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More words of wisdom from my mom’s 1960’s index cards

• • Blanch: The process of cooking fruits and vegetables in boiling water for a short period of time, and then plunging them into cold water to stop the cooking process. Foods are blanched to lock in colour and flavour, to precook vegetables, and to loosen skin on fruits and vegetables such as peaches and tomatoes.

• • Deglaze: The technique of adding liquid, usually water, wine, or broth, to a pan to loosen browned food particles. The resulting liquid is used as a base for sauces and gravies.

• • Pare: The technique used to remove the thin outer covering or skin of a food, usually a fruit or vegetable.

• • Sauté: A cooking method designed to cook foods quily over direct heat using a small amount of butter or oil. The food is constantly stirred to keep it from sticking or burning.

• • Simmer: The method of cooking a liquid – or food in a liquid – with gently heat, just below the boiling point.

• Steep: The technique of soaking a dry ingredient in a hot liquid, so its flavour and colour are infused into the liquid. Examples of ingredients that are usually steeped are tea leaves, herbs, and spices.

I am enjoying retyping all of this, if for no other reason than a refresher course

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