1. Independent Living I Classes
Summary of FCS Terms
Independent Living I Classes

2. Summary of Mixing Terms

3. Stir, mix, combine, and blend
All mean to use a circular motion with a wooden mixing spoon to mix ingredients.
It implies a quick, even mixing.

4. How are these terms different?
All of these are general terms and mean about the same thing. But,
Blending implies stirring it until it is all the same color/texture.
Do NOT mix with a rubber scraper, unless you are folding!

5. Beat, whip, and cream
All of these terms mean more vigorous and longer mixing than stir, mix, combine, or blend.
They often require the use of a electric mixer.

6. How are they different?
“To whip” adds the most air, and is faster than beat or cream.
Cream is the same as beat, used when combining butter and sugar, as for cookies. (Remember to scrape the beaters when done!)

7. Toss and fold Both are very gentle mixing.
Toss (as for a salad) means you combine the ingredients which will remain recognizable.
Fold (as for whipped cream into pudding) uses a rubber scraper and gentle mixing, until entire mixture turns a uniform color and texture.

8. Cut-in and knead
Neither of these use a spoon or mixer. Both are used in baking recipes.
Cut-in uses an up and down motion and uses a pastry-cutter.
Knead involves push, fold, and turning the dough with your clean hands.

9. Steep and dissolve
Both have to do with adding a separate ingredient to a liquid.
Steep (tea bag) involves leaving an ingredient in a liquid for a certain time and then removing it.
Dissolve means adding an ingredient to a liquid and then stirring until it becomes part of the liquid. (making gelatin or sweet tea)

10. Sift
Running an ingredient through a sifter to remove lumps and combine well.
White flour and confectioner’s sugar (powdered sugar) are commonly sifted.

11. Summary of Cutting Terms

12. Chop, mince, julienne, and sliver
All involve cutting into smaller pieces, with a sharp knife.

13. What makes them different?
Chop is the general term, not saying exactly what size or shape.
Mince is cutting into the smallest pieces, as for garlic.

14. Differences….
Julienne is cutting into pieces that look like matchsticks.
Sliver is thin slices of small ingredients, such as almonds.

15. Dice and cube
Both involve chopping ingredients into square pieces. (They need not be perfect!)
Dice is the smaller cube of the two terms, usually about ¼” to ½” square.

16. Slice, shred, zest, and grate
All involve cutting ingredients with a sharp object, such as a sharp knife or a grater/shredder or a food processer.

17. How are they different?
Slice is thin, broad pieces, as cheese for a sandwich.
Shred is small, thin strips, as cheese for a pizza.

18. How are they different?
Grate is the same, except the pieces are smaller than shred. (grated carrots for carrot cake).
Zest is removing just the colored part of a citrus fruit rind, but not the white, which is bitter. It’s used to flavor baked goods and sauces.

19. Peel, pare, and score
All involve removing all or part of the skin or rind of (usually) a fruit or vegetable.
Peel can be done with one’s clean hands. (peel an orange)

20. Peel, pare, and score
Pare must be done with a sharp knife or “vegetable peeler.” (pare a potato)
Score is removing strips from the side of a food for decorative purposes. (score a cucumber)

21. Core and pit
All involve removing the inedible centers from fruit or vegetables before using them.
Pit is done with one large seed, such as a peach. Core is for fruits with several smaller center seeds, much as apples. Some seeds are edible, such as strawberries and bananas.

22. Crush, mash, puree, and flake
All involve breaking down an ingredient into tiny pieces .
Crush is usually used for dry ingredients, and can be done in a heavy plastic bag (air squeezed out) and a rolling pin.

23. Mash, puree, and flake
Mash is for thick, soft ingredients, such as mashed potatoes or banana.
Puree is making it into a smoother and thinner state than mash.

24. Mash, puree, and flake
Flake is separating with the tines of a fork, as with tuna.