CMC Classical Cuisine Fundamentals 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the classical French term for the technique of wrapping lean meats in sheets of fat to prevent drying during roasting?
- Barding (Correct answer)
- Larding
- Trussing
- Marinating
Correct answer: Barding
Barding involves tying thin sheets of fat (such as fatback or caul fat) around lean cuts to baste them internally during cooking and prevent moisture loss.
Question 2: In classical cuisine, what is a 'roux' and how does the ratio of fat to flour affect its use?
- Equal parts fat and flour cooked together; ratio determines sauce body and color (Correct answer)
- A reduction of wine and shallots used to build sauces
- Clarified butter used exclusively for sautéing delicate fish
- A cold butter-flour paste added to finish and thicken sauces
Correct answer: Equal parts fat and flour cooked together; ratio determines sauce body and color
A roux is made of equal parts fat and flour cooked together; cooking time determines its color (white, blond, or brown) and affects the starch's thickening power and flavor contribution.
Question 3: Which classical French term describes the process of cooking meat briefly in simmering water to remove impurities before further preparation?
- Blanching (Correct answer)
- Parboiling
- Poaching
- Simmering
Correct answer: Blanching
Blanching proteins involves a brief immersion in boiling or simmering water to coagulate surface proteins and purge blood and impurities before making stocks or braises.
Question 4: What is the classical French term 'en papillote' and what cooking principle does it utilize?
- Cooking food sealed in parchment paper using steam trapped inside (Correct answer)
- Cooking food directly over an open wood flame
- Sealing food in a salt crust before baking
- Wrapping food in caul fat before roasting
Correct answer: Cooking food sealed in parchment paper using steam trapped inside
En papillote is a method where food is sealed in folded parchment paper and baked; the moisture from the food creates steam inside the packet, gently cooking the contents.
Question 5: In the classical French five mother sauces, which sauce uses a brown roux and veal stock as its base?
- Espagnole (Correct answer)
- Velouté
- Béchamel
- Tomat
Correct answer: Espagnole
Sauce Espagnole (brown sauce) is built on a brown roux combined with brown veal stock and is reduced to become the base for demi-glace and many classical derivatives.
Question 6: What classical French technique involves repeatedly folding hot sugar or pulled sugar to develop a shiny, aerated texture?
- Pulling sugar (Correct answer)
- Spinning sugar
- Casting sugar
- Blowing sugar
Correct answer: Pulling sugar
Pulling sugar involves repeatedly folding and stretching cooked sugar at a precise temperature to incorporate air and develop a satin-like sheen and fibrous texture.
Question 7: In classical French cooking, what is the purpose of 'monter au beurre' when finishing a sauce?
- To add richness, gloss, and body to the sauce by whisking in cold butter off the heat (Correct answer)
- To thicken the sauce by adding a cold butter-flour paste
- To clarify the sauce by removing fat with cold butter
- To emulsify wine into a sauce at high heat with fresh butter
Correct answer: To add richness, gloss, and body to the sauce by whisking in cold butter off the heat
Monter au beurre means to mount a sauce with cold butter, whisking small pieces in off direct heat to create an emulsion that adds richness, body, and a glossy finish.
CMC Classical Cuisine Fundamentals 3
What is the classical French term for the technique of wrapping lean meats in sheets of fat to prevent drying during roasting?