Food and Wine

Thick liquid served with food usually savory dishes to add moistness and flavor.

To cook food quickly in a small amount of fat or oil until brown in a skillet or saute pan over direct heat. The saute pan and fat must be hot before the food is added otherwise the food will absorb oil and become soggy. Practice makes perfectly saute foods.

To dip fruits or vegetables in boiling water in order to loosen their skins and simplify peeling. The produce should be left in the water for only 30 seconds to prohibit cooking and should be shocked in an ice water bath before the skin is removed

To remove the scales from the skin of a fish using a dull knife or a special kitchen tool called a fish scaler. Also means weighing out all ingredients in a recipe.

To brown meat or fish quickly over very high heat either in a fry pan under a broiler or in a hot oven. Searing seals in the food's juices and provides a crisp tasty exterior. Seared food can then be eaten rare or roasted or braised to desired degree of doneness.

To coat the cooking surface of a new pot or pan with vegetable oil then heat in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. This smoothes out the surface of new pots and pans particularly cast-iron and prevents foods from sticking.

To remove the seeds from fruits and vegetables.

To cut food into thin strips. This can be done by hand or by using a grater or food processor. Cooked meat can be shredded by pulling it apart with two forks.

A small free-swimming crustacean with an elongated body typically marine and frequently harvested for food.

To strain liquids or particles of food through a sieve or strainer. Press the solids using a ladle or wooden spoon into the strainer to remove as much liquid and flavor as possible.

To pass dry ingredients through a fine mesh sifter so large pieces can be removed. The process also incorporates air to make ingredients like flour lighter. Synonymous with AERATE.

To cook food in liquid over gentle heat just below the boiling point low enough so that tiny bubbles just begin to break the surface.

To spear small pieces of food on long thin pointed rods called skewers. The Romans and Chinese have skewered many foods for thousands of years.

To remove the scum that rises to the surface from a liquid when it is boiled. The top layer of the liquid such as the cream from milk or the foam and fat from stock soups or sauces can be removed using a spoon ladle or skimmer. Soups stews or sauces can be chilled so that the fat coagulates on the surface and may be easily removed before reheating.

To remove the skin from food before or after cooking. Poultry fish and game are often skinned for reasons of appearance taste and diet. Check out our cutlery section for scissors and skinning knives.

To expose fresh food to smoke from a wood fire for a prolonged period of time. Traditionally used for preservation purposes smoking is now a means of giving flavor to food. Smoking tends to dry the food kills bacteria deepens color and gives food a smoky flavor. The duration of smoking varies from 20 minutes to several days. The most commonly used woods are beech oak and chestnut to which aromatic essences are often added. Small home smokers are now available.

A spice is a seed fruit root bark berry bud or vegetable substance primarily used for flavoring coloring or preserving food. Spices are distinguished from herbs which are parts of leafy green plants used for flavoring or as a garnish.

To cook food on a rack or in steamer basket over a boiling liquid in a covered pan. Steaming retains flavor shape texture and nutrients better than boiling or poaching. Our steamer insert fits almost any pot! Search 'steamer basket' on the home page.

A large bass of North American coastal waters with dark horizontal stripes along the upper sides migrating up streams to breed.

The summer flounder is a marine flatfish that is found in the Atlantic Ocean off the East coast of the United States and Canada. It is especially abundant in waters from North Carolina to Massachusetts

To remove the flesh sections of citrus fruit from the membranes. Using a sharp knife cut away all of the skin and pith from the outside of the fruit. Place the knife between the membrane and the flesh of one section and slice down. Turn the knife catching the middle of the fruit. Slice up removing each section sans membrane.

To cook vegetables in fat over gentle heat so they become soft but not brown and their juices are concentrated in the cooking fat. If the pan is covered during cooking the ingredients will keep a certain amount of their natural moisture. If the pan is not covered the ingredients will remain relatively dry.