Now that I’m working on the Pastry station at Martin Berasategui, I’m learning a whole new set of vocabulary. This list differs completely from the previous vocab list I wrote about Pescados, so hopefully future BasqueStages can use both blogs as helpful cheat sheets when they arrive in the kitchen.
Abatidor | Blast chiller, freezes at -37˚C!! |
Bandeja | Tray, as in a wooden cafeteria tray for mise en place or a small metal tray to deliver components to the pass |
Bayeta | Chammy cloth used for wiping down dirty surfaces, drying dishes, or cleaning spills. |
Biberón | Squeeze bottle, used for chocolate sauce, mint spheres and apple compote |
Bombones | Small chocolate confections or truffles |
Cachi (short for cacharro) | Plastic six-pan in which granizados are kept |
Chaira | Steel for sharpening knives |
Congelador | Regular freezer, where we store ice creams, puff pastry and soufflés |
Cremat | Mille-feuille of smoked eel, foie gras and caramelized apple |
Deshidratadora | Dehydrator used to make apple chips for the hojaldre dessert |
Estropajo | Dishwashing sponge (very important word because we do all dishes on station rather than bring them to a dish pit) |
Espatulita | Offset spatula |
Espesante | Thickeners, such as Agar Agar for the cucumber geleé or cornstarch |
Granizado | Granité, which we freeze in the blast chiller and then grind using a cold metal grater. This process produces a really fine ice chip. |
Harina | Flour (we also use a lot of harina de almendra, almond flour) |
Hojaldre | Puff pastry |
Horno | Oven |
Huevas de Trucha | Caviar, used on the Salmon amuse bouche |
Lengua | Rubber spatula, literally “tongue” 😉 |
Liquadora | Juicer used to juice baby cucumbers for the geleé |
Manga | Piping bag, pastry bag |
Mantequilla | Butter |
Nata | Cream (nata montada– whipped cream, Chantilly– sweetened whipped cream) |
Nevera | Refrigerator |
Pasta de almendra | Almond paste, used to make an almond foam for amuse bouche |
Placa | Baking sheet, more closely shaped like a hotel pan lid than an American-sized sheet tray |
Rasqueta / cornete | Bowl scraper |
Regla | Ruler, used to measure perfectly cubed cinnamon cookies |
Rejilla | Oven rack |
Rotulador | Sharpie |
Soplete o quemador | Torch used to caramelize sugar on top of Cremat |
Tijeras | Scissors |
Turbinar helado | To churn ice cream |
Varilla | Whisk |
A toda hostia | On the fly, as fast as you can |
Cuando puedas | Whenever you can |
____ al pase | Bring ____ to the pass, i.e. manga al pase would be a request for a “piping bag to the pass.” Since set up of the pastry station is divided in two by a large work table, those behind the work table will pass items from the refrigerator or the freezer forward to the pass. It often reminds me of an operating room, where a doctor puts his hand out and says “Scalpel.” |
Recuperando… | “Put this item back in its place,” whenever those at the pass are done with the item requested |
Sin miedo | “Without fear,” what I was told several times when I was first tempering chocolate because I was being timid with how I spread the chocolate on the marble to cool. |
LOL…se you tomorrow girl 🙂