- 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 ...
A platter with troughs formed into the bottom to resemble bare tree branches attached to a central trunk, at one end of which is a shallow well. Such a configuration allows the juices of meats being cut on the platter to drain.
Industry:Culinary arts
1. A dried plum. Prunes can be traced back to Roman times and have long been a popular northern European winter fruit because they could be stored without problem. Although any plum can be made into a prune, those with the greatest flavor, sweetness and firmness are best suited for that use. Commercial dehydration has replaced sun-drying as the primary method of producing prunes. Though the best prunes are found in the fall, they're available year-round. Prunes come in various sizes and are usually labeled small, medium, large, extra large and jumbo. When purchasing prunes look for those that are slightly soft and somewhat flexible. They should have a bluish-black skin and be blemish-free. Store them airtight in a cool, dry place (or refrigerate) for up to six months. Prunes can be eaten out of hand or used in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. Prune puree, which can be found in jars in most supermarkets, is broadly touted (primarily by the California Prune Board) as a fat substitute. In baked goods, substituting prune puree for butter or other fat can reduce cholesterol to zero and calories by up to 30 percent. The puree contributes moisture, a slightly chewy texture and a pruny flavor that can range from mild to moderately aggressive, depending on the other flavors in the food. 2. A variety of Italian plum. 3. In French, the word prune means "plum," while pruneau means "prune. "
Industry:Culinary arts
Whetstones, also called oilstones, are rectangular blocks made of the extremely hard carborundum (a composition of silicon carbide). They are fine grained, often with one side slightly coarser than the other. Knives should periodically be honed on whetstones to keep them really sharp. This is done by first lubricating the stone with oil or water, then drawing the knife blade with slight pressure across the whetstone at about a 20-degree angle. Doing this 5 to 6 times on each side of the knife is adequate. If the whetstone's two sides are of differing textures, this activity should be performed first on the coarser side and finished on the finer-grained side. This will give the knife an even sharper edge. The sharpness of a knife's blade can be maintained by using a sharpening steel prior to each use.
Industry:Culinary arts
A small, high-fat saltwater fish found in abundance off the European Atlantic coast from Scandinavia to Portugal. Though Europeans can buy fresh pilchard from July to December, it's usually canned in oil or tomato sauce like sardines. See also fish.
Industry:Culinary arts
A generic term applied to any of several varieties of hot, red chili peppers. The most commonly available forms are ground red pepper and red pepper flakes.
Industry:Culinary arts
A Chinese dish of boiled noodles combined with various stir-fried ingredients, such as chicken, pork and vegetables. The cooked noodles are tossed with the hot, stir-fried ingredients at the last minute, just until they're heated through and coated with the stir-fry sauce.
Industry:Culinary arts
A stir-fried Chinese dish containing shredded pork, scallions, tiger lily buds, wood ears and various seasonings. This mixture is scrambled with eggs, rolled in small thin pancakes (called moo shu pancakes or Peking doilies) and served hot.
Industry:Culinary arts
Though it originated in China, the loquat is also called may apple, Japanese medlar and Japanese plum. This slightly pear-shaped fruit resembles an apricot in size and color. The juicy, crisp flesh is pale yellow and has a delicate, sweetly tart cherrylike flavor. It surrounds 1 to 3 rather large seeds. Besides China, the loquat grows in Japan, India, Central and part of South America, California, Florida and throughout the Mediterranean. Loquats bruise easily so they're not good travelers. For that reason, fresh loquats are usually found only in the regions in which they're grown. Choose large fruit with no sign of bruising. Store at room temperature or, if very ripe, refrigerate in a plastic bag. Loquats can be eaten as a snack, added to salads or used in chicken or duck dishes. They're also available dried or canned in Asian markets.
Industry:Culinary arts
One of Germany's most famous Christmas sweets, the anise-flavored springerle are beautiful embossed cookies that originated centuries ago in the German duchy of Swabia. The embossed designs on the cookie's surface are formed with a special carved wooden rolling pin, which, when rolled over the dough, imprints it decoratively. Alternatively, the dough can be pressed into a carved cookie mold. Once the dough is imprinted with the design, the cookies are allowed to sit out at room temperature overnight. This allows the dough's surface to dry so the design will remain as the cookie bakes.
Industry:Culinary arts
A staple of northern Italy, polenta is a mush made from cornmeal. It can be eaten hot with a little butter or cooled until firm, cut into squares and fried. For added flavor, polenta is sometimes mixed with cheese such as parmesan or gorgonzola. It can be served as a first course or side dish and makes hearty breakfast fare.
Industry:Culinary arts
