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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 ...
Though generally thought of as Austrian, bakers from Alsace, Germany and Poland also claim credit for this light yeast cake. It's filled with raisins, candied fruits and nuts, and generally embellished with a simple dusting of confectioners' sugar. It's traditionally baked in a special fluted kugelhopf ring mold. Also called gugelhopf.
Industry:Culinary arts
A cooking method handed down by American Indians whereby meat or fish is cooked — usually by baking or broiling — on a wooden board. Planking imparts a soupçon of the wood's flavor to the food. Food referred to as "planked" has been cooked in this manner.
Industry:Culinary arts
Bread crumbs used in Japanese cooking for coating fried foods. They're coarser than those normally used in the United States and create a deliciously crunchy crust. Panko is sold in Asian markets.
Industry:Culinary arts
From the Latin radix, meaning "root," the radish is in fact the root of a plant in the mustard family. Its skin can vary in color from white to red to purple to black (and many shades in between). In shape and size, the radish can be round, oval or elongated and can run the gamut from globes 1/2 inch in diameter to carrotlike giants (such as the daikon) 1 1/2 feet in length. The most common variety found in American markets is the globular or oval-shaped red-skinned radish, which ranges in size from that of a small cherry to that of a tiny orange. The flavor can be mild to peppery, depending on factors such as variety and age. Available year-round, radishes are sold both trimmed (in plastic bags) and with their greens and roots attached. Choose those that feel firm when gently squeezed. If the radish gives to pressure, the interior will likely be pithy instead of crisp. Any attached leaves should be green and crisp. Remove and discard leaves and refrigerate radishes in a plastic bag for up to 5 days. Wash and trim root ends just before using. For added crispness, soak radishes in icewater for a couple of hours. Though radishes are most often used raw in salads, as garnishes and for cruditéS, they can also be cooked. Radish sprouts can be used as a peppery accent to salads and as a garnish for a variety of cold and hot dishes. They can be found in specialty produce markets, health-food stores and some supermarkets.
Industry:Culinary arts
Though there are some 50-foot specimens — and despite the fact that it's also called devilfish — this monster of the deep is not particularly fearful and seldom reaches the size seen in the movies. In fact, the majority reach only 1 to 2 feet (tentacles extended) and weigh about 3 pounds. As a member of the cephalopod class in the mollusk family, the octopus is related to the squid and cuttlefish. Its rich diet of clams and scallops gives it a highly flavorful meat that, though rubbery, is extremely popular in Japan and the Mediterranean countries. Predressed fresh and frozen octopus is available in many supermarkets and specialty fish markets. As with most species, those that are younger and smaller are more tender. The 8 tentacles and the body to which they're attached are edible, but the eyes, mouth area and viscera are discarded. The ink sac contains a black liquid that can be used to color and flavor foods such as pasta, soups and stews. Smoked and canned octopus are also available. Octopus can be eaten in a variety of ways including raw, boiled and pickled, sautéed, deep-fried or for more mature specimens, simmered or boiled for several hours. See also shellfish.
Industry:Culinary arts
A translucent, gelatinous cake made from the starch of a yamlike tuber known as devil's tongue. Although konnyaku has no noticeable flavor, it readily absorbs the flavors of the simmered dishes to which it's added. There are two types — shiru konnyaku, a refined pearly-white version, and kuro konnyaku, an unrefined cake with dark specks in it. Konnyaku is available in the refrigerated section of Asian markets. See also shirataki.
Industry:Culinary arts
A puddinglike bread usually based on cornmeal and baked in a casserole dish. Spoon bread is generally served as a side dish and, in fact, is soft enough that it must be eaten with a spoon or fork.
Industry:Culinary arts
A sweet fortified wine most often served after a meal. Grape alcohol is added to the wine partway through fermentation, stopping the process at a point where the wine has plenty of sweetness and alcohol (18 to 20 percent). Port wines originated in the Douro Valley in northern Portugal; the best ports still come from that area. The name is derived from the fact that these wines are shipped out of the Portuguese city of Oporto and, in fact, such wines are labeled "Porto," rather than "port. " There are many types of port and the various labels can be confusing. The best and most expensive are Vintage Ports, which are made from grapes of a single vintage, bottled within 2 years. The very best of these can age 50 years or more. Late-bottled Vintage Ports and Single Vintage Ports are also made from grapes of a single vintage (though the grapes are not of as high a quality as those for vintage Ports). Late-bottled Vintage Ports are aged in wood for up to 6 years, while Single Vintage Ports have been wood-aged at least 7 years. Both are ready to drink when bottled and do not have the aging potential of Vintage Ports. Tawny Ports are a blend of grapes from several different years and can be aged in wood for as long as 40 years. They're tawny in color and ready to drink when bottled. Vintage Character Ports are essentially high-quality Ruby Ports, which are considered the lowest grade of port. They're blended from several vintages and wood-aged, but not nearly as long as Tawnies. They're the lightest and fruitiest in flavor and are ready to drink when bottled. American wineries have been bottling vintage ports since the early 1970s.
Industry:Culinary arts
A breakfast food consisting of various combinations of grains (mainly oats), nuts and dried fruits. Some manufacturers toast their granola with oil and honey, giving it a crisp texture, sweet glaze and more calories. See also muesli.
Industry:Culinary arts
