The
International Gastronomical Must Have Reference Work
Copyright © 2005-2009
Jack Vanderwyk
E Earl
Grey:
a
tea attributed to the second Earl Grey, it is scented with oil of bergamot,
a citrus. The
blend is named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, who received a gift in
the form of tea. The tea proved so popular in the Prime Minister's drawing
room that his tea merchants, Twinings in
the Earth
oven:
the Pacific practice
of cooking in the ground on a bed of heated stones, the food wrapped in
leaves (banana or ti leaves), covered with
sacks or more hot stones and left to 'steam' for a few hours. Variously
called imu, umu, hangi. Earthy:
used to describe rocky, mineral, or even mushroom-like aromas in wines. Eau
(Fr.): water. Eau
de fleur d'oranger
(Fr.): orange-flower water. Distilled from
orange blossoms, especially the Bigaradier
orange of Eau
de framboise
(Fr.): a raspberry spirit. Eau de framboise
is often used in cooking to flavor sweet and savory dishes. It can also
be drunk as a digestif or aperitif. Eau
de source
(Fr.): spring water. Eau
de vie
(Fr.): literally, water of life; brandy, usually fruit-based. Eau
du robinet
(Fr.): tap water. Eau gazeuse
(Fr.): carbonated water. Eau minérale
(Fr.): mineral water. Ebi:
shrimp. Uses freshly
killed ebi. Its taste, attractive shape
and colour have made shrimp a prized sushi-dane. Ébullition
(Fr :
boiling. Écaille
(Fr.): scale; fish scale. Écailler
(Fr.): to shell; (crabs), scale. Echalote
(gris)
(Fr.): shallot; scallion; welsh onion. Echalote banane
(Fr.): banana-shaped onion. Échauder
(Fr.): to scald. Echelle
des Crus
(Fr.): complex System of classification of the communes of Echine (Fr.):
sparerib. Echiré (Fr.):
brand of the finest French butter, preferred by French chefs, with an AOC
pedigree, from the region of Poitou-Charentes along the Atlantic coast. Echourgnac (Fr.):
delicately flavored, ochre-skinned cheese
made of cow's milk by the monks at the Echourgnac
monastery in the Eclade
de moules (Fr.):
mussels roasted beneath a fire of pine needles; specialty of the Atlantic
coast. Éclair
(Fr.): a
kind of long custard-filled French doughnut. Eclaircir (Fr.):
adding water,
broth or milk in small quantities to a sauce. Ecorce
(Fr.): rind; fruit rind; fruit peel; rice husk. Écoulage
(Fr.): draining. See Décuvage. Écrasé
(Fr.): crushed or flattened. Écraser
(Fr.): to crush. Écrevisse
(Fr.): crayfish, crawfish. Écumer
(Fr.): to froth (to foam). Edamame
(Fr.): fresh soybeans, often sold in the pod. Steam them, then split
the pod open and eat the beans inside. They're also great in soups. A.k.a.
sweet bean, vegetable soybean, beer bean, edible soybean, garden soybean,
immature soybean, and green soybean. Eddo
(Jap.): see Taro. Edelpilz ( Edelzwicker ( Edible podded
pea:
see Snow pea. Edible
portion weight: also
EP. See AP and AS. The
edible portion weight and price per pound is usually different than the
AP weight and price per pound, due to possible trimming and/or cooking
loss. Eel
(anguilliformes): freshwater
eels (unagi) and marine eels (conger
eel, anago) are commonly
used in Japanese cuisine - foods
such as Unadon and Unajuu are popular
but expensive. Eels are also very popular as food in Chinese cuisine, particularly Cantonese
and Shanghai cuisine. Eel is also
popular in Korean cuisine and is
seen as a source of "stamina" for men. The European
eel and other freshwater eels are eaten in Europe, the United States,
and other places around the world. A traditional East
London food is jellied eels
although demand for them has reduced significantly since the end of World
War II. The Basque delicacy angulas
consists of deep-fried elver (young
eels). New Zealand longfin eel is
a traditional food for M?ori in New
Zealand. In Italian cuisine eels
from the Comacchio area (a swampy
zone along the Adriatic coast) are
specially prized along with the freshwater ones of the Bolsena
Lake. In northern Germany, The
Netherlands and in Sweden,
smoked eel is considered a delicacy. Een choy
(Chin.): see Chinese spinach. Éffiler
(Fr.): cut into thin strips; strip the stringy part from string
beans; flake almonds. Effiloché
(Fr.): frayed, shredded. E-fu
noodles:
flat Chinese egg noodles that are formed into round 8"-diameter patties,
fried and then dried. Before
using, cook them in boiling water briefly, then drain. The
noodles can then be added to stir-fries, soups, or salads. A.k.a. yee-fu
noodles, yi noodles, and yi
mien. Eggbeater:
a hand-held mechanical kitchen utensil with rotating blades, for beating,
whipping or mixing. Egg
cream:
despite its name, the egg cream contains no eggs or cream. The basic ingredients
are milk, seltzer, and chocolate syrup. Egg cream will lose its head and
turn flat if not drunk immediately or within three minutes. It is perfectly
proper to “gulp” an egg cream. Soda fountains all over Egg
mushroom:
see Chanterelle. Eggnog:
a frothy drink made from cream or milk, egg yolks, sugar and flavorings
such as rum or brandy. Eggnog is a tradition Christmas drink. Egg
noodles:
like pasta, made from
a paste of wheat flour, water and egg. They are extruded into shapes like
fine vermicelli or flat ribbon noodles of varying widths. Most typically
identified with Chinese cuisine (mien), they are also used in Egg piercer:
a kitchen tool with a sharp spring-mounted pin; used to pierce a tiny hole
in the large end of an egg before boiling to prevent the egg from cracking.
The hole allows the air inside the egg to slowly escape. Eggplant (Solanum melongena):
originating
in Egg
roll:
Chinese pastry stuffed with a mixture of shredded meats, shrimp, cabbage
or lettuce, and vegetables, then deep-fried. Eggroll
wrappers: eggroll
wrappers or egg roll skins are made from wheat flour, egg yolk and salt.
The popular appetizer deep fried egg rolls use these. Thicker than spring
roll wrappers or rice paper. Eggs:
the ova of chickens. In home baking, neither the shell color
nor the grade of egg matter. The size standard recipes call for is large
unless stated otherwise. Eggs perform many functions - leavening, binding,
thickening, coating or glazing, emulsifying, moisturizing or drying, and
adding color, flavor,
and nutrients to the finished product. Eggs also may be used to retard
crystallization in some frostings. Eggs in custards
give structure and color. Eggs in yeast
breads provide added color, soft
texture and richness. Eggs
Benedict:
a breakfast or brunch specialty consisting of two toasted English muffin
halves, each topped with a slice of ham or Canadian bacon, a poached egg,
and some Hollandaise sauce. Eggs Sardou: one
of Egg
sauce: hot English
sauce made of diced hard-boiled eggs and butter. Egg
threads: Lightly
beaten eggs that are poured slowly into a hot broth through a fine strainer,
creating irregular shaped threads used to garnish soups. Egg
timer:
a small, hourglass-shaped container that holds a fixed amount of sand.
When the timer is turned upside down, the sand moves from one half to another
in a three-minute period, the time required to cook a medium-sized egg
to the soft-boiled stage. Egg
wash: A
very basic egg wash is made by simply lightly beating an egg and brushing
it onto the food. Other ingredients such as milk, water, or salt may be
added for a specific finish, and eggs are also frequently separated
to make an egg wash. Egg
yolk: egg yolks
make wonderful thickeners, imparting both a rich flavor
and velvety smooth texture, but they're tricky to use. You can't just whisk
them into a simmering sauce -- they'd curdle on contact. Instead, you need
to "temper" them by adding some of the hot liquid to the egg yolks, whisking
the mixture together, and then adding it to the sauce. To prevent the yolks
from coagulating, you need to keep the sauce below 190°F, although
this rule can be broken if the sauce has a lot of flour in it. Finally,
never cook sauces with egg yolks in aluminium pans or they'll turn grey. Eglantine (Fr.):
wild rose jam; specialty of Eglefin, égrefin, aiglefin (Fr.):
small fresh haddock, a type of cod. Eglefino affumicato
(It.): smoked haddock. Égoutter
(Fr.): drain; drain off (water); strain (cheese). Égrugeoir (Fr.):
wooden mill used for crushing peppercorns and coarse salt. Also
used to describe a small wooden mortar. Égyptienne,
à l’
(Fr.): various dishes using rice, aubergines and/or tomatoes and
onion. Eiswein ( Elderberry:
the purple/black fruit of the elder tree, elderberries can be eaten raw
but are quite sour and tart. They are better used to make jams, pies, and
homemade wine. The creamy white elderberry flowers can be added to salads
or batter-dipped and fried like fritters. Electric
mixer: there are
two basic types of electric mixers: hand-held and stand. The hand-held
model is excellent for quickly beating egg whites, whipping cream or blending
batters. Most hand mixers have three speeds (high, medium, low), which
allow user control, and beaters that can be removed easily for cleaning.
Heavy-duty stand mixers are useful for mixing stiff dough or large quantities
of any dough or batter. Most stand mixers come with a stainless steel or
glass bowl that sits on the base below the beaters. Some models come with
several types of beaters including a dough hook. Elaichi ( Elegant:
describes a wine of refinement. Elephant
garlic:
this looks like an overgrown garlic, but
it's more closely related to a leek. It's much milder than ordinary garlic,
so it's a good choice if you want to impart the flavor of garlic to a delicately
flavored dish. It's often sold in a mesh stocking to keep the cloves together. A.k.a.
great-headed garlic and Oriental garlic. Elephant’s
ear:
see Taro. Elicoidali
(It.): this pasta consists of medium-sized, flat-cut tubes with
spiraling ridges on the outside (elicoidali
is Italian for "helix"). Elk:
see Venison. Elver:
baby eel, about an inch long and very expensive. Elzekaria
(Fr.): soup made with green beans, cabbage, and garlic; specialty
of the Basque region. Embeurré
de chou (Fr.):
buttery cooked cabbage. Émietter
(Fr.): to crumble. Émincer
(Fr.): to mince; sliced thinly (meat or onions); shredded (vegetables). Emissole
(Fr.): dogfish; Mediterranean, smooth dogfish, shark fish. Emmental:
large wheel of cooked and pressed cow's-milk cheese, very mild in flavor,
with large interior holes; made in large commercial dairies in the Jura. Emondé (Fr.):
skinned by blanching, such as almonds, tomatoes. Empanada (Sp.):
a small savory pie from Empeltre
olives:
Spanish black olives that are soaked in sherry. Empty: A
wine without character, hollow. Emrelletes:
peeled seedless grapes, which have been tinted green and flavored
with creme de menthe. They are a commercial
produce and are used for garnishing fruit cups, salads, and the like. Emulsion: An emulsion
is a mixture of two immiscible (unblendable) liquids. One liquid (the dispersed
phase) is dispersed in the other (the continuous phase). Many emulsions
are oil/water emulsions, with dietary fats being one common type of oil
encountered in everyday life. Examples of emulsions include butter and
margarine, milk and cream, and vinaigrettes. En
assemblage (Fr.):
pre-prepared or ready made. En
brochette
(Fr.): cooked
on a skewer. En cas
(Fr.):
light meal, usually cold, eaten between meals. En
chemise (Fr.): with
their skin, generally referring to potatoes. En
coquille (Fr.): served
in a shell. En croute (Fr.): baked
in a crust. En
dés
(Fr.): in chunks. En papilotte
(Fr.): prepared and served in a paper casing, usually parchment
paper. En poudre
(Fr.): powder. En sus
(Fr.): see Service en sus. En tasse (Fr.): served
in a cup. En tirage (Fr.): a
term for the period of time a sparkling wine has rested in the bottle in
contact with the yeast sediment from the secondary fermentation. Enchaud
(Fr.): pork filet with garlic; specialty of the Encornet
(Fr.): small illex squid, also called calmar;
in the Basque region called chipiron. Encre
(Fr.): squid ink. Endigia:
red endive. This crunchy new French variety of Belgian endive blends sweet
and bitter flavors. Endive
(Fr.): (Cichorium endivia).
Belgian endive; also, but imprecisely, known as chicory salad green. A
plant with curly dark green leaves and a slightly bitter flavor. Endive frisée
(Fr.): chicory lettuce (chicorée frisée). Endosperm: the
tissue produced in the seeds of most flowering
plants around the time of fertilization. It surrounds the embryo
and provides nutrition in the form of starch,
though it can also contain oils and protein.
This makes endosperm an important source of nutrition in human diet. For
example, wheat endosperm is ground
into flour for bread (the rest of
the grain is included as well in whole wheat
flour), while barley endosperm
is the main source for beer production.
Other examples of endosperm that forms the bulk of the edible portion are coconut
"meat" and "milk", and corn, including popcorn. Enfourner
(Fr.) :
to put into the oven. English creme:
a basic pastry preparation
of eggyolks, milk or cream, sugar and vanilla. Cooked
to a coating stage. English
muffin: a yeast roll
made by cooking a soft, shaped dough usually
in a circular form on a griddle. When split and
toasted, these muffins have an uncanny ability to trap and hold butter
and jam. They're often served at breakfast as an alternative to toast. English
pea: the
common garden pea, also called green pea.
See Garden pea. English
walnut:
(Juglans regia).
A nut with a hard, wrinkled tan shell enclosing two double-lobed sections;
has a sweet flavor and is used for snacking, in sweet and savory dishes
and for obtaining oil; also known as the Persian walnut. Enokitake (Flammulina velutipes):
a dainty, slender-stemmed
mushroom with a tiny white to pale gold, rounded cap. Traditionally
used in Enology:
also Oenology. The
science and study of wine and winemaking. Enrobing:
pouring
a thin coat of chocolate over something, such as a ganache
interior. Ensalada
(Sp.): salad. Entier, entière (Fr.):
whole, entire.00 Entrecôte
(Fr.): ribsteak. It is boneless and
has a very thin layer of fat. Though steaks cut from the loin ends of the
rib are a finer quality steak, the whole rib may be used for entrecôte.
The term is sometimes used referring to a strip steak. This is not an accurate
description. This cut of beef is called the faux-filet or contre-filet. Entrecôte
maître d'hôtel
(Fr.): sirloin steak with sauce of red wine and shallots. Entre-deux-Mers: a
large area of the Entrée (Fr.): in
the Entremetier
(Fr.): vegetable cook. He prepares vegetables, soups, hot appetizers,
starches, and eggs. Large kitchens may divide these duties among the vegetable
cook (entremetier), the fry cook (friturier),
and the soup cook . Entremets
(Fr.): sweet desserts and sweet side dishes. The word origin is
from "in-between dishes" served between courses at Middle-Ages banquets
while the minstrels entertained. In EP:
see Edible portion weight. Epais(se)
(Fr.): thick. Epaule
(Fr.): shoulder (of veal, lamb, mutton, or pork). Epazote
(Sp.): this strongly flavored herb is commonly used in Mexican bean
dishes, partly because it's supposed to reduce flatulence. Fresh epazote
has dark green leaves with serrated edges. A.k.a.
goosefoot, Jerusalem oak, lamb's quarters, Mexican tea, wormseed, and stinkweed. Épeautre
(Fr.): poor man's wheat from the Épépiner
(Fr.): to seed (remove the seeds). Epergne
(Fr.): a
serving dish of numerous separate bowls attached to one main stem. Eperlan
(Fr.): smelt or whitebait, usually fried, often imported but still
found in the estuaries of the Epi
de maïs
(Fr.): ear of sweet corn. Epice
(Fr.): spice. Epice
Parisienne
(Fr.): see Quatre epices. Epicure
(Fr.): a gourmet who gives special attention to the knowledge
of food and wine and has developed a refined taste for it. Also, and not
at all surprising: a person who loves sensual pleasure and luxury. Epicurean:
(1) luxurious; sensual; (2) such person; follower of philosophy of Epicurus. Epicurus
(342-270 B.C.): major Greek philosopher in the Hellenistic period. Epicurus
rejected the existence of Platonic forms and an immaterial soul, and he
said that the gods have no influence on our lives. Epicurus also thought
skepticism was untenable, and that we could gain knowledge of the world
relying upon the senses. He taught that the point of all one's actions
was to attain pleasure (conceived of as tranquility) for oneself, and that
this could be done by limiting one's desires and by banishing the fear
of the gods and of death. Epicurus' gospel of freedom from fear proved
to be quite popular, and communities of Epicureans flourished for centuries
after his death. Epicurus consistently maintains that friendship is valuable
because it is one of the greatest means of attaining pleasure. Friends,
he says, are able to provide one another the greatest security, whereas
a life without friends is solitary and beset with perils. In order for
there to be friendship, Epicurus says, there must be trust between friends,
and friends have to treat each other as well as they treat themselves.
The communities of Epicureans can be seen as embodying these ideals, and
these are ideals that ultimately promote ataraxia. Because of the
close connection of pleasure with desire-satisfaction, Epicurus devotes
a considerable part of his ethics to analyzing different kinds of desires.
If pleasure results from getting what you want (desire-satisfaction) and
pain from not getting what you want (desire-frustration), then there are
two strategies you can pursue with respect to any given desire: you can
either strive to fulfill the desire, or you can try to eliminate the desire.
For the most part Epicurus advocates the second strategy, that of paring
your desires down to a minimum core, which are then easily satisfied. Epigramme
(Fr.): generally an
entree of two pieces of meat prepared differently but usually cooked and
served together.
More specific, a classic dish of grilled breaded lamb chop and a piece
of braised lamb breast shaped like a chop, breaded, and grilled; crops
up on modern menus as an elegant dish of breaded and fried baby lamb chops
paired with lamb sweetbreads and tongue. Épinard
(Fr.): spinach. Epine vinette (Fr.): highbush
cranberry. Éplucher
(Fr.): to peel. Epoisses
(Fr.): village in Epoisses blanc (Fr.):
fresh white Epoisses cheese. Équeuter
(Fr.): to tail (a fruit). Equille (Fr.):
sand eel, a long silvery fish that buries itself in the sand; eaten fried
on the Atlantic coast. Equino (It.):
equine: horse, donkey, or mule; carne equine = horse meat. Erba cipollina (It.): Chives. Erbe (It.): herbes. Erbetta (It.);
parsley. Eryngo (Eryngium foetidum): this
herb which is sometimes called foreign coriander, culantro
and saw tooth herb, is used in Erzeugerabfullung ( Escabèche (Fr.):
a Provençal and southwestern preparation
of small fish, usually sardines or rouget,
in which the fish are browned in oil, then marinated in vinegar and herbs
and served very cold. Also, raw fish marinated in
lemon or lime juice and herbs. Also a highly seasoned marinade used
to flavor and preserve food. Fish and chicken
are the most common foods used for escabeche.
First the meat is fried and placed in a dish large enough to hold all of
the food in one layer. Then a marinade made of onions, peppers, vinegar,
and spices is poured over the food while hot. The whole dish is then allowed
to rest overnight and served cold. Escabeche (Sp.):
pickled. Escalivada (Sp.):
Catalan roasted vegetables, usually sweet peppers, eggplant and onions. Escalope (Fr.):
a very thin, flattened slice of meat or fish. Same
as scallop; a small boneless piece of meat or fish of uniform thickness. Escallop: to
cut into thin slices or bake in a white sauce with a topping of crumbs. Escargot (Fr.):
snail. Can be terrestrial, freshwater or marine.
Escargot is the common name for the land gastropod mollusk.
The edible snails of Escargot
de Bourgogne (Fr.):
land snail prepared with butter; garlic, and parsley. Escargot
petit-gris (Fr.):
small land snail. Escarole (Fr.):
also: Escoffier,
Georges Auguste
(1846 – 1935): a
French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer who popularized and updated
traditional French cooking methods. He is a near-legendary figure among
chefs and gourmets, and was one of the most important leaders in the development
of modern French cuisine. Alongside the recipes he recorded and invented,
another of Escoffier's contributions to cooking was to elevate it to the
status of a respected profession, introducing organized discipline to his
kitchens. He organized his kitchens by the brigade
de cuisine system, with each section run by a chef de partie.
Escoffier published Le Guide Culinaire,
which is still used as a major reference work, both in the form of a cookbook
and a textbook on cooking. Espadon (Fr.):
swordfish found in the Espagnole
sauce: one
of the mother sauces that are the basis of sauce-making in classic French
cooking. In the late 19th century, Auguste Escoffier codified the
recipe, which is still followed today. The basic method of making espagnole
is to prepare a very dark brown roux, to which are added several litres
of veal stock or water, along with 10–15 kg of browned bones, pieces of
beef, many kilograms of vegetables, and various seasonings. This blend
is allowed to slowly reduce while being frequently skimmed. The classical
recipe calls for additional veal stock to be added as the liquid gradually
reduces but today water is generally used instead. Tomato paste or pureed
tomatoes are added towards the end of the process, and the sauce is further
reduced. Espagnole has a strong taste and is rarely used directly on food.
As a mother sauce,
however, it serves as the starting point for many derivative
sauces, such as Sauce Africaine, Sauce Bigarade, Sauce Bourguignonne,
Sauce aux Champignons, Sauce Charcutière, Sauce Chasseur, Sauce
Chevreuil and Demi-glace. Espresso
(It.): a concentrated coffee
beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure
through finely ground coffee. Espresso was developed in Milan, Italy,
in the early 20th century, but up until the mid-1940s it was a beverage
produced solely with steam pressure. The invention of the spring piston lever
machine and its subsequent commercial success changed espresso into the
beverage as it is known today. Espresso
is not just a coffee extract made to flavor a Latte! In fact, perhaps Americans
never learned to appreciate espresso in its pure, unadulterated form because
it was always served to them under loads of foam, steamed milk and flavoring.
Making a coffee extract is not difficult, and you can't be too critical
of a flavor that is buried beneath sweet syrups and steamed milk. Even
a great tazzina of espresso isn't a matter
of rocket science. But it takes some attention to fundamental details,
mastering the variables that must be within certain parameters to produce
a real espresso. As you read on, do remember that there are a handful of
critical variables to espresso, and a boatload of less-significant, secondary
variables. Keep them in perspective. And the fact that every espresso doesn't
turn out perfectly only makes the exceptional ones that much more enjoyable!
Espresso means "express," in the sense that it is prepared upon request,
on a moment's notice, on express request, extemporaneously. Express does
not refer to the speed of the espresso extraction process. The Italian
saying is that "the customer must wait for the espresso; the espresso must
not wait for the customer." Espresso does not keep well ... it must be
consumed immediately. An espresso is a small, concentrated coffee beverage,
2.5 ounces or less for a double espresso, served in a demitasse cup. It
has both a liquid and a foam element (crema). It is made on a specialized
machine that forces hot water through finely ground coffee that has been
compacted (tamped), the force of the water being spent in the coffee cake.
It takes 20-30 seconds to percolate the water through the coffee cake (or
"puck") which is held in a portafilter "coffee
handle". It is judged by its appearance, aroma, mouthfeel
(body), flavor and aftertaste. A more technical definition of espresso
by Ernesto Illy is as follows: "An Italian
espresso is a polyphasic beverage prepared
from roasted and ground coffee and water alone, constituted by a foam layer
with a particular "tiger tail" pattern, on top of an emulsion of microscopic
oil droplets in an aqueous solution of sugars, acids, protein-like materials,
and caffeine, with dispersed gas-bubbles and solids. The distinguishing
sensory characteristics of Italian espresso include a rich body, a full
fine aroma, and equilibrated bitter-sweet taste with an acidic note, and
a pleasant lingering after-taste, exempt from unpleasant flavor defects."
In 1901, Italian Luigi Bezzera invented
the first espresso machine, that contained
a boiler and four divisions. Each could take varying sized filters that
contained the coffee. He patented his espresso machine on Espresso
breve
(It.): espresso
with light cream. Espresso
corto
(It.): see Espresso ristretto. Espresso
lungo
(It.): a
shot that is pulled long for a bit of extra espresso. While many believe
that this maximises the caffeine, in most shops it merely produces a bitter
cup. Espresso
macciato
(It.): espresso
with a minimal amount of steamed milk on top. Espresso
ristretto
(It.): literally
"restricted" espresso. A shorter draw. The
goal being a thicker and more flavourful espresso. Espumosa (Sp.):
sparkling. Esqueixada (Sp.):
in Catalan literally means "shredded;" a shredded salt cod salad. Esrom: this
Danish cheese is made in flat rectangular shapes and is usually wrapped
in foil. The yellow paste has a supple texture with irregularly shaped
holes. The flavor is quite rich and aromatic
and seems to grow on the palate. It gains even more spicy flavors
as it ages. Invented in the 1930s, this cheese was said to resemble Port
Salut and was, for a time, named Danish Port Salut. In fact,
it is a much more interesting cheese than Port Salut. In the 1950s it was
renamed for a long-forgotten cheese made by the monks of Esrom. Essence
(Fr.): the concentrated form of a plant obtained through a distillation
process. Used in ice cream, soft drinks, etc. Scan
the shelves of a large Asian store and you will see flavorings you never
dreamed existed. Some of them are very convincing, but others do not come
up to the standard of the fruit, flower or leaf which they are supposed
to represent. Results vary with brands too. Where possible, buy natural
flavor essences in preference to imitation. Sometimes
used to describe a sweet, late-harvest red wine. Estate
bottled:
the term on a bottle indicating that the wine was produced completely by
one vineyard (cultivation of grapes, fermentation, aging & bottling). Estofado (Sp.):
a stew. Estoficado:
a purée-like blend of dried codfish, olive oil, tomatoes, sweet
peppers, black olives, potatoes,
garlic, onions, and herbs; also called stockfish niçoise:
specialty of Nice. Estofinado (Fr.):
a purée-like blend of dried codfish, potatoes, garlic, parsley,
eggs, walnut oil, and milk, served with triangles of toast; specialty of
the Auvergne. Estouffade
(Fr.): meat cooked very slowly in very
little liquid; braised or casseroled. Estouffade
à la provençale (Fr.):
beef stew with onions, garlic, carrots, and orange zest. Estragon
(Fr.): tarragon, dragoncello. Étaler
(Fr.): to spread (spread out evenly). Étendre
au rouleau
(Fr.): to roll flat (dough). Ethyl
acetate:
a substance
that contributes the sweet, vinegary smell in wine,
that often accompanies acetic acid. Ethylene
gas: (C2H4):
an odorless, colorless
gas that exists in nature and is also created by man-made sources. Ethylene,
also known as the 'death' or 'ripening hormone' plays a regulatory role
in many processes of plant growth, development and eventually death. Fruits,
vegetables and flowers contain receptors which serve as bonding sites to
absorb free atmospheric ethylene molecules. The common practice of placing
a tomato, avocado or banana in a paper bag to hasten ripening is an example
of the action of ethylene on produce. Étouffé
(Fr.): "smothered"
or "suffocated". Étouffée
(Fr.): a Creole and Cajun
dish typically served with shellfish or chicken over rice,
similar to gumbo, very popular in New
Orleans and in the bayou country of the southernmost half of Louisiana.
The usual staple of an étouffée is seafood such as crawfish, shrimp,
or crabmeat. Other meats, such as
chicken, or a combination of chicken and seafood, are also used. The base
of an étouffée is either a dark brown-red roux,
a blonde roux (a roux that isn't browned as much) or simply onions cooked
down in butter. It is usually seasoned with cayenne
pepper, onions, green bell pepper and celery (a.k.a. the holy
trinity), garlic, and salt. Etrille (Fr.):
small swimming crab. Étuve
(Fr.): steam oven. Étuvé
(Fr.): à l'étuvé
= until parboiled (still firm). Eucalyptus:
smells like eucalyptus. A term sometimes
used to describe the characteristic in the bouquet of Cabernet Sauvignon
grown in warm climates, like some
Californian Cabernets. European-style
butter:
has a lower moisture content than American
butter, using it results in better pastries, icings, and sauces. Plugra
is a domestic brand. European
sweet pepper:
see Lamuyo. Evaporated
milk: also
known as dehydrated milk. A shelf-stable
canned milk product with about 60%
of the water removed from fresh milk. It differs from condensed
milk, which contains added sugar. Condensed milk requires less processing
since the added sugar inhibits bacterial growth. When mixed with an equal
amount of water, evaporated milk becomes the equivalent of fresh milk.
This means the actual liquid product takes up half the space of fresh milk,
making it attractive for shipping purposes and can have a shelf life of
months or even years, depending upon the brand. This made evaporated milk
very popular before refrigeration as a safe and reliable substitute for
perishable fresh milk, that could be shipped easily to locations lacking
the means of safe milk production or storage. In the affluent Western World
it is most often used for desserts
and baking due to its unique flavor. Eviscerate:
to remove the entrails from an animal in preparation for cooking. Evora
de L'Alentejo
(Port.): a very hard and disc-shaped cheese made from goat's milk.
This kind of cheese takes a year to mature. The fat content is 50%. Excelsior:
a soft,
double-creme cheese, Excelsior is made in small
dairies around Executive
chef:
the head chef. Exhausting:
removal of air from within and around food and from jars and canners.
Blanching exhausts air from live food tissues. Exhausting or venting of
pressure canners is necessary to prevent a risk of botulism in low-acid
canned foods. Expeditor:
also expo. The person in the kitchen who is responsible for making
sure the orders are fired promptly and the
quality of the food is acceptable. “Who's on expo tonight?" Explorateur
(Fr.): this cheese was invented in the 1950's and named in honor
of the first US satellite - Explorer. It is a soft-white cheese of cylindrical
shape. The pâte is soft, unpressed
and the cheese has a delicate aroma and salty, mushroomy
tang. Express(o)
(Fr.): espresso coffee. See Espresso. Extra
fine granulated sugar:
this is the standard table sugar we're all familiar with. Extra
Dry: a term used
on Extra
lean:
poultry, meat, seafood or game containing less than 5 grams of fat, less
than 2 grams of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol
per serving (100 grams). Extracted:
commonly
refers to the coloring imparted to wine
during the fermentation process by the grape skins used. Usually
a positive quality, although high extract wine can also be highly tannic. Can
also refer to the richness and depth of concentration of fruit flavor
in a wine. Extraction
rate: refers
to the amount of the wheat berry milled into flour. All-purpose flour is
roughly a 72% extraction, whereas a high quality
(or "short") patent flour is roughly 65%. Extracts: concentrated flavorings
that come from different foods and plants. Some are made by distilling
fruits, seeds or leaves, anise, vanilla, peppermint and almond extracts
are made this way. The
distinction between extract and essence isn’t always so clear cut,
however, so read the labels carefully. Commercial beef extracts include
Bovril and Oxo. Marmite, for instance, is
a commercial yeast extract. Extrusion: a
process used to create objects of a fixed cross-sectional profile. A material
is pushed or drawn through a die of the desired cross-section. The two
main advantages of this process over other manufacturing processes is its
ability to create very complex cross-sections and work materials that are
brittle, because the material only encounters compressive and shear stresses.
It also forms finished parts with an excellent surface finish. Extrusion
has found great application in food processing. Products such as pastas,
breakfast cereals, Fig Newtons, prefab cookie dough, Sevai, Idiappam, jalebi
and ready-to-eat snacks are now manufactured by extrusion. Krispy Kreme
doughnuts are also manufactured by extrusion to keep the doughnuts uniform
in shape and size. Extrusion/extruding
machine: a machine
used to shape pasta. The dough is pushed out through perforated plates
rather than being rolled. Eye
round roast
(Butch.): eye of the round.
This boneless roast looks like a choice tenderloin, but it's much tougher.
It's best to cook it very slowly using moist heat. A steak cut from this
roast is an eye round steak. Eye
round steak
(Butch.): eye steak or eye of round steak. This is a small, boneless
steak cut from an eye round roast. It's tough, so it's sometimes cut into
stew meat or processed into cube steak. It's also good braised, but it
will require the tenderizing effects of a marinade if you want to grill
or broil it. If cut thinly, this steak is sometimes
called a breakfast steak, a wafer steak, a sandwich steak, or a minute
steak. |