The Techniques of the Kitchen The Making of a Cook–The Making of a Cook

A fair-sized kitchen had been made by combining two rooms of the original farmhouse. A wide window faced the mountains; another, on the west side, had been adapted as an indoor-outdoor greenhouse for potted herb plants. On sunny days the outer window could be opened. Mademoiselle Ray said: “In summer, of course, I step outside the kitchen door into our herb garden. But in winter it is my chief secret of good cooking to be able to reach out my hand and pick the fresh green leaves at the last moment before using them. Also, I always try to avoid overheating the herbs so that their oils do not evaporate. I may cut them into a sauce a few seconds before it is served. Or they may he added to the garnish of a dish just as it goes into the dining room.”