Shifting Paradigm

I used to think home cook food should be made from scratch. The dough, the puff pastry, the filling, the bechamel sauce. Everything has to be made fresh, with the freshest ingredients possible. It is only then I am allowed to feel that I have achieved something, even when the result tastes far from great.

But you know what, even the french bistros use shortcuts every day. You'd be surprise. The escargots you ate directly from their shells didn't come from a farm. It's most likely come from a can, shipped out from Taiwan and put into the shell right before they are sent to your table. The bechamel sauce came in a powder that you stir in with water/milk. And many, many more shortcuts. And there you sit in one cafe too many thinking your enjoying the best of french cuisine. Well, my friend, unless you go to a michelin star restaurant, do not over-assume. I know how? I watched the envoye special (a french documentary) recently.

And because of that, I decided not to feel embarrassed by my chicken coat. I swear it's better than KFC. It's certainly better than Angolized KFC which is called KFF here, Kentucky Fried Frango, frango being portuguese word for chicken.

So my dear fellow chefs, don't worry about shortcuts you make. Worry about washing the vegetables well, worry about not recycling your oil (if you do recycle), worry about using every single edible morsel, worry about not chopping your fingers off, worry about a balance diet for your loved ones. Whether you use short cut or not, it's a small element in the big equation.

My Kentucky Baked Chicken ;)