KITCHEN PRACTICE 3 — Testing for All'onda
==================================================
Chapter: Italian Cookery 8 — Risotto Technique

TASK
----
Test the all'onda consistency by tapping the side of the pan or
plate with a finished risotto on it and observing whether it spreads
slightly like a wave, or holds a stiff, mounded shape.

WHAT TO DO
----------
1. Once you've finished a batch of risotto (from Kitchen Practice 1
   or a fresh batch) and completed the mantecatura step, spoon a
   portion onto a plate rather than into a bowl.
2. Gently tap or tilt the plate from side to side and watch how the
   risotto moves.
3. Alternatively, tap the side of the pan itself before plating and
   watch the surface of the risotto inside it.
4. Note whether the risotto spreads and settles slightly, like a
   gentle wave rolling across the surface, or whether it stays
   mounded in place, holding its shape without moving.

WHAT TO EXPECT
--------------
- A properly finished risotto (correct amount of stock, proper
  mantecatura) should visibly loosen and spread a little when
  tilted or tapped — a slow, fluid movement rather than staying
  perfectly still.
- If the risotto holds a stiff, mounded shape and barely moves at
  all when tilted, it's likely slightly overcooked, under-stocked,
  or the mantecatura wasn't vigorous enough to fully emulsify the
  butter and cheese into the liquid.
- If it's runny and spreads out completely flat without holding any
  shape at all, it's likely slightly under-stocked in the opposite
  direction — too much liquid relative to rice, or removed from the
  heat before the rice had absorbed enough.

WHY THIS WORKS AS AN ANSWER
----------------------------
This is a genuinely useful, low-effort diagnostic — rather than
relying only on taste to judge whether a risotto turned out right,
the all'onda test gives you an immediate visual signal about the
overall consistency. It directly connects back to the chapter's own
explanation that risotto's creaminess comes from starch and technique,
not added cream or thickeners — a risotto that moves like a wave is
proof the gradual stock method and the off-heat mantecatura both did
their job properly.