| Term | Definition
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|---|
| unleavened | Describes baked goods that do not contain leavening agents such as baking powder, baking soda or yeast.
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| vanilla | Aeromaic bean of one variety of orchid. Bean or extract are used to heighten the flavor of other ingredients. Pure vanilla is relatively expensive due to the culturing process and time consuming extraction process.
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| varak | Extremely thin sheets of gold or silver that are applied to food to add rich coloring. Flavorless and odorless the sheets can be found in Indian markets.
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| veal | Meat from a young calf, generally from 1 to 3 months old.
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| veloute sauce | One of five basic sauces. It's made from chicken, veal or fish stock and thickened with white roux. Basis for other sauces.
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| verjuice (verjus) | Sour juice from unripe fruit such as grapes. It's added to sauces and mustards to increase flavor. Traditional in medieval and Renaissance times but now enjoying a comeback.
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| vermicelli | Pasta which is shaped in long thin strands. Much thinner that regular spaghetti.
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| verte sauce | French for "green sauce". A green vegetable such as spinach or parsley is blanched and squeezed tightly to release green colored liquid which is mixed with mayonnaise. Traditionally used on cold fish dishes.
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| vichyssoise | Creamy potato-leek soup that is served cold and topped with chives. Pronounced: VEE-she-swahz
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| vinaigrette | A basic oil and vinegar combination used over salad, cold vegetables or cold meat dishes. Simplest form includes oil and vinegar in 3 to 1 proportion with salt and pepper to taste.
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| vindloo | Hottest of the Indian curry dishes. They come from central and southwestern coastal India. A complexed spice mixture made up of mustard, cumin, ginger, pepper, fungreek, cloves and coriander makes up the basic sauce. Red chilies and tamarind concentrate add heat and unique flavoring. Sauce is typically combined with meat and served over rice.
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| Waldorf salad | Salad made of apples, celery and mayonnaise originally from Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, circa 1890s. Walnuts have been added to modern recipies.
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| wasabi | Japanese version of horseradish. It's a green condiment with sharp, firey flavor. Can be purchased in powdered form from most Asian markets. Typically mixed into paste and served with soy sauce at the table.
Wasabi is made by combining
water with wasabi powder. Wasabi powder is powder made from Japanese
horseradish. You can find it in Asian markets, specialty food stores,
and in some grocery stores. It also is available pre-made. It should be
a vivid green color.
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| wassail | Norse for "be in good health". Wassail is a drink made from wine or ale that is mixed with sugar and flavored with spices. Traditionally served in wassail bowl and ladled into cups.
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| water bath | The container of food is placed in a large, shallow pan of warm water providing a gentle heat.
The pan of water is cooked in either the oven or on top of a stove. The water bath (or in French, bain marie) is designed to cook dishes such as custards, sauces, and mousses without curdling.
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| water biscuit | Crisp cracker that is often served with wine and cheese. Its blandness is a compliment to wine tasting because it allows the wine flavor to come through.
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| watercress | Plant with small dark green leaves that can be found around cool fast running water. Bitter, peppery flavor compliments salads, sandwiches and soups. Usually available year-round in markets.
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| whelk | Large marine snail of the gastropod family. The foot-like muscle is flavorful but tough. It is typically tenderized by pounding before cooking. Sometimes found in Italian recipes.
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| whetstone | Extremely hard, fine grained blocks of carborundum that are commercially sold to sharpen knives and cutting tools. Knives should be periodically honed on whetstones to keep them sharp.
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| whip | to beat ingredients until light and fluffy.
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