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There are several reasons for learning the specialized meanings of terms - learning them so thoroughly that they become part of your everyday vocabulary. They enable you to communicate with those around you and to comprehend what is going on. They help you to follow what you read, whether it is a recipe, a textbook, or a cookery dictionary. The right term is a superior tool for finding information, both from people and from books. Many terms are fascinating for their sake. Much of the language of the kitchen goes back to classical times and earlier, and it carries lively overtones of banquets served to royalty and the culinary triumphs of such great chefs' work, such as Carême and Escoffier. But there are problems. Some people use terms wrongly. Some products are called by different names in different parts of the country. Some terms have different meanings in different operations. Some terms even the experts don't agree on. Many terms have changed in meaning over the years. We need meanings to work with. "Define your terms," said Socrates, setting forth the first prerequisite for any fruitful discussion. We will go on defining terms throughout this Food and Beverage Management section. The definitions I will give you are as precise and yet as widely relevant as I can make them. If they don't always agree exactly with those you find elsewhere, or with your own experience, perhaps they will intrigue you into working out better definitions of your own. Meantime, try to benefit from this as I explore prepreparation in more detail. CLEANING In many kitchens the workday starts with the washing of the produce to be used that day. Kitchen slang for this phase of food preparation is rough prep or prepping. Many other kitchens, particularly large-volume operations, buy their produce already cleaned. But seldom does purchasing solve every cleaning need, so it is important for you to know all the proper techniques. The term cleaning, as applied to vegetables and other food products can have multiple meanings. Many items have portions that are thrown away as part of the cleaning. With lettuce and cabbage, for example, the discolored outer leaves are discarded, and usually the core. Tough parts, such as spinach stems and the bottoms of fresh asparagus and fresh broccoli stalks, are cut away; so are flaws. Many fruits and vegetables are peeled; this can vary with the dish for which they are intended. The other aspect of cleaning is washing. Most fruits and vegetables arrive at your door in anything but a clean condition. Some products are dirtier than others by virtue of the way they grow. Root vegetables such as carrots and beets have a lot of surface dirt. Lettuce, leeks, and other vegetables that grow in the earth or close to it may have a great deal of dirt in the leaves of the plant. Cleaning such foods correctly means washing them fully, and "thoroughly" means getting them as clean and dirt-free as possible. Cleanliness is of vital importance for a number of reasons. Insecticides, sprays, powders, and dirt are of course not things that can be banished with sauces and seasonings. A gritty salad or vegetable is quite unpleasant and maybe a health hazard. Mizer, Porter, Sonnier, Food Preparation for the Professional, 1978, Page 40. Go To Page: 1
The copyright of the article Prepreparation Part 2 in Food Management is owned by Andrew A. Orr. Permission to republish Prepreparation Part 2 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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