Food dictionary

Bellelay cheese

[BEL-luh-lay]

Also called Tête de Moine (“monk’s head”), this rich, semisoft cheese is made in Switzerland and has a flavor similar to that of GRUYÈRE. It is named after the monastery where it originated, the Abbey of Bellelay in the canton of Bern.

— 10 months ago with 2 notes

#Bellelay cheese

Beignet

[ben-YAY]
A traditional New Orleans yeast pastry that is deep-fried and served hot with a generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar. The name comes from the French word for “fritter”. Savory beignets, such as herb or crab, are also very popular.

— 10 months ago with 20 notes

#Beignet

Beggar’s purse

The name for an APPETIZER made popular by Barry and Susan Wine at their New York restaurant, the Quilted Giraffe. A beggar’s purse consists of a mini CRÊPE topped by a teaspoon of the finest CAVIAR and then a dab of CRÈME FRAICHE. The edges of the crêpe are pulled up in pleats around the filling and securely tied with a CHIVE. The ruffle at the top makes this edible package look like a miniature purse. Beggar’s purses are served at room temperature.

— 10 months ago with 1 note

#Beggar's purse

Beet

Commonly known as the garden beet, this firm, round root vegetable has leafy green tops, which are also edible and highly nutritious. The most common color for beets (called “beetroots” in the British Isles) is a garnet red. However, they can range in color from deep red to white, the most intriguing being the Chioggia (also called “candy cane”), with its concentric rings of red and white. Beets are available year-round and should be chosen by their firmness and smooth skins. Small or medium beets are generally more tender than large ones. If the beet greens are attached they should be crisp and bright. Because they leach moisture from the bulb, greens should be removed as soon as you get them home. Leave about 1 inch of the stem attached to prevent loss of nutrients and color during cooking. Store beets in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Just before cooking, wash beets gently so as not to pierce the thin skin, which could cause nutrient and color loss. Peel beets after they’ve been cooked. In addition to the garden beet are the spinach or leaf beet (better known as Swiss chard), the sugar beet (a major source of sugar) and the mangold (used as fodder).

— 10 months ago

#beet

Beerenauslese

[BAY-ruhn-OWS-lay-zuh]
Any of several fine, sweet German wines made from superior, slightly overripe grapes that have been individually picked or cut from their bunches. Some Beerenausleses are made from grapes that have been infected with BOTRYTIS CINEREA (noble rot). Because of their special selection and picking, these wines are very choice and expensive.

— 10 months ago

#Beerenauslese

Beer

A low-alcohol (usually a maximum of 5 percent alcohol by weight) beverage brewed from MALTED barley and other cereals (such as corn or rye) mixed with cultured YEAST for FERMENTATION and flavored with HOPS. Since about nine-tenths of beer’s volume is water, the quality of the water is of utmost importance. Beers from different regions of America and other countries take their character from the water used in the brewing. There are many varieties of beer including ALE, STOUT, PORTER, MALT LIQUOR, BOCK BEER and America’s favorite, LAGER. In the United States, the term “light beer” refers to a brew with reduced calories and, usually, less alcohol. In Europe, this term distinguishes between pale and dark lagers. Unlike wine, beer’s best consumed as fresh as possible — it shouldn’t be aged. Beer adds character and flavor to many foods from breads to stews.

— 10 months ago with 2 notes

#Beer

Beef tartare

[tar-TAR]

A dish of coarsely ground or finely chopped high-quality, raw lean beef that has been seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs. It’s thought to have originated in the Baltic provinces of Russia where, in medieval times, the Tartars shredded red meat with a knife and ate it raw. Today the seasoned raw meat is usually shaped into a mound with an indentation in the top, into which is placed a raw egg yolk. Beef tartare (also referred to as steak tartare) is usually served with capers, chopped parsley and onions.

— 10 months ago with 2 notes

#Beef tartare

Beefalo

[BEEF-ah-loh]
A cross between the American bison (commonly called buffalo) and cattle, the beef strain being dominant. The dark red meat of beefalo is very lean and has a somewhat stronger flavor than beef. It may be cooked in any manner suitable for beef and is currently available only in specialty meat markets.

— 10 months ago with 4 notes

#Beefalo

Beef à la mode

[BEEF ah lah MOHD]

A dish made by LARDING a piece of beef (such as a beef ROUND), marinating it for several hours in a red wine/brandy mixture before BRAISING it. The beef is sliced very thin and served with a sauce made from the MARINADE. The French name is boeuf à la mode.

— 10 months ago with 1 note

#Beef à la mode

Beef

Beef, the meat of an adult (over 1 year) bovine, wasn’t always as popular as it is today. America has had cattle since the mid-1500s, but most immigrants preferred either pork or chicken. Shortages of those two meats during the Civil War, however, suddenly made beef attractive and very much in demand. Today’s beef comes from cows (females that have borne at least one calf), steers (males castrated when very young), heifers (females that have never borne a calf) and bulls under 2 years old.

Baby beef is the lean, tender but not too flavorful meat of a 7- to 10-month-old calf. Meat packers can request and pay for their meat to be graded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The grading is based on three factors: conformation (the proportion of meat to bone), finish (proportion of fat to lean) and overall quality. Beginning with the best quality, the eight USDA grades for beef are Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner. The meat’s grade is stamped within a purple shield (a harmless vegetable dye is used for the ink) at regular intervals on the outside of each carcass. USDA Prime and the last three grades are rarely seen in retail outlets. Prime is usually reserved for fine restaurants and specialty butcher shops; the lower-quality grades are generally only used for sausages and in cured and canned meats. Ideally, beef is at its best — both in flavor and texture — at 18 to 24 months. The meat at that age is an even rosy-red color. If the animal is over 2 1/2 years old it is usually classified as “well-matured beef” and, though more full-flavored, the meat begins to toughen and darken to a purplish red. Slow, moist-heat cooking, however, will make it perfectly delicious. To store fresh beef: If the meat will be cooked within 6 hours of purchase, it may be left in its plastic-wrapped package. Otherwise, remove the packaging and either store unwrapped in the refrigerator’s meat compartment or wrap loosely with waxed paper and keep in the coldest part of the refrigerator for up to 2 days for GROUND BEEF, 3 days for other cuts. The object is to let the air circulate and keep the meat’s surface somewhat dry, thereby inhibiting rapid bacterial growth. Cooked meat should be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator. Ground beef can be frozen, wrapped airtight, for up to 3 months, solid cuts up to 6 months.

— 10 months ago with 1 note

#beef #baby beef