W

White Soda
A sweet quick bread, usually with currants or raisins, leavened with buttermilk and baking soda.

White Tequila
A tequila that requires no aging and is sold right after distillation.

Whitefish
Found in lakes and streams throughout North America, the whitefish is a member of the Salmon family. Its high-fat, mild-flavored flesh is firm and white. Fresh whitefish can be found year-round and are generally marketed whole (from 2 to 6 pounds) or in fillets. They’re also available frozen and smoked, Whitefish can be poached, baked, broiled or grilled. The Roe can be used for caviar or cooked.

Whiting
Small gray and silver fish related to both Cod and Hake. They’re sometimes called silver bake. The whiting’s lowfat flesh is white, firm textured and delicately flavored. The fish weighs between 1 and 5 pounds and is marketed (fresh and frozen) both whole and in fillets. Whiting is also available salted and smoked. It can be poached, steamed, broiled, pan-fried or baked.

Wiener Schnitzel; Wienerschnitzel
German for Viennese cutlet, this famous Viennese dish actually originated in France. It’s a veal scallop that is dipped in flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs before being sautéed. Wiener schnitzel is usually garnished with lemon slices and sometimes hard-cooked egg, anchovies or capers.

Wild Limes
Small round tropical fruit with a sharp grapefruit lime flavor.

Wild pecan rice
Hailing from Louisiana, this Aromatic Rice is a hybrid (its parents have no relation to either wild rice or pecans) with a rich, nutty flavor and a cooked fragrance akin to popcorn. It’s also called simply pecan rice, and is available in gourmet markets and some supermarkets.

Wild rice
Known for its luxurious nutty flavor and chewy texture, wild rice isn’t really rice at all. Instead, it’s a long-grain marsh grass native to the northern Great Lakes area, where it’s harvested by the local Indians. There’s also now commercial wild rice production in California, as well as several Midwest states. It’s important to clean wild rice thoroughly before cooking it. The best method is to place the rice in a medium bowl and fill it with cold water. Give it a couple of stirs and set aside for a few minutes. Any debris will float to the surface and the water can then be poured off. Depending on the method used, wild rice can take up to an hour to cook; overcooking will produce starchy results. Admittedly, wild rice is expensive, but combining it with brown rice or Bulghur Wheat extends both pleasure and budget. Wild rice is also called Indian rice.

Wild Rosella Flowers
Scarlet colored petals of a naturalized tropical climber related to the native Hibiscus, they impart a crisp, berry-rhubarb flavor.

Wild Spirit Liqueur
A distinct raspberry/chocolate flavored schnapps.

Wildberry Schnapps
It is a sweet liqueur made of wild fruit, berries and cherries. 23 per cent alcohol per volume.

Wine
Unless otherwise specified, wine refers to the naturally fermented juice of grapes. More broadly, the term can include alcoholic beverages created from other fruits and even vegetables. Wine has a rich history that has evolved along with that of humankind. its historical roots reach back almost 12,000 years. As various cultures spread out into new parts of the world, so did the grapevine and the art of winemaking. Today there are vineyards throughout the world with good wine being produced in far-ranging locations from the United States to South Africa to Australia to South America to Europe. Wine is broadly classified in the following categories: 1. still (non-sparkling) wines—-including red, white and rose’ — which can be Dry (non-sweet), semisweet and sweet; 2. Sparkling wines, including French Champagnes as well as effervescent wines from other parts of the world; 3. Fortified wines, such as Sherry and Port, which have been augmented with a dose of Brandy or other spirit; and 4. Aromatic wines, such as Vermouth, which have been flavored with ingredients like herbs or spices. Vintage wine is that which is made with 95 percent of the grapes harvested in a specific year; the year or vintage is indicated on the wine label. Non-vintage wine is made from the juice of grapes harvested from several years; there’s no year noted on the label of such wine. Blush Wines are made with red grapes, but the juice has had a very brief contact with the grape skins, which produces pale pink wines. Wine storage locations should be dark, vibration free and at an even temperature. The ideal temperature is 55 degrees F, however, anywhere from 45 degrees to 70 degrees F is acceptable, providing the temperature is consistent. The higher the temperature, the faster a wine will age. Wine bottles should be stored on their sides to prevent the cork from drying and shrinking, which would allow air to enter the bottle and disrupt the wine’s flavor. Serving temperatures: White wine should be served at a range of between 50 degrees and 55 degrees F; red wine at around 65 degrees F. Refrigerating white wine for more than 2 hours before serving can dull its flavor and aroma. Avoid drips when pouring wine by giving the bottle a slight twist just as you finish pouring.

Wine bottles
Since 1979, metric standards have been in use in the United States and the standard wine bottle size was set at 750 milliliters (ml) or approximately 25.4 ounces, which is almost exactly equivalent to an American fifth (4/5 of a quart or 25.6 ounces). In answer to the stricter driving/alcohol limits in many U.S. states, the wine industry recently introduced a new 500-ml bottle size, which is 2/3 of a standard bottle. In France’s Beaujolais area a 500-ml bottle (which they call a Pot) has long been used. In the United States, other legal bottle sizes include 50 ml, 100 ml, 187 ml, 375 ml, 1 liter, 1.5 liter and 3 liter. Wine may also be bottled in sizes larger than 3 liters if the capacity is in even liter sizes-4 liters, 5 liters, 6 liters, etc. Other bottle terminology, although not legally defined in the United States, is still sometimes used in wine circles. These terms, which include French bottle descriptions and approximate bottle sizes are: Split — equivalent to 187 ml or 1/4 of a standard wine bottle; Half bottle — 375 ml, Magnum — 1.5 liters / 2 standard bottles; Double Magnum — 3 liters / 4 standard bottles (in Bordeaux); Jeroboam — 3 liters / 4 standard bottles (in Champagne) or 4.5 liters / 6 standard bottles (in Bordeaux), Rehoboam — 4.5 liters / 6 standard bottles (in Champagne); Methusaleh — 6 liters / 8 standard bottles (in Champagne); Imperial — 6 liters / 8 standard bottles (in Bordeaux); Salmanazar — 9 liters / 12 standard bottles; Balthazar — 12 liters / 16 standard bottles; and Nebuchadnezzar — 15 liters / 20 standard bottles.

Wines
German wines are produced throughout the wine growing regions of Ahr, Mittelrhein, Mosel-Saar Ruwer, Rheingau, Nahe, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Franken, Hessische Bergstrasse, Wuerttemberg, Baden, Saale-Unstrut and Sachsen.

Winged bean
Also called goa bean, this tropical Legume is rapidly becoming a staple throughout the poorer regions of the world where it grows. The reasons are basic: it grows quickly, is disease resistant and is high in protein. The winged bean is also valued because it’s entirely edible, including the shoots, flowers, roots, leaves, pods and seeds. The pods, which can be green, purple or various shades of red, are four-sided and flare from the center into ruffled ridges or wings. These beans have a flavor similar to that of a Cranberry Bean with a hint of Green Bean. The texture is like that of a starchy green bean. Winged beans may be found in specialty produce markets and some supermarkets. Choose small beans with no sign of discoloration Refrigerate, tightly wrapped in a plastic bag, for up to 3 days. Wash and trim before using. Winged beans may be prepared in any way suitable for green beans.