Crispiness


Crispiness or crispness is one of the most common food texture attributes. Crispiness refers to a hard food that emits a sound upon fracturing. Foods described as crisp tend not to show signs of deformation prior to fracture. Crispiness and crunchiness are often used interchangeably, however crispiness tends to be associated with a higher pitched sound, while crunchiness is associated with lower pitched sounds.

Cooking techniques for crispiness

There are a number of techniques to achieve crispiness when cooking. Frying food can make it crispy, such seen in French fries. A breading coating using flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs will provide a layer of crispiness. Baking and roasting impart crispiness, as well, as noted in the skin of Peking duck or pernil.
Crispiness is lost when food items are heated in the microwave oven as microwaves heat water within the food that then makes the food margins soggy.

Other meanings of crispness but not crispiness

Crispness and crisp are also used for other meanings besides crispiness and crispy. Thus a quick and sharp answer may be termed a "crisp answer". The term crispness is also used to indicate freshness. Thereby a "crisp salad" is a fresh salad, - no limpness in it. A wine may be described as "crisp" indicating in this context that it is refreshing and has some acidity. Cold and dry air may be termed "crisp".