The Art of the Pan Sauce
These flavorful, caramelized brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan after sautéing meat are the foundation of the sauce.
What is fond?
You should always allow meat to do this for 5–10 minutes after cooking to allow the juices to redistribute.
What is rest?
To protect your fingertips while chopping, you should use this hand position, tucking your fingers inward.
What is the Claw?
This almond-flavored cream, a mixture of crème pâtissière and almond meal, is the traditional filling for a Galette des Rois. It starts with an "f"
what is Frangipane?
This is the French term for puff pastry, which literally translates to "leafed paste."
What is pâte feuilletée? (paht foyah-tay)
This classic thickener is a cooked mixture of equal parts by weight of flour and fat, usually butter.
What is a roux?
To keep the buffet from looking flat, chefs use these sturdy pedestals or boxes hidden under linens to create different levels of height.
What are risers?
This critical step involves adding liquid to a hot pan to loosen and dissolve the browned bits from the bottom.
What is deglazing?
This term refers to the specific temperature at which an oil stops shimmering and starts to burn and smoke.
What is the smoke point?
This French cutting technique produces long, thin strips, often compared to "matchsticks."
What is Julienne?
To get the iconic golden, flaky exterior, this type of "laminated" dough is used for the top and bottom layers.
What is puff pastry (or pâte feuilletée)?
Lamination is the process of repeatedly folding this ingredient into dough to create hundreds of thin layers.
What is butter?
Unlike a roux, this thickener is made by mixing a starch with a cold liquid before adding it to a hot sauce to prevent lumps.
What is a slurry?
This specialized piece of equipment uses a water pan and a fuel source like Sterno to maintain hot food temperatures during service.
What is a chafing dish?
This type of pan is generally avoided for pan sauces because its coating prevents the "fond" from sticking and forming.
What is Non-stick, or Teflon?
To ensure a proper sear, you should use a paper towel to perform this action on the meat's surface before it hits the pan.
What is "patting it dry"?
This is what it is called when a knife blade extends the entirety of the knife.
What is "full-tang"?
Before baking, chefs use the tip of a knife to etch these decorative patterns into the top of the dough.
What is scoring?
To prevent the butter from melting and ruining the layers, the dough must undergo this process between folds.
What is Chilling?
This French term, meaning "kneaded butter," refers to a raw mixture of flour and butter used to thicken a sauce at the very end of cooking.
What is a beurre manié?
This clear glass or plastic barrier is required to be positioned over the food to protect it from guest contaminants.
What is a sneezeguard?
Boiling the sauce to evaporate water, which thickens the texture and intensifies the flavor, is known as this.
What is reducing?
This chemical reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars gives browned food its distinctive flavor and color.
What is the Maillard reaction?
This is the smallest standard cube cut, measuring approximately 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch.
What is Bruniose?
Traditionally served on January 6th, the Galette des Rois celebrates this Christian feast day.
What is epiphany?
When the cold water in the dough hits the hot oven, it turns into this, which provides the "lift" to make the pastry rise.
What is steam?
This gluten-free starch is prized for its ability to remain clear and shiny, making it the top choice for fruit pie fillings and acidic sauces.
What is arrowroot?
To ensure guests can serve themselves easily without juggling items, these two things should be placed at the very end of the service line.
What are napkins and silverware (or flatware)?
A sauce is ready when it reaches this consistency, a French term meaning it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
What is "nappe'" (nah-pay)?
Sprinkling this powder used in baking, on the surface of meat to lower the pH and cause more Maillard reaction to happen.
What is the baking soda?
This term describes a specialized technique for cutting leafy greens or herbs into long, ribbon-like strips.
What is a Chiffonade?
This tiny porcelain or plastic charm is hidden inside the cake; the person who finds it is "King" or "Queen" for the day. It was a fava bean.
What is the fève?
This "leavening" type is used in puff pastry, meaning no yeast or chemical agents like baking powder are required for it to rise.
What is Mechanical leavening?
As a roux is cooked longer to become "dark" or "chocolate," it gains more flavor but loses this specific functional ability.
What is thickening power? (The darker the roux, the more liquid you need to thicken it).
This is the two-word French term for a large piece of the principal food, such as a whole roast turkey or decorated ham, that serves as a centerpiece.
What is the Grosse Piece?