FOOD GLOSSARY - Udo to Verte

UDO:  An Oriental plant, now grown in California, valued for its young shoots similar in character to asparagus.

UNTIL SET:  Until a liquid has become firm, usually applied to a gelatin mixture.

UOVA (Italian):  Eggs; uova fritte: fried eggs; uova affogate: poached eggs; uova con funghi: eggs with mushrooms; uova con pomodoro: eggs with tomatoes; uova strapazatti: scrambled eggs; uova sodo: hard-cooked eggs.

UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE:  A cake made by placing fruit, sugar, butter or margarine, etc. in the cake pan before adding the batter. It is served with the bottom side up.

UVA (Italian):  Grapes.

VANILLA BEAN and EXTRACT:  Vanilla is a flavoring extract made from the dried vanilla bean, a podlike capsule of the vanilla plant, a climbing vine of the orchid family, grown in Mexico and other tropical countries. The vanilla bean is far more flavorful than the extract made from it. To use a vanilla bean, cut off a small piece and place it in the liquid that is to be heated for a dessert. Use about a ½ inch piece for 2 cups liquid. ' The bean is taken out or left in. If taken out, it can be washed carefully, dried, and used in vanilla sugar. To flavor a cold dessert, split the piece of bean, scrape it well, and add the pulp to the other dessert ingredients. When you use vanilla extract, be sure to add it to cooled ingredients only. It has an alcohol base and, when added to hot substances, you get a much diminished flavor in the food.

VANILLIN:  A fragrant white, crystalline substance produced from the vanilla bean or made synthetically, and used for flavoring. It is the active principle of the vanilla bean.

VARIETY MEATS:  These include liver, tongue, kidney, heart, tripe, brains, sweetbreads, and oxtails.

VEAL BIRDS:  Thin slices of veal in which has been rolled seasoned stuffing, tied or skewered, browned in a little fat, then braised in the oven or on top of the range.

VEAU (French):  Veal.

VEGETABLE MARROW:  A variety of summer squash with dark rind, orange flesh.

VELOUTÉ (French):  Denotes a sauce or a dish having a very smooth, creamy taste. Veloute sauce is a basic French sauce, similar to our basic white sauce made with veal or chicken stock.

VENISON:  Venison is the culinary term for the flesh of any antlered animal. The venison most often eaten is deer, the next is elk.

VERMICELLI:  A macaroni product shaped into long, thin strings which are thinner than spaghetti.

VERT, VERTE (French):  Green; Sauce Verte is a green herb sauce.