Wizard Recipes

The wonderful thing about vegetables and fruits is that although they are very, very distinctive-it would be much easier to mistake beef for lamb than it would be to mistake zucchini for broccoli-most of them can be handled in very similar ways.

Few vegetables cannot be simmered or steamed to tenderness and then dressed lightly with something as simple as lemon juice, vinaigrette, or that old standby, butter. And few vegetables cannot be cooked in a little olive oil, either over high heat so that they become crisp or with some liquid, covered, over lower heat, so that they become meltingly tender.

The Basics of Buying and Handling Fresh Produce

These days it’s a mistake to think “fresh or nothing.” Some frozen vegetables and even fruits are not only good enough to eat but sometimes better than what passes for fresh especially, of course, in winter.

Be picky when you buy produce. You probably know the drill: Most vegetables should be slightly firm and most fruits slightly soft.

Check for damage or rotten spots and make sure the color is close to ideal. Pay attention to the little stickers to see where the produce came from, keeping in mind that miles traveled are a good indication of how long ago fruits and vegetables were harvested. (Unless it was flown, that broccoli that traveled  three thousand miles is at least a week old.) After a while, you’ll naturally gravitate to what’s seasonal, since that’s what’s both freshest and grown closer to home.

This is easy enough in the summer or if you live in the South. But elsewhere it means turning more frequently to root vegetables in the winter months, as many of our ancestors did.

Be flexible. Virtually all fresh produce is available year-round, but seasonal selections mean better quality. Because of the many climates in the United States, we don’t have a nationwide growing season. So throughout the year, try to tune in to what’s being grown in your region.

If you go to the store, and something you’d planned on doesn’t look too fresh, reach for an alternative or head to the freezer case.

If you’re concerned about the impact of mainstream farming methods on your health and the environment, you might think about buying organic fruits and vegetables .

But my feeling is that it’s even more important to seek out locally or regionally grown fresh produce-if it’s organic, so much the better-because you’ll be getting the best fruits and vegetables available and supporting the people who raise them.

and Preparing Fresh Produce

Once home, wait until you’re ready to use your vegetables or fruits before washing them, because washing removes not only pesticide residues but also natural defenses against rotting, and storing moist produce can promote growth of mold or bacteria. Remember, too, that not all fruits and vegetables benefit from refrigeration.

I like to wash almost all fresh vegetables and fruits before cooking or eating. Even when the peel is inedible, it’s a good idea to give it a rinse, because if there are any bacteria or dirt on the outside, they’ll spread to the inside with handling.

A soft scrubbing brush is perfect for potatoes you don’t want to peel, cucumbers with little spines, and other, more rigorous jobs. (You can also use a mildly abrasive dishwashing pad.) Washing greens and other vegetables couldn’t be easier:

1. Put them in a salad spinner (or a colander inside a large pot).

2. Fill it with water.

3. Swish the veggies around.

4. Lift the colander out of the water.

5. Drain.

The feijoa, also called pineapple guava, is an oval fruit that grows up to about 3 inches in length. It has a thin, waxy, blue-green to olive skin that at times has a red or orange blush.

The flesh is creamy white and somewhat granular and surrounds a translucent, jelly-like center that encloses 20 to 40 tiny, edible, oblong seeds. Feijoa has a fairly complex flavor that is often compared to that of pineapple but also contains hints of strawberry, guava, quince, and mint

Varieties

Most varieties of feijoa cultivated today originated in Australia, New Zealand, or California. The Choiceana from Australia is a small to medium-sized fruit with a smooth skin and pleasant flavor. Selected from Choiceana seedlings, the Mammoth is a larger variety from New Zealand with thick, wrinkled skin.

The most widely cultivated variety in California is the Coolidge, a small to medium-sized fruit with wrinkled skin and mild flavor.

Origin and botanical facts

The feijoa is native to South America, specifically the cool subtropical and tropical highland areas of southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina. The plant was introduced to California in the 1890s, and even though the feijoa is not in great demand commercially, 1,000 acres in California are dedicated to its cultivation.

Some fruit is imported to the United States from New Zealand. The feijoa is a slow-growing evergreen shrub that can be retrained to be a small tree or pruned to form a dense hedge or screen.

Unpruned, it can reach 15 to 20 feet in height and in width. Its thick, oval leaves are green on top and silvery underneath, a feature that makes it an attractive plant when ruffled by a breeze.

The flowers of the feijoa, formed singly or in clusters, have white petals with bristly, scarlet stamens.

Feijoas thrive in a variety of soils, but they do best in well-drained, non-saline soil. They prefer cool winters and moderate summers; the fruit is less flavorful in warm climates. Propagation is most successful by cuttings and by layering and grafting.

Trees propagated from seed do not produce fruit until they are 3 to 5 years old, and the fruit may be inferior in quality. Feijoas mature 4 1/2 to 7 months after the flowers bloom, depending on the climate.

Fruit that is picked when it is still firm will ripen at room temperature, but feijoas are most flavorful when allowed to remain on the tree until they are ready to drop. Harvesting is accomplished by shaking the tree and letting the fruit fall onto a tarpaulin to prevent bruising.

Uses

Feijoas should be firm and unblemished. They should be eaten within 3 to 4 days of purchase or refrigerated up to a month. Feijoas should be peeled before eating, because the skin is bitter. Immersing the peeled fruit in water and fresh lemon juice keeps it from turning brown.

Feijoas usually are eaten fresh as desserts or used as garnishes or in fruit salads. They can be stewed or baked in puddings, pies, and pastries or made into jellies and preserves.

Nutrient composition

Feijoas are high in vitamin C and are a good source of folate.

It helps to keep a variety of rices in your pantry at all times, as they make an easy side dish and are used in many types of cooking across the world. Keep rice in its original packaging until opening, then store it in an airtight container at room temperature.

I liked to write cooking instructions for each and affix them to the lid of the container for handy reference (for example, “combine 1 cup water,  1 / 2 cup rice, and  1 / 2  teaspoon salt; cook 25 minutes”). For best results, use within a year.

Arborio rice: When properly prepared, this shortgrain Italian rice develops a creamy texture and a chewy center and has an exceptional ability to absorb flavors, making it ideal for risotto. Carnaroli is similar in starch content.

Basmati rice: With its slender long grains, basmati is prized for its delicate nutty aroma. It is an essential element of Indian cooking.

Brown rice (medium- to long-grain) is the entire grain of rice with only the inedible husk removed. The nutritious, high-fiber bran coating gives it its light tan color. When cooked, brown rice has a strong, nutty flavor and chewy texture. Medium-grain brown rice is starchier than the long-grain variety.

Jasmine rice: This long-grain rice has the aroma of basmati but the softer, starchier texture of mediumgrain rice. It is ideal for serving with Thai curries.

Sushi rice: Japanese sushi rice is a short-grained, glutinous white rice that becomes moist, firm, and sticky when cooked. If you can’t find Japanese sushi rice, substitute short-grained white rice (called pearl).

White rice (medium- to long-grain), which has been stripped of the husk and bran, has a mild flavor and firm texture, making it a versatile vehicle for carrying the flavor of other ingredients. Medium-grain is a little stickier than the long-grain variety.

Converted white rice, which is made by soaking, pressuresteaming, and then drying unhulled grains, takes slightly longer to cook than unconverted white rice; it also has a pale tan color. Instant or quick white rice has been fully or partially cooked before being dehydrated and packaged; this should not be substituted in recipes.

White rice (short-grain, or pearl): The fat, almost round grains of short-grain white rice have a higher starch content than medium- and long-grain rice. They become moist and viscous when cooked, causing the grains to stick together. Also called glutinous rice (even though it is gluten-free), this variety is most often used in Asian cooking.

Wild rice is actually the seed of a grass found in the Great Lakes region of the United States. It is harvested by hand and it has a nutty flavor and chewy texture, making it particularly good in rice salads and stuffings. Although wild rice can take up to an hour to cook, it is important to watch it carefully toward the end; overcooking produces starchy results.

SALT

The two most common types are kosher (coarse) salt and table (iodized) salt. Kosher salt is a good choice for cooking (and brining) and for use at the table. Since coarse salt does not contain any additives or iodine, it has a cleaner flavor and is not as strong or sharply acidic as table salt; it also dissolves quickly in cold water.

When seasoning foods, the larger grain of coarse salt make it easier to control the amount you use (and the saltiness of the dish). In most recipes, these salts can generally be used interchangeably, without altering amounts, though you may prefer to use table salt for baking.

If you want to add a more distinctive accent to dishes, consider one of the many types of sea salts.Fleur de sel, one of the rarest and most prized of sea salts, comes from the Brittany region of France; it has a mild salty taste and is best used as a condiment, sprinkled over salads, egg dishes, fish, and other foods at the table.

Gray salt also hails from Brittany, and has a stronger saltiness. Maldon, an English sea salt, consists of small white crystalline flakes that can easily be crushed with your fingers and added to dishes as they cook or once they are at the table. Sundried sea salts also come from Sicily and Maine; they are perfect for garnishing the rims of cocktail glasses.

Berry is a general term for fruits that are usually small, rounded, and pulpy with seeds embedded in a juicy flesh. The term is loosely applied to a range of fruits belonging to vastly diverse botanical families.

Aside from the more popular berries such as the blackberry, blueberry,cranberry, currant, raspberry, and strawberry, there are a host of less common species, each with its own distinctive shape, color, fragrance, and taste.

Berries were a staple in the diets of our hunting-and-gathering ancestors and still play an important role in the culinary traditions of many peoples around the world.

American Indians used various types of berries as food, medicine, dyes, and food preservatives. Early American settlers developed a taste for the many varieties growing wild in woods and fields of North America, and they learned to use the berries for food and medicine.

Research has shown that several berries have medicinal properties. (Cranberries and blueberries help prevent urinary tract infections.) Most berries contain generous amounts of vitamin C, and some are a good source of fiber because of the skin and seeds.

Blackberry

Also called bramble berries because they grow on thorny bushes (brambles), blackberries range from one-half to an inch long when mature and are purplish black.

Like raspberries, to which they are related, blackberries are oblong and are made up of small edible seeds that are encased in juicy globules adjoining a fleshy base.

The most common varieties of blackberry are the Cherokee (a sweet variety) and the Marion (a tart variety). Boysenberries, loganberries, ollalaberries, sylvanberries and tayberries are hybrids of blackberries and raspberries.

Blackberries are found throughout the temperate zones of the world, growing wild in meadows and at the edge of forests. The bushes flower in spring and bear fruit throughout the summer. Borne in loose clusters on stems that grow from the canes, the berries change from green to red and then to purplish black as they ripen.

Blackberry bushes are so vigorously invasive that they are considered a weed in some areas. Plump, deeply colored blackberries are the most delicious to eat, and immature red berries are tart.

Blackberries are best used immediately, because they spoil quickly. They can be lightly covered and refrigerated for 1 to 2 days. Blackberries can be eaten fresh; used as a topping for yogurt, ice cream, and pancakes; tossed into a fruit salad; puréed to make a dessert sauce; or made into blackberry pie. About 98 percent of commercially produced berries are processed into jams, fillings, juices, wines, and brandies.

Blackberries are high in vitamin C, are a good source of dietary fiber, and contain ellagic acid, a phytochemical that may help prevent cancer.

When we eat food, we often comment on its taste and flavour, but most of us don’t really trouble to define what we mean by taste and flavour, nor do we stop to wonder whether there are different meanings to taste and flavour. Instead we simply enjoy the pleasures of eating.

Enjoying good food is an experience of all the senses.Wesee the food on the plate and anticipate a great meal. As the food is bought to us we can smell some of the aromas which whets our appetite further.

When we put the food in our mouths we first taste it on the tongue and then experience further flavour sensations from the olfactory sensors in our noses as we breathe while chewing. The sounds the food makes as we bite into it also affect our enjoyment. The sharp crack of chocolate or pork crackling really add to the whole sensation of eating .

The Sense of Taste

We taste things with our tongues. Wecan detect five basic tastes - four are very familiar : sweet, sour, bitter and salt. The fifth, while familiar in the East is less well known in Western cuisine - it is called Umami and is the taste of monosodium glutamate, MSG.

MSG is used widely in Eastern cooking and that is probably why it is recognised as a separate taste sensation more readily by those familiar with that cuisine. However,many common western foods contain large amounts of MSG,notably tomatoes and parmesan cheese.

There are many different molecules that trigger off each of the taste sensations.Taste buds that are receptors for salty taste react to many compounds besides common table salt (sodium chloride). Most sodium salts (that is most simple molecules that contain sodium) and most chlorides (that is most simple molecules that contain chlorine) will taste salty to greater or lesser extents.

Bitterness comes mostly from alkaloids (two common examples are quinine and caffeine) . However, many alkaloids are poisonous, which may explain our general aversion to bitter flavours. Sourness comes from acids in our food - all acids provide a sour sensation, while sweetness comes from many other sources besides sugars.

There are many thousands of taste buds in the surface of the human tongue exactly how these work and just what they respond to is still not fully understood. Indeed, researchers argue about how many different types of sensor there are for each taste .

The taste buds react to chemicals in food that manage to bind in some way to the surfaces of’cilia’, or fine hairs, that form a central part of each taste bud. Generally, a molecule has to be dissolved in water to reach the cilia of the taste buds.

When we put food in the mouth, flavour molecules that are already dissolved in water (e.g. those in a sauce, etc.) are likely to reach the taste buds first and provide an initial taste sensation in the mouth. As we chew the food, so we release new flavour molecules into our saliva, also enzymes can start to react with proteins, etc. to produce new molecules through chemical reactions that actually take place in the saliva.Thus the taste sensation can change as we chew each mouthful.

Although we can only really detect the five distinct flavours, there remains a great deal of subtlety of taste in the mouth. We rarely taste foods that are purely bitter, sour, sweet or salty, so the different combinations of intensity of just these four tastes allow for a very wide range of tastes .

If we consider only sweetness, different sugars taste more or less sweet; combinations of sugars can appear to be sweeter than either of the individual sugars. Most people find fructose to be sweeter than sucrose and glucose very much less sweet. So the actual sugar can affect the taste sensation.

When comparative tests are carried out different people have widely differing sensitivities to different sweeteners. So if you take two people both of whom like one teaspoon of sugar in their coffee,and ask them to use another sweetener instead, one may need only a tiny amount, while the other may need very much more.

So we cannot be sure that any two people get the same taste sensation from any particular dish. The best any cook can hope for is that if they like the taste of a dish so will their guests.

The carrot plant is a member of the parsley family, characterized by light, feathery leaves. Other members of this family include fennel, dill, and celery.

The edible root of the plant is usually orange and shaped like a long cylindrical cone. A fibrous channel or core runs the length of the vegetable; usually, the smaller the core, the younger and sweeter the vegetable.

Varieties

Many varieties of carrots are grown throughout the world. Colors range from white to yellow to crimson. A carrot may be as short as 3 to 6 inches and as long as several feet.

However, most carrots on the U.S. market today are orange and 7 to 9 inches long. Mini-peeled carrots are cut from the smaller, sweeter “caropak” carrots, which have been grown tightly together especially for this purpose.

Despite packaging and labeling claims, mini-peeled carrots are not baby carrots. True baby carrots are carrots harvested earlier than usual and do, in fact, look like miniature carrots. They are often sold with their green tops still on them in specialty food stores.

Origin and botanical facts

The first carrots, which were white, purple, and yellow, were cultivated in Afghanistan and then brought to the Mediterranean area. Today’s orange carrots descend from Dutch-bred carrots and have been grown in the United States since colonial times.

Domestically, California produces about 60 percent of the United States crop, 25 percent of which goes into the production of mini-peeled carrots.

Uses

Carrots should be firm and brightly colored from top to bottom. Near the leafy crown of the root, there may be a greenish tinge, but dark or black coloring is an indication of age. Keeping carrots refrigerated in moisture-retaining packaging will preserve them for up to a month.

The green leaves should be twisted off before storage, because they wilt quickly and draw moisture from the carrots. Fruits that produce ethylene gas as they ripen, such as apples or pears, should not be stored in the same bag with carrots.

With the exception of beets, carrots contain more sugar than any other vegetable. They are a satisfying snack when eaten raw and are a tasty addition to a variety of mixed dishes.

Grated raw carrots may be added to fruit or vegetable salads, mixed with peanut butter as a sandwich filling, or used in baking cakes, muffins, or breads. Cooked carrots enhance the flavor of casseroles, soups, and stews. Puréed carrots may be used in cookies, puddings, and soufflés.

Nutrient composition

A medium-sized raw carrot is an excellent source of beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A. Carrots are a relatively good source of fiber. In addition to beta-carotene, carrots contain two other carotenoids: alpha-carotene and lutein.

The carotenoids, which are responsible for the bright-orange color of carrots,have antioxidant properties and may help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Lutein also has been looked at for its role in protecting the eye from free-radical damage and maintaining vision. Cooking carrots makes them more digestible and appears to increase the amount of vitamin A available for use in the body.

However, the vitamin A content of fresh or frozen carrots is twice that of canned versions.

Pesticides and modern pest management practices have helped to ensure that we have a reliable, affordable, varied, nutritious, and safe food supply. Pesticides are chemicals that kill or prevent the growth of weeds (herbicides), bacteria (disinfectants and antibiotics), molds and fungi (fungicides), and harmful insects (insecticides).

Some pesticides occur naturally in soil, whereas others are found in compounds isolated from particular plants. Many farmers try to control pests in the most effective, least disruptive manner by practicing what is known as integrated pest management

What About Food Additives?

Contrary to what many of us think, food additives have been used for centuries (and until the past 100 or so years, without much regard for health considerations). Additives play various roles in foods. Some additives act as preservatives, preventing spoilage, loss of flavor, texture, or nutritive value.

These include antioxidants such as vitamin E, BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), citric acid, and sulfites; calcium propionate; sodium nitrite (which prevents infection by the dangerous bacteria that causes botulism); and other antimicrobials (germ-fighting additives).

Other additives are used as emulsifiers to prevent foods from separating. Emulsifiers include lecithin from soy, egg yolks, or milk and monoglycerides and diglycerides. The leavening agents sodium bicarbonate (baking soda and powder) and yeast allow baked goods to rise.

Stabilizers and thickeners create and maintain an even texture and flavor in foods such as ice cream and pudding. Many foods are also fortified or enriched with vitamins, minerals, or proteins or their component amino acids .

The government strictly regulates food additives. The safety and effectiveness of each newly proposed additive must be rigorously tested. Some 700 additives belong to a group of substances referred to as GRAS substances (Generally Recognized As Safe) because extensive testing and use have shown no evidence of adverse effects.

Continued approval requires that all additives, including GRAS substances, must be reevaluated regularly with the latest scientific methods. According to law, additives and preservatives must be listed on food labels. People who are sensitive to certain additives such as sulfites or monosodium glutamate should be sure to read labels for additive information.

What About Irradiated Foods?

Until the 1800s, soaking in salt and natural fermentation were the most commonly used methods for food preservation.This changed with the introduction of canning in the 1800s.

Pasteurization began to be used in the late 1800s to kill harmful bacteria, freezing in the early 1900s to extend the shelf life of foods, and freeze drying in the 1960s to preserve foods.

Food is irradiated when it is passed through a beam of radiant energy. Irradiated foods are not radioactive. Irradiation does not diminish the importance of safe food handling ,nor does it improve the quality of food.

However, irradiation can extend the shelf life, reduce food wastage, and reduce food prices. Most importantly, irradiation can destroy bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

Food irradiation is strictly controlled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). All irradiated foods carry a symbol and the phrase “Treated by Irradiation.” However, when irradiated foods are used in a restaurant, they are not required to be labeled.

If there is one oil that gourmands and nutritionists agree on, it is olive oil. Low in saturated fat and rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and flavor, olive oil is an excellent addition to any kitchen and meal.

Sometimes it is even referred to as the “king of oils.” One of the first oils to be made by humans, olive oil is pressed from olives that are picked when their color turns to purplish black and their skin develops an oily sheen.

The rich flavor of olive oil varies according to where the olives are grown and the type of tree that produces them. For example, Spanish olive oil has a strong, some would say overwhelming, flavor.

Oils produced from California olive trees are said to have a mild, almost sweet flavor. Olive oil from Italy, however, is usually considered the best.

U.S. consumers can find a wide range of olive oils in supermarkets and specialty shops. Unrefined olive oil, which is less processed, is considered the most flavorful and has a greenish cast.

Fresh, refined olive oil should have a sweet, somewhat nutty flavor and a golden color. A rule of thumb is that the more deeply colored the oil, the more flavorful it will be.

Olive oil is also graded by the International Olive Oil Council in these ways:

Extra virgin - Considered the finest olive oil, extra virgin is made without heat or solvents, from the first pressing of the olives. It is the most flavorful and the most expensive, and so it is most often used for seasoning.

Virgin - Also made without heat or solvents, virgin olive oil also comes from the first pressing of the olives. It is more acidic but has a less intense flavor than extra virgin. It is widely used in cooking.

Regular or pure - More subdued in flavor than virgin olive oil, regular (pure) olive oil is extracted with heat or solvent and may be made from pressed olives that have been washed and treated to extract more oil from them. This type of oil is often blended with virgin olive oil.

Light - Don’t be misled by the title, light olive oil has the same amount of calories and fat as regular olive oil. “Light” refers simply to color, fragrance, and flavor. Light olive oil also may be referred to as “mild.”

Generally, this type of olive oil is dismissed by serious cooks. It does have the advantage of having the highest smoke point of all oils (468° Fahrenheit).

Preparation Tips

Generally, pressing and processing are done after the olives are collected in autumn. Shipments of freshly pressed olive oil begin arriving in specialty stores in the spring.

Because most types of olive oil have a low smoke point, olive oil is not suited for deep frying or sautéing. The best-tasting olive oil is the freshest.

Serving Suggestions

Olive oil is best used in sauces, salad dressings, and marinades, where its flavor can be put to full advantage.

Italian and Mediterranean cuisines take full advantage of olive oil’s robust flavor and health benefits.

Butter is made from the fat that comes from milk from cows, sheep, goats, horses, and other mammals. Most commercially produced butter in the United States is made from cow’s milk.

Butter making occurs in several stages. Cream that separates from milk is pasteurized (heated at a high temperature) to kill any organisms that might be harmful to human health. Then the cream is placed in a ripening tank for 12 to 15 hours.

There, it goes through another series of heat treatments that give butter a crystalline structure when it cools, helping it to solidify.

The next step is to churn the butter. This process breaks down the fat globules in the cream. The result is that the fat is coagulated into butter grains. The mixture is then separated, the remaining butter paste is worked until it is smooth, and, depending on the producer, it may be salted.

Further variations in processing influence its characteristics, including aroma, taste, color, appearance, and quality. There are numerous butter variations.

Those you find in gourmet markets include a French butter known as beurre (butter) de Charentes. Beurre de Charentes has an ivory color and tastes very rich.

Another European-style butter growing in popularity in the United States is ripened butter, traditionally made in Denmark and the Netherlands, which is softer than regular butter. It also has a slightly tangy taste because lactic acid is added to the cream from which it is made.

More common variations include the following:

Whipped butter - Whipped butter’s name is self-explanatory. It has air beaten into it. The result is that it is slightly lower in fat and calories than regular butter. It is very soft and spreadable.

Light butter - Light butter usually has about half the calories of regular butter. It also generally has less fat and less salt because water is usually added to it.

Unsalted butter - This is butter to which no salt has been added.

Clarified butter - An ingredient in some recipes, clarified butter is butter that has the milk solids removed from it. The advantage is that it has a higher smoke point than regular butter, which increases its cooking versatility.

It also keeps longer than butter and is thought to have a more pure flavor. Clarified butter is similar to a type of butter called ghee that is used in India. Butter should be refrigerated and stored in opaque packaging that prevents light from entering.

In addition, the packaging should seal in moisture to prevent the butter from becoming dehydrated, a process that intensifies its color and detracts from its flavor.

Preparation Tips

Should you use salted butter or unsalted? Although salted butter is the most common type in supermarkets, many serious cooks prefer to use unsalted butter in cooking and baking. Unsalted butter is thought to have a sweeter flavor. In addition, many cooks prefer to control the salt they add to a dish or baked food.

Both light butter and whipped butter work well for toppings, but neither can be substituted for regular butter in recipes for baked goods because of the air or water they contain.

Serving Suggestions

Butter is one of the most versatile cooking ingredients and the foundation of numerous gourmet foods, sauces in particular. Its taste can be enhanced by mixing it with herbs and spices and then refrigerating it again.

One popular flavored butter is garlic butter, which can be made by creaming the desired amount of butter and mashed garlic cloves to taste. Oregano, marjoram, basil, or parsley also can be added. Numerous recipes for flavored butter are available in cookbooks.

Butter’s health drawbacks are well known, however, and thus it should be used selectively. If that special dish simply cannot be made without butter, don’t try to substitute something else. Instead, save the dish for special occasions.

Fats, no matter what their source, play an important role in the food we eat. For centuries, every culture has taken advantage of the unique chemical properties of fats - for example, fats easily absorb other flavors.

Fats also are used to cook foods, add a pleasing texture, impart tenderness to baked goods, and, in societies where food is scarce, increase the calorie content of a food. Fats, therefore, are a basic ingredient in cooking.

The term “fats,” however, is broad, encompassing many different substances - from butter to lard to vegetable oil. All oils, for example, are fats. But not all fats are oils. Although definitions vary, for cooking purposes fats are generally characterized as follows:

Fats - Generally defined as substances that are solid at room temperature, fats include butter, cocoa butter, lard, margarine, suet, and vegetable shortening.

Oils - Oils remain liquid at room temperature. Oils can be made from various plants and seeds: vegetables, olives, rapeseed (from which canola oil is made), sunflower seeds, corn, peanuts, soybeans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, safflower seeds, grapeseed, sesame seed, mustard seed, and coconuts are among the most commonly used.

No matter what form they take, fats are made up of fatty acids, which are the molecular building blocks of fats in the same way that amino acids combine to form protein. At their most basic, fatty acids are molecular chains of hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen atoms.

The differences in the chemical structure of fats make some better for you than others. Sometimes a process called hydrogenation is used to make liquid oils solid at room temperature. This also converts unsaturated fat into trans fat.

Trans fats are used in many processed and fast foods, such as doughnuts, crackers, chips, and french fries. Trans fats also give margarine its butter-like consistency. Trans fats tend to increase your cholesterol level and therefore should be eaten in only limited amounts

Nutrition

Fat is an essential nutrient. Our bodies require small amounts of several fatty acids to build cell membranes and to support life-sustaining functions. That said, the old adage about “too much of a good thing” is appropriate in discussing fat.

Virtually all health experts agree that fat intake should be limited. The federal government, the American Heart Association, and other organizations recommend that fat intake for a healthy individual should be less than 30 percent of total daily calories. They also recommend that less than 8 to 10 percent of total calories come from saturated fat.

Although various kinds of fat have different effects on your blood cholesterol, all foods that are high in fat are high in calories. High-fat foods can easily increase your calories, making it difficult to maintain a healthful weight.

Fat packs more calorie punch than any other type of nutrient group. Per gram, fat has 9 calories (about 100 calories per tablespoon, or 250 calories per ounce). In contrast, protein and carbohydrates have just 4 calories per gram. Because of this, you do not need to eat very much fat before reaching the 30 percent threshold.

If a low-fat diet is good, is an even lower-fat diet better? Not necessarily. Upper limits of fat intake have been established, but the same is not true for lower limits. Talk with your health care provider about the recommended fat intake that is best for you.

Even a low-fat diet can lead to weight gain if you cut back on fat but take in excess calories by ignoring the rest of what you eat. Too many calories from any source result in added pounds. And if they add up to obesity, you are at increased risk for health problems.

Selection

Be discriminating in the type of fat you consume. Limit animal fat (saturated) and trans fats (hydrogenated oils). Instead, use small, sensible amounts of plant-based (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats.

When purchasing products, always check the expiration dates. Rancidity is a concern with any type of fat. Purchasing oils, of which there are dozens of varieties, involves a close reading of the package label.

Most cooks prefer to buy “cold pressed” oils, which means that minimal heat and pressure are used to extract the oil from the original plant or seed. This type of processing is considered important because it allows oil to maintain more of the plant’s natural flavors and textures.

With the exception of extra-virgin olive oil, however, it is difficult to find coldpressed oils.

A good alternative is to use so-called unrefined oils. Unrefined oils are extracted with heat. Unlike other oils, unrefined oils undergo minimal processing after this point. The result is a more flavorful oil and, sometimes, a more darkly colored oil.

Unrefined oils generally include virgin olive oil and corn, nut, soybean, canola, and sesame oils. Unrefined oils break down easily under heat and thus should not be used for deep-frying.

Because deep-fried foods are not typically part of a healthful diet, you should not have to trade a flavorful oil for one with more cooking versatility.

Most oils in your supermarket, however, are not only extracted with heat but also undergo much more processing, including using chemicals to de-gum, refine, bleach, and deodorize the oil. The result? Less flavor.

After experimenting with cold-pressed or unrefined oils, you will likely appreciate the difference between these oils and their more highly processed counterparts.