a verb which means to cook something in a liquid which is just below boiling point, i.e. (at sea level) about 90–96 °C (194–205 °F). Such a temperature is more than sufficient to achieve the coagulation of protein, which is commonly the result desired in cookery, and is often preferable to boiling something, since it avoids undue agitation of the liquid and may be slightly more economical in the use of fuel. The surface of a liquid which is simmering shows occasional bubbles and some movement, but not much.
The term may also be applied to the liquid itself, as in an instruction to bring milk or broth to simmering point.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
