Toque

A toque (/ˈtoʊk/ or /ˈtɒk/) is a type of hat with a narrow brim or no brim at all.

They were popular from the 13th to the 16th century in Europe, especially France. Now it is primarily known as the traditional headgear for professional cooks, except in Canada where the term is primarily used for knit caps.

Etymology

The word toque is Breton for "hat". The spelling with the "que" is Middle Breton, and Modern Breton is spelled tok. Old Breton spells the word toc. The word was borrowed into the French language both for the chef's uniform and the knit cap.

The word toque is Arabic "طوق" for "round" and "طاقية" "taqia" for "hat" originally for something "round" that has an opening. The word has been known in English since 1505. It came through the Medieval French toque (15th century), presumably by the way of the Spanish toca "woman's headdress", from Arabic *taqa 'طاقة' for "opening".

Usage

Culinary

A toque blanche (French for "white hat"), often shortened to toque, is a tall, round, pleated, starched white hat worn by chefs.

Toqué!

Toqué! is a restaurant in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is located at 900 Place Jean-Paul Riopelle in the CDP Capital Centre in the Quartier international neighbourhood of the Ville-Marie borough.

Toqué! offers French cuisine using locally sourced products.

History

Toqué was founded in 1993 by Normand Laprise and Christine Lamarche. The original restaurant was located on Saint Denis Street, and could accommodate 55 people. Seeking a larger space, it moved to the newly built CDP Capital Centre in 2004.

In 2006, Toqué became a member of Relais & Châteaux. It also received the CAA/AAA Five Diamond Award.

Brasserie T!

Brasserie T! was established by Laprise and Lamarche in 2010 on the Place des festivals in Montreal's Quartier des spectacles. It is owned by Laprise and Lamarche, and led by executive chef Charles-Antoine Crête. Brasserie T! is a sister restaurant to Toqué and offers brasserie-style food.

References

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Knit cap

A knit cap, originally of wool (though now often of synthetic fibers) is designed to provide warmth in cold weather. Typically, the knit cap is of simple, tapering constructions, though many variants exist. Historically, the wool knit cap was an extremely common form of headgear for seamen, fishers, hunters and others spending their working day outdoors from the 18th century and forward, and is still commonly used for this purpose in Scandinavia and other cold regions of the world. Being found all over the world where climate demands a warm hat, the knit cap can be found under a multitude of local names.

Construction

Most knit caps are tapered at the top. The stretch of the knitting itself hugs the head, keeping the cap secure. They are sometimes topped with a pom-pom or loose tassels. Knit caps may have a folded brim, or none, and may be worn tightly fitting the head or loose on top. A South American tradition from the Andes Mountains is for the cap to have ear flaps, with strings for tying under the chin. A special type of cap called a balaclava folds down over the head with openings for just the face or for the eyes or mouth only.