FOOD GLOSSARY - Pasteurize to Pectin

PASTEURIZE:  To preserve food by heating sufficiently to destroy certain microorganisms and arrest fermentation. Generally applied to liquids, such as milk and fruit juices. The temperature varies with the food but commonly ranges from 140° to 180°F.

PASTRAMI:  Highly seasoned, peppery, cured smoked portion of plate of beef. Comes uncooked or cooked and ready to eat. Good to use in sandwiches or sliced very thin and wrapped around pieces of melon as an hors d'oeuvre. From Rumania originally.

PASTRY:  As usually defined, it is flour dough or paste made with shortening and used for the crust of pies, tarts, etc.; however in a broad sense it may include all fancy breads, cakes, pies, tarts, etc.

PASTRY BAG:  A cone-shaped bag of sturdy material into which metal tubes of different shapes and sizes may be fitted at the small end.

PASTRY BLENDER:  This is a hand-gadget for cutting shortening into flour for pastry. It consists of several wires looped to a handle. It is used with a chopping motion. See Cutting In.

PASTRY JAGGER or WHEEL:  A metal wheel used to make a fancy edge on a pie or other form of pastry.

PASTRY SYRINGE:  A syringe equipped with pastry tubes and used instead of the pastry bag.

PASTRY TUBES:  Fixtures of assorted sizes and shapes used with pastry bags and syringes.

PASTY:  A Cornish meat pie, entirely wrapped in pastry so that it can be eaten out of hand. See also Rissole.

PÂTÉ (French):  A small pie or patty with a filling of meat, fish, or spiced meat paste such as Pate de Foie Gras; pie or patty filled with vegetables or fruit mixture.

PÂTÉ DE FOIE GRAS(French):  Paste of fat livers; applied especially to the liver of fat geese. The birds are confined in small pens and are stuffed with food. A form of fatty infiltration of the livers develops with great increase in size. The cooked livers are seasoned with truffles, wine, and seasonings. It is often used to make canapes.

PÂTISSERIE (French):  Pastry; pastry shop; pastry-making.

PATTY:  A pastry shell filled with a creamed mixture of food. The term is also used for a small, flat cake of ground meat, fish, etc., usually fried.

PAUPIETTES (French):  Stuffed rolled thin slices of meat, braised or fried. We call them meat birds.

PAYSANNE (French):  Cooked peasant style; plain cooking.

PEACH MELBA:  See Melba.

PECTIN:  A natural fruit substance (the jellying property of fruits) which, when in right balance with sugar and acid, forms fruit juice into a jelly. Among the fruits rich in pectin are apples, quinces, currants, cranberries. Concentrated commercial pectins for use in jelly-making are available under various trade names.