Waiter, there's a UFO in my soup!

by Hendersonville Epicurean
Posted: January 5, 2008 8:37:26 AM

If food is a restaurant's heart and soul, the menu is its personality and voice. The menu is what "speaks" to you creating excitement and anticipation. Because you read through most of a menu before you decide what you'll order, restauranteurs hope the menu will keep talking after you leave the restaurant through your recommendations to family and friends.

Restaurant fare normally includes both time-tested favorites and current trend items. As chefs look for the next big thing and trends change, diners are exposed to new terminology and ingredients. If you're interested in seeing restaurant trend predictions for 2008, follow this link to the National Restaurant Association's October 2007 "What's Hot and What's Not Chef Survey" completed by members of the American Culinary Federation.

As trends change we can be taken by surprise. Ever looked at a menu and seen a UFO (Unidentified Food Object)? Did you order it anyway, hoping for the best because it was described so beautifully and sounded so good? You're not alone. I've done it myself.

Usually I jot down the UFO's name and look it up in my copy of "The New Food Lover's Companion" as soon as I can. This is a fun way to learn about different foods and their sometimes fascinating history. You can take a look at this book on the Hendersonville Epicurean Amazon book list.

If you don't have a copy of the book (if you're a foodie, I'd highly recommend getting a copy), you can look at the "Food Dictionary" on the epicurious.com website where an "a-z" reference largely based on The New Food Lover's Companion is located.

So what ARE some of those UFOs ?

• Aioli - (ay-OH-lee; i-OH-lee) A strongly flavored garlic mayonnaise from the Provence region of southern France. It's a popular accompaniment for fish, meats and vegetables.*
• Edamame - (eh-dah-MAH-meh) The Japanese name for fresh soy beans harvested at 80 percent maturity. Edamame soy beans are bigger and sweeter than the traditional soy bean grown by most farmers. Edamame is served as a snack or a main vegetable dish. It is high in soy protein and fiber and contains no cholesterol.*
• Ganache (gahn-AHSH) A rich chocolate icing made of semisweet chocolate and whipping cream that are heated and stirred together until the chocolate has melted. The mixture is colled until lukewarm and poured over a cake or torte.
• Mole - (MOH-lay) From the Nahuatl "molli", meaning "concoction", mole is a rich, dark, reddish-brown sauce usually served with poultry. There are many variations of this spicy Mexican specialty, usually depending on what's in the cook's kitchen. Generally, mole is a smooth, cooked blend of onion, garlic, several varieties of chili peppers, ground seeds (such as sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds - known as pepitas) and a small amount of Mexican chocolate, its best known ingredient. Some Americanized mole recipes use bitter chocolate. The chocolate contributes richness to the sauce without adding overt sweetness.*
• Pico De Gallo - (PEE-koh day GI-yoh) Spanish for "rooster's beak", pico de gallo is a relish made of finely chopped ingredients like jicama (sometimes referred to as a Mexican potato), oranges, onions, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and cucumbers, along with various seasonings. This condiment was so named because it was once purportedly eaten with the thumb and finger, an action that resembles a rooster's pecking beak.*
• Tapas - (TAH-pahs) Popular throughout Spain in bars and restaurants, tapas are appetizers that usually accompany sherry or other aperitifs or cocktails. They can also form an entire meal and can range from simple items such as olives or cubes of ham and cheese to more elaborate preparations like cold omelets, snails in a spicy sauce, stuffed peppers and miniature sandwiches.* In reality the variety is almost limitless.
• So go forth, be adventurous, don't fill up on bread, share entrees and desserts with your dining companions and be sure to toast your good fortune with a wonderful glass of wine.