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Showing: acidulated water - age

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acidulated water

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Water to which a small amount of vinegar, lemon or lime juice has been added. It's used as a soak to prevent discoloration of some fruits and vegetables (such as apples and artichokes) that darken quickly when their cut surfaces are exposed to air. It can also be used as a cooking medium.

acini di pepe

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Italian for "peppercorns," referring culinarily to tiny peppercorn-shaped PASTA.

acitrón pl. acitrónes

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

see NOPALES

ackee; akee; achee

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A bright red tropical fruit that, when ripe, bursts open to reveal three large black seeds and a soft, creamy white flesh. The scientific name, blighia sapida, comes from Captain Bligh, who brought the fruit from West Africa to Jamaica in 1793. It is extremely popular in one of Jamaica's national dishes, "saltfish and ackee." Because certain parts of the fruit are toxic when underripe, canned ackee is often subject to import restrictions.

acorn

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Acorns are the fruit of the oak tree. Some varieties are edible and, like chestnuts, may be eaten raw, roasted or baked. They may also be ground and used as a substitute for coffee.

acorn squash

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A somewhat oval-shaped winter squash with a ribbed, dark green skin and orange flesh. The most common method of preparation is to halve them, remove the seeds and bake. Acorn squash may then be eaten directly from the shell. See also SQUASH.

active dry yeast

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

see YEAST

additives

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

food In the broadest of terms, food additives are substances intentionally added to food either directly or indirectly with one or more of the following purposes: 1. to maintain or improve nutritional quality; 2. to maintain product quality and freshness; 3. to aid in the processing or preparation of food; and 4. to make food more appealing. Some 2,800 substances are currently added to foods for one or more of these uses. During normal processing, packaging and storage, up to 10,000 other ...

ade

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A drink, such as lemonade or limeade, made by combining water, sugar and citrus juice.

adjust

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

In cooking, to "adjust flavoring" means to taste before serving, adding seasoning if necessary.

adobo

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

1. A Philippine national dish of braised chicken and pork with coconut milk. 2. A Philippine seasoning composed of CHILES, herbs and vinegar.

adobo sauce

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Of Mexican origin, this dark-red, rather piquant sauce (or paste) is made from ground CHILES, herbs and vinegar. It's used as a marinade as well as a serving sauce. CHIPOTLE CHILES are often marketed packed in adobo sauce.

advocaat

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Reminiscent of eggnog, this Dutch LIQUEUR is made with BRANDY, egg yolks and sugar.

adzuki bean; azuki bean

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A small, dried, russet-colored bean with a sweet flavor. Adzuki beans can be purchased whole or powdered at Asian markets. They are particularly popular in Japanese cooking where they're used in confections such as the popular YOKAN, made with adzuki-bean paste and AGAR. See also BEANS.

adzuki-bean

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

see ADZUKI BEAN

aemono

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Japanese term meaning "dressed foods" and referring to saladlike dishes combined with a DRESSING complimentary to the ingredients. The composition of the dressings varies but is generally based on pureed TOFU. Aemono dishes are usually served chilled as appetizers, although Japanese diners sometimes eat them towards the end of a meal prior to the rice.

aerate

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

A term used in cookery as a synonym for SIFT.

agar; agar-agar

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Also called kanten and Japanese gelatin, this tasteless dried seaweed acts as a setting agent and is widely used in Asia. It is marketed in the form of blocks, powder or strands and is available at Asian markets and health-food stores. Agar can be substituted for gelatin but has stronger setting properties so less of it is required.

agave

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

Also called century plant, this family of succulents grows in the southwestern United States, Mexico and Central America. Though poisonous when raw, agave has a sweet, mild flavor when baked or made into a syrup. Certain varieties are used in making the alcoholic beverages MESCAL, PULQUE and TEQUILA.

age

BY: The Food Lover's Companion

aged To let food get older under controlled conditions in order to improve flavor or texture or both. 1. Aged meat has been stored 3 to 6 weeks at an optimal temperature of 34°F to 38°F and in low humidity. During this time it undergoes an enzymatic change that intensifies flavor, deepens color and tenderizes by softening some of the connective tissue. The longer meat is aged, the more quickly it will cook. The cryovac method of aging involves vacuum packing the meat with a vapor- and mois...

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