Word of the Week

Welcome! Word of the Week features a culinary term whenever I come across one of these jargons in cookbooks. I picked up this practice from the culinary school and have continued with this learning journey after I graduated. As the cuisines I look at are international, many of these terms are French, Middle Eastern or Asian. Here are some samples. For the latest Word, click here.

Word of the Week: Vanilla

There's nothing plain about vanilla. It is the second most expensive spice after saffron, because growing the seed pods is labour-intensive. It has a complex floral aroma and is highly priced for its flavour. It is widely used in commercial and home baking, in perfumes and in aromatherapy.

In my recent trip to Bali, I picked these up from the local spice market. They smell awesome - I mean, to come home to a luggage smelling of vanilla instead of the usual dirty laundry or airplane smell is quite something of a new experience. I have since used them in a bun pudding as well as in the apple cake I baked last night.

Baking with something straight out of a plant beats any type of essence, pure, natural or artificial, no matter how highly you may esteem them.

Word of the Week: Canape

Canape - open-face sandwich, finger food, bite-size, palate pleaser, mouth-amuser, usually decorative. The practice of serving canapes based on my research goes as far back as the 18th Century.

Last night, I served my guests this canape consisting of my home-cured gravlax (cured salmon), cream cheese on garlic crisps, butter lettuce leaves, olives from a friend, garnished with dill.

I also served these other finger food.

Above: Toasted buckwheat crackers with mashed avocado, sundried tomatoes (see my moonblush tomatoes), and pitted olives.

Below: Dates and Figs wrapped with bacon. This is a variation of my little cocoons which my friends in Germany taught me. And I am also reminded of my barded chicken during my days in culinary school.

Oh, of course I was wearing my EVC T-shirt when cooking last night.

Word of the Week: Mezzaluna

This double blade knife rocks!

Meet my first Mezzaluna, bought more than a year ago in an obscure corner of a shopping mall in Kuala Lumpur. Yes, Malaysia Boleh!

Meaning "Half moon" in Italian, the Mezzaluna consists of a rounded blade with 2 handles on each end. Some people call it a herb chopper.

My chef at-Sunrice taught me that a rocking motion is gentle on the herbs, preserving its essence and extends its shelf life.

I've enjoyed the use of this elegant tool since my purchase, although I sometimes wonder if it's an insult to chefs with good knifing skills. It also runs the danger of being in the "useless tools" category since a normal knife can quite do the job if you can just execute a proper chiffonade.

Today, I'm chopping some fresh dill for my salmon gravlax. I can't wait to serve my guests in my second private dining event tomorrow.

Word of the Week: Tangzhong

Tangzhong (or a water roux) was created by a certain lady named Yvonne Chen who wrote a Chinese book entitled "65 degrees Tangzhong Bread". It took the baking scene by storm and caused a huge stir in the blogging scene. It became the secret ingredient to make the softest, fluffiest bread without the use of any artificial enhancers.

Essentially, it's one part water to 5 parts bread flour, cooked in a small pot till it reaches 65 degrees Celsius. It is then taken off the heat, left to cool and chill overnight. The science of it is at this temperature, the gluten in the flour and water mixture absorbs moisture and becomes leavened. When incorporated into other ingredients to make bread, it acts as a natural leavening agent, heightening bread and the result is soft air-fluffy bread.

You can do this without a thermometer. At 65C, you can start to see lines as you whisk the mixture.

Cover with a plastic wrap ensuring it makes contact with the TZ before you chill it overnight.

Click here to see the soft shreddable bread I made using the TZ method.

Word of the Week: Ratatouille

Originating from France, Nice, Ratatouille (pronounced Rat-ter-too-ee) is essentially a vegetable stew. Touiller means to toss food. Hmm...any link with the traditional Chinese New Year salad tossing??

Joel Robuchon, holder of the most Michelin stars for his chain of restaurants in the world, says the secret to a good Ratatouille is to cook the vegetables separately so each will taste truly of itself. Tomatoes form the key ingredient accompanied with garlic, onions, zuchinni, bell peppers, and a mix of fresh green herbs. The short cut way is to saute all at one go but I've found the Robuchon advice to be sound and worth the effort.

In the dish above, I sauteed the vegetables separately, simmered them in a tomato paste for 10-15 minutes, then layered them in a ramekin and baked in an oven at 180C for another 10-15 minutes. For this effort, I was rewarded with a bowl of tasty, nutritional goodness.

I made 2 sunny eggs and this little meal filled me for more than 6 hours!

To me, the Ratatouille must have 2 things: One, the dried tomato paste on the top edges of the ramekin and two, the spillage on the outside walls - for that complete rustic provencal finish! Oh, and of course, I thoroughly enjoyed Ratatouille the movie too ; )

Word of the Week: Bamboo Charcoal

This is NOT a black and white photo!

Have you seen and tasted black bread? I had my first encounter with this just yesterday and was told they're commonly found in Malaysia. Such a novelty bread! I had to find out more about it.

Apparently, it's baked with bamboo charcoal, an ingredient that dates back to the Ming Dynasty in China! It is made from bamboo plants that are more than five years old and burnt in an oven of more than 1000 degrees. It has high absorptive capabilities, can be used to purify water and eliminate organic impurities and smells. 

In an episode of the famous Japanese anime show Yakitate Japan, bamboo charcoal is focused as an ingredient mixed into breads. Now, since "pan" means bread, have you considered that Ja-pan is a bread nation? 

Google the health benefits of bamboo charcoal and you can find loads, from clearing chemical impurities in the air to promoting metabolism and so on. 

Do they look like skin grafts from Gorilla?

Word of the Week: Ciabatta

Some people pronounce Ciabatta as Sha-ba-ta, some say Cha-ba-ta, still others call it Car-bia-ta. Even amongst the Italians, the pronunciation differs although no one argues on its meaning of "slipper bread". It is a somewhat elongated flat bread made from wheat flour.  Crisp on the outside and moist and chewy (and holy!) on the inside, it is one of the loveliest breads to have with a soup or a lemon curd.

I made some this morning - see my pictures here plus recipe and method.

Word of the Week: Bistro

In my own bistro one day, there would be a stalk of fresh rosemary in the bottled water on the table. 

A traditional bistro in its European origins is a small restaurant that serves moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting. Bistros are defined mostly by the type of foods they serve. Home-cooked food with menus developed around simple recipes that would keep over time. 

Today's bistros are chic in deco and architecture and normally high in prices. 

I'm thinking it would be fun to try to run your own bistro and share the kind of food you'd like to share with others!

Word of the Week: Dashi

Dashi is an essential element in many Japanese dishes and considered fundamental to Japanese cooking. It provides a savory flavour and is much easier to make than meat stock. It forms the base for miso soup, clear broth, noodle soup and other simmering liquid. 

Here, I make a basic dashi using dried bonito flakes which is available in Japanese supermarkets. 

Just boil 4 cups of water to one cup of flakes (accuracy not critical). Bring water to boil, add flakes, and when water boils again, turn off heat and let sit till flakes sink to bottom. Strain. Discard used flakes. 

Dashi can be kept in a freezer as ready stock whenever you feel like a bowl of ramen in the middle of the night. 

Dashi sounds like "da xi" in Chinese which means abundance and prosperity - how appropriate that this comes on the third day of the Lunar New Year. Gongxi, Gongxi. Dashi, Dashi! Enter the Year of the Dragon! 

Look out for the next post when I use Dashi to make Chawanmushi!

Word of the Week: Farfalle

Farfalle, a type of pasta, originated from northern Italy as far back as the 16th Century. Also known as "bow-tie" pasta, Farfalle in fact means "butterflies" in Italian. Though suitable for all kinds of sauces, Farfalle is best for cream and tomato based sauces.

I bought this pack in a little shop in Florence, the same place where I got my truffle oil. Did you see my post on all that shopping I did for my kitchen? The shopkeeper, always proud of her own products, told me the colours come from the base ingredients used to make these pasta. So, for instance, the red is from beetroot, yellow from turmeric, and green from spinach. The most interesting has to be the black - it comes from squid ink. How cool is that.

Zero preservatives, addictives, MSG, flavour enhancers… and what have you.

I will let you know about the taste when I make these for the family one of these days.

Word of the Week: al dente

Al dente is an Italian expression that refers to the state of cooked pasta as "firm but not hard". Pasta that is cooked al dente has a lower glycemic index (GI) than pasta that is cooked soft. This means the pasta will break down more slowly, releasing glucose more gradually into the bloodstream. 

I have tried to do pasta on both extremes, just before al dente and way overcooked till limp. Overcooked pasta tastes like Chinese noodles! Our family of 5 all have varying thresholds of "al dente-ness" so I cook pasta whichever way I like which is usually a minute more after al dente, and somehow, someone will be pleased with it. I can't please them all, but I can please myself!

Word of the Week: Knodel

Knodels in my simple understanding are giant German dumplings. They are large and round and can be poached or boiled. Typically found in the German and Austrian cuisine, they can be made from flour, potatoes or bread. I've eaten them plain in a tasty, consomme-style soup but I've also had salty ones as a side dish for a stew as in the picture here. They can also be served as a dessert filled with yum-yum plums. I had this in a typical bavarian tavern by the St Paul's cathedral in Frankfurt built in 1848. 

Today, Knodel is more than a dish to me because of some wonderful friends in Germany. Friendship is a serious food enhancer!

Word of the Week: Carpaccio

Salmon carpaccio

Carpaccio, pronounced Ka-pa-show, is raw meat, usually beef or fish, thinly sliced and served as an appetizer. It is named after a 15th century painter called Vittore Carpaccio by a chef who was reminded of the painter on seeing the colour of raw beef.

"Dream of St Ursula" by Vittore Carpaccio

I've seen some interesting carpaccio recipes and hope to find the time one day to try some of them!

Word of the Week: Sous Vide

Some chefs believe sous-vide cooking will become as common as microwaving.

It's Wednesday and it's Word of the Week again. I want to introduce you to this Sous Vide machine that I saw in the culinary school. Sous Vide, pronounced su'vid, means "under vacuum" when literally translated from French. The machine vacuum-seals food which is then placed in a hot water bath at below-boiling temperatures for an extended period of time. This allows food to be completely cooked while retaining moisture and flavors. The results are shockingly tender and perfectly cooked food. 

The real magic in sous vide is the evenness of the cooking, and you can get a medium-rare steak with top-to-bottom sexy pink that melts in the mouth. 

Because the machine is expensive and used only in professional kitchens, many people with some creativity have developed their own home version and are enjoying some good success.

Since I first learned about sous vide, I know I am going to succumb to it one day. See this video from YouTube that is further tempting me - how to cook tender duck breast meat using home sous vide. "Anyone can do it" is the line that struck a big chord with me. 

I'm thinking a ziploc, a slow cooker and an accurate thermometer should do this!

Word of the Week: Ramekin

As readers of this blog are from different continents, I can't assume that everyone uses the same terminology. I was asked this week what a ramekin is when I posted the Baked Sunny Eggs with Roasted Tomatoes in Ramekins. Maybe it sounds like a form of napkin, I don't know.

Anyway, a ramekin is a small, round (usually about 3-4 inches in diameter), straight sided soufflé dish made of ovenproof porcelain. It is used to cook individual portions of food.

Most ramekins I see in restaurants are the boring white ones. Yawn. I got these rainbow ramekins from Totts and they certainly add immediate cheer to the kitchen and the dining table. Go out and get some of these if you don't have them. They'll surely inspire you to try this dish for a leisurely Sunday breakfast - here's the link again.

Word of the Week: Curing

My home-cured salmon with dill

I didn't forget it's Wednesday today. Word of the Week for today is "Curing".

Curing is a form of preserving or flavoring food especially of meat or fish, and dates back to ancient times. The process involves adding mainly salt, sugar and herbs. In very simple terms, the idea behind curing is that adding salt to raw meat removes water and moisture thereby eliminating an environment where bacteria can grow and multiply. Salt also slows down oxidation, preventing the meat from turning rancid. 

There is a lot to read and learn about curing and smoking on the internet. Just based on some simple research, I managed to do some home-curing and have lived to blog about them. Check out how I cured salmon - click here. Also, I am in the process of curing a pork belly to make pancetta - click here for more. Or go to the "Curing Meat" label/section on this blog.

If you have any questions on Curing, let me know and I'll be happy to do more research on your behalf as I am also interested to learn more in this area. Just spare me the lame (caught the pun?) healing and disease-curing jokes that my friends are texting me on!

My chef said I can tag onto his order for salmon for the restaurant so I'm going to be getting some good deals! That can only mean more curing projects - and more posts - from me!

Word of the Week: Pancetta

My work-in-progress home-cured pancetta. This picture shows my 3-day-old pancetta. It should be ready in about another 7 days.

Pancetta, an Italian word pronounced pan-share-ta, is simply Italian bacon. It is typically cured in salt and spices such as nutmeg, peppercorns and garlic. 

I am in the midst of experimenting with my first home-cured pancetta as I write this post. Check out where I'm at on this culinary experiment and what I cured mine with - click here. I wanted to do this because I want to be very sure what I'm eating, and what I'm feeding the family with. The bacon I get from the stores come with unpronounceable ingredients and a long list of suspicious-sounding chemicals. Plus the salt content is usually too high for my taste and liking. So, we shall see what I end up on my experiment, if I don't die from botulism!

Word of the Week: Rempah

Many people, my mom included, believe a good rempah can only be made using mortar and pestle.
A food processor is a strict no-no.

Rempah - I learned this word from a classmate in culinary school during our lesson on Malay cuisine.  Apparently a common term amongst Peranakans (Straits Chinese), Rempah is a Malay word used to describe the spice paste used in many dishes throughout Southeast Asia.

I've never been big on chillies and spicy food but the Chef who specialised in Malay cuisine changed my mind and palate, and I have a much deeper appreciation now for rempah. Here's a typical rempah recipe which I absolutely adore - the die-die-must-try sambal roast chicken. I have tested this dish and received good feedback from family and friends. It's worth every calorie count! See if this picture helps to entice you to try it.

And in view of the coming holidays, let me end on this note. The Little Drummer Boy knew something about rempah that others didn't. Hear ye, hear ye!

Come, they told me, pa-rempah-pum-pum
A new born King to see, pa-rempah-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa-rempah-pum-pum
To lay before the King, pa-rempah-pum-pum
Rempah-pum-pum, Rempah-pum-pum
So to honour Him, pa-Rempah-pum-pum
When we come.

Word of the Week: Lemang

I'm on a road trip in East Malaysia. One of the most traditional dishes here is Lemang which the Malays prepare in celebration of Hari Raya. It is sticky rice with coconut milk, wrapped in banana leaves and stuffed into thick bamboo sticks, then smoked over charcoal for 7 hours. We had Lemang for lunch yesterday for a mere seven ringgit.

Word of the Week: Molecular Gastronomy

The first time I heard this term was from 'Gordon'. Together with a partner chef, they tried to open a restaurant in Singapore based on molecular gastronomy cuisine but it seemed the small nation was not quite ready for something so experimental. That was a few years back and I'm not familiar with the F&B scene to know if this is picking up. 

Based on my layman understanding, molecular gastronomy is a form of food science that makes practical use of the physics and chemistry of ingredients that occur during cooking. This modern, experimental style of cooking distills cooking to a scientific discipline.

My research shows the term was coined in 1988 by an Oxford physicist. Some chefs dislike the term and instead call it "culinary physics" or "experimental cuisine". Heston Blumenthal is an icon of this modern style of cooking. 


Catch self-taught Chef Heston Blumenthal on the food channel. His experiment on Tudor Court royal cuisine is funny and absurd and has won rave reviews from top food critics in the world. 

Heston Blumenthal - the man who doesn't like the term "Molecular Gastronomy"
but is probably responsible for making it popular

Word of the Week: Za'atar

We had Za'atar with home-baked pita bread during our third Living Room Talk.
Miss Za'atar is seen here accompanied by Mr Atlantic Kosher Sea Salt.

I tasted Za'atar three times this week and thought I should highlight this interesting wonderful spice. It is a mixture of wild thyme, oregano, basil with kosher sea salt, toasted sesame seeds and dried sumac. Some varieties may include cumin, savory, coriander or fennel seeds. The commercial ones add roasted flour. I'm all for the home-made one though!

According to Wikipedia, "there is a belief in the Middle East that this particular spice mixture makes the mind alert and the body strong. For this reason, children are encouraged to eat a za'atar sandwich for breakfast before an exam. Palestinians also remind their children in the morning before sending them off to school that eating za'atar for breakfast will make them smarter." Any Palestinian friend out there who can verify if this is accurate?

Za'atar shrub in Jerusalem

Sumac 

It's definitely Middle Eastern cuisine week for me this week. I made Labane at home and added some Za'atar to it too. I also did a Meditteranean Labane plus plus - check it out here! Thanks to some dear friends who gave me a Meditteranean cookbook for my last birthday!

I am checking out a chic Moorish bistro tomorrow and will blog about it, so look out if you're interested.

Labane plus plus -  tested and tasted by some friends last night during caregroup

Word of the Week: Bouquet Garni

I came across this word a couple of years back and had to read it a few times to understand what it was. Some cook books have a way of complicating things. It is actually just a bunch of herbs tied together and thrown into your stock or soup. Why do some cookbook authors have to overcomplicate it for virgin chefs like me? The essence of the herbs seeps into your dish as you simmer it making it more flavorful. Stringing it together makes it neater when they float in your big pot and makes it easier to remove when done.

Here, I soak a sprig of rosemary for a touch of freshness to my cold drinking water. It's been there for weeks and looks just as fresh. The flowers are from a stranger in a carpark who gave me some healthy stalks to grow and multiply. Yes, spread the cheer!

Never fails to impress guests.
(Oops, condensation threatens any potentially good photography!)

Word of the Week: Confit

This is in my culinary to-do list

Confit (pronounced Con-fee) is a way of preserving food through slow cooking. It is a generic term for food that have been immersed in a substance for both flavour and preservation. It comes from the French word, Confire, which means to preserve. It was first applied in medieval times to fruits cooked and preserved in sugar. Sealed and stored in a cool place, confit can last for several months. 

I am going to try to make duck confit one of these days. Yes, still learning to cook, one disaster at a time.

Word of the Week: Chiffonade

Chiffonade

A chiffonade is a technique in which herbs or leafy green vegetables are stacked, rolled and cut into thin, long strips or fine ribbons to add flavour and elegance to a dish. I've seen my chef do it during my restaurant internship. I've enjoyed being a witness to how a heavily-tattooed guy could suddenly become so tender with the herbs. He did it with a sort of finesse and gentleness, transforming himself to another being different from the one clinking-clanking pots and pans. It's not an exaggeration to say he's almost like a ballerina in motion- so smooth and graceful.

Since then, I've tried to chiffonade on my own. Definitely needs more practice but I enjoy doing a copy-cat of my chef. See my chiffonade below.

Place each basil leaf on top of another.

Roll them cylindrical

Gently roll the top of your knife and in a rocking fashion, slice them into ribbons.

Word of the Week: Mirepoix

According to my research, this term mirepoix
dates back to the 18th century!

Today's word is Mirepoix. Pronounced meer-pwah, it simply means a combination of onions, carrots and salary celery (sorry, a Freudian slip there). Is there a plural to celery? Celeries?

This holy trinity combi is the flavour base for a wide number of dishes such as stocks, stews, soups and sauces. This picture is dated almost a year ago. I had instinctively used these 3 ingredients together without realising there is a culinary term that bundles them. How interesting.

Word of the Week: Schmear

A "Schmear" campaign against Mayor Bloomberg

Schmear, a word of Yiddish origin, is a culinary term to mean a spread on a bagel. Historically, the word means cream cheese but today, anything from humuus on a tortilla to peanut butter on a sandwich bread can be a schmear.

Word of the Week: Papillote

Papillote means"Parchment" in French and is pronounced Pah-pee-yot. It is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from folded parchment paper but other materials such as aluminium foil may be used. The parcel holds in moisture to steam the food. 

The moisture may be from the food itself or from added source like water, wine or stock.

This method is often used to cook fish and also poultry. Good choice of herbs, seasoning and spices will further enhance the taste.

The Chinese use this method for medicinal herbed chicken.  I'd like to try this on pasta marinara. Here's a video link to show how it works.

How to Cook en Papillote - Fine Cooking Recipes, Techniques and Tips

Word of the Week: Vinify

Vinify - the act of turning grapes into wine through fermentation. Call me ignorant but I never heard this word before. Is it because this happens in vineyards, like vineyards vinify? 

Word of the Week: Piping

Just playing with my leftover piping cream. 

It's fun and we should let the kids learn Chinese spelling with this!

Word of the Week: Dollop

Think blob, a shapeless mass, a lump or glob of something soft and mushy. Pronounced "da-lep", this week's Word of the Week describes something scooped casually and without measuring, an indefinite but often large quantity especially of something liquid or fluid.

Can be used as a noun or a verb. As a verb, it means to add.

What a cute word. You wanna wallop the dollop when your cake has too much sour cream?

Word of the Week: Bain Marie

I didn't like the Word of the Week given by the school today so am introducing a different one to you. So far, I have shared with you Mise En Place, Barding and Rotisserie. Mise En Place is so commonly used in the culinary world and in the school that I hear it almost every day now. Have you done the mise en place for tomorrow? What is the mise en place for this dish that you are planning to make? You need to improve on your mise en place or it will affect the effectiveness of the kitchen. Simply, it means, putting in place or preparing the ingredients in advance.

The word for this week is Bain Marie, another French term to mean "water bath". There is a special bain marie kitchen equipment but I'm not showing here as I don't think you need another piece of tool in your kitchen, am I right? You can simply improvise and do as shown above. Bain marie is used to heat food gradually to a certain temperature or to keep food warm over a period of time.

In application terms, you can use bain marie to melt chocolates so as not to burn them directly under the stove. In food stalls, it is common to see bain marie being used to keep food warm through low heating of warm water underneath. I also read that some people use the bain marie method to bake cheesecake preventing the top from cracking in the centre.

Now, why are most culinary terms French? Besides their marvellous cuisine and sophisticated cooking, is it because they just want to give us a hard time pronouncing all these difficult words?

See the Bain Marie I set up at home in my oven. 

Playing With Food Words

Children play with food, adults play with food words. I have to share this with you that I found in different parts of the Web and collated here.

"Sometimes I pray to Cod for the veal-power to stop playing with my food words, but I fear it’s too bread into me. For all I know, the wurst may be yet to come."

"Eggcellent recipes. I'll have to ketchup on all of them."

"Sea eeled with a kiss"

"I will clam every mountain in this life."

"Nearer my Cod to thee"

"Roe, roe, roe your boat" (and may I add: Gently down the steam)

"Shark the herald angels sing"

Favourite celebrities: Cod Steward, Mussell Crowe

Favourite movies: Jurassic Carp, Marlin Rouge

Stealing someone's coffee is called Mugging.

Drinking too much coffee can cause a latte problems.

Does a coffee shop has the grounds to operate in the black?

What do people buy coffee with? Starbucks?

Stir-fry cooks come from all woks of life.

A good baker will rise to the occasion, it's the yeast he can do.

There was a cook who had mushroom for improvement.

He got angry with the Italian chef and gave him a pizza his mind.

The lights at the Chinese restaurant were too bright so the manager decided to dim sum.

An experienced waiter can give a lot of good tips.

He was a restaurant critic but had no taste. 

Like them? Have you one to contribute?

Word of the Week: Rotisserie

My home rotisserie. Too lazy to cover the wings with foil resulting in uneven cooking.
I later learned to truss a chicken and the roasting was much more even.

Pronounced "roh-tis-uh-ree", this can be a noun or a verb. As a noun, it means a machine with a rotating, motor-driven solid rod used to hold meat over a fire. As a verb, it means the technique of roasting a meat which is skewered on the rotisserie machine. Like a BBQ skewer. This method is generally used for cooking large joints of meat or entire animals such as turkeys. The rotation cooks the meat evenly in its own juices.

My Brandt oven comes with a rotisserie function. It sounded very complex and complicated to me when the Brandt man came to our house to explain its usage upon purchase. But when I actually tried using it, it was rather simple and the results rewarding and worth the effort trying and learning. I also insert a tray of vegetables with some sea salt and ground pepper to catch the melting fats and then I get 2 dishes for the same amount of effort. 

As the sous chef for today, I had to read and explain this to the class. Before introducing them to the new term, I asked if they remembered last week's Word of the Week. No one did. So I revisited that lesson and told them I have tried it and the barded chicken was amazing. At break time, somebody came up to me and said he is so going to try it now. He said he didn't catch it the first time.

Then, I introduced rotisserie. The dear aunties in the class were wondering if it had anything to do with "roti" (bread). I thought the best way to explain to them was to refer them to the grilled chicken wings you find in the Singapore hawker centers. Then they went, "Orh!" I am learning auntie language.

Word of the Week: Barding and Larding

Barding a bird

Every Wednesday, the sous chef shares a culinary Word of the Week with us. This morning, he taught me "Barding" and "Larding". Barding is the act of wrapping bacon streaks (or fats) around a piece of meat (usually poultry) before roasting to keep it moist, tender and juicy.  Larding is injecting the fats into the inside of the bird using special tools.

I have never heard of this until today. I love this learning journey.

Look out for next week's Word of the Week on Wednesday (my new WWW).

Afternote: see my first attempt at barding. It's fun, easy and rewarding! And it makes you feel "cheffy"!