Mixed Deck — All Cooking Lessons Topics Flashcards

A menu item sells for $14.00 and its food cost is $4.90. What is its food cost percentage?

Answer: 35%

Food cost percentage equals cost divided by selling price: $4.90 ÷ $14.00 = 0.35, or 35%.

Which of the following best describes a 'beurre blanc' sauce?

Answer: An emulsified butter sauce made from a white wine and shallot reduction

Beurre blanc is a warm emulsified sauce created by whisking cold butter into a shallot-and-white-wine reduction.

The technique of briefly immersing tomatoes or peaches in boiling water, then transferring them to ice water, is used to accomplish what?

Answer: Loosen and slip off the skin easily

The rapid heat expansion followed by cold contraction causes the skin to separate from the flesh, making it easy to peel without a knife.

In the creaming method for making cookies and cakes, what is the primary purpose of beating butter and sugar together until light and fluffy?

Answer: To incorporate air, which acts as a mechanical leavener.

The primary purpose of creaming butter and sugar is to incorporate air into the mixture. The sharp edges of the sugar crystals cut into the butter, creating thousands of tiny air pockets. These pockets expand when heated in the oven, helping the baked good to rise and creating a tender, light texture.

What is 'skimming' in stock-making?

Answer: Removing fat and gray foam (scum) that rises to the surface

Skimming removes the impurities and coagulated proteins (scum) that rise to the surface during the early stages of simmering for a cleaner stock.

What knife technique produces thin ribbon-like strips from leafy vegetables such as basil or spinach?

Answer: Chiffonade

Chiffonade is made by stacking leaves, rolling them tightly, and slicing crosswise into thin ribbons, often used as a garnish.

What is the primary purpose of brining poultry before cooking?

Answer: To increase moisture retention and season the meat throughout

Brining allows salt and water to penetrate the muscle fibers, helping retain moisture during cooking and seasoning the meat from the inside out.

What ingredient distinguishes sauce Robert from plain espagnole derivatives?

Answer: Mustard and onions

Sauce Robert is built on a base of sautéed onions, white wine, and finished with dry mustard, making it a classic derivative of espagnole.

You need to hold a hollandaise sauce for service. Why is this sauce notoriously unstable?

Answer: It is a delicate warm emulsion that can break with temperature changes

Hollandaise is a warm butter-and-yolk emulsion that separates if it gets too hot or too cold.

Which ingredient is a classic source of umami in Japanese cooking?

Answer: Kombu (dried kelp)

Kombu is rich in glutamates, the compounds responsible for umami, and forms the base of dashi.

Why should you measure flour by weight rather than by volume cups?

Answer: Weight is consistent, while a scooped cup can vary by 20% or more

Flour compacts unpredictably in cups, so weighing gives repeatable, accurate results.

What temperature range of water is ideal for activating active dry yeast?

Answer: 105-115°F

Water at 105-115°F wakes yeast efficiently; hotter water can kill it and colder water slows activation.

Which of the five French mother sauces is thickened with a blond roux and made from white stock such as chicken or veal?

Answer: Velouté

Velouté is built on a light stock thickened with a blond roux.

What is a mirepoix?

Answer: A classic aromatic base of onion, carrot, and celery

Mirepoix is a foundational aromatic combination of roughly 50% onion, 25% carrot, and 25% celery used to build flavor in stocks and soups.

A chef wants to mellow the harsh bite of raw garlic in a vinaigrette. What is the best approach?

Answer: Let the minced garlic sit in the acid before mixing

Resting garlic in vinegar or citrus tames its sharp allicin-driven pungency before serving.

Why should stock never be boiled vigorously during cooking?

Answer: It causes fat and impurities to emulsify into the liquid, making it cloudy

A rolling boil agitates the fat and proteins, causing them to emulsify into the stock and produce a greasy, cloudy result.

How should a food handler correctly thaw frozen meat?

Answer: In the refrigerator at 41°F or below

Thawing in the refrigerator keeps meat below 41°F throughout, preventing bacterial growth in the outer layers while the center thaws.

Which cut would you use to produce flat, thin square pieces about 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/8 inch, often for garnishing soups?

Answer: Paysanne

Paysanne is a thin, flat cut about 1/2 x 1/2 x 1/8 inch commonly used in rustic soups.

Which spice pairing is traditionally used in American pumpkin pie to create its signature warm flavor profile?

Answer: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves

Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves — warm spices that complement the squash's mild sweetness.

What is the primary purpose of the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) system in a professional kitchen?

Answer: To ensure that older food stock is used before newer stock to prevent spoilage.

FIFO stands for First-In, First-Out. It is a stock rotation system designed to ensure that food products that were received first (and are likely closer to their expiration dates) are used before newer items. This practice minimizes food waste and reduces the risk of using expired products.