kitchen guide - time-life foods of the world

TIME-LIFE BOOKS

EDITOR

Maitland A. Edey EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Jerry Korn TEXT DIRECTOR

Martin Mann ART DIRECTOR

Sheldon Cotler CHIEF OF RESEARCH

Beatrice T. Dobie PICTURE EDITOR

Robert G. Mason Assistant Text Directors:

Harold C. Field, Ogden Tanner Assistant Art Director: Arnold C. Holeywell Assistant Chief of Research: Martha Turner

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,

Louis Bronzo,James Wendell Forbes

Library of Congress catalogue card

number 68-11546.

Published simultaneously in Canada.

FOODS OF THE WORLD

SERIES EDITOR: Richard L. Williams

EDITORIAL STAFF FOR THE KITCHEN GUIDE:

Associate Editor: James Wyckoff Designer: Albert Sherman Assistant Designer: Robert Pellegrini Chief Researcher: Helen Fennell

Researchers: Penny Grist, Helen M. Hinkle,

Helen Isaacs, Diana Sweeney

Test Kitchen Chef)ohn W. Clancy

Test Kitchen Staff: Fili Bergman, Joel Levy,

Leola Spencer

EDITORIAL PRODUCTION

Color Director: Robert L. Young

Assistant: James). Cox

Copy Staff: Marian Gordon Goldman,

Rosalind Stu ben berg, Florence Keith

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

The following individuals and departments of Time Inc. gave valuable aid in the preparation of this book: the Chief of the Time Inc. Bureau of Editorial Reference, Peter Draz; the Chief of the TIME-LIFE News Service, Richard M. Clurman.

Credits and Acknowledgments: Consulting Editor, Michael Field. Photographs: cover and pages 5, 6-

7, 8, 10-11, 12, Richard Jeffery; pages 41, 42, 45, 47, 48-49, 51, Richard Meek; pages 9, 13, Charles

Phillips; page 46, Mark Kauffman. All drawings by Otto van Eersel, except the drawing on page 15, by

Matt Greene. Text written by Margaret Elliott and Diana Walton. The editors are indebted to The Bridge

Company, New York City, for the use of kitchen equipment, and to the National Dairy Council, Chicago,

Illinois; the National Live Stock and Meat Board, Chicago, Illinois; the American Spice Trade Associa

tion, New York City; and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for illustration and research material.

:Foods of the "World

itchen CJuide BY THE EDITORS OF TIME-LIFE BOOKS

/

TIME-LIFE BOOKS, NEW YORK

Introduction You can enjoy reading the entire FooDs OF THE 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 booklets-to work in the kitchen.

The individual volumes of 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 in which to find the satisfaction of personal accompli shment.

In 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 anybody can be part arti st, part scienti st-engages all the senses, and in fact all of oneself.

We also assume-whether you already possess many, few or none of the nearly 1 , 200 cookbooks already available in the U.S .-that you start this series with some enthusiasm for good food and good cooking. What cannot be taken for granted is how much knowledge you start out with. Accordingly, our recipes have been made as clear and complete as possible. All have been tested in the FooDs OF THE WoRLD kitchen. Some are accompanied by step-by-step photographs or drawings, to help guide you through procedures that may be complicated the first time around.

This guide i s intended as a manual to help the beginner, as well as the experienced cook, in understanding the basic requirements of equipment, marketi ng, storing food, planning and serving meals. It can be used in conjunction 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 information the reader can turn to the books in the Library itself.

-The Editors

© 1%8 Tirnc Inc. All rights reserved.

Gontents :

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.

A general primer on meat. Detailed information, 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 foods .

The most important and widely used terms in cooking, l isted alphabetical ly , along with detailed explanations and i l lustrations of techniques that are essential to simple and complicated recipes alike.

Step-by- step instructions with detailed drawings to guide you in carving and slicing various roasts, a rack of lamb, flank or porterhouse steak, ham, leg of lamb, roast chicken, turkey and a whole fish.

How to prepare a meal for your family and for guests . Table settings for a buffet, a formal dinner pary and an informal one. How to place silverware, g lasses, plates and the serving dishes.

An alphabetical l isting of the major herbs and spices, with an indication of their strength and quality of their flavor, and some suggestions on how to use them in the kitchen .

Charts l i sting U.S . weights and measures, commonly used foreign volumes and U.S . equivalents, and a l i st of weight and volume equivalents for many 1\:.0/lWffi.Qfl foods that change in form during preparation .

Page4

Page 14

Page40

2

Page 58

Page 62

Page64

CJ3asic Xjjchen equipment In selecting kitchen equipment that will save you time, money and frustration i t is important to take several points into consideration: how much you cook, how many people you ordinarily cook for, how experienced you are , what kind of kitchen you have now.

In this section of the Kitchen Guide,

POTS AND PANS

The most important thing to know when buying any cooking utens il i s how efficiently 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 constructed.

First check its weight, or gauge. A light pan, which heats rapidly, i s useful for making sauces or blanching vegetables, but it may be too thin for other kinds of cooking . A heavier pan, which heats more slowly 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 interested. Also read the manufacturer ' s tag carefully.

Check the pan for balance ; i t should not tip while standing empty . Find out if the handle is heat resistant. Wooden and plastic 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

you will find basic kitchen tools, grouped according to the jobs they do. Some i tems are included that are not absolutely necessary , but that are especially useful for specific tasks. The degree of your skil l will determine whether you wil l want to obtain them now, or add them when you have become more expert in the k i tchen.

use them both ways . ) 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 instance, can be used in several way s : to roast meat, simmer a stew or make soup-and to serve them at the table. It is usually unsati sfactory to buy a large set of matched pots and pans, pretty as they might look in your kitchen ; no one material or weight is perfect for all cooking, and while some of the pots and pans may fit your needs, others will remain unused .

You will find that some materials make better cooking utensils for all- around use ; enameled cast iron and aluminum are examples . But for certain cooking operations, other materials with more specialized qualities can prove invaluable-such as g lassceramic 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 and how they perform , along with indications of price, ease of cleaning and d urabi l i ty .

Skillets: Shape and material are your guides. The straight- sided copper pan and the covered aluminum one are for sauteing. The cast-iron pan at right is used for frying . 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. After prolonged use the l ining will wear through . I t should be retinned right away ; a toxic chemical reaction may occur if food is left in a poorly lined copper pot. A store that sel ls 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. Medium- and heavy-gauge pans are the best and the longest lasting.

The problem with aluminum is that i t

tends to d iscolor certain foods. For foods cooked with wine, egg yolks, vinegar or lemon, use a pot or pan made of some other material . Aluminum is bound to stain somewhat, but these stains usually can be removed by scrubbing with vinegar or by boil ing vinegar in the pan.

Stainless steel: expensive, but easy to clean and durable if i t is thick. In i tself stainless steel i s a poor conductor of heat ; to overcome 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 istributing 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 clearly labeled "preseasoned, ready to use, " cast iron must be seasoned before using or food will stick. To season, wash the pan thoroughly with hot water and soap, rinse, rub i t with an unsalted oil and heat i t slowly in the oven at about 250° F. for at least an hour. To maintain the seasoning, wash the pan with soap, not a detergent, or simply wipe clean after each use.

Be sure you dry pans thoroughly after washing ; cast iron rusts easily . It also tends to discolor eggs and food s containing acid such as wine or vinegar.

Enameled cast i ron, though more expensive, needs no seasoning, i s easy to clean and will not di scolor food.

Enamelware : this material ranges widely in price, i s easy to clean but a poor conductor of heat. All enamelware is constructed by fusing a g lasslike coating or glaze onto

a steel base. The cheaper, lighter enamelware heats quickly but unevenly and food can burn easi ly . The heavier, more expensive variety heats more slowly and evenly but is still subj ect to some scorching.

Handle enamelware with care ; i t chips and cracks easi ly . It should not be subj ected to abrupt changes in temperature. Heavy enamelware is more resi stant to surface damage. Di scard enamelware when the surface begins to deteriorate ; chemical reactions may occur between food and substances in the enamel or undercoating .

Glass and earthenware: moderately priced and easy to clean, these materials heat unevenly but hold heat for a long time. Not al l glass and earthenware utensils can be used for top-of-the-stove cooking, so check the tags . Some pieces will crack when used over direct heat. Glass and earthenware are best for oven cooking and serv ing . Both must be handled with care; rapid changes in temperature will cause cracking or breaking.

Saucepans: Size and material are important. The orange one (of enameled cast i ron) is g ood for slow simmering . 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.


Glass-ceramic: expensive, heavy to handle, easy to clean, heats unevenly but holds heat well. I t can withstand 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 are coatings applied to the cooking surface of conventional utensils. The finish does not change the heat-conducting properties of the basic material. Food does not stick to the surface. You don ' t need to use grease in cooking with these finishes, except for flavoring . Plastic spatulas, forks and spoons are sold for use with nonstick surfaces because they do not scratch the finish , but metal utensils are all right if used with care ; small, shallow scratches do not affect the non stick qualities. Wash in hot soapy water ; do not scour with abrasives. A common problem is d iscoloration, usually due to overheating or washing with a detergent ; 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 3112 quart, and 5 quart, all with covers.

Frying pans: one, 6 or 8 inches in diameter ; one, 10 or 12 inches in diameter. Covers are optional.

Saute pan : 10 or 12 inches in diameter with cover.

Large kettle : 8-10 quarts, with cover.

Loaf pan : 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, with cover ; one of 5 -6 quart capaci 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 in the ki tchen, and so are often used for serving.


MIXING

The tools that you use to beat, whip, cream, fold, stir, blend-every form of mixingare 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 sturdy, 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 specifically for egg whites ; it adds more air and increases the volume.

Wooden spoons or spatulas: for creami ng, beating and stirring ; 10- or 12 - inch size, of unvarni shed wood . The spatulas are more convenient for stirring because they can be scraped clean easily on the edge of the mixing bowl ; the spoons are better for creaming because they move smoothly against the curved side of the bowl .

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


Rubber spatula : for folding food s, as well as for cleaning out pans and bowls ; 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 graduated 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 mixing, stirring and blending ; you should have several in convenient sizes.

MEASURING

Correct measuring requires skil l and the proper tools. Unless a recipe specifies otherwise, use level measurements of both liquid and dry ingredients. Here i s what you wil l need :

Measuring spoons: a standard set of 114 teaspoon, 112 tea spoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1 tablespoon ; for measuring both liquid and dry ingredients. A second set comes in handy.

Glass measuring cups: for measuring l iquid s ; 1-cup size and 1-quart size, with pouring l ip.

Metal measuring cups: for measuring dry 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, candymaking and deep frying. Only these two are essential:

Oven thermometer: for gauging the degree and uniformity of heat in an oven ; either columnar or dial type.

Meat thermometer: for measuring the internal heat of meat and poultry ; e ither round or columnar type. Insert the spiked end in the deepest part of the meat ; do not let i t touch the bone or rest in 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 specify the use of standard sizes, so the problem is not difficult to solve. The following equipment should take you through most simple baking and pastry making .

Round cake pans: 8 or 9 inches in diameter, 1 1/z inches deep.

Springform pan: for cake that i s delicate in texture. The rim can be removed without disturbing the cake.

Rectangular cake pan: 13 by 9, by 2 inches deep.

Wire cooling racks: slightly larger than the selected cake pan.

Piepan: for dessert pies, quiches, recipes calling for a shallow casserole ; 9- inch diameter by 1 1/z inches, either glass or metal .

Baking sheet: for cookies, bi scuits, meringues ; shiny, sideless ones are easiest to use and they promote light browning.

Muffin pan: for cupcakes, muffins, biscuits, tart s ; they come according to cup size-small , medium or large.

Rolling pin: a heavy 14- 1 6- inch size i s best.

Pastry board: for rolling and kneading doug h ; a 14- by-20- inch hardwood board . Formica and marble are also excellent surfaces for working with pastry .

Flour sifter: for sifting and adding air to flour, and for sifting sugar ; a 5 -cup size with several mesh screens for aeration.

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

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

Baking equipment: You will need a rolling pin, pastry board , cake pans and a pastry blender (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.


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 handle by rivets, as you can see in the sketch below. This is the most durable construction. Some less expensive knives have a short " rattail" tang secured by friction or cement to the handle. These tend to work loose rather quickly.

POINT BACK lAN<..

....._ /.L J

EDGE BLADE RIVETS HANDLE

Two kinds of steel are used 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 cutting edge longer. However, it rusts and stains easi ly . To remove stains, rub the blade of a carbon- steel knife with a soft cloth or damp cork dipped in scouring powder ; 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 grind. The two basic kinds are the flat grind and the hollow grind. In the flat grind, which tends to be less easily damaged, 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 begins high on the blade, it i s cal led a concave grind. Because the blade i s thinner 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 wavy, edge and the serrated edge, composed of many small

10 Basic kitchen eqttipment

sharp points or teeth . Both work more or less l ike 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 wooden cutting surface, and only for the proper jobs. Do not use a good kitchen knife for cutting string or paper or for pry ing 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 simply wiped clean, immediately after using. Wooden- handled knives and those with carbon- steel blades should not be washed in a di shwasher. Store knives separately, either on a magnetized knife rack or in holsters 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 periodically to a professional knife sharpener, or grind i t yourself with an electric sharpener, an oi l 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 in 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 durable serrated blades.

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

THE KNIVES YOU NEED:

Your skill at handling a knife should determine which knives you use. A ski lled cook can make the 10- 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 cook 's knife ; it is smaller and easier to 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 tomato slicer, a steak carver, a boning knife, a cheese slicer.

Paring knife: 3-31/2 inches; for light jobs -peeling, paring and cutting small fruits and vegetables.

Utility knife: 5 -7 inches ; for heavier jobs -peeling, paring and chopping large fruits and vegetables, and meat trimming.

Chopping knife: wide, 8 - inch blade ; for chopping, mincing and dicing fruits, vegetables and meat.

Narrow slicer: 8 - 1 0 inches ; for slicing cold meat, poultry, cheese.

Carving knife: 9 inches ; for carving hot meats. An electric one makes i t easier.

Food mills: For pureeing without destroying texture . Choose the American model (right}, or the French with alternate blades.

OTHER CUTTERS AND CHOPPERS

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 in your cooking. H ere are some of the most useful .

Food mill: for pureeing, mashing, grinding almost any food. Get a size that clamps easily to one of your mixing bowls or saucepans .

Grater: for grating and slicing. Get a model that stands upright, with several sizes of teeth and a slicer.

Meat grinder: for grinding meat, nuts, vegetables. Get a sturdy metal one that clamps to the table or counter.

Kitchen shears: for every k ind of kitchen cutting . Get a pair that i s sturdy and comfortable to handle.

Chopping board: for every operation that requires a cutting surface ; 16 by 20 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 necessary equipment without which, i t seems, no cook can operate comfortably . Everyone has candidates for this essential mi scellaneous department, but most cooks agree on this basic l ist . 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 SLOTTED SPOON

NARROW METAL SPATULA

POTATO MASHER OR RICER

WIDE METAL TURNER

COLANDER

SIEVE

BULB BASTER

METAL TONGS

JUICER

CORKSCREW


FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES

Once you have stocked your kitchen with the basic tools, consider what makes cooking 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 especially designed to produce i t most efficiently and display it most effectively .

On these two pages you will find a sampling 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 useful 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 dishes. I t can be used for a crusty, high-ri sing souffle, or a light, fruit-flavored cold one. It i s also suitable for any deep-dish dessert, and it makes a handsome extra serving dish . The smaller sizes can double as individual serving dishes for creamy appetizers, fancy custards or rich pots de cre'me.

12 Basic kitchen eqttipment

Electric beater: for beating, whipping and creaming . Hand-held ones are easy to store but the standing models, with a pastry hook for moving heavy food, are more efficient.

Electric blender: for grinding, grating, pureeing, blending. The l ist of its accomplishments 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 used 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 arrays of rich desserts 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 in which cakes can be baked ; a shiny tin " melon" mold for aspics; the high- sided and versatile charlotte mold, which can be used for a custard , souffle or mousse ; and a sturdy white earthen ware mold that can be filled with a Bavarian cream.

The true luxury items of cooking shown below are a delight both to look at and to use. Each can be bought as a treat for oneself or as a present for another appreciative cook, or even for a beginner.

The copper fish poacher at the back is not only beautiful but functional . Its long, slender shape allows you to cook a whole fish and, if i t has been wrapped in cheesecloth, to l ift i t 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 give 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 l ift 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 used for serving a mustard 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 scallopine. To the right is an elegant terrine or loaf dish which holds a pate. You can bake, then cool and serve the pate right from the dish.

The heart-shaped basket at the center is for coeur a fa creme. This s imple 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 garnished with whole strawberries .


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-timer in the food business. As a matter of self- interest and to ensure family health as well as family pleasure, i t behooves the shopper to be businesslike i n buying and storing food efficiently.

Intelligent shopping takes time and experience ; it requires knowing something about the grading and butchering of meat, the differences 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 learning about.

This section of the Kitchen Guide is intended to help you select and store the good food-rich in nutritive values, full of flavor, attractive to look at-that is the first essential of good 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, particularly commercially packed and processed food, is clean, contains no harmful ingredients or residues and i s what i t claims to be. Federal laws require that all foods entering interstate commerce have labels honestly describing the contents.

Thi s is an important-though not absolute-protection, and today ' s shoppers are fortunate that a measure of safety i nsurance

14 Selecting and storing food

is built into some foods. Beyond this , federal and state authorities set standards for grading quality, and in some cases sizes, of certain foods. This grading should be kept in 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 ifferences are d iscussed .

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 qual i ty ; for those who care less 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 produce? Are the packages in the frozen - food cabinets firmly frozen , without torn wrappings? Are the dairy 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 information on special buys and new products , trustworthy merchants can be in valuable to the shopper. Talk to your butcher and greengrocer. They can guide you to better ways of distinguishing the qualities and varieties of foods in their specialties .

Storing. The best-quality food can be damaged or even ruined by careless or incorrect storing . It pays to learn how to handle each food to properly preserve i ts particular qual ity and flavor.

FREEZING COMPARTMENT

FRESH MEAT, POULTRY, FISH-loosely wrapped

MILK, CREAM, SOFT CHEESE-well covered

BUTTER, MARGARINE-tightly covered

EGGs-in covered carton or other container

HARD CHEESE-tightly covered

LEFTOVER COOKED FOODS: MEATS, VEGETA-

BLES, FRUITS-covered

OPENED CANS AND BOTTLES-covered

RIPE FRESH FRUITS-uncovered

RIPE TOMATOES, UN HUSKED CORN, LIMA

BEANS AND PEAS IN PODS-uncovered

CRISPER OR HYDRA TOR

MOST FRESH VEGETABLES-covered in

plastic wrap if no container is provided

The refrigerator is the most important storage aid in your household . Some foods need very cold temperatures while others keep better in sl ightly warmer air. It is useful 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 in a refrigerator is coldest next to the freezer and warmer at points farther from it. Frost -free refrigerators with fans for rapid circulation of air tend to have less variation in temperature. The drawing above shows how to place food in a refrigerator to take advantage of these tem perature variations.

DOOR

EGGs-on l y if covered

BUTTER-only enough for immediate use

HARD CHEESE-tightly wrapped

SMALL OPEN JARS-covered

TALL BOTTLES: SOFT DRINKS, FRUIT JUICE-

covered or corked

Air is constantly moving in a refrigerator, and this causes drying. Most foods should be covered to avoid losing essential moisture ; exceptions are most fruits , which decay quickly in moist conditions, and a few vegetables such as ripe tomatoes, unhusked corn and unshelled peas . Meat should be wrapped loosely since some air circulation helps protect 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 ike 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 tonight?" 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 prepare it, the shrewder your eye and the surer your touch will become.

Rely on the help of a good butcher ; he is the master when it comes to knowi ng quality and cut in meat. Ask him questions. He can guide you through the bewildering array of sizes and shapes in meat and often can suggest how to cook them. His 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 acquaintance with the U .S . Department of Agriculture's grading 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 tissue (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 fibers are bound together by connective tissue. The more a muscle i s used, the more connective 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 tenderest 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 buted in 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-

1 6 Selecting and storing food

crease tenderness. Bones, i f they have not been removed in butchering, give a good indication 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 enough so that this diag ram can be used for them as well . ) The T- bone, rib and wedge- shaped bones from the backbone area are signs of the more tender cuts . The round leg and arm bones and the blade bones from the shoulder indicate less tender ones. In 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 his own when buying meat. The round, purplish " U.S . Inspected and Passed " stamp on the outside of carcasses means that the meat is safe for human consumption : the animals were healthy , and proper sanitary conditions 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 system is based on the general contour of the whole animal before butchering , the amount of meat that can be used from the carcass, and the quality of the lean portion in terms of its general palatabi l ity .

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 of the marbling is checked because it affects the tenderness and j uiciness of the meat ; the more m arbling in meat the better it tastes. The color

BONES FOUND IN THE BASIC MEAT CUTS

BLADE BONE

SHOULDER

....---CHUCK

SHANK

RIB BONE T-BONE WEDGED HIP BONE

ARM BONE BREAST AND LOWER RIB BONES LEG 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 qual ity. The age of the animal i s determined by an inspection of the skeleton and individual bones. The older the animal the tougher the meat is likely to be.

The top grades obviously have the greatest abundance of desirable characteri stics. But the other grades have many uses and are not ignored by the careful shopper. The relative importance of the grading factors varies with the different animals; on the following 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 of meat you are buying . Generally, retail stores tend to carry the same grades consistently . They know

what their customers want and will purchase. One of the problems i n buying meat i s

the variety of names for the same cut . 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 individual stores sometimes invent picturesque names for already-established cuts of meat as a sell ing 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 temperature 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-

Selecting and storing food 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

dinary 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 by dry heat-broiling, roasting or pan-frying, or by moist heat-braising, poaching or stewing. The tender cuts from the backbone are usually broiled or roasted, depending on size. Meat from the breast, flank, leg and shoulder i s most often braised or stewed . There are exceptions, of course-a leg of 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 is that not everything called a roast should be roasted ; it depends on which animal i t came from, the grade of the meat and the location of the cut. This is a major source of confusion 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 .

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

cuts of meat and bone- in roasts estimating 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 of fat or bone. I f you buy a large piece to divide for several meals and several methods of cooking , calculate each of the parts separately and remember 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 is purchased in a moistureproof 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-brain, liver, heart, sweetbreads, 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. Cured 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.

Meat bearing this stamp has been approved by federal inspectors for wholesomeness and for sanitary conditions during handling .

Chuck

BLADE POT ROAST

CHUCK SHORT RIBS

SHOULDER STEAK

I BriJket

FRESH BRISKET

CORNED BRISKET

BEEF SHANKS

STEWING BEEF

CJ3eef

Rib

RIB ROAST

RIB STEAK

RIB EYE ROAST

Short Plate

SHORT RIBS

SKIRT STEAKS

PLATE BEEF

Because of the greater variety of qualities and cuts of beef, i t i s important to know the differences in the four principal grades. Prime-Beef from young, intensively fed animals. I t has a bright cherry color and liberal 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 retail 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 th 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

Short loin Rump

T-BONE STEAK

PORTERHOUSE STEAK

FILET MIGNON

RUMP ROASTS

Round

FLANK STEAK

SIRLOIN TIP

GROUND BEEF

Sirloin ·

ROUND STEAK

EYE OF ROUND

HEEL OF ROUND

BONE-IN SIRLOIN STEAK

BONELESS SIRLOIN STEAK

by several methods, depending on the cut. Tender cuts from the rib, short loin and sirloin can be broiled or roasted . Cuts from the other, less- tender areas are usually better braised or pot-roasted. Cuts from the lower grades are also usually more tender if cooked with moist heat. The diagram 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 often may be used interchangeably in recipes. Below is a l ist 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


Shoulder (Boston Butt)

BOSTON BUTT

BLADE STEA K

SAUSAGE

Shoulder ( Picnic) Rib

Loin

CHOPS

LOI N ROAST

T E N DERLOIN

Bacon (Belly)

Leg

SMOKED H A M

F R E S H H A M

Feet

FRESH PICNIC

SMOKED PIC N I C

A R M ROAST

SPARE R I BS SALT POR K

BACON

PIG 'S FEET

Pork Pork is one of the most versati le and tender meats. Unlike the other meats it is available in two forms, either fresh or processed (smoked or cured) . The best-quality fresh pork is 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 generally used because the tenderness of pork varies so l ittle. The smoked or cured cuts of pork-hams, pork butts, Canadian bacon-are available under brand identifications. The brand name is one guide to quality; another is the printed material on the wrapper which indicates the kind of pork and the process that was used in preparing it.

Depending on the size and cut, fresh pork may be broiled or roasted; it is often braised for extra j uiciness and flavor. Whatever the method, it must be well cooked . However,


since the trichina parasite with which fresh pork is occasionally infected is killed by an internal meat temperature of 1 37° , there is no need to overdo the cooking and dry 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 usually 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 diagram above shows the most common retai l cuts of pork and where they come from. Here 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 " innards, ' ' 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 refrigerator for one or two days, no longer. Liver-There are slight variations in the l iver of each type of animal. Veal l iver is the tenderest and palest i n color ; calf liver is slightly darker. Lamb and calf l iver are both tender. Beef and pork liver tend to be tougher . The l iver of veal and lamb may be broiled and any of them may be pan- fried or braised . Brains-Delicately flavored and very tender, brains have a soft consistency and range in size from 1/4 lb . in 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 in texture to brains, sweetbreads are of two types : the elongated, two- lobed thymus gland that can be obtained 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 sweetbreads are reddish. Sweetbreads 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 in 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 inner l in ing 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 animals i s available in 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 seasoned with spices and shaped by an outer casing, they come in 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 wrapper for i ngredients, which are l isted in descending order of the amounts used. The wrapper will also tell about cooking methods . Fresh sausages usually require cooking ; most smoked ones do not. Usually flavor i s improved with heating, though actual cooking may not be necessary .

Luncheon meats and some sausages specifically known as " ready-to-eat" are often served cold . For use in sandwiches, salads or by themselves, these include bologna, liverwurst, salami , pepperoni and cervelat, to name a few. The ingredients used in these meats are fully cooked .

Whatever the form, al l processed meats should be stored in the refrigerator, in 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.


:Fish Thanks to fast transportation and improved methods of preservation-notably freez ing and canning-a large variety of fish and shellfish is available in 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 fish is present.

How do you buy fish? Fish are commercially avai lable in several forms. The one you select depends on your preference in fish and how you intend to cook and serve it . Whole fish-Fish straight from the water. Whether you must scale i t and eviscerate it before cooking depends on the size of the fish and type of scales. Some small fish, such as smelt, need only their entrai ls removed . Trout, with their very fine scales, are often not scaled before cooking. Whether you remove the skin is a matter of taste. Drawn-A whole fish with entrails removed . Dressed or pan-dressed-A whole fish that has been both eviscerated and scaled, and has had its head , tail and fins removed . You can cook it as i t is. Steaks-Cross-section slices of a large dressed fish. They are 3/4 to 1 inch 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 quantity for fish. It varies with the cooking method and whether you stuff i t or combine it


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 lb . per portion. Steaks and fillets-113 lb . per portion.

How to store fish O nce you have taken care to select the freshest 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 in fat content. Experience soon teaches you these differences and how to handle them in cooking. Lean fish may need fat added during cooking, especially if you are broi l ing i t ; fat fish lose some fat during cooking so you need to add less fat to them . If you substitute 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, pickerel, smelt, perch, pike and all shellfish.

Names of fish One of the most confusing things about buying a fish is, oddly, its name. In various parts of 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, English, 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 th ing

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

Salt water fish: BLUEFISH: tailor, skipjack BUTIERFISH : harvestfish CROAKER: hardhead, tomcod BLACK DRUM: 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

Fresh water fish: CHUB: longjaw, blackfin, bluefin PICKEREL: chain pickerel, grass pickerel SUCKERS: mullet, redfin TROUT: rainbow trout, brook trout YELLOW PERCH: lake perch YELLOW PIKE : pike perch, walleye pike

Jhellfish The shellfish you are most likely to find in your market are shrimp, lobster, crab, scallops, clams, oysters and mussels. Most kinds are sold alive, fresh, frozen or canned. Usually shellfish are sold by size since they vary considerably . The best temperature for storing fresh shellfish is close to 32 ° ; temperatures only slightly higher will cause rapid

deterioration in quality. Here 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 gray to a light pink. Shrimp are sold by size, ranging from jumbo to very small. You get 15 or fewer per pound in the largest size and as many as 60 or more in the smallest size. Obviously you get fewer shrimp i f you buy them with the shells attached, since this adds to the weight : 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 lobster. 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. of 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, without odor. Weight varies from lf4 lb. to 1 lb. Allow '13 to '12 lb. per person.

Crabs Two kinds of crab are available, the hardshell 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 in their legs. They can be

Selecting and storing food 2 5

kept briefly (up to 24 hours) in the refrigerator. 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 shel l wi l l 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. If the shell does not close, the oyster i s dead and should not be used. When cooked the shells open. You can keep oysters 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 liquid .

Scallops Scallops are available either fresh or frozen. The meat you buy i s actually the adductor muscle of the scallop, which opens and closes the shell. There are two varieties. The sea scallop comes in marshmallow shapes ranging in 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 ° .


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 ust under the skin and whether the skin is free from bruises or tears. A fresh bird of high quality is plump, with moist, undamaged skin and a good distribution of fat. In addition, 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, ready-to-cook or frozen. The live and dressed 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 in 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 commonly available. Both ducks 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 wrappedthe circulation of air helps protect its quality -and put in the coldest section of the refrigerator. 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 greater the proportion of its weight is in bone. This i s why a large turkey yields more meat per serving . Here is a guide to the average number of servings each bird wil l provide :

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

Turkeys UNDER 1 2 LBS. : 3/4 lb. per serving OVER 12 LBS. : '12 lb. per serving

Ducks 3· 5 LBS. : 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 is why every shopper must depend on the U.S . Department of Agriculture ' s grading system for eggs. Also, there is no relation between size and quality. They are two different 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 spreads little. The yolk is firm and the white thick.

Grade A-This egg spreads somewhat when broken . I t stands 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 is flatter. Grade C-This egg covers a wide area when broken . Its white is thin and watery and its yolk is flat and apt to break.

Quality is i mportant i n terms of appearance and flavor. The two top grades 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 combining with other foods.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture also classifies eggs by size. The size of the egg i s determined by weight per dozen, not by the size of the individual egg. There are minimum standards for each size and this l imits the variation of the individual egg size . Here are the minimum weights :

JUMBO : 30 ozs. per dozen E XTRA LARGE : 27 OZS. per dozen LARGE : 24 ozs. per dozen MEDIUM : 2 1 ozs. per dozen SMALL : 18 ozs. per dozen PEE WEE : 1 5 ozs. per dozen

E xperience wil l teach you which eggs are best buys. The larger eggs are often preferred for serving alone. In cooking, most recipes mean large eggs unless otherwise specified . There can be a considerable variation in prices of eggs of different size. In late summer and fal l , small and mediumsized eggs are often lower in 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 inside, but in some areas brown eggs are less expensive than white ones.

Store eggs either in their carton or covered in the refrigerator. Because the shells are porous, they lose flavor and moisture if left uncovered in a warm room.


1Jairy Products The basis for all dairy prod ucts is milk in one form or another. Cream, ice cream, butter and cheese are the best- known products but research i s constantly providing variations and refinements of all these. Grade A indicates quality fluid mi lk and i s the grade available in retai l stores. Mi lk used for manufacturing milk products-butter, cheese and ice cream-is designated as manufacturing grade. Here is a l ist of the most widely available retail milks and related products.

Fresh milk products Whole fluid milk-Cow ' s milk which contains both fat and other nonfat solids . (Once known only as butterfat, the fat component is now often called mi lk fat because it is the fat common to all milk products-not j ust butter. ) Minimum requirements for both fat and nonfat components are established by the individual states ; fat content is usually not permitted to fal l below 3 per cent and nonfat solids below 8 per cent. A lmost everywhere milk is pasteurized as a matter of course. This destroys harmful bacteria and makes the milk easier to keep .

Homogenized milk-Whole mi lk whose fat g lobules have been broken up and distributed permanently through the mi lk . Homogenized milk differs from ordinary milk in that there is no separation of cream, and the product remains uniform throughout. Most of the fresh whole milk that is sold today i s homogenized .

Skim milk-Milk that has had a portion of its fat removed . In some areas i t is any mi lk whose fat portion i s less than the minimum standard for whole mi lk . However, the exact fat content is generally l i sted on the container, so check for the varieties available in your community.

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


and D, and minerals . Check the container to know what you are buying .

Chocolate milk-Whole milk with chocolate and sugar added.

Buttermilk-Commercial ly produced, buttermilk is a product of special processing, not the byproduct from churning cream into butter. Most of the buttermi lk sold in the U.S. i s made of fresh skim milk to which bacteria cultures have been added in order to convert the mi lk sugar into lactic acid . This results in a mi lk that has a tangy flavor as wel l as a rich, smooth texture.

Sour cream-A commercial product, this i s l ight cream which has been subj ected to a fermenting process.

Yoghurt-Another cultured milk product, this is made from fresh, partial ly 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 contains the fat.

Light cream, coffee cream, table cream-Cream which contains 18 -20 per cent fat ; i t often is homogenized.

Heavy or whipping cream-Cream with 30- 36 per cent mi lk 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 stabil izer that is frozen while being stirred and whipped . Ice cream should have a fresh flavor, a fine-grained texture and firm body. Eggs are sometimes added for r ichness ; in this case the product is often sold commercially as " French " or " New York " ICe cream .

Ice milk-Made l ike ice cream, it contains less mi lk fat and more nonfat mi lk sol id s .

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

Sherbet-A low-fat frozen substance containing milk solids, sugar, stabilizer, food acid , water and fruit or fruit j uices for flavoring .

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 heating. Vitamin D is generally added to it. Refrigerate evaporated milk after opening.

Sweetened condensed milk-Canned whole milk from which roughly 50 per cent of the water 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 container and return the rest to the refrigerator. Any extended exposure to room temperature or sunlight harms both the flavor and the quality .

Both dry milks-the whole and the nonfat varieties-may be kept unopened in a dry, cool place. Once opened, the dry whole milk, which i s used primarily for feeding infants, must be tightly covered and refrigerated. Dry nonfat milk may be stored covered even after opening, at room temperature. After reconstituting, both kinds must be refrigerated. The canned milks, unopened, 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.

Cf3utter 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 with some mi lk solids. It may be either salted or unsalted ; the latter is sometimes labeled sweet butter. Check the wrapper for i ngredients. Because sweet butter does not have the salt that acts as a preservative, its keeping qualities are less than those of salted butter. Read recipes carefully for the type of butter recommended ; if used in 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 butter. There are three grades. U.S. Grade AA is the best. It i s made from high-quality fresh sweet cream, and has a pleasant aroma and a sweet flavor. U.S . Grade A is next. These two are the ones you are most l ikely 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 during its manufacturing process. This increases the volume of the butter and makes it easier to spread , but makes it generally unsatisfactory for cooking purposes. It i s usually available in small tubs and is generally unsalted.

Butter should be stored, well wrapped, in the refrigerator. Keep only a small amount of it for immediate use in 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 .

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


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 accompaniment 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 distinctions in 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 protectively 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 in method 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 involved. Since there tends to be some similarity in texture, these classifications are helpful for keeping track of the better- known varieties and their characteri stics. The differences in flavor and aroma, even within one category, can be great ; you can learn about these only through testing and cooking with


the different varieties. Use the following list as a guide, but let your personal taste and experience 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-Mozzarella and the two distinctive tasting Norwegian cheeses, Gj etost and Mysost-may be eaten fresh but because they contain relatively little moisture 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 is soft and smooth and the flavor, as in Camembert and Brie, i s usually mild . An exception to this is Limburger with its very strong, pungent taste.

Semisoft, ripened cheese-Aged from one week to four months, depending on the variety ; 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 extremely sharp in flavor, this category includes 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 because 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, Gorgonzola 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 in a salad .

Process cheese-Process cheese is a com bination of fresh and cured natural cheeses that is pasteurized by heating. Since there is no further aging after its manufacture, there i s n o change i n t h e flavor. Variations include 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 subjected to heat. I t tends to be closer in flavor to the original cheese. Its texture i s quite soft and it spreads easi ly .

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 in a large store with a cheese department. Notice how the store keeps its stock ; cheese should be covered and refrigerated to maintain its quality . Cheese is usually in better condition i f the store does a brisk business and has a rapid turnover. Tasting a cheese i s your best guide to its goodness ; i f that i s impossible, be sure i t looks good for its type.

Most cheese is sold prepackaged, particularly in 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 refrigerated 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 natural 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 flavor 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 to prevent it from losing moisture. Larger cheeses which already have a protective coating need only the cut side covered. Aluminum 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. Smaller pieces of cheese should be wrapped carefully and completely. Blue-veined cheeses should be put in a domed cheese storer or wrapped in a damp 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. It is not harmful 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 purchase. 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 in time for it to warm to room temperature. Only at room temperature can the flavor and quality of each cheese be properly tasted and enjoyed.


:Fresh :Fruit To find the perfect peach, at the peak of its flavor and ju iciness, is not easy . The whole business of buying fresh fruit can be a considerable challenge even to the shrewdest of food shoppers .

The best place to start is at a store that has a fairly rapid turnover in fresh 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 in 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 occasionally see tagged "Extra Fancy" or " Fancy " (the two top grades)-there is usually no indication of grades at the retail level . Wholesale grading determines minimum standards of size and quality . The extremely perish able nature of fruit allows for too many variables during packing and shipping for the grades to be of much meaning when the fruit reaches retail markets .

The bright-colored, well - formed, unblemished fruit-the one that looks the most delicious-will generally taste better than its less-appetizing -looking neighbor. 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 s ince they are open doors to deterioration. (Exceptions are the thickerskinned citrus fruits, in 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.


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 welldry 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 atmosphere causes it to shrink .

APPLES: Know t h e right color for the variety . Firm, bright-colored apples free from soft spots and cuts are the best. For eating, Delicious (red or golden ) , Mcintosh and Jonathan are among the best. For cooking and baking, large or medium-large Greening, Northern Spy and Rome Beauty are excellent choices.

APPRI COTS : Tree-ripened apricots are highly perishable, so you are l ikely 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 .

AVOCADOS: 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.

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

blueberries tend to have uniformly largesized berries, while wild blueberries vary considerably in size. Good sweet cherries are firm and sour cherries a little less so. Cranberries are available in either the large, bright-red , slightly sour variety or in the smaller, darker-colored, sweeter type. Strawberries 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 dry and clean when purchased ; dirt and moisture i nvite immediate decay . But do not wash , or remove the hulls of berries , until j ust before using them.

CITRUS FRUITS : The best citrus fruits are heavy for their size, which indicates their ju iciness ; they should be of a regular shape and firm with a fine-textured s kin and bright color. Because of its naturally loose skin a ripe tangerine may not seem firm ; its flattened ends should feel a l i ttle soft .

GRAPES Plump, fresh-looking grap es, firmly attached to stems, are best. Check by gently shaking the bunch ; few if 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 tel ls .

MELONS : 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 r ipe for the best flavor and sweetness . Ripe melons usually have a strong characteristic odor and a softening 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 creamyyellow. As with any melon, the key to quality in a watermelon is its interior, and luckily, these are often halved or quartered so

you can i nspect them. The flesh should be red with dark brown or black seeds .

NECTARINES: A cross between a plum and 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.

PEACHES: The best peaches are firm, but not hard , and have a good yellow or creamy background color. This color is the most important ; a red b lush by itself doesn ' t indi cate a good peach . Avoid peaches with brown spots or shriveled skin .

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 almost green when ripe. Ripe Bartletts are clear yellow, occasionally blushed .

PINEAPPLES: A good , ripe pineapple should be heavy for its size, firm to the touch, and have the strong , fresh 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 in the smooth Cayenne variety. If stored where the air i s too dry, moisture will be lost, and the pineapple will shrink and deepen in color. Decay appears as soft , sometimes almost black areas near the base.

PLUMS AND PRUNES : Ranging from yellowgreen to a purplish-black , ripe plums are well rounded and j ust soft enough to yield to a l ittle pressure. Stickiness or undue softness usually means the fruit has begun to decay. Fresh prunes are freestone plums.

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


:fresh Vegetaf?les The wise selection of fresh vegetables takes at least as much expertness as selecting fruit. As in the case of fruit, the U.S. Department of Agriculture grades vegetables only at the wholesale level. (A bag of potatoes sometimes 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 appears at the retail level. ) Wholesale grading ensures minimum standards of quality ; i t is up to the customer to find the freshest and most flavorful vegetables.

As a rule, young vegetables are the tenderest and best-tasting ; the biggest vegetable is not likely to be the best. Be sure to look most carefully at the part of the vegetable that counts. Wilted tops of beets and carrots are unimportant if the roots have good shape, texture 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 important to both flavor and quality in all vegetables, 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 refrigerated but not covered . Sort all vegetables before storing and discard any that show decay. Wash them if 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 in the refrigerator : potatoes, dry onions, rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, hardrind squash and eggplant. These should be stored at a cool temperature, around 60°; a


cellar or utility room is a good place for this kind of storage. Onions and potatoes sprout at a high room temperature and soon deteriorate. Onions should be stored in loosely woven bags, potatoes in a dry, dark place with good air circulation. Both should be bought in 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 of carrots and radishes remove both tips and tops before storing ; they drain needed moisture from the root if left on. Remove the tops of beets but not the tips, lest they lose color and moisture.

LEAFY GREEN VEGETABLES : This group includes the cooking greens-chard, kale, collards and spinach ; and the salad greens-leaftype lettuce, chicory, escarole and watercress. The leaves should be clean and freshlooking, 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 discolorations should be avoided.

ARTICHOKES: They should be globular, plump and heavy, with tight-fitting green scales. Size has li ttle relation to an artichoke ' s flavor or quality .

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

BEANS AND PEAS : Look at the pods of these vegetables. In snap and yellow beans, they should be crisp and tender, fi lled with very immature seeds. The pods of lima beans should be fresh, dark green and well filled with plump beans. Pea pods should be a light green color with a soft texture and

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.

BROCCOLI AND CAULI FLOWER : The flower clusters 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.

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.

CELERY: Crisp, clean stalks of medium length are the best. Test to see that they are brittle ; avoid stalks that are discolored around the heart and leaves.

CORN : Milky, well-developed kernels are important. 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.

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

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

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.

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

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 browning, 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.

ONIONS: 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 globular in shape, bright with dry skins. Moisture at the neck or on the outer skins i s a sign of probable decay .

POTATOES: 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.

PEPPERS : 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.

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

TOMATOES (technically a fruit, but sold and eaten as a vegetable) : The best ones are ripened on the vine but this is often impractical for packing and shipping. They should , however, have begun to turn red before picking. 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.


:Freezing The freezing of fresh foods that can be kept safely for long periods of 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, flavor 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 needs : consider how much food and what kind you freeze at one time, the number of 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. Refrigerator-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 . Refrigerators with a freezing compartment in the interior storage area and 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 in the entire freezer or freezing compartment. Get a thermometer and sample the temperature in 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 of 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 date of freezing and keep a list to remind you what you have.

3 8 Selecting and storing food

How to freeze The quality of the food you are going to freeze is important. 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 maintain 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 no 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 undercooked, especially if they contain vegetables ; they wi l l be cooked more when you reheat them for serving. Learn the necessary preparatory steps and follow them. Most refrigerator- freezer companies publish pamphlets with freez ing advice. In add ition, a valuable guide is Home and Garden Bulletin A 1 . 77 : 10, " Home Freezing of Fruits and Vegetables, " obtainable for 20 cents by writing to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, D . C. 2040 2 .

Wrapping i s also i mportant. Use a type designed for freezi ng ; several varieties of moisture- and vapor-proof wraps are available. Be sure you exclude as much air as possible 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 temperature of your freezer to a lower setting, - 10 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 touchand warm-foods already in the freezer. Any increase in temperature at any time during the l ife of frozen food is detrimental to both flavor 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. There is no advantage in keeping frozen food to the limit of its

storage l ife. Since there are so many variables in freezing-the quality of 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 accompanying lists suggested maximum storage times.

Buying commercially frozen foods The freezer in your retail store is as important to you as the one in your home. Notice whether it i s clean and not overloaded . 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. Examine the packaging of frozen foods carefully. It should be solid to the touch, without stains or punctures. A transparent wrap enables you to check the color of the contents. There should be little or no frost or frozen liquid in the package. If there is, it means it has probably thawed and been refrozen, a bad sign. After opening and thawing or cooking, check texture and flavor.

During the time it takes to carry frozen foods home, some rise in temperature is bound to occur, even if you use insulated bags. 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 require thawing before cooking or serving , refrigerator thawing i s the best ; i t takes longer but preserves the food values better. Food wrapped in sealed packages or containers may be thawed in 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 .

SUGGESTED STORAGE TIMES

FOR FROZEN 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.

Food

MEAT

Fresh beef

Fresh veal, lamb

Fresh pork

Approximate storage

time at 0' or lower

6- 1 2 months

6-9 months

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 3 months

Sliced meat and gravy 3-6 months

Pies 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 8-10 months

FRUITS 8- 1 2 months

Fruit j uice concentrates 8- 1 2 months

ICE CREAM, SHERBET 1 month


rJ[ (}lossary of :Food and Gooking CJerms Every good recipe i s precise (though not every precise recipe i s a good one) , and a careful cook takes the trouble to learn the exact meaning of a recipe ' s terms. In this glossary many foods, utensils and methods are de-

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

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

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

appetizer: a small serving of j uice, fruit, seafood or other food served at the beginning of 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 preparing food in a sauce whose top surface is covered

40 A glossary of food and cooking terms

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

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

au jus: a French term applied to meat served with only the natural, unthickened pan j uices that come out during cooking.

batter: a mixture of flour and a variety of other ingredients such as milk, eggs, leavening agents and seasonings, used as the basis for cakes, fritters, coatings or pancakes. Its consistency may range from a thin liquid to a stiff, thick one depending on the proportions 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 in 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.

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 electric 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 immediately ; 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 consistency of a l iquid. 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.

blanch: to plunge into boiling water for the purpose of softening a food, for removing an unwanted flavor, or for partial precooking.

blend: to stir, rather than beat, ingredients until they are thoroughly combined .

boil: to heat or cook in a l iquid 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 vigorous and rolling ; in a medium boil the bubbles are gentle. A very slow boil , where the liquid hardly moves, is called a simmer.

bone: to remove bones from meat or fowl. To bone meat, use a boning knife or any thin, very sharp knife about 5 or 6 inches long. Insert 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 i t comes away ; these can be patted back into shape when you are done.

To bone a chicken breast, first remove the skin by in serting your thumb between flesh and skin and gently pull ing the skin off. With the flesh side down, take the breast in both hands 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 up on a chopping surface. Insert the point of the knife between the flesh and the single small rib 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 in the other hand, use short, scraping strokes to cut away the flesh on the succeeding ribs. When the entire rib is removed, cut the remaining bones away . Pat the boned flesh i nto its original shape. Repeat with the other breast.

bouillon: stock or broth made by cooking meat, fish or vegetables in a liquid .

A glossary of food and cooking terms 4 I

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 temperature.

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 brochette means " cooked on a skewer. "

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

brown : to turn the surface of food brown in 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 sugar with a small amount of 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, in a refrigerator, over cracked ice or in any other suitable cold place.

chop: to cut into small pieces. A good knife for this i s the French chef' s or cook ' s knife . As shown in the picture at right, grasp the blade between thumb and fingers near the point, with your other hand at the heeL Now move the blade vigorously up and down on the food, holding the tip stationary . Repeat several times, gathering the food into a heap each time, until all of it is thoroughly chopped.


clarify: to make a substance pure or clear. To clarify butter, cut sticks of butter into half- inch slices and melt in a saucepan over low heat. Do not let the butter brown. Remove pan from heat and skim the foam off the top of the butter. Spoon the clarified butter (the clear liquid under the foam) into another container and discard the milky residue 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 disturb i t ; the clear liquid wi ll drain through.

coat: to cover food lightly but thoroughly with either a liquid or dry substance.

coat a spoon: a term that describes the degree of thickness of a cooking liquid, particularly of 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 film or coating of the liquid.

·

coddle: to cook slowly in a liquid heated to j ust below the boil ing point.

combine: to mix or blend together two or more ingredients.

compote: fresh or dried fruits cooked and served in a flavored sugar syrup.

condiment: any seasoning added to food to enhance its flavor. In common usage, it generally refers to prepared sauces arid relishes eaten with food .

consomme: a clear, strongly flavored soup made from stock .

cool: to allow to stand unt i l heat has reduced . The food or utensil should no longer feel warm to the touch.

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

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

court bouillon: a well- seasoned liquid usually flavored with root and stock vegetables used for cooking fish, vegetables and variety meats.

cream: to soften solid fats such as butter, often by adding another ingredient 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: 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 .

crisp: to make firm. Leafy vegetables such as lettuce are washed, dried and chil led ; dry

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

croquette: a thick, creamy mixture con. raining 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 soups and salad s.

crumb: to break into small pieces. Fresh bread crumbs are made by pulling a piece of fresh bread into small, soft particles, or pulverizing i t in an electric blender. Stale bread, cracker or cereal crumbs are made with a roll ing pin or in a blender.

crush: to pulverize by rolling with a rol l ing pin or by mashing until dry food is the consistency of coarse powder. Fruits, particularly berries, are usually crushed by mashing until they lose their shape.

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 used 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 consistency .

deep-fry: to cook food i mmersed in hot fat or oi l .

deglaze: to collect the concentrated cooking ju ices remaining in the pan after saute-

A g!oJJary of food and cooking terms 43

ing or roasting food. After the food is removed and the fat poured off, heat a small amount of liquid (water, stock, wine, cream) in 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 gravy .

degrease : to remove fat from a hot liquid . Let the liquid stand for a few minutes so 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 permits, refrigerate the liquid in 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 shrimp's back. With a sharp knife make a shallow cut along the vein line, then l ift or scrape out the vei n .

dice : to cut into very small, even 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 liquid 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 varying density-with or without a leavening agent-which i s shaped or worked by hand.

drain : to remove l iquid, usually by allowing food to stand in a colander or strainer until the liquid has dripped off.

dredge : to coat food heavi ly with a dry mixture such as flour, sugar, bread or cracker crumbs.

44 A glOJsary of food and cooking terms

drippings: the j uices and fat of meats that come out during the cooking process.

dust: to sprinkle the surface of food lightly with sugar, flour or crumbs.

enrich: to add cream, eggs or butter.

entree: the main course of a meal. In a trad i tional French menu the entree is the third course, generally a hot dish in a white or brown sauce.

escalope: a thin sl ice 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 chervi lused 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 in a bottomless metal ring. I t is similar 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 seasoned fish, vegetable or meat mixture, i t may be called a quiche or a gratin . In Mediterranean 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 thin , even layer adheres to the sides and bottom. Rap the pan sharply against a solid surface to dislodge any excess flour.

To flour meat or poultry: it is often convenient to put flour and seasonings, then the food, into a plastic or paper bag and shake vigorously. Do not flour food s until just before they are to be cooked . If 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.

fold: to incorporate a delicate mixture into a thicker, heavier one so that the character of the lighter one is retained . To fold stiffly

beaten egg whites into a souffle sauce, spoon a small portion of the egg whites onto the surface of the base mixture. Then with a rubber spatula cut down through the center of the whites to the bottom of the bowl or pan, sl ide the spatula along the bottom to the edge and bring it back up to the top, as shown in the picture. Gradually fold in the rest of the egg whites with vertical cutting strokes until al l the whites have been absorbed . This should be a quick but gentle operation .

fondue : a name applied to several quite di ssimilar preparations. An American cheese fondue i s a l ight, 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, in 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, fill ing or spread.

fricassee : to cook pieces of meat or chicken first in butter and then in a seasoned liquid until tender.

fritter: any meat, vegetable or fruit dipped in a batter and then fried in very hot fat .

frosting: another term for ic ing. A sweet, thick coating for cakes, cupcakes, cookies.

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

garnish: to decorate or accompany a d i sh by adding other food stuffs, such as chopped sprig s of parsley , vegetables, sauteed mushrooms or olives, before serving.

A glossary of food and cooking terms 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 syrup and cooked at high heat until the syrup forms a hard coating that cracks.

glaze: to apply a thin layer of syrup, jelly or aspic to the surface of food. Braised meat or fowl is glazed by putting it uncovered in a very hot oven briefly just before serving . The meat can be additionally coated with reduced j uices from the braising 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 grinder or food mill . Herbs and spices can be ground to a fine, powdery consistency with a mortar and pestle .

high-altitude cookery: cooks in mountainous areas (over 2 , 5 00 to 3 ,000 feet) must allow for the effects of decreased atmospheric 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 department of your state college or your county home demonstration agent.

hollandaise: a delicate sauce of egg yolks, butter and lemon juice, 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 for cakes, cupcakes or cookies.

infusion: the flavored liquid extract resulting from steeping herbs, vanilla or tea in a liquid .

46 A gloJJary of food and cooking termJ

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

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 making incisions in the meat and forcing the fat through. This process increases the flavor of dry meat by basting it internally .

leavening: the production of a gas in a batter or dough to cause it to rise. Leavening agents such as baking soda, yeast or baking 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 pods. In French ligumeJ means simply " vegetables . "

madrile'ne: a clear soup, flavored with tomatoes, served chil led and often j ell ied. Also a descriptive term used with other preparations flavored with tomato ju ice.

marinade: a liquid in 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.

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

mash: to soften and break down food by using a masher, the back of a spoon or by forcing the food through a ricer or press.

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

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

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 into very fine pieces.

mincemeat: a mixture of finely chopped ingredients, including suet, apples, candied fruits, raisins, nuts, and sometimes meat. (American mincemeat often contains meat ; the English variety usually does not . )

mirepoix: finely diced carrots, onions, celery and sometimes ham, cooked slowly in butter and used as a flavoring for meats, stuffings, stews and braises.

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

mousse : a very delicate mixture containing whipped cream or beaten egg whites. Mousses with pureed meat, fish, poultry or vegetables as a base are usually 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 is also used to describe hot dishes of a particularly smooth texture .

offal: variety meats, or innards.

pan fry: to cook uncovered in a frying pan in a small amount of hot fat or the fat which accumulates from the meat as i t cooks.

parboil: to boil i n a liquid until partially cooked . This i s usually a preliminary step. The cooking is completed by another method, such as baking .

pare: to remove the outer covering and stem of a fruit or vegetable with a knife or other paring tool. To do this easi ly , drop the fruit or vegetable (in the picture, a tomato) into a pan of boiling water for 10 to

A glossary of food and cooking terms 4 7

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

pasta : a dough of either flour and water or flour and egg used in making macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, etc. Also applied to the finished product as a generic name.

paste : a smooth blend of a dry ingredient and a liquid . The most common pastes are flour and water or flour and melted butter ; they are used primarily as thickening agents for sauces and gravies.

pate: a rich, well- seasoned blend of ground meat, poultry or fish often baked in a crust. When baked in a dish l ined with strips of fat, it is called a terrine, after the dish. After chill ing, it is usually sl iced and served with bread as an appetizer or first course.

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 in , it becomes gnocchi. With ground fish, meat or poultry, it i s quenelle paste.

pate en croute : 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 fish .

pectin : a substance found naturally in certain fruits, particularly apples and currants ; when boiled with sugar it acts as a jell ing agent.

peel: see pare.

pilaf a rice preparation in which the rice is first cooked briefly in 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 glossary of food and cooking terms ·

pit: to remove seeds or stones from fruit or vegetables.

poach : to cook food immersed in a l iquid 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 . It i s used 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.

preheat: to heat an oven or broiler to a desired temperature for about 15 minutes before using.

preserves: a thickened mixture of fruit and sugar syrup in which the fruit retains its original shape. I t is served as a condiment or used in desserts.

press: a kitchen implement for extracting the j uice from a food such as garlic or lemons.

puree: to push food through a sieve or food mill to obtain a thick, smooth l iquid.

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

ramekin : a small individual baking dish.

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

refresh: to plunge hot food into cold water, quickly stopping the cooking process. In the case of vegetables this procedure can be used to avoid overcooking, and helps to retain the original color.

render: to heat pieces of solid fat slowly to obtain liquid fat .

·

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

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

rind: the outer skin of fruit and vegetables. Grated or candied orange and lemon rinds are frequently used in cooking.

rissole: a seasoned meat, fish or vegetable mixture enclosed in a pastry case or turnover 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 in a seasoned liquid or sauteed .

roux: a cooked mixture of flour and butter, a common thickening agent in many sauces.

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

saute: to cook food in a small amount of hot fat. This can be done briefly to brown

food before cooking i t by another method ; or food such as chicken or thin strips of beef may be sauteed unti l done.

scald: 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 of food, usually in a diamond design as with hams, both for decoration and to permit seasonings to permeate the food.

sear: to brown the surface of food quickly and produce richer pan drippings using high heat, in the oven or on top of the stove.

season : to add salt, herbs, spices or other ingredients to increase the flavor of food. Also, to season a cast- iron cooking utensil (see page 6) .

semolina: coarse granules of cereal, usually wheat, from which puddings, soups and various kinds of pasta are made.

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 of the white drip into the bowl. Slide the egg yolk into your hand, letting the rest of the white run between your fingers into the bowl (see picture) and place the yolk in a separate bowl. Or, crack the egg in half and carefully pour the

A glossary of food and cooking terms 49

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

set: a condition in which liquids have congealed and retain their shape. Custard s become set after baking ; gelatin and egg mixtures 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 grains finer and the consistency lighter.

simmer: to cook a liquid barely at the boiling point. The surface should show only a few bubbles breaking slowly .

singe: to pass through a flame to remove small feathers or hair, most frequently with plucked poultry .

skewer: a wooden or metal pin . The short variety is used to hold meat in place during cooking. Small pieces of meat and vegetables are threaded onto the longer variety for grill ing.

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

souffle: a fluffy baked preparation of a flavored sauce or base into 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 ingredients. Dishes called cold souffles and containing gelatin and cream are not really souffles ; they are more l ikely Bavarian creams or mousses .


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

steam : to cook by means of vapor from boil ing l iquid rising through the food.

steep : to place a solid substance in a l iquid 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 l iquid at a low temperature for a long period of time. Also, the process of cooking a food or a combination of foods covered with a seasoned liquid for a long period of time.

stock : a l iquid 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 small , ind ivid ual pie filled with a sweetened mixture and baked in a single· crust. In France, tart means a large, freestanding 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.

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

thicken : to make a l iquid mixture more dense by adding an agent like flour, cornstarch, egg yolks, rice or potatoes.

timbale : a custardlike mixture of finely chopped meats, fish or vegetables along with eggs, milk and seasonings, baked in individual molds or ramekins and usual ly served unmolded. Also, a high-sided pastry crust in which food mixtures are cooked or served .

truffle: an underground fungus not unlike a mushroom, but much rarer, used as a garnish for other foods or as a delicate seasoning in egg dishes, pates and some sauces. There are both white and black truffies available canned .

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 middle section of a 3 - foot piece of kitchen string under the ends of the drumsticks, cross the string over the top of the drum-

sticks and pull tight. Then pull the strings toward you, sl iding them between the legs and the body of the fowl, as shown in the top picture. Turn the fowl over with the tail facing you and slide the strings under the wings (see center picture). Pull the strings 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 back . Now twist each protruding wing tip up over the back (see bottom picture} . Trussing holds the shape of meat while cooking.

unmold: to remove from a mold . To unmold aspics and other gelatinized dishes, run the blade of a sharp, thin knife around the inner edges of the mold. Dip the bottom of the mold into hot water for 2 or 3 seconds, cover the top of the mold with a chi l led plate, and invert the mold onto the plate. H olding plate and mold together, tap the plate on the table to loosen the contents, 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 dressing or as a marinade or sauce for vegetables, fish and meat.

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 thereby increases its volume and lightens its consi stency . All utensils used for whipping heavy cream should be clean and thoroughly chilled . Heavy 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 stiffiy .

A glossary of food and cooking terms 5 1

Garving and Jlicing For proper carving you need a sturd y carvi ng knife , a sharpening steel co keep i t razorsharp and a two-tined fork co hold the meat firmly . The fork should have a guard co proten your hand from slips of the knife .

Know the struccure of the meat co be carved : where the bones are , how they lie, and where they are jo inced . Chan your cutt ing course before you begin ; you don ' t want to stri ke an unexpected bone midway through a slice .

Check the grain of the meat. In nearly all large cuts (except tend er steak) you will

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.

52 Carving and slicing

increase the tenderness of the slices by cutting across the fibers. For a thin cut of meat, l ike flank steak {opposite}, cut not only crosswise, but at a slight slam to the perpend icular. For very tender cuts, like loin steaks not more than an inch thick, you can cut with the gra in .

Carving i s best learned in the kitchen, where neither you nor the meat is on public d isplay ; if you should make a mistake no one need be the w i ser. When you have become adept, you can confidently carve at the table in front of your g uests.

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

RoaJt loin of pork . Steady with fork. With ribs facing up, cut off the backbone, removing as l i 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 wil l contain a rib bone ; the next one wi ll be boneless.

Rack of lamb. Lay the meat so the bone tips poi nt away from you. Cut between the ribs, beginning at the point where they jo in .

Flank Jteak . Begin at the narrow end with the knife parallel to the meat, but at an angle ; cut across the grain into narrow slices.

PorterhouJe Jteak . Insert a fork to hold the steak steady . With the tip of the knife, cut carefu\\y around the bone and d i scard it (above left). Sl ice 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 in the drawing (above right). S l ice the tail i nto small , even pieces.

Carving and slicing 5 3

W HOLE HAM

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

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.

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


ROAST LEG O F LA MB

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

2 . Place roast on this base and slice perpendicularly down to the leg bone. Slice horizontally underneath ro release the meat.

3. Turn the leg up on large end and steady it wi th a fork or your hand. Resume cutting on the thin underside, as shown above.

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 diagonally through each breast, leav ing some breast meat attached to the wing. With a knife, cur the drumsticks from the thighs . For birds over 4 pound s carve as you would a turkey (page 5 6 ) .

Crown roast. Place a fork in the s ide of the roast to steady i t and slice down from top to bottom between each ri b . The bones are separated 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 5 5

TURKEY

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

3. Beginning about halfway up the breast, slice downward at a slight angle. Start to slice a l ittle higher with each succeed ing slice.

5 . Hold the leg upright and cut between drumstick and thigh bone. Insert fork in the thigh and slice the meat from the bone.


2 . Hold ing the knife almost vertical ly , cut between the wing and the body. Now gently pull the entire wing away from the bod y .

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

6. Either serve the drumstick whole or cut 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. Pull the blade down and across the steel to its point. Repeat this on the other side of the steel for the other edge of the knife. 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 l ifting with a flexible spatula sli pped between the backbone and meat. Grasp the tail and ease the backbone from the fish. Carve the meat underneath into serving portions.

Carving and slicing 5 7

�ea l Planning and Jerving I n planning any meal-and any meal deserves some planning-try to keep two basic points in rriind : the course-by-course construction of the menu and presentation or serving of the food.

which the human being could not function. E sthetically, food does something else :

it either pleases 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 conceived meal in dull or unpleasant surroundings can be. In planning meals, remember that it matters how the food looks and smells and how the various colors and textures 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

Nutritionally, the food we eat does three things : i t provides material (through protein, carbohydrates and minerals) for the body's building and maintenance needs ; it provides various regulators (through vitamins and minerals) that enable the body to use other minerals and to run smoothly ; and it is the source of energy, without

SELECTING FOODS FOR PROPER NUTRITION

Almost everyone knows that man does not live (very well) by bread alone, and that children should not be

allowed to live on hamburgers and soft drinks alone. But it is easy to slip i nto an unbalanced diet. In p lan

ning your meals, select foods that will provide the balance of nutrients necessary to maintain health . 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 as butter or margarine for vitamin A, and sugar for body energy.

MILK GROUP .

MEAT GROUP .

VEGETABLE-FRUIT GROUP .

BREAD-CEREALS GROUP .

Milk (in al l forms), the leading calcium source, also provides some

protein, riboflavin, vitamins A and (if fortified) D. Serve 2 cups a day

or their calci um equivalent (e.g. , 3 ounces 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, dried beans and peas. Serve 2 or more portions daily .

Citrus fruits a n d tomatoes are prime sources of vitamin C ; dark-green

and deep- yellow vegetables are rich in vitamin A. Potatoes are another

good vitamin C source, and almost all fruits and vegetables provide

some vitamins or minerals or both. Serve 4 or more portions daily,

making sure not to neglect the foods richest i n vitamins A and C.

A principal source of energy-giving carbohydrates, most grain products

sold in the U.S. also provide iron and B vitamins and some protein.

This group includes not only bread but also r ice, pasta, breakfast cere

als and pastries. Serve 4 or more portions daily .

58 Meal planning 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 daily diet ; study the basic food chart below, but don ' t be constricted by it . Your common sense will probably p lan a meal that has most i f not all the required elements anyway. As for serving a meal, study the material given here, and then feel free to improvise. Remember that the best hostess is a relaxed hostess, and the relaxed hostess (or host) i s one who is well prepared to please the guests.

Do your marketing early . Arrange flowers 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 .

One of the easiest ways of giving a party

Buffet setting

Salad

Butter Breads

Dressing

Plates Main dish

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 si lver, napkins and glasses, to which guests bring their fil led plates and sit down. If this is not possible, trays should be provided, or possibly small tables ; your guests should not have to balance dinner plates and silverware on their laps except as a last resort.

For a large group, prepare duplicate arrangements of food, either on separate tables or on both sides of a long table. Otherwise you will find that some guests will have finished eating while others are j ust reaching the head of the l ine.

Guest l ines should move from left to right. Place a single servi ng implement by each platter ; 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 of the table-to avoid spilling. Unless you have room for everyone to sit down at a table, serve soup in mug s ; it may not seem elegant, but i t avoid s the necessity for

Relish

Salt and pepper Soup pitcher Mugs

Vegetables Napkins Knives and forks

Meal planning and serving 59

a balancing act, and guests will appreciate it . Si lver and napkins are picked up last , if

not already on tables, so that the guest has one free hand as long as possible. Si lver may be wrapped in a napkin . 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 buffet.

For a smooth-running buffet, try to station someone to preside over the self- service, taking care of spi lls, replenishing food and being generally helpful . Whether a family member, a guest or a h ired hand, this person can be your insurance against di saster.

A sit-down d inner can be either formal or informal, 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 settings the plates should be placed about 24 inches apart, and an inch from the edge of the table. The silverware should " march"

Formal place setting

Salt and pepper

evenly from the outside toward the plate in 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 informal table, use napkins of any color-even paper ones-folded into 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 guest ' 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. Informally, use as much silver as you l ike . In the i l lustration on page 61 , dessert si lver 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, champagne; or, as in the diagram, water goblet, red wtne,

Water Red

White

Fish Meat Salad Service plate with napkin Salad Meat Fish Soup

60 Meal planning and serving

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 butter plate ; in 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 butter 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 . Informally, host and hostess occupy the head and foot of the table, but other guests may arrange themselves more casual ly .

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

Informal place setting

Bread and butter

Napkin Meat Salad

first, with service continuing toward the right. The waitress never puts serving dishes on the table, nor does she permit place settings to be without plates. As she removes a used plate with her right hand she places the plate for the next course with her left . Food i s presented to each guest from his left s ide. The table i s completely cleared before dessert service.

For informal service the necessary platters and dinner plates are stacked in front of the host or hostess, who fills each plate and passes i t to guests. 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 from a tray after the diners have left the table. Demitasse cups are preferred . The handle of 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 hostess prefers she may serve the coffee at the table. The cups are passed in the same way as the dinner plates were.

·----

Dessert spoon and fork

Water

Soup bowl and plate Meat Soup

Meal planning and serving 6 1

: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 in cold dishes until they have been soaked or cooked . In general, use about half as much of a dried herb as a fresh one. Herbs should be stored in airtight containers, and these must be kept in a cool place .

SPICES are the roots, barks, stems, buds, 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 of spices but a dried berry ; its fragrance suggests a mixture of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg . Available either ground or whole. Use the whole berries in 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 of a bouquet garni.

CARAWAY: A small, brown herb seed , caraway is found in rye bread and is also good in sauerkraut, cheeses, and soups and stews.

CARDAMOM : This sweet black spice i s available ground or as a whole seed, in or out of its pod. I t i s used widely i n Danish pastries. Try it also in spiced wines, fruit compotes, sauerbraten, pickles and curry .

CHERVIL: One of France ' s fineJ herbeJ, this lacy leaf enhances soups, g reen salads, potato salad , and egg and fish dishes.

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

62

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

CINNAMON: This pungent spice comes either in sticks or as reddish-brown ground cinnamon. Use the sticks in pickling or sugar syrups ; use ground cinnamon in baking , with cooked fruits and on puddings.

CLOVE: The nail-shaped whole clove is the traditional spice used for studding smoked ham. Ground cloves are used to flavor spice cakes, sweet potatoes and carrots.

CURRY POWDER: A prepared blend of from four to 40 spices, usually including turmeric , ginger, coriander, cumin, cloves and mustard . It is added to all curries, and frequently to some egg , seafood or vegetable dishes.

DILL: This herb is available packaged as seeds or weed, or fresh, as leaves . Use the seeds with fish and chicken . The weed or fresh leaves are excellent with tomatoes, potatoes, fish, in salads and cream sauces.

FENNEL: Use the whole seeds of this herb with fish or chicken, in breads, rolls and apple pies , marinades and spaghetti sauce.

GINGER: The ginger plant root has a hot, sweet flavor ; i t is available as a whole , ground or cracked spice. Bits of ginger root, found in Oriental or Spanish stores, are used in pickling, marinades and preserves. Ground ginger, more common, is used in baking, meat and poultry dishes.

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 in pound cake, puddings and in fish sauces .

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 .

MINT: The leaves of the spearmint and peppermint herbs add a fresh, cool flavor to sauces for lamb and veal, to peas or carrots, frozen deserts, cold drinks and fruits .

MUSTARD: Two main varieties of mustardwhite or yellow, and brown or Orientalare grown as spices. Dry, powdered mustard can be used in sauces, salad dressings and cheese di shes. The tiny whole mustard seed s go into pickles and vegetable reli shes.

NUTMEG: Avai lable as a whole or ground spice. Freshly grated whole nutmeg seed is best. Use it in desserts, in breads or cakes, sprinkled on vegetables and on eggnog .

OREGANO: Also called wild marj oram. Use the whole leaves or g round herb in pizza, pasta, tomato d i shes, and with vegetables ;md eggs.

PAPRIKA: Most of the paprika used in the U.S . is bright red in color and has a mild, sweet flavor. Hungarian paprika 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.

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 ishes.

PEPPER (BLACK AND WHITE): Black peppercorns 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 in the freshly ground form for salads, vegetables and indeed almost any food. For light-colored sauces use white pepper, whole or ground.

PEPPER (RED) : Ground or crushed red pepper (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 sparingly in sauces for seafood, pizza and pasta.

ROSEMARY: The spi ky leaves of this fragrant herb are excellent with lamb, beef and pork, green beans or boiled potatoes.

SAFFRON: The most expensive spice, i t is avai lable powdered or in thread s, which must be crushed with the back of a spoon or with a mortar and pestle. Saffron is used sparingly for its golden color and its somewhat bi tter flavor in many rice and fish di 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: There are two varieties, summer and winter savory . Summer savory i s more common 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.

SESAME SEED: This spice i s the d ried, hulled 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 and untoasted, and can be baked on rolls, bread s and buns. Toasted, it can garnish salad s and cooked noodles.

TARRAGON: This herb i s available fresh or as dried leaves. I t is a must in bfarnaise sauce and is also good with egg s, poultry or fish. and sprinkled over a green salad .

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

63

equivalents and Uteeasures

U.S. MEASURES

3 tsp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I tbsp. 2 pints . . . . . . . . . . . . . I l iquid quart

4 tbsp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1·4 cup 4 quarts . . . . . . . I l iquid gallon

5 113 tbsp.

1 2 tbsp.

16 tbsp.

2 cups

U.S. cups & spoons

I tsp . . . . .

I tbsp . . .

2 tbsp . . . .

6'/' tbsp.

I cup . . . .

I pint

4V, cups . .

· · · · · · · · · · · • . 1 ' cup DRY MEASURES

. . '· • cup 8 quarts

. . I cup 4 pecks · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I pint I pound .

LIQUID MEASURE EQUIVALENTS

Fluid ounces

. -'/6 . . . .

. lf2 . .

European equivalents

. . . . . . . I coffee spoon

. . I soup spoon

.28 deci l i ter 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .

. • . . • . . . • . . . . . . . 3112 . . . . • . . • . . . . . . . . . • . . . . I deciliter

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

. 16 . . . . .

. . . 3 5V6 . . .

. . . 2 . 2 5 decili ters

. . 4.5 deci l i ters

. . . . . . . . . . ! l iter ( 1 0 decil iters)

. . . . I peck

. . I bushel

1 6 ozs.

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

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

A TABLE OF EQUIVALENTS

Fooc Amount

ALMONDS, unshelled, whole . . . I lb.

ALMONDS. blanched, whole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I lb.

APPLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . .

APRICOTS

. . I lb. (3 medium) .

. I lb . .

Equivalent

. . . . P 4 cups nutmeats

. 31 z cups n utmeats

. . . . . . 31 2 cups pared and sliced

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

BANANAS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I lb. (3 medium) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 - 2 1 2 cups sliced

BEANS. kidney, dried . . . . I lb . (2 1 ' cups) . . . . 9 cups cooked

BEANS, l ima or navy, dried . . I lb. ( 2 1 ' cups) . . . . . . 6 cups cooked

BEANS. lima in pod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I lb. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2., cup shelled

BEETS . .

BREAD

BREAD

BUTTER (or margarine) . .

BUTTER (or margarine) .

CABBAGE . .

64 Equivalents and measures

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

. . . . I slice .

. . . . . . I slice .

• • • • • 1 •-lb. stick (4 ozs. ) .

. . 2 cups diced and cooked

. . 1 4· 1 ' cup dry crumbs

. '•• · I cup soft crumbs

. 8 tbsp .

. . I lb. . . . 2 cups (or 32 tbsp.)

. . . I lb . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 cups shredded

Food

CANDIED FRUIT and FRliiT PFFI-� .

CARROTS

CELERY .

<:H�Est:. cream .

< HEESE, hard . .

CIIKKEN .

CHOCOLATE, unsweetened .

CORNMEAL.

CRACKERS. graham .

<RACKERS. soda

CRANBERRIES

CREAM. heavy

DATES . .

EGG WHITES

EGG YOLKS

fi(,S

FLOUR, all-purpose .

FLOUR, cake . .

GARLIC . .

GELATIN .

LEMON o r LIME .

I..EMON, rmd . .

MACARONI .

MEAT .

MILK, evaporated

MILK. sweetened, condensed

MUSHROOMS, fresh .

NOODLES .

ONIONS .

ORANGE .

ORANGE. rind

PEANUTS. unshelled

PEAS, i n pod .

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

PECANS, unshelled

POTATOES .

PRUNES. dned .

RAISINS

RICE, raw

RICE. precooked .

SHALLOTS

SPAGH�'ITI

SUGAR, brown

SUGAR. confectiOners .

SUGAR, granulated

TOMATOES.

WALNUTS. m shell .

WALNUTS, shelled

Amount

1 z l b

I lb. (H- 1 0) .

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

. _) OZ S.

I lb.

\ 1 z lbs.

I S'Juare

I cup uncooked

. 1 5

2 2 . .

I lh

1 z p1nt (I cup)

. . I lb.

. H- 1 1

1 2 - 1 6

I lb .

. I lb .

. I lb .

I medium clove . .

1 -I·Ou nce cnvelopr

I medi um

. I med1um .

I (UP (1 ' pound) .

I lb.

1 1 1 2 -oz. can .

l l -01 . can

1 z pound

. I cup uncooked .

I med1um

. . . I rnedJUrn

. I med i U m

I lb

l ib

I lb .

I lb

I lb ( \ potatoes)

I lb.

I lb .

I cup ( 1 z lb. )

. I c u p . .

I medi U m

I lb. uncooked

. I lb .

I lb .

. I l b.

. . . I lb (l medJUm)

. l ib .

I lb .

Equivalent

. 1 1 z cups cut up

. 2 ' ' cups sl iCed or d1ced

l cups diced

6 tbsp .

·l cups grated

. 2 cups cooked and d JCed

I oz. ( I tbsp. melted, 5 tbsp. grated)

. . . ·1 cups cooked

. . . I cup fine crumbs

I cup fine crumbs

I cups

2 cups wl11pped

. 2 cups pmed

I cup

. . . I cup

. . . 2 ' • · .\ cups chopped

·l cups sifted

. . . j 1 , cups sifted

. ' ., tsp. chopped

I tbsp.

\ -4 tbsp. J U ICe

. I ' z-2 tsp . g rated

. 2 cups cooked

. 2 cups d iCed

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

I cup shelled and cooked

. . 2 cups

. . 2' 4 cups n utmeats

21 z cups shced chced, 2 cups mashed

. . 21 z cups; l cups cooked

. \ cups

\ cups cooked

2 cups cooked

I tbsp. m1 nced

7 cups cooked

. . 21 1 cups packed

. \' z-4 cups Sifted

21 z cups

1 1 z cups J U iced. chopped pulp

1 2 \ cups nutmeats

I cups nutmeats

Equivalents and measures 6 5

kitchen guide - time-life foods of the world

Documents

nch si ze

cooki ng

di ameter

servi ng

measuri ng

materi al

expensi ve

medi um