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Founded in 1941, Barron's Educational Series is a leading publisher of test preparation manuals and school directories. Among the most widely recognized of Barron's many titles in these areas are its SAT and ACT test prep books, its Regents Exams books, and its Profiles of American Colleges. In ...
Grown in the warm, humid tropics, bananas are picked and shipped green; contrary to nature's norm, they are one fruit that develops better flavor when ripened off the bush. Banana bushes mature in about 15 months and produce one 50-pound bunch of bananas apiece. Each bunch includes several "hands" of a dozen or so bananas (fingers). There are hundreds of banana species but the yellow Cavendish is America's favorite. Choose plump, evenly colored yellow bananas flecked with tiny brown specks (a sign of ripeness). Avoid those with blemishes, which usually indicate bruising. Bananas that are still greenish at the tips and along the ridges will need further ripening at home. To ripen, keep uncovered at room temperature (about 70°F). For speedy ripening, enclose bananas in a perforated brown paper bag. Ripe bananas can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. The peel will turn brown but the flesh will remain unchanged. Once exposed to air, a peeled banana will begin to darken. To avoid discoloration, brush with lemon juice or dip in acidulated water. Now available in some markets are the short, chunky red banana and the dwarf or finger banana, both of which are sweeter than the Cavendish, the apple-flavored Manzano (which turns black when ready to eat), the diminutive Mysore from India and the Orinoco with its trace of strawberry flavor. The plantain, a very large, firm variety, is also referred to as a "cooking banana" and is extremely popular in Latin American countries. It has a mild, almost squashlike flavor and is used very much as a potato would be in the United States. Banana leaves are used in the cooking of Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Southeast Asia to wrap foods for steaming. They can be found in Latin markets. Banana flour is a nutritious and easily digestible powder made from specially selected bananas that have been dried and ground. Bananas are high in carbohydrates and low in protein and fats; they're also rich in potassium and vitamin C.
Industry:Culinary arts
Grown mainly on the East Coast, the Concord is a beautiful blue-black grape that often appears to have been powdered with silver. This mild-flavored grape has seeds and a slip-off skin. It's available in September and October and is used mainly for juice, jams and for out-of-hand eating. See also grape.
Industry:Culinary arts
Grown on the East Coast, this purplish-red grape is medium-size and oval in shape. It has seeds and an intense, sweet flavor. The Catawba grape is available from September to November but is mainly used commercially (for jams, jellies and white wines), and is rarely found in the market. See also grape.
Industry:Culinary arts
Gruyère-flavored choux pastry that is piped into a ring shape before being baked. A gougère can be served hot or cold as an hors D'oeuvre or snack.
Industry:Culinary arts
Hailing from Colombia and Venezuela, hallacas are South America's version of tamales. They consist of ground beef, pork or chicken mixed with other foods such as cheese, olives or raisins, surrounded by a ground-corn dough, wrapped in banana leaves and gently boiled. Hallacas are served as both an appetizer and main dish.
Industry:Culinary arts
Hailing from France, a galette is a round, rather flat cake made of flaky-pastry dough, yeast dough or sometimes unleavened dough. The term also applies to a variety of tarts, both savory and sweet, and there are as many variations as there are French regions. They may be topped with fruit, jam, nuts, meat, cheese, etc. Galette des Rois, the traditional cake served during Twelfth Night festivities, often contains a bean or other token, which is guaranteed to bring the recipient good luck.
Industry:Culinary arts
Hailing from Hawaii, this sweet, juicy berry resembles a very large raspberry. It can range in color from red to almost purple and is good eaten plain or in jams and pies.
Industry:Culinary arts
Hailing from Holland, this mellow, savory cheese has a pale yellow interior with a red or yellow paraffin coating (the yellow is more common in Holland). It's made from part-skimmed milk (40 percent milk fat) and comes in spheres that can weigh anywhere from 1 to 4 pounds. Edam is second only to Gouda as Holland's most exported cheese. It's a great all-purpose cheese, especially good when served with dark beer. See also cheese.
Industry:Culinary arts
Hailing from in and around the town of Cognac in western France, this potent potable is the finest of all brandies. Cognac is double-distilled immediately after fermentation. It then begins its minimum 3-year aging in Limousin oak. Stars on a cognac label denote the following oak-aging: 1 star — aged 3 years; 2 stars — aged at least 4 years; 3 stars — aged at least 5 years. Older cognacs are labeled V. S. (very superior), V. S. O. P. (very superior old pale) and V. V. S. O. P. (very, very, superior old pale). A cognac label can no longer legally claim over 7 years aging. It's been difficult for authorities to accurately keep track of Cognacs aged longer than this, so they've limited what producers may claim. Label terms X. O. , Extra and Reserve usually indicate a Cognac is the oldest a producer distributes. Fine champagne on the label indicates that 60 percent of the grapes came from a superior grape-growing section of Cognac called Grande Champagne. One designating grande fine champagne proclaims that all the grapes for that cognac came from that eminent area.
Industry:Culinary arts
Hailing from India's Assam district, this black tea produces a strong-flavored, full-bodied brew with a reddish tinge. See also tea.
Industry:Culinary arts
