Cooking Terms for Beginners 

BAKE - Cook food in the oven.

BEAT - Use a large spoon, electric mixer or egg beater and mix fast. When you use a spoon, lift mixture with each beat. Example: You beat fudge to make it creamy-smooth. If you are mixing by hand, 150 full sweeping strokes around the bowl equals beating 1 minute with the electric mixer.

BLEND - Stir several ingredients together until nice and smooth.

BOIL - Cook in hot liquid that bubbles and steams.

BROIL - Cook in direct heat. Use the broiler or cook outside over coals.

BROWN - Cook until surface of food changes color, usually in a small amount of fat over medium heat.

COOK AND STIR (SAUTE) - Cook rapidly in small amount of oil, stirring occasionally. COOL - Allow hot food or liquid to come to room temperature.

CREAM - Make a soft, smooth velvety mixture. A term often used in cake recipes. Beat shortening till creamy. Add sugar and beat till light and fluffy.

CUT IN - Distribute solid fat in dry ingredients by cutting with pastry blender with a rolling motion or cutting with two knives until particles are desired size.

DASH - Less than 1/8 teaspoon of an ingredient.

FOLD - A gently way of mixing. Use a spatula or spoon. Cut down through the mixture, across the bottom, up and over the top. Do it lightly, over and over. Be careful. DO NOT BEAT!

FRY - Cook in hot oil.

KNEAD - Work and press dough with palms of the hands. Turn a little after each push.

LUKEWARM - A temperature of approximately 95 degrees.

MARINATE - Let food stand in a savory, usually acidic, liquid for several hours to add flavor or to tenderize.

MIX - Stir ingredients together.

POACH - Cook in hot liquid just below the boiling point.

REFRIGERATE - Place food in refrigerator to chill or store.

ROAST - Cook meat uncovered on rack in shallow pan in oven without adding liquid.

ROLLING BOIL - Heat until bubbles form rapidly and break on the surface of liquid.

SAUTE - Cook rapidly in small amount of oil, stirring occasionally.

SCALD - Heat liquid to just below the boiling point. Tiny bubbles form at the edge.

SIMMER - Cook in liquid over very low heat. Bubbles are small and slow.

SKIM - Remove fat of foam from surface or liquid with a spoon.

SOFTEN - Let cold margarine or butter stand at room temperature until soft.

STIR - Combine in any way that distributes all ingredients evenly.

STIR FRY - A Chinese method of cooking uniform pieces of food in small amount of hot oil over high heat, stirring constantly.

TEAR - Break into pieces, using fingers.

TOAST - Brown food in oven or toaster.