have the potential to make you feel that you have been transported to the sun-drenched greenery of Spain. This ethereal sensation can make you heady. People of Spain have kept the age-old tradition of drinking fresh sidra during the summer alive with much enthusiasm, and moreover, they have also institutionalised the tradition by building sidra museums in Asturias, and the Basque country of the kingdom of Spain.

Sidra is protected under the Denomination of Origin in Spain, and among the locals, the drink has attained the status of regional ‘wine’. Globally, the United Kingdom tops the production and consumption of cider drinks, but only in Spain, a cider drink named sidra has become an integral part of the country’s rich and vibrant cultural mosaic.

Traditionally called ‘pomaria’ by the Romans and ‘siserio’ by the Arabs, sidra is a cider drink of Spain. But contrary to other non-alcoholic apple cider drinks of some countries, Spanish sidra contains only 4-6 percent of alcohol. Its long history and uniqueness have made sidra an integral part of Spain’s culinary landscape. Fermented mostly in the Asturias, Cantabria, and the Basque country region of northern Spain, sidra’s popularity is gradually crossing boundaries.

However, authentic sidra is processed in the northern part of Spain as it is made through fermentation of a few select varieties of apples. People find Asturias’ sidra sweeter than the dry sidra served in the Basque country. An authentic sidra bottle from Spain looks cloudy with dregs in golden yellow colour. Natural sidra is unfiltered and unpasteurised. In the United States and Canada, the drink is known as ciderjack or hard cider.

Drinking fresh sidra from the barrel during the summer and autumn is a tradition that the people of northern Spain have kept alive for centuries. In Guipuzcoa of the Basque region, people generally visit sagardotegiak or siderias to enjoy sidra with a traditional meal like txuleton, during the summer. Locals generally prefer sweet sidra drinks with, sweet desserts, salads, fruits, aperitifs and cocktails. With semi-dry sidra, people of the northern Spain prefer mild cheeses, fish, poultry, patés, foie gras and seafood. Strong cheeses, meat and aperitifs generally go well with dry sidra.

Fermentation Process of Sidra

Sidra is produced through fermenting fresh sweet and sour apples, which are not used for normal consumption. The skillful sidra makers combine sweet, sour and bitter varieties of apples to produce the best quality sidra. Depending on the variety, apples for the sidra drink are picked when the ripening process starts during the autumn. After washing and chopping the apples, they are softened in water and pressed in stone mill or hydraulic press. Sidra producers ferment the apple juice in the cider cells of chestnut barrels or stainless steel tanks. In order to transform the sugar into alcohol, the fermentation process takes place under a physically controlled temperature. It takes around six months for achieving around 4-5 percent of alcohol content. Three varieties of sidra—dry, semi-dry and sweet — are thus produced, depending on the quality of the apple. The fermentation is done mainly during the fall and winter seasons. Sidra is bottled without any artificial carbonation. Whatever carbonation the drink contains is natural.

The green bottle that contains around 750 ml of sidra is kept in a cool temperature that ideally ranges between 7 to 10 degrees Celsius. However, in Asturias, the drink is not caged in green glass bottles. The corked white bottles generally contain 720 ml of sidra.

Serving Sidra in Style

Sidra is unique not only in terms of its composition, but also in terms of its serving style. In Asturias, the drink is sometimes served in special glasses, poured from ceramic pitchers. In siderias, where sidra is primarily served, the bartenders display a spectacular method of pouring sidra to bring the maximum taste out of the drink.

The bartender brings the opened sidra bottle in one of his hands and pours it in a large glass held at 45o in his other hand, near the hip. The drink is spilled from across the head of the bartender to the glass, in order to soften it to make its apple characteristics more prominent. The bartender does not look at the glass while pouring the drink as he looks straight and pours the drink, apparently blindly. The glass is filled up to an inch high at a time and served to the custmers.

People believe that this distinct way of serving sidra, which is called ‘throwing’ in popular parlance, is necessary to aerate the cider and produce the ‘estrella’ gas, thereby enhancing the natural carbonation. This style of pouring the drink that helps in effecting champagne like sparks for a few moments is traditionally known as ‘escanciar un culín’ or ‘echar’. Once it is served, you need to drink it immediately as cider becomes flat quickly because of oxidisation. Although the drink is served in most bars and restaurants, there are special siderias in Spain that serve sidra. Some siderias are equipped with special drains for doing away with the dregs.

Major Sidra Producers of Spain

The affection and enthusiasm with which the culture of drinking sidra is being kept alive by the people of Asturias, and the Basque country, have encouraged many producers to turn into successful business ventures. Valle, Ballina Y Fernandez, S.A (contact: Ms. Maria Cardin, Export Manager) is one such ISO-9001 certified company based in Asturias, Spain. Founded in 1890, the company is providing the El Gaitero brand of sidra in various parts of the world. Among the Asian countries, the Valle, Ballina Y Fernandez, S.A. is focusing on supplying cider drinks mainly to China. You can go to www.gaitero.com to know more about the company.

Valdedios, Mayador and M. Busto are some of the popular brands of sidra supplied by Manuel Basto Amandi, S.A. (Bodegas Mayador), an ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and IFS (International Food Standard V.5) certified company. Marketed for the first time in 1939, its M. Busto brand is the oldest. Apart from the alcoholic ciders, the company also markets apple vinegar and other non-alcoholic cider drink. You can go to www.mayador.com to know more.

Celebrating Sidra

The Spanish have developed a whole new way of celebrating the releasing of sidra from the barrel. There is the seasonal ‘Txot’ celebrated from late April to early May. During this period, people visit the siderias for enjoying fresh sidra directly from the barrel. Some of the barrels loaded with sidra are pierced and people queue up at a distance to enjoy sidra one by one, until the barrel is emptied. People then move to the next barrel dedicated for the txot festivities. At some places, locals also enjoy food and organise some traditional events. This ‘first tasting’ festival in Asturias is also known as ‘espichas’.

Sidra of the north Spanish region is found in most siderias and bars. However, in rural areas of Asturias, some brands of the drink are found even in the grocery shops. Some siderias close down during the fall and winter.

How much sidra is a part of the Spanish life and culture can be easily gauged from the presence of sidra museums at Nava, in the Asturias and Astigarraga, and at Guipúzcoa in the Basque country. The sidra museum in Asturias showcases the entire process of sidra making, starting from apple growing.

Simple Tips For the Bartenders For Making Their Own Cocktails!

2010-08-25T16:30:00.000+05:30

(Courtesy- food & Beverage Business Review)

Be inspired by the guest

Chat up with the guest sitting on the bar. Find out his likes and dislikes pertaining to the cocktails, and then prepare something special, based on the inputs.

Don’t forget his hometown

Where is he from? Perhaps his hometown is known for a specific fruit or vegetable — try adding that fruit or vegetable to your cocktail or use a liquor with similar tastes. He will be floored!

Follow the trends

Read and research restaurant menus or current food magazines for flavour trends. Find out what is hot and trendy. For example, if pomegranate juice and mint are hot, make your own version of a Pomegranate Cosmopolitan or Mojito.

Buy local and seasonal ingredients

Use fresh seasonal ingredients to make your cocktail locally sourced and eco-friendly. And let the season dictate your drink ingredients— mangoes in summers, apples or warm spices in fall, espresso in winter. However, there are some flavoured drinks which are suitable for all seasons. For example, flavoured vodkas can give you a delicious array of flavours to match any time of the year or occasion.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box

You can use traditional recipes as guidelines, but bravely tweak the ingredients to reflect your cocktail desires. It is all right to be fashionable, but it is better still to create your own style. For example, if a drink recipe calls for pureed fruit, opt for pureed vegetables, instead. Using vegetables in cocktails is getting very popular.

Be considerate of your guests.

Be adventurous but stay within the comfort zone of your guests. Do not shock them with some bizarre preparation/s. Always tell them what you have used, which would ensure transparency. Succinctly, there should be some method in the creative madness.

Learn from traditional conservative ideas.

It sometimes pays to go back to the books. Look at old cocktail books for classic drink ideas. Here it deserves a mention that a lot of once popular drinks, like the sidecar, martini and manhattan are making comebacks.

Make simple flavour combinations.

Any drink can go terribly wrong if you add too many different flavours. Choose one or two liquors with one or two fruits and maybe an herb or a spice. And stop there. Simple drinks often taste better than a complicated concoction.

Taste test!

Before you dive into making improvisational drinks for your guests, procure a variety of flavours that you think will go together, and start mixing and testing them before trying them to your guests.

How Will You Measure Your Life?

2010-08-13T11:28:00.000+05:30

How Will You Measure Your Life?
by Clayton M. Christensen

Editor’s Note: When the members of the class of 2010 entered business school, the economy was strong and their post-graduation ambitions could be limitless. Just a few weeks later, the economy went into a tailspin. They’ve spent the past two years recalibrating their worldview and their definition of success.

The students seem highly aware of how the world has changed (as the sampling of views in this article shows). In the spring, Harvard Business School’s graduating class asked HBS professor Clay Christensen to address them—but not on how to apply his principles and thinking to their post-HBS careers. The students wanted to know how to apply them to their personal lives. He shared with them a set of guidelines that have helped him find meaning in his own life. Though Christensen’s thinking comes from his deep religious faith, we believe that these are strategies anyone can use. And so we asked him to share them with the readers of HBR.

Before I published The Innovator’s Dilemma, I got a call from Andrew Grove, then the chairman of Intel. He had read one of my early papers about disruptive technology, and he asked if I could talk to his direct reports and explain my research and what it implied for Intel. Excited, I flew to Silicon Valley and showed up at the appointed time, only to have Grove say, “Look, stuff has happened. We have only 10 minutes for you. Tell us what your model of disruption means for Intel.” I said that I couldn’t—that I needed a full 30 minutes to explain the model, because only with it as context would any comments about Intel make sense. Ten minutes into my explanation, Grove interrupted: “Look, I’ve got your model. Just tell us what it means for Intel.”

I insisted that I needed 10 more minutes to describe how the process of disruption had worked its way through a very different industry, steel, so that he and his team could understand how disruption worked. I told the story of how Nucor and other steel minimills had begun by attacking the lowest end of the market—steel reinforcing bars, or rebar—and later moved up toward the high end, undercutting the traditional steel mills.

When I finished the minimill story, Grove said, “OK, I get it. What it means for Intel is...,” and then went on to articulate what would become the company’s strategy for going to the bottom of the market to launch the Celeron processor.
I’ve thought about that a million times since. If I had been suckered into telling Andy Grove what he should think about the microprocessor business, I’d have been killed. But instead of telling him what to think, I taught him how to think—and then he reached what I felt was the correct decision on his own.

That experience had a profound influence on me. When people ask what I think they should do, I rarely answer their question directly. Instead, I run the question aloud through one of my models. I’ll describe how the process in the model worked its way through an industry quite different from their own. And then, more often than not, they’ll say, “OK, I get it.” And they’ll answer their own question more insightfully than I could have.

My class at HBS is structured to help my students understand what good management theory is and how it is built. To that backbone I attach different models or theories that help students think about the various dimensions of a general manager’s job in stimulating innovation and growth. In each session we look at one company through the lenses of those theories—using them to explain how the company got into its situation and to examine what managerial actions will yield the needed results.

On the last day of class, I ask my students to turn those theoretical lenses on themselves, to find cogent answers to three questions: First, how can I be sure that I’ll be happy in my career? Second, how can I be sure that my relationships with my spouse and my family become an enduring source of happiness? Third, how can I be sure I’ll stay out of jail? Though the last question sounds lighthearted, it’s not. Two of the 32 people in my Rhodes scholar class spent time in jail. Jeff Skilling of Enron fame was a classmate of mine at HBS. These were good guys—but something in their lives sent them off in the wrong direction.

The Class of 2010 (Located at the end of this article)

As the students discuss the answers to these questions, I open my own life to them as a case study of sorts, to illustrate how they can use the theories from our course to guide their life decisions.

One of the theories that gives great insight on the first question—how to be sure we find happiness in our careers—is from Frederick Herzberg, who asserts that the powerful motivator in our lives isn’t money; it’s the opportunity to learn, grow in responsibilities, contribute to others, and be recognized for achievements. I tell the students about a vision of sorts I had while I was running the company I founded before becoming an academic. In my mind’s eye I saw one of my managers leave for work one morning with a relatively strong level of self-esteem. Then I pictured her driving home to her family 10 hours later, feeling unappreciated, frustrated, underutilized, and demeaned. I imagined how profoundly her lowered self-esteem affected the way she interacted with her children. The vision in my mind then fast-forwarded to anoth er day, when she drove home with greater self-esteem—feeling that she had learned a lot, been recognized for achieving valuable things, and played a significant role in the success of some important initiatives. I then imagined how positively that affected her as a spouse and a parent. My conclusion: Management is the most noble of professions if it’s practiced well. No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow, take responsibility and be recognized for achievement, and contribute to the success of a team. More and more MBA students come to school thinking that a career in business means buying, selling, and investing in companies. That’s unfortunate. Doing deals doesn’t yield the deep rewards that come from building up people.

I want students to leave my classroom knowing that.

Create a Strategy for Your Life

A theory that is helpful in answering the second question—How can I ensure that my relationship with my family proves to be an enduring source of happiness?—concerns how strategy is defined and implemented. Its primary insight is that a company’s strategy is determined by the types of initiatives that management invests in. If a company’s resource allocation process is not managed masterfully, what emerges from it can be very different from what management intended. Because companies’ decision-making systems are designed to steer investments to initiatives that offer the most tangible and immediate returns, companies shortchange investments in initiatives that are crucial to their long-term strategies.

Over the years I’ve watched the fates of my HBS classmates from 1979 unfold; I’ve seen more and more of them come to reunions unhappy, divorced, and alienated from their children. I can guarantee you that not a single one of them graduated with the deliberate strategy of getting divorced and raising children who would become estranged from them. And yet a shocking number of them implemented that strategy. The reason? They didn’t keep the purpose of their lives front and center as they decided how to spend their time, talents, and energy.

It’s quite startling that a significant fraction of the 900 students that HBS draws each year from the world’s best have given little thought to the purpose of their lives. I tell the students that HBS might be one of their last chances to reflect deeply on that question. If they think that they’ll have more time and energy to reflect later, they’re nuts, because life only gets more demanding: You take on a mortgage; you’re working 70 hours a week; you have a spouse and children.

For me, having a clear purpose in my life has been essential. But it was something I had to think long and hard about before I understood it. When I was a Rhodes scholar, I was in a very demanding academic program, trying to cram an extra year’s worth of work into my time at Oxford. I decided to spend an hour every night reading, thinking, and praying about why God put me on this earth. That was a very challenging commitment to keep, because every hour I spent doing that, I wasn’t studying applied econometrics. I was conflicted about whether I could really afford to take that time away from my studies, but I stuck with it—and ultimately figured out the purpose of my life.

Had I instead spent that hour each day learning the latest techniques for mastering the problems of autocorrelation in regression analysis, I would have badly misspent my life. I apply the tools of econometrics a few times a year, but I apply my knowledge of the purpose of my life every day. It’s the single most useful thing I’ve ever learned. I promise my students that if they take the time to figure out their life purpose, they’ll look back on it as the most important thing they discovered at HBS. If they don’t figure it out, they will just sail off without a rudder and get buffeted in the very rough seas of life. Clarity about their purpose will trump knowledge of activity-based costing, balanced scorecards, core competence, disruptive innovation, the four Ps, and the five forces.
My purpose grew out of my religious faith, but faith isn’t the only thing that gives people direction. For example, one of my former students decided that his purpose was to bring honesty and economic prosperity to his country and to raise children who were as capably committed to this cause, and to each other, as he was. His purpose is focused on family and others—as mine is.

The choice and successful pursuit of a profession is but one tool for achieving your purpose. But without a purpose, life can become hollow.

Allocate Your Resources

Your decisions about allocating your personal time, energy, and talent ultimately shape your life’s strategy.

I have a bunch of “businesses” that compete for these resources: I’m trying to have a rewarding relationship with my wife, raise great kids, contribute to my community, succeed in my career, contribute to my church, and so on. And I have exactly the same problem that a corporation does. I have a limited amount of time and energy and talent. How much do I devote to each of these pursuits?

Allocation choices can make your life turn out to be very different from what you intended. Sometimes that’s good: Opportunities that you never planned for emerge. But if you misinvest your resources, the outcome can be bad. As I think about my former classmates who inadvertently invested for lives of hollow unhappiness, I can’t help believing that their troubles relate right back to a short-term perspective.

When people who have a high need for achievement—and that includes all Harvard Business School graduates—have an extra half hour of time or an extra ounce of energy, they’ll unconsciously allocate it to activities that yield the most tangible accomplishments. And our careers provide the most concrete evidence that we’re moving forward. You ship a product, finish a design, complete a presentation, close a sale, teach a class, publish a paper, get paid, get promoted. In contrast, investing time and energy in your relationship with your spouse and children typically doesn’t offer that same immediate sense of achievement. Kids misbehave every day. It’s really not until 20 years down the road that you can put your hands on your hips and say, “I raised a good son or a good daughter.” You can neglect your relationship with your spo use, and on a day-to-day basis, it doesn’t seem as if things are deteriorating. People who are driven to excel have this unconscious propensity to underinvest in their families and overinvest in their careers—even though intimate and loving relationships with their families are the most powerful and enduring source of happiness.

If you study the root causes of business disasters, over and over you’ll find this predisposition toward endeavors that offer immediate gratification. If you look at personal lives through that lens, you’ll see the same stunning and sobering pattern: people allocating fewer and fewer resources to the things they would have once said mattered most.

Create a Culture

There’s an important model in our class called the Tools of Cooperation, which basically says that being a visionary manager isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It’s one thing to see into the foggy future with acuity and chart the course corrections that the company must make. But it’s quite another to persuade employees who might not see the changes ahead to line up and work cooperatively to take the company in that new direction. Knowing what tools to wield to elicit the needed cooperation is a critical managerial skill.

The theory arrays these tools along two dimensions—the extent to which members of the organization agree on what they want from their participation in the enterprise, and the extent to which they agree on what actions will produce the desired results. When there is little agreement on both axes, you have to use “power tools”—coercion, threats, punishment, and so on—to secure cooperation. Many companies start in this quadrant, which is why the founding executive team must play such an assertive role in defining what must be done and how. If employees’ ways of working together to address those tasks succeed over and over, consensus begins to form. MIT’s Edgar Schein has described this process as the mechanism by which a culture is built. Ultimately, people don’t even think about whether their way of doing things yields success . They embrace priorities and follow procedures by instinct and assumption rather than by explicit decision—which means that they’ve created a culture. Culture, in compelling but unspoken ways, dictates the proven, acceptable methods by which members of the group address recurrent problems. And culture defines the priority given to different types of problems. It can be a powerful management tool.
In using this model to address the question, How can I be sure that my family becomes an enduring source of happiness?, my students quickly see that the simplest tools that parents can wield to elicit cooperation from children are power tools. But there comes a point during the teen years when power tools no longer work. At that point parents start wishing that they had begun working with their children at a very young age to build a culture at home in which children instinctively behave respectfully toward one another, obey their parents, and choose the right thing to do. Families have cultures, just as companies do. Those cultures can be built consciously or evolve inadvertently.

If you want your kids to have strong self-esteem and confidence that they can solve hard problems, those qualities won’t magically materialize in high school. You have to design them into your family’s culture—and you have to think about this very early on. Like employees, children build self-esteem by doing things that are hard and learning what works.

Avoid the “Marginal Costs” Mistake

We’re taught in finance and economics that in evaluating alternative investments, we should ignore sunk and fixed costs, and instead base decisions on the marginal costs and marginal revenues that each alternative entails. We learn in our course that this doctrine biases companies to leverage what they have put in place to succeed in the past, instead of guiding them to create the capabilities they’ll need in the future. If we knew the future would be exactly the same as the past, that approach would be fine. But if the future’s different—and it almost always is—then it’s the wrong thing to do.

This theory addresses the third question I discuss with my students—how to live a life of integrity (stay out of jail). Unconsciously, we often employ the marginal cost doctrine in our personal lives when we choose between right and wrong. A voice in our head says, “Look, I know that as a general rule, most people shouldn’t do this. But in this particular extenuating circumstance, just this once, it’s OK.” The marginal cost of doing something wrong “just this once” always seems alluringly low. It suckers you in, and you don’t ever look at where that path ultimately is headed and at the full costs that the choice entails. Justification for infidelity and dishonesty in all their manifestations lies in the marginal cost economics of “just this once.”

I’d like to share a story about how I came to understand the potential damage of “just this once” in my own life. I played on the Oxford University varsity basketball team. We worked our tails off and finished the season undefeated. The guys on the team were the best friends I’ve ever had in my life. We got to the British equivalent of the NCAA tournament—and made it to the final four. It turned out the championship game was scheduled to be played on a Sunday. I had made a personal commitment to God at age 16 that I would never play ball on Sunday. So I went to the coach and explained my problem. He was incredulous. My teammates were, too, because I was the starting center. Every one of the guys on the team came to me and said, “You’ve got to play. Can’t you break the rule just this one time?”
I’m a deeply religious man, so I went away and prayed about what I should do. I got a very clear feeling that I shouldn’t break my commitment—so I didn’t play in the championship game.

In many ways that was a small decision—involving one of several thousand Sundays in my life. In theory, surely I could have crossed over the line just that one time and then not done it again. But looking back on it, resisting the temptation whose logic was “In this extenuating circumstance, just this once, it’s OK” has proven to be one of the most important decisions of my life. Why? My life has been one unending stream of extenuating circumstances. Had I crossed the line that one time, I would have done it over and over in the years that followed.

The lesson I learned from this is that it’s easier to hold to your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 98% of the time. If you give in to “just this once,” based on a marginal cost analysis, as some of my former classmates have done, you’ll regret where you end up. You’ve got to define for yourself what you stand for and draw the line in a safe place.

Remember the Importance of Humility

I got this insight when I was asked to teach a class on humility at Harvard College. I asked all the students to describe the most humble person they knew. One characteristic of these humble people stood out: They had a high level of self-esteem. They knew who they were, and they felt good about who they were. We also decided that humility was defined not by self-deprecating behavior or attitudes but by the esteem with which you regard others. Good behavior flows naturally from that kind of humility. For example, you would never steal from someone, because you respect that person too much. You’d never lie to someone, either.

It’s crucial to take a sense of humility into the world. By the time you make it to a top graduate school, almost all your learning has come from people who are smarter and more experienced than you: parents, teachers, bosses. But once you’ve finished at Harvard Business School or any other top academic institution, the vast majority of people you’ll interact with on a day-to-day basis may not be smarter than you. And if your attitude is that only smarter people have something to teach you, your learning opportunities will be very limited. But if you have a humble eagerness to learn something from everybody, your learning opportunities will be unlimited. Generally, you can be humble only if you feel really good about yourself—and you want to help those around you feel really good about themselves, too. When we see people acting in an abusive, arrogant, or demeaning manner toward others, their behavior almost always is a symptom of their lack of self-esteem. They need to put someone else down to feel good about themselves.

Choose the Right Yardstick

This past year I was diagnosed with cancer and faced the possibility that my life would end sooner than I’d planned. Thankfully, it now looks as if I’ll be spared. But the experience has given me important insight into my life.

I have a pretty clear idea of how my ideas have generated enormous revenue for companies that have used my research; I know I’ve had a substantial impact. But as I’ve confronted this disease, it’s been interesting to see how unimportant that impact is to me now. I’ve concluded that the metric by which God will assess my life isn’t dollars but the individual people whose lives I’ve touched.

I think that’s the way it will work for us all. Don’t worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped become better people. This is my final recommendation: Think about the metric by which your life will be judged, and make a resolution to live every day so that in the end, your life will be judged a success.

The Class of 2010

“I came to business school knowing exactly what I wanted to do—and I’m leaving choosing the exact opposite. I’ve worked in the private sector all my life, because everyone always told me that’s where smart people are. But I’ve decided to try government and see if I can find more meaning there.

“I used to think that industry was very safe. The recession has shown us that nothing is safe.”

Ruhana Hafiz, Harvard Business School, Class of 2010

Her Plans: To join the FBI as a special adviser (a management track position)

“You could see a shift happening at HBS. Money used to be number one in the job search. When you make a ton of money, you want more of it. Ironic thing. You start to forget what the drivers of happiness are and what things are really important. A lot of people on campus see money differently now. They think, ‘What’s the minimum I need to have, and what else drives my life?’ instead of ‘What’s the place where I can get the maximum of both?’”

Patrick Chun, Harvard Business School, Class of 2010

His Plans: To join Bain Capital

“The financial crisis helped me realize that you have to do what you really love in life. My current vision of success is based on the impact I can have, the experiences I can gain, and the happiness I can find personally, much more so than the pursuit of money or prestige. My main motivations are (1) to be with my family and people I care about; (2) to do something fun, exciting, and impactful; and (3) to pursue a long-term career in entrepreneurship, where I can build companies that change the way the world works.”

Matt Salzberg, Harvard Business School, Class of 2010

His Plans: To work for Bessemer Venture Partners

“Because I’m returning to McKinsey, it probably seems like not all that much has changed for me. But while I was at HBS, I decided to do the dual degree at the Kennedy School. With the elections in 2008 and the economy looking shaky, it seemed more compelling for me to get a better understanding of the public and nonprofit sectors. In a way, that drove my return to McKinsey, where I’ll have the ability to explore private, public, and nonprofit sectors.

“The recession has made us step back and take stock of how lucky we are. The crisis to us is ‘Are we going to have a job by April?’ Crisis to a lot of people is ‘Are we going to stay in our home?’”

John Coleman, Harvard Business School, Class of 2010
His Plans: To return to McKinsey & Company

Clayton M. Christensen (cchristensen@hbs.edu) is the Robert and Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

Beers around the world

2010-08-03T12:35:00.001+05:30

Lagers
Mass-market-style lager- Pale golden color, light bodied; designed for mass appeal and refreshment. Modeled after pilsner (see next). Lager is a bottom fermented beer stored at very low temperatures for a long period of time (several months) Lager is actually German for ―to store."

Light beer - has fewer calories &/or less alcohol.

Ice Beer- Ice Beer; similar style and flavor; uses a cold-temperature brewing process. Is brewed at cooler temperatures than normal temperatures, then chilled to below freezing, forming crystals. The crystals are filtered out, leaving a smoother tasting beer, with slightly higher alcohol content.

Examples: Budweiser, Coors Light, Rolling Rock, Miller Lite, Bud Light, Corona, Fosters, Molson, Molson Ice, Bud Ice, etc.

Pilsner- Eastern European beer style; pale- to yellow-gold color, light body with a distinctive, crisp, hoppy flavor. The name derives from Pilsner Urquell, made in the Czech town of Pilsen, which is the standard-bearer for this style. These beers are bottom fermented in cool caves in the same region.

Examples: Heineken, Amstel, Beck‘s, Warsteiner, St. Pauli Girl, Grolsch, Pilsner Urquell

Amber Lager (Red Lager and Nut Brown Lager are versions of this style)- Style associated with turn-of-the-century American brews; coppery-amber color, medium-bodied and generally hoppy. Red Lager is more a marketing concept than a distinct style, often a darker version of a mainstream beer.

Examples: Harp, Samuel Adams Boston Lager, Brooklyn Lager, Pete‘s Wicked Lager, Weinhard‘s Red Lager, Red Wolf, JW Dundee‘s Honey Brown Lager

Bock- A classic German beer style; traditionally, a heavy, dark beer brewed in winter for spring consumption; the heaviest bock styles sometimes have a degree of sweetness.

Examples: Ayinger Celebrator, Wurzburger Maibock; American micro-brewed bocks (spring seasonal), Samuel Adams Triple Bock

Ales

Wheat Beer- Weizen Beer, Lambic Beer- Traditionally a summer beer, based on malted wheat; classic-style wheat beer is white to pale gold in color and cloudy due to suspended yeast cells. Some wheat beers have a tangy flavor and a light, crisp body.
Lambic Beers are a special class of wheat beer brewed in Belgium with a long, slow fermentation that yields Ingredients such as peaches, raspberries, cherries & wheat are added during the brewing process.
An intense, malty, distinctive style, sometimes flavored with fruit. Because of this, the addition of a fruit flavor to wheat beers is increasingly popular among American micro breweries (Berlin has a tradition of serving wheat beers in a glass swirled with fruit syrup before pouring the beer).

Examples: Wheat Beers: Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat, Pete‘s Wicked Summer Brew, Oregon Raspberry Wheat, Spring Street Brewing Wit, Schneider Weiss, Paulaner Hefe-Weizen
Lambics: Boon Kriek, Lindeman‘s Framboise, De Troch Pineapple Lambic

Pale Ale: The classic English ale, deep gold to copper in color, full-flavored and medium-bodied; malty, with a hoppy bitterness especially in the aftertaste;
India Pale Ale (IPA): India Pale Ale is an extra hoppy version. The style developed when English brewers, producing beer for troops stationed in India added extra hops to preserve the beer during shipment.

Examples: Bass is the standard-bearer; Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Geary‘s Pale Ale, Oregon India Pale Ale, Harpoon India Pale Ale, Brooklyn East India Pale Ale

Trappist Ales- Brewed in one of the remaining beer abbeys in Belgium and the Netherlands; usually amber or brown and strong (4.7 to 12% alcohol by volume). Very yeasty and full-flavored; some other descriptors are fruity and bittersweet.

Examples: Chimay, Duvel, Orval, Corsendonk, Affligem

Amber Ale, Nut Brown Ale, English Bitter - Named for their color! Darker, due to heavier toasting of the malt; often less hoppy than pale ales, giving a smoother, nutty flavor. English bitter is an extra hoppy version.
Stout is an ale produced from heavily roasted barley. It is darker in colour & has a slightly bitter flavour.
Bitter: Bitter beer is a strong ale, with higher than normal alcohol & as the name suggests a bitter-sweet taste.

Examples: Amber: Pete‘s Wicked Ale, Pete‘s Wicked Winter Brew (w/spice!)
Brown: Samuel Smith‘s Nut Brown Ale, Brooklyn Brown Ale, Oregon Nut Brown Ale
Bitter: Red Wolf Extra Special Bitter (ESB), Oregon

Frankfurters

2010-07-27T15:52:00.000+05:30

The history of Brooklyn can also be told through food, from Coney Island Red Hots to Junior's cheesecake. Here, Brooklyn Borough Historian Ron Schweiger tells WNYC's Kathleen Horan how a German immigrant named Charles Feltman (1841-1910) and a one-time employee of his, Nathan Handwerker (1892-1974), found success -- and rivalry -- by bringing America the frankfurter, or hot dog:

Feltman’s introduced the first fast food in America—Coney Island Red Hots, sausages on a plate. This goes back to the late 1800s. Now, Mr. [Charles] Feltman was a German immigrant. And he put sausages on the plate -- no bun. It was too hot. People couldn’t pick it up.

He took a bun, sliced it, and he decided to put the sausage in the bun. And he decided to name it after the town he came from in Germany -- Frankfurt. Hence the name frankfurters.

How to upset guest

2010-07-06T14:28:00.000+05:30

WHAT GUESTS GET UPSET OVER MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE

• When ashtrays have more than 2 butts in them.
• When salads are at room temperature.
• When water glasses are not automatically refilled.
• When hotel food and beverage is served on cold plates or in old cups.
• When hot food is not hot and when cold food is not cold.
• When the Room Service phone rings more than 5 times before being answered.
• When a guest gets put on hold for more than 30 seconds.
• When dishes or glasses are chipped.
• When silver on tables is spotted or tarnished.
• When glasses are streaked. (Hold them up to the light and you will see).
• When menus or placemats are ripped, stained or smudged.
• When bread or rolls are stale around the edges.
• When there are not enough menus for the customers.
• When condiment bottles are not full and are coated at the neck.
• When guests wait for 3 minutes without having a drink order taken.
• When food sits in the window waiting to be picked up. (FOOD = CHEF)
• When we run out of china, silver or glass.
• When silver set is crooked on tables.
• When the tabletop is not picture perfect.
• When sugar bowls are dirty inside. ( take the sugar cubes out and look inside )
• When salt and peppers shakers are greasy to touch or half empty.
• When we run out of any item in any bar or restaurant at any time.
• When service personnel have the “I’m doing you a favor” attitude.
• When banquets or coffee breaks start late.
• When soft drinks come out of the system “flat”
• When debris, bits of paper and food is not IMMEDIATELY picked up from the carpets or floors in restaurants and bars.
• When Room Service trays and tables stay on guest floors more than 3 hours.
• When restaurants and bars open late or close early. (Regular hours are printed and posted all through the hotel and guest rooms).
• When a guest pays top money for quality food and beverage and does not get it.
• When a guest orders the DESCRIPTION on the menu and gets something else.
• When a guest pays top money for sleeping rooms and can’t get a quick, hot, courteous breakfast the following morning.
• When a guest travels all evening to get to the hotel and then can’t get a quick 1st class sandwich or a couple eggs (HOT AND FRESH).
• When guests don’t get seated; see empty tables and don’t get P.R. or “Strokes” while they stand in line.
• When chairs and booths are dirty, stained or have crumbs on them
• When guests who come for breakfast don’t get coffee immediately on being seated.
• When Room Service says 20 minutes and it takes 30 minutes to get the order.
• When coffee is not steaming. (CHECK BANQUETS )
• When fruit garnish in bars or Room Service is dried out.
• When buffet tables or salad bars are not replenished quickly.
• When orders arrive and they are incomplete, or service people ask “who gets what?”
• When coffee cups are stained. (Check inside of cups.)
• When bud vase water is murky of flowers wilted.
• When table or meeting room linens have small boles, rips or burns.
• When tables and chairs are wobbly.
• When greasy, dirty tags are used to wipe down tables.
• When guests do not get recognized by a smile, a hello or eye to eye contact when they hit the door of any restaurant.
• When guests do not think you have tried your very best to please them even if everything was not perfect.
• When guests are on a tight morning schedule and can’t get in and out of the Coffee Shop in 25 minutes.
• When a guest gets their food check and it is sloppy, wet or stained.
• When guests are drinking and have nothing to nibble on.

Rude food | The terminator

2010-06-18T13:44:00.000+05:30

Rude food | The terminator
Article by- Vir Sanghvi

For the last ten days or so, I have been toying with the idea of a different kind of food book. The motivation emerged out of the puzzlement I sometimes feel when I look at menus in American restaurants. Much of the time, I have no idea what the menu adjectives used to describe dishes mean. For instance, I used to be foxed by the term ‘heirloom’, usually applied to vegetables. When the menu says that a salad is made with ‘heirloom tomatoes’ what exactly does that mean? What is an heirloom tomato? Or when a burger is described as a Wagyu burger, what does that refer to?
I had the same problems with nouns. What is a ‘crudo’? You may think that this is a reference to Sharad Yadav, but in the context of a menu at an Italian restaurant, that makes no sense. What is a cocoa nib? What is salumi – is it a kind of salami? Why is it important to mention that the sea bass comes from Chile? What is an ‘artisanal’ food? If the menu says caviar then why is the stuff on my plate reddish-pink and not black? Why should I care whether a truffle was harvested in the summer?
Because I make a kind of living out of this stuff, I can look all this up. I can discover that heirloom is not a breed of tomato but merely a catch-all term for vegetables whose seeds have been passed down through the generations and are not hybridised or genetically modified or pushed in India by the American lobby.
Wagyu is a breed of cow found most famously in Kobe, Japan. These days Wagyu beef tends to be Australian or American, is always expensive and is not necessarily suited to burgers or steaks.
Crudo may well be what you call Sharad Yadav or Shakti Kapoor but it is also the Italian word for ‘raw’. In America (though not in Italy) where the fad for serving food raw has taken firm hold, chefs delight in serving raw fish and meat with Italian condiments (olive oil, sea salt etc.) and calling it ‘crudo’. A cocoa nib is essentially an upmarket chocolate chip and serves the same purpose. It is a piece of roasted cocoa bean used to give texture to chocolates and chocolate desserts.
Salumi is a generic term for Italian pork products; salami is a kind of salumi. A Chilean Sea Bass is so called because it is not a sea bass at all. Before it was renamed to appear on fancy menus, it was called a Patagonian Toothfish (try ordering that in a tony restaurant).
‘Artisanal’ means what you want it to. The idea is to distinguish it from ‘factory-made’ (a term you rarely see on menus but one which accurately describes many of the ingredients in a restaurant kitchen) but all it really means is ‘made in small quantities.’ Thus, the bread made by say, the
Hyatt Regency, is ‘artisanal’ compared to the bread made by Modern Bakery.
Caviar is almost as controversial a term as champagne. But while the French insist that only sparkling wines from the Champagne district of France can be called champagne, the Russians make no such stipulations about caviar.
The Russian term for caviar (Ikra), simply means fish roe and thus can be applied to the roe of any fish including the salmon which lays big red eggs. But once the term is applied to all roe, it loses its cachet so Western restaurateurs try and restrict its use to the breathtakingly expensive greyish-black eggs of the sturgeon.
So it is with truffles. There are scores of varieties of truffle but very few have the taste or aroma of the famous white truffle of Alba or the black truffle of Perigord. A summer truffle is so called not because it is wearing sunglasses and tanning but because it is a lesser truffle with a flavour that is much less intense.
As I was researching all this stuff, it struck me how complicated reading a menu has become these days. Frequently chefs write menus to show off rather than to provide diners any real information about the food on offer. Plus, there is a sort of code accessible only to chefs. If a dish is described as ‘Provencal’, only a chef knows that this means it has garlic, onions, tomato and peppers. Only food professionals recognise that ‘Florentine’ is usually a code for spinach.
To some extent, this is true of menus in India as well. First of all, they are full of all this ‘Florentine’ and ‘Provencal’ nonsense because guys just out of catering college imagine that diners will have also wasted three years of their lives learning this stuff. Secondly, as our chefs look to the West, you get many more relatively obscure references on the menu (‘foam’, ‘cappuccino’ used to describe a soup, Chilean Sea Bass etc.). And thirdly, there are our own codes, which make no sense to anyone outside of an Indian kitchen. When a dish is described as ‘shahi’, what does this mean?
What is Manchurian? What is ‘Mughlai cuisine’? What does ‘wholewheat’ mean in an Indian context? And so on.

So, my idea is to do a foodie dictionary listing all the slightly complicated terms you are likely to come across on Indian menus and all the references that pepper foodie conversations (famous Indian chefs, famous Indian restaurants, names that people drop etc.) so that anybody who is armed with this book cannot possibly be intimidated by the foodie speak that is so popular these days or (if you want to be cynical) can bullshit his way through any conversation about food.
Do you think it will work? I’ve included a few sample entries that I’ve made up off the top of my head. Write in and tell me if you think it has a market.
Terms
Mughlai: An essentially bogus term for restaurant cookery that is meant to evoke the era of the great Mughals and to make you feel that the dishes you are eating were invented for the emperor Akbar. There are many problems with this. One, the Mughals did not actually call themselves the Mughals so they could hardly have named a cooking style ‘Mughlai’. The term was invented by the British who linked the Mughals with the Mongols – a link that would not have pleased Akbar at all. Two: Many of the staples of ‘Mughlai’ cuisine (including chilli) did not reach India when most of the great Mughals were alive: they were brought by Europeans after America had been discovered. And three, what we know of the food of the Mughal court bears no resemblance to Mughlai cuisine as served at restaurants. There are court cuisines in India (Hyderabadi, Avadhi etc.) but steer clear of anything called Mughlai. It is a 20th century invention meant to dress up easy-to-make restaurant dishes.
Shahi: Meant to suggest ‘royal’ as in Shahi Paneer or Shahi Korma but all it really means is ‘enriched with dairy fat’. Shahi dishes usually have lots of cream.
Wholewheat: Currently trendy term for bread, pasta etc. on the reasonable grounds that wholewheat flour (atta) is healthier than refined flour (maida). Sounds fine in theory – after all, we all eat wholewheat roti at home. (Well, most of us. Some communities – the Bengalis, for instance – have a sentimental attachment to maida.) But chefs loathe wholewheat. In the old days the argument used to be that you cannot make decent bread from Indian atta. So many would take maida and caramelise it so that it looked brown and then pass off bread made from this flour as ‘brown’ or even ‘wholewheat’. Now that the quality of the atta has improved, they can no longer use that excuse. But even so, they mix maida with atta. So, the next time you buy some fancy grain bread, ask how much maida is mixed into the dough.
Tenderloin: Term invented by Indian hotels to get around the beef problem. In the old days, they would substitute water buffalo for beef but were anxious to keep quiet about this. So buffalo meat was called tenderloin. Now, many hotels do use beef but for fear of offending Hindu sensibilities, they do not use the world ‘beef’ on the menus and stick to tenderloin. In Nepal, they go one better. You may find Buff Steak on the menu. This is not a misprint. They mean buffalo not beef!
Veal: The meat from a calf. Good veal is naturally farmed but factory-produced veal is often bred in terrible conditions with baby calves restricted to little boxes and not allowed to see the sun (so that their meat stays white). Most veal in India tends to be of the industrial variety alas, but bizarrely there is no uproar either from animal rights activists or from Hindu fundamentalists who have yet to work out that veal is a kind of beef.

Remaining menus for 2nd sem

2010-04-12T15:43:00.000+05:30

Russian Salad
(Salade russee)
---------*---------
Consommé
---------*--------
Poulet sauté barbeque
- Pomme de terre robert
- Epinard Au gratin
-------* * * --------

Salade Russee
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Potatoes 300gm
2. Green Peas 150 gm
3. Carrot 150 gm
4. Mayonnaise Sauce 150 ml
5. Cream 50 ml
6. French Mustard 1 tsp
7. Seasonings To taste

Method:

1. Cut all the vegetables in to dices. (Approx. in size of peas)

2. Par-boil the vegetables, refresh and keep aside.

3. To the mayonnaise sauce add cream, French mustard and seasonings.

4. Add the vegetables to the above sauce and mix well.

5. Serve chilled.

Consommé

Yield: 4 Pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Brown Stock 900 ml
For clarification
2. Minced meat 125 gm
3. Egg 1 no
4. Onion 10 gm
5. Carrot 55 gm
6. Celery 30 gm
7. Pepper corns 3-4 no
8. Cloves 2 no
9. Salt To taste

Method:
1. Fine chop the vegetables. Mix with the minced meat and whole egg.

2. Add the above mixture to cold stock.

3. Add spices and keep on slow fire. Stir continuously.

4. Bring to a boil. As soon as it comes to boil stop stirring and allow to simmer for an hour. (Do not disturb the raft)

5. Once the Raft formation is complete , Strain through a muslin cloth and serve hot

Poulet Saute Barbecue
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Chicken 750 gm
2. Demi Glaze 150 ml
3. Tomato Sauce 50 ml
4 Vinegar
5 Lemon juice
6. Onions 10 gm
7 Garlic
8 Mustard
9. Butter 90 gm
10. Worcestershire sauce
11. White Wine 100 ml
12. Seasonings To Taste
13. Mustard powder A pinch

Method:

1. Clean and cut the chicken into 8 pieces.

2. Season and dust with flour.

3. Heat 80gms of the butter in a pan and sauté the chicken pieces till done.

4. Remove the chicken .

5. Heat the rest butter in a pan put in some garlic , onion and sauté

6. To this add the Tomato sauce ,lemon juice , vinegar , mustard and Worcestershire sauce

7. Arrange the chicken pieces in a serving dish and coat with sauce.

8. Serve hot garnished with

Pomme de Terre Robert

Yield: 4 Pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Potatoes 500 gm
2. Butter 45 Gms
3. Chives 20 gms
4. Egg yolks 03 no
5. Seasonings to taste

Method:

1. Properly wash the potatoes and dry well.

2. Cover the bottom of the try with salt and place the potatoes on top of it.

3. Bake in oven till cooked. Scoop out the pulp and mash it finely.

4. Add seasonings, egg yolks and chopped chives to the mashed potatoes.

5. Shape like fish cakes and shallow fry with butter from both sides till golden brown and serve hot.

Epinard Au Gratin

Yield : 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Spinach 250 gm
5. Milk 500 ml
6. Flour 50 gm
7. Onion 10 gm
8. Butter 50 gm
9. Cheese 20 gm
10. Nutmeg a pinch
11. Seasonings to taste

Method :

1. Cut and boil the vegetables in the size of peas.

2. Prepare a thick bechamel sauce.

3. Add the boiled vegetables to the sauce.

4. Adjust seasonings and add the nutmeg.

5. Put in a dish and grate cheese over the vegetables.

6. Put under a salmander till light golden in colour. Serve hot.

- ---------------------*---*---*-------------------------------------

Egg Preparation
- Omelets
(Masala , Cheese , Mushrooms)
- Poached eggs
- Scrambled Egg
-Fried egg
- - Sunny Side up
- Boiled egg
(Hard Boiled egg, Soft boiled egg)

-------------------------------------------*-----*--------*----------------------------------------

Tomato Dhania shorba
Aloo gobhi bhujia
Dal amritsari
Jeera pulao
Dhakai parantha

Tomato Dhania ka shorba
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Tomatoes 750 gm
2. Green coriander Few sprigs
3. Onion
4. Seasonings To taste
5. Garlic
Method:

1. Blanch ,peel and deseed tomatoes. Chop them.

2. Heat oil in a pan, add Garlic and onions and sauté for a while, Add tomates and
cook till done

3. Once done pass through a conical strainer .

4. Add the seasonings and cook for a while.

1. Dilute if too thick Just before putting off the flame add chopped coriander.
2. Serve hot

Dal Amritsari
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Whole Black Gram 200 gm
2. Split Channa Dal 50 gm
3. Salt To taste
4. Mint Leaves Few sprigs
5. Ginger 10 gm
6. Garlic 5 gm
7. Onion 30 gm
8. Tomatoes 60 gm
9. Green Chillies 5 gm
10. Oil 30 ml
11. Butter 100 gm

Method:

1. Pick, wash and soak dal overnight.

2. Chop onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic. Slit Green Chillies and clean mint
leaves.

3. Place the dal in a handi along with water, green chilly, half of ginger garlic and salt
and cook on a slow flame till the dal is cooked. (Keep on removing the scum as it
appears on top)

4. Heat oil in a kadai. Add onions and cook till golden brown in colour.

5. Add the rest of ginger and garlic and cook for a while. Add the tomatoes and
further cook till the oil comes on top.

6. Transfer the cooked dal to the above masala and cook on slow flame for 15-20
min. Add the butter.

7. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot garnished with mint leaves.

Aloo Gobhi Bhujia
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Cauliflower 225 gm
2. Potatoes 55 gm
3. Salt To taste
4. Onion 50 gm
5. Oil 30 ml
6. Cumin Seeds ½ tsp
7. Green Chillies 5 gm
8. Lime 1 no
9. Red chilly powder ½ tsp
10. Turmeric ¼ tsp
11. Coriander Powder ½ tsp
12. Coriander Leaves Few sprigs

Method:

1. Wash and clean the vegetables.

2. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and the potatoes into small dices.

3. Chop tomatoes and green chillies.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds and let them crackle.

5. Add the chopped onions and green chillies. Cook till they are golden brown in
colour.

6. Add the powdered masala and cook for a while.

7. Add the vegetables and fry for some time. Add the tomatoes and cook covered till
the vegetables are cooked.

8. Adjust the seasonings and serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

Dhakai Parantha
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Whole Wheat Flour 500 gm
2. Salt To taste
3. Fat for dough 115 gm
4. Fat for cooking 115 gm
5. Water As required

Method:

1. Sift the flour with salt. Rub a part of fat into the flour.

2. Prepare soft dough by adding water.

3. Divide the dough into even sized balls and roll them out like chappaties.

4. Smear fat and sprinkle little flour. Cut from the center to the edge of the round.

5. Roll from one edge to another forming a cone. Flatten the cone to a round.

6. Heat a griddle and roll out the rounds of dough.

7. Bake on a hot griddle over slow fire and apply fat on both sides while cooking.

8. Remove and slightly press from the sides and serve hot.

(The paranthas should be golden brown and crisp)

Jeera Pulao
Yield: 4 pax

S.No. Ingredients Quantity
1 Rice 500 gm
2 Fat 50 ml
3 Shahi Jeera 5 gm
4 Cinnamon 1
5 Cardamom 2
6 Clove 2
7 Salt To taste
8 Sliced Onion 20 gmS

Method:

1. Pick wash, soak and drain rice.

2. Heat fat in a patila and add whole spices.

3. As the whole spices crackle add rice and fry for a while.

4. Add water and salt. Cook on high flame till the water level is same as the level of rice.

5. Reduce the flame and cover the rice and cook till the rice is tender.

6. Remove and serve hot garnished with golden fried onions.

-----------------------------------------------*----*-------*--------------------------------------

Waldorf salade
Gazpacho
Poission a la Anglaise
-pomme de terre marquise
- Petit pois a la flamande

Waldorf Salade
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Apples 300gm
2. Celery 125 gm
3. Walnut 150 gm
4. Mayonnaise Sauce 150 ml
5. Honey 25 ml
6. Salt To taste

Method:

6. Cut all the Apples (with the skin) in to dices.

7. Chop / cut dices of celery.

8. To the mayonnaise sauce add Honey, and salt.

9. Add the Apples to the above sauce and mix well.

10. Break walnuts and also add to the mixture.

11. Serve chilled garnished with some crushed walnuts.

Gazpacho
Yield: 4 Pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1 Brown Bread 3 slices
2 Canned Tomato Juice 300 ml
3 Cucumber 1 no.
4 Garlic 2 cloves
5 Onions 1 no.
6 Tomato 700 gm
7 Olive oil 75 ml
8 Seasoning To Taste
9 Herbs 2 gm
10 Tabasco sauce 10 ml
11 Ice Cubes 4 no.
12 Capsicum 1 no.

Method:

1. Trim the edges of bread.

2. Soak the bread in tomato juice for 5 min

3. Deseed capsicum, cucumber. In a blender put garlic, cucumber, capsicum, onions, tomatoes (Blanched and deseeded) and bread and blend to a smooth paste. Stir in reserved tomato juice.

4. Add the remaining ingredients except the ice-cubes to the mixture and stir well (Light cream consistency)

5. Refrigerate for 1hr. Just before service, stir well and float in the ice-cube.
Poisson a la Anglaise
Yield: 4 Pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Fish Fillet 750 gm
2. Flour 75 gm
3. Egg 2 no
4. White Bread Crumbs 100 gm
5. Lemon (for Slices) 1 no
6. Parsley 1 bunch

Method:

1. Clean the fish and remove Fillets.

2. Pass the fish fillets through Flour, egg and breadcrumb.

3. Deep fry and serve with lemon, fried parsley and tarter sauce.

Pomme de Terre Marquise
Yield: 4 Pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Potatoes 500 g
2. Butter 20 gm
3. Egg white 2 no
4. Tomato concasse 50 gm
5. Seasonings To taste
6. Nutmeg A pinch
7. Parsley For garnish

Method:

1. Boil potatoes with skin in salted water. Remove and peel the skin.

2. Pass through a sieve and mix with yolk, butter, seasonings and nutmeg.

3. Beat egg white and mix in to the above mixture.

4. Place the above mixture in a piping bag ad pipe the mixture.

5. Place in a heated oven and bake for 2-3 min.

6. Remove and garnish with tomato concasse

Petit Pois A la Flammande

Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Peas 400 gm
2. Carrots 100 gm
3. Seasonings To Taste
4. Butter 75 gm
5. Sugar A Pinch

Method:

1. Shell the peas, wash and peal the carrots. Cut the carrots in the shape of peas.

2. Heat butter in a pan, add water, peas, carrots and sugar.

3. Cover and cook till done.

4. Adjust seasonings and serve hot.

Menu for the week starting from March 08, 2010 2nd sem. BHMCT

2010-03-03T17:36:00.000+05:30

Florida Cocktail
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Grapefruit 200 gm
2. Oranges 200 gm
3. Cherries 04 no

Method:

1. Peel and remove the segments of grapefruit and oranges.

2. Make sure that there are no pips and piths in the fruits.

3. Arrange alternate layers of grapefruit and oranges in a coupe.

4. Sprinkle with some orange juice.

5. Garnish with a cherry and serve chilled.

Potage Minestrone
Yield : 4 Pax
S.No. Ingredients Quantity
1 Oil 10 ml
2 Carrot 80 gm
3 Onion 80 gm
4 Leek 20 gm
5 Turnip 80 gm
6 Cheese 50 gm
7 Garlic 10 gm
8 Basil 45 gm
9 Salt To taste
10 Cabbage 40 gm
11 Tomatoes 200 gm
12 Beans 40 gm
13 Peas 40 gm
14 Spaghetti 50 gm
15 Stock 1 lt.

Method:

1. Peel, wash and cut all vegetables into paysanne.

2. Sauté in oil carrots, onions, leeks, turnip cabbage.

3. Add 1 lt. stock and bring to boil. Add salt.

4. 10 min. later add blanched and diced tomatoes.

5. Add beans. After 5 min add spaghetti.

6. Prepare a paste with cheese and garlic.

7. Stir the paste into the soup and serve hot.

Spaghetti Neapolitan
Yield : 4 Pax

S.No. Ingredients Quantity
1 Spaghetti 250 gm
2 Tomatoes 500gm
3 Onion 100 gm
4 Garlic 20 gm
5 Basil 3 gm
6 Oil 50 ml
7 Salt & Pepper To taste
8 Cheese 30 gm
9 Sugar 50 – 60 gm
10 Butter 25 gm

Method:

1. Blanch and peel the tomatoes

2. Remove seeds curd chop finely.

3. Chop onions, crush garlic.

4. Sweat onions in oil.

5. Add tomatoes, garlic basil, salt, pepper, sugar.

6. Look gently till all ingredients are blended smoothly.

7. Pour 1½ cup of water and simmer.

8. Look spaghetti in large quantity of boiling salted water.

9. Drain well and toss in melted butter.

10. Add the sauce to the spaghetti and serve garnished with grated parmesan cheese and basil sprigs.

Fettuccini Bolognaise
Yield : 4 Pax

S.No. Ingredients Quantity
1 Fettuccini 250 gm
2 Tomatoes 500gm
3 Onion 1 no.
4 Garlic 5 gms
5 Carrot 20 gms
6 Olive Oil 5-6 ml
7 Salt & Pepper To taste
8 Cheese (optional) For garnish
9 Sugar A pinch
10 Celery stick 1 no.
11 Minced meat 500 gm
12 Oregano
13 Seasoning

Method:

1. Heat a little oil in a pan, and sauté the finely chopped onion, crushed garlic, finely diced carrot and chopped celery, Add the minced meat and cook until a little brown.

2. Add the wine and bring to a boil, then cook on medium heat until most of the wine has evaporated. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Add chopped tomatoes, sugar and oregano, cook till the sauce is reduced and is richly colored.

4. Boil the pasta with a pinch of salt and a little olive oil, till al dente’.

5. Strain and refresh. The pasta.

6. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

7. Pour the sauce and serve hot. Garnished with grated parmesan cheese.

Menu 4 (15-02-2010 to 19-02-2010)

2010-02-11T15:36:00.000+05:30

Tomato Mozzarella Salad
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Tomatoes 200 gm
2. Mozzarella Cheese 150 gm
3. Lettuce Few leaves
For Dressing (Pesto Sauce)
4. Basil leaves 50 gm
5. Pine nuts 25 gm
6. Olive oil 30 ml
7. Garlic 2 cloves
8. Parmesan Cheese 15-20 gm

Method:

1. Wash the vegetables and herbs and keep aside.

2. Take a pestle and mortar and place the ingredients for the Pesto Sauce and grind till the mixtures is turned into a paste. Keep aside.

3. Cut the tomatoes and the mozzarella cheese into thin roundels.

4. Arrange the tomatoes and cheese alternately on a bed of lettuce.

5. Pour the pesto sauce on top of the salad and serve.

Cabbage and Corn Chowder
Yield: 4 Pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Cabbage 300 gm
2. Corn 150 gm
3. Potatoes 150 gm
4. Onions 50 gm
5. Leeks 25 gm
6. Stock 1 lt.
7. Butter 50 gm
8. Fine Herbs 5 gm
9. Cream 80 ml
Seasonings To Taste

Method:

1. Cut the cabbage into small dices, dice onions, potatoes and leeks.

2. Heat the butter in a saucepan. Add the onions and sauté for a while.

3. Add the potatoes and cook covered for around 10 mins.

4. Add the corn and cabbage and cook for some more time.

5. Add the stock and the fine herbs.

6. Cook till the vegetables are cooked. Remove one forth of the vegetables and keep aside.

7. Puree the remaining vegetables in a food processor, strain and return to fire.

8. Add the vegetables kept aside and add the cream and simmer the chowder for a while.

9. Adjust the seasonings and the consistency and serve hot.

Poisson Meunière
Yield: 4 Pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Pomfret 500 gms
2. Butter 50 gms
3. Refined Flour 10 gms
4. Lemon ½ no
5. Seasonings To taste
6. Parsley Few sprigs

Method:

1. Clean the fish and cut into fillet.

2. Sprinkle over, seasoned flour.

3. Heat half butter to smoking point in a flat pan.

4. Place the fish fillet on the pan and lightly brown from both sides.

5. Remove on a hot plate and sprinkle lemon juice over it.

6. Heat the rest of the butter and pour on the cooked fish.

7. Serve hot garnished with parsley.

Pomme de Terre Château

Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Potatoes 500 gm
2. Butter 50 gm
3. Seasonings To taste

Method:

1. Select small even sized potatoes and wash.

2. Turn them into a barrel shape. (Length 2”, Diameter 1.25”, Diameter of ends ¾”)

3. Place in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, refresh immediately.

4. Toss in butter and season well.

Aubergines a la Provençal
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Aubergine 500 gm
2. Butter 60 gm
3. Tomatoes 225 gm
4. Garlic 5 gm
5. Seasonings To taste

Method:

1. Cut the eggplant into half, lengthwise.

2. Fry lightly and remove. Scoop the center and chop.

3. Prepare tomato concasse. Peel and chop garlic.

4. Heat oil in a pan add garlic, fry add the eggplant center and tomato concasse. Cook well and stuff back in the peel of the eggplant.

5. Lightly brush with butter and grill in preheated salamander for 3-4 mins.

Menu 3, 2nd Sem. JNU, Jpr

2010-02-01T16:26:00.000+05:30

Coleslaw
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Cabbage 150 gm
2. Carrots 50 gm
3. Onion 50 gm
4. Capsicum 50 gm
5. Mayonnaise Sauce 100 ml
6. Vinegar 25 ml
7. Seasonings To Taste
8. Lettuce 7-8 leaves

Method:

1. Clean and wash the vegetables.

2. Shred the cabbage and cut the rest of the vegetables into juliennes (except
Lettuce).

3. Mix the vegetables and soak them in vinegar for a while.

4. Squeeze the excess water from the vegetables.

5. Mix the vegetables along with the mayonnaise and adjust the seasonings.

6. Serve chilled on a bed of lettuce.

Purée Saint Germain

Yield : 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Green Peas 500 gm
2. White Stock 600 ml
3. Leeks 30 gm
4. Celery 20 gm
5. Mint 1 sprig
6. Seasonings To Taste
7. Butter 50 gm
8. Cream 15 ml
9. Garlic 3-4 cloves
10. Onions 15 gm

Method:

1. Wash and clean the vegetables.

2. Heat butter in a pan and add the chopped garlic and onions to it. Sauté till the onions start sweating.

3. Add the leeks and celery and cook for a while. Add the mint, green peas and cook till they become soft.

4. Add a little amount of stock and cook for a while. Remove from fire, cool and pass through a sieve.

5. Put on fire again and adjust the consistency with stock.

6. Serve hot garnished with cream and bread croutons.

Poulet Grille au Salsa de Tomate
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Chicken 850 gm
2. Oil 60 ml
3. Seasonings To Taste
4. Mustard Powder 5-10 gm
5. Rosemary A sprig
For Sauce Aurore
6. Chicken Veloute 150 ml
7. Butter 20 gm
8. Tomato Sauce 50 ml
9. Cream 50 ml
10. Egg Yolk 01 no

Method:

1. Clean and cut the chicken into Sauté Cut (8 Pieces).
2. Marinate the chicken with oil, mustard powder, rosemary and seasonings and keep overnight in a refrigerator.
3. Prepare the grill.
4. Place the Chicken pieces on the hot grill and give cross marks on both sides.
5. When done remove and serve hot with tomato salsa.
* Sauce Aurore
1. Add the tomato sauce in chicken veloute and mix properly on a stove.
2. Thicken the veloute with Liaison of cream and egg yolk. Add a dollop of butter, adjust seasonings and use as required.

Haricots Verts au Beurre
Yield : 4 Pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. French Beans 500 gm
2. Butter 60 gm
3. Seasonings To Taste

Method :

1. Wash and remove the strings of the beans.

2. Cut the beans into batons.

3. Boil water in a pan and add salt.

4. Blanch the beans in the water. Remove and refresh.

5. Heat butter in a saute pan.

6. Add the beans and the seasonings to butter.

7. Toss for a while and serve hot.

Pomme de Terre Croquets
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Potatoes 500 gm
2. Butter 15 gm
3. Seasonings To Taste
4. Milk 15ml
5. Nutmeg A Pinch
6. Egg Yolk 01 no.
7. Bread Crumbs 100 gm
8. Oil To Fry
9. Flour 20 gm

Method:

1. Wash, peel and boil the potatoes.

2. Drain, dry and pass through a sieve.

3. Add Milk, butter, egg yolk, nutmeg and seasonings to the potatoes and mix well.

4. Shape the mixture into 3 inch long cylinders.

5. Roll the potato cylinders with flour, egg wash, and breadcrumbs and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.

6. Drain the excess oil and serve hot.

Menu 2, 2nd Sem. JNU, Jpr

2010-02-01T16:25:00.000+05:30

Salade de Tomate

Yield : 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Tomatoes 250 gm
For Vinaigrette Dressing
2. Salad Oil 75 ml
3. Wine Vinegar 25 ml
4. French Mustard 2-3 gm
5. Peppercorn 2-3 no
6. Salt To taste

Method:

1. Wash, peel and thinly slice tomatoes. Keep aside.

2. Place mustard, salt, crushed pepper and vinegar in a bowl.

3. Dissolve the salt and then add the salad oil, gradually whisking till it forms an Emulsion.

4. Arrange the tomatoes on top of lettuce on a serving dish pour the vinaigrette on top and serve.

Crème de Epinard

Yield : 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Spinach 400 gm
2. Béchamel Sauce 600 ml
3. Stock 200 ml
4. Fresh Cream 50 ml
5. Butter 30 gm
6. Seasonings To Taste

Method:

1. Remove the stems of the spinach and wash it properly.

2. Take water in a pan and bring to boil. Add salt and place spinach in it for 20 sec.

3. Remove spinach and refresh it. Pass the spinach through a food processor.

4. Add the spinach puree to the Béchamel sauce and cook on slow fire for 20 mins.

5. Strain, adjust the consistency and seasonings.

6. Finish with cream and butter and serve hot garnished with cream.

Gigot de Agneau Chausser

Yield: 4 pax
Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Lamb Leg (Boneless) 1.5 Kg
2. Mustard ½ Tbsp
3. Seasonings To Taste
4. Oil 125 ml
5. Rosemary 1 sprig
6. Red Wine 15 ml
Sauce Chasseur
7. Demi Glaze 150 ml
8. White Wine 15 ml
9. Tomato Sauce 50 ml
10. Onions 10 gm
11. Tomato concasse 200 gm
12. Fine Herbs 5 gm
13. Mushrooms 50 gm
14. Brandy 75 ml

Method:

1. Clean, wash and de-bone the lamb leg.

2. Prepare the leg for roasting and marinate with Mustard, seasonings, rosemary, red wine and little oil. Keep in refrigerator overnight.

3. Remove the lamb and roast in oven till it is cooked, basting with oil as required.

4. Take the drippings from the lamb and add the demi glaze. Carve the lamb leg into slices and serve hot with Chausser sauce

For Chasseur Sauce

5. Heat oil in a pan and slightly sauté onions and Mushrooms.

6. Add the white wine, brandy, tomato sauce, tomato concasse and reduce till half. Add the demi glaze and fine herbs and adjust the seasonings.

7. Use as required.

Carotte Vichy
(Glazed Carrots)
Yield : 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Carrots 500 gm
2. Butter 25 gm
3. Salt 5 gm
4. Sugar 12 gm

Method :

1. Cut the carrots in roundles.

2. Take a saute pan and place it of fire.

3. To it add water, sugar and salt.

4. Bring to a boil and add the carrots.

5. Cook till the water is evaporated and the carrots cooked.

6. Serve hot.

Pomme de Terre Persils
Yield : 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Potatoes (Baby) 500 gm
2. Butter 45 gm
3. Chopped Parsley 10 gm
4. Seasonings To Taste

Method :

1. Wash and peel the baby potatoes.

2. Heat water in a pan, add salt and add the potatoes.

3. Check whether the potatoes are cooked (Take a sharp knife and insert the tip of the knife in the potatoes, if it goes inside without any resistance the potatoes are done).

4. When cooked remove from water and let them drain.

5. Heat butter in a frying pan and add the potatoes to it.

6. Adjust seasonings and add the chopped parsley to the above.

7. Toss and serve hot.

Menu 1 2nd Semester, JNU, Jaipur

2010-02-01T16:22:00.000+05:30

Crème de Tomate

Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Vegetable Stock 1 lt.
2. Mirepoix 120 gm
3. Bouquet Garni 1 no.
4. Tomatoes 750 gm
5. Flour 60 gm
6. Butter 60 gm
7. Cream 50 ml
8. Bread Slices 4 no.
9. Seasonings To Taste

Method:

1. Heat butter in a saucepan.

2. Add the mirepoix and cook till onions sweat.

3. Add the flour and cook it for a while.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes to the above and cook for a while.

5. Add the stock, bring to boil and remove the scum.

6. Add the bouquet garni and simmer for an hour.

7. Remove from fire and pass through a food processor. Strain.

8. Make croutons from the bread.

9. Adjust the seasonings and consistency.

10. Serve hot garnished with cream and bread croutons.

Note: The soup can also be made by making white sauce separately and then
mixing it to the puree of tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients.

Poisson Bonne Femme
Yield : 4 pax
Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Fish Fillets 800 gm
2. Shallots 30 gms
3. Mushrooms 180 gms
4. White wine 125 ml
5. Fish Veloute 125 ml
6. Lime 1 no.
7. Parsley ½ bunchs
8. Fish Stock 125 ml
9. Egg yolk 1 no.
10. Cream 125 ml
11. Butter 120 gm
12. Vinegar 20 ml
13. Seasonings to taste

Method :

1. Clean the fish and remove the fillets.

2. Grease fish pan, sprinkle with chopped shallots and sliced mushrooms. Lay fish fillet on top of it and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

3. Add fish stock, white wine, lemon juice and seasonings.

4. Cook covered for around 10 mins.

5. Remove the fish fillet from the cooking liquid. Strain the cooking liquid and reduce to half.

6. Add the fish veloute and the liaison and reduce (Do not boil the sauce after adding the liaison).

7. Coat the fish fillets with the sauce and serve hot garnished with chopped parsley.

Macédoine De Legumes
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Carrots 200 gm
2. Turnip 200 gm
3. French Beans 200 gm
4. Green Peas 400 gm
5. Butter 50 gm
6. Seasonings to taste

Method:

1. Peel and wash vegetables.

2. Cut vegetables into macédoine (except green peas). Shell the green peas.

3. Heat butter in a pan and sauté the vegetables till done. Remove and serve hot.

Pommes de Terre Lyonnaise
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No. Ingredients Quantity
1. Potato 450 gm
2. Onion 115 gm
3. Parsley few sprigs
4. Seasonings to taste
5. Butter 30 gm

Method :

1. Boil potatoes, peel and cut into roundels.

2. Slice onions, fry till golden brown. Keep aside.

3. Toss potato slices in butter.

4. Add onion and mix well. Adjust seasonings.

5. Remove and serve garnished with parsley

Food and Wine matching

2009-08-21T14:28:00.001+05:30

Wine : Defining it…
A natural beverage
Made from grape juice or "must". (Picking, sorting and crushing.)
By the process of fermentation.
(Sugar + H2O +O2 yeast Alcohol + CO2)
"Élevage" - Maturing or Aging.
Bottling.
Classification of Wines
Classification of Wines
Classification of Wines
Classification of Wines
Classification of Wines
Classification of Wines
Classification of Wines
Classification of Wines
Some Differences
Other Wines
Rosé wines : Limited Maceration.
Sparkling wines: Second fermentation in bottle.
Fortified wines : Addition of alcohol to stop fermentation.
Liqueur wines : Selective harvest of extremely mature grapes or of grapes having attained Noble Rot or Pourriture Noble.
Organic wines, Kosher wines.
Flavoured wines : ???
Old World Vs. New World
Factors for a ‘Good Wine’
Nothing as good or bad wine.
The vine (like a woman) must be made to suffer!
Terroir.
Summation of all factors geographic, climatic, topographic and the viticulture and vinification practices.
Chardonnay
Light coloured wines, but can take on an exquisite golden hue when oak-matured.
Citrus notes, Butter notes if oak-aged.
Un-oaked versions are rare and less in demand. Refreshing.
Sauvignon Blanc
Lightly coloured wine. The more serious stuff is from Bordeaux and the Loire valley. Wines are more on aroma and ease to drink.
Grapefruit, White flowers, Vegetative, Peach, Figs. More famous in its oak-aged, smoked version called Fumé Blanc
Generally a simple young drinking wine, sometimes marked for its acidity.
Semillon
More shaded than Sauvignon Blanc.
Mild nose of Acacia, Honey, Lime.
Famed for its Sauternes incarnation. And for blends.
Gamay
Probably the lightest coloured red wines. Light garnet shades.
English toffee or Banana.
ALL Beaujolais.
Grenache
Light ruby robe.
Raw berry aromas.
One of the most widely planted grapes in the world.
Pinot Noir
Bright ruby shades with translucent robe, not very deep
Cherry, Jammy smell, Wet Earth.
Burgundy.
Sangiovese
Intense ruby shade.
Typical Black Cherries aromas.
Chianti : When contains some Cannaiolo and Mamolo a typical Violet nose can be found. A slightly bitter finish.
Syrah
Displays a sombre shade when young and evolves to orange shades via brick red tones.
A nose comprising Raspberry, Aniseed, Spices, Truffles, Animal smells similar to a Foxy smell, New/Old Leather
Moderate tannins and acidity.
Cabernet Sauvignon
In youth a deep, dark, sombre near purple robe which gives way to brown, orange & amber hues.
Bell Peppers, Aniseed, Black Currant, Smoked aroma or vanilla hints if oak-aged
Clarets.
Wine & Food Pairing
Wine & Food
Key Objectives:
Harmony (Marriage)
Contrast (Battle)
Refreshing Sensation (Co-existence)

Factors in Food
Visual appeal: Consistency, Aspect, Colour.
Olfactory appeal: Intensity, Aromas, Notes.
Tactile appeal: Texture, Temperature, Retro-olfaction, Taste (salty, sweet, acidic, bitter)

Factors in Food
Cooking style:
Dry (Roasted, Grilled, Baked) or Moist (Boiled,
Poached, Steamed)
Physical transformation
(Minced, Diced, Soft, Mashed, Mixed)
Accompanying sauces and side-dishes.
Condiments, herbs & seasonings.
(Ginger, Cumin, Cinnamon, Bay-leaf, Curry-leaf,
Thyme, Peppercorn, Salt, Mustard)
Factors in Wine
Visual Aspect
Olfactory Aspect
Tactile Aspect
Retrolfaction and Aromatic Persistence (Caudalie).
Very Important!
Wine should be seen as an ingredient and not just as an accompaniment.
Some dishes may need a little "readjustment" to suit a wine/wines better.
Some Principles
Horizontal Pairing: Making sure that the food and the wine complement the flavours in each other.

Vertical Pairing: To ensure that each succeeding wine will deliver a greater, more complex sensation on the palate.
Some Principles
Wine used in cooking a dish must be also served with the food on the table.
Regional pairings are a good idea.
Dry before sweet.
Whites before Reds
Light before heavy.
Young before old.
Good wines before better wines!
Some Principles
Salty, less oily foods need a sharp, acidic wine.
Salty, high-acid foods need a wine rich in alcohol and tannins.
Dry wines with sweet food will appear too acid on the palate.
Sweet wines work very well with fat-rich foods.
Some Principles
Tannins in red wines combine with the proteins in foods (meats, sauces) and make the wine less astringent.
With sweet dishes, the astringency of tannic wines becomes more pronounced and thus disturbing.
Soups and Egg dishes need not be paired.
Piccinardi Method
The Piccinardi sheet considers
5 Characteristics of food
Aromas, Fat, Structure, Reduction, Concentration and Degree of sweetness.
5 Characteristics of wine
Aromas, Capacity to absorb grease (Tannins), Structure, Age, Degree of sweetness.
Key Points
Imagine, explore and experiment …don’t fantasize!
Always consider from two view-points – yours and the clients.
Don’t be prejudiced. Even the bizarre is sometimes possible …and enjoyable!
Understanding our Wine List
Defining Dry.
Sensation of lack of moistness
No saliva in the mouth. Stress on the glands.
Refreshing and appetizing.
Eg. Iced Tea, Nimbu Paani.
Defining Fruity
Sensation of having eaten fruits in the recent past.
Tropical, Dried, Stone, Citrus, White, Berry, …large range to choose from!
Defining Oak
Becomes apparent through a burnt, toasty smell.
Golden hues in young white wines and orange tinges in young red wines indicate oak ageing.

Defining Floral
Belonging or pertaining to the floral kingdom.
Vegetative smells (freshly cut grass, bamboo, wood) are not floral.
White (Acacia, Jasmine, white rose).
Dark (Violets, Roses).
Honey is also a floral note.
Defining Mineral
Leaves a metallic after-taste
Hard water. Presence of Ca, Na and Mg salts.
Chablis – best example.
Some Points
Oak-ageing takes away freshness and fruitiness from a wine.
Oak imparts creamy, toast & vanilla notes.
Oak helps wine live better and mellows it by a few degrees.
Such wines marry well with the "Tandoor".
Some Points
Fruity flavours die faster in wines on storage.
As a wine ages, ripe fruit flavours give way to dried fruit flavours.
Such wines marry well with our "Subzis".
Pronunciations: Some Tips
French
"CH" is pronounced as "SH". E.g. Chablis, Château.
"LL" is pronounced as a "Y". E.g. Paulliac, Cadillac.
"J" is pronounced as "AS" in Asian. E.g. Jour, Joie.
French
"GN" is pronounced as a compressed "NY" as in onion. E.g. Sauvignon, Champagne, Bourgogne.
"IN" is pronounced as "AN" as in fan. E.g. Taittinger, Bollinger, Vintage (In English, it may be alternatively pronounced as rhyming with age.)
French
"OI" is pronounced as "OA" as in Goa. E.g. Terroir, Pinot Noir.
As a general rule, last letters are silent. E.g. Blanc, Bordeaux. (Popular Exceptions: Moët & Chandon, Hennessy, Krug, Languedoc, and Petrus.)
Italian
"CH" is pronounced as "K". E.g. Chianti.
"CI" is pronounced as "CHI". E.g. Montepulciano, Montalcino, Ciao.
"CE" is pronounced as "CHE". E.g. Cenci.
Italian
"GE" is pronounced as "JE" as in general. E.g. Gelato.
"GI" is pronounced as "JI" as in gist. E.g. Giovanni.
As a general rule, all that is written is pronounced.
Spanish
The "~" accent lends the sound of a compressed "NY". E.g. Los Niños.
When two vowels appear together, they are pronounced together. E.g. Reina.
Spanish
"GUE" is pronounced as "GE" as in get. E.g. Miguel.
"GUI" is pronounced as "GI" as in give. E.g. Guia.
That apart, what’s written is pronounced.

Food and Wine matching

2009-08-21T14:28:00.000+05:30

Charcuterie

2009-08-21T14:11:00.000+05:30

FORCEMEATS
Ground seasoned mixture of cooked or uncooked meat, game, poultry, fish or vegetables, which is combined with fat and seasonings and then bound by process of emulsification or the addition of other binders.
It can be prepared as a dish on its own or used to stuff other numerous items such as eggs, meat, fish, poultry, pastry shells and even pastas.

The word Forcemeat is derived from the Latin word FARCIRE meaning to fill or stuff.
Used as a primary ingredient in the preparation of various dishes such as pate’s, terrines, galantines, ballotines, quenelles, roulades, mousses and mousseline.
Pate originates from the French word Pate meaning pate
Terrine comes from the Latin word Terra meaning Earth
Galantine from French word Galant meaning gorgeous or showy
Ballotine from Italian Balla meaning ball

Quenelle from old French Knodel meaning dumpling
Roulade from French Rouler meaning to roll
Mousse means Froth in French
Types

The seasoning of a "Country" style forcemeat is traditionally more intense and a panada is also used.

COMPONENTS
Meat
Pork
Lamb
Beef
Veal
Poultry
Game
Fish
COMPONENTS
Pork; has been most commonly used because of it neutral flavor, lower cost, and its ability for water retention
Poultry; is relatively inexpensive and mildly flavored. Used most often in Mousseline-style forcemeats.
COMPONENTS
The functions of meat as the major component are extremely important to the production of the forcemeat.
COMPONENTS
COMPONENTS
COMPONENTS
Fat contributes flavor, binding power and texture to forcemeats. Type of fat used depends on formula in use.
Pork fat; fat back and jowl fat, is considered the best because of
neutral flavor,
purity,
melting point
and smoothness.
Panada
A paste prepared from flour, bread, rice, potatoes and pate choux.

Sausages
Definition-
A coarse or finely comminuted meat product prepared from one or more kind of meat or meat products, containing various amount of water, seasonings etc, and wrapped/ filled in a casing.
In simpler terms , sausage is ground meat that has been salted for preservation, seasoned to taste and wrapped in a casing.
Sausages are one of the oldest forms of charcuterie and are made all over the world in some form or the other. There are around 1500 varieties of sausages world wide.
Parts of Sausages
The Casing

The Filling
The Casings
Holds meat intact
Contributes on mouth feel
Appearance
TYPES of CASINGS
Natural
Collagen
Fibrous Cellulose
Protein Lined fibrous cellulose
Natural Casings
Made from intestines of animals such as:
Hogs (most commonly used)
Pigs
Cattle
Sheep (of the highest quality)
Advantages
Semi porous and permit deeper smoke penetration
Absorb flavours and release fat better
Hold shape better and do not burst during cooking
Edible and need not be peeled before eating.
Contributes to better texture
Processing of Intestines
Rinsing with cold water
Removal of external sinew, blood vessels and fat.
Rinsing and removal of water
Soaking in disinfectant solution at 10ºC for 02 hours (KMNO4)
Drain and rinse
Store in glass jars and cover with brine at 2-6ºC
Avoid use of metallic utensils.
Never handle wit bare hands
If spoilage starts (i.e. intestines starts turning slightly brownish) repeat the above process.

Collagen Casings
They are made from the HIDE of cattle.
Collagen is obtained from the corium layer that is situated just under the skin of the animal.
These are edible and not synthetic.
Processing
The fat, flesh and hair from the hide are removed and is split into two layers. (The hair side and the corium side)
The corium side is used for sausage making.
The material is first ground and then swelled in an acidic medium.
It is then sieved, filtered and finally extruded into casings.
Advantages
Can be manufactured in various sizes and shapes.
They have a consistent diameter.
Portion control is facilitated.
Stronger and are hence more useful in the commercial production of sausages.
Ideal for smoking
Easy to store
More Hygienic
Fibrous Cellulose Casings
By products of Food Processing industry.
Cellulose and fiber is extracted from husk, skin, peels, pips and seeds of the fruits and vegetables during the processing stage.
Also referred to as Peel able Cellulose.
Advantages
Can be manufactured in various sizes and shapes.
They have a consistent diameter.
Portion control is facilitated.
Stronger and are hence more useful in the commercial production of sausages.
Easy to store
More Hygienic
Can handle high temperatures.
Protein Lined Fibrous Cellulose Casings
A protein line is added to the fibrous cellulose casing.
Which helps the casing to shrink as the meat is cooked or dried so that the shape of sausage is retained.
These need to be soaked in water before stuffing. Some times it is required to be soaked in Liquid smoke before it is used.
Available in Red colour and transparent.
The Filling
The filling of the sausages is divided into two parts:
The meat components
The Non- meat components
Meat Components
A variety of meat components are used for making sausages. Each type provides a particular flavour, texture and colour to the product. The meat components used are as under:
Lean Meat
Pork fat
Offal's
Lean Meat
Makes up the largest proportion of the meat component.
Provides the dominant character of the product.
Determines the colour, flavour, texture and appearance.
Pork Fat
Adds to the taste, flavour, and texture of forcemeat.
Jowl Fat is the most commonly used.
Normally not more than 30% of the forcemeat is fat.
Offal’s
Offal’s used include heart, kidney, tripe, liver, pancreas and tongue.
These have a low binding quality hence have to be used in limited quantity. If used in large amounts additional binders will be required in the mixture.
Non Meat Components
A variety of non meat components are used for making sausages.
Each type provides a particular flavour, texture and colour to the product
Reduces or retards bacterial growth
Acts as preservative
Increases the bulk and the volume of the product.
The non meat components used are as under:
Water
Curing Agents
Curing accelerators
Sensory Enhancers
Flavourings
Extenders and binders

Water
Usually added to the mixture during the blending stage.
Improves the mixing
Helps to extract the proteins from the meat.
Used in all sausage mixtures
Curing agents
Inhibits the growth of Bacteria (esp. clostridium botulinum)
Improves shelf life
Helps to improve, fix and retain the colour of forcemeat
Sodium Nitrite (Improves colour and is used with cooked and smoked products)
Sodium Nitrate (Used with dried sausages)
Curing Accelerators
Speed up the curing process
Commonly used are:
Ascorbic acid (Ascorbic acid and its sodium, potassium, and calcium salts are commonly used as antioxidant food additives. These compounds are water-soluble and thus cannot protect fats from oxidation: For this purpose, the fat-soluble esters of ascorbic acid with long-chain fatty acids (ascorbyl palmitate or ascorbyl stearate) can be used as food antioxidants. The relevant E numbers is E300)
Citric acid (As a food additive, citric acid is used as a flavoring and preservative in food and beverages, especially soft drinks. It is denoted by E number E330. Citrate salts of various metals are used to deliver those minerals in a biologically available form in many dietary supplements. The buffering properties of citrates are used to control pH )

Sodium erythorbate (Chemically, it is the sodium salt of erythorbic acid. When used in processed meat such as hot dogs and beef sticks, it reduces the rate at which nitrate reduces to nitric oxide, thus retaining the pink coloring. As an antioxidant structurally related to vitamin C, it helps improve flavor stability and prevents the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines. When used as a food additive, its E number is E316. )
Sensory Enhancers
These enhance the flavour, smell, colour, feel and mouth feel.
Salt- helps in curing and preservation and also in extraction of proteins from the meat.
Sweeteners (nutritive and non-nutritive)
Nutritive- Cane and beet sugar, dextrose, corn syrup etc.
Non- nutritive- saccharin, sorbitol etc
Flavouring
Spices
Herbs
Vegetables
Mustard
Smoke (Liquid and Gaseous)
Colours
Extenders and Binders
Animal Based
Gelatin, stocks, fat, dry milk etc.
Fermentation based
Micro organism cultures
Cereal and Grain based
Oats, wheat, barley, corn etc.
Types of Fillings
Coarse Minced Forcemeat
3 parts of meat to 1 part of pork fat
Best quality meat to be used
Cutter Pulverized Forcemeat
5 parts of meat to 1 part of pork fat
Second grade meat can be used
Forcemeat is ground very fine.
Combination Forcemeats
Mixture of the above two types in the ratio of 1:2 respectively
Chunky Forcemeats
Meat and fat are left in chunks
3 parts of meat to 1 part of pork fat
Sausage Making
Preparing meat for dicing.
Diced meat, fat and seasonings
Grinding meat with seasonings
Preparing the casings
Stuffing forcemeat in casings
Ready Sausages
Most Famous Sausages
Andouillette is a course-grained smoked tripe sausage made with pork, -(but some versions using calf)-, chitterlings, pepper, wine, onions, and seasonings. Andouillette sausage is a smaller version of Andouille sausage, generally smaller than one inch in diameter. It is produced both as a mild sausage (French in origin) and as a spicier, Cajun version (derived from French influence)
Berliner
A sausage from Berlin made of pork and beef and only flavoured with salt and sugar.
Biershinken
A German sausage containing ham , ham fat, peppercorns and pistachios.
Bierwurst
Literally means Beer sausage
Made with pork fat, heart and beef and flavoured with mustard, garlic and nutmeg.
Is dried and smoked.
Black Pudding/ Blood Sausage
Sausages in which blood of pig and cattle is used.
It contains meat, fat, suet, bread, sweet potato, barley and oatmeal.
Also termed as Morcilla, Boudin noir, Lancashire pudding
Bockwurst
A delicately flavoured, highly perishable German white sausage consisting of fresh pork and veal, chopped chives, parsley, egg and milk.
Invented in 1889 by restaurant owner R. Scholtz of Berlin.
Bologna
Originated from a slang word BALONEY, meaning "nonsense".
a finely hashed/ground pork sausage containing cubes of lard that originated in the Italian city of Bologna. Sometimes beef is also added into it.
Resembles Mortedella and the English Sausage POLONY.
Boudin Blanc
A fresh sausage made of pork, egg, cream and seasonings.
Bratwurst
Originates from the German word brätwurst, where brät means - which is fine chopped meat and -wurst, sausage.
Chorizo
A fermented cured smoked sausage made of pork.
Usually sliced and eaten without cooking. Spanish chorizo and Portuguese chouriço get their distinctive smokiness and deep red color from dried smoked red peppers.
Crepinette
A crépinette is a small, flattened sausage made of minced or ground pork, lamb, veal, or chicken, wrapped in caul fat. Usually breaded and sautéed in butter. Occasionally made with truffles.
Cumberland Sausage
Cumberland sausages are a type of traditional sausage that originated in the ancient county of Cumberland, England, now part of Cumbria. They are usually very long (up to 50cm).
Prepared from coarsley ground pork with a dominating flavour of peppercorns.
Frankfurter
a type of fully cooked, cured and/or smoked moist sausage of soft, even texture and flavor.
A finely ground pork sausage flavoured with paprika and seasonings.
Originated in the German town of Frankfurt in 1480 A.D.
Length- 6 inches
Haggis
A traditional Scottish dish.
Made from sheep's offals, onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours.
Liverwurst/ Leberwurst
Literally meaning Liver sausage.
The sausage is usually made with pork and only about 10-20% of the sausage is actually pork liver.
Other ingredients used are fat and spices such as ground black pepper, marjoram, allspice, thyme, ground mustard or nutmeg.
German.
Mortedella
A large Italian sausage or cold cut made of finely hashed/ground pork which incorporates at least 15% small cubes of pork fat (principally the hard fat from the neck of the pig). It is delicately flavored with spices, including whole or ground black pepper, nutmeg, coriander and pistachios.
Oxford Sausage
An English sausage consisting of veal, pork, beef suet (and sometimes lamb), herbs and spices.
Generally consumed during breakfast.
Pepperoni
Pepperoni is a spicy Italian sausage made from cured and fermented pork and beef.
Salami
Salami is cured sausage, fermented and air-dried. Historically, salami has been popular among Italian peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for periods of up to a year.
A traditional salame, with its typical marbled appearance, is made from one or more of the following meats:
Pork, chopped beef, venison, poultry, horse, lamb.
Additional ingredients may include:
minced fat, wine, wheat, corn starch, salt and various herbs and spices.
Processing
The raw meat mixture is usually allowed to ferment for a day and then the mixture is either stuffed into an edible natural or non-edible artificial casing and hung to cure. The casings are often treated with an edible mold (Penicillium) culture as well. The mold is desired as it imparts flavor and prevents spoilage during the curing process. Most salami have the mold or the casing removed before being sold.
Toulouse
This exquisite French sausage is usually made with pork, smoked bacon, wine, and garlic. It's a great sausage for a cassoulet. Cook it before serving.
Pate and Terrine
Pate and Terrine are one of the most delecate food preparations which are flavoured with fresh herbs and aromatic spices. These can be basic or fancy, inexpensive or expensive and can be prepared in many shapes and sizes.
Pate
The term pate strictly refers to forcemeat cooked in a pastry case.
It is usually rectangular in shape.
The crust is termed as pate a pate (Flaky and puff pastries can be used for the pastry case along with brioche dough)
Types of Pate:
Pate en Croute
Pate Pantin
Pate en Terrine
Pate en Croute
A rich meat, game or fish mixture cooked in pastry crust and served hot or cold.
A rectangular mold is used which has collapsable sides.
Pate en Pantin
A variety of the above with a rectangular or oblong shape. No Mould is used.
Pate en Terrine
Pate en Croute when translated to English means PIE
Cooking Pate
The cooking of pate takes place in two stages:
Browning Stage: Cook the pate (covered) in the oven for 10 minutes at a temperature of 475ºF. Remove and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Cooking Stage: Cook in oven (Uncovered) at 375ºF till the internal temperature reaches 170ºF.
Remember to make chimney for the escape of steam from the pate.
Finishing a Pate
When cooked the pate must be filled with ASPIC as soon as it attains room temperature.
Chill the pate for 12-24 hours before slicing.
If served hot the pate should be served immediately after cooking.
Pate en Terrine (TERRINE)
Pate en terrine is also termed as Terrine.
Terrine comes from the word terra meaning earth.
Terrines are prepared in earthern moulds or ceramic moulds and served in the same.
The casing is not of pastry but instead it is lined with bacon or fat/ lard.
The forcemeat used is more coarse than pate.
Are always covered and cooked and served cold.
Cooking Terrine
Assemble water bath and pre heat in oven till the temperature of water reaches 190ºF and the temp. of the oven should be 325ºF.
Cook the terrine in the above till the internal temperature reaches 140ºF.
Remove and cool for 30 minutes.
A terrine should be pressed after it is cooked.
It is then refrigerated overnight before slicing.
If terrines are to be kept for a longer duration of time then cover with melted butter.
Avoid Freezing Pates and terrines.

Galantine
Comes from the word galant meaning elegant.
It is a preparation generally made from poultry or game consisting of forcemeat prepared from its own meat, wrapped in its skin, tied and almost always poached in a gelatinous stock.

Ballotine
Comes from the word ballot meaning bundle.
It is a preparation generally made from poultry or game consisting of forcemeat prepared from its own meat, wrapped in its skin and shaped like a bundle.
Generally boneless legs of poultry are used for it.
Are generally baked or braised.
Mousse & Mousseline
The terms mousse and mousseline are often used interchangeably and confused with each other.
Mousse
The Mousse can be defined as a mixture of cooked ingredients, pureed and held together with gelatin, veloute sauce, mayonnaise or aspic jelly, then enriched with cream and at times flavoured with wine.
The mousse is always served cold.
Mousseline
It is made out of combination of uncooked meat that are pureed and bound with egg white and cream.
Can be served hot or cold.
Smaller portions as compared to mousse.
Quenelles
A quenelle is mixture of creamed fish, chicken, or meat, sometimes combined with breadcrumbs, with a light egg binding.
It is usually poached.
Can be served as a garnish as well as a dish in itself.
Aspic, Aspic Jelly and Gelee
Aspic
A way of presenting cold cooked food by setting it in a moulded and decorated aspic jelly.
Derived from the Greek word aspis meaning Shield.
Aspic Jelly
A clear savoury jelly prepared from white or brown stock.
Gelatin may be added if the stock is not gelatinous.
Uses
Coating show pieces
To fill air cavities in pates and gallantines etc.
To glaze cold products
Used for garnishing etc.
Gelee
Gelee or Jelly in English means a gelatinous meat or fish stock.
A gelee becomes Aspic Jelly when clarified.
Uses
Used to enrich soups sauses and gravies
Used to prepare aspic jelly etc.
Chaud Froid
Chaud Froid when literally translated to English means HOT and Cold.
This refers to a sauce which is prepared hot and served cold.
The high gelatin content of the sauce makes it to set after cooling down.
Never used as an accompaniment and is never used to cook the product.
The sauces generally used are Bechamel and Veloute.
Uses
Gives a smooth and shiny surface.
Protects the product from drying out on the buffet.
Acts as a background for decorations.
Compliments the flavour of the coated food.
Points to be taken care of
The flavour of the chaud froid should compliment the dish.
It should melt in the mouth and should have a silky texture.
It can be prepared in various colours but avoid use of artificial colours.
The appearance should be neat, smooth, shiny and free from air bubbles.
The thickness of the coating should not be more than 3/16 inch and of the glaze 1/8 inch.
Marinades, Cures and Brines
Marinades
A marinade is a seasoned cooked or uncooked liquid with various aromats in which meat, poultry, fish, game and even vegetables are steeped. Marinades consist of the following components:
Oil: Oil used for marinades can be olive, peanut, salad or refined. Flavoured oils such as garlic oil, chilli oil and herb infused oil can also be used. The oil in the marinade helps to prevent moisture loss.
Acid: Acids like citric acid, citrus fruit juice, vinegar (Plain or flavoured), yoghurt, red and white wine etc. are used in marinades. These help in tenderizing meats and enhance better penetration of aromats.
Aromats: These contribute to the flavour and aroma of the marinated food product. Aromats like herbs, spices, proprietory sauces etc are used for same.
Seasonoings: Like salt, sea salt, black salt, garlic salt, rock salt etc are used.
Major Functions
To add flavour and taste to the food.
To act as tenderizer and to mellow the connective tissues.
To act as Preservative.
Duration of Marination
The length of time for marination depends on several factors, such as:
The type and cut of meat or food stuff.
The size of the item.
The temperature. Food marinates best at room temperature however refrigeration is considered safe due to microbial growth.
During winters large cuts of meat can be left in the marinade for 5-6 days
In summers they should not be marinated more than 48 hours.
When the marinade is used for its preserving effect, the food should be completely submerged and not removed untill required.
Types of Marinade
Cooked

Uncooked

Refer Larder chef for recepies of basic marinades
Cooked Marinades
As the name suggests, the ingredients used for this are cooked together first and then used for marination.
The marination should be cooled completely before use.
Cooking allows the aromats to release their full flavour.
Has a longer shelf life.
Mainly used to marinate large joints of meat.
Uncooked Marinades
These are at times also termed as instant marinades.In this the ingredients are not cooked and mixed together only.
The release of flavour is slow as compared to cooked ones but the tenderizing process is faster due to high acid content.
The quantity of aromates used is more.
Best suited for fish, poultry and vegetables.
Cures
Curing is a process of surrounding meat, fish, game or poultry with salt, sugar, nitrates or nitrite. This helps in dehydrating the meat and hence retards microbial growth.
It also refers to various food preservation and flavoring processes, especially of meat or fish.
Concentrations of salt up to 20% are required to kill most species of unwanted bacteria.
Many curing processes also involve smoking.
Curing agents
Salt
It consists of 94% table salt and 6% of Sodium Nitrate/ nitrite or Potassium Nitrate/ nitrite.
Salt Petre
It is alos known as potassium nitrate and reacts with colour pigments in meat to give pink colour.
Sugar
Reduces strong flavour of salt, lowers the pH and enhances flavour and taste.
Anti Oxidants and other chemical preservatives
Types of Curing
Dry
In this process the cures are directly applied on the surface of food by rubbing it. It is a prolonged process and the cure needs more time to penetrate. When ready the excess cure is rinsed off.
Wet curing
In this the curing salts are added to a water and hence resulting in BRINE formation. This process is much shorter due to osmosis and penetration is more faster.
Brine
is water saturated or nearly saturated with a salt.
Salt concentration is nearly 25%.
Brining can be achieved by any of the following:
Steeping
Injecting
Spraying
Steeping
In this the food is completely immersed in the brine solution for a period of time.
The food should be turned over occasionally to achive even brining.
Injecting
Injecting involves the use of brine pump wherein the brine is injected directly into the muscle fiber.
Reduced time.
Spraying
Spray brining is when the brine solution is sprayed by injection at several points in the muscle at the same time.
Even faster than injecting.
Salting and Pickling Brine
Meat contains around 75% water in the form of inter and intra cellular liquids distributed all over the tissues. These liquids contain several substances such as minerals, salts, proteins, amino acids and lactic acids.
When meat is exposed to brine, osmotic exchange happen between meat and the brine. The meat absorbs brine and brine receives some of the meat liquids.
pH in meats
Low pH
Ideal for uncooked meats
Helps in colour retention
High pH
Ideal for cooked meats and meat products
Gives darker colour
Sugar in brines
Enhances taste
Acts as meat tenderizer
Encourages the growth of Lactobacillus which further retards the growth of other harmful bacteria which may increase the acidic level of the food.
Bacon
Bacon is a cut of meat taken from the sides, belly, or back of a pig, then cured, smoked, or both.
Cuts of bacon
Streaky bacon comes from the belly of a pig. It is very fatty with long veins of fat running parallel to the rind. Pancetta is Italian streaky bacon, smoked or green (unsmoked), with a strong flavor.

Back bacon comes from the loin in the middle of the back of the pig. It is a lean meaty cut of bacon, with relatively less fat compared to other cuts and has a ham-like texture and flavour. Also called Irish bacon or Canadian Bacon.

Middle bacon is much like back bacon but is cheaper and somewhat fattier, with a richer flavor.
Cottage bacon is thinly sliced lean pork meat from a shoulder cut that is typically oval shaped and meaty. It is cured and then sliced into round pieces for baking or frying.

Jowl bacon is cured and smoked cheeks of pork
HAM (Jambon)
Ham is always the hind leg of pork and is cut rather long into the loin to give a BANJO shape.
Ham can be dry-cured or wet-cured.

On the butt end of the ham, insert the knife into the flesh on the right side of the visible aitch bone. Cut in about 3/4 inch to free the flesh from that side of the bone
Cut around the top of the bone and down the left side, keeping the blade parallel to the bone surface. As you work, pull the flesh gently back from the bone.
When you have cut completely around the bone, deepen the cut and pull back the flesh to expose the joint that connects the aitch bone to the leg bone.
Grasp the aitch bone and twist it to loosen it in it's socket and expose the cartilage at the base of the joint. Cut through the cartilage and pull out the aitch bone.
Deboning Ham
Dry
A dry-cured ham has been rubbed in a mixture containing salt and a variety of other ingredients (usually sodium nitrate and nitrite).
This is followed by a varying period of drying and aging. Dry-cured hams may require a period of re-hydration prior to consumption.
Some ham curing methods begin with the ham being wet but are followed by dry aging.
Wet
A wet-cured ham has been cured with a brine, either by immersion or injection. The curing solution typically contain salt, sodium nitrate, smoke flavoring as well as other additives.
Wet cured hams typically are sold packaged with their curing brine.
Wet cured ham is often commonly sold in tins or 'cans' for preservation.
Types of Ham
Jambon d’ Amérique
American hams are of the green types and cured in brine with the addition of molasses which makes them sweet.
Suitable for boiling, braising and baking.
Can be served hot or cold.
Jambon d’ Angleterre
English hams are generally wet cured, with addition of black treacle which together with smoking gives the ham a very dark colour.
E.g. York Ham
Jambon de Bohéme
Of the Czechoslovakian hams, the Jambon de Parague is the most famous.
Cured, smoked and dried.
Usually eaten raw but can be sautéd and served with egg dishes.
Its appearance and flavour is similar to the raw German hams.
Jambon Danois
With the Danish hams, curing starts while the pigs are alive i.e. they are fed on a special diet.
Wet cured. Served hot or cold.
Smoked or green.
Have a very fine meat grain and hence suitable for boiling, braising and baking.
Jambon Français
In France there is a lot of variation in hams in accordance to the regional cuisine. The most famous ones are:
Jambon de Champagne
Jambon de Bayonne
Jambon de Toulouse
Jambon de Paris
Jambon Blanc Jambon Glacé
Jambon Demi- Sel
Jambon de Champagne
A ham, slightly sweeter in cure than the other French hams.
Well smoked and served raw.
Can be sauted and served with egg dishes.
Used as garnish for various sauces and stews.
Should not be boiled.
Jambon de Bayonne
A dried- cured and smoked ham. Usually served raw in thin slices.
Can be sauted and served with egg dishes.
Used as garnish for various sauces and stews.
Should not be boiled.
Jambon de Toulouse
This ham is cured and dried and at times smoked also.
Can be used in cooking but usually eaten raw.
Should not be boiled.
Jambon de Paris, Jambon Blanc, Jambon Demi- Sel
These three hams are same type and are usually green.
In certain cases may be found slightly smaoked and sweet in flavour.
Best suited for boiling but in cases may be braised and baked.
These are also known as Jambon Glacé
Jambon d’ Allemagne
Like in France, Germany also has numerous varieties of hams. The following are the most famous:
Gothaer Schinken
Hamburger Schinken
Stuttgarter Schinken
Mainzer Schinken
Westphalian Schinken
Schwarzwälder Schinken
Gothaer Schinken, Hamburger Schinken, Stuttgarter Schinken
These three hams from Germany can be eaten raw but are generally boiled braised or baked.
Served hot or cold.
Mainzer Schinken, Westphalian Schinken, Schwarzwälder Schinken
These three hams are always eaten raw.
Jambon d’Italie
There are a number of Italian hams of which the Jambon de Parme (Parma Ham) is the most famous.
The Parma ham is cured and hung to dry for several months and served raw.
It has a slightly nutty flavor from the Parmigiano Reggiano whey that is sometimes added to the pigs' diet.
It is best served with melons, eggs and pasta dishes.

The other Italian hams are
Prosciutto di Modena
Prosciutto Veneto
Prosciutto di Carpegna
Prosciutto di Norcia,
Prosciutto Toscano,
Prosciutto crudo di San Daniele
Jambon d’Espagne
The Spanish hams are usually mild in cure, with delicate flavour and are smoked and dried.
All Spanish hams can be boiled, braised and baked.
Best known ham is Jambon de Asturias
Gammon
A gammon is always the hind leg of a side bacon.
Both ham and gammon are cut from the leg of a pig. The meat is the same but the preparation and treatment is different. Ham and gammon are both cured meats.
Ham is meat that is cut from the carcass and then treated.
Gammon is meat that is cut from the carcass after the brining treatment.
The best known gammon types are Danish (green and smoked) and Wiltshire (Green and smoked)

2009-03-26T14:45:00.000+05:30

Menu 6

Som Tum
(Thai salad made of raw papaya)

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Coconut Soup
(Thai soup delicately flavoured with coconut and basil)

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Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai
(Chicken cooked in Green Curry)
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Khao Neeo Moon
(Thai sticky rice flavoured with coconut)

Som Tum
(Thai salad made of raw papaya)

Yield: 4 pax
Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Papaya (raw)
100 gm
2.
Thai pepper
20 gm
3.
Garlic
20 gm
4.
Tomatoes
50 gm
5.
Sprouted beans
50 gm
6.
Fish Sauce
15 ml
7.
Peanuts
50 gm
8.
Seasonings
to taste

Method:

Julienne the papaya and sprinkle it with salt and let stand for half an hour, then squeeze and discard any fluid.

Slit and deseed the chillies and chop the garlic.

Add the chili, garlic, seasonings and fish sauce. Pound in mortar and pestle.

Mix all the ingredients and toss.

Serve garnished with roasted peanuts.
Coconut Soup
(Thai soup delicately flavoured with coconut and basil)
Yield: 4 pax
Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Chicken stock
800 ml
2.
Coconut milk
100 ml
3.
Lemon grass
20 gm
4.
Galangal
25 gm
5.
Shallots
100 gm
6.
Mushrooms
20 gm
7.
Chilli paste
10 gm
8.
Seasonings
to taste
9.
Thai Basil
A sprig
10.
Lime juice
15 ml

Method:

In the chicken stock add the coconut milk and chopped lemon grass and cook for about 30 minutes. Strain and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok and stir fry garlic, chilli paste, shallots and mushrooms.

Add the strained stock and bring to boil. Add the basil leaves and simmer for a minute. Adjust seasonings.

Remove from fire and add the lemon juice. Garnish with chopped basil leaves and serve hot.

Kaeng Khiao Wan Gai
(Chicken cooked in Green Curry)
Yield: 4 pax
Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
For Green Curry

1.
Green Chillies
75 gm
2.
Thai chillies
60 gm
3.
Lemon grass
25 gm
4.
Galangal
25 gm
5.
Shallots
150 gm
6.
Kaffir Lime Rind
20 gm
7.
Coriander Seeds
30 gm
8.
Seasonings
to taste
9.
Coriander roots
50 gm
10.
Cumin seeds
15 gm
11.
Nutmeg
A pinch
12.
Shrimp Paste
30 gm
For Preparation

13.
Coconut Cream
150 ml
14.
Oil
50 ml
15.
Coconut milk
300 ml
16.
Chicken
1 kg
17.
Thai Eggplant
75 gm
18.
Thai Basil
A sprig
19.
Kaffir Lime Leaves
20 gm
20.
Fish Sauce
30 ml
21.
Palm Sugar
20 gm
22.
Red Chillies
10 gm
23.
Seasonings
To taste

Method:

To make the green paste, pound all the ingredients together in a mortar and pestle.

Debone the chicken, cut into strips and keep aside. Cut the eggplant into quarters and sauté for 3 minutes.

Heat oil in pan and add the above paste and cook over low heat. Add the coconut cream and mix properly.

Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil. (Take care that the curry does not stick to the bottom of the pan)

Add the chicken strips to the above and cook till done.

Adjust the seasonings and add the lime leaves, palm sugar, fish sauce and red chillies.

Serve hot garnished with strips of red chillies and basil leaves.
Khao Neeo Moon
(Thai sticky rice flavoured with coconut)
Yield: 4 pax
Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Sticky Rice
500 gm
2.
Coconut milk
500 ml
3.
Salt
To taste
4.
Sugar
50 gm

Method:

Rinse the rice 2-3 times, until water runs clear.

Place rinsed rice in a bowl and fill with cool water so the water is approximately 2-3 inches above the rice and let the rice stand in water for 6-8 hours.

Drain the rice, place it in cheesecloth, wrap it up and put the cheesecloth inside bamboo steamer.

Put 6-8 cups of water in rice steamer. Then place bamboo steamer inside sticky rice steamer. Make sure that the bottom of the bamboo steamer does not touch the boiling water.

Place a standard lid loosely over the top of the bamboo steamer and steam the rice for 45 minutes (or until tender).

Dissolve salt and sugar in the coconut milk, and heat stirring to prevent lumps. When coconut milk boils, remove from heat.

Place cooked sticky rice in a container with tightly fitting lid, and pour in coconut milk. Stir vigorously, and cover, and set aside for awhile to allow coconut milk to mingle with the rice thoroughly.

Cook till the whole coconut milk is absorbed by the rice and serve hot.

Menu 5

2009-03-23T13:28:00.000+05:30

Menu 5

Mezze
(Assortment of Lebneese starters)
(Hummus, Tabouleh and Babagounush)

------*------

Lamb Moussaka
(Minced lamb preparation with alternate layers of eggplant)

------*------

Mezze
(Assortment of Lebneese starters)

Hummus
(Chick pea based dip)
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Chick Peas
180 gm
2.
Tahini
20 gm
3.
Lemon Juice
50 ml
4.
Garlic
10 gm
5.
Seasonings
To Taste
6.
Olive oil
50 ml
7.
Paprika powder
A pinch

Method:

1. Soak, boil and puree the chick peas into a thick paste.

2. Chop the garlic take out the lemon juice and keep aside.

3. Add all the ingredients together and mix well.

4. Shape into quenelles and serve drizzled with olive oil and paprika powder.

5. Can be served as a dip for various food products or can be served as an appetizer in itself.
Tabouleh
(A salad made with Bulghur wheat)
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Bulghur
50 gm
2.
Tomatoes
50 gm
3.
Lemon Juice
50 ml
4.
Garlic
10 gm
5.
Seasonings
To Taste
6.
Olive oil
25 ml
7.
Parsley
50 gm
8.
Mint
50 gm
9.
Onions
50 gm

Method:

1. Soak bulghur in water for 1 1/2 to 2 hours in cold water until soft.

2. Squeeze out excess water from bulghur using hands or paper towel.

3. Chop the onions, parsley, mint and garlic. Deseed the tomatoes and chop them.

4. Combine all ingredients, except for salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.

5. Line serving bowl with grape leaves or romaine lettuce, and add salad.

6. Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on top.

7. Serve immediately or chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
Babagounush
(A dish of mashed eggplant mixed with various seasonings)

Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Aubergines
180 gm
2.
Tahini
20 gm
3.
Lemon Juice
50 ml
4.
Garlic
10 gm
5.
Seasonings
To Taste
6.
Olive oil
50 ml
7.
Mint
50 gm
8.
Parsley
50 gm

Method:

1. Bake or char grill the egg plants.

2. Cool and rinse in cold water and remove the skin.

3. Chop the garlic, mint and parsley. Take out the lemon juice and keep aside.

4. Mix the aubergine pulp with tahini, lemon juice and seasonings. Blend in a food processor till a smooth paste is obtained.

5. Garnish with mint, parsley and olive oil and serve with pitta bread.

Lamb Moussaka
(Minced lamb preparation with alternate layers of eggplant)

Yield: 4 pax
Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Aubergines
200 gm
2.
Lamb Mince
800 gm
3.
Onions
150 gm
4.
Garlic
20 gm
5.
Seasonings
To Taste
6.
Olive oil
50 ml
7.
Tomatoes
100 gm
8.
Cinnamon Stick
1inch long
9.
All spice
A pinch
10.
Bay leaf
02 no.
11.
Tomato puree
50 ml
12.
Bechamel
100 ml
13.
Cheese
50 gm

Method:

1. Clean and wash all the vegetables. Chop the onion, garlic and tomatoes.

2. Wash eggplants and trim off stems. Cut off 1/2-inch wide strips of the skin lengthwise, then cut eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices. Put slices in a large bowl or on a tray, sprinkle liberally with salt and let them sit for 30 minutes.

3. Rinse well, drain, and pat dry. Brush slices lightly on both sides with olive oil and grill.

4. Preheat oil in a frying pan or skillet over low heat. Sauté the onions with a wooden spoon, until onions are translucent.

5. Add the meat and continue to sauté until lightly browned. Add tomatoes, , salt, pepper, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, allspice, and tomato paste, and mix well. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes to an hour.

6. When dry, remove the cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Mix the bechamel with cheese.

7. In a mould place a layer of eggplant slices and spread the meat mixture evenly on top. Cover with the remaining eggplant slices, and carefully pour the béchamel sauce evenly over the top.

8. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30 minutes, then sprinkle the cheese over the top, and continue to cook for another 15 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.
Remove the moussaka from the oven and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes. Moussaka is traditionally eaten warm, not

2009-03-05T16:17:00.000+05:30

Menu 4

Kartoffel Salat
(German Potato Salad)

------*------

Westfälish Bohnen Suppe
(Red kidney beans soup)

------*------

Königswürde Klops
(Meat balls with anchovy sauce)

------*------

Spatzel
(Small dumplings made of flour)
Kartoffel Salat
(German Potato Salad)
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Potatoes
500 gm
2.
Garlic
20 gm
3.
Spring Onions
200 gm
4.
Capers
10 gm
5.
Dill Leaves
10 gm
6.
Olive Oil
50 ml
7.
Seasonings
To Taste
8.
Parsley
10 gm
9.
Vinegar
25 ml
10.
Sugar
15 gm

Method:

1. Wash, peel and dice the potatoes. Heat water in a pan and boil the potato dices. (Take care not to over boil them).

2. Chop the rest of the vegetables. Prepare a dressing using olive oil, vinegar, sugar and seasonings.

3. Pour the dressing over the boiled potatoes and refrigerate for around 02 hours.

4. Mix the chopped vegetables and herbs. Toss and serve chilled.

Westfälish Bohnen Suppe
(Red kidney beans soup)
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Red kidney beans
250 gm
2.
Stock
750 ml
3.
Onions
50 gm
4.
Celery
25 gm
5.
Leeks
25 gm
6.
Oil
20ml
7.
Seasonings
To Taste
8.
Carrots
50 gm
9.
Potatoes
50 gm
10.
Bologna Sausages
20 gm
11.
Garlic
15 gm

Method:

1. Wash and soak the red kidney beans overnight. Drain and boil in salted water.

2. When cooked drain and puree. Keep aside.

3. Clean, wash and cut the vegetables into very small dices.

4. Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and sauté for a while.

5. Add the vegetables and cook for a while.

6. Add the kidney bean puree and dilute with stock. Cook for another 15 mins.

7. Adjust the seasonings and serve hot garnished with slices of sausage.

Königswürde Klops
(Meat balls with anchovy sauce)
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Minced Lamb
800 gm
2.
Bread slices
7-8 no.
3.
Onions
50 gm
4.
Celery
25 gm
5.
Leeks
25 gm
6.
Oil
to fry
7.
Seasonings
To Taste
8.
Eggs
02 no
9.
Brown Sauce
250 ml
10.
Anchovies
20 gm
11.
Garlic
15 gm

Method:

1. Clean, wash and finely chop the vegetables.

2. Soak the bread in milk, drain and squeeze out the excessive milk.

3. Add the soaked bread to minced lamb along with the chopped vegetables and seasonings. Leave aside half of the onions and garlic.

4. Shape the mixture into balls of 5 cm diameter and shallow fry in oil.

5. Heat oil in a pan and slightly saute the onion and garlic. Add the anchovy and the brown sauce and cook for a while. Adjust the seasonings.

6. Add the meat balls into the sauce and simmer for around 5 mins and serve hot.

Spatzel
(Small dumplings made of flour)
Yield: 4 pax

Sl. No.
Ingredients
Quantity
1.
Refined Flour
500 gm
2.
Milk
200 ml
3.
Butter
50 gm
4.
Eggs
05 no.
5.
Seasonings
To Taste
6.
Nutmeg
A pinch

Method:

1. In a bowl beat eggs and combine with the rest of the ingredients except butter.

2. Work till a smooth batter is obtained.

3. Boil some water in a stock pot.

4. Pour in the batter with the help of a perforated spoon and cook till the small dumplingss start to float on top.

5. Remove from water and toss in butter and serve hot.