Term | Definition
|
edamame | Fresh soy beans, available in Japanese markets
and restaurants.
|
egg wash | Egg whites or yolks mixed with some water or
milk, brushed onto baked goods.
|
eggnog | A holiday beverage made of milk, eggs, sugar,
and nutmeg. Often, rum or brandy are also
added.
|
eggplant | A fruit relative of the tomato. Various types
are available, the most common of which is
a deep purple color. Older eggplants tend to
be bitter. The white eggplant is shaped like
an egg, hence the name.
|
empanada | A Mexican or Spanish pastry, generally filled with
meat and vegetables, though dessert empanadas
can be filled with fruit.
|
emulsion | A mixture of two liquids that don't normally
mix well. It is done by rapid stirring and
slowly pouring one liquid into the other. A
blender or food processor makes the job very
easy.
|
endive | One of three types of plants: Belgian endive,
which is grown without light to produce white
leaves, curly endive with curled, lacy leaves,
and escarole. Escarole is the mildest, the
other varieties being bitter.
|
enoki | A delicate, fruity tasting mushroom with long,
thin stems and tiny white caps. High in
vitamin D.
|
escarole | A type of endive. Milder than Belgian endive.
|
essence | An oily, concentrated extract from foods, used
to flavor certain dishes.
|
etouffee | A popular Cajun dish which is a thick spicy stew of crayfish and vegetables served over white rice.
|
evaporated milk | Canned milk with about 60% of the water removed.
It can be used as a substitute for cream, or
mixed with water to substitute for milk. The
flavor is somewhat sweeter than either cream
or milk, however.
|
extracts | Flavorings from various foods, concentrated
through evaporation or distillation. Due to
their intense flavor, they are added in very
small quantities to dishes.
|
fagioli | The Italian word for beans, generally meaning
white beans.
|
Fahrenheit | A temperature scale where 32 degrees is the
freezing point of water, and 212 degrees is the
boiling point. C=(F-32)*5/9.
|
fajitas | A Mexican dish of marinated meat fried with
onions and peppers, cut into strips, and served
with tortillas.
|
farfel | Grated egg noodle dough used in soups. Can refer
simply to food that has broken into small pieces.
|
Farmers Cheese | Another name for cottage cheese, pot cheese, clabber cheese,or Schmierkaese. These are considered unripened soft cheeses made pasteurized milk and kept at temperatures between 70 and 100 degrees until the milk is clabbered and separates into curds and whey. For detailed instructions on making these cheeses you may consult versions of Irma Rombauer's Joy of Cooking through at least 1964.
|
fava bean | A bean the looks like a large lima bean, popular
in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking.
They have a tough skin that can be removed
by blanching.
|
fennel | A plant that has fine foliage and celery-like
stalks and a large base. The plant has a light,
anise like flavor.
|
fenugreek | Fenugreek is a plant native to western Asia. The young leaves are used as an herb and the rock-hard seed pods are ground and used as a spice. It is an important ingredient in curries.
|
fermentation | A chemical change in foods, such as wine, cheese,
and yogurt. The change is caused by bacteria
or yeasts which produce the enzymes that cause
the fermentation process.
|
fettuccini | Wide (about 3/8 inch), flat pasta noodes.
|
fiber | The portion of plant foods that cannot be
digested.
|
fig | A fruit originating in Africa, Asia, and
southern Europe, now cultivated world wide.
Many varieties. High in iron, calcium, and
phosphorus.
|
file powder | A standard seasoning of Creole cooking. Made from
ground, dried sassafras leaves.
|
fines herbes | A French mixture of finely chopped herbs,
traditionally chervil, chives, parsley, and
tarragon.
|
fino | A Spanish sherry, considered to be one of the
world's best. Unlike some sherries, fino
should not be aged.
|
firm ball stage | A stage of candy cooking of 244 to 248 degrees F.
At this temperature, a drop of syrup into cold
water will form a firm ball.
|
fish sauce | An Asian liquid made from fermented, salted fish.
Used in many Asian cuisines.
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