- Industry: Printing & publishing
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Founded in 1941, Barron's Educational Series is a leading publisher of test preparation manuals and school directories. Among the most widely recognized of Barron's many titles in these areas are its SAT and ACT test prep books, its Regents Exams books, and its Profiles of American Colleges. In ...
A favorite apéritif in its native Spain, manzanilla is a light, extremely dry sherry. It's served cold, often to accompany seafood, and is commonly used in savory sauces.
Industry:Culinary arts
Long and pointed, this thin round rod (also called a butcher's steel) is made of extremely hard, high-carbon steel (some of diamond steel or ceramic) and is used to keep a fine edge on sharp knives. The rod is attached to a handle, which usually has a guard to protect the user's hand from the knife blade. Sharpening steels come in a variety of sizes, the ideal being about 12 inches long. Knives are sharpened by drawing them (while applying slight pressure) across the steel at a 20- to 30-degree angle. Doing this 5 to 6 times on both sides of the blade prior to each use keeps the blade razor-sharp. Dull blades will not be helped by a sharpening steel; they need to be resharpened on a whetstone and then fine-honed on a steel. For maximum efficiency, choose a sharpening steel that is longer than the knife to be sharpened. To prevent metal filings from building up, occasionally clean the steel according to manufacturer's directions.
Industry:Culinary arts
1. A French specialty in which the breast and legs are removed from a cooked duck. The remainder of the bird is compressed in a special implement called a duck press, which extracts all the juices. The extracted juice is mixed with reduced red wine, cognac and butter to produce a delicious sauce that is served with the sliced breast and legs. 2. A Chinese dish in which the duck is steamed, boned and flattened, then steamed and flattened again. The duck is then cut into quarters and deep-fried to a golden brown. Before serving, it's cut into squares and served on a bed of shredded lettuce, garnished with toasted almonds and accompanied with a pungent sauce.
Industry:Culinary arts
A long metal pan shaped like two half-cylinders joined along one long side. Each compartment is about 3 inches wide and 15 inches long. This pan is used to bake French baguettes.
Industry:Culinary arts
A fatty substance obtained from egg yolks and legumes, used to preserve, emulsify and moisturize food. Lecithin-vegetable oil sprays (available in every supermarket) can be used instead of high-calorie oils for greasing pans and sautéing foods.
Industry:Culinary arts
A deep water marine fish found in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands. Its sweet, delicate flesh ranges from white to pink in color, however, cooked opakapaka is always white. It can run from lean to fat, depending on the season (they're fattier in the winter). Opakapaka is suitable for almost any cooking method. In Hawaii, it's also referred to as pink snapper. See also fish.
Industry:Culinary arts
N. A dry, tan- or brown-colored area on the skin of a fruit, such as an apple. It's usually caused by overexposure to sunlight and rarely affects the fruit quality. scald v. 1. A cooking technique — often used to retard the souring of milk — whereby a liquid is heated to just below the boiling point. 2. To plunge food such as tomatoes or peaches into boiling water (or to pour boiling water over them), in order to loosen their skin and facilitate peeling. Also referred to as blanch.
Industry:Culinary arts
Ingredients added to food to intensify or improve its flavor. Some of the most commonly used seasonings include herbs (such as oregano, rosemary and basil), spices (like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice), condiments (such as Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and mustard), a variety of vinegars and — the most common of all — salt and pepper.
Industry:Culinary arts
Thought to have come from the Yiddish word shmirn ("to smear or grease"), the word schmear is used in the culinary world to describe a dab of something like mayonnaise or cream cheese that's spread on a roll, bagel, etc. More recently, cream cheese is combined with flavorings such as onions, garlic and bell peppers to create a spread that's commercially packaged as a "schmear. "
Industry:Culinary arts
Derived from the French vin aigre, "sour wine," vinegar is made by bacterial activity thats converts fermented liquids such as wine, beer or cider into a weak solution of acetic acid (the constituent that makes it sour). Vinegar has been used for centuries for everything from beverages (like shrubs), to an odor-diminisher for strong foods such as cabbage and onions, to a hair rinse and softener. There are a multitude of vinegar varieties available today. In the United States, the most popular styles are the fruity apple cider vinegar, made from fermented apple cider, and the rather harsh-tasting distilled white vinegar, made from a grain-alcohol mixture. The French prefer pleasantly pungent wine vinegars, which can be made from either red or white wine. In Britain the favorite is mild malt vinegar, obtained from malted barley. The exquisite Italian balsamic vinegar, made from white Trebbiano grape juice, gets its dark color and pungent sweetness from aging in barrels — of various woods and in graduating sizes — over a period of years. It should be noted that many balsamic vinegars contain sulfites, which are primarily added to inhibit the growth of unfavorable, flavor-detracting bacteria. Herb vinegars are made by steeping fresh herbs such as dill and tarragon in vinegar. Popular fruit vinegars include those made with raspberries and blueberries. Mild and slightly sweet rice vinegar, made from fermented rice, is widely used in Japanese and Chinese cooking. It's a key element in dishes such as sushi. Cane vinegar is made from sugarcane and has a rich, slightly sweet flavor. Vinegar is essential in making pickles, mustards and vinaigrettes. It adds a jolt of flavor to numerous sauces, marinades and dressings, and to preparations such as sauerbraten, sweet-and-sour dishes and marinated herring. It's also widely used as a table condiment for dishes such as England's fish and chips. Vinegar should be stored airtight in a cool, dark place. Unopened, it will keep indefinitely; once opened it can be stored for about 6 months. See also mother of vinegar; su.
Industry:Culinary arts
