~ A ~
Aal (Ger.) Eel.
abaissage (Fr.) Rolling out pastry dough.
abalone A mollusk whose single large abductor muscle connecting its single shell is edible; used widely in Japanese and Chinese cooking, either fresh, dried, or canned; found throughout the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California, and in the English Channel, where it is called ormer.
abatis (Fr.) External poultry trimmings, such as wing tips, necks, and
feet; sometimes used interchangeably with abets for giblets.
abets (Fr.) Poultry giblets and meat offal; internal organs or variety
meats, such as hearts, liver, sweetbreads, and gizzards; sometimes
used interchangeably with abatis.
abbacchio (It.) A very young suckling lamb.
abricot (Fr.) Apricot.
absinthe A green liqueur flavored with wormwood leaves and anise;
highly intoxicating and therefore outlawed in many countries. Associated with many of the artists of the early 1900's including the "Impressionists"
abura (yap. ) Oil.
aburage (Jap.) Deep-fried tofu.
acciuga (It.) Anchovy.
aceite (Sp.) Oil.
aceituna (Sp.) Olive.
acetic acid The acid in vinegar that comes from a second fermentation
of wine, beer, or cider.
aceto (It.) Vinegar; aceto balsamico is a very fine vinegar, made in
Modena, Italy, aged in special casks for a dark, mellow, subtle flavor.
aceto-dolce (It.) A sweet-and-sour mixture of vegetables and fruits
used in Italy as an antipasto.
achiote (Sp.) Annatto. Used most often for its color, a brillant yellow orange, also as a spice, adding a suttle earthly flavor
acidophilus milk Milk slightly soured with the lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria, which converts the lactose in milk to lactic acid, making it both easy to digest and healthful.
acidulated water Water to which a small amount of lemon juice or
vinegar has been added; used to prevent fruits and vegetables from
discoloring and to blanch certain foods, such as sweetbreads.
Acton, Eliza (1799-1859) A poet manque, whose best-selling
cookbook, Modern Cookery for Private Families (1845), is notable for its clear and well-organized directions to the middle-class housewife in pre-industrial England.
adega (Port.) A wine cellar or storage space, usually above ground.
adobo (Phil.) A stew, usually made with pork or other meat, or some-
times with chicken or seafood, with a thick spicy sauce made piquant
with vinegar; the Mexican version of the dish is made more pungent
still by a spicy marinade of red chili peppers. Common in Southwestern cuisine as a complex roast pepper sauce.
adrak (Ind.) Fresh ginger root.
adzuki (Jap.) See azuki.
aemono (Jap.) Salad.
agar-agar (Malay) An Oriental seaweed used by commercial food pro-
cessors as a gelatin substitute in soups, sauces, jellies, and ice cream; it has a remarkable capacity for absorbing liquids-far greater than that of gelatin or isinglass.
age (Jap.) Deep-fried.
aging A method of improving and maturing the flavor of a food, such
as game, cheese, or wine, by allowing controlled chemical changes
to take place over time.
agiter (Fr.) To stir.
aglio (It.) Garlic.
agneau (Fr.) Lamb.
agnello (It.) Lamb.
agnolotti (It.) Stuffed squares of pasta, such as ravioli, with a meat
filling.
agrio (Sp.) Sour.
aguacate (Sp.) Avocado.
aguardiente (Sp.) A very strong Spanish liqueur, similar to Italian grappa or French mare.
aiglefin (Fr.) Haddock.
aigre (Fr.) Sour, tart, bitter.
aiguillette (Fr. ) A thin strip of poultry cut lengthwise from the breast; also a strip of meat cut lengthwise with the grain.
ail (Fr.) Garlic.
aioli (Fr.) A garlic mayonnaise from Provence, thick and strongly
flavored, usually served with seafood; also spelled ailloli.
airelle rouge (Fr.) Cranberry.
aji (Jap.) Horse mackerel; flavor.
ajo (Sp.) Garlic; ajo e ojo is an Italian dialect name for a spaghetti
sauce of garlic sauteed in olive oil. See aglio and olio.
ajouter (Fr.) To add an ingredient.
akvavit (Swed.) A strong, colorless liquor distilled from grain or
potatoes and flavored variously, often with caraway; served very cold and drunk neat, often with beer, before or after the meal.
a la (Fr.) In the style of, the full phrase being a la mode de; this term designates a specific garnish; often the a la is assumed rather than stated, so that a dish such as Sole a la bonne femme, for instance,
is usually contracted to Sole bonne femme.
alb6ndigas (Sp.) Spicy Spanish or Mexican meatballs made of pork,
beef, etc.; also a dumpling.
Albufera (Fr.) A supreme sauce with meat glaze and pimento butter;
the garnish a l'Albufera consists of poultry stuffed with risotto, truffles, and foie gras with elaborate tartlets; also a small cake topped with chopped almonds.
albumen The protein portion of egg white, comprising its greater part,
which coagulates with heat; also found in milk, animal blood, plants,
and seeds.
alcachofa (Sp.) Artichoke.
alcohol See fermentation.
al dense See dense, al.
ale English beer made from unroasted barley malt and hops, quickly
fermented, and drunk fresh; usually stronger and more bitter than
beer; varies in color from light to dark.
algerienne, a 1' (Fr.) Garnished with tomatoes braised in oil and sweet potato croquettes.
Ali -Bab The pseudonym of Henry Babinski, a French gourmand who,
as an engineer on location and desperate for good food, taught himself
to cook. His mammoth Gastronome Pratique ( 1928), which has since
become a classic, shows that he learned very well.
aliolo (Sp.) Aioli.
allemande (Fr.) Veal veloute reduced with white wine and mushroom
essence, flavored with lemon juice, and bound with egg yolks; sauce
allemande, which means "German sauce," is a basic classical sauce.
all-i-oli (Sp.) Aioli.
allspice A spice made from the berries of the Jamaica pepper tree, dried and ground, which tastes like a combination of cloves, nutmeg, and
cinnamon (hence its name); used in sweet and savory cooking.
allumette (Fr.) A strip of puff pastry with either a sweet or savory
filling or garnish; also potatoes, peeled and cut into matchstick-sized
strips.
almeja (Sp.) Clam.
almendra (Sp.) Almond.
arose (Fr.) Shad.
Aloxe-Corton A village in Burgundy that produces excellent red and
white wines and has some of the most celebrated Cote d'Or and
Cote de Beaune vineyards.
aloyau (Fr.) Sirloin.
Alsace A province in northeastern France along the Rhine, whose German
and French cuisine reflects its political history; famous for its foie
gras, charcuterie, ducks, wine, and many other specialties.
alsacienne, a 1' (Fr.) Garnished with sauerkraut and ham or sausages,
or with other Alsatian specialties.
Altenburger (Ger.) A soft, uncooked cheese made from goats' milk
or goats' and cows' milk mixed; has a delicate white mold on the
exterior and a creamy, smooth, flavorful interior.
Alto Adige A valley in northeastern Tirolean Italy around Bolzano, which exports a large quantity of good wines, both red and white, across the border to Austria.
amai (Jap. ) Sweet.
amalgamer (Fr.) To mix, blend, or combine ingredients.
amandine (Fr.) Garnished with almonds; often misspelled almondine.
amaretto (It.) See macaroon.
ambrosia Food of the gods which, in Greek mythology, they ate with
nectar; a fruit dessert, often citrus, topped with grated coconut.
americaine, a 1' (Fr.) Garnished with sliced lobster tail and truffles; also, a dish of lobster sauteed with olive oil and tomato in the style of Provence; often confused with armoricaine.
amiral, a 1' (Fr.) A classic fish garnish of mussels, oysters, crayfish, and mushrooms in sauce normande, enriched with crayfish butter.
amontillado A Spanish sherry, literally in the Montilla style, usually
somewhat darker and older than a fino; the term is sometimes loosely
used to mean a medium sherry.
amoroso A kind of oloroso sherry, sweetened and darkened.
amuse-gueule (Fr.) Slang for cocktail appetizer, "taste tickler."
anadama An American yeast bread made from white flour with cornmeal
and molasses.
anago (Jap.) Conger eel.
Anaheim chili See guero.
ananas (Fr. and Ger.) Pineapple.
ancho (Mex.) A deep-red chili pepper, fairly mild in flavor and dried
rather than fresh, about five inches long and three inches wide.
anchois (Fr.) Anchovy.
anchovy A small silvery fish, sometimes broiled or fried fresh like a
sardine, but most often salted and canned; sometimes used in
whitebait.
ancienne, a 1' (Fr.) Various preparations, often fricasseed and garnished in the old-fashioned style; usually a mixture such as cockscombs and truffles; there are classic recipes for braised beef rump and chicken a l'ancienne.
andalouse, a 1' (Fr.) Garnished with tomatoes, sweet red peppers,
eggplant, and sometimes rice pilaf and chipolata sausages or ham.
andouille (Fr.) A sausage made from pork chitterlings and tripe,
sliced and served cold as an hors d'oeuvre.
andouillette (Fr.) A sausage similar to andouille but made from the
small intestine rather than the large; the many varieties are sold
poached, then grilled before serving hot with strong mustard.
angel food cake A sponge cake made with stiffly beaten egg whites
but no yolks, producing a light and airy texture and white color.
angel hair See capelli d'angelo.
angelica An herb of the parsley family used for medicinal and culinary
purposes; it flavors several liqueurs and confections and often imparts
a green color.
angels on horseback Oysters wrapped in bacon, skewered, grilled, and
served on buttered toast fingers; a favorite hors d'oeuvre or savory
in England.
anglaise, a 1' (Fr.) English style-that is, plainly boiled or roasted, or coated with an egg and breadcrumb hatter and deep-fried.
angler See monkfish.
angostura bitters See bitters.
anguille (Fr.) Eel; anguila in Spanish; anguilla in Italian.
animelles (Fr.) The culinary term for testicles of animals, especially
rams; animelles are less popular in Europe today than formerly but
still common in the Middle East; in Italy, animelle means sweetbreads.
anise An herb of Mediterranean origin, highly regarded by the ancient
Greeks and Romans, that tastes like licorice and is used in many parts
of the world; its potent seeds flavor several liqueurs, as well as cheeses, pastries, and confections; not to be confused with fennel.
anitra (It.) Duck.
Anjou A northwest central region of France, around Angers and Saumur, known for its wines, both still and sparkling, and for excellent poultry, flsh from the Loire, and produce, especially pears; Curnonsky, the great gastronome, came from Anjou and praised its cuisine and wine in his writings.
Anna, pommes See pommes Anna.
annatto A red dye from the fruit of a South American tree, used to color cheese, butter, and confectionery. (also see achiote)
annona fruits: see custard apples
antipasto (It.) Literally "before the pasta," an antipasto is an appetizer or starter; antipasti like hors d'oeuvres varies, exist in great variety and profusion.
aonegi (Jap.) Japanese green onion.
aperitif A drink, usually alcoholic, taken before the meal to stimulate the appetite.
Apfel (Ger.) Apple; Apfelstrudel is thin strudel dough filled with apples, white raisins, and spices-a very popular dessert in Germany and Austria.
aphrodisiac A food or drink that arouses the sexual appetite.
Apicius The name of three ancient Romans celebrated for their gluttony, with which their name has become synonymous; a cookbook written by one of them survives in two manuscripts, both ninth-century translations.
appareil (Fr.) A mixture of ingredients ready for use in a preparation, such as an appareil a biscuit.
appellation controlee (Fr.) Two words found on French wine labels, designating a particular wine by its place of origin, grape variety, or district tradition; this control, used for the best French wines, was established in 1935 to guarantee that the wine is what its label claims it to be, and it is strictly enforced by French law. Similar attempts have been made to certify cheese, both by type and by origin. Sometimes abbreviated to AC or AOC.
appellation d'origine (Fr.) The name of a wine, giving its geographic location be it a chateau, vineyard, town, river valley, or general region.
Appenzell (Switz.) A whole-milk cows' cheese made in large wheels, cured, and washed in a brine with white wine and spices, which impart their flavor; the cheese is pale straw-colored with some holes and a yellow brown rind; similar to Emmental, it is firm, buttery, yet piquant.
apple butter A preserve made of apples that have been peeled, cored, and sliced; it is cooked slowly for a long time, usually with sugar, cider, and spices, until it is reduced to a thick, dark spread.
applejack Brandy distilled from fermented cider; Calvados is one type.
apple pandowdy See pandowdy.
apple schnitz Dried apple slices, much used in Pennsylvania German
cooking for such dishes as apple pie and Schnitz un Gnepp (apple
and smoked ham stew with dumplings).
aquavit See akvavit.
Arabian coffee Coffee ground to a powder, spiced with cardamom,
cloves, or even saffron, and drunk without sugar or milk; in Arab
countries, the ceremony of its preparation and service is symbolic
of hospitality.
arabic See gum arable.
arabica A type of coffee tree grown at high altitudes, low yielding but producing the best quality of coffee; see also robusta.
arachide (Fr.) Peanut.
aragosta (It.) Lobster.
arak (Mid. E.) A liqueur made from various plants; strong and anise flavored.
arancia (It.) Orange.
Arborio rice (It.) Short, fat grained Italian rice that is perfect for risotto and similar moist rice dishes.
Arbroath smokies (Scot.) Small haddock that are gutted, salted, and
smoked but not split until broiling before serving.
archiduc, a 1' (Fr.) Seasoned with paprika and blended with cream.
arenque (Sp.) Herring.
Argenteuil (Fr.) Garnished with asparagus; named for a region in
northern France where the best asparagus is grown.
arhar dal (Ind.) Lentils.
aringa (It.) Herring.
arista (It.) Roast loin of pork.
arlesienne, a 1' (Fr.) Garnished with eggplant and tomato, cooked in oil with fried onion rings; there are other garnishes by this name, but all contain tomatoes.
Armagnac A famous brandy from Gascony, in southwestern France,
which can be compared to Cognac; it is dry, smooth, dark, and
aromatic.
armoricaine, a 1' (Fr.) Lobster in the Breton style, after the ancient Roman name for Brittany and often confused with a l'americaine; the sliced lobster is sauteed in olive oil with tomato.
aromatic A plant, such as an herb or spice, that gives off a pleasing scent and is used to flavor food or drink.
arrack See arak.
arroser (Fr.) To baste or moisten.
arrowroot A powdered flour from the root of a tropical plant, used as a flour or thickener; in cooking it remains clear when mixed with other foods, rather than turning cloudy, and is easily digested.
arroz (Sp.) Rice; when cooked and combined with other foods it makes dishes such as arroz con polio, rice with chicken.
arsella (It.) Mussel.
artichaut (Fr.) Artichoke-a favorite French vegetable.
arugula (It.) Rocket.
asado (Sp.) Roasted or broiled.
asciutta See pasta asciutta.
Asiago d'Allevo (It.) A scalded-curd cheese usually made from skimmed evening and whole morning cows' milk and aged up to two years; the large wheels have a thin brownish rind and a smooth pale paste with holes; other Asiago cheeses from Vicenza, Italy, are used mainly as table cheeses.
aspartame A new artificial sweetener, much sweeter than sugar; not
suitable for cooking or use with acids.
asperge (Fr.) Asparagus.
aspic A clear jelly made from meat or vegetable stock and gelatin,
strained, cleared, and chilled; used to dress savory foods of all kinds by covering them in a mold or surrounding them, chopped into cubes, as a garnish; also used for sweet dishes, based on a fruit juice and gelatin aspic.
assaisonner (Fr.) To season; assaisonnement means seasoning, con-
diment, or dressing.
Assam A tea, from the province in northern India of the same name,
which is strong and pungent in character and often blended with
milder teas.
Asti Spumanti A sweet sparkling white wine from the town of Asti in
the Piedmont region of northern Italy.
Asturias (Sp.) A strong, sharp-flavored cheese from northern Spain.
athenienne a 1' (Fr.) Garnished with onion, eggplant, tomato, and
sweet red pepper fried in olive oil.
atemoya: A custurd apple fruit with great potential, the atemoya (Annona atemoya) is a cross between the cherimoya and the sugar apple. It was developed in Florida. The pulp is sweet-tasting and the skin is light-green and bumpy. This fruit travels well.
atole (Mex.) A thin gruel drink varying widely but usually made from cornmeal; it can be flavored with sugar and fruit or chocolate or with chili.
attereau (Fr.) A metal skewer on which sweet or savory food is threaded, breadcrumbed, and deep-fried.
aubergine (Fr.) Eggplant.
Auflauf (Ger.) Souffle.
Aufschnitt (Ger.) A variety of thinly sliced cold meats and sausages sold in German delicatessens; cold cuts.
aurore, a 1' (Fr.) Bechamel sauce colored pink with a small amount
of tomato puree.
Auslese (Ger.) A superior German wine made from particularly ripe
and fine grapes specially picked at harvest and pressed separately
from the other grapes, making a sweeter and more expensive wine.
See also Trockenbeerenauslese.
Ausone, Chateau A famous and very fine Bordeaux wine from
St.-Emilion, a first-growth vineyard.
Auster (Ger.) Oyster.
Auvergne A mountainous region in central France known for its relatively simple, straightforward, robust cooking; the Auvergne is renowned for its fine cheeses, charcuterie, vegetables and fruits, nuts, wild mushrooms, lamb, and freshwater fish.
aveline (Fr.) Hazelnut, filbert.
avgolemono (Gr.) A soup made from egg yolks and lemon juice, com-
bined with chicken stock and rice, that is very popular in the Balkans; also a sauce made from egg yolks and lemon juice.
azafran (Sp.) Saffron.
azucar (Sp.) Sugar.
azuki (Jap.) A dried bean, russet with a white line at the eye, used widely in Japan and prized for its sweet flavor; azuki Hour is used in confections and puddings in Japan and China.
~B~
babe A yeast cake with raisins that is baked in a special cylindrical mold and soaked with syrup and rum or sometimes Kirsch; supposedly
named by Stanislaus 1. Lesczyinski, King of Poland, when he steeped
a Kugelhopf in rum and named it after Ali Baba.
babe ghanoush (Mid. E.) Puree of eggplant flavored with tahini, lemon
juice, olive oil, and garlic; spelled variously.
Babinski, Henry See Ali-Bab.
babka See babe.
bacalhau (Port.) Salt cod; the Spanish spelling is bacalao.
Bacchus The Roman god of wine; Dionysus in Greek mythology.
backen (Ger.) To bake.
Backhuhn, Backhandl (Ger.) Chicken rolled in breadcrumbs, then
fried.
Backobst (Ger.) Dried fruit.
Backpflaume (Ger.) Prune.
badaam (Ind.)Almond.
Baden A province in southwest Germany containing the Black Forest
and many vineyards, producing mostly white wines.
bagel An unsweetened yeast bread, traditionally egg less, shaped like a
doughout, cooked first in boiling water, and then baked; often eaten
with lox and cream cheese.
bagna caoda (It.) "Hot sauce"; Piedmont dialect term for bagna cauda.
bagna cauda (It.) A sauce of garlic and anchovies in oil and butter,
served warm with raw vegetables; from Piedmont.
baguette (Fr.) A long cylindrical loaf of French bread.
bai cai (Chin.) Bok choy, literally "white cabbage," a vegetable with
thick white stems and long, narrow, chard like leaves, often used in
stir-fried dishes.
baigan (Ind.) Eggplant.
bain-marie (Fr.) A container of warm water in which a smaller pot
or pots rest, to provide slow even heat and protect the contents from
overheating; a hot-water bath used on the stove or in the oven; a
double boiler is a type of bain-marie.
ba jiao (Chin.) Chinese star anise (literally, "eight points"); this seed from the magnolia family flavors marinades and slowly cooked dishes; although anise flavored, it is no relation to fennel.
bake To cook food by surrounding it with hot dry air in an oven or
on hot stones or metal.
bake blind To bake a pastry shell unfilled; the dough is pricked with
the tines of a fork, fitted with grease-proof paper, filled with dried
beans or rice as a weight, and partially baked.
baked Alaska Ice cream set on sponge cake, the whole masked with
meringue and quickly browned in a hot oven; the air bubbles insulate
the ice cream from the heat.
bakers' cheese Pasteurized skimmed-milk cows' cheese used by bakers
in the U.S.; it is similar to cottage cheese but smoother, softer, and
sourer.
baking powder A leavening agent for bread and pastry; when moistened,
it produces carbon dioxide to aerate and lighten dough. 'There are
many types, each combining alkaline and acidic material. In double acting baking powder, the chemical action occurs twice, first when
moistened and second when heated.
baking soda Bicarbonate of soda; a leavening agent similar to baking
powder but used with an acid such as sour milk.
baklava (Turk. ) A Middle Eastern sweet pastry made of extremely thin
sheets of phyllo dough layered with chopped nuts and honey syrup,
baked with butter and oil, and cut into diamonds.
balachan, blachan A Malaysian condiment of fermented shrimp or other
seafood with chilies; salty and pungent, it is an acquired taste: spelled variously.
ballotine, ballottine (Fr. ) A large piece of meat, often poultry or
occasionally fish, which is boned, possibly stuffed, rolled or shaped,
braised or roasted, and served hot or cold; ballottine is often confused
with galantine, which is poached and served cold with its own jelly;
also known as dodine.
baloney See mortadella.
balsamella (It.) Bechamel sauce.
balsam pear See bitter melon.
balut (Phil.) A fertilized duck egg nearly ready to hatch; considered
a great delicacy to Filipinos and some Malaysians but an acquired
taste to others.
bamboo A tropical beelike grass whose young shoots are eaten raw,
freshly boiled, or canned in the Orient.
bami goreng (Indon.) See nasi goreng.
banane (Fr.) Banana.
Banbury cake (Brit.) A cake from Oxfordshire, England, of oval flaky
pastry filled with currants, lemon peel, and spices.
banger (Brit.) Slang for sausage that is filled with ground pork and
breadcrumbs
bannock (Scot.) A traditional Scottish cake of barley, wheat, or oatmeal;
large and round, varying widely according to region.
Banyuls A sweet fortified dessert wine, usually red but also rose or
white; primarily made from the Grenache grape, in the town of the
same name in the eastern French Pyrenees.
bao (<.Chin. ) Abalone.
baobab A central African tree with a very thick trunk; its fruit, calledmonkey bread, is eaten fresh and made into a refreshing, healthful
drink, while its edible leaves are dried and powdered.
bap (Brit.) A small round loaf of soft white bread, eaten in Scotland
and parts of England for breakfast.
bar (Fr.) Sea bass.
baraquille (Fr.) A triangular stuffed pastry hors d'oeuvre.
barbabietola (It.) Beet root; the tops are bietola.
barbacoa (Mex.) Meat cooked in a barbecue pit; also, by extension,
the word often means breakfast.
Barbaresco A renowned red wine from the Italian Piedmont; produced
from the Nebbiolo grape.
barbecue, barbeque A method of cooking marinated food on a grill
or spit over a hardwood, charcoal, or briquette fire; the name also
extends to marinades and social gatherings at such cookouts.
barberry A shrub whose berries are pickled or ripened and made into
various preserves, syrup, and wine; red in color, high in acid; also
called Oregon grapes.
barbue (Fr.) Brill.
bard To tie extra fat, usually bacon, around fish, poultry, or meat to
baste it while cooking. The barding fat is usually removed before serving.
Bardolino A popular red wine made in northern Italy; fruity, light, best drunk young.
barigoule, a la (Fr.) Artichokes blanched, trimmed, stuffed with duxelles, wrapped in bacon, braised in white wine, and served with a reduction of the cooking broth.
Bar-le-Duc A red currant preserve whose name comes from the town in the French Lorraine where it is made.
barley An ancient and hardy grain grown in most climates, but today a staple only in the Middle East. In the modern world barley is used mostly for animal feed and for malt for brewing and distilling; only a small proportion is used for soup, cereal, and bread.
Barolo An Italian red wine from the Piedmont, south of Turin, made from the Nebbiolo grape; deep, full-bodied, and slow-maturing, it is an exceptional wine.
baron In England, a double sirloin of beef roasted for ceremonial occasions; in France, the saddle and two legs of lamb or mutton.
barquette (Fr.) A boat-shaped pastry shell filled and baked as an hors d'oeuvre or sweet; the name sometimes applies to vegetable cases for stuffing, such as zucchini.
Barsac An area within the Sauternes district of Bordeaux that products a white dessert wine that is fairly sweet and fruity.
basil A pungent herb from the mint family used extensively in Mediterranean cooking; the basis of pesto sauce.
basilico (It.) Basil.
bass A name for many fish, not necessarily related, some of which are separately entered under their individual names.
baste To moisten during cooking by spooning liquid over food, in order to prevent drying out and toughness.
batarde (Fr.) A sauce of white roux with water, bound with egg yolks, with butter and lemon juice added; the name means "bastard," 50 called for its indirect relationship to other classic sauces.
Batard-Montrachet A vineyard in Burgundy producing an excellent white wine; small in volume but dry, flavorful, and possessing a fine bouquet, it is made entirely from Chardonnay grapes.
batata (Sp. and Port.) Sweet potato.
baton, batonnet (Fr. ) Shaped like a little stick; vegetables such as potatoes cut in this manner are generally larger than allumettes or julienne.
batter A liquid mixture of flour and milk or water before it is spooned, poured, or dipped for cooking; it can be thick or thin but when no longer liquid it becomes dough.
batter bread See spoon bread.
batterie de cuisine (Fr.) Kitchen utensils.
battuto (It.) A base for soups and stews consisting of diced onion, garlic, celery, and herbs, cooked in oil or pork fat, to which the rest is added; after the battuto is cooked it becomes a soffrito
baudroie (Fr.) Monkfish.
Bauernsuppe (Ger.) A peasant soup of vegetables, legumes, and bacon; the adjective bauern means peasant or country-style.
Baumkuchen (Ger.) A traditional tall Christmas cake, baked in many layers to resemble the rings of a tree trunk, and iced with bark like chocolate.
Bavarian cream A cold custard pudding, often molded into peaks, made from gelatin, eggs, whipped cream, and various sweet flavorings.
bavarois (Fr.. ) Bavarian cream, but not to be confused with the bavaroise drink of sweetened tea enriched with egg yolks and milk and perhaps flavored with citrus.
bavette ( Fr.. ) Tip of sirloin; flank steak.
bay An herb from the laurel family whose dried leaves are an ingredient of the bouquet garni and whose leaves and berries have many medicinal uses; symbolic of intellectual achievement or victory.
bayerisch (Gcr.) Bavarian, of the southern region of West Germany around Munich.
Bayonne A town in the French Pyrenees famous for its fine cured hams.
bean curd See tofu.
bean sprout 'line germinated seed pod of a leguminous plant whose nutritional value is between that of a seed and a vegetable; bean sprouts are eaten fresh or lightly cooked and are appreciated for their crisp texture.
bean threads (Chin.) See fen sit
bearnaise ( Fr.. ) A sauce of the warm emulsion type in classical French cuisine; wine vinegar is reduced with shallots and tarragon, then cooled egg yolks and butter are beaten in and the mixture is strained and finished with chopped tarragon and perhaps chervil; served primarily with grilled meat, fowl, and eggs; one of the classic sauces.
Beaufort ( Fr.. ) A whole-milk cows' cheese from the French Savoy; similar to Gruyere and available year-round.
Beauharnais, a la (Fr..) A classical garnish for tournedos made of stuffed mushrooms, artichoke hearts, chateau potatoes, and Beauharnais sauce (bearnaise with pureed tarragon).
Beaujolais A region in southern Burgundy producing a popular red wine from the Gamay grape; pleasant, fruity, and light, best served cool and drunk young; Beaujolais Nouveau is new Beaujolais wine bottled immediately after fermentation; very light, fruity, and pleasant.
Beaulieu A vineyard in the Napa Valley producing some of the best California wines, especially their Cabernet Sauvignon.
Beaune A city in Burgundy and the center of its wine trade; see Cote d'Or.
becasse (Fr.) Woodcock; the Italian word is beccaccia
bec fin (Fr.) A slang term for a connoisseur of fine food.
bechamel (Fr.) A basic white sauce of milk stirred into a roux, thickened, and flavored with onion.
beche de mer See sea cucumber.
beef Stroganoff Strips of beef sauteed with chopped onions and mushrooms, thickened with sour cream; an American dish.
beef Wellington Fillet topped with duxelles, wrapped in puff pastry, and baked.
beer Any beverage made by the action of yeast on an infusion of malted cereal, brewed, flavored with hops, and fermented.
Beerenauslese (Ger.) A celebrated German wine made from overripe berries selected individually from specially chosen bunches of grapes; a sweet, fruity, intense wine of extraordinary flavor and expense.
Beetensuppe (Ger.) Borsch.
Beeton, Isabella ( 1836-1865) An English journalist and author of The Book of Household Management, which appeared in England in a women's magazine published by her husband (1859-61) and then in book form (1861), with a tremendous and lasting influence; the large scope of Mrs. Beeton's book on domestic economy included estimates of cost, quantities, and preparation times.
beignet (Fr.) Food dipped in batter and fried in deep fat.
Bei jing kao ya (Chin.) Peking duck: an elaborate and famous dish made from specially reared ducks; the bird is inflated with air to dry the skin, then smeared with a honey mixture and hung for a long time to dry again; it is then roasted until crisp, the skin removed to be served separately, and the meat shredded; skin and meat are served together with sliced scallions and cucumbers all rolled up in pancakes spread with a soybean sauce and eaten with the fingers.
Beilagen (Ger.) Accompanying dishes, such as vegetables or salad.
belegtes Brot (Ger.) Sandwich, usually open-faced.
Belgian endive A specially cultivated chicory whose leaves are cut off and shielded from the light, so that new pale yellow leaves grow back in their characteristic cigar shape; used fresh in salads or braised in various preparations; this curious new vegetable was discovered in the last century near Brussels, where it is mostly grown today during fall and winter; also called witloof.
bell pepper See pepper (sweet bell).
Belon oysters Choice oysters from the river of the same name in Brittany.
Bel Paese (It.) A semisoft, mild, uncooked Italian cheese made from
whole cows' milk; it is produced on a large scale and is very popular.
beluga caviar Choicest caviar from the white sturgeon.
Benedictine A liqueur originally made by the monks of that order in
Fecamp, Normandy, based on Cognac and flavored with many herbs
and plants; B & B is a drier combination of Benedictine and brandy.
benne seeds Sesame seeds, brought from Africa with the slave trade
and used especially in the Black cooking of South Carolina, often to
symbolize happiness.
Bercy (Fr. ) A classic fish sauce of white wine and fish fumes reduced
with shallots and finished with butter and parsley; also made with
meat glaze and beef marrow for grilled meat.
bergamot A bitter, pear-shaped orange whose skin is used for its essential oil in perfume-making; also the name of a pear and a type of mint.
Bergkase (Ger.) A hard yellow cheese from the Bavarian Alps; this is
really a generic name for various cooked pressed cheeses from the
region.
Berliner Weisse (Ger.) A pale, tart ale made from wheat and low in
alcohol; often drunk with a dash of raspberry syrup for refreshment.
Bernkastel A town in the Moselle region of West Germany with some
of the region's best vineyards, all estate-bottled wines.
betterave (Fr.) Beetroot.
beurre blanc (Fr.) A sauce of white wine and shallots reduced, thickened with butter, and served warm with seafood, poultry, or vegetables.
beurre Chivry (Fr.) A compound butter flavored with parsley, tarragon,
chives, and shallots.
beurre manic (Fr.) Flour and butter, usually in equal proportion,
kneaded together into a paste to thicken sauces and gravies; the flour
can be browned or not.
beurre noir (Fr.) A sauce of butter cooked until brown, often flavored
with chopped parsley, capers, and vinegar; served with fish or brains.
bhara, bharva (Ind.) Stuffed.
bhojia (Ind.) Vegetables stir-fried and highly spiced.
bhona (Ind.)Fried.
bicarbonate of soda See baking soda.
bicchiere (It.) A measuring glass roughly equivalent to one cup.
biem cult (Fr.) Well done, as for steak.
Bierwurst (Ger.) A fat sausage of pork, pork fat, and beef, dark reddish brown in color.
bietola (It.) Swiss chard.
bigarade (Fr.) A classic brown sauce for roast duck made of caramelized sugar, lemon and orange juice, stock, and deml-glace, with blanched zest.
bigos (Pol.) A hunter's stew of sauerkraut with sausages, bacon, mushrooms, red wine, and meat (usually venison).
bilberry A small berry similar to the blueberry but usually smaller and tarter, with the same silvery cast; used for pies, jams, etc.; native to Europe, especially Northern Europe.
Billy Bi (Fr.) Mussel soup with cream and white wine, originally created for a customer at Maxim's without the mussels themselves, but now usually served with them.
bind To hold together by means of a liaison.
Bingen A wine town of Hessia, West Germany, overlooking the Rhine and Nahe Rivers, producing excellent white wines.
bird's nest See yen cad.
bird's nest fryer A hinged double wire basket for deep-frying straw potato nests to be filled with other food, such as peas.
Birne (Ger.) Pear.
biryani (Ind.) A substantial rice dish, variously prepared, similar to pilaf.
Bischofsbrot (Ger.) An Austrian cake containing dried fruit and choc-orate drops.
biscuit A small flat cake, usually round and unsweetened, originally double-baked (see zwieback), hence its name; the term now covers a wide variety of small cakes and breads.
biscuit de Savoie (Fr.) A sponge cake from Savoy, often baked in a brioche parisienne mold and served with fruit.
biscuits a La cuillere (Fr.) Ladyfingers; so named because before the invention of the pastry bag they were shaped by dropping the dough from a spoon.
biscuit tortoni See tortoni.
bishop A mulled wine drink, often made with port or champagne, flavored with orange and lemon, cinnamon, clove, and other spices; a traditional drink in England and northern Europe.
Biskote (Ger.) ladyfinger.
Bismarck herring Herring that are marinated in vinegar, filleted and split, seasoned with onion, and eaten with sour cream.
bisque A thick soup puree, often made from shellfish to which the pulverized shells are added. Originally a poultry or game soup, bisque has gradually come to mean a puree, thickened perhaps with cream.
bitter melon A gourd vegetable, quite sour in flavor, with a ridged rind resembling a furrowed cucumber, used in Malaysian and Oriental cooking. Also called balsam pear.
bitters A liquid, usually alcoholic, steeped with aromatic herbs and roots and used as a tonic or as a flavoring for alcoholic drinks.
Bitto A cows' milk cheese from Sondrio in Italy which is aged from two
months to three years and used as a table or grating cheese; it is
popular in Italy grated or sprinkled on top of polenta with butter.
bivalve A mollusk with two hinged shells, such as a clam, mussel, or
oyster.
bizcochos borrachos (Sp.) Sponge cakes sugared, splashed with wine,
and sprinkled with cinnamon.
black bass A freshwater fish of several varieties, both small mouth and large mouth, with firm, lean meat; suitable for most kinds of cooking.
black bean A common bean variety, black, shiny, and sweet; this dried
bean is a staple food in Central and South America, especially in rice
dishes, stews, frijoles refritos, and in the southern United States, as
in black bean soup.
black butter See beurre noir.
black-eyed pea A white pea with a black eye, brought to the southern
United States from Africa in the seventeenth century with the slave
trade; a favorite bean in Black American cooking, either fresh or dried,
and an essential ingredient in dishes such as hopping John.
Black Forest A wooded, mountainous region of southwestern West Ger-
many, producing a strongly flavored smoked ham; its name also des-
ignates a rich chocolate cake (see Schwarzwalder Kirschtorte).
black pepper See pepper (black).
black pudding See blood sausage.
black sea bass A small mid Atlantic warm-weather fish; its lean, delicate white flesh is suitable for most cooking methods and is widely used in Chinese cuisine.
blackstrap Dark, heavy, strong molasses originally made in the West
Indies and considered low-quality but nutritious and flavorful for
certain uses.
blakhan (Indon.) A salty and pungent shrimp paste, related to the
Philippine balachan and other Oriental fermented fish condiments.
blanc (Fr.) Cooking stock or court bouillon in which certain foods,
such as artichokes, are cooked to retain their color; it usually includes a little flour mixed with water; lemon juice and butter or oil are sometimes included.
blanc de blancs (Fr.) A white Champagne wine made from white
grapes.
blanch To immerse vegetables, fruit, or meat in boiling water briefly,
then plunge into cold water to stop cooking; this technique is used
to firm or soften flesh, to set color, to peel off skin, or to remove
raw flavor.
blancmange A medieval or older jellied mixture originally made of
pulverized almonds and veal stock spiced and sweetened; blancmange
has changed over the centuries into a kind of pudding or custard.
blanquette (Fr.) A stew of veal, chicken, or lamb, braised in stock.
thickened with egg yolks and cream, and garnished with mushrooms
and small white onions; the sauce is always white.
ble (Fr.) Wheat.
blending Mixing wines of different qualities or origins to produce a
better wine or to give consistency; usually an honorable practice but
sometimes unscrupulous.
bleu (Fr.) Very rare, as for steak; rarer than a point.
bleu, au (Fr.) A method of preparing trout or other fish whereby the
fish is killed immediately before being plunged into a boiling court
bouillon with vinegar, which turns the skin bluish and curls the
body of the fish.
Bleu d'Auvergue (Fr.) A whole-milk cows' cheese made in several
areas in the French Auvergne; it is a soft, unpressed blue cheese with
a distinctive flavor.
blind Huhn (Ger.) A casserole of beans, vegetables, dried apples, and
bacon.
blind (Russ.) Pancakes, usually of buckwheat flour, often served with
sour cream and caviar.
bloater (Brit.) Inshore herring that are lightly salted and smoked, then gutted only just before serving.
Blockwurst (Ger.) A sausage of beef and pork, similar to salami.
blond de veau (Fr.) White veal stock; blond de volaille means clear
chicken stock.
blondir (Fr.) To cook lightly in fat.
blood sausage A sausage colored black and flavored with blood and
diced pork fat from fresh-killed pigs.
bloom The wax coating, which appears on several fresh fruits and vegetables, which protect the fruit from the direct rays of the sun; such as blueberries.
blue cheese Cheese injected with a mold such as Penicillium roqueforti
(from Roquefort, the oldest cheese of the genre), which gives the
cheese its characteristic flavor and blue green veining; there are many
varieties, some of which are individually noted.
blue crab A variety of crab found on the Chesapeake Bay, eastern
Atlantic, and Gulf coastlines, best appreciated in the form of soft shell crab.
bluefish A voracious fish found off the North American east coast and
in the Mediterranean; its oily and flavorful flesh takes well to assertive seasonings and accompaniments; best for baking, broiling and smoking.
Blue Point A species of oyster found off the coast of long Island usually served raw.
Blumenkohl (Ger.) Cauliflower.
Blutwurst (Ger.) Blood sausage.
Bock (Ger.) A strong Bavarian beer usually dark.
bodega (Sp.) A wine cellar or store.
boeuf a la bourguignonne (Fr.) See bourguignonne, a la.
bogavante (Sp,) Large clawed lobster.
Bohne (Ger.) Bean.
boil To cook in liquid at or above the boiling point ( 100 Celsius, 212 Fahrenheit), when liquid bubbles and evaporates into steam; a rolling boil is a vigorous boil.
boiled dinner See New England boiled dinner.
bok choy See bai cad.
boletus A genus of wild mushroom of which the bolete, cepe, or porcino,
as it is variously known, is best known and most prized; with a thick
fleshy cap and stem, the cepe grows in chestnut and oak woods from
June to November and is eaten fresh and dried; not to be confused
with other species.
bollito (It.) Boiled; refers especially to mixed boiled meats.
bologna See mortadella.
bolognese, alla (It.) See ragu bolognese.
Bombay duck An Indian fish (bombil) that is dried and used to flavor
curry dishes.
bombe (Fr. ) Ice cream that is layered and packed into a special mold,
originally shaped like- a bomb.
bonbon (Fr.) Candy, sweet.
Boniatos: A tuber that looks like a sweet potato, but larger and sweeter.
bonito A small member of the tuna family; often used in Japanese cooking dried, salted, or flaked.
bonne femme, a la (Fr.) Prepared in a simple home style, often ac-
companied by small onions and mushrooms, in a white wine sauce
flavored with lemon juice.
boqueron (Sp.) Anchovy or whitebait.
borage An herb, Mediterranean in origin, used to flavor vegetables and beverages; its flowers are made into fritters, its young leaves are used in salads, and its mature leaves are cooked like spinach and finely chopped.
Bordeaux A seaport city and capital of the Gironde on the Garonne
River in southwest France; the Bordeaux region is famous for the
large quantity of red and white wine it produces, some of it very
fine.
Bordeaux fine, a la (Fr.) Garnished with a reduction sauce of red or white wine with bone- marrow and chopped parsley; with cepes added; with
mirepoix; or a garnish of artichokes and potatoes.
borek ( Turk. ) A very thin pastry filled with savory stuffing, folded or rolled up, and fried or baked.
borlotto bean A common bean variety, usually dried; this splotched
brown bean is especially popular in Italy where it is cooked to a
creamy puree or added to soups.
borracha, salsa (Mex.) Literally "drunken sauce"; made with pasilla
chilies, orange juice, onion, and tequila.
borsch, borscht (Pol. and Russ.) A soup based on fresh beets (which
impart their vibrant color), meat broth, and winter vegetables, and
often flavored with kvass; the soup varies widely but is always served
with sour cream; traditional for Christmas Eve, without meat.
Boston baked beans Navy beans flavored with molasses and salt pork
and baked in an earthenware pot; originally prepared on Saturday
and cooked in a communal oven to allow Puritan housewives to
observe the Sabbath-hence Boston's nickname of Bean Town.
Boston brown bread A traditional accompaniment to Boston baked
beans, this rye bread is flavored with molasses and often contains
whole wheat and cornmeal; the dark sweet bread is steamed, usually
in baking powder tins.
botifarra (Sp.) Blood sausage.
Botrytis cinerea See noble rot.
bottom round See round.
bouchee (Fr.) A small puff-pastry savory, literally a "mouthful," filled variously.
boucher (Fr.) Butcher.
bouchon (Fr.) Cork.
boudin noir (Fr.) Blood sausage.
bouillabaisse (Fr.) This famous specialty from Marseilles, originally ahearty fisherman's stew, is made from a wide variety of native fish
and shellfish and flavored with saffron; the exact recipe is hotly disputed.
bouillir (Fr.) To boil.
bouillon (Fr. ) Stock or broth that forms the basis of soups and sauces; it can be made from vegetables, poultry, or meat boiled in water, depending on its use, and need not contain gelatin.
boulage (Fr.) Shaping the dough in baking.
boulanger (Fr.) Baker.
boulangere, a la (Fr.) Garnished with braised onion and potato.
boule de neige (Fr.) A dessert pastry resembling snowballs (hence
the name), of round cakes dipped in whipped cream; made in individual
servings. .
bouquet (Fr.) The aroma of wine, which gives it much of its character
and charm.
bouquet garni (Fr.) A bunch of herbs tied together in a small bundle
for flavoring a dish as it cooks and removed before serving; it usually
includes parsley, thyme, and bay leaf, among other herbs.
bouquetiere, a la (Fr.) Meat garnished with vegetables that are arranged in bouquets.
bourgeoise, a la (Fr.) Braised meat garnished with carrots onions,
and diced bacon.
Bourgogne (Fr.) Burgundy.
bourguignonne, a la (Fr.) Served with a red wine sauce garnished with mushrooms, small onions, and diced bacon.
bourride (Fr.) A fish stew from Provence, similar to bouillabaisse, served on a croute, and flavored with aioli.
boysenberry A hybrid cultivar of the blackberry that tastes like a raspberry, developed early in this century and named after an American, Rudolf Boysen.
braciola (It.) Cutlet or chop.
Bragenwurst (Ger.) Smoked sausage of pig's brains, oats, flour, and onions; long and thin.
brains Usually from a calf or lamb, brains should first be blanched in acidulated water, then poached in a court bouillon or fried in butter; often served with beurre noir or noisette.
braise To cook in a small amount of flavored liquid in a tightly covered pan over low heat.
bran The thin brown outer covering of the wheat grain, which is removed during the refining of white flour; although bran is not absorbed into the body during digestion, its fiber, usually eaten in baked goods and breakfast cereal, is beneficial.
brandade (Fr.) A salt-cod dish from Provence in which cod is pounded with olive oil, milk, and garlic into a thick, flavorful puree and served with croutes; the name derives from the Provencal word for stirred; see also morue.
brandy A spirit distilled from wine (types of brandy are separately entered ).
brasato (It.) Braised.
Braten (Ger.) A cut of meat roasted in the oven or braised on the stove.
Brathering (Ger.) Herring that is grilled or floured and fried, then pickled in a boiled vinegar marinade; usually served cold.
Bratwurst (Ger.) A sausage of spiced pork, fried or grilled; very popular.
Braunschweiger (Ger.) Liver sausage.
brawn See head cheese.
Brazil nut The nut of a tall tree indigenous to the Amazon and growing mostly in the wild. The woody pod, looking something like a coconut, contains up to twenty seeds whose segments fit together in their husks; the nut is white, creamy, and high in fat. The tree grows only in Brazil and, curiously, almost all of the nuts are exported.
breadfruit The fruit of a tree native to the Pacific; large, round, and starchy, it is eaten boiled or baked; sometimes confused with its blander-tasting relative, jackfruit
bread sauce (Brit.) A sauce of milk thickened with bread crumbs; served with poultry and game.
bream Several different species of fish, including the excellent Medi-
terranean gilthead and the American porgy.
bresaola (It.) Dried salt beef sliced from the fillet, served as an antipasto; a specialty of northern Lombardy.
Bresse A region in southern Burgundy famous for its excellent chickens
and for its blue cheese, Bleu de Bresse.
bretonne, a la (Fr.) Garnished with fresh white haricot beans.
brewer's yeast See yeast.
brick A scalded-curd, surface-ripened whole-milk cows' cheese first madin Wisconsin; it is shaped in bricks and also weighted with bricks
during pressing, hence its name; the taste and texture is between
Cheddar and Liederkranz.
brider (Fr.) To truss.
Brie A soft uncooked cows' milk cheese from the region of the same
name east of Paris; made in large flat discs, this cheese, with its white, surface-ripened rind and smooth buttery interior, is made similarly to Camembert and is renowned for its fine aroma and taste.
brill A member of the flounder family.
Brillat-Savarin, Jean Anthelme (1755 - 1826) A French lawyer and
magistrate who is remembered today for his great treatise on gas-
tronomy, the Physiology of Taste, published in 1825.
brinjal (Ind.) Eggplant.
brioche (Fr.) A cake or pastry made from a rich yeast dough containing
butter and eggs, often baked in a characteristic fluted mold with a
smaller knob on top (brioche parisienne), as well as in various other
shapes and sizes.
brisket A cut of beef from the lower forequarter, between the foreshanks and short plate; usually braised or cured for corned beef.
brisling The sprat, a small fish similar to the herring.
Brittany A province in northwest France noted for its fresh and saltwater fish and shellfish, Muscadet wine, cider, and many other foods.
broa (Sp.) Cornbread.
broad bean See fava.
broche, a la (Fr.) Spit-roasted.
brochet (Fr.) Pike.
brochette (Fr.) A skewer for grilling pieces of food.
brodo (It.) Broth or bouillon; brodo ristretto is consomme.
Brolio A celebrated and ancient vineyard in the Italian Chianti district in Tuscany; the wine is robust and long-lived.
bronzing (It.) Sea bass.
Broschen (Ger.) Sweetbreads.
Brot (Ger.) Bread.
brou (Fr.) A liqueur made from walnut husks.
brouille (Fr.) Scrambled.
Brouilly A wine-producing district in Beaujolais with one of the best
wines of that type.
brown To cook by high heat, causing the surface of the food to turn
dark and imparting a richer, cooked flavor; browning affects the outside
of food only, leaving the inside moist; it can be achieved by sauteing,
frying, grilling, or heating under a broiling unit; see also caramel.
brown betty An American pudding made of sliced fruit thickened with
breadcrumbs, sweetened, and baked; usually made with apples.
brown sauce See espagnole.
brown sugar Refined sugar with a thin coating of molasses; not to be
confused with raw, unrefined sugar.
brule (Fr.) Burned or flamed, as in burnt-brandy or creme brulee.
brunoise (Fr.) A mixture of vegetables cut into small dice and cooked
slowly in butter for soups, sauces, etc.; batonnets cut across into
cubes make brunoise.
Brunswick stew A Southern American stew originally made with squirrel
or whatever game was available, but now mostly made with chicken
and a variety of vegetables.
bruschetta (It.) Bread slices toasted, rubbed with garlic, and dribbled with new green olive oil; a specialty of Rome.
brut Very dry Champagne to which virtually no sugar has been added;
drier than "extra dry."
bruxelloise, a la (Fr.) Garnished with Brussels sprouts, braised endives, and chateau potatoes and served with a Madeira sauce.
Bual A type of Madeira, golden in color and quite sweet, now usually
drunk as a dessert wine; the name comes from the particular grape
variety.
bubble and squeak (Brit.) Boiled meat, usually beef, fried with cabbage and sometimes potatoes.
buche de Noel (Fr.) Literally Yule log; the traditional French gateau
for Christmas, made of genoise and buttercream and decorated to
look like a log.
buckwheat flour Not a true cereal, buckwheat flour is made from dry
fruit seeds of the plant; most popular in Russia (see blind), buckwheat
is made into pancakes and special breads (sometimes mixed with
wheat ) hut mostly used for fodder; also called saracen wheat or
saracen corn.
budin (Sp.) Pudding; the Italian word is budino.
bue (It.) Beef; the Spanish word is buey.
buffalo fish A freshwater American fish with sweet, white, lean flesh;
a type of sucker, the buffalo is similar to carp and versatile in cooking.
bulghur (Mid. E.) Cracked wheat, hulled and parboiled, originally Per-
sian; this nutty-textured cereal is ground in different grades for various dishes such as tabbouleh, kibbeh, and pilaf; also spelled bulgur
and burghul
bullabesa (Sp.) Fish stew of Catalonia; a cousin of bouillabaisse.
Bundnerfleisch (Switz.) Cured, dried beef sliced very thin.
bullock's heart: Not as good in flavor as the other varieties of custurd apples. The appearance of bullock's heart (Annona reticulata) is suggested by its name. It has a brownish-red skin with a scaly surface and the pulp is sweet and granular.
bunuelo (Sp.) Fritter.
burdock A large plant whose leaves, young shoots, and roots are used
for food and drink; much favored in Japan, where it is known as
gobo.
burghul See bulghur.
burgoo A thick stew, originally a porridge for sailors, later containing many different meats and vegetables and thickened with okra; associated with the southern United States and Kentucky.
Burgos (Sp ) A fresh ewes' milk cheese, from the Spanish province of
the same name; mild, soft, and pleasant, often served for dessert; the
rind less discs weigh approximately three pounds.
Burgundy A province southeast of Paris, famous for its red and white
wines; Beaujolais, Chablis, Pouilly-Fuisse, and those of the Cote
d'Or, separately entered, are the best known.
burnet An herb whose leaves, which taste like cucumber, are used to
flavor salads, cool drinks, vinegar, and sauces.
burrida (It.) A fish stew from Genoa (a cousin of bourride)
burrito (Sp.) A taco of wheat rather than maize (tortilla), folded to
enclose a filling.
burro (It.) Butter.
Busserl (Ger.) Small round sweet pastries, literally "kiss."
buta (Jap. ) Pork.
butter bean Lima bean.
buttercream A mixture of butter, sugar, and egg yolks or custard, flavored in a wide variety of ways and used to ice or garnish dessert pastriesand cakes.
butterfly To cut open and spread the sides apart ( as with butterfly wings ), especially for a piece of meat or fish.
buttermilk The residue from churned butter, containing the milk casein, which has a slightly sour flavor; buttermilk is easily digested and is often used with baking soda for breads and pastries; nowadays usually made from a culture.
Cabernet (Fr.) A grape variety that partly makes up red Bordeaux
wines and many of the world's best clarets; Cabernet Sauvignon,
higher in tannin, is slower maturing and longer lasting than Cabernet;
Cabernet Franc is more productive.
Cabernet Rose d'Anjou (Fr.) A rose wine, of the Cabernet Franc
grape, from the Loire Valley.
cabillaud (Fr.) Fresh cod; see also morue.
cabinet See Kabinett.
cabra (Sp.) Goat.
Cabrales (Sp.) A blue veined cheese from northern Spain; usually made
from goats' milk but sometimes from cows' and sheep's milk; earthy,
pungent, yet mellow in flavor; sometimes called Picon.
cabrito (Sp.) Kid.
cacao A tree from whose seeds, fermented, roasted, and ground, come
chocolate and cocoa; native to South America, it now grows in many
tropical countries around the globe.
cacciagione (It.) Game.
cacciatore (It.) Hunter's style: in a sauce of mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and herbs with wine.
Caciocavallo (It.) A whole-milk cows' cheese, spindle-shaped and tied with string, from southern Italy; made by the spun-curd method. Table cheeses are aged for two months, grating cheeses up to twelve, and their flavor ranges from delicate and sweet to more pungent with age; this pale straw-colored cheese is used for eating and cooking and is sometimes smoked.
Caen, a la mode de (Fr.) A classic preparation for tripe in which blanched squares of tripe are slowly braised with onions, carrots, leeks, blanched ox feet, herbs, garlic, brandy, and white wine; it is cooked for twelve hours in a hermetically sealed marmite.
Caerphilly (Brit.) A cows' milk cheese, mild, crumbly, moist, and slightly sour; the traditional lunch of the Welsh coal miners, it is now mostly made in western England rather than Wales.
Caesar salad Romaine lettuce with croutons, coddled eggs, and grated Parmesan cheese in an olive oil vinaigrette flavored with garlic and Worcestershire sauce; anchovies are often added; created in 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian restaurateur in Tijuana.
cafe au lait (Fr.) Coffee with hot milk; the Italian term is caffe latte.
Cahors (Fr.) A fine red wine from the city of the same name in Toulouse, made from the Malbec grape; very dark red, slow maturing, long lasting.
cai juan (Chin.) Egg roll; a square crepe like wrapper made from an egg, flour, and water batter, usually stuffed with pork, cabbage, or other vegetables, rolled up, and deep-fried or steamed, or sometimes shredded for garnishing; the egg roll, very popular in Cantonese American cooking, is thicker and less elegant than the spring roll and should not be confused with it.
caille (Fr.) Quail.
Cajun Originally, this term pertained to the French Canadian settlers in Louisiana, a corruption of Acadia (from the colony of Acadia in southeastern Canada); (.Cajun cooking combines French methods with rural southern ingredients and is often confused with Creole; gumbo and jambalaya are typical dishes of this unique cuisine.
calabacita (Sp.) Zucchini.
calabaza (Sp.) Pumpkin.
calabash See passion fruit.
calamaro (It.) Squid.
Caldaro A town in the Italian Tirol that produces a number of light and pleasant red and white wines.
calderada (Sp.) A thick Galician fish stew similar to bouillabaisse.
caldereta (Sp.) A meat or fish stew, whose name derives from the cauldron or pot in which it is cooked.
caldo (It.) Hot; in Spanish and Portuguese, caldo means broth.
caliente (Sp.) Hot.
Californian chili (Mex.) See guero.
callaloo (Carib.) The leafy green tops of the taro plant, cooked into a spicy vegetable stew with okra, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, garlic,
chilies, herbs, salt pork or other meat, coconut milk, and sometimes
crab; a popular and variable native dish related to Creole crab gumbo;
also spelled calalou and callilu.
calmer (Fr.) Squid.
Calvados Apple brandy from the town of the same name in Normandy.
calzone (It.) A turnover made of pizza dough and stuffed with various
savory fillings, usually in individual portions; originally from Naples
and now popular in the U.S.
camaron (Sp.) Shrimp.
Cambridge sauce A mayonnaise like sauce of hard-boiled egg yolks,
anchovies, capers, herbs, mustard, vinegar, and oil, finished with
chopped parsley.
Camembert (Fr.) A cows' milk cheese, soft and creamy with a white
mold rind; from the town of the same name in Normandy; neither
cooked nor pressed, this rich cheese in four-inch rounds is very
popular and famous and, at its best-farmhouse cheese from unpas-
teurized milk-superb.
camote (Sp.) Sweet potato.
campagnola (It.) Country style, usually with onions and tomatoes.
canape (Fr.) A small piece of bread spread or garnished with savory
food and served as an hors d'oeuvre.
canard sauvage (Fr.) Wild duck.
caneton (Fr.) Duckling.
cangrejo (Sp.) Crab.
canneberge (Fr.) Cranberry.
cannella (It.) Cinnamon; the French word is cannelle.
cannellini (It.) White kidney beans.
cannelloni (It.) Pasta squares usually boiled, stuffed, rolled, and baked in a sauce.
cannoli (It.) Pastry tubes or horns filled with ricotta cheese, chocolate, and candied citron.
Cantal (Fr.) A cows' milk cheese from the Frcnch Auvergne, uncooked,
pressed, and cured for three months; similar to Cheddar, this ancient
cheese, known by the Romans, is cylindrical in shape with a nutty,
full flavor.
cantaloupe See muskmelon.
Cantenac A town in the Medoc region of France that produces several
excellent clarets.
capeado (Sp.) Dipped in batter and fried.
capelli dangelo (It.) Angel hair pasta; the thinnest pasta, almost too fine to cut by hand. This pasta has recently become popular with the
health-conscious, putting a new twist on the old riddle: which weighs
less, a pound of angel hair or a pound of macaroni?
caper The bud or young fruit of a climbing plant, native to Africa and
the Mediterranean, which is pickled to make a condiment; nasturtium
buds or seeds are sometimes substituted.
capitolade (Fr.) Cooked chicken or other food, chopped and served
in a sauce; a kind of chicken hash.
capitone (It.) Iarge conger eel.
capon A castrated male chicken, whose flesh is well fattened (it gains
up to ten pounds in as many months ). Capon is prepared like chicken,
although its flesh has a distinctive taste of its own.
caponata (It.) A Sicilian vegetable salad of fried eggplant, onions, olives, anchovies, capers, and tomatoes.
cappelleffl (It.) Small squares of pasta stuffed and shaped like little hats, hence their name; very similar to tortellini.
cappone (It.) (.apon.
cappuccino (It.) Espresso coffee with hot frothy milk, often dusted
with cocoa powder or cinnamon.
capretto (It.) Kid.
capsicum See chili.
carambola A fruit (commonly referred to as star fruit), native to Malaysia and pale yellow green, with five pointed ridges around the central core. It is star-shaped when sliced across.
caramel Sugar dissolved in water and cooked to a rich dark brown
color; caramelized sugar is used in candy, desserts, stocks, and sauces.
caraway An herb in the parsley family whose anise-flavored seeds are
used in making cheese, bread, and pastry, and whose milder leaves
are used in cooking; a staple seasoning in German and Hungarian
cuisine.
carbonado (Sp.) A beef stew from Argentina combining apples, pears,
tomatoes, onions, and potatoes.
carbonara, alla (It.) A spaghetti sauce with bacon, eggs, Parmesan
cheese, and (usually) cream.
carbonnade a la flamande ( Bell ) A beef stew from Flanders flavored
with bacon, onions, and a little brown sugar, and simmered in beer.
The term carbonnade originally referred to meat cooked over charcoal.
carciofo (It.) Artichoke.
cardamom A spice of the ginger family whose pungent seeds are dried
and used in Oriental, Indian, and Middle Eastern cooking.
cardinal, a la (Fr.) A fish garnish of bechamel sauce flavored with
truffle essence, lobster buner and slices, and cayenne pepper; cardinal
sometimes refers to a brilliant red dessert sauce of pureed raspberries,
strained and sweetened.
cardoon A vegetable cultivated for its stalks and tender leaves; closely related to the artichoke, although it looks different.
Careme, Antonin ( 1784 - 1833) A French chef who, by organizing the
workings of the professional kitchen and thus grand classical cuisine,
is regarded as its founder; Careme worked for many great patrons,
but his fame rests mostly on his erudite books; see also piece montee
and sauce.
card (Fr.) Curry.
carmine A red dye used for food coloring, obtained from the female
cochineal insect.
came (It. and Sp.) Meat.
carob An evergreen tree whose pods are eaten both fresh and dried;
high in sugar and protein, carob is used for confectionery (often as
a chocolate substitute) and in pharmaceuticals and animal feed; carob
may be the biblical locusts-a mistranslation of locust bean-that
St. John ate in the desert.
caroline (Fr. ) A small savory eclair stuffed and eaten as an hors d'oeuvre.
carp A freshwater fish found in Asian, European, and American waters
which, unless farmed, tends to live in muddy water; it is cooked and
used in many ways, including gefilte fish.
carpaccio (It.) Very thin slices of raw beef fillet served with mustard sauce, mayonnaise, or olive oil and lemon juice.
carrageen, carragheen Commonly known as "Irish moss," really a
seaweed that grows wild along the north Atlantic shore; the red plant
is eaten fresh or dried, when it is bleached almost whitc; used in
sweet and savory dishes and as an excellent source of gelatin.
carre d'agneau (Fr.) Loin or rack of lamb; carre, literally "square,"
can also mean best end of neck, sometimes of veal or pork as well
as lamb or mutton.
carrots a la Vichy (Fr.) Sliced carrots cooked, if possible, in Vichy
mineral water, with butter, a little sugar, and salt until glazed, and
garnished with chopped parsley.
casaba A large winter melon or muskmelon with yellow ribbed skin and
very pale flesh.
casalinga (It.) Homemade.
cascabel (Mex.) A small, round, dried chili pepper with a smooth
reddish brown skin, about one inch across and fairly hot; its name
(literally, rattlesnake) refers to its rattle.
cashew A kidney-shaped nut of an Amazonian tree much favored in
South American, Indian, and Asian cooking; the nut is attach to an
applelike false fruit; wine, vinegar, and liqueur are made from the
cashew.
casing The intestinal membrane that is cleaned and stuffed with sausage
forcemeat; a synthetic tubing used similarly.
cassata (It.) Ice cream molded in contrastingly colored layers with
candied fruits soaked in liqueur; also a rich chocolate dessert from
Sicily combining layers of sponge cake and ricotta with candied fruits.
cassava See tapioca.
cassia A type of cinnamon often confused with cinnamon proper when
sold in powdered form, as in the U.S.; cassia is reddish brown, cinnamon
a lighter tan.
cassis (Fr.) Black currant; a liqueur made from black currants is called creme de cassis and it is used alone or mixed to make aperitifs such as Kir-white wine colored with a few drops of cassis-or Kir
royale, made with Champagne.
cassoulet (Fr.) A stew of dried haricot beans baked with various meats
(usually pork and mutton), preserved goose or duck, onions, etc., in
an earthenware pot; from the Languedoc region.
castagna (It.) Chestnut.
caster sugar (Brit.) Superfine sugar.
catalane, a la (Fr.) Garnished with sauteed eggplant and rice pilaf,
and sometimes also with tomatoes.
catfish A fresh- and saltwater fish with a slick, scaleless skin, sharp, poisonous spines, and "whiskers" (hence its name); the catfish is very popular in the southern United States where it is increasingly farmed; cooked in various ways, especially deep-fried, usually pan-dressed, steaked, or filleted.
caudle (Brit.) A hot spiced drink, often including wine or ale, with a
cereal base; a favorite cold-weather beverage in England and Scotland.
caul The thin, fatty membrane, like netted lace, from a pig's or sheep's intestines; used to contain and cover pates, roasts, etc.; the fat melts away during cooking.
cave (Fr.) Wine cellar.
caviar Sturgeon roe, especially beluga, but loosely used for other fish roe.
cavolfiore (It.) Cauliflower.
cavolo (It.) Cabbage.
cayenne pepper Red chili pepper, dried and ground fine; in Mexico
this pepper, about three inches long, is widely available fresh year-
round.
cazuela (Sp.) Earthenware casserole.
cebiche (Sp.) See seviche.
cebolla (Sp.) Onion.
Cebreto (Sp.) A blue-veined cheese with a creamy texture and yellow
ceci (It. and Sp.) Chick-peas, garbanzo beans.
celeriac Celery root-a variety of celery cultivated for its fat, bulbous root rather than its stalks; best when peeled and shredded for salads and hors d'oeuvre.
cellophane noodles See fen sit
cena (It. and Sp.) Supper.
cepe (Fr.) See boletus.
cerdo (Sp.) Pork.
cerfeuil (Fr.) Chervil.
cerise (Fr.) Cherry.
cervelas (Fr.) A sausage of pork meat and fat (and formerly brains),
flavored with garlic; also called saucisson de Paris; some nouvelle
cuisine seafood sausages are called cervelas.
cervelles (Fr. ) Brains.
cerveza (Sp.) Beer.
cervo (It.) Venison.
cetriolo (It.) Cucumber.
Chabichou (Fr.) A goats' milk cheese from Poitou, France, small and
conical or cylindrical in shape, soft and mild in flavor; also called
Chabi.
Chablis (Fr.) A small town and its environs in Burgundy, southeast of
Paris, producing a well-known white wine of the same name from
the Chardonnay grape; dry, clean, "flinty," pale-colored, it can vary
widely in quality; in other countries, the term Chablis has little
meaning.
chafing dish A metal pan or dish heated from below with a flame, hot
coals, or electricity, for warming or cooking food; from the French
word chauffer, to heat.
chain (Ind.)Tea.
challah (Jew.) Traditional Sabbath bread, made with oil, water, egg
yolks, and honey, and baked in a braided loaf; for holidays it is often
baked in a braided knot or spiral with raisins.
chalupa (Mcx.) A boat-shaped tortilla, stuffed variously.
Chambertin A vineyard in the Cote d'Or producing exceptional red
Burgundy; ancient and celebrated, it is well worth its expense;
Alexandre Dumas, who was not a wine drinker, wrote that "nothing
makes the future look so rosy as to contemplate it through a glass of
Chambertin."
Chambolle-Musigny A village in the Cote d'Or of Burgundy that pro-
duces delicate, aromatic, and excellent red wines.
chambrer (Fr.) To bring wines up from the cellar to allow them to
rise to room temperature before serving.
Champagne Sparkling white wine from the French region of Champagne,
made by a specific process from particular grapes, strictly delineated
by law; properly speaking, only these wines should be called Cham-
pagne, although the term is used loosely, especially in California.
champignon (Fr.) Mushroom.
channa (Ind.) Chick-peas.
chanterelle (Fr.) A wild mushroom, yellow and trumpet-shaped with
a ruffled edge; before being used in cooking, chanterelles are heated
with salt in a covered pan to disgorge their liquid and then drained.
Chantilly (Fr.) Whipped cream, sweetened and sometimes flavored
with vanilla or liqueur; also hollandaise or mayonnaise with whipped
cream folded in at the last minute; a kind of mousseline.
chao (Chin.) To stir-fry.
chap The lower cheek or jaw of a pig.
chapelure (Fr.) Brown breadcrumbs.
chapon (Fr.) A heel of bread rubbed with garlic and olive oil; can be
either rubbed along the rim of the salad bowl to impart its flavor or
added to the salad itself; not necessarily removed before serving;
chapon also means capon.
chaptalization A method of adding sugar to grape juice before fer-
mentation, especially in bad years in cooler climates, to enable wine
to reach minimum alcoholic content; a process not necessarily but
often abused. Named for Chaptal, a French chemist (and Napoleon's
Minister of Agriculture).
char A member of the trout and salmon family; the Arctic char is
particularly good for eating.
charcuterie (Fr.) The art of preparing meat, especially pork; the meat
specialties, such as sausages, ham, rillettes, galantines, and pates,
made in a French butcher's shop.
charcutiere (Fr.) Sauce Robert with julienne of gherkins added just
before serving; served primarily with grilled pork chops and other
meats.
Chardonnay A grape variety from which many excellent white wines
are made.
charentais (Fr.) A sweet and succulent French melon with yellow
green ribbed skin and orange flesh.
charlotte (Fr.) A classic dessert, originally an apple compote in a pail-shaped mold lined with buttered bread and served hot. Careme
elevated this to Bavarlan cream in a ladyfinger-lined mold to make
charlotte russet A charlotte royale replaces the ladyfingers with spongecake cut into many thin layers sandwiched with jam; in a further
elaboration, charlotte royale a l'ancienne, thin layers of jelly roll
line a shallow mold filled with Bavarian cream.
Charolais (Fr.) French cattle fed on grass rather than grain (as in the U.S.), producing the lean but flavorful beef favored in France; also a chevre from the Charolais region of Burgundy.
Chartreuse (Fr.) A liqueur made by Carthusian monks, originally in Grenoble but now largely in Voiron, France, and Tarragona, Spain; the liqueur comes in two types, yellow and green, the latter being higher proof.
Chassagne-Montrachet A commune in the southern Cote d'Or producing outstanding white wines and very good reds.
Chasselas (Fr.) A white grape variety, producing a light and fruity wine; although it does not make the best wines, it is valued for its hardiness and productivity and cultivated extensively, especially in Switzerland.
chasseur (Fr.) A classic sauce of sliced sauteed mushrooms and shallots reduced with white wine, enriched with demi-grace and butter, and finished with chopped parsley; chasseur is the French word for hunter.
chateau-bottled Wine bottled where it was produced by the vineyard owner, especially in Bordeaux; this term ensures authenticity, if not quality, from the better vineyards; a statement such as "Arise en bouteilles au Domaine" or "par le Proprietaire" should be on the main wine label.
chateaubriand (Fr.) Beef cut from the middle of the fillet, grilled and gartushed with chateau potatoes and bearnaise sauce; chateaubriand sauce is a reduction of white wine, shallots, herbs, and mushrooms, with demi-grace and butter added.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape A famous red wine from the village of the same name in the Rhone Valley, near Avignon, the site of the French pope's summer home in the fourteenth century.
chateau potatoes (Fr.) Potatoes cut into small ovals and sauteed in butter.
chatni (Ind.) Chutney; a condiment, originally created to accompany Indian curries, of fruit and spices cooked with vinegar and sugar as a preservative; much loved by the English and anglicized into chutney.
chaud-froid (Fr.) Poultry, game, or meat that is cooked but served cold, usually covered with aspic or a special sauce and highly garnished.
chausson aux pommes (Fr.) Apple turnover.
Chavignol (Fr.) A small, soft French goats' milk cheese from Sancerre.
chayote (Sp.) A vegetable of the melon and gourd family, with a prickly ribbed skin and pear shape; native to Mexico and the Antilles, it is often used in Spanish cooking and is prepared in a wide variety of ways; also called custard marrow and mirliton.
Cheddar A whole-milk cows' cheese, originally from Somerset, England, in which the curd is scalded, pressed, and aged; this style is made in factories the world over, while true farmhouse Cheddar, made with unpasteurized milk, wrapped in cloth, and matured for six months
to two years, is one of the great cheeses; the technique called cheddaring is a combination of milling and turning the curd.
chef de cuisine (Fr.) Executive chef.
chef de partie (Fr.) Section chef, such as saucier or patissier.
chemiser (Fr.) To coat a mold with aspic, ice cream, or some other lining; en chemise, literally "in a shirt," means any food in a coating, such as potatoes in their jackets or ice cream covered with a thin brittle layer of chocolate.
Chenin Blanc (Fr.) A grape variety from which excellent white wine is made.
cherimoya: The most commonly known and arguably best, species of custurd apple. The skin of the cherimoya (Annona cherimolia) greenish-gray with a scaled pattern. The white pulp is sweet and perfumed, forming a natural custard in its own right. Flavors are reminiscent of pineapple, banana and guava, but truly a flavor of its own. The cherimoya is ripe when soft at touch and the outside turns a darker color. This doesn't affect the quality, on the contrary, it indicates that the fruit is in the best stage of sugarness and taste.
Cherry Heering (Den.) Brandy distilled from cherries, including a high proportion of stones.
chervil An herb of the parsley family, originating in Russia and the Middle East and known from ancient times; its delicate flavor, slightly aniselike, is lost in stewing and drying, so it is best used fresh.
Cheshire An English cows' milk cheese, cooked, hard-pressed, and aged, made in red (with annatto), white (uncolored), and blue; a venerable cheese that cannot be made elsewhere because of the special salty Cheshire pastureland; called Chester on the continent.
Chester See Cheshire.
cheveux d'ange (Fr.) Angel hair pasta, the thinnest vermicelli. See also capelli d'angelo.
chevre (Fr.) Goat; by extension, goats' milk cheese that, properly speaking, is soft and fresh, uncooked and unpressed; specific chevre cheeses are individually entered.
chevreuil (Fr.) Venison; roebuck.
Chevrotin (Fr.) A cheese of goats' milk, or occasionally a mixture of goats' and cows' milk, from Savoy; the cheese is uncooked, pressed, and shaped in a small disc.
Chianti (It.) A red Italian table wine, ranging from pleasant to exceptional; very popular abroad as well as in its native Tuscany; Chianti Classico is particularly distinguished; Chianti bottles, or fiaschi are shipped in their familiar woven-straw coverings.
Chiaretto (It.) An Italian rose wine produced near lake Garda; light, fresh, and agreeable; Chiarello is virtually the same wine.
chicken-fried steak Steak dipped in batter and fried crisp like chicken; a Black American specialty.
chicken a la Kiev Boned chicken breast rolled up to enclose an herbflavored butter, egg-and-breadcrumbed, and deep-fried; the delicious butter has been known to squirt out on the unwary diner.
chicken paprikash See paprikas csirke.
chicken steak A cut of beef from the chuck, in small individual portions with a characteristic white streak down the center.
chicken Tetrazzini Strips of cooked chicken and spaghetti in a cream sauce flavored with sherry and Parmesan, gratine; named for the Italian coloratura soprano Luisa Tetrazzini.
chick-pea A round legume, often dried, used extensively in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Indian, and Mexican cooking; an important ingredient in couscous, hummus, and many soups and stews.
chicory A group of related plants-including Belgian endive, radicchio, escarole, wild chicory (the roots of the latter are roasted and used to flavor coffee), and a bitter green often called curly endive, which is cooked or used in salads.
chiffonnade (Fr.) Leaf vegetables sliced into very thin strips, particularly lettuce and sorrel shredded and sauteed in butter.
chilaquiles (Mex.) Tortillas layered with beans, ham, chicken, tomato sauce, and cheese.
Child, Lydia Maria ( 1802 - 1880) An American abolitionist and author whose cookbook, The American Frugal Housewife ( 1829), gained wide popularity due to its common sense and directness.
chili The fruit of the pepper plant, from the Capsicum family, ranging in its many varieties from mild to fiery hot; the pungenc-y is concentrated in the white tissue attached to the seeds, which should be handled with care. Originating in South America, chili peppers are used in many cuisines the world over; in common usage the word chili implies hot peppers. No relation to black pepper, an error first made by Columbus, who thought the chilies in the West Indies were the hlack pepper of the Indies. The plural of the Spanish word chile is chiles; the English spc-lling is either chili or chill), with the plural c*ilies or chillies-a source of much confusion.
chili con came A Mexican-American dish of beef highly seasoned with chili peppers and other spices and herbs; there arc- many variations, the subject of considerable controversy.
chilindron, a la (Sp.) See polio a la chilindron.
chili powder Dried crushed chili peppers with other dried spices and herbs, including onion, garlic, cumin,
cloves, coriander, and oregano.
chili sauce A reduction of chiles, tomato and onion with seasonings, sugar and vinegar,a great flavorful sauce
by itself, or added to other condiments such as a 1000 Island Dressing
Chincoteague A species of oyster from the Chcsapeake Bay region, closely related to the Blue Point.
chine To separate the backbone from the ribs of a roast to make carving easier.
Chinese anise See ba jiao.
Chinese beans "Yard-long" beans, also called asparagus heans; bright green in color.
Chinese gooseberry See kiwi.
Chinese parsley Coriander.
Chinese sausages Sausages usually of pork meat and fat, spiced and
dried, and reddish in color; sometimes pork liver or even duck liver
sausages are available in Chinese groceries in the U.S.
chinois (Fr.) A fine-mesh conical sieve shaped like a coolie hat-
hence its name.
chinook See salmon.
chipolata (Sp.) A small sausage flavored with chives; in classical French
cuisine the term designates a garnish of the sausages with braised
chestnuts, diced pork, and glazed onions and carrots.
chipotle (Mex.) A brownish red chili pepper with wrinkled skin; dried,
smoked, and often canned, this chili is very hot and has a distinctive
smoky flavor.
chiqueter (Fr.) To flute the edges of pastry with the fingertips.
chitterlings, chitlings The small intestines of animals, usually pigs,
often cleaned and filled with scraps to make sausages which go by
the same name; popular in Black and southern American cooking.
chive An herb of the onion family, whose tall thin leaves delicately
flavor savory foods.
chlodnik (Pol.) A eold summer soup of beet greens and roots, cu-
cumbers, and onions, flavored with herbs, vinegar, and kvass, and
garnished with sour cream; a warm-weather variety of borsch.
cholent (Jew.) Brisket with potatoes, lima beans, and pearl barley,
slowly cooked overnight to be ready for the Sabbath.
chongos (Sp.) A custard pudding with lemon and cinnamon.
chorizo (Sp.) A spicy sausage used in Spanish cooking, made of pork
meat and fat and flavored with garlic and spices.
Choron (Fr.) In classical French cuisine, bearnaise sauce colored pink
with a little tomato puree.
chou (Fr.) Cabhage.
choucroute (Fr.) Sauerkraut.
chou farci (Fr.) Stuffed cahhage.
chou-fleur (Fr.) Cauliflower.
choux de Bruxelles (Fr.) Brussels sprouts.
choux pastry See pate a choux.
chow chow A (.hincsc-American vegetahle pickle flavored with mustard;
thc original Chinesc condiment consisted of orange peel in a thick
syrup, flavored with ginger and other spices.
chowder A thick soup, made from various foodstuffs; the word comes
from the French chaudiere, the iron cauldron in which it was cooked,
which in turn derives from the I atin word for "warm." loday, chowder
is usually made of seafood or perhaps vegetables, with a milk hase.
Chuck Cut of beef from the forequarter, between the neck and shoulder,
usually best for stewing or braising.
chuleta (Sp.) Chop.
chun juan (Chin.) Spring roll; a thin, round lumpia wrapper made
from flour and water, stuffed with various fillings, such as shrimp,
pork, and black mushrooms, wrapped up, and deep-fried to a golden
brown; this authentic Chinese food is served at the spring festival to
celebrate the Chinese New Year, and its elegant appearance is said
"to resemble a bar of gold"; not to be confused with cai juan.
chutney (Ind.) See chatni.
ciboulette (Fr.) Chives.
cicely, sweet cicely A fragrant herb of the parsley family little used
today, whose anise-flavored leaves and seeds contribute to salads and
bouquets garnis.
cider Apple juice, or sometimes another fruit juice, either fermented
or not. In the U.S., sweet cider is unfermented, while hard cider is
slightly alcoholic; in Europe, fermented cider can range widely in
alcoholic content and is often sparkling. Cider can also be made into
apple brandy or vinegar and is often used in cooking in any of its
many forms.
cigala (Sp.) Saltwater crayfish, a small lobster; the British call it a
Dublin Bay prawn, the French langoustine, the Italian scampo.
cilantro (Sp.) Fresh coriander leaf.
ciliegia (It.) Cherry.
Cincho (Sp.) A ewes' milk cheese, from Spain; hard and pungent, similar
to Villalon.
cinnamon A spice from the dried bark of an evergreen tree indigenous
to Asia and used since the Egyptians (third millennium B.C.) cinnamon
was one of the most desirable eastern spices from ancient to medieval
times, but is now mainly relegated to flavoring desserts, at least in
the west. C.innamon is often confused with its close relative cassia,
especially in powdered form.
cioccolata (It.) C hocolate.
cioppino A fisherman's stew, often made with tomatoes; originally the
ciuppin of Genoa, by way of San Francisco, where it is a favorite.
cipolla (It.) Onion.
cisco A North American lake whitefish, usually smoked.
ciseler (Fr.) To cut into julienne strips or shred as for a chiffonnade;
to scorc a whole fish to hasten cooking.
citron A fruit of the citrus family, resembling a large, lumpy lemon;
cultivated for its thick rind, which is candied or pressed; its oil is
used in making liqueurs, perfume, and medicine.
citron (Fr.) Lemon; citron vert means lime.
civet (Fr.) A stew of furred game, cooked with red wine, onions, mush-
rooms, and lardons, and thickened with the animal's blood.
civette (Fr.) Chives.
crabber Buttermilk-soured, thickened milk that has not yet separated.
claffouti (Fr.) A pudding from Limousin made of small fruit, such as
cherries or plums, with a thick egg batter poured over and baked.
clam A saltwater bivalve mollusk in many varieties, generally divided
into hard-shell (see quahog), which are eaten raw or cooked, and
soft-shell, usually eaten cooked.
Clamart, a la (Fr.) Garnished with peas.
clambake See New England clambake.
claret The British term for red Bordeaux wine.
clarified butter Butter that has been heated to separate the impurities,
thus allowing their easy removal; butter so treated has a higher burning
point and clearer color but less flavor; also called drawn butter.
clarify To remove all impurities from stock or jelly (usually with egg
white) or from fat.
classed or classified growth Wine, especially from the French Bordeaux,
that has been officially ranked, usually by the Classification of 1855
for Medoc. At that time, the best vineyards and estates were ranked
Cru Classe ("Classed Growth"), including the five official Growths-
Premier Cru (First Growth) through Cinquieme Cru (Fifth Growth)-
and various lower rankings, such as Cru Exceptionnel, Cru Bourgeois
Superieur, and Cru Bourgeois. (These latter were often fine wines
and not "inferior" at all in the usual sense.) Since only Medoc and
Sauternes were included in the 1855 Classification, many excellent
wines were omitted altogether.
clementine A hybrid produced by crossing the orange with the tangerine; small, sweet, and seedless.
clingstone, clings A drupe, stone fruit, it which the seed clings to the meat of the fruit unlike a freestone drupe.
clos (Fr.) A specific vineyard, usually one of distinction, such as Clos de Vougeot of the Cote d'Or in Burgundy.
clotted cream (Brit.) Cream skimmed from scalded milk and slowly
warmed until it thickens; a specialty of Devonshire, England.
cloud ear See yun en
clou de girofle (Fr.) Clove; cloute means studded.
clove The dried bud of an east Indian evergreen tree known since
ancient times and a desirable commodity in the medieval spice trade;
the name derives from the latin word for nail, clavus.
club steak A eut of beef from the loin between the T-bone and rib
section; tender and flavorful, it is the same as a strip loin unboned.
cobbler A deep-dish fruit pie with a thick top crust of biscuit dough.
cocada (Sp.) Coconut custard.
cochineal See carmine.
cochino (Sp.) Pig; a suckling pig is cochinillo.
cochon (Fr.) Pig; the culinary term, like that in English, is pore
cocido (Sp.) Stew; also means cooked, as opposed to fresh.
cock-a-leekie (Scot. ) A soup made from chicken broth, leeks, and
sometimes prunes and pieces of chicken.
cocoa The remaining nibs in chocolate manufacture after the chocolate
butter is liquefied; the pods of the cacao tree are fermented, roasted,
and ground until the chocolate butter is liquefied, leaving the nibs,
which are then powdered to make cocoa. Cocoa is thus much lower
in fat than chocolate proper.
cocotte (Fr.) Casserole; a cooking pot with a closely fitted lid for slow braising or stewing.
cod A fish with great historic importance for its economic value in
centuries past and an essential part of the triangle that supported the
slave trade. Cod meat is lean, firm, white, and mild, with a large flake, suitable fresh for diverse cooking methods
and with many flavors.
Salted, smoked, or dried, it can be preserved for long periods; as
morue, brandade, bacalao, bacalhau, lutefisk, and finnan haddle
it is often preferred to fresh cod. Haddock, hake, and pollock are
members of the cod family. In Monterey California the most prevalent variety, goes by the local name "Red Snapper."
coda di bue (It.) Oxtail.
codorniz (Sp.) Quail.
coeur a la creme (Fr.) A cream-cheese dessert from provincial France
in which heavy cream and cream cheese are combined and molded
in a heart-shaped form that allows the whey to drain off, then turned
out and garnished with strawberries or other berries.
Cognac Brandy, blended and aged, from the French town of the same
name in the Charentes district north of Bordeaux.
coin" (Fr.) Quince.
Cointreau A colorless orange-flavored French liqueur, A colorless orange-flavored French liqueur, a higher
quality of Triple Sec liqueur, formerly called White Curacao popular with
'top shelf' Margaritas..
col (Sp.) Cabbage.
Colbert, a la (Fr.) Fish dipped in egg, breadcrumbed, and fried; Colbert butter is a chicken or meat glaze mad
e of butter, chopped parsley, and perhaps tarragon.
Colby An American variety of Cheddar cheese; a washed-curd cheese,
originally from Colby, Wisconsin.
colcannon (Ir.) A peasant dish of cabbage, potatoes, leeks, and milk,
traditionally eaten at Halloween with a "treasure," such as a ring,
coin, thimble, or button hidden within.
colere, en (Fr. ) Fish, usually whiting, cooked with its tail in its mouth, giving it a so-called "angry" look; often dipped in egg, breadcrumbed, and deep-fried, and served a la fran,ca*e, with a tomato sauce.
coliflor (Sp.) Cauliflower.
colin (Fr.) Hake.
collage (Fr.) Flning.
collard, collard greens A type of cabbage whose leaves do not form
a head; highly nutritious and able to withstand very hot and very
cold temperatures; it is a favorite country vegetable in the southern
U.S., where it is called collard greens.
colle (Fr.) With gelatin added.
collop (Brit.) A thin slice of meat; an old term that has been used
variously but now usually means a scallop of meat or fish.
colza See rape.
comal (Mex.) A cast-iron griddle or earthenware plate for making
tortillas.
commis (Fr.) Apprentice.
commune (Fr.) A township or village and its surrounding land; fre-
quently used to describe wine-producing regions.
compose(e) (Fr.) A term describing a salad that is arranged or composed in its serving dish or plate, rather than tossed.
compote (Fr.) A dish of fresh or dried fruit stewed slowly in syrup
to keep its shape, often flavored with liqueur and spices and served
cold.
compound butter Butter combined with other seasonings such as herbs,
shallots, and wine.
concasser (Fr.) To pound in a mortar or chop roughly; often applied
to tomatoes that have been peeled, seeded, and chopped for sauce;
corncasse is the adjective.
conch A gastropod mollusk usually eaten in chowder or salad, mostly
in Florida and the Caribbean. Conch is also the name of the curved
trough, resembling the shell, in which refined chocolate particles are
churned with cocoa butter to a smooth liquid; this process, essential
to high-quality melting chocolate, is called conching.
conchiglia (It.) Shellfish; pasta in the shape of a conch shell.
concombre (Fr.) Cucumber.
Conde (Fr.) With rice; also a pastry strip covered with almond icing
and many other sweet or savory dishes, often with rice.
condensed milk Milk with its water content reduced by slightly more
than half, sterilized, homogenized, and canned; sweetened condensed
milk has sugar added as a preservative and may not be sterilized;
both types taste sweeter than regular milk.
condiment Relish, pickle, or seasoning, highly aromatic, that accompanies
food at the table and stimulates the appetite.
conejo (Sp.) Rabbit.
confectioners sugar Powdered white sugar, not crystallized like superfine sugar, useful for its ability to dissolve quickly.
confectionery The art of sugar working or candy making.
confiserie (Fr.) Confectionery, confectioner's shop; confiseur means
confectioner in French.
confit (Fr.) Pork, goose, duck, or other meat, cooked and preserved
in its own fat; a specialty of Gascony in southwestern France; also
fruits and vegetables cooked and preserved in a brandy or liquor
syrup.
confiture (Fr.) Preserve, jam.
cony (Chin.) Scallion; yang cony (literally, "Occidental scallion") means onion.
coniglio (It.) Rabbit.
consomme (Fr.) Clear broth; meat, chicken, game, or fish stock flavored with vegetables, strained, reduced, and usually clarified.
copeaux en chocolat (Fr.) Chocolate shavings.
coq au vin (Fr.) Chicken cut up and braised with onions, mushrooms,
and lardoons in red wine.
coquillage (Fr.) Shellfish.
coquille de (Fr.) Served in a scallop shell.
coquille Saint-Jacques (Fr.) Scallop. Classic French scallop dish featurring shallots, mushrooms and cream.
coral Lobster roe, which turns red when cooked; used for sauces and
butters.
coratella (It.) Organ meats.
cordero (Sp.) Lamb; a suckling or milk-fed lamb is cordero lechazo
or lechal.
Cordon Bleu The "blue ribbon" awarded to outstanding women chefs,
a tradition going back to a story, perhaps apocryphal, of Madame de
Pompadour and Louis XV; the name also designates a dish of chicken
or veal scallops cooked with cheese and ham, which came from the
Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris in the early twentieth century.
coriander An herb valued both for its dried seeds and fresh leaves; used extensively in Oriental, Indian, and Spanish cooking; the Spanish word for fresh coriander is cilantro.
corn A new-world grain from Central America, upon which the pre-
Columbian cultures were founded; still the main food crop on the
American continent (in the U.S. indirectly, through livestock and dairy
feed). Columbus brought corn, or maize, to the Old World where
it has slowly gained acceptance.Corn, of which there are countless
varieties, cannot sow itself and is therefore unknown in the wild. In
Europe, corn is the generic name for whatever grain is dominant in
a particular area. See also polenta.
corned beef Salted and spiced brisket of beef, the traditional ingredient of New England boiled dinner. "Corned" means granulated; hence, coming means to preserve with salt.
cornet (Fr.) A horn-shaped pastry stuffed with sweetened whipped
cream; a slice of meat, such as ham, rolled into a cone and often
filled, for a garnish or hors d'oeuvre.
corn flour (Brit.) See cornstarch.
Cornish hen See Rock Cornish game hen.
Cornish pasty (Brit.) A pastry turnover enclosing a meat or vegetable
filling; originally from Cornwall.
corn pone Cornmeal dough shaped into ovals and deep-fried or baked;
a southern American bread served with butter and sometimes
pot liquor; the word pone is of American Indian origin.
corn salad See lamb's lettuce.
cornstarch Very fine white flour milled from corn; used as a thickening
agent for sauces and sometimes for baking; used extensively in Chinese
cooking; sometimes called corn flour.
Corton (Fr. ) Excellent red and white wines from the village of Atoxe-
Corton in the Cote de Beaune region of Burgundy.
cos Romaine lettuce.
coscetto (It.) Leg of lamb.
coscia (It.) Thigh, as of chicken; leg, as of lamb.
cosciotto, coscetto (It.) Ieg of lamb; haunch.
costata (It.) Rib chop.
costoletta, cotoletta (It.) Chop or cutlet.
cote (Fr.) Rib or chop.
cotechino (It.) A large fresh sausage made with pork meat and rind
and seasoned with nutmeg and cloves; sometimes delicate, sometimes
very spicy.
Cote de Beaune (Fr.) See Cote d'Or.
Cote de Nuits (Fr.) See Cote d'Or.
Cote d'Or (Fr. ) A narrow strip of hillside along the Saone River Valley in Burgundy, southeast of Paris, comprising the Cote de Dijon in the uppermost part, the Cote de Nuits in the middle, and the Cote de
Beaune in the southernmost part; in the latter two most of the greatest
French wines are produced, hence the meaning of its name, "golden
slope.
cotelette (Fr.) Cutlet.
Cote Rotie (Fr.) A famous red wine from steep slopes ovcrlooking the
Rhone River.
Cotes de Provence (Fr.) Red, white, and rose wines produced on thc
southern coast of France between Nice and Marseilles; light, pleasant,
fairly inexpensive, and popular.
Cotes du Rhone (Fr.) Plcasant but undistinguished wines, mostly red,
trom the Rhone Valley between Vienne and Avignon; the finer wines
of thc region are sold under more specific appellations.
cotriade (Fr.) A fish soup from Brittany.
cottage cheese Fresh lumpy cheese made from skimmed pasteurized
cows', milk in which the curds are washed; its taste is bland and
slightly acid, lending itself to various flavorings; also used in salads, cheesecake, and even with fruit; it is high in protein but low in fat.
cotto (It.) Cooked.
coulibiac (Russ.) See kulibyaka.
coulis (Fr.) An old culinary term of some confusion; originally the
strained juices from cooked meat, then a puree of chicken, game, or
fish; now it usually means a bisque or thick sauce or puree, such as
tomato.
Coulommiers (Fr.) A whole-milk cows' cheese from Brie, usually
eaten fresh but sometimes molded and aged like Brie; shaped in
wheels smaller than Brie, with a white rind flora; the interior is creamy white and increasingly flavorful with age.
country style spareribs A cut of pork-the backbones from the shoulder end of pork loin, cooked like breast spareribs.
courge (Fr.) Marrow, squash.
courgette (Brit.) Zucchini.
couronne, en (Fr.) In the shape of a crown; in a ring.
court bouillon (Fr.) Flavored acidulated stock for cooking food, pri-
marily fish, but also vegetables and meat.
couscous A dish from Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria prepared variously,
but usually consisting of semolina steamed on top of a special two part pot over meats and vegetables boiled below, served all together
with a hot sauce.
couverture (Fr.) High-grade chocolate used especially for coating and
ornamental work; it is semisweet and high in cocoa butter, giving it
a glossy surface.
cozza (It.) Mussel.
crab A large and varied family of clawed crustaceans with delicate white meat; all true crabs are edible, and some of them are separately
entered.
crackling The crisp brown skin of pork or sometimes poultry with all
its fat reudered; sometimes baked into breads.
crapaudine, a la (Fr.) Poultry, especially small birds, trussed to look like toads.
crayfish A crustacean with many species, usually freshwater, varying
widely in size but most often smaller than a lobster; these "dainties
of the first order," as Audubon called them, are prized delicacies in
many cuisines but largely ignored in the U.S., except for the Creole
and Cajun cooking of Louisiana. The freshwater crayfish is sometimes
called crawfish or (in French) ecrevisse; the saltwater crayfish is also
called crawfish, rock or spiny lobster, langouste, langoustine (in
French), Dublin Bay prawn (in Britain), Norway lobster, and scampo
(in Italy). There is considerable confusion among these terms.
cream The fatty part of milk, which rises to the surface unless homog-
enized. Single cream is 45 percent butterfat, measured by the percentage
of dry matter rather than volume; double cream is 60 percent butterfat;
triple cream is 75 percent. In cheesemaking, additional cream must sometimes be added to the milk to bring it up to the degree of butterfat required.
cream cheese Fresh unripened whole-milk cows' cheese, with a high fat content (varying with different types); in the U.S. this cheese is usually factory made, with stabilizers added to keep the whey from draining further, but there are many versions throughout the world.
cream puff pastry See pate a choux.
Crecy, a la (Fr.) With carrots; from the town of the same name, where the finest Freneh carrots are grown.
creme (Sp.) Custard, eream.
creme a l'anglaise (Fr.) Custard.
creme brulee (Fr.) Rieh custard topped with a brittle layer of sugar (usually brown sugar), caramelized under the broiler just before serving.
creme Chantilly (Fr.) See Chantilly.
creme chiboust (Fr.) Creme patissiere lightened with Italian meringue, usually stabilized with a little gelatin.
creme fraiche (Fr.) Heavy eream with a lactic culture introduced; the culture acts as a preservative and gives a characteristic tangy flavor; see also fleurette.
creme patissiere (Fr.) Pastry cream-a custard of eggs, flour, milk, and sugar used to fill cream puffs, line tarts underneath fruit, and garnish various pastries.
creme pralinee (Fr.) Creme patissiere flavored with powdered praline; used to fill Paris-Brest and other French pastries.
creme renversee (Fr.) Custard baked in a caramel-lined mold, chilled, and inverted for serving.
Creole In Louisiana, food eookcd in thc creole style usually begins with sauteed tomatoes, onions, celery, and sweet peppers, and often includes rice; it combines the many local influences-French, Spanish, 131ack, and Indian-in a unique way; see also Cajun. In classic Irench cuisine, a la creole designates a dish garnished with rice and containing sweet peppers, onion, and tomatoes cooked in oil.
crepe (Fr.) A pancake made thin, light, and surprisingly strong from the eggy batter; invariably stuffed, spread, or served with moist mixtures, either savory or sweet.
crepes Suzette (Fr.) Crepes heated in a chafing dish at table with a sauce of orange juice and zest, butter, and orange-flavored liqueur and flambeed.
crepinette (Fr.) A small Freneh sausage wrapped in caul rather than easing, usually made of pork, and occasionally truffled; crepine is pig's caul.
Crescenza See Stracchino.
crespella (It.) A pancake, usually stuffed like a crepe.
crevette (Fr.) Shrimp.
croaker A large family of fish, sometimes called drum, found mostly in
temperate western Atlantic waters; it is named for the noise it makes
during spawning season; croaker is excellent in various culinary prep-
arations but should not be eaten raw.
croissant A light yeast-dough pastry layered like puff pastry, rolled into a "crescent" shape, sometimes stuffed, and baked; an indispensable
part of the French breakfast. In 1686 the bakers of Budapest heard
the Turks tunneling into the city by night and sounded the alarm.
The grateful city gave them the privilege of making this pastry, whose
shape comes from the emblem on the Ottoman flag.
croquembouche (Fr.) Bite-size cream puffs piled high into a pyramid
and cemented together with sugar glaze or caramel; other pastries
and fruits arranged in a highly ornamented pile.
croque monsieur (Fr.) The French version of a grilled ham and cheese
sandwich, often cooked in a special device; a croque madame is a
cheese and chicken sandwich.
croquette Chopped meat or vegetables bound with a sauce, crumbed,
and fried into a crisp, brown cylindrical shape; originally French.
crosta, crostata, crostatina (It.) Crust, pie, tart.
crostacei (It.) Shellfish.
crostino (It.) Crouton or croute; a small piece of toast.
Crottin de Chavignol (Fr.) A goats' milk cheese from Berry; semihard
to hard, shaped in very small discs; aging brings out its goaty flavor,
an acquired taste that is favored by connoisseurs; crottin literally
means "dung."
croustade (Fr. ) Hollowed bread or pastry that serves as a base for a
savory puree or ragout.
croute (Fr. ) A crust, shell, or piece of bread or dough used in various savory preparations; en croute means encased in pastry.
crouton (Fr.) A small piece of bread or dough used for garnish; sauteed
bread cubes.
crown roast Loin of pork or two loins of lamb from the rib section,
tied into a crown, trimmed, and roasted; the ends of the rib bones
are often decorated with paper frills, the center filled with a vegetable or starch stuffing.
cru (Fr.) Growth; that is, a specific vineyard and its wine; a vineyard
of superior quality. See also classed growth.
crudites Raw food, usually vegetables, eaten before a meal to assuage
hunger and stimulate the appetite.
crudo (It. and Sp.) Raw, fresh.
crustacean A class of arthropods, mostly water-dwelling, with a hard
shell; includes all members of the lobster, shrimp, crayfish, and
crab families.
cu (Chin.) Vinegar.
cuaresmeno (Mex.) A green chili pepper sometimes confused with
the jalapeno, but actually darker, rounder, hotter, and less flavorful.
cube To cut food into cubes about 2 inch across; larger than dice or
mirepoix.
cuisine minceur (Fr.) Light and healthful cooking for dieters, devised and advocated by three-star French chef Michel Guerard, substituting low-calorie ingredients in haute cuisine; not to be confused with nouvelle cuisine.
cuisse (Fr.) Drumstick; cuisseau means leg, usually of veal.
cuissot (Fr.) Haunch of venison or boar.
culotte (Fr.) Rump of beef.
Cumberland sauce Red-currant jelly dissolved with port and flavored
with shallots, orange zest, and mustard-a traditional accompaniment
to venison and other game.
cumin A spice made from the dried and ground seeds of the cumin
plant; a relative of parsley, cumin is used in sweet and savory prep-
arations in Germanic, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and Asian cooking,
especially curries.
cuore (It.) Heart.
Curacao (Neth.) A Dutch liqueur made from the dried peel of the
green sour oranges found on the island of Curacao in the Dutch
Antilles; Cointreau, triple see, and Grand Marnier are similar to
Curacao.
curd The solid residue of coagulated milk that separates from liquid
whey after acidification in the cheese making process.
cure To age a food product, such as cheese, wine, vegetable, fish, or
meat, in order to preserve it by methods such as drying, salting, or
smoking.
curly endive See chicory.
Curnonsky The pen name of French gastronome, journalist, and food
critic Maurice-Edmond Sailland ( 1872-1956); he encouraged interest
in regional French cuisine and the development of the restaurant as
we know it.
currant A small, black, seedless raisin originally grown near Corinth,
Greece, from which its name is derived; no relation to the fruit of
the same name.
curry A mixture of spices widely used in Indian cooking for thousands
of years, originally as a preservative. Ground on a special stone, the
particular spices vary according to individual taste, a specific dish,
or regional preferences (those of the south tend to be hotter). The cygne masala, or spice mixture, can be either wet (in which case it is
ground with vinegar, coconut milk, or water and must be used im-
mediately) or dry (in which case it is ground to a powder that can
be kept for quite a while). The many spices (most entered separately) include turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, fennel seed, saffron, mace, nutmeg, cardamom, clove, cinnamon, poppy and sesame seeds, tamarind, onion, garlic, and chilies. See also garam.
custard apple: The Annona trees produce a variety of delicious fruits which are generally known as custard apples. All the fruits in this family are multiple fruits, make up of sections that grow together. The pulp is soft, suggesting the consistency of custard, and it is full of shiny, black seeds. Most of the annona fruits originated in the American tropics, but nowadays they are cultivated in places like Asia, Australia, Spain and, in particular, Israel. The cherimoya, the best known custard apple, began its history in Peru, where it is regarded as one of the finest fruits in the world. Other custurd apple fruits are: sugar apple, soursop, bullock's heart, and atemoya.
custard marrow See chayote.
cut in To mix particles of fat, such as butter or lard, throughout flour with two knives or a pastry blender.
cutlet A scallop of meat-usually a slice from the leg and preferably
from one muscle.
cuvee (Fr.) A particular blend, lot, or batch of a certain wine.
cygne (Fr.) A swan made from pate a choux and filled with creme
Chantilly.
dab See flounder.
dacquoise (Fr.) A pastry made of meringue combined with finely
ground nuts, baked in discs, and filled with flavored whipped cream
or buttercream and often fresh berries.
dahchini (Ind.) Cinnamon or cassia.
daikon (Jap.) A large radish used extensively in Japanese cooking,
either in raw or cooked form.
daizu (Jap.) Dried soybeans.
dal (Inc. ) Legumes of all sorts.
Dampfnudeln (Ger.) Yeast dumplings sweetened and served with fruit.
den (Chin.) Egg.
Danablu (Den.) A Danish blue cheese of whole raw cows' milk, made
in the Roquefort style.
Danish pastry A yeast pastry filled with nuts, fruit, custard, or cheese, and iced; originally from Denmark, but much traveled since.
Dao (Port.) Red and white table wines produced in the Dao river valley
in the town of Viseu in Portugal; they are full-bodied, deep in color,
and made from the same grape varieties as port.
dariole (Fr.) A cylindrical mold, usually small; also a cake baked in
such a mold.
Darjeeling (Ind.) A variety of tea from the Indian province of the
same name.
dame (Fr.) Fish steak; a thick cross section of fish.
dashi (Jap.) Fish stock made of dried bonito and seaweed; used ex-
tensively in Japanese cooking.
dattero (It.) Date.
daube, en (Fr.) Meat, usually beef, slowly braised in red wine and
seasonings; stew; a daubiere is a tight-ridded casserole for cooking
daubes, originally with indentations in the lid for charcoal.
Daumont, a la (Fr.) A large fish garnished with quenelles, roe, mush-
rooms, and crayfish, served with Nantua sauce.
dauphine, a la (Fr.) Potato puree mixed with pate a choux and deep
fried in balls or piped shapes.
dauphinois (Fr.) Usually means with walnuts; potatoes a la dauphinoise
are sliced and baked with milk, egg yolk, nutmeg, Gruyere, and garlic.
daurade (Fr.) Gilthead bream; dorade is another type of bream.
debourbage (Fr. ) Clearing of the sediment from newly pressed grape
juice, especially white, by allowing it to settle for twenty-four hours
before starting fermentation; this technique must be closely controlled.
debrecziner (Hung.) A sausage similar to a Frankfurter but spicier
and coarser in texture.
decant To transfer wine from bottle to carafe or decanter, in order to
remove sediment before serving; decanting is practiced primarily with
old red wines, whose bottles are held against the light of a candle
to show sediment as it first appears.
decouper (Fr.) To cut up, to carve.
deep-fry To cook food immersed in a large amount of fat, thus sealing