Garde Manger...the french term meaning "to keep, to eat".  Originally, the garde manager referred to a cold hallway where food was kept in order to preserve it for a longer period of time. With the evolution of refrigeration methods, the cold hallway was soon replaced with the cold cupboard and then eventually with the modern refrigerator. But before modern refrigeration methods, those who prepared foods were challenged with the task of preserving food and making it tasteful at the same time. The introduction of spices and sauces helped with this task, therby furthering the development of preserving foods. The art of 'keeping food' eventually evolved into a position in the kitchen where all cold foods were prepared. However, after starting this course, I have found that there is a LOT of cooking that goes into cold food!

Preserving Foods
Curing and brining are two ways to preserve meats. Curing refers to a dry method where salt is used to pull moisture from the meat. The sugar is pulled back into the meat, acting as a preservative. (Gravlox and pastrami are made in this manner.) Brining works in much the same manner, except that the process is wet. The salt and sugar are mixed into a liquid and the meat is submerged into the mixture.

Also aiding with both of these procedures is a chemical known as TCM (tinted curing mix). This is a substance that appears salt-like but is lightly colored so that it cannot be mistaken for salt or sugar as it can be highly toxic if consumed separately. Caution is exercised with the use TCM for just this purpose.

Additionally, nitrates are often used in curing meats. These are found readily in consumer products such as hot dogs and processed meat products. Nitrates function to remove the oxygen from the meat, aiding in the preservation process. As we learned in Sanitation, oxygen is one of the things that helps to feed a foodborne illness. Less oxygen, less chance for contamination.

Another form of preservation is smoking. Smoking can be divided into two categories: cold-smoking and hot-smoking. Cold-smoking usually occurs under 85 degrees. This means that the food is being exposed to smoke, but it is not being cooked. (Dried beef is often prepared this way.) Hot-smoking usually occurs somewhere between 140 to 160 degrees. Of course, this temperature will cook the food as well. Sausages are prepared in this manner.

The final way of preserving foods is actually in fat. Gross, I know. But actually, when you think about it, fat provides a lot of flavor. And by smothering the meat in fat, it provides a protective layer that helps to seal out air, again eliminating the oxygen factor. A classical french dish that is prepared in this manner is called Duck Confit. But don't worry, all of the fat is taken off before it hits the plate.

Sauces
Once the food has been preserved and prepared, sauces often play a cruicial role in presentation as well as flavor. There are several rules when considering the sauce to serve with a dish:

1. A sauce should be an informing flavor, but not overpowering.
2. A sauce can also be a supporting flavor (as in the case of a potato or egg salad)
3. A sauce can be added for appearance or color. (This helps the eye appeal and makes you want to eat it.)
4. A sauce can also add moisture to a dish.

Aspic is one of the traditional sauces that we associate with pate. Made from gelatinous stock, aspic is basically a cooled consomme. The body of this sauce is, of course, the gelatin. This substance comes from the connective tissue of animals, primarily collagen. (Sorry if I ruined it for you Jello lovers out there...)

Gelatin is a par stock of the garde manger. It is applied to many sauces and can be used as a coating when mixed with something as simple as water. However, to use gelatin first, it must be bloomed. This process involves placing the gelatin (sheets or powder) into cool water to allow it to soften. Once the gelatin has softened, it has a ruffle like appearance in the water. Chef Babbitt recommends the ratio of 470ml water to g of gelatin.

Journey Into the Cold	Garde Manger Links
Photo Gallery	BONUS CLIPS! from the December 2002 Night Class