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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 ...
There are several varieties of this mint-family member, a perennial herb native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Garden thyme, the most often used variety, is a bush with gray-green leaves giving off a pungent minty, light-lemon aroma. Subvarieties include the narrow-leafed French thyme and broad-leafed English thyme. The most well-known subvariety of wild thyme — a thick ground cover — is lemon thyme, an herb with a more pronounced lemon aroma than garden thyme. Whatever the variety, thyme is widely used in cooking to add flavor to vegetables, meat, poultry and fish dishes, soups and cream sauces. It's a basic herb of French cuisine and integral to bouquet garni. Fresh thyme is available in some specialty produce shops and supermarkets during the summer months. Dried thyme — both leaf and powder form — is available year-round. As with all herbs, thyme should be stored in a cool, dark place for no more than 6 months. See also herbs; herb and spice chart; A field guide to herbs.
Industry:Culinary arts
Hanging and aging is how many meat processors tenderize meat, but the home cook can easily do so by simple mechanical or chemical methods. Tenderizing meat mechanically is accomplished by breaking down the meat's tough fibers through pounding. Meat pounders (also called meat bats, mallets and tenderizers) come in metal or wood and in a plethora of sizes and shapes. They can be large or small, have horizontal or vertical handles and be round-, square- or mallet-shaped. Some have smooth surfaces while others are ridged. Tenderizing meat chemically refers to softening the meat fibers by long, slow cooking, by marinating it in an acid-based marinade, or by using a commercial meat tenderizer. Most forms of the latter are a white powder, composed mostly of a papaya extract called papain, an enzyme that breaks down tough meat fibers. The use of this enzyme is nothing new — South American cooks have been using papaya juice to tenderize meat for ages. Powdered meat tenderizer is available at most supermarkets. Most brands contain salt, sugar (in the form of dextrose) and the anticaking agent calcium stearate.
Industry:Culinary arts
Agents that are used to lighten the texture and increase the volume of baked goods such as breads, cakes and cookies. Baking powder, baking soda and yeast are the most common leaveners used today. When mixed with a liquid they form carbon dioxide gas bubbles, which cause a batter or dough to rise during (and sometimes before) the baking process. Some foods, such as angel food cake and sponge cake, are leavened by the air beaten into egg whites. When heated, the egg whites cook and set, trapping the air inside and creating a light, airy cake.
Industry:Culinary arts
A thick, creamy dressing that's an emulsion of vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar and seasonings. If egg yolks aren't used, the product is called salad dressing, which is also sweeter than mayonnaise. Commercial mayonnaise (which must contain at least 65 percent oil by weight) sometimes contains other additions including emulsifiers and sweeteners. There are many reduced-fat mayonnaises — ranging from about 25 percent to 50 percent less fat than regular margarine — as well as fat-free mayonnaise. Besides less oil (or none, as the case with fat-free spreads), these mayonnaises contain ingredients like modified food starch, cellulose gel and other thickeners and emulsifiers, all of which help contribute to the proper consistency. Electric mixers, blenders and food processors make homemade mayonnaise a cinch. All mayonnaise should be refrigerated once made or opened. Unfortunately, the homemade style — which is far superior in taste and texture — lasts only 3 to 4 days. The commercial product can be stored up to 6 months. Mayonnaise is widely used as a spread, a dressing and a sauce. It's also used as the base for a plethora of other mixtures including tartar sauce, thousand island dressing, Aïoli and Rémoulade.
Industry:Culinary arts
A fluffy, cottony confection made from long, thin spun sugar threads, which are wound onto a cardboard cone for easy eating. Cotton candy is often tinted with food coloring, most commonly pink, and is sometimes also flavored. It dates back to the early 1900s, and has been a favorite at amusement parks, county fairs and circuses ever since.
Industry:Culinary arts
It's hard to believe that one of the rarest and most expensive foods in the world is located by pigs and dogs. This exceptional fungus grows 3 to 12 inches underground near the roots of trees (usually oak but also chestnut, hazel and beech), never beyond the range of the branches. The difficult-to-find truffle is routed out by animals that have been specially trained for several years. Pigs have keener noses, but dogs are less inclined to gobble up the prize. Once the truffle is found, the farmer (trufficulteur) scrapes back the earth, being careful not to touch the truffle with his hands (which will cause the fungus to rot). If the truffle isn't ripe, it's carefully reburied for future harvesting. This methodically slow and labor-intensive harvesting method is what makes truffles so extremely expensive. Truffles have been prized by gourmets for centuries and were credited by the ancient Greeks and Romans with both therapeutic and aphrodisiac powers. A truffle has a rather unappealing appearance — round and irregularly shaped with a thick, rough, wrinkled skin that varies in color from almost black to off-white. Of the almost 70 known varieties, the most desirable is the black truffle, also known as black diamond, of France's Périgord and Quercy regions and the Umbria region of Italy. Its extremely pungent flesh is black (really very dark brown) with white striations. The next most popular is the white truffle (actually off-white or beige) of Italy's Piedmont region, with its earthy, garlicky aroma and flavor. Fresh imported truffles are available from late fall to midwinter in specialty markets. Choose firm, well-shaped truffles with no sign of blemishes. Truffles should be used as soon as possible after purchase but can be stored up to 3 days in the refrigerator. To take full advantage of their perfumy fragrance, bury them in a container of rice or whole eggs and cover tightly before refrigerating. The truffle fragrance will permeate the ingredients they're stored with, giving the cook a double-flavor bonus. Brush any surface dust off the truffle and peel the dark species (saving the peelings for soups). White truffles need not be peeled. Canned truffles, truffle paste in a tube and, to a limited extent, frozen truffles are also found in specialty stores. Dark truffles are generally used to flavor cooked foods such as omelets, polentas, risottos and sauces, like the famous Périgueux. The more mildly flavored white truffles are usually served raw by grating them over foods such as pasta or cheese dishes. They're also added at the last minute to cooked dishes. A special implement called a truffle slicer can be used to shave off paper-thin slivers and slices of truffle. Dishes flavored or garnished with truffles are often referred to as À la Périgourdine. See also chocolate truffle.
Industry:Culinary arts
Considered by many the most intensely flavored member of the berry family, the raspberry is composed of many connecting drupelets (individual sections of fruit, each with its own seed) surrounding a central core. There are three main varieties — black, golden and red, the latter being the most widely available. Depending on the region, raspberries are available from May through November. Choose brightly colored, plump berries sans hull. If the hulls are still attached, the berries were picked too early and will undoubtedly be tart. Avoid soft, shriveled or moldy berries. Store (preferably in a single layer) in a moistureproof container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. If necessary, rinse lightly just before serving. Raspberries are very fragile and are at their best served fresh with just a kiss of cream. They also make excellent jam. Seedless raspberry jam is available commercially. The berries contain a fair amount of iron, potassium and vitamins A and C.
Industry:Culinary arts
A French term referring to having all the ingredients necessary for a dish prepared and ready to combine up to the point of cooking.
Industry:Culinary arts
A wafer-thin East Indian bread made with lentil flour. This tortillalike bread can be unseasoned (as preferred in southern India) or variously flavored with red or black pepper, garlic or other seasonings, as in northern India. Pappadams are available in Indian markets in various sizes and flavors. Deep-fried pappadams puff up to almost double their original size. Grilling them over an open flame will give them a smoky flavor.
Industry:Culinary arts
