NPR News

Excerpt: 'A Day At ElBulli'

NPR | By Ferran Adria

Published October 23, 2008 at 3:31 PM EDT

Marshmallow de pinones

(Pine nut marshmallows)

Serves 10

Directions

1. Place 400 g (1 ¾ cups) milk in the freezer until it cools to 3° C/37°F.

2. Meanwhile, mix the gelatin with the remaining milk in a pan.

3. Dissolve the gelatin at 40°C/105°F and pour into a mixing bowl.

4. Start to whip the mixture. After 30 seconds, add all the cooled milk in one pour.

5. Continue to whip for 3 minutes. Add the pine nut oil.

6. Keep whipping for another 30 seconds and spread out over a transparent sheet to a thickness of 2.5 cm (1 in).

7. Refrigerate for 2 hours.

8. Cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes.

9. Refrigerate in an airtight container.

10. Immediately before serving, lightly salt the cubes and coat 4 sides with toasted pine nut powder, leaving 2 uncoated sides.

Finishing and Presentation

Serve 2 pieces per person on a blue glass tray.

Cutlery: None.

How to eat: In a single mouthful.

What happens between a restaurant and its guests?

A dish is a conversation between the chef and the guest, and the knowledge and experience of the chef, waiter and guest all inform the part they will play in a meal. The distance between the chef at the kitchen workbench and the guest at the dining room table can be reduced by the care and attention of the waiter, who performs a pivotal role by helping the guests adapt to the rhythm of the kitchen and maximize their experience of the food. The participants bring to the experience their own values, expertise and sensory perceptions, and these can be broadly categorized as follows.

CHEF: EMITTER

Ability to perceive tastes and flavours

Common sense and judgement

art
other areas of the food industry
industrial design
science and technology

of history and culture
of cooking techniques
of products
of kitchen technology

Organization

Philosophy

Creative and artistic abilities

WAITER: TRANSMITTER

Creates a warm atmosphere during dinner

Conveys the philosophy behind the food

Serves the food to the table

Explains the dishes

Controls quality

Controls timing

GUEST: RECEPTOR

of ingredients
of dishes
of restaurants and chefs
of styles and characteristics

sight
hearing
touch
smell
taste

transgression of restaurant conventions
childhood memories
magic
playfulness
irony and provocation
decontextualization
surprise
a 'knowing wink'
recognition of a cultural reference
confounded expectations
deception

guests' unique interpretations of taste

of ingredients
of family meals
of visits to restaurants

Spirit and emotions