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Barrons Educational Series, Inc.
Industry: Printing & publishing
Number of terms: 62402
Number of blossaries: 0
Company Profile:
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 ...
A Greek soup as well as a sauce, both of which are made from chicken broth, egg yolks and lemon juice. The main difference is that the soup has rice added to it. The sauce is thicker than the soup.
Industry:Culinary arts
A bitter, aromatic herb used in flavoring absinthe, some wines such as vermouth, and occasionally (but not in the United States) in cooking. In the past, wormwood was popular as a medicinal herb for colds, stomach problems and rheumatism. Because the flavoring oil extracted from this herb is potentially poisonous, the United States has banned preparations (such as absinthe) made with an excessive amount of it. See also herbs.
Industry:Culinary arts
Found off the coast of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico, the true jewfish is a member of the grouper family and can weigh up to 750 pounds. (Giant sea bass are also sometimes referred to as jewfish. ) Its firm, white meat is usually sold in steaks and fillets. Jewfish can be cooked in any manner suitable for grouper. See also fish.
Industry:Culinary arts
sec
This French word literally means "dry" and when used to describe still (nonbubbly) wines, indicates that the wine has little if any residual sugar left after fermentation, meaning the wine is dry (not sweet). In sparkling wines such as champagne, however, the word takes on quite another meaning: "sec" indicates a relatively sweet wine (demi-sec even sweeter), while the driest sparkling wines are referred to as brut.
Industry:Culinary arts
A rendered chicken fat (sometimes flavored with onions, apples and seasonings) that is strained and used in many dishes of Middle European Jewish origin much like butter — both in cooking and as a spread for bread.
Industry:Culinary arts
Paper-thin sheets of dough made from flour, eggs and salt, and used to make won ton, egg rolls and similar preparations. Won ton skins can be purchased prepackaged in some supermarkets and in most Chinese markets. The wrappers usually come in both squares and circles and are available in various thicknesses.
Industry:Culinary arts
A substance obtained from an Asian shrub, Astragalus gummifer, and used in the same way as gum arabic. See also guar gum; xanthan gum.
Industry:Culinary arts
The tried-but-true saying that everything but the pig's squeal can be used is accurate indeed. Though pigs are bred primarily for their meat (commonly referred to as pork) and fat, the trimmings and lesser cuts (feet, jowl, tail, etc. ) are used for sausage, the bristles for brushes, the hair for furniture and the skin for leather. The majority of pork in the marketplace today is cured — like bacon and ham — while the remainder is termed "fresh. " Slaughterhouses can (but usually don't) request and pay for their pork to be graded by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The grades are USDA 1, 2, 3, 4 and utility — from the best downwards — based on the proportion of lean to fat. Whether graded or not, all pork used for intrastate commerce is subjected to state or federal inspection for wholesomeness, insuring that the slaughter and processing of the animal was done under sanitary conditions. Pork shipped interstate must be federally inspected. Today's pork is leaner (about 1/3 fewer calories) and higher in protein than that consumed just 10 years ago. Thanks to improved feeding techniques, trichinosis in pork is now also rarely an issue. Normal precautions should still be taken, however, such as washing anything (hands, knives, cutting boards, etc. ) that comes in contact with raw pork and never tasting uncooked pork. Cooking it to an internal temperature of 137°F will kill any trichinae. However, allowing for a safety margin for thermometer inaccuracy, most experts recommend an internal temperature of from 150° to 165°F, which will still produce a juicy, tender result. The 170° to 185°F temperature recommended in many cookbooks produces overcooked meat. Though pork generally refers to young swine under a year old, most pork today is slaughtered at between 6 to 9 months, producing a leaner, more tender meat. Though available year-round, fresh pork is more plentiful (and the prices lower) from October to February. Look for pork that is pale pink with a small amount of marbling and white (not yellow) fat. The darker pink the flesh, the older the animal. Fresh pork that will be used within 6 hours of purchase may be refrigerated in its store packaging. Otherwise, remove the packaging and store loosely wrapped with waxed paper in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Wrapped airtight, pork can be frozen from 3 to 6 months, with the larger cuts having longer storage capabilities than chops or ground meat. Some of the more popular fresh pork cuts are pork chops, pork loin and pork ribs. The most popular cured pork products include ham, bacon, canadian bacon and salt pork. See also chop; crown roast; cutlet; fatback; kidney,pig'S feet; shank; spareribs; sweetbreads; tongue; tripe picnic ham.
Industry:Culinary arts
Related to lily, this plant is prized around the world for the magic taste it gives to man dishes with its pungent flavor and taste. There are two main types of onion — green onions (also called scallions) and dry onions, which are just mature onions with a juicy flesh covered with dry, papery skin. Dry onions come in a wide range of sizes, shapes and flavors. Among those that are mild flavored are the white or yellow Bermuda onion, being available from March to June; the bigger one, more spherical Spanish onion, which is usually yellow skinned (but can be also white) and in season from August to May; and the red or Italian onion, which is available throughout whole year. The stronger-flavored globe onions can have yellow, red or white skins. They range from 1 to 4 inches in diameter and in flavor from mild pungent to too sharp. Among the special onion varieties there are three extremely juicy types. The Maui onion, hailing — as its name implies — from the Hawaiian island of same name, is sweet, mild and humid. It can range from white to pale yellow color and is usually shaped like a slightly flattened sphere. The Maui onion's season grows from April to July. Vidalia onions are the namesake of Vidalia, Georgia, where they grow. At their best, these large, pale yellow onions are too sweet and juicy. They're usually available from May to June only in regions where grown or by mail order. The state of Washington is the source of Walla Walla onions, named after the city of this same name. Large, round and golden, they grow from June to September but are usually available outside their growing region only by mail order. Oso Sweet onions hail from South America and, as their name suggests, are very succulent and sweet and, in fact, they contain almost 50 percent more sugar than Vidalias. They're available in specialty markets from January through March. Another import is the Rio Sweet onion, which is slightly sweet and available from October through December. Tiny pearl onions are mild-flavored and about size of a small marble. They can be cooked (and are often creamed) and served as a side dish or pickled and used as a condiment or garnish (as in the gibson cocktail). Boiling onions are about 1 inch in diameter with a sweet flavor. They're cooked as a side dish, used in stews and pickled. When you buy onions, choose those that are heavy for their size with dry, papery skins with no spots or moistness. Avoid onions of soft spots. Store in a cool, dry place with good air circulation for up to 2 months (depending on their condition when purchased). Humidity breeds spoilage in dry onions. Once cut, an onion should be tightly wrapped, refrigerated and used within 4 days. Most onions cause tearing (caused by sulfuric compounds) to some extent — some just watery eyes, others giant crocodile tears. Freezing the onion for 20 minutes before chopping, but then so does wearing safety goggles. Dried or freeze-dried onions as-products include onion powder (ground dehydrated onion), onion salt (onion powder and salt), onion flakes and onion flavoring cubes. Onions are also sold canned or pickled (usually pearl onions) and frozen (whole or chopped). Onions contain a fair amount of vitamin C with traces of other vitamins too and minerals. See also chive; leek; scallion; shallot.
Industry:Culinary arts
Small gray and silver fish related to both cod and hake. They're sometimes called silver hake. The whiting's lowfat flesh is white, firm textured and delicately flavored. The fish weighs between 1 and 5 pounds and is marketed (fresh and frozen) both whole and in fillets. Whiting is also available salted and smoked. It can be poached, steamed, broiled, panfried or baked. See also fish.
Industry:Culinary arts