lCONTINENTAL IMPORATANT NOTES

FRENCH CUISINE
Ancient Régime

1. Guilds: were regulated by city government as well as by the French crown.

A guild restricted those in a given branch of the culinary industry to operate
only within that field There were two groups of guilds – first, those that
supplied the raw materials; butchers, fishmongers, grain merchants, and
gardeners. The second group were those that supplied prepared foods;
bakers, pastry cooks, sauce makers, poulterers, and caterers. There were
also guilds that offered both raw materials and prepared food,
2. Ham is pork from a leg thigh cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing,
with or without smoking.
3. Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork.[1] Bacon is prepared from several
different cuts of meat, typically from the pork belly or from back cuts, which have
less fat than the belly. It is eaten on its own, as a side dish (particularly
in breakfasts), or used as a minor ingredient to flavour dishes (e.g., the club
sandwich).
4. Curing is any of various food preservation and flavoring processes of foods such
as meat, fish and vegetables, by the addition of salt
5. Smoking is the process of flavoring, browning, cooking, or preserving food by
exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, Hot smoking requires the
use of a smoker which generates heat either from a charcoal base, heated element
within the smoker or from a stove-top or oven
6. A sausage is a cylindrical meat product usually made from ground meat, often pork,
beef, or veal, along with salt, spices and other flavourings, and breadcrumbs,
encased by a skin. Typically, a sausage is formed in a casing traditionally made
from intestine, but sometimes from synthetic materials.
7. terrine is a mixture of meats cooked in a dish of the same name.The flavor of
the dish depends entirely on the mixture, the meat, the additions, spices, etc.

8. Foie gras is the fattened liver of a duck or a goose. It is not a pâté (no
chopped ingredients, no spices).You are eating the liver of the animal and only
the liver of the animal. It is not blended, chopped or mixed. Foie gras can
simply be sliced and fried; eaten raw (yes really!)

9. Pâté come in many different forms. It is a preparation of meat, fish or

vegetables, the ingredients of which have been chopped and spiced.
 charcutiers : is the branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such
as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, galantines, ballotines, pâtés, primarily
from pork.Charcuterie is part of the garde manger chef's repertoire. Originally
intended as a way to preserve meat before the advent of refrigeration, they are
prepared today for their flavors derived from the preservation processes.

Late 18th century – early 19th century

The French Revolution was integral to the expansion of French cuisine, because it
abolished the guild system. This meant anyone could now produce and sell any
culinary item he wished. Bread was a significant food source among peasants and
the working class in the late 18th century,More important to Carême's career was
his contribution to the refinement of French cuisine. The basis for his style of
cooking was his sauces, which he named mother sauces. Often referred to as fonds,
meaning "foundations", these base sauces, espagnole, velouté, and béchamel, are
still known today.
Late 19th century – early 20th century

Georges Auguste Escoffier is commonly acknowledged as the central figure to the

modernization of haute cuisine and organizing what would become the national
cuisine of France He created a system of "parties" called the brigade system,
which separated the professional kitchen into five separate stations.these five
stations included the
i. "garde manger" that prepared cold dishes;
ii. entremettier" prepared starches and vegetables,
iii. rôtisseur" prepared roasts, grilled and fried dishes;
iv. saucier" prepared sauces and soups;
v. pâtissier" prepared all pastry and desserts items. This system meant that
instead of one person preparing a dish on one's own, now multiple cooks
would prepare the different components for the dish. An example used is
"oeufs au plat Meyerbeer", the prior system would take up to fifteen minutes
to prepare the dish, while in the new system, the eggs would be prepared by
the entremettier, kidney grilled by the rôtisseur, truffle sauce made by the
saucier and thus the dish could be prepared in a shorter time and served
quickly in the popular restaurants Escoffier's largest contribution was the
publication of Le Guide Culinaire in 1903, which established the
 fundamentals of French cookery. Escoffier himself, who invented many new
dishes, such a
vi. pêche Melba : Peach Melba is a dessert of peaches and raspberry sauce with vanilla
ice cream.
vii. crêpes Suzette: Crepes is a type of very thin pancake. Suzette a sauce
of caramelized sugar and butter, tangerine or orange juice, zest, and Grand
Marnier, triple sec or orange Curaçao liqueur on top

Mid-20th century – late 20th century

The 1960s brought about innovative thought to the French cuisine, especially
because of the contribution of Portuguese immigrants who had come to the country
fleeing the forced drafting to the Colonial Wars Portugal was fighting in Africa.
Many new dishes were introduced, as well as techniques. This period is also
marked by the appearance of the nouvelle cuisine. The term "nouvelle cuisine" has
been used many times in the history of French cuisine which emphasized the
freshness, lightness and clarity of flavor and inspired by new movements in world
cuisine.
1. The first characteristic was a rejection of excessive complication in cooking.

2. Second, the cooking times for most fish, seafood, game birds, veal, green
vegetables and pâtés was greatly reduced in an attempt to preserve the natural
flavors. Steaming was an important trend from this characteristic.
3. The third characteristic was that the cuisine was made with the freshest
possible ingredients.
4. Fourth, large menus were abandoned in favor of shorter menus.
5. Fifth, strong marinades for meat and game ceased to be used.
6. Sixth, they stopped using heavy sauces such as espagnole and béchamel
thickened with flour based "roux", in favor of seasoning their dishes with fresh
herbs, quality butter, lemon juice, and vinegar.
7. Seventh, they used regional dishes for inspiration instead of haute cuisine
dishes.
8. Eighth, new techniques were embraced and modern equipment was often used;
Because use even used microwave ovens.
9. Ninth, the chefs paid close attention to the dietary needs of their guests
through their dishes.
10.Tenth and finally, the chefs were extremely inventive and created new
combinations and pairings
 National cuisine
There are many dishes that are considered part of French national cuisine today.
A meal often consists of three courses, hors d'œuvre or entrée (introductory
course, sometimes soup), plat principal (main course), fromage (cheese course)
or dessert, sometimes with a salad offered before the cheese or dessert
Paris and Île-de-France[edit]
all train lines meet in the city. Over 9,000 restaurants exist in Paris and almost
any cuisine can be obtained here. High-quality Michelin Guide-rated restaurants
proliferate here.[11]
Champagne, Lorraine, and Alsace[edit]
Game and ham are popular in Champagne, as well as the special sparkling wine
simply known as Champagne. Fine fruit preserves are known from Lorraine as
well as the quiche Lorraine. Alsace is influenced by the Alemannic food culture; as
such, beers made in the area are similar to the style of bordering Germany. Dishes
like choucroute (the French word for sauerkraut) are also popular.[11]:55 Many
"Eaux de Vie" (alcoholic distillation) also called schnaps is from this region, due
to a wide variety of local fruits (cherry, raspberry, pear, grapes) and especially
prunes (mirabelle, plum)
Nord Pas-de-Calais, Picardy, Normandy, and Brittany[edit]
The coastline supplies many sea bass, monkfish and herring. Normandy has top
quality seafood, such as scallops and sole, while Brittany has a supply of lobster,
crayfish and mussels. Normandy is home to a large population of apple trees;
apples are often used in dishes, as well as cider and Calvados. The northern areas
of this region, especially Nord, grow ample amounts of wheat, sugar beets
and chicory. Thick stews are found often in these northern areas as well. The
produce of these northern regions is also considered some of the best in the
country, including cauliflower and artichokes. Buckwheat grows widely in Brittany
as well and is used in the region's galettes, called jalet, which is where this dish
originated
Loire Valley and central France[edit]
High-quality fruits come from the Loire Valley and central France, including
cherries grown for the liqueur Guignolet and the 'Belle Angevine' pears. The
strawberries and melons are also of high quality. Fish are seen in the cuisine,
often served with a beurre blanc sauce, as well as wild game, lamb, calves,Young
vegetables are used often in the cuisine, as are the specialty mushrooms of the
region, champignons de Paris. Vinegars from Orléans are a specialty ingredient
used as well
Burgundy and Franche-Comté[edit]
Burgundy and Franche-Comté are known for their wines. Pike, perch, river crabs,
snails, game, redcurrants, blackcurrants are from both Burgundy and Franche-
Comté. Amongst savorous specialties accounted in the Cuisine franc-
comtoise from the Franche-Comté region are Croûte aux morilles, Poulet à la
Comtoise, trout, smoked meats and cheeses such as Mont
d'Or, Comté and Morbier which are at the palate best eaten hot or cold, Dijon
mustard is also a specialty of Burgundy cuisine. Crème de cassis is a popular
liquor made from the blackcurrants. Oil are used in the cooking here, types include
nut oils and rapeseed oil

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes[edit]
See also: Lyonnaise cuisine

The area covers the old province of Dauphiné, once known as the "larder" of
France,[dubious – discuss] that gave its name to Gratin dauphinois. Fruit and young
vegetables are popular in the cuisine from the Rhône valley, as are great wines
like Hermitage AOC, Crozes-Hermitage AOC and Condrieu AOC. a light yeast-
based cake, called Pogne de Romans and the regional speciality, Raviole du
Dauphiné, and there is the short-crust"Suisse", a Valence biscuit speciality. Lakes
and mountain streams in Rhône-Alpes are key to the cuisine as
well. Lyon and Savoy supply sausages while the Alpine regions supply their
specialty cheeses
Bordeaux, Périgord, Gascony, and Basque country[edit]
Bordeaux is known for its wine, with certain areas offering specialty grapes for
wine-making. Fishing is popular in the region for the cuisine, sea fishing in
the Bay of Biscay, trapping in the Garonne and stream fishing in the Pyrenees
includes patés, terrines, confits and magrets. This is one of the regions notable for
its production of foie gras or fattened goose or duck liver.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur[edit]
The Provence and Côte d'Azur region is rich in quality citrus, vegetables, fruits
and herbs; the region is one of the largest suppliers of all these ingredients in
France. The region also produces the largest amount of olives, and creates superb
olive oil. Lavender is used in many dishes found in Haute Provence. Other
important herbs in the cuisine
include thyme, sage, rosemary, basil, savory, fennel, marjoram, tarragon, oregano,
and bay leaf..
Rice is grown in the Camargue, which is the northernmost rice growing area in
Europe, with Camargue red rice being a specialty.

Foods and ingredients

French regional cuisines use locally grown vegetables, such as pomme de
terre (potato), blé (wheat), haricots verts (a type of French green
bean), carotte (carrot), poireau (leek), navet (turnip), aubergine (eggplant), courg
ette (zucchini), and échalotte (shallot).
French regional cuisines use locally grown fungi, such
as truffe (truffle), champignon de Paris (button mushroom), chanterelle ou
girolle (chanterelle), pleurote (en huître) (oyster mushrooms), and cèpes (porcini).
Common fruits include oranges,
tomatoes, tangerines, peaches, apricots, apples, pears, plums, cherries, strawberri
es, raspberries, redcurrants, blackberries, grapes, grapefruit, and blackcurrants.
Varieties of meat consumed
include poulet (chicken), pigeon (squab), canard (duck), oie (goose, the source
of foiegras), bœuf (beef), veau (veal), porc (pork), agneau (lamb), mouton (mutton)
, caille (quail), cheval (horse), grenouille (frog), and escargot (snails). Commonly
consumed fish and seafood include cod, canned sardines, fresh sardines,
canned tuna, fresh
tuna, salmon, trout, mussels, herring, oysters, shrimp and calamari.
Eggs are fine quality and often eaten as: omelettes, hard-boiled
with mayonnaise, scrambled plain, scrambled haute cuisine preparation, œuf à la
coque.
Herbs and seasonings vary by region, and include fleur de sel, herbes de
Provence,
1. tarragon,: Tarragon also known as estragon, is a species of perennial herb in
the sunflower family. It is widespread in the wild across much of Eurasia and North
America, and is cultivated for culinary and medicinal purposes
2. rosemary: perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink,
purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region It is a member of the mint
family
3. thyme,: Thyme (/taɪm/) is any member of the genus Thymus of aromatic perennial
evergreen herbs in the mint family
4. fennel, : Fennel is a flowering plant species in the carrot family.[2] It is a
hardy, perennial herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It is indigenous to the
shores of the Mediterranean but has become widely naturalized in many parts of the
world,
5. sage: grayish leaves, and blue to purplish flowers. It is a member of the mint
family Lamiaceae and native to the Mediterranean region,

Structure of meals
Le petit déjeuner (breakfast) is traditionally a quick meal consisting
of tartines (slices) of French bread with butter and honey or jam
(sometimes brioche), along with café au lait (also called "café crème"), or black
coffee, or tea[19] and rarely hot chicory. Children often drink hot chocolate in
bowls or cups along with their breakfasts. Croissants, pain aux raisins or pain au
chocolat (also named chocolatine in the south of France) are mostly included as a
weekend treat. Breakfast of some kind is always served in cafés opening early in
the day.
A more classy version is called "le petit déjeuner du voyageur", where
delicatessens serve gizzard, bacon, salmon, omelet, or croque-monsieur, with or
without soft-boiled egg and always with the traditional coffee/tea/chocolate along
fruits or fruit juice. When the egg is cooked sunny-side over the croque-monsieur,
it is called a croque-madame.

Beverages and drinks

n French cuisine, beverages that precede a meal are called apéritifs (literally: that
opens the appetite), and can be served with amuse-bouches (literally: mouth
amuser). Those that end it are called digestifs.
Apéritifs
The apéritif varies from region to region: Pastis is popular in the south of
France, Crémant d'Alsace in the eastern region. Champagne can also be
served. Kir, also called Blanc-cassis, is a common and popular apéritif-cocktail
made with a measure of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) topped up
with white wine. The phrase Kir Royal is used when white wine is replaced with
a Champagne wine. A simple glass of red wine, such as Beaujolais nouveau, can
also be presented as an apéritif, accompanied by amuse-bouches. Some apéritifs
can be fortified wines with added herbs, such as cinchona, gentian and vermouth..
 Digestifs
Digestifs are traditionally stronger, and
include Cognac, Armagnac, Calvados, Eau de vie and fruit alcohols

1. Cannelloni: rolls of pasta stuffed with meat & vegetable mixture. It is

cylindrical tube type of lasagna served with sauce. it is part of Italian cuisine.
Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Bake for 25 minute in metal pans. Wine:chianti
(Italy)very dry & medium body. Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety 70
to 75% in chianti, Tuscan region of Italy. Sangiovese USA
2. Lasagna: is flat pasta. Italian cuisine. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F / 200
degrees C .Bake time:25min in metal pan’

3. Ravioli: is a type of dumpling comprising, a filling enveloped in thin pasta

dough. Usually served in broth or with a sauce, they originated as a traditional
food in Italian cuisine. Ravioli are commonly square, though other forms are also
used, including circular and semi-circular

Wine pairing: white wine with white sauce. Meat based sauce with red wine

4. Gnocchi: are various thick, small, and soft dough dumplings that may be made
from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, egg, cheese, potato, breadcrumbs, cornmeal,
or similar ingredients, and possibly including flavorings of herbs, vegetables,
cocoa, or prunes

Course: Entrée light or medium body

Popular Continental Vegetables
FOOD PRODUCTION: IS THE TRANSFORMATION OF RAW
INGREDIENTS, BY THE PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL MEANS INTO Edible
FOOD. WE CONVERT THE RAW INGREDIENTS INTO EDIBLE FORM OF
FOOD

COOKING:IS THE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOOD, PARTICULARLY BY

THE APPLICATION OF HEAT.

COOKERY:IS THE GROUP OF METHODS & TECHNIQUES, THE ART &

SCIENCE, PARTICULAR TO THE PROCESS OF COOKING. METHOD OK
COOKING SUCH AS BOILING, STEAMING, ROASTING ETC.

CUISINE:IS THE TYPE & STYLE OF COOKING & FOOD PARTICULAR TO

A LOCATION OR CULTURE E.G. PUNJABI, KASHMIRI, BENGALI
CUISINES ETC.

WHAT IS CHEF :CLEAN HYGIENIC ETHNIC FOOD.

CHEF CAP IS ALSO KNOWN AS TOQUE. IT WAS ORIGINATED IN
FRANCE

METHODS OF COOKING

Cooking methods are classified as `moist heat’ and `dry heat’

1. Moist-heat:methods are those in which the heat is conducted to the food

product by water (liquid) or steam.
2. Dry-heat: methods are those in which the heat is conducted without
moisture, that is, by hot air, hot metal, radiation or hot fat
MOIST HEAT METHODS
(POACH, SIMMER & BOIL)
1. To poach, simmer and boil all means to cook a food in water or a seasoned
liquid like stock or even milk. The temperature of the liquid determines the
method.(poached egg, poached fish, poached chicken)
2. To boil means to cook in a liquid that is bubbling rapidly and is greatly
agitated. Water boils at 212°F (100°C) at sea level. No matter how high the
burner is turned, the temperature of the liquid will go no higher. Boiling is
generally reserved for vegetables and certain starch products. The high
temperature would cause protein foods to toughen (meats and fish) and the
rapid bubbling would break up delicate products.

3. To simmer means to cook in a liquid that is bubbling very gently.

Temperatures are generally 185 - 205°F (85 - 96°C). Most foods cooked in a
liquid are simmered. The high temperatures and agitation are detrimental to
most foods.
4. To poach means to cook in a liquid, usually a small amount that is hot, but
not actually bubbling. Temperature is about 160 - 180°C (71 - 82°).
Poaching is used to cook delicate foods such as fish and eggs. It is also used
to partially cook variety meats to get rid of odors and undesirable flavors
which can be eliminated by poaching and which will firm up the product
before the actual cooking.
5. To blanch means to cook an item very briefly, usually in hot water, but
sometimes, as in the case of French fries, in hot fat. There are two ways of
blanching in water: a. Put the item in cold water and simmer for a few
 seconds and then plunge into cold water.

b. Place the item in rapidly boiling water, bring the water back to a boil,
remove the item and cool rapidly.

STEAMING

To steam means to cook foods by exposing them directly to steam

1. Steam at normal pressure is 212°F (100°C), the same as boiling water.
However, it carries much more heat than boiling water and cooks very
rapidly. Cooking times must be carefully controlled to avoid
overcooking.
2. Steaming is widely used for vegetables. It cooks them rapidly without
agitation and minimizes the nutrient, color and flavor loss normally
associated with boiling (idlli, momos,dhokla, steamed sea food, steamed
chicken)

BRAISING
To braise means to cook covered in a small amount of liquid, usually after
preliminary browning. Then cooking could be done on a bed of vegetables
and most often, the liquid used for the cooking is served with the foodstuff as
a sauce.(braised lamb, braised chicken

1. Braised meats are normally browned first using a dry heat method
such as pan frying or searing. This gives a desirable appearance and
color and flavor to the product and to the sauce.
2. Braising also refers to cooking some vegetables such as cabbage and leeks,
without the preliminary browning.
3. Food being braised is not completely covered with liquid during the
cooking process. The top of the product is normally cooked by steaming.

5. In the braising of meats, usually large joints or whole birds (like chicken,
duck) are cooked in this method.
 STEWING

To stew means to cook pieces of meat or fish or vegetables using fairly large
amounts of liquids. (Lamb stew, mutton rogan josh,chicken stew)

1. The food items are normally cut into small cubes. Tougher cuts of meat and
harder vegetables are cooked by this method.
2. The liquid is normally at simmering point and is enough to just cover the
entire foodstuff.
3. In stewing, a lot of the nutrients, flavor and taste of the food item is
transferred to the liquid.

Stewing is almost the same as simmering and the principles are the same.
Simmering refers to a preliminary method of cooking whereas stewing refers
to the making of a dish.

DRY HEAT METHODS

(ROAST & BAKE)

To roast and to bake means to cook foods by surrounding them with hot dry air,
usually in the oven. Cooking on a spit is also referred to as roasting.
Roasting usually applies to meat and poultry.( roasted broccoli, roasted chicken)
Baking applies to bread, pastries and cakes & cookies. Fish could also be baked.
(baked potato, cake, pastry, veg puff, caramel custard)

1. Cooking uncovered is essential to roasting. Covering holds in

steam, changing the process from dry to moist heat cooking.
2. Meat is usually roasted on a rack. This rack prevents the meat
from simmering in its own juices and fat.
BROILING
(garlic bread, lamb chop)
To broil means to cook by radiant heat from above.
The terms broiling, griddling and grilling are sometimes confused. Grilling is
often called broiling and griddling is called grilling. For purposes of clarity,
broiling is done on a broiler, griddling on a griddle plate and grilling on a
griller

1. Broiling is a rapid high heat cooking method that is usually used only for
tender meats, poultry, fish and a few vegetable items.

GRILLING, GRIDDLING & PAN BROILING

Grilling, Griddling and Pan-broiling are all dry heat methods of cooking that
use heat from below.

1. Grilling is done on an open grid over a heat source, which may be charcoal,
an electric element or gas heated. Moving the food items from hotter to cooler
places on the grill regulates cooking temperatures. Grilled items must be
turned over once during the cooking process to ensure even cooking.

(grilled chicken, grilled potato, grilled fish)

2. Griddling is done on a solid cooking surface called the griddle, with or

without small quantities of fat. To prevent sticking. The temperature is
adjustable and is around 350°F/177°C. this is much lower than on a grill. In
addition to meats, items such as pancakes and eggs can be cooked on a griddle

(griddle chicken, lamb chop

3. Pan – broiling is like griddling, except it is done on a frying or sauté pan or

skillet instead of on a griddle surface. Fat must be poured off as it
accumulates, or the process would become pan-frying.
DRY HEAT METHODS USING FAT
SAUTE
To sauté means to cook in small amounts of fat.
1. The French word sauter means `to jump’, referring to the action of tossing
small pieces of food on a sauté pan. However, larger slices of meat or
vegetables could be sautéed without actually tossing.

PAN FRYING

To pan – fry means to cook in a moderate amount of fat in a pan over

moderate heat.

1. Pan-frying is similar to sautéing, except that more fat is used and the
cooking time is longer. Larger items are used and it not possible to toss them.
2. Pan-frying is normally done over lower heat than sautéing, because larger
pieces are being cooked.
3. The amount of fat used depends on the food being cooked. Only a small
amount will be required for eggs, but meat and fish items would require a bit
more.
4. Most food items would be required to be turned over at least once for even
cooking

DEEP FRYING

To deep fry means to cook food submerged in hot fat. Quality in a deep fried
product is characterized by the following properties:

-
Many foods are dipped in a breading or in a batter before frying. This forms a
protective coating between food and fat and helps give the product crispness,
color and flavor.

CHINESE CUISINE
The Chinese sauté, steam, deep fry & roast with a difference. Baking is rarely
done

1. Stir frying: is the most popular method of cooking. It is similar to sautéing, but
is done on intense heat. It is because of the short cooking time that fresh foods
have to be used as they need less cooking time. The heat seals the juices &
preserves color

Five cooking regional cuisine of Chinese

1. Cantonese (southeast): western travelers influence it. When they
migrated, they established Chinese restaurants outside china.
2. Shantung Style: shanghai was influenced by the active trade between. Peking &
Shantung. Peking is now called Beijing was the site of imperial palace

3. Szechwan style: The province is hot, almost tropical. The food is highly spiced,
peppery & somewhat oily. Deep frying is popular. Chicken chilly fry, szchwan
duck is a favorite dish of this region.

4. Hunan style: this region is famous for sweet & sour dishes and rich seasonings.

5. Fukien style: this region is situated on china east coast is famous for sea food &
for its clear light soups.