The word "canola" is a derivative of the phrase "Canadian oil, low acid."
Let's break that down a little further. Canola oil was first developed in Canada (in the 1970s), so that takes care of the "cano-" part of the word.
What about the "-la" or "low acid" part? Canola oil is made from varieties of rapeseed that contain very little amounts of something called erucic acid. Rapeseed naturally contains high levels of erucic acid, which has been suspected of being toxic to some animals in high levels.
People have been cooking with rapeseed oil for centuries. However, given the suspicions about its cumulative negative health effects, breeders began developing rapeseed that contained only small traces of erucic acid. And that's how "cano-" got its "-la".
A croquette is a culinary invention with a cute French name that shows up in cuisines around the world.
Basically, you can make just about anything into a croquette, which essentially consists of a sweet or savory mixture of ingredients bound in a thick sauce, shaped into bite-sized, usually cylindrical pieces, coated with egg and breadcrumbs, fried in oil until crisp and golden, and served hot.
The classic French savory mixture includes minced cooked poultry, game, veal or other meats, mushrooms and Madeira combined with reduced velouté or demi-glace sauce, egg yolks and butter. Other popular ingredients include potatoes, cheese or salt cod. Rice- or custard-based sweet croquettes may be made with things like apricots or chestnuts. Traditionally, croquettes are served with a sauce.
Some recipes call for just egg whites or just egg yolks. How do you separate them? You could use an egg separator, but it's really not too tricky to just use the shells.
Set yourself up with two bowls -- one for the whites, and one for the yolks.
Carefully crack the egg on the edge of your bowl. Holding it over the bowl you intend to use for the whites, turn it vertically while you separate the halves, so that the yolk sits in one side of the shell. Some of the whites will spill over and into the bowl.
Gently pour the yolk back and forth between the halves, keeping the shells tilted so that the rest of the white can drip over and into the bowl. Once most of it is gone, dump the yolk into the other bowl, discard the shells and repeat. It takes a little getting used to, but a few eggs into your angel food cake, and you'll be a master.
Like other tender leafy herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro), it's best to chop mint with a sharp knife and a clean cut. Too much pounding can discolor the delicate leaves. This matters most when sliced leaves are added in an uncooked dish, or just before serving. Some dishes call for the leaves to be left whole, or torn into smaller pieces, in which case you can avoid the knife altogether.To slice or mince the leaves, first stack them together in a pile.Next, roll them up into a cigar-like shape and hold them together with your fingers.Keeping the cigar in shape, slice it into strips as thick or thin as you like. Run the knife down onto the leaves, and across them at the same time. Moving in both directions at the same time makes for a cleaner cut. At this point, you can either leave the leaves in thin strips, or run the knife through the strips again to make a mince.
Red pepper is a generic term that usually refers to red-colored Cayenne pepper, which is made from dried, ground hot chile peppers named after the capital of French Guiana where they originate.
Red pepper flakes are the dried seeds and flesh of the Cayenne pepper.
Used to add heat and excitement to food, Cayenne has also been used for medicinal purposes for centuries, to help treat everything from circulatory problems to sore throats.
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.
What's the difference between a fritter and a croquette?
What's the difference between a fritter and a croquette?
Fritters and croquettes are both bite-sized sweet or savory morsels that are deep fried and served hot. You can make fritters and croquettes out of everything from seafood to apples.
Traditionally, a fritter is a piece of food that is dipped in batter before being fried, although many fritter recipes involve chopping up ingredients and mixing them with or without batter into a very soft dough before frying.
A French croquette classically consists of a sweet or savory mixture of ingredients bound in a thick sauce, shaped into bite-sized, usually cylindrical pieces, coated with egg and breadcrumbs and fried in oil until crisp and golden.
