- Industry: Printing & publishing
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Founded in 1941, Barron's Educational Series is a leading publisher of test preparation manuals and school directories. Among the most widely recognized of Barron's many titles in these areas are its SAT and ACT test prep books, its Regents Exams books, and its Profiles of American Colleges. In ...
These extremely thin Chinese noodles resemble long, translucent white hairs. When deep-fried, they explode dramatically into a tangle of airy, crunchy strands that are a traditional ingredient in Chinese chicken salad. Rice-flour noodles can also be presoaked and used in soups and stir fries. The term rice sticks is generally applied to rice-flour noodles that are about 1/4-inch wide. Rice-flour noodles can be found in Asian markets and some supermarkets. They're usually sold in coiled nests packaged in cellophane. See also asian noodles.
Industry:Culinary arts
The American Indians taught the Colonists how to tap the maple tree for its sap and boil it down to what the Indians called "sweetwater. " Canada, New York and Vermont are all known for their superior maple products. The maple-tapping season (called "sugar season") usually begins sometime around mid-February and can last anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. The "sugarmakers" insert spouts into the maple trees (a grove of which is called a "sugarbush") and hang buckets from them to catch the sap. Some companies connect plastic tubing to the spout, running it from tree to tree and eventually directly to a large holding tank where it's stored until ready to be processed. The sap is then taken to the "sugarhouse," where it's boiled until evaporated to the desired degree. Quite simply, maple syrup is sap that has been boiled until much of the water has evaporated and the sap is thick and syrupy. At the beginning of the sugar season, when the sap is concentrated, it only takes about 20 gallons of it to make a gallon of syrup, whereas toward the end of the season it may take up to 50 gallons of sap. Maple sugar, which is about twice as sweet as granulated white sugar, is the result of continuing to boil the sap until the liquid has almost entirely evaporated. In between those two stages at least two other products are made: maple honey (thicker than syrup) and maple cream or butter (thick and spreadable). Maple syrup is graded according to color and flavor. Generally, U. S. grades are: Fancy or Grade aa, a light amber colored syrup with a mild flavor; Grade A is medium amber and mellow-flavored; Grade B is dark amber and hearty flavored; and Grade C is very dark with a robust, molasseslike flavor. Since the processing of maple syrup is labor-intensive, pure maple syrup is quite expensive. A less costly product labeled maple-flavored syrup is a combination of less expensive syrup (such as corn syrup) and a small amount of pure maple syrup. Pancake syrups are usually nothing more than corn syrup flavored with artificial maple extract. Pure maple syrup should be refrigerated after opening. Warm to room temperature before serving.
Industry:Culinary arts
1. Narrow strips of fat used to lard meats. 2. The French also use the term lardon to refer to bacon that has been diced, blanched and fried.
Industry:Culinary arts
A light, airy sponge-type cake made with stiffly beaten egg whites but no yolks or other fats. It's traditionally baked in a tube pan and is sometimes referred to simply as angel cake.
Industry:Culinary arts
Originally this fine-textured loaf cake was made with one pound each of flour, butter, sugar and eggs, plus a flavoring like vanilla or lemon. A myriad of variations have evolved throughout the years, with additions such as leavening (baking powder or baking soda) and flavorings such as coconut, nuts, raisins and dried fruit. With reduced cholesterol and calories in mind, there are now pound cakes made with vegetable oil, as well as nonfat versions.
Industry:Culinary arts
This Greek specialty consists of lamb chunks that have been marinated in a mixture of oil, lemon juice, oregano and seasonings before being skewered and grilled. Some souvlakia skewers also include chunks of vegetables such as green pepper or onion.
Industry:Culinary arts
The showy sunflower, with its bright yellow petals radiating from a dark hub of seeds, can reach up to 12 inches in diameter. This tall, rangy plant is thought to be so named because its flowers resemble the sun, and because they twist on their stems to follow the sun throughout the day. Sunflowers were cultivated by the Indians of the Americas long before Europeans discovered them. Today, the Russians are one of the largest sunflower seed producers in the world. Though it's the state flower of Kansas, the largest United States sunflower producers are California, Minnesota and North Dakota. The seeds have a hard black-and-white striped shell that must be removed. Sunflower seeds can be dried or roasted (either in or out of the shell), and are sold either plain or salted. They can be eaten as a snack, used in salads or sandwiches or added to a variety of cooked dishes or baked goods. The iron-rich sunflower seeds are, by weight, 47 percent fat and 24 percent protein. The pale yellow, delicately-flavored sunflower-seed oil extracted from the seeds is very high in polyunsaturated fat and low in saturated fat. Though it has a relatively low smoke point, sunflower-seed oil is used in cooking as well as for salad dressings. See also fats and oils.
Industry:Culinary arts
This crisp, puffy, deep-fried pastry resembles an air-filled pillow. The sopaipilla is thought to have originated in Albuquerque, New Mexico, more than 200 years ago. It's a favorite Southwestern U. S. dessert, usually served with honey or syrup flavored with anise or cinnamon. Sopaipillas are also sometimes filled with savory ingredients like refried beans.
Industry:Culinary arts
A thick, dark brown preserve made by slowly cooking apples, sugar, spices and cider together. Used as a spread for breads.
Industry:Culinary arts
