Oolong is a traditional Chinese tea that is made from partially fermented leaves.
When brewed, curly oolong leaves make a tea whose color, flavor and smell lies somewhere between the green and black camps. Oolong that is produced in the Wuyi Mountains of Fujian Province and in the Central Mountains of Taiwan are world-renowned; Taiwanese Formosa Oolong tea is expensive, pale yellow when brewed and has a peachy taste.
Kosher salt is a bright-tasting white, coarse-grained salt made without additives (such as iodine).
It is called kosher salt in North America (elsewhere it's referred to as coarse-grain salt) because it is used to aid in the preparing of kosher meat that is salted after butchering in order to draw out the animal's blood. Kosher salt works particularly well because its large grains don't immediately dissolve on the surface of meat, drawing in liquid instead.
But you don't have to keep kosher to appreciate kosher salt, a favorite of cooks everywhere for its large flaky texture and clean taste that works in a variety of dishes.
If you're new to kosher salt, be aware that it doesn't always dissolve completely in baked goods and that its grains vary in size according to the manufacturer, so be sure to check the box for measurement conversions. The large flakes of kosher salt make it a nice finishing salt to sprinkle on dishes before serving.
What does it mean to grease something?
What does it mean to grease something?
To grease a pan means to coat it in some sort of protective shortening or fat -- usually butter -- to prevent whatever you are cooking from sticking.
Greasing has fallen out of favor with the demonization of fat and in the advent of non-stick pans, parchment paper, non-stick cooking sprays and silicone baking liners and tins.
While it's not always necessary to grease a cookie sheet or a cake tin, you have no choice if you want your soufflé to rise.
Leaveners or leavening agents are substances that are used to make bread and other baked goods -- such as cakes, cookies and muffins -- rise.
Bread rises thanks to yeast, a fungus that ferments when mixed with dough, converting sugar and starch into ethanol and carbon dioxide that allows it to rise. Yeast comes in fresh or dry forms.
Pure sodium bicarbonate, baking soda will not only fluff up your muffins, it can also put out a grease fire, clean your teeth and deodorize your carpet. When you cook with baking soda, you need to balance it out with an acid like lemon juice or buttermilk. Otherwise, your muffins may have a bitter, soapy flavor.
A combination of baking soda and a few other ingredients, most notably cream of tartar, a dry acid, baking powder usually comes in a can. Out of baking powder? Make your own by mixing one part baking soda with two parts cream of tartar.
