Which term describes briefly cooking food then stopping cooking with an ice bath?

• A. Blanching
• B. Parboiling
• C. Steeping
• D. Poaching

Answer: (A)

Blanching is briefly cooking food in boiling water and then stopping the cooking with an ice bath. This quick heat exposure softens the surface and helps set color and texture, while plunging into ice water immediately halts the cooking so the item stays bright and crisp-tender rather than becoming overcooked. It’s also a handy step for loosening skins or preparing vegetables for freezing or further cooking.

Parboiling, in contrast, means partially cooking in water and often finishes by another method, not typically followed by an ice bath to stop cooking. Steeping is soaking in liquid to extract flavors, usually without any brief heat and no rapid cooling. Poaching involves cooking gently in simmering liquid and continues cooking in that liquid, not stopped by an ice bath.