| Term | Definition
|
|---|
| Aioli | A strongly flavored garlic mayonnaise, often with other herbs added, from the Provence region of southern France. It often accompanies meat, fish or vegetables.
|
| al dente | An Italian term, usually referring to pasta, used
to describe the texture of slight resistence
when bitten. The meaning of the phrase is
"to the tooth." Dentists, perhaps, mean something
else.
|
| Albacore | A variety of tuna fish, with white meat and a
high fat content.
|
| almond paste | Made of ground blanched almonds, sugar and glycerin or other liquid. Almond extract is sometimes added for more intense almond flavor. Almond paste is less sweet and slightly coarser than marzipan.
Used in a variety of confections, it is available in most supermarkets.
|
| Amaranth | An annual plant. Greens have a slightly sweet
flavor and can be cooked or served in salads.
Seeds can be ground into flour or used as cereal.
Found in Caribbean and Asian markets.
Considered nutritious and high-protein.
|
| Anaheim chile | One of the most common fresh chiles available
in the U.S. Long, narrow, green, and usually
mild. Named after Anaheim, California. No
further relation to the Angels.
|
| angel hair pasta | Very thin strand-style pasta.
|
| Anglaise | A French term for boiled or poached food, meaning
"English style." Also used for breaded and fried
foods.
|
| Appellation | A designated wine growing area, as defined under
local laws. Somewhat standardized across many
countries.
|
| Applejack | A brandy made from apple cider.
|
| Arborio rice | Short, fat, starchy rice. Usually used to make
risotto.
|
| armagnac | A fine French brandy which, like cognac, is aged in oak for up to 40 years. It is from the town of Gascony near Bordeaux.
|
| Artichoke | The globe artichoke is the bud of a large plant in the thistle family with tough petal shaped leaves.
When properly cooked, break off the leaves one by one, dip in butter or sauce, and draw the base of the leaf through your teeth scraping off the pulp and discarding the rest of the leaf.
At the center, scrape off the tiny leaves and fuzz and then continue to dip the heart of the choke in sauce and eat.
The Jerusalem artichoke is not a true artichoke but a tuber resembling a ginger root. These may be used peeled or unpeeled, raw as an addition to salads, or steamed or boiled as a side dish.
|
| Babka | A Polish sweet bread made with rum, almonds,
raisins, and orange peel.
|
| Bagna cauda | An Italian appetizer dip made with olive oil,
butter, garlic, and anchovies. Usually served
with raw vegetables.
|
| Basmati rice | A long-grain, nutty flavored rice. Originally
grown in the Himalayan foothills in India.
|
| Beau Monde Seasoning | A commercial seasoning blend containing salt, dextrose, onion, celery seed and tricalcium phosphate (as marketed under the Spice Islands label) designed to enhance the flavor of most foods except sweets.
|
| beignet | New Orleans pastry, deep fried and served with
powdered sugar, like a fritter. A savory beignet
may be made with herbs.
|
| Bellini | Italian drink made with champagne and peach nectar.
|
| betty | Baked pudding made from sugar, spices, fruit,
butter, and breadcrumbs. Very old, colonial
American dessert, though Betty Rubble was
much older still.
|
| beurre manie | A sauce thickener of softened butter combined with
an equal amount of flour. Small pieces can be
stirred into broth to thicken.
|
| biltong | From Africa; air-dried, cured meat strips. Like
American beef jerky, but considered finer. Made
from beef or game.
|
| bisque | A thick soup made of pureed seafood and cream.
|
| blackened | A cooking technique made famous by Louisiana chef Paul Prudhomme. Meat or fish is usually seasoned with a cajun spice mixture and then cooked in a cast iron skillet that has been heated almost red hot. This technique gives the food an extra crispy crust and sears in the juices. It is also guaranteed to set off your smoke detector--unless the battery is dead.
|
| blend | To mix 2 or more ingredients together with a spoon, whisk, or electric blender until combined.
|
| boiling | To boil refers to heating a liquid until bubbles for and break at the surface, commonly 212 degrees for water at sea level.
A rolling boil is one that can't be slowed by stirring.
|
| Bolognese | A cooking style named after Bologna, Italy, in which dishes are served with a thick meat and vegetable sauce made with wine and milk or cream.
A ragu is a fypical Bolognese sauce.
|
| bouillabaisse | A French seafood stew made with fish and shellfish, onions, tomatoes, white wine, garlic, saffron and herbs. Often served over thick slices of French Bread.
|
| bouquet garni | Herbs tied or bagged in cheesecloth and used to
flavor soups or broths. They can easily be
removed at the end of cooking.
|
| Brazil nut | The seed of a large, Amazon jungle tree. High
in fat and high in the antioxident, selenium.
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