Napper

Definition

To coat food with sauce so it's completely covered in a thin, even layer. Also the quality of a sauce having the right consistency to coat properly.

Example Usage

Napper the vegetable terrine with aspic for a glossy, elegant finish.

Origin

From French 'napper' meaning 'to cover' or 'to clothe'

Fun Fact

A sauce that 'nappes' perfectly is one of the small joys of French cooking—it means your nappe consistency was exactly right.

Source: French plating technique

Related Terms

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Pâte brisée

A shortcrust pastry made with flour, butter, and salt (sometimes egg and sugar). The foundation of tarts and one of the three fundamental pastry doughs every baker must master.

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buttercream

The silky, butter-based frosting that separates amateur bakers from people who own stand mixers and aren't afraid to use them. It's whipped into submission until light and fluffy, then slathered on cakes with reckless abandon. Unlike its disappointing cousin (canned frosting), real buttercream requires actual technique and tastes like clouds made of dairy.

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stretch it

The art of making insufficient ingredients somehow serve more portions through creative cutting, padding, or wishful thinking. Required when par levels meet unexpected demand.

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Plating

The art of arranging food on a plate to make it look beautiful before someone destroys it in thirty seconds with a fork. It's interior design for dinner, and chefs will spend more time on plating than most people spend on their actual living rooms.

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clarify

Removing impurities from butter (making ghee) or clearing cloudy stock until it's transparent. The pursuit of purity through heat and patience, or egg whites if you're making consommé.

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fond

The caramelized bits of deliciousness stuck to the bottom of your pan after searing, essentially liquid gold waiting to be deglazed into a sauce. The stuff that separates mediocre cooks from flavor wizards.

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