Terms:

• Baste: To moisten with liquid during cooking, using a spoon or bulb baster, most often for oven and pot roasts and broiled meats or fish.
• Bind: To thicken the liquid of a soup, gravy or stew with a starch such as flour or cornstarch, or with egg yolks.
• Blanch: To place in boiling water for a given amount of time and then in cold water, for the purpose of partially cooking or peeling.
• Blend: To combine ingredients of different textures such as butter and sugar-a gentler mixing than beating.
• Braise: To sear or brown in fat, then cook slowly, covered, with a minimum of liquid, on stove or in oven.
• Breading: A coating of flour and/or breadcrumbs used on foods that are to be fried. Beaten egg or milk may be used to help coating adhere.

• Coat A Spoon: Custards and sauces which contain egg yolk or cornstarch must often cook until they are thick enough to leave a coating on a spoon, indicating their degree of doneness.

• Fold: To gently combine a lighter mixture such as beaten egg whites with a heavier mixture such as a cream sauce or cake batter. To do this, place heavier mixture over lighter, cut down through middle of both with a rubber spatula and draw spatula toward you, turning mixture over as you do so. Continue around bowl in this fashion.

• Flambé: Heated brandy (or other spirits) is poured over cooked or partially cooked food and is then ignited and allowed to burn off.

• Julienne: Food is cut into very thin, long matchstick strips.

• Knead: To work dough by pushing it with the heel of your hand, folding it over and repeating until it has reached degree of smoothness indicated in recipe.

• Marinate: To soak food, usually meat or fish, in a liquid that will add to its flavor or make it more tender.

• Roux: A mixture of fat and flour sautéed together and then added to liquid to thicken it.

• Skim: To remove fat from top of soups, stews or pan gravies after it has risen-a spoon or bulb baster is best for this. Easiest way to do thorough skimming job is to chill liquid until fat solidifies at the top.

• Steam: To cook in steam (usually fish or vegetables) by placing food in a covered, perforated container over boiling water. Usually an alternate to boiling, steaming preserves flavor and vitamins.