To refresh has two kitchen meanings. The first is to plunge blanched vegetables into fast-running cold water, or iced water, to cool them instantly and halt the cooking process. This sets the bright green colour of chlorophyll, firms the texture, and stops residual heat turning crisp vegetables soft. The second is to revive slightly wilted herbs, salad leaves, and vegetables by soaking them briefly in cold water, which rehydrates the cells and restores crispness. Both rely on the same principle: cold water firms plant tissue and washes away surface warmth or staleness. Refreshing is a small technique with an outsized effect on the look and bite of vegetables, and professional kitchens treat it as standard practice rather than an optional flourish.