IBAÏOMA:
(ref nec) Formerly known as "ibaïona". Ham from pigs born, raised, and slaughtered in the Basque Country. Since 1985, three breeders and butchers have agreed to create a set of specifications requiring the production of a ham that perpetuates the old tradition of Basque charcuterie. Fed on non-GMO and antibiotic-free grains, the pigs are slaughtered when they weigh over 180 kg, at a minimum age of 11 months. Cured in the open air, the ham takes 15 to 20 months to develop its light color and a marbled, tender fat.
Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)
(economie.gouv.fr) A Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) identifies an agricultural product, raw or processed, whose quality, reputation, or other characteristics are linked to its geographical origin. The PGI is also based on the concept of know-how. It recognizes an existing production and therefore grants it protection at both the national and international levels. In France, this applies, for example, to Bayonne ham, foie gras duck from the Southwest, etc. The PGI is linked to know-how. It is not created; it recognizes an existing production and therefore grants it protection at both the national and international levels. To qualify for this official quality and origin label, at least one stage of the production, processing, or preparation of the product must take place within this defined geographical area.
FLOATING ISLAND:
(La Varenne) "Boil milk with a little flour; then add six egg whites; stir well, sweeten, and when you are ready to serve, return it to the heat and glaze it; or else throw the rest of your well-fried egg whites on top; lightly coat it with an ovenproof lid, and serve sweetened with a few fragrant waters. You can, instead of egg whites, add the yolks of your eggs in proportion, and the fried whites on top. Mazarine cream is made in the same way, except that you don't add egg whites"
(H. This, Floating Islands Are Not Snow Eggs):
How do "snow eggs" differ from "floating islands"? After all, we see the same images on general or professional websites… which give no reference, no justification. Now, in this kind of case, when we see two names for the same thing, it's generally because there's some confusion!
Let's conduct a serious investigation, starting with a renowned professional pastry book: Pierre Lacam's, published in 1934. There, we find "floating islands," made from stiffly beaten and sweetened egg whites, placed over vanilla-infused milk that has been brought to a boil; then, a crème anglaise is made from the milk and poured over the eggs. Lacam also notes that they can be poached in a mold that is itself placed in a bain-marie for 15 minutes or in the oven for 10 minutes, with the same sauce on top. And he concludes with "Floating Islands à la Reine": "Arrange floating islands in a ring around a cylindrical mold to the top, and fill the space with crème anglaise, thickened with vanilla; unmold onto a silver platter and drizzle with a smooth vanilla cream."
But no floating islands in this book!
A little earlier, the Culinary Guide mentions "floating islands" made by spoonfully molding "ordinary meringue" into egg shapes, which are then dropped into a saucepan containing boiling, sweetened, and vanilla-flavored milk. The milk, strained through a muslin cloth and enriched with 10 egg yolks per liter, is used to make a crème anglaise; the "eggs" are then arranged on a compote dish and covered with the crème anglaise. It should be noted that earlier authors used the term "meringue" to refer to sweetened beaten egg whites. Furthermore, the Culinary Guide also discusses molded floating islands: these are prepared in the same way, but five or six sheets of gelatin soaked in cold water are added to the cream.
This same Culinary GuideFurther on, he speaks of a "floating island": this involves starting with a stale sponge cake, slicing it thinly, soaking these slices with kirsch and maraschino liqueur, covering them with apricot jam, and sprinkling the jam with currants and chopped almonds. The slices are then layered to reform the cake, covered with a layer of sweetened, vanilla-flavored Chantilly cream, and the surface of the cream is sprinkled with slivered pistachios and currants. It is then arranged on a compote dish and surrounded with vanilla custard or raspberry syrup.
Nothing like a meringue, then! Do we find other floating islands described by previous authors? Nothing from Emile Darenne and Emile Duval, who nevertheless discuss floating islands, except that they add a little cornstarch to their crème anglaise (which thus becomes more of a pastry cream).
Nothing, either, from Joseph Favre, who replaces the milk with cream, which he recommends reducing before sweetening, adding vanilla, and poaching the eggs. The cream is then bound with eggs, and he notes that the flavor can be varied, replacing the vanilla with lemon or anise zest, while coloring can also be added.
And our floating island? Still nothing from Urbain Dubois either, in 1898, but an earlier version: the poaching is done in water. And before? Pierre de la Varenne, in his Cuisinier françois (French Cook), indicates that floating islands are not what has been passed down to us:
“Boil milk with a little flour; then add six egg whites; Stir well, sweeten, and when you are ready to serve, return to the heat and glaze; or scatter the rest of your well-fried egg whites on top; lightly coat with an ovenproof lid, and serve sweetened with a few fragrant waters. You can, instead of egg whites, use the yolks in proportion, and the fried whites on top. Mazarine cream is made in the same way, except that you do not use egg whites.”
Nothing to do with it, then! Besides, he gives another recipe, with the same name:
“Crack some eggs, separate the whites from the yolks, put the yolks in a dish on butter, and season them with salt, and place them on hot ashes; beat and whisk the whites well, and shortly before serving, scatter them over the yolks with a drop of rosewater, and sprinkle with a shovelful of firewater, then sweeten. Another way.” You can put the yolks in the middle of the "snow," which is your whipped egg whites, and cook them in front of the fire with a dish behind them.
But no floating island either!
And so, the only "floating island" you'll find is the one in the Culinary Guide , which isn't the same as a meringue. So, it's best not to confuse things!
IMBIBER:
(tlfi) To allow a liquid to penetrate a body or material.
(P. Lacam, Nouveau Mémorial de la pâtisserie) To lightly brush syrup onto a cake.
IMPERIAL
(TLFi) In the Bordeaux region, a bottle with a capacity of 6 liters.
INAO:
The National Institute of Origin and Quality, or INAO, is a French public administrative body under the supervision of the Ministry of Agriculture. Administered by representatives of winegrowers and merchants from all wine-producing regions, it supports producers committed to quality initiatives and more broadly manages the designations of origin and quality for products made in France, which are official French designations (AOP, AOC, IGP).
INCINERATE:
(ref nec) The act of making shallow cuts on the sides of a fish. Other terms used include "chisel, contize".
INCORPORATE:
To mix one food into another.
INCLAZE:
(ref nec) To imprint decorative patterns in relief on the surface of a cake, a marzipan mold, etc.
INFUSION:
(H. This) Liquid obtained after a substance has been placed in boiling water. For example, tea. Distinct from maceration and decoction.
INGREDIENT:
(TLFi) Element of any preparation or mixture.
INGREDIENT:
(Michel Grossmann) To mix thoroughly.
Neologism. A term commonly used by some pastry chefs to define a mixture of ingredients. Not found in the French language or in professional dictionaries.
From the Latin: Ingrédi: infinitive of {ingredior}: to enter, to introduce oneself, to penetrate, to go into.
INTERSPECIAL
(ref nec) Variety obtained by crossing between one or more different species (see hybrid or crossbreed), generally between European vitis, American vitis, Asian vitis. When dealing with a variety resulting from a cross between identical species, the term intraspecific is used.
Introgression
(ref nec) is a genetic technique that involves the transfer of alleles or genes from one species to another through hybridization. A first generation of hybrids (F1 hybrids, the parents are F0) has an equal genetic contribution from each parent, but the genes of the two species begin to separate differently in subsequent generations.
INULIN:
(economie.gouv.fr) Fructan (polymer of fructose linked in β) naturally present in plants such as onions, asparagus, chicory, garlic, wheat or rye.
INVERTASE:
(ref nec) Enzyme (found notably in yeasts) that transforms sucrose into D-glucose and fructose. Its international name is EC 3.2.1.26.
INVOLUTED
(TLFi) That which is rolled from the outside in. Involuted or involutive leaves. The leaves themselves, when their blade has reached a certain size in the bud, are generally folded or rolled in various ways, so as to adapt to its rounded shape and to occupy as little space as possible.
This is said when a vine leaf closes upwards, sometimes resembling a plate. The opposite appearance is called revoluted (see this word).
IPNYTES:
(ref nec) Bread baked in the oven (Greece)
IRISH COFFEE:
(IBA) A three-layered cocktail: sweetened coffee, whiskey, and optionally whipped cream. The drink is said to have been popularized after 1943 during World War II by Joseph Sheridan, owner of O'Regan's Pub.
IRISH STEW:
(ref nec) Irish stew is a mutton and potato stew. The potato, introduced to Ireland in the 16th century, became a staple food; in this dish, it complements the rich flavor of mutton (not lamb). Pieces of neck meat are layered with sliced potatoes and chopped onions, moistened with water, and simmered over low heat. Traditionally, it is served with pickled red cabbage. Less traditionally, Irish stew can be prepared with lamb accompanied by turnips, carrots, parsnips, or barley, moistened with stout beer.
ISOGLUCOSE:
(economie.gouv.fr) A mixture of D-glucose and D-fructose obtained by hydrolysis of starch followed by
isomerization (by a microbial enzyme) of D-glucose to D-fructose. The mixtures have
a D-fructose content of 42 to 55% of the dry matter.
ISOHYDRIC
(ref nec) Describes a grape variety with a strong ability to close its stomata during water stress, for example, Merlot Noir. The opposite is an anisohydric grape variety, for example, Syrah.
ISOMALT:
(economie.gouv.fr) mixture of hydrogenated disaccharides obtained by catalytic reduction of
isomaltulose (see this word). It consists of a mixture of α (1-6) glucose-sorbitol and
α (1-1) glucose-mannitol.
ISOMALTULOSE:
(economie.gouv.fr) disaccharide produced by enzymatic isomerization of sucrose.
ISOTHIOCYANATES:
(ref nec) Organosulfur compounds which are responsible for most of the spiciness of horseradish, wasabi, mustard, cress... For allyl isothiocyanate, its semi-developed formula is CH 2 CHCH 2 NCS.
ISSUES:
(TLFi) Butchery: Parts known as the fifth quarter, including offal and inedible parts: horns, hides, tallow, viscera.
(TLFi) Milling: Products, other than flour, obtained during the milling of cereals (bran, middlings, recutting, etc.).
ITALIAN (A L')
(Massialot) parsley, chives, mushrooms, truffles, livers, bacon, butter, herbs, spices, chopped, stuff chickens, spit roast, with parsley, chives, tarragon blanched and crushed, egg yolks, wine, oil, anchovies, lemon, coulis.
IVOIRER:
(ref nec) To lightly color rice by frying it in fat.
To lightly color a white sauce to which meat glaze has been added.
