What's the Difference?: Recreational Culinary Reference for the Curious and Confused

by Brette Warshaw

Overview

An Amazon Editors' Holiday 2021 Gift Pick!

An Amazon Best of the Month Editors' pick for Cookbooks, Food & Wine

From the creator of the popular What’s the Difference? newsletter, a whimsical and practical reference for food nerds and novices alike, covering dozens of culinary topics, that clears up confusion over similar terms, techniques, dishes, and more.

Do you know the difference between sweet potatoes and yams? Bourbon and rye? Crumbles, cobblers, and crisps? Most people don’t, even a number of home cooks—which is why they turn to Brette Warshaw. Inspired by her hit newsletter What’s the Difference?, this irreverent yet informative reference makes clear the differences between things that are often confused in the kitchen, on the plate, behind the bar, and everywhere in between. 

Featuring 70 percent new material and favorite entries from her website, What’s the Difference? covers more than 100 culinary topics, including:

• All-purpose flour vs. bread flour vs. pastry flour
• Bacon vs. Pancetta vs. Speck vs. Pork Belly
• Creme Fraiche vs. Sour Cream
• Jams vs. Jellys vs. Preserves
• Broccolini vs broccoli vs broccoli rabe 
• Caramel vs butterscotch vs dulce de leche vs cajeta

Filled with charming illustrations What’s the Difference? is essential for anyone who wants to feel more confident in the kitchen and at the table. 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062996190
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/08/2021
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	1,058,592
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Brette Warshaw is a writer living in New York City. She’s an editor at Apple News and has worked at publications such as Lucky Peach and Food52. In her free time, she enjoys throwing dinner parties and organizing her pantry.

Table of Contents

Introduction xiii

Active Dry Yeast vs. Fresh Yeast vs. Instant Yeast 1

Aioli vs. Mayonnaise 3

All-Purpose Flour vs. Bread Flour vs. Cake Flour vs. Pastry Flour 4

Aperol vs. Campari vs. Cynar 6

Appetizers vs. Canapés vs. Hors d'Oeuvres 9

Apples

Apple Cider vs. Apple Juice 11

Apple Butter vs. Applesauce 13

Arepa vs. Gordita vs. Pupusa 14

Armagnac vs. Cognac 16

Baking vs. Roasting 19

Baking Powder vs. Baking Soda 21

Banana vs. Plantain 23

Barbescue

Alabama vs. Kansas City vs. Kentucky vs. North Carolina vs. South Carolina vs. Texas Barbecue Sauces 25

Barbecue vs. Grilling 28

Beefsteak vs. Cherry vs. Grape vs. Heirloom vs. Plum Tomatoes 30

Beer

Ale vs. Lager 35

IPA vs. Pale Ale vs. Pilsner vs. Saison vs. Wheat Beer 37

Stout vs. Porter 39

Belgian Waffle vs. Liège Waffle 41

Betty vs. Buckle vs. Cobbler vs. Crisp vs. Crumble vs. Pandowdy 42

Bircher Muesli vs. Muesli vs. Overnight Oats 44

Bisque vs, Chowder 46

Blanching vs. Boiling vs. Poaching vs. Simmering 47

Blue vs. Dungeness vs. Jonah vs. King vs. Snow vs. Stone Crabs 49

Bourbon vs. Rye vs. Scotch vs. Whiskey vs. Whisky 51

Broccolini vs. Broccoli Rabe vs. Chinese Broccoli 53

Broth vs. Stock 55

Button vs. Cremini vs. Portobello Mushrooms 57

Cage-Free vs. Free-Range vs. Hormone-Free vs. Local vs. Pasture-Raised vs. Vegetarian-Fed Eggs 58

Calzone vs. Stromboli 60

Canola vs. Corn vs. Grapeseed vs. Peanut vs. Safflower vs. Vegetable Oils 62

Captain vs. Host vs. Maitre D' 64

Carpaccio vs. Ceviche vs. Crudo vs. Sashimi vs. Tartare vs. Tiradito 66

Caviar vs. Roe 68

Cheese

Burrata vs. Mozzarella vs. Stracciatella 71

Parmigiano-Reggiano vs. Parmesan 73

Chef vs. Cook 76

Cherrystone Clams vs. Chowder Clams vs. Littleneck Clams vs. Razor Clams vs. Steamers vs. Topneck Clams 80

Chicken Cutlets vs. Chicken Fingers vs. Chicken Nuggets vs. Chicken Tenders 84

Chives vs. Scallions vs. Green Onions vs. Leeks vs. Ramps vs. Spring Onions 86

Chocolate

Bittersweet vs. Semisweet Chocolate 89

Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder vs. Natural Cocoa Powder 91

Hot Cocoa vs. Hot Chocolate 92

Chop vs. Dice vs. Mince vs. Slice 93

Chutney vs. Compote vs. Jam vs. Jelly vs. Marmalade vs. Preserves 96

Cilantro vs. Coriander 98

Clementines vs. Mandarins vs. Satsumas vs. Tangerines 99

Club Soda vs. Seltzer vs. Sparkling Mineral Water 101

Coffee

Cappuccino vs. Cortado vs. Flat White vs. Latte vs. Macchiato 103

Cold Brew vs. Iced Coffee 106

Condensed Milk vs. Evaporated Milk 107

Corned Beef vs. Pastrami 108

Cornmeal vs. Grits vs. Polenta 110

Crème Brûlée vs. Flan vs. Panna Cotta 112

Crème Fraîche vs. Sour Cream 114

Crispy vs. Crunchy 115

Dijon vs. English vs. Hot vs. Spicy Brown vs. Whole-Grain vs. Yellow Mustards 117

Dinner vs. Supper 120

Dumpling vs. Gyoza vs. Potsticker vs. Wonton 121

Egg Roll vs. Spring Roll vs. Summer Roll 122

Entrée vs. Main Course 124

Fillet vs. Filet 125

Frosting vs. Glaze vs. Icing 126

Ginger Ale vs. Ginger Beer 127

Green Tea vs. Matcha 128

Grinder vs. Hero vs. Hoagie vs. Sub 130

Hash Browns vs. Home Fries 132

Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts

Frozen Yogurt vs. Gelato vs. Ice Cream 135

Float vs. Frappe vs. Malt vs. Milkshake 137

Sherbert vs. Sherbet vs. Sorbet 138

Kosher vs. Sea vs. Table Salts 139

Lamb vs. Mutton 141

Liqueur vs. Liquor 143

Lox vs. Nova vs. Smoked Salmon 147

Marmite vs. Vegemite 149

Mescal vs. Tequila 151

Pasta

Fettuccine vs. Linguine vs. Pappardelle vs. Tagliatelle 153

Penne vs. Rigatoni vs. Ziti 156

Pickles

Brining vs. Curing vs. Marinating vs. Pickling 159

Bread 'n' Butter vs. Kosher Pickles 162

Cornichon vs. Gherkin 163

Pie vs. Tart 164

Pig

Baby Back Ribs vs. Spareribs 167

Bacon vs. Pancetta vs. Guanciale 170

Boar vs. Hog vs. Pig vs. Swine 171

Picnic vs. Pork Butt vs. Pork Shoulder 173

Prawns vs. Shrimp 174

Rhum vs. Rum 176

Rice

Arborio vs. Bomba vs. Carnaroli Rice 179

Basmati vs. Jasmine Rice 181

Long-Grain vs. Medium-Grain vs. Short-Grain Rice 182

Russian vs. Thousand Island Dressing 184

Rutabaga vs. Turnip 186

Shoyu vs. Soy Sauce vs. Tamari 188

Sugar

Confectioners' vs. Powdered vs. Superfine Sugar 191

Light Brown vs. Dark Brown Sugar 193

Butterscotch vs. Caramel vs. Cateja vs. Dulce de Leche 195

Sweet Potato vs. Yam 197

Summer Squash vs. Zucchini 200

Wine

Cava vs. Champagne vs. Pét-Nat vs. Prosecco 203

Madeira vs. Port vs. Sherry 206

Natural vs. Organic Wine 209

Shoutouts 211

Acknowledgments 213

Selected Bibliography 215

Index 219

Editorial Reviews

★ 05/10/2021

Warshaw, founder of the What’s the Difference? newsletter (which explains the difference between things that are “often confused for one another”), debuts with a superbly fun collection of ingenious elucidations on various types of food and drink. She writes that broth and stock, often used interchangeably, are actually different—stock is made primarily from bones, while broth is meat-based. She also demystifies the often-perplexing egg labels that plague supermarket fridges, including cage-free, free-range, hormone-free, and pasture-raised (spoiler: cage-free doesn’t always mean happy chickens). Many will be surprised to discover that green tea and matcha are not the same—though matcha is a type of green tea—and that broccoli rabe isn’t broccoli at all but “is instead more closely related to the turnip.” Lest anyone feel secure in their food knowledge, Warshaw throws in a few curveballs—scallions, for instance, are indistinguishable, taste-wise, from young spring onions. Those interested in learning the differences between coriander and cilantro (which come from the same plant), clementines and tangerines, and prawns and shrimp need not look any further. Concise, informative, and a pleasure to dip into, this is an endlessly entertaining way to brush up on one’s food groups. Agent: Kim Witherspoon, InkWell Management. (June)

Publishers Weekly

Concise, informative, and a pleasure to dip into, this is an endlessly entertaining way to brush up on one’s food groups — Publishers Weekly

Even those who think they know a lot of culinary terms may be forced to take advantage of Warshaw’s expertise. — Booklist

From the Publisher

Even those who think they know a lot of culinary terms may be forced to take advantage of Warshaw’s expertise.

Booklist

Even those who think they know a lot of culinary terms may be forced to take advantage of Warshaw’s expertise.

Booklist