Culinary Glossary Classic

International Foods & Cuisine Glossary

à la, au, aux – French terms meaning “served with” or “served in the manner of”.

à point: cooked medium rare.

à l’anglaise: boiled.

à l’os: ham with the bone in.

à la bague: parasol mushroom with a delicate flavor; also called coulemelle, cocherelle, and grisotte.

à la coque: soft-boiled egg.

à la impératrice: cold rice pudding with candied fruit.

à l’anglaise: English style, plainly cooked.

Abaisse : Morceau de pâte qui a été amincie au rouleau.

Abaisser : Étendre une pâte à l’aide d’un rouleau pour lui donner l’épaisseur voulue; une pâte ainsi aplatie porte de nom d’abaisse.

Abalone – A mollusk, related to a sea snail, similar in flavor to a clam. It may be cooked by various methods and is best suited to very long or very short cooking times. It is called “Awabi” in Japanese cuisine and “Loco” in South American cuisine.

Abat(s): organ meat(s).

Les Abats : Pour les animaux de boucherie : tête, langue, cervelle, ris, foie, tripes, rognons, fraise, pieds, amourettes.

Abati(s): giblet(s) of poultry or game fowl.

Abbacchio: young lamb, specialty of Corsica.

Abondance: firm thick wheel of cow’s-milk cheese from the Savoie, a département in the Alps.

Aboyeur – Expediter or announcer; a station in the brigade system. The aboyeur accepts orders from the dining room, relays them to the appropriate stations of the kitchen, and checks each plate before it leaves the kitchen.

Abricot: apricot.

Abricoter : Etendre une marmelade d’abricots, à l’aide d’un pinceau, sur un gâteau ou un entremets.

Acacia: the acacia tree, the blossoms of which are used for making fritters; also honey made from the blossom.

Acajou: cashew nut.

Achar – Very spicy relish from the cuisine of India and the Caribbean Islands. Achar may be made from fruits & vegetables.

Achar – Very spice relish from the cuisine of India and the Caribbean Islands. Achar can be made from fruits and vegetables.

Achatine: land snail, or escargot, imported from China and Indonesia; less prized than other varieties.

Acid – A substance having a sour or sharp flavor. Most foods are somewhat acidic. Foods generally referred to as “acids” include citrus juice, vinegar, and wine. A substance’s degree of acidity is measured on the pH scale; acids have a pH of less than 7.

Acidulated Water – Water with a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice, used to purify or prevent discoloration in meats and vegetables.

Addition: bill.

Adobado – Paste or sauce made from chiles, vinegar, and other seasonings. Used as a seasoning for meats.

Adobo – Paste or sauce made from chiles, vinegar, and other seasonings. Used as a seasoning for meats.

Adulterated Food – Food that has been contaminated to the point that it is considered unfit for human consumption.

Adzuki Beans – Small reddish brown beans.

Aerate – To pass dry ingredients through a fine-mesh sifter so large pieces can be removed. The process also incorporates air to make ingredients like flour, lighter. Sifting dry ingredients aerates them while distributing small amounts of chemical leaveners or dry seasoning evenly through the mixture. Use sifters, sieves or tamis to both aerate and sift.

Affamé: starving.

Affinage: process of aging cheese.

Affiné: aged, as with cheese.

Agar – A vegetable gelatin made from various kinds of algae or seaweed. The algae are collected, bleached and dried. Then the gelatin substance is extracted with water and made into flakes, granules, powder or strips which are brittle when dry. Primarily used as a thickening agent.

Agneau (de lait): lamb (young, milk-fed).

Agneau chilindron: sauté of lamb with potatoes and garlic, specialty of the Basque country.

Agneau de Paulliac: breed of lamb from the southwest.

Agnelet: baby milk-fed lamb.

Agnelle: ewe lamb.

Agnolotti – A small half-moon shaped ravioli.

Agrume(s): citrus fruit(s).

Aïado: roast lamb shoulder stuffed with parsley, chervil, and garlic.

Aiglefin: aigrefin, églefin: small fresh haddock, a type of cod.

Aïeuli: garlic butter, or garlic oil, served on pasta.

Aïgo saou: “water-salt” in Provençal; a fish soup that includes, of course, water and salt, plus a mixture of small white fish, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil; specialty of Provence.

aigre: sour cream.

Aigre: bitter; sour.

Aigre-doux: sweet and sour.

Aigrelette, sauce: a sort of tart sauce.

Aiguillette – Long, thin slices of poultry breast or some other meats.

Ail – French word for garlic.

Aile et cuisse: used to describe white breast meat (aile) and dark thigh meat (cuisse), usually of chicken.

Aile: wing of poultry or game bird.

Aillade: garlic sauce; also, dishes based on garlic.

Aillé: with garlic.

Aillet: shoot of mild winter baby garlic, a specialty of the Poitou-Charentes region along the Atlantic coast.

Aioli – A cold egg and oil emulsion with olive oil and garlic. Many variations of this sauce are made.

Aioli – A cold egg and oil emulsion with olive oil and garlic. Many variations of this sauce are made. See the definition under rouille.

Aïoli, ailloli: garlic mayonnaise. Also, salt cod, hard-cooked eggs, boiled snails, and vegetables served with garlic mayonnaise; specialty of Provence.

Airelle: wild cranberry

Aisy cendré: thick disc of cow’s-milk cheese, washed with eau-de-vie and patted with wood ashes; also called cendre d’aisy: a specialty of Burgundy

Aji – Aji (singular form) is what the Peruvians call chile peppers. The species in particular is capsicum baccatum.

Ajo – Spanish word for “garlic”.

Al carbon – Spanish term for a dish relating to grilled or containing meat.

Al Carbon – Spanish term for a dish relating to grilled or containing meat.

Al dente – A term, meaning “to the bite”, used to describe the correct degree of doneness for pasta and vegetables. This is not exactly a procedure, but a sensory evaluation for deciding when the food is finished cooking. Pasta should retain a slight resistance when biting into it, but should not have a hard center.

Al Dente – A term, meaning “to the bite”, used to describe the correct degree of doneness for pasta and vegetables. This is not exactly a procedure, but a sensory evaluation for deciding when the food is finished cooking. Pasta should retain a slight resistance when biting into it, but should not have a hard center.

Al Forno – Italian term describing a dish cooked in the oven.

Al Pastor – A term used in Spanish and Italian referring to a dish cooked in the style of shepherd cooking, usually over a grill or spit.

Ala Carte – Literal translation “in the manner of the bill of fare.” Used to describe a meal in which each dish selected is paid for separately.

Ala Grecqua – Meaning “in the Greek manner.” The term describes vegetables cooked in a mixture of oil and vinegar, or lemon juice, with seasoning added. Serve cold or chilled.

Ala – Literal translation “in the manner of.”

Ala Mode – Literal translation “in the fashion of.” In American cookery it describes cake, pie, pudding or any other dessert topped with a scoop of ice cream. In French cooking it describes beef pot roast, larded with fat, braised with vegetables and simmered in a sauce.

Albuféra: béchamel sauce with sweet peppers, prepared with chicken stock instead of milk; classic sauce for poultry.

Albumen – The protein of egg whites.

Alfredo – A pasta sauce originally consisting of butter, cream, and the finest parmesan cheese available. Modern versions add garlic, peas, and less expensive parmesan.

Algue: an edible seaweed.

Aligot: mashed potatoes with tomme (the fresh curds used in making Cantal cheese) and garlic; specialty of the Auvergne.

Alisier, alizier: eau-de-vie with the taste of bitter almonds, made with the wild red serviceberries that grow in the forests of Alsace.

Alkalai – A substance that tests at higher than 7 on the pH scale, Alkalis are sometimes described as having a slightly soapy flavor. Olives and baking soda are some of the few alkaline foods.

Allemande – A sauce made of Veloute (usually veal), a liaison and lemon juice. The word means “German” in French.

Allemande – A sauce made of Velout (usually veal), a liaison and lemon juice.

allongé: weakened espresso, often served with a small pitcher of hot water so clients may thin the coffee themselves.

Allspice – The dried, unripe berry of a small tree. It is available ground or in seed form, & used in a variety of dishes such as pickles, casseroles, cakes & puddings. Also known as Jamaica Pepper.

Allumette: “match”; puff pastry strips; also fried matchstick potatoes.

Allumette – Vegetables, potatoes, or french fries cut into pieces the size and shape of matchsticks, say ¹/₈ inch x ¹/₈ inch by 1 to 2 inches. The word means “matchsticks”;

Almond Paste – A sweet paste made from finely ground blanched almonds mixed with powdered sugar and enough glucose or syrup to bind it together.

Alose: shad, a spring river fish plentiful in the Loire and Gironde rivers.

Alouette: lark.

Aloyau: loin area of beef; beef sirloin, butcher’s cut that includes the rump and contre-filet.

Älplermagronen – Swiss speciality of macaroni, potatoes, onions, cheese, cream.

Alsacienne, à l’: in the style of Alsace, often including sauerkraut, sausage, or foie gras.

Alum – The astringent effect of this chemical makes it useful in home-pickling to give crispness to cucumbers, melon rinds, onions, green beans, and other foods.

Amande: almond.

Amande de mer: smooth-shelled shellfish, like a small clam, with a sweet, almost almond flavor.

Amandine or almondine. A French term for any dish with almonds.

Ambroisie: ambrosia.

Amchoor – Sour, unripe mangoes that are dried and sold in slices and powder. Its primary use is in Indian cooking, giving foods a sweet/sour flavor.

amer: bittersweet chocolate, with very little sugar.

Amer: bitter; as in unsweetened chocolate.

Américaine, Amoricaine: sauce of white wine, Cognac, tomatoes, and butter.

Ami du Chambertin: “friend of Chambertin wine”; moist and buttery short cylinder of cow’s milk cheese with a rust-colored rind, made near the village of Gevrey-Chambertin in Burgundy. Similar to Epoisses cheese. Amourette(s): spinal bone marrow of calf or ox.

Amino Acid – The basic molecular component of proteins, one of the essential dietary components.

amuse-gueule: “amuse the mouth”; an appetizer.

Ananas: pineapple.

Anchoiade – A dip made of pureed anchovies mixed with garlic and olive oil. Raw vegetables and bread are served with this dip.

Anchois (de Collioure): anchovy (prized salt-cured anchovy from Collioure, a port town near the Spanish border of the Languedoc), fished in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

à l’ancienne: in the old style.

Andouille – A sausage made from the stomach and the intestines of pork. The sausage is dried and smoked, then boiled or steamed to finish cooking. Andouille is used in Creole cooking & French cooking. The Creole version of this sausage is spicier than those made in France.

Andouille: large smoked chitterling (tripe) sausage, usually served cold.

Andouillette: small chitterling (tripe) sausage, usually served grilled.

Aneth: dill.

Ange à cheval: “angel on horseback”; a grilled, bacon-wrapped oyster.

Angel Food Cake – A type of sponge cake made with egg whites that are beaten until stiff.

Angelica – Licorice flavored stalks from these plants are candied and used primarily in pastry making. Angelica is also used to flavor liqueurs.

anglaise: light egg-custard cream.

Anguille (au vert): eel; (poached in herb sauce).

Anis: anise or aniseed.

Anis étoilé: star anise.

Anise étoilé: star anise; also called badiane,

Anna Potatoes – The name for a potato pancake made of thin slices of potato which are assembled in concentric circles and cooked with liberal amounts of butter. The cake is then baked until crisp and golden brown.

Annatto –

Annatto Seed – A vegetable dye widely used in coloring cheese, especially Cheddar, and, to lesser extent, butter. Also called achiote seed, used in Latin America andin Southeast Asia.

Antipasto – The Italian word for snacks served before a meal. These are dishes to whet your appetite, not sate it. This may consist of one or more dishes of all types of food. Common items on an antipasto table are cured meats and salamis, olives, marinated vegetables, and cheeses.

AOC: see Appellation d’origine contrôlée.

Apéritif: a before-dinner drink to stimulate the appetite, usually somewhat sweet or mildly bitter.

Appareil – A prepared mixture of ingredients used alone or as an ingredient in another preparation. Un mélange de plusieurs produits : beurre, farine, oeufs, etc.

Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC): specific definition of a particular cheese, butter, fruit, wine, or poultry–once passed down from generation to generation now recognized by law–regulating the animal breed or variety of fruit, the zone of production, production techniques, composition of the product, its physical characteristics, and its specific attributes.

Aquaculture – The cultivation or farm-raising of fish or shellfish.

Araignée de mer: spider crab.

Arbousier (miel d’): trailing arbutus, small evergreen shrubby tree of the heather family, also called strawberry tree, ground laurel and madrona tree with strawberry-like fruit dotted with tiny bumps; (honey of). Used for making liqueurs, jellies, and jams.

Arc en ciel (truite): rainbow (trout).

Ardennaise, à l’: in the style of the Ardennes, a département in northern France; generally a dish with juniper berries.

Ardi gasna: Basque name for sheep’s-milk cheese.

Ardoise: blackboard; bistros often use a blackboard to list specialties in place of a printed menu

Arête: fish bone.

Aristology – [Gr. dinner + -logy.] The science of dining.

Arlésienne, à l’: in the style of Arles, a town in Provence; with tomatoes, onions, eggplant, potatoes, rice, and sometimes olives.

Armagnac: brandy from the Armagnac area of Southwestern France.

Aromate: aromatic herb, vegetable, or flavoring.

Aromate : Substance végétale utilisée pour parfumer une préparation culinaire.

Aromatiser : Relever la saveur d’un mets en ajoutant des fines herbes, des épices ou des essences.

Arômes à la gêne: generic name for a variety of tangy, lactic cheeses of the Lyon area that have been steeped in gêne, or dry marc, the dried grape skins left after grapes are pressed for wine. Can be of cow’s milk, goat’s milk, or a mixture.

Arosé(e): sprinkled, basted, moistened with liquid.

Arpajon: a town in the Ile-de-France; dried bean capital of France; a dish containing dried beans.

Arrowroot – a starch similar in appearance and qualities to cornstarch.

Arroz – Spanish & Portuguese word for rice.

Artichaut (violet) artichoke (small purple) (camus) snub-nosed..

Artichaut à la Barigoule: in original form, artichokes cooked with mushrooms and oil; also, artichoke stuffed with ham, onion, and garlic, browned in oil with onions and bacon, then cooked in water or white wine; specialty of Provence.

Artichoke – A name shared by three unrelated plants: the globe artichoke, Jerusalem artichoke and Chinese (or Japanese) artichoke. Considered the true artichoke, the globe artichoke is cultivated mainly in California’s mid-coastal region. It is the bud of a large plant from the thistle family and has tough, petal shaped leaves. They are available year-round, with the peak season March through May. Buy deep green, heavy for their size artichokes with a tight leaf formation.

Asafetida – A spice used in India and the Middle East for cooking or as a condiment to be sprinkled over cooked foods as they are served. It has a bitter taste and a pungent aroma similar to garlic and truffles.

Asperge (violette): asparagus (purple-tipped asparagus, a specialty of the Côte-d’Azur).

Aspic – A jelly made from stock, fumet, wine, or fruit juices used to mold dishes. The preparations are often elaborately decorated for use on buffets. Both savory and sweet foods are set in aspic.

Assaisonné: seasoned; seasoned with.

Assaisonnement : Ensemble d’aromates, sel, poivre et parfois de liquides (vin, liqueur ou vinaigre) qui, habilement dosés, donnent du goût à une préparation culinaire.

Assiette anglaise: assorted cold meats, usually served as a first course.

Assiette de pêcheur: assorted fish platter.

Assoifé: parched, thirsty.

Assorti(e): assorted.

Attelet – Kitchen accessory in the shape of a long pin or a little skewer with a top in the shape of an ornament such as an eagle or a flower.

Attelet : Petite tige en argent (ou métal argenté) qui sert à maintenir un décor sur un plat de cuisine ou de pâtisserie.

au lait or avec crème: with warmed or steamed milk or cream.

Chocolat au lait: milk chocolate.

au Jus – Describes meat served in its own natural juices, not with a gravy.

au Lait – Describes a beverage, such as coffee, made or served with milk.

au Naturel – In culinary French this term describes food prepared or cooked to resemble its natural state as much as possible, or in other words, food plainly done.

Aubergine – The French word for eggplant. The word is used in England, too.

Aulx: plural of ail (garlic).

Aumônière: “beggar’s purse”; thin crêpe, filled and tied like a bundle.

Aurore – sauce with tomato purée or concasse added

Auvergnat(e): in the style of the Auvergne; often with cabbage, sausage, and bacon.

Aveline: hazelnut or filbert, better known as noisette.

Avocat: avocado.

Avoine: oats.

Axoa: a dish of ground veal, onions, and the local fresh chiles, piment d’Espelette; specialty of the Basque region.

Azyme, pain: unleavened bread; matzo.

Baba – A small cake made from enriched yeast dough, often flavored with candied fruits, and soaked with a rum or kirsch syrup after baking. This dough is also used to make the larger savarin. Baba au rhum: sponge cake soaked in rum syrup.

Badiane: star anise.

Badigeonner : Étendre, à l’aide d’un pinceau, une mince couche de gras, de lquide, d’oeuf battu, etc.

Baeckeoffe, baekaoffa, backaofa, backenoff: “baker’s oven”; stew of wine, beef, lamb, pork, potatoes, and onions; specialty of Alsace. An Alsatian stew made of pork, lamb, and beef layered with potatoes and onions.

Bagel – Chewy bread with a hole in the middle – round, and 3 to 5 inches in diameter. The origin is Russian-Jewish. Can come with many types of toppings on it. Dough is boiled then baked with toppings such as onion, garlic, poppy seeds etc. Flavors can also be kneaded into the dough.

Bagna Cauda – A dip made of anchovies, olive oil, and garlic. Unlike the French anchoiade, this is served warm and is not emulsified. Bread and raw vegetables are served with this dip. The words mean “warm bath.”

Baguette: “wand”; classic long, thin loaf of bread.

Baguette au levain or à l’ancienne: sourdough baguette.

Baie: berry.

Baie rose: pink peppercorn.

Baigné: bathed.

Bain-Marie – Simply a water bath. It consists of placing a container of food in a large, shallow pan of warm water, which surrounds the food with gentle heat. The food may be cooked in this manner either in an oven or on top of a range. This technique is designed to cook delicate dishes such as custards, sauces and savory mousses without breaking or curdling them. It can also be used to keep foods warm.

Bain-Marie : Casserole qui permet de maintenir au chaud sauces ou garnitures ou pour la cuisson de certains plats (par pochage). Le bain-marie est placé dans une autre casserole ou sauteuse, plus large, remplie d’eau bouillante.

Bake Blind – To partially or completely bake an unfilled pastry crust.

Baked Alaska – A dessert comprised of sponge cake topped with ice cream and covered with meringue. The dessert is then placed in a hot oven to brown the meringue before the ice cream can melt.

Baking Powder – A leavening agent combining an acid with bicarbonate of soda to form the gas which enables baked products to rise. The chemical reaction between the acid and the soda produces carbon dioxide to leaven the product. The most common form of baking powder is the double acting variety, which produces gas upon mixing and again at high temperatures. Always store this tightly covered.

Baking Soda – A leavening agent which is used as an essential ingredient in baking powder. When used alone as a leavener, recipes must include some type of acid to neutralize the resulting sodium carbonate in the finished product. Buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, and citrus juice are adequate acid to use. You

may also use baking soda to help neutralize the acid in recipes that call for large amounts of fruit.

Baklava – A very sweet dessert made of layers of flaky filo dough pastry filled with a mixture of ground nuts and sugar. The pastry is sliced, baked, and brushed with a honey syrup flavored with lemon or rose water.

Baklava – A very sweet dessert made of layers of flaky pastry filled with a mixture of ground nuts and sugar. The pastry is sliced, baked, and brushed with a honey syrup flavored with lemon or rosewater.

Ballotine – A pâté-like dish in which ground meat is stuffed back into the boneless carcass from which the ground meat was made. This may include fish, poultry, game birds, or even some cuts of meat. The mixture is wrapped in muslin and poached or braised. These dishes may be served hot or cold.

Balsamic Vinegar – A wonderfully fragrant vinegar made from the juice of Trebbiano grapes. The juice is then heated and aged in wooden barrels, evaporating and concentrating in flavor. The resulting vinegar is deep rich brown with a sweet and sour flavor. Well aged balsamic vinegars are very costly, some reaching an astronomical $200 an ounce.

Banane: banana.

Bannock – Originally applied to bread, this term loosely describes any large round scone or biscuit the size of a dinner plate.

Banon: village in the Alps of Provence, source of dried chestnut leaves traditionally used to wrap goat cheese, which was washed with eau-de-vie and aged for several months; today refers to various goat’s-milk cheese or mixed goat-and cow’s-milk cheese from the region, sometimes wrapped in fresh green or dried brown chestnut leaves and tied with raffia.

Bap – An oval-shaped white bread roll served for breakfast.

Bar: ocean fish, known as loup on the Mediterranean coast, louvine or loubine in the southwest, and barreau in Brittany; similar to sea bass.

Barbouillade: stuffed eggplant, or an eggplant stew; also, a combination of beans and artichokes.

Barbue: brill, a flatfish related to turbot, found in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Barder : Recouvrir d’une mince tranche de lard une pièce de boucherie, gibiers, volaille ou même poisson.

Barder: to cover poultry or meat with strips of uncured bacon, to add moisture while cooking.

Bardes : Minces tranches de lard gras destinées à envelopper une pièce de viande à rôtir. Lorsque le lard est maigre, les tranches sont plutôt destinées à être placées dans le fond d’une cocotte pour un braisé.

Barding – The practice of wrapping lean cuts of meat to be with thin slices of back fat. The converse of this is larding, in which long strips of fat are inserted into the cut of meat to keep it moist during cooking.

Baron – A narrow strip of, for example, carrot, turnip, or other firm vegetable.

Baron: hindquarters of lamb, including both legs.

Barquette – A small oval shaped pastry shell with either sweet or savory fillings.

Basilic: basil.

Basquaise, à la: Basque style; usually with ham or tomatoes or red peppers.

Basquaise – Food prepared in the style of Basque which often includes tomatoes and sweet or hot red peppers.

basque: a chewy sweet cake filled with pastry cream or, historically, with black cherry jam; also called pastiza; specialty of the Basque region.

Baste – To brush or spoon food as it cooks with melted fat or the cooking juices from the dish. Basting prevents foods from drying out and adds color and flavor.

Bâtard, pain: “bastard bread”; traditional long, thin white loaf, larger than a baguette.

Batavia: salad green, a broad, flat-leafed lettuce.

Baton/Batonnet – Items cut into pieces somewhat larger than allumette or julienne; ¼ inch x ¼ inch x 2 to 2 ½ inches is the standard. Translated to English as “stick” or “small stick.”

Bâton: small white wand of bread, smaller than a baguette.

Bâtonnet: garnish of vegetables cut into small sticks.

Batter – A mixture of flour and liquid, with sometimes the inclusion of other ingredients. Batters vary in thickness but are generally semi-liquid and thinner than doughs. Used in such preparations as cakes, quick breads, pancakes, and crepes.

Battre : Agiter une préparation, à l’aide d’une cuillères ou d’une fourchette, en retournant les éléments sur eux-mêmes afin d’y incorporer de l’air.

Baudroie: in Provence, the name for monkfish or anglerfish, the large, firmfleshed ocean fish also known as lotte and gigot de met: also a specialty of Provence, a fish soup that includes potstoes, onions, fresh mushrooms, garlic, fresh or dried orange zest, artichokes, tomatoes, and herbs.

Bavarian Cream – A cream made with pastry cream lightened with whipped cream and stabilized with gelatine. This cream may then be poured into molds, or used as a filling for cakes or pastries. Bavarian cream is often flavored with fruit purees or alcohol.

Bavaroise: cold dessert; a rich custard made with cream and gelatin.

Bavette:skirt steak.

Baveuse: “drooling”; method of cooking an omelet so that it remains moist and juicy.

Bearnaise – This is the most notable of all the hollandaise sauce variations. It is made with a wine and vinegar reduction flavored with tarragon. This sauce makes a good companion to grilled meats and fish.

Béarnaise: tarragon-flavored sauce of egg yolks, butter, shallots, white wine, vinegar; and herbs.

Beat – To introduce air into a mixture with the aid of a wooden spoon, whisk, or electric mixer in order to achieve a light, fluffy texture.

Béatille: “tidbit”; dish combining various organ meats.

Bécasse: small bird, a woodcock.

Bécassine: small bird, a snipe.

Bechamel Sauce – This is a white sauce made with milk or cream and thickened with a roux. Bechamel sauce is generally used as a base for other

more complex sauces, though it may be used alone for binding or moistening.

Béchamel: white sauce, made with butter, flour, and milk, usually flavored with onion, bay leaf, pepper, and nutmeg.

Beetroot – Called beet in US. The red, succulent root of a biennial plant (Beta vulgaris). Often dressed with vinegar and served cold and sliced, but can also be served hot and is the basis of one of the most well-known borschts.

Beignet – French term for a type of doughnut. Dough or batter is deep fried and dusted w/sugar or glazed with a flavored syrup.

Beignet de fleur de courgette: batter-fried zucchini blossom; native to Provence and the Mediterranean, now popular all over France.

Beignet: fritter or doughnut.

Bell Pepper. A large, fleshy pepper with a sweet/mild flavor. Can be orange, red, yellow, green or black.

Belle Hélène (poire): classic dessert of chilled poached fruit (pear), served on ice cream and topped with hot chocolate sauce. the term Belle-Hélène is also used in French cookery as a name for a garnish to grilled meat dishes.

Bellevue, en: classic presentation of whole fish, usually in aspic on a platter.

Belon: river in Brittany identified with a prized flat-shelled (plate) oyster.

Belondines: Brittany creuses, or crinkle-shelled oysters that are affinées or finished off in the Belon river.

Bench Proof – In yeast dough production, the rising stage that occurs after the dough is panned and just before baking.

Berawecka, bierewecke, bireweck, birewecka: dense, moist Christmas fruit bread stuffed with dried pears, figs, and nuts; specialty of Kaysersberg, a village in Alsace.

Bercy: fish stock-based sauce thickened with flour and butter and flavored with white wine and shallots.

Bergamot (thé a la bergamote): name for both a variety of orange and of pear; (earl grey tea.).

Bermuda Onion – A large sweet onion with several regional names. May also be known as Spanish Onion, and possibly 1015 onion.

Berrichonne: garnish of bruised cabbage, glazed baby onions, chestnuts, and lean bacon named for the old province of Berry.

Betteraves: French word for beets.

beurre: yellow bean.

Beurre Blanc – An emulsified sauce made of a wine or vinegar reduction blended with softened butter. This may be flavored in many ways, for fish, vegetables, and poultry dishes. This is a very tricky sauce and does not hold for long periods of time. Because of this, modern versions add a touch of cream to stabilize the sauce for longer periods of time.

Beurre: butter.

Beurre clarifié : Beurre fondu et décanté (voir ce mot). Les impuretés et le petit-lait restent au fond de la casserole.

Beurre en pommade : Beurre ramolli, ayant la consistance d’une pommade.

Beurre manié : Beurre légèrement ramolli, mélangé avec de la farine.

Beurre Manié – A mixture of flour and butter kneaded to a smooth paste. This is

then used in small quantities to adjust the thickness of sauces and stews. The sauce must then be boiled briefly to remove the starchy taste of the flour. For this reason, beurre manié is used in situations where only a small quantity is needed.

Beurre Noir – “Black butter.” Butter that has been cooked to a very dark brown or nearly black; a sauce made with browned butter, vinegar, chopped parsley, and capers. It is usually served with fish.

Beurre Noisette – “Hazelnut butter” or “brown butter.” White butter that has been heated until browned.

Beurrer : Étendre avec un pinceau du beurre fondu ou ramolli sur une plaque, un moule, une denrée pour faciliter la cuisson.

Bibelskäs, bibbelskäse: fresh cheese seasoned with horseradish, herbs, and spices; specialty of Alsace.

Biche: female deer.

Bien cuit(e): cooked well done.

Bière (en bouteille, à la pression): beer (bottled, on tap).

Bifteck: steak.

Bigarade: orange sauce.

Biggareau: red firm-fleshed variety of cherry

Bigorneau: periwinkle, tiny sea snail.

Bigoudène, à la: in the style of Bigouden, a province in Brittany; (pommes) baked slices of unpeeled potato; (ragôut) sausage stewed with bacon and potato.

Billy Bi, Billy By: cream of mussel soup, specialty of the Atlantic coast.

Binder – An ingredient or appareil used to thicken a sauce or hold together another mixture of ingredients.

Biologique: organic.

Biscotti – Dry Italian cookies flavored with almonds, chocolate, or anise seed, used for dunking in coffee and sweet dessert wine.

Biscuit à la cuillère: ladyfinger.

Bisque – A rich shellfish soup made with the shells of the animal. The soup is enriched with cream and Cognac and garnished with pieces of the shellfish meat. This name is also used to describe vegetable soups prepared in the same manner as shellfish bisques.

Bistrotier: bistro owner.

Bivalve – A mollusk with two hinged shells. Examples are clams and oysters.

blanc: a smooth low-fat cheese similar to cottage cheese.

blanc: classic reduced sauce of vinegar; white wine, shallots, and butter

blanc: lightly salted, un-smoked or very lightly smoked ham, served cooked; sold, cold, in charcuteries as jambon de Paris, glacé, or demi-sel.

Blanc (de poireau): white portion (of leek).

Blanc (de volaille): usually breast (of chicken).

Blanc-manger: chilled pudding of almond milk with gelatin.

Blanc : Se dit de certaines préparations qui doivent se rapprocher le plus possible de la couleur blanche : roux blanc, sauce blanche, pâte qui, à force d’être travaillée (sucre et jaunes d’oeufs), doit devenir blanche.

Blanch – Cooking foods in boiling water for a brief period of time. This applies primarily to vegetables so as to reduce their final cooking time. But blanching may be done to fish or meat as well.

Blanchir : Passer à l’eau bouillante quelques minutes (ris de veau, certains légumes, viandes, etc.) pour les attendrir ou enlever leur amertume et les rafraîchir ensuite à l’eau froide. En pâtisserie : transformation qui se produit, sous l’action du fouet, par le mélange sucre et oeuf et donne une composition mousseuse et blanchâtre.

Blancmange – A sweet, flavored cream mold set with gelatine.

blancs (à la Bretonne): white beans, usually dried; (white beans in a sauce of onions, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs).

Blanquette – A stew of white meats, usually veal, without initial browning. The sauce is thickened with roux and enriched with an egg and cream white sauce; supposedly a dish for convalescent patients. Don’t tell your cardiologist if you eat this!

Blé (noir): wheat (buckwheat).

Blend – To amalgamate ingredients of different textures to a smooth texture by mixing them with spoon, beater or liquidizer.

Blette, bette: Swiss chard.

Bleu: “blue”; cooked rare, usually for steak. See also Truite au bleu.

Bleu d’Auvergne: a strong, firm and moist, flattened cylinder of blue-veined cheese made from cow’s milk in the Auvergne, sold wrapped in foil; still made on some farms.

Bleu de Gex: thick, savory blue-veined disc of cow’s-milk cheese from the Jura; made in only a handful of small dairies in the département of the Ain.

Bleu de Bresse: a cylinder of mild blue-veined cow’s-milk cheese from the Bresse area in the Rhône-Alps region; industrially made.

Bleu des Causses: a firm, pungent, flat cylinder of blue-veined cow’s-milk cheese, cured in cellars similar to those used in making Roquefort.

Blind – A term used of pastry which is baked in advance prior to being filled with a sweet or savory mixture.

Blini – A small pancake made of buckwheat flour and leavened with yeast. These pancakes are often brushed with large amounts of melted butter and served with caviar and sour cream. Other versions may be made of vegetable purees or semolina flour.

Blintz – A stuffed crepe or thin pancake. The filling is usually made of a fresh cheese or cottage cheese, and often topped with fresh fruit or fruit preserves.

Blintz – A stuffed crepe or thin pancake. The filling is usually made of a fresh

cheese or cottage cheese, and often topped with fresh fruit or fruit preserves.

Bloom – To soften gelatin in warm liquid before use.

Boeuf à la ficelle: beef tied with string and poached in broth.

Boeuf à la mode: beef marinated and braised in red wine, served with carrots, mushrooms, onions, and turnips.

Boeuf gros sel: boiled beef, served with vegetables and coarse salt.

Bohémienne, à la: gypsy style; with rice, tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers, and paprika, in various combinations.

Boisson (non) comprise: drink (not) included.

Bolet: type of wild boletus mushroom. See Cèpe.

Boletus – A family of wild mushrooms known for their rich taste and meaty texture. Porcinis and cepes are two members of this family of mushroom.

Bollito Misto – An Italian stew consisting of various cuts of meat, including zampone, boiled in a rich broth with vegetables. The whole dish is served with cornichons, pickled onions and a variation of chutney called mostarda di Cremona. These are whole or large pieces of fruit cooked in a spicy mustard flavored syrup. Other common sauces are salsa verde and mayonnaise.

Bolster – A collar or shank at the point on a knife where the blade meets the handle.

Bombe: molded, layered ice cream dessert.

Bon-chrétien: “good Christian”; a variety of pear, also known as poire William’s.

Bonbon: candy or sweet.

Bondon: small cylinder of delicately flavored, mushroomy cow’s-milk cheese made in the Neufchâtel area in Normandy.

Boning Knife – A thin-bladed knife used for separating raw meat from the bone; its blade is usually about 6 inches long.

Bonite: a tuna, or oceanic bonito.

Bonne femme (cuisine): meat garnish of bacon, potatoes, mushrooms, and onions; fish garnish of shallots, parsley, mushrooms, and potatoes; or white wine sauce with shallots, mushrooms, and lemon juice; (home-style cooking).

Bordelaise: Bordeaux style; also a term used to describe a brown sauce with shallots and red wine. Some versions of this sauce include slices of bone marrow added at the end of cooking. Fish dishes with this name are cooked with white Bordeaux wine. Not to be confused with bordelique, which means messy, sloppy, or like a bordello.

Borscht – A rich soup from Eastern Europe containing beets or cabbage. Other ingredients may include potatoes, beans, meat or sausage. The best known of these soups is a cold version based on beets and served with sour cream, but hot versions are very common.

Botulism – A food-borne illness caused by toxins produced by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium botulinum.

Bouché – A small round puff pastry shell used for sweet or savory fillings. In French une bouchée means “a mouthful”.

Boucher – Butcher.

Boudin blanc: white sausage of veal, chicken, or pork.

Boudin noir: pork sausage made with blood and rice or potatoes. It is popular in European and Creole cooking.

Boudin: technically a meat sausage, but generically any sausage-shaped mixture.

Bouillabaisse – A rich fish stew from southern France. This was once a poor man’s meal made of any fish available. Modern versions include lobster and shrimp. The broth is flavored with garlic, orange peel, fennel, and saffron. Olive oil is added to the stew and rapidly boiled to blend it into the broth. The stew is served with croutons and rouille, a variation of aioli.

Bouilliture: eel stew with red wine and prunes; specialty of the PoitouCharentes on the Atlantic coast.

Bouillon : Liquide obtenu en faisant cuire avec des légumes de la viande de boeuf ou de veau ou de volaille.

Bouillon: stock or broth.

Boulanger – Baker, specifically of breads and other nonsweetened doughs.

pommes de terre boulangère: potatoes cooked with the meat. Also, a gratin of sliced potatoes, baked with milk or stock and sometimes flavored with onions, bacon, and tomatoes.

à la Boulangère: in the style of the baker’s wife; meat or poultry baked or braised with onions and potatoes.

Boule: “ball”; a large round loaf of white bread, also known as a miche.

Boule de Picoulat: meatball from Languedoc, combining beef, pork, garlic, and eggs, traditionally served with cooked white beans.

Boulette d’Avesnes: pepper-and-tarragon-flavored cheese, made from visually defective Maroilles, formed into a cone, and colored red with paprika; named for Avesnes, a village in the North.

Bouquet garni: typically fresh whole parsley bay leaf and thyme tied together with string and tucked into stews; the package is removed prior to serving.

Bouquet garni : Brindille de thym, petite feuille de laurier, (facultativement une branche de céleri, un blanc de poireau), entourées d’une branche de persil.

Ficeler le tout. D’autres herbes peuvent être ajoutées selon les régions.

Bouquet Garni – A sachet of herbs, containing parsley, thyme, and bay leaf. Variations may include rosemary, marjoram, fennel, leeks, celery leaves, and black pepper.

Bouquet: large reddish shrimp. See also Crevette rose.

Bouquetière: garnished with bouquets of vegetables.

Bourdaloue: hot poached fruit, sometimes wrapped in pastry often served with vanilla custard; often pear.

Bourgeoise, à la: with carrots, onions, braised lettuce, celery and bacon.

Bourguignonne, à la: Burgundy style; often with red wine, onions, mushrooms, and bacon.

Bourguignonne – Foods cooked in the style of Burgundy. This includes red wine, mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon.

Bouribot: spicy red-wine duck stew.

Bourride: a Mediterranean fish soup that generally includes a mixture of small white fish, onions, tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil, thickened with egg yolks and aïoli (garlic mayonnaise); there are many variations.

Bourride – Another fish stew from southern France. Here the broth, in which large pieces of fish are poached, is strained and thickened with aioli. The two are then served together in shallow bowls with bread or croutons.

Bourriole: rye flour pancake, both sweet and savory; specialty of the Auvergne.

Boutargue, poutargue: salty paste prepared from dried mullet or tuna roe, mashed with oil; specialty of Provence.

Bouton de culotte: “trouser button”; tiny buttons of goat cheese from the Lyon area; traditionally made on farms, aged until rock hard and pungent; today found in many forms, from soft and young to hard and brittle.

Braise – A cooking method in which the main item, usually meat, is seared in fat, then simmered in stock or another liquid in a covered vessel.

Braiser : Cuire un aliment dans une casserole couverte, à feu très doux, longuement, et dans une petite quantité de liquide.

Braiser: to braise; to cook meat by browning in fat, then simmering in covered dish with small amount of liquid.

Bran – The outer husk of grains such as wheat, containing a high percentage of fiber. White flours have the bran removed. Whole wheat flours may contain all or part of the bran.

Branche, en: refers to whole vegetables or herbs.

Brandade (de morue): a warm garlicky purée (of salt cod) with milk or cream or oil, and sometimes mashed potatoes; specialty of Provence; currently used to denote a variety of flavored mashed potato dishes.

Brandade – A puree of salt cod mixed with olive oil and potatoes. Another version of brandade is covered with Gruyere cheese and browned in the oven. Both are served with croutons.

Brassado: a doughnut that is boiled, then baked, much like a bagel; specialty of Provence.

Brasser : Remuer le plus ou moins vigoureusement une préparation en exécutant une mouvement circulaire.

Brawn – Meat or offal, frequently pickled, cooked, to a soft consistency, covered with aspic (or jelly) and left to cool and press in a mold under a heavy weight.

Usually turned out, upside down, before serving.

Brayaude, gigot: leg of lamb studded with garlic, cooked in white wine, and served with red beans, braised cabbage, or chestnuts.

Brazier/Brasier – A pan, designed specifically for braising, that usually has two handles and a tightfitting lid. Often is round but may be square or rectangular.

Brebis (fromage de): sheep (sheep’s-milk cheese).

Bresaola – A cured and dried beef filet from Italy with a more delicate texture but stronger flavor than that of prosciutto. A Swiss version of this is called bundnerfleisch. This style is pressed into a rectangular shape and has a bit drier texture than bresaola. Both are served thinly sliced with bread and fruit or pickled vegetables.

Brési (Breuzi): smoked, salted, and dried beef from the Jura.

breton: a rich round pound cake; specialty of Brittany.

Bretonne, à la: in the style of Brittany; a dish served with white beans; or may refer to a white wine sauce with carrots, leeks, and celery.

Bretzel: a pretzel; specialty of Alsace.

Brider : Attacher les membres d’une volaille, en les traversant d’une ficelle, à l’aide d’une grosse aiguille (style aiguille à matelas ou à jeans).

Bridie – A Scottish term applied to a semi-circular pastry.

Brie de Melun: smaller than brie de Meaux, another raw-cow’s-milk cheese, aged at least one month, with a crackly rust-colored rind.

Brie de Meaux: “king of cheese,” the flat wheel of cheese made only with raw cow’s milk and aged at least four weeks; from Meaux, just east of Paris; brie made with pasteurized milk does not have the right to be called brie de Meaux.

Brigade System – The kitchen organization system instituted by Auguste Escoffier. Each position has a station and well-defined responsibilities.

Brillat-Savarin: (1755-1826) famed gastronome, coiner of food aphorisms, and author of The Physiology of Taste; the high-fat, supple cow’s-milk cheese from Normandy is named for him.

Brine – A salt, water, and seasonings solution used to preserve foods.

Brioche – A very rich bread with butter and eggs. Brioche is baked in many shapes though the brioche e tete is best known. The dough can be flavored with nuts or candied fruit, as well as herbs and spices. It may also be used to wrap foods like coulibiac. Slices of toasted brioche are the perfect companion to foie gras and gravlax.

Brioche: buttery egg-enriched yeast bread.

brisée: pie pastry

Brisket – A cut of beef from the lower forequarter, best suited for long-cooking preparations like braising. Corned beef is cured beef brisket.

Brocciu: soft, young, sheep’s milk cheese from Corsica.

Broccolrabe – A green bitter vegetable unless harvested young. Looks like broccoli but has skinnier stalks. The leaves, stems and florets are eaten. Really good sauteed with garlic and olive oil and served over pasta. Also known as Italian Broccoli, rabe, rapini.

Broche, à la: spit-roasted.

Brochet(on): freshwater pike (small pike).

Brochette: cubes of meat or fish and vegetables on a skewer.

Brochette Skewers of meat, fish, or vegetables that are grilled over a flame and simply served.

Brochette – Skewers of meat, fish, or vegetables that are grilled over a flame and simply served.

Brocoli, brocolis: broccoli

Broil – A cooking method in which items are cooked by a radiant heat source placed above the food.

Broth – A flavorful, aromatic liquid made by simmering water or stock with meat, vegetables, and/or spices and herbs.

Brouet: old term for soup.

Brouillade: a mixture of ingredients as in a stew or soup; also, scrambled eggs.

brouillé: scrambled egg.

Brouillé(s): scrambled, usually eggs.

Brousse: a very fresh and unsalted (thus bland) sheep’s- or goat’s-milk cheese, not unlike Italian ricotta; specialty of Nice and Marseille.

Broutard: young goat.

Brown Stock – An amber liquid produced by simmering browned bones and meat (usually veal or beef) with vegetables and aromatics (including caramelized mirepoix).

Brown – To fry in fat over high heat in order to sear the outer services of meat so as to seal in the juices.

Brugnon: nectarine.

Brûlé(e): “burned”; usually refers to caramelization.

brulee: rich custard dessert with a top of caramelized sugar.

Brunoise – A very fine dice usually applied to vegetables.

Brunoise : Légumes coupés en petits dés : 1 à 3 millimètres de coté.

Brunoise: tiny diced vegetables.

Bruschetta – Grilled slices of bread brushed with olive oil and fresh garlic. This was the original garlic bread.

Brut: very dry or sugarless, particularly in reference to Champagne.

Bucatini – Long, narrow tubes of pasta usually served with a hearty meat

sauce.

Bucatini – Long, narrow tubes of pasta usually served with a hearty meat sauce.

Buccin: large sea snail or whelk, also called bulot.

Bûche de Noël: Christmas cake shaped like a log (bûche), a sponge cake often flavored with chestnuts and chocolate.

Buffet – A vast array of hot and cold foods, often elaborately garnished.

Buffet froid: variety of dishes served cold, sometimes from a buffet.

Bugne: deep-fried yeast-dough fritter or doughnut dusted with confectioner’s sugar; popular in and around Lyon before Easter.

Buisson: “bush”; generally a dish including vegetables arranged like a bush; classically a crayfish presentation.

Bulghur – Cracked wheat made from the whole kernel that has been cooked and dried. Most commonly used in breads and tabbouleh salad.

Bulgur – Cracked wheat made from the whole kernel that has been cooked and dried. Most commonly used in breads and tabbouleh salad.

Bulot: large sea snail or whelk, also called buccin.

Bumper – Similar to a turnover, but slightly larger.

Buron: traditional hut where cheese is made in the Auvergne mountains.

Butcher – A chef or purveyor who is responsible for butchering meats, poultry, and occasionally fish. In the brigade system, the butcher may also be responsible for breading meat and fish items and other mise en place operations involving meat.

Butter – A cooking and eating fat that is made from sweet or sour cream and, by federal law, must contain a minimum of 80% butterfat. Butter absorbs odors easily and is highly susceptible to rancidity. To avoid either of these problems, store butter in the refrigerator no longer than 2 weeks. For longer storage, butter may be frozen for up to 6 months without deterioration.

Butter-Cultured – Cultured butter is butter churned from cultured cream (crème fraiche). Most butter produced in the U.S. before 1920 was cultured butter, but in the 20’s, the U.S. Government guaranteed the sale of every pound of butter produced, so quality became a non-issue and sweet cream butter prevailed.

Buttercream – A mixture of butter, sugar, and eggs or custard; it is used to garnish cakes and pastries.

Butterfly – To split food (meat, fish, fowl) down the center, cutting almost, but not completely through. The two halves are then opened flat to resemble a butterfly.

Buttermilk – Originally a by-product of butter making, buttermilk is commercially produced by adding lactic acid culture to skimmed or partially skimmed milk.

Cabanossi – A salami-type sausage popular in Southern Europe.

Cabécou(s): small, round goat’s-milk cheese from the southwest, sometimes made with a mix of goat’s and cow’s milk.

Cabillaud: fresh codfish, also currently called morue: known as doguette in the North, bakalua in the Basque region, eglefin in Provence.

Cabri: young goat.

Cacahouète, cacahouette, cacachuète: prepared peanut–roasted, dry roasted, or salted. A raw peanut is arachide

Cacao: cocoa; powdered cocoa.

Cachat: a very strong goat cheese; generally a blend of various ends of leftover cheese, mixed with seasonings that might include salt, pepper, brandy and garlic, and aged in a crock; specialty of Provence.

Caen, à la mode de: in the style of Caen, a town in Normandy; a dish cooked in Calvados and white wine and/or cider.

Café: coffee, as well as a type of eating place where coffee is served.

Caféine: caffeine.

Cagouille: on the Atlantic coast, name for small petit gris land snail, or escargot.

Caille: quail.

Caillé: clotted or curdled; curds of milk.

Caillette: round pork sausage including chopped spinach or Swiss chard, garlic, onions, parsley, bread, and egg and wrapped in crépine (caul fat); served hot or cold; specialty of northern Provence.

Caisse: cash register; or cash desk.

Caissette: literally, “small box”; bread, brioche, or chocolate shaped like a small box.

Cajasse: a sort of clafoutis from the Dordogne, made with black cherries.

Cajou: cashew nut.

Calabacita – A variety of summer squash found in Latin American and Mexican cooking.

Calamari – The Italian word for squid.

Caldo Verde – A Portuguese soup made from a sharp flavored cabbage, potatoes, broth, and olive oil. Sausage is then cooked in the soup.

Calisson d’Aix: Delicate, diamond-shaped Provençal sweet prepared with almonds, candied oranges, melon or abricots, egg white, sugar, and confiture of oranges or apricots.

Calmar: small squid, similar to encornet; with interior transparent cartilage instead of a bone. Also called chipiron in the southwest.

Calvados: a département in Normandy known for the famed apple brandy.

Calzone – A half-moon shaped pizza turnover, often served with sauce over the top rather than inside.

Calzone – A half-moon shaped pizza turnover, often served with sauce over the

top rather than inside.

Camembert (de Normandie): village in Normandy that gives its name to a supple, fragrant cheese made of cow’s milk.

Camomille: camomile, herb tea.

Campagnard(e) (assiette): country-style, rustic; (an informal buffet of cold meats, terrines, etc.).

Campagne, à la: country-style.

Canada: cooking apple.

Canape – Small open-faced sandwiches served as snacks or for lunch. They may be served hot or cold, but they are often elaborately garnished.

Canapé: originally a slice of crustless bread; now also used to refer to a variety of hors d’oeuvre consisting of toasted or fried bread, spread with ground meat, cheese, and other flavorings.

Canapé : Tranche de pain tartinée de beurre fin ou frite dans le beurre et sur laquelle on étale des garnitures diverses.

Canapés – Small open-faced sandwiches served as snacks or for lunch. They may be served hot or cold, but they are often elaborately garnished.

Canard à la presse: roast duck served with a sauce of juices obtained from pressing the carcass, combined with red wine and Cognac.

Canard: duck.

Canard sauvage: wild duck, usually mallard.

Cancoillotte: spreadable cheese from the Jura; usually blended with milk, spices, or white wine when served.

Caneton: young male duck.

Canette: young female duck.

Cannelle: cinnamon.

Cannelloni – An Italian dish made of sheets or tubes of pasta filled with meat, cheese or fish, sauced and baked au gratin. Variations of this use thin pancakes, called crespelle, which are similar to crepes and are filled and cooked in the same manner as the pasta.

Cannois, à la: in the style of Cannes.

Cannoli – A crisp pastry tube filled with sweetened ricotta cheese, chocolate chips, and candied fruit. Cinnamon and vanilla are common flavorings for this cheese mixture.

Canon: the marrow bone

Cantal: large cylindrical cheese made in the Auvergne from shredded and pressed curds of cow’s milk.

Cantalon: smaller version of Cantal.

Cantaloup: cantaloupe melon.

Caper – The pickled bud from the caper bush which is used in sauces and as condiments for smoked fish and nicoise salad.

Capicolla – A coarse Italian pork sausage. Usually highly seasoned, this sausage is served cold, thinly sliced, as for prosciutto.

Capicolla – A coarse Italian pork sausage. Usually highly seasoned, this sausage is served cold, thinly sliced, as for proscuitto.

Capilotade: basically any leftover meat or poultry cooked to tenderness in a well-reduced sauce.

Capon – A castrated chicken that is savored for its delicate taste and texture.

Once castrated, the chicken would become fattened, yielding tender, juicy flesh. This method of raising chickens is not practiced much anymore, since most chickens are butchered at a young age and still very tender.

Capon – A castrated chicken that is savored for its delicate taste and texture.

Caponata – Best known as a spread or cold salad containing eggplant, celery, tomatoes, raisins, and pine nuts seasoned with vinegar and olive oil. Modern variations will add other vegetables such as zucchini and season it with fresh herbs.

Caponata – Best known as a spread or cold salad containing eggplant, celery, tomaotes, raisins, and pine nuts seasoned with vinegar and olive oil. Modern variations will add other vegetables such as zucchini and season it with fresh herbs.

Capre: caper.

Capsicum – The family name for sweet and hot peppers.

Capucine: nasturtium; the leaves and flowers are used in salads.

Caquelon : Plat à fondue.

Carafe (d’eau): pitcher (of tap water). House wine is often offered in a carafe. A full carafe contains one liter; a demi-carafe contains half a liter; a quart contains one-fourth of a liter.

Caraïbes: Caribbean, usually denotes chocolate from the Caribbean.

caramel: vanilla custard with caramel sauce.

Caramel : Résultat de la cuisson du sucre fondu. Cette cuisson est menée suffisamment loin pour atteindre la couleur brun-roux. Utiliser aussitôt, sinon il brûle et noircit. Le caramel est brûlant.

Caramelisé: cooked with high heat to brown the sugar and heighten flavor.

Caramelize – To heat sugar until it liquefies and become a clear caramel syrup ranging in color from golden to dark brown. Fruits and vegetables with natural sugars can be caramelized by sauteeing, roasting or grilling, giving them a sweet flavor and golden glaze.

Carbonara – An ultra-rich pasta sauce consisting of pancetta, eggs, and parmesan cheese. Actually less of a sauce than a preparation, hot pasta is

tossed with the rendered pancetta fat, the eggs, and then the cheese. Crisp pancetta and black pepper are tossed into the pasta just before serving.

Carbonara – An ultra-rich pasta sauce consisting of pancetta, eggs, and parmesan cheese. Actually less of a sauce than a preparation, hot pasta is tossed with the rendered pancetta fat, the eggs, and then the cheese. Crisp pancetta and black pepper are tossed into the pasta just before serving.

Carbonnade: braised beef stew prepared with beer and onions; specialty of the North; also refers to a cut of beef.

Cardamom – Aromatic seeds used for baking, flavoring coffee and exotic Scandinavian and Indian dishes. Excellent when freshly ground. Botanical name: Elettaria cardamomum.

Cardamome: cardamon.

Carde: white rib, or stalk, portion of Swiss chard.

Cardinal – Fish dishes which have sauces made with lobster fumet and are garnished with lobster meat.

Cardon: cardoon; large celery-like vegetable in the artichoke family, popular in Lyon, Provence, and the Mediterranean area.

Cardoon – A vegetable from the artichoke family that looks like celery.

Cardoons may be eaten raw or cooked and served like any vegetable.

Cardoon – A vegetable from the artichoke family that looks like celery.

Cardoons may be eaten raw or cooked and served like any vegetable.

Cargolade: a copious mixed grill of snails, lamb, pork sausage, and sometimes blood sausage, cooked over vine clippings; specialty of Catalan, an area of southern Languedoc.

Cari (carry ou curry) : Assaisonnement indien composé de piment, de curcuma et d’autres épices pulvérisées.

Carob – The seed from the carob tree which is dried, ground, and used primarily as a substitute for chocolate.

Carotte: carrot.

Carpaccio – An Italian dish made of paper thin slices of beef dressed with olive oil and parmesan cheese. Slices of raw white truffles are an excellent partner to this dish.

Carpe à la juive: braised marinated carp in aspic.

Carpe: carp.

Carré d’agneau: rack (ribs) or loin of lamb; also crown roast.

Carré de veau: rack (ribs) or loin of veal; also crown roast.

Carré de port: rack (ribs) or loin of pork; also crown roast.

Carrelet: see Plaice.

Carte, à la: menu (dishes, which are charged for individually, selected from a

restaurant’s full list of offerings).

Carte promotionelle or conseillée: a simple and inexpensive fixed-price meal.

Carvi (grain de): caraway (seed).

Cary: curry.

Casher: kosher.

Casse-croûte: “break bread”; slang for snack.

Casseron: cuttlefish.

Cassis (crème de): black currant (black currant liqueur).

Cassolette: usually a dish presented in a small casserole.

Cassonade: soft brown sugar; demerara sugar.

Cassoulet – A dish from southwest France consisting of white beans and an assortment of meats like confit, lamb, pork, and Toulouse sausage. The dish is enriched with large amounts of duck fat and is baked until the top is brown and crispy. Variations of this dish include seafood and lentils. This dish is very substantial and needs nothing else to be served with it but a bitter green salad to cut through the richness.

Cassoulet: popular southwestern casserole of white beans, including various combinations of sausages, duck, pork, lamb, mutton, and goose.

catalane: creamy anise flavored custard from the southern Languedoc.

Caul Fat – The stomach lining of pork which is used in place of back fat for pates and to encase crepinettes.

Caul Fat – The stomach lining of pork which is used in place of backfat for pates and to encase crepinettes.

Causse : Dénomination professionnelle d’une grande plaque à génoise.

Cavaillon: a town in Provence, known for its small, flavorful orange-fleshed melons.

Caviar d’aubergine: cold seasoned eggplant puree.

Caviar du Puy: green lentils from Le Puy, in the Auvergne.

Caviar – These are the eggs of sturgeon that have been salted and cured. Grading for caviar is determined by the size and color of the roe and the species of the sturgeon. Beluga caviar, which is the most expensive of the three types of caviar, are dark gray in color and are the largest eggs. Ossetra caviar are light to medium brown and are smaller grains than beluga. Sevruga caviar are the smallest grains, the firmest in texture and are also gray in color. Pressed caviar is made of softer, lower quality eggs and have a stronger, fishier flavor. The term malossol is used to describe the amount of salt used in the initial curing process. The roe from other fish such as salmon, lumpfish, and whitefish are not considered caviar, regardless of their label. They should be addressed as roe. Caviar should be served as simply as possible. Traditional

accompaniments, inspired by the Russians, are sour cream, blinis, and ice cold

vodka. Lemon and minced onion are often served with caviar, but their flavors will only detract from the pure delicate flavor of the caviar.

Caviar – These are the eggs of sturgeon that have been salted and cured. Grading for caviar is determined by the size and color of the roe and the species of the sturgeon. Beluga caviar, which is the most expensive of the three types of caviar, are dark gray in color and are the largest eggs. Ossetra caviar are light to medium brown and are smaller grains than beluga. Sevruga caviar are the smallest grains, the firmest in texture and are also gray in color. Pressed caviar is made of softer, lower quality eggs and have a stronger, fishier flavor. The term malossol is used to describe the amount of salt used in the initial curing process. The roe from other fish such as salmon, lumpfish, and whitefish are not considered caviars, regardless of their label. They should be addressed as roe. Caviar should be served as simply as possible. Traditional accompaniments, inspired by the Russians, are sour cream, blinis, and ice cold vodka. Lemon and minced onion are often served with caviar, but their flavors will only detract from the pure delicate flavor of the caviar.

Cébette: a mild, leek-like vegetable, sliced and eaten raw, in salads; native to Provence, but seen occasionally outside the region.

Cebiche: seviche; generally raw fish marinated in lime juice and other seasonings.

Cédrat: a variety of Mediterranean lemon.

Céleri (en branche): celery (stalk).

Céleri-rave: celeriac, celery root.

Céleri remoulade: popular first-course bistro dish of shredded celery root with tangy mayonnaise.

Celeriac – The root of a type of celery with a firm texture and a clean, sweet flavor of celery.

Celui à grains moyens est conseillé dans les préparations sucrées. Mais il peut également être cuit “pilaf”, c’est-à-dire revenu une à deux minutes environ dans de l’huile avec des oignons, puis recouvert de deux fois son volume d’eau chaude jusqu’à sa complète absorption.

Cendre (sous la): ash (cooked by being buried in embers); some cheeses made in wine-producing regions are aged in the ash of burned rootstocks.

Cèpe: large, meaty wild boletus mushroom.

Cepes – A wild mushroom of the boletus family known for their full flavor and meaty texture.

Cerdon: Bubbly (pétillant) wine (red or white?) from the Bugey

Céréale: cereal.

Cerf: stag, or male deer.

Cerfeuil: chervil.

Cerise: cherry.

Cerise noire: black cherry.

Cerneau: walnut meat.

Cervelas: garlicky cured pork sausage; now also refers to fish and seafood sausage.

Cervelle de canut: a soft, fresh herbed cheese known as “silkworker’s brains”; specialty of Lyon.

Cervelle(s): brain(s), of calf or lamb.

Cervil – A mild-flavored member of the parsley family, this aromatic herb has curly, dark green leaves with an elusive anise flavor. Though most chervil is cultivated for its leaves alone, the root is edible and was, in fact, enjoyed by early Greeks and Romans. Today it is available dried but has the best flavor when fresh. Both forms can be found in most supermarkets. It can be used like parsley but its delicate flavor can be diminished when boiled.

Céteau(x): small ocean fish, solette or baby sole, found in the gulf of Gascony and along the Atlantic coast.

Cévenole, à la: Cevennes style; garnished with chestnuts or mushrooms.

Chai – A type of Indian tea, often served with milk and sugar.

Chai – The Indian name for tea, often served with milk and sugar.

Chalutier: trawler; any flat fish caught with a trawl.

Champêtre: rustic; describes a simple presentation of a variety of ingredients.

Champignon: mushroom.

Champvallon, côtelette d’agneau: traditional dish of lamb chops baked in alternating layers of potatoes and onions; named for a village in northern Burgundy.

Channel – To create small V-shaped grooves over the surface of fruits or vegetables for decorative purposes using a canelle knife. The fruit or vegetable is then sliced, creating a decorative border on the slices.

Chanterelle – A wild mushroom with a golden color and a funnel-shaped cap. The whole mushroom is edible and is savored for its exquisite flavor and firm texture when cooked.

Chanterelle: prized pale orange wild mushroom; also called girolle. Chantilly:

sweetened whipped cream.

chantilly: sweetened whipped cream.

Chantilly – This is a name for sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla. The term may also be used to describe sauces that have had whipped cream folded into them. This includes both sweet and savory sauces.

Chaource: soft and fruity cylindrical cow’s-milk cheese, with a 50 percent fat content; takes its name from a village in Champagne.

Chapati – A whole wheat Indian flatbread that can be grilled or fried.

Chapeau: “hat”; small round loaf, topped with a little dough hat.

Chapelure: bread crumbs.

Chapelure : Mie de pain grillée au four et pilée finement qui s’achète généralement chez les boulangers. On peut également la faire soi-même en écrasant une biscotte.

Chapon: capon, or castrated chicken.

Chapon de mer: Mediterranean fish, in the rascasse or scorpion-fish family.

Charbon de bois, au: charcoal-grilled.

Charcuterie – The French word for the variety of pork preparations that are cured, smoked, or processed. This includes sausages, hams, pates, and rillettes. This term also apples to the shop in which these products are sold, and the butcher is are called a “charcutier”

Charcuterie – The French word for the variety of pork preparations that are cured, smoked, or processed. This includes sausages, hams, pates, and rillettes. This term may also imply the shop in which these products are sold and the butchers who produce it.

Charentais: variety of sweet cantaloupe, or melon, originally from the Charentes, on the Atlantic coast.

Charlotte – A name for two different desserts. The first preparation is made of slices of bread which are lined in a mold, filled with fruit, and baked until the bread acquires a golden color and crisp texture. The second version, similar to the first, lines a mold with cake or lady fingers and is filled with a bavarian cream. These may also be filled with whipped cream or even a fruit mousse. More elaborate versions layer the cake with jam, then slices of this cake is used to line the mold.

Charlotte: classic dessert in which a dish is lined with ladyfingers, filled with custard or other filling, and served cold; in the hot version, the dish is lined with crustless white bread sautéed in butter, filled with fruit compote and baked. Also a potato variety.

Charlotte – The name for two different desserts. The first preparation is made of slices of bread which are lined in a mold, filled with fruit, and baked until the bread acquires a golden color and crisp texture. The second version, similar to the first, lines a mold with cake or lady fingers and is filled with a bavarian cream. These may also be filled with whipped cream or even a fruit mousse. More elaborate versions layer the cake with jam, then slices of this cake is used to line the mold.

Charmoula – A sauce and marinade used in Middle Eastern cooking made of stewed onions flavored with vinegar, honey and a spice mixture called “rasel hanout”. This is a complex spice mixture containing cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, cumin and sometimes paprika and coriander. This sauce is used on meat and fish and can even be adjusted to make a unique vinaigrette.

Charolais: area of Burgundy; light colored cattle producing high-quality beef;

also, firm white cylinder of cheese made with goat’s or cow’s milk, or a mixture of the two.

Chartreuse: dish of braised partridge and cabbage; also herb and spicedbased liqueur made by the Chartreuse monks in the Savoie.

Chasseur: hunter; also, sauce with white wine, mushrooms, shallots, tomatoes, and herbs.

Châtaigne: chestnut, smaller than marron, with multiple nut meats.

Chateaubriand – A thick slice of beef from the heart of the tenderloin, grilled or sautéed and simply sauced. Many restaurants claim their chateaubriand to be the head of the tenderloin, cut for two, which is roasted and carved tableside.

Chateaubriand: thick filet steak, traditionally served with sautéed potatoes and a sauce of white wine, dark beef stock, butter, shallots, and herbs, or with a béarnaise sauce.

Châtelaine, à la: elaborate garnish of artichoke hearts and chestnut purée, braised lettuce, and sautéed potatoes.

chaud: hot chocolate.

Chaud-froid: “hot-cold”; cooked poultry dish served cold, usually covered with a cooked sauce, then with aspic.

Chaud-Froid – Meat or fish that has been poached or roasted, chilled and served cold, masked with a thick sauce and glazed with aspic. The whole preparation was once quite popular and used consistently on elaborate buffets. Modern tastes have moved away from this style of food, opting for cleaner, less adulterated flavors.

Chaud(e): hot or warm.

Chaudrée: Atlantic fish stew, often including sole, skate, small eels, potatoes, butter, white wine, and seasoning.

Chaufroiter : Napper une pièce quelconque avec une sauce chaudfroid.

Chausson: a filled pastry turnover, sweet or savory.

Chayote – A pear shaped squash, used in Latin American cooking, with a taste of zucchini. Chayote may be eaten raw or cooked as you would any summer squash.

Chemise, en: wrapped with pastry.

Chemiser : Masquer l’intérieur d’un moule d’une légère couche de gelée, de fonds, de glace, etc. avant de le remplir avec un appareil.

Cherimoya – Also called the custard apple, this is a tropical fruit with a creamy

texture and sweet pineapple flavor.

Cherimoya – Also called the custard apple, this is a tropical fruit with a creamy texture and sweet pineapple flavor.

Chervil – A mild-flavored member of the parsley family, this aromatic herb has curly, dark green leaves with an elusive anise flavor. Though most chervil is cultivated for its leaves alone, the root is edible and was, in fact, enjoyed by early Greeks and Romans. Today it’s available dried but has the best flavor when fresh. Both forms can be found in most supermarkets. It can be used like parsley but its delicate flavor can be diminished when boiled.

Cheval: horse, horse meat.

Cheveux d’ange: “angel’s hair”; thin vermicelli pasta.

Chevre – The French word for goat, generally referring to goat’s milk cheeses.

Chèvre (fromage de): goat (goat’s-milk cheese).

Chevreau: young goat.

Chevreuil: young roe buck or roe deer; venison.

Chevrier: small, pale green, dried kidney-shaped bean, a type of flageolet.

Chiboust – A custard made originally as the filling for the gâteau Saint-Honor, consisting of pastry cream lightened with Italian meringue and stabilized with gelatin.

Chiboust – A custard made originally as the filling for the gâteau Saint- Honor, consisting of pastry cream lightened with Italian meringue and stabilized with gelatine.

Chicharron – Crispy fried pigskin used in Mexican cooking for salads, fillings and snacks.

Chicharrones Crispy fried pigskins used in Mexican cooking for salads, fillings and snacks.

Chichi: doughnut-like, deep-fried bread spirals sprinkled with sugar; often sold from trucks at open-air markets; specialty of Provence and the Mediterranean.

Chicken-Maryland – In Australia, refers to chicken leg with both thigh and drumstick attatched. In the US, refers to any parts of chicken, crumbed, browned in hot fat, baked and served with cream gravy.

Chickpeas – Cicer arietinum. Also known as garbanzo beans, ceci beans.

Chicons du Nord: Belgian endive.

Chicorée (frisée): a bitter salad green (curly endive); also chicory, a coffee substitute.Chicorée de Bruxelles: Belgian endive.

Chiffonade – A very fine julienne of vegetables usually associated with leafy herbs, lettuces, or greens.

Chiffonade – A very fine julienne of vegetables usually associated with leafy herbs, lettuces, or greens. Literally translated from French, the term means ‘made of rags’.

Chiffonnade: shredded herbs and vegetables, usually green.

Chilaquiles – A family style Mexican dish of refried corn tortillas simmered in a sauce of tomatoes, chiles, and garlic. This is a highly seasoned dish, often served as a brunch or lunch dish with eggs or grilled meats.

Chilaquiles – A family style Mexican dish of refried corn tortillas simmered in a sauce of tomatoes, chiles, and garlic. This is a highly seasoned dish, often

served as a brunch or lunch dish with eggs or grilled meats.

Chili Rellenos – A Mexican dish consisting of a batter-fried, cheese stuffed, pablano chili pepper.

Chinchard: also called saurel, scad or horse mackerel; Atlantic and Mediterranean fish similar to mackerel.

Chinese Parsley – See Cilantro.

Chinois – French word for “Chinese”. Also refers to a “China Cap”, a very fine mesh, conical strainer.

Chinois : Passoire métallique à fond pointu.

Chipiron (à l’encre): southwestern name for small squid, or encornet (in its own ink).

Chipolata: small sausage.

Chipotle – A dried and smoked jalapeño which can be found dried or reconstituted and sold in tomato sauce. These chilies are extremely hot and caution should be taken when using them in cooking.

Chipotle – A dried and smoked jalapeño which can be found dried or reconstituted and sold in tomato sauce. These chiles are extremely hot and caution should be taken when using them in cooking.

Chips, pommes: potato chips.

Chiqueter : Taillader le tour d’une pièce de feuilletage, avant cuisson, avec la lame d’un couteau.

Chive – Related to the onion and leek, this fragrant herb has slender, vivid green, hollow stems. Chives have a mild onion flavor and are available fresh year-round. They are a good source of vitamin A and also contain a fair amount of potassium and calcium.

Chocolat: chocolate.

Chocolate – A product of cocoa beans in which the chocolate liquor is mixed with cocoa butter in various proportions to produce the different varieties of chocolate. Bitter chocolate has no additional ingredients added. Other varieties of chocolate have additional cocoa butter added, along with sugar, milk, and vanilla.

Choix, au: a choice; usually meaning one may choose from several offerings.

Chorizo– A spicy pork sausage from Latin countries, ranging in seasoning from mild and sweet to fiercely hot. Hotter versions come from areas of Spain and Portugal. Mexican versions contain a large variety of chiles and have a mealier texture and more complex flavor. Some of them even use fresh herbs giving it a green color. There is a Portuguese cousin to this sausage called linguiça, that

is smoked and even hotter.

Chorizo – A spicy pork sausage from all Hispanic countries, ranging in seasoning from mild and sweet to fiercely hot. Hotter versions come from areas of Spain and Portugal. Mexican versions contain a large variety of chiles and have a mealier texture and more complex flavor. Some of them even use fresh herbs giving it a green color. Portugal makes a cousin to this sausage called the linguisa, that is smoked and much hotter.

Chorizo: highly spiced Spanish sausage.

Choron – A variation of Bearnaise sauce with tomato puree or concasse added.

Choron – A variation of Béarnaise sauce with tomato puree or concassée added.

Choron, sauce: béarnaise sauce with tomatoes.

Chou: cabbage.

Chou de Milan: Savoy cabbage.

Chou de Bruxelles: brussels sprout.

Chou de mer: sea kale.

Chou-fleur: cauliflower.

Chou frisé: kale.

Chou-navet: rutabaga.

Chou-rave: kohlrabi.

Chou rouge: red cabbage.

Chou vert: curly green Savoy cabbage.

Choucas: jackdaw; European blackbird, like a crow, but smaller.

Choucroute (nouvelle): sauerkraut (the season’s first batch of sauerkraut, still crunchy and slightly acidic); also main dish of sauerkraut, various sausages, bacon, and pork, served with potatoes; specialty of Alsace and brasseries all over France.

Choucroute – An Alsatian specialty consisting of sauerkraut that is simmered with assorted fresh and smoked meats and sausages. This is a grand dish served on huge platters so that diners may witness all of the components displayed at one time. The kraut is first washed, then seasoned with garlic, caraway seeds, and white wine. The meats are layered in the casserole with the kraut and cooked until all the meat is tender and the flavors have blended together. Pork sausages, smoked pork shanks and shoulders, and fresh pork loin are all used. A variation of this, though not actually called a choucroute, is a whole pheasant cooked in sauerkraut with champagne. There are other recipes that consist of solely fish in with the sauerkraut. This can be quite delicious if properly prepared.

Choucroute – An Alsatian speciality consisting of sauerkraut that is simmered with assorted fresh and smoked meats and sausages. This is a grand dish served on huge platters so that diners may witness all of the components displayed at one time. The kraut is first washed, then seasoned with garlic, caraway seeds, and white wine. The meats are layered in the casserole with the kraut and cooked until all the meat is tender and the flavors have blended together. Pork sausages, smoked pork shanks and shoulders, and fresh pork loin are all used. A variation of this, though not actually called a choucroute, is a

whole pheasant cooked in sauerkraut with champagne. There are other recipes that consist of solely fish in with the sauerkraut. This can be quite delicious if properly prepared.

Choux, pâte à: cream pastry dough.

Chutney – The name for a large range of sauces or relishes used in East Indian cooking. Fresh chutneys have a bright, clean flavor and are usually thin, smooth sauces. Cilantro, mint, and tamarind are common in fresh chutney. Cooked chutneys have a deeper, broader flavor.

Ciboule: spring onion, or scallion.

Ciboulette: chives.

Cider – Widely varying definition! A drink (almost) always made from pressed apples, to many people but not all it is alcoholic. US usage is typically that `cider’ is not alcoholic and `hard cider’ is.

Cidre: bottled, mildly alcoholic cider, either apple or pear.

Cigale de mer: “sea cricket”; tender, crayfish-like, blunt-nosed rock lobster.

Cilantro – The leaf of the coriander plant. Also called Chinese/Thai/Mexican parsley, and green coriander.

Cioppino – A rich fish stew from San Francisco made with shrimp, clams, mussels, crabs, and any available fish. The broth is flavored with tomato, white wine, garlic, and chile flakes. This stew needs no other courses served but a simple green salad and a lot of sourdough bread.

Ciseler : Couper finement des herbes ou salades? Ne pas confondre avec “hacher”. Inciser un poisson pour en faciliter la cuisson.

Cîteaux: creamy, ample disc of cow’s-milk cheese with a rust-colored rind made by the Cistercian monks at the Abbaye de Cîteaux in Burgundy.

Citron: lemon.

Citron, orange, or pamplemousse pressé(e): lemon, orange, or grapefruit juice served with a carafe of tap water and sugar; for sweetening to taste.

Citron vert: lime.

Citronnelle: lemon grass, an oriental herb; also lemon balm (mèlisse).

Citrouille: pumpkin, gourd. Also called courge, potiron, potimarron.

Cive: spring onion.

Civelle: spaghetti-like baby eel, also called pibale.

Civet – A French stew usually containing game, though duck and goose are used. The meat is marinated in red wine for long periods of time, then stewed with pearl onions and bacon. The sauce was once thickened with blood, but that is a method not used much anymore.

Civet – A French stew usually containing game, though duck and goose are

used. The meat is marinated in red wine for long periods of time, then stewed with pearl onions and bacon. The sauce was once thickened with blood, but that is a method not used much anymore.

Civet de lièvre: jugged hare, or wild rabbit stew.

Civet de tripes d’oies: a stew of goose innards, sautéed in fat with onions, shallots, and garlic, then cooked in wine vinegar and diluted with water, and thickened with goose blood; from Gascony.

Civet: stew, usually of game traditionally thickened with blood.

Clafouti – A dessert of fruit, originally cherries, covered with a thick batter and baked until puffy. The dessert can be served hot or cold.

Clafoutis – A dessert of fruit, originally cherries, covered with a thick batter and baked until puffy. The dessert can be served hot or cold.

Clafoutis: traditional custard tart, usually made with black cherries; specialty of the southwest.

Claire: oyster; also a designation given to certain oysters to indicate they have been put in claires, or oyster beds in salt marshes, where they are fattened up for several months before going to market.

Clamart: Paris suburb once famous for its green peas; today a garnish of peas.

Clarifier : Rendre limpide un liquide en le débarrassant de ses impuretés et de façon usuelle en l’écumant très soigneusement tendis qu’il bouillonne doucement.

Clarify – To remove sediment from a cloudy liquid, thereby making it clear. To clarify liquids, such as stock, egg whites and/or eggshells are commonly added and simmered for approximately 15 minutes. The egg whites attract and trap particles from the liquid. After cooling, strain the mixture through a cloth-lined sieve to remove residue. To clarify rendered fat, add hot water and boil for about 15 minutes. The mixture should then be strained through several layers of cheesecloth and chilled. The resulting layer of fat should be completely clear of residue. Clarified butter is butter that has been heated slowly so that its milk solids separate and sink, and can be discarded. The resulting clear liquid can be used at a higher cooking temperature and will not go rancid as quickly as unclarified butter.

Clémentine: small tangerine, from Morocco or Spain.

Clotted Cream – This specialty of Devonshire, England (which is why it is also known as Devon cream) is a 55% (min) milkfat product made by heating shallow pans of milk to about 82 degrees C, holding them at this temperature for about an hour and then skimming off the yellow wrinkled cream crust that forms. After cooling the thickened cream is removed. It can be spread on bread or spooned atop fresh fruit or desserts. The traditional English “cream tea” consists of clotted cream and jam served with scones and tea. Clotted cream can be refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to four days.

Clouté: studded with.

Clouter : Piquer de petits bâtonnets de truffes ou autres éléments.

Clovisse: variety of very tiny clam, generally from the Mediterranean.

Cocherelle: parasol mushroom with a delicate flavor; also called champignon à la bague, coulemelle, and grisotte.

Cochon (de lait): pig (suckling).

Cochonnaille(s): pork product(s); usually an assortment of sausages and/or pâtés served as a first course.

Cock-a-Leekie – A thick Scottish soup made with chicken, leeks, and barley. Modern versions have lightened up this soup by using a chicken broth garnished with leeks and barley.

Cockles – Clams.

Coco blanc (rouge): type of small white (red) shell bean, both fresh and dried, popular in Provence, where it is a traditional ingredient of the vegetable soupe au pistou; also, coconut.

Coco de Paimpol: Cream-colored shell bean striated with purple, from Brittany, in season from July to November; the first bean in France to receive AOC.

Cocoa Powder – This is the dried powder formed from chocolate liquor after the cocoa butter content has been reduced. This mixture is then dried and ground into a fine powder. Dutch process cocoa has been treated with alkali to give a darker appearance and less bitter taste. Breakfast cocoa has sugar, milk solids, and other flavorings added to it.

Coconut Milk – This is not the liquid that is found in the center of coconuts, but a thick liquid made by steeping fresh grated coconut in hot water. The hot water helps to extract the fat from the coconut meat, which carries so much of this flavor.

Cocotte: a high-sided cooking pot (casserole) with a lid; a small ramekin dish for baking and serving eggs and other preparations.

Coeur à la Creme – “the heart of the cream” — a soft cheese dessert where the mixture is drained in a mold to help it set. The cheese is then turned out onto a platter and served with fruit and bread. Alternate versions use mixtures of ricotta and cream cheese and flavored with liquor and citrus juice. This is then molded and served with a berry coulis.

Coeur à la Crème – Meaning “the heart of the cream”, this is a soft cheese dessert where the mixture is drained in a mold to help it set. The cheese is then turned out onto a platter and served with fruit and bread.

Coeur de filet: thickest (and best) part of beef filet, usually cut into chateaubriand steaks.

Coeur de palmier: delicate shoots of the palm tree, generally served with a

vinaigrette as an hors d’oeuvre.

Coeur e la Creme – Meaning “the heart of the cream”, this is a soft cheese dessert where the mixture is drained in a mold to help it set. The cheese is then turned out onto a platter and served with fruit and bread. Alternate versions use mixtures of ricotta and cream cheese and flavored with liquor and citrus juice.

This is then molded and served with a berry coulis.

Coeur: heart.

Coffre: “chest”; refers to the body of a lobster or other crustacean, or of a butchered animal.

Coiffe: traditional lacy hat; sausage patty wrapped in caul fat.

Coing: quince.

Col vert: wild (“green-collared”) mallard duck.

Colbert: method of preparing fish, coating with egg and bread crumbs and then frying.

Colère, en: “anger”; method of presenting fish in which the tail is inserted in the mouth, so it appears agitated.

Colin: hake, ocean fish related to cod; known as merluche in the North, merluchon in Brittany, bardot or merlan along the Mediterranean.

Collard Greens – One of a variety of “greens” with a firm leaf and sharp flavor.

Colombe: dove.

Colombo – A West Indian stew seasoned with a spice mixture of the same name. This is similar to curry powder, containing coriander, chiles, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron, and garlic. The stew may contain pork, chicken, or fish.

Vegetables are cooked in the stew and rice and beans are served on the side.

Colombo: A mixture of spices, like a curry powder, used to season shellfish, meat or poultry. Like curry, the mix may vary, but usually contains tumeric, rice powder, coriander, pepper, cumin and fenugreek.

Vegetables are cooked in the stew and rice and beans are served on the side.

Colza: rape, a plant of the mustard family, colorful yellow field crop grown throughout France, usually pressed into vegetable (rapeseed) oil.

Commander avant le repas, à: a selection of desserts that should be ordered when selecting first and main courses, as they require longer cooking.

complet: brown rice.

Complet: filled up, with no more room for customers.

complète: whole wheat flour.

Compote – Dried and fresh fruit cooked with sugar to a jam like consistency, brief enough to allow the fruit to retain their individual identity.

Compote:stewed fresh or dried fruit.

Compotier: fruit bowl; also stewed ftuit.

Compris: see Service (non) compris.

Comté: large wheel of cheese of cooked and pressed cow’s milk; the best is made of raw milk and aged for six months, still made by independent cheesemakers in the Jura mountains.

Concasse – The term for chopping a vegetable coarsely. This is used most often when referring to chopped tomatoes.

Concassé: coarsely chopped.

Concassee – The term for chopping a vegetable coarsely. This is used most often when referring to chopped tomatoes.

Concasser : Casser ou couper grossièrement.

Conch – A Mollusk Gastropod – “Strombus” – Abundant in US only off Florida Keys, where it is illegal to take. Most now comes from Caribbean islands such as Turks and Caicos, Trinidad, or Honduras. One Conch steak typically weighs 1/5 to 1/3 lb appx. These sell for prices ranging from $4.99 – $6.99 per pound. These steaks are taken home, beaten with device such as a rolling pin, (to tenderize) then cubed for conch salad or conch fritters.

Conchiglie – Large shell shaped pasta noodles. These are often stuffed and baked au gratin. Small shells are called conchigliette.

Concombre: cucumber.

Conférence: a variety of pear.

Confiserie: candy, sweet, or confection; a candy shop.

Confit: a preserve, generally pieces of duck, goose, or pork cooked and preserved in their own fat; also fruit or vegetables preserved in sugar; alcohol, or vinegar.

Confit – This is a preparation for meat to preserve it for long periods of time when fresh meat would be scarce. The meat is first salted to remove moisture. It is then cooked at the lowest of simmers, submerged in fat, until the meat is buttery tender. After the meat is cooled, it is stored in crocks and covered with the fat to prevent exposure to air. The whole crock is stored to help age the meat. During this aging period the meat develops a new flavor, completely different from its original state. When ready to eat, the meat is fried in a skillet or grilled until the skin is crisp and the meat is warmed through. Duck confit was once served with potatoes fried in the same duck fat as the confit. This practice is less popular now, but good companions to the confit are lentils or bitter green salads to balance the richness of the meat. Fatty meats such as duck, goose, and pork work best in confit. Confit is an indispensable component in cassoulet.

once served with potatoes fried in the same duck fat as the confit. This practice is less popular now, but good companions to the confit are lentils or bitter green salads to balance the richness of the meat. Fatty meats such as duck, goose, and pork work best in confit. Confit is an indispensable component in cassoulet.

Confiture de vieux garçon: varied fresh fruits macerated in alcohol.

Confiture: jam.

Confiture : La confiture est une technique de conservation du fruit qui consiste à lui faire progressivement perdre son eau et cristalliser ses sucres propres en le plongeant successivement dans des bains de sucre – qu’on re-concentre dans l’intermédiaire des cuissons.

Confiture – The term for fruit preserves. This term is used loosely now to encompass vegetables which are cooked long and slowly to produce a sweetened flavor.

Congeler: to freeze.

Congre: conger eel; a large ocean fish resembling a freshwater eel (anguille); often used in fish stews.

Conseillé: advised, recommended.

Consommation(s): “consumption”; drinks, meals, and snacks available in a cafe or bar.

Consomme – A clarified broth used as a base for sauces and soups.

Consommé: clear soup.

Contre-filet: cut of sirloin taken above the loin on either side of the backbone, tied for roasting or braising (can also be cut for grilling).

Conversation: puff pastry tart with sugar glazing and an almond or cream filling.

Copeau(x): shaving(s), such as from chocolate, cheese, or vegetables.

Coppa – The loin or shoulder of pork that is cured, cooked and dried. It is served thinly sliced for antipasto or on sandwiches or pizza.

Coppa – The loin or shoulder of pork that is cured, cooked and dried. It is served thinly sliced for antipasti or on sandwiches or pizza.

Coq (au vin): mature male chicken (stewed in wine sauce).

Coq au Vin – A chicken stew flavored with red wine, bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions.

Coq au vin jaune: chicken cooked in the sherry-like vin jaune of the region, with cream, butter; and tarragon, often garnished with morels; specialty of the Jura.

Coq au Vin – A chicken stew flavored with red wine, bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions.

Coq de bruyère: wood grouse.

Coque, à la: served in a shell. See Oeuf à la coque.

Coque: cockle, a tiny, mild-flavored, clam-like shellfish.

Coquelet: young male chicken.

Coquillage(s): shellfish.

Coquille Saint-Jacques: sea scallop.

Coquille: shell.

Corail: coral-colored egg sac, found in scallops, spiny lobster, and crayfish.

Corail : Partie de l’estomac, de couleur rouge, des langoustes, homards, SaintJacques.

Corb: a Mediterranean bluefish.

Cordial – In the US, a synonym for liqueur. In UK, NZ, Australia, a thick syrup (which may or may not contain real fruit) which is diluted to give a non-alcoholic fruit drink.

Coriandre: coriander; either the fresh herb or dried seeds.

Corn Syrup – Dextrose, maltose, or glucose obtained by converting starch with acids. This syrup is used in baking, primarily to prevent the crystallization of sugar.

Corne d’abondance: “horn of plenty”; dark brown wild mushroom, also called trompette de la mort.

Cornet: cornet-shaped; usually refers to foods rolled conically; also an ice cream cone, and a conical pastry filled with cream.

Cornflour – A starch usually made from wheat. Used to thicken sauces, etc. Also called cornstarch.

Cornichon: gherkin; tiny tart cucumber pickle.

Cornmeal – Ground corn (maize).

Côte d’agneau: lamb chop.

Côte de veau: veal chop.

Côte de boeuf: beef blade or rib steak.

Cotechino – A fresh pork sausage with a very fine consistency and delicate flavor. It contains a small amount of ground pork rind, coteca in Italian, thus giving it the name.It is a large sausage, about 3″X 9″, used in stews and pasta e fagioli.

Côtelette: thin chop or cutlet.

Cotriade: a fish stew, usually including mackerel, whiting, conger eel, sorrel, butter, potatoes, and vinegar; specialty of Brittany.

Cou d’oie (de canard) farci: neck skin of goose (of duck), stuffed with meat and spices, much like sausage.

Coulant: refers to runny cheese.

Coulemelle: parasol mushroom with a delicate flavor; also called champignon à la bague, cocherelle, and grisotte.

Coulibiac – A Russian pie made with alternating layers of salmon, hard cooked eggs, rice, mushroom duxelle, and vesiga. Vesiga is the spinal marrow of sturgeon and has all but disappeared from commercial markets. The dough used to wrap the pie can be pate brisee, puff pastry, or brioche dough. Crepes

are often layered in the bottom of the pie.

Coulibiac: classic, elaborate, hot Russian pâté, usually layers of salmon, rice, hard-cooked eggs, mushrooms, and onions, wrapped in brioche.

Coulis – A puree of fruit or vegetables, used as a sauce or flavoring agent to other sauces or soups. As sauces, they are thinned down just enough to reach the proper consistency, but not so much as to alter the intense flavor of the puree.

Coulis : Produit résultant de la cuisson prolongée de certaines denrée et passé au tamis pour obtenir une purée fine et liquide.

Coulis: purée of raw or cooked vegetables or fruit.

Coulommiers: town in the Ile-de-France that gives its name to a supple, fragrant disc of cow’s-milk cheese, slightly larger than Camembert.

Courge (muscade): generic term for squash or gourd (bright orange pumpkin).

Courgette – The French word for zucchini. The word is also used in England.

Courgette: zucchini.

Couronne: “crown”; ring or circle, usually of bread.

Court-bouillon: broth, or aromatic poaching liquid.

Court-Bouillon – A well-seasoned cooking liquor, sometimes made with broth, used to poach fish and shellfish. Court-bouillons mainly consist of wine, water, herbs, and onion. Vinegar is sometimes added to the bouillon to help set the fish and enhance its white color. Truite au bleu is a perfect example of this technique.

Court-bouillon : Bouillon aromatisé dans lequel on fait cuire des aliments qui risqueraient d’être fades.

Couscous – A pasta made from semolina (which itself is a flour made from Durum wheat).The name couscous also refers to the famous Maghreb dish in which semolina or cracked wheat is steamed in the perforated top part of a special pot called a couscoussiere, while chunks of meat (usually chicken or lamb), various vegetables, chickpeas and raisins simmer in the bottom part. The cooked semolina is heaped onto a large platter, with the meats and vegetables placed on top. Diners use chunks of bread to scoop the couscous from the platter.

Couscous: granules of semolina, or hard wheat flour; also refers to a hearty North African dish that includes the steamed grain, broth, vegetables, meats, hot sauce, and sometimes chickpeas and raisins.

Couscous – Large grains of semolina flour that are steamed until tender and sauced with a rich meat, fish, or vegetable stew.

Couteau: razor clam.

Couvert: a place setting, including dishes, silver, glassware, and linen.

Couverture: bittersweet chocolate high in cocoa butter; used for making the shiniest chocolates.

Couverture : Chocolat, moins sucré que d’ordinaire, forcé en beurre de cacao. Très employé en pâtisserie et confiserie, sert principalement à enrober les bonbons.

Crabe: crab.

Crackling – Crispy pieces of skin remaining after the fat is rendered. Commonly made from pork, duck, and goose it is used in salads, stuffings, and seasonings.

Crambe: sea kale, or chou de mer.

Cramique: brioche with raisins or currants; specialty of the North.

Crapaudine: preparation of grilled poultry or game bird with backbone removed.

Craquant: crunchy.

Craquelot: smoked herring.

Cream – This is the portion of milk that rises to the top when milk has not been homogenized. Cream is defined by its varying amounts of butterfat content. Half and half is a mixture of milk and cream, resulting in a butterfat content of 12%. Sour cream and light cream have a butterfat content of 18-20%. Heavy cream will have no less than 30% butterfat, averages around 36%, and will go as high as 40%.

Cream – This is the fatty portion of milk that rises to the top when milk has not been homogenized. Cream is defined by its varying amounts of butterfat content. Half and half cream is a mixture of milk and cream, resulting in a butterfat content of 12%. Sour cream and light cream have a butterfat content of 18-20%. Heavy cream will have no less than 30% butterfat, averages around

36%, and will go as high as 40%.

Crécy: a dish garnished with carrots.

Crémant: sparkling wine.

Creme Anglaise – This is a custard made of milk and eggs. It is used both as a sauce for desserts and as a base for mousses.

Creme Caramel – Like the Spanish flan, this is a baked custard that is flavored with caramel. When the dish is inverted, the caramel creates a sauce for the dessert.

Creme Fraiche – A naturally thickened fresh cream that has a sharp, tangy flavor and rich texture. This is an expensive item to buy, but a good substitute can be made by mixing heavy cream with uncultured buttermilk and allowed to stand, well covered, in a tepid place until thickened.

Creme Patissierre – This is a thick pastry cream made of milk, eggs, and flour. Other versions of this use all or a portion of cornstarch.

Crème: cream.

Crème de tartre : Fine poudre blanche employée comme agent levant, le tartre est un sous-produit de la fabrication du vin. La crème de tartre est souvent utilisée pour stabiliser les blancs d’oeufs battus dans les gâteaux des anges, les gâteaux éponges, les gâteaux mousseline, les meringues et les soufflés, et pour empêcher la cristallisation du sucre en confiserie.

Crème : La crème fraîche est la partie grasse qui monte à la surface du lait quand il est au repos. La crème est à la fois un aliment et un condiment. Ce mot désigne aussi une association de diverses substances constituant un liquide onctueux.

Crepaze – A cake made of crepes layered with vegetables, cheese, or ham. The cake is then baked to blend the flavors and help set it so that it may be cut into wedges.

Crepe – A very thin pancake used for sweet and savory fillings.

Crêpe: thin pancake.

Crêpes Suzette: hot crêpe dessert flamed with orange liqueur.

Crépine: caul fat.

Crepinette – A small sausage patty wrapped in caul fat. They are filled with ground pork, veal, or poultry and fried or grilled. Some are shaped into balls. You may also use cooked meat or vegetables to flavor a ground meat in the crepinette.

Crépinette : Sorte de membrane graisseuse, sert à envelopper des aliments.

Crépinette: traditionally, a small sausage patty wrapped in caul fat; today boned poultry wrapped in caul fat.

Crespelle – An Italian pancake, similar to a crˆpe, used in place of pasta in preparations of dishes like manicotti and cannelloni.

Crespelle – An Italian pancake, similar to a crˆpe, used in place of pasta in preparations of dishes like manicotti and canneloni.

Cresson(ade): watercress (watercress sauce).

Crête (de coq): (cock’s) comb.

Creuse: elongated, crinkle-shelled oyster.

Crever : Première cuisson d’une céréale (riz) dans une petite quantité d’eau en la faisant gonfler pour qu ‘elle éclate.

Crevette grise: tiny soft-fleshed shrimp that turns gray when cooked.

Crevette rose: small firm-fleshed shrimp that turns red when cooked; when large, called bouquet.

Crevette: shrimp.

Crique: potato pancake from the Auvergne.

Criste marine: edible algae.

Croque au sel, à la: served raw, with a small bowl of coarse salt for seasoning; tiny purple artichokes and cherry tomatoes are served this way.

Croque-madame: open-face sandwich of ham and cheese with an egg grilled on top.

Croque-monsieur: toasted ham and cheese sandwich.

Croque-Monsieur – The French version of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with Gruyere cheese.

Croquembouche – A grand dessert made up of cream puffs that are dipped in caramel and assembled into a large pyramid shape. The whole dessert is then brushed with more caramel and elaborately decorated.

Croquembouche: choux pastry rounds filled with cream and coated with a sugar glaze, often served in a conical tower at special events.

Croquette – A thick patty made up of cooked foods. These patties or balls are breaded and fried or sautéed. Vegetables, fish, or meat may be used in croquettes.

Croquette: ground meat, fish, fowl, or vegetables bound with eggs or sauce, shaped into various forms, usually coated in bread crumbs, and deep fried.

Crosne: small, unusual tuber; with a subtle artichoke-like flavor; known as a Chinese or Japanese artichoke.

Crostini – Toasted bread slices which are brushed with olive oil and served with tomatoes, pumate, cheese, chicken liver mousse, bean puree, or tapenade.

These are the Italian version of canapés.

Crostini – Toasted bread slices which are brushed with olive oil and served with tomatoes, pumate, cheese, chicken liver mousse, bean puree, or tapenade.

These are the Italian version of canapés.

Crottin de Chavignol: small flattened ball of goat’s-milk cheese from the Loire valley.Croustade: usually small pastry-wrapped dish; also regional southwestern pastry filled with prunes and/or apples.

Croustadine : Bouchées plates de différentes formes faites avec des rognures de feuilletage.

Croûte (en): crust; (in) pastry.

Croûte de sel (en): (in) a salt crust.

Crouton – Bread that is cut into smaller pieces and toasted or fried until crisp. This includes cubes for salads and slices for soups and hors d’oeuvres.

Croutons – Bread that is cut into smaller pieces and toasted or fried until crisp. This includes cubes for salads and slices for soups and hors d’oeuvres.

Croûtons : Morceaux de pain coupé en dés, carré ou triangles et frits dans le beurre ou l’huile.

Croûtons: small cubes of toasted or fried bread.

cru: raw cream butter.

cru: salted or smoked ham that has been cured but not cooked.

Cru: raw.

Crudite – A selection of raw vegetables served with a dip.

Crudité: raw vegetable.

Crustacé(s): crustacean(s).

Cuillière (à la): (to be eaten with a) spoon.

Cuisse (de poulet): leg or thigh (chicken drumstick).

Cuissot, cuisseau: haunch of veal, venison, or wild boar.

cuit: cooked ham.

Cuit(e): cooked.

Cul de poule : Plat généralement en acier inoxydable qui sert lors de la confection de pâtisseries. De la forme d’une saladier, il a un fond plat ou rond et peut se mettre directement sur la flamme. On peut le remplacer par un chaudron mince si on n’en possède pas.

Cul: haunch or rear; usually of red meat.

Culatello – The heart of the prosciutto.

Culotte: rump, usually of beef.

Cultivateur: “truck farmer”; fresh vegetable soup.

Cumberland Sauce – An English sauce used for ham, game, and pâtés. The sauce is made of currant jelly mixed with lemon and orange juice and port wine.

Curcuma: turmeric.

Cure-dent: toothpick.

Cure – To treat food by one of several methods for preservation purposes. Examples are smoking, pickling – in an acid base, corning – with acid and salt, and salt curing – which removes water.

Curry Powder – This is a mix of spices that we have come to know of by the Muslim variety found in stores. Yet this is a mixture that is unique to everyone’s kitchen. They may be mild with spices like cumin, fennel, and coriander; or heated up a bit with chiles and pepper; or fragrant with cinnamon and saffron. All of these are considered curry powders and all of them have distinctly different applications. Look under the definition for garam masala for more information.

Cuttlefish – A cousin to the squid, that is also prized for its ink sac as well as its flesh.

d’ain: Provençal name for wild savory. Also, small goat cheese covered with sprigs of savory. Also known as pèbre d’ail and pèbre d’ase.

d’alpage: cheese made in mountain pastures during the prime summer milking period.

d’amande: almond paste.

d’arachide: peanut oil.

d’Auvergne: raw, dry, salt-cured smoked ham.

d’avoine: oat flour.

d’eau douce: freshwater fish.

d’oie (or de canard): breast of fattened goose (or duck), smoked, salted, or sugar cured, somewhat resembling ham in flavor.

d’olive (extra vierge): olive oil (extra virgin, or the first cold pressing).

Dacquoise – A cake made of nut meringues layered with whipped cream or buttercream. The nut meringue disks are also referred to as dacquoise.

Daikon – A large oriental radish with a sweet, fresh flavor. Can be as fat as a football but is usually 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Use raw in salads, shredded as a garnish or cook in a variety of ways including stir-fry.

Daikon – A larege oriental radish with a sweet, fresh flavor. Can be as fat as a football but is usually 2 to 3 inches in diameter. Use raw in salads, shredded as a garnish or cook in a variety of ways including stir-fry.

Dal – This is the Indian term for all varieties of dried beans, split peas, and lentils. There are many different varities of dal, all of which have a specific use in Indian cooking.

Damier: “checkerboard”; arrangement of vegetables or other ingredients in alternating colors like a checkerboard; also, a cake with such a pattern of light and dark pieces.

Dariole: truncated cone or oval-shaped baking mold.

Darne: a rectangular portion of fish filet; also a fish steak, usually of salmon.

Darne : Tranche coupée dans le corps entier d’un gros poisson cru. Chaque tranche a de 3 à 4 centimètre d’épaisseur.

darphin: grated potatoes shaped into a cake.

Dartois: puff pastry rectangles layered with an almond cream filling as a dessert, or stuffed with meat or fish as an hors-d’oeuvre.

Dashi – A Japanese fish stock made with dried bonito and kombu seaweed. This is used for soups, sauces, and marinades.

Datte (de mer): date (date-shaped prized wild Mediterranean mussel).

Daube: a stew, usually of beef lamb, or mutton, with red wine, onions, and/or tomatoes; specialty of many regions, particularly Provençe and the Atlantic coast.

Daube – A stew consisting of a single piece of meat such as a shoulder or joint. The meat is stewed in a rich, wine laden broth with herbs and vegetables. The broth is then thickened, reduced and served with the slices of meat and accompanying vegetables.

Dauphin: cow’s-milk cheese shaped like a dauphin, or dolphin; from the North.

dauphine: mashed potatoes mixed with cboux pastry, shaped into small balls and fried.

Dauphine – The name for little puffs made of potato puree, that are mixed with choux paste and deep fried.

dauphinoise: a gratin of sliced potatoes, baked with milk and/or cream, garlic, cheese, and eggs.

Dauphinoise – The name of a potato gratin with lots of cream and garlic, all topped with Gruyere cheese.

Daurade: sea bream, similar to porgy, the most prized of a group of ocean fish known as dorade.

de Bayonne: raw, dry salt-cured ham, very pale in color.

de blé: wheat flour; white flour.

de bois: wild mushroom, from the woods.

de Bourgogne: See jambon persillé.

de Camargue: nutty, fragrant rice grown in the Camargue, the swampy area just south of Arles in Provence.

de colza: rapeseed oil.

de Corinthe: currant.

de lac: lake fish.

de lac: lake trout.

de maïs: corn flour.

de maïs: corn oil.

de mer: ocean fish.

de mer: sea trout or brown trout.

de montagne: any mountain ham, cured according to local custom.

de Montpellier: classic butter sauce seasoned with olive oil, herbs, garlic, and anchovies.

de mouton: stew of mutton and white beans (also called halicots).

de noisette: hazlenut oil.

de noix: walnut oil.

de Paris: most common cultivated mushroom.

de Paris: pale, lightly salted, cooked ham.

de Parme: Italian prosciutto from Parma, air-dried and salt-cured ham, sliced thin and served raw.

de pays: any country ham, cured according to local custom.

de pépins de raisins: grapeseed oil.

de poulet: boned stuffed chicken leg.

de rivière: river trout.

de rivière: river fish.

de roche: rock fish.

de sarrasin: buckwheat flour.

de seigle: rye flour.

de sésame: sesame oil.

de Smyrne: sultana.

de son: bran flour.

de tournesol: sunflower oil.

de Westphalie: German Westphalian ham, raw, cured, and smoked.

de York: smoked English-style ham, usually poached.

déca or décaféiné: decaffeinated coffee.

Décaféiné or déca: decaffeinated coffee.

Décanter : Séparer la partie bonne de la partie mauvaise d’un liquide, en le versant doucement dans un autre récipient.

Décortiqué(e): shelled or peeled.

Deep-fry – To cook food in hot fat or oil deep enough so that it is completely covered. The temperature of the fat is extremely important and can make the difference between success and failure. When the fat is not hot enough, the food absorbs fat and becomes greasy. When the fat is too hot, the food burns

on the exterior before it has cooked through. Fat at the correct temperature will produce food with a crisp, dry exterior and moist interior. An average fat temperature for deep-frying is 375 degrees, but the temperature varies according to the food being fried. Use a deep fryer, an electric fry pan or a heavy pot and a good kitchen thermometer for deep frying.

Défaire une crème : Amollir un corps gras, seul ou en présence de sucre, à l’aide d’une cuillère de bois ou d’un batteur électrique jusqu’à ce qu’elle devienne mou et très léger.

Déglacer : Mouiller légèrement le “gratin restant au fond d’un plat, après cuisson, pour le transformer en jus. Faire réduire en cas de besoin, pour amener à point.

Deglaze – A process of adding liquid to a hot pan in order to collect the bits of food which stick to the pan during cooking. This is most common with sautéed and roasted foods. Wine, stock, and vinegar are common deglazing liquids.

Deglaze – To remove browned bits of food from the bottom of a pan after sauteing, usually meat. After the food and excess fat have been removed from the pan, a small amount of liquid is heated with the cooking juices in the pan and stirred to remove browned bits of food from the bottom. The resulting mixture often becomes the base for a sauce.

Degorge – 1. To sprinkle vegetables with salt to eliminate water. Eggplant for example are generally salted and patted dry before cooking. 2. To add cornmeal to water and soak crustaceans in order that they will eliminate the sand in their shells.

Dégorger : Faire tremper à l’eau froide courante une viande ou des abats ou du poisson pour les débarrasser du sang et des impuretés qu’ils contiennent.

Dégraisser : Pour un bouillon de pot-au-feu par exemple : mettre à refroidir afin que le gras remonte à la surface et se fige en formant une croûte qu’il est alors facile d’enlever à l’aide d’une écumoire ou même d’une simple cuillère. On peut également utiliser, en cas d’urgence, du papier absorbant.

Dégustation: tasting or sampling.

Déjeuner: lunch.

Délayer : Mélanger une substance farineuse ou compacte avec un liquide.

demi-écremé: semi-skimmed milk.

demi-sel: butter (lightly salted).

Demi-deuil: “in half mourning”; poached (usually chicken) with sliced truffles inserted under the skin; also, sweetbreads with a truffled white sauce.

Demi-glace: concentrated beef-based sauce lightened with consommé, or a lighter brown sauce.

Demi-Glace – A rich brown sauce comprised of espagnole sauce, which is further enriched with veal stock and wine and reduced to proper consistency. This is a very long procedure and requires constant skimming. A quick version of this involves reducing brown veal stock to which has been added mirepoix, tomato paste, wine, and brown roux. The latter recipe saves time, but never reaches the intensity of flavor as does the former method. Due to the quantity and length of time required to prepare it, it is not usually made in the home.

However it is available for home gourmands. See MORE THAN GOURMET.

Demi: half; also, an 8-ounce (250 ml) glass of beer; also, a half-bottle of wine.

Demi-sec: usually refers to goat cheese that is in the intermediate aging stage between one extreme of soft and fresh and the other extreme of hard and aged.

Demi-sel (buerre): lightly salted (butter).

Demi-tasse: small cup; after-dinner coffee cup.

Demoiselle de canard: marinated raw duck tenderloin; also called mignon de canard.

Demoiselles de Cherbourg: small lobsters from the town of Cherbourg in Normandy, cooked in a court-bouillon and served in cooking juices. Also, restaurant name for Breton lobsters weighing 300 to 400 grams (10 to 13 ounces).

Dent, denté: one of a generic group of Mediterranean fish known as dorade, similar to porgy.

Dentelle: “lace”; a portion of meat or fish so thinly sliced as to suggest a resemblance. Also, large lace-thin sweet crêpe.

Dents-de-lion: dandelion salad green; also called pissenlit.

Dépouiller : Retirer les impuretés et matières grasses qui surnagent à la surface d’une sauce, d’un bouillon, d’un potage, etc.

des Charentes: finest French butter, from the region of PoitouCharentes along the Atlantic coast.

Dés: diced pieces.

Dés : Pain, viande, lard ou légume coupés en cubes plus ou moins gros.

Désossé: boned.

Dessécher : Sécher sur le coin du feu un appareil quelconque (pâte à choux, pommes duchesse, etc.) en le travaillant sans arrêt à la spatule.

Dessicated Coconut – Dried coconut shreds, similar to US coconut shreds. In the US, coconut is usually sold sweetened, this is not so common in other countries.

Détrempe : Pâte obtenue par le mélange d’eau et de farine. Sert à faire le feuilletage.

Détremper : Mélanger à la main la farine et l’eau, le lait ou les oeufs.

Devein – To remove the blackish-gray vein from the back of a shrimp. The vein can be removed with a special utensil called a deveiner or with the tip of a sharp knife. Small and medium shrimp need deveining for aesthetic purposes only. However, because the veins in large shrimp contain grit, they should always be removed.

Devon Cream – Please see “Clotted Cream”

Devon Cream – Please see Clotted Cream

Diable: “devil”; method of preparing poultry with a peppery sauce, often mustard-based. Also, a round pottery casserole.

Dice – To cut food into tiny cubes (about 1/8- to ¼-inch).

Dieppoise: Dieppe style; usually white wine, mussels, shrimp, mushrooms, and cream.

Digestif: general term for spirits served after dinner; such as Armagnac, Cognac, marc, eau-de-vie.

Digestive Biscuits – A wholmeal biscuit (cookie) with a honey taste. Can be substituted for graham crackers, but are not exactly the same thing.

Dijonnaise: Dijon style; usually with mustard.

Dijonnaise – This is a name given to dishes that contain mustard or are served with a sauce that contains mustard.

Dim Sum – A selection of small dishes served for snacks and lunch in China. These dishes include a wide selection of fried and steamed dumplings, as well as, various other sweet and savory items.

Dinde: turkey hen.

Dindon(neau): turkey (young turkey).

Dîner: dinner; to dine.

Diot: pork sausage cooked in wine, often served with a potato gratin; specialty of the Savoie.

Discrétion, à: on menus usually refers to wine, which may be consumed-without limit–at the customer’s discretion.

Ditalini – Short pasta tubes.

Dodine: cold stuffed boned poultry.

Dolma – A cold hors d oeuvre made of grape leaves stuffed with cooked rice, lamb, and onion. They are marinated with olive oil and lemon. Vegetarian versions of this are also made.

Dolma – A cold hors d’oeuvre made of grape leaves stuffed with cooked rice, lamb, and onion. They are marinated with olive oil and lemon. Vegetarian versions of this are also made.

Donax – Clams.

Dorade: generic name for group of ocean fish, the most prized of which is daurade, similar to porgy.

Doré: browned until golden.

Dorer : Étendre la dorure au pinceau.

Dorure : Oeufs entiers battus, additionnés d’une goutte d’eau ou de lait. Peut se faire aussi avec deux jaunes d’oeufs ou deux jaunes et un blanc.

Dos: back; also the meatiest portion of fish.

Doucette: see Mâche.

Douceur: sweet or dessert.

Douillon, duillon: a whole pear wrapped and cooked in pastry; specialty of

Normandy.

Doux, douce: sweet.

Doyenné de Comice: a variety of pear.

Dredge – To lightly coat food that is going to be fried with flour, breadcrumbs or cornmeal. The coating helps to brown the food and provides a crunchy surface. Dredged foods need to be cooked immediately, while breaded foods, those dredged in flour, dipped in egg then dredged again in breading, can be prepared and held before cooking.

Dresser : Disposer harmonieusement un mets sur un plat de service.

Dry Aging – A process usually referring to beef. This process flavor and tenderizes the beef through enzyme action.

du cru: butter given the appellation d’origine contrôlée pedigree.

Duchess – The name for potato puree that is enriched with cream, then piped into decorative shapes and browned in the oven. They are often piped around the rim of a platter onto which a roast or whole fish may be served.

Duchess – The name for potato puree that is enriched with cream, then piped into decorative shapes and browned in the oven.They are often piped around the rim of a platter onto which a roast or whole fish may be served.

duchesse: mashed potatoes with butter, egg yolks, and nutmeg, used for garnish.

Dugléré: white flour-based sauce with shallots, white wine, tomatoes, and parsley.

dur: hard-cooked egg.

Dur (oeuf): hard (hard-cooked egg).

Durian – A large fruit from southeast Asia that has a creamy, gelatinous texture and a nauseating smell similar to that of stinky feet. The flesh is savored by many from this area, but outsiders find it a difficult flavor to become accustomed.

Duxelle – Finely chopped mushrooms that are cooked in butter with shallots and wine. When cooked dry, duxelle make a good filling for omelets, fish, and meat. They may also be moistened with wine or broth and served as a sauce.

Duxelle are also flavored with fresh herbs and brandy or Madeira.

Duxelles: minced mushrooms and shallots sautéed in butter, then mixed with cream.

Eau-de-vie: literally, “water of life”; brandy, usually fruit-based.

Eau de source: spring water.

Eau du robinet: tap water.

Eau gazeuse: carbonated water.

Eau minérale: mineral water.

Ebarber : Retirer la partie qui déborde des huîtres, moules ou poissons.

Ecailler : Enlever les écailles d’un poisson en le grattant de la queue vers la tête sans abîmer la peau.

Echalote (gris): shallot (prized purplish shallot) elongated.

Echalote banane: banana-shaped onion.

Echine: sparerib.

Echiré: brand of the finest French butter, preferred by French chefs, with an AOC pedigree, from the region of Poitou-Charentes along the Atlantic coast.

Echourgnac: delicately flavored, ochre-skinned cheese made of cow’s milk by the monks at the Echourgnac monastery in the Dordogne.

Eclade de moules: mussels roasted beneath a fire of pine needles; specialty of the Atlantic coast.

Eclaircir : Ajouter eau, bouillon ou lait par petites quantités dans une sauce.

Ecrasé: crushed; with fruit, pressed to release juice.

écremé: skimmed milk.

Ecrevisse: freshwater crayfish.

Ecumer : Enlever l’écume qui remonte à la surface des liquides où cuits un aliment au moment et pendant l’ébullition.

Effiler – To remove the fibrous string from a string bean; to thinly slice almonds.

Effiloché: frayed, shredded.

Egg Threads – Lightly beaten eggs that are poured slowly into a hot broth, creating irregular shaped threads used to garnish soups.

Eggplant – A purple, vaguely egg-shaped vegetable. Called brinjal in parts of India and aubergine in various other places.

Eglantine: wild rose jam; specialty of Alsace.

Eglefin, égrefin, aiglefin: small fresh haddock, a type of cod.

Elzekaria: soup made with green beans, cabbage, and garlic; specialty of the Basque region.

Embeurré de chou: buttery cooked cabbage.

Emincé: thin slice, usually of meat.

Emincer – To cut fruit into thin slices, shorter than for julienne. This term is most often used when referring to meats, but it also applies to fruits and vegetables.

Émincer : Couper un tranches très minces.

Emmental: large wheel of cooked and pressed cow’s-milk cheese, very mild in flavor, with large interior holes; made in large commercial dairies in the Jura.

Emondé: skinned by blanching, such as almonds, tomatoes.

Emonder : Enlever la peau ou la pellicule recouvrant des amandes ou des fruits.

Empanada – A small savory pie from Spain and South America. Fillings may be made of meat, seafood, or vegetables. The fillings can be seasoned in many

ways. Those from around Spain are flavored with peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Those from South America have a sweet/sour undertone from the addition of raisins and green olives. Crusts may be made from bread dough or flaky dough like pate brisee and puff pastry.

Empanada – A small savory pie from Spain and South America. Fillings may be made of meat, seafood, or vegetables. The fillings can be seasoned in many ways. Those from around Spain are flavored with peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Those from South America have a sweet/sour undertone from the addition of raisins and green olives. Crusts may be made from bread dough or flaky dough like pate brisee and puff pastry.

Emulsify – To bind together two liquid ingredients that normally do not combine smoothly, such as water and fat. Slowly add one ingredient to the other while mixing rapidly. This action disperses tiny droplets of one liquid in the other. Mayonnaise and vinaigrettes are emulsions. Use a good whisk for steady, even emulsification.

Emulsion : Préparation obtenue en tournant énergiquement un corps gras et un autre produit qui ne se mélange pas au corps gras, mais y reste en suspension.

en grain: peppercorn.

en meurette: poached egg in red wine sauce.

en robe des champs, en robe de chambre: potatoes boiled or baked in their skin; potatoes in their jackets.

En sus: see Service en sus.

Enchaud: pork filet with garlic; specialty of Dordogne.

Encornet: small illex squid, also called calmar; in Basque region called chipiron.

Encre: squid ink.

Endive: Belgian endive; also chicory salad green.

Enduire : Couvrir d’une couche mince.

Enrober : Recouvrir totalement, soit en trempant, soit en nappant.

entier: whole milk.

Entier, entière: whole, entire.

Entrecôte – A steak cut from the rib section of beef. It is boneless and has a very thin layer of fat. Though steaks cut from the loin ends of the rib are a finer quality steak, the whole rib may be used for entrecôte. It is not accurate to refer to strip steak as entrecôte, since that cut of beef is called the faux-filet or contrefilet.

Entrecôte maître d’hôtel: beef rib steak with sauce of red wine and shallots.

Entrée: first course.

Entrée : Préparation culinaire servie soit froide soit chaude, après le potage ou le hors d’oeuvre et avant le plat de résistance.

Entremets: dessert.

Entremets : Préparation culinaire qui autrefois, était servie entre le poisson et la viande, elle était salée. Aujourd’hui on réserve ce terme à des préparations sucrées servies après le fromage et avant ou après les fruits.

Epais(se): thick.

épaisse: thick cream.

Epaule: shoulder (of veal, lamb, mutton, or pork).

Épeautre : poor man’s wheat from Provence; spelt.

Eperlan: smelt or whitebait, usually fried, often imported but still found in the estuaries of the Loire.

Epi de maïs: ear of sweet corn.

Epice: spice.

Epices : Nom réservé à des substances généralement d’origine exotique et utilisées très souvent en poudre. Elles sont destinées à relever le goût de certains plats.

Epigramme: classic dish of grilled breaded lamb chop and a piece of braised lamb breast shaped like a chop, breaded, and grilled; crops up on modern menus as an elegant dish of breaded and fried baby lamb chops paired with lamb sweetbreads and tongue.

Epinard: spinach.

Epine vinette: highbush cranberry.

Epoisses blanc: fresh white Epoisses cheese.

Epoisses: village in Burgundy that gives its name to a buttery disc of cow’s milk cheese with a strong, smooth taste and rust-colored rind.

Equille: sand eel, a long silvery fish that buries itself in the sand; eaten fried on the Atlantic coast.

Escabeche – A highly seasoned marinade used to flavor and preserve food. Fish and chicken are the most common foods used for escabeche. The meat is fried and placed in a dish large enough to hold all of the food in one layer. Then a marinade made of onions, peppers, vinegar, and spices is poured over the food while hot. The whole dish is then allowed to rest overnight and served cold.

Escabeche – A highly seasoned marinade used to flavor and preserve food. Fish and chicken are the most common foods used for escabeche. First the meat is fried and placed in a dish large enough to hold all of the food in one layer. Then a marinade made of onions, peppers, vinegar, and spices is poured over the food while hot. The whole dish is then allowed to rest overnight and served cold.

Escabèche: a Provençal and southwestern preparation of small fish, usually sardines or rouget, in which the fish are browned in oil, then marinated in vinegar and herbs and served very cold. Also, raw fish marinated in lemon or lime juice and herbs.

Escalivada: Catalan roasted vegetables, usually sweet peppers, eggplant and onions.

Escalope – A thinly sliced food similar to a scallopine. This may consist of meat, fish, or vegetables.

Escalope: thin slice of meat or fish.

Escaloper : Couper en tranches minces et en biais, poisson, viandes, etc.

Escargot de Bourgogne: land snail prepared with butter; garlic, and parsley.

Escargot: land snail.

Escargot petit-gris: small land snail.

Escargot – Snails. They can be terrestrial, freshwater or marine. Escargot is the common name for the land gastropod mollusk. The edible snails of France have a single shell that is tan and white, and 1 to 2 inches diameter.

Escarole: bitter salad green of the chicory family with thick broad-lobed leaves, found in both flat and round heads.

Espadon: swordfish found in the gulf of Gascony, Atlantic, and Mediterranean.

Espagnole, à l’: Spanish style; with tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic.

Espagnole Sauce – This is the foundation of all of the brown sauces. A number of modifications have been made of this sauce since its conception. The sauce is now made of a rich brown veal stock thickened with a brown roux. The sauce is then simmered with a mirepoix, bouquet garni, and wine. The long, slow cooking help to purify and concentrate its flavor. Finally, it is strained through very fine muslin. Demi-glace and glace de viande are all structured around a fine espagnole sauce.

Esqueixada: in Catalan literally means “shredded;” a shredded salt cod salad.

Essence/Extract – The words may be used interchangeably, but while all essences are extracts, but extracts are not all essences. A stock is a water extract of food. Other edible solvents may be oil, wine, whiskey, or water. Wine and beer are vegetable or fruit stocks. A common oil extract is of cayenne pepper, used in Asian cooking. A common water essence is vegetable stock. A broth is more concentrated, as in beef broth, or boullion. Most common are alcohol extracts, like vanilla. Not possible to have a water extract of vanilla(natural bean) but vanillin (chemical synth) is water soluble. There are also emulsions: lemon pulp and lemon oil and purees (often made with sugar) Oils, such as orange or lemon rind (zest) oil, may be extracted by storing in sugar in sealed container.

Essences : Fonds réduits, à saveur très prononcée ; essence de truffe, de jambon de poisson, etc.

Estival: summer, used to denote seasonality of ingredients.

Estoficado: a purée-like blend of dried codfish, olive oil, tomatoes, sweet peppers, black olives, potatoes, garlic, onions, and herbs; also called stockfish niçoise: specialty of Nice.

Estofinado: a purée-like blend of dried codfish, potatoes, garlic, parsley, eggs, walnut oil, and milk, served with triangles of toast; specialty of the Auvergne.

Estouffade à la provençale: beef stew with onions, garlic, carrots, and orange zest.

Estragon: tarragon.

Etoffé: stuffed.

Etoile: star; star-shaped.

Etouffé; étuvé: literally “smothered”; method of cooking very slowly in a tightly covered pan with almost no liquid.

Etouffée (cuire à l’) : Cuire viandes ou légumes dans un récipient hermétiquement fermé de façon que la vapeur ne s’échappe pas.

Etrille: small swimming crab.

Etuver : Cuire doucement, dans un récipient couvert, au beurre et avec très

peu de liquide, viande ou légumes.

Évider : Creuser à l’intérieur pour vider.

express: plain black espresso.

Express: espresso coffee.

Façon (à ma): (my) way of preparing a dish.

Façonner : Donner une forme.

Fagot: “bundle”; meat shaped into a small ball.

Faire le ruban : Terme qui s’emploie lors de la préparation d’une pâte ou d’une crème qui doit retomber d’une cuillère lisse et homogène, sans se casser, en formant un “ruban”.

Faisan(e): pheasant.

Faisandé: game that has been hung to age.

Fait, pas trop: refers to a cheese that has been aged for a shorter time and is blander; also for a cheese that will ripen at home.

Fait: usually refers to a cheese that has been well aged and has character–runny if it’s a Camembert, hard and dry if it’s a goat cheese; also means ready to eat.

Falafel – A Middle Eastern specialty consisting of small, deep-fried croquettes or balls made of highly spiced, ground chickpeas. They are generally tucked inside pita bread, sandwich style, but can also be served as appetizers. A yogurt or tahini-based sauce is often served with falafel.

Falafel – A Middle Eastern specialty consisting of small, deep-fried croquettes or balls made of highly spiced, ground chickpeas. They’re generally tucked inside pita bread, sandwich style, but can also be served as appetizers. A yogurt or tahini-based sauce is often served with falafel.

Falette: veal breast stuffed with bacon and vegetables, browned, and poached in broth; specialty of the Auvergne.

Fanes: green tops of root vegetables such as carrots, radishes, turnips.

Far: Breton sweet or savory pudding-cakes; the most common, similar to clafoutis from the Dordogne, is made with prunes.

Farci(e): stuffed.

Farcir : Remplir avec une préparation spéciale ou farce l’intérieur d’une viande ou certains légumes.

Farfalle – Bow tie shaped pasta.

Farfalle – Bowtie shaped pasta.

Farigoule(tte): Provençal name for wild thyme.

Farine: flour.

faux: decaffeinated coffee.

Faux-filet: sirloin steak.

Fava Bean – This tan, rather flat bean resembles a very large lima bean. It comes in a large pod which, unless very young, is inedible. Fava beans can be purchased dried, cooked in cans and, infrequently, fresh. If you find fresh fava beans, choose those with pods that are not bulging with beans, which indicates age. Fava beans have a very tough skin, which should be removed by blanching before cooking. They are very popular in Mediterranean and Middle

Eastern dishes. They can be cooked in a variety of ways and are often used in soups. Also called faba bean, broad bean and horse bean.

Fava Bean – This tan, rather flat bean resembles a very large lima bean. It comes in a large pod which, unless very young, is inedible. Fava beans can be purchased dried, cooked in cans and, infrequently, fresh. If you find fresh fava beans, choose those with pods that aren’t bulging with beans, which indicates age. Fava beans have a very tough skin, which should be removed by blanching before cooking. They’re very popular in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes. They can be cooked in a variety of ways and are often used in soups. Also called faba bean, broad bean and horse bean.

Favorite d’artichaut: classic vegetable dish of artichoke stuffed with asparagus, covered with a cheese sauce, and browned.

Favou(ille): in Provence, tiny male (female) crab often used in soups.

Feija~O – Portugese for beans, the default is black beans. Not to be confused with:

Feijoa – A waxy green fruit about 3″ long. Although it is not a guava you may know it as a Pineapple Guava. Feijoa sellowiana is an evergreen shrub, growing to 10-16 ft. It thrives in subtropical regions but is hardy & once established will tolerate moderate frosts. They are either eaten raw (with or without the skin) or made into jellies, sauces & chutneys.

Feijoada – A Brazilian dish very similar to cassoulet, made with black beans.

Sausage, bacon, ham, and various cuts of pork are cooked in with the beans. The traditional accompaniments are plain white rice, cooked greens, fresh orange slices, and a very hot sauce, similar to pico de gallo, called molho carioca. Toasted cassava flour is used as a condiment, to be added by each diner. This is a substantial dish and needs little else to accompany it.

Feijoada Completa – A Brazilian dish very similar to cassoulet, made with black beans. Sausage, bacon, ham, and various cuts of pork are cooked in with the beans. The traditional accompaniments are plain white rice, cooked greens, fresh orange slices, and a very hot sauce, similar to pico de gallo, called molho carioca. Toasted cassava flour is used as a condiment, to be added by each diner. This too is a very substantial dish and needs little else to accompany it.

Fenouil: fennel.

Fenugreek – A very hard seed grown in the Middle East, which is used as a spice. Its dominant flavor and aroma is recognizable in commercial curry powders.

Fer à cheval: “horseshoe”; a baguette that has that shape.

Féra, feret: salmon-like lake fish, found in Lac Léman, in the Morvan, in Burgundy, and in the Auvergne.

Ferme (fermier: fermière): farm (farmer); in cheese, refers to farm-made cheese, often used to mean raw-milk cheese; in chickens, refers to free-range chickens.

Fermé: closed.

Fernkase: young cheese shaped like a flying saucer and sprinkled with coarsely ground pepper; specialty of Alsace.

Fettuccine – Flat narrow pasta noodles less than wide and a bit thicker than tagliatelle.

Fettucine – Flat narrow pasta noodles less than wide and a bit thicker than tagliatelle.

Feu de bois, au: cooked over a wood fire.s

Feuille de vigne: vine leaf.

Feuille de chêne: oak-leaf lettuce.

Feuilletage (en): (in) puff pastry.

Feuilletée: puff pastry.

Féves (févettes): broad, fava, coffee, or cocoa bean (miniature beans); also, the porcelain figure baked into the 12th night cake, or, galette des rois.

Fiadone: Corsican flan made from cheese and oranges.

Ficelle (boeuf à la): “string”; (beef suspended on a string and poached in broth). Also, small thin baguette. Also, a small bottle of wine, as in carafe of Beaujolais.

Ficelle picarde: thin crêpe wrapped around a slice of ham and topped with a cheesy cream sauce; specialty of Picardy, in the North.

Ficelle – The French word for string. This is a term used in cooking to describe foods that have been tied to a string and cooked in a broth. This was a practice in villages when a communal pot was used to cook food. The string was used in order to allow the owners to identify and recover their piece of meat. This is generally applied to tough cuts of meat that require long periods of cooking. Yet, some restaurants are using the term to describe a more tender cut of meat that is poached in a rich broth. Beef filet and duck breasts are two good choices for this type of preparation.

Figue: fig.

Filberts – See Hazelnuts.

Filets : C’est la partie du cor d’un animal (boeuf, porc) placée le long de la colonne vertébrale. Ce muscle à la réputation d’être tendre. On utilise en cuisine, également, les filets de volailles (blanc). Un filet de liquide signifie une petite quantité de liquide versée avec précaution. Filet signifie alors ” très peu “.

Fillet – To create a fillet of fish or meat by cutting away the bones. Fish and boning knives help produce clean fillets.

filtre: filtered American-style coffee (not available at all cafés).

Financier – A small cake or cookie that is made with ground nuts and whipped egg whites. These are soft like sponge cake, and have a rich flavor of nuts.

Financier: small rectangular almond cake.

Financière: Madiera sauce with truffle juice.

Fine de claire: elongated crinkle-shelled oyster that stays in fattening beds (claires) a minimum of two months.

Fines herbes: mixture of herbs, usually chervil, parsley, chives, tarragon.

Fines Herbes – A mixture of chopped fresh herbs consisting of tarragon,

parsley, chervil and chives. Dried herbs may also be used, but their delicacy is lost.

Fines Herbes – A mixture of chopped fresh herbs consisting of tarragon, parsley, chervil and chives. Dried herbs may also be used, but their delicacy is lost.

Finnan Haddie – The Scottish name for smoked haddock.

Five Spice Powder – A dry spice mix used in Chinese cooking consisting of cinnamon, star anise, pepper, clove, and fennel.

Flageolet: small white or pale green kidney-shaped dried bean.

Flagnarde, flaugnarde, flognarde: hot, fruit-filled batter cake made with eggs, flour, milk, and butter, and sprinkled with sugar before serving; specialty of the southwest.

Flamande, à la: Flemish style; usually with stuffed cabbage leaves, carrots, turnips, potatoes, and bacon.

Flamber : Passer gibiers et volailles, une fois plumée, sur une flamme haute pour ôter tout le fin duvet qui pourrait subsister.

Flamber: to burn off the alcohol by igniting. Usually the brandies or other liqueurs to be flambéed are warmed first, then lit as they are poured into the dish.

Flamiche (au Maroilles): a vegetable tart with rich bread dough crust, commonly filled with leeks, cream, and cheese; specialty of Picardy, in the North; (filled with cream, egg, butter, and Maroilles cheese).

Flammekueche: thin-crusted savory tart, much like a rectangular pizza, covered with cream, onions, and bacon; also called tarte flambée; specialty of Alsace.

Flan: sweet or savory tart. Also, a crustless custard pie.

Flan – This is a term that may be used to describe two different preparations. The first use of this word is describes an open top tart that is filled with pastry cream and topped with fruit. Flan is used in Spanish and Mexican cooking to describe an egg custard that is baked in a large shallow dish, and flavored with caramel. The dish is inverted when served and the excess caramel is used as a sauce for the flan. The flan may be flavored with orange, anise, cinnamon, or liqueur.

Flanchet: flank of beef or veal, used generally in stews.

Flétan: halibut, found in the English Channel and North Sea.

Fleur (de sel): flower (fine, delicate sea salt, from Brittany or the Camargue).

Fleur de courgette: zucchini blossom.

fleurette: liquid heavy cream.

Fleuron – A small crescent shaped pastry made of puff dough that is used to garnish fish dishes and soups.

Fleuron: puff pastry crescent.

Florentine – This is used to describe foods that are cooked in the style of Florence. The word is most commonly associated with dishes containing spinach and sometimes a cream sauce. Steak cooked ala Florentine is a large T-bone steak, rubbed with olive oil and garlic, grilled and served with fresh lemon on the side.

Florentine: with spinach. Also, a cookie of nougatine and candied fruit brushed with a layer of chocolate.

Flour – the finely ground grain of wheat, corn, rice, oat, rye, or barley. Unless specified, this term refers to wheat flour. Flour is milled from a variety of wheats containing different amounts of protein. The different levels of protein give each flour unique qualities. All-purpose flour is the most commonly used, especially by the domestic market. This flour is milled from both hard and soft wheats, giving it the strength needed in bread baking, but leaving it tender enough for cakes and pastries. Bread flour has a higher protein content so that it may withstand the constant expansion of the cell walls during proofing and baking. Cake flour is milled from soft wheat, thus containing a very low protein content and preventing the development of gluten. Pastry flour is of relatively low protein content, containing just enough to help stabilize the products during leavening. Whole wheat flours are milled from the whole kernel, thus giving it a higher fiber content and a substantial protein content. Semolina is milled from hard durum wheat, being used mainly for commercial baking and pasta production.

Flour – This is the finely ground grain of wheat, corn, rice, oat, rye, or barley. Unless specified, this term refers to wheat flour. Flour is milled from a variety of wheats containing different amounts of protein. The different levels of protein give each flour unique qualities. All-purpose flour is the most commonly used, especially by the domestic market. This flour is milled from both hard and soft wheats, giving it the strength needed in bread baking, but leaving it tender enough for cakes and pastries. Bread flour has a higher protein content so that it may withstand the constant expansion of the cell walls during proofing and baking. Cake flour is milled from soft wheat, thus containing a very low protein content and preventing the development of gluten. Pastry flour is of relatively low protein content, containing just enough to help stabilize the products during leavening. Whole wheat flours are milled from the whole kernel, thus giving it a higher fiber content and a substantial protein content. Semolina is milled from

hard durum wheat, being used mainly for commercial baking and pasta production.

Flûte: “flute”; usually a very thin baguette; also, form of champagne glass.

Focaccio – An Italian flatbread made with pizza or bread dough, that can be baked plain or topped with onions, zucchini, eggplant, cheese, or whatever you choose.

Foie blond de volaille: chicken liver; also sometimes a chicken-liver mousse.

Foie de veau: calf’s liver.

Foie gras d’oie (de canard): liver of fattened goose (duck).

Foie Gras – the fattened liver of both duck and geese. The birds are force fed a rich mixture to help expedite this process. These livers are praised for their delicate flavor and rich, buttery texture. The largest production of commercial foie gras is done in France and Israel. The US will only allow this product to be imported in a cooked stage, either canned, vacuum-sealed, or frozen. These are inferior products and will never highlight the true delicacy of foie gras. But fresh foie gras is now available from breeders in the US. These foie gras are very fine specimens, but a very high price goes along with them. Foie gras is prepared in a vast number of ways, though one should remember to keep these as simple as possible to avoid masking the flavor of this treasure.

Foie Gras – This literally means goose liver, but the term is used to describe the fattened liver of both duck and geese. The birds are force fed a rich mixture to help expedite this process. These livers are praised for their delicate flavor and rich, buttery texture. The largest production of commercial foie gras is done in France and Israel. The US will only allow this product to be imported in a cooked stage, either canned, vacuum-sealed, or frozen. These are inferior products and will never highlight the true delicacy of foie gras. But fresh foie gras is now available from breeders in the US. These foie gras are very fine specimens, but a very high price goes along with them. Foie gras is prepared in a vast number of ways, though one should remember to keep these as simple as possible to avoid masking the flavor of this treasure.

Foie: liver.

Foin (dan le): (cooked in) hay.

Fold – To combine a light mixture like beaten egg whites with a much heavier mixture like whipped cream. In a large bowl, place the lighter mixture on top of the heavier one. Starting at the back of the bowl, using the edge of a rubber spatula, cut down through the middle of both mixtures, across the bottom of the bowl and up the near side. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat. This process gently combines the two mixtures.

Foncer : Graisser une casserole, sauteuse, braisière, etc. et garnir le fond de carottes, oignons coupés en rouelles, couennes de lard, os, enfin de tous les éléments indiqués dans la recette. En pâtisserie, garnir l’intérieur d’un moule, ou d’un cercle, d’une abaisse de pâte.

Fond (de cuisson) : Jus ou extrait de viande, de volaille ou de légumes

assaisonné ou aromatisé.

Fond: cooking juices from meat, used to make sauces. Also, bottom.

Fond d’artichaut: heart and base of an artichoke.

Fondant: “melting”; refers to cooked, worked sugar that is flavored, then used for icing cakes. Also, the bittersweet chocolate high in cocoa butter used for making the shiniest chocolates. Also, puréed meat, fish, or vegetables shaped in croquettes.

Fondant – an icing made of sugar syrup and glucose, which is cooked to a specific temperature and then kneaded to a smooth, soft paste. This paste can then be colored or flavored and used as an icing for cakes and petit fours.

Fondant – This is an icing made of sugar syrup and glucose, which is cooked to a specific temperature and then kneaded to a smooth, soft paste. This paste can then be colored or flavored and used as an icing for cakes and petit fours.

Fonds : Pâtes ou appareils servant à la confection de certaines pâtisseries (fonds de génoise, de progrès, de dacquoises, etc.)

Fondu(e): melted.

Fondue – There are several different types of fondue, the most notable of which is cheese fondue. This is a Swiss specialty in which cheese is melted with wine, eggs, and seasonings and served with bread and fresh vegetables. Fondue Bourguignonne is a pot of hot oil into which the diners will cook strips of meat and dip them into an array of sauces on the table. Similar to this is fondue Chinois where the hot oil is replaced by a rich chicken or meat broth. The meat, and fish too, are then cooked in this stock and dipped in sauces. The Japanese have a dish called shabu shabu, which is similar to this type of fondue. A chocolate fondue is a chocolate bath, flavored with liqueur and eaten with bread and fruit, like fresh berries. These are all dishes eaten as much for their social qualities as their culinary grandeur. Their popularity in the US has diminished over the last 15 years, only being seen in ski resorts and at private dinner parties.

Fondue – There are several different types of fondue, the most notable of which is cheese fondue. This is a Swiss specialty in which cheese is melted with wine, eggs, and seasonings and served with bread and fresh vegetables. Fondue Bourguignonne is a pot of hot oil into which the diners will cook strips of meat and dip them into an array of sauces on the table. Similar to this is fondue Chinois where the hot oil is replaced by a rich chicken or meat broth. The meat, and fish too, are then cooked in this stock and dipped in sauces. The Japanese have a dish called shabu shabu, which is similar to this type of fondue. Named for the swishing sound that the meat makes in the broth, this dish is also served with vegetables and noodles in to be eaten along with the meat. A chocolate fondue is a chocolate bath, flavored with liqueur and eaten with bread and fruit, like fresh berries. These are all dishes eaten as much for their social qualities as their culinary grandeur. Their popularity in the US has diminished over the last 15 years, only being seen in ski resorts and at private dinner parties.

Fonduta – An Italian style fondue made of Fontina cheese and served over toast or polenta. Exceptional with truffles.

Fonduta – An Italian style fondue made of Fontina cheese and served over

toast or polenta. Exceptional with truffles.

Fontaine : Farine disposée en couronne sur le marbre (ou plutôt la table…)

Fontainebleau: creamy white fresh dessert cheese from the Ile-de-France.

Forestière: garnish of wild mushrooms, bacon, and potatoes.

fort: pungent cheese.

Fouace: a kind of brioche; specialty of the Auvergne.

Fouchtrou: Cow’s milk cheese from the Auvergne, made when there is not enough milk to make an entire wheel of Cantal.

Foudjou: a pungent goat-cheese spread, a blend of fresh and aged grated cheese mixed with salt, pepper, brandy, and garlic and cured in a crock; specialty of northern Provence.

fouettée: whipped cream.

Fouetter : Battre vigoureusement, à l’aide d’un fouet, d’un batteur à oeufs ou d’un batteur électrique.

Fougasse: a crusty lattice-like bread made of baguette dough or puff pastry often flavored with anchovies, black olives, herbs, spices, or onions; specialty of Provence and the Mediterranean. Also, a sweet bread of Provence flavored with orange-flower water, oil, and sometimes almonds.

Fougasse – A flatbread from France that was once served sweetened with sugar and orange water. It is now more commonly seen as a bread eaten with savory dishes. In this case, the dough is brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with herbs or salt before baking.

Fouler à l’étamine : Passer une crème ou une sauce à travers une étamine

(humide) en s’aidant d’une spatule en bois. Cette opération se fait généralement à deux personnes.

Four (au): (baked in an) oven.

Fourme d’Ambert: cylindrical blue-veined cow’s-milk cheese, made in dairies around the town of Ambert in the Auvergne.

Fourré: stuffed or filled.

Foyot – This is a variation of a bearnaise sauce with the addition of a well reduced meat glaze.

Foyot – This is a variation of a béarnaise sauce with the addition of a well reduced meat glaze.

fraîche: thick sour; heavy cream.

frais de Madagascar: green peppercorn.

frais: smooth, runny fresh cheese, like cottage cheese.

Frais, bien égoutée: well-drained fresh cheese.

Frais, fraîche: fresh or chilled.

Fraise des bois: wild strawberry.

Fraise: strawberry.

Fraiser : Écraser la pâte, sur la table, avec la paume de la main. Ne se fait que pour certaines pâtes.

Framboise: raspberry.

Française, à la: classic garnish of peas with lettuce, small white onions, and parsley.

Frangipane – A pastry cream made of butter, eggs, flour, and finely ground almonds or macaroons. Modern versions will use a combination of cornstarch and flour. The nuts must be very finely ground for this to be successful. This type of raw cream is baked in the pastry shell or crepe. Frangipane is also the name for a type of panada used in making ground meats.

Frappé: usually refers to a drink served very cold or with ice, often shaken.

Frémi: “quivering”; often refers to barely cooked oysters.

Frémir : Chauffer un liquide juste au-dessous du point d’ébullition, c’est-à-dire jusqu’à la formation de petites bulles à la surface.

Friandise: sweetmeat, petit four.

Fricadelle: fried minced meat patty.

Fricandeau: thinly sliced veal or a rump roast, braised with vegetables and white wine.

Fricassee – A stew prepared without the initial browning of the meat. Though chicken is the most common form of this type of stew, fish, vegetables, and other meats are prepared in this manner. Classically, ingredients braised in wine sauce or butter with cream added; currently denotes any mixture of ingredients–fish or meat–stewed ot sautéed.

Fricot (de veau): veal shoulder simmered in white wine with vegetables.

Frisé(e): “curly”; usually curly endive, the bitter salad green of the chicory family sold in enormous round heads.

Frit(e): fried.

Frite: French fry.

frites: French fries.

Fritons: coarse pork rillettes or a minced spread which includes organ meats.

Fritot: small organ meat fritter, where meat is partially cooked, then marinated in oil, lemon juice, and herbs, dipped in batter and fried just before serving; also can refer to any small fried piece of meat or fish.

Frittata – An Italian open-faced omelet.

Fritter – Food that has been dipped in batter and deep fried or sautéed. These may consist of vegetables, meat, fish, shellfish, or fruit. The food may be dipped in the batter or mixed with the batter and dropped into the hot fat to form little balls. Japanese tempura fried foods are a type of fritter, though this term is not applied to it.

Fritto Misto – An Italian mixed fried platter, similar to the Japanese tempura platter. A mixture of vegetables, meat, and fish are dipped in a light batter and quickly deep fried to prevent a saturation of grease into the food.

Friture: fried food; also a preparation of small fried fish, usually white-bait or smelt.

Froid(e): cold.

Fromage: cheese.

Fromage de tête: headcheese, usually pork.

Fruit confit: whole fruit preserved in sugar.

Fruit Pectin – A substance found naturally in fruits such as apples, quince, and all citrus fruits. Pectins ability to gel liquids makes it a key ingredient in jelly and jam making. You can purchase pectin in powder or liquid form, or use high

pectin fruits

Fruits de mer: seafood.

Fry – To cook food (non-submerged) in hot fat or oil over moderate to high heat. There is very little difference between frying and SAUTEING although sauteing is often thought of as being faster and using less fat.

Fugu – Japanese for swellfish; globefish; blowfish; ballonfish; puffer. Fugu is caught in winter and it is eaten as chiri-nabe (hotpot) or fugu-sashi (raw fugu, sliced paper-thin). Only licensed fugu chefs are allowed to prepare this fish in Japan, since it contains a deadly poison.

fumé: smoked ham.

fumé: smoked fish.

Fumé: smoked.

Fumet – An aromatic broth made for use in soups and sauces. The flavor of a fumet is usually concentrated on one item, though multiple ingredients may be used. The stock is then reduced to concentrate this flavor. Fish and vegetable broths are more commonly called fumets, but meat may also be used.

Fumet: fish stock.

Fusilli – Spiral shaped pasta. Some versions are shaped like a spring. Other versions are shaped like a twisted spiral.

Galanga – Used in Thai cooking, galanga is a rhizome similar to ginger in many ways. Tom ka gai (chicken in coconut milk soup) uses galanga, chicken, green chiles, lemon grass and lime juice as well as coconut milk.

Galantine – A pate-like dish made of the skin of a small animal, most often chicken or duck, which is stuffed with a forcemeat of this animal. Additional strips of meat, blanched vegetables, and truffles are also layered with the forcemeat. This is then wrapped or tied and poached in broth. Galantine are always served cold with their aspic, where as ballontines may be hot or cold. These terms are often used interchangeably.

Galette – This is French for pancake, usually sweet, made of batters, doughs, or potatoes.

Brioche-type dough or puff pastry are often used. Small short butter cookies were once also called galettes. The term has now been stretched to include preparations made of vegetables or fish. Different from a croquette, these cakes are not breaded.

Garam Masala – This is an Indian curry mixture with a more complex flavor and aroma.

The mixture is always made fresh by the cook, never purchased pre-ground. The mixture may include cumin, fennel, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, pepper, chilies, and caraway. These spice mixtures vary greatly between cooks and different dishes.

Garam Masala is also used as a condiment, being added to a dish at the end of cooking.

Garbanzo Beans – See Chickpeas. An alternative name

Gazpacho – A cold vegetable soup served throughout all of the Spanish countries. The most common version is one made with a coarse puree of fresh tomatoes flavored with vinegar and olive oil, embellished with diced raw vegetables like onions, cucumbers, and peppers. A light gazpacho is made with a puree of cucumber, and served with an array of garnishes for the diner to choose from. Roasted almonds, avocadoes, and croutons are common garnishes.

Gelatin – A protein produced from animals, used to gel liquids. It is found in granular and sheet form.

Gelato – An Italian frozen dessert, whose popularity has overwhelmed the US, is made of whole milk and eggs. This gives it richness without flavors becoming masked by the fat from cream. The flavors are very intense and the texture is soft and silky.

Genoise – A very rich sponge cake made with eggs and butter. This may be eaten as is with whipped cream or fruit, but also used as the foundation for many other cake preparations.

Ghee – The Indian name for cooking fat. Most commonly used is clarified butter made from the milk of buffaloes and yaks. In regions where milk is unobtainable, mustard and sesame oil are used.

Glace – A highly reduced stock used as an essence in flavoring sauces and enriching soups and stews. Veal glace is used for all meat preparations and stands up the best to the long reduction required. Fish and shellfish glaces are used, but their flavor can become very sharp tasting and bitter from too long of a reduction.

Gluten – Developed from the protein found in wheat flours.

Gnocchi — 1– These are small dumplings made with flour, potatoes, and eggs. Other versions include spinach, semolina, sweet potatoes, chopped herbs, and parmesan or ricotta cheese. Once the gnocchi are made they are cooked in boiling water, and then sauced or tossed with melted butter. Some recipes call for cooking the gnocchi in broth.

Gnocchi — 2 – is also the name of a pasta with a similar shape.

Gougere – A savory pastry made of choux paste flavored with cheese. This may be made in individual puffs or piped into a ring of puffs, which is served with a pool of sauce in the center of the ring.

Goulash – A Hungarian soup/stew made with beef and liberally seasoned with paprika. Some versions add gremolata at the very end of cooking or sprinkled over the top.

Graham Crackers – A wholemeal biscuit (cookie) with honey and soda taste. Can be substituted for Digestive Biscuits but are not exactly the same thing.

Granita – A coarse fruit ice similar to sorbet, without the meringue, which is often flavored with liqueurs.

Grate – To reduce a large piece of food to coarse or fine threads by rubbing it against a rough, serrated surface, usually on a grater. A food processor, fitted with the appropriate blades, can also be used for grating. The food that is being grated should be firm. Cheese that needs to be grated can be refrigerated first for easier grating.

Gratin – Dishes cooked in the oven which form a crust on the surface. This is expedited by placing the dish under the broiler. Breadcrumbs and cheese are often sprinkled on top of these dishes to help form the crust.

Gravlax – Whole salmon fillets that have been cured with salt, sugar, and pepper, then flavored with dill. The salmon is then sliced paper thin and served with pumpernickel bread, sour cream, capers, onion, and lemon. Other spellings for this are gravadlax and gravlox.

Grecque – Foods that are prepared in the style of Greece. This is usually used for dishes with lemon, garlic, and olive oil. But the addition of tomatoes, peppers, and fennel often allows a dish to be called … la grecque.

Green Shallots – an inaccurate but occasionally used name for Scallions.

Gremolata – A mixture of chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon peel. This is added to stews at the end of their cooking time to add a pungency to the dish. Used in some recipes for Osso Bucco a la Milanese, and Hungarian goulash.

Grill – In the United Kingdom, the same as a USA broiler; in the USA, a device for cooking food over a charcoal or gas fire, outdoors.

Grind – To reduce food to small pieces by running it through a grinder. Food can be ground to different degrees, from fine to coarse.

Grissini – Italian bread sticks.

Grits – Usually a breakfast item in the US Southern region. Made from the kernel of corn. When corn has been soaked in lye and the casing has been removed it becomes Hominy. The lye is rinsed out very well and the corn is left to harden. Then the swollen hominy is ground up to the texture of tiny pellets. When boiled with water, millk and butter it becomes a cereal similar to cream of wheat. It’s used as a side dish for a good old fashioned

Southern breakfast. Sometimes you can make it with cheese and garlic for a casserole.

Gruyere – A moderate-fat cow’s-milk cheese with a rich, sweet, nutty flavor that is prized for both out-of-hand eating and cooking. It’s usually aged for 10 to 12 months and has a golden brown rind and a firm, pale-yellow interior with wellspaced medium-size holes.

Guacamole – A dip made of mashed avocadoes seasoned with onions, tomatoes, chilies, and cilantro. This is mostly eaten as a dip for fried corn

chips, but it is also very good with raw vegetables. You may also use it as a filling for burritos and tacos.

Gumbo – A thick soup/stew made with meat or seafood served over plain white rice. Okra, filé powder, and roux. All methods are acceptable, and all are considered traditional. common garnishes. sprinkled on top of these dishes to help form the crust white rice. Okra, filé powder, and roux. All methods are acceptable, and all are considered traditional.

Habanera Pepper – A type of hot chili. The Scotch Bonnet Pepper is similar.

Half and Half – A mixture of half cream and half whole milk.

Hard Rolls – A sandwich type of roll that is a little crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Can be made with poppy seeds or sesame seeds or plain. Often called a Kaiser roll.

Harissa – A spice mixture used as both a condiment and a seasoning. Harissa is a paste of chilies and garlic used to enhance North African food (and is fairly popular in other parts of the Middle East, though it is probably of Berber origin). It is fairly similar to the Indonesian

sambal olek. It becomes a thick paste that is used as is in cooking or diluted with oil or stock to be used as a condiment.

Hazelnuts – A small nut with a hard, glossy shell. Also known as filberts.

Hing – Also known as asafetida, and devil’s dung. A light brown resin sometimes used as a substitute for garlic ands onions, or in its own right and not as a substitute for anything, it can be found in Indian groceries. Claimed properties : laxative, aphrodisiac, colic cure. A required ingredient in the Indian Tadkaa – the small amount of oil used to roast mustard seeds and similar other ingredients before adding them to the main dish.

Hoisin Sauce – A rich, dark, sweet barbecue sauce used in Chinese cooking for marinades and basting. Hoisin sauce is easily recognizable in Mu Shu pork and Peking duck. The sauce is made from soybean flour, chilies, red beans, and many other spices.

Hollandaise Sauce – This is the most basic of the egg and oil emulsified sauces. The only flavoring is fresh lemon juice. This sauce must be kept warm, as excessive heat will cause it to break. Because this is kept warm, it is not safe to keep it for long periods of time and should never be reused from another meal period.

Homogenize – To create an emulsion by reducing all the particles to the same size. The fat globules are broken down mechanically by heating them quickly and then forcing them under extreme pressure through tiny holes of equal size until they are evenly distributed throughout the liquid. Homogenized milk and some commercial salad dressings are two examples of homogenized foods.

Horn of Plenty ( A Mushroom )- This is a wild mushroom with a hollow, funnel- shaped cap and is dark grey or black in color. Because of this, it also has the name ” etrumpet de deathe ” .This particular mushroom is somewhat stringy, but has a robust flavor and may be used to flavor sauces, soups, or any other mushroom preparation.

Hundreds and Thousands – Also known as sprinkles or as Nonpareils: small round balls of multicolored sugar used as toppings on cakes and desserts.

Hydrometer – A device used to measure specific gravity; it shows degrees of concentration on a scale called The Baumè Scale

Hyssop – Any of various herbs belonging to the mint family with aromatic, dark green leaves that have a slightly bitter, minty flavor. Hyssop adds intrigue to salads, fruit dishes, soups and stews. It is also used to flavor certain liquors such as Chartreuse.

Infuse – To steep an aromatic ingredient in hot liquid until the flavor has been extracted and absorbed by the liquid. Teas are infusions. Milk or cream can also be infused with flavor before being used in custards or sauces.

Infusion – An infusion is the flavor that’s extracted from any ingredient such as tea leaves, herbs or fruit by steeping them in a liquid such as water, oil or vinegar.

Involtini – Thin slices of meat or fish which are stuffed and rolled. They may then be sautéed, grilled, or baked.

Jambalaya – A Creole version of paella, though more highly spiced. The only consistent ingredients among all of the jambalaya recipes are rice, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Ingredients used for jambalaya are ham, oysters, chicken, Andouille sausage, duck, shrimp,

and game birds.

Jerusalem Artichoke – A tuber, also called sunchoke, with a very firm flesh and a flavor reminiscent of globe artichokes. These are used as a vegetable, in soups, or cooked and served in salads.

Jicama – A large bulbous root vegetable with a thin brown skin and white crunchy flesh. Its

sweet, nutty flavor is good both raw and cooked. It is a fair source for vitamin C and potassium.

Joint – To cut meat and poultry into large pieces at the joints using a very sharp knife.

Julienne – Foods that are cut in long, thin strips. The term is usually associated with vegetables, but may be applied to cooked meat or fish.

Jus – A rich, lightly reduced stock used as a sauce for roasted meats. Many of these are started by deglazing the dripping within a roasting pan, then that is reduced to achieve the rich flavor desired. jus lie is one that has been slightly thickened with cornstarch or flour.

Kebab – Also spelled kabob, these are skewers of meat, fish, or vegetables grilled over a fire. All countries serve some version of this dish.

Kedgeree – A British variation of an Indian dish with rice, smoked fish, hard cooked eggs, and béchamel sauce flavored with curry. Finnan Haddie is most often used, but smoked sturgeon or salmon are excellent substitutes.

Kefir – A fermented milk drink similar to a lassi, flavored with salt or spices. Where available, kefir is made with camel’s milk

Ketchup – A term derived from Asian cookery, this sauce is known to be a sweet sauce made from tomatoes. Other forms of ketchup are made from walnuts, mushrooms, and grapes.

Key Limes – Citrus fruit, about the size of golf balls, and round. The fruits are pale yellow-green, the juice is yellow and very tart, more so than standard limes. Grow in Florida, the Keys and other tropical places in the Caribbean. Used in Key Lime Pie, with egg yolks and condensed milk and in a Sunset Key with amaretto.

Kirsch – A clear brandy distilled from cherry juice and pits. In cookery, it’s most prominently known as a flavorful addition to fondue and cherries jubilee.

Knead – To mix and work dough into a smooth, elastic mass. Kneading can be done either manually or by machine. By hand, kneading is done with a pressingfolding-turning action. First the dough is pressed with the heels of both hands and pushed away from the body so the dough stretches out. The dough is then folded in half, given a quarter turn, and the process is repeated. Depending on the dough, the kneading time can range anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. During kneading, the gluten strands stretch and expand, enabling dough to hold in gas bubbles formed by a leavener, which allows it to rise.

Kombu (Konbu) – A large edible seaweed used in Japanese cooking.

Kugelhopf – A yeast cake from Alsace baked in a large crown-like earthenware dish. It is similar to brioche, though less rich, and flavored with currants or golden raisins and almonds. This is mainly eaten for breakfast.

Kumquat – A very small citrus fruit with the unique quality of having a sweet skin and bitter flesh. These are used in pastry making, preserves, and chutneys.

Ladyfingers – Little, fairly dry, finger-shaped sponge cakes. “Ladies’ fingers” is another name for okra.

Langouste – The French name for the spiny lobster, differentiating from Maine lobsters in that they have no claws. Langoustes are warm water crustaceans that can be found in the South Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and off the coasts of South America, Australia and the West Indies.

Langoustine – The French name for Dublin prawn. These are small pink crustaceans resembling crayfish, with a taste and texture closest to lobster. Their claws are quite long but have no edible meat in them. Like the langouste, these are found in warm waters.

Larding – A technique by which thin strips of backfat, or vegetables, are inserted into a piece of meat. These strips help the meat to remand juicy during cooking. Larding with vegetables gives the meat a contrast of color plus the addition of flavor. This practice is not used as often now because of the higher quality of meat available to us.

Lasagna – Sheets of pasta which are layered with sauce and cheese and baked au gratin. Meat, fish, shellfish, and vegetables are all used as fillings for this dish. Recipes from Northern Italy are simple preparations consisting of little more than sauce and cheese.

Contrary to this is lasagna al forno, filled with a rich Bolognese sauce. Southern

Italian versions are more elaborate calling for the addition of sausages, mushrooms, and anything

else they may have on hand.

Lassi – A frothy yogurt drink, sweet or salty, flavored with pistachios, cardamom, cumin, or rose water.

Lemonade – In the US, a drink made of lemon juice, sugar and water; in the UK, a carbonated drink that doesn’t necessarily contain anything closer to a lemon than a bit of citric acid. Sprite (TM) and 7-Up (TM) are examples of what would be called lemonade in many countries.

Liaison – ( Close connection or bond ) The process of thickening a sauce, soup, or stew. This includes all roux’s, starch and water mixtures slurries), beurre maniere‚ Panada, and egg yolks with or without cream. Egg yolks

must be tempered with hot liquid before adding to the liquid in order to prevent curdling.

Linguine – Long, oval shaped pasta noodles. Hand cut versions of this are very narrow flat noodles.

Linzertorte – An Austrian pastry comprised of a short crust dough flavored with ground almonds and hazelnuts, cinnamon, and lemon zest. This is then spread with raspberry jam and topped with a cross-hatch of dough. Almond paste is sometimes layered underneath the raspberry jam. Other versions of this use fresh cranberries or apricots in the filling.

Lobster Mushroom – A wild mushroom that has a firm texture and a red and orange color like lobster shells.

Lox – Brine-cured – Dill, Lemon and Pepper flavored salmon.

Lychee – A small fruit from China and the West Indies, with a hard shell and sweet, juicy flesh. The flesh is white with a gelatinous texture and a musky, perfumed flavor.

Lyonnaise, à la – A French term for “in the manner of Lyons” Dishes include onions which have been cooked golden brown and seasoned with wine, garlic, and parsley.

Lyonnaise Sauce – A classic French sauce preparation made with sautéed onions, white wine and Demi-glace. The sauce is strained before being served with meats and sometimes poultry.

Macaire – A potato pancake made with seasoned potato puree.

Macaroon – A small round cookie that has a crisp crust and a soft interior. Many versions bought commercially have been thoroughly dried. These cookies may be made from almonds, though coconut is common in the US. The may also be flavored with coffee, chocolate, or spices. Amaretti, from Italy, are a type of macaroon.

Macedoine – A mixture of fruit or vegetables. Vegetable macedoine are cut into small dice and used as a garnish to meats. Fruit macedoine‚are cut in larger pieces and often marinated in sugar syrup with liqueur.

Macerate – Soaking fruit or vegetables in wine, liquor, or syrup so that they may absorb these flavors. Salt and sugar macerations are used to draw excess moisture out of the food for a secondary preparation. This is done for canning, jam and preserve making, and to remove bitter flavors from vegetables.

Mache – A wild lettuce with small round leaves that may be used for salads or cooked and used as you would spinach. The taste is a little less pronounced than spinach. Mache grows wild, and can be found in the fall. It is cultivated in France, Italy, and the US from

September to April.

Madeleine – A small shell shaped cookie or cake made from a rich batter similar to genoise. These may be flavored with almonds, lemon, or cinnamon.

Magret – The breast meat from a mallard or Barbary duck. These ducks are specially raised for foie gras. Their breasts are large and have a much thinner layer of fat than do the Peking or Long Island duckling.

Maitre d’ Hotel Butter -( Compound ) This is the most common of all the compound butters. It is flavored with lemon and chopped parsley and used to garnish fish and grilled meats. Garlic may be added, but it would then be called escargot butter.

Malanga – The word used in the Spanish-speaking parts of the Caribbean for Taro root (or a close relative of Taro.) It is prepared by either boiling and mashing like potatoes, or slicing and frying into chips. It is also used in soups as a thickening agent.

Marengo – A chicken stew made with wine, tomatoes, and garlic. The stew is served over toast, garnished with crayfish and fried eggs. The modern versions of this omit the eggs and substitute shrimp for the crayfish. Of course, other liberties have been taken with this recipe to include black olives, peppers, and veal. The dish is rumored to have been named for the dish served to General Bonaparte after his army’s defeat of the Austrians in the battle of Marengo.

Margarine – A solid fat invented in 1869 by the French chemist Henri Mege-

Mouries. Margarine was first invented to replace butter in cooking and baking. It

was then made solely of beef fat. Margarine is now made with a variety of fats, alone or with others, along with the addition of water, whey, yellow coloring, and vitamins. Beef fat is still used today,

but with a higher consciousness towards a healthier diet, it is used sparingly by many — Margarine can pose a trans fatty acid problem within digest as well. The Color of margarine is derived mainly from Achoite

Marinate -( From the Latin –Marine – to submerge — To soak food in a seasoned liquid mixture for a certain length of time. The purpose of marinating is to add flavor and/or tenderize the food. Due to the acidic ingredients in many marinades, foods should be marinated in glass, ceramic or stainless steel containers. Foods should also be covered and refrigerated while they are marinating. When fruits are soaked in this same manner, the process is called macerating.

Marzipan – An almond paste with the addition of egg whites. This mixture is kneaded intoa smooth paste and used to wrap or layer cakes and candies. Marzipan is also shaped into figures of animals, fruits, and vegetables, and sold in pastry or candy shops.

Masa Harina – Masa is a paste made by soaking maize in lime and then grinding it up. Masa Harina is the flour made by drying and powdering masa. It is used in Mexican cooking for items such as corn tortillas. The literal meaning is “dough flour”.

Mascarpone – A rich triple cream, fresh cheese from Italy with a texture resembling that of solidified whipped cream.

Matafan – A thick pancake eaten sweet as a snack, or savory as an accompaniment to cheese. They are also made with bacon, spinach, and potatoes.

Matelote – A French fish stew made with wine. The Alsatian version of this dish is made with freshwater fish, Riesling wine, and thickened with cream and egg yolks. The Normandy version includes seafood and is flavored with cider and Calvados. These stews are normally embellished with pearl onions and mushrooms.

Matjes Herring -( Bismark ) A reddish herring that has been skinned and filleted before being cured in a spiced sugar-vinegar brine.

Mayonnaise – This is the mother of all of the cold egg and oil emulsified sauces. Commercial versions are made with inferior oils and are far to thick for proper utilization. A hand made version has a rich, subtle flavor and silky texture. You

should always use a neutral oil or a good oil. Avoid using an extra-virgin olive oil, which will offer too strong of a flavor for most usage.

Melba – The name of a popular dessert created by Auguste Escoffier. Poached peach halves are served with vanilla ice cream and topped with fresh raspberry sauce. Named after Dame Nellie Melba, the famous opera singer when she had a severe sore throat

Menudo – A soup similar to pozole with the addition of tripe and meat broth. This, too, is served with assorted condiments for the diners to choose from.

Meringue – Whipped egg whites to which sugar has been added to form a stiff paste. These are used to lighten mousses, cakes, and pastry creams.

Unsweetened versions are used to lighten forcemeats. Meringue is also baked in a very low oven, forming crisp shells which are filled with fruit or ice cream. Small dried meringue shells are called vacherin.

Mesclun – This is a mix of very young lettuces and greens. Often this mix is stretched with herb or flower sprigs and bitter greens. These greens should be dressed very lightly, with a flavorful oil and vinegar, so that their flavor will not be masked.

Mignonette – This is a term used to describe coarsely ground pepper used for au poivre preparations and in bouquet garni. This is also used to describe small round pieces of meat or poultry.

Milanese – This is used to describe foods that are dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, sometimes parmesan cheese, and fried in butter.

Mille-Feuille – Small rectangular pastries made of crisp layers of puff pastry and pastry cream. This may also include savory fillings of similar presentation. The word mille-feuille means a thousand leaves.

Mince – To cut food into very tiny pieces. Minced food is cut into smaller, finer pieces than diced food.

Mincemeat – A sweet spicy mixture of candied and fresh fruits, wine, spices, and beef fat. Earlier recipes for this used beef or venison meat and beef fat. It is used primarily as a filling for pies served during the Christmas holiday season.

Minestrone – An Italian vegetable soup with beans and pasta or rice. This may contain any

number of vegetables, but for authenticity, meat is never added.

Mirepoix – A mixture of chopped onion, carrot, and celery used to flavor stocks and soups. Ham or bacon are sometimes added to a mirepoix, depending on the specific preparation.

Mirin – A non-alcoholic version of sake/rice wine. It is sweet and syrupy.

Mise en Place – A term used in professional kitchens to describe the proper planning procedure for a specific station.

Miso – A paste made from fermented soy beans. This is used in Japanese cooking for sauces and soups.

Mixed Spice – A classic mixture generally containing caraway, allspice, coriander, cumin, nutmeg & ginger, although cinnamon & other spices can be added. It is used with fruit & in cakes. (In America ‘Pumpkin Pie Spice’ is very similar).

Molasses – This is a syrup resulting from the crystallization of raw sugar from the sap. Additional processing results in darker and stronger tasting molasses called black strap.

Mole – An assortment of thick sauces used in Mexican cooking made of chilies. These sauces are made with one or many chilies, and flavored with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nuts, seeds, and chocolate. Their flavor is rich, smoky, and very complex. Some recipes are made with fresh herbs and have a green color.

Chicken, turkey, and pork are then simmered in this sauce.

Monosodium Glutamate – A sodium salt found in wheat, beets, and soy bean products. It is used extensively in Chinese cookery, and thought to help accentuate the flavors of certain foods. Many people suffer serious allergic reactions to this so widespread use has been reduced to the commercial food processing industry.

Morel Mushroom – This is a wild mushroom with a honeycomb cap and hollow stem. These are very dirty mushrooms and must be cleaned carefully. Morels possess a wonderful earthy flavor, making them good candidates for soups, sauces, and fillings.

Mornay Sauce – A béchamel sauce with Gruyere cheese, sometimes enriched with a liaison of egg yolks and cream . It is used mainly for fish and vegetable preparations.

Mortadella – Large, lightly smoked sausages made of pork, beef, or veal. These are specialties of Bologna, which is where the US version of this sausage gets its

name. Mortadella is a very smooth, pink sausage with a subtle creamy texture. They are studded with cubes of pork fat and peppercorns.

Mostarda di Cremona – These are fruits cooked and marinated in a spicy, mustard flavored syrup. It is a classic accompaniment to bollito misto. These fruits are also used in sauces for veal, and assorted stuffed pasta fillings.

Monte – ( Mount ) To whisk cold butter, piece by piece, into a warm sauce for smooth texture, flavor and sheen. Each piece of butter must be thoroughly incorporated before a new piece is added so that the sauce does not break (or separate into liquid and fat).

Moussaka – A layered dish of eggplant and lamb with tomatoes and onions. This is all bound with béchamel sauce and cooked au gratin.

Mousse – Sweet or savory dishes made of ingredients which are blended and folded together. These mixtures may be hot or cold, and generally contain whipped egg whites to lighten them. Cream is also used to lighten these dishes, though when used in large quantities, these preparations are called mousselines.

Mousseline – A fine puree of a raw forcemeat which has been formed into an emulsion and has the addition of cream. The product is then cooked and nominally served hot. The term can also describe a hollandaise sauce which has lightly whipped cream folded into it.

Mousseron Mushroom – A wild mushroom with an off-white to beige color. The flavor is full-bodied and the texture is fleshy like bolets.

Mulligatawny – A curried chicken soup adapted by the British from India. Originally the soup was enriched with coconut milk and embellished with almonds and apples. Newer versions make a lighter broth and flavor this with curry and coconut.

Nage – An aromatic broth in which crustaceans are cooked. The shellfish is then served with this broth. The most notable of these dishes is lobster la nage.

Nantua – A name given to dishes containing crayfish. This includes crayfish tails and sauces made with a crayfish fumet.

Napé – To completely coat food with a light, thin, even layer of sauce.

Navarin – French stew made with mutton or lamb and onions, turnips, potatoes, and herbs.

Nicoise – Foods cooked in the style of Nice. These dishes may include garlic, Nicoise olives, anchovies, tomatoes, and green beans. Salad Nicoise is the most famous of all these dishes, consisting of potatoes, olives, green beans, and vinaigrette dressing.

Noissette — – A small round steak, made of lamb or beef tenderloin. The name can also be applied to a small round shaped potato that is pan fried in Butter

Noisette Butter – Whole butter which has been cooked until it reaches a rich, nutty brown color and aroma.

Nori Seaweed – Thin dry sheets of seaweed used in Japanese cooking. It is mainly used to wrap sushi and as garnish for other cold presentations.

Nougat – A candy made from sugar and honey mixed with nuts. This mixture is then formed into slabs and sliced.

Nougatine – A darker candy, made of caramel syrup and nuts. This is rolled into thin sheets and formed into cups or bowls to serve as a vessel for other candy or fruit.

Nuoc-Mam – This is a Vietnamese fish sauce made with fermented fish or shrimp. Another name for this is nam pla.

Nutella – A commercial brand of gianduja. This is a creamy paste of chocolate and

Hazelnuts treasured in Italy. This is used in candy making, for flavored milk drinks, and when thinned out, spread on bread as a quick snack.

Oeuf – The French word for egg.

Oeuf a la Neige – Sweet meringue puffs that are poached in milk and chilled. When served, these puffs are drizzled with caramel and served with creme anglaise.

Olives – This is the edible fruit of the olive tree. Found in both green unripe) and black ripe) forms, each must undergo a process to remove the bitterness found in them. This curing process is done with brine solutions, salt curing, and drying.

Olive Oil – Olive oil has a very distinctive flavor, and has become more prominent in American cooking today. Grading of olive oils are determined by the methods of extraction and the acid content of the resulting oil. Virgin oils are those obtained from the first pressing of the olive without further refinement. The finest olive oil is extra virgin, with an acid content of 1%. Following this are superfine at 1.5%, fine at 3%, and virgin at 4%. Pure olive oils are those which have been extracted by heat. These are of 100% olive oil, but their flavor can result in a harsh, bitter after taste. Pomace olive oil is refined from the final pressings and under heat and pressure. The taste is inferior to other olive oils and should never be substituted for them. Olive oil becomes rancid very easily, more so when exposed to heat or light. Always store tightly sealed in a cool, dark place.

Opakapaka – Pink snapper. A local Hawaiian favorite, especially around the holidays.

Orzo – Small rice shaped pasta.

Osso Bucco– An Italian dish comprised of crosscut slices of the veal shank braised with vegetables, aromatics, and stock. Milanese style is served with saffron risotto and a gremolata.

Ouzo – A clear anise-flavored liqueur from Greece. It’s generally mixed with water which turns it whitish and opaque.

Oyster Mushroom – A wild mushroom that grows in clusters on the side of trees. It is off-white to greyish in color and has a soft texture. These mushrooms have a very subtle flavor. They are also being cultivated in the US, making them readily available in markets and moderately priced.

Paella – A Spanish rice dish originating in the town of Valencia. There are hundreds of recipes for paella, all claiming to be authentic. The only ingredients that are necessary for paella are rice, tomatoes, and saffron. Other ingredients are chicken, chorizo, mussels, squid, peppers, and beans. More elaborate preparations include shrimp, lobster, and duck.

Paillard – A piece of meat or fish that has been pounded very thinly and grilled or sautéed.

Palmier – A cookie made of sheets of puff pastry that are rolled in sugar and folded to resemble palm leaves. These cookies are baked until the sugar becomes caramelized.

Panada – A thick paste used as a binding agent for forcemeats. Flour panadas are made in a style similar to choux paste. Other types use bread crumbs or potato puree.

Pan-bagnat – A sandwich from southern France, consisting of small round loaves of bread which have been hollowed out and filled with onions, anchovies, black olives, and tuna, then drenched in extra virgin olive oil.

Pancetta – Cured pork belly that is rolled and tied. Unlike American bacon, this is not smoked.

Panforte – A rich dense torte made of candied fruit and nuts.

Panino – The Italian word for sandwich.

Pannetone – An Italian cake made with a dough rich in egg yolks, traditionally served around Christmas time. The dough is studded with raisins, candied fruits, and occasionally pistachios.

Parboil – To boil food briefly in water, cooking it only partially. Parboiling is used for dense food like carrots and potatoes. After being parboiled, these foods can be added at the last minute to quicker-cooking ingredients. Parboiling insures that all ingredients will finish cooking at the same time. Since foods will continue to cook once they have been removed from the boiling water, they should be shocked in ice water briefly to preserve color and texture. Cooking can then be completed by sautéing or the parboiled vegetable can be added to simmering soups or stews.

Pare – To remove the thin outer layer of foods using a paring knife or a vegetable peeler.

Pasta e Fagioli – A rich bean soup with pasta, in which a large sausage(such as cotechino) has been cooked. The soup is eaten first, followed by the sausage served with mustard and bread.

Panzanella – A salad consisting of toasted cubes of bread tossed with vegetables and vinaigrette. The salad is then marinated for at least one hour. The bread should be very firm so that it will endure the soaking of dressing. Vegetables can include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and onions. Lots of garlic, capers, black olives, and anchovies are added to the salad.

Pappardelle – Wide flat pasta noodles served with rich, hearty sauces.

Pasilla Chili Pepper – Called a chilaca in its fresh form. The mature chilaca turns from dark green to dark brown. After drying (when it becomes a pasilla) it changes to a blackish-brown. It has a rich hot flavor and is generally ground and used for sauces.

Pastilla(Bistella) – A Moroccan pie made with chicken wrapped in phyllo dough. When finished cooking, the pastilla is dusted with sugar and cinnamon.

Pastry Cream – A cooked custard thickened with flour. Some versions may use cornstarch or a mixture of the two starches.

Pâté – A French term referring to pastes or pastry.

Pâté Choux – A paste used to make cream puffs, éclairs, and other more elaborate pastries. It is made by adding flour to boiling water or milk, which has been enriched with butter. Eggs are then added into the paste to leaven it.

Savory pastries such as gougere may also be made with this paste.

Pâté a Foncer – A short crust pastry dough made with butter and strengthened with water. Used as a lining for meat or fish pies.

Pâté Feuilletae – A dough comprised of many alternating layers of butter and pastry. This is an extremely versatile dough though preparation of it is labor intensive and very difficult.

Pâté Brisée – A short crust pastry dough made with butter and eggs.

Pâté Sucrée – A sweet, short crust dough for tarts and tartlets.

Pâté Sablée – Another type of sweet, short crust dough.

Pâté – A term referring to many different preparations of meat, fish and vegetable pies. The definitions of which have been altered through the years. Originally pat‚ referred to a filled pastry much like American or English pies. Now the term pâté en croute is used to describe these preparations. Pâté en terrine has been shortened to either pâté or terrine. A terrine is generally a finer forcemeat than that used for pâté, and always served cold. Pâtés are coarser forcemeats and, as stated before, are often prepared in a pastry crust. These terms are interchangeably and inclusive of all styles of forcemeat. Look for definitions under Ballantine and Galantine.

Paupiette – A thin slice of meat, like a scaloppini, which is stuffed and rolled. These may also be made of fish or vegetables.

Pavlova – A dessert invented in NZ, the main ingredients being sugar and egg white. A pavlova has crisp meringue outside and soft marshmallow inside, and has approximately the dimensions of a deep dessert cake. Commonly pavlovas are topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, especially kiwifruit, passion fruit or strawberries.

Pawpaw -( Papaya, ) also persimmons in some places, or even a third fruit, Asimina triloba.

Penne – Quill-shaped pasta tubes with smooth sides. Those with ridges are called penne rigati. These are also called mostaciolli. Large quill-shaped tubes are called manicotti.

Perilla – A Japanese herb that has a dark, russet-purple dentate leaf. It has a complex sweetness, and is wonderful in meat sauces and to make vinegar

Periwinkles – These small relatives of the whelk are “Littorina littorea”. Popular in Europe but not in US. Northern (New England) “winkles” are a different species from those found in the Gulf of Mexico.

Persillade – A mixture of chopped parsley and garlic, added to recipes at the end of cooking.

Pesto – A delicious composition (sauce ) used for pastas, grilled meats, and poultry. This is made of fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan cheese. Some versions will also add parsley and walnuts or pine nuts. The ingredients are ground into a paste and moistened with the olive oil. Pesto is also used to describe similar sauces that contain other herbs or nuts. Petit Four – A small cookie or cake served on elaborate buffets or at the end of a multi-course meal.

Pico de Gallo – Literally meaning “rooster’s beak”, this is a very hot, raw salsa made of fresh chilies, onions, and tomatoes.

Piroshki – Small Russian meat pies, like empanadas, eaten for lunch or snacks.

Pissaladiere – A southern French pizza consisting of a thick bread crust covered with cooked onions flavored with garlic. The pizza is then topped with black olives and anchovies.

Pita Bread – Flat round bread made with or without a pocket.

Poach – To cook food by gently simmering in liquid at 160 F.to 170 F. Deep poach is where the item to be cooked in this manner is totally submerged. Another technique of Poach is the shallow poach where the item is place with a

flavorful cold liquid and the liquid will only come part way to the top of the item being cooked. The pan is covered with a paper cartouche and the item is then cooked to doneness – The residue liquid ( cuisson ) is then strained and used as the foundation ( fond ) for the sauce

Poblano Chili Pepper – A dark, sometimes almost black green chili pepper with a mild flavor. Best known for its use in “Chili Rellanos”.

Polenta – The Italian version of cornmeal mush. Coarsely ground yellow cornmeal is cooked with stock or water and flavored with onions, garlic, and cheese. Polenta may be eaten fresh out of the pot, as a perfect accompaniment to stews. Polenta may also be poured into a greased pan and allowed to set. It is then sliced, sautéed and topped with cheese or tomato sauce. When cooked properly, polenta is a simple treasure.

Posole – Pozole – A Mexican soup containing hominy served with various ingredients to be added by each diner. The base of the soup is water flavored with onions, tomatoes(or tomatillos), and herbs. Hominy is cooked into this broth and condiments include minced onion, avocado, lime wedges, oregano, queso fresco, and fried pork skin. A similar soup to this is menudo. Without the pork skin, this makes a perfect vegetarian soup.

Pot Roast – To cook meat slowly by moist heat in a covered pot.( Braise ) The meat is first browned, then braised either on top of the stove or in the oven. Pot roasting is best for tougher cuts of meat which require longer cooking times to break down connective tissue.

Poutine – French fries with cheese curds and gravy.

Praline – In French cookery this is a powder or paste made of caramelized almonds and/or hazelnuts. American cookery refers to a candy consisting of caramel and pecans.

Profiterole – A small puff made with pate choux usual filled an served as an appetizer.

Prosciutto – The Italian word for ham, usually referring to the raw cured hams of Parma. Though once very difficult to obtain in the United States due to USDA and FDA regulations, fine prosciutto’s from Italy and Switzerland are now being imported. These hams are called prosciutto crudo. Cooked hams are called prosciutto cotto. Prosciutto is best when sliced paper thin served with ripe figs or wrapped around grissini.

Pumate – Italian for sun-dried tomatoes.

Puree – To grind or mash food until completely smooth. This can be done using a food processor or blender or by pressing the food through a sieve.

Puttanesca – A piquant pasta sauce made of tomatoes, onions, black olives, capers, anchovies, and chile flakes. The hot pasta is tossed in this sauce prior to serving. Some recipes leave the ingredients raw, allowing the heat of the pasta to bring out the flavors.

Pyramide Cheese – A truncated pyramid is the shape of this small French Chevre that is often coated with dark gray edible ash. The texture can range from soft to slightly crumbly and depending upon it’s age, in flavor from mild to sharp.

It is wonderful served with crackers or bread and fruit.

Quadriller – To mark the surface of grilled or broiled food with a crisscross pattern of lines. The scorings are produced by contact with very hot single grill bars which brown the surface of the food. Very hot skewers may also be used to mark the surface.

Quahog – The American Indian name for the East Coast hard shell clam. It is also used to describe the largest of these hard shell clams. Other names used are, chowder or large clam.

Quatre-epices – A French spice mixture containing ground cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pepper. This mixture is used to season stews and pâtes.

Quenelle – A dumpling made from fish or meat forcemeat.

Quesadilla – Originally a corn masa empanada filled with meat then deep fried. Modern versions found throughout restaurants in the US are made with flour tortillas that are filled with cheese and folded over when cooked.

Quiche – An open top pie made of eggs, milk or cream, and anything else within reach. The most famous of these is the quiche Lorraine of Alsace, made with bacon and Gruyere cheese.

Quince – This yellow-skinned fruit looks and tastes like a cross between an apple and a pear. Its texture and flavor make it better cooked than raw. Its high pectin content make it ideal for use in jams, jellies, and preserves.

Quinoa – Pronounced (KEEN-wah). A natural whole grain grown in South

America. Originally used by the Incas some 5000 years ago, it can be substituted

for rice in most recipes. It is a unique grain in that it serves as a complete protein containing essential amino acids.

Radicchio – A member of the chicory family with red and white leaves. The different varieties range from mild to extremely bitter. The round Verona variety are the most common in the US. Radicchio is used most often in salads, but is quite suitable to cooked preparations.

Ragout – A French term for stew made of meat, fish, or vegetables.

Ras el Hanout – This is a powdered spice mixture, used in Arabic and north African cooking, with a sweet and pungent flavor. See the definition under Charmoula for a description of the ingredients and its applications.

Ratatouille – A vegetable stew consisting of onions, eggplant, sweet peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes flavored with garlic, herbs, and olive oil. Traditionally simmered until all of the vegetables are quite soft and the flavor has blended into one, ratatouille takes on the appearance of marmalade. Newer versions reduce the cooking time, allowing the vegetables to retain some of their original identity.

Ravioli – Stuffed pasta dough served in broth or with sauce. Reduce – To thicken or concentrate a liquid by boiling rapidly. The volume of the liquid is reduced as the water evaporates, thereby thickening the consistency and intensifying the flavor.

Remoulade – This classic French sauce is made by combining mayonnaise (usually homemade) with mustard, capers and chopped gherkins, herbs and anchovies. It’s served chilled as an accompaniment to cold meat, fish and shellfish.

Rennet – An extract from the stomach of lambs and calves used in cheese making to coagulate milk. There are also rennet’s obtained from vegetables such as cardoons.

Rice – To push cooked food through a perforated kitchen tool called a ricer. The resulting food looks like rice.

Rigatoni – Large pasta tubes with ridged sides.

Rijsttafel – A Dutch word, meaning “rice table”. It is a Dutch version of an

Indonesian meal consisting of hot rice accompanied by several (sometimes 20 or

40) small, well-seasoned side dishes of seafood’s, meats, vegetables, fruits, sauces, condiments, etc.

Rillette – A coarse, highly spiced spread made of meat or poultry and always served cold. This is called potted meat because rillettes are often covered with a layer of lard and stored for a period of time to age the mixture.

Rissolè – Small pies similar to empanadas and piroshki. They are filled with meat, vegetables, or cheese and deep fried.

Risotto – An Italian preparation of rice resulting in a creamy liaison with stock and butter. This may be served as a first course, main course, or side dish and embellished with meat, seafood, cheese, or vegetables. The best known version of this dish is risotto ala Milanese, with saffron and Reggiano parmesan cheese.

Rissole – The British version of small savory pies. Roast – To oven-cook food in an uncovered pan. The food is exposed to high heat which produces a wellbrowned surface and seals in the juices. Reasonably tender pieces of meat or poultry should be used for roasting. Food that is going to be roasted for a long time may be barded to prevent drying out.

Rocky Mountain Oysters – Lamb or cattle testicles, breaded and deep fried.

Rosti – A Swiss potato pancake made from cooked potatoes, sometimes flavored with bacon. Cooked in a steel Rosti pan that is scored in the bottom to allow the butter to pass under the potato during the cooking time

Rouille – A thick sauce similar to aioli, made of dried chiles, garlic, and olive oil. Rouille is traditionally served with bouillabaisse and soup de poisson. Other recipes also add saffron and tomatoes.

Roux – A mixture of flour and fat used to thicken sauces, soups, and stews. Though usually made with butter, roux’s are also made with bacon or poultry fats, margarine, and vegetable oil. The mixture is cooked for a brief time to remove the raw taste of the starch from the flour. Longer cooking results in a darker color, which is favorable in Creole cooking where roux’s are cooked for long periods until they reach a dark brown color. Roux is classified as White, pale, blond, or brown. The darker the roux the less its capability of thickening and therefore the need to use more.

Sabayon – definition is under zabaglione.

Sable – A rich short cookies similar to shortbread.

Saffron – A spice consisting of the dried stigma of the Crocus sativus plant, originating in the eastern Mediterranean, now grown as well in Spain, France, and South America. It has a characteristic pungent aroma and flavor and bright yellow color. It is also very expensive and used sparingly. The stigma of approximately 5000 crocus will yield about 1 ounce of saffron. Saffron is indispensable in dishes such as paella and bouillabaisse. A good substitute for the yellow color is turmeric, though nothing can replace saffrons unique flavor.

Salt Cod – Cod that has been salted and dried to preserve it for long periods of time. Salt cod is evident in cuisines of the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas. To reconstitute the fish, you must soak it in many changes of fresh water to remove the excess salt. You may then poach the fish until it is just flaking off the bone, or use it raw for other preparations.

Saltimbocca – An Italian dish comprised of thin slices of veal, rolled around ham and cheese, seasoned with sage and braised until tender.

Saltpeter – The name for potassium nitrate, which is used primarily in the meat industry to help preserve cured meats. It gives a distinctive pink color to hams and bacon. There are recent reports from the USDA that nitrates, and nitrites are carcinogenic.

Sambal Ulek (Sambal Oelek) – A paste made by crushing red chilies with a little salt. Can be made by crushing chopped deseeded chilies in a mortar with salt, or purchased at some delicatessens or Asian food stores.

Sambuca – An anise-flavored, not-to-sweet Italian liqueur which is usually served with 2 or 3 dark-roasted coffee beans floating on top.

Samoosa – An Indian snack of deep fried dumplings stuffed with curried vegetables. Most common of the fillings is potatoes or cauliflower with peas.( Bhaji ) or Mutton ground and cooked with Garum masala ( Kheema )

Santen/Coconut Milk – Can be bought in cans or in powdered form, or made as follows: To 2.5 cups boiling water add the grated flesh of one coconut (or 4 cups Dessicated coconut). Leave to stand 30 minutes, squeeze coconut and strain. Use within 24 hours. Known as Narial ka dooth in India, Santen in Indonesia and Malaysia.

Sashimi – A Japanese dish of raw fish, shellfish, and mollusks served with soy sauce, wasabi, and pickled vegetables. Sushi is similar but it is served with vinegared rice, and may also include nori seaweed, vegetables, and strips of

cooked eggs similar to omelets. A common accompaniment to this is pickled ginger.

Satay – Also spelled sat‚ and sateh. These are pieces of meat or fish threaded onto skewers and grilled over a flame. Several variations of these are seen throughout Southeast Asia. A spicy peanut sauce is served with meat satay in Vietnam and Thailand.

Sauté – ( to Jump ) ( Dry heat with fat ) To cook food quickly in a small amount of fat or oil, until brown, in a skillet or ( Sautéuse )– sauté pan over direct heat. The sauté pan and fat must be hot before the food is added, otherwise the food will absorb oil and become soggy.

Savarin – A ring-shaped cake made of a rich yeast dough, soaked with a rum syrup, and filled with pastry or whipped cream.

Segment – To remove the flesh sections of citrus fruit from the membranes.

Using a sharp knife, cut away all of the skin and pith from the outside of the fruit. Place the knife between the membrane and the flesh of one section and slice down. Turn the knife catching the middle of the fruit. Slice up removing each section sans membrane.

Scald – To dip fruits or vegetables in boiling water in order to loosen their skins and simplify peeling. The produce should be left in the water for only 30 seconds to prohibit cooking, and should be shocked in an ice water bath before the skin is removed.

Scale – To remove the scales from the skin of a fish using a dull knife or a special kitchen tool called a fish scaler.

Scallion -( Green Onion ) Variety of onion with small bulbs, long stiff green leaves. Usually eaten raw. Also called spring onion, green onion.

Scampi – Another word for langoustine. This word is used loosely in the US as a description of large 15 and under shrimp, broiled with butter, lemon, and garlic.

Scone – A small, lightly sweetened pastry similar to American biscuits, often flavored with currants.

Scotch Bonnet Pepper – Capsicum tetragonum. Similar to Habanera Pepper.

Scrapple – Scrapple is boiled, ground leftover pieces of pig, together with cornmeal and spices. Good scrapple, particularly served with a spicy tomato catsup, is food for the gods.

Scungilli – Also a Mollusk Gastropod – “Buccinidae” – found in more temperate waters than conch, with a darker meat and stronger flavor, perhaps less “sweet”. This is more properly known as “whelk”. These are generally removed from their shell and sold already steamed and ready to eat. The meat is kind of a circular meat, about 1 to 2 inches in diameter, perhaps 10 to 20 of these in a pound.

Sea Urchin – A round spiny creature found off the coasts of Europe and America. The only edible portion is the coral, usually eaten raw with fresh lemon juice.

Sear – ( Dry heat ) To brown meat or fish quickly ( Maillard Protein Reaction ) extremely high heat either in a fry pan, Searing helps seal in the food’s juices and provides a crispier tasty exterior. Seared food can then be eaten rare or roasted or braised to desired degree of doneness.

Season – 1 To add flavor to foods through the addition of condiments or cooking applications or both.

Season – 2 Coat the cooking surface of a new pot or pan with a vegetable oil, then heat in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. This fills in the microscopic machine faults in the metal of the pot or pan surface, particularly cast-iron, and helps prevent foods from sticking.

Seed – To remove the seeds from fruits and vegetables.

Semifreddo – Meaning “half cold”, this is gelato with whipped cream folded into it.

Semolina – A coarse or fine ground flour made from durum wheat, used in the making of pasta and bread.

Seviche (Ceviche) – A dish of Spanish origin comprising of raw fish, scallops, or shrimp marinated in citrus juices until the flesh becomes “denatured ” Onions, peppers, and chiles are then added to finish the dish. Sometimes the expression ” cooked by acid ” is incorrectly applied to this technique

Shallots – Small pointed members of the onion family that grow in clusters something like garlic and have a mild, onion taste. Not the same as green/spring onion. Shortbread – A butter-rich cookie from Scotland, often seasoned with lemon, cinnamon, ginger, almonds, and cumin.

Shoyu – Japanese for Soy Sauce.

Shred – To cut food into thin strips. This can be done by hand or by using a grater or food processor. Cooked meat can be shredded by pulling it apart with two forks.

Sieve – To strain liquids or particles of food through a sieve or strainer. Press the solids, using a ladle or wooden spoon, into the strainer to remove as much liquid and flavor as possible.

Sift – To pass dry ingredients through a fine mesh ( Tamis ) – sifter so larger pieces can be removed easily . The process also incorporates air to make ingredients like flour, lighter. Which can be synonymous with the expression Aeriate.

Simmer – ( Moist technique ))To cook food in liquid over gentle heat, 185 F.to 195 F just below the boiling point, low enough so that tiny bubbles just begin to break the surface.

Skate wings – This is the edible portion of the skate. The flesh, when cooked, separates into little fingers of meat and has a distinctive rich, gelatinous texture. The taste is similar to that of scallops.

Skewer – To spear small pieces of food on long, thin, pointed rods called skewers.

Skim – To remove the scum that rises to the surface from a liquid when it is boiled. The top layer of the liquid, such as the cream from milk or the foam and fat from stock, soups or sauces, can be removed using a spoon, ladle or skimmer. Soups, stews or sauces can be chilled so that the fat coagulates on the surface and may be easily removed before reheating.

Skin – To remove the skin from food before or after cooking. Poultry, fish and game are often skinned for reasons of appearance, taste and diet.

Smoke – To expose fresh food to smoke from a wood fire for a prolonged period of time. Traditionally used for preservation purposes, smoking is now a means of giving flavor to food. Smoking tends to dry the food, kills bacteria, deepens color and gives food a smoky flavor. The duration of smoking varies from 20 minutes to several days. The more widely used woods are Hickory – Mesquite – Apple – Cherry – to which aromatic essences are sometimes can be added. Smoke roast is a common expression seen on menus

Smorgasbord – A Swedish buffet of many hot and cold dishes served as hors d’oeuvres or as a full meal. Similar buffets are served throughout Scandinavia, as well as the Soviet Union. Common elements of a smorgasbord are pickled

herring, marinated vegetables, smoked and cured salmon and sturgeon, and a selection of canapés.

Soba Noodle – Buckwheat noodles resembling spaghetti, used in Japanese cooking.

Soy Sauce – A condiment from Southeast Asia and Japan made from fermented soybeans. There are different varieties of soy sauce available. Darker, stronger sauces are used for cooking while lighter ones are used as sauces and seasonings. Japanese soy sauce is called shoyu.

Spatzle -This is a coarse noodle from Alsace and Germany made of flour, eggs, oil, and water. The soft dough is dropped into boiling water (with a Spatzle press or the base of a colander ) and poached until cooked through. The noodle is then fried in butter or oil and served as a side dish to meat. Spatzle may also be flavored with cheese, mushrooms, and herbs.

Speck – Cured and smoked pork flank.

Spiedini – An Italian word for skewers of meat or fish grilled over a flame or under a broiler.

Spring Roll – Thin sheets of dough which are filled with meat, seafood, or vegetables and rolled into logs. Spring rolls are most often deep fried, though they may also be steamed. Chinese versions use wheat doughs, while the Vietnamese and Thai versions use a rice paper wrapper.

Squash – A family of seed vegetables. All but two have a thick, hard, usually inedible rind, rich-tasting meat, and lots of seeds. There are also things called summer squashes, which have edible rinds, milder meats, and usually fewer seeds. An example of this type is the Zucchini ( Courgette )

Steam – To cook food on a rack or in steamer basket over a boiling liquid in a covered pan. Steaming retains flavor, shape, texture, and nutrients better than boiling or poaching.

Stock – A flavorful broth made from meats, fish, shellfish, and vegetables. These are used as the basis of sauce and soup making.

Strudel – Paper thin pastry rolled around sweet fillings of fruit, nuts, or cheese. Savory versions of this are similar to the Russian coulibiac.

Supreme – The skinned full breast of a chicken with the tender in tacked

Sweat – To cook vegetables in minimum fat or liquid – covered, over gentle heat so they become soft but not brown, and their juices are concentrated in the cooking liquid. The procedure will allow the ingredients to keep a certain amount of their natural moisture.

Swede – In the United States of America it is known as a Rutabaga.

Sweetbread – The culinary term for the thymus gland of an animal. Those of veal and lamb are most commonly eaten. The pancreas is also considered a sweetbread, but its taste and texture is inferior to that of the thymus gland.

Syllabub – An English dessert comprised mainly of whipped cream sweetened with sugar and flavored with sherry, brandy, or cointreau. Lemon zest, fruit preserves or puree may also be swirled into the cream.

Sugar Syrup – Differentiating from natural syrups, this term refers to a solution of sugar and water. Simple syrups are made with equal quantities of water and sugar. Heavy syrup is made with twice as much sugar as water. These types of syrups are used in making sorbets, soft drinks, and for soaking cakes.

Tabasco Sauce – A thin spicy sauce made of vinegar, red peppers, and salt, developed in America by Edmund McIlhenny at his home on Avery Island before the U.S. Civil War. The McIlhenny Company is the sole supplier of Tabasco® Pepper Sauce to this day. This sauce is more over used with Creole food, chili con carne, and eggs.

Tabbouleh – A Lebanese salad made of softened bulgur tossed with vegetables and seasoned with lemon and mint.

Tagine – A Moroccan dish named after the cooking utensil in which it has been cooked. These stews may contain poultry, fish, meat, or vegetables and are highly spiced with sweet overtones common in North African cuisine.

Taglierini – A flat ribbon pasta, narrower than tagliatelle, measuring approximately 3mm across.

Tagliatelle – A flat ribbon pasta, narrower than Fettucine, measuring approximately 6mm across.

Tahini – Butter A paste made from sesame seeds, used primarily in hummus and baba ganoush.

Tamari – Tamari is a type of soy sauce, usually used in Japanese food. You can easily substitute with Chinese Light Soy or regular Japanese soy sauce.

Tamarind – This is the fruit pod of trees originally from Africa, now common in Asia, India, and the West Indies.

The taste is bittersweet with citrus overtones. The pulp is very sticky and difficult to work with. Common forms s

old are syrups and bricks of the pulp. It is used extensively in dishes of these regions as well as in candy and drinks.

Within the West Indies it has the following of a wonderful and romantic story

Tangelo – Citrus fruit cross of a tangerine and a pomelo. Larger than a mandarin and a little smaller than an average-size

orange. Skin color is a bright tangerine and they mature during the late mandarin season. Mandarins, Tangerines or

Oranges may be used instead.

Tapenade – A paste made from cured black olives seasoned with olive oil, garlic, anchovies, capers, lemon, and marc or cognac. This is common in Provence, where it is served with croutons and raw vegetables to dip. This also makes a good

sauce for grilled meats and strong flavored fish.

Taramasalata – A Greek dip made of olive oil and Cod fish roe with the consistency similar to that of mayonnaise.

American versions commonly use salmon, whitefish, or carp roe. This is served with raw vegetables and bread or croutons.

Tartare – This is a term which has several meanings. It is often used to describe the preparation of raw beef called

steak tartare. Raw beef is chopped finely and served with minced onion, parsley, capers, and seasoned with anything

from Worcestershire sauce to Tabasco sauce. .

Tarte Flambé – An Alsatian pizza with a thin crust topped with fresh white cheese, onions, and bacon. This is also called an Alsatian fire pie.

Tartare Sauce describes a mayonnaise based sauce with capers, onion, hard cooked eggs, cornichons, and herbs.

Tarte Tatin – A type of tart in which the pastry is baked on top of the fruit, then inverted when finished baking. Apples are traditionally used, becoming soft and caramelized during baking.

Temper – 1. To slowly bring up the temperature of a colder ingredient by adding small amounts of a hot or boiling liquid,

or even applying heat carefully Adding the heat or hot liquid gradually prevents the cool ingredient, such as eggs, from

cooking or setting. The tempered mixture can then be added back to a hotter liquid for further continued cooking.

This process is used most in making pastry cream and the like.

Temper – 2. – To bring chocolate to a state in which it has snap, shine and no streaks ( feathers ). Commercially available chocolate is already tempered but this condition changes when it is melted. Tempering is often done when the chocolate

will be used for candy making or decorations. Chocolate must be tempered because it contains cocoa butter, a saturated

fat which has the ability to form crystals, chocolate is melted and cooled. Dull grey streaks form and are called bloom or feathers. The classic tempering method is to melt chocolate until it is totally without lumps (semisweet chocolate melts

at a temperature of 104 degrees F.) One third of the chocolate is then poured onto a marble slab then spread and worked

back and forth with a metal spatula until it becomes thick and reaches a temperature of about 80 – F. The thickened

chocolate is then added back to the remaining 2/3 melted chocolate and stirred. The process is repeated until the

entire mixture reaches 88-92 degrees for semisweet chocolate, 84-87 degrees for milk or white chocolate.

Tenderize – To make meat more tender by pounding with a mallet, marinating for varying periods of time, or storing at lower temperatures. Fat may also be placed into a piece of meat to make it more tender during cooking.

Terasi – A kind of pungent shrimp paste, used in very small quantities. May be crushed with spices, grilled or fried before adding to other ingredients. Also known as balachan/blacan (Malaysia), kapi (Thailand) and ngapi (Burma).

Terrine – See the description under Pates.

Tiramisu – An Italian dessert which gained dramatic popularity in the US. Tiramisu consists of sponge cake, soaked with an espresso syrup and layered with a sweetened mascarpone cheese and chocolate sauce.

Toad in the Hole – An English dish consisting of pieces of meat or sausages covered with batter and baked in the oven.

Tocino – Cured ham with added color.

Tofu – Also called bean curd, this is made from processed soy beans. It comes in various degrees of firmness and is a

very high source of protein.

Torta Rustica – A large pie similar to coulibiac, filled with salmon, cabbage or spinach, eggs, and mushrooms. Other

versions use meat or sausage in the filling. The crust is usually made of bread dough and sprinkled with salt before using.

Tortellini – A stuffed pasta made from little rounds of dough, then twisted to form dumplings. Fillings can be made with anything and are served sauced or in a simple broth.

Tortelloni – This is a larger version of the tortellini.

Tortilla – A thin pancake made of cornmeal or flour. They are served both soft and fried, being an integral part of

Mexican and Latin American cooking.

Tournedo – A slice of beef from the heart of the tenderloin, approximately 2 inches thick, and tied around the center.

This term is used less often in the United States of America today, having been replaced by filet of beef or filet mignon.

Tourte – Similar to pâté en croute, these are pies made in a round shape and served cold. They are generally highly

seasoned and preparations are indicative to the region they are from.

Trennette – Flat noodles, wider than Fettucine, that have one flat edge and one scalloped edge.

Tripe – The stomach of beef, pork, and sheep.

Truffle – This is a tuber of unusual flavor and aroma. It is savored in Italian and French cookery, and due to its scarcity,

draws a very high price. The truffle has yet to be successfully cultivated, though a fine substitute is now being grown in California. The black truffle of Perigord and the white truffle of Piedmont are highly prized for their exceptional flavors.

The black truffle requires cooking to allow the flavors to be fully achieved. Conversely, the white truffle is best when

shaved directly on the dish before eating. The aroma of truffles is strong enough to permeate egg shells when the two

are stored together. Due to their short growing season and large demand, truffles can reach a price of up to $800 per

pound. Frozen and canned forms are more accessible, but their taste never reaches that of fresh truffles.

Truss – To secure food, usually poultry or game, with string, pins or skewers so that it maintains a compact shape during cooking. Trussing allows for easier basting during cooking.

Tuiles – Crisp, paper thin cookies named for their tile-like appearance. They are often flavored with almond slices, lemon,

and vanilla.

Tumeric – A bright yellow spice used primarily in commercial curry powder. It is also used in sweet pickles and for various dishes requiring a yellow color. This is used as a coloring substitute for saffron.

Twiglets – A stick-shaped cracker-textured snack. Taste mostly of yeast extract, but also contain cheese as an ingredient.

Have 4 calories each and 11.4g fat per 100g.

Tzatziki Sauce – Dipping sauce derived from yogurt, garlic, cucumber, olive oil and lemon juice. Served with calamari.

Tzimmes – Traditionally served on Rosh Hashana, this sweet Jewish dish consists of variuos combinations of fruits, meat

and vegetables. All are flavored with honey and often with cinnamon as well. The flavors of this casserole-style dish

are developed by cooking it at a very low temperature for a very long time.

Udon – Thick wheat noodles used in Japanese cooking.

Ugli – A citrus fruit hybrid between a grapefruit and a tangerine native to Jamaica. It is available around the country from

Winter to Spring. It has an acid-sweet flavor and is an excellent source of vitamin C.

Unleavened – The word which describes any baked good that has no leavener, such as yeast, baking powder or baking soda.

Unsalted Butter – What it says, butter without the 1.5 – 2% added salt that `normal butter has. Often recommended

for cooking. Many people prefer the taste of unsalted butter. In areas with high quality dairy products the use of

unsalted butter where it is called for may not be so important, since the salt is not so likely to be covering the taste

of a low-quality product.

Vacherin – A crisp, sweet meringue shell used as a serving vessel for fruit and ice cream.

Vandyke – To cut zigzags in edges of fruit and vegetables halves, usually oranges, tomatoes or lemons. The food is

usually used as a garnish to decorate a dish.

Vanilla – A plant native to Mexico now common in areas throughout the West Indies and Indian Ocean. The pod is used

to make extracts which we use in cooking. The whole pod may also be purchased and used as a fragrance or split and

scraped to allow the tiny seeds to flavor the dish. It is generally thought of as a sweet spice, used in custards, creams,

and cakes. It is also used in savory dishes with vegetables or seafood. There are also imitation vanilla flavorings using synthetically produced vanillin. These can be found in liquid and powder forms. A slave won his freedom through the

discovery of pollination of the vanilla flower

Vegemite / Marmite – Not the same thing, but similar enough to not deserve separate entries. A thick brown paste made

mostly from yeast extract, most commonly spread thinly on toast or sandwiches. The taste is mostly salt plus yeast.

Despite the occasional rumor, neither contains any meat.

Velouté – A sauce of various stock bases thickened with a roux. This is used as a base for other more complex sauces, though it may be used alone.

Vermicelli – A very fine round noodle which means “small worms”. These are thinner than spaghetti and thicker than angel’s

hair.

Vichyssoise – A chilled soup of potatoes and leeks. Other versions now use zucchini, apples, and carrots.

Victual – Food or other provisions.

Vinaigrette – A sauce commonly used to dress salads, comprised of oil and vinegar. Emulsified vinaigrettes use egg and/or mustard to stabilize the dressing. Other combinations using acids other than vinegar, such as wine or citrus juice, are also

called vinaigrettes.

Vitello Tonnato – Thinly sliced roast or braised veal, served cold with a creamy, piquant tuna sauce. This combination may sound a bit unusual, but is surprisingly delicious.

Vol-au-Vent – A large round pastry case which is filled with a sauced mixture of meat, seafood, or vegetables then topped

with a pastry lid.

Wasabi – Called Japanese horseradish, this is a root that is dried and ground to a fine powder. This powder is then

reconstituted and used for dipping sauce with soy sauce when eating sushi and sashimi.

Water Bath -The French call this cooking technique Bain Marie. It consists of placing a container of food in a large,

shallow pan of warm water, which surrounds the food with consistent gentle heat. The food may be cooked in this

manner either in an oven or on top of a range. This technique is designed to cook delicate dishes such as custards,

sauces and savory mousses without breaking or curdling them. It can also be used to keep foods warm. The principle

is that the water in the water bath must come to the level of the product being cooked within the container.

Waterzooi – A rich Flemish stew from Ghent in Belgium made with fish and assorted vegetables. The sauce is enriched

with a liaison of cream and egg yolks. Further inland and away from the coast chicken is used in place of the fish.

Welsh Rarebit – Often confused as Welsh rabbit, this is a cheese sauce made with ale and seasoned with dry mustard, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. This is traditionally served over toast, with or without crumbled bacon. It is also a good variation of fondue and goes well with beer and ale.

Whelk – A small marine snail. Whelks are poached and served hot or cold.

Whip – To beat ingredients such as egg whites or cream until light and fluffy. Air is incorporated into the ingredients as

they are whipped, increasing their volume until they are light and fluffy.

Whipping Cream – In USA, cream with at least 30% butterfat. Whisk – To beat ingredients together until smooth, using a kitchen tool called a whisk.

Wiener Schnitzel – Thin slices of veal or pork breaded and fried in butter. Traditional garnishes are lemon butter, anchovies

and capers.

Worcestershire Sauce – A condiment developed in England from flavors discovered in India. It is used as a sauce, a

seasoning, and a condiment. It is made of a very odd assortment of ingredients including anchovies, tamarind, vinegar,

molasses, and cloves.

Xanthan Gum – Produced from the fermentation of corn sugar. It is most commonly used as a stabilizer, emulsifier and thickener in foods such as yogurt, sour cream and salad dressings.

XXX, XXXX, 10X – An indicator on a box of confectioners sugar of how many times it has been ground. The higher the

number of X’s means the finer the grind.

Yakitori – A Japanese dish of grilled chicken skewers. They may also include vegetables, chicken livers, or ginkgo nuts.

They are first marinated in teriyaki sauce, a sweetened version of soy sauce with the addition of sake, honey, and ginger.

Yeast – A fungus used in the production of bread and beer. Yeast, in the environment of sugar, produces carbon dioxide and alcohol. This process is called fermentation. Bread yeast comes in dry granulated and fresh cakes. A new form of yeast,

called SAF instant yeast, has been developed which allows the user to mix the yeast directly into the flour without

dissolving it first in water.

Zabaglione – An Italian custard made with egg yolks and wine or juices, which are beaten vigorously over hot water to form a rich, creamy dessert. The custard can then be poured into glasses and chilled to be eaten later, or eaten warm with fresh fruit. Marsala is the most common wine used, though any sweet wine such as Madeira, Champagne, or Sauterne may be used.

Zakuski – The Russian version of tapas involving a lot of food and vodka.

Zampone – A specialty of the town of Modena in northern Italy, this consists of a hollowed and stuffed pig’s trotter which is poached and served as a part of a traditional bollito misto.

Zest – To remove the outermost skin layers of citrus fruit using a knife, peeler or zester. When zesting, be careful not to remove the pith, the white layer between the zest and the flesh, which is bitter.

Zucchini -( Seed vegetable ) A long, green squash that looks something like a cucumber. Also known as vegetable marrow, courgette.

Zuccotto – This is an Italian form of charlotte royale. In this dessert, triangles of sponge cake are placed in a bowl to form a shell for the filling. The filling consists of stiffly whipped cream which is studded with toasted almonds, hazelnuts, chocolate chips, and candied fruit. A final layer of cake is placed over this, and when well set, the dessert is inverted onto a platter to

form a large dome, reminiscent of Florence’s Duomo.

Zuppa Inglese – Literally translated as English soup,” this Italian dish is, in fact, a refrigerated dessert similar to the British favorite, trifle. It’s made with rum sprinkled slices of sponge cake layered with a rich custard or whipped cream (or both) and candied fruit or toasted almonds (or both).

Happy Cooking

Stephan Oppenhagen