206 Unit Two Culinary Fundamentals Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Measuring Equipment A good deal of weighing and measuring takes place in commercial kitchens. Following a recipe requires that ingredi- ents be measured accurately. Chefs have a variety of measuring equipment to help them perform their job. Bowls Commercial kitchens need a variety of sizes of bowls for mixing and storage of products. Mixing bowls are made of stainless steel for durability and to avoid reaction with acidic ingredients. Bain Marie Inserts A bain marie (bay mahr Ee) is a hot water bath used to cook foods gently. The food to be cooked is placed in an insert. The insert is placed in a steam table or ice bath. Typically the inserts are tall, cylinder-shaped containers made of stainless steel. Fractions Most cooks must use fractions when converting or preparing recipes. What is a fraction? 4 = numerator 5 = denominator The denominator represents the number of equal parts into which the whole unit is divided. The numerator describes how many parts of the whole unit are being counted. Types of fractions A proper fraction has a denominator that is greater than the numerator. 3 4 An improper fraction has a numerator that is greater than the denominator. 7 5 Mixed numbers are a combination of a whole number and a fraction. 41⁄8 M i x I n M a t h pans. A half-size sheet pan, 18 × 12 inches (45 × 30 cm), is also commonly used.