The blog of cooking-ez.com
The painter, the restaurant owners and the opera singer
You might well have noticed that there are recipes involving names that have been so overused (often for any old thing) that they have almost become common nouns.
13K 8 3.4
Last modified on: September 25th 2012
The painter, the restaurant owners and the opera singer
Here are three examples that are commonly found on restaurant menus.
This comes from: the name of Vittore Carpaccio, a Venetian Renaissance painter, famous for the reds in his paintings, red like beef. Some even claim that his painting "The Triumph of Saint George" was the inspiration.
But it is often: anything sliced thinly, such as: scallop carpaccio, pineapple carpaccio, etc.
This comes from: the name of the Tatin sisters, who ran a restaurant in Lamotte-Beuvron, central France, and who invented the dessert in the early 20th century.
But it is often: anything with pastry on the top (or underneath) which looks vaguely like an upside-down tart, such as: tomato tatin, diced-chicken tatin, etc.
This comes from : the name of a famous Australian opera singer of the late 19th century, Nellie Melba, for whom the great chef Alain Escoffier invented this dessert.
But it is often: anything served with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, such as: strawberry melba, pear melba, etc.
Of course, you can have fun combining anything you like. Let's see… “Strawberry Melba with a Carpaccio of pear Tatin” : put a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a dish, add a layer of thinly-sliced and caramelized pears, a disc of crisp sweetcrust pastry, a few strawberries and top with whipped cream.
But… ooh, I admit, that does sound rather good!
Carpaccio
This should be: a dish of raw beef, sliced very thin, seasoned and covered with a thin film of olive oil, often served arranged on a plate.
This comes from: the name of Vittore Carpaccio, a Venetian Renaissance painter, famous for the reds in his paintings, red like beef. Some even claim that his painting "The Triumph of Saint George" was the inspiration.
But it is often: anything sliced thinly, such as: scallop carpaccio, pineapple carpaccio, etc.
Tatin
This should be: a delicious caramelized apple tart cooked upside down (with the pastry on the top) and turned out before serving.
This comes from: the name of the Tatin sisters, who ran a restaurant in Lamotte-Beuvron, central France, and who invented the dessert in the early 20th century.
But it is often: anything with pastry on the top (or underneath) which looks vaguely like an upside-down tart, such as: tomato tatin, diced-chicken tatin, etc.
Melba
This should be: a peach Melba – a dish of vanilla ice cream, raspberry coulis, poached peach, praline marzipan and Chantilly cream.
This comes from : the name of a famous Australian opera singer of the late 19th century, Nellie Melba, for whom the great chef Alain Escoffier invented this dessert.
But it is often: anything served with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream, such as: strawberry melba, pear melba, etc.
And...?
Well, I've just mentioned the examples most commonly encountered in France and in French. But you will notice that they all involve a proper noun, someone's name.Of course, you can have fun combining anything you like. Let's see… “Strawberry Melba with a Carpaccio of pear Tatin” : put a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a dish, add a layer of thinly-sliced and caramelized pears, a disc of crisp sweetcrust pastry, a few strawberries and top with whipped cream.
But… ooh, I admit, that does sound rather good!
Lasts posts
Remove bones from fish
Let's talk about fish: It's not a scoop, it's much more pleasant to eat fish from which all the bones have been carefully removed, even if it's a rather painful and time-consuming job, the result is worthy of your efforts. Here are some important points to keep in mind.593 October 16th 2021
Introduction to New Nordic Buffet Delicacies
Nordic delicacies reflect culinary proficiency from Nordic nations of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland. It features a range of simple and classic flavors and ingredients that produce satisfying meals when combined. As is the case in other regions, the flavors and ingredients often...8,315 August 10th 2021 Sponsored article.
The time of the jams
We are well into summer as I write this, and this is the time when most of the fruit is giving or about to give in full. And for many of us, it will also be the time for jams and jellies, one of the best ways to preserve fruit for the next winter.18K3.8 July 12th 2021
Markers in cooking
When it comes to cooking, there is only one real rule, and that is that there are no rules! By that I mean that everything is possible, everything can be combined, everything or almost everything can go with everything, but you have to like it, you have to find it good. I have friends who...2,0445 July 3rd 2021
The march forward
When professionals get to work in their kitchen, lab or bakery, they are (if they are conscientious) very sensitive to hygiene and cleanliness. It is impossible for a good baker for example to do a day's work without regularly cleaning the table where he or she works, and it is even more...6,7365 June 30th 2021
Other pages you may also like
Making the most of seeds: Dry roasting
In cooking, and particularly in baking, there are a lot of seeds we can use, such as linseed, sesame, poppy, etc. Usually, recipes simply say to add them just as they are to the mixture or dough. To make a seeded loaf, for example, prepare a plain bread dough as usual, then, towards the end of...37K3.3 January 30th 2015
What can I use for blind baking a pastry case?
When it comes to home-made desserts, tarts are always popular. They can be divided into two basic types: those cooked with their filling, such as an apricot and almond cream tart, and those where the filling is added after baking the pastry case, such as a strawberry tart or chocolate tart. For...71K4.1 May 2nd 2017
A few tips for effective kneading at home
When you have to knead dough for bread or some other recipe, you may well use a food processor or the type of machine known as a stand mixer. The best-known brands are Kenwood and KitchenAid. They are useful tools, but here are a few tips to help you get the best out of them.192K 23.6 June 23th 2021
The window-pane test in bread-making
The home bread-makers often ask themselves “Have I kneaded my dough long enough?” . A good question, as dough that is insufficiently kneaded will not rise properly or will fall flat when the top is slashed, which is very frustrating. To know when the dough is ready, one can rely on the length...68K 23.7 June 16th 2021
What is the difference between bakery and patisserie?
This is a question that you may well have asked yourself and which I will attempt to answer. In France the two trades of "boulangerie" (bakery) and "pâtisserie" (patisserie and confectionery) have always been quite distinct, but where exactly do the boundaries lie? .77K 14.0 February 7th 2017
Post your comment or question
Follow this page
If you are interested in this page, you can "follow" it, by entering your email address here. You will then receive a notification immediately each time the page is modified or a new comment is added. Please note that you will need to confirm this following.
Note: We'll never share your e-mail address with anyone else.
Alternatively: you can subscribe to the mailing list of cooling-ez.com , you will receive a e-mail for each new recipe published on the site.