U to Y

Uniq Fruit – This citrus fruit has various, odd shapes and its skin is pot-marked. It is a cross between a mandarin orange and a Pomelo (the original grapefruit). The crop isn’t large and its limited supply makes it expensive. The only problem is that by the time you learn to enjoy them, they are gone from the markets. They have a very short season and are available from December to April.

Umami (oo-MOM-mee) – Sweet, bitter, salty and sour are what we all learned as the four basic tastes. Now a fifth element of taste has been identified called umami. Umami is the Japanese word for “delicious” or “savory” but is regarded as broth-like or meaty tasting in Western cultures. The umami taste is most common in Asian foods, soups and stews, mushrooms, tomatoes and aged meats and cheeses. The most direct way most Americans have experienced this taste is in sautéed mushrooms as glutamate is abundant in all mushrooms. Other glutamate-rich foods include tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, bonito flakes, and kelp.

unleavened (uhn-LEHV-uhnd) – The word which describes any baked good that has no leavener, such as yeast, baking powder, or baking soda.

vanilla – Vanilla comes from the fruit of a thick tropical vine that is a member of the orchid family. It is often called “the orchid or commerce” because it is one of the two products of this enormous species with any significant commercial value. Interestingly, not only is the vanilla orchid devoid of scent, so is the vanilla pod or bean, which must be fermented or cured to develop the vanilla.

Vanilla vines are indigenous to southeastern Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, and northern South America. Tiny humming birds and a bee called Melipona pollinates vanilla. When it was transplanted to other parts of the world it did not produce beans until it was discovered that the small orchid blooms could be pollinated by hand. The vines grow around trees and when the flowers fall, the bean stops growing, thus it is very important to keep the flower from falling. That is why in Mexico, it was grown under the jungle canopy to protect it from high winds and hurricanes common to the tropics. It is important not to over pollinate the vine because this will dry it out and kill it.

pure vanilla extract – Amber-colored liquid made from vanilla beans, alcohol, and water. May contain sugar. Must contain at least 35% alcohol, and is the extractive of 13.35 ounce of vanilla beans.

vanilla flavor – A mix of pure vanilla extract and other natural substances extracted from natural sources other than the vanilla bean.

imitation vanilla – A mixture made from synthetic substances, which imitate the pure vanilla extract smell and flavor.

cookie vanilla – A pure vanilla extract made from a blend of Tahitian and Madagascar vanilla beans, which the Cook Flavoring Company says, is ideal for making cookies.

Veal Oscar – A classic Swedish dish. Traditional preparation for Veal Oscar has veal medallions topped with crabmeat and asparagus and a little béarnaise sauce.

vegetable oil – This is an expensive and an all-purpose blend of oils made from plant sources such as vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Most vegetable oils are made from soybeans and are high in polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat but low in saturated fat.

vegetable shortening – Vegetable oil (soybean or cottonseed) that is hydrogenated so it will be a solid fat. It is 100 percent fat with no water, milk fat, or other solids added. It is nearly flavorless and is used for imparting flakiness and tenderness.

veloute sauce (veh-loo-TAY) – Also called sauce blanche grasse or fat white sauce, rich white sauce. One of the five “mother sauces.” It is a stock-based white sauce that can be made from chicken, veal, or fish stock thickened with white roux.

allemande sauce – Veal veloute with egg yolk and cream liaison.

supreme sauce – Chicken veloute reduced with heavy cream.

vin blanc sauce – Fish veloute with shallots, butter, and fines herbs.

vermouth (ver-MOOTH) – All vermouths, both white and red, are made from white wine that is flavored with aromatic herbal extracts and spices. Dry vermouth is white and contains less sugar than red vermouth. It can be served as an aperitif. White vermouth can be substituted for dry white wine in cooking.

vinaigrette (vihn-uh-GREHT) – A sauce made with vinegar or a combination of vinegar, oil, and seasonings.

vinegar (VIN-ih-ger) – Vinegar is a natural product. It’s simply fermented fruit juice that’s become acidic. Vinegar is one of the oldest fermented food products known to man (predated only by wine and possibly by certain fermented foods made from milk).

distilled white vinegar – Made from a grain-alcohol mixture, it is commercially processed from grain alcohol. This vinegar is used widely in processed foods and preserves.

wine vinegars – These are made from red, white or champagne wines.

fruit and herb vinegars – These are wine vinegars that have been infused with other ingredients.

sherry vinegar – Made from sherry wine and is aged for a minimum of 6 years in a network of oak barrels.

authentic balsamic vinegar – See balsamic vinegar.

commercial balsamic vinegar – Is actually red-wine vinegar fortified with concentrated grape juice and sometimes caramelized sugar.

white balsamic vinegar – Cooked down grape juice is added to ordinary white wine vinegar to give it an amber color and slightly sweet flavor.

cider vinegar – It is milder and sweeter than most wine vinegars. Good cider vinegar is slightly cloudy, like fresh cider, and has a fruity, apple flavor.

rice vinegar – It is also called rice-wine vinegar. It is made from grain and not grapes. Japanese rice vinegar is milder and sweeter than the Chinese that tends to be more acidic and sharp. Look for “pure” rice vinegar to avoid those that are seasoned or sweetened.

malt vinegar – It is traditionally made from beer and is sometimes colored with caramel and infused with wood shavings

vol-au-vent (vawl-oh-ven) – A French term that means “flying in the wind,” which refers to the pastry’s lightness. It is a classic French puff pastry shell or cup with a lid that can be filled with a cream-sauce mixture with meat or vegetables. Also filled with fruit/custard mixture as a dessert. The shells can range in size from small individual ones to eight-inch ones. Can be served as an appetizer or an entree.

waffle (WAHF-fuhl) – A crisp, pancake-like batter product that is cooked in a specialized iron that gives the finished product a textured pattern, usually a grid. Also a special vegetable cut which produces a grid or basket weave pattern.

Waldorf salad – Also called Waldorf Astoria Salad. A classic American fruit salad that usually consists of apples, lemon juice, celery, walnuts, and mayonnaise.

walnut – One of the most valuable of nuts. The two most popular varieties of walnut are the English and the Black Walnut. English walnuts are the most widely available and are available year-round. Walnuts also make fragrant, flavorful oil.

walnut oil – An expensive and strongly flavored (nutty) oil, which is popular in Middle Eastern cooking, sauces, main dishes, and baked goods. It is often blended with more mildly flavored oils. To prevent rancidity, refrigeration is best.

wasabi powder – This is not real wasabi. The customary ingredients in the powdered version are horseradish powder (dried and ground regular horseradish), mustard powder, cornstarch, and artificial color (blue and yellow). It’s convenient and inexpensive but tastes nothing like real wasabi.

water chestnuts – A walnut-sized bulb covered by a tough russet-colored skin. In China they are eaten raw, boiled plain in their jackets, peeled and simmered with rock sugar, or candied. Except in the southern China, they are never used in cooking. In the U.S., water chestnuts are popular as an ingredient in cooked dishes. They re available fresh or in cans, either whole or sliced.

watermelon – Watermelon has been popular throughout the world, beginning with the Egyptians more than 5,000 years ago. It is said that explorer David Livingstone found watermelon vines in the Kalahari Desert in the 1850s.

Many historians theorize that watermelons could also have originated in the U.S., since French explorers found Native Americans growing watermelons in the Mississippi Valley. According to a number of sources, watermelon ripeness is primarily determined by three things: the fruit feels heavy for its size, its skin has a healthy sheen, and the underside of the fruit (where it sat on the ground) has turned a pale, buttery yellow. Look for watermelons that are symmetrical and free of bruises, cuts, and dents.

Worcestershire sauce (WOOS-tuhr-shuhr) – A condiment that was developed in India by the British. This thin, dark, spicy sauce got its name from the city where it was first bottled, Worcester, England. It is used to season meats, gravies, and soups. The formula usually includes soy sauce, onions, molasses, lime, anchovies, vinegar, garlic, tamarind, as well as other spices. The exact proportions of the ingredients remain the manufacturer’s secret.

yogurt, yoghurt (YOH-gert) – The word is Turkish. It is a dairy product made from milk curdled with bacteria. Recipes that most often call for yogurt are East Indian, Balkan, Russian, and Middle Eastern in origin. Cooks in those areas use yogurt in marinades and sauces. Because of its acidity, yogurt can be used to marinate and tenderize meats (as it often is used in India and the Middle East). Yogurt can also be used to bind ingredients loosely together, as in a sauce or salad dressing. Yogurts made in the U.S. are made of cow’s milk. Those of India and the Middle East are more likely to be of the richer goat, sheep, or yak milk.

Yorkshire Pudding (YORK-sheer) – First cousin to the popover, this is a traditional English accompaniment to roast beef. The batter for Yorkshire Pudding is exactly the same as a popover batter, but it is baked in roast beef drippings and becomes a main course “pudding.” It may be cooked in one large dish or in muffin tins as small individual puddings. It takes its name from England’s northern county of Yorkshire.