The Haute Food Co. Cafe

The Haute Food Co. was an idea conceptualised a long time back when i was making extra dosh catering out of my apartment kitchen. everyone asked the origin for the word "haute" - "why haute?", "high food?? it doesn't make any sense" and so on... the name really came about when i thought of haute couture, how  these articles of fashion were rare, and so prized for the craft, care, skill and of course, the art they represented. these pieces evoked the "oohs" and "aahs" of rapture in the audience and yes, in truth, i wanted my creations to do the same. i am not trying to create an elite class of eating or to encourage bourgeoisie. oh no, far from that. The Haute Food Co. was created to encourage everyone to appreciate good food. food that is freshly prepared, with care and with thought, in small amounts and in timeless traditional methods. 

for the past 2 years, our cafe has opened its door to the lovely people who work and live around our neighbourhood of sri hartamas, kuala lumpur. certain baked items have earned a following amongst our  patrons, namely the butter cake, banana cake, almond croissants and buttermilk scones we bake every morning. 

the secret to them tasting so damn tasty is really no secret at all. here are 3 simple rules we follow in our kitchen: 

rule #1: begin with the best ingredients you can lay your hands on 

i have to add that the most expensive does not often mean the best you can find in the market. if you are going to make a kickass butter cake, please buy a butter you like eating. if you can, opt for one with no additives which includes salt. why? salt is often added to preserve a product, mask certain flavour impurities or enhance flavour. butter makers will use only the best milk to make great unadulterated unsalted butter. 

so start with quality ingredients and anything you do from this point on can only get better. 

rule #2: use the right equipment

you don't need a copper mixing bowl to make perfect meringues, but it sure helps. 

are you using a dull knife to make perfect thin slices of anything? why would you even bother? 

the use of certain equipment is stressed in the methods of recipes time and time again. apart from lessening the chance of you falling into a sobbing heap of despair and/or frustration, having the right equipment can almost always yield great results and dare i say, make the whole experience of working in a kitchen pleasant.

most cooking/baking enthusiasts are armed with an artillery of kitchen gadgets. from the common to the "ommigoodness-what-is-that" variety. below is a list of items i cannot do without: 

• 2 good sharp knife: (i use one with) a 10" blade and a paring knife. with the larger knife, i like to opt for one with a thinner blade to make sharpening easy but i also find they make nice neat cuts. 
• 2 large silicon/rubber spatulas
• large kitchen spoons that are not to be confused with
• wooden spoons
• offset stainless steel spatula
• stainless steel mixing bowls
• medium whisk
• large whisk
• stainless steel heavy bottom pot
• digital scales
• tin opener

a list of items, not entirely necessary but would be nice to have include : 

• staub "la coccotte" 
• an ice-cream machine
• cast iron grill 

rule #3: applying the right touch

cooking and baking are very tactile activities. it really is all about and doing things to achieve the perfect texture or consistency. this requires the right touch ("don't overmix", "fold 'til just combined" c.-- what do they mean anyway? how do i know whether i am over-mixing??). i am not going to lie to you, this is where a good measure of experience comes in handy, so keep baking/cooking the same thing over until you are over the moon with the result you get.

it really does help to know which tool is best suited to a job. something like a basic genoise can prove daunting if just armed with a wooden spoon. imagine having first to achieve triple the volume with eggs and sugar and then adding the flour without letting the mixture collapse. quite frankly, its like attempting escape from the Alcatraz prison with a nail file and a packet of toothpicks! 

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since i am unable to conduct lessons at the cafe presently, i am going to endeavour to share how-to's, recipes and who-knows-whatever-else with you via this portal. suggestions are welcome. 

in the meantime, have a mull over the 3 simple rules above and apply them.