When the chef sets the food on fire before serving it to you, it certainly makes an impression. Not many things draw more attention to the dinner table than flames billowing from the food. Burning food is not always a bad thing as the dramatic cooking techniques involving alcohol and fire have proven. Perhaps you have seen these food demonstrations in a restaurant and wondered how to flambe or what food items can be prepared using this spectacular cooking method. This guide page provides information on flambeing, the essential elements of this cooking skill, alcohols which work best, foods to consider, and important safety factors to remember when preparing or serving a flambe dish at home.

A flaming pineapple makes a major impression on dinner guests especially when you can scoop out portions of the fruit into individual serving dishes to continue burning until the alcohol is gone. This spectacular presentation is an easy flambeed fruit dish to prepare. It uses the basic flambe steps in simple form. The fruit is cut, marinated in an alcohol, and repacked into the shell. Additional rum is added to the fruit just before the item is lit on fire, causing the flames to burn and the alcohol to burn away leaving only the flavor behind.http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1937,148176-230206,00.html

Flamingo takes a food in a hot pan with an alcohol ingredient added and then ignited. The burning of the alcohol sears the food and then as the heat continues, the alcohol caramelizes onto the outer portion of the food. Continue reading to learn more about how to flambe. http://www.cooklocal.com/?p=412

The alcohol you choose for your flambé dish is important. It has to be a high enough proof alcohol to ignite. Beer and wine are not good flambéing alcohols. On the other side of the proof spectrum, an extremely high proof alcohol may create a raging fire and leave you with a safety hazard, a burned kitchen, and a destroyed meal. Liqueurs make good flambé alcohols as do rum, cognac, whiskey, Grand Marnier and Chambord.

A whiskey or cognac is generally added to a meat flambé while a liqueur and a Grand Marnier frequently accompanies a flaming dessert. Rums work well with fruits as does brandy. The alcohol should be selected on both proof and how the taste mingles with the food being prepared.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-flambe.htm http://joyofdesserts.blogspot.com/2008/03/do-you-know-how-to-flambe-its-easy.html

While flaming desserts are well known, many may not realize the flambé technique is used for meats, salads, and soups also. Fruits are particularly popular dishes which are served flambé style as the alcohol glaze left after burning is an excellent addition to an other wise plain item. The flambé style has made a plain banana a socially acceptable meal item for dinner parties.

In the category of items to choose for flambéed meals, Steak Diane is a good choice, coupled with a brandy for the alcohol and served with vegetables. When preparing meat or vegetables, the items must either already be cooked or be thin and small enough to complete their cooking during the flambé stage.http://oneperfectbite.blogspot.com/2009/03/steak-diane-flambe-recipes-to-rival.html

On the appetizer end of things both soups and salads can be flambéed. Starting the meal with the flambéed item gets dinner off to an exciting start and may boost the conversation serving as an ice breaker. It also gets the more difficult serving method behind you before the main course. A Shrimp Bisque with a brandy flambé or a spinach salad with brandy added to the vinegar dressing are both good choices for the early menu item. http://www.finedinings.com/shrimp_bisque_flambe_one_of_my_.htm http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1815,155162-242198,00.html

Dessert choices are plentiful for preparing a flambé dish. Bananas are simple and are often coupled with rum. Sprinkle them with sugar first for added sweetness. Strawberries combined with brandy or blueberries cooked until tender and then combined with an orange liqueur make a good finishing dish for a flambé. http://www.recipegoldmine.com/dessD/flambe-blueberries.html http://www.1001recipes2send.com/Desserts/Flambe/2073-Bananas_Flambe.shtml http://www.1001recipes2send.com/Desserts/Flambe/385-Flamed_Strawberries_with_Brandy_and_Maille_Red_Wine_Vinegar_served_with_Vanilla_Ice_Cream.shtml

When flames are involved in any activity, safety is of utmost importance. As you prepare to serve a flambe dish, you must know how to do so safely so neither you nor your guests are injured. Follow these safety rules when preparing a flambeed dish.

1. The dish which you prepare to light should be lit at the table allowing it to be stable in one place instead of moving with a burning flame. As you will be the one handling it, you should refrain from wearing a long sleeve or loose shirt which may brush against the flames. You should also remove any flammable item from the immediate serving area. http://www.allsands.com/food/howto/howtoflambefl_wtt_gn.htm
2. To prevent high flames, remove your pan from the fire before adding the alcohol and do not pour the alcohol directly from the bottle. Both can cause a large flame and may cause the flame to follow the fume back to the bottle.http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-flambe.htm http://cookingwithvodka.blogs.com/cooking_with_vodka/2009/09/flame-on-how-to-flamb%C3%A9-with-vodka-.html
3. Keep a lid nearby to extinguish the flame if necessary and refrain from preparing in the area of low ceilings or ceiling flames which can blow the flames.http://www.cooklocal.com/?p=412