emerit Line Cook (TCP) flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Temperature Danger Zone

The range from 41°F to 135°F (5°C to 57°C) in which bacteria multiply fastest. Foods held in this range accumulate time toward the four-hour limit.

Two-stage cooling

Cool cooked food from 135°F to 70°F within two hours, then from 70°F to 41°F within four more hours, for a six-hour total maximum.

FIFO rotation

First in, first out: older stock is used before newer stock. New deliveries go behind or below existing product, and every container is dated at prep.

Class K extinguisher

A wet chemical extinguisher for cooking oils and fats in commercial fryers. The alkaline agent saponifies hot fat; water on a grease fire causes violent spattering.

PASS technique

Pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle, and sweep side to side. Aiming at flames above a grease fire spreads burning oil.

Burn first aid

Cool a burn under running water for at least twenty minutes. Never apply ice, butter, or ointment, and never rupture blisters.

Knife pinch grip

Grip the blade between thumb and index finger just ahead of the bolster, with the remaining fingers wrapped around the handle. This gives maximum control.

Honing versus sharpening

Honing realigns a rolled edge on a steel and is done frequently. Sharpening grinds away metal on a whetstone or grinder and is done rarely.

Julienne cut

A stick cut about 1/8 inch by 1/8 inch by 2 inches. Cut planks first, then stack and cut sticks of even thickness for uniform cooking.

Mise en place

French for everything in place: all ingredients measured and cut, tools ready, and the station set before service begins.

Baker's percentage

A formula where total flour weight equals 100 percent and every other ingredient is expressed as a percentage of that flour weight. Hydration is water divided by flour.

Maillard reaction

Browning of proteins and sugars that begins around 300°F (150°C) and requires a dry surface. It produces the savory crust on seared and roasted foods.

Carryover cooking

Heat continues moving inward after food leaves the oven, raising internal temperature by roughly 5 to 10 degrees. Pull large roasts below target and rest them.

Smoke point

The temperature at which a fat begins to smoke and break down. Butter is about 300°F, extra-virgin olive oil about 375°F, and refined peanut oil about 450°F.

Blanching and shocking

Boil briefly, then plunge into ice water to stop carryover cooking and set color. Vegetables are then drained, dried, and reheated to order.

Waxy versus starchy potatoes

Waxy potatoes hold shape and suit salads and roasting. Starchy russets mash light and fry crisp. Choosing the wrong type ruins texture.

Resting meat

Letting cooked meat stand five to twenty minutes so juices redistribute through the muscle. Slicing immediately loses juice to the cutting board.

Mirepoix

A flavor base of two parts onion, one part carrot, and one part celery by weight, used in stocks, soups, and braises.

Roux stages

Equal weights of flour and fat cooked to white, blond, or brown stages. Longer cooking darkens color, deepens flavor, and reduces thickening power.

Mother sauces

The five foundational sauces: béchamel, velouté, espagnole, tomato, and hollandaise. Most classic sauces are built from one of these.

Hollandaise emulsion

Warm clarified butter whisked slowly into egg yolks over gentle heat to form a stable emulsion. If it breaks, re-emulsify with a fresh yolk and water.

TTAP plate check

Taste, temperature, appearance, and portion size: the four checks every plate must pass before it leaves the pass.

Plate rim rule

Keep the rim clean and free of fingerprints, sauce, and garnish. The food focal point sits slightly below center for visual balance.

Edible garnish only

Every garnish must be edible and small enough to eat in one bite. Non-edible decoration on a plate is a quality and safety failure.

The pass

The expediter's station where finished plates are checked, garnished, and sequenced for service. It controls the order in which dishes leave the kitchen.

Call and response

The caller names the item and station; the station repeats it back to confirm the ticket. This prevents dropped or duplicated orders during service.

Fire long-cook items first

Start long-cooking items before quick ones so all components of a table finish together. Sauté and fried items are fired last.

Food cost percentage

Cost of goods sold divided by food sales, multiplied by 100. A 30 percent food cost means thirty cents of food per dollar of sales.

Inventory turnover

Cost of goods sold divided by average inventory value. Higher turnover means fresher stock and less money tied up in storage.

Usable yield percentage

Usable weight divided by as-purchased weight. It converts a recipe's usable amount into the amount that must be ordered from the supplier.

Waste log

A written record of every discarded item with quantity and reason code. It exposes ordering errors, storage failures, and portion creep.

Sanitizer test strips

Strips verify sanitizer strength: chlorine 50 to 100 ppm, quaternary ammonium 200 to 400 ppm, iodine 12.5 to 25 ppm. Soiled solution must be replaced.