The term literally translates to the place to store the food. Originally, the perishables were stored in the coldest place in the castle. Over time, this cold room was also used for the preparation of temperature sensitive savory items. Eventually, this cold storage room became the cold kitchen in today s professional kitchens. Garde manger is an exciting part of the professional kitchen.
Many different preparations fall under the responsibilities of the garde manger kitchen.
The serious garde manger chef must master a wide range of skills. Garde Manger, The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen does a masterful job of exploring all aspects of the garde manger. The book begins with a concise historical presentation of the garde manger kitchen. Following this bit of culinary history, there are chapters that range from salads and sandwiches to smoking, sausage making, and pates. The chapter on cheese is not only informative, but contains recipes for making basic cheeses and cultured milk products.