Haute cuisine is a French style of cooking that emphasizes complex methods, attention to appearance, and the use of high-quality ingredients. It originated in classic French cuisine from 1750 to 1975 and is associated with dishes like Béarnaise sauce and Sole Veronique. While formal education is not required, mastering the art requires patience, nuanced tools, and persistence.
Haute cuisine, pronounced /OAT kwih ZEEN/, is a French term that translates to “haute cuisine,” or perhaps more accurately, “haute cuisine.” It is a style of cooking and food preparation that is usually superbly prepared by top chefs and often comes in small portions. The term is more correctly used to refer to classic French cuisine dating from between 1750 and 1975. It was during this period that the so-called nouvelle cuisine, which means “the new cuisine”, was developed. Some, however, now use the phrase “haute cuisine” to distinguish any fine cuisine, regardless of its origin. The style has gained a certain fluidity in modern times and chefs often take some liberties with the type of food they prepare. As such, the term is commonly used to refer to food that is prepared with particular attention to appearance, used at large celebrations and especially for high-ranking members of society, and requires extremely complex cooking methods. Very often it is the core methods that make the meals elite, although there are some signature dishes and especially sauces associated with this type of cuisine that can help set it apart.
First characterizations
The earliest characterization of this type of cuisine is from the 14th century manuscript Le Viandier, which translates into English as “the preparer of meats”. The book was written by Taillevent, a master cook of Charles V, King of France. In this book, three key elements of what would be called “haute cuisine” have been identified: attention to seasoning and the abundant use of spices; separate preparation of dish proteins from the sauces with which they were served; and especially complex brewing instructions.
Fundamental elements
A mid-17th-century book, Le Cuisinier Français – which translates into English as “The French Cook” – provides recipes for some of the elements now considered most representative of this type of cuisine. Roux, which is basically a base for various sauces, is one example. It is typically made by slowly cooking flour, often pure wheat flour, together with a fat such as butter or lard. The resulting product is used as a base for sauces such as béchamel, which is a béchamel sauce.
Farces, which is a kind of filling made of things like ground chicken, mushrooms, and onions, is another example; so are the bonds, which is a thickening agent made from egg yolks and heavy cream. Broth, a strained stock often made from a mirepoix or combination of onions, carrots, and celery, is also considered by most cooks to be a staple of this type of cooking, although the traditional ingot is often very different from the flavored cubes. and commercial basics that people can buy in many supermarkets around the world today. Additionally, the cuisine is usually associated with a wide range of dishes and sauces, especially Béarnaise, coulis and remoulades.
Cooking methods
Also key to this type of cooking is the intricacy of the methods, the detailed crafting of the knives, and the distinctive use of pastry in the main courses. In many cases, the complexity comes from cooking parts of a dish separately and bringing them together in the final presentation, but it also refers to the layers of flavor and the many ingredients in each part of the dish, such as the sauce.
Some preparations in particular are closely linked to the concept of classic haute cuisine. Béchamel sauce, made by adding milk to a roux, and hollandaise sauce, a combination of butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice, are two examples. Aspic, a savory gelatin that’s used in molded dishes or as a glaze, is another. Consommé, a clarified broth, and forced meat, which is a dish of raw or cooked meats or finely ground vegetables, seasoned and combined with breadcrumbs, are also closely associated. Entrees in this class include Sole Veronique filets and poached eggs au gratin.
Learn and perfect the art
Most culinary colleges and professional cooking schools teach students the basics of haute cuisine, but no formal education is usually required. Anyone serious about learning and perfecting their skills can often do so by closely studying cooking guides or watching tutorials on television or online. Cooks often need a somewhat nuanced array of tools and cookware to achieve accurate results, and most dishes take a while to prepare, making patience all but essential. With time and persistence almost anyone can master the basic nitty-gritty of the art, even if most find it impractical for everyday home use.
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