Vocab Lesson #3

Semifreddo

[say-mee-FRAYD-doh, Sp. , say-mee-FREE-oh]
Italian for half-cold, semifreddo is, in culinary terms, a type of semi-frozen dessert inculding ice-cream cakes, semi-frozen custards, and certain fruit tarts. Similar to a frozen mousse, it is commonly made by combining equal parts ice cream (or gelato) and whiped cream. The spanish version is called semifrío. Find a recipe here.

Vocab Lesson #2

Mirepoix
[mihr-PWAH]

Mirepoix is the French term for a mixture of onions, celery, and carrots.  It is used as the base of many dishes, to season sauces, soups, and stews, as well as fa bed on which to braise meats or fish.


Image courtesy of Briansp.com 

Vocab Lesson #1

Inspired by Auntie Fashion's Expand Your Fashion Vocabularly, I've decided to introduce a regular (weekly? daily? only time will tell) cooking glossary. This week (or day, or month, or whatever): Emulsion

Emulsion

[ih-MUHL-shuhn]
A mixture of one liquid with another with which it cannot normally combine smoothly — ie. oil and water. Emulsification is achieved by slowly (one drop at a time) adding one ingredient to the other while mixing rapidly.  This disperses and suspends minute droplets of one liquid throughout the other, producing a thick and satiny result. Examples: mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce.

Image courtesy of ehow.com