A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Acidulated Water: Water to which a small amount of an acid is added (such as vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice). This acidifies the water helping to prevent discoloration of some fruits and vegetables (such as apples, pears and artichokes) that brown when their cut surfaces are exposed to air.

Acidulated water is used as the cooking medium when poaching. The lower pH of the water helps proteins (such as those in eggs or fish) to cook properly.

Al dente: An Italian phrase whose literal translation is "to the tooth." A food is said to be cooked "al dente" when there is a slight resistance when bitten. This was originally used to describe pasta but is now used for any food that is not soft or overdone. Lightly blanched asparagus, for example, is said to be cooked al dente.

Au gratin: To sprinkle a dish with a light covering of bread crumbs and/or cheese and then broil until brown on the top.

B

Baste: To moisten a food while it cooks by periodically brushing or spooning with fat or cooking juices. This helps add color and flavor as well as keeping foods from drying out.

Blanch: To boil raw ingredients in liquid. Vegetables are commonly blanched. The key to blanching vegetables is to not cook them too long. To blanch asparagus bring a pot of water to about the poach stage over medium high heat. Add the asparagus and let it cook until the color becomes very green. The spears should just barely bend when picked up out of the water (about 3 minutes or so for thin asparagus and 5 minutes for the thickest).

If the asparagus is not going to be used right away, remove them to a bowl of ice water. This is known as "refreshing." The cold water stops the food from continuing to cook from internal heat and keeps the food fresh and crisp. This is also known as "shocking" the food.

Blanching can also be used for softening foods making it easy to remove their skins. Almonds and tomatoes are two examples of this.

Blend: To mix dry or moist ingredients together. This can be accomplished with a fork, spoon, whisk, mixer, blender or any tool that will thoroughly combine the different elements.

Boil: Julia Child, in her book From Julia Child's Kitchen, defines seven stages of heating water. Other authors have given other definitions but most are similar to these.

	Tepid: 85 to 105 degrees.
	Warm: 115 to 120 degrees.
	Hot: 130 to 135 degrees.
	Poach: 180 to 190 degrees. This is the point at which the water starts to move. Julia Child calls this stage a "shiver" James Beard referred to it as "feeble ebullition." This is the stage to blanch at.
	Simmer: 190 to 200 degrees. Bubbles start to show in the water. This is the point at which most stews are cooked and at which braising is done.
	Slow boil: 205 degrees. There are slow rising bubbles forming.
	The real boil, full boil or rolling boil: 212 degrees. To heat a liquid to its boiling point, until bubbles break the surface. "Boil" also means to cook food in a boiling liquid.

Bone: To remove the bones from meat, fish or poultry.

Braise: To simmer a food in a small amount of liquid in a covered pan or casserole. The temperature is usually just below the boiling point at 190 - 200 degrees. By cooking at a low heat for a longer period of time, foods that may have been tough are tenderized.

For instance, braising tenderizes meat by slowly breaking down the fibers. The liquid, usually wine, stock or water, keeps food moist. Often, foods are seared first. The braising liquid can be used in making sauces.

Broil: To cook a food by direct radiant heat. This can be above or below the heat source. Food can be broiled in an oven under a heating element but grilling is also a form of broiling. Broiling creates a crusty surface while sealing in natural juices. The food is often be basted or seasoned while cooking.

Brush: To coat the surface of a food with a liquid or sauce to using a brush. There are a variety of brushes for different cooking techniques.

Butterfly: To cut a food, usually meat, fish or poultry, down the center. The food is not cut entirely through and when the split halves are spread open they look like a butterfly (hence the name).

Buttermilk: Originally this was the sour liquid that is left after churning butter from milk.

It's a great choice, because it's tart and rich like sour cream but low in fat. This can be used instead of milk in soups and sauces, but it must be heated gently or it will curdle. Buttermilk can be salty.

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C

Caramelize: When sugars are heated to a high enough temperature they will liquefy and turn to a clear light brown syrup. That caramel syrup can be light and clear to a dark brown color.

When foods with natural sugars are heated the sugars can caramelize in the same fashion. Fruits and vegetables are cooked in this way create a sweeter flavor with a golden syrupy glaze. Onions have a lot of natural sugars and are easily caramelized.

Chiffonade: In French this means "made of rags" and a slicing a food into very thin strips is known as a chiffonade. An example is lining up the leaves of spinach and slicing across yielding long thin strips. This is also done with herbs such as basil or mint.

Cheese (goat): Like cows milk cheese, goat cheese can vary widely in its fat content. As a general rule of thumb, softer goat cheeses are made with skimmed goat milk and are lower in fat. These are in the 4 to 5 gram of fat per ounce range. The semi-soft goat cheeses are about 6-8 grams of fat per ounce.

When a cheese is aged it loses moisture and the fat content rises. Still, an aged goat cheese with a flavor similar to parmesan is only about 9 grams per ounce where the parmesan can be up to 12 grams per ounce.

Cheese (low fat): A regular cheddar cheese is about 9 grams of fat per ounce. These days the lower fat versions are easy to find and full of flavor. Look for cheeses in the range of 4 to 6 grams per ounce. There are some good Monterey Jack cheeses on the market at 4 grams per ounce.

Kraft makes a good sharp cheddar that is 6 grams per ounce. They also makes a low-fat Swiss cheese that is 5 grams of fat per serving.

The very low fat or no fat cheeses are not very good. They are bland and worse yet, don't melt very well.

Chop: To cut ingredients into small pieces. A food processor can be used to chop food but there is less control than using a knife. Chopped food is thought of as slightly larger than a dice (which is larger than a mince) and is irregular.

Clarify: To remove impurities and sediment from a cloudy liquid in order to render it clear.

To clarify a liquid like chicken stock egg whites are usually added to the hot liquid and simmered for about 15 minutes. As they cook, the egg whites trap the sediment that is suspended in the liquid. The liquid is then cooled and the mixture strained through a sieve lined with cheese cloth thus removing the residue.

Clarified butter is butter that has been heated carefully so that the milk solids separate. The solids sink to the bottom of the pan and are then discarded. The clear butter will not burn as readily when used to cook at higher temperatures.

Clay pot cookers: A stew recipe like Beef Stroganoff is best done in a clay pot. Don't confuse this with the electric crock pot. Clay pot cooking means an unglazed terra-cotta pot.

The reason it works so well is that the whole pot, top and bottom, are soaked in cold water before cooking. The terra-cotta is porous and absorbs the water. The result is a moister cooking environment for stews because the wet pot gives off steam as it cooks. This is not at all limited to stews. Clay pots are great for roasting, making casseroles -- almost anything.

It is important to start with a cold oven. This helps to keep the pot moist longer. Also, cooking in clay pots is done at a higher temperature -- around 450°F.

Copper bowls: These bowls are the best for whipping egg whites because a chemical reaction takes place that helps to stiffen the whites as they are being whipped.

You don't have to have a copper bowl and can use pretty much anything -- glass or stainless steel is best. Using a pinch of Cream of Tartar will help to mimic the reaction between the copper and egg whites.

The most important thing is that the bowl be very clean and nothing in the egg whites or they won't stiffen.

Croutons: A small piece of crisp, toasted bread. Croutons can be small cubes but also a larger slice as in that used for French Onion soup.

The smaller cubes are usually used for salads and there are some good lower fat pre-made croutons in the stores. Each salad usually has 5 - 8 croutons (depending on the size) and for the low fat versions this is about 1/2 to 1 gram per serving.

Cure: To preserve a food by one of various procedures. Examples are smoking, pickling, and salt curing.

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D

Deglaze: To scrape the browned bits from the bottom of a roasting pan or sauté pan after cooking. When the food and excess fat are removed, liquid (wine, water, stock, cognac, etc.) is heated with the cooking juices in the bottom of the pan. The browned bits are scraped from the bottom. This usually becomes the base for a sauce.

Degorge / Disgorge / Dégorger: To process of sprinkling vegetables with salt to eliminate water. Eggplant, cucumbers and cabbage are often salted, rinsed quickly and patted dry before cooking.

Degorge also means to soak meat, poultry or fish in cold water (usually acidulated water). This eliminates impurities such as blood and grit. It is most often done with fresh water fish to rid them of a muddy flavor.

Devein: To remove the blackish vein from the back of a shrimp. There is a special tool called a deveiner but the vein can be removed using the point of a sharp knife. The veins in larger shrimp contain grit and should always be removed. Small to medium shrimp need to be deveined only for aesthetic reasons.

Devil: To season a recipe with spicy flavors, usually mustard, cayenne or Tabasco sauce.

Dice: To cut food into small regular sized cubes. This is generally about 1/8 to 1/4 inch cubes.

Drain: To remove the fat or liquid from a food, usually using a colander, strainer or sieve.

Dredge: To coat food with fine powder such as flour, breadcrumbs, cracker crumbs or cornmeal. The powdered covering helps the food to brown when it cooks and creates a crisp exterior. Dredging is different from breading. After dredging foods should be cooked at once. Foods that are breaded can be held for later.

Duxelles: Finely chopped mushrooms sautéed in butter to be used as stuffing or as garnish. These are often cooked with onions, shallots or scallions.
 

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E

Egg Substitutes: There are a number of substitute egg products in the grocery store. They are made mostly with egg whites but contain small amounts of thickener and such. They're great for cooking scrambled eggs and omelets. They can also be used in baking. Substitute eggs are more expensive than regular eggs.

One quarter cup of most liquid egg products is equal to one egg. This has no fat and no cholesterol. There is a small amount (1 gram) of carbohydrate. There are 6 grams of protein. This is where most of the 30 calories per serving comes from.

Emulsion: To mix together two liquid ingredients that normally don't combine smoothly, such as oil and water. This is done by slowly adding one ingredient to the other while whisking rapidly. Emulsions can also be made in a blender or food processor. The liquids are broken up by the whisking and the tiny droplets of the heavier liquid disperse into the lighter one.

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F

Filet, Fillet: The cut of beef, pork, veal or lamb that comes from the underside of the loin (the tenderloin). Filet Mignon is traditionally cut from the center of the tenderloin and grilled or broiled and is sometimes pan grilled or pan fried. If the whole center cut is roasted, it is called Chateaubriand. This was probably a dedication to the Vicomte de Chateaubriand by his chef Montmireil.

The tapered end of the tenderloin is cut into smaller steaks and these are known as tournedos.

Filets of fish are cuts made but slicing the flesh away from the bone to produce a flat thin slice of fish. There are knives (fish knife, filet knife, boning knife) designed for just this purpose. They have long, thin, flexible blades that help in slicing clean fillets.

Fold: To combine a light mixture with a much heavier mixture. An example is beaten egg whites combined with a cheese sauce as in making a cheese soufflé.

Place the heavier mixture in the bottom of a large bowl. Add the lighter mixture and, using a rubber spatula, scrape along the outer edge of the bowl turning the heavier mixture gently over the top of the lighter. Turn the bowl and repeat until the two are well combined. The goal is to gently work the two together without beating down the lighter mixture.

Flashpoints:  The highest temperature that an oil can be heated to without breaking down and burning.

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G

Grate: To create fine threads of an ingredient by passing it over a serrated surface. This is usually accomplished with a grater which is a flat piece of metal that has notches cut in its face. The size of the notches determines the size of the threads. Shredded food is usually thought of as being a larger thread while grating creates a finer one (that can even be as fine as powder).

Food processors are equipped with blades that can also be used for grating (usually more of a shred).

Foods that are to be grated should be firm. For instance, cheese that has been refrigerated will grate easier when passed over the surface of the grater.

Grill: Grilling, like broiling, is the process of cooking a food with direct radiant heat. Food is generally cooked on a metal grate that is set over hot coals or another heat source. As with broiling from above, the heat creates a crusty surface while sealing in natural juices. The food is often basted or seasoned while cooking.

Grind: To crush, pulverize, or reduce a food to smaller pieces. In the case of flour, wheat is reduced to a powder while beef is passed through a meat grinder to create hamburger. Food can be ground to different degrees, from fine to coarse

Grind also refers to the amount of fat in ground meat. If hamburger is labeled 80/20 this means that it is 20 percent fat. Ground meat labeled "lean" is usually 80/20 where "extra lean" is 90/10 or 10% fat content.

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H

Homogenized: To create a uniform consistency by emulsifying the fat content of a food. Fat particles are reduced to the same size by forcing them through progressively smaller tubes. The smaller fat globules can then be evenly suspended throughout a liquid (see Emulsion). Milk and most salad dressings are two examples of foods that have been homogenized.

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I

Infuse: To steep an ingredient in a hot liquid so that the flavor is extracted and imparted to the liquid. Steeped tea is an infusion. Infusions are sometimes used to impart flavor to soups or sauces.

Iron skillet: A recipe like Apple Pancake is best when baked in an iron skillet - the old fashioned pan your grandmother used. If you don't have one, they only cost about 10 to 15 dollars.

When you buy one, its a good idea to "cure" the pan to keep food from sticking. Here's how: Place about 4 Tbs. oil in the bottom of the pan and put the pan in an oven that has been preheated to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Use an oil without much flavor, like canola oil. After about 3 minutes reduce the temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and leave the pan in the oven for 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the pan cool in the oven. When the pan is cool enough to touch, wipe the excess oil out with a paper towel.

It is best to clean a porous skillet without soap because this can strip the oils from the pan. Rinse with hot water and wipe clean. For stuck on food scrubbing with salt or a plastic scrub pad will usually do the trick.

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J

Joint: To cut meat or poultry at the joints.

Julienne: To slice food into thin match-stick strips. This can be meat or cheese like ham or Swiss cheese or it can be vegetables like carrots. Food is evenly sliced with a knife or mandoline, then cut into strips.

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K

Knead: The process by which dough is combined, made smoother and more elastic. Ingredients and air are also incorporated during the process.

Dough is usually kneaded by hand on a board by gently pressing, folding and turning until the desired consistency is achieved. This can also be done by machine as with a food processor or mixer fitted with a dough-hook. Kneading allows proteins called gluten found in flour to expand. This makes it possible for the dough to trap gas bubbles formed by a leavening agents allowing it to rise.

Depending how the dough will be used, the kneading time can be anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes.

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L

Leavener, Leavening agent: An agent that causes batter or dough to rise. This is often by fermentation as with yeast. Other ingredients, such as baking powder or baking soda, allow breads and baked goods to rise while baking via different chemical reactions.

Leeks: Leeks are a member of the onion family but with a milder sweeter flavor. They look like overgrown green onions or scallions. The white part grows below ground so leeks usually have a lot of dirt on them and need plenty of washing.

Cut the leek at the lower end of the green top and run water over the leaves as they separate. Usually the rings of the white part have dirt embedded in them towards the top. Slice the leek in an X across the top and gently clean the dirt from between the rings under cold water.

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M

Macerate: To soak foods in liquid so that they will be infused with the liquid's flavor. The term macerate usually refers to fruit and the macerating liquid is most often an alcohol (liqueur, wine, brandy) but can be a simple sugar syrup. The process also softens the fruit and draws out the natural juices.

The term can also refer to fruits that have been sprinkled with sugar to intensify the natural flavors by drawing out the juices.

Marinate: To add flavor and/or tenderize a food it is often immersed in a seasoned liquid for a period of time. It is usually covered and refrigerated during the process. Most marinades are made with acidic ingredients to help with tenderizing so foods should be marinated in non-reactive dish such as ceramic, glass or stainless steel.

Mash: To press or grind foods into smooth, uniformly textured state. Root vegetables like potatoes, for example, can be mashed with a potato masher, ricer or food mill.

Mayonnaise (low-fat): Low fat mayonnaise is great for cooking and making salads. Hellman's is far and away the best and has only 1 gram of fat per tablespoon. The amount of fat varies pretty widely between this product and regular mayonnaise (which has up to 10 - 11 grams of fat per tablespoon).

Mince: To chop an ingredient into very small pieces. This is a much smaller, finer cut than a dice.

Milk: Here's the low down on fat content in milk:

• Skim Milk:
  Skim milk has 1/2gram of fat per cup.
• 1% Milk:
  3 grams of fat per cup.
• 2% or Low-Fat Milk:
  This has about 4 grams of fat per cup and is good to use occasionally in soups or sauces.
• Whole or Homogenized Milk:
  Eight grams of fat per cup.
• Evaporated Milk:
  Is just that. It's milk that about 60% of the water removed from it. (And you thought it came from evaporated cows.) Check the label before you buy. You'll find evaporated whole, evaporated low-fat, evaporated skim and evaporated non-fat. Good to have in the pantry for emergencies.
• Buttermilk:
  Originally this was the sour liquid that is left after churning butter from milk. It's a great choice because it's tart and rich like sour cream but low in fat. This can be used instead of milk in soups and sauces but must be heated gently or it will curdle. Buttermilk can be salty.

Muffin tins: Muffin or cupcake papers are nice but not really necessary anymore. There are many excellent muffin tins on the market that are made with non-stick coatings like SilverStone. Non-stick spray, such as PAM, works well also. Some muffin tins are made so that there is a layer of air built into the bottom of each cup. This is so the muffins will heat evenly and not burn as readily.

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N

Nap: To lightly coat food with a thin, uniform layer of sauce.

Non-stick pans: A good quality pan that is made with a slightly porous metal is one of the best non-stick pans you can buy. The iron skillet is an example. Aluminum is another good choice because it heats very evenly and is fairly responsive to changes in heat. Pans like these have to be cured. Pans made with porous metals such as iron or aluminum can oxidize while food is cooking and discolor foods cooked in them. This is especially a problem with a sauce that is acidic.

There are many excellent quality pots and pans with non-stick coatings. It used to be that only pans of lesser quality were coated but now most of the better manufacturers are making non-stick pans.

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O

Oils: All oils have approximately 5 grams of fat per teaspoon but vary in the amount of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. It appears that the best oils are those with more monounsaturated fats. The two monounsaturated oils used most often in these recipes are olive oil and canola oil.

Olive oil is great for use when one is going to sauté or for making a savory sauce. Obviously, using olive oil for dressings is good because of its distinctive flavor. Virgin olive oils are made from the first olive pressings and have more of the fruity olive flavor.

When a recipe needs oil (but doesn't need the flavor from the oil to be a part of the final dish) canola oil is a great choice. It has very little flavor of its own.

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P

Parboil: To partially precook a food by boiling for a short time in water. Heavier foods like carrots and potatoes are parboiled and then can be added near the end of a recipe so that all the ingredients will finish cooking at about the same time.

If the food is to be held for a short time, it may continue to cook after being removed from the boiling water. As with blanching, it should be refreshed in an ice water bath.

Pare: To remove the outer covering of foods using a small, short bladed knife (a paring knife) or a vegetable peeler.

Peel: To remove the rind, peel or skin from a food such as a fruit or vegetable using a small, short bladed knife or vegetable peeler.

Poach: To cook by gently simmering in liquid that is just below the boiling point (180 to 190 degrees). This is the temperature at which the water starts to move. Julia Child calls this stage a "shiver" James Beard referred to it as "feeble ebullition." This is also the temperature at which food is blanched. Many foods can be poached -- fish, chicken, eggs …

Poaching an egg is a good way to learn how to poach. The fresher the egg the better. The water has to be at a stage that is not boiling with full bubbles but hot enough to cook the egg quickly. The water is acidulated by adding a small amount of acid (wine, lemon juice, vinegar) helping the proteins to cook properly.

Crack the egg into a teacup and then pour the egg from the cup into the poaching water. (This is so if you break the yolk the egg won't be wasted.) Let the egg cook slowly watching so that the water never comes to a full boil. Use a slotted spoon to remove the egg from the water.

Potatoes (new): New Potatoes are just that -- new. They are potatoes that are not fully matured. The skin is red and thin and they vary in size from one to four inches in diameter. Because they are younger they are also waxier which makes them good in recipes for roasting or potato salads where the potatoes should hold together.

Pound: By pounding a thinner cut of meat the muscle fibers are broken down, serving to tenderize the meat. This results in a more tender cut, but care must be taken to not over cook the thinner meat or it will toughen. Placing the piece of meat between two pieces of plastic wrap or wax paper will keep the work surface and the mallet clean.

A mallet with a heavy metal head is usually used for tenderizing. One side is smooth and many mallets have teeth on another side to help break up fibers. A frying pan with a flat bottom can be used to pound meat as well.

Puree: Traditionally a food was rubbed through a strainer, food mill or sieve until it was completely smooth. Now this is done using a blender or food processor.

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Q

R

Reduce: To condense a liquid by boiling. As the liquid boils the water evaporates concentrating and thickening the liquid. The flavors intensify as the volume is reduced. This is usually done in the preparation of sauces, stocks or soups and the result of the concentration is referred to as a reduction.

Refresh: Vegetables are refreshed after cooking by plunging them into an ice water bath after they have been blanched. This stops the cooking process keeping the food fresh and crisp. This is also known as "shocking" the food.

Risotto: An Italian rice dish made with arborio rice (a slightly round, short grained rice). The rice has a high starch content and helps to make for a creamy, rich dish.

Roast: To cook food in an uncovered pan in the oven. This is usually meat but vegetables can be roasted as well. The food is cooked at a high heat producing a browned, crispy surface and sealing in natural juices. Generally more tender pieces of meat or poultry are be used for roasting. Tougher cuts of meat need a moist cooking technique such as braising because they are cooked for a longer time and can dry out.

Roasting vegetables: Roasting veggies in the oven is easy and you can use beets, potatoes, carrots, turnips -- pretty much any root vegetable will do.

It is best to precook the vegetable that you are roasting about half way. This can be done in the microwave or they can be steamed or blanched. This allows roasting at a higher temperature thus cooking the outside to the right amount of crispiness. Do not overfill the roasting pan. The vegetables should barely touch. If the pan is too full the vegetables will steam rather than roast and be soggy.

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S

Sauté: This comes from the French verb meaning "to jump." Food is cooked quickly over high heat in a skillet or sauté pan. A small amount of fat or oil is used and the food is cooked while shaking the pan (causing the food "to jump"). The fat in the pan must be very hot before the food is added so that the food will cook quickly, browning the outside and sealing the natural juices in the food. If too much food is added to the pan the food will not sauté properly and will actually steam making it soggy.

Scald: (see Blanch) To immerse a food, usually fruits or vegetables, in boiling water for a very brief time. This serves to in loosen their skins and making peeling easier. The water should be at the poach stage and the food left in the water for a very short time otherwise the interior will cook. Refreshing the food in an ice water bath will stop any further cooking.

Scald also refers to when a liquid, usually milk, is heated to the simmer stage. This is done to prevent the souring of milk when used in some recipes.

Scale: To scrape the scales from the skin of a fish. This is usually accomplished using a dull knife but there is a special utensil called a fish scaler that is more efficient.

Sear: To brown the surface of a food quickly over very high heat in a skillet, under a broiler, on a grill or in the oven. This seals in natural juices and creates a crispy exterior. Seared food is often eaten very rare with the center being left uncooked.

Searing is also done to help seal in a food's juices in prior to braising or roasting.

Score: To slice shallow cuts in the surface of foods. This is done with meats to help tenderize them. In the case of the skin of fish scores (slices) are made so that the skin will not curl during cooking.

Sometimes the skin of fruits are scored for decorative purposes. In the case of those with slightly bitter skins, like cucumbers, scoring will help to remove some of the harsh flavor.

Seed: To remove seeds from vegetables or fruits.

Sherbet, sorbet: Even though sherbet and sorbet both come from your freezer and they sound alike, they are very different from each other.

Sorbet is an ice that is made from a sugar syrup and fruit juice or fruit purée. Consequently, it has no fat. Sometimes sorbets will use a liqueur or wine as an ingredient for added flavor. In the mid 1600s such ices had milk or cream and eggs incorporated into them (by the French). This is what we now call a sherbet. To the basic ingredients of sugared water and a fruit has been added milk, cream, egg yolk or gelatin.

Making your own sorbet is pretty easy and the flavors are terrific. Since this is best done with an ice cream maker, it isn't always practical. There are some very good "premium" sorbets in the freezer case. They have no fat and are about 120 calories per serving. Exotic flavors abound. The quickie dessert is a half cup of sorbet with a sprinkling of fruit on top. A dusting of 1 tsp. of cocoa complements a mango or lemon sorbet well. Compare this to a premium ice cream with 14 grams of fat and about 400 calories.

Shred: To create fine threads of an ingredient by passing it over a serrated surface. This is usually accomplished with a grater which is a flat piece of metal with notches cut in the face. The size of the notches determines the size of the threads of food. Shredded food is usually thought of as being a larger thread while grating creates a finer one (that can even be as fine as powder).

Food processors are equipped with blades that can also be used for grating (usually more of a shred). Foods that are to be grated should be firm. For instance, cheese that has been refrigerated will grate easier when passed over the surface of the grater.

Sieve: To strain liquids or particles of food through a sieve or strainer. Press the solids, using a ladle or wooden spoon, into the strainer to remove as much liquid as possible.

Sift: To put dry ingredients like flour, sugar, or cornmeal through a fine mesh screen order to separate the fine from the coarse particles.

Simmer: Cooking liquid or a food in liquid over medium heat just below the boiling point (low enough so that tiny bubbles just begin to break the surface). The liquid should be about 190 to 200 degrees. This is the point where bubbles begin to show in the water. Most stews are simmered and this is the temperature and at which braising is done.

Skewer: To place pieces of food on long, thin spikes called skewers usually in preparation for grilling. Skewers can be made of metal or wood. If they are wood, they should be soaked in water to retard burning.

Skim: To remove the layer of fat that rises to the top of a boiling liquid such as chicken stock. This also refers to removing the layer of scum that forms. This can be done as the liquid cooks or can be chilled so that the fat congeals on top and may be easily removed.

Skin: To remove the skin from food before or after cooking. Poultry, fish and game are often skinned for reasons of appearance, taste and diet.

Smoke: Traditionally smoking food was used to as a preservation technique. The food is indirectly exposed to the smoke from a wood fire long enough to kill bacteria, dry the food and impregnate it with a smoky flavor. Almost any wood can be used but hickory, mesquite, beech and oak are common.

Smoking is now a used primarily to impart flavor to foods. Smoking varies from 20 minutes to several days depending on the desired result. Shorter exposures are usually coupled with higher heat that serves to cook the food while the smoke adds flavor. Longer times result in a dry cooked food. Many foods that are smoked longer are also soaked in brine (salted water) prior to smoking such as with a smoked salmon or smoked ham.

Sour Cream: There are three types of sour cream on the market now.

The full fat version has 5 grams of fat per 2 tablespoons. Of this 3.5 grams are saturated. Total calories are 60 with 50 of them coming from fat.

Reduced or lowered fat sour cream has only 3.5 grams of fat in 2 tablespoons (2.5 saturated). Each serving is 45 calories.

The fat free or non-fat sour cream is just that. Most of the calories are from carbohydrate.

The regular and reduced fat can be used in cooking but even at moderate temperatures the fat free sour cream will separate. When adding it cool the sauce first and add the sour cream reheating gently or temper the sour cream first.

Soy Sauce: You have to be careful with soy sauce. It can add a lot of flavor but it can also add a ton of salt -- enough that people who are salt sensitive or on restricted sodium diets can get into trouble. The standard soy sauce is about 1000 mg of sodium per Tbs. -- give or take a hundred milligrams.

The low sodium versions that are on the market are essentially the same flavor but there is less salt -- in the neighborhood of 400 mg per tablespoon.

Steam: To cook food in a covered pan over a boiling liquid. The food is usually placed in a basket that rests just above the liquid. Cooking this way preserves the flavor and texture of foods. More nutrients are retained by steaming food than are when poaching or boiling food.

Sweat: To soften vegetables by cooking in a very small amount of fat over gentle heat so they release their juices into the fat but do not brown. This serves to concentrate the juices in the cooking fat. If the pan is not covered during cooking, the vegetables will be drier. When the pan is kept covered, however, the vegetables retain their natural moisture.

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T

Temper: Adding small amounts of a hot or boiling liquid to a cold or room temperature ingredient. This heats the cooler ingredient and keeping it from cooking when it is added to the bulk of the hotter liquid. An example would be a small amount of a hot sauce added to milk heating it closer to the temperature of the sauce. When the heated milk is added to the hot sauce it is less likely to curdle.

Tenderize: To make meat less tough. This can be done by pounding with a mallet or marinating.

Terrine: This refers to both the rectangular pan that is used for cooking a paté as well as the paté itself. Terrines were traditionally made of glazed earthenware but are also made from enameled cast iron. The word is now used to refer to any recipe that uses a terrine.

Timbale: A tall cup shaped mold. It is used to cook small custards, rices and pastas. Timbales were traditionally made of glazed earthenware but are now usually metal. The word is now used to refer to any recipe that uses the timbale.

Truss: To bind or skewer food, usually poultry or game. With fowl the wings and legs are tied with string or they are pinned with skewers before cooking so that it will retain its shape while cooking. This can also allow for easier basting during cooking.

Tuna: As with all fresh fish, pick tuna that has very little aroma to it. The flesh should be firm and not spongy.

The flesh of bluefin tuna turns a darker red as the tuna ages and the flavor intensifies. Yellowfin tuna is a paler pink color and the flavor is milder.

Albacore tuna is not often available fresh. It is a higher fat fish and has very light flesh.

The albacore is the better of the canned tunas and is often labeled "white" tuna. Bonitos are the most strongly flavored. It is a medium to high fat content. The Japanese dry bonito for many dishes.

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U

Unleavened: Any baked good that has been made without a leavening agent. As a result the bread doesn't rise.

V

Vanilla Extract: Recipes that call for vanilla extract deserve just that. Artificial vanilla has the aroma but not the flavor of pure vanilla extract. The pure extract can be more expensive but, as with everything you cook, it is the right ingredients that make the right dish.

W

Whisk: A whisk, also known as a whip, is a utensil made from loops of fine wire joined at the handle. It is used to mix ingredients together until smooth. There are a number of different sizes and shapes of whisks used for different tasks. Usually foods are whisked so that air will be incorporated into them until light and fluffy such as with egg whites.

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X

XXX, XXXX, 10X: These are the designations found on confectioners sugar. It is an indication of the number of times the sugar has been ground. The higher the number the more finely ground.

Y

Z

Zest: The outer layer of the skin of a citrus fruit. Removing this can be done with a knife or a peeler, but it is important to not remove the the white layer between the zest and the flesh of the fruit. This is called the pith and is bitter. There is a special tool, called a zester, which efficiently removes the zest without touching the pith or flesh of the fruit.

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