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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 ...
This giant citrus fruit is native to Malaysia (where it still grows abundantly) and thought to be ancestor to the grapefruit. Like grapefruits, pomelos vary greatly in color, size and shape. They range from cantaloupe-size to as large as a 25-pound watermelon and have very thick, soft rind that can vary in color from yellow to pale yellowish-brown to pink. The light yellow to coral-pink flesh can vary from juicy to slightly dry and from seductively spicy-sweet to tangy and tart. The pomelo is also called shaddock after an English sea captain who introduced the seed to the West Indies. The French name for this fruit is chadec. Choose fruit that is heavy for its size, blemish-free and sweetly fragrant. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Pomelos may be used in any way suitable for grapefruit. They're high in vitamin C and potassium. The pomelo is also called Chinese grapefruit.
Industry:Culinary arts
To kill bacteria by heating milk or other liquids to moderately high temperatures for a short period of time. Milk must be heated to at least 145°F for not less than 30 minutes or at least 161°F for 15 seconds, and then rapidly cooled to 40°F or lower. The process was discovered by the famous French scientist Louis Pasteur while he was researching the cause of beer and wine spoilage. Although pasteurization is used in beer processing and for some wines and fruit juices, the major beneficiary is milk. Pasteurization kills the bacteria in milk that were once responsible for transmitting diseases such as typhoid fever, tuberculosis, scarlet fever, polio and dysentery. lactic acid bacteria, which cause milk to sour, are not destroyed by pasteurization. Neither is the food value of milk greatly diminished by the process. See also homogenize.
Industry:Culinary arts
This tiny cowberry (a member of the cranberry family) grows wild in the mountainous regions of Scandinavia, Russia, Canada and — in the United States — Maine. The tart red berries are available fresh only in the regions where they're grown. They can be purchased as sweet sauces or preserves, however, and make excellent accompaniments for pancakes, crêpes, puddings, etc.
Industry:Culinary arts
A test for sugar syrup in which a drop of boiling syrup forms a soft 2-inch thread when immersed in cold water. On a candy thermometer, the thread stage is between 230° and 234°F.
Industry:Culinary arts
Though 18th-century satirist Jonathan Swift once wrote, "He was a bold man that first ate an oyster," this bivalve has been a culinary favorite for thousands of years. The hard, rough, gray shell contains a meat that can vary in color from creamy beige to pale gray, in flavor from salty to bland and in texture from tender to firm. There are both natural and cultivated oyster beds throughout the world. In the United States, there are three primary species of oysters that are commercially harvested — Pacific (or Japanese), Eastern (or Atlantic) and the Olympia. Each species is sold under different names depending on where they're harvested. olympia oysters are rarely larger than 1 1/2 inches and hail from Washington's Puget Sound. The pacific oyster (or Japanese oyster) is found along the Pacific seaboard and can reach up to a foot long. Considered culinarily superior to the Pacific oysters are atlantic oysters (or Eastern oysters), the most well known of which is the bluepoint. Others from the Atlantic seaboard — named for their place of origin — include Apalachicola, Cape Cod, Chincoteague, Indian River, Kent Island, Malpeque and Wellfleet. In Europe, the French are famous for their belon oysters (which are now also being farmed in the United States) and their green-tinged Marennes oysters; the English have their Colchester, Helford and Whitstable oysters; and the Irish have Galway oysters. Fresh oysters are available year-round. Today's widespread refrigeration keeps them cool during hot weather, debunking the old myth of not eating them during months spelled without an "r. " However, oysters are at their best — particularly for serving raw on the half shell — during fall and winter because they spawn during the summer months and become soft and fatty. Shipping costs generally prohibit movement of oysters far from their beds, limiting the abundant supply to local varieties. Live oysters are best as fresh as possible and therefore should be purchased from a store with good turnover. Reject those that do not have tightly closed shells or that don't snap shut when tapped. The smaller the oyster is (for its species) the younger and more tender it will be. Fresh, shucked oysters are also available and should be plump, uniform in size, have good color, smell fresh and be packaged in clear, not cloudy oyster liquor. Live oysters should be covered with a damp towel and refrigerated (larger shell down) up to 3 days. The sooner they're used the better they'll taste. Refrigerate shucked oysters in their liquor and use within 2 days. Oysters are also available canned in water or their own liquor, frozen and smoked. Oysters in the shell can be served raw, baked, steamed, grilled or in specialty dishes such as oysters rockefeller. Shucked oysters can be batter-fried, sautéed, grilled, used in soups or stews or in special preparations such as dressings, poultry stuffings or appetizers like angels on horseback. Oysters are high in calcium, niacin and iron, as well as a good source of protein. See also shellfish.
Industry:Culinary arts
A microwave oven cooks with high-frequency radio waves that cause food molecules to vibrate, creating friction that heats and cooks the food. Microwaves travel so fast (and therefore cook food quickly) because they're extremely short. Nonmetal containers are used in these special ovens because microwaves pass through them (unlike metal), thereby cooking the food from all angles (top, bottom and sides) at once. The fact that the waves pass through glass and ceramics means that the containers stay relatively cool while the food they contain becomes quite hot. The exception is when, during long cooking periods, the food can make the container very hot. Ideally, containers and products like paper towels and paper plates suitable for microwave cooking should be labeled "microwave safe. " Because microwaves only penetrate about 1 inch into food, the center of most foods is cooked by heat conduction. This also means that thin pieces of food cook faster than those that are thick. Some microwave ovens have turntables for even microwave distribution. Others have revolving antennae for the same purpose. Microwave ovens use relatively little energy and do not heat up the kitchen. Microwave ovens range in power from about 500 watts to about 900 watts. Knowing the wattage of your oven is vital to following microwave-oven recipes, most of which are written for 700-watt models. Factors that affect how fast food cooks in a microwave oven include: the temperature of the food when cooking begins; the volume of food being cooked at one time; the size and shape of the food; the amount of fat, sugar and moisture in the food (fat and sugar speed the cooking; moisture impedes it); bone distribution; and food density (carrots, for example, are much more dense than eggplant).
Industry:Culinary arts
Piatto tradizionale delle regione provenzale francese che comprende melanzane, pomodori, cipolle, peperoni, zucchini, aglio ed erbe aromatiche, il tutto cotto lentamente nell'olio d'oliva. Le verdure possono variare secondo il cuoco. Possono essere cotte insieme oppure separatamente e poi mescolate e riscaldate insieme per breve tempo. La ratatouille può essere servita calda, fredda o a temperatura ambiente, sia come contorno che come antipasto con pane o cracker.
Industry:Culinary arts
This large edible root belongs to the morning-glory family and is native to tropical areas of the Americas. There are many varieties of sweet potato but the two that are widely grown commercially are a pale sweet potato and the darker-skinned variety Americans erroneously call "yam" (the true yam is not related to the sweet potato). The pale sweet potato has a thin, light yellow skin and a pale yellow flesh. Its flavor is not sweet and after being cooked, the pale sweet potato is dry and crumbly, much like a white baking potato. The darker variety has a thicker, dark orange skin and a vivid orange, sweet flesh that cooks to a much moister texture. Fresh sweet potatoes are available sporadically throughout the year, though not as readily during the summer months. Canned and frozen sweet potatoes are available year-round and are sometimes labeled as yams. When buying fresh sweet potatoes choose those that are small- to medium-sized with smooth, unbruised skins. Sweet potatoes don't store well unless the environment is just right, which is dry, dark and around 55°F. Under perfect conditions they can be stored for 3 to 4 weeks. Otherwise, store in a cool, dark place and use within a week of purchase. Do not refrigerate. Sweet potatoes — particularly the pale variety — can be substituted for regular potatoes in most recipes. They can be prepared in a variety of ways including baking, boiling and sautéing. Sweet-potato chips can now be found on some restaurant menus. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamins A and C. See also potato.
Industry:Culinary arts
A small, round, tangy-sweet plum with a greenish-yellow skin and flesh. It's good for both out-of-hand eating and cooking. See also plum.
Industry:Culinary arts
