Glossary Terms com a letra B

Bacon: cured, smoked pork cut that adds smoky flavor and crunch to pastas, feijoada and farofas.

Baião de dois: rice and beans cooked together with carne-seca and coalho cheese — characteristics and variations.

Baker's yeast makes soft, fluffy breads. Learn fresh vs dry types, how to proof it and when to use it.

Baking pan: low or high-sided oven vessel for baking pies, lasagnas, cakes and meats evenly.

Baking powder makes cakes and pies rise with no wait. Learn how it works, how it differs from yeast and easy swaps.

Banana: nanica, prata and plantain varieties, uses in cakes and smoothies, swaps and ripening tips.

Basil: sweet-scented herb, the base of pesto and margherita pizza with tomato and mozzarella.

Beans: what they are, types like black, carioca and black-eyed peas, how to cook and season, plus swaps.

Beating egg whites to stiff peaks turns them into a firm foam for soufflés, mousses and puddings. See how to get it right.

Beef: what it is, cut characteristics, kitchen uses, substitutions, and tips to get it right.

Bell pepper: crisp, colorful vegetable that adds flavor to stir-fries, caponata, salads and Asian-style dishes.

Black pepper: what it is, characteristics, kitchen uses, substitutions and facts about the queen of spices.

Blanching means briefly cooking vegetables in boiling water, then shocking in ice water. Learn how.

Blender: the blade jar appliance that blends, beats and mixes batters, soups, juices and creams.

Bobó: what it is, characteristics, variations and fun facts about Bahia's cassava cream with shrimp and dendê oil.

Boiling: cooking food in hot liquid, from pasta to soups. Key points, uses and variations.

Bolo de rolo: Pernambuco's thin-layered rolled cake with guava paste and its signature spiral cut.

Brazil nut: what it is, how to use it in farofa, cakes and breads, storage and substitutions.

Brazilian milk pudding: what it is, texture, variations and fun facts about the beloved caramel dessert.

Brazilian sausage (linguiça): types calabresa, toscana and paio, uses in feijoada, pizza and barbecue, swaps and tips.