Definitions

All-Purpose Flour - This is the most widely used flour in most recipes. It is without baking powder and salt, those ingredients found in self-rising flour. All-purpose flour comes bleached or unbleached, that which has not been whitened by a bleaching agent.

Almond Bark - This is a vanilla-flavored candy coating, also known as white chocolate. It is made with vegetable fats instead of cocoa butter and has coloring and flavors added. It can usually be found in 1.5 pound packages, in blocks, or in round discs where candy supplies are sold.

Ascorbic Acid - This is a sugar acid with antioxidant properties. It is water soluble. Its appearance is white to yellow-white crystals or powder. The more common name is simply vitamin C. It is available commercially and used to keep cut fruit from darkening. It is often used in canning.

Au Gratin - Dishes cooked with a sauce, usually containing cheese, and topped with buttered crumbs and/or cheese and browned.

Au Jus - Usually refers to meats served in juice or drippings

Baste - To moisten food (meat, for example) and add flavor by periodically spooning or brushing liquid on food while cooking. Can use pan drippings, melted butter, marinades, sauce or other liquid.

Beat - To combine ingredients, usually until smooth, using a spoon, whisk, hand beater or electric mixer.

Blanch - To plunge foods into boiling water for a few seconds or a minute, then removing and immersing quickly in ice water. This process sets the color and flavor of vegetables. It is also used to loosen skin of fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, peaches or almonds.  The food does not cook all the way through, so crisp texture is preserved.

Blend - To thoroughly combine two or more ingredients by hand or using an appliance such as blender, mixer or food processor.

Bone - To remove all meat from the bone before cooking.

Confectioners' Sugar (also spelled confectioner's or confectioners) - Some recipes will call this powdered sugar, frosting sugar or icing sugar. Confectioners' sugar is actually granulated sugar which has been mechanically ground into a very fine powder. This powdered form of sugar is commonly used to make cake frostings, sugar glazes, dessert sauces and decorative icings. Confectioners' sugar is rarely used as a substitute for regular granulated sugar in recipes for a number of reasons. The ratio of confectioners' sugar to granulated sugar would make most recipes cost-prohibitive, for one thing. Confectioners' sugar also does not tolerate long periods of heat, which makes it much more suitable for cold icings and glazes, not heated sauces or custards. Confectioners' sugar also contains up to 3% cornstarch as an anti-caking agent. The confectioners' sugar sold in most grocery stores has been ground ten times, which explains the 10x designation on the packaging. Some specialty stores carry other grades of confectioner's sugar, such as a 4x or 6x grind. For most purposes, a standard 10x box or bag of confectioner's sugar should perform well enough. The other grades of confectioners' sugar are generally used for specific commercial food product .

Cream - To beat ingredients together to a smooth consistency, usually in the case of butter and sugar for baking.

Dash - A small amount of seasoning, less than 1/8 teaspoon. If using a shaker, a dash would be just a quick flip of the shaker.

Dredge - To coat foods with flour or other dry ingredients. Most often done with pot roasts and stew meats before browning.

Drippings - Meat or poultry juices and fat remaining in pan after cooking. This is often used to make gravies and sauces.

Fold - To incorporate several ingredients by careful and gentle turning with a spatula. Used generally with beaten egg whites or whipped cream when mixing into the rest of the ingredients to keep the batter light.

Frosting Sugar - (see Confectioners' Sugar)

Julienne - To cut foods into long thin strips much like matchsticks. Used most often for salads and stir-fry dishes.

Marinate - To let food stand in a seasoned liquid to tenderize and enhance the flavor.

Milnot - A brand of filled milk, marketed as a evaporated milk substitute, with oil replacing the butterfat. It can easily be whipped at room temperature. It is not available in all states, but can generally be found in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas and parts of Texas. It is now owned by the J. M Smucker Company, so it is starting to reach more states. It is generally carried in all Safeway Stores, but is now showing up at Kroger's and Wal-Mart. 

Mince - To cut into very fine pieces. Used often for garlic or fresh herbs.

Parboil - To boil until partially cooked.

Phyllo - Also known as fillo, this is a delicately crisp layered pastry originally used for Greek and Middle Eastern pastries. The paper-thin dough can now be found in the freezer section of the supermarket and used to make a wide variety of sweet and savory delicacies. Thaw as directed and handle carefully to keep dough from drying out.

Plumped - a term meaning to make well-rounded or full; it is often used in recipes for raisins. When the recipe calls for plumped raisins, cover the mount of raisins needed with very hot tap water and soak for 3-5 minutes. If you soak them too long, you will lose the natural flavoring.

Powdered Sugar - (See Confectioners' Sugar)

Preheat - To heat a cooking appliance to the desired temperature before beginning the actual cooking or baking. It is necessary to preheat an oven for foods that cook or bake in less than 1 hour. There is no need to preheat for foods requiring longer cooking or when broiling or roasting. An oven generally preheats in about 10 minutes.

Puree - To convert food to a liquid or smooth, paste-like consistency. Can be prepared in an electric blender, food processor, food mill or sieve.

Saute - To fry quickly in a skillet in a small amount of shortening, stirring almost constantly until tender or browned. Most often done with onions, mushrooms and other chopped vegetables.

Scald - To heat to just below the boiling point; to pour boiling water over a food to blanch; or to dip briefly in boiling water to loosen the skin for peeling.

Scallion - A mild green onion.

Scant - This is a very bad term to use in a recipe, but I see it often. Scant means lacking a small part of the whole; not quite up to full measure. In other words, 1 scant teaspoons means not quite a whole teaspoon but a little less.

Score - To cut slits partway through the outer surface of foods. Often used with ham or flank steak.

Springform Pan - A two-piece pan where the sides can be removed and the bottom comes out, too. There is a round base and an interlocking band, usually 2-3" high, that forms the sides, opening and closing with a flick of a latch. The pan pieces are assembled for baking, and then, once the contents have cooked and cooled, the band is opened and removed. The pans are usually available in 9" and 10" diameter. Cheesecakes or tortes baked in this type of pan can be served easily once the side of the pan is removed. 

Stir-Fry - To cook meats and/or vegetables with a constant stirring motion in a small amount of oil in a wok or skillet over high heat.

Stock - The liquid in which meat, poultry, fish or vegetables have been cooked. It is often used as a base for soups and sauces to enhance the flavor.

Tart - A pastry shell with shallow sides, no top crust, and any of various fillings.

Tortilla - A flat, unleavened pancake made from coarse cornmeal or flour and water and cooked on a griddle.

Vinaigrette - An oil and vinegar sauce with herbs and seasonings added. It is used as a salad dressing or served over chilled vegetables, meats or fish.

Zest - The colored outer peel of citrus fruit, often used to add strong flavor to foods, such as meringue pie, sorbets and salads. To remove the zest from a fruit, a zester, vegetable peeler, paring knife, or even a wood rasp is used to scrape the colored part of the peel off. The white membrane under the zest, called the pith, is unpleasantly bitter and generally avoided by limiting the peeling depth.