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Cooking Descriptions

Source of Recipe

Internet


Recipe Link: www.127.pair.com/~sssmag/faerie/fft_new/tid101899.html

List of Ingredients

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

Aioli - rich mayonnaise served along the Mediterranean with a platter heaped with boiled white fish and another of potatoes

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.

A la King - food prepared in a creamy white sauce containing mushrooms and red and /or green peppers.

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

A 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.

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

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

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

al Dente - Italian for, literally, to the tooth. The term refers to pasta, rice, or vegetables cooked only until slightly firm to the bite.

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.

Allspice - the berry of a pimento tree found in Jamaica. This spice combines the taste of clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Used ground for desserts, sauces, picklings, and sometimes in meats.

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

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

Amaretto - liqueur of almonds.

Amandine - a dish garnished with sautÈed almonds.

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.

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

Anise - an herb of the carrot family that gives a licorice-like flavor.

Antipasto - assorted hors díoeuvres, 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 snack served before a meal, often with cocktails, in the United States.

Apple Butter - a very thick preserve of cooked apples.

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

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.

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.

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 - food served crusted with bread crumbs and/or shredded cheese

au Jus - meat served in its own juice

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

Avocado - also known as alligator pear and love fruit, this is the fruit of the Cacti varieties native to Mexico and Guatemala. Color can be green, maroon, purple, black. In season from February to April.



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

Baking Powder - a powder used to leaven (raise) baked foods. It contains sodium bicarbonate and an acid that releases gas when combined with liquid and heated.

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.

Bannock - a Scottish round cake.

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 cereal with less gluten and protein than wheat. Sometimes served in the same manner as rice and popular in soups.

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

Bean Curd - a soybean custard used in Oriental dishes

Bechamel - a white sauce of butter, flour, cream (not milk), and seasonings.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

Boston Baked Beans - American bean dish often made in a crock. These are small white beans (navy beans) cooked with salt pork and s sweetener such as molasses, maple syrup or brown sugar.

Borscht - soup containing beets and other vegetables; it is usually made with a meat stock base.

Bouillabaisse - a highly seasoned fish soup or chowder containing two or more kinds of fish.

Bouillon - clear soup made by boiling meat in water.

Bouquet - aroma, a term used to describe the fragrance of wines and other foods.

Bouquet Garni - a group of herbs tied in cheese-cloth which are used to flavor stocks and stews and removed before serving.

Bourguignon - name applied to dishes containing Burgundy and often braised onions and mushrooms.

Brine - a solution of salt and water used in pickling. Brine draws natural sugars and moisture from foods and forms lactic acids which protects them against spoilage. Usually the strongest brine used in food processing is a 10% solution, made by dissolving 1.5 cups of salt in 1 gallon of liquid, or 6 tablespoons of salt for each quart of liquid.

Brioche - a yeast-raised cake baked to a rich brown usually circular in shape, with a smaller round on top. It is different from other raised doughs in that eggs are added, giving it a characteristic golden tinge, also it is raised in the refrigerator overnight.

Broth - a thin soup, or a liquid in which meat, fish, of vegetables have been cooked.

Burrito - a flour tortilla made with a filling.



Calamari - small squid

Calmondin - A citrus tree cultivated for its naturally high concentration of vitamin C. It also is used as a base for artificial flavorings.

Canapes - Garnished bite-sized rounds of bread or vegetables (cucumber, zucchini) served with cocktails and at buffets.

Candy Thermometer - a kitchen tool used to determine heat levels in the cooking of candy, jams, and preserves.

Capers - buds from a Mediterranean plant, usually packed in brine and used as a condiment in dressings or sauces

Capon - a male chicken gelded when young and fattened to 6 or more pounds. Exceptionally tender for a large bird.

Caramelize - to cook white sugar in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar forms a golden-brown syrup.

Carbohydrates - the food group containing sugars, starches, and cellulose.

Carbonnades - a French beef stew cooked with beer.

Charlotte - a molded dessert containing gelatin, usually formed in a glass dish or a pan that is lined with ladyfingers or pieces of cake.

Castor / Castor Sugar - English term for superfine granulated sugar.

Caviar - the salted roe of sturgeon. Red caviar is the salted roe of salmon, and considered a less desirable substitute.

Celery Salt - salt flavored with ground celery seed.

Cepe - a delicious mushroom.

Chantilly - heavy cream whipped then sweetened and flavored with vanilla. Also, a sauce with whipped cream added

Charlottes - mold of biscuits, sponge cake, ladyfinger, etc., or sliced bread, filled with a custard cream and fruit.

Chasseur - game or poultry served ëhunter styleí, with a rich red wine sauce, or a white wine sauce, including mushrooms and shallots.

Cherrystone Clam - clams 3 inches long.

Chiffonade - finely cut vegetable strips used to garnish soups, raw, or simmered in butter. Lettuce and sorrel often are used in this manner.

Chiles Rellenos - hot green peppers stuffed with cheese and dipped in batter and fried.

Chippolata - common name for a tiny sausage, this originally described a garnish of chestnuts, glazed vegetables, and small sausages.

Chitterlings - part of the small intestine of a pig, cooked.

Chocolate - the liquid product of grinding, fermented, dried, and roasted cacao beans. The liquid is then cooled into slabs or powdered.

Chutney - a relish used in Indian meals with curry, and usually including a fruit. Spicy or sweet, or both.

Cider Vinegar - vinegar of unprocessed apple cider.

Citric Acid - an organic acid common to citrus fruits and used in preserving, retaining color or flavoring drinks.

Citron - a fruit likened to an overgrown knobbly lemon, it is famed for its peel, which is used in marmalades, candies and fruit cakes.

Clarified Butter - butter that has been melted and chilled. The solid is then lifted away from the liquid and discarded.

Clarify - to make a liquid clear and free of sediment. Clarification heightens the smoke point of butter. Clarified butter will stay fresh in the refrigerator for at least 2 months.

Cobbler - a deep-dish fruit pie with a top crust of biscuit dough. Also, a tall drink made of rum, whiskey or claret and garnished with citrus slices or mint or fennel.

Cockle - a small mollusk related to the oyster, usually eaten boiled with condiments or in a sauce.

Cocktail - an appetizer; either a beverage or a light, highly seasoned food served before meal.

Compote - mixed fruit, raw or cooked, usually served in compote dishes.

Condiments - seasonings that enhance the flavor of foods with which they are served.

Consomme - clear broth that is made from meat.

Coral - the roe of female lobsters. It turns bright red when cooked and is used in sauces.

Corn Flour - flour made from ground corn.

Cornstarch - corn milled to an extremely fine white powder and used to thicken sauces and stews; it is a common practice to thicken juices with a solution of 1 tablespoon cornstarch to 1 to 2 tablespoons water.

Cornmeal - a flour used as a hot cereal or in baking muffins. Cornmeal can be either yellow or white and can be purchased in fine, medium, or coarse grinds.

Corn Syrup - a syrup obtained as cornstarch is processed with acid. Used as a binding sweet (like in making candy).

Court Bouillon - a seasoned broth made with water and meat, fish or vegetables, and seasonings.

Couscous - a fine semolina wheat steamed over a pot in which chicken or mutton is cooking with vegetables, then served with the soup and the meat and vegetables.

Crayfish - a freshwater crustacean similar to lobster but smaller. The salt water variety is know as spiny lobster.

Creme de Cacao - a chocolate-flavored liqueur.

Cream of Tartar - Potassium bitartrate, a main ingredient of some baking powders. It is refined from the substance deposited by grapes after they are fermented for wine.

Creme Fraiche - this is cream so thick it is a solid. It can be thinned with large amounts of heavy cream and still remain relatively thick. It is served in France, thinned, with berries, particularly wild strawberries, and with other desserts. A substitute is whipping cream mixed with an equal volume of sour cream and allowed to thicken at room temperature for a few hours.

CrÍpes - Very thin pancakes.

Croissant - French breakfast bread pastry, delicate, flaky and rich. The dough s yeast-raised, then rolled out, spread with soft butter, folded into thirds, rolled out again and buttered, then rolled out yet again, to make a layered puff pastry.

Croquette - minced food, shaped like a ball, patty, cone, or log, bound with a heavy sauce, breaded, and fried.

Croutons - cubes of bread, toasted or fried, served with soups or salads.

Crudites - French word for an American cocktail appetizer of raw vegetables served with a dip.

Cruller - a doughnut of twisted shape, very light in texture.

Crumpet - the original English muffin.

Crustacean - a shellfish, for instance, shrimp, lobster, crab, crayfish.

Crystalize - to preserve fruit, fondant, and edible flowers with a boiled sugar.

Cube Steak - meat tenderized by scoring the surface with a pattern of squares or cubes.

Curacao - an orange-flavored liqueur.

Curd - a solid milk product that develops as milk sours and separates into solids (curd) and liquid (whey). In cheese-making, it is induced by the addition of acid or tennet.

Curry Powder - as old as civilization, this is a blending of spices and herbs that comes from India. Curry powders are mostly deep yellow, a color they get from turmeric, one of the spices added, but they are a blending of usually four, five and more spices; as many as twenty-eight substances are common.

Cutlet - a chop from the prime end of the neck of pork, mutton, lamb, or veal.



Daikon - a Japanese radish.

Damson - a type of plum best used in cooking or for jams and jellies.

Dashi - a clear fish stock which is the basis of Japanese dishes.

Daubiere - a cooking pot with a tight-fitting lid used for braising.

Deglaze - to pour hot stock, wine, or water on the degreased sediment left in the roasting or frying pan in which meat has cooked. The purpose of deglazing is to dissolve the caramelized juices of meats dropped during the cooking process. This process is the secret of rich gravies, and a vital step in making good casseroles and soups.

Dehydration - a process that removes the water content from food.

Demi-Glaze - a rich brown sauce or gravy made by reducing meat stock.

Demitasse - a small cup of coffee served after dinner.

Dessert wine - any sweet wine, or a wine that has been fortified by the addition of brandy.

Devil, to - to prepare with spicy seasoning or sauce, for instance mustard and cayenne.

Devonshire Cream - a smooth English clotted cream, akin to creme fraiche.

Dhal - the Indian name for lentils.

Digestives - liquids or cordials often made with herbs and said to aid digestion. Usually drunk at the end of a meal.

Dip - an hors díoeuvres that is a soft savory mixture and served with crackers, vegetables, shrimp, potato chips, or other dipping food.

Distilled Water - water from which all gases and minerals have been removed.

Divinities - fudge, made with brown or white sugar.

Dobos Torte - a layer cake rich with chocolate cream and caramel.

Dogfish - a common name for a species of small shark valuable for vitamin C in its liver oil.

Dolci - Italian for sweet dishes.

Doughnuts - a sweet cake fried in deep fat, and made of yeast-leavened or baking powder-raised dough.

Dragee - colored sugar-coated nuts or candies.

Drawn Butter - melted butter, sometimes clarified butter.

Dry Ice - used for refrigeration, this crystallized carbon dioxide is ice that does not produce water when melted. Donít touch with bare hands and avoid prolonged breathing in an atmosphere saturated by melting dry ice.

Duchesse - a term for potatoes pureed with milk and butter.

Dumpling - a small ball of dough or bread or potatoes, steamed, or simmered in a stew or soup. Sweet dumplings are usually baked and contain fruit.

Dundee Cake - a rich fruitcake covered with blanched almonds.

Durum Wheat - a variety of hard wheat used for making pasta.

Duxelles - a hash of minced mushroom, shallots and herbs simmered in butter, used to flavor soups, sauces, and stuffings or to garnish.



Eau-De-Vie - also aqua vitae, A term commonly applied to homemade brandies and distilled white spirits, made from the lees of wine.

Eclair - a pastry cake shaped like a long finger. Šclairs can be filled with custard or cream and are usually glazed with chocolate.

Eggnog - a frothy drink made from cream or milk, egg yolks, sugar and flavorings such as rum or brandy. Eggnog is a tradition Christmas drink.

Egg Roll - Chinese pastry stuffed with a mixture of shredded meats, shrimp, cabbage or lettuce, and vegetables, then deep-fried.

Elixirs - cordials or essences that are said to be life-prolonging.

Emince - a term used to describe meat, vegetables, or fish sliced very thinly, placed in an earthenware dish and simmered in added sauce.

Entrecute - a cut of beef taken from between the ribs. Sometimes the term refers to a rumpsteak or sirloin.

Entree - today the term refers to the main course of a meal, but originally it was the second course of many. French, meaning entranc.

Escalope - refers to a thin slice of meat or fish, without bones, gristle, or skin.

Espresso - an Italian way of preparing coffee using steam.

Essences - condensed flavors made as their source is distilled or pressed, then mixed with liquid. Examples are almond extract, rose water, etc.



Farce - stuffing.

Farfel - a soup garnish made of minced noodle dough.

Fell - a thin, papery tissue found on the outside of the surface of a leg of lamb.


Fenugreek - an Asiatic herb with a bitter celery-like flavor. Its chief use is in curry powders and stews.

File - powder made of sassafras leaves used to season and thicken foods.

Fillet Mignon - a small cut of beef taken from the end of the fillet, considered by many to be the most elegant steak of all. It is very tender and sweet, but lacks the flavor of a steak with bone in.

Filo - in Greece, philo is the very flaky, buttery pastry made by layering dough with shortening and rolling it and rerolling it.

Fines Herbes - French, fine herbs, usually a mixture of parsley, chives, tarragon, and chervil used to flavor omelets and in casseroles and soups.

Finnochio - also fennel in Florence; an herb with a licorice flavor, used as is celery and in Mediterranean cooking.

Finger Bowls - bowls half-filled with warm water which may be scented with roses or a slice of lemon. Served to diners to rinse their hands in after a course in which the fingers were used to eat (lobsters, oyster, or artichokes, or example).

Fizz - a sweet effervescent summer drink made of gin and a carbonated beverage.

Flambe - to flame, using alcohol as the burning agent; flame causes caramelization, enhancing flavor.

Flan - in France, a pastry filled with fruit, cream or custard; in Spain, a set custard usually served with a caramel sauce.

Flatbrod - flat bread of Norwegian origin, it is wafer-thin, and made from whole grain and served with salad, cheese or soup.

Flip - a sweet drink containing alcohol and eggs. Originally, it was a heated drink but a cold flip is more common today.

Florentine - food set on a bed of cooked spinach and usually covered with a cream sauce and baked. From Florence, Italy.

Flute - to make a decorative edge on pastry. Also to cut vegetables, fruit or other foods in a decorative manner. Also a long loaf of French bread.

Foie Gras - an hors díoeuvres of seasoned livers of geese, duck, chicken, or veal made into a p?tÈ.

Fondant - a sugar paste used as a candy stuffing or icing.

Fondue - a melted sauce, usually with cheese, served with crisp bread rounds or as a filling. These are sauces kept hot in a chaffing dish into which crisp chunks of bread, vegetables, meat, or fruits are dipped before eating. Chocolate fondue with fruit chunks and berries is a sweet fondue that is excellent. Fondue means melted.

Fool - an English dessert of stewed and pureed fruit combined with a sweet cream.

Forcemeat - finely ground meat often combined with ground vegetables to make a stuffing or combined with stiffly beaten egg whites to make delicate quenelles for poaching and serving with sauce. Also, combined with custard-like sauce to make soufflÈs.

Frangipani - a rich, sweet cream name for a tropical flower with a sweet scent.

Frappe - a drink whipped with ice to make a thick, frosty consistency.

French Toast - American breakfast of sliced bread dipped into beaten eggs and milk and then cooked on top a stove.

Fricassee - a stew, usually of poultry or veal.

Frijoles - Mexican beans.

Fritter - vegetable or fruit dipped into, or combined with, batter and fried.

Fruit Butter - a sweet spread made of fruit cooked to a paste then lightly sweetened. Apple butter is a common example.

Fumet - a concentrated stock used to give body to sauces. Escalope - refers to a thin slice of meat or fish, without bones, gristle, or skin.



Galantine - a cold jellied dish of boned chicken, veal, game or fish.

Game - wild animals and birds hunted for sport. Cooked, they are leaner and less fat-sweetened than domestic animals.

Gammon - the same cut of pork as ham, though cured differently.

Garbure - a casserole or stew made of cabbage, beans, potatoes and pork or bacon.

Garlic Salt - commercially prepared garlic-flavored salt. It can be made at home by mashing 1 peeled, sliced clove of garlic with 1 tablespoon of salt in the bottom of a wooden bowl.

Gazpacho - an iced soup made with fresh ripe tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, onions, and seasonings, marinated overnight. Mexican in origin.

Gefilte Fish - a traditional Jewish dish of poached stuffed fish, whole or in balls, served hot of cold.

Gelatin - the by-product of boiling bones, cartilage and tendons of meat. Gelatin is transparent and tasteless unless flavored and colored. It is sold packaged either in granules o thin strips. When softened in cold water and added to a hot broth, it dissolves and when cooled, forms a gel. Commercial packages of gelatin generally contain 1 ounce or 1 tablespoon, and this will jell 2 cups of liquid.

Genoese - a light cake made of eggs, sugar, butter and cake flour. Genoese is known for its versatility. It can be used for baked alaska, lady fingers, an iced birthday cake.

Ghee - clarified butter used in Asian cooking. (see clarified butter).

Gherkin - small cucumber species 1 1/2 inches long, for pickling.

Giblets - the heart, liver, gizzard and neck of fowl and small game, used to make stews, soups and specialty dishes.

Gigot - French term for a leg of lamb.

Ginger Beer - a milky alcoholic drink that is effervescent and ginger flavored. Made with gingerroot.

Glace - to glaze with sugar syrup; also, to serve iced.

Glogg - hot wine cup served at Christmas; Swedish.

Glucose - also, dextrose. A natural sugar found in fruits, vegetables, honey and other products.

Gluten - a water-soluble protein found in flour. Kneading flour in bread-making brings out the smooth elastic qualities of the gluten content.

Gnocchi - dumplings made from a paste of flour or potatoes and egg.

Goulash - also, gulyas, a rich Hungarian stew made of meat, highly seasoned with paprika.

Gourd - a squash-like vegetable, usually dried and used as a fall decoration.

Graham Flour - a wheat flour similar to wholemeal flour, ground from the whole grain.

Grappa - a brandy distilled from the stalks and grape skins that remain after the wine has been pressed. See eau-de-vie.

Grenadin - thin slices of fillet of veal, larded and braised.

Grenadine - a red sugar syrup made from pomegranate juice, and used to flavor drinks and to sweeten food.

Griddle Cakes - in the United States and Canada, another word for pancakes. In England and Scotland, a name for drop scones.

Grits - Coarsely ground dried corn, served boiled, or boiled and then fried.

Ground Cherry - a berry sometimes called husk tomato, it is used to make preserves.

Gum Arabic - a preservative made of sugar, water, and powdered acacia. It is used with leaves such as mint and rose.

Gumbo - soup or stew made with okra as a main ingredient. The term also describes the okra plant.

Gum Tragacanth - a gum from plants found in Iran, Turkey and Greece, it is used as a thickener and a base for ice cream powder and gelatinous desserts.






Haddock - of the cod family, this fish is white-fleshed and is good to use in any recipe calling for cod. Smoked, it is known as Finnan Haddid. Poached, and served with drawn butter, it has a faint hint of the flavor of lobster.

Haggamuggie / Haggis - the minced innards of an animal cooked with oatmeal and suet. Traditionally, a meat pudding or sausage was make then boiled in the cleaned stomach bag of the sheep.

Hake - of the cod family, this fish is easy to fillet and has soft white flesh.

Half-and-Half - a mixture of cream and milk preferred in a day when less fattening and less rich foods are popular.

Halva - a sweet dish or candy made from ground sesame seeds, fruit or vegetables. Near Eastern in origin.

Hard Sauce - a sweet liquor-flavored sauce traditionally served on hot puddings and cold cake. Often offered at Christmas with plum pudding.

Hardtack - a sailors name for sea biscuits.

Hare - a wild rabbit with a strong gamey flavor. This is not a wild version of the rabbits raised domestically for food in Europe and some parts of the United States, but another type. It may not be used in place of rabbit in a recipe.

Hash - a recipe using leftovers, this dish is made by dicing pre-cooked meats and/or vegetables, and cooking with seasonings, minced onions, herbs, or sauce in a frying pan until crisp.

Haslet - country dish of pork sweetbreads, heart and liver. It is cooked in a casserole, fried, stewed or ground with onions and prepared as a sausage.

Headcheese - a molded jelly or sausage made from pigís or calfís head stewed with herbs and seasonings; it includes meat.

Heart - the heart of sheep, calf , ox and pig is used as a variety meat in many popular dishes.

Hearthcakes - the English name for a French round cake. Each region in France creates its own version. The first hearthcakes were baked on the hearth in hot ashes.

Hen - a female bird. Commercially raised hen-chickens are tender. Hen is also a term applied to the female of various aquatic creatures, lobster for one.

Herb - aromatic plant used for seasoning and garnishing foods.

Hip - bright reddish orange fruit of roses, particularly species roses, as Rosa rugosa. It contains vitamin C and is used to make a tea, and for jams and syrups.

Hochepot / Hotchpotch - a Belgian dish of considerable antiquity, a very thick soup traditionally made with brisket of beef, shoulder and breast of mutton, shoulder of veal, pigs feet, ears and tails, chippolata sausages, onions, assorted vegetables, herbs and condiments. The meat garnished with vegetables is served separately from the broth. Probably associated with the phrase, hodgepodge, which refers to a jumble of things all mixed together. England has a hot pot which probably is a version of the Belgian dish.

Hock - British term for any white Rhine wine. Also, a cut of meat from the leg of an animal, valued for soups, stews and jellies.

Hollandaise - a sauce made of butter, egg, and lemon juice or vinegar.

Hominy - hulled corn with the germ removed. Hominy grits are uniform granules that are boiled and served as a breakfast cereal or as an accompaniment to a main dish or fish, meat or poultry.

Homogenized - treatment for milk that breaks the fat into tiny particles that can remain suspended in liquid rather than rising to the top as cream in untreated milk.

Hors d'oeuvres - a light food, hot or cold, prepared for small servings, to be eaten before the main meal. The American equivalent is an appetizer. Hors díoeuvres were originally served on a sideboard apart from the dining table and before the meal.

Hush Puppies - a dish made of fried cornmeal batter. The term is said to have originated at a southern fish fry where the cooks fried extra bits of fish batter to throw to the noisy dogs to hush the puppies.



Indian Pudding - a spicy cornmeal and molasses staple of early American colonists, the pudding varied with each day and according to the condiments available in the cookís larder.

Infuse - to steep herbs and other flavorings in boiling liquid. Coffee and tea are examples, and so is milk steeped with vanilla bean.

Irish Stew - a traditional mutton dish made by boiling well-salted and prepared chops with an equal quantity of onions and potatoes.



Jam - fresh whole fruit and sugar cooked into a spread that preserves well.

Jambalaya - a Creole dish that adds rice to any kind of meat, poultry or seafood on hand. There are no two recipes alike for jambalaya.

Jardiniere - vegetables cut into strips or a soup containing such vegetables.

Jelly - a clear preserve of strained fruit juice with sugar. Jelly of another sort is made by boiling animal or fish bones and tissue.

Jelly Roll - a thin sponge cake spread with jelly or filling and rolled up.

Johnnycake - a classic corn bread unique because the meal is water-ground and made from white sweet corn.

Jujube - the edible fruit of a tropical plant also known as the Chinese date. Also, a chewy gelatin candy.

Junket - milk which has been thickened with rennet, sweetened and is served as dessert. Also, trade name for a flavored dessert mix including rennet.



Kahlua - a coffee-flavored liqueur.

Kakavia - a Greek fish soup.

Kasha - a side dish, like a pasta or rice side dish, served in Eastern Europe. It may be buckwheat, barley, or millet. Also, cooked buckwheat.

Kebab - grilled chunks of meat, fish, or vegetables. Usually threaded on a skewer, and broiled over charcoal, with or without being combined with onions and other foods.

Kedgeree - an English breakfast dish brought from India, and made of leftover fish, rice and hard-boiled eggs.

Kipper - fish cured by splitting, salting, and drying or smoking. A breakfast food in England, kippered herring is poached, grilled or baked.

Kirsch - a cherry-flavored liqueur made of black cherries and their pits.

Kisses - meringues. Also, small chocolate candies roll up in twists of silver paper.

Knuckle - the ankle joint of pork, veal, and other meat. It is used in stews and pies and particularly in soups.

Kofta - a meat ball popular in the Balkans, the Middle and Far East.

Korma - also, quoorma. A spicy Pakistani/Indian stew made of mutton and yogurt and flavored with the spices that go into a curry.

Kosher - food that conforms to Jewish dietary laws, which were laid down by Moses, according to Biblical accounts of Hebrew history.

Kulich - a traditional Russian Easter cake. It is made of sweet bread dough and candied fruit, baked tall and round like the headgear of a Russian Orthodox priest.

Kummel - a sweet liqueur prepared with caraway seed and cumin, made in regions bordering the eastern coast of the Baltic sea.



Ladyfingers - a small finger-shaped sponge cake, like a cookie.

Lager - any light beer.

Lambís Fry - the heart, liver, sweetbread and inside fat of the lamb.

Lambís Lettuce - a handy annual plant also known as corn salad. A salad green.

Lambís Wool - a fancy hot alcoholic drink made of hot sweetened ale, roasted apples, and nutmeg or ginger.

Lard - tenderized hog fat used in pie crusts and for deep-frying. Also, to insert strips of fat into meat to keep it moist and add flavor.

Larding needle - a long needle with a large eye, used to insert strips of fat into lean meats.

Lasagne - long wide noodles. Basis for the dish called lasagne in which the noodles are layered with cheeses and meat sauce or tomato sauce.

Layer Cake - two, three or more layers of cake with a filling between.

Laurel - bay leaf.

Lees - the sediment of dregs left as wine or liquors ferments. Also, the settling of a liquid.

Legume - a family of plant with edible pods or seeds, which include peanuts, peas, beans and lentils, among others.

Lemon Sole - a particularly delicate flounder taken in the waters of Georges Bank, Cape Cod and Massachusetts.

Liaison - a thickening or binding agent for soups, sauces, stuffings and so on. Examples are flour, beurre maniÈ (see above), cornstarch, eggs, arrowroot, etc.

Linzer Torte - a double hazelnut cookie filled with jam and made famous in Vienna, Austria.

Liqueur - a sweet alcoholic drink also known as a cordial and as a digestif, to be drunk after meals and served in small glasses. Also used to flavor desserts and in pastry making.

Littleneck Clams - clams 1 1/2 inches long.

Loquat - a small citrus fruit that sweetens as it ripens. It is good peeled, stewed with sugar, and served with cream or combined with other fruits.

Lotus Root - a water lily whose root is used as a vegetable. It is crisp when fresh. Sold dried, cut into rounds in Oriental markets.

Lotus Seeds - small and nutlike, these can be eaten raw or cooked into a stuffing.

Luau - a traditional Hawaiian freest featuring roast pig.

Lychee - a small fruit native to South China. It has a sweet-sour flavor and is considered as good canned as fresh.



Macadamia Nut - a round, costly, and delicious nut sold shelled and bottled. It is the fruit of a subtropical evergreen native to Australia but most that reach the market come from Hawaii (also grown in California). Seeds were brought to Hawaii in 1880, and the nuts first were offered on the market in the 1930ís.

Madeleine - a small cake baked in a shell-shaped mold. Also, a garnish of artichoke bottoms, onions and green beans.

Madrilene - a consomme flavored with tomato, usually served cold.

Magnum - a single bottle with a capacity of two bottles or about 2/5 gallon, or 160 centiliters.

Maitre D'Hotel - head waiter, but on menus, a dish that is cooked quickly and simply with parsley as the featured flavor.

Maitre D'Hotel Butter - a parsley butter excellent with grilled meats or fish and vegetables, especially carrots. The recipe calls for butter, minced parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper blended. (Be wary of mincing the parsley in a blender; overblended in a blender or a processor, parsley releases a bitter juice that spoils the food it is combined with. You can avoid overblending by cutting only a small handful at a time in the machine).

Maize Bread - American corn bread, also known as corn pone, spoon bread, egg cake and ash cake. Each of these is made by a somewhat different method, but all have cornmeal as the base.

Malt - sprouted barley used to brew beer or distill spirits.

Malted Milk - a drink made from powdered wheat and malted barley extracts, mixed with milk and sometimes, added flavorings like chocolate, strawberry, etc.

Mango - a tropical fruit the size of a small pear, in its original species, but today mango hybrids are as large as small or medium grapefruits. From India, and a key ingredient in some of the best chutneys, notably Major Greyís. The fruit is yellow shaded red when ripe, and is peeled before eating. Best chilled, and ripe enough to be softly yielding. Delicious taste between a pineapple and a very ripe peach.

Manioc - Cassava, the source plant for tapioca.

Maraschino - a sweet liqueur made from cherries. Also, red cherries in maraschino syrup, which are used in mixed drinks and with desserts, such as fruit salad and as a garnish on drinks.

Marc - eau-de-vie, a spirit distilled from the residue of grapes or other fruit after wine has been pressed and strained. Calvados is the marc made of apples.

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

Marennes - a type of oyster found in French waters. Highly prized for flavor.

Margarine - a butter substitute made from animal or vegetable fat and butter flavored.

Mariniere - to cook shellfish with white wine. Also, a garnish with mussels.

Marmalade - a fruit preserve made from citrus fruits. The rinds are sliced thinly and included.

Marmite - a heavy metal or earthenware pot.

Marmite, Petite - French dish. A rich broth called consommÈ double, it includes chicken and beef with vegetables and herbs.

Marrow - a squash. Also, the inner substance of meat bones, usually shin bones.

Marzipan / Marchpane - a combination of almond paste, sugar and egg whites used in making pastry and small fruit shapes for holidays.

Mash - to reduce to pulp, with a fork or potato masher. Also, s mess of boiled grain, bran, and so on, fed to horses and cattle.

Matelote - a rich fish stew flavored with red or white wine and herbs.

Matzo - a type of thin unleavened bread special to the Passover feast celebrated by the Jews. It resembles a cracker. Also, unleavened dumplings.

Mayonnaise - the familiar white commercial mayonnaise is a product that is cooked. The mayonnaise called for in gourmet cookbooks, fresh mayonnaise, is a thick sauce of yolks beaten with oil and vinegar.

Mead - an alcoholic drink of fermented honey and water.

Medallion - a small, coin-shaped slice of meat or fish.

Melba Toast - thin slices of bread baked slowly until crisp. Named for the coloratura soprano, Dame Nellie Melba, who was the toast of international society early in 21st century.

Meringue - a mixture of egg whites beaten with sugar and baked into cookies or used as a pie topping. The addition of sugar to a meringue is critical; poured in too quickly, the meringue will fall and will not be usable.

Meuniere - French for literally, dusted with flour and sautÈed in butter.

Mignonette - coarsely ground white or black pepper.

Mille-Feuilles - literally, a thousand leaves, this is the flaky pastry the Middle East introduced into European cuisine, layered with cream, and topped with jam and icing.

Milt - the reproductive gland of a male fish, also known as soft roe.

Mimosa - a garnish of grated hard-boiled egg yolks, named for the tree flower that is a spry of tint yellow fluffy balls.

Mincemeat - a preserve of chopped apples, suet, dried fruits, candied peel, sugar, spices and brandy or rum. It is matured for a month or more and used in holiday pies and in some recipes for fruitcake.

Minestra - Italian; a thick soup of meat and vegetables.

Minestrone - a minestra with pasta.

Mint - herb used in Middle Eastern and Indian cooking. In the West, commonly used to make tea as well as a sauce served with lamb roasts.

Minute Steak - a boneless steak cut one quarter inch thick, and criss-crossed with cuts for tenderizing. It is intended to be sautÈed in 1 minute. To cook it longer is to toughen it.

Mirepoix - a vegetable and herb seasoning the French use in flavoring sauces, fish, and meat dishes.

Mixed Grill - a combination of grilled meats, such as liver, steak and bacon garnished with tomatoes and mushrooms. It is usually served with fried potatoes.

Mocha - a rich coffee originally grown in Mocha, Yemen. The beans are almost without bitterness in the best grades. Mocha also describes a combination of chocolate and coffee used to flavor cakes and candies.

Mode, ý la - Meats ý la mode are braised with vegetables and served with gravy. In the United States, ý la mode usually refers to food topped with ice cream.

Molasses - a dark, sweet syrup that is the by-product of sugar refining. Used to flavor candy, puddings, baked goods and other foods.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) - an amino acid derived from gluten of soybeans. Used in Oriental cooking to improve the flavor of a dish that has not come up to par.

Morel - a small, very tasty mushroom.

Mornay - white sauce with egg, cream, and cheese added.

Mousse - a molded dish based on meat or sweet whipped cream stiffened with egg white and/or gelatin (if mousse contains ice cream, it is called bombe).

Moussaka - a traditional dish of the Balkan peninsula, and generally known as Greek. There are many variations, but all are layered casseroles of vegetables and ground meat. A good example is a combination of eggplant with tomatoes and lamb.

Mousse - a dish usually based on beaten egg whites and yolks, baked into a savory or a sweet. A mousse can be a puree of meat, poultry, fish or vegetables, served hot or cold. As a dessert it is an extra-light pudding flavored with fruit, lemon or chocolate, and served warm or cold with or without cream.

Mousseline - a sauce with whipped cream added. The name for small molds of poultry, game fish and shellfish and cream, served hot or cold.

Muddler - a thick rod used to crush and mix fruit and sugar in drinks. Also, used to free the bubbles in champagne.

Muffin - a small, round, quick sweet bread raised with baking powder, and baked in small molds (muffin tins).

Mulled Wine - Wine, usually red, that is heated, but not boiled, with sugar and spices, such as cinnamon stick, ground mace and whole cloves.

Mulligatawny - English version of chicken or lamb soup served with rice. The original is Indian.

Mush - a cooked cereal made by boiling cornmeal. Best served with melting butter and a little sweet syrup.

Mussels - edible mollusks found under seaweed clinging to the rocks by the seashore. Like other shellfish, mussels are subject to a condition called Red Tide, which occurs in some spring seasons and renders the shellfish poisonous. Therefore, before harvesting mussels, check with the local authorities to be sure they are safe.

Mutton - meat of the mature sheep, that is 1 year to 18 months old. The meat is a darker color than lamb, and strongly flavored.



Nacho - a Mexican appetizer made with chilies and melted cheese served on a bed of tortillas.

Nasturtium - an edible flower. The young leaves and blooms are used in salads and sandwiches, and as garnishes for cold summer soups; the buds may be picked and pickled and used as substitute for capers.

Navarin - a French lamb stew.

Neapolitan Ice Cream - an ice cream brick made up of layers of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla ice cream.

Nectar - any delicious drink. In mythology, this was the drink of the Olympian gods. Also, the juice of plants collected for honey.

Nesselrode - a mold of ice cream flavored with candied fruits and chestnut puree. Also, a Bavarian cream similarly flavored and used in a pie.

Newburg - hot lobster or seafood cooked in a sherry sauce enriched with a thick cream sauce.

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



Orange Water / Orange Flower Water - a liquid essence of distilled orange blossoms, once used for flavoring.

Ossobucco - literally, hollow bone, this Italian specialty is made of veal marrow bones, usually shin bones, braised in wine with vegetables and seasonings.

Oyster, Blue Point - the name for an oyster found in the waters off Long Island Sound, New York. Also, term used to refer to any good-sized oyster.

Oysters Rockefeller - oysters which are topped with chopped spinach, bacon and seasoned bread crumbs and baked.



Paella - a traditional Spanish one-pot dish of chicken, seafood, vegetables, rice and garlic flavored with saffron.

Pakora - a small, deep-fried snacks of India with chick-pea flour as an ingredient in the mixture. Vegetables, fish, or chicken are spiced with ginger, cumin, chopped onion, and garlic, blended with the flour, shaped into small patties, and deep fried. An American version makes appetizers by dipping chunks of raw vegetables into a fritter batter, and deep frying.

Palmier - a delicious flat flaky palm-shaped pastries made by layering puff pastry with sugar, rolling it, then slicing it thin and baking.

Paper Cookery - en papillote is the French term for this process of cooking food in a container made from heavy paper.

Papillote - French term for fancy paper shapes and ruffles used to hide the ends of chop bones.

Parfait - a French dessert of frozen pudding, either ice cream or mousse layered with fruits or syrups and whipped cream.

Parsley - the most-used herb in the world, it grows easily anywhere, including in window boxes and pots indoors. It is the mainstay of French seasonings.

Pashka - a traditional Russian Easter cheesecake with nuts and candied fruit made in the form of a pyramid.

Pasta - a large family of flour paste products, such as spaghetti, macaroni, and noodles.

Pastrami - spicy smoked beef eaten hot or cold. Italian variation of corned beef.

Pate (French for paste) - a paste made of finely ground liver or meat blended together with herbs and spices and baked.

Paupiettes - thin slices of meat or fish, stuffed, then rolled and cooked. Sometimes the meat is pounded to thin and enlarge it, before stuffing.

Pectin - substance that occurs in fruits or vegetables that acts as jelling agent in jams and other preserves. It is packed in bottles and sold commercially.

Pepitas - roasted pumpkin seeds.

Pepperpot - a spicy stew without much sauce.

Pepper Steak - a beefsteak dipped in crushed pepper and sautÈed in butter, then flamed with brandy. A sauce is made from the pan drippings and red wine. Also, a Chinese dish made with green pepper strips and thin-sliced beef.

Periwinkle - a small sea snail served roasted, poached, or raw, with wine sauce.

Persimmon - small acidulous plum-like tool used to crush or pound food in a bowl with rough interior surface - the mortar.

Petit Four - a small cake, usually bite-sized, which has been frosted and decorated.

Petit Suisse - an unsalted, very rich cream cheese rolled in paper in a cylindrical shape. In France, it is treated as a dessert, and served with sugar and cream.

Pickle - to preserve in seasoned and/or flavored vinegar, brine or oil. This is common for vegetables, especially cucumbers, fruits and meats.

Pignoli - pine nuts.

Pilaf / Pilaff / Pilau - a rice dish in which the raw rice is first simmered in a shortening or butter, then cooked with water or broth, and sometimes meat, poultry, fish or shellfish.

Pimiento - a variety of sweet pepper, ripened to the red stage, and canned or bottled. It is used as a garnish for salads, sauces, rice dishes or stews. Sometimes the word is mistakenly spelled pimento, which is really allspice. One cannot be used as a substitute for the other.

Pine Nuts - a nut with a tangy flavor reminiscent of pine, used in Mediterranean dishes, and brought to attention recently by the spaghetti sauce called pesto pignoli.

Pissaladiere - French. a tart, or pizza-type dish, made of baked dough with onions, tomatoes, garlic, anchovies, black olives and / or other garnishes.

Pistachio - a flavorful nut used for snacking when roasted, and for flavoring sweets and ice cream. It has a high iron content and a characteristic greenish tinge.

Pita - envelope of unleavened bread used for making sandwiches. Arab.

Pizza - a yeast dough, sometimes thick, sometimes thin, baked with such toppings as pureed tomatoes, shredded mozzarella cheese, sausages, olives, anchovies, etc. Versions of this dish, which originated in Naples, Italy, vary throughout the world.

Plum Pudding - British holiday pudding made mostly of dried fruit, rarely with plums. It is steamed, then served with hard sauce.

Poi - Hawaiian dish of cooked and pounded taro root.

Polenta - Italian cornmeal pudding or mush, eaten hot or cold, usually with sauce and / or meats. It may be cooled and fried after cooking.

Popover - a batter muffin that is puffy and almost hollow, it has risen so high. The ingredients are about the same as for Yorkshire pudding



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