I need a word and can't find it:

1. 77

   Shadesbreathposted 16 years ago

   Ok, so I've searched every damn possible way I can think of and can't find the word I need.  Even my wife, an incredible cook, doesn't know the word even though she can do the thing I'm looking to name.  So, here's what it is:
   
   
   Chefs do this thing with a frying pan when they are cooking like some veggies or whatever, where they raise the frying pan off the stove a bit and, in a real quick motion, sort of push the frying pan forward and up, tossing the contents sliding up off the far edge into the air and then moving the pan back beneath them.  It's a real fancy looking way of stirring stuff, they just sort of, flip, flip, flip real fast and then set the pan back down.
   
   What is that movement/technique called?
   
   Please help, it's for a novella I'm working on and I can't find that fricking word no matter where I look.  If you people don't know, I'm going to have to start calling restaurants.

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2. 57

   Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

   Tossing

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3. 77

   Shadesbreathposted 16 years ago

   That can't possibly be it.  There has to be an actual name.  (Doesn't there?)

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      guidebabaposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      You should AGREE to Mr. Mark or GO Here:
      TOSSING

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      1. 57

         Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

         
         
         Thanks guidebaba
         
         Alex - Flambé
         
         I believe we English speakers use the French word.

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4. 57

   Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

   
   
   I am going to give up answering questions
   
   That is the "actual name."
   
   Here is a chef "tossing" vegetables in a pan.
   
   http://videos.howstuffworks.com/ming-ea … -video.htm
   
   And here is a wikipedia article on "tossing" pancakes.
   
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrove_Tuesday
   
   "And tosse their Pancakes up for feare they burne." William Fennor 1634.
   
   That is what it is called . Tossing.

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5. 57

   Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

   It sounds more sophisticated in French.
   
   "Lancer."
   
   Just say it with a French accent

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6. 57

   broalexdotinfoposted 16 years ago

   I have been logged out when I tried to comment on this thread.

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7. 57

   broalexdotinfoposted 16 years ago

   What do they call that action of lighting something up in flames?
   
   "Flambare" it`s in Romanian.

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8. 57

   broalexdotinfoposted 16 years ago

   Thanks Mark.
   Anyone likes Flambe Bananas for dessert?

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9. 0

   Ananta65posted 16 years ago

   Flambé is not the same as tossing, I think. When you make a dish 'flambé' that means that you pour a liquor in the pan and hold the pan in such a way, that the alcohol can catch fire. There will be flames on the meat (or icecream, or whatever dish you are cooking), hence the term: flambé

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   1. 57

      Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, you may want to scroll up. The conversation has moved on....

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      1. 77

         Princessaposted 16 years agoin reply to this

         what if you just toss the bananas in a frying pan and them flambe the whole thing with some rhum... 

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         1. 57

            Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

            I must confess to never having tried to toss burning bananas.
            
            Let me know how it goes   

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      Just_Rodneyposted 16 years agoin reply to this

      Correct, fllame - flambe'.

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10. 77

    ngurecoposted 16 years ago

    It's called tossing veggies or whatever.

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11. 0

    Ananta65posted 16 years ago

    You're right, Mark. One of the messages had escaped my attention

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12. 61

    Marian Swiftposted 16 years ago

    The burning bananas flambé thingy is called "Bananas Foster."
    
    The skillet thing is called "sauté."  (Which comes from the French "to toss," but being a wimp, I just use a kitchen fork.  So I'll leave it to somebody else to combine the two.)

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13. 69

    Christoph Reillyposted 16 years ago

    Everybody step aside, please. A professional stepping through. Move aside...excuse me....pardon me....OK!
    
    There is some truth in all you say, however, tossing can be accomplished any old way, with a spatula for example. What do chefs call the technique of tossing in the pan without any tools, is, I think, the question. (Well, I don't think it...that IS the question.)
    
    A professional chef calls this move "toss-turning". So, you can toss the saute'ing vegetables with tongs, or you can toss them with a "toss-turn". Whether you like the answer or not doesn't matter. That is what chef's call it, period. See this reference at cheftalk.com.
    
    
    http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/cooking- … r-fry.html
    
    Thank you.

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    1. 57

       Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       It was called "tossing" in 1634. Adjusting the word to suit American abilities to understand English words will not change that.
       
       Y'all sure it ain't fryin' 'n' flippin' ?
       
       

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14. 77

    Shadesbreathposted 16 years ago

    Well for starters, I can't believe it's been six hours since I asked that.  My god.  I freaking love how immersed you can get in a story sometimes. 
    
    Ok, so really is "tossing" (Sorry to doubt you Mark, I'd already used that term and it just seemed so... well... unofficial.)
    
    Or "toss turning" as Christoph said. 
    
    Thanks a bunch you guys.

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    1. 58

       aishaazizuddinposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       well i think its flipping may be

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15. 69

    Christoph Reillyposted 16 years ago

    Ok, so the threads over, however, Mark: Your Ming video shows how to toss vegetables just using the pan. He does not say that's what tossing means. Guidebaba: Your reference says tossing is either by using two spoons or just using the pan, totally supporting my argumant.
    
    To say this is just an american term is unfair. Besides, we are in america and we'll call whatever we please, but culinary wise, we take our cues from the French and so this term is probably not objectionable to them. As for citing a reference from hundreds of years ago, they probably didn't even know how to toss in a pan without using utensils. There certainly is no evidence that the author meant tossing in the pan by moving the pan in a flipping motion.
    
    Ok I'm done. Go ahead and toss your dinner, but use the tongs so you don't get food all over yourself.

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    1. 59

       guidebabaposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       It is Globally Accepted ENGLISH TERM. Yes, calling it an American Term is unfair.

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16. 57

    Mark Knowlesposted 16 years ago

    
    
    The reference was to tossing pancakes - without utensils.

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17. 77

    Shadesbreathposted 16 years ago

    Hmm.. maybe it's not over.  I've found the pan cake flipping thing too.
    
    If there's any chefs out there that know for 100% certain, please still feel free to post.  I'll be watching this thread just in case, but for now "tossing" is the term I used.

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    Eric Graudinsposted 16 years ago

    I'd bet on Mark's suggestion, as he's very experienced as a chef.
    
    As well as being about the biggest tosser on hub Pages 

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    1. 57

       Mark Knowlesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Now, I didn't want to go there, but as you have brought it up..............

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    aishaazizuddinposted 16 years ago

    well a another word for u its  "jactitating".

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       Shadesbreathposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Looking that up it appears to have lost its infinitive form and remains only in two forms "jactation" and "jactitation" which are very similar (having to do with boasts, albeit one false and largely a legal term and the other boasting more generally).  Both are 16th-17th century and clearly remain as the last vestiges of dying word that did, admittedly, at one point have to do with "tossing about" but largely in a sense of physical violence.
       
       While not what I was looking for, that was an interesting side trip.  Thanks anyway, Aish.

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20. 75

    spryteposted 16 years ago

    I was pretty sure the terminology you were looking for was merely the word saute...but I had to find some proof...so, from www.culinaryseductions.com I deliver this...
    
    "Sauté
    
    Sautéing is cooking food in a wide, shallow pan, using a small amount of oil or fat, over high heat. Often the words sautéing and pan frying are used interchangeably, but sautéing typically refers to cooking smaller foods in this manner, such as string beans or chopped onions,
    
    The word "sauté" is one of the sexiest sounding cooking techniques, probably because it comes from the French word "sauter," meaning "to jump." This is because chefs usually shake a sauté pan back and forth to keep the food "jumping." Sometimes they'll launch the food into the air and recatch it. Think how impressive this can be in front of a girl. Just be sure to practice first with cold food until you've got the technique down. Burning yourself or your date while trying to show off with flying food is not sexy!"
    
    I am...the word geek.

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21. 77

    Shadesbreathposted 16 years ago

    Hmm, thanks Spryte.  I thought about that one too, but I think that, at least in America, sauté conjures up a simple image of stuff frying in a pan.  I'm not sure people associate it with the toss itself.  Do you?
    
    Hmm.  I need to chew on that one.  I like the accent on the word though, that would work well with an underlying French thing the story has going on.
    
    Thank you very much for taking the time Spryte.  I may use that afterall.  You've given the word more confidence for me.

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22. 75

    spryteposted 16 years ago

    That's what kinda confused me too...it's such an obvious answer to your question, but when I fry things...I don't flip them around.  It's too dangerous since to fry something requires a certain depth of oil.  Now with a good sauté...you don't have a lot of oil or butter in the pan and it's fairly to safe to toss them, flip them and make them jump to your heart's content...
    
    I think whatever you use will deliver the proper image with whatever you have going on around it.  If it's a French mood...I'd go with sauté.  If the story is about Bubba and Mary Joe cooking up the latest roadkill...tossing would work. 

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    1. 77

       Shadesbreathposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Funny you should say that, it's very close to being about both.  LOL

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          Eric Graudinsposted 16 years agoin reply to this

          Well there's your solution.
          The term to use is obviously "Saute toss"

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             Shadesbreathposted 16 years agoin reply to this

             I'll have my character say, "I reckon I'll toss me a sauté" and call it quits.

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                Just_Rodneyposted 16 years agoin reply to this

                You could add an old tune -"Do the Boogy Woogy and Shake it all about"
                                                     - THE HOKEY POKEY-

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          spryteposted 16 years agoin reply to this

          I'm going to choose to feel special...and not frightened at all.  Nope...not one bit. 

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23. 59

    B.T. Evilpantsposted 16 years ago

    Well why didn't you say so? When I'm cooking roadkill, I prefer to sweat the vegetables. It's like sauteing, but over much lower heat. That way they get tender, and translucent, without any caramelization. It's a great technique for possum and forty cloves!

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    akeejahoposted 16 years ago

    I know!  I know!  Oooh!  It's called!
    
    Making work for the person who has to clean the range top! 

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    1. 67

       Just_Rodneyposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       In the hands of the correct chef, that is definaitly the term needed

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