Yannick Alléno^[1] is a pillar of French gastronomy. In 2007, at just 40–years–old, he entered the prestigious circle of the best chefs in the world by earning three Michelin stars for the restaurant at the Le Meurice hotel in Paris. In 2015 he repeated the feat, this time at the head of the Pavillon Ledoyen, and the same year he was given the Chef of the Year Award by Gault & Millau.

But the Parisian is more than just a highly successful chef. In 2008, eager to spread prized French gastronomy throughout the world, he founded his own food services group, the Yannick Alléno Group. The chef has since dedicated much of his time to various projects of reflection and research worldwide, including sauces that, in his own words, "symbolize the great French cuisine".

Having been among the Seven Sages at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015^[2], Yannick Alléno is the jury president of the 2016 French jury^[3] and mentor to Shintaro Awa, the winner of the French final held just a few days ago^[4].

What do you think made Shintaro Awa stand out from the other candidates?
I think that one had a demonstration of the quality of the service and a true understanding of the product – with that little box, that ‘hung’ mackerel… The right cooking, no product waste, the transformation of a simple potato into a monument of crispness: his dish is a complex French dish. Not complicated, but complex. Shintaro Awa understands French cuisine!

What advice would you give to young chefs?
You have to know tradition, master it, and know that it is exceptional in order to stray from it and come up with something totally new. It is with this approach that we signed up to develop modern cuisine as a renaissance of French cuisine itself. The first foundation of this new approach is our reflection on sauces and extraction work. The starting point is that sauce symbolises the great French cuisine; it's its beating heart, its verb. Then, with our concrete knowledge in the daily practice of its conjugation, we can develop a new era that better corresponds to our time.

What is your secret to constantly having new ideas and inventing new dishes?
Creativity is a muscle; the more we work, the more we create. However, attention must be paid in order to create something completely original. This by no means copying, revisiting or voluntarily placing yourself in opposition, but rather to focus on yourself to better stray from what exists and offer a real alternative. Going back to modern sauces, these are sauces that once did not exist. We leaned on a solid foundation in order to offer new technology and enter new grounds of expression.

What are your expectations with regards to the future of gastronomy?
Cuisine is now a worldwide phenomenon, and we are fortunate to be able to be confronted with formidable international influences, whether Moroccan or Taiwanese. As such, I think that gastronomy must be maintained in line with its time, which is extraordinary given the wealth of inspiration and information that we receive. In my opinion, modernity has several levels. We can obviously imagine meeting physical and emotional needs, and within other physiological needs, mastering nutritional intakes and gustatory pleasure. There is also the social dimension, both in terms of the respect and encouragement of individuals both in the kitchen, as well as the dining room, in the very act of gathering around a shared meal. The ecological aspect is also fundamental in our duty as regards nature, particularly by means of responsible procurement and the fierce support of local products par excellence. It is the whole purpose of the "Parisian terroir", local Parisian products that we have defended and supported for over eight years now.

Do you have any new projects?
We have many wonderful projects underway. The first is in the pursuit of this work on modern cuisine, which symbolises the rebirth of French cuisine; we will unveil the second pillar of reflection – fermentation – in June. In the meantime, I would like once again [to] place the main course at the centre of attention. We will build on the model of the Gastronomic Meal of the French, recognised as a Cultural Heritage of Unesco, which constitutes the most important part of a menu: a generous and unique dish that can even stand on its own. This will be called the "Principal", or main dish, and will be served at lunch at our location on the Champs Elysées, at the Pavillon Ledoyen.

Follow Fine Dining Lovers on Facebook^[5]

References

1. ^{^} Yannick Alléno (www.finedininglovers.com)
2. ^{^} Seven Sages at the S.Pellegrino Young Chef 2015 (www.finedininglovers.com)
3. ^{^} jury president of the 2016 French jury (www.finedininglovers.com)
4. ^{^} Shintaro Awa, the winner of the French final held just a few days ago (www.finedininglovers.com)
5. ^{^} Follow Fine Dining Lovers on Facebook (www.facebook.com)

If you're wondering how to make caipirinha, let's start by saying that caipirinha is made with Brazil^[1]’s national distilled spirit cachaça. It’s often called “Brazilian Rum” but that isn’t exactly the case. Rum is often distilled from a sugarcane byproduct, molasses, whereas Cachaça is fermented and distilled straight from the sugarcane juice. They might sound similar on paper, but in the glass it’s a whole different world.

It's safe to say that globally Cachaça is hugely undervalued. It’s seen as the cheap South American booze unworthy of any serious tasting. Only Brazilians and people who have lived there drink it. That might have been true in the past when the general attitude was “no matter how they make it or who makes it, it all tastes the same”.

Nowadays you can find a wide range of small distilleries that make everything from site-specific “terroir” cachaças to old barrel aged ones with the panache of old rums and whiskies.

In a relatively short time a deep appreciation of cachaça has emerged and people have really started getting geeky with it. It is usually consumed with traditional Brazilian food like feijoada, surrounded by friends and family while noisily discussing important things like football, politics and TV soap operas.

The cocktail culture around cachaça is not as developed as with some other spirits like rum or tequila. Although there are bartenders using cachaça in all kinds of cocktails it seems the innovation stopped at caipirinha, the simple drink made of lime, sugar, cachaça and ice, a drink that on a good day can be as good as the best of them.

How to make caipirinha: lime and sugar

Making a good caipirinha isn’t rocket science yet somehow it’s hard to find a good caipirinha outside of Brazil. The first step is the lime. The use of ripe and juicy limes is the cornerstone of this drink. Use too little and what you have is just a cachaça on the rocks with a twist. I’d say at least one whole lime per drink but some use even more.

Then there’s the sugar. I have never seen a Brazilian putting brown sugar in a caipirinha so I suggest we all stop doing that. In fact many Brazilian bartenders use fine sugar to better mix it with the lime juice to balance the acidity, and you know what, it works. No crunchy sugar in my caipirinha, thank you.

The locals seem to be very relaxed with the use of sugar and usually a tablespoon or two does the trick depending on the amount of lime and its ripeness. At this point you mash the sliced lime and sugar together using a muddler. Next you fill the mixing glass with ice and pour over the cachaça.

a good caipirinha? don't be shy with cachaca

There is a certain hand gesture in Brazil where they slap their hands together repeatedly meaning something like “I don’t care”, “whatever” or “do what you like”. Apply this hand gesture here. The exact amount of cachaça is hard to say because nobody uses a measure in Brazil. But I would say don’t be shy with the cachaça. I rarely saw a caipirinha with less than 8cl of cachaça.

Outside of Brazil some tweak the drink by adding mint. In a country where you can get away with pretty much anything with just a quick thumbs-up and cheeky smile, you wont be able to get away with adding mint to your caipirinha. Same goes with soda water. In the end you shake and serve the caipirinha in an old fashioned glass.

caipirinha recipes: a few variations allowed

There is quite a few variations of caipirinha. One of the most well-known versions is caipiroska where instead of cachaça you use vodka, which basically makes it nothing more than a lime juice screwdriver. In Brazil fruits are abundant so there is many delicious substitutes for lime. For example, passion fruit caipirinha seems to be a popular choice.

Alex Atala’s restaurant D.O.M.^[2] serves a caju caipirinha that is made with cashew fruit. If you ever find yourself in a situation with caju caipirinhas it’s a must-try. As long as you have cachaça feel free to freestyle, but whatever you do don’t mess with the original caipirinha.

So, whether you are watching the Summer Olympics or not it would be unwise to skip this magnificent cocktail. Saúde!

Follow Fine Dining Lovers on Facebook^[3]

References

1. ^{^} Brazil (www.finedininglovers.com)
2. ^{^} Alex Atala’s restaurant D.O.M. (www.finedininglovers.com)
3. ^{^} Follow Fine Dining Lovers on Facebook (www.facebook.com)

When it comes to competing on a global stage, chef Rasmus Kofoed^[1] has been there and done it all. In February, his Geranium restaurant in Copenhagen became the first in Denmark to win three Michelin stars^[2] (rivals Noma only have two). Previously, he has won bronze (2005), silver (2007), and gold (2011) at the Bocuse d’Or competition in Lyon; as well as gold at the Bocuse d’Or Europe (2010). Now he’s had a hand in another audacious triumph at this year’s Bocuse d’Or Europe in Budapest – for Hungary.

As well as being named Honorary President of the Bocuse d’Or Europe 2016, the 41-year-old Danish chef played a key role in coaching chef Tamás Széll and the Hungary team to victory^[3]. Ahead of the contest, in his official programme blurb, Kofoed had been full of praise and expectation for the home nation: "It’s a country which is eager to promote the revival of its gastronomy, the richness of its products and terroirs, the creativity of its chefs and the variety of ingredients that are available in nature," he wrote.

Few could argue with that. But there were gasps of surprise when Hungary were crowned champions, so what magic ingredient did Kofoed add to the recipe? "I hopefully brought a lot of inspiration, after all the years it took for me to get the gold," said Kofoed. "Also, telling the story that everything is not easy, that you have to work hard and be dedicated to achieve success in life, as well as in the kitchen. Hopefully it can inspire other chefs to work hard and to be a part of this beautiful creative competition."

Winning chef Tamás Széll^[4] was a little more revealing about Kofoed’s influence on the Hungarian campaign: "He tasted [our dishes] and said 'It is correct, it is ok.' We went back and he helped us put the finishing touches, the look and final preparation of the dish, and the menu card with some pictures."

Kofoed’s vast experience in the competition was clearly an important factor in the Hungarian team’s preparation. "Being in the box with so many people watching is an incredible feeling - if you're prepared," said Kofoed. "If you're unprepared and you're facing all these people, you are not feeling right. It can be scary as hell. But if you can lift it up from there, if you're prepared, then it's really great. It's something you will always remember for the rest of your life." 

Taking part is one thing, but how does it feel to win gold? "Of course, it was a dream," said Kofoed. "I also won the Bocuse d'Or Europe in 2010, and that was a really big moment because that was the first time I was number one on the podium. Lyon was also great, but I already tried to win it once before there."

The plaudits and adulation that go with victory are sweet, but for Kofoed, success in such a prestigious competition represents a key stage in the development of a top chef.

"It is very important for young chefs as it helps to mature them," said Kofoed. "Bocuse D'Or Europe is really difficult to win - almost as difficult as the Bocuse d'Or in Lyon (here is what happened in 2015)^[5]. It really prepares them for the next step. But you have to invest everything here. You need to have ambition."

References

1. ^{^} Rasmus Kofoed (www.finedininglovers.com)
2. ^{^} Geranium restaurant in Copenhagen became the first in Denmark to win three Michelin stars (www.finedininglovers.com)
3. ^{^} coaching chef Tamás Széll and the Hungary team to victory (www.finedininglovers.com)
4. ^{^} Winning chef Tamás Széll (www.finedininglovers.com)
5. ^{^} Bocuse d'Or in Lyon (here is what happened in 2015) (www.finedininglovers.com)

Açaí na tigela (aka açaí in the bowl). Puree of açaí is a Brazilian speciality, typical of the State of Parà. In the South, from Rio to Florianopolis, it is the star attraction of kiosks and juice bars: blended with banana pulp and various fruit juices (apple juice for instance), it is served in a bowl or glass with roasted muesli, fresh fruit and guarana syrup.

Berries. The açaí palm gives us fruit, or rather berries, of a beautiful dark purple colour. They grow in clusters and their size is similar to that of grapes. Not more than 10% of the berry is made up of flesh and skin, while the remaining part consists of a large inedible seed. Its taste is a mouth-watering cross between dark chocolate and blueberry, with notes of hazelnut.

Cultivar. In Brazil, it is also possible to find açaí berries from the so-called “Branco” palm whose drupes do not vary in colour when ripe, but remain green. Also known as the Tinca açaí, it produces a creamy white puree and is generally thought to be more digestible, with a nicer flavour.

Diet. For centuries, the staple diet of native Brazilian populations has leaned heavily on açaí berries, which are rightly believed to be nutrient-rich. Even today, in many Amazonian villages, they represent 42% of the total daily intake of calories.

Euterpe oleracea. This is the scientific name of the very tall palm tree (it can reach up to 25 metres in height), also known as the açaizero or "tree of life", bearing açaí drupes. It mainly grows wild in the state of Pará, in the swampy northern areas of the Amazon forest.

Frozen. Unless you are actually in Brazil close to a market selling the fresh berries of this plant, the popular puree is mainly to be found in frozen or deep-frozen form.

Google. In the course of last year, the number of queries registered by the well-known search engine relating directly or indirectly to "açaí-bowls" has more than doubled.

Hawaii. Who were the first açaí bowl trendsetters outside Brazil? Apparently, the fast-spreading fashion for blended puree served in a bowl and enhanced in various ways first took off in the Hawaii islands. After which, it caught on all along the West Coast, from Los Angeles to San Francisco and slowly gained ground in the other US States by plumping the offering of milkshake and juice bars or triggering the opening of specialist venues, food trucks included.

Ïwaça'i. In the Tupi language, it literally means “(fruit that) cries and expels water”. Deriving from the word used by the Tupi, formerly one of the most widespread indigenous peoples of Brazil, we now have the Brazilian-Portuguese term "açaí" (but pronounced "assaí", in English "ah-sigh-ee").

Juice. Along with the puree, it is also possible to buy açaí juice, either pure or mixed with other juices, purees or extracts of red fruits, pineapple, coconut, banana or apple, as well as almonds, guarana, yerba mate, chia seeds or ginger…

Kcal. 100 grams of fresh açaí pulp contains just over 45 kcal. But ... the same amount of dried pulp in powder form well exceeds 500 kcal!

Liquor. Açaí drupes are used to make a liquor. Macerated in cachaça and reduced to a puree, the infusion is then flavoured with ginger, orange peel and cane sugar. The resulting liquor has pronounced citrusy, spicy and chocolaty notes. A low alcohol percentage makes it the perfect aperitif.

Milk. Milkshake bars, smoothie spots, juice bars & the like offer açaí bowls in several versions: in most of these recipes, iced puree of açaí is blended with soy, rice, almond or coconut milk for added creaminess.

Nutrition facts. The açaí berry is rich in fibre, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins A, B, C and E, mineral salts (calcium, iron, phosphorus and potassium), essential unsaturated fatty acids (Omega 3, 6 and 9), antioxidants galore (to such a point, that it is one of the best sources available, with even up to 20 times more antioxidants than red grapes) … not bad, eh?

Oprah Winfrey. In one episode of the celebrated talk show, supported by famous heart surgeon Memhet Oz and by Nicholas Perricone, the tireless and plur-awarded nutritionist and skin specialist who is known for his innovative anti-ageing theories, the queen of American TV may have triggered US "açaí-mania". In fact, the demand for açaí berry-based products (purees, syrups, pills) has soared sky-high in record time.

Phytochemicals. Açaí oil contains high percentages of phenolic compounds. With its beautiful deep green colour, it has a mild flavour and may be used to dress salads and for cooking purposes. The cosmetics industry uses it extensively owing to its well known anti-ageing and elasticising properties.

Quality. Anyone who buys açaí puree on a regular basis knows that a quality product has to be dense and dark with a beautiful deep purple/chocolate brown colour. There is also a puree rating chart: popular/fino, medio and grosso. It all depends on the “dry matter” which is measured by getting the liquid part of the pulp to evaporate in order to establish the remaining percentage. Which means: from a meagre 7% (popular/fino) to an excellent 15% (grosso). Higher percentages do exist, and deserve the rating of “especial”, but they are expensive and difficult to come by.

Recipes. Some use açaí to make an exotic hot chocolate: it is prepared with cocoa, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, chilli pepper, honey or agave nectar. Others use it to give a new twist to cocktails, such as Caipirinha for instance, or energy-packed long drinks (here’s one to beat them all: açaí juice plus banana, pineapple, ginger and orange juice). Açaí pulp may also be cooked: with dried or fresh figs (plus ginger, honey, chocolate and vanilla) it makes a jam for serving hot or cold, possibly with toasted bread and cheese (vegan and not).

Superfruit. According to many nutritionists, açaí berries are the number one superfruit. They have numerous therapeutic properties: energy-boosting and fortifying, they support the immune system, facilitate sleep, and combat ageing and inflammations, as well as protecting the heart.

Tapioca. In the northern regions of Brazil, tapioca is added to açaí puree, with or without sugar. The original recipe however is said to be savoury rather than sweet: dried shrimps and guarana are sometimes added.

Usa. The USA is the world’s greatest importer of açaí. Frozen pulp, juices, smoothies, energy bars, cereals, pills and dried powders generate a turnover of more than $200 million.

Ver-o-Peso. Endless baskets brimming over with fresh açaí berries are transported to Ver-o-Peso, Belem, in the state of Pará, one of the largest open-air markets in South America. It all takes place by night, immediately after the fruit is picked because the natural properties of the berries remain active for not much more than 24 hours after harvesting.

Www. According to a report published online by Baum+Whiteman^[1], one of the eleven food & beverage trends of 2016 is the açaí bowl, which is described as being "the next big hipster food".

Xxx. It would appear that the berries from the Brazilian palm tree also have remarkable aphrodisiacal powers. Brazilians swear that açaí berry puree with the addition of honey is a potent potion for enhancing sexual desire!

Youtube. You will find everything you wish to know and, above all, see regarding açaí on the popular web platform, including its miraculous fruit. All it takes is the click of a mouse and you will be spoilt for choice, with information, recipes and curious facts.

Zero point. Pure açaí pulp has a very low sugar content: the quantity of maltose, fructose and glucose ranges from a minimum of 0.1g to a maximum of 0.8g in 100g of product.

Follow Fine Dining Lovers on Facebook^[2]

References

1. ^{^} report published online by Baum+Whiteman (www.baumwhiteman.com)
2. ^{^} Follow Fine Dining Lovers on Facebook (www.facebook.com)

“Fermentation is trendy” may sound like an odd statement: whenever did an anaerobic oxidation process start to become trendy? And yet, you just have to stop and consider the latest King Midas of the food world, to realize that it is not so farfetched after all.

Mother dough^[1]. Kimchi. Tempeh. Natto, known to the boldest patrons of Japanese restaurants. Kombucha. Along with the fermented products belonging to our own culinary tradition – beer, wine, cheese and yogurt – we are now becoming familiar with some increasingly exotic specialties.

There is no longer any need, at least in the western world, to make recourse to fermentation in order to reduce the number of “harmful” bacteria and store food for as long as possible. Furthermore, all fermented foodstuffs have a more or less pronounced acidity which is an intrinsic part of the chemical transformation they undergo, an acidity that is always on the fine border line between “Hey, what an unusual and pleasant taste” and “I refuse to taste another forkful”.

fermented foods in asian cultures

So, why do we like fermented foods so much? It may be more than a mere physical-sensorial question. In various Asian cultures, fermentation has a powerful cultural significance and performs a social function within communities and families. Let’s take Khao Mak, for instance, an alcoholic dessert deriving from the fermentation of glutinous rice which is very popular in South East Asia where “it is called mother’s alcohol owing precisely to the fact that it is home-made”, explains Gai Lai Mitwichan.

The young Thai was one of the protagonists of a tasting lab on fermented foods held during the Indigenous Terra Madre event^[2]: an in-depth study on fermentation viewed from four different corners of the globe, in the myriad of forms – as well as flavours and aromas - it takes on in the culinary traditions of indigenous populations. Khao Mak is made from fermented sticky rice and yeast, which plays a fundamental role, since it has the power to completely change the taste of alcohol (rather like mother dough in bread-making).

makgeolli and kimchi, fermentation made in korea

The country in which alcoholic fermented products are most popular is certainly Korea, which in fact presented various specialities at the lab. The term Makgeolli indicates another fermented product made from rice^[3] (but also, and less commonly, other types of cereals) and yeast, often with the addition of flowers or medicinal herbs.

However, the most famous fermented product from Korea is kimchi^[4]: mixed vegetables (radish, garlic napa cabbages...) are arranged in breathing vases made of earthenware and left to ferment so that they may be consumed in the winter months when vegetables are in scarce supply.

Kimchi may be fermented from two weeks to one year (the acidity obviously increases exponentially) and is an authentic nutritional godsend, low in calories but packed with vitamins.

Fermented tea, the elisir of life

Generally speaking, fermentation – apart from the considerable advantage it offers in terms of preservation – produces highly nutritious foods, filling them with antioxidants and other beneficial probiotics but, above all, making them more digestible.

Another personage to go up on stage at ITM was Alpana Borpatragohain, an enterprising Indian lady who gave a talk on Passion Tea produced by the Singhpo tribe (whose history intersects that of Robert Bruce, “the father of Indian tea”). The tea leaves are fermented in the shape of “cakes” for periods that can vary from a few months to many years. Extraordinary nutritional values are also produced in this case (it is called “the elisir of life”) along with an unforgettable smoky flavour: it is practically impossible to find it on the market but it’s well worth betting that, if it were to arrive on our supermarket shelves, it would get snapped up in no time at all.

In Shillong, where the event took place, fermentation was not only a topic for discussion, but something tangible you could experience firsthand (literally: cutlery is certainly not in vogue here). In the North Eastern regions of India, fermented foodstuffs are a vital component of people’s diets: flavours that are often very “difficult” for a western palate to accept, but equally fascinating to discover in their variety and differences from one tribe to another – there are 70 in this area alone.

Fermented bamboo shoots are very popular, usually accompanied with steamed rice and pork, which also appears in the recipe for Tungrymbai: fermented soy beans, black sesame paste and diced pork (obviously cooked with garlic, onion, turmeric, chilli pepper and ginger: ingredients that are never missing from any local dish). Still on the subject of fermented foods, we have Tungtap, a cross between a sauce and a chutney of fermented dried fish. If you manage to ignore the smell, you will discover nuances of piquancy and acidity beyond imagination.

References

1. ^{^} Mother dough (www.finedininglovers.com)
2. ^{^} Indigenous Terra Madre event (www.finedininglovers.com)
3. ^{^} Makgeolli indicates another fermented product made from rice (www.finedininglovers.com)
4. ^{^} kimchi (www.finedininglovers.com)