Food and Cooking
Glossary
W
Walnut
The nuts of all the species are edible, but the walnuts commonly
available in stores are from the Persian Walnut, the only species
which has a large nut and thin shell. A horticultural form selected
for thin nut shells and hardiness in temperate zones is sometimes
known as the 'Carpathian' walnut. The nuts are rich in oil,
and are widely eaten both fresh and in cookery.
Wasabi
Wasabi is bright green condiment is often referred to as 'Japanese
horseradish,' a traditional accompaniment to sushi and sashimi,
but it can also be used to make dressings and sauces. Fresh
wasabi is rarely available outside Japan, but in the UK it's
available in paste or powdered form. The latter is a better
choice, because you can use it as you need it by mixing to a
paste with water.
Wassail
Wassail is a spiced punch drunk at Twelfth Night and Christmas
celebrations. Wassail is most commonly recognized as an obscure
reference in various traditional Christmas carols (for example,
"Here we come a-wassailing among the leaves so green").
Water Chestnut
The (Chinese) water chestnut is native to China and is widely
cultivated in flooded paddy fields in southern China and parts
of the Philippines. The small, rounded corms have a crispy white
flesh and can be eaten raw, slightly boiled, grilled, pickled,
or tinned. They are a popular ingredient in Western-style Chinese
dishes. In China, they are most often eaten raw, sometimes sweetened.
They can also be ground into a flour which is used especially
to make fried cakes called matigao.
Wattle Seed
Certain varieties of Acacia seeds collected by Aborigines west
of the Great Divide are dry roasted and ground to enhance their
natural nutty, coffee-like flavor. Wattles are an Australian
native plant. You could probably leave them out of the recipe
if you can't buy them. These biscuits (cookies) are similar
to ANZAC biscuits that were made during the war when eggs were
scarce and have become one of our traditional Aussie foods.
Welsh Rarebit or Welsh Rabbit
A traditional British speciality consisting of a slice of toasted
bread covered with a mixture of Cheshire or cheddar cheese that
has been melted in pale ale with English mustard, pepper and
sometimes a dash of Worcestershire sauce. It's then grilled
and served very hot so the cheese is bubbling and tinged with
brown. The dish is also punningly called 'Welsh rabbit', and
food historians continue to argue about which is the proper
term.
Wheat
Wheat is a grass that is cultivated worldwide. Globally, it
is the second-largest cereal crop behind maize; the third being
rice. Wheat grain is a staple food used to make flour, livestock
feed and as an ingredient in the brewing of beer. The husk can
be separated and ground into bran. Wheat is also planted as
a forage crop for livestock and as straw.
Whelk
Whelks are saltwater molluscs with grey or brownish shells.
They resemble pointy snails. They're usually sold already cooked
and shelled and can be eaten with a sprinkling of vinegar or
with slices of bread and butter. The chewy flesh is quite juicy
and salty.
Whipping Cream
A lighter version of double cream with a fat content of over
35 per cent - the minimum amount necessary to allow it to stay
firm once beaten. It's the fat globules that trap whisked air,
creating the characteristic foam and texture of whipped cream.
Whipping cream whips well without being quite as rich as double
cream and also makes a slightly lighter pouring cream. It makes
a good topping for desserts, meringues and puddings that need
a slightly lighter touch..
Whisk
A whisk is a cooking utensil used in food preparation to blend
ingredients smooth, or incorporate air into a mixture, in a
process known as whisking or whipping. Most whisks consist of
a long narow handle with a series of wire loops joined at the
end. The wires are usually metal, but some have plastic for
use with nonstick cookware. Whisks are also made from bamboo.
Whiskey or Whisky
Whisky (or whiskey) (from Irish uisce beatha and/or Scottish
Gaelic uisge baugh, both meaning "water of life",
and ultimately a calque derived from Latin 'Aqua Vitae' (see
below)) is an alcoholic beverage distilled from grain, often
including malt, which has then been aged in wooden barrels.
Whitefish
Coregonus Linnaeus, 1758, is a genus of fish in the salmon family
(family Salmonidae). The type species is the common whitefish
(C. lavaretus). The Coregonus species are known generically
as the whitefishes. A flesh of salmon- or trout-like cold-water
fish of cold lakes of the northern hemisphere. It has high fat
and a mild flavor. The flesh is firm and white.
White Sauce
The most basic white sauce, from which numerous other sauces
stem. White sauce is made with a roux of butter and flour mixed
with milk and cooked over a gentle heat until smooth and slightly
thick. Béchamel is the king of white sauces. It differs
slightly from the basic white sauce in that the milk is flavoured
first with onion and seasoning (often nutmeg).
Whiting
A white round sea fish, whiting is a member of the cod family.
It's more economical to buy than cod, although it has a relatively
bland taste.
Wild Rice
The four species of wild rice comprise the genus Zizania, a
group of grasses that grow in shallow water in small lakes and
slow-flowing streams. Often, only the flowering head of wild
rice rises above the water. True rice, genus Oryza, is also
a grass; the two genera Oryza and Zizania are closely related,
sharing the tribe Oryzeae.
Wines
Wine is an alcoholic beverage produced by the fermentation of
grapes and grape juice. Wine-like beverages can be produced
by the fermentation of other fruits and flowers (fruit or country
wines), barley (barley wine), rice (sake), honey (mead), and
even herbs (Chinese wine). However, in such cases a qualifier
is often legally required (e.g., "elderberry wine").
The English word wine and its equivalents in other languages
are protected by law in many jurisdictions.
Wonton
Wonton, also written as wantan, wanton and numerous other variations,
are a type of dumpling common in Chinese cuisine. Each wonton
is made with a thin 10cm square lye-water pastry wrapper (made
of wheat flour, water, salt, and lye) and filled with savory
minced meat. The filling is typically made of minced pork, coarsely
diced shrimp, finely minced ginger, finely minced onions, sesame
oil and soy sauce. Wontons can be served in soup or deep fried
with rice or noodles..
Worcestershire Sauce
A classic English bottled sauce that is said to have originated
from an Indian recipe. It's a thin, spicy, dark-brown fermented
sauce made from a variety of ingredients including anchovies,
shallots, garlic, soy sauce, tamarind, salt and vinegar, which
is then left to age in barrels.
