the.com/gratin
proof that a brown crispy top can redeem nearly any vegetable you fear
means A dish topped with browned breadcrumbs or cheese, baked or broiled until a crisp golden crust forms on top.
from From French gratin, from the verb gratter, "to scrape" — because the word originally named not the topping but the toasty bits left clinging to the dish, the crust you had to scrape off. Over time the prize became the dish itself, and the scrapings got promoted to the star.
- the name
- French for the crust scraped from the dish
- not just potatoes
- any food finished with a browned topping qualifies
- au gratin trick
- breadcrumbs and cheese, broiled into golden armor
- social marker
- once code for high-status French dining
- the maillard
- that brown crust is pure chemistry, not magic
potato gratin dauphinois — french alpine dish of layered potatoes with cream and cheese, dating to 18th century dauphiné region
mac and cheese — american baked pasta dish with cheese sauce, popularized in 1800s but became iconic in post-wwii america
eggplant parmesan — italian-american layered dish of fried eggplant, tomato sauce, and melted cheese, standard in italian restaurants since 1950s