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Bill Briwa, Chief Instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, on fried foods:

• To dredge means to pass food through a powdery substance in order to coat it.
  
• All foods, except those rich in starch, should be passed through flour, coated, dipped in batter, eggs or bread crumbs.
  
• Smelt is a small, silvery fish that migrates between fresh and salt water.
  
• Fish and shellfish benefit for a light coating of flower to give texture and crispiness.
  
• Pre-cooked foods should be fried at a higher temperature. This will reheat the food while burning the exterior.
  
• Make sure the pieces of food are uniform, as foods the same size will cook in the same amount of time.
  
• Raw Foods take longer to cook and should cook at a lower temperature to prevent the exterior from burning.
  
• Smoke point is a stage at which fat begins to smoke and emit foul odors.
  
• Oils can be heated between 300-500 degrees F depending upon the type of oil and cooking methods used.
  
• An adequate amount of oil for frying most foods is 4 cups.

Frying Methods and Equipment

• Stir frying means to stir food quickly in a small amount of fat.
  
• Shallow frying seals the surface of the food and often no further cooking is needed.
  
• Never use water on a grease fire. Instead use baking soda or simply cover the pan with a lid.
  
• Deep fat frying immerses the food completely in hot oil to provide even cooking.
  
• Oil can be reused as long as it has not been overheated.

Bill Briwa, Chef
Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
St. Helena, Calif.
707-967-1100
www.ciachef.edu