The Savoureau Pro Line

While I am not in the business of reviewing kitchen appliances I was a  Chemistry major undergrad and very hip in the kitchen as labs are like kitchens only cleaner.  They are utterly spotless by necessity. We Chem majors were well-known for our skills with barbecues and that was powerful with our "big-strong country girls."  My, how they loved meat and potatoes...

It all started when I was six and my mother would not let me go on a fishing trip with my father until I could fry an egg and make my breakfast.  She felt he would not get up early to care for me being zonked from a night of beer drinking.  That lady had precognitive gifts and you can bet I passed that test.

After my marriage to a serious intellectual I learned cooking skills were very important as she had none and wanted none.  This was my first brush with "women's lib" and I not only lost gracefully, but came out with cooking skills that served me well for putting on dinner parties for fascinating people and memories I ever cherish.  I would be remiss not to admit to a few disasters, but the stories played well.  "Are you the guy?..."

Our subject is the Savoureau Pro Line Convection Oven which I obtained from the Heartland Co. in Minnesota.  It looks like a 3D "Happy Face" on your counter.  It takes little space, incorporating the largest Pyrex™ vessel I have ever seen.  That impressed me as I have seen Pyrex™ made.  It is an incredible process.  The unit looks like an obese R2D2 and makes similar sounds as you set the temperature and time, then push the handle down to activate it.

This machine blows hot air all around raw objects for a much higher heat transfer than an ordinary oven.  It has several great potentials:  It requires no fat or oil for heat transfer.  Some recipes, like souffles, need some to coat the container.  The fan speeds up the process typically cutting cooking time 50%.  No stirring or manipulation is needed.  It is a heat tornado in effect.

The most interesting simple dish is the "Convection Fried Potato" which I prefer leaving skins on as the green layer between the skin and potato body is the location of many molecular goodies we need. To make a batch of "Air Fried Potatoes" we slice them into "French Fry" looking slivers, put into in a plastic bag with a teaspoon or two of "Seasoned Salt," shake vigorously and then put them on the rack that comes with the unit and set for 20 minutes at 400°F along with a few pieces of chicken underneath and wait for "ding" announcing dinner is ready.

The Savoureau Pro Line grand slam is the souffle and there are two sized pans available, 6.5 inch for three and four egg souffles and the 8 inch for the six to eight egg souffles.  Souffles range from "Dinner" to "Dessert" and nothing is more impressive when entertaining in your home than to finish with a Chocolate souffle and a bottle of antique Madiera, antique if possible. The bottles from Europe will have the beginning date of the solera from which it comes and some were founded at the time of our revolution. The oldest I have is 1880, the year my grandfather was born.  You can feel like you are in touch with history as all the better people drank Madiere and Port, the great wines of Portugal.  Meanwhile, back in the kitchen...

I saw the most beautiful tray of hothouse tomatoes presented on a single vine in my local grocery and I had to have it.  The orange season is over and I begin every day with a piece of fruit.  The tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable.

What would a tomato souffle be like?  I made one in my small pan with four eggs first crafting the base with 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1.5 tablespoons of flour, a cup of chicken broth over low heat adding the four egg yolks after removing the pan from the range to reduce the heat.

After whisking the whites into a stable froth I mixed them with the egg/flour base, added two cups of diced fresh tomatoes, but this could be anything from a drained can of tuna to chopped mushrooms or cheese, etc.  Then into the baker after coating the bottom and side with oil using a wad of paper towel.  Into the convection oven for 30 minutes at 350°F and when the "ding" sounded I had something unique and worthy of being served with a fine bottle of California Campaign-type wine as we make some of the best with the only difference being that the French stuff you get a hint of "old tennis shoe" essence as their casks have old mold and ours our young.  Welcome to the world of the Savoureau Pro Line.

Adrian Vance