Preface

The Garde Manger course is an introduction to the art and craft of the cold kitchen. It is rooted in preservation methods and techniques dating back to the days when the Garde Manger or “keeper of the food” had no refrigeration and needed to preserve food for its wholesomeness. Techniques such as aspics and terrines are making a resurgence in the modern kitchen and a good foundation is important for you to be able to create your own niche as a modern chef. First, learn the old then redefine the new. Your epiphany will come when you see these techniques immerge in unlikely places. The aspic you see coating your terrine in Topic Ten will appear to you in a delightful form as a champagne gelee in a salad and therein lies the ah ha moment.

As with any introductory course, the visible part of the iceberg is what you are exposed to in class. The largest part of the iceberg lies below the surface of the water - unseen and only explored and learned through your independent study outside of the classroom. The library is a great source and the book Garde Manger 4th edition from the Culinary Institute of America is an outstanding resource. I own a copy and you will want this book for your future reference during your career. In addition to this resource, I will give access to many power points, videos, recipes and more via the learning management system, Moodle. The point I wish to drive home is that the lab time we share is vital yet preciously brief - therefore it must be a time in which we focus without ceasing to build the skills you need to carry forward.

Outside of class, you have access to reading assignments from the library and possibly other sources. You will have Classroom Preparation Assignments (CPA’s) which follow the material in each topic, and quizzes. Game Plans will be provided which offer you the opportunity before class to review a recipe and break it down into categories of food and equipment lists (mise en place) and methodology (preparation and cooking steps) necessary to be efficient at production during that precious lab time. These disciplines prepare you for the fast-paced work in your next course - A La Carte. If you truly wish to get the most for your money, come to lab prepared. It will be obvious if you do not. The kitchen preforms as a team and you must do your part in all fairness to yourself and your teammates.

We will begin with an overview of the history of the cold kitchen as it began in days of old, then fast forward to the role it plays in today’s world of hospitality in the heart of the house- the kitchen. Before we don our aprons and roll up our sleeves, we will orient ourselves to our lab, learn where our equipment resides, review the ground rules and sanitation, and then cover the syllabus. Once this is complete, you’ll be ready to delve into the principles we shall use and build upon that not only increase our knowledge of the Garde Manger, but that bring us into our ability to execute buffets based on these principles and further prepared us for the next step in your learning and ultimately your career.

An overview of the topical areas and progression of the course follow:

Chapter One - Lecture - The Professional Garde Manger - A historical perspective and its place in the modern kitchen. (How it all began and where it is today). Also, kitchen lab orientation (Learning what it is and where it is). Getting to know your way around the Garde Manger Lab. Kitchen policies and food safety review. Learning how to prepare for class.

Chapter Two - Introduction to Wine and Cheese Making and Aging - for final project. Fermentation is a driving trend in the modern kitchen. Here we begin the preparations that take time to ferment and age for use at the end of the semester on your final project- Charcuterie Board Presentation. Cheese requires draining, pressing, and turning and takes more time than the lab allows. Be ready to take turns after class to see it through and learn the process. As these cheeses age you will be assigned and entrusted in their care.

Chapter Three - Curing, Brining and Smoking - The science behind how and why brines and cures work and the processes for smoking to add flavor to meats like bacon, duck, and brisket. You will need to return between classes to check your product during the process.

Chapter Four - Charcuterie Production and Aging - The hottest new trend in the modern kitchen relies on age old techniques for cured and aged meats. Products like Saucisson Sec, Country Ham, and Coppa are cured and aged for weeks in the 60ºF Cold Room.

Chapter Five - Condiments and Canning - Condiments are still a significant trend after 20 years in the food movement. This will help us toward or project goal of creating magnificent charcuterie boards. Included are pickles, jams, and mustards.

Chapter Six - Cold Sauces, Salads, and Sandwiches - Now that the pillars of charcuterie board creation are in the aging process, let us explore the other parts of the cold kitchen like cold sauces, soups, salads, and sandwiches. By end of class, you will present an elegant buffet consisting of a modest variety of miniature sandwiches with one cold soup and a salad station.

Chapter Seven - Hors d’ Oeuvre, Caviar and Buffet Presentation - In this lecture we explore the principles of buffet presentation, hors d’ oeuvre creation, and the types of caviar both in our region and beyond. We will create our own crème fraiche, a cured fillet of salmon, and a variety of crackers for the caviar buffet next week.

Chapter Eight - Midterm Exam and Caviar Buffet Practical - This week you will put into practice the concepts of Buffet Presentation in the creation of a Caviar and Hors d’ oeuvre Event. You will present an elegant buffet consisting of canapés and caviar complete with a Buckwheat Bellini and caviar station. After the event, you will break down the event, clean, and take your written midterm examination.

Chapter Nine - Terrines, Galantines, Forcemeats, and Pates - Production of these classics are the foundation of the Garde Manger. As of late there has been a resurgence of these early means of preserving meat in savory loafs and uses of aspic. The opportunity to create elaborate yet simple decoration yields great reward for the enthusiastic and a basis for continuing your learning and achievement in the craft moving forward in your career.

Chapter Ten - Aspic and Cold Platter Creation - Here is where the chef to be plies the artisanship necessary to build upon in the quest for intro to the modernist kitchen and ultimately the Certified Master Chef career pinnacle. Today we will utilize the terrines recently made to create elegant cold platters for viewing and tasting.

Chapter Eleven - Sausage Making - Fresh sausages are delicious and profitable creations that offer great rewards of satisfaction to both the chef and the guest. There is tremendous fun in the making and an almost endless variety of possibilities in protein choices and flavor combinations. Local sausage favorites include Boudin Blanc and Andouille; however, we will also create other regional and European sausages like Bratwurst, Seafood Sausages and Frankfurters.

Chapter Twelve - Themed Catering Event - In this class you will call upon the your new skill sets and the knowledge gained in Topic Seven and Topic Eight to plan and execute a Tailgate Themed Event. Key concepts used in preparation for this event include requisition, room diagram, load list, game plan, fire schedule, and set up details. This is a graded practical examination.

Chapter Thirteen - Charcuterie Board Event Planning - This day is the planning day for the Final Project Event. Today the products are ready for production next week and you are tasked with creating the plan for a successful catered event utilizing all the skill sets from previous topics in the course just as you did with the tailgate event.

Chapter Fourteen - Final Presentation Event - Off site catering for Charcuterie Project-
This topic is the culmination of your semester long production of cheese, wine, and cured meats. Today you will execute your final buffet of the semester. Other items used here include crackers learned in Topic Seven and the skill sets and knowledge learned in Buffet Presentation. This is your final project grade as set forth in the syllabus.

Chapter Fifteen - Recap and review for Final Exam - In our last class we will review the depth of knowledge gained over the semester as you prepare for the final exam. After this, you will deep clean the kitchen in preparation for the next class of students that you will lead in the Bistro A la Carte course.

Chapter 16 - Final Exam - A comprehensive examination of all topics covered in the course- Questions will come from a variety of sources including the OER, lecture notes taken by you in class, power points, reading assignments available at our campus library, and any other source provided in class or on Moodle.