Gourmet Scientist - Random Musings

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節快樂)

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 17:57:00 -0700

Guangdong-style: White Lotus Seed with Single Yolk 蓮蓉單黃 (left) and Red Bean Paste with Single Yolk 豆沙單黃 (right),
photos courtesy of relatives

It is the Mid-Autumn Festival, or Zhongqiu Jie (中秋節) in Chinese, one of the main holidays that we celebrate every year. As the Chinese calendar is based off the lunar cycle (versus the solar cycle for the Gregorian calendar), the date changes every year in relation to the Gregorian calendar. According to the lunar calendar, the holiday is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month, when the moon is full. Translated into Gregorian, the holiday falls mainly in September and sometimes early October.

There are two main stories associated with the holiday, of which many variations exist. The first one has some historical basis and recounts the Han people (from which the word phrase "the people of Han" (漢人) originates describing Chinese people in general) overthrowing the Mongols ruling during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). The Han army was planning an uprising and needed a way to spread the news to the Han people without the Mongols' knowledge. Military counselor Liu Bowen came up with the idea of hiding the message in mooncakes. The story diverged as to how the mooncakes were spread to all the Han people. One involved a rumor that the mooncakes must be eaten to protect the citizens against a winter disease, while another purported that the mooncakes were a blessing to the longevity of the Mongol ruler (in order for the mooncakes with the hidden message to be distributed with the Mongols' permission). The Han people received the message and a successful uprising was staged on the Mid-Autumn Festival. Historically, the Mongols were, of course, not overthrown by this uprising, but the story does show that widespread communications existed within the Hans without Mongol knowledge. The actual uprising that overthrew the Mongols was in 1368, seven days before the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The second story relates to Houyi (后羿) and Chang'e (嫦娥), the Moon Goddess of Longevity. Again, many versions exist, but the basic storyline stages Houyi and Chang'e as lovers. Houyi was commanded by the Emperor to shoot down nine of the ten suns to prevent the Earth from burning. He successfully completed the task and received a pill/elixir of immortality as a reward, but it could be taken by only one person. As Houyi really loved Chang'e, he could not bare to take it himself. Instead, the pill/elixir was stored away. In the end, Chang'e took the pill/elixir (whether by trickery or unknowingly) and floated away onto the moon. It is for this reason that pictorial depictions of Chang'e typically grace mooncake boxes. The rabbit has also been associated with Chang'e, whether as her companion or as the figure that she assumes. As a result, many people try to find the image of Chang'e or the rabbit in the moon.

Suzhou-style: Red Bean Paste with Single Yolk 烏沙蛋黃酥 (left) and Taro 芋頭酥 (right), photos courtesy of relatives

Not surprisingly, the most common food eaten on the Mid-Autumn Festival is the mooncake. It is mainly circlular to represent the moon, but many are also squarish. Regional variations exist, but the most generic ones have a brown crust ("Guangdong-style") that is fairly thin and chewy and encircles the entire cake. Intricate symmetrical designs are stamped onto the top, and the filling flavour may or may not be indicated. The other common type is a white flaky crust ("Suzhou-style"). As the surface is more difficult to decorate, designs are often as simple as a red stamp on the top centre indicating the bakery or filling flavour, or an egg-wash (to create a golden brown hue) with a few scattered sesame seeds.

The filling itself is a very thick and rich paste and is often bean or dried fruit based (e.g. lotus seed, red bean, mung bean, jujube (red date)). Some may contain salted and cured meat. As the mooncake is very rich and filling and traditionally quite large, it is often sliced into small wedges and only one to a few are consumed at each sitting; nowadays though, smaller ones have become available. One or two salted duck egg yolks may be hidden in the filling. If yolks are present, it can be a fun tradition to see who picks the slice containing part or most of the yolk (unless, that is, you don't like the yolk!).

The Mid-Autumn Festival was a time when farmers gathered together to thank the Gods for a successful harvest and to pray for another successful one the following year. For the more rich, it was a time for parties under the bright moon. Nowadays, it is a day where family and friends gather for food, conversations, and games; the brilliance of the moon is admired (and children, hearing the Mid-Autumn Festival stories, try to search for Chang-e and the rabbit); and mooncakes are shared. I wish everyone a wonderful Mid-Autumn Festival!

Compiled with the assistance of "Things Chinese and Their Stories" from the China Travel & Tourism Press, travel guides from tour operator China Highlights, and Wikipedia entry "Mid-Autumn Festival".

The World of Truffles (Mushroom)

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:15:00 -0700

Background. Truffles, the infamous fungal mushroom, have been a highly prized gastronomic ingredient for centuries. It dates as far back as the 4th century BC, but it did not begin to attain its exorbitant status until the Renaissance period. In the late 1700s, truffles became very popular in Paris, and the famed French gastronome and food writer Jean Antelme Brillat-Savarin deemed them as the "diamond of the kitchen". It was not until the early 1800s that truffles were successfully cultivated, and recent attempts to expand truffle production has been met with criticisms as it would decrease its rare value. Wild truffles continue to be harvested in the open fields with the help of female pigs, which naturally detect the truffle scent due to its similarity to the male boar saliva (although the pigs have a tendency to eat the truffles!), as well as trained dogs.

Only a few of the many varieties of truffles are highly valued, namely the white truffles of the Piedmont region in Italy and the black truffles of the Périgord region in France. Both can cost over thousands of US dollars per pound. The most expensive price paid for a single white Piedmont truffle was US$ 330,000 by Macau casino owner Stanley Ho in 2007 for a 3.3 lb piece.

Truffle oil began to surface in the market to meet the growing mass demand. The problem, however, was that most truffle oils were not made from real truffles. Instead, the oils were infused with the synthetic organic compound 2,4-dithiapentane which was naturally found in real truffles. Many chefs did not realise this fact until much later, which led to truffle oils being heavily criticised by gastronomic chefs.

Our truffle oil and salt. Despite this fact, we actually acquired a bottle of truffle oil back in Geneva. It was an economical way for the general public to access such a treasure. The idea sparked after tasting a four-cheese ravioli paired with truffle cream at the Globus food hall in Geneva. We likened Globus to London's Harrods, although it was not quite as exuberant. Prices were still high, and the lavish display and quality food made for a wonderful detour (we rarely bought anything).

On the auspicious visit, it was right before lunch, and they were offering samples. One attendant approached us with a tray of 3 different ravioli, each topped with a different cream. A lover of mushrooms, my husband went for the cheese ravioli with truffle cream. We returned to our perusing, but I soon found that my husband was no longer paying any attention. He was completely entranced by the wonderful mixture of flavours occurring in his mouth. Tempted, he went for a second piece. By the end of that piece, we had already headed towards the pasta counter where we agonisingly (because it was so expensive) indulged in a very small portion of the four-cheese ravioli and some truffle cream. That evening, my husband savoured every single bite and chew of the dozen or so ravioli separately topped with the truffle cream. Enough truffle cream was left over for another two wonderful meals.

Seeing how much the truffle pleased my husband, I started to search for alternatives and thought of truffle oil. Added to some crème fraiche and soft cheese, it would be very close to the truffle cream at Globus. So the searching began. Fortunately, I found a bottle of olive oil with actual fragments of summer truffles (a lesser valued but still prized variety)! And it was for a decent price---a few Swiss Francs more than the most expensive variety of olive oil. It was certainly not a regrettable purchase, as with every uncorking, the nose immediately filled with a strong bout of truffle aroma, and just a few drops managed to infuse any light-canvassed dish. I made our own cream pastas with nothing more than crème fraiche, soft cheese, truffle oil, and salt. It also went wonderfully with grilled asparagus and a little salt.

The bottle remained with us all the way to France. It was beginning to run low, and I was on the lookout for a replacement. I could not find anything similar in the area, until a trip to the neighbouring cities led to a chanced encounter of the chain Olivers & Co. We were looking at some of the sauces and honey when the shop attendant approached us with an opened bottle of white truffle salt held deftly close to our noses. Almost like mice and their mouse-trap cheese, our noses took the bait. Such a wonderfully strong and alluring aroma! We immediately walked to the truffle infusion section. There were black and white truffle oils, but neither matched the intensity of the white truffle salt. I was under the impression that white truffles were lighter in flavour than black truffles, so I inquired the difference and if they had black truffle salt. According to the attendant, black truffles were stronger in taste while white truffles were stronger in scent, but unfortunately, they only carried white truffle salt. I preferred a stronger taste to aroma as taste often has a more lasting impact than scent, but seeing as neither of the oils amazed us and the white truffle salt contained actual pieces of white truffle, we went for it. At the very least, my husband could enjoy the scent while he ate.

Indeed, the white truffle salt could not carry the truffle flavour as well as our summer truffle olive oil. Sprinkled too early, and the cooking destroyed the evanescent scent. Sprinkled on too strong a dish, and the aroma was hidden. Ultimately, my husband came up with an ingenious idea. He took the bottle next to him, and before each bite, he opened the bottle, took an exhilarating sniff, closed the bottle, and savoured his bite with the remnant truffle scent lingering in his nose.

*Written with the aid of Wikipedia entry "truffles (fungus)" (largely based on the book " Field Guide to North American Truffles: Hunting, Identifying, and Enjoying the World's Most Prized Fungi" by M. Trappe et al.), "The Australian State Truffle Enterprise", and "On Food and Cooking" by H. McGee

Origin of the "Croissant"

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:20:00 -0700

Have you ever wondered about the origin of the French "croissant"? The name itself--"French croissant"-- already suggests the assumed association: croissant = French. But, in reality, croissants are actually not originally French. They are from Vienna. Hence, the name "viennoiseries", the generic name given to pastries such as croissants, pain au chocolat, pain aux raisins, chausson aux pommes, brioches, etc. But how and why were they created?

There are apparently various myths; but according to Jim Chevallier (actor, writer, bread historian), croissants are an adaptation of the Austrian "kipferl" (or "kipfel"), crescent-shaped yeasted rolls or cookies. In his book August Zang and the French Croissant: How Viennoiserie Came to France, Jim Chevallier argued that viennoiseries were made popular in France by the Austrian August Zang when he opened a Viennese bakery in Paris in 1838 (or 1839). French bakers began imitating his Viennese pastries, and the "kipferl" became "croissant", French for "crescent".

As for the origin of the "kipferl", there are numerous legends as well. One popular one linked it to the successful expulsion of Ottomans from Austria. To celebrate, Viennese bakers made special cakes and breads shaped similarly to the crescent on the Turkish flag. Another story purported that Marie Antoinette missed the kipferl so much that she brought a Viennese baker to Paris to teach the Parisienne bakers how to make them.

Regardless of the stories, numerous other crescent-shaped baked goods exist throughout the world and are named for its crescent shape in its own language (e.g. Czech Republic - "kifli", Hungary - "kifli", Germany - "kipferln", Romania - "kifla"). The French croissant is made with puff pastry rather than yeasted dough. One must taste a croissant made in France, or at least with French or European butter. European butter contains a few percent more fat than American butter, significant enough to alter the puffiness of the puff pastry. And then there's the extra aroma and flavour which just can't really be mimicked...

August Zang's Boulangerie Viennese in 1909 (from Wikipedia)

French Bread for Thought

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:39:00 -0800

Recently in French class, we had a presentation on bread which generated some interesting "food for thought":

When we think of the French, the stereotypical image is of an incompletely wrapped and fully exposed baguette (or two) protruding from under the arm of a Frenchman or the purse of a Frenchwoman. It's really quite true. It may not be everyone, but it's substantial enough for it to seem absolutely normal. My husband and I even saw a man tying his baguette to the back of his bicycle! As much as bread remains an important part of the French diet, the average amount of bread consumed in France has actually been decreasing: from 177 grams per person in 1970 to 114 grams per person in 2008 (INSEE). Here are some thought-provoking statistics collected from a number of national surveys (INSEE, SOFRES, and CNBF). In France:
- 1 in 4 visit a boulangerie/pâtisserie everyday (1999)
- 74% of the breads purchased are baguettes (2002)
- 98% of the French population consume bread (2002)
- 83% of the French population consume bread everyday (2002)
- 71% of the French population believe that consuming bread everyday is a vital necessity (2002)
- 82% of the French population believe that eating bread is a pleasure that they cannot live without (2002)
- 36 million tons of wheat was harvested in France in 2001, making France the top producer in Europe and 4th in the world

I have not noticed this, but apparently, the French eat bread with everything except for one thing: pizza. This includes anything from spaghetti, to quiches, to savoury pies, to even Chinese dumplings.

Lastly, a student made the observation that most boulangeries and pâtisseries in France do not serve beverages. It seems like an obvious combination as many people who go there are buying breads, sandwiches, and pastries for immediate consumption. This lead my French teacher to exclaim: "Why don't they serve vegetables as well since you eat that with your sandwiches, or why don't butchers sell vegetables too since the two are eaten together!" Both have their points.

Guest Blog on The Modern Americans

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:55:00 -0800

My friend, Nicole, recently encountered Swiss-born Robert Frank's collection of black and white photographs of American life taken on his cross-country road-trip in 1955-56. She was inspired to repeat the feat 55 years later with her photo-blog The Modern Americans. She works full-time, but she endeavors to travel to each of the 50 states within 52 weeks, on her own time and with limited budget, and photograph the Americans that she meets. This week, she hosts a few guest food bloggers, and I was honoured to be asked to contribute. Please visit her blog, The Modern Americans, to see my post. I also share the recipe to my "oatmeal raisin cookies", one of the very first recipes that I experimented when my interest in food began. I realise that this is the first time that I manage to share a recipe to readers, and I hope to share more in the future!

Aix CLN: La cuisine au microscope

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:10:56 -0800

I was very blessed to be interviewed by Aix City Local News, a newspaper that began publishing locally in Aix-en-Provence in January this year. The article has just been published! Please have a read (it's in French):
http://www.citylocalnews.com/actualite/2011/02/15/la-cuisine-au-microscope .

Starting afresh -- Finally

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 08:15:24 -0800

After a long enough break, I think it really is high-time that I restart my blogging. I've finally moved most of the entries from my previous blog to here. Apologies to all for letting it slip. I admit there were a few times I intended to write, but thinking of all that needed catching up, the effort disappeared. But thanks to an unexpected Christmas present (this website!!), I've been pushed--both forcibly and not--to start again. Of course, I do have my PhD dissertation to finish by August/September amongst a host of other things, but such is life, and I think I can manage (or at least I hope so).

Kitchen Confidential: Who Cooks?

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 17:35:25 -0700

"What most people don't get about professional-level cooking is that it is not at all about the best recipe, the most innovative presentation, the most creative marriage of ingredients, flavors and textures; that, presumably, was all arranged long before you sat down to dinner. Line cooking -- the real business of preparing the food you eat -- is more about consistency, about mindless, unvarying repetition, the same series of tasks performed over and over and over again in exactly the same way. The last thing a chef wants in a line cook is an innovator, somebody with ideas of his own who is going to mess around with the chef's recipes and presentations. Chefs require blind, near-fanatical loyalty, a strong back and an automaton-like consistency of execution under battlefield conditions...Ultimately, I want a salute and a "Yes, sir!". If I want an opinion from my line cooks, ''I'll'' provide one. Your customers arrive expecting the same dish prepared the same way they had it before; they don't want some budding Wolfgang Puck having fun with kiwis and coriander with a menu item they've come to love." -- Anthony Bourdain, ''Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly''

Definitely something I noticed during my college shadowing. And even more reason why a professional culinary career in the kitchen is looking more distant...

Realization of a crazy idea, Part 2

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 20:32:10 -0800

Today was the second day of shadowing; and it was just as educational and enjoyable, although much busier and a later shift. Besides the usual catering meals--buttery, fellows, and conferences--there was a special function that evening involving 6 courses + coffee/tea/chocolates. Much of the prep work had been done earlier, making life a little less hectic come service time. The menu was much more extravagant (frog legs, foie gras, fish soup, lamb, artisanal cheese), and it was being served pre-plated in one of the special function rooms; so it was about as close to restaurant service as I could probably get. Tension was there, but the great team rapport and calm, humorous sous chef made it practically non-existent.

But this time, I came away with a different perspective. Of course, everyone was trying to steer me away from catering and to stick to my engineering work. That fact is obvious to me and is also why I'm hesitant to pursue a chef career. Today somewhat confirmed that hesitancy, as I saw the stress, long hours, lack of sitting time, little to no rest, quick meals of the day's leftovers, and relative restriction in creativity (as recipes were mainly pre-designed). At times, I even sensed that I was out of place, especially when I uttered the words "PhD" and "Nanoscience." It was as if they were screaming, "What the hell is this PhD student doing in the kitchen, aspiring to do menial work when she has so much ahead of her??"

I get the message, and I know that I can be crazy. I agree that kitchen work is still not something I hope to pursue as a career; but is there not something I can do to combine my love of food, cooking, and experimentation with my educational background? Some place in me believes so, and I'm willing to get my hands dirty as I search for that position...

Side note: I was absolutely amazed and disgusted by how much fat is in foie gras. I know many people reject it for the unethical ways the ducks are treated to obtain such fatty livers, but once you've seen the cooked liver shrink by nearly 70% and swim in the sea of its melted fat, you can't help but feel your stomach churn and arteries clog up! I've tried it at a French restaurant and enjoyed its creaminess; but it's so different when you see the behind-the-scenes...

Realization of a crazy idea

nospam@example.com (Crystal Cheng) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:48:34 -0800

One day, walking past my college kitchen and riding on my cloud of cooking passion, I had a crazy yearning to get in there and help. I don't know, maybe it was nostalgia for the fun times doing menial tasks and chatting away with the kitchen staff during my food service internship rotations. Call me crazy, but I do enjoy food service, for the most part...

In any case, I thought I'd give the idea a shot; so I approached our head manager with the crazy idea of shadowing in the kitchen. Lo and behold, it was well-received! And after some organizing, I had my first day today.

It was interesting learning the British side of food service as well as how such a large institution operates. It's nice to know that the concepts are pretty much the same. Further, we are very fortunate to have such a collection of Chefs and Sous-Chefs who provide such high quality service.

As for me, what have I gained from this day? Lots, but probably the most significant is where my passion remains. After spending the morning preparing mains and the afternoon desserts, it seems I'm still driven by making desserts.