Here’s the next installment of terms used in cooking, food, and menus. I hope you find these helpful, and don’t forget to check out part 1 from last week if you missed it!
-farro – a cereal grain that was common back in ancient Egypt. It is a member of the wheat family, so it will contain gluten. It can be used in pasta and risotto like dishes. It is often confused with spelt, but is a different grain.
-fold – a technique of gently adding a fluffy ingredient to a richer batter. This term is often seen connected with egg whites and whipped cream. The point is to combine the egg whites or cream into the batter without losing all of the air. To fully combine, you will lose some air. Just be as patient and gentle as you can. A circular motion is often helpful.
-fry – to cook in hot oil. Deep fry means to submerge in hot oil. Pan fry is fairly synonymous with sauteing. So not all frying is bad for you.
-germ – this is the embryo in a whole grain kernel. Whole grain flours will contain the germ. You can buy germ separately, with wheat germ being the most common.
-herbs – the fragrant leaves of plants. These are different from spices. You can generally substitute dried herbs for fresh. However, dried herbs have a more concentrated flavor, so you generally want to start with about ⅓ as much as fresh.
-jelly roll pan – a sheet pan that has sides up to about 1 inch deep. Many people use jelly roll pans for baking cookies. While this is fine, these are different from a cookie sheet, which does not have a rim.
-kefir – a fermented milk beverage. While it has similar taste or texture to liquid yogurt, it is not actually a yogurt based product.
-knead – working a dough to develop the gluten. This can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. A dough is done being kneaded when it is smooth and elastic. You fold the dough in half, push it away from you, turn it a quarter turn, then repeat.
Until next time, happy cooking and eating!
Have any nutrition questions? Need help with meal planning or a special dietary need? Send your questions to me at kimberlykmarsh(at)gmail(dot)com, and I will answer them in upcoming posts!