| Term | Definition
|
|---|
| 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.
|
| flambe | A dramatic step in cooking where liquor is added
to food, warmed, then ignited.
|
| Flours | All purpose flour is a blend of high- and low-gluten wheat flours, and is used for general purpose baking. Bread flour is primarily made from high-gluten hard wheat flour. Cake flour is a finely textured, low gluten soft wheat flour. Flours come in bleached and unbleached varieties. Generally these are interchangable, but bread bakers usually prefer unbleached.
|
| flute | To create decorative patterns in foods, such as
pie crust edges, mushroom caps, etc.
|
| focaccia | Italian - a flat round bread brushed with olive
oil and sprinkled with salt, then topped with
other herbs as the cook desires, then baked.
|
| fold (to) | to gently mix ingredients with a down,under,up,and over motion so as not to eliminate the air that has been incorporated into beaten eggwhites or whipped cream, for example..
|
| garbanzo beans | Also called chickpeas, these large peas are
common in Mediterranean, Indian, and Middle
Eastern dishes.
|
| gari | Ginger root pickled with sweet vinegar and colored
red. Often served with sushi in thin slices.
Also known as beni shoga.
|
| ginger | The root of the ginger plant is a mainstay in Asian and Indian cuisines, providing a peppery and slightly sweet taste and spicy aroma.
Fresh ginger may be found in the produce section and should be peeled and sliced or ground before using. Dried ground ginger (not an appropriate substitute for recipes calling for fresh ginger)has different characteristics and is used in curries, soups and baked goods (i.e. gingerbread and ginger snaps). Ginger can also be found candied, preserved and pickled, each with its own uses.
|
| glucose | A type of sugar used in commercial candies and frosting, baked good, soft drinks and other processed foods because it doesn't crystallize easily.
also call dextroglucose or dextrose, check in a store that has a large cake decorating section or offers cake decorating classes.
|
| glycerin, glycerine | A colorless, odorless,syrupy liquid made from fats and oils and used to retain moisture
and add sweetness to foods. It also helps to prevent sugar crystallization in foods like candy.
|
| guinness stout | A brand of of strong dark beer which originated in the British Isles.
It is made with dark-roasted barley and is more fragrant of hops than other types of beer.
|
| half and half | A blend of light cream and milk, which produces
a cream with about 12% milk fat.
|
| hanger steak | Beef muscle over the 7th and 8th ribs; similar to flank or skirt steak in texture and rib-eye in flavor. This muscle is little used by the animal and full of blood giving the cooked meat a reddish appearance.
|
| hardtack | A large, hard biscuit made with unsalted, unleavened,flour and water dough. It is baked and dried to give it a longer shelf life and has been used as a staple by sailors at least since the 1800's.
It is also known as ship biscuit and sea bread.
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