Modernist Desserts

Fanciful garnishes, towering presentations, abstract designs

Almost forty years ago, before we had traveled to the moon; before the invention of home computers, telephone answering machines, fax machines, pagers, and cell phones; before home kitchens had food processors, electric ice cream machines, and electric pasta makers; before VCRs, CDs, and DVDs, so you had to go to an actual movie theater to see a movie — and it was considered a big event — way back then, I had already finished my five-year apprenticeship, worked for three establishments, and completed my masters exam in culinary school. That was the spring of 1965, and I was still living in Sweden. At that time, it was common practice for a chef to sign on one or two apprentices to help in the business in exchange for training. Not only did this provide extra hands in the shop, it was in the interest of the chef to train them well because, if they passed their apprenticeship test after their five-year ordeal, he or she received a substantial bonus from the government.