Having watched more cooking shows that I care to think, I've become curious
as to the history of usage of the word "off" when describing cooking steps.
We hear "... to sear off", "...to bake off", "...to boil off", "...to saute
off", etc. In every case, the word "off" is superfluous. Does anyone know
how this usage came about and why?

Thanks in advance.

Tom

--
Tom Royer
If you're not free to fail, you're not free. -- Gene Burns