eGCI Team

Session II (Mustard and Catsup) is now posted. Click here to go to it.

Session II: Mustard and Catsup Mustard No one knows exactly when man first began using the little round seeds of the mustard plant, but it has certainly been known since the first examples of writing recorded its uses and by extrapolation, long before that. Besides flavoring foods, it has also been used as medicine; for our purposes, it is enough to concentrate on its use as a condiment. The name apparently originated with the early French "moustarde" which may have been derived from "moust," the "must" from pressing grapes, and "ardeur" referring to heat or the spiciness of the mustard. The seeds were soaked in the must and pounded into a paste which was mixed with fruits and other spices. There are three basic types of mustard seed: black, brown, and white or yellow. Black and brown are more pungent, while yellow is slightly milder. (You can also use ground mustard, such as Coleman's, but you will get much better flavor and texture with whole seeds.) Mustard is very easy to grow. In fact, it grows like a weed and if not harvested promptly when the seed pods are just beginning to dry, the seeds will be broadcast and spread so it can become a pest. Fortunately both the greens and the seeds are edible (and quite delicious) so you can pick the young leaves as you thin the plants, for salads and cooked greens, then when the plant is mature, harvest the seeds. The condiment mustard can be made in a number of ways, from either seed or powder, but both recipes here will use whole seed. The "bite" or pungency of mustard can be adjusted in several ways. In the first recipe, heating the mixture gradually will tame the pungency. In the second recipe, the mixture is not heated, so it retains more bite. Master Mustard Recipe (Andie Paysinger) Makes about 1 pint This is for a coarse, homestyle type mustard, which will not be creamy. But it is extremely versatile: you can flavor it with numerous spices, herbs, fruits, vegetables, spirits and other condiments to achieve just the particular flavor you want. Note: The actual preparation will take at least a day, two days for best results. Measure out 2/3 cup of mustard seeds and dump them into a fairly fine wire strainer. Shake to get rid of any bits of stem or hull that have not been removed in the threshing. Rinse with cold water and drain. In a 1-quart glass jar with tight fitting lid place the following: 1/2 cup apple cider or rice vinegar (seasoned or unseasoned) 1/2 cup sweet mirin or any sweet white wine 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar -- brown or white Add the mustard seed, close tightly and shake briefly. Set aside and allow to soak overnight or at least for 8 hours. You can leave it for days or even weeks -- the seeds will not spoil; they will just get softer. If you are around, shake the jar a couple of times in the interval or stir the seeds with a long handled spoon. Strain the seeds out of the liquid, reserving the liquid. Place the seeds into a blender with a little of the soaking liquid and start on low speed, gradually increasing speed as the seeds break up. The mustard will begin to thicken. Stop blending after a few minutes and stir to check on the consistency. Add a bit of the soaking liquid (or cold water) if it becomes too thick. When the mixture just begins to hold its shape, stop blending and add 1/2 cup of apple jelly, orange marmalade, red currant jelly, apricot jam -- or a mixture of any or all. Continue blending until you can no longer see any whole seeds in the mix. Pour the mixture into a glass jar, cap tightly and refrigerate for a day or so the mustard can mature and mellow a bit. The mixture will thicken a little but should still be somewhat runny. It will be a fairly hot, sinus-clearing mustard. At this point, the mustard has to be cooked a bit to modify the flavor and reduce the "bite." You can cook it in the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water or in a microwave, which is the method I prefer. With either method, take care not to overcook it or burn it. Pour the mustard into a wide bowl or casserole dish that will allow the mustard to foam up 3 times its depth without going over the sides. The mustard should be about 3/4 inch deep. At 50% power, microwave it for 20 seconds. Stir and cook for another 20 seconds; stir again and repeat for an additional 20 seconds. After one minute: At this point let it cool down and taste it. If it is still too strong or sharp, you can continue to microwave it for 20 seconds at a time, but now taste it after each session, allowing it to cool for a short time before tasting. After 2 minutes: This should take no more than a total of 2 minutes (at most) cooking time. As you stir the mustard back down after it has foamed up, you will begin to notice that it is thicker and has begun to look slightly translucent and shiny. At this point, you may also add some whole (soaked) seeds for a bit of crunch, if you wish the additional texture. Again, let it cool and taste it. Some of the harsh bite should be gone but you should still be able to taste the spiciness. If you cook it too long the flavor will be completely gone. If you plan to add anything to it, such as mayonnaise, or mix it into sour cream or cream cheese or process it as noted below* for canning, leave it a bit spicier than you would if using it straight. The additive will lessen the pungency of the mustard and you will lose much of the "bite" of the mustard. Put the finished mustard back in the (washed and scalded) jar, cap tightly and store in the refrigerator. * If you want to process the mustard, use canning jars with new lids and process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes, just as you would any other high acid food. Make sure the lids are sealed after the jars have cooled (there will be a "dimple" in the center of the lid). Now the mustard may be stored at room temperature for many months, as long as the seal is not broken. In a cool, dry pantry I have kept mustard processed this way for three years, with no loss of flavor or any degrading of the product. Additions and variations: Now you have a basic mustard to which you can add green peppercorns or horseradish, cranberry relish, chutney, hot peppers, etc. One of my favorite variations is to add some sweet Asian chile sauce (Mae Ploy is the brand I use); it is absolutely fantastic with pork or sausages such as bratwurst. You can mix the basic mustard half-and-half with sour cream or mayonnaise for a mustard dip. Try it with vegetables, both raw and cooked (cauliflower is particularly good), or with fried or grilled chicken strips. Mixed with tartar sauce, the mustard makes a great dip for deep-fried crab balls, shrimp or a dressing for other seafood. Stir a bit into melted butter in which to sauté scallops or skate medallions. Viognier-French Tarragon Mustard Mary Baker Makes about 1 cup This mustard is fresh and spicy, with an intriguing hint of licorice. 1/2 cup yellow or brown mustard seed 1/4 cup viognier 1/4 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon brown sugar 4 sprigs fresh tarragon, destemmed and finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon fresh cardamom seed, crushed (optional) Place the mustard seed, white wine, and chicken broth in a glass bowl, stir until the seeds sink, and refrigerate overnight. The following day, crush the mustard seed in a food processor or coffee grinder until well-broken, to a rough consistency. Pulse and then pat down with a spoon, pulse and repeat. The seeds tend to fly around and are too small for most electric processors, so the mustard will still have lots of whole seeds. Add the brown sugar, tarragon, and cardamom seed, and pulse some more. The final mustard will be super-strong and very crunchy. Store in a clean glass jar or plastic container. Keeps for 2 weeks, refrigerated. Use sparingly on sandwiches or as a condiment for meats. Catsup The last condiment we want to present is catsup. Making your own catsup is easy and not particularly time consuming. It's much more complex and delicious than commercial catsup. Sundried tomatoes give this homemade catsup an exotic smoky flavor that’s great with burgers and roast beef sandwiches. Sundried Tomato Catsup (Mary Baker) Makes about 1-1/2 cups 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled 1 29 oz. can tomato sauce 1 6 oz. can tomato paste 3 tablespoons brown sugar or molasses 1/4 cup white wine 1/2 cup chopped, sundried tomatoes in oil 2 tablespoons oil from sundried tomatoes 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger root 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper Roast or sauté the garlic, then mash. Roasted garlic tastes best, but if you’re in a hurry, just sauté it for 5 minutes in one teaspoon olive oil until soft and aromatic. Chop the sundried tomatoes. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil over medium heat. Immediately lower the heat so that the sauce barely bubbles, and simmer for one hour. Allow to cool. Pour into a blender and mix on the lowest setting for one minute, stirring once. Store in clean jars or plastic containers. Keeps for about two weeks, refrigerated. Click here for the class Q&A.

Session II: Mustard and Catsup Shopping list Mustards: Whole mustard seed Cider vinegar or rice vinegar Sweet mirin or sweet white wine Viognier Chicken broth Fresh tarragon Cardamom Kosher salt Sugar Apple jelly, other jelly or honey Brown sugar Garlic Catsup: Garlic 29 oz. can tomato sauce 6 oz. can tomato paste Brown sugar or molasses Dry white wine Sundried tomatoes in oil, including oil Fresh ginger root Salt Black pepper Equipment: 1-quart jar with a tight fitting lid Blender Food processor or blade-style coffee/spice grinder Small jars for storing finished sauces

Basic Condiments By Andie Paysinger and Mary Baker Wecome to the eGCI class on the "little sauces" that enhance the foods we love. The sauces we will prepare will not require any exotic or unusual ingredients or special equipment. The directions given will include additional instructions if the appliances used are not available. We've used different methods for the different recipes, but you can use whatever method you prefer. We will be using whisks, spoons, measuring spoons and cups, a heat source, a food processor or an immersion blender (or mortar and pestle if these are not available), a stand blender or similar appliance. Session I: Mayonnaise Note: If you are concerned about the possibility of salmonella in raw eggs, use pasteurized eggs. Basic Homemade Mayonnaise (Andie Paysinger) Makes 1 1/4 cups Ingredients 1 large egg yolk, chilled 1 cup chilled oil 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder Lemon juice, approximately 1 tablespoon or a little more 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper (freshly ground if possible) Kosher salt to taste. Begin with a chilled 1-1/2 quart bowl and place it on a damp towel or a piece of rubber foam shelf liner so that it remains stable. Using a whisk, electric beater or immersion blender, whip the egg yolk until it is creamy. Slowly add half the chilled oil in a thin steam and continue beating until the mixture begins to thicken. Add the remaining ingredients, using 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Continue whisking or beating still adding the oil gradually until the mixture is thick and creamy. Add salt to taste and if needed, add a bit more lemon juice and beat until it is completely incorporated. Cover and immediately place in refrigerator. This should be used within a few days. Variations Once you learn the basic recipe, you can make numerous variations, including fresh and dried herbs and spices, a paste of green peppercorns, or hot pepper paste. Avoid anything that is too liquid as it will make the mayonnaise too runny. Aioli: The classic garlic mayonnaise (Andie Paysinger) This can be made entirely in a small food processor or a blender. However, the traditional way is to make it in a mortar and pestle; there are many people who contend that it tastes better made this way. Makes 1 cup Ingredients Garlic cloves, peeled, about 8 fat cloves Kosher salt, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon, approximately Yolk from an extra large egg 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil Freshly ground white pepper Juice of half a lemon Hot water, about 1-2 teaspoons (if needed) Crush the garlic cloves in a mortar with the salt or in a small food processor until you have a fairly smooth paste. Add the egg yolk and continue mixing until it is a thick paste. Add the olive oil, a little at a time, blending constantly until all the oil has been incorporated. Add 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice and mix well. Add the pepper and more salt, if needed. At this point, you may want to add more lemon juice if there is any bitterness from the garlic. If it seems too thick, add a little of the hot water and blend until the desired consistency is reached. Cover tightly and refrigerate for an hour before use. This must be used immediately. It will not keep more than a couple of days, even in the refrigerator. It is best if used the day it is prepared. Easy Chipotle Mayonnaise (Mary Baker) Chipotles are smoked jalapenos; they are very, very hot. This recipe is for an easy, blender-made fresh mayonnaise with a mild kick. You will be using only a small spoonful of the sauce in which the chipotles are packed. Save the chipotles in an airtight container in the fridge for adding a smoky kick to soups, chiles, and roasted meats. (To make a really easy sauce, of course, you can always "cheat" and just mix a little chipotle into prepared mayonnaise.) Makes 1 cup Ingredients 1 medium egg, warmed to room temperature 1 yolk, room temperature 1 juice of half a lemon 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon of chipotle adobo sauce Whisk one entire egg in a small bowl until frothy then let settle. Measure 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg into a stand blender. Add the egg yolk and whip for 5 seconds. Add one teaspoon of lemon juice and blend at a low speed for 2 minutes. (For a food processor, whip the eggs for 15 seconds, and blend the lemon juice for 15 seconds.) Remove the center cap of the blender lid. Through the small opening, slowly pour in 3/4 cup of olive oil in a thin stream while blending on low. When the mixture reaches a thick, creamy consistency, add the adobo sauce and pulse until incorporated. Taste and add more adobo sauce if you like, a little at a time. Saffron Mayonnaise (Mary Baker) A garlic-saffron mayonnaise called "rouille" is used as a finish for boullabaisse and other Provençal fish soups and stews, but this version is pure saffron. Its bright golden color and tobacco-like aroma make it an excellent condiment for beef sandwiches. Ingredients 1 medium egg, warmed to room temperature 1 yolk, room temperature 1 juice of half a lemon 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon of saffron threads, loosely packed Place one teaspoon of lemon juice and the saffron threads in a condiment bowl or small measuring cup. Let stand for 10 minutes, until the lemon juice is a deep gold color. Whisk one entire egg in a small bowl until frothy then let settle. Measure 2 tablespoons of the beaten egg into a stand blender. Add the egg yolk and whip for 5 seconds (if using a food processor, whip the eggs for 15 seconds). Add the lemon juice and saffron, and blend at a low speed for 2 minutes. Remove the center cap of the blender lid. Through the small opening, slowly pour in 3/4 cup of olive oil in a thin stream while blending on low. When the mixture reaches a thick, creamy consistency, taste and add more lemon juice if desired. Click here for the class Q&A.

Post your comments and questions on the Basic Condiments course here.

Welcome to the eGullet Culinary Institute's class on Basic Condiments, which will be presented next week, beginning Monday, June 13. The Instructors After spending her childhood on a farm in western Kentucky, Andie Paysinger (andiesenji) worked in her mother's bakery, eventually attending Dunwoodie School of Baking (later the Dunwoodie Institute) in Minneapolis. She joined the Army and was stationed in San Antonio, Texas, where she developed an avid interest in Mexico and Mexican food. A later post in San Francisco increased her international food interest. Settling in California's San Fernando Valley, she worked in the medical field, but after taking some private cooking classes, she began working part time as a personal chef. Although she is no longer a personal chef, she retains her enthusiasm for baking and cooking, collecting cookbooks and recipes, trying to reproduce recipes mentioned in historical sources, and growing her own vegetables and herbs. In addition to her abiding interest in food and cooking, Andie has been involved in showing basenji dogs and in painting and etching animals, mostly dogs and horses. One of her paintings is in the permanent collection of The Kennel Club, England, and has been published in the Illustrated Standards Book (frontispiece) 1998, and in Treasures of the Kennel Club (2000). Mary Baker (Rebel Rose) is the administrative partner of Dover Canyon Winery, a small artisanal producer in Paso Robles, California. She has taught college-sponsored courses in wine appreciation, and frequently speaks on wine appreciation and food-and-wine pairing. Thirteen years in wine hospitality and winery business management include stints as the first tasting room manager for Wild Horse Winery, and later the business manager for Justin Winery. As one of the original moderators on AOL's Food and Drink Network, Mary hosted monthly online winemaker chats. From 2002 to 2004 she served as a director on the board of the local vintners' association, representing the Paso Robles appellation, entertaining international visitors, and speaking at local wine festivals and seminars. She was also chairman of the 2004 Paso Robles Zinfandel Festival, an annual wine festival featuring a grand tasting, live and silent auctions, press events, artist receptions, and open house events at over 80 wineries. In her spare time she writes and plants vegetables and flowers, many of which promptly die. She is the author of Fresh From Dover Canyon: Easy Elegant Recipes from Dover Canyon Winery. The Course The course will cover the basics of making mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup, including instructions and recipes for several variations of each. It will be presented in two sessions, the first on Monday June 13, and the second on Wednesday, June 15. Session I: Four variations of mayonnaise Shopping list: Eggs: 1 or 2 per recipe Extra virgin olive oil: Approximately 1 cup per recipe (Optional: Corn or canola oil, mild nut oils, or grapeseed oil) Powdered mustard: 1 tablespoon total Lemon: 1/2 lemon or less per recipe White pepper: 1/2 tsp. or less per recipe Kosher salt: 2+ teaspoons per recipe Garlic: 1-2 heads total Chipotles (canned, packed in adobo sauce): One small can total Saffron: 1/4 tsp of threads total Equipment: Whisks Spoons Measuring spoons and cups Food processor, an immersion blender, or regular blender (or mortar and pestle) Click here to go to the course.

Plating and Presentation By Tony Adams Welcome to the food presentation and plating course of the eGullet Culinary Institute. This course curriculum is original, written by myself, and is in no way affiliated with the culinary school where I am an instructor nor the corporation that owns it. The pictures that you will find throughout this course have been taken from a variety of places that I have worked, from my current place of employment, to Le Manoir aux Quat Saisons in England, under permission by my supervisors. Not everything pictured is an Adams original, but I have cooked and plated every one of these dishes, either as their creator or as the cook who replicated someone else's vision over and over again. I have been lucky enough to work at some of the world's best restaurants both as a stagier and as a paid employee. But there is a lot of food that I cook and present which I am not happy with. I make mistakes every day, and when I create a dish, very rarely do I get it right the first time. I will play and play until I get it right. Working in a place where I have a pretty unlimited supply of various produce and proteins, with one of my goals to teach students how today's industry works, I have been blessed with the perfect opportunity to find my own style, through my constant experimentation with plating and presentations. I have identified three areas that have a direct correlation to food presentation. The first is, of course, the proper cooking of the food. This is the only element that is controlled by the chef, directly related to his skill; it is also the most important. If it is not done correctly, there is no need to present the food nicely; it will certainly be a disappointment upon consumption. The second element, equipment, is the least important variable, but I will cover a few pieces that I find helpful when it comes to making food look great. The third and final element, plate selection, is based upon the chef's artistic foresight. It is partly controlled by the chef, although he or she has to choose from what is available on the market (unless his name is Thomas Keller, in which case, he would design his own). The food Ingredient Selection When I start to think about a dish that I want to create, the first thing that needs to be decided is, of course, the ingredients. What is in season? What ingredients go together? What is economically in my food cost range? What can I get from my purveyors? These might not sound like things that you have to be concerned with, but if you think about it, you deal with the same issues already. When you go to the grocery store to buy the food for a dinner party, you can only buy what is available, what is in your budget, and what is in season at the time. A good per-person estimate is four to six ounces of cooked protein, two to four ounces of cooked starch, two to four ounces of cooked vegetables, one or two ounces of sauce, and functional garnish as necessary. Protein Cookery Once I have my ingredients, I decide upon the cooking methods I would like to use. This is very important to my final presentation. Dry heat cooking methods -- sauteing, roasting, baking, grilling, or searing -- feature browning the ingredients, either by the Maillard reaction, which pertains to browning proteins, or caramelization, which refers to browning of sugars. The protein on the plate, usually the main player in a main course dish, needs to be cooked properly if it is to be presented nicely. That means that your steak needs to be seared nicely, with a beautiful brown crust on the outside. Your grilled pork tenderloin needs to have nice grill marks on it, in a crosshatch pattern. Your roasted whole chicken should be golden brown with crispy rendered skin. When you use moist heat cooking methods such as poaching, steaming or simmering, the same principle applies. If you are going to serve poached salmon, for instance, you want a nice pink color, without any of the protein coagulation pushing through the flesh in tiny white clumps. In the picture below, you will see a perfectly seared piece of foie gras, and as you look at it, you can almost feel how it will have that nice seared crust on the outside. Because of the correct searing of the protein, your palate is excited. Vegetables First, let's start with dishes that are not cooked; let's talk about a basic green salad, nothing more than organic greens with a dressing. The important thing to remember about a salad is that in order to serve a great looking greens salad, there are two elements that must be met: it has to look beautiful, and it must function as a salad, dressed and presented accordingly. Start by purchasing great greens, and washing, spinning, and storing them properly. If you mess up any one of these three things, you cannot produce a great dish. Second, make your dressing properly. Whether it is a creamy dressing made with a creme fraiche base, or a vinaigrette made simply with olive oil and lemon juice, you have to make sure that the dressing is not curdled, in the instance of a dairy-based dressing, or broken, in a basic vinaigrette dressing. It is very important to make sure that all leaves on a salad are dressed, and I do not mean by drizzling dressing over the top. You're not trying to make a Sizzler salad here, you are trying to make something that looks presentable and nice. Take the time to dress your salads gently, working with your fingertips, rather than bruising the greens by working too quickly, or with utensils. Whenever you hear popping and breaking, you are popping and breaking the leaves, bruising them, which in turn will make their appearance look dark and abused, rather than soft and sexy. When you plate salads, you want to plate them section by section, laying leaves on top of others, rather than plopping a whole mass on a plate. Which Salad Looks Nicer? (Same amount of Greens, Dressed the Same) Greens Placed Carefully Greens Plopped When it comes to cooking vegetables, just as with proteins, you also want to determine the final outcome for your product and perform the cooking method perfectly. My preferred cooking methods for vegetables are generally blanching (which quite often finishes with pureeing), and roasting. Sauteing is also a cooking method I like to use, mostly with mushrooms, because of the coloring that occurs. When cooking vegetables, you have to worry about one thing you do not have to worry about concerning proteins. Some pigments found in produce are heat sensitive. For instance, chlorophyll, the pigment found in green vegetables, is heat sensitive, but the pigment in red vegetables, anthocayanin, and the orange pigment found in carrots, carotenoid, are not. It's important to take this into account in vegetable cookery, as changing pigments can affect the outcome of your dishes drastically. After cooking Once you have your ingredients cooked, the battle has just begun. The main thing you want to watch out for is seepage of liquid. I have seen hundreds of plates ruined by liquid seeping out of meat that has not rested, or vegetables that were cooked and not drained properly. The best way to combat these hazards is to rest your proteins. If you don't do this, as soon as you put that steak on the plate, the liquids are going to start running all over the place. My preferred method for draining vegetables is a plate with a heavy-duty paper towel underneath, which will absorb all of the liquid. I will sometimes use this same method to dry fish that has been cooked in a pan quickly, so I do not get a cooked-and-broken-down oil look on my plates. Below is a dish with which we had a constant problem, as the cooks at the restaurant had a hard time cooking all of the ingredients perfectly. This is seared Chilean Sea Bass with Roasted Heirloom Tomatoes, Beta Carrots, Micro-Arugula Salad, and Arugula Oil. Note the amount of extra liquid on the plate, as the tomatoes have not been cooked properly, and the carrots were overcooked in too much liquid. Another problem with the dish is that the oil was not strained enough, and therefore, is chunky, which is apparent by the grittiness on the plate. This was the best picture that I took of the dish (which is not saying much). Sauce When it comes to saucing, you want to be careful to remember a sauce's job on the plate. It is there to maintain the moisture of the dish, primarily of the protein, as well as to provide an extreme amount of concentrated flavor that will balance a dish. You have endless options for saucing a plate: brushing a thick sauce on with a pastry brush, making a cordon of sauce with a spoon or ladle, the tadpole look, which is quite popular in more modern cuisine today, and even the age-old pool of sauce on the bottom of the plate. As long as the sauce functions as you wish, it is up to you. I am a huge fan of the tadpole, as I feel that it adds flow to a dish. Tadpole of Shallot Puree Cordon of Pesto and Balsamic Another important point involves aspics and the way that they fit into dishes. Aspics and gelees have become extremely popular of late, and I like them because of their ability to present a liquid as a solid. A good rule of thumb is six or seven sheets of gelatin (1 to 1½ tablespoon of powdered) to one quart of liquid for a gelee that is sliceable, yet will melt in your mouth without feeling like it can bounce off of the wall. Seared Atlantic Salmon with Gremolada Gelee Plating Finally, once we have completed our cooking methods, we are ready to start the plating process. The element of balance is key to any plate, no matter what the shape or size. The first concern is the size and balance of the food versus the plate. This is a diagram that is used in photography school. A viewer's eyes are directly drawn to two points on the picture, both points A and B, which are the two points where the diagonal of the given object is intersected by a right angled line coming from the opposite corners. The purpose of this diagram is to get the future photographers to make sure that both of these points are balanced, either by filling them with an image, or by having an equal amount of blank space between them and the image that is the focus of the picture. The same principles apply to food, as the food is the focus of the picture, or in our case, the plate. This theory is harder to explain with round plates, as there are no diagonals with round objects. The best way to do this would be to draw an even box around the round or oval plate, and find the diagonals of the box, and henceforth, the round or oval plate. "Emeril-itis" is everywhere, and it is a common problem that you see in people just starting to present food. By Emeril-itis I mean that everyone wants to "bam" spices or blends on the rims of the plates, or they want to strip chocolate sauce across a plate and up on the rim. When plating, it is imperative that you leave what is referred to as dead space. This is the area on the rim that you want to leave clean. Otherwise, you are likely to end up with a hand that is covered with essence, chocolate, cocoa, or powdered sugar, and you have probably left a thumbprint on the plate that would only be appropriate if dong a Christmas dinner party for the FBI Fingerprint Division. I love large plates, and I love center-of-the-plate plating. While I am not putting two items in the two focus areas of the "picture," I am, however, centering my main object in between the two of them, creating an even space. I am also a big fan of making deconstructed plates. Rather than placing all ingredients in close proximity to one another, I like the idea behind having all of the ingredients in separate piles, each acting as their own little tasting, to be enjoyed on their own, completing a master plan. In the picture below, I have made a dish consisting of white bean puree, caramelized salsify, poached shallots, artichoke confit, and a rosé wine gastrique. When my teaching partner and I came up with this dish, we decided that all of the ingredients came together beautifully, but we could not come up with a plating we were happy with. Then I decided to take a deconstructed route, and we thought that it seemed to work very nicely (keep in mind that it is not the easiest thing for first year students to plate this dish, as mundane as it might look to you or me. We later added chive to the bean puree to add color, contrast, and flavor, as well as darkened the gastrique. The china was not my personal or first choice either.) Note the presence of that dead space around the rim. As with the plate above, it is also important to make sure that you vary the shapes and cuts, as much as you can. We turned a round vegetable into a square (the salsify, which was poached and sautéed, then stacked it into a square like Lincoln Logs), and it matches nicely with the other shapes on the plate (Duck: oblong, Shallot: round, Artichoke: tall pyramid, Bean Puree: tadpole). A common problem among beginning cooks and creators is that when plating, their dishes tend to become what is referred to as a bull's-eye plate. This is a dish that is served on a round plate, with a cordon of sauce (a round collar), on a round blob of starch, with round vegetables, and round protein. This can be combated by making controlled knife cuts on items that you can manipulate, such as carrots, potatoes, zucchini, etc. You would not want to cut a protein because the consumer identifies a lot of proteins by their shape (i.e. Ribeye, Strip Loin, Filet, etc.) Garnish You will notice that I have not added anything to the duck plate pictured above as a "garnish." I have not crossed any chives, tossed any whole herb leaves, or added any rosemary twigs to the plate. The ever-present lemon wedge is not on the plate either. That is because when those things are added to a plate, they have no function, other than the way they look. I employ strictly functional garnish, which is a garnish that somehow ties into a dish. This can be any garnish that might also be included somewhere in the dish (Fuji Apple and Cinnamon Sorbet with a Cinnamon Tuille cookie), or it can have some other function on the plate (as a salad, for example). I find that micro-greens are awesome for this purpose, because they come in so many different varieties and colors. While micro-greens might not be as readily available for the home cook, they are more available in specialty shops and stores. From micro-chives to micro-arugula, micro-beet greens to micro cilantro, you can add your color, complimenting flavors, and texture to a dish and the guest will eat it, eliminating the $3.00 expense for a bunch of rosemary sprigs that are going to be picked out of your scoop of mashed potatoes and thrown away. I also love how micro-greens add a certain randomness to a dish. Not everything on a plate has to be 100% cut and dry, precision cut, in a ring mold, or quenelled. There is a huge difference between randomness and a mess on the plate, but I feel it is important to combat that cookie-cutter look by breaking it up a little bit. The picture below is an appetizer of Tuna Niçoise Salad, again, a simple plate for the students to plate. You will see how the salad is in the center, adding randomness, height, color and contributing flavor. The components come together, taste great, and look good. Seared Tuna Nicoise Salad with Quail Eggs, Grape Tomatoes, Micro Salad with Shallot-Red Wine Vinaigrette I also like to simple knife cuts as a functional garnish, as talked about above. A dish always seems sexier when you know that someone has taken the time to put really nice knife cuts into it. Below this is demonstrated in a dish of Mosaic Vegetable Terrine with Haricot Vert, Black Truffle, and Truffle Dressing. Note the knife cuts on the green vegetable at the bottom that seems out of place. It is a leek that shifted during the pressing of the terrine. Finally, I want to mention a modern method of handling ingredients that will have a significant impact on a plate; foams. Foams can be created in a few different ways, but almost all are smooth, and most often aerated with a nitrous-oxide powered frother (ISI is the best known brand). You may have seen them at your local ice cream shop for whipped cream or such. You infuse a liquid with a flavor, or make a completely smooth puree that is stabilized with gelatin or reduced cream, put it in the container, charge with gas, and you have your foam. Another way is to have a liquid that is closer to a broth consistency, add coddled or pasteurized egg yolks, and then froth with a hand blender. An even better method, in my opinion, is to have your liquid slightly warm, no matter what consistency, as well as a small pot of whole milk that has been warmed slightly with some gelatin in it. You froth the pot of milk with a hand blender, and scrape the foam off of the top, incorporating in a separate cup with the warmed flavorful liquid. The reason that I like foams in some cases is because they are a sauce, or at least a sauce consistency, that has tiny little bubbles, hundreds of thousands of them, and again, you add randomness. You spoon a foam around the plate, and you have added a round element to a plate, in an area where a flat sauce might have looked okay, but where a foam intoxicates. I do not particularly enjoy eating or using thick foams, which you almost have to chew to eat (think pudding consistency). When you use a foam, be careful that you do not put too much on your plate, and make sure that you test it on a plate before putting it on your guests' plates, as foams will sometimes fall, leaving you with an un-sexy puddle of liquid. Hand-Made Scallion Tortellini with Laurel Leaf Foam Equipment The first two pieces of equipment that I would like to cover are the spoon and the ladle. There is no doubt that ladles have their uses in the kitchen. They are great for moving large amounts of liquids from one place to another, skimming stocks, and helping press liquids through a chinoise. My problem with ladles concerns trying to plate sauces with them. Now, if you are employing the pool method or the drizzle-over-the-top method, then a ladle would do a bang-up job. But if you are trying to control where the sauce goes, very carefully, which is the case with most fine dining, a spoon is the better choice. It does not have to be a silver spoon; in fact, Daniel Boulud often writes about his disdain for silver in the kitchen to spoon ingredients onto a dish. In the past few years, I have become a spoon fiend, borrowing beloved spoons from Starbucks, my mother, and home. This may sound funny, but a good spoon is important, and there are not a ton out there. A spoon can be used for a hundred different things in the kitchen, from turning things in a sauté pan, to tasting a sauce, to moving a cover on a pan that needs to be nudged. At Le Manoir in England, we were required to have three things everyday: a clean uniform, our knife kits, and ten spoons. The spoons were considered to be gold, and there were many fights between the cooks regarding spoon theft. When I see a spoon that has a good bowl depth, good curvature in the bowl, nice weight, and a good handle, I want it. The Nigella Lawson measuring spoons are awesome; I bought two sets, as their bowls are perfectly shaped for quenelleing ice cream or foie gras parfait. When using a spoon, most people instinctively grab it on the end, as if they are about to eat with it. When you grab a spoon to sauce with it, you should grab it near the crook of the neck, down by the bowl, and hold it as if you are holding a pencil. This will allow for more precision and better control of where you are placing your sauce. Also keep in mind that you will probably only need half of the amount of product that you would think, in order to make the design that you want. Again, the adage that less is more holds true. Correct Grip on Spoon when Saucing Incorrect Grips on Spoon when Saucing Another great tool used in the kitchen to plate and serve food is the fish spatula. These tools are useful in a thousand ways, and I will never again be without one. They are great for stirring something really quickly, scraping clean a hot cast-iron pan, or delicately lifting a piece of poached fish from its liquid. Usually thin and somewhat flexible, they prove to be invaluable, especially when trying to pry delicately seared scallops off of the bottom of a pan, when the use of tongs would press the seawater brine from them. I have used them to help release a mille feuille of potato that has been baked in a hotel pan, and they have worked perfectly. A worthy investment to be sure. Squeeze bottles are also a valuable investment in the kitchen. You can do a thousand things with them, and they are worthy of a whole eGullet forum thread on their uses. I prefer to use the Boston round bottles, which are easier to clean, and usually have both more threads for the tips, and finer tips, both useful tools when working with delicate oils or sauces that need to be placed in just the right spot in your presentations. They are very easy to work with, usually come with airtight caps, and can be purchased form several online sites. Plates and Presentation Platters Thinking about these chefs and their work brings me to my next section, all about plates, and how they affect your presentation. If you look at the work of all four of these chefs, you will find that their food is plated on several different types of china. When I staged at Trotters in the Fall of 2003, he must have had two hundred different styles of plates in his kitchen, and the other cooks told me he had probably triple that down in the basement of the restaurant. The point here is not to demonstrate how Charlie Trotter is the plate king of Chicago, but rather to demonstrate the fact that he is a chef who believes that it is essential to present his art on as many different canvases as possible. I am one who agrees with him. The current china trend makes use of pure white china. This presents the chef with a completely clean canvas that will make all of his sauces brighter, richer, and more focused. It will make the grill marks stand out on his protein, the sear on his steak seem that much crustier and perfectly executed. When bone colored china is used, I find that it brings a dinginess to the food that makes it appear less clear and concise. It is almost like being at a concert . . . outside of the concert hall. Yeah, you still hear the music and get the idea, but it is no way comparable to the experience of being inside, in the front row. You want to let your food be the main player at a dinner, and if your food looks dingy, then that is a problem. Colored plates are also hard to work with. I find that, again, the food is not visually enhanced, as it has to vie for attention with the color of the plate, which may or may not even be in the same color palette as the food being plated. Black is the only exception to this, but I still do not like to use black that often, as it seems to take away some of the brightness away, especially if the food is darker to begin with and caramelization is a focus. Patterned china is forbidden in my house and in my work. I refuse to work with it, and even cringed slightly this last Christmas when my mother made me plate the ribeye that I roasted perfectly on my late great-grandmother's patterned china at dinner (I know, I am a scumbag; I loved my great-grandmother, but I wish she had better taste in china!). Imagine my distress when I was the opening chef of a nightclub in Providence, and the owner proudly proclaimed to me that he had ordered custom china -- gray and maroon, the worst possible combination for a plate that was intended for food. Once again, great guy, bad china selection. The one thing that the gentleman did do correctly was to order square plates. I really like square plates; I feel that they add another geometrical shape to the dish, and as I mentioned earlier, I especially like to plate round things on the square plates. It is easier to balance a dish, create flow, and if it is white, mimic a canvas if the plate ware is either square or rectangle. That is not to say that there are not any other cool shapes out there. A common shape recently has been the leaf shaped plate, and I find that this fits well with certain applications. In the past few years, another trend that has been popping up is that of multiple pieces of china on one dish. Sometimes this is just for looks, to create that bulls-eye look with the china, and sometimes it is functional, so that you can present food in different forms and textures at one time. Seared Sea Bass with Fennel Carpaccio and Corn Salad, Carrot and Fennel Veloute with Mascarpone Cappuccino, Sea Scallops with Brunoise Fennel and Radish In this dish, I was doing a fennel tasting, and I wanted to serve a little cup of the carrot and fennel veloute, and this little butter dish was exactly what I needed. This would come to the table covered, and when uncovered, you would find enough soup for about three bites, just enough to get the idea of what I was trying to do. The addition of the little plate on the bigger plate not only looks nice, but also functions as a receptacle for the soup. Developing ideas The final elements that will enhance your food presentations are some things you might not think of, but they are an essential part of making food look good: your imagination and brain. These need to be focused if you expect your food to look focused; if they are sloppy and distracted, your food will look sloppy and distracted. Your imagination and brain need to be fed new ideas as often as possible as well. My father swears that my downfall and ticket to the poorhouse is going to be my addiction to buying cookbooks. He wonders aloud to me all the time why my $60,000 college tuition wasn't enough to teach me how to cook and give me enough ideas about food to last a lifetime. He is right, in a sense -- I do know how to cook, and I feel as though I have a pretty firm grasp on flavor combinations and profiles, both current and classic. The truth of the matter is that when I need to be inspired or when I am feeling downtrodden by this awfully hard business, it is always nice to see someone else's work, and I am inspired constantly by others' works. I do not buy cookbooks that contain only recipes but rather, I buy the books that have pretty pictures. I have gotten some of my best ideas from these books -- never copying exactly, but taking a component of one plating by one chef, and mixing it with another component of another. Sometimes I come up with something new all on my own by playing around with their ideas. This is all about visuals, and how to make your food more visually appealing, so it is not that silly to think that one should be inspired by those that do it perfectly, is it? My favorites are Thomas Keller, Charlie Trotter, Charlie Palmer (he's crazy, and has come up with some of the most interesting and cool stuff), and Rick Tramonto. Conclusion Well, here we are, coming near to the end of the course. "What? You haven't taught me how to plate food in order to make it look nice," you might be saying. Well, I guess you're right, in a sense. I have not laid out exactly how to compose a plate blueprint so that it is guaranteed to look beautiful. Plating is a highly personal thing. I hope I have taught you about what to look for when plating and cooking your food, and mistakes to look out for. I have told you what to do once your food has been cooked perfectly, and even how to handle the ingredients when there is no cooking involved. The bottom line is to handle your ingredients correctly, let them shine. They are the stars of your dinner party, the culmination of all of your hard work and planning (no matter whether it is a dinner on a Tuesday night after a long day of work, or a meal for friends on the weekend), and a showcase of your skills. My evolution as a chef has gone into reverse, the opposite of the supposed human evolution. When I graduated from culinary school, I was making all kinds of abstract dishes, trying to come up with crazy presentations of crazy food, trying to focus more on how to "wow" the guest with the presentation and shock factor. I have since learned that you need to let the food speak for itself. For some of us, the food we create is our signature; for others, our hobby; and even to some, our careers and personal expressions. Do not be afraid to mess up, or you will end up not even trying. Best of luck with your future cooking, and I hope that you have many successes, but keep in mind, your failures and shortcomings are most often the source of your improvement. Some of the More Successful Platings Seared Sea Bass with Fennel Carpaccio and Corn Salad Seared Salmon with Split-Fresh English Peas, Mustard Jus New England Littleneck Clams with Three Sauces Crispy Sweetbread Ravioli with Black Trumpet Mushroom Seven-Heirloom-Tomato Salad with Boucheron Mousse, 25-Year Balsamic, Summertime Garden Essence Click here for the course Q&A.

Please post your questions on the Plating and Presentation Course. We'd like to encourage students to post photos of their own plate presentations for critique and discussion.

Welcome to the eGullet Culinary Institute's class on Plating and Presentation, which will be presented next week, beginning Monday, March 21. The instructor Currently a Chef Instructor at a Central Florida culinary college, Chef Tony Adams first developed an interest in culinary arts in his hometown of Fairfield, Maine. He pursued his passions and pursued a Bachelor's Degree in Culinary Arts at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. While in Providence, Chef Adams joined the team at Empire, the restaurant owned by Chefs Loren Falsone and Eric Mosier, two of Food and Wine Magazine's Top Ten Best New Chefs, working up to Operations Manager there when the restaurant closed in the early fall of 2003. He then traveled, working as a stagier in the kitchens of some of the world’s best restaurants and hotels: Le Manoir Aux Quat Saisons in England, Daniel in Manhattan, Charlie Trotter’s in Chicago, Primo in Rockland, Maine, and Magnolia Grill in Durham. The course The Plating and Presentation course will teach the participants what to look for during the cooking and plating process in order to make their presentations more visually appealing. The course will cover the handling of food, equipment that will aid in the presentation of the food, and the merits and pitfalls of certain plate and platter styles. It will not include any assignments, but after the course, students are encouraged to present photos of their own plating and presentations for discussion and critique by Chef Adams and fellow students.

Assignment #4 Using your component descriptor kit See the class introduction for instructions on preparing your component descriptor kit. Use your infusions to familiarize yourself with common individual wine aromas. By practicing blind, the exercise of identifying a single aroma will train your mind to scroll back through your sensory experiences for a match. With experience and practice, you can train yourself to recognize individual aromatic components in a glass of wine. The following exercises and practice sessions are, as always, more enlightening and fun when shared with friends, but you can do them solo as well. Equipment for one: A glass of wine! Equipment for six: 36 wine glasses and 6 bottles of wine, 3 white and 3 red placecards to identify wines notepads and pencils or pens bread filtered water Exercise #1 Arrange the jars on a table or flat surface. Use placecards by each jar to identify the aroma. Inhale each aroma and look away or close your eyes, committing the aroma to memory. Visualizing the scent often helps. "See" the fruit, herb or spice in your mind, and "feel" it in your hand. Exercise #2 Rearrange the scent jars and close or overturn the placecards. Try to recognize and identify each scent. Again, visual organization may help. Imagine yourself cruising the aisles of a grocer or outdoor market looking for the source of the aroma. Remember to peruse your mental garden, pantry, and spice rack for surprising and elusive aromas. Try to visualize what the scent would be if you opened your eyes and were holding it in your hand. Scents will be interpreted differently by everyone. Here are some common variations: gravel, mineral = limestone, saltiness, earth peaches = apricots, stonefruit herbs = herbs de Provence, sage, marjoram, cut grass tarragon = licorice, anise, fennel cloves = nutmeg, exotic spice Exercise #3 Evaluate the aromas of a white wine and a red wine. Try to determine if the scents in your kit are present or absent. Click here for the class Q&A.

Assignment #3 Discerning subtlety and manipulation Equipment for one: A glass of wine! Equipment for six: 36 wine glasses and 6 bottles of wine, 3 white and 3 red white paper placemats notepads and pencils or pens bread filtered water Quality, ripeness, and acidity For each wine sample, ask yourself: Does this wine have a fresh, perfectly ripe character? Does it taste under- or over-ripe? Does it have a distinct 'varietal character' Dry or sweet For each wine sample, ask yourself: Can I detect clearly identifiable fruit character? Does the wine seem sweet? If I think the wine is sweet, does that sweetness highlight the fruit, or smother it? Fat mouthfeel For each wine sample, ask yourself: Does this wine have a fat, unctuous mouthfeel? Can I taste deeper and intriguing flavors, beyond the core fruit flavors? Would I serve this wine with food, or sip it on its own? Why? Malolactic conversion For each wine sample, ask yourself: Can I smell lactic acid? Is the aroma strong or faint? Do I suspect a full or partial ML conversion? Do I like / prefer this aroma? Oak, vanilla and smoke For each wine sample, ask yourself: Do I detect oak in the aroma? How would I describe this particular oak character? Is the aroma of oak in balance with the other aromas? Is this an aroma I enjoy in this varietal? Click here for the class Q&A.

Separating art and technique from nature A wine made with minimal intervention by the winemaker will feature what I call "vineyard presence." In lieu of tasting grapes in the vineyard, it helps to understand that wine grapes are very small and concentrated, with thick, chewy skins and fat, toasty seeds called pips. The flavor of a wine grape is closely associated with its skin. Wine grapes are distinctly different from the large, juicy and water-retentive 'table grapes' sold in markets. Ideally, they are small, round, and intensely flavorful, with a low juice-to-skin ratio. Part of a grape's flavor profile may include woody or spicy components from the skins that are not normally associated with fruit—some white wines have a white pepper nuance, and zinfandel often has a black pepper character. Other flavors intrinsic to certain varieties include minerals, mushroom, leather, and olive. Once you have learned to recognize varietal character in general, you're ready to study the effects contributed by winemaking decisions and intervention. Quality, ripeness, and acidity A certain degree of crisp fruitiness is almost always desirable in a wine, whether white or red. In a white wine, look for the sensation of biting into a fresh, firm and juicy fruit. In reds, look for the sweet-tart sensation of summer berries and plums. A wine should convey the same full flavor sensations as summer preserves and jams made from perfectly ripened fruit. If the wine seems very tart compared to the depth of flavor, it may have been a cool or rainy vintage that prevented the fruit from ripening properly. If a wine tastes raisiny or pruney, the fruit was probably picked too late in the season. Each varietal should have an individualistic flavor. If it does not, the fruit may have come from an over-cropped vineyard. Overcropping dilutes the quality and flavor of the grapes and can result in bland wine. Or, it may be a blended from different vineyards for the express purpose of creating a bland, yet pleasant wine. Decisions on when to pick are ultimately made or approved by the winemaker, so the quality of the fruit in the glass is the first and primary style decision. Dry or sweet A wine can be completely dry, technically, yet still taste sweet. Higher alcohol levels impart a thicker mouthfeel that you may interpret as 'syrupy' and associate with sweetness. Also, some wines are so robustly fruity that they taste like fruit salad or compotes, and tasters associate the memory of those aromas and flavors with sweetness. Viognier is commonly considered 'sweet' by tasters, and although some certainly are, even a dry viognier can be so powerfully fruity that it will convey a palate memory of sweetness. Many large productions of chardonnay in particular do retain some residual sugar. Residual sugar is not added to the wine—it is the result of leaving some of the natural grape sugars in the wine as opposed to converting all the sugar to alcohol. A little RS in a wine can smooth out the flavors and enrich the body. RS is often left in high alcohol reds to balance the wine and prevent a 'hot' mouthfeel. Residual sugar in a wine is not necessarily a bad thing. Learning to separate perceptions of 'fruit' and 'sweetness' takes practice, and with many wines it can be difficult even for professionals. Fat mouthfeel A fat mouthfeel refers to a certain viscous, almost oily property in the wine. It's a pleasant experience, also described as luscious or voluptuous. A fat mouthfeel will highlight the deeper flavors of red wines, like roast beef, licorice and smoke, and create a deep, sensuous experience in white wines, reminiscent of butter and olive oil. While high alcohol or RS can contribute to a fat mouthfeel, it can also be the result of a higher pH. Levels of pH in wine generally range from 3.5 to 3.7, but many wines can hop as high as 4.2. Young wines with a fat mouthfeel are delicious and often multi-layered, but are generally designed for early drinking. For wines to cellar, look for bright acids and crisp fruit. Without that bright fruit, wines get flabby quickly. And sometimes, fat wines are better for fireside sipping than serving with food. Malolactic conversion Malolactic conversion (ML) is created by adding malolactic bacteria to a wine after it has completed its primary sugar-to-alcohol fermentation. The ML bacteria convert the sharp malic acids of the grape into creamier, softer, lactic acids. Nearly all reds go through complete ML because they generally taste very bitter without it. For white wines, it becomes a stylistic decision. ML is more evident in the aroma than in the flavor of a white wine. It's a common misconception that ML contributes to a buttery flavor or mouthfeel. That thick, oily butter texture in a white is more likely due to alcohol or sugar. Lactic acids create a butter aroma. To practice identifying it, warm a stick of salted butter to room temperature and study its delicate aroma. Oak, vanilla and smoke Not all wines are fermented or stored in oak barrels. Many light, crisp white varietals can be damaged or overwhelmed by time in oak and are at their best when handled in stainless steel. For instance, putting a sauvignon blanc through oak aging or keeping it in stainless would be a winemaker's stylistic decision. Different types of barrels impart different flavors, ranging from sharp cedar and pine notes to deep, smoky ones. There are so many different flavors and effects that it's a topic of its own—French, American and Hungarian coopers all have different flavors, as do individual forests and coopers. Even among French barrels there's a huge variety of flavor. There are also the stylistic decisions of whether to use tight or loose grain; one, two or three-year air dried wood; light, medium, or heavy toast; and toasted heads. New barrels impart a lot of oak character quickly, while older barrels which have been broken in release their flavors more slowly. Oak should be a perfume in the wine, and not overwhelm it. Oak can also lend structure to a wine, like a staircase leading you deeper into other aromas and flavors.

Assignment #2 Varietal comparison: red wine Equipment for one: A glass of wine! Equipment for six: 36 wine glasses and 6 bottles of red wine, all different varietals white paper placemats notepads and pencils or pens bread filtered water Taste six red varietals and try to identify each varietal's core flavors. Guide to Red Wine Varietals Pinot Noir Although lighter in tannins than other red wines, pinot noir is packed with flavor. Its core flavor of pie cherry is accompanied by flavors and aromas of mushroom, hay, cinnamon, pastry and oak. Its gentler mouthfeel and intriguing flavors make it a versatile food wine, good with a wide range of dishes. Sangiovese A native of Italy, it can be slightly heavier than pinot noir, but also has a core flavor of pie cherry or wild berry, with layers of earthy tones and a hint of spice. It ranges in style from light red and slightly tart to heavy spice-and-earth wines. Some producers blend in cabernet to give it mainstream appeal, but I love its brick red color and dancing gypsy flavors. Merlot A popular red wine with food, merlots range from light fruity styles to heavy, mountain-grown fruit with intense color that make deep, plummy wines. Softer and fruitier than cabernet and syrah, merlot is a great red wine for sipping and good with a variety of foods. Zinfandel The wild child of America, zinfandel is not widely produced in Europe. Its history is shrouded in confusion, but there is nothing confusing about its flavor. It has a standout core of raspberry and black pepper. Styles range from old vine zinfandels with a brick red color and heavy peppercorn, to purple powerhouses with jammy plum flavors and very high alcohol. Generally served with red meats, grilled vegetables and pungent cheeses. Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernets and syrahs are heavier reds that age gracefully. Cabernet has a luscious mouthfeel with a core flavor of black cherry or plum, and hints of licorice, herbs or violets. The best cabernets are not over-oaked, so you can taste the layers of flavor and enjoy its intriguing bouquet. Its rich, delicious flavors are great for sipping and relaxing, and also excellent with red meats, rich sauces and potatoes. Syrah/shiraz Machismo flavors of blueberry, beef, smoke and licorice characterize this robust red wine—great with hearty cuts of meat, grilled lamb, and blue-veined cheeses. Australian producers call it shiraz. Other popular red wines include cabernet franc, petite syrah, mourvedre, grenache and barbera. Click here for the class Q&A.

Assignment #1 Varietal comparison: white wine Equipment for one: A glass of wine! Equipment for six: 36 wine glasses and 6 bottles of white wine, all different varietals white paper placemats notepads and pencils or pens (or use the wine evaluation form provided) bread filtered water In the wine business, we refer to each variety of grape as a varietal. Just as a vanilla-colored Queen Anne cherry differs from a blood-red Bing, wine grapes vary in color and flavor. Each type of grape has a distinctive flavor, and depending on where and how it's grown, certain characteristics of the grape will become more pronounced. A winemaker's choice of yeast and winemaking techniques will also affect flavor, adding aspects of spice, pastry, or butter, and the amount of time a wine spends in oak will impart additional aroma and flavor to the fruit. There are thousands of winegrape varieties throughout the world, but here are a few of the more common white wine varietals. Taste six white varietals and try to identify each varietal's core flavors. Guide to White Wine Varietals Malvasia Bianca A light crisp wine with floral aromas and a core flavor of grapefruit. Good chilled and served with salads or spicy seafood. Sauvignon Blanc A light wine with grassy aromas like fresh-mown hay or clover, and flavors of tart apple, kiwi, or citrus. Very good with summer time appetizers, green salads, pasta salads, and minimalist seafood. Pinot Blanc Similar to a chardonnay, pinot blanc has a deep blond color and creamy mouthfeel with a definite pear flavor. Chardonnay A pleasant workhorse of a wine, chardonnay has fruity aromas and a core flavor of apples. It's made in a range of styles from minimal oak and bright fruit, to heavy oak or butter styles. It goes with a wide range of food, from hors d'oeuvres and salads to light meats and spicy pasta dishes. Viognier A tropical powerhouse, viognier is intensely fruity, and sometimes has a grassy finish. It generally has a high alcohol content, which in turn gives the wine a heavier mouthfeel that also appeals to red wine drinkers. The combination of high alcohol and fruit salad flavors sometimes makes the wine seem slightly sweet, even when it is technically dry. Served chilled, it can stand up to very spicy dishes. Other white wines to try include pinot gris, roussanne, marsanne, and semillon. Click here for the class Q&A.

Evaluating Wine – a tasting primer By Mary Baker (aka Rebel Rose) Wine is meant to be enjoyed, but for many, approaching a glass of wine is still an intimidating experience. By using the following ten simple steps, you will be able to determine your own flavor preferences, learn how to judge the overall quality of a wine, and feel confident about voicing your opinion. During this course I’ll be asking you taste and evaluate certain types of wines. The availability of wines in various markets makes it difficult if not impossible to choose specific wines that would be available to everyone, but we’ve tried to assemble a list with some widely available, affordable suggestions (click here and scroll down). You might have a preference for whites or reds, Austrian or American, and you should begin with wines that are familiar to you -- keeping in mind the varietal guidelines that the suggested list implies -- although I hope you will explore other varieties and regions during your exploration of wine. I encourage you to submit your own choices for future exercises. Figuring out what you like is the point of this class. But when you exercise your newfound confidence and knowledge with your friends, remember that everyone will have different flavor preferences—some like white wines, some lean toward reds. Some people prefer bright, fruity wines, while others prefer tannic, or slightly spicy wines. Variety is part of the mystique of wine. Wine-tasting protocol Wine tasting is often more educational, not to mention fun, when enjoyed as a group. Ask each guest to bring a bottle of wine and six wine glasses. Provide fresh bread cubes or baguettes and filtered water for your guests. If you plan on serving appetizers or cheese, ask your guests to evaluate the wines first, then try them again later with food. For assignments 1 and 2, use the following procedure. Trace six circles on the placemats and place a glass on each circle. Pour a 3- to 4-ounce sample of each wine. Mark the circles with the name of the wine. Study each wine carefully, using the following criteria. (If you want to use our evaluation form, click here to download it). Then go back and re-taste the wines again to see if your perceptions have changed. Compare notes, and have fun! 1. Color of the wine First, examine the color of the wine. Hold the glass against a white background and tilt it sideways—a white wine should be pale straw to deep gold, and a red wine can be anywhere from brick red to deep, plummy purple. Older wines may have a brownish tinge around the edge, which is perfectly normal in an aging wine, but it may also indicate that the wine has peaked in flavor. A tinge of brown will prepare you for the flavors of an aging wine, which can range from dusky cinnamon to a rich caramel effect. In a white wine, any tinge of brown is a clear warning that the wine may be too old; the lighter, more tropical flavors of a white wine don't normally hold up well to the caramelized flavors that develop with age. 2. Swirling Next, swirl the wine gently. This has two purposes. The first is to prove to everyone in the room that you are a wine geek (try not to splash wine on the person next to you). The second purpose is to gently aerate the wine. When you smell the wine after swirling, your nasal receptors will pick up more bouncing esters and molecules than if you sniff a resting wine. It is not necessary to give wine the washing-machine treatment. Swirling your wine for ten minutes will only exhaust the wine and make the wine room attendants dizzy. 3. Nice legs After swirling, lift your glass up above eye level and watch the wine drip down the glass. (There is no real purpose to this exercise other than demonstrating that you know how to do it.) You'll see a thin film of wine cling to the glass, then gently release in long drips, called "legs." Wines with a higher alcohol content have a stronger surface tension and will cling to the glass more, having thicker "legs." Swirled water, for instance, has no legs, compared to swirled brandy, which has drips like cake frosting. Alcohol content is relative to taste. At thirteen percent alcohol, a delicate white wine like sauvignon blanc may not have the necessary flavor to survive the hot mouthfeel of a strong alcohol content, but a heavier chardonnay or red wine may balance the alcohol perfectly. 4. Aroma Now it's time to smell the wine. Take your time and use your imagination. If it were not wine, but perfume in your glass, how would you describe it? A well-crafted wine should give hints of the fruit flavors to come, ranging from melons, peaches, and pineapple in white wines, to plum, cherry and cassis in red wine. Oak is often more evident in a wine's aroma than in its taste, and depending on the type of barrels used, you may also find esters of cedar, vanilla or cinnamon from oak aging. Although aromas of mint and herb are often attractive, wines should never have unusually "green" aromas like asparagus, fermented grass, or pureed baby food. 5. Fruits and vegetables Next, taste the wine. Savor the wine and roll it around in your mouth before swallowing. Most people have habitual methods of chewing and swallowing that probably do not include all the tasting receptors. Make sure the wine hits the middle, sides and back of your tongue, as well as the top of your palate. What is your initial impression? Is the wine tart? Soft? Caramelized? Spicy? Take another sip, and close your eyes. If it were not wine, but food in your mouth, what would you be tasting? Just as a Bing cherry is very different from the vanilla-like Queen Anne cherry, every wine varietal is different and distinctive. White wines are often described as tasting like pear, apple, or pineapple. Red wines are compared to cherries, plums and berries. Cool growing seasons and some vineyards impart slightly vegetal characteristics that may remind you of herbs or asparagus. (Taster's Tip: If you like, you can also aerate wine by swizzling it behind your teeth for a moment. This is most appropriate for young, tannic reds as it aids in evaluating the fruit and longevity of the wine. It is, however, considered gross to do this in a restaurant, and it is very pretentious to do it with every wine, particularly whites.) 6. Toast and butter After the fruit and vegetable comparison, look for toast and butter characteristics. Various yeasts and wine making techniques can, if the winemaker so chooses, give wine a lingering bread-like smell, or the sweet-sour lactic aroma of buttermilk. Toasty, yeasty wines are often the result of allowing spent yeasts to remain in the barrel with the wine for a period of time, called aging sur lies. Buttery and creamy aromas are the result of a process called malolactic fermentation, a secondary, post-alcohol conversion in which a specialized yeast changes the tart, green-apple malic acids of the grape into creamier lactic acids. These characteristics apply mainly to white wines, as all reds are put through ML as a matter of course, and the deeper flavor and astringent tannins in red wines make sur lies aging more difficult to detect. (Taster's Tip: Sometimes barrels do not completely finish malolactic conversion, or winemakers will put part of their barrels through malolactic fermentation, and then blend those barrels with non-malo lots, resulting in a wine with partial malolactic. You can ask about the percentage of ML in a wine, and with practice you will be able to guess accurately.) 7. Tannin White wines have little or no tannin, which is a woody component extracted naturally from the skins and seeds of the red grapes. If you remember Boris Karloff craving his tanna leaves in The Mummy then you may have figured out that tannins are a natural preservative which facilitates the aging of red wines. (You should drink most white wines within four years of their vintage date—they lack the preservative tannins and will darken and caramelize with age.) Although white wines are often completely dry, red wines taste even drier because the fresh tannins in a young red wine are very astringent. As these wines age, their tannins decompose in the bottle, creating an earthy effect and, one hopes, a more complex wine. The subject of aging reds before consumption is a controversy which has lasted for ages, but there is one simple guideline. If you like young wines, drink them young; if you like older wines, age them. 8. Oak Now study the wine for oak. Can you smell it? Can you taste it? Not all wines should be oaky—the delicate fruit flavors of light white wines can be overwhelmed by too much oak, and even red wine can sometimes smell more like furniture than fruit. The effect should be subtle—wines should not taste of pine, cedar, toothpicks or planks. 9. Good body What is your overall impression of the wine's textural feel? Does the wine have body, and structure? Were its components multiplexed and interesting? Did the wine titillate all the surfaces of your mouth, and seduce your sinuses? Or did it seem to stick to just one portion of your tongue? Body generally refers to a wine's ability to satisfy a multitude of sense in your mouth. Structure implies that the wine has layers of experience—flavors that echo the initial aromas and lead into a lingering finish. Some tasters prefer a thick, viscous, high-alcohol wine, while others enjoy a wine that seems to expand on the palate, throwing out a joyous array of flavors, aromas and teasing texturals. 10. The finish line Does the wine have a nice finish, a lingering sensation of flavor? Wines designed to be pleasant, fruity gulpers should leave a clean, brisk finish; more expensive wines designed for longevity should leave hints of interesting, mysterious and pleasantly spicy flavors, much like an expensive and well-designed perfume.

Please post your questions about Evaluating Wine here, as well as your comments about the assignments and your results. If you have not completed the daily assignments, please refrain from posting until the end of the week, when the thread will open up to general questions. Thanks.

We apologize for any inconvenience we might have caused, but the wine evalutaion form that was uploaded this morning was the wrong version. The difference is not substantial -- the final version simply removes an extraneous section -- but if you downloaded the form prior to the time stamp on this post, you should probably downlaod it again to avoid confusion. Thanks, and sorry for the error.

Attached is the wine evaluation form for use as you go through the class exercises. This is probably not like any other wine evaluation form you've seen, if – in fact -- you've seen any. What we wanted to do is give students who follow the class and use the form an easy way to categorize the wines they like and don't like and make it more likely that they buy wines they'll enjoy. This is the way the form works: for most of the elements in wines (fruit, oak, tannins, etc.), there is a scale from 5 to 1. For any given quality, "5" means that the element is strong or very evident; 1 means the element is barely apparent or not apparent at all. Thus, for body, a "5" rating would indicate lots of body; "1" would indicate very light body. Likewise, a "5" under fruit would mean a big fruit presence and "1" would be used for a wine where the fruit is not as apparent. Remember, you're not rating the wine according to how well you like the various elements, or how well balanced they are, just on how evident they are. You may want to fill out two (or more) forms for some wines – one as you first taste the wine, and one later on after the wine has "breathed" for a bit, or perhaps one on tasting the wine alone, and one with food. There's bit of space in each section, and plenty in the margin, for taking notes. Don't hesitate to use it. In addition to the scales for the various elements of the wines, there is a section to rate how well you liked the wine. After you've tasted and "scored" a selection of wines on both scales, take a look at your forms and see if there are any common likes and dislikes you have. Do you enjoy lighter or heavier bodied wines? Lots of oak or none? Fruity or less fruity wines? Think about your preferences and use the knowledge the next time you visit your wine store – you should be better equipped to ask for wines with the qualities you enjoy, and you're probably more likely to end up with satisfactory wines. wine_evaluation_guide.pdf

Welcome to the eGullet Culinary Institute's class on Evaluating Wine, which will be presented next week, beginning Monday, March 7. If you plan to take the class and do the recommended assignments, please read through this introduction; it contains information you'll need to prepare for the class. The instructor Mary Baker (Rebel Rose) is the administrative partner of Dover Canyon Winery, a small artisanal producer in Paso Robles, California. She has taught college-sponsored courses in wine appreciation, and frequently speaks on wine appreciation and food-and-wine pairing. Thirteen years in wine hospitality and winery business management include stints as the first tasting room manager for Wild Horse Winery, and later the business manager for Justin Winery. As one of the original moderators on AOL's Food and Drink Network, Mary hosted monthly online winemaker chats. From 2002 to 2004 she served as a director on the board of the local vintners' association, representing the Paso Robles appellation, entertaining international visitors, and speaking at local wine festivals and seminars. She was also chairman of the 2004 Paso Robles Zinfandel Festival, an annual wine festival featuring a grand tasting, live and silent auctions, press events, artist receptions, and open house events at over 80 wineries. In her spare time she writes and plants vegetables and flowers, many of which promptly die. She is the author of Fresh From Dover Canyon: Easy Elegant Recipes from Dover Canyon Winery. For the wine tasting exercises Later this week we will post a file you can download to print an evaluation form for the wines you taste. It's not necessary to use the form, but to get the most out of the class, you should plan to take notes as you taste. Wine Recommendations Before and during the class, students will be asked to find and purchase wines that are good yet inexpensive models of common red and white wines. Suggested varietals include * chardonnay * sauvignon blanc * pinot gris or pinot grigio * riesling * pinot noir * merlot * cabernet sauvignon * zinfandel * syrah Here are some recommendations from the wine forum for varietally accurate wines from affordable producers. If you can’t find these particular wines, ask your local wine shop for recommendations. Make it clear that you are looking for “varietally accurate” wines, in other words, a good example of a single grape varietal. For this course, we will not be tackling blends yet, but learning to recognize the distinct aromas and flavors that a particular grape contributes to a wine. You do not need a bottle of each varietal to participate. Shop within your budget, and invite your friends to participate. Chardonnay Argyle (Oregon) Catena (Argentina) Meridian (California) Wild Horse (California) Sauvignon blanc Galzebrook (New Zealand) Geyser Peak (California) Mulderbosch (South Africa) Pinot gris or pinot grigio Alois Lageder (Italy) Chehalem (Oregon) Erath Vineyard (Oregon) Hugel (Alsace) Livio Felluga Esperto pinot grigio (Italy) St. Michelle (Washington) Trimbach (Alsace) Riesling Bonny Doon Pacific Rim (California) Chehalem (Oregon) Erath Vineyard (Oregon) Hugel (Alsace) Trimbach (Alsace) Pinot noir Saintsbury Garnet (California) Leaping Lizard (California) Louis Jadot (France) Wild Horse (California) Merlot Blackstone (California) Columbia Crest (Washington) Valdevieso (Chile) Wild Horse (California) Cabernet sauvignon Rodney Strong (California) Sebastiani (California) Valdevieso (Chile) Wild Horse (California) Zinfandel Dry Creek (California) Ravenswood (California) Wild Horse (California) Syrah Columbia Crest (Washington) Hardy’s Stamp (Australia) Jacob’s Creek (Australia) Lindemann’s (Australia) Wolf Blass (Australia) Glassware It will be helpful but not necessary to use fresh wine glasses for every wine you taste. The brand and style of the glass is not important, but for evaluating the color and aroma of the wines, standard stemmed wine glasses are preferable. Component Descriptor Kit One of the exercises for this class will involve what the wine industry calls component descriptor kits. Although these can be purchased, it is not difficult to make your own. Assembling it will take only a short time, but the ingredients will have to steep for a couple of days. Equipment 12 quart jars with lids or stretch plastic to cover 12 half-pint jars, with lids and screw rings fine sieve cheesecloth small 3M sticky note strips Ingredients Neutral white wine (a box of Gallo chardonnay or similar wine is fine; you won't be drinking this) red food coloring 2 cups rocks (gravel or small stones) 2 cups green olives, rinsed 2 peaches 1 box raspberries 1 box blackberries 1 bunch mint 1 mixed bunch of thyme, rosemary and lavender 1 bunch tarragon 3 pears 3 tablespoons cloves 1 box cherries 2 tart apples *Optional/alternates: Meyer lemon, kiwi, plums, peppercorns, alfalfa hay, sage, vanilla extract Put a pint of wine in each quart jar. Add the rocks to one jar, the olives to another, and the cloves to another jar. Gently crush and twist the bunch of mint and add to a jar, pushing down to cover with wine. Quarter the peaches and add to a quart jar, pushing down to cover with wine. Add the remaining fruit and herbs to separate jars. Allow to steep for 12 to 48 hours. Pour off a little of the pear infusion and smell. When the pear and apple infusions are strong enough to identify, the others will be ready as well. Clean the half-pint jars and rinse well. Make sure they do not smell like cardboard or soap. Strain each infusion by pouring through a fine sieve lined with a layer of cheesecloth. Pour each infusion into a clean half-pint jar. Color the "red" aromas --raspberries, blackberries, cherries, mint, tarragon, and cloves -- with red food coloring. Add one drop at a time and stir until the wine turns ruby red. Olives and herbs may be left white or colored red as they can apply to both. Seal the jars until ready to use, and label with sticky notes. Please post any questions about class preparation or logistics here.

Please post your questions about the logistics of the Wine Evaluation class here.

Please post questions and comments about the braising seminar here. All members are welcome to post here, whether or not they have completed the labs. If you have results related to the labs, please use the individual lab discussion threads for those. Thanks.

Please use this topic to share your results from Braising Lab #4. All are free to read along, but please post here only if you participated in Lab #4. Thank you!

The Truth About Braising Lab Assignment #4 Seminar Led By Steven A. Shaw (aka "Fat Guy") It has been a long week, and this lab should be the easiest of the four. In Lab #4, we'll look at the effect of browning on the outcome of the braising process. We will be using three samples: Sample #1 should be browned in a braising vessel or skillet on the stovetop Sample #2 should be browned under the broiler Sample #3 should not be browned at all After the samples are ready, braise them all in the same liquid at the same temperature until fork tender. Taste, compare, photograph, report. This experiment will probably be more reliable if you do the braising in three separate vessels, in order to avoid commingling of flavors. But you can do it in one pot if you're careful about preserving the order of the samples or you find a way to mark them. Finally, for our last trick, reheat the Lab #1 samples yet again and share your observations. Hang in there -- it's almost over! Click here for the discussion of Lab #4. Click here for the Braising Q&A.

Please use this topic to share your results from Braising Lab #3. All are free to read along, but please post here only if you participated in Lab #3. Thank you!

Please use this topic to contribute ideas for using the leftover braised meat from the eGCI "Truth About Braising" seminar. Thank you!