Latest / Learn French with Fexingo / French Cooking: Marinate & Season
Transcript
- Lucas: Welcome back to Learn French with Fexingo. We are episode two hundred and eighty-four. Luna: Hi everyone. I am so ready to get back into the kitchen with you. Lucas: Last time we talked about basting and glazing. That is the finishing touch. Luna: Right. But today feels like it is about the beginning. The prep work. Lucas: Exactly. Before the pan gets hot, we need to prepare the ingredients properly. Luna: I always feel like I rush this part. I just throw things in. Lucas: That is why we are focusing on seasoning and marinating today. Luna: Okay. Let us start with the basics. How do we say 'to season'? Lucas: The phrase is assaisonner les aliments. It means to season the food. Luna: Assaisonner les aliments. Lucas: Good. Try it again. Slowly. Luna: Assaisonner les aliments. Lucas: Perfect. Remember that the noun aliments covers all types of food here. Luna: Got it. So I take the chicken out of the bag. Lucas: Yes. And now you apply the herbs and spices. Luna: So I am assaisonner les aliments right now. Lucas: Exactly. You are seasoning the food. It makes such a difference. Luna: It does. Okay. What about leaving it in the fridge overnight? Lucas: That is called making the meat marinate. The phrase is faire mariner la viande. Luna: Faire mariner la viande. Lucas: Very good. Let us try it once more together. Luna: Faire mariner la viande. Lucas: You are getting the rhythm. Faire mariner la viande. Luna: Faire mariner la viande. Lucas: Now imagine the next morning. You take the chicken out. Luna: It looks wet. It smells strong. Lucas: Before you cook, you must check the flavor. This is crucial. Luna: How do we say 'taste and adjust'? Lucas: The key phrase is goûter et ajuster. Luna: Goûter et ajuster. Lucas: Pronunciation is clear. Goûter et ajuster. Luna: Goûter et ajuster. Lucas: Yes. You taste it, and if it needs more spice, you add it. Luna: I think mine needs more salt though. Lucas: Then you use our final phrase. Add a pinch of salt. Luna: Add a pinch of salt? Lucas: In French, it is ajouter une pincée de sel. Luna: Ajouter une pincée de sel. Lucas: Nice. Ajoutez une pincée de sel. Luna: Ajouter une pincée de sel. Lucas: Let us put it all together in a little scene. Luna: Okay. I am holding the chicken. Lucas: First, you season the food. Assaisonner les aliments. Luna: Assaisonner les aliments. Lucas: Then you let it rest. Faire mariner la viande. Luna: Faire mariner la viande. Lucas: Then you check the taste. Goûter et ajuster. Luna: Goûter et ajuster. Lucas: Finally, if it is bland, you add a pinch of salt. Luna: Ajouter une pincée de sel. Lucas: There it is. Four phrases. Simple but powerful. Luna: I love how specific 'une pincée' is. A pinch. Lucas: It is very common in French recipes. It implies precision. Luna: Like you are a chef measuring carefully. Lucas: Exactly. Not a cup, just a small pinch. Luna: Okay, I am going to go practice these in my own kitchen. Lucas: Do not forget to taste as you go. Goûter et ajuster. Luna: I will. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: If Fexingo has been helping you make actual progress with this language... Luna: we deliberately don't run ads on these episodes. If you want to support that choice, the link is buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo — that's F. E. X. I. N. G. O. Lucas: Thanks for listening. Now let us finish plating that dish. Luna: Bon appétit to us both.