Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.

Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?

Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?


Thanks for any help.

"kodi" wrote in message
> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>
> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?

I'd make sure I had just 1/2 cup (leveled off), not rounded.
>
> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?
>
I go by the type of potato. I consider russets (or baking potatoes) mealy,
and red potatoes and Yukons waxy. HTH

Dora

kodi wrote:

> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>
> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?
>
> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?
>
> Thanks for any help.

Scant to me means just barely level or a squiggle less. And Yukon golds are
good for everything.
Edrena

"kodi" > wrote in
oups.com:

> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>
> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?
>
> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?
>
>
> Thanks for any help.
>
>

Scant means just under, real close, almost...select the discriptor of
choice.

there are 2 baic types of potatoes....waxy and mealy. A waxy potato is
also called red potato and a mealy potato is also called a white potato.
It isn't that simple but that will do till you try both types. A waxy
potato is better for boiling as it stays firmer. A mealy is better for
baking cause it is fluffier inside. But all gloves are off for the Yukon
potato as it has the better qualities of the 2 kinds combined.

Waxy potatoes have; when cleaned; a almost smooth shiney red skin. Mealie
potatoes on the most part have a rougher brownish skin. Yukon golds have
a almost smooth shiney light brown skin. So now you'll be able to
recognize the 3 standard potatoes offered up for sale at the supermarket.

I prefer the red potato for everything...but that's my personal taste
choice. Other people are more discerning and use the strengths of each
type of potato for various dishes.

--
No Bread Crumbs were hurt in the making of this Meal.
Type 2 Diabetic 1AC 5.6mmol or 101mg/dl
Continuing to be Manitoban

kodi at wrote on 3/15/05 9:44 PM:

> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>
> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?
>
> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?
>
>
> Thanks for any help.
>

You got "scant" right. It means just under whatever the amount is.

Mealy potatoes means not waxy ones. For mealy potatoes, look for bags of
potatoes labeled "Idaho" potatoes or Russet potatoes. They are usually
longer and narrower than other kinds. They also usually have thicker or
rougher skins, and are rather large. Potatoes with smooth skins usually
have smooth, firmer flesh.

And yeah, it really does matter. I don't know what the recipes are for that
you are looking at, but mealier potatoes give off more starch and are
fluffier inside. So if your recipe calls for them, it's because the texture
is correct for whatever you are making. Mashed, baked and french fries are
usually better when when made with "mealy" potatoes, such as Russets.
Waxy potatoes are better suited for salads and other preparations where it's
desirable for the potatoes to hold their shape.

I don't feel quite so dumb!! At least I got the scant part right!!
But I had no idea that potatoes were classified as mealy and/or waxy.
I'd never heard of this.
So, I'll make sure I get mealy ones of rmy recipes.
And it sounds like I should get the red skined ones when I'm making
potato salad.

Thanks so much to everyone.

"kodi" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>
> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?

I had always understood this to mean technically one level cup minus one
tablespoon.

But it's always seemed like kind of a crutch measure used to by pass
sifting (which adds air and makes a lifted scant cup equal in weight to a
sifted level cup), i.e., = about the amount in one level cup sifted.

>
> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?
>

Yes, it can. I would say the two ends of the spectrum are baked potatoes
and cold sliced potaoes in salad, with mashed another potato food whose
outcome varies with the type used.
IMHO "mealy" is a derogatory term where someone is trying to invent a
ward so as to replace the old "baker" or "baking" potato (vs "cooking" or
"boiling" potato), and maybe even slap at the middlin potaoes like yukon
gold.
Reds and whites are boiling potatoes. Russets are baking potaotes.
Yukon gold are compromise potatoes that do neither end well, nor do either
end as poorly as the "wrong" one.
I tried yukon gold and the other new variety (name escapes me) and found
them lacking as boilers (flesh not firm like red and tending to crumble as
slices) and lacking as bakers (does not entrain air in baking nor mashing
like russets, and are somewhat heavy - IME baking them, they are about as
heavy as baking a russet at 350-375 F and do not fluff well for blooming,
unlike baking a russet at 425 F . )

>
> Thanks for any help.
>

"kodi" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>
> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?

See # 2 A

Main Entry: 1scant
Pronunciation: 'skant
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse skamt, neuter of skammr short
1 dialect a : excessively frugal b : not prodigal : CHARY
2 a : barely or scarcely sufficient; especially : not quite coming up to a
stated measure b : lacking in amplitude or quantity
3 : having a small or insufficient supply <he's fat, and scant of breath --
Shakespeare>
synonym see MEAGER
- scant·ly adverb
- scant·ness noun


>
> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?

Much more than you want to know but a starchy potato like a russett (non
Waxy Flesh)

http://www.epicurious.com/cooking/ho...13&submit.y=10


Dimitri

"limey" wrote in message
>
> "kodi" wrote in message
>> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
>> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>>
>> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
>> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?
>
> I'd make sure I had just 1/2 cup (leveled off), not rounded.
>>
>> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
>> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?
>>
> I go by the type of potato. I consider russets (or baking potatoes)
> mealy, and red potatoes and Yukons waxy. HTH
>
> Dora

I buy Yukons only when they're the new crop - then they are waxy.

Dora

kodi wrote:
> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>
> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean?
I'm
> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?
>
> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes.
How
> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really
matter?
>
>
> Thanks for any help.

Scant means the same in cooking as it does in oiling a sewing machine.

In cooking "scant" means not to be generous. Since it's not humanly
possible to measure *precisely* and certainly not by eye (especially
volumes) and since one must in all cases interpolate, then as best you
are able err towards the low side of the mark. Where ingredients can
have a profound negative effect on the outcome (ie. salt, thickeners,
leavening, etc.) it behooves to go scantilly, as it's easy to add more
but impossible to remove any. A good cook knows innately to be less
than generous with certain ingredients, like salt, and therefore will
always measure a little less without being told, because it's ALWAYS
better to slightly undersalt rather than to oversalt, even
pickling/curing brines. In the end "scant" is strictly your call.

scant cup
in my old method is fluff the flour with air
you might call it sifting

and level with a knife

"kodi" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Well, I'm not much of a cook, and I've just bought a new cook book.
> There are a couple of terms I'm not at all familiar with.
>
> Many of the recipes call for 'scant' 1/2 cup . What does this mean? I'm
> thinking it must mean just under 1/2 cup. Is this right?
>
> Also, when talking about potatoes, it says to use 'mealy' potatoes. How
> on earth do I know which potatoes are mealy? And does it really matter?
>
>
> Thanks for any help.
>