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Earl Grey tea – This popular black tea was named for Charles Grey, the second earl in his line, who was also prime minister to King William IV in the early 19th century. An amalgamation of Indian and Sri Lankan teas, Earl Grey gets its elusive flavor from oil of bergamot. The Earl is said to have been given the recipe by a Chinese mandarin with whom he was friends. See also tea.
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Earthenwear – (also called clay bakers). Ceramic bakewear made of clay which is fired at a high heat then glazed with a hard nonporous coating. must be thoroughly soaked in water before each use.
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éclair pronunciation: [ay-KLEHR] – A small, oblong, cream-filled pastry made with choux pastry (cream-puff pastry dough). Unlike cream puffs, éclairs are usually topped with a sweet icing.
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Eggs – Keep in mind that you should avoid eating foods that contain raw eggs. Eggs should be cooked until both the yolk and white are firm; scrambled eggs should not be runny. Cook casseroles and other dishes that contain eggs until they register 160 degrees F on a food thermometer. If you have a recipe that calls for the eggs to be raw or undercooked (such as Caesar salads and homemade ice cream), use shell eggs that are clearly labeled as having been pasteurized to destroy salmonella; these are available at some retailers. Or use a widely available pasteurized egg product. If you have a recipe that calls for egg whites to be raw or undercooked, use pasteurized dried egg whites or pasteurized refrigerated liquid egg whites.
For cake recipes, allow eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. If the cake recipe calls for separated eggs, separate them immediately after removing them from the refrigerator and use them within 30 minutes. For all other recipes, use eggs straight from the refrigerator.
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Egg foo yong pronunciation: [foo YUHNG] – A Chinese-American dish made by combining eggs with various foods such as bean sprouts, water chestnuts, scallions, ham, chicken or pork. Small, pancake-size portions are poured into a skillet and fried until golden brown. Egg foo yong can also be made in one large round. It is sometimes topped with a sauce of chicken broth, soy sauce and various seasonings.
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Egg roll – A small, stuffed Chinese pastry usually served as an appetizer. Paper-thin pastry wrappers are folded around a savory filling of minced or shredded vegetables and sometimes meat, then folded and rolled before being deep-fried or sometimes, steamed. Egg roll skins (the pastry wrappers) are available in the refrigerator section of Asian markets and most supermarkets. Spring rolls, so named because they're traditionally served on the first day of the Chinese New Year (in early spring), are smaller, more delicate versions of the egg roll.
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Egg roll skins – Pastry wrappers used to encase a savory filling and make egg rolls. Look for these products in the produce aisle of the supermarket or at Asian markets. Egg roll skins are similar to, but larger than, wonton skins.
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Egg Timer – A small hourglass that holds enough sand to run for three minutes, the average time it takes to soft boil an egg.
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Egg Wash – Either separated or whole egg mixed with water or milk brushed over pastries or other baked goods before baking to give them a gloss and added color.
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Egg whites, dried – Pasteurized dried egg whites can be used where egg whites are needed; follow package directions for reconstituting them. Unlike raw egg whites, which must be thoroughly cooked before serving to kill harmful bacteria, pasteurized dried egg whites can be used in recipes that do not call for egg whites to be thoroughly cooked. Keep in mind that meringue powder may not be substituted, as it has added sugar and starch. Find dried egg whites in powdered form in the baking aisle of many supermarkets and through mail-order sources.
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Eggnog – a homogeneous blend of milk or cream, beaten eggs,sugar, nutmeg and usually liquor of some kind such as rum, brfandy or whiskey. Liquor-free eggnog has blong been served to convalescents and growing children as a tonic. Some eggmogs are made by separating the eggs and stiffly beaing the whitese before adding them to the milk mixture, produing an airier brew. Commercial eggnog is sans liquor and is available in cartons beginning around mid-October. Canned eggnog can be found year-round in some locations.
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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 a dollop of hollandaise. The most popular legend of the dish's origin says that it originated at Manhattan's famous Delmonico's Restaurant when regular patrons, Mr. and Mrs. LeGrand Benedict, complained that there was nothing new on the lunch menu. Delmonico's maitre d' and Mrs. Benedict began discussing possibilities and eggs Benedict was the result.
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Elbow pasta – Any of a wide variety of short, curved tubular pastas, such as macaroni.
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Elderberry – The purple-black, tart fruit of the elder tree. Elderberries can be eaten raw (though they're quite sour) but are better cooked for jams, pies and homemade wine. The creamy white elderberry flowers can be added to salads or batter-dipped and fried like fritters.
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Election cake – This rich, yeast-raised cake is replete with nuts, candied fruit and sherry-soaked raisins. It was created in the 18th century to celebrate election day.
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Emballer – A French term meaning to wrap an article of food which is to be poached or simmered in stock. The food item is usually wrapped in cheesecloth to hold it together. It also refers to the filling of a mould to be cooked, such as paté.
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Emulsifier – A food additive used to preserve the texture of emulsions. The most commonly used emulsifier used in cooking is egg yolks for their lecithin content.
Generally, any ingredient used to bind together normally noncombinative substances, such as oil and water. Egg yolks contain a natural emulsifier (lecithin) and are used to thicken and bind sauces (such as hollandaise), as well as to bind ingredients in baking. Xanthan gum is a commercial emulsifier used in numerous foods like salad dressings and dairy products. Some commercial emulsifiers also inhibit baked goods from going stale.
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Emulsify– To combine two liquid or semiliquid ingredients, such as oil and vinegar, that don't naturally dissolve into each other. One way to do this is to gradually add one ingredient to the other while whisking rapidly with a fork or wire whisk.
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Emulsion – A mixture that occurs from the binding together of two liquids that normally do not combine easily, such as vinegar and oil.
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Enchilada – pronunciation: [en-chuh-LAH-dah; en-chee-LAH-thah]
This Mexican specialty is made by rolling a softened corn tortilla around a meat or cheese filling. It's served hot, usually topped with a tomato-based salsa and sprinkled with cheese.
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Enology – The science or study of winemaking, also spelled, “oenology”.
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English breakfast – A large, hearty breakfast that can include fruit or juice, eggs, ham or other meat, fish, cereal, baked goods, jam and tea. Compare to continental breakfast.
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English muffin – This round, rather flat (3 to 4 inches in diameter by 1 inch high) "muffin" is made from a soft yeast dough that, after being formed into rounds (by hand or with crumpet rings), is baked on a griddle. It can be made at home but is readily available commercially in an assortment of flavors including sourdough, whole wheat, raisin, cinnamon and cornmeal. English muffins are halved before toasting. In order to produce a surface with the proper peaks and craters (which adds to their crunchy texture and provides plentiful pockets for butter and jam), English muffins must be fork-split and gently pulled apart. Using a knife to cut them in half will not produce the desired result.
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Enophile – One who is a connoisseur, expert, or lover of wines.
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Enrich – 1. A term usually applied to flour that, after the milling has stripped it of the wheat germ and other nutritious elements, has niacin, riboflavin and thiamin added back into it. U.S. law requires that flours not containing wheat germ must have these nutrients replenished.
– 2. Enriching and thickening a sauce with the last-minute addition of an ingredient such as butter, cream or egg yolks.
Entrecôte – A French term meaning “between the ribs”. It is the tender, highly marbled cut taken from the boned set of ribs of beef. a steak cut from between the ninth and eleventh ribs of beef. It's a very tender cut and is usually cooked by quickly broiling or sautéing.
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Entrée – Usually the main course of a meal, 2. In parts of Europe, it refers to the dish served between the fish and meat courses during formal dinners. 3. In Australia, the entrée is the first course or appetizer. when referred to a full French menu, it is the third course. With a trend towards a reduction in the number of courses, today’s menus usually center on a main dish preceded by an appetizer course.
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Entremets – A French term used to describe the sweet course, or a specific dessert. Many restaurants still refer this word to vegetable dishes and side dishes, small side dishes served between principal courses or with the main course. as well as sweets.
equivalents
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Epicure – Anyone that possesses an appreciation and understanding of fine foods and wine.
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Escalope – French word meaning a thinly sliced white meat, usually veal, it can also be in reference to a fillet from a large fish or lobster.
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Escargot pronunciation: [ehs-kahr-GOH] – French for "snail."
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Espresso pronunciation: [ehs-PREHS-oh] – A dark, strong coffee made by forcing steam (or hot water) through finely ground, Italian-roast coffee especially blended for making espresso. This form of brewing produces a thin layer of creamy, dark beige froth on the coffee's surface. Espresso is served in a tiny espresso (or demitasse) cup. An espresso doppio [DOHP-pyoh] is simply a double espresso.
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Essence – Obtained by distillation or infusion, they are strong aromatic liquids used either to enhance the flavor of certain preparations or to flavor certain foods that have little flavor of their own.
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Essential oils – A strong flavored extract from the flowers, leaves, seeds, and roots of certain plants used to flavor foods. Examples are walnut oil, citrus oil’s, and mint oil.
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Estouffade pronunciation: [ehs-too-FAHD]– A French term referring to a dish whose ingredients are slow cooked, also a clear brown stock used to dilute sauces, ragouts, and braised dishes. Meat is marinated in wine before being browned and slowly cooked in a tightly covered pan. 2. The term was also once commonly used to describe a rich, brown stock used for braising and to enhance other sauces.
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étouffée pronunciation: [ay-too-FAY] – A popular dish of a thick, spicy stew of crayfish and vegetables served over white rice. Its rich, deep color and flavor come from the dark brown roux on which it's based. The word étouffée comes from the French étouffer, "to smother" or "to suffocate." The term à l'étouffée refers to the method of cooking food in a minute amount of liquid, tightly covered and over very low heat. This method is also called à l'étuvée.
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Evaporated milk – This canned, unsweetened milk is fresh, homogenized milk from which 60 percent of the water has been removed. Vitamin D is added for extra nutritional value. It comes in whole, lowfat and skim forms; the whole-milk version must contain at least 7.9 percent milk fat, the lowfat has about half that and the skim version ½ percent or less. As it comes from the can, evaporated milk is used to enrich custards or add a creamy texture to many dishes. When mixed with an equal amount of water, it can be substituted for fresh milk in recipes. Evaporated milk is less expensive than fresh milk and is therefore popular for many cooked dishes. It has a slightly caramelized, "canned" flavor that is not appreciated by all who taste it. Canned milk can be stored at room temperature until opened, after which it must be tightly covered and refrigerated for no more than a week. When slightly frozen, evaporated milk can be whipped and used as an inexpensive substitute for whipped cream.
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Eviscerate – To remove the internal soft tissues from a carcass.
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Extracts, oils– Products based on the aromatic essential oils of plant materials that are distilled by various means. In extracts, the highly concentrated oils are usually suspended in alcohol to make them easier to combine with other foods in cooking and baking. Almond, anise, lemon, mint, orange, peppermint, and vanilla are some commonly available extracts.
Some undiluted oils are also available, usually at pharmacies. These include oil of anise, oil of cinnamon, oil of cloves, oil of peppermint, and oil of wintergreen. Do not try to substitute oils for ground spices in recipes. Oils are so concentrated that they're measured in drops, not teaspoons. Oil of cinnamon, for example, is 50 times stronger than ground cinnamon. You can, however, substitute 1 or 2 drops of an oil for 1/2 teaspoon extract in frosting or candy recipes.
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