Nouvelle cuisine

Am scris de mai multe ori ca sotul meu se uita cu mult interes la emisiunile culinare. nici mie nu-mi displac, dar nu sunt pasionata. Am observat insa ca f multi Chefs, in special francezi, dar si maestrii bucatari de la Prova del cuoco de la Rai Uno, mai ales cand au loc concursuri intre ei, fara participarea altor invitati, se straduiesc sa prezinte teribil de artistic si de sofisticat niste portii minuscule pe farfurii rotunde sau, mai nou, pe platouri (ca farfurii nu-mi vine sa le zic) dreptunghiulare.

Mi-am zis ca ei fac asta pt a combate tendinta de obezitate din ce in ce mai raspandita in lume, in unele tari luand chiar proportii de epidemie. Eram gata sa-i aplud cand surprise, surprise, am aflat dintr-o rubrica a dragului de Joe Barkson, la al carui newsletter suntem abonati parca de o vesnicie, ca e vorba doar de o moda. Dovada e mai jos in engleza si inca mai jos urmeaza traducerea subsemnatei.

For those too young to remember, nouvelle cuisine (French for "new cooking") was pioneered by numerous French culinary masters (including Michel Guérard and Paul Bocuse) in the seventies. This culinary craze favored small portions of fresh, light dishes over the heavier, richer, classic French cuisine. Nouvelle-cuisine sauces were based on reductions rather than on thickeners like roux or cream, and the vegetables were cooked quickly in order to retain their savor and freshness. But, as so often happens with good ideas, things ran amok, and it wasn't long before cooked vegetables were served almost raw, portions were Lilliputian, and the plates themselves were artistically decorated with so many swirls, drips and drops of sauce, and other minutiae it was sometimes hard to find the food at all. Thankfully, reason finally reigned, and the nouvelle cuisine craze was pushed to the back burner. That's not to say that there aren't those waiting eagerly for the next culinary fad to whip us up into a frenzy over something wonderful and new. But then if you've been cooking over a long time, you'll agree that Anton Mosimann's quote is right on the mark: "There is really nothing new in cooking. I have four thousand cookbooks dating back to 1503 and everything that is in 'nouvelle cuisine' was there two hundred years ago."

Sharon Tyler Herbst, from "Never Eat More Than You Can Lift"

Pt cei preatineri sa-si aminteasca Nouvelle couisine (frantuzescul pt noua bucatarie) a fost promovata de numerosi maestri bucatari (sefi) francezi (inclusiv Michel Guérard and Paul Bocuse) in aniisaptezeci. Aceasta nebunie culinara prefera portii minuscule de feluri proaspete, usoare, celor grele si bogate din bucataria clasica franceza. Sosurile din n c erau bazate mai degraba pe reduceri decat pe agenti de ingrosare ca rantasul sau smantana, iar vegetalele erau gatite rapid ca sa-si pastreze savoarea si prospetimea. Dar, asa cum se intampla adesea cu ideile bune, lucrurile au luat-o razna si n-a durat mult pana cand vegetalele gatite au inceput sa fie servite aproape crude, portiile erau liliputane iar farfuriile auinceput sa fie decorate cu atatea spirale, dungi si picaturi de sos sau alte farafastacuri ca uneori era greu sa mai gasesti mancarea. Dinfericire ratiunea a invins si nebunia nc a fost impinsa inapoi la plita din dos. Asta nu inseamna ca nu exista unii care abia asteapta, cu nerabdare, o noua moda culinara care sa ne biciuiasca frenetic cu ceva minunat si nou. Dar daca ai gatit de destulde multavreme nu se poate sa nu fi de acord cu citatul urmator din Anton Mosimann "Nu exista nimic nou in materie de gatit (suna ca un Eccleziast culinar). Am patru mii de carti de bucate datate incepand cu 1503 si tot ce inseamna n c a existat acum 200 de ani.

Sharon Tyler Herbst, din Niciodata sa nu mananci mai mult decat poti ridica"

Tot JB a republicat, la cerere, si un indrumar pt a scri bine (i-am admirat totdeauna simtul umorului si autoironia)

How to Write Good

1. Don't ever present your ideas in the form of a numbered list
2. Never repeat yourself or say things more than once
3. Avoid (whenever possible) the use of parenthetical phrases (unless absolutely necessary)
4. The use of foreign words and expressions is considered a faux pas
5. Avoid clichés like the plague
6. Never adopt a condescending tone with your readers - that means to talk down to them
7. To be avoided at all times is the reverse construction of sentences
8. Eschew obfuscation

Cum sa scri bine:

1. Nicodata sa nu-ti prezinti ideile sub forma unei liste numerotate.
2. Niciodata sa nu te repeti sau sa spui lucrurile mai mult decat o singura data.
3. Evita (de cate ori e posibil) folosirea frazelor parentetice (Parenthetic= adaugat ca o explicatie sau o razgandire) (decat daca e absolut necesar)
4. Folosirea cuvintelor straine si a expresiilor sunt considerate faux pas (pasi gresiti)
5. Evita cliseele ca pe ciuma.
6. Niciodata sa nu adopti un ton condescendent fata de cititorii tai asta inseamna ca-i privesti de sus.
7. Evitat de a fi la timp orice este constructia inversata a propozitiilor.
8. Cu tot dinadinsul sa eviti neclaritatea (sa devina greu de inteles)