Kitchen Guide - Time-Life Foods of the World

TIME-LIFE BOOKS

FOODS OF THE WORLD

EDITOR

SERIES EDITOR: Richard L. Williams

Maitland A. Edey

EDITORIAL STAFF FOR THE KITCHEN GUIDE:

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR

Associate Editor: James Wyckoff Designer: Albert Sherman Assistant Designer: Robert Pellegrini Chief Researcher: Helen Fennell Researchers: Penny Grist, Helen M. Hinkle,

Sheldon Cotler

Helen Isaacs, Diana Sweeney

CHIEF OF RESEARCH

Beatrice T. Dobie

Test Kitchen Chef) ohn W. Clancy Test Kitchen Staff: Fili Bergman,Joel Levy,

PICTURE EDITOR

Leola Spencer

Jerry Korn TEXT DIRECTOR

Martin Mann

Robert G. Mason

Assistant Text Directors:

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION

Harold C. Field, Ogden Tanner

Color Director: Robert L. Young Assistant: James). Cox Copy Staff: Marian Gordon Goldman,

Assistant Art Director: Arnold C. Holeywell Assistant Chief of Research: Martha Turner

Rosalind Stubenberg, Florence Keith PUBLISHER

Rhett Austell

General Manager: Joseph C. Hazen Jr. Circulation Director: Joan D. Manley Marketing Director: Carter Smith Business Manager:John D. McSweeney Publishing Board: Nicholas Benton,

Picture Department: Dolores A. Littles Traffic: Arthur A. Goldberger, Douglas B. Graham Art Assistant: John Woods

Louis Bronzo,James Wendell Forbes The following individuals and departments of Time Inc. gave Library of Congress catalogue card

valuable aid in the preparation of this book: the Chief of the

number 68-11546.

Time Inc. Bureau of Editorial Reference, Peter Draz; the Chief

Published simultaneously in Canada.

of the T IME- LIFE News Service, Richard M. Clurman.

cover and pages 5, 6Credits and Acknowledgments: Consulting Editor, Michael Field. Photographs: pages 9, 13, Charles Meek; Richard 51, 48-49, 47, 45, 42, 41, pages 10-11, 12, Richard Jeffery;

7, 8,

except the drawing on page 15, by Phillips; page 46, Mark Kauffman. All drawings by Otto van Eersel, are indebted to The Bridge Matt Greene. Text written by Margaret Elliott and Diana Walton. The editors Dairy Council, Chicago, Company, New York City, for the use of kitchen equipment, and to the National Spice Trade Associa American the Illinois; Chicago, Board, Meat and Stock Live Illinois; the National and research material. tion, New York City; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for illustration

:Foods ofthe "World

itchen CJuide BY THE EDITORS OF TIME-LIFE BOOKS

/

TIME-LIFE BOOKS, NEW YORK

Introduction You can enj oy reading the entire FooDs WoRLD series without ever stirring from your armchair to stir a pot. But you will enjoy it much more i f you put the books -or at least their companion recipe book lets-to work i n the kitchen. The individual volumes o f the series, the recipe booklets and this Kitchen Guide all assume the same thing about your kitchen : that it is not j ust the " drudge center" of your home, a place where three meals a day must be gotten over with, but a room to be creative in, a place i n which to find the satis faction of personal accompli shment. I n cooking there is always something new to be learned, whether from the French, the Chinese, or a cuisine closer to home. When properly performed, cooking-in which any body can be part arti st, part scienti st-en gages all the senses, and i n fact all of oneself. We also assume-whether you already possess many, few or none o f the nearly 1 , 200 cookbooks already available in the U . S .-that you start this series with some enthusiasm for good food and good cook ing. What cannot be taken for granted is how much knowledge you start out with. Accord ingly, our recipes have been made as clear and complete as possible. All have been tested in the FooDs OF THE WoRLD kitch en. Some are accompanied by step-by-step photographs or drawings, to help guide you OF THE

through procedures that may be complicat ed the first time around. This guide i s i ntended as a manual to help the beg i nner, as well as the experienced cook, i n understanding the basic require ments of equipment, marketi ng, stori ng food, planning and servi ng meals. It can be used in conj unction with the other books in the FooDs OF THE WoRLD Library (or with any cookbook) as an easy reference in which to look up any basic cooking process, from freezing meat to trussing a chicken. For more detailed i n formation the reader can turn to the books in the L ibrary itself.

-The Editors

© 1%8 Tirnc Inc. All rights reserved.

Gonte nts :

Basic Kitchen Equipment

Selecting and Storing Food

Glossary of Food and Cooking Terms

Carving and Slicing

Meal Planning and Serving

Herbs and Spices

Equivalents and Measures

Cooking utensi l s : construction, preferred materials and a suggested selection of basic types. E ssential tools for mixing and measuring, baking, cutting and chopping, and mi scellaneous kitchen chores.

Page4

A general primer on meat. Detailed i n formation, with diagrams, on beef, veal, lamb and pork. How to choose and store fish, poultry, eggs, milk products, fruits, vegetables, staples, canned goods and frozen food s .

Page 14

T h e most i mportant a n d widely u s e d terms i n cooking, listed alphabetically, along with detailed explanatio n s and illustrations o f techniques that are essential to simple and complicated recipes alike.

Page40

Step-by- step i n structions with detailed d rawings to guide you i n carvi ng and slicing various roasts, a rack of lamb, flank or porterhouse steak, ham, leg of lamb, roast chicken, turkey and a whole fish.

Page 52

How to prepare a meal for your family and for guests. Table settings for a buffet, a formal d i n ner pary and an informal one. How to place silverware, g lasses, plates and the servi ng d i shes.

Page 58

An alphabetical listing o f the major herbs and spices, with an indication o f their strength and quality of their flavor, and some suggestions on how to use them i n the kitchen .

Page 62

Charts li sting U . S . weights and measures, commonly u sed foreign volumes and U.S. equivalents, and a l i st o f weight and volume equivalents for many 1\:.0/lWffi.Qfl foods that change in form during preparatio n .

Page64

CJ3asic Xjjchen equipme nt In selecting kitchen equipment that will save you time, money and frustrati on i t is important to take several points into con sideration: how much you cook, how many people you ordi narily cook for, how experi enced you are, what kind of kitchen you have now. In this section of the Kitchen Guide,

you will find basic kitchen tools, grouped according to the jobs they do. Some i tems are i ncluded that are not absolutely neces sary , but that are especially useful for spe cific tasks. The degree of your skill will determine whether you will want to obtain them now, or add them when you have be come more expert in the k i tchen.

POTS AND PANS

The most important thing to know when buying any cooking utens il i s how efficient ly it cooks. You can ' t really tell by looking at it, but you can get a good idea if you know what it is made of and how i t i s con structed. First check its weight, or gauge. A light pan, which heats rapidly, i s useful for mak ing sauces or blanching vegetables, but it may be too thin for other kinds of cook ing . A heavier pan, which heats more slow ly and more evenly , is a better choice for most general cooking. A very heavy pan, although good for long, slow stewing or simmering, may prove too cumbersome for constant use. I t ' s a good idea to ask a salesperson in the store what he knows of the quality of the piece of equipment in which you are i nterested. Also read the man ufacturer ' s tag carefully. Check the pan for balance ; i t should not tip w hile standing empty . Find out if the handle is heat resistant. Wooden and plas tic handles generally keep cool on top of the stove, but will burn or melt in the oven. (Some enameled cast-iron and g lass-ceramic utensils have removable handles so you may

4

Basic kitchen equipment

use them both way s . ) Try the lid to see that it fits the pot tightly. Consider each pot or pan individually with an eye to the quantities it will hold and how you plan to use it. One large casserole, for i n stance, can be used i n several way s : to roast meat, simmer a stew or make soup-and to serve them at the table. It is usually un sati sfac tory to buy a large set of matched pots and pans, pretty as they might look i n your kitchen ; no one material or weight is perfect for all cooking, and while some o f the pots and pans may fit your needs, others will re main unused . You will find that some materi als make better cooking utensils for all- around use ; enameled cast iron and alum inum are ex amples. But for certain cooking operations, other materials with more specialized qual ities can prove i nvaluable-such as g lass ceramic ware, which can go directly from the freezer to the oven without cracking. To help you thread your way through the great variety of today ' s cookware, here i s a l i s t of the maj or materials a n d h o w they perform , along with indications of price, ease of cleaning and d urability.

Skillets:

Shape and material are your guides. The straig ht- sided copper pan and the covered aluminum one are for sauteing. The cast-iron pan at right is u sed for fryi ng . The slope- sided aluminum pan is for omelets. The enameled skillet inside it may get the heaviest use of all.

Copper: hand some, very expensive, and an excellent conductor of heat. The copper should be heavy ( at least 1/s inch thick ) with a tin lining . A fter prolonged u se the lining will wear throug h . I t should be reti nned right away ; a toxic chemical reaction may occur if food is left i n a poorly lined cop per pot. A store that sells copperware will usually arrange for the retinning. Aluminum: moderately priced, easy to clean, durable and a good cond uctor of heat. Weight i s important ; the thicker the aluminum, the more evenly i t cooks. Me dium- and heavy-gauge pans are the best and the longest lasting. The problem with aluminum is that it

tends to d i scolor certain foods. For foods cooked with wine, egg yolks, vinegar or lemon, use a pot or pan made of some other material. Aluminum i s bound to stain somewhat, but these stains usually can be re moved by scrubbing with vinegar or by boiling vinegar i n the pan.

Stainless steel: expensive, but easy to clean and d urable if i t is thick. In i tself stainless steel i s a poor conductor of heat ; to over come this, most stainless pans have a layer of copper or cast aluminum on the bottom . To be effective, this must be at least 1/s inch thick. O ften this heat-d i stributing layer is hidden between two sheets of stainless steel. Check the rag on the utensil to be sure. Basic kitchen equipment

5

Cast iron: heavy to hand le, but d urable and not expensive. Cast iron heats slowly, evenly and holds the heat welL If not clear ly labeled " p reseasoned, ready to use, " cast iron must be seasoned before using or food will stick. To season, wash the pan thor oughly with hot water and soap, rin se, rub i t with an unsalted oil and heat i t slowly i n the oven at about 2 5 0 ° F. for at least an hour. To maintain the seasoning, wash the pan with soap, not a detergent, or sim ply wipe clean after each u se. Be sure you dry pans thoroughly after washing ; cast iron rusts easily. It also tends to di scolor egg s and food s con taining acid such as wine or vinegar. E nameled cast i ron, though m ore expen sive, needs no seasoning, i s easy to clean and will not d i scolor food. Enamelware : this material ranges widely i n price, i s easy to clean but a poor cond uc tor o f heat. All enamelware is con structed by fu sing a g lasslike coating or g laze onto

a steel base. The cheaper, lighter enamel ware heats quickly but unevenly and food can burn easi ly. The heavier, more expen sive variety heats more slowly and evenly but is still subj ect to some scorching. Handle enamelware with care ; i t chips and cracks easily. It should not be sub j ected to abrupt changes in temperature. Heavy enamelware is more resi stant to sur face damage. Di scard enamelware when the surface begins to deteriorate ; chemical re actions may occur between food and sub stances in the enamel or undercoati ng .

Glass and earthenware:

m oderately priced and easy to clean, these material s heat un evenly but hold heat for a long time. Not all glass and earthenware utensils can be u sed for top-of-the- stove cooking, so check the tag s . Some pieces will crack when used over direct heat. Glass and earthenware are best for oven cooking and serv i ng . Both m u st be handled with care; rapid changes i n tem perature will cause cracking or breaki ng .

Saucepans: Size and material are important. The orange one (of enameled cast i ron) is g ood for slow simmeri ng . The aluminum pan s heat evenly and the ivory -colored enamelware h eats rapidly. The heat- resi stant glass pot with cover allows you to watch the food while i t cooks. 6


Glass-ceramic: expen sive, heavy to handle, easy to clean, heats unevenly but holds heat well. I t can with stand extreme changes in temperature. Thi s makes i t a good material in which to freeze cooked food and reheat frozen food . Nonstick finishes: these a r e coatings ap plied to the cooking surface of convention al uten sils. The finish does not change the heat-cond ucting properties of the basic ma terial. Food does not stick to the surface. You don ' t need to use grease in cooki ng with these fini shes, except for flavori ng . Plas tic spatulas, forks and spoons are sold for use with nonstick surfaces because they do not scratch the finish , but metal uten sils are all right if u sed with care ; small, shallow scratches do not affect the non stick quali ties. Wash i n hot soapy water ; do not scour with abrasives. A common problem i s d i s coloration, u sually due to overheating or washing with a detergen t ; it does not affect the surface adversely .

WHAT YOU NEED

Double boiler:

1 quart. Each part can be used separately. The set has one cover.

Saucepans: 2 quart, 3 or 3 112 quart, and 5 quart, all w i th covers. Frying pans: one, 6 or 8 inches i n diam eter ; one, 10 or 12 inches i n d iameter. Cov ers are optional. Sautepan :

10 or 12 inches in diameter with

cover.

Large kettle: Loafpan :

8-10 quarts, with cover.

9 by 5, by 3 i nches deep.

Roasting pan:

17 by 11, by 9 inches deep, with a roasting rack to fit.

Casseroles: one of 3-31/z quart capacity, round, w i th cover ; one of 5 -6 quart ca paci ty, oval, with cover.

Casseroles:

Colored enameled cast iron, earthenware, and ovenproof g lass-ceramic and g lass indicate the variety of casseroles in which food can be roasted , stewed , baked or browned . They are as attractive in the dining room as i n the ki tchen, and so are often used for serving.


7

MIXING

The tools that you u se to beat, whip, cream, fold, stir, blend-every form of mixing are essential. Since there are not a great many i tems, you might j ust as well buy the best quality. You will need the following:

Rotary beater:

for thoroughly beating all sauces, icings, egg s ; a sturd y, medium size with a comfortable handle and a smooth turning motion.

Wire whisk : for beating egg whi tes and whipping heavy cream , stirring sauces and gravies; an 8- or 10- i nch size. You may also want a large balloon- shaped whisk spe cifically for egg whites ; it add s more air and i ncreases the volume. Wooden spoons or spatulas: for creami ng, beating and stirring ; 10- or 12 - i nch size, of unvarni shed wood . The spatulas are more convenient for stirring because they can be scraped clean easily on the edge of the mix ing bowl ; the spoon s are better for cream ing because they move smoothly ag ainst the curved side of the bow l.

Rubber spatula : for folding food s, as well as for cleaning out pans and bow l s ; standard size. As this is one of the most i mportant tools in the k i tchen, you may want several in various sizes. Mixing bowls: for all mtxmg not done over direct heat ; a g raduated set of sizes in stainless steel, glass or pottery . Avoid aluminum bowls; they tend to give egg yolks a grayish cast. Metal spoons: for general mixi ng, stirring and blending ; you should have several i n convenient sizes. MEASURING

Correct measuring requires skill and the proper tools. Unless a recipe specifies other wise, use level measurements of both liquid and dry i ngredients. Here i s what you will need :

Measuring spoons: a standard set of 114 tea spoon, 112 tea spoon, 1 teaspoon , and 1 table spoon ; for measuring both li quid and d ry ingred ients. A second set comes in handy. Glass measuring cups: for measuring liq uid s ; 1-cup size and 1-quart size, w i th pour ing lip. Metal measuring cups: for measuring d ry ingredients ; a graduated set of 1/4 cup, lJ3 cup, 112 cup, 1 cup. For measuring heat, thermometers give you more certainty i n oven cooking, roasting meats, cand ymaking and deep frying. Only these two are essential:

Oven thermometer: for gauging the de gree and uniformity of heat i n a n oven ; either columnar or dial type.

Mixing bowls: Stainless steel and glass do for most j obs ; for beating egg whites, the acid in unlined copper helps them expand. 8


Meat thermometer: for measuring the in ternal heat of meat and poultry ; e ither round or columnar type. I nsert the spiked end in the deepest part of the meat ; do not let it touch the bone or rest i n fat.

BAKING

Baking is a special kind of cooking and requires its own special equipment. O ne thing is essential : the pan must be the right size. A cake in the wrong pan is a di saster. Fortunately, most recipes speci fy the use of standard sizes, so the problem i s not d i f ficult to solve. The following equipment should take you through most simple bak i ng and pastry making .

Round cake pans:

8 or 9 i nches in diam eter, 1 1/z inches deep.

Springform pan: for cake that i s delicate in texture. The rim can be removed with out disturbing the cake. Rectangular cakepan:

Baking sheet: for cookies, bi scuits, me ringues ; shiny, sideless ones are easiest to use and they promote light browning. Muffin pan: for cupcakes, muffins, bis cuits, tart s ; they come accord ing to cup size-small, medium or large. Rolling pin:

a heavy 1 4 - 1 6-inch size i s best.

Pastry board: for rolli ng and knead i ng doug h ; a 1 4 - by-20- inch hardwood board . Formica and marble are also excellent sur faces for worki ng with pastry . Flour sifter: for sifti ng and adding air to flour, and for sifting sugar ; a 5 - cup size with several mesh screens for aeration.

13 by 9, by 2 i nches

slightly larger than the

Pastry blender: for cutti ng i n shortening. Two knives also can be u sed to do this j ob (see "cut in," page 43 ) .

for dessert pies, quiches, recipes calling for a shallow casserole; 9- i nch di ameter by 1 1/z inches, either glass or metal.

Pastry brush: for applying liquid s-fat, milk, water-to piecrusts, bread s or any surface you wish to coat evenly ; a medium size with flexi ble but sturdy bri stles.

Baking equipment: You will need a rolling

pin, pastry board , cake pans and a pastry blender

deep.

Wire cooling racks: selected cake pan.

Piepan:

(foreground). Also important are a muffin tin, shown here with a nonstick finish, a glass pie plate, a pastry brush, wire racks for cooling hot cake layers, and at least one baking sheet.


9

CUTTING AND CHOPPING

A knife is one of your most important tools. Be sure i t i s well constructed . The extension of the blade seated in the handle of a knife i s called a tang ; i t may go the full length of the handle, or only half way. I n good knives the tang i s held in the han dle by rivets, as you can see in the sketch below. This is the most d urable construc tion. Some less expensive k nives have a short " rattail" tang secured by friction or cement to the handle. These tend to work loose rather quickly. POINT

BACK

....._

lAN<..

/.L

EDGE

BLADE

RIVETS

J

HANDLE

Two kinds of steel are u sed in knife blades, carbon steel and stainless steel. Ei ther kind must be of high quality to take a sharp edge. Carbon steel holds a fine cut ting edge longer. H owever, it rusts and stains easily. To remove stains, rub the blade o f a carbon- steel knife with a soft cloth or damp cork d ipped in scouring pow der ; then wash the blade in warm water and dry. Stainless steel knives are shinier than carbon steel, and , as the name suggests, are resi stant to most stains. The formation of a knife ' s cutting edge is known as the gri nd. The two basic kinds are the flat grind and the hollow grind. I n the flat grind, which tend s to be less easily dam aged, the sides of the blade are smooth . In the hollow grind there i s a marked curve or bevel along the length of the b lade (see sketch}; when the bevel beg i n s high on the blade, it i s called a concave grind. Because the blade i s thi nner at the cutting edge, the hollow grind tends to hold an edge longer than the flat grind. Other types of edges include the scalloped , or wav y, edge and the serrated edge, composed of many small

10

Basic kitchen eqttipment

sharp points or teeth . Both work more or less like a saw and are particularly good for slicing soft foods such as bread and tomatoes, or liverwurst. There are a few general rules for taki ng care of knives. Use a knife only on a wood en cutting surface, and only for the proper jobs. Do not u se a good kitchen k n i fe for cutting string or paper or for pry i ng off lids. Do not let the blade enter a direct flame; this ruins the temper of the steel. A knife should be washed and dried, or si m ply wiped clean, immediately after using. Wooden- hand led knives and those with carbon- steel blades should not be washed in a di shwasher. S tore knives separately, either on a magnetized knife rack or in hol sters or slotted holders which sheathe the blade to protect i t and you from damage. A knife must keep a sharp cutting edge for maximum efficiency . You can take it pe riodically to a professional knife sharpener, or grind i t yourself with an electric sharpen er, an oil stone or a sharpening steel (see page 57}. An electric sharpener is easiest and is efficient if operated with care. An oil stone takes time but gives the sharpest edge. Do not sharpen blades with scalloped edges i n a mechanical sharpener ; use an abrasive stick or oil stone, and only on the flat side of the blade. There i s no need to sharpen the dura ble serrated blades.

Knives: A basic collection includes (from top) a 10- inch bread k n i fe with a serrated edge, a 10- inch coo k ' s kni fe, a 1 0 - inch ham or roast beef slicer, and a 5 - i nch tomato knife with serrated edge, a sharpening steel, an 8-i nch chopper, a 5 - i nch util i ty knife.

THE KNIVES YOU NEED:

OTHER CUTTERS AND CHOPPERS

Your skill at handling a knife should de termine which knives you use. A skilled cook can make the 1 0 - inch, wide- bladed French chefs or cook ' s knife do almost any kitchen job. But for most people, a better all-purpose knife is the 8 - inch coo k ' s knife ; it is smaller a n d easier t o manage. Here are some suggestions for a basic knife collection. Supplement i t i f you like from the variety of more specialized knives: a curved grapefruit knife, a scalloped to mato slicer, a steak carver, a boning knife, a cheese slicer.

There are many efficient small machines to help you in cutting and chopping chores. You could start with just two or three basic, essential items and add as you become more specialized i n your cooking. H ere are some of the most useful.

Paring knife: 3-31/2 inches; for light jobs -peeling, paring and cutting small fruits and vegetables. Utility knife: 5 -7 i nches ; for heavier jobs -peeling, paring and chopping large fruits and vegetables, and meat tri mming. Chopping knife: wide, 8 - i nch blade ; for chopping, mincing and dici ng fruits, vege tables and meat. Narrow slicer: 8 - 1 0 i nches ; for slicing cold meat, poultry, cheese. Carving knife: 9 inche s ; for carvi ng hot meats. An electric one makes i t easier.

Food mill:

for pureeing, mashing, grind i ng almost any food. Get a size that clamps easily to one o f your m i xi ng bowls or saucepans.

Grater: for grating and slicing. Get a mod el that stands upright, with several sizes of teeth and a slicer. Meat grinder: for grinding meat, nuts, veg etables. Get a sturdy metal one that clamps to the table or counter. Kitchen shears:

for every k i nd of kitchen cutting . Get a pair that i s sturdy and com fortable to handle.

Chopping board: for every operation that requires a cutting surface ; 16 by 2 0 i nches i s a good size. Make sure i t i s a durable hardwood, such as maple, with a thickness of 3/4 to 1 inch. MISCELLANEOUS

The clutter of a kitchen, or a kitchen drawer, usually comes from the many pieces of n ec essary equipment without which, i t seem s, no cook can operate comfortably . Everyone has candidates for this essential m i scellane ous department, but most cooks agree on this basic list. Certainly, you will add to the collection as you widen the scope of your cooking and as you learn what special tools are just what you need for favorite d ishes. CAN OPENERS:

a well- mounted one, plus a bottle or beer-can opener

Food mills:

For pureeing without d estroy i ng texture. Choose the A merican model (right}, or the French with alternate blades.

SLOTTED SPOON

SIEVE

NARROW METAL SPATULA

BULB BASTER

POTATO MASHER OR RICER

METAL TONGS

WIDE METAL TURNER

JU I CER

COLANDER

CORKSCREW


11

FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES

Once you have stocked your kitchen with the basic tools, consider what makes cook i ng fun . Do fancy desserts i ntrigue you? Or do your tastes run to subtly flavored soups, or richly crusted country pates? Once you get involved i n exploring a particular aspect of cookery in some depth , you probably will want to buy the equipment that is es pecially desig ned to produce i t most effi ciently and d i splay it most effectively . On these two pages you will find a sam pling of pots, di shes and other equipment for special tastes. You can cook without them, but for certain enthusiasts they are as necessary as an egg beater. Many cooks find electric appliances so u seful that they do not consider them luxuries.

Souffle dishes: The classic French type (top), with straight sides fluted for added elegance, i s one of the most versatile baking di shes. I t can be used for a crusty, hig h - ri sing souf fle, or a light, fruit- flavored cold one. It i s also suitable for a n y deep- dish dessert, and it makes a handsome extra servi ng dish. The smaller sizes can double as individ ual serv ing d i shes for creamy appetizers, fancy cus tards or rich pots de cre'me. 12

Basic kitchen eqttipment

Electric beater:

for beati ng, whipping and creaming . Hand - h eld ones are easy to store but the standi ng models, with a pastry hook for moving heavy food, are more efficient.

Electric blender:

for grinding , grating, pu reeing, blending. The list of its accompli sh ments i s long, and so i s the list of models.

Electric frying pan :

for frying, sauteing, stewing. A pan for many purposes, i t can be u sed for serving at the table or buffet.

Electric can opener:

not essential, but it

saves cranking.

Electric carving knife:

to help you carve and slice with greater ease and accuracy .

Molds: Suggesting array s of rich d esserts or delicately flavored aspics, these decorative molds are among the classic ones that are easi ly available. From the top, they include a fluted copper mold i n which cakes can be baked ; a shiny tin " melon" mold for aspics; the high- sided and versatile charlotte m old, which can be used for a cu stard , souffle or mousse ; and a sturdy white earthen ware mold that can be filled with a Bavaria n cream.

The true luxury items of cooking shown below are a delight both to look at and to use. Each can be boug h t as a treat for one self or as a present for another appreciative cook, or even for a beginner. The copper fish poacher at the back is not only beautifu l but functional. Its long, slen der shape allows you to cook a whole fish and, i f i t has been wrapped in cheesecloth, to lift it out intact. The shallow crepe pan on top of its own compact heating unit is perfect for warming thin, cooked pancakes in a liqueur-flavored syrup. You can ignite the crepes at the table to g i ve your d inner an extra lift. The long skewer with the ornamental handle has a cup- shaped copper guard to catch the fat as you lift a shish kebab, brown

and sizzling, from the grill. The little pots de creme can be filled with a rich chocolate or delicate vanilla cream ; they can also be u sed for serving a mu stard sauce. In the foreground is a shiny batte cotelette, its handle shaped to fit the hand . Made of solid brass, i t i s heavy, and can be used to pound boned chicken breast or veal for scal lopine. To the right is an elegant terrine or loaf dish which holds a pate. You can bake, then cool and serve the pate rig ht from the dish. The heart- s h aped basket at the center is for coeur a fa creme. This simple dessert of cream and soft cheese i s poured into the cheesecloth-lined basket, where it drains and sets. It is then unmolded , and can be gar nished with whole strawberries.


13

Jelecting and Jtoring :Food Anyone who eats three meals a day- 1 , 095 a year-and especially anyone who shops for food, is at least a part-ti mer in the food business. As a matter of self-interest and to ensure family health as well as family plea sure, i t behooves the shopper to be business like i n buying and storing food efficiently. Intelligent shopping takes time and ex perience ; it requires knowing something about the grading and butchering of meat, the d i fferences between varieties of fruits and vegetables, the relative usefulness of the myriad kinds of packages and cans that are offered in the stores . Modern technology has created many new forms of food-frozen and ready-cooked " convenience foods , " new oils, sugars and flours-and all of them are well worth learn ing about. This section of the Kitchen Guide is in tended to help you select and store the good food-rich i n nutritive values, full of flavor, attractive to look at-that is the first essen tial of g ood meals .

Shopping. The first problem-determining that food is sanitary and wholesome-has largely been solved for you. Under federal and state laws, standards have been set and are enforced to ensure that most food, par ticularly commercially packed and processed food, is clean, contains no harmful ingredi ents or residues and i s what i t claim s to be. Federal laws require that all foods entering interstate commerce have labels honestly de scri bing the contents. Thi s is an important-thoug h not abso lute-protection, and today ' s shoppers are fortunate that a measure of safety i nsurance 14

Selecting and storing food

is built i n to some foods. Beyond this, fed eral and state authorities set standards for grading quality, and in some cases sizes, of certain foods. This grading should be kept i n mind when shopping for foods to which i t applies. On the following pages devoted to meat, eggs and dairy products, the grades and their d i fferences are d i scussed . Personal taste and style play a large part in how you shop and what you buy. For the economy-minded there are many ways to save money and still get food of high q ual i ty ; for those who care l e s s about the price , there is a great variety to fill their shopping bags. Whatever your style or the state of your pocketbook, the rules of good food buying are the same. The carefl}l shopper knows the local retail markets and how they function. Do they seem to have a rapid turnover in fresh pro duce? Are the packages i n the frozen - food cabinets firmly frozen , without torn wrap pings? Are the d airy products refrigerated? The answer in each case should be yes . The fresher a merchant 's food and the more care he takes with perishable items, the happier you will be in dealing with him. As sources of i n formation on special buys and new products , trustworthy merchants can be i n valuable t o t h e shopper. T a l k to y o u r b u tch e r a n d greengrocer. They c a n guide you t o better ways of distinguishing t h e qualities and varieties of foods i n their specialties.

Storing. The best-quality food can be d am aged or even ruined by careless or incorrect storing . It pays to learn how to handle each food to properly preserve i ts particular q u a l ity a n d flavor.

FREEZING COMPARTMENT

DOOR

FRESH MEAT, POULTRY, FISH-loosely wrapped

EGGs-on l y if covered

MILK, CREAM, SOFT CHEESE-well covered

BUTTER-on ly enough for immediate use

BUTTER, MARGARINE-tightly covered

HARD CHEESE-tightly wrapped

EGGs-in covered carton or other container

SMALL OPEN JARS-covered

HARD CHEESE-tightly covered

LEFTOVER COOKED FOODS: MEATS, VEGETABLES, FRUITS-covered OPENED CANS AND BOTTLES-covered

RIPE FRESH FRUITS-uncovered RIPE TOMATOES,

UN HUSKED

CORN,

LIMA

BEANS AND PEAS IN PODS-uncovered

TALL BOTTLES: SOFT DRINKS, FRUIT JUICEcovered or corked

CRISPER OR HYDRATOR MOST FRESH VEGETABLES-covered in plastic wrap if no container is provided

The refrigerator is the most important storage aid i n your household . Some foods need very col d temperatures while others keep better i n slightly warmer air. It is use ful to know j ust how cold the various parts of your refrigerator are. Since temperatures vary within any refrigerator depending on its construction, its efficiency and how i t is used, the most reliable test i s a thermometer placed at different levels over a period of time. As a general guide, the air i n a refriger ator is coldest next to the freezer and warmer at points farther from it. Fros t - free refrigera tors with fans for rapid circulation of air tend to have less variation i n temperature. The drawing above shows how to place food in a refrigerator to take advantage of these tem perature variations.

Air is constantly moving in a refrig erator, and this causes drying. Most foods should be covered to avoid losing essential mois ture ; exceptions are most fruits, which decay quickly i n moist conditions, and a few veg etables such as ripe tomatoes, unhusked corn and unshelled peas . Meat s hould be wrapped loosely si nce some air circulation helps pro tect its quality. How long food may be kept safely in a refrigerator is discussed on the fol lowing pages dealing with the various foods. Some vegetables and fruits such as apples, potatoes and dry onions are better suited to cool storage (about 60°) than refrigerator storage. Staples l i ke sugar and flour and canned goods may be stored at moderate room temperatures (about 70°).

Selecting and Jtoring food

15

�eat Primer " What are we having for dinner tonig ht?" usually means what kind of meat. To many people meat is the meal, so the wise cook will learn as much as possible about it. The more you look at meat, handle i t and pre pare it, the shrewder your eye and the surer your touch will become. Rely o n the help of a good butcher ; he is the master when it comes to knowi ng quality and cut in meat. Ask him questions. H e can guide you through the bewildering array of sizes and shapes in meat and often can suggest how to cook them. H i s answers will mean more if you already have some notion of the various components of meat and the bone structure of the animals (pages 17-22 ). Helpful too is an acquai n tance with the U . S . Department of Agriculture's grad i ng system for meat.

The composition and structure of meat Any cut of meat you find in a retail store consists of muscle fibers and connective tis sue (the flesh) , fat and sometimes bone. What makes one cut different from another is how these components are di stributed . In the lean portion of meat, the muscle fi bers are bound together by connective tissue. The more a muscle i s used, the more con nective ti ssue, the tougher the meat. The muscles that lie along the backbone of an animal get little exercise, so there is only a small amount of tough connective tissue. The cuts that include these muscles-loin cuts and rib roasts and chops-are the ten derest ones of all. The muscles in other areas-the shoulder, the flank, the leg , the breast-are used more, so the cuts from these areas are not so tender. The fatty portions of meat are found either on the outside of the cut, where they are easily trimmed off if desired, or distri b uted i n small quantities through the lean. When tiny particles of fat appear in the lean, this is called " marbling . " Marbling tends to reduce the toughening that occurs in muscle fibers during cooking and thus helps in-

16


crease tenderness. Bones, i f they have not been removed in butchering, give a g ood i ndication of the age of an animal. As a rule, young animals have red, porous bones while older ones have white, brittle ones. The shape of the bones, coupled with a general idea of the animal ' s anatomy, can tell you where the retail cuts come from . In the diagram on page 17, the cross- section views show the difference in the shape of bones in a side of beef. (Lamb, pork and veal are similar enoug h so that this diag ram can be used for them as well. ) The T- b one, rib and wedge- shaped bones from the back bone area are sig ns of the more tender cuts. The round leg and arm bones and the blade bones from the shoulder indicate less ten der ones. I n cuts where there is no bone or where the bone has been removed , the shape of the lean portion is important. Study the chart for characteristic shapes and then look closely at the cuts displayed at your butcher store or supermarket. Only a practiced eye can identify the great variety of meat cuts with any certai nty.

Government inspection and grading Fortunately no one is completely on h i s own when buying meat. The round, purplish " U . S . I nspected and Passed " stamp o n the outside of carcasses means that the meat is safe for human consumption : the animals were healthy , and proper sanitary condi tions prevai led during the slaughtering and processing. The U.S. Department of Agriculture ' s grading system for meats (see diagram, page 18) is one guide to quality. This sy s tem i s based on the general contour of the whole animal before butchering , the amount of meat that can be used fro m the carcass, and the quality of the lean portion i n terms of its general palatability. This last factor has the most relevance for you since it involves the same things you look for when you buy a small retail cut of meat. The extent o f the marbling i s checked because it affects the tenderness and j uiciness of the meat ; the more m arbl ing in meat the better it tastes. The c o lor

BONES FOUND IN THE BASIC MEAT CUTS BLADE BONE

RIB BONE

T-BONE

WEDGED HIP BONE

SHOULDER ....---

CHUCK

SHANK

ARM BONE

LEG BONES

BREAST AND LOWER RIB BONES

and texture of the lean is also j udged ; it should be brig ht colored with a firm, fine texture. This is a sign of good quality. The age of the animal i s determi ned by an i n spection of t h e skeleton and i ndividual bones. The older the animal the tougher the meat is li kely to be. The top grades obviously have the great est abundance o f desirable characteri stics. But the other grades have many uses and are not ignored by the carefu l shopper. The relative importance of the grading factors varies with the different animals; on the fol lowing pages the special characteristics of each meat-beef, veal, lamb and pork-are. treated in detai l. Usually there i s no grading stamp visi ble on the smaller retai l meat cuts, but don ' t., be put off by this. Do not hesitate to ask your butcher what grade o f meat you are buying . Generally, retail stores tend to carry the same grades consistentl y . They know

what their customers want and will purchase. One of the problems i n buying meat i s t h e variety o f names for t h e same c u t . A cut of meat i n the East will often bear a different name in the West. Beef top loin steak has several names, including New York cut, Kansas City steak, strip steak and si rloin steak ( hotel style) . The trouble i s that individ ual stores sometimes invent pic turesque names for already-established cuts of meat as a selling point. The wise shopper will be prepared for this by having studied basic cuts, and by asking the butcher when in doubt.

What is aging? Aging is a process by which high-quality meat i s held either at a controlled tempera ture or in a vacuum package to i ncrease tenderness and flavor. The length of time varies from two days to six weeks depending on the method used . Actually in the or-


17

U.S.D.A. GRADES FOR MEAT BEEF

LAMB

Prime

Prime

Choice

Choice

Good

Good

Standard

Utility

VEAL

PORK

Prime

U.S. No.I

Choice

U.S. No.2

Good

U.S. No.3

Standard

Medium

d inary handling of meat from the packer to you some of this tenderizing action takes place anyway.

How to cook meat There are two ways of cooking meat, either b y dry heat-broiling, roasting or pan- fry ing, or by moist heat-braising , poaching or stewing . The tender cuts from the back bone are usually broiled or roasted, depend ing on size. Meat from the breast, flank, leg and shoulder i s most o ften braised or stewed . There are exceptions, o f course-a leg o f lamb, for instance, i s roasted or braised, not stewed-and certain cuts may be made more tender by marinating or pounding to break down the connective tissue. The important thing i s that not ev erything called a roast should be roasted ; it depend s on which animal i t came from, the g rade of the meat and the location of the cut. This is a maj or source of confu sion in meat buying and cookery . On the pages which deal individually with each of the meats, there i s a short guide on cuts and the proper cooking methods .

cuts of meat and bone- in roasts esti mating is more di fficult. As a guide, you can allow 1/3 to 1/2 lb. for each person, a bit more i f there are large areas o f fat or bone. I f you buy a large piece to divide for several meals and several methods o f cooking , calculate each o f the parts separately and reme m ber that certain recipes for stews and casserole dishes make the amount of meat you have go further.

How to store meat Fresh meat can be stored, loosely wrapped, for three to six days near the freezer part of the refrigerator. Wrapping is not necessary i f you have a separate meat container in your refrigerator. I f meat i s purchased in a mois tureproof vacuum wrapping , remove it or loosen it unless you intend to cook the meat right away . Do not wash meat before storing (the water may hasten spoilage) ; it may be wiped , i f necessary, with a damp cloth . The circulation of air around meat partially dries its surface and helps protect its quali ty. Ground and chopped meat as well as the variety meats-brai n, liver, heart, sweet breads, etc.-are very peri shable and should not be refrigerated more than one or two days. Variety cuts which cannot be used soon after purchase should be cooked in order to keep them. C ured meats, sausages and luncheon meats should be refrigerated in their original packages. Cooked leftover meat should be covered and placed in the refrigerator after a meal.

How much to buy In small boneless cuts of meat, 1t IS fairly easy to j udge how much you will need . You can see how much is there, you know the number of people you have to feed, and you divide it. About 1/4 to 113 lb. for an average serving is a good estimate. In large

18

Selecting and Jtoring food

Meat bearing this stamp has been approved by federal inspectors for wholesomeness and for sanitary conditions d uring h andling .

Chuck

Rib

Short loin

Rump RUMP ROASTS

BLADE POT ROAST

RIB ROAST

T-BONE STEAK

CHUCK SHORT RIBS

RIB STEAK

PORTERHOUSE STEAK

SHOULDER STEAK

RIB EYE ROAST

FILET MIGNON

Round ROUND STEAK EYE OF ROUND HEEL OF ROUND

I

Sirloin

BriJket

Short Plate

FRESH BRISKET

SHORT RIBS

FLANK STEAK

BONE-IN SIRLOIN STEAK

CORNED BRISKET

SKIRT STEAKS

SIRLOIN TIP

BONELESS SIRLOIN STEAK

BEEF SHANKS

PLATE BEEF

GROUND BEEF

·

STEWING BEEF

CJ3eef Because of the g reater variety of qualities and cuts of beef, i t i s important to know the differences in the four principal grades. Prime-Beef from y oung, intensively fed animals. I t has a bright cherry color and lib eral marbling of fat within the lean. Much of the prime beef produced i s used by hotels and restaurants but some i s available in re tail stores. Choice-Very close to prime in quality but with somewhat less fat, this i s the most widely available grade in most retail markets. Ribs and loin cuts are particularly tender and j uicy . Good- There i s still less fat in t h i s grade than in the first two, but i t is acceptable meat with good flavor. Standard-With a very thin covering of fat, it is tougher and of poorer flavor, but proper cooking can produce tender meat. The two top grades of beef may be cooked

by several methods, depending on the cut. Tender cuts from the rib, short loin and sir loin can be broiled or roasted . Cuts from the other, less- tender areas are usually bet ter braised or pot- roasted. Cuts from the lower grades are also usually more tender if cooked with moist heat. The diag ram above shows some of the standard cuts and where they come from. Cubes o f beef for stewing and ground beef for hamburgers may come from any of the cuts. Remember that cuts from the same general area of an animal o f ten may be used interchangeably in recipes. Below i s a list of other common cuts of beef and suggested cooking methods. Chuck-Arm and shoulder pot roasts, chuck roll ; braised or stewed . Short loin-Tenderloin steak , club steak , top loin steak ; broiled. Round- Top round steak , bottom round steak ; broiled if from a top-grade animaL


19

Shoulder ( Boston Butt)

Loin

Leg

BOSTON BUTT

C H O PS

SMOKED H A M

BLADE STE A K

LOI N ROAST

FRESH HAM

SAUSAGE

T E N DERLOIN

Shoulder ( Picnic)

Rib

Bacon ( Belly)

Feet

FRESH PICNIC

SPARE R I BS

SALT PO R K

PIG ' S FEET

S M O K E D PIC N I C

BACON

A R M ROAST

Pork Pork i s one of the most versati le and ten der meats. Unlike the other meats it is avail able in two forms, either fresh or processed ( smoked or cured) . The best-quality fresh pork i s a delicate pink color and firm to the touch. The lean has some marbling and an exterior covering of solid white fat. Even though U . S . D . A . grades are assigned to pork, they are not generall y used because the tenderness of pork varies so little. The smoked or cured cuts of pork-hams, pork butts, Canadian bacon-are available under brand identifications. The brand name is one guide to q uality; another i s the printed material on the wrapper which indicates the kind of pork and the process that was used i n preparing it. Depending on the size and cut, fresh pork may be broiled or roasted; it is often braised for extra j uiciness and fl avor. Whatever the method, it must be well cooked . However,

22


since the trichina parasite with which fresh pork is occasionally i n fected is killed by an internal meat temperature of 1 37 ° , there i s no need to overdo t h e cooking a n d d r y out the meat. At 1 80- 1 85 ° , pork is thoroughly cooked but still j uicy and tasty with the meat a pale gray color. The wrapper on a processed pork cut u su ally has a guide to cooking times. Be sure that you read it carefully. Some cuts are ready to eat or only need heating; others require cooking. The diag ram above shows the most com mon retai l cuts of pork and where they come from. H ere are other common ones. Shoulder-Rolled Boston butt, smoked shoulder butt. Loin-Canadian bacon, back ribs, rolled roast. Leg-Ham slice, canned ham. Shoulder (picnic) -Arm steak, hocks.

Variety rYf(eats Variety meats, the other edible portions of animals, are often neglected by cooks out of ignorance or indifference . It is worth knowing what they are and what you can do with them . Fresh variety meats, or " i n nards, ' ' are very perishable. Try to buy them the day you intend to use them, to be sure of their freshness and quality. Store them , if necessary, loosely wrapped in the refrig erator for one or two days, no longer. Liver-There are slight variations i n the liv er of each type of animal. Veal liver is the tenderest and palest i n color ; calf liver is slightly darker. Lamb and calf liver are both tender. Beef and pork liver tend to be tough er. The liver of veal and lamb may be broiled and any of them may be pan- fried or braised . B rains-Delicately fl avored and very tender, brains have a soft consi stency and range in size from 1/4 l b . i n lamb and pork to 3/4 lb. in beef. Brains must be washed and blanched to firm them up before being subj ected to any other cooking process. A fter blanching they may be broiled, sauteed or braised. Sweetbreads-Similar i n texture to brains, sweetbreads are of two types : the elongated, two- lobed thymus gland that can be ob tained only from calves, young beef cattle or lambs, and the round " heart" sweetbreads, which are actually pancreas. Lamb and veal sweetbreads are white and tender ; beef sweetbread s are reddish. Sweetbread s must be blanched before further cooking. Then they may be broiled, sauteed or brai sed . Kidneys-Kidneys come either still encased in their thick covering of fat or separated. Veal and lamb kidneys are tender and may be broiled or sauteed . Beef kidneys are tougher and need to be braised. Heart- Heart has a good flavor but tends to be tough. It varies i n size, depending on the animal. Beef heart i s the largest, around 3 lbs. ; lamb i s the smallest, around 1/4 lb. Heart from any animal must be braised or simmered until tender. Tripe-Tripe is the i n ner lini ng of a cow ' s stomach. I t i s delicately flavored b u t not

very tender. You may buy it fresh, canned or pickled . Fresh tripe is usually only partly cooked when you buy i t so simmer i t until tender no matter how you plan to serve it. Tongue-Beef tongue i s the largest and can weigh from 2 to 5 lbs. Veal tongue is smaller weighing from 3/4 to 1 1/2 lbs. You can usually find fresh beef and veal tongues. Tongue from all the ani mals i s available i n processed forms : pickled, corned , smoked or canned . Tongue i s not very tender and usually requires long cooking. There are some ready- to-eat types ; check the wrapper to make sure what kind you are buying.

Processed rYf(eats The enormous variety of processed meats can be divided i nto two categories : those you cook or at least heat before serving, and those that may be served as they are. Sausages make up the bulk of the first category. Consisting of ground meat sea soned with spices and shaped by an outer casi ng, they come i n various forms : fresh, smoked, dry or semidry . Sausages may be made with one meat such as pork or beef, or a combination of several. Check the wrap per for i ngredients, which are l isted in descending order of the amounts used. The wrapper will also tell about cooking meth ods. Fresh sausages usually require cooking ; most smoked ones do not. Usually flavor i s i mproved with heating, though actual cooking may not be necessary . Luncheon meats and some sausages spe cifically known as " ready - to-eat" are often served cold . For use in sandwiches, salad s or by themselves, these include bologna, liver wurst, salam i , pepperoni and cervelat, to name a few . The ingredients used in these meats are fully cooked . Whatever the form, all processed meats should be stored i n the refrigerator, i n their original wrapping . They may be kept safely for from 3-7 days. The exception i s the d ry or semidry sausage ; it may be kept two or three weeks.


23

:Fish Thanks to fast transportation and improved methods o f preservation-notably freez i ng and canning-a large variety of fish and shellfish is available i n most retai l markets, even well i nland .

How fresh is the fish? The good fresh fish has flesh that i s firm and elastic, and does not easily pull away from the bones. It has no strong " fishy " odor ; its eyes are bright and bulging. ( The eyes tend to cloud and sink into their sockets when the fish has been out of water too long . ) The gills are red and free of slime. The skin is shiny with an iridescent q uality, and the characteristic color of the fi sh is present.

How do you buy fish? Fish are commercially available in several forms. The one you select depends on your preference i n fish and how you intend to cook and serve it. Whole fish-Fish straight from the water. Whether you must scale i t and evi scerate it before cooking depends on the size of the fish and type of scales. Some small fish, such as smelt, need only their entrails removed . Trout, with their very fine scales, are often not scaled before cooking. Whether you re move the skin is a matter of taste. Drawn-A whole fish with entrails removed . Dressed or pan-dressed-A whole fi s h that has been both eviscerated and scaled, and has had its head , tail and fins removed . You can cook it as it is. Steaks- Cross- section slices of a large d ressed fish. They are 3/4 to 1 i nch thick and are cooked as they are. Fillets- The sides of a fish cut lengthwise from the backbone, and virtually boneless. A butterfly fillet has both sides of the fish connected by the flesh and skin of the belly. Sticks-Long pieces of boneless fish cut from the fillets. There i s no hard and fast rule about quan tity for fish. It varies with the cooking meth od and whether you stuff i t or combine it

24


with other foods. If you intend to serve i t alone, the following will serve as a guide. Whole or drawn fish-11z to 3/4 lb. per portion. Dressed-113 to 11z l b . per portion. Steaks and fillets-113 lb. per portion.

How to store fish O nce you have taken care to select the fresh est fish you can find, it is important to cook it immediately, preferably the same day. If i t is t o b e stored for a short period of time, wrap it in heavy wax paper and place in the upper part of the refrigerator. Handle it gently ; bruised or punctured flesh or skin deteriorates more rapidly.

Variations in fish Fish vary not only i n size and bone structure but in texture of flesh-dense or light-and i n fat content. Experience soon teaches y ou these differences and how to handle them i n cooking. Lean fi s h m a y need fat added d ur ing cooking, especially if you are broiling i t ; fat fish lose some fat during cooking so you need to add less fat to them . If you sub stitute one fish for another in a recipe, it is better to substitute a fat fish for another fat one, or a lean fish for another lean one. Fat fish include butterfish, eel, herring , mackerel , pompano, sablefish, salmon, shad, tuna, trout, whitefish. Lean fish include sea bass, bluefish, cod, croaker, flounder, grouper, haddock, hake, halibut, mullet, rockfish, porgy, sea trout, striped bass, swordfish, whiting, carp, pick erel, smelt, perch, pike and all shellfi sh.

Names offish One of the most confusing things about buying a fish is, oddly, its name. I n various parts o f the country, even in different parts of the same state, the same fish may go by several different names. The flounder family is a good example : it includes the various soles-gray, lemon and the several Pacific soles, Dover, E nglish, Petrale and rex-as well as fl uke, blackback and dab. And these have variations as well. However, for y our purposes-cooking and eating-these fi sh are essentially the same. The important t h i ng

to know is that when a recipe calls for a cer tain fish you may have to buy it locally un der another name. It i s wise to be ready with alternatives when you g o to the fish market. Here i s a list o f the better known fish and some of their variations in names.

Salt water fish: tailor, skipjack harvestfish CROAKER: hardhead, tomcod BLACK DRU M : oyster cracker, oyster and sea drum RED DRUM: channel bass, redfish, spotted bass GROUPER: sea bass RED HAKE: mud hake WHITE HAKE: common hake, squirrel hake KING MACKEREL: cero, king/ish KING WHITING: king/ish, ground mullet, whiting LINCOD: blue cod, buffalo cod, cultus cod MULLET: jumping mullet, striped mullet, silver mullet OCEAN PERCH: rosefish, redfish, red perch POLLOCK: Boston bluefish ROCKFISH: rock cod, red cod, snapper SABLEFISH: black cod SHAD: American shad, white shad STRIPED BASS: rockfish, rock bass SWELLFISH : puffer, swell toad, globefish, blowfish WHITING: silver hake BLUEFISH:

BUTIERFISH :

Fresh waterfish: longjaw, blackfin, bluefin chain pickerel, grass pickerel SUCKERS: mullet, red fin TROUT: rainbow trout, brook trout YELLOW PERCH: lake perch YELLOW PIKE : pike perch, walleye pike

CHUB:

PICKEREL:

Jhellfish The shellfish you are most likely to find in your market are shrimp, lobster, crab, scal lops, clams, oysters and mussels. Most kinds are sold alive, fresh, frozen or canned. Usual ly shellfish are sold by size since they vary considerably . The best temperature for stor ing fresh shellfish is close to 3 2 ° ; tempera tures only slightly higher will cause rapid

deterioration i n quality. H ere is what to look for when buying the live and fresh varieties.

Shrimp Fresh shrimp are available headless with shells on, or headless and peeled . The meat of fresh shrimp should be firm with little or no odor. (Thawed frozen shrimp often have a more pronounced odor. ) The shells range from g ray to a light pink. Shrimp are sold by size, ranging from j u mbo to very small. You get 15 or fewer per pound in the largest size and as many as 60 or more i n the small est size. Obviously you get fewer shrimp i f you buy them with the shells attached, since this adds to the weigh t : on the other hand, shelled shrimp are more expensive. Don't try to keep shrimp more than 24 hours. Cook and refrigerate them if you need to store them for a longer time.

Lobster Fresh varieties of whole lobster are the Northern lobster and the spiny or rock lob ster. When buying live lobster you should be able to see the legs moving and when a lobster is picked up, its tail should curl up under the body. Cook lobsters soon after buying . You may keep them briefly in the refrigerator at a temperature close to 3 2 ° , but do not attempt to keep them " fresh " by putting them i n salted water. The water will not be cold enough and the salt content will be different from what the lobster i s used to. There i s l ittle meat in a lobster, so allow 1 to 1 1/4 lbs. o f whole lobster per person. It i s also available cooked ; its shell should be a bright red with no unpleasant odor. Spiny or rock lobster tails are often sold frozen ; the meat should be clear white, with out odor. Weight varies from lf4 lb. to 1 lb. Allow '13 to '12 lb. per person.

Crabs Two kinds of crab are available, the hard shell crab and the soft- shell crab, which has shed its hard shell and has not yet had time to harden its new one. The latter may be bought alive or frozen. Live crabs should show movement i n their legs. They can be


25

kept briefly (up to 24 hours) in the refrig erator. Cooked crab should be bright red and have no disagreeable odor.

Clams Clams are available either i n the shell or shucked . The shells of live clams should be closed tightly or spring closed when tapped. I f the shell will not close, the clam i s dead and should not be used . The shells open when cooked. Live clams may be kept in the refrigerator at around 3 2 ° for several days. The color of fresh shucked clams ranges from pale to deep orange. Their liquid should be clear and they should have a fresh odor.

Oysters Like clams, live oysters in the shell should be closed tightly or spring closed when tapped. I f the shell does not close, the oys ter i s dead and should not be used. When cooked the shells open. You can keep oys ters live i n the refrigerator at close to 3 2 ° for several days. Shucked oysters should be plump and cream-colored. They should be packed in a clear liqui d .

Scallops Scallops are available either fresh or frozen. The meat you buy i s actually the adductor m uscle of the scallop, which opens and closes the shell. There are two varieties. The sea scallop comes in marshmallow shapes ranging i n color from white to orange or pink. The smaller, more delicate bay scallops are either creamy white, light tan or pinkish. Both have a slightly sweeti sh odor before cooking. Fresh scallops may be kept in the refrigerator for several days at around 3 2 ° .

Mussels

Mussels are available alive in the shell or canned . Alive, mussels have a dark purplish, oval shell with pink-orange flesh. The shells should be tightly closed . I f not, run cold water over them for a minute or two. If the shells remain open, the mussels are dead and should not be used . The shells open when cooked. Mussels may be refrigerated for several days at around 3 2 ° .

26


Poultry The most popular and widely available forms of poultry-chicken, turkey, duck and goose -are all graded by the U . S . Department of Agriculture. There are three grades-A, B, and C-but usually only Grade A is specified for sale in retai l markets. The grades are based on the proportion of meat to bone in the bird, the amount of fat in and j u st under the skin and whether the skin is free from bruises or tears. A fresh bird of high quality i s plump, with moist, undamaged skin and a good d istribution of fat. I n ad dition, birds are classified by age-young , mature or old . Chicken is usually sold by a designation such as broiler, roaster or stewer. The chart below outlines the relation of age, size and designation. DESIGNATION

Broiler (very young) : Fryer (young) : Roaster (mature) : Capon (mature) : Stewing hen (old ) : Cock or rooster (old) :

WEIGHT

J l/2-2112 !bs. 2 to 3 !bs. 3 112-5 lbs. 4 - 7 !bs. over 3 lbs. over 3 !bs.

Chickens are available m several forms : live, dressed, read y- to-cook or frozen. The live and d ressed birds have not been graded. The dressed birds have been plucked and bled but still have head, feet and internal organs. The ready-to-cook birds are the most widely available. Turkeys come either fresh or frozen. They are available i n a wide range of sizes. The smallest are the young fryer-roasters starting at about 4 lbs. The largest, the young hen or tom turkeys, weigh up to 24 lbs. The large ones are generally roasted. Ducks are usually sold as d ucklings and come fresh or frozen. They range in size from 3 to 5 lbs. Geese are sold fresh or frozen and come anywhere from 4 to 14 lbs. Geese weighing from 8 to 1 2 lbs. are the most com monly available. Both d ucks and geese are usually roasted but are equally good w hen braised .

Fresh poultry should be stored not more than 3 days. I t should be loosely wrapped the circulation of air helps protect its quality -and put i n the coldest section of the re frigerator. Remove the neck and giblets from the inside of the bird before storing.

How much to buy The number of servings you can get from different birds depends on the total weight of the bird and how you prepare it. The lighter the bird for its species, the g reater the proportion of its weight is i n bone. This i s why a large turkey yields more meat per serving . Here i s a guide to the average num ber of servings each bird will prov i d e :

Chickens 114- 1/z birdper serving 1/z -3/4 lb. per serving ROASTERS: 1/z-3!4 lb. per serving STEWERS: '12 lb. per serving BROILERS: FRYERS:

Turkeys UNDER 1 2 LBS. : OVER 12 LBS. :

Ducks 3· 5 LBS. :

3/4 lb. per serving

'12 lb. per serving

1 lb. per serving

Geese 8- 1 2 LBS. :

Z/3 lb. per serving

eggs There is no reliable way to j udge the quality of an egg from the outside. You have to break it to know for sure. That i s why every shopper must depend on the U . S . Depart ment of Agriculture ' s gradi ng system for eggs. Also, there is no relation between size and quality. They are two d i fferent thing s ; you can buy small Grade AA eggs and you can buy large Grade B eggs . There are four U . S . grades for quality : Grade AA- This is an egg of top quality. When broken, it stands high and spread s little. The yolk is firm and the white thick.

Grade A- This egg spreads somewhat when broken . I t stand s fairly high with a white that i s reasonably thick and a firm yolk. Grade B-This egg spreads a good deal when broken. The white i s thinner and the yolk i s fl atter. Grade C- This egg covers a wide area when broken . Its white i s thin and watery and its yolk i s flat and apt to break. Quality i s i mportant i n terms of appear ance and flavor. The two top g rades are best for eggs that are to be served alone, boiled , fried, baked or poached ; they may, of course, be used for all cooking . The two lower grades are fine for scrambling or for com bining with other foods. The U.S. Department of Agriculture also classifies egg s b y size. The size of the egg i s determined b y weight per dozen, not by the size of the individual egg. There are mini mum standards for each size and this limits the variation of the individual egg size. Here are the minimum weights : 3 0 ozs. per dozen 27 OZS. per dozen LARGE : 24 ozs. per dozen MEDIUM : 2 1 ozs. per dozen SMALL : 18 ozs. per dozen PEE WE E : 1 5 ozs. per dozen

JUMBO :

E XTRA LARGE :

E xperience will teach you which eggs are best buys. The larger eggs are often pre ferred for servi ng alone. In cooking, most recipes mean large egg s unless otherwise specified . There can be a considerable varia tion i n prices of egg s o f different size. In late summer and fall, small and medium sized egg s are often lower i n price. To get fresh, good-quality eggs, buy from a store that refrigerates them. Eggs deteri orate rapidly in quality when exposed to heat. The color of the shell has nothing to do with the quality or flavor of the egg in side, but in some areas brown eggs are less expensive than white ones. Store e g g s either i n their carton or cov ered in the refrig erator. Because the shells are porous, they lose flavor and moisture if left uncovered in a warm room.


27

1Jairy

Products

The basis for all dairy prod ucts is milk in one form or another. Cream, ice cream, but ter and cheese are the best- k nown products but research i s constantly providing varia tions and refinements of all these. Grade A indicates quality fluid m i l k and i s the g rade available i n retai l stores. M i l k used for man ufacturing milk products- butter, cheese and ice cream-is designated as manufac turing grade. Here is a list of the most wide l y available retail milks and related prod ucts.

Fresh milk products Wholefluid milk-Cow ' s milk which contains both fat and other nonfat solids. (Once k nown only as butterfat, the fat component is now often called m i l k fat because it is the fat common to all m i l k products-not j ust butter. ) Minimum requirements for both fat and nonfat components are established by the individual state s ; fat content is usually not permitted to fall below 3 per cent and nonfat solids below 8 per cent. A lmost ev erywhere milk is pasteurized as a matter of course. This d estroys harmfu l bacteria and makes the milk easier to keep . Homogenized milk- Whole m i l k whose fat g lobules have been broken up and d i strib u ted permanently through the m i l k . Ho mogenized milk differs from ordinary milk i n that there is no separation of cream, and the product remains uniform throug hout. Most of the fresh whole milk that is sold to day i s homogenized .

Skim milk-Milk that has had a portion of its fat removed . In some areas i t is any m i l k whose fat portion i s l e s s t h a n t h e minimum standard for whole milk. However, the exact fat content is generally l i sted on the con tainer, so check for the varieties available in your community.

and D , and m i nerals. Check the container to know what you are buying .

Chocolate milk Whole milk with chocolate and sugar added. -

B uttermilk -Commercially produced, butter milk is a prod uct of special processing, not the byproduct from churning cream i n to butter. Most of the b uttermi l k sold in the U.S. i s made of fresh skim milk to which bacteria cultures have been added in order to convert the m i l k sugar into lactic acid . This results in a m i l k that has a tangy flavor as wel l as a rich, smooth texture.

Sour cream-A commercial product, this i s light cream which has been subj ected to a fermenting process. Yoghurt-Another cultured milk product, this is made from fresh, partially skimmed milk or concentrated whole milk and often contains other flavorings. It is thick, with a characteristic acid flavor.

Cream- The part of the milk which contai ns the fat.

Light cream, coffee cream, table cream- Cream which contains 1 8 - 2 0 per cent fat ; i t often is homogenized.

Heavy or whipping cream-Cream with 30- 36 per cent m i l k fat.

Half-and-half-A mixture of milk and cream, usually containing 10- 1 2 per cent milk fat.

Ice cream-A mixture of milk, cream , sugar and a stabilizer that is frozen while bei ng stirred and whipped . Ice cream should have a fresh flavor, a fine-grained texture and firm body. Eggs are sometimes added for rich nes s ; in this case the product is often sold commercially as " French " or " New York " ICe cream .

Fortified milk -Either whole or skim milk to which certain nutrients have been added . The most common additions are vitamins A

28


Ice milk-Made like ice cream, it contains less m i l k fat and more nonfat m i l k solid s.

It is often sold frozen on sticks, or in a ·soft form in cups.

Cf3utter

Sherbet-A low- fat frozen substance contain i ng milk solids, sugar, stabilizer, food aci d , water a n d fruit or fruit j uices for flavoring .

Butter is made by churning fresh or soured cream. By law it must contain at least 80 per cent milk fat ; the remaining 20 per cent i s largely water w i t h some m i l k solids. It may be either salted or unsalted ; the latter is sometimes labeled sweet butter. Check the wrapper for i ngredients. Because sweet but ter does not have the salt that acts as a pre servative, its keeping qualities are less than those of salted butter. Read recipes carefully for the type of butter recommended ; if u sed i n desserts, cakes or sauces, salted butter could drastically change the flavor. On most butter containers you will find a shield indicating the U . S . grade of the but ter. There are three grades. U.S. Grade AA i s the best. It i s made fro m high-quality fresh sweet cream, and has a pleasant aroma and a sweet flavor. U . S . Grade A i s next. These two are the ones you are most likely to find in retail stores . Grade B butter is generally made from sour cream and does not have the fresh, sweet flavor of the higher grades. Whipped butter has had air or gas whipped into it d uring its manufacturing proce ss. This i ncreases the volume of the butter and makes it easier to spread , but makes it gen erally unsatisfactory for cooking purposes. It i s usually available i n small tubs and is generally unsalted. Butter should be stored, well wrapped, i n t h e refrigerator. Keep o n l y a small amount of it for immediate use i n the special butter compartment. Do not expose it to heat or sunlight for long periods of time. You should always use butter within two weeks after you buy it.

Canned and dry milk products Evaporated milk-This is canned, sterilized, homogenized milk from which about 60 per cent of the water has been removed by heat ing. Vitamin D i s generally added to it. Re frigerate evaporated milk after opening.

Sweetenedcondensed milk- Canned whole milk from which roughly 5 0 per cent of the wa ter has been removed and sugar added as a preservative.

Dry whole milk- This i s fresh whole milk from which the water has been removed . I t is reconstituted by adding water.

Nonfat dry milk- Whole milk from which both water and fat have been removed.

Storing milk products All the fresh, fluid milks, cream, buttermilk and yoghurt may be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week. Take only the amount you need out of the con tainer and return the rest to the refrigerator. Any extended exposure to room tempera ture or sunlight harms both the fl avor and the quality. Both dry milks-the whole and the non fat varieties-may be kept unopened i n a dry, cool place. Once opened, the dry whole milk, which i s used primarily for feeding in fants, must be tightly covered and refrig erated. Dry nonfat milk may be stored cov ered even after opening, at room tempera ture. After reconstituting, both kinds must be refrigerated. The canned milks, u nopened, may be stored at room temperature . Opened, they must be refrigerated and treated like any fluid milk. Ice cream, ice milk and sherbet should be stored in the freezing compartment of the refrigerator.

Margarine, though not actually a dairy prod uct, i s the most common substitute for but ter. It consists mainly of vegetable oils, with some nonfat milk solids, and usually an ar tificial coloring. Some brands may have a small proportion of butter or butter flavor ing ; others may be fortified with additional vitamins. Use and store margarine as you would butter.


29

Gheese The most versatile of all the dairy products, cheese is a delight to any cook. It is also a challenge to the imagination. Depending on the cheese you select, you may serve it as a separate course after the entree or as an ac companiment to a fruit dessert ; you may grate it and use it to flavor or decorate cooked foods and salad s ; or you may simply taste it as you do a fine wine. The more you know about cheeses and the subtle d i stinc tions i n flavor and texture among them, the more imaginative your u se of them will be.

How is natural cheese made? Natural cheese-which is cheese processed directly from milk-is made by causing milk to separate, by means of rennet or a bacterial culture, into curds (soft, milky lumps) and whey (a thin, opaque liquid) . Depending on the variety, whole cow ' s milk, skim milk, cream, whey or a blend of all of them are used. Most of the cheese produced in the United States i s made from cow ' s milk. In some countries, such as Norway and France, goat ' s and sheep 's milk are used in certain types of cheese. After breaking up the curds, salt or seasonings, bacteria or molds may be added . The cheese is then shaped and pro tectively coated or wrapped and allowed to age. The amount of moisture in the variety of cheese has much to do with how long it must be cured, or aged ; generally, the less moisture, the longer the curing period. At any point in this process, variations i n meth od or ingredients will produce a different cheese, hence the enormous variety available.

Kinds of natural cheese The natural cheeses are generally classified according to the ripening or curing time in volved. Since there tends to be some simi larity in texture, these classifications are help ful for keeping track of the better- known varieties and their characteri stics. The differ ences in fl avor and aroma, even within one category, can be g reat ; you can learn about these only through testing and cooking with

30


the different varieties. Use the following list as a guide, but let your personal taste and ex perience be the final j udge.

Unripened cheese- The moist, soft varieties such as cottage cheese, cream cheese and the Italian ricotta are eaten fresh ; they are not allowed to age at all. The firmer ones- Moz zarella and the two distinctive tasting Nor wegian cheeses, G j etost and Mysost-may be eaten fresh but because they contain relatively little moi sture they may also be kept longer before using. Soft, ripened cheese-Aged for from four to eight weeks ; curing begins from the rind and works inward to the center. The texture i s soft and smooth and the flavor, as in Cam embert and Brie, i s usually mild . An excep tion to this is Limburger with its very strong , pungent taste. Semisoft, ripened cheese-Aged from one week to four months, depending on the va riety ; curing starts both at the outside rind and the interior. The texture ranges from a true semisoft to a medium firm and the flavor from mild to moderately strong. Bel Paese, Munster and Port du Salut are some of the best-known varieties. Firm, ripened cheese-Aged up to one year or more ; curing occurs through the entire cheese. Smooth-textured and mild to ex tremely sharp in flavor, this category in cludes the well-flavored Cheddar, the Dutch Edam and Gouda, and Swiss cheese.

Very hard, ripened cheese Aged in some cases up to two years ; curing is slow becau se of little moisture and a higher salt content. Sharp tasting and granular, I talian Parmesan and Romano are the best-known varieties. Parmesan is known also as Grana (which means granular) , and is mostly used grated into cooked dishes, or on soups and pasta. -

Blue-vein,

mold-ripened cheese-Aged

from two to 1 2 month s ; curing is promoted by a characteri stic mold culture. The texture

is generally semisoft and crumbly and the flavor sharp. Roquefort, G orgonzola and Stilton are the well-known varieties of this kind of cheese. I t is served as a dessert, as an hors d ' oeuvre or crumbled i n a salad .

Process cheese- Process cheese is a com bina

tion of fresh and cured natural cheeses that is pasteurized by heating. Si nce there is no further aging after its manufacture, there i s n o change i n t h e flavor. Variations i nclude pasteurized process-cheese food and cheese spreads. These have different proportions in the ingredients, often including the addition of nonfat milk solids, whey and water as well as such flavorings as pimento, fruit and vegetables. Process cheeses have a smooth texture, often with a bland taste, and they melt quickly when they are heated . Cold pack or club cheese is also a blend of fresh and aged natural cheese but i t i s not subj ected to heat. I t tends to be closer in flavor to the original cheese. Its texture i s quite soft a n d it spreads easily.

Buying cheese The best way to buy natural cheese is in bulk. This way you can inspect the whole cheese and, hopefully, sample it before you buy. You can do this most often at a store selling only cheese or i n a large store with a cheese department. Notice how the store keeps its stock ; cheese should be covered and refrig erated to maintain its quality . Cheese is usu ally in better condition i f the store does a brisk business and has a rapid turnover. Tast ing a cheese i s your best guide to its good ness ; i f that i s i mpossible, be sure i t looks good for its type. Most cheese is sold prepackaged, particu larly i n supermarkets and smaller general stores. Check the packages carefully ; the wrapping should be clean and should stick to the cheese ; it should not be torn or stained. The odor of the cheese (if any can be detected) should be approximately right for the variety . Be sure that the cheese is kept under refrigeration. Process cheese does not need to be refrig erated until after it i s opened . The wrappers

of process cheese list all of the i ngredients used i n its preparation. Check them to know whether you are getting simple process cheese, cheese food or d'ieese spread . How much to buy depends on the kind of cheese. I t i s better to buy small quantities of the soft, unripened n atural cheeses such as cottage or cream cheese, and the soft, ripened cheeses such as Camembert and Brie. They are peri shable, and they lose their fla vor and texture quickly. Firmer, ripened cheese and process cheese will keep much longer, and these may be bought safely m larger quantities.

Storing cheese The important thing in keeping cheese i s t o prevent it from losing moisture. Larger cheeses which already have a protective coat ing need only the cut side covered. Alumi num foi l or a plastic wrapping which will adhere closely to the surface are fine. Or you may dip the cut end into hot paraffin. Small er pieces o f cheese should be wrapped care fully and completely. Blue-veined cheeses should be put in a domed cheese storer or wrapped in a d amp cloth . The blue veining needs some air to continue ripening and both the dome and the damp cloth maintain the moisture while allowing some air to reach the cheese. If mold should develop on any cheese, simply scrape it off. I t is not harm ful to the rest of the cheese. All cheese must be refrigerated. High temperatures cause cheeses to " sweat" and lose their moisture. The more moisture a cheese has, the more peri shable it i s . The soft, unripened cheeses, cottage and cream cheese, should be used within a few days of pur chase. The firmer unripened varieties such as Mozzarella may be kept longer. The very hard cheeses such as Parmesan and Romano may be kept a long time-even six months or more--under proper conditions. Cheese, except for cottage cheese, should not be served chilled . Be sure to remove it from the refrigerator i n time for it to warm to room temperature. Only at room temper ature can the fl avor and quality of each cheese be properly tasted and enjoyed.


31

:Fresh :Fruit To find the perfect peach, at the peak of its flavor and j u iciness, is not eas y . The whole business of buying fresh fruit can be a con siderable challenge even to the shrewdest of food shopper s . The best place to start is at a store that has a fairly rapid turnover i n fres h produce and that allows you-as not all do-to choose your own fruit. A good look at all sides of any piece of fruit will tell much about its quality . Check for blemishes, gently test the firmness and j udge the weight of the fruit i n relation to its size-this being the kind of j udgment you simply have to learn . The U . S . Department of Agriculture grades many fruits at the wholesale level, but except for apples-which you occasion ally see tagged " E xtra Fanc y " or " Fancy " (the two top grades) -there is usually no i n dication of grades at t h e retail level. Whole sale grading determines minimum standards of size and quality . The extremely peris h able nature of fruit allows for too many var iables during packing and s hipping for the grades to be of much meaning when the fruit reaches retail markets . The bright-colored, well- formed, unblem ished fruit-the one that looks the most de licious-will generally taste better than its less-appetizing -looking neigh bor. However, this is not an absolute guarantee ; by relying on appearance alone even an expert can go wrong on what may be inside. In most cases, blemishes, bruises and broken skin are to be avoided since they are open doors to de terioration. (Exceptions are the thicker skinned citrus fruits, i n which minor skin defects rarely affect the quality inside . ) Because ripe fruit spoils easily during shipping and is hard to handle without bruising, many fruits are picked at a mature but unripe stage. They may still be hard to the touch when they get to your store . But i f the other characteristics such as color and shape are good, they can ripen at home . Keep them at room temperature, out of the sun, until they are ripe.

32


How to store Ripe, fresh fruit should be used as soon as possi ble. I f it i s prepackaged , sort out and discard any damaged pieces . Wipe the fruit if necessary ; if you wash it, dry it well dry fruit keeps better. You may store fruit uncovered in the refrigerator a few days . The skin of citrus fruits pits and the flesh darkens if kept in the refrigerator more than a week , and the skin of bananas darkens from the cold. Unripe or hard apples are better kept at a temperature of 60 to 70 � Pineapple needs to be wrapped if stored in the refrigerator because a too-dry atmos phere causes it to shrin k . Know t h e right color for the variety . Firm, bright-colored apples free from soft spots and cuts are the best. For eating, De licious (red or golden ) , Mcintosh and Jona than are among the best. For cooking and baking, large or medium-large Greening, Northern Spy and Rome Beauty are ex cellent choices. APPLE S :

APPRI COTS : Tree-ripened apricots are highly perishable, so you are li kely to find mature but hard ones in the market. Check for an even orange-gold color. The best are plump with no sign of shriveling or bruising . AVOCADO S : They may be large or small, green or almost black, with a smooth skin or a leathery one. They should be heavy for their size with a skin free from bruises . It doesn 't matter i f they are not completely ripe ; allow them to ripen at home until the skin yields to gentle pressure. BANANAS : Bananas of any variety may be bought when plump but slightly green. They should feel firm and be well developed . They can ripen at home to the best eating stage, bright yellow flecked with brown.

Color is important in all these fruits ; be sure it is bright and u ni form. Except for strawberries, select fru i t that is free from leaves or s tem caps ; either of these indicates i mmature fruit. Cultivated BERRIES AND CHERRIES :

blueberries tend to have uniformly large sized berries, while wild blueberries vary considerably i n size. Good sweet cherries are firm and sour cherries a little less so. Cranberries are available i n either the large, bright-red , slightly sour variety or i n the smaller, darker-colored, sweeter type. Straw berries should have a portion of the cap and stem still attached . Very small strawberries are usually poor buys in the U . S . All of these fru its should be d ry and clean when pur chased ; dirt and moisture i nvite immediate decay . But do not was h , or remove the hulls of berries , until j ust before using them. The best citrus fruits are heavy for their size, which i n dicates their j u iciness ; they should be of a regular s hape and firm with a fine-textured s ki n and bright color. Because of its naturally loose skin a ripe tan gerine may not seem firm ; its flattened ends should feel a little soft .

you can i nspect them . The flesh should be red with dark brown or black seeds . NECTA R I N E S : A cross between a p l u m a n d a peach, a nectarine has the odor but not the fuzzy skin of a peach . I t should be plump and firm but not hard when ripe, with a slight softening along the " seam " at the side. PEACH E S : The best peaches are firm, but not hard , and have a good yellow or creamy background color. This color is the most i m portant ; a red b l u s h by itself does n ' t indi cate a good peach . Avoid peaches with brown spots or shriveled skin.

CITRUS FRUITS :

Plump, fresh-looking grap es, firmly attached to stems, are best. Check by gently shaking the bunch ; few i f any should drop off the stems . The color should be bright, and can be white, green , purple or black. Most white and green grapes are ripe when they begin to show an amber shade. With other varieties, only taste tells. GRAPES

These are the most difficult of all fruit to buy. There is no foolproof way to know the quality before you cut one open. All varieties should be fully ripe for the best flavor and sweetness. Ripe melons usually have a strong characteristic odor and a soft ening at the blossom , not the stem , end. Each variety, however, has its own special characteristics. A Casaba melon has a yellow rind with deep lengthwise furrows and no aroma . The veining, or " netting , " on the rind of cantaloupe should stand out sharply against a background of yellowish -gray. Honeydew melon rinds should be relatively smooth and either creamy -white or creamy yellow. As with any melon, the key to qual ity in a watermelon is its i nterior, and luck ily, these are often halved or quartered so MELONS :

PEARS : The best pears are those which have ripened after being picked . They may be fairly firm to the touch when purchased and allowed to ripen at home . Well-shaped with a clean skin, they should h ave a bright color ; russeting, or brown roughening , occurs on Bose and Anjou pears (but does not affect the taste) , and Cornice pears are still al most green when ripe. Ripe Bartletts are clear yellow, occasionally blushed . PINEAPPLE S : A good , ripe pineapple should be heavy for its size, firm to the touch, and have the strong , fres h odor of pineapple. The color may range from a golden yellow to a pale red in the Red Spanish variety and from a light yellow to a deep golden yellow i n the s mooth Cayenne variety. I f stored where the air i s too dry, moisture will be lost, and the pineapple will shrink and deep en i n color. Decay appears as soft , some times almost black areas near the base. PLUMS AND PRUNES : Ranging from yellow green to a purplis h - black , ripe plums are well rounded and j ust soft enough to yield to a l ittle pressure. Stickiness or undue soft ness usually means the fruit has begun to decay. Fresh prunes are freestone plums.

(a vegetable, but eaten as a fruit) : The stalks should be of moderate size with a crisp, fresh look. Small, i mmature leaves usually mean tender stalk s . RHUBARB


33

:fresh Vegetaf?les The wise selection o f fresh vegetables takes at least as much expertness as selecting fruit. As i n the case of fruit, the U.S. Department of Agriculture grades vegetables only at the wholesale level. (A bag of potatoes some times has U.S. Fancy or U.S. No. 1, the two top grades, printed on it, but this is j ust about the only evidence of grading that ap pears at the retail level. ) Wholesale grading ensures minimum standards o f quality ; it is up to the customer to find the freshest and most flavorful vegetables. As a rule, young vegetables are the tend erest and best-tasting ; the biggest vegeta ble is not likely to be the best. Be sure to look most carefully at the part o f the vege table that counts. Wilted tops of beets and carrots are unimportant i f the roots have good shape, textu re and color. The leaves of spinach and lettuce are the important part ; buy only clean, fresh-looking ones. In asparagus, the stalks are what count ; they should be green the entire length with closed tips at the end. Freshness is i mport ant to both flavor and quality i n all vegeta bles, so buy in quantities that you can use in a relatively short time. Most fresh vegetables should be kept in the refrigerator, in the vegetable drawer or compartment designed for them, or covered in the lower part of the refrigerator. Ripe tomatoes, unhusked corn, unshelled lima beans and peas in the pod should be refrig erated but not covered . Sort all vegetables before storing and d iscard any that show de cay. Wash them i f they are very dirty but dry them well. If possible, simply shake the dirt off or wipe them clean before storing. Take care that lettuce and other greens are dry before storing ; otherwise they will lose their crispness. It is best to wash and dry them j ust before using. There are a few vegetables that should not be stored i n the refrigerator : potatoes, dry onions, rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, hard rind squash and eggplant. These should be stored at a cool temperature, around 60°; a

34


cellar or utility room i s a good place for this kind of storage. Onions and potatoes sprout at a high room temperature and soon dete riorate. Onions should be stored in loosely woven bag s, potatoes i n a dry, dark place with good air circulation. Both should be bought i n small quantities if this kind of storage is unavailable. Here is what to look for when selecting fresh vegetables : ROOT VEGETABLES : I n beets, carrots, parsnips, radishes, turnips and rutabagas, look for smooth, firm, well- shaped roots. The color should be good and characteristic for the vegetable. Any flabbiness, moist spots or shriveling indicates decay or age. In the case o f carrots and radishes remove both tips and tops before storing ; they d rain needed moisture fro m the root i f left on. Re move the tops of beets but not the tips, lest they lose color and moisture.

This group i ncludes the cooking greens-chard, kale, collards and spinach ; and the salad greens-leaf type lettuce, chicory, escarole and water cress. The leaves should be clean and fresh looking, and have a characteristic green color. Seedstalk, or sprouting, on any of these vegetables means age and i t may show toughness. Too many wilted leaves or d is colorations should be avoided.

LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES :

They should be globular, plump and heavy, with tight-fitting green scales. Size has little relation to an artichoke ' s fla vor or quality .

ARTICHOKES:

As said before, the tenderest asparagus is green along its entire stalk. Firm, closed tips are a sign of freshness.

ASPARAGUS:

Look at the pods o f these vegetables. In snap and yellow beans, they should be crisp and tender, fi lled wi th very immature seeds. The pods of lima beans should be fresh, dark g reen and well filled with plump beans. Pea pods should be a light green color with a soft texture and

BEANS AND PEAS :

filled with well-developed peas. Once shelled , both Iimas and green peas should be used immediately ; their flavor and quality fade quickly in the open air. The flower clus ters should be compact and firm and not dried out. Broccoli bud clusters range from dark green to purplish-green and their stalks should be tender and firm. Good cauliflower flowerets are white or creamy-white and the outer leaves of the cauliflower should look fresh and green. BROCCOLI AND CAULI FLOWE R :

CABBAGE AND BRUSSELS SPROUTS : The best heads of cabbage should be solid and relatively heavy for their size, with stems trimmed close to the head and leaves that show little or no discoloration. Brussels sprouts are tiny cabbages that should be firm to the touch and have a bright green color.

Crisp, clean stalks of medium length are the best. Test to see that they are brit tle ; avoid stalks that are d iscolored around the heart and leaves.

CELERY:

CORN : Milky, well- developed kernels are im portant. Husks should be a fresh- looking green, and still moist enough to fit firmly around the cob. Avoid corn with brown, mushy kernels at the tip of the f'!ar.

The freshest cucumbers are shiny, bright green and firm to the touch . Avoid yellowing or puffy ones. cucuMBERS:

A good one i s dark purple and feels firm and heavy, with no bruises or cuts on the smooth skin. EGGPLANT :

GARLIC : A good bulb of garlic i s one with plump cloves compactly set in an unbroken outer skin. Cloves that are sprouting and shriveled or have a broken skin are of poor quality and should be avoided.

Easily packed and shipped , iceberg lettuce is the most widely available variety. Its leaves should be crisp and bright-

ICEBERG LETTUCE :

colored and in a fairly firm shape. " Rust" and small, j agged brown spots on the inner leaves are not good signs. MUSHROOMS : Clean, preferably without any scars or browni ng, the best are a good white or creamy-white, with their caps completely closed so that no gills can be seen between the cap and the stem.

Green, fresh tops with necks white 2 or 3 inches up from the root are the marks of the choicest green onions, scallions and leeks. Dry, mature onions should be globu lar in shape, bright with dry skins. Moisture at the neck or on the outer skins i s a sign of probable decay . ONIONS:

POTATOE S : The best are firm, fairly smooth and free from eyes, with a regular shape for the variety. " New" potatoes bruise easily, and they do not keep well ; " late " or " old " potatoes are more durable. Avoid mottled, leathery or scarred potatoes.

Both sweet and hot peppers should look shiny, have a strong red or green color depending on their variety and be fairly firm to the touch. PEPPERS :

There are many species, d ivided into two general kinds to shop for : summer and winter. Summer squash, which include z uc chini and White Bush Scallop, are best when immature with a soft rin d . Feel to see that they are heavy for their size and not bruised or discolored . Winter squash such as Butter nut and Acorn have a hard rind. The rinds should be free of soft spots because these squash decay easily. SQ UASH :

(technically a fruit, but sold and eaten as a vegetable) : The best ones are ripened on the vine but this is often imprac tical for packing and shipping. They should , however, have begun to turn red before pick ing. Check for a plump shape with a general red color and a skin free from cracks or scars. If still hard, ripen them at home at room temperature out of the sun. TOMATOES


35

:Freezing The freezing of fresh foods that can be kept safely for long periods o f time has made a drastic change in the pattern of modern shopping. By greatly reducing the natural spoilage in food that is caused by blcteria, enzyme action and oxidation, freezing maintains much of the quality, fl avor and texture of high-quality fresh food.

Home freezers If you freeze large quantities of food and intend to store them for several months, you need a separate home freezer. Buy a model that fits your need s : consider how much food and what kind you freeze at one time, the number o f people in your family and how large a freezer you have room for. A freezer works most efficiently when it is used to full capacity. Refrigera tor- freezer combinations, preferably the ones with two separate doors, one for each compartment, are good for long- term storage as long as proper temperatures can be maintained . Re frigerators with a freezing compartment i n the interior storage area a n d ones with only an ice-cube compartment are not adequate for long-term storage. Food may be kept frozen in these areas for only a few days. You must maintain a temperature of Oo or lower i n the entire freezer or freezi ng compartment. Get a thermometer and sam ple the temperature i n various locations over a period of time. If your freezer has a compartment on the door, check this too. Hard - frozen packages are not in themselves proof that the temperature i s cold enough to protect the food at all times. When storing and removing frozen food, put newly purchased or newly frozen foods in the bottom or back o f the freezer so you will use the oldest food first. Take several things out at once rather than opening the door at frequent intervals. Know what is in your freezer and when you put it in. You can mark the packages with name and d ate of freezing and keep a list to remind you what you have.

38


How to freeze The quality of the food you are going to freeze is i mportant. It must be absolutely fresh and of high quality ; freezing doesn 't add or improve flavor or quality . Freeze it as quickly as you can after purchase to main tain quality. Not all food is suitable for freezing ; certain processed meats, tomatoes, bananas, pears and cooked foods such as custards do not freeze well. You need do n o more than trim or sort some foods before freezing. Some fruits and most vegetables require brief precooking or blanching. Combination dishes cooked before freezing are better if slightly under cooked, especially if they contain vegetable s ; they w i l l be cooked more when y o u reheat them for serving. Learn the necessary pre paratory steps and follow them. Most re frigerator- freezer companies publish pam phlets with freez i ng advice. In add ition, a valuable guide is Home and Garden Bul letin A 1 . 77 : 1 0 , " Home Freezing of Fruits and Vegetables, " obtainable for 20 cents by writing to the Superintendent of Docu ments, Government Printing Office, Wash ington, D . C. 2040 2 . Wrapping i s also i mportant. U s e a type designed for freezi ng ; several varieties of moisture- and vapor-proof wraps are avail able. Be sure you exclude as much air as pos sible before sealing . The properly wrapped food should be frozen immediately . Speed all along the way is essential, so that the food will be frozen as quickly as possible. To do this, it i s best to adj ust the tempera ture of your freezer to a lower setting, - 1 0 to - 20 ° , and leave it there until the food has frozen. Do this some hours or a day ahead . When putting in new unfrozen foods, place the packages so they do not touch and warm-foods already in the freezer. A ny increase in temperature at any time during the life of frozen food is detrimental to both fl avor and quality. I t is a good idea to package foods for freezing in the quantities you will use for one meal. A smaller package is easier to freeze and to thaw . T here is no advantage i n keeping frozen food to the limit of its

storage life. Since there are so many variables in freezing-the quality o f the food, the wrapping, temperature control- it i s better to err on the side of caution and use frozen food well before the limit. The accompany ing lists suggested maximum storage times.

Buying commercially frozen foods The freezer in your retail store is as im portant to you as the one in your home. Notice whether it i s clean and not over loaded . Most freezing cabinets in stores have a line around the inside indicating the top limit for storing packages ; check to see that the food is not stacked above this line. Ex amine the packaging of frozen foods care fully. It should be solid to the touch , with out stains or punctures. A transparent wrap enables you to check the color of the con tents. There should be little or no frost or frozen liquid i n the package. If there is, it means it has probably thawed and been re frozen, a bad sign. After opening and thaw ing or cooking, check texture and fl avor. During the time it takes to carry frozen foods home, some rise in temperature is bound to occur, even if you use insulated bag s. Transfer the food immediately to your freezer and place it touching one of the refrigerated surfaces to restore it to low temperature quickly. Allow air to circulate on the other sides. When the food has reached its proper temperature, it may be moved anywhere in the freezer.

Thawing frozen foods An important and sometimes neglected step is proper thawing . Some foods-vegetables, some meats and cooked preparations-may be cooked unthawed . For those that re quire thawing before cooking or serving , refrigerator thawing i s t h e best ; i t takes longer but preserves the food values better. Food wrapped in sealed packages or con tainers may be th awed i n cold running water. Thawing at room temperature is quick but there is the danger of the outside thawing more quickly than the interior. You must use thawed frozen food immediately before quality and flavor begin to deteriorate.

S UGGESTED STORAGE TIMES FOR FROZ EN FOOD

The chart below lists maxtmum storage times for frozen foods. There are many variables in the freezing process so it i s wise to use frozen food well before the limit i s reached. Approximate storage

Food

time at

0' or lower

MEAT

Fresh beef

6- 1 2 months

Fresh veal, lamb

6-9 months

Fresh pork

3-6 months

Ground beef, veal and lamb

3-4 months

Ground pork

1 -3 months

Variety meats

3-4 months

Cooked meat combinations Meat pies (cooked)

3 months

Swiss steak (cooked)

3 months

Stews (cooked)

3-4 months

POULTRY

Chicken- whole

6- 1 2 months

Chicken-cut up

6 months

Turkey

6 months

Duck, goose-whole

6 months

Cooked poultry Fried chicken Sliced meat and gravy Pies

3 months 3-6 months 12 months

FISH

Fillets of lean fish

4 months

Fillets of fat fish

3 months

Shellfish

2-4 months

Cooked fish

1 -3 months

VEGETABLES

8 - 1 0 months

FRUITS

8- 1 2 months

Fruit j uice concentrates

8- 1 2 months

ICE CREAM, SHERBET

1 month

Selecting and storingfood

39

rJ[ (}lossary

of:Food and Gooking CJerms

Every good recipe i s precise (though not ev ery precise recipe i s a good one) , and a care ful cook takes the trouble to learn the exact meaning of a recipe ' s terms. In this glossary many foods, utensils and methods are de-

fined, and some of the basic techniques that recipes call for are described . The more of these you understand-for example, the d if ferences between stir, beat and whip-the more successful your cooking will be.

la king: a method of preparing delicately flavored meat, fish or poultry i n a creamy seasoned sauce.

with butter, bread crumbs or grated cheese and baked or broiled until brown.

a

la mode:

" in the style" or " in the man ner" of, generally used i n reference to a par ticular city or region (a Ia mode de Caen ) . In American cooking, it means serving cake or pie with ice cream.

a

antipasto: in Italian cooking, the first course, served before the pasta dish. Anti pasto serves the same purpose as the French hors d 'oeuvre. It usually includes an assort ment of fish, vegetables and/or cold meat. appetizer:

a small serving of j uice, fruit, seafood or other food served at the begin ning o f a meal.

aspic: a flavored j ellylike substance, made from meat or vegetable stock, or from fruit j uice to which gelatin has been added . It is used to coat meat, poultry or fish or to form a molded salad . au gratin:

the word gratin means the brown coating on food formed by broiling or baking in the oven. Au gratin or gratinfe has come to mean a method of prepari ng food in a sauce whose top surface is covered

40

A glossary offood and cooking terms

au jus:

a French term applied to meat served with only the natural, unthickened pan j uices that come out d uring cooking.

batter: a mixture of flour and a variety of other ingredients such as milk, eggs, leaven ing agents and seasonings, used as the basi s for cakes, fritters, coatings or pancakes. Its consi stency may range from a thin liquid to a stiff, thick one depending on the propor tions of the ingredients. bake:

to cook in an oven by dry heat.

barbecue:

to roast or broil on a rack or revolving spit over hot coals, or i n the oven. Meat or fowl cooked this way is usually basted with a highly seasoned sauce.

bard: to cover a bird or roast with thin sheets or strips of fat in order to protect such delicate parts as a chicken breast, or to provide automatic basting of meat. baste:

to keep food moist and add flavor while cooking, usually by spooning melted fat, pan j uices, wine or other liquid over the surface.

blanch:

to plunge into boiling water for the purpose of softening a food, for remov ing an unwanted flavor, or for partial pre cooking.

blend:

to stir, rather than beat, ingre d ients until they are thoroughly combined .

boil: to heat or cook in a liquid whose temperature reaches 2 1 2 ° (at sea level) ; the surface will be broken by a steady bubbling action. In a rapid boi l, the bubbles are vigor ous and rolling ; i n a medium boil the bub bles are gentle. A very slow boil, where the liquid hard ly moves, is called a simmer. bone:

beat:

to mix ingredients together with a circular up-and- down motion, using a whisk, a spoon, or a rotary or electric beater. To beat egg whites, place the whites i n a clean bowl, preferably of unlined copper, and using a balloon- shaped wire whisk, beat gently until the whites reach a pale, foamy stage. Then beat more vigorously with a steady circular up-and- down motion until the whites peak firmly when the beater i s raised from the bowl (see picture above). If you use an elec tric beater, be sure the beater blades move completely around the bowl. The point is to incorporate as much air as possible into the egg whites as you beat, thus i ncreasing their volume. Beaten egg whites should be used immed iately ; they may be kept for a short time by covering the bowl securely with plastic wrap.

bechamel:

a basic white sauce of flour and butter to which milk i s added .

bind:

to thicken or smooth the consi stency of a liquid. Egg yolks, flour, potatoes or rice are commonly used .

bisque: a thick cream soup, often made from fish or vegetable purees ; also a frozen creamy dessert containing fruits, macaroons or nuts.

to remove bones from meat or fowl. To bone meat, use a boning knife or any thin, very sharp knife about 5 or 6 i nches long. I n sert the point between the flesh and the bone to get started . Then turn the blade so it is flat against the bone, with the sharp edge always pointing away from you. Use short, sawing, scraping strokes as you follow the direction of the bone. Do not be alarmed at j agged edges on the meat as it comes away ; these can be patted back into shape when you are done. To bone a chicken breast, first remove the skin by i n serting your thumb between flesh and skin and gently pulling the skin off. With the flesh side down, take the breast in both han d s and bend i t back unti l the breastbone pops up. Gently pull i t out and cut the two breasts apart. Put one breast with the bone side u p on a chopping sur face. I n sert the point of the knife between the flesh and the single small ri b bone that comes away from the rib cage. Turn the blade so i t i s flat against this bone and cut to release it. Pull the bone up and hold i t ; with the knife i n the other hand, use short, scraping strokes to cut away the flesh on the succeeding ribs. When the entire rib is removed, cut the remai n i ng bones away . Pat the boned flesh i nto its original shape. Repeat with the other breast.

bouillon:

stock or broth made by cook i ng meat, fi sh or vegetables i n a liqui d .

A

glossary offood and cooking terms

4I

bouquet garni:

a small bundle of herbs, usually parsley, thyme and bay leaf, wrapped in cheesecloth or tied together and added to cooking mixtures for flavor. It is removed before serving.

braise: to cook in a tightly covered pan with a small amount of liquid at a low tem perature. bread:

to coat food with dry bread or cracker crumbs. The food is often dipped first in a liquid or beaten egg to help the crumbs stick to its surface.

brochette:

a skewer used for broiling small pieces of meat or vegetables. En bro chette means " cooked on a s kewer. "

broth:

the liquid in which meat, fish, poultry or vegetables has been cooked .

brown :

to turn the surface of food brown i n color by cooking quickly in hot fat on top of the stove or at a high temperature in the oven or broiler.

brush on:

to apply a liquid to the surface of food with a small brush.

caramelize:

to cook white granulated su gar with a small amount o f water until it turns into a nut-brown- colored syrup. This i s used either to line a dessert mold or to add flavor or color to other mixtures.

chill:

to make cold, not frozen, i n a re frigerator, over cracked ice or i n any other suitable cold place.

chop:

to cut into small pieces. A good knife for this i s the French chef' s or coo k ' s knife . As shown in t h e picture at right, grasp the blade between thumb and fi ngers near the point, with your other hand at the heeL Now move the blade vigorously up and down on the food, holding the tip station ary . Repeat several times, gathering the food i nto a heap each time, until all of it is thor oughly chopped.

42


clarify:

to make a substance pure or clear.

To clarify butter, cut sticks of butter i nto half- i nch slices and melt in a saucepan over low heat. Do not let the butter brown. Re move pan from heat and skim the foam off the top of the b utter. Spoon the clarified butter (the clear liquid under the foam) i nto another container and d iscard the milky res idue that has settled at the bottom of the original pan . To clarify stock, heat it and bring to a vigorous boil with one crushed egg shell and one egg white beaten to a froth for every two cups of stock . Stir constantly, until the mixture almost overflows. Remove from heat and let sit for a few minutes, then ladle into a sieve lined with a moistened kitchen towel or cheesecloth, set above a bowL Do not d i sturb i t ; the clear liquid wi ll drain throug h .

coat:

t o cover food lightly b u t thorough ly with either a liquid or dry substance.

coat a spoon:

a term that describes the degree of thickness of a cooking liquid, par ticularly o f a cream soup or sauce. To test the thickness, stir the liquid with a spoon . When the spoon is held above the pan and allowed to drip, it will retain an even fi lm or coating of the liquid. ·

coddle: to cook slowly in a liquid heat ed to j ust below the boiling point. combine:

to mix or blend together two or more ingredients.

compote: fresh or dried fruits cooked and served i n a flavored sugar syrup. condiment:

any seasoning added to food to enhance its flavor. In common u sage, it generally refers to prepared sauces arid rel ishes eaten with food .

consomme:

a clear, strongly flavored soup made from stock .

foods such as bread or crackers are subj ected to dry heat.

croquette: a thick, creamy mixture con . rai ning various foods ( meat, vegetables, rice, etc . ) that i s shaped , coated with egg and crumbs and then fried . croi'tte: hard- toasted slices of French bread , used as garnishes for soups or toasted bread cases, filled and served as hors d 'oeuvre. En croute: " i n a crust" (as pate) . croi'tton:a small croute,

used as a garnish for

soup s and salad s.

crumb:

core:

to break into small pieces. Fresh bread crumbs are made b y pulling a piece of fresh bread into small, soft particles, or pul verizing i t i n an electric blender. Stale bread, cracker or cereal crumbs are made with a rolling pin or in a blender.

correct seasoning: to taste food at various stages of the cooking process and to add more seasoning i f required .

crush: to pulverize by rolling with a rolling pin or by mashing until dry food is the con sistency o f coarse powder. Fruits, particular ly berries, are usually crushed by mashing until they lose their shape.

cool:

t o allow t o stand u n t i l heat h a s re duced . The food or utensil should no longer feel warm to the touch.

to remove the inedible central portion of certain fruits or vegetables with a paring knife or corer.

court bouillon: a well- seasoned liquid usu ally flavored with root and stock vegetables used for cooking fish, vegetables and variety meats. cream: to soften solid fats such as butter, often by add ing another i ngredient such as sugar. Work the fat around the inside of a bowl by pressing and beating it with a spoon or with the pastry arm of an electric beater, until it is soft and creamy. crepes:

cube: to cut into small, equal- sized squares, generally 114 to 112 inch. custard:

a mixture of sugar, eggs, milk and/or cream and flavoring, baked until firm. A custard sauce i s a simi lar mixture, cooked atop the stove and u sed in liquid form.

cut in:

a method of combining solid fat with flour in pastry making. Use your fingers, a pastry blender or two knives in a cutting motion to break the fat into small pieces mixed throughout the flour. The resulting mixture should have a coarse, mealy consis tency .

delicate pancakes of egg and flour batter. Crepes may be filled with meat, fish or vegetable mixtures, covered with sauce and served as an entree ; made with a sweeter batter, the crepes may be served with a fruit or liqueur sauce as a dessert .

or oil.

crisp:

deglaze:

to make firm. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce are washed, dried and chilled ; dry

deep-fry:

to cook food i mmersed in hot fat

to collect the concentrated cook ing j u ices remaining in the pan after saute-

A

g!oJJary offood and cooking terms

43

i ng or roasting food. After the food is re moved and the fat poured off, heat a small

drippings:

the j uices and fat of meats that come out during the cooking proce ss.

amount of liquid (water, stock, wine, cream) i n the pan, scraping the browned particles and meat j uices into the liquid as it cooks, thus dissolving them. Use th is g laze as the base of a sauce or g rav y .

enrich:

degrease:

entree:

t o remove fat from a h o t liqui d . Let t h e liquid stand for a few minutes s o the fat will rise to the top. Skim the surface with a spoon to collect the fat. Then draw strips of paper toweling across the surface to soak up any remaining fat. A bulb baster also can be used to draw off the fat. If time per mits, refrigerate the liquid i n its container until the fat congeals on the surface, making it easier to remove .

devein:

to remove the black or white vein running along a shrim p ' s back. With a sharp knife make a shallow cut along the vein line, then l i ft or scrape out the vei n .

dice:

t o c u t into very small, e v e n cubes.

dilute:

to add liquid to another substance in order to thin or weaken it.

disjoint:

to cut or break fowl or a cut of meat into smaller pieces at the bone j oints.

dissolve:

to make a solution by adding li quid to a solid substance or by heating it until it melts.

dot:

to place small pieces of butter or other substances over the surface of food .

dough:

a flour and liquid mixture, of vary ing density-with or without a leavening agent-which i s shaped or worked by hand.

drain:

to remove liquid, u sually by allow ing food to stand i n a colander or strainer until the liquid has dripped off.

dredge:

to coat food heavily with a d ry mixture such as flour, sugar, bread or cracker crumbs.

44

A glOJsary offood and cooking terms

dust:

to sprinkle the surface of food light ly with sugar, flour or crumbs. to add cream, egg s or butter.

the main course of a meal. I n a tra d i tional French menu the entree is the third course, generally a hot dish in a white or brown sauce.

escalope:

a thin slice of meat, usually veal, that has been somewhat flattened .

fillet:

a boneless strip of lean fish or meat ; to cut strips of lean fish or meat.

fines herbes:

a mixture of minced herbs -parsley , chives, tarragon and cherv i l used to flavor soups, sauces, omelets and fish.

flake:

to break into small pieces with a fork, as with cooked fish.

flambe:

to flavor food with an alcoholic liquid by igniting the liquid ; the alcohol burns off, but the flavor remains.

flan :

a straight-sided, open pastry shell baked i n a bottomless metal ring. I t is simi lar to a pie shell except that the ring mold is set on a baking sheet during cooking and then removed before filling the shell. When filled with a sweetened fruit mixture a flan is often called a tart ; when filled with a sea soned fish, vegetable or meat mixture, it may be called a quiche or a gratin . In Mediterra nean countries flan also means a molded, custardlike dessert.

flour:

the finely g round meal of grai n ; to cover evenly with a thin layer of flour. To coat a baking pan with flour, first rub grease on the inner surfaces of the pan, then shake the flour in and rotate the pan unti l a t h in , even layer adheres to the sides and botto m . R a p t h e p a n sharply against a solid surface to d i slodge any excess flour.

beaten egg whites into a souffle sauce, spoon a small portion of the egg whites onto the surface o f the base mixture. Then with a rub ber spatul a cut down through the center of the whites to the bottom of the bowl or pan, slide the spatula along the bottom to the edge and bring it back up to the top, as shown i n the picture. Gradually fold in the rest of the egg whites with vertical cutting strokes until all the whites have been ab sorbed . This should be a quick but gentle operatio n .

fondue:

To flour meat or poultry: it is often conve nient to put flour and seasonings, then the food, into a plastic or paper bag and shake vigorously. Do not flour food s until j u st be fore they are to be cooked . I f floured food is allowed to stand , moi sture seeping from the food will make the flour coating gummy. In the picture above, fish are being dipped in flour and laid on a rack ready to cook.

a n a m e applied t o several quite di ssimilar preparations. An American cheese fondue i s a light, baked mixture of eggs, milk and cheese, with the addition of bread or cracker crumbs to give it body. A Swiss fondue i s a melted mixture of cheese and wine into which chunks of bread are dipped and then eaten. A beef fondue, also known as Fondue Bourguignonne, consists of cubes of lean, tender beef dipped into very hot fat, cooked a few moments and then eaten with assorted sauces. A vegetable fondue i s a dish, such as tomato fondue, i n which vegetables are cooked briefly until they " melt. "

force meat:

a pastelike mixture made from meat, vegetables or fish. It may be used as a stuffing, filling or spread.

fricassee:

to cook pieces of meat or chick en first i n butter and then i n a seasoned li quid until tender.

fritter:

any meat, vegetable or fruit dipped i n a batter and then fried i n very hot fat.

frosting:

another term for icing. A sweet, thick coating for cakes, cupcakes, cookies.

fry: to cook i n

hot fat . A s opposed to deep fry ing, the oil or fat in the pan reaches a depth of only 1/s inch or so.

fold: to incorporate a delicate mixture

i nto a thicker, heavier one so that the character of the lighter one is retai ned . To fold stiffly

garnish:

to d ecorate or accompany a d i sh by adding other food stuffs, such as chopped sprig s of parsley , vegetables, sauteed mush rooms or olives, before serving.

A


45

glace:

a sweet, frozen liquid, usually an ice or ice cream. It may also refer to any food that has been coated with a thin, sweet syr up and cooked at high heat until the syrup forms a hard coating that cracks.

julienne:

to cut a food such as tomato or ham into thin, matchlike strips.

glaze:

to apply a thin layer of syrup, j elly or aspic to the surface of food. Braised meat or fowl is glazed by putting it un covered in a very hot oven briefly j u st before serving . The meat can be additionally coated with reduced j uices from the brai sing pan.

grate:

to reduce a food to small particles by rubbing it on the teeth of a grater.

grease: to rub fat on food or utensils. grill:

to cook on a gridiron over hot coals or under a hot broi ler.

grind:

to cut food into small pieces with a meat g rinder or food mill. Herbs and spices can be ground to a fine, powdery consi st ency with a mortar and pestle .

high-altitude cookery:

cooks in moun tainous areas (over 2 , 5 00 to 3 , 000 feet) must allow for the effects of decreased atmos pheric pressure, especially in boiling and baking. Breads and cakes rise more readily, and boiling takes longer. For adj ustments that may be needed in your area, write the home economics d epartment of your state college or your county home demonstration agent.

hollandaise:

a delicate sauce o f egg yolks, butter and lemon j uice, served mainly with fish and vegetables.

hors d'oeuvre:

small amounts of food eaten before a meal or as a first course.

icing:

a thin, shiny, sweet coating cakes, cupcakes or cookies.

for

infusion:

the flavored liquid extract result ing from steeping herbs, vanilla or tea in a liqui d .

46

A

gloJJary offood and cooking termJ

knead:

to work dough by pressing it with the heels of the hands, folding and turning it and pressing it until it has been worked into a contained, elastic texture, as shown in the photographs above.

lard:

to insert fat, usually pork fat, into lean meat, either by threading the fat through the meat with a larding needle or by mak ing i ncisions in the meat and forcing the fat through. This process increases the fl avor of dry meat by basting it internally.

leavening:

the production of a gas in a bat ter or dough to cause it to rise. Leavening agents such as baking soda, yeast or bak ing powder react with heat and elements in the dough to make it expand in size and grow lighter in consistency.

legumes: vegetables like peas and beans that are contained in pod s. I n French ligumeJ means simply " vegetables. "

madrile'ne:

a clear soup, fl avored with to matoes, served chilled and often j ellied. Also a descriptive term used with other prepara tions fl avored with tomato j u ice.

monosodium glutamate ( MSG}: a white cry stalline substance added to food to bring out and enhance natural flavors. I t i s often used as part of a meat tenderizer.

marinade: a liquid i n which food, usually meat, i s placed both to enhance its flavor and to make it more tender. Marinades can be any seasoned liquid but they are usually a brine or a wine and oil mixture with herbs added for flavor.

mousse:

marzipan: a confection made from almond paste, egg whites and sugar. I t is frequently molded into special shapes and decorated. mash:

a very delicate mixture contain ing whipped cream or beaten egg whites. Mousses with pureed meat, fish, poultry or vegetables as a base are u sually bolstered by gelatin or a j elly stock and are served cold . Dessert mousses contain flavored whipped cream and eggs, and are either frozen or chilled . Mousse i s also used to describe hot dishes of a particularly smooth texture.

offal:

variety meats, or i n nards.

to soften and break down food by us ing a masher, the back of a spoon or by forcing the food throug h a ricer or press.

pan fry:

mask: to cover food completely before it i s served, usually with a sauce, for both flavor and decoration.

parboil:

mayonnaise: a cold, thick sauce of egg yolk and oil, usually seasoned with lemon j uice or vinegar, salt and pepper. Also a name ap plied to cold dishes, usually of fish or poul try, covered with mayonnaise.

to cook uncovered i n a frying pan in a small amount of hot fat or the fat which accumulates from the meat as i t cooks. to boil i n a liquid until partially cooked . This i s usually a preliminary step. The cooking i s completed by another meth od, such a s baking .

melt:

to change fat and solid dissolvable foods into a liquid state by heating.

meringue: a combination of beaten egg whites and sugar. It is formed into small cakes and baked, or used as a topping for a pie and baked until brown. mince:

to cut or chop i nto very fine pieces.

mincemeat:

a mixture of finely chopped in gredients, including suet, apples, candied fruits, raisins, nuts, and someti mes meat. (American mincemeat often contain s meat ; the English variety usually does not . )

mirepoix:

finely diced carrots, onions, cel ery and sometimes ham, cooked slowly in butter and used as a flavoring for meats, stuffings, stews and brai ses.

pare:

to remove the outer covering and stem of a fruit or vegetable with a knife or other paring tool. To d o this easily, drop the fruit or vegetable (in the picture, a to mato) into a pan of boiling water for 1 0 to


47

pit:

20 seconds. Lift it out with a slotted spoon, plunge it into cold water and peel off the skin with a sharp knife.

to remove seed s or stones from fruit or vegetables.

pasta :

a dough of either flour and water or flour and egg used i n making macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, etc. Also applied to the fini shed product as a generic name.

paste:

a smooth blend of a dry i ngredient and a liquid . The most common pastes are flour and water or flour and melted butter ; they are u sed primarily as thickening agents for sauces and gravies.

pate:

poach : to

a rich, well- seasoned blend of ground meat, poultry or fish often baked in a crust. When baked in a dish lined with stri ps of fat, it is called a terrine, after the dish. After chilling, it is usually sliced and served with bread as an appetizer or first course.

cook food immersed i n a liquid that is barely simmering. The photograph . above shows an egg being poached .

praline:

a mixture of caramelized sugar and almonds that is allowed to harden and i s crushed or ground . I t i s u sed as a flavoring or a decoration for desserts or sweet sauces. Pralines are also a candy made by coating whole almonds, pecans, or other nuts with a caramelized sugar mixture.

pate

a choux: a pastry of water, butter, flour and eggs. Mixed with cheese or baked as is, it makes small puffs that are served as hors d 'oeuvre. For dessert puffs, sugar is added. When mashed potatoes or cooked semolina is beaten i n , it becomes gnocchi. With ground fish, meat or poultry, it i s quenelle paste.

preheat:

to heat an oven or broiler to a de sired temperature for about 15 minutes be fore using.

preserves:

pate en croute:

a thickened mixture of fruit and sugar syrup i n which the fruit retains its orig inal shape. I t is served as a condiment or used i n desserts.

the proper name for a pate that is baked in a crust of pastry.

patty shell:

a delicate, cooked pastry case of puff paste into which i s poured a creamed mixture containing chicken or fi s h .

press:

a kitchen implement for extracting the j uice from a food such as garlic or lem ons.

pectin:

a substance found naturally i n cer tain fruits, particularly apples and currants ; when boiled with sugar it acts as a j elling agent.

peel:

puree:

to push food through a sieve or food mill to obtain a thick, smooth liquid.

quiche:

a savory custard poured in a flan or pie shell and baked until puffy and brown . Quiche lorraine, with its combination of egg s, bacon and cream, is among the best known.

see pare.

pilaf

a rice preparation in which the rice is first cooked briefly i n fat and then brai sed in a seasoned liquid. Fish, meat, poultry or vegetables may be added to make a more substantial dish.

48

A


ramekin :

·

a small individual baking d i s h.

reduce: to boil a liquid rapidly, reducing its quantity by evaporation and thus con centrating and intensifying its flavor.

food before cooking i t by another method ; or food such as chicken or thin strips o f beef m a y be sauteed u n t i l done.

refresh:

scald:

to plunge hot food i nto cold wa ter, quickly stopping the cooking process. I n the case of vegetables this procedure can be used to avoid overcooking, and helps to retai n the original color.

render: to heat pieces o f solid fat slowly to obtain liquid fat. ·

to heat a liquid to j ust below the boil. Also, to dip food i nto boiling water or to pour boiling water over food.

score:

to make sharp, shallow cuts on the surface o f food, usually in a diamond de sign as with hams, both for decoration and to permi t seasoning s to permeate the food.

ribbon : an expression used to describe a de sirable stage i n the blending of sugar and egg yolks. When this point i s reached, the pale yellow egg and sugar m ixture, dropped from an uplifted beater, will form a slowly di ssolving, ribbonlike line on the surface. If you beat beyond this stage, the egg yolks may become granular.

sear:

rice: to force food through a utensil called a ricer, which has small holes that permit the food to come through i n small particles resembling rice.

semolina:

to brown the s urface o f food quickly and produce richer pan drippings using high heat, i n the oven or on top of the stove.

season :

to add salt, herbs, spices or other ingredients to i ncrease the flavor of food. Also, to season a cast- iron cooking utensil

(see page 6).

coarse granules of cereal, usually wheat, fro m which puddings, soups and various kinds o f pasta are made.

rind: the outer skin of fruit and vegetables. Grated or candied orange and lemon rinds are frequently used i n cooking. rissole: a seasoned meat, fish or vegetable mixture enclosed in a pastry case or turn over and deep - fried or baked . roast:

to cook uncovered in the oven by dry heat, almost always without the addition of any liquid.

roulade: thin pieces of meat rolled around a stuffing and cooked i n a seasoned liquid or sauteed . roux:

a cooked mixture of fl our and butter, a common thickening agent in many sauces.

salt:

to add salt to food, or to rub with salt.

saute:

to cook food i n a small amount of hot fat. This can be done briefly to brown

separate: To separate egg yolks from the whites, crack the egg on the edge of a bowl, separate the two halves of the shell, letting some o f the white drip into the bowl. Slide the egg yolk into your hand, letting the rest o f the white run between your fi ngers i n to the bowl (see picture) and place the yolk in a separate bowl. Or, crack the egg in half and carefully pour the


49

yolk back and forth from one half of the shell to the other, letting the white run i nto the bowl.

spit:

set:

steam :

a condition in which liquids have con gealed and retain their shape. Custard s be come set after baking ; gelatin and egg mix tures are set by being chilled .

shred:

to cut or break i nto thin pieces.

shuck:

to remove an outer covering of food such as corn husks, or shells of clams, oysters and mussels.

sift:

to pass a granular substance such as flour or sugar through a metal screen or sieve. This is done in order to make the grai ns finer and the consistency lighter.

simmer:

to cook a liquid barely at the boil ing point. The surface should show only a few bubbles breaking slowly .

singe:

to pass through a flame to remove small feathers or hair, most freq uently with plucked poultry .

a long metal rod onto which a piece of meat or whole bird i s threaded and then roasted or grilled by d i rect heat.

to cook by means of vapor from boiling liquid rising through the food.

steep :

to place a solid substance i n a liquid j ust below the boiling point for a period of time to extract flavor.

.rtew :

a thick combination of various foods usually including meat, fish or poultry cooked in liquid at a low temperature for a long period of time. Also, the process of cooking a food or a combi nation of foods covered with a seasoned liquid for a long period of time.

stock :

a liquid in which meat, poultry, fish, bones, or vegetables and seasonings have been cooked . Because of its good flavor, it i s often strained for use as the basis of soups, sauces and gravies.

tart:

a wooden or metal pin. The short variety is used to hold meat i n place during cooking. Small pieces of meat and vegeta bles are threaded onto the longer variety for grilling.

a small, ind ivid ual pie filled with a sweetened mixture and baked in a single· crust. I n France, tart means a large, free standing pastry shell (flan) filled either with a savory mixture and served as an entree or appetizer, such as a quiche, or a sweetened mixture often containing fruit and served as a dessert.

skim :

terrine:

skewer:

to remove a substance, usually fat, from the surface of a liquid. When the liquid i s hot, this i s done with a spoon drawn across the surface. If the liquid i s chilled, the fat rises to the surface and hardens. It may then be easily removed .

souffle:

a fluffy baked preparation of a fla vored sauce or base i nto which i s folded stiffly beaten egg whites, which cause the dish to puff up when baked . It i s served hot, either as entree or as dessert, depending on the i ngredients. Dishes called cold souffles and containing gelatin and cream are not really souffles ; they are more likely Bavarian creams or mousses.

50


an earthenware dish in which meat, poultry or fish pates are cooked . Terrine is also used to refer to a pate cooked i n such a dish.

thicken:

to make a liquid mixture more dense by adding an agent like flour, corn starch, egg yolks, rice or potatoes.

timbale:

a c ustardlike mixture of finely chopped meats, fish or vegetables along with egg s, milk and seasonings, baked in individual molds or ramekins and usually served unmolded. Also, a high-sided pastry crust in which food m ixtures are cooked or served .

truffle:

an underground fungus not unlike a mushroom, but much rarer, used as a garn ish for other foods or as a delicate season i ng in egg dishes, pates and some sauces. There are both white and black truffies avail able canned .

sticks and pull tight. Then pull the stri ngs toward you, sliding them between the legs and the body of the fowl, as shown i n the top picture. Turn the fowl over with the tail facing you and slide the strings under the wings (see center picture). Pull the stri ngs tight, and bring them up through the V's of the wings, close the neck opening by tucking the loose neck skin under the string , and tie tightly across the bac k . Now twist each protruding w i ng tip up over the back (see bottom picture}. Trussing holds the shape of meat while cooking.

unmold: to remove fro m a mold . To un mold aspics and other gelatinized d i shes, run the blade of a sharp, thin knife around the i nner edges of the mold. Dip the bot tom of the mold into hot water for 2 or 3 seconds, cover the top of the mold with a chilled plate, and i nvert the mold onto the plate. H olding plate and mold together, tap the plate on the table to loosen the con tents, which should then slide out onto the plate. I f the contents stick, rub the mold gently with a hot, damp towel, or turn the mold and plate over and repeat the entire process.

veloute:

a basic white sauce made from poultry , veal or fish stock and white roux.

vinaigrette:

an oil and vinegar dressing with salt and pepper to which other seasonings and herbs are sometimes added . I t i s used as a salad d ressing or as a m arinade or sauce for vegetables, fish and meat.

truss:

to arrange for cooking by binding the wings or legs of a fowl. To truss a fowl, place the bird on its back with the legs pointing away from you. Place the mid dle section of a 3 - foot piece of kitchen string under the ends of the drumsticks, cross the string over the top of the drum-

whip: to beat quickly and steadily, either by hand with a whisk or rotary beater or with an electric beater. Whipping adds air to a liquid, such as heavy cream, and there by i ncreases its volume and lightens its con si stency . All utensils used for whipping heavy cream should be clean and thoroughly chilled . H eavy cream should be whipped only to the point required by the recipe. A Bavarian cream, for i nstance, requires softly beaten cream ; other recipes, such as dessert toppings, need cream whipped more sti ffi y . A


51

Garving and Jlicing For proper carving you need a sturd y carv i ng knife, a sharpening steel co keep i t razor sharp and a two-tined fork co hold the meat firmly . The fork should have a g uard co pro ten your hand from slips o f the k n i fe . K n o w t h e struccure of the m e a t co b e carved : where t h e b o n e s a r e , how t h e y lie, and w here they are j o i nced . Chan your cut t i ng course before you beg i n ; you don ' t want t o stri ke an unexpected bone midway through a slice. Check the grain of the meat. I n nearly all large cuts (except tend er steak) you will

increase the tenderness of the slices by cut ting across the fibers. For a thin cut of meat, like flank steak {opposite}, cut not o nly crosswise, but at a slight slam to the per pend icular. For very tender cuts, like loin steaks not more than an inch thick, you can cut with the gra i n . Carving i s b e s t learned in t h e kitchen, where neither you nor the meat is on public d i splay ; if you should make a mistake no one need be the w i ser. When you have be come adept, you can confidently carve at the table i n front of your g uests.

Standing rib roaJt. Lay meat on its wider end and steady i t w i th a fork. Slice unci! the knife touches a rib . With the knife tip, cut carefully along the rib to release the slice.

Rolled roaJt. Stand roast on end and steady i t with a fork. Slice from the right straight acro ss the face. Remove the strings around the roast one at a time as you reach them.

52

Carving and slicing

Rack of lamb. Lay the meat so the bone tips poi n t away from you. Cut between the ribs, beginning at the point where they j o i n .

RoaJt loin ofpork. S teady with fork. With ribs facing up, cut off the backbone, remov ing as li ttle meat as possible. Place roast so ribs face you. Use the fork to steady the roast as you slice close to the ri bs. Remove the slices as you g o ; one slice will contain a rib bone ; the next one will be boneless.

Flank Jteak. Begin at the narrow e n d with the knife parallel to the meat, but at an an gle ; c u t across the grain i n to narrow slices.

PorterhouJe Jteak.

In sert a fork to hold the steak stead y . W i th the tip of the knife, cut care fu\\y around the bone and d i scard it (above left). Slice the steak across its entire width, cutting through both the top loin and the tenderloin. If the steak i s very thick, slice i t diagonally rather than with the grain as shown i n the drawing (above right). S lice the tail i nto small, even pieces.

Ca rving and slicing

53

W H OLE HAM

ROAST LEG O F LA MB

l . Place ham fat side up with shank at your right. Secure with fork and slice leng th wise pieces from thin side to form a base.

l . The first step i s ro make a base : Steady the leg with the fork and cut several leng th wise slices on the thin side of the leg .

2. Place ham on newly cut base. Remove a wedge at the start of the leg bone. Cut thin perpendicular slices down ro the leg bone.

2 . Place roast on this base and slice per pendicularly down to the leg bone. Slice horizon tally underneath ro release the meat.

3. Release the slices by cutting horizontally under them . S tand leg up and steady wi th fork or hand while you slice rest of meat.

3. Turn the leg up on larg e end and steady it wi th a fork or your hand. Resume cut ting on the t hin underside, as shown above.

54

Carving and slicing

Roast chicken.

Place the bird on its back with neck toward you (top left) and cut away the thighs, with legs attached . Turn the bird 's neck away from you ; cut carefully with poultry shears along the breastbone toward the neck (top center}. Spread the chicken open and cur along both sides of the backbone (top right}, removing the breasts. Cur d iagonally through each breast, leav i ng some breast meat attached to the wing. W i th a knife, cur the drumsticks from the thig h s . For bird s over 4 pound s carve as you would a turkey (page 5 6).

Crown roast. Place a fork in the side of the roast to steady i t and slice down from top to bottom between each ri b. The bones are separa ted at the bottom so you may remove each ri b as you cur. Or you may cur double chops. Center stuffing may be served as you go. Carving and s!idng

55

TURKEY

1 . With leg s pointing to the right of the carver (who is standing behind the turkey ) , cut the leg o n the far side and remove.

2 . Hold i ng the knife almost vertically, cut between the wing and the bod y. Now gently pull the entire wing away from the bod y .

3. Beginning about halfway up the breast, slice downward at a slight ang le. Start to slice a little hig her with each succeed ing slice.

4. When the front is done, slice at an ang le on the back portion of the breast. Repeat the entire process on the other side of the bird .

5. Hold the leg upright and cut between d rumstick and thigh bone. I n sert fork in the thigh and slice the meat from the bone.

6. E i ther serve the drumstick whole or cut

56

Ca rving and slicing

slices from it by holding it up by hand and slicing downward through the meaty end .

How to use a sharpening steel. H old the steel horizontally in your left hand at a slight angle away from you. Hold the knife in your rig ht hand , the hee l of the blade touching lightly the near side of the stee l ' s tip. P u ll the blade down and across the steel to its point. Repeat this on the other side of the steel for the other edge o f the k n i fe. Do both edges several times.

Whole poached fish : To carve a sea bass or salmon of 3 to 5 pounds, cut through the skin in back of the head . Carefu lly peel the skin back to the tai l , in one piece or in strips. Reverse the fish onto a serving plate and repeat the process. Cut to the backbone for serving portions and remove by lifting with a flexible spatula sli pped between the backbone and meat. G rasp the tail and ease the backbone from the fish. Carve the meat underneath into serving portions. Carving and slicing

57

�ea l Pla nni ng and Jerving I n planning any meal-and any meal de serves some planning-try to keep two basic points in rriind : the course-by-course construction o f the menu and presentati on or serving of the food. Nutritionally, the food we eat does three thing s : it provides material (through pro tein, carbohydrates and minerals) for the bod y ' s building and maintenance need s ; it provides various regulators (through vita mins and minerals) that enable the body to use other minerals and to run smoothly ; and it is the source of energy, without

which the human being could not function. E sthetically, food d oes something else : it either p leases the senses or fails to. The impressions that the diner receives with a meal are most important, for we know how depressing a poorly served, poorly con ceived meal in dull or unpleasant surround ings can be. In planning meals, remember that it matters how the food looks and smells and how the various colors and tex tures relate to each other, as well as how the food tastes. The wise cook would not serve a meal of filet of sole in cream sauce

SELECTING FOODS FOR PROPER NUTRITION Almost everyone knows that man does not live (very well) by bread alone, and that children should not be a llowed to live on hamburgers and soft drinks alone. But it is easy to slip i nto a n u n balanced diet. I n p lan n i ng your meals, select foods that will provide the balance of nutrients necessary to maintain healt h . A simple way to achieve this balance is to serve food s from each of the groups below, along with moderate amounts of such foods a s butter or margarine for vitamin A , and sugar for body energy . MILK GROUP .

M i l k (in all forms), the leading calc i u m source, also provides some protein, riboflavin, vitamins or their calci u m equivalent

MEAT GROUP .

A and (if fortified) D. Serve 2 cups a day (e.g. , 3 o u nces of cheddar-type cheese) .

This group provides high-quality protein, iron, B vitamins. It includes all meats and poultry, eggs, fish, as well as such protein- rich plant products as nuts, d ried beans and peas. Serve 2 or more portions daily .

VEGETABLE-FRUIT GROUP .

Citrus fruits a n d tomatoes are prime sources of v i tamin C ; dark -green and deep- yellow vegetables are rich i n vitam i n A . Potatoes are another good vitamin C source, and almost all frui t s and vegetables provide some vitamins or mi nerals or both. Serve 4 or more portions daily, making sure not to neglect the foods richest i n vitami n s A and C .

BREAD-CEREALS GROUP .

A principal source of energy-giving carbohydrates, most grain products sold in the U.S. also provide iron and B vitamins and some prote i n . This group includes not only bread b u t a l s o r i c e , pasta, breakfast cere als and pastries. Serve 4 or more portions daily .

58

Mealplanning and serving

along with mashed potatoes and cauliflower, with rice pudding for dessert. All are soft and too similar in color. Don 't be afraid to use your imagination, but be practical. Cook what you know you are able to cook, especially when you are giving a party . Save your experimenting for yourself or a small group. Be aware of the nutritive values that should go into the dai ly diet ; study the basic food chart below, but don ' t be constricted by it. Your com mon sense will probably p lan a meal that has most i f not all the required elements any way. As for serving a meal, study the ma terial given here, and then feel free to im provise. Remember that the best hostess is a relaxed hostess, and the relaxed hostess (or host) i s one who i s well prepared to please the guests. Do your marketing early . Arrange flow ers and set the table ahead of time. Prepare as much of the food as possible early in the day. If one or more courses must be cooked at the last minute, have all your ingredients and equipment ready . O n e of t h e easiest w a y s of giving a party

i s the buffet. You can entertain a large group without servants and a big dining room. The most comfortable arrangement i s to have tables set with silver, napkins and glass es, to which guests bring their filled plates and sit down. If this is not possible, trays should be provided, or possibly small tables ; your g uests should not have to balance dinner plates and silverware on their laps except as a last resort. For a large group, prepare d uplicate ar rangements of food, either on separate ta bles or on both sides o f a long table. Other wise you will find that some guests will have finished eating while others are j ust reaching the head of the line. Guest lines should move from left to rig ht. Place a single servi ng i mplement by each platte r ; otherwise the guest must put down his plate to serve himself. Relishes and sauces are positioned after the entrees. Soups should be within easy reach-preferably at the end o f the table- to avoid spilling. Un less you have room for everyone to sit down at a table, serve soup i n m ug s ; it may not seem elegant, but i t avoid s the necessity for

Buffet setting Relish

Salad Butter

Breads

Salt and pepper

Soup pitcher

Mugs

Dressing

Plates

Main dish

Vegetables

Napkins

Knives and forks

Meal planning and serving

59

a balancing act, and guests will appreciate it. Silver and napkins are picked up last, if not already on tables, so that the guest has one free hand as long as possible. Silver may be wrapped i n a napki n . Remember that buffet food should not require cutting with a knife unless tables are provided . Dessert and coffee service should be set up in an appropriate area separate from the main b uffet. For a smooth-running buffet, try to sta tion someone to preside over the self- service, taking care of spills, replenishing food and being generally helpful. Whether a family member, a guest or a h ired hand, this per son can be your i nsurance against d i saster. A sit-down d inner can be either formal or i n formal, as shown in the diagrams on pages 60-6 1 ; or they may include elements of each according to your needs.

Place settings: For formal and informal set tings the plates should be placed about 24 i nches apart, and an inch from the edge of the table. The silverware should " march"

evenly from the outside toward the plate i n the order of i ts use. The knife blades should face the plate.

Napkins: Formality demands a white cloth napkin, folded oblong or square, on each plate. On an i n formal table, use napkins of any color-even paper ones-folded i nto any shape that suits your fancy. Place them left of the forks if the first course is in place when the g uest is seated ; if not, place them on each g uest ' s plate. Silver: The formal rule is that no more than three forks and three knives appear at one time. If an oyster fork i s used, i t belong s to the right of the service plate. Dessert silver (and plate) is presented j ust before use. I n formally, u s e as m u c h silver as y o u l i k e . I n t h e illustration on page 6 1 , dessert silver is placed crosswise above the main plate. Glasses: Wine glasses are always to the right of the water glass. Formal order, left to right, is water, burgundy, champag n e ; or, as in the diagram, water goblet, red wtne,

Formal place setting

Red

Water

Salt and pepper

White

Fish

60

Meat

Salad

Service plate with napkin

Mealplanning and serving

Salad

Meat

Fish

Soup

white wine. At informal dinners usually j ust one wine is served . Plates : In a formal setting the service plate remains in place until exchanged for the next plate. There is often no bread and but ter plate ; i n that case, rolls are passed and laid on the tablecloth and butter is rarely served . For informal meals the service plate i s omitted and a bread and b utter plate, with a butter knife on it, i s placed j ust beyond the forks.

Seating: At a formal d inner the host sits at the head of the table, the hostess at the foot. A male guest of honor sits at the left of the hostess, a female guest of honor at the host ' s right. Married couples should be separated and the sexes alternated . I n for mally, host and hostess occupy the head and foot of the table, but other guests may arrange themselves more casual l y .

Serving: A formal d inner requires more help, usually one waitress for six to eight g uests . The female guest of honor i s served

first, with service continuing toward the right. The waitress never puts servi ng dishes on the table, nor does she permit place set tings to be without plates. A s she removes a used plate with her rig ht hand she places the plate for the next course with her left. Food i s presented to each g uest from his left side. The table i s completely cleared be fore dessert service. For i n formal service the necessary platters and d i n ner plates are stacked in front of the host or hostess, who fills each plate and pass es it to g uests. The salad may be mixed by the server and passed either as a first course, with the main course or after the entree.

Coffee: At a formal dinner the coffee is served fro m a tray after the d i ners have left the table. Demitasse cups are preferred . The handle o f each cup should be to the guest ' s right. Spoons are on each saucer, parallel to the cup handle. The same proced ure is also proper for informal d inners, but if the hos tess prefers she may serve the coffee at the table. The cups are passed i n the same way as the d i n ner plates were.

Informal place setting

·---Dessert spoon and fork Water

Bread and bu tter

Nap k i n

Meat

Salad

Soup bowl and p l ate

Meat

Soup

Meal planning and serving

61

:Jferbs and Jpices HERBS are the leaves-or the seeds and flowers-of-aromatic plants. Fresh herbs are preferable because once dried they may lose their aroma. If dried herbs are used they should be freshly dried, and should not be used i n cold d i shes until they have been soaked or cooked . I n general, use about half as much o f a dried herb as a fresh one. Herbs should be stored i n airtig ht contain ers, and these must be kept in a cool place.

sidered an herb. The chopped slender leaves give a delicate onion accent to green salads, egg and fish dishes, soups and light sauces.

SPICES are the roots, barks, stems, buds,

traditional spice used for studding smoked ham. Ground cloves are used to flavor spice cakes, sweet potatoes and carrots.

seed s or fruit of aromatic tropical plants. They should be bought in small quantities; they tend to lose their flavor quickly.

ALLSPICE: Not a blend o f spices but a dried

berry ; its fragrance suggests a mixture of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg . Available either ground or whole. Use the whole ber ries i n soups, broths and gravies ; use ground allspice in vegetables, cookies and cakes. BASIL : The fresh or dried leaves of this herb are especially suited to most tomato dishes, as well as vegetables, meats, fish and salads. BAY LEAF: This strong herb, also known as

laurel leaf, enhances soups, meat stews and pot roasts and is part o f a bouquet garni. CARAWAY: A small, brown herb seed , cara

way is found i n rye bread and is also good i n sauerkraut, cheeses, and soups and stews. CARDAMOM : This sweet black spice i s availa ble ground or as a whole seed, in or out of its pod. I t i s u sed widely i n Danish pastries. Try it also i n spiced wines, fruit compotes, sauerbraten, pickles and curry .

CINNAMON: This pungent spice comes ei ther i n sticks or as reddish- brown ground cinnamon. Use the sticks i n pickling or sug ar syrups ; use ground cinnamon i n baking , with cooked fruits and on puddings. CLOVE: The nail-shaped whole clove is the

CURRY POWDER: A prepared blend of from

four to 40 spices, usually including turmeric , ginger, coriander, cumin, cloves and mus tard . It is added to all curries, a n d frequently to some egg , seafood or vegetable dishes. DILL: This herb i s available packaged as seeds or wee d , or fresh, as leaves. Use the seeds with fish and chicken . The weed or fres h leaves are excellent with tomatoes, po tatoes, fish, in salads and cream sauces. FENNEL: Use the whole seeds of this herb with fish or chicken, i n breads, rolls and apple pies , marinades and spaghetti sauce. GINGER: The g i nger plant root has a hot, sweet flavor ; it is available as a whole , ground or cracked spice. Bits of ginger root, found i n Oriental or Spanish stores, are used i n pickling, marinades and preserves. Ground ginger, more common, is used in baking, meat and poultry dishes.

CHERVIL: One of France ' s

MACE: A spice that i s the lacy covering of the nutmeg shell, i t has a less delicate flavor than nutmeg . Use ground mace i n pound cake, puddings and i n fish sauces .

CHIVES: The most delicate member of the onion family, and the only one that is con-

MARJORAM: The leaves of this versatile herb of the mint family can be used whole or ground in poultry stuffing, tomato dishes , salads, green vegetables and with meats .

fineJ herbeJ, this lacy leaf enhances soups, g reen salads, po tato salad , and egg and fish dishes.

62

MINT: The leaves of the spearmint and pep

PEPPER (RED): Ground or crushed red pep

permint herbs add a fresh, cool flavor to sauces for lamb and veal, to peas or carrots, frozen deserts, cold drinks and fruits.

per (unrelated to ei ther white or black) and ground Cayenne are available singly or as a blend . In varying shades of red , these spices have a hot, strong flavor. U se them sparing ly in sauces for seafood , pizza and pasta.

MUSTARD: Two main varieties of mustard

white or yellow, and brown or Oriental are grown as spices. Dry, powdered mus tard can be u sed in sauces, salad d ressings and cheese d i shes. The tiny whole mu stard seed s go into pickles and vegetable reli shes.

ROSEMARY: The spi ky leaves of this fragrant

herb are excellent w i th lamb, beef and pork, green beans or boiled potatoes. SAFFRON: The most expensive spice, it is

NUTMEG: Avai lable as a whole or ground

spice. Freshly grated whole nutmeg seed is best. Use it i n desserts, in bread s or cakes, sprinkled on vegetables and on egg nog . OREGANO: Also called wild marj oram. Use the whole leaves or g round herb i n pizza, pasta, tomato d i shes, and w i t h vegeta bles ;md egg s. PAPRIKA: Most of the paprika used i n the

U.S. is brigh t red i n color and has a mild, sweet flavor. H ungarian papri ka i s less vivid but has more of a bite. This spice can be used to garni sh light-colored foods and to flavor fish, meat and poultry, as well as goulash.

avai lable powdered or in thread s, which must be cru shed with the back of a spoon or with a mortar and pestle. Saffron is u sed spari ngly for its golden color and its some what bi tter flavor i n many rice and fish d i shes, curries and stews. SAGE: The gray-green leaves of th is herb are

dried and are available whole, rubbed or ground . It is used widely in poultry and fish stuffings and with pork and veal. SAVORY: T here are two varieties, summer and

winter savory . Summer savory i s more com mon and more aromatic . Both herbs are available as whole or ground leaves, and are used in poultry stuffings, dried bean "and pea d i shes, and meat loaf.

PARSLEY: This herb i s available fresh in two

varieties: curly- leaf and flat- leaf (also called Italian) . Chopped fresh parsley i s one of the fines herbes, and the sprigs are part of a bouquet garni. It is an attractive garnish and adds a pleasa � t taste to stuffings, soups, salads, meat and fish d i shes.

SESAME SEED: This spice i s the d ried, hulled

PEPPER (BLACK AND WH ITE): Black pepper

TARRAGON: This herb i s available fresh or as

corns are dried, unripened berries. White peppercorns are the pale kernel from a fully ripened peppercorn (the dark outer hull has been removed) . Black pepper, available whole, cracked or ground, has a strong , hot taste. This spice is best i n the freshly g round form for salad s, vegetables and indeed al most any food. For light- colored sauces use white pepper, whole or ground.

d ried leaves. I t is a must in bfarnaise sauce and is also good with egg s, poultry or fish. and spri n kled over a green salad .

fruit of a tropical plant, and i s the source of a cooking oil used widely in the East. I t i s sold whole a n d untoasted, a n d can be baked on rolls, bread s and buns. Toasted, it can garnish salad s and cooked noodles.

THYME: An

herb with strongly aromatic gray -green leaves, i t i s available whole or powdered . Use fresh i n a bouquet garni, and in clam chowder, poultry stuffings and in almost any meat stew .

63

equivalents and Uteeasures U . S . MEASURES

3

tsp.

.

4 tbsp.

.

.

.

. . . . . . . . .

. . . .

.

.

. . . .

. .

. . . . .

.

.

. . . . . .

5 113 tbsp .

· · · · · · · · · · · •

.

1

. . '· • cup

1 6 tbsp.

. . I cup . . .

.

. .

.

. .

. .

. . . . . I liquid quart

. . . .

. . .

I liquid gallon

DRY MEASURES

. . . . I peck

8 quarts 4 pecks

I pint

. .

. . . . . . . . .

.

4 quarts

' cup

1 2 tbsp.

2 cups

2 pints

I tbsp.

. . . 1·4 cup

.

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

. . I bushel 1 6 ozs.

I pound .

LIQUID MEASURE EQUIVALENTS

I tsp . . . .

.

.

-'/6

I tbsp .

.

.

.

lf2 . .

2 tbsp .

. .

. . . . . . . I coffee spoon

. . . .

. . I soup spoon

1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

.

6'/' tbsp.

. • . . • . . . • . . . . . . .

. 16 . . . .

.

. . . 3 5 V6 . .

.

I pint . .

.28

.

3112 . . . . • . . • . . . . . . . . . • . .

deci l i ter

. . I deciliter . . . 2 . 2 5 decili ters

. . . . . . . . . . . . ... 8. . . . . . . ...... .

I cup . . . .

4V, cups

Eu ropean equivalents

Fluid ou nces

U.S. cups & spoons

. . 4.5 deci l i ters . . . . . . . . . . ! l iter ( 1 0 deciliters)

NOTE : British measures are based on the I m perial gallon, which contai ns four I m perial (40-ounce) quarts.

The British pint contain s 20 ounces and the cup, 1 0 ounces.

A TABLE O F EQUIVALENTS Amount

Fooc

ALMONDS, unshelled, whole . ALMONDS. blanched, whole APPLES

.

. . .

.

. . . .

. .

.

. . I lb.

.

(3

. .

. .

. .

.

.

. .

. . .

. .

.

. . .

.

. . .

. .

BEANS. kidney, dried .

BEANS. lima i n pod

.

. .

.

. . . .

. .

.

. . I lb.

.

BEANS, l i ma or navy, dried .

. . . . . .

. .

I lb.

.

.

I lb.

z

cups n utmeats

2 cups pared and sliced

. . . . . . . 3 cups dried, 6 cups cooked

(3

medium) . . . . . . . . . .

( 2 1 ' cups) (21

. . . . I lb.

31

. . . . . . 31

medium) .

. I lb . .

APRICOTS

.

' cups) .

.

.

. . 2 - 2 1 2 cups sliced

.

. . 9 cups cooked

. . . . 6 cups cooked . . 2., cup shelled

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

BEETS . .

. . . . I lb. (4 medium) .

. . 2 cups diced

BREAD

. . . . I slice .

. . 1 4· 1 ' cup d ry crumbs

.

BUTTER (or margarine) . CABBAGE . .

Equivalents and measures

• • • • •

. 8 tbsp .

1 •-lb. stick (4 ozs. ) .

. . I lb.

.

. . . I lb .

.

..2 . . . . . . . .

and cooked

. '•• · I cup soft crumbs

. . . . . . I slice .

BREAD BUTTER (or margarine) .

64

. . . . P 4 cups nutmeats

. I lb.

. . . I lb.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . .

BANANAS .

Equivalent

. .

.

. .

. . . . .

.

. . .

cups (or

32

tbsp.)

5 cups shredded

Food

Amount

CANDIED FRUIT and FRliiT PFFI-� .

1 z lb

. 1 1 z cups cut up

CARROTS

I lb. ( H - 1 0 ) .

. 2 ' ' cups sli Ced or d1ced

CELERY . <:H�Est:. cream .

Equivalent

.

_)

OZ S.

6 tbsp .

< HEESE, hard . .

I l b.

CII KKEN .

\ 1 z lbs.

CHOCOLATE, u nsweetened .

I S'Juare

CORNMEAL.

I cup uncooked

CRACKERS. graham .

l cups d i ced

. . I lb. ( 2 med. bunches) .

·l cups grated

. 2 cups cooked and d JCed I oz. ( I tbsp . m e l ted, 5 tbsp. grated)

. 15

. . . ·1 cups cooked . . . I cup fine crumbs

22. .

I

CRANBERRIES

I lh

I cups

CREAM. heavy DATES . . EGG WHITES EGG YOLKS fi(,S

1

z p1nt

(I

cup fine crumbs

2 cups w l11pped

cup)

. 2 cups pmed

. . I lb.

I cup

. H- 1 1 12-16

. . . I cup

I lb.

. . . 2'

FLOUR, all-purpose .

. I lb.

FLOUR, cake . .

. I lb .

• · .\

cups chopped

·l cups sifted

. . .j 1

, cups sifted

GARLIC . .

I

GELATIN .

1 -I·Ou nce cnvelopr

I tbsp.

LEMON o r LIME .

I medi um

\ - 4 tbsp. J U ICe

I..EMON, rmd . .

medium clove . .

. I med1um .

. ' ., tsp. chopped

. I ' z-2 tsp . g rated

I (UP (1 ' pound) .

. 2 cups cooked

MEAT .

I l b.

. 2 cups d iCed

MILK, evaporated

1 1 1 2 - o z . can .

MILK. sweetened, condensed

l l -01. can

MACARONI .

MUSHROOMS, fresh . NOODLES .

1 z pound . I cup uncooked .

ONIONS .

I med 1 u m

ORANGE .

. . . I rned J U rn

ORANGE. rind

. I med i U m

I ' ' cups •

1 1 • cups

. . 21 z cups shced I 1 ·•-2 cups cooked . ' z cup chopped I

I cup J UICe

. . 2 tbsp. grated 2 - 2 1 2 cups nutmears

PEANUTS. unshelled

I lb

PEAS, i n pod .

l ib

PEAS, spht . . . . . . . . . . .

I lb .

. . 2 cups

. . 2' 4 cups n utmeats

I cup shelled and cooked

PECANS, unshelled

I lb

POTATOES .

I lb ( \ potatoes)

PRUNES. dned .

I lb.

RAISINS

I lb .

RICE, raw RICE. precooked .

I cup . I cup

21 z cups shced chced, 2 cups mashed . . 21 z c u p s ;

l

cups cooked

. \ cups

(1

z l b. ) . .

\ cups cooked 2 cups cooked

SHALLOTS

I medi U m

I tbsp. m1 nced

SPAGH�'ITI

I lb. uncooked

7 cups cooked

SUGAR, brown SUGAR. confectiOners . SUGAR, granulated TOMATOES. WALNUTS. m shell . WALNUTS, shelled

. I lb.

. . 21 1 cups packed

I lb.

. \' z-4 cups Sifted

. I l b. . . . I lb (l medJUm) . l ib. I lb.

21 z cups 1 1 z cups J U iced. chopped pulp 1 2 \ cups nutmeats I cups nutmeats

E quivalents and measures

65

Kitchen Guide - Time-Life Foods of the World

Recommend Documents