| A | B |
|---|
| Adductor Muscle | The muscle with which a mollusk closes its shell. In the case of American scallops, this is usually the only part that is eaten. |
| Aging | Holding meats in coolers under controlled conditions to allow natural tenderizing to take place. |
| A la Carte | 1) Referring to a menu on which each individual item is listed with a separate price. 2) Referring to cooking to order, as opposed to cooking ahead in large batches. |
| Al Dente | Firm, not soft or mushy, to the bite. Said of vegetables or pasta. |
| Allemande | 1) German style. 2) A sauce made of Velouté (usually veal), a liaison, and lemon juice. |
| Allumette | Cut into matchstick shapes; usually refers to potatoes. |
| Anthocyanins | Red or purple pigments in vegetables and fruits. |
| Antipasto | Italian hors d'oeuvre. |
| AP Weight | As purchased; the weight of an item before trimming. |
| Arborio Rice | A variety of short-grain rice from Italy. |
| Argenteuil (ar-zhawn-toy) | Garnished with asparagus. |
| AS weight | As served; the weight of an item as sold or served, after processing and/or cooking. |
| Au Gratin (oh-gra-tan) | Having a browned or crusted top, often made by topping with bread crumbs, cheese, and/or a rich sauce and passing under the broiler or salamander. |
| Au Jus (oh-zhoo) | Served with its natural juices. Usually unthickened pan drippings. |
| Au Sec (oh-seck) | Until dry. |
| Avgolemono | Greek soup made of chicken stock, egg, and lemon juice. |
| Bacteria | Microscopic organisms, some of which can cause disease, including food-borne disease. |
| Bain Marie | A container of hot water used for keeping foods hot. |
| Bake | To cook foods by surrounding them with hot, dry air. Similar to roast, but the term baking usually applies to breads, pastries, vegetables, and fish. |
| Baked Alaska | A dessert consisting of ice cream on a sponge-cake base, covered with meringue and browned in the oven. |
| Barbecue | To cook with dry heat created by the burning of hardwood or by the hot coals of this wood. |
| Bard | To tie thin slices of fat, such as pork fatback, over meats with no natural fat cover to protect them while roasting. |
| Basmati Rice | A variety of long-grain rice from India. |
| Batonnet | Cut into sticks, about 1/4 x 1/4 x 2 1/2 to 3 inches (6 mm x 6 mm x 6 to 7.5 cm). |
| Batter | Semiliquid mixture containing flour or other starch used for the production of such products as cakes and breads and for coating products to be deep-fried. |
| Bavarian Cream | A dessert made of custard sauce, gelatin, and whipped cream. |
| Bearnaise (bare nez) | A sauce made of butter and egg yolks and flavored with a reduction of vinegar, shallots, tarragon, and peppercorns. |
| Bechamel | A sauce made by thickening milk with a roux. |
| Beignet | Fritter. |
| Beurre Manie (burr-mahnyay) | A mixture of equal parts raw butter and flour mixed together into a smooth paste. |
| Beurre Noir (burr-nwahr) | Butter heated utnil it is dark brown and flavored with vinegar. |
| Beurre Noisette (burr-nwah-zett) | Whole butter heated until it is light brown. |
| Bivalve | A mollusk with a pair of hinged shells, such as clams and oysters. |
| Bisque | A cream soup made from shellfish. |
| Blanch | To cook an item partially and very briefly in boiling water or in hot fat. Usually a pre--preparation technique, as to loosen peels from vegetables fruits, and nuts, to partially cook french fries or other foods before service, to prepare for freezing, or to remove undesirable flavors. |
| Blanc Mange | 1) An English pudding thicvkened with cornstarch. 2) A French almond-flavored pudding containing gelatin and milk. |
| Blanquette | A white stew made of white meat or poultry simmered without preliminary browning and served with a white sauce. |
| Boeuf a la Mode | A classic French style of braised beef. |
| Boil | To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling rapidly, about 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) at sea level and at normal pressure. |
| Bombe | A molded ice cream or sherbet dessert. |
| Bordelaise | A brown sauce flavored with a reduction of red wine, shallots, pepper, and herbs and garnished with marrow. |
| Botulism | A deadly food-borne intoxication usually associated with improperly canned foods. |
| Bouquet Garni | A combination of fresh herbs tied together, used for flavoring. |
| Bouquetiere (book-tyair) | Garnished with an assortment or "bouquet" of fresh vegetables, such as artichokes, carrots, turnips, green beans, peas, cauliflower, and potatoes. |
| Braise | 1) To cook covered in a small amount of liquid, usually after preliminary browning. 2) To cook (certain vegetables) slowly in a small amount of liquid without preliminary browning. |
| Brioche | Rich yeast dough containing large amounts of eggs and butter, or the products made from this dough. |
| Broil | To cook with radiant heat from above. |
| Broth | A flavorful liquid obtained from the simmering of meats and/or vegetables. |
| Brunoise (broo-nwahz) | 1) Cut into very small (1/8 inch/3 mm) dice. 2) Garnished with vegetables cut in this manner. |
| Bulgur | A type of cracked wheat that has been partially cooked. |
| Buttercream | An icing made of butter and/or shortening blended with confectioner's sugar or sugar syrup and sometimes other ingredients. |
| Butterflied | Cut partially through and spread open to increase the surface area. |
| Calamari | Italian word for squid (plural). |
| Calorie | The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg water by 1 degree Celsius. Used as a measure of food energy. |
| Canape (can-ah-pay) | Tiny open-faced sandwiches, served as an hors d'oeuvre. |
| Capon | A castrated male chicken. |
| Cappuccino | Mixture of equal parts espresso and frothy, steamed milk. |
| Caramelization | The browning of sugars caused by heat. |
| Carbohydrates | Any of a group of compounds, including starches and sugars, which supply energy to the body. |
| Careme, Marie-Antoine | Famous nineteenth-century French chef, often considered the founder of classical cuisine. |
| Carotenoids | Yellow or orange pigments in vegetables and fruits. |
| Carpaccio | Very thin slices of meat or fish served raw. |
| Carry-over Cooking | The rise in temperature in the inside of roast meat after it is removed from the oven. |
| Celsius Scale | The metric system of temperature measurement, with 0 degrees set at the freezing pint of water and 100 degrees C set at the boiling point of water. |
| Centi- | Prefix in the metric system meaning "one-hundredth." |
| Cephalopod | A class of mollusks that includes octopus and squid. |
| Chasseur (sha-sur) | "Hunter style," usually referring to items served with a brown sauce containing mushrooms, tomato, and white wine. |
| Chef | The person in charge of a kitchen or of a department of a kitchen. |
| Chevre | A cheese made from goat's milk. |
| Chiffon | 1) A light, fluffy dessert or pie filling containing gelatin and beaten egg whites. 2) A type of cake made with an egg-white foam and with oil as a shortening. |
| Chiffonade | Cut into fine shreds, usually said of leafy vegetables and herbs. |
| China Cap | A cone-shaped strainer. |
| Chlorophyll | Green pigment in vegetables and fruits. |
| Cholesterol | A fatty substance found in foods derived from animal products and in the human body; it has been linked to heart disease. |
| Chop | To cut into irregularly shaped pieces. |
| Choucroute (shoo-kroot) | Sauerkraut. |
| Choucroute Garni | Sauerkraut cooked with a variety of sausage, pork, and sometimes poultry products. A specialty of Alsace, France. |
| Chowder | A hearty American soup made from fish, shellfish, and/or vegetables, usually containing milk and potatoes. |
| Cilantro | The fresh coriander plant, used as an herb. |
| Clamart | Garnished with or containing peas. |
| Clarified Butter | Purified butterfat, with water and milk solids removed. |
| Clearmeat | A mixture of ground meat, egg whites, and flavoring ingredients used to clarify consommés. |
| Club Sandwich | A sandwich consisting of three slices toast and filled with such ingredients as sliced chicken or turkey, lettuce, tomato, and bacon. |
| Coagulation | The process by which proteins become firm, usually when heated. |
| Cocktail | A type of appetizer generally made of seafood or fruit and often served with a tart or tangy sauce. |
| Collagen | A type of connective tissue in meats that dissolves when cooked with moisture. |
| Complementary Proteins | Protein supplied by foods that, if eaten together, supply all the amino acids necessary in the human diet. |
| Complete Protein | A protein that supplies all the amino acids necessary in the human diet. |
| Compound Butter | A mixture of raw butter and various flavoring ingredients. |
| Concasser | To chop coarsely. |
| Conduction | The transfer of heat from one item to something touching it or a cooler part of the first item. |
| Consomme | A rich, flavorful, seasoned stock or broth that has been clarified to make it perfectly clear and transparent. |
| Convection | The transfer of heat by the movement of a liquid or gas. |
| Convection Oven | An oven in which hot air is circulated by a fan. |
| Convenience Food | Any food product that has been partially or completely prepared or processed by the manufacturer. |
| Coq au Vin (coke-oh-van) | A French dish of chicken braised in wine. |
| Coral | The roe or eggs of certain shellfish. |
| Coulis | A vegetable or fruit puree, used as a sauce. |
| Coupe | A dessert consisting of one or two scoops of ice cream or sherbet in a dish or glass, topped with any of a number of syrups, fruits, toppings, and garnishes; sundae. |
| Course | A food or group of foods served at one time or intended to be eaten at the same time. |
| Court Bouillon (koor-bwee-yohn) | Water containing seasonings, herbs, and usually an acid; used for cooking fish. |
| Couscous | A type of granular pasta from North Africa, cooked like a grain. |
| Cream Soup | A soup that is thickened with roux or other thickening agent and contains milk and/or cream. |
| Crecy (kray-see) | Garnished with or containing carrots. |
| Creme Anglaise (krem-awng-glezz) | A light vanilla-flavored custard sauce made of milk, sugar, and egg yolks. |
| Creme Fraiche | A thick, slightly aged heavy cream. |
| Critical Control Point | An action that can be taken that will eliminate or minimize a food safety hazard. |
| Croissant | A crescent-shaped roll made from a rich, rolled-in-yeast dough. |
| Croquette (crow-kett) | Food that has been pureed or bound with a thick sauces, made into small shapes, breaded, and fried. |
| Cross-contamination | The transfer of bacteria to food from another food or from equipment or work surfaces. |
| Crudite (croo-dee-tay) | French term for raw vegetables served as a relish. |
| Crustaceans | Sea animals with segmented shells and jointed legs, such as lobsters and shrimp. |
| Custard | A liquid that is thickened or set firm by the coagulation of egg protein. |
| Cuttlefish | A cephalopod similar to squid but with a chalky interior bone and a squatter body shape. |
| Cycle Menu | A menu that changes every day for a certain period and then repeats the same daily items in the same order. |
| Danish | A rich, sweet, flaky yeast dough containing layers of rolled-in fat. |
| Deci- | Prefix in the metric system meaning "one-tenth." |
| Deep-fry | To cook submerged in hot fat. |
| Deglaze | To swirl a liquid in a sauté pan or other pan to dissolve cooked particles or food remaining on bottom. |
| Demiglaze | A rich brown sauce that has been reduced by half. |
| Demitasse | Literally, "half cup." Strong, black coffee served in small cups after dinner. |
| Doria | Garnished with cucumbers cooked in butter. |
| Drawn | With entrails removed. |
| Dressed | 1) Poultry market form: killed, bled, and plucked. 2) Fish market form: viscera, scales, head, tail, and fins removed. |
| Drop Batter | A batter that is too thick to pour but that will drop from a spoon in lumps. |
| Dry-heat Cooking Methods | Methods in which heat is conducted to foods without the use of moisture. |
| Dubarry | Garnished with or containing cauliflower. |
| Duchesse Potatoes (doo-shess) | Potato puree mixed with butter and egg yolks. |
| Dumpling | Any of a variety of small starch products made from soft doughs or batter and cooked by simmering or steaming. |
| Duxelle | A coarse paste or hash made of finely chopped mushrooms sautéed with shallots. |
| Elastin | A type of connective tissue in meats that does not dissolve when cooked. |
| Emincer (em-man-say) | To cut into very thin slices. |
| Emulsion | A uniform mixture of two unmixable liquids. |
| Entremetier (awn-tru-met-yay) | The cook who prepares vegetables, starches, soups, and eggs. |
| Epazote | A pungent herb, used in Mexican cooking. |
| EP Weight | Edible portion: The weight of an item after all trimming and preparation is done. |
| Escoffier, George Auguste | Great chef of the early twentieth century and the father of modern cookery. |
| Espagnole | A sauce made of brown stock and flavoring ingredients and thickened with a brown roux. |
| Espresso, Expresso | Strong dark coffee made from beans roasted until almost black, ground very fine, and brewed under steam pressure. |
| Etuver (ay-too-vay) | To cook of steam an item in its own juices; to sweat. |
| Executive Chef | The manager of a large kitchen or food production department. |
| Extended Meal Service | Service of a meal at which customers eat at different times. |
| Farro | A grain that is the ancestor of modern wheat. |
| Fermentation | The process by which yeast acts on carbohydrates to change them into carbon dioxide gas and alcohol. |
| Femiere (fair-myair) | Garnished with carrots, turnips, onions, and celery cut into uniform slices. |
| Fettuccine | Flat egg noodles. |
| Fiber | A group of indigestible carbohydrates in grains, fruits, and vegetables. |
| Fillet, Filet | 1) Meat: Boneless tenderloin. 2) Fish: Boneless side of fish. |
| Flavones | White pigments in vegetables and fruits. |
| Florentine | Garnished with or containing spinach. |
| Flow of Food | The path that food travels in a food service operation, from receiving to serving. |
| Foie Gras (fwah-grah) | Liver of specially fattened geese and ducks. |
| Fondant | A smooth, creamy, white icing or candy consisting of very finely crystallized sugar syrup. |
| Fond Lié | A sauce made by thickening brown stock with cornstarch or similar starch. |
| Fondue, Swiss | A dish consisting of melted Gruyère and Emmenthaler cheeses and white wine into which cubes of bread are dipped and eaten. From the French word meaning "melted." |
| Food Danger Zone | The temperature range of 45ºF to 140ºF (7ºC to 60ºC), in which bacteria grow rapidly. |
| Forestière | Garnished with mushrooms. |
| Free-range | Referring to animals, usually poultry, that are allowed to move relatively freely outdoors as they are raised for market. |
| French Dressing | Salad dressing made of oil, vinegar, and seasonings. |
| French-style Ice Cream | Ice cream containing egg yolks. |
| Fricassée | A white stew in which the meat is cooked in fat without browning before liquid is added. |
| Frisée | A variety of curly endive or chicory that is more tender and lighter in color than curly endive. |
| Frittata | A flat, unfolded omelet. |
| Fry | To cook in hot fat. |
| Fumet | A flavorful stock, usually fish stock. |
| Garde Manger (fard-mawn-zhay) | 1) The cook in charge of cold food production, including salads and buffet items. 2) The department of a kitchen in which these foods are prepared. |
| Garni | Garnished. Having had garnish added to it. |
| Garnish | 1) Decorative edible items used to ornament or enhance the eye appeal of another food item. 2) To add such a decorative item to food. |
| Garniture | 1) Garnish. 2) The act or process of garnishing. |
| Gastrique | A mixture of caramelized sugar and vinegar, used to flavor sauces. |
| Gazpacho | A cold Spanish soup made of puréed raw vegetables. |
| Gelatinization | The process by which starch granules absorb water and swell in size. |
| Genoise (zhen-wahz) | A French sponge cake. |
| Glace de Viande (glahss-duh-vee-awnd) | Meat glaze; a reduction of brown stock. |
| Glaze | 1) A stock that is reduced until it coats the back of a spoon. 2) A shiny coating, such as a syrup, applied to a food. 3) To make a food shiny or glossy by coating it with a glaze or by browning under a broiler or in a hot oven. |
| Gluten | A substance made up of proteins present in wheat flour that gives structure and strength to baked goods. |
| Glutinous Rice | A type of short-grain rice that becomes sticky and chewy when cooked. |
| Goulash | A Hungarian stew flavored with paprika. |
| Gram | The basic unit of weight in the metric system; equal to about one-thirtieth of an ounce. |
| Granité (grah-nee-tay) | Coarse, crystalline frozen dessert made of water, sugar, and fruit juice or other flavoring. |
| Green Meat | Meat that has not had enough time after slaughter to develop tenderness and flavor. |
| Griddle | To cook on a flat, solid cooking surface called a griddle. |
| Grill | To cook on an open grill over a heat source. |
| Grillardin (gree-ar-dan) | Broiler cook. |
| Gross Pièce (gross-pyess) | Centerpiece of a buffet platter. |
| Guinea | A domestically raised relative of the pheasant. |
| HACCP | Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point; a food safety system of self-inspection, designed to highlight hazardous food and to control food handling to avoid hazards. |
| Hash | 1) To chop. 2) A dish made of chopped foods. |
| Hazard | A potentially dangerous food condition due to contamination, growth of pathogens, survival of pathogens, or the presence of toxins. |
| Herbs | The leaves of certain plants, used in flavoring. |
| Hollandaise | A sauce made of butter, egg yolks, and flavorings (especially lemon juice). |
| Hominy | Corn that has been treated with lye. |
| Homogenized Milk | Milk that has been processed so that the cream doesn't separate out. |
| Hongroise (ong-grwahz) | Hungarian style. |
| Hygroscopic | Readily absorbing moisture. |
| Induction Cooktop | A type of cooktop that works by using magnetic energy to make pots hot without getting hot itself. |
| Infection | Disease, including much food-borne disease, caused by bacteria in the body. |
| Intoxication | Disease caused by poisons that bacteria produce while they are growing in food. |
| Jardinière (zhar-din-yair) | Garnished with fresh "garden" vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, green beans, peas, and cauliflower. |
| Jasmine Rice | A type of aromatic rice from Southeast Asia. |
| Judic | Garnished with braised lettuce. |
| Julienne | 1) Cut into small, thin strips, about 1/8 x 1/8 x 2 1/2 inches (3 mm x 3 mm x 6 1/2 cm). 2) Garnished with foods cut in this manner. |
| Jus (zhoo) | Unthickened juices from a roast. |
| Jus Lié | Thickened juices from a roast. |
| Kasha | Whole buckwheat groats. |
| Kilo- | Prefix in the metric system meaning "one thousand." |
| Lacto-ovo-vegetarian | Referring to a vegetarian diet that includes dairy products and eggs. |
| Lacto-vegetarian | Referring to a vegetarian diet that includes milk and other dairy products. |
| Lard | 1) The rendered fat of hogs. 2) To insert strips of fat into meats low in marbling. |
| Lasagna | Broad, flat egg noodles, or a baked, layered casserole made with these noodles. |
| Leading Sauce | A basic sauce used in the production of other sauces. The five leading hot sauces are Béchamel, Velouté, Espagnole, Tomato, and Hollandaise. Mayonnaise and Vinaigrette are often considered leading cold sauces. |
| Leavening | The production or incorporation of gases in a baked product to increase volume and to produce shape and texture. |
| Lemon Grass | A tropical grass with the aroma of lemon, used for flavoring. |
| Liaison | A binding agent, usually made of cream and egg yolks, used to thicken sauces and soups. |
| Liter | The basic unit of volume in the metric system; equal to slightly more than a quart. |
| London Broil | Flank steak or other cut of beef broiled rare and cut i thin slices. |
| Lyonnaise (lee-oh-nez) | Containing or garnished with onions. |
| Macaroni | Noodle products made of flour and water and dried. |
| Mâche | A small, tender leafy green with a delicate taste. |
| Magret | The boneless breast of the moulard duck. |
| Maître d'Hôtel Butter (may-truh-doh-tell) | Compound butter containing parsley and lemon juice. |
| Marbling | The fat that is deposited within muscle tissue. |
| Marinate | To soak a food in a seasoned liquid. |
| Marsala | A flavorful sweet to semi-dry wine from Sicily. |
| Mayonnaise | A semisolid cold sauce or dressing consisting of oil and vinegar emulsified with egg yolks. |
| Meringue | A foam made of beaten egg whites and sugar. |
| Meringue Glacé | Baked meringue shells served with ice cream. |
| Mesclum | A mixture of tender, baby lettuces. |
| Meter | The basic unit of length in the metric system; slightly longer than 1 yard. |
| (à la) Meunière | Fish prepared by dredging in flour and sautéing, served with brown butter, lemon juice, and parsley. |
| Microwave | Radiation generated in special ovens and used to cook or heat foods. |
| Milli- | Prefix in the metric system meaning "one-thousandth." |
| Mince | To chop into very fine pieces. |
| Minestrone | Italian vegetable soup. |
| Mirepoix (meer-pwah) | A mixture of rough-cut or diced vegetables, herbs, and spices used for flavoring. |
| Mise en Place (meez-on-plahss) | French term meaning "everything in place." The setup for production. All the preparations and organization that must be made before actual production can begin. |
| Moist-Heat Cooking Methods | Methods in which heat is conducted to foods by water or other liquid or by steam. |
| Mollusk | A soft-bodied sea animal, usually inside a pair of hinged shells, such as clams or oysters. |
| Monter au Beurre (mohn-tay-oh-burr) | To finish a sauce or soup by swirling in raw butter until it is melted. |
| Mornay | A sauce made of Béchamel and Gruyère cheese. |
| Moulard | A breed of duck with a thick, meaty breast, raised for its large, fatty liver. |
| Mousse | A soft, creamy food, either sweet or savory, that is made light by the addition of whipped cream or beaten egg whites or both. |
| Mozzarella | A mild, unripened cheese used in pizzas and many other Italian-style dishes. |
| Navarin | A brown lamb stew. |
| New England Boiled Dinner | A dish consisting of simmered corned beef and simmered vegetables, served together. |
| Niçoise (nee-swahz) | 1) Prepared in the style of Nice, France. 2) Garnished with or containing tomato concassée cooked with garlic. |
| Nouvelle Cuisine | A modern style of cooking that emphasizes lightness of sauces and seasonings, shortened cooking times, and new and sometimes startling combinations of foods. |
| Offal | Another name for variety meats. |
| Oolong | A greenish-brown, partially fermented tea. |
| Organic | Grown or raised without various chemical growth enhancers or medications or, for plants, without artificial fertilizers or pesticides. |
| Oven Spring | The rapid rise of yeast goods in the oven due to production and expansion of trapped gases as a result of the oven heat. |
| Overrun | The increase in volume of ice cream or frozen dessert due to incorporation of air while freezing. |
| Pan Gravy | A type of sauce made with the pan drippings of the meat or poultry it is served with. |
| Pan-broil | To cook uncovered in a sauté pan or skillet without fat. |
| Pan-fry | To cook in a moderate amount of fat in an uncovered pan. |
| (en) Papillote (on-poppy-yote) | Wrapped in paper or foil for cooking so that the food is steamed in its own moisture. |
| Parboil | To cook partially in a boiling or simmering liquid. |
| Parcook | To partially cook by any method. |
| Parfait | A dessert consisting of alternating layers of ice cream and fruit or syrup in a tall, narrow glass. |
| Parmentier (par-mawn-tyay) | Garnished with or containing potatoes. |
| Pasta | General term for any shape of macaroni product or egg noodles. |
| Pasteurized | Heat-treated to kill bacteria that might cause disease or spoilage. |
| Pastry Cream | A thick custard sauce containing eggs and starch. |
| Pâte à Choux (pot-a-shoo) | A soft dough used for making eclairs and cream puffs. Also called eclair paste. |
| Pathogen | A bacteria that causes disease. |
| Patissier (pa-tees-syay) | Pastry cook. |
| Peach Melba | A sundae consisting of vanilla ice cream, peach half, and Melba (raspberry) sauce. |
| Persillade (pear-see-yahd) | A mixture of bread crumbs, parsley, and garlic, used to coat roast meat items, usually lamb. |
| Pesco-vegetarian | Referring to a vegetarian diet that includes fish. |
| Philadelphia-style Ice Cream | Ice cream containing no eggs. |
| Pigment | Any substance that gives color to an item. |
| Pilaf | Rice or other grain product that has been first cooked in fat and then simmered in a stock or other liquid, usually with onions, seasonings, or other ingredients. |
| Poach | To cook very gently in water or other liquid that is hot but not actually bubbling, about 160ºF to 180ºF (71ºC to 82ºC). |
| Poissonier (pwah-so-nyay) | Fish cook. |
| Polenta | Italian-style cornmeal. |
| Portion Control | The measurement of portions to ensure that the correct amount of an item is served. |
| Potentially Hazardous Food | A food that provides a good environment for the growth of bacteria. |
| Pozole | Whole-grain hominy. |
| Pot Roast | A large cut of meat cooked by braising. |
| Poulette | Allemande Sauce flavored with mushrooms, parsley, and lemon juice. |
| Pour Batter | A batter that is liquid enough to pour. |
| Poussin | A young chicken weighing a pound (500 g) or less. |
| Primal Cut | One of the primary divisions of meat quarters, foresaddles, hindsaddles, and carcasses as they are broken down into smaller cuts. |
| Primeur (pree-mur) | Garnished with fresh spring vegetables such as carrots, turnips, green beans, peas, cauliflower, and small potatoes. |
| Princesse | Garnished with asparagus. |
| Printaniere (pran-tawn-yair) | Garnished with fresh spring vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, pearl onions, peas, green beans, and asparagus. |
| Prix Fixe (pree-fix) | French term meaning "fixed price"; referring to a menu offering a complete meal, with a choice of courses, for one given price. |
| Process Cheese | A product made by grinding and melting one or more cheeses, blending them with other ingredients, and pouring into molds to solidify. |
| Profiterole | Tiny round pastry made from eclair paste; filled with savory fillings and served as an hors d'oeuvre, or filled with ice cream and served as a dessert. |
| Provençale (pro-vawn-sal) | Garnished with or containing tomatoes, garlic, parsley, and sometimes mushrooms and olives. |
| Puff Pastry | A very light, flaky pastry made from a rolled-in dough and leavened by steam. |
| Pullman Loaf | Long, rectangular loaf of bread. |
| Pumpernickel | 1) Coarsely ground rye flour. 2) Bread made with this flour. |
| Purée | 1) A food product that has been mashed or strained to a smooth pulp. 2) To make such a pulp by mashing or straining a food. |
| Quail | A small game bird, now domestically raised, usually weighing 6 oz (175 g) or less. |
| Quiche | A savory tart or pie consisting of a custard baked in a pastry shell. |
| Quick Bread | A bread leavened by chemical leaveners or steam rather than by yeast. |
| Radiation | The transfer of energy by waves, such as infrared or light waves. |
| Raft | The coagulated clearmeat that forms when stock is clarified. |
| Ratatouille (ra-ta-tweey) | A Southern French vegetable stew of onions, tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, and green peppers. |
| Ravier (rahv-yay) | Oval relish dish. |
| Ravioli | Dumplings consisting of egg noodles filled with any of a variety of fillings. |
| Recipe | A set of instructions for producing a certain dish. |
| Reduce | To cook by simmering or boiling until quantity is decreased; often done to concentrate flavors. |
| Reduction | 1) A liquid that has been concentrated by cooking it to evaporate part of the water. 2) The process of making such a liquid. |
| Relish | A type of appetizer consisting of raw or pickled vegetables. |
| Ricotta | An Italian-style cheese similar to cottage cheese but smoother, moister, and sweeter in flavor. |
| Risoot | A moist Italian dish of rice cooked in butter and stock. |
| Rissolé | Browned. Often referring to potatoes cut in small shapes, parboiled, and browned in hot fat. |
| Roast | To cook foods by surrounding them with hot, dry air, in an oven or on a spit over an open fire. |
| Roe | Fish eggs. |
| Roesti Potatoes | Boiled potatoes that have been grated, formed into small cakes, and pan-fried until crisp. |
| Rolled-in Dough | Dough in which a fat is incorporated into the dough in many layers by using a rolling and folding procedure. |
| Roquefort | A blue-veined cheese made in Roquefort, France, from sheep's milk. |
| Rotisserie | An item of cooking equipment that slowly rotates meat or other foods in front of a heating element. |
| Rotisseur (ro-tee-sur) | Cook who prepares roasted, braised, and broiled meats. |
| Rough Prep | The preliminary processing of ingredients to the point at which they can be used in cooking. |
| Roux | A cooked mixture of equal parts flour and fat. |
| Royal Icing | An icing made of confectioners' sugar and egg whites, used for decorating. |
| Russet | Starchy potato often used for baking and deep-frying. |
| Rye Blend | A mixture of rye flour and hard wheat flour. |
| Sachet (sa-shay) | A mixture of herbs and spices tied in a cheesecloth bag. |
| Salamander | Small broiler used primarily for browning or glazing the tops of certain items. |
| Salmonella | A widespread food-borne disease, spread by improper food handling and inadequate sanitation. |
| Sanitize | To kill disease-causing bacteria, usually by heat or by chemical disinfectants. |
| Saturated Fat | A fat that is normally solid at room temperature. |
| Sauce | A flavorful liquid, usually thickened, that is used to season, flavor, and enhance other foods. |
| Saucier (so-see-ay) | The sauce cook; prepares sauces and stews and sautés foods to order. |
| Sauerbraten | A German dish consisting of beef marinated and then cooked with vinegar and other ingredients. |
| Sauté | To cook quickly in a small amount of fat. |
| Scampi | A kind of shellfish similar to large shrimp. In this country, the term is often used for large shrimp, especially if broiled with garlic butter. |
| Sear | To brown the surface of a food quickly at high temperatures. |
| Semolina | A hard, high-protein flour often used for the best-quality macaroni products. |
| Set Meal Service | Service of a meal at which all the customers eat at one time. |
| Shirred Egg | Egg baked in a shallow, buttered dish. |
| Short | Having a high fat content, which makes the product (such as a cookie or pastry) very crumbly and tender. |
| Shortening | 1) Any fat used in baking to tenderize the product by shortening gluten strands. 2) A white, tasteless, solid fat that has been formulated for baking or deep-frying. |
| Shred | To cut into thin but irregular strips, either with the coarse blade of a grater or with a knife. |
| Sieve Size | Size of individual pieces, usually of canned vegetable. |
| Simmer | To cook in water or other liquid that is bubbling gently, about 185ºF to 200ºF (85ºC to 93ºC). |
| Sirniki | Russian pan-fried cheesecakes. |
| Slurry | A mixture of raw starch and cold liquid, used for thickening. |
| Small Sauce | A sauce made by adding one or more ingredients to a leading sauce. |
| Smoke-roasting | To cook with dry heat in the presence of wood smoke. |
| Soft-shell Crab | A just-molted crab whose new shell has not yet hardened. |
| Solanine | A poisonous substance found in potatoes that have turned green. |
| Sorbet (sor-bay) | Sherbet, usually made without milk products. |
| Soufflé | A light, fluffy baked egg dish consisting of a base (such as a heavy white sauce) mixed with egg yolks and flavoring ingredients into which beaten egg whites are folded just before baking. May be sweet or savory. |
| Sous Chef (soo-shef) | A cook who supervised food production and who reports to the executive chef. |
| Spaetzle | Small dumplings or noodles made from a thin egg and flour batter. |
| Spelt | A type of what grain similar to farro. |
| Spice | Any part of a plant, other than the leaves, used in flavoring foods. |
| Squab | Young, domestically raised pigeon. |
| Staling | The change in texture and aroma of baked goods due to the loss of moisture by the starch granules. |
| Standard Breading Procedure | The procedure for coating a food product with bread crumbs (or other crumbs or meal) by passing it through flour, then egg wash, then crumbs. |
| Standardized Recipe | A set of instructions describing the way a particular establishment prepares a particular dish. |
| Staphylococcus or "Staph" | A bacterium that causes food-borne disease by producing a toxin or poison in improperly sterilized foods. |
| Static Menu | A menu that offers the same dishes every day. |
| Station Chef | A cook in charge of a particular department in a kitchen or food production facility. |
| Steam | To cook by direct contact with steam. |
| Stew | 1) To simmer a food or foods in a small amount of liquid that is usually served with the food as a sauce. 2) A dish cooked by stewing, usually one in which the main ingredients are cut in small pieces. |
| Stock | A clear, thin (that is, unthickened) liquid flavored by soluble substances extracted from meat, poultry, and fish, and their bones, and from vegetables and seasonings. |
| Streusel (stroy-zel) | A crumbly topping for baked goods, consisting of fat, sugar, and flour rubbed together. |
| Strong Flour | Flour with a high protein or gluten content. |
| Suprême Sauce | A sauce made of chicken velouté and heavy cream. |
| Surimi | A processed seafood product manufactured to resemble shellfish such as crab. |
| Sweat | To cook in a small amount of fat over low heat, sometimes covered. |
| Sweetbreads | The thymus glands of calves and young animals, used as a food. |
| Swiss Steak | Beef round steaks braised in brown sauce. |
| Table d'Hote (tobble-dote) | 1) Referring to a fixed-price menu with no choices. 2) Referring to a menu on which prices are listed for complete meals rather than for each separate item. |
| Tang | The portion of a metal knife blade that is inside the handle. |
| Tatsoi | A leafy vegetable or salad green related to mustard and watercress. |
| Temper | To raise the temperature of a cold liquid gradually by slowly stirring in a hot liquid. |
| Tomalley | The liver of lobsters and some other shellfish. |
| Tournant (toor-nawn) | A cook who replaces other station cooks; relief cook or swing cook. |
| Tournedos (too-nuh-doe) | A small beef steak cut from the tenderloin. |
| Treviso | A red-leaved relative of radicchio and Belgian endive with elongated leaves. |
| Trichinosis | A food-borne disease caused by a parasite sometimes found in undercooked pork. |
| Tripe | The muscular stomach lining of beef or other meat animals. |
| Truit au Bleu | Poached trout that was alive until cooking time and that turns blue when cooked in the court bouillon. |
| Trunnion Kettle | A steam-jacketed kettle that can be tilted for emptying. |
| Truss | To tie poultry into a compact shape for cooking. |
| Tunneling | A condition of muffin products characterized by large elongated holes, caused by over-mixing. |
| Univalve | A mollusk with a single shell, such as abalone. |
| Unsaturated Fat | A fat that is normally liquid at room temperature. |
| Variety Meats | Various organs, glands, and other meats that don't form a part of the dressed carcass. |
| Vegan | Referring to a vegetarian diet that omits all animal products, including dairy products and eggs. |
| Velouté | A sauce made by thickening white stock with a roux. |
| Vent | To allow circulation or escape of a liquid or gas, such as by setting a pot of hot stock on blocks in a coldwater bath so that the cold water can circulate all around the pot. |
| Viande (vee-awnd) | French word for meat. |
| Vichyssoise (vee-she-swahz) | Cold purée of leek and potato soup with cream. |
| Vin | Wine. |
| Vin Blanc | White wine. |
| Vin Rouge | Red wine. |
| Vinaigrette | Dressing or sauce made of oil, vinegar, and flavoring ingredients. |
| Vitamin | Any of a group of compounds that are present in foods in very small quantities and that are necessary for regulating body functions. |
| Volatile | Evaporating quickly when heated. |
| Wash | 1) To brush or coat a food item with a liquid such as egg wash or milk. 2) The liquid used in this procedure. |
| Waxy Potato | A young potato high in sugar and low in starch. |
| Weak Flour | Flour with a low protein or gluten count. |
| Welsh Rabbit | A dish made of melted cheddar cheese and, usually, ale or beer. Sometimes called Welsh Rarebit. |
| White Pekin | The most common breed of domestic duck in the United States. |
| Whitewash | A thin mixture or slurry of flour and cold water. |
| Winterized Oil | Vegetable oil that stays clear and liquid when refrigerated. |
| Zest | The colored part of the peel of citrus fruits. |
