FOOD GLOSSARY - Citron to To Make Coconut Milk

CITRON:  A yellow, thick-skinned fruit resembling a lime or lemon but larger and less acid, cultivated for its thick, spongy rind. The candied or glaceed rind of this fruit is used in fruit cakes, as a confection, etc.

CIVET:  A highly seasoned stew of rabbit or other game.

CLABBER:  Milk that has soured to the stage where a firm custard has been formed but not to the point of separation of the whey.

CLARIFY:  To clear a liquid, such as consomme, by adding slightly beaten egg white and egg shells. The beaten egg coagulates in the hot liquid and the particles which cause cloudiness adhere to it. The mixture is then strained.

CLOTTED CREAM:  See Devonshire Cream.

COAT:  To cover entire surface of food with flour, breadcrumbs, etc.

COATS SPOON:  When a thin even film of cooking mixture forms on spoon.

COBBLER:  A dessert of sweetened fruit (a deep-dish pie) topped with an upper crust usually of biscuit dough instead of pastry and baked; also a type of alcoholic beverage served over shaved ice.

COCONUT:  Shredded sweetened coconut is packed in moisture-retaining packages, or a more moist style may be bought in cans. How to Tint Coconut: Blend 1 teaspoon milk or water with a drop or so of desired food color. Add 1½ cups shredded coconut, also a little almond, peppermint, or vanilla extract if desired. Toss with fork until blended.

To Open and Prepare Fresh Coconut:  With a long nail or ice pick, puncture the indentations ("eyes") at the end of the coconut. Drain off the coconut water inside (sometimes called the "milk," but to Hawaiian cooks, coconut "milk" means a liquid extracted from the grated meat). Then bake the whole coconut in a shallow pan in a moderate oven (350° F.); cool it for half an hour, then tap with a hammer to crack the shell. Pry out the meat in as large pieces as possible. Remove the brown outer skin with a paring knife or vegetable parer. Then shred the meat on a vegetable shredder. A medium-sized coconut usually yields about 3 cups shredded coconut.

To Make Coconut Milk:  To make coconut milk to be used in curry sauce, pudding, or pie filling, pour 1 to 2 cups boiling water or coconut water over 3 cups shredded coconut; let stand 15 minutes, then strain or squeeze through doubled thickness of cheesecloth. After the milk has been extracted, the drained coconut still retains enough flavor to be usable in making candy or macaroons.

For a thick coconut milk, or "cream," to serve over puddings or cereals, use only ½ to ¾ cup boiling water or coconut water.

For coconut cream pie filling, part of the shredded coconut is sometimes scalded with the milk, then strained out before making the filling. Fresh coconut is often sprinkled over the pie before serving.