Synopses & Reviews
A culinary reference packed with thousands of straightforward definitions and fun tips and trivia Perfect for cooks, food lovers, and even trivia buffs, The Culinarian is a wide-ranging kitchen reference that no cupboard should be without. With plain-English definitions of everything from Absinthe to Zucchini, it includes fascinating culinary history, etymologies, and tips on selecting, storing, and using virtually every ingredient and piece of kitchen equipment imaginable.
In addition to vital information like unit conversions and yields and equivalents, the book also includes cooking tips, lists, and trivia, from the heavily practical, such as common meat cuts and labeling terms, to the just plain entertaining, like lists of aphrodisiac foods and fun food cliches.
- Holds the answers to thousands of culinary questions, from how to choose a ripe mango or scale a fish to how they get the cream center inside a chocolate candy
- Includes descriptions and definitions of nearly 3,500 food terms, from ingredients and equipment to culinary techniques
- Compiled by expert researcher, lexicographer, and food lover Barbara Ann Kipfer
- Helpful cooking tips and sidebars on cooking quick meals, as well as shopping, storing, prepping, and garnishing
If you've ever wondered how to trim an artichoke or what the difference between a sweet potato and a yam is, The Culinarian has all the answers you need.
Synopsis
Have you ever wondered how to trim an artichoke or choose a ripe cantaloupe, or what the difference is between a yam and a sweet potato? Or gotten home from the farmer's market and thought, "now what do I do with fiddlehead ferns?" The Culinarian has the answers to these and many more culinary conundrums, compiled by expert researcher, lexicographer, and food-lover Barbara Kipfer. From Absinthe to Zucchini, this culinary dictionary includes the definitions and etymologies for thousands of food terms, as well as tips on selecting, storing, and using every ingredient and piece of kitchen equipment imaginable. Sidebars throughout the book include useful reference information and fascinating bits of culinary trivia, from lists of fruit and vegetable varieties to the processes for brewing beer and making chocolate. The book is illustrated throughout with 175 line drawings, and an introductory section covers all the basics, including measurement conversions, yields and equivalents, and food labeling terms. Open The Culinarian to any page to delve into the fascinating culinary tips and trivia, or use it to look up an unfamiliar ingredient or find a cooking suggestion to help get dinner on the table tonight -- either way, this is a must-have kitchen reference for anyone who loves to cook.
Synopsis
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a yam and a sweet potato? Or gotten home from the farmers' market and thought, "Now what on earth do I do with fiddlehead ferns?"
The Culinarian holds the answers to these and many more culinary conundrums, such as how to trim an artichoke or choose a ripe cantaloupe. This illuminating culinary dictionary includes clear, plain-English definitions for thousands of food terms from Absinthe to Zucchini, as well as tips on selecting, storing, and using every ingredient and piece of kitchen equipment imaginable.
The ideal complement to your favorite cookbook, The Culinarian is chock-full of captivating food trivia and history, plus information on measurements, yields and equivalents, and other useful tidbits. Flip to any page and delve into fascinating culinary trivia, or use it to pinpoint the information you need to get dinner on the table tonight. No matter how you use it, The Culinarian is a must-have kitchen reference for anyone who loves to cook.
About the Author
Barbara Ann Kipfer is a lexicographer and an enthusiastic culinarian. The bestselling author of 14,000 Things to Be Happy About and other list, reference, archaeology, and spiritual books, she holds PhDs in linguistics, archaeology, and Buddhist studies and has worked as a lexicographer and ethnographer for more than thirty years. Her website is thingstobehappyabout.com.