NOCTI Culinary Study Guide Exam
Questions and Answers9
List and describe the five grand OR MOTHER sauces including the main ingredients - ANSWERS-•
Béchamel (1 tablespoon each of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk; a medium sauce would use 2
tablespoons each of butter and flour; a thick sauce, 3 tablespoons each.)
• Espagnole (most often a mixture of diced onion, carrots and celery)
• Hollandaise (butter, egg yolks and lemon juice) and mayo (vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice
or vinegar and seasonings)
• Vinaigrette (oil, vinegar, salt and pepper & spices, herbs, shallots, onions, mustard)
• Velouté (chicken, veal or fish stock. Enrichments such as egg yolks or cream are sometimes
also added)
What is a roux? What are the ingredients? What are the three types of a roux - ANSWERS-•
Substance created by cooking wheat flour and fat (traditionally butter).
• Base for sauce: a mixture of flour and fat that is cooked briefly and used as the thickening
base of a sauce or soup
• White, blond and brown
What is an Onion Piquet? - ANSWERS-• A traditional French culinary technique
• Bay leaves, onions and a whole clove
What is clarified butter? What two parts do we eliminate? - ANSWERS-• butter made clear by
heating and removing the sediment of milk solids
Stock - definition - ANSWERS-• Flavored water preparation and forms the basis of many dishes,
particularly soups and sauces.
, What is the most common liquid used for a stock? - ANSWERS-• Water
What is Mirepoix and the ratio of the ingredients - ANSWERS-• Ratio of 8 ounces of chopped
onions to 4 ounces each of chopped carrots and celery for a basic mirepoix, so they are using a
2: 1: 1 ratio by weight.
• a mixture of chopped celery, onions, and carrots
What is a bouquet garni and what are the five ingredients? - ANSWERS-• Parsley, thyme, bay
leaf, rosemary and tarragon.
What is the difference between a bouquet garni vs. sachet d'epices? - ANSWERS-• Sachet d'
epices "bag of spices": a small cheesecloth sack containing herbs and spices used to add flavor
to stocks. Dried thyme, parsley stems, bay leafs, whole peppercorns, whole cloves,
• Bouquet garni: bundle of herbs tied together by string mainly used to prepare soup, stock,
and various stews.
Define Dry heat cooking methods: - ANSWERS-Steaming: cook food over, but not directly in
boiling liquid in a covered pot.
b. b. boiling: cook food submerged in a liquid that has reached the boiling point
C. simmering: cook food completely submerged in liquid beliow the boiling point at
temperature of 185 degrees to 205 Fahrenheit.
D. poaching: cook food completely submerged in liquid below the boiling point at temperature
of 180 degrees Fahrenheit to 185 Fahrenheit.
Define combination cooking methods: - ANSWERS-• Braising: cook method in which food is
browned, then covered and simmered with a small amount of liquid until food is tender
• stewing: sear bite-sized pieces of food, then cover them in liquid and simmer in a covered pot
Questions and Answers9
List and describe the five grand OR MOTHER sauces including the main ingredients - ANSWERS-•
Béchamel (1 tablespoon each of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk; a medium sauce would use 2
tablespoons each of butter and flour; a thick sauce, 3 tablespoons each.)
• Espagnole (most often a mixture of diced onion, carrots and celery)
• Hollandaise (butter, egg yolks and lemon juice) and mayo (vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice
or vinegar and seasonings)
• Vinaigrette (oil, vinegar, salt and pepper & spices, herbs, shallots, onions, mustard)
• Velouté (chicken, veal or fish stock. Enrichments such as egg yolks or cream are sometimes
also added)
What is a roux? What are the ingredients? What are the three types of a roux - ANSWERS-•
Substance created by cooking wheat flour and fat (traditionally butter).
• Base for sauce: a mixture of flour and fat that is cooked briefly and used as the thickening
base of a sauce or soup
• White, blond and brown
What is an Onion Piquet? - ANSWERS-• A traditional French culinary technique
• Bay leaves, onions and a whole clove
What is clarified butter? What two parts do we eliminate? - ANSWERS-• butter made clear by
heating and removing the sediment of milk solids
Stock - definition - ANSWERS-• Flavored water preparation and forms the basis of many dishes,
particularly soups and sauces.
, What is the most common liquid used for a stock? - ANSWERS-• Water
What is Mirepoix and the ratio of the ingredients - ANSWERS-• Ratio of 8 ounces of chopped
onions to 4 ounces each of chopped carrots and celery for a basic mirepoix, so they are using a
2: 1: 1 ratio by weight.
• a mixture of chopped celery, onions, and carrots
What is a bouquet garni and what are the five ingredients? - ANSWERS-• Parsley, thyme, bay
leaf, rosemary and tarragon.
What is the difference between a bouquet garni vs. sachet d'epices? - ANSWERS-• Sachet d'
epices "bag of spices": a small cheesecloth sack containing herbs and spices used to add flavor
to stocks. Dried thyme, parsley stems, bay leafs, whole peppercorns, whole cloves,
• Bouquet garni: bundle of herbs tied together by string mainly used to prepare soup, stock,
and various stews.
Define Dry heat cooking methods: - ANSWERS-Steaming: cook food over, but not directly in
boiling liquid in a covered pot.
b. b. boiling: cook food submerged in a liquid that has reached the boiling point
C. simmering: cook food completely submerged in liquid beliow the boiling point at
temperature of 185 degrees to 205 Fahrenheit.
D. poaching: cook food completely submerged in liquid below the boiling point at temperature
of 180 degrees Fahrenheit to 185 Fahrenheit.
Define combination cooking methods: - ANSWERS-• Braising: cook method in which food is
browned, then covered and simmered with a small amount of liquid until food is tender
• stewing: sear bite-sized pieces of food, then cover them in liquid and simmer in a covered pot
