Posted by le Feu Sacre on January 05, 1999 at 17:39:47:
In Reply to: Re: Gelatine-enhanced stocks/sauces posted by Mark S on January 05, 1999 at 02:41:41:
: One time I tryed to clarify tomatoe juice,another time I tryed
: to clarify milk. Why??
Yeah why? I am not against experimentation. I see no practical point in attempting to copy something (demi glace) and probably still label it as the genuine article when it is so easy and financially practical to produce the genuine article. But you have peaked my curiousity, what happened with your experiments? I feel like I am on the Island of Dr. Moreau. I hope you made your own tomato juice before clarifying it. Did you know that after you blanch your tomatoes, then peel and seed. That you can strain the seeds and get a clear tomato flavored essence. I use this all the time for certain applications.
: One of the requirements of being a good cook is to UNDERSTAND
: YOUR INGREDIANTS.
Understanding ingredients has nothing to do with bastardizing them. Please explain how understanding a properly made correct stock has anything to do with flavored bases? I could understand if you were trying different methods of browning bones or whether or not to brown your mirepoix? But I fail to see "One of the requirements of being a good cook is to UNDERSTAND
: YOUR INGREDIANTS" when i do not use any bases in stock. The real challenge is to make a great stock. As Fernand Point said "the most difficult dishes to make generally appear to be the simplest". Understanding ingredients has more to do with learning that cutting your bones into smaller pieces is better for making veal stock (and eventually demi glace) because it releases more gelatin and creates more surface area to brown hence making your stock have a darker deeper color in the end. Understanding ingredients has to do with learning that despite how many of us are brainwashed to put tomato paste (or any other canned tomato product in stock) in a stock only clouds it up. And that fresh tomatoes are far superior. That has to do with understanding your ingredients. Deciding that beef base mixed with gelatin has to do with (a) being lazy, (b) trying to fool your customers. I feel we as Chefs have a moral responsibility to provide our clientele with a safe sound product. And that it is what we say it is. If I advertise that I am making a Grande Marnier souffle... then I am going to use Grand Marnier in that souffle. Not some other less expensive liquor. There is nothing wrong with less expensive ingredients - just label accordingly. There is something wrong nd dishonest with attempting to fool the public.
: One of the requirements of being a good chef is to be able to
: walk into a kitchen 15'x 25' with a 6 burner,a convection oven,
: a grill,4 door refrigerator and a 2 door freezer and serve 300
: people everyday with 4 star reviews.
Glad you brought up this point. I actually feel differently about this then you do. I think it is unreasonable for an owner of a restaurant to expect that out of us. I have been cooking for a little while now. Most kitchen were little tiny sweat boxes. I was trying to do cuisine comparable to Joel Robuchon with three of us cooking. I worked 120 hour weeks and slaved for what I thought was an appreciative owner. I lowered food cost by 13% lowered labor costs, increased profits. And yet I was expected to create magic with warped crappy aluminum pans. What I have learned is that most owners would rather buy a new car than have a practical kitchen to make our lives easier. wE HAVE BEEN BRAINWASHED to believe that it is more important to put money into the other parts of a restaurant than the kitchen. The kitchen is the heart and soul. No less important than the dining room. Which restaurant do you work that receives four star accolades with such large numbers in such a small kitchen?
: Are job is to venture the tastes of the American people whether
: we agree with them or not.
: THE MEANS DOES"NT JUSTIFY THE END!!!
Actually, our job is to cook and offer a product. It is up to the "American People" to decide whether or not they want to patronize your business. I believe a Chef should have an identity and a style. Hopefully people come to the restaurant I work because they enjoy the food I bring forth. My menu is more based on my adventures in life then what every single customer expects. It's kinda like a musician. There are many different styles of music. Listen to the one you like. And be true to that style. Your audience will find you. But if you try to please every single person you will only end up pissing everyone off.
Have some flavor in your life,
Sincerely Yours,
F de M