What exactly it means to be a gourmet? Is just public television cooking shows on Saturday morning, while folding the laundry count? As it would be fascinated with Julia Child, with all her cookbooks on your Amazon wish list? Know what is meant joy, garam marsala and charcuterie, this qualifies you as a gourmet? Where does the term come from and what exactly does this mean?
A gourmet is someone with a discerning palate, the savvy when it comes toof good food and drink. Groumet The word comes from the French word which a person responsible for defining wines at a meal. While this definition is a start, most people think they have a sophisticated palate, but the difference between a Big Mac and Whopper probably does not count. What exactly are demanding gourmets about? Who decides what is and is not gourmet? From my research, I have three things to call a person who is a gourmet question that come up. While not aexhaustive list, qualifying in each of these three categories is a good indication that you can call themselves a gourmet.
If you do not own a blender because you save up for a Waring or refuse, to brown your bagels in anything other than a Dualit toaster, you are in the first category of gourmet good knowing that your equipment. Note that I do not say this unit yourself a gourmet, just know what it is and have a sincere desire to own it all someday, like when you winthe lottery and can actually afford. A few of the necessities in a gourmet kitchen include a Cuisinart food processor, Emilie Henry bakers, All-Clad pots and pans, Viking range, built in ice in the refrigerator, Kitchenaid mixer, Espressione espresso machine, Wüsthof knives, and a thermometer, polder timers. They should also include on fine china, silver cutlery and beautiful table linens. Some calculations from the Williams Sonoma site (which should be your favorite placesshop), would be a fully-equipped gourmet kitchen including service for 8 came to over $ 25,000.00 This figure includes not even begin many dishes that should cover you.
That brings us to our next category, food brings. Do you know of concepts such as foie gras, sevruga, gravlax, fleur de sel, truffles (not the chocolate kind) and herbes de Provence? Have you ever eaten one of them? If you answered yes, most of them, you have a definite gourmet. A good gourmet kitchen will be stocked with thebest wines, caviar, cheese, produce, meat, bread and pastries. It also hosts of herbs and spices as well as liqueurs and natural extracts. Hundreds of volumes of cookbooks are also a necessity and needs to authors such as Jacques Pepin, Simone Beck, James Beard, and of course, include Julia.
The last area that defines a gourmet is drive. This means always want to learn more about the good food and wines. Taking holidays to France and Italy are a start, andvisiting wineries, fish markets and farmers' markets can take anywhere. Food should be an obsession, not just a past time. Magazines such as Saveur, Cuisine, Cook's Illustrated, Fine Cooking, Gourmet and Bon Appetit should dot the landscape of your home. You should also take a strong desire to cooking classes and cooking vacations and your ultimate dream to one day at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris. Yes, knowing French is a strong plus.
If you say youqualify, would also in two of these categories, I say you are a budding gourmet. Three would mean you are a gourmet in any case. Now you have, as such, do not hesitate to qualify to share with others. But keep in mind that they want you to really cook for them, since they can assume all the gourmet cook. This was not felt, however, the factors qualifications, so do not put under pressure, if indeed your gourmet items using startle you. Instead, invite them to a gourmet --Restaurant and its correct pronunciation of items on the menu. The knowledge of the equipment, understanding the names and taste of food and with a desire to cook someday is all you need a gourmet. Besides, who has time to cook when you are so busy to learn, a foodie?
Copyright 2006 Emma Snow
