Kitchen Tidbits

I was trying to talk about this at lunch today, but I failed miserably. So, I decided to give you this important list here.

According to Sir Anthony Bourdain's book Kitchen Confidential, (Yes, I've knighted him. Are knights "sirs"?) the following items should always be in your kitchen if you want your regular food to look at taste like gourmet, chef-prepared food.

1) roasted garlic. Never use the chopped garlic in a jar. It is a sin against garlic. (And it's also what we always use. sigh.)

2) shallots. Yes, Erin, you were right. Today at lunch I insisted it was "scallops," but I had confused this chapter with another, raunchier chapter involving many, many scallops. So go get some shallots. Do not go get scallops.

3) butter. Real butter. Not fake butter. Real Butter = deliciousness

4) chiffonaded parsley, or for non-chefs, parsley cut into long, thin strips. Use it as a garnish so your plates are pretty.

5) stock. chicken, beef, or any other variety

6) demi-glace. I had to look this up, mainly because it just makes me think of demi-moore who has nothing to do with food (she probably doesn't even eat). It's apparently a rich, brown sauce used alone or as a base for other sauces. Sir Bourdain says to make a whole bunch of it and then freeze it in ice cube trays. So make some, freeze it, and then give me half. There's no way I'm making demi-glace. I'm not even sure I know how to say it for goodness sakes!

Now you, too, can look like a chef. Well, if you have a giant chef's hat and one of those jackets.