Service of foods

Oysters (Les hutîres)• Eaten live and raw after opening

the shell with an oyster knife• 6 per portion. Placed on oyster

plate/soup plate over bed of ice, oyster fork or fish fork placed on the right may assist eating. Offer a fingerbowl with warm water and slice of lemon to rinse fingers, also a spare napkin. Side plate & sideknife

• Eaten with lemon, brown bread and butter, oyster cruet- cayenne pepper, peppermill, chilli vinegar, Tabasco

Varieties of oysters

• Center: Belon • Clockwise from top left:

Bluepoint • Kumamoto • Moonstone • Wellfleet

Belon oyster (France) Colchester oyster (UK)

Types of Oysters

• Flat OystersThe two most common flat oysters are Olympia oysters (California oyster) and Belon oysters. The Belon is also called the European flat oyster. While the Belon is native to Western Europe, it has been grown by a few farms in America, first on the east coast and then on the west coast. The Belon oyster is very symmetrically round (and flat) while the Olympia is more rectangular. Olympia oysters are produced commercially in southern Puget Sound only.

• Cupped OystersThere are many species of cupped oysters (well over 100) from many countries. The US produces two species of cupped oysters, the east coast oyster and the west coast or Pacific oyster. The eastern oyster goes by the names (from North to South): Malpeque, Canada; Wellfleet, Boston; Blue Point; New York; Assateague, Lower Chesapeake Bay; Chincateague, Upper Chesapeake Bay; Indian River; Florida (Atlantic Ocean); Gulf oysters, New Orleans and oysters from Texas. Two Japanese species are grown on the US west coast: the Myagi oyster and the Kumamoto oyster.

Caviar• Cold fish plate, caviar or fish

knife to right, side plate & side knife

• Blinis & sour cream or melba toast and unsalted butter

• Lemon• Garniture:• Sieved hard-boiled egg whites

& yolks• Chopped shallots• Chopped parsley• Chopped capers (optional)

• Caviar, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, is a product made from salt-cured fish-eggs of the Acipenseridae family. The roe can be "fresh" (non-pasteurized) orpasteurized, with pasteurization reducing its culinary and economic value.

• Traditionally the term caviar refers only to roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspian and Black Seas (Beluga, Ossetra and Sevruga caviars).

• Caviar is considered a luxury delicacy and is eaten as a garnish or a spread. In 2012, caviar sold for $2,500 per pound, or $3,000 to $5,500 per kilo

Types of caviar• The four main types of caviar are Beluga, Sterlet, Ossetra,

and Sevruga. The rarest and costliest is from beluga sturgeon that swim in the Caspian Sea, which is bordered by Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. Wild caviar production was suspended in Russia between 2008 and 2011 to allow wild stocks to replenish. Azerbaijan and Iran also allow the fishing of sturgeon off their coasts. Beluga caviar is prized for its soft, extremely large (pea-size) eggs. It can range in color from pale silver-gray to black. It is followed by the small golden sterlet caviar which is rare and was once reserved for Russian, Iranian and Austrian royalty. Next in quality is the medium-sized, gray to brownish osetra (ossetra), and the last in the quality ranking is smaller, gray sevruga caviar.

• Beluga caviar is caviar consisting of the roe (or eggs) of the beluga sturgeon Huso huso. It is found primarily in the Caspian Sea, the world’s largest salt-water lake, which is bordered by Iran and the CIS countries of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Turkmenistan. It can also be found in the Black Sea basin and occasionally in the Adriatic Sea. Beluga caviar is the most expensive type of caviar, with present market prices ranging from $7,000 to $10,000 per 1 kg (2.2 lb). The Beluga sturgeon can take up to 20 years to reach maturity. The fish harvested for caviar are often nearly 2,000 pounds (900 kg). The eggs themselves are the largest of the commonly used roes, and range in color from dark gray (almost black) to light gray, with the lighter colors coming from older fish, and being the most valued. A pearly white variety, called Almas (Russian for diamond), taken from a centennial female sturgeon, is the rarest type of Beluga available, with an extremely small production and prices reaching almost £25,000 per kilogram ($39,500 per kg).

• Any additions by producers diminish the value of the roe, and the caviar usually reaches the market without any additions or processing whatsoever. As with most caviars, Beluga is usually handled with a spoon made of mother of pearl, bone, or other non-metallic material, as metal utensils tend to impart an unwelcome metallic taste to the delicate and expensive roe. Beluga caviar, unlike less expensive varieties, is usually served by itself on toast, whereas other caviars can be served in a variety of ways, including on a blini, or garnished with sour cream, crème fraîche, minced onion or minced hard boiled egg whites. The higher-grade caviars, including Beluga, usually receive very little embellishment. These items can, however, be served with Beluga to be used as palate cleansers.

How to serve caviar - Beluga, Sevruga and Osetra caviar

1. Hand-carved Mother-of-Pearl spoon, knive, fork and plate are the traditional accoutrements used to serve caviar. Any other type of tableware would alter the taste of caviar and distract from its natural flavor.

2. Remove caviar from the refrigerator just before eating. The lid should be removed only at the last moment.

3. The ideal presentation is to offer the whole tin on a bed of crushed ice. Allow at least 30-50 grams ( 1-2 oz.) per person. It should be spooned onto a chilled fish plate with care taken not to break the grains, which would make it oily.

4. Accompany caviar with pieces of bread that have been lightly toasted (to preserve softness) and then quickly filmed with butter. Don't use commercially made toasts or crackers because they are too hard and dry.

5. A small glass of iced champagne or vodka is the ideal beverage companion. 6. Unopened, a container of fresh caviar may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 8

weeks. Once opened, it is highly perishable and should be eaten right away. Never keep caviar in a freezer.

Smoked salmon• Smoked salmon is a preparation of salmon, typically

a fillet that has been cured and hot or cold smoked. Due to its high price, smoked salmon is considered a delicacy. In the Atlantic basin all smoked salmon comes from the Atlantic salmon, much of it farmed in Norway, Scotland, Ireland and the East coast of Canada (particularly in the Bay of Fundy).

• In the Pacific, a variety of salmon species may be used. Because fish farming is prohibited as a matter of state law, all of Alaska's salmon species are wild Pacific species. Pacific species of salmon include chinook ("King"), sockeye("red"), coho ("silver"), chum (keta), and pink ("humpback").

Salmon life cycle

• Smoked salmon is sliced very thinly & garnished with capers & parsley sprigs. It may be served with lemon, brown bread with butter, cayenne pepper & peppermill. It is served on a cold fish plate, eaten with a fish knife & fork, side plate & side knife. Often arranged as a rosette on a plate.

• Smoked salmon is a popular ingredient in canapés & sandwiches, often combined with cream cheese and lemon juice.

• It is sometimes used in sushi, though not widely in Japan; it is more likely to be encountered in North American sushi bars, for example in a "Philadelphia Roll".

• In Jewish cuisine smoked salmon is called lox and is usually eaten on a bagel with cream cheese.

Paté de foie gras (fattened goose liver paste)

• Foie gras French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of Toulouse geese(or Mulard duck) that has been specially fattened. By French law, foie gras is defined as the liver of a duck fattened by force feeding corn with a gavage, although outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding. Foie gras is sold whole, or is prepared into mousse, parfait, or pâté (paste used as a spread), and may also be served as an accompaniment to another food item, such as steak.

• The finest foie gras is crafted in Strasbourg, Alsace in France and consists of minimum 80% goose fat and 3 % Périgod truffle (Tuber melanosporum)

Snails (Escargots)

• Escargot is the French word for snail. It is also a dish of cooked land snails, usually served as an appetizer in France and in French restaurants. Escargot is served with garlic butter and parsley in its shell, placed on a snail dish placed on an under plate, along with brown bread & butter.

• Not all species of land snail are equally edible, and many are too small to make it worthwhile to prepare and cook them. Even among the edible species, the palatability of the flesh varies from species to species. In France, the species Helix pomatia (Roman snail/Burgundy vineyard snail) is most often eaten. The Helix aspersa(petit-gris) is also eaten, as is Helix lucorum (Turkish snail).

• Like most molluscs, escargot is high in protein and low in fat content (if cooked without butter). Escargot is estimated to contain 15% protein, 2.4% fat and about 80% water.

• In French culture, the snails are typically purged, killed, removed from their shells, and cooked (usually with garlic butter, chicken stock or wine), and then placed back into the shells with the butter and sauce for serving. Additional ingredients may be added, such as garlic, thyme, parsley and pine nuts. Special snail tongs (for holding the shell) and snail forks (for extracting the meat) are also normally provided, and they are served on indented metal trays with places for 6 or 12 snails.

• The snails are first prepared by purging them of the likely undesirable contents of their digestive systems. The process used to accomplish this varies, but generally involves a combination of fasting and purging or simply feeding them on a wholesome replacement. Farms producing Helix aspersa (petit-gris) for sale exist in Europe and in the United States. Farm-raised snails are typically fed a diet of ground cereals.

Melon

• Half a small melon or a wedge of a larger melon served chilled with caster sugar & ground ginger

Types of melon

Honeydew melon Cantaloupe (Musk melon)

Types of melon

Galia melon Charentais melon

• Often served with port wine

Italians enjoy melon with ham Melon and ham appetiser

Scooped out melon balls Melon ball cocktail

Grapefruit(Pamplemousse)

• Half a grapefruit served chilled• In a coupe with grapefruit spoon• Served with caster sugar

Pink & yellow grapefruitGrapefruit knife is used to separate segments from skin

Grapefruit cocktail (segments in light sugar syrup)

Cocktail Florida (orange & grapefruit segments)

Asparagus (Asperges)

• White, green & purple asparagus

• Asparagus spears are had steamed & drained, on a hot/cold joint plate that is kept tilted toward the diner using an inverted joint fork. Served with melted butter(beurre fondu) or hollandaise when warm, with vinaigrette or mayonnaise when cold. While asparagus tongs may be provided, a finger bowl and napkin must be offered since most people eat asparagus with their fingers.

Globe artichoke

Service of other appetisers• Avocado (Avocat)- Serve half, stone removed, chilled; in an

avocado dish on doily & under plate with teaspoon. Serve with brown bread & butter. Combines well with prawns.

• Shellfish cocktail (Cocktail de crevettes)-shellfish cocktail holder, under plate, doily, fish fork-brown bread and butter

• Fruit juice (Jus de fruit)-fresh or canned, well-chilled in 5 oz (150 ml) pony tumbler on doily, side plate with teaspoon. Serve with caster sugar except for tomato juice (jus de tomate)which is served with Worcester sauce.

• Smoked trout (truite)/ eel (anguille) fumée- fish knife & fork, cold fish plate, horseradish sauce, cayenne pepper, peppermill, lemon, brown bread & butter

Service of other appetisers• Gull’s eggs (oeufs de mouette)-2 per person/Plover’s eggs-4 per

person/Quail eggs 6 per person- hard-boiled and cooled, served in a cold fish plate with cruet set & oriental salt (Mix of cayenne & salt in 1:4 ratio) & brown bread & butter. Small knife & fork, cold fish plate. Finger bowl.

• Corn–on-the-cob (Maïs naturel)-Served warm in half plate, with corn-on-the-cob holders, melted butter, peppermill.

• Potted shrimps (Petites pots de crevettes)- Cold fish plate, fish knife & fork, cayenne pepper, peppermill, lemon, hot breakfast toast

• Fresh prawns (Crevettes roses)-cold fish plate, fish knife & fork, finger bowl, brown bread & butter, mayonnaise

• Ham mousse (Mousse de jambon)-side knife, sweet fork, cold fish plate, hot breakfast toast

Service of soups• Petit Marmite or Crôute au pot- Marmite on doily &

underplate, sweet spoon. Grated parmesan, grilled flutes, poached bone marrow (last only for petit marmite)

• Minestrone/French onion soup- Soup plate, under plate, soup spoon. Grated parmesan, grilled flutes

• Potage St Germain(green pea)/ Cream of tomato- Soup plate, under plate, soup spoon. Croûtons.

• For Potage Germiny (consommé thickened with egg yolk & cream) cover same as for tomato soup but accompaniment is cheese straws

• Consommé- Consommé cup and saucer, dessert spoon.

Service of soups

• Bouillabaisse- Soup plate, under plate, dessert spoon, fish knife, fish fork. Thin slices of French bread dipped in oil & grilled, aïoli (garlic mayonnaise)

• Bortsch- Soup plate, under plate, sweet spoon. Sour cream, beetroot juice, boucheée filled with duck paste

• Turtle soup- Consommé cup, saucer, dessert spoon. Brown bread & butter, segments of lemon, cheese straws, measure of sherry

Service of eggs

• Sur le plat- dish placed on doily on under plate. Dessert spoon & fork

• En cocotte- cocotte dish, doily, under plate, teaspoon

• Omelettes- Hot fish plate, joint fork

Service of pasta (accompanied with grated parmesan)

• Spaghetti- Joint fork to right, Dessert spoon to left, Soup plate with under plate

• Short pastas (ziti, macaroni)- Fish plate, dessert spoon & fork

• Flat pasta(lasagna)- Fish plate, small knife & fork

Service of fish (fish plate, fish knife & fork)

• Grilled herring (Hareng grillé)- mustard sauce• Whitebait (Blanchailles)- cayenne pepper, peppermill,

lemon, brown bead & butter• Fried Scampi- tartare sauce, lemon, brown bread & butter• Poached salmon- hot- hollandaise/mousseline sauce.

Cold-mayonnaise• Cold lobster/crawfish- mayonnaise• Fish Orly- Tomato sauce• Fish Colbert (crumb fried)- Tartare/remoulade/gribiche

sauce, lemon

Service of fish (fish plate, fish knife & fork)

• Grilled fish- same as for fish Colbert or béarnaise/tyrolienne

• Poached fish- same as for fried/grilled fish, also hollandaise/mousseline/beurre fondu

• Blue trout (Truite au bleu)- hollandaise/beurre fondu

Cheese

• Cover: side plate in centre of cover, side knife, small fork

• Accompaniments- cruet-salt, pepper, mustard, butter, crackers, caster sugar for cream cheese. Watercress, radish batons, celery sticks, spring onions placed over iced water in pony tumblers

Fresh fruit (Dessert)

Dried fruit & nuts

Cover & accompaniments

• Half plate, fruit knife & fork.• Spare side plate for peels & seeds• Nutcracker, grape scissors where needed• Finger bowl for rinsing grapes• Finger bowl for rinsing fingers, spare napkin• Caster sugar for fruit, salt for nuts