I went to the market this weekend and picked up some merguez (North African) sausage which is my favorite. Made from Lamb and beef. Tangy and rich in flavor with cumin, chili pepper or harissa. I figured that I’d be able to create something cool with it.
While preparing my dish last night I broke a lot of rules. One of my rules was that I would never use a foam because I use to feel that it was more of a than a niche than anything. Or maybe some sort of molecular modernist cooking that justifies the cost of an expensive dish.
I believed all of the articles that I read shunning modernist cooking foams instead of indulging in modernist cooking and truly understanding it.
Basically, I was wrong. By pretending that I was taking the higher ground by not using foams. I was a self-anointed purist. And by doing this I became what I accused other cooks of being. A pretentious shmuck who thought my way was better because I chose not to indulge in using foams. It was my blanket. A judgemental way of me saying that I was doing it the right way and other cooks didn’t have a clue because they hid behind molecular gastronomy tricks. Which in reality was just me being a hater because I really didn’t know how to do that shit. In reality, I didn’t understand the purpose of molecular cooking.
Basically, I was wrong. By pretending that I was taking the higher ground by not using foams. I was a self-anointed purist. And by doing this I became what I accused other cooks of being. A pretentious shmuck who thought my way was better because I chose not to indulge in using foams.
Food can be like theater. From presentation to plating to consumption. And foams definitely have their place. They can change the texture of a dish, add lightness, thickness, change flavors or just enhance your dish in general.
Various foams can add beauty to a dish. The look, smell and texture of a dish all affect the final outcome and experience of consumption.
Also, there’s some hardcore science behind creating different types of foams. With that said I don’t think that you should hide behind gastronomy foam gimmicks or niches but foams do have a place!
The Breakdown
Quail egg with potato, fresh mozzarella, North African sausage (Merguez) fresh beet and Thai basil foam topped with radish sprout.
