Cooking Terms
Here is a quick reference to common cooking terms we use.
Half-and-half
A mixture of equal parts cream and milk. It has about 12
percent milk fat and cannot be whipped.
Haricot vert
French for "green string bean", these beans are
particularly thin and tender.
Heavy cream
Also called heavy whipping cream. Heavy cream contains at
least 46 perecent milk fat and is the richest cream available. It can be
whipped to twice its volume.
Hoisin Sauce
A sauce, popular in Asian cooking, that brings a multitude
of sweet and spicy flavors to a dish: fermented...
Tahini
A flavoring agent, often used in Middle Eastern cooking,
that's made from ground sesame seeds. Look for tahini in specialty food shops
or Asian markets.
Tamari
A dark, thin sauce made from soybeans. Tamari is a slightly
thicker, mellower cousin of soy sauce and is used to flavor Asian dishes. In a
pinch, substitute soy sauce.
Tamarind paste
A thick, tart, brown Asian flavoring that comes from the
fruit of a tamarind tree.
Thickeners
Food substances used to...
Nonstick cooking spray
This convenient product reduces the mess associated with
greasing pans; it can also help cut down on fat in cooking. Use the spray only
on unheatedbaking pans or skillets because it can burn or smoke if sprayed onto
a hot surface. For safety, hold pans over a sink or garbage can when spraying
to avoid making the floor or counter slippery.
Nuts
Dried seeds or fruits with edible kernels surrounded by a
hard shell or rind. Nuts are available in many forms, such as chopped,
slivered, and...
Al dente
Italian for "to the tooth." It describes pasta
that is cooked until it offers a slight resistance when bitten into, rather
than cooked until soft.
Almond paste
A creamy mixture made of ground, blanched almonds and sugar
that's often used as a filling in pastries, cakes, and confections. For best
baking results, use an almond paste without syrup or liquid glucose.
Anchovy paste
A mixture of ground anchovies, vinegar, and seasonings.
Anchovy paste is available in tubes in the canned fish or gourmet section of
the supermarket.
Artificial...
