Maverick wrote:

> Ok, this is where being a novice in the cooking world comes to life for
> me. I know what I'm doing when it comes to, say, sauteing (or sweating)
> some diced onions for my sauce but I don't know the correct culinary terms
> for what I'm doing. What the hell is the difference between a saute and a
> sweat? About the only difference I can see between them is the temp
> difference. Is there more to it than that?

Besides the difference in cooking temperatures, a sauté is done in an open
pan, while a sweat is done in a covered pan.

The aims of the two are very different: In a sauté, your intent is to cook
the ingredients quickly, with a bit of crispness occurring around the edges.
When you sweat ingredients, you're generally trying to get them to exude
juices and soften.

Bob