French Classical Menu

French Classical Menu
Hors d'oeuvre	: Starter / Appetizer
Potage	: Soup
Oeuf	: Egg
Farineaux	: Rice and Pasta
Poisson	: Fish
Entree	: First Meat Course
Releve	: Main Meat Course
Sorbet	: Flavored Ice water
Roti	: Roast
Legume	: Vegetable
Entremets	: Sweets
Savoureux	: Savoury
Formage	: Cheese
Dessert	: Fruits and nuts

1) Hors d'oeuvre : It is the food served as starter at the start of the meal. This course is composed usually of dishes of a tangy, salty and spicy nature aimed at stimulating the appetite. It is served in small quantity. For Example : smoked salmon, shrimp cocktail, smoked ham, etc.

2) Potage : It is a liquid food made from meat, poultry, sea food, vegetable or cereals. It stimulates the appetite. There are mainly two types of soup - clear (thin) soup and thick soup. Soup can be served both hot and cold. For example : cream of tomato, puree of lentil, consomne, etc.

3) Poisson : This course includes fish of different varieties cooked in different styles such as poached, grilled, baked and fried. For example : poached pomfret, baked haddock, fish meuniere, etc.

4) Entree : The literal meaning of Entree is 'entrance' and it is the first meat course on the French classical menu. It usually comprises a dish made up of steak, cutlet or stews. They are generally small, well garnished and accompanied by very rich gravy or sauce. When a Releve follows the Entree then potatoes and vegetables are not served. For example : poulet saute chasseur, chop de pork grille, etc.

5) Releve : This is the second meat course. It includes large joints of lamb, mutton or pork. Nowadays, this course is often included in the Entree. For example : roast loin of pork, roast leg of lamb, roast rib of beef, braised saddle of lamb, etc.

6) Sorbet : This is a pause or rest course in a long meal. It refreshes the palate with flavored ice water or with the Italian meringue that is flavored Champagne or liqueur. Russian / Egyptian or Turkish cigarettes or Cuban cigar are often passed around during this course. For example : leechi sorbet, vanilla sorbet, lemon sorbet, mango sorbet, etc.

7) Roti :  This course consists of game or poultry such as chicken, duck, turkey, pheasant, quails, etc. Each dish is accompanied by it's own particular sauce or gravy along with a green salad. For example : roast turkey, roast duck, roast chicken, etc.

8) Legume : Legumes can be served separately as individual course or may be included along with the Entree, Releve or Roast courses. For example : grilled tomato, cauliflower mornay, baked jacket potato, aspharagus with hollandaise sauce, etc.

9) Entremets : This course includes hot or cold sweets. For example : puddings, caramel custard, suffles, chocolate mousse, apple pie, black forest, etc.

10) Savoureux : This course consist of a tit-bit on a hot canape of toast or fried bread. Alternatively, the cheese platter may be presented with biscuits celery stalks as probable accompaniments. For example : scrambled egg on toast, mushroom on toast, cheese toast, etc.

11) Dessert : This course consists of fresh fruits and nuts. It is served at end of the meal but not after tea or coffee. For example : fruits (orange, apple, etc) , nuts (walnuts, peanuts, etc).

Finally, Tea or Coffee is served but it is not considered as a separate course.

Menu

A Menu is the logical and systematic list of food and beverage that are offered to the guest at quoted price in any catering establishment. It is a selling tool, which gives information to the guest about the prices, description, method and courses in an attractive manners. A menu represents the image and class of the establishment. The list of food and beverage items presented in a card is known as menu card. The menu card must be attractive, informative and gastronomically sound. Menu cards are presented in a menu folder.

Types of Menu :

1) A-la-carte menu :

A-la-carte is a French expression meaning 'from the card' or 'as for the card'. It is a multiple choice menu in which each food item is separately priced to give the guest choice to suit his / her taste and budget. Each course has number of choices. The guest is charged only for the items consumed or ordered. In A-la-carte menu, all items are cooked to order. So, it is difficult to manage. It is comparatively expensive to Table d' hote menu.

2) Table d' Hote menu :

The literal meaning of Table d' hote is 'table of the host'. It is a list of preset multi-course meals with limited choice within  each course at a fixed price. In Table d' Hote menu, the entire meal is priced and charged irrespective of whether the guest has the complete meal or not. The food is usually available at the set time. This menu is easier to manage and control. It is inexpensive compared to A-la-carte menu.

Functions of Menu :

• Menu acknowledges the guest about the varieties of dishes available and the price charged for particular dishes.
• A menu allows the guest to budget their meals and drinks before order.
• A menu helps the cashier to prepare bill for each item ordered by the guest.
• It helps the service staffs to do adequate mise-en-place in advance.
• It helps the chef to plant requirement of staff, equipment and materials, and to prepare the items efficiently.
• A menu is a silent sales person and stimulates sales.
• It promotes the image of the property and identifies it's theme.
• A menu helps the management to work out the cost of the food and analyze the profitability of particular items.
• It enables the management to plan the future course of action for the outlet.

Varieties of Tobacco

1. Latakia : It is the strongest flavored tobacco originated from Syria which is dark  brown in color usually wrapped in straw colored paper.

2. Pereque : This tobacco is originated from Lugania. It is pale brown in  color and less strong than latakia but stronger than a pipe tobacco.

3. Yellow Tobacco : It is a less fermented or cured tobacco made from yellow leaves of a tobacco plant.

Curing and Aging a Tobacco

1. Air-cured Tobacco

 It is normally sheltered from wind and sun in a well-ventilated barn, where air dries for six to eight weeks. Air-cured tobacco is low in sugar, which gives the tobacco smoke a light, sweet flavor, and high in nicotine. Cigar and burley tobacco are air cured.

2. In Fire Curing

In this method, smoke from a low-burning fire on the barn floor permeates the leaves. This gives the leaves a distinctive smoky aroma and flavor. Fire curing takes three to ten weeks and produces a tobacco low in sugar and high in nicotine. Pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco and snuff are fire cured.

 3. Flue-Cured Tobacco

This tobacco is kept in an enclosed barn heated by flues or pipes of hot air, but it is not directly exposed to smoke. This method produces cigarette tobacco that is high in sugar and has medium to high levels of nicotine. It is the fastest method of curing requiring about a week. Virginia tobacco that has been flue cured is also called bright tobacco, because flue curing turns its leaves gold, orange or yellow.

4. Sun-cured Tobacco

This tobacco dries uncovered in the sun. This method is used in Greece, Turkey and other Mediterranean countries to produce oriental tobacco. Sun-cured tobacco is low in sugar and nicotine and is used in cigarettes. 

 

Tobacco

The Tobacco is a tropical and semi-tropical plant commercially grown for its leaves and stems, which are rolled into cigars, shredded for use in cigarettes and pipes, processed for chewing or ground into snuff, a fine powder that is inhaled through the nose. Tobacco is the source of nicotine, an addictive drug that is also the basis for many insecticides. Tobacco is a member of the nightshade family with the generic name 'Nicotiana'. There are more than 70 species of tobacco of which 45 are native to the Americas.

Special Note : The tobacco plant is one of the most important commercial non-food crops grown in the world today. Mature tobacco plants, reaching one to three meter (3 to 10 feet), produce between 10 and 20 broad leaves. These are dried, cured and used to produce cigarettes, cigars and pipe and chewing tobaccos.

Factors influencing quality of wine

Factors that influences the quality of wine :

1. Climate
2. Nature of the soil
3. Vin family and species
4. Method of cultivation
5. Chemical composition of the grapes
6. Yeast and fermentation
7. Method of wine making
8. Aging and maturing
9. Method of transportation
10. Storage temperature

Parts of the grapes :

• Skin - colors and tanning
• Stalk - tannins
• Pips - bitter oil
• Pulp - Sugar, fruit acid, water, pectin  

Fermented Beverages

1. Wine

  Wine is an alcoholic beverage obtained by fermenting the juice of freshly gathered grapes. During fermentation, the yeast acts on the sugar of the juice and converts it into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The fermentation takes place in the district of origin according to local customs and traditions. Different varieties of grapes produce different type of wines. The species that produce grapes suitable for wine production is named as 'Vitis vinifera'. All varieties of vines planted in Europe are evolved from this species through cross-breeding to suit local soil and climate.

  There are many historic and prehistoric record of growing vines and drinking wines. But commercially, growing grapes was first introduced and spread by the Greeks. Nowadays, France produces more varieties wines than any other country in the world, while Italy is the largest producer of wine. The major wine producing countries are Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Australia, Hungary, Poland, England, USA, Russia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Relatively, small area of the world is wine producing. This is because the grapes produced in this region will only provide juice of the quality necessary for conversion to a drinkable wine.

Types of Wine :
 1. Table wine / Natural wine / Still wine

Table wines are referred to as still wines as they lack co-ordination. The alcoholic strength may range between (9-15)% by volume. This class of wine includes largest varieties. Table wines may be dry or sweet. Table wines include red, white and rose wines.

• Red wine (Vin de Rouge) : Red wines are made only from black (red) grapes. When red wine is made, the grapes are crushed and the juice is fermented along with the skins. It is the skin that lends its color to the wine. Red wines are fuller bodied and normally dried. They are saved at room temperature. Example : Claret Bordeaux Rouge, Merlot, St. Emilion, etc.
• White wine (Vin de Blanc) : White wine is usually made from green (white) grapes but occasionally it is also made from black grapes. When making white wine the grape juice is fermented away from the skins. White wines are lighter bodied and normally dried to vary sweet. Example : Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Sichel Rieslino, etc.
• Rose wine : Rose wines are either made from black grapes where juice is allowed to stay in contact with the skins long enough to pick up a pinkest color or by blending red and white wine. They may be dry or semi-sweet. Rose wine are called blush wine in USA when made wholly by black grapes. Example : Rose Travel, Rose d' Anjou, etc.

2. Sparkling wine

Sparkling wines have carbon dioxide gas in it making them fizzy. The CO₂ may result from second fermentation in the bottle or it can be injected under pressure. All sparkling wine get their sparkle from CO₂. The alcoholic contain of these wines is less than 14%. These wines are drunk on festive occasionally and is compatible with most dishes. Example : Champagne, Korbel, etc.

 [ Note : Sparkling wines made in Champagne region of France is known as Champagne. The style or sweetness of sparkling wine are indicated on the level in the following ways: a) Brut {very dry or extra dry}  b) Sec {Medium Dry}  c) Demi Sec {Medium sweet}  d) Doux {very sweet}]

3. Fortified wine

These are wines which has been strengthened by the addition of distilled spirit (usually brandy) either during or after fermentation. They have an alcoholic content ranging between 15% to 22%. These wines are categorized into aperitif wines and dessert wines. Aperitif wines are dry and are therefore drunk before the meal while dessert wines are sweet and are therefore drunk after a meal. Example : Port, Sherry, Maderia, Muscat, Malaga, Marsala, etc.

4, Aromatized wine

These wines are prepared with the addition of brandy or neutral spirits and flavored with herbs,  barks and other botanical plants or flowers. They are traditionally served before meals as an aperitif and are often mixed in various cocktails. Example : Vermouth (Martini, Noily prat, Cinzano), Dubonnet, Lillet, Cap horse, etc.

    

 

Alcohol

Alcohol is a volatile and colorless liquid with an ethernal odour. It is obtained through the fermentation of a sugar containing liquid. Ethyl alcohol is the best known alcohol and is the principle alcohol found in all alcoholic beverage.

Alcohol is obtained by :-

1. Fermentation

Fermentation is the action of yeast upon sugar in fruit or in grain which converts it into alcohol.

(or)

Fermentation is the process in which sugar in food or grain is converted into alcohol by the action of yeast. Carbon dioxide, a bi-product, is retained for fizzy drinks like beer and champagne or released as in still wines. Beverages like beer, wine, cider, perry, etc are obtained by this process. 

2. Distillation

It is the process of obtaining alcohol by heating fermented mass of food or grain in an enclosed container. When the fermented mass is heated to 78.5^oC, the alcohol evaporates and is condensed by cooling. Pure alcohol [Grain Natural Spirit (GNS)] is obtained from this process. Pure alcohol has no color or taste or smell and is used in fortifying other beverages. Pure alcohol is blending with flavoring agents, coloring agents and water to get desired drinks. Beverages like Whisky, Rum, Vodka, Gin, etc are made by distillation process.

 

Types of Beverage

Beverage can be classified into two :

1.  Alcoholic Beverage
2. Non-alcoholic Beverage

1) Alcoholic Beverage

Any potable liquid containing from 1% to 75% of ethyl (alcohol) by volume is known as an alcoholic beverage. Alcoholic beverage is obtained either by the fermentation of sugar bases, foods or distillation of fermented products. Beer and wine are fermented product while whisky, wine, rum, gin, vodka, etc are distilled product.

2) Non-alcoholic Beverage

Any potable liquid which do not contain alcohol and provides nourishment, stimulation and refreshment is known as non-alcoholic beverage. They are the extract of plants, fruits and milk products. Non-alcoholic beverage are consumed in any stage of the meal or without meal. They are used to make cocktails and mock-tails and for diluting spirits. Example : Tea, Coffee, Milk, Juices, etc.

Beverage

Beverage refers to any type of potable liquid that can be drunk, except medicines and water. In Hospitality terminology, it refers to any type of intoxicating and non-intoxicating drink, which is consumed by human either to quench the thirst or for enjoyment, refreshment, nourishment or relaxation are per human need. Beverage is derived from Latin word 'bever' meaning rest or repose from work. Any potable liquid with the exception of medicine and water is called a beverage. In hospitality terminology, beverage are usually alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

For example : Wine, Beer, Rum etc are alcoholic beverage whereas Tea, Coffee, Juice, etc are non-alcoholic beverage.

Beverage compensates the fluid loss due to perspiration work. It supplies essential nutrients to the body.

For example : Milk supplies Calcium and fruit juices supplies vitamin C which are other wise deficient in the blood.

Certain beverages like Tea and Coffee stimulates our vital organs particularly the heart and the kidney because they contain caffeine.

Some beverage induce sleep.

Example : a small drink of brandy is an excellent night cap after a meal.