W

Wakame (Alaria)
A very delicate member of the kelp family, wakame is most traditionally used in miso soups
and tender salads. It requires only a brief soaking and short cooking time and has a very
gentle flavor, so it is a great way to add sea vegetables to your diet.

Wasabi
A very potent root, compared to horseradish in taste. Quite hot, wasabi adds quite a kick as a
condiment or as an ingredient, so use it sparingly until you become familiar with its potency.

Wheat
Called the "staff of life," wheat has been the mainstay of foods in temperate climates since the
dawn of time. As long ago as 4000 BC, Egyptians were cultivating yeast and baking exotic
breads for their royalty. From there, wheat spread throughout the Roman Empire and
eventually, the rest of the world.
There are may strains of wheat, classified as "hardness" or "softness." Hard, winter wheat is
high in gluten and is best for breads, while softer wheats work best in cakes and pastries.
Hard durum wheat and its by-product, semolina are the principal ingredients in most pasta and
macaroni. White flour, bleached and unbleached, has been stripped of most of its nutritional
value and makes the soft, puffy pastry and bread commercially produced today.
Cous cous is made from refined cracked wheat; bulgur is a strain of wheat that has had the
outer bran removed and is then boiled and cracked.
Whole wheat berries are pretty difficult to digest in their whole form, but can be cooked with
other whole grains to create delicious dishes.

Whole Wheat Flour
A flour ground from whole wheat berries that is high in gluten, making it great for bread-baking.
Good, stoneground flour retains much of its germ and bran, making it a healthier choice for
baking, as this flour retains much more of its nutrients than its unbleached white counterpart.

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
A flour ground from a softer strain of whole wheat berries that are low in gluten. It is more
finely milled than regular whole wheat flour, making it an excellent choice for pastry, cookie,
cake and muffin baking.