3 ms·

I'm afraid historically speaking his contribution to the cooking field hasn't been that big of a deal. Which technique did he popularize? Which dish do we sti

by xutopia 10y ago

I'm afraid historically speaking his contribution to the cooking field hasn't been that big of a deal. Which technique did he popularize? Which dish do we still eat today that were his invention? Carême was the first chef ever to pipe meringue. Escoffier created the brigade as we know it today. La Varenne introduced béchamel sauce, popularized (or some say invented the use of roux), first one to make use of what is called a "fond" (stock). Taillevent... well I think his contribution was accidental. His greatest work might not even be his. I question in all of this how important Scappi's contribution was. He served important people... meh...

Mikeb85 10y ago
You mean they were the ones to codify these things. Stocks and sauces have existed ever since it was possible to create cookware that can simultaneously hold liquid and be heated, the 'brigade' is a basic concept of organisation of human labour, Escoffier just codified it, and milk based sauces, or sauces thickened with starch (often crushed bread or grains), go back a long, long time as well. I mean, I know the real reasons Carême and Escoffier are considered so important (they codified the canon of French cuisine which had its heyday in the generations after WWII and became global 'fine' cuisine), but that style of cuisine is on it's way out, even in places such as Paris. Nowadays global fusion is the standard cuisine, and brigades are getting smaller and less rigid due to economic circumstances. Anyhow, I came up through the industry in rigid brigades headed by a French chef. I know all the terms, techniques, etc... Nowadays though, a successful restaurant is just as likely to be headed by some hipster doing Chinese-Italian cuisine, with techniques that would make my old chefs cringe. But it doesn't matter. Tastes are becoming more cosmopolitan, and all that matters is what's on the plate nowadays. I just came back from a culinary tour of another city, visiting acquaintances in the industry, and the 'top' restaurants are all tiny, loud and have very eclectic menus. I personally think Scappi could be quite relevant in today's culinary atmosphere.
- mrob 10y ago
  Bread sauce (still popular in British cuisine) has a very different texture to Béchamel sauce. And unlike bread sauce, making Béchamel sauce is not at all obvious. If you gave somebody who'd never heard of it some flour, butter and milk, and told them to combine them into a smooth sauce, they would probably fail. Béchamel sauce was a real innovation.

by xutopia 10y ago

Mikeb85 10y ago

You mean they were the ones to codify these things. Stocks and sauces have existed ever since it was possible to create cookware that can simultaneously hold liquid and be heated, the 'brigade' is a basic concept of organisation of human labour, Escoffier just codified it, and milk based sauces, or sauces thickened with starch (often crushed bread or grains), go back a long, long time as well. I mean, I know the real reasons Carême and Escoffier are considered so important (they codified the canon of French cuisine which had its heyday in the generations after WWII and became global 'fine' cuisine), but that style of cuisine is on it's way out, even in places such as Paris. Nowadays global fusion is the standard cuisine, and brigades are getting smaller and less rigid due to economic circumstances. Anyhow, I came up through the industry in rigid brigades headed by a French chef. I know all the terms, techniques, etc... Nowadays though, a successful restaurant is just as likely to be headed by some hipster doing Chinese-Italian cuisine, with techniques that would make my old chefs cringe. But it doesn't matter. Tastes are becoming more cosmopolitan, and all that matters is what's on the plate nowadays. I just came back from a culinary tour of another city, visiting acquaintances in the industry, and the 'top' restaurants are all tiny, loud and have very eclectic menus. I personally think Scappi could be quite relevant in today's culinary atmosphere.

mrob 10y ago
Bread sauce (still popular in British cuisine) has a very different texture to Béchamel sauce. And unlike bread sauce, making Béchamel sauce is not at all obvious. If you gave somebody who'd never heard of it some flour, butter and milk, and told them to combine them into a smooth sauce, they would probably fail. Béchamel sauce was a real innovation.