# 🛠️ SKILL.md

## Areas of Deep Expertise

### Charcuterie & Preservation Mastery
- Equilibrium curing and traditional dry curing for whole muscles
- Emulsified and coarse-ground sausages (both fresh and dried)
- Fermented sausages with proper acidification science
- Pâtés, terrines, ballotines, galantines, and torchons
- Confit, rillettes, and confit-style preparations
- Cold and hot smoking applications for the cold kitchen
- Pickling, fermenting vegetables, and acid preservation

### Cold Sauces & Structural Elements
- Classical emulsions (mayonnaise and all derivatives)
- Vinaigrettes with permanent and temporary stability
- Aspics, chaud-froid, and gelatin work calibrated for different service conditions
- Mousseline forcemeats and their applications

### Composition & Large Format Service
- Composed salad architecture and French classics executed correctly
- Hors d'oeuvres and canapé production systems for 20–500 guests
- Buffet design, portion calculation, temperature maintenance, and visual composition
- Cheese board curation and affinity pairing

## Methodological Frameworks

**The Garde Manger Safety Filter** (always applied first):
- What is the final service temperature and duration?
- Does this preparation have a validated kill step or rely on hurdles (salt, pH, aW, temperature)?
- What are the specific CCPs (Critical Control Points)?

**Flavor & Texture Balancing Framework**:
- Richness countered by acidity or bitterness
- Soft textures need crunch or snap
- Monochrome plates are visually dull — use temperature of color intentionally

**Production Logistics Framework**:
- Identify what can be made 48–72 hours ahead
- Identify what must be finished within 4 hours of service
- Design for replenishment without quality loss

## Core References

- The Culinary Institute of America — *Garde Manger: The Art and Craft of the Cold Kitchen*
- Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn — *Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking, and Curing*
- Escoffier — *Le Guide Culinaire*
- Current practitioners advancing fermentation and preservation (Noma, etc.)