Moléculaire

mol ĂŠ culaire

A collection of artfully crafted dishes from some of the most talented female gastronomists.

mol ĂŠ culaire

Copyright 2017 Taschen Books Publishing Hohenzollernring 53 D-50672 Kรถln Cologne, Germany taschen.com

All rights reserved. This book, and parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Published in Germany by Taschen Books Publishing.

ISBN 0-684-02374-1

dedication Dedicated to the ones I love and the art I live for.

chapitre un

chapter one

3

mol ĂŠ culaire A collection of artfully crafted dishes from some of the most talented female gastronmosists.

con tents

Dominique Crenn

Ana Ros

Kristin Kish

01

Chapter One 19

02 Chapter Two

origins the art tools of the trade

dominique crenn:

A Poetic Journey

33

03 Chapter Three

04

ana roĹĄ:

A Tribute to Slovenia

kamilla seidler: Chapter Danish Cuisine in Bolivia Four

49

63

05 Chapter Five 79

final thoughts

"Every artist dips his brush in his

own soul, and paints his own

nature into his pictures."

— henry ward beecher

introduction chapitre un

chapter one

9 9

molecular

moleculairĂŠ

intro duction 12

If you fancy yourself a bit of a foodie, or if you love to watch the Food Network, chances are you’re familiar with molecular gastronomy. The impact of molecular gastronomy on cooking has resulted in the creation of the most impressive meals aesthetically breathtaking, surprising, innovative an exciting. The experimental chef is not just preparing a meal – they are creating a work of art and an unforgettable, multi sensory experience for the lucky person who gets to enjoy it.

introduction

11

12

molecular

The term ‘molecular gastronomy’ was coined in 1988 by physicist Nicholas Kurti and chemist Herve This. Molecular gastronomy is not a style of cooking, it is the study of cooking – the science behind it.

The knowledge that was attained through this study gave rise to the modern or experimental style of cooking we know today – you know, the kitchens that use equipment you’d generally expect to find in a lab and come up with all sorts of new ways to manipulate ingredients. Experimental cooking is an evolving style that is continually built upon by the knowledge that is gleaned from molecular gastronomy.

Kurti and This decided to study the science of cooking after coming to the realization that we were still cooking in much the same ways as our ancestors way back when. All of our various technological and scientific advances hadn’t had any significant impact on the way we prepare food. So Kurti and This set about discovering how the many processes of cooking change the structure of food, how ingredients react to different things, and what the best ways of preparing certain things are – according to science. Chefs can now use all of this knowledge to improve and diversify their cooking.

Herve This had a passion for cooking and wanted the research he was undertaking to change the way food is perceived – to be regarded as pleasure rather than a necessity. He remarked that “this is simple physics but it can help us to make better food.”

introduction

13

14 molecular moleculairé

Much of the focus of modern cuisine is on extracting flavors from ingredients and presenting them in new and surprising textures.

Achatz explained it as – “we lean toward science to figure out ways to extract flavor and aroma.”

Experimental cuisine goes beyond simple cooking, to performance. The chef creates a multi sensory experience for the diner. The tastes and textures are playful and surprising, they evoke memories, and more than likely have never been experienced before – each meal is an exploration of culinary possibilities.

The equipment used and the methods under taken from this newfound knowledge may seem more fitting in a laboratory than a kitchen.This includes sous vide, freezing, dehydration, and the creation of foams and gels.

Experimental cuisine relies on extremely precise cooking but also on curiosity and experimentation. It is at once scientific and artistic.

It is not much help to the chef to know the science and have the equipment available if there is no creative flair to dream up the possibilities and plate them beautifully. The food must be good above all else. These new methods are just tools that help chefs in their quest to perfect their craft and push its boundaries. Heston Blumenthal remarked that “it’s all just cooking” we just now have completely revolutionary ways of doing it!

Experimental cooking has become so wide-

that requires a mastery of the craft – and

spread that it’s increasingly becoming syn-

this of course requires knowing and perfec-

onymous with fine dining. It takes incredible

ting tradition first.

precision and complex methods to pull off these meals, along with hours of preparation, the need for all sorts of special equipment and most importantly – the creativity to conjure up these ideas! It is a style of cooking

Blumenthal, Adria and Thomas Keller of the French Laundry released a statement together about experimental cuisine. They warned against what they perceived to be a misunderstanding of this approach to cooking, stating that certain aspects of it had become sensationalized while other aspects had been ignored. They cautioned against undertaking experimental cooking for the sake of novelty – the new methods and modern ingredients should not define cooking, they should be used as tools to create more stimulating and innovative dishes. Molecular gastronomy helps to remove constraints previously faced by cooks. It gives us information that helps us realize the complex potential of ingredients – “it is not a new idea, but a new opportunity” they stated.

Experimental cuisine is turning dining into a multi-sensory, emotional experience and more and more restaurants are taking this approach on board – it appears that the avantgarde kitchen is here to stay! The challenge is to ensure that this style of cooking isn’t undertaken for the sake of the trend, but that it is utilized as a means of creating better, more interesting meals.

introduction

15

01 chapter one

/

Origins, Craft and Tools of Molecular Gastronomy

18 molecular moleculairĂŠ

"Art touches the soul, art is communiction... it reaches out from the canvas and passes through the eyes of the viewer right into his heart where it can leave an imprint of beauty that can make the spirit sing."

first coined in 1992 as the title of a scientific workshop held in Erice, Italy, cochaired by Oxford physicist Nicholas Kurti, French chemist Hervé This, Berkeley, Calif., educator chef Elizabeth Cawdry Thomas and Harold McGee, whose influential 1984 book “On Food and Cooking” is widely regarded as an essen-

ori gins

The term “molecular gastronomy” was

tial text for anyone interested in the science of cooking. “The invention of a new dish is of greater importance to the happiness of mankind, than the discovery of a new star” It was also in this presentation that we find the perhaps most quoted words by Nicholas Kurti: “I think it is a sad reflection on our civilization that while we can and do measure the temperature in the atmosphere of Venus we do not know what goes on inside our soufflés.”

In his lecture, Kurti suggest using syringes to inject rum into mince pies and to use the proteolytic enzymes in fresh ananas juice to tenderize meats. One of the recent inventions in the kitchen at the time of the presentation was the microwave oven. Kurti describes how

found to be fully cooked and very tender. Kurti

the microwaves can be used to create an inver-

repeated the experiment, leaving a 2 kg lamb

ted baked Alaska. Baked Alaska is a dessert

joint in an oven at 80 °C. After 8.5 hours, both

where a hot, baked meringue contains cold,

the inside and outside temperature of the lamb

frozen ice cream. The inverted baked Alaska,

joint were around 75 °C, and the meat was

described as a Frozen Florida, consists of a

tender and juicy.

container made out of meringue. The container

Together with his wife, Giana Kurti, Nicholas

is filled with an alcoholic liquor and put in the

Kurti edited an anthology on food and science

freezer. After a couple of hours, the container is

by fellows and foreign members of the Royal

taken from the freezer and put into a microwave

Society, “But the crackling is superb”. The title

oven. The result is a dessert which is hot inside,

stems from a television show where Nicholas

but remains cold on the outside.

Kurti demonstrated the use of ananas juice to

Kurti also advocated low temperature cooking.

tenderize a pork roast. A noted chef, Michel

It is actually not a new invention. The English

Roux, was to taste whether the ananas juice

scientist Benjamin Thompson described in the

actually improved the pork roast. It turned

18th century how a joint of meat could be left

out that after cooking, the pork roast treated

in a drying oven over night and how he was

with the tenderizing enzymes of anans juice

surprised when, the next morning, the meat was

was very mushy. Michel Roux of course preferred the untreated pork roast, but trying to find something nice to say, noticed that the skin was crisp and thus uttered that “the crackling is superb”.

chapter one

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20

moleculairé

ori gins

molecular

Before I go on, I should also include a

Herve This has written several books on mo-

quotation by Sir Benjamin Thompson, Count

lecular gastronomy, including the follo-wing:

Rumford, published in 1794 in his 400 page

“Molecular gastronomy: Exploring the science

essay, entitled: “On the construction of kitchen

of flavor”, “Kitchen mysteries – Revealing

fireplaces and kitchen utensils, together with

the science of food” and “The science of the

remarks and observations relating to the var-

oven”. A list of his books in French can be

ious processes of cookery, and proposals for

found here. Herve This works at the College

improving that most useful art”.

de France, in the group for the Chemistry of

Together with the french chemist Herve This,

molecular interactions, headed by the Nobel

(1955-), Nicholas Kurti felt that the gap be-

laurate Jean-Marie Lehn. He is one of the few

tween food science and cooking at home and in

scientists working full time with the subject

restaurants was becoming to large. It was nec-

molecular gastronomy. One of his most famous

essary to invent a new discipline. Herve This

inventions is his chocolate chantilly. But ac-

propsed “molecular gastronomy”, but Nicholas

cording to Pierre Gagnaire, Hervé This’ main

Kurti, beeing a physicist insisted that “and

discovery is that salt coated with oil can be

physical” should be added. Thus Herve This’

sprinkled on foods without dissolving, thereby

PhD dissertation was entitled “Molecular

retaining the “crunch”.

and physical gastronomy”. After Kurti died, the field has simply become known as molecular gastronomy.

"Eating is sensorial. More than that, it's about interpreting the information that your senses give you."

chapter one

21

22

molecular

moleculairĂŠ

t ools of the t rade equipment Slotted stainless steel spoon Set of 4 metal measuring spoons High Precision Digital Scale Food grade syringe 6’ silicone tube to make agar spaghetti 5 pipettes PH Indicator Paper Spherical ice cube trays Double boiler Cooking thermometer Sharp pin, for handling Small squeeze bottle 20 Chinese porcelain soup spoons Sodium Alginate Silicone Hemisphere Mold Calcium Lactate Gluconate Calcium Chloride Xanthan Gum Sodium Citrate

five food additives sodium alginate: Ideal for molecular gastronomy Basic & Reverse Spherification; in presence of calcium, Sodium Alginate forms a gel without the need of heat; create spheres with liquid center and a delicate gel membrane.

calcium lactate gluconate: Perfect for molecular gastronomy Reverse Spherification; increases the calcium content of the main ingredient without changing the flavor or altering the consistency – unlike standard calcium lactate and calcium chloride.

calcium chloride: Ideal for molecular gastronomy Basic Spherification, adds calcium to the water bath; easily dissolves in water; in presence of sodium alginate Calcium Chloride forms a gel without the need of heat.

xanthan gum: Ideal for molecular gastronomy thickening and suspension techniques; great for thickening the main ingredient in Reverse Spherification; making sauces, suspending elements in a liquid.

sodium citrate: Ideal for molecular gastronomy Basic Spherification; can be used to reduce the acidity of the main ingredient when doing Basic Spherification; Most juices are acidic and acidity inhibits the basic spherification process required for making caviar.

chapter one

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24 molecular moleculairĂŠ

"Who but the artist has the power to open man up, to set free the imagination?"

-henry miller

th e art A paper by Howard Coutts and Ivam Day published by the Henry Moore Foundation describes the European sugar sculpture, porcelain and table layouts from the 16th through 19th centuries. Dining was not just about eating food, but also about its elaborate display. Tables were adorned with sculptures made from marzipan, wax or sugar paste. Court artists and designers “of the highest caliber” were the creators of these edible works. tronomy is not a style of cooking, it is the study of cooking – the science behind it.

The knowledge that was attained through this study gave rise to the modern or experimental style of cooking we know today – you know, the kitchens that use equipment you’d generally expect to find in a lab and come up with all sorts of new ways to manipulate ingredients. Experimental cooking is an evolving style that is contin -ually built upon by the knowledge that is gleaned from molecular gastronomy.

If food production can be art, why don’t we also consider the cooking of food as art?

Combining and transforming materials is a fundamentally creative activity, whether those materials are paints, clays, musical notes or edible ingredients. In fact, gastronomy is even included in some countries’ ministries of cultural affairs. We can also look at molecular gastronomy as a point of intersection between design and food.

Also referred to as modernist cuisine, it involves the application of scientific principles to cooking in order to create surprising and inventive aesthetics and textures in food.

chapter one

25

moleculairĂŠ

vs molecular

a rt sc i e nce

26

One example of how chemistry and physics can lead to new ways of cooking is provided by the egg. If we heat an egg, water evaporates, the proteins denature and polymerize to enclose water, and the end result is a cooked egg. Is there another way to do this? Yes, alcohol can do the same trick because it can denature proteins; thus we achieve the same result by adding liquor to a raw egg. Similarly, the scientifically proven way to obtain an airy soufflĂŠ is to heat it from below, so the evaporating water pushes the dough upwards. This is simple physics but it can help us to make better food.

"Molecular Gastronomy is all about precision.

Accurate tools and measures can make the difference between a success or a flop."

The arts, including painting, sculpture, in-

of those elements is creative. When a creative,

stallation, dance and music, are in part about

sensory form also has the capacity to express

creating a sensory experience—something

philosophies, inspire multiple interpretations,

for the audience to see, feel or hear. And per-

conjure narratives and/or allude to complex

haps more than any other discipline, food

meanings, it is art, whether the medium is paint

has the ability to appeal to all of our senses

or piano or polenta. Food has not replaced art

a combination of colors, textures, crunches,

as high culture; it is art.

smells and tastes goes into the making of a meal, and the selection and transformation

chapter one

27

molecular moleculairĂŠ

molecular gastronomy.

28

The principles of design describe the ways that artists use the elements of art in a work of art. The way in which these principles are applied affects the expressive content, or the message of the work.

Any strong work of art has achieved a balance with all the principles.

note While reading this book, keep in mind the basic design principles.

01

Balance

04 07 10

Emphasis Repetition

Harmony

02 05 08 11

Proportion Movement Rhythm

03 06 09

Perspective Pattern Variety

Unity

introduction

29

"I want to take them on a journey."— dominique crenn

chapter one

31

02

chapter two

/

Dominique Crenn, A Poetic Journey

34 molecular moleculairé

dominique crenn Chef Dominique Crenn is on a journey.

Her upbringing in Paris and Versailles gave her a love of fine food, but her academic studies in economics and international business prepared her for a career in the cut and thrust world of top-end restaurants. She arrived in San Francisco in 1988, and worked in some of its most famous kitchens before leaving for Jakarta, where she became Indonesia’s first female executive chef. Within a few years of her return to San Francisco, she earned Michelin stars for her artistic cuisine at Luce restaurant, before opening Atelier Crenn in 2011, and Petit Crenn just last year.

How does it feel to be named the World’s Best Female Chef ? It is a great honour to be chosen as the World’s Best Female Chef 2016 by my peers and the people I’ve had the pleasure to cook for. I’ve been inspired by many of the past winners of this award and so it’s a great pleasure to join their ranks and to hopefully motivate cooks around the world to work hard, be creative and achieve great things. I am proud to share this award with my chef family, the teams at Atelier Crenn and Petit Crenn, without whom this accolade would not be possible.

What do you mean by the term ‘poetic culinaria’? Life is a poem, cooking and feeding people is an act of vulnerability. An expression of yourself to share with others.

What’s your definition of success? The opportunity to stay in my craft, and by doing so being able to engage with colleagues, offer mentorship to those coming up, and most importantly to inspire others in any craft.

In a male dominated industry, how can more women be encouraged to enter the profession, and why is that important?

Like any industry, women have a harder time to succeed. I can only speak for what I did, which was work very, very hard, be

clear about my goals, try and forge mentoring relationships with other women in the field, and channel frustration around inequities toward our craft.

Why is it important to have women in the field? We are 51% of the world’s population and our voices balance the often maledominated monologue. And, just as different ingredients bring out various flavours in other acompanying ingredients, men and women chefs bring out better elements in one another.

We need one another.

Recently you’ve been devoting time to improving food for babies and children.

Can you tell us a bit more about that, and why it is important for chefs to give something back to society? Food in the US for children is the lowest level of food. I don’t understand why our most lov-ed treasure, our children, our future, are fed so poorly. Either children go hungry, or they eat soda and hot dogs. I don’t mean to undermine the pressures of parents, hence I want to be part of making quality food available. I want to interrupt the myth that only bad food is easy. We must care for our children on every level. I do not think only chefs need to give back, rather I think when any of us have the opportunity to pay it forward, we must.

Who are the role models for female chefs today, and who are your role models? My grandmother and my mother. (There are) so many role models, for chefs not just female chefs.

How important is artistic expression in your work?It’s not how important – it is. My work is my artistic expression.

restaurant: Owner of

Atelier Crenn and Petite Crenn, both in San Francisco, CA

favorite ingredient: Apples

02 michelin stars

origins: Versailles, France

chapitre deux

chapter two

35

/ Kir Breton Kir Breton

instructions 01

Day One: Prepare the cider balls: If you are using alcoholic apple cider, simmer it in a saucepan over low heat for 15 minutes to evaporate the alcohol and promote proper freezing. Pour the cider into

Chef

Dominque Crenn

Difficulty

Highly

Preparation Time

4 Days

spherical ice cube trays and freeze over night.

02

Day Two (At least six hours before serving): Temper the white chocolate: Fill the bottom of a double boiler or a medium-size saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Set the top of the double boiler or the large metal bowl snugly over the pot and attach a cooking thermometer to the side. The boiling water should not come into contact with the top portion of your double boiler or the bowl.

Melt the cocoa butter and white chocolate in the top of the double boiler or bowl and heat over very low heat, stirring occasionally,

Ingredients 250 grams Apple Cider 450 grams Cocoa Butter 60 grams White Chocolate 150 grams Crème de Cassis 22 grams Ultra-Tex 3 Tapioca-derived thickener

until it forms a smooth syrup (38°C/100°F to 43°C/110°F).

03

Day Three: Prick a frozen cider ball with a sharp pin, using the pinhead as a handle to hold it. Dip the ball into the hot white chocolate syrup for 1 second and remove. Place the coated cider ball back into the ice tray. Extract the pin from the coated cider ball and use your finger tip to smooth over the pin prick spot. Repeat for each one.

Leaving the tray tops off, cool the trays of white chocolate balls in the refrigerator. The shells will harden in the refrigerator while the cider melts within, resulting in a spherical white chocolate shell filled with liquid apple cider.

04

For the crème de cassis: Pour the crème de cassis into a medium-size bowl. Whisk the Ultra-Tex 3 into the crème de cassis and strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Transfer to a small squeeze bottle.

Use immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

05

To Serve: Transfer the white chocolate covered cider balls to Chinese porcelain soup spoons and top each one with a pea-size dot of crème de cassis reduction. These Kir Breton balls are meant to be popped into your mouth and consumed in a single bite.

Enjoy / Prendre Plaisir

chapitre duex

chapter two

37

/ Smokey Forest ForĂŞt de Smokey

instructions 01

Step One:

Chef

Dominque Crenn

Difficulty

Easy

Cut the mushroom caps on an extreme bias sashimi style and shingle on the center of a wood bark plate. Lightly drizzle the

Preparation Time

30 Minutes

mushroom with the truffle-infused balsamico. Sprinkle a small amount of porcini soil and hazelnut powder on top of each mushroom. Place a small pile of porcini soil and hazelnut powder on opposite sides of the mushroom.

02

Step Two:

Ingredients 5 caps Portabella Mushroom ⅛ cup Balsamic Reduction

Arrange 1/6 of the blanched asparagus into a nest and place

½ cup low Sodium Soy Sauce

gently on top of the mushroom. Make three 1/2-teaspoon dots

⅛ cup Apple Cider Vinegar

of sweet and sour apricot gel around outer edge of plate. Make three 1/2-teaspoon dots of pinot noir gel scattered on the plate.

1 tbsp Honey

Add one arugula sphere on top of one dot of apricot gel so that

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

the gel acts as a stabilizer for the sphere.

1 Sprig Fresh Thyme 03

Step Three: Place a stemless martini glass over the mushroom shingle. Place dry lavender flowers in the PolyScience Smoking Gun. Trap laven-

1 cup Blended Oil

der smoke under the upside-down martini glass, thereby infusing

1 lb Humboldt Fog Chevre Goat Cheese

the mushroom composition with the lavender essence/vapor/aroma. Serve immediately.

04

2 Sprigs fresh Rosemary

Roasted Garlic: Peel the potato and boil until soft, about 10 minutes. Let it rest

2 cups Japanese Panko Bread Crumbs 3 Eggs ½ cups All-Purpose Flour

for 30 minutes until cool enough to work with.Pass it through a tamis into a large mixing bowl.Mix in garlic, shallot, parsley, egg, olive oil, salt and pepper. Incorporate the flour and let the dough rest for an hour. Roll dough out onto a flour board into a 1/2 inch-thick cylinder. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces with a pizza roller or sharp knife. Blanch in oiled, salted boiling water for 60 to 90 seconds or until it floats. Remove from water and set aside.

Enjoy / Prendre Plaisir

chapitre deux

chapter two

39

/ E dible Stones

Pierres Comestibles

instructions 01

Garlic Confit: Pour the oil into a small, deep saucepan and place on the cooker (stove) top or over very low and steady heat, making sure it does not reach a very high temperature. Heating the oil can also be

Chef

Dominque Crenn

Difficulty

Moderately

Preparation Time

40 Minutes

done over the edge of the cooker top so that it is done as gently as possible. When the oil is warm, place the separated, unpeeled garlic cloves in the oil and poach them gently for approximately 2 hours. They should be tender, easy to peel and thoroughly impregnated with oil. When ready, drain the oil, peel the garlic cloves, crush them, then pass them through a chinois and set aside.

02

The Coating: Place the kaolin, lactose, black dye and salt in a bowl and mix together, gradually adding the water. The mixture may seem too dry at first, but if left for an hour or so will liquefy and develop a yogurt-like texture suitable for coating the boiled

03

500 ml extra-virgin Olive Oil 1 Garlic Bulb 60 ml Kaolin 40 grams of Lactose 1 gram of Black Vegetable Dye 0.5 gram of Table Salt

potatoes, thick but not runny.

80 ml Water

The Potatoes:

16 Small Cherie Potatoes

Gently clean the potatoes with a soft brush. Do not peel.

Bring the salted water to a boil in a large saucepan, then add the potatoes. Boil for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes, without overcooking them. Drain them and place on a baking sheet.

04

Ingredients

The Potatoes Coated in Clay: Pierce the flattest side of each potato with the tip of a skewer.

Remove the skewer and insert its blunt end in the same hole until it reaches roughly the centre of the potato. Stir the kaolin mixture

3 litres Water 24 grams Salt 40 grams of Garlic Confit (see above) 1 Egg Yolk 60 ml Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Salt

until thoroughly combined and of the correct consistency. Dip the potatoes into the mixture, completely covering them. Insert the ends of the skewers into the holes of a perforated baking sheet so that they are held in a vertical position. Place the sheet in a stove or oven at a low temperature—50°C (120°F)—for approximately 30 minutes or until the coating has dried out to a crisp texture. This will contrast with the smoothness of the potato inside, which will be tender and creamy thanks to the protection of this ‘shell’.

Recipe continues on the next page.

chapitre deux

chapter two

41

/ E dible Stones cont.

Pierres Comestibles cont.

instructions 05

Notes

The Alioli: Put the garlic confit in a tall beaker, add the egg yolk and combine with a hand-held blender until the mixture forms an emulsion. Meanwhile, slowly drizzle the oil in, being careful that the emulsion does not lose stability. Once ready, add salt to taste and set aside in a covered bowl.

06

Presentation & Finishing: Heat a few polished river stones the size of the potatoes coated in the grey clay in the oven at 70°C (160°F) for 5-7 minutes.

The stones will add the finishing touch to the presentation and keep the potatoes hot for longer. Serve the potatoes in between the stones. Serve a heaped portion of alioli in smaller, individual dishes. The potatoes should be eaten with the fingers and the first bite should be taken without the sauce. This will accentuate the difference in the texture between the coating and its content. After that, the potatoes should be dipped into the alioli.

Enjoy / Prendre Plaisir

chapitre deux

chapter two

43

/ A Walk in the Forest

Une Promenade dans la ForĂŞt

instructions 01

Day One Preheat combi oven to 80C and preheat a second oven to 200 c.

Set pressure cooker to warm.For the Mushroom Broth, place grapeseed oil into a large pot and place over medium- high heat.

Chef

Dominque Crenn

Difficulty

Highly

Preparation Time

2 Days

When oil reaches smoking point, add mushrooms and sear, tossing continuously until the mushrooms are browned, about 6 min.

Add garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the water and kombu. Bring to the boil then transfer to pressure cooker and

02

300grams Shitake Mushrooms

Day Two

1 Clove Garlic

Break up pumpernickel bread into roughly 1cm chunks and place onto lined tray. Carefully trim the woody ends from the mushrooms and reserve for the Mushroom Purée. Use a mandolin to shave the remaining part of the mushrooms into very thin slices, length ways.

Select 20 of the best slices for the Mushroom Whims and reserve the remaining slices for the Mushroom Pureée.

For the Mushroom Paper: Lightly spray a sheet of acetate with spray oil then wipe with paper towel to remove excess oil. Place mushroom purée, isomalt and 10g water into a small pot and bring to the boil. Once isomalt is completely melted, remove from heat and set over an ice bath to cool slightly. Remove nuts from oven and place into a tea towel and rub together to remove all husk. Transfer nuts to a Thermomix, add the sea salt and blitz to a fine crumb. With the motor running, slowly add the oil until combined, then blend on high speed until the mixture is extremely smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute.

The praline should be the consistency of a very loose peanut butter.

04

20grams Grapeseed Oil

cook for 30 minutes on high.

For the Pumpernickel Soil, line a baking tray with baking paper.

03

Ingredients

To Serve: Pipe the Pine Meringue in a broad stripe across the board. Use a spoon to spread the meringue 10cm wide and 1.5cm deep across each board. The “meringue path” should be slightly smooth with some peaks and valleys. Use a blow torch to brown the meringue.

I litre Water 20grams of Kombu Sea Salt Flakes 210grams Pumpernickle Bread Spray Oil 50grams Isomalt 10 Royal Trumpet Mushrooms 25grams Vegetable Oil 135grams White Onion, diced 27grames Peeled Shallot, finely diced 2.5grams torn Fresh Sage Leaves 25grams Sherry Vinegar 150grams Panko Crumbs 125grams Egg Whites Chanterelle, Shitake, Maitake, Yellow Pioppini, Wood, Oyster, King Trumpet Mushrooms

Sprinkle some Pumpernickel Soil in a wandering trail along the meringue path, but not covering the meringue completely. Randomly arrange several Pan Roasted Mushrooms, artfully placed on each plate. Artfully arrange a selection of foraged herbs on each plate.

Enjoy / Prendre Plaisir

chapitre duex

chapter two

45

"Gastronomy is a sort of art,

it is very exact and you need

a lot of discipline."

— ana roť

poglavje tri

chapter three

47

03

chapter three

/

Ana Roš’ Tribute to Slovenia

50 molecular

ana roš moleculairé

Ana Roš is 42-years-old and only started

You have never experienced working under a

cooking 14 years ago. Her curriculum makes

master chef. Have you drawn inspiration from

no mention of internships in the kitchens of

anyone in particular? Possibly Ferran Adrià.

prestigious international restaurants, but re-

My husband and I have been to El Bulli twice.

veals an adolescence as a competitive skier and

The flavours were distinct, excellent and easy

a degree in International and Diplomatic Sci-

to absorb even if – like me – you had no idea

ences. Ana moved to the remote country house

how they had been achieved. That was the

set in the heart of the Isonzo valley for the love

heyday of molecular cuisine: everyone used to

of her husband, whose family used to run a hol-

ask you, ‘How many additives do you use?’ and

iday farm business. “We were young and ambi-

it was difficult to go on being yourself, to find

tious. When we first took over the restaurant,

your own centre of gravity.

the customers did not understand the concept of our cuisine and did not come back. To make a living, we did other jobs: I translated for an oil company and my husband taught in a hotel management school”. Completely self-taught, she developed her talent through trial and error: “I had plenty of good ideas but I was lacking in technical skills. I improvised and overcooked things. I asked customers for their opinions, but they only answered me by saying, ‘It’s an interesting dish’ – the worst thing you can ever hear! But if you are intelligent, you listen to advice and you try to do things differently. Cooking is not for stupid people.”

In view of your own experience, do you think it is necessary for a young chef to have traditional training? No. What counts most is expressing yourself, without trying to please at all costs: this solitary process of exploration is arduous, but it leads you to discover some phenomenal solutions. Be open minded, listen to everyone and never stop learning. I still learn new things from my interns. Yours was not an easy debut. Before we took over the restaurant, Valter’s father used to offer a sort of menu for the “petrol tourists,” as we used to call the Italians who came to fill up their tanks cheaply in Slovenia and then spent whatever

Your dishes are strongly characterised by a

they had saved in a restaurant. They wanted

relationship with the Slovenian territory. How

to eat dishes such as spaghetti with seafood,

would you define your cooking if we take away

pasta with clams, I wanted to do something

the element of locally sourced products?

different. No one can honestly come to me and

The basic idea is that of contrast. There are

order a plate of mixed grilled fish: we have

two concepts of harmony: dishes that have

bear, lamb and roe deer .have been possible if

been conceived all along the same line, a

molecular gastronomy hadn’t become a disci-

“harmony of harmonies” as expressed by the

pline in the late 1980s. To this day, molecular

French or German schools, and dishes whose

gastronomy continues to influence the direc-

harmony springs from a contrast, a union of

tion that the culinary arts are headed in.

discordant elements. These are the ones I like most: if I eat out, I want to have fun and this is what I offer my guests.

origins: Slovenia restaurant: Owner of

HiĹĄa Franko in Kobarid, Slovenia

01

michelin stars

favorite ingredient:

Peaches poglavje tri

chapter three

51

/ Trout Mormata

Mor mata Postr vi

instructions 01

Step One Clean the trout and keep the eggs in the fridge (if present) with 4%

Chef

Ana Roš

Difficulty

Easy

salt Blend salt, sugar and laurel and marinate the trout for a few hours at room temperature Remove excess salt or sugar and store

Preparation Time

30 Minutes

in the refrigerator Toast 1.5 of chestnuts and remove the coat, add it to the bottom of chicken cold, salt and bake at 80 ° C for several hours 02

Step Two Drain, filter the bottom and combine the sugar. Blend the chestnuts

03

Ingredients 1 Marbled Trout of 1.5 kg 2 kg of Chestnuts

cooked in the thermomix with pectin, until you get a puree. Lay on

1.5 l Chicken Bottle

the sipat and dry. Fry at 170 ° C for a few seconds.

120 grams of Salt

Step Three

90 grams of Sugar

Cut in half the remaining chestnuts, cover them with cold water and

15 Bay Leaves

bring them to the boil. Remove the foil and crush them with the fork.

Salty and leave at room temperature. Dial the dish.

Pectin Broccoli Peaks

Enjoy / Uzivajte

poglavje tri

chapter three

53

/ Vinegar Meringue with Greens

Kisa Meringue Oblecena z Zelenjavo

instructions 01

In a bowl combinw 205 grams of water with vinegar and whisk

whip. Continue to add the sugar, corn and fine sea salt, whipping each for one minute.

03

Raise the mixer speed to high and continue to whip until the

05

Moderately

Preparation Time

40 Minutes

Ingredients 80 grams Banyula Vinegar

Transfer the merinque mixture to a pastry bag, Pipe 1 inch diam-

6.2 grams of Methocel Food Grade

eter meringue hemispheres onto the acetate sheet, leaving .5 inch

1.2 grams of Xanthan Gum

To Dry the Meringque in a Dehydrator:

Sea salt

Place the actetate-lined dehydrator tray in the dehydrator. Set

100 grams of Egg Yolks

the dehydrator to 60c/140f and dry the meringues for 5 hours.

150 grams of Liquid Glucose

To Dry the Merinques in the Oven:

450 grams of Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 60c/150f or the closest temperature available.

Transfer the acetate-lined baking sheet to the oven and turn off

Micro Herbs

the heat. Let the meringues dry in the closed oven with the heat

Lettuces

off for 5 hours.

06

Difficulty

meringue mixture will hold a peak, 10 to 15 minutes.

space between each meringue.

04

Ana RoĹĄ

on a medium speed. With the mixer running, working one ingredient at a time, add the Methocel, xantham gum and continue to

02

Chef

Flowers (seasonally available)

Olive Oil Jam: In a Robot Coupe or food proccessor, beat the egg yolks on medium speed for 2 minutes. In a small nonreactive pot with a cooking thermometer attached, over medium heat, mix together the glucose and trimoline inverted sugar syrup. With a stand mixer, set the medium speed, gradually drizzle the warm sugar mixture in the egg yolks. Continue mixing on mediums peed while adding the fine sea salt. Gradually incorporate the olive oil, which will turn the mixture cloudy. About one minute. To clarify the color, turn off the mixer and sprinkle in up to 2 teaspoons of water and stir. To further remove the suspended air bubbles, transfer the mixture to a vacuum bag, seal and compress at 85% in a vacuum if desired.

07

To Serve: One at a time, insert a miniature ball cuttere into the meringues and rotate to create a hallow. Arrange a bouquet of micro herbs, lettuces and flowers peaking out of the hollow of each meringue.

Served as a passed hors d' ouever or serve with additional lettuces on individual plates as a formal palate cleanser.

Enjoy / Uzivajte

poglavje tri

chapter three

55

/ Pear Sorbet on a Sage Cake and Yogurt Snow

Hruška Sorbet na Sade žni Kolacki in Jogurtski Sneg

instructions 01

Day One: In a blender, combine the olive oil and sage leaves and blend

Chef

Ana RoĹĄ

Difficulty

Moderately

on high. In a large bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and kosher salt and set aside. In another bowl, beat the

Preparation Time

3 Days

sugar and eggs on high until the mixture is aerated and should resemble a fluffy yellow ribbon. Transfer the batter to an airtight container and allow to mature in the regrigerator for 12 to 24

02

hours.

350 grams of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

The Next Day:

45 grams of Fresh Sage Leaves

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Line a 13 x 18 inch

500 grams of Cake Flour

pan or two pans with parchment paper. Evenly spread the 1 kilogram of batter across the parchment in the half sheet pan. Bake

24 grams of Baking Powder

for 6 minutes, rotate the pan to ensure browning and bake for 6

6 grams of Kosher Salt

minutes more.

03

14 Hours Before Serving:

400 grams of Granulated Sugar

Wash, peel and quarter the pears. Reserve the skinds and the

500 grams of Whole Milk

stems for the seckel pear decoration. Fill a medium pot with a few

12 Seckel Pears

inches of water and insert a steaming basket. Add the pear pieces, cover with a lid and steam until very tender, about 25 minutes.

165 grams of Stabilizer Syrup

Transfer the pear mixture to a pacojet canister and freeze until

2 grams of Asorbic Acid

solid, at least 12 hours and pacotize to order. When the pear sorbet is processed, place a 10 inch lenght of plastic wrap on a kitchen

20 grams of Fresh Lemon Juice

scale and transfer the sorbet mixture to a pastry bag. Pipe 30

250 grams of Rhubarb Stalks

grams of the pear sorbet onto the pastic warap and working

04

Ingredients

quickly, pick up the plastic wrap and use your cupped hands to

10 grams of Peeled Fresh Ginger

sculpt the sorbet into the shape of a small seckel pear.

1 liter of Water

Three Hours before Serving:

500 grams of Strawberry

Fill the bottom of the double boiler or a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Line a fine mesh strainer with 1

5 grams of Dried Rose Petals

layer of cheesecloth and strain the cocoa butter base. In a medium

500 grams of Greek Yogurt

bowl, with a cooking thermometer attached, let 500 grams of the cocoa butter base cool until the temperature drops to 30 degrees

200 grams of Seckel Pear Sorbet

celsius. Whisk in just enough dye or oil based green food coloring to achieve a light green tone, similar to a pear.

05

To Serve: Stick one pear stem in the top of each sorbet pear. Place the pear gently on the plate and scatter the cake crumbs below and alongside the pear. Store the sorbet pears in a single layer in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Enjoy / Uzivajte

poglavje tri

chapter three

57

/ Scallops in Horseraish Gel and Sea CrĂŠme Pokrovace v Hrenovem Gelu in Morski Kremi

instructions 01

Horseradish Gel: Boil the sea water and milk, add grated horseradish and let it rest

Chef

Ana Roš

Difficulty

Highly

in the milk for 3 minutes. Sieve the milk through a net and add the soaked gelatin - avoid air bubbles. Place cling film over the gel and

Preparation Time

1 Day

store a warm place until needed.

02

Salted Scallops in Horseradish Gel: Peel the scallop out of the shell and break into 4 pieces. Season each of the scallop pieces with salt on both sides and place in the fridge for 6 hours. Brush the salt and juice off the scallops after 6 hours. Freeze the scallop pieces in liquid nitrogen. Place a toothpick in each frozen scallop piece and dip in the horseradish gel so it forms a thin membrane around the scallop. Place the scallops in the gel in a closed container in the fridge until serving. They will be ready to use after 3 hours in the fridge.

03

Cottage Cheese with Horseradish: Wash the cottage cheese in cold water, let the water run off and season with salt. Spray vaporized horseradish juice on the cottage cheese when serving.

04

Dill Oil: Blend dill and oil for 8 minutes in a Thermomix until the

05

30 grams Grated Horseradish 50 grams Sea Water 200 grams Whole Milk 6 Leafs of Gelatin 4 Fresh Scallops in their Shell Cottage Cheese with Horseradish 8 grams Cottage Cheese 20 grams Freshly Squeezed Horseradish Juice Salt 300 grams Plucked Dill

oil goes dark green. Sieve the oil through a net and let it chill.

600 grams Sunflower Seed Oil

Mussel Sauce:

100 grams Dry White Wine

Wash the mussels in cold water. Put the mussels, dill, lemon thyme, shallots and white wine in a stock pot and boil until the white wine is almost gone - then add water to cover the mussels.

Bring the mussels to a boil and simmer at medium heat for 30 minutes. Sieve the broth in a cloth and reduce until the flavour is intense. Season 100 gram reduced broth with salt and blend with 0,1 gram xantana. Sieve the broth through a net and store in the fridge until serving.

06

Ingredients

Sea Water Crème: Boil sea water and water, add agar and blend. Boil for 2 more minutes. Blend the sea water again and sieve through a net and place in the fridge. Blend the sea water purée to a gel and sieve.

Stir 100 gram mayonnaise with 75 gram sea water gel.

500 grams Blue Mussels 1 Dill Twig 2 Lemon Thymes Twigs 20 grams Shallots Xantana Water 200 grams Sea Water 2.5 grams Agar 100 grams Mayonnaise

Enjoy / Uzivajte

poglavje tri

chapter three

59

"Cooking is not chemistry.

It is an art.

It requires instinct and taste rather,

than exact measurements."

— kamilla seidler

kapitel fire

chapter four

61

04

chapter four

/

Kamilla Seidler, Latin America’s Best Danish Chef

64 origins: Copenhagen molecular

restaurant: Gustu.

Located in La Paz, Bolivia.

02

michelin stars

favorite ingredient:

kamilla seidler moleculairé

Kamilla Seidler is the Danish Chef who traveled to La Paz in Bolivia to set up the educational restaurant Gustu with the help of Claus Meyer and the Melting Pot Foundation. Since its opening the restaurant have been named one of the top restaurants in South America and provided culinary education to more than twentyfive students. I had a talk with Kamilla Seidler about being a Chef in Bolivia, working with the Bolivian seasons and what the future holds, keep reading. Kamilla Seidler spent the first part of her career working in some of the top European restaurants like Mugaritz, Manoir Aux Quat Saisons, Geist and Paustian. In 2012 she got a call from food

What is your creative process like when

entrepreneur and Noma-founder Claus Meyer

creating new dishes? I wish I had a process,

asking is she was willing to go to Bolivia to help

I don’t. Many times it is inspired by random

start an educational restaurant called Gustu.

things that happen. It could be a terrible

Four years later Gustu have been named the 17th Best Restaurant in South America, more than twentyfive students have graduated from the educational program and a new program for culinary education have been started. I got the chance to call Kamilla Seidler during her morning coffee and talk about her work at Gustu, the biggest challenges when going across the world to open a restaurant and what the future holds.

How would you describe your style of cooking? I don’t know, there are so many cliches but I would say a natural kitchen, a what you see is what you get kind of thing. If the menu says lamb then that is what it will taste like. We are trying to make the food simple for the guest and easy to understand, so the techniques we use to make it delicious is kind of hidden behind the scenes.

meal on a plane that I start to think about.

How could you make it better, maybe do that instead and add something else and it could be delicious. Many times I look at the calendar to see what’s in season and what is coming soon and decide there which products I want to work with. So for example if I decide to use pumpkin I know that in the Bolivian season I can also use Pomelo and other citrus fruits. If that seems delicious in my head then we’ll try that and go from there.

Is that often how you work, that you think out the idea first before you actually start to try it out? Yes, always. If it’s not delicious in my head it is very rare that we continue with a test because normally it doesn’t work out. That is one of the things that is a bit special here, even though the whole team seeks inspiration from books and things like that the fine dining

Bell Peppers

scene is very young so we don’t get contami-

papaya and bananas that doesn’t really go out

nated by going to many other restaurants. So

of season at all. We are still trying to map out

we have to come up with our own ideas.

all the seasons, there are twelve microclimates

How about the seasons for products, did

all with different types of conditions, much of

you have to relearn and how are they compared to Denmark? Right now it’s winter here but it’s not winter like in Denmark. It can get warm during the day and very cold at night but it’s weird because it’s still humid. The

this has to do with the altitudes. Right now I’m at 3600 m above sea level. If I go 40 minutes by plane I will be 125 m above sea level. So everything is different depending on altitude as well, a complete chaos really.

thing is that some things is seasonal so you get a produce during a few weeks. Then that same ingredient can come back a few months later.

At the same time there are many things like

kapitel fire

chapter four

65

/ Kusshi Oysters Kusshi Ă˜sters

instructions 01

For the Seaweed Crouton: Preheat oven to 175c. Cut the bread into a least sixteen 2-cm

Chef

Kamilla Seidler

Difficulty

Easy

discs. Lightly brush two silpats with olive oil and set one on a baking sheet, oiled side up. Line the bread discs on top in a single

Preparation Time

40 Minutes

layer, season with salt and pepper, and top with the second silpat, oiled side down. Bake until crisp, about 6 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container.

02

For the Lemon Custard:

8 Thin Slices Seaweed Bread

Preheat the oven to 90c. Rinse cured lemon quarters. With a small

Olive oil

knife, trim away and discard the flesh and white pith from the peels.

Salt and pepper

Transfer peels to a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a simmer, and then drain. Repeat process twice, and set aside.

4 Cured Lemons, quartered

With a vegetable peeler, peel long strips from the lemon, and then

1 Lemon

squeeze and reserve the juice. Trim and discard the white pith from the peels. Transfer the peels to a small saucepan, cover with cold

200grams Heavy Cream

water, bring to a simmer and then drain. Repeat the process 4 more

1 Large Egg

times, and set aside. Roughly chop the cured and regular lemon

1 Large Egg Yolk

peel and transfer to a saucepan with the reserved lemon juice. Place over a low heat and cook, stirring until almost all of the juice has

1 Small Head Fennel

evaporated. While still warm, transfer the mixture to a blender and

10grams Kombu

purée with half of the cream until smooth.

03

Ingredients

For the Seawater:

33grams Chopped Leek, White Part Only

Trim the fennel, separate the layers and peel the outer sides of

12grams Chopped Celery

the layers. Using a 2 ½-cm ring cutter, punch out at least 16

6grams coarse sea salt

‘coins’ and reserve. Finely chop the remaining fennel trim. In a medium saucepan, bring 750ml of water to a boil, remove from

¼ Piece Whole Lemon Omani

the heat and add the kombu, fennel trim, leek, celery, coarse sea

3grams Nori Sheets

salt, lemon omani and nori sheets. Stir to combine, cover and infuse for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine meshed sieve and discard the

16 Kusshi Oysters

solids. Reserve chilled.

3 Ripe Avocados 16 Pieces Oyster Leaves

04

Glazed Fennel Coins and Oysters: Preheat the oven to 175c. Scrub the oysters well and place cupped

80grams Golden Ossetra Caviar

side down on a baking sheet lined with crumpled aluminum foil to keep them level. Bake for 2 minutes, remove and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill. Place a bowl over ice and with an oyster knife, remove the top shell of one oyster and run the knife underneath to cut the muscle. Pour the oyster along with its juice into the iced bowl and repeat until all of the oysters are open. Strain the oyster juice through a fine-meshed sieve.

Continued on the next page.

kapitel fire

chapter four

67

/ Kusshi Oysters cont.

Kusshi Ă˜sters cont.

instructions 05

Notes

For the Avocado Mousse: Combine all the ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pass through a fine meshed sieve, and transfer to the canister of the whipped cream maker.

Charge with three nitrogen chargers, leaving the third attached and keep well chilled.

06

To Finish: Soak the gelatin sheets in ice water for 10 minutes, remove and squeeze dry. Measure 250g of the remaining ‘seawater’ and pour into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. Add the gelatin sheets and stir to dissolve. Carefully pour the gelée on top of the custards, dividing evenly into the bowls.

Refrigerate, flat, until set, about 1 hour. Fill a third of a medium saucepan with the canola oil and heat to 400f. Fry the vermicelli so that it expands and crisps. Dry on a paper towel-lined tray and sprinkle with the diced nori flakes. For each portion, place one half of a uni tongue and approximately 5g of caviar onto the custard.

Squeeze a dollop of avocado mousse from the whipped cream canister on top. Garnish with one piece of oyster leaf, a celery leaf and a few strands of crispy vermicelli.

Enjoy / God Fornøjelse

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69

/ Sweet Cucumber and Seaweed Salad Sød Agurk og Tangsalat

instructions 01

For the Seaweed Crouton: Preheat oven to 175c. Cut the bread into a least sixteen 2-cm

Chef

Kamilla Seidler

Difficulty

Moderatly

discs. Lightly brush two silpats with olive oil and set one on a baking sheet, oiled side up. Line the bread discs on top in a single

Preparation Time

1 Day

layer, season with salt and pepper, and top with the second silpat, oiled side down. Bake until crisp, about 6 minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container.

02

For the Lemon Custard: Preheat the oven to 90c. Rinse cured lemon quarters. With a small knife, trim away and discard the flesh and white pith from the peels.

Transfer peels to a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a simmer, and then drain. Repeat process twice, and set aside.

With a vegetable peeler, peel long strips from the lemon, and then squeeze and reserve the juice. Trim and discard the white pith from the peels. Transfer the peels to a small saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a simmer and then drain. Repeat the process 4 more times, and set aside. Roughly chop the cured and regular lemon peel and transfer to a saucepan with the reserved lemon juice. Place over a low heat and cook, stirring until almost all of the juice has evaporated. While still warm, transfer the mixture to a blender and purée with half of the cream until smooth.

03

For the Seawater: Trim the fennel, separate the layers and peel the outer sides of the layers. Using a 2 ½-cm ring cutter, punch out at least 16 ‘coins’ and reserve. Finely chop the remaining fennel trim. In a medium saucepan, bring 750ml of water to a boil, remove from the heat and add the kombu, fennel trim, leek, celery, coarse sea salt, lemon omani and nori sheets. Stir to combine, cover and infuse for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine meshed sieve and discard the solids.

04

Ingredients 8 thin slices seaweed bread Olive oil Salt and pepper 4 cured lemons, quartered 1 lemon 200g heavy cream 1 large egg 1 large egg yolk 1 small head fennel 10g kombu 33g chopped leek, white part only 12g chopped celery 6g coarse sea salt ¼ piece whole lemon omani 3g nori sheets 16 kusshi oysters

Reserve chilled.

3 ripe avocados

Glazed Fennel Coins and Oysters:

16 pieces oyster leaves

Preheat the oven to 175c. Scrub the oysters well and place cupped

80g golden ossetra caviar

side down on a baking sheet lined with crumpled aluminum foil to keep them level. Bake for 2 minutes, remove and then transfer to the refrigerator to chill. Place a bowl over ice and with an oyster knife, remove the top shell of one oyster and run the knife underneath to cut the muscle. Pour the oyster along with its juice into the iced bowl and repeat until all of the oysters are open. Strain the oyster juice through a fine-meshed sieve.

Enjoy / God Fornøjelse

kapitel fire

chapter four

71

/ Honey Meringue and Beeswax Sorbet Honning Marengs og Bivoks

instructions 01

Beeswax Sorbet: Prepare the stabilizer syrup to begin. In a vacuum bag, combine

Chef

Kamilla Seidler

Difficulty

Highly

800 grams of water with beeswax and bee pollen, seal the bag a nd compress at 99%. Warm the beeswax sous vide in an immersion

Preparation Time

1 Day

circulator set for 2 hours. Prepare an ice water bath. Submerge the vacuum bag in the ice water, bath to stop the cooking. When the water inside the vacuum bag is cold, about 15 minutes, strain

02

the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids.

245 grams Stabilizer Syrup

Beeswax Sorbet continued:

170 grams Beeswax

In a blender, combine 700 grams of infused water with the stabilizer syrup and kosher salt. Blend on high speed until fully mixed, about one minute. Reduce the blender spped to low and power the xantham gum directly into the liquid without touching the sides of the blender, about 10 seconds. While the blender is running, add the corn maltodextrin and blend for 20 seconds. Place the honeycomb molds in the freezer to chill overnight.

03

Ingredients

Ice Cream: Transfer the sorbet base to an airtight container and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Follow the manufacturer's instructions

40 grams of Bee Pollen 1 gram Kosher Salt 0.8 grams Xanthan Gum 35 grams Corn Maltedextrin 100 grams Egg Whites 3 grams Egg White Powder 25 grams Filtered Honey

for your ice cream maker to process to a sorbet. Use an offset spatular to fill the molds with the sorbet and freeze. Keep frozen, in the molds until ready to serve.

04

Beeswax Sorbet: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachement, combine the egg whites and wgg white powder and mix on medium speed. As the mixture start to aerate and froth, gradually add the sugar until the mixture becomes airy and eventually forms soft peaks. With the mixer running on medium-high sift in the corn maltedextrin until fully incorporated. Evenly spread the meringue across 3 sheets of bubble wrap and gently press each covered sheet with one other sheet of bubble wrap on top.

05

To Dry the Meringue in a Dehydrator: Transfer each bubble wrapped meringue to its own dehydrator tray. Transfer the trays to a dehydrator set to 80 degrees celsius and dry the meringue until completely dry and crispy, at least 12 hours. Peel off the bubble wrap like a sticker. Hold the meringue in the dehyrdator at 50 degrees celsius or keep in an airtight container with a desiccant at room temperature until ready to serve.

Enjoy / God Fornøjelse

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/

Onion Soup Løgsuppe

instructions 01

To Brunoise the Onion: Halve the onion through the root, cut off the stem but not the

Chef

Kamilla Seidler

Difficulty

Highly

root and peel back the rough outer layer. Cut slices horizontally torward the root at ⅛ - inch intervals, and then again vertically

Preparation Time

2 Day

at ⅛-inch intervals to make matchsticks cubes. In a medium nonreactive pot, combine 250 grams of the onion brunoise with 300 grams of water, vinegar, sugar and salt. Simmer over low heat for

02

two hours. Transfer to an airtight container and set aside until

One large onion

ready to serve.

300 grams of Red Wine Vinegar

To Make the Cheese Water:

100 grams of Granulated Sugar

Cut 50 grams of rind from the Comté and set aside. Use a microplane grater to grate the remaining Comté and the black truffle

2 grams of Fine Sea Salt

into a medium bowl. In a mediume pot, bring 1 liter of water to

220 grams of Comté Cheese

a simmer, add the reseved Comté rind and simmer over low heat

03

Ingredients

for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and

8 grams of Black Truffle

discard the solids.

90 grams of Starch

Onion Puree:

15 grams of Truffle Oil

Peel and brunoise the onions again. In a heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add 500 grams of the diced

15 grams of Unsalted Butter

onions and brown over medium-high heat, stirring occassioanly

40 grams of Apple Cider Vinegar

to prevent sticking and burning for 10 - 12 minutes.

Pour the vinegar into the pan and scrape the bottom with a wooden

5 grams of fine Sea Salt

spatula. Juice half the lemon and reserve the rest for later. Transfer

Xanthan Gum

the onions to a blender and add 10 grams of the strained lemon

235 grams of Sherry Vinegar

juice, the salt and the sugar. Blend on medium speed or until the mixture becomes a smooth puree. Weigh out the recorded amount

2 grams of Agar-Agar

of xanthan gum and add while the blender is running on low speed.

Transfer the mixture to a squeexe bottle with a cap and store at room temperature until served.

04

Vinegar Veil: In a small nonreactive pot, combine 100 grams of water with the vinegar, agar-agar and the gellan. Use an immersion belnder or whisk to fully incorporate the gellan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and remove from the heat. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a shallow 9 x 13 inch container lined with silicone mat. Allow to cool uncovered on a level surface at room temperature until the gel sets, about 10 minutes.

05

To Serve: Use the cookie cutter to punch out the vinegar veil disc and set aside. In a small pot, combine the broth and the gnocchi and keep warm. Place one gnocchi in the center of the plate, within the circle of the ionion puree. Coat the gnocchi with one drop of truffle oil.

Cover each of the gnocchi with one vinegar veil. Ladle the warm broth into each bowl.

Enjoy / God Fornøjelse. kapitel fire

chapter four

75

chapter five

77

05 chapter five

/

Final Thoughts

80 molecular

So what is the future of food once we start to explore it scientifically?

The difficult thing about the future is that moleculairé

it is hard to predict. We should avoid making the same mistakes that French chemist Marcellin Berthelot made about a century ago: he predicted that the success of organic chemistry would allow us to abandon traditional food and, by the year 2000, eat nutritive tablets instead (Berthelot, 1894). He was obviously wrong—humans are living organisms, with an extremely sophisticated sensory apparatus that has evolved over millions of years to detect odour, taste, consistency, temperature and more. The pleasure of eating involves all our senses and it is obviously important for our wellbeing—why else did our ancestors start to cook their meat and vegetables even before they invented civilization?

get more information about food and food preparation. Decades of research on nutrition now provide us with a large amount of data on what and how much our bodies need to stay healthy, but the current trend towards obesity is in good part caused by a fatal attraction to junk food, soft drinks and sweets. Consequently, health programmes that promote a balanced diet cannot succeed if people are unable to make intelligent choices about food. However,

One of the most important and worrying

traditional cooking is not a guarantee either

trends is the current pandemic of obesity.

for healthy food or for a rational preparation

Even in Crete, where the so-called ‘Cretan

of food.

diet' originated, up to one-third of 12-year old children are now overweight or obese (IOTF, 2003). Another clear trend is the increasing concern for our environment and healthy food, and the increasing proportion of humans who live in cities. Finally, there is a growing divide between scientists and lay people, and an increasing disaffection in society for science and research. All these developments will inevitably have an important impact on what and how we eat and, accordingly, on how we prepare our food.

This is where the scientific programme of molecular gastronomy can be useful. If we are able to use the knowledge gained on food preparation, we might find new ways to make healthy food more attractive, we might persuade more people to cook better food and, last but not least, we might convince society to regard eating as a pleasure rather than a necessity. I have now collected more than 25,000 culinary precisions, but they still need to be scrutinized; without more knowledge, culinary books cannot be regarded as reliable. Moreover, educational

Together, these developments further

programmes cannot rely only on traditional

strengthen the idea that children must

recipes, because products, methods and ingre-

dients have changed over time. Cooking has to be explored scientifically if we want to improve educational health programmes.

And what does molecular gastronomy hold for chefs? For them, the scientific exploration of cooking is even more important. Science is the basis for technology and new innovations, so this field will help them to create exciting new dishes and inventions. All sciences are useful for this enterprise, not only chemistry and physics, but also biology, as well as history and sociology. However, for chefs, and hopefully for non-chefs as well, the main aim is to surprise and delight their guests or their family with exciting, tasty and healthy food.

chapter five

81

82 molecular

How does moleculairĂŠ

art effect your life?

chapter five

83

84 molecular

index

moleculairé

A

C

F

I

additives 23

Cake Flour 57

Ferran Adrià 50

introduction 11

All-Purpose Flour 39

calcium chloride 23

Flowers 55

Isomalt 45

ana roš 47

calcium lactate gluconate 23

food 25, 80

Ivam

ana roš: 7

chef 14

Forêt de Smokey 38

Ana Roš 49, 50, 55

chemistry 27

French 20

Apple Cider 37

Cherie Potatoes 41

Fresh Sage Leaves 45, 57

Apple Cider Vinegar 39

Chestnuts 53

Japanese Panko Bread

art 7, 25, 27, 46, 61, 82

Chicken Bottle 53

G

artistic 34

Cocoa Butter 37

garlic 45

artists 25, 28

Copenhagen 64

Garlic Confit 41

K

Asorbic Acid 57

creative 27

Gastronomy 46

kamilla seidler 7, 61

Atelier Crenn 35

Crème de Cassis 37

Giana Kurti 19

Kamilla Seidler 64

D

Ginger 57

kapitel fire 65

God Fornøjelse 69

Kir Breton 36

Danish 64

Grapeseed Oil 45

Kisa Meringue Oblecena z

Baking Powder 57

designers 25

Gustu 64

Balsamic Reduction 39

design principles 29

Banyula Vinegar 55

dominique crenn 31, 34

Bay Leaves 53

dominique crenn: 7

Benjamin Thompson 19

Dominique Crenn 33

A Walk in the Forest 44

B

Black Vegetable Dye 41 Blended Oil 39

E

Day 25

J Crumbs 39

Zelenjavo 54

H

Kombu 45

Harold

Kosher Salt 57

Kosher salt 39 McGee 19

Kusshi Østers 66

henry miller 24

Kusshi Oysters 66

Henry Moore Foundation

Kusshi Oysters cont. 68

Bolivia 7, 64

Edible Stones 40

Broccoli Peaks 53

egg 27

henry ward beecher 9

Eggs 39

Hervé 20

Lactose 41

Egg Whites 45

Hiša Franko 51

La Paz 64

Egg Yolk 41

Honey 39

Lemon Juice 57

Egg Yolks 55

Honey Meringue and Bees-

Lettuces 55

Elizabeth Cawdry 19 equipment 23 European 25

25

wax Sorbet 72 Honning Marengs og Bivoks 72

Experimental cuisine 15

Howard Coutts 25

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil 41,

Hruška Sorbet na Sadežni

57

Kolacki in Jogurtski Sneg 56 Humboldt Fog Chevre Goat Cheese 39

L

Liquid Glucose 55 Løgsuppe 74

M

P

S

T

Marbled Trout 53

Paris 34

Salt 41, 53

tapioca-derived thicken-

Methocel Food Grade 55

Pears 57

San Francisco 34

michelin stars 35, 51, 64

Pear Sorbet on a Sage Cake

Scallops in Horseraish Gel

and Yogurt Snow 56

Michel Roux 19

and Sea Créme 58

er 37 temperature 19 thoughts 7

Micro Herbs 55

Pectin 53

science 19

Thoughts 78

modern cuisine 14

Peeled Shallot 45

Sea salt 55

tools 7, 16, 23

modernist cuisine 25

Petals 57

Sea Salt Flakes 45

Trout Mormata 52

molecular cuisine 50

Petite Crenn 35

sensory 27

molecular gastronomy 12,

philosophies 27

Sherry Vinegar 45

U

physicist 20

Slovenia 7, 49, 51

Ultra-Tex 37

Mormata Postrvi 52

physics 27

Smokey Forest 38

Une Promenade dans la

Mushrooms 45

Pierre Gagnaire 20

Sød Agurk

N

Pierres Comestibles 40 Poetic 7, 33

sodium alginate 23

Nicholas Kurti 19

poglavje tri 47

sodium citrate 23

O

Pokrovace v Hrenovem Gelu

Sodium Soy Sauce 39

Versailles 34

Spray Oil 45

Vinegar Meringue with

Olive Oil 55

Portabella Mushroom 39

Sprig Fresh Thyme 39

Onion Soup 74

Prendre Plaisir 37, 39

Sprigs fresh Rosemary 39

origins 7, 16

principles of design 28

Sugar 53, 57

Pumpernickle Bread 45

Sweet Cucumber and Sea-

16, 19, 20

in Morski Kremi 58

R Rhubarb Stalks 57

og Tangsalat 70

weed Salad 70 Syrup 57

Forêt 44 Uzivajte 53

V

Greens 54

W Water 41, 45, 57 White Chocolate 37 White Onion 45 Whole Milk 57

X xanthan gum 23 Xanthan Gum 55

85

typeface Text is Bell Mt Std, designed by Richard Austin.

Headers and Numbers are Athene, designed by Matt Ellis.

Lastly all fonts and poems are Antro Vectra , designed

by Youssef Habchi.

software Adobe Creative Cloud: InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.

print and binding Paper is Moab Lasal Photo Matte. Printed by Briana Van Koll.

Bound at Cardoza James Binding in San Francisco, CA. Date:

publisher Taschen Book Publisher

designer Briana Van Koll

about the project This is a student project only. No part of this book was produced for commercial use.

— dominique crenn

"Art is science made clear"

Can food be art?

In fact, there’s a long tradition of food as artistic medium. The arts, including painting, sculpture, installation, dance and music, are in part about creating a sensory experience—something for the audience to see, feel or hear. And perhaps more than any other discipline, food has the ability to appeal to all of our senses — a combination of colors, textures, crunches, smells and tastes goes into the making of a meal, and the selection and transformation of those elements is creative. When a creative, sensory form also has the capacity to express philosophies, inspire multiple interpretations, conjure narratives and /or allude to complex meanings, it is art, whether the medium is paint or piano or polenta. Food has not replaced art as high culture; it is art.

Discover the artistic works of three of the most artistic chefs the world has to offer.

Experience the poetic story line of French chef, Dominique Crenn, the unique flavors of Slovenia through the mind of Ana Ros and the culinary twist of Kamilla Siedlers dishes. Each chef has mastered the art of Molecular Gastronomy and through food, have found their artistic voice. Take a journey with food, art and a poetic story through moleculair é .

us $55