Cooking Like Grandma: Explaining 15 Previous-Faculty Culinary Phrases

It’s fun to revisit old books and try a vintage recipe, though the terminology in the recipes can be difficult to follow. Cooking techniques have stuck around, though the terms have changed. Getting stumped by some of the language in vintage cookbooks can interfere with the cooking process. Thus, understanding some of the older cooking rhetoric is key to making delicious retro meals.

1. Wire Whip

Julia Child was one of the first TV chefs; many still refer to her cookbooks. You’ll often hear her refer to using a wire whip; however, if you look at her show, you can see she’s using a wire whisk.

2. Butter the Size of a Walnut

Although it may seem a simple instruction to many, it can be difficult to conceptualize measurements. Back then, walnuts and other raw ingredients weren’t exclusively stored in specialty shops, and people had wider access to them. These days, no one is going to stroll to Whole Foods and eyeball something to determine how much butter a recipe needs. I think it’s best to measure with your heart when cooking, but if you want to stick to the instructions, a walnut’s worth of butter is two to three tablespoons.

3. A Tin Cup

A tin cup of flour is about half a cup: think the equivalent of a small can of Campbell’s soup. For non-Americans, that’s 62 grams.

4. Coddled Egg

Many home chefs will be familiar with this way of cooking eggs. It’s similar to poaching, resulting in firm whites and a runny yolk, but instead of cooking the egg in water, you’re going to cook it in a small dish or ramekin that you place in the cooking liquid. The ramekin will heat up and slowly cook the egg, resulting in a delicate and delicious breakfast addition.

5. Mock Apple Pie

A recipe from the Great Depression era can still be found in older cookbooks. Mock Apple Pie was a popular comfort food of the time, and it imitated the flavor and texture of apples using crackers, cinnamon, and sugar. If you’re low on cash or simply don’t feel like making your crust, this is the recipe for you.

6. Confusing Oven Temperatures

Like most technology, ovens have radically changed in the last sixty years. The precise machines with custom temperatures in our homes today were not standard back then. As such, cookbooks of the day requested you preheat your oven to “quick,” “hot,” and “moderate.” These terms refer to temperature ranges rather than an exact oven temp.

7. Green Bacon

Green bacon isn’t formed when you leave the meat out of the fridge for too long- and by the way, if your bacon is green, throw it out immediately. This is simply another word for cured.

8. Bray

What on earth are we supposed to do when asked to bray our ingredients? Braying can mean making the sound of a donkey, but that seems unlikely. Instead, to bray means to grind, usually with a pestle and mortar.

9. Seethe

Don’t get angry with your food when you see this term. It merely means to heat a liquid. Some interpret seethe as an instruction to boil; however, simmering is sufficient.

10. Blanching

There are so many terms for heating water, so it’s no surprise everyone is confused. To blanch your ingredients, scald vegetables in boiling water for a short period. Remove them when the flesh becomes white.

11. Shortening

You can hustle out to the store to buy a container of Crisco. However, shortening refers to any solid fat kept at room temperature.

12. Folding

Folding is the act of combining two ingredients, but it is tricky to explain. The ingredients you’re mixing have to be of two different densities and textures. Don’t expect the help of Moira and David Schitt if you’re struggling with this part of your recipe.

13. Aspic

One food that has passed into history is aspic, and I’m pleased to see it go. Aspic is a savory jelly containing meat, fish, or vegetables. After tasting eels in aspic, I think this dish should stay in the 1950s.

14. Coffin

This sounds alarming, but it’s not as sinister as it sounds. The term may be spelled “coffin” or “coffyn,” but whichever version is used, it refers to a free-standing pastry.

15. Salad Oil

More than one amateur chef has searched for salad oil, only to discover that such a product doesn’t exist. The term can refer to any light oil used in a salad dressing, like olive oil.