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Dictionaries & Glossaries

Acetic Acid - wine or cider, fermented beyond the stage of alcohol. In diluted form, it is vinegar. Also, acetic acid is used in preserving fruits to keep flesh from discoloring, and in freezing.
 

Achar/Achard - pickles and salt relishes used in the cooking of India
 

Achira - South American plant used as arrowroot
 

Acid Rinse - a bath of acidulated water used to prevent discoloration of peeled fruits and vegetables that brown when exposed to air
 

Acidulated Water - cold water with vinegar, lemon or lime juice added.
 

Acorn Squash - a small to medium-sized acorn-shaped winter squash with an orange-streaked dark green fluted shell (orange, yellow and creamy white varieties are also available), pale orange flesh, large seed cavity and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor.
 

Ade - a fruit drink made by combining water with sugar, boiling until the sugar dissolves, then adding a citrus juice and ice
 

Adjust - in cooking, the term means the cook must taste before serving, and add seasonings to suit his or her own sense of what the right flavor is
 

Adobo - a Philippine national dish of braised pork, chicken, or fish. Also, a seasoned Mexican sauce made with vinegar and chilies
 

Aemono - a Japanese salad served with dressing, or the dressing itself

Agar-Agar - seaweed used as a thickening agent, as is gelatin

Aiguillettes - thin strips of meat or fish

Aïoli - A strongly flavored garlic mayonnaise from the Provence region of southern France. It's a popular accompaniment for fish, meats and vegetables.

Aji-No-Motto - Japanese name for monosodium glutamate, MSG, used by Oriental cooks on occasion to revive a dish that has turned out tasteless.
 

Akavit/Aquavit - Scandinavian form of distilled alcohol made from grain or potatoes, and flavored with caraway seeds.

à la - French, literally, "prepared in the style of".

à la King - an American dish of diced foods, usually chicken or turkey, in a cream sauce with pimientos, mushrooms, green peppers and sometimes sherry.

à la Maréchale - small cuts of meat and poultry which are breaded and fried in butter. Green asparagus tips and truffles are usual in the garnish.

à la Mode - literally, "following the fashion". In the United States, it is food that is served with ice cream; in France it names braised meat smothered in sauce.

à la Nicoise - dishes with black olives, tomatoes, garlic, anchovies and dried cherries. Also, a candy of caramelized sugar and browned almonds.

à la Printanier - to be cooked or garnished with fresh spring vegetables. Printemps is the French word for spring.

à la Provencale - a dish including garlic, olive oil, tomatoes and often black olives.

al Dente - Italian for to the tooth; used to describe a food, usually pasta, that is cooked only until it gives a slight resistance when one bites into it; the food is neither soft nor overdone.

Albondigas - a Mexican dish of spiced meat balls. Also found in Spanish, Brazilian, and Scottish recipes.

Albumin - a protein found in egg white, milk, green plants, seeds, and animal blood.

Ale - a fermented drink; the original term for beer.
 

Almond Extract - a concentrated flavoring made from bitter-almond oil and alcohol, widely used in pastries and baked goods.
 

All-Purpose Flour - is made from a blend of high-gluten hard wheat and low-gluten soft wheat. It's a fine-textured flour milled from the inner part of the wheat kernel and contains neither the germ (the sprouting part) nor the bran (the outer coating). U.S. law requires that all flours not containing wheat germ must have niacin, riboflavin, thiamin and iron added. These flours are labeled "enriched." All-purpose flour comes in two basic forms — bleached and unbleached — that can be used interchangeably. Flour can be bleached either naturally, as it ages, or chemically. Most flour on the market today is presifted, requiring only that it be stirred, then spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off.
 

Allspice - a member of the pimento family and native to tropical regions in the western hemisphere; has leathery leaves, white flowers and small, brown berries, has a flavor reminiscent of a mixture of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger and pepper; also known as Jamaican pepper.
 

Allumettes - cut into matchstick sizes and shapes. Also, a puff pastry used for hors d'oeuvres.
 

Aluminum Foil - a thin pliable sheet of aluminum; easily molded, conducts heat well, can withstand temperature extremes and is impervious to odors, moisture and air; used to cover foods for cooking and storage.
 

Almond Paste - a mixture of sugar, almonds, and rose water traditional among Christmas foods in Europe. Used to make marzipan and for decorations.
 

Altitude (High) Cooking & Baking - Simply put, the weight of air on any surface it comes in contact with is called air (or atmospheric) pressure. There's less (or lower) air pressure at high altitudes because the blanket of air above is thinner than it would be at sea level. As a result, at sea level water boils at 212°F; at an altitude of 7,500 feet, however, it boils at about 198°F because there's not as much air pressure to inhibit the boiling action. This also means that because at high altitudes boiling water is 14 degrees cooler than at sea level, foods will take longer to cook because they're heating at a lower temperature. Lower air pressure also causes boiling water to evaporate more quickly in a high altitude. This decreased air pressure means that adjustments in some ingredients and cooking time and temperature will have to be made for high-altitude baking, as well as some cooking techniques such as candy making, deep-fat frying and canning. In general, no recipe adjustment is necessary for yeast-risen baked goods, although allowing the dough or batter to rise twice before the final pan rising develops a better flavor.

Source: © Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995 based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
 

Amaretto - liqueur with the flavor of almonds although it is often made with the kernels of apricot pits. The original liqueur, Amaretto di Saronno, is from Saronno, Italy.
 

Amandine - a dish garnished with sautéed almonds.
 

American Cheese, Processed - any of the group of U.S. cheeses made with emulsifiers to increase smoothness and pasteurized milk to increase storage life; 51% of the final weight must be cheese.
 

Anadama Bread - yeast bread made of cornmeal and white flour with molasses.
 

Anchovy - a small fish usually stored in olive oil or salt. Anchovy is sold for flavoring.
 

Angel Food Cake - a light, airy cake made without egg yolks or other fats; its structure is based on the air whipped into the egg whites; traditionally baked in a tube pan.
 

Angelica - a sweet herb used to flavor a variety of liqueurs and drinks. Candied, it is used in baking, especially fruit cakes.
 

Anise - a small annual member of the parsley family native to the eastern Mediterranean region; has bright green leaves with a mild licorice flavor that are sometimes used as an herb or in salads.

Antipasto - assorted hors d'oeuvres, Italian style. Often included are ripe black olives, green stuffed olives, garlic sausage slices, salted anchovy curled on a sliced tomato, cooked dried beans in a vinaigrette dressing, prosciutto (thinly sliced fat ham) with cantaloupe.

Aperitif - a cooked, usually sweet, wine, taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
 

Appetizer - a small serving of food or beverage served before or as the first course of a meal.
 

Apple - a pome fruit with generally firm flesh, which can range in flavor from sweet to tart, encased in a thin skin, which can range in color from yellow to green to red; apples can be eaten out of hand, cooked or used for juice and are grown in temperate regions worldwide and available all year, particularly in the fall.

Apple Butter - a very thick preserve of cooked apples.
 

Apricot - a small stone fruit with a thin, velvety, pale yellow to deep burnt orange skin, a meaty golden cream to bright orange flesh and an almond-shaped pit; it is highly perishable, with a peak season during June and July; the pit's kernel is used to flavor alcoholic beverages and confection.

Aqua Vitae - Latin, "water of life," used to describe clear distilled liquors and brandies.
 

Arborio Rice - an ovoid, short-grain rice with a hard core, white color and mild flavor; it becomes creamy when cooked and is used for risotto.
 

Areca Nut - Betel nut, East India pepper plant. It is chewed in Asia to aid digestion.

Aroma - describes flavor and fragrance, both closely related.

Arrack/Arak/Raki - strong liquor distilled in North Africa and in Arab lands. It is drunk in very small portions.
 

Arrowroot - A flour used to thicken clear liquids because it does not cloud.
 

Artichoke - the large flowerhead of a plant of the thistle family; has tough gray-green petal-shaped leaves with soft flesh (which is eaten) underneath, a furry choke (that is discarded) and a tender center (called the heart which is also eaten); also known as globe artichoke.
 

Arugula - a leaf vegetable with dark green, spiky, dandelion-like leaves and a strong, spicy, peppery flavor; used in salads; also known as rocket, rugula, and rucola.
 

Asian Pear - there are so many varieties of Asian pear that no one description can apply to them all. Generally though this fruit is round with speckled tan skin and has a crisp, firm, grainy white texture similar to that of a pear, an apple or at times, a water chestnut. The taste is a cross between an apple and a pear - has a slight perfume quality. Native to China and Japan, Asian pears are also grown in many states in the U.S. They may be eaten raw or cooked.

Asparagus - a member of the lily family with an erect stalk and small, scale-like leaves along the stalk, capped by a ruffle of small leaves; a young stalk is tender with a slightly pungent, bitter flavor, an apple green color and a purple-tinged tip; becomes tougher as it ages.
 

Aspic- a jelly produced from the stock of meat fish, fowl or a liquid held together with gelatin.
 

Athol Brose - a Scottish drink made of whisky, oatmeal, and cream sweetened with honey.
 

au Gratin - a French term referring to a dish with a browned topping of bread crumbs and/or grated cheese; also known as gratiné.
 

au Jus - French term for roasted meats, poultry or game served with their natural, unthickened juices.
 

au Naturel - dishes cooked as simply as possible and served with a minimum of accompaniments.
 

Avocado - a tropical fruit with a single large pit, spherical to pear shape, smooth to rough-textured skin with a green to purplish color and yellow to green flesh with a buttery texture and high unsaturated fat content; generally used like a vegetable and consumed raw; also known as an alligator pear.

Baby Back Ribs - a fabricated cut of the pork primal loin; a slab of ribs weighing 1.75 pounds or less.
 

Backribs - a fabricated cut of the pork primal loin; consists of the ribs cut from the anterior end; also known as country-style spareribs.

Bacon - a fabricated cut of the pork carcass, cut from the sides and belly; consists of fat interspersed with strands of meat; it is salted and/or smoked, available sliced or in a slab.

Bagel - a dense, doughnut-shaped Jewish yeast roll; cooked in boiling water, then baked, which gives the rolls a shiny glaze and chewy texture.

Baguette - a long, thin, crisp loaf of French bread.

Bain-marie - The French term for the cooking technique we call a water bath . It consists of placing a container (baking pan, bowl, soufflé dish, etc.) 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 mousses without breaking or curdling them. It can also be used to keep cooked foods warm.

Bake - to cook in an oven, surrounding the food with dry heat of a specific temperature.

Bake Blind (also called blind baking) - A term for baking a pastry shell (pie crust) before it is filled. There are two methods used. 1. The unbaked shell is first pricked all over with a fork to prevent it from blistering and rising and then baked. 2. The unbaked shell is lined with foil or parchment paper, then filled with dried beans or rice, clean pebbles (a French practice) or specialty pie weights made of metal or ceramic. The weights and foil or parchment paper should be removed a few minutes before the baking time is over to allow the crust to brown evenly.

Bake Cups - paper or foil shaped, pleated cups used to line cupcake or muffin tins to prevent batter from sticking to the pan during the cooking process.

Baking Powder - a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and one or more acids, generally cream of tartar and/or sodium aluminum sulfate, used to leaven baked goods; releases carbon dioxide gas if moisture is present in a formula.

Baking Soda - sodium bicarbonate, an alkaline compound that releases carbon dioxide gas when combined with an acid and moisture; used to leaven baked goods.

Baklava - a Middle Easter sweet rich with honey and nuts and made from filo, a paper-thin pastry in many flaky layers.

Bamboo Shoot - the crunch tip of a young bamboo tree. It is served in Oriental dishes.

Banana - the berry of a large tropical herb; the fruit grows in clusters (hands) and is long and curving with a brown-stained yellow skin (it is harvested while still green), a slightly sticky, floury, off-white pulp and a distinctive sweet flavor and aroma.

Bannock - a Scottish round cake.

Barbecue - to roast or broil whole, as a hog, fowl, etc. Usually done on a revolving frame over coals or upright in front of coals. To cook thin slices of meat in a highly seasoned vinegar sauce.

Barbecue - to roast meat slowly over coals on a spit or framework, or to roast in an oven, basting intermittently with a special kind of sauce

Barding - a thin piece of fatty bacon or lard used to cover too-lean meat while it roasts

Barley - a small, spherical grain grown worldwide and usually pearled to remove its outer husk; the white grain has a slightly sweet, nutty, earthy flavor, chewy texture and high starch content; also known as pearl barley.

Basil - an herb and member of the mint family; has soft, shiny light green leaves, small white flowers and a strong, pungent peppery flavor reminiscent of licorice and cloves (other varieties are available with flavors reminiscent of foods such as cinnamon, garlic, lemon and chocolate); available fresh and dried; also known as sweet basil.

Basmati - an aged, aromatic long-grain rice grown in the Himalayan foothills; has a creamy yellow color, distinctive sweet, nutty aroma and delicate flavor.

Baste - to moisten the food as it cooks by spooning or brushing it at regular intervals with a liquid such as melted fat, meat drippings, fruit juice, sauce or water. This is done to add flavor and color to the food and to prevent drying of the surface.

Batter - a semiliquid mixture containing flour or other starch used to make cakes and breads; gluten development is minimized and the liquid forms the continuous medium in which other ingredients are disbursed; generally contains more fat, sugar and liquids than a dough.

Bavarian Cream - a soft, sweet egg custard mixed with gelatin and whipped cream, then flavored with fruit.

Bay Leaves - a small tree of the laurel family native to Asia; produces firm leaves, which are shiny on top and dull beneath; used as an herb, the leaves impart a lemon-nutmeg flavor and are usually removed from whatever food they are used to flavor before the item is eaten.

Bean Curd - a soybean custard used in Oriental dishes

Beat - to make a mixture smooth and introduce air by brisk regular motion that lifts mixture over and over. To mix vigorously with a brisk motion with spoon, fork, egg beater, or electric mixer.

Béchamel - a French leading sauce made by thickening milk with a white roux and adding seasonings; also known as a cream sauce and a white sauce.

Beef - the meat of bovines (ex. cows, steers and bulls) slaughtered when older than 1 year; generally, has a dark red color, rich flavor, interior marbling, external fat and a firm to tender texture.

Beer - a mild alcoholic drink made by boiling malted barley with hops and then fermenting.

Beet - a large bulbous edible root with an edible leafy green top; its color is typically garnet red but can range from pinkish-white to deep red; also know as the garden beet, red beet and beetroot (especially in Great Britain).

Bell Pepper - a large fresh sweet pepper with a bell-like shape, thick juicy flesh, a mild sweet flavor and available in various colors, including green ( the most common), red ( a green bell pepper that has been allowed to ripen), white, brown, purple, yellow and orange; also known as a sweet pepper, sweet bell pepper and green pepper.

Beurre Manie - thickener made by combining 2 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Form into small balls. A thick, buttery paste will result. Beurre Manie is beaten into the cooking liquid of casseroles or soups of sauces that are too thin, or that are meant to be thickened after the cooking is almost complete.

Bibb Lettuce - a variety of butterhead lettuce with soft, pliable green leaves that have a buttery texture and flavor and are smaller and darker than Boston lettuce leaves; also known as limestone lettuce.

Bind - to cause a mixture to hold together by beating in an egg, sauce, or some other thickening agent.

Bisque - a thick, creamy soup usually of shellfish, but sometimes made of pureed vegetables.

Bite-Size - to cut into pieces which would easily fit into the mouth, approximately 1/2 inch.

Bitters - an aromatic liquid used to flavor cocktails, soft drinks, as well as soups and sweet dishes, such as ice cream.

Black Bean - a relatively large, dried bean with black skin, cream-colored flesh and a sweet flavor; also called a turtle bean.

Black Butter - butter, melted, clarified, and cooked until it is nut brown.

Black-Eyed Pea - the seed of a member of the pea family native to China; small and beige with a black circular eye on the curved edge and used in southern U.S. and Chinese cuisines; also known as a cowpea (it was first planted in the United States as fodder).

Blackberry - a large shiny berry with a deep purple, almost black color and a sweet flavor; also known as a bramble berry.

Blanch - to immerse food briefly into boiling water, then plunge into cold water. The process firms flesh, heightens and sets color and flavor and loosens skin as in tomatoes intended for peeling.

Blancmange - a sweet pudding made with milk and cornstarch flavored with almonds, vanilla, rum, or brandy.

Blend - to mix two or more ingredients together thoroughly with a spoon, beater or blender.

Blind baking - See Bake Blind.

Blini - Russian buckwheat pancakes served with a variety of spreads, notably, sour cream and caviar.

Blintz - a cooked crepe stuffed with cheese or other filling.

Blueberry - a small berry native to North America; has a smooth skin, blue to blue-black color, juicy light gray-blue flesh and a sweet flavor; eaten raw, used in baked goods or made into jams and jellies.

Body - describes a characteristic of wines. A "full bodied" wine is rich without bitterness, when it is a good one.

Boil - to cook in a liquid which has reached a temperature of 212*F (100*C), or where bubbles are rising continually and are breaking the surface.

Boiling-Water-Bath Canning Method - used for processing acid foods, such as fruit, tomatoes, pickled vegetables, and sauerkraut. These acid foods are canned safely at boiling temperatures in a water-bath canner.

Bok Choy - a member of the cabbage family native to southern China; has long wide, white crunchy stalks with tender, smooth-edged, dark green leaves; used raw, pickled or cooked; also know as baak choy, Chinese mustard, pak choi and white mustard cabbage.

Bologna - a large, highly seasoned sausage made from pork, beef and veal; named for Bologna, Italy (although the Italian sausage associated with that city is mortadella), available cooked and usually served cold; also known as baloney.

Bone-in - a cut of meat containing the bone.

Bone, to - to remove bones.

Boned, boneless - a cut of meat from which the bone has been removed.

Bonbon