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A quenelle is a smooth, oval-shaped scoop of soft food usually formed using two spoons. The technique creates a three-sided, football-like shape with tapered ends and a clean, elegant finish. It's commonly used for ice cream or sorbet, mousses, mashed potatoes, pate, or soft cheeses. The word comes from French cuisine, where a quenelle can also refer to a specific dumpling traditionally made with fish or meat. In short: a quenelle isn't the ingredient--it's the shape and the technique. Have you ever tried this method? How did it go?