THE MENU

THE MENU

1. INTRODUCTION
2. MENU
3. TYPES OF MENU
4. A LA CARTE MENU
5. TABLE D'HÔTE
6. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LA CARTE AND TABLE D'HÔTE
7. MENU FORMAT
8. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZING A MENU
9. FRENCH CLASSICAL MENU
10. THE ORDER OF COURSES FOR A DINNER MENU
11. FOOD AND THEIR USUAL ACCOMPANIMENTS

1.INTRODUCTION

Menu is the statement of food and beverage items available or provided by food establishments primarily based on consumer demand and designed to achieve organizational objectives. It represents the focal point around which components of food service system are based. The menu is designed carefully what the outlet

wants to cater for, keeping in mind the type of clientele. The main advantage of a well-planned menu is that it leads to consumer satisfaction. It also helps to motivate the employees for a responsible and successful service. A successful menu depends upon composition-the right combination of foods, prepared perfectly, to the entire satisfaction of the customer. So claimed Antonin Careme (1784-1833), the French chef who is considered the founder of classical cuisine. Menu is a document that controls and directs an outlet's operations and is considered the prime selling instrument of the restaurant.

2.MENU

In a restaurant, a menu is the list of dishes to be served or available for a diner to select from. The items that are available for the diner to choose from are broken down into various categories,depending on the time of day or the event. The compilation of a menu is the most important part of a caterer's work. It is regarded as an art, acquired only through experience and study. The menu is a link between the guest and the establishment, hence it should be carefully planned by the establishment's professionals, namely the executive chef, the food and beverage manager and the food and beverage controller. The word menu dates back to 1718, but the custom of making such a list is much older. In earlier times, the escriteau (bill of fare) or menu of ceremonial meals was displayed on the wall loadable with the kitchen staff to follow the order in which the dishes were to be served. It is said that in olden times, menus were like a large dictionary with sections covering a variety of dishes. As time progressed the lengthy single copy menu became s m aller but increased in number allowing a number of copies placed in table increased. Depending on the establishment and the occasion, the menu may be plain or artistic in its presentation.

3.TYPES OF MENU

In a restaurant, there are two different types of menus which are differentiated by the manner in which they are served and priced.

A menu may be a la carte or table d'hôte.

4.A LA CARTE MENU

An “A La Carte Menu”, is a multiple choice menu, with each dish priced separately. If a guest wishes to place an order, an a la carte is offered, from which one can choose the items one wants to eat. Traditionally, the original menus that offered consumers choices were prepared on a small chalkboard, a la carte in French; so foods chosen from a bill of fare are described as àla carte,"according to the board."In an a la carte menu all items are cooked to order including the sauces that are made with wine, cream or mustard. Depending on the dish chosen by the guest, the cooking time will vary. It is necessary to inform the guests about the time the preparation might take. An extensive a la carte menu is impressive but involves a huge

amount of muse-en-place.

5.TABLE D'HÔTE

Table d'hôte is a French phrase which literally means "host's table". It is used to indicate a fixed menu where multi-course meals with limited choices are charged at a fixed price. Such a menu may also be called prix fixe ("fixed price"). It usually includes three or five courses meal available at a fixed price. It is also referred to as a fixed menu. Because the menu is set, the cutlery on the table may also already be set for all of the courses, with the first course cutlery on the outside, working in towards the plate as the courses progress. In olden days, when the inns or dining establishments offering a limited choice in the menu was not preferred by the guests, they started offering an a la carte menu for guests to select the type of food they wanted to eat. Fixed menus or table d'hote menus are still used in various forms such as buffet menus, conference packages and on special occasions. A table d'hote menu comprises a complete meal at a predetermined price. It is sometimes printed on a menu card or as in the case of banquets, it is agreed upon by the host of the party. A banquet style of fixed menu has more elaborate choices ranging from the soup to the dessert. For the banquets, the hosts invariably fixes or selects the menu in consultation with the hotel staff in advance.

Most of the banquet food served in India is normally of Indian food. For this, a printed format offering a choice of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes is prepared, from which the guests make their choice. Western style fixed menus normally provide the choice of a starter or soup, a main course, and finally a dessert. In each course there could be a choice of dishes to suit the tastes of individual guests.Table d'hote menus should be well planned and balanced. As the guest is not given a chance to plan his own meal, the meal should be interesting, without any similarity in the colour and taste of the courses as well as being palatable, delicious and well presented.If the main course is heavy, then the first course should be lighter, and act as an appetite stimulant for the courses to follow. Dishes that are heavy and hard to digest should be avoided. The colour, varieties of ingredients used, and the garnishes should, if possible, be different for each course.

Fixed menus are prevalent in transport catering which include air, rail, and sea passengers. The guests have a variety of fixed or table d'hote menus, with virtually no choice offered to the passengers (except the first class air passengers). Cruise liners may have elaborate fixed menus with multiple choices built into each

course.

6.DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A LA CARTE AND TABLE D’HOTE

A’ LA CARTE

• Food is kept in a semi-prepared form and takes time to serve.
• Food items are individually served and guests pay for what they order.
• The menu is elaborate There is limited or no choice.
• Silver is laid according to the dishes ordered.

TABLE D’HOTE

• Food is kept in fully prepared form and can be served immediately.
• Menu is collectively priced and the customer has to pay for the full menu whether he consumes a certain dish or not.
• There is a vast choice. The menu is comparatively small.
• Silver for the whole menu is laid in advance as the menu is known in advance.

7.MENU FORMAT

In many cases, especially in restaurants, serving haute cuisine, the part or table d'hote menu is beautifully handwritten to emphasize the traditional character of the restaurant. In less fancy restaurants, a modern variant that is similar but simpler is often used: the blackboard, on which are written recommendations concerning the day's specialties.

In general, however, the table d'hote or a part menu, which changes daily or cyclically, is prepared in-house (on a typewriter or computer) and duplicated as necessary. A separate menu listing the daily specials might also be prepared. In many restaurants the table d'hotel or a part menu and the daily specials contain only a fraction of what is offered. Often an a la carte menu, from which the guests can select from an array of dishes that are always available, is also provided. If an a la carte menu is offered, the other menus are inserted in or clipped to its folder. The daily menus may also be placed at every seat, but in most establishments they are offered by the service staff along with the regular a la carte menu.

8.BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ORGANIZING A MENU

• Cold and warm dishes are listed separately.
• Appetizers, soups, seafood and main courses are listed in separate groups.
• In every group the lighter dishes are listed before the richer ones.
• Salads should be highlighted.
• If offered, low-calorie foods should be specially indicated, and the number of calories should be stated.
• If foods are prepared with organically grown ingredients, this fact should be highlighted to the discriminating customer.
• Every dish should be described clearly and simply, in an appetizing way, without being too flowery.
• House specialties and seasonal items should correspond to the season and should change accordingly. Use a clip-on menu or special insert to attract attention to them.
• The dessert selection should be listed on a separate attractive card. The menu should inform the guests that such a card is available.
• The numbering of menu items can save time and confusion,especially with many of the new computerized cash registers.Numbering, however, discourages communication between guests and the service staff and thus does not help promote sales. For an easy compromise, place one numbered menu at the register or where orders are relayed to the kitchen so that one can punch in the guest's order by number; the guest,however, orders the actual foods with words, not numbers.

9.FRENCH CLASSICAL MENU

The classical French menu contains thirteen courses. Today,a menu of this size is hardly ever offered. But even today's shorter menus follow the structure of the classical French menus as far as succession of courses is concerned. They always start with something light to stimulate the appetite, build up to the main course,and then become lighter toward the end of the meal. The thirteen courses of the Classic Menu for French Cuisine are given below:

COURSE FRENCH ENGLISH EXAMPLE

1. HORS D'OEUVRE (APPETIZER)MELON WITH PORT,RÉMOULADE,OYSTERS, SMOKED SALMON,SHRIMP COCKTAIL

2. POTAGE (SOUP)CONSOMME BRUNOISE, CRÈME OF TOMATO SOUP

3. OEUFS (EGG OMLETTE)ESPAGNOLE, OMELETTE AUX TOMATES

4. FARINEAUX( RICE AND PASTA )SPAGHETTI NAPOLITAINE, RAVIOLI,CANNELLONI

5. POISSON (FISH) SOLE DE BONNE FEMME

6. ENTRÉE (FIRST MEAT DISH) FILLET OF SOLE JOINVILLE

7. RELEVÉ (MAIN MEAT DISH)SADDLE OF IAMB

8. SORBET (FLAVOURED ICE WATER)CHAMPAGNE SORBET

9. ROTI (ROAST WITH SALAD) GUINEA HEN STUFFED WITH GOOSE LIVER, SALAD

10. LEGUMES (VEGETABLES)TOMATO FARCIS

11. ENTREMETS (SWEET)CHARLOTTE RUSSE

12. SAVOUREUX (SAVORY) WELSH RAREBIT, IVANHOE

13. DESSERVIR (DESSERT)JELLIED FRUIT

Being of a highly seasoned and piquant in nature, this course is used to manipulate the appetite for the dishes that are to follow. In recent years, hors d’oeuvres have gained in popularity, and now appear even on simple menus in modest eating places. Although the actual term “hors d’oeuvres” applies to the service of various cold salads and morsels of anchovy, sardines, olives, prawns, etc., it also covers whatever items are served before the soup.

Examples of such

1)Hors d’oeuvres

• Melon Melon Frappe
• Oysters Huitres Nature
• Smoked Salmon Saumon Fumee
• Caviar Caviar
• Grapefruit Pamplemousse
• Salami
• Potted Shrimps Petites Pots de Crevettes
• Shrimp, Prawn or Lobster Cocktail
• Fruit Cocktail Coupe Florida
• Souses Herrings Hareng Dieppoise
• Pate of Goose Liver Pate de Foie Gras

There are also quite a number of items that may be served hot, such as Bouchees, Croquettes, Fritters, etc., and these are known as ors d’oeuvres chaud.

2) Potage

The French have three separate words for soup. Consommé is a clear, thin broth. Soup refers to a thick, hearty mélange with chunks of food. Potage falls somewhere between the two in texture,content and thickness. A potage is usually puréed and is often thick,well-seasoned meat or vegetable soup, usually containing barley or other cereal or a pulse (e.g. lentils). Today, the words soup and potage are often used interchangeably. On good-class àla carte menus, a fish soup is also usually offered for selection, the two most common being “Bisque d’Homard” or “Bouillabaisse.”

3) Oeufs

Oeufs are the dishes made from egg. The omelet is the most popular item, but there are other styles of cooking and preparation of eggs such as boiled, en cocotte, poached or scrambled. This course is not included in the dinner menu. Some examples are omelet, Espionage, Oeuf en Cocotte a la crime,Oeuf poche florentine.

4) Farineux

This is Italy's contribution to the courses of the menu. It includes different kinds of rice and pasta. Pasta dishs are spaghetti,lasagne and gnocchi. Pasta is made from durum wheat semolina or milled durum wheat to which water is added to form a dough. It can be coloured and flavoured in various ways. There are more than 200 varieties of pasta. The ingredients, size, shape and colour determine the type of pasta. Some examples include Spaghetti Bolognaise,Lasagne Napolitaine and Macaroni Au gratin.

5) Poisson

Poisson are the dishs made from fish. Fish, being soft-fibered,prepares the palate for the heavier meats that follow. Deep-fried or grilled fish dishes do not generally occupy a place on the “classical dinner menu,” but are freely offered on the shorter-coursed luncheon menu. This also applies to the coarser members of the fish family,and the dinner menu is usually comprised of the finer fish prepared and cooked in the more classical manners. Ideal fish for dinner menu compilation are: Sole, Salmon, Halibut, Escallops, etc. Rarely seen on a menu for the evening meal are: Cod, Bass, Haddock, Brill,Hake, and Plaice. One deep-fried fish dish, which normally finds itself on the dinner menu, however, is “Blanchaille”, and this only because Whitebait are so light and in no way too filling for the comfort of the guest.

6) Entrée

This is the first of the meat courses on a menu. It is always a complete dish in itself. It is despatched from the kitchen garnished and sauced in the manner in which it is intended to be served. The “entrée” is always cooked and garnished in an artistic manner and usually served with a rich sauce. The “entrée” can be devised of almost anything light. This course consists of all the small cuts of butcher’s meats, usually sautéed, but never grilled. Grilled steaks,cutlets and chops invariably replace the joints as the roast (roti)course. The following items, with their appropriate garnishes and sauces, can be successfully

served as entrées.

• Brains (Cervelles)
• Liver (Foie)
• Oxtail (Queue de Boeuf)
• Kidneys (Rognons)
• Calves Head (Tete de Veau)
• Trips (Tripes)
• Rump, Entrecote and Tournedo Beefsteaks
• Lamb Chops and cutlets - Noisettes and Filet Mignons
• Pork Chops and cutlets
• Escallops, Granadins, Medallions, and Cotes of Veal
• Sweetbreads - (Ris de Veau / Agneau)
• Hot Souffles or Mousses hors
• Bouchees
• Pilaws and Rizottos
• Small cuts or portions of poultry, individually cooked, are also served as entrées

In first-class hotels and restaurants, all entrées are cooked,garnished and presented for service by the sauce cook (saucier).

7) Relevé

This is the main meat course on the menu, and is commonly known as the “piece de resistance.” It may consist of joint of any of the following:

• Lamb (Agneau) Chicken (Poulet)
• Beef (Boeuf) Duckling (Caneton)
• Veal (Veau) Fowl (Poulard)
• Ham (Jambon) Tongue (Langue)
• Pork (Pore)

These joints would be cooked by the sauce cook in a firstclass hotel or restaurant, by any method except roasting. They are usually cooked on casserole, braise or poêle. Generally cooked in a sauce and served with it.

8) Sorbet

This course is a rest between courses. It counteracts the previous dishes, and rejuvenates the appetite for those that are to follow. Normally served between the releve/remove and the roti, it is a water and crushed ice slush flavored as a rule with champagne and served in a glass. A frozen dessert made primarily of fruit juice,sugar, and water, and also containing milk, egg white, or gelatin. Some examples are Sorbet Italian and Sorbet creme de menthe. Russian or Egyptian cigarettes are often passed around during this course.

9) Roti - Roast

This course normally consists of game or poultry and is often included in the entree. Each dish is accompanied with its own particular sauce and salad. Some examples are Roast chicken,Braised duck and Roast quail.

10) Legumes

These are vegetable dishes that can be served separately as an individual course or may be included along - with the entrée,relevé or roast courses. Some examples are Cauliflower mornay,Baked potato and Grilled tomatoes.

11) Entremets

Entremets on a menu refers to desserts. This could include hot or cold sweets, gateaux, soufflés or icecream. Some examples are Apple pie, Chocolate souffle and Cassata ice-cream.

12) Savoureux

A dish of pungent taste, such as anchovies on toast or pickled fruit. They are seved hot on toast or as savoury soufflé. Welsh rarebit, Scotch woodcock, Canape diane are some of the examples. Fromage (Cheese) is an alternative to the outdated savoury course, and may be served before or after the sweet course. It is usually served with butter, crackers and occasionally celery. Gouda, Camembert and Cheddar are some examples of cheese.

13) Desservir

Dessert is a course that typically comes at the end of a meal. The French word desservir mean "to clear the table." This is the fruit course usually presented in a basket and placed on the table, as part of the table decor, and served at the end of the meal. All forms of fresh fruit and nuts may be served in this course. Common desserts include cakes, cookies, fruits, pastries and candies.

10.THE ORDER OF COURSES FOR A DINNER MENU

A full-course dinner is seldom served today, but the sequence of courses should be respected even if some are omitted. The general standard at present is for a four- or five-course meal to be served for dinner. Theoretically, however, all the courses of a full dinner menu must be studied and learnt by heart so that perfect compilation of menus can be achieved.

Three-Course Dinner Menu

1. Hors d’oeuvre or soup

2. Main course with vegetables and potatoes or salad

3. Sweet or savory

Four-Course Dinner Menu

1. Hors d’oeuvre or soup

2. Fish course

3. Main course with vegetables and potatoes or salad

4. Sweet or savory

Five-Course Dinner Menu

1. Hors d’oeuvre or soup

2. Fish course

3. Main course with vegetables and potatoes or salad

4. Sweet

5. Savory

Six-Course Dinner Menu

1. Hors d’oeuvre or soup (potage)

2. Fish (Poisson)

3. Entrée

4. Main (releve or remove) with (pommes et legumes ou salade)

5. Sweet (entremets)

6. Savory (savoureux ou bonne bouche)

Seven-Course Dinner Menu

1. Hors d’oeuvres or soup

2. Potage

3. Poisson

4. Entrée

5. Releve / Remove - Pommes et Legumes

6. Roast (roti) - Salade

7. Entremets or Bonne / Bonne Bouche

Eight-Course Dinner Menu

1. Hors d’oeuvres

2. Postage

3. Poisson

4. Entrée

5. Releve / Remove - Pommes et Legumes

6. Roti–Salade

7. Entremets

8. Savories / Bonne Bouche

11.FOOD AND THEIR USUAL ACCOMPANIMENTS

Accompaniments are highly flavoured seasonings of various kinds offered with certain dishes. The object of offering accompaniments with certain dishes is to improve the flavor of the food or to counteract its richness, eg. apple sauce with roast pork. Many dishes have separate accompaniments and as they are not always mentioned on the menu, the waiter must know them. He should always have specific accompaniments ready for service at the right time. Hot adjuncts come with the dish from the kitchen, but cold sauces are often to be found at the buffet or sideboard. They should be served directly with a dish to which they belong. They should be served from the guest’s left on to the top right of his plate (not on the rim). While serving from a sauce boat, the boat should be on an under dish or small plate, carried on the palm of the left hand. In serving, the sauce boat, lip should point towards the guest’s plate. The spoon, or ladle, should be passed over the lip. Sauces are not to be poured from a boat. The following is a list of dishes with their standard accompaniments.

HORS D’OEUVRE

Grapefruit Cocktail Castor Sugar

Tomato Juice Worcester sauce

Oysters Oyster cruet (cayenne pepper, pepper mill,

chilli vinegar, Tabasco sauce)

Half a lemon

Brown bread and butter

Snails Brown bread and butter

Potted shrimps Cayenne pepper

Pepper mill

Segments of lemon

Hot breakfast toast.

Ham Mousse Hot breakfast toast crusts

(removed cut into triangles served in

folded napkin on a side plate)

Gulls’ Egg Brown bread and butter

Oriental salt

Smoked Salmon Cayenne pepper

Pepper mill

Half a lemon

Brown bread and butter

Asparagus Hollandaise sauce (if served hot)

Sauce Vinaigrette (if serverd cold)

Globe Artichoke Hollandaise sauce (if served hot)

Sauce Vinaigrette (if serverd cold)

Corn on the Cob Beurre fondue

Fresh Prawns Brown bread and butter

Mayonnaise sauce

Chilled Melon Ground ginger

Castor sugar

Avacodo Brown bread and butter

Shell Fish Cocktail Brown bread and butter

SOUPS

Crème de tomate Croutons

Consomme Depending on garnish

Onion Soup Grated Parmesan cheese

Grilled flutes

Petit Marmite Grated Parmesan cheese

Grilled flutes

Poached bone marrow

Potage germiny Cheese straws

Bouillabaisse Thin slices of French bread dipped in oil

and grilled

Bortsch Sour cream

Beetroot juice

Bouchees filled with a duck paste

Turtle soup Brown bread and butter

Segments of lemon

Cheese straws

Measure of sherry

FISH DISHES

Fish (fried) Slices of lemon with skin removed

Sauces: tartare,remoulade, gribiche

Fish (grilled) Slices of lemon with skin removed

Cold Sauces: tartare, remoulade, gribiche

Hot sauces: bearnaise, tyrolienne

Fish (poached) Slices of lemon with skin removed

Cold Sauces: tartare, remoulade, gribiche

Hollandaise sauce

Mousselin sauce

Beurre fondue

Grilled Herring Mustard sauce

Poached Salmon Hollandaise sauce

Mousseline sauce

Mussels Brown bread and butter

Cayenne pepper

Crawfish Sauce mayonnaise

Cold lobster Sauce mayonnaise

FARINACEOUS

Spaghetti Grated Parmesan cheese

MEAT

Curry Popadums:crisp, highly seasoned pancake

Curry tray: items which are generally hot or sweet in flavor, such as chopped apple,sultanas, sliced banans, and desiccated coconut.

Roast Beef French and English mustard

Horseradish sauce

Yorkshire pudding

Roast gravy

Roast Lamb Mint sauce

Roast gravy

Roast Mutton Red currant jelly (saddle or leg)

Onion sauce (shoulder)

Roast gravy

Roast Pork Sage and onion stuffing

Apple sauce

Roast gravy

Boiled Mutton Caper sauce

Salted Beef Turned root vegetables

Dumplings

Natural cooking liquor

Boiled Fresh Beef Turned root vegetables

Natural cooking liquor

Rock salt

Gherkins

Calf’s Head Boiled bacon

Parsley sauce, Brain sauce

Sauce vinaigrette

Mixed grill and grilled

steaks

French and English mustard

Beurre maitre d hotel

Pomme paille (straw potatoes)

Watercress

Irish stew Worcester sauce

Pickled red cabbage

POULTRY

Chicken Bread sauce

Roast gravy

Parsley and thyme stuffing

Bacon rolls, Game chips

Watercress

Turkey Roti Cranberry sauce, Bread sauce

Chestnut stuffing

Chipolatas

Game chips

Watercress

Roast gravy

Goose Sage and onion stuffing

Apple sauce

Roast gravy

Wild Duck Orange salad, Acidulated cream dressing

Duck Sage and onion stuffing

Apple sauce

Watercress

Roast gravy

GAME (FURRED)

Hare Heart shaped croutes

Forcemeat balls

Red currant jelly

Venison Cucumberland sauce

Red currant jelly

GAME (FEATHERED)

Partridge

Grouse

Pheasant

Fried breadcrumbs

Hot liver paste spread on a croute

Bread sauce

Game chips

Watercress

Roast gravy

GAME (UNFEATHERED)

Baked Jacket Potato Cayenne Pepper

Pepper mill

Butter