glossary

taste terms

Achiote

The seed of the annatto tree, pounded into a powder and mixed with garlic, vinegar and spices. It's used in Southwestern, Mexican and Caribbean Cuisines.

Aerate

To incorporate air to make ingredients lighter. Sifting flour is an example of the process. Whipped butter is another. Air is whipped in, thus making the butter lighter and increase in volume.

Aging

Keeping meats and a or cheese in a controlled environment for a specific amount of time in a controlled and ventilated atmosphere to permit natural flavoring and tenderizing.

Al dente

"To the tooth," in Italian. Pasta is cooked just to a firm and chewy texture.

Albaricoque

Spanish for Apricot.

Allemande

In French Cooking it means in the German style. Sauce Allemande is made from veal stock, cream, egg yolks and lemon juice.

Allium cepa

The Latin name for onions.

Annuals

Plants that grow from seeds and complete their lifecycle in less than 12 months.

Apfel

German for Apple.

Aromatics

Seasonings to enhance the flavor and aroma usually herbs and spices and some vegetables.

Artischocken

German for Artichoke.

Aspartame

An artificial sweetener known as Nutra-Sweet.

Asperge

French for Asparagus.

Aspic

A transparent meat flavored jelly/Jell-O that is firm when cold. Used to flavor and add moisture to pate, charcutiere and cold food preparations.

Aubergine

French for Eggplant.

Azuki Beans

Small red beans frequently used in Japanese Cooking.

Beat

Briskly whipping or stirring it with a spoon, fork, wire whisk, beater or mixer.

Betterave

French for Beets.

Beurre Noir

Heating salted butter until dark brown and foamy but not smoking. A type of butter sauce called black butter sauce.

Bias-slice

Slicing a food crosswise at a 45-degree angle.

Bierre douce

A Louisiana Creole beer made from pineapple skins, sugar, rice and water.

Bind

To thickening a sauce or hot liquid by stirring in ingredients such as roux, flour, butter, cornstarch, egg yolks, vegetable puree or cream.

Birne

German for Pear.

Bisque

A rich thick shellfish soup with cream.

Blackened

Cajun-style cooking method in which highly seasoned foods are dipped in liquid butter then cooked over high heat in a super-heated heavy skillet until charred.

Blanch

To partially cook vegetables by parboiling them in highly salted water then cooling quickly in ice water.

Blend

Mixing two or more ingredients together to obtain an equally distributed mixture.

Boil

To heat water or other liquids to 212 degrees Fahrenheit, 100 degrees Celsius and to keep it bubbling and shimmering in the pot.

Bouillabaisse

A Mediterranean fish soup made from several varieties of fish, tomatoes, saffron, fennel and wine.

Bouillon

Clear soup made from slow simmering lean meat, bones and seasonings and vegetables. Strained and served with the shredded cooked meat it was made from.

Bouquet Garni

A bundle of seasonings; bay leaf, thyme and parsley stems tied with leeks, carrot and celery stalk. It's used to season braised foods and stocks.

Braise

Meat browned in fat with vegetables, seasonings and then cooked slowly in liquid so it is partially submerged then cooked in an oven, this combines moist and dry heat cooking. Making a pot roast is an example.

Brassica

Large genus of plants known as the "cabbage" family.

Bread

To coat the food with bread crumbs. Standard method is to first dip in salted flour, then beaten egg and then bread crumbs. Items prepared like this are usually pan fried in oil or clarified butter until golden and crispy.

Broil

To cook food directly under a very hot 500 degree F. heat source.

Brombeeren

German for Blackberries.

Broth or stock

A liquid made by gently simmering meats, fish, or vegetables and/or their by-products, such as bones and trimming with herbs, in liquid, usually water. Broths usually have a higher proportion of meat to bones than stock.

Brown

A quick sauteing/searing done either at the beginning or end of meal preparation, often to enhance flavor, texture, or eye appeal.

Brush

To coat food with melted butter, glaze, or other liquid using a pastry brush.

Bundt pan

The name for a tube baking pan having fluted sides.

Burrito

A tortilla rolled with various ingredients, usually including beans, vegetables and spices.

Buttercream

A frosting made from sugar, sweet butter, milk, egg yolks and flavoring. Confectioner's or powdered sugar is often used buy not required.

Butterfly

To cut food down the center without cutting all the way through to open and then spread it apart. Shrimp cut this way is popular. Meat may be butterflied when cooking it well done so it isn't burned during the process as if it remained thick.

BYOB

A slang term for "Bring your own bottle" or "Bring your own booze".

Cake pan

Round baking pan with straight sides. It comes in 8", 9" and other sizes.

Calamari

Plural for squid in Italian.

Caracoles

Spanish for Snails.

Caramel

Brunt sugar used for sauces, coloring, flavoring and candy.

Caramelization

Natural sugars turn brown when exposed to direct heat over a flame, with or without the addition of some oil to aid the process. Onions when fried in butter over high heat causes them to turn brown and have a sweet toasted flavor. Carrots in a roasting pan turn golden with a roast chicken. This process and color change from raw to cooked is carmelization.

Caramelize

The process of cooking sugar until it begins to color. Also, while slowly cooking some vegetables e.g. onions, root vegetables, the natural sugars are released and the vegetables will caramelize in their own sugars, usually oil is used in the pan to help the process.

Cebolla

Spanish for Onion.

Cerveza

Spanish for Beer.

Channa

Indian for Chick Peas.

Chervil

A delicate parsley like plant with faint licorice flavors.

Chicory

A lettuce used for salad and sometimes called curly endive. Also added to coffee in the deep South.

Chiffon

Usually a pureed filling made light and fluffy with beaten egg whites, gelatin and or whipped cream. Lemon chiffon pie is one example.

Chiffonade

Lettuces, sorrel, basil leaves and other leafy vegetables cut into julienne strips.

Chinoise

A very fine conical wire mesh strainer. Using a chinoise removes the small impurities from the liquid that is strained. It is a must in any professional kitchen.

Chop

To cut into irregular pieces with no set size as a result. Chopping parsley is a good example.

Chou

French for Cabbage.

Chow-Chow

A sweet relish of pickles and other vegetables.

Chutney

A spicy relish made with fruits, spices, sugar and herbs. Usually served with curry.

Cilantro

Parsley like herb with a basil, mint and green onion flavor, popular in Chinese and Mexican/Latin cuisine

Clarify

A process of making a liquid clear by adding beaten egg whites, ground meat and tomato, then simmering slowly. The liquid is then strained and the result is consomme. Also---melting butter over medium heat so the milk solids settle to the bottom and impurities float to the top. The foamy top is discarded and pure golden liquid butter is ladled off into a clean container for other cooking uses.

Coat

Evenly covering food with flour, crumbs, herbs, oil or batter.

Coddle

To cook slowly and gently in a liquid just below the boiling point. Usually eggs are coddled when making traditional Caesar salad to help them absorb and emulsify evenly with the lemon juice and olive oil. Coddled eggs for breakfast a different than poached as they relatively soft but fully heated through.

Combine

The mixing of two or more ingredients into a single mixture.

Concasse

Applying to raw or cooked tomatoes: Peeled, seeded and diced/chopped fine, raw; or then sauteed with minced onions in olive oil, cooked.

Concasser

To chop coarsely.

Confit

Slowly cook pieces of meat in their own gently rendered fat until very soft and tender. With seasonings, brandy/wine and sometimes vegetables. Duck and pork are two popular meats to be used in confit. When cooked and cooled the meat is keep submerged in its cooking fat as a preservative and as a seal against oxygen.

Core

To remove the inedible center of fruits such apples and pears.

Cream

To beat vegetable shortening, butter, or margarine, with or without sugar, until light and fluffy.

Crimp

To create a decorative edge on a piecrust, also seal the edges together.

Crisp

To restore the crunch to vegetables such as celery and lettuce. This can be done with an ice water bath. Stale crackers can be crisped in a medium oven. Also a type of a pan baked dessert made of cooked fruit with a crunchy flour and sugar topping. Apple or peach crisp are examples.

Croquettes

Chopped seasoned food held together by cream sauce, eggs, flour/breadcrumbs, shaped and then breaded with bread crumbs and deep fried. Crab cakes that are deep fried, not sauteed are really crab croquettes.

Crush

To reduce a food to small particles, usually using a mortar and pestle, rolling pin or bottom of a pot. To crush crackers you may place them in a double bag and roll a rolling pin over them.

Crystallize

To form sugar or honey syrups into crystals buy cooking it to hard crack and letting it cool on an oiled surface. The term also describes a sugar coating surrounding a fruit dipped in a egg white and granulated sugar mixture.

Cube

To cut in even pieces. May be 1/4 inch/ 1/2 inch or 1 inch. Sides must be of even size to be conceded cubed. This is a description used in dicing as an exact dice.

Cull

The term for a lobster with one claw.

Curd

Custard-like pie or tart filling made with whole eggs, sugar, juice and zest of citrus the fruit, usually lemon. May also be the solidified nuggets of milk after citric acid has been added and rennet introduced. The curding process is an important stage in the cheese making process.

Curdle

Separation of a milk/cream based sauce or the cooking of eggs when over cooked. Sauces look like egg drop soup when curdled.

Cure

Marinating to preserve an ingredient with salt and/or sugar and spices. Preparing gravlax, marinated salmon, is an example of curing.

Custard

A mixture of beaten egg, egg yolks, milk, and other ingredients. Which is cooked with gentle heat, often in a water bath. A custard differs from a pudding in that it isn't stirred during the cooking process.

Cut in

Working butter or vegetable shortening, margarine, into dry ingredients for equal distribution. This is done with the help of a pastry blender and is an important procedure in making flaky pie crusts.

Dahchini

Indian for Cinnamon.

Dashi

A Japanese soup stock based on dried bonito and kelp.

Datteri

Italian for Date.

Decouper

French-to cut up, to carve.

Diablo

Italian cooking term for for a hot and spicy tomato sauce, deviled.

Dice

To cut into small cubes.

Dirty rice

A Louisiana Cajun dish or rice cooked with chicken gizzards and livers.

Dragoncello

Italian for Tarragon.

Du jour

French for "of the day" as in soup du jour - soup of the day.

Dulce

Spanish for Sweet.

Early-Bird Special

An American term for a restaurant meal served at discount prices prior the the restaurant's busiest hours. It is offered to attract extra business during a normally slow time.

Ebi

Japanese for Shrimp.

Egg albumen

The white of an egg.

Egg wash

An egg beaten with water or milk. Used in baking or breading for deep frying.

Eggs Benedict

Poached eggs served on toasted English muffins with Canadian bacon, hollandaise sauce and black truffles.

Eis

German for Ice Cream.

Elote

Mexican for Corn.

En croute

French for in a crust.

Epinard

French for Spinach.

Espadon

French for Swordfish.

Fat back

Fresh pork fat.

Fatto

en Casa

Fenouil

French for fennel.

Fico

Italian for fig.

Fire

Restaurant slang for "begin cooking the dish".

Fleisch

German for meat.

Fleuron

Puff pastry baked in a crescent or other shapes and used as a garnish.

Fourchette

French for fork.

Fragole

Italian for strawberries.

Fumet

A rich stock that cooks for a short period of time and with a higher concentration of meats, vegetables, wine and seasonings.

Gambero

Italian for Crab.

Garnelen

German for Shrimp, Prawns.

Gimlet

An alcoholic drink made with gin and Rose's Lime Juice.

Glace de viande

A meat glaze. Boil down a meat stock until it is reduced to a syrup. Used to add flavor to sauces and soups.

Gohan

Japanese for Rice.

Gougere

A French savory made with cream puff paste, gruyere cheese and baked like little cream puffs.

Gourmet

A connoisseur of food and wine.

Grillade

French for Grilled Meat.

Gurke

German for Cucumber.

Haldi

Indian for Turmeric.

Halvah

A Middle-Eastern confection of mashed sesame seeds and honey.

Haupia

A Hawaiian coconut custard dessert.

Heady

A wine term to describe the high alcohol content in a wine.

Hervir

Spanish to Boil.

Hibachi

A small Japanese open fire grill that uses charcoal.

Huevos rancheros

A Mexican dish of fried eggs on tortillas with a spicy tomato-chile sauce and Monterey Jack cheese.

Huevos

Spanish for Eggs.

Huile

French for Oil.

Hummer

German for Lobster.

(im Ofen) gebacken

German for Baked.

Ika

Japanese for Squid.

In the weeds

Restaurant slang for it's too busy and I can't keep up with the work, I'm behind schedule.

Indian Pudding

A New England dessert made with cornmeal, milk, eggs and molasses.

Indivia

Italian for Endive.

Infuse

To flavor a liquid with one or more other flavors by steeping the liquid with the other ingredients and then straining it.Tea is a perfect example of infusing a liquid with the flavor of tea leaves.

Insalata

Italian for Salad.

Ipoglosso

Italian for Halibut.

Irish Stew

A stew made with lamb, onions, white stock, parsley and potatoes. The stew is almost white in color.

Italian Parsley

Another name for flat leaf parsley.

Jack Rose

A drink made from apple brandy, lemon juice and grenadine.

Jaiba

Mexican for Crab.

Jalapeno

Mexican, Very hot green chili pepper.

Jerky

Preserved meat, usually beef or Buffalo.

Jewish penicillin

Slang term for chicken soup, because of its suggested healing powers.

Ji

Chinese for Chicken.

Jigger

Bar measurement of 1 1/2 ounces for making cocktails.

Jubilee Cocktail

A drink made with gin, triple sec, lemon juice, sugar and a drop of green food coloring and served in a martini glass.

Juey

Caribbean land crab.

Julienne

Long thin cuts of vegetables approximately 1/16th x 3 inches.

Kabeljau

German for cod.

Kaffee

German for coffee.

Kartoffel

German for potatoes.

Kasha

Crushed buckwheat groats.

Katch

Indian for Lamb.

Kibbe

A Middle Eastern ground lamb and cracked wheat meatball.

Kirsch

A strong cherry brandy from Germany.

Kugel

A noodle or potato pudding popular on Jewish holidays.

Kummel

A liquor flavored with caraway seeds or cumin.

Kuri

A Squash.

Lachs

German for Salmon.

Lait

French for Milk.

Lamponi

Italian for Raspberry.

Lassam

Indian for Garlic

Latke

Potato pancakes served to commemorate the Jewish holiday of Chanukah.

Leber

German for Liver.

Leche de coco

Spanish for coconut milk.

Lechosa

In Puerto Rico, the word for papaya.

Lox

An another name for smoked salmon.

Lumpia

A Filipino appetizer similar to a Chinese spring roll.

Macedoine

A mixture of fruits and vegetables.

Machi

Indian for Fish.

Makrele

German for Mackerel.

Malasada

A Portuguese doughnut.

Manzo

Italian for Beef.

Marzipan

A confection of almond paste, sugar and egg whites.

Maui Onions

A sweet and mild onion similar to Vidalia Onions.

Melanzane

Italian for Eggplants.

Merluzzo

Italian for Cod.

Mojo

A classic Spanish sauce made with olives, tomato sauce and vinegar.

Nacho

A small tortilla chip topped with melted cheese, chile peppers and salsa.

Nasu

Japanese for Eggplant.

Nicoise

A method of preparing foods with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and black olives.

Nimboo

Indian for Carrot.

Noci

Italian for Walnuts.

Noisette

French for Hazelnuts.

Nougat

A sweet made with roasted almonds and honey.

Nouille

French for noodles.

Nudeln

German for Noodles.

Nuez moscada

Spanish for nutmeg.

Obst

German for Fruit

Oca

Italian for Goose.

Oeuf

French for Egg.

Offal

Variety meats such as liver, sweetbreads, tripe, etc.

Oie

French for Goose.

Oignon

French for onion.

Oliven

German for Olives.

Oregano brujo

Puerto Rican oregano that grows wild on the island.

Orly (a la)

A French cooking term applied to fish that is battered, deep fried and served with tomato sauce on the side.

Oyster plant

Another name for salsify.

Paella

A Spanish dish that consists of rice, saffron, chicken, seafood and chorizo.

Pain

French for Bread.

Pegao

In Puerto Rico it means the browned crust on the bottom of a cooked rice pot.

Pera

Italian for Pear.

Petite Syrah

A red wine grape grown in California that produces wines similar in aroma and taste to French Cotes du Rhones.

Pfifferling

German for chanterelle mushrooms.

Piselli

Italian for Peas.

Poki

A Hawaiian dish made with seaweed, sweet onions, scallions and raw fish.

Pud

A Russian weight of measure equal to 36.11 pounds.

Puerros

Spanish for Leeks.

Quaglia

Italian for Quail.

Quark

German for Farmer's Cheese

Quatre

French for Four (4).

Queijo

Portuguese for Cheese.

Quiche

A custard tart filled with various meats, cheese, vegetables and seafood.

Quiche

French for an open custard tart.

Quick bread

A bread made with baking powder instead of yeast and usually containing fruits and nuts.

Quimbombo

Spanish for okra.

Quince

A fruit very high in pectin and used in jelly and jam making.

Quinoa

A highly nutritious grain originally from the Andes, now cultivated elsewhere.

Ragout

A thick savory stew.

Rahm

German for Cream.

Raifort

French for Horseradish.

Ramp

A wild leek that grows in the Eastern United States.

Rhabarber

German for Rhubarb.

Rhum

French for Rum.

Riz

French for Rice.

Rob Roy

An alcoholic drink similar to a Manhattan but made with Scotch instead of rye whiskey.

Rotkohl

German for Red Cabbage.

Rugola

Another name for arugala and rocket.

Saignant

French for Cooked Rare.

Sakana

Japanese for Fish.

Salad Savoy

A plant in the cabbage family also know as ornamental kale.

Salat

German for Salad.

Salchicha

Spanish for Sausage.

Sardinas

Spanish for Sardines.

Saute

To cook quickly in a small amount of butter or oil.

Split

A bottle used for champagne that is 1/4 the size of a regular bottle.

Star anise

A star-shaped dried spice with a delicate licorice flavor.

Streusel

A crumb topping of flour, sugar, butter and spices that is used on cakes and muffins.

Tacchino

Italian for Turkey.

Tamago

Japanese for Egg.

Tamatar

Indian for Tomato.

Tasajo

Puerto Rican dry cured beef.

Tempura

Vegetables, fish, or seafood dipped in a batter and deep-fried.

Thon

French for Tuna

Timo

Italian for Thyme.

Tomate

French for tomato.

Tortue

French for turtle.

Truss

To secure tightly with twine.

Udon

Japanese for Wheat Noodle.

Ukha

Russian for fish soup.

Ullage

French term for a not fully filled wine bottle, due to leakage through the cork.

Umami - The fifth primary element of taste

accompanying yet independent of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. Known as the taste associated with glutamate and monosodium glutamate, umami is the Japanese word for 'delicious' or 'savory' but is regarded as broth-like or meaty tasting in Western cultures. The umami taste is most common in Asian foods, soups and stews, mushrooms, tomatoes and aged meats and cheeses.

Unagi

Japanese for Eel.

Underdone

Not thoroughly done or cooked through.

Uovo

Italian for Egg.

Upside-down cake

A cake that is baked with its topping or filling on the bottom of the pan then turned over before serving.

Uva Spina

Italian for Gooseberries.

Uva

Italian for Grapes.

Uval

French term for "about grapes".

Vacherin

A sweet dessert made with meringue, ice cream, flavorings and whipped cream.

Vapeur

French for Steam.

Veau

French for Veal.

Venison

Deer meat.

Verdura

Italian for Vegetables

Verduras

Spanish for root vegetables.

Viande

French for Meat.

Vinagre de manzana

Spanish for cider vinegar.

Vitello

Italian for Veal.

Volaille

French for a large chicken.

Walnuss

German for Walnut.

Wasabi

A hot green horseradish powder used in Japanese cooking.

Weakfish

Another name for Sea Trout.

Weizen

German for Wheat.

Western

American diner slang for a "Western Omelet", made with eggs, peppers, onions and ham.

Wildente

German for Wild Duck.

Wirsingkohl

German for Savoy Cabbage

Wok

A chinese frying pan designed for stir-frying.

Wolf Fish

A fish with sharp teeth and an ugly look. It is similar to Hake and Merlan when cooked.

Wurstchen

German for Sausages.

Xeres

French for Sherry Wine.

Xerophyte

A plant adapted for growth with limited water.

Xia

Chinese for Shrimp.

Xiami huanggua

Chinese for cucumber in shrimp sauce.

Xiang Cai

Chinese for Coriander

Xiaren

Chinese spring rolls with shrimp and leeks.

Xie

Chinese for Crab.

Xiezhe

Chinese for cucumbers in crab sauce.

XL

Abbreviation for extra-large, such as extra-large eggs.

Xoconostle

Mexican for Prickly Pear.

Yahourt

French for Yogurt.

Yak

A long-haired domesticated ox of Tibet.

Yakhni

Indian for Meat Broth.

Yaki

Japanese to broil or grill.

Yakitori

A Japanese dish of skewered broiled chicken pieces dipped in a soy marinade.

Yasai

Japanese for Vegetables.

Yautia

In Puerto Rico the word for Taro root.

Yim sai

Chinese for coriander.

Yodo

Spanish for Iodine.

York Ham

A delicious ham from York, England; among the world's best.

Zabaglione

An Italian egg cream mousse served as an accompaniment to fresh fruit and or cookies.

Zanahorias

Spanish for Carrots.

Zeera

Hindi for Cumin.

Zest

Thin strips of citrus fruits used as a garnish for desserts and drinks.

Zingara

A garnish of julienne ham, beef tongue, mushrooms and black truffles.

Zitonencreme

German for Lemon Cream.

Zombie

An alcoholic drink made with five types of rum and fruit juices.

Zucher

German for Sugar.

Zumo

Spanish for Juice.

Zwiebelsuppe

German for Onion Soup.

Source: goodcooking.com