7/30/2018
By Ingrid Sapona
As I was sitting down to write today’s column, it dawned on me
that readers may end up thinking I’m a chef wanna-be. My immediate reaction to
that is a simple No. But then I realized perhaps I should reflect on that a bit,
as maybe there’s something to it. So let me get back to you on that later…
I don’t know about you, but my friends and I seem to share
more meals over the summer. There’s something about sunshine and all the fresh
fruit and vegetables that inspires me to invite friends over and to trying new
recipes. And, this summer I’ve been working on upping my game by trying to be
more “chef-y”. Ok – that’s a term I’ve coined – but I’ll explain what I mean.
Obviously, chefs have specialized training and know a whole
range of things about food. They also know where to find all sorts of exotic
ingredients. For example, not too long ago I had a pasta dish that had little
teeny tear-drop shaped peppers that I had never seen before. Turns out they
were Sweety Drops from Peru.
But, I’ve observed a handful of things chefs do that I think
end up making a big difference and I’ve been focusing my energy on these. The
first has to do with planning the meal. I used to decide what I wanted to serve
and I’d go in search of the necessary ingredients. The past few years I’ve
taken a more chef-like approach. Now I narrow it down to a few different recipes
and I don’t make the decision until I’m at the market. Then I choose whatever seems
the freshest and best value. It seems a no-brainer, I know – but it does
require a level of flexibility.
I’ve noticed that chefs also pay a lot of attention to
texture in dishes. For example, a sprinkling of pine nuts on a plate of pasta
or a handful of shredded cabbage tucked inside a pulled pork sandwich is
probably more about adding crunch than about adding flavour.
Colour is also something I’m sure chefs consider and it’s
something I’m paying more attention to too. While you won’t catch me adding
squid ink to make my risotto a dramatic black, I do look for ways of adding
colour. For example, I may add sliced red pepper on top of a green bean salad,
or a spear of roasted carrot alongside a scoop of rice. I also try to make sure
there’s colour contrast between the main and sides.
Another chef-y thing is how they combine interesting,
unexpected flavours. Pickled veggies seem to be a favourite way of adding a bit
of tang, while chutneys and compotes are often used to add some heat. While I
enjoy some chutneys, I’m not keen enough on them to bother making them. But,
I’ve been playing around with quick pickling things ever since I read somewhere
that it’s a great way of using up leftover veggies. My current favourite is
adding quick pickled corn to arugula salad – it adds colour, zest, and
interest. Very chef-y, don’t you think?
Mind you, some combinations chefs come up with seem to work
better on paper than in reality. The other day, I ordered a burger because I
was intrigued by one item in the description: tomato jam. I’d never heard of
that and so I was curious to see whether it was just some fancy catsup. Turns
out it was truly a jam – very sweet. I’m not a fan of mixing sweet and savoury,
so it kinda ruined the burger for me. So, it’s not something I’m going to try
to imitate, but I don’t mind saying it’s nice to know that not every combo a
chef comes up with is necessarily a winner either!
And of course, there’s plating the food, which chefs have
raised to an art form. Whether it’s a thin streak of pesto along the edge of
the salad plate, or a carefully sculpted pyramid of saffron rice next to a flakey
piece of fish – chefs clearly have an artistic vision for each dish. And, when
they plate something, they always manage to add a few little grace notes – perhaps
a couple wafer thin radishes or a curly garlic scape for good measure.
Of course, because a restaurant menu features many different
dishes, a chef has all sorts of interesting ingredients on hand that can be used
to add pizazz. It’s a bit more of a challenge to have a variety of little
things to add to make a plate look interesting when you live alone. But, if you
were to peak inside my refrigerator this summer, you’d see that I’ve been
making quite an effort in this regard.
So, I’ve been having fun playing around with all these
things – from planning the menu, to adding texture, to trying unusual
combinations and being more creative in how I plate things. But, does all this
mean that somewhere deep down inside I wish I’d have become a chef? I honestly
think the answer is no. I love learning about cooking and I enjoy trying to
make different things. But, I wouldn’t want it as a career because I’d hate for
it to start to feel like a job. Instead, I’m happy just trying to be more chef-y.
© 2018 Ingrid Sapona
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