The Encyclopedia of Food and People

Assembled by Arno Schmidt

Copyright 2000
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Aachener Printen
Gingerbread named after the German city Aachen.
la
French grammatical term. In culinary usage, the term is used to describe an ingredient, garnish,
or geographic name when the noun is feminine. When the noun is masculine, au is used instead of la.
The plural form is always aux, regardless of gender.
la mode
French term in fashion. There is no specific culinary definition, although the term is most often
used for braised beef garnished with vegetables, and for apple pie served with ice cream.
a feira
Spanish type of cooking common in Alicia in the northwest. It consists of boiling in huge
cauldrons, then serving the food seasoned with paprika and oil.
part
French, separate, single or special. To serve something on the side would be called part in
French.
point
Literally "to the point". French culinary term referring to meat which is cooked medium rare. The
term is often used in French kitchen to describe when something is cooked to the perfect temperature.
la carte
French, meaning from the menu. All dishes can be ordered separately and are then charged
individually.

aamshatta
Bengal term for slivered dried mangos used as spice.
ababai
Tree fruit related to papaya, it must be cooked before use.
abalone
Sea snails with beautiful shells harvested in the tropical waters of the Pacific ocean. related to
the garden snail, but the shells do not resemble snail shells but mussles. The muscle, resembling scallop
is eaten. It is rather though, must be pounded flat and cooked and served rapidly.
California law prohibits shipping fresh, frozen or canned abalone to other states. Most abalone
available in other states is imported from Mexico or from the Orient.
California was once a major supplier of dehydrated abalone to the Orient.
Also known as ear shell, ormer.
abata-kola
Nut chewed in West Africa for energy.
Abate Fetel
Pear varity. Often somewhat lumpy, with sweet juicy flesh. Originally French; now also common
in Italy and South Africa.
abats
French term for offal meats, such as liver, hearts, feet, brains and kidneys. The spelling on
menus is normally abatis for poultry dishes, and abats for meat dishes. Old fashioned French cooking
made use of every piece of the animal, and offal meats were found on many menus.
Also known as abattis.
abavo
Tree pumpkin.
Abbay de Cteau
Monastery cheese created in the Middle ages.
abbocato
Italian wine term for semi sweet.
abbott
Kiwi variety. The fruit is, elongated, with a very fuzzy skin. Picked early in the season and it keeps
well. Similar in shape and taste to the later picked Allison.
abdelavis
Egyptian melon variety, the seeds are used to make a thirst quenching beverage.
Abe Lincoln apple
Old fashioned name for the Red Astrachan apple.
Aberdeen Angus, black Angus
Cattle breed from Scotland. The name comes from two counties in Scotland. Angus meat is
marketed as premium meat for steaks. The steer is hornless.
Abernethy Biscuits
Small dry biscuits often flavored with caraway seeds. The name is associated with the British
18th century surgeon John Abernethy, although it is doubtful that he invented the biscuits.

abers
French oyster variety.
Abertam
Cheese made in the Bohemian region of the Czech Republic.
abocado
Term to describe medium dry Sherry wine.
abogado
Original Spanish name for the avocado. Literally translated, it means lawyer, but the name
probably arose not through any legal implications, but as an interpretation of the Aztec name for the fruit,
ahuacatl, meaning butter from the wood. The fruit is now called aguacate in Spanish.
Abouriou
French red wine grape variety of declining commercial value used as blending wine.
Abricotine
French apricot flavored cordial.
Abruzzo
Mountain region in mid Italy famous for wine. The best known is Montepulciano.
absinthe
French. Very potent (136 proof), and once popular bitter, licorice - flavored liqueur which was
made from wormwood and was outlawed in France after World War I because of its potency,
addictiveness, and illness-inducing components.
Its decedents are the milder French Pernod, Ricard, and the American Herb Saint. See there.
Absinthe was first created in Switzerland, and the recipe was sold in 1797 to the French firm Henrie-Louis
Pernod. Absinthe became popular in cafs and dance halls, especially in New Orleans. Absinthe was
served by placing a sugar cube on a perforated spoon, dripping first Absinthe, and then pouring water
over the sugar. The resulting drink was cloudy.
abulution
Vegetable plant widely cultivated in tropical countries, where the leaves are eaten as vegetable.
Also known as bencus de deos in Brazil.
Abulution esculentum, abulution indicum.
Abundant Life Seed Foundation
Seed company in Port Townsend, Washington preserving heirloom seeds.
abura ag
Japanese deep-fried sheets of bean curd.
acacia
Small dessert shrub of some culinary value. The scented flowers can be batter fried and the
resin is used in cough medicine. Acacia honey is greenish and retains the aroma of the blossoms.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
acantus
Greek herb, the leaves were chewed as stimulant.
acaraj

Brazilian Bahia cooking. Black eye bean fritters. Bahia is a state in Brazil with a large Negro
population and the cooking has strong African influences. A batter is made from cooked, mashed
fradinho beans, and mixed with dried ground shrimp. Spoonfuls of the batter is fried in hot palm oil. The
fritters are broken open and served with a hot pepper and shrimp paste as a street snack.
accola
Mediterranean food fish.
accoub
Edible member of the thistle family, originally from Syria. The plant grows in Mediterranean
countries and the roots, shoots and buds are eaten.
Gundelia tournefortii.
accra
Caribbean yeast batter fritters filled with fish, meat or vegetables.
Also known as accrats.
acerola
Tropical fruit native to the Caribbean. Cherry-like in appearance, it grows on a thick bush that is
sometimes used as a hedge in tropical and sub-tropical climates, such as Florida. It has the distinction of
being the richest of all fruits in vitamin C, and it is cultivated for medicinal purposes. Too sour to be eaten
raw, but it is good in jams and preserves and can be stewed with other fruit.
Also referred to as the Surinam cherry, a term also used for the unrelated pitanga, whose
botanical name is Eugenia uniflora. Malphigia glabra.
acetic acid
Bacteria which causes vinegar to be sour. It occurs naturally and will multiply rapidly in any
suitable liquid.
aceto balsamico
Italian term for balsamic vinegar. See there.
acetylcholine
Nerve stimulant occurring naturally in liver, wheat germs, pulses, cheese and oats.
acha
African grain seed, also known as hungry rice.
Achae
Greek wine growing province on the southern shore of the Gulf of Corinth. The major city is
Patras.
Achaia Clauss is the largest winery in Greece.
achanaca
Peruvian edible cactus.
Achard/achards
Asian condiment, pickled cucumbers and fruits seasoned with turmeric, sesame seeds, sugar
and other spices and vinegar.
Also known as achat.
ache
Wild celery, also known as fools parsley.
achilles

Purplish-red gooseberry, typically 2" in diameter, good for eating raw, cultivated in the temperate
zones of Europe.
achinos
Greek term for sea urchin.
achira
Tropical starchy root in the canna family, the flour is used as thickener.
achoiade
Pungent anchovy paste from Provence. Traditionally spread on toast and baked briefly, then
topped with tomato slices.
acid drops
British term for sour balls (candy).
acid cherry
Sour cherry, originally from Southeast Europe, and now cultivated throughout Europe and the
US. The fruit is used to make jams, fillings, syrup or brandy.
Also known as Morello cherry.
Prunus cerasus.
acid
In wine, the naturally occurring tartaric and malic acid found in grapes. Wines must have a
balance between acid, sugar and other flavor components
Asetic acid is the acid which turns liquid into vinegar providing the proper conditions exist.
acidifiers
Food that not having an acidic taste but acidify the body tissues. Good example are hams,
artichokes, butter, chocolate and many others.
acidic rinse
Some fruits will oxidize/turn brown when peeled. To keep white they should be put in acidic
water referred to as acidic rinse. Commercial operations often used canned grapefruit juice blended with
water.
It should be noted that water soluble vitamins are lost, and the fruit will become mushy in the
process.
acitrn
Cushion cactus leaves which are often candied.
Echinocactus grandis.
aorda
Portuguese thick soup made from stale bread, olive oil, garlic, and coriander. It takes on the
flavor of whatever else is added, such as shrimp, crayfish, or fish. Often cooked and served in a clay pot.
Aorda alentejana is the soup topped with egg, from the south of Portugal.
acorn
The fruit of the oak tree, used as fodder for swine. The Westpahlian ham, a smoked ham, was
originally made from hogs fed with acorns. Acorns were also used in human consumption, especially
roasted, and used as coffee substitute. Acorns were an important part of the diet of some American
Indian tribes.
Some varieties are poisonous to humans.
acorn ham

Ham made from acorn fed hogs. The Smithfield, Serrano and Westphalien hams claim to come
from acorn fed hogs.

acorn squash
A variety of winter squash with dark green or orange mottled skin. The skin is hard. Acorn
squash is usually baked or boiled and mashed. See squash.
Also known as Des Moines squash, table queen.
acorus calamus
Shrub known to the Romans with supposedly aphrodisiac properties.
Acquette
Cordial popular in Mediterranean countries flavored with cinnamon, cloves, angelica roots, nut
meg and other spices.
Gold or silver leaves are added for decoration. There is a slight flavor difference between Gold
Acquette and Silver Acquette.
actinia
Stinging sea anemone harvested in France for food. There are different species.
Also known as rastegne.
Actinia coriacea, actinia edulis.
actinidiae
Family of climbing plants native to East Asia and the Himalayas consisting of forty dioecious
species (i.e. male and female plants are on separate plants but develop at the same time), though only
three species, actinidia arguto, actinidia chinensis, and actinidia kolomikta produce edible fruits
commonly called kiwi. See there.

Acton, Mrs. Eliza

English cookbook author in the early 19th century.
adafina
Spanish/Sephardic Jewish version of cocido, or slow cooking stew. A robust stew including beef,
chickpeas, and hard boiled eggs. It is an ideal Sabbath dish as it can simmer unattended for an entire
day.
On the Sabbath practicing Jews are not allowed to light the stove and to perform any labor.
Adafina is made on Friday and left overnight to simmer.
Also see cocido.
Adam's fig
Another name for plantain, the cooking banana. The name probably make reference to the large
leaves of the banana tree. See plantain.
Adam's apple
Another name for the pomelo. See pomelo.
Adams Ale
Slang for water.
adana
Italian fresh water food fish harvested in the Po river.

additives
Substances added directly or indirectly to food. The substances can be of natural or chemical
origin and are added to enhance flavor, stabilize, to preserve and to maintain freshness.
There are thousand of additives registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and
their use is regulated, and often controversial.
adductor
Muscle inside oysters that keeps the shells together, also called heart.
ade
Beverage made of fruit juice and water, or boiled fruit, sugar and water.
Adega
Portuguese wine warehouse above ground.
Adige
River in upper Italy starting in the Alps and emptying into the Adriatic sea near Venice.
See Alto Adige.
Adirondack bread
Coarse flour bread from Upstate New York usually eaten hot from the oven.
adjab
Edible nut growing in Africa. A spread is made with the nuts in Gabon.
admiral
Hot red wine punch thickened with egg yolks.
adobo
Hispanic seasoning, a mixture of salt, cumin, black pepper, oregano, garlic, and tumeric.
Adobo is also a Spanish/Mexican meat stew.
adobo
Philippine term for chicken or pork, sometimes other meats or fish, marinated in palm vinegar,
garlic, and seasonings. Originally a way of preserving meat.
ads majroosh
Arabic term for dried red split lentils.
aduki/adzuki beans
Oriental dark red or black beans, small and sweet. They are used in many oriental dishes and
also in confections, often served cold under a cap of shaved ice soaked with sweetened green tea,
known as shiratama uji kintoki in Japan.
Phaseolus angularis.
Advocaat
Dutch liqueur made from brandy, sugar, and egg yolks. A bottled egg-nog.
aemono
Japanese term for certain salads, and also for salad dressings.
aerated bread
Bread making method invented 1856 by Dr. Dauglish to replace yeast and chemical leavening
agents by pumping carbon dioxide into the dough. It was not commercially successful.
aerated water

Old term for water with air added under pressure. Carbonated water has carbon dioxide added
under pressure.
aerial yam
Yam variety from tropical Africa and Asia whose tubers grow exposed and which resembles a
small orange colored sweet potato. Some varieties are poisonous.
See yam.
Dioscorea bulbifera.
Aestivalis
Native American grape variety.
Affenthaler
German red wine from the area around Baden-Baden near the Black Forest. The word Affen
mean monkey. There is no explanation for the name.
affettato/affettati
Italian/Roman cold cuts.
affinage
French term describing the ripening process of cheese. Affineur is a cheese expert.
aflatoxin.
Carcinogen found in corn.
African continent food
This entry covers primarily the most prominent dishes, most of them European heritage. Local
dishes, fruits and vegetables indigenous to Africa are listed under their names.
For Egypt and Morocco see there.
ANGOLA
The former Portuguese colony on the west coast was exposed to Portuguese cooking since 1483
when Diogo Cam landed in what has become Angola. Since Portugal also colonized Brazil and traveled
to India and other parts of Asia there was an active interchange of plants and cooking methods.
The Portuguese are credited with bringing to Angola the lemon, lime, orange trees from Asia and
coffee trees from other parts of Africa.
EAST AFRICA
Cooking was influenced by the British and Portuguese, but there was a strong influence from
Indian and Arabic traders. Curry is a more popular seasoning than peppers, although piri piri peppers are
used on the coast.
Cattle was considered a prized possession not to be killed and meat is expensive. They are kept
for milk and curd cheese. Blood is also drawn from live cattle for nourishment.
The British settlers were able to produce cattle of high quality, pigs and chicken for slaughter.
They ware also able to introduce cheese making technics.
Game once hunted legally for food is in many places protected and kept in huge game parks as
tourist attraction. Thompson gazelle meat is considered delicious.
Large prawns are caught off the coast of Kenya and Tanzania, and prawns piri piri is probably the
best known of East Africa's coastal specialties.
Staples are millet, corn, sorghum yams and rice.
Zimbawe produces interesting white and red wines.
ETHIOPIA
The country is isolated by mountain ranges and was able to maintain its traditions, Christian
religion, and from of government over centuries. The high plateau has temperate climate which lends
itself to growing grain and grazing cattle. The predominant grains are barley, millet, sorghum, wheat and
teff. See there. Lentils are popular.
Injera is a bread/pancake, traditionally made with teff flour. See there. Honey is used in many
dishes and comes from wild and domesticated bees. Tej is a fermented honey beverage. Coffee

originated in the mountains and is still growing wild. It is served very concentrated and spiced in tiny
cups. Berber is a hot universal spice blend based on dried chili peppers. Niter kebbeh is a spiced oil
and butter mixture used in most dishes. Doro wat is a chicken stew.
SOUTH AFRICA
The cooking is Influenced by the Dutch, English and Asian settlers. The cold Atlantic waters
renders spiny lobsters, which are exported as South African lobster tails. Once inexpensive in the US
they have become scars.
Biltong is dried beef resembling jerky.
Many cookies and sweets are Dutch inspired. Planked fruits are dried fruit pulp as preserved by
the Dutch Voortrekker pioneers.
Ostrich ware prized for eggs and meat and were hunted mercilessly at the turn of the century for
their feathers.
South Africa is a major wine grower in exporter. Wines and grape varieties are listed under their
names.
AFRICA, WEST
The cooking in the cities was influenced by contacts with European and Arabic sailors and
eventually with colonial French and Belgium masters. They tried to bring their homelands into their lives
as much as possible and ignored local products and traditions. West Africa is also the ancestral home of
American soul food.
Important local products are yams native to Asia, sorghum, plantains, coconuts, cassava native
to South America, millet, peanuts, okra, and eggplants
The Atlantic ocean is harvested for fish, clams and oysters, fresh or sold sun-dried. Milk and
curd-cheese are the major dairy products.
Stews are often with meat and fish combined. Meats tend to be tough, but stewing and
marinating tenderizes them.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Fried plantains
Fufu - yam paste balls served cold
Peanut stew, a sort of pot luck dinner
Spiced okra
African corn
See sorghum.
African horned cucumber
Also known as African horned melon.
See kiwano.
African peppers
See Cayenne peppers.
African walnuts
Also known as Boer beans.
African wines
The vast continent produces wines in the temperate zones, such as Algeria, Morocco and Tunis
in the north, and excellent wines in South Africa. See country listings.
agami
Large game bird in the wader family hunted in South America.
One specie is Guiana agami.
agar-agar
Edible red seaweed in the gelidium family, processed into a vegetable gelatin. It is manufactured
in Japan and in South East Asia, and has uses as thickener in jams and jellies, as homogenizer in ice
cream, but also in the textile industry. Ceylon moss, and Chinese moss are related products.

Agar-agar is tasteless and semi transparent when manufactured as sticks. It is also available as
powder. It will dissolve when boiled.
Also known as Bengal Isinglass, kanten, macassar gum, Japanese moss, Chinese gelatin or
Japanese gelatin. Rhodphyta/Porphyra umbilicais
agaricus
Botanical name for a group of wild mushrooms. Some are poisonous.
Argaricus arvensis, also known as horse mushroom, is edible.
agave plant
Plant growing wild, and is also cultivated in South West US, and in Mexico. In some varieties, the
leaves and center buds are edible when cooked. The plant had a religious meaning to Indian tribes,
especially the Mescalero Apache Indians. The plant is poisonous when eaten raw.
Also known as mezcal/mescal, maguey or century plant.
An alcoholic drink is made with the fermented pulp, called mescal or pulque.
See tequila.
ag
Japanese term for frying and fried.
Ag mono - generic term for fried foods.
Ag tofu - fried tofu.
Aggazzotti, Francesco
Italian vinegar producer who invented about 140 years ago a method to accelerate the production
of balsamic vinegar. See there.
aggie fortis
Early American corn whiskey, also referred to as simply "corn". Often produced illegally in home
stills. Being caught drinking too much or producing it illegally is to "acknowledge the corn".
aging, alcoholic beverages
Alcoholic beverages are aged in casks or in the bottles. Aging in casks softens the tannin and
blend flavors, and also impart flavors extracted from wood. It is used for wine, beer and for distilled
spirits.
Bottle aging will change the character of the wine, but not fortified wines, beer and distilled spirits.
aging, meat
See beef aging.
Agiorgitiko
Greek red wine grape variety, indigenous to the Peloponnese area. The nickname is Blood of
Hercules.
Aglianico
Italian red wine grape variety grape variety with high tannin.
Aglianico del Vulture is a famous red wine from grapes planted in volcanic soil on the slope of
Mont Vesuvio. The best is grown in Basilicata, Campania, Potenza and in Taurasi.
agneau
French term for lamb.
agneau pr-sal
French term for lamb raised on salt meadows. Lamb raised in coastal ocean areas pick up a
salty flavor from the grass. Often referred to for lamb raised at the mouth of the Loire.
agnolotti
Italian/Piedmont region specialty. A half moon shaped pasta, resembling filled turnovers, and
usually filled with cheese, walnuts or veal. Basically a ravioli.

10

agon
Small fresh water food fish harvested in Swiss and upper Italian lakes, where is is called sardina.

Agrafa
Greek cheese resembling Gruyre. See there.
agrafe
Old fashioned metal clip used in Champagne production to keep the cork in place during
fermentation.
agras
Algerian/African sweet non alcoholic beverage made with grape juice, sugar and almonds.
agretti
Spinach-like vegetable cultivated in Italy.
agrimony
Plant with yellow flowers in the rose family used for tisane or to flavor beer.
Also known as Church Steeples because of its long spikes.
Agrimonia eupatoria.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
agouti
Variety of guinea pig eaten in south America. See cuy/cui.
Agua-Santa
Portuguese red grape variety, used to make the wines of Bairrada. Literally translated "holy
water".
aguacate
The Spanish name for avocado.
aguamiel
Mexican/Spanish term for the fresh juice of the mezcal/maguey agave plant. It means honey
water in Spanish.
The fermented juice becomes pulque, and distilled juice becomes tequila.aguardente
Hispanic generic term for a distilled spirit made from sugar cane. Finer qualities are known as
cachaca in Brazil. Aguardente is often flavored with anise.
agungate
South American fruit resembling avocado, but less flavorful.
Also known as palta.
Aguinaldo honey
Amber, almost white honey produced in Mexico.
ahi
See tuna, yellow-fin.
Ahlewurst
Air-dried German sausage of coarsely chopped lean meat. A specialty of northern Hesse, the
region around Frankfurt.

11

Ahr
German river north a Koblenz. Along the river are the most northern vineyards in Germany,
producing excellent red wines.
ahuacatl
The Aztec name for avocado, it means butter from the wood.
Aigle
Swiss white wine produced in the Canton Vaud (Vallis) east of Geneva.
Aiguebelle
French cordial resembling Chartreuse, also available in green and yellow. It is made on the site
of a Cistercian monastery built in 1137, and named after the confluence of three brooks, les belles eaux.
aiguillette
French culinary term referring to meat cut into long, thin stripes. The term is usually applied to
breasts of birds.
aoli, also ailloli
French cold sauce on the principle of Mayonnaise, but containing a large amount of mashed
garlic. The sauce is served with broiled or boiled fish, and is part of Provence (provenale) cooking.
air-dried beef
Ancient method of preserving beef by salting, and then drying in shade with air circulation before
it can spoil. The method is used in cooler climates.
Bresaola is the Italian version. Bndnerfleisch in Switzerland, viande seche in France, carne
seca in Spain and Mexico.
airelles rouges
French name for lingonberries.
Airen
Spanish white wine grape, also called Lairn, widely planted in La Mancha, south of Madrid.
Aisne
French wine growing district producing wines used in Champagne production.
aitchbone
The hip, or curved bone where the leg is attached to the rump. The meat around is flavorful and
sometimes sold as separate cut.
aji
South American chili, a variety of hot chili native to Peru. Aji is rather small and very hot when
red and mature.
Also known as agi.
See chilies.
aji de gallina
Peruvian chicken dish in a sauce of milk, bread crumbs, and hot chili or aji.
aji no moto
Japanese name for monosodium glutamate. The word means essence of taste.
ajiaco

12

Cuban thick meat and vegetable stew made with pork or chicken and yuca, malanga, and boniato
tubers and calabaza.
ajo blanco
Spanish cold soup specialty from the town of Mlaga. The soup made with garlic, almonds and
soft white bread crumbs, and garnished with grapes. Literally translated, white garlic.
Also known as white gazpacho. Gazpacho is normally red and made with tomatoes.
ajowan
Indian seed spice with strong thyme flavor. Carum ajowan.

Akala berries
Large, juicy berries from the Hawaiian islands, resembling raspberries. The color of the fruits can
range from dark purplish to orange, the flavor can be slightly bitter. Large berries can be 2 in. (50 mm)
across.
Rubus Macaei.
akara
Nigerian black eye pea fritters, made with mashed pea paste, flavored with minced onions.
Akbar
16th century Indian Mogul emperor. His claim to culinary fame is his great love for mangos, so
much so that it is said he maintained an orchard of 100,000 mango trees in northern India.
See mango.
Akebia quinata
Oriental climbing shrub with oval, purple seeded edible fruit not especially delicious. Only the
soft, gelatinous pulp is edible.
Upon ripening, it splits in half vertically. The thick, purple skin has a bitter taste which can be
abated by grilling or frying.
On variety is the evergreen akebia is grown as an ornamental plant.
Akee/ackee
The national fruit of Jamaica, though it originated in West Africa. Introduced into the West Indies
in the 18th century by Captain Bligh, the notorious sailor for whom it was named.
The pink elongated pear-shaped fruit grows to about 3 inches on average. Unripe fruit is
poisonous. When the fruit ripens poisonous pink the pod opens. Edible is yellow pulp which resembles
cooked scrambled eggs, and black seeds. The seeds are inedible.
Ackee is also sold in cans and this is perhaps the safest way to purchase it. Used as a vegetable,
as it is not sweet. Commonly served with salt cod.
Blighia sapida.
Akita food, Japanese prefecture
Regional dishes known as "furusato no aji", literally translated "a taste of home".
Akule
Food fish from Hawaii, often sold salted and dried.
Akuni
Indonesian fermented soybean preparation, similar to the Japanese natto.
See natto.
akvavit
See aquavit.

13

al ajillo
Spanish term referring to a dish in olive oil and garlic. Ajo is Spanish for garlic.
al dente
See pasta.

14

al-kharshof
The Arabic word from which the Spanish word alcachofa and the English word artichoke are
derived.
Alambic
French spelling of alembic. See alembic still.
alambrado
Spanish term for the netting on wine bottles, still used on some premium wines. The netting was
intended to prevent fraud.
Alameda
California county near San Francisco producing interesting wines. It is known for very old vines.
Alar
Trade name for the chemical daminozide used as an apple ripening agent, registered for use in
1978. Later research later found Alar to be carcinogenic when ingested in huge amounts. When the
news broke by the TV Show 60 Minutes, supermarkets pulled apples from the shelves, school lunch
programs removed apples from their menus, and the apple industry suffered great losses.
alaria esculenta
Edible seaweed. Also known as badderlocks in Scotland and murlins in Ireland.
See seaweed.
Alaska pollack
Ocean food fish, most of the catch is manufactured into fish products.
Also known as walleye pollack.
Alaska turkey
American slang for salmon, which was as common to the Alaskan dinner table as turkey is to
most of the US lower 48 states.
Alaska king crab
Giant-sized crabs. One crab can weigh from 6 to 20 pounds. Sweet, coarse meat.
crabs.

See

Alaska-Florida
Other name for Baked Alaska, because of its cold interior and hot exterior. It is a dessert
consisting of ice cream covered with sponge cake and meringue, and quickly baked.
Baked Alaska was once a popular banquet dessert.
Alba
Famous Italian town for white truffles and Barbaresco and Barolo wines.
Albacore
See tuna.
Albana
Italian white wine made with the grape of the same name. The wine can range from dry to semisweet. Like many Italian grape varieties it has a long history going back to the thirteenth century.
Albana di Romagna is the first white wine to receive Italy's DOCG rating in 1967. The wine is
cultivated in Emilia-Romagna region and is made with 100% Albana grapes.
The wine gained the DOCG rating because the style of the wine is unique. It is made as dry or
"secco" and sweet or "amabile". A sparkling wine version is also produced.

15

Albanello
Sicilian white wine made around Syracuse.
Albany beef
Old nickname for Hudson River sturgeon. The fish is now rare and expensive, but was plentiful in
the Hudson River at the turn of the century. The sturgeon catch was hauled up the river to Albany where
it was sold for pennies, and was nicknamed "Albany beef".
albaricoque
Spanish term for apricot.
Albario
The finest white wine grape of Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain. It grows in the rainy cool
climate. Not a particularly prolific producing vine. High in acidity, but balanced by being macerated on the
skins to give the wine a fuller body. Greenish yellow color. Apple, hay-like aroma.
Other Gallician grapes include: Brancellao, Cain~, Espadeiro, Loureiro, Torrontes, Treixadura.
albariza
The best soil in the region of Jerez, Spain on which to grow the Palomino grapes, the
predominant grape variety in sherry wine. The soil is chalky, also containing sand and clay. The soil
absorbs the water from the rainy season, storing it until the hot weather strikes. The soil will then cake
up, preserving the stored moisture.
Albemarle
Agricultural network in Virginia which collects and distributes seeds, with the aim of improving the
quality of crops to improve nutrition, appearance, and taste.
Albemarle pippin is an old variety of apples, already planted by Thomas Jefferson.
Albillo
Spanish white wine grape, grown in the Ribera del Duero region where it is used primarily for
blending and softening the wines made with the intense Tempranillo grape. The grape is also grown in
Australia as blending grape.
Albimaids
Dutch-influenced, oval sugar cookies, first made and named by an Albany, NY baker around
1900.
albndigas/albondigas
Mexican meat balls made with pork and beef.
Albufra, Louis-Gabriel Suchet
French Duke, a number of classical French dishes are named after him.
It is also the name of a large lake in Spain.
albumin
Simple protein naturally occurring in vegetable, mostly seeds, and animal matters. The best
natural example is egg whites. Albumin can be manufactured from blood, and is used in food processing.
Processed albumin is odorless and tasteless.
alcachofa
Spanish word for artichoke, from the Arabic al-kharshof.
Alcahual honey
Mexican light honey, amber colored and with fine flavor.

16

Alcan (Alcanon)
Spanish white wine grape of the Somontano region.
alcapurria
Puerto Rican pork dish with plantains.
Alciatore, Antoine
Chef/owner of Antoine's in New Orleans and creator of Eggs Sardou. See there.
alcohol
The word comes from the Arabic for fluid distilled from wine, "al" , and "kuhl", a powder.
CLASSIFICATION:
Ethyl alcohol, made from grains, roots, and fruits useable for human consumption.
Wood alcohol, made from wood chips and highly poisonous and is used in paint and varnish
manufacturing. .
De-natured alcohol is ethyl alcohol rendered undrinkable by the addition of chemicals and wood
alcohol.
Ethyl alcohol is a product of fermentation. Yeasts, either cultivated or wild, grow in liquids
containing sugar, at a temperature of approximately 100 F. The sugar is transformed into alcohol, and
CO2 gas. The liquids will ferment until all sugars are used up, or the alcohol content of around 15% is
reached and kills all yeast bacteria, or fermentation is arrested by cold.
Distillation will produce pure alcohol. Pure alcohol is odorless, transparent, highly volatile, and, if
thoroughly refined, undistinguishable from the original source of starch or sugar. The different flavors in
distilled products come from distillation processes, which will retain some flavors, from aging in casks,
and from added flavors.
Wood alcohol, also known as Methyl alcohol is made by distillation of baked wood chips.
ale
See beer.
ale berry
Hot beverage popular in the English North country consisting of boiled oats, ginger, nutmeg and
ale. It is supposed to ward off colds.
ale breadsoup
Simple, but nutritious peasant soup, served in nineteenth century Europe.
ale flip
Old English hot drink consisting of hot ale, sugar and spices blended with eggs and poured
rapidly back and forth until it becomes frothy.
Also known as one yard of flannel, bonalay.
ale posset
English hot beverage consisting of milk and ale flavored with sugar, nutmeg or ginger.
Aleatico
Red wine grape grown in Italy and Corsica. The grape is spelled Aliatica in Chili, where it used to
produce Red Muscatel wine.
alecost
See costmary.
Alembic still
Pot still, usually made of copper, invented by the Arabs to make perfume and generally used to
make brandies in France, particularly in Cognac in the Charentais region.

17

The still consists of bricked fire chamber, an onion-shaped heating vessel and a cylindrical
cooling and condensing chamber. The still is used for fine spirits made in small batches.
Large volume production is usually made in Coffey stills.
Also known as Charentais onion-domed pot still and eau-de-vie still.
alewife
Fish in the shad family harvested along the North Atlantic coast. Some is salted and exported or
used as fertilizer.
Also known as Spring herring.
Alexander
Cocktail named after Alexander the Great made with Creme de Cacao, cream and brandy.
alexanders
Old parsley variety, also known as horse parsley. It was considered a pot-herb in England.
Also known as Allisanders Black Lovage.
Alexandria
Pineapple variety similar to the Ripley Queen in its round shape and relatively sharp taste. The
skin has pronounced scales and the flesh is yellow to yellow-orange.
alfajores
Spanish almond and honey confections popular in Andalusia.
Alfalfa
Perennial, clover-like plant, with yellow blossoms. The blossoms attract bees. Grown as feed,
but the roots have been used as vegetables. Alfalfa sprouts are easy to grow, and have become a salad
and sandwich ingredient.
Alfredo
See Fettuccine Alfredo.
Alfrochoeiro Preto
Portuguese red grape variety, used to make the wines of D|o and Bairrada.
algarroba
African tree producing edible pods.
algin
Natural thickening agent made from seaweed.
Algerian wines
Country in Africa on the coast of the Mediterranean bordered by Tunis and Morocco. While it
was a French Colony vast areas were planted wine grape wines. Much was exported as inexpensive
table wine to France.
Algeria is a Moslem country and some vineyards have been replanted with table grapes.
Ali-Bab
Pseudonym of an early 20th century cookbook author, Henri Babinski, who published
"Gastronomie Practique" in 1910 . He was a mining engineer, not a chef.
Alicante
Spanish wine province and wines produced under this name. Most wines are sweet, but there is
also a sizeable amount of red table wine made.

18

Alicante Bouschet
French red wine grape variety, extensively grown in the Midi region.
It is a blending wine for inexpensive wines. The grape is also cultivated in California and sold to home
wine makers, also cultivated in Italy, Yugoslavia and North Africa.
Aligot
French white wine grape grown extensively in Burgundy, but also in Russia. The wine is short
lived and not highly esteemed.
Aliz
French aperitif made from a blend of passion fruit juice and other tropical fruit juices and Cognac
introduced 1987 in the US.
Alkannet
Food dye made from the roots of Anchusa tinctoria.
alkali
Chemical substance with the ability to neutralize acids. All vegetables are basically alkaline, as
are acid tasting fruits. very strong alkaline vegetables are celery, turnips, tomatoes, lettuce and spinach.
Alkerms
French sweet, red cordial colored with small scarlet grain insects of the cochineal genus,
referred to as kerms berries.
All-American Selections
Organization set up by seed distributors in 1932 to evaluate for size, disease resistance, and
productivity newly developed strains of flowers and vegetables.
All-Clad
Brand of cook-ware having a core of aluminum, covered with stainless steel, and surfaced with
either anodized aluminum or copper.
Allguer
Cheese made in Bavaria resembling Swiss cheese (Emmentahler).
alliaria
Herb, member of the cabbage family native to Europe but also growing wild in the US.
Also known as Jack-by-the-Hedge, garlic mustard, donkeys foot.
alligator pears
Name for avocados, especially of the Hass variety, because the skin of the fruit resembles
alligator skin. See avocado.
alligator
Reptile, common in the swamps of South East USA, Florida and Texas. The tail meat is used for
food, and is also available commercially.
In the 1960's, alligators were considered an endangered species and hunting them was
prohibited, but the population exploded and they were removed from the endangered species list in about
1980. By the late 1980's states in the southeastern US had established hunting seasons.
Alligator meat is similar to pork in appearance and texture. Trimmed, it has little fat. Most of the
useable meat comes from the tail. Coming from the water, it is classified as a seafood, though it does not
have a fishy taste. If cooked properly, it can have a good texture and delicious taste. Its light taste is like a
cross between swordfish, frogs' legs and chicken.
Alligator It can be grilled, barbecued, fried, stewed, or cooked in soup. The bony protrusions on
their backs are called scutes.

19

Allis shad
Food fish related to herring. The more common name is rock herring.
Allison
Elongated, fuzzy variety of kiwi, similar to the Abbot in appearance and taste, but appears later in
the season.
See kiwi.
allium
Botanical name for the onion plant group, the family which includes onions, garlic, leeks, and
shallots.
Allium ascalonicum - shallots
Allium cepa -sweet onions
Allium porrum - leek
Allium sativum - garlic
Allium schoenoprasum - chives
Allium tricoccum - ramps, or wild leeks.
allspice
The dried berry of a tree of the myrtle family. It is called allspice because the flavor resembles a
combination of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Allspice is used ground in baking and pickling.
Also known as Jamaican pepper.
Allspice is also a term used to for a blend of spices.
Pimenta dioica/pimenta officinalis.
allumettes
French term for match sticks. It is used to describe food cut into small slivers, such as potatoes
or puff pastry sticks used as hors doeuvres.
allylisothiocynate
The chemical name for mustard oil, the strong chemical which gives it the plants of the mustard
family their distinctive aromatic qualities.
Almadn/Almaden
Famous winery and vineyards on the rim of the Santa Clara Valley near San Francisco. The
original vineyard was planted 1852. The name is Moorish al madn and means Athe mine@ and was
used for a large Mercury mine in Spain and eventually for a mine in the Santa Cruz Mountains nearby.
Subdivisions and corporate buildings have surrounded the original vineyard, but excellent wines
are produced with grapes grown in other areas. The vineyard preserves some still producing old vines,
although not from 1852.
Almadn is the Spanish/Moorish name for mine.
Almeria
Spanish table grape variety named for the Spanish city of the same name. The white Almeria
grapes are large and firm, with a bland taste. There is also a less common black counterpart.
Also known as ohanes or ohanez.
almond
The fruit if a tree rosaceae family which also includes apricots, cherries, peaches, and plums as
well as some purely ornamental trees and shrubs. The nut is actually the seed. The nut shell is the inner
wall of the ovary is encased in a light green, fuzzy fleshy outer wall. The flesh is sharp and bitter and can
be eaten but is not very delectable, unlike other members of the Prunus family in which the flesh is
delicious and the seed bitter and inedible.

20

The tree originated in the eastern Mediterranean, and is widely cultivated in temperate climatic
zones. There are two types of almonds, coming from the same trees, bitter and sweet. Bitter almonds
are used as a small additive to almond paste, and for almond oil, and contain a small amount of
hydrocyanic acid, which is poisonous. Sweet almonds have a mild flavor. The texture is fairly dry.
California is a large almond producer. Spain, Italy and France are large almond producers.
Jordan almonds - highly regarded for their quality. They are cultivated extensively in Spain and
France. The name is derived from jardin, French for garden and not from the country Jordan.
Green almonds - marketed while their skin is still soft, green and tender.
Blanched almonds - skins removed. They are often sold in cans to preventspoilage. They are
available shredded, sliced, ground and in slivers. Salted, smoked almonds are sold as snacks.
Almonds with the brown skin on are sold by weight, and do not require refrigeration, but can get
rancid if stored too long.
Prunus dulcis.
Almond extract
Concentrated almond flavor, either made synthetically, or from bitter almonds. It is widely used in
food manufacturing and in baking.
Almond oil
Pale, light and mild in nutty flavor oil. There are two varieties, oil pressed from sweet almonds,
and used as salad or flavoring oil, and almond oil made with the kernels of bitter almonds.
The bitter almond oil is used in small quantities as flavoring agent. Almond oil can contain a
small amount of hydrocyanic acid, which is poisonous.
Almond paste
Mixture of ground almonds and sugar, usually consisting of 50% of each ingredient. A small
amount of bitter almonds is often added for flavor. It is a baking ingredient, not intended to be eaten raw.
Marzipan is the German word for almond paste, but it is made with boiled sugar, and meant to be
eaten as is, or as baking ingredient.
See marzipan.
aloe
Tropical plant used for medicinal purposes, such as a salve for sunburns. It is also eaten.
The green skin and yellow sap are extremely bitter and can cause severe indigestion. Only the
green jell inside the plant is used. Some species are poisonous.
Aloxe - Corton
French wine town located in Burgundy and world famous for red and white wines. Many wines
carry only the name Corton along with the vineyard designation and the shippers name.
alpaca
Peruvian domesticated animal used as beast of burden and for wool. The meat is not especially
tasty.
Alphone Lavalle
Blue-black table grape variety, closely related to the Royal variety. Large and juicy fruits with
tender skin. It is cultivated in southern Europe, Israel and South Africa.
Alphonso
Mango variety, kidney-shaped with a sharp, spicy taste. Varies in color from green with a red
tinge to yellow with red spots, depending on where it is grown.
See mangos.
Alpin
Cheese made in the Alpine region of France, resembling Mont dOr. Known also as Clrimbert.

21

Alpine strawberries
See wild strawberries.
Alsace food
Province in eastern France, bordering Germany, Switzerland, and the French province Lorraine.
The land was the object of many wars and has changed hands a number of times.
Alsace is famous for its cuisine. The cooking is a blend of French and German dishes. Pork
specialties abound, such as hams, bacon and sausages. Many sausages with German names, such as
Mettwurst, Knackwurst and Gendarme might have been invented in Alsace.
One of the best loved dishes is Choucroute garnie lAlsacienne, a rich platter of sausages and
hams on a bed of Sauerkraut. Famous fish dishes are made with pike, trout and with carp.
Alsace was a leading producer of goose liver (foie gras) and the city of Strasbourg was famous
for the goose liver pts and terrines. Most goose liver is no longer produced in Alsace, but still
processed there.
Baked goods include Kougelhopf, a rich yeast bunt cake with raisins and dried fruits. Tarte
flambe is the Alsatian answer to pizza. It is dough topped with cheese and cream.
Munster cheese originated in Alsace, spelled Mnster in German. Lorraine is the name for a
large Munster cheese, see there.
Alsatian beverages:
The area is known for excellent fruit brandies, called eaux de vie. The most famous are Kirsch
made with cherries and Framboise made with raspberries. Brandies are also made from many other
fruits and berries and even vegetables.
The Alsatian Riesling wines are mostly dry. The most famous Alsatian wine is Gewrztraminer.
Excellent beer is also produced since Medieval times. Kronenburg is a large beer exporter.
Alsheim
German wine town in Rheinhessen near Oppenheim.
Altar wines
See sacramental wines.
Altenburger
German goat milk cheese.
Altesse
French white wine grape grown in the alpine Savoie region of France. It is alleged that the grape
came originally from the island of Cyprus, and that it is related to the famous Furmint grape of Hungarys
Tokay.
Alto Adige
Italian name for the northern province of South Tyrol. The region produces excellent wines,
many still using their original Austrian names.
aluminum cookware
The advantages of aluminum cookware are good heat conduction, light weight, and low price.
The major disadvantage is that aluminum discolors acidic foods and eggs.
Alvarelh|o
Portuguese red grape variety, used as blending wine because it makes the wine more supple.
It is also cultivated in the northern Douro district, but little is used in Port wine.
Alvarinho
Portuguese white wine grape used in Vinho Verde.
alya
Fat from the tails of a special breed of sheep, prized in the Middle East.

22

23

amabile
Italian wine term used to designate sweetness in wines.
amandes
French term for almonds. Crme damandes is a sweet almond liqueur.
amanita
Family of mushrooms, some are poisonous. Amanita muscari, also known as fly mushrooms is
highly poisonous, the amanita rubenscens, also known as reddish amanita is edible.
amaranth/grain
Mexican, South American annual herb seed plant historically linked to ancient civilizations. It
grows in temperate climate. The seeds have a slightly peppery flavor and gelatinous consistency.
Amaranth is high in protein. The flour can be combined with other flours and used in baking.
Amaranth greens are eaten as salad or as cooked greens.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Burgundy Amaranth
Golden Giant Amaranth
Manna de Montana Amaranth
Marched Amaranth
Warihioa Amaranth.
Amaranthus hypochondriacus.
amaranth/greens
Family of green leafy vegetables, also used as salad. Some varieties are believed to have
originated in South East Asia, others in the Caribbean.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Merah Coleus Leaf salad.
Also known as callaloo, Chinese spinach, dasheen, elephant's ears, sag, sagaloo, Surinam
spinach.
Amaranthus gangeticus.
amaretti
Italian almond cookies. Soft and chewy when fresh, though the commercial packaged varieties
are crisp.
Amaretto
Italian liqueur flavored with almonds and apricots. Legend has it that amaretto originated in the
early 16th century as a love potion, created by a young widow for her new flame artist Bernardino Luini.
The artist reciprocated by immortalizing the beautiful widow in a famous fresco in the sanctuary of Santa
Maria delle Grazie in Saronno. Amaretto is also made in the US.
amari/amaro
Italian generic term (amari is plural and amaro is singular) referring to after-dinner drinks or
digestifs. Usually bitter in taste and made from such products as quinine, rhubarb, anise, or other herbs
and roots. Leading brands include Fernet Branca and Averna.
amarillo, en
Spanish term referring to a dish in saffron sauce. The name means literally "in yellow"
Amarone
Italian red wine. The name refers to a style of wine made by drying the grapes indoors to
decrease water content. The result is a deep, concentrated high-alcohol wine from the Valpolicella and
Piedmont region.

24

Recioto della Valpolicella Amarone is made from the ears or "recie" of the grape clusters, which
are allowed to overripe with full benefit of the sun. The wine is sweet and highly perfumed. It is
sometimes made as sparkling wine.
Amazon
Brazilian River which has its source in the Andes mountains of Peru. It is the home to over 3,000
species of fish, food fish, notably some of the largest in the world, and ornamental aquarium fish.
The larger food fish are the piraruc, surubim, and tambaqui. The vociferous piranha are also
prevalent in some portions of the river. Dangerous over-fishing has significantly reduced the supply in
terms of numbers and the size of fish.
See piranha, piraruc, surubim, and tambaqui.
ambarella
Fruit of a tropical tree in the anacardiaceae family, whose most famous member is the mango.
Small, round or oval, it ranges only from 2" to 4" in length. It is distinguished by five lengthwise
indentations. Its soft, thin skin is bright green when unripe, it turns yellow with brown spots when ripe. The
yellowish-white flesh is soft and fibrous. Its smell has a slightly unpleasant chemical character, but its
taste is sweet and resinous.
Originally from Tahiti, it is now grown in Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand. It
can be eaten raw or used in jams and jellies.
It is used in Chinese cooking.
Amberfish
Ocean food and game fish in the mackerel family. Related are Amberjack and Yellowtail.
Also known as Lemon fish, Coronado.
Ambert
French blue cheese made with cows milk. The full name is Fourme dAmbert.
Amboina Herb Book
A 17th century book by German-born George Rumpf who served with the Dutch East India
Company. He described many of the new herbs encountered in his travels.
Amboise
French wine town on the Loire River famous for fruity red and ros wines.
Ambrosia
The food of the Greek gods. The term is used in gastronomy for very delicious dishes.
Ambrosia cocktail, a specialty of New Orleans consists of apple jack, lemon juice, Cointreau and
champagne.
Ambrosia is also an old fashioned dessert consisting of sliced oranges, marinated with sugar,
and sprinkled with coconut flakes.
amchoor
Indian condiment made from unripe mangoes. The fruit is sliced and sun-dried, then powdered.
Amchoor is pleasantly sour-tasting and used in northern Indian cooking to impart a sour flavor to dishes.
Also known as Mango powder, or Amchur powder.
amelioration
Wine makers term describing broadly cellar activities.
Amer Picon
French aperitive based on brandy and Seville oranges.

25

American Academy of Chefs

Honor society of chefs established 1955. Members are elected. President in the year 2000 is
Fritz Sonnenschmidt, Culinary Dean at the Culinary Institute of America.
American Cookery
Cook book written by Amelia Simmons, and is believed to be the first American cookbook
published in the US.
American cuisine
American cuisine is difficult to describe as it is a melting pot of multi-ethnic heritage. Yet, in
general it traditionally has been characterized by a hearty wholesomeness, simplicity, and a "meat and
potatoes" or meat and two vegetables type of meal.
More recently, its image diversified into two divergent styles. Fast food became ubiquitous, but so
did an awareness of the bounty and freshness of local produce, meats, fish, and flavorings. At the same
time food manufacturing has progressed to the point where many products conceived as fresh by the
consumer have been processed to a large extent.
There is also a strong trend to purchase prepared or semi prepared dishes at the supermarkets
or in food stores which reduces the time and labor spent on cooking considerably. Ethnic food products
and spices have become available on a broad scale in supermarkets.
Also part of what is American cooking are the countless items invented in the test
kitchens of major food manufacturers to use their products, e.g., Campbell's green bean bake (green
beans baked with cream of mushroom soup and topped with canned fried onions), Lipton's California dip
(dried onion soup mix with sour cream).
Major impact has come from culinary schools and the willingness of the public to try new and
exotic items. There are many TV cooking shows and the influence of foreigndishes and preparation
technics are so wide spread that there is no longer any clear definition what is American food.
See California cooking and other states.
American Culinary Federation/ACF
National chefs association founded 1929 in New York City. After a rocky start and an hiatus
during the Second World War the ACF had four chapters in 1950. By 2000 the ACF had a membership
of 25,000 in 311 chapters headquartered in San Augustine, Florida.
The ACF established an apprenticeship program and a certification program. It is the publisher
since 1932 of the Culinary Review. The ACF is the sponsor of the national Culinary Olympic Team.
American oak
Wood commonly used in cooperage for aging wines and distilled spirits. Sherry wine is aged in
American oak barrels.
American red mulberry
See mulberry.
American Spoon Foods
Mail order food company, started by Justin Rashid in Petoskey, Michigan and the chef Larry
Forgione. The company specializes in mushrooms, fresh and dried, hard to find nuts, jams, and other
condiments.
American Viticultural Areas/AVA
Definition of viticultural areas, such as Napa Valley and Sonoma, as well as some sub-areas
within those valleys, such as Napa's Oakville, Rutherford and Rutherford Bench. The system is modeled
after the French Appellation Controlle See there.
By the late 1980's, there were 106 appellations, with half of them being in California. First
authorized by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF).
American wines
Listed are regions, wineries and specif wines.

26

Americano
Cocktail made with sweet vermouth, Campari bitters, ice and soda.
Amlentejo
Cheese made in the Province of Almentejo, Portugal. The cheese is soft, and made with ewes
milk.
Ammerschwihr
Alsatian/French wine village.
ammonium bicarbonate
Leavening agent in baking, the forerunner of baking powder. Since it needs acidity to become
activated, ammonium bicarbonate can be used only in batters or dough with a high acidity content, such
as ginger bread or fruit cake. See baking powder.
Cleaning ammonia is poisonous.
amomum
Plant in the ginger family native to Asia and Africa. The pods are used as cardamon substitute.
The seeds are very pungent.
Also known as Grains of paradise, malagueta pepper.
Amomum cardamomum.
Amontillado
See sherry.
Amoroso
Sweet sherry, an old name for Oloroso sherry. See sherry.
Ampelography
Study of wines and grapes.
Amphicles
Cook in ancient Greece who spearheaded simpler cooking, less use of spices and wrapping food
in wine leaves.
Amphitryon
Greek word for host.
amphoras
Clay containers used in antiquity to store and ship wine and oil.
Ampuis
Small wine village on the Rne river in France famous for red Cte Rtie.
Amsden
Peach variety with pale flesh and excellent flavor.
amuse gueules
French term for small appetizers or cocktail tidbits. The term translates into Aamuse your mouth.
Anadama bread
Colonial New England yeast bread made with cornmeal, flour and molasses.

27

ananas
French name for pineapple, derived from the Indian name, nana ment, meaning exquisite fruit.
See pineapple.
Ananas comosus.
Ananas
German name for cultivated large strawberries.
Anbaugebiet
German wine term for a specific growing region.
ancho
Type of chili pepper. Ancho is the Spanish word for wide. See chili.
anchovy
Small fatty fish harvested in the Mediterranean, and especially plentiful off the Costa Brava in
northeast Spain. Also harvested off the coasts of California, Peru, Japan, South Africa, and New
Zealand. There are about 150 species of anchovies.
Anchovies when fresh are delicious. Their soft, fragile flesh will spoil easily, so they are usually
preserved, in either salted and dried or canned in oil.
Spanish salt-cured anchovies are kept for 6 to 8 months in brou, a brine of sea salt. After curing,
they are gutted and beheaded and packed in jars with sea salt and a touch of pepper. Anchovies figure
prominently in Mediterranean cooking. In Sicily, a wonderful pasta dish is made with fresh anchovies.
In Catalan, the region of the Costa Brava, cured anchovies are served as major ingredients on
bread with olive oil in a dish called pa amb tomaquet in Catalan, and in a tuna salad with sliced tomatoes.
They are also included in other Catalan dishes, such as arroz negro, suquet, and zarzuela.
ANCHOVY PRODUCTS INCLUDE:
achoiade - a pungent anchovy paste from Provence.
anchovy paste - ground anchovy available in tubes. Popular in Germany, where it
is
called Sardellen Pasta.
Garum was a sauce based on fermented anchovies, used by the ancient Greeks
and
Romans
nuoc mam - anchovy sauce which is the major flavoring ingredient in Vietnamese
cooking.
Engraulis encrasicolus.
anchovy butter
Butter creamed with mashed anchovy filets. Used with fish and veal.
Anchovy pear
Tropical west Indian fruit growing on tall ornamental trees with large flowers and leaves.
The fruits resemble mangos.
ancienne, la
French term for old style. It was used often for elaborate dishes.
Andes berry
Berry native in the northern part of South America, in Colombia and Venezuela. Similar in
appearance to the European wild blackberry, though much larger, it is dark red to black in appearance.
Sweet tasting and strong smelling, they are best eaten raw.
A member of the rosaceae family, which also includes boysenberry, quince and loquat.
Rubus glaucus.
Andes food
See Peru food.

28

andouille
French spicy, aromatic, plump sausages. Most often made with pork and served cold. In Creole
and Cajun cooking, andouille are served hot with red beans and rice.
andouillettes
French spicy tripe sausages, served usually grilled. They are sold pre-cooked, ready to be
cooked. The most famous are from Lyon.
anelli
Italian dry pasta in the shape of small rings.
Anesone
Cordial flavored with anise seed, dryer and higher in alcohol than Anisette.
aneth
See dill.
anethole
Oil which contains the distinctive flavor and aroma of licorice. It is found in the oils derived from
anise seed, and licorice root.
Angel hair
Very thin pasta.
Angel food cake
Fluffy cake made with egg whites, sugar and corn starch and baked in a bunt pan. The cake is
probably of Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, and was invented to use up leftover egg whites. It must be
white and fluffy. The cake is often served as dessert with a fruit sauce.
Angel fish
Tropical ocean food and game fish. There are two basic species.
Also known as butterfly fish.
Holancanthus/Pomacanthus.
angel's share
Brandy lost to evaporation as the brandy ages in barrels. In French the term is la tranche des
anges. The term is used mostly in the Cognac region.
In the Calvados region of France, the term is la part des anges.
angelica
Plant in the parsley family (umbelliferae), it grows up to 6 feet tall and the span is as much as 3
feet and it is the thick hollow stems rather than the leaves that are used. A biennial, it has a short life
span. One of the oldest known herbs. Various parts of the plant were traditionally used for flavoring,
medicine, and witchcraft.
Native to northern Europe, it also grows well in temperate regions of North America. In the
Christian era, it was named angelica, after Michael the Archangel, because it was likely to flower around
May 8th on the old calendar, the feast-day of Michael. The thick, fleshy knob-like root can weigh up to 3
pounds. It was used in bread in ancient Scandinavia. In ancient times, the stem, leaves and seeds were
used for medicinal purposes, for respiratory conditions and also as an appetite stimulator and a digestif.
The dried roots were used as an anti-flatulent. The stalks are still eaten as a vegetable in Greenland,
Sweden, and Finland.
Today only the plant stems crystallized with sugar, are commonly used to decorate cakes and
desserts. The stalk is green to purplish and becomes a pale golden yellow when candied, unless dyed
green.
The candying process requires many steps, which is why candied angelica is expensive. Young
stems, cut into short lengths, are simmered until tender and the tough outer layer can be removed. Then

29

they are dried, allowed to rest with sugar for two or three days, boiled in their sugar syrup, drained, reboiled, and finally spread on a rack to dry thoroughly. They must be kept in an airtight, dry place or they
will become moldy. The candied stalks are opaque and chewy. Often included in mixtures of candied fruit
and commonly used in fruitcakes.
The whole plant is aromatic, with a musk or juniper-like smell. The seeds are especially flavorful
and are used commercially to flavor alcoholic drinks, such as Chartreuse, gin, and vermouth. Angelica oil
pressed from the seeds is used in potpourri and perfume.
Also called archangel, or wild parsnip.
Angelica archangelica, angelica officinales.
Angels on Horseback
English dish of oysters wrapped in bacon flavored with cayenne pepper, baked in the oven on
toast rounds.
Anglus
Famous vineyard in the St. Emilion district of Bordeaux, France.
Anglaise, la
French term for English style. It often meant plain cooking, especially plain boiled vegetables.
Anglerfish
Another name for monkfish or lotte. See monkfish.
Angostura
Flavoring agent for cocktails and fruit salad made in Trinidad from the bark of the galipea
officinalis tree.
The bark contains an extremely bitter ingredient, which is blended with other spices to make
Angostura bitters.
It is a flavoring agent, to be used in small drops and is not to be confounded with bitters, the
beverages. See bitters.
anguille(s)
French for eel(s).
anguilles l'escavche
Belgian specialty found around the cities of Namur and Chimay. Pickled eel, first fried and then
served cold in marinade.
anguilles au vert
Belgian famous eel dish in a rich green herb sauce. Can be served hot or cold.
angulas
Spanish tiny, new-born eels. They look like foreshortened pieces of vermicelli with minute flecks
of eyes. They are normally fried quickly in oil.
animelles
French name for testicles.
anise
Vegetable, see fennel. See also anise seeds.
anise hyssop
Perennial plant in the mint family with bluish purple flowers. The leaves and flowers are raw
eaten in salads, and are also used in tea.
Agastache foeniculum.

30

Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
anise pepper
Oriental spice, the berries of a tree native to China. It is an ingredient in the Chinese Five Spice
Powder. It is not related to pepper.
Also known as Szechuan pepper, farchiew.
Xanthoxylum pipesitum.
anise seeds
Licorice - flavored seeds. Plant is native to the Middle East, a member of the parsley family.
The seeds are half moon shaped and have been used for centuries in European, Middle Eastern,
and Indian cooking. It is a main ingredient in five-spice powder. Valued in ancient times for its medicinal
as well as its culinary properties, it is thought to aid digestion. Anise seeds are used in baking.
The oil from anise seed, which contains anethole is the most commonly used licorice flavoring as
it is more aromatic than the licorice root extract itself.
Pastis is a Provencal anise-flavored liqueur.
Also called sweet cumin.
Pipinella anisum.
Anise, star
Star shaped spice, used in oriental cooking.
Anisette
Licorice-flavored liqueur, made from anise seeds, coriander, and fennel. Brands include Pernod
and Ricard.
Anjou
Sweet juicy pear, one of the most common varieties in the US. Its skin is green to yellow-green,
even when fully ripe.
Anjou
French province famous for the wines grown along the Loire river. Some grapes are late picked
and produce a delicious sweet wine.
Anna potatoes
Once popular French potato preparation used in restaurants. Sliced potatoes are layered in a
round mold, drenched with butter and baked.
Anna Spath
Plum, picked in the Fall. Long, ovoid and bluish-red with a blue-grey bloom. The yellowish-green
flesh is good for eating or processing. The stone is easily removed.
annatto seeds
The seeds of a small tree native to tropical South America. Popular in South America and
Mexico to color dishes yellow and to flavor food, primarily rice.
The hard seeds must be cooked in oil or fat to release the flavor and orange/yellow color. They
are then discarded, and the oil or fat is used.
The ground outer orange pulp is dried and used widely to color butter and cheese.
Also known as Bija, Bijol and Roucou.
Achiote in Spanish. Bixa orellana.
Annheuser Busch
American Beer Brewing Company. The company started in 1857, when Eberhard Annheuser, a
German emigrant, opened a brewery. In 1865, his son in law Adolphus Busch, became his partner. The

31

company was instrumental in the development of the refrigerated railroad car, which made beer
distribution in other states possible.
Annheuser-Busch also owns a corn product company, snack food company and is a very large
yeast producer. It is headquartered in St. Louis and is the world's largest brewing company.
The principal beer brands are Budweiser, Busch, and Michelob. The Clydesdale Horse Team
pulling a beer wagon is famous.
anodized/anodization
Electrochemical treatment for aluminum cook-ware, which thickens and hardens the oxide film
which naturally forms on aluminum. The process makes the surface scratch-resistant, more resistant to
acids and easier to clean.
This cook-ware should not be confused with Teflon-coated. Anodized pans are not non-stick.
However, like Teflon, the coating is not indestructible; it can be worn away by lengthy use, abrasive
instruments, scrubbers or detergents.
anolini
Italian pasta filled with beef and Parmesan cheese.
Anonaceae/annonaceae
Botanical name for the family of tropical fruits including composite fruits made up of a number of
sections that grow together like a pine cone. All have thick, soft, inedible skin enclosing creamy white
flesh and large seeds. This includes the atemoya, cherimoya, custard apple, soursop, and sugar apple.
antelope
Generic name for deer like mammals hunted for sport. There are many species with different
names all over the world.
Anserine
See goosefoot.
Antholyti
Greek yellow cheese with wrinkled rind.
Anthotyro
Greek cheese resembling ricotta. It is often used in baking. Slightly salty.
antibiotics
Antibiotics are used in animals raising to prevent disease and stimulate growth. The issue
controversial and continually studied by the F.D.A.
It is feared that animals can become resistant to bacteria infections, and this resistance can be
passed on to humans. Some meat producers are trying antibiotics that are not used in humans.
Organic meat comes from animals not treated with antibiotics.
antica
Italian bread from the Lake Como area, which has been made since ancient times, as the name
implies.
Antico Liquor Vino Amarascato
Sicilian sweet wine with origin dating back into antiquity. It is made with semi dried black grapes
fermented in cherry wood casks. The wine is drunk as aperitive or as dessert wine. Also known as A.L.A.
anticuchos
Peruvian spicy, marinated cubed beef heart, barbecued on skewers. The word is Quechuan (the
native language) for " a dish from the Andes, cooked on sticks". The dish, which originated with the Incas
was probably first made with llama hearts.

32

antipasto
Italian name for appetizers, often used in Italian restaurants for a platter with roasted peppers,
salami, anchovies, prosciutto ham, marinated artichokes and olives.
The plural term is antipasti.
antiques/antique apples
Old apple varieties which are rarely grown anymore or grown only by small farmers as they are
less commercially advantageous. The apples tend to be small and irregularly shaped and tend to be
visually less attractive then commercially grown apples. They also do not usually store well. Many
varieties have an excellent flavor and bouquet.
Some of the "antique" varieties are: Arkansas Black, Baldwin, Black Gilliflower, Esopus
Spitzenburg, Golden Russet, Gravenstein, Kandil Sinaps, Newton Pippin, Northern Spy, Rhode Island
Greening, St. Edmund's Pippin, Tompkins King, Westfield Seek-No-Further, White Winter Pearmain,
Winesap, York Imperial.
antojitos
Hispanic term for appetizers or snacks. Sometimes the term pasa bocas is used.
Antwerp food
City in northern Belgium, known as Antwerpen in Flemish and Anvers in French. It is located
about 33 miles north of Brussels, on the river Schelde, and is the fifth most important port of Europe.
Antwerp is also the name of the surrounding province.
Seafood specialties predominate the cuisine, and despite the proximity to The Netherlands, most
preparations, other than waterzooi, are French in style. Popular seafood are eels, haddock, crayfish,
shrimp, and mussels.
Mandarine Napoleon, a tangerine-flavored cordial, is made there. An unique glass, the bolleken,
is used for the local DeKoninck beer.
The nearby town of Lier is famous Lierse vlaaikes, a pie.
Antwerpen handjes
Cookies or other confections, molded in the shape of a hand, commonly found in Antwerp
bakeries and chocolatiers. The name Antwerp literally translates as "thrown hand".
The name comes from the legendary Roman warrior, Silvius Brabo, who freed the land from a
giant ogre. The ogre presided over the Schelde river and extracted exorbitant tolls from all who passed.
Those who refused to pay had their hands cut off. Brabo bravely fought the giant, cut off the giant's hand,
and tossed it into the river.
anya
Vegetable tuber cultivated in the Andes.
aonori
Japanese algae, usually used in a powdered green from.
Aovelheira
Portuguese soft ewes milk cheese.
Ap Yeung Cheung
Chinese hot air dried sausage.
apagado
Spanish term for grape must blended with alcohol before fermentation. The resulting liquid will
not ferment because it is too high in alcohol, and is used as sweetening wine in inexpensive sweet wines.
Apalachicola
Medium size oyster with a greenish shell from the bay of the same name off the Florida
panhandle. Its flesh is firm with a mild, slightly sweet flavor.

33

apee
Philadelphia cookie made with sour cream. The name is supposedly derived from the original
creator, a woman named Ann Page.
apritif/aperitif
Broad term for any alcoholic drink consumed before a meal. The term is from the Latin word for
openers. The drink is intended to stimulate appetite. Popular flavors include licorice flavored beverages
such as arrak, ouzo, pastis, and raki.
Other aperitifs are contain bitters and include Aperol, Byrrh, Campari, Cinzano Bianco and
Rosso, Cynar, Dubonnet, Lillet, Pernod, Pimm's No.1 Cup, Punt e Mes, Ricard, St. Raphael Gold.
Aperol
Brand name for an aperitif with 11% alcohol content. Grain spirit-based, bright orange in color,
thick in consistency, with an orange and herbal flavor. Often served mixed with club soda or orange juice.
Apfel
German name for apple.
Apfel im Schlafrock
German/Austrian pastry, Literally translated "Apple in a Nightgown", it is a whole apple baked in a
pastry. In the US often called "Apple Dumpling".
Apfelkuchen
German term for the very popular apple cake, often served topped with whipped cream.
Apfelwein
German apple wine or cider, popular around the city Frankfurt. It is called in the local dialect
Ebbelwoi.
Apfelweinstuben are taverns in Frankfurt specializing in serving apple wine.
aphrodisiac
Food that stimulates sexual activity. There is no scientific explanation of what an aphrodisiac is.
Dr. Ruth Westheimer has perhaps described it best saying it "is anything you think it is."
Oysters, rhinocerous horn, tomatoes (once known as pommes d'amour in France), and spinach
have all been credited with these powers. Artichokes were originally considered to be an aphrodisiac.
An explanation for the possible truth in these suggestions is that the foods so credited contain
nutrients which contribute to good health and vigor.
Apius Caelius
Latin Roman cookbook author. His book "Apius, de re coquinaria", was translated into other
languages.
Apicius, Marcus Gavius, circa 14 A.D.
Ancient Roman gourmand, and gourmet during the time of the emperor Tiberius, 100 A.D., who
squandered an immense fortune on lavish feasts. When his money ran out, he committed suicide rather
than face restricted eating habits. He is credited with writing two cookbooks.
Two other Romans with the same name, one living circa 92 B.C., and the other about the middle
of the first century are also reported as being gluttons. Apicius, De re coquinaria is the name of a
cookbook published by Apicius Caelius around 350 A.D.
apician
Term pertaining to epicures or luxurious eating.
apio

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Generic Spanish name for celery. It is also a starchy root cultivated in the Caribbean.
Also known as arracacha.
appareil
French culinary term for a batter or mixture used in the preparation of a dish. It could be a sweet
batter, such as appareil souff, or an appareil made with meat, fish or other ingredients used as
stuffing.
Appellation dOrigine Contrlle
French wine law. It regulates the physical size of the vineyards or geographic area, and the
amount of quality wine that can be grown there. It also regulates alcohol content of wine and other
technical aspects of wine making.
The law also regulates which grapes can be cultivated in each region. It assumes that certain
grapes grow best in certain regions and should be limited to those regions.
Appellation dOrigine Contrlle is abbreviated AOC. It is a quality seal and printed on the
labels.
Appenzell, also Appenzeller
Cheese from Switzerland resembling Gruyre, with brown rind and small holes. Made in the
Canton (state) of Appenzell, also in St. Gall, Thurgau and Zrich. Appenzell has been made for may
centuries. During the manufacturing process the cheese is pickled in wine, cider and spices.
Appert, Franois
French cook and inventor who perfected the canning process. He died in 1840.
appetizer
Any kind of food or drink which will stimulate appetite.
apple
Fruit cultivated in temperate climates, in the botanical family rosaceae, which also includes pears.
Apples have been long cultivated, probably longer than its cousin the pears. The remains of cultivated
apples, estimated to be 4,500 years old, have been found in Italy and Switzerland.
Originally from central Asia, around Afghanistan, apples are now grown in all temperate zones.
Cultivated in Europe since before the time of Christ. It is the most common fruit in the northern
hemisphere, being grown across the US and in such diverse places as China and Korea; and
increasingly grown in the southern hemisphere, e.g., in Australia, New Zealand, South America (Chile),
and South Africa. The Australian state of Tasmania is known as the Apple Isle.
The Romans developed the art of grafting in order to produce better varieties and many varieties
developed by them are still grown today. The typical apple tree is dwarf-like, but was once rather tall.
The shorter trees, which seldom grow taller than the average man were developed by grafting cuttings on
the slow-growing rootstocks. These shorter trees have the advantages of easier harvesting and better
ripening of the fruit. On the taller trees, the fruit on the upper and outer branches would ripen first and the
fruit nearer the trunk would often not ripen sufficiently.
There are many varieties different in appearance, flavor, time of ripening, storage, cooking and
eating characteristic. Apples can be round, elongated, or flattened. They range in color from bright red to
"apple green". The taste ranges from very tart to very sweet. The texture ranges from crisp to soft. Size
too varies widely, but typically three medium apples weigh about a pound.
There are more apple varieties than any other fruit species. New varieties are always being
developed, and old varieties are dropped. Estimates range from 5,000 to 20,000 apple varieties. The
reasons for developing new varieties are increased yield and profitability, for better keeping qualities, for
disease resistance, to find the best for various climate and soil conditions, for consumer taste
preferences, and combinations of these things.
Over 300 varieties are grown on any scale in the US, but only 20 or so are cultivated by the major
commercial orchards. These varieties are selected more for their high production, ship ability, storage
ability, and disease resistance, more than for their taste. The best qualifiers are the Golden Delicious,
Granny Smith, McIntosh, and Red Delicious. See antiques/antique apples.

35

Modern cold storage keeps apples in a nitrogen atmosphere for one harvest to the next.
APPLE LEGENDS AND STORIES:
Adam and Eve.
The God Discord in Greek mythology and his Golden Apple.
William Tell, who shot an apple from his sons head.
Jablonec, Czech Republic, a town named after apples.
Sir Isaac Newton and his apple experiment.
Johnny Appleseed or John Chapman of American folklore. He died 1845 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Apples also figures in idioms such as apple pie order, the apple of one's eye, apple-polishing.
Among the Chinese, apples symbolize peace. France is famous for its apple brandy, Calvados.
Approximately one quarter of all apples grown worldwide are used for cider.
APPLE VARIETIES:
Arkansas Black - antique variety with dark, almost black skin.
Baldwin -once plentiful, now "antique" variety. Round, somewhat irregular in shape. Greenish
with red striations. It has a sweet flavor with a sharp snap.
Ben Davis - An "antique" variety once popular in the South, but not as good as some of the other
antiques. A large red apple. It stores well.
Benoni - an early summer variety, initially green in color, but ripening to yellow with a red bloom,
that is a tinge of color. Yellow flesh is crunchy. Great for eating, but not for cooking. Developed in the US
in the mid-19th century.
Black Gilliflower - An "antique" variety, with dark, almost black skin. It is also known as
Sheepnose, because of its shape. Discovered in Connecticut in the late 1700's. Exceptionally tasty,
though not an abundant growing variety, so it is not often produced commercially.
Braeburn - red New Zealand variety with dense, crunchy flesh
Bramley's Seedling - A large, slightly flattened, often lopsided apple. The fairly thick skin is
usually green, though it sometimes turns yellow. With its sharp taste and somewhat hard white flesh, it is
an excellent cooking apple. Developed in England in the 19th century, where it is still popular, and named
for the Englishman for whom it is named.
Calville Blanc - French variety.
Cleopatra - oblong, medium-sized dessert apple. Grown in Tasmania/Australia.
Cortland - developed 1915 in Geneva, New York. Good for pies.
Cox's Orange Pippin - Round, flattish and regularly shaped, reddish green color, with vivid bloom
where it faced the sun while on the tree. Its flesh is off-white and crunchy. Developed in England in the
early 19th century, probably from the pip of the Ribston Pippin, and named for its developer, Cox. Its bite,
taste and aroma have made it the "king of eating apples" in England, though it is also good for juice.
Crispen - good eating variety.
Criterion - A yellow apple with a red blush. Delicate flavor.
Delicious - Developed in the US, from the Hawkeye variety grown in Iowa, and named in 1893,
this is probably the widest grown apple variety in the world partly because it keeps and transports well.
The fruit is elongated. The skin is thick, the flesh is yellowish, fairly firm, and moderately juicy with a mild,
sweet flavor.
Delicious apples are best for eating fresh; they tend to get bland and pulpy in cooking. The Red
Delicious and Golden Delicious account for more than half of the
commercial American apple
crop.
Discovery - Flattish round with yellow skin with a red blush. The flesh is firm and white. Bland in
flavor. Available in England in the summer and keeps well for up to three weeks after picking.
Doctor Matthews - Popular in the 19th century.
Double Red Starking - Related to the Starking (which see).
Early Blaze - A summer variety good for eating out of hand.
Egremont Russet - Generally round, not especially large. Yellow with rough russet-brown spots.
Its firm, pale yellow flesh has the nutty flavor, characteristic of russet apples, which makes it a good
dessert apple which probably originated in England where it is available in the Fall.
Elstar - A somewhat new variety developed from crossing Golden Delicious with others. Small,
regularly shaped and golden-red. The crunchy bite and good aroma make it a good eating apple, but not
so good for cooking. More common in England than in the US. Available from November through midApril.

36

Empire - A common New York State variety, with a smooth, slightly oily skin. An early fall variety
good for eating out of hand.
Esopus Spitzenburg - Popular in the 19th century, an antique See there. variety.
Foxwhelp - An antique variety.
Gala - A New Zealand variety with a sweet flavor. Bright rose striping on the thin skins.
Gillet's Seedling - Related to the Rome Beauty.
Glockenapfel - A German variety.
Gloster 69 - A German hybrid, made by crossing the Glockenapfel with the Golden Delicious,
though the skin is a purplish-red. A fairly large, elongated apple with pointed ribs at the calyx end like the
Delicious. The greenish-white flesh is fairly acid in taste, but it is primarily an eating apple, not as good for
cooking.
Golden Delicious - very common and popular yellow-green version of the Red Delicious.
Developed in the US in the late 1800's from a natural seedling, known as the "apple of the future". Fairly
large with a thick green skin that turns golden as the apple ripens. Its firm flesh has both acid and sweet
overtones. Good for eating
and acceptable for baking in pies, but it gives little juice and does not
pulp well. See also Delicious.
Golden Russet - New York State. An "antique" variety with a brown-green skin.
Granny Smith - Developed in France in the mid-19th century. Also said to have been developed
in Australia in the 1860's, where it is a major variety. Named for Mrs. Maria Ann Smith, an early resident
of Sydney. Came to the US in the 1960's and planted in California in the 1970's, but it quickly became a
popular variety. Like the Golden Delicious, a very common and popular green variety, available
throughout the year. Though widely grown, its production is a little limited because it requires enough
sunshine to ripen properly. Its crunchy, firm, white, juicy flesh is good eaten fresh or baking. It has a
sweet-tart flavor.
Gravenstein - A crunchy apple. Yellow with red striping. May be related to theGraven grown in
Germany.
Grenadier - A large, round, flattish variety, widely available in Great Britain. The skin is smooth,
pale yellow with russet speckles. The flesh is white, crisp, pleasantly tart and good for cooking. Available
in September and October.
Haralson - A hybrid from Minnesota. Tart.
Hawkeye - The original name for the Delicious. Originally grown in Iowa.
Hoary Morning - Related to the Rome Beauty.
Idared - An American hybrid, a cross between a Jonathan and a Wagenerappel. The fruits are
large and red, sometimes with traces of yellow. The cream-colored flesh is firm, juicy, and slightly acid.
Excellent for eating fresh. Good for baking whole or in pies as they retain their shape and flavor after
baking. Also a good eating variety.
Imperatore - Related to the Rome Beauty.
James Grieve - An eating apple cultivated in England since the end of the 19th century. Yellow
with streaks of red. Can be delicious if not harvested too unripe. Poor keeping quality and not good for
processing. Related to the Lired, Rosamund, and Rubin.
Jonagold - new US hybrid, crossing the Jonathan (which see) with the Golden Delicious.
Streaked with red on yellow. Its firm and juicy, sweet-tasting yellowish-white flesh is suitable for eating out
of hand, baking, or processing.
Jonamac - A summer variety good for eating out of hand.
Jonathan - A small red apple with juicy white flesh. good eating variety, which also holds up well
in cooking.
Kandil Sinap - A Turkish variety.
Katy - crisp eating apple.
Lired - Related to James Grieve.
Lombarts Calville - A large Dutch variety with yellow skin when fully ripe, but it is usually
harvested green. Good for eating and processing.
Lord Lambourne - A popular dessert variety widely grown in Europe. Round,regularly-shaped,
with greenish-yellow, red-streaked skin. The greenish-yellow flesh is soft, juicy and sweet.
Macoun - A less common, but good eating variety. Picked in early fall.

37

Mantet - A Canadian apple, tapered at the calyx end. Greenish yellow, with red graining or
streaks. The related "Red Mantet" is, of course, red. The flesh is soft and good tasting. Available in
August and September.
McIntosh - An early fall variety good for eating out of hand as well as for baking and eating. A
good all-around apple. Developed in Canada.
Melrose - Good for baking whole or in pies as they retain their shape and flavor after baking.
Milton - Green-skinned with a red blush. A good eating apple, it is crisp, flavorful, and slightly tart.
Molly Delicious/Molly's Delicious - Has a bright red blush on a yellow ground. Like other Delicious
varieties, not good for cooking as it becomes bland and pulpy.
Morgenduft - Related to the Rome Beauty.
Moyer's Prize- Popular in the 19th century.
Musk - An antique variety.
Mutsu - An early fall variety good for eating out of hand. Also good for baking whole or in pies as
they retain their shape and flavor after baking.
Newton Pippin/Newtown Pippin - An "antique" variety. Good for baking whole or in pies as they
retain their shape and flavor after baking.
Northern Spy - An "antique" variety commonly found in the Northeastern US. Good for baking in
pies or whole as they retain their shape and flavor.
Opalescent - A crisp apple with a tart flavor.
Orleans Reinette - large yellow apple.
Patricia - An early fall variety good for eating out of hand.
Paula Red - Round and bright red, with light, creamy flesh. An early fall variety good for eating
out of hand.
Paulard - eating apple discovered 1960 in Michigan.
Pigsnout - An antique variety.
Pink Pearl - Unusual pink flesh.
Pitmaston Pineapple - An English variety.
Raritan - A summer variety good for eating out of hand.
Red Delicious - The most common American variety, the quintessential "red apple", and the
predominant variety of Washington state. Also widely grown in France and Italy. Smooth, dark red skin,
sometimes slightly streaked. Elongated in shape with pointed ribs at the calyx end. A good eating variety,
but not for cooking. The soft, white flesh is juicy, aromatic and sweet at its best, but can be pulpy and
flavorless.
Rhode Island Greening - An "antique" variety developed 1796. Somewhat oblong
in
shape and green to yellow in color, with tinges of red. It has a full-bodied taste with a balance of sweet
and tart. Good cooking apple.
Ribston Pippin - Probably the forerunner of the delicious Cox's Orange Pippin, which see.
Richard - See Red Delicious.
Rimskaya Krasvita - Related to the Rome Beauty.
Rome Beauty - A large flattish round apple, with versions ranging from greenish to the more
common American bright red version. Fragrant. Refreshingly tart, it is good for eating out of hand. Also
good for baking whole or in pies as they retain their shape and flavor after baking. Related varieties,
grown in several countries such as Argentina, Italy and Germany, include Gillet's Seedling, Hoary
Morning, Imperatore, Morgenduft, and Rimskaya Krasvita.
Rosamund - Related to James Grieve.
Roxbury Russet - See Russet.
Rubin - Related to James Grieve (which see).
Russet - A group including several varieties which usually have a full-flavor and slightly nutty
taste. Generally rough-skinned and asymmetrical in shape. The best
variety for cider. Versions
include Egremont Russet (which see) and Roxbury Russet.
St. Edmund's Pippin - An antique variety.
Schne van Boskoop - A Dutch variety with a skin that is greenish-yellow or reddish-yellow.
Large and firm with a tart, juicy flesh. Good for eating or processing.
Sheepnose - Also known as Black Gilliflower. It has a deep-purple skin and is shaped like a
sheep's nose. It was discovered in Connecticut in the late 1700's.
Exceptionally tasty, though not
an abundant growing variety, so it is not often produced commercially.

38

Sops of Wine - A variety with origins in medieval England. Exceptionally tasty, though not an
abundant growing variety, so it is not often produced commercially.
Starking - An American variety, grown also in Argentina, Italy, Germany, and England. Slightly
elongated and deep red, with yellowish-white, juicy, and sweet-tart flesh. Good for eating and available
year round. Related varieties include Double
Red Starking, Starking Delicious, and Top Red.
Starking Delicious - Related to the Starking (which see).
Starkrimson - See Red Delicious.
Stayman/Stayman Winesaps - Good for baking in pies or whole as they retain their shape and
flavor. Also a good eating variety, though a bit tart.
Summerred - A cross between McIntosh and Golden Delicious. Large, elongated and deep red
in color. Its firm, white flesh is juicy and full-flavored. Good for eating. Growing in the summer sun, it is
available in September and October.
Swaar - Popular in the 19th century.
Tompkins King - An "antique" variety.
Top Red - Related to the Starking.
Tydeman's Early - A large, round, regularly-shaped apple, which ripens to bright red with pale
yellow showing through. The soft, juicy flesh is slightly acidic. Good for eating, but not for processing. It
has a short season around the end of August and it does not keep well.
White Winter Pearmain - An "antique" variety.
Winesap - A dark red "antique" variety. Good for baking whole or in pies as they retain their
shape and flavor after baking. Also a good eating variety. Also used for cider.
Winston - An English variety, a cross between Cox's Orange Pippin (which see) and Worcester
Pearmain. Slightly conical in shape, with greenish-yellow skin which turns orangey-red as it ripens. White,
crisp flesh with a good flavor for eating, but not suitable for processing. Available from November to May.
Winter Banana - Originated in Indiana in the late 1700's. Pink and yellow in color,
with a bananalike flavor. Exceptionally tasty, though not an abundant growing variety, so it is not often produced
commercially.
Woodcock - An antique variety.
Worcester Pearmain - An English variety.
Yellow Bellflower - Popular in the 19th century.
Yellow Transparent - A large, apple with a bright green skin. Introduced into France from Russia
in the 19th century. Its white, juicy flesh is slightly tart. Good for eating, but doesn't hold up well. Becomes
soft and tasteless only a few days after picking. Not good for cooking. Available for only a very brief
season around the end of July.
York Imperial - An "antique" variety. Good for baking whole or in pies as they retain their shape
and flavor after baking.
Pomme in French, Apfel in German, manzana in Spanish, mela in Italian.
Malus communis
applejack
See apple brandy.
Apple Annie
Slang name for apple vendors during the depression.
apple baked
Apples baked in the oven and served as dessert. The best apples to use are Roman Beauties.
The apples are normally cored, the peel removed only to about half way down - the remaining peel will
keep the apple together. The cavity can be filled with sugar, dried fruits, marzipan and other ingredients.
apple banana
Type of banana native to Southeast Asia and cultivated in tropical countries. Small, stubby in
shape, with a smooth thin skin that ripens from green to golden-yellow. Its sweet taste has a hint of apple.
Apple, Big

39

New York City is called the Big Apple not for any significant crop, but because it was named after
a 1920's nightclub and a 1930's dance by the same name.
apple blossom
Edible pink and white flowers with fresh fragrance and light floral taste. Good in soups and
salads.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
apple brandy
Distilled beverage made from fermented apple mash. American apple brandy is often called
applejack. Laird & Company in Scobeyville, New Jersey produce the most prominent brand. The Lard's
have been making applejack since 1698. They now produce several versions, including Blended Apple
Jack, which is 35% applejack blended with 65% grain neutral spirits; and the more traditional-style Laird's
Old Apple Brandy, aged in charred oak barrels once used to age Bourbon for seven and a half years, and
introduced in 1964 to commemorate New Jersey's tricentennial. The production is now centered in North
Garden, Virginia from apples grown in the Shenandoah Valley.
Archer Distilling Company in Prattsville, New York makes Yabloka, an un-aged apple brandy.
As with all brandies, it takes a lot of fruit to make a little product, about 7000 pounds apples to
produce about 55 gallons brandy The best distillates come from the apples highest in sugar, acid, and
flavor. In America, the small, firm Winesap apples are prized.
Most French apple brandy is made in Normandy, in the Calvados region after which it is named.
The restorative value of this drink is often celebrated mid-meal at large, multi-course dinners, as "Le trou
Normand". A cold shot of Calvados creates a "trou", or hole, in the stomach, enabling the diner to
proceed with the feast.
In England, it is customary to go "apple howling" on the Twelfth Night to encourage
the friendly spirits and ensure a good crop. The people sing and bang pots and pans,
sprinkle some cider around the base of the trees and drink the rest.
See Calvados.
Apple Brown Betty
Dessert consisting of layers of apples, butter, sugar and bread crumbs.
apple butter.
Apple spread made first in Colonial times. Apples were simmered over open fires in large kettles
with sugar or honey until the mixture became thick and a puree.
Apple butter contains no butter. The name butter most likely was attached because it was used
as spread can on bread as a replacement for butter. Apple butter is considered a farmer's food, and is
often sold at farm stands and at country fairs.
apple charlotte
Hot dessert made with sliced buttered bread arranged in a mold and filled with cooked apples.
Originally referred to as Charlotte Russe, though that name now refers to a different version of charlotte.
See charlotte.
apple cider
Apple juice, available fresh or fermented. The alcohol content of fermented apple cider can vary
greatly. Russet is the best variety for apple cider, because it is aromatic. Most flavorful when made from
fruit with the skin left on and removed later, because perfume cells are contained in the fruits' skin.
See cider.
apple dumpling
Dessert, often served hot, of peeled and cored apples wrapped in pastry dough or puff pastry. It
is often served with custard sauce or maple syrup.
apple fritter

40

Hot dessert made with peeled and cored apple slices, dipped in batter, deep fried and served
sprinkled with powder sugar.
apple grunt
Name for a deep-dish apple pie.
apple haw
Hawthorn tree found in Southern US. Its scarlet fruits are juicy and acidic and used in jams and
jellies.
Apple Jonathan
See apple pandowdy.
apple mint
Fuzzy-leaved mint plant, whose leaves have a vague apple scent.
Mentha rotundifolia.
apple of love
Another name for eggplant.
Apple of Sodom
A mythical fruit, beautiful to look at, but which turns to ashes when touched. Thus the term refers
to a disappointing thing.
Also known as Dead Sea apple.
Apple of the Orient
An other name for persimmon. See there.
apple pandowdy
Dessert, also known as Apple Jonathan in the northeastern US. The dessert consists of sliced
and spiced apples, layered in a deep dish and covered with a thick biscuit crust before baking.
The origin of the term pandowdy is unknown. It is sometimes said to derive from the old English
dialect word pandoulde, meaning custard.
apple pear
Name for Asian pear. See there.
apple pie
The quintessential American dessert as in the expression "American as apple pie."
VERSIONS INCLUDE:
Pie with a bottom and top crust.
Deep dish, baked in a ceramic dish or other oven-proof dish about 12 in. (37 mm) deep.
The flavor additions, and types of apples used vary greatly. Old fashioned pies are made with
cooking apples, such as Granny Smith, contain raisins and sugar, spiced with nutmeg and Allspice, and
dotted with fresh butter before the crust is put on top.
The crust must be very flaky, and is made with shortening, cake flour and very and a small
amount of cold water. McGinties pie is made from dried apples.
apple pie with cheese.
Once popular combination of apple pie, served with a thick slice of cheddar cheese.
Apple pie a la mode
Apple pie served warm with a scoop of ice cream, normally vanilla ice cream. An old fashioned
term used on menus. It is a mixture of French and English, and the accent on the is often omitted.

41

apple sauce
Thick puree made with apples, sugar, cinnamon and other flavors. Most flavorful when made
from fruit with the skin left on, and then strained, because there is much flavor in the skin.
apple snow
Dessert made of apple sauce blended into whipped egg whites, served with whipped cream or
custard sauce.

42

apricots
Stone fruits growing on trees in temperate to warm climates, belonging to the large rosaceae
botanical family.
Their origin are in East and central Asia, and it is known to have been cultivated in China at least
4000 years ago.
Apricot trees are first known to have been planted around the Mediterranean in about 100 BC. In
the 17th century apricot trees flourished in southern England which at that time had a warmer climate
than today. By the 18th century, apricot trees were found in the US, perhaps having sprouted from pits
which were tossed by early Portuguese and Spanish sailors, since there is no record of any formal
attempt to grow the trees at that time.
Frost will often destroy the early blossoming buds in northern climates, or the fruits will not ripen
well. Unripe fruits have little taste and a cottony texture, ripe fruits are difficult to transport. Happily for the
commercial growers, apricots take well to drying or processing into items such as jam and juice.
Apricots are round or oval in shape, up to 3 inches in size, and range in color from pale yellow to
orange, often with a blush of reddish orange on the side facing the sun. The flesh tends to be similar to
that of peaches, but less juicy and more fibrous. The pits or stones can be easily removed when the fruit
is fully ripe. They have one of the shortest seasons of any summer fruit
Apricots are commercially cultivated many countries, such as southern US, Chili, Argentine,
Spain, Portugal, France, Italy, Greece, Austria, Hungary, South Africa, Turkey, the Middle East, China
and New Zealand.
Varieties are distinguished more for their country of origin than for their taste:
VARIETIES:
Bebekou - the most common Greek variety, is round and yellow. Suitable for eating fresh or
drying as is commonly done.
Bergeron - a late summer variety from France's Rhne valley. Irregularly shaped, orange-y in
color, and delicious for eating plain.
Hamidi - variety originally from Tunisia , and also cultivated in Greece. Pale yellow and tasty,
though not particularly juicy.
Hungarian Yellow - grown in Germany and Hungary, the lower areas of Austria, Italy and
Greece, this golden-orange apricot has firm flesh and luscious juice. Its firmness makes it easy to
transport
Imola Royal - popular Italian variety, also widely grown in Israel and Spain. Large,
elongated, with orange-yellow skin and flesh. Juicy, flavorful and aromatic so good for eating, this
firm apricot is also good for processing.
Jitrenka - eastern European variety from Rumania and Czechoslovakia. Round, yellow, and good
for eating fresh or processing.
Mario de Cenad - like the Jitrenka, an eastern European variety from Rumania and Czech
Republic. Round, yellow, and good for eating fresh or processing.
Montedoro - large, oval Italian apricot. Very flavorful. One of the most delicious.
Moorpark from New Zealand, available mid-December to mid-March.
Nancy - old French variety, also grown in Italy and Greece. Large, oval, juicy, and
delicious.Most available in early summer.
Peeka - new southern hemisphere variety, thus available in March and April. Small, flattenedround, orange-yellow, with an easily removed, proportionately large stone.
Royal - originally a French variety, it is also cultivated in the US and New Zealand, and thus has
two seasons of availability. Also known as Goldrich and Perfection.
Stevens and Sundrop - imports from New Zealand.
Tirynthos. A late Spring Greek variety. Pale yellow in appearance and delicious in taste, but not
as good for processing as other varieties.
Aprikosen in German, Marillen in Austria, albaricoques in Spanish, albicocca in Italian, apricot in
French.
Prunus spp.
apricot brandy
Sweet brandy-based liqueur, infused with apricot essence. Zwack is a famous Viennese
company exporting apricot brandy to the US.

43

apricots, dried
Method of preserving apricots used since antiquity in the Middle East. They can be eaten as is,
or re-constituted by soaking in water.
apricot kernel oil
Oil with a high vitamin E content, a fresh green taste, but no discernable apricot flavor. It is used
in salads.
apricot liqueur
Cordial flavored with apricot juice.
apricotine
Glaze made from apricot puree used for glazing pastries, especially Danish pastry. The product
is widely used in commercial pastry shops.
Aprikosen.
The German word for apricots.
Apry
Brand of apricot brandy.
Apulia
Region in south east Italy producing large amounts of wine, mostly red.
aqua vitae
Latin term for distilled beverages, most often used for brandies in the Middle Ages.
Aqua Libra
Swiss low-calorie, bottled beverage made from alkaline-forming ingredients, such as fruit and
vegetable aromatic extracts, aqueous infusions of sunflower and sesame seeds, and Siberian ginseng.
aquacotta
Italian/Tuscan specialty soup, made with red onions, tomatoes and herbs. One version is made
as a tomato and mushroom toast.
aquaculture
The process of raising fish or crustaceans in a controlled environment.
Aquavit
Generic Scandinavian name for any distilled alcoholic beverage. Literally translated "water of
life". It is normally made from grain and flavored with anise, but always clear.
Arab food
There is much similarity between the cooking in Arabian countries. The predominant meat is
lamb and mutton, and the predominant grain is wheat. Wheat has been cultivated for thousands of years,
and has been adapted to grow in arid and hot climates as well as in countries with cold winters.
Wheat flour is turned into cous-cous, basically a type of pasta and into bulghur/bulgur, a parboiled cracked wheat that became easy to use as salad or as stuffing.
Olives became the next staple to be cultivated. Olive trees provide shade, live for hundreds of
years and the fruits provide food and oil.
Arabs invented distillation, and brought saffron and almonds to the IberianPeninsular. Arabia
was the bridge that connected the tropical Asia with Europe and introduced spices and sugar cane.
Fruits cultivated today include almonds, dates, figs, grapes, citrus fruits, apricots, pomegranates
and many others. See all.

44

Squash, eggplant and pine nuts are used in many dishes. In some part a truffle grows, but it is
less flavorful than the European truffle varieties. See there.
Arab hospitality is legendary and starts with dark, strong coffee and continues with
mazza/mezze, a bewildering array of appetizers. Traditionally food is eaten with the right
hand washed before the meal, the left hand is considered un-clean. The main course is likely roast
lamb, sometimes eaten with boiled rice, followed by sweet confections, often made with honey, often fried
and flavored with rose water.
REPRESENTATIVE DISHES ARE:
Al -fallah - simple peasant soup
Baba ghannooj - egg plant puree served as salad or dip
Farareer - pistachio and honey pastries
Hummus hi tahina - chick pea dip or salad
Kebab - meat grilled on skewers
Khoubz - bread. See pita bread.
Kibbi/kobbo/kubba - lamb and bulgur shaped as meat ball or baked as casserole
Kousa mahshi - stuffed squash
Pacha - boiled sheep heads. The eyes are considered a special delicacy.
Sayadieh - fish and rice dish
Sfeeha - spicy meat pies
Shish kebab - lamb cooked on skewers
Tabbouleh - cracked wheat salad
Taratoor - sesame and garlic sauce.
See also Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon and Turkey.
Arabers
Old name for vegetable vendors, who sold their wares from horse drawn carts in Baltimore.
arabica
Coffee bean variety. See coffee.
Arachi oil
An other name for peanut oil. See there.
Arak, Batavia Arak
Aged, dry rum made near Batavia on the Island of Java, Indonesia made from molasses. A
special wild yeast and the addition of red rice cakes during fermentation give Arab a special flavor.
Much Arak is aged and bottled in Holland. Arak is used in Sweden Punch. See also arrak.
arame
Also known as sea oak. See seaweed.
Aramon
French wine grape variety with high yield, planted in the Midi region of France.
arancini
Italian/ Sicilian rice croquettes, molded into a ball and stuffed with chopped meat and
mushrooms. Dipped in egg, rolled in fresh bread crumbs and deep-fried until golden and resembling
oranges. Literally translated "little oranges".
Arancini
German name for candied orange peel.
arndanos
Spanish for blueberries.
Arbane

45

French white wine grape used primarily in the production of sparkling wine.
Arbini
Walla Walla sweet onion variety developed by John Arbini in 1925.
Arbois
White wine grape grown in France. It has little commercial value today. Most is grown in the
Loire valley.
Arborio rice
Italian rice variety, having short, plump polished oval grains, which are pearly white in color. It is
cultivated in the Po Valley in Northern Italy, and also in California. The rice is translucent with an opaque
center and it becomes somewhat glutinous when cooked.
It is most commonly used to make risotto, because the rice absorbs nearly three times its volume
in liquid, more than other rice varieties.
See rice and risotto.
arborvitae
Tree whose leaves and twigs are brewed into a tea and is credited for helping people with
rheumatism.
Thuja occidentalis.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Arbroath smokies
Smoked haddock sold whole in pairs. A British specialty.
Also known as Aberdeen smokie.
Arbuckle's
Cooffe brand name in the Old West.
arbutus berry
Small, round fruit which grows in small clusters at the branch tips of a tree, also misleadingly
known as the strawberry tree. The tree grows to a height of 25 feet in
Mediterranean countries. It is not related to strawberries.
The fruits have the appearance of litchis. The tough, knobby skin is yellow, but ripens to an
orange-brown in. The flesh is yellow and has a tart, acidic taste with little aroma. Not particularly delicious
when eaten plain, it is best made into jam or liqueur.
Arbutus unedo.
arca
Bivalve mollusk, sort of whelk.
Archestratus
Greek philosopher and cookbook author. He lived about 350 B.C.
Archimageros
Ancien Greek term chef, especially head chef.
Archimede
Italian spiral shaped dry pasta. Also known as fusilli.
Arctic bramble
Also known as honeyberry.

46

Arctic char
Fresh water food fish in the salmon and trout family. Silvery, spotted with gold. Satiny, pale-pink
flesh. More delicate tasting than the larger char. Farmed in Canada and Iceland.

47

Ardennes food
Mountainous region of southeast Belgium, noted for its ham, wild boar (marcassin), and other
game, such as woodcock. See also Lige.
Ardennes ham
Air dried ham, prosciutto-like ham from the Ardennes region of Belgium.
areca nut
The fruit of the betel-nut tree or areca palm. The tree is widely cultivated in India and in South
East Asia. The nuts chewed, not swallowed.
arepa
South American corn pattie, griddle fried, popular in Colombia and Venezuela.
Argenteuil
Town in France, Department Seine-et-Oise, originally famous for white asparagus. In French
cuisine, dishes made with asparagus were often called l'argenteuil.
Argentina food
The South American country has strong ties to Europe. Many settlers came from Italy, Spain and
England. The fertile plains, called Pampa, provided ideal grazing conditions for cattle and also for
cultivation of grain crops. Cooking is basically European.
Beef is the staff of life and also a major export. When England industrialized in the 18th century it
needed to import meat. Until refrigerated cargo ships became possible England pioneered in Argentina
the meat extract production. By the end of the 19th century refrigerated meat was successfully exported
to England.
The quintessential Argentine restaurants are Churrascarias serving spit roasted meats.
DISHES AND COOKING TERMS:
Asado - roast
Chimichurri - parsley sauce served with roast meats
Empanada - meat turnover
Escabeche - pickled fish or meat
Goucho - cowboy
Humita - seasoned corn mush
Matambre - rolled flank steak filled with spinach and hard boiled eggs
Parrilla - grill
Parrillero - grill cook
Quebracho - hard wood favored for barbecuing.
Argentina beverages
Argentine has a large wine industry centerd around Mendoza. The cultivation of vinifera grapes
was started by Itallian emmigrants and most wine is consumed locally.
The beverage of the Papampas is an aromatic tea called yerba mat. See there.
Argentine
Ocean food fish with silvery skin harvested in the Atlantic. It is often called erroneously smelt.
Argentina spp.
argol
The natural stony sediment in wine casks, better known as cream of tartar or potassium
bitartrate. It is an important revenue source for large wineries who sell it to baking powder producers.
The German name is Weinstein.
argourcis
Another spelling of ogurtsy. Russian pickled cucumbers.

48

Argyle
Gravy boat, which contains a hot-water compartment for keeping the gravy hot. Named for a
Duke of Argyle.
aril
Section of the pomegranate. The interior of the pomegranate contains a large number of edible
seeds, each surrounded by a juice sac called an aril. The arils are imbedded in a bitter pith that should
always be discarded.
Arinto
Portuguese white wine grape with high acidity level.
Aristaeus
Greek God, protector of herdsmen, teacher of bee-keeping and considered the deity of cheeses.
aristology
The science of dining or the art of eating well. The word was coined by Thomas Walker in 1835.
Walker was a London magistrate who published a weekly periodical called The Original, in which he first
used the term.
ark shell
A type of clam, also known as red clam. In Japanese called akagai.
Arkin
Sweet star fruit variety, the most popularly grown in Florida.
See star fruit.
Armagnac
French brandy from the Gascony region. Dating from Roman times, it is France's oldest brandy.
The name is derived from the Latin "Ars Magna", meaning "great art" of the alchemists. The people of the
region are known for their great courage. Joan of Arc, though not a native, was known as
"L'Armagnacaise" because of her courage. Most of her followers came from Armagnac.
The Gascony region, known as "la Gascogne" to the French, is a sunny region located in
southwestern France, just North of the Pyrenees. The wine area is divided into three districts:
Bas Armagnac in the West where the best vineyards are located. The soil there is sandy. The
Bas Armagnac spirits take the longest to mature. It is generally thought that the best Armagnac contain
some brandy of the other two more rustic areas blended in to round out the flavor.
Tenareze is the second best area, this arc of land around the eastern end of Bas Armagnac has
clay-loam soil.
Haut Armagnac is the least prestigious area for making the brandy, but it in the South contains
the capital, Auch, and is the business center. This large arc of land curves around Tenareze and Bas
Armagnac to the east and south. It has chalky soil, the type of soil which does so well for Cognac, but for
some reason it is less successful than the sandy soil in Armagnac.
In addition to the major producers, hundreds of small producers provide about a tenth of the
volume produces. Each farmhouse seems to have its own small vineyard and ageing room. Though
these farmers now take their wines to a local cooperative to be distilled, until recently ox-drawn carts
traveling made their way from farmhouse to farmhouse all through the fall to collect fermented must.
From the 14th century until the latter part of the 20th century, Armagnac has been made in much
the same way, though changes are continually creeping in.
White wine grapes, such as the Folle Blanche or the more widely planted Ugni Blanc, locally
known as the St. Emilion, are fermented using no artificial agents. Other grapes include Picpoul,
Colombard, and Jurancon, Blanquette, Clairette, Mauzac, Meslier, and Plant de Grce.
The resulting wine is high in acidity and low in alcohol. This is distilled into a colorless spirit,
called "eau de feu", or "firewater".

49

Traditionally, this spirit has been made in the venerable copper alembic Armagnacais, or Coffey
still or "continuous still", a continuous distillation process. However, now some Armagnac producers use
the Cognacais pot still for a double distillation process, which produces a lighter product.
Also traditionally, this spirit has been placed in casks made from oak from the nearby Monlezun
forest. The wood is sappy and tannin-rich, and imparts a heavy, rich flavor and color to the brandy. Now
many producers use Limousine oak, the same wood that is used in Cognac, further blurring the
distinctions between these two French brandies, both because of the lighter quality it gives to the brandy
and because it is more plentiful than the Monlezun wood.
The final product is classified as Napoleon, Extra, Vieille Reserve, and X.O., which are blended
from brandies at least five and a half years old; and V.S.O.P. (very special old pale) and V.O. (very old) or
Reserve, which are at least four and a half years old.
Often bottled in a squat bocksbeutel-like flagon called basquaise.
Armavir
Cheese made in the western part of the Caucasus Mountains with sour milk.
Armenia food
The cooking of Armenia is Middle Eastern, more reflective of its neighbor to the west, Turkey,
rather than Russia. Olive oil is the preferred cooking fat. Lamb is the most popular meat. It is served in
many dishes, including shish kebab.
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
Bourek - cheese-filled phyllo pastry
Enguinar - artichokes, carrots, and pearl onions cooked in olive oil.
Fassoulia poulaki - salad of white beans, diced carrots, potatoes, and celery in olive oil.
Hommos - puree of chick peas, garlic, and sesame paste. See there.
Imam Bayeldi - baked eggplant baked. See Turkey, food
Kouzou kezartma - lamb shank.
Lavash - thin yeast bread. See there.
Media dolma - mussels, served in their shells with pine nuts, dried currants, and spices.
Moussaka - eggplant stuffed with ground lamb.
Targhana - hot yogurt soup, with onion, barley, lemon and mint.
Tourschou - pickled cabbage salad with black olives and sesame oil.
Yalanji yaprak - grape leaves stuffed with rice, onion, pine nuts, and dill.
DESSERTS INCLUDE:
Baklava - Nut and honey filled flaky pastry.
Bourma - a rolled nut filled flaky pastry, soaked with honey syrup.
Tel kadayiff - shredded wheat pastry, soaked with honey syrup.
Major beverage is coffee.
Armon
French red wine grape variety with high yield. It is a blending wines of indifferent characters.
Armoricaine
French culinary term referring to the Roman province Amorica, which is called Bretagne today.
The term is often used in connection with seafood, especially oysters.
aroma
Used as a wine term, it refers to the primary smells associated with the wine, especially those
that reveal the varietal. It is slightly different from bouquet, which refers to the more complex smells of a
developed mature wine.
aromatic bitters
See bitters.

50

aromatized
Wine term referring to wines with flavors added, such as vermouth.
arracacha
Peruvian carrot, not related to carrots, and not cultivated in Peru.
Also known as apio, which is also confusingly the Spanish term for celery.
Arrack/arak
Generic name for Middle Eastern licorice - flavored aperitif. The name comes from the Arabic
araq, sweet and juice.
The beverage is known under different names in other countries.
Raki - Turkey
Ouzo - Greece
Arrack - Lebanon
Mastika - Bulgaria
arroba
Spanish wine measure about 16 liters.
arrope
Spanish term for grape concentrate to flavor sherry wine.
arrowhead

Water plant with arrow shaped leaves used in

Chinese cooking. Both the leaves and tubers are used.
Also known as Tule potato or wappato.
Sagittaria sagittifolia.

arrowroot
Tuber, which is dried and ground to a white powder to make a thickener for sauces. Named for
the fact that Indians would rub the root onto arrow wounds in the belief that it would absorb the poison.
The roots are dug up when about one year old, and can contain up to 23% starch be weight.
Arrowroot has slightly more thickening power than cornstarch.
Sauces thickened with arrowroot will be more transparent than
sauces thickened with corn starch. Though recipes may call for
arrowroot, cornstarch can be substituted. Arrowroot is
considerable more expensive than corn starch.
Japanese for arrowroot is kudzu and is used to make a
warm arrowroot jelly, sweetened with fruit.
Maranta arundinacea.

51

arroz
Spanish and Portuguese word for rice.
arroz con pollo
Hispanic popular chicken and rice dish.
arroz de gambas
Portuguese/Spanish rice with shrimp dish.
arroz doce
Portuguese rice pudding made of rice, egg yolks, milk and sugar.
arroz negro
Spanish squid and rice dish, deep black, colored and seasoned with squid or cuttlefish ink, and a
picada of garlic, parsley, fried bread, almonds, and often anchovies. The dish also usually includes diced
squid along with the local mussels and shrimp. A
specialty of the Catalan region's Costa Brava.
Arsac
Wine town in the Margaux region of Bordeaux, France.
Artagnan
French nobleman who lived in the 17th century. He was featured in novels written by Alexander
Dumas. The name appears on old menus.
The name is used in New York for a company selling game, pats, terrines and foie gras.
arthropods
Wide group of animals including crustaceans, insects and spiders.
artichaut du Canada
French term for Jerusalem artichokes, though they are more commonly known as topinambours.
artichaut barigoule
French baked whole artichoke, filled with chopped ham, mushrooms, pureed tomatoes, and
bread crumbs. Usually served with a tomato-based sauce. . The name comes from the Provenal word
for a mushroom originally used.
artichoke/globe artichoke
Vegetable from a perennial thistle plant which will grow up to 5 feet tall. The unopened flower of
the plant is eaten.
The word artichoke is derived from the Spanish word alcachofa, which is derived from the Arabic
al-kharshof. Related to the cardoon (see there).
Originally from the Mediterranean around Italy and Greece, they were introduced in France,
where they were originally considered an aphrodisiac by Catherina de Mdici. Exotic artichokes became
the rage in 18th century English society and are still considered somewhat of a luxury in some cultures
today. One reason is that it takes considerable time and effort to eat and artichoke, unless it was cleaned
in the kitchen. The petals are referred to as leaves, there is a little to eat at the lower end. The center,
when the leaves are pulled away, called choke, is hairy and inedible in a mature plant, but tender enough
to be edible in a baby plant. Under the choke is the heart, a dense, pulpy mass which is the tastiest part
of the plant, also called bottom. The term heart is used when the immature center and bottom is still
edible. Bottom refers to the cleaned, saucer shaped part.
Artichokes are cultivated in many countries, notably Italy, France. They grow best in warm
climates, but grow well also in the Orkney Islands where the ground is nurtured with a compost of
seaweed. The artichoke capital of the US is Castroville, California.
The hearts are a delicacy can be carved from fresh artichokes or bought in cans, jars, or frozen.
They have a buttery, delicate, and pleasantly bitter taste. They are good

52

cut up into salad or pizza, chopped into sauces, or broiled whole with or without toppings. Delicious when
marinated in oil and seasonings, they can also be purchased ready marinated.
Varieties include:
Castroure - tiny Italian egg-shaped artichokes
Thornless - bigger heart, more leaves and more meat
Victor Leon - from New Zealand.
Despite the name, the Jerusalem artichoke is not even distantly related. See there.
Carciofi in Italian, Artischoken in German, artichauts in French, alcachofa in Spanish.
Cynara scolymus.
artichoke bitter
Digestive, a bitter alcoholic drink flavored with artichokes. Cynar is a well known French brand.
artificial food colors
Made from petrochemicals to enhance food appeal. There are seven in use:
Blue Nos. 1 and 2
Green 3
Red 3 and 40
Yellow 5 and 6
Food colors are regulated by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) and often subject to reexamination
for safety. When used, they must be identified on the label, except in dairy products such as butter,
cheese, and ice cream. These products often use natural food colors, such as achiote or marigold petals.
arugula

Mediterranean annual salad plant, popular in

Italy and in Italian-American communities in the New
World. A dark green, narrow-lobed salad green.
Pleasantly bitter, peppery, pungent taste. The best are
the young leaves about 3 inches in length. Older leaves
develop a toughstem and are best used in stir-fried
dishes.
Also known as rocket, rocket lettuce, rocket
plant, rokko, roquette, or rucola.
Eruca sativa.

Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Asadero
Mexican cheese, also called Oaxaca. The cheese melts easily, therefore the name ready for
roasting.
asado
Spanish/Hispanic word for roast. It can mean barbecue in Argentina.
asador
A type of restaurant in Spain, which specializes in roasted meats.
Asafoetida
Powerful spice used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, often in place of onions or garlic. It is
made from the resin of the ferula asafoetida plant. It is available as powder and as a resinous lump. The
spice is strong and must be used judiciously.
Also known as asafetida, giant fennel, heeng, hing, stinking gum.

53

Asakusa nori
The most common Japanese, an edible seaweed.
Asbach-Uralt
Famous German brandy. Uralt means very old or ancien.
asciutto
Italian verb for dry. Pasta asciutto is dry pasta, compared to fresh pasta. As wine term asciutto
means not sweet.
aseptic packaging
Technique for sterilizing packaged food, long used in Europe before it came into widespread use
in the US in the 1980's. The package and the food contents are sterilized separately, instead of as a unit,
as is done in traditional canning. Milk is available in aseptic packages and requires no refrigeration until
opened.
Ashenfelter, Orley
Professor who developed the Ashenfelter Theorem, also referred to as the Bordeaux Equation. A
Princeton professor of economics, he created a formula for predicting what a Bordeaux wine will be like
without tasting it. His formula takes into account winter rainfall, frost, growing season temperatures, et al.
His theory was widely publicized in 1990.
Ashley bread
Southern spoon bread made with rice flour. The name may come from Anthony Ashley Cooper,
Earl of Shaftsbury (1621 to 1683), who was one of the first proprietors of the colony of Carolina.
Ashwaganda
Medicinal perennial plant growing 2 ft tall. Roots are used for relieving memory loss, infertility
and other diseases.
Whitania somniferam.
Asiago
Italian cheese, hard, granular-textured, from the Vicenza and Trentino Alto Adige (former South
Tyrol) region of northern Italy. Sold at various ages. The youngest, 3 to 6 months, has a very pale color
and mild nutty flavor. Those a year or more in age become hard, grating cheese. Sharp, piquant flavor.
The cheese is sometimes made with ewes milk, and is then called Pecorino di Asiago.
Asian Okra
Long gourd with silky, soft center. The gourd can be up to 9 feet long. Also known as silk gourd,
vegetable sponge, angeled luffa or loofa, sing qua, sza gwa. Not the same as the vegetable used as luffa
sponge.

Asian pear/apple
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Especially large and crisp pear with an apple texture. Originally from
in China and Japan, now most of the US supply is grown in California
and France. Season is winter. Round in shape with a thin pale
yellow skin. It's unique taste is lightly sweet and its aftertaste is
perceived by some people to have almost a salty quality.

54

Unlike regular pears, the fruits are tree-ripened. They remain crisp for a month when
refrigerated, or for a week at room temperature.
Also known as aka nashi, apple pear, Oriental apple pear, Japanese pear, Japanese 20th
century pear, new century pear, twentieth century pear, or sand pear (because of its finely rough skin).
Asin
Cheese made in Northern Italy made with sour cows milk. It is usually consumed fresh.
asorbic acid
Vitamin C. See vitamins.
asparagus
Vegetable native to Europe available green and white, the green variety by far the more popular
variety than the white in the US. It is basically a Spring vegetables, but I now available year round, in the
Winter often from Mexico, Peru and New Zealand.
White asparagus is cultivated so the tips are beneath the earth and cannot develop green color.
It is much more expensive to cultivate. Americas white asparagus come from Washington State. In
France, the lavender-tipped white asparagus are allowed just to poke through the soil. White asparagus
is popular in Europe and has a more pronounced taste than green asparagus. The white asparagus
tends to be more fibrous and can be slightly bitter.
Asparagus was blamed in ancient times fro causing gout.
Varieties include:
Acutifolius - tiny, pointed, aromatic
Beacon - A green asparagus from New Zealand.
Limbras - A green asparagus from New Zealand.
Mary Washington - A green asparagus from New Zealand..
Asperges in French, Spargel in German, asparago in Italian, esprrago in Spanish.
Asparagus officinalis.
asparagus bean
Vegetable related to southern cowpeas, growing on vines, with a taste resembling asparagus.
Native of tropical and sub-tropical Asia. Now also grown in California. It grows to as much as a yard in
length, but usually sold younger and only a little more than a foot in length.
Also known as the yard-long bean.
Dolichos sesquipedalis.
Not the same as the asparagus pea. See there.
asparagus pea
Plant native to southern Europe. The elongated pods look like a deeply ridged, frilled zucchini.
Totally edible. Young plants are considered the tastiest. They taste somewhat like asparagus, thus the
name.
Also grown in the U.S.
Also known as goa bean or winged pea. Gauk in Chinese.
Psophocarpus tetragonolobus, lotus tetragonolobus.
aspartame
Sugar substitute, marketed under the names of NutraSweet or Equal. It was discovered in 1965,
but did not receive F.D.A. approval until 1974, albeit for limited use, and continued testing for its safety
was conducted. Further use was approved in 1981, and aspartame began to replace saccharin in diet
beverages, but testing continues.
asperges la flamande
Belgian popular asparagus dish with a garnish of mashed hard boiled eggs and melted butter.
Sometimes also called asperges de Malines, referring to the region in which the asparagus are grown.

55

aspic
Clear meat, fish or vegetable jelly. The term refers to the basic product, but also to a finished
dish, such as Tomato Aspic or Shrimp in Aspic. Aspic made from scratch is based on clarifying a
gelatinous stock. Acidity is always needed to improve the flavor. Stock containing little or none natural
gelatine must be made gelatinous with gelatine powder. There is also ready to use aspic powder on the
market.
aspiration
Vegtable in the broccoli family, a cross between broccolino and gai lan. Both trademarks
belong to Friedas Inc.
asq
American Indian word for a squash resembling zucchini.
assa
Brazilian tropical fruit from the rain forest.
assam/asam
Singaporean local dialect meaning sour, and it refers to tamarind and its slightly sour taste.
Assam tea
Full bodied tea from the Assam Province in North eastern India. See tea.
Assario Branco
Portuguese white wine grape grown in the Duro region.
assiette
French term for plate. The term was formerly used to indicate a course, such as assiette
anglaise for a plate with cold cuts, or assiettes assorties for a selection of appetizers.
Assmannnshausen
Famous German wine village in the Rhine river producing a well known red wine from the
Sptburgunder grape.
Assyrtiko
Greek white wine grape variety.
Asti
Famous Italian wine town south of Turin. It is a large producer of Asti Spumante, often sweet
sparkling wine. It is also a major producer of Vermouth, and also fine red wines.
Astoria
Luxury hotel name, once popular, after the Astor family. The most famous is The Waldorf-Astoria
in New York.
William Astor and his wife Caroline Schermerhorn Astor held a ball in the art gallery of their
mansion, and the room could hold 400 people. This limited the attendance to avery select group, which
became the 400 of New York Society. Even The Plaza Hotel ballroom, built at a much later date, is
holding only 400 people.
Astrakhan apple
Wild apple, of the sub-species malus prunifolia from Siberia and northern China.
astringent
Wine term indicating too much tannin. It makes your mouth pucker.

56

aszu
Hungarian wine term for a superior sweet Tokay wine.

atemoya
Tropical American custard-like dessert fruit, of the
family annonaceae. A hybrid cross between cherimoya, and
sugar apple. Its bumpy gray-green exterior is somewhat like
a pine cone in shape. The flesh is studded with heavy black
seeds. The fruit is very sweet and creamy-textured. It is said
to taste like a melange of strawberries, pineapple, and
coconut.
Not widely available outside of its tropical growing
areas because it doesn't transport well, although it is being
increasingly grown in Florida.
Athenaeus
Greek/Roman cook book author. He lived about 250
A.D.
Atherine
Ocean food fish with silver skin harvested in the Atlantic. The small fish is normally broiled.
Athol Brose
Scottish drink made with whisky, oatmeal, honey and cream.
Atlantic blue crabs
See crabs.
Atlantic mackerel
See mackerel.
Atlantic Wolffish
Large and ugly fish feeding on shellfish with pink, firm flesh.
Also known as catfish in Europe, although not related to the American catfish.
Atlee (W.) Burpee & Company
Seed company in business since 1876. The leader in home garden seeds.
atmospheric pressure relation to cooking
Water boils at sea level at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. When air pressure is increased by
mechanical means, the boiling temperature increases. When pressure is decreased on account of higher
elevation, the water boils at lower temperatures, and food takes longer to cook. At 10,000 ft water boils
at 194 degrees Fahrenheit.
atropa belladonna
Botanical name for the deadly poisonous nightshade, of the family solanaceae, the same family
as eggplant, pimento, potato, and tomato.
attelets, also spelled hatelets
French decorative skewers, made of silver or metal alloys. They are topped with figures, often
with the animal they were to decorate. The skewers were not used for the actual cooking but inserted
before service as embellishment. Old fashioned and no longer in use. Brochettes are skewers used in
cooking.

57

au beurre
French term for with butter. Au beurre noir is with brown butter.
au four
French term for baked in the oven.
au gratin
French term for food browned on top.
au jus
French term for in its own juices, such as roast beef.
aubergine
French word for eggplant. The term is generally used in Great Britain for eggplant.
Aubun
French red wine grape variety cultivated in the Rhne Valley. The grape is considered identical
to the Counoise, a grape permitted in Chteauneuf - du - Pape.
Aude
French wine region in the Midi. Two famous wines are Corbires and Minervois.
Aunt Jemima
A Quaker Oats Company fictional person advertising breakfast products. It is used on the
theory that personalization helps consumers relate to products, especially food products.
The name Aunt Jemima came from the title of a vaudeville song.
Aufschnitt
German word for cold cuts.
Aurore
New York State hybrid white wine grape variety.
Auslese
German wine term for grapes which have been selected during late harvest. The wine is sweeter
than wine made with normally harvested grapes.
Auslese trocken
German wine term for a late-harvest wine, which should be sweet, but has been fermented dry.
The wine is rich and luscious.
Ausone, Chteau
Famous winery in the St. Emilion district of Bordeaux, France.
Austria food
Austria's culinary traditions can be clearly divided between Viennese cooking, see there, and
provincial cooking. The provincial cooking was more basic and often inspired by their immediate
neighbors, Hungarian in eastern Austria and Bavarian in the western part.
Austria produces excellent dairy products and is successful in exporting to the US and the
Common Market. However, it has not developed a cheese which is internationally recognized as
originally Austrian.
Viennese cooking was the standard for fine dining, and was perfectly acceptable for most
Austrians. There was for many years not one fine French or Italian restaurant of international reputation.
TYPICAL DISHES FOUND ON RESTAURANT MENUS ARE:

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Wiener Schnitzel, a breaded veal cutlet, often served with rice and lingonberries. veal is very
expensive and the Schnitzel is most likely made with pork.
Schnitzel is a generic name for a thin cutlet.
Bauernschmaus and Schlachtplatte. See there.
Sausages are made in great varieties in the Alpine provinces, some made with blood or with liver.
Wiener hot dogs are called Frankfurter.
Leberks is a meat loaf made fresh every day and served hot. The name means liver cheese,
but it contains neither liver nor cheese.
Smoked bacon is eaten as cold cut.
Gulyas, the Austrians use the Hungarian spelling for goulash, and pride themselves for making it
the authentic way. The basic goulash is served with a number of variations.
Beuschel, a lung stew served with dumplings.
Dumplings are on every menu. The basic dumplings is made with white bread, but potato
dumplings and other variations are famous. Tirolerkndel are small dumplings made with Bauernspeck
(smoked bacon).
Game is featured in season, especially roebuck and game birds.
Austria no longer borders an ocean, so the popular fish are fresh water trout, often kept live in a
fish tank and served "blue" (boiled); carp and pike.
Mushrooms in season appear on many menus. Steinpilze are porcini and Eierschwmme are
chanterelles.
Potatoes and rice are staple starches. Vegetables are often overcooked.
The desserts follow the Viennese style. Austria, desserts
Austria is famous for desserts. Many desserts are served with whipped cream, called Schlag in
Austria. Many desserts are served hot.
Strudel. The most popular is Apple Strudel, but strudels are filled with many different fruits, but
also with semolina, braised cabbage and crisp pork rinds. The dough is in most cases filo or phyllo
dough, made with water and high gluten flour. See recipe under filo. Some strudels are also made with
puff pastry.
Powidltascherln. Hot dessert. Boiled turnovers made with either potato or cottage cheese dough
and filled with prune puree (plum lekvar). Served with melted butter, sugar and browned bread crumbs.
Old fashioned.
Apfel im Schlafrock - apple dumpling
Kaiserschmarren - shredded pancake served with fruit syrup
Sachertorte - a chocolate cake covered with chocolate icing. See there.
Kaisersemmeln - rolls.
Kipferl - Croissant. Supposedly created by a Viennese baker after the Turks besieged Vienna,
shaped after the half moon in the Turkish flag. Viennese pastry shops are famous.
Salzburger Nockerln. See there.
Austrian beverages include coffee, beer and wine. Vienna is home to coffeehouses, which
developed a number of ways to serve coffee. See there.
Beer is brewed throughout Austria. Austria produces excellent fruit brandies.
Austria wines
Austrias wine industry dates back to Roman times. The industry is centered in the eastern part of
Austria, along the Danube, around Vienna and along the Hungarian border, as well as in the state Styria.
Buschenschenken refers to the farmers who sell wine directly to the public, either in bulk or by
the glass, as long as it is grown by the farmer. Heurigen refers to the young wine, but also to the
restaurant serving the wine. Technically, the wine must com from the owners vineyards. Nobelheurigen
is a more elegant version.
THE MOST IMPORTANT GRAPE VARIETIES ARE:
Blauburgunder, red
Blauer Portugieser, red
Blauer Wildbacher, red
Blaufrnkisch, red
Bouivier, white
Feinburgunder (Chardonnay), white

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Gelber Muskateller, white

Grauburgunder, white
Grner Veltliner, Austrias most important grape, white
Mller Thurgau, white
Muskat Ottonel, white
Muskateller, white
Neuburger, white
Riesling, white
Roter Traminer, red
Rotgipfler, white
Sauvignon, white
St. Laurent, red
Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), white
Welschriesling, white
Zierfandler, red/white
Zweigelt, red, a variety developed in Austria and it is widely cultivated.
The wine district Wachau on the Danube, west of Vienna created three categories for classifying
wines in 1983. The grapes must ripen naturally and no sugar can be added to the must. They are
Steinfelder, Federspiel, and Smaragd.
Steinfelder wines must have a must weight of 75 to 83% in the chsle scale.
Federspiel wines must have a minimum must weight of 83% in the chsle scale.
Smaragd wines must have a minimum must weight of 90% in the chsle scale, and are made
from late harvested grapes. The wines are fermented to 12.5% alcohol, and are often dry.
THE IMPORTANT GROWING REGIONS ARE:
Cartnuntum
Donauland
Kamptal
Kremstal
Mittelburgenland
Neusiedler See Hgelland
Neusiedler See
Sd-Oststeiermark
Sdburgenland
Thermenregion
Traisental
Wachau
Weinviertel
Weststeiermark
Wien/Vienna
Austria makes excellent Trockenbeerenauslese TBA and in some years Eiswein. Most wine in
Austria is white made with the Grner Veltliner and Riesling grapes. Schilcher is a ros wine from Styria.
The wine laws in Austria are the strictest in the world, and the wines have anexcellent reputation.
The production is small.
Australia food
The continent was settled by emigrants, first from Britain, and later from Europe. Overall the
cooking is a mirror of European cooking. Recently, Oriental influences added to the cooking repertoire.
The climate in the huge continent ranges from tropical in the north to desert in the center and
temperate in some parts of the south. Accordingly most tropical and temperate climate fruits and
vegetables are cultivated. Apples are a major crop. The Granny Smith Apple, see there, was developed
in Australia.
Macadamia nuts, see there, considered a quintessential Hawaiian product, are native to
Australia. The Grevillea bush has flowers with edible nectar.
The primary meat is lamb, exported live to Muslim countries and consumed locally. Beef is
popular, which might reflect the British traditions of many settlers. Rabbits are a major menace to farming
and are not liked as food.

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Kangaroos were known for their fleshy and gelatinous tails. They were exported to Europe and
used in a canned soup resembling oxtail soup. This fad has gone. The aborigines' survivalist diet
included kangaroo meat.
Seafood is abundant and popular. The aborigines collected desert water frogs and witchetty
grubs. See there.
TYPICAL SEAFOOD:
Banana prawn -large shrimp
Barramundi - fish. See there.
Bay bugs - crustaceans. See there.
Blue swimmer crabs
John Dory -fish. See there.
King and striped-tiger prawns
Mud crabs
Rock oysters
Yabbies - a crayfish-like crustacean
DISHES AND FOOD TERMS:
Carpetbagger steak - Steak stuffed with oysters.
Damper - baking powder staple bread of the early Australian pioneers
Lamingtons - tea cakes with chocolate and coconut icing
Pavlova - meringue cake filled with whipped cream and berries.
Puftaloons - griddle baked scones
Trio of Bushtucker - Combination platter with buffalo, kangeroo and emu meat.
Smoko - ranch farm worker's afternoon tea break.
Australia beverages
The country has supposedly the largest beer consumption by capita and exports beer to many
countries. Known brands are Brass Monkey, Ironbrew, Dogbolter.
Tea is popular.
Australia is an important wine exporting country with an old wine industry. The early wines were
rich and earthy. Many of the new wines are more elegant.
IMPORTANT WINE GROWING AREAS:
Hunter Valley
Murrumbidgee Irrigation area
Victoria, North East
Great Western
South Australia
Barossa Valley
Murry Valley
Western Australia
Queensland
Tasmania
Australian slang
Cobblers -iced drinks.
Cocky's joy - a golden syrup meant to make the bread more palatable in hard times.
Chook - chicken.
Cow-cocky - a dairy farmer
Pav - the rich dessert, pavlova.
Paddy melon. Not actually a food. A small wallaby.
Automat
A chain of restaurants which was operated by the Horn & Hardart company. These "waiter-less
restaurants" were modeled after those which Hardart found in Berlin. The first Automat in America
debuted at 818 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia in 1902, and at Times Square in New York in 1912. Horn
& Hardart improved on the machinery and, in their heyday, the Automats served over 800,000 meals a
day, in a pristine atmosphere of white or checkered tile, marble, and Beaux Arts or Art Deco details. Its

61

unique vending machines and simple, plain and inexpensive food appealed to people of all social
classes.
During the Great Depression, enterprising "customers", saving their nickels, concocted free
lemonade from water and the condiment table's lemon wedges and sugar (forcing the owners to ration
lemon wedges). Others took this one step further and formulated free tomato soup from hot water,
catsup, pepper, and parsley. The Automat was a gathering place where some people would pass many
hours. To move traffic a little, the owners enforced a strict no smoking rule. Though the repertoire
included over 400 items, its classic recipes include clam chowder, turkey, baked beans, creamed corn,
blueberry pie, coconut pie, and hot cocoa. The coffee purported to be the best lunchroom coffee around,
flowed from spigots shaped like dolphins' snouts, modeled after Pompeiian fountains.
The Automat's strengths became its downfall. As society became more prosperous, they sought
more elegant dining experiences. Unionization of employees demanded higher salaries, which the
Automat's low prices couldn't support. The flagship restaurant in Philadelphia closed in 1968. Only one
remained at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue in New York City, and this was closed some years ago and
became a clothing store.
Auvergne
Province in central France producing famous wines in the past, but of lesser importance today.
Auvernier
Swiss white wine from Neuchatel.
Auxerrois Blanc
French white wine grape grown in Alsace.
AVA
Abbreviation for American Viticultural Areas. See there.
avgolemono
Greek lemon flavored chicken broth with rice. A thick version is also used as a sauce.
Avignon
Small city on the Rhone river in southern France, the seat of papacy during the middle ages. The
town is the center of wine trade for such famous names as Chteau neuf du Pape, Tavel, Lirac, Gigondas
and others.
avocado
The fruit from a tree in the laurel family, which includes such different items as cinnamon and
camphor.
The trees sometimes grow to over 60 feet, although the cultivated varieties are restricted in
height for easier harvesting. Though technically a fruit, it is sometimes used more as a vegetable.
Avocado trees originated in tropical South and Central America. They are now grown in Spain and
Mediterranean areas and in central and southern Africa. When the Spanish conquistadors discovered the
fruit, they called it abogado, which means lawyer. Abogado was probably an interpretation of the Aztec
name for the fruit, ahuacatl, aptly meaning butter from the wood. The Spanish now call the fruit aguacate.
The fruit can range from a "finger-size" two inches to eight inches, though fruit on the market is
typically in the middle range. The color ranges from green to purplish-black. The flesh ranges from
greenish white to yellow.
The single center stone or pit is usually easy to remove, though if fruit is unripe, the brown skin of
the pit may adhere to the flesh and be difficult to remove. The pit can be sprouted by suspending the pit,
wide end down, in water. Once sprouted, it can be planted in an indoor pot and will grow to a small leafy
tree. However, the home plants will not bear fruit.
The creamy flesh is indeed buttery as described by the Aztecs. It consists of about 70% water, as
compared with other fruits which are 95% to 98% water. The remaining 30% is mostly unsaturated fatty
acids, which are low in cholesterol. The fruit is high in Vitamins. The fruit can be served in its half shell,

62

plain, with salt and pepper, or with vinaigrette dressing. Alternatively, the skin can be peeled off and the
flesh sliced into a salad or as a garnish. The most popular use is for guacamole, see there.
The flesh has a slightly nutty taste. Avocado should be eaten raw as they taste unpleasantly bitter
when cooked. However, they can be served in a warm dish if tossed just quickly and lightly.
Available year round, the season peaks from January through May. Avocados will ripen off the
tree. Once cut, avocados will darken (oxidize) quickly. This will not immediately affect the taste but looks
unappetizing. Citrus acid will prevent oxidations.
There are hundreds of varieties of avocado, but they fall into three basic types:
Mexican - Slender and pear-shaped, with a relatively smooth, light green skin.
Guatemalan - Compact and spherical-shaped, with either smooth green skin or with dark purple
or black warty skin. This type is responsible for the fruit sometimes being called alligator pear.
West Indian - Large fruits with dark green and sometimes rough skin.
Most in the US originated from Mexican or Guatemalan varieties or are hybrids of these.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Bacon - A pear-shaped variety, up to 6" in length, with green lumpy skin. Similar in appearance to
the Fuerte variety. Grown in US where it is available from September to December, Spain, and New
Zealand.
Eduri - A pear-shaped variety with a bumpy, shiny dark green skin and yellow to light green flesh.
Grown in many countries and available in the Northern Hemisphere from April to September.
Ettinger - Green with dull, relatively smooth skin. Along with fuerte, Hass, and Nabal, very
popular. The fruit is vivid green. Most commonly grown in Israel and South Africa and available from
September to December.
Fuerte - Pear-shaped with a light to medium green, lumpy skin. Similar in appearance to the
Bacon variety. Its size ranges from 4" to 6". The most commonly grown, especially in Spain, Israel and
South Africa, and delicious to eat.
Hass, a pebbly, thick-skinned "alligator-type" hybrid that turns purplish black when ripe. One of
the most popular eating varieties, it has a rich, nutty flavor and it bruises less easily than the larger,
smooth green skinned fruit.
Pollack or Pollock - A light green, smooth-skinned variety, up to 7" in length and weighing up to
12 pounds. Grown mainly in Florida and available mostly in July and August.
Reed or Reid - A small Guatemalan type with smooth green skin. Grown extensively in Israel and
New Zealand, and available March through September. Available from New Zealand, especially from
December to March.
Waldin - A large, spherical Guatemalan type. Developed in Florida, and also grown in Mexico. It
is picked mostly in August and September.
Zutano - A green, smooth-skinned Mexican type. Available from New Zealand, especially from
December to March.
Green varieties, many of which come from Florida in August through December, are more watery
and have a milder taste. Green varieties include the hybrid Fuerte as well asZutano and Bacon.
Also known as alligator pear, because of varieties which have tough green skin.
Persea americana.
Avocado oil
Mild and silky oil with very high smoke point of 497 degrees and flash point of 640, the highest of
any food fats. The oil too expensive for deep fat frying but is used to saute and to stir fry. Avocado oil is
also used in salads. In tropical countries avocado oil is used in cosmetics. The oil contains a high
percentage of lethicin.
awarra
Tropical South American fruit of the palmae family, which also includes dates and coconuts. A
round, elongated fruit, with a dirty orange or brownish skin with a thin layer of pulp around the large hard
pit. With its it small edible portion, it is uneconomical to transport. Most awarra is used locally to add a
yellow color to rice.
Astrocaryum vulgare.

63

Awenda bread
Southern batter bread made with cooked hominy grits, corn meal and baking powder.
Ay
Important wine growing area in Champagne/France growing Pinot Noir grapes for champagne
production as also as still wine.
ayran
Turkish refreshing, lightly salted yoghurt drink served chilled.
azarole
Tree in the family of rosaceae, related to hawthorns and apples. The leaves resemble those of an
apple tree and the fruit resembles miniature apples, about 1" in diameter, with tiny pips. They turn from
off white to red as they ripen. Native to either Asia or southern Europe, also grown around the
Mediterranean.
The fruits will keep about one week at room temperature. Their sour taste make it unsuitable for
eating fresh, but make a tasty jam. The juice can also be processed for drinking unfermented or it can be
made into cider.
Also grown in central Europe as an ornamental plant. Crataegus azarolus.
B. A. T. F.
Abbreviation for Bureau of alcohol, tobacco and firearms. A division of the US Treasury
department and in charge of controlling the sale, labeling and taxes on alcoholic beverages.
B&B
French cordial, the letters stand for Bndictine and Brandy, a drier version of the original
Bndictine. See Bndictine.
baba ganoushe/baba gannouj
Middle Eastern dish consisting of roasted eggplants. The original recipe might have been of
Turkish origin, but the dish is served throughout the Middle East. Often served sprinkled with
pomegranate seeds. Also known as poor man's caviar.
baba au rum
Dessert made of yeast dough in the shape and size of a small muffin, and soaked with rum after
it is baked. It is often served warm with custard sauce, or with whipped cream. The larger version, made
in a ring mold, is called Savarin.
The name is associated with the Polish King Leszczy ski who poured rum over his yeast cake
and named it for Ali Baba, the hero in The Thousand and One Night story.
babaco
Oblong tropical fruit, related to the papaya, it is a cross between the mountain papaya, and
chamburo. Yellow-green skin with pale yellow flesh. Unlike the papaya, the fruit has no pits, and the skin
is edible. Rich in vitamin C and low in sugar, though sweet tasting enough to be eaten as a fruit. Like
papaya, it contains papain, which aids in digestion and is also used as a natural meat tenderizer.
Originally from the highlands of Ecuador, it is now grown in other areas, such as the Channel
Islands and New Zealand (where it was introduced only in 1973).
Carica pentagona.
Babeasca Neagra
Romanian red wine grape variety.
Babette's Feast
Danish film, made in 1987, based on a story by Isak Dinesen. It is about conflicting values,
symbolized by the serving of a lavish dinner prepared by a political refugee from Paris, Babette Hersant.
It results in a tribute to the seductive power of food. The feast which is the focal point of the movie

64

consists of turtle soup laced with Madeira, Blinis Demidoff, crusty rolls, salad with walnut vinaigrette, quail
en croute stuffed with truffles and foie gras.
The meal was relished by reluctant God-fearing Lutheran diners in nineteenth century Denmark.
While the movie ran in New York City the restaurant Petrossian offered the feast as a menu option. This
tie-in was then copied in other cities.
babisou
Edible French mushroom.
bacuri
Wild growing Amazone fruit tree.
Platonia insignis.
Baby vegetables

Baby corn still in husk

Many vegetables are available in miniature versions.
Although they lack flavor, they have found a market in
upscale restaurants because they look cute.
Baby bok choy

Baby Ruth
Chocolate covered candy bar with
peanut center, created about 1920 by the
Curtiss Candy Company in Chicago.

Bacalao
Spanish name for salted cod. The fish is salted and dried cod.
Stockfish in German.
Bacardi
Company name for large distilling company, the leading producer of rum. The company has
large manufacturing facilities in Puerto Rico.
baccal montecato
Italian creamy codfish mousse.
baccal alla livornese.
Italian. A specialty of Tuscany from the coastal city of Livorno. Cod sauteed in olive oil and baked
with garlic, tomatoes and parsley.
Bacchus
German white wine grape, a crossing of Silvaner, Riesling and Mller Thurgau.

65

Bacchus
Roman god of virility, especially of grape vines. The Greek god is Dionysos.
bachlors button
Cookie decorated with a candied cherry.
Backsteiner
German cheese, resembling Limburger or Romadur. The cheese is in brick shape, and rather
smelly.
Baco Blanc
French white wine grape used in Armagnac.
bacon
The cured and smoked meat of the backs, sides, belly and breast pieces of pigs. The size of the
belly frequently relates to quality. moderate small bellies are the most desirable. Bacon can be cured
only and also cured and smoked.
Bacon is sold by weight and by the number of slices per pound. Household bacon will have
most likely 18 - 22 slices, better quality hotel and restaurant bacon will have 16 - 18 slices.
TYPES:
Canadian bacon - cured and smoked boneless pork loin. Also called Peameal Bacon in Canada.
Less expensive Canadian bacon is pressed and molded into a round roll.
Irish Bacon and English bacon - rolled belly bacon.
Pancetta - Italian rolled bacon, not smoked, used for cooking.
Slab bacon - industry term for whole, unsliced bacon.
OTHER INDUSTRY TERMS ARE:
Special lean, no shrink, par cooked bacon, 30 slices per pound.
Precooked bacon can have up to 50 slices per pound.
Layout bacon is consists of slices laid out on parchment paper the size of sheet pans. It is a
great labor saving product in the food service industry.
Turkey bacon is a lean turkey product shaped like bacon.
Badacsony
Hungarian name of a famous wine growing region, used normally in connection with the grape
variety grown.
Bad
German name for spa where beneficial springs are used for therapeutic purposes.
Bad Drkheim
Small German town located in the Palatinate region and famous for white wines.
Baden
Famous wine growing region in southwest Germany. Most wine is consumed locally.
badian
See star anise.
bael
Indian fragrant fruit, also known as Bengal quince.
Baga
Portuguese red wine grape, the most planted variety. Much is grown around Bairrada, but also
around the D o wine region.

66

bagel
Jewish chewy yeast bun with a center hole. It is poached in alkali water before baking.
Over the years varieties evolved which would abhor a traditional bagel lover. Some varieties
have a softer dough, other are sprinkled with poppy seeds, onions, sesame seeds. Some varieties are
made with raisins or with pumpernickel dough.
Cocktail bagels have also become popular.
bagna cauda
Provenale/French anchovy and garlic dip served warm.
Bagnes cheese
Cheese made in Switzerland and used for the melted cheese dish Raclette.
bagoong
Philippine shrimp or fish paste condiment. The Thai Nam Pla is related.
Bagozzo
Italian hard, yellow bodied cheese with red rind.
baguette
French, a long thin loaf of crusty bread. It is considered the quintessential French bread.
Bahans-Haut-Brion
French Bordeaux wine, the second label of Chteau Haut-Brion.
Bahia food
Brazilian cooking with strong African roots from the northeast region around the city of Salvador.
KEY INGREDIENTS:
Coconut milk
Dende oil
hot malaqueta peppers
DISHES INCLUDE:
Acaraj - bean and dried shrimp fritter
Bob - mashed beans, banana, manioc flour and dende oil
Carur de camaro - shrimp stew with okra and tomatoes
Ef, fried fish, shrimp and spinach casserole
Mlho de nag - hot pepper and dried shrimp sauce
Muqueca - a spicy fish or shrimp stew
Quiabada - veal stew with dried shrimp
Vatap nan s - shrimp and fish stew made with coconut and dende oil Vatap de galinha chicken stew
Xin-xin - chicken stew with coriander seeds
bahl hornin
Phrase from the local Boontling (see there) dialect of northern California. It means good drinking.
Bailey's Irish Cream
Cordial made from Irish whiskey and cream.
bain marie
French term for water bath to keep sauces and soups hot.
Bairrada
Portuguese region of gentle hills along the Atlantic coast, known for its red wines. They are full
bodied, austere wines and tannic when young. The primary grape is the Baga.

67

Also grown are Agua, Santa, Alfrochoeiro Preto, Bastardo, Castelao, Jaen, Moreto, Tinta,
Pinheira, and-Trincadeira.
baiser
A meringue dessert, consisting of two hollow balls of dried meringue, and filled with whipped
cream or ice cream. Popular in Austria and Germany. The word is French for kiss.
bake
To cook in an enclosed area, either with dry heat, or with a small amount of steam. Baking differs
from roasting not so much in the method, but by the product to be cooked. Meat and vegetables are
roasted, cereal products, breads and cakes are baked. To a certain extent, the terms are
interchangeable, a stew might be baked in an slow oven. Traditionally, roasting meant cooking over an
open fire or in hot ashes, and baking always in a closed area or container.
baked apple berries
Canadian name for the cloudberries. See there.
Rubus chamaemorus.
baked beans
Beans baked slowly with molasses and often with pork fat or ham hooks. The dish is associated
with cold wether and is famous in New England and in Scandinavia.
Boston baked beans are made with white navy beans.
Baked Alaska
Ice cream dessert baked under a meringue crust. The ice cream covered with sponge cake
layers, placed on an oven proof platter, covered with meringue and quickly browned in a very hot oven or
with a torch. It was a popular banquet desserts in many large hotels. Many variations exist depending on
the ice cream used, fruits added and garnishes. Because of its cold interior and hot exterior, baked
Alaska was once called Alaska Florida, a name that originated at the Delmonico Restaurant in New York
City.
Flaming Baked Alaska is popular on cruise ships as festive farewell dinner dessert. Servers
parade through the dining room carrying platters with flaming Baked Alaska. The flames are produced
from little dishes imbedded in the meringue and filled high grade spirit.
The French name is Omelette Surprise or Omelette la Norvgienne.
baker
Dish without a tightly fitting lid, normally ceramic or oven-proof glass. Used for baking vegetables,
casseroles or desserts.
baker's style
See boulangre, la.
bakers cheese
Skim milk cheese resembling fine cottage cheese, but containing more moisture and acid. The
cheese is used for baking, especially Danish Pastry fillings, and cheese cake.
Bakers' Saint
St. Antonio Abate is the catholic patron saint of bakers.
baking chocolate
Unsweetened chocolate with about 50% solid chocolate and 50% cocoa fat by weight. Some
brands contain a small amount of sugar.
Also known as bitter chocolate.

68

baking powder
Leavening agent consisting of a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and acid salt. Corn starch is used
to keep the mixture dry. Baking powder was invented in the mid 1850's.
baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
White powder with the chemical formula is Na H Co3. It neutralizes acidity and is an ingredient in
baking powder.
Baking soda does not contain acid salt, which activates the bicarbonate of soda. It is therefore
used as leavening agent in cakes and batters with a high acidity content, such as gingerbread and fruit
cakes.
Baking soda is traditionally used to treat insect bites and has a number of otheruses.
It was added to water when boiling green vegetables to retain their bright color, though at the
expense of vitamins, texture and flavor.
baklava
Dessert, Turkish, in origin, but popular throughout the Middle East, Greece and Armenia. It
consists of flaky filo (phyllo) dough layers, soaked with rich butter, honey and nut syrup. As soon as it
comes from the oven it is drenched with a perfumed sugar syrup.
bakuti
Nepalese giant honeybee pupae, used as food in Asia.
balachan
Asian, especially Malayan condiment paste made with fermented fish, salt and peppers.
Also known as blachan, balachong.
balance
Wine term referring to the proportions of one component to another.
baldface
Slang used by cowboys in the old West word for dishes made of china.
Bali food
See Indonesia food.
Balling
Hydrometer and scale to measure the sugar content of grape juice. Balling readings give the
sugar content of 100 grams juice, and by multiplying by 0.55 will give the approximate alcohol content of
the finished wine providing the wine is fermented until all sugar is used up.
Balling system is used in the US.
ballotine
French culinary term referring to ball shaped food. The name actually means bundle. Stuffed
chicken legs or stuffed cabbage are considered ballotines. In contrast, food shaped in a roll is called
galantine. The name galantine comes from gallo/rooster and started as a boned, stuffed chicken rolled
into sausage shape and cooked.
balm
Herb used in teas, more commonly known as lemon balm, see there, to distinguish it from the
herb bee balm. See there.

Melissa officinalis.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
balsamic vinegar

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Special mild flavored vinegar, aged in small barrels in Northern Italy, especially around the city
Modena, and usually made in small quantities by local families.
The typical process is as follows: Unfermented juice of Trebianno, Trebbiano di Spagna,
Ancelotta and Lambrusco grapes is boiled down. The must, or saba, is cooled and poured into a set of at
least five barrels of different sizes (such as 50 liters, 40, 30, 20 and 10) and different woods (often
including oak, chestnut, juniper, cherry or mulberry). A vinegar mother taken from old vinegar is then
added to each barrel. A year later, much of the liquid has evaporated and half of the vinegar in the
smallest barrel is drawn off for use. Then, each barrel is filled with vinegar from the next largest one, and
the largest barrel is replenished with new boiled unfermented grape juice.
The vinegar from the smallest barrel, even after the first year, has not yet achieved the sought
after character. Only after about seven years additional aging does the vinegar reach its potential, and
only after 12 years can the vinegar be labeled riserva.
The older vinegar becomes concentrated, but mellower and milder. It is sometimes used in place
of wine in cooking or mixed into sauces, but perhaps is best appreciated when sprinkled plain on salads
or french fries or other vegetables.
Like wine, balsamic vinegar carries a D.O.C. (Denominazione di Origine Controllata), or
appellation of origin. The quality is controlled by the Consorzio tra Produttori di Aceto Balsamico
Tradizionale di Modena. Before the vinegar can be bottled is must be approved and bottled by the
Consorzio. It must be bottled in special 100 ml bottles, and is labeled by the Consorzio and by the
producer. Some vinegar is aged up to 25 years, and is expensive.
Balsamic vinegars are entered in competition. One keen competition takes place in Spilamberto,
near Modena, every June.
Balsamic vinegar is now easily available in the US. There is much imitation vinegar on the
market made with sugar and caramel color.
The Italian name is aceto balsamico.
Balthazar/Balthasar
Champagne bottle size containing 16 bottles or 12 l.
Baltimore crabs
Steamed Atlantic blue crabs from the Chesapeake Bay. The crabs are cooked with a hot
seasoning mixture which includes chili peppers. Old Bay seasoning, a brand name, is often used. Old
Bay is a combination of hot and savory seasonings including celery salt, mustard, pepper, laurel leaves,
cloves, pimento, ginger, mace, cardamon, cassia, and paprika.
Several Baltimore restaurants serve the local specialty, but Obrycki's, operating since 1865, is
perhaps the best known. The local crab season is from April to December. Off season crabs form the
South are used.
The crabs are served whole coated with spices, spread out onto the table covered with brown
wrapping paper, with paper towels. A mallet and a crab knives are provided.
To eat the crabs, you first pry off the "apron" on the underside of the body of the crab. Then
dispose of the top shell, and remove the grayish lungs and eyes from the white membrane which covers
the meat. Remove the claws, legs, and backfins. Break the body in half lengthwise, and remove the
chunk of back fin meat. Next, break each half in two again, laterally, to expose the compartmented
chunks of meat, and pick them out. Crack the claws with the mallet, and pull the claws through your teeth
to squeeze out the moist morsel of meat.
Baltimore Lemon Stick
Lemon halves into which a stick of candy cane has been inserted. Suck on the candy cane and
pull up the sour lemon juice, which gets sweetened by the candy. The candy cane shouldn't be too
dense nor too porous. Popular since about 1911, and a tradition at the annual Flower Mart.
balut
Fertilized duck egg considered a delicacy by Phillippines.

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Balyx
Old Russian term for smoked sturgeon.
bamboo
Bamboo is used in China for smoking foods and to make steamer baskets.
Bamboo cocktail
Drink containing Sherry wine, Vermouth and orange bitters, stirred over ice.
bamboo shoots
Favorite vegetable in China and Japan, the young shoots of the bamboo plant growing from an
underground root stock.
The shoots are harvested as soon as they poke through the earth. At the base of bamboo shoots
are fine black hairs which are irritating to the skin and highly poisonous to consume. The plant is
cultivated extensively.
There are two types, winter and summer. The winter ones are less common and smaller, but
tastier. Used in Nonya cooking, but also in salads and as appetizers. Available canned, but can be
bought fresh at ethnic markets.
Sour bamboo shoots are preserved in salt and vinegar and are used in Burmese cooking.
Moso Chiku in Japanese.
Bambusa vulgaris.
bamboo tea
Strong tasting bitter black tea from China marketed encased in bamboo leaves.
bamiya
Arabic term for okra. See there.
bammis
Cassava cakes popular in the Caribbean.
banana
Popular and inexpensive tropical tree fruit widely cultivated in all tropical countries. The
decorative tree has large leaves and the fruit growing on a flowering stem, with the bananas pointing
upwards. The growth is rapid in bunches, called hands. After harvest the trees are cut down and new
trees develop from the root stock.
Bananas for export are harvested green, stored under controlled conditions and matured by ethylene
gas. This process makes it possible to have perfectly ripe bananas available year round.
Bananas ripen rapidly at room temperature and food service buyers specify bananas as green,
turn or ripe, specifically when lacing orders for a long weekend.
Bananas are eaten raw as fruit. Organic bananas are not gassed. The peak of the banana season is in
Summer.
There are many banana varieties on the market.
Dried bananas are used as snack and also in baking.
Finger bananas or Manzanita bananas are small bananas. 1 hand weights 12 to 14 oz and has
10 to 12 bananas.
Processed bananas are available in polyester bags and cans. They are used in the food
industry.
Red Banana
Platanos or plantain are starchy cooking bananas must be cooked or baked before use.
They are an important staple in tropical
countries.
Musa nana.
banana blossoms

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Edible purple blossoms used in stews and rice dishes in the Phillippines, as vegetable in Sri
Lanka and pickled in Chinese cooking. They must be peeled and can be eaten raw in salads. The
flowers are astringent and must be soaked in lemon water.
Also known as banana flowers.
banana bread
Sweet loaf cake containing mashed bananas.
banana flour
Dehydrated ground bananas. The flour is nutritious and used as baby food in tropical countries.
Bananas Foster
Dessert made with bananas cooked in butter, sugar and rum, served with vanilla ice cream. The
dessert was often made in the dining room, and flambeed for greater drama.
The dessert originated at Brennans Restaurant in New Orleans.
Banana leaf restaurants
Restaurants in tropical countries serving food on banana leaves rather than plates. It is the
ultimate environmental friendly serving style.
banana leaves
The leaves are huge, dark green and shiny. They are used to wrap food and to be steamed. The
leaves add flavor, but are not edible even when cooked.
Banane, Crme de
Sweet, yellow cordial with strong banana flavor, often used as ingredient in bar drinks.
Banat Riesling
Romanian white wine grape.
Banbury
English cheese, soft and rich, popular in the 19th century.
Banbury cakes
Oval, flaky fruit cake, a specialty on the town Banbury in Oxfordshire/England.
Bang
English beverage made with cider, ale and whisky, flavored with sugar, ginger and nutmeg,
served warm.
bangers
English term for breakfast sausages.
bannock
Primitive flat, round cake from Scotland and the northern counties of England, made with rye or
barley flour. Many variations are made under the name.
In New England the cake is made with corn meal, and sometimes enriched with almonds and
raisins.
Banon
French/Provenale goats milk cheese.
banquette
Restaurant term for a semi private table with benches rather than a free standing table with
chairs.

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Bantam eggs
Egg size, about half the size of a large egg. They come from the Bantam breed of dwarf chicken.
In flavor they cannot be distinguished form other eggs.
Banyuls
Small French town on the Mediterranean coast famous for a sweet, fortified wine of the same
name. The wine is often compared to Port wine.
Baobab tree
African tree with many uses. The fruits have hard shell filled with cells of fibrous pulp. The
leaves can be prepared as vegetable, the pods are steeped in water to make a beverage and the ashes
can be used instead of salt. The fruits are also known as monkey bread. Andasonia digitata.
baps
The Scottish name for white wheat buns, usually consumed for breakfast.
Baptist cake
Deep fried doughnuts. The name is derived from immersing the batter in hot fat, because the
Baptists are immersed in their faith.
bar, bar room
Place were alcoholic beverages are served, also the counter from which the beverages are
served, and the customers are able to approach.
bar spoon
Long handled spoon to stir bar drinks.
Bar - le - Duc
Black currant preserve, a specialty of the Department Meuse in France. It was originally made
with white currants suspended whole in a thin syrup.
Bara Brith
Welsh/British cake, often studded with dried fruits.
Barbados gooseberries
Tropical fruit growing a trailing cactus plant resembling gooseberries in flavor. The plant is found
in the west Indies.
Also known as blade apple.
Perescia aculeata.
Barbardos waters
Old slang name for rum.
Barbaresco
Italian wine from the Piedmont region made with the Nebbiolo grape. A distinguished wine
different from Barolo, made with the same grapes only a few miles away.
Barbardes, Crme des
French cordial based on brandy and citrus fruits.
barbardine
African name for giant granadilla. See there.
barbe de Capucin
Belgium endive variety. See there.

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barbecue
Cooking method of cooking or baking over slow fire, often an open fire or in an enclosed oven.
The word probably is derived from the Arawak-Caribe Indian word babracot, a grill of green sticks, placed
above a slow the fire, over which meat was slowly grilled and smoked.
Other sources claim that barbecue is derived from barbacoa, a Haitian term.
Barbecue sauce is a condiment made with tomato, sugar, vinegar and spices.
Barbecue Festival
The city of Memphis, Tennessee celebrates every year a festival called Memphis in May, and it
includes a barbecue competition. Team arrive from many parts of the United States and set up their
cooking equipment a few days prior to the event.
The entries are judges, on Friday anything but, and on Saturday whole pigs. The festival and
competition is fun, with much drinking and merry making going on.
barbecue sauce
Thick basting and marinating sauce normally containing tomato, vinegar, spices and sugar or
syrup. There are many brands on the market, and many more home recipes.
barbel
Fresh water food fish in the carp family.
Barbera
Italian red wine grape.
Also the name of a red wine produced from the Barbera grape in Alessandria, Asti, and Cuneo.
The wine is dark red and needs at least three year aging to reduce the tannin. The best is Barbera dAsti.
Barberey
French cheese, resembling Camembert. The cheese is named after the village Barberey, but is
also known as Fromage de Troyes.
Barberries
The fruits of a prickly shrub growing wild in temperate climate.
The berries are too acidic to be eaten raw, but are used in jams and preserves. In France the
preserve is called Confiture dpine vinette.
Also known as Oregon grape, the state flower of Oregon.
barder
French culinary term, wrapping meat, fish or poultry with fatback to prevent drying out. It is
seldom necessary today, because oven temperatures can be better controlled, meat is juicier than years
ago, and there a dietary concerns about using fatback, although the fatback is normally discarded before
service. The breasts of game birds, being naturally dry, are sometimes barded.
Bardolino
Italian wine village on the shores of the lake Garda producing a light red wine of the same name.
Brenfang/Baerenfang
German cordial flavored with honey and wild flowers.
barfi
Indian nut confection, fudge like.
barfly
Person staying long time in a bar, a person who is reluctant to leave when the bar closes down.

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barley
Grain in the grass family. It is probably the oldest cultivated grain, and is one of the five most
important grains in cultivation. Much is used as animal feed, or in beer and whisky. Some barley is also
used in cereals.
Barley flour can be used in breads, but is normally blended with wheat flour to add gluten
content. Pearl barley has the husks removed and is used as soup garnish. Whole grain barley has only
the outer husk removed.
Barley sugar is a sticky confection originally made with sugar extracted from barley and flavored
with lemon.
Barley water is barley boiled in plain water. It was considered a dietary supplement for children
and invalids.
Barm Brack
Scottish/Irish cake or loaf, sometimes flavored with caraway seeds. The name barm for
fermenting yeast suggests a yeast cake, but the name is also used for baking powder cakes.
barnacle
Crustacean normally attached to rocks or ship bottoms, not really used as food.
Barolo
Italian red wine, often considered the best red wine of Italy. The wine is produced in the
Piedmont region, south of Turin. The wine needs aging to develop fully.
Baron de Mouton
Old name for mutton roast consisting of the whole back and both legs. The term baron is also
used for beef, but the roast is very unwieldy.
Baroque
French white wine grape used in Tursan Blanc, a wine from Southwest France.
barquette(s)
French term for food in boat shape, used for small tidbits baked in special molds.
barrique
French term for Bordeaux oak casks containing 225 liters.
barracouta
Large ocean food fish harvested around Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Also known as snook.
Thyrsitis atun.
barracuda
The Atlantic barracuda is considered a formidable sport fish. The California barracuda is also an
esteemed food fish.
Also known as sea pike, becune.
Sphyraena barracuda.
barramundi
Australian ocean food fish in the perch family.
Barsac
French wine region in Sauternes, south of the city Bordeaux. The wines are sweet, and are often
shipped as Barsac wines rather than Sauternes.
basella
Climbing vine cultivated in hot, dry climate as leaf vegetable.

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basil
Annual herb with strong and pungent taste native to India. It has become popular in Italy
because its flavor complements tomatoes. It is also the herb in the famous Genoa pasta sauce called
pesto.
BASIL VARIETIES:
Basil, Cinnamon, dark green leaves, purple white flavors and distinct cinnamon aroma.
Ocimum basilicum
Basil, Genovese, preferred basil for pesto on account of its concentrated basil flavor.
Basil, Holy, sacred herb of the Hindus religion with a different scent and aroma. It is often used
as ornamental plant. See Holy Basil.
Ocimum sanctum.
Basil, Lemon, small leaves combining lemon scent and basil aroma. The herb is used in salads
and dried in papers.
Ocimum citriodorum.
Basil, Purple, bushy plant with fragrant purple leaves.
Basil, Persian Anise, plant with anise flavor and purple foliage.
Basil, Thai, beautiful, ornamental pant with anise scent used in Thai cuisine.
Basmati rice
See rice.
bass
Ocean and fresh water food and sport fish in the families Serranidae and Centrarchidae.
BASS VARIETIES :
Black bass- fresh water game fish. Micropterus dolomieu.
Black sea bass - harvested in the Atlantic. Centropristes striatus.
Calico bass - small fresh water bass. Pomoxis spariodes.
California white bass - ocean food fish related to weakfish. Cynoscion nobilis.
Large mouth bass - fresh water game fish. Micropterus salmoides.
Red drum - fished in southern rivers and coasts. Sciaenops ocellatus.
Silver bass - Great lake bass. Roccus chrysops.
Striped bass - important ocean food fish, also farmed. Roccus lineatus.
Basserman-Jordan
German wine producing family, highly respected for their wines and for scholarly studies of wine.
Their most famous vineyard is Forster Jesuitengarten.
baste, to
To spoon periodically roasting juices and fat during the roasting process.
Bastardo
Portuguese red wine grape variety rather sweet, and a chief ingredient in Port . It is also used in
D o wine. The grape is also grown in Australia.
Basturma/Bastourma
Term for Armenian cured beef and for a Turkish lamb sausage.
Btard Montrachet
French Burgundy vineyard producing excellent white wines.
batarde, sauce
Old term referring to a simple sauce, made with water rather than broth. The sauce is thickened
with roux, egg yolks and cream.

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Batavia/Batavian endive
winter variety of chicory (see there). Also known as plain leaved escarole, describing its
somewhat flatter leaves.
BATF
Abbreviation for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the federal agency responsible for
regulating the production, importation, labeling and sale of alcoholic beverages.
It is an agency in the Treasury Department and is also responsible for collecting beverage taxes.
Bath bun
Sweet currant studded bun named after the city Bath in England.
Bath chaps
Cured pig cheeks, served boiled as cold cuts. The original Bath chaps were made from a special
breed of fruit fed pigs.
Bath Olivers
Thin water biscuits invented by D. William Oliver in the 18th century when he practiced medicine
in Bath, England.
bath towel
Slang term for beef tripe.
batn
French for stick. Food can be cut into batns. Batn de fromage are cheese sticks.
Battelmatt
Swiss type cheese made in the Canton (State) of Tessin, Switzerland. The cheese is made when
there is not enough milk to make large wheels of Emmenthal (the genuine Swiss cheese). The eyes of
Battelmatt cheese are smaller than Emmentahl cheese, and the shape is cylindrical.
batter
Semi liquid dough, classified as drop batter and pour batter, depending on density. The word
batter is used in connection with spoon breads, pancakes, sponge cakes, and basically all dough
mixtures which are stirred, not kneeded. It can be leavened with yeast or baking powder.
batter bread
Bread made from a soft batter, also called spoon bread. It is often made with corn meal.
batter cake
Known in the north as flannel cakes. A thin pancake.
batterie de cuisine
French collective term for pots and pans in commercial kitchens.
battuto
Italian/Roman cooking ingredient consisting of chopped aromatic vegetables browned in oil and
bacon fat. It is added to soups and stews.
batu lesong
The term refers to a mortar and pestle in Malaysia and Singapore.
batu giling
Stone roller and tablet for pulverizing herbs and roots in Malaysia and Singapore.

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Bauden cheese
Bohemian or Silesian cheese similar to Harzer Kse (see there). It is a strong smelling cheese.
Also called Koppen.
Bauernschmaus
Austrian and Bavarian huge platter of boiled and smoked meats, sausages, and Sauerkraut. In
the Tyrol, a similar dish is called Schlachtplatte, in Switzerland Bernerplatte, in Alsace choucroute garni.
Literally translated, "farmer's snack", it is a heaping combination of roasted and smoked pork,
Wurst, Sauerkraut and Semmelkndel (dumplings).
Bauernspeck
Austrian smoky tasting bacon commonly made by Tyrolean farmers. Literally translated
peasants bacon.
Baudroie
French term for angler fish.
Baum, Joseph
New York restaurant empressario, perhaps the most influential individual ever on the New York
dining scene. He and co-workers started Restaurant Associates in the 1950"s and they made a great
success with fine dining in an unexpected setting, The Newarker restaurant at Newark Airport.
Transferring their artistry to New York, they opened Forum of the Twelve Caesars in 1957, The
Four Seasons in 1960, and La Fonda del Sol, the Trattoria in the Pan Am Building, the Tower Suite, and
the small Zum Zum chain in th 1960"s. Baum left Restaurant Associates to start The Joseph Baum and
Michael Whiteman Company, and in the 1970"s they created the extraordinary dining complex at The
World Trade Center, capped by the brilliant Windows on the World. In the 1980"s, his organization
created Aurora, bringing a two star chef from France. Then, perhaps the grandest of them all, the revival
of The Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center, which reopened after extensive renovations in December
1987. Joe Baum will also re-open the windows on the World Resturant in the World Trade Center in
Manhattan.
Joe Baum was born in the 1920's and died in 1998.
Baum
Hydrometic scale to measure the density of syrups.
Baumkuchen
German cake often served during the holidays. It resembles a tree trunk in its height (2 to 5 feet)
and shape. When sliced horizontally, it reveals rings of batter resembling the rings found in tree trunk.
The baking method evolved from spit cooking of the 15th century. A batter of flour, almond paste, eggs,
butter, sugar and vanilla is slowly poured over a rotating, heated tube. Each layer is allowed to bake
before the next layer is poured, until as many as 18 layers have formed.
Baumkuchen is often served sliced in half-rounds to look like cross sections of a trunk. Typical
icings are apricot glaze, fondant, or chocolate.
Bavarian Blue
Double cream soft textured blue veined cow's milk cheese.
Bavarian Cream
Dessert consisting of a gelatin thickened pastry cream placed in a mold, and served inverted.
Bavarian cream can be made with many different flavors. The dessert probably did not originate in
Bavaria. Bavaroise is the French term.
baveux
French term for soft or runny, often used in connection of omelettes and scrambled eggs.
bay bugs

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Flat, clawless Australian crustaceans, with a lobster like taste.

Also known as Moreton Bay bugs, Balmain bugs, or bug tails. In appearance, they look like
slaked out crayfish.
bay leaves
Important culinary seasoning leaves growing on an
evergreen tree, a slow growing shrub with leathery leaves. It
can reach 30 feet in tropical climates, but will grown only to a
height of 3 to 6 feet in cool temperate climates. The tree
requires some shade so the leaves don"t dry out and turn
brown.
Its long, pointed, leathery, dark green aromatic leaves
can be used fresh of dried to flavor soups, marinades for meat
or fish, rice or vegetables. One leaf is powerful enough to
flavor a whole dish. Bay leaves are common in French
cooking, and are essential to bouquet garni. Medicinally, it is
though to be an antiflatulent.
Fresh laurel leaves, still on the stem, have become
available from California. They stems, with one or two leaves
attached, are used as skewer for hors d'oeuvres.
Historically, laurel was venerated by the Greeks and Romans and was woven into honorary
crowns. Its Roman name, bacca laureus meaning laurel berry, is the source for the terms baccalaureate
or bachelors degree, indicating academic honors.
Also known as laurel leaf or sweet bay laurel.
Laurus nobilis.
bay salt
Other name for natural sea salt.
Bayan Shirey
Azerbaijan white wine grape variety.
bayberry
Tropical tree in the West Indies, related to allspice and cloves. The leaves are used to flavor a
rum variety. They are also used to give scent to candles.
Also known as bay rum tree, wild clove tree.
Bayonne
City in France, and also in New Jersey. Bayonne in France was famous for an air-dried, lightly
smoked ham, called Jambon de Bayonne. The ham is cured in red wine, olive oil, rosemary and salt. It
is eaten uncooked.
baytza
Jewish roasted egg, often eaten during Passover. See also Seder.
Bazooka
Brand of bubblegum sold with a small comic strip folded into the wrapper.
beach strawberry
Wild California strawberries, found on the Pacific beaches.
beach plum
Wild relative of the cultivated plum native to the sandy beaches of northeastern North America
and the Great Lakes.

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This 3 to 6 foot shrub has leafy growth which hides the small fruit until it"s fully developed.
Beautiful flowers in May and June reveal where the trees are and where the fruit will be later in the
season. Difficult to cultivate since the shrub bears significant amounts of fruit sporadically only every
three to four years, and efforts to cultivate the beach plum have failed.
The fruit ripens in late August, turning from green to yellow-orange, to red, to blue, to purple.
(Some remain dark red or deep yellow when mature.) The small fruits range in size from inch to just
over an inch in diameter. In addition, this relative of the cherry and the peach contains a large pit relative
to its overall size.
The sour, tangy fruit is not so good eaten raw, but the fruit is prized as a jelly or preserve,
especially lesser ripened fruit or in off years. Also good in pies, and muffins.
Prunus Americana sp. Prunus maritima.
beak
Oyster part, hinged, narrow end of oyster.
Beam tree
Tall tree producing astringent red berries of little culinary interest.
bean clams
Tiny clams harvested at both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
beans
Any seed of a large number of related plant, either trailing or erect of the Fabacea family. They
are cultivated in almost all parts of the world and are one of the worlds most important staple crop. They
are referred to as pulse or legume.
Beans are native to both the Old World and the Americas. Beans have been cultivated by the
ancien Egyptians and Grecians, as well as by the native American Indians.
One cup of cooked dry beans can provide a fourth of the body's daily requirement of protein, with
almost no fat or cholesterol. However, they do not contain sufficient amino acids for top quality protein, so
for good nutrition beans are best combined with grains.
BEANS CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS:
Though podded beans, also known as pulse or legumes
Beans with edible pods such as green beans.
BEANS CAN ALSO BE CLASSIFIED AS:
Bush snap beans - Phaseolus vulgaris
Bush dry beans - Phaseolus vulgaris
Pole beans - Phaseolus vulgaris
Runner beans - Phaseolus multiflorus
Lima beans shelled are sold fresh, frozen, canned and dried. Kidney beans are sold as dry
beans in numerous variations of size, shape and color. They are the bulk of the bean commerce. Most
bean varieties are available canned for food service.
BEAN VARIETIES ARE LISTED BELOW: Many are listed also alphabetically under their names.
Adsuki - small Japanese reddish brown beans and are an important staple in many
dishes and in desserts. Also known as feijoa.
Black or turtle beans - used for soups and stews.
Baccicia Snap - red speckled with white seeds.
Beurre de Roquefort Wax - yellow bush bean.
Black Coco - bush bean that can be used as snap bean and dry bean.
Borlotti - pale brown Italian beans used soups and in salads.
Boston beans are the small navy beans used in Boston Baked Beans and in French
Cassoulet
Cannellino - white beans used in Italian cooking.
Cowpeas - also known as pea bean or black eye peas. See there.
Flageolet - green when picked immature and are often canned, or white when mature.
Fava - broad, brown mealy beans and delicious when fresh.
Ful Medames - light brown Mediterranean beans. Popular in Egypt.

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Haricots - The French term for beans. Haricots verts are green beans, the dried version is white.
Jacob's cattle, so called because they are speckled and spotted resembling the cattle described
in the Bible.
Lablab are native to India and come in different colors.
Lima - green beans consumed fresh and dried.
Marrow beans - large, they can be white and red.
Navy beans - general term for any small or medium white beans.
Pigeon - popular in the Caribbean, also known as Jamaica pea, gunga pea.
Pinto beans - short and speckled. They are drought resistant and are an important staple crop in
dry areas.
Rattlesnake - speckled variegated bean. Good for use in chili as it can endure lengthy cooking
without getting mushy.
Red kidney - beans popular in South American cooking and are canned extensively for bean
salad and other dishes. The frijoles of Mexican cooking.
Rice beans- resemble rice in shape and are cultivated in the Phillippines.
Soy beans. See under their name.
Tepary - small beans native to Mexico. There are many varieties in different colors.
Phaseolus acutifolius.
Tongues of fire - variegated beans. Unlike most variegated beans, they retain their markings in
cooking.
bean curd
Also called tofu. See there.
bean eaters
Slang used to describe Mexicans, and Bostonians.
beans, fresh
Bean varieties with edible pods. Known as green beans, string beans or just as beans.
The French term haricots verts refers to very small, slender beans.
Frenched beans are fresh beans split lengthwise to cook faster.
Bean hole
Indian method of baking beans in a clay pot, over hot stones, buried in the earth.
bean paste
Slightly sweet soy bean paste used in Burmese cooking.
In Chinese cooking a sweet paste made with mung beans or kidney beans and used as pastry
filling.
bean sauce
Chinese/Cantonese condiment sauce, made with fermented beans, used primarily on shellfish
such as clams, crabs, lobster, and shrimp, and also on fish and squid. Available brown, yellow and black.
bean sprouts
There are many types of beans sprouts on the market. The most widely used are mung bean
sprouts and are available fresh and canned. They are frequently used in Oriental dishes. Phaseolus
aureus.
Soy bean sprouts are larger than mung bean sprouts.
All grains or large seeds can be sprouted. Alfalfa sprouts are very fine and are seldom cooked.
They are used in salads.
bear
Endangered animal with edible meat. Bear hams were considered a delicacy in the Wild West.
Bear claws were used for soups.
The gall bladders and other bear parts are used in Oriental folk medicine and illegally traded.

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bear claw
Large, flat paw-shaped pastry with fruit filling between the "fingers". The pastry made of yeast
dough, (or puff pastry), and is popular on the West Coast.
bearberry
Fruits of a low shrub growing in northern Canada. The berries are mealy and edible.
Arctostaphylos uvaursi.
beard
Oyster terms, gills often removed before cooking. The term is also used for byssal tread used by
bi-valves to cling to rocks.
Beard, James
Food writer and cookbook author, a champion of American cuisine who died in 1986. His
memory is kept alive by the James Beard Foundation at his Greenwich Village townhouse at 167 West
12th Street in New York City. The founder of the Jamed Beard Foundation is Peter Kump, who died in
1995. The Foundation has become a prestigious organization of food lovers, food writers and chefs and
organizes frequent events.
James Beard wrote a number of cook books, and was also and advisor to Restaurant Associates,
the company started by Joseph Baum. See there. He began a cookbook with a recipe on how to boil
water.
Barn
Old French region at the foot of the Pyrnee mountains famous for Barnaise sauce and also for
local wines. The French King Henri IV was associated with the city and in classical French cooking
dishes served with Barnaise sauce are called Henri IV.
Barnaise sauce
Classical French sauce flavored with vinegar, peppercorns and tarragon. The sauce is very rich
and consists of egg yolks and melted butter heated in a water bath. It is a variation of Sauce
Hollandaise.
Barnaise Sauce was automatically served with steaks in French restaurants. There are a
number of variation, such as Sauce Choron, flavored with tomato paste, Sauce Foyot flavored with meat
extract (glace de viande), and Sauce Paloise, made with mint leaves. Due to dietary concerns, the
Bearnaise Sauce is not served very often today. The sauce is also a potential source of contamination
because the egg yolks are not heated sufficiently to kill salmonella bacteria, and the sauce is kept warm,
not hot, providing a perfect medium for bacteria growth. restaurants often use pasteurized egg yolks, and
make the sauce as close to service time as possible to minimize danger.
beaten biscuits
Bread leavened without baking powder. The dough is leavened by repeated folding and
pounding, incorporating tiny air bubbles, usually "200 times for home folks and 400 times for high
company."
Also known as Maryland Biscuits.
Beaufort
French cows milk cheese resembling Gruyre. See there.
Beaujolais
French wine growing region, part of France"s Burgundy region. It is known for its local wines
which are fruity and easy to drink. It is also the name of a wine, which can be delicious and wellbalanced, though most will never achieve the complexity of other red Burgundies, such as those made
from the pinot noir grape.
Beaujolais is made from the gamay grape. The traditional Beaujolais method of vinification,
mthode Beaujolais, is a semi carbonic maceration. This process combines the normal fermentation of

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pressed grape juice with fermentation within the skins. It avoids excessive extraction during fermentation.
The grapes are picked by hand in clusters, which are put into the fermenting vats whole, and blanketed
with carbon dioxide gas at low temperatures. Some of the grapes become crushed under the weight of
the mass of grapes and the rest remains within the skins to ferment, giving the wine its brilliant magenta
color.
There are two Beaujolais wines every year. The first one is released in November and bears the
name "Beaujolais nouveau". The nouveau wine is macerated in the vat for as little as 3 to 4 days in order
to keep the wine light bodied and fruity.
The second and later issue, "vin de lanne", go through an extended macerationperiod of up to
12 days. It is distributed in March or later, after at least six months in the barrel. This is the true
Beaujolais, with its color, body, aroma and taste more developed. This wine ferments out to about 9%
alcohol and is usually chaptalized (sugar added) to bring its alcohol up to about 11%.
The three categories of this finished wine are Beaujolais, Beaujolais Villages, and "Cru
Beaujolais. The lowest quality is the most heavily chaptalized since it contains the least amount of alcohol
to begin with. The most common export is Beaujolais Villages.
The appellation for "Cru Beaujolais", were designated in 1935. They come from nine small
districts from the northern part of the wine growing area, and they bear the name of one of the district.
They are Brouilly, Cte de Brouilly, Chnas, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Julinas, Morgon, Moulin Vent, and
St..Amour. As of the 1988 vintage, a tenth area, Rgni Durette, joined the other nine. The "cru"
vineyards are distinguished by the hilly terrain and well, drained granitic soil.
All Beaujolais are best served slightly chilled.
Beaujolais nouveau
First French wine to be released commercially after harvest. The wine is released and shipped
by French law as of the third Thursday of November, which is about two months after the harvest. In
recent decades, this has been accompanied by much marketing hoopla. In fact, in 1960 this wine
represented only 5% of the total Beaujolais production. By 1970, that figure reached 17%, by 1980 45%,
and by 1985 60%.
The especially fruity new wine will not keep, and the excitement about Beaujolais nouveau has
ebbed. To take advantage of demand, potentially finer wine has been sacrificed for fast money, and
damaged the image of the whole region.
As with all Beaujolais wines, it is made by carbonic maceration, but by a sped up process. Often,
it has not finished its fermentation, and it is almost always pasteurized to make it stable in the bottle.
Originally, this first issue was drawn off for drinking directly from the barrel and was not indented to be
bottled.
The wine is made with the gamay grape.
Beaulieu
French name for beautiful site and often used in connection with food or with hotels.
Beaulieu Vineyards
Prestigious vineyards and cellars located St. Helena, Napa Valley, California, often abbreviated
BV. Labels include Georges de Latour Private Reserve. The wines age very well.
Beaulieu Rutherford, and Beau Tour are second labels of Beaulieu Vineyards.
Beaumes-de-Venise
Unique wine made from the muscat petit grains grape by a cooperative and a few independent
producers in the southern Rhne valley in France.
The wine was developed for the modern post World War II market as a result ofeconomic
necessity. The region had flourished on three industries not based on wine. One was the silk worm
industry which was virtually wiped out when the artificial production of silk was developed in Asia. The
other was the natural dye industry which faltered when the largest user, the French army, changed the
color of its uniforms, there was also an olive orchard industry until most trees were killed by as severe
winter frost.
The original muscat wine from the region was probably dry. The new version is sweet and lightly
fortified to stop the fermentation, to keep the taste fruity and sweet, and bring the alcohol to about 15%.

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The wine is golden in color, rich and full-bodied. Fruity in taste, it has an aroma with nuances of apricots
and peaches, and it is meant to be drunk young.
A somewhat light style is made by Domaine de Coyeux and a deeper, richer style is produced by
Domaine Durban.
Beaumont
French semi-hard cows milk cheese from the Haut-Savoie.
Beaune
Famous wine town in Burgundy France. The small medieval town is the center of the Burgundy
wine trade. A wine auction takes place every year in the Hospices de Beaune and the prices paid tend to
establish the prices for the vintage. The hospice owns famous vineyards and the proceeds are used to
finance the charity hospital.
beauty
Australian variety of Clementine, a large citrus fruit with shiny orange skin and lots of seeds.
beaver
Edible, but gamey tasting animal. The tail was considered a delicacy. The animal was eaten
during lent in Catholic countries because it lives much of his life submerged, and could therefore
ingeniously considered fish.
beaver tail
Canadian elongated doughnut dipped in maple syrup.
bebekou
The most common Greek variety of apricot, it is round and yellow. Suitable for eating fresh or
drying as is commonly done.
bcasse
French word for woodcock, a small game bird with long beak. The bird does not feed on grains
and stones but rather on insects and worms. Therefore the gizzards do not contain stones and can be
eaten.
The classical preparation consisted of chopping the gizzards and intestines of thebird, without
cleaning, spreading the mixture on toast, browning in the oven and serving with the roasted bird.
Commonly hunted in the Belgium Ardennes region.
Schnepfe in German. See woodcock.
Bchamel, bechamel sauce
Classic French sauce, considered one of the mother sauces. Also known as white sauce. Flour
is cooked with fat, normally butter and oil without browning, mixed with milk and boiled until thick. Chefs
invented many ways to flavor the basic sauce, such as adding onions and cloves to the milk, or even
adding veal stock. However, the basic purpose of the sauce is to be mixed with other food and flavors
when used.
The sauce is named after Marquis de Nointel Bchamel, gourmet and gourmand during the reign
of King Louis XIV of France.
bche de mere (beche)
French term for an aquatic animal, usually sold dehydrated in Oriental food stores.
See trepang.
Beck, Simone
Cookbook author, co-author of Julia Child, and author of a number of cookbook.
Bed & Breakfast

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Small inns that provides accomodations and breakfast. They are often converted private homes
and offers the guests a glimps in the life style of other people. Popular in small towns with historic
homes.
Known as agroturismo in Italy; chambre d"hte in France.
bee balm
American herb of the mint family, genus Monarda. The plant has pretty scarlet, mauve or white
flowers, but it is the leaves that give the flavor to tea.
Used to make a very fragrant tea, sometimes called Oswego tea. Unlike most teas which should
steep in hot water, but not boiled, bee balm needs to be boiled for five to ten minutes to release the flavor.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Bergamot or wild bergamot with an orange taste.
Lemon mint with a lemony-minty taste.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is notintended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
bee plant(s)
Term referring to aromatic plants, such as lemon balm, which attract bees and thus are valuable
for honey production.
beechnut
Small, sharp edges triangular nuts growing in a scaly shell, the seeds of the beech tree in the oak
family. The seeds are edible, but mostly used as animal food. Oil can be extracted and is considered a
delicate cooking oil.
Beebe, Lucius
Chronicler of New York Cafe Society between the two World Wars.
beef
Meat of bovine animals. Most beef shipped is packed in Cryovac wrapping and boxed. Fresh
beef is about 10 days old when it reaches the market. It can be used without additional aging. Some
purveyors dry age strips and ribs on request. See beef aging.
The Meat Buyers Guide (MBG) is a comprehensive book detailing the various cuts of meat in
pictures and standard weights and trim specifications.
Black Angus is a brand name for a special breed of cattle. Wholesale cuts are listed under their
names.
PORTIONS CUTS INCLUDE:
Chateaubriand - large section of the tenderloin, usually large enough to serve two.
Chicken steak - mechanically tenderized steak.
Club steak/Top Sirloin butt - good for barbecuing or broiling. Meat Buyers Guide #1184
Delmonico/boneless - rib steak. Meat Buyers Guide #1112.
Filet mignon - round cuts from the tenderloin. Meat Buyers Guide # 1189.
Entrecte - French name for sirloin steak.
Flank - thin muscle, next to the brisket. Often served sliced as London Broil. Meat Buyers Guide
# 193.
London broil - generic term. Often a top round steak, which is usually served sliced thin.
New York Strip Steak - also known as sirloin steak or shell steak. Meat Buyers Guide #1179.
Porterhouse Steak. See there.
Rib steak - good tasting cut from the rib section, but not the most tender. Meat Buyers Guide
#1103.
Round steak - meat for braising. Meat Buyers Guide # 1167.
Shell steak - see sirloin steak.
T- bone - see there.
Strip loin- also called shell. The back part of the animal. Meat Buyers Guide # 175.
The color of fat can indicate the age of the animal. The younger the animal the whiter the fat.
Meat from younger animals will be more tender but less flavorful than that from older animals.

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Tender cuts of beef can be served raw, or cooked blue, rare, medium rare, medium, well done.
See also Kobe beef.

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beef aging
Aging of butchered meat permits the natural enzymes to soften the muscle fibers and connective
tissues, and to develop flavor. Aging is used primarily for beef, but some game is also aged. There are
two methods of aging beef:
Dry aging: Hanging the meat in a cooler with constant air circulation at around 35 degrees for 7
to 21 days. The shrinkage loss on account of dehydration can be considerable.
Dry aging is done under refrigeration with carefully controlled humidity and temperature. The
enzymes work faster at higher temperature, but there is the danger of spoilage. Refrigerators used for
aging are equipped with fans for air circulation and ultraviolet lamps. The process can take three weeks
and longer, and in the process the meat loses up to 15% of its weight and there is considerable trim loss
to eliminate the surface which becomes inedible.
There is a trade-off between weight loss, trim loss, storage costs and increased quality. Basically
only high ticket steak houses can afford dry aged meat.
Cryovac aging: Meat is placed in sealed plastic bags. There is less shrinkage, but the meat
can develop an off flavor. Accelerated aging in vacuum sealed bags has been practiced for many years.
The meat can age at higher temperatures and therefore faster without excessive shrinkage. The meat
however will loose some juices and might get an off flavor if stored too long. Cryovac is the trade name
for the bags used throughout the industry.
Game aging is normally with the feathers or with the hide on.
beef, breeds
Beef raised for meat are usually Aberdeen or Black Angus, Brahman, Hereford, Santa Gertrudis,
Shorthorn and Limousin. See under their names.
beef bundles
Thin slices of beef, rolled, stuffed and braised. Often called rouladen, or braciole.
beef cheeks
Cheeks are a flavorful, rather lean, but though meat. The are often served boiled or braised. In
Germany the cheeks are cured, boiled and, when cold, made into a meat salad called "Ochsenmaul
Salat". Joues de boeuf in French.
beef, chipped
Corned beef, dried and cut into small slivers. It is normally served in a cream sauce. It is a
breakfast dish, and was a staple in the army, where it earned a number of un-flattering nicknames.
beefsteak cooking terms in French
saignant - rare
point - medium
bien cuit - well done
brl - burned.
Beef extract
Beef extract was an English invention to utilize the cattle in South America, especially Argentine,
before refrigerated shipping became practical. The hides were easily tanned and shipped, but shipping
the meat was impossible. So the beef extract was invented by reducing beef stock to a molasses like
consistency.
Some beef extracts are made primarily with yeast and flavoring, others are made only with
concentrated beef stock. Well known quality brands are Libbies and Bovril.
Bovril was created in Quebec in 1874 and was named Johnstons Fluid Beef . The name was
changed combining the Latin word Bo for ox and Vrilaya from a novel. Bovril is made only with
concentrated beef stock.

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Beef grading
Beef is graded by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) at request of the packer sine 1927.
Grading is voluntary and the packer is charged a fee. The USDA quality grade roller stamp will appear
on the carcass or primal cuts to identify the grade.
Much beef reaches the market that has not been graded, and is sold under brand names, often in
supermarkets.More than half the beef sold in the US is graded by the USDA.
IMPORTANT GRADE LEVELS:
Prime - the highest quality, with heavy marbling. Comprises only about 2% of all graded beef.
Prime is used in fine steakhouse restaurants.
Choice - the second highest quality, with moderate marbling or intramuscular fat.The most
common supermarket grade, it makes up 60% to 65% of the graded US beef.
Select - formerly known as good , a leaner cut of beef.
In 1987, the US Department of Agriculture relabelled the category "good" (which has less fat than
either "prime" or "choice") to "select" in order to make it more appealing and more marketable. The intent
is to encourage consumers to buy this less tender and tasty, but healthier grade of beef. Cuts which
contain less fat, regardless of grade, are eye of round, shoulder, rump, and sirloin tip.
Prime seldom reaches the consumer market. It is too expensive, the pieces are too large, and
the supply is small and sold to selected steak houses. Choice meat reaches the consumer market, and is
also the grade most often used in hotels and restaurants. Much meat is graded Choice, and there is a
quality difference between Top Choice and regular Choice. The term Top Choice is not a legal term, but
is used in the trade for meat closer in quality to Prime than to the lower grade Good.
CRITERIA USED IN THE GRADING PROCESS.
Weight.
Age of the animal.
Marbling referring to amount of fat distributed in the muscle. There are 10 degrees of marbling.
Configuration referring to the shape of the animal.
In addition to quality grading Yield Grading has been available to the industry since 1965. It is a
uniform method of identifying cutability differences between beef carcasses. They are based on the
percentage yield of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts. Beef carcasses may be identified for quality
grade, yield grade or both.
There is demand for leaner beef, and the grading criteria concerning marbling is undergoing
periodic revisions. At one time fatty, marbled beef was considered desirable.
beef inspection
See meat inspection.
beef jerky
See jerky.
beef market terms
Baby beef - animals one year old.
Bow Wow - stunted animal useable only for cutting and canning grades.
Feed cattle -animals coming from the feed lot.
Green cattle - cattle not grain fed, coming from the pasture.
Heiferette - young cow that had only one or two calves.
Range cattle - animals only grass fed.
beef on a string
A tender piece of meat, normally tenderloin, is suspended in simmering beef broth, and poached
to the desired degree of doneness. It is served with vegetables, sauces and condiments.
`Boeuf la ficelle in French.
beef on weck
Hot roast beef sandwich on kummelweck, a salt-encrusted hard roll with caraway seeds, served
mostly in bars in Buffalo, New York. The roll is dipped in the juices from the thinly sliced beef, then
stuffed with roast beef.

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beef, raising
There are three distinct stages in raising beef. These frequently occur under different ownerships
or different phases of management.
THE STAGES ARE:
Cow and Calf operations in the plains area. Calves raised for meat or not allowed to graze and
are raised separately. See veal.
Weaner calves are moved from the cows to pasture at the age of 6 to 8 months. The pastures
are carefully tended to assure fast growth.
Dry Lot Feeding. The animals are moved at the age of 12 to 18 months to lots intended to restrict
the physical activity of the animals and provide abundant feed and water. The feed is formulated to
stimulate weight gain. Hormones are often added to the feed or implanted behind the ears. The animals
stay in the feed lot between 3 and 6 months before slaughtered.
Beef Stroganoff
Russian dish, made with strips of beef, cooked with onions, vinegar, and flavored with mustard,
sour cream and salt pickle strips (julienne). Wild mushrooms are also added by Russian chefs. The dish
was once a popular buffet entree, and has undergone many adaptations by inovative chefs. The original
Russian version is seldom served.
beef tea
Very strong beef broth used for convalescents. It is made by blending lean ground beef with beef
stock, and cooking the mixture in a water bath.
beef, terms
INDUSTRY TERMS:
Calves - males are mostly raised for steers and bulls. Females are raised as calves (see there),
for breeding cows and heifers.
Heifers - female animals one to two years old. The carcasses are smaller retail market
carcasses.
Steers - castrated males and raised for high grade beef.
Bulls males used for breeding. At the end of their economic life the meat is used for sausages or
Hamburgers.
Cows - used for milk production. At the end of their economic life their carcasses are graded for
commercial use in sausages and Hamburgers.
Beef Wellington
Beef tenderloin baked in a flaky pastry. It is believed to be of Irish origin and was earlier named
steig (or steak) Wellington. It was probably named for Arthur Wellesly (or Wesley), Duke of Wellington,
British general, also known as the Iron Duke. He defeated Napoleon in Spain and Portugal, and at the
decisive battle of Waterloo.
The beef should be medium rare in the center, and the dough crisp on the outside. To achieve
this, the tenderloin is seared, cooled, and then spread with a mixture of cooked mushrooms, veal or
chicken mousse, livers and egg whites. The goal is to make a tasty, yet attractive and insulating layer
between the meat and the dough. Truffle sauce was traditionally served with the dish.
beefsteak mushroom
Large mushroom that is often served grilled. In most cases, the heads of Portobelo mushrooms
are used.
beefsteak tomato
Large, fleshy tomato served sliced as salad or stuffed as main course. The name refers to the
meatiness of the tomato.
Excellent beefsteak tomatoes are grown in New Jersey.

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Beenleigh Blue
English ewes milk blue cheese made in the Devon area.
beer
Alcoholic beverage made by fermenting a liquid made from malted cereals and hops.
The cereals used in beer brewing can be barley, wheat, rice, corn and wheat, but other starchy
grains, such as millet, and even root vegetables have been used. The cereals are wetted, and left in a
warm place to sprout. During this carefully controlled process, called malting, starch is converted into
sugar. The kernels are roasted, to develop a caramel flavor, milled and soaked with hot water. This liquid
is known as mash.
The strained mash is then called wort and boiled with hops. the wort is cooled, strained and all
unwanted protein removed. It is then fermented with carefully cultivated yeast. During fermentation, the
natural developing CO 2 is stored in tanks. The fermented wort is now beer. It is filtered a number of
times, and the CO 2 is returned to the beer before packaging. The fermentation can be bottom
fermentation, or top fermentation, see there.
Beer has been made since antiquity. Beer was an established drink by the Egyptians, and by
many ethnic groups. Germany has a beer making tradition going back to the 13th century and in 1516
laws were established that beer brewed in Bavaria, and later in all German states, can be made only with
barley malt, hops, yeast and water, except as noted on the label. This law is called the "Reinheitsgebot".
It is being challenged by the European Common Market authorities because beer in other countries is
made with other cereals than barley.
Because beer is made from grain, beer is sometimes referred to as liquid bread. In 1996 in the
US, beer dominated the alcoholic beverage market with over 85% of the volume and over 50% of the
dollar sales. Beer was #3 in beverage consumption overall with about 24 gallons per capita. Anheuser
Busch is the largest beer company in America and Miller is second.
In the 1980"s mini breweries became popular in the US making high quality beers in small
quantities, and with old fashioned technology. Brewpubs are restaurants making beer on premise. They
became legal in a number of states and are slowly growing as an industry segment.
There is no standard of alcoholic content in beer. Japanese beers are generallyhigher in alcohol
content, though this is less often true to beer exported to the US. The alcohol content of beer varies
greatly from brand to brand and country to country. In the US, it is mostly 3% to 6% by weight.
Wine in comparison has an alcohol content between 9% and 14%. One 12 oz can of beer has
about the same alcohol content than one glass of wine.
beer bash
College student term for a party at which beer is served.
beer, Belgium
Belgium is famous for its unique beers. There over a hundred different bottled beers in Belgium,
with flavors ranging from bitter to very sweet, and alcohol content as high as 9.5%. Each brand is served
in its own special type of glass. Beer is widely drunk in cafes in the afternoon, instead of coffee or tea.
The basic styles are:
Bire de Trappist which has an apple aroma and herbal flavor. Other abbey beers are Kappitel,
St. Sixtus, Affligem.
Faro is flavored with the most unlikely beer combinations as sugar candy. Other beers are
flavored with such spices as cumin or coriander.
Franzosenbier is flavored with raspberries.
Geuze Lambic - Beer which goes through a secondary fermentation in the bottle.
Kriek - Beers with fruit flavors, such as, cherries or raspberries that have been macerated.
Lambic - Flemish style wheat beer.
Orbier is made with 6 kinds of malt and 3 kinds of yeast.
Tarwebier, a is a low alcohol (5%) white beer, made of wheat, and Rodenbach, matured in
wooden barrels.
Trappiste - Beer made by Trappist monks. Five Trappist abbeys make beer. Notably, the
Cistercians monks make a copper colored brew. There is also a foamy Chimay and Abbeye de Theleme.
Regional beer brands include Bacchus, Carolus, De Coninck, Duvel, and Gouden.

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There are beers flavored with gruit, a mixture of dried flowers and plants that gives one of the
beer styles around Bruges a unique flavor. A fortune was made of it by a 15th century Flemish family,
who had a monopoly on it along with control of the hops crop. The family took their name from it and their
mansion, Gruithaus, is now a museum in Bruges.
A special Belgian beer glass is the bolleken, which is used mostly in Antwerp for the local
DeKoninck beer. Most Belgian beer is brewed around Brussels in the province of Brabant. The local
beers, as well as wine and distilled spirits, are often used in cooking
beer comb
Small paddle, made of plastic, and formally of bone, to scrape off the foam when dispensing draft
beer.
beer, fermentation terms
Bottom fermentation. The yeasts were encouraged by cooling to settle on the bottom of the
fermenting tanks. A second fermentation, called lagering from the German word Lager or resting place.
During this phase, which could take many months, the very cold beer undergoes a slow second
fermentation.
Top fermentation. The beer is fermented at higher temperatures, often sugar is added to
encourage fermentation. The beer undergoes a second fermentation in sealed casks. Ale is a typical top
fermented beer.
Pasteurization is routinely carried out in warm climates, for export beer and bottle beer. Draft
beer is flash steam pasteurized.
In Germany and other European countries pasteurization is considered unnecessary and harmful
to beer.
Canned and bottled beer frequently contain stabilizers to extend shelf life.
beer, German
There are still over 1,100 breweries producing over 5,000 varieties of beer and there is great
rivalry between breweries and attention is paid to local traditions and loyalties.
THE MOST COMMON GERMAN BEER TERMS:
Altbier - a dark beer with strong hop flavor.
Bock beer - sweet, dark beer. It was made at the end of Spring, and made stronger so it could be
stored in cellars during the summer.
Diet beer - light beer with a more bitter taste
Einfachbier - has low alcohol content.
Export - often stronger brewed, depending on the country shipped to.
Hell - comes from the German name for light, is an amber colored beer.
Pils or Pilsner - strong hop taste.
Schankbier - low alcohol beer with about 2.6% alcohol.
Starkbier - heavy, high in alcohol.
Vollbier - which accounts for 98% of all beers. It has an alcohol content of 3 to 4.5%, although it
is also made as low alcohol beer with 0.5% alcohol content.
Weizen (wheat) beer - is made with yeast and is available filtered or not filtered. It is considered
very refreshing.
See Germany beverages.
beer
GLOSSARY OF BEER TYPES:
Ale - pale bright colored beer with pronounced hop flavor, popular in England.
Bock beer - dark heavy beer brewed in Spring.
Dry beer - ambiguous term. It normally referrers to low alcohol beer. The term has been around
for years, but came into widespread use in the late 1980's. All dry beers are less sweet but they vary from
there.
Lager - German word meaning storage. The beer is a bottom fermented beer, andwas stored in
cool cellars for maturing and purification.

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Malt liquor - bottom fermented beer, fruity and spicy in character, and with a slightly higher
alcohol content.
Near beer - cereal beverage with a very low alcohol content, normally below 0.5%.
Pilsner - beer with a strong hop character, light in color. It is named after a famous beer brewing
city in the Czech Republic.
Porter - heavy and dark ale, more malty on flavor and somewhat sweet.
Steam beer - type of American beer, named for the hissing sound which is released when the
keg is tapped. The beer undergoes a second fermentation in the package. Anchor is the largest selling
brand.
Stout - similar to porter, very dark in color. Guinness is a famous Irish brand.
Weissbeer - German term for beer brewed with wheat malt, and a second fermentation in the
bottle.
Beer, keg sizes
Barrel = 31 gal (117.8 l)
barrel or standard keg = 15 gal (58.9 l) equivalent to 165 bottles 12 oz
(0.34 l) each or 6.8 cases
keg = 7.75 gallons, the frequently used party keg equivalent to 80 bottles.
beer, non alcoholic
A small, but increasing segment of the beer market. The brewing process is essentially the same
as for beer, and most have the alcohol removed after brewing, either by heat process or by vacuum
process. A few brands (Buckler, Clausthaler, Firestone, Haake Beck, Sharp"s, Warteck) are made
alcohol free by interference during brewing which stops fermentation before alcohol forms.
The products are monitored nationally by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms,
even though they are non alcoholic. At the state level, jurisdiction varies from state liquor authorities to
being treated like other non alcoholic products.
beer styles
Ale - generic name for top fermented beer.
Berliner Weisse - wheat beer served with a drop of raspberry syrup or woodruff. It is also the
name for a white sausage.
Bitter Ale - top fermented beer, copper colored, the national beer of England served as draft beer.
Bitter Stout - top fermented beer best served at room temperature. Guinness is the best known
brand.
Bock - bottom fermented beer with seasonal associations. It was brewed in Spring stronger to be
stored during summer. It can be dark or light colored. Bock is the German term for goat.
Dopplebock - bottom fermented beer, extra strong, brewed first by an Italian monk In Bavaria. By
convention brand names end with the suffix - artor, such as Animator.
Dortmunder - bottom fermented
beer in flavor between Pilsner and Mnchener
Dsseldorfer - top fermented beer from the city of the same name in Germany. The beer copper
colored and resembles Ale.
Klsch - top fermented beer distinctively pale with golden color
Lager - generic term for bottom fermented beers
Mnchener - dark brown, bottom fermented beer.
Pale Ale - top fermented beer, basically bottled bitter ale.
Pilsner - pale, golden bottom fermented beer with strong hop flavor
Porter - originally top fermented beer made in London with bitter flavor. It is now made in many
countries as bottom fermented beer.
Russian Stout - top fermented beer high in alcohol, originally brewed in St. Petersburg and also
known as barley wine.
Saisons - Belgium top fermented beer.
Scotch Ales - top fermented beers, a term used more in France and Belgium for strong ale.
Steam beer - it makes a hissing sound when the pressure was released. The term is popular in
San Francisco.

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Trappiste - top fermented beer made by Trappist monks. In Germany and Austria beer produced
by monks, not necessarily by Trappist, are called Klostebru or Stftsbru.
Ur, Urtype - German term for the original bottom fermented beer.
Vienna - amber colored bottom fermented beer.
Weizenbeer - wheat beer served often with a slice of lemon
Beerenauslese
German wine term for a dessert wine made with the most mature, overripe grapes affected by
noble rot. The wine is rare and remarkably rich and sweet.
The grapes are hand selected during the harvest. Literally translated the term means berry
selection.
Some growers ferment most sugar from the must to produce a wine is less sweet but
with incredible body and aroma.
Beeswing
Wine term for sediment found in old red wines and Port wines.
beet
Root vegetable. Usually deep red, though some varieties can be white or gold. Beets can be
served cooked or raw. When beets are cooked, they should be boiled or roasted in their skins, to prevent
color loss.
Beets are used mostly for salads, but were also served as vegetable. Harvard beets are beets in
a corn starch thickened sauce. Beet juice is used to dye and flavor horseradish, and also a an ingredient
in borscht, a Russian beet soup
Beets are also used as cattle feed.
Betteraves in French, beetroot in England, Rote Rben in German, barbabietola inItalian,
remolacha in Spanish.
Beta vulgaris.
Beeton, Isabella
Housewife and mother and author in Victorian England. Wrote the classic "Book of Household
Management" which first appeared as monthly supplements in the "Englishwoman"s Domestic Magazine"
in 1859. Published in book from in 1861. It included household hints and recipes. She also wrote the
"Dictionary of Cookery". The best encyclopedic cooking book until the post WWII interest in cooking. She
died at age 28, of complications following childbirth.
beggars chicken
Chinese cooking. Chicken wrapped in lotus leaves, encased in clay and baked in ashes. A
Chinese dish that dates back to the 18th century and the reign of the Ching dynasty Emperor Chien Lung.
It was named for a chicken thief who hid his loot in the mud by his campfire when the emperor came by.
By the time it was safe to retrieve his booty, it was hot and cooked to perfection.
The chicken is marinated in soy, wine, star anise, scallions, ginger, and sesame oil , wrapped in
lotus leaves and caul fat, and baked in clay.
beggars purse
Dish made famous at the Quilted Giraffe in New York. Little purses made froam crepes were
filled with caviar.
Beichun
Chinese red wine grape variety.
beignet
French generic term for any deep fried fritter. In New Orleans, beignets are a local specialty. A
sweet, square doughnut, without the hole, served sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Bel Paese

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Italian cheese. The name means "beautiful country". The cheese was originally made in
Lombardy, but is now made in the US. The cheese is buttery, mild, and easy to use. It is often used on
cheese trays, because it has no smell which can be offensive. The cheese is normally covered with a
yellow paraffine layer. The loaves weigh about 4 lb.
Belem tarts
Portuguese pastry tart filled with egg yolk and cream custard.
Also known as pastis de nata.
Belgian endive
White, cream-colored vegetable with narrow leaves forming a tightly closed pointed head in the
chicory family. See there. The crunchy leaves have a faint bitter taste and are used primarily in salads in
America. The vegetable can also be braised, baked, or added to soup.
The cultivation methods needed to produce an almost white vegetable is credited to Jan
Lammers, a Belgium farmer in the 19th century. During the independence war with the Netherlands the
farmer stored some chicory roots in his cellar and covered them with soil. The roots sprouted into white,
slender leaves.
The vegetables is grown from chicory seeds in high nutrient soil and in temperature-controlled
darkness. The darkness keeps the white leaves from turning green, although some is slightly exposed
tips make an attractive green tinge on the edges. It is labor-intensive as it must be planted twice and
the shoots kept covered with soil.
The cultivation centers around Brussels, but endive is also grown in California.
One new variety has purple leaves.
Chicory, endive and escarole are often confused.
Chicory is broad - leaved green.
Curly endive has curly leaves and a yellow center. It is also known as frise.
Belgium endive is described above.
Escarole is a spreading salad plant with bitter green leaves.
Members of the endive family also include radicchio and treviso.
Also known as witloof in Belgium, French endive, Brussels chicory, chicory, or chicore de
Bruxelles.
Cichorium intybus.
Belgian food
The cooking of Belgium is sometimes referred to as "soeur jumelle" or twin sister of French
cuisine. The northern part of the country, the Flemish area, is Dutch related in language and culture; the
southern part, the Walloon part is French related in language and culture. The capital, Brussels is
officially bilingual. The cuisine reflects both the French and Dutch influences, with more leaning to the
French.
Seafood is popular, especially in Brussels where moules et frits, mussels and french fries are a
local specialty. However, the mussels are farm raised in Holland now.
Belgium is the vegetable gardener of northern Europe and famous for Belgium endive, see there,
asparagus, Brussels sprouts and other vegetables.
The southern Ardenne region provides game, including wild boar, and is also known for an
excellent ham.
Herbs and seasonings include chervil, sorrel, and juniper berries. The cooking is often rich and
utilizes many dairy products, such as butter, eggs, cream, and cheese.
FAMOUS CHEESES ARE:
Btchye - See there.
Campagnard - soft, gouda-like cheese
Herv l"exquis - See there.
Mandjeskaas - See there.
Mared- sous - See there.
Maroilles - See there.
WELL KNOWN DISHES ARE:
aiglefin au beurre fondu - haddock in butter sauce

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anguilles au vert - see there

asperges flamande - asparagus with ham and hard boiled eggs
bifteck et frites - steak and french fries
carbonade flamande - beef braised in beer
chervil soup
choesels - a meat stew
coquille St.Jacques - scallops
hochepot - a hearty stew
jambon dArdennes - air dried ham, prosciutto-like ham
jets de houblon - see there
lapin aux pruneaux - rabbit with prunes
le gaumais - pork sausage
matelote d"anguilles - see there
moules - mussels
oie linstar de Vis - goose
poularde Bruxelloise - fattened hen Brussels style
raie au beurre noir - ray in black butter
stoemps - a vegetable puree
tomates aux crevettes - tomatoes stuffed with shrimp
waterzooi - see there
Belgium chocolates are especially rich and are made under various brand names, notably
Godiva, Neuhaus and Leonidas.
DESSERTS AND SWEETS INCLUDE:
boterletters - crisp butter cookies
coques de Dinant - gingerbread cookies
cramique - raisin studded brioche
cussi - almond studded coffee cake
gaufres - waffles
le soleil - see there
lingot dor - see there
manon - creme filled chocolate
pain d"epices - spice cookie)
pralines - chocolates
speculaas -See there.
See also Belgium waffles, beer, Belgium. Mandarine Napoleon, made in Antwerp is the national
orange flavored cordial.
Belgian Cooked Cheese
The ripened curds are heated to about 180 F until melted, and the cheese is then poured into
containers. The cheese weighs about 3 lb.
Belgian waffles
Thick waffles, served often with fresh fruits and whipped cream. A special waffle iron is needed to
make the waffles. In the 1970"s, Belgium waffles were widely promoted to the food service industry, and
the manufacturer of the waffle mix provided the waffle irons free of charge. Eventually, frozen Belgium
waffles became available in supermarkets.
Gaufres in French.
Belgrave, Chteau
Bordeaux wine estate in the Haut-Mdoc region.
Beli sir cheese
Brine-ripened sour cheese from the Balkan resembling feta cheese.
belle peppers
See pepper, vegetable.

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Belle Hlne
French classic food term. Used for a dessert made with poached pears on vanilla ice cream and
covered with warm chocolate sauce. With meat dishes it involves vegetables and mushrooms.
Bellelay
Soft, blue veined cheese resembling Gorgonzola. The cheese originated in the 15th century with
monks in Switzerland. The cheese is also called Tte de Moine Monks Head.
Bellevue
French for beautiful vista. It was a popular name for hotels with a view. On menus the term is
used to describe elaborately decorated cold dishes.
Bellevue Consomme
Chicken and clam juice consomme with a dollop of whipped cream.
Bellini
Drink created by Giuseppe Cipriani in 1947, owner of Harry"s Bar in Venice, for his friend Ernest
Hemingway. The drink is named after one of the painters Bellini. It consists of one part peach juice to two
parts Prosecco, the local dry white sparkling wine. The drink is also made with champagne and other
fruits juices.
belly broil
Clam dish made from soft shell clams. The clams are removed from the shell and trimmed down
to just the belly, the sweetest part, and broiled.
belly fry
Clam dish made from soft shell clams. The clams are removed from the shell and trimmed down
to just the belly, the sweetest part, and fried.
belly-wash
Slang for soft drink or weak coffee.
Belon
A small and flavorful oyster, easy to identify by its round flat shell. Native to Brittany in France,
but now farmed on both coasts of the US, especially around Maine. Those from New England are larger
and stronger in flavor than those from California. It has a distinctive metallic flavor.
Beluga
The largest species of sturgeon harvested for caviar. Beluga caviar has the largest eggs and is
generally considered the best caviar. See caviar.
Ben & Jerrys
Vermont based ice cream company. The company started by adding creative ingredient to their
high quality ice cream, such as cookie dough. The label features a Holstein cow, a breed prized for its
good milk production, and it was implied that all dairy products used are from Vermont. The company
became very successful, and had to buy milk from outside the state, which created a credibility problem.
Ben & Jerry"s was started by entrepreneurs with deep concern about the environment, especially
the destruction of the rain forests in Brazil. The Rainforest Crunch label ice cream and candy is a protest
against the wanton destruction of these forests. The nuts used are harvested in the Brazilian rainforest to
demonstrate one of the uses the trees can be put to. Part of the sales proceeds go to the cause as well.
bend
Slang for getting drunk.
bend an elbow
Slang for sitting at a bar counter.

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bendathang
Tibetan noodle vegetable soup.
Bndictine (Benedictine)
Liqueur developed as a medicine by a French monk in the early 14th century, and named for the
monks who first made it at Fcamp in the Normandy region of France. The king visited the monastery
and praised the elixir. It is probably the oldest liqueur in the world.
The monastery was destroyed in the French Revolution, but the recipe survived and was passed
on to a wine merchant, who was able to reconstruct the liqueur from the recipe.
Bndictine is made from brandy, honey, flavored with herbs, plant extracts and peels. The
exact formula is a secret and it is said that only three living people at a time know the exact formula.
The label, reflects the religious beginnings as it contains the initials D.O.M., standing for Do
Optima Maxim, to God, most good, most great.
benedictine
Kentucky specialty, a cream cheese and cucumber spread named for Jennie Benedict, the turn
of the century caterer who created it.
Bengal food
State in Northern India, capital is Calcutta. Large percentage of Moslems infuence the cuisine. A
fiery cuisine. Spices are ground on the stone board called a shilpata, which is similar to the Mexican
metate, used there to grind maize.
For ingredients see India, food.
DISHES INCLUDE:
aamshatta - slivered dried mango
begun bhaja - fried potatoes
chingri pulao - rice with prawns
jheengher kabab - prawn croquettes on skewers
kashanda - a green vegetable
laver tarkari - pumpkin curry
macher jhool - fish curry
macher kalia - fish and lentil curry
macher salan - fish curry
murghir qorma/murghir salan - chicken curry
poi shak - vegetable.
rasgulla - cheese balls soaked in rose water and served in a sugar syrup
shinni - soup like mixture of milk, rice, bananas, and sugar
zarda - spiced rice dessert.
See also India food
Bengal isinglass
See agar agar.
benne seeds
Another name for sesame seeds. See there. The term is African and originated with the slaves
from Mandingo country on the upper Niger River.
benzopyrene
Carcinogen produced in food by improper barbecuing, such as by charring meats or cooking
them over resinous woods, such as pine.
berber
Ethiopian seasoning made of the local hot peppers and spices. Used to season their stews,
called wats.

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Bercy butter
One of many French composed butters. The butter creamed with reduced white wine and
shallots, and parsley, salt, and pepper. Used with steaks and chops.
Bercy, sauce
French classic sauce for fish. Made from a reduction of white wine and shallots with butter, fish
broth, and thickened with flour. Sauce Bercy is also made for meat dishes (without the use of fish stock).
The name comes from an area of Paris which once housed the wine market.
berdi
Edible reed harvested in North Africa.
Bereich
German wine term for region or area.
Bergamot orange
Orange variety named for the herb bergamot, whose aroma is similar. A hybrid of the bitter
Seville orange, and possibly also related to the limetta, which also has Bergamot oil in the skin. The fruit
is small and round with lemon yellow rind and pulp. The taste is acidic resembling lemon.
Bergamot oils and scents are used as well as the fruit. Bergamot oil is used in perfume.
Bergamot orange blossoms are used in bridal bouquets.
Citrus bergamia.
Bergamot, wild
Variety of the herb bee balm. It was used by American and Canadian Indian. The Oswego tribe
used the leaves to make tea, sometimes referred to as Oswego tea
The plant is both fragrant and decorative. It has lovely scarlet flowers, but the leaves are the most
aromatic part of the plant. The plant has an citrus like aroma; and one Spanish fruit, the bergamot
orange, is named after this herb. Its oil is a key flavoring in EarlGrey tea.
Monarda fistulosa
Bergamot mint
Monarda menthaefolia.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Bergamot, Lavender
Plant with citrus/ oregano scent leaves used for medicinal tea.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Bergamotte
French pear variety.
Bergerac
French wine growing region in the department of the Dordogne, east of the Gironde area of
Bordeaux. The red wine grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and a little Malbec.
The white wine grapes are Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and a little Muscadelle. The wines include:
Ctes de Bergerac. A red wine high in alcohol; or a white demi sec or moelleux wine.
Bergerac. A lighter red wine, meant to be drunk young.
Pecharmant. A full bodied red wine.
Monbazillac. A very sweet white wine.
Medium-dry white wines are Ctes de Montravel,Haut Montravel, Montravel, Rosette,
Saussignac.
The largest wine property is Chteau Tiregand, which makes Pecharmant wine.

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bergeron
A late summer variety of apricot from the French Rhne valley. Irregularly shaped, orange in
color, and delicious for eating plain.
Bergkse
Generic German name for cheeses made in the Alps. The German name simply means mountain
cheese. The cheese typically is of the Emmenthal (Swiss cheese) variety.
Bergquara
Swedish cheese resembling Gouda. See there.
Beringer
California winery in St. Helena founded in 1876 by a German emigrant. The winery has deep
tunnels for storing wines.
Berliner
German name for doughnut. The name became somewhat infamous when president Kennedy
declared I am a Berliner. He meant a person from Berlin, not a doughnut, and he was grammatically
correct.
Bermuda
Bermuda Sherry Pepper Sauce is a bottled condiment sauce.
Bernarde
Italian cheese, also called Formagelle Bernarde. The cheese is made with cows milk and goat
milk, saffron is added for color.
Bernerplatte
Swiss dish, consisting of a huge platter of boiled and smoked meats, sausages, and sauerkraut.
In Austria, a similar dish is called Bauernschmaus or Schlachtplatte. A similar dish in Alsace is called
choucroute.
Bernc, Dusan
Yugoslavian born chef, who tragically died of cancer in 1985 in the prime of his life. An excellent
chef, trained in West Germany, and with his wife Nada, opened the Terrace Restaurant atop Butler Hall
at Columbia University in New York City. He is equally respected for the help he gave to the
disadvantaged and his devotion to the poor. In fact, he worked for a while in Calcutta with Mother Teresa.
Bernkastel
German wine town in the heart of the Moselle river encompassing some of the most famous
vineyards in Germany.
berries
Family of small, pulpy fruits, most of them edible growing on shrubs. See under their individual
names.
besan
Chick pea flour, the ubiquitous starch of India. It is a fine yellow flour and used as thickener in
soups or a batter ingredient.
Also known as gram.
Cicer arietinum.
beta carotene
Yellow coloring agent added to butter and other fats.
betak-betak
The Malayan name for the Singapore apple, a poisonous, inedible tropical fruit.

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Also known as pong pong or bintaro.

Cerbera Odollam.
Btchye
Belgian cheese made around the town of Nivelles in southern Brabant. A rich pungent, nippy
cheese, made from skim milk which is pressed for a day, drained, then pressed for a second day,
crumbled and left in a warm room to ferment and fatten for another two days, being turned so it fattens
evenly throughout.
The end result is an odiferous cheese which is sold rolled into balls or boulettes.
betel
Narcotic seed of the betel palm of tropical Asia. It is about filbert size and enclosed in a thick
husk. It is chewed like chewing gum and popular in many parts of Asia. The seeds are formed into
flavored small pellets. The nut will color the saliva red and frequent use can color the teeth black.
The leaves are used as flavoring in Indian dishes, and rolled, stuffed with spices and chewed like
chewing tobacco, called paan or pawn in India. Paandaan is the box to keep them.
Betel Nuts are known as supari in India.
Areca Catechu.
Bethmnnchen
German almond cookies flavored with rosewater or rum, especially popular at Christmas time.
Also known as Brenten cookies.
betony
An herb used for tea, often combined with cloves or orange rind. In herbal medicine, it is believed
to be good for headaches.
It is reported that snakes will not cross a barrier made of its twigs.
Betonica officinalis.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
bette, blette or poire charde
French term for Swiss chard. See there.
betteraves
French for beetroot. See beets.
Betty Crocker
General Mills fictional character created in 1921, representing a home maker skilled in baking. It
was created on the theory that a personalization helps consumers relate to products.
Betty was chosen because the name sounded homey, and Crocker was a retired director of the
company. her picture was updated six times, but is no longer used.
Betty
American deep dish dessert, consisting of layers of fruits and cake crumbs, baked until the fruits
are soft.
Between the Sheets
Cocktail made of Benedictine, brandy, and lemon juice.
Beugel
Austrian crescent shaped pastry, filled with walnut paste or poppy seeds. The dough is a butter
enriched yeast dough.
beurre
French term for butter. Classical French cuisine has many imaginative ways to use butter, such
as ingredient, as thickening agent, and as flavor enhancer.

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Mont(e) au beurre is a culinary term referring to cold butter added to a hot, but not longer boiling
sauce in small nuggets as thickening agent: to improve flavor and shine. The sauce is not allowed to boil,
otherwise it will curdle.
Flavored butters and compound butters are used as ingredient or as flavor enhancer. Basically
they are cold sauces, put on hot meat or fish.
COMPOUND BUTTERS:
Beurre Bercy - reduced white wine and shallots, mixed with butter, parsley and chopped beef
marrow.
Beurre blanc - delicate, almost translucent white wine butter sauce. Vinegar and white wine is
reduced with shallots, heavy cream added and reduced again, cold butter is beaten into the hot, but no
longer boiling sauce.
Beurre Colbert - Matre dhtel butter with beef extract (glace de viande) and tarragon added.
Beurre de homard - crushed lobster shells slowly boiled with butter until the flavor and red
pigment is transferred. The mixture is strained and chilled, and the red butter is used to flavor sauces.
Beurre matre dhtel - butter kneaded with chopped parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper and
Worcestershire sauce. Used with broiled fish and meat.
Beurre mani. - mixture of butter and flour, used to thicken liquids and sauces. Also referred to
as cold roux.
Beurre marchand de vins - Red wine butter, consisting of red wine and shallots reduced to syrup
consistency, blended with butter, parsley, salt and pepper.
Beurre noir - black butter, actually fresh
butter heated until dark brown, flavored with lemon juice, and poured over fish or other dishes.
Beurre noisette - hazelnut colored butter. Butter is heated until golden brown, and poured over
fish or meat.
Beuscherl
Austrian, a Viennese specialty. Boiled calfs lungs and hearts in a spicy sauce. It was a popular,
inexpensive dish, normally served with bread dumplings.
beverages
Tea was the original national beverage of America. After the Revolution, it was replaced by
coffee. In the 1970's coffee was replaced by soft drinks as the most popular
Beychevelle, Chteau
Bordeaux wine producer in the commune of St. Julien. One of the finest and most typical of the
St. Julien wines. The name goes back to "setting sail", because the chteau is located on the bank of the
Gironde river. The wines are red are ranked as fourth growth.
The second label is Rserve de l"Admiral.
Bgug - Panir
Armenian cheese made with ewes milk. The cheese is also called Daralag.
bi-valves
Name for clams, mussels, oysters and scallops having two shells.
Bialy
Chewy roll with a center depression and sprinkled with onions. It is popular in New York City.
Bialy is named after the Polish-Russian village of Bialystock where it originated.
Biancone
Australian white wine grape variety.
bibb lettuce
Lettuce variety with soft, buttery leaves related to Boston lettuce, but somewhat crunchier in
texture. It was developed by Kentucky horticulturist, John Bibb, in 1856. The small head is round and
loosely formed of soft green or slightly red leaves. Often, head is used per serving.
Bibb lettuce is expensive and used in elegant hotels and restaurants. Very little is sold retail.

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Also known as butterhead, and Kentucky Bibb Limestone Lettuce.

Biblical wines
Wine is mentioned in the bible a number of times, and under different names. Scholars assume
that these names refer to fermented grape juice.
NAMES:
Ahsis- perfumed or aromatic wine
Khener or Khamar - the poetic name for wine
Khometz - sour wine or vinegar
Mesech - mixture of wine and water
Schechar - intoxicating beverage, assumed to be wine
Soveh - beverage assumed to be wine
Tirosh - new or sweet wine
Yayin - wine in general.
bicarbonate of soda
Component of baking powder which requires an acid, such as sour milk or molasses to activate.
bien cuit
French for well done, as it refers to the doneness of a steak.
Bienenstich
German pastry. Flat yeast or baking powder pastry, covered with honey, almonds and sugar. The
name means bee-sting.
bienmesabe
Spanish, literally translated "it tastes good to me". Name for a number of dishes.
biennial
Plant which flowers in its second summer and then dies. Parsley is a biennial.
Bier
German name for beer.
Bier Schinken Wurst
Large sausage showing chunks of ham and studded with pistachio nuts. Eaten cold.
Bierwurst
German smoked and rather coarse sausage served hot or cold.
bietoline
Italian delicate wild spinach.
Biffin apple
English dessert, consisting of an apple baked in a mold.
bilberries
See huckleberries.
bifteck et frites
Belgian popular dish, simply a steak and french fried potatoes. So popular is the dish that it gave
part of its name to a popular expression. When a Belgian is looking after his own interests, he is said to
be defending his beefsteak.
bifteck

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French spelling for beef steak.

Big Red
Brand of cinnamon-flavored gum produced by The Wrigley Company.
Bigarade
Another name for the Seville orange, a bitter orange, used in the manufacture of Curaeo liqueur,
and also in a sauce with the same name, often served with duckling. In the US, bitter oranges are not
easily obtainable, and Sauce Bigarade is normally made with sweet oranges and vinegar.
Citrus aurantium.
bigoli
Italian pasta, a thick-strand whole wheat pasta, a specialty of Venice. The dough is forced
through a torchio, a type of screw press, and it comes out in thick strands resembling spaghetti.
bigorneaux
French term for tiny periwinkles (sea snails). Also commonly harvested in Belgium.
Bigos
Polish dish of a variety cured and fresh meats served with sauerkraut.
bijon
Oriental noddles made with corn kernels that have been soaked to induce fermentation, mashed.
formed into noodles, par-boiled and dried.
bilberries/bilberry
Type of wild blueberries, related to blueberries. They differ in that the bilberries grow in single or
pairs, and the blueberries grows in clusters. Bilberries grow wild in Europe, especially Sweden, whereas
blueberries are native to North America. Also known as whortleberries, whinberries, blaeberries in
Scotland, myrtille in France.
Vaccinium myrtillus.
bilimbi
Cucumber tree fruit, a green variety of carambola, or star fruit. See there.
Avorrhoea bilimbi.
billi-bi
Very rich cream and mussel soup, once popular at the St. Regis Hotel in New York. The soup
consists basically of mussels boiled with chopped shallots and thyme, dry white wine and the equal
amount of heavy cream. The mussels are first boiled with wine and shallots until they are open, then the
cream is added, the soup brought to a brief boil, and strained through a cheese cloth. Billi-bi can be
served hot or cold.
Billy Tea
Australian tea brand.
billy
Australian term for a small tin bucket with a handle, used for cooking food over an open fire.
biltong
South African sun dried meat. It is pounded first to release some moisture.
bin
Term used In connection with wine and beverage storage. Bins are individual compartments
which hold a specific brand of an alcoholic beverage. These compartments are numbered to make

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ordering and inventory taking easier. These numbers are referred to as bin numbers, and are often found
on wine lists.
binder
An ingredient used to extend pureed meat or fish mixtures. Depending on the type of binder, it
can add bulk, keep the mixture together, bind water, and also make it expand during the cooking process.
In French, the most common binder is called panade, a bread mixture with eggs, or a boiled puff paste
mixture.
Commercially usaed binders are starch or soy bean products.
bindi
Trade name for an Italian cake manufacturer. The frozen products are promoted in the US.
bindi
Another name for okra. See there.
Bing cherries
Variety of sweet cherries grown in many countries. See cherries.
Bingen
German wine town on the Rhine river.
biodynamics
The term refers to an organic method of growing wine grapes. Biodynamics rejects the use of
chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, but permits the use of sulphur dioxide and the Bordeaux
mixture, a copper sulphate based fungicide which combats mildew and oidium.
birch
The leaves or bark of several varieties of birch trees have been used in tisane, or tea. Birch syrup
is also made, but in very small quantities. The sap of birch is collected in spring, and boiled down to
syrup. Birch sap has a sugar content of 0.5% to 1.5%, maple sap has 2% to 5% sugar. The syrup has a
very strong, concentrated taste. It can be further concentrated into birch sugar.
The soft wood beneath the bark is sweet and edible and was used as emergency food in 1861
when Confederate troops retreated over the mountains of Virginia.
birch beer
Fermented beverage made from the sap of the sweet black birch tree.
Betula lenta.
birds
Culinary term for braised rolled and stuffed meat or fowl slices. Rouladen in German, braciole in
Italian, and paupiettes in French.
birds tongues
Roman delicacy, it was reasoned that since bird song is sweet, the tongues must be sweet too.
Birdseye, Clarence
American developer of the frozen food industry. He got the idea of freezing food after living
among the Eskimos for three years. A brand of frozen food is named Birdseye.
birds nest soup
Chinese soup made from nests. The swifts, not swallows, called salangane build nests on the
roofs inside caves and on rocky cliffs in Southeast Asia. The nests are glued to the rocks with threads of
saliva which harden. This substance only is used for soup.

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The nests are a very expensive delicacy because of their difficulty in harvesting, their increasing
scarcity, and the time and attention needed to clean and prepare them for market. They are sold dried
are reasonably free of feathers and twigs.
The nest must be soaked before use and cleaned again. They are mild and nondescript in taste,
but they are prized for their nutritional value as well as for the gelatinous quality they give to the soup
after boiling. Especially prized for health-giving properties are the reddish tinged "blood nests", from
saliva containing blood.
The birds are of the collocalia genus.
biroldo
Italian blood sausage, usually served sliced and fried.
Byrani/biryani
Indian/Pakistan rice and meat dish. It is normally made with lamb or chicken and contains
vegetables, raisins, nuts and many different spices. It is considered an elegant party dish.
Bischofsbrot
German name, old fashioned, for marzipan.
biscochitos
Spanish term for small cookies.
biscotti
Italian crunchy, sweet, twice - baked biscuits, studded with nuts, usually almonds. They are
sliced from a baked loaf before their second baking, which results in their elongated shape.
The word comes from the Latin "bis coctum" ,as does the English word "biscuit", which means
twice cooked.
The German word is Zwieback. The term "Biskotten" is used in German to describe dry fingersize confections made with sponge cake.
biscuit Tortoni.
Italian meringue-based frozen dessert. See Tortoni.
biscuit
Biscuits can be classified as bread or crackers. The term is generic in England for all crackers
and biscuits. In the US the term is used for sweet items, or items eaten with sweet accompaniments
such as cream, butter, jam, preserves, and marmalade.
Southern biscuits are made with soft cake flour, eggs, shortening, milk and baking powder, and
are renown, because the soft wheat flour provides a crumbly texture. Southern biscuits are normally
served warm. Before baking powder was invented, biscuitwere leavened with baking soda, and butter
milk provided the acidity needed to activate the baking soda.
Ship biscuit were used a provisions on ships. The biscuits were very dry crackers which did not
spoil on long voyages.
The word comes from the Latin "bis coctum", which means twice-cooked bread. However,
biscuits are not necessarily baked twice.
bishop
Red wine based hot drink. In classical French cooking, sauce bishop is a sweet hot red wine
sauce served with desserts.
bishop bread
Cake type bread made with candied fruits. The name probably goes back to Germany, where a
visitation by the bishop required to provide the best food available. Candied fruits were expensive, and
therefore used.
Bismarck, Otto von

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German chancellor during the 19th century, who united Germany. His name is used in
connection with a number of dishes, towns and hotels.
Bismarck - doughnut without the hole. Similar to the Pennsylvania Dutch Fassnacht and the
Pennsylvania German Fettkuchel.
Bismarck herring - fillets marinated with spices, vinegar and sometimes white wine, considered
the finest herring fillets.
Black Velvet, also called Bismarck - an alcoholic drink. It consists of equal parts of champagne
and stout, an odd combination as the stout overwhelms the delicate champagne. Probably named after
the Chicago hotel by the same name, where is thought to have originated.
bison
See buffalo.
bisque
French word for thick soup. The word come from Biscay, as in the bay of Biscay, where the soup
was first made. Biscay is a Basque word, thus the word bisque actually has Basque origins. The best
American word equivalent is chowder.
The original bisque made by the residents along the Bay of Biscay, shellfish is simmered, mixed
with some of the cooking liquid, and thickened with a puree of the shellfish meat, bread, rice or flour, and
finished with milk and cream. In modern usage, the word bisque is most often applied to soups made
with shellfish, but it is correct to use the term for thick vegetable soups as well. Originally, bisque were
thickened with bread rather than flour or rice.
The term bisque was also used ice cream containing macaroons or nuts. It is no longer in use. It
is also a name used in the China tea trade.
bistecca alla fiorentina
Florentine beefsteak. The Chiania cattle breed from Tuscany is considered the best in Italy. The
steak is thick, and grilled over a wood flame or charcoal. It is usually served rare.
bistro
Unpretentious French restaurant, usually serving peasant style dishes, in large portions, and
inexpensive local wines. The word "bistro" is thought to have originated with the surly Russian troops
who occupied Paris after the fall of Napoleon; they would rap their kopecks on the bar, demanding
instant service, and shout what sounded like "Bistro!". Classic bistro dishes include boeuf au gros sel,
boeuf bourguignon, boudin noir , choucroute garnie, coq au vin , haricots d"agneau, and pot-au-feu. The
use of the name Bistro has become fashionable in the US in the 1980"s.
Bit - O - Honey
Candy taffy bar with almonds and honey.
bitter almonds
See almonds.
bitter ballen
Dutch, for small, cocktail-size meatballs, so named because they are often eaten with gin and
bitters, not because of they taste bitter.
bitter gourd
Ridged vegetable that resembles a warty cucumber. It is usually eaten in its green stage, though
it ripens to yellow-orange or white. It is bitter, and soaking in salt water will remove some of the bitter
flavor. The vegetable is used in Indian cooking. Kantola is a related variety.
Also known as balsam pear, bitter cucumber, bitter melon or karela.
Momordica charantia
bitter orange
Another name for the Seville orange.

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Citrus aurantium.
bitter root
Plant with edible fleshy roots and pink flowers, the state flower of Montana. It was discovered by
Meriwether Lewis that the Indians used the roots to make a sort of bread.
bitters
Aromatic alcoholic beverages. First made in Italy, where they are known as amari. They clear
and refresh the palate, and aid digestion. There are many brands on themarket.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ARE:
Campari - introduced in Milan in 1860, created by Gaspare Campari to celebrate the birth of his
son. It contains bitter orange peels, Chinese rhubarb, quinine bark
and other herbs and spices.
Cynar - French artichoke bitter.
Fernet Branca - strongly flavored bitter, often drunk as a restorative. Made from 40 ingredients
including angelica, cardamom, peppermint, quinine, rhubarb, saffron.
Underberg - the best known German bitter.
Unicum - made by the house of Zwack in Hungary.
Bitto
Italian cheese, originally made in the province Friuli, and now made in Lombardy. The cheese
resembles Swiss cheese, and is often grated used as condiment.
blaand
Fermented milk based beverage from the Shetland Isles/England.
blacan/blachan
Dried shrimp paste, the most common flavoring in Singapore. It has an acrid smell that takes
getting used to. Used to flavor shellfish, fish or vegetables.
Sambal blacan is a condiment made by mixing blacan with ground fresh chilies.
black and white
Ice cream soda, popular in the early 20th century, especially at Schrafft"s restaurants around
New York City. It consisted of vanilla ice cream and with fudge sauce.
black beans
Popular Cuban and Brazilian bean variety. See beans.
black bass
See bass.
black bean soup
Hearty soup, often served sprinkled with chopped eggs and onions and with sherry. It was a
specialty at the Bull and Bear Restaurant in The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
black bird
Bird famous in a fairy tale song, but it is not documented whether it was baked in a pie and set
before the king.
black bottom sundae
Chocolate ice cream sundae with chocolate sauce. It originated in the 1920's
.black bottom soda
Ice cream soda, made with chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce in the bottom of the glass,
and filled with soda water.
black bottom pie

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Chocolate custard pie flavored with rum. The crust is often made with crushed Oreo cookies.
black bream
Food fish in the bream family.
black butter
Butter that has been heated until the casein particles turn brown, and develop a pleasant flavor.
The butter is poured hot over fish, meat and vegetables. The butter should not be heated until it actually
gets black.
Beurre noir in French.
black chanterelles
Black mushrooms also known as trumpets of death or trompette de la mort. They are not
poisonous.
black chicken
Chicken breed with black skin popular in Korean cooking.
black cod
Pacific food fish known as sablefish in the trade. The fish is kosher and is often served smoked
as sable at Jewish functions. It is not related to cod.
Black Corinth
Seedless grape variety often dried for raisins.
black cow
Root beer float. An old soda fountain treat.
black currants
Berries from a shrub growing in temperate climate. The more common variety is red and is
cultivated for jelly. The name is derived from Corinth, Greece.
Black currants are high in vitamin C and also A and B.
The black currants cultivated in France are used for a syrup and also for a liqueur called Crme
de Cassis.
Schwarze Johannisbeere(n) in German, Schwarze Ribisel in Austria; grosella negra in Spanish.
Ribus nigrum.
black currant buds
The buds are used for tisane, liqueur and to flavor ice cream.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
black drink
American Indian herb drink, drunk as part of religious ritual. The English settlers called the
beverage Carolina tea.
black eyed peas/black eye beans
Sometimes referred to as simply black eye, or as cowpeas. Cowpeas are actually a close
relative but the beans can be used interchangeably and the names are usually used interchangeably as
well. The name black eyed comes from their appearance, with a blackish dot on one side of the oval
white bean. They are the seeds of a hanging vine. Sold fresh, frozen or dried.
Originally from Africa or possibly China, they were brought to the US by the slaves. They became
a staple in the southern part of the US, and are still popular. Boiled and mashed beans can be formed
into cakes and deep-fried in bacon fat.
Hoppin John is black-eyed peas mixed with rice, and served with collard greens, a traditional
New Years dish, eaten for good luck.

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Vigna sinensis.
Black foods, referring to color
Food is seldom black and can range from dark grey to dark purple.
Blackberries
Black beans
Black beer. One brand is Xingxu in Brazil.
Black chanterelle mushrooms
Black jewel popcorn.
Black truffles range from grey to dark.
Blood pudding
Caviar
Chinese black bean sauce
Cuttlefish ink
Ripe olives
Seaweeds, such as nori
Squid ink
Black Forest
German area with a special fascination to many people because it represents the quaint old
country look complete with coo-coo clocks and half timbered old farm houses. The German name is
Schwarzwald.
The area is famous for a cold smoked ham and a cherry cake made with chocolate and whipped
cream. The cake is often sold under the German name: SchwarzwlderKirschtorte.
The local cherry brandy is Kirsch and rivals the Alsatian and Swiss cherry brandies.
Black Gilliflower
Variety of apple with dark, almost black skin.
back gram
See urd dhal.
Phaseolus mongo.
black glutinous rice
Despite its name this widely used rice is completely gluten free. When boiled is becomes sweet
and sticky. It is used in beer making.
The same rice is available hulled and therefore white.
black ham
A New Orleans specialty, a baked ham with a spicy black crust that seeps into the meat.
Black ham is famous for breakfast at Mothers Restaurant.
black haw
Wild growing shrub, and the sweet tiny dark blue berries are edible.
Also known as stag-bush or sheep berry bush.
Viburnum prunifolium.
Black Mission
Fig variety, greyish - black, developed in Mexico, cultivated in California. See fig.
Black Muscat
A wine grape.
black mustard seeds
One of the three varieties of mustard seeds. It contributes the hot flavor in mustards.
Brassica nigra.

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black olives
See olives.
black pearls
Nickname for black caviar.
black pepper
See pepper.
black pudding
English/Irish name for blood sausage.
Black Russian
Cocktail made with vodka and coffee liqueur.
black salsify
Black parsnip-like root vegetable. Found in the Ligurian region of Italy, where it is known by its
generic name Scorzonara, and also in Catalonia, Spain.
Known in America as black salsify, and it is related to salsify. The name scorzonera means "long
black serpent; thus, it is also sometimes called viper"s grass, particularly in the US. A member of the
daisy family, its black color belies its delicate taste. It can be eaten raw, but is better sliced and cooked.
Raw or cooked, it is good in salad. It also makes a good soup
Its leaves are used in the herb mixture, prebuggiun, which is used to flavor the local frittata and
ravioli.
Scorzonara/Scorzonera Hispanica.
black sapote
Tropical fruit related to the persimmon and not to the white sapote, casimiroa edulis see there.
Olive-green skin, slighly ribbed. Its fudge-like flesh can be used as a is. Cultivated in Florida, Mexico and
the West Indies.
Diospyros ebenaster.
black strap
Caramelized molasses for industrial use and for cattle feed.
black strap
Colonial drink made with molasses and rum. It was served hot or cold.
black tea
Generic term for fermented tea. The tea consumed in the western world is most likely black tea,
compared to green tea, which is the preferred beverage in the Orient.
black treacle
England/Irish black molasses product, often flavored with ginger. It is used in fruit pudding.
black truffle
Truffles, an underground growing fungus can be classified by color, ranging fromblack to grey
and to ivory white.
Black truffles grow in the area around Perigord and Quercy in France, but some black truffles are
also found in Italy, Yugoslavia and in other countries. The largest harvest black truffles comes from
France. White truffles are found in Italy, especially around the town of Alba.
So far, truffles cannot be cultivated, although there are sporadic reports that truffles have been
successfully grown. Truffles grow wild around oak trees, and dogs or pigs are used to sniff them out. The
season is late fall to early winter.
More information can be found under truffles.
Also known as the Perigord truffle. See truffles. Tuber melanosporum.

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Black Tsimlyansky
Ukrainian red wine grape variety. Much is used in the production of sparkling wines.
Black Velvet
Alcoholic drink, also known as a Bismarck. It consists of equal parts of champagne and stout, an
odd combination as the stout overwhelms the delicate champagne.
Black velvet is also a whiskey brand.
black walnut
Tree valued for its wood. See walnuts.
black wine
Cahors, a wine growing region in France southeast of Bordeaux is famous for a dark, tannic wine
made from the malbec grape. It is often referred to as black wine.
blackberries
The fruit of a small rambling bush growing wild in temperate climates and also widely cultivated.
The berries have a shiny surface, which becomes duller as they ripen. Boysenberries, and loganberries
are members of the blackberry family, but have a somewhat waxier appearance. They are actually a
cross between the blackberry and raspberry. Dewberries are related, but trail on the ground and ripen
earlier than blackberries.
Crme de mre - is a blackberry syrup.
Sometimes called erroneously black raspberries. Also known as bramble.
Brombeeren in German, carzamoras in Spanish, mre in French, mora in Italian.
Ribus fruticosus.
blackberry brandy
Distilled clear brandy. Brombeergeist in German.
blackberry liqueur
Brandy based liqueur infused with blackberry essence.
blackberry jam fruit
Tropical fruit. Split, it will reveal a thick, pruny, berry pulp.
blackbird jambalaya
Cajun cooking. During the rice harvest in the Louisiana bayous, blackbirds descend upon the rice
fields to steal the grain. They often end up in blackbird jambalaya.
blackened red fish
Cajun cooking, local red fish coated with a very hot spice mixture and seared on both sides in a
pan over a high flame or on a red-hot grill until the spices blacken. Popularized by Chef Paul Prudhomme
of K-Paul"s Louisiana Kitchen in New Orleans.
blackfish
North Atlantic food fish.
Also known as Tautog or Oyster fish.
blackjack
Food color based on burnt sugar. It is often made in-house by cooks. Sugar, in many cases
discarded sugar from the pastry shop is brought to boil with a small amount of water, and then cooked
until it is completely caramelized, burned and black. During the last stage, a considerable amount of
smoke will develop. Water is added, the concoction is brought to a boil, and strained. The color is very
intense, and there is no sweetness and bitterness if the sugar is burnt completely.

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blackthorn
The bush that produces sloe berries (see there).
bladder cherry
See ground cherries.
blaeberry
Scottish name for bilberry.
blanc
French culinary term for a boiling liquid consisting of water, a little flour, salt and lemon juice. It is
used to keep white vegetables and sweetbreads white.
blanc de blancs
French wine term for wine made entirely from white grapes. The term is properly used in the
Champagne region for champagne made with white Chardonnay grapes,because most champagne is
made with red grapes.
blanc de noir
French wine term referring to white wine made from black grapes. It is often seen on sparkling
wine labels.
blanc mange
French white dessert, made with milk, almond flavor and starch. It is molded, and served cold.
Variation can be made with other flavors, but the dish must always be white.
Blanc Ram
French wine grape. Also used in Cognac.
Blanc Fum
The Loire Valley name for the Sauvignon blanc grape. The wines Pouilly Fum and Sancerre are
made form it. The word fum means smoked and Loire wines are sometimes described as having a
smoky taste.
blanch, blanchir
French cooking term, to whiten, to partially cook in boiling in water, sometimes mixed with milk.
BLANCHING IS DONE:
to lightly pre-cook certain food items, particularly before they are to be added to a recipe.
to set colors of certain foods.
to preserve nutrients.
to soften certain fruit and vegetable skins in order to make them easier to
remove.
to rid certain items, such as salt pork of too much salt.
to rid food of stale or off odor from being refrigerated too long.
Usually followed by draining and proceeding with the preparation. Blanching will mellow strong flavors.
In agriculture, to blanch is to shield plants from light to prevent its foliage from turning green, as is
done with Belgian endive and white asparagus.
blanquette
French dish made by boiling meat, normally chicken or veal, and thicken the resulting stock with
a white roux. The sauce should be white. Adding cream is optional. A popular American dish was
Chicken a la King, which was technically a blanquette.
Blanquette
Wine grape which is permissible in Armagnac, to make brandy, though it is not used in great
quantities.

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Blanquette
Pear variety.
Blarney
Irish cows milk cheese resembling Swiss cheese.
Blauer Portugieser
German red wine grape variety, the basic red wine grape grown in Germany and extensively
grown in Austria. In Germany, much is grown in the Rheinpfalz region.
Blauer Wildbacher
Austrian red wine grape variety.
Blaufrnkisch
Austrian red wine grape variety, much of it frown in the province Burgenland.
Blaye
French wine growing area of northeast Bordeaux, on the east bank of the Gironde River. Mostly
white wine and some light-bodied red are produced.
blending
Wine term referring to mixing wines of different origin or grape varieties or vintages to obtain a
uniform product.
Almost all wines are blends, but strict government regulations apply to the process. The grape
varieties and percentage of the different wines used are more likely not indicated on the labels, and
considerable wine knowledge is needed to know about the blends.
bletted/bletting
Natural ripening process of fruit, but done by human intervention. Fruit is picked before it is ripe
and laid on straw until the flesh becomes sweet and soft. Some fruits, such as the medlar and
persimmons are edible only after this process.
bleu
French word for blue. In reference to steaks it means very rare, almost raw.
Bleu often used in connection with cheeses with blue veins.
THE BEST KNOWN FRENCH BLUE CHEESES ARE:
Bleu dAuvergne
Bleu de Bresse
Bleu de Causses
Bleu de Corse
Bleu de Gex
Bleu de Laqueuille
Bleu de lAveryron
Bleu de Sassagne
Bleu de Septmoncel
Bleu Laguiole
Fourme dAlbert
Gex Bressanes
Mont Cenis
Pipo Crem
St. Flour
Roquefort
Most cheeses are listed under their names.

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blewit
Mushroom growing on the trunk of pine trees, much esteemed in Japan where it is known as
Matsutake. Available canned, dried and fresh in ethnic markets.
Tricholoma matsutake.
Blewit is also the name for a wild mushroom with a bluish, violet cast, related to the Japanese
blewit.
Lepista spp.
Bligh, Captain
British sea captain and explorer who brought breadfruit and ackee to the West Indies.
blimbing
Carambola variety (see there).
Blimpie
Hero sandwich made in the fast food restaurant chain of the same name. The first restaurant was
opened in Hoboken, New Jersey by three friends, Tony Conza, Peter DeCarlo, and Angelo Bandassare
in 1964, and in 1987 about 8.5 million were sold in nearly 300 stores nationwide. The largest
concentration of Blimpies is in Manhattan, N. Y. with about 60 and in Atlanta, Georgia with about 50
stores.
The standard sandwich was modeled after the submarine sandwich served at Mike"s in Point
Pleasant, New Jersey. It consists of a half loaf of French bread, slices of ham, salami, capicollo ham,
prosciuttini, provolone, and tomato, with shredded lettuce, chopped onions, and a dressing of soybean
oil, vinegar, and oregano.
blind
Baking term, to bake a shell before filling it. In order to avoid the dough sliding into the pan, the
shell is filled with inedible material such as dried beans or other items that can be easily removed.
Standard practice is to line the shell with ovenproof paper or foil for sanitary reasons.
blini(s)
Russian yeast pancakes, usually made of buckwheat flour. Always small in diameter. In Russia,
blinis are eaten with many fillings. In international fine restaurants, blinis are the traditional
accompaniment with caviar
During the pre-revolutionary Russian Maslyanitsa festival, blini stalls lined the streets.
Blinchiki is a Russian term.
Blintzes
Jewish thin pancakes, baked on one side only and filled with cottage cheese or fruit, served with
sour cream and fruit sauce.
Blintzes can also be filled with fish, or with potatoes.
blizzard
Thick, ice cold milk shake a popular treat at Dairy Queen stores.
bloater
British term for fatty smoked herring, a specialty of Yarmouth, England. The fish is prepared
whole, salted and smoked. It is said that the special flavor of the fish is owed by the activities of gut
enzymes. It most be processed very fresh.
blood sausage
Sausage made with blood as a major ingredient. There are basically two types, one variety needs
to be cooked, and one is ready to eat, and served as cold cut. Blood sausages normally contain pieces
of fatback or bacon.
Boudin noir in French, Blutwurst in German. See also Blutwurst.
Also known as black pudding or blood pudding in England.

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blood oranges
Deep colored oranges popular in Mediterranean
areas such as Spain, Italy and northern Africa. Esteemed
for their juice which has a tart, sprightly flavor. There skin
color ranges from orange to
burgundy blush. Their pulp ranges from blush, to light
orange flecked with ruby, to purplish red. Now grown in
southern California.
VARIETIES ARE:
Moros - a sweet, early maturing variety with dark
red to light-purple color.
Paroccos - light red streaked with darker color.
Considered to be the best tasting.
Sanguinelli - dark purple flesh. Little flavor.
Tarocchi - the blood oranges of Sicily.
Bloody Mary
Cocktail invented by Ferdinand Pete, bartender at
Harrys New York Bar in Paris around 1920. He worked eventually at the King Cole Bar at the St. Regis
Hotel in Manhattan where the drink was a house specialty. It is made with tomato juice, gin or vodka,
peppers and Worcestershire Sauce, served with a celery stick.
bloom
Term used to describe the tinge of color on fruit or vegetable, usually where it has faced the sun,
such as a tinge of red on a golden apple or green pepper.
blotkake
Norwegian cream layer cake.
blowfish
Fish also known as puffer or fugu. See there.
BLT
Abbreviation for bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich.
blubber
Wale or seal fat used once as fuel and as food.
blue
Name for blue veined cheeses made in the US, Canada and in other parts of the world. Also
blue veined or blue mold, for cheeses with blue veins. The blue mold originated in caves, but today the
cheeses are inoculated with the Penicillium Roquefort mold.
The cheeses get pierced designed to encourage the development of veining. The holes allows
additional oxygen to enter the cheese encouraging mold growth.
The mold is also available as powder, and mixed into the curd. Blue cheeses are made in many
countries.
WELL KNOWN BLUE CHEESES ARE:
Bavarian Blue - Germany
Blucreme - Denmark
Blue Castello - Denmark
Blue Cheshire - England
Blue Stilton - England
Blue Vinney - England
Blue Wensleydale - England
Blue Shropshire - England

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Danishblue - Denmark
Dolcelatte - Italy
Gorgonzola - Italy
Maytag - USA
Mycella - Denmark
French cheeses are listed under bleu.
blue blazer
Hot bar drink sweetened with honey and then dramatized by pouring burning whisky from one
mug to an other. It is a spectacular drink, but is rather dangerous, but harmless in regards to alcohol
content, because much is burned away. The drink is seldom made today.
The cocktails invention is claimed by the El Dorado bar in San Francisco during the gold rush
days.
blue swimmer
Large crab, common in Australian and in Thai waters. They average about two pounds and have
flesh similar to the American blue crab.
blue catfish
Fresh water food fish, one of the many catfish species.
blue chicory
Edible wild plant. Its roots are dried, roasted and ground, and added to coffee or used as a
replacement for coffee.
blue corn
New Mexican blue corn was considered sacred to the Hopi Indians, who used it to make piki
bread. See there.
blue crab
Crabs harvested all along the North and South Atlantic as far north as Massachusetts, and also
along the Gulf coast. In the winter the crabs are harvested in the Louisiana Bayou country. In the
summer they are also harvested further north, especially in the brackish waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
In the winter in colder climates the crabs bury themselves in mud, literally up to their eyeballs, and lie
dormant.
Crabs typically weigh 1/4 to one full pound and yields less than one ounce of picked meat per
pound. Sold both as hard-shell and soft-shell crabs depending on season.
FISHERMENS TERMS ARE:
Jimmies or No.1 Jimmys - Chesapeake Bay area term for mature male crabs. They generally
contain the most meat for their size.
Peelers - soft shell crabs in the process of shedding or sloughing. When caught, they are put into
water to complete the process.
Sallys - Chesapeake Bay area term for female crabs.
Sooks - mature females, which measure less than the legal requirement for harvesting.
Whiteys - blue crabs which have a gleaming white underside. They have recently
molted,
are no longer soft shell, but they haven"t quite filled out their new shells yet. They are usually used for
canned or processed crab meat.
Also known as Eastern blue crab.Callinectes sapidus. The Latin term means savory, beautiful
swimmer.
blue, poaching
The term is used when very fresh fish, without or with very tiny scales, is poached in an acidic
liquid and the natural slimy film covering of the fish turns blue. The term is used primarily with trout. To
make sure the fish will turn blue, it must be handled as little as possible. In restaurants specializing in this
dish, the fish are kept live in fish tanks.

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blue lagoon
Tropical bar drink made with blue Curaeau and vodka.
blue marlin
Ocean game fish famous for its speed, found in the Caribbean.
blue plate special
Old term for a specialty made by the chef for the day. In coffee shops it was often served on blue
plates, hence the name.
blue mouth
Ocean food fish in the perch family.
blue mussels
Common mussel harvested and ocean farmed in many parts of the world. The mussels are
rather inexpensive. They are available fresh, frozen, canned and frozen on the half shell used as
appetizers. See mussels.
The famous French mussels dish is Moules la marinire. The wholes mussels are cooked with
shallots, white wine and cream.
Moules in French, Muscheln in German, almeja in Spanish.
Myrtilus edulis
blue peas
Legume, one of the tastiest of several varieties of dried peas. They retain their shape when
cooked.
Pisum sativum.
Blue Nun
Wine label of the German Liebfraumilch wine, created by Walter Sichel in the 1950's, and still
produced by the family firm H. Sichel Shne, which is run by Peter M. F. Sichel. Well marketed. Blue Nun
was the first wine brand to advertise on American television.
The label emphasized the words and downplayed the German connection, necessary right after
World War II. The label was a departure from the traditional German wine labels in Gothic script.
Blue Mountain coffee
Famous coffee from Jamaica. The production is small and the coffee is expensive. Tia Maria
liqueur is made from the local rum and Blue Mountain coffee extracts.
Blue John
Early American slang for skimmed milk.
Blue Point
Oyster, commonly found off the coast of Long Island. The term is also used as generic term for
American oysters.
Blue Shropshire
Scottish cheese resembling Blue Cheshire.
Blue Castello
Danish cows milk cheese with blue veins.
Blue Wensleydale
English semi hard cows milk cheese from Yorkshire. The white version is more common than
the Blue Wensleydale.

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blueberries/blueberry
Important berry native North America. They grow in both wild and are cultivated. The wild berries
are often called huckleberries (see there), but both names are applied loosely and vary by locations. They
grow in clusters on a bush, unlike their relative, the bilberry, native to Europe, which grows in single or
pairs of berries. Blueberry have seeds but they are so small as to be unnoticeable. Berries with crunchy
seeds are probably huckleberries.
Blueberries reaching the market are almost all cultivated and large producing states are Maine,
New Jersey and North Carolina and the Pacif. Northwest.
BLUEBERRIES CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS:
Lowbush
Highbush
Dryland
Evergreen
Mountain
Rabbiteye.
The lowbush blueberry, vaccinium angustifolium, makes a good, cold hardy, ground cover, but it
needs acid soil, high in organic matter. The decorative, deciduous leaves turn crimson in fall. Commonly
found in Maine, its blue-gray fruits are sweet.
Blaubeere(n) in German, Heidelbeer in Austria, arndanos in Spanish, myrtille in French,
Vaccinium s.pp.
bluefin tuna
See tuna.
bluefish
Food fish and popular sport fish. Often called skipjack or skip mackerel, rather abundant in the
Atlantic ocean.
The fish has a moderately high fat content.
bluff oysters
Tiny (1 in.) oysters from New Zealand"s South Island.
blush
Term synonymous with bloom (see there).
blush wine
Pink wine, normally served chilled. It can be made with many red wine grape varieties and the
color level depends on the length of contact of the must with the crushed grapes. Blush wine is often
slightly sweet.
Most blush wine in the US is made with Zinfandel grapes, and was created to use the large
vineyards planted with Zinfandel when the traditional Zinfandel wine was not selling well.
Blutwurst
German sausage made with pigs blood and unsalted bacon (fatback). Since blood is very
perishable, Blutwurst was only made when a pig was killed.
It is now made year round and made as sausage to fry, or as sausage eaten cold.
bo tree
Wild fig tree found in India, sacrad to Buddhists.
Ficus religiosa.
boar
Wild male swine. Seldom served in the US, but still hunted in Belgium, parts of France and in
Asia, especially India. The boars head was served in medieval Europe, especially in old England, with
imposing ceremonies at Christmas. Only the younger animals are tender.
Sanglier or marcassin (for animals under 6 months) in French, Wild Schwein in German.

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bob veal
The meat of unborn calves sometimes used as human food. It is considered a delicacy in some
parts of South America.
bob white
Generic term for quail, a game bird. There is much confusion about the name and in the South,
partridge can be called bob white. Colinus virginianus.
Bobal
Spanish red wine grape variety grown extensively around Utiel-Requena.
bobotee
Hot pudding made with almonds, bread crumbs and eggs, flavored with Tabasco Sauce. It is
eaten as a meat substitute with rice.
bocconcini
Italian name for small balls of mozzarella. They are sold plain or sometimes marinated in extravirgin olive oil, often also with hot peppers and garlic.
The term is also sometimes used to a saltimbocca-like dish of a rolled of veal, ham, and cheese,
fried and served with tomato sauce.
Bocconcini means little mouthfuls in Italian.
Bocksbeutel
Bottle used for German wines from Franken and Baden. The German Steinwein was traditionally
shipped in these bottles. The bottle is squat, flat sided and resembles a goats scrotum. The bottle shape
is the same as used for Armagnac and for some Spanish and Portuguese wines.
Bockstein
Famous vineyard in the Saar region of Germany.
Bockwurst
German sausage resembling Frankfurter.
bodega
Spanish word for store, and by extension for wineries and wine storage rooms.
Bodegas Torres
Family wine company in Pendes, Spain and in Chile.
body
Wine term meaning substance. Synonyms include heavy, light, round, full. The term is also used
to describe the strength of other beverages, especially tea.
Sve in French.
boeuf
French culinary term for beef.
boeuf au gros sel
Boiled beef served with a dish of coarse salt. A popular dish in French bistros.
boeuf la ficelle
See beef on a string.
boeuf bourguignon

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Classic French beef stew made with red wine, mushroom, salt pork and small glazed onions. A
popular dish in French bistros.
bog
Marsh or wetland where crops such as cranberries are grown.
Boggs
American cranberry liqueur.
bogrcs
Hungarian ancient, heavy iron cooking vessel, used over an open fire.
Bohemia
Province of the Czech Republic close to the Austrian border and once heavily populated by
German speakers.
Many came to Vienna to work and Austrian cooking is heavily influenced by Bohemian dishes.
Bohemian sandwich
US version of Czech cooking found in the area around West Texas. The sandwich consists of
salami, bologna, ham, and American cheese, baked inside yeast dough.
bola
Portuguese cows milk round cheese flattened at each end.
boiled bagpipe
Slang term for haggis, the national dish of Scotland.
boiled dressing
The term referres to home-made dressings, once popular. The thickening agent could be starch,
cream or vegetable pulp.
boilermaker
Bar slang. A straight shot of whisky, followed by beer; or beer mixed with whiskey.
Bois de vache
Cow dung used for fuel. The word is French Canadian.
bok choy/pok choi
Sweet, white stalked vegetables, good stir-fried, especially with meat. The word choy or choi is
the Chinese word for vegetable. Originally from southeast China, but grown in most sub-tropical areas
now, including southern US. Crisp, thick white stems, with wide, green, slightly peppery tasting leaves.
Many different vegetables are referred to as bok choy. Shanghai bok choy is a darker colored
variety with pale green stems and dark green leaves. Tientsen bok choy is another name for Chinese
cabbage or napa cabbage which is light green and leafy. A common ingredient in Korean kimchi. See
there.
Also known as celery cabbage, mustard greens, pak choy, bok tsoi, bai tsai or pak choi..
Sometimes referred to as Chinese cabbage although this term also refers to a leafier vegetable.
See China food.
Brassica campestris var. chinensis.
bok choy tong
Cantonese/Chinese soup made with bok choy (see there).
Boletus edulis
Botanical name for a species of wild brown mushrooms. Strong flavored, and considered one of
the best mushrooms.

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The mushrooms grown wild in forests and picking them is a past traditional time in some
European countries. The mushroom is not cultivated but is sold at green markets and frequently served
during the summer in restaurants.
The Italian name porcini is often used in the US. The French name is cpe, the German name is
Steinpilz.
bolita
Pinto-like bean, grown by early American Indians. Now being grown again in small quantities.
bolleken
Belgian beer glass, used mostly in the city Antwerp for the local DeKoninck beer.
Bologna
Italian sausage originally from the city of Bologna in Italy, and made from the best cuts of local
pork. In the US, bologna refers to an inexpensive sausage made from pork trimmings and other meats.
The proper name for the sausage is mortadella. See there.
Bologna food
Italian city in the Emilia-Romagna region, known for its fine cooking. The city is probably best
known for its large sausage called mortadella. See there. It is available insuper markets as
bologna/baloney, and has no relationship to the genuine mortadella.
The city is famous for filled pasta. In French cooking Sauce Bolognese is a meat sauce for
pasta.
See Italy food for more information about Emilia-Romagna.
boloslevedos
Portuguese muffins, popular in the Azores. Similar to English muffins, but molded by hand and
flatter and larger in diameter than English muffins. Also chewier and slighter.
bolting
Term for sifting flour.
bolted corn meal
Old term for coarse corn meal that has been stone ground and sifted.
Bolzano
City in Italian Tyrol with a large German speaking population. It was part of Austria until 1918.
The city is surrounded by vineyards.
Bombay duck
Sun dried fish fillets usually deep fried and used as condiment with curry dishes. The fish is a
sardine like species called bummalao. The product is from India.
Also called bombil.
bombe
French culinary term for a dish consisting of layers, placed in a mold, and un-molded at the
moment of service. The name refers to the shape only.
The name is often used for ice cream specialities, but can be used to describe other dishes.
Bombino Bianco
Italian white wine grape, grown extensively for the production of Vermouth and for sparkling wine.
Bomvedro
Australian red grape wine variety.

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Bon Appetit!
Musical based on Julia Child and her television show. It was named for Child"s closing line to her
Public Television show. The musical opened at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC with Jean
Stapleton playing the part of Julia Child.
Bon Appetit
One of the oldest food magazine in the US.
Bonarda Piemontese
Italian red wine grape variety producing light, easy and fruity wines that should be drunk chilled.
Bonbon
French generic term for candies. It means goodgood
Bondon
French unripened cheese, soft, small and creamy.
Bondost
Swedish cheese, but also maufactured in the US.
bones
In cooking, bones are used to make stocks, which can eventually be turned into soups or sauces.
In general, bones in body parts getting less exercise are softer and more flavorful than bones that carry
much weight, and therefore must be strong. Soft bones are from the back and rib cage, harder bones are
leg bones.
There is controversy whether a stock should be made by covering bones with cold water, and
then bring it to a boil, or with hot water. Basically it does not make any difference, and stock started with
hot water will obviously come to a faster boil. Stocks should simmer and vigorous boiling will extract
gelatine too rapidly and make the stock cloudy.
The cooking time of bones varies according to size and age of animal, but prolonged cooking of
any bones will dissolve unpleasant flavors and excessive galantine.
Fish bones should not be cooked longer than 30 minutes.
Poultry bones 2 hours.
Veal bones 6 hours.
Beef bones 8 hours.
The European Common Market issued regulations concerning the sale of bones. According to
unconfirmed information in most countries bones cannot be sold any longer wholesale or retail.
bone marrow
The fatty substance inside leg bones. It is considered a delicacy by some gourmets and
appeared on menus as appetizers or as ingredient in dishes.
boneset
Herb native to the US, used by the Indians to make a somewhat bitter-tasting, medicinal tea to
treat fever.
Eupatorium perfoliatum.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
bongo bongo soup
Spinach and oyster soup from the Trader Vic menu. Trader Vic used to be a restaurant chain
specializing in Polynesian food and decor.
boniato
Sweet potato with creamy white flesh and red skin. It is somewhat drier than yams, but is used
like any other sweet potato. It is used in Hispanic cooking.

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Also known as batata dulce, canote, kamote, kumara, moniato.

bonito
Fish in the mackerel family. The dried flakes are used in dashi, the basic Japanese soups stock
ingredient. See tuna and Japan food.
Katsuo in Japanese.
bonne chauffe
French term, literally translated good distillate. It refers to the heart of the second
distillate, obtained in the process of making Cognac. It is this distillate which is then aged to become the
best Cognac product.
bonne cuisine du terroir
French regional food, which is rarely found out of its indigenous area.
bonne femme, la
French cooking in the style of the traditional housewife, characterized by efficient use of
ingredients and use of meal - stretching items, such as dairy products and vegetables.
The term was also used in classical French cooking for a number of dishes. The best known is
the Filet de Sole Bonne Femme. It is a poached sole, covered with a cream sauce flavored with
mushrooms and chives.
Bonnes Mares
Famous vineyard in Burgundy, France. The wines are red and are considered among the best of
the Cte dOr.
bonnet peppers
Searingly hot yellow chili peppers from Barbados.
Bonny Doon
Santa Cruz, California winery owned by Randall Grahm.
Bontemps
Emblem of a Mdoc, Bordeaux wine confraternity. It is based on the shallow wooden bowl to
beat egg whites to clarify (fine) wine.
Boontling
Local dialect of the upper Anderson Valley of California. It consists of a vocabulary of 1000 or so
words interspersed with English.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE WORDS AND PHRASES INCLUDE:
bahl hornin - good drinking
dom gormin tidrick - a picnic or fried chicken feast.
loweezies - soda biscuits, named for Louisa who made excellent ones.
skee - whiskey.
zeeze - coffee.
Boordy
Small vineyard near Baltimore, Maryland founded by Phiip and Jocelyn Wagner as a hobby as an
experimental station to work with Franco-American hybrid wines.
boova shenkel
Pennsylvania Dutch beef stew and potato dumpling dish.
The name means "boy"s legs".

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booya
Bohemian hearty stew, also found where Bohemians settled in America, such as in Minnesota. A
mixture of meats, such as beef, oxtails and chicken and vegetables such as onions, carrots, navy beans
and/or green beans, celery, potatoes, and mushrooms.
boquerones
Spanish anchovies. Boquerones en vinagre are marinated anchovies and popular as a tapas
snack.
borache
Italian ceramic flask.
borage
Annual plant native to the Middle east of the family boraginaceae. The fuzzy gray-green leaves
have a cucumber-like taste, similar to burnet. The leaves are used in fruit cups, punches, tisane, salads,
and as garnishes. The British believe borage will cheer the heart and improve the disposition, they
sometimes quote the phrase "Borage for courage".
High in calcium and potassium the whole plant can be used for medicinal purposesas an antiinflammatory or as a diuretic. Historically, it has been thought to dispel melancholy. In fact, Pliny named
the plant Euphrosinum, believing it to produce a feeling of well being. The plant is also thought to be the
Nepenthe described by Homer, which when mixed with wine brought on forgetfulness. Borage is
esteemed by the French for curing colds and fever.
Borage is cultivated from seeds and will bloom in summer and early Fall. Its deep blue, star-like
flowers, also known as calendula petals, have a faintly sweet and cucumber-like taste. The flowers are
edible in themselves.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Borago officinalis.
boraginaceae
Botanical name for a family of herbs which includes borage and comfrey.
Bordeaux
A city and region in South-West France famous for wine. It combine perfect climate, soil condition
and location on a river which made shipping by boat possible.
One of the reasons for Bordeauxs success is in blending. Cabernet Sauvignon is the famous
grape, but this is balanced by the use of much Merlot, some Cabernet Franc, and small quantities of Petit
Verdot and Malbec. The wines of the western part of Bordeaux, specifically those of the Medoc and
Graves regions are Cabernet Sauvignon-based. Those of the more easterly regions of St.-Emilion and
Pomerol are Merlot-based. There are 61 classified estates, and about 25,000 small estates, called
Chteau in Bordeaux.
Red Bordeaux wine is known as Claret in Great Britain, referring to its "clear red" color.
Bordeaux regions include the major areas of Margaux, Medoc, Graves, Saint-Emilion, Pomerol,
and Sauternes and Barsac. Some of the lesser known areas are- Bourg, Blaye, Fronsac, Graves de
Vayres, Ctes-de-Castillon, Sainte-Foy, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, Loupiac, Saint-Macaire.
Most Bordeaux wines are red, but south of Bordeaux is the Sauternes region famous for white
sweet wines. Some dry white wines are also produced.
Bordeaux classification
In 1855, the wines of Bordeaux were classified by quality. It started with the desire of Napoleon
Jerome, cousin of Emperor Napoleon III, to present the best products of France as a reply to the 1851
London exhibition.
It took a while to get the different fractions of the wine trade to agree on a general classification of
their wines. Eventually, after much haggling, a classification was established. It has changed little over
the years.
FIRST GROWTH:
Chteau Lafite Rotschild

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Chteau Haut - Brion

Chteau La Tour
Chteau Margaux
Chteau Mouton - Rotschild was added in 1973.
There are four more classifications, and it is impossible to judge quality, because styles and wine
makers change. The five top Chteaux are recognized as still being the best.
Chteau Petrus, considered one of the best wine in Bordeaux is not included because it was not
yet recognized in 1855. It is so well regarded, that it is not necessary to include it in the official
classification.
Bordeaux mixture
Wine making term referring to a copper sulphate based fungicide which combats mildew and
oidium, and permitted in biodynamic grape growing.
Bordelaise sauce
French brown meat sauce made with red wine and originally garnished with marrow. Named for
the city of Bordeaux.
Borden, Gail
Inventor of the condensed milk in 1856. Borden was a restless inventor without formal schooling.
He observed that milk can easily spoil or carry disease bacteria. Efforts to condense milk by boiling over
an open fire failed because the milk would burn and discolor. Borden used a vacuum devise he had seen
at the Shakers in New York and used as heat coil to heat the milk gently. He would only buy milk from
farmers who adhered to the strict sanitary standards he developed.
During the civil war the federal government ordered condensed milk as a filed ration and Borden
became rich and famous.
The Borden family of companies sells industrial chemicals, consumer adhesives
housewares and licenses other companies to sell dairy products under the Borden name. The combined
sales in 1999 were almost 3 billion Dollars.
bordure
French culinary term for border. It was fashionable to surround food platters with borders.
Borders can be made with noodle dough, bread dough, mashed potatoes, mousse, and other foods.
borek/bourek
Turkish, Greek and Armenian cigar-shaped food, made often with thin crepes, or with filo (phyllo)
dough, filled with a meat or cheese mixture, baked or fried untill crisp. The cheese filled pastries are so
common, that they are sold from street carts.
Boureks can be served as hors doeuvres.
Also spelled buerrek, brek.
borekale/borecole
Another name for curly kale. See there.
Borelli
Italian cheese made with buffalo milk.
Borlotto/borlotti beans
Italian bean variety, pinkish with red speckles, usually sold dry. They are used in stews and
salads.
Also known as Saglia beans.
Phaseolus vulgaris.
borodino/borodinsky
Russian dense, slightly sweet wheat and rye bread, lightly flavored with coriander.

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borracho
Spanish word for drunkard.
borsch/borscht
Russian/Eastern European soup made with meats, such as beef or duckling, cabbage, beets and
other vegetables. It can be a substantial dish. In the US, borscht is a red beet soup and is popular hot or
cold in Jewish cooking. It is available in jars with and without meat and is often served with sour cream.
Fine restaurants serve strained borscht.
Polish borscht is called barszcz. Borschok is the menu term for strained borscht.
boruga
Caribbean, flavored yogurt drink. Boruga Capellan is a Dominican Republic brand.
Bosson Macr
French goats milk cheese steeped in wine or brandy.
Boston baked beans
White (Navy) beans baked with molasses, and sometimes with fatty pork. The beans are slowly
baked in the oven. Baking beans has a long tradition in various cultures. Some religions, including the
Puritans who settled in Boston, forbid making fire on Sabbath, so the food was left in a hot oven overnight
to cook. In other cultures, beans were baked to conserve fire wood by utilizing the lingering heat in ovens.
Boston brown bread
Bread made with molasses. During Colonial times, the flour was often a blend of graham flour
and rye flour.
Boston butt
Meat term for pork shoulder blade roast. Meat Buyers Guide # 406.
Boston clam chowder
Clam chowder made with clams, potatoes, fatback milk and cream. It is considered the original
clam chowder.
Boston coffee
Coffee with cream and sugar. It is made by first putting the cream and sugar in the cup and
pouring hot coffee in on top. Why it is named Boston is anyone"s guess.
Boston, cookie history
In the late 1800's, a suburban Boston bakery developed several new cookie recipes and named
them for nearby towns and landmarks. There were the Brighton, the Cambridge Salt, the Melrose, and,
the most famous one of all, the Fig Newton.
Boston cracker
Thin, slightly sweet crackers often served with cheese. The name originated at the beginning of
the 19th century.
Boston cream pie
Boston cream pie is not a traditional pie. It is made with a sponge cake batter baked in a pie
plate, split and filled with custard and glazed with chocolate icing. The confection goes back to Colonial
times, and was also called Pudding Pie.
Boston lettuce
Head lettuce with crisp but delicate leaves, also called butter head lettuce. Related to Bibb
lettuce, but Bibb is somewhat crunchier in texture.

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Boston red, white and blue

Traditional feast enjoyed on the Fourth of July. It consists of red salmon, white potatoes and
blueberry pie.
Boston Tea Party
A 1773 uprising to protest the import duty on tea, the most popular beverage of the time. Chests
of tea were dumped into the Boston harbor by colonists disguised as Indians. Similar protests occurred a
year later in New York and Annapolis.
bota
Spanish wine pouch made of leather. It takes considerable practice to drink directly from the
bota as the wine tends to squirt all over.

botanically perfect
Vegetable growers term meaning self-pollinating.
botaria
The Latin word for wine vessel and the origin of the word butt meaning a wine cask, and buttery
(see there), a place where wine casks are stored.
botoko plum
Tiny, marble-sized, plum-shaped fruit of Indian origin, though it is also found in tropical Africa,
also popular in the West Indies. The fruits are named for its physical resemblance to plums but are not
related. The botanical name for plums is Prunus salicina.
Also known as governor plum.
Lacourtia indica.
botrytis cinera
Noble rot, a beneficial mold, which infects certain grape varieties in specific geographic location.
It needs moisture to flourish. Botrytis if found in the Sauternes region of France, in Germany, and in parts
of California. Wines made with botrytis infected grapes are very sweet because botrytis reduces the
quantity of water in the grapes and therefore increases the sugar and flavor.
Edelfule in German, purriture noble in French.
bottarga/botargo
Italian/Sardinian salted, pressed and dried fish roe, often from mullet, tuna, cod and other fish. It
is grated over fish and pasta dishes.
The Japanese name is Karasimi.
bottle age
Wine term referring to the aging and development of wine after it has been bottled. Some wines
take many years to mature in the bottles.
Fortified wines and distilled liquors do not age in the bottle.
bottle gourd
Another name for the doodhi (see there) gourd, so called because the gourd can be dried and
scooped out and used as a container, as well as eaten.
Lagenaria siceraria.
bottle shop
Regional term used in New England and Australia for liquor store.
bottle sizes
CHAMPAGNE:

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Split
= 6.4 oz (0.187 l)
Half Bottle
= 12.8 oz (0.375 l)
Fifth
= 25.6 oz (0.75 l)
Magnum
= 2 Fifths 51.2 oz (1.5 l)
Double Magnum
= 4 Fifths 102.4 oz
Rehoboam
= 6 Fifths 153.6 oz (4.5 l)
Jeroboam
= same as double Magnum
Salmanazar
= 12 Fifths 307 oz (9 l)
Balthazar
= 16 Fifths 409 oz (12 l)
Nebuchadnezzar
= 20 Fifths 512 oz (15 l)
Sovereign
= 34.6 Fifths 885.7 oz (26 l)
BOTTLE SIZE HISTORY:
The large bottles were originally blown by hand and were so dangerous to make, and handle,
that production of the three largest sizes was halted early in the 20th century. The slightest imperfection
in the glass could cause the Champagne bottle to explode. In 1987, the Societe St.Gobain glassworks in
France developed a safer method of producing these bottles, Nebuchadnezzars and Balthazars, were
reintroduced. The glass is more than 1/2 inch thick, a special sand as ingredients is used, and the
maufacture combines machine and hand processes. The Sovereign is seldom produced because it is so
difficult to handle that it must be served from a cradle.
The magnum is considered the ideal size by Champagne producers. Most fill the large size
bottles by fermenting the wine in magnums and transferring the finished Champagne into the larger size
bottles.
It is not known why the large bottles were given Biblical names; perhaps the names were chosen
for the glory and eminence which they suggest. Nebuchadnezzar was a king of Babylon, Balthazar was
one of the Three Wise Men, Salmanazar and Jeroboam were Old Testament kings, Methuselah was a
patriarch who supposedly lived for 969 years, and Rehoboam was a Hebrew king.
bottle sizes, liquor
LIQUOR BOTTLE SIZES:
1/2 Pint
8 fl oz (0.235 l)
Pint
16 fl oz (0.47 l)
Fifth
25.6 fl oz (0.75 l)
Quart
32 fl oz (0.94 l)
Liter
34.1 fl oz (1.0 l)
1/2 gal 64 fl oz (1.9 l)
bottle sizes, wine
WINE BOTTLE SIZES:
Half bottle
12.8 fl oz 0.375 l
Half liter
16.6 fl oz
Fifth
25.6 fl oz 0.750 l, the common bottle size.
Liter
33.3 fl oz 1.00 l
1 1/2 liter
50.7 fl oz 1.5 l
Half gallon
64 fl oz 1.88 l
Gallon
128 fl oz 3.76 l
Magnum
2 Fifths 51.2 oz (1.5 l)
Double magnum
4 Fifths 102.4 oz (3 l)
Jeroboam
6 Fifths 153.6 oz (4.5 l).
Imperial
8 Fifths 204.8 oz (6 l)
The most common wine bottle size is 25.6 fl oz 0.750 l.
bottled water
Water sold in bottles for human consumption. The water can be destilled or filtered plain water,
mineral still water or artificially or naturally carbonated water. Bottled water is purchased in huge amounts
out of fear that tap water is not wholesome. The sale of bottled water in restaurants became fashionable
as an alcohol substitute.

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bottom round
Meat term normally used for beef, occasionally for veal. The muscel is the located in the leg and
consists of the outside round and the eye round. The meat is though and requires braising. The eye
round is slightly dryer than the outside round.
Meat Buyers Guide # 170.
Also known as gooseneck round. Fricandeau in French.
botulism
Life threatening food poisoning, brought on by the clostridium botulinum bacteria. This harmful
toxin breeds in improperly prepared canned or packaged foods. The bacteria multiplies without oxygen.
bouch
French wine term meaning closed at the mount or bottled, usually the better wine in the house.
bouche(s)
French bite-size appetizers, in most cases tiny patty shell pastries stuffed with a tangy filling.
Boucheron
French goat cheese. Snow white, with a subtle tang, creamy and piquant when fresh, and only
mildly acidic. When boucheron ages, it grays around the edges, turns chalky dry, and becomes
unpleasantly acidic or bitter. Sometimes boucheron is flavored with herbs.
bouchonn
French wine term for corky, spoiled wine caused by a leaking cork.
Boudanne
French cheese made with cows milk.
boudin
A New Orleans specialty, spicy pork and herb sausage, often including onions and rice.
The classical definition of boudin is a sausage made with blood.
boudin blanc
French sausage usually made from veal. Literally translated it means white sausage. The
German version is Weiss Brat Wurst.
boudin blanc au raisins
White sausage stewed with raisins.. A popular Belgian dish.
boudin de Liege
Belgian specialty of the city of Liege. A savory, herb-scented sausage.
boudin noir
French term blood sausage. Literally translated it means black sausage, which refers to the dark
appearance. A popular dish in French bistros. Also popular in Belgium.
Bouillabaisse
French Provenale fish stew. Famous regional dish, which found its way into elegant
restaurants. There is endless debate over what constitutes authentic bouillabaisse. The debate focusses
on the fish varieties, such as the Mediterranean fish rascasse and grondin, whether bouillabaisse it can
contain lobsters, mussels or clams; how long to cook it; and whether it should be served with aioli or
rouille. Bouillabaisse should contain at least three kinds of fish for contrast of texture and flavor. Stock
can be enriched with fish bones. The flavor ingredients are garlic, dry white wine, saffron, fennel and
tomato. Garlic croutons are the normal accompaniment.
Cioppino is the San Francisco version of bouillabaisse.

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bouillon
Clear broth. The name comes from the French word "to boil". Bouillon is most often made as byproduct when beef and beef bones are boiled. Vegetables and spices areused as additional flavor
ingredient. In French cuisine, beef bouillon is the basic beef stock, which is often made into consomm,
which is enriched and clarified beef broth.
The term bouillon can also be used correctly for stock made with vegetables or bones form other
animals.
bouillon cubes
Meat and vegetable extracts, often based on soy beans, with high salt content. They have
negligible nutritional value.
boula boula
Soup, a blend of equal amounts green pea soup and turtle soup, served in cup, topped with
whipped cream, and browned under the salamander. Boula boula was a staple in elegant restaurants up
to the 1960's, when the sale of turtle products was prohibited.
boulangre, la
French culinary term, literally translated in the style of the bakers wife. When cooking fuel was
rare and expensive, women brought casserole dishes the baker to cook them with the residual heat of
the bake oven. The bakers wife watched over them, and collected a small fee.
Dishes la boulangre were always cooked with vegetables, most often potatoes and onions. In
culinary terms it is a dish which had been baked or cooked very slowly.
Boulette dAvesnes
Cone shaped sour milk cheese from France flavored with herbs and spices.
bounce
Colonial alcoholic beverage made with rum, sugar and fresh fruits. It is not clear whether the
fruits were eaten or not.
bounce berry
Other name for cranberries. See there.
bouquet
Wine term referring to the more complex smells of a developed mature wine.
bouquet garni
French culinary term for a vegetable and herb bundle, consisting of carrots, leeks, onion, bay
leaf, parsley leaves and stems, and thyme, used to flavor soups, sauces and marinades.
It is tied into a bundle or wrapped in cheese cloth for easy removal. The composition of bouquet
garni can vary depending on use.
Bourbon
American corn whiskey, made in Bourbon County, Kentucky, where Bourbon Whisky is made
since 1789 and is one of the major products of Kentucky. The county itself is dry. Bourbon must be aged
at least 2 years in new charred oak barrels..
Bourbon was invented reputedly by Elijah Craig, a Baptist preacher in Bourbon County. At that
time Bourbon County was part of Virginia and thus Virginians can argue that Bourbon Whiskey was
created in Virginia.
THE BASIC STEPS IN MAKING BOURBON WHISKEY:
Cooking milled corn with water and some rye.
Mashing by adding barley malt to the cooled mixture. An enzyme is released from the barley
mash that converts the grain starch into complex sugars.
Fermentation is induced by adding yeast. The yeasts are carefully cultivated and vary from brand
to brand. Often mash from the previous batch is added. This step is called sour-mash.

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Distilling the strained mash in steam heated column stills. The liquid is normally distilled twice.
Aging the clear liquid in charred oak barrels for at least two years, and longer for finer qualities.
Bottling the product. It will not change once bottled.
Southern Comfort is a bourbon-based liqueur.
Bourbon balls
Candy specialty from Kentucky.
Bourbon vanilla
After vanilla was discovered in Mexico, cuttings were taken to the French ruled island of Runion,
which was then named Ile de Bourbon, after the French royal family. The vanilla is marketed as Bourbon
vanilla. See vanilla.
Bourboulenc
Wine grape grown in the Rhne Valley and used in Chteauneuf-du-Pape, et al.
bourdaloue
French fruit tarte, served hot. The bottom of a tart mold is lined with sugar dough, pre-baked, and
covered with pastry cream, and sprinkled with crushed macaroons. Poached fruits, such as apricots or
pears are placed on top, covered again with pastry cream, sprinkled with macaroons and sugar, and
browned in the oven.
Bourg
Wine area in northeastern Bordeaux. Some reasonably good red wines are produced.
Bourgain
French cheese of the Neufchtel (cream cheese) type. The cheese is consumed fresh.
Bourgeois(e)
French term for burgher. It is used as wine term to describe wine of acceptable quality and is
also used for simple, wholesome meals.
Bourgogne
French spelling for Burgundy.
Bourgueil
A wine growing town in the Touraine area of the Loire.
Bourguignonne, la
French menu term referring to dishes cooked with red Burgundy wine. The typical garnish
consists of pearl onions, mushrooms, bacon strips and croutons.
bourride
French/Provenal fish soup customarily served with aoli. See there.
Boursault
French soft triple crme cheese.
Boursin
French soft triple crme cheese.
boutique
Term loosely applied to small wineries. For some the size is a virtue and they market their wines
as special products with limited supply.

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Bouvier
Austrian white wine grape.
bower actinidia
Woody vine with red petioled leaves and grape sized kiwi-like fruit, with smooth tender edible
skins. Related to the kiwi.
Actinidia arguta.
bowfin
Fresh water food fish harvested in the Great Lakes and in rivers and marches. The meat is soft
and pasty, but delicious smoked.
Bowle
German wine punch often made with champagne and still white wine, diced fruits and herbs.
Mai Bowle is flavored with woodruff, Waldmeister in German.
bowles mint
Herb in the mint family.
Mentha villosa alopecuroides.
bowtie noodles
Dried pasta in the shape of bow ties. Used in varnishkes, a mixture of buckwheat and pasta
popular in Jewish cooking.
Boxbeutel
Other spelling for the Bocksbeutel bottle. See there.
Box cheese
There are two types of cheese made under this name, a rather firm cheese, resembling brick
cheese, and a soft cheese, called in German Schachtelkse.
boxty
Irish term for mashed and shredded potato cakes. Little girls are admonished in a rhyme:
Boxty on the griddle, boxty in the pan,
If you cant make boxty, youll never get your man.
boysenberry(ies)
Boysenberries are members of the blackberry family. They are large, deep purple and sweet
berries but with a waxier appearance. They are actually a hybrid of various types of blackberries and
raspberries created in California 1923 when Rudolph Boysen crossed raspberries and blackberries.
The berries look like raspberries, but are twice the size. The darker they are the sweeter the
flavor.
Rubus ursinus.
bozzoli
Italian pasta shape resembling cocoons.
Bra
Italian cheese from the village of the same name in Piedmont. Hard white cheese, the loaves
weigh about 12 lb.
Brabant food
Province of northern Belgium in which the capital Brussels is located. The capital is bi-ligual to
reflect the two languages of the country, French and Dutch, and its cooking is also representative of
Belgium as a whole.

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Chicken is so popular that the people are nicknamed Kiekefretters or chicken-eaters. Folklore
tells of a battle once lost because the locals were too involved in dining on chicken. The overall style of
cooking is basically rich, using lots of cream or crme fraiche. Plenty alcoholic beverages, such as wine,
beer, brandy, and other eau de vies are used in cooking. Most Belgian beer is brewed in this region.
Sorrel is one of the main local herbs. The local cheese is called Fromage de Bruxelles.
Desserts and confections include an almond cookie pain damande.
REGIONAL DISHES:
Asperges la flamande - asparagus with boiled egg and sliced ham
Brussels sprouts
Carbonade la bire - beef in dark ale
Croquettes bruxelloise - potato and herring croquettes
Gateau de Bruxelles
Lapin aux pruneaux - rabbit with prunes
Lotte loseille - monkfish with sorrel
Moules - mussels in various preparations
Omelette Bruxelloise - eggs with herring
Potage Brabancon - vegetable and ale soup
Poularde Bruxelloise
Poulet la Brabanconne - chicken baked with endives
Praline - chocolates
Bracchis
Italian-style cafes in Wales/England, named for the first proprietors of such an establishment, the
Bracchi brothers who emigrated to the Welsh coal country from the Po valley in the 1890's. Popular
eating establishments in Wales.
brace
Old menu term for two wild birds served together, such as a brace of pheasants.
braciola
Italian generic word for chop or cutlet. The term usually refers to pork, beef or veal, but may also
refer to lamb. It does not indicate a special preparation.
In Sicily, braciola of swordfish is a thin cutlet stuffed with minced fish, breadcrumbs and cheese,
rolled and baked.
braciolette/braciolone
Italian word, derived from the word braciola meaning chop or cutlet. The term refers to thin cutlets
of meat stuffed and rolled.
bracken
British fern, the fleshy roots can be eaten, though it may contain small amounts of toxin, which
could cause discomfort.
See fiddle head ferns.
Bradenham ham
English dry cured ham from Chippenham. The skin is black because the ham is soaked in
molasses.
Brae Beef
Brand name for beef, named for the Stamford, Connecticut farmer who developed it. Fed on
grain and also sweet potatoes, beer, and garlic in a pesticide free environment. Lower in fat and higher in
protein than most other beef.
Brahma
The largest domestic hen.

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Brahman
American cattle breed founded on cattle imported from India as early as 1849. The cattle thrives
in hot, humid weather. It is easily identified by the grey color and the large hump over the shoulders.
Also known as Zebu or Brahma.
brains
Calf and Lamb brains used to be popular menu choices, but are now difficult to get because they
are very perishable.
The brains must be soaked overnight in cold water, and than in like warm water. The delicate
skin and blood vessels can then be carefully removed, best while still in water.
For most preparations the brains are poached in acidic water for a few minutes, and are then
stored in the poaching liquid. The will firm up. The poached brains are most likely served with brown
butter and capers or other suitable garnish.
The raw brains can also be chopped and sauteed, served over toast or with scrambled eggs
called Hirn mit Ei in German.
Cervelle in French, Hirn in German.
braise
Cooking term for moist cooking with spices, seasoning vegetables, and small amount of aromatic
liquid. The resulting braising liquid is used to make the correspondingsauce. Braising is the preferred
cooking method for moist cooking tougher cuts of meat, but also of vegetables. The French term is
braiser.
braisire
French term for a heavy oval or rectangular cooking pot with tightly fitting lid.
brambleberries
Wild berries related to blackberries.
Bramleys Seedling
Large, slightly flattened, often lopsided apple variety. The fairly thick skin is usually green, though
it sometimes turns yellow. With its sharp taste and somewhat hard white flesh, it is an excellent cooking
apple. Developed in England in the 19th century and named for the Englishman for whom it is named.
bran
The outer layer of any cereal, partly ground. The term bran usually refers to wheat bran, the
most common type, but there is also oat bran and corn bran and others. The bran is separated in the
milling process. There is fine and coarse bran.
Most bran is used as animal feed, but it is propagated as laxative and as ingredient in baking.
Brane Cantenac, Chteau
Red wine from the Haut-Mdoc region of Bordeaux .
Brancellao
White wine grape native to Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain. Other Gallician grapes
include the prized Albario, Cai, Espadeiro, Loureiro, Torrontes, Treixadura.
Brand
German beer marinated cheese.
brandade, brandade de morue
French salted cod puree flavored with garlic and olive oil. The dish is popular in Southern
France. Mashed potatoes are often blended into the brandade.
The dish is also known in Louisiana.

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Brandon puff
Yeast muffin, probably from South Carolina.
brandy
Generic name for distilled wine or fermented fruit mash. The word is from the Dutch word
"brandewijn" meaning burnt wine. It was discovered that distillation will considerablereduce the volume of
a fermented liquid, and make therefore shipping easier.
The most famous brandy made from wine is Cognac, made in a region of France with the same
name. Only brandy distilled there can be called Cognac. See Cognac. Brandy distilled from wine is
also made in many countries and major brands are listed below.
Quality and flavor differences are dependent on the type and quality of the basic wine or
fermented fruits mash, and on the distillation process. Better brandies are double distilled. Brandies
made from wine are always aged, and aging process is an important contributor to quality.
Brandies distilled from wine are almost always blends of different products and it is rare to find a
vintage brandy. Brandy made from wine is normally aged in wooden casks to develop a smooth flavor,
to soften and blend aromas and to enhance the color. Caramel is sometimes added either to deepen the
color or to compensate for a short aging period in wood. In Spain, reduced unfermented grape juice is
added to give color and flavor. French brandies tend to be the driest and lightest, most delicate in flavor.
Brandies made with fruit or berry mash are not aged in wood and are white and clear, except
apple brandy which can be light brown.
Eau de vie is a generic term for fruit brandies. It takes about 70 lb fruit to produce 1 liter brandy.
Grappa and marc are grape brandies made with wine byproducts.
The most famous brandies made from wine are Armagnac and Cognac. Metaxa is a well known
Greek brand, Asbach Uralt is a famous German brand. See under their names.
Fruit brandies include Apple Jack and Calvados when made in Calvados, France, Kirsch (cherry),
Framboise (raspberry), Poire (pear) and Slivovitz (plum). See under their names. Brandies from many
other fruits and fruit mixtures are produced.
Switzerland, Alsace in France and Schwarzwald in Germany are famous for their fruit brandies.
Orujo is Spanish unaged brandy.
See distillation, rum.
Brandy Alexander
Cocktail, mixture of brandy, creme de cacao, and cream. It made its first appearance between
1925 and 1930. Its sweetness and richness disguise its potency.
brandy butter
English hard sauce made with unsalted butter, confectioners sugar and brandy. It is served on
plum pudding and other steamed desserts.
brandy snaps
Cookies, often rolled into cones.
Brandteig
German term for puff paste, pte chou in French. See there.
branzino
Italian/ Lombardy name for sea bass which is also known as spigola in other parts of Italy. The
Mediterranean sea bass has a sweeter taste than the fish caught off American waters.
Braquet/Brachetto
Italian red wine grape variety grown in Piedmont, but probably of French origin.
Bras dor
Oyster from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, flat body.

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Brasenose Ale
English university drink served traditionally on Shrove Thursday at Brasenose College, Oxford. It
consisted of warmed ale with baked apples floating around.
brasserie
French term for brewery and used to describe a reasonably priced restaurant always serving
beer. It is usually open from late morning until late at night, and the food ranges from snacks to full
meals.
A Brasserie was located in the Seagrams building in New York City and was operated by
Restaurant Associates. It became an instant success. It re-opened Fall 1999.
Bratkse
Swiss/German. Cheese from the Alpine regions of central Switzerland. The traditional way of
serving is to cut the cheese into finger-size portions, and grill it on skewers. The cheese is related to the
Raclette (see there).
Bratwurst
German name for a sausage made of pork or veal. The sausage must be grilled or pan fried.
The word brat(en) actually means roast.
Brauneberg
Famous wine village on the Moselle River in Germany.
brawn
English term for pork head cheese.
brayan
Grape tomatoes. Also known as Baby Roma Tomatoes.
Brazil food
Huge country with many regional dishes. The Brazilian national dish is feijoada, a bean and
meat stew. See there. Churrascaria is a restaurant specializing in grilled meats,brought to the tables on
skewers. See there. The city Belm at the mouth of the Amazonas river is famous for seafood.
Concentrated Green Spice is basic to all Brazilian cooking. It is a mixture a hot peppers, salt, oil,
garlic and parsley. Coconut is frequently used in many dishes.
Dende oil is a palm oil with a unique, concentrated flavor. See there. Rice is an important staple.
See there. Manioc starch starch is much used. See there. The most unique cooking is in Bahia. See
there.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Bacalhau al forno - baked codfish.
Bob de Camaro - shrimp and coconut dish from Northeast Brazil.
Churrasco - variety of grilled meats served from skewers. See there.
Costela de boi - beef short ribs.
Couve - stir fried collard greens.
Cozido - stew made with different meats
Cupim - ox neck.
Fritadas de Camaro e Palmitos - casserole with shrimp and hearts of palm.
Lombo Mineira - pork loin stuffed with hard boiled eggs.
Paoca de Carne sca - jerked beef hash.
Palmito - palm hearts.
Picadinho - meat sauce.
Sopa de Feijo preto - black bean soup.
Vatapa - shrimp stew made with dried and fresh shrimp and dende oil.
See Brazil nuts. Tropical fruits and vegetables are listed under their names. See Rainforest
Crunch.

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Brazil beverages
Brazil is the largest grower of coffee beans. In Brazil, the coffee is served in demi-tasse cups,
thick, and very sweet called Cafezinho. See coffee.
Beer is produced in many states, among Brazilian beers is Xingu Black Beer.
Cachaa is a strong brandy based on distilled sugar cane. It is the universal alcohol distilled from
sugar cane but does not taste like rum.
Batida - cocktail made with fruit juices and cach ca. The batida is named after the fruit juice
used, such as Maracuj batida, made with maracuj juice.
Bossa Nova - cocktail made with cach ca and sweet Vermouth.
Caipirinha - drink made with lime, crushed ice and cachaa.
Guaran - soft drink. See there.
Mat - see there.
Quent o - hot drink made with sugar, lemons, cinnamon and cach ca.
Brazil grows a considerable amount of wine, mostly white, in the mountainous southern part of
the country. The wine industry was established by German and Italian settlers and wine labels often
resemble European labels.
Brazilian cherry
Aromatic fruit growing a shrubs in sub tropical climate. Named Brazilian cherry because it was
first discovered by the Portuguese in South America, and cherry for its physical resemblance to the
cherry while still on the bush, but is not botanically related.
Also known as pitanga, cayenne cherry, or Surinam cherry. Eugenia uniflora.
Brazilian guava
Another name for feijoa. See there.
Also known as pineapple guava or guavasteen in the West Indies.
Feijoa sellowiana.
Brazil nuts
The seeds of a large tree native to South America. The trees are growing wild, Brazil is the
largest producer, but they are also harvested in Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador.
The seeds grow four to six pound pods and hit the ground with such force that they can kill a man
or animal. The pods have a very hard shell and contain between 10 to 25 nuts. The nuts are hard to
crack.
Gathering Brazil nuts was intertwined with collecting latex from wild rubber trees in the forest.
The latex was collected during the summer, and the nuts ripened in the winter and provided a different
source of income. Latex is no longer collected from wild growing trees.
Brazil nuts are firm but tender in texture and are high in fat. They are consumed raw, but also
salted and roasted.
Also known as para nuts.
Berthollethia excelsa.
bread
Staple food in many cultures, made with ground grain and water, and in most cases with a
leaving agent, such as yeast or baking soda. Bread has been made since antiquity.
In ancien Greece numerous bread varieties were known, made with different flour combinations,
and in Rome public bakeries existed, often operated by Greeks.
Bread making developed in climates which allowed the use of yeast. In very hot, tropical climates
yeast dough would develop too quickly and spoil, and unleavened bread, such as Matzo, Tortillas,
Arepas, chapati and many other bread substitutes were developed.
Oven bread baking requires a relatively large amount of fuel, and many cultures developed
griddle baked bread.
In Asian countries rice became the preferred grain, and it does not lend itself to bread making
because it lacks gluten, which gives elasticity and body to dough. There was also a scarcity of fire wood,
and cooking developed around the most efficient use of fuel, such as stir frying. However,

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experimenting with local ingredients produces limitless varieties of breads made with potatoes and other
roots, chestnuts and other nuts, beans, and all imaginable cereal flours.
The most important bread varieties are listed under their names.
bread crumbs
Ground bread used for many culinary applications. There are basically two major varieties:
Dried bread crumbs - made with dried wheat rolls, used for breading. Seasoned crumbs are
available for commercoial and domestic use.
Fresh bread crumbs - made by pressing fresh white bread through a sieve. A food chopper is
usually used.
bread dumplings
Center European starch accompaniment to stews and roasts, made with stale bread, milk, egg,
flour and seasonings.
Small dumplings are also made as soup garnish.
Kndel in German, knedliky in Czech.
bread nut
The seed of a large tree native to tropical America. It has the flavor of hazelnuts and can be
eaten raw, but is more likely roasted or boiled.
Bread nuts are popular in Jamaica.
Brosimum Alicastrum.
bread pudding/bread and butter pudding
Dessert with long history in many cultures. Stale bread or cake baked with a sweet egg custard.
bread sauce
Sauce of English origin, consisting of milk and white stock, seasoned with cloves and onions, and
thickened with white bread crumbs. It is traditionally served with game birds.
The bland sauce was intended to balance the flavor of aged game meat. It is seldom served
today.
breadfruit
Large roundish fruit, belonging to the same family as figs. There are seedless and seeded Bread
Fruit varieties. The unripe fruit has a slightly unpleasant aroma, which disappears when the fruit is ripe.
It is a large, heavy fruit, 8 inches or more in diameter. The thick rind had a mosaic like pattern, yellow
when young, and it ripens to light green or brown color. Breadfruit is starchy and eaten as a vegetable. It
is a good substitute for bread but is low in protein, but also low in fat. It is a good source of vitamins and
trace elements, but not of vitamin A.
Breadfruit is originally from the South Pacific and was brought to the West Indies from Tahiti by
Captain Bligh. The shipment is reputed to have been the cause of the famous mutiny on the Bounty,
because the precious little water on the ship was used to keep the seedlings moist and was denied to the
sailors.
Breadfruit is related to the jack fruit, Artocarpus heterophyllus, and is classified as a fruit but
must be cooked. It is usually eaten roasted in the Pacific, and boiled in the West Indies. The seeds can
be cooked and eaten, but the best varieties are thought to be those without seeds.
Poipoi is fermented breadfruit mash popular on the Marquesas islands.
Artocarpus communis, artocarpus incisia.
breakfast sausages
Small sausages usually made with pork and filler, the standard sizes are 16 per pound or two oz
patties.
Bangers in England and Ireland, Chipolata in French.
bream
Freshwater food fish in the carp family. Abrimis brama, spp.

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bream
Ocean food fish family appearing under many names on the market.
Also known as sea bream, porgy, scup.
Daurade in French.
Archosargus rhomboidalis.
breast
Juicy meat cut which requires boiling, roasting or braising. The cut can be fatty and is obviously
very bony.
In French cooking pieces of veal breasts are braised and served as tendron de veau.
Lamb breast can be boiled, boned and pressed. The chilled the pieces can be rolled in mustard
and bread crumbs and slowly grilled.
Stuffed veal breast was a popular, albeit labor intensive Austrian luncheon dish.
breathing
Wine term describing the oxidation which sets in as soon wine is poured in a glass or a decanter.
Some wines improve by breathing and the wine glasses expose a large surface of the wine to air. Some
wines are decanted, or poured from the bottle into a glass flask to aerate the wine and to remove
sediments. However, too much exposure to air,especially of older wines can make them loose much of
delicate aroma.
Much fuss is made about when to open older wines, but the surface of the wine exposed to air
when the cork is removed is so small that it make little difference when the wine is opened.
Breaux Bridge
Town in Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin, the world's largest freshwater swamp. Breaux Bridge is
the official crawfish capital of the world.
Brebis de Gabas
Ewe's milk cheese from the French Pyrenees.
Breidecker
New Zealand white wine grape variety.
Brenten
German cookies, also known as Bethmnnchen. Almond cookies flavored with rosewater or rum,
especially popular at Christmas time.
Brenza/Bryndza
Hungarian and Balkan goat cheese. The cheese is soft and buttery and is used to make the
cheese spread called Liptauer.
Brenza
Goats or sheeps milk cheese made in Eastern Europe. The cheese is soft and buttery.
Also known as Bryndza.
Bresaola
Italian air-dried beef produced originally in Valtellina in northern Italy. The meat is cured in brine,
hung all winter to dry, and served sliced paper thin. Beef tenderloin is normally used.
Bresciano, also called Grana Bagozzo
Italian Parmesan type cheese, but smaller than Reggiano or Parmesan. The flavor is sharp, the
outside is often colored red.
Brescienella
Iitalian semi soft cheese. It has a pale orange washed rind. A pungent version of Taleggio, a mild
table cheese. Good with bread and wine and with fruit.

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Bresse/Bresan
Famous chicken breed developed in Burgundy, France.
Poulet de Bresse in French.
Breton
Red wine grape grown around Chinon on the Loire where it was named for an abbot of the
region. The grape is more commonly known elsewhere as the Cabernet Franc.
The name has nothing to do with the area of Brittany to the northwest of the Loire.
Bretonne, la
French culinary term for dishes containing dried beans.
brewers yeast
Component of active living cells which feed on sugar and produce alcohol and carbon dioxide.
Breweries are very careful to cultivate the desired yeast strain because it will affect the style of
beer.
Brewis
Early American pudding made with old bread crusts.
The Newfoundland Brewis was made with fish, salt pork and stale bread.
Brouet is the French word for pottage.
brewpubs
Breweries with restaurant facilities or a restaurant, bar, tavern, or hotel which brews its own beer
on premise. Such establishments have been popular in Europe for centuries. They originated in the days
before refrigeration, when beer didn't travel well.
In Germany and Austria the term Biergarten is used and basically all breweries had restaurants,
many with outside seating.
Breyers
Popular brand of ice cream introduced in Philadelphia in 1866. The per capita consumption of
ice cream is still highest in the city of its origin. The brand is also used for other products, such as jams.
brick
Pressed dehydrated wine grapes sold during prohibition to home winemakers. It was nicknamed
the illegal pill.
brick mush
Probably an old term for baked cornmeal mush, cut into large cubes.
Brick cheese
Original American cheese, shaped into loaves weighing 5 lb. Semi soft cheese with small eyes,
good for slicing.
Brickbat
Cheese from Wiltshire, England.
Brie
French cheese, but now made in many countries. The semi-soft cheese originated centuries ago
in the Department Seine-et-Maine. The cheese has a rich, buttery texture, and the subtle flavor becomes
richer as the cheese ripens. The cheese should be served when it is so soft that it oozes, but doesn't
run. The white rind is edible, but becomes off-tasting when the cheese is over-ripe. When over-ripe, the
cheese takes on an ammonia-like aroma.
The cheese Camembert is a similar, but stronger tasting version. Other similar cheeses include
St. Brendan* from Ireland.

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The cheese is made in different sizes, but always as a rather flat cake, and sometimes with flavor
additions, such as herbs, mushrooms, spices and others. The sizes are 16 in., 12 in., and 6 to 8 in.
across. For retail sales the cheese is normally cut into wedges and individually wrapped.
brigade de cuisine
French term for kitchen crew. The organization in large European kitchens developed during the
later part of the 19th century, and eventually became the accepted standard for staffing large kitchen. The
kitchens are divided into specific work stations, and the station chefs have clearly defined responsibilities.
Since many large kitchens were staffed at that time by French chefs, the station chefs were given French
titles, which are in use even today.
A LARGE BRIGADE CONSISTS OF:
Sous Chef - the second in command after the Chef de Cuisine (Executive Chef)
Saucier - responsible for all sauces and saute dishes
Gardemanger - responsible for pre-preparation of all meat, fish and garnishes, and for cold food
Entremetier - responsible for soups, vegetables and pasta dishes
Rtisseur - responsible for roasting and deep fat frying
Ptissier - responsible for desserts
Tournant - responsible for taking the place of the chefs on their day off.
The department heads are called Chef de Partie, the helpers Commis de Cuisine.
In very large kitchens, the work is even more broken down into smaller departments:
Potager - responsible for soups
Poissonnier - responsible for fish cooking
Grilladin - works the grill
Glacier - responsible for ice cream and frozen desserts. All terms are masculine because for
many years women were not employed in large professional kitchens. This has changed of course and
the letter e must be added to make the term feminine, such as Chef Poissonniere.
Brighton
Cookie invented by a suburban Boston bakery in the late 1800's. The bakery developed several
new cookie recipes and named them for the nearby towns and landmarks. There were also the
Cambridge Salt, the Melrose, and, the most famous one of all Fig Newton.
brik
Moroccan/Tunisian meat filled phyllo turnovers.
Also known as breek.
brill
Ocean flatfish harvested in the North Sea and in the Mediterranean. The fish is considered a
pan- size fish.
Also known as britt, kite, pearl.
Scophtalmus rhombus.
Brillat-Savarin, Anthelme
Parisian judge and culinary author, 1755 to 1826. His book "Physiologie du Gout", has been
translated into many languages, and is still quoted.
Brillat - Savarin
Triple cream cheese from Normandy, France.
brine
Product used to preserve meat or fish. There are two common methods of brining, dry brining
and wet brining.
Dry brining is using a mixture of salt, spices and often sugar, rubbed on the product and allowed
to penetrate.

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Wet brining is a solution of the same ingredients blended with water. Wet brine is often injected
into large muscles to accelerate the process, and to add weight. Sometimes nitrates and nitrites are
added to meat brine to retain and enhance the red color of the meat.
Products are often smoked after brining.
brioche
French, very rich, yet fluffy yeast pastry, primarily served for breakfast, but also served filled as
appetizer or as hors d'oeuvres. Brioche is traditionally round, and has a small knob on top. Brioche is
also made in loaf shape, and is called brioche bread.
Brioler
Cheese originally made in East Prussia, now Russia. The cheese resembles Limburger. The
cheese is also called Woriener.
brionne
The French name for Swiss chard.
briouat
Moroccan very sweet, rich phyllo turnover filled with almond paste, sprinkled with sesame seeds,
and soaked with orange blossom honey.
brisket
Cut of beef from the breast. It is a juicy, but rather though piece and requires long boiling or
braising. Brisket is often corned.
Since the cut is from the forequarter of the animal it is considered kosher - providing all
regulations are met - and popular in Jewish cooking. Corned brisket on rye bread is the quintessential
New York sandwich.
The word comes from old English for breast.
Meat Buyers Guide # 120 - fresh brisket.
Meat Buyers Guide # 601 - corned brisket.
Meat Buyers Guide # 625 - cooked corned brisket.
Brisling
Small ocean food fish resembling herring harvested along the European coasts. The are often
smoked are canned like sardines.
Also known as Sprats in the Baltic sea. Sprotten in German.
Bristol
English port city much involved with the wine trade with Portugal, Spain and the Island of
Madeira.
One well known Spanish sherry brand is Bristol Cream.
Bristol
Oyster, small to medium with a round shell, harvested off the coast of South Bristol, Maine. Its
plump flesh has a gamy, salty flavor.
Bristol Cream
Brand of sweet sherry wine.
Bristol milk
Term used by british sherry importers for their own sherry.
British cooking
See England food.
British Columbia wines

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See Canada beverages

British Sherry
Sherry substitute, a mixture of rehydrated wine and flavorings that mocks the real thing. It used to
account for about half the sherry market in Britain.
Brittany
Province in northwestern France famous for seafood and lamb grazing on salt meadows.
brittle
Sugar candy, often with nuts and chocolate with a brittle consistency.
broad beans
The only bean variety native to the old world. Along with peas, they were the staple legumes in
Mediterranean area, until the late 15th and early 16th century when slender green haricot beans were
introduced from the New World.
The thick, fleshy, shiny pods are at their best when young and tender. When young the whole
pod can be eaten. Older beans are used shelled. Available dried, frozen and fresh.
Called fave in Italian, where they are a harbinger of Spring.
.Also known as fava or horse beans.
Vicia faba.
Broccio
Fresh goats milk cheese from Corsica, very perishable resembling Ricotta.
broccoli
Vegetable of the cabbage family related to cauliflower. The flower stalks are eaten and they can
be green or have a purple hue.The vegetable was already cutlivated by the Romans and the name is
derived from the Italian brocco, to sprout.
Broccoli is available year round and is rather inexpensive.
.
See calabrese, a type of green or purple sprouting broccoli.
Brassica oleracea.
broccoli rabe/broccoli di rape
Leafy bitter vegetable common in Italian and Chinese cooking. A member of the turnip green
family, it looks like a thin version of budded broccoli, and like broccoli, it is an excellent source of
nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, niacin, folacin, calcium, iron, potassium, and crude fiber.
Its has a pleasing assertive bitterness and should be quickly cooked. It is often cooked with
garlic in Italy. The leaves should be crisp and green on firm small stems. The yellow flowers are edible.
Broccoli rabe can be cooked with other strong flavors, such as sausages or ham.
Also known as cima di rape, rapini or Chinese flowering cabbage
.brochette
French word for skewer used for cooking, as opposed to the decorative skewers called attelets.
la broche refers to a dish cooked on a spit or skewer.
brodetto
Italian fish soup made in countless variations. The name means little broth.
broiler
Kitchen equipment with heat source from above. It can be heated by gas or electricity.
Related is a salamander. The difference between the two is the intensity of heat. A broiler is used
to cook food, a salamander to brown food.
broiler
Chicken about 7 to 8 weeks old and weighing 2 pounds.

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Brolio
Celebrated castle with long history in Tuscany, Italy, and famous for red wine.
Brombeer
German name for blackberry.
bromelin
Natural tenderizing component found in pineapples. Bromelin will de-stabilize gelatine made
from animal sources, but will not affect vegetable based jelling agents. The enzyme is neutralized by
heat and canned pineapple contains no bromelin.
Bronx cocktail
Popular bar drink in the 1930's, just after the repeal of Prohibition. It is made with gin, dry and
sweet vermouth, and orange juice.
brood
Seed oyster about one to three years old.
brook trout
Fresh water food and sport fish. Fish farming and freezing made the brook trout a relatively
inexpensive product. See trout.
Brooklyn cake
Sponge cake, popular in the 19th century. The origin of the name is not known, and it is not
certain that the cake originated in Brooklyn, New York.
broom
Flowering herb esteemed in Scotland in drinks with a reported almond flavor. The buds can be
pickled.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
brose
Old English term for porridge made without cooking. Boiling liquid such as water or milk is stirred
into the cereal. The mixture was hard to digest.
Instant cereal has replaced the practice.
broth
Soup made by boiling meat or vegetables and draining the liquid off the solid ingredients after
they have given up their flavors. Broth is not thickened.
Brotherhood Winery
Winery located in Washingtonville, New York. Begun in 1739, it is the oldest winery operating in
the United States. During Prohibition, it made sacramental wine, as did many other wineries which
remained in operation albeit to a curtailed degree.
brou
Spanish concentrated brine of sea salt, used for curing anchovies in the Catalan region.
Broux de Noix
French walnut flavored cordial.
brouillis
French term, literally translated mixed up stuff. It refers to the first distillate of Cognac which is still
mixed with wine and must be re-distilled.

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Brouilly
Prestigious wine region in Beaujolais, France.
brown bag
Term for bringing food or beverage to work, or to a party, because it is often put in a brown bag.
Brown Derby Restaurant
Restaurant established in 1926 in Los Angeles built in the shape of New York States Governor
Al Smith's derby hat. The restaurant was a favorite of motion picture stars and was a place to be seen.
The restaurant was known less for its food, but is credited with the invention of Cobb salad and
grapefruit cake.
brown rice
Unhulled rice. See rice.
brown scones
Irish scones made with equal amounts whole wheat flour and white flour.
Brown sugar
See sugar.
Brown Turkey
Reddish brown fig variety.
brownie
Rich chocolate cake, baked on a sheet pan, and cut into cookie size squares. It is one of the
most popular cockies, and a favorite since the last century. Brownies can be moist in the center, or also
dry. Brownies are popular in the South. The term is also used for Girl Scouts under the age of ten.
Bruder Basil
Bavarian/German smoked cheese made from cows milk.
Bruges food
City in northwestern Belgium, known as Brugge in Flemish. One of the local beers is flavored with
gruit, a mixture of dried flowers and plants that gives one of the beer styles around Bruges a unique
flavor.
A fortune was made of it by a 15th century Flemish family, who had a monopoly on it along with
control of the hops crop. The family took their name from it and their mansion, Gruithaus, is now a
museum in Bruges.
The city is a popular tourist attraction and house many wonderful restaurants. The food if French
with strong emphasis on seafood.
brl
French word for burned. When referring to the doneness of steak, it means well done. When
used in connection with cream, it means browned on top. Crme Brle (note two e's because crme is
feminine) is a custard with caramel sugar on top.
Brunello di Montalcino
Famous red wine from the Tuscany region of Italy made from Sangiovese grapes., called locally
Brunello grape.
The wine is deep red and slow ripening. The most famous winery is owned for generations by
the Biondi Santi family.
brunoise

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French culinary term signifying food cut in very small dice. The term is used normally in
connection with vegetables. The word also is used to describe the vegetable mixture used as soup
garnish or as ingredient.
Brnsli
German cookies popular at Christmas time.
Brunswick stew
Brown stew originally made with squirrel meat, but now made with chicken or other meats and
vegetables. The name probably goes back to Brunswick County, North Carolina.
bruschetta
Italian garlic toast made with olive oil, garlic and rosemary, often covered with peeled diced
tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.
brush roast
Southern term for oysters roasted on a fine wire grate.
Brussels food
See Brabant food and Belgium food.
Brussels chicory
Another name for Belgian endive or witloof. See there.
Brussels sprouts
Vegetable in the cabbage family resembling miniature heads of cabbage. They grow on a single
tall thick cabbage stem on which miniature heads develop at stem joints.
Brussels sprouts are originally from the area of Belgium and introduced in America around 1800.
In the US, they have been grown commercially only since the 20th century. They are not a popular
vegetable and many people hate them, although they are delicious. They are served often on
Thanksgiving with turkey. The US supply is grown mostly in California.
Choux de Bruxelles in French and Brusselse spruitjes in Dutch, Rosenkohl in German.
Brassica oleracea.
brut
French term denoting extremely dry wine, used especially to refer to the driest Champagnes and
sparkling wines. It is drier than extra dry.
brutti ma buoni
Italian term for macaroons (see there). Literally translated the name means ugly, but good.
bstilla
Moroccan slightly sweet tasting pie of minced meat, or chicken, chopped hard boiled egg, raisins
and almonds, covered with a thin pastry.
Known as pastella in Europe.
buah keluak
Fruits of trees found on the Malayan peninsula. The fruits resembles small, un-peeled coconuts.
The 20 to 30 seeds in each fruit are highly poisonous when raw. They are dried, and soaked for at least
three days to remove the toxin.
The oil pressed from the dried and treated seeds is used in Asian cooking, though the same oil
drawn from raw, untreated seeds can be lethal.
Grown in India and also Indian settlements in other countries, as it is a common ingredient in
Indian dishes.
Also known as kepayang.
Bixaceae.

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buah salak
Malaysian fruit, its skin resembles snake skin. The white fleshy pulp has a mild taste.

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Bual
Madeira/Portuguese white wine grape, producing the rich Bual wine of Madeira. It is the English
spelling for Portuguese boal.
buccatini
Italian dry whole wheat pasta in the shape of small tubes cut in an angle.
Bche de Nol
The traditional dessert resembling a log and served at Christmas. It is made of sponge cake,
filled with and decorated with chocolate or coffee butter cream icing, garnished with meringue
mushrooms.
buchtas
Czech yeast coffee cake, filled with sweet poppy seed paste, fruit, cottage cheese or nuts. It is
often shaped into small balls, brushed with butter and baked close together in a bund pan.
Buchteln are the Austrian version, eaten as dessert or as a main course. Small pieces of sweet
yeast dough are brushed with melted butter, placed tightly together in a baking pan, baked and served
warm with a vanilla sauce or a warm fruit sauce.
Buck's Fizz
Alcoholic drink, also known as a Mimosa. It consists of one part orange juice to two parts
champagne. It was named for the Buck's Club in London, where the drink was introduced in 1921.
Buck was also a Prohibition era drink made with gin and carbonated water.
buckthorn
Shrub with edible red berries often used as purgative.
Rhamnus cathartica.
buckthorn
Shrub or tree found in the southern part of the US with edible berries. They were added to
pemmican. See there.
Bumelia lycioides.
Bckling/buckling
German term for hot smoked herring.
buckwheat
Not actually a wheat, but a herb. The plant originated in the Manchuria and in Siberia. It
probably came with the Crusaders to Europe.
The seeds are light green or brown and have a mellow flavor and are used in cooking. They
should be toasted to improve flavor.
Buckwheat is popular in Russian cooking in dishes such as kasha and blini. Buckwheat is also
used in Jewish cooking.
The name is derived from the German Buchweizen.
Bl Sarrasin in French. Also known as sarazen corn, beechwheat.
The plant is related to sorrel and to rhubarb.
buckwheat honey
Dark honey produced in California. Also known as California sage honey.
Buena vista
Spanish for beautiful view, a name often used by resort hotels and vineyards.

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buffalo
The common name for the American bison because it resembles the water buffalo of Asia and
Africa. Recklessly killed in the 19th century for its meat and its fur as well as for sport, the herds, once
numbering in the millions, were reduced to an estimated 300 animals.
The breed being became a protected species by the end of the century. Now no longer
endangered, it is raised on farms and the meat is available in many states.
Buffalo meat has a more pronounced taste than beef. Attempts are being made tobring this low
cholesterol meat back into popularity and modern breeding methods have made the meat more palatable.
The herds now number an estimated 100,000, not enough for the anticipated demand, but efforts are
being made to increase the herds. This makes good economic sense because buffalo use grain nutrients
more efficiently than cattle, especially in poorer crop regions. A whole buffalo will yield about 700 pounds
of meat.
Buffalo Chicken Wings
Chicken wings browned and tossed in a spicy, peppery dressing, served with celery sticks and
blue cheese dressing to cool the palate. Popularized in bars in Buffalo, New York and now a staple item
in many bars.
buffalo currant/buffalo berry
Native American yellow berry containing one seed. The fruit is tart and is used in pies and
preserves.
Also called clove currant.
Shepherdia argentea.
buffalo fish
Ocean food fish. There are three chief varieties:
Gourd head or Common, Black or Mongrel, White or Small Mouth.
Ictiobus spp.
buffet
Side board, a piece of furniture to place food where the diners help themselves. The term has
become generic for displayed food, and is also used in connection with restaurant names. For many
years the railway station restaurants in Switzerland were called Buffet de la Gare, and many of them were
quite good.
bug juice
Juvenile name for sweet juice, often made with limonade powder.
Bukettraube
South African white wine grape variety.
buko
Term for fresh young coconut sold by street vendors in the Phillipines. The meat should still be
creamy and soft.
Bulgaria wines
The country produces a considerable amount of wine, mostly red. Dimiat is a local white wine
grape and produces a dry, crisp wine. Riesling, Furmint, Sylvaner, Rkatsiteli,and Chardonnay or also
cultivated.
Pamid, Melnik, Mavrud and Kardaka are red wine grapes.
Much wine is blended.
bulgur/bulghur
Ancient way of preserving wheat going back to Assyria. Wheat is cleaned and sieved, soaked in
water and dried. Then the grain is boiled and called danoke or shleepa, dried again and cracked. Bulgur
is ready to eat after soaking.

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Bulgur comes in three textures coarse, medium, and fine. It is also available as white, made from
soft wheat, and dark made from hard wheat.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Bulgur - pilaf
Kibbe - cracked wheat and lamb dish
Jerisheh - breakfast cereal
Mujeddra - Syrian lentil and bulgur stew
Tabbouleh - a bulgur and vegetable salad
Bulgur is the Turkish word for cracked wheat.
Aka burghul in Arabic. Also known as burghul, cracked wheat, pourgouri.
bulk process
Sparkling wine making method whereby the wine is fermented in tanks and filled into bottles
under pressure.
Bull and Bear
Restaurant in The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York. The name goes back to the old hotel on
34th Street, which had a bar popular with Wall Street speculators and stock brokers. The restaurant had
a ticker tape machine, and the guest could follow the market movements, Bull meaning the market was
going up, Bear the market was moving down.
Bull and Bear is also a name for a cocktail.
bullace
Small tree related to the European Damson Plum. The fruits are used in jams.
bullis
Wild purple grapes growing in South West US.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
bullshot
Cocktail made with cold beef bouillon, vodka and seasoning.
Bulls Blood
Famous Hungarian wine, often marketed under the Hungarin name Egri Bikavr. A rich, hardy,
deep red wine made around the city of Egri (Eger).
bullfrog
Large frog raised for food. See frogs legs.
bullhead catfish
Fresh water food fish, an other name for horned pout.
bullocks heart
Variety of custard apple, a tropical fruit.
Anona muricata.
bull's testicles
Delicacy usually served fried. Known as Prairie oyster or criadillas.
bully beef
Old term for canned beef used as army rations as far back as 1870.
bun
Generic name for small, round yeast breads or rolls.

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bunching/bunching lettuce
Another name for leaf lettuce. See there.
Bndnerfleisch/Bundnerfleish
Swiss air-dried beef. The name comes from the Canton (State) Graubnden. Viande de Grisons
in French.
buuelo (bunuelo)
Mexican fritter or a small roll, a traditional part of the Christmas meal. Buuelos are popular year
round in the South West.
burbot
Fish resembling cod harvested in both fresh water and salt water.
Lota lota.
burdock
Root vegetable originally from Southern
Russia, popular in Japan and China, but little eaten in
the US and northern Europe, though it grows wild in
those places. A long slender root with brown skin
resembling salsify. Both the root and the leaves are
eaten.
Pickled burdock called suimono in Japan. Also
known as gobo.
Arctium lappa.

Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

burgoo
Southern stew made with different meats and vegetables. The stew is often associated with
Kentucky.
Borgoo was also a sailing ship provision made by boiling salt pork, dry biscuits and any other
available ingredients until fork tender.
Burgos
Spanish soft cheese made in the province of the same name.
Burgundy food
French province famous for wine and food with a long history of conquests, battles and changing
fortunes. The region is studded with Roman ruins, medieval castles, towns and beautiful estates.
Burgundy cooking has an ancient and proud history, and is considered among the very best of France.
Dijon, the capital of Burgundy is famous for mustard.
RENOWN INGREDIENTS:
Bar le Duc - see there.
Blue de Gex - blue cheese
Cpes - mushrooms. See porcini.
Charolais cattle - see there
Ecrevisse - crayfish
Escargots - snails. See there.
Fromage dEpoisse - see there.
Poulet de Bresse - see there

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Burgundians love their pot au feu, and stage an annual pot au feu festival the first week in April in
Savigne l'Eveque.
TYPICAL DISHES:
Boeuf la bourguignonne - braised beef in red wine
Brochet la crme - pike in cream sauce
Canard au laurier - duckling with bay leaves
Coq au vin - rooster cin red wine
Escargots la mode de Bourgogne - snails
Jambon persill - jellied ham and parsley
Matelot - fish in red wine
Nougatines - almond sugar candies
Pts
Pote Bourguignonne - hearty soup
Quenelles de brochet - pike dumplings
Rigodon - fruit flan.
Burgundy wines
The wine growing area is small and Burgundy produces only about 2% of all wines produced in
France. Many Burgundy vineyards have several or owners, each of whom is likely to cultivate the vines
independently. The practice has led to the term "patchwork quilt being used to describe the wine
growing area. The small wine growers do not have the resources to make and ship their wine, and
therefore sell it to the ngociants who will if allowed blend, mature, bottle and ship the wines. Their
reputation is just as important as that of the vineyard.
Even when famous wines are made from one vineyard, the shippers name makes the difference.
There might be a considerable difference between the wines from the same vineyard produced by one
shipper versus one other.
The red wine is 100% Pinot Noir, except in the Southern Region around Beaujolais, which
produces a light wine made with the Granach and Gamay grapes. The white wine grapes are
Chardonnay and the related Pinot Blanc. The Aligote grape is also cultivated and it makes a rather bland
white wine.
Important Burgundy vineyards and wines are listed under their names.
The US is the largest foreign buyer of Burgundy wines.
American wine called "Burgundy" is a generic red wine, blended from such grapes as Zinfandel,
Petite Sirah, Barbera, Ruby Cabernet, and Carignan. Gallo Hearty Burgundy uses these five.
Burma
See Myanmar.
Burmeister
Trade name of a brick-type cheese made in Wisconsin.
burnet
Herb in the family rosaceae. Also referred to as salad burnet or lesser burnet to distinguish it from
great burnet or sanguisorba officinalis, which is used solely for medicinal purposes.
The plant is native to the chalky soil of southern Britain, salad burnet is also grown in the US.
The whole great burnet plant can be used for medicinal purposes, but the graceful, green leaves of salad
burnet, tasting similar to borage or cucumber with nutty overtones, are also used in salads, soups and
with fruits and in wine drinks.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Pimpinella saxifraga.
Burns night
Commemoration supper held in many parts of the world for the Scottish poet Robert Burns. The
dinner is held on January 21, and Haggies is served with great ceremony. See there.

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burnt almonds
Whole almonds roasted in caramel sugar.
burnt sugar ice cream
Savannah, Georgia specialty, sometimes served with Bourbon butterscotch sauce.
Burrata
Italian cheese from the region of Puglia, Basilicata e Calabria.
Burren Gold
Irish cheese from Ballyvaughan near Galway Bay resembling Gouda. See there.
burrito
Mexican very popular dish consisting of a flour tortilla with meat, fish or bean filling. Literally
translated, the name means donkey, or ass.
busboy/bus person
Assistant server. He or she has a variety of tasks, such as clearing the tables of dirty dishes,
serving water, fetching an extra table war. The origin of the term is vague; Webster's says it is related to
the word omnibus; another explanation is that the term bus refers to a four-wheeled cart used to carry
dishes in a restaurant. The modern title is dining room attendant.
Buschenschenke(n)
Austrian roadside taverns in the wine country. Austrian law stipulates that Buschenschenken can
sell only wine grown on its own property. Buschen is the German word for twig, branch or shrub. When
the Buschen was displayed, it signaled that the new wine was ready and could be purchased for on or off
premise consumption.
busecca
Italian tripe stew or soup, a specialty of Lombardy.
bush meat
Illegally hunted endangered animals in Africa. The meat is often smoked or sold fresh. Gorillas
and other apes are favored targets.
Bush sauce.
A green tomato relish made by an Ogunquit, Maine potter and named for President Bush who
has his summer home nearby. The labeling uses several plays on words, such as those stating that it
goes well with quail, inviting the taster to "shower your taste buds with a thousand points of light" or to try
the "kinder, gentler" version which is one of three hotnesses.
bushberry(ies)
An other name for raspberries and related berries.
butcher block
Large, heavy wooden table to chop bones. Not the most sanitary devise, because it can crack
and harbor bacteria. It should not be scrubbed with soap and water, because the water will soften the
wood. The best way to sanitize the block is scrubbing with saltand a stiff wire brush. In many localities,
wooden blocks are no longer allowed for commercial use, but there is no practical substitute.
butchers' tender
Tasty, if not especially tender cut of beef from the beef chuck (shoulder).

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butifara
Spanish/Catalan robust pork or pork and chicken sausage flavored with garlic. The sausage is
pre-boiled and air dried.
It is part of the cazuela a la Catalana.
butler style
Service style when food and beverages are passed around on platters. The name originated
when households had butlers and maids, who passed platters of food around the table, and family
members helped themselves to food rather than being served by staff members.
Butler service is common at receptions.
butt
Large cask used to age and ship sherry wine. It holds 500 liters, about 132 US gallons.
butt
Meat market term for a beef muscle located in the leg. The meat is rather tender and can be
used for broiling.
Beef top butt - Meat Buyers Guide # 184
Beef loin bottom butt - Meat Buyers Guide # 185.
butt's meat
Specialty of South Carolinas low country cooking. The term refers to salted pork jowl. The
chopped and sauteed meat is used as a flavoring, especially in shrimp and grits.
butter
The fat of milk. The process of separating the fat from milk starts with separating the cream. Fat
is lighter than water and for centuries milk was left standing in shallow bowls and allow to cream to raise
to the top to be skimmed off. Now cream is separated by a centrifuge.
The cream is then agitated by stirring or tumbling until the fat is separated from the milk. This
process was done by hand on farms well into the 20th century. Not the process is highly automated and
all butter is made with pasteurized milk.
Butter comes in many shapes, such brick, stick, tub (often whipped), in margarine/butter blends,
salted and unsalted.
Butter can be classified as Sweet Cream Butter and Sour Cream Butter. Both canbe salted or
unsalted. Most butter sold in the US is sweet cream butter.
Clarified butter, a.k.a. drawn butter, is butter separated from the whey and water. The butter is
simply melted over low heat and the fat will raise to the top, the liquid and impurities will settle on the
bottom. About 80% is fat.
Fresh butter will brown and burn easily. It will acquire a nutty taste desirable to flavor certain
dishes, but not practical for high heat frying. Clarified butter can be used for frying and was once
desirable for frying donuts.
See beurre for French composite butter. Also see also apple butter, a spread which does not in
fact contain any butter.
Butter was considered to have aphrodisiacal qualities in ancient Egypt. The people would place a
lump of butter on their heads and allow it to drizzle sensuously down their face and body. During
medieval Europe, it was eaten as "food" by the poor.
Beurre in French, Butter in German, mantiquilla in Spanish, burro in Italian.
butter bean
Other name for a Lima bean variety.
butter clam
Pacific coast clam. It is believed that the shells were used as money by Northeastern Indians.
Also known as Washington clam.

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butter cream
Sweet mixture made with butter, sugar and flavoring to fill cakes and pastries. To reduce the
richness of butter cream, pastry cream (custard) is often added. Butter cream is used less often today,
because it is high in calories and cholesterol. Butter cream was also blended with egg yolk, beaten egg
whites or whipped cream. Since sugar does not dissolve in fat, the sugar should be boiled to syrup
consistency before added to the butter.
butter crunch
Butter head lettuce with crisp, crunchy leaves. The color ranges from dark to pale green. More
tightly formed than other butter heads. Its sweet flavor resembles that of Tom Thumb lettuce.
butterfish
Rather small ocean food fish harvested during the summer in the Atlantic. It resembles
pompano.
butter head
Another name for the group of lettuces including Bibb, Boston, and butter crunch. All have a
buttery taste and texture.
butter paddles
Small wooden paddles, scored on one side used to shape butter balls.
Butterball
Brand name for a turkey injected with seasoning brine.
Buttermilk cheese
Cottage cheese type, made with buttermilk.
buttermilk
Milk product, the milk which remains after the butterfat has been removed.
The name is
misleading to many who think it has butter added. It is a thinner liquid than milk, with a tangy taste. It
contains less than 1% fat vs. whole milk which contains 3.3%. Buttermilk is made by adding lactic
bacterial cultures to pasteurized skim or low fat milk. The cultures change the milk sugars into lactic acid
to give buttermilk its tart flavor and thickness.
Butternut
Winter squash with pale brown skin. See there.
butternut
The seed of the white walnut. It has a very hard shell. Unripe butternuts are often pickled. See
walnuts.
Juglans cinera.
butterscotch
Syrup or candy made from brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, lemon juice and butter. The sauce is
served over ice cream or cake.
buttery
Originally the term referred to a storeroom for alcoholic beverages in butts, which came from the
Latin word botaria, meaning wine vessel or casks. The term buttery eventually came to mean a pantry
and hence a place where provisions are stored.
Buttiri
Italian cheese made in Calabria and shaped like a log, filled with fresh butter.

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BYO, BYOB
Abbreviation for bring your own, or bring your own bottle. A restaurant or party to which you bring
your own wine or liquor. Common in Australia where BYO restaurants post a sign indicating such. In the
US, usually in establishments where a liquor license is pending or not available. The laws concerning
BYO are vary from state to state.
The New York chapter of the International Wine and Food Society organizes aBYOB event every
year which gives the members the opportunity to bring rare bottles from their cellars and share them with
their friends.
Byrrh
French aperitif with 17% alcohol content. It is red win based, with a somewhat sweet cherry,
citrus, and aromatic wood flavor. Usually served with club soda or over ice.
cabbage
One of the oldest cultivated vegetables with many variations such as Broccoli, Brussels sprouts,
Cauliflower, Kale and Kohlrabi. These vegetables are described under their proper names.
The basic cabbage is native to northern Europe and can be white, green or red. It is classified
by season. It is an excellent natural cleanser for both teeth and the digestive system. Rich in Vitamin C.
A common food in early America and in northern climates because it could be stored throughout the
winter. Sauerkraut is shredded and salted cabbage, allowed to ferment. The word is German.
TYPES INCLUDE:
Nappa cabbage or celery cabbage - plants with celery like stalks.
Red cabbage - dark purple in color. Delicious raw in salads or stewed.
Savoy Round - pale green or yellow-green, with crinkled leaves, mild flavor and always served
cooked.
White cabbage - the most common variety. Tight leaves and light green colored leaves with
white stem. Good in coleslaw and sauerkraut.
See also Chinese cabbage.
Chou in French, Kapusta in Russian, Kraut in German.
Brassica oleracea.
cabbage palm
Palm cultivated for the tender center leaves and heart. The tree is cut down when about three
years old. There are a number of species used.
Also known as cabbage palmetto.
Oreodoxa oleracea/ roystonea oleracea, sabal palmetto.
cabe rawit
Indonesian tiny searingly hot chili. Also known as bird's eye chili.
cabecou/cabecou des Causses de Rocamadour
Small goat cheese from central France. It is marinated in olive oil and herbs.
Cabernet
Wine term used for red wines made from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape.
Cabernet Franc
French red wine grape. The wine grape in Anjou rose wines, and also a popular blending grape.
The grape was brought to the Loire from Bordeaux in the 17th century. Known in the Loire as the Breton
grape.
Cabernet Sauvignon
The famous red wine grape cultivated in the Bordeaux region of France, in California and now
also in many parts of the world. The wine is able to prosper in cool places like New Zealand and also in
the hot Bekaa Valley.

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The grape is very important in California and in Australia and New Zealand. This stalwart grape
makes a wine with great backbone and structure, generally capable of aging well. In the Bordeaux
region, most Cabernet Sauvignon is grown in the Mdoc and Graves districts.
The wines made with Cabernet Sauvignon grapes range from medium to full bodied, and also
take well to having some Merlot, see there, blended in. The aroma has been likened to that of bell
peppers or green olives. These aromas become more pronounced and vegetal in cooler climates such as
those in northern Italy, in low sun areas such as some California coastal areas, and in low sun vintages.
Related to Cabernet Sauvignon is Cabernet Franc, a grape cultivated in many parts of France
and used for red and for ros wines.
cabillaud
French word for fresh cod fish.The term Morue is also used, but refers usually to the salted cod.
cabinet
Rhode Island term for milk shake.
cabinet/Kabinett
German term for the most basic grade for Qualittswein mit Prdikat (Quality Wine with Special
Attributes). The wine must be made with ripe grapes without addition of sugar to the must. The wine is
generally dry.
The term Kabinett is attributed to the Duke of Nassau, who kept special wines in Kloster
Eberbach in a special closet, called Kabinett in German.
Caboc
Scottish double cream cheese rolled in oatmeal.
cabob
Other spelling for kebab, a dish consisting of meat, fish or vegetables grilled on skewers.
cabra
Spanish name for goat.
Cabrales
Spanish goats or sheeps milk cheese. Cabra is the Spanish term for goat.
cabrito
Spanish for young goat, kid. Cabrito al pastor is spit roasted goat.
cacao
See cocoa.
Cacao mit Nuss
German liqueur flavored with chocolate and filberts.
cachaa
Brazilian high proof, clear spirit distilled from sugar cane. Though potent to the head and to the
palate, the best quality can be surprisingly smooth compared to the lowest quality which can be
shockingly harsh.
Cachaa is the main ingredient in caipirinha and batidas, the Brazilian national drinks.
cachupa
African highly seasoned stew of sausages, cassava, potatoes, and corn. A popular dish arid on
the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa.
Cacietto
Italian cows milk cheese resembling Provolone.

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Cacio Fiore
Italian cheese, also called Caciotta. Soft, yellow cheese made with ewe's milk during the winter
months. It resembles Bel Paese, Stracchino and Crescenza cheeses.
Caciocavallo
Italian cheese from the region of Campania. The name cacio a cavallo means "hung over the
saddle". The typical shape looks like a spindle, with pointed bottom, with neck and head on the top. The
cheese is similar in texture to Provolone, but contains less fat.
Caciocavallo Siciliano is the same cheese pressed into molds.
Caciotta di Siena
Italian salty, semisoft cheese with an olive-like flavor.
cackleberries
Australian slang for eggs. Sometimes also called "hen fruit".
cactus
Plants growing in arid regions, usually leafless.
Some varieties are suitable for human consumption. The
cladodes, which take the place of leaves, are eaten as a
vegetable or as salad, the fruits can be eaten raw or used
for other purposes.
The best known edible cactus is of the species
fincus-indica, commonly referred to as Prickly Pear
cactus. The plant is native to Mexico, widely cultivated in
Mexico, but also in other parts of the world, such as
California, Sicily and Israel. Its paddle shaped leaves are
known as nopales or nopalitos in Mexico. The thorns are
removed, the flesh cut into strips, and boiled until tender,
or used raw in salad with tomatoes, onions, oil and
vinegar. The nopales are also sold canned.
Cactus fruits are sold as prickly pears in English speaking countries and as tuna in Mexico. The
term tuna was first recorded by the Spaniards in 1526. The fruits are often eaten fresh, but are seedy.
Much is manufactured into jellies, nectar, puree and even into a salsa ingredient. Seedless frozen puree
is available through specialty purveyors. Cactus fruits should show some green skin when purchased.
The season in California is from August through March. Summer fruit, harvested in Mexico, can often be
mealy. The pulp is red.
Cactus seeds can be ground and used as flavorful breading. Prickly pear paste in Mexico is
known as melcocha.
Other names for cactus fruit are Sabra, prickly pear, Barbary fig, Indian fig. They might come
from different sub species.

Opuntia ficus-indica.
Teddy bear cholla cactus is a small bulbous plant. Its buds and flowers are eaten. The taste
resembles Brussels sprouts.
caddy
Small tea chest.
Cade, Dr.
The inventor of Gatorade. See Gatorade.
Cadillac
Sweet white wine from the Bordeaux region of France, named for the town from which it comes.

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Caen
French city, capital of the Department of Calvados. Famous Tripes la mode de Caen is a tripe
stew flavored with Calvados, the local apple brandy.
Caerphilly
British cheese, made in Wales. The cheese is semi-soft, has a distinct buttermilk taste, and
shaped into disks. The cheese was popular with Welsh miners.
Caesars mushrooms
Edible mushroom in the amanita family which also includes amanita phalloides, the most deadly
mushroom.
Caesar salad
Most popular salad (1995) served in restaurants in the US consisting of Romaine lettuce broken
into chunks, cuddled eggs, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese and anchovies and croutons.
The origin of the salad is claimed by many restaurants. It is generally accepted that Caesar
Salad originated in Caesar's restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico, owned by Caesar Cardini, an Italian emigrant,
in the Summer 1924. On a busy evening the food supply was depleted and Caesar created the salad as a
main course, prepared table side.
Cuddled eggs are egg immersed for one minute in boiling water. With concern about salmonella
in raw eggs, many restaurants skip the egg and use mayonnaise instead. The salad has emerged with
many variations and is often topped with grilled meat or seafood.
Commercial Caesar dressing is made with pasteurized eggs.
caf
Restaurant serving hot beverages, primarily coffee, and desserts, pastries and occasionally light
meals.
At the end of the 17th century, the Turkish ambassador to France introduced coffee as an
"exotic" brew to France. A Sicilian, Francisco Procopio, opened a caf on what is now called Rue de
l'Ancienne Comdie, to sell refreshments such as tea, liqueurs, chocolates, and the new brew. His place
was an instant success. This forerunner of today's cafes is still there and is a designated historical
monument.
The caf concept became a success and part of the life style in Italy, Austria, Germany and other
European countries.
The American version were coffee shops selling a more extensive menu including hot meals.
The traditional coffee shops are being replaced by casual markets/restaurants and in some instances by
caf restaurants modeled after the European prototype.
The major issue is revenue per square foot. The American public was not prepared to pay a
price for coffee which made it possible for cafes to exists. Thanks to changing taste, such as the
acceptance of espresso, cappuccino and flavored coffees which carry a high price tag, cafes are
becoming popular in the US in high traffic areas.
See also Cafe Konditorei.
caf au lait
French, coffee served with hot milk. A New Orleans specialty.
caf brlot (cafe brulot)
A coffee specialty once popular in elegant restaurants, prepared table-side. An orange was
skillfully peeled, with the peel shaped into a long spiral. Brandy was ignited, and the peel dipped into the
flaming brandy. Eventually, the peel was put in hot coffee to steep, and the remaining burning brandy
added to the coffee. The preparation resulted in lousy coffee, but a very theatrical show. It is no longer
made.
Caf brlot became a New Orleans specialty. Also known as Caf Diable.
Caf, Crme de
Coffee liqueur.

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Caf complet
French and Continental European term for Continental breakfast.
Cafe Konditorei
German term for a shop/restaurant specializing in pastries, desserts, coffee specialities, mineral
water and a limited selection of alcoholic beverages. Pastries are sold for take out and for on premise
consumption.
Viennese coffee houses are places where the guests gather and sit over a coffee and pastry,
talking, reading the newspapers that are provided free of charge to patrons, of just gazing at the other
clientele. Konditorei is the German name for pastry shop. Cafe Konditorei offers the best of both worlds.
Caf Ligeoise
Specialty of the city of Lige, Belgium. A mixture of ice cream and coffee, it serves as both a
dessert and a coffee. Usually topped with shaved chocolate.
cafeterias
Self service restaurants. Hot and cold food is arranged on counters, and the customers move
along and serve themselves. At the end of the line are cashiers, and the customers take their trays to
tables.
The first cafeteria was opened to the public in 1885 in New York. Cafeterias were popular in
employee feeding operations.
Modern cafeterias have stations, also called islands or kiosks for different types of food. In many
cafeterias, food is cooked to order in front of the customers. The basic concept, that customers use trays
to assemble their meals, has not changed.
caffe latte
Italian term for coffee with milk, usually half milk, half coffee.
caffeine
Chemical compound of the class methylxanthines. Plants containing caffeine have been used for
centuries to stave off fatigue and elevate mood. Found in coffee, guru nuts,tea (but not in herb teas),
guarana, yaupon, cocoa beans and mat. An alkaloid, safe for ingestion.
Caffeine is used as a stimulant in many parts of the world.
Cahors
Wine growing region in southern France, about 100 miles southeast of Bordeaux close to
Toulouse. The vines grow in the chalky soil of the plateau or on the gravelly banks of the Lot river. They
cover about 7500 vineyard acres, growing mostly the Malbec grape. Its wine has traditionally been called
"black wine" because of its exceptionally deep, dark red color.
cainito
Another name for star apple. See there.
Cai
White wine grape native to Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain. Other Gallician grapes
include the prized Albario, Brancello, Espadeiro, Loureiro, Torrontes, Treixadura.
caipirinha
Brazilian national alcohol-based drink. It is made from the local sugar cane brandy called
cachaa, combined with the juice or maceration of local green lemons, sugar, and lots of ice. Cachaa
varies widely in quality from harsh to relatively smooth, though still quite strong. Brazilians claim that the
best caipirinha is made with average quality cachaa, believing that the finest is too mild to flavor the
drink properly.
Cajan pea

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Another name for pigeon pea. See there.

cajuada
Brazilian fermented beverage made with the cashew apple fruit.
cajuil
Tropical fruit. Acaju in the Amazon Tupi language, caju in Portuguese. Cashew apple in the
Dominican Republic. The fruit is yellow or red with an astringent flavor. The nut is an outgrow of the
fleshy stem hanging underneath the fruit. The fruit is made into preserves and candy. See cashew apple.
cajuina
Brazilian cashew apple juice, rich in vitamin C, available canned.
Cajun cooking
Arcadians, the French speaking people who migrated to the Louisiana Bayou country from Nova
Scotia in the 18th century developed a unique cooking style whichoriginated in the coastal lowlands, west
of the Mississippi River in Louisiana. It combines African (Congolese), Caribbean, French, Spanish and
native American (Choctaw) cooking styles.
French farmers and fisherman who settled in Acadia, Nova Scotia in the early 18th century were
ousted by the British in 1755. They fled to Louisiana where they were referred to as "Cadians" and later
as "Cagians". They adapted their French cooking sensibilities to the local ingredients, notably fish,
shrimp, crab, oysters, frogs, marsh birds, bay leaves, fil powder, and native peppers, but most
importantly crawfish. Some dishes include a unique mustard which differs from the French Dijon style in
that it is spicier and assertive and does not contain wine.
Rice cultivated in the region figures prominently in Cajun cooking. At harvest time, armies
blackbirds descend upon the rice fields to enjoy the rice themselves, but these birds often end up in
blackbird jambalaya.
In theory, Cajun cooking differs from Creole in that Creole tends to be a little more formal. Cajun
cooking offer more stews and one dish meals. See Creole.
Cajuns coffee is thick, strong and black, often with chicory added, and always sweetened.
Cajun cooking was popularized throughout the U. S. in the mid 1980's, especially by chef Paul
Prudhomme.
FAMOUS DISHES ARE:
Blackened redfish
Calas
Crawfish pie
ouffe
Gmbo
Jambalaya
Popcorn shrimp
Wiskey bread pudding.
Cajun popcorn
Also known as popcorn shrimp. They are actually small crawfish tails, deep-fried in a light batter.
Cajun seven-course banquet
Slang. A platter of crawfish and a six-pack of beer.
cake
Baked item, always sweet. Made with sugar, eggs, fats, flour, levening agents and flavors.
The word is derived from the Germanic word kaka. It became Cake in English, and Kuchen in
German.
cala
Creole term for a small, cinnamon spiced, deep-fried rice cake. Served with powdered sugar and
syrup.

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calabacitas
Hispanic term for young, meaty squash. Also known as Mexican squash. See calabaza.

calabash
Tropical vine producing bottle shaped gourds. From the Spanish word calabaza, gourd.
Also known as fuzzy melon.
Benicasa hispida.
calabaza
Hispanic term for gourd vegetable. In the
Caribbean and West Indies, it is a sweet pumpkin.

calabrese
Variety of broccoli with tightly packed green or
purplish buds and particularly delicate flavor, barely
distinguishable from the more common varieties.
The name comes from the Italian province
Calabria, where it was first grown, though now it is also
grown in the US and the Channel Islands.
Brassica oleracea, var. italica.

Calalou
Caribbean spinach, the tender leaves of the taro plant. Also spelled callalou. See there.
Coloscasia.
calamares en su tinta
Spanish squid dish, literally translated, squid in its own ink. The small sac at the head is
punctured and its ink is poured over the dish when almost done, and cooked a brief time longer.
calamari (plural)
The Italian word for squid.
Calamaretti - baby squid
Calamaro - adult squid, singular
Calamarone - giant squid.
calamint
Herbal plant in the mint family. Also known as mountain mint.
calamondin
Tree fruits with acidic pulp resembling Tahiti limes in flavor. They can be cultivated in climates
not suitable for limes and lemons, which do not take well to excessive heat and rainfall. Calamondins
are an important ingredient in Philippine cooking because they provide the acidity often lacking in other
tropical southeast Asian fruits.
Both the skin and flesh are deep orange in color, resembling small tangerines. Filipinos squeeze
the juice over food as they eat it or incorporate it into dishes.
The attractive tree is grown as an ornamental shrub in Florida and California.
Also known as Philippine lime or calamansi.
Citrus madurensis, citrus mitis.
Calcagno

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Sicilian ewe's milk grating cheese, a Pecorino cheese.

calcium oxalate
Irritant which can cause stomach distress when ingested. Sometimes found in dasheen. See
there.
calcium
Chemical found in lime stones, chalk and in some foods. It is used by the body for bone
formation, which continues throughout the lifespan, though it slows down among adults. Calcium also
helps the heart to beat, the muscles to work, the blood to clot, and the nerves to function.
Green, leafy vegetables, leeks, papayas, oysters, and dairy products are high in calcium.
caldeirada
Portuguese fisherman's stew. It consists of clams, mussels, and sometimes squid, in a broth of
tomatoes, onions and spices.
The term also refers to a Brazilian fish stew, especially those served along the Amazon river,
using the local fish, cooked with potatoes, hard boiled eggs, chili peppers, onions, lime juice, and manioc
flour.
caldo verde
Portuguese hearty and filling soup of shredded kale, potatoes, and sometimes sliced sausages,
onions, chickpeas or kidney beans.
Literally translated green soup, although the soup is more grey than green.
calecannon
Other spelling for the Irish potato dish colcannon. See there.
calendula
Edible flower with small orange or yellow flowers. Calendula is slightly bitter tasting and is used in
salads, sprinkled on soups, vegetables, chicken or pasta. The petals add dramatic color.
Also known as pot marigold or borage flowers.
Calendula officinales.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
calf fry
The testicle of a bull calf, a Western dish.
cali ham
A cut of meat taken from the shoulder and containing the arm bone, shank bone, and part of the
blade bone. Most of this cut is covered with skin which protects it during smoking. The un-smoked version
of the picnic shoulder is known as fresh shoulder arm picnic.
Also known as smoked callie or cali, smoked picnic shoulder. The cali in this name is diminutive
for California.
calico clam
See coquina.
California roll
Sushi roll, consisting of vinegar rice and a slice of avocado rolled in nori.
California cooking
Refreshing new style of American cooking which was started by Alice Waters and Jeremiah
Tower at Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California in the late 1970's. It was perhaps a reaction to
nouvelle cuisine in which the French took a fresh look at their own cuisine and broke away from some of
its rigid traditions.

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The emphasis of California cuisine is on using fresh local ingredients, particularly in new
combinations. It has repercussions throughout the US and led to regional cuisines based more on local
ingredients.
The largest ethnic group is Mexican, and their cooking is found in many places.
California Burger
An early 20th century broiled hamburger version topped with lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise
based dressing. It was the forerunner of the fast food Hamburger versions.
calipash
The fatty, gelatinous dull greenish substance in turtles. It was used in soups.
Calipee is the yellow belly meat of turtles.
callaloo
Leafy green vegetable of the amaranth species grown in the West Indies. Believed to contain
magical properties and often used in religious rites, such as those of the ancient Aztecs.
Also known as amaranth, bhaji (in India), dasheen, elephant's ears, sag, and sagaloo, calalou,
callalo, callilu.
callaloo soup
Barbados, Trinidad or French Antilles soup made from callaloo leaves, milk, okra salt pork and
coconut.
callist
Greek sweet wine.
callos a la Madrilea
Spanish tripe stew in spicy paprika sauce.
cally
Irish short name for colcannon, the mashed potato and cabbage dish. See there.
Calon-Sgur, Chteau
Prestigious wine estate in the Medoc, owned before the French Revolution by the renowned
Sgur family.
Calphalon
Durable, anodized aluminum cookware.
Calriso
California grown risotto rice, a cross of Calrose and carnaroli.
Calvados
Brandy made from apple cider in the Normandy region of France. The brandy requires a double
distilling of hard cider which makes a more refined product, and slow aging in oak casks, sometimes with
hazelnut shells thrown in for extra flavor. The brandy is aged in oak barrels for 2 to 6 years. The older
brandies are generally softer and better.
It takes about 15 pounds of apples to produce one bottle of Calvados. The apples used in
Calvados are not particularly good eating apples.
As in Cognac, the process of producing Calvados is strictly controlled. A pot still is used, and
the heads or first distillate and the tails or end of the of the distillation are not used as they have a less
pleasant taste.
No sugar may be added to raise the alcohol level of the wine. The finished product is about 40%
to 50% alcohol or about 80 to 100 proof.

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There are 12 different types of Calvados, 11 of which are named for the valley, or "pays",in which
each is made. The 12th is simply Calvados. The most respected Calvados is from the Pays d'Auge. Only
Calvados from the Pays d'Auge qualifies for the appellation Calvados.
Hors d'age is Calvados which has spent more than five years mellowing in the cask.
Calvados is often consumed as a "trou Normand", or Normandy hole, meaning a chilled glass of
Calvados drunk midway during a large, multi course meal is an appetite stimulant
American counterparts are referred to as apple brandy and applejack.
Calvados is also the name of the department in the center of Normandy which is the center of the
brandy producing area, Pays d'Auge.
calves' foot jelly
Known as petscha in Lithuania where it is a popular dish.
calfs head
The meat is very gelatinous and calfs head dishes have lost much on popularity. Once they
appeared on many menus in France and Center Europe.
The head was split to remove the brain and tongue, soaked to remove blood and boiled until soft
and chilled. Cut in pieces, they were breaded and fried, or prepared in a brown sauce and Madeira wine
en turtue, meaning like turtle.
Calville
French apple variety. See apples.
calyx
The end of a fruit, such as an apple or a pear, which is opposite the stem.
calzone
Italian turnover made with pizza dough and generally the same fillings as used in pizza.
camarones
Spanish for small prawns or shrimp.
camas
Edible starchy root used by the American Indians.
Cambric tea
Hot beverage consisting of hot water, some milk and sugar, and small amount of tea. It was
served to invalids and children.
Cambridge Salt
Cracker invented by a suburban Boston bakery in the late 1800's. The bakerydeveloped several
new recipes and named them for the nearby towns and landmarks. There were also the Brighton, the
Melrose, and, the most famous one of all, the fig Newton.
Cambridge
English cheese, also called York. Soft, un-cured cheese.
camel
The animal is raised primarily for transportation and for milk. Camel meat is less popular, but the
heels were served at ancient Roman orgies as exotic fare.
The animal is not kosher as noted by Levitucus.
camellia
Flower, native to Asia and used in Chinese celebrations marking the arrival of Spring. Camellia
petals are topped with rice and honey, and re-arranged to from a camellia-like flower, symbolizing good
will.

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Camellia japonica.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Camembert
Soft cheese, originally from the village Camembert in the Department of Orne, Normandy,
France. Camembert cheese is now made in Pays d'Auge, France, and in many countries. The soft
textured cheese is like Brie, see there, in appearance and taste. Though the small 9 oz. Camembert
looks like a miniature version of Brie, it has a slightly stronger flavor. The cheese is traditionally packaged
in round wooden boxes.
The invention of the cheese around 1790 is credited to a Mrs. Marie Harel. A monument was
erected in her honor, which was damaged during WW II, and re-built with great controversy concerning
the origin of the cheese. The original Camembert was probably a blue cheese, but the mold was
changed to produce a cheese with a golden crust in France, and a more whitish crust in the US. Similar
cheeses include Carr de lEst, Chaource and Cooleney from Ireland. Canned Camembert is made in
many countries.
camomile/chamomile
Daisy-like plant with strongly scented flowers and yellow blossoms, used for tisane. The
beverage has medicinal applications. The plant was popular in Germany.
Anthemis nobilis.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Camosun
Semi-soft cheese, resembling Gouda. The cheese was developed at the Washington State
College in 1932 to utilize surplus milk.
Campagnard
Belgian gouda like cheese.
Campanilla honey
Mexican light colored honey.
Campari
Aperitif with about 20% alcohol content. Brilliant crimson in color with a bitter and slightly sweet
taste. The flavor is a combination of aromatic wood and citrus. Usually served with club soda or over ice.
It was created by Caspare Campari in the late 19th century.
Campari is an ingredient in Negroni cocktail.
Campbell's
America's largest manufacturer of canned soups for the retail market. John T. Dorrance, an early
president of Campbell's, is credited with having invented canned condensed soup.
Campbell's chicken noodle soup, introduced in 1933, it is the #1 selling canned soup in America
in the 1980's.
Many soups are used as an ingredient in dishes such as casseroles, rather than eaten plain.
Mushroom soup is especially popular for this purpose.
The company also owns other brands such as Swanson, V8.
camphor duck
Duck smoked with camphor and roasted till the skin is crackly crisp. Chinese cooking.
Camphor is a pleasant smelling sap from the camphor tree.
Can sizes
List of the most common can sizes in institutional food service. The weight of cans varies greatly,
depending on density of content.

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Name
#1 picnic
#211 cylinder
#300
#303
#2
#2 1/2
#3
#3 cylinder
#5
# 10
1 gal

Fluid ounces Cups

10 1/2
1 1/4
12
1
13 1/2
1 3/4
15 1/2
2
20
2 1/2
28 1/2
3 1/2
33 1/2
4 1/4
46
5 3/4
56
7
103 1/2
13
128
16

Number
0.308
0.348
0.391
0.449
0.580
0.826
0.971
1.334
1.624
3.001
3.712

Pack per case

24 or 48
24, 36 or 48
24, 36 or 48
12, 24 or 36
12 or 24
12 or 24
12 or 24
12
12
6
4

Can sizes, transposing

Approximate conversion of cans.
One can #10 = 3 cans #3
One can # 10 = 5 cans #2 or
One can # 10 = 2 cans #3 cylinder
24 cans #303 = 19 cans # 2
24 cans #2 = 14 cans # 3
12 cans #10 = 37 cans # 3
Canaan
South African white wine grape variety.
Canadian bacon
Bacon made with the boneless pork loin. See bacon.
Canadian potatoes
See Jerusalem artichokes.
Canada beverages
Wine is cultivated in the Niagara peninsular and extensively in British Columbia, especially in the
Okanagan Valley.
The wines have greatly improved and the wines cultivated in British Columbia rival Oregon wines
in Quality.
Canada is a major exporter of beer to the US. Seagram, the world largest alcoholic beverage
company in the world is originally from Montreal.
See beer and whiskey.
canaigre
Plant related to buckwheat, and growing wild in Western states. The seeds can be used in gruel
or bread, and the leaves have medicinal value. The plant is very tannic, and is used for tanning leather.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Canaiolo Nero
Italian red wine grape variety used as blending wine in Chianti.
canap/canaps (canape)
Small, cold appetizers served on top of bread or other ingredients. In US culinary terminology,
any kind of cold finger food is called canape (spelled without accent). Canapes are served at parties and
receptions, and are usually passed around by servers.
Canap is the French name for sofa or couch.

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canard
French for duck. Canard sauvage is wild duck. Caneton is a young duckling.
canard la presse
Elaborate French restaurant dish, once famous at the restaurant La Tour in Paris, France.
The duckling was cooked rare, the breast carved in the dining room and kept warm, the legs sent
back to the kitchen to cook well done. The carcass was put in a heavy silver press and all juices and
blood pressed out. This was blended into the duck sauce along with Cognac and butter.
The duckling variety was Rouennaise and the birds were strangled to keep the blood in.
canard l'orange.
Duck prepared with bitter orange sweet and sour sauce.
canary seeds
Seeds from a grass native to the Canary Islands. Most is used as bird food.
Cancale
French much esteemed oyster.
candied fruits
Fruits preserved by replacing natural moisture with sugar. The method varies depending on the
type of fruit. The fruits most often candied are cherries, citron, angelica stems, ginger, pineapples,
kumquats, and chestnuts. Candied fruits are used in baking, especially in fruit cakes, and as snacks.
Candied fruits such as lotus seeds, kumquats, and dates are often served during Chinese
celebrations, such as Chinese New Year, to symbolize plenty.
candied flowers
Candied violets are real violet blossoms dipped in beaten egg whites, then into very fine
granulated sugar, and allowed to dry. An alternate method is to dip them into a sugar syrup before
coating them with the granulated sugar. The dipping mixture and/or sugar are often tinted purple.
Candied violets are used primarily to decorate desserts, such as custards and cakes. Candied rose
petals are made the same way.
Also kown as crystallized fruits or glac fruits.
candlefish
Small, edible, oily ocean fish harvested in the Pacific North West and is so oily that supposedly
will burn when dry.
Thaleichtys spp.
candle nuts
Kemiri nuts, see there.
candling/to candle an egg
Method to detect impurities in eggs, to hold it before a candle flame in order to determine
imperfections, such as blood spots.
Egg producers replicate this procedure using high intensity lights before the eggs are shipped.
The blood spots which can occur in eggs do not render them inedible, just less attractive in appearance.
Also used with fish eggs to detect parasites.
candy
Generic term for sweet tidbits in any from, shape, consistency and flavor. Most candies are
based on boiled sugar with flavors added. The word is probably derived from Arabic gand .
The biggest candy buying occasions in the US are Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine's
Day, and Mother's Day.
The largest candy company in the world is Mars, maker of the #1 candy bar, Snickers.

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Hershey is the #2 candy maker and manufacturer of the #2 candy in the US, Reese's Peanut
Butter Cups.
The newsletter of the candy industry is Debs Confectionery Marketing Reports.
candy store
Small shop selling candies, newspapers and novelties.
candy apple
Apple on a stick dipped in especially formulated red sugar syrup to become hard when cold, a
popular carnival treat.
candy ass
American slang for a weak, hesitant, or ineffectual person.
cane syrup
Syrup in the sugar cane refining process. It is mostly used by the food industry to make flavored
syrups.
canela
Cinnamon like bark of a West Indian tree. It is often sold as cinnamon, but is inferior in flavor.
See there.
Also known as Mexican cinnamon.
Canella winterana.
canestrelli
Italian delicate butter cookies from the province of Piedmont. Literally translated little baskets.
caneton
French menu term for young duckling.
caneton (or canard) Montmorency
French popular dish of roast duck with sour cherry sauce.
canistel
Tropical fruit, now grown in Florida.
canned condensed soup
Soup with about half the water content as regular soup. John T. Dorrance, an early president of
Campbell's, is credited with having invented it.
Condensed soup saves shipping and storage costs.
cannellini/cannellino beans
Italian white kidney beans used in many classical Italian dishes.
cannelloni
Italian term for tube, and is used for pasta sheets filled with meat or vegetables, rolled and then
baked.
canning
Process of preserving food in sealed tins or cans by sterilization. It was invented by Franois
Appert in the beginning of the 19th century. It became popular quickly and home canning was practiced
by many house wives. The US was once leading in canned food technology and consumption. It has
been replaced to a large extent by freezing and the availability of fresh produce, meats and fish.
See botulism.

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cannocchie
Italian shrimp. Also known as mantis shrimp. No equivalent in the US.
Cannoli
Italian dessert. A crisp deep fried pastry tube filled with a sweet cream of ricotta cheese flavored
with cinnamon oil and often bits of chocolate or candied fruit.
Canocazo
Australian white wine grape variety.
canola/canola oil
Cooking and salad oil developed in Canada from rape seed oil. The word canola is an acronym
from Canada, oil, low acid. When the Canadians first developed it, it was called LEAR oil, meaning Low
Erucic Acid Rapeseed oil.
Canola oil contains healthy Omega 3 fatty acids, the same as is found in fish oil. It has the
advantage of having less saturated fat (only 7%) than even safflower or sunflower oils. The rapeseed
plant has the disadvantage of containing erucic acid. Most erucic acid can be removed by processing,
and only oil that which is low in erucic acid can be sold in this country.
Rape are widely grown in Canada, it is Canada's second largest cash crop. The plant grows to
about 3 feet. The leaves are used as animal fudder.
Brassica napus.
Canquilotte
French skim milk cheese, also called Fromagre or Tempte.
Cantal
French cows milk cheese also known as Fourme, from Auvergne, in the Department Cantal.
The cylindrical cheese is hard, yellow and sometimes wrapped in pear leaves. The cheese can weigh up
to 100 lb and resembles cheddar.
See Fourme de Cantal.
cantaloupe
Musk melon with a tough outer "netted" skin. When ripe, it has a rich, heady aroma if held up to
the nose and it will yield slightly when pressed at the stem end.
The name might have originated from the former papal estate Cantalupo outside Rome, where
the melons were first grown. Very high in potassium and vitamins. Cantaloup melons are available year
round, with peaks in Summer. Melons are imported during the off-season.
Also known as rock melon, netted melon or nutmeg melon.
Cucumis melo.
Cantenac
French wine town in the Margaux region of Bordeaux.
cantina
Spanish/Italian for bar or saloon.
canvasback duck
Wild duck hunted in most parts of the US, especially plentiful around Chesapeake Bay, along the
Delaware and Susquehanna rivers, and the Long Island Sound. The bird is considered very tasty, and is
hunted extensively.
capachas de budare
Venezuelan tamale wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. Budare is the name of the grill or
griddle used.

170

capachas de jojota
Venezuelan corn pancakes.
Capachas de hojas
Venezuelan tamales steamed in corn husks.
Cape Code turkey
New England slang for baked codfish.
Cape gooseberries
Cherry sized fruit encased in a natural papery husk, resembling a Chinese lantern. Bitter and
green when unripe, it ripens to a mustard gold color, aromatic smell and medium sweet flavor. The
plentiful seeds are soft and edible. The fruit can be eaten raw or used in preserves.
Cape gooseberries are related to Mexican green tomatoes, which are not actually tomatoes.
They come from South Africa; thus the name.
.Also known as Chinese lantern, golden berry, ground cherry and Peruvian cherry.
Physalis peruviana.
Cape Cod
A sandy hook of land in southeastern Massachusetts, known for its seafood such as codfish
which is sometimes warmly referred to as Cape Cod turkey. Also known for its cranberry and beach plum
crops.
capellini/capelli
Italian very thin dry pasta. Capelli dangelo means angel hair and is the finest pasta in size.
capercaillie
Type of European grouse, a large game bird.
Auerhahn in German. Tetrao urogallus.
capers
Buds of the Capparis plant, a shrub growing in Mediterranean regions usually wild in full sun and
poor soil. Large producers are Italy, especially Sicily, France, Morocco and Israel.
They do not stay fresh long and must be processed as soon as they are picked. Because of their
raw acidity, capers are not edible in their natural state. Sold most often packed in vinegar, which along
with the plant's natural capric acid brings out the gherkin like taste. Capers are also sold salted and
dried.
Size is the major indication of quality. Though some eaters prefer the mild large ones, experts
generally value the smaller varieties which grow town the end of the twigs. The smallest are considered
the best. Other indications of quality are uniform size, firm, unwrinkled surface and bright olive green
color. The smallest are called nonpareilles (nonparelles in Italian); then graduated by size are superfine,
fine, capuchin, and capot (or gruesas in Italian). French capers are reputable the best.
Oldest reference to capers is found on Sumerian tablets, dating from 2000 B.C. At one time
capers were considered an aphrodisiac. Today they appear in many cuisines.
Capers are widely used in Danish cooking and Denmark has the largest per capita consumption
of capers. Famous dishes containing capers are caponata, tapenade, vitello tonnato, bollito misto.
Capers are traditionally served with smoked salmon.
Less expensive substitutes include pickled nasturtium seeds which contain the same capric acid
and pickled martynia seeds, fermented black toushi beans, and marsh marigold buds.
Capparis spinosa, caperis inermis.
Caper berries
The fruits of the Capparis plant. When the buds blossom, the pistils develop into a berry the size
and color of a small green olive. Picked with its stem on the fruit is pickled and served at tapas bars in
Spain. Like capers, they do not stay fresh long so they must be treated as soon as they are picked, often
packed in brine before further processing.

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See capers.
Caplan, Frieda
Exotic fruit and vegetable wholesaler in Los Angeles, owner of Frieda's Finest Produce
Specialties, Inc. Thanks to her, many of the fruits and vegetables which we take for granted are now
widely distributed and/or grown in the US.
In 1962, Ms. Caplan began selling fresh mushrooms at the Seventh Street wholesale market in
Los Angeles. She quickly became known as the "Queen of Specialty Produce". In 1962, she helped
launch the Chinese gooseberry in the US, under the more marketable name of kiwi fruit.
caplin/capelin
Small ocean fish harvested along the coast of Newfoundland. Most is used for bait, but same
reaches the market. The fish resembles herring. Also known as Ice fish.
Mallotus villosus/catervarius.
capocollo
Cured pork butt, seasoned with salt, paprika and hot peppers, stuffed into a beef bung, smoked
and air dried. It is a popular delicatessen meat.
Also spelled capicola and capacola.
capon
Castrated rooster chicken to increase weight and flavor. They average 6 lb to 10 lb and are
much too large to be used as single breast for a portion. The term capon breast loved by so many
catering managers is usually misleading.
The practice of castrating roosters goes back to the Romans.
caponata
Italian grilled eggplant, tomato and caper dish. See also tapenade.
Capparis spinosa
The shrub on which capers grow. Capparis inermis is the spineless variety.
cappellacci
Italian stuffed pasta, literally translated "little hats.
Cappellacci con la zucca/cappellacci di zucca are small pumpkin filled ravioli, shaped into hats. A
popular dish in Ferrara. Usually zucca violino squash is used. A similar dish made in nearby Mantua is
known as tortelli.
cappelletti
Italian filled pasta in the shape of a small hat, usually stuffed with meat, such as veal, chicken,
beef or pork, cheese or spinach.
cappuccino
Strong coffee served with a head of frothed milk. The color of the beverage is brown and
resembles the habits worn by capuchin monks.
Cappuccino has been popular in Italy and Southern European countries for many years, and has
become widely available in the US since 1990. A special machine is required to force steam through the
milk to make it foamy.
To make a double cup of espresso coffee, milk is steamed separately in a pitcher, and the frothy
milk is poured over the coffee. Cappuccino is often sprinkled with nutmeg or cinnamon, but these flavors
just detract from the coffee flavor.
caprella
Italian soft ripened goat cheese.
Caprini di capra

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Italian fresh, soft, white, cylindrical goat cheese. It can have a slightly bitter, though not
unpleasant, aftertaste.
Caprino
Goat cheese from Argentine. Caprino Romano is an Italian goat cheese.
Caprion
Italian goat cheese.
capsaicin
The chemical in capsicum peppers which makes them taste hot. It is also a strong irritant to the
eyes and skin.
capsicum
Latin name for plants native to the Americas, including those which are somtimes referred to as
peppers although true peppers are of the genus piper.
Capsicum plants include bell peppers and chilies.
caracoles
Spanish word for snails.
carambola/starfruit

Tropical glossy yellow, thin skinned, deeply ribbed, ovoid tree fruit. Because its five ribs form a
perfect five pint star when sliced, it is also called star fruit. Unripe fruit is green, but will ripen at room
temperature.
Found in southeast Asian countries, the fruit is indigenous to Malaysia, but it has been cultivated
on a small scale in southern Florida for over 150 years and in Hawaii. Also grown in Africa and Brazil.
Most commonly found in markets from September to March.
Carambola is a member of the Oxalidaceae family and contains oxalic acid and is an excellent
source of nutrients such as Vitamins A and C, potassium and crude fiber.
Ripe fruits have a flowery fragrance and can be eaten raw. They should be sliced, un-peeled
across to display the star pattern. The are good with avocados, in sorbets, and as a decorative touch on
such foods as fish to which the less sweet varieties will impart a distinctive acidic flavoring. The tarter
fruits are best cooked, and develop a quince like flavor.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Arkin - the sweetest star fruit, the most popularly grown in Florida.
Fwang Tung
Thi Knight
A close relative is the bilimbi (Averrhoea bilimbi) which is green and thus its name translates to
cucumber tree fruit.
Also known as barbardine, granadilashewla (in the West Indies) and star fruit. Itis not related to
star apple. See there.

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Averrhoa carambola, named for Averroes, the Moorish philosopher who lived in Spain in the 12th
century.
caramel
Sugar melted over slow heat until all moisture has boiled away and the sugar turns brown. This
stage is reached at about 325 degrees F.
There are many stages in between and are used in candy making and for decorative sugar
pieces. Glucose and\or cream of tartar is added to give the sugar elasticity and to prevent the formation
of crystals. The first caramel stage is about 305 degrees. This relative soft sugar can be used for blowing
or molding sugar pieces. Sugar cooked to 310 to 318 degrees can be used for dipping fruit or for making
pulled baskets. Pastry chefs and candy makers have their own formulas to what degree the sugar is
boiled and the ratio of glucose and\or cream of tartar.
The name is attributed to the famous chef Antonine Creme. Literally translated "burnt sugar".
Caramel is also formed by roasting materials containing sugar, such as malted cereal, coffee
and fruits.
See sugar boiling stages.
caramel candies
Sweets made from melted sugar. The candies usually contain cream or milk beside sugar to
make them soft. Caramel sauce is a custard sauce flavored with caramel. Also known as caramels
caramelize
Cooking term, verb to slowly heat sugar, or food naturally rich in sugar (e.g. onions), until it turns
brown. It brings out the flavor of the food.
carapace
The shell covering the main body of a crustacean. Lobster sizes are determined by measuring
the carapace.
Caraquet
Oysters harvested off the coast of New Brunswick. They are large, oblong with a smooth brown
shell. The plump, firm flesh has a briny taste.
caraway
One of the oldest known spices, the seeds of a biennial plant in the family umbelliferae native in
Europe and Asia. The roots are edible, but not commercially available.
The half moon shaped seeds are used in bread, especially in Germany. The German word is
Kmmel, and the seeds are used to flavor a liqueur with the same name.Caraway seeds are also used in
other alcoholic beverages, especially in Eastern Europe. A famous brand is "Danziger Goldwasser".
Caraway seed oil is used extensively in industry.
Carum carvi.
Caraway cheese
Cheese flavored with caraway seeds.
caraway seed cake
English cake, commonly served at tea during Victorian times.
carbohydrate
Essential nutrient. It supplies energy, helps the body to use fat efficiently and saves protein for
tissue building.
The simplest carbohydrate is sugar. Most starches can also be converted by the body into
digestible carbohydrates.

174

carbonade
French term for braised beef slices. The most famous is carbonade la bire, a specialty of the
Brabant region of Belgium made with sauteed beef simmered with dark ale, onions, tomatoes and brown
sugar.
Carbonade la flamande is also a Belgian specialty. The beef slices are braised with bacon and
in the local Gueuze-lambic beer with onions, bay leaf and thyme.
carbonated water
Large group of refreshing beverages made sparkling by impregnating them under pressure with
carbon dioxide gas. The term is not used for beverages with natural gas.
The gas can be shipped in cylinders or capsules, added at the moment of use, or directly in the
beverage.
Carbonated water is cooler than plain water held at the same temperature because the escaping
gas carries off some heat stored in the water.
Also known as soda water.
See mineral water.
carbonated wines
Inexpensive sparkling wines. Carbon dioxide is added to finished wines to make them bubbly.
The method is quick an inexpensive. The process is called bulk method carbonation.
Wine coolers are carbonated wines, flavored with fruit syrups.
carbonization
The method of adding CO2 gas to a liquid to create bubbles. The method was developed by
Joseph Priestly.
Carborundum
Name for a compound sharpening stone, which can be used dry. Other sharpening stones must
be wetted.
carcinogen
Cancer-causing compounds sometime occurring naturally in food.
Carcinogenic is a substance that can produce cancer when consumed.
carciofi
Italian name for artichoke. Carciofi ripieni are stuffed artichokes.
Carciofi alla giudia are Italian fried artichokes, flattened out into the shape of a large
chrysanthemum.
cardamom
Aromatic spice from a plant belonging to the ginger family native to India. Cardamom seeds grow
in three cell, ovate triangular pods enclosing a number of small, dark, wrinkled seeds with a pungent
aroma, spicy - sweet flavor. The seeds are used to flavor Indian dishes, coffee in Arabic countries, and
are used, ground, in baking
Green pods indicate that they have been dried by forced heat, yellowish pods are dried in the
sun, white pods are bleached with sulphur. A few pods or a small amount of ground seeds is all it takes
to season foods.
Elettaria cardamomum.
Other types of cardamon are East Indian plants of the amomun genus, such as the Java
cardamon and Siamese cardamon.
cardinal
French culinary term for red sauces flavored with lobster butter. The name probably refers to the
color of a cardinals robes, and to the expensiveness of the dish.

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cardoon
Vegetable, indigenous to the Mediterranean region in the thistle family and related to artichokes.
The plant resembles dry, silvery celery with a slightly fuzzy, downy skin. Both the stems and roots are
eaten. Unlike artichokes, cardoon flowers are not eaten. The stems can be eaten raw, but are more
likely braised or steamed.
Cardoons are part of Mediterranean cuisine, and popular at Christmas time in southern France.
Also called Spanish artichokes.
Cynara cardunculus/scolymus cardunculus.
Carme, Antonin (Careme)
Famous French chef, author and culinary artist 1784 to 1833. He created elaborate showpieces
(pices montes). Creme worked in Brighton, England, and in Vienna,Austria. Although noted most for
his fine cuisine, he is also credited with having introduced the tall pleated toque (chefs hat) around 1840.
This is debatable.
Caribbean food
An eclectic cuisine influenced by all the colonizers, Spanish, French, British, Indian, Dutch,
Indonesian, Portuguese, and by the African slaves who were brought there. The cooking of the islands
varies depending on the particular history of each island. Meat is often marinated, or highly seasoned,
which was one way of preserving it.
Grilling is popular. Foods include local seafoods, meats especially jerked meat, exotic fruits and
vegetables. Herbs and spices include chili peppers, allspice, thyme, curry, nutmeg and ginger.
Caribbean fruits include acerola, hog plum, jujube, mamey apple, star apple, see all. The
specialties of many Caribbean islands are listed under their names.
caribou
Wild deer in the arctic regions of North America. Caribou meat is usually marinated because it
can be though and stringy.
Carignan
French red wine grape
Carignan Blanc
French white wine grape.
Cariena
Spanish wine grape of the Somontano region. The grape is no longer grown in Somontano in any
quantity, but it is grown in Rioja.
Also known as Mazuelo.
Carlsbad Oblaten (Karlsbad)
Thin crisp dessert wafers with a subtle almond flavor, first produced at the spa Karlsbad in
Czechoslovakia (now Czech republic) in 1787, and named for Emperor Karl IV who discovered the
geyser in 1349, which gave the spa its fame. They are made of ground almonds, flour, sweet butter,
sugar and vanilla, and cooked on special baking irons.
Carlsbad Oblaten are made in made in Minnesota since 1948.
Carmelite water
Herb and spice tea, mixed with white wine, and once used as a restorative. The infusion usually
includes lemon balm, lemon peel, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. It is still made in France as Eau de
Mlisse de Carmes.
Carmerene
French red wine grape variety. It was extensively grown in Bordeaux, but much affected by
phylloxera. Little is grown today.

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Carnaroli
Short-grained, polished Italian rice, similar to Arborio but slightly faster cooking. Like Arborio, it is
prized for making risotto. Not generally available in America.
carnations
Decorative flowers that have been used in salads, in drinks and syrups, to flavor vinegar and the
buds can be pickled.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Also known as gilliflowers
Caryophyllaceae spp.
carne del sol
Brazilian term for beef jerky made from salted, sun dried beef flank.. Literally translated carne del
sol means meat of the sun. Also known as carne sca or charque.
carne seca
Spanish/Hispanic term for dried meat, usually beef. Drying is a method of preserving meat and
was widely used in the days before refrigeration.
It is the same concept as Beef Jerkey in the US, Bndnerfleish in Switzerland, and Bresola in
Italy.
Carne secca in Italian has its roots in Roman Jewish cuisine.
carne de membrillo
Spanish term for quince paste.
carne de porco Alentejana
Portuguese. One of the most popular and ubiquitous Portuguese dishes. A combination of pork
and clams.
carnelian cherry
See cornel.
Carnelian
American wine grape, first grown in 1972. A cross between Carignan, Cabernet Sauvignon and
Grenache.
Carnellan is California red wine grape variety, relatively new, a prolific producer. It might be the
same as above.
carnitas
Mexican deep fried pork chunks. They are often served with lime wedges and condiments such
as salsa, jalapea, and sliced onions and radishes, and with side dishes such as tortillas and beans.
Literally translated, "little meats",
carob bean
Sweet, succulent long brown pods,
the fruits from an evergreen tree native to
the Middle East. The pods contain tiny
hard seeds which are not eaten. The pods
can be chewed for a sweet treat, or
manufactured into molasses and ground as
a healthy chocolate substitute as they
contain no caffeine or oxalic acid and have
half the fat of cocoa.

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Confections made are made by combining the carob powder with a fatty substance such as palm
kernel oil. The pods are also used as animal feed. Gum made from carob is used as a binding agent in
processed cheeses.
.
Also known as St. John's bread, named for St. John the Baptist, Locust Bean, Honey bread and
Algarroba.
Ceratonia Siliqua
Carolina Gold
Pure, non hybrid strain of rice which was originally brought to North American from Madagascar
in the late 17th century. Once a popular and prevalent rice in South Carolina, it was one of the major local
crops in the area around Charleston. However, natural disasters as well as the Civil War and abolition of
slavery mostly ended the local rice industry. The last crop for some time was harvested in 1927.
But in the late 1980's, Richard and Patricia Schulze persuaded the US Department of Agriculture
Rice Bureau to propagate seeds that had have been kept in a seed bank. The Schulzes obtained and
planted the seeds at Turnbridge Plantation, South Carolina, and the rice began to be harvested again
though on a small scale. Named for the color of its un hulled grain. Firm textured and mild flavored.
carotene
The yellow pigment in carrots and other plants. It is heigh in vitamin A.
Also known as carotine.
Carougeoise
Beer glass for Genevese beer, named for a town near Geneva, New York State. The term refers
to a specific 2 1/2 decilitre size. A brewer refusing to raise the price of his beer to equal other prices in the
area ordered glasses made little smaller instead.
carp
Fresh water food fish native to China. The fish is prolific and tenacious, easily cultivated in still
waters . Carp can be divided into two categories, with scales and without scales, although all carp have
some scales and are therefore considered kosher.
Carp are bottom feeders, and live in ponds or stream. The fish was introduced to the US from
Europe in the late 1800's, and never became popular on account of its dark red meat, often muddy taste,
and bony structure. Carp is esteemed in Center and Eastern European cooking, and it also the main
ingredients in gefilte fish, a Jewish fish dumpling.
Carp is the traditional Christmas eve dinner in
Vienna, Austria. Carp without scales is called Spiegelkarpfen in Austria, because the shiny skin
resembles a mirror, Spiegel in German.
Carp roe is tinted red or pink and used as caviar. It is also used in a Greek dip called
taramasalata. Tarama is the Greek name.
Cyprinus carpio.
carpaccio
Italian appetizer of extra thin slices of un-cooked beef, made with completely trimmed sirloin or
beef tenderloin. The meat should be semi frozen, and sliced very thin and a slicing machine. The slices
are served on a large plate, sprinkled with freshly ground pepper, dribbled with extra virgin olive oil,
sprinkled with freshly grated Parmesan, or with a Mayonnaise based sauce.
Carpaccio was invented by Harry Cipriani at the Venice Harry's Bar in 1952 and named after a
painter who was exhibiting locally at the time.
The term carpaccio has been adopted by chefs for other foods served in thin slices, such as
salmon carpaccio or venison carpaccio.
carpetbagger steak
Steak stuffed with oysters, resembling a traveling pouch. The dish and name is popular in
Australia.

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carrageen
Thickening agent derived from Irish Moss seaweed. The plants are washed and dried, and are
used in food manufacturing.
Carrageen moss is also eaten as vegetable.
Also known as pearl moss, carragheen. See Irish moss.
Carr de l'Est
French cheese , resembling Camembert. The cheese is milder than Camembert, and is packed
in square boxes.
Carr
Generic term for a rich French soft cheese packed in squares, also known as Double Crme.
carrot(s)
Inexpensive root vegetable native to Europe and cultivated in temperate climate throughout the
world.
It is consumed as vegetable or salad raw and cooked, and is also used to flavor and thicken
soups and sauces. Large, coarse carrots are referred to as horse carrots, and are used as animal food.
Carrot juice is a health bar beverage.
Carotte in French, Karotten in German, carota in Italian, zanahoria in Spanish.
Daucus carota.
Carruades de Chteau Lafite
Former name for the second label of Chteau Lafite Rothschild, normally made from grapes from
younger wines. The wine is called now La Forts de Latour .
carum carvi
Botanical name for caraway.
Caruso, Enrico
Famed opera singer, 1873 - 1921, who was fond of cooking and is credited with liking Spaghetti
Caruso, and the dish named for him. It consists of spaghetti in a tomato sauce with garlic scented olive
oil, basil, parsley, and red peppers, dusted with Parmesan and topped with coins of fried zucchini.
A more common restaurant version consists of spaghetti served with sauteed chicken livers.
Carver, George Washington
Black American agricultural chemist and educator, 1864 to 1943, who developed many uses for
peanuts. He is sometimes credited with developing peanut butter, although this is more often attributed to
a St. Louis physician. See peanut butter.
cary ga banh mi
Vietnamese curry eaten with bread.
carzamoras
Spanish term for blackberries. See there.
casaba melons
Group of winter melons, including honeydew. Round to oval, thick skinned melons, about one
foot long, with ridged, pale yellow skin and creamy white, moderately sweet flesh. As the Latin name
implies, they have no smell, making their ripeness difficult to determine.
Casaba melons are normally ripened off the vine.
Cucumis melo var. inodorus.
casareccia
Italian dry pasta in the shape of two strings twisted on one end.

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casalinga
Italian term for house wife style, such as chicken casalinga. The French term on menus would be
bonne femme.
casatiello
Italian/Neapolitan Easter bread, made with a yeast and egg dough. A high round loaf, studded
with cheese and ham.
Cascade berries
Deep purple berries native to the Pacific Northwest.
Cascade
Early ripening red grape variety.
case, to
An old English term meaning to remove the skin of an animal, as to skin a rabbit.
casein
The major protein component of milk, and the basic component in cheese. It is an important
ingredient in industry, and can also be made from soy beans.
Also known as paracasein.
Cashel Irish Blue
Creamy, soft, sharp blue cheese, made in County Tipperary, Ireland by small farmers.
cashew apples/cashew nuts
Tropical heart shaped fruits with a single protruding kernel beneath the fruits. The red skinned
fruits are the base of the flowers. The fruits of the tree are the nut. Their slightly sour taste is a useful
ingredient in preserves and drinks. The fruit is related to poison ivy, and the kernel juice is caustic and
can cause acute discomfort. Cashew apples are difficult to harvest because the sap of the tree, as well
as the shell of the nut, cause skin inflammation. About 100 to 150 lb fruit yield 6 lb dried kernels.
Cashew are rich in phosphorous and vitamins A and C. The nuts should only be eaten roasted.
Cashew trees are plentiful in the rain forests of Brazil. The nuts are rather inexpensive and are
often included in cocktail nuts mix.
Anacardium occidentale.
Casigiolu
Cheese made in Sardinia, basically the same as Caciocavallo. Also called Panedda or Pera di
Vacca.
cassareep
The condensed juice of the bitter cassava or manioc. It is used in condiments.
cassata Siciliana
Italian rich sweet dessert, commonly eaten at Easter time, when the Lenten fast is broken.
Sponge cake, layered with chocolate and citron studded ricotta cheese, topped with a rich sweet icing,
trimmed with marzipan, and garnished with glaceed fruit. As the name implies, it is a specialty of Sicily.
Some versions are frozen and the name reefers to the box-like shaped of layered ice cream.
cassava
Fibrous, starchy root, native to the tropics of South America, where it is the major source of
starch in many countries, such as Brazil and Colombia. Also popular in the West Indies, in West Africa
and in southeast Asia. It is closely related to manioc, see there.
There are many varieties and many uses. The varieties break into two categories, sweet and
bitter. The bitter varieties contain hydrocyanic acid and are highly poisonous if eaten raw. The bitter

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varieties must be grated and washed to draw out the poisons. Both the bitter and the bland tubers must
be cooked.
Sweet cassava is eaten like potatoes in chunks or mashed. The flour is used as a thickener and
is used to make tapioca, a popular thickener available in flakes and pearls.
The leaves can be eaten as vegetable, and the fermented mash is distilled into an alcoholic beverage.
The starchy flesh is covered by a dense, sometimes hairy outer skin. Cassava is nutritious and
contains traces of calcium and other minerals. It can be found fresh in Latin American markets under the
name of yuca, and is also available peeled and frozen.
Also known as aipim, manioc, mandioca in Brazil, tapioca in southeast Asia, yuca and yucca.
Manihot utilissima.
casse crote
French Canadian word for a lunch counter, meaning break bread.
casserole
French, baking dish with lid. Originally an oven-proof dish made of earthenware, now made of
metal. The food cooked in it is also called casserole. The original French casserole dishes consisted of
food cooked in the same pot from the raw stage, usually in a slow oven.
American casserole dishes consist of pre-cooked food, heated and browned in the oven. Baked
macaroni with cheese is probably the best known American casserole dish. Tuna and Noodle casserole
was a popular family dish in the 1950's.
Tadjin is the Moroccan casserole cooking pot and dish by the same name. See there.
cassia
The bark from a tropical tree in the laurel family native to south east Asia. It is available as
powder and is sold often as cinnamon since it has an intense, but less delicate flavor the cinnamon.
Bassia buds resemble cloves and are dried and used as spice.
Also known as Chinese cinnamon.
Cinnamonum cassia.
cassis
French name for a type of black currant, much of it grown in Burgundy and in Lorraine. Tonics
and liqueurs are made from the leaves and berries, and the dried leaves are used for tea. Long
considered therapeutic, because of the high vitamin content of currants. Cassis is available is non
alcoholic fruit syrup. Crme de Cassis is the black currant liqueur.
cassis ratafia
French liqueur, a mixture of cassis juice and eau de vie, infused with cinnamon and cloves. The
ancestor of Crme de Cassis.
Cassis wine
Generic term for red, white and ros wines made southeast of Marseille, France.
cassoulet
Thick Southern French stew or casserole made with white beans and whatever meat or poultry is
available locally. The classic cassoulet is made with lamb and duck and baked slowly in the oven until a
crust forms on top.
casta/castrato
Italian term for castrated lamb, a little larger than baby lamb. Popular around Venice.
castagnola
Italian goat cheese. Like many goat cheeses, it comes in a log shape , and has, when fresh, a
pronounced goat milk flavor.

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Castela~o.
Portuguese red grape variety, used to make the wines of Bairrada.
Castelmagno
Italian blue molde cheese, resembling Gorgonzola.
caster/castor sugar
British term for superfine or finely ground white sugar. It is not the same as American
confectioners sugar, which contains corn starch.
The term is also used for very fine table sugar served in a caster or sugar container with a
perforated metal top. The sugar is so fine that it can be sprinkled directly from the container.
Castleborg
American semisoft, Scandinavian style cheese made by Steuben Foods, Jamaica, New York.
Similar to Jarlsberg, but a bit softer and sweeter.
Castroville
Town near Monterey, California. The artichoke capital of the US. It stages an artichoke festival
every September.
cat's ear noodles
Chinese noodles typically used in Hangzhou cooking. They are made from fresh noodle dough
shaped by hand like little ears.
Catalo
Cattle breed, a cross between buffalo and domestic cattle.
Catawba
American native red grape variety in the Labrusco family, discovered along the Catawba river in
North Carolina and first cultivated in 1832. The grape is easy to grow, and was popular in Ohio and in the
Finger Lakes Region of New York State. It is an important grape variety for making sparkling wine and
for a slightly sweet white wine.
Catawba grapes are also used in the production of grape jelly and grape juice.
catchup/catsup.
Condiment sauce originally made from the brine of fish. The Malaysians claim its invention, as do
the Indonesians. Various flavored ketchup were once popular in England, including mushroom, oyster,
and mussel versions. One version known as Windermere catchup, made in the Lake District, is a
mushroom catchup flavored with horseradish. For many years the term catchup was used only for
mushroom based condiment sauces.
Tomato catchup is by far the most popular ketchup in the western world, and its spread was part
of the proliferation of American fast food restaurants. It is considered both a condiment and a sauce, the
fancy grade contains at least 33% tomato solids. Other ingredients are sugar, vinegar and spices. Most
popularly used with hamburgers or French fries.
Also spelled ketchup, from the Chinese words koe-chiap or ke-tsiap.
catfish
Fresh water fish grown commercially in large quantities. The fish has barbels (whisker) which
explains the name.
Once appreciated only in the South, especially among the poorer population, catfish attained
nation wide popularity in the 1980's when large supplies were raised on fish farms, most of which are in
Mississippi. Commercial catfish farming began in the late 1960's when farmers flooded unprofitable
cotton and soybean fields. Now it is the largest segment of fish farming in the US. (Trout farming is a
distant second.) Only 5.7 million pounds of catfish were shipped in 1970, but more than 300 million
pounds were shipped in l988. Another commercial advantage is that catfish are easy to gut, clean, and
fillet because they have only back and rib bones.

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Cultivated catfish is better tasting and healthier, because the food of these bottom feeding
creatures is controlled. Farmers feed the fish with floating food pellets which force the fish to feed near
the surface of the water instead of on the bottom. Furthermore, a sampling of every pond or "crop" is
taste-tested by the experts.
Some wild caught catfish is also sold.
Catfish is low in calories and fat.
The largest catfish are Mississippi catfish Ictalurus furcatus and Mud Cat Leptos olivaris.
The Great Lakes Catfish, Ameriurus lacustris is next in size.
The Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatas has the best meat.
Catherine de Medici
Florentine princess, Queen of France, 1519 to 1589. At age 14, Catherine de Medici married
the future French King Henry II of France. Florence was more advanced in gastronomy than France, and
she brought her own entourage of chefs. With her keen interest in food and table manners she is
credited with being the Mother of French Gastronomy.
Mayonnaise, iced desserts and the fork are said to have been introduced to France by her.
Some of her favorite dishes included artichokes, kidneys and cocks' combs.
catmints
Herbal plant in the mint family used for teas, and the young shoots are used in salads.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
catnip
Bushy aromatic perennial plant with an aroma cats love. Catnip was used in medieval times as
kitchen herb, but is used today only in teas.
Nepeta cataria.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Catnip, lemon
This perennial plant has lemon scented leaves which are used for tea.
Nepeta citrata/cataria.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Cattail shoots
Wet land plant with edible shoots.
cattalo
Meat animal created by crossing Angus with American bison.
Catty
Chinese tea weight of approximately 1 lb.
caudle cup
Two-handled cup used for drinking posset or caudle, an obscure porridge of wine mixed with
spices, sugar and crumbled bread.
Also known as posset cup.
caul fat
Lace like fat layer which keeps the intestines in place. Most caul sold to food service is from pigs.
Caul is used to wrap soft, ground meat products to provide moisture during the cooking process and to
retain the shape of the products.
Caul is available fresh or frozen. It should be kept in ice water until use.

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cauldron
Old word for kettle. The word chowder comes from chaudire/chaudron, the French words for
cauldron.
cauliflower
Vegetable in the cabbage family which form a head consisting of white, closely packed together
blossoms, often referred to as curds. The name coleflower is Old English, and the vegetable has been
cultivated since Medieval times.
Most cauliflower is cultivated in California and New York. The harvest is time consuming,
because pickers must open the green outer leaves to see if there is a ripe head inside. Cauliflower is
usually sold by the head instead of by weight so buyers try to choose the largest heads. Size may
indicate value but it has no bearing on quality. The heads should be white, and the flowers crisp and
densely packed together.
Low in calories and rich in Vitamin C.
French cream of cauliflower soup is called Crme du Barry. Pickled cauliflower is popular in
England.
Chouxfleur in French, Blumenkohl in German, Karfiol in Austria, cavolfiore in Italian, coliflor in
Spanish.
Brassica oleracea.
Cauliflower Polonaise/chou-fleur Polonaise
Once the most popular cauliflower preparation on French menus. Cooked cauliflower was served
with finely chopped cooked eggs and parsley, and liebrally topped with bread crumbs sauted in butter
golden brown.
Literally translated Cauliflower Polish style, though it is actually a French dish.
Caum
Irish cheese. See Lough Caum.
cava
The Spanish name for sparkling wine from various regions. The name is generic, although most
cava is produced in San Sadurni de Noya in the Pnedes region in Northeast Spain. The grape varieties
used in Penedes are Macabeo for volume and acidity, Xarel-lo for body and alcoholic content, and
Parellada for finesse.
cavatappi
Italian dry pasta in the shape of a twist.
caviale
The Italian word for caviar. It comes from the Turkish word khavyar, which is from the Persian
word khaviyar, which consists of khaya meaning egg and dar meaning bearing.
caviar
Generic name for salted fish eggs, also called fish roe. US Food and Drug Administration forbids
the use of the word caviar alone if the eggs don't come from sturgeon. Fish roe from other than sturgeon
must be labeled as such.
Sturgeon caviar is a Russian specialty, and for many years Russia and Persia (now Iran) were
the worlds sole suppliers. The sturgeon came from the Volga river and the Caspian Sea. There is much
pollution now, and the caviar catch is getting smaller. There is also a problem with quality control and
poaching. The US does not allow trade with Iran.
The word caviar is believed to be derived from the Turkish word khavyar. Some sources say the
word has Turkish - Italian sources; it may be that the first Europeanization of the word was the Italian
caviale. Caviar has been prized through the centuries. The ancient Romans ate caviar. Caviat is the Old
English word for caviar.

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Caviar is produced in many countries and the US has a small, but thriving sturgeon caviar
production. American caviar comes from four types of sturgeon, with the paddlefish or spoonbill
sturgeon being the most common. Chinese caviar has also come on the market.
Caviar should be kept very cold but not frozen. A temperature of 28 is acceptable because
caviar won't freeze because of its high salt content. Caviar sold retail is often vacuum packed, and
therefore shelf stable. Egg color does not indicate quality, the color ranges from greyish to almost black.
Golden caviar is light colored. The size of eggs depends on the size of fish, and the caviar is named
accordingly. However, egg size is not necessarily an indication of quality, although the large beluga eggs
are normally the most expensive. The word malassol means lightly salted, the highest grade.
CAVIAR VARIETIES ARE:
Beluga -the most prized and costly caviar, coming from largest sturgeon with the largest eggs.
Osetra -from medium size sturgeons with medium size eggs.
Sevruga - the smallest sturgeons eggs.
Sterlet - the smallest fish. The caviar is rare.
Pressed caviar - caviar which has been squashed during production. It is salted and pressed to
a dark, rather gooey mass with intense flavor. It is cheaper than other caviar, but appreciated by
connoisseurs and popular in Russia. Payustnaya in Russian.
Sturgeon is not a kosher fish, because it has plates of cartilage but no scales.
Salmon roe is often marketed as caviar and is kosher. The roe used in sushi bars is often
paddlefish roe. There is caviar from other fish on the market, often dyed black and sold in pasteurized
jars.
Caviar is served with toast or with blinis, which are small buckwheat pancakes made with yeast.
The best caviar should be scooped from directly from the can with a non metal spoon, which was made
years ago from ivory. Restaurants often serve with caviar lemon wedges, chopped eggs and chopped
onions with caviar. This is superfluous, and is done to make the portion look bigger. The best caviar
months for fresh sturgeon caviar are May, June, October and November.
When buying caviar it is important to remember that a one pound tin contains only 14 oz, and the
so called Two Kilo original tin, the most common size caviar is exported, contains about 3 lb and 13 to 14
oz.
Ikra in Russian.
Cayenne pepper
Powerful spice made with the dried hot peppers of the genus capsicum, and named after the
city and Province in Guiana, South America.
The term is often incorrectly used to label packaged spices made of other hot red peppers, a
problem which has been contended by The American Spice Trade Association since the mid 1980's.
Capsicum frutescens.
Cayo Verde
Liqueur made from key limes.
cazuela
Spanish/Catalan earthenware cooking dish, used for recipes such as the local suquet.
Ceanese Comune
Italian red wine grape variety grown extensively in south-central Italy.
ceci
Italian word for chick peas.
cecum
The membrane that connects the large intestine with the small intestine. It is sometimes used as
sausage casing.
Cdratine
Corsican/French liqueur made from the Corsican variety of citron.

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cefalo
Food fish in the mullet family harvested around Venice, Italy.
celeriac
Celery variety with a bulb shaped root, native to the Mediterranean. Though grown more in
warmer climates than regular celery, it is considered a winter vegetable. Popular in Germany and eastern
Europe. It can be eaten raw in salads or braised as vegetable. Rich in calcium and phosphorus.
Also known as Knob Celery, Celery Root, German Celery or Root Celery.
Celeri rave in French.
Apium graveolens, var. rapaceum.
celery
Vegetable with stalks and aromatic leaves, marketed with some green leaves attached. The
vegetable was developed in Italy in the 16th century.
Originally, celery was bleached to be tender. This was achieved by preventing the sun to reach
the vegetable either by banking with dirt, or by wrapping the vegetable with a paper sleeve. Pascal celery
was developed to eliminate bleaching, and most celery sold in the US is green.
Celery is used as vegetable and frequently as ingredient in soups, stews and sauces. Celery
stalks are often eaten raw as part of crudit.
Diced celery is an important ingredient in combination salads, because it provides crunchiness
and bulk. When these salads are mixed with mayonnaise it is recommended to par-boil (blanch) the
celery to kill harmful bacteria.
In Europe, knob celery, see celeriac, is widely used in cooking, and stalk celery is available
bleached and green.
Apium graveolens.
celery salt
Condiment mixture of fine salt and ground celery seeds.
celery seeds
Seeds from a herbaceous plant related to the vegetable celery. The seeds are available whole
and ground.
Apium graveolens.
Clestines
French members of a religious order. Some dishes are named after them; the best known is
Consomm Clestines garnished with shredded thin pancakes.
cellophane noodles
Transparent noodles most often made with mung bean paste, but also with pea starch. They are
part of Chinese and also other Asian cuisines.
Also known as Chinese vermicelli.
celtuce
Crispy, hybrid lettuce stems, used in some Chinese cuisines, such as that of Shanghai
Lactuca savita.
centaury
Medicinal plants.
Centaurium umbellatum or chlora perfoliata.
century plant
See agave.

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ceniza
Spanish term for ash. It is used for a dried, smoked, strong flavored beef jerky.
Centurion
California red wine grape variety.
cpage
French wine term for grape vine.
cpe(s)
French name for a wild mushroom variety. Porcini is an accepted name in English speaking
countries. Steinpilze in German.
Boletus edulis.
cephalopod
Multi armed sea animal, with 400 or so species and include octopus (see there), squid (see
there) and cuttlefish (see there). Cepalopods are eaten in Mediterranean countries including Spain,
France, Greece, Yugoslavia, and also in countries whose cuisines were influenced by Spanish explorers,
such as Mexico and the Philippines.
Most cephalopods also have an ink filled sack. They squirt the ink as a defense against
predators. While the water is clouded black, they can slip away. This ink also contains nutrients and is
used especially to color and flavor rice and pasta and in black food. See there.
cereal
Generic name for any edible grain. Wheat and rice are major sources of cereal food. The name
is derived from Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture.
In the US, the term is used since the late 19th century for breakfast food prepared with grain. The
cereal market in the US was helped greatly by the pasteurization of milk. See Kellogg.
cero
Ocean food and game fish in the mackerel family.
ceresas
Spanish term for cherries. Guindas is an other word.
ceriman
Tropical fruit native to Mexico, and now also grown commercially in Australia. The fruit is cone to
banana shape, with a pineapple-banana, slightly sour flavored pulp.
Ceriman grows on vines and is known as the "Swiss cheese plant" because its leaves are
naturally slashed and contain holes. Excellent, aromatic raw, eaten plain or pureed into milk shakes or
ice cream.
The fruit is somewhat of a chameleon and is called the "fruit salad fruit" because it is claimed
that, if you cut off a piece and leave the rest in the refrigerator for a while before cutting off another, the
next piece will taste quite different from the first piece.
It doesn't bear fruit when cultivated in hothouses.
Also known as False Bread Fruit and monstera.
Monstera deliciosa.
cerises
French word for cherries.
cerkes tavugu
Turkish popular dish with many regional variations. Boiled, shredded chicken with walnut sauce.
Also known as Circassian chicken.

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cervelas/cervelat
Popular European name for sausages. The sausage was originally made in France with brains,
therefore the name. The sausage always contains pork and can be completely different in each country.
The Swiss version is called Landjger and is black and heavily smoked, the German version resembles
salami, but an other version is a large, plump hot dog. Saveloy is an English version. Cervelllata is the
Italian version.
cervelle
French culinary term for brain.
cervoise
A primitive beer, drunk by the ancient Gauls.
cevabii
Serbian grilled meat skewers, often made with ground meat, served with raw onions. A popular
street food.
Cesar
French red wine grape variety grown in Northeast France. The wine is used as blending wine
because of high tannin content and deep color.
ceviche
Lime marinated seafood. See seviche.
cevichi
Serbro/Kroatian meat skewer.
Ceylon tea
Fragrant tea grown a thigh altitudes on the island Sri Lanka, formerly Ceylon.
cha shao
Alternate method of cooking Peking Duck, in which the duck is barbecued on an open spit. The
more common method is roasting the duck hung in a vertical oven.
cha no yu
Japanese ritual tea ceremony. See Japanese green tea.
cha
Generic word in many Asian languages for tea. Other spellings are ch'a, tcha, chaa and chaw.
Chablis
Wine growing town in France, about 100 miles southeast of Paris. Sometimes considered to be
part of the Burgundy region, although it is 80 miles from Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, and 100 miles
from Beaune, the center of the Burgundy wine region.
Famous for its austere wines made from the Chardonnay grape. Most are fermented and aged in
stainless steel tanks, although barrel aging is making a comeback. These steely wines are especially
long-lived for white wines, and in fact, the best take six or more years to reach their full potential. Barrel
aging in oak aid in this long maturation process. Some producers are using new oak for a greater
concentration of flavor.
Grand Cru and Premier Cru are the best wines. Petit Chablis is a lighter wine usually served
young.
Chablis is also a much abused generic term used to describe any white wine in several countries,
such as, the U. S., Australia and Chile. These imposters rarely contain any wine made with Chardonnay
grapes, and are more likely to be made from lesser wine grapes, such as, Thompson Seedless, French
Colombard, or Chenin Blanc.

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Chabi
French soft goat milk cheese. Chabichou cendr is covered with ashes.
Also known as Chabichou.
Chabris
French goats milk cheese resembling Camembert and made in the Chabris district
chacoli
Basque local wine from the northern part of the Basque region, near the coast.
chafing dish
Utensil , normally made of metal, consisting of a water bath and an insert to keep food hot. The
heat source could be electricity, candles, alcohol, charcoal or canned flammable jelly. The best known
canned fuel is "Sterno", a brand name, which has become a generic term. The word is from the French
term chauffer, meaning to warm.
chakapuli
Russian chicken or lamb stew.
chalaza
Twisted cords that anchors the yolks in place inside eggs, a gooey substance. The more
prominent the chalaza, the fresher the egg.
chalky soil
Wine term describing soil with a high lime content and, when white, will reflect the rays of the sun.
The soil will give a distinct flavor to wines, especially white wines.
Chalky soil is found in the regions of Champagne, Chablis, Montrachet, Poilly-Fuiss, and in the
best Sherry vineyards of Spain. Also in the Cognac region.
challah
Egg bread, traditionally associated with the Sabbath and Jewish holidays. The bread gets its
golden color from the egg yolks used and sometimes also from a pinch of saffron. Originally round in
shape; now the most common version is braided which evolved in the 15th century. Spiral or crown
shapes are served during the Jewish Rosh ha-Shanah holidays, and these shapes originated in the
Ukraine in the 18th century.
Tradition dictates to break off a small morsel of bread and throw it into the fire to commemorate
the Hebrew term challa, the priests share.
Berches is a challah from the Lorraine region of France, made with potatoes.
Chalone Vineyards
California winery located in the Gavilan Mountains of Monterey County, owned by Chalone, Inc.
Though first planted in the 19th century, the present day winery was begun and the vineyards revived in
the late 1960's a group of investors headed by W. Philip Woodward.
chalupa
Mexican tortilla in the shape of a small boat. The fillings can vary.
chambrer
Wine term, to bring wine up to room temperature. Chambr means the wine is ready to drink.
Chambord
A liqueur made from tiny black raspberries. 33 proof. Made in France and named for a Loire
Chteau. The Chteau is named after Duke Henry Chambord, who was briefly King of France. A salmon
dish braised in red wine is also named Chambord.

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Chambourcin
French red wine grape variety cultivated in the Loire wine region. the grape is relatively new.
chamburo
Tropical fruit. A close relative to papaya and babaco.
Carica stipulata.
chamois
Mountain goat like mammal native to the European Alps and also encountered in Asia. Hunting
is restricted and the meat is rarely commercially available. The antlers are often displayed as trophies,
the hide is turned into a soft leather which was esteemed for polishing silver.
chamomile, German chamomile
Flowering herb used for tea or tisane. Credited with having medicinal qualities, especially for
headache, to relax tension, and to prevent infection. Its daisy-like flowers have a flavor with a hint of
apple. The tea will lighten blond hair and soften skin.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Matricaria recutita.
champ
Irish mix of mashed potato and chives. It resembles colcannon potatoes but contains no
cabbage.
champagne
Sparkling wine named for the region in northeastern France where it is made. Champagne didn't
become bubbly till about 1700 when a Benedictine monk, Dom Prignon, developed the process of
secondary fermentation in the bottle. The bubbles are caused by carbon dioxide which is been dissolved
in the wine.
Most champagnes are blends from different vintage wines, but all must be cultivated in the
designated region. The permitted grape varieties are Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, both red grapes, and
Chardonnay. Champagne is the northernmost wine region in France - more northerly than Montreal.
The growing season is only about 100 days, and the grapes are rather acidic. The various producers, or
"houses" have developed a style or cuve (blend) which is consistent from year to year. Most
champagne is non-vintage (NV).
Vintage champagne is not made every year. The major houses make vintage champagne only in
especially good years, when the wine is deemed good enough to stand on its own without being blended,
and when the wine of one vintage can produce the desired house style. It is usually aged longer before
being sold. There is no way to know how long NV champagnes have been aged. It is at least two years
old before it is ready to be shipped. Champagne should be drunk when purchased and generally does
not age well, although old champagne from reputable firms will loose some effervescent but still might still
be excellent.
Mthode champenoise, also known as bottle fermentation, is the original procedure for making
Champagne. A still wine is made, stored in bulk and then bottled. A small amount of yeast is added to
each bottle and allowed to ferment. fermentation produces CO2, and the gas builds up tremendous
pressure. The yeast makes the wine cloudy which would make the wine un-sellable. The trick is to
make the sediments settle down into the neck of the bottle. Turning the bottle upside down produce the
desired result, because the spent yeast cells will cling to the sides.
The methods is to turn and tilt the bottles down ever so slightly, a process referred to as riddling.
Riddling was done by hand and required considerable skill. It is often done by machines now.
Eventually the bottles are upside down and are carried by conveyor through a brine bath which
will freeze the sediment collected in the neck. The cork is removed, the sediment is forced out be
pressure, and the bottles are re-filled with wine and sometimes with dissolved sugar and brandy to
achieve the desired flavor.
Bulk fermentation, see there, is called charmat.
SWEETNESS LEVELS DESIGNATIONS:

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Brut - the driest product. Some producers use the term extra brut for a wine which is totally dry.
Extra dry - slightly sweeter than brut.
Demi sec - slightly sweet.
TYPES OF CHAMPAGNE:
Blanc de Blanc champagne is made only from white grapes, which in the Champagne region
means only Chardonnay. Blanc de Blanc champagne tends to be lighter bodied.
Blanc de Noir champagne is made only from dark, literally translated "black", grapes. It tends to
be richer tasting.
Crmant has only half the effervescence of regular champagne.
Cuve de Prestige refers to the premium blend of a house. Also known as tte de cuve.
Ros Champagne is blended with a small amount of red still wine, usually from the Pinot Noir
grape. It has a fruitier, sometimes slighter sweeter taste.
Champagne is marketed in different size bottles, and they are listed under bottle sizes.
Champagne glasses should have a long, elongated shape to preserve the bubbles. Saucer
shaped glasses disperse the bubbles quickly from the broad surface of the saucer.
A bottle of Champagne is traditionally broken on the hull of a new ship to christen the ship.
By European law only sparkling wine produced in the Champagne region can be called
champagne. The US allows other sparkling wines to be called Champagne.
See bottle sizes, champagne.
champagne, cooking with
The name champagne is considered luxurious and appears occasionally on menus as a food
ingredient. The effervescent dissipates as soon as the wine is heated, and there are better wines for
cooking on the market. Using champagne is a waste and a gimmick.
Champagne grapes
Tiny red grapes, grown especially to be used as garnish in small bunches.
Champagne cocktail
Cocktail made with a cube of sugar, Angostura bitter and champagne. Many other versions are
popular.
Mimosa is a blend of champagne and orange juice.
Kir Royal is a blend of champagne and red currant syrup, called cassis in France.
champignons
French word for mushrooms. The word has become generic in many languages.
Champlain, Samuel de
See Order of Good Cheer.
champola de guanbana
Cuban refreshing drink made with soursop.
Champolon
French cheese, resembling Canquillote.
Chan
Chinese spatula.
chang
Tibetan intoxicating liquor made from fermented barley.
Channel Islands food
The islands located in the English Channel enjoy a mild climate on account of the Gulf Stream.
The tropical, papaya like fruit babaco is now grown there. Artichokes and flowers are also cultivated
other commercial crops.

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Chantelle
Trade name of a cheese made in Illinois, resembling Bel Paese. The cheese is semi-soft and
mild.
chanterelle(s)
Wild mushrooms growing in the US Northwest, in most parts of Europe and in North Africa. The
mushroom is yellow, with a faint apricot aroma and a slightly peppery taste when cooked. The mushroom
is popular throughout Europe. When not available fresh, it is also available canned and dried. So far the
mushroom cannot be cultivated.
Eierschwmme in Austria, girolle in French, the German name is Pfifferlinge.
Cantharullus cibarius.
The black variety is known as trumpet of death, trompette de la morte in French. Despite the
name they are safe, edible, and delicious.
Chantilly
French town and castle in the Department Ose. Supposedly, whipped cream was served there
for the first time in 1720. On French menus, dishes with whipped cream are often named Chantilly.
Chaourc
French cheese resembling Camembert, made in the village Chaourc in the Department Aube.
chapelure
French term for bread crumbs.
chaptalization
Wine term for adding sugar to unfermented grape juice with low sugar content. The higher sugar
content will result in higher alcohol. The process is named after Comte de Chaptel, chemist and minister
under Napoleon I.
In most wine making countries, chaptalization is governed by laws to prevent wines high in
acidity and low in sugar be made more alcoholic or sweeter, hence more expensive wines. It is permitted
when the weather during the growing season did not ripen the grapes sufficiently, and where laws
stipulate the minimum alcohol content for specific wines. This is the case in some years in Burgundy.
Some wine makers would rather not make wine in a specific category, than resort to
chaptalization. This wine is sold off as bulk wine without pedigree.
Chaptalization is not needed in California.
char kway teow
Singaporean dish which originated with the Hokkien immigrants who came to Singapore from
China. A mixture of thick rice flour noodles and yellow noodles, cooked with eggs, cockles and rich black
bean sauce.
char
Fresh water and ocean fish related to trout and salmon.
The fish is known under many names and sub species, such as Arctic char, blueback trout,
sunapee, Quebec red trout, and ilkalupik , the Eskimo name.
The char is harvested from Lake Lman between France and Switzerland is renown and is called
omble in French.
The spotted Dolly Varden char is supposedly named after the Dicken's character wearing a pink
spotted dress.
char.
Charbono
Wine grape of unknown origin, made in small quantities in California, notably at the Inglenook
Napa Valley winery. When young, it tastes coarse and single dimensional, but after a few years it
develops surprisingly into a fruity, interesting wine.

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It is thought to be the same grape as the Corbeau, also known as Charbonneau, of France.
There is a Charbono Society in California, which gathers once a year to savor this intriguing wine.
charcoal briquettes
Invented by Henry Ford around 1920 as a way of using the scrap wood which was left over after
constructing the interiors of his cars. He put E. G. Kingsford in charge of the charcoal briquette business.
The business took the name of Kingsford in 1951, and was sold by the Ford company to the Clorox
Company in 1973. Kingsford remains the largest manufacturer of charcoal briquettes.
The wood is charred, pulverized, and pressed into the pellets using starch as a binder. Briquettes
don't burn as hot as hardwood lump charcoal, but they hold heat longer.
The charcoal flavor associated with outdoor grilling results from fat dripping into the fire and
flaring up, creating smoke to permeate the food. The results can be obtained from either charcoal, wood
or gas flame.
However, the type of wood also has a distinct influence on flavor. See wood, baking and grilling.
charcuterie
Generic French word for cold cuts, especially sausages, head cheese and pats. The term
comes from chair cuite, cooked meat. Also the name for the store which sells these meats.
The Charcutier is the vendor of cooked meats, particularly sausages and pork products such as
ham. The art of the charcutier dates back at least to ancient Rome. It was developed to utilize less
desirable cut of meat.
chard
Leafy vegetable in the beet family, only the leaves and stalks are eaten.
The two basic varieties are green chard with a white stem and red chard, with a red stem. A new
variety called Bright Lights produces chard with orange, yellow, pink and purple stems.
Also known as leaf beet, leaf chard, Swiss chard.
Chardonnay
French white wine grape that produces well balanced, fruity wines. It is the famous grape variety
of Burgundy, and all fine white Burgundy wines and Chablis wines are produced with Chardonnay.
The wines range in styles from light and acidic to rich and complex, and are always dry.
Chardonnay produces a rich, flavorful wine, especially when aged in wood. Chardonnay is the only white
grape permitted in Champagne.
The grapes are cultivated extensively in California and also in many other countries, such as
Australia and New Zealand and Chile. Wine growers in many countries are experimenting with
Chardonnay. However, the grape is not grown in many parts of Germany, where custom and local laws
prohibit growing Chardonnay.
Chardonnay is a cross between Pinot blanc and Gouais blanc, a grape variety not much
esteemed and no longer planted.
Chardonnay de Chardonnay
French wine introduced in 1989 with the 1988 vintage. It is made from the Chardonnay grape and
comes from vineyards in the town of Chardonnay, near Macon in the Burgundy region of France.
Charentais still
See alembic still.
Charentais
Summer melon with a ribbed skin, orange colored fragrant and aromatic flesh. It is more
available in Europe than in the US.
Charente
The region of France where Cognac is made.

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charger
Restaurant term for a set-up or base plate. It is placed on the table before the customers arrive.
The term is old fashioned.
chariot
Small decorative dessert cart placed on the table used in formal French restaurants, made by
ptissiers (pastry chefs), though usually not edible. The cart can also be made of metal, notably silver.
Charles de Rohan
French general, Charles de Rohan de Soubise, 1715 to 1787. Hi claim to fame is that he lost a
major battle, but his chef named a classical onion sauce after him. Sauce Soubise is still found on
menus.
Charleston Chew
Candy bar made with chocolate and nougat, created around 1922.
Charleston, South Carolina food
She Crab Soup - made with the meat and roe of female crabs and cream.
He Crab Soup - made with vegetables, often with tomatoes.
charlotte
French name of a mold, and dessert made in it. Charlotte is said to have been named after
Queen Charlotte of England, wife of George III. In order to be correctly called charlotte, the mold must
be lined with bread, cake or lady fingers. French cuisine distinguishes between hot and cold charlotte.
The best known is Charlotte Russe, a cold dessert made with a gelatin custard cream. The
custard is then allowed to set in a mold lined with ladyfingers.
Originally Charlotte Russe was made in a mold lined with sliced buttered bread, filled with
cooked apples, baked, un-molded and served hot. Despite its name, it was created in France by
Creme, see there, the famed French chef to Tallyrand. Creme called it Charlotte la Parisienne, but
the name was changed to Charlotte Russe, when table service la russe was in fashion. It is often
reported that Charlotte Russe was created by Creme for Tzar Alexander I.
The term charlotte is also used for molded frozen desserts.
Charlotte, North Carolina.
The US city with the highest per capita consumption of ketchup.
Charmat
Bulk process of producing sparkling wines. See there.
Charmoula
Moroccan seasoning mixture of olive oil, garlic, coriander and paprika, popularly used for fish.
Charolais
French beef breed from the Loire area around Charolais. This region of France is known for its
lush grazing areas and fine beef.
charoset
Jewish condiment of minced walnuts, fruit, such as apples, and wine, which is an integral part of
the Passover Seder. It symbolizes the mortar the Hebrew slaves used to set the bricks during their forced
labor.
Some versions include dried fruits and grated citrus rind, and are especially aromatic.
Persian version may include dates, raisins and pomegranate seeds, and may use almonds and
hazelnuts instead of walnuts. Sephardic version may use dates, chopped oranges, and walnuts.
Chaource
French soft cows milk cheese made in the Champagne district.

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chapati
Indian bread. See Indian cooking.
charqui
Spanish word, the origin of the word "jerky".
Chartreuse
French meat dish, consisting of a mold attractively lined with vegetables, filled with meat and
often Savoy cabbage, served un-molded and hot.
Chartreuse
French brandy based liqueur, flavored with honey, herbs and spices. It was made by the
Carthusian monks in their monastery near Grenoble from 1607 to 1901, when they were expelled. It was
also made in the Spanish city Tarragona.
The monks were allowed to return to return to France after World War II.
There is Green Chartreusec and slightly sweeter Yellow Chartreuse on the market.
Chaschol
Cheese made in the Eastern part of Switzerland.
chaser
A beverage immediately following an other beverage. A chaser could be alcoholic, such as beer
after a shot of whiskey, or soda.
chasoba
Japanese buckwheat noodles, colored with powdered green tea, usually served cold.
Chassagne Montrachet
Famous Burgundy wine producing town, esteemed for world class white wines.
Chasselas
Swiss white wine grape known as Fendant. It is also cultivated in the Loire valley in France.
chaste tree
Perennial shrub with lavender blue flowers, one of the best honeybee plants.
Vitex agnuscastus.
chatchouka
Moroccan Jewish salad of fried eggplant, sweet and hot peppers, and tomatoes stewed in olive
oil, seasoned with paprika.
chteau (chateau)
French wine term. Literally translated it means castle. In the Bordeaux area the term is applied to
any wine grower with a winery building. The name applies to the building, the vineyard and the wine it
produces.
chteau (chateau) bottled
See estate bottled.
Chteau & Estates
The fine wine division of Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Inc. Begun by Ab Simon in 1974, it was the
world's largest wholesaler of the classified growths of Bordeaux, France. America imports more topranked French wine than any other country, and Chteau & Estates, thanks mostly to the abilities of Ab
Simon, imported about 30% of America's share. One out of every five "first growths" is imported under the
name of Chteau & Estates.

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chateaubriand
Double tenderloin steak for at least two persons or more, often cut from the thickest part, the
head of the tenderloin. Chateaubriand is normally broiled, and should have a protective layer a fat, which
is removed just before service. The steak is often served with Sauce Barnaise and assorted vegetables.
The term is often misused to describe roasted beef tenderloin, which is technically not a
Chateaubriand.
The creation of the dish is credited to chef Montmirel, chef for Napoleon I. The chef Montmirel
worked later in Vienna for the Duke San Carlos, and in Paris for Franois Ren Chateaubriand, a French
author.
Chteauneuf du Pape
Rhne wine, perhaps the best known of all Rhne wines. Literally translated "new palace of the
Pope", it is named for the small village located 20 miles north of Avignon, which for a brief time in the 14th
century was the papal seat. At that time, Pope John XXII planted grapes there. Later, under private
ownership the vineyards thrived as a commercial venture. By the 20th century, the wines became famous
around the world and many vineries in southern France began to use the name. The name is now
restricted to about 6,000 acres around the ancient Pope's palace, the remains of which are now a tourist
landmark. The area produces a bounty of wine totally about a million cases annually.
The wines, produced by some 50 or more estates, are predominately red, though a minute bit of
white wine is also produced. The red wine is always a blend of several grapes. Thirteen grape varieties
are permitted and they are Grenache, Clairette, Syrah, Mourvedre, Picpoul, Terret Noir, Counoise,
Muscardin, Vaccarese, Picardin, Cinsault, Roussanne and Bourboulenc. However, rarely are all of these
used; more commonly four or five of these are used, most commonly Syrah and Grenache.
The wines must contain at least 12% alcohol, the highest of any Appellation Controlle wine in
France. The wines are full bodied and usually long lived. The wines that need five or six years to mature
include Domaine des Fines Roches, Clos St. Jean, Clos de l'Oratoire, and Domaine du Vieux
Telegraphe.
The vineyards are famous for having lots of large stones, which reflect the sun by day and radiate
stored warmth at night maintaining the temperature conditions which are needed to produce the rich
wines.
Chatham
Oyster found near Chatham, Cape Code.
chatouillard
French term for a spiral cutter used to make spiral cut fried potatoes called Pommes
Chatouillard.
Chatterbox Cafe
Restaurant made famous in books by Garrison Keillor as "the place that's just like home, if you
were brought up that way." The quintessential dining experience in Lake Wobegon, a Mid-Western town
of God fearing Scandinavian Americans. Its cuisine is typified by Thursday night meat-loaf special.
chaud - froid/chaudfroid
French culinary term for food prepared hot, but served cold. It also applies to a gelatinous sauce
used to cover the food. Chaud - froid dishes are considered old fashioned.
Elaborately decorated chaud - froid dishes still appear on buffets as edible centerpieces and in
culinary exhibitions.
chaudin
Cajun stuffed and braised pig stomach filled with an aromatic meat stuffing served hot.
chaudron
The French word for a small copper vessel.

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Chavignol
A commune in the Loire Valley of France, known for its goat cheese, Crottin de Chavignol, and
also for the famous white wine Sancerre. See there.
chawan mushi
Japanese steamed custard with bits of chicken and shrimp, nameko mushrooms, and gingko
nuts.
Chayote
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Sub-tropical squash native to Central American tropics with

soft, watery texture. Pear shaped, usually pale green in color, cream
colored flesh. It is a member of the cucumber family and easy to
grow.
It is served cooked and eaten like a vegetable. The vine
leaves and root are also edible.
Also called mirliton, chaci, brionne (in France), chocho (in
Australia), christophine (in the West Indies), mango squash,
pepinello, silk squash and vegetable pear.
Sechium edule.
checkerberry
Another name for wintergreen. See there.
Cheddar
Cheese named after the village Cheddar in Somerset Shire, England. The cheese has been
made since the 16th century, and many varieties were developed. The original, or true farmhouse
cheddar was made in the summer only with whole, unpasteurized cow milk, and was aged 18 months to
two years.
Today, just about all cheddar is made in factories. The first cheese factory in the United States
was established 1851 by Jesse Williams near Rome, Oneida County, New York, to make cheddar. The
cheese is so popular that it is often called American cheese. The cheese is made in England, Canada,
and the northern US, notably New England and in Wisconsin.
There are many different types of cheddar, based on place of origin, and the color can range
from almost white to orange yellow. Color is no indication of quality. The original cheddar is white, and
annatto dye is added to color the cheese where desired. The flavor can range from mild to very sharp.
The cheese making process is called cheddaring, and it gives it a cooked, caramelized taste. The
texture is rather firm, and aged cheddar can be hard. It is best when it is aged about1 years.
Rindless cheddar is cured directly in the plastic wrapper, and is legally sold as natural cheddar.
Processed cheddar is melted cheese, poured into molds and sliced. It is for many people the only
cheddar cheese they know.
FAMOUS CHEDDAR CHEESES INCLUDE:
Colby Cheddar from the Middle West
Coon Cheddar
Corn Husker Cheddar from Nebraska
Herkimer County, New York Cheddar
Jack, a moist cheddar variety
Monterey, California Cheddar
Tillamook Oregon Cheddar
Vermont Cheddar
Similar cheeses include the Irish Ryefield, Virginia cheeses and Friulana made in Northern Italy.
Longhorn cheddar is named for its long cylindrical shape. Very large cheddar cheeses have been
made for special occasions, one cheese weighing over 1,000 lb was given to Queen Victoria as a
wedding gift. President Andrew Jackson was presented with a 1,400 lb cheddar cheese on his birthday.

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It was kept in the vestibule of the White House for close to two years until it was considered sufficiently
aged. A seventeen ton cheddar was exhibited at the New York Worlds Fair 1963/64.
Also known as rat cheese.
cheekoo
Indian round, sweet, brown edible fruit resembling persimmons. See there.
Cheerios
Cereal manufactured by General Mills.
cheese steak
See Philadelphia cheese steak.
cheese
One of the oldest manufactured foods. It is made by coagulating milk solids and pressing out the
liquid called whey. Lactic acid, acid producing bacteria, or enzymes (usually rennet from the intestines of
ruminant animals) are added to milk causing the solid curds to separate from the liquid whey.
The curds are prepared many ways which accounts to the innumerable cheese varieties. Factors
affecting quality and type are the quality and fat content of milk, the animal the milk came from, who
makes it, where it is made, the season in which it has been made, its age, how it has been stored.
Cheese can be fresh and aged, sometimes up to two years and longer. Typically, it takes 8 to 10
pounds of milk to produce a pound of cheese. The whey is a nutritious by-product which used in a wide
range of processed foods and as animal feed.
There are thousands of different cheeses on the market and there is no all comprehensive list.
New cheeses are invented, cheese is made locally on very specific dates, and the same cheese can be
called by different names.
Many cheese varieties are listed under their names.
A cheese lover is a turophile.
cheese, fat content
The fat content of cheese is expressed in percentages of the dry matter, written as fdm, not the
total weight of the cheese. Since cheese can have a high water content, the fat content indicated on the
package can be misleading. The water and fat content of cheeses vary widely.
FORMULA TO ESTIMATE THE TRUE FAT CONTENT BY WEIGHT.
Multiply the indicated fdm percentage:
Hard cheeses, such as Parmesan or Manchego with 0.7
Semi soft cheeses, such as Gouda or Tilsit with 0.6
Soft cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert with 0.5
Fresh cheeses, such as cottage cheese or Mascarpone with 0.3
cheese, aging and curing
Aging refers to the length of time the cheese is stored from production to consumption. During
this time the cheese is maturing. Humidity, packaging, the type of rind or covering influence flavor,
weight and nutritional value, because during the aging process the cheese looses moisture.
Curing refers to treatment necessary to achieve the type of cheese desired, such as humidity
during storage and temperature. Curing can take from days to years.
cheese harp
Cutting instrument to cut curds into smaller pieces. The size and shape of the cheese harp has a
definite influence on the resulting cheese.
cheese melter
Kitchen devise with a heat source coming from the top. It is a common piece of restaurant
equipment, often called a salamander.
In Switzerland an electric cheese melter is on the market to make raclette, a dish of melted
cheese spread on plates.

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cheese spread
Spreadable cheese mixture, though usually refers to a commercially produced pasteurized
process cheese, such as Cheez Whiz. It was introduced by Kraft in 1953. Cheese spread is often served
at reception or as bar food.
cheese toaster
Old English heating box, usually made of silver, with a hot water compartment and used for
keeping cheese sandwiches hot.
cheesecake
Popular cake made with cottage cheese, baker's cheese or with ricotta. Cheese cakes can be
distinguished as of Jewish or of Italian origin. The Jewish cheese cake, the prevalent cheese cake in
New York, is rich and creamy, and was a staple at Lindy's, a restaurant in New York City. The Italian
cheese cake is lighter, and sometimes flavored with candied fruits.
Cheesecake is also popular in Germany. It is often made without baking as an ice-box cheese
cake.
chef's hat
Known as toque blanche, meaning white hat in French. The origin of the tall, starched hat is
unknown, and pictures from the turn of the century chefs show flat, or floppy hats. The starched hat has
become a symbol of professionalism, but is not practical. It is difficult to wash and starch, and it is
uncomfortable to wear, because the hat will hit low kitchen hoods.
For these reason, many chefs wear white caps, and others wear low paper hats. They are lighter
than hats made of fabric, and are disposable.
Greek cooks in monasteries are credited for inventing the white chefs hat to distinguish them
from other monks.
See Carme, Antonin.
chef's pants
Pants are made traditionally in black and white hounds tooth check, which is less likely to show
stains which are perils of the trade. Today, uniform companies offer chef's pants with many designs and
in many colors.
Good chefs pants are made of sturdy cotton.
Chehalis
A goat cheese.
chelo kebab/chelo kebab barg
Irans national dish. It consists of rice baked in a heavy pot until a crisp crust forms at the bottom
and the sides. It is topped with skewered barbecued lamb, called chelo kebab, seasoned with sumac.
See there.
The rice crust, the tah dig, is scraped from the bottom of the rice cooking pot and eaten in chunks
with the chelo kebab.
chemise
French term for shirt. In culinary usage it describes dishes covered with dough, or wrapped in
cheese cloth.
chemiser
French culinary verb, to line a mold with aspic jelly or with ice cream.
Chnas
Prestigious vineyard area of the Beaujolais region in Burgundy, France. The famous Moulin
Vent vineyards are in Chnas.

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Chenel
South African white wine grape variety.
Chenin Blanc
French white wine grape, an important grape variety in the Loire Valley of France, but also
widely cultivated in California and in other parts of the world. The wine is fruity and spicy. It is the
primary grape in Vouvray wines.
Also known as Pinot de la Loire
Chenopodium
A family of plants which includes quinoa, goosefoot, beets, mangelwurz, spinach and lamb's
quarters.
cherimoya
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Tropical fruit, native to the uplands of Peru and Ecuador.

The name cherimoya is Incan and may be one of the earliest
recorded New World fruits. Now grown in Mexico, southern
California and Florida and also India and Israel. It is somewhat
difficult to grow.
Cherimoya has thick, soft, pale green, bumpy, inedible skin
with scales, enclosing creamy white flesh and large seeds. The
plentiful black seeds should be removed before eating. It ripens
quickly once picked at room temperature, and it cracks easily.
The flesh is creamy and smooth and can be eaten out of
hand using a spoon to work around the seeds. Also good as a
mousse, custard or in fruit salads. Related are sweet and sour sop
and bullocks heart.
Also known as anona, annona or custard apple.
Annona cherimola.
chermoula
Moroccan spice blend.
cherry/cherries
Stone fruit with two basic types, sweet cherries, which can be light or dark colored and smaller
sour cherries. They are popular in England since Tudor times. Queen Victoria prized sweet cherries and
had an orchard planted to provide her with a sufficient supply. Cherries were known to the Romans and
cherry pits were found in the lake dwellings of Switzerland.
Cherries are picked at their peak of ripeness. Once picked, they will not ripen. Japanese
cherries are pale and soft. The cherry season is short, basically mid May to mid July. Since the season
is so short most production of sweet and sour cherries is canned or frozen. Sour cherries are used as pie
and Danish pastry filling.
Much of the US supply of sweet cherries grows in Washington State. Sour cherries are cultivated
in Michigan and Tarvers City claims to be the cherry ca[ital in the world. The city of George has streets
named after varieties of cherries. The famous cherry trees in Washington DC were a gift from the
government of Japan. They are ornamental and do not bear fruit.
CHERRY VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Bing cherries - dark colored, medium sized and sweet. Grown in Northern states such as
Washington and Oregon, where they make up more than 90% of the crop. There are two stories about
how they were named. One says they were developed by a Chinese farmer named Bing in 1875, working
in Oregon. The other story says that they are an indigenous cherries which were popularized by a 19th
century farmer who named them after his son, Bing. Bing cherries are grown in many countries. Prunus
avium. Bing cherries are also known as black cherries

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Lambert cherries - deep colored, heart shaped, from Northwestern US.

Maraschino cherries - grown in the Balkans and are used for Maraschino
Liqueur.
Montmorency - tart, or sour cherry, and most production is canned as pastry filling. This variety
dates back to the Assyrians and Babylonians. The cherries are used in a classical Frenh duckling dish.
Prunus cerasus. Nanking cherry-decorative bush with lustrous red bark. The fruit is usually small
Prunus tomentosa.
Napoleon- yellow cherry, commonly used for chocolate covered cherries. Also known as Royal
Anne.
Queen Anne - light crimson cherries.
Rainier - golden yellow, large variety. The cherry was developed by crossing two dark sweet
varieties. It has only a brief season in the Spring.
Sam, Stella, Summit and Van are cultivated in New Zealand.
Windsor - sweet and red.
Some cherries are available dried like raisins. Cherries are the base for liqueur such as
Guignolet in France and Cherry Heering from Denmark.
Cherry brandy can be a sweet brandy based liqueur or a dry brandy. It is normally called by its
German name Kirsch, and the best products are made in Switzerland, Alsace/France and in the Black
forest region of Germany.
Cherry wood is much esteemed by furniture makers.
Cherry-bob are two cherries joined by their stem.
Cerise in French, ciliegia in Italian, ceresa or guinda in Spanish, Kirsche or Weichsel in German.
cherries, others
There are several fruits with cherry in their names but are not related to cherries.
FRUITS ALSO NAMED CHERRY:
Brazilian cherry. Another name for the pitanga, an unrelated fruit, so named because of its
physical resemblance to the cherry, while still on the bush. A slightly spicy resinous fruit. Eugenia uniflora.
Also known as cayenne cherry, Surinam cherry, or petanga/pitanga.
Cherry tomatoes.
Lycopersicon esculentum cerasiforme.
Cherry Heering
Danish cherry liqueur.
Cherry Valley
English breed of duck, a cross bred with the Chinese Peking duck, resulting in the Yingtaogu
breed, which was re exported back to China, where it is the duck most commonly used for the famous
Peking Duck.
cherrystone
Large quahog clams. See clams.
Venus mercenaria.
Chervil
Delicate herb related to parsley, with smaller, more fragile leaves with a scent of anise. The
leaves are used in sauces and in salads.
The herb thrives in rich soil where there is good
shade. It re-seeds itself.
Anthriscus cerefolium.
Chesapeake Bay Oyster
Oyster harvested off the of Maryland and Virginia
in the bay by the same name. It is small to medium in size
with a flat, round shell. It has a mildly sweet flavor.

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Chesapeake Bay Style Seasoning

See crab boil.
Chesapeake Bay crabs
See blue crabs.
Cheshire
English cheese resembling cheddar. It originated in the village of Cheshire, in the western part
of the country. Along with Cheddar, it is the oldest and most popular cheese in England. The cheese was
once molded into the shape of the famous grinning Cheshire Cat, well known from "Alice in Wonderland".
The cheese is firm, but more crumbly than Cheddar. Occasionally the cheese is intentionally
infected with the spores of Penicillium glaucum, and will develop blue veins. Cheshire is more salty than
cheddar because the grazing lands where the milk is produced are impregnated by salt air from the
ocean, and the cows ingest substantial quantities of salt.
Also known as Chester.
Cheshire Stilton
English cheese that combines the characteristics of Cheddar and Stilton. It has a crumbly texture
and blue veins. See Stilton.
chestnuts/sweet chestnuts
Nuts growing on trees native in Southern Europe, and cultivated in temperate climates. The word
comes from the Greek word kastenea, which is reflected in the German word Kastanien for chestnuts.
Chestnuts must be cooked before they can be eaten, which is normally accomplished by
roasting. An incision must be made in the shell to let steam escape before roasting. They will explode if
no incision is made . They can be steamed in a Micro wave oven.
Most chestnuts are imported, because a blight at the turn of the century wiped out most chestnut
trees in the US. Chestnuts are available fresh, dried and peeled and as flour. Chestnut puree is available
canned in sweet and plain versions.
Chestnuts cooked in sugar syrup are called marrons glacs and are eaten as candy.
The fruits of the horse chestnuts are not edible.
Marron in French, Edelkastanien in German, castaa in Spanish, marrone in Italian, Maroni in
Austria.
Castanea spp.
Cheval Blanc, Chteau
Famous vineyard in Bordeaux, France in St.Emilion, located on the Pomerol border producing a
premier grands crus
The vineyard is named for an inn that used to be on the property. The production is about 10,000
cases a year. The wine has a full bouquet and a soft, supple taste.
chvre/chevre
French word for goat, generally applied for goat cheese.
Chevrotin
French goat cheese from the Rhne valley.
cheveux dange
French term for very fine pasta, referred to as Angle Hair in English.
chewing gum
Refreshment based on chicle, a tree resin of a tropical tree, sweeteners and flavoring. Chewing
resins from trees was practiced already by Indians before the European landed in North America. The
invention of the present chewing gum is credited to Thomas Adams, who mixed chicle with sugar and
flavors in the 1870's. The most successful flavor is peppermint.

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Chhana
Asian sour milk cheese.
chi ma tong yuen
Chinese glutinous rice dumplings, filled with sweet sesame seed paste.
Chi Tarahumara
Wild food plant used by Southern California and Northern Mexican Indian tribes. The bush
produces blue flower spikes which can be made into a nutritious gel. It is still used by the Mexican
Tarahumaran long distance runners as energy source.
Salvia tiliafolia.
Chiania
Italian cattle breed from Tuscany, considered the best in Italy.
Chianti
Very large wine region south of Florence in Tuscany, Italy. The Chianti wine was marketed for
many years in straw covered bottles, called fiasco, as an inexpensive wine. This has changed, and
today some Chianti wines have been awarded the Italian wine top classification, DOCG.
Chianti Classico is one of Italys best wines and will age in the bottle. The wines often carry the
vineyard name or a specific estate. Famous names are Barone Ricasoli, Conte Serristori, Marchese
Antinori and others. The grape varieties are Sangiovese and Canailo. Most wine is red, but a small
amount of white wine is produced from the Trebbiano and Malvasia grapes.
The Chianti wine consortium, Gallo Nero, has used the black rooster as its symbol since 1260.
By popular demand, the straw covered bottle is produced again, but the straw is now manmade.
Chiavari
Italian sour milk cheese from the province of Genoa.
Chicago food
The city was for a long time associated with slaughterhouses. Hearty meat dishes are popular.
There is a large Polish and German population.
LOCAL DISHES INCLUDE:
Chicago style pizza - deep dish pizza
Red hots - hot dogs.
Chicago sundae - made with pineapple. The pineapple was associated with the Chicago
gangsters, who used hand grenades shaped like pineapples.
chicha
Fermented beverage made from corn. It was the alcoholic beverage of choice made by Indian
women in the Andes mountain range from Colombia to Peru and Bolivia. It was reported that Indian
women chewed the corn to grind it, spit it out, and then fermented the brew.
chicha morada
Peruvian popular beverage, deep purple, non alcoholic and is made from dried purple corn.
Chicha morada is also a pudding like dessert.
chicharron/chicharrones
Mexican/Hispanic deep fried pork rinds. They are commonly seasoned with chili pepper and lime
and are eaten as snacks or added to dishes such as scrambled eggs.
chick pea
The seeds of a plant, originating around the Mediterranean. The large peas are shaped like a
hazelnut are beige or yellow, but a brown version also exists.
Chick peas are a staple in the Middle est and are ground into flour, roasted whole, boiled and
mashed and made into a salad/dip called hummus, or shaped into patties and fried, called falafel.

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Chick - peas were brought to Spain by way of the Arabs and came to the Americas via Spain.
The Spanish name garbanzos is commonly used.
Ceci in Italian, chana dal in India, Kichererbsen in German, pois chiche in French.
Cicer arietinum.
chicken
Fowl raised for food since the earliest recorded time. There are hundreds of varieties, and
industrially raised in huge numbers so that chicken has become the least expensive meat.
Very yellow skin is the result of adding Marigold to the chicken feed. It is not an indication of
quality. Nearly half the chicken's fat is in the skin, and much of that is saturated fat. By removing the skin
chicken is very lean.
For food service purposes chicken can be classified as roasting chicken and as egg laying hens
called fowl.
Chicken is available in a dazzling variety of sizes and cuts. Chicken meat is also used in
sausages and other food products.
It is estimated that over half of all chicken reaching the market are infected with salmonella,
which occurs normally in the intestines of chicken. Salmonella bacteria is killed be heat, and for this
reason chicken should always be well cooked. The salmonella bacteria can easily be transferred in the
kitchen to other foods, from a cutting board, a knife, a kitchen towel or other utensils. It is imperative that
all utensils which have come in contact with raw chicken are sanitized with soap and hot water before
they are used again.
chicken la king (chicken a la king)
Type of stew consisting of chicken chunks in a white cream sauce, flavored with a dash of sherry
and garnished with diced cooked sweet red and green peppers. It was often served over rice, toast, or
puff pastry shells. Popular in America in the 1950's.
James Beard says it was invented in America around the turn of the century. The "American
Heritage Cookbook" credits Foxhall Keene who gave the recipe to Delmonico's, where it was called
Chicken la Keene.
chicken bazha
Russian/Georgian regional roast chicken dish in a rich walnut sauce, flavored with garlic, onions,
and fenugreek.
chicken brick
Tuscan/Italy earthenware mold made in two halves and shaped to accommodate a medium size
chicken. The chicken was slowly baked in the container.
chicken burger
Meat patty made with ground chicken instead of beef. The dish became popular when concerns
about saturated fats became an issue. Skinless chicken meat contains less fat than beef. The same is
true for skinless turkey meat and many restaurants use ground turkey, and call the dish poultry-burger or
turkey-burger.
It must be cooked well done to kill all bacteria. Since the patty can be rather dry, it often contains
bread crumbs soaked in water or milk to add moisture.
The use of the word Burger is restricted to products made with 100% meat without fillers.
chicken cacciatore
Popular chicken dish, literally translated from Italian chicken hunter style because it contains
mushrooms and tomatoes. The dish is not a classical Italian dish but rather the creation of enterprising
Italian restaurateurs in the US.
chicken Demidoff
Chicken dish named for the Russian Prince Anatole Demidoff. Whole chicken seasoned with
truffles and Madeira wine.

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chicken Divan
Sliced cooked chicken, especially from the breast, laid over cooked broccoli, topped with Mornay
Sauce, sprinkled with Parmesan, and baked. Supposedly named for the old New York restaurant, Divan
Parisian.
chicken fat
The fat is obtained by rendering chicken skins and fat, and by skimming off chicken broth. It is
considered kosher-providing all other rules are observed- and it was used generously in Jewish cooking.
Also called Jewish butter.
Chicken, free range
Birds not raised in cages and allowed to roam on the farm. It is supposed that exercising chicken
will have tastier meat. These chicken are not force fed and should get at least part of their diet from
natural sources. However, standards have not been established and it is questionable how much
exercise the chicken get.
The American Chef Larry Forgioni is credited with coining the phrase.
chicken fried steak
Thin beef cutlet, pounded, floured and deep fried. It is often made with inexpensive tenderized
meat cuts. A popular dish in the South, South West and Mid West. It resembles Southern fried chicken,
but is a beef cutlet.
chicken in every pot
Promised made by Henry IV of France in the 16th century. The phrase was resurrected as a
campaign slogan by Herbert Hoover and the American Republican party in 1928, when chicken was an
expensive luxury.
Chicken Kiev
One of Russia's best known dishes, but actually it is from the capital of the Ukraine. It is not
known when this dish was first served in Kiev, and there is no folklore associated with it. The dish came
into its own when Russia began to look to the West in the early 1900's, and its culture and tourism
flourished. It was adopted by fashionable restaurants in the western Europe.
Chicken Kiev is a skinless, flattened, partially boned chicken breast, securely wrapped around a
finger shaped piece of cold butter. It is then dredged in seasoned flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs,
and deep fried. It is traditionally presented with a paper frill around the remaining protruding wing bone.
When the diner cuts into it a geyser of now hot melted butter escapes. Eating this dish It can be
dangerous to fine clothing.
Chicken Kiev became popular in the US in the '40's and '50's, but has fallen out of favor in recent
years, probably because of increased health consciousness. Many diners tend to avoid butter.
chicken lobster(s)
Lobsters which measure less than 3" from eye socket to end of tail. In 1988, US law determined
that they must be tossed back. Canada has no such law and so chicken lobsters can be found in other
countries.
The term is used in the US for small lobsters just passing the legal measurements.
chicken makhani
Indian/Punjab. It is a rich curry of chicken in thick tomato sauce with coriander and ginger.
chicken pot pie
Once popular luncheon items in clubs and hotels. In New York City, the major hotels featured
chicken pot pie every Tuesday.
It is made with boiled or stewed chicken pieces baked with vegetables and a creamed chicken
sauce under a pie crust.
Louisberg chicken pie is a version made with chicken, sausage and potatoes.

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Chicken satsiva
Russian/Georgian dish of chicken in walnut sauce.
chicken soup
One of the most popular soups served in endless variations throughout the world. Chicken
noodle soup is one of the most popular soups in the US.
Also known as Jewish Penicillin because it is considered a cure-all for different ailments.
Chicken Tetrazzini
Creamed chicken hash on a bed of fine noodles, sprinkled with grated cheese and browned.
Named for Louisa Tetrazzini, 1871 to 1940, an opera star.
chicken turtle
Fresh water turtle harvested in southwestern US.
Deirochelys reticularia.
chicken Vesuvio
Italian restaurant dish consisting of a mound of chicken encircled with upright potato wedges and
flavored with garlic, oil and wine.
Two stories are told about its origin, and both may be true. One story tells how a chef, homesick
for Naples, arranged this dish to look like Mount Vesuvius. Another story says it was named for the
smoking volcano effect created when wine is added to the hot olive oil and garlic during the cooking
process.
chickoo
An other name for naseberry, also called sapodilla or chicle or chico.
Achras sapota.
chickweed
Wild salad green with corn taste and also used for medicinal purposes.
chicle
The sap of a tropical tree used in the manufacture of chewing gum.
Chiclets is a brand name for candy-coated gum invented around the turn of the century by Henry
Fleer.
chicore de Bruxelles
The French word for Belgian endive.
chicory, the roots
The dried, roasted, and ground root of a wild variety of Belgian endive. It is processed and, and
is used to flavor coffee. It adds a bitter taste to coffee, as well as a dark brown color. This chicory
flavored coffee is especially popular in New Orleans. The ground and roasted root used in coffee in
Louisiana is the blue chicory variety.
Also known as the coffee weed, blue dandelion, blueweed.
Cichorium intybus.
chicory, the salad vegetable
Green leafy vegetable, an annual with bitter curly leaves. It grows in a head like lettuce and was
introduced to Europe from Asia by the Dutch in the 16th century. When cooked it will loose some
bitterness.
Chicory is high in nutrients such as Vitamins A and C, niacin, folacin, calcium, iron, potassium
and crude fiber.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Batavia or plain leaved escarole.
Chioggia, red chicory.

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Curly chicory or curly endive, also known as frise.

Red Verona, red chicory.
Blue chicory, the dried root is used in coffee in Louisiana.
Dandelions are related the chicory. Sub varieties are curly endive, escarole, frise Belgian
endive (Cichorium intybus), and radicchio.
Also known as succory.
Cichorium endivia.
chiens chauds
French-Canadian slang hot dogs.
chifas
Peruvian term for Chinese restaurants in Peru.
chiffon
Light, sweet filling for pies and cakes. The delicate, light or fluffy consistency results from folding
beaten egg whites into the mix. Good example is the chiffon pie.
chiffonade
French word for fine slices of leafy vegetables used for garnish. Typically chiffonade is made
with lettuce and sorrel.
Chihuahua cheese
White Mexican cheese.
chiku
Singaporean egg-shaped fruit with a brown inedible skin. Its soft brownish flesh is slightly sweet
with an almost musky flavor.

chilaquiles
Mexican dish of layered tortillas with tomato and cheese.
chilaquiles verdes
Mexican dish of tortilla shells topped with chicken, green sauce and cheese.
Child, Julia
Famous American TV chef, who lived in France, where she learned to cook. Her popular cooking
show, which was not only educational, but also entertaining, made her the doyenne of cooking shows.
Together with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle she wrote Mastering the Art of French Cooking,
followed by other books she wrote without co-authors.
A musical titled "Bon Appetit" was written about her and her show.
Children's Day
National holiday in Japan, occurring around early May. The holiday was originally called Boys'
Day Festival, until 1948. Traditional sweets served on Children's Day include rice flour cakes.
Chile pine nuts
Nuts harvested from the monkey pine bearing very large cones.
Also known as piones. See pine nuts.
Chile wines
The wine industry is concentrated in the central valley. European vines were introduced into Chile
in 1548 by Jesuit Father Francisco de Carabantes, who planted them to provide wine for the sacraments.

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In 1851, Don Silvestre Ochagavia developed the vineyards for more sybaritic uses. The grapes
included Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon. Because of their geographic
isolation Chilean wines escaped the phylloxera blight that devastated European vineyards.
European and American wine companies have made major investments in the Chilean wine
industry and Chile exports fine wine to Europe and to the US. The country also exports grape must to
California where it is fermented and used as blending wine.
Chilean guava
Tropical shrub producing purplish red edible fruits.
Myrtus ugni.
chili/chilies
Seed pods of plants in the Solanaceae or nightshade family, which includes tomatoes, eggplants
and potatoes. Also known as chili pepper, although the term is really a misnomer. The mislabelling goes
back to the time of Columbus. He discovered the new world when he was looking for a sea route to India,
to enable the Europeans to more efficiently obtain spices. When he arrived in the Caribbean, he
mistakenly thought he had reached his intended goal. He misidentified the aboriginal population as
Indians, and when he noticed the searingly hot chilies they were eating, he misidentified them as the pod
of a variety of pepper, piper nigrum. Chili is of the genus Capsicum.
Wild chile probably originated in present day Bolivia and was spread by birds throughout South
and Central America. They became part of the daily diet thousands of years ago. Chili also played a role
in religion and in folklore.
Chili comes in varying degrees of sharpness - hot - produced by an alkaloid called capsaicin, a
compound found in no other plant. Capsaicin is tasteless and odorless, but incredible strong. The
strength can be measured by the Scoville Organoleptic Test, developed 1912 on a scale from zero
Scoville to 15 million in pure capsaicin.
Chili has become an indispensable ingredient in many cultures, including Asian and Indian
cultures. Chili is used in a wide variety of food products such as chocolate pepper cookies, jelly, hot
sauce, lollipops, chips, cheese and snacks. Habaneros are the hottest chili. Antidote for eating too hot
chile are dairy products, sweets, salt and tortillas.
CHILI VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Ancho
Anaheim, fresh and dried
Cabe rawit, the tiny searingly hot bird's eye chili of Indonesia.
Caribo
Cascabel
Cayenne
Chile de arbol
Chimayo
Fresno
Guajillo
Habanero
Hot sandia
Jalapeo
Mulato
Pasilla negro
Pequin quebrado
Poblano
Santa Fe Grande
Santaka
Serrao (serrano)
Prik or prhik, tiny hot Thai chilies.
Capsium frutescens.
chilies chipotles adobados
Smoked Jalapeo chilies in a mild red chili sauce.

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chili con carne

Soupy dish made with ground beef, onions, tomatoes, garlic and chili powder. It is of Texan
origin and often blended with cooked red beans in the North.
The dish is popular in many states and has spawned restaurants of that name, serving many
variations of chili. Cooking competitions are held annually to discover the best chili chef. The most
prestigious one is held every year in Terlingua, Texas.
The city of Cincinnati is famous for its chili parlors.
chili con queso
Tex-Mex appetizer dip, consisting of melted cheeses blended with chopped chili, and sometimes
tomatoes.
chili crabs
Singaporean popular local seafood dish. Chunks of crab are stir fried in the shell with a zesty,
spicy, rich sauce of tomatoes, chilies, garlic, sugar, soy.
chili dog
Hot dog on a roll, topped with a meaty chili sauce.
chili paste
Thick, pungent, fiery sauce made from red chilies, vinegar or lemon juice, salt, garlic, and spices.
Sometimes it contains a little sugar.
Used in Southeast Asian, Chinese, and North African cooking. Versions include the Thai nam
prik and the North African harissa.
chili powder/chilli powder
Blend of powdered chilli peppers and other spices such as cumin seeds. Sometimes the term is
used to the dried ground pepper itself, but the latter is better known as cayenne.
chili prawns
Chinese/Szechuan. Prawns cooked with garlic, ginger, hot chili bean paste, and wine.
chilis rellenos
Mexican dish of batter fried green chiles stuffed with white cheese.
chili sauce
Tomato sauce simmered with chili peppers and spices. The sauce is available bottled and
canned. It is a major ingredient in cocktail sauce.
chiliquiles
Fried corn tortillas baked with chili sauce.
chimaja
The root of wild cherry tree native to Mexico. The ground roots are used as condiment.
Chimay
Belgian Trappist beer with an apple aroma and herbal taste.
chimichango
Mexican, a filled, deep fried tortilla. The filling can vary, but is usually beef, onions, chili and
sometimes potatoes.
chin maung yat
Burmese Prawn soup. See Myranmar.

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china
Term for both the basic material, and the dishes made of a ceramic material. The name comes
from China, which is the first country to produce the ceramics. European china was developed in the
beginning of the 18th century.
China food
Food is central to the Chinese culture. Their esteemed and ancient philosopher, Confucius,
referred to eating as the First Pleasure.
The ancien Chines philosohphy:
yin - feminine, dark and yielding
yan - masculine, bright and hard is the underlaying basis for Chines culture. It is a general
appreciation of duality and complimenting pairs.
The philosophy is also applied in Chinese cooking, which is a cooking of contrasts and harmony
of flavors, colors, textures, food types and cooking methods. Since yin - yan is part of culture it is often
applied in cooking by intuition rather than design.
China has been short of firewood and cooking methods often make maximum use of bursts of
high heat such as in stir frying or deep frying.
Chinese agricultuture has to feed many people and concentrated on crops such as rice, wheat,
sweet potatoes and beans. The farm animals have to produce copious results without too much fuss
and are mostly pigs and poultry. The Chines also eat meat the Western world finds repulsive such as
fattened dogs, snakes and even rats.
Dairy products are almost never consumed except by the Moslem population. Raising dairy
cows was not cost efficient and most Chinese are lactose intolerant.
The consumption of seafood is also much less selective than in the Western world and many sea
creatures considered trash or inedible are turned in gourmet dishes by Chinese chefs.
Chinese meals, whether at home or in restaurants are served from large bowls and platters
placed in the center of the table. Each person takes food with chop sticks and places it on a small plate.
Steamed rice or noodles are part of every meal. The food is cut into small pieces which makes the use of
knives on the table superfluous.
Cutting and slicing is done with a cleaver, a basic tool in a range of weights and sizes for different
applications, but much more versatile than the collection of knives used by fine Western European chefs.
China is the world largest producer of sweet potatoes, it produces about 80% of the world crop.
Soy beans are cultivated since 1000 B.C. Hot peppers were introduced to China during the later
Ming dynasty by Iberian traders in the 17th century. See chili peppers.
The "classic" cooking started during the Sung dynasty (920 to 1279) A.D. Foods introduced
during the era were drought resistant rice, mung beans, sugar cane, watermelons, sorghum.
The Chinese don't really eat anything raw, except for a few fruits. Items maybe quickly blanched
or stir fried so they still remain crisp and fresh. Chinese cooking does not feature salads.
China is a huge country and there are distinct differences between regional cooking styles. In
addition to the various regions of China, Chinese cooking has flourished and adapted itself to wherever
the Chinese emigrated. Chinese food in Singapore is based on a combination of multitudinous regions of
China. Chinese cooking in Hong Kong and America was originally based primarily on the cooking of
Canton.
Regional cooking is listed below.
CHINA, REGIONAL COOKING: Canton/ Guangzhou/ Kwangtung
Southern school cooking is the best known and probably the home of the most famous Chinese
dishes. It is the most popular Chinese food in America and also neighboring Hong Kong, where many
immigrants set up restaurants.
Early Chinese American restaurants in the US consisted mostly of Cantonese dishes and
adaptations of Cantonese dishes, suited to American tastes and utilizing products. When Hong Kong
reverted back to China, many Chinese invested in the US and Canada and upscale Cantonese
restaurants have been opened in major US cities.
Stir frying is the major method of preparation. Popular dishes include preparations in black bean
sauce, oyster sauce, lobster sauce, and also barbecued and roasted preparations. The cooking takes
advantage of the major local crop, rice, and the local seafood, both fish and shellfish. It is characterized

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by contrasts in taste, texture and color. It is a multi flavored cuisine. There is sweet & sour, sharp and
bland and emphasis on fresh ingredients.
Popular are steamed dishes and chicken, duck and geese.
The coastal city of Swatow or Shantou is known for its seafood and seafood soups.
Specialties include camphor duck with its crackly crisp skin, Hundred year sauce, dim sum small appetizers served from trollies at the table.
CHINA, REGIONAL COOKING: Chekiang/ Zhejiang
Province on the eastern coast of China. The cooking is Shanghai style, the cooking of the fertile
delta of the Yangtze River around the city of Shanghai. Rich, heavy use of pork and beef fat, sugar,
meat, and river fish, especially eels.
Specialties include red cooked dishes, include hsi hu vinegar fish, bright moon red pine chicken,
su tung po pork, egg rolls.
Known for its Dragon Well tea.
Also known as Shanghai cooking or Eastern school cooking.
CHINA, REGIONAL COOKING: Chiu Chow
Area of in southeast China in the province of Guangdong, as is Guangzhou or Canton.
The cooking is characterized by heavy use of garlic, oil and fish sauce instead of the more
common used soy sauce, which is popular in the neighboring Canton. The dishes are often sharp tasting
due to the use of white vinegar. The sauces tend to be richer and thicker than those in Canton. Tangerine
juice and ground chilies are used as condiments.
CHINA, REGIONAL COOKING: Hunan
The cooking of the Hunan province in southwestern China is similar to its neighbor Szechuan.
The province has no seacoast so it is based on meat and vegetables. Braising and deep-frying are
commonly used and often several cooking methods are combined to create one dish. Highly seasoned
with use of chili peppers. Glutinous rice and air-cured meats are often served.
CHINA, REGIONAL COOKING: Peking
Peking cooking is the northern school cooking centered around the capital Beijing. It became the
culinary center and attracted talented cooks to the Imperial court. Some of the finest cooking in China is
Peking cuisine. Most banquet food is Peking food. It is distinguished by the use of much meat, it favors
noodles over rice. There are breads made from the wheat of the nearby plains; breads are not common in
other parts of China.
The Peking duck is probably the best known dish. See there.
The North is famous for its hearty food such as Mongolian Hot Pot. Tianjin in the north is known
for its pears and cabbages.
CHINA, REGIONAL COOKING: Szechuan/Sichuan
The western school of cooking. The major agricultural plain of the southwestern China regional
Chinese cooking style.
The province has no seacoast is based on meats and vegetables from its Chengdu plain, some
of them cooked "in the style of fish". The large alluvial plain formed by the Min Chiang river and the fact
that the area has been irrigated since the 3rd century make it the "rice bowl of China". Rice is eaten at
virtually every meal.
Braising and deep-frying are commonly used and often several cooking methods are combined to
create one dish. Highly seasoned with a multiplicity of flavors and the use of chili peppers. Its hot spicy
food had given the locals the nickname in China "good eating devils".
Specialties include tea smoked duck.
COOKING TECHNICS:
deep - frying - an essential cooking method. It is usually done in a wok, which gives a wider
cooking surface with less oil than a convectional pot. Wire mesh spoons or chop sticks are used to
retrieve the food.
earthen ware cooking - slow braising in ceramic pots.
smoking - ancient method to flavor food. In the western world smoking was primarily a
preservation technic, in Chinese cooking is foremost a way to impart flavors. Smoke is produced with
hickory, camphor and cedar wood chips, in addition to raw rice, tea leaves, peanut shells, brown sugar,
pine needles, cassia bark and fruit peels. Smoking is done traditionally in the kitchen in a heavy pot or in
a smoke oven. Birds are hung vertically by the neck.

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steaming - popular method to cook a wide variety of foods. The steamer baskets can be made of
metal, bamboo and other materiels. Steaming is often done over the wok or in aluminum pots for larger
food.
stir-frying - quick cooking in a shallow round pot called wok. In Chinese stoves it will sit half
immersed in the stove and comes in different sizes, depths and one or two handled. Stirring is done with
a round spatula and round metal scoop. Chop sticks are used frequently.
BASIC INGREDIENTS:
The Romanized names given in Cantonese and Mandarin represent the approximate spelling.
Chinese is a tonal language and cannot be fitted precicely into the Roman alphabet.
English
Cantonese
Mandarin
abalone. See there.
bao yu
bao yu
agar agar. See there.
dung yong tsoi
dung yang tsai
anise, star. See there.
ba gok
ba chio
arrowhead tubers. See Chinese arrowhead.
tsee goo
bamboo shoots. See there.
chuk sun
chu sun
beans, black. See there.
wu dow
wu do
beans, fermented. See Chinese fermented
dow si
do shih
bean cake, fermented, gelatinous flavoring.
fu yu
fu yu
bean curd. See tofu.
dow fu
dow fu
bean curd dried. See tofu.
dau foo gonn
tien chu
bean curd, red. See tofu.
dau foo
nan yu
bean filling. See bean paste.
dow sa
do sa
bean sauce. See Chinese black bean sauce
mien see jiong
do bahn jiang
bean sprouts, mung. See there.
gna tsoi
lo da ya
bean sprouts, soy. See soy beans
daai dau nga choi
huang do ya
beans, long. See long beans.
dow gok
do jiaso
bche de mere. See trepang.
hai sum
hai sun
bell peppers. See peppers.
tseng jiu
birds nest. See there.
yin wa
yen wuo
box thorn. See Chinese box thorn.
gau gei choi
broccoli. See Chinese broccoli
gai lan tsoi
chia lan tsai
cabbage, bamboo. See Chinese cabbage
chuk gaai choi
cabbage, celery. See Chinese cabbage
sheo tsoi
tientsin bai
cabbage, flat. See Chinese cabbage
taai goo choi
cabbage, flowering. See Chinese cabbage
choi sum
cabbage, head. See Chinese cabbage
yeh choi
cabbage, mustard. See Chinese cabbage
daai gaai choi
cabbage, Peking. See Chinese cabbage
wong nga baak
cabbage, See Chinese cabbage.
jiu la choi
cabbage, white. See Chinese cabbage
bok tsoi
bai tsai
caul fat. See there.
mong yow
wang yo
chestnuts. See there.
loot tszee
li tze
chestnuts, water. See there.
ma tie
ma ti
chili peppers. See there.
laat jiu
chives, Chines. See Chinese chives.
gow tsoi
chiu tsai
cloud ears. See Chinese black mushrooms.
win yee
rin erh
cookies, almond, popular cookie.
hong yong bang
hsin ren bing
cuttlefish, dried. See there.
yow yu
yo yu
dates. See dates and jujubes.
hung jo
hung tzao
dracontomelum. See ambarella.
yun meen
duck liver, cured and dried
op gon
ya gan
egg, 100 year old. See eggs, Chinese
pei don
pi dan
haam dan
eggs, salted. See eggs, salted
egg roll skins. See wonton skins.
chwin guen pei
chwin jwen pi
eggplant, Chinese. See eggplant.
ai gwa
chieh tze
Five spice powder. See there.
ng hiong fun
wu hsiang fun

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garland chrysanthemum. See Chinese garland tong ho

garlic. See there.
tuen tau
ginger. See there.
geong
jiang
gingko nut. See there.
bok go
bai go
Hoisin sauce. See there.
hoy sin jiong
hai hsien jiang
hot sauce, chili pepper based sauce.
lot yow
la yu
jellyfish. See there.
hoy jit pei
hai jih pi
jicama. See there.
saa got
kale. See Chinese cabbage
gaai laan
Kohlrabi. See there.
dye to tsoi
da tou tsai
kumquat. See there.
gum quot
jin jiu
lemon sauce, canned condiment sauce
ning mung jiong ning mung jiang
lily flowers. See day lily.
gum tsum
jing tsen
litchees. See there.
la-ee tze
li tze
longans. See there.
loong gnahn
lung yen
loquats. See there.
pei pa
pi pa
lotus root. See there.
leen gnow
lien ngo
lotus seeds. See there.
leen tszee
lien tze
luffa. See gourd
sze gwa
melon, bitter. See bitter gourd.
foo gwa
ku gwa
melon, fuzzy. See Chinese fuzzy melon
tseet gwa
melon, hairy. See hairy gourd.
jit gwa, mo gwa
cheh gwa
melon, tree. See Chinese chayote
hop jeung gwa
faat sau gwa
melon, Winter. See Winter melon.
dong gwa
dung gwa
mushrooms, dried. See Chinese mushrooms dung gu
dung gu
mushrooms, Jews ear, see Chinese mushrooms
wan yee
mushrooms, straw, see Chinese mushrooms
tso gwoo
mustard powder. See there.
gai lat
gai mo
mustard greens. See Chinese cabbage. gai tsoi gai tsai
noodles, see cellophane noodles
fun see
fun si
noodles, fresh made with eggs.
lo mein
lo mein
noodles, dried, fried
.
yee fu mein
ee fu mein
One hundred Unities. See there.
bok hop
bai ho
oyster sauce. See there.
ho yow
hao yo
oysters, dried. See Chinese dried oysters.
ho see
hao shih
parsley, Chinese. See cilantro.
yuin si tsoi, uen sai
hsiang tsai
pea shoots. See peas.
dau miu
pepper, anise, see anise pepper
fa jiu
hwa jiao
plum sauce. See plum sauce.
shwin mei jiong
swan mei jiang
radish. See daikon.
loh baak
noh my
no mi
rice, glutinous. See there.
rice stick, rice noodles
my fun
mi fun
sausage, fatty, spicy pork and pork liver
lop chiong
la tsang
scallops, dried. See Chinese dried scallops
gong yu chu
gan bei
seaweed. See there.
jee tsoi
tze tsai
sesame oil. See there.
jee ma yow
tze ma yu
shallots. See there.
tsung tau
shark fin. See there.
yu chi
yu tze
spinach. See amaranth.
een choi.
shrimp dried, see Chinese dried shrimp
ha my
sha mi
shrimp chips. See there.
ha bang
hsia bing
shrimp paste. See there.
haham ha
shien ha
slippery vegetable. See Chinese slippery
saan choi
snow peas. See there.
hoh laan dau
shieh do
soy sauce. See there.
dark
lo tsow
lao tsou

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heavy
jiong yow
light
sang tsow
squid, dried. See squid.
sweet potato. See sweet potatoes.
taro. See there.
turnips, salted
vinegar, rice. See there.
watercress. See there.
water chestnuts. See there.
water spinach. See Chinese water spinach.

jiang yu
sheng tsou
yow yu
faan sue.
yu tau
dy to tsoi
ba tso
sih yong tsoi
ma taai
ong choi.

yo yu
yu tou
ta to tsai
bai tsu
hsi yang tsai

China beverages
Chinese beer brewing was originally centered around Tsingtao, which was for a while under
German jurisdiction. The Tsingtao brand beer is exported and is popular.
China is best know for tea. The Chinese word for tea cha is found in a number of languages.
Most tea is drunk un-fermented, but there is also fermented and semi-fermented tea popular. Tea is the
universal beverage. Tea was a novelty as late as the Tang period 618 907 A.D.
There are five colors of tea: Green, black, red, white, and assorted. See tea.
Chinese wines include the rice brews, also known as huangjiu or yellow wines, such as that of
Shaoxing. Sweet fruit wine, especially made from plums, is produced in sizeable quantities, and some is
exported.
China started a wine industry around Tsingtao under the guidance of Australian and European
vintners. Wine growing probably was introduced by Arab traders, but did not flourish. The Shandong
Peninsula is the main wine growing area.
Some wine is also grown Turfan, a border area to Turkestan.
Chinese American cooking
Chinese cooking that evolved around dishes created by the Chinese cooks, mostly from Canton,
who came to America to work and live. The dishes were created out of necessity both to cater to
American tastes and because many of their traditional ingredients were not available.
Many dishes were created when Chinese laborers were brought to California to build the railroad
over the Sierra. They were strictly segregated from white Caucasian workers and Chinese cooks were
hired to prepare meals for them.
DISHES INCLUDE:
chop suey
chow mein
egg rolls
lobster sauce
moo goo gai pan
Chinese restaurants catering to American taste became popular and are found in just about
every town and village in the US. Thier cooking is not representative of genuine Chinese cooking, but it
is usually very good and inexpensive.
Chinese ambarella
See ambarella.
Yun meen.
Chinese anise
See star anise.
Chinese artichoke(s).
Small tubers which resemble Jerusalem artichokes in appearance and taste though they are not
related to each other, just as they are not related to artichokes. The term crosnes comes from the town in
France where these are grown.
Can be eaten raw or peeled. Usually served boiled.
Also known as chorogi or crosnes. Stachys sieboldii, stachys affinis.

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Chinese arrowhead
Starchy egg shaped tubers that can be used like potatoes.
Tsee goo.
Chinese black bean sauce
Condiment made with cooked fermented black soy beans and garlic.
Chinese banana
Dwarf banana. See banana.
Chinese box thorn
Vegetable with small oval leaves on straight stems in the solanceae family, related to tomatoes,
tobacco, eggplants and many flowers.
The stems have thorns and are not eaten, the leaves are used in soups.
Gau gei choi.
Chinese broccoli
Long green stalks, with leaves and small buds. Good stir fried. Best if blanched first to remove
the slightly bitter taste.
Chinese cabbage
Cabbage related vegetables play an important role in Chinese cooking. The variety found in
Chinese markets can be bewildering.
THE MOST VARIETIES IMPORTANT ARE:
Bamboo mustard cabbage, ribbed, green leaf vegetables with blades almost extending to the
root. The flavor is pungent and unpleasant when fresh. It should be par-boiled to remove some of the
strong flavor.
Flat cabbage, round cabbage only a few inches
tall and growing like a plate. The leaves are dark green,
and the flavor is more pronounced than in bok choy.
Taai goo choi.
Flowering cabbage, green vegetable with yellow
flowers and soft leaves. One of the most popular
cabbage.
Choi sum.
Head cabbage, the same cabbage as used in
western cooking. See cabbage.
Yeh choi.
Chuk gaai choi
Gaai laan

Mustard cabbage, resembling leaf lettuce with a

solid center stalk. It has strong flavor and is used in soups.
Salted mustard cabbage is suen choi and used as
condiment. See mustard greens.

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Napa cabbage

Peking cabbage /Napa cabbage is a compact cabbage,

yellow to white. It is probably the best known cabbage. Also
known as nappa cabbage, celery cabbage or pe - tsai.
Wong nga baak.
Snow cabbage, a long leaf vegetable in the mustard
green family. It has strong flavor and is often par-boiled.
Jiu la choi.
White cabbage, a group of slightly different vegetables
commonly known as bok choy. The leaf stalks are ivory white,
the leaves are green. When cooked the leaves are tender and
the stalks are crips. It is one of the oldest cultivated vegetable.
Dried bok choy is used in soups.
Baak choi.

Chinese celery

Chinese chayote
Vegetable similar to chayote. See there.
Also known as silk squash, silk melon.
Hop jeung gwa/ faat sau gwa.
Chinese chestnuts
Edible fruits from large trees introduced to North
America in 1853 and resistant to the fungus that destroyed
the native American chestnut trees.
The nuts grow in clusters of 1 to 4 inside a prickly
shell that splits open when ripe. They are starchy and must
be boiled or roasted.
Castanea mollissima.
Chinese chives
Tall chives with a pronounced garlic taste. They are different in appearance from other chives in
that their stems are flatter. Both flowers and leaves can be used in cooking.
Also known as garlic chives.
Gau choi fa flowering chives.
Allium odoratum.
Chinese cinnamon
See cassia.
Chinese date
Another name for jujube. See there.
Chinese dried shrimp
Salted dried shrimp used as condiment in Cantonese cooking. They can be eaten as is as
snack, or soaked and used in cooked dishes.
Chinese dried scallops
Dull colored, shriveled scallops used as flavor component.

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Chinese evergreen
Tropical aquatic herb.
Also known as Chinese water plant, Japanese leaf.
Aglaonema simplex.
Chinese fan palm
Palm tree with edible fruits.
Livistona chinensis.
Chinese fermented black beans
Condiment ingredient for Cantonese cooking, available canned.
Chinese Five Spice Powder
Blend of spices consisting of anise pepper, star anise, cassia, cloves and fennel seeds with
licorice taste.
Chinese fuzzy melon
Vegetable in the squash family related to Winter melon and zucchini.
Tseet gwa.
Chinese garland chrysanthemum
Leafy vegetable resembling Chinese
cabbage. Basically the same plant as used as
ornamental flowers, the leaves are bluntly lobed
and rough. It is used as soup vegetable.
Tong ho.
Chinese gelatin
See agar - agar.

Chinese gooseberry
Widely grown and marketed as kiwi. See
there.
Actinidia chinensis/Actinidia sinensis.
Chinese grapefruit
Another name for pomelo.
Chinese jujube. See jujube.
Chinese kale
See Chinese broccoli.
Chinese lantern
Another name for Cape gooseberry. Also known as goldenberry, ground cherry, Peruvian cherry,
or by its botanical name physalis.
The name Chinese lantern also applies to an ornamental garden plant.
Physalis peruviana.
Chinese leaves
Another name for Chinese cabbage. See there.

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Chinese leeks

Basically the same as scallions. See there.

Chinese long beans
See long beans.

Chinese longan
See longan. See there. Also known as Chinese
dates.
Chinese mushrooms
Black mushrooms are cultivated on wood logs and available dried. The mushrooms must be
soaked before use and become chewy and rubbery after cooking. They absorb the flavor of other
ingredients.
Also known as, cloud ears wood ears.
Flower mushrooms, brown to cream colored. They are known as shiitake in Japan and have
become available fresh in the US. In China they are always used dried. Also known as Winter
mushrooms. See shiitake.
Lentinus edodes.
Jews ear mushrooms are dried, odd shaped mushrooms with little flavor.
Straw mushrooms are cultivated on straw mats or cotton with mild flavor and available fresh and
dried. The heads are closed when young.
Also known as grass mushrooms.
Tso gwoo.
Volvaria esculenta.
Chinese mustard greens
Leafy vegetable extensively grown. The large leaves can be eaten as salad, or cooked as
vegetable. An other variety produces large tuberous roots, which are eaten as vegetable.
Chinese mustard is also a prepared mustard, rather pungent and always yellow.
Chinese New Year
The year 2000 is the year 4698 for the Chinese. The new year normally falls in February or
March.
The new year starts with a bang, literally, with a fusillade of fireworks in Chinese areas
throughout the world. It is a time of great family feasting which goes on for several days. Many symbolic
foods are served. Fish is common. The word for fish and for prosperity are pronounced the same, "yu", so
fish is commonly eaten to symbolize prosperity or abundance.
OTHER SYMBOLS ARE:
apples - peace
candied fruits such as lotus seeds, kumquats, and dates - plenty
eggs - rebirth and good fortune
gold foil wrapped chocolate coins - wish for riches
Jade - youth and rebirth
noodles - longevity
oranges - sweet life
peanuts - birth and long life
pomelo - abundance
sliced lotus root - lets the good luck through
tangerines - good luck
tomatoes - joy and virtue
vegetables cut in the shape of gold coins - prosperity
water chestnuts - wish for many children

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watermelon seeds - wish for many sons

yueh e choi - togetherness
Chinese egg noddles
The noodles are made fresh and highly skilled Chinese chefs have developed an ingenious
method of twisting and tossing the soft dough into noodles without cutting.
Chinese oysters, dried
Popular flavoring component. They must be soaked and washed before use. Edible only when
cooked.
Chinese parsley
The weed of the coriander plant, often called cilantro.
Chinese rice wine
See rice wine.
Chinese slippery vegetable
Spinach-like in appearance, it is prized for its mucilaginous texture when cooked.
Also known as Saan choi, Cylon or Indian Spinach.
Basella alba.
Chinese spinach
See amaranth. In Chinese cooking the leaves and stems are used, the roots are discarded.
Een choi.
Not the same as Chinese water spinach.
Chinese sweet potato
See sweet potatoes.
Faan sue.
Chinese tea
See Chinese beverages.
Chinese water chestnuts
Edible tuber cultivated in Asia, often available canned. Known as pi tsi.
Chinese water spinach
Leafy vegetable not related to spinach and not tasting like spinach. It is used including the stems
and the crunchy stems and softer leaves create a pleasant contrast of texture.
Ong choi.
Ipomoea aquatica.
Chinese white wormwood
Leafy vegetable remotely related to wormwood, lettuce and chrysanthemum. The leaves
resemble celery, but the stalks are red.
Junn jiu choi.
Chinese winter melon
See winter melon.
Chinese wild rice shoots
The tender shoots of a plant related to the North American wild rice. See there. After peeling off
the though skin the inner shoots are edible when cooked.
Gaau sun.

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Chinese yam
White flesh yam with hairy, scaly skin. See yam.
Dioscorea esculenta.
Chinese yellow cucumber
Vegetable in the melon family closely resembling green cucumbers, except the skin is tougher.
See cucumbers.
Wong gwa.
Ching Chun Bao.
Chinese once secret potion of the Emperors. Credited with nerve soothing and immunizing
properties.
chinchilla
Rodents, now prized for their fur. In ancient times, they were eaten by the the Chincha indians,
for whom they were named.
Chincoteague
Oyster harvested off the coast of Maryland and Virginia in the Chincoteague Bay. Small to
medium in size, with a flat round shell. Its slightly sweet taste has a distinctive aftertaste. Oysters
harvested in other places are sometimes placed in the Chincoteague Bay to acquire this taste.
chingri pulao
Bengali rice with prawns.
chinois
French for China cap, a cone shaped strainer.
Chinon
Wine growing region of France in Touraine on the Loire River. Light Bordeaux style red and rose
wines are produced from the Breton and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, and a few white wines are
produced from the Chenin Blanc grape.
Chinook Salmon
Largest of the salmon species, also known as King salmon. See salmon. Tyee (which means
chief) is the Indian name.
chinquapin
Edible nut from a chestnut tree found in the US Southeast and in California.
chipolatas
French small sausages resembling breakfast sausages. The name is probably derived from
cipolla, small onion. The sausages are often used as garnish.
chipotle
Smoke dried Jalapeo chilies.
chipped beef
Corned beef dried and shredded. It is rather salty and is served best in a cream sauce. The dish
became infamous as army food and was referred to as "shit on a shingle".
chips
Thin, wafer like, crisp slices. The best know are potatoes chips, but other root vegetables have
also come on the market. Chips are typically deep fried, but can also be dried. Chips can also be made
with a batter, such as corn chips.

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The term is also applied to other foods, such as chocolate chips.

chips
British term for french fries.
Chiroubles
Burgundy village in the Beaujoilais region producing a light red wine, best when drunk fresh and
slightly chilled.
chistorra
Spanish thin red sausage from the Navarre region.
chitarra
Italian guitar like wire cutter used to shape a flat sided pasta. Literally translated guitar.
chitterlings/chitlings
The quintessential soul food dish. Pork innards, first boiled until tender, and then fried. Innards
are inexpensive and therefore the dish became associated with poor black people in the South.
Chitterlings are also used in sausages.
chiverre
Central American pumpkin-like squash.
Chives
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Green, slender, round, reed-like member of the

onion family. Somewhat similar to scallions, in
appearance, which are also known as green onions, but
chives are thinner.
Allium schoenoprasum.
Clodnik
Polish chilled beet and cucumber soup made with
yoghurt and sour cream.
Chlorophyta
Group of green edible seaweeds.
cho-cho
The Australian name for chayote.
chocle
Peruvian native variety of corn. It has especially large kernels and is commonly eaten boiled, on
the cob. A popular snack especially in the Andes.
chocolate
Chocolate came to Europe with Cortez, who brought cocoa beans back from his explorations in
Mexico. The Aztecs used the cocoa beans to make a thick frothy drink called chocolatl.xocolati. It was
introduced into Spain by the conquistadors, and cocoa became fashionable as a drink in the 1700's.
Chocolate contains theobromine, a stimulant that make people feel good. See cocoa.
Chocolate is the solid product made from processed cocoa beans, sugar, fats and flavors. The
oval, somewhat bumpy pods, which look something like elongated acorn squashes, are split open, and
the 40 or so small ivory colored seeds are extracted. They are left in the open air for about a week to dry

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and ferment in order to decrease the tannin. At this point, they will have darkened to brown, and begun to
acquire the tantalizing aroma associated with chocolate. They are graded and cleaned, then roasted.
After roasting, the centers of the beans, or nibs, are milled to release the cocoa butter. The
chocolate is a paste of cocoa mixed with the now liquefied cocoa butter, sugar and flavorings.
The next step, conching, is one of the most important in determining the quality of the finished
chocolate. Conching is essentially a kneading process, done in machines, shaped like giant clamshells,
that were invented in the 19th century. The longer the chocolate is conched, the finer the texture will be.
Large manufacturers do their own conching, but smaller companies buy their chocolate already conched.
Switzerland and Belgium are leading high quality chocolate manufacturers. Pastry chefs often
specify French made chocolate.
Carob, also called St. John's bread, is often used as a low fat, caffeine free substitute for
chocolate. See there.
Milk chocolate comprises 90% of US chocolate sales.
TERMS INCLUDE:
Couverture - covering chocolate used in pastry shops. It has enough cacao butter to become
solid when cold. Used to cover baked goods, but also to make a chocolate cream called Ganache.
Imitation couverture is also available with hydrogenated vegetable shortening, which is less expensive
than cacao butter. It is often used to cover ice cream bars.
Bitter chocolate - ready to eat chocolate made without milk.
Milk chocolate - made with milk and sweeter than bitter chocolate.
Ganache - heavy cream and couverture chocolate brought to the boiling point, chilled and
whipped. The delicate is cream used in such products as chocolate truffles and in cake.
chocolate covered cherries
Maraschino cherries are coated with fondant icing mixed with convertit, an enzyme which makes
the sugar molecules break down. When the mixture hardens the cherries are dipped in the chocolate.
The convertit makes the sugar crystals softens again. The process is still largely done by hand. The
delicate chemistry of the fondant makes these candies especially susceptible to changes in air pressure
and temperature.
chocolate truffles
Creamy, rich chocolate confection. See truffles, chocolate.
chocolate velvet cake
Signature cake of the Four Season Restaurant in New York City, created by pastry chef Albert
Kumin in 1959.
chocolatl
Thick frothy drink made by the Aztecs in what became Mexico. The second most prominent
flavor in this beverage is vanilla.
choesels
Belgium stew of beef tripe, kidneys and beef pancreas.
choke cherries
Native American wild cherry, too acidic to eat raw, but good in jams.
Prunus virginiana.
cholent
Jewish traditional Sabbath dish. Since orthodox Judaism forbids lighting a fire on Sabbath, this
dish is designed for long, slow cooking so it could be made before the Sabbath eve and stay warm until
Sabbath.
Cholent is a one dish meal, cooked very slowly in the oven overnight. The dish often consists of
dried beans cooked with onions, potatoes, and beef short ribs or chuck.
Cholent Kugel is a flour, fat and onion mixtures, shaped like a sausage, rolled in parchment
paper and slowly baked. It is the same as derma. See there. Also known as sholent.

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cholesterol
Chemical compound found naturally in animal fats and meats. Daily ingestion of cholesterol
should be limited to 300 milligrams a day. The safe level of cholesterol in the blood is about 200
milligrams per tenth liter of blood, referred to as a cholesterol level of 200.
Some cholesterol is beneficial and necessary. The body needs cholesterol to build cell
membranes and manufacture certain hormones. But virtually all the cholesterol needed by the adult
person can be produced in their own body.
chompoo
Thai fruit, rose apple in English. There are three different varieties of this fruit in Thailand. The
fruit grows in clusters and is about three inches long. They are full of seeds. See rose apple.
chook
Singaporean rice porridge, flavored with chicken, pork, tripe, or duck eggs.
chopin
Old Scottish liquid measure of about one quart. There is an old German volume measurement
called Schoppen.
chop
Piece of meat from the loin or saddle of an animal. Originally, the term chop indicated that the rib
bone was left attached to the meat, but boneless chops were created to make the meat more user
friendly. Lately, the term chop is loosely applied, and indicates a thick piece of meat.
chop suey
Cantonese dish, when literally translated, means miscellaneous things. While chop suey exists in
the Canton region of China, the American version, of necessity, is quite different from the Chinese. When
Chinese cooks first came to America, few of the products they were accustomed to were available. They
used the name of this improvisational dish, standardized it, and today, even though many of the Oriental
ingredients are now available, Chop Suey, in its anachronistic Chinese American version, remains a
popular restaurant dish.
chopsticks
Sticks used as eating utensils in many oriental cultures, primarily in China. Although wooden
chop sticks are common, and many cases are disposable, elaborate chop sticks have been made with
ivory and other materials. Etiquette dictates that chopsticks should not be rested directly on the table
between courses or bites.
At fine tables in Japan and China are chopstick rests designed specifically for this purpose. At
some restaurants, the waiter, may twist the paper wrapper from the chopsticks to use as a rest.
Use of chopsticks dates at least back to 1200 BC.
Kuaizi in Mandarin Chinese, which comes from the word for quick. Standard Chinese chopsticks
are "fatter" than traditional Japanese chopsticks which are tapered and generally more difficult to use.
chorba
Bulgarian generic word for soup.
chorizo
Spicy Spanish/Hispanish sausage.
chorogi
Another name for Chinese artichoke.
Choron, Alexandre Stephan, 1772 - 1834
Sauce Choron is a Barnaise sauce flavored with tomato.

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chou
French for cream puff. Cream puff paste is called pte chou in French, Brandteig in German.
Cream puffs can be filled with different sweet creams, with ice cream but also with fish or meat mousse.
Almost always more than on cream puff is served, so on French menus the plural spelling choux
is used.
chou
French for cabbage.
chou-fleur
The French word for cauliflower. The plural term choux - fleurs is also used on menus, referring
that a number of buds are served.
choucroute
French word for Sauerkraut. In restaurant lingo, it is normally sauerkraut braised with various
kinds of sausages and smoked meats. In Alsace, the dish is called choucroute garni, in Austria
Bauernschmaus or Schlachtplatte, in Switzerland Bernerplatte. There are numerous variations.
chourico
Portuguese rough-textured, coarse-ground, spicy sausage, flavored with garlic, pimento, and red
pepper. Similar to the linguica, but the chourico is shorter, plumper, and usually coarser. Especially
popular in the Azores.
chourpi
Nepalese cheese snack made by the Dolpo mountain people. It is made from yaks' milk. The
soured milk is boiled down to a thick liquid, which is then dried in the sun for several days. The liquid
hardens to a thick, chewy consistency, and it must be chewed for ten minutes, before it can be swallowed
and digested.
choux de Bruxelles
French term for Brussels sprouts.
chow
Slang term for food, especially army food.
chowchow
Relish of Chinese origin. Finely chopped vegetables, cooked with sugar, vinegar, turmeric,
celery seeds and other spices. Vegetables include cauliflower, Jerusalem artichokes.
Also known as chow-chow.
chow/chao
Vegetable relish. The term dates back to the Chinese laborers who came to California in the
1850's. There are many meanings of the word chow in various Chinese dialects, so the definition is
unclear. It might mean mixed; it might mean to eat.
chow mein
American/Chinese popular noodle dish. The term comes from the Chinese words for fried
noodles, but as used in America, the term refers to a common old fashioned American-Chinese dish.
chowder
Hearty soup, almost like a stew and often eaten as a main course. Probably brought to
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Massachusetts in the 17th century by settlers from the Channel Islands
and Breton who cooked in large iron kettles, called chaudire in French.
See Boston clam chowder, Manhattan clam chowder.

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chowder clams
Hard shell Quahog clams, usually the largest size.
chowder hut
New England seafood stand, usually temporarily set up at a harbor where the fishing boats come
in. They cook and sell the local catch, such as steamers, clam cakes, lobsters et al.
Chowder de Lucines
A tomato and clam soup developed by Charles Ranhofer, a late 19th century chef at Delmonico's
restaurant in Manhattan. Sometimes claimed to be the forerunner of Manhattan clam chowder.
chrain
Jewish term for horseradish. See Seder.
Christalinna
Cheese made in Eastern Switzerland.
christening a ship
The tradition of christening a ship with a bottle of Champagne comes from the Roman custom of
offering a drink to the gods when a ship was launched.
Christian IX
Danish cheese flavored with cumin or caraway seeds. The cheese has a high fat content.
Christian Brothers
Religious group of Roman Catholic brothers who once owned, and gave their name to, one of the
largest wineries in California. They entered the wine business in 1882, but sold the business to Heublein
in 1989, claiming that the idea of producing alcoholic beverages runs counter to their spiritual mission.
Until then the wine and brandy they produced helped to finance their other projects.
They produced a wine called Montage red and white, blended from California and French grapes.
The Christian Brothers Vinery, called Greystone, was sold/donated to the Culinary Institute of
America in Hyde Park, New York in 1992 and was converted to a continuing education facility opened
1995.
Christmas food
TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS EVE FOOD:
Austria - fried carp, cookies, Christmas cookies
France - reveillon, a rich dinner served after midnight mass, Bche de Nol
Germany - roast goose, Lebkuchen, Stollen, Baumkuchen
Holland - Speculaas
Italy - fish such as bacalo or capitone eels, Panettone, Bugie, Frittole
Poland - 12 dishes in honor of the 12 apostles
Spain - turrn, a chewy candy
Scandinavia - rice based porridge
Christmas mushrooms
English term for girolles, or chanterelles, referring to when they are most often found in the wild in
same part of Europe, especially France.
Christmas pudding
Traditional English dessert, a plum pudding made months in advance of Christmas to allow the
dried fruits to ferment and the "cake" to age and mellow. It is a traditional part of Christmas dinner and is
often set ablaze with rum or brandy.
In the Caribbean, Christmas pudding is a dark, almost black Port and rum soaked fruitcake,
containing currants, raisins, apricots, dates and figs.

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christophene
The West Indian name for chayote. See there.
chrysanthemum
Flowers used in Oriental cooking, as tee or in batters. The French writer Alexandre Dumas
mentions a chrysanthemum salad in one of his plays. The plant is in the aster family.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
chrysanthemum pot
Round copper pot similar to a fire pot, but without the chimney, for cooking at the table. Food is
slower cooked over a lower flame than with the vented fire pot.
Used to cook such items as paper thin slices of beef, chicken, shrimp, squid, other seafood,
cabbage, cellophane noodles.
Known as kwo gwo in Mandarin.
chub
Name for small smoked whitefish.
chuck wagon
Mobile kitchen in the West, often a converted farm wagon.
chuck
Butcher term for shoulder, normally beef shoulder. Chuck meat is considered the best meat for
hamburgers.
There are a number of different muscles defined by specific names. The meat is usually braised
or boiled.
Basic Square Cut Chuck - Meat Buyers Guide # 113
Boned Chuck - Meat Buyers Guide # 115
chuck
Western term for food.
Chuckles
Candy with sugar and jelly center.
chukar
Rock partridge native to Asia and introduced as game bird.
Alectoris chukar.
chufa
The English and Spanish name for a small root, native to the desert region, Chuf in Sudan. The
root looks like a peanut sized potato. Its dry skin protects a moist interior which was chewed by the
nomads to satisfy thirst.
Chufa was introduced to Spain by eighth century Moorish invaders, who attempted to cultivate it
in the area around Mlaga. They were unsuccessful there, but were more fortunate in the sandy soil and
warm and humid micro climate around Valencia.
Its most popular use in modern times is in a Spanish drink called horchata. In Valencia, horchata
is a popular drink.
Also known as earth almond.
Cyperus esculentus.
chuleta de cordero a la plancha
Spanish term for a thick grilled lamb chop, most commonly served in the area northwest of
Madrid, around Avila.

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chum
Ocean fish, also known as dog salmon.
chunk comb honey
Honey with a section of the honey comb.
Chunky
Chocolate candy bar with tropical nuts, created by Philip Silverstein.
chuo
Peruvian term for small air-dried potatoes. This method of preserving dates back to the ancient
Incas.
Chuos must be soaked before use and are used particularly in stews.
churrascaria(s)
Brazilian/Argentina grill restaurants, most popular in the southern part of Brazil, especially around
Rio de Janeiro and in the mountains of Rio Grande do Sul. Unlike North American barbecues, the meats
are coated with salt brine and grilled or roasted over charcoal, without any sauce embellishment. There is
normally a big salad bar and buffet, which includes hot dishes.
A wood disk, painted green on one side and red on the other is placed on each table. The
selection will usually include beef, pork, sausages, lamb, chicken parts, and innards, all roasted on
individual skewers. As long as the green side is up the servers brings the meats, still on its roasting
skewers to the table. The diner points to the meat wanted, and it is carved from the skewers.
When the dish is turned over the servers will offer coffee and desserts.
The meat is served with side dishes such as manioc, rice, french fries, plantains, lettuce and
tomato.
churros
Popular street snack in Spain and in most parts of South America. Fritters, horseshoe shaped,
made with a simple batter. The dough is forced through a star shaped funnel into the hot oil. Churros are
sold covered with chocolate icing and/or filled with custard. In Madrid, they are made in restaurants and
Churrerias.
Porras are large churros made leavened with baking powder. They are often sprinkled with
anise.
chutney
A relish. The word chutney comes from the Sanskrit word "chatni", meaning to lick. In India today
the word simply means mixture. Chutney can be fresh or cooked. Most chutneys are made with mango,
but many other fruit and vegetable combinations exists. Chutney is normally sweet sour and pungent.
CIA
The initials of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York and St. Helena,
California.
ciabatta
Italian crusty white bread from the Lake Como area. Ciabatta di funghi contains mushrooms.
cicchetti
Italian small appetizer foods, served in pubs, popular in Venice. An Italian version of Spanish
tapas.
cicada
Edible locust variety.
cider

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Beverage made from apples, or pears, which when allowed to ferment produces a lightly
alcoholic beverage. Sweet cider is pasteurized and non alcoholic, hard cider is fermented cider. The
most common cider is made from apples. Cider is made by grinding whole, firm, unspoiled apples into a
lumpy mass called a pumice, which is then pressed to yield a frothy liquid.
The variety of apples used make a difference in taste. The prolific Red Delicious apple variety
makes a blander, sweeter cider. Russets and Baldwins make a tangier, tarter cider.
Cider was the most important drink in colonial America and Thomas Jefferson produced his own
cider at Monticello. American cider is usually reddish-brown in color, with a mellow full flavor.
Cider is especially popular in the West Country of England where the cider packs a stronger
alcoholic punch of 6 to 8%. The traditional style of cider, known as "scrumpy", is cloudy and yellowish,
with a strong apply smell, a dry taste and a slightly bitter aftertaste. It is made from cider apples,
descendants of crab apples, fermented on their own yeasts, aged in oak vats, and non pasteurized. It can
be drunk slightly aged, and is good up to three years. In old days, the first pressing, referred to as cyder
(subsequent pressings were called cider) were most prized.
Cider is also popular in the Normandy region of France where much of the cider is distilled to
make Calvados. Frankfurt, Germany is also renown for its cider. It is called in the local dialect Ebbelwoi.
Interestingly, despite the prevalence of apple orchards in New York State, Syracuse, New York
has the lowest per household consumption of any city in the US.
The federally mandated types of cider are: sweet cider as sold at farm stand with up to 3%
alcohol, hard cider with 3% to 7% alcohol, applejack with 40% alcohol (80 proof) and apple brandy with
50% alcohol (100) proof.
cider apples
Descendants of the crab apple, used for making cider in the West Country of England.
cider royal
A concentrated cider flavored with honey. Also known as cider oil.
cider vinegar
Vinegar made with cider, most often apple cider. The unfermented cider is placed with vinegar
mother in containers and allowed to change to vinegar.
cigales
Spanish shellfish, related to gambas and langoustines.
Cilantro
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

The leaves of the coriander plant. Pungent,

peppery leaves commonly used in Chinese, southeast
Asia, and Mexican cooking.
The delicate, lacy green leaves, look
somewhat like a young Italian parsley, but their flavor
is unique and pungent.
The term coriander more commonly refers to
the dried and powdered seeds. Can be grown at
home from seeds.
Also known as Chinese parsley.
Coriandrum sativum.
Ciliegolo
Italian red wine grape variety of unique
character, used as blending wine. As the name
indicates, the flavor is cherry like.
cinchona bark

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See quinine.
cinderella
Muffin flavored with nutmeg. The origin of the name is not known.
cinnamon
Spice, the reddish brown inner bark of a tree growing in tropical countries. The leaves are
aromatic. The tree grows very slowly, and is often found along streets and fields.
Cinnamon is used in baking and desserts, but also in curries, and also as flavoring for Big Red and
Most cinnamon used in the US is the cassia variety from South East Asia. Available whole in sticks
(quills) or ground. The spice is used mostly in baking.
Also known as daal cheenee, taj bhooko.
Cinnamomum zeylanicum, cinnamomum cassia.
West Indian variety of cinnamon is canela. See there.
cinnamon oil
Aromatic oil used in baking.
cinq sept
French term, literally translated it means 5 to 7. It is the Parisian version of the American "cocktail
hour".
Cinsault
Red wine grape grown in the Rhne Valley, where it is used in Chteauneuf du Pape, Tavel and
other ros wines. Also grown in Lebanon and New Zealand. In a blend it contributes a soft, aromatic
quality to the wine.
Cinzano vermouth
Italian brand of a wine based beverage, available as bianco (white) and rosso (red) versions,
both with 16% alcohol content.
Cinzano is flavored with a secret blend of herbs and spices. and is usually served as aperitif
with club soda, on the rocks, or with a twist of lemon.
Cinzano is a assertive tasting vermouth and is seldom used in cocktails.
cioppino
San Francisco fish stew, which focuses on the catch of the day. The early fishermen in the area
came mostly from Genoa, Italy's chief port, and the name of the stew comes from the Genoa dialect word
"ciuppin". The stew may contain shellfish such as clams, shrimp, and crab along with firm-fleshed fish.
The fish are cooked in olive oil and wine with vegetables, such as, onions, tomatoes, and garlic.
This fragrant wine flavored fish stew is often described as an American version of French
bouillabaisse, see there, but the latter usually contains saffron and is served with a large crouton. It is
also sometimes claimed that true bouillabaisse does not contain shellfish. The American cioppino often
contains Dungeness crab.
cippolino
Onion variety about 1 inches across, with mild, nutty flavor.
Circassian chicken
Turkish dish of cold chicken served with a walnut sauce.
Circulo Mexicano de Arte Culinario
Group of 12 women, organized to preserve the provincial dishes of Mexican cooking.
ciscoe/cisco
Lake herring, a fresh water whitefish harvested in the Great Lakes. It is normally smoked, and is
popular in Jewish Delicatessen.

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230

citrange
Hybrid fruit, a cross between lemon and orange.
citrangequat
Hybrid fruit, a cross between lemon and kumquat.
citric acid
Natural acid found in most fruits, especially in citrus fruits. Citric acid is available in crystalline
from as flavor enhancer.
citron melon
Fruit of the watermelon species, thought to be the true link between the pumpkin and the melon.
It is native to the United States. In the northern United States, a thick rinded variety is grown
which has very little pulp, and is used to make a sweet, crunchy pickle. In both France and the US it is
candied and used as a substitute for the true citron hence the name, citron melon.
In the Southern States the citron melon is cultivated with a thinner rind and a thicker, sweeter
flesh, and this is eaten as a melon.
Known as citrouille in France.
citron
Sub tropical fruit cultivated for its thick spongy rind. It is the oldest known citrus fruit in the
Western world. Believed to have originated on the Arabian peninsula and brought to Europe about 500
BC.
The thick skin is candied to be used in dried fruit
mixtures for cakes. The juice is often used for syrup, and the
fruit is also used in perfumes.
VARIETIES ARE:
Corsica citron - grown in Corsica, France, and Italy.
Used for candied citrus peel. A large variety, twice the size of
grapefruit. Resembles a large, knobby lemon. Similar to
diamante.
Diamante citron - grown in Corsica, France, and Italy.
Aso used for candied citrus peel. A large variety, twice the size
of grapefruit. Resembles a large, knobby lemon. Similar to
Corsica.
Etrog citron - culivated in Corfu and Israel. A small
variety. The unripe fruit of the ungrafted citron tree is used by
Jewish communities during the Feast of the Tabernacle.
Hand of Buddha - grown in China and Japan. Oddlooking, long, hand-shaped fruit. Finger-like segments extend from the end. This variety is used strictly in
perfumery. See picture.
Candied imitationsare made with citrouille, see citrus melon, and cushion cactus.
Citrus medica.
citron
The French word for lemon.
citronella
A grass whose oil is used in mosquito repellents. Also the aroma in many household cleaning
products, such as, lemon-scented dishwashing liquids.
citrus
Family of fruits, characterized by a thick rind which contains aromatic oils. The most common are
oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, tangerines and mandarins.
Throughout history citrus fruits symbolized love, happiness, holiness and fruitfulness.

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Other citrus fruits are clementines, kumquats, limetta, limn dulce, murcotts, pomelit, pomelo,
shaddock, tangelos, temple oranges. See also fruit.
Yazu is a Japanese citrus fruit.
Citrus
SEASONAL AVAILABILITY FOR CITRUS FRUITS GROWN IN FLORIDA:
Oranges:
Navel:
November to January, use for eating and salads
Pineapple Orange:
December to March, use for juice
Parson Brown:
November to January, use for juice
Hamlin:
Fall until January, eating and for salads
Valencia:
March until June, use for juice.
Grapefruits:
Ruby Red:
October until June
Marsh Seedless:
October until July
Thompson Pink:
October until June
Duncan:
September until May
Tangerines:
Dancy:
November until February
Honey or Murcott:
February until April
Robinson:
Fall until Mid Winter
Temple oranges:
January until April. Cross between oranges and tangerines.
Tangelos:
Cross between tangerines and grapefruits.
Honeybell:
January from the Indian River area.
Orlando:
November until February.
Lemons:
Avon:
Available year round
Ponderosa:
Available year round, use for juice.
Limes:
Key limes:
Available year round, but scares. The fruits are yellow and
slightly sweet.
Persian limes:
Available year round. The common green lime.
Calamodins:
November until April. The small yellow fruits are used like
Kumquats:
Harvested in Summer and Fall.
City
DISHES NAMED AFTER CITIES:
Berliner Dough Nuts
Boston Baked Beans
Chicken Kiev, after Kiev in the Ukraine
Frankfurter hot dogs, named after the city in Germany
Hamburger, named after the city in Germany
New York Steak, Sirloin steak cut form to loin
Paris-Brest cake
Wiener, often misspelled as Wieners sausages.
Wiener Schnitzel named after Vienna, Austria.
ciubritza
Roumanian herb resembling tarragon.
ciuppin
Italian fish soup, the basis of the California cioppino.
civet
Tropical fruit. Another name for durian, an Asiatic fruit. See durian.

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civet
French game stew thickened with blood.
clabber
Old term for curdled, or sour milk.
clafouti
French pancake from the Limousin region baked with dark cherries. It is a simple pancake
batter, mixed with pitted dark cherries and baked in the oven.
Claiborne, Craig
Food writer, journalist, cookbook author. Started the "Dining Out" column while food editor of The
New York Times. The feature debuted on March 24, 1963. Claiborne left the Times in 1971, but returned
in 1974 as a staff writer. He donated his library to the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New
York, where the book store is named after him. He died early 2000.
Clairefont, Chteau
The second label of Chteau Prieur-Lichine.
Clairette
White wine grape grown in the Rhne Valley and is used in Chteauneuf-du Pape.
The
grape is cultivated extensively in Southern France and is used mostly as blending wine, and is also
permissible in Armagnac to make brandy, though it is not used in great quantities.
Clairette Blanc
French white wine grape grown in Southern France and in South Africa. It used in the sparkling
wines of South Africa called Vonkelwyn.
clam
Bivalve mollusks that live on the sandy bottom of both fresh and salt water. There are more than
two thousand species of clams, and they have been eaten since antiquity.
Clams can be divided into are soft shell, also called piss clams, and hard shell clams.
Clams are extensively farmed. Clams are available fresh, canned and frozen.
CLAM VARIETIES ARE:
Atlantic surf clam (or skimmer clam).
California bean clam.
East Coast razor clam/jack knife clam, so named after its shape.
East Coast hard shell clams - classified by size.
Little necks - about 450 to a bushel basket
Cherrystones - about 250 to 300 to a bushel basket
Chowder clams - between100 to 150 to a bushel basket
These clams are the most popular food service clams and can be eaten on the half shell, baked
or cooked. Also known as Quahogs or Atlantic surf clams.
Pacific little neck - not related to the East Coast variety.
Pacific geoduck - very large clam up to 5 pounds, popular as sashimi in Japan.
Pacific razor clam -not related to the East Coast razor clam.
Philippine little neck - small Pacifc clam
Steamer - clams with soft and brittle shells, served steamed with broth and melted butter. Also
known as soft shell, piss clams or Ipswich clams.
clam chowder
There are at least two versions of clam chowder served in restaurants. One is the traditional
clam chowder made with cream, clam broth, salted fatback and potatoes. This soup sometimes referred
to as New England or Boston clam chowder.

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Manhattan clam chowder is made with tomatoes and vegetables. It was created by Charles
Ranhofer, the Chef at the famed Delmonicos Restaurant in Manhattan. It is lighter than the Boston Clam
chowder.
clam fritter
Fritters made with pancake batter and minced clams.
clam gun
Tube like spade for digging clams.
Clamart
Town in France. Dishes made with fresh peas are named la Clamart on classical French
menus.
clambake
Traditional New England feast, which dates back to colonial times. It consists of layered
shellfish, meat, corn and potatoes steamed together with seaweed.
Originally a clam bake is made in a trench, heated with hot stones. The seaweed serves two
purposes, it insulates the food from the heating source so it can cook more gently and it imparts a natural
briny flavor to the food. In most cases the items are steamed together in a large pot and not baked like
the original.
The basic layer are potatoes, chicken pieces, cherrystone or little neck clams, lobsters, corn,
onions and sausages. The clams are of course a major ingredient. The order of layering is important
because some ingredients cook faster than others and need less heat.
Claret
English generic term for red Bordeaux wines. It has no legal definition.
clarete
Spanish term referring to a red wine, especially a light bodied wine, that has been made from
either all red grapes or a mixture of red and white, which were fermented in contact with the skins of the
red grapes,
Clarete is also a sweet red wine from Spain's Somontano region.
clarified butter
Butter fat seperated by heat. The fat will float to the top. There should be about 70% fat, the
rest is liquid.
clarify
The clear a liquid from impurities. The most common method is to add egg whites and acid,
such as vinegar, white wine or tomatoes to a warm liquid, stir it well and bring to a slow boil. The
albumin in the egg whites will raise to the top and from a raft. The liquid underneath is clear.
See fining about clarifying wine.
Clark
Peanut chocolate bar.
Clark, Patrick
Famous Afro-American chef who died young on account of a heart failure in 1999. His last
position was at the Tavern on the Green.
clary
Flowering herb used for flavoring ale and other alcoholic beverages in England.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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Claxton, Georgia
Known as the fruitcake capital of the world.
clay pot
Vessel with lid of terra cotta for slow stewing in a oven. Takes a long time to heat up and also to
cool down and may crack under sudden heat changes; thus, an excellent oven cooker but not good for
stove top.
Clementine
Fruit, member of the orange family. A hybrid between the mandarin and an orange, more
specifically a large Mediterranean tangerine, though the tangerine itself originated in India. Because of
its easy to break skin, it has been referred to as a zipper skinned tangerine. Named for an Algerian monk,
Clemente, who discovered this accidental hybrid in his mandarin orange orchard, and it is sometimes
referred to as a mandarin sweet.
Clementines are tiny and sweet and they tend to be sweeter and sharper than tangerines. The
best are from Morocco and Spain.
They have no pips when grown commercially.
Clerc-Milon, Chteau
Wine estate in Pauillac, Bordeaux, France.
Climens, Chteau
Famous sweet wine from the Sauternes/Barsac region of France.
clingstone
Term referring to peaches and nectarines which have flesh which, as the name implies, clings to
the stone or pit as opposed to freestone whose flesh pulls easily away from the pit. Clingstone fruit
generally ripens sooner than freestone fruits.
clod
Cut of meat from the beef shoulder. Meat Buyers Guide # 114.
clos
French term referring to an enclosed vineyard. The term is often used for Burgundy wines.
Clos de Vougeot
Famous Burgundy vineyard created in the 12th century. The massive ancien castle is the
property of the Burgundian wine confraternity called The Chevaliers du Tastevin. Spectacular dinners for
members take place in the Chteau.
Clos de Bze
Famous Burgundy vineyard in the Chambertin area.
clotted cream
Specialty of Western England. Milk is scalded, skimmed and the cream then cooled. The result
is spreadable and served traditionally with scones and jam.
cloud ear
Wood ear mushroom.
Auriculariapolytricha.
cloudberries
Yellow or orange-red berries resembling raspberries. Cold weather berries, grown in Canada,
The Pacific Northwest, Finland and Scandinavia.
The word cloudberry comes from the obscure English word clud, which means rock or hill and
describes the sort of terrain where the berries grow wild.

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Also known as golden raspberries, In Canada as baked apple berries.

Rubus chamaemorus.
cloves
Spice, the unopened dried buds from an evergreen myrtle tree. The spice is grown in Zanzibar off
the coast of East Africa and in other tropical countries.
Cloves are available whole shaped like a nail with stem, or ground. The spice is pungent and
can easily overpower other spices. Cloves are used in spice mixtures, in baking and often with smoked
baked ham.
It takes about 6000 to 7000 buds to yield one pound of dried cloves. Each individual clove must
be harvested at the precise moment before the bud is exposed. Harvesting takes place during the night.
Clove is also the term used to describe a piece, or toe, of garlic.
Also known as lawaang, long.
Syzygium aromaticum.
clove cheese
Cheese with cloves added, popular in northern European countries. Examples of clove cheeses
are Dutch Lyden, Komijne Kaas, Norwegian Nokkelost and Nagel Kse.
clove currant
Shrub native to the Great Plains tolerant of drought or cold, producing large currants, with berries
about inch in diameter. They have a unique taste, not especially sweet, but pleasantly aromatic.
Clove currants are rarely planted today because they are not particularly disease resistant, but
the decorative arching branches graced many doorways at the turn of the century. The yellow flowers
bloom scent the air with a clove-like aroma.
Also known as the buffalo currant or Missouri currant.
Ribes odoratum.
clover
Plant primarily cultivated for animal feed but also used by humans. The flowers attract bees to
make clover honey and the flowers are also used in beverages. Clover is one of the herbs used in Sap
Sago Cheese. See there.
Clover symbolizes the Holy Trinity, and red clover is the state flower of Vermont.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
club sandwich
Popular sandwich consisting of layers of crisp bacon, lettuce, tomato slices, chicken or turkey. It
is generally served on three layers toast, spread with mayonnaise and stacked on each other, called triple
decker. A two slice club sandwich is also served in many restaurants.
The name is attributed to private clubs, but also to the railway club cars. The name appeared in
print around 1900.
Coachella Valley
Major date growing area in California. Every February the National Date Festival is staged there.
coagulation
Process of separating liquids from solids. The term is most often used in connection with milk. In
that case, by-products are curds and whey. Coagulation also occurs when a liquid is clarified, such as
clear soup, or wine.
coalfish
Ocean food fish related to cod named for its black skin. Pollachius virens.

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Cobb salad
A composed salad, whose basic ingredients include shredded lettuce, cheese, hard boiled eggs,
tomatoes, and bacon. Meats such as turkey, chicken, or ham can be used.
Its invention is credited to the Brown Derby restaurant in Los Angeles.
cobbler
Dessert consisting of fruits, often berries, thickened with cornstarch, and topped with biscuit
crust.
Cobblers also refer to iced drinks, often made with wine and fruit juices. Bottled cobblers
became a popular low alcohol beverage and an economic success.
cobnut
See hazelnut.
coca
The leaves from the coca plant, a bush native to various parts of South America. The leaves
have been chewed since generations by Indians to stave off hunger and to resist fatigue. The dried
leaves are used legally for tea in Peru.
The coca leaves are the base for cocain.
Erythroxylon coca.
Coca Cola
The most successful soda drink worldwide. Introduced in 1886 in an Atlanta Drug Store owned by
John S. Pemberton, it was originally called The Ideal Brain Tonic and Sovereign Remedy. Only two
people in the world know the exact recipe for the syrup that it is made from.
cochineal
Red-orange dye used for food coloring. It is derived from tiny insects feeding on cactus plants.
cochinello
Spanish term for suckling pig. The city of Segovia claims it as its native dish.
The pig is milk fed and weighs about 6 to 7 lb. It has never been allowed to run free. Some restaurants
specialize cochinellos and part the pig with a sharp plate, which is then ceremoniously shattered on the
floor, so it can never be used again.
cochon de lait
French for suckling pig.
cocido
A hearty boiled meal, developed from the medieval dish olla podrida. There are several regional
variations such as the "standard" Cocido Madrileo which always includes chickpeas. Cocido is a generic
Spanish term for cooked, or for a dish cooked in one pot.
Cooking different foods together in one pot is centuries old, and is found in many cultures.
Cocido
Andalusia contains green beans and squash. This robust stew is served as the main meal at lunchtime.
The food simmers for a day and is served in three courses. First, the broth is served, usually with rice or
noodles added. Then, the vegetables, such as chickpeas, leeks, carrots, potatoes, and cabbage are
served, usually with tomato sauce or alioli. Finally, an array of meats, such as, beef, ham, chicken, bolas
or pelotas, chorizo, blood sausage, and salt pork are served.
cocina
Spanish term for kitchen.
cockles
English term for small round marine molluscs. They are bi-valves, in the cardium family, the
same as clams. Most cockles are sold canned in England.
Harvested also off the coast of the Pacific Northwest and just called clams.

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English canned cockles are exported to the Continent.

cocks' combs
One of the labor intensive to prepare, and not especially good items eaten in the Middle Ages. It
is said that the cooks Catherine de Mdici brought with her to France, introduced the dish. Cocks combs
still played a role at the turn of the century and some recipes written by August Escoffier mention them.
Cooks combs must be soaked thoroughly to remove all blood. Then they are quickly blanched
(boiled in briefly in water), chilled and the skin rubbed off. Salt is often used in this process. The resulting
combs are yellow-white, and can then be braised or cooked according to the recipe.
cocktail sauce
Sauce served with cold seafood, such as shrimp. The sauce consists of ketchup, chili sauce,
grated horseradish and spices. Most restaurants buy the sauce ready made.
In Europe, whipped cream and Cognac is often added.
cocktail
Mixed drink served in a small stemmed glass. It is thought that the term dates to 1793. A New
Orleans apothecary owner dispensed a secret potion called bitters. If the customer's illness was serious
enough, he added Cognac and the potion was served in a coquetier or egg cup. The word gradually
developed into cocktail.
The term cocktail is also used to describe food served in glass bowls, such as shrimp, seafood
and diced fruits. The term is considered old fashioned.
Cocky's Joy
Australian slang for a golden syrup, like treacle or molasses, meant to make the bread more
palatable in hard times.
Cocky or cow-cocky is an Australian term for farmer.
coco bread
Jamaican rolled pancake filled with spicy ground beef.
coco de mer
Huge nuts growing on palms native to the Seychelles Islands. The nuts resemble coconuts.
Also known as Sea Coconut or Double coconut. Lodoicea sechellarum.
cocoa
The chocolate bean tree, as well as the raw product from the plant. The trees grow near the
equator in tropical areas with high temperatures and rainfall, but cannot take direct sun, so they must be
shaded by taller, leafy trees.
More than half the world's cocoa trees are in West Africa, but they are also cultivated in Central
and South America, the Caribbean, Malaysia, India, and islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Cocoa beans were used as food and as currency in Mexico and other tropical countries for
centuries.
The beans grow in pods directly from the trees trunks and at any given time, the tree will flower,
and the beans are in various stages of ripening. Cocoa pods look like elongated acorns, and when ripe
can range from yellow to red. The beans are imbedded in a white pulp.
The pods are harvested by hand and split. The better quality beans are left in the pod to ferment,
the pulp turns into alcohol, the cell walls break down, and the chocolate flavor starts to develop. Other
beans are shelled without fermentation. All beans are left to dry in the sun.
THE MAIN TYPES OF COCOA BEANS ARE:
Criollo - the most prized variety. Believed to be of Mexican origin, now grown mostly in
Venezuela. Low yield, but best flavor and aroma. Small amounts are blended into the finest chocolates.
Forestero - comprises 90% of the world's crop. Grown in Brazil, Africa and parts of Asia. Hardy
and prolific, but also the least flavorful. Contains some bitter and astringent tannin.
Trinitario - a cross between the other two, though it takes on more of the Forestero
characteristics. Originally developed in Trinidad; now grown in South America
Low yielding tree.

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The beans from different growers and even countries are blended to obtain a uniform product.
Cocoa beans contain about 49% pure oil, often referred to as cocoa butter. See there. They also
contain theobromine, a stimulant.
Cocoa powder is naturally bitter, must be sweetened with sugar. Beans contain caffeine and
sodium. Dutch process cocoa powder is treated with alkaline to improve color and more consistent
suspension in the liquid when used in a beverage.
See chocolate.
Also known as cacao.
cocoa butter
The fat of the cocoa bean. The world's most expensive edible fat. The melting point is 95 F (38
C), which means it remains solid at room temperature, but will melt in the mouth.
Cocoa butter is hard and almost white and is separated during the chocolate making process.
The cocoa fat content of the chocolate determines the hardness of the product. It will hold for years
under the right conditions without becoming rancid.
During the manufacturing process, cocoa butter is almost always deodorized in order to achieve
consistent results. White chocolate is made with cocoa butter, milk powder, sugar and flavoring.
Cocoa butter is an indispensable ingredient in making fine chocolates, but cheaper chocolates
are made with other fats.
Cocoa butter is an important ingredient in cosmetics.
Coconut
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Fruit of the coconut palm native to the tropics.

Consistent with their name, coconuts are actually nuts, although
because of their size, they are rarely classified with nuts. They
are often classified under fruit. The nuts are buoyant and spread
naturally by the sea, although rarely. Most coconuts are
cultivated in groves.
The outer coating is a thick greenish to yellowish fibrous
husk. It is often removed before shipping to save weight and to
make sure that the inside nut is not damaged and rancid.
The husk is called coir and is an important raw material
for door mats and brushes.
While unripe the shell and meat is rather soft and the meat is
creamy. Unripe nuts are often called jelly coconuts because
they can be cut open with a knife. They are considered a
delicacy.
The nut, when ripe, is hard and must be cracked by heat or shattered. The hard white oily flesh
surrounds a hollow core, containing coconut water.
A drink is manufactured from the sap of un-opened flower stalks, called Toddy or Tuba. The
drink is very sweet and is consumed fresh or fermented. The distilled liquid is called Arrack.
Coconuts are available fresh, in dehydrated flakes, shredded or slivers, both sweet and natural,
and canned. Dried pressed coconut meat used for industrial purposes and is called copra. It is also
used in parts of India as curry ingredient.
Coconut milk is a common ingredient in Thai and Indian cuisines. It is available canned
sweetened and unsweetened. The milk is the cloudy liquid pressed from mature coconut flesh steeped in
boiling water. The blender can be used to puree the flesh and milk, and then the liquid strain off. Dried,
unsweetened coconut flakes can be used to make coconut milk.
Coconut milk is called Santan in Indonesia and Nam Katee in Thailand.
Coconut oil will give a pleasant, crisp taste in frying and baking. However, the oil is very high in
saturated fats. It will solidify in cold temperatures and is used extensively in commercial bakery products.
Cocos nucifera.
coconut butter

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Ingredient used in Singaporean cooking. Grated fresh coco meat is browned gently and then
ground into a smooth paste.
cocotte
French term for an oval or round cooking dish, equipped with a lid. The cocotte is most often
ceramic, but also can be made of metal.
The term en cocotte on French menus means that the dish is cooked in the dish it is served in,
but in many cases, the dish is cooked, and then transferred to a cocotte for service.
coco yam
Yam like tuber. See yautia.
cod, codfish
Fish in the Gadidae family, such as pollock, hake and Pacific cod of the order Gadiformes.
Commonly fished off the shores of Newfoundland, and in the cold waters of the North Atlantic. It is a large
fish which can reach up to 90 lb. Because of over fishing it has become scares, and severe fishing
restrictions are now in place.
Cod was so important to the economy of Colonial new England that a wood sign of the Sacred
Cod was hung in the Boston State House.
Once plentiful, and therefore inexpensive, it is an important food fish, especially in catholic
countries. Fresh or salted and dried cod was an important staple during lent, when Catholics were not
allowed to eat meat on certain days.
MAJOR TYPES HARVESTED IN THE ATLANTIC:
Atlantic Cod, which is the dominant cod harvested from coast of New Newfoundland to Virginia.
Haddock, a smaller species, often salted and smoked or processed.
Boston Scrod is a market term and referrers to a small fish, up to 2 lb
Cod cheeks and cod tongues are specialties and commercially available. Cod should not be
eaten raw (unless frozen for a week) since it can harbor a parasite, the cod worm. When the fish is fully
cooked the parasite dies and dissoleves. Cod is also prized for the oil in its liver, which is high in vitamin
C, and for many years was considered an important vitamin source.
Cods roe is available smoked and raw.
Black cod, much of it harvested in the Pacif is called sablefish. There are numerous recipes
containing cod, but the best know is Cod Cakes made with potatoes.
SALTED DRIED COD:
bacalo - Italian
bacalao - Spanish,
baclhau - Brazil
morue - French
Stockfish - German.
coddle
Irish, a specialty of Dublin and sometimes referred to as Dublin coddle. Sausages, bacon,
potatoes and onions simmered in ham bone stock.
coddle
Cooking term, to cook gently in a liquid below the boiling point, the same as poach. The term was
used for eggs and apples.
codfish balls
New England dish, also called codfish cakes depending on shape. Well rinsed salted or fresh
cod is boiled and mixed with fresh cooked potatoes, mashed and seasoned, shaped, breaded or dusted
with flour, fried or sauteed.
codlings
British term for cooking apples and also for unripe apples.

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coeur la crme
Simple french dessert made of cream cheese and heavy cream, molded in a heart shaped
basket and served with strawberries.
coffee
An extract of the fruit of the "coffea arabica" plant, which originated in Ethiopia and Unganda in
Africa. According to legend, shepherds in an Arabian monastery saw their goats eating the coffee berries
and subsequently proceeding to roam around into the night. In order to get through their own long
evenings of prayer, the monks began to drink a beverage produced from the same berries.
Pulverized roasted coffee beans were blended with fat, rolled into small balls and carried as food
by warrying tribes.
Coffee was widely consumed in Arabia by the 15th century and crossed into Europe in the 16th
century. One major shipping port in the now Yemen Arab Republic was Mocha, a name still associated
with coffee. Venice had a coffee house in 1647, and Vienna had a coffee house when the Turkish army
left some bags of coffee behind after they were routed by Polish/German troops.
Coffee was introduced to France by the Turkish ambassador to the court of Louis XIV around the
end of the 17th century. Soon shaops selling coffee caled caf cropped up everywhere. Coffee was
known as breakfast beverage in New York in 1668.
After the Revolution, coffee replaced tea as America's national beverage. It remained king until
the 1970's. Soft drinks edged out over coffee as the top beverage in the US in 1977.
Coffee grows on low trees or shrubs, and grows best under shade at higher altitudes where the
evenings are cool. It takes about five years to mature into a berry producing plant. New species of coffee
can grow without shade and this has led to deforestation of shade trees, which impacted on resting and
wintering of migrating song birds.
Coffee is cultivated in many tropical countries and major producers are Brazil and Colombia,
followed by Center America, East Africa, Arabian Peninsular, and Indonesia.
Coffee beans look like cherries, two beans encased by a sweet edible pulp or flesh. There is a
single berry variety cultivated on a limited scale. The berries ripen at different times and require frequent
hand picking. It is very labor intensive and has produced a social system of low paid labor tied to the land
owners or the coffee association.
The flesh is removed and the beans are soaked in water from 24 to 40 hours. During that time
fermentation loosens the gummy remnants of pulp which cling to the beans. The beans are then dried,
the silver skin and parchment hull are removed mechanically, and the beans are graded by size and
shape. Green beans are not vintage dated, and could be warehoused for many years.
Coffee is a world commodity and is traded at the Commodity exchange. Importers employ coffee
tasters who will grade coffee. Coffee in normal commerce are blends of different coffees of different
grades and from different countries. Large companies blend coffee to maintain consistency. Specialty
coffees are harvested at specific areas and can be considerably more expensive than commercial coffee.
It is impossible for the consumer to find out when the coffee was harvested and climate
information like it is available for wine.
THE TWO BASIC TYPES OF COFFEE:
Arabica coffee - grown at higher altitudes, and has richer more complex flavor. The beans
contain less caffeine than robusta beans, about half the amount.
Robusta coffee - the more common coffee in most major brands since it gives a higher yield. The
beans are higher in caffeine than Arabica beans, about twice as the amount.
IMPORTANT STEPS:
Roasting - the degree of roasting various greatly by market, and large coffee companies prepare
different roasts to cater to local tastes. Some ethnic stores still roast coffee, but this is done more for the
attracting customers by the aroma than for practicality. Freshly roasted coffee must be chilled
immediately to arrest the roasting process.
The types or roast are:
Light roast
Medium roast
French roast/dark roast
Italian roast/very dark roast.

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Grinding - there are different grinds for different preparation methods, from coffee ground as fine
as flour preferred in the Middle East to coarser grounds for drip coffee. Coffee beans are very hard and
coffee grinders must be well maintained. Machines used in supermarkets and restaurants are usually not
cleaned thoroughly, and the aromatic oils in the beans will become rancid. The grinding mechanism must
be kept sharp, otherwise the beans will be squashed and heated unnecessarily during the grinding
process.
Commercial operations maintain their machinery in top condition and vacuum seal the coffee
immediately in cans or packages.
Coffee brewing - done by a number of methods. The basic concept is to extract as much flavor
as possible without extracting acidity. See coffee brewing. Coffee should never boil, and will loose flavor
after about 20 minutes.
Coffee without caffeine has gained market share, and a number of processes are used to remove
caffeine. See there.
See also caf au lait, caffeine, cappuccino, espresso.
The word Java comes from the island where coffee has been grown for many years.
Boston coffee - coffee with cream and sugar, made by first putting the cream and sugar in the
cup and pouring hot coffee in on top.
Cubano - a thumb sized cup of thick, Cuban style coffee. Often called tinto.
See Irish coffee and Vienna beverages.
See coffee growing areas.
coffee, decaffeinated
Decaffeinated must have 97% of the caffeine removed. There are two basic decaffeinating
processes:
Chemical method. It uses Methylene chloride, a chemical solvent to extract caffeine from coffee.
Some question have been raised regarding its safety, but the chemical residue in decaffeinated coffee is
negligible.
Swiss method. The caffeine is removed by soaking coffee in water. Also referred to as the
"natural method" or as the "Swiss water process" . The beans are soaked in water. Then the water is
drawn off and treated with ethyl acetate, a compound found in fruit. The ethyl acetate binds with the
caffeine which can then be extracted. Then the caffeine free water is put back into the beans.
Though the decaffeinating processes also remove flavor, a better decaffeinated coffee can be
made by using better quality, more flavorful beans.
Sanka is a brand name owned by General Foods. It was the first major brand of instant
decaffeinated coffee on the market.
A major European brand is Kaffee Haag.
Coffee flavored liqueurs
Aloha - Scotland
Bahia - Brazil
Kahlua - Mexico
Mokka - Germany
Tia Maria - Jamaica
Coffee growing areas:
Brazil - the world largest coffee grower. Much is shipped through the port of Santos, and it gave
name to a coffee variety. Much Brazilian coffee is used for blending.
Colombia - the largest producer of washed Arabica coffee. It produces small quantities of
peaberry - or caracol coffee, a variety with only one bean, rather than the normal two, in each cherry. This
coffee is considered more flavorful. Colombian coffee enjoyed an excellent reputation, partially on
account of a successful advertising campaign featuring a fictional character called Juan Valdez..
Costa Rica - the best coffee is produced in the Tres Rios region near San Jose, the capital.
Ecuador - mountain grown coffee of no particular distinction.
Ethiopia - the country where coffee originated, and is still found growing wild.
Guatemala - excellent coffee is grown in the region Antigua in the volcanic highlands. The coffee
is of excellent quality.

242

Hawaii - Kona coffee, excellent, expensive and small production.

Indian - Mysore coffee is a blending coffee because it adds character.
Jamaica - Blue Mountain coffee, esteemed luxury coffee.
Java - The Dutch East India Company brought coffee seeds 300 years ago from
Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and the Malabar Coast of India. The coffee is full flavored and much is
used in Europe.
Kenya - top producer in East Africa. Much is robusta coffee.
Mexico - coffee is produced in the state Chiapas, around the town Tapachulas. Most is
consumed in Mexico.
New Guinea - coffee is grown from seeds imported from Jamaica's Blue Mountain region. The
coffee is grown at high elevation around Mt. Hagen, and is considered of excellent quality.
Nicaragua - small producer.
Panama - some coffee is produced.
Puerto Rico - mountain grown excellent coffee, but small production.
San Salvador - small producer.
Sulawesi/Celebes/Indonesia - coffee is cultivated by the indigenous people around the town of
Kalosi.
Sumatra/Indonesia - coffee produced by small landowners, and is air dried. It is considered of
excellent quality. The island also produces an aged coffee.
Tanzania - coffee is grown on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro.
Venezuela - small producers, most is consumed locally.
Yemen - home of Mocha. Little coffe is exported now.
Zimbabwe - famous grower of oversized beans.
coffeecake
Sweet yeast cake often studded with dried fruits and glazed with icing sugar. The cake is often in
ring shape and is made with Danish dough.
coffee cocktail
Alcoholic drink. A house drink at New York City's Rainbow Room since it reopened in December,
1987. The drink actually contains no coffee, but it tastes and looks as if it does. It is a mixture of tawny
port, brandy, egg yolk, and sugar, shaken with ice.
coffeehouse
Public place serving different kinds of coffee, especially popular in 17th and 18th century
England.
coffee klatsch/Kaffeeklatsch
A get-together for conversation over coffee. Klatsch is the German word for gossip.
coffee shop
Restaurant, normally inexpensive and serving simple food all day. The basic difference between
a coffee shop and other restaurants is that the coffee shop does not serve alcoholic beverages. Often,
coffee shops were equipped with counters, and the guest could order quick meals or just a cup of coffee.
Most coffee shops also had table service. Today, coffee shops are slowly disappearing in large cities,
largely because of high rent, and of changing markets.
coffee weed
A term for chicory, the root of which is used as a coffee supplement or substitute in Louisiana and
some foreign countries.
Coffey still
Also known as the column still, continuous still or patent still which allows for a continuous inflow
of liquid to be distilled. It is useful for large distilling operations. It was developed by Robert Stein in
Scotland around 1830, and improved by Aeneas Coffy in 1831.
It is used in Armagnac, and also for gin, vodka, American brandy and some American whiskey.

243

coffin
Old English and Colonial American meat pie, believed to be the forerunner of today's casseroles.
Originally a meat pie served in a thick inedible pastry. In the 1790's a flour shortage prompted England's
Wedgewood Company to manufacture ceramic molds for the meat pies.
Cognac
Wine distillate brandy from the Charente region of France, 280 miles southwest of Paris and 50
miles north of Bordeaux. It is named after the city Cognac, and has been made since the 16th century.
This lush area has a temperate climate owing to the Gulf Stream that moves along the nearby
coast. The soil is stony and chalky, making it high in calcium.
The Cognac region is sub-divided into six growing districts.
GROWING DISTRICTS IN DESCENDING ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:
Grande Champagne - the most prized, chalk-rich core immediately surrounding the town of
Cognac.
Petite Champagne
Borderies
Fins Bois
Bon Bois
Bois Communs, also known as Bois Ordinaire or Bois Terroir, and the area includes the islands
of Oleron and R in the Atlantic.
Labels containing the words "fine champagne" must come from one of the two top districts. The
use of the word champagne bears no relationship to the sparkling wine made in the northeast of France.
Cognac is distilled from the local wines which are not particularly fine wines. Their taste is very
acidic. The grapes varieties permitted are Ugni blanc, locally known as the St. Emilion (though the latter
name and the nearby Bordeaux wine region by the same name bear no relationship to each other), the
Folle blanche, Colombard, Blanc Ram, Jurancon Blanc, Montils, and Smillon.
Cognac is distilled in an onion domed pot still, known as an alembic, in a double distillation
process, which results in a refined product. Neither the beginning of the distillation, the "tte", not the
end, the "queue" is saved. Only the heart, the "coeur" is used. The first distillate, the "brouillis" meaning
mixed up stuff, is still mixed with some wine. It is re-distilled, again removing the less pleasant "tete" and
"queue". The "coeur" of the second distillation is called the good distillate or "bonne chauffe". It takes 8
bottles of wine to make one bottle of Cognac.
Cognac is aged at least 3 years in wood barrels from the nearby Limousin forest. While the
Cognac ages in barrels, some of it is lost through evaporation. This lost amount perfumes the air and is
known as "la tranche de anges" or the Angel's share. Aging softens the brandy and adds flavor nuances.
Inexpensive brandy is aged in stainless steel tanks with oak shaving.
After aging, a blend of old Cognac called vieille faible and water is added to bring the blend down
to the required 40% alcohol. Most Cognac is a blend of various districts and vintages, using as many as
55 different distillations. Most Cognac is not vintage dated. Blends of older brandies command a higher
price. Caramel color is added to give Cognac a brown tint.
The skill of the Master Blender/Taster is of the utmost importance. He must choose the spirits
that will give each brand its unique consistent character.
Great Britain was traditionally the largest importer of Cognac, a distinction it lost to the US in the
1980's. The major quality designations are English language abbreviations.
COGNAC DESIGNATIONS:
XO - Extra Old. The youngest brandy must be at least 5 years old and the average age is, of
course, much older.
NAPOLEON -the youngest brandy must be at least 5 years old and the average age is, of
course, much older.
VVSOP, Vielle Reserve, Grand Reserve, Royal, and Vieux - average age of brandies is 20 to 40
years. The youngest brandy must be at least 5 years old.
VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) or Reserve - the second most common designation of bottled
Cognacs, after VS. It accounts for about one-fourth of the production. Younger and less costly than XO,
the average age of the brandies in the blend is 12 to 20 years. The youngest brandy must be at least four
years old.

244

VS (Very Superior) or 3 Star - This most common designation means that the average age of the
brandies is five to nine years.
The symbol of the the city Cognac is the snail, but this represents more the relaxed pace of life
than a local dish. The local snail which feeds on the grape leaves is called the cagouillard.
coho
Silver salmon. See there.
cohune nut
Fruit from a tropical palm, oval shaped with high oil content and very hard shell. The oil is used in
commercial food products.
Cointreau
French made orange flavored liqueur, developed by Edouard Cointreau in the mid 1900's and still
made by the Cointreau family, which is actively involved also in promoting their product to chefs.
Edouard discovered a species of small wild orange, with an especially aromatic rind, in the West
Indies. Wanting to send a sample back to France but realizing the perishable fruit wouldn't survive the
sea voyage, he had some of the rinds peeled, dried, and sent to his father back home in Angers.
Edouard's father experimented with the best use for these rinds, with the Cointreau liqueur as a result.
The peels are steeped in fine brandy and distilled with infusions of other herbs and spices and with other
milder, sweeter rinds from other varieties of oranges. The peel contributes the outstanding tart bite.
Clear in color.
Cois Real Longueville
Ireland's only commercial wine. Made from the Richensteiner grape.
Coke
See Coca Cola.
Cokernut
Term introduced by the London Custom House to distinguish more readily between coconuts and
other products with similar sounding names.
cola nut
Nuts from a tropical tree, the seeds are stimulating, popular in Africa and in Jamaica. Cultivated
in Colombia under the name of ecla. The seeds are macerated and are used in cola drinks.
Other names in different languages are Gouru, Ombene, Nagane, Ouru, Mendi, Tureh, and many
others.
Cola nitida.
Colares
Portuguese red wine.
Colbert, Jean Baptist
French statesman, 1619 to 1683. Butter flavored with meat extract (glace de viande) is named
after him.
Colby
Cheese resembling Cheddar cheese, with a small difference in the manufacturing process.
colcannon
Irish dish of mashed potatoes blended with onions, cabbage or kale, often served with corned
beef. Other spelling is cale-cannon.
Also known in various localities as cally, champ, stelk, or thump. The name champ may refer to
the dish without the cabbage.

245

Colchester
Oyster from England. Also known as Walflete.
cold duck
Blend of sparkling wines, often pink and sweet, resembling soda pop. The beverage was popular
in the 1970's. The name can be traced to the German beverage "Kalte Ente", which means cold duck.
The German name originally was Kaltes Ende, which means a cold finish, or all leftover wines
blended together and served chilled.
Cold - pack
Cheese product consisting of ground cheeses and flavorings. The cheese mixture is packed in
different size and shape containers. Cold - pack cheese originated in the US.
cold smoking
Smoking over a slow fire at temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees, as opposed to hot
smoking which is done at about 180 degrees. Much salmon and trout are cold smoked. The smoke is
used to enhance the flavor, but will not cook the product.
Cold Water Regime
Term coined when Rutherford B. Hayes was President and served no alcoholic beverages in the
White House.
Cole slaw
Cabbage salad. The name is from the Dutch word for cabbage salad, koolsla. A popular dish
since early America.
There are many regional varieties containing different dressings and other ingredients, such as
apples and pineapple. The version made with mayonnaise dressing is the most popular on the East
Coast, since it began to be commercially produced in 1916.
One variation is a hot slaw, made by pouring a bacon and vinegar dressing boiling hot over the
cabbage. Popular is also the shredded Cole slaw, since machinery can shred cabbage in seconds, a big
labor saving in commercial operations.
Cole slaw is also made with red cabbage.
coley
Ocean food fish related to pollack/pollock. It is often salted, artificially dyed red and canned in oil,
sold as Seelachs in Germany.
Also known as Saithe and Coalfish.
collage
French wine term for clarifying wine.
Collard greens
Vegetable in the kale family, popular in the South, especially with the Afro-American population.
collard
English term for rolled corned beef, served usually cold.
collins
Iced drinks, made with carbonated water, lemon and alcohol, most often with gin.
collops
Scottish/English old term for meat chunks or steaks. The word was already used by
Shakespeare.
colmado/colmada
Spanish old word for a grocery store, the modern word is bodega.

246

colocassa
Elongated starchy tuber related to the eddoe, which is rounder in shape cultivated in Cyprus. It
has a relatively shiny skin, marked into sections, with a 'handle' at one end which should be chopped off
before cooking. Best peeled and boiled whole. Commonly served in a chicken or pork stew.
colocynth
Asian and Mediterranean plant bearing a bitter fruit of medicinal value.
Also known as bitter apple.
Citrullus colocynthis.
Colombard
White wine grape, known also as French Colombard in California. It produces a fair quality wine.
Colombard is cultivated in the Cognac region of France, it is one of the grapes that is made into
wine for distillation. Also used in Armagnac.
Colony
Famous East side restaurant once owned by Gene Cavallero. It closed in the 1970's.
color/food expressions
Black and blue - very rare steak or a bruise.
Carrot top - red headed person.
Purple cow - as in.."I've never seen a.."
Red as a beet - embarrassed.
coloring agents
Natural food coloring agents include annatto, apocarotenal, beet juice, Marigold, saffron, spinach
juice, and turmeric.
Colossal
An imperial sweet onion.
coltsfoot
Vegetable with a delicate, celery-like stalk. The flowers are used to flavor wine and candies.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Columbus, Christopher
The primary reason for Christopher Columbus' explorations was to find a quicker sea route to
India, to transport spices. At that time, spices were a treasured in Europe, both because they helped
mask the off-flavors of over-aged, gamey food in that pre-refrigeration era. The spice trade, over land,
was controlled by Arabs who charged the Europeans exorbitant prices.
When Columbus came upon the Caribbean, he misidentified the aboriginal people as Indians and
mistook the hot chilies they used in their cooking as the pods of a pepper variety.
colusari
Specialty grains grown in Colusa County, California. They are rice and other grains in different
colors and shapes and are marketed by Indian Harvest Specialtifoods, Inc., 735 Manhomin Drive S. E.,
Bemidji, MN 56601, (800) 346 7032.
Colwick cheese
English fresh, soft cows milk cheese that can be served as dessert with fruit.
colza oil
Rape seed oil used for culinary purposes. It must be properly processed to remove a toxin.
Brassica napus.

247

comestibles
Old fashioned term used in England and France for all edible goods.
comfits
Old term for sugar coated fruits and candies. The term goes back to the 17th century when
fashionable men and women carried boxes of comfit to demonstrate that they could afford it.
comfrey
Herb, relative to borage, used fresh in salads and dried in tea. The roots are also used
occasionally.
Symphytum officinale.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Comice
Pear variety. See pears.
Commandaria
Sweet wine from Cyprus made since the 13th century, originally by the Knights of St. John of
Jerusalem at their headquarters (Commandery) near Limassol. It is probably the first wine in history with
a recognized appellation of origin.
Commanderie de Bordeaux
Wine society specializing in the study and enjoyment of Bordeaux wines.
Commanderie du Bontemps de Mdoc et des Graves
Famous Bordeaux wine society. The costume includes a round hat in the shape of a wooden
bowl once used to hold egg whites to clarify the wine.
Commission
Cheese made in Holland similar to Edam cheese in flavor, but twice as big.
common crackers
Round, hard, dry biscuits usually served with New England chowders. Hard to bite into, but they
can be split in half if the right pressure point is found. Also, they can be added to the chowder and
allowed to soften.
composed salad/composite salad
Carefully presented salad in which visual contrasts are an important element. Colors, shapes,
textures are important. Patterns such as stripes, fans, concentric circles, or other fancy designs are an
important element.
compositae
Botanical name for a family of plants which includes dandelions, feverfew, marigold,
southernwood, tansy, tarragon, and yarrow.
compote
French word for stewed fruit. The older meaning of the word is a mixed, cooked dish.
Kompott in German, compota in Spanish.
compotier
French, a metal, crystal or china stand to serve stewed fruits, cookies or fresh fruits.

248

compressed yeast
Soldified yeast in cake from, a German invention in 1862. It has been replaced by dry yeast for
household use.
See yeast.
Comt
Cheese made in France. Some of the best quality Gruyere cheese is called Comt. It tends to be
richer and less fruity tasting than other Gruyre.
concass(e)
French culinary term for chopped, most often used in connection with tomatoes which have been
peeled, chopped and cooked.
conch
A large sea snail commonly found in tropical waters. It used to be prevalent in the Florida Keys,
including Key West, Florida where the locals call themselves conchs, and also in the Cayman Islands.
Conch has become scares on account of over fishing for the beautiful shells, which are popular
with tourists. Conch meat is rather tough, and most is ground for chowder.
conchiglie rigate
Italian shell shaped pasta.
concombre
The French word for cucumber.
Concord
American native grape in the Labrusca family. The red grape is planted extensively in New York
State, and is used to make juice, jams and jellies. A small amount is made into sweet kosher wine. The
wine made with Concord grapes is often described as foxy.
Cond, la
French culinary term for dishes made with rice.
condensed milk
Canned milk from which half of the water content has been removed and sugar added.
Condensed milk was invented in 1856 by Gail Borden Jr. It became an important product before
refrigeration was common, and is still important in tropical countries. It is a key ingredient in several
recipes, including Key West lime pie.
Evaporated milk is not sweetened.
See Borden.
condensed soup, canned.
John T. Dorrance, an early president of Campbell's, is credited with having invented condensed
soup. It has about half the water content of regular soup.
condiments
Generic term for dry or wet spices, seasoning sauces and salts to improve the flavor of foods.
The term is derived from the Latin word condire, to season or pickle.
Condrieu
The name of a town in the Rhne valley in France. The wine area also includes the communes
of Vrin and St.Michel. The wines are usually full bodied, with a strong aroma and a slight got de terroir,
the flavor of the soil. The wines are primarily made rom the Viognier grape.

249

Conegliano
Italian city north of Vencie famous for its wine college and for the wines produced in the area.
Well known wines are Prosecco and Verdiso.
coney
Ocean food fish in the grouper family with orange pink color and firm flesh.
coney
Hot dog made with pork and beef, without the addition of saltpeter, therefor the sausage stays
white. It is popular in Syracuse, New York.
Coney Island Red Hots
Hot dogs from Coney Island, an amusement park famous at the end of the 19th century. Nathan's
started there a chain of restaurants, and became famous by selling hot dogs. The Nathan's brand hot
dogs are now available in supermarkets.
confections
Generic name for sweets. Confectionary is an old term for candy shop.
confectioners' sugar
Super-fine powdered sugar with corn starch added to prevent caking in damp conditions.
Also known as icing sugar.
confiserie
French culinary term for candy work, and by extension candy or pastry shop. Confiseur(e) is the
candy maker.
confit
French term for meat cooked immersed in fat. It is normally served cold as appetizer, but also
used as ingredient in casserole dishes. The most common confit is made geese or duck. In many
restaurants the boned legs are used in confit, and the breasts used as main course. Confit was a method
to preserve meat.
Confit de canard is made with duckling.
confiture
French term for jam.
Confrerie de la Chane des Rtisseurs
The oldest gourmet society in the world, it traces its roots to a guild of geese and swan roasters
in France in 1248. The society now has chapters many countries throughout the world. La Chane began
when French cooking was still in its early stages.
Roger Yasseen headed the US branch, called Baillage from 1974 till 1988, during which time the
US membership increased from 500 in a handful of chapters to 6,500 in 120 chapters.
The New York Baillie 1999/2000 is Burton Hobson.
Confucius
Esteemed, ancient Chinese philosopher, who referred to eating as the First Pleasure".
confusum
The sweet wine of ancient Pompeii. Other wines were lympa and defrutum.
congeners
Flavoring components in alcoholic beverages.
conger
Large ocean food fish. Also known as conger eel, although it is not an eel. The fish feeds on
smaller fish and molluscs and crustaceans.

250

coniglio
Italian for rabbit.
conserve
French word for canned food, and for preserving food. The German word for canned food is
Konserve.
The term is also used by candy makers for fruits boiled with sugar, or for candied fruits.
consomm (consomme)
Clear soup or broth, clarified to make it more flavorful and sparkling clear. Consomm can be
served hot or cold, with or without garnishes.
Spelled consomm in French.
Consomme Bellevue
Broth made from chicken and clams, usually garnished with chives. Sometimes topped with
unsweetened whipped cream and browned slightly under the broiler.
Constantia
South African wine famous during the 19th century and widely distributed in England and the Low
Countries. The original vineyard Groot Constantia still exists, but their wines enjoy no longer the
popularity they once had.
It is reported that Napoleon asked for a glass of Constantia wine on his death bed.
continuous distillation
System of distillation using a Coffey still, or a column still. The liquid goes through the still in a
single, or continuous distillation which results in a lower alcohol product, about 50 to 55%, than the
double distillation of a pot still. The lower alcohol permits more flavor congeners to come through.
Continuous distillation is used for Armagnac and other brandies.
contre-filet
French term for sirloin. See there.
Conversion table for temperatures, from Fahrenheit to Celsius, rounded off
32 F (0 C)
50 F (10 C)
68 F (20 C)
86 F (30 C)
100 F (40 C)
115 F (45 C)
120 F (50 C)
130 F (55 C)
140 F (60 C)
160 F (70 C)
170 F (75 C)
180 F (80 C)
185 F (85 C)
195 F (90 C)
200 F (95 C)
212 F (100 C)
230 F (110 C)
250 F (120 C)
265 F (130 C)
285 F (140 C)
300 F (150 C)
325 F (165 C)

251

350 F (175 C)
360 F (180 C)
375 F (190 C)
400 F (200 C)
415 F (210 C)
425 F (220 C)
450 F (230 C)
485 F (250 C)
500 F (260 C)
575 F (300 C)
Conversion table for liquid measure, from fl oz to liters, rounded off
1/3 oz
(0.01 l
3/4 oz
(0.02 l)
1 oz
(0.025 l)
1 oz
(0.03 l)
1 oz
(0.04 l)
1 3/4 oz (0.05 l)
2 oz
(0.06 l)
2 oz
(0.075 l)
2 3/4 oz (0.08 l)
3 1/3 oz (0.10 l)
4 oz
(0.12 l)
5 oz
(0.15 l)
6 oz
(0.175 l)
6 3/4 oz (0.20 l)
7 3/4 oz (0 225l)
8 oz
(0.25 l)
10 oz
(0.30 l)
11 oz (0.35 l)
13 3/4 oz
(0.40 l)
1 pt
(0.45 l)
1 pt 1 oz
(0.50 l)
1 pt 3 oz
(0.55 l)
1 pt 4 oz
(0.60 l)
1 pt 5 3/4 oz
(0.65 l)
1 pt 8 oz
(0.70 l)
1 pt 9 3/4 oz
(0.75 l)
1 pt 11 oz
(0.80 l)
1 pt 13 1/3 oz (0.85 l)
1 pt 15 oz
(0.90 l)
1 qt 2 oz
(1.00 l)
1 qt 9 1/3 oz
(1.20 l)
1 qt 13 2/3 oz (1.30 l)
1 qt 20 oz
(1.50 l)
62 oz
(1.80 l)
2 qt 5 oz
(2.00 l)
2 qt 22 oz
(2.50 l)
3 qt 7 oz
(3.00 l)
3 qt 24 oz
(3.50 l)
1 gal 10 oz
(4.00 l)
1 gal 27 oz
(4.50 l)
1 gal 44 oz (5.00 l)
1 gal 78 oz
(6.00 l)
1 gal 3 qt
(6.50 l)
1 gal 113 1/3 oz(7.00 l)

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2 gal 20 oz
2 gal 54
2 gal 90 oz
3 gal 30 oz
3 gal 100 oz
4 gal 5 oz
5 gal 50 oz
6 gal 60 oz

(8.00 l)
(9.00 l)
(10.00 l)
(12.00 l)
(14.00 l)
(15.00 l)
(20.00 l)
(24.00 l)

Conversion table for weights, pounds to kilo, rounded off:

22 lb
(10.00 kg)
20 lb 1 oz
(9.00 kg)
18 lb 4 3/4 oz (8.20 kg)
17 lb 4 oz
(8.00 kg)
15 lb 10 oz
(7.00 kg)
13 lb 6 oz
(6.00 kg)
11 lb 2 oz
(5.00 kg)
10 lb 2 oz
(4.50 kg)
9 lb
(4.00 kg)
7 lb 13 oz
(3.60 kg)
7 lb 13 oz
(3.50 kg)
7 lb 1 oz
(3.20 kg)
6 lb 11 oz
(3.00 kg)
5 lb 13 oz
(2.60 kg)
5 lb 10 oz
(2.50 kg)
5 lb 6 oz
(2.40 kg)
5 lb
(2.25 kg)
4 lb 7 oz
(2.00 kg)
4 lb
(1.80 kg)
3 lb 14 oz
(1.75 kg)
3 lb 9 oz
(1.60 kg)
3 lb 6 oz
(1.50 kg)
3 lb 2 oz
(1.40 kg)
2 lb 14 oz
(1.30 kg)
2 lb 11 oz
(1.20 kg)
2 lb 7 oz
(1.10 kg)
2 lb 3 3/4 oz
(1.00 kg)
2 lb
(900 g)
1 lb 14 1/3 oz (850 g)
1 lb 12 oz
(800 g)
1 lb 10 3/4 oz (750 g)
1 lb 9 oz
(700 g)
1 lb 7 oz
(650 g)
1 lb 5 oz
(600 g)
1 lb 2 oz
(500 g)
1 lb
(450 g)
14 oz
(400 g)
13 1/3 oz
(375 g)
13 oz
(360 g)
12 oz
(350 g)
11 oz
(320 g)
10 3/4 oz
(300 g)
11 3/4 oz
(275 g)
9 1/3 oz
(260 g)
9 oz
(250 g)
8 1/3 oz
(240 g)

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8 oz
7 oz
6 oz
6 oz
6 oz
5 3/4 oz
5 1/3 oz
5 oz
4 oz
4 oz
4 oz
3 oz
3 oz
3 oz
2 3/4 oz
2 oz
2 1/3 oz
2 oz
1 3/4 oz
1 oz
1 oz
1 oz
3/4 oz
oz
1/3 oz
oz
1/8 oz

(225 g)
(200 g)
(180 g)
(175 g)
(170 g)
(160 g)
(150 g)
(140 g)
(130 g)
(125 g)
(120 g)
(100 g)
(90 g)
(80 g)
(75 g)
(70 g)
(65 g)
(60 g)
(50 g)
(40 g)
(35 g)
(28 g)
(20 g)
(15 g)
(10 g)
(7 g)
(3 g)

conversions, recipes
The factor method is most commonly used. To convert a recipe, divide the original number of
servings in the desired number of servings. The result is the conversion factor. Then multiply the
quantities in the original recipe by the conversion factor.
Example: Old recipe is for 50 servings. Desired new recipe is for 175 servings.
175:50 = 3.5, which is the conversion factor. Multiply all ingredients by 3.5. In most cases, the results are
numbers with fractions, which must be converted into weights and liquid measures.
converted rice
A device "converts" the rice by pressure cooking the grain so it retains most of its nutrients. First
marketed under the Uncle Ben's label in 1943.
convertit
Enzyme used in candy fondants. It makes the sugar molecules break down. See chocolatecovered cherries.
cooked
Used as wine term when the wine is naturally heated, often in the presence of oxygen. The wine
will become darker and will have pronounced flavor. It is found in Madeira wine.
cookhouse
House, in which the kitchen was located. Since fire was a constant danger, cookhouses were
built away from the main house.

254

cookie
Term for cook, or for an attractive girl, or both.
cookie
Small, flat sweet cake. The name is probably derived from Dutch from koekje (little cake).
Soft cookies were the big thing in the 1970's and in the 1980's and were commercially made on a
large scale. Proctor & Gamble discovered a way of making them by combining two types of dough, an
outside layer which crystallizes and turns crunchy several days after being baked, and an inside dough
that remains soft. Computer cookies are not edible and can be rather annoying.
cookie jar
Large container, often ceramic or made of glass, with a lid, in which cookies were kept. It was
the center of considerable attention for many children. Andy Warhol had a famous collection of cookie
jars.
cookie sheet
Also called sheet pan, a flat metal sheet with low rim.
Cookie - leekie
Scotch chicken and leek soup.
cooking wine
Cooking with wine adds color and body. The wine therefore should have a sound structure and
should be well made. During the cooking process the alcohol evaporates and to a large extent also the
water. It is important to remember that the wine should have a low sugar content, because it will become
sweeter through evaporation.
Fortified wines, such as Sherry, Marsala, Madeira and Port should not be cooked, but added to
the dish just before it is served.
Coolea
Irish cheese, creamy cheese from Macroom in County Cork, yellow-coated and Gouda-like.
Cooleney
Irish cheese, Camembert like cheese from the center of the country.
Coon
Cheddar cheese, sharp and crumbly in texture.
Coontie
Tropical palm with high starch content in the trunk and roots. It can be extracted and used as
thickener or blended with flour and used in bread. The raw product is poisonous, but is removed during
processing.
Also known as Koontie or Indian Bread. See also Indian Bread.
Zamia integrifolia/floridiana.
cooperage
Term for barrels used for aging wine, brandy, or liquor, also the place and process of making the
barrels. The most commonly used wood is oak. Other woods include hickory, chestnuts and redwood.
cooperative
Term for a number of producers sharing equipment, storage and marketing, thus becoming mor
efficient and profitable. Cooperatives are often created by farmers, producing a wide range of products
from dairy to wine.
cooter
Southern slang word for turtle. Also called Sewannee River Chicken.

255

copper
Preferred metal for cook-ware prized for its superior heat conductivity. However, it must be tinned
on the inside and re-tinning is a major expense.
Real copper pots are seldom used today and copper pots are lined with layer if different metals,
including stainless steel
Coppola, Francis
American movie maker, turned vineyard and winery owner-though without actually giving up his
first career, which provided the funds for his later venture. In 1975, he purchased a 1500 acre estate in
the Napa Valley, including 80 acres of vineyards. The land, as well as the Victorian mansion on it,
originally belonged to Gustave Niebaum who founded the Inglenook winery, and was split off from the still
existing Inglenook parcel. Coppola continues the name, calling his winery the Niebaum Coppola winery.
His famous wine is the Rubicon, a full bodied and intensely flavored Bordeaux like blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Another major hobby of his is cooking and he prepares most of
the family meals.
copra
The dried pressed coconut meat for industrial use.
coq au vin
French classical dish of chicken/rooster stewed in red wine, garnished with pearl onion,
mushrooms, crisp bacon pieces and croutons. A popular dish in bistros.
coquetier
French egg cup. Coquetire is the utensil used for boiling eggs.
coquilla nuts
Inedible nuts used in woodworking from a South American palm.
Attalea funifera.
coquilles St.Jacques
French word for scallops. The term en coquille referred to dishes bake in scallop shells. By
extension for a once popular scallop preparation. See scallops.
coquina
Spanish term for tiny clams.
Coquito
Tall tropical palm cultivated for sap called miel de palma in Spanish speaking South America.
The fruits are small and can be pressed for oil.
Also known as Wine-palm.
Jubaea spectabilis.
coral
The ovaries or roe of lobsters, scallops and sea urchin. They turn red when boiled and hence the
name.
Corbeau
French wine grape, little grown nowadays. The name is French for crow. Corbeau is known as
Charbono in California where it is a little more widely grown for use in simple inexpensive wines.
The alternate name is elsewhere spelled Charbonneau.
corbeille
French culinary term for basket.

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Corbires
French wine district in the Midi of France. The wines can be white, rose or red.
Corbin, Chteau
Ancient French Bordeaux wine estate.
cordero
Spanish term for lamb.
cordials
Sweet alcoholic beverages, also know as liqueurs. Many are ancient concoctions, always sweet
and containing a considerable amount of alcohol. To a large extent the invention of cordials can be
credited to monks who experimented with herbs and spices to create medicine, and quasi as by-product
enjoyable libations.
The distilled spirits used in liqueurs varies by countries, but is most often grape brandy.
The best known liqueurs are listed under their names. The history of some of them makes
interesting reading.
Cordon Bleu
French term for blue ribbon. It was used once to describe accomplished female chefs. It was
first bestowed on a female cook by King Louis XV at the suggestion of Madame Du Barry.
Veal cutlet cordon bleu was a popular restaurant dish. The cutlet was stuffed with ham and
Swiss cheese, breaded and cooked in butter. The name is used by a renown cooking school in France.
Cordon Rouge
Culinary distinction bestowed by an English society on chefs.
Cordorniu
Brand name for a Spanish sparkling wine, called cava in Spanish. Cordorniu is also producing
sparkling wines in the Napa valley of California.
Corfu
Greek Island. A local cheese is mizithra, made from the whey of feta cheese manufacturing. See
there.
coriander
Annual herb, both the seeds and leaves are used. The leaves, also known as Chinese parsley,
have a distinctive piquant flavor and are popular in ethnic cuisines such as South American, Thai and
certain regions of China. The leaves are sprinkled onto soups, sauces, salads or meats. This herb can be
grown from seed in home gardens and can reseed itself if left. Coriander grows from 6" to 20" tall in full
sun. It flowers until the seeds ripen and until then has a disagreeable odor.
The seeds are dried and ground primarily for use in curry powder, desserts, breads and custards.
Pastrami is covered with crushed coriander seeds.
Also known as Chinese parsley, Indian parsley, cilantro, dhania.
Coriandrum sativum.
cork
The inner bark layer of a type of oak tree, Quercus suber, growing in Mediterranean countries. It
takes 40 years or more for the tree to produce good quality cork.
The harvest, from May to August, consists of stripping away the bark and leaving the tree to
regenerate its bark, as it will do every 10 years or so. The process of priming a young tree to produce
good quality cork is called "unmasking the virgin cork". It involves a first stripping when the tree is 15 to
20 years old. The stripped tree is red, and is marked with the date when the bark was harvested. The
trees thrive on sandy or slate soil, with little rainfall, but some humidity.
The bark is first dried for 6 months and then graded. About 50% reach the highest grade and can
be used for wine corks, the rest will be used for cork boards, tiles and sound proofing material. The bark

257

suitable for wine corks is then sterilized and cut. The length of the cork and density determines the price.
Corks used for wines destined for aging are longer than corks for wine which will be consumed relatively
young.
Many times corks are stamped with the seal of the winery. Corks are expected to seal the bottle
hermetically, but minute amounts of air can enter along the bottle neck, or through a defective cork. The
wine will eventually spoil, called corky.
More than half of the world's cork comes from Portugal. Spain, Italy, Algeria, and Morocco
supply the rest.
The use of cork as bottle stoppers dates at least to the 5th century BC as cork-stoppered
amphorae from that time have been discovered in Greece.
corkage
Fee imposed by a restaurant for wine purchased elsewhere but consumed in the restaurant. The
fee is justifiable because the restaurant supplies the glasses, and also the labor to serve the wine.
In some areas liquor licenses are difficult or impossible to get and restaurants encourage their
patrons to bring their own wine.
corky
Wine term describing a wine that has spoiled because the cork allowed air to enter. It does not
happen often, although there is shortage of good quality cork.
corn
Tall cereal plant native to America and cultivated for centuries throughout the Americas long
before the arrival of the Europeans. Corn can be considered a vegetable when picked young and sweet,
and when mature a grain of enormous importance to the worlds food supply. There are hundreds
varieties developed for specific purposes, climatic conditions, yield, storage length, resistance to disease
and many other factors. People depend on corn, but it also depends on people to propagate it. Modern
varieties cannot seed themselves. Genetically changed corn resists disease and requires less
pesticides, but has been embroiled in a political battle about food safety and the environment. Many
European countries prohibit the use of genetically altered corn.
The early American Indians lived on corn. They cultivated corn by putting the kernels in a hole
with a couple of fish heads. Colonists also began sowing corn this way.
Corn is also the base of some whiskeys, the most common of which is Bourbon. It was used to
make the early American whiskey, aggie fortis, which is sometimes more simply referred to as "corn".
See there.
CORN TYPES:
Sweet corn - a vegetable. See there.
Indian or Flint Corn - they have hard, smooth kernels and can be black, blue, purple, maroon,
red, orange and yellow. The multi colors actually were not developed by the Indians who carefully farmed
their corn; they developed when fields appropriated by white settlers were left untended. The corn is
edible, especially ground into high protein cornmeal, but more often used decoratively. Also known as
Squaw Corn. Zea mays indurata
Corn is processed into cereal, corn syrup, corn starch, animal feed, and ethylene alcohol. See
under the alphabetical listing.
Also known as maize in many countries.
corn ball
Pop corn rolled into a ball and held together with caramel sugar.
corn bread
Important staple in many parts of the world. It is normally baked in a shallow pan and leavened
with baking powder. Corn meal does not contain enough gluten to use yeast.
CORN BREAD VARIETIES:
Anadama bread - See there.
Ash cake is a corn bread baked in ashes.

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Corn muffins and corn dogers (old term) are normally sweet and contain fat to make them
crumbly.
Corn pone is an alternate term for corn bread in the Southern U.S.
Hoe cake is an old fashioned term when bread - wheat or corn - was baked on the back of a
cotton hoe.
Johnny cakes are made with scalded milk or water and white corn meal.
Indian bread - old generic term for corn bread.
Spoonbread - batter bread made in Colonial America.
corn chips
Popular snack commercially manufactured under a number of brand names and with different
flavors.
corn cob jelly
An item found in Iowa.
Corn dogs
Hot dog or pork sausage on a stick dipped in corn batter and deep fried.
corn flour
Corn ground to flour consistency, and sifted. It resembled wheat flour, but does not have the
gluten content to make bread.
corn fritters
Cooked kernel corn mixed with pancake batter and fried.
corn grits. See there.
corn hominy
See there.
corn husk(s)
The leafy cover on corn cobs used for making tamales. Available fresh, frozen and dried.
corn meal
Ground corn, available white or yellow. Cornmeal was used by the American Indians for various
dishes. Cornmeal has no gluten so corn bread won't rise, but is was used to make anadama bread, corn
pones, Indian pudding, jonnycake, spoonbread in Colonial America.
Cornmeal was brought to Europe, first to Italy and then Balkan countries where the mush made
with corn meal is called polenta.
Commercial cornmeal labeled Indian or Indian style is a finely stone ground New England
cornmeal. Stone ground corn meal is considered superior because machine grinding generates heat
which supposedly removes nutrients and alters the flavor.
Blue corn meal is a specialty item.
Rumanian cornmeal is called mamaliga.
corn oil
Corn with light flavor and high smoke point, it is an all round cooking and frying oil. It is high in
polyunsaturated fat.
Cold pressed corn oil, available in health food stores is light brown and has a distinct corn flavor.
It is excellent in salads.
corn on the cob
See sweet corn.

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corn popper
Pan with lid to make pop corn. Originally, corn poppers were used over the open fire, or on the
stove.
Electric and microwave corn poppers are frequently used today.
For popcorn see there.
corn salad
Another name for mache lettuce, also called lamb's lettuce.
corn smut
See huitlacache.
corn starch
The starch extracted from corn used in cooking and in industrial applications. In cooking, the
starch is blended with cold liquid to a slurry, and added to boiling liquid. It will thicken immediately.
Cornstarch has about twice the thickening power as flour.
Liquids thickened with cornstarch become cloudy.
Maizena is a brand name for corn starch.
corn, sweet
Corn cultivated for eating fresh has undergone many changes. The primary objectives were
increase in sweetness and longer shelf life pared with flavor, tenderness, appearance, growing time and
hardiness.
It is generally acknowledged that the increase in sweetness was achieved by scarifying some
corn flavor. Bioengineering has made sweet corn available in supermarkets year round, whereas years
ago old-fashioned varieties such as Silver Queen, Stowells Evergreen and others were rushed to the
market, because corn would loose sweetness in very short time.
Sweet corn is basically categorized into three types. Old fashioned varieties such as Silver
Queen contain between 5% to 10% sugar. Sugar enhanced types, such as Argent and Miracle contain
between 15% to 25% sugar. The supersweet types can contain up to 35% sugar when harvested
perfectly ripe. These varieties ship better than others, because the kernels are harder, but will shrink
faster.
Sweet corn is is best as soon as it is picked and early in the season, because the natural sugar
will turn quickly into starch. It is best eaten on the cob, quickly boiled or microwave cooked in its huskes.
Fresh corn is available year round. Large quantities of shucked sweet corn is frozen or canned as kernel
corn, cream corn and other varieties.
Zea mays.
corn syrup
Thick syrup, used in baking and as sweetener in soft drinks because it is less expensive than
sugar. It is available light and dark.
Cornas
Rhne wine area, known for its red wine from 100% Syrah grape. Full bodied and can be rough
when young, but will soften as it ages.
corned beef
Beef that has ben preserved by salting. Saltpeter is added to preserve color, but is omitted in
New England. The most common cut is brisket, but rounds and other pieces are also preserved. It is a
favorite dish of the Irish in the United States.
In Britain the term refers to a products that is corned, boiled, pressed and canned.
Corned beef brisket when handled according to Jewish dietary laws is considered kosher and it
became a favorite delicatessen sandwich item in New York City.
Also known as bully beef in England.

260

corned beef hash

Cooked corned beef, chopped or coarsely ground blended with cooked diced potatoes and
baked. Onions are often added.
The product is available canned and served at breakfast.
corned beef sandwich
Popular sandwich in New York City and an item customers can be fastidious about. The brisket
must be lean but not dry, freshly cooked and still warm, and the meat must be cut very thin, almost
shredded.
The rye bread must be fresh and when practical sliced to order. The meat, about 4 oz, should be
piled up in the center, and the sandwich cut diagonally. It is always served with a Kosher dill pickle, and
mustard on the side.
cornel
Tree fruits in the size of small cherries. The berries, scarlet when ripe, usually in mid summer
have a refreshing sweet-sour flavor and are used in meat dishes, and desserts such as cakes and
sherbets.
The small round trees are prized for their decorative value, with its creamy yellow flowers and
dark foliage, and is related to the dogwood, but is hardier. The trees often grow in the wild, but have been
cultivated, especially in Eastern Europe, Russia, and central Asia, for their fruit, used fresh or dried.
In France, underripe cornels are pickled like olives.
Also known as cornelian cherry, cornet plums, dog cherry, Siberian cherry or Tartar cherry,
though not actually a cherry.
Cornus mas.
Cornell bread
High protein bread developed at Cornell University, New York State. The bread contains soy
flour, wheat germs and dry milk, and was popular during the second world war, when meat was scares.
cornetto
Italian term for cones, also for croissant.
Cornhusker
Cheese developed in Nebraska 1940. It resembles Cheddar.
cornichon
French term for small sour pickles, flavored with vinegar and tarragon. Served with charcuterie to
counterbalance the fattiness of the meats. Name comes from the French word corne, meaning horn,
which refers to their slightly curved shape.
Cornichon
Black vinifera table grape.
corning
Term for curing meat with salt. The word is derived from corn, synonymous with grain and
referred to the salt grains.
Cornish hen
Chicken, about 4 to 5 week old, that weighs less than one pound.
Cornish pasty
English/Wales semi circular pastry, like a turnover, which was first popularized in Southwestern
England where it was named for the region, Cornwall. The pastry provided a convenient home made
lunch for the local miners, tin smelters, and fishermen. It was originally made with a hard thick crust, so it
didn't get crushed in the workers pockets where it was usually kept.

261

It was practical for other reasons as well because it could be eaten with the hands, it provided a
nourishing one course meal, and, for the smelters at least, it could be warmed by the intense heat thrown
off by the molten metal. Though today it usually contains meat, in 18th and 19th century England, meat
was too much of a luxury for the working class family, so vegetables such as potatoes, turnips, and
shredded onions usually comprised the filling. A typical filling today is made with diced potatoes, finely
sliced onions, shredded lean beef, and vegetables.
The pastries are now made with a short or flakier pastry crust, but, like the earlier pasty, are
crimped around their rounded edge. Cornish Pasties are popular in the Upper Michigan mining district.
Cornish splits
Cornwall/English yeast buns split and sfilled with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
Coronato
Italian white wine.
Corsica
Large Mediterranean island, a department of France. It famous as Napoleons birthplace, but
rather undistinguished for its food and wine. It is also infamous for political unrest.
Cortese
Italian white wine grape grown in upper Italy. It is used in Gavi dei Gavi, a crisp wine.
Corton
Famous wine from Burgundy, France made in the Cte de Beaune region. The wines can be red
or white, the white wine is known as Corton Charlemagne.
corvina
Spanish/Hispanic name for striped bass.
Corvino
Italian red wine grape variety grown in Northeast Italy, and a major ingredient in Valpolicella.
Corvo
Famous Italian wine from Sicily.
Cos d'Estournel, Chteau.
Famous wine and wine estate in Bordeaux, France. Noted certainly for its wines, but also for the
Chteau built by Monsieur d'Estournel who was passionately fond of the Far East where he was involved
in trade. The Chteau manifests Chinese and Indian influences.
Chteau Marbuzet is the second label of Cos d'Estournel.
Cos lettuce
Better known as Romaine lettuce. It is sometimes known as Cos because it was believed to have
originated on the Greek island Kos.
cosecha
Spanish word for harvest. As wine term it means the vintage year.
Costa Rica food
Center American peaceful country famous for coffee. They call themselves "ticos" because of
their habit the local suffix "tico" to diminutive many words. Their cooking is not much different from their
neighbors.
Local Fruits include:
anona, custard apple or cherimoya.
manzana de aqua or water apple, a small red pear shaped fruit.
pipa - type of coconut which is enjoyed for its water and the pulp is discarded.

262

moras - similar to red mulberries and used to make marmalade.

limn dulce -large yellow citrus fruit, eaten as is and used as a refresco beverage.
SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
arroz escarlata - rice with beet juice.
chancletas - chayote stuffed with cheese, milk and sugar.
chiverre -pumpkin like squash.
corvina -striped bass
frijoles negros - black beans.
gallo pinto - beans and rice, the national staple.
lomito - filet of beef.
refrescos de tamarindo- thirst quenching drinks made with tamarind.
costermonger
Old English word for street vendor. The term is derived from costard monger. Costard is an old
word for apple.
costmary
Herb similar to tansy but less bitter, native to the Far East. The leaves were used in Colonial
New England and Britain as flavoring for beer, and was known as alecost.
The herb has balsam like odor, and was placed in closets in colonial times. The name comes
from the Greek word costus, meaning spicy plant, and the Holy Mary. The herb is probably one of the
secret ingredients in Chartreuse. See there.
Chrysanthemum balsamita.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Cot
French red wine grape variety from the Bordeaux region, primarily Cahors. The grape is better
known as Malbec. The grape is popular in Argentina and Chile. A small amount is also grown in
Australia.
cte
French for rib. Cte de boeuf is the French name for Prime Rib. The term is also used in
connection with wine growing areas.
Cte dOr
Burgundy wine growing area extending from Dijon in the North to Santenay in the South. The
Cte dOr is about 35 miles long and most vineyards face south-east. The celebrated Burgundy
vineyards are all located there.
Cte de Baune
Famous wine growing area in Burgundy, the southern half of the Cte dOr. The region is known
for the best white wines made in Brugundy, but also for excellent red wines.
Cte Rtie
Famous French red wine from the Rhne valley wine growing area, literally translated roasted
slopes. The slope faces southeast and gets the full power of the sun. Divided into two sections, La Brune
and La Blonde, the brown and the blond, describing the colors of the soils. Most Cte Rtie wine is a
blend of the two slopes, as each is missing something on its own.
The major grape is the Syrah, which makes a strong, full-bodied wine. French wine law permits
this to be thinned with up to 20% of white wine from the Viognier grape.
Cte de Nuits
Famous wine area in Burgundy, the northern half of the celebrated Cte dOr.

263

Cte de Brouilly
Prestigious vineyard area, or cru, of the Beaujolais region.
Cte Chalonaise
Burgundy vineyard.
coteaux
French term meaning hillside. In the 17th century, the word was also used, somewhat
sarcastically, in reference to a person so proud of his knowledge of food and wine that he claimed to be
able to identify the very hillside from which the grapes in a particular wine came.
Coteaux de la Loire
Wine growing area of the Loire valley in Anjou. Dry white wine is made from the Melon grape.
Dessert wine is also made.
cotechino
Italian large pork sausage. It needs to be boiled.
ctelette
French culinary term for for rib chop. The term is also applied to food shaped like rib chops.
Ctes de Bergerac
Wine from the Bergerac region of France east of Bordeaux. It is a red wine high in alcohol or a
white demi sec or moelleux wine.
Ctes Canon Fronsac
Bordeaux red wine.
Ctes de Castillon
Wine growing area of Bordeaux, producing red wines, similar to those of neighboring St. Emilion.
Ctes du Rhne
Wine growing district of France and the general name for the wines produced there. It applies to
the strip of land along both banks of the Rhne River in southern France. The Rhne river is running
north south through southeastern France. The area is hotter and drier than Bordeaux or Burgundy. Most
of the wines are red, but white wines are also made from the marsanne and roussanne grapes. In
addition, the fine rose wines Tavel and Lirac, are also made in the Rhne valley.
At their best the wines possess elegance and finesse with a delicious fruitiness, but the lesser
ones can be heavy, harsh and tannic.
About 20 different grapes are grown, including Syrah, Grenache, Mourvdre, and Viognier,
Clairette, Picpoul, Terret Noir, Counoise, Muscardin, Vaccarese, Picardin, Cinsault, Roussanne, and
Bourboulenc. Basically all wines are blends from as many as 20 different grapes. The better wines are
sold under the vineyard name and the name of the shipper.
The major wines include the red Chteauneuf du Pape, Hermitage, Cte Rtie, Ctes du Rhne,
and Gigondas, and the white Chteau Grillet and Condrieu. There are also Hermitage, Crozes
Hermitage, St.Joseph, Cornas and St.Pray.
The sweet wine is Muscat de Beaumes -de-Venise.
Noted growers include Chapoutier and Jaboulet.
Cotherstone
English cows milk cheese with blue veines made in the Valley of the Tees in Yorkshire. The
cheese resembles Stilton. There is also a white version.
Cotriade Bretonne
Fish soup from Brittany, France.

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Cotronese
Italian cheese made in Calabira, Southern Italy.
cottage butt
Boneless ham, more commonly known as smoked pork shoulder roll.
Also known as shoulder roll, smoked shoulder butt, daisy ham, cottage butt.
cottage cheese
Fresh, soft, uncured cheese. The cheese is very popular and large amounts are consumed in
the US. The cheese is often mixed with cream or spices and flavorings.
Large grained cheese is known as sweet curd cottage cheese or as Pop Corn Cheese. Small
grained cottage cheese is sometime called Farmer-style cheese. Cottage cheese is also known as Pot
Cheese or Dutch Cheese or Schmierkse.
Cottage cheese varies by fat content. Cheese that contains 4% milk fat by weight, provides 40%
of its calories from fat; the low fat version contains 1% milk fat by weight and provides only 11% of its
calories from fat.
Cottage fried potatoes
Home fried potatoes made with raw, uncooked potatoes.
cotto salami
Italian ready to eat salami. The term means cooked salami.
Cotton candy
Fluffy candy made by spinning sugar syrup in a centrifuge. It is sold at fairs and in amusement
parks.
cottonseed flour
Ground cottonseeds used for animal feed. The flour contains toxic gossypol, which makes the
flour unsuitable for human consumption.
cottonseed oil
Edible oil, available as cooking oil, and as ingredient in food products. It is often uses as
blending oil in vegetable oils.
Cottonseed oil is high in saturated fats.
Cotuit
Oyster from the Cotuit Harbor off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Medium to large in size
with a plump body and salty flavor.
cou cou
Traditional dish of cornmeal and okra in Barbados.
Couderc
French red hybrid wine grape, productive and late ripening. The wine is deep colored. It is
named after its developer.
coulibiac
Russian meat or fish loaf, baked in a yeast crust. The loaf can be made with different fish
varieties, but is most often made with fresh sturgeon or salmon. In addition of fish, buckwheat or rice,
chopped eggs, mushrooms and herbs are added. To keep the mixture moist, boiled vesiga (the spine
marrow of sturgeon) is spread between the layers. Coulibiac can also be made with pork or beef, flavored
with cabbage.
Also known by variant spellings, including kulibiaka.

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coulis
French term for puree of any product, such as a fruit, seafood, herbs or vegetables. The words
has become fashionable again when describing a sauce made without flour. Originally the term coulis
was used for sauces in general.
Coulommiers
French cheese, first made in the vicinity of Coulommier, Department of Seine et - Marne, France.
Similar to small Brie cheese, although cheese lovers will insist that it is a different cheese.
coupe
French for cup. A dessert called Coupe Jacques appeared on French menus for many years. It
consisted of ice cream served with diced fruits steeped in liqueur.
coup
French term for cut, used as wine term it means blended.
courgette(s)
French word for zucchini. The term is used in England, but the old English term is vegetable
marrow.
courgette(s)
French word for zucchini. The term is used in England, but the old English term is vegetable
marrow.
couronne
French for crown or wreath.
court bouillon
French, meaning a short stock. Aromatic liquid, pre-boiled with spices, vegetables, vinegar or
wine before food is added. Court bouillon is most often when poaching fish, because fish cooks much
faster than the vegetables and spices in the stock.
Court Bouillon In New Orleans, it is a rich spicy soup, made with fish, tomatoes, onions, and
sometimes other vegetables.
cous cous
North African, specifically Moroccan staple. The term refers to a semolina pasta as well as to the
dish in which the couscous is the main ingredient.
Couscous is made of finely ground hard wheat semolina, mixed with water and shaped into tiny
lumps smaller than rice.
Couscous served as main course is steamed in a coucousire with vegetables, such as onions,
carrots, turnips, zucchini, pumpkin, chickpeas and lamb, mutton, game, or chicken. Raisins, and
sometimes grapes, dates and almonds, are also added. Seasonings include cinnamon, paprika, salt and
pepper. In Tunisia, where fish is more plentiful than meat, couscous is sometimes made with fish. It can
also be made without meat vegetarian-style usually with beans added.
Couscous is traditionally served as a family meal on Fridays, the Muslim day of rest. It is usually
presented in one large dish from which everyone eats. The semolina is spread on the dish and the meat
and vegetables heaped on the top. Separate small bowls contain the stock, hot harissa paste of chili,
garlic, cumin, coriander and olive oil. Diners gets their own small bowls to mix some meat, vegetables
and grain with stock and condiments.
The dish can be very time consuming to make from scratch, as the basic couscous is made by
hand.
Couscous is available manufactured, even as instant mix, and has become a starch
accompaniment accepted by trendy chefs
The name comes from the Arabic kuskus, to grind small.

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Couscousire is the French word for the North African cooking pot, used for making couscous. It
is a two layered device in which the meat and vegetables cook in the bottom, thereby giving off steam to
cook the semolina placed in a colander on top.
Coutet, Chteau
Famous French sweet wine from the Barsac region.
couverture
Chocolate coating used in pastry shops and in chocolate fabrication. It is a chocolate with a high
fat content, available in white, milk and dark. The fat should be cocoa butter, the natural fat in cocoa
beans. Cheaper couverture is made with other fats. Couverture must be tempered - warmed correctly, to
achieve a shiny product.
Warming should take place over hot water and great care must be used that no water or steam
gets into the chocolate, otherwise it will become grey and streaky. When the couverture is melted, small
additional pieces of couverture are added to lower the temperature to about 84-86 degrees for white, 8698 for milk and 89-91 degrees for dark couverture.
The maximum temperature for melted couverture is 140 degrees.
cowpeas
Legume, a close relative of black peas, commonly known as black-eyed peas. The beans can be
used interchangeably, and the names usually are as well. The cowpea is slightly smaller in size and has
a browner coating than black eyed pea's whitish coating. The cowpea has the same tiny black "eye" on
one side as the black eyed pea.
cow cocky
Australian slang for a dairy farmer, and cocky is a farmer.
cow grease
Cowboy slang for butter.
cow pea tea
An early American medicinal brew, extracted from manure.
cowfish
Ocean fish popular on the Carolina shores. The skin is covered with thick scales, and the fish has
two sharp spines projecting from the forehead.
Lactophrys guadricornus.
cowpuncher's sandwich
Arizona "specialty". A simple sandwich of sliced, buttered bread, filled with onions that have been
marinated in vinegar and dried oregano, mixed with equal parts of ice water.
cowslips citronella
A grass whose oil is used in mosquito repellents. Also the aroma in many household cleaning
products, such as, lemon-scented dishwashing liquids.
Cox's Orange Pippin
Apple variety, round, flattish and regularly shaped, reddish green color, with vivid bloom where it
faced the sun while on the tree. Its flesh is off white and crunchy. Developed in England in the early 19th
century, probably from the pip of the Ribston Pippin, and named for its developer, Cox. Its bite, taste and
aroma have made it the "king of eating apples" in England, though it is also good for juice.
cozy dog
Restaurant in Springfield, Illinois who claims to be the inventor of the corn dog, a hot dog dipped
into corn batter and deep fried.

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crab
Crustacean found in all oceans and great variety. They multiply rapidly and some can live in salt
water, others in brackish water and even fresh water. On the East Coast of the US the most important
variety is Blue Crab, and on the Pacific Coast the Dungeness Crab.
Blue crabs are harvested as hard shell and as soft shell crabs. Hard shell crabs are greyish blue
when harvested and turn red when boiled. The meat is inside the top of the shell and claws. It is difficult
to extract. In the Chesapeake Bay area, are males crabs are called Jimmys or No.1 Jimmys. They
generally contain the most meat for their size. Sallys are female crabs.
Soft Shell crabs are harvested when they are molting and the shell is still soft. They are a
popular spring and early summer specialty along the eastern seaboard of the US. Chesapeake Bay
supplies a large share of the harvest. The season is from April to July, depending on weather. During that
time the crabs have outgrown their shells and are gradually growing new ones. The whole crab can be
eaten, and are best early in the season when they are most tender. Later in the season they become
leathery. Soft shell crabs are available live and frozen. Frozen crabs tend to be watery. Harvesting for
molting crabs is prohibited on the Pacific Coast.
Dungeness crabs are fished form Alaska to southern California. Only male crabs of a specific
size can be taken. Dungeness Crabs are available fresh whole, frozen whole or in parts, and picked crab
meat frozen and canned.
Blue and Dungeness crab meat is available canned, fresh or pasteurized. The size of the pieces
is important when judging quality. The meat should be reasonable free of shells and should contain little
roe. Cans should be opened as used and the meat should not be handled because the lumps break
easily and crab meat is very perishable. Fresh lump crab meat is sold in 16 oz cans.
When buying whole crabs, it is useful to be able to discern the females in hope that they will
contain roe. The "apron" on the underside of the female will be a rounded shield, the males will have an
elongated spear. Also, the claws of an uncooked female will be tipped with red, while those of the male
will be tipped with blue.
Alaska king crabs can weight 6 to 20 pounds. They are boiled and processed on board ship and
marketed frozen as whole crab for display, as claws, legs and crab meat. The percentage of whole
pieces and shredded pieces determents price.
Snow crabs are also harvested in the Bering Sea off Alaska. They are smaller than are
considered of slightly lesser quality. Crabs have population cycles and become scares occasionally.
Oyster crabs live inside oysters and are sold frozen. The tiny crabs are deep fried and used as
garnish or as luncheon dish. They are seldom marketed today.
Other crabs of commercial importance in the US are Red crabs and Stone crabs.
There are numerous crab species throughout the world with local names or overlapping names.

crab apples
Generic name used for small,
acidic apples growing on ornamental
trees. The fruits are colorful, but too
sour to be eaten raw. Crabapples can
be cooked in sugar syrup, and are
sometimes used as garnish with roasts.
Canned crab apples are often dyed red.
The wood of the crabapple tree
is very hard.
crab boil
Seasoning mixture of celery
seeds or celery salt, dry mustard, salt,
hot pepper, paprika and other spices. It
is used to poach crabs still in their
shells, but the intense flavorings
permeate the crab-meat. The seasoning mixture can be purchased, pre packaged under the brand

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names of Old Bay Seasoning altimore Spice Company or Chesapeake Bay Style Seasoning McCormick
and Co..
Crab Meat Remick
Once popular crab meat specialty dish created at The Plaza Hotel in New York City around 1920.
Lump crab meat blended with mayonnaise, chili sauce and diced red and green peppers was
spooned into clean clam shells, sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and baked.
Crab Meat Louis
Classic New York City hotel dish. Lump crab meat, served cold on shredded romaine lettuce,
sprinkled with hard boiled eggs and capers, mixed with cocktail sauce and whipped cream or Russian
dressing.
The dish might have originated in San Francisco.
Crab Imperial
Once popular restaurant item, crab meat salad made with green onions, pimentos, mayonnaise.
The term is also used for a hot crab dish baked in a shell.
Crab meat substitutes
Products based on Surimi technology, which referres to Japanese fish cakes. Surimi products
are available in many shapes resembling lobster tails, crab claws and shrimps. The most popular
products resemble King Crab Meat. A number of brand names are used. Some products are shipped
frozen, others refrigerated.
See surimi.
cracked wheat
Ancient product popular in the Middle East. It is made by boiling and drying whole wheat kernels,
and then grinding into a meal. It is available coarse, medium and fine and needs no cooking.
It is used for tabbouleh salad, and kibbi, a Lebanese ground lamb dish.
Also called bulghur or burgul.
cracker
Generic term for a thin, crips wafer or biscuit.
cracker barrel
Barrel used in grocery stores to store and display crackers. The name is used by a very
successful restaurant chain combining grocery store atmosphere with hearty food.
Cracker Barrel old Country Store is the brand name for the restaurant chain.
cracker meal
Crushed and sifted un-sweetened crackers. The meal is used for breading, for non baked pie
crust and as topping on casserole dishes.
Cracker Jack
Brand name for a snack made with popcorn, peanuts, and molasses. First sold at the Chicago
World's Fair in 1893.
crackling
Used as wine term slightly sparkling.
cracklings
Pork fatback, rendered until dry, crisp and brown. Eaten as snack. They are added to batter to
make crackling bread.
Cracknel
Generic term for manufactured plain biscuits. Also known as Egg Biscuits.

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cradle
Basket made of wicker or metal used to served fine Burgundy wines. The cradle will hold the
wine in a close to horizontal position allowing the sediments to stay at the bottom.
To serve a young wine in a cradle is strictly show and nonsense.
Craisin
Name coined by Ocean Spray to market a dried raisin-like cranberry. The term plays off the
popularity of raisins in the late 1980's.
The cranberry, designed to be eaten as a snack, is dried and sugar-infused to reduce its tart
taste, though it still tastes distinctly tart.
Cramant
French famous wine producing village in the Champagne region. The grapes cultivated are
Chardonnay, and used in the best, un-blended Champagnes.
cranachan
Scottish concoction of oats, heavy cream, and honey.
Also known as cream crowdie.
cranberry
Berry native to the US, the early settlers found them growing wild. The name might have
originated from the name "crane berries", because the vines flowers resemble cranes' heads. The Indian
name was "ibimi", bitter berries. Cranberries were eaten by the American Indians and were valued for
their ability to stay fresh for months. The berries were used in pemmican and as dye. The raw berries
have an astringent effect that contracts tissues and restricts bleeding. The berries are high in vitamin C,
and are an excellent remedy against Scurvy. The berries are sour and bitter tasting, and need sugar
when stewed for sauce.
Cranberries grow best in wet, sandy areas with acid soil. Since they grow in northern climates,
must be protected against pre harvest freezing, which will make them soft and mushy. The fresh berries,
however, can also be frozen for months if they are used immediately upon thawing.
Massachusetts is the major producer of cranberries nationwide, with about half the US crop of
about 4 million barrels. The bogs there are located in Bristol, Plymouth, and Barnstable county on Cape
Cod. Other major producers are New Jersey, Wisconsin and Oregon. They are also grown in
Washington State and in Chile.
It takes some 45,000 berries to fill a barrel, and there are two methods of harvest. In dry
harvesting the berries are combed off the vines into burlap bags. In the more common wet harvesting
method, the bogs are flooded with a foot or two of water. Large rotating wheels, like giant eggbeaters,
knock the berries off the vines and they float to the top to be scooped off.
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. is the largest cooperative and includes growers in Massachusetts,
New Jersey, and Wisconsin. Cranberries are used jams, jellies, sauce, muffins, bread, pies, cakes, ice
cream, sherbet. Dried cranberries, known as Craisins, have been developed by Ocean Spray, to be
eaten as a snack.
Cranberry juice dissolves minerals and excessive acids in kidneys. The cranberries juice is
popular in New England, and consumers in the Boston area drink two and a half times the national
average.
Wild cranberries, known as high-bush cranberries, make an especially good tangy jelly.
Cranberries are related to lingonberries. Low bush cranberries are cultivated as ground cover on sandy
soil.
Vaccinium oxyoccus and Vaccinium macrocarcinium oxyoccus.
crappie
Fresh water food fish in the sunfish family, about pan-size and known under many local names.
crassostrea gigas
Oyster, originally from Asia, introduced to the Pacif Northwest around the turn of the century.

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crassostrea virginiaca
Latin name for the common oyster of the Atlantic seaboard.
crassostrea angulate
Portuguese oyster, originally from Asia. It is assumed that the oyster traveled on the hulls of the
explorers ships.
crassostrea frons
Small oyster that clings to tree roots.
crawdad
Slang word for crayfish or crawfish.
crawfish/crayfish
Freshwater swamp crustacean. Crawfish or crayfish are the same thing in America. Also known
locally as crawdad.
Referred to as crawfish in the South where they are especially popular in the Creole cooking of
New Orleans and southern Louisiana. Commonly served just boiled in seasoned water and heaped on a
platter, and presented on a table covered with newspapers to catch the messy discarded shells. This
simple presentation is so popular among the Cajuns, that a local joke describes a seven course Cajun
banquet as a platter of crawfish and a six pack of beer. Often also served in dishes, such as, touff,
gumbo, jambalaya, and boudin sausages.
The crawfish season in the South runs from November to May. The town of Breaux Bridge, in
Louisiana's Atchafalaya Basin the largest freshwater swamp, is known as the official crawfish capital of
the world.
Softshell crawfish can also be eaten whole, like softshell crabs, in the season when they shed
their outer shell during molting.
Crayfish are a summer specialty in Scandinavian countries where they are boiled with dill
blossoms and caraway seeds. Classical French cooking developed a soup called Bisque decrevisse,
and a number of other specialty dishes such as boiled crayfish called ecrevisse la nage. Since there is
little meat in the tails, and less in the claws, crayfish have lost on popularity, except as garnish.
Nicknamed mudbugs, referring to the fact that they live in the mud of freshwater streams.
Ecrevisse in French, Fluss Krebs in German, cangrejo de rio in Spanish.
The Eastern crayfish is of the genus cambrarus, the larger Pacif crayfish is astacus.
crawfish pie
Cajun crawfish stew topped with crust.
cream
The butterfat when in milk. Formally the cream was separated by pouring milk into a shallow
dish. The cream would rise to the top and could be skimmed off. The separation is now accomplished by
running the milk through a centrifuge.
TYPES OF CREAM:
Heavy Cream/whipping cream - at least 36% milk fat
Light Cream, coffee cream - 18% milk fat
Half & Half - 12% milk fat
Sour cream - 18% or less milk fat
See also Crme Frache.
cream cheese
Soft, mild, uncured cheese, made of cream and or a mixture of milk and cream. It is used as
spread or in baking. Gum arabic is added to increase firmness.
Cream cheese became popular after the Breakstone Company started to market packaged
cream cheese in the 1920's. One of the best known brands in the US is Philadelphia cream cheese.
Cream cheese is made in many parts of the world under different names. The best known are
Neufchtel, Carr and Fromage la Crme.

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cream puff
Dessert made with puff paste and filled with pastry cream, ice cream or whipped cream. It is
called profiterole in French.
cream of tartar
The most common form of tartaric acid, an organic compound found in such foods as grape juice.
Its most common uses in the kitchen are as baking powder when blended with baking soda and as
beaten egg white stabilizer. It also inhibits the crystallization of sugar in candy making.
It is a natural and harmless by-product in wine making and can be found as sediment in barrels
and in bottles in the form as crystals. It is known in German as Weinstein.
Also referred to as potassium bitartrate.
Crcy
French culinary term for dishes made with carrots, named after the village of Crcy in the
Department Seine-et-Marne.
crema
Spanish term for cream.
Crema Danica
Danish cheese invented by Henrik Tholstrup in the 1950's. The cheese resembles Camembert
and Brie.
Crmant
Mildly sparkling wine.
crme
French spelling for cream. It is used often in connection with liqueurs, such as Crme de
Banane, Crme de Cassis and many others. It also appears on menus to describe a soup finished with
cream, such as Crme Saint Germain.
crme anglaise
French term for egg custard sauce. Often spelled crme langlaise.
crme brle (creme brulee)
Rich dessert custard or pastry cream with a layer of crisp, crackling caramel sugar on top. It is a
popular restaurant dessert.
Crme de banane
Sweet liqueur made from mashed bananas and sugar
Crme de cacao
Vanilla flavored chocolate liqueur, made from cocoa beans with a sugar distillate base.
Available brown/regular and white. Used in a Golden Cadillac cocktail.
Crme de Cassis
Black currant liqueur, deep red in color, most commonly used in the kir cocktail, which is a
combination of white wine and crme de cassis. Made in Dijon, France since the mid 19th century, since
much of the black currant crop was originally grown in Burgundy. Now most of the fruit is grown in the
Rhne and Loire valleys.
The fruit is not actually distilled, rather it is macerated in already distilled alcohol. The berries are
high in acid, so the liqueur is sweetened with beet sugar.
The liqueur will decline in flavor through oxidation, so it should be refrigerated after opening and
used within a few months.

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Crme de fraise
Strawberry liqueur.
Crme de Menthe
French for a sweet liqueur flavored with peppermint, cinnamon, ginger, and sage. Available in
green and white versions.
Crme de Mure
French term for blackberry syrup.
Crme Dubarry
French name for cauliflower soup, named for Madame Dubarry, 1743 to 1793.
crme frache (creme fraiche)
Thick, slightly sour cream of French origin.
crme ptissire
See pastry cream. Also known as crme frangipane.
Creamsicle
Brand name for a frozen snack consisting of vanilla ice cream coated with orange flavored ice.
The flavor combination is the bases for the imitative drink called a cremesickle.
cremesickle cocktail
Cocktail imitating the ice cream snack creamsickle. It is a combination of white creme de cacao,
cream, and orange juice.
cremini
Brown mushroom is the forerunner of the common white mushroom. Mature cremini mushrooms
are called portobello mushrooms.
Crenshaw, also known as cranshaw
Large melon, up to 10 lb, flattened oval shape, small seed cavity, thick, tense pale orange
succulent flesh. The yellow to greenish skin has ridges. It should be soft to the touch when ripe.
See melon.
Creole
The term Creole refers to the early settlers of mixed French and Spanish ancestry who settled in
Southern Louisiana around New Orleans.
Creole cooking differs from Cajun cooking that it tends to be a little more formal, but the terms
can usually be used interchangeably.
The style of cooking is rooted in French, but influenced by Native American, Spanish, Caribbean,
African, and Italian cuisines and adapted to native American ingredients. The African influence resulted
mostly from the black slaves who cooked in wealthy homes.
The major difference between Creole/Cajun cooking and classic French cooking is brown roux.
The Louisiana roux is a mixtures of fat and flour slowly cooked until it takes on a brownish and has a
pleasant baked small. This roux is used to thicken and flavor stews and soups.
As in Cajun cooking, rice figures prominently in Creole cooking. One of the main seasonings is
fil, which are ground sassafras leaves , and are used to flavor and thicken gumbo, a thick soup. See
fil.
See Cajun for typical dishes.
Creole cheese
Rich, unripened cottage cheese. The cheese is popular in Louisiana.
crpe(s), crepe

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French culinary term, but also used in English, for very thin and small pancakes.
Crpes are a universal food wrap and can be filled with a wide variety of food, ranging from meat,
vegetables and mushrooms to sweet fillings. Many French restaurants filled crpes table side in the
dining room. The most popular French crpe dish was Crpes Suzette.
Known as crespelle in Italian, Palaschinken in Austria.
Crpes Suzette
French thin pancakes filled with orange flavored butter and flavored with liqueur, normally Grand
Marnier. The dish was customarily prepared in front of the customers and the liquor was ignited for
dramatic effect. The dish is no longer served in most restaurants. The creation of this dish goes back to
the French Riviera in the late 19th century.
crpinette (crepinette)
French type of sausage, consisting of ground pork wrapped in caul fat. Usually panfried or
grilled.
crescents
Baked goods shaped like a quarter moon. The French crescents are called croissants, the
Viennese are called Kipferl.
See croissant.
Crescenza
Italian cheese, also known as Stracchino in the area around Lombardy. A cow's milk cheese from
animals that have been grazing in mountain pastures. Square in shape, with no rind, it has a creamy
white color. It has a melted cheese texture when fully ripe with a fine lactic acid taste.
The Stracchino version made around Lombardy tends to be a bit tangier in taste.
crespelle
Italian crpes (thin pancakes).
cress
Pungent flavored plants in the mustard family used for garnishing and as salad greens.
The major varieties are garden cress and watercress.
cresti di gallo
Italian dry pasta in the shape of a cocks comb.
Creszenz
Old German wine term meaning Wachstum or growth. The term is no longer used.
Creuse
French skim milk cheese, available both aged, hard and dry, or soft and pungent.
crevette(s)
French word for shrimp. Crevettes grises are thumbnail-size shrimp.
criadera
Spanish wine term referring to for the place where the wine is cared for, and eventually sent for
aging.
The term is used primarily in Jerez for Sherry wine. Literally translated it means nursery.
criadilla(s)
Spanish term for bull's testicles.

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crianza
Spanish wine term for aging. Literally translated it refers to a wine which doesn't leave the
bodega until the third calendar year after the vintage, and 12 months of that time the wine must be aged
in oak casks. It is the lowest category normally exported.
The term means nursery or to create or breed.
crimping
Old fashioned culinary preparation applied to fish in England. The cruel method consisted of
slashing the fish while still alive, and then soaking the fish in ice water.
The cuts supposedly made the flesh firmer after poaching.
Criolla
Argentinean red grape wine variety.
crisco
Vegetable shortening, a trademark of the Procter & Gamble Company.
crisp head
Another name for iceberg lettuce.
crisps
English term for potato chips. Flavored brands include salt and vinegar crisps, a popular flavor.
croaker
Food fish, a member of the drum family, harvested in the Atlantic ocean. It is considered a pan
fish, because it is seldom larger than 1 lbs. The fish is able to make a croaking sound, hence the
name.
The fish is lean. Most available during the summer.
Also known as black drum, sea drum.
Micropogan undulatus.
Croatina
Italian red wine grape variety grown in Piedmont and in Lombardy.
croccante
Italian almond and pine nut brittle.
croissant
French word for quarter moon shaped pastry, made with yeast dough layered with butter or
margarine.
The invention of the croissant is claimed by Viennese bakers. Vienna was besieged twice by the
Turks, and the shape of the pastry is said to have been inspired by the crescent moon on the Turkish
flag.
Folklore dates the invention to 1683. The Turks attacking Vienna were driven off by the army of
the Polish king. As the king rode his horse through the streets of grateful Vienna locals grabbed at his
stirrups in praise. A coffeehouse added a stirrup shaped bread to its menu to celebrate. This is known in
Austria as Kipferl (croissant). It is also said that the Kipferl is shaped after the Islamic half moon flag.
Cornetto in Italian.
cromesqui(s)
French term for croquettes, which are not breaded, but dipped in batter. In order to keep the
mixture together, cromesquis are wrapped in caul fat, rice wafer paper, thin pancakes or rice wafer paper.
croquante

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Mixture of melted sugar and nuts. It is normally made with ground almonds. Croquante can be
shaped into baskets and display pieces while still hot. Crushed croquante is called praline and used as a
pastry ingredient.
Croque Monsieur
French hot sandwich of sliced baked ham and Swiss cheese, placed between two slices of
bread, dipped in egg, and pan fried. Croque Madame is made with sliced chicken instead of ham.
The word croque refers to the sound of crackling when being bitten into. It also means to eat
hastily.
croquembouche
French showy, ornamental dessert. A cone-shaped construction of cream puffs, each filled with
pastry cream, held together with a caramel sugar. The name comes from croque, meaning to crack or
crunch and bouche for mouth.
croquette(s)
Meat, fish, starch, cheese or vegetable mixture, often held together by a thick sauce, shaped,
breaded and fried. The variations are endless, because croquettes were often made to use up cooked
leftovers. Today, croquettes are seldom served. There were even sweet croquettes, made with cake,
rice and pastry cream.
Crosnes
French town where Chinese artichokes are grown. The name is often used for the vegetable
itself.
crostata
Italian shallow, single crust Tuscan pie, topped with fruit or jam. A good crostata should have a
buttery, flaky crust.
crostini
Italian/Florentine specialty. Little toast rounds topped with a paste of anchovies, black olives,
chicken livers or cheese. Stewed eggplants are also used as topping.
Crottin de Chavignol
French goat cheese from Chavignol on the Loire. One of the oldest and most popular cheeses,
normally available only during the summer. The farmers who made the cheese preserved it by drying
over the winter and steeped it in the local white wine.
Crottin comes in small 2 ounce disks. Its firmness and flavor vary by its age. Fresh, it has a mild
nutty taste. Mature or dried, it becomes brittle and sharp, with an almost rancid odor.
croustade, also croustadines
French term for crisp edible containers. The containers are usually made with bread, but also
with potatoes, rice and semolina.
crote (croute)
The French word for toast, by extension for crisp bread based containers. Crotes can be filled
with many fillings, and are served as hors doeuvres.
crotons (croutons)
French for crisp bread, often cubes, but also bread cut in attractive shapes and cooked in butter.
Crotons are often part of specific garnishes. The term is also used for aspic pieces cut into attractive
shapes.
crowberries
Nickname for small wild cranberries. The nickname comes from the fact that crows like to eat
them. The berries are black.

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Croze Hermitage
Rhne valley wine district, near the prestigious Hermitage district. It produces wines of a similar
style to Hermitage and usually just a little lower quality.
Full bodied and flavorful wines. Made predominantly from red Syrah grape, but up to 15% of
white wine grapes, Marianne and Roussanne, can be used to lighten the wine and make it vigorous and
more elegant.
cru
The French word for vineyard or growth, meaning growing area. It is often used connection with
classifying wines, such as Grand Cru, Premier Cru and others.
Cruchen Blanc
South African white wine grape variety.
crudit
Assortment of fresh vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, mushrooms,
green, red and yellow peppers, radishes, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cut into bite size pieces, and
served raw or almost raw with a dip. The dip is usually a creamy sour cream or mayonnaise based
mixture.
In rare cases, the term also applies to other raw food, such as seafood or salads.
cruet stand
Stand to hold bottles of sauces or oil and vinegar on the dining table.
cruller
Term used in New York and New England to denote an elongated, twisted type of doughnut. The
word comes from the Dutch "krul" or twist.
crumble
Irish dessert made of berries baked under a crumb topping of flour, sugar, and butter.
crumbs
Cake topping consisting of sugar, flour and butter, crumbled and sprinkled over the cake before it
is baked. Ther German version is called Streussel.
crumpets
English small round buns or biscuits, about four inches in diameter and an inch thick resembling
thick, spongy pancakes full of bubbles.
Crumpets are cooked on a griddle in a metal ring. A teatime staple.
crust
In wine, a sediment comprised of tartaric acid salts adhering to the inside of the bottle. It occurs
often in old port wine.
crustacean
Term for seafood with a hard shell, such as lobsters, shrimp, crabs and crayfish.
crustas
Old fashioned name for cocktails and other alcoholic drinks served in glasses rimmed with salt or
crystal sugar. The rim is moistened with lemon or lime juice.
Tequila is usually served in a glass with a salt rim.
cryoextraction

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Wine pressing process used to produce sweet wines, pioneered at Bordeaux' Institute d'
Oenologies, and used commercially for the first time in the Sauterne region in 1987. Also used now in
California and Australia.
It is used with grapes harvested during rain, especially for mature grapes. The process mimics
the natural process of making ice wine. The grapes are quickly frozen before the water can wash away
flavorful juices. The frozen grapes are gently pressed
that only the concentrated juice with high sugar content is extracted. Rain water and undesirable juice
from less ripe grapes stay behind in solid from, because the water in the less ripe grapes freeze more
quickly and solidly than the sweeter juice of the riper grapes.
The process also leads to greater, acid balance, more body and more complexity, although it
gives lower yields than natural pressing in a good harvest years.
Cryovac
Trade name owned by the Grace Company for a method of keeping meat in vacuum bags for
storage.
Crystal Geyser Water
Bottled water brand. Powerburst is Crystal Geyser Water's answer to Gatorade.
crystallized fruits
See candied fruits.
csipetke
Hungarian small flour and egg pasta, made fresh dough formed by pinching the dough between
the forefinger and thumb and dropping it into boiling water.
Cuba libre
Cocktail made with rum, cola and lime juice.
Cuba food
Hispanic hearty, filling peasant cooking. Pork is the primary meat, but there is also beef and
lamb and chicken. Cuba is famous for sugar cane, the major export, cigar tobacco and rum. Their food
reflects Spanish roots more than any other Caribbean islands.
COMMON INGREDIENTS ARE:
Arroz - rice
Calabaza - pumpkin
Bacalao - salted cod
Frijoles - beans
Garlic and cumin for seasoning
Manteca - the principle cooking fat
Mojo - flavoring sauce of Seville orange juice, garlic, and olive oil.
Pargo - red snapper.
Platanos - plantains
Seville oranges - used for seasoning
Tropical fruits such as mamey, guayabana, mango, papaya and tamarind
Tuber vegetables, such as yucca.
TYPICAL DISHES:
Ajiaco - thick meat and vegetable stew
Cordero estofado - lamb shanks served with rice, potatoes and mojo sauce.
Empanaditas de cangrejo - small crab stuffed turnovers.
Fufu - ripe plantain pure.
Lacn y chorizos - braised ham hocks and pork sausages.
Lechn asado - roast suckling pig
Mariscada - seafood stew.
Medianoche - small grilled meat and cheese sandwich on an eggdough roll.
Picadillo - ground beef and minced olives in spicy sauce.

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pltanos maduros - ripe plantains.

Potaje de frijoles negros - black bean soup
Ropa vieja - literally translated "old clothes". Shredded beef with red and green
peppers.
Sopa de pltanos - hearty soup of plantains, pork and beans.
DESSERTS INCLUDE:
Flan and natillas
Dulce de leche - sweetened milk cooked to a crumbly caramel.
Torrejas - sort of French toast.
BEVERAGES INCLUDE:
Batidas (cold fruit drinks)
Champola de guanbana - refreshing drink made with soursop.
Cafe tinto or Cubano - strong sweet coffee
Cerveza - beer.
Cuban Sandwich
A specialty among the ethnic Cubans in Tampa and Miami, Florida. Two claims are made to its
origins. The Cuban immigrants who came to Tampa, Florida during the Spanish-American War are
credited for having brought this hearty sandwich to Tampa.
It is served at the Columbia Cafe in Tampa and their version is a 3-foot loaf of French bread, filled with
smoked ham, fresh ham, salami, Swiss cheese, sour pickle and mustard or butter. The sandwich is
toasted.
The invention is also credited to Jos Sacre, who emigrated to Cuba from Lebanon in the 1930's.
His version was brought to Florida by Cubans who fled Castro. Large slices of warm ham, roast pork,
Swiss cheese, and sour pickles on a buttered flauta, a Cuban bread, then grilled in a sandwich toaster.
Seasonings include lime juice, herbs, garlic.
Also known as Cuban Mixed Sandwich/Tampa Cuban sandwich.
Cubano
Tiny cup of thick, Cuban style coffee.
cube steak
More correctly called cubed steak, a steak that has been mechanically tenderized by cutting the
muscle fibers.
cucumber
Ancient, fast growing vegetable and salad plant in the squash family. Cucumbers are classified
as Slicing Cucumbers, Greenhouse and Pickling Cucumbers, the latter called Kirby.
Greenhouse Cucumbers have almost no seeds and are burp-less. They are often grown
hydroponically.
Cucumbers are often shipped covered with wax, which is harmless. Cucumbers can be bitter
occasionally.
Cucumis sativus.
cucumber glass
Glass cylinders which were used to keep cucumbers straight while growing. The invention is
credited to George Stephenson, the inventor of the steam locomotive.
cucumber tree fruit
See bilimbi.
Cucumis melo var. inodorous
Group of melons, also known as casaba melons, which as the Latin name implies, have no smell,
making their ripeness difficult to determine. Honeydew is a casaba type melon.
Cucumis melo

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Botanical name for melons, including cantaloupe, honey dew, kiwano, prince, or white melon, but
not watermelon, which is citrullus vulgaris.
cucurbit
Type of squash or gourd. The term is used for a part of an alembic still which is shaped like the
gourd.
cucurbita pepo
Botanical name for the European pumpkin. Generally pale and less firm than the American
variety, Cucurbita mixta.
Russian pumpkins have pale green skin and white flesh.
cucurbitaceae
Family of vine growing vegetables and fruits including squash, pumpkin, cucumber, melon,
chayote and zucchini. They come in a wide range of colors, shapes and sizes. Most have a bland taste.
Winter squashes are botanically known as Cucurbita maxima.
Cudighi
Thin, tasty sausage of Italian heritage, popular snack in Upper Michigan.
cui, cuy
Peruvian term for guinea pig raised for food. It is a tiny animal bony animal with white meat
tasting like chicken.
cuisine
French term meaning kitchen or cookery, its now a general term referring to cooking.
Cuisinier means cook. Female cook is cuisinire.
cuisine de femme
French term which referred to the traditional, but fine cooking which was found in French homes
and in some small, home style restaurants. Praised already by Escoffier, it only became widely
recognized in the last quarter of the 20th century. Literally translated, women's cooking.
cuisine du march
Literally translated food of the market. It is a style of French cooking which emphasizes local
fresh ingredients.
cuisine minceur
French diet or slimming cuisine, developed by Michel Guerard.
cuisses de grenouilles
French term for frog's legs.
Also known as cuisses de nymphe.
culatello
Italian cured pork loin from Parma, though not the same as prosciutto di Parma, which is made
with the leg. Made by a few small producers.
culinarian
Elegant term for cook or chef.
Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
The Culinary Institute of America is the nation's leading professional cooking school known as
"CIA" by its admirers, but unrelated to the CIA in Washington DC. It is located on the grounds of a
former Jesuit seminary in Hyde Park, New York. The President is Ferdinand Metz, who has taken the
school from its humble beginnings to world class status.

280

The school began in New Haven, Connecticut in 1946 as a vocational training school for World
War II veterans, and offered a 10 week program. Members of the New Haven Restaurant Association
sponsored the original school. The school grew quickly and the program was expanded to a two year
degree program, as well as offering continuing education courses.
The curriculum operates with year round Progressive Learning Year program (PLY), meaning
that small groups of around 75 students enter and graduate every three weeks, 16 times a year. The
PLY program has the advantage that students learn cooking starting with basic skills and progress to
more elaborate cooking procedures. It also staggers the timing in which the graduates enter the food
industry.
The CIA also has a mandatory externship program, offering students the opportunity to gain on
the job experience half way through their Institute schooling.
Among its famous graduates are Dean Fearing, Larry Forgione, Jasper White. Some of its prized
teachers over the years have included Albert Kumin, Arno Schmidt, Fritz Sonnenschmidt and many
other.
The CIA operates continuing education courses at Greystone, a former winery in St. Helena,
Napa Valley, and also courses in Mexico and Brazil.
Culinary Olympics
International cooking exhibition held for many years in Frankfurt, Germany since the turn of the
century. The event is now held in other German cities. The Show is held every four years and coincides
with the Olympic year, however, there is no connection with the sports Olympic. The show is organized
by the Verband der Kche Deutschlands (the German chef's association) and the World Association of
Chefs.
Local chefs associations send national teams, but other teams, such as hotel companies and
even professional individuals can compete.
cullen skink
Scottish smokey tasting fish stew named for the picturesque fishing village, Cullen, on the Moray
Firth in Northern Scotland. It melds the sweetness of fresh whole milk with the smokiness of finnan
haddock.
Smoked haddock and chopped onions are simmered with milk, then the fish is removed, and the
fish stock is thickened with mashed potatoes. The stew is served with the reserved fish, enriched with
cream or melted butter, and sprinkled with parsley or watercress.
culls
Term for lobster which have been damaged and cannot be sold as whole lobsters. They are
boiled and the meat used for lobster dishes.
Cumberland sauce
Sauce made with currant jelly, with orange zest and port wine. The sauce is normally served
cold with game dishes and pt. The name is supposedly derived from William, Duke of Cumberland,
who defeated April, 1746, Prince Charles Edward Stuart in a bloody battle. The red color of the sauce
signifies the massacre, not a very appetizing thought.
cumin
Spice, the seeds from a plant in the parsley family. The dried seeds are used in Indian, Pakistani
and South American cooking. The spice was popular in Europe during Medieval times. Cumin is one of
the major seasonings in curry mixtures.
Also known as jeera, zeera.
Cuminum cyminum.
cunner
Small ocean food fish rsembling smelts, harvested in the Atlantic.
cup cakes
Sweet cakes baked in muffin tins.

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cupa cupa cupa

Dessert made with a cup of flour, a cup of sugar, and a cup of canned fruit cocktail, mixed
together and baked to an extremely sweet pudding like and heavy texture.
It is mentioned in the
off-Broadway play "Steel Magnolias". The idea for the name is borrowed from the more reasonable and
tasty pound cake.
cupuacu
Brazilian tropical fruit from the rain forest.
Curaao
Sweet, orange flavored liqueur. Originally made in the Dutch Caribbean island colony of the
same name, it is now made in Holland, and in many other countries.
Curaao is made in many colors, including blue. The beverage originated when Seville oranges,
planted on the island, did not produce satisfactory fruits. However, the small, green oranges had a
wonderful aroma, and Curaao was created using the orange peels.
curassow
South American game bird, also domesticated, in the gallinaceous family.
curcuma
Tropical plant in the ginger family and related to turmeric. See there.
curd
Pastry filling or cream, made with egg yolks and flavos. The best known is lemon curd, available
canned and popular in England.
curd cheese
Generic name for fresh unripened cows milk cheese.
curds
A product of the coagulation of milk. The milk solids, from which cheese is made. Curds are
white, milky lumps of the consistency of custard.
curing
Method of preserving meats and seafood which may involve brining, smoking, salting and drying.
curly endive
See frise.
curly kale
See kale.
Curnonsky, Prince 1872 - 1956
French gourmet, writer and wine expert, born Maurice-Edmond Sailland. At the turn of the
century things Russian were fashionable and he re-named himself cur non, Latin why not, and sky to add
a Slavic ending.
currants
Berries growing in clusters on shrubs. The berries are high in vitamins and pectin. Most
production is used in jelly, jam, syrup and pie fillings. Currants are cultivated in three colors, red, black
and white. The red is generally the sweetest.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Black currant - also called cassis or European black currant. Ribis nigrum.
Clove currants - large fruit not especially sweet, but pleasantly aromatic. Ribis odoratum. See
there.
Red currants - Popular currants used mostly in jelly. Ribes rubrum.

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Currants are prized in Austria and Germany as cake toppings, and also made into wine.
Crme de cassis is a cordial made from black currants. Black currants are cultivated on a large
scale in Sweden and are referred to as Nordic grapes.
Known as Ribisel in Austria, Johannisbeeren in German, grossella in Spanish.
currants
Small, dark, seedless dried grapes used like raisins. The name comes form the Greek Corinth
grape. Zante currants are grown principally on the Greek island of Zante.
curry
The term has two meanings, a cooking method and a spice mixture universally used in South
east Asia, especially in India. The mixture can consist of as many as 16 different spices, available as
powder or as paste. In India, where the spices are always mixed by any self respecting cook, curries vary
from region to region, dish to dish, and cook to cook. In southern India. Curry mixtures include ground
spices such as chili, coriander, cardamom, cumin, fenugreek, ginger, turmeric, and also cinnamon,
cloves.
Rasgoli curry is made with grated coconuts and spices. Bhajani curry is made with roasted
coconuts. Vindaloo curry is especially hot.
Curry spice should be cooked in oil or fat to develop full flavor.
Curries dishes can be thin or thick, mild or hot, orange, yellow or green. The term curry is often
applied to the cooking method of cooking meat, poultry, fish, seafood and even fruit over low heat with a
wide assortment of spices. All curries are not hot, but generally the stew is rather spicy.
The word curry might have derived from the Tamil word kari for sauce, or the cooking vessel
used in India called kahari.
curries, Thai
Thai curries generally are coconut based. The word gaeng is used to describe curries and
soups., and the liquid is generally coconut milk. Thai curry is eaten over rice and is a sauce rather than a
stew.
See Thai, cooking of
curry leaves
The fern-like leaves of the kari plant, used in Indian, Sri Lankan and Thai cooking. A member of
the citrus family. Curry leaves have a scent resembling curry powder, but are not used in curry powder.
Indonesian curry leaf is a different plant.
Murraya koenigii.
curry tiffin
Singaporean/Malaysian curry lunch enjoyed by the British in colonial times, early in the 20th
century. Commonly served on Sunday. The curry blended Indian and Malayan influences. It was made of
chicken, lamb or fish cooked in coconut milk and served with rice and condiments such as mango
chutney or chopped local fruits.
cush cush
The only species of yam native to the New World. Now popular in Africa as well. Reddish skin,
sometimes a few hairs and slightly scaly.
Dioscorea trifida.
cush
Cornmeal pancake in the South. The name came probably from African slaves.
cushaw
Crook-neck squash popular in Louisiana.
cushion cactus

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Mexican cactus which is sometimes candied as is citron. In its candied form it is known as
acitrn.
Echinocactus grandis.
cusk
Large ocean food fish related to cod.
Brosmius brosme.

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custard
Combination of whole eggs, milk or cream. Custards can be solid or soft. Solid custard are
baked in a water bath until firm. Soft custard have the consistency of a sauce, or a thick cream. They are
not baked, but heated in a water bath until thick. Often they contain cornstarch to thicken properly.
Custards can be sweet, and served as desserts, or can be flavored with herbs and spices and
are used as soup garnish. Soft custards are always sweet, and often flavored with vanilla or liqueurs.
Custard sauce on French menus is called Sauce l'Anglaise. Pastry cream used as filling is
often referred to as custard.
custard apple
Tropical fruit related to cherimoya, also known as sugar apple or sweet sop. The fruit is the size
of a large apple having scale like segments.
The white sapote casimiroa edulis is also sometimes called custard apple, because of its texture,
but it is a different species from the cherimoya.
Annona reticulata.
custard squash
Other name for pattypan squash, a summer squash.
cutlet
Term used in English for a boneless slice of meat cooked individually. Originally the term was
used for chops.
cutter
Barbados fried fish sandwich made with a fillet of flying fish.
Also known as One-Hand.
cuttlefish
A cephalopod, squid-like animal but larger and generally less tender than squid. Popularly eaten
in Mediterranean areas. It is available fresh, smoked and dried.
The ink is used in many black dishes. The advantages of cuttlefish ink over squid ink are that it is
easier to extract from the larger sac and it is said to have a richer, but milder and sweeter taste than that
of squid. Cuttlefish ink was once used as writing ink.
Dried cuttlefish is used in Chinese cooking.
Sepia offcinalis.
cuve
French wine term for blend. The vat or container used is called cuve.
Tte de Cuve is the best blend, the term is often used for the best Champagne.
cyclamates
Artificial sweeteners. Banned by the FDA in 1970, because they are thought to be carcinogenic.
cyclamen
Flower with supposedly edible leaves and roots. Caution, the plant might contain toxins.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
cyclone candy
New England confections.
cyder
Cider from the first pressing of the cider apples in the West Country of England in early days. The
first pressing, was most prized. Subsequent pressings were called cider.

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Cynar
French aperitif with 16.5% alcohol. Its artichoke-based flavor is boldly displayed on the label.
Caramel-colored with a bitter, herbal taste. Syrupy in texture it is usually served diluted with orange juice,
or with soda over ice.
Cyprus food
Island in the Mediterranean, with a long history, and a Greek and Turkish population, presently
at war again. Typical hospitality foods are Oranges, figs, coffee, cheese, and olives.
THE CYPRUS GREEK COOKING CONSISTS OF:
Arni ttavas - lamb baked in a clay oven with onions.
Avgolemono - Chicken, rice, egg and lemon soup.
Colokassi mesariticos - starchy tuber cooked with onions.
Elies tsakistes - crushed green olives.
Halloumi cheese.
Hoummi kopanisti - chick pea dip. Also known as huommus.
Karaoli vrasti - boiled snails.
Kebabs - skewered meat.
Keftedhakia/kleftiko - meatballs.
Koupepia - stuffed grape leaves.
Koupes - fried meat turnovers.
Melintzanosalata - eggplant dip.
Mezedhes/meze - appetizers, they can be compared to tapas. See there.
Mousakka - layered meat and eggplant casserole.
Pastourmas Loucanico - beef and garlic sausages.
Patates Antinaktes - cracked spring potatoes.
Pitti (pita) - pocket bread.
Psarosoupa - fish soup
Ressi - wheat pilaf.
Scordahalia - garlic bread sauce, used as dip.
Sheftalia - pork meatballs wrapped in caul fat and grilled.
Stifado - beef and onion stew.
Souvlakia - grilled lamb on skewers.
Tachinoslata - sesame paste and olive dip.
Talattouri - yoghurt and cucumber dip.
Taramasalata - fish roe dip.
Tzatziki - cucumber and yoghurt salad.
Vasilopita - Christmas cake.
Zalatina - Pork in vinegar jelly.
For Turkish dishes see Turkey.
Cyprus, beverages
Greek coffee - See there.
Wine is grown in Cyprus since antiquity, and some is exported to England. The naming process
is chaotic and and a four digit number on the label does not necessarily indicate a vintage.
Commandaria is a sweet wine resembling Cream Sherry. See there.
Cyprus brandy sour - the most famous drink.
Zivania, brandy distilled from wine resembling grappa. See there.
Czarnecki, Johnan
Authority on mushrooms and owner of Joe's Restaurant in Reading, Pennsylvania, which
specializes in wild mushroom dishes. It is reported that he retired and sold the restaurant.
Czech Point
The Town of West in central Texas and its surrounding area. The town was named for its non
Czech founder Thomas West.

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Named Czech Point for its concentration of settlers which dates back to the mid-19th century.
Texas has the largest rural population of Czech heritage in the US. Several ethnic festivals are held
there.
Czech food
Bohemian cooking from southern Czech was famous while the country was part of the AustrianHungarian Empire. Many dishes claimed by Austrians and Hungarians had Czech roots.
During the heyday of the Austrian Empire Bohemian cooks were considered the best. Especially
their knowledge of hot desserts was much esteemed. The long Communist regime did not encourage
lofty culinary traditions and it is difficult to find today in Prague, the capital, any of the traditional dishes.
See Vienna food.
The country is famous for its Pilsner beer. Pilsner style beer has been imitated in many parts of
the world. Pilsner glasses are tall and V shaped. See beer.
See Bohemian sandwich, Carlsbad oblaten, Budweis and Czech Point of Texas.
D. O. M.
Abbreviation for the Latin words Deo Optimo Maximo, (To God, most good and most great). It
appears on the labels of the Bndictine liqueur bottles.
D.O.
Spanish wine term, the abbreviation of Denominaciones de Origen. The Spanish equivalent of
A.O.C.
FOLLOWING TERMS CAN BE FOUND ON LABELS:
Aada- aging of wine belonging to the harvest separately from other wine.
Cosecha - harvest.
Crianza - wine aged according to tradition and goverment regulations.
Crianza en madera - aged in wood.
Crianza en roble - aged in oak.
Crianza en botella - aged in the bottle.
Crianza bajo velo - aged under film or vail, term for Sherry wines.
Gran Reserva - red wine aged at least 24 months in oak and additional 36 months in
bottle,white wines aged six months in oak and additional 42 months in bottles.
Reserva - red wine aged at least 12 months in oak and additional 24 months in
bottle,white wines aged six months in oak and additional 18 months in bottles.
Vendimia - vintage.
Vino de Calidad - quality wine.
D'Artavaggio
Mellow Italian cheese which has a buttery texture.
dab
Flat ocean fish in the flounder family. The name is used in England.
Limanda limanda.
dace
Small fresh water fish, resembling smelts.
daffodil
Spring flower with edible bulbs, served in seventeenth century England.
Pseudo Narcissus.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Dagwood sandwich
Very large sandwich featured by the comic strip character Dagwood Bumstead.

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daikon
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Large, long, large white radish. It is mild and can

be eaten raw, and it is often pickled. In Japan, it is eaten
primarily raw. In India, it is eaten either cooked or raw.
Raphanus sativus.
daiquiri
Cocktail consisting of rum, lime juice and sugar,
named after a town near Santiago, Cuba. It was invented
allegedly at the Venus Hotel and became popular with the
Americans who operated the mines there.
Frozen
daiquiri, with crushed ice added, started at La Florida Bar in
Havana, Cuba.
Daiquiri is now made with fruit extracts. Popular flavors beside lime juice are banana, strawberry, and
pineapple.
What Americans and Cubans call a daiquiri, people in the French speaking tropics call punch.
dairy
Generic term for the milk industry and food derived from milk. The word dairy comes from the
middle English word day or dae, meaning female or housewife.
See milk.
daisy
Generic name for a type of cocktails, also referred to as fixes. The drink was made with fruit
juices or syrups.
daisy
Flower growing in temperate climate. The blossoms are used in syrup, tisane, wine and in
salads.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Bellis perennis.
daisy ham
Boneless ham more commonly known as smoked pork shoulder roll. Also known as shoulder roll,
smoked shoulder butt, or cottage butt.
Meat Buyers Guide # for 406A for fresh Boston Butt.
dal
Indian generic term for pulses (legumes).
dalcar
Indian/Malayan stewed lentils, mutton, and vegetables in a curry sauce.
Damen
Hungarian soft, uncured cheese, the same cheese is called Glorie des Montagnes in France.
Damen Kaffee
German/Austrian elegant 19th century gathering of ladies, sometimes called Kaffeeklatsch,
offering much talk, coffee and Viennese pastries, fruits, and candies.
daminozide

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An apple ripening agent, registered under the trade name Alar 1978, but later found to be
carcinogenic in minute quantities. The Environmental Protection Agency issued a warning and much
harm was done to the apple industry as supermarkets and schools pulled apples off the shelves.
Not much is said about Alar now, because the carcinogenic amount is so minute, that it is
basically harmless.
damper
Australian bread of the pioneers. Unleavened and baked over the ashes of an Outback campfire,
a staple of the early Australian diet. It was traditionally a flat, tough bread, but the term is now used to
designate a more edible, modern, crusty loaf.
Dampfnudeln
Austrian dessert made with a soft yeast dough. The dough is portioned into nut shaped pieces,
dipped in melted butter and placed closely together in a cake mold. The baked pieces separate, and are
served with a custard sauce.
The name Dampfnudeln is misleading, literally translated it means steamed noodles.
Also known as Buchteln.
Damson plums
Purple skinned variety of plum, named for the city of Damascus, not suitable for eating raw. The
fruit is high in pectin and makes excellent jellies. The fruit originated in Asia.
Prunus insitita.
dandelion
Wild green leafy vegetable considered a weed and pest by many gardeners, but also available
cultivated. The name comes from the French dent de lion, which literally translated means lion's tooth, so
called because of its deeply notched leaves. It is related to chicory. Dandelion grow mostly in disturbed
soils, that is, those that have been plowed or trampled.
The green leaves are used for salads or soups. High in Vitamin C. Pleasantly bitter tasting, but
the younger leaves are not as bitter as more mature leaves. Cultivated plants are also milder tasting.
Dandelion can be cooked, and was popular with Italian and French emigrants.
The vegetable is usually purchased fresh, but can be canned. Major canner is "Belle of Maine" in
Wilton, Maine.
The flower buds are quite edible, but the flowers are bitter tasting. The blossoms are used to
make wine. Its roots can be dried, roasted, ground, and added to .or substituted for coffee.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Taraxacum officinale.
Danish
Type of winter cabbage. See there.
Danish blue cheese
Danish cheese makers created different blue cheeses in the 19th century. Danablu, Mycella and
Blucreme are the best known.
Danish pastry
Pastry, served primarily for breakfast, made with sweet yeast dough, layered with butter or
margarine. The fillings are fruit, fruit puree, nuts, poppy seeds or cottage cheese.
Danish pastries are known under different names throughout the western world. There is no
guarantee that the pastry originated in Denmark, where it is known as Wienerbrt, or Viennese bread. In
Vienna, the pastry is known under the generic name of Kaffee Gebck, in Germany as Plunderteig
Gebck.
The local names often refer to shape. Popular is pastry in the shape of a snail (Schnecke in
German), filled with raisins and almonds. The name "Schnecken" is also used by older Jewish population
in New York.

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The term German Taschen for purses is also used.

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Danziger Goldwasser
German liqueur flavored with caraway seeds and spices and flecked with bits of 22 carat gold
leaf. Named after the German (now Polish) city of Danzig/Gdansk.
Do
Portuguese wine region, especially known for rich, fruity, robust, assertive red wines. The wines
are made from Touriga Nacional grapes (by law Da~o wines must contain at least 20% Touriga
Nacional), and also Alfrochoeiro Preto grapes, Alvarelha~o, Bastardo grapes, and other grapes such as
Jaen, Tinta-Pinheira, Tinta-Roriz.
The region is located around the town Viseu between Lisbon and Porto. The wine from this
region is also referred to as D o.
Daquoise
Meringue based cake filled with mocha butter cream and topped with bittersweet chocolate. The
meringue is made from egg whites with sugar and hazelnuts. See meringue.
dariole
French small conical mold, also the name of a dessert.
Darjeerling
Town in the state of West Bengal in northern India, in the foothills of the Himalayas, famous for its
tea. It is considered the best Indian tea. See tea.
darne
French culinary term, the center cut of a large fish.
darnitsky
Russian rye bread.
dartois
French dessert made with puff pastry, filled with almond cream, baked and sliced. The term is
also used for small hors doeuvres.
dash
Measurement without clear definition.
dasheen
Vegetable in the taro group cultivated in the Eastern Caribbean and southern US. The Caribbean
name is a corruption of the term "de Chine" or from China, as the plant was brought from southeast Asia
to feed the slaves in the West Indies. The term refers to either the corms and tubers, or the leafy spinach
like greens.
The root is a popular starch in tropical countries. The rough skin must be peeled away before it is
eaten. The flesh may be white, purplish or greenish.
Sometimes the plant contains high concentrations of calcium oxalate, which might cause
stomach discomfort when eaten.
The greens are pureed to make the specialty soup called callaloo and the term is also used to
refer to the leaves themselves. See taro.
Also known as qolqas in Egypt.
Colocasia esculenta.
dashi
Japanese thin broth made by steeping kelp and shaved bonito flakes. The dried flakes are
available ready to use.
dashi - maki tamago
Japanese rolled egg dish, basically a rectangular omelette.

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dates
Fruits from a palm tree native to the desert plains of North Africa and the Middle East, especially
Iran and Iraq. The fruit has been cultivated for so long that there are virtually no wild dates. The tall date
palms average 60 feet, and live to be as old as 200 years. The trees reach peak production after about
ten years. The dates grow in huge bunches at the end of long, narrow stalks, weighing up to 300 lbs, and
they are to be found in all arid sub tropical regions of the Middle East, Africa, and India, southern Europe
as well as in California. Palms are divided into male and female trees.
Dates do not ripen simultaneously and each tree must be climbed a number of times to harvest.
Date palms can be divided loosely into three groups, the sweet dates, the mildly sweet and the
camel dates growing in Arabic countries and used as pressed dates or ground into flour.
Dates grown in the US are descendants from Saharan trees. They are cultivated mostly in the
desert climate of the Coachella Valley south of Palm Springs. The first date palms were planted there
around the turn of the century. Today, 90% of the dates grown outside the Middle East and Africa are
grown in this valley.
Fresh dates, once picked, do not ripen evenly or keep well, so they are usually dried.
Dates ripen in autumn. In February, the annual U. S. National Date Festival takes place in Indio,
California, in the center of the Coachella Valley. The festival includes an Arabian Nights pageant with a
festival queen and ostrich and camel races.
Dates are classified as "soft", "wet", or "dry". Yellow varieties are generally considered to be
"soft" and the red varieties "dry".
There are over 350 varieties. More than 30 varieties are grown in the Coachella Valley.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Deglet Noor - a sturdy variety, along with the Medjool, it makes up most of the US
crop,
and the most popular worldwide. Light brown.
Halawy - the name comes from the Arabic word for sweet. Even though red, it is classified as a
"wet" variety. Originally from Mesopotamia, now also grown in Israel.
Hayany - seni dry date, often sold fresh
Khadrawy - soft date, originally from Iraq.
Kustaway - originally from Iraq, with a distinct long oval shape.
Maktoom - soft date from Iraq, sold usually fresh.
Medjool - one of the largest, sweetest, and perhaps the most prized variety. Along with the Deglet
Noor, it makes up most of the US crop. This plump and tender date originated in the Mediterranean area
in pre Christian times. It is said that for many centuries these dates were reserved for the royal families.
Sayer - soft date from Iraq.
Thuri - dry variety, grown in southern California.
Zahidi - semi dry with large seed, used mostly for processing.
Dates are a staple food in many countries and are preserved many ways, such as pressed,
pickled, salted, smoked, boiled and in syrup.
Dates, kumquats, and lotus seeds are often served during Chinese celebrations, such as
Chinese New Year, to symbolize plenty. Dates are traditionally eaten at dusk during Ramadan to break
the daily fast.
Phoenix dactylifera.
daube
French meat preparation by braising the meat in its own juices, often with tomatoes, vegetables
and wine added. It is basically a pot roast.
In New Orleans, daube is a thick tomato flavored meat gravy served with spaghetti.
Traditionally, it is not served on Friday's, because it is made with meat, a hold over from the days of
meatless Fridays in this heavily Catholic region.
The term also refers to a well seasoned pot roast served en cold en gelee, a Creole dish.
daube des muscardins
Stew of tiny cuttlefish cooked in their ink, with wine, and pungent wild Provencal herbs. A
specialty of Martigues on the southern French coast.

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daubire
Old French term for a cooking utensil with tightly fitting lid for braising meat. Originally charcoal
was heaped on the lid to provide heat.
daurade
Ocean food fish in the bream family. It was considered holy by Aphrodite because the fish has
golden splotches on each cheek.
David, Elizabeth
Renowned English cookbook author.
day lily buds/day lily blossoms
The flowers are edible and taste like beans, the buds are bitter. They are best used in salads or
batter fried.
Also known as golden needles.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Hemerocallis fulva.
Day of Atonement.
The holiest Jewish holiday, also called Yom Kippur. It is a day of fast.
de caffeinating processes
See coffee de caffeinating processes.
See coffee
de - alcoholized wine
Wines with an alcoholic content of 0.5% or less. De- alcoholized wine can be made by several:
Distillation. The wine is heated and the alcohol is evaporated.
Membrane filtration.
In most states a liquor license is not required to serve and sell de - alcoholized wine.
de Chaunac
Red wine grape, hardy and reliable, cultivated in the US and in Canada.
Deacon Porter's Hat
English suet pudding,shaped in a long roll, resembling a stove pipe hat.
dead soldiers
Slang term for empty beverage bottles, usually beer bottles.
Dead Sea apple
A mythical fruit, beautiful to look at, but which turns to ashes when touched. Thus the term refers
to a disappointing thing.
Also known as Apple of Sodom.
death by chocolate
Name created by Chef Marcel Deasaulnier, alumnus of the CIA, who wrote a richly illustrated
book with this title. It is published by Rizzoli. It is also the name of a cake made with layers of chocolate
meringue and brownies, filled with chocolate and mocha mousse, served with chocolate rum sauce.
Debina
Greek white wine grape variety.
decanter

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Wine term for a glass flask or carafe used for decanting.decanting

decanting
Wine term referring to pouring wine into an other container called decanter to remove sediments
and expose the wine to oxygen.
The effects of aeration are controversial. Older wines can be fragile and delicate. The sudden
unrush of air during decanting can destroy the balance of the wine. Older wines should be decanted at
the last moment of service not so much for aeration but to remove the wine from the sediment. Less
fragile wines migt benefit from additional aeration, but most wines get enough aeration simply by being
poured into the glass, and allowed to rest a few minutes to "breathe".
To decant other wines is pretentious, but there are exceptions such as when the bottle is too
large to conveniently pour from or when the label has become unsightly. Some eager Sommeliers in
restaurants decant every wine, which is silly pretense.
Wine to be decanted should have been stood up for two days to allow the sediment to settle on
the bottom or rest in a wine cradle to allow the sediment to settle on the side.
The wine is then carefully poured into the decanter. Often a candle is placed behind the bottle to make it
easier to see the sediment and stop the process on time.
The wine can also be poured through a cheesecloth lined funnel to catch sediment that is
suspended in the wine, but this method is less desirable. Coffee filters can be used, but are not
recommended as they filter the wine too much and may remove some of the flavor.
Wine making techniques have improved and fewer wines need decanting than those of earlier
centuries. There is a small market for unfiltered wines, and these wines certainly should not be decanted.
One wine that is almost always decanted is a mature crusted Port, as it is likely to have a
significant sediment, and it is not too delicate to be harmed by the aeration.
decoction
Technical term for the extraction of soluble matter through boiling. A clear soup is technically a
decoction.
decorative corn
Also known as Indian corn or squaw corn. See corn.
deep fat frying
Cooking method by immersing food in hot fat. Frying temperatures range from 350 F to about 400
F. Commercial kitchens use special appliances equipped with thermostats to keep the fat at the proper
temperature. Special fats are available for frying. The time the frying fat can be used depends on the type
of food fried, and temperature level.
Salt breaks down frying fat, and should be kept out. Copper utensils will also break down the
frying fat.
deer
Wild ruminant animals in the family Cervidae, which have proliferated in many parts to be a pest
causing damage to crops, garden shrubbery and car accidents.
Native White Tail and Mule deer were extensively hunted for meat and the population was
drastically reduced by the end of the nineteenth century. In 1890 the Congress passed the Lacy Act,
prohibiting the sale of hunted animals to the market.
In the US only deer raised on game farms and butchered under government inspection can be
sold commercially. It is legal in some states to donate deer meat to food banks. Farm raised deer are
Sika, Red and Fallow. The indigenous White Tail deer cannot be farmed because it is illegal to pen
native species. Much venison used in restaurants is imported from New Zealand.
See venison.
deers tongue
Mountain lettuce, a wild growing plant used as vegetable.
Frasera speciosa.

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Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
defrutum
Sweet low alcohol wine made in ancient Pompeii, sometimes added to other fermenting juice to
prolong the fermenting process.
deglaze, to
Cooking term for dissolving remaining pan juices and drippings when roasting or sauteeing meat.
These juices are an important ingredient when making gravies. The liquid added could be
corresponding meat stock, wine, cream, milk, or water.
When the liquid is boiled over high heat, while lightly scraping up the brown bits clinging to the
bottom of the pan, most drippings will dissolve and add flavor to the sauce. Straining the liquid is
necessary in many cases.
Deglet Noor
Sturdy date variety, which along with the Medjool makes up most of the US crop. See dates.
dgorgeoir
Concrete basin in Brittany to keep oysters alive before shipment.
dgustation
French term for sampling wine or food. Some restaurants offer a menu de dgustation, a
selection of dishes in smaller portions to highlight the capabilities of the chef.
djeuner
French word for breakfast.
djeuner la fourchette
Light lunch, second breakfast. The German term is Gabelfrhstck.
Delaware
Red wine grape variety in the Labrusca family. The grape is sweet and can be also be used as
table grape.
Delft
Dutch spiced cheese, almost similar to Leyden Cheese.
The city of Delft is also famous for producing fine china.
delicatessen/deli
Sandwich stores/restaurants popular in New York City selling sausages, salads and cooked food.
It is an European concept, brought over by immigrants, especially German and Jewish immigrants from
Center and Eastern Europe. The concept has caught on in other parts of the US, but is still considered a
New York City institution. Popular dishes include sandwiches such as pastrami on a roll, corned beef on
rye (bread), and Reuben sandwich.
Sausage shops and delicatessen stores are known in other European countries, such as
salsamentaria or salumeria in Italy, charcuterie in France, Delikatessen Geschft in Germany.
Deli can be kosher or non kosher.
Delicious
Important apple variety developed in the US. It is probably the widest grown apple variety in the
world. The fruit is elongated. The skin is thick and can be yellow green with red tinges. The flesh is
yellowish, fairly firm, and moderately juicy.
Related to the Red Delicious and Golden Delicious.
Delmonico

295

Famous restaurant in Manhattan. The restaurant was started by Joan and Peter Delmonico,
Swiss emigrants, in 1827 as Restaurant Franaise de Frres Delmonico. It was located on William Street,
until destroyed by fire in 1835. It was re-built on Beaver Street in lower Manhattan and became by mid
century the most important restaurant in the US. The restaurant was inherited by Rosa Delmonico and
her husband Charles In 1884, who changed his last name to Delmonico. A new building was erected at
the same site in 1891, which still stands.
In 1893, Delmonicos was found guilty of serving woodcock out of season, and was fined. The
company eventually operated other restaurants in the city, but closed the restaurant at the Beaver Street
location in 1917 on account of financial difficulties. The building is now an apartment building. The other
restaurants were also eventually closed. The Delmonico Hotel on 59 Street and Park Avenue opened at
1926 without direct family involvement.
In the 1990's, an effort was made to re-open the Delmonico Restaurant on Beaver street.
Many dishes are attributed to the restaurant and its chefs. Charles Ranhofer, a late 19th century
chef there, is credited with the invention of Manhattan clam chowder, though he called his version
Chowder de Lucines, and Lobster Newburgh, called originally Lobster Wenberg. He is also credited with
creating Baked Alaska, although the dish was already known in France as Omelette Surprise. It also
served such traditional dishes as chicken la king (see there) and the signature Delmonico steak.
Oscar Tschirky, who became the famous Matre dhtel of the Waldorf Hotel (later The WaldorfAstoria), worked at Delmonicos. When he applied for the job at The Waldorf, the distinguished clientele
of Delmonicos recommended him.
Delmonico steak
Club steak, often a steak cut from the top butt, Meat Buyers Guide # 182. The terminology is not
precise.
Demararan rum
Term for aromatic rum named after the Demerara river in Guyana, South America. See rum.
Demel
Austrian/Viennese famous confectionery shop which has existed for over 200 years, once the
purveyor to the Imperial Court. It is one of the two creators of the famous "Sacher Torte" and is entitled to
the government seal which attests that the cake is genuine. The shop is known for its rum flavored
Punch Torte, genteel service and elegant surroundings.
See Sacher Torte.
Demerara sugar
Light brown cane sugar treated with molasses.
demi glace
French classical mother sauce. It is a brown sauce, made with beef and veal bones, and
reduced until shiny, concentrated and flavorful. The sauce is basically ready for use, but is called mother
sauce because garnishes, such as herbs, special wines, mushroom and other items can still be added.
The base for demi-glace is Sauce Espagnole, a basic brown sauce.
demijohn
Large bottle encased in a wicker basket. It was often used for Madeira, vinegar and inexpensive
wine.
demi-sec
Term used for sweet champagne. See there.
Demi Sel
French cheese resembling cream cheese. It is rather mild despite its name, which means half salty.

296

demi tasse
French, meaning literally translated half cup. A small cup of strong black coffee, usually served
after dinner. Often this coffee is espresso, but not necessarily so. Special cups and spoons are used to
serve demi tasse.
Demidow, also spelled Demidoff
Russian aristocratic family. A number of dishes are named after them.
A chicken dish flavored with Madeira wine was named after Prince Anatole Demidoff.
dend (dende oil)
Flavorful, heavy, dense yellowish palm oil, important to Bahian/Brazilian cooking. The oil is
extracted from dend nut, which is harvested from the African palm tree elaesis guineensis.
Denmark food
The country is a large producer of cheese, milk and butter. Danish ham, a mild boiled ham, is
exported canned to many countries. A world famous brand name is Plumrose. Denmark is surrounded
by the North Sea and by the Baltic Sea. Fish is a major ingredient of the Danish diet.
Koldt bord is the Danish version of the Swedish smrgsbord. See there. Open faced
sandwiches are very popular and attractive. They are served as appetizers, for lunch and as snack.
SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
Frikadeller - Meatballs or fishballs.
Kringle - Christmas pastry, coffeecake
Rodgrd med flde - Red tapioca pudding with cream
Smrrebrd - Open faced sandwiches
Torsk - Boiled cod
Beverages include aquavit and beer. Liqueurs include Cherry Heering. Denmark is a major
beer exporter. One famous brand is Tuborg.
Denmark has the largest per capita consumption of capers. See there.
Denominao de Origem Controlada
Portuguese wine term, the highest rated category reserved for Portugals top wine regions, such
as Porto, Douro, Do, Madeira, Vinho Verde and others.
Denominaciones de Origen
The governing body which controls Spanish wines, akin to the French Appellation Controle, or
A.O.C. It covers 30 regions in Spain.
Denominazione di Orgine Semplice
Italian wine term, abbreviated D. O. S. for wines made according to local usage and typical for
the region.
Denominazione di Orgine Controllata
Italian wine term, abbreviated D. O. C., for wines meeting certain standards of origin, grape
variety, yield and quality.
Denominazione di Orgine Controllata e Garantita
Italian wine term, abbreviated D. O. C. G. for wine meeting higher standards than D. O. C..
The top category of Italian wines. Included are Barbaresco, Barolo, Brunello di Montalcino,
Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Dentyne
Low sugar, cinnamon favored chewing gum made by the Adam's company and invented in 1899
by drugstore manager Franklin F. Canning, as a gum that would be good for teeth.
A spearmint flavored Dentyne is also available.

297

depple
Plant native to Mexico and related to sorrel. The acidic leaves are used in salads and soups, and
the roots can be boiled as vegetable. The plant has no commercial significance.
Also known as wood sorrel.
Oxlis deppei.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Derby
English cows milk cheese made in Derbyshire, England. Popular Sage Derby is marbled green.
Also known as Derbyshire.
Derby pie
A Kentucky specialty, made with chocolate, pecans, bourbon, and Kahlua.
derma
Jewish starch food, consisting of Matzo meal mixed with beef suet, eggs and spices and formed
into a roll and poached. Originally derma was stuffed into a beef intestine. Today, parchment paper is
used. Derma is available frozen, ready to poach. It is a fatty, heavy starch dish for traditional Jews.
Also known as kishke.
dessert
The sweet last course in a meal.
devil's tongue root
Root vegetable, dried and ground into a flour to make noodles used in Japanese cooking, such
as sukiyaki. Also served raw in Zen cooking, this gray root is valued for its unique slippery texture,
consistency and subtle flavor.
Also known in Japanese cooking as konnyaku.
deviled
Food term for food seasoned with hot spices, usually mustard or cayenne pepper. The term was
popular.
DEVILED DISHES:
Deviled Crab - crab meat in cream sauce, seasoned with cayenne pepper, served hot.
Deviled eggs - boiled eggs, split, the yolks removed, mashed, seasoned and put back in the egg
white halves.
Deviled ham - ground, canned ham product popular in England.
Deviled Roast beef Bones - once the old fashioned specialty of the Bull and Bear restaurant at
The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. The cooked bones were covered with mustard, sprinkled
with bread crumbs and baked.
devils food cake
Cake made with dark chocolate, because the devil was considered black, and eating delicious
chocolate was considered sinful.
Devon Garland
English piquant tasting cow's milk cheese.
Devon pasty
English meat or vegetable filled pasty popular in Southern England in the region by the same
name. Similar to the Cornish pasty, the major difference is the way the crust is formed. In a Devon pasty,
the two sides of the crust are brought up to the center and crimped together at the top; in a Cornish pasty,
the crust is crimped on the curved side to from a turnover.

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Devonshire Cream
English very thick slightly soured cream, served with desserts. The milk is scalded and the cream
layer raising to the top is permitted to harden. It is then removed and molded. The Devonshire Cream is
sold in rounds or pots and can be considered a cheese.
Also called Clotted Cream.
dewberries
Berries that look like blackberries and have an odd nut like flavor. Found in Washington State.
Rubus caesius.
dextrin
Soluble carbohydrate formed from starch. It is the intermediate state between starch and sugar.
dextrose
Grape sugar, also called glucose, manufactured from grapes, other fruits and corn.
dhi
Gourd consumed as vegetable in India and the West Indies. Round or cucumber shaped. Used in
stews and curries.
Also known as doddy, dudhi, lokhi. It is also known as bottle gourd because it can be dried,
scooped out and used as a container.
Lagenaria siceraria.
diable, la
French culinary term for deviled. A term which refers to a dish topped with mustard, herbs, and
breadcrumbs, and baked or broiled. There is also a spicy sauce with the same name.
See deviled.
diablotins
Little croutons spread with a spicy cheese mix, baked and served with clear soups.
diamanti
Italian dry pasta in elongated, diamond shape.
Diamond Jim Brady
Prolific eater, gourmand at the turn of the 20th century. It is believed that the idea of a surf and
turf, a combination of steak and lobster was created to satisfy him.
Diamond Back
Fresh water, or salt marsh turtle, also known as terrapin. The turtle was served in many fine
restaurants, but its popularity has faded on account of concern about the environment, and also because
the turtle had little taste in its own. There is a small, but legal market for these turtles. See terrapin.
diastase
Natural vegetable ferment, which causes the ripening of fruits by converting their starches into
sugar.
Dieppe
French town famous for mussles. The term la dieppoise is used for fish dishes cooked with
mussles.
dietetics
The science of nutritional principles to the feeding of humans.
Digalves

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Portuguese white wine grape.

Digby chickens
Old term for smoked herring from Digby, Nova Scotia.
digester
Old term for pressure cooker.
digestives
Alcoholic beverages which stimulate appetite and help digestion. Also called bitters. See there.
dijonnaise
French term referring to dishes made with Dijon mustard. Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, is
famous for mustard.
dim sum
Chinese term which roughly translates as to choose what your heart likes most. Dim sum refers
to a luncheon or brunch meal at which a great variety of dishes are paraded around a restaurant on tea
carts by servers, and the customers select the items by sight instead from a printed menu.
The portions are small, and the customers are charged by the number of plates on the table.
Dimiat
Bulgarian white wine grape.
dill
Delicate feathery green annual herb. The greens
and seeds are much used in Eastern and Northern
European cooking. It is best known in the US as a flavoring
agent in Dill Pickles.
Anethum graveolens.
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Dinant
Town in Belgium famous for a hard molded
gingerbread cookie, called Couques de Dinant.
Also spelled Coques de Dinant.

dinner
The main meal of the day. The time of day when this meal is served varies by cultures. In the US,
dinner is served in the evening, because there is not enough time during the lunch break to go home and
have a substantial meal.
In some European countries, the midday meal is considered dinner. In southern Europe dinner is
served late in the evening.
Diospyros virginiana
Botanical name for an American variety of persimmon, known as the Virginian date.
dip
Cold sauce or condiment served which food that has been cut into convenient pieces so it can
be dipped. Dips should have should have enough texture to cling to the food without dripping. Dips are
primarily party foods.

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Diplomat
French culinary term implying something ornate and classy.
Diplomat pudding
Dessert made with Bavarian cream and apricot preserves.
Diplomat Sauce
French term for a white wine fish sauce, mixed with butter, Cognac, chopped truffles and bits of
lobster
dirty rice
Louisiana specialty. Leftover rice, sauteed with onions, green peppers, celery, stock and boiled
giblets. The meat takes on a dirty appearance from being pan fried with the giblet residue.
Discovery
Apple variety with yellow skin with a red blush. The flesh is firm and white. Bland in flavor.
dishwasher cooking
Method of poaching a fish that is too large for a fish poacher.
The seasoned fish is wrapped and sealed in aluminum foil and placed on the top rack of the dishwasher.
It can be cooked by running the cycle without soap, or just the dry cycle. The method has not
been confirmed by a culinary authority.
dissolve
When a solid mixes completely with a liquid, such as salt or sugar.
distillation
Vaporizing a liquid by heat and cooling the vapors through until they become a liquid. It is a
process used by industry for many applications.
Beverage distillation is used for separating alcoholic from liquids. Alcohol evaporates at 173
degrees, the captured cooled vapors are alcohol. The distillation process is quite complicated and
involves various steps.
Also called a run. See alembic still. See Cognac.
distilled vinegar
Vinegar, colorless and very strong because distillation removed some water and increased the
percentage of acetic acid. Distilled vinegars are often used in food processing.
distilled spirits
Broad term for any kind of alcoholic beverage containing more alcohol than can be obtained by
natural fermentation. Generally the alcohol content is at least 50 proof (25%).
distilled water
Water produced by distillation. Since minerals have been removed the water tastes flat.
ditali
Italian dry pasta in the shape of little tubes. Ditalini are used as soup garnish.
divinities
Old fashioned term for a type of fudge candies.
Dixie slaw
Cole slaw made in the Southern style, finely chopped with a sweet dressing. Also known as dog
slaw when it is used as a hot dog relish.

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Dobos Torte/Dobos Schnitten

Viennese cake of Hungarian origin. It is a sponge layer cake consisting of 5 to 7 thin layers, filled
with a chocolate butter cream. The top layer is always covered with caramel sugar.
The cake is named after Joseph Dobos, 1847 to 1924 famous 19th century Hungarian chef and
owner of a fine food store in Budapest. He created the Torte in 1887.
doces conventuais
Portuguese. Literally "convent sweets", they are desserts which were traditionally made by nuns.
The story goes that the nuns traditionally made sweets with the excess sugar that the kings donated to
the convents. The nus kept the art of convection making alive after the Arabs were driven from Spain.
Barrigas de freira are sweets literally translated "nuns' bellies".
dock
The meat on animal tails after the hair has been removed.
docks
Edible wild green with long tap roots.
There are two basic varieties:
Rumex obtusifolius - bitter docks
Rumex acelosa - sour docks.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Dods, Mrs. Meg
Scottish/English cookbook author who published The Cook and Housewifes Manual in 1826.
The real author could have been a Mrs. C. J. Johnstone.
dog whelk
Shellfish in the family Nassidae, it furnished the purple color used by Roman Emperors.
dogfish
Ocean gelatinous food fish in the shark family. See grayfish.
Also known as sand shark.
doggie-bag
Containers provided by restaurants to take home leftover food. It is advisable to tell the server
when the food is not meant to be fed to a dog, because some over-eager servers have been known to
scrape plates from other customers to fill the bag.
Dogs for food
Dogs are considered a delicacy in China and readily available at the market in Yunnan province.
Dogs were also eaten by the original inhabitants of Hawaii.
Sold as special beef in Hong Kong.
Doisy - Dane
Famous sweet wine from the Barsac area of France. The Chteau Doisy - Dane also produces
an excellent dry white wine.
Dolcelatte
Italian mild, soft, creamy blue cheese.
dolci
Italian term for sweets.
Dle de Sion
Swiss red wine made from the Dle grapes in the Swiss Canton Sion.

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dolma
Turkish term for stuffed. Dolmatas are Greek stuffed wine leaves with rice, mutton and flavored
with mint.
dolphin fish
Ocean food fish harvested from Hawaii to the Mediterranean. The fish has no connection with
the mammal dolphin.
Also known as mahi mahi, see there, dorade, see there, lampuka.
Dom Prignon
French monk who discovered the process of making a wine sparkle and created the champagne
industry.
See champagne.
Doppelrahmfrischkse
German double cream cheese.
Doradillo
Australian white wine grape variety.
dorado
Ocean food fish in the dolphin family caught off the coast of Barbados.
Dordogne
River and department in Southwestern France. The river flows into the tidal estuary of the
Gironde in the Bordeaux region.
Dordogne wines are not as famous as Bordeaux wines.
Dornfelder
German relatively new red wine grape variety.
Dorset
English cheese, made the first time over 200 years ago in the county Dorset. The cheese is a
hard, blue veined cheese. Also known as Dorset Blue, Blue Vinny and Blue Veiny.
dosa/dosai
Indian rice and split-pea flour pancake.
dosage
Sugar and wine mixture added to sparkling wines to adjust the flavor. It is added when the
frozen yeast is expelled.
double boiler
Cooking devise consisting of two sauce pots, fitting tightly on top of each other. The lower pot is
filled with water and heated, and food is cooked in the top pan, without being exposed to direct heat.
Double Coconut
Rare palm, native to the Seychelles. It grows the largest and heaviest seed, a "Siamese twin"
coconut weighing 25 lb to 35 lb.
Also known as coco de mer.
Lodoicea Maldivica.
Double Gloucester
English semi-hard cows milk cheese colored yellow with anatto. See there.

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double magnum
Large wine bottle containing 3 liters, or 4 standard size bottles.
Doublemint
A brand of chewing gum produced by The Wrigley Company.
dough ball
Fried bread dough, also known as Baptist cake, fried bread, huffle duffle, morning glory and
spider bread. It is a simple doughnut.
Doughnut machine.
Machine that makes doughnuts with a baking powder batter. The original doughnut machine
was invented by Adolph Levitt, refugee from Russia, who operated a doughnut store in Harlem, New York
City in the 1920's. The machine was a sensation, because it was always placed where the public could
see it. It became a marketing tool and a sensation. Adolph Levitt became a millionaire in the 1930's,
selling doughnuts retail and wholesale. The Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation adopted the idea.
Doughnut Peach.
White peach shaped like a doughnut.
doughnut(s)/donut(s).
Fried dessert, so named because the original doughnut was shaped like a nut. The circular
shape was later adopted to allow the cake to float flat in the fat so that it could be flipped over easily for
quick, even cooking. It is made either with a yeast dough or with a baking powder dough. The yeast
doughnuts are considered more authentic.
Cruller is a popular New York elongated doughnut.
Longjohns is also a long, straight doughnut.
The yeast doughnuts originated probably with German settlers. German names are: Berliner
Pfannkuchen, Silvesterkrapfen, Bismarck, Fastnachtskuchen, Fastnachtskchlein. The Austrians just
say Krapfen. Other sources trace doughnuts to the Dutch fried cakes called Oile Koecken.
The nick name doughboy for soldiers goes back to the Civil War, when cavalry soldiers called
infantry soldiers doughboys, because their uniform bottoms resembled dumplings. An other story traces
links the name with the habit of using flour to brighten the white uniform belts.
There are many stories about the whole in the center. Basically it has a practical reason,
because the doughnuts will bake faster and more evenly when there is a center whole. The cut out
dough pieces are sold as doughnut holes.
Doughnuts became popular during the World War !, when women volunteers brought them to the
trenches in France. During World War II, Red Cross volunteers, called Doughnut Dollies. continued to
supply the troops with doughnuts.
During depression, doughnuts became a rather inexpensive snack, especially when machines
were invented to make them automatically. Dunking doughnuts into coffee was considered an acceptable
way to eat them.
Also known as fried cakes (in the North Central US) or sinkers.
Dover sole
Flat food fish harvested in the North Sea. It is considered better than sole harvested on the
Atlantic and Pacific coast. The fish is available fresh and frozen in the US, and is a very expensive
delicacy. It is frequently imported from Holland, although the name Dover, a city in England suggests
otherwise.
Small sole is called Dover slips.
dowitcher
Seashore bird found along the Pacific coast from Alaska to Peru. The bird is hunted for meat.
Limnodromus griseus.

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Dr. Cade
Inventor of Gatorade, a non alcoholic thirst quenching beverage, as well as a newer high protein
drink Go! and TQ II (Thirst Quencher II).
Dr. Hogg Muscat
New Zealand white wine grape variety.
Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray Tonic
Celery seed flavored carbonated beverage popular with the Jewish population in New York.
drage
French term for sugar coated morsels, such as almonds.
dragon well tea
Tea of the Hangzhou region of China.
Dragon Boat Festival
Chinese festival celebrated in Singapore. As legend has it, the esteemed ancient poet, Qu Yuan,
drowned himself as a protest against corruption. Fishermen kept fish from devouring his body by
thrashing the waters with their oars and throwing rice dumplings into the water. Thus, along with a festive
regatta, glutinous rice dumplings are eaten.
dragon's eye
Another name for the longan. See there. The name comes from the appearance of the fruit when
it is cut open to expose the large dark, staring pit.
Dragon's Eye
Chinese wine grape which is a variety of the Hamburg Muscat, used in making China's first
European style table wine, Dynasty.
Drake's Devil Dogs
Brand name for a popular low in cholesterol sweet snack.
Drambuie
Scotch whisky based liqueur, flavored with herbs, spices and honey. The recipe originated with
Prince Charles Edward Stuart, called Bonnie Prince Charlie. Scottish legend has it that, after rebels were
defeated at the battle of Culloden Moor, a friend of the Prince, MacKinnon of Stratford, saved the Prince
and helped him escape to France. In gratitude, the Prince gave MacKinnon his treasured personal recipe.
The MacKinnon descendants still produce the liqueur today. Its name in Gaelic means drink that satisfies.
Lochan Ora is a similar liqueur made from Chivas Regal brand Scotch.
drawn butter
Melted, and then clarified butter. Some experts claim that the butter should just be melted, and
not clarified. Served with poached seafood, especially lobsters and clams.
Drei-Mnner-Wein
German. Literally translated three-man wine. A humorous German term referring to a wine so
difficult to drink that it takes 3 men, 2 men to hold him down, and the 3rd will drink it.
Dresden dressing
Cold sauce made with boiled chopped eggs, onions, pickles and mustard, served with boiled or
roasted meats.
dress, to
The process of shaping food. The term is often applied when birds are tied with string the retain
their shape during the cooking process, and when food is shaped with a pastry bag.

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dressing, noun
Term used for a liquid seasoning for salads or for a garnish/stuffing. Popular salad dressings are
Green Goddess, Ranch, Russian, Blue cheese, Roquefort and French.
dressing, verb
To add something to food such as dress a plate with garnishes or a salad with dressing.
dried bean curds
See yuba.
dried beef
Ancient method of salting and then drying beef.
See Chipped Beef, Bnderfleisch and Bresola.
dried fish
Ancient method of preserving fish, many varieties are dried. The best known are dried cod called
bacalao, dried smelts called Bombay Duck, and dried shark fins.
There are many other varieties.
dried fruit
Fruits preserved by drying. The fruits must have a rather low moisture content. The most popular
dried fruit in the US during colonial times were apples. The fruit was abundant, was easy to dry, and
provided important nutrition during the winter.
Today fruit is often suplphured to retain color and to improve keeping qualities.
IMPORTANT DRIED FRUITS:
Apple slices or rings
Apricots
Bananas
Currants
Dates, pitted or whole
Figs whole or on wreaths
Mango slices
Nectarines
Peaches
Pear halves
Prunes
Raisins
Sultanas
Today raisins are used as snack and in baking. Prunes are stewed and served for breakfast.
dried shrimp
Indispensable condiment in South Asian cooking, available whole in many siizes, or as powder.
dried vegetables
Old fashioned, but once important method of preserving vegetables.
dripping
The fat and juices collecting when meat is roasted. They are the basic ingredient of gravy.
drisheen
Irish blood sausage made with blood mixed with cream, bread and spices, eaten hot.
drop scones
Irish term for pancakes. Also known as Scotch pancakes.

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drum, drumfish
Fish in the porgy family, found along the East Coast from temperate to tropical waters.
The fish makes a drum-like sound, but is also called croaker for the same reason.
Also known as sheepshead.
drumstick
The lower leg without the thigh of a chicken or any other domesticated bird. It is a popular item
for barbecues and for frying.
drumstick tree
Small tree native to India. Unripe seed pods are known as winged bean.
Also known as pudding-pipe tree, Canafistula.
Cassia fistula.
drumstick
Indian bean with minute seeds. The young shoots are succulent when first picked, but become
tough when picked later.
The roots, like other plants in the Moringa family, can be grated and have a peppery flavor similar
to horseradish.
Moringa oleifera.
drunken chicken
Chinese chicken marinated in shao-hsing wine.
drunken crabs
Chinese crabs, steamed after being marinated in wine. See also hairy crabs.
drunken shrimp
Chinese shrimp marinated in rice wine. A specialty of Shanghai.
drupe/drupe fruit(s)
Generic name for stone fruits, that is, those with a single pit.
dry cheese
Generic term for very hard cheese , called Speerkse or Trockenkse in German.
dry ice
Trade mark of solidified carbon dioxide gas. Dry ice is available in blocks or chunks, and is
extremely cold. It will pass from solid to gas at -78.5 C. Wrapping dry ice in paper will slow evaporation.
Dry ice is used in shipping refrigerated foods.
Dry Jack
California cheese. The aged version of the moist Monterey Jack. Dry jack is a low-salt, hard,
cheese, aged 7 to 10 months, with a nutty flavor. Extra-dry jack is aged 2 years for more intense flavor
and is similar to Parmesan.
du jour
French term meaning of the day or daily special. It was often used in connection with soups,
because soups changed daily on many menus. To avoid printing menus every day, the soup was listed
as du jour.
Dubarry/du Barry
Jeanna Bcu du Barry, called Dubarry, lover of French King Louis XV. In French cooking, dishes
containing cauliflower were often named after her.

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Dublin Bay prawns

Small crustacean resembling lobster. Also known as scampi in Italy.
DuBoeuf, Georges
One of the foremost negociants/producers of Beaujolais, Burgundy, France. See Burgundy.
Dubonnet
Wine-based aperitif sweet and viscous wine fortified with brandy to 19% alcohol. Dubonnet is
available in Blanc (white) and Rouge (red) versions.
White Dubonnet has a nutty herbal flavor and is usually served on-the-rocks or with club soda.
Red Dubonnet has a nutty, fruity taste and is usually served with soda, ginger ale, or on-the-rocks.
Duchesse potatoes
Mashed potatoes, mixed with egg yolks, shaped and baked. The preparation is less popular than
years ago.
duck, domesticated
Water fowl domesticated for meat, and much less for eggs, and raised in may countries. In the
US the Peking duck, introduced from China in 1872 is the most popular. species. The production was
centered in Long Island, New York, but has also spread to other parts of the country because land on
Long Island became too expensive to use as farmland. Vineyards are also competing for land. Long
Island Duck has become a standard menu term, even if the ducks were not raised on Long Island.
The term duckling is used for birds up to eight weeks old. After that the term duck should be
used. female birds are called duck, males are called drakes.
DUCK TYPES:
Aylesbury Duck - was a famous English breed. It is no longer bred, although the name is still
used incorrectly.
Barbary - breed popular in France descended from Muscovy stock, a wild duck.
Gressingham - brand name of a small English bred duck.
Moulard - cross of female Peking and male Muscovy raised for foie gras. See there.
Muscovy - small and gamy, originally from South America
Nantaise - famous traditional French breed.
Rouennaise duck - named for a city in Normandy, France. It is a popular duckling and one
method was to served the duck with a sauce thickened by duck blood. See canard la presse.
Wisconsin - basically the same as the Long Island duck.
Most ducks come to the American market while they are still ducklings, that is at seven weeks of
age.
Ducks are fatty, but more than half of the fat is located just under the skin. By careful roasting
and then crisping the skin much fat can be drained off.
The term Maigrets has popped up on menus for duckling breasts served medium rare.
The Four Seasons Restaurant in Manhattan is famous for roast duck. Only fresh, large ducks
are used, and for two diners carved in the dining room.
Caneton is the French menu term for young duckling. Ente in German, anitra in Italian, pato in
Spanish.
duck's blood rice
Type of red sticky rice found in the area of Hangzhou/China. It is served steamed and often used
in desserts.
duck eggs
Duck eggs that are frequently infected with salmonella bacteria and should always be hard
boiled, or preserved by the Chinese methods.
duck presse
See canard la presse.

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ducks, wild
Popular game birds hunted for their meat, which is dark and flavorful.
IMPORTANT VARIETIES ARE:
Canvasback -the most famous named for its striped plumage.
Mallard - colored plumage and the ancestor for domestic ducks not of the Peking
Pintail - widely hunted for food.
Redhead - smaller than Canvasback.
Ruddy -smaller than redhead.
Teal - among the smallest wild ducks found in Europe, North America and Asia.
Widgeon - fresh water duck.
Wood duck - very colorful birds once extensively hunted and almost extinct.
Wild ducklings should be roasted medium rare. They should be bled before cooking.

breed.

Ducru-Beaucaillou, Chteau
French Bordeaux wine from the commune of St.-Julien. The name comes from the original
owner, M. Ducru and the French words for pretty pebble, beau caillou, referring to the gravelly soil of the
area. The wine improved greatly in the 1960's.
dudi
Gourd/squash with pale green skin.
Also known as bottle gourd, doohi, lokhi, woolo gwa.
Duero
River in northern Spain which flows through Portugal to find its outlet in the Atlantic at the city of
Porto. Known for its wine growing regions, Ribera del Duero in Spain and the Duoro Valley in Portugal.
duff
Australian steamed flour pudding, usually containing raisins and currants. The name originated
in northern England, where duff was the word for dough.
dugh
Persian/Iranian beverage of yoghurt, whey and water.
Duglr
The name of the matre dhtel of the Parisian Restaurant Caf Anglaise. The became a French
menu term in connection with a fish dish..
Duhart Milon Rothschild
Famous red Bordeaux wine from Paulliac.
duku
Singaporean golf ball-sized fruit with a golden brown skin. Harvested in August and September.
Its delicious flavor has a hint of grapefruit.
dulce
Spanish word for sweet, used as a generic words for sweets.
The term is used in wine making for additives to make the wines sweeter, such as grape juice or
sun dried grapes.
dulce de leche
Hispanic dessert consisting of milk and sugar slowly boiled until the mixture is thick, coffee
colored and spreadable. It is a dessert known in many cultures under different names, such as eishta in
Arabic and kaymak in Turkish.
The dish can easily be made with sweetened condensed milk, still in the can, carefully boiled in
water until the sugar caramelizes. A hole must be punctured to let the steam escape.

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dulse
Edible seaweed, harvested in the North Atlantic and Pacific Northwest. Purplish-red in color,
best harvested in spring. Usually sold dried. It was once eaten as a snack in New England and Western
Europe.
Dulse can be eaten raw, dried or rehydrated, in salads or mixed into cream cheese spreads. It
cooks fast and can be stir-fried or added to soups. It can be batter coated and deep fried. Eaten in
Northern Ireland.
Also called Neptune's girdle, dillisk, gomon.
Rhodymenia palmata
dumpling(s)
Steamed or boiled starch balls, normally round. Dumplings are often filled with meat, vegetables,
fruits and cheese. The dough can be made with a variety of flours, but also with potatoes. They are
found in many cultures.
TYPES OF DUMPLINGS INCLUDE:
Gnocchi - Italian potato dumplings. In addition to potato gnocchi there are also completely
different gnocchi made. See gnocchi.
Knoedel (Kndel) - Austrian bread dumplings.
Kloesse (Klsse) - German bread or potato dumplings.
Pelmeni - Russian flour dumplings
Siu mai - Chinese steamed filled flour dumplings.
In Austria and Bohemia dumplings are also considered a hot dessert, although less popular today
because they are filling.
SWEET DUMPLINGS FAMOUS IN AUSTRIA:
Germ Kndel are made with a steamed yeast dough, sprinkled with sugar and brown butter.
Marillenkndel are made with potato dough and filled with an apricot.
Topfenkndel are made with cottage cheese and semolina sprinkled with sugar
Zwetschenkndel are potato dumplings filled with large Italian plums.
Dungeness Crab.
Named for the Dungeness spit of land and town on Washingtons State Olympic Peninsula, the
longest natural sand pit in North America.
The crabs are harvested in the Pacific Northwest from northern California to Alaska and typically
weighs 1 to 3 pounds. The yield of picked meat is about four onzes per pound. Dungeness Crabs
are larger than the Blue Crab of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
Crabs were the first shellfish commercially harvested on the Pacific coast. The Indians had
developed trapping methods and caught live crabs in crab pots baited with squid or fish. The traps have a
small opening at one end to allow the smaller females and undersized males to escape. Law prohibits the
catching female crabs to guarantee propagation. Only hard shelled males measuring at least 6 1/4 across
the back may be caught.
The fine textured snow white meat has a delicate flavor similar to that of the Mediterranean
granceola crab.
The harvest is between November and July, before the crabs molt. Unlike Atlantic Blue Crabs,
catching Dungeness during their molting season is prohibited. It would be a waste, because the crabs are
not at their tastiest and they absorb a lot of water at this time.
Also known as Pacific or White Crab.
Cancer magister.
Dunlop
Scottish cheese resembling cheddar. It was once considered the national cheese of Scotland.
Dunmow Flitch
English annual award going back to at least 1445 to married couples who claim that they never
quarreled or wished to be single since their wedding.
The flitch is a side of bacon, the award ceremony takes place in the town Dunmow with much
ceremony and fun.

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Dunsyre Blue
Scottish semi-hard cows milk blue cheese.
Dupreccio
Italian/Tuscan wine grape.
Duras
French red wine grape variety of local interest in
the Tarn Department.
Durella
Italian wine grape used to produce the local
sparkling wine in Soave. It produces a full flavored wine,
though not especially elegant.
Durham
English cattle breed which became the Shorthorn
in the US.
Durian
Fruit native to the Malayan peninsula. The fruit grows on trees of the hibiscus family, and falls off
when ripe, sometimes as far away as 100 feet. It is usually undamaged because of its tough skin.
Known as the king of fruit to Asians; it is about the size of a football and very thick skinned with a
mass of sharp spikes. Inside, six large seeds are covered by creamy gold flesh with the texture of silky
custard. It has a rich flavor, but a strong, permeating and offensive stench which makes the fruit infamous
as well as famous. It is forbidden to take the fruit on the subway in Singapore or on the plane of the
Singaporean Airways. Frozen durian are less odoriferous and are exported.
Despite the smell the durian has the reputation of being an aphrodisiac and the saying in Malay is
when durian come down, the sarongs are soon to follow.
The seeds can be roasted, and the unripe fruit can be used as vegetable.
Also known as civet cat fruit.
Durio zibethinus.
Durif
California red wine grape variety, the synonym of the widely known Petit Sirah. It is not related to
the Petit Syrah grape of the Rhne Valley in France.
A little known wine grape. Some is grown by California's Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyards.
Drkheim (Durkheim)
Largest wine producing township in Germany, also known for mineral springs.
durra
Sorghum variety. See there.
Also known as doura, dourah, Indian millet, Guinea corn.
durum flour
Hard wheat flour made from durum wheat. It is prized for making pasta, bread and pizza.
durum wheat
Variety of hard wheat which is rich in protein.
Also kown as winter wheat.
Triticum durum.
dusky grouse
North American game bird. Dendragapus obscurus.

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Dsseldorf
German city, the administrative center of the industrial Ruhr valley. Its culinary fame is based on
a spicy, yellow mustard.
dust
Term used for very small tea leaves. See tea.
Dusty Miller.
Ice cream sundae consisting of vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce, and powdered malt.
Dutch courage
Slang term for gin. It originated in the early 19th century, and the term was used for Holland gin
imported into England. See gin.
Dutch cheese
Another name for cottage cheese.
Dutch oven
Large iron kettle with lid for slow cooking, originally a thick 3 legged skillet with a lid, also known
as a spider. The major cooking utensil of Americans in pioneer times. Dutch oven is now a plain large,
lidded cooking pot.
Dutchess
New York State hybrid white wine grape variety.
duxelles
French food component consisting of chopped mushrooms cooked with ham (optional), shallots,
white wine and a little flour. It should be paste like in consistency. Named for the Marquis d'Uxelles. His
chef was La Varenne.
The proper French spelling is duxelles.
dwarf basil
Similar to lime basil. See there.
Dynasty
Brand name for the Chinese wine, the first European style table wine made in China in this
century. It is produced for export under the aegis of the French firm of Remy Martin at a winery
established in 1980, about 100 miles southeast of Beijing.
The wine is made from a Chinese version of the German Hamburg Muscat grape, called
Dragon's Eye. The wine is white and semi dry. Its taste is acceptable, though not complex. Most of it is
exported to the US.
Earl Grey Tea
Famous tea named for Charles Grey, a British diplomat and a Prime Minister from 1830-37. The
main flavoring is oil of bergamot.
earth almond
Rhizomes, nuts from a plant native to Africa. Usually sold dried, and can be eaten raw like must
nuts.
Also called Tigernut or chufa.
Cyperus esculentus.
earth nuts
Nickname for peanuts.

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earthenware
Dishes and cooking utensils made of clay, often glazed.
East-meets-West
In the 1970's and '80's, increased interest in Asian cuisines among Americans led to East-West
cuisine, using Oriental techniques, flavorings or ingredients with standard American recipes.
Easter food
Easter is traditionally celebrated with food, some rich and indulgent because the Lenten fast is
over. It is also the season of the first fresh food after winter.
The most traditional food is eggs, considered emblem of fertility. Eggs were scares during the
winter and became more available around Easter.
EASTER SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
Eggs - boiled hard and dyed red symbolize life
Jelly beans - egg shaped colorful candies
Egg shaped cakes
Hot cross buns - Irish yeast buns
roast lamb or kid - universally served in many countries
torta pasqualina - spinach cheese and egg pie from Italy
cassata Siciliana - chilled ricotta cheese dessert.
lambropsomo - Greek Easter bread
ham or suckling pig - popular in Russia and in the US
kulich - Russian sweet bread
paskha/ pashka - Polish cheese dessert
Easter egg dyes
New Jersey druggist William M. Townley gets credit for selling the first measures packages of
dye.
eau de cologne mint
Mint variety with pleasant orange perfume. It can be used in drinks and in salads.
Mentha citrata.
eau de feu
See Armagnac.
eau-de-vie
French generic term for a distillate of grape wine or fermented mash of other fruits, such as
apples, cherries, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries. Literally translated water of life. The beverage
is colorless and named after the substance it is distilled from, or a region where it is manufactured.
Nearly every province in France makes some sort of eau-de-vie. Some of the finest are the fruit brandies
of Alsace. The plural is eaux-de-vie. See distillation.
eau-de-vie still
See alembic still
Eau d'Arquebuse
French liqueur, which was sold as as medicine. It is no longer available.
eau glace
French term for ice water.
eau minrale
French term for mineral water.

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eau sucre
French term for sugar water. Sugar water was given by Creole mothers to their young children at
bedtime to make them sleep, and supposedly help digestion.
Ebbelwei/Ebbelwoi
German dialect term for apple cider from the province of Franconia. The apple wine or cider is
popular in Frankfurt, where it is a specialty of certain taverns. Apfelwein is the correct German word.
Eccles cakes
English puff pastry cakes created over 300 years ago by the Bradburn bakery in Eccles in
Lancashire to celebrate a church holiday.
The cakes are available throughout England.
Ecclesiasticus
Book written about 180 B.C. in which is written Wine drunk with moderation is the joy of the soul
and heart.
chalote
French name for shallot. See there.
echaud
Ancient French pastry made by poaching first in water and then drying it in the oven.
Bagels and Pretzels are also boiled first, and then baked.
chzeaux
Famous Burgundy red wine cultivated in the vineyard of the same name.
echinacea
Hardy, perennial long lived medicinal wildflower, better known as Purple Coneflower.
Echinacea purpurea.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
echium
Annual plant with medicinal value.
Echium vulgare.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
echinoderm
Marine animals with a spiny skeleton and radial body such as sea urchin and sea cucumber.????
clair/eclair
French pastry item made of puff paste (cream puff paste). The name means lightning, and
makes reference to the finger shape. clairs are normally filled with pastry cream and glazed, or with ice
cream and served with a sauce. clairs were a popular staple in many restaurants and pastry shops, but
are less popular now.
Tiny clairs filled with fish or meat mousse can be served as appetizer.
crevisse
French word for crayfish.
cuyer tranchant
Ceremonial meat carver at the French court. It was a position of high prestige and was reserved
for nobility

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cuyer de cuisine
Ancient French term to describe a gentleman cook.
Edam
Town in Holland after which a semi-soft to firm cheese is named. The cheese is creamy pale
yellow with a mild, nut-like flavor. Edam cheese is always ball shaped, although smaller cheeses might be
flattened on the top. For marketing purposes, Edam cheese is covered with red wax. Higher in butterfat
than Gouda, also a Dutch cheese.
edamame
Soybean in the pod eaten as snack in Japan, very
nutritious.
Also known as beer bean, mao du.

eddo
Starchy tuber related to taro. The eddo is roundish in shape
and generally smaller than dasheen. The classic ingredient in the
West Indian pepperpot stew.
Colocassia esculenta var. antiquorum.
Edelfule
German wine term for noble rot, called botrytis cinera. See
there.
Edelpilz
German cheese makers term for beneficial fungus. Also known as Pilzkse.
Edelweiss
German term for an endangered Alpine flower, and also the name for an Italian cordial.
Leontopodium alpinum.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Edelzwicker
Alsatian wine term for high quality blended local wine.
edible flowers
Flowers have been used in cooking since antiquity, but mostly as tea or as flavoring agent, such
as rose petals in rose water. Violets and rose petals are also candied and used dessert decorations.
Some flowers can be fried, such as elder blossoms, and others stuffed such as squash blossoms. Chefs
have found other uses to delight the eyes, nose, and palate.
Most edible flowers are eaten raw in salads or as a garnish. Most have a mild flavor. In many
cases, flowers do not taste good and are added strictly for esthetic reasons.. During the 1980's, many
young chefs used flowers indiscriminately as garnish, a practice for which few customers are willing to
pay for any longer.
Flowers used for human consumption must be totally free of pesticides. Basically only the petals
can be used such.
CONSIDERED EDIBLE:
Apple blossoms
Borage
Calendula
Chrysanthemums
Day Lily
Geraniums

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Lavender
Nasturtium both flowers and leaves
Pansy
Pot Marigold
Roses
Squash blossoms
Tulips
Violets
Wanda orchids.
EDIBLE HERB FLOWERS INCLUDE
Anise
Arugula
Basil buds
Borage
Chives
Cilantro
Dill
Hyssop
Marjoram
Oregano
Pansies
Rosemary
Sage
Savory
Thyme.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plants mentioned.
Flowers should be harvested as close to serving time as possible.
EDTA
Additive used in food processing to prevent rancidity.
Eduri
Pear-shaped variety of avocado with a bumpy, shiny dark green skin and yellow to light green
flesh. Grown in many countries and available in the Northern Hemisphere from April to September
eel
Food fish which spawns in the ocean and travels to fresh water. Some species spawn also in
fresh water. It is a long, snakelike, fatty fish with dark meat. Eel is harvested in many countries,
especially in Holland, Belgium, the northern part of Germany and Scandinavia. Most eel is smoked. The
fish is fatty and has not become popular in the US.
American eels spawn in the Sargossa Sea. The larvae drifts in the ocean until they become
transparent, called glass eels. They ascend rivers such as the James and Potomac. American eels are
exported to Europe.
Eels are very popular in Japan, especially in the northern areas. They are thought to foster virility.
Many Japanese also believe that eels improve eyesight. Japanese eels take longer to mature than those
from other places, but they are more flavorful.
Eel is also popular in Belgium, especially in Antwerp and Brussels.
In Spain, baby eels, not much larger than minnows, are a Spring specialty. They are normally
fried whole.
Jellied eels are an English specialty.
Conger eel a large ocean species.
Moray eels are tropical salt water species.
Anguille in French, Aal in German, anguila in Spanish, anguilla in Italian.

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Eel restaurants, Japanese

Eel restaurants are popular in Japan and are called unagivasan.
Eelpout
Deep dwelling fresh water fish, relative to the cod. Roughly tubular in shape, elongated body.
The rather ugly fish, harvested in cold Northern Minnesota lakes is generally not eaten on account of its
appearance, but is perfectly edible.
Also known as burbot, lota lota in French.
Zoarces viviparus.
effervescence
Gas moving upwards in tiny bubbles in liquids, especially in sparkling wines, soft drinks and
mineral waters.
Eger
Hungarian wine city north of Budapest famous for red wines. The Egri Bikavr is famous for its
full body and deep red color. Bikavr means steer blood.
Eggs
One of the most versatile foods since the beginning of civilization. The composition of average
eggs is 12% shell, 58% albumen (white) and 30% yolk. The yolk contains fat. There is also an airspace,
which expands as the eggs get older. The shell is porous and will absorb flavors and the salmonella
bacteria. There is concern that undercooked yolks could be harmful, but most people still eat fried eggs
with a soft yolk.
Food service uses pasteurized eggs in baking and for scrambled eggs and omelette preparation.
Bakeries use frozen eggs in 30 lb cans. Dried eggs are used to a smaller extent.
The eggs overwhelmingly used are chicken eggs, to a much smaller amount the eggs of duck,
geese, quail and other birds.
Freshness, grade and size are the important considerations when using shell eggs. Eggs are
graded by the USDA or by the states. The grades are AA, A, B and C. Almost all food service facilities
use grade A eggs. Eggs are marketed by the dozen. One full case of eggs contains 30 dozen.
SIZES AND MINIMUM WEIGHTS OF FRESH EGGS ARE:
Jumbo
30 oz (840 g)
Extra large
27 oz (756 g)
Large
24 oz (672 g)
Medium
21 oz (590 g)
Small
18 oz (504 g)
Pee Wee
15 oz (420 g)
Bantam eggs are from a special breed of chicken and have colorful shells.
egg bread
Egg breads are rich in eggs and usually yellowish is color. It includes such breads as challah and
spoonbread.
eggs, Chinese preserved
Duck and chicken eggs are preserved by pickling. There are two basic varieties, eggs that will
stay edible a few weeks, and eggs that will stay edible almost indefinitely, also called thousand year
eggs.
Eggs preserved temporarily are pickled in strong brine, and than coated with a mixture of earth,
salt and chaff. The yolks will become almost solid in a few weeks.
Egg preserved for a longer time are pickled with salt brine, lime, lye and tea leaves, and coated
after a few months with clay and chaff. The yolk will become brownish green, and the white solidified.
The methods were developed for preservation and ease of shipping.
These eggs are known as 100 year old eggs.

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eggs, salted Chinese

Preserved duck eggs pickled in charcoal brine and covered with wood ash. The yolk solidifies,
and the white stays clear and watery.
Also known as haam daan.
egg cooker
Electric appliance to boil whole eggs to the desired degree of doneness. Egg cookers have been
used in commercial kitchens serving breakfast since the turn of the century. They consist of a water bath,
and small baskets for the individual eggs, which could be immersed in boiling water. A timing mechanism
would lift the baskets from the water. The water bath was originally heated by steam, and the timers
were wind up spring operated. Modern egg boilers are heated by electricity and the timing mechanism is
also electric.
egg cream
New York City old-fashioned soda fountain treat made of milk, seltzer, and Fox's U-Bet chocolate
syrup, but traditionally without cream (only milk) and without egg.
egg dishes, various
Eggs were considered healthy and wholesome and egg dishes were popular luncheon entrees
on restaurant menus. The French cuisine invented hundreds different egg dishes with fancy names and
containing every possible ingredient ranging from oysters to jelly. Egg dishes are profitable because the
basic food cost is low.
Today eggs have been assigned only to the breakfast menu.
Eggs Basin Street - brunch specialty at Commander's Palace Hotel in New Orleans. Poached
eggs on rice fritters with red beans.
Eggs Benedict - poached eggs on top of grilled Canadian bacon placed on toasted English
muffins, covered with Hollandaise Sauce. Elegant restaurants added a thin slice of truffle for garnish.
The dish does not make much sense on account of the high cholesterol content, but is still popular on
bruncheon buffets. It is said to have been developed to cure the hangover of Dr. Samuel Benedict. Eggs
Benedict are an American invention and have nothing to do with classical cuisine. The origin of the dish is
attributed to both the Delmonico Restaurant in New York City and The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Eggs
Benedict in French cuisine are poached eggs with creamed cod or smoked cod.
Eggs Sardou - a New Orleans specialty. Poached eggs, on artichoke bottoms and anchovy fillets,
topped with Hollandaise Sauce. Invented by chef Antoine Alciatore, owner of Antoine's. Antoine named
the dish for the French playwright Victorian Sardou, who wrote "Tosca", the play on which Puccini's opera
was based, and who traveled to New Orleans.
Oeufs en cocotte -the French term for eggs poached in small china dishes, often with a garnish of
meat or shell fish, and served with a small amount of sauce.
Shirred eggs - American term for eggs baked in a shallow ceramic dish. Shirred eggs are often
garnished with breakfast meat or vegetables.
Egg, dying for Easter
The Pennsylvania Dutch and Ukrainian settlers are credited with bringing the tradition to the
USA.
egg foo young
Chinese-American dish consisting of scrambled eggs and stir-fried vegetables.
egg hoppers
Sri Lanka/Ceylon pancakes made with coconut milk and topped with fried eggs.
egg mushrooms
Other name for chanterelle. See there.

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egg nog
Rich beverage made with egg yolks, sugar, spices, distilled alcohol such as white rum or
whiskey, and heavy cream. Some recipes call for whipped egg whites to be incorporated before service.
It is a traditional Christmas beverage.
Egg nog, without alcohol, is commercially available, pasteurized and ready for use.
eggs, religious meaning.
Eggs are part of both the Easter and Passover Seder traditions. For Christians the egg
symbolizes life. To the Jews, a hard-boiled egg, with its oval shape, symbolizes the life cycle.
egg roll(s)
Popular Chinese-American dish developed by Cantonese chefs for American tastes. Wonton
dough wrapper filled with bean sprouts, meat or seafood and deep fried.
The concept of wrapping ingredients around a dough wrapper if found in many Asian countries,
including China. In Indonesia they are known as Lumpia.
Egg rolls are still popular, especially as finger food for receptions.
For egg roll skins see wonton skins.
Eggs substitutes
Available are commercial products, made with egg whites and additives, which are cholesterol
free. Products can be used for omelette and scrambled eggs.
eggs, test for freshness
Old eggs will float in water because some liquid has evaporated through the porous shell and the
egg bubble in the egg is larger than in a fresh egg.
egg test whether an egg is raw or hard boiled
Spin egg on flat surface. If it spins easily, it is boiled, raw eggs will spin wobbly.
Egg trivia
Egghead - intellectual, often with a dash of pretension
Egg on ones face - embarrassment in public
Egg on - encourage persons to continue with what they are doing.
Nest egg - savings. Originally, an egg was left in the nest to induce the hen to lay more eggs.
egg whites
The albumen in eggs, a white liquid. It will turn solid white when cooked. When beating or
whipping egg whites, there must be no trace of yolk or fat, and the kettle must be free of fat. Eggs beaten
in copper kettles whip better than whipped in other containers. Eggs can be stabilized by whipping them
with a small amount of tartaric acid or salt.
egg yolks
Egg yolks are about half water, half fat and the rest nitrogenous matter. The color of yolks is
influenced by feed. Marigold petals makes the yolks rich yellow.
Eggplant
Vegetable, a member of the solanaceae family, which also includes potatoes, tomatoes, and
peppers, as well as the deadly nightshade. Eggplants are a self-pollinating.
Purple eggplants are most common in the US, but they also come in a wide variety of shapes,
sizes and colors, including white and yellow. The name is derived from the varieties found in its native
India which are smallish, pure white and resemble a hen's egg. Sometimes these are streaked with
purple.
Most US eggplant are large, but baby eggplant can be purchased as can Oriental varieties which
are small and lighter purple. All varieties have similar tough spiny stalks and sepals and thin skin covering
grayish white flesh in which there are numerous tiny and edible seeds.

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Egg plants are low in calories, but not particularly nutritious, and the porous texture will soak up a
lot of fat or oil if cook in it.
Eggplants tend to be bitter, but if sliced and salted for a half hour or so before cooking the
bitterness will be leached out.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Chinese eggplant - white inside and outside,
used in stir fried dishes.
Garden egg - West African and Caribbean.
Small, round, pale to deep yellow, related to the
susumber, which is also called pea aubergine or gully
bean.
Japanese eggplant - long, slender sausageshaped deep-purple.
Rosa Bianco - A variegated lavender variety.
Snake eggplant - Cultivated in Southeast Asia.
Japanese Eggplant
EGGPLANT DISHES INCLUDE:
Baba ganoushe, also known as poor man's caviar. A spread of Turkish origin, served through
out the Middle East.
Eggplant Parmesan, breaded slices, fried, covered with tomato sauce and cheese, and baked.
Moussaka, Greek baked casserole dish with a mixture of ground meat, tomatoes, often potatoes
and cheese.
Pickled eggplants are common in Japan.
Also known as apple of love, aubergine in France and Britain, brinjal in India, melanzana in Italy.
Solanum melongena.
Egremont Russet
Apple variety which probably originated in England, round, not especially large. Yellow with rough
russet-brown spots. Its firm, pale yellow flesh has the nutty flavor, characteristic of russet apples, which
makes it a good dessert apple.
egusi
African melon fruit.
Egypt food
This ancien civilization is credited with inventing organized agriculture, cultivating barley, wheat,
olives, onions, okra, leeks, dates and grapes; and the process of fermentation. The results are the first
beer, grape juice fermented into wine and bread leavened with sourdough. Ancient Egyptians were
concerned about starving after death, and possessions buried along with the deceased included bread.
Bread is still the major staple. Cous Cous, see there, is eaten as main course and as dessert.
Garlic, cumin, olive oil, lime juice, red pepper, cardamon and coriander are frequently used.
Sweets can be flavored with rose water and pistachio nuts.
Dates, oranges, persimmons and apricots are cultivated.
Ishta is a thick cream resembling clotted cream. Milookhiyya is a spinach like green herb used in
soups. See there.
Pigeons, lamb sheep and goat are slaughtered for meat. Seafood is harvested in the
Mediterranean.
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
Biram ruzz - molded baked rice
Burghul - steamed cracked wheat
Feteer - filled phyllo dough snack
Fool - bean stew
Fool midammis - boiled bean salad
Haman mashi - stuffed pigeons

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Kofta - lamb meat balls

Kushari - pasta, rice and lentil stew
Meshi - stuffed vegetables
Mihallabiyya - rice flour pudding
Shorba al homus - chick pea soup
Taamiya - fava bean fritters seasoned with garlic, onions and coriander
The largest selling beer is Stella. Wines include the white Cru du Ptolm and the red Omar
Khayyam. Dark coffee seasoned with cardamon is popular.
Egyptian lotus
Edible water lily found in the Middle East and Asia. The roots, leaves and fruit pods are edible.
Nymphaea, spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Egyptian rice corn
See sorghum.
Ehrenfelser
German white wine grape.
Einkorn
German name for a wheat variety cultivated as forage crop.
Triticum monoccocum.
Einzellage
German term for single vineyard.
Eisbein
German pickled pig's knuckles, boiled, often served with Sauerkraut.
Eis Heiligen
German term for patron Saints for four days in May from 12th through 15th, during which time
frost can still occur. This is important to gardeners and wine growers in colder regions.
They are St. Pancratius, St. Servatius, St. Bonifacious and St. Sophia.
Eiswein
The German term for a late picked, extra sweet wine. The ripened grapes are left on the vine until
a sudden frost freezes them. They are picked and quickly pressed while still frozen, so that only the
richness of the sweet juice and acids are extracted.
Making Eiswein is a gamble for the growers. If the grapes are left on the vine too long they can
rot before the first frost sets in. It is also very expensive to make, because the grapes must be harvested
in freezing weather and pressed immediately.
The risk can be truly worth while with a product which is rich, sweet, complex and balanced.
Sometimes the frost comes early and saves a harvest which might otherwise be devastated.
Eiswein is made in Germany and Austria. Some is made in Ontario/Canada and in other
countries.
Methods have been developed to make Eiswein by placing the very ripe, shriveled grapes in the
freezer. This method is controversial but legal in some countries.
El Presidente
Cocktail made with two types of rum, curaao and other ingredients. It probably originated in
Cuba.
eland
African antelope hunted for food.

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Taurotragus.
Elberta
Freestone peach. See peach.
Elbling
German white wine grape.
Elbo
Danish cheese from the island Samso. The cheese resembles Swiss Emmenthal.
elder/elderberries
Tree or shrub with honeysuckle-like leaves, white scented flowers, and violet-black berries
producing small, purple, slightly bitter tasting berries that resembles black currants. The flowers are a
delicacy and can be batter-dipped, fried, sprinkled with sugar, and served as a dessert. The flowers are
also used to make a light wine.
The berries are often used in jams and jellies for color. The berries contain a volatile oil, used in
the maufacture of perfumes.
The tree has been known since antiquity, folkore associated the tree with religious stories, and
using the wood was tabu. Crowned with elders was a disgrace. In mediaeval England it was believed
that Judas Iscariot hanged himself on an elder tree,
The Italian liqueur Sambuca is flavored with elderberries. Sureau in French, Hollunder in
German.
Sambucus.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
election cake
Also known as meeting cake. A fruitcake made with a bread dough with raisins, figs and other
dried fruits, and spiced with cinnamon, cloves, mace, and nutmeg.
It is believed to have originated in New England in the early 1800's where it was traditionally served on
election days and served at and political functions and public meetings.
electronic oven
See microwave.
elephant garlic
Large garlic. See garlic.
elephant's ears
Green vegetable. See amaranth.
elicoidali
Italian tube shaped dry pasta with a spiral line pattern.
Elinor Fettiplace's Recipe Book, "Elizabethan Country House Cooking"
The earliest known English cookbook of its kind, dating from 1604. This 300 page hand-written
manuscript of recipes and household remedies reflected the holidays and seasonal harvests. It was
written before English and French cuisines divided into their own style.
Elisavetpolen
Russian sheep milk cheese, also known as eriwani.
Elixir
Name often used for liqueurs.
Elixir d'Anvers, Belgian liqueur resembling Benedictine.

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Elixir de Spa, Belgian liqueur, It has a pine aroma from the Ardennes woods.
elk
The largest North American deer. Also known as wapiti.
Cervus canadensis.
Eltville
Famous German wine producing town on the Rhine river.
Elysium
Brand name for a fortified dessert wine, made from Black Muscat grapes in California. The name
is from the Greek word for state of ideal bliss.

elvers
Infant eels harvested in England and Scotland, especially in the Severn and Wye rivers.
Emden
The breed of goose most common in the US. See goose.
Emerald Riesling
White wine grape, a cross between Johannesburg Riesling and Muscadet. The grape is
cultivated in California.
Emiliano
Italian very hard, grana type cheese. It is often sold as Reggiano. The cheese is suitable for
grating.
minc(s) (emince)
French culinary term for dishes made with thinly sliced meats or vegetables. The verb is
mincer.
emma
Ancient wheat variety once widely cultivated in the Mediterranean region because it was heat and
aridity resistant.
Emmenthal, Emmenthaler
A regional Swiss cheese, made in the vicinity of Bern. It is the best known cheese of Switzerland
and often referred to simply as Swiss Cheese. The cheese is made with cows milk in enormous wheels,
and has a firm interior dotted with large irregular holes. The cheese is renowned for its hazelnut, slightly
fruity taste.
The cheese is imitated all over the world, and is usually sold as Swiss Cheese. On genuine
Emmenthaler cheese made in Switzerland the name Switzerland is roller stamped with red ink.
empanada/empanadillas
Hispanic fried filled turnovers with a wide range of fillings. Small empanadillas are often served
as appetizers
Emrelettes
Preserved grapes, tinted green or red and used as garnish, but are seldom used today. It was a
commercial product.
emulsion
Liquid mixture in which a fatty substance is suspended, such as in a dresssing.

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en sarcophage
French old and silly term for a roasted bird, such as quail, stuffed with foie gras and truffles, and
encased in a puff pastry.
en crote
French term for baked in a crust. The crust could be made of puff pastry, pie dough or some
other flaky dough. The term always refers to a non-sweet preparation.
en papillote
French cooking term for food baked and served in a paper bag. The food, typically portion size
meat or fish pre-cooked and placed on a buttered, heart-shaped parchment sheet. Sauces and other
garnishes are added, the sheets carefully crimped to make the bag air tight, and baked in a hot oven. The
bag is ceremonial slit open in the dining room in front of the guest.
The steam trapped inside the bag makes the bag puffy and blown up. The trick is to keep the
bag inflated until it reaches the customer, and for this reason the paper should brown slightly to make it
crisp. Some chefs put the paper bag in a pan with hot oil and then in the oven to increase the
temperature.
Some restaurants use aluminum foil instead of parchment paper, but the effect is not the same.
enamelware
Metal cooking pots covered with a hard, glass like, porcelain substance. The surface can chip
and crack, and the pots should no be exposed to high dry heat. Enamelware has been replaced by other
metal glazes, and is little used today.
enchilada
Tex-Mex dish consisting of tortillas filled with cooked meat, cheese and chili, and baked with chili
and tomato sauce. Often, the filled tortillas are heated without sauce, and then covered with sauce when
needed.
endive
Vegetable in the chicory family. See chicory.
Engadine
Cheese made in the Canton (State) Graubnden in Switzerland.
England food
England is famous for beef, lamb and fish. The cooking was originally rather simple, meat was
generally roasted or boiled. The English upperclass was pictured as obese and devouring huge joints of
roast beef, washed down by gallons of Ale, Porter and Stout.
Like all over the world food is changing and London has many fine restaurants operated by
young inovative chefs. However the country is conservative and eating habits change slowly.
Roasts are still popular and beef is served with Yorkshire pudding. Is not a dessert but pancake
batter baked with roast beef drippings, drenched with meat juices, with the roast. In the USA the idea
was further developed and the batter is often baked in muffin pans and called popovers. Overzealous
bureaucrats prohibit selling beef on the bone and some beloved dishes such as oxtails and rib roasts
cannot be legally sold.
Interestingly, London was at the turn of the century the Mecca of fine cuisine because it was the
wealthiest city in the world and therefor attracted the best chefs. Most of them were French and the
renown chef August Escoffier, see there, worked many years in London. There is still a strong French
tradition in London.
Game hunting is a time honored sport and Scotch grouse, partridge, woodcock and other birds
are famous. Also hunted extensively are hare and rabbit. Serving stuffed boars head was a Christmas
tradition.
Most main courses are traditionally served with a huge portion of vegetables, such as potatoes,
Brussels sprouts, carrots, turnips and cabbage. Again, the cooking was plain and the French termed a
culinary term for boiled vegetables: "a l'anglaise", meaning plain boiled without any other additions.

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Dried peas, either green or yellow are a popular and necessary staple. Whole dried peas are
often served when fresh peas are not in season. Some retail packages contained a tablet of backing
soda, which should be added to the soaking water. When soaked with baking soda overnight, the peas
cook in about 45 minutes.
England has a large fishing industry and popular shellfish include: oysters, mussels, cockles,
prawns, winkles, whelks. Some of the best oysters are harvested in England, such as Whitestables and
Natives.
Fish varieties landed are cod, herring, haddock, eel, plaice, halibut, mackerel, turbot and sole.
The Dover sole, see there, caught in the North Sea, is excellent. Salmon is world famous, but wild
salmon is scares and most salmon available is farmed. See Scotland food. Seafood is often smoked.
The culinary heritage of the British Empire is manifested in curry dishes from India, ketchup and
steak sauce from Asia, the use of ginger and quinine. Kedgeree is dish of cooked crumbled fish and rice.
Growing tree fruits, except apples is difficult in some parts of England on account of weather, but
berries are growing wild in hedgerows, and are also cultivated.
They are often used in jams. The most popular flavors are Gooseberry, Rhubarb-Ginger, Blackberry,
Raspberry, Elderberry, Rose hips, Black Currant, Strawberry, Rhubarb gooseberry. See apples.
Marmalade, made with imported Seville and other oranges is very popular. See Scotland food.
Some food terms are different in England from terms used in the US.
ENGLISH FOOD TERMINOLOGY:
bangors - breakfast sausages
black pudding - blood sausages
chips - french fried
crisps - potato chips
crumpets - English yeast muffins
gammon - bacon
joint of meat - roast
nep - root vegetables
potted cheese - cheese spread
rasher - bacon
sousing - pickling
Swedes - large turnips
taters - potatoes
treacle - syrup
tins - cans
white pudding - white sausage with milk added
English sauces are unlike French sauces, which are in most cases an integral part of the cooking
process. English sauces are made independently from the dish they were served with, because the dish
was often simply roasted or boiled. They are so important to the famous chef Escoffier that he devoted a
special chapter in his book Le Guide Culinaire.
ENGLISH SAUCES:
Bread sauce served with game
Caper sauce
Celery sauce
Cumberland sauce - cold red currant sauce
Devils sauce
Egg sauce
Fennel sauce
Gooseberry sauce
Horseradish sauce - hot served with roast beef
Horseradish sauce - served cold with boiled beef.
Mint sauce - always served room temperature with roasted or grilled lamb. Better brands have a
large amount of chopped leaves in the sauce.
Oyster sauce
Parsley sauce
Reform Club Sauce - sweet sour peppery brown meat sauce.
Sage and onion sauce

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In addition, England developed a wide array of bottled steak sauces, ketchups and chutneys. The
origin of these sauces can be traced to the colonial days, when many new food ideas were introduced to
England and exotic spice became available.
The term chutney can be traced to the Hindustani word chanti, and chutneys are available in
many flavors. The most popular by far is chutney made primarily with mangos. Other popular flavors are
cucumbers and tomatoes. Piccalilli is a vegetable relish (or condiment), based on cauliflower and other
vegetables. It is seasoned with tumeric and is yellowish.
British cooking was influenced by clubs, in many cases bastions of conservative gentlemen who
were perfectly happy with wholesome, identifiable food. An English specialty were savouries, little spicy
snacks served after the dessert, seldom served today.
England has a large dairy industry and developed interesting specialties. Clotted cream, also
called Devonshire Cream, see there, is a spread. Junket - curdled cream and milk eaten as dessert.
ENGLISH/BRITISH CHEESES: See there.
Caerphilly
Cheshire
Cheddar
Devon Garland
Double Gloucester
Spenwood
Stilton - served with walnuts
Wealden Rounds.
TYPICAL DISHES ARE: (see also Scotland food)
Boiled beef and dumplings
Brawn - jellied pigs feet
Brewis - Welsh soup made with water and oats.
Bubble and Squeak - pan fried blend of mashed potatoes, cooked kale or
cabbage, onions and cooked roast beef leftovers.
Carpet bag steak - steak stuffed with oysters.
Corned brisket and corned spareribs
Cornish pasties - see there
Cured pigs feet and cured pigs knuckle
Deviled food -See there.
Faggot - pork pudding served cold
Eel Pie
Fish and chips - batter fried served french fries and malt vinegar
Game pie
Goose with apple sauce
Haddock with egg sauce
Herring and herring roe
Jellied eels
Jugged hare
Kipper paste
Lancashire hot pot
Leek pasties
Lobscouse - sailors stew. See labskause.
Mincemeat - pie filling made with dried fruits, suet and sweet wine. It originally
contained cooked beef.
Mussel stew
Oat cakes baked on a griddle
Oxtail stew or soup - new regulations make it difficult to buy oxtails and offal meats.
Oyster soup and stew
Oyster cream - oyster custard
Pease pudding - split yellow peas puree
Pidgeon pie
Pork and apple pie - topped with mashed potatoes
Potted shrimp - tiny shrimp cooked with butter and spices and eaten cold

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Potted Herring
Roast salmon
Scotch woodcock - scrambled eggs with anchovy
Seaweed - See there.
Soused herring - baked pickled herring
Steak and Kidney pudding
Steak and Kidney pie
Toad in the hole - meat or sausage baked with a batter in a casserole
Trout with bacon
Veal and Ham pie - served cold
Welsh rarebit - melted cheese dish. See there.
Welsh cawl - lamb and turnip soup
Whitebait - tiny fried fish. See there.
DESSERTS INCLUDE:
Bath buns - yeast buns with candied fruits and caraway seeds
Brandy snaps - lace cookies
Bread and Butter pudding
Christmas pudding - plum pudding, popular all over England
Custard sauce
Dundee cake - See Scotland food
Eaton mess - chopped strawberries and whipped cream
Eccles cakes - shortbread turnovers filled with candied fruits
Eugenies - almond cookies
Damson cheese - thick prune puree
Fat rascal - Yorkshire tea cake
Flummery - gelatin thickened cream. See blanc mange.
Gingerbread
Gooseberry fool - custard cream with gooseberries
Hazelnuts in cakes and confections
Lemon curd - spread. See there.
London buns - oblong tea cakes with sugar icing
Maids of honor - almond cookies
Roly Poly - steamed suet pudding
Sally Lunn - See there.
Seedcake - baking powder bread with caraway seeds
Shortbread - dry cookies
Treacle toffee
Trifle - see there.
England beverages
Tea is a great comforter to the English people. Tea was first brought to Europe by the Dutch East
India Company in the early sixteenth century. It was considered an exotic and expensive medicine.
Tea became popular when in 1662 Charles II married a Portuguese princess and she introduced
tea drinking to the English court, which was already popular at the court in Lisbon.
By the middle of the 18th century tea surpassed beer as the national drink. Tea was exclusively
imported from China and concern developed that the supply would become unstable. There was also
increasing competition from American clipper ships transporting tea from China to the former American
colonies. To become independent from China, England started to cultivate tea in India and as far south
as Ceylon, now Sri Lanka. India became the major source for tea.
A ritual developed about afternoon tea, a popular custom of wealthy ladies. Tea had to be served
in fine bone china cups from a silver tea pot, accompanied by warm milk and sugar, with little tea cakes,
scones and thin sandwiches. The most popular sandwiches were filled with watercress, cucumber and
tomatoes, often served along with celery sticks. The scones are served with clotted cream and jam.
Marmalade for breakfast, jam with tea was the rule.
Tea rooms became popular refuges for people not wanting to go to bars and pubs.

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Apple cider is a popular beverage. It is fermented hard cider with an alcohol content upt to 8%.
Pomagne is high quality sparkling bottled cider.
England controlled the Port wine and Sherry trade. See there. England was a major importer
and investor of Bordeaux wines and coined the term Claret for red Bordeaux wine. It imported Rhine
wine and coined the term Hock, see there.
Whisky is described in Scotland, beverage, English gin is described in gin. See there.
Other beverages are Syllabub- See there, blackberry wine, ginger beer and mead, see there.
English beer are famous. See beer.
English breakfast tea
American name for fermented Chinese tea. The name originated during colonial times, when
England had a monopoly on the tea trade. It is also a brand name.
English muffin
Round, a flat yeast muffin, usually served split and toasted. The name is American, because
English muffins are not known in England.
The best known brand is Thomass, derived from Samuel Bath Thomas, an English baker who
came to the US in the 1880's and started a baking company.
English muffins should be split with a fork rather than can with a knife, because the uneven
surface will crisp better when toasted. They are served for breakfast with butter, jams and jellies, but also
as base for Eggs Benedict.
English mustard
Mustard powder blend made with two varieties of mustard seeds, turmeric and small amount of
starch to prevent caking. The mustard is mixed with a small amount of water before use, and is rather
hot.
enoki
Japanese tiny, white, long stemmed mushroom,
which grows in clumps, attached at the base.
enology
The science of wine. The name is derived from
Oeneus, the legendary Greek king of Calydon, and wine
god.
Also spelled oenology.
enoteca
Italian term for a wine bar with a large selection
of wines, or wine stored in wineries for future
comparison. Literally translated wine library.
enriched
Term referring to products that have lost some nutrients through processing and some of these, if
not all, have been replaced.
The term is different from fortified which refers to products in which nutrients are added which are
not naturally in the product or which are present in small quantities,
entrails
Term for intestines.
Entre-Deux-Mers
Wine growing area in central Bordeaux. The wine area does not correspond to the geographic
area. The geographic area, located between the Garonne River on the southwest and the Dordogne on
the north, is larger, encompassing wines which are classified by their own sub-areas. The wine comes

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from the central part of the geographic region. Although both red and white wines are produced, only the
white wines can carry the Entre-Deux-Mers designation.
The wines were originally rather sweet, but are now simple, light, dry wines. To advertize the
new style the wine growers use the slogan: Entre deux hutres, between two oysters to signal that the
wines are dry.
entrecte (entrecote)
French sirloin steak. Literally translated it means between the ribs.
entree, entre
The main course of a meal. In America, entree is the main course of a meal. In Australia, an
entree is the first course of a meal, eaten before the main course. Spelled entre in French.
entremeses
Spanish term for appetizers or hors doeuvres.
entremets
French menu term for dessert or sweet course. originally it was used for all side dishes.
Enzian
German/Austrian name for a alpine flower, the roots are used to flavor a brandy with the same
name.
epazote

Fragrant, leafy, peppery, sharp-flavored herb,

used mostly to season black beans. The aroma of
fresh leaves resembles basil or mint. The dried roots
of the plant are also used for medicinal purposes
Found along streams from the Northeastern
US to the Southwest. Some is also grown
commercially, from seeds or cuttings. It is planted in
spring and harvested in summer. It grows to a height
of about two feet. Its leaves are about 2-inches long,
elliptical in shape, and light green in color.
Also known as goosefoot, Jerusalem oak
pazote, Mexican tea, pazote, pigweed, or wormseed.
Chenopodium ambrosioides, and reclassified in the 1980's as Teioxys ambrosioides.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
pernay/Epernay
Famous French wine town in the Champagne district. It is a major distribution center for
champagne, and is located over a maze of tunnels used for aging champagne.
epiceries
French small grocery stores.
epicure
Person who is fastidious about food. The name is derived from the Greek teacher Epicurus, who
was fastidious but simple.
pigramme (epigramme)

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Meat prepared two ways, and served together. Normally, one cut is boiled, cut in portioned,
spread with mustard, dredged in soft bread crumbs, and broiled. The other cut is broiled plain. The most
famous dish is pigramme of lamb. The breast is boiled, and the chops are broiled.
The name comes from the unexpected and witty meaning of the same word in poetry.
pluchage
French wine term for picking over grapes before they are crushed. This is done by hand.

poisses (Eppoisses)
French cows milk cheese from the Department Cte d'Or in the Burgundy region of France. Pale,
creamy, round with pungent, earthy taste. A monastery cheese. The rind is often washed with the local
marc (brandy) and often wrapped in leaves. It should be eaten when ripe, soft and runny, but not
overripe.
Erbo
Italian blue cheese.
Erce
French cheese made in the Department Languedoc.
Erdbeere
Strawberry in German. Erdbeer Kuchen (strawberry tart) is a well loved dessert in German
speaking countries.
ERGO
Energy drink developed by the US army.
Eriwani
Middle Eastern pickled cheese made from sheep milk in the Caucasus region of the former
Soviet Union. Also known as Karab, Tali, Kurini, Elisavetpolen, and Kasach.
erucic acid
Unhealthy element found in rape seed. This potentially harmful component can be removed by
processing, and rape seed oil marketed as canola oil is harmless.
Ervy
French cheese resembling Camembert, named after the village of Ervy in the Department Aube.
escabeche
Spanish marinated fish dish served cold. Fish is floured, browned on both sides in oil and
marinated with oil, vinegar, onions, tomatoes and other vegetables and spices. Related is the German
Brathering, which is herring prepared the same way without tomatoes.
escalope
French culinary term for a thin meat cutlet, normally veal, but also fish. The term refers to the cut,
rather than the dish itself.
The term is also used to describe a baked dish, such as scalloped potatoes baked with milk or
food baked in a scallop shell.
escamoles
Red ant larvae, eaten in Mexico. Available in Spring in Teptzotlan
escargots
The French word for snails.

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Escargots Bourguignonne.
The classical French snail preparation, and by far the most popular. The cooked snails (normally
canned) are placed back in their shells with a mixture of butter, garlic, shallots, white wine, salt and
pepper. To eat the snail requires a slender snail fork and a tong-like devise to hold the snail shell.
Occasionally, the shells leak, and the butter would run out.
A more modern way is to serve the snails in little ceramic pots or in mushroom caps.

escarole
Leaf lettuce variety, one of several members of the chicory family. It has large, broad dark green
outer leaves, with a small pale yellow tender core. The salad is less bitter than frise. See there.
Escarole is used in salads, but also in Italian cooking as a vegetable, braised with olive oil, garlic
and sometimes bacon. The vegetable is slightly bitter.
Also known as broad leaf endive, chicory or endive.
Escoffier, Auguste, 1846 to 1935
Famous French chef and associate of Caesar Ritz, the leading hotel man of the 19th century.
Escoffier was born in Villeneuve Loubet near Nice. He apprenticed in the restaurant Le Restaurant
Franaise in Nice. Escoffier made his name working at the Grand Hotel in Monte Carlo and the Hotel
National in Lucerne, Switzerland. Eventually he met Caesar Ritz.
Together with Ritz he opened the Savoy Hotel in London, the most luxurious hotel of its time. He
also opened the new Ritz Hotel in Paris and the Carlton Hotel in London in 1899, where he stayed until
his retirement.
Escoffier was not only Executive Chef but also Catering Director and Food and Beverage
manager long before these titles existed. He met the distinguished clientele and discussed menus with
them.
He helped open many luxury hotels in the world, and was invited to the opening of the Hotel
Pierre in New York City. Escoffier planned the kitchens for Hamburg - Amerika Steamship line. His is
reported to have had a conversation with the German Kaiser William II on board of the Liner SS.
Imperator during which he urged the Kaiser for rapprochement of Germany and France.
Escoffier wrote Le Guide Culinaire, a well regarded professional cook book, and other culinary
books.
Eskimo Pie
Invented by Iowa candy store owner Christian K. Nelson in 1919 and patented in January, 1922.
He developed a method for coating ice cream with melted chocolate, without melting the ice cream, and
originally called it the "I-Scream-Bar". It took some experimenting to find a chocolate rich enough with fat
to cling to the ice cream bar. In mid-1922, he went into partnership with Russell Stover in Omaha and the
name was changed to Eskimo Pie. They franchised the process, which was immediately successful.
By 1922 over 1,500 licenses to make the products have been issued, and over 1,000 000 pies a
day were sold. Patent infringements and other problems prompted Stover to sell out and establish a
candy company. The new partner was R. S. Reynolds, who manufactured the foil wrappers.
Esopus Spitzenburg
Apple variety popular in the 19th century.
Espadeiro
White wine grape native to Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain.
Espagnole sauce
French basic brown sauce. It is made by browning beef and veal bones, adding flavoring
vegetables, spices and tomato puree and water, simmering the stock for many hours.
The strained stock is then thickened with a brown roux, a mixture of fat and flour cooked until
light brown. See roux.

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Sauce espagnole is considered a basic, or mother sauce in French cuisine. The sauce demiglace is derived from espagnole, although in modern cooking there is little differentiation between the two
sauces.
The term is considered old fashioned.
espresso
Italian coffee preparation. Strong coffee is extracted by steam or hot water from finely gound
dark roasted coffee. The resulting brew is served in small cups. Espresso machines are mostly made in
Italy and are available for rent or purchase. Espresso became better known in the USA during the 1980's
and there are many restaurants now offering espresso coffee. In the US, but not in Italy, espresso is often
served with a lemon peel. This does not make sense, because the coffee has a strong flavor of its own,
and should not be adulterated with lemon.
Espresso coffee does not have as much caffeine as is generally believed because the brewing
process is so short. Most caffeine is extracted towards the end of the brewing process.
Many restaurants buy whole beans, and grind the coffee for each order. This practice make a
quality statement to most customers, who enjoy the smell of freshly ground coffee. Unless the coffee
grinder is meticulously cleaned and maintained the coffee can get an unpleasant flavor. Coffee beans are
very hard and dull the grinding mechanism. The coffee flavor is carried in aromatic oils, which can
become rancid.
esquire trenchant
Second in command in large households to manage the operation of the kitchen and dining
rooms under the supervision of the majordomo.
Esrom
Danish cows milk cheese resembling Port Salut.
essence
Intensely flavored liquid. In cooking, stock or juices reduced until very strong and flavorful. The
term is sometimes used to describe a sauce without thickening agent.
eocoetus
See flying fish.
Essencia
See vino de color.
The term essencia is also used for sweet, fortified wine.
Est!!! Est!!! Est!!!
Italian wine made around Montefiascone, north of Rome. The wine made from Trebbiano and
Malvasia grapes mostly semi dry.
The name is Latin and means It is, it is, it is and is based on the often told story about a German
bishop on his pilgrimage to Rome who sent his servant ahead to find accommodations and taste the wine
in the process. If the wine is acceptable he should write est on the tavern wall
When the servant reached Montefiascone he found the wine so delicious that he wrote est!!!
three times, and the bishop drank himself to death. His grave stone is still preserved.
estaminet
Old French term for small bar or bistro.
Estate bottling
Wine term for wine produced with wine grown on property, and bottled at the winery.
estomacs multres
Small molasses cookies made in Louisiana. The name refers to the brown color of the cookies,
referring to the French name for mulatto stomachs.

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estragon
French term for tarragon.

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estufas
Spanish and Portuguese word for stove. It is a wine term on the island of Madeira, where a
sweet and strong wine of the same name is made.
Estufas are sheds in which the wines are kept. These sheds can become rather hot under the
tropical sun, and the heat gives the Madeira wine its special character. See Madeira.
Eszencia
Very sweet and luscious dessert wine from the Tokay region of Hungary. It is probably the most
expensive and long lived wine in the world. Late picked grape berries, called Trockenbeeren, which
have been inflicted by noble rot (purriture noble) are pressed by their own weight. The juice that collects
is fermented into a incredible rare, sweet and luscious wine. See Trockenbeeren Auslese.
tamine (etamin)
French culinary term for sturdy cheese cloth used to strain sauces and soups.
ethanol
Fuel additive introduced after the 1973/74 oil crisis to avoid dependance on foreign oil and as a
solution to air pollution problems because it is clean burning. It is made from corn and in agricultural
states depending on corn such as Iowa plays a critical role. Ethanol blended gasoline is taxed 5.4 cents
less than pure gasoline. This tax advantage keeps the industry going and the corn prices high.
Ethanol evaporates more easily than gasoline and can produce smog.
Ethiopia food
Old civilization in Africa, also known as Abyssinia in parts of Europe and in the Arabic speaking
world. The cooking is based on millet, honey, teff (see), milk and bread made with millet or teff. Highly
seasoned dried meat, resembling jerky, is popular.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Alecha - generic name for stew, less spicy than wat, a hot stew
Chiko - roasted barley dip
dabo kolo - shortbread, biscuit
Doro wat - spicy chicken stew
Injera - pancake, universal staple food, often made with fermented millet flour or teff.
Kitfo - raw chopped beef
Metin shuro - vegetable stew made with dried legumes, onions and ginger
Niter kebbeh - spiced, clarified butter mixture used as seasoning
Wat - generic name for spicy stews always made with berbere.
Yakatlete kilkil - lenten vegetable stew
Yemiser selatta - lentil salad
Yeshi bar assa - chick pea flour lenten dish
SPICES INCLUDE:
Berbere - red pepper spice mixture used to flavor stews, but also eaten as dip with meat.
Basic seasoning include ginger, garlic, chili, cardamon, coriander, fennugrek seeds, cloves and
cinnamon.
BEVERAGES INCLUDE:
Coffee - very strong and often spiced. It is said that the coffee tree originated in Ethiopia.
Talla -beer brewed with wheat, barley or corn and gesho, the local hops.
Tej - fermented honey drink resembling mead.
ethylene gas
Ripening agent occurring naturally as by-product from fruits such as apples, bananas, citrus,
pears, and in some vegetables.
In food distribution, ethylene gas is routinely used to control the orderly flow of ripe fruits to the
market. Bananas for instance are always shipped green and kept refrigerated until needed, then are
ripened with ethylene gas.

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touffe
French culinary term for cooked at very low heat, in a closed container with minimal moisture.
The verb is touffer.
touffe
In New Orleans, the word is often used on menus to describe a rich, tangy-tasting, tomato-based
stew, commonly made with crawfish or shrimp.
tuv(e)
French for stewed. It can be used as noun to describe a dish.
tuv
French name for a Dutch cheese.
eucalyptus
Gum tree, the flavor extracted is popular in cough drops, it was also used to flavor wine.
Eucalyptus honey is much esteemed. See honey.
eulachon
Fatty food fish, about pan size, harvested in the Pacific North West. It is often smoked.
Also known as candle-fish, because the fish is so fat that a wick pulled through the fish will light.
Also known as Columbia River Smelts.
Evans, Len
Famous Australian winery owner and wine authority and TV personality. Native of Wales, Evans
was Australia's first wine writer with a boisterous, irreverent, some say rude personality. The wineries he
is associated with are The Rothbury Estate, Petaluma and the Evans Family Winery.
evaporated milk
Milk with a high percentage of water removed. It is not sweetened.
ewer
Pitcher with wide mouth.
exihiko
Greek term for cooking in a pit. Literally translated, of the countryside.
Explorateur
French triple-cream cheese with a mild flavor.
Extrawurst
German sausage. The term refers to special and was also colloquially used to demand
something extra or special.
eye
Term for the center cut of meat. Most often used for filet of beef or rib roast
Ezerjo
Hungarian white wine grape.
5th Avenue
Peanut butter candy bar.

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F.D.A.
Abbreviation of the Food and Drug Administration. A federal agency monitoring the food and
drug industry. The agency was formed 1931 to establish a wide range of standards, and to prevent
mislabeling.
The agency established in 1940 a Food Service Sanitation Ordinance which has been revised
periodically and serves states and local governments as guideline for formulating their own regulations.
fabada
Spanish bean stew or cocido, popular in northern Spain. Also called fabada asturiana.
Faber
German white wine grape.
FACT/Food Animals Concerns Trust
A society of farmers and breeders who advocate the humane and wholesome raising of food
animals. It is a proponent of free-range chickens and eggs from unconfined hens, which are sold under
the brand name of Nest Eggs.
faggot of herbs
British term for herb bundle. See bouquet garni.
fairy cakes
British cupcake, the top is sliced in half and placed on either side of the sliced bottom to
resemble fairy wings.
Also known as butterfly cake.
fairy-ring
Circle of mushrooms in a grassy area, named for the belief that its where magic fairies danced.
faisan
French term for pheasant.
fajitas
Mexican/Southern Texas dish created by Mexicans who migrated there. The dish consists of
quickly seared strips of marinated skirt steak, served sizzling hot off the griddle, with tortillas, grilled
onions, guacamole, and salsa.
Fajitas mean little belts or little strips. The dish is also prepared with fish and shellfish.
falafel
Middle Eastern dish of deep-fried ground chick pea mixture. Known as taamiya in Egypt. A
popular street food in Israel and in New York City.
Falerian wine, Falerno
Wines grown near Formia, outside Naples. The wines were much esteemed during antiquity.
Wines are still cultivated there, but they are not specifically outstanding.
During Roman times the wines were concentrated and diluted when used. The concentrated
wines kept a long time without spoiling. Horace and Virgil praised the wines.
family-style
Serving meals in large platters placed on the table. It is the common service method in Chinese
households and in restaurants.
fan
Chinese generic term for cooked grain, such as rice, corn or millet.

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fan yong tea

Chinese fermented, unscented tea with low tannin content.
fanning
Tea term describing the leaf size, no quality. See tea.
Fannie Farmer.
Cookbook author from New England. In her cookbook, published in 1896, measurements were
standardized.
fantan
Sweet yeast roll popular in the Mid-West, it opens like a fan when baked.
fantail
Culinary term to open up and flatten. It is often used for split shrimp and boneless fish fillets.
farandole
French term for a small individual assortment of items such as desserts.
faraona
Italian term for guinea hen.
farce
French word for forcemeat. It is normally finely ground meat, fish or fowl. The farce is often
enriched with heavy cream or ground suet. Bread or starch products are often added to extend the farce.
The verb is farcir, to stuff.
farfalle
Italian pasta in bow tie shape.
Farfel
Polish/Jewish term for small pasta pieces used as soup garnish.
farina
Term for ground cereal products, most often used for cereal. It is coarser than flour. Farina is
used as a brand name for a breakfast wheat cereal.
farinaceous foods
Foods with high starch content derived from cereal products.
farinage
Pasta products.
farinha/farinha de mandioca
Brazilian white manioc (or mandioca as it is known in Brazil) flour, a national staple used as
thickener, but also sprinkled over dishes such as the feijoada, the Brazilian national dish.
farinheira(s)
Brazilian wooden box for storing farinha flour. Usually kept right on the informal dining table
Farmer cheese
Whole milk, or skim milk cheese resembling cream cheese. Often used in baking, especially for
cheese cake and Danish pastry fillings. The fat content varies.

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The cheese made originally on farms, basically the same as cottage cheese, but pressed, and
firm. There are considerable differences between cheeses made in different locations. Fromage de
Ferme in French . It is softer than in the US.
faro
Belgian dark beer colored with caramel.

farro/faro
Grain from the Tuscany region in Italy that tastes like a combination of wild rice and groats. It is a
special strain of highly nutritious wheat and is becoming popular again. The most common name is spelt.
fasole
Italian term for broad green shell beans.
Fasching
Austrian word for carnival, traditionally a time of extensive revelry, eating, and drinking. It ends
on Ash Wednesday.
fasiola beans
Other name for cannellini beans. See there.
Fass
German term for barrel or keg.
Fassnacht
Pennsylvania Dutch fried doughnut made before lent.
fast food
Term describing food that can be prepared quickly with highly mechanized and standardized
methods.
Fast food are a phenomenon which was popularized in the US from the 1960's, and spread world
wide by chain restaurants.
The appeal is simple, consistent food, prepared and ready for its final heating or assembly,
usually served by inexpensive restaurants bearing familiar franchise names.
fasting
Period of self denial in order to foster communication with the supernatural world, purify the body
or soul, do penance, or demonstrate or plead a cause. Fasting can have different levels, from complete
abstinence of all food or drink to avoiding certain types or meals.
The Catholic church decreed that all fridays and lent are meatless which gave a tremendous
boost to the fishery industry and created demand for salted cod. See there.
Fasting is usually done for religious reasons, such as during Lent before Easter, during Advent
before Christians, on Yom Kippur, the day of Atonement for Jews, or Ramadan for followers of Islam.
When fasting is based on religious reasons, is usually followed by feasting.
fat
Fat is needed to sustain health, and about one third of the calories consumed should be fat.
Saturated fats are dangerous because they will raise the cholesterol level when ingested. High
levels of cholesterol can clog the arteries. Saturated fats are found in such diverse foods as meat, eggs,
dairy products and tropical oils.
Polyunsaturated fats are safer and are believed not to clog the arteries. They are found in most
vegetables oils. See cholesterol.
fat hen
Spinach like vegetable.

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fat horses
Thai snack made with ground pork and crab meat steamed in banana leaves or little cups.
fava beans
The only bean native to the old world, available fresh, canned and dried. The beans are normally
shelled, only when very young can the pods be eaten.
Also known as broad beans in Britain.
Vicia faba.
Faverges
Swiss pale, dry white wine cultivated on the slopes around Geneva.
Fearing, Dean
A very talented American chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, who made a
name quite early in his career for his innovative Southwestern cuisine at Mansion at Turtle Creek in
Dallas, Texas.
fcule (fecule)
French term for starch.
fedeli, fedellini
Italian dry pasta in the shape of fine strings.
Federspiel
Austrian/Wachau regional wine designation created 1983. The wine can be made with any grape
variety, and the alcohol content cannot exceed 12%. The wines are dry and are considered the classic
examples of regional wines.
See also Steinfelder and Smaragd.
Federweiss
Literally translated, feather white, grape cider with an apple taste. Popular around Mainz,
Germany.
feet
Feet have a high gelatine content and are added to stews and sauces to provide body and
structure.
fegato
Italian term for liver.
Fegato alla veneziana, a Venetian specialty. Calves liver sauteed in olive oil and butter with
onions.
feijoa
Tropical egg-shaped fruit with deep green skin which can be shiny or slightly downy. Black
seeds are imbedded in soft red pulp, and similar to the central arrangement of guava's white seeds. The
seeds are edible. Its rich aroma has nuances of pineapple, guava, grapes, and sometimes mint. The
texture soft, the taste medium sweet resembling a cross between lemon and pineapple.
Fejioa is used for jams and jellies and is named for Dom da Silva Feijoa, the Portuguese
botanist who discovered it in Brazil. It is cultivated primarily in New Zealand.
Also known as pineapple guava, Brazilian guava or guavasteen because it resembles guava in
taste, though it is only distantly related.
Feijoa sellowiana.

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feijoada
The Brazilian national dish, a bean stew with meats, such as jerked beef, smoked tongue,
sausages, bacon and pigs feet. Served with mandioca flour, the national staple in the form of farofa
(toasted) or farinha (not toasted). The dish is traditionally served family-style at home or in restaurants.
feine, feinste, hochfeine, hochfeinste
German wine terms which pre-date the new designations defined in 1971, representing
ascending degrees of quality.
Feinschmecker
German term for gourmet. Feinschmeckerladen is an old fashioned term for a fancy
delicatessen store.
fell
Butcher term for the paper thin layer on the outside of lamb and mutton legs. The word probably
is of German origin, because the Fell in German means hide or pelt.
Fendant
Swiss white wine made with the Chasselas grape. Most wine is made in the region of Vaud and
Valais. The wine is refreshing and agreeable.
Fenelar
Norwegian smoked mutton. The meat is rubbed with salt, saltpeter and sugar, smoked and air
dried.
fennel
Whitish celery-like, anise or licorice-flavored vegetable. Common in Italian and Mediterranean
cooking, and since the 1980's no longer considered stricktly an ethnic ingredient. fennel is an important
ingredient in Bouillabaisse. See there.
Also known as Florence fennel, because it originated in the Tuscany region around Florence,
Italy. Now widely cultivated in California it is said to have been brought to the US by Thomas Jefferson for
planting around his estate in Monticello, Virginia.
The vegetable consists of large bulbs of overlapping, thick-ribbed stalks at the base. These
spread out slightly and end with feathery leaves like those of dill. The rounded bulbs are male plants and
the slightly flattened ones are female plants, which are supposed to be more flavorful.
Fennel is used for its leaves, seeds and bulb. The feathery dill-like leaves are used as an herb
and the bulb is eaten raw or cooked, its seeds as a spice. The aromatic seeds are an ingredient in the
Chinese Five Spice powder. Fennel was valued in ancient times for its medicinal as well as its culinary
properties. Fennel is thought to aid digestion.
Colonial Americans chewed fennel seed, probably to mask bad breath. Puritans chewed them in
church, perhaps to mask the scent of alcohol, and fennel seeds became known as "meeting seeds". The
flavor is similar to anise but not as sweet. It is a main ingredient in Chinese five-spice powder.
The Greek word for fennel is marathon, because it once grew plentifully on the fields of
Marathon, Greece. The ancient Romans made a fennel-flavored spice cake, named mustaceum.
Also known as bulb fennel or finochio. Fenchel in German, fenouille in French, finochio in Italian.
See Anise.
Foeniculum vulgarities/foeniculum vulgare dulce.
Fenni
Brandy made with fermented cashew apples in Goa/Portuguese India.
fenouilett
French name of three pear varieties with strong anise flavor.
THE VARIETIES ARE:
Fenouilett gris, Fenouilett gros, Fenouilett rouge.

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fenugreek
Mediterranean herb cultivated for its seeds. Ancient seed used as food and in incense. Used as a
flavoring in chutney and baked goods. The name is derived from Latin trigonella little triangles.
Also known as birds foot, Greek hay seed.
Trigonella foenum-graecum.
Fer
French red wine grape variety used as blending wine in Southwest France.
fermentation
Process in which sugar is transformed into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The process is used in
many ways to transform food and has been used since antiquity. Fermentation needs accessible sugar,
warmth and moisture, and is caused by a living yeast enzyme.
Fermentation is stopped when the food supply is exhausted, when the temperature is too low or
too high, or when so much alcohol is produces as to stop fermentation.
Lactic fermentation takes place in milk and converts milk sugar into lactic acid. See yeast.
fermentation, malolactic
Wine term for secondary fermentation which takes place in many table wines. It is a beneficial
fermentation which renders the wine softer and more stable. Malolactic fermentation is a bacterial
fermentation and can be induced by inoculation and/or maintaining the wine in a warm environment.
fermented milk beverages
There are a number of fermented milk drinks popular in various countries. Some are mildly
alcoholic.
FERMENTED MILK BEVERAGES:
Dough - yoghurt blended with salt water and available bottled
Kaelder milk - a Norwegian milk drink.
Kefir - fermented camels milk
Kumiss - fermented mares milk, popular in Russia
Kyringa - lightly alcoholic sour milk
Laban or lassi - yoghurt drinks from the Middle East
Mazoum - yoghurt drink from Armenia
Skula - Carpathian beverage
Skyr - yoghurt beverage from Iceland.
fern
Perennial shade loving plant. The fiddle head variety is edible when the young curly shoots
appear in Spring.
Ferns may contain small amounts of toxin, which though not dangerous could cause discomfort.
See fiddlehead.
Matteuccia struthiopteris.
Fernao Pires
Portuguese white wine grape, grown mainly in the South.
Fernet Branca
Brand name for world famous Italian bitter with 40% alcohol content.
fesenjen
Middle Eastern dish of poultry, ground walnuts and pomegranate juice. Often served sprinkled
with pomegranate seeds.
festonati
Italian dry pasta shaped like small garlands.

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Feta
The major cheese of Greece. A tangy, white, salty tasting cheese made from either sheep's milk
or goat's milk. In Greece, it is most likely made with goat's or sheep's milk, outside Greece the cheese is
often made with cows milk. The cheese is marinated in brine and sold in brine. The texture ranges from
soft and creamy to almost dry. Feta cheese is used in spanakopita (flaky spinach and cheese pastry)
and in salads.
Fetasca Neagra
Romanian red wine grape variety, widely planted.
Fetasc Alb
Romanian white wine grape, identical to the Hungarian Lenyka, also called Mdchentraube in
the German speaking region.
feteer
Egyptian popular snack. Phyllo (filo or strudel) dough rolled around a choice of fillings, such as
dates or raisins, cheese, eggs or meat.
fetticus
See lambs lettuce or corn salad.
Fettkchle
Pennsylvania Dutch yeast doughnut, similar to the Pennsylvania Dutch Fassnacht or the
Bismarck.
fettuccine
Italian pasta in the shape of narrow noodles. The Roman name is tagliatelle.
Fettuccine Alfredo
Italian pasta dish, originally referred to as tagliatelle alla panna, but renamed for the restaurateur
in Rome who specialized in the dish. Fettuccine is the Roman name for the northern Italian ribbonshaped pasta.
The dish has become popular in Italian restaurants on account of it simplicity. The cooked pasta
is tossed with butter, cream, Parmesan cheese, pepper, and nutmeg and thickened with egg yolks.
fettunta
Italian/Tuscan specialty. Toasted bread, rubbed with garlic and olive oil, sometimes topped with
tomatoes or mushrooms.
A hearty peasant snack.
Fetzer
California winery located in Mendocino County's Redwood Valley. Begun by Barney and
Kathleen Fetzer in 1968. The company is still run by their 11 children, although the winery is now owned
by a large distillery. Before going into the wine business, Barney was a lumberman in northern California.
Paul Dolan has been the winemaker since 1977.
The winery produces over 1 million cases of good quality, reasonably priced wine annually.
Grapes include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Gewrztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Zinfandel. Fetzer specializes in organically grown wines, and also maintains a experimental large
garden, where unusual vegetable are grown for seed and preserved.
feuilletage
French term for puff pastry. The word refers to the layered dough and to the finished product.
See puff pastry.

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feuilette
French term for a small oak barrel of 136 liters capacity used in Chablis. Most have been
replaced by the Burgundian pices holding 228 liters.
feverfew
Strongly scented perennial herb with daisy like flowers that can be used for medicinal purposes.
The medicinal tea is considered a mood pacifier.
Chrysanthemum parthenium.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
fves
French term for mature, fleshy beans while still green. Slender beans are called haricots verts.
Fiaker Gulyas
Austrian/Viennese beef gulyas (goulash), topped with a fried egg and sausages, named after the
local horse carriage drivers.
fiasco/fiaschi
Italian bottle with a rounded bottom, supported by a basket. It is used for wine and oil. For many
years inexpensive Chianti wines were shipped in fiaschi, and many were made into lamps or candle
holders by college students.
fiber
Nutritional element contained in many foods, such as grains and some fruits. In addition to its
general nutritional value, fiber is credited for preventing some forms of cancer. Authorities agree that
adults should consume between 25 to 30 grams of fiber a day, although most Americans consume much
less.
Too much fiber can be harmful as it can cause intestinal distress and can cause the body to
excrete too many minerals.
There are two basic kinds of dietary fiber: Insoluble fiber such as wheat bran helps prevent
constipation and may prevent colon cancer, it merely ushers food through the body. Soluble fiber such as
oat bran are absorbed into bloodstream and assimilate excess cholesterol.
Fiber Tea
Blend of tea leaves and three fibers, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin, made by Oriental Best
Food of Hong Kong.
ficelle
French term for string. By extension a long slender loaf of crusty French or sourdough bread.
fiddle head greens
The curled up shoots of the ostrich fern, harvested in France and in the Northeastern U. S. and
Southeastern Canada. Because the shoots have not yet unfurled, they resemble the head of a violin or
fiddle. Their taste resembles asparagus. They are best served boiled for 10 minutes and then lightly
sauteed. Usually bought fresh, but can be purchased canned under the "Belle of Maine" label or frozen.
It grows in moist places such as river banks and is harvested in early spring. Fiddle heads may
contain small amounts of toxins, which though not dangerous could cause discomfort. Only young, tightly
curled shoots should be eaten. As soon as the ferns begin to open and acquires a purplish tinge, they
becomes too toxic to be consumed.
Also known as bracken.
Pteridium aquilinium.
field salad
Another name for lambs lettuce. See there.

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field blends
Wine term which refers to a style of wine making popular in California in the early part of the 20th
century, especially for red wines. Several grape varieties were planted in the same vineyard and picked
and crushed together, so the resulting wine was automatically a blend. Obviously the grapes did not
ripen at the same time, and the wine was mediocre.
field mushrooms
Mushroom growing wild in Europe on meadows. The head is white.
Agaricus campestris; vaporarious.
fieldcress
Wild growing green with a garlicky taste. Used in salads. The same field garlic.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
fifth
Bottle size. 1/5 of a gallon or 25.6 fl oz. or 760 ml. It was often used for distilled beverages.
figs
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Rounded fruits, pointed at the stem end and growing on trees

in temperate climates. Ripe figs vary in color from bright green to deep
purple, depending on the variety. They have been cultivated since
prehistoric times, primarily because they can be dried for storage, an
important factor in early times. Fresh figs are very perishable.
Figs have ruby-red flesh with white protrusions of firmer flesh.
They usually contain a large number of minute seeds, but some
varieties are seedless. The flavor is sweet and fragrant.
Figs are grown mainly in Turkey, Greece, Italy, and California.
They play an important economic role in Turkey and Greece.
TYPES INCLUDE:
Black mission, a black or grayish-black variety, a rich maroon
color inside
Brown turkey with reddish-brown skin
Calimyra or kadota, greenish figs, which ripen to a chartreuse,
pale yellow, or golden hue.
Sari lob, a purple variety of kadota fig grown in Greece, Cyprus, and Israel.
Smyrna from Turkey, often dried. A tiny wasp plays an important role in pollinating.
Figs are available canned, dried and fresh. Dried figs are often sold in on strings tied to wreaths.
The fig tree exudes a white latex sap, which is used in the Middle East to curdle milk for cheese
and yogurt.
Ficus carica.
Fig Newtons
Cookie invented in May, 1882 by James Mitchell who developed a machine to fill a hollow crust
with jam. The machine was installed in Massachusetts and the cookie was named for the nearby town of
Newton, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston.
The bakery developed several new cookie recipes and named them for Boston area towns and
landmarks. There were also the Brighton, the Cambridge Salt, and the Melrose.
Figeac, Chteau
Famous wine estate in the St. Emilion region of Bordeaux, France.

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fighting varietals
A marketing competition, in which major, large California wineries sought ways to produce
varietal wines inexpensively and tried to make inroads in the wine market by selling these wines at the
lowest prices.
Fiji
See kava.
filbert(s)
English variety of hazelnut. Thus all filberts are hazelnuts, but not all hazelnuts are filberts. The
are named for St. Philbert, a French abbot whose feast day falls in late August, and the nuts are said to
ripen on this feast day. Crisp texture. Slightly sweet taste.
See hazelnuts.
Corylus maxima.
fil/fil powder
Powdered dried sassafras leaves, used to thicken and season Cajun gumbos. Despite the
French word used by the Cajuns, its use originated with the Choctaw Indians.
filet mignon
American term for a steak cut from the center of the beef tenderloin. In French cuisine, the filet
mignon is cut from the tail (narrow) end of the tenderloin, as the name indicates (mignon means small).
However, in the US, the term applies to the best, the center part, of the tenderloin. The dish was
mentioned in the book The Four Million by O. Henry in 1906.
filet
The French word for thread. In culinary usage, it is applied to a boneless, and rather long meat
muscle. Generally, the beef tenderloin is called filet of beef. The term is also often applied to the inside
breast muscle of chicken. The term is masculin. It is often misspelled on banquet menus as Petite Filet
Mignon.
fillet
In English, a fillet refers to fish, and filet to meat. the terms are often misused on menus.
Filhot, Chteau
Famous wine estate in the Sauternes region south of Bordeaux, France. The wines are sweet.
filo
Paper thin dough, used in layers, and filled with either savory or sweet fillings. Popular in Turkish
and Greek cooking. On account of travel and war, filo dough reached Vienna, Austria during the 16th
century and is called Strudel Teig in German. See Strudel.
Filo sheets are available commercially and are shipped frozen, and should be defrosted in the
refrigerator for best results.
Kataife is shredded dough.
Also known as phyllo or phylo.
filtering
Wines are filtered to remove dead yeast cells and other impurities. Too aggressive filtering can
destroy some of the finer qualities in the wine. Filtering is often done with charcoal filters.
There are also unfiltered wines on the market.
See also fining.
financire, la
French culinary term for a rich garnish including truffles, cocks combs, mushrooms and
quenelles.

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Findling
German white wine grape.
fines
Confectionary term which refers to the fine oily powder left after nuts are chopped for candy.
fines herbs
French term for chopped herbs, in most restaurants just parsley, but originally chervil, tarragon,
chives and parsley. The term appear often in connection with omelettes.
finger bowl
Small silver or glass container filled with hot water and garnished with a lemon slice or rose
petals. It is presented along with a napkin at formal dinners after a course which required the diners to
use their fingers.
The diners are expected to dip their fingers in the bowl, and dry them with a napkin. The finger
bowl is then removed, and the napkin replaced.
Finger Lakes
The principal wine producing district in New York State. The area is named after the four narrow,
almost parallel lakes south of Rochester.
fining
Wine term for clarifying wine. This can be done by filtering, but also by adding a fining agent,
such as egg white or other albumin. They are added to the wine while still in the barrel and gradually
settle, carrying all the impurities to the bottom.
Collage in French.
Finland food
Although geographically part of Scandinavia, Finland was settled by an Asian tribe remotely
related to the Magyars of Hungary.
The food is a combination Russian influence, the huge neighbor to the East, and Scandinavian
dishes.
The native Sami population in the far North depends on reindeer meat during winter and spring,
and fish during the summer. Wild berries are abundant. The short growing season also provides a
variety of mushrooms.
Coffee is popular.
finnan haddie
Cold smoked small haddock, fished off the coast of Scotland. Supposedly first made by accident
in Findon, Scotland. Haddock was hanging to dry when fire swept through the building. When the fire and
smoke cleared, the haddock was found to have a beautiful golden color and a deliciously enhanced
flavor. Finnan haddie is normally poached in water with a little milk added to reduce the saltiness. It was
a popular fish for breakfast and lunch on steamships and large hotels both sides of the Atlantic. It has
lost much popularity.
Most finnan haddie sold these days are smoked fillet of cod and haddock from the North Atlantic.
The genuine finnan haddie is sold butterflied, bone and tail in.
finochio
The Italian name for fennel.
fino
Term used for very dry Sherry wines.
finocchiona
Italian salami spiced with fennel seeds.

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fint
European fish resembling shad. See there.
fiochetti
Italian dry pasta in the shape of small rolled bows, available plain and green.
Fior dAlpi
Italian alpine herb flavored liqueur. The bottle often contains a sprig of and alpine flower.
fior di latte
Italian mozzarella-like cheese, but made with cow's milk rather than buffalo milk, and softer in
texture than mozzarella. Produced in the Agerola region of the Sorrento Peninsula, near Naples
Fiore Sardo
Italian hard sheep's milk cheese with a mild flavor.
fios de ovos
Portuguese dessert made of treads made by poaching egg yolks in syrup. The golden, delicate
treads are served as dessert mounted into nests or beehives. They are eaten by themselves or used to
decorate cakes or pastries.
The dessert was created by the nuns of the convent of Esperanca in Beja. Originally they
punctures a tine hole in an egg shell and seined out the yolks in a long stream into a pot of bubbling
sugar syrup. A special funnel is used today.
fire pot
Chinese doughnut-shaped cooking pot, usually of copper, for cooking at the table. A center
chimney vents the flame underneath.
Used to cook such items as paper thin slices of beef, chicken, shrimp, squid, other seafood,
cabbage, cellophane noodles.
first growth
English wine term used in Bordeaux and Chablis for classifying wines. Premier cru in French.
fish
The different fish species are listed alphabetically under their names.
fish and chips
British popular food consisting of a batter-fried fish fillet and french fries. Traditionally eaten
sprinkled with vinegar, and originally served as street food on folded newspapers.
fish balls
Ground lean fish blended with flour and starches, shaped and poached. The Jewish gefilte fish
belongs in this category. The fish is also blended with mashed potatoes, breaded and fried such as cod
fish cakes.
fish culture
Propagation of principal food fishes and shellfish in fish hatcheries.
Also known as Pisciculture and fish farming.
Fish, fatty, listed alphabetically
FATTY SALT WATER FISHES:
Anchovies
Billfishes, such as Marlin, Sailfish and Spearfish
Bluefish
Butterfish, Pacific pompano
Drums, such as Corvinas, Kingfish, Weakfish and White Sea Bass

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Herring, such as Atlantic Herring, Pacific Herring, Pacific Plichard, Spanish Sardine
Jacks and Pompano, such as Florida Pompano, Jack, Lookdown and Permit
Mackerels, such as Atlantic Mackerel, Bonito, King Mackerel, Little Tunny, Pacifc Mackerel,
Skipjack, Spanish Mackerel and Wahoo
Porgies, such as Sea Bream
Rays
Rockfishes, such as Pacific Ocean Perch and Redfish
Sablefish
Smelts, such as Capelin and Whitebait
Swordfish
Tunas, such as Albacore and Yellowfin.
FATTY SALTWATER AND FRESHWATER FISHES:
Artic Char
Drums, such as Croakers, Red Drum and Spotted Seatrout
Eel, American Eel
Lake Whitefish
Lamprey
Mullets, Striped
Porgies, such as Pinfish and Sheepshead
Shad, such as American Shad and Hickory Shad
Smelts, such as Eulochon, Rainbow Smelt and Surf Smelt
Striped Bass
Salmon, all types
FATTY FRESHWATER FISHES:
Ciscos, such as Bloater and Lake Herring
Drum, freshwater
Mooneye, Goldeye
Paddlefish
Trout
Fish, lean, listed alphabetically
LEAN SALTWATER FISHES:
Codfish, such as Atlantic Cod, Cusk, Haddock, Hake, Pacific Cod, Pollock and Tomcod
Dolphin, Pompano Dolphin
Flounder and flat fishes, such as Dabs, Fluke, Atlantic Halibut, Pacific Halibut,
California Halibut, Plaice, Butter Sole, Dover Sole, Lemon Sole, Petrale Sole, Rex Sole,
Rock Sole and Turbot
Puffer, Atlantic
Sea Bass, such as Black Sea Bass, Nassau Grouper, Red grouper
Snapper, such as Mutton Snapper and Red Snapper.
Tunas, such as Albacore and Yellowfin.
Atlantic tomcod
Snooks
Southern Flounder
LEAN FRESHWATER FISHES:
Carp
Catfish, such as Bullhead and Madtom
Perches, such as Sauger, Walleye and Yellow Perch
Pikes, such as Chain Pickerel, Grass Pickerel, Muskellunge, Northern Pike, Redfin Pickerel
Suckers, such as Carpsuckers, Quillback and Redhorse
Sunfishes, such as Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed Bass, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass.
fish
MARKET TERMS
Whole or round- entire fish
Drawn - guts removed

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Fillets - boneless fillets

Dressed - head and fins removed, pan ready
Steaks - cut across with bones left in.
fish fork
Small fork with three tines. Most restaurants use salad forks with four tines.
fish head curry
Indian and Malayan popular dish served at banana leaf restaurants in Singapore. A portion
consists of one large sea bream head atop a fiery curry sauce, flavored with lemon grass, tamarind, and
coconut milk.
See banana leaf restaurants.
Fish House Punch
Traditional welcoming punch at the club of the same name in Philadelphia during colonial times.
The punch consisted of Jamaican rum, cognac, peach brandy and lemon juice, sweetened to taste.
fish kettle
Long pot with corresponding perforated insert to poach whole fish. The insert helps to lift the fish
out of the stock.
Also known as fish poacher.
fish knife
Spatula like implement to eat fish at the table.
fish muddle
Fish stew in North Carolina.
fish sauce
Bottled South Asian condiment. There are many varieties.
Also known as Nam pya ye in Burmese.
fish stick
Processed fish, normally breaded or batter dipped, shaped like a small stick. It is always sold
frozen and in most cases already fried.
fistulina hepatica
Edible fungus growing on oak trees.
Also known as ox tongue, langue de boeuf.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Fitou
French red wine from the Midi region.
Five spice powder
Pungent and slightly sweet mixture consisting of cinnamon, fennel, cloves, star anise and black
pepper used in Chinese cooking.
Fixin
Burgundy wine village known for excellent red wines.
fizz
Effervescent alcoholic beverage made with a distilled spirit and mineral water, such as gin fizz.

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flageolet
French term for small shelled beans. See beans.
Flagey chzeaux
Burgundy wine village. The Vosne Romane wines are cultivated around Flagey.
flamb/flambe
Adding spirit to a dish and burning off the alcohol. It is done both in the kitchen and in the dining
room, although the practice is old fashioned, dangerous and not really necessary because alcohol will
evaporate when heated about 170 degrees.
Flaming food was basically done for show, and some dining room personnel were masters in
creating high flames. It is still done on cruise ships, usually for the captains dinner when flaming Baked
Alaska is served. The alcohol actually does not touch the food but is poured into little cups embedded in
the meringue.
flan
Word with two culinary meanings:
Open, flat tart.
Custard.
flank steak
Tender beef cut that can be broiled. It is the flat muscle embedded inside the udder end of the
flank. The weight range is between 1 and 3 lb fully trimmed.
Meat Buyers Guide # 193.
flannel cake
Pancake. See there.
flauta
Mexican rolled flour tortilla resembling a flute, filled with meat and deep fried. Spanish for flute.
flavored salts
Bay or sea salt are natural salts and may contain traces of sea flavor. Most other flavored salts
are blends of salt and spices or extracts. The most common flavors are garlic and celery.
The French sel pice is a mixture of salt and spices.
flavored vinegars
Vinegars, usually wine vinegar, steeped with herbs or spices. They are commercially available
and the most common herbs used are basil, rosemary, savory, tarragon and thyme.
Fletcherism
Diet fad in the early 20th century, named after Horace Fletcher 1849 - 1919. The term to
fletcherize means to chew food to aid digestion thirty-two times, once for every tooth.
Fltri
Swiss sweet wine made by drying the grapes on straw mats in the sun.
fleuron
French culinary term for small puff pastry piece, normally in half moon shape. Fleurons are
traditionally served with creamed dishes, specifically fish dishes with cream sauce to provide a contrast of
textures.
flint corn
Indian corn with very hard kernels. See corn.
Zea mays indurata.

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flip
Old English drink, consisting of various alcoholic beverages, including beer and rum, heated with
a hot poker iron.
It was served in special glasses called flip glasses. They were thicker than ordinary glasses.
flitch
Old English term for a side of bacon and by extension sides of meat or fish. Halibut fillets are
sold in the trade as fledges.
floating island
Commonly known by its French name, le flottante. Originally a layered sponge cake dessert,
soaked with liqueur and filled with apricot preserves, currants and chopped almonds. The cake is
covered with whipped cream, and served surrounded by either custard sauce (crme langlaise) or
raspberry sauce.
The name is often erroneously used for a different dessert called oeufs la neige, which is
meringue "eggs" floating in a custard sauce.
flor
Spanish wine term referring to the beneficial mold that forms on the surface of certain wines after
fermentation. The flor needs oxygen to grown and radically transform the flavor and color of the wine. It
is the important process that transforms wine into Sherry.
Flor occurs naturally in certain districts, but can also be artificially induced.
florentine, la
French old menu term for dishes containing spinach.
Florentines
Lace cookies made with almonds and candied fruits.
flounder
Generic name for a number of flatfish species.
flour
Ground grains or other starchy products such as tubers, roots, fish and fruits. The process of
flour making is lost in antiquity. It was discovered that humans can not convert the grain starches into
sugars without application of heat. Cracking the hard kernels was a logical process to cook the grains
faster. When this happened is obscured in antiquity, but a sort of flat bread was used already during the
stone age. The grinding equipment started with mortar and pestle and eventually progressed to two flat
stones.
Around 800 B.C. the circular motion of the grinding stones was used. During the middle ages,
windmills for turning the stones became known in Europe, and water power as well as animal locomotion
was also widely employed.
Wheat flour is classified as hard or soft. Hard wheat flour is made from durum or winter wheat.
HARD WHEAT FLOUR CLASSIFICATION:
Hard wheat flour - 100 % straight, or strong flour, used for hard rolls and pizza
Patent flour - also called bread flour, flour with high gluten content for general use.
First clear and second clear - high gluten flour, slightly dark.
Whole wheat flour - also called Graham flour.
SOFT WHEAT FLOUR:
Cake and pastry flour - with a lower gluten content than hard wheat flour.
RYE FLOUR:
Pumpernickel flour - available as Patent or light flour, medium and dark.
Rye flour has a low gluten content. Rye blend consisting of rye flour and clear flour is also
available.
Most flours are blends of different wheats to maintain consistency and are enriched with thiamin,
riboflavin, niacin and iron to replace nutrients lost in milling. Bleached flour must be labeled according to

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federal regulations. Flour should be aged 8 to 10 weeks or chemically aged to give it the proper baking
qualities.
Flours are also made with corn, barley, oat, rice and ethnic grains.
Stone ground flour is a coarse flour ground with mill stones rather than metal rollers. Since the
grinding process is slower and generated less heat fewer nutrients are lost.
The best flour for roux is bread flour, because it has a high gluten content.
Southern flour is a soft winter wheat flour with a low protein content. This makes for fluffier biscuits.
flowers
See edible flowers.
flower cheese
English cheese containing flowers petals, such as Rose petals and Marigold petals.
fluke
Flat fish, term used interchangeably for flounder. See there.
flummery
Old term for various desserts normally custards or puddings. Originally flummery was oat bran
slightly fermented, and then boiled.
Also known as flumery, flomery.
flute
TERM WITH MANY MEANINGS:
Long stemmed champagne glass
Long, crusty French bread, also known as baguette
Used as verb to press pastry dough at the rim of a mold before baking.
flying fish
Tropical ocean food fish of the family exocoetida popular in the Caribbean and the Phillippines.
flying foxes
Fruit bats are eaten on the South Pacific island of Tonga. The bats are said to be gamey but
tasty.
Pteropus.
focaccia
Italian bread topped with onions, olives, tomatoes and herbs. The word is derived from the Latin
word focus, hearth.
Fogas
Pike perch, a fresh water food fish harvested in the lake Balaton in Hungary, the largest warm
water lake in Central Europe.
Foggiano
Italian cheese made with ewes milk in the province Apulio.
foie gras
French term for fat liver, by extension fatty livers from geese and duckling. The industry started
in Alsace, France, and is based on force feeding geese until their liver expanded to grotesque size. A
hand cranked auger called gavage was used to force feed the birds. The livers are a delicacy, but the
use of the gavage is outlawed in most countries.
See foie gras.
The liver is rather large, light in color and is used in hot dishes or in pats and other cold
preparations. The production of foie gras has shifted from Alsace to other parts of France, to Israel, to

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Eastern Europe and also to the US. A special breed of Peking duck crossed with moulard duck is used in
the US. Fresh foie gras has become a readily available item in luxury restaurants.
French foie gras is produced slightly different from American foie gras and lends itself more to the
production of mousse and pat, whereas the American foie gras is more suitable for sauteeing.
France uses more foie gras than it can produce and much is imported from Eastern Europe,
especially Hungary. French foie gras producers use different types of feed and a group of producers
from Southwest France were able to get a quality Appellation Controlle designation from the French
government for their products because they use only pure corn.
TERMS:
Foie gras naturel - raw liver or cooked canned whole liver
Pt de foie gras - liver baked in pastry crusts, often called en crote. The same term is used for
just canned pat.
Pure de foie gras - made with liver trimmings
Saucisson de foie gras - canned sausage product
Terrine de foie gras - livers baked in earthen terrines
Canned foie gras products often contain slivered truffles.
fold
Culinary term for carefully blending ingredients together, such as folding whipped egg whites into
a batter.
Folle Blanche
French white wine grape used in the production of Cognac and Armagnac.
fond d'artichaut
French for artichoke bottom.
fond
French term for stock of any kind. For example, fond de veau is veal stock.
fonda
Spanish term for hotel or restaurant. La Fonda del Sol was a very successful restaurant in New
York City created by Joe Baum and operated by Restaurant Associates.
fondant
Boiled sugar icing. It is commercially available, and only needs to be warmed. By extension the
name for candies made with fondant.
fondue
French term for melted food. The most famous fondue is Swiss, made with melted cheese. A
special fondue pot, called caquelon, is rubbed with garlic, the diced cheeses, such as Appenzeller,
Greyezer (Gruyre) and Freiburger Vacharin are added, and all is melted over very low heat with dry
white wine. When the cheese is melted, a small amount of corn starch, mixed with Kirsch brandy, is
added. The dish is served in the original pot, over a low flame to keep the cheese melted, with chunks of
crusty breads. The guests are expected to dip the bread, on long forks, into the melted cheese.
Fondue Bourguignon has no melting food. It consists of tender meat and seafood pieces and
skewers, and dipped into hot oil at the table. Hot and cold sauce dipping are served.
Both Fondue varieties have lost on popularity. The Swiss Fondue can be fattening, and develops
a strong smell in the dining room. The other fondue is a fire and accident hazard.
Chocolate Fondue is a relative newcomer. It is chocolate sauce, kept hot on the table with a
warmer. Small pieces of solid fruits, berries and cake are supplied to be dipped. It is a fun dish, but with
concern about diets, also lost popularity.
fonduta
Italian specialty of the Piedmont district. A fontina cheese and egg custard.

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Fontainbleau
French famous palace castle on the Loire river, and also the name for a triple crme cheese.
French dessert made by whipping very rich cream cheese with sugar and berries.
Fontina
Italian cheese from the region of Piedmont/Valle d'Aosta. The cheese has been made since the
eleventh century, and is best when made in high mountain valley of Aosta. The original Fontina has a
light brown rind, is a warm ivory color, and resembles in texture Gruyre cheese.
The name Fontina is not protected, and there is much imitation Fontina on the market. The
cheese covered with red wax often labeled as Fontina is not genuine.
Fontini
Italian goat cheese.
food stamps
Federal program that provides coupons to poor people to be used for food purchases. Luxury
foods and alcoholic beverages cannot be purchased with food stamps.
fool
British dessert of fruit puree blended with pastry cream and whipped cream, frequently served in
a tall glass. Popular is gooseberry fool.
foot
Term used for the edible body part of mollusks used for moving or clinging to rocks.
forbidden fruit
The term goes back to Biblical reference to the apple Adam and Eve were not allowed to eat.
It is assumed that the shaddock was meant. See there.
Forbidden Fruit
Proprietary name for a citrus flavored liqueur.
forcemeat
Chopped raw meat or fish, blended with spices, cream and eggs, used for stuffing. Often an
extender such as bread or starch products are also incorporated.
The generic French term is farce. See there.
Fore Sardo
Italian cheese from the region of Sardegna.
forestire
French culinary term for dishes garnished with mushrooms.
Forever Yours
Mars candy bar Vanilla Milky Way covered in dark chocolate, which is no longer made.
Forez
French cheese, also called d'Ambert, made in central France. The cheese is cured in cellars, and
resembles Roquefort. See there.
Formagelle
Italian cheese made from ewes or goats milk in the mountains of northern Italy. The cheese is
often consumed fresh.
Formaggi di Pasta Filata

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Italian name for a group of cheeses made by heating the curd until it is plastic in consistency, and
shaping it into braids, ropes or twists.
TYPICAL PLASTIC CURD CHEESES ARE:
Caciocavallo from Italy
Kaskavalj from Eastern Europe
Katschkawal from Eastern Europe
Moliterno from Italy
Mozzarella from Italy
Oschtjepek from Eastern Europe
Parencia from Eastern Europe
Provatura from Italy
Provolone from Italy
Scamorze from Italy.
Formosa oolong tea
Black semi-fermented tea from Taiwan with large leaves and slight peach aroma.
Forst
Small German wine village in the Palatinate famous for excellent white wines.
Forta
German white wine grape.
fortified wines
Wines with brandy added. They were originally fortified to preserve them during long sea
voyages. Common is an alcohol content of 18% to 20% or more. The term is not allowed on labels and in
advertising.
FORTIFIED WINES ARE:
Madeira - from the Portuguese Island of the same name
Mlaga - from Spain
Marsala - from Sicily
Port - from Portugal
Sherry - from Spain
Most aperitive wines are also fortified.
Fortune cookies
American invention based on the Japanese crisp sembei crackers.
foudre
Wine term for large casks for transporting wine. The better term is Fuder. See there.
fougasse
French term for bread topped with onions, olives, tomatoes and herbs. The word is derived from
the Latin word focus, hearth.
Fougner, G. Selmer
A jounalist and wine writer, who wrote a daily wine and dining column for The New York Sun.
1884-1941.
Fourme dAlbert
French cows milk blue cheese resembling Stilton. See there.
Also known as Fourme de Cantal.
fowl
Generic term for bird, but used as culinary term to describe a hen beyond its egg laying time,
slaughtered for soup meat.

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Fox grape
Grape native to the US from which numerous cultivated varieties have been developed.
Vitis Labrusca. See there.
foxiness
Wine term for the taste of wines made with native American grapes.
frais des bois
French term for wild strawberries. They are usually small but flavorful. Strawberries resembling
frais des bois are also cultivated.
Framboises
French term for raspberries.
Frambois
Imported raspberry brandy. The best is produced in the Black Forest region of Germany, in
Alsace, France and in Switzerland. The brandy is clear and dry. The German term ist Himbeergeist.
Franconia
Important German wine district centered in Wrzburg. See German wine.
Franconia potatoes
Dish from the Franconia mountain range in New Hampshire. Boiled potatoes baked with butter.
Frangelica
Italian liqueur made in the town of Barbero sold in a friar shaped bottle with hazelnut flavor and
hints of cocoa, berries and flowers.
frangipane
Pastry cream mixed with crumbled macaroon cookies. See pastry cream. The term is also used
for a cake filled with frangipane.
Frangipani
Italian nobleman and chef who takes credit for inventing frangipane cream during the reign of
Louis XIII of France.
Frankfurter
Slim, long German sausage, the forerunner of the hot dog. The genuine Frankfurter is made with
pork, pork fat and is smoked.
frankincense
The sap of trees of the genus boswellia. Oman was a major producer and the dried sap was an
expensive comodity.
frappe/frapp(e)
French for quickly chilled. Frapp is an iced drink, often a cordial served orver crushed ice.
Frascati
Famous Italian white wine made south of Rome. It can be dry, semi dry and sweet. Most
Frascati sold in the US is dry.
free-range chicken
According to the USDA regulations in 1996, a free-range chicken is a bird that has access to
outdoors. The regulations do not specify feed, size of outdoors, or length of time the bird spends
outdoors.

356

The term was originally coined by Larry Forgione, chef owner of the American Place Restaurant
in Manhattan. It was to indicate that the bird was raised on a small, local farm.
freeze drying
Method of drying frozen food under a vacuum. It requires less heat than normal drying and will
therefore retain flavors better. The most successful freeze dried product is instant coffee.
Freisa
Italian red wine grape variety grown in Piedmont since 1799, high in acids and tannin.
Freisamer
German white wine grape.
French 75
Cocktail supposedly invented by Leon Bertrand Arnaud Casenove, owner of Arnauds's restaurant
in New Orleans. There are many versions, but they all contain champagne.
French Colombard
White Vinifera grape, also known as West's White Pacific grape, and as Colombard in France.
The wine made from this grape is used primarily as a blending wine.
French beans
Very fine string beans, also known as haricots verts. See there.
French dressing
Dressing made originally by combining oil and vinegar. Commercial versions are made with
tomato products, and are thickend.
french fries/french fry
Abbreviation for French fried potatoes. Potatoes cooked submerged in hot fat.
The potatoes are always cut in strips, but can be in many different thicknesses, with and without skin,
straight cut or crinkle cut.
The potatoes must be cooked twice in fat, first cooked at a lower temperature until done, and
then cooked at a slightly higher temperature until crisp. French fries freeze well, and most restaurants buy
them frozen. They are a staple at fast food restaurants.
Pommes frites in French, and in England chips.
French onion soup
Menu term for onion soup based on meat stock. It is most often served gratine meaning with a
slice of toast, sprinkled with grated cheese and browned. Unfortunately the soup is seldom correctly
made.
The soup is better when the onions are slowly sauteed until caramelized, good beef stock is
added and the soup is slowly boiled. A slice of toasted French bread is place on to bottom of a fireproof
terrine, the soup ladled over the bread. sprinkled with a blend of Parmesan and Gruyre cheese and
baked in a water bath in the oven until brown.
French onions
Name sometimes used in Washington state for the Walla Walla onions grown there. The term
French onions comes from the fact that the seed was first brought to the US from Corsica by a
Frenchman, Peter Pieri. See Walla Walla.
French Tarragon
herb, the better of the two tarragon species, native to Europe and used an many French dishes.
The flavor is assertive.
The other species is Russian tarragon with coarser leaves and less flavor.

357

French toast
Breakfast dish consisting of bread dipped in an egg and milk/cream mixture, sauteed and served
with maple syrup or other fruit syrups. The dish is known under many names in other cultures, and was
invented to use up stale bread.
To make French toast properly the egg mixture must penetrate the bread thoroughly to keep the
center of the bread moist. This is best accomplished by soaking the bread. The bread cannot be too
dense, it would not allow the egg mixture to penetrate, but cannot be too soft, otherwise it would
disintegrate. The best bread is french bread, but imaginative chefs make French toast with challah
bread, brioche, plain white bread and many other breads, with varying success.
Pain perdu in French, Arme Ritter in German, Pofesen in Austria, torriga in Spain. In these
countries, French toast is served as dessert rather than as a breakfast item.
Frenet Branca
Italian brand of bitters. See there.
fresa
Spanish name for strawberry.
Fresa
Cheese made in Sardinia.
fresh
Much used food term and difficult to define. The FDA defines fresh in the negative, as a term that
"should not be applied to foods which have been subjected to any from of heat or chemical processing."
The term fresh, applied to poultry, according to the USDA in 1996, means that the product was
transported and stored above 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The term does not address the length of storage or transportation. A vegetable harvested in
California and sold in New York City is at least 4 days old if transported by truck, a fresh vegetable
harvested in New Jersey might be only a few hours old. Both products can claim the term fresh.
The famous New York restaurateur Joseph Baum did not allow the term fresh on any menus.
Frey, Emil
Cheese maker from Upstate New York credited with inventing Liederkranz cheese. See there.
friandises
French menu term for small, fancy cookies. The term can also be used for small delicacies.
Fribourg
Cheese made originally around the town of the same name in Switzerland. The cheese is a hard
grating cheese, resembling Sbrinz (also called Spalen). The cheese is also made in Italy.
fricandeau
French for bottom round, a meat muscle in the leg. Most often used in connection with veal.
Meat Buyers Guide # 171 for beef.
fricandelles/fricadelles
Generic term for meat balls, usually made with veal and soaked white bread. See Frikadellen.
fricasse
White stew usually made with veal or chicken.
Friesian Clove
Dutch cheese flavored with cloves. The cheese resembles Leyden cheese.
frijol, frijoles
Spanish generic name for dried beans, an important staple in many South American countries.

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Frikadellen.
German word for small, oblong meat balls or meat patties. The meat is often a mixture of beef,
pork and veal, seasoning and bread.
Frischkse
German word for fresh cottage cheese, also called Quark in German.
frise (frisee)
Also known as curley endive. See there.
fritter
Generic term for fried dough or paste of any kind.
fritto misto
Italian dish consisting of fried meats, fish and vegetables. It can be compared with Japanese
tempura, although fritto misto is usually breaded rather than dipped in batter.
friture
French term for deep fat fryer.
frivolit(s)
French for very small delicacies. The term might have been coined by Chef Escoffier.
frogs legs
The hind legs of frogs were once considered a delicacy, but have lost much appeal. The most
common preparation was sauteed frogs legs Provenal, which included garlic and stewed tomatoes.
The frogs usually used are rana esculenta. Frogs are raised in ponds, and much product is
imported from India.
fromage
French generic name for cheese. The name originated from the Greek word formos for baskets,
because the curd was drained in baskets.
fromage la crme
French cream cheese. It is consumed fresh, sweetened, and often molded in wicker baskets.
When molded in heart shaped baskets it is known as Coeur la crme.
fromage blanc
The most basic French cheese, soured milk drained in a cheese cloth.
fromage fort
French cheese from the Department Ain. The cheese resembles Fondue, made in Lorraine, and
Canquilotte.
fromage frais
French generic term for fresh cheese. It can range from soft and runny to semi-soft, and from
lean to very rich.
frosted
TERM WITH DIFFERENT CULINARY MEANINGS:
When the rim of a glass is dipped into citrus juice, and then into sugar or salt to resemble ice
crystals.
When grape clusters and strawberries are dipped in egg whites and then into crystal sugar.
Cakes spread with sugar icing.
Beverages made with ice cream or shaved ice.

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frost fish
Two varieties of fish that appear when frost sets in. They are:
Tomcod - an ocean fish
Whitefish - fresh water fish.
Frhroter Veltliner
Austrian white wine grape, slightly pink as the name indicates.
Frhstck
German term for breakfast.
Frhstck
Name of a Limburger type cheese made in Germany.
fruit brandies
Distilled beverages made from macerated fermented fruits, such as apples, berries, cherries,
pears, plums and others.
True fruit brandies are always dry and colorless except apple brandy, which can be golden
brown.
See distillation.
fruit butter
Heavily concentrated fruit puree, less sweet than jam. The best known is apple butter. It does
not contain any fat.
fruit cocktail
Diced fruits served in a glass or silver cup, but not containing alcohol. Canned fruit cocktail was
once a popular item.
fruit knives
Cutlery smaller and more ornate than used for meat and fish. They are seldom used today.
fruit of the angels
Columbus referred to papaya as the "fruit of the angels".
fruit syrup
Ready to use syrups made with concentrated sugar syrup and fruit juices. Some are made with
fruits flavors, and other are made with fruit juices.
One popular flavor in raspberry syrup.
frumenty
Old cereal dish made with hulled wheat, milk, raisins and sugar.
frutti di mare
Italian word for assorted seafood.
frutta mostarda
Italian/Cremona relish made with fruits and mustard.
fry bread
Lean dough made with wheat flour and leavened with baking powder, rolled into circles and deep
fried. The recipe was brought by the Spanish to the Southwest, and adopted by the Indians. Fry bread
exists in many versions in many cultures.
Fuder
German term for Moselle wine oak casks. Fuders can vary to hold between 900 to 1,000 liters.

360

fudge
Confection made with sugar, butter and flavorings. The most common flavors are chocolate and
vanilla. The fudge candies are semi soft.
Fudge is also a thick chocolate sauce, served over ice cream.
Fufu
Nigerian/African popular yam mush usually eaten as starch with fiery stews.
Fugu
Japanese name for a species of blowfish considered a delicacy. The liver is very toxic and can
kill almost immediately when eaten. The killer poison is tetrodotoxin.
Fugu chefs are highly trained and licenced, but accidents do happen in restaurants.
Also known as tiger blowfish, tiger puffer.
Sphoeroides rubripes.
ful medames
Dried light brown small beans, a variety of fava beans, popular in the Middle East. The white
beans in the same family are ful nabed.
The beans are used in bean patties called taamiya, and in the Egyptian national dish Ful
Medames, a baked bean casserole.
Lathyrus savitus.
fumaric acid
Food additive to give an acidic flavor to processed foods.
fum
French term for smoked. Some wines names include the term, although they are not smoked.
fumet
French term for concentrated meat, fish or vegetable stock. An other term is essence.
Funchal
Principal city and shipping port on the island of Madeira.
funeral pie
Pennsylvania Dutch pie containing a baked raisin filling. It was served at funerals. Also called
Rosinen Pie.
fungophilio
Mushroom lover, often a collector of wild mushrooms.
fungus
Botanical term for organism that live on organic substances. The higher fungi include
mushrooms.
funnel cake
Thin cake batter dripped through a funnel into hot fat. The dish is of Pennsylvania Dutch origin,
and is often served at county fairs and in food courts.
Furmint
Hungarian white wine grape, the grape used in Tokay wine, but also in table wine.
fusili
Italian dry pasta in spiral shape.

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ft
French word for barrel.
Fuzzy Navel
Cocktail made with peach schnapps, orange juice and ice. The origin of the name is not known.
Fynbo
Danish cheese made on the island of Funen.
gado gado
Indonesian spicy salad of steamed or raw vegetables made with bean sprouts, cucumber, long
beans, and cabbage, tossed with a peanut sauce spiced with red chilies and shallots.
Gaelic coffee
See Irish coffee.
gaeng rawn
Thai bean thread noodle and vegetable soup flavored with curry.
Gaffelere, Chteau
Bordeaux wine estate in Saint milion.
Gaglioppo
Italian red wine grape variety grown in Calabria/Italy.
Gailan
Leafy Chinese vegetable in the cabbage family.

Gaillac
French wine often sold in bars as basic house
wine.
Gaisksli
German slang word for a goat cheese made in
Germany and Switzerland. The proper name is
Ziegenkse.

Gaja, Angelo
Italian winemaker from the Piedmont area of Italy. His most prized wine is his Barbaresco, but he
also makes Barbera, Barolo, Dolcetto d'Alba, Nebbiolo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, and
Sauvignon Blanc.
galangal
A sweet fragrant rhizome, a cousin of ginger root. Also related to turmeric. Native to Indonesia
and common in Malaysian and Thai cooking. Available as root or powder, and used to flavor curries.
Often called laos in recipes.
Galangal was known in England during the Middle Ages under the name galingale, and was
considered an aphrodisiac.
Also known as Thai ginger, Siamese ginger, lengkuas or kha.
Greater gelangal is Kaempferia pandurata and Lesser Galangal is Kaempferia galanga.
Alpine officinarum.

362

galantine
Stuffed poultry or fish roll, normally served cold. The poultry or fish are boned, a stuffing is made
with the meat and put back into the skin, rolled in the shape of a sausage, then poached, sliced when
cold and often glazed with aspic jelly. The name goes back to gallo (rooster), because galantines were
originally made only with chicken.
Galax leaves
Round, though leaves about 2 1/2" (63 mm) across, green or reddish brown, used for garnishing
fruits. They are sold in bunches by florists.
galette
French culinary term for a crisp round fruit tart, but the term is also used by extension for other
round tarts.
galia
Summer melon with a "netted" skin. When ripe, it has a rich, heady aroma if held up to the nose
and it will yield slightly when pressed at the stem end. Grown in Israel.
The melon named after the daughter of the first grower. The melons are now also grown in
South America. The melon looks like a cantaloupe, but the flesh is green like a honeydew.
Galicia wines
A region in northwestern Spain, registered as a D.O. (see there) wine producing region. It's wine
grapes include Albario, Brancellao, Cai, Espadeiro, Loureiro, Torrontes, Treixadura.
Galilean comb
Israeli nickname for St. Peter's fish. The name refers to the form of the large dorsal fin.
Galliano
Italian liqueur, made by Distillerie Riunite di Liquori. Galliano is flavored with roots, berries,
herbs, flowers, anise and vanilla. Used in mixed drinks such as Harvey Wallbanger, Golden Cadillac, and
Golden Dream.
gallimaufry
English culinary term without defined meaning. It could be used for hotchpot or a meal made with
items on hand.
gallisation
Wine making practice, outlawed in most countries, by adding water and sugar to grape must to
increase volume and alcohol content. It is basically cheating, but used to be legal in cold wine growing
regions to help farmers survive when the weather was extremely bad.
Gallo
Famous California wine producing family, one of the largest wine producers in the US. The
emphasis has shifted from acceptable jug wines to premium wines of excellent quality.
Gallo Hearty Burgundy was one of the best sellers. The wine is a blend of different grapes such
as Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Barbera, Ruby Cabernet, and Carignan. The blend does not include pinot noir,
the Burgundy grape.
Gallo Nero
Italian, meaning black rooster. The symbol of the Chianti wine consortium since 1260. This "gallo"
has no relationship to the American Gallo family.
gallon
Liquid measure used in the US containing 128 fl ounces, or 3.785 liters.
The Imperial gallon used in Britain is slightly larger and has 160 fl ounces.

363

The gallon was the same size in Britain and in the US until 1826.
Galuptzi
Jewish cooking, an other name for stuffed cabbage.
Galway
City in Ireland famous for oysters. An oyster festival is held annually.
Gallweys Liqueur
Irish cordial flavored with coffee and honey.
game chips
Potato chips, they used to be served with roasted game birds in England.
Gamay
The exclusive red wine grape of the Beaujolais region in Burgundy, France. It makes a light fruity
red wine. Also grown in Australia, New Zealand and the US.
It has been linked with gouais blanc a grape once cultivated in the Middle ages.
Gamay Blanc
White wine grape, more commonly known as Melon de Bourgogne. Originally from Burgundy and
now grown Muscadet region where it is known as the Muscadet.
It is still grown in Burgundy, but there it is not used for wine, but rather in food sauces. It is
commonly fermented slightly into a verjus before being used the sauces.
gambaretti
Italian/ Neapolitan name for giant shrimp.
gambas
Spanish term for shrimp.
Gammelost
Norwegian semisoft blue cheese.
gammon
British word for bacon, also for salt pork and ham.
ganache
Chocolate cream. Chocolate with high cocoa butter content, such as couverture, is melted in
heavy cream. When the mixture has cooled, it is whipped to a cream. The proportions are 8 oz
chocolate to 16 oz - two cups - 36% cream. Ganache can be flavored with rum or appropriate brandies
and liquors. The rich ganache is used as cake fillings, especially with meringue cakes, and as center in
chocolate truffles. When used in chocolate truffles, less cream is used. In some cases, butter is also
added to provide additional stiffness to the filling.
The same method can be used to make chocolate truffles, but the ratio of chocolate and heavy
cream should be 50% each.
gandules
Spanish term for pigeon peas. See there.
Garbure
Classical French hearty vegetable soup. It might have originated in the Pyrenees mountains
between France and Spain.
Gaperon
French garlic flavored buttermilk cheese.

364

gar
Fresh water food fish with a long, narrow jaw. The fish has a green skeleton which makes the
fish less desirable.
Also known as gar-pike, needlefish, sea needle.
Lepisosteus spp.
garam masala
Indian spice mixture consisting basically of roasted cardamon pods, black pepper, cumin,
coriander, cinnamon and cloves.
The name means hot spice mixture. It is available as powder and as paste.
Also known as gorum moshla.
garbanzos
See chick peas.
Garda
Italian lake famous for its mild climate located in Northern Italy bordering the province South
Tyrol.
The hills around the lake are covered with vineyards producing a wide variety of wines.
garde manger
French culinary term for cold kitchen. Literally translated it means "to guard the edibles". Before
mechanical refrigeration was available, the coolest spot in the kitchen was reserved as larder and storage
room. The chef in charge is called Chef Garde-manger.
In this section of the kitchen all cold food is prepared, and also all cold food pre-preparation was
done, such as butchering, breading of food, making sausages, stuffing, pats and other related activities.
garden sorrel
Type of sorrel (see there), a sour grass, also known as green sorrel.
garden cress
Tiny plant, native to Europe, and related to pepperwort and mustard. It has been cultivated since
the Roman times and is used in salads and as garnish with grilled meats. The taste is sharp than
watercress.
Lepidium savitum; Sinapis alba.
garden egg
West African and Caribbean eggplant. The African version is small, round, and pale to deep
yellow in color. Related to the susumber, which is also called pea aubergine or gully bean.
Garden mint
See spearmint.
Garden of Midas
The area of Macedonia in northwestern Greece, blessed with benign climate. Fruit trees and wine
grapes, notably Xynmavro and Negoska, are grown there.
Garden of France
Poetic description of the Loire valley on account of its vineyards, palaces and gardens.
gardenia
Edible flower of the genus Gardenia.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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Garganega
Italian white wine grape, a major grape of Soave wine, and unique to that region. It has been
cultivated there since the 13th century. It is a prolific producer and it gives structure and the characteristic
almond aroma to Soave.
gari
African/Nigerian term for a flour made from cassava root.
garlic
A white-flowering member of the lily family forming a bulb with a cluster of ten to twenty cloves or
toes covered by a papery membrane. It is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables. The medicinal use of
garlic goes back to the ancient Egyptians.
Garlic is native to Asia, and was probably first brought into Europe by returning Crusaders.The
name is derived from two Old English words, gar (spear) and leac (leek).
Garlic flourishes best in rich sandy soil and sunny climates. It can be propagated by planting
cloves about 2 inches deep spaced five inches apart.
TYPES INCLUDE:
Creole - white variety with strong flavor
Elephant or giant garlic is about four times the size of regular garlic, but much milder in taste. It
adds a zest to food, is good minced in salads, but is too mild to be used as an exact substitute for
regular garlic. Gilroy in Fresno County, California is known as the garlic capitol of the world, and a garlic
festival is held there every July.
Italian garlic - pink whit many cloves requiring more labor to prepare
Moly - yellow garlic consumed in ancient Greece
Tahiti - large variety
Wild garlic is edible, though late in the season the taste will become a bit strong.
GARLIC, HISTORY AND MEDICINAL ATTRIBUTES:
Garlic bulbs were found in King Tut's tomb. Babylonians wrote of garlic on their clay tablets.
Ancient people attributed magical powers to garlic. The Egyptians gave it godly powers, taking
oaths on it, and they also used it in barter. The Greeks fortified their soldiers going into battle and athletes
with it, although they also sometimes forbade its use before worshiping at the temple, and sometimes
scorned it as a lower class food. The Romans thought it was an aphrodisiac, especially if ground up with
coriander and mixed with white wine, although they also called it "the poor man's treacle".
Garlic is long praised for its medicinal qualities: Hippocrates prescribed garlic as an antidote for
intestinal problems and infections. Medieval doctors used it to cure high blood pressure, rheumatism, loss
of appetite, lung problems, and toothache, as well as freckles and baldness. It was consumed as well
used in poultices. In World War I, doctors on the battlefield successfully applied it to the wounds to control
septic poisoning and gangrene. And lately scientists have been isolating the specific sulfur compounds in
garlic that seem to have positive effects on everything from blood pressure and cholesterol to cancer and
yeast infections.
The Talmud advises that garlic be eaten to enhance conjugal love.
To this day, garlic is still thought to ward off evil spirits and vampires, especially in some Eastern
European cultures. The Russians still use it to fight colds and flu.
Many people fault garlic for the odor it leaves on their breath. Remedies range from brushing
teeth or using mouthwash to chewing on parsley, but none of these are very effective as the garlic fumes
are mostly exhaled from the lungs. One remedy, delightful to some aficionados or alliophiles, is to
consume enough so that the body learns to assimilate it.
It is said that Queen Victoria's Italian chef, Francatelli, had an ingenious method of using garlic;
that he used to chew on garlic and then breathe over the salad. King Henry IV would not have cared
about this if the story about him is true; it is said that he would consume large amounts before going out
to hunt, and use only his powerful breathe as a weapon.
Two Japanese companies, Sanko Chemical Corporation and Mitsui & Company, have developed
Dr. Saiki's Odorless Garlic. It supposedly looks, tastes, and smells like regular garlic, but does not leave a
lingering smell on the breath. They soak the bulbs in an acid solution for two or three days and then dry
them. The acids kill the enzymes that cause the bad breath. Most garlic enthusiasts are not in favor of
this tampering and recommend instead eating garlic with friends so everyone will have the bad breath.

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GARLIC, COOKING WITH:

Garlic is used whole, slivered, minced, crushed, rubbed onto meats, or rubbed onto cooking pans
or serving bowls. A point of garlic is a tiny bit, the amount that can fit on the point of a chef's knife. Whole
garlic can be roasted and eventually will become a puree. It looses much flavor and smell be long
cooking. However, by cooking garlic in oil or butter the flavor is more developed.
Garlic can be minced and kept in oil. If so, citric or phosphoric acid should be added to inhibit
bacterial growth. It must be kept refrigerated. Chopped garlic is available ready for use. Garlic is
available dehydrated or blended with salt.
See also alioli and aioli.
Knoblauch in German, ajo in Spanish, ail in French, aglio in Italian.
Allium savitum.
garlic bread
Popular restaurant item. French or Italian bread is split or cut in chunks, brushed with butter and
mashed garlic and toasted under the broiler. It is served warm.
garlic butter.
Butter creamed with crushed garlic cloves, used for grilled fish, toasted bread and meats.
garlic chives
Type of chive with a pronounced garlic taste. They are different in appearance from other chives
in that their stems are flatter.
Also known as Chinese chives.
garlic lovers' fan club
Garlic festivals are held in many places, such as in early-September in Amherst, VA, midSeptember in Batavia, NY, late September in Calverton, Long Island, and mid-October in Saugerties, NY.
Lovers of the Stinking Rose is a California club.
garlic powder
Convenient way to add garlic flavor to food. It is marketed as garlic salt, minced garlic, instant
garlic and under brand names.
garlic salt
Commercial product consisting of salt and granulated garlic. It can be sprinkled on food.
Garnacha
Spanish red wine grape originally from the northern Somontano region, now a predominant grape
in the Rioja and Ribera del Duero regions. There is a white Garnacha and also the red Garnacha
Parraleta.
Wines made from garnacha include the pale young red, Tinto Garnacha, and a sweet red, known
locally Clarete, and the sherry-like Garnacha fina.
Garnacha grapes are used blended with other grapes such as the Tempranillo, to give body,
color, and alcohol to wines.
Garnacha Blanca
Spanish white wine grape.
garnish
General culinary term without a defined meaning. It can be a decoration on food, but as an
accompaniment to food, such as a side dish, are part of soups and stews.
Garnishing paste
Solid black product made with starch and eggs to resemble truffles in looks, but not on taste.
Thinly sliced, it was used to decorate cold food with elaborate designs. Very little is used today, because
the esthetics of cold preparation have changed.

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garniture
French term for garnish. French cuisine recognizes hundred of garnitures consisting of many
food components, including the appropriate sauces. Garnitures were named after cities, wealthy patrons,
employers, historical events and famous chefs. The use of the described components was rigidly
adhered to. Garnitures in the old sense are considered outmoded.
garum
Early Roman condiment sauce based on fermented anchovies.
gastrique
Flavoring sauce made with sugar and vinegar, cooked till it caramelizes and turns a dark amber.
Added to basting sauces to cut a fatty taste, such as in roast duck.
gastronome
Person appreciating the enjoyments of the table, epicure.
Gastronomie Practique
French cookbook written by Ali-Bab published in 1910.
gastronomy
Culinary styles in the broadest sense including food, beverage and service and enjoyment of
good eating and drinking.
Gastropods
Class of molluscs with one shell including abalone and snails.
Also known as univalves.
gteau (gateau)
French generic term for cake.
Gteau de Bruxelles
Belgian dessert from the Brabant region. It is a layer cake with almonds, apricot jam, and rum
icing.
Gatorade
Brand name for a thirst quenching beverage. It was developed by Dr. Robert Cade in the mid1960's at the University of Florida, and it was named for the University's football team, Gators. Sales
inched up slowly until about 1990 when competitors attempted to cash in on the fitness craze.
Gattinara
Italian red wine made with the Nebbiolo grape in the Piedmont region. It is considered one of the
best wines in Italy.
Spanna is a wine produced close by.
gaufres
French generic word for waffles. In most cases, they are thin and crisp. However, Belgian
waffles are thick.
Very thin gaufrettes are often served with ice cream.
Gautrias
French cheese resembling Port du Salut. It is made in the Department Mayenne.
Gavot
French ewes or goats milk cheese.

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Gay Lussac
French wine chemist who developed a method of measuring the alcohol by volume.
gayette
Pork sausage or patty wrapped in caul fat. Similar to a crpinette. See there.
Gavi
Italian dry white wine with excellent reputation made from the cortese grape around the town
Gavi in Piedmont.
gazpacho
Spanish national soup, almost always served cold. It is usually made with raw tomatoes,
cucumbers, peppers, onions, vinegar, white bread and spices. It can be compared to a cold vegetable
drink and minced salad combined.
Though now associated with Spain, its origin predates the arrival of the tomato to Spain, which
occurred in the 16th century. The dish It may have originated with the Romans who liked to eat vinegar
and olive oil soaked bread, and the word may come from the old Roman word caspa for residue or
fragment. It probably traveled with the Moors to the Iberian Peninsular, and the word probably was
adapted to the Arabic word for soaked bread.
Red gazpacho, in which tomatoes are the main ingredient is the most common, but other
versions are also made.
REGIONAL VARIETIES OF GAZPACHO INCLUDE:
Ajo blanco de Malaga - a pure white gazpacho made with almonds, garlic and olive oil and not a
trace of tomato. As the name implies, it is popular in the city of Malaga. The soup is garnished with
grapes.
Alicante - with mushrooms and escargots.
Salmorejo - chunky style served in Cordoba.
Typical accompaniments include finely diced vegetables such as green peppers, scallions or
onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and croutons. In some parts of Spain, the gazpacho is mixed with cream at
the moment of service, and the croutons are not toasted, but made with soft white bread. Also spelled
gaspacho.
Geechee
Term referring to a small ethnic group of about 250,000 Afro Americans who live along the US
southern coast from South Carolina to northern Florida.
Also known as Gullahs. They make a condiment called Geechee Limes.
geese
Plural of goose. See there.
gefilte fish
Jewish traditional appetizer, also spelled gefulte fish. Literally the term means "stuffed fish", and
originally it was a fish mixture stuffed in fish skin. The stuffing consists of ground fish, eggs, onions and
matzo meal. The fish used must be kosher, meaning that it must have scales; therefore the dish is often
made with carp.
Today the mixture is shaped like an egg, and poached in a vinegary vegetable broth. The broth
should jell when cold.
The dish is popular as a first course at Jewish holiday feasts among Jews of northern European
or Ashkenazi origin. It is traditionally served with grated horseradish mixed with beet juice.
Also known as gefllte fisch.
Geheimrath
Dutch/German cheese resembling Gouda. The word is German and is a title for high
government officials. See Gouda.
Geisenheim
German wine town on the Rhine River.

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gelatin
Thickening agent manufactured from bones, skin and sinews. The invention is credited to Peter
Cooper. It is available flavorless in granules and in sheets, or flavored with fruit or meat flavors. The
thickening capacity is influenced by the acidity and sugar content of the liquid to be thickened.
Gelatin is available as powder and in sheets. Meat or fish flavored gelatin is called aspic powder.
Fruit flavored gelatin is used as dessert and available as ready to use mix. Jello is a brand
name.
gelato
Italian generic term for ice cream. The plural term is gelati. The origin of frozen desserts is
obscure, it is believed that the Romans served flavored snow transported from the Vesuvio. References
to frozen desserts were made in the eleventh century in Sicily. Gelati was known in Florence in the
sixteenth century. The artist Buontalenti is credited with the first commercial production of Gelati.
Old fashioned gelati is made in Italy with milk and egg yolks, heated in a double boiler until thick.
Traditional flavors are vanilla, chocolate, chestnut, nuts and fruits. Fruit ice based on fruit puree, sugar
and water (without dairy product) is called sorbetto.
Italy has a good reputation for making frozen desserts, and in Europe many ice cream parlors are
operated by Italians.
gel(e)
French word for jelly, also for frozen. A dish covered with aspic jelly can be called en gele.
gemelli
Italian dry pasta. The name means little twins, and the pasta consists of two pieces twisted
together.
General Robert E. Lee cake
Southern U.S. rich layer cake with lemon-flavored filling and frosting.
generic wine
Blended wines named for their style, such as Sherry, Port, Rhine Wine, or for geographic regions
such as Burgundy or Sauterne. They are usually an inexpensive wines.
These wine are produced in US, Chile, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, where
emigrants started wineries and named them for their home countries or tried to duplicate wines they were
familiar with from home. It was originally intended that these wines would be made in the style of those
regions, but re often not made with the grape varieties permissible in the original wine. Different climate,
procedures and market forces created wines with little in common with their names.
generic products
Consumer products that come in simple, un-branded packaging. The contents must meet FDA
standards of identity and nutritive standards. They differ from premium or branded products in that the
contents may lack uniformity, such as different size cuts of beans in canned green beans. They are
cheaper, mostly because they do not have to pay for fancy packaging or advertising.
Many large supermarket chains sell custom labeled products. It is not the same as generic
products because they are made to specifications for a specific market.
Geneva
English term for Dutch gin because it is heavily flavored with juniper berries. See gin.
Geneva
French speaking city on Lake Leman in Switzerland. The French name is Genve.
genivre
French name for juniper, also old fashioned word for gin.

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genipap/genip
Small tropical fruit, greenish white in color with a purple juice native to tropical America. It is the
size of a small orange, and is used preserves and in beverages.
Also called marmalade box.
Genipa Americana.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Genoa food
Port city in Liguria/Italy on the Mediterrean Coast. The best known dish from Genoa in the US is
pesto. See there. Also see Italy food.
Genoa salami
Italian dry sausage seasoned with garlic and peppercorns and originally with red wine. It is made
with a mixture of pork and pork fat.
Genoa salami is also made with beef.
gnoise
French term for a sponge cake batter made with the addition of liquid butter. The butter makes
the cake moister than sponge cake made only with eggs, sugar and flour.
Genovese sauce
Other name for pesto, a mixture of chopped basil leaves, oil, garlic, pine nuts, and grated cheese.
Used on pasta and pizza.
Gentian
Liqueur made in France and in Switzerland. It is made with the leaves and flowers of a plant with
same name found in the Alps.
geoduck
Giant clam harvested in Pacific waters. It is often used as sashimi and sushi.
Mirugai in Japanese. See clams.
Geographic names associated with food:
Caviar - Greenwich Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey
Cherryville - North Carolina
Hot Coffee - a town in south central Mississippi.
Shark River - Wall Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
The Alligator - Jackson Township, New Jersey
Two Eggs - a town in Florida.
Georgia, (formerly Russia) food
The food of a region of the noted for its fine food, which is more Mediterranean than Russian in
character. Generous use of herbs such as basil and coriander, spices such as hot pepper, fenugreek,
and garlic.
FOODS INCLUDE:
Chakapuli - chicken stew
Chicken bazha - chicken stew
kartofchin - cheese and potato pie
khachapuri - a bread
lobio - kidney beans
shashlik - grilled lamb on a skewer
suluguni - cheese
Wine is also produced in Georgia. Wine grapes include Mtsvane, Rkatsiteli, Saperavi, Tsitska.
Most wine is named for the towns they come from but Rkatsiteli and Tsitska wines are often labeled by
grape name. Some local wine is fermented in clay pots buried in the ground as was done already by the
ancient Greeks and Romans.

371

geranium
Group of several flower plants with edible flowers. Different geraniums have a taste range from
mild and perfumy to spicy. A jelly can be made with leaves and apple juice.
Also known as storks bill.
Geranium/Pelargonium.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
German chamomile
See chamomile.
Matricaria chamomilla.
Germany food
German cooking has the reputation of being heavy and conservative, but this does no preclude
that is it delicious and interesting. Germans take eating seriously and German women are still expected
to be excellent cooks and fuss over the stove. They display pride in setting a beautiful table and serving
excellent dishes, fine cakes and cookies to family and visitors.
German chefs have an excellent reputation for hard work, industriousness and imagination.
Many large hotel in the US have German born Executive Chefs. The German chefs association, called
Verband der Kche Deutschlands is active for over 100 years and one of the leading forces on the
continent in education and professionalism.
German cooking may not possess the imagination of Italian cooking and the delicate refinements
of French cooking, but when it is prepared with careand well seasoned it can be delicious.
The main meal used to be served at midday, and stores and offices closed at noon. Longer
commuting distances and changed attitudes have shifted the main meal frequently to evening.
The custom of serving a morning snack of sausages and an afternoon snack of pastries and
coffee is also slowly disappearing.
A typical meal starts with soup, followed by a main course accompanied by starch and
vegetables and a dessert. Germans are lusty eaters and the portions are large.
The predominant meat is pork, often used in a dazzling selection of sausages. Sausage making
and curing meats has a long tradition jealously guarded by powerful guilds. Baking, pastry making and
gingerbread baking also is based on long tradition and experience going back hundreds of years.
Germany produces a wide variety of cheese, especially the province Bavaria and the Allgu
region in Bavaria close to Switzerland. Many cheeses are listed alphabetically.
TERMS AND TYPICAL DISHES:
Abendbrot - evening meal
Advent - the time before Christmas
Bratwurst - grilled or panfried white sausage
Brot - bread
Brgerliche Kche - plain good cooking
Frhstck - breakfast
Gansbraten - roast goose
Gasthof - inn
Gemtlichkeit - well being friendliness
Hasenpfeffer - See there.
Hering - herring. See there.
Heringschmaus - eleborate meal before the beginning of lent
Kalbsbraten - veal roast
Kalbshaxe - veal shank
Kartoffelklsse - potato dumplings
Kartoffelpuffer - potato pancakes
Konditoreien - pastry shops
Knigsberger Klopse - meat balls in white caper sauce
Kurort - spa
Mittagessen - lunch

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Oktoberfest - yearly Munich beer bash

Rouladen - See there.
Sauerbraten - pickled pot roast
Schwarzbrot - rye bread
Schweinsbraten - pork roast
Spanferkel - suckling pig
Speck - bacon
Stammtisch - table reserved in restaurants for steady customers
Warmer Kartoffelsalat - hot potato salad
Weihnachten - Christmas
Wild - game
Wurst - sausage
SAUSAGES AND HAM:
Bierwurst - pork and beef sausage eaten hot
Blutwurst - blood sauage eaten hot or cold.
Braunschweiger - spreadable pork liver sausage
Cervelat - See there.
Kalbslberwurst - calfs liver sausage
Kochwurst - sausage made with boiled ingredients.
Landjger - dry sausage
Leberwurst - pork liver wurst
Lyoner - pork and beef sausage with pistachio nuts.
Mettwurst - spreadable sausage. See there.
Presskopf - head cheese
Schinkenwurst - sausage with ham pieces
Schwartenmagen - gelatinous sausage resembling head cheese
Schweinswrstl - Bavarian pork sausage eaten hot
Speck Blutwurst - blood sausage with pork fat pieces
Slze - head cheese
Teewurst - very fine spreadable sausage
Westfler Schinken - Westpahlian ham. See there.
Zungenwurst - blood sausage with smoked tongue pieces
BREADS:
Bretzel - pretzel
Eiweckerl - eggroll
Knckebrot - cracked wheat bread
Kmmelbrtchen - caraway roll
Mohnbrtchen - poppy seed roll
Pumpernickel - See there.
Roggenbrot - rye bread
Salzstangen - salt sticks
Schrotbrot - cracked whole wheat bread
Schwarzwlder Brot - dark rye bread in round loaves
Semmel - roll
Stangenbrot - white sandwich bread
Vollkornbrot - cracked whole rye bread
Weissbrot - white bread
Winzerbrot - crusty white wine maker bread
Zopf - braid
DESSERTS AND CAKES:
Apfelkuchen - apple cake
Apfelpfannkuchen - apple pancake
Baumkuchen - See there.
Berliner - See there.
Dampfnudeln - hot yeast buns with vanilla sauce
Frankfurter Kranz - wreath layer cake

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Lebkuchen - ginger bread

Lebkuchen - ginger bread
Napfkuchen - bundt cake
Pfeffernsse - spice cookies
Quark Kuchen - cheesecake
Schwarzwlder Kirschtorte - see there
Springerle - anise cookies
Stollen - rich yeast loaf studded with almonds and candied fruits served at
Streusselkuchen - cake with sugar crumbs
Weihnachtsgebck - Christmas cookies
Zimt Sterne - cinnamon star cookies

Christmas

Germany beverages
Germany is famous for beer. See beer, German.
German brandies are famous. Many are listed under their names. There are hundred of dry
brandies and sweet cordials. The generic term for brandy is Schnaps. It is often sweet and anise
flavored.
Danziger Goldwasser - see there.
Himbeergeist - raspberry brandy
Kirschwasser - see there.
Steinhger - See there.
Zwetschenwasser - plum brandy.
Germany produces many mineral waters. See there. See German wines.
German wines
The German wine growing tradition goes back to Roman times and vineyards were established
further north than any other place in Europe. The predominant wines are white, and tradition and
practical considerations based on experience often dictate the grape varieties that can be cultivated.
Like in other wine growing regions wine is considered a beverage by the locals, drunk at home
and festivals without much fuss and ceremony. There are many restaurants called Weinstuben where
open wine is served. Many wine villages are charming and have survived the waves of war and
occupation seemingly intact.
The weather can have a profound influence on the wine quality and rainy summers can keep the
sugar content of the grapes down. Chaptalization, see there, is sometimes necessary.
The most important grape variety is the Riesling, and it is often made slightly sweet to very sweet,
because the winemakers try not to ferment all sugar into alcohol and thereby destroy the bouquet and
aromas. Efforts are being made to produce more dry Riesling wines for the mass market, and at the
same time the world famous sweet and super sweet Riesling wines are carefully cared for.
The Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese wines are world famous because they balance
sweetness with acidity.
Germany also produces excellent wines from other grape varieties including red wines. Sekt is
the German term for sparkling wine.
QUALITY GRADES:
Kabinett - quality wine
Sptlese - grapes harvested after the normal picking period
Auslese - fully ripe hand selected grapes
Beerenauslese - extra selected, over-ripe berries
Trockenbeerenauslese - berries are allowed to shrivel on the vine, and develop a natural mold.
The wine is very sweet.
Eiswein - one step further than Trockenbeerenauslese. The berries are allowed to stay on the
vine until frozen. The juice is very concentrated, and the wine is rich in sugar and aroma. It can be made
only when the weather conditions are favorable.
WHITE WINE GRAPE VARIETIES:
Gewrztraminer
Kerner
Morio Muskat

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Mller-Thurgau
Riesling
Rulnder
Scheurebe
Silvaner
RED WINE GRAPE VARIETIES:
Blauer Portugieser
Blauer Sptburgunder
Trollinger
WINE REGIONS:
Ahr
Baden
Franken (Franconia)
Hessische Bergstrasse
Mittelrhein
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Nahe
Rheingau
Rheinhessen
Rheinpfalz (Palatinate)
Wrtenberg
WINE TERMS:
Trocken - dry
Halbtrocken - semi sweet
Oechsle - scale to measure the sugar content of grape juice
lieblich - the gentle level of sweetness found in traditional table wines
Many German wines and wine terms are listed under their names.
Grom (Gerome)
Cheese made in the Vosges region of France, and in Switzerland.
Also known as Grardmer.
geropiga
Portuguese wine term for grape juice reduced by evaporation and used to sweeten Port wine.
Gervais
Rich cream cheese from France, Switzerland and other countries. Gervais was originally a brand
name.
Gevrey-Chambertin
Famous wine town in Burgundy, France. It produces world class red wines.
Geschnetzeltes
Swiss/German word for meat sliced in small shreds, quickly panfried to order. The best known
dish is Zricher Geschentzeltes, made with veal, mushrooms and cream.
Gesellschaftskrapferln
Austrian name for small pastries.
Gewchs
German wine term, meaning "growth of", followed by the name of the estate.
Gewrztraminer
White wine made from the Gewrztraminer grape, originally from northern Italy. The word
Gewrz is the German word for spice, and Traminer is a grape variety. The wine has a rich, distinctive

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taste to be described as spicy, though it is perhaps better described as exotically fruity. Some are slightly
sweet and taste of litchis. Others are dry and more subtly flavored.
The wine is the most famous wine grown in Alsace, France, but also cultivated in
Germany, Australia, New Zealand and in the US in California, Long Island and Texas.
Gex
French blue cheese, made originally in the town of the same name.
ghee
Basic cooking fat used in India. Usli ghee is clarified butter made from cows or buffalo milk, less
expensive types of ghee are made with vegetable oils and fats.
Ghee is sometimes flavored with betel leaves. See there.
gherkins
Term for small pickles.
ghivetch/ghiveci
Rumanian vegetable stew similar to ratatouille. A mixture of eggplant, green peppers, onions,
cabbage, and tomatoes, flavored with oil and herbs.
The name translated means flower pot, which refers to the shape of the casserole in which it
was originally cooked. See ratatouille.
Gianduja
Swiss term for plain or milk chocolate prepared with almonds or other nuts, originally a specialty
of the Piedmont region in Italy.
giant garlic
See rocambole.
giant granadilla
A variety of yellow-greenish and rather acidic passion fruit grown in South America and
Indonesia. The name refers to its large size. Used as vegetable and to make a liqueur called maracuja,
although the term maracuja also refers to passion fruit itself in Brazil.
Passiflora quadrangularis.
The term also confusingly refers to the large sweet granadilla, passiflora edulis variety of passion
fruit.
See passion fruit.
giant puffball mushrooms
Wild mushroom growing in woods and meadows and edible when young. They can be easily
confused with poisonous mushrooms.
Lycoperdon giganteum.
giblets
The useable innards of poultry, specifically the liver, heart, and gizzard (stomach). By extension
the neck is also considered giblet.
Gibson
Martini cocktail garnished with a pearl onion instead of an olive. Named after the artist Charles
Gibson around 1900.
Gigondas
Red and ros wines with excellent keeping qualities produced around the village of this name in
the Rhne region of France.

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gigot
French term for leg, normally applied for leg of lamb or mutton. Gigot dagneau (lamb) is a
popular dish on French menus.
gilderne
Jewish term for a chicken soup served to celebrate a wedding or and a 25th or 50th anniversary.
It is chicken soup with golden globules of fat floating on the top. They are supposed to symbolize wealth,
good fortune.
gill
Organ of aquatic animals for obtaining oxygen from water.
gill
Liquid measure for pint or 4 oz.
Gillet's Seedling
Apple variety related to the Rome Beauty.
Gilroy
Town in Fresno County, California billed as the "The garlic capital of the world" . A garlic festival
is held there every July.
Gimlet
Cocktail made with gin and lime juice and sometimes soda water, invented by Dr. Gimlet 1890 in
England to dilute the gin.
gin
Clear distilled alcoholic grain beverage flavored with botanicals, such as spices, herbs and citrus
rind. The most important flavoring agent are juniper berries.
THE BASIC TYPES OF GIN ARE:
Holland Gin, also known as Genever. It is made with fermented barley mash and is full bodied
with a pronounced flavor. It is too flavorful to be used as mixing gin in cocktails.
English Gin is a dry gin. London Dry Gin is a lighter gin than the gin varieties produced in
Holland. It is the preferred gin in the US and is used in cocktails.. Beefeater is a major brand.
American Gin is a dry gin.
Pink gin was popular among the British who worked in the colonies, such as India. Gin was once
an inexpensive alcoholic beverage and was widely abused and consumed by the working class
population in 19th century England. It was called Dutch courage by soldiers returning from Continental
wars. The consumption increased tremendously in England when Queen Anne increased tariff on
imported wines and spirits and lowered taxes on domestic products. Alcoholism became a serious
problem. A jingle goes:
Drunk for a penny
Dead drunk for a tuppence
Clean straw for nothing.
Gin is produced in many other countries.
Sloe gin (see there) is not a true gin, but a cordial.
ginep
Tropical fruit the size of a plum containing a large pit with green or yellow skin. The scant pulp is
tart. The pulp is edible raw, and the pit is edible roasted.
Also known as Spanish lime, genip.
Melicocca bijuga.

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ginger
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Aromatic rhizome of a lily-like plant of unknown origin, but

believed to be South East Asia. Now grown in such widespread
places as China, Jamaica, Hawaii, and Fiji. The flavor is spicy, hot
and pungent, and ginger is used in pickling, beverages, canning, and
Oriental cooking.
Fresh ginger is sold in hands" by weight. Good quality
ginger is plump and hard, does not appear to be fibrous. Young
ginger is ivory-hued and rose-tipped, milder tasting than mature
ginger.
Ginger is available dried as spice and fresh, also pickled or
candied. It was popular in 17th century baking. It is also used in soft drinks.
Crystallized ginger is sometimes referred to as Canton ginger or candied ginger. It is made by
boiling fresh ginger in a sugar solution.
Ginger has preservative qualities that can delay or mask spoilage in meats or fish, which was
important in ancient times. Chinese sailors used to chew it to prevent seasickness.
Also known as adar, adrak.
Zingiber officinale.
ginger ale
Carbonated soft drink which originated in England.
ginger beer
Effervescent beverage made with ginger, sugar and water. It can be slightly alcoholic.
Jamaican-style ginger beer is a dry, spicy non alcoholic beverage.
ginger bread
Sweet baked goods with ancient history. Gingerbread is mentioned already 2800 years ago. It
is sweetened with honey or molasses, which were available long before sugar became attainable. The
dough is flavored with cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, pepper, other spices, and of course ground ginger.
The leaving agent was soda, which was activated by the acidity in the molasses and honey.
Gingerbread is normally made around Christmas in Center Europe and is shaped into stars,
angels, Santa Claus and other Christmas symbols. It is often decorated with almonds, and sugar icing.
Called Lebkuchen in German, pain dpices in French. See Lebkuchen.
gingerbread tree
African tree bearing large edible, but rather dry fruits.

Panri narium macrophyllum.

Wild fruits can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
ginger champagne
Ginger champagne is a carbonated, non alcoholic beverage flavored with fermented ginger.
ginger powder
Convenient method of adding ginger flavor to food, although the flavor does not come close to
fresh ginger.
gingersnaps
Cookie made from ginger and molasses. The commercial version is a rather crisp cookie with
little molasses. It differs from gingerbread, which is soft and chewy.

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ginger wine
Flavored wine once popular in England. It is not made with grapes but rather a fermented
beverage resembling beer, but not effervescent.
ginkgo nuts
The seeds of the gingko, or maiden hair tree, popular as park and street tree. The tree is native
to Asia. The thin shelled, small nuts are surrounded by an offensive smelling pulp, but the roasted seeds
are pleasant. They are used in Asian cooking.
Gingko bilova.
ginseng
Plants with tuberous roots, which are used in Chinese cooking, and for medicinal purposes.
One plant is native to Asia - Panax Ginseng.
One plant is native to North America - Panax quinquefolium.
Gir
Italian dessert wine produced on Sardinia.
girolles
French name for chanterelle mushrooms. See there.
Gironde
The wine producing region of Bordeaux, France, and the estuary formed by the Garonne and
Dordogne rivers, and connects the city of Bordeaux with the ocean.
Giscours, Chteau
Famous wine estate in the Bordeaux.
Gislev
Danish cheese made from cows milk.
Giuncata
Italian cheese from the region of Marche and Umbria.
gizzard
The second stomach of birds. It is a fleshy muscle and used in stocks and in giblet gravy. It
often contains pebbles which help to grind up food.
Gjetst
Norwegian cheese made with goats or cows milk. It has a fudge like texture, and is sold in
square blocks wrapped in foil.
glace
French name for ice, ice cream and icing.
glace de poisson
French culinary term for reduced fish stock until is shiny and gelatinous. It is seldom made,
because the concentrated fish stock can have an unpleasant taste.
glace de viande
French term for meat glaze, made by boiling meat stock until syrup consistency. It is made in
commercial kitchen when surplus bones, or stock is available. The stock must be without salt, otherwise
the resulting glace de viande would be too salty. Glace de viande is used to give additional flavor to
sauces.

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glace royale
French term for white sugar icing, commonly called royal icing. It is made with confectioners
sugar and egg whites and a small amount of cream of tartar.
glac cherries
Cherries saturated with sugar and dried, often dyed red, used in fruit cakes and as cake
decoration.
glac(e)
French term for glazed, normally with a sweet icing. It also means coated with ice, or frozen.
gladiolus
Beautiful flowers growing from bulbs. Supposedly the flowers can be used in salads.
Gladiolus spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
glasswort
Plants in growing in salt marshes and by the sea. The ashes contain soda and were once used
in the glass making process.
It has a tough brown stem with long green branches. The green branches can be eaten cooked.
Glasswort has a tough inedible center core. To eat, hold the stalk and pull the soft part away from the
core with your teeth.
Also known as samphire or marsh samphire.
Salicornia europea.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
glaze, to
Term describing when food is covered with a shiny substance. It can be sweet or based on
meat stock.
glaze
Products which will give shine to food. A number of things can be used such as jelly, honey,
syrup, aspic, oil and many others.
Bakeries used commercially available glaze, often based on apricots or sugar.
Glen Mist
Scottish cordial made with whisky and honey.
globe artichoke
See artichoke.
Glockenapfel
German apple variety.
Glgg
Swedish hot beverage made with wine, sugar, raisins and brandy or aquavit.
Gloria, Chteau
Bordeaux wine, from the the commune of St.-Julien.
Gloster 69
Apple variety, a German hybrid, made by crossing the Glockenapfel with the Golden Delicious,
though the skin is a purplish-red. A fairly large, elongated apple with pointed ribs at the calyx end.

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The greenish-white flesh is fairly acid in taste, but it is primarily an eating apple, not as good for
cooking.
Gloucester
English cows milk cheese originally made in Gloucester county. The cheese resembles Cheddar
and Derby. See there.
glucose
Natural sugar in fruits, in honey, and in some vegetables. It is easily absorbed by the body. Less
sweet than cane or beet sugar.
It is also manufactured from starch and is available as powder or as syrup.
Also known as dextroglucose, dextrose or grape sugar.
Glhwein
German name for mulled wine. Hot red wine flavored with cloves, cinnamon and sugar. Popular
around the winter holiday season.
Glgg is the Swedish version.
Glumse
Prussian cheese dish consisting of cottage cheese mixed milk or cream.
Gluta Benghas
A poisonous tree growing on the Malayan peninsula. The large red fruits, despite their attractive
appearance are lethal when eaten. Even touching the tree sap will cause major irritation. Also known as
rengas.
gluten
Natural protein component in some grains, primarily in hard wheat. It is greyish and elastic while
moist. It gives stability and elasticity to baked products, but is also essential in pasta. It is the substance
remaining when the starch is washed out.
Hard durum wheat has the highest gluten content. Breads made with other flours such as corn,
rice and rye often contain some hard wheat flour to provide the necessary gluten content.
glutinous rice
Also called sticky rice. It contains no gluten. See rice.
glutton
Person who eats excessively, loved as restaurant patron but not by doctors.
Gluttony is the process of eating too much.
glycerin
Type of alcohol produced during fermentation, a colorless, tasteless liquid. It gives body to the
wine, and is also used as food additive to retain moisture in baked good.
gnocchetti sardi
Italian dry pasta in the shape of small rolls faintly resembling sardines.
gnocchi
Italian term for dumpling.
THERE ARE BASICALLY THREE TYPES OF GNOCCHI:
Gnocchi Pimontaise - the Northern Italian version, made with starchy potatoes. Cooked
potatoes are grated and mixed with high gluten flour and eggs. The proportions by weight are 20% flour
to cooked grated potatoes, and 1 egg for each pound of potatoes. The dough is shaped into small oblong
dumplings and is traditionally rolled over a mold to create a half shell shape. The gnocchi are boiled in
water and can be served with a large variety of sauces, such as pesto, tomato, cream and others. Potato
gnocchi are available frozen, ready to cook.

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Gnocchi Romana - the Souther Italian version. The gnocchi are made by boiling semolina (cream
of wheat) in milk and stock into a stiff paste. The mixture is seasoned with egg yolks, grated Parmesan
cheese, nutmeg and salt, spread on an oiled pan about " thick . When cold cut into squares or half
moon and baked with butter and cheese.
Gnocchi Parisienne - the French version, and are made with cream puff paste. The mixture is
shaped into " thick strands, pre-poached in water, cut into pieces and baked with cream sauce and
cheese. It is an old fashioned appetizer, rarely served today.
goat
Animal raised for milk, meat and fur since ancient times. Goats can live on poor, arid lands with
scant vegetation and are animals of choice in some African regions. Goat is the most popular meat in
Arabic areas.
Goats were introduced by Columbus on his second voyage to the new world in 1493. At this time,
goat meat was the meat of choice for poor people. The English word butcher is derived from the French
word bouchier, which means "one that kills male goats. Goats were introduced into Mexico and Texas in
the 1600s, and have thrived. Goats were valuable to ranchers, because they could live on scrubby range
land. Goat meat was popular in the West, because cattle was too big and too valuable to kill for meat.
Goats milk is whiter than cows milk and is naturally homogenized because its fat molecules are
relatively small. The milk can sometimes be tolerated by people who cannot tolerate cows milk.
Cabrito, the Spanish name for small goat, was popular with Mexican cow-hands. Curry goat is
popular in Jamaica.
Muslims celebrate Idal'Adha by sacrificing goats in the tradition of Ibrahim (Abraham).
Ziege in German, cabra in Spanish, capra in Italian, chvre in French.
goats beard
An other name for salsify. See there.
goat's milk
In the US goats milk is used in cheeses, little is available as beverage. Most goats milk in the
US comes from the Nubian breed.
Lebany, a thick Middle Eastern yogurt drink is made with goat's milk.
Gttinger
German beef and pork smoked sausage resembling cervelat. See there.
gold leaves
Pure gold stretched and hammered so thin that it can be added to food without ill effects. Used in
some brandies and are popular on Indian desserts.
See Goldwasser and vark.
Gold -N-Rich
Cheese brand name of a yellow cheese resembling Muenster.
golden apple
Tropical fruit not related to apple. The fruit is yellow, egg-shaped with a large single seed
resembling avocado. Originally from Polynesia, it now is grown in the West Indies. In season late autumn
and winter.
Many of the fruits have thick fibers among the pulp, which should be removed during preparation.
Golden apples are made into jams and drinks.
Spondias cytheria.
Golden Blossom Honey
Well known honey brand.
golden currant
Shrub native to North America with tiny red fruits.

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Also known as flowering currant.

Ribes aureum.
golden Cadillac
Cocktail made with Galliano, crme de cacao and heavy cream.
Golden Delicious
Apple variety, very common and popular yellow version of the Delicious, and like the Red
Delicious, widely grown. Developed in the US in the late 1800's from a natural seedling, known as the
"apple of the future".
Fairly large apple with a thick green skin that turns golden as the apple ripens. Its firm flesh has
both acid and sweet overtones. Good for eating and baking in pies, but it gives little juice and does not
pulp well. The apple does not oxidize (turn brown) when sliced.
Golden Dream
Cocktail made with Galliano, Cointreau, orange juice and cream.
Golden Mantle
Oyster harvested in the Pudget Sound and off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia. Its small
fragile shell is gold in color with a white ridge. It has delicate sweet flavor and clean aftertaste.
golden oak mushrooms(s)
See shiitake mushrooms.
golden raisin
Large bleached raisins, also marketed as sultanas.
golden raspberries
Raspberris which are yellow instead of red. See Raspberry.
golden syrup
Light corn syrup often used in place of honey in England and Ireland.
goldenberry
Slightly acidic sweet fruit encased in a husk. The fruit originated on the slopes of the Andes
Mountains. It is commercially grown in California, Central and South America, Africa, Australia and New
Zealand.
Although related to the tomato, goldenberries are most often used in jams, dipped in chocolate
and candied. The can also be used like tomatoes.
Also known as Cape gooseberry, Chinese lantern, ground cherry, Peruvian cherry, Jam fruit in
India, poha in Hawaii, strawberry tomato, husk tomato and husk cherry.
Physalis peruviana.
goldenrod
Wild American plant. Its leaves and yellow flowers are used to make a fragrant tea or tisane
which has an anise-like flavor. The plant grows easily, and is considered a weed by many gardeners.
Solidago odora.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Goldrich
Apricot variety, cultivated in the US and New Zealand, and thus is available during two seasons.
It has its origins in the French Royal apricot, and is also related to the Perfection. Round and golden. Best
eaten fresh.
Goldwasser

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German liqueur containing minute flecks of real gold. The most famous was produced in the city
of Gdansk Poland, formerly Danzig in East Prussia. It is slightly sweet.
Gomser
Cheese from Switzerland that can be used in the melted cheese dish raclette. See there.
Gomst
Norwegian cheese made with cow's milk, sometimes with goat's milk.
gonad
Term for roe or coral. See there.
goober
Southern US nickname for peanuts.
Good King Henry
Pot herb, no longer used, and Good King Henry probably never existed. Also known as
goosefoot. See there.
Chenopodium spp.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
goongoo peas
See Pigeon peas. Also known as Conga peas in Jamaica.
goose
Water fowl raised since antiquity as pets and for human consumption. A large bird, weighing up
to 20 lb. For roasting, a goose weighing 10 to 12 lb will provide meat for 5 to 6 people. Some species of
wild geese are protected. Goose is the female bird, gander is the male bird.
Geese are by nature fatty birds, but most fat is rendered during the roasting process. It should be
poured off, and saved for other uses. Since the bird is fatty, it is normally served with a stuffing, and an
acidic accompaniment, such as apple sauce, apricots, plum chutney, and other fruits.
The rendered goose fat was esteemed as cooking component and spread because it is very
flavorful. The cholesterol content is disputed, but goosefat is less popular today as it was before. Roast
goose is a traditional Christmas dinner dish in Center and Eastern Europe. Smoked goose breast is
popular in Germany.
Pckelgans is a German dish of corned goose, stewed in its own fat and eaten cold. The French
version is confit, but it is normally not corned.
Geese for the US market may come from Canada and Minnesota.
Breeds include:
Emden - The most common breed in America.
Toulouse - The most prized goose in France, now also bred in New York State.
Oie in French, Gans in German, oca in Italian, ganso in Spanish.
goose barnacles
See percebes.
goose liver
See foie gras.
gooseberries
Tart, juicy berries cultivated on shrubs, usually grape-green in color, but with striated skin. The
flesh is slightly pale green. Some varieties have a pale pink blush and these tend to taste less tart. Some
varieties are fuzzy-skinned.
Gooseberries are popular in England and used in jams and in desserts. The best known dessert
is gooseberry fool, a pastry cream with gooseberry puree served in a glass.

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Not related to cape gooseberries, or Chinese gooseberries which are commonly known as kiwi.
Ribes grossularia.
goosefish
Ocean food fish with a huge, ugly head but with white firm tail meat.
goosefoot
Group of perennial wild and cultivated leaf plants, native to Europe and America, named after the
shape of their leaves. The leaves are used as vegetable like spinach.
Varieties are Good King Henry, epazote, quinoa, and anserine.
Chenopodium spp.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
gooseneck bottom round
Butcher term for a beef cut manufactured from the leg - Meat Buyers Guide # 171, often referred
to as bottom round. It is divided into two parts, the inside round, and the eye round. The eye round is
rather dry. The same cut is called fricandeau in French.
goose neck
Name for a sauce boat, a dish to serve sauce. The name refers to its shape.
gordos
Spanish/Hispanic term meaning the fat one. Name applied to many foods, such as thick
pancakes, and thick tamales.
Gorditas are smaller versions.
goreng
The Malayan word for fried.
Gorgonzola
Italian blue veined cheese from the region of Piedmont/Valle D'Aosta. A creamy, cheese,
generally creamier than other blue cheeses, such as Stilton or Roquefort. The cheese was made in the
Po Valley since the ninth century and is named for a village near Milan.
The cheese is popular in England, and the London Stock Exchange got the nickname
Gorgonzola Hall because of its mottled greenish marble interior.
gorse
Plant with edible flowers and buds.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
gouais blanc
French white wine grape widely cultivated in the Middle ages. It is now linked with Chardonnay
and gamay grapes.
Gouda
Popular firm-textured Dutch cheese, from the village by the same name. A flattened round with a
mild, delicate flavor. The taste becomes slightly tangy as the cheese ages.
gougre
Cheese flavored pastry made from puff paste (choux paste). It is often served as hors d'oeuvres.

385

goulash
American/English spelling of a Hungarian meat stew seasoned with paprika. Gulys is the
Hungarian spelling for goulash.
The dish was originally cooked by shepherds, called gulys, over open fire in a heavy iron pot
called a bogrcs, and it was made without paprika, the quintessential Hungarian spice. Paprika was
introduced to the dish in the 18th century.
Goulash is now a hearty soup or stew, highly flavored with paprika, and containing cubes of
meat, lots of onions, garlic, caraway seeds and marjoram. Garlic and marjoram are not in the original
recipes. There are also Hungarian versions called papriks, which is made with a thick sour cream gravy
and tokny, which is made with strips of meat. A related dish is Prklt. Goulash can be made with pork,
veal and chicken, but the most popular is beef.
Spelled guls by the Czechs, Gulasch by the Germans and Austrians. The Viennese created
many variations of goulash, such as Alt-Wiener Gulasch, Fiaker Gulasch and Saftgulasch.
Gulaschsuppe is Viennese soup version of the Hungarian goulash.
gouramy
Fresh water food fish from South East Asia. It is air breathing and nest building. The fish is
usually dried.
Also known as gourami.
Osphronemus goramy.
gourd
Generic name given to many varieties of hard shell squash. All belong to the family
cucurbitaceae.
The dried shells are used as bowls, dippers, containers and musical instruments.
Bottle gourd. See there.
Ridge gourd - long green cylinder with pointed ends. The dried gourd is known as luffa and used
as bath sponge.
Luffa acutangula.
Snake gourd - also known as long gourd.
Trichosanthes cucumeriana.
gourmand
Passionate food lover. The term gourmandise is sometimes used on menus to describe small
delicacies.
Also known as glutton.
gourmet
Food conoisseur.
Gournay
French soft, fresh cheese similar to crream cheese.
got
French term for taste, flavor, smell. Haut got describes aged game meat.
got de terroir
French wine term referring to the taste of the earth, the local taste. It means not only soil but
location which influences the micro climate.
See terroir.
goter
French verb to taste, enjoy and relish. Used as noun it refers to snack or light lunch.

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governo
Italian wine term for grapes that have been sun-dried before pressing. This decreases the water
content, and increases the sugar content. The grapes are pressed, fermented and added to already
fermented wine. This induces a second fermentation.
The process is used for Chianti wine.
governor plum
Tiny, marble-sized, plum-shaped fruit of Indian origin, though it is also found in tropical
Africa and in the West Indies. It is named for its physical appearance to the plum but not related to the
plum, whose botanical name is Prunus salicina.
High in pectin and used to make excellent jelly.
Also known as botoko plum.
Flacourtia indica.
Goya
Cheese from Argentina, resembling Asiago cheese. It can be used for grating.
Coxweiler
Alsatian village famous for fruit brandies and wine.
Graach
Tiny wine town on the Moselle River in Germany. The best known wine is Graacher
Himmelreich.
Graciano
Red wine grape of the Rioja region of Spain. Literally translated the word means gracious. Makes
a fresh, fruity, flavorful delicate wine.
Not very common because it has a low yield.
gracilaria
Crunchy-textured edible seaweed, similar to sea sprouts.
Gragnano
Italian red wine from Naples, cultivated close to Pompeii.
Graham, Sylvester, Reverend, 1794 - 1851
American reformer in dietetics. He advocated the health benefits of unbolted whole wheat flour,
containing the bran. He also preached the virtues of temperance and healthy living without stimulants.
Graham established hotels serving strictly controlled food.
Graham flour is unsifted whole wheat flour containing also the bran. The Graham bread, now
called Graham cracker, was created in 1882.
Graham Cracker crust is a pie crust made by blending melted butter or margarine with crushed
Graham crackers.
Grahm, Randall
Wine grower in California, the most renowned of the Rhone Rangers, a group organized to
promote the cultivation of the grapes of France's Rhone Valley in California.
grain
Any hard, small cereal seed, a small particle such as a grain of salt, and a measurement. One
pound equals 7,000 grains.
Grains of Paradise
Piquant brown seeds of a plant related to allspice. It is used as spice.
Also known as Guinea pepper or Malagueta pepper.
Aframomum melegueta.

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Gram
Metric weight unit. One kilo has 1,000 grams. One ounce equals 28.3 grams.
gram
Indian and oriental name for chick peas and other pulses.
gramigna
Italian dry pasta in the shape of irregular strings resembling the blades of grass. The name
means weed or grass.
gran reserva
Spanish wine term, it refers to wine which doesn't leave the bodega (cellar) until the sixth
calendar year after the vintage, and 24 months of that time the wine must be aged in oak casks, as
opposed to reserva which must be aged until the fourth calendar year with 12 months in oak.
Wine laws are occasionally updated and a proposal is under consideration to release a gran
reserva wine after 5 years.
grana
Grana cheeses were made in the River Po valley, Italy since about 1,200 years.
GENERIC NAME FOR ITALIAN CHEESES WITH CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS:
Granular body and texture (hence the name grana)
Sharp flavor
Hardness, therefore suitable for grating
Very small, or non existing eyes
Good keeping quality
Good shipping quality
TWO MAJOR GROUPS OF ITALIAN GRANA CHEESES:
Grana Padano - made in the many areas of Italy.
Grana Reggiano - also called grana tipico, made only around the city of Parma, Reggio Emilia,
Modena and certain sections of the city Bologna, and Nantua.
The common name for all these cheeses is Parmesan, although there are local variations. Grana
cheeses are also made in the US. and in many other countries.
Grana Padano
Italian hard cheese, typically referred to as Parmesan. The name Padano means the river Po,
which stretches over large areas of Piedmont and Lombardy, and Padano indicates that the cheese was
not made in designated Parmesan production areas. See Parmesan.
granadilla
The fruit of a rapidly growing tropical vine. It is large, egg shaped with a gelatinous pulp
enclosing flat seeds.
The fruit is consumed while green as cooked vegetable, and the pulp from ripe fruits can be
eaten raw, but is often used for jelly and beverage.
The Sweet Calabash is related, but not the same fruit. Both are related to the passion fruit.
Though the word literally translated means little pomegranate, which refers to the generally
similar structure of the two fruits, they are not related.
Also known as purple granadilla,

Passiflora quadrangularis.
granceola
Mediterranean crab with snow-white meat resembling Dungeness crabs. Harvested around
Venice.
grand cru
French wine term for a fine wine or vineyard, especially from Burgundy.

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grand cru class

French wine term referring to the Bordeaux classification.
Grand Marnier
French Cognac-based liqueur, made by Marnier Lapostolle, flavored with bitter orange peel. It is
France's most exported liqueur.
Grand Noir de la Calmette
French very productive red wine grape variety.
Grand old drink of the South
Name for Southern Comfort, a brand name for a whisky based liqueur.
Grande Passion
French liqueur made from passion fruit and Armagnac.
grand reserve
Alsatian wine term for wines made with grapes which have reached a described level of ripeness.
grand vin
French term indicating superior quality wine without legal definition.
Grande Champagne
Center French region of the Cognac district, and where the town Cognac is located.
See Cognac.
granex
Variety of sweet yellow onions, including the Texas 1015Y Supersweet. Oval with flattened ends.
Frequently crossbred with the grano.
granit
French term for coarse ice made with fruit juices and lemon juice. It should be grainy, not smooth
like ice cream.
Also known as Granita in Italian or Italian water ice. See trou du milieu.
Granny Smith
Apple variety developed in France in the mid 19th century. Granny Smith is a very common and
popular green apple, available throughout the year. Though widely grown, its production is a little limited
because it requires enough sunshine to ripen properly. The firm, white, juicy flesh is good eaten fresh or
processed.
grano
Type of yellow sweet onion.
grapes
Fruits cultivated since antiquity as table fruit, either fresh or dried, or for the fabrication of
beverages, the overwhelming amount is for wine.
Grapes grow in temperate climates on a wide range of soil. Some of the best wine grapes are
grown on rocky soil that would not produce satisfactorily any other food crops. The fruits need strong sun
to ripen, but cool nights. The vines grow aggressively and need constant pruning to keep in check.
Grape vines can become quite old if allowed to, but as a rule are uprooted and re-planted after 30 or 40
years. By that time the yield has diminished.
Table grapes generally do not make good wine, and most wine grapes are not good to eat.
There are immense varieties of grapes. See there.

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Grapes contain from 12% to 26% grape sugar, contingent on weather, citric acid, tartaric acid
and other substances. The grape juice is generally clear, although some varieties have a tinted juice.
The skins contain tannin, coloring matter, the seeds contain tanning and oil.
See wine.
grapes, canned
Whole seedless grapes are available canned, and are often used in commercial kitchens.
grapes, dried
Raisins, see there.
grape leaves
Used in Greek and Middle Eastern cooking. The best known dish using grape leaves is dolmas,
grape leaves stuffed with lamb and rice, popular throughout the Middle East. Syrian stuffed grape leaves
are called yebrach.
Grape leaves are available pickled in brine.
grape jelly
Purple jelly made from the juice of Concord grapes. It is rather inexpensive.
grape juice
Bottled juice made from white or dark grapes with high sugar content and sterilized to prevent
fermentation. Concord grapes are often used for grape juice.
grape seed oil
Oil pressed from grape seeds with little taste of its own. It is often flavored with herbs to give it
distinction and to justify its high price. It is basically a flavoring oil for salads.
grape sugar
See glucose.
grape tomatoes
Grape shaped small tomatoes, smaller than cherry tomatoes. They came on the market in 1999.
grape varieties for wine
There are literally thousands of varieties selected for their distinctive flavor, yield, suitability to
climatic conditions, soil conditions, history, custom and laws.
In older wine growing regions such as along the Rhine and Moselle Rivers, Burgundy and
Bordeaux only specific grapes are allowed to be planted. In other regions are no restrictions, but market
conditions, climate and soil dictate which grapes can be grown profitably.
The most important grape varieties are listed under their names.
grape varieties, eating
VARIETIES OF EATING GRAPES INCLUDE:
Black Corinth
Emperor - from California
Exotics - plump, black
Perlette - from California
Red Flame Seedless
Ribier - rich blue-black with seeds
There are many more hybrids cultivated.
grape varieties for wine
There are thousands of varieties. They are listed under their name.
grapefruit

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Fruit in the citrus family. The pomelo is believed to be one of the parents of the grapefruit, since
the grapefruit is a spontaneous hybrid which first occurred in the 1880's in Jamaica. The other parent
may have been the lemon. The name had its origin in the grape like clusters or bunches in which it
generally grows. It is related to the shaddock, see there.
The fruit has a yellow rind, is slightly bitter and more acidic than orange. The sections are also
more difficult to part than orange section.
Major producers are Florida and the Indian River area in Texas. Arizona and California are also
large producers.
Grapefruits are normally served halved for breakfast or as luncheon appetizer. The flesh should
be loosened from the section with a curved, serrated grapefruit knife. Grapefruits are served chilled, but
a broiled version is also popular, the fruit sprinkled with brown sugar or with honey, and quickly
caramelized under the broiler.
Grapefruit section are available is jars and are a staple on many buffet breakfast tables.
Grapefruit juice is after orange juice the most popular breakfast juice. It is available fresh, pasteurized,
blended with other fruit juices and canned.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Duncan - Florida variety. Large, round to oval, yellow-skinned, often tinged with green or russet.
Thin peel with a cluster of seeds at the center. Good flavor. The juiciest of the Florida varieties. Available
October through July.
Marsh Pink - seedless Florida variety. Medium to large in size, usually flattened at each end.
Smooth yellow rind. Amber-pink tinge on the pulp. Few seeds. Mild, good flavor with lots of juice.
Available October through June.
Marsh Red - seedless Florida variety. Medium to large in size, usually flattened at each end.
Smooth yellow rind, with pink blush. Pinkish or reddish tinge on the pulp. Few seeds. Mild, good flavor
with lots of juice. Available October through June.
Marsh White - Florida variety. Medium to large in size, usually flattened at each end. Thin,
smooth yellow rind. White to amber colored flesh. Almost seedless. Easy to section. Good flavor with lots
of juice. Available October through July.
Star Ruby - pink variety from Florida.
The pomelit is a cross between a pomelo and a grapefruit. Grapefruits may go through a process
of re-greening, a natural coloring process which occurs in some citrus fruits. A fruit which has turned
yellow or orange can turn green again after ripening if it is exposed to a lot of sun.
Also known as pomelo.
Citrus paradisi.
grapefruit cake
Its invention is credited to the Brown Derby (see there) restaurant in Los Angeles.
grappa
Italian word for a generally clear, fiery tasting brandy, with alcoholic strength ranging from 80 to
100 proof, distilled from grape pomace, which is the residue of skins and seeds left over after wine
pressing and fermentation. Grappa was originally a very basic and cheap grape brandy, and was made
in all wine producing countries. Most grappa is unaged.
The best grappa is made from the pomace containing the crushed pulp of gently pressed grapes
that still contains some of the fresh juices. The pomace must be distilled while it is still fresh, the distilling
process should not be rushed, and the brandy should mellow in wood for about a year. Of late, Italians
are beginning to make grappa from a single varietal, such as the Peculate.
Guiana, a grappa-soaked sweet cake is a specialty in Friol.
Grapput
French red wine grape variety of declining commercial interest grown in Southwest France.
Grasa
Romanian white wine grape.
grasshopper

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Cocktail made with crme de menth liqueur.

grasshopper pie
Cream pie made with custard flavored with Crme de Menth. The pie filling should be green.
gratin
French culinary term, to brown food on top, normally by sprinkling cheese, bread crumbs and
butter over the cooked food, and placing it under an open flame, such as a broiler or salamander.
When the term is used as verb, it is normally mentioned on menus as au gratin, or gratin(e).
Used as noun, it indicates a dish, such as Gratin of Sweetbreads.
gravad lax
Swedish pickled salmon. Fresh salmon fillets cured in a mixture of sugar, salt, juniper berries,
crushed pepper corns and dill weed. The dish has become popular and many flavor variations have been
created. The mixture is usually three parts salt, and two parts sugar. The other ingredients are added
according to taste. The fresh fish is rubbed with the salt/sugar mixture, the other ingredients spread over
the fish, then wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated about three days. It should be turned frequently to
get good penetration of the curing ingredients. Some chefs blend the dry ingredients with water or onion
juice to make a strong brine. It will penetrate the fish faster and therefore shorten the curing process.
Gravad lax is served thinly sliced, often with a creamy mustard sauce and thin slices of sweet
black pumpernickel bread. Gravelax is an alternate spelling.
Gravenstein
German apple variety. See apples.
Graves
Wine growing district south of the Medoc in the Bordeaux region on the left bank of the Garonne
River. The word is French for gravel, the best soil for the types of grapes grown there.
The most famous wine estate is Chteau Haut Brion.
gravlaks
Danish spelling for gravad- lax (see there).
gravy
Thickened pan juices obtained by roasting or braising meat. The difference between a sauce
and a gravy is simple; gravies are always an integral part dish, such as giblet gravy, pot-roast gravy and
others.
A sauce can be made separately from the dish, such as a tomato sauce with spaghetti, or a
custard sauce with a dessert. The thickness of gravy is immaterial, but through common usage, the term
gravy is usually conceived as a flour-thickened brown meat sauce. It is said that the term comes from the
fact that the thick sauce covers the food burying it in a grave on the plate.
gravy boat
Table implement to serve sauces or gravies. It is often shaped like a boat or a goose. An other
name is goose-neck. One type of gravy boat, an Argyle, contains a hot-water compartment for keeping
the gravy hot.
Gray
Cheese made in Tyrol from sour milk. The interior is grey as the name indicates, but is has a
pleasant taste.
Gray Riesling
White wine grape planted in California and used for a wine labeled Grey Riesling.
grayfish
Small shark, an important ocean food fish, and also harvested for its oil and skin.

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Also known as horny dogfish.

Squalus acanthias.
grayling
Freshwater fish in the salmon family found in the northern part of the US and Canada. The fish
was once abundant, but is no longer fished commercially.
grazing
Term coined in the mid-1980's to describe a method of eating a multitude of small portions, in no
logical order, rather than a set meal.
grease
Term for fat, it should never be used in connection with food, but rather reserved for mechanics.
great burnet
See burnet.
Grechetto
Italian white wine grape.
Greco di Gerace
Italian famous white wine, produced in Calabria.
Greece, food
Greece has an ancient civilization and can be credited with inventing European cooking, albeit
much refined later in other countries. The first cookbook was produced by Archestratus, who became the
leader of the group Epicurians, a word still in use today.
Greek cooks in monasteries are credited for inventing the white chefs hat to distinguish them
from other monks.
Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire from the 1400's until the 1800's. Greek cooking today is
strongly influenced by Turkish and Italian cooking. The most authentic dishes can be found in the
tavernas. Cooking is based on olives. Local olives in many variations are served as snacks, called
mezethakia, and olive oil is the preferred cooking oil. Greek salad, found on many American menus is
garnished with black olives and feta cheese. Lamb is the preferred meat. Yoghurt is popular in salads
and dips. Lemons are used in many dishes. Octopus is popular.
Greek desserts are very sweet. Phyllo, see there, is used in many preparations.
FAVORITE GREEK HERBS AND SPICES ARE:
Anisson - anise. It is the base for Ouzo, the national liqueur.
Anitho - dill seeds
Dendrolivano - rosemary, growing wild
Kaparis - capers, widely cultivated and growing also wild.
Kimino - cumin
Kokkino Piperi - Cayenne pepper, not a native spice
Kyminon - caraway seeds
Maidano - parsley, used profusely
Rigani - oregano, the most popular herb
Selino - celery leaves
Thiosmos - mint
Thrymbe - savory, used with beans and chestnuts
Thymarri - thyme, often used with olives
Vaio - bay leaf, a cousin of the laurel leave of the Olympic fame.
Vassilikos - basil
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
Arni Psito - roast leg of lamb.
Arni kokkinisto - lamb stew
Avgolemono - the best known soup. A lemony chicken broth.

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Basterma - spicy dried beef or goat meat.

Bourekakia -popular phyllo dough turnovers filled with spinach or cheese.
Dolmathes/dolmades - stuffed grape leaves.
Fassolatha - thick bean soup.
Gyro - molded minced lamb roasted on a vertical spit.
Kalamari - squid.
Kapama - lamb braised with tomatoes.
Kebab - skewered meat and vegetables.
Kephtethakia - ground lamb patties flavored with cumin.
Kokoretsi - Lamb intestines grilled over charcoal, an Easter dish.
Moussaka - eggplant casserole with ground meat.
Orzo - pearl shaped pasta.
Pastisio - Pasta and lamb casserole.
Pulpo - octopus.
Rizagolo - baked rice.
Saganaki - lightly-floured kefalotiri cheese, deep-fried and served with lemon.
Skordalia - garlic dip, made with potatoes or with soaked bread.
Sojouk - spicy sausage containinf dried meat.
Souvlakia - skewered ground lamb, also made with lamb chunks and beef.
Spanakopitta - spinach filled phyllo pastry, probably the most known Greek appetizer.
Tarama salata - creamy paste of fish roe, olive oil, and lemon juice.
Tzattziki - cucumber, cumin and garlic-flavored yoghurt.
Vakalaos - salted codfish.
Vasilopita - New Year s bread, baked with a god-luck coin inside.
PASTRIES AND DESSERTS:
Baklava - honey pastry made with phyllo dough, nuts and butter.
Dipla - fried pastry drenched in honey.
Galatoboureko - paper-thin pastry, filled with cream of wheat, soaked with
honey.
Halvah - sesame bars.
Kataifi - shredded phyllo soaked with honey and nuts.
Kourabiedes - sweet butter almond cookies garnished with cloves.
Koulourakia - breadlike easter cookie.
Melomakarona - honey and nut cookie.
Loukoumades - honey-drenched dough, a popular street snack.
Revani - honey walnut cake.
Trigona - almond pastry.
Greece is famous for figs, exported fresh or dried. Currants are small raisins.
Greek brandy
Greek produces a number of brandies and liqueurs.
Ouzo is a strong, licorice-flavored aperitif, and is considered the national drink. Raki is a potent
anise flavored spirit, also very popular in Turkey.
Metaxa is brand name for a popular wine brandy, slightly sweetned with caramel sugar.
Greek cheeses
Anthotyro - is similar to ricotta. It is often used in baking. Slightly salty.
Feta - made from either sheep's milk or goat's milk. The texture ranges from soft and creamy to
almost dry. Feta is often sold in brine stored in a wooden tub. It is the best known Greek cheese.
Graviera - resembling Gruyre cheese. See there.
Kasseri - yellowish white hard cheese made from sheep's milk, resembling Parmesan. See
there.
Kefalograviera - golden yellow cheese with small holes, good for cooking. Salty.
Kefalotyi/kefolotiri - very hard, sharp aroma goats or ewes milk cheese, used for grating.
Lathotyri - sheep milk table cheese cured in olive oil.
Manouri - made from sheep's milk, resembling ricotta cheese.

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Mitzithra - made with whey. Most likely to be dry and hard, and useable as grating cheese,
although a soft version resembling cottage cheese is also available.
Touloumi - cheese with pungent taste made from goat's milk. It is sold in brine.

Greek coffee
Popular, thick, black and very sweet coffee. Coffee ground to a fine powder is mixed with sugar
and cold water and heated in special copper pots until foamy. The coffee is served in the same pot, and
is not strained.
This type of coffee preparation is known throughout the Middle East, and is often called Turkish
Coffee.
Greek wines
Wine was made by the Greeks since the beginning of civilization, and cultivation of wine grapes
was spread by Greek seafarers throughout the Mediterranean and east to the Black sea.
For centuries wine was made from ancient, indigenous grape varieties, and in the late 1980's
measures were taken to preserve the best qualities of the wines and set up a system of appellations. Up
to that time most wine was consumed locally or by Greek expatriates.
Resin, added to many Greek wines, originally to preserve them, can cover many errors, and had
led to a decline of standards. The most unique Greek wine is Retsina. It is still popular but it takes to get
used to because of the strong resin taste..
Some wine was fermented in clay pots buried in the ground as was also done by the Romans.
Grapes include Xynmavro and Negoska and Agiorgitiko. Traditional French grapes are also
grown in Greece in small quantities, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
Greek wines were attacked by the phylloxera plant louse that devastated most of the vineyards of
Europe, although the bug arrived there a little later, the 1930's.
The largest winery is Achia Clauss, founded by a Gustav Clauss, a Bavarian in Patras in the 19th
century.
green banana
Unripe bananas used as vegetable while still green
and hard. Not the same as plantains. See there.
green bean bake
A popular recipe developed in Campbell's test
kitchens to find new uses for their soups. It consists of green
beans, cream of mushroom soup, topped with canned fried
onion rings.
green beans
Also known as string beans. See beans. The French
name is haricots verts.

green cheese
See Sapsago.
Green Chartreuse
French liqueur flavored with many herbs and plants. It is made at Voiron, France with a secret
formula given to the Carthusian Fathers of the convent of the Grand Chartreuse at Grenoble, France in
1605.

395

Green Giant
A food company, now owned by Pillsbury. It began as the Minnesota Valley Canning Company. A
major early brand was Le Sueur canned petits pois (tiny peas). The name Green Giant was first used in
1925. The company took this name for its corporate designation in 1950.
Green Goddess dressing
Dressing containing anchovies, parsley, tarragon, chives and mayonnaise. It was created at the
Palace Hotel in San Francisco in the 1920's.
Green Gram
See Mung Bean Sprouts.
Green Hungarian
California white wine grape variety.
green lemons
Limes are sometimes erroneously referred to as green lemons.
Green lip
Abalone harvested in Australian water.
green onions
Another name for scallions. See there.
green pepper
Normally refred to as bell pepper. See there.
green radish
Oriental root used in soups and stews. Not the same as green horseradish callled wasabi. See
there.
green salsa
See salsa verde.
green sapote
A variety of tropical fruit related to the sapodilla. See there.
Calocarpum viride.
Green sauce
Cold sauce based on mayonnaise and seasoned with a herb puree, or with chopped herbs. The
French name is Sauce Verte.
green sloke
Green seaweed related to laver. See there.
green tea
Unfermented tea popular in oriental countries. Tea consumed in Western countries is normally
fermented and is called black tea.
See tea.
green tomatoes
See tomatillos.
Greenbrier
Very elegant resort hotel and spa complex in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia.

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greengage/green-gage
Plum variety, known as Reine-Claude in French. The fruit has yellowish green skin and sweet.
The English name is derived from a clergyman named Gage who introduced the fruits into
England.
greening
Oyster process, when the oyster is placed in water with algae, and the oyster gills take on
eventually a green color.
Greenland halibut
Trade name for large halibut, a flatfish, harvested around Greenland.
See halibut.
greenling
Pacific food fish living between rocks.
Hexagrammos.
Grenache
Rhne wine grape, an undistinguished wine grape widely grown for use in Rhne wines,
including Chateauneuf-du-Pape. It is a workhorse grape for many of California's red and rose jug wines.
Grenadier
Apple variety, large, round, flattish, and widely available in Great Britain. The skin is smooth, pale
yellow with russet speckles. The flesh is white, crisp, pleasantly tart and good for cooking.
grenadine
Thick, red, sweet syrup, originally made from the juice of pomegranate or sometimes red
currants. Most grenadine today is made from sugar syrup and citric acid. Grenadine is used in bar drinks,
and sometimes in fruit salads. It is available with a low alcohol content and without alcohol.
grenadines
French menu term for small steaks.
grey sole
Flat food fish harvested in the Atlantic. The fish has with white meat and is often sold as sole.
Greyerzer
The Swiss German name for Gruyre cheese.
griddle
Cooking apparatus consisting of a flat, heavy metal plate. It can be heated with gas or electricity,
or can be put on any hot surface. Almost any solid food can be cooked on a griddle.
Many coffee shops prepare the whole menu on the griddle, from pancakes, fried egg dishes,
potatoes, steaks, to grilled sandwiches.
griddlecakes
Another name for pancakes.
gridiron
Metal frame or grill to cook meat or fish over charcoal.
Grignolino
Italian red wine grape variety grown in Piedmont. The wines are light and delicate.

397

Grigson, Jane
English food writer.
grill
Cooking apparatus consisting of iron rods, which can be moved up and down with a heat source
underneat. The heat source can be charcoal, electricity or gas. The meat juices dripping on the heating
elements caramelize and burn, creating a pleasantly flavored smoke.
Gas and electric grills often have lava stones between the elements to create more surface for
the juices to drip on, and thus develop more flavor.
grill room
Once popular name for hotel restaurants, normally the less expensive dining room when the
hotels had two restaurants. Years ago, Grill Rooms were often restricted to men during lunch.
grillades and grits
Popular New Orleans breakfast combination consisting of meats served with hominy grits. The
name would indicate that the meat is grilled, but sometimes it is not.
Grillades is a generic term French for grilled meats.
grillardin
French term for grill cook.
Grillet, Chteau
Wine estate on the Rhne valley in France. The smallest Appellation Controle in France. The
wine is golden colored, high in alcohol and spicy.
Grimes Golden
Apple variety. See there.
grinder
Term for a hero sandwich in New England. See hero sandwich.
grinder
Machine that reduces food into small particles. The most common culinary grinders are:
Coffee grinder, meat grinder, pepper grinder, also called pepper mill.
Grinzing
Viennese suburb producing pleasant wines from the Veltliner, Rsling and Sylvaner grapes.
Most wine is consumed locally in romantic taverns popular with tourists and locals.
See Heurigen.
griskin
Irish term for a char-grilled slice of meat.
Grissini
Italian specialty, pencil-thin bread sticks often served in restaurants. Prosciutto ham wrapped
around grissini is often served as appetizer.
grits/groats
Hulled grain, either left whole or coarsely ground. The term is generally applied to coarsely
ground dried, hulled corn kernels or hominy (see there.) Corn grits are made by removing the hull, and
grinding the heart. They differ from cornmeal in that grits are a coarser grind. The color is determined by
the color of the corn used. Grits are a basic staple in the South.
Often referred to in the singular (I. e., "grits is") the word is plural as indicated by the dictionary.
The word comes from the Old English grytt, meaning bran, although some disparages say they are

398

named for what you do with your teeth if forced to eat them. Supporters say their bland taste makes them
the ideal foil for seasonings and that improper cooking is solely responsible for bad grits.
The term also sometimes refers to milled dried wheat or oats.
As Southern staple grits are cooked into a mashed potato-like mixture. Original grits take about
on-half hour to cook, but quick grits are ground finer than regular grits and hence take only 5 to 10
minutes to cook.
Brands include the nationally distributed Quaker, Aunt Jemima and the Georgia Speckled Heart
Grits brands.
In New Orleans grillades (small broiled meat filet) and grits are a popular breakfast combination.
grocer
Food distributer and seller. The term was mentioned 1310 in London. The grocers banded
together already in 1345 to from a guild, and it became for hundredths of years a powerful and important
organization who controlled food distribution and policed its members to safeguard the cleanliness and
purity of food.
Eventually the guild formed the Levante Trading Company, which became the famed East India
Company responsible to a large extent for the building of the British Empire in India.
grog
Alcoholic drink consisting of hot water, sugar and rum. It originated in the British Navy as a way
of diluting the alcohol ration given to the sailors to prevent drunkenness. Also Australian slang for any
alcoholic beverage.
Grolleau
French red wine grape, grown in the Loire region. The wine is a major ingredient in Ros dAnjou
wine, and much is consumed locally.
Gros Plant
French simple wine from the Muscadet region from the area just at the mouth of the Loire River
by the city of Nantes. A simple quaffing wine made from the Folle Blanche grape.
Also known as Gros Plant du Pays Nantais.
groseilles
French term for currants.
Groslot
Red wine grape cultivated in France's Loire valley.
Grosslage
German wine term for a piece of land producing wines of similar characteristic and quality.
ground cherry
Fruit of a productive plant growing wild in the South and also being cultivated. The fruits
resemble cherries. They mature inside a bladder shaped calyx. The fruits are juicy and can be eaten
raw.
Also known as Alkelengi, husk-tomato, strawberry cherry, strawberry tomato or winter cherry.
Physalis spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
ground cherry
The term is used for two completely different plants.
European dwarf cherries. Prunus fruticosa.
Cape gooseberries - Physaslis peruviana. See there.

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ground ivy
Trailing herb, unrelated to ivy, used to make a tea which is credited with the ability to fight
ailments of the head, including coughs, colds, and ringing in the ear.
The taste is pungent and spicy. The tea is often sweetened with honey or licorice. Sometimes it is
combined with sage, rosemary, lemon verbena, or balm.
Also known as gill tea, Lizzy-run-up-the-hedge and gill-go-over-the-ground, referring to its
spreading growth.
Glechoma hederacea.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
ground nuts
An other name for peanuts. See there.
The term is also used for nutty tubers known as wild beans.
Also known as Indian potatoes.
grouper
Ocean food fish in the sea bass family. There are many species called grouper, but only the few
are commercially harvested. They are:
Black Grouper, Jewfish, Nassau Grouper, Red Grouper, spotted Cabrilla, and Yellow mouth
Grouper. The fish is popular in Florida and in the Carolinas.
Grouper is low in fat.
grouse
Family of game birds which includes many varieties. In Europe the red grouse, commonly called
Scotch grouse is the most prized. The grouse season in Scotland starts in the middle of August and
London restaurants compete to have the first grouse of the season on the menu. The bird weighs around
1 lb eviscerated, plugged and ready to cook. The meat is dark red and should not be aged. It should
always be roasted medium rare, otherwise it will be dry. The traditional garnishes are bread sauce, red
currant jelly and toasted bread crumbs.
Other European varieties are the black cock, capercaille and ptarmigan.
The name grouse is often applied for birds not related, such as: Ruffed grouse, spruce grouse,
sage grouse, prairie chicken and Franklin Grouse.
Grouse is in the gallinaceous family.
growler
Pitcher used to take beer home from a tavern. The term started as pail with lid and bail wire
hanger.
Gruaud Larose, Chteau
Famous large Bordeaux, France vineyard.
grub
Slang for food.
gruel
Any cereal cooked in water and strained. It was food used for invalids, but is often associated
with prison food. Prison gruel is not strained.
Grner Kse, also Kruterkse
German words for cheeses flavored with herbs. The most famous variety comes from
Switzerland and is called Sapsago.
Grner Veltliner
Austrian white wine grape, the leading variety planted in Austria.

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grunt
Dessert made with stewed fruits, covered with biscuit dough, and baked. The same as cobbler.
Originally, grunt was steamed.
grunt fish
Excellent southern food fish named from the sound it makes when it is pulled from the water.
Known as grondin in French.
Genus haemulon.
Gruyre/Gruyere
Cheese in the Emmenthal family. The name in German speaking Switzerland is Greyzer. The
cheese is named after the small town Gruyre with a beautiful castle in Switzerland. The cheese has
been made since the twelfth century. Gruyre is now made on both sides of the Jura Mountain in
Switzerland and in France. There are slight differences between the French and the Swiss Gruyre.
Gruyre is made in loaves about half the size of Emmenthal loaves, and the rind is brown. The
cheese has smaller holes than Emmenthal. The flavor is nutty. The cheese lends itself to cooking and is
a component of some typical Swiss recipes.
A related cheeses are Fribourg Vacherin in Switzerland and Comt in France.
guacamole
Avocado dip, very popular in the South Western states and in Mexico. Avocados are coarsely
mashed, seasoned with chili peppers, onions, vinegar or lemon juice and chopped cilantro (coriander)
leaves. In many cases, diced tomatoes are also added. In fine Mexican restaurants, the guacamole is
made in small batches to be as fresh as possible.
guampa
South American, chiefly Paraguayan, drinking cup, traditionally used for yerba mat. (See there).
guanabana
West Indian name for soursop (see there), a tropical fruit in the cherimoya family.
In South America and the West Indies, guava is often made into a paste-like preserve and called
guanabana, not to be confused with the guanabana fruit.
Anona muricata.
guanciale
Italian brine cured pork jowls and cheeks.
gurapos
Iced drinks made with crushed sugar cane made in a blender, a Cuban drink.
guaran/guarana
Brazilian beverage made from the seeds of a local plant. Sometimes sold bottled as a popular
sparkling soda and sometimes sold as a powder to be mixed with water. It has a bitter, astringent flavor
and an odor resembling coffee. The beverage contains caffeine.
It is a purported sexual stimulant and its most widely used aphrodisiac.
Paullinia cupana.
Guatemala rhubarb
Not an edible plant. A poisonous shrub, originally from Central American. It grows to a height of 4
or 5 feet and is often used as a border for privacy.
Jatropha podagrica.
guava
Tropical fruit, native to South America, but also grown in southeast Asia, Australia, and Florida.
The shape ranges from apple-shaped to pear-shaped, but with a large calyx at the end opposite
the stem. They range in size from a mall egg to a large orange. Shiny yellow skin. The flesh color ranges

401

from white-yellow to pink to red. The flesh is firm and smooth, though sometimes grainy. The white seeds
are contained in a jelly-like center pulp. Best eaten raw. This flavorful fruit is good in nectars, fruit cups,
sherbets, ice cream, jams and jellies.
Guava have a strong, pervasive aroma which can be musky when they are unripe, but is sweet
and floral when ripe. Because of this aroma, the fruit does not lend itself to fruit bowl displays and it draws
flies once ripe.
The fruit is often picked underripe and if picked too green will not ripen.
In South America and the West Indies, guava is often made into a paste-like preserve called
guanabana, not to be confused with the fruit of the same name.
Also known as guayaba. Psidium guajava. The guava pickers are called guyaba in Cuba, and
guyabera is the shirt they traditionally wear.
A related variety is the strawberry guava which has a pink skin and pink flesh. This variety is
sometimes canned. It is popular in Brazil.
Psidium cattleianum.
gubana
Italian sweet yeast bread, which originated in the Friuli towns of Cividale and Valli del Natisone.
Sometimes referred to as "the cake that smiles", filled with a sweetened mixture of nuts including pine
nuts, almonds, walnuts and dired fruits especially sultanas, and soaked with grappa (see there).
gudgeon
Tiny fresh water harvested in lakes and rivers in Europe and Asia. It is usually dusted with flour
and fried whole.
Guerard, Michel
Renowned French chef. Credited as the originator of cuisine minceur, a slimming cuisine.
Guernay
French cheese from the Department of Seine-Infrieure. Very similar to cream cheese.
Guernsey
Cattle breed from the island of the same name producing very fatty milk.
gueuze-lambic
Belgian beer that is fermented with the air's natural bacteria, rather than with yeast.
Gugelhupf
Austrian/German name for a coffee cake baked in a fluted mold. It is normally made with a rich
yeast dough, but in Vienna a version made with a rich baking powder batter is also popular.
guindas
Spanish word for cherries, which are also known as ceresas.
Guinea hen, guinea fowl
Bird originally from Africa and domesticated since antiquity for food. It is related to pheasant and
should have a slightly gamy taste, but most is lost now and the bird tastes like chicken. It is popular in
France.
Guinea hens are credited for eating deer ticks. Wild flocks can still be seen.
Numida meleagris.
Guinea pepper
Plant related to cardamom.

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guinea pig
Small, domesticated rodent, widely used in scientific research and often kept as a pet. It is eaten
and sold at the market by descendants of the Incas, in northwestern South America. The meat is sparse,
but what's there tastes like chicken.
Known as cuy in Peru.
Cavia porcellus.
Guinea squash
Another name for eggplant. See there.
Guinea yam
Yellow fleshed yam (see there). Somewhat large, weighing up to 10 lbs. The most common US
yam. Also popular in the West Indies and West Africa.
Dioscorea rotundata.
Guinness
Brand name of a famous dark beer produced in Ireland. See beer.
guitar spaghetti
Spaghetti cut with a special tool, resembling a fine comb. Called in Italian spaghetti alla chitarra.
Gujarat foods
State in western India. The food is traditionally strict vegetarian, excluding not only meat but also
eggs. Frequntly used vegetables include okra, potatoes, eggplant.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Batatawada - deep-fried, spicy mashed potato balls.
Dahiwada - a mung bean dumpling served in yogurt.
Khaman - a steamed cake flecked with mustard seeds.
Kadhi - a mild sweet and soup chick pea flour soup.
Poori - deep-fried bread.
Shrikhand - a dessert of sweetened yougurt.
Shira - mashed mung bean cake.
Urad dal - split-pea soup.
Meals are often washed down with jal jira, a digestion aiding cumin water.
gulab
The ancient Persian word meaning rosewater, spelled julab in Arabic. The American drink julep
was derived from this word, although the drink does not contain rosewater.
Gullah
Small ethnic group of Afro Americans who live on the US southern coast from South Carolina to
northern Florida. They have their own language, a heavily accented blend of English and an African tribal
language. Their food relies on chicken, ham, sausages, turnip greens, red rice and corn.
The name might have come from a corruption of Angola, the native country of their slave
ancestors.
Also known as Geechees.
gully bean
A type of eggplant. Small round with pale green skin streaked with darker green. Also known as
pea aubergine or susumber.
Solanum torvum.
gum Arabic
Natural product that derived from the Acacia Senegal tree. It is used as food thickener and
emulsifier. Also known as acacia gum.

403

gum tragacanth
Natural gum derived from sap of trees growing in the Middle East. The sap is dried and sold as
powder. It is used as an extender, or binder, in ice cream. It is also used to make inedible sugar show
pieces, although it has been replaced by gelatin.
Also called tragant.
gumbo fil powder (file)
Dried and ground young sassafras leaves used as thicking and flavoring ingredient in Louisiana
cooking.
gumbo
Louisiana/Cajun/Creole thick soup or stew, always based on a brown roux, a mixture of fat and
flour cooked until light brown.
There are many variations, often made of seafood or chicken. Gumbo usually includes okra,
which provides a thickening agent, and other vegetables. Sometimes gumbo is thickened with gumbo fil
powder.
The word comes from the Bantu language.
gummi bears/gummy bears
Multi-colored bite-size gum candy in the shape of bears, that became popular in the 1980's.
Aficionados, who judge the candy by the tactile sense and the amount of sweetness, say the best ones
are made in Germany.
The candy is also made in other shapes, such as worms three inches long, which are fun to eat,
because they can be inelegantly, but delightfully, sucked on slowly. Also, bats, dinosaurs, skeletons,
spiders or other faddish shapes have come on the market.
gummies
Australian slang for young ladies.
Gumpoldskirchen
Austrian wine growing town on the fringes of Vienna, popular in song and verse as tourist
attraction and destination. The wines are fruity, light and easy to drink. The grape varieties are Veltliner,
Rotgipfler, Sylvaner and Riesling.
gungo peas
See pigeon peas.
gurnard
Ocean food fish, armor plated and ugly-looking, but with delicious meat. There are a number of
species including the sea robin, red gurnard and ray gurnard.
Also known as gurnet.
guru nuts
Nuts containing caffeine. They are chewed by the Sudanese for their caffeine effects.
Gssing
Austrian cheese of the brick cheese type.
Gutenbroner
German white wine grape.
Guttiferae.
Family of fruits, including the mangosteen. See there.
San Domingo apricot. See there.

404

gyro
Greek dish of minced lamb or beef, cooked on a vertical spit, therefore the name gyro (turn).
Often served wrapped in pita bread. It is a popular street food in Greece and has been brought to the
US by Greek emigrants.
Doner kebab is a popular street food in Crete. Slivered grilled lamb in pita bread, garnished with
chopped onion, parsley and drizzled with olive oil.
habaeros
Very hot tiny chili peppers.
Habersham, Mrs. Fred
Society lady from Savannah Georgia, who conducted cooking classes in her home. She lived
during the mid 19th century.
hackberry
The fruits from the big nettle tree. The berries are sweet and astringent and are best after a frost.
The small berries can be used for jams.
Also known as sugarberries, hagberris.
Celtis occidentalis.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
haddock
Fish in the cod family. It was once considered a junk fish, but is now often used in commercial
products, such as fish sticks and breaded fish fillets. When smoked, haddock is called Finnan Haddie.
See there.
Haddock is related to pollock and hake.
Melanogrammus aeglefinus.
haggis
Scottish national dish, consisting of a sheep stomach filled with innards, oats and suet and
boiled. It is sometimes served with a ritual, consisting of bagpipers piping in the haggis which is then
ceremonially split open with a sword, and toasted with whiskey.
Haggamuggie is a fish liver version of haggis.
Hainan
Chinese island off the southern coast of China. Its most famous dish is Hainanese chicken rice, a
slow cooked dish. Roast pork and breaded pork cutlets are specialties.
hairy squash
Large, oblong, green, fuzzy-skinned gourd that narrows in the center like a waist line.
Known in Chinese as jit gwa/ mo gwa/ cheh gwa.
hairy fruit
See rambutan.
hake
Term for fish resembling cod. There are two distinct species, one in the cod family. The main
species in the Atlantic are white and red hake. The other species is harvested in the Pacific and is
abundant from Alaska to Southern California.
The fish is popular in the Iberian countries.
hakusai
Japanese name for Chinese cabbage.

405

halal
Meat that is ritually slaughtered according to the rules of Islam. The rules are basically the same
as for kosher slaughtering. See there.
Halbstck
German 600 liter cask used for Rhine wines. The cask yields about 800 bottles.
Halb und Halb
Generic German term for blended drinks when each ingredient is one half of the total.
half and half
Mixture of milk and cream with 11% butterfat.
The term is also used for blends of different beers.
halibut
The largest of the flat fish variety harvested in the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. The
best comes from Alaskan waters.
Halibut are graded by size and can reach up to 80 lb. The meat is firm and white and is
moderately high in fat. Huge fish reaching 500 lb have been reported.
HALIBUT STEAK TERMINOLOGY:
Full moon - crosscut
Half moon - half cross cut
Loin cut - almost boneless cut
Regular cut - cut from full moon
Roast - tail cut
Halibut fillets are called fledges in the trade.
Hippoglossus hipoglussus - Atlantic halibut
Hippoglossus stenolepis - Pacific halibut.
Fletan in French, Heilbutt in German, hipogloso in Spanish.
Halloumi
Greek ewes milk cooking cheese.
Halloween
The eve of All Saints Day. The food is traditionally orange and black in color. It is the first day of
the season when pumpkin pie is served.
halupkis
Finnish beef and pork filled cabbage rolls.
halvah/halva
Confection made with ground sesame seeds and honey. It is associated with Jewish cooking,
although the confection originated in Turkey.
The confection is also made with semolina, dried fruits and spices.
Also known as halwa, helve.
ham
Pigs hind leg or shoulder, cured and smoked or air dried and smoked. The most common cut is
the hind leg, Meat Buyers Guide # 402, but the shoulder or butt is also used. See Picnic Ham.
Fresh ham is the hind leg not cured or smoked. It is often sold boneless and netted, Meat Buyers
Guide # 402 B.
Basically, hams can be divided into two large groups, hams that need cooking (normally boiling),
and hams that are smoked and/or air dried and can be eaten as is.
There are many ham varieties, originating in many countries. The differences are the type of
hog, the composition of the brine, the length of curing. the type of wood used
THE MOST FAMOUS HAM TYPES ARE:
Asturia - famous Spanish ham. It needs boiling.

406

Bradenham - English dry cured ham resembling Smithfield Ham. See there.
Bayonne - cured ham served sliced paper thin, no cooking needed.
Capicollo - See there.
Coppa crudo - shoulder ham encased in sausage skins and air dried.
Country hams - Generic term for local hams, all require cooking and some soaking.
Danish ham - mild fully cooked canned ham.
Irish ham - peat smoked ham.
Jambon dArdennes - Belgium ham resembling prosciutto.
Jambon de Paris - lightly smoked ham, requires cooking.
Jamn Serrano - Spanish ham sliced paper thin, no cooking needed. See there.
Kentucky - hickory smoked hams, require cooking.
Lachsschniken - See there.
Parma ham - See Prosciutto.
Prague ham - lightly smoked over beechwood and it requires cooking.
Polish ham - Krakow ham. Mild fully cooked canned ham.
Schwarzwlder - German Black Forest ham heavily smoked, eaten raw.
Smithfield ham - See there.
Toulouse - Cured ham sliced paper thin, no cooking needed.
Virginia ham - See Smithfield ham. Sugar glazed ham is often erronously labeled Virginia ham.
Westmoreland - delicate ham English ham, it requires cooking.
Westphalian ham - Cured ham cured over juniper wood and served sliced paper thin, no cooking
needed.
York ham - delicate ham English ham, it requires cooking.
Spiral cut ham is a completely cooked ham sliced by machine into attractive slices. The product is
popular for parties.
Jambon in French, Schinken in German, prosciutto in Italian, jamn in Spanish.
Hamans ear
Jewish pastry turnovers resembling ears, eaten in memory of Hamans defeat by Esther. There
are many versions, but they are filled with ground nuts or poppy seeds flavored with honey. They can be
made with yeast dough and fried or with sugar dough and baked.
Also known as Hamentaschen, oznei Haman, hojuelos de Haman.
Hamburgh parsley
Parsley cultivated for its long, slender roots, used in soups and stews.
Also known as turnip parsley.
Petroselinum hortense.
hamburger
Ground beef patty. The name probably goes back to the German city Hamburg, but Hamburger,
also called "burger" is considered today an American staple. In the US, the hamburger consists of pure
ground beef, with no additions whatsoever. The meat should be handled as little as possible to avoid
contamination, and shaped into a patty as soon as it comes from the meat grinder. Most patties are
machine shaped, and in the process the meat is compressed and looses some tenderness.
There are taste differences in Hamburger meat. The best tasting meat is the beef chuck
(shoulder), but within the chuck are many different muscles, each with slightly different flavors. The fat
content is very important, because fat adds flavor and moisture to the meat. The industry standard is 20%
fat by weight, leaner meat can be dry. Hamburger meat is a careful blend of lean muscles and fat. Fast
food Hamburgers are often made with imported lean beef, blended with fat trimmings from American corn
fed steers. Beff chuck is listed in Meat Buyers Guide # 113, bone in.
Hamburger meat is also made from top sirloin, sirloin butt and other cuts. The often used phrase
found on menus ground sirloin is technically misleading, because the sirloin butt is used, Meat Buyers
Guide # 181, not the strip loin Meat Buyers Guide # 175.
hamin
Jewish cholent stew. See there.

407

hamidas
Old fashioned Jewish dish of whole eggs slow baked with a little water and onion skins. They are
baked overnight to be eaten on Sabbath when no cooking is allowed. The onion skins color the eggs
brown.
hand cheese
Generic name for a number of small, strong smelling German cheeses made with sour milk, such
as Mainzer, Hartzer, Olmtzer Quargel, Bierkse, and Livlander.
Handkse in German.
Hand melon
Brand name for melons grown Greenwich, New York since 1925 by the Hand family. The melons
are very sweet and juicy attributed to the micro climate and the sandy soil of the Batten Kill river delta,
where the fields are located. The melons are musk melons of the Saticoy, Gold Star and Pulsar variety.
Hand melons are harvested only when absolutely ripe, and command a premium price at the
New York market.
Hangtown Fry
Gold Rush dish consisting of and omelette with fried oysters and bacon. It is named after the
notorious Hangtown in California, now called Placerville.
hank
Animal intestine used for sausage making.
happy hour
Term used by bars for the period before dinner, during which cocktails are served, sometimes at
a reduced price to attract business.
Haraszthy, Agoston
Hungarian count who is considered the father of the wine industry in California. In 1861 he went
to Europe and returned with vine cuttings of different grape varieties including a variety which might have
been the Zinfandel, although this is much open to debate.
hard sauce
Solid topping for hot desserts, primarily for plum pudding. The sauce consists of shortening or
butter, powder sugar and flavoring, such as vanilla, brandy or rum. The ingredients are mixed together
and placed on top of the hot dessert to melt.
hard smoked
Term used for products heavily salted and smoked. There is very little moisture left and the
products do not require refrigeration.
hardtack
Dry biscuits made without shortening and baking powder. The very hard breads were used as
ship provisions. The G. H. Bent Company in Milton, Massachusetts supplied Union soldiers with hardtack
and started to make them again in 1999. They can be ordered by www.hardtackcracker.com.
Also known as Sea Biscuit, Sea Bread, Ship Biscuit and Pilot Bread.
hard wheat
Durum wheat, aso known as Winter wheat. See durum. See wheat.
hare
Wild animal in the leporidae family with dark meat. It is generally larger than the wild rabbit and
has longer ears.

408

The European hare is used in some classical dishes, some of which is the German Hasenpfeffer,
a brown hare stew, and the French civet de livre.
The name Hasenpfeffer is often erroneously used for rabbit stew.
Hase in German, livre in French, lepre in Italian, liebre in Spanish.
Harel, Marie
French woman credited with the invention of Camembert around 1790.
haricots
French generic name for beans. Haricots verts are string bean or green beans. Since these
beans are normally rather small and slender in France, the name is used in the US for very thin beans.
On the US market, haricots verts are usually imported. Some are now cultivated by local farmers.
The term haricot is also used for a mutton stew called Haricot de Mouton.
harira
Soup made with lemons, meat, pulses and herbs, often eaten in Turkey and Iran to break the fast
during Ramadan.
harissa
Fiery hot North African condiment seasoned with hot peppers, coriander, cumin, salt, vinegar and
olive oil. It is the all purpose seasoning paste used throughout North Africa and the Middle East.
Harlequin
Culinary term for dishes displaying the harlequin colors if possible arranged as mosaic. It is an
old fashioned concept.
Haro
Spanish wine town in the Rioja region on the Ebro River.
haroset
Also known as charoset. See Passover.
Harslevelu
Hungarian white wine grape, the blending wine used in the sweet Tokay. The other wine is
Furmint.
Hartford Election Cake
Colonial yeast cake traditional made around election time.
hartshorn
Old fashioned name for ammonia used in baking. Originally ground antlers were used. Ammonia
needs an acid to activate, and therefore is only useful in mixtures with a high acid content, such as
molasses cookies or gingerbread. The German name is Hirschhornsalz.
Harusame noodles
Japanese name for bean gelatine or cellophane noodles.
Harvard beets
Beets cooked with vinegar, sugar, and thickened with cornstarch. The dish was a popular
vegetables, but is not often served today. The name comes probably from the color of the Harvard
football team.
Harvard Cocktail
Cocktail consisting of brandy and Vermouth.
Harvati

409

Danish cows milk cheese with spicy flavor.

Harvey Restaurants
Chain of restaurants at railroad stations, founded by Fred Harvey. Eventually, the company
expanded into hotel management and dining car operations.
Harvey Wallbanger
Cocktail containing Galliano, vodka and orange juice. It supposedly originated in California.
Harzer, also Harz Kse
German cheese, strong smelling small disks, about 2 in. across and in thick.
Also known as Hand Kse, Livlander.
Hasenpfeffer
German word for a stew made with wild hare, not rabbit, and thickened with hare blood. The
French name is civet de livre. Rabbit stew is not Hasenpfeffer.
hash
Cooked meat, diced and mixed with potatoes and onions, and pan-fried. Chicken hash is made
without potatoes with a cream sauce, and baked.
haslet
Term for a number of different preperations made with pig hart, liver, lights and sweetbread.
Also known as harslet.
Hattenheim
German wine village in the Rheingau.
haunch
Generic term for hindquarter, usually applied for deer and wild boar.
Hauskse
German name for a Limburger type cheese.
haut
French word for high. In connection with food, the term haut got is used to indicate enhanced
taste, and is often used to describe well aged game or other meat, which has acquired a strong taste.
Haut is also used in connection with many French wine estate names or vineyard locations.
THE MOST FAMOUS ARE:
Haut Bages, Bordeaux
Haut Bailley, Bordeaux
Haut Brion, Bordeaux
Hautes Ctes de Beaune, Burgundy
Hautes Ctes de Nuits, Burgundy
Haut Mdoc, Bordeaux
Haut Rhin, Alsace, France
Haut Sauternes, Bordeaux.
Hautvilliers
Village in the Champagne region of France famous for the Abby of Hautvillers, where Dom
Prignon conducted his experiments with bottle fermentation which resulted in Champagne.
Havarti cheese
Tilsit type Danish cheese developed by Mrs. Hanne Nielson and named after her farm.

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Hawaii food
The food is influenced by sailors from China, Japan, Polynesia, Korea and Europe who visited
and settled the islands.
The islands had no native animals useable for food, and all animals were introduced. Seafood is
plentiful, and includes shellfish, whale, dolphin and turtle.
Mauis, large yellow - white fruit grown in the mountains on volcanic soil.. The production is small
with virtually all coming from the Kula district of Maui. Other tropical fruits appear in many dishes.
TERMS AND DISHES:
Crack seeds - dried fruits seasoned with sugar, salt and star anise.
Kukui -candlenuts. See there.
Loco moco - rice, hamburger, fried egg and gravy.
Lomi-Lomi salmon - diced raw salmon, marinated with lime juice, onions and garlic.
Luau - Hawaiian barbecue, roast pig and vegetables cooked in an earthen trench.
Macadamia nuts - culivated excellent local nuts originally from Australia.
Malasados - doughnuts.
Manapua - barbecue pork stuffed yeast buns, often sold as street food.
Poi - paste made with taro roots. See there.
Poke Pines - deep fried tuna balls wrapped in wonton skins.
Poke - local version of sashimi. See there.
Shoyu chicken - made with soy sauce, mirin rice wine, ginger, cilantro and spice.
Hawker food
Singaporean street food served by street peddlers from carts. It includes a wide range of dishes.
The food is still popular but is now organized into hawker food centers with numerous privately run food
stalls. It is delicious, inexpensive fast food.
Hawkestone
English solid goats milk cheese made in Cheshire.
haws
The edible fruits of the hawthorn shrub, a wild shrub or small tree found in numerous species and
varieties. The small fruits are orange to brown, are rather dry and can be used in jams and jellies. The
flowers contain trimethylamine, a sweet , stale odor which suggests sex.
The shrub is planted often as an ornamental shrub and the berries left for the birds to harvest.
The shrub has symbolized fertility and marriage in Greece and Rome.
Crataegus, spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Hay cheese
French cheese made in the Department Seine-Infrieure, ripened on fresh hay, which imparts a
characteristic aroma. Also called Fromage de Foin.
hay box cooking
Hay is an excellent insulator and the contents of tightly sealed pots, once brought to a boil, would
continue simmering for a while. Farmers wives took advantage of this method.
Hazan, Marcella
One of the foremost teachers and cookbook writers on Italian food, with cooking schools in
Bologna, Venice, and New York. The first of her three cookbooks, The Classic Italian Cookbook was
published in 1973. Well-educated in other subjects as well as food, she holds doctorates in biology and
paleontology. Married to Victor Hazan, who studied English literature at Harvard and is noted for his
knowledge of Italian wine. Both are Italian born, near Ravenna.
hazel hen
Wild bird with dark meat. It is generally protected, and no longer hunted in most countries.

411

412

hazelnut
The nut of shrubs or trees of the genus Corylus. European varieties are often the large Spanish
variety, reddish-brown skin and sweet tasting. They are grown in Italy and other Mediterranean countries.
Oregon and California are major producing states in the US.
Hazelnuts are also called filberts. Filberts are actually an English variety of hazelnut. Thus all
filberts are hazelnuts, but not all hazelnuts are filberts.
Hazelnuts are used in pastries, desserts and in confections.
Also known as cobnuts, Barcelona nuts, Kentish cobnut.
Corylus avellana.
hazelnut oil
Golden brown oil with a delightful nutty flavor. It is expensive and should be used in salads.
head cheese
Gelatinous meat product consisting of boiled meat, often pickled and cured, seasonings and
gelatinous meat stock. Considered a cold cut, eaten as sandwich filling or as appetizer.
Known as pat de tte in France or hure de porcelet in Belgium, Slze in Germany and Austria.
Head Wok
The head chef in a Chinese restaurant.
Also known as Number 1 Wok/No.1 Wok .
heads
Heads are used in cooking in a number of ways.
Pig heads are used in sausages, in head cheese and in Pennsylvania Dutch Scrabble. See
there.
Stuffed pigs or boarss head is a Christmas or New Years treat in some European countries.
Bath chaps are the smoked pig cheeks, boiled and eaten as cold cut. Tongues are marinated and boiled,
occasionally available pickled in jars.
Calfs heads were once popular in Austria and France. The boiled heads can be breaded and
deep fried, or served in a sauce en turtue, meaning turtle like, because the gelatinous meat resembles
turtle meat. Veal brains are a delicacy and prepared many ways, either poached, breaded and fried, or
served with capers and brown butter. Chopped brains can be quickly cooked and served with scrambled
eggs. Calfs tongues are boiled and served with sauces.
Sheep heads are a Middle Eastern treat, and the eyeballs are a special delicacy. Lamb tongues
are tender and find many uses.
Beef heads have many uses. The cheeks are tender and flavorful. They can be braised, or
cured in brine, boiled and used as cold cuts or in a salad. The German Ochsenmaulsalat uses also the
lips and other parts. Beef tongue is flavorful and is used fresh boiled with sauces or cured and smoked.
The tongue is considered kosher providing is comes from a kosher slaughtered animal, and is part of
Jewish cooking.
heart
The heart is a very tasty muscle, but it has a strong taste, is dry, and is therefore not popular.
The heart from old and large animals must be boiled or braised to become tender, smaller hearts can be
grilled.
heart starter
Australian slang for the first drink of the day.
hearth baked
Method of baking bread or other foods directly on the hot masonry base of an oven. The brick
base distributes heat evenly and contributes to the development of a crisp bottom crust. Fine bakeries
and pizza parlor have hearth oven.

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hearts of palm
The hearts or young shoots of several species of palm tree. Unfortunately, harvesting totally
destroys the tree. Most common in Brazil, but also harvested in Florida and other places. Long exported
to France.
Hearts of palms consist of various layers of skin, like leeks, but with the delicate flavor of
asparagus. Good in salads.
Usually available canned. It is difficult to find fresh hearts of palm outside of Brazil.
Also known as cabbage palm, not to be confused with the palmetto palm cultivated for wood.
Oreodoxa oleracea.
heartsease
Wild violets used in syrups.
hearth
The bottom of an oven made of brick or stone and suitable for baking products directly on it.
Stone is an even conductor of heat and hearth baked products bake uniformly.
Heath bar
Milk-chocolate-covered candy bar filled with crunchy toffee, made by L. S. Heath & Sons in
Illinois since 1928. it came into its own nearly 50 years later when Steve's Ice Cream chopped it up and
mixed it in with ice cream.
Now copied, a vanilla based version is the mainstay of Ben & Jerry's ice cream from Waterbury,
Vermont.
heather
Low shrub with purple flowers long associated with Scotland. It is famous for attracting bees.
The flowers were used to flavor Ale.
Ling heather - Calluna vulgaris.
Bell heather - Erica cinera.
Culluna vulgaris.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
heather ale
Scottish fermented beverage made with heather, water, ginger, sugar and yeast.
heaven and earth
German dish of cooked potatoes and apples served with crisp bacon.
Also known as Himmel und Erde.
heavenly bread
See manna.
heavenly hash
Dessert made with wafers layers and whipped cream.
heavenly hots
Small delicate pancakes, made with lots of eggs and sour cream and little flour.
Hectoliter Metric liquid measure. One hectoliter equals 100 liters or 26.42 US gallons.
hedgehog
Center European chocolate glazed cake studded with almonds to resemble the spines of
hedgehogs.
The German name is Igel.

414

hedgehog pudding
Dessert common to the 18th century English banquet table. It was not made with hedgehogs.
Hefe
German name for yeast.
Heidelbeer
Austrian/German term for blueberry
heirloom seeds/heirloom vegetables
Varieties grown before hybrids became common in the 1940's. All are open-pollinated, that is
naturally pollinated. It usually refers to old-fashioned, currently less common varieties.
LIST OF COMPANIES OFFERING INFORMATION, PLANTS AND SEEDS:
Heirloom Seed Project
Landis Valley Museum
2451 Kissle Hill Road
Lancaster, PA 17601 (717) 569 0401
www.landisvalleymuseum.org
Seed Saver Exchange
3076 North Winn Road
Decorah, IA 521010
Heirloom Seeds
P. O. Box 245
West Elizabeth, PA 15088 (412) 384 0852
www.heirloomseeds.com
Seeds of Change Organic Seeds
1354 Rufina Circle 5
Santa Fe, NM 87501, (800) 957 3337
Fox Hollow Herb and Garden Seed Cop.
P. O. Box 148
McGrann, PA 16236
W. Atlee Burpee Co.
300 Park Avenue
Warminster, PA 18974 (800) 333 5808
Heritage Seed Program
RR3 Uxbridge, ON L9P1R3, Canada
Home Grown Exchange
16428 Woodstock
Macomb, MI 48044
Seed Exchanger
P. O. Box 10
Burnips, MI 49314-0010
Abundant Life Seed Foundation
P. O. Box 772
Port Townsend, WA 98368 (206) 385 5660
Bountiful Gardens
18001 Shafer Ranch Road
Willits, CA 95490-9626
Down on the Farm Seed
P. O. Box 184
Hiram, OH 44234
The Fragrant Path
P. O. Box 328
Fort Calhoun, NE 68023

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Select Seeds Antique Flowers

180 Stickney Road
Union, CT 06076-4617
Southmeadow Fruit Gardens
Box SM
Lakeside, MI 49116
Shepherds Garden Seeds
30 Irene Street
Torrington, CT 06790 (203) 482 3638
Hlne, Belle Hlne
Famous beauty in Greek mythology. The name was used for beautiful and luxurious dishes in
French cuisine.
The most famous dish is Poire Belle Hlne, a dish consisting of poached pears served on
vanilla ice cream and covered with chocolate sauce.
Helfensteiner
German red wine grape variety.
helzel
Jewish dish of stuffed poultry neck roasted with the bird.
hemlock
Poisonous plant which allegedly killed Socrates.
Conium macalatum.
hen
Female fowl and many other birds.
hen fruit
Slang for eggs.
henna
Plant prized for its red dye. Its use as a coloring agent dates from ancient times. It has no culinary
use.
Lawsonia inermis.
Henry's special
A type of imperial sweet onion, named after its developer, Dr. Henry Jones, a research director at
the Desert Seed Company in Centro, California.
herb teas
Loose term for teas made with plants or flowers other than the thea sinensis and hybridized
species.
Most herbs can used for tea or tisan, but many are too strong or astringent and must be used
with great care. Freshness also influences the portency of herbs.
HERB TEAS :
Bee balm
Betony
Boneset
Borage
Catnip
Feverfew
Horehound
Hyssop
Lemon balm
Lemon verbena

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Speedwell
Tansy
Verbena (also known as blue vervain)
Woodruff.
HERB TEAS MADE FROM STANDARD COOKING HERBS:
Lemon thyme
Mint
Rosemary
Sage.
TEAS MADE WITH FLOWERS:
Borage
Chamomile
Goldenrod
Lavender
Red clover blossoms
Rose hips
Tilleul (also known as linden flowers).
PLANT PART USED IN INFUSIONS:
Arborvitae
Birch tree
Ground ivy
Raspberries leaves
Sassafras root
Strawberry leaves
Wormwood.
The term tisane is a broad term meaning herb tea or infusion. The French word tisane comes
the Greek word ptisane.
See also Mormon tea, Oswego tea.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plants mentioned.
herbs
Herbs are cultivated since antiquity for their healing power, for their beauty and also for
superstitious reasons. The great Greek scientist Hippocrates already had knowledge of over 400 useful
plants, many of them considered herbs and still used today. The seeds from herbs were used as sacrifice
to the Gods, pressed for their aromatic oil or added to flavor beverages.
The term herb covers such a wide variety of plants that it is difficult to describe them. The line
between herbs and spice is also blurred, herbs are used for their leaves, and spices come from roots,
barks and seeds. Herb are usually perennial plants, but are also annuals such as basil and dill,
sometimes shrubs.
Herbs can be described as any plant, usually aromatic, whose parts are used as coloring agents,
cosmetics, medicines, flavoring agents in food preparation, for their perfume, or simply for decorative
purposes.
In the kitchen, they are used fresh, dried, or sometimes frozen or preserved in oil. Many have
such distinct and unique flavors that they can easily be discerned in sauces or in foods. Some herbs are
used as flavoring agent while small and as salad green when larger.
Many liqueurs, such as Benedictine, Drambuie, and Irish Mist are flavored with herbs. Herbs,
along with spices are also used in Vermouth. Most herbs are listed alphabetically.
CLASSIFICATION:
Pot herbs - used as vegetables or salads.
Flavoring herbs - and also their blossoms and seeds, used fresh or dried.
Medicinal herbs - used in teas and ointments.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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herbe sacre
French for holy herb.
Herbes de Provence
French herb mixture consisting of basil, rosemary, savory, tarragon and thyme. Available
imported or from domestic suppliers. It is used to season stews or pat.
herbes potagres
French term for a number of herbs which are usually used in stocks. The term is used loosely
because some ingredients could be classified as vegetables.
Herbsaint
Licorice flavored liqueur, made around New Orleans, Louisiana and designed to compete with
the French brands Pernod and Ricard.
Hereford
Cattle breed imported from England in 1817 by Henry Clay. It will thrive under the most adverse
conditions such as cold winter, short grasses and poor range.
Also known as Whiteface and comes from the universally all white face.
Herkimer
Cheddar type cheese made in Herkimer County, New York. The cheese is almost white, crumbly
and fairly dry.
Hermitage
Famous French wine made in an area in France's Rhone River valley named by Gaspard de
Sterimberg in the 13th century, when he retreated to this hilltop location to build a chapel after fighting in
the Crusades. He is credited with planting the Syrah vine cuttings at the site.
The wine is full-bodied and flavorful, made predominantly from red Syrah grape, but up to 15% of
white wine grapes, Marianne and Roussanne, can be used to lighten the wine and make it vigorous and
more elegant.
Most Hermitage wines is red, but a small amount of white wine is also produced.
Croze-Hermitage nearby produces wines of a similar style and usually just a little lower quality.
Also nearby is Saint-Joseph which produces Hermitage-style wines except that 100% Syrah must be
used.
The Syrah grape grown in Australia is often referred to as "hermitage".
Also spelled Ermitage.
hermits
Drop cookies made with raisins and nuts. The term is seldom used today.
hero/hero sandwich
A sandwich made with a loaf of white French or Italian bread, split lengthwise, and filled with a
variety of fillings. The typical hero sandwich contains shredded lettuce, sliced cold cuts, cheese,
tomatoes, and is sprinkled with oregano, oil and vinegar. The same sandwich, with slight differences, is
called Cuban Sandwich in Tampa and Miami.
The hot hero sandwich is often made with meatballs, Marinara Sauce, and melted Mozzarella
slices. An other version, popular in Louisiana is made with fried oysters, mayonnaise and shredded
lettuce.
Also known regionally as, grinder, hoagie, poor boy or po'boy, sub or submarine, torpedo.
Heroldrebe
German red wine grape variety.

418

Herrgrdsost
Swedish popular semi-hard cows milk cheese resembling Gruyre. See there. The name
means manor or country mansion.
herring
Ocean fatty food fish in the clupeidae family harvested in the Atlantic and in the Pacific Ocean.
Both the flesh and roe are valued as food. There is also a fresh water variety, but of little commercial
importance.
The Atlantic herring was important to the economy of many countries bordering the North
Atlantic. The fish was abundant, and became an important and well liked source of protein. In northern
European countries the diet always included herring. Most of the catch was pickled, smoked or canned.
Fresh herring was seldom available, because it was salted directly on the fishing boats.
Wars have been fought about fishing grounds, territories were invaded and treaties signed to
control herring catch. Some European port were famous for the quality of their herring. The Monarch of
the Netherlands was presented every year with a fresh herring which signaled the opening of the herring
season. Over fishing and change in eating habits have reduced the economic importance of herring
MAJOR HEERING VARIETIES ARE:
Bismarck Herring - large herring pickled with vinegar.
Bckling - German name for whole, hot smoked herring. It is ready to eat.
Bloater - hot smoked herring.
Brathering - the fish is dredged in flour, pan-fried, and then pickled.
Herring in sour cream - commercial preparation of herring fillets or tidbits, marinated with onions
in vinegar and sour cream. It is a popular Jewish delicatessen item.
Kipper - air dried and smoked herring, usually served hot with eggs as breakfast item. A
traditional English dish.
Marinated herring, also called pickled herring - the fish is marinated with spices
and vinegar.
Matjes herring - Dutch word for a young herring that has not yet reproduced. It is eaten fresh
during the summer season.
Rollmops - herring fillets rolled up with a pickle or with sauerkraut center, marinated with sliced
onions.
Schmalz herring - fatty herring fillets.
Herring is kosher, because the fish has scales.
Hareng in French, haring in Dutch, Hering in German, aringa in Italian, arenque in Spanish.
The herring roe is called komochi in Japanese and is often used with sushi.
Clupea harengus.
Hershey Foods Corporation
Milton Snavely Hershey started in 1876 at age 18 a small candy shop in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania. In 1883 he moved to New York City, and worked for a caramel maker on sixth Avenue,
but returned to Lancaster three years later to re-open his caramel shop.
After difficult times he became part of a family inheritance, and was able to expand his business.
In 1892 Hershey went to England to visit a customer and was intrigued by the possibilities chocolate
offered. He bought chocolate making machinery from the Chicago fair in 1883.
The present day corporate entity located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is the second largest candy
company in the world after Mars. Two of the best known products are the Hersheys Chocolate Kiss,
introduced in 1904 and the plain milk chocolate bar, which has been made since 1905.
Hershey did not advertise until 1970. Hershey caught on quickly to the benefits of promotion.
Hershey makes the number two candy product in the US, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, which now come
in a chunk style and in the form of the Reese's Pieces, popularized by the extraterrestrial title character
of the movie E.T.
Other candy bars made by Hershey include Skor, Grand Slam, Big Block, Whatchamacallit,
Golden Almond and New Trail.
Hershey Foods Corporation also owns Friendly Ice Cream Corporation, as well as the one of the
largest pasta brand in the US.

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Milton Hershey was a benevolent factory owner and provided decent housing, health care and
other amenities to his employees. Today Hershey an attractive town centered around chocolate and
became a tourist attraction with an amusement park, offering factory tours and other attractions.
Hersheys Kisses
Popular chocolate candies in the shape of tear drops.
Herv l'exquis
Belgian cheese, a pungent cow's milk cheese from the city Lige. It has a pinkish rind and is
intense-smelling, similar to Limburger. It must be kept wrapped.
Hessische Bergstrasse
German wine district south of Frankfurt, the smallest recognized German wine region.
Heublein
Important wine and spirit company with headquarter in Hartford, Connecticut.
Heurigen
Wine taverns in the Austrian wine country. Austrian law stipulates that a Heurigen can sell only
wine grown on its own property. Heurigen can be located outside the wine growing areas, but must be
owned by wine growers and sell exclusively homegrown wine.
The meaning of the word is this year's wine, although older vintages can also be sold. Most wine
is white, and is drawn directly from barrels or from large flasks. The wine is served in Pitchers, or in
Glass carafes with little ceremony. Heurigen taverns used to be rather unpretentious places with wooden
benches and limited food service. Often a small band called Schrammel, played sentimental music.
Heurigen tavern hang out a pine bough over the front door as sign that the new wine is ready.
Nobelheurigen around Vienna became refined and are often a must see tourist attraction.
hibachi
Japanese charcoal brazier with a grill. The name comes from the Japanese for "fire bowl".
hibiscus
Beautiful perennial flower related to okra. See there.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
hickory
Low resin wood, good for barbecuing and smoking. It imparts a strong flavor to food.
Hickory wood is also used in cooperage for aging distilled spirits, but not wine The pecan tree is
a species of hickory.
hickory nuts
Generic term for a group of nuts resembling closely allied Walnuts and Pecan nuts. See there.
Carya ovata.
hie
Japanese name for the Andes grain quinoa (see there). It was used to keep people fed during
WW II, but now is not very popular because it is associated with hardship and poverty.
high tea
English term for a light meal served mid-afternoon. Beside tea, small sandwiches, crumpets and
pastries are served. Also called afternoon tea.
highball
Alcoholic beverage consisting of a distilled product, such as gin, whisky or rum, and a carbonated
beverage, served with ice in a tall glass.

420

Highland Park
Northernmost whisky distillery in Scotland, founded 1798, located on the Orkney Islands.
hijiki
Japanese brown seaweed especially high in calcium, potassium and fiber content. Brown when
fresh, it turns black when dried. Crunchy in texture, nutty and meaty in taste, it can be used in salads,
soups, and stir-fried dishes, such as with sauteed onions.
Sold normally pre-cooked and dehydrated.
Also known as hiziki.
Hizikia fusiforme.
Hillel sandwich
Colloquial term for horseradish and charoset, see there, spread on a matzo, to make it more
palatable. Named for the renowned Jewish scholar. The term is used at the Seder table.
hilsa
Food fish in the shad family harvested around India.
Also known as Indian salmon.
Himbeer
German term for raspberry. Himbeersaft is raspberry syrup, a popular syrup. Himbeergeist is
clear raspberry brandy.
Himmelreich
German pork stew served with fruit, often with dried prunes.
hip
The fruit of the rose. See there.
hip flask
Metal beverage container, rather flat, that can be carried in a hip pocket. It was used by hunters,
and became more popular during prohibition, because it could be concealed easily.
Hippen, also spelled Holhhippen.
German term for thin, rolled lace cookies. Hippenmasse, often erroneously spelled
Huppenmasse, is the name of the batter.
Hippocras
Scented and sweetened wine served in the middle ages. There was much spoiled wine on
account of inadequate storage, and by adding spices and sweetener the wine became drinkable.
hirazake
Japanese drink served in bars. It consists of sake, garnished with a dried fugu fin, and is said to
taste somewhat awful.
Ho Tsee
Chinese term for a dried oyster.
hoagie
Name for a hero sandwich. Common in Philadelphia. See hero sandwich.
Hoary Morning
Apple variety related to the Rome Beauty.

421

hobblebush
Ornamental bush. Its common name comes from its propensity to take root wherever its stems to
bend to touch the ground. It bears a small, sweet, edible fruit.
Also known as American wayfaring tree.
Viburnum alnifolium.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Hobel cheese
German-Swiss name for cheese that is so hard that is must be shaved with a special tool called
Hobel (planer). The best known example is Saanen cheese, which is aged six years and more.
Hoboken special
Fountain drink consisting of pineapple juice, carbonated water, and chocolate ice cream.
hochepot
Belgian hearty meat and vegetable stew or soup.
Also known as hodge-podge.
hochfeine/hochfeinste
Pre-1971 designations of German wine, referring to ascending degrees of quality.
Hochheim
German wine town in the Rheingau district.
Hock
Old fashioned name for German Rhine wines. The name came probably from the Dutch port
Hook van Holland, which was a major shipping port for wines exported to England. The name also could
have come from the German wine town Hochheim.
hock and dough
English farmhouse dish made with pork shank baked bakes with potatoes in a suet pastry case.
hodgils
Scottish oatmeal dumplings.
hoecake
Old term for corn pancake because it was baked on the back of a hoe over embers.
hog
Domesticated young swine. See pork.
hog apple
Term for may apple. See there.
hog banana
Red skinned plantain. See there.
Hog Island Sweetwater
Oyster harvested in the Tomales Bay north of San Francisco. Small to medium in size, with a
fluted shell. Its plump flesh has a creamy texture and smoky sweet flavor
hog jowl
The jaw or cheek of a pig. The meat is flavorful. In the American South, hog jowl is sometimes
cooked with collard greens or black-eyed peas to flavor the vegetable and give a meaty moistness to the
dish.

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hog plum
.Plum-like fruit, native to the Caribbean and southern US. Not grown commercially, but
commonly found growing in the wild.
The small, ovate fruit is about an inch in length. It has a large seed set in a thin yellow-orange
pulp and skin. Rich in vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorus. High in pectin, it makes good jams or jellies.
Spondias mombin.
hogfish
Atlantic Ocean food fish with a hoglike snout. There are a number of varieties. The fish is popular
in Florida.
Also known as hog snapper, pigfish, log perch, wrasse.
Lachnolaimus maximus.
hogshead
Name for wine casks, the Bordeaux size casks contain 55 US gallons, the Sherry casks 66 US
gallons.
Hogshead cheese
Cajun headcheese. A congealed product made with boiled pork parts. It contains no cheese.
hognut
See peanuts.
Hoisin sauce
Chinese red seasoning sauce made with soybean flour, red beans, ginger, garlic, spices and
sugar.
The sauce is available as paste and as thick fluid. It is used in many Chinese dishes and
marinades.
hokey-pokey
Old term for ice cream with different colors and flavors of inferior grade. The term might have
come from the Italian O che poco (Oh how little).
hoki
Pacific ocean food fish. It is New Zealands most important commercial fish with delicately
textured moist white meat and sweet flavor.
Hokkien
Chinese traders from the Fukien province. Their food is heartier than other cuisines of China, but
is often oily or heavy with pork fat.
Many Hokkiens emigrated to Singapore and Malaysia where their influences are felt.
Hokkien mee
Hokkien/Singaporean dish of thick yellow wheat flour noodles, and sometimes rice vermicelli,
cooked with prawns, squid, pork and bean sprouts in a rich sauce or broth, flavored with lime juice and
seasoned with red chilies.
holibut
An other name for halibut. See there.
Holishkes
Jewish cooking, stuffed cabbage. Other names are Praakes and Galuptzi.

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Holland food
Holland is a major developer and exporter of flowers and vegetables. It has extensive deposits of
natural gas and it is used to heat huge green houses. Holland peppers, Holland tomatoes and other
vegetables cultivated in Holland can be found on supermarket shelves in Europe and in the US.
Seafood is important. The herring industry provided a major source of income. See herring.
Dried beans and potatoes are major starch staples.
Holland is a significant exporter of cheeses. Edam see there, and Gouda see there. Holland
butter is available in many European countries.
Holland was a leading sea faring nation and controlled a large segment of the spice trade. It was
the colonial master of Indonesia and brought the Rijst-tafel, see there, egg roll called lumpia and nassi
goreng to Europe. See Indonesia.
Trade brought cocoa to Holland and it developed the Dutch process cocoa powder. It is treated
with alkaline to improve color and more consistent suspension when the powder when used as a
beverage.
WELL KNOWN DISHES ARE:
bitterballen - meat croquettes
bloemkool - cauliflower
erwtensoep - green peas soup
gans met apple - goose with apple
kabeljauw - cod
konijn - rabbit
matjes - see there
paling - eel
rolmops -see rollmops
waterzooi - fish stew
DESSERTS AND SWEETS:
appelflappen - apple fritters
applebollen - apple dumplings
fleeren - waffles
kaastaart - cheese cake
kerstkransjes - Christmas rings
oliebollen - yeast doughnuts
pannekoekjes - pancakes
pepernoten - spice nuts
rozijnencake - raisin cake
speculas - spice cookie
Coffee is very popular and kopje koffie - cup of coffee - is one of the first terms a foreigner learns.
Bisschop is a hot wine beverage, see bishop. Egg nog probably originated in Holland. See
there.
Holland beverages
Holland is one of the world largest exporters of beer. The Heineken brand can be found in many
parts of the world. See beer.
Holland is credited with inventing brandy, and it is said that the word brandy is derived from the
Dutch word "Brandwyne" or burned wine. See brandy.
Holland is also leading producer of gin. See there. The word gin is derived from ginebre, the
word for juniper berries.
Curaao is a famous cordial. See there.
Vandermint cordial. See there.
Arak. See there.
Hollandaise Sauce
Classical French sauce consisting of egg yolks, vinegar and water whipped over hot water until
thick, and then stirred with warm clarified butter. Hollandaise is considered one of the mother sauce in
French cuisine, and a number of variations are made by adding different flavors, spices and herbs.
Mousseline sauce is hollandaise sauce with whipped cream added.

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holly
Evergreen shrub with red berries. The berries are used in Corsica/France as coffee substitue. In
Alsace the berries are fermented and distilled. The brandy is called Houx.
hollyhock
Ancient Middle eastern plant, the leaves were eaten pickled by the Egyptians. The plant might
have originated in China, where the boiled buds and petals are used for salad.
Hollyhock means ambition and fecundity.
Althea rosea.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Holms, Oliver Wendell 1809 - 1894
American physician and author who wrote Wine is Food.
hollow-ware
Commercial term used for table metal utensils, such as pitchers, bowls, and candlesticks.
Flatware are forks, knives and spoons.
Holstein
Cattle breed named after a province in Germany close to the Danish border. The black and
white dairy cattle is extensively raised in North Holland and adjacent Friesland.
Holstein Health Cheese
German cheese made with sour skim milk. Called Holsteiner Gesundheitskse in German. A
related cheese is Holsteiner Magerkse.
holy basil
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Kitchen herb resembling in flavor and

appearance the common Italian basil, but with
purplish stems and sometimes purplish leaves.
The stems are lower and thicker than Italian
basil. The texture and flavor are more robust.
Ocimum sanctum.
holy herb
Aromatic herb used for tea. It was
praised by the early Greeks and the French.
Also known as verbena or vervain.
Herbe sacre in French
Holyrood pudding
Scottish steamed semolina pudding
served with almond sauce.

homard
The French word for lobster.
Homer
Greek poet, 8th century B.C., who said Wine gives strength to weary men.

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hominy
White corn kernels with the hulls and germs removed. Whole hominy is available dried and
"wet" pre-cooked packaged in cans or in plastic bags. Coarsely ground hominy is called grits. Finely
ground is becomes white corn meal.
Dry hominy must be boiled and can be served plain or with butter or sauteed.
Lye hominy is the whole kernel with the hulls removed be immersion in lye. When ground is
becomes Masa Harina, the base for tortillas.
homogenize
To distribute fat in a liquid, so it will be suspended, and not separate. The term is used often in
connection with milk.
hon shimeji
Small mushrooms, the largest measure only about one-inch across. They look like light brown
buttons.
The mushrooms grown in clusters. They are good raw or cooked in meat dishes, stews, or
sauces. Dried mushrooms are imported from Japan.
Also known as Japanese honey mushroom.
honey
A natural sweet syrup, the oldest sweetening substance known to men, produced in the sac of
worker bees using the nectar from a variety of flowers. It is the true essence of flowers, and each
species of flowers will produce honey with characteristic flavors.
Honey has traditionally been associated with prosperity. It is often mentioned in the Bible,
referring to Israel as "The land of milk and honey". Honey is used ceremonially on the Jewish feast of
Rosh Hashana; an apple is dipped into honey as a prayer is said for a "good and sweet year"; and honey
is also used throughout the meal with carrots.
Honey has been used in baking since antiquity, and the Greeks used honey in a bread called
melitutes which became the Roman panis melitus. Before sugar became widely available honey cakes
were made in France called pain dspice, in Germany called Lebkuchen, and in England Gingerbread.
Honey and almonds are the ingredient in the Italian confection torrone, the French nougat and
the Spanish turrn.
Honey blended with water and fermented became the alcoholic mead, a beverage known from
the Middle East to Scandinavia.
Some honey can produce toxic effects, such as nausea, fainting, vomiting, excessive
perspiration, and potentially dangerous drops in blood pressure, although most commonly the effects
resemble a 24-hour virus. Evidence of "mad honey" are found in history. It is said that in 410 BC, Persian
soldiers went mad after eating honey produced from the nectar of rhododendron, which contains grayantitoxins. Mountain laurel and sheep laurel in the eastern US also produce such poisoning effects. Such
toxic effect is uncommon in commercially produced honey, because any toxicity is usually diluted
throughout a large batch. Small quantity honey, such as that purchased from small farmers is more likely
to be toxic if produced in a single affected area.
Whether honey is clear, creamy or crystallized depends on the variety of flowers on which the
bees were feeding. Much commercial honey is clear because it has been processed. Honey is stored in
honeycombs made of bees wax. It is extracted by centrifugal force. The honey is heated and filtered to
remove any particles that would eventually result in crystallization.
Grades of honey include virgin or superfine which is extracted from the honeycomb by exposure
to sun or gentle heat; common or yellow honey which is extracted by more intense heat; and brown
honey which is extracted by pressured heat.
AMONG THE COUNTLESS VARIETIES ARE:
Acacia - most comes from Central Europe though it is native to North America
where it is called black locust. One of the palest varieties, delicate with a rich sugar-syrup taste. It
stays clear under most circumstances, and is popular with consumers.
Alcahual - amber colored honey from Mexico.
Aguinaldo - Mexican light honey.
Barberry - amber colored.

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Black locust - See Acacia.

Blueberry - tart and moderately thick.
Buckwheat - dark, rich, earthy and full-bodied.
Chestnut - slightly bitter.
Clover - One of the most popular honey.
Coffee Blossom -dark-amber, acidic and licorice-scented, this honey is the nectar from the
flowers of the Mexican arabica coffee plant.
Comb - honey in its natural wax enclosure. It is consumed by chewing the comb, and spitting out
the wax.
Eucalyptus - varieties of eucalyptus honey vary with the range of eucalyptus
species. The flavors range from medium to cloyingly sweet.
Fir Tree - dark caramel in color with a hint of anise. Sapin in French.
Heather - reddish-brown, delightfully musty, and exceptionally sweet. It is
thixotropic, I. e., so thick it must be stirred to liquefy.
Hungarian acacia - Thin, pale honey.
Hymetus - Greek honey with delicate herb flavors.
Ilex - honey from the holly tree.
Kiawe - from a Hawaiian mesquite plant, milk-white with a coconut tang. Extremely viscous, it
needs to be stirred.
Lavender - good lavender honey comes from Cogolin in France near St. Tropez.
Leatherwood - delicious, distinct vanilla flavor.
Lehua Blossom - white and creamy honey from Hawaii.
Lime blossom/lime wood - See Linden.
Linden - golden-amber from Eastern Europe; also known as lime blossom or lime wood.
Logwood - Jamaican honey.
Manuka - New Zealand honey.
Narbonne - French; from the rosemary plant.
Orange Blossom - heavily scented with a hint of orange.
Pohutakawa - New Zealand honey with slightly salty flavor.
Raspberry Blossom - light, clear golden honey.
Rosemary - dark in color, slightly bitter and coarse.
Scottish heather - rich, buttery taste and appearance.
Sunflower - popular honey in Bulgaria, Argentina and Russia.
Sweet basil - herb flavored honey.
Tasmanian Leatherwood - light colored and expensive honey.
Thyme - highly perfumed, clear, mostly from Greece.
Tulip tree - dark colored honey.
Tupelo - clear golden honey from North Florida.
Wildflower - the flavor will vary depending on where the honey is from.
Yellow Star Thistle - California honey, yellow, candy like flavor.
Over 200,000,000 pounds of honey are produced annually in the U. S. alone.
Honig in German, miel in Spanish, miele in Italian, miel in French.
honey, baking with
Honey is sweeter than sugar and also add moisture to the product. The sugar and moisture
specified in a recipe should be reduced about 20%.
honey bun
Sweet soft roll. Also known as sticky buns in Pennsylvania.
honey tangerine
Florida variety of hybrid citrus. Small to medium in size, flat, yellow-orange color, which may be
tinged with green or russet. Smooth, easy to peel. Has some seeds. Rich red flesh has an exceedingly
sweet honey sweetness and lots of juice. Good fragrance.
Also known as murcott.

427

honeyberries
Berries related to raspberries.
Also known as Arctic bramble berries.

Rubus spp.

honeycomb tripe
The second stomach of cattle, known as reticulum. It is sold cleaned and pre-cooked, but still
requires slow boiling to become tender.
It is used in the Philadelphia Pepperpot Soup, and in France the base for a famous stew Tripes
la mode de Caen, flavored with Calvados.
honeydew melon
Melon in the musk melon family, of the winter or casaba type. Thick skinned, ovoid. As the name
implies, it has little odor so it is difficult to tell when ripe.
Cucumis melo var. inodorus.
honeysuckle
Vine with strong smelling flowers. The blossoms are used to flavor a syrup.
Lonicera spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
honeyware
Edible seaweed harvested in Scotland.
Also known as henware, badderlocks.
Alaria esculenta.
Hong Kong
Peninsula in southeast China, jutting off from the province of Guanzhou (Canton). Under British
rule from 1841 until 1997 when it reverted to Chinese government. Mostly British in culture until 1949
when a flood of refugees from the Chinese mainland began to take up residence in the colony.
The cooking can best be described as reflecting the style of the nearby province of Canton, but
tending to be more elegant in style. See China food.
hongroise, la
French term for Hungarian style. Mostly food prepared with paprika.
Honig
German term for honey.
Honigkuchen
German term for Gingerbread, because honey was used as sweetener before sugar and
molasses became widely available.
hontarako
Japanese salted and dried cod roe.
HOOAH!
Energy bar developed by the US army.
hooch
Slang for whiskey made by Indians in Alaska. The term was eventually used for cheap whiskey.
Also known as hootch and hoochino.
Hooters
Restaurant chain with waitresses customed in very short pants.

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hops
The blossoms and fruits of a perennial climbing vine, member of the hemp family. The young
shoots are used as vegetables, and the dried blossoms in beer brewing, an ingredient which adds bitter
flavor to beer and retards bacterial action.
The blossoms resemble artichokes and are klin dried for shipment. The flavor is contained in the
yellow odorous powder covering the inside of the blossoms.
Hops are cultivated extensively in the Pacific Northwest and in many parts of Europe, especially
in Bavaria, Germany.
Humulus lupulus.
Hop cheese
German cheese cured between layers of hops. The cheese is rather dry, suitable for grating. It
is related to other cheeses seasoned with herbs, such as Sapsago, or Schabzieger. The German name
is Hopfen Kse.
hop shoots
Belgian vegetable specialty, known in French as jets de houblon. Available canned, or fresh in
Spring, when they are delightfully tender yet crunchy.
Hopeh
The Chinese province in which Beijing is located. Together with the provinces of Henan and
Shantung, the cooking is known as Beijing (formerly Peking) cuisine.
Hoppin' John
Colonial dish of black eyed peas boiled with ham shanks or salted pork and rice. It is popular in
the South and sprinkled where it is served with chopped onions and sometimes fried pork rind or bacon.
Hoppin John served with collard greens, is a traditional New Year's dish, eaten to ensure
financial success. It is said that the collard greens represent paper money and the peas pocket change.
The name of the dish is attributed to a lively waiter in a Charleston, South Carolina hotel, who
highly promoted the dish.
Also known as Hopping John.
horchata
Spanish popular soft drink in the region around Valencia. The white, creamy, thirst-quenching
beverage is served frosty cold. It has a sweet, nutty flavor and is rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. It
is flavored with chufa root . See there.
The word horchata comes from the Latin meaning made with barley, and the name sometimes is
used for drinks made from barley, rice, almonds, and fruit or vegetable seeds, that are made in a similar
way to the chufa-based drink. Legend has a different accounting for the name. It is said that in the 13th
century, James I, after wresting the land from the Moorish invaders, was served the beverage by a young
girl from an Arab family that was living there. He responded, "Aixo es or, xata.", the medieval equivalent
to modern day Spanish, "Esto es oro, chata", meaning "This is gold, girl." "Or xata" was contracted into
horchata.
The Chufa plant was introduced to Spain by eighth century Moorish invaders, who attempted to
cultivate it in the area around Mlaga. They were unsuccessful there, but were more fortunate in the
sandy soil and warm and humid micro-climate around Valencia. In Valencia. Eventually horchata
flavored with the root became the region's most popular drink. In Valencia, special stands and
establishments are set up just to serve horchata.
The process of making horchata begins with the tall, grassy shoots that the chufa plant sends up
in the Spring. By Fall, these shoots can be pulled from the ground to provide the small oblong tubers. The
tubers are dried for a few months. Then, they are soaked in water for 8 to 10 hours, drained, and ground,
and water is added again. The flavored liquid is then strained off, combined with sugar and sometimes
lemon rind or cinnamon, and chilled to a slush. The slush is kept in refrigerated cylinders and churned till
serving to maintain the consistency.

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The flavor of horchata quickly dissipates after it is made. As a result, the drink is little known
outside of the Valencia region.
Cyperus esculentus.
horehound
Perennial herb in the mint family, an ancient medicinal plant. The leaves are very bitter and are
used in teas or in cough medicine.The distilled volatile oil is used as flavoring agent in candies and cold
remedies.
Marrubium vulgare.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
horehound candy
Old fashioned candy flavored with the aromatic hoarhound plant. It was used as lozenge for soar
throat.
Horlick's English
Malted drink, often enjoyed by the English at bedtime, and given to children as a healthy snack.
William Horlick introduced malt as a milkshake flavoring
Horn, Joseph V.
One of the two founders of Horn & Hardart company. He died 1941.
Horn & Hardart
Food service company begun by Joseph V. Horn and Frank Hardart in 1924, as self service
restaurant dispensing food from coin operated automats. The concept became very popular, especially
during the depression when people could come to the restaurants without having to spend money.
There were 84 restaurants at subway stops in New York and Philadelphia supplied by a large
commissary.
For nearly 40 years, they promoted their food with the line "Less work for mother" and sponsored
"The Children's Hour", a Sunday morning radio, then TV amateur show which was one of the longest
running shows. Eddie Fisher, Bernadette Peters, Robert Q. Lewis, Gregory Hines all got their start on
Horn & Hardart's shows.
The last restaurant in New York City was located at Third Avenue and 42nd Street. It closed in
the early 1980's. See Automat.
horned melon
See kiwano
hors d'oeuvres
French term for any kind of hot or cold appetizers. In the US, the term hors d'oeuvres often used
exclusively for small, hot appetizers served at receptions.
French cuisine classifies hundred of hot and cold dishes as hors doeuvres.
horse
Animal with dark red, usually lean meat, perfectly edible. Hors meat has been eaten by different
cultures since antiquity, but its popularity was strongly tied into economic factors. When horses were
needed for war, or as draft animals, horses were not killed for food. However, horses killed on the
battlefield were often eaten. The horse was also considered a noble creature by some cultures, and
killing it was abhorred. Pope Gregory III in 732 A.D. prohibited eating horse meat.
Owning a horse in medieval times gave status and mobility. The term chivalry comes from the
French cheval, horse. Keeping horses strong enough to carry a knight with armor was a huge expense,
and the supply of horses were a deciding factor when waging wars.
When horses were no longer essential for waging wars they were considered less noble animals.
Farmers eat horse meat when the animals became to old as draft animals. After the French revolution
eating horse meat became generally accepted, and in the 19th century France had a number of horse
butcher shops.

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The US is a large exporter of slaughter horses and processed horse meat.

horse back
Old fashioned culinary term for food cooked and served on a tooth pick. The best known item is
angels on horse back, oysters wrapped in bacon and grilled.
horse beans
See broad beans.
horse chestnuts
Inedible nuts from a stately tree. See chestnuts.
Aesculus Hippocastanum.
horse fat
The fat is sometimes use for pan-frying and deep-frying. Not common in the US, but used in
parts of Europe.
horse mackerel
Term loosely applied to many large fishes. See mackerel.
horse's neck
Bar term for a continuous spiral of citrus peel, put in a glass and served with a distilled beverage.
horsegram usali
Indian/Goa dish of sprouted lentils and condiments.
Also known as kulith.
horseradish
Root vegetable with a strong, sharp flavor. Despite its name, the horseradish is not related to the
radish, it is a member of the mustard family. The strong chemical which gives it its distinctive aromatic
qualities is mustard oil.
Horseradish is mentioned in history as far back as 1500 BC. It is one of the "bitter herbs" eaten
at Passover, though the ancient Hebrews are believed to have eaten the tender young leaves more than
the root.
Horseradish is a perennial and grows in temperate climate. The roots stores well in a cool, dark
cellar. It was popular in 17th century Europe, especially in Germany. In France it was referred to as
moutarde des allemandes, or German mustard. It was known in the US since Revolutionary times.
Horseradish is used raw to season sauces and is best grated or shaved just before use. Grated
bottled horseradish, preserved with vinegar and salt was available already since 1860. Horseradish is a
major ingredient in cocktail sauce.
The sharp aroma of freshly grated horseradish is good for clearing the sinuses. Rich in vitamin
C, and the plant was once used to treat colds. In the past century it was mixed with milk and used as a
cosmetic to bring out the a natural blush in the cheeks. Mixed with white vinegar it was used to lighten
freckles and also for an invigorating herbal bath.
Japanese horseradish is wasabi, normally sold as a green powder. It is very potent. See there.
Armoracia rusticana.
horseradish butter
Butter creamed with horseradish. Used for broiled meats
horseradish relish
Commercially available condiment made with grated horseradish, cream, spices and a stabilizer.

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horseradish sauce
Sauce served with meat. The hot version is based on a cream sauce blended with grated
horseradish and flavored with sugar, vinegar and salt. It is often served with roast beef, and popular in
England.
The other version is Viennese and is a cold sauce made with grated apples, horseradish and
spices. It is served with boiled beef.
Hospice de Beaune
Famous building in Burgundy, France used as a charity hospital since 1443. Its source of income
is derived from vineyards, and a wine auction takes place every November which tends to establish
prices for Burgundy wines. See Burgundy
hot bricks
Old fashioned hot alcoholic drink consisting of hot water and whiskey, with a dab of butter.
hot brown/Louisville hot brown
Kentucky specialty named for the Louisville's Brown Hotel whose chef created it, though there is
dispute as to whether it was chef Laurent Gennari in the 1920's or chef Fred Schmidt in the 1930's.
It is a hot open-faced sandwich of sliced turkey on toast points with bacon and tomato, topped
with cheese sauce, and lightly grilled under the broiler. The sauce is basically a white sauce made with
chicken stock and a dash of cayenne, and blended with Parmesan or Romano cheese.
hot-crossed buns
Soft yeast buns, often including dried fruit such as raisins, currants, or citrus topped with a sugar
icing cross. It is an Easter specialty.
hot chili crabs/chili crabs
Singapore specialty.
hot dog(s)
Slender sausage made with beef, pork, turkey, or a blend of above, served hot steamed or grilled
on an elongated soft roll. The name is attributed to the cartoonist Dorgan, who caricatured sausages as
dachshunds
There is also a connection to the former Polo Grounds in New York City. When the concessioner
Harry Stevens sold the sausages in heated rolls, he asked the barkers to call out Red Hot, Get red
Hots!.
Coney Island, the amusement park in New York City also played an important role in the history
of hot dogs. Nathan Handwerker opened a hot dog stand and promoted the sausages, so after a while
they were called Coney Islands. The German emigrant Anton Feuchtwanger is credited with introducing
hot sausages on a roll in St. Louis in 1880's.
The origin of hot dogs certainly lead back to Center Europe, where sausage making has a
venerable tradition. Smoked sausages in many varieties were made for centuries, including the
sausages called hot dogs today. The sausages are also called Frankfurter, after the German city
Frankfurt, or Wiener - often misspelled weiner - after the Austrian capital Wien (Vienna).
Coney Island hot dogs were made popular by the Nathan Handwerker's stand.
Corn dogs are dipped in corn batter and fried.
Kansas dog, served with cheese.
Chicago dog, served with relishes in a poppy seed bun.
Also know as steamies, frankfurters, franks, red hots, and wiener. In French speaking Canada
they are called steams.
Hot chubbies are hot dogs laced with cayenne pepper, a Texas specialty,
hot fudge
Topping for ice cream made with chocolate, fat - normally butter-, and sugar. The mixture is
available ready to use, and many manufacturers supply a special heater to keep the fudge hot.

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The invention is credited to Sarah Dow, who opened an ice cream parlor in Boston around 1900
and created the fudge.
hot plate
Small portable cooking unit, normally electrically heated.
hot sauce
Commercial condiment made with chili peppers. The best known is Tabasco Sauce, made by
the Mc. Ilhenny Company.
hot smoked
Smoking process until the internal temperature of the product reaches 145 degrees or above for
a specific amount of time.
The process will basically cook the product. It is also called smoke roasted.
hot whiskey
Irish winter drink especially in pubs. Whiskey infused with cloves, lemon and lightly sweetened
with sugar and then warmed. Also known as Hot Irish or punch.
hotbreads
Generic term for any baking powder bread served hot.
Hotchpotch
German term for meat stew with vegetables. The same dish is known as hodge podge in
Belgium, and is also known in England and Scotland. It simply means meat and vegetables boiled
together.
Also known as Hochepot.
Hotpoint
American appliance brand name, manufactured by GE.
Houston
Large Texas city with elegant restaurants, but he city's most representative dish is probably
barbecued brisket.
houting
Fresh water food fish in the whitefish family.
howtowdie
Scotch word for small chicken, possibly derived from old French hutaudeau.
HP Sauce
British bottled condiment sauce made from tomatoes, vinegar, dried dates, raisins and molasses.
Popular in Scotland, it is known as "Scotsman's ketchup".
hramsa
Scottish cheese flavored with wild garlic.
HRC. Inc.
Hawaiian Regional Cooking, a non for profit group emphasizing the use of local products.
The cooking is not traditional Hawaiian but rather based on the skillful use of local ingredients
and influences coming from many countries. It evolved from the traditional "Mixed Plate" consisting of two
scoops of rice, one scoop of macaroni salad, Japanese pickled radish, Kalua pig, Missionary beef stew,
Chinese Oyster chicken and teriyaki steak.
More imaginative dishes are Grilled Wahoo, Mahi Mahi with Miso Vinaigrette or Onaga Snapper
in cornbread lemon crust.

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hsiang
Chinese food term meaning aromatic.
hsien
Chinese food term meaning fresh.
Huchen
German name for a large fresh water fish harvested in the Danube.
huckleberries
Small blue or deep purple berries, sometimes with a reddish tinge, resembling small blueberries.
Deep-colored throughout. The huckleberry bears 10 seeds that crackle when eaten. A blueberry may
also have seeds but they are so small as to be unnoticeable. There is considerable confusion about
names.
Huckleberries grow wild on low-lying bushes on mountain slopes in the Pacific Northwest and in
Maine. They cannot be cultivated. Blueberries, on the other hand, grow in both a wild and cultivated state,
and are larger and sweeter. Huckleberries were harvested and used as ceremonial food by the American
Indians, and are still sometimes formally used today.
Also known as Whortleberry, Mountain Huckleberry, Black Huckleberry. These names are not
interchangeable, but even experts disagree about the exact definitions.
Bilberries and cranberries belong to the same group.
Gaylussacia spp.
huevos
Spanish word for eggs.
huevos a la flamenca
Spanish baked egg dish with green vegetables, pimento, tomato, chorizo, and ham. Especially
popular in the Sierra Morena mountains north of Seville.
huevos rancheros
Hispanic/Mexican fried egg dish. The eggs are broken over shredded tortillas and baked with a
chili tomato sauce and cheese.
huffkins
English yeast buns served hot with butter, a specialty of Kent.
huffle-duffle
Fried bread dough, sort of inexpensive doughnut.
Also known as Baptist Cake, Dough Ball, Fried Bread, Morning Glory and Spider Bread.
huitlacoche/ cuitlacoche
Black fungus which grows on corn kernels, while still on the stalk, and looks like rotted corn. It
develops inside the corn kernels, and can be as large as a quarter, but is normally much smaller. It is a
Mexican delicacy, but considered a pest by corn farmers. While grey it is collected and used in Mexican
dishes and is considered an expensive delicacy. Farmers regard it as a pest. Corn smut can cause
explosions in harvesting machinery. It is cultivated in Montverde, Florida. Sweet corn is injected with the
parasitic Ustilago maydis spores.
The traditional preparation calls for the fungus to be sauteed with garlic, onion, poblano peppers,
and seasoned with epizote, a pungent herb. The mixture is then wrapped in flour tortillas, covered with
cream or cream sauce and sprinkled with Manchego cheese. Huitlacoche is also used in soup, tortilla
stuffing and even ice cream.
There is no scientific evidence that huitlacoche possesses hallucinogenic properties, magical
powers or medicinal potentials. The name comes from the Nahuatl language, and means "excrement
from heaven".

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Also known as corn smut, maize mushrooms, and Mexican truffle. Fungus Ustilago maydis.
huitres
French word for oysters.
hull
Verb, to strip off the outer covering of grains. The term is also used to remove the stems of
strawberries.
humble pie/umble pie
Old English pie made with deer innards, raisins and apples. The name is connected to royalty.
During a hunt only favored servants were permitted to run along beside their masters. When the catch
was butchered, the servants were permitted to take the remaining scraps, from which a pie was made.
The original term for innards was umble.
Humboldt Dressing
Dressing for crab meat consisting basically of Mayonnaise blended with mashed crab roe, crab
stock, herbs and vinegar. It allegedly originated in California.
hummus
Arabic term for chick peas.
hummus
Middle eastern chick pea dip flavored with sesame paste, garlic, oil and lemon juice.
hummus hi tahina
Cold dip consisting of pureed chick peas, garlic, spices and sesame oil and paste, often spread
on pita bread or served as appetizer.
Israeli, Armenian, Middle Eastern food.
hundred year sauce
Chinese meat sauce made with poultry or pork braised in soy sauce and other flavorings. After
the meat is cooked the sauce is strained and saved for re-use with the next dish. Each successive use
enriches the sauce; it takes something from it and gives something back.
It is not much different from the old French use of the stockpot, which was also often re-cycled
endlessly.
Also known as thousand year sauce.
hundreds and thousands
Old term for the multi-colored sugar sprinkles used to decorate cakes.
Hungarian Yellow
Germany apricot, also cultivated in Austria, Italy and Greece. The fruit is golden-orange, has
firm flesh and luscious juice. Its firmness makes it easy to transport but also good for processing
Hungary food
The cooking of Hungary got a major impetuous when King Matthias in the 15th century married
an Italian princess and she introduced Italian dishes. The cooking of Hungary was also influenced by the
long Turkish occupation, and during the 19th century with its association with Austria.
The three main ingredients in Hungarian cooking are lard, onions, and paprika. Lard has
traditionally been the major cooking fat because paprika blends well with it, although these days much
vegetable fat is used instead. Fresh cream and sour cream are also important ingredients.
Paprika, see there, is the national spice and Hungarians consume an average of 1.1 pounds of
paprika per person per year.
The national dish is goulash, spelled gulys in Hungary. See there.

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The cooking is meat based, usually pork as there is little fish in this landlocked country. Chicken,
ducks and geese appear often on menus. Hungary is a major producer of goose liver. Hungary is
famous for game.
Fogos, see there is the best known fish. One word in Hungarian describes all shellfish as rak,
which means literally translated that walk backwards.
Soups are garnished with dumplings, ravioli with many stuffing, noodles and fried egg drops.
Cold fruit soups, topped with sour cream are sometimes eaten as first courses.
Cabbage is often pickled or stuffed. Corn meal is used as gruel like polenta. Barley, pearl and
ground, is used in many preparations. Buckwheat flour and grits are
popular.
Noodles in many shapes are often used. Noodle squares are blended with cabbage, cottage
cheese or pork cracklings. Noodles are even blended with brown butter and sugar, sprinkled with
walnuts or poppy seeds.
Dried lavender flowers are used to repel moths and are often strewn on buffet tables because
their aromatic scent is pleasant to people. Rosehips make an aromatic tea. Hungary produces excellent
fruits, especially plums and apricots.
Pumpkin seed oil, called Toekmag Olaj is a typical cooking and salad oil.
INGREDIENTS:
barack lekvar - apricot butter
birsalmasajt lekvar - quince paste
buza liszt - hard wheat four
daralt mak - ground poppy seeds. See there.
egesz mak - whole poppy seeds
ezuest dragees - shiny, silver covered sugar balls, available in various sizes for decorating cakes
and cookies.
geszetenye liszt - chestnut flour used in soups and used to make chestnut puree.
grizes liszt - coarse wheat flour, is coarse
hecsedli - rosehips
kolbasz - sausages
krumpli liszt - potato flour
kukoriczka liszt - corn meal
lekvar - generic name for fruit butter, normally prune butter.
libamaj - gooseliver, also exported to France, where it is used in the manufacturing of pat.
libazsir - goose fat often used in cooking and eaten on bread like butter.
metelt - szeles - broad noodles traditionally served with gulys
papriks szallona - paprika bacon is salted, but not smoked fatback covered liberally with
paprika. Eaten cold with rye bread.
Salami Kolbasz - the most famous sausage in Hungary and rivals the Italian Salami.
There is a Winter and a Summer Salami. The Summer Salami is drier than the Winter Salami.
Hungarian Salami is never flavored with black pepper for aesthetic reasons. White pepper and paprika is
used. The favor can range from mild to sharp. Pick is a famous manufacturer, but private labels are also
available.
savanoy meggy - sour cherries preserve
szaloncukor - Christmas candies with different fillings wrapped in tinsel paper used as Christmas
tree decoration.
szilva lekvar - pune butter popular in New York City as Danish filling
tarhonya - egg barley. See there.
tepertoe- pork crackling are used to flavor vegetables, but are also used in short breads and
eaten as snack.
toekmag olaj - pumpkin seed oil
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
bogrcsgulys - kettle goulash
csipetke - small, freshly made, egg and noodle pasta
ecetes paprika - a salad of peppers
fatnyros - grilled pork and beef served on a wooden platter with garnishes for two
gombaleves - cream of mushroom soup

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halzl - fishermens soup made with carp

kaposzta kacsa - salted cabage noodles
lecs - see there
lesc Kolbsszal - braised peppers and sausage combination platter.
lencseleves - lentil soup
lipt - see there
meggykeszce - sour cherry soup
papriks - see there
prklt - see papriks
rostlyos - braised or panfried steak
Szkelygulys - goulash with sauerkraut
tlttt borjszegy - stuffed breast of veal
tlttt kposzta - stuffed cabbage
tlttt paprika - stuffed green pepper
See Hungary, desserts and pastries. See Lang, George.
Hungary desserts and pastries
Hungary is famous for rich cakes and pastries and many desserts attributed to Viennese cooking
originated in Hungary. Hungary is famous for yeast cakes and biscuits.
There are hot desserts and cakes and pastries. Apricots, poppy seeds, walnuts and plum jam are
popular flavors. Chestnut puree is used in many pastry preparations, or served slightly sweetened with
whipped cream as dessert. Almonds, walnuts and the native filberts are used in many desserts and
confections. In Hungary, only white (golden) raisins are used in baking. Dark raisins are not acceptable.
TYPICAL DESSERTS ARE:
meleg tszk - dumplings and noodel desserts
Gundel Palascinta - almond filled thin pancakes, flamed and served with chocolate sauce.
palacsintk - thin pancakes served with different fillings
Plffy metlt - egg noodles baked with apples
rtesek - strudels with different fillings. Cottage cheese or apple are popular.
trs gombc - cheese dumplings
zsirban slt tsztk - deep fried desserts often made with fruits or blossoms dipped in batter.
CAKES AND PASTRIES:
dis szelet - walnut slice
Dobos torta - seven layer cake with chocolate butter cream and topped with caramel
geszetenyetorta - chestnut torte
Ilona torta - chcocolate walnut cake with mocha filling
Malakoff krmtorta - rich lady finger butter cream rum cake
Punch torta - rum-flavored layer cake topped with pink icing.
Rig Jancsi - see there.
rtes - strudel. See there.
Hungarian beverages and wine
Hungarian brandy is made with plums, apricots and cherries. Plinka - generic term for fruit
brandy. The most famous is Barack Plinka made with apricots. Unicum is a famous herb flavored
liqueur. See there.
Local beer brands are zok, Kbnyai and Dreher. Tokay, see there, is the best known wine of Hungary.
Egri Bikavr is a red wine. See there. Other wines are grown around the Lake Balaton, and the
wine industry is centered around Badacsony. See there.
The major grape varieties are:
Furmint - white
Hrslevel - white
Kadarka - red
Kknyel - white
Lenyka - white
Muskotaly - white
Rizling - white

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Hungry Ghost, Festival of the

Month-long Chinese festival. It is believed that the spirits return to earth. Elaborate banquets are
served so that the ghosts can share in the plenty of the earth.
Hunter river/Hunter Valley
Wine district in Australia, the oldest and best vineyards are located there.
hunter-style
Sturdy fare with earthy or woodsy flavors, usually served to take advantage of seasonal
ingredients, such as fennel, wild mushrooms, sage, and rosemary.
In French and Italian cooking tomatoes are often added.
Huntington fidgett
English apple, onion and bacon pie.
hure
French culinary term for head. Hure de Sanglier is a boar's head, and served stuffed as a holiday
dish. Hure de porcelet is a pork head cheese.
hurricane
Name of a cocktail, and cocktail glass. The cocktail consists of passion fruit juice, dark rum, and
orange juice. The cocktail is popular in New Orleans.
The glass resembles a lamp shade.
hush puppy
Corn meal fritter, popular in the South. It is made with corn meal, wheat flour, baking powder and
milk. The fritter is not sweet.
Huxelrebe
German white wine grape.
Hvid Gjetst
Norwegian goat milk cheese.
hyacinth
Early spring flower in the lily family with supposedly edible bulbs. Hyacinthus orientalis.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
hydrogenated fat
Hardened oils used for cooking. The process was developed at the turn of the century to utilize
vegetable oils. the process changes polyunsaturated fats into saturated fats.
hydromel
Fermented honey and berb beverage. Also known as mead. See there.
hyssop
Evergreen perennial herb with strong odor and pungent aroma with purple flowers and aromatic
leaves. A licorice flavored member of the mint family.
The dried flowers are used medicinally to aid digestion. Especially popular in England and
France.
Hyssopus officinalis.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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I .Q.F.
Term used in the food service industry for "Individually Quick Frozen". The products are frozen
loose, and therefore easier to use than products frozen in solid blocks.
In order to prevent freezer burns, the products are sprayed with water during the freezing
process, called "glazed" in the trade. The thawed (slackened) weight is about 10% to 15% lower. The
weight loss varies greatly depending on the product.
Ibrico
Prized Spanish ham. See ham and Spain food.
ibimi
American Indian word for cranberry.
ice
Frozen water. Before the invention of ice making machines, ice was harvested from ponds in the
winter and stored in cellars insulated with straw and hay. Ice became a major commodity in the 1800's,
and was even exported.
The ice was cut by hand or by parallel saw runners dragged by horses. It was then cut into
smaller blocks and stored. Scheduled ice deliveries became a normal routine to households to fill the
space in the ice box until refrigerators were developed.
ice box
Forerunner of the mechanical refrigerator. Insulated wooden box or chest with a storage
compartment on the top, which had to be filled with a bloc of ice. The cold air drifted down and chilled the
food stored underneath.
ice block
Australian slang for popsicle or frozen treat on a stick.
ice carving
See ice for carving.
Ice cream
Frozen dessert made with a milk product, eggs or binding agent, sugar and flavoring. The origin
of ice cream is lost in antiquity, and it is reported the frozen desserts were already served in ancient
Rome.
The key to good ice cream is the right balance between sugar, which does not freeze, and liquid,
and constant agitation during the freezing process, so the result is a smooth mixture. This process was
made possible by the invention of the ice cream machine, which consist of a drum containing the mixture
immersed in a freezing compound, such as brine, and scrapers which scrape and mix the product while
being frozen.
The quality of ice cream is measured by butterfat content, weight (overrun) and flavor.
Butterfat Content is measured in percentages based on weight. 16% - 18% is Deluxe quality,
14% - 16% are high quality, 12% minimum for Vanilla Ice cream, 10% minimum for Ice cream with added
solids, such as chocolate or nuts. Binders, such as Agar-Agar and others are used to keep the ice cream
smooth. There is low fat ice cream on the market.
Overrun is the amount of expansion during the freezing process. Some overrun is normal,
because the mixture expands during the freezing process, but it can be increased by whipping air into the
product. Ice cream with high overrun is weak in flavor, light and has a limited shelf live. The amount of
overrun is reflected in percentages in relation to weight. 100% is high, 80% is normal, 50% overrun
indicates a high quality product.
Light ice cream with reduced fat content is on the market. Sherbet is made with milk and has a
lower fat content than ice cream.
ice cream bar

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Ice cream covered with chocolate. The creation is credited to Christian Nelson, in Onawa, Idaho,
in 1919. Also known as Eskimo pie.
ice cream cake
Cake consisting normally of two thin layers of sponge cake or crumbled cookies and layers of ice
cream, often covered with meringue or whipped cream.
ice cream cone
Cone made with wafer batter or sugar dough to provide an edible container for selling hand
dipped ice cream. Over the years, the simple wafer batter has been developed into many variations. It
was used already at the St. Louis Fair in 1904.
ice cream on a stick
Ice cream bar frozen on a wooden - or plastic - stick, often covered with chocolate. The invention
is credited to Harry Burt in Youngstown, Ohio.
ice cream sandwich
Ice cream layered between to cookies, often made with chocolate. The invention goes back to
the 1920's.
Ice cream sandwich is also the name of a drink imitating the taste. It is made with oreo cookies,
white cream de cacao, and vanilla ice cream, pureed in a blender.
ice cream soda
Beverage made with milk, a flavored syrup, plain soda water and a scoop of ice cream. It was
invented around 1874 in Philadelphia.
ice cream soda, history
The invention is generally credited to Robert M. Green, at the 1874 semi-centennial celebration of
the Franklin Institute of Technology in Philadelphia. Mr. Green was selling a milk/soda drink at the
celebration when he ran out of milk. He substituted vanilla ice cream and the new drink was so
successful, that he founded a soda manufacturing company. At the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 in
Philadelphia to celebrate the 100 anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Mr. Tuft paid $ 50,000
for the sole right to dispense ice cream sodas. By 1893 a magazine called ice cream soda the national
beverage. The popularity became an issue to a segment of the clergy who preached against drinking
soda on Sundays, and in some communities, selling soda on Sundays was prohibited.
Other claim base the invention of ice cream soda in Evanstown, Illinois, and one other in Two
Rivers, Wisconsin. The tulip shaped soda glass appeared at the turn of the century It was a soda-lesssoda.
Black and white, also known as a phosphate, was a popular ice cream soda made with vanilla ice
cream and fudge sauce.
ice cream sundae
Dish of ice cream, often various flavors, topped with soda and whipped cream. It was created
because clergy condemned drinking soda on Sundays. The origin of the dish is obscure. The dish is
more delicious and sinful than the ice cream soda it replaced.
ice cream trivia
Americans eat the most ice cream, 22 quarts per person per year in 1986. Italy also claims the
most consumption of ice cream.
In 1846, Nancy Johnson invented a hand cranked ice cream machine to make ice cream at
home.
The ragged rim that spills out over the rounded scoop as it rests on the cone is known as the
skirt.
Haagen-Dazs is made in New Jersey. It was created by Reuben Mattus, an entrepreneur from
the borough of the Bronx in New York City. The name has no meaning. However, the name Frusen
Gladje does; it means frozen delight in Swedish. Nevertheless, this brand of ice cream was created by
Reuben's cousin, Edward Lipitz.

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ice fish
Term applied to many varieties of ocean and fresh water food fish. See caplin.
Ice for carving
Ice carving has become an accepted, and expected skill for chefs. The technic started with
simple tools, such as 4 prone ice pics, and has progressed to chain saws, chisels, drills, torches and
other power tools.
Ice for carving is available in blocs. The standard size is 300 lbs (135 kg). The dimensions are
40" x 20" x 10" (1 m x 50 cm x 25 cm). The melting ratio: 1 " ( 38 mm) per hour at room temperature.
Ice should be tempered - left in a refrigerator a few hours - before it is carved. Very cold ice might
shatter.
Ice machines
Mechanical ice machines are made in two units, the ice producing unit, and the ice bin, which
keeps the ice stored until use. The ice producing units can be stacked, and bin sizes vary. When ice is
used only at a certain peak times, one unit, and a large bin might be advantageous because the unit will
produce ice until the bin if full. When ice is used continuously, a number of units, and a large storage bin
might be needed to keep up with demand.
Ice can be manufactured as shaved ice, and as cubed ice in different sizes and shapes. Large
cubes melt slower, but do not fill a glass well, because the space between the cubes is large. Smaller
cubes melt faster, but fill the glass more evenly.
The production and storage capacity of ice machines is rated in pounds. 1 lb (450 g) cubes will
ice 3 - 4 water glasses.
Ice wine/ Eis Wein
Very sweet wine, almost all from Germany, California and occasionally from Austria and Canada.
The grapes are allowed to stay on the vines until frozen, and are then harvested. The late picking and
frost produces are very high grape sugar content.
Genuine Ice wine can only be made when the weather conditions are right, because when the
Fall season is rainy, the grapes are likely to rot. For this reason, and also to account for the extra labor
involved in picking, ice wine is very expensive. It is considered the epitome of sweet wines.
Some vintners have experimented rather successfully freezing very ripe grapes rather than
keeping them on the vine. The verdict is not yet in about the quality and aging properties of these wines.
See also cryoextraction.
The correct German spelling is Eis Wein. See there.
iceberg lettuce
Popular and often inexpensive lettuce variety, also known as crisphead, a most appropriate term
for this super crisp lettuce. The name was changed in the 1930's when the lettuce was transported on
beds of ice. Often faulted for being low in flavor, though younger, looser packed heads have a little more
flavor. Iceberg lettuce is less nutritious than other lettuces.
Iceberg lettuce makes a good base for salad dressings, and mixes well with more intensely
flavored greens. The circular leaves are densely packed and the lettuce can be cut in chunks or wedges.
The wedges are sometimes served as hearts of lettuce, topped with a thick, creamy dressing, such as
Russian dressing.
icebox cake
Term from the 1920's when homemakers were able to make chilled or frozen desserts. The cake
can be made with ice cream, or with a filling that gets solid when cold.
icebox cake is often made with cookie wafers, often chocolate cookies, layered with whipped
cream and refrigerated overnight until the cookies soften to a cake-like consistency.
iced (frozen) desserts, history

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Allegedly the explorer Marco Polo introduced the idea of iced desserts to Italy after having seen
in China iced fruits used to cleanse the palates after a meal. Iced desserts are said to have been
introduced to France by Catherine de Medici.
The Romans used snow from Mont Vesuvio to create sweet frozen desserts or chilled drinks with
honey and spices.
iced coffee/ice coffee
iced coffee could be a beverage or dessert, because it is prepared different ways. Often it is
simply cold coffee served over ice cubes. When this is the case, it should be made with extra strong
coffee.
Other versions, often served in Europe, consist of coffee ice cream served in a glass, filled with
black coffee, and topped with whipped cream.
iced tea/ice tea
Beverage made with tea, served with ice cubes. The tea should be made extra strong tea, to
compensate for the melting ice. If sugar is used, it should be superfine.
Ice tea is available canned and as instant powder. There are many blends available, some
containing fruit juices or herbs.
Iceland moss
Lichen growing wild in Arctic regions. It can be dried and used as bread ingredient, but is very
bitter. Repeated washing is needed to remove the bitterness. It provides little nutrients because the
starch can not be assimilated by the human body.
It can also be made into a gelatin like substance.
Cetraria islandica.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Ichang
Chinese black tea of excellent quality.
icing
Sugar based cake covering. Although the term suggests a white, sugary mixture, the term has
become generic and is used for any cake covering. Simple water icing is made with icing sugar, lemon
juice and water.
THERE ARE BASICALLY FIVE KINDS OF ICING:
Boiled chocolate icing - chocolate boiled with sugar and poured warm over cakes.
Boiled Frosting - made with sugar, water and cream of tartar boiled to 240 degrees and slowly
poured into whipped egg whites. It can be made with many flavors.
Butter Cream icing -see butter cream.
Fondant icing - see fondant.
Royal icing -see Royal icing.
icing sugar
The British term for confectioners XXXX sugar.
Idared
American hybrid apple, a cross between a Jonathan and a Wagenerappel. The fruits are large
and red, sometimes with traces of yellow. The cream-colored flesh is firm, juicy, and slightly acid.
Excellent eating apple.
Ideal Brain Tonic and Sovereign Remedy, The
In 1886, John S. Pemberton introduced this drink in his Atlanta Drug Store. It later became Coca
Cola.
ikizukuri

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Japanese special sashimi presentation. Literally translated "live masterpiece". The raw fish is
arranged meticulously so it resembles a live fish.
ilamas
Tropical fruits, close relatives to the cherimoyas. Like them, the ilamas have a thick, soft, inedible
skin enclosing creamy white flesh and large seeds. Native to the Americas.
Ready to eat when the skin yields lightly to the touch. Can be purchased underripe and will ripen
at room temperature.
Anona diversifolia.
ilcanestrato
Italian for "basketed". The term is used in connection with cheeses when the curd is drained in
baskets, and the imprint is left in the cheese.
One ilcanestrato cheese is made in Sicily with ewes milk called Pecornio iIcanestrato.
le flottante
French dessert consisting of round slices of sponge cake layered with apricot jam and almonds,
drenched with liqueurs and served in a puddle of custard sauce.
The name is also applied for a dessert made with poached meringue dumplings, served on a bed
of custard, and dribbled with caramel sugar. The translation is floating island.
le de France
French term used in gastronomy to describe the area of Paris and its cuisine.
les de la Gironde
Islands in the Gironde river in the Bordeaux region of France. Famous vineyards are located
there.
Ilha
Portuguese cows milk cheese made in the Azores islands. Ilha is Portuguese for island.
Illinois nuts
Another name for pecans.
Imam bayeldi/imam bayildi
Armenian and Middle Eastern dish of eggplant baked with sliced onions, tomatoes, parsley, dill,
garlic and olive oil. Probably the best known regional dish.
Literally translated the Imam fainted. Legend has it that it was so named because when a holy
man witnessed its preparation and saw how much olive oil was used in the dish, he fainted.
Also known as the priest, because Imam is the Turkish word for priest or holy man, presumably
referring to the Imam's swooning with pleasure upon tasting it.
imbus
Tropical edible fruits resembling pale yellow plums growing on small trees native to Brazil.
The tree also has large round tubers filled with water, and they have been dug up by explorers for
its water supply.
Spondias tuberosa.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Imola Royal
Common Italian variety of apricot, also widely grown in Israel and Spain. Large, elongated, with
orange-yellow skin and flesh. Juicy, flavorful and aromatic so good for eating, this firm apricot is also
good for processing.
Imp-and-an-Arm

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Popular drink of steel workers in Pittsburgh consisting of Whisky and Iron City beer.
impatiens
Annual shade loving edible flower.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Imperatore
A variety of apple related to the Rome Beauty.
imperial
A variety of sweet onions, also known as California Imperials or Imperial Sweets. A yellow granex
onion grown in the hot, dry dessert of the Imperial Valley in Southern California. Includes such types as
the colossal, so named because it can weigh up to a pound, Henry's Special, which was named after Dr.
Henry Jones who also developed the Vidalia onion, and the Ringmaster, so named because it makes
good onion rings.
Imperial
Wine bottle size containing 8 bottles = 204.8 oz or 6 Liters. It is used for Bordeaux wines.
Imperial Torte
Austrian/ Viennese cake. A specialty of the Imperial Hotel in Vienna, developed to compete with
the renown Sachertorte created by a competing hotel. A square, rich, five-layered chocolate cake, filled
with almond paste and topped with marzipan.
imu
Hawaiian traditional cooking pit or underground oven.
in and out cookies
Norwegian specialty, known as inn og ut kaker in Norwegian. A holiday treat. So named because
they are taken only out when visitors arrive and the uneaten ones are put away again for the next visitors.
inari-sushi
Japanese vinegary rice, packed into a pouch of deep-fried tofu.
Inca food
See Peru food.
India relish
Also known as Indian pickle, piccalilli, piccalillo, or pacolilla.
See piccalilli.
India food
Indian cooking is largely influenced by religion. Certain religions promote or require
vegetarianism. India is chiefly Hindu country, albeit with a sizable Moslem minority and many other ethnic
and religious groups.
In Hindu religion the cow is revered and is not slaughtered for food. There is not much grazing
land for large cattle herds, and cows are much more valuable for providing milk than slaughtered as beef.
Cows can give much more milk than sheep or goats, although they eat a lot more.
Hindus, the largest religious group are strictly vegetarians. Brahmin is the highest caste in India
and traditionally vegetarian.
Moslems, the second largest religious group, eat beef and also lamb, but not eat pork. Neither of
the two major religions permit consumption of alcohol. Muslim Mongols ruled India from the sixteenth to
the nineteenth century and introduced Persian cooking.
Indian breads are often made without yeast and resemble pancakes.

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Foods are divided into four groups by taste: sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. Curry is a major
flavoring ingredient. There are many regional varieties of curry in powder, and in paste.
REGIONAL CUISINES:
In the North, the major starch is bread made from wheat, major fat is ghee, sauces are thicker,
and food is spicy but milder than in the south. Tandoori cooking, see there, is frequently used.
South cooking is quite spicy, the major starch is rice, the fat is coconut oil, sauces are thinner,
and food is hotter. Yogurt is used in soups, sauces, snacks, and desserts. Many different rice varieties
are cultivated. See rice.
The pulp and seeds of pomegranate is used extensively in its fresh or dried from.
Pulses (dried legumes) a staple throughout the country and are used whole or as flour. Farsan
Walla is a dried-foods merchant.
Prata dishes are paper-thin pancakes, tossed and spread like pizza dough, but cooked on a
griddle.
Indian is a huge country and the names and spelling of ingredients very even between respected
cookbook authors. The following list gives the Hindi and English names, but the spelling might vary
slightly depending on the translator.
Spices are very important in Indian cooking and are often ground when needed. There are at
least twenty different spices used and many have distinct medicinal uses. Curry is a spice mixture which
varies from region and from cook to cook. The common denominator is that the food is browned in fat,
and the curry powder is also carefully cooked in fat, but it will burn easily if fried too long. Curries are
made with meat, fish, vegetables, eggs and any other basic ingredient. Frithath is very fiery curry.
Vindaloo is a curry with the meat first marinated in vinegar, doopiaza is made with different onions.
Kabas are meats cooked on skewers and probably originated in the Middle East. Biriani is a Moslem dish
served on festive occasions, made with lamb or chicken stewed with rice and garnished with fruits and
sprinkled with rose water.
Many desserts are based on milk reduced by boiling until most moisture has evaporated. This
paste, called khoa is flavoring, butter and sugar. Halvas are desserts based on fruits and even
vegetables. Many desserts are deep fried and then steeped in syrup.
INDIAN DISHES AND INGREDIENTS:
aam papar - sour mango pulp dried in sheets
amchoor - green mango powder. See there.
anardana - pomegranate seeds
arhar dal - yellow split pea pulse
Asafoetida Powder/hing - Powerful spice. See there.
ata/atta - whole wheat flour
baghar - combination of spices cooked in ghee, see there.
baingan - purple eggplant
bair - small fruit
bajara - millet
baris - generic term for dried pounded pulses (legumes)
besan - split pea flour or flour made from other pulses
bhakris - unleavened bread
bhatura - deep fried bread
Bhel puri - popular Bombay street snack of fried bread filled with lentils
biryani - Moslem dish of rice cooked with lamb, spices and tomatoes.
bhuna matar - snack of dried peas
chapati - soft bread
chikkis - peanut brittle
dahi - yoghurt
dal - generic name for pulses
chana, chickpeas
chhola, green chickpeas
moong, green beans. See mung beans.
masur, lentils
matar, peas
toovar, yellow lentils, actually a variety of pigeon peas

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urhad, black beans, closely related to mung beans

dalcar - stewed lentils, mutton, and vegetables in a curry sauce.
dhania - Chinese parsley. See cilantro.
dhi -gourd. See bottle gourd
dosai/dosas - rice flour pancake
elaich - cardamom. See there.
falooda - transparent vermicelli
falsa - tart red berry
garam masala - hot spice mixture made of cinnamon, cloves and pepper corns
garam - generic name for spice mixture
ghee - basic cooking fat, often vegetarian, sometimes flavored with betel leaves.
falooda - thick milk shake flavored with rose water and almonds.
Idlis - split pea cakes served with spicy condiments.
jalebis - sweet chick pea fritters
jamun - tart tropical fruits resembling plums
jowar - barley
kalonji - black seeds resembling onion seeds
kari - see curry leaves
karela - bitter gourd. See there.
kashkashs - poppy seeds used for thickening sauces
kattha - red paste used for betle leaves. See there.
ladoos - sweet chick pea fritters and melon seeds
lobhia - black eye peas
methi - fenugreel leaves, methai are the seeds.
mirch - generic term for chili
naryal - coconut
paan - betel leaves. See there.
pani puri - fried pastries filled with sweet tamarind water
pappadum - thin wafer. See there.
pau bhaji - stewed vegetables heaped over fried bread
samosas - spicy meat turnovers
supari - betel nut. See there.
thaichle hot chili peppers
usli ghee - clarified butter
vadi - see pappadums
vark - edible gold or silver foil. See there.
zunka/pithla - very spicy paste of green chilies,
onions and chick peas.

Thaichle, hot chili peppers

BREADS ARE UNIQUE AND INCLUDE:
chapati - unleavened, griddle-baked. Phulka is a puffed up chapati.
kandaa kulcha - aka handkerchief bread.
naan - leavened, tandoor oven-cooked wheat bread, deliciously crisp.
pappadum - brittle, pan-fried bread, made from lentil flour.
paratha - pliable, multi-layered,
parautha - griddle fried bread folded with ghee.
poori/puri - deep-fried bread. Soft, puffed bread.
puri - fried bread
roti maryam - large flat wheat bread.
tandoor roti - made with or without leavening agent baked in a tandoor oven.
Indian (American) bread

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Cornmeal bread. The term was also used for smoked and dried buffalo meat.

448

Indian (American) bread roots

Roots of a plant native to the Western Plains. The egg size roots have a though dark skin and a
whitish meat that can be eaten raw or cooked. The dried roots were an important winter staple for the
Plains Indians.
Also known as Pommes blanche or Prairie Turnip. It is not the same as Coontie, also called
Indian Bread.
Psoralea esculenta.
Indian corn
Also known as flint corn. See there.
Indian cornmeal
Finely stone-ground New England cornmeal.
Indian cress
English name for nasturtium leaves. The leaves are slightly bitter, and make an excellent salad
ingredient.
Tropeaeolum majus.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Indian corn
Decorative corn with kernels in different colors.
Indian cucumber
Edible roots of a native perennial plant faintly tasting like cucumbers.
Medola.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Indian currants
Small red to purple fruits growing wild on low shrubs from Texas to the east Coast.
Also known as coralberries.
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Indian fig
A fruit, more commonly known as prickly pear. The Indian in the name refers to the American
Indian, not the Asian country.
Also known as Barbary fig, cactus pear, sabra (in Israel), tuna (in Mexico). See cactus and
cactus pear.
Opuntia ficus-indica.
Indian licorice
East Indian shrub. The roots are used as substitute for licorice.
Also known as rosary pea.
Abrus precatorius.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Indian meal
See corn meal.
Indian mulberry
Small tree growing in South east Asia and bearing yellowish fruits used for dye.

449

Morinda citrifolia.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Indian mushrooms
India is a large producer of mushrooms, and dried morels, sold without label are often imported
from India. Sometimes they have a strong smell which cooks attribute to the mushrooms, but is in fact
the smell of cow dung, over which they were dried.
Indian nuts
Another name for pine nuts or pion nuts, so called because they were eaten by the native
Americans and are indigenous to the American southwest. Pine nuts are also harvested in Mediterranean
countries. See pine nuts.
Pinus pinea.
Indian potato
Type of wild sunflower.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Indian pudding
New England specialty, especially popular in Rhode Island. A dish of the early settlers. It is a
spicy-sweet pudding of molasses, eggs, milk, ginger and Indian cornmeal. Its deep brown color comes
from the molasses and the long hours of slow baking.
In Colonial times, it was usually a dessert, but was sometimes served as a first course or with
dinner, as a vegetable. Now always served as a dessert, often served warm with vanilla ice cream.
Also known as nasaumps, the Narragansett Indians name.
Indian rice
Another name for wild rice (see there).
Indian sweet lime
Mild, almost bland-tasting citrus fruit which can be used in sweet drinks without additional sugar.
Not actually a lime.

Citrus limettoides.
Indian tea
Wild shrub growing in temperate climate. The leaves were used as tea.
Also known as New Jersey Tea, walepole tea.
Ceanothus americanus.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Indian Whiskey
Adulterated Whiskey sold to Indians during the conquest of the West. It was often intentionally
adulterated to make the Indians sick.
Indianer
Austrian/ Viennese pastry, invented by a Hungarian pastry chef, working for Count Plffy in the
early 19th century. It was named for the East Indian magician/juggler who performed at the Count's
Theater an der Wien.
The dessert is a whipped cream filled sponge cake ball, covered with chocolate, to imitate the
brown face and icing sugar to show the snow white teeth of the Indian juggler. After being served to the
theater audiences, it became the overnight rage of Vienna.

450

indienne, la
French culinary term for dishes falvored with curry and served with rice.
Indonesia food
Large country, the cooking reflects different religions, a strong Chinese and Dutch influence, the
colonial masters who arrived in 1596. They exported to Europe the Rijst-tafel, see there, and stir fried
cooking. Indian dishes have also been adopted into Indonesian cooking.
At a typical Indonesian meal all dishes are served with rice. Originally food was eaten with the
fingers of the right hand, dipped in a finger bowl, see there, to moisten. The left hand was never used.
Today, chop stick and knives, forks and spoons are commonly used.
Food is often wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.
Spice Islands are an island group in Indonesia, also known as Moluccas. Padang is a spicy hot
style of cooking, and takes its name from the port on the west coast of Sumatra. One searingly hot chili is
the tiny cabe rawit, or bird's eye chili. In addition to chilies, most dishes are also made with santan, or
coconut milk. Beef is the most important meat, having replaced buffalo.
TYPICAL INGREDIENTS ARE:
asam djawa - tamarind. See there.
belimbing - star fruit. See there.
blatjan, terasi - pungent shrimp seasoning paste
daun salam - curry. See there.
djahe - ginger. See there.
djinten - cumin. See there.
gula Java/ gula djawa - palm sugar. See there.
kacap asin - sour soy sauce
kacap benteng - light soy sauce
katjang kapri - snow peas
kecap manis - thick soy sauce.
kemiri buah keras - candlenuts. See there.
kentjur - root spice resembling turmeric. See there.
ketumbar - ground coriander seeds. See there.
krupuk - generic term for breads and chips
krupuk udang - shrimp chips
kunjit - turmeric. See there.
kurkuma - Indian yellow root spice
lengkuas - root related to ginger. See galangal.
pandanus - aromatic leaves. See there.
salam - aromatic leaves resembling bay leaves.
sambal - spicy seasoning paste, also the generic name for spicy dishes
santen - coconut milk. See there.
sereh/serai - lemon grass - See there.
trasi - shrimp paste.
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
beef rendang - chunks of beef in coconut cream called kalio.
gado gado - vegetable salad with peanut dressing
kalio - ingredient paste made with chili, conut milk, ginger and other spices.
krupuk - shrimp chips.
nasi padang - a meal of several small dishes
nasi goreng - fried rice
pangek bunkus - fish wrapped in banana leaves.
peanut sauce - made with fresh roasted peanuts
sambal - hot condiment
sat - food grilled on bamboo skewers, a popular street food.
soto ajam - chicken soup
FRUITS INCLUDE, SEE ALL:
ambarella
durian

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giant granadilla
guavas
kaffir lime
mangos
papayas
pineapples
salak
sawo
Indonesia beverages
Batavia arak, a pungent , aromatic rum from Java. See Java coffee.
infuse
To steep herbs, seeds and spices in liquid until the liquid has absorbed the flavor. It is a basic
process in making liqueurs, cordials, flavored wines and teas.
Inglenook
Famous California, Napa valley vineyard at Rutherford. It was created in 1879 by Gustave
Niebaum, a retired Finnish sea captain.
Ingwer
German name for ginger. Ingwer Kuche is a Pennsylvania Dutch gingerbread.
injera
Ethiopian bread/pancake, traditionally made with teff flour. It is a yeast pancake, and was
originally made with wild yeast. The teff is ground, blended with warm water and let to ferment in a warm
place.
Injera is used as staple food and plate, food is piled on top and the injera eaten at the end of the
meal.
See teff.
inky pinky
Scottish hash of thinly sliced leftover roast beef, cooked with beef broth, chopped carrots, and
onions, with a dash of vinegar and thickened with cornstarch. The French version of the dish is called
miroton.
inkfish
See cuttlefish.
Insects, as food
Insects are high protein food, and have been eaten in many countries. The Chinese have been
eating ants for centuries with apparent no bad side effects. Supposedly eating ants aid sleep and
stimulate brain functions. Other insects eaten are scorpions (despite the poison), grasshoppers, and
others.
Maggots, larvae and worms, although not insects, are also eaten in some cultures.
instant
Term used by food manufacturers for products which requires minimal preparation.
International Food Service Executive Association (IFSEA)
Organization of food service executives with roots in the Stewards Club founded around 1900 in
Buffalo, New York.
The organization has chapters in most states and has strong ties to the military. The headquarter
is in Margate, Florida.

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invert sugar
Blend of dextrose and fructose formed naturally in fruits. Honey is over 60% natural invert sugar.
Boiling with acids converts sugar into invert sugar and is used in icings and syrups.
The body converts plain sugar into invert sugar by intestinal juices.
inverted three-way
Popular way of serving chili (see there) in Cincinnati Ohio. It consists of chili with the cheese
underneath the hot chili so it's melted by the time it reaches the customer. The third ingredient is onions.
Inzolia
Italian white wine grape grown in Sicily.
Ipomoea batata
Botanical name for the sweet potato (see there), a member of the morning glory family. It is a
different plant from the yam, dioscorea opposita. See yam.
The International Potato Center in Lima, Peru has identified more than 5,000 varieties of sweet
potato.
Ipswich clams
See soft shell clams.
Iran food
Iran used to be called Persia. The cooking is Middle Eastern, although unlike other places in the
Middle East, it is light on the garlic, tea rather than coffee is the major beverage, and rice rather than
bread is the major starch.
Two important dishes, considered Iran's national specialities are rice preparations. Chelo
consists of plain rice cooked with a crisp bottom crust, called tah dig, and topped with skeweredbarbecued lamb, raw egg yolk, and seasoned with sumac, a slightly sour tasting spice or khoresh, a
vegetable, fruit and meat mixture. The other is polo, a pilaf type preparation with rice and ingredients
cooked together.
Pomegranates are thought to have originated in Persia. The pulp of pomegranate is used
extensively in its fresh or dried from in both Iranian and Indian cooking. Melons, dates and figs are
popular.
Limes are sun dried and added to soups and stews in both Iran and Iraq. Quince is native to
these two countries. Saffron is used in many dishes. Rose water is a popular flavor. Sauces are
thickened with ground walnuts.
Iran's most prized food export is caviar. Iran was the major supplier of caviar to the U.S. The
caviar production has suffered on account of over fishing and pollution. Iran is also a major exporter of
pistachio nuts.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Alo - balo - polo - chicken, sour cherries and rice dish
Baklavah - honey soaked pastry
Coucou - flat herb and vegetable omelette
Dizi - lamb or mutton stew with chick peas, flavored with turmeric
Fesenjan - duck with walnut sauce
Joujeh kebab - chicken kebab.
Kababe Morgh - chicken kebab
Kameh - ground lamb with sour cherries
Koofteh - ground lamb and rice
Must o'khia - yogurt dip with cucumber and mint
Sharabate beh - quince sherbet
Shekar polo - sweet rice eaten as accompaniment to meats
Somagh - common seasoning and tangy condiment
Sumac - sour spice derived from a plant related to poison sumac
Tah digh - rice crust from the bottom of the cooking pan
Tah chin - rice, meat and yoghurt

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Turshi - pickled vegetables.

Ireland food
The small and once poor and suppressed island made an impact on the culinary scene. Many
Irish emigrated over the centuries and spread their cooking to far away places. often the dishes were
changed beyond recognition, but they were still considered Irish.
The best known is Irish Stew, relatively little known in Ireland. It consists of lamb chunks boiled
with potatoes, onions and cabbage, often served with baking powder dumplings. It is made without
cabbage in Ireland.
Corned beef and cabbage is the quintessential St. Patricks Day dish in the US, but seldom
served in Ireland.
Irish Soda Bread is made with flour, baking powder, and buttermilk. Raisins or sultanas are
expensive luxuries and not found in the original recipe.
Ireland suffered through the terrible potato blight, see Irish potato blight, and Irish cooking is
associated with potato dishes.
Ireland is a beef exporter to England and has a large dairy industry. In most parts of the country
cattle can graze year round. Irish butter is exported to England and Irish cheeses are delicious. Some
are still made with unpasteurized milk and are produced on small farms. However, Ireland is part of the
Common Market and the days of making cheese with unpasteurized milk are numbered.
IRISH CHEESES:
Burren Gold
Cashel Irish Blue
Coolea
Cooleeney
Lough Caum
Milleens
Ryefield
St. Brendan
Virginia.
Seafood include salmon, cod, herring, eels, sole, lobster, scallops, oysters. Famous are Dublin
prawns. See prawn. Irish smoked fish is famous, especially smoked salmon.
IRISH DISHES ARE:
Angels on horseback
Bacon - is called gammon
Black pudding - blood sausage served hot
Boxty cakes - shredded raw potato cakes. See latkes.
Boxty - generic name for dishes made with shredded raw potatoes.
Brawn - head cheese
Cod roe
Colcannon - See there.
Corned beef - not as popular as expected
Craibechan -substantial meat and vegetable soup eaten with boiled potatoes.
Dublin lawyer - lobster chunks sauteed in butter, and flavored with Irish whiskey.
Dulse - see seaweed
Dulse champ - mashed potatoes with dulse.
Ham baked with cider
Irish Beef Stew - brown beef and vegetable stew without cabbage
Jellied Shannon eel
Limerick ham - dry cured and smoked over juniper branches.
Mussel chowder
Nettle soup
Periwinkles - Sea snail served in a sauce thickened with Carrageen moss.
Potato farls- riced potatoes cakes and fried in bacon fat.
Potatoes in many versions
Scallion champ - mashed potatoes with stewed leeks
St. Patrick Soup - potato soup containing dulse, created by famous Chef Soyer.

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IRISH DESSERTS:
Barm brack - yeast cake, usually baked with dried or candied fruit.
Black cap pudding - steamed currant pudding
Burnt cream - see crme brule
Carrageen Bramble flan
Porter cake - fruit cake made with porter, the dark, full-flavored Irish beer.
Rumble - berries baked under a crumb topping of flour, sugar, and butter.
Tea scones
Tipsy cake
Yellowman - honeycombed toffee.
Barm brack is a New Year's special with charms baked inside for the eater to find.
Garlic cough syrup is made with garlic, vinegar, sugar and whiskey. Carrageen drink is
prescribed for chest colds.
Ireland beverages
Bailey's Irish Cream, see there, Irish whiskey, see there, Guinness stout, see beer, Irish coffee.
See there.
Irish bacon
Pork bacon cut across the whole side of the animal, and containing the loin and belly. It is only
lightly smoked. It is normally cut twice as thick as bacon in the US, or about 8 slices with rind per pound.
Bacon is called gammon, cooked bacon is called rashers in England and Ireland.
Irish breakfast
Hearty breakfast of fruit, bacon and eggs, scones or brown bread and condiments such as
honey, preserves, butter or cream. Tea to drink.
Irish coffee
Black coffee with a shot of Irish Whisky and topped with whipped cream. Sugar is served on the
side. Invented at San Francisco's Buena Vista cafe, which serves over 2000 of them a day. The recipe
probably originated in Ireland at Shannon Airport in the 1950's.
Irish Mist
Liqueur made from Irish whiskey flavored with heather, clover honey, and herbs. The recipe
originated with the ancient chieftains.
Irish moss
Also called carragheen moss. Red/purple edible seaweed usually sold dried. It is harvested
along both sides of the Atlantic Coast. It is commercially available as thickening agent.
See carrageen/carragheen.
Rhodphyta.
Irish potato blight
Potatoes were introduced into Ireland around the 1580's, but did not become the predominant
food crop until the beginning of the 19th century. Potatoes were ideally suited for the wet, rainy Irish
weather, and provided crop yield superior to grain. Potatoes made up for 60% of the total food supply in
Ireland in the 1820's.
Around 1830, a fungus Phytophthora infestation appeared in continental Europe and in the US,
and quickly spread to Ireland. The fungus probably originated in Mexico, and was spread by seed
potatoes. Ireland was spared from the worst infestation until 1845, but was hit hard in the following 2
years. 1847 is called the Black 47, because the wet summer spread the fungus. People died of starvation
or lack of resistance to common illnesses. No one knows how many people died between 1845 and
1852, but the death count reached at least one million. As many people as possible emigrated.
Irish soda bread
Bread containing raisins. Soda is used to neutralize the acidity of the dough.

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Brown Soda Bread, also known as wheaten bread, it is made with whole meal flour to replace all
or some of the white flour.
Irish stew
Boiled stew made with lamb or mutton, thickened with potatoes, onions and cabbage. In Ireland,
the cabbage is often omitted. The meat is not browned and the stew stays white.
Irish whiskey
The Irish claim to have been the first to make whiskey, and in fact, the word whiskey comes from
the Gaelic word for water of life.
Before Prohibition, Irish whiskey was more popular in the US than Scotch whisky. After Repeal,
the Irish did not have sufficient supply for export. In addition, American soldiers stationed in Britain during
WW II had acquired a taste for Scotch, and so Scotch became the leading imported whiskey.
The whiskey is triple distilled, making it smoother and rounder than most other whiskies. Rarely
aged for more than 12 years, because the flavor will become too woody.
Major brands include Jamesons and Bushmills. All major brands of Irish whiskey, except
Bushmills, are made by Irish Distillers Corporation in Midleton, near Cork. Though the recipes vary
slightly. Made from malted, and unmalted barley, and other grain. Coal is used to malt the barley, unlike
the peat which is used in Scotch.
Liqueurs made from Irish whiskey include Irish Mist and Bailey's Irish Cream.
Irish wine
The cold, dank, wet, sunless climate makes it difficult to grow wine grapes, although there is one
small commercial winery, Coisreal Longueville.
iron fist in a velvet glove
Wine term which refers to a long-lived vintage which is hard and tight in its youth and takes
decades to reach its full potential
Iron Maiden
Chinese dark bitter tea drink, often consumed to aid digestion of the rich, slightly oily food of Chiu
Chow. Served both before and after a meal.
Also known as Ti Kuan Yin.
Isabella
Red wine grape which was resistant to phylloxera because it came from America. It was widely
planted in Switzerland, but it produces mediocre wine.
Ischia
Italian Island in the bay of Naples, a famous vacation spot and producing a pleasant white wine.
ishi-yaki
Japanese style of food preparation found in some restaurants, which consists of cooking on a
searingly hot stone.
Isigny
Cheese named after the town of the same name in France. It resembles Camembert, but has a
more solifd texture. See there.
isinglass
Gelatin made from the bladder of sturgeon and other fish. It was used before the manufacture of
inexpensive gelatin from bones and other animal sources was possible. It was used for fining wine and
for gelatine desserts.
Japanese isinglass is prepared from seaweed. See Agar agar.
Also known as fish gelatin.

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Islam food
Foods such as lamb, yogurt, dried fruits and sweets are popular, but because of the diversity of
the Muslim cultures, there are no truly common foods, except for the symbolic dates eaten to break the
fast during Ramadan See there.
However, all meat must be halal, that is ritually slaughtered according to the rules of Islam. The
process resembles the rules for kosher slaughter.
Alcohol and pork are universally forbidden.
Island of Orlans
Canadian cheese with soft texture and piquant flavor, made since 1679 by farmers on the island
of the same name in the St. Lawrence River. The French name is Le Fromage Raffin de lIIe dOrlans.
Isleta bread
Pueblo Indian bread shaped like a bear's claw.
Israel food
The cooking of Israel is hard to define as emigrants from the U.S., Middle East, North Africa,
western and eastern Europe adapt their eating habits to the ingredients available, and the weather of
their adoptive country. The cooking can range from the food of orthodox groups living by strict kosher
rules to emancipated Jews without much regard to dietary rules.
The country has become an exporter of fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits - such as
citron, especially the etrog variety which is used in the Jewish festival of Succoth, the Feast of the
Tabernacle, grapefruits, lemons, limes, oranges (notably Jaffa oranges), pomelos, and tangerines. Citrus
fruits require much water and the emphasis is now to cultivate fruits less dependent on irrigation.
Other fruits prominently cultivated and exported are apricots, avocado, bananas, cherimoya,
Halawi dates, figs (notably the Sari Lob variety), guavas, loquat, mangoes, and, tamarind.
Sabra is the Israeli name for prickly pear cactus. Israelis adopted its name to refer to native-born
Israelis because they claim that, like the fruit, Israelis are a prickly on the outside but sweet on the inside.
Cultivated are also olives, pomegranates, peanuts, almonds, pine nuts. This "Land of Milk and
Honey" produces honey from clover, eucalyptus, heather, and apple.
Fish include St. Peter's fish and carp, the national fish.
The term mezze for appetizers is used througout the Middle east, including Israel. Hot
condiments based on chili peppers are zhoug, shatta, breimeh, harissa and madhuba.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Baklava - See there.
Boreka - filo pastry turnovers filled with cheese, spinach or many other fillings
Challah - egg bread. See there
Cholent - see there
Chopped liver - see jewish food
Dfeena - beef stew of Moroccan origin
Fattoush - vegetable and dried bread salad
Felafel - deep fried chick pea balls. Also known as falafel. See there.
Haminados - hard boiled eggs colored with onion skins
Hazeret/hrein - beet horseradish condiment
Hilbeh - fiery herb and fenugreek flavored relish
Hommos/hummus - chick pea dip
Jellied calfs foot - Eastern European head cheese type dish
Kaahk - bagel. See there
Kibbeh - lamb and cracked wheat patties popular throughout the Middle East.
Kneidlach - Yiddish word for dumplings
Kubaneh/kubbaneh - steamed yeast bun
Labaneh - yoghurt, which is also made into cheese.
Lahuhua - Yemenite sponge bread
Maamoul - small pastries filled with dates and nuts
Matzo - see there
Mejadarra - lentil and rice pilaf

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Mousht -Arabic name for St. Peters fish

Pita bread - See there.
Sambusak - cheese filled, not sweet, turnovers
Seniyeh - Arabic meat loaf with tahini paste
Shawil - liver and lung stew
Tabbouleh - cracked wheat salad. See there.
Tahini sauce - sesami paste dip flavored with lemon juice
Zalabi - sweet fritter
See also Jewish food, Kosher food, olives.
Israel wines
Wines has been produced in Israel since antiquity, although there were long periods with no
cultivation.
The first modern winery was established in 1866 southeast of Tel Aviv. The quality of wines has
greatly improved from the sweet wines originally produced and demanded by orthodox Jews.
The two largest wineries, Rishon Lezion and Zichron Yaakov were established at the turn of the
century with the financial support of Baron de Rothschild.
The Golan Heights Winery produces Sauvignon blanc and other wines. Much is exported. The
Golan Heights might be returned to Syria in the futures, but the winery is still expanding because the
climatic condition for growing grapes are excellent.
Israel produces beer and a limited number of distilled liquor brands.
Italian beef
Mid West term for sliced beef in a spicy sauce. It has nothing to do with Italian cooking.
Italian bread
Generic term for crusty long loaves of yeast bread. The same as the generic "French bread"
Italian cheeses
Italy has a long tradition of cheese making. The cheeses are listed under their names.
CLASSIFICATION OF ITALIAN CHEESES:
Grana cheeses, such as Parmesan, Reggiano, Lombardo.
Plastic curd, pasta filata cheeses, such as Caciocavallo, Provolone, Mozzarella, Manteca.
Swiss type cheeses, such as Fontina, Romano, Sardo.
Blue - green veined cheeses, such as Gorgonzola, Gex, Sassenage.
Soft cheeses, such as Bel Paese, Milano.
Very soft cheeses, such as Mascarpone, Ricotta.
ITALIAN CHEESES BY PROVINCES:
Campania - Caciocavallo, Mozzarella di Bufala, Provolone.
Emilia Romagna - Parmigiano Reggiano.
Friuli Venezia Giulia - Montasio.
Lazio, Abruzzi e Molise - Pecorino Romano.
Lombardia - Grana Padano, Taleggio.
Marche e Umbria - Giuncata.
Piedmont/Valle D'Aosta - Fontina, Gorgonzola.
Puglia, Basilicata e Calabria - Burrata.
Sardegna - Fiore Sardo, Pecorino.
Sicilia - Pecorino Siciliano.
Toscana - Pecorino Toscano.
Trentino Alto Adige - Asiago.
ITALIAN CHEESES BY SEASON:
Maggengo are cheeses made between April and September.
Quartirolo are cheeses made between September and November.
Terzolo, also Invernengo, cheeses made in the winter.

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Italian dressing
Popular salad dressing consisting of oil, vinegar, herbs and garlic. It is interesting to note that the
Boston Cooking School Cookbook, by Fannie Merrit Farmer, 1946 edition, does not list Italian dressing.
Most other American cook books also ignore the dressing although it is found standard in many
restaurants. There is no set recipe, but often the dressing contains garlic, tomato puree and herbs.
Italian marrow
Nickname for zucchini.
Italian sausage
Coarse pork sausage for grilling flavored with fennel seeds and available mild or hot. The
sausage is inexpensive and very popular served on sandwiches with peppers, onions and tomatoes or in
stews.
Italian truffle
Italy produces a white truffle, harvested in fall and early winter, and also a less expensive
summer truffle. See truffle.
Tuber magnatum pico.
Italy beverages
Beside the obvious wine, Italy produces or was the originator of interesting beverages.
Their bitter after dinner drinks are called amari. See there.
Italy is famous for coffee. The terms espresso, see there, and cappuccino, see there have
entered the American vocabulary.
Cordials are listed under their names, such as Frangelica, Galliano, Sambuca Romana and many
others.
Italy can claim to be the inventor of vermouth. See there.
Italian wines, see there.
Italy, festival days
Italy celebrates saints days on the national and on the local level. There is often specific food
associated with these holidays.
NATIONAL FEAST DAYS ARE:
November, 1, All Saints Day
December 26, St. Stefano.
LOCAL SAINT HOLIDAYS ARE:
Venice, St. Mark, April 25
Florence and Turin, St. John the Baptist, June 24
Rome, Saints Peter and Paul, June 29
Palermo, St. Rosalia, July 15
Naples, St. Gennaro, September 19
Bologna, St. Petronio, October 4
Cagliari, St. Saturnio, October 30
Trieste, St. Giusto, November 3
Bari, St. Nicola, December 6
Milan, St. Ambrose, December 7.
Italy food
Italy has been described as the mother of classical cooking but this statement is misleading
because Italy as a political unit exists only since the later part of the 19th century.
Since the disintegration of the Roman empire Italy was politically divided into city states, regional
duchesses, kingdoms and foreign powers. Even to this days Italians will mention first the region where
they are from.
Italy also has a wide range of climates, from sub tropical in the south and on Sicily to the Alps in
the north. No wonder that there is no cooking style which can be described as Italian, but rather cooking
styles reflecting the regions.

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PIEMONTE AND VALLE DAOSTA is in the northwest corner straddling the Alps and France
and Switzerland. The capital is Turin, an industrial powerhouse and also famous for wine and vermouth
trade.
The food is hearty and substantial, but at the same time produces one of the most expensive
delicacies, the white truffle. See there.
Bagna cada is a hot anchovy dip.
The best known cheese is Fontina, see there, used in fonduta, a melted cheese dish resembling
fondue in Switzerland.
Rice is extensively cultivated in the Po valley, see rice and Italian ingredients. Grissini, see there,
is a specialty of Turin.
LIGURIA, a stretch of coast adjacent to the French Riviera, and hemmed in by mountains is
famous for seafood. The capital city Genoa is famous for pesto, see there. Fried calamari, so often
found on American menus, is a famous local dish. Basil is used in may dishes, and the sailors of Genua
introduced many spices into the area. Olives and green olive oil are used in many dishes.
Minestrone, the hearty soup is served all over Italy in many versions, but the Genua version is the
best known. See minestrone.
Liguria claims the invention of ravioli, although stuffed pasta envelopes are found in many other
cuisines, including Asian cooking.
Sardenaira is a pizza topped with tomatoes and anchovies.
LOMBARDY is a rich region centered by Milan. It is reported that the breaded veal cutlet, which
found its way eventually into Vienna as schnitzel, originated in Milan.
Risotto, see there, and osso buco, see there are well known. Peperonata is a pepper and tomato
stew, the city Cremona is famous for mostarda di frutta, a sweet mustard pickle.
Panettone, see there, is a rich yeast cake. Gorgonzola and Bel Paese, see there, are the best
known local cheese.
FRIULI - VENZIA GIULIA is on the Dalmatian coast, close to Austria, Slovenia and Croatia. The
cooking is influenced by the neighboring Slavic cooking. Trieste was the most important Austrian seaport
and influenced Austrian and local cooking.
Luganega sausage originated locally.
TRENTINO/ALTO ADIGE, alpine region bordering on Austria and Switzerland and part of Austria
until 1918. German is still spoken widely, and an ancient Roman language still survives.
The German tradition is found in smoked meats and in dumplings, called Kndel, known in Italian
as canderli. The area produces wines and is known for apricots.
VENETO, centered around the port Venice, but stretching to the Alps, is known for seafood,
polenta, see there, and excellent vegetables. Risi e bisi is a mixture of green peas and rice.
The Venetian sailors introduced foreign foods, cannellini beans and maize from the Americas,
and dried cod fish called baccal from Scandinavia and Newfoundland.
Fegato di Vitello alla veneziana is calfs liver and onions.
Venetian sailors also claim credit for introducing coffee.
EMILIA - ROMAGNA centered around the city of Bologna is famous for sausage specialties such
as mortadella, see there, zampone see there and Prosciutto ham, see there.
The area is also home of many cheeses, especially Parmesan, see there. Pasta is formed into
many shapes, and some pasta is made with eggs. The most famous stuffed pasta are tortellini and
cappeletti, see there.
TUSCANY centered around Florence is famous for beef from the Chiana valley. White beans
are often used, and created the nickname mangiafagioli, bean eaters. In French classical cooking the
term la Florentine indicated dishes containing spinach, but spinach is little used in local cooking.
UMBRIA is located north of Rome and is the only region without a seacoast. The pigs raised on
acorns and chestnuts are famous. Spit roasting is often used for lamb and pork.
The city Perugia is famous throughout the world for chocolates.
MARCHE has a coast along the Adriatic sea and has excellent seafood. Polenta is a popular
starch.
LAZIO is the region around Rome with a culinary tradition reaching beyond the Romans into
antiquity. The cooking is based on influences from all regions.
Fettuccine and gnocchi di semolino are well known. Cheeses are more likely made with
sheepss milk and buffalo milk.

460

Saltimbocca alla romana, see there, are on menus of better Italian restaurants.
Well liked vegetables are artichokes cooked in many different ways.
ABRUZZI & MOLISE are agricultural regions famous for vegetables and wheat. Pasta is popular.
The local cheese is Scamorza, made with goats and cows milk, often flavored with herbs.
CAMPANIA centers around Naples and is famous for tubular pasta and pizza. Macaroni, spelled
maccheroni, and spaghetti are the shapes served in most meals. The hot weather produces excellent
tomatoes - native to the Americas - but now considered indispensable to Neapolitan cooking.
Ice cream and frozen desserts are famous, probably because the snow on Mount Vesuvio
provided the means to make frozen desserts.
APULIA & BASILICATA are on the heel of Italy. The town Taranto is famous for oysters. Pasta
and pizza are made in many shapes and with many fillings. Calzone, a pizza turnover found in many
American pizza parlors are local dishes. Panzerotti is a deep fried calzone.
CALABRIA is the toe of Italy sticking out into the Mediterranean. It has excellent seafood and
vegetables. The closeness to the Middle east is evident in pitta the same bread known as pita. See
there.
SICILY is an island of mountains and hot climate. It was invaded and owned by Greeks,
Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans and Spaniards, and all left their mark on local cooking.
Citrus fruits, vegetables and olives are staples. Caponata is and eggplant tomato stew. Fish is
abundant, but imported dried cod fish is also used. The local sardines and swordfish are used in many
ways.
Cassata Siciliana, see there, and Zabaione, also spelled zabaglione, see there is made with the
local Marsala wine.
SARDINIA is a large island in the Mediterranean and was also invaded by hordes of foreigners
over the centuries. Cooking is often over an open fire on the spit, called furia furia, or cooking in a pit
over embers with myrtle leaves called carraxiu.
Seafood is plentiful. Cheese is most likely made with sheeps milk. The local bread is wafer thin
and called carta di musica.
OTHER ITALIAN FOOD TERMS ARE:
antipasto- appetizer
antipasti - appetizers
panini - sandwiches
primi - first courses
secondi - second courses
Italian home style cooking is called cucina casareccia.
ITALY, INGREDIENTS:
acciughe - anchovies, normally salted and used as sauce ingredient.
aceto Balsamico - balsamic vinegar. See there.
aglio - garlic - See there.
alloro - bay leaves - See there.
basilico - basil. See there.
battuto - chopped seasoning vegetables consisting of parsley, onion and celery blended with lard
or olive oil.
borragine - borage. See there.
bottarga - dried roe. See there.
brodo - meat stock.
cappari - capers. See there.
fagioli - dry beans, legumes.
borlotti - red kidney beans. See there.
cannellini - white beans. See there.
ceci - chick peas. See there.
fave secche - dried lima beans. See there.
finocchio - fennel. See there.
Fontina cheese - See there.
funghi porcini secchi - dried porcini mushrooms. See boletus edulis.
ginepro - juniper. See there.
luganega - pork sausage flavored with Parmesan cheese.

461

maggiorana - marjoram. See there.

mirto - myrtle. See there.
mortadella - sausage. See there.
mozzarella di bufala - see mozzarella cheese.
noce moscata - nutmeg. See there.
olio doliva extra vergine - olive oil. See there.
olive - olives. See there.
origano - oregano. See there.
pancetta - cured, un-smoked bacon. See pancetta.
Parmigiano - Parmesan. See there.
pasta - See there.
pecorino Romano - sheeps milk cheese. See pecorino Romano.
pepe nero - black pepper. See there.
pinoli - pine nuts. See there.
pomodori - tomatoes. See there.
prezzemolo - Italian parsley. See there.
prosciutto - generic term for ham. See prosciutto.
radicchio - salad vegetable. See radicchio.
ricotta - soft cheese. See ricotta.
riso - rice. The most important varieties in Italy are:
arborio - risotto rice. See there.
carnaroli - risotto rice developed 1945 by crossing vialone with a Japanese rice.
vialone - risotto rice popular in Venice because is has a harder bite. See there.
rosemarino - rosemary. See there.
salvia - sage. See there.
soffritto - sauteed battuto, see there.
strutto - shortening or lard.
tonno - tuna. See there.
truffles - truffles. See there.
vitello - veal. See there.
zafferano - saffron. See there.
Italy, wines
Wines and grape varieties are listed under their names.
italienne, la
French culinary term for Italian style. There is no clear recognition about the immense diversity of
Italian cooking.
ito zukuri
Japanese sashimi cut, often used for squid. Also good for small fish, from which larger pieces
cannot be properly cut.
Its It
Ice cream sandwich made with vanilla ice cream, oatmeal cookies and chocolate covering. It
originated in San Francisco.
IUD
Philippine slang for barbecued chicken entrails wrapped around a stick, sold on the streets of
Manila
ivy gourd
Another name for tindoori. See there.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

462

Izarra
French/Basque country liqueur.
izer cookie
Colonial term for waffles. Waffle irons were fanciful, and made a decorative impression on the
waffle.
J. A.
Trade name for a German wine produced by Deinhard in the Rheingau region. A high quality, dry
blended wine made with Riesling grapes.
jaboticaba
Brazilian parasite fruit growing directly on tree trunks. The dark purple fruit is delicious, but very
perishable.
Also known as jabuticaba.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
jack beans
Tropical plant cultivated primarily for forage but also producing small white beans.
Canavalia ensiformis.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
jack cheese
Dry, cheddar type cheese suitable for grating.
Often referred to as Monterey Jack.
jacket potatoes
British term for potatoes baked in their skins. In the US they are called baked potatoes.
jack fruit/jakfruits
Tropical fruits of enormous size, commonly 18 inches long and 9 inches wide, but sometimes
weighing as much as 70 lb. They grow in clusters on trees native to India an Polynesia, members of the
mulberry family and close relatives of the breadfruit trees. Breadfruit is classified as and eaten as a
vegetable, jack fruit is considered a fruit.
Jack fruit has a slightly sticky texture and unusual sweet flavor, with a distinctive smell. It is
covered with a thick pale green rind ridged with pointed peaks, similar to a pineapple. Each peak
corresponds to an interior flower or cell, only some of which bear the bright orange or golden flesh.
The jack fruit, like the fig, is a collection of fruits fused together. The large seeds about the size of
walnuts are enclosed in fleshy sacs or "bulbs". The seeds can be roasted, and they taste similar to
chestnuts. They are rich in calcium and protein. The fruit itself is less nutritious, but it does contain
carotene.
The flesh can be eaten raw or cooked a dessert fruit or as a vegetable. Some varieties are rather
dry and flavorless
Also known as kanoon in Thai and nangka in Singapore.
Artocarpus heterophyllus, artocarpus integrifolia.
jack fish
Important food fish of the genus caranx. The most popular is the pompano, others are
Amberjack, Bar Jack, Jack Mackerel and Yellow Jack.
The term is also applied to the Northern Pike.
Jack in a box
Tropical nut bearing tree.
Hernandia sonora.

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Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Jack knife clam
See razor clam.
Jack smelts
Pacif coastal rather large smelts.
Atherinopis californiensis.
Jacquere
White wine grape grown in the French Savoie region in the foothills of the Alps. It makes a crisp
light wine, with a delicate bouquet. It is the basic white grape.
Jacquet, also called Black Spanish
Madeira red wine grape variety, the most planted grape to produce inexpensive Madeira cooking
wines for export.
Jade flower broccoli
Variety of broccoli, commonly used in Chinese cooking. Jade symbolizes youth and rebirth so
jade flower broccoli is also a Chinese New Year specialty.
Jaen
Portuguese red grape variety, used to make the wines of Da~o* and Bairrada*. It contributes a
fruity character to the wines.
Jagdwurst
German name for hunter sausage. Normally dry and fatty, it does not require refrigeration.
Jaggery
See palm sugar.
Also known as jaggary, jaghery.
Jago, Tom
English liquor expert and creator of brands. His most successful invention is Baileys Irish
Cream. Other novelty brands he created are Johnny Walker Blue Label, Chivas Regal 1801, and Oaken
Glow, Imperial Blue, Royal Stag.
The last three brands are admix whiskies created for the Indian market with Scottish Malts and
Indian Grain Whiskies.
Jainism
Vegetarian religion which abhors all killing.
Jake
Name for a rum cocktail flavored with ginger during the prohibition.
Jal jira
Digestion aiding cumin water, popularl in the Indian state Gujarat.
Jalapeo (jalapeno)
Chili pepper variety. See chili peppers.
Jalebi
Indian dessert made with saffron flavored batter deep fried in rings and steeped in rose water
syrup.

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Jam
Fruit preserve, spread made with pieces of fruit that are preserved by cooking them with sugar.
Also referred to as preserves. When pieces of skin are included the term marmalade can be used, but for
all practical purposes only citrus preserves are called marmalade.
Jelly, on the other hand, is fruit juice cooked with sugar.
Confiture in French, Marmelade in German, marmellata in Italian, mermelada in Spanish.
Jam cake
Southern layer cake, specialty of Kentucky and Tennessee
Jam tart
English pastry. The term is also used to refer to a sweet female.
Jamaica food
Caribbean island, English speaking. Its national dish is akee, the national fruit, see there cooked
with salt cod. Breadfruit is the major staple. Red kidney beans are known as red peas or Jamaican red
peas.
Jerking is the traditional style of cooking is an ancient method of cooking and preserving meat,
developed by the indigenous Arawak Indians. A wet spice mixture consisting of scallions, thyme, salt,
pepper, and other "exotic" and hot seasonings, such as the leaves of the Jamaican pimento plant,
commonly known as allspice is rubbed on pork, and marinated overnight. The meat is then slowly
barbecued over coals for 24 hours.
OTHER SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
Bammie - round, flat bread made from cassava root flour
Coco bread - a rolled pancake filled with spicy ground beef
Curried lamb bammie -flat bread made from cassava root flour filled with lamb
Christmas cake - with ginger-flavored sugar icing.
Solomon Gundy - red herring
Stamp and Go - salt cod
FRUITS INCLUDE:
bananas - a major export
grapefruit - native to Jamaica
ginger
guava
lemons
pomelo
tangerines - notably the ortanique variety
tangors - the temple variety was bred there
star apple - see there
ugli fruit - see there
Jamaica beverages
The island is famous for a heavy, dark rum. See rum.
The Blue Mountain coffee is famous. See coffee.
Tia Maria is a rum based coffee liqueur.
Jamaica ginger
Ginger extract.
Jamaica pepper
See allspice.
Jamaican gherkin
Distinct variety of cucumbers native in tropical America. It resembles small cucumbers but has
spines.

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Also known as bur gherkins, West Indian gherkins. Cucumis Anguria.

Jamaican red peas
The name for red kidney beans in Jamaica.
Jamaican sorrel
This member of the hibiscus family is native to West Africa and was imported to Jamaica with the
slave trade. The fruit and flowers are used to make jams and jellies.
The leaves and stalks have a pleasantly acidic flavor, like that of the salad green sorrel, though
the two are not related. The fruit is enclosed in fleshy, ruby-red flower petals. It is usually sold dried or as
a syrup, and the attractive color makes it a good substitute for grenadine. Popular in the West Indies,
Brazil and Mexico.
Also known as red sorrel, roselle, shrub, and simply as sorrel, a term which more commonly
denotes a salad green.
Hibiscus sabdariffa.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Jambalaya
Cajun rice dish, a popular Louisiana specialty. The dish is a mixture of meat, shellfish, rice,
tomatoes, onions and peppers.
The word comes from the French Provenal dialect, though the dish probably owes more to
Spanish influences.
During the rice harvest in the Louisiana bayous, blackbirds descend upon the rice fields to steal
the grain. They allegedly end up in blackbird jambalaya.
Jambolan
An alternate name for tamarillo, which is also known as Java plum or tree tomato. See tamarillo.
Cyphomandra betacea.
Jambon
French term for ham.
Jambon d'Ardennes
Dry cured ham from the Ardenne mountain range at the border of Belgium, Luxenburg and
France
Jambu air
Singaporean small lantern-shaped fruit with a waxy, pale green skin. Sometimes the skin may be
pinkish or white. It has small inedible seeds.
James
Native American black grape.
James Grieve
Good eating apple cultivated in England since the end of the 19th century. Yellow with streaks of
red. Can be delicious if not harvested too unripe. Poor keeping quality and not good for processing.
Japan food
Japanese cooking, like Chinese cooking, developed an unique style because fire wood and other
fuel was always scares. Many dishes are eaten raw, or are cooked briefly on a charcoal grill called
hibachi. Dashi, the basic stock made with dried Bonito flakes takes only minutes to prepare.
Respect for food and esthetics play an important role in Japanese cooking. Food and religion is
intertwined in most religions, especially in Japan. The way food is prepared and presented is based on
tradition and culture. The shape and texture of food, the dishes it is served in, and when and how it is
consumed is often important.

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Rice is a basic staple, not only for cooking, but also for brewing a beverage called sak,
commonly spelled in English without the accent. Rice is so important, that it is the policy of Japan to
remain self sufficient in rice supply, and rice farmers are heavenly subsidized to keep growing rice,
barring cheaper imports. There are many rice varieties, most of them sticky, so it can be eaten with chop
sticks.
Seafood is an important staple, and is treated with great care. Fish, especially tuna, is divided
into many different cuts of fat content, flavor level and density. Large tuna are imported from the US and
fetch a premium on the Tokyo fish market if of excellent quality. The fish is purchased at the dock in the
US, flown to Tokyo and auctioned off the next day.
Fugo/fugu is the infamous blowfish used for fugu. The liver is very toxic and can kill almost
immediately when eaten. The killer poison is tetrodotoxin. See Fugo.
Sushi in vinegar flavored rice, served lukewarm, topped with, or rolled around ice cold fish,
vegetables, fish roe and other ingredients. Sashimi is fish without sushi rice.
Tempura is fried food, dipped in thin, almost transparent batter before frying. Basically all fish and
vegetables can be tempura fried.
Japanese are masters in fermenting, and many vegetables and soybeans are fermented into
interesting dishes. The best known fermented items are Soy Sauce and Teriyaki Sauce. Tofu is
fermented soy bean paste, and comes in many degrees of firmness and in many flavors.
Noodles, made with different kinds of flour are a major part of Japanese cooking.
The Japanese, especially in the northern areas, eat a lot of eel, which is thought to foster virility.
Japanese eels take longer to mature than those from other places, but they are more flavorful. Eel
restaurants are called unagivasan.
Desserts play a small role in Japanese cooking. Baking is not part of the culture, and many
households do not even have a bake oven. However, Western style bread and desserts are now popular,
and there are many pastry shops often with Swiss, Austrian and French names.
An other imported, and accepted food is curry. Many restaurants and hotels feature curry dishes.
Zen cooking is vegetarian cooking based on a religious philosophy.
Popular beverages are beer, sak (rice beer), and green tea.
Japan is a major exporter of beer and manufacture of Whisky. It is a significant consumer of imported
brandies and cognac as well as premium wines and champagne.
Locally produced sake (see sak) is known as jizake.
Green tea is connected with a century old ceremony. See there.
TYPICAL INGREDIENTS ARE:
Amazu - sweet and sour sauce
Amazu sh ga - pink pickled ginger
Asakusa Nori, also called Lavar - seaweed, available fresh and as thin, dried sheets. Non
uniform color is indication of good quality
Asari - type of clam
Bni sh ga - red pickled ginger
Ch ka soba - Chinese egg noodles
Daikon, long, white Oriental radish with flavor resembling ordinary radish. It is eaten raw or
cooked
Daizu - dried soybeans
Dashi - basic soup stock made with dried bonito and dried kelp.
Ebi - shrimp, lobster
da Mam - fresh soybeans, mostly sold still in their pods
nd mam - snow peas
Fuki - vegetable resembling rhubarb
Gob , called Burdock in English, a root vegetable common also in most parts of Europe. The
tender roots are peeled and cooked. They resemble Salsifies.
Goma - sesame seeds.
Goma abura - sesame oil
Hasu - lotus root. Also known as renkon
Ika squid
Japanese Eggplant, small, purple eggplant

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Japanese Mushrooms. There are many types of mushrooms used in Japanese cooking
Jshinko - rice pastry flour
Junsai - the small bud of a water plant, encased in its own clear jelly, it is known more for its
texture than for its flavor
Kani - crab
Kanpy - dried gourd strips
Kanten - Agar-agar. See Agar-agar
Katsuo Bushi, flakes of dried bonito. Basic ingredient for making Dashi, the basic stock
Kikurag - woodtree ear mushroom
Kiri boshi daikon - dried shredded daikon
Kombu - kelp (seaweed), normally sold dry
K ri - rice
Kuzu noodles, made from the kuzu root
Maki - roll, a term often used for shushi
Mam - bean
Mirin, sweet rice wine, an important ingredient in cooking
Miso, soy bean paste, available fresh in three basic flavors:
Aka = red, pungent
Chu = gold colored, mild
Shiro = white, almost sweet
Mochi gom - glutinous rice
Moyashi - bean sprouts
Namko - slippery mushrooms
Natt - fermented sticky soy beans
Nori - seaweed in sheets
Okome- one of many rice varieties
Ramen - noodles served in soup
Sashimi - fresh slice, a term used for raw fish
Satsuma imo - sweet potato
Shiso - aromatic leaf of the beefsteak plant
Soba, noodles made with buckwheat flour
Sh yu - soy sauce
T fu - soy bean cake
Tororo - a gooey yam, usually served grated and added to sauces and soups
Tosa joyu - dipping sauce
Udon - thick white noodles
Um boshi - salt plums, actually made from hard green apricots
Wakam - seaweed, available fresh or pickled in salt
Wasabi - green horseradish. Difficult to obtain fresh, most restaurants use it powdered, mixed
with cold water to a mustard like consistency. It is very pungent
Yuba - thin brittle sheets of soy milk
Yazu - A green, sharp flavored citrus fruit
COMMON TERMS:
Ishi-yaki - cooking on a hot stone
Robata-yaki - Japanese "country-cooking". It is characterized by cooking over flaming coals
Teppan-yaki - cooking in which the chefs dice the food before your eyes
Yakiniku - buffet meal
FISH AND SHELLFISH INCLUDE:
akagai - ark shell clam
Amebi - sweet shrimp
Anago - sea eel, conger eel
Awabi - abalone
Ebi - a type of shrimp
Hamachi - yellowtail tuna
Ika - cuttlefish
Maguro - tuna

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Saba -mackerel
Sayori - snipe fish
Tai - sea bream
Toro - sirloin strips of tuna
Unagi - eel
TYPES OF COOKING INCLUDE:
Oden - a slow simmered stew
Robata yaki - grilled dishes
Sukiyaki - beef and vegetables saute
Sushi - vinegary rice and raw fish or vegetables
Sashimi - thinly sliced raw fish
Tempura - batter-coated deep-fried fish and vegetables
Teri yaki - glaze grilled meat rolled around a vegetable center, often leek
Yakitori - skewered meat, normally chicken
TYPES OF RESTAURANTS:
Chashitsu - tea room
Izakaya - Beer and sak restaurant
Kissaten, a sort of Japanese coffee shop
DESSERTS INCLUDE:
Green tea ice cream
Kuri kinton - mashed sweet potatoes with chestnuts
Kuzu kiri -ice cold noodles served with brown sugar syrup
Red bean ice cream
Shiratama Uji kintoki - azuki beans served under a cap of shaved ice, soaked with sweetened
green tea
New Year's specials include toshi koshi soba, or year end noodles. Very long noodles, often
cooked with black beans.
Children's Day is a national holiday occurring around early May. The holiday was originally called
Boys' Day Festival, until 1948.
Japanese artichoke
Thin whitish brown small tubers that can be eaten raw or cooked as vegetables.
Also known as Chinese artichoke or Crown of Japan.
Crosnes du Japon, crosnes du Chine in French.
Japanese gelatin
An other name for agar-agar. See there.
Japanese green tea
The unfermented tea is available as powder and as leaf tea.
The powder makes a frothy, astringent-tasting, served hot or cold. When served cold, a sweet
sugar syrup is usually served on the side. The tea comes mostly from the Uji area of Kyoto.
The famous tea ceremony used powdered tea whipped with a bamboo whisk until frothy, and
served in tiny cups. Cha-no-yu - is the ritual tea ceremony.
Japanese horseradish
See wasabi.
Japanese honey mushroom
See hon shimeji.
Japanese knotweed
A wild, edible green, rhubarb-like vegetable. Used boiled and sweetened to make a dessert.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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Japanese medlar
Another name for loquat. The term Japanese medlar is somewhat confusing, especially when it is
shortened to simply medlar, because the loquat is not at all related to the medlar, Mespilus germanica.
Eriobotya japonica.
Japanese pear
Apple shaped, brownish hard fruit.
Also known as sand pear.
Pyrus pyrifolia.
Japanes plum
See loquat.
Japanese slicing technics
Slicing is a very important compenent in Japanese cooking.
THE CUTS ARE CALLED:
han gtsu - giri - half moon
hana gati - flower cut
kaminari - curlicue cut
katsuri muki - wide peel
kushi gati -comb cut
matsuba - pine needle cut
ran giri - oblique cut
sasagaki - shavings
sen -giri -thin julienne
sogi giri -diagonal slice
suhiro - fan cut
tazuna - braid cut
yama gata - mountain cut
yori udo - corkscrew
jardinre
French term for female gardener. Dishes la jardinire always contain assorted small
vegetables.
Jarlsberg
Norwegian cows milk cheese, firm-textured, wide eyed. It resembles mild Emmenthaler cheese.
jarret
French term for shank. Jarret de veau is a veal shank.
jasmine
Flower used in tisane, sherbets and beverages.
Jasminum spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Jasmine rice
See rice.
Jasmine tea
Green or fermented tea blended with jasmine blossoms.
Jause

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Austrian in between meal, which can be taken any time during the day. The morning "Jause" is
often called Gabelfrhstck and can consist of cold cuts or sandwiches. During the afternoon "Jause",
cake and coffee is often served.
Java
Term for coffee cultivated on the Indonesian island of Java. See coffee. The island was a Dutch
colony and in the mid-19th century coffee was produced under a forced labor system called cultuurstelsel
in Dutch. Farmers were forced to sell part of their production at a fixed price to the colonial Government,
and had to pay taxes to the Dutch and to the local overlords. When crops failed there was famine.
Java fig
Small tropical tree fruit. Also known as Java willow.
Ficus benjamina.
Wild plants be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Java plum
See tamarillo.
Jefferson Davis
President of the Confederacy during the Civil War. The south suffered food shortages, and the
name Jeff David was associated with inferior products.
Jefferson Davis pie
Deliciuos pie made with pecans, dates, raisins, and spices.
Jefferson Thomas 1743 - 1826
Author of the Declaration of Independence. He is quoted as: No nation is drunken where the
wine is cheap and none sober where the dearness of wine substitutes ardent spirits as the common
beverage.
Jell-O
Brand of flavored gelatin. Invented in 1897 by Pearl Wait, a cough medicine manufacturer, in the
town of Le Roy, a suburb of Rochester, New York. There is now a Jell - O museum in Le Roy. The
original brand was Sparkling White Grape, the Champagne of Jell-O. Wait added fruit flavor to plain
gelatine, the invention of Peter Cooper.
Wait sold the Jell-O formula in 1899 for $ 450.00 to Frank Underwood, an orator and marketer.
By 1906, sales topped one million Dollars.
The Jell-O formula and name was sold 1925 to the Postum Cereal Company, which became
General Foods. Over 400,000,000 boxes Jell-O are sold each year.
jelly
Spread made from fruit juice cooked with sugar and pectin. Jam, on the other hand, is a spread
made with pieces of fruit that are preserved by being cooked in it.
Marmalade differs in that it is made with citrus fruits and contains shredded citrus rind.
In England, jelly is fruit flavored gelatin, such as Jell-O in the US.
jelly/jellied
Menu term for meat or fish flavored gelatinous dish such as eel in jelly.
jelly beans
Easter specialty candy. Jelly beans were especially popular during the Reagan presidency, from
1980 through 1987, because they were Ronald Reagan's favorite snack. He was known to keep a glass
jar of the multi-colored, multi-flavored Jelly Bellies brand on his desk.
jelly coconuts.

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Unripe coconuts still in the husk. They are so soft they can be cut open with a knife. They are
considered a delicacy
jelly doughnut
Fried yeast dough disk without center hole, filled with jelly. It is known in Germany as Berliner.
There is much controversy in pastry chefs circles about the proper way to fill the doughnut.
Some fill it before being fried, which requires heat proof jelly, and also could make the doughnut loop
sided. Other poke a hole in the doughnut after baking, which is considered cheating. The controversy
goes on.
jelly fish
Marine animal with a soft gelatinous body, used as Chinese ingredient available dried whole or
shredded. When reconstituted the texture is chewy firm gelatinous.
Also known as hoy jit pei or hai jih pi.
jelly melon
Another name for kiwano, also called horned cucumber.
jelly powder
See gelatin and aspic.
jelly roll
A rolled sponge cake, filled with fruit jelly, often sprinkled with powder sugar, served in crosswise
slices.
In the Southern US, the term is sometimes used as a euphemism for copulation as in the song
"Jelly Roll Blues".
Jena
German town famous for its glass industry. Oven-proof dishes were sold as Jenaer Glas.
Jenny Lind
Heirloom melon variety. Turban-shaped, with a cantaloupe-like netted green skin. Prized for its
flavor, and popular in the northeast until the 1890's, but not commercially available because of its lowyield and short shelf-life. Seeds are available from Pinetree Garden Seeds.
Jenny Lind was Swedish actress and opera singer, 1820 - 1887.
Jenny Benedict cake
Southern U.S. layered rum cake.
Jerez
Spanish wine town which gave its name to Sherry. See there.
jerky
Dried meat or fish strips, originally made with game meat, now normally made with beef and sold
commercially. The name comes from the Anden Indian language Quechua word charqui.
The meat or fish is cut into strips and dried either in the sun or by smoke-curing. It is eaten in its
chewy, semi-dry state, but can be stewed. It was popular in the days before refrigeration as a means of
preserving meat.
Ceniza is a dried, smoked, strong flavored beef jerky from Spain. Biltong is the South African
version.
Jeroboam
Large wine bottle. When used for still wine it will contain six bottles.
When used for champagne it will hold four bottles.
Jersey

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Cattle breed developed on the island with the same name, good milk producer.
Jersey tomatoes
See New Jersey tomatoes.
Jerusalem artichoke
Native American vegetable, indigenous to the central US and Canada. It was eaten by the
Pilgrims. Once a wild tuber, it is now cultivated
Despite the name, it's not even a distant relative to the artichoke. It is so named, because its
taste resembles the taste of artichoke hearts, and the artichoke was a more aristocratic food than this
below-ground vegetable. Nor does this vegetable have anything to do with Jerusalem. The plant is
related to the sunflower, which is known as girasole in Italian, meaning gyrating or turning to the sun. The
Italian word has been corrupted to Jerusalem.
Samuel de Champlain took the plant to France in 1616, and it flourished there. The vegetable
was first called poire de terre, earth pear in France. The names used now are artichauts de Canada and
topinambours.
Jerusalem artichokes look like large ginger root, but the flesh is crisp white resembling water
chestnuts. They can be eaten raw as salad, but they are normally used like potatoes in soups, stews and
in purees. Jerusalem artichokes are somewhat sweeter tasting than potatoes. They are an excellent
source of nutrients.
Chinese artichokes resembles Jerusalem artichokes but are not related.
Jerusalem artichokes are In season late autumn and winter.
Helianthus tuberosus.
Jesi
Italian wine town and district. The white wine is made with Verdicchio grapes and sold as Castelli
di Jesi.
Jesuitengarten
German term given to four different vineyards. The name means Jesuits Garden.
jets de houblon
French name for hop sprouts.
jews mallow
Potherb growing wild in Middle East and North Africa. It resembles chard or spinach, and is used
as vegetable.
jewfish
Term applied to a number of fishes, such as:
Black sea bass - stereolepis gigas harvested at the coast of Southern California.
Spotted Jewfish - promicrops itaiara, a tropical fish.
Black grouper - garrupa nigrita, a big game fish.
Jewish food
The food listed below is to the most part of eastern European origin. Jewish food from other
parts of the world is listed under Isreal food. See also kosher for more information.
JEWISH HOLIDAYS AND THEIR FOODS:
Channukah - Feast of Lights. It often is celebrated around Christmas. Grated Potato Latkes,
Potato Kugel and sweets.
Chamiso Oser Bshvat - Festival of trees. St. Johns bread. See there.
Purim - Hammantash pastry (Hammantashen), Apples, Nuts, Raisins.
Pesach or Passover - See Seder meal.
Rosh Hashonah - Jewish New Year. Apples slices dipped in honey. Honey, Honey Cakes,
Carrot Tzimmes.
Shevuoth - Dairy dishes, including blintzes.

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Succoth - Thanksgiving, fruits, corn, squashes. Kreplach, small pockets of noodle dough filled
with meats or with cheese. Holishkes- stuffed cabbage. Strudel filled with sweet cheese and raisins or
fruits. Strudel can also be filled with vegetables and meat.
OTHER JEWISH DISHES ARE:
Bagels - See there.
Bioli, also Bioly or Byoli - onion roll. See there.
Blintzes - pancakes, rolled and filled with a sweet filling, often cottage cheese or stewed fruits.
See there.
Borscht, also Borsht - rich clear soup with vegetables, meat and beets. There are many
variations, but the most common borscht is made with beef, cabbage and beets. There is also a
vegetarian borscht made with beet juice. See there.
Challah - twisted egg bread. See there.
Cholent - One dish meal, cooked very slowly and kept hot, to be served on Sabbath when it
prohibited to make fire. See there.
Chopped Liver - beef liver, broiled and then roasted with hard boiled eggs and onions, chopped
and served as appetizer.
Corned beef brisket - popular meat dish, specifically sliced hot and served on rye bread.
Farfel - egg barley, a type of pasta.
Gefilte Fish - Literally translated stuffed fish. See there.
Herring - marinated herring in sour cream or in wine marinade. See there.
Kasha - buckwheat grits. See there.
Knaidle - dumpling.
Kishke - a rich mixture of suet, starch and spices sausage shaped and boiled. Also called derma.
Knishes - Elongated patties. See there.
Kreplach - noodle dough pockets, resembling ravioli.
Kugel - side dish, it can be sweet, but it is also made with potatoes or noodles.
Lox - cured salmon, often the fatty belly of large fish.
Matzos - cracker, unleavened bread. See there.
Pastrami - cured beef, rolled on coriander seeds, slowly smoked. See there.
Pickles - Jewish pickle is cured in salt brine, without vinegar, and used while still firm and fresh.
Piroshki, Pirogi - turnovers.
Sarmali - stuffed grape leaves, also called Dolmas.
Sarma - stuffed cabbage braised in a sweet sour tomato sauce and raisins.
Schmalz - rendered chicken or goose fat.
Shav - sorrel soup served cold with hot boiled potatoes.
Strudel/shtrudel - pastry made with a very thin dough. See there.
Tayglach - egg drops.
Tzimes - dish of more than one major component. The best known is carrot tzimmes, a mixture
of carrots and prunes.
Varenikes - noodle dough pockets.
Zemmel/Semmel - roll with five cuts on top.
Jewish penicillin
Nickname for chicken soup.
Jezve
Greek coffee pot with long handle and wide mouth. The pot is usually made of copper. See
Turkish coffee.
Jiao zi
Chinese dumplings. The name comes from either jiao, which means ground meat or seafood, the
two most popular fillings, or from jiao shi zi, the time between midnight and one o'clock, when these
snacks were consumed in ancient China
Jcama/jicama

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Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Large gourd-shaped tuber, about 4 to 6 inches in length

and about 2 or more inches in diameter. Often four or five grow
connected so they resemble a string of sausages. The thin
brown skin is inedible.
Jicama can be used raw in salads and in relishes, also
good cooked and fried. The white, crunchy flesh resembles
water chestnuts in both texture and flavor. In Mexico, jicama is
usually served raw, chilled, sliced thin, and sprinkled with lime
juice. as salad.
Known as yam bean in Europe, though it is neither a yam
nor a bean. Also known as Mexican potato, although it is not so
starchy, and unlike the potato, can be eaten raw.
Known as sah gawt in Chinese.
Pachyrrhizus erosus.
jigger
Measuring devise used in bars to dispense distilled beverages. The size varies according to local
custom, but is often 1 oz.
Jiminy bread
Quick bread
Jimmys
Term for male Chesapeake Bay crabs. They generally contain the most meat for their size. Sallys
are female crabs.
Preferred for serving whole as they are generally the largest and most full of meat
Jitrenka
Eastern European variety of apricot from Rumania and Czechoslovakia, similar to the Mario de
Cenad. Round, yellow, and good for eating fresh or processing
Jobs tears
Millet variety from the Phillippines which requires long cooking time.
Also known as Hato Mugi.
Jochberg
Austrian cheese made in Tyrol with cows and goats milk.
Joe Mazzetti
Casserole dish consisting of ground meat, tomato sauce and noodles.
Johannisbeeren
German term for red currants, though in Austria they are known as Ribisel.
Johannisberg
Famous wine village on the Rhine river in Germany with a castle (Schloss) overlooking the river.
Johannisberg Riesling
German Rhine wine. The wines range from intensely sweet to very dry, the especially dry ones
being a recent attempt to appeal to a broader market. As the name indicates, the wine is made with the
Riesling grape.
The wines range from some of the finest wines in the world to rather nondescript mass produced
products. See Johannesberg, Schloss.
Johannisberg Riesling is also a grape variety cultivated in California.

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Johannisberg, Schloss
Germanys most famous vineyard, founded by Emperor Charlemange, later owned by a
Benedictine monastery and now owned by the Metternich family.
The wines, all made from Riesling grapes, are sold with different labels indicating graduating
quality levels.
John Collins
Carbonated drink made with gin and lemon juice. It differentiates from the popular Tom Collins by
the type of gin used.
John Dory
Food fish in the haddock family. The fish is harvested in the Mediterranean, around Australia,
and the European Atlantic coast. The head is ugly, but the flesh is firm. The fish is marked by two black
spots on each side. French legend has it that when the fish was caught it groaned so loudly the St. Peter
threw him back again, leaving his finger mark on him.
Also called St. Peters fish, Saint - Pierre and San Pietro in Italy.
John the Baptist
Alternate name for carob or St. John's Bread. See there.
Johnny cake
Cornmeal pancakes, which were the mainstay of Rhode Island cooking. The traditional
accompaniments were baked beans or chipped beef. Johnny cakes were originally made from water
ground white corn meal.
Also known as Journey Cakes, because they could be put in a saddle bag.
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Seed company in Albion, Maine
Johnny-jump-up
Edible flower, better known as the pansy.
Viola tricolor, Viola spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Johnson, Samuel, 1709 - 1784
British author who said: Wine gives great pleasure and every pleasure is of itself good.
joint
English term for roast.
Joinville
French culinary term for a fish garnish consisting of truffles, mushrooms and crayfish tails
blended with crayfish sauce. The garnish is probably named after Franois d'Orleans, Prince of Joinville,
son of King Louis Philipps, or after a French city of the same name.
Jkai bableves
Hungarian bean and smoked pork soup flavored with paprika.
jolly boy
Colonial term for a fried corn meal biscuit or pancake.
Jonagold

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Hybrid apple variety, crossing the Jonathan with the Golden Delicious. The result is an apple
streaked with red on yellow, firm and juicy, sweet-tasting yellowish-white flesh, and suitable for eating
fresh or processing. Available from October to April.
Jonquil
Flowering plant. The flowers were used to make candies and beverages.
Narcissus jonquilla.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

477

Jordan almonds
Large, succulent almonds, not a specialty of Jordan. See almonds.
Josephine
Empress of France, wife of Napoleon I. Some dishes are named after her.
Josephine
Czech cheese made in the region of Silesia.
Josephshofer
Famous German vineyard on the Moselle river owned by the von Kesselstatt family.
Jossi, John
Cheese maker of Swiss descent living in of Dodge County, Wisconsin. He is credited with making
the first Brick cheese in 1877. See there.
joues de boeuf
French term for beef cheeks or jowls. Tasty, boneless parts of beef which finds their way onto
fashionable French menus. Cured beef and boiled cheeks are also used in German cooking in a meat
salad called Ochsenmaulsalat.
Juan Canary
Football shaped melon, yellow skin and firm, white flesh.
judhabh
Ancient Middle Eastern food, meat baked in a clay oven. The meat was cooked over a sweet
pudding, which collected the pan juices.
jug, jugged
Cooking method for game stew. The blood of the animal is used as a thickening agent.
jug wines
Wine of average quality sold in large containers. Many jug wines are generic wines, often using
labels which could be misleading, such as Chablis or Burgundy. The labels are referring to the style, not
to the country of origin. Sometimes referred to as bulk wines.
The term is old fashioned and many wineries no longer produce jug wines. A popular method of
packaging inexpensive wines is in boxes, equipped with a spout.
Juhfark
Hungarian white wine grape.
juice
Natural liquid found in food.
jujube
Fruit native to southeast Asia with olive green color and about the size of a hen's egg. It has a
single stone imbedded in the firm flesh, which resembles that of an unripe pear. The sweet sour taste can
sometimes have a slightly chemical or turpentine taste.
The tree is believed to be of Chinese origin, but is now grown throughout Asia, especially
Thailand and India. In Mediterranean Europe, a yellow variety known as the French jujube or Italian
jujube is also grown. Ziziphus lotus.
The dried jujube becomes very sweet and is a popular snack.
There is also a candy named Jujube on the market. It consists of gelatin and fruit flavor.
Also known as Chinese date, Jujula, and June Plum in the Caribbean.
Ziziphus jujuba.

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juke
Term for inexpensive bars in the South.
julab
Ancient Arabic word meaning rosewater. The American julep (see there) was derived from this
word, although the American drink does not contain rosewater.
Spelled gul b in Persian.
julekake
Norwegian Christmas coffee bread.
julep
Beverage. The word comes from the Arabic julab or gul b, meaning rosewater. Eventually, it
came to mean a sweet drink, flavored with aromatic herbs. The word was changed in England to "julep"
and used to refer to a sweet syrup used medicinally.
US Southerners of British ancestry began using the word to refer to their drink of Bourbon
Whiskey in sweetened water flavored with mint. In early America, mint juleps were believed to ward off
malaria.
Jules Verne
French author, 1828 - 1905. His phantastic stories have been filmed, and are also part of theme
parks. Some dishes were named after him.
Julia Child
Famous TV personality who brought French cooking into American homes. Her style was down
to earth and not pretentious. She wrote a number of highly successful cookbooks, and is the admired
Doyenne of cooking in America.
Julinas
Prestigious vineyard area, or cru of the Beaujolais region in Burgundy, France.
julienne
French culinary term, both used as verb and noun.
The verb is to cut vegetables, meat, fruits and other food into thin strips, finer than matches. To
make cutting easier, a cutter can be used in some instances, called Mandolin.
Julienne used as noun refers to the finished product, such as Consomm Julienne.
Julienne
Russian dish of baked chicken and mushrooms in sour cream, which has nothing to do with the
French meaning.
jumble
Cookies containing jumbled (crushed) nuts.
Juneberries
The fruits of several species of wild growing shrubs found in many sections of North America with
temperate climate.
The fruits range in size from small berries to small crab apples, and from purple to black. The
edible fruits was eaten by the Indians and sustained many pioneers.
Also known as Service berries, Sugar pears, Grape pears or Sugar Plums.
Amelanchier canadensis.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Junior Mints
Chocolate candies with mint center.

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Juniper berries
Berries of the juniper tree used for seasoning in marinades and sauces, particularly those used
with game. Often used in Sauerkraut in Germany.
Juniper berries are the key flavoring ingredient in gin, and the ingredient which gave it its name.
The best berries are said to come from the southern slopes of the Alps in Italy. American berries
contain more turpentine than the European berries, an undesirable element in gin as it can give the
beverage bluish streaks.
Asian juniper berries can be eaten as fresh fruit.
Juniperus communis.
junk food
Derogatory term describing snack food with addictive taste and often high calories.
junket
Warm milk quickly curdled with rennet and eaten sweetened as dessert. It was also popular
brand of rennet custard in the 1950's, .made by Salada Company, Little Falls, New York. Its popularity
faded with the change of cooking habits, as it had to be slowly cooked to a precise pre-boil temperature,
all the while being stirred.
junsai
Japanese wild plant, also known as slippery vegetable or water shield.
Jupneh
Arabian cream cheese made with goats or ewes milk.
Jura
Mountain and wine growing district in eastern France close to the Swiss border. One vineyard,
Chteau Chalon makes a sherry like wine.
Juranon/Juranon Blanc
French wine grape grown in the Armagnac and Cognac regions used in the fabrication of the
brandy.
Juranon
Sweet wine made in Southern France near the town Pau at the foothills of the Pyrenees
mountains.
It was the favorite wine of the French King Henri IV, whose name is connected with Petite
Marmite.
jus
French word for juice. The often used term au jus on menus means the item is served in its own
juice, such as Roast beef au Jus.
K ration
Army ration used during World War II. It could sustain a soldier in the field for one day.
See M. R. E.
Kabanos
Polish pork sausages, hard, thin and spicy.
kabayaki
Japanese grilled eel preparation of filleted fish, glazed with sweet soy, broiled and served with
rice on the side.

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Kabeljau . German term for cod.

Kabinet Pudding
German/Austrian dessert, basically a custard pudding made with cake pieces.
Kabinett
German wine quality term for estate bottled. The term means closet, and indicates that the wine
comes from a specific vineyard and producer.
kabob
An other term for kebab. See there.
Kabucha squash
Thai orange colored squash.
Kadarka
Hungarian red wine grape variety, grown in every important Hungarian wine region. When the
weather if favorable, the grapes are left on the vines to shrivel and will produce a rare, sweet Az wine.
Kadota fig
See figs.
Kaelder milk
Norwegian fermented milk drink. Also spelled Klder.
kaffebord
Norwegian term for a snack of coffee and pastries.
Kaffeeklatsch
Coffee klatsch, a get-together for conversation over coffee. Klatsch is the Austrian/German word
for gossip.
See also Damenkaffee.
kafeibriki
Turkish coffee pot with long handle and wide mouth. The pot is usually made of copper. See
Turkish coffee.
kafes
Turkish term for pulverized coffee. The Greek term is kahve.
kaffir bean tree
South African tree.
Schotia latifolia.
kaffir corn
Sorghum variety. See there.
Sorghum vulgarities caffrorum.
kaffir lime
Leaves used in South East Asian cooking harvested from peapeda, trees, which are not a lime
trees, but are in the citrus family. The leaves grow in pairs, piggy-back style, with the tip of one leaf
overlapping the end of the next one below it.
The fruits have bumpy, dark green rind and concentrated aromatic oils. Most are not eaten, but
used cosmetically as a hair rinse or as an insect repellent. The rind and leaves are used as condiment.

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The leaves are commonly sold dried, because they do not travel well and tend to lose their
delicate aroma and flavor in transport. They are used shredded in soups and curries.
Makrut in Thai. Citron hystrix.
kaffir melon
Another name for watermelon. See there.
Kahla
Brand name for a Mexican coffee-flavored liqueur. The White Russian Cocktail consists of
Kahla mixed with vodka and cream.
kailan
Chinese green vegetable similar to broccoli.
kaiseki ry ri
Japanese multi-dish dinner of seasonal and other specialties, which offers a range of taste,
texture, and color contrasts, combined with the social ambiance of the dining experience.
This elegant, refined Japanese dinner, is fraught with symbolism. It has its roots in the tea
drinking ritual of the Zen Buddhist monks, when dishes were placed on altars as presentations to the
gods. The food is prepared with painstaking skill by rigorously trained chefs.
A kaiseki dinner takes hours or even days to prepare, and several hours to eat. It is usually
served to only small groups of people at a time. A large number of small portions are served, and great
consideration is given to the serving dishes, which vary for each item. All aesthetics, including
environment, are of the utmost importance and fresh flowers usually grace the dining room. There is also
an emphasis on fresh seasonal ingredients.
Interestingly one item not served is sushi, which does not appear in formal Japanese dinners.
Rice dishes in a kaiseki dinner will not be vinegary.
Kaiseki ry ri will always contain a sauced dish, a tart dish, a steamed dish, a grilled dish, a deep
fried dish, a simmered dish, a soup and pickles.
Kaiser
German word for emperor.
Kaiser roll
German/Austrian name for a roll with five cuts on top, which make it crispier. Kaiser means
emperor, and only the best quality rolls were good enough for the emperor. Kaiser rolls are available
plain and sprinkled with poppy seeded. More common on the east coast than on the west coast.
The Austrian name is Kaiser Semmel.
Kaiserschmarren
Austrian dessert specialty consisting of torn pancakes. Rich pancake batter is poured into a pan
with hot butter. When the batter starts to set, it is turned and shredded into small pieces. It is often
served with a fruit jam, or stewed fruits, especially plum.
Kaiserstuhl
German wine area in the Rhine valley.
Kajdrawi
US date variety.
Kajmak
Cream cheese made with ewes milk and popular in Serbia. The word is Turkish for cream, and
the cheese is referred to as Serbian butter.
Also spelled kajmar.

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kakavia
Greek seafood stew. The name is derived from the communal earthenware pot amidships.
kaki
Japanese persimmon. See persimmon.
Kalb
German word for veal. Veal appear frequently on German menus, although it is expensive.
POPULAR GERMAN DISHES MADE WITH VEAL:
Kalbsbraten - veal roast.
Kalbshaxe -roasted veal shank. Normally served for two.
Kalbsschnitzel -veal cutlet, either breaded or served plain (natur).
Kalbsleber - veal liver.
Kalbswurst - veal sausage, usually smoked.
kale
Green winter vegetable, a hardy member of the cabbage family and there are many varieties,
both crinkly and smooth leaved. Collard greens are closely related.
The texture and taste are strong, and kale must be boiled or braised. It will give a strong smell in
cooking.
Also known as borecole or curly kale.
Brassica oleracea, spp.
Kalte Ente
German name for a cold punch made with wine and champagne. See cold duck.
Kaltschale
German word for a cold fruit soup, sometimes thickened with tapioca. The term is also used for
chopped or diced fruits marinated with liqueur or wine.
kalua puaa
Hawaiian seasoned pig, roasted in the underground imu oven.
kamaboko
Japanese fishcake of pureed and steamed fish.
kamano lomi
Hawaiian shredded salted salmon, mixed with chopped tomatoes and onions.
kambing-kambing
Tropical fruit found on the Malayan peninsula. The fruit contains dozens of poisonous seeds.
Only the skin is eaten, in the from of a conserve, but this requires a time-consuming series of
soaking to cleans out toxins.
Sarcolobus globosus.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Kamikaze
Cocktail made with vodka, triple sec or Cointreau, and lemon juice. It was created in the New
York restaurant Les Pyrnes, although the name is Japanese.
kamon soba
Japanese buckwheat noodles tossed with sweet mirin, soy sauce, and slivers of duck meat and
scallions.

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kamut
Ancient strain of durum wheat originally from Egypt.
kandaa kulcha
Indian bread. Also known as handkerchief bread.
kangaroo
Australian animal. The tail is used for kangaroo tail soup, or it can be braised. The meat has a
strong, gamey, venison-like taste.
Canned kangaroo tail soup was once considered a delicacy in Germany.
kanoon
Thai name for jackfruit. See there.
kanpyo
Dried gourd strings.
Kansas City
This Missouri city has the quintessential middle America reputation for good and hearty oldfashioned cooking based on beef, ribs and foods cooked in lard, and served in large portions.
Russian Mennonites introduced hard wheat to Kansas
Kansas City fish
Slang for salt pork.
Kanten
Other word for agar-agar, a seaweed based gelatin. The term kanten is often used in the trade.
See agar-agar. See there.
kantola
Bitter gourd variety used in Chinese, Indian Sri Lankan and South East Asian cooking. They are
about the size of okra. See bitter gourds.
Kanzler
German white wine grape.
kapee
Thai shrimp paste. Pungent ingredient in many Thai dishes, available fresh or dried. It is made
by pounding decomposed salted shrimp, then sun dried or put in jars. The strong smell disappears
during the cooking process.
kapusta
Russian term for cabbage. The term also refers to a Russian, Polish, and Ukranian soup made
with pork bones and sauerkraut, and often pearl barley and sour cream.
Also known as Kapusniak.
Karab
Russian cheese, also called Eriwani. See there.
karasumi
Japanese preserved mullet roe, salted, pressed and dried.
karavida
Lobster-like shellfish from the Mediterranean.

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Kareish
Cheese from Egypt pickled in brine.
karela
See bitter gourd.
kari leaf
Indian condiment leaf.
See India food.
karpas
Part of the Passover Seder ceremony. A green vegetable is dipped in salt water, which
represents the tears shed in slavery.
Parsley or celery are commonly used.
Kartoffeln
German term for potatoes.
Karut
Cheese from Afghanistan and northwestern India. The cheese is dry and hard.
Kaschkawalj
Balkan cheese made from ewes milk. It is a string cheese, and resembles Caciocavallo.
kasha
Russian/Jewish term for buckwheat groats. Also spelled kascha. See buckwheat.
kashiwa mochi
Japanese round, flat dumpling filled with sweet bean paste, wrapped in oak leaf. Popular during
the Children's Day national holiday.
Kashi means oak leaf.
kashruth
Jewish dietary laws. See kosher.
Kaskavel
Cheese from the formerly German speaking region of Rumania called Siebenbrgen. The cheese
is made with ewes milk and is similar to Katschkawalj, a plastic cured cheese like Caciocavallo.
Also spelled kaskaval.
Kasnudeln
Austrian noodle dish. Boiled noddles blended with cottage cheese or crumbled sour milk cheese,
and heated with brown butter.
Kasseler Rippespeer
Smoked pork loin, a specialty ofthe city Kassel, Germany. It is often called Kasseler, and is
available in pork stores.
Kasseri
Greek hard grinding cheese made from ewes milk. The cheese is also availble as a soft cheese.
Kastanien/Edel Kastanien
German word for edible for chestnuts.

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kasu
See sak kasu.
Katenrauchwurst
German salami type smoked sausage eaten as cold cut.
Katschkawalj
Eastern European cheese made by the plastic curd method. It resembles Caciocavallo. See
there.
katsuo bushi
Japanese dried bonito flakes for stock making and garnish.
kava
Fiji Islands mildly narcotic drink made with the yaqona root, a pepper plant. The roots, which
looks like twigs, are pounded in a mortar and mixed with water. Often consumed with great ritual from a
coconut cup called bilo.
Watching kava made is a popular tourist attraction.
Piper methysticum.
Kaymak
Cream cheese available throughout the Balkan and the Middle East. It is made from the milk of
various animals, and can range from soft, mild and buttery to sharp and solid.
The term is also in Turkey used for milk reduced by boiling until the consistency of cream cheese.
kebabs
Small skewers. The term is Turkish and means skewered. They can be made with different
meats, but originally they were made with lamb. Common in the Middle East.
Also known as kabob.
kedgeree
East Indian rice dish consisting of rice, lentils, fish and chopped hard boiled eggs. The dish came
to England in the 19th century. It was considered important enough to be included in Escoffiers book Le
Guide Culinaire.
Also known as khichiri in Hindi, kichery.
Keemun tea
Fermented tea with large, black leaves.
Kefalotyi/kefalotiri
Greek grating cheese made from ewe's milk. The cheese is also made in Syria.
kefir
Cultured low-fat beverage made with cows, goats or sheeps milk, and probably originally made
with camel's milk.
Kefir is related to yogurt, but made from a different micro flora. The beverage contains yeast
which gives it a unique and sour flavor. The yeast produces a little alcohol, between 1% and 2.5%, and
a light fizz.
keftedes
Generic term for Eastern European and Middle Eastern chopped meat cutlets or balls,
sometimes made with game.
Kei apple

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Large, acidic fleshy south African fruit growing on a spiny, evergreen shrub. It can not be eaten
raw and is used for pickles and preserves. Aberia cuffra/caffra/dovyalis caffra.
Kknyel/Keknyelu
Hungarian white wine grape.
Keller
German word for cellar.
Kellerabfllung - estate cellar bottled. The term is no longer used.
Kellerabzug - estate bottled.
Kellereiabfllung - the wine was bottled by a wine merchant.
Kellner
Ther German term for waiter. Kellnerin is a waitress.
Kellogg
American food company, specializing in breakfast cereals. It began in 1906 in Battle Creek,
Michigan as the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Company. In 1907, the first product, Toasted Corn Flakes,
were introduced under the brand name Kellogg's. Pep Bran Flakes followed and were promoted for their
vitamin content. In fact, Kellogg was the first to fortify cereal with vitamins.
Kellogg began the tradition of promoting cereals to children by offering toys and other premiums
in exchange for sending box tops and a small amount of money to the company. As early as the 1920's,
Kellogg introduced cereal in individual serving boxes for use in institutions such as hospitals and schools.
In 1927 Rice Krispies were introduced as the "conversational cereal" that goes "snap, crackle and pop"
when milk is added to the crisp pieces.
Admiral Byrd is said to have brought a supply of Kellogg cereals on his South Pole Expedition.
During WW II, Kellogg packaged Rice Krispies Treats, referred to as K-Rations, for the servicemen
overseas. In 1969, Kellog cereals were aboard the Apollo 11 flight to the moon.
Kellogg Frosted Flakes, a pre-sweetened cereal was introduced in 1953, Pop-Tarts in 1964,
Product 19, a fortified cereal in the 1960's and Nutri-Grain, Crispix, and Raisin Squares in the 1980's
kelp
Generic name for brown edible seaweed. See there.
Also known as kombu, konbu, laminaria.
Laminariaceae.
kemiri nuts
Oily nuts with hard shells from the candleberry tree. They are usually ground to a fine paste and
often used in South East Asian dishes. Mildly toxic when raw, but safe when cooked.
Also known as candle nuts, lumbang and kukui.
Moluccana.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Kenduri
Malaysian Thanksgiving dinner.
Kent Island oyster
Oyster harvested off Kent Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Medium size with an oval shell, plump
body and clean flavor.
kentjur
Indonesian root spice
Kenyan coffee
Arabica type coffee of high quality cultivated in the mountains of Kenya/East Africa.

487

kepayang
See buah keluak.
Kerner
German white wine grape cultivated since 1969, a crossing of Trollinger (a red wine grape) and
Riesling. The grape is now planted extensively.
Kernhem
Dutch cheese resembling Port Salute.
keropak
South East Asian flat breads made with tapioca flour and flavored with spices or dried shrimp.
They are grilled or fried.
Also known as krupuk.
Kerr, Graham
TV personality and chef, author of cook books. He was known as Galloping Gourmet.
kesong puti
Philippine cream cheese made with buffalo milk.
Kesselstatt, Reichsgraf von
Famous German vintner family with vineyards in Moselle, Saar and Ruwer. Josephshofer in the
village Graach is one of their best known vineyards.
ketchup
Alternate, and more original spelling of catsup, probably derived from the Chinese ke-tsiap. See
catchup.
kettle-style chips
Potato chips fried in small batches. The name implies that they are more home made than
other potato chips.
Keuka Lake
Important lake in the New York Finger lakes region. The town Hammondsport is a major wine
trading center.
Kewane
Japanese green tea of excellent quality.
kewra
Asian flowering plant, the flowers are used for a flavoring essence in India.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Key lime
Citrus fruit originally from Asia, but transferred to the Caribbean and Mexico centuries ago.
Sometimes also called by their other growing areas such as Bahamas Limes, West Indian Limes and
Mexican Limes.
The Key West limes were first planted in the Florida Keys by Dr. Henry Perrine in 1883. This tiny
lime is not much bigger than a golf ball, so small that it takes about 250 of them to make a gallon of juice.
The fruit is yellow, thin-skinned, full-flavored but less sour than the more common Persian or Tahitian
limes.
The trees require little care and little rain, and can reach a height of 30 feet. Nevertheless, the
commercial crops were wiped out by disease and hurricanes in the early 1920's. Now the tree is
cultivated only in small batches by small growers. The fruits are available mostly in the summer and

488

somewhat less during the rest of the year. They are best fresh, because the thin skin makes them shortlived after picking. The juice of Mexican, Bahamian, and Caribbean grown yellow limes is sold in bottles
by Nellie & Joe's in Key West.
Cayo Verde liqueur is made from key limes.
Citrus aurantifolia.
Key West food
City at the end of a chain of low lying-islands extending from the southwestern tip of Florida. The
most famous foods are conch (see there) and Key West lime pie.
The local cooking is referred to as Conch cooking, and the locals call themselves Conchs.
Key West Lime Pie
Creamy, smooth custard pie made with cup key lime juice mixed with four egg yolks, and a 14oz. can of sweetened condensed milk, poured into a pre-baked pie crust, often a Graham cracker crust
and baked. It is customarily topped with meringue.
In the Florida Keys, where the special limes grow, the weather is too hot for raising cows, and
before the days of refrigeration Borden's canned condensed milk was commonly used.
The genuine Key West limes are scares and seldom commercially available. Most recipes use
Persian lime juice, artificial green coloring, gelatin or cornstarch thickeners, grated lime rind, and whipped
cream in place of the meringue crust. The genuine Key West Lime Pie is yellow, not green.
khaman
Indian specialty of the western state of Gujarat. A steamed cake flecked with mustard seeds.
khao
Thai word for rice.
khao pad
Thai, fried rice.
khat
Mildly narcotic leaves of a shrub widely cultivated in Yemen and in Asian countries. The leaves
are chewed while still green and fresh and are a stimulant.
Also known as kat.
Catha edulis.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Khindogny
Red wine grape variety widely planted in Azerbaijan.
kholodetz
Russian calves' foot jelly.
kibba/kibbe
Middle Eastern lamb meat balls made with bulgur (cracked wheat) often served sprinkled with
pomegranate seeds. The national dish of Lebanon and Syria. They are also made without meat.
Also known as kibbee, kibby, kibbeh.
kibutu
Alcoholic drink made in Central Africa from corn and sorghum.
kickshaw
Old term for a small fancy food dish to choose from.
kid

489

Young goat.
kid - glove orange
Another name for tangerine. See there.
kidney beans
Kidney shaped beans, often reddish. Red kidney beans are referred to as Jamaican Red Peas in
Jamaica.
Kidney beans are an important staple in Hispanic cooking, especially in Mexico. They are called
frijoles in Spanish. Frijoles refritos are boiled mashed beans, reheated with lard or oil.
Wax beans are actually an immature form of kidney beans.
kidneys
Innards no longer popular in American cooking, but in other cultures kidneys are still considered
a delicacy. Lamb kidneys are often served grilled and should be cooked medium rare. Since they are
rather lean, grilled kidneys are often served with crisp bacon. Veal kidneys can be found on menus in
French restaurants. They can be roasted whole, again medium rare, and served with a number of
sauces. Delicate are veal kidneys cut in slices, quickly sauteed on both sides, and served with a rich
cream and brandy sauce.
Pork kidneys, sliced thin and quickly sauteed are still popular In Austria. Beef kidneys tend to be
though. They are most likely found braised as ingredient in Beef and Kidney Pie, a British specialty.
It is said that Catherine de Mdici had a special fondness for kidneys.
Kiefer Peter, 1812 - 1890.
Botanist, a pear variety is named after him. See pears.
kigelia
African sausage tree.
kiekefretters
Nickname for Brussels residents because they eat so much chicken. Literally translated chicken
eaters.
Kielbasa
Polish sausage, originally made with pork, but also made with beef and a low fat version with
turkey. The sausage is smoked and pre-cooked, but is meant to be heated and served hot with cabbage
or potatoes.
Also called kolbasi/kolbassy or with the Russian word Kolbasa.
Also known as Polish sausage.
Kiev
Capital of the Republic Ukraine. The name of the city has found its way on classical menus with
a chicken dish Chicken Kiev. See there.
kilkis
See sprats.
kilo/kilogram
Metric weight unit. One kilogram is divided into 10 dekagram or into 1000 grams.
weights and measures.

See

kimchi/kimch'i
Aromatic, often very spicy Korean pickle. It is the national dish and staple of Korean cuisine, and
is eaten at most meals. Major ingredient are Chinese cabbage pickled and fermented in brine, chili
peppers, red peppers, white radishes, cucumbers, bean sprouts, garlic, and ginger.
There are many version, including the fiery kakutoki kimchi from central Korea and a milder white
version paek kimchi.

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Each autumn are annual kimjang, or kimchi-making festivals. There is a kimchi museum in
Seoul, Korea.
Kimmel
Jewish/Jiddish word for caraway seeds, based on the German word Kmmel.
kin-kan
An other name for kumquats. See there.
kinema
Nepalese preparation of fermented soybeans, popular in eastern Nepal, similar to the Japanese
natto. See there.
king
Citrus fruit, a variety of the Clementine. See there.
king
Thai name for common ginger.
king cake
Ring shaped yeast cake, served during Mardi Gras. It has its roots in medieval Europe at the time
of the Epiphany, when the three kings came to worship the infant Jesus. Baked inside is a charm token,
customarily a bean, but now sometimes a tiny plastic baby symbolizing the Christ child or a penny.
King cake is served during Mardi Gras parties in Louisiana, and the person who gets the piece of
cake with the charm in it must give the next person. The cake is topped with granulated sugar in three
colors, purple to symbolize justice, green to symbolize faith, and gold to symbolize power.
King crab
Very large crabs harvested in the arctic waters of Alaska and the Bearing Seas.
They are boiled and frozen on the boats in a number of grades and packages. The whole crabs are sold
commercially as center pieces for buffets, the legs are sold, sorted by size and are used in seafood
restaurants where the customers pick out the meat.
Crab meat is graded by the proportion of whole leg pieces versus shredded meat in a package.
This is important consideration when buying crab meat because it greatly influences quality and price.
See Alaskan crabs.
King David
Apple variety.
King David is also a famous hotel in Jerusalem.
king of fruits
Old name for pineapple, because it has a crown of leaves and rich taste.
king prawns
Term for large shrimp.
King salmon
Wild salmon caught in the Copper River, Alaska. The commercial season lasts only for about five
weeks in May and June, when the fish are about to head up-river to spawn. This wild salmon and is
especially high in oil and fat.
kingfish
Term used for many different fish varieties in the drum family.

491

King mackerel
Ocean game and food fish. It is the most consistently used for food fish in the Spanish Mackerel
family, larger than the mackerel, and less oily. The fish is commonly harvested in the in the Atlantic and
the Caribbean.
Also known as King Mackerel.
Somberomonus cavalla.
kinnow
Citrus fruit, similar to mandarin orange, developed in California in 1915.
Kipferl
Austrian/German word for croissant.
kipper
Herring salted and smoked over a slow oak fire until golden brown. If they are very dark, they
may have been artificially colored or over-smoked. The fish is basically cooked, and needs only heating.
Kippers are served grilled with eggs for breakfast in England. Also called Scottish herring.
Kippered is the hot smoking process when applied to seafood.
Kir
Refreshing wine drink consisting of white wine and crme de cassis (black currant liqueur). It
originated in Burgundy. The classic recipe uses Aligot wine. It is named for the late catholic priest Flix
Kir, who was the mayor of Dijon, the principal city of Burgundy.
Kir Royale
Refreshing drink made with sparkling wine and a dash of crme de cassis (black currant liqueur,
and sometimes with a dash of Framboise to give it a more pronounced taste, smell and alcohol content.
Kirmess
Dutch name for country fair usually connected with a church holiday.
Also known as kermess.
Kirsch/Kirschwasser
German name for a clear, dry fruit brandy made with cherries. The best are made in Switzerland,
the Black Forest region of Germany and in Alsace, France. The brandy is called by its German name
Kirschwasser, but the word is often shortened just to Kirsch.
Kirsche is the German word for cherry.
Kirschen
The German word for cherries. Weichsel or Morellen are German for sour cherry variety.
Kirwan, Chteau
Famous Bordeaux vineyard in the Cantenac-Margaux district.
Kitchiner, Dr.
London physician who wrote a number of guide books including The Cooks Oracle in 1817, and
later The Housekeepers Oracle.
kishk
Middle eastern yoghurt and bulgur mix seasoned with salt, anise seeds, zaatar and garlic.
Kishka
Polish term for sausage.

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kissa/kissaten
Japanese restaurants. There are several different types catering to specific customers such as:
English-speaking kissaten - where people go to practice English. It is forbidden to speak
anything but English. They are often located near universities.
European-style kissaten - Old European style decor.
Meiyoku kissaten - Feature recorded or taped music, or sometimes live jazz.
Trendy kissaten - Where people go to see and be seen.
kissel
Russian cold pudding, a puree of berries, thickened with potato starch.
Kissinger Wasser
German naturally carbonated mineral water from a Bavarian spa with the same name.
kissing crust
Romantic name for the part of crust it has touched an other loaf during baking.
Kitchener, Dr.
English physician and author who wrote the cookbook Apius Redivivus, published in 1817.
Kiwano

Fruit, a member of the gourd family, christened

kiwano in New Zealand. Brilliant yellow-orange on the
outside when ripe, with a bright lime-green jelly-like pulp on
the inside, and numerous edible seeds.
The fruits imported from New Zealand are much
smaller, 4 to 6 inches long.
Known as bai gaprow in Thailand.
Also known as African horned melon, African
horned cucumber or jelly melon.
Cucumis metuliferus.
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

kiwi
Egg-shaped fruit with a thin, light-brown, fuzzy skin. The fruit inside, however is a striking vivid
green with tiny black edible seeds. Its taste is sweet with overtones of citrus, pineapple and strawberry.
The fruit is an excellent source of nutrients with almost twice the amount of vitamin C as an
orange, and also niacin, potassium and crude fiber.
The fruit originated in China. It grows prolifically on vines and is widely grown in New Zealand.
New Zealanders changed the name from Chines Gooseberry to kiwi after their national bird to avoid
disapproval.
Frieda Caplan helped launch it in the US. California grows much of the American supply.
Kiwi is excellent in a fruit salad, as a sherbet, or as a decoration and taste contrast on cakes and
chicken and fish dishes.
See also Bower actinidia.
Actinidia sinensis.
kiwiberries
Grape size baby kiwi with smooth skin. Some varieties are red inside rather than green.
Kjarsgaard
Danish cheese made from cows milk.

493

Klimt Torte
Viennese cake specialty of the Hilton Wien Hotel, named for the painter Gustav Klimt, whose
artistic style is reflected by the hotel's decor.
klodnik
Russian/Polish cold beet soup.
Klops
German word for meatballs, normally poached, but also baked known as Bratklopse.
Kloster
German term for monastery. Monasteries were important in research and development of food
and wine during the Middle Ages and the name Kloster appears on many wine, cordial and cheese
labels.
Kloster Likr is a brand name for a cordial.
Kloster Eberbach is an ancient monastery in the Rheingau with a long and honorable history of
wine cultivation and trade. It is now owned by the German government and houses a wine academy and
a wine museum.
Kloster
German soft ripened smelly cheese, called Klosterkse in German.
kluay
Thai generic name for banana. There are approximately 28 varieties of banana cultivated in
Thailand. Banana leaves are used to wrap food, and to serve food on. There are banana leaf
restaurants.
kluay buat che
Thai dessert of banana boiled in coconut milk and flavored with sugar and a pinch of salt,
sprinkled with mung beans.
kluay chap
Thai banana snack, made by frying and seasoning the fruit with sugar and salt.
kluay khaek
Thai. A street snack. Banana fritters.
kluay ping
Thai grilled banana soaked in syrup.
Knckebrd
Scandinavian term for hardtack (see there), often made with whole wheat or rye flour.
Knackwurst
German sausage, heated in water and eaten hot. The word "knack" means crisp or crackle, and
a well made sausage should "knack" when bitten into. The word is sometimes used anglicized and
spelled Knockwurst.
Knaidlach
Yiddish/Jewish generic term for dumplings. They are often made with matzo meal or with
potatoes.

494

knedliky
Czech term for dumplings.
Knipperl
French white wine grape grown in Alsace.
knish
Jewish pastry filled with mashed potatoes, boiled grains, cheese or chopped liver. The word is
Yiddish and is of Polish origin. Knish is a popular snack with the traditional Jewish population of New
York City.
Knoblauch
German term for garlic. Knoblauchwurst is a German sausage eaten boiled or broiled.
Knockwurst
German smoked sausage, better known in German speaking countries as Knackwurst. The
name comes from the German word knacken, which means crunchy.
See Knackwurst.
Kndel
Austrian/German word for dumpling.
knuckle
Ankle joint of pigs. Knuckles have a high gelatin content, and require lenghty slow cooking.
Cured pigs knuckles and sauerkraut was once considered a typically German dish in German/American
restaurants. Also known as pork shoulder or ham hocks.
Meat Buyers Guide # 417 Pork shoulder hooks.
Meat Buyers Guide # 417A Pork ham hocks.
knuckle sandwich
Slang for a punch in the mouth.
Kobe beef
Famous and very expensive Japanese beef, named for the city of the same name. The cattle
breed is actually wagyu. The cattle is raised near the coastal city of Kobe, but also throughout Japan.
Breeding techniques result in cattle which is richly marbled with fat, fork tender, and very flavorful.
The animals are fed soybean meal, rice, grains, and beer. The yeast in the beer is considered to break
down the muscle tissue and stimulate the animals' appetites. They are massaged daily with straw
swatches to distribute the fat evenly.
There are five grades ranging from the leanest which is similar in fat content to American prime
steaks to the most fatty and costly which has 30% to 40% more fat than American prime beef.
Koch
German term for cook. Kchin is a female cook.
Knigsbach/Koenigsbach
German wine town in the Palatinate.
koftes
Turkish and Middle Eastern meat balls. Ground meat, often lamb, is molded in a sausage-like
shape and roasted on a skewer. So popular it is also sold as a common street food.
Also known as kofta.

495

Kohlrabi
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Vegetable in the cabbage family. The root expands above

the ground and becomes a bulb. Only the bulb, and some
fine inner leaves are edible. Purple and green varieties of
kohlrabi are available. In the US the green variety is better
known.
The kohlrabi bulb should not be larger than 2" (50
mm) across, because the larger bulbs can be woody.
Also called Cabbage Turnip.
Brassica oleracea.

Kola nuts
Fruits/nuts of a tropical tree native to Africa and now cultivated in South America and the
Caribbean. The nuts contain twice the amount of caffeine as coffee by weight. They are used for
beverages and tonics,
Also known as Sudan coffee.
Cola nitida.
kolaches
Czech term for soft, round buns filled with jam.
Also known as kolachky.
kolbasa
Polish pork sausage, an other term for kielbasa.
kombu/konbu
Brown seaweed sold in dried flat sheets. It is most commonly used in Japanese cooking as a
flavoring in dashi, a light broth.
See seaweed.
Kombucha
Fermented tea and herb beverage originally from China.
Konditorei
German term for pastry shop. Some Konditorei provide only take out service and offer a wide
variety of cakes and pastries. In others, table service is also available and offer along with pastries
various coffee specialties, mineral water and a limited selection of alcoholic beverages.
It was a popular past time to while away a Sunday afternoon at the Cafe Konditorei. Some even
had live music.
Knigsberger Klopse
German meat ball dishes consisting of poached meatballs in a white caper sauce. The meatballs
are often made with pork, beef and veal. Named after the Prussian, now Russian city Kaliningrad
(Knigsberg).
kool
Dutch word for cabbage. The word cole slaw originated from this word. Koolsla is the original
Dutch word.
Kopanisti
Greek blue mold cheese with peppery flavor.

496

Koppen
Czech cheese made in Silesia and the Sudeten, the German speaking part of the Czech
Republic. The word is German and means hills. The cheese is made with goats milk, and has a sharp
flavor. It is also known as Bauden.
Korbel
Famous wine estate in California located on the Russian River valley. The winery is famous for
sparkling wines.
Korea food
Asian country on a peninsular between Japan and China. The food is influenced by both
countries and relies on rice as basic staple. The best known condiment is kimchi. See there.
Since the 17th century red chili pepper has been used. Other flavorings include garlic, ginger,
ginseng, green onions, soy, sesame oil and seeds, and sugar.
Seafood is popular and includes abalone, conch, crabs, mussels, oysters, and shrimp and fish
such as corvina, croaker, mackerel, pollack (pollock), red snapper. Seaweed and bottled sauces, many
based on soy and others on fish are major ingredients.
SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
kimchi - (see there)
bimbimbap - a crock pot of spicy vegetables, beef and rice and egg.
bulgogi - marinated beef, grilled over charcoal.
jaep cahe bokum - vegetables with vermicelli.
kalbin - sauteed beef ribs.
nengmyon - chilled broth with noodles, beef, egg and white radish.
pajeon - leek and egg pancake.
pulgogi - marinated, barbecued beef.
soon dae - beef, pork, and blood sausage which contains fine noodles, bean sprouts, and bean
curd.
saewoo bulgogi - barbecued prawns.
Breakfast is traditionally the largest and most important meal of the day.
South Korean food is especially salty and spicy. Dried salted tiny shrimp and anchovies are used
in many dishes.
Beverages are tea-like barley water, tea and beer.
koreak
Center Asian salad made with vegetables and a spicy dressing.
kosher
Jewish dietary rules, going back to Leviticus and other writers of the Old Testament. The rules
are rather complicated and stipulate what kind of animals can be eaten, how they are slaughtered, how
long the meat can be stored, the parts of an animal that can be used, and how these parts are prepared,
and what they can be served with.
For a commercial establishment to be kosher it must be under the supervision of a rabbi and/or
meshisgia, who will guarantee that all rules are followed. In households, family tradition and rabbinical
advise are used to interpret the complicated finer rules of kosher law.
THE BASIC RULES, ALSO CALLED KASHRUTH:
Only animals with cloven hoofs and chew their cuds are permitted, such ruminants as sheep,
goats, and cattle.
The animal must be slaughtered with a swift cut with a very sharp knife, and bleed completely.
The slaughter must be done by a trained and certified shoshet.
The meat must be eaten fresh.
Only the for-quarters can be used.
To remove additional blood, the meat must be kashered by salting and soaking. All veins must
be removed.
The meat must be cooked well done.

497

Meat and dairy products of any kind can never be served at the same meal, or cooked in the
same pots, or touch any utensils used by one or the other.
Pots, pans, kitchen utensils, plates and flatware must be separate for meat and for dairy food.
Glass is considered parve, (neutral) and can be used anytime.
Food that is neither meat or dairy is called parve (or pareve), and can be served any time with
meat or with dairy products.
Parve items are vegetables, fruits, salads, cereal, eggs, sugar and spices. Packaged
food must be manufactured under rabbinical supervision and carry the seal of approval.
Only fish with scales are permitted, any kind of shellfish is not permissible. Permitted fish is
considered parve and can be served with meat or with dairy dishes.
No fires are allowed on Sabbat, from Friday after sundown until Saturday after sundown.
Consequently there is no cooking allowed.
Special rules are established for the high holidays.
FOOD SERVICE REGULATIONS:
For a non kosher establishment to serve kosher food it must be done under rabbinical
supervision. Usually a caterer is engaged who will provide all food except parve items.
All equipment must be kosherized by washing with 180 degree water. To kosherize stoves, the
surface must be cleaned with a torch to burn away any non kosher residues.
The caterer must bring his own pots and pans, knives, cutting boards and any other utensils that
come in contact with food. Tables must be covered with paper or foil.
Special pattern china for meat or for dairy dishes are often supplied.
Kosher wine must be made by observant Jews. Kosher wine used to be very sweet, and was
made from Concord grapes. Tastes have changed and kosher wine is available in many varieties and
made in many countries.
Glatt Kosher means dietary laws formulated for the high holidays. In order to qualify as Glatt
Kosher, the strictest dietary rules must be applied.
The interpretation of kosher rules can vary by location, availability and customs. There are
Rabbinical Boards who certify that food is kosher and can carry a seal of approval.
Grasshoppers are considered kosher and mentioned in the Bible a number of times.
Kosher cheese
Cheese to be approved as kosher must be made without rennet, which is an animal coagulant.
kosher fish
Kosher fish must have fins and scales. The scales need not cover the and entire body, and must
be able to be scraped off without injuring the flesh.
The roe of non kosher fish is not permitted. Sturgeon caviar is non kosher, salmon caviar is
providing it is certified.
All frozen fish fillets must be Kashruth certified because they could have come from a nonkosher fish.
Smoked fish must be Kashruth certified because it could have been pickled and smoked together
with non-kosher fish.
Pickled fish, such as herring must be Kashruth certified. Although the fish is kosher the pickling
ingredients such as spices and vinegar could have been non-kosher.
Herring is sour cream and chopped herring must be Kashruth certified to make sure all
ingredients are kosher.
NON KOSHER FISH:
Billfish - such as marlin and sailfish
Catfish - including bullheads
Cutlassfish - including scabbards
Eel - all kind
Garfish
Goosefish or anglers
Lampreys
Lumpsuckers
Ocean and eelpout

498

Puffers - including blowfish and seas squab

Sculpins
Sharks and rays
Snake mackerel
Sturgeons - including caviar
Swordfish
Triggerfish
Wolffishes.
All mollusks are non kosher.
KOSHER FISH:
Bass
Carp
Flounder
Herring
Sable
Salmon
Sole
Trout
This list is not complete but provides a general guideline. I case of doubt rabbinical advise is
necessary.
kosher ice cream and sherbets
These products must be Kashruth endorsed because they could contain non- kosher emulsifiers
and flavoring.
koshering process, meat
The animal must be killed with a swift stroke of a knife by a licenced shoshet. The animal is let
to bleed completely.
Eating blood is forbidden and arteries and veins, as well as organs containing blood must be
opened.
Meat must be washed in tap water, sprinkled with salt and broiled until well done. The meat
should be placed on a rack or grid directly over a flame. The pan drippings are non kosher.
After the meat is at least half broiled it should be rinsed again and then finished cooking until fully
cooked.
Salting meat extracts blood. Salting must be done within 72 hours of slaughter. Kosher salt must
be used and the meat completely covered with salt, placed on a drain board for one hour and then
washed in running water.
koshering process, utensils
Vessels made of metal or glass used in food preparation must be immersed in a Mikvah bath
before initial use. Rabbinical guidance is necessary.
Earthenware, wood, rubber and plastic items do not require this.
Vessels can be immersed in the ocean, river or well, but not in flowing rain water.
Also known as Tvilas Kaylim.
kosher style
Term used by food processors and caterers to indicate that the products resemble kosher foods.
The term is misleading, because they are manufactured without rabbinical supervision and
therefore not kosher.
Food often labeled kosher style are pickles and meat products. Caterer use the term when they
serve meals without shellfish and pork products.
kosher wine
Wine and wine products must be handled by an observant Jew only and require Kashruth
supervision and certification. Distilled products such as brandies must be produced from kosher wine or
mash.

499

Kossuth cake
Individual sponge cakes filled with whipped cream. Named for the Hungarian revolutionary
leader Louis Kossuth (1802 - 1894). The cake is an American invention.
koulibiac
See coulibiac.
koulourakia
Greek. Crusty bread rings covered with sesame seeds. A popular street snack.
Kovi, Paul
Restaurateur, former part owner and director of the Four Seasons Restaurant in Manhattan.
Paul Kovi was an Hungarian emigrant, who arrived in New York in 1950 after a career as professional
soccer player and restaurant manager in Rome, Italy. He attended New York City Community College,
and worked in The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel after graduation. He moved on to the banquet department at
the Sherry Netherland Hotel in Manhattan, and joined Restaurant Associates, a managment company.
In 1966, he and his colleague Tom Margittai were able to purchase both the Four Seasons and
the Forum of the Twelve Caesars restaurant from Restaurant Associates when both operations were
loosing money. They closed the Forum and were able to bring the Four Seasons back to its glory. Paul
Kovi did in 1998.
Krabben
German term for crabs.
krachai
Thai ginger, a rhizome related to ginger, but milder and different in flavor than common ginger.
krafi
Italian pasta specialty of Trieste, ravioli filled with ricotta and golden raisins, and served with
tomato sauce.
Krakowska
Polish smoked ham sausage.
Also known as krakiewska/krakiwska
kransekake
Norwegian almond ring cake.
Krapfen
Austrian/ German generic word for doughnuts. There are many regional variations based on size,
type of batter and dough. However, all Krapfen are deep fried.
krapi or krofi
Slovenian sweet raised doughnuts.
Kraut
German word for cabbage. Since the German used to eat much cabbage, it became a slang
word for Germans
krayana kobasy.
Polish. Smoked, hand-cut pork sausage.
Kreatin
Energy booster occuring naturally in food but also produced synthetically and used by athlets.

500

Kremeschnitte
German name for a pastry known as Napoleon in the US. The pastry is made of puff pastry
layers filled with pastry cream. A number of different versions exist.
kreplach
Jewish small noodle dough turnovers filled with meats or with cheese, resembling ravioli.
Meat filled kreplach is often served in clear soup.
Kreuznach
Small wine town in the Nahe region of Germany.
kriek/kriek-lambic
Belgian dark lambic beer brewed with macerated wild cherries, giving it a ruby color and fruity
flavor. The taste is half way between beer ans wine with a slightly sour flavor. One brand of kriek made
with raspberries is Ros de Gambrinus. Genuine kriek is made by spontaneous fermentation with wild
yeasts.
kringle
Danish pretzel or ring-shaped pastry which consists of yeast dough layers filled with almond
paste, nuts, fruit, or pastry cream and topped with sugar glaze. The dough is layered by spreading it with
butter or shortening and folding it over several times. It is basically a Danish Pastry dough.
The pastry is very sweet and is eaten as dessert, but also at coffee breaks.
Most kringle bakers identify their shops with a pretzel sign.
In the mid-1900's the shape of kringles was changed to a large, flat oval ring like a giant letter
"O". Typically the pastry measures 14" X 10". The shape was changed to an oval to make it easier to
portion the cake. The oval does away with the doughy section at the pretzel twist.
Kringle is the Danish word for pretzel.
Krispy Kreme
Doughnut filled with pastry cream.
Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation is the company selling baking powder batter doughnuts
made by a machine called Ring King. The batter recipe and name originated with a Frenchman Joseph
LeBeau, who sold both to Ishmael Armstrong, a shopkeeper in Paducah, Kentucky. He hired in the
1930's his nephew Vernon Rudolph to sell doughnuts from door to door.
Eventually, a doughnut store was opened in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and Rudolph used a
doughnut machine, placed where the public could see it. The fascinating machine was fun to watch, and
the smell of freshly baked doughnuts attracted business. A neon sign announced Hot Doughnuts Now .
Crisp Kreme doughnuts were always sold retail and wholesale from the same stores. Crisp
Kreme doughnuts have a faithful following in the South, and the company is expanding, although the
large competitor Dunkin Donuts is much bigger.
Kroatzenbeer liqueur
German blackberry cordial. Kroatzenbeer is an old German name for blackberry.
Krv
German wine town on the Moselle river. It produces a white wine under the name Kver
Nacktarsch, literally translated naked ass, and the wine label shows a little boy being spanked.
Krug
German term for pitcher. It sometimes shows up in tavern names, such as Stadtkrug.
Krug, Charles
Famous, and probably oldest vineyard in the Napa valley, California. The winery was
constructed in 1861.

501

Krutt
Cheese from the Asiatic steppes. The cheese is in the shape of small balls, and sun dried.
kuali
The Malaysian/Singaporean term for a wok.
kuchi-kawari
Japanese Zen dish. Literally translated a change of flavors. A vegetable dish which varies
according to the season.
kudzu
Edible roots of the kudzu plant, a vine native to Asia. The roots are used as thickener in oriental
desserts. Available as powder. Opalescent noodles are made from its root. They are also called kudzu
named after a Japanese village.
Kudzu kiri is a Japanese dessert consisting of ice cold kudzu noodles served with brown sugar
syrup.
Fun got in Chinese.
Pueraria thunbergiana/ pueraria lobata.
Kuemmel, also spelled Kmmel
Generic name for inexpensive sweet brandy flavored with caraway seeds, popular in Germany.
Kmmel is the German word for caraway seeds.
kugel
Jewish term for pudding, often made with potatoes or crushed matzos, traditionally served on
Sabbath.
Kugel can also be sweet, made with noodles and raisins.
Kugelhupf
German/Austrian yeast or batter cake baked in a fluted, tubular mold. The same cake is called
Kougelhof in Alsace, and Gugelhupf in Vienna.
Khbacher (Kuhbacher)
German cheese, made in Bavaria. The cheese is soft ripened.
kulibiaka
Other spelling for coulibiac. See there.
Kulitsch
Russian Easter yeast bread, decorated with almonds and raisins, baked in the shape of an
Orthodox priests hat.
Also known as kulich.
Kumamoto
Oyster harvested off the coast of Washington State and in the Humboldt Bay of Northern
California. The oyster is larger than the Olympia oyster, and has a creamy plump flesh with a mild fruity
flavor.
Kumbacher
German soft ripened cheese.
kumbucha
Asian fungus grown in sugary tea. The liquid is consumed chilled and is assumed to have
therapeutical value.
The culture is available from Laurel Farms, 13470 Washington Boulevard, Venice, CA 90292,
(310) 289 4372.

502

Kumin, Albert
Foremost pastry chef who developed many of the desserts still made at The Four Seasons and
Windows on the World restaurants in New York City, notably the chocolate velvet cake, forerunner of all
no-flower chocolate cakes. Albert Kumin is Swiss, born in 1922, and he apprenticed in a pastry shop at
14 years of age. After apprenticeship, he worked in Swiss hotels until after the war. In 1948, he came to
Montreal, where he worked with Henry Haller, who became eventually the Executive Chef at the White
House. Albert met his future wife Eva Bold in Canada, and came to work for Restaurant Associates Four
Seasons Restaurant in New York City in 1962.
After 6 years teaching at the Culinary Institute of America, he returned to Restaurant Associates
for the opening of the restaurants in the World Trade Center complex, including the Windows on the
World. He later started the baking and pastry operations at Epcot Center in Disney World.
He is also the first pastry chef to receive the coveted grand prize of the Socit Culinaire
Philanthropique, a prize that has been awarded annually since 1869. He is a master at the most delicate
dessert showpieces, as well as, breads and rolls.
Kumin family has a chocolate business in Vermont.
Kuminost
Scandinavian cheese flavored with cumin and caraway seeds.
kumiss
Ancient Russian/Asian effervescent fermented beverage made from mares or camels milk,
similar to laban. It is made by double fermentation, first as lactic acid and then alcohol.
The drink originated in Asia with the Tartars, and has a low alcohol content.
Also known as kumys.
Kmmel Kse
Caraway flavord cheese.
Kmmel
German term for caraway seeds. The spice is a popular flavoring in German cooking, especially
in the area around Frankfurt.
Kmmel is also the generic name of a cheap sweet brandy.
Kummelweck
Salt-encrusted hard roll with caraway seeds. See also Buffalo Beef on Weck.
kumquat
Small, orange type fruit. It actually tastes and
smells like an orange, though it is of a different botanical
species. It is the only member of the citrus family whose
skin is as edible as its flesh. Although the fruit is tiny, the
tree itself is quite large, and is one of the largest citrus
trees.
The fruits are seldom eaten raw. They are used
as decoration, or as candied fruits or in syrup.
Kumquats, dates, and lotus seeds are often served
during Chinese celebrations, such as Chinese New Year
to symbolize plenty.
Nagami is a Japanese kumquat. Fortunella
margarita.
Also known as cumquat. Fortunella, spp.
Kumquats and Limquats

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kushiyaki
Japanese skewered, grilled vegetables or meats.
kvass
Russian fermented beverage made with rye flour and malt, and flavored with mint. The beverage
is refreshing, and the alcohol content is low. It is served very cold.
Polish kwas is fermented beet juice.
Also known as kvas, kwass.
kwak
Belgium beer, also the beer glass it is served in. It is tall and has a rounded bottom. Basically it
is the same as the yard beer glass. It comes with a wooden stand to keep it upright.
kyringa
Alcoholic sour milk beverage from central Asia.
la cuit
New Orleans term for dark caramel sugar. It was originally used for concentrated maple syrup.
La Romane
This Burgundy vineyard is one of the world's most unique. It is a monopole, meaning it is owned
by only one family, in this case a priest, Abb Juste Liger-Belair, born in 1904, who remained actively
involved until late in his years. It is also a Grands Crus, meaning it is top-class. Only two acres in size, it
is the smallest vineyard with an Appellation Controlle in France. Its production in a typical year is only
250 cases.
The wines personifies the proverbial "iron fist in a velvet glove", being hard and tight in its youth
and taking decades to reach its full potential.
La Tche
Famous Burgundian vineyard producing one of the best red wines.
La vache qui rit
Trademark of a French processed cheese.
La Varenne
Famous French cooking school, named for Francoise-Pierre de la Varenne, who lived during the
reign of Louis XIV ; author of the innovative new French cookbook, Le Cuisinier Franois, which was
published in 1651 and had to 30 editions. This was also the first cookbook of any note since Taillevent's
book Le Viandier, published three centuries earlier. La Varenne was in the employ of Marquis d'Uxelles,
whose name was given to a minced mushroom mixture still appearing on menus.
laban
Middle East yogurt drink. Lassi is the Indian version.
Labfrischkse
German name for fresh cottage cheese made with little rennet.
lablab beans
Multicolored beans with hard shells originally from India. The dried beans are popular throughout
the Middle East, and especially in Egypt. They are poisonous raw.
Also known as hyacinth beans.
Dolichos lablab.
Labneh
Sour milk cheese popular in Syria. The term is also used for a strained yoghurt drink.

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Labrador tea
Evergreen shrub, growing wild in northern states and in Canada. The leaves are slightly narcotic
and are used to make a mellow tasting tea.
Ledum groenlandicum.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Labrusca
Native American wine grape cultivated in New York State. The widely cultivated Concord grapes
are in the Labrusca family. It is used mostly for jelly and grape juice.
Labskaus
German sailor stew consisting of mashed potatoes and corned beef or dried fish. The English
spelling is lobscouse.
Lachs
German word for salmon.
Lachschinken
German name for a very delicate cold-smoked boneless pork loin, wrapped in fatback. It should
be served sliced very thin. It is pink, and the name referrers to its color. Literally translated it means
salmon-ham.
lace cookies
Thin, transparent cookies made with an almond batter spread on sheet pans and shaped half
round while still hot.
Also known as Florentine cookies.
Lacrima Christi
Italian wine grown on the slopes of the Vesuvio, heavy and alcoholic. There are red and white
versions, the white wine is considered superior.
The name means Tear of Christ.
lactalbumin
The albumin in milk.
lactic acid
Lactic acid is a natural acid developing when milk is fermented. Lactic acid is also a byproduct
when liquids containing sugars are fermented. It is also a preservative added to cheese, commercially
prepared desserts and olives.
lactose
Milk sugar, the natural sugar in milk.
Lactose intolerance is inability to digest milk. African, Asian and other races cannot digest milk
because their bodies contain insufficient lactase. Lactase is an enzyme needed to break down lactose,
milk sugar. Without lactase, the lactose in milk may cause severe gastrointestinal problems.
Also known as milk sugar.
lady apple
Fruit cultivated by the ancient Etruscans.
Also known as api.
Lady Baltimore cake

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Southern rich layer cake with nuts and raisins, first made in the 1800's. The cake is covered with
vanilla icing.
There are many versions how the cake was named. One goes back to the woman who was
married to Lord Baltimore. The name is also attributed to the novelist Owen Wister, and to a Tea Room
in Charleston.
Lady Curzon soup
Curried turtle soup topped with whipped cream and browned under the salamander.
The soup was named for Lady Curzon, who was an American who married an English Viceroy of India.
Turtles are endangered species and turtle meat can no longer be sold in the US.
lady fingers/ladies fingers
Sponge cake biscuits baked in the shape and size of fingers. Lady fingers are baked until dry and
hard, and are often purchased from cookie manufacturers. They are served with champagne, or are
components in desserts. The most popular dessert made with lady fingers is Charlotte Russe. The
German name is Lffelbiskuit, because they also resemble spoons. In French they are called Langues
de chat, (cats tongues) although they are smaller, and can also be made of chocolate.
lady fingers
Another name for okra. See there.
lady fish
Ocean game fish harvested in warm seas.
Also known as tenpounder.
Elops saurus.
lady's thumb
Wild salad green with pink flowers, in the same family as buckwheat. The blossoms were used
as therapeutic tea. In 17th century Europe, people soaked sheets in the cooled brew and wrapped them
around cholera sufferers to reduce fever.
Lafayette
Small ocean food fish, about pan size, harvested in the South Atlantic.
Also known as Spot or Chub.
Leiostomus xanthurus.
Lafayette ginger bread
Loaf cake made allegedly by George Washington's mother when General Lafayette paid her a
visit.
Also known as Mary Ball Washingtons Ginger Bread.
Lafite-Rothschild, Chteau
Premier cru wine on the northern border of the Pauillac commune of the Medoc in the Bordeaux
region of France. It is considered by many experts the best red Bordeaux wine in the world.
The estate consists of about 200 acres, making it one of the largest of the first growths. The
vineyards are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and a small area with Cabernet Franc and Petit
Verdot. Its annual production ranges from 18,000 to 20,000 cases. The name Lafite comes from a
French word meaning the height, referring to the gravelly hill which is at the heart of the property.
Founded in the 17th century by Jacques Sgur, the French Republic sized the estate during the
French Revolution and put it up for auction. It was purchased in 1797 by a Dutchman, Jean de Witt, who
installed Emile Goudal as director, and then sold the property to a group of Dutch businessmen.
Later it was in English hands and in 1868 was sold, again at auction, to Baron James de
Rothschild, a native of Frankfurt, Germany, considered to be the wealthiest man in France, and a
member of the famous banking family that already owned Chteau Mouton-Rothschild. The estate was
bought for prestige, as James de Rothschild major business pursuits remained banking. Until his
purchase, it was, of course, known simply as Lafite. It is still operated by the Rothschild family.

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Lafite has made prized wines since its beginnings. The infamous and high living Duc de
Richelieu, attributed his longevity to the wines of Lafite, and it became all the rage at Versailles. In the
early 18th century the English were importing the claret "Lafitt", along with several of its neighbors in the
Medoc, Margaux and La Tour.
Three of the seven most expensive wines ever bought at auction were 18th and 19th century
Lafite. One 750 ml bottle of 1787 Lafite, with the initials "Th.J." indicating that it was intended for the
cellar of Thomas Jefferson, sold in December 1985 for the staggering price of $156,450.
Wines from the second pressing are known as Carruades de Chteau Lafite.
lagar
Wooden trough used for pressing grapes in Spain and in Portugal. This was originally done by
stamping with feet, but modern pressing have the feet stamping relegated to tourist attraction.
Lage
German wine term for site or vineyard.
Lager
German beer term for beer that has been stored. Lagern is the German term for storing.
Originally, the beer was gelagert in the cellar for slow fermentation.
lagniappe
New Orleans/Creole term for a little extra. It is often used in connection with food, such as a
small unexpected appetizer in a restaurant, an extra roll in the bag, or a candy. The term is also used for
describing a gratuity.
Also known as lagnappe.
Lagniappe
Brand of Ohio wine, perhaps the best from the state.
lago
Italian word for lake. Lago di Caldaro (Kalterer See in German) is South Tyrolean lake region
famous in Austria for its red wines.
lagos
Turkish fish and vegetable stew seasoned with garlic.
Also known as grida.
Lagrange, Chteau
Bordeaux Chteau in the St.-Julien district.
The name is also used by other wineries in Bordeaux.
Lagrein
Italian red wine grape variety grown in Alto Adige, the South Tyrol region of northern Italy. One
famous wine is Lagreiner Kretzer, popular in Austria.
Lagrima
Spanish sweet Malaga wine.
Laguiole
Cheese made in the Department Aveyron, France. It resembles Cantal.
Also known as Guiole.
Laguipire
Chef in the employment of Napoleon I. He died during the Russian campaign. Laguipire was the
teacher of Antoine Creme.

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Lagune, Chteau
Bordeaux wine estate in Mdoc at the border with Graves. It produces red wines.
Laitance
French for milt, soft roe.
Lake Herring
Fresh water food fish resembling herring harvested in the Great Lakes. The fish is related to
Lake Whitefish see there.
Also known as blueback, greenback and greyback.
Argyrosomus artedi.
Lake Trout
See trout.
Lake Whitefish
Fatty fresh water food fish. Much is harvested during the summer from the Great Lakes. The fish
is delicious fresh, but most is cured and smoked and sold in delicatessen stores. The fish has scales and
is kosher, and much is sold to the Jewish market in New York.
Smoked chubs, ciscoes and tullibees are also sold as smoked whitefish, but they are of lesser
quality.
Lalla Rookh
Frozen dessert drink resembling egg nogg.
Also known as Lalola Rookh.
lamb
Young sheep. Most of the lamb consumed in the US is young lamb or Spring Lamb. For
purchasing purposes lamb is classified as:
U. S. Prime, U.S. Choice, U.S. Good and others. For grading information see Beef grading.
LAMB PURCHASING TERMINOLOGY:
Baby lamb - about 8 weeks old and weighing just 18 to 22 pounds, but is sometimes up to 3
months old and weighing 35 to 40 pounds. Genuine baby lamb has very pale flesh and a flavor which is
too mild for many tastes. Three-month old lamb has tender, pinkish-red flesh and good flavor. It is more
likely found in Spring in ethnic butcher shops catering to Mediterranean tastes. It is also called hot house
lamb. In France the agneau de lait from the town Pauillac near Bordeaux is famous.
Spring lamb - born in Spring and early Summer and are on the market until October. They are at
least 3 months old and feed on grass.
Winter lamb - older and have a more pronounced lamb taste.
Mutton - adult animal over one year old and has an assertive taste. It is seldom available to the
consumer.
Lamb is commonly eaten in the Spring for several reasons. It is the time when young lamb tastes
best, Christians traditionally associate lamb with the Easter sacrifice, Agnus Dei, or Lamb of God. Jews
often use lamb shank to represent the Paschal sacrifice at Passover. Also around the Mediterranean,
where many of these religious traditions had their genesis, the excess of male lambs was cut back in
Spring, by being slaughtered for the table.
Most of the lamb eaten in America is raised here, but much is imported from New Zealand, where
lamb is such a major industry that lambs outnumber people. New Zealand lamb is shipped in convenient
ready to cook cuts. It is popular in food service for banquets on account of size and ease of preparation.
Lamb is butchered differently from beef and pork. The animal is not split first and then cut up.
LAMB WHOLESALE CUTS:
Hotel rack, Meat Buyers Guide # 204. It has 8 bones ( in some parts of the country 9 bones)
while the beef rack, sold as Rib Roast, has only 7 bones.
Loin, Meat Buyers Guide # 231.
Legs, sold as pairs Meat Buyers Guide # 233.
Shoulder/chuck, sold single, Meat Buyers Guide # 207.

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The popular Rack of Lamb sold in restaurants is butchered from a split rack, and each rack yield
about 2 portions. Therefore each lamb yields only 4 servings .
Agneau in French, Lamm in German, agnello in Italian, cordero in Spanish.
Lamb(agneau) la boulangre
Traditional French dish, a baked casserole of lamb, surrounded by sliced potatoes and onions
Literally translated lamb in the style of the baker's wife. So named because it used to be braised in the
baker's oven after the bread baking for the day was done to take advantage of the inherent heat. The
bakers wife charged a small fee for watching out for the dish.
lamb's lettuce
Small, delicate early spring lettuce with tiny leaves. Dark green small round, leaves in small
bunches. Soft, creamy texture and sweet, nutty flavor. Expensive, delicate, and flavorful so best used raw
in salads. The French name is mache.
Also called miner's lettuce, corn salad, field salad, or miner's lettuce.
lambs' quarters
Wild leafy vegetable resembling spinach, commonly found in cultivated soils. Brought to the US
from Europe by the early settlers. Related to spinach. The leaves are eaten in salads, the seeds are
ground and used in breads. It is believed that the seeds were used as grain in bread baking by early
Europeans.
Also known as pigweed, goose foot and wild spinach. The Mexican name is quelites.
Valerianella olitoria/chenopodium album.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
lambic
Belgian beer. See beer.
Lambrusco
Italian red wine grape variety originally from Emilio Romagna, often trained on high trellises.
There are numerous subvarieties of Lambrusco. The wines are available as white, ros or red.
Lambrusco was once marketed as slightly sweet sparkling wine from the Emilia-Romagna region
of Italy under the Riunite brand.
Lamingtons
Australian sponge-cake squares, sandwiched with sweet creamy filling, then dipped in chocolate
and coconut. A popular and inexpensive dessert
lamprey
Eel like, scaleless fish living in the ocean and spawning in fresh water. The meat is difficult to
digest and legend says that the English King Henry I died eating too much lamprey.
It is still eaten in France, but considered a considerable menace to fresh water fish in the Great
lakes because it borrows into the flesh of other fish to feed.
Also known as lamprey eel, lamper eel.
Petromyzon marinus.
Lampuga
Warm ocean food fish, also known as dolphin fish and dorado.
lamut
Thai name for sapodilla, see there.
Lanark Blue
Scottish/English semi-hard blue cheese made from ewes milk.

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Lancashire
English creamy white, crumbling cheese resembling cheddar, made in the county of the same
name in England.
Lancashire Hot Pot
English casserole consisting of layers of lamb, lamb kidneys, potatoes and onions baked in the
oven.
lancelet
Marine animal esteemed in Chinese cooking.
Cephalochordata.
Lancers
Portuguese wine, introduced 1944 by J.M. de Fonseca, and popular in the 1960's. The wine was
easy to drink, inexpensive and came in a distinctive earthenware bottle, which could be used as base for
a table lamp.
Landjger
German small sausage, fatty and dry. It can be taken on tours without refrigeration.
Lane cake
Southern layer cake, flavored with bourbon or brandy and filled with fruit and nuts.
Lang, George
Restaurant owner, author and consultant born in Hungary. He worked as banquet manager at
The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, managed the Four Seasons Restaurant and owns the Cafe des Artists in
Manhattan. He is also part owner of Gundel Restaurant in Budapest.
langosta
Spanish name for lobster, mostly spiny lobster from warm waters.
langouste
Large crustacean, resembling lobsters, but without claws. The animals harvested in warm waters
are considered inferior. Rock lobsters harvested in the cold South Atlantic Ocean are exported frozen
from South Africa and marketed as lobster tails.
Also known as spiny lobsters, rock lobsters.
Langoustine
Small crustacean from the Mediterranean Sea with long, thin claws. The Italian name is Scampi.
Langres
French cheese named after the village of the same name in the Department Haute-Marne. It is a
soft cheese and resembles Camembert.
langsat
Southeast Asian yellowish tart tree fruit.
Lansium domesticum.
langue de boeuf
French term for ox tongue.
Languedoc
French Department famous for Cassoulet, a baked meat and bean dish, and for goose liver and
goose related dishes.
It also produces prodigious amounts of red wine, sold as Midi wine in bars and restaurants.

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Languedoc wines had a reputation of being very ordinary wines called gros rouge made with
Carignan, Cinsault and other grapes planted since Roman times.
About 1980 the market shifted to finer wines and the French government permitted the planting of
more popular grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay grapes. The wine industry
also updated equipment and methods and the resulting wines commanded better prices and were also
exported.
Languedoc attracted wine companies from France and other countries. Robert Mondavi buys
unfiltered wine from Languedoc for finishing in California under the Vichon label.
A small quantity of dessert wines called vins doux naturels is made with Grenache and Muscat
grapes.
langues de chat
French term for very small sponge cake biscuits in the shape of cats tongues. The term is also
applied to small chocolate confections in the same shape.
Literally translated cat's tongues.
lap cheong
Chinese pork sausage flavored with soy. Lap means wax, and cheong means intestine.
lapereau
French term for young wild rabbit.
Lapin is the French term for domesticated rabbit.
Laperousse
Famous restaurant in Paris.
Lapland
Cheese made with reindeer milk, resembling Swiss Cheese. The round, flat cheese has an
unusual shape and is made by the inhabitants of northern Scandinavia.
Lapsang souchong
Tea with a smoky taste, and it is in fact often used for tea-smoked dishes.
lard, to lard
Verb for a preparation process. Thin strips of larding fat are treaded through uncooked meat.
The purpose is to moisten the meat with fat during the cooking process. It is seldom done today.
Larding needle is used for the process. It is a steel needle with a hollow center.
lard
Rendered pork fat.
lardon
French term for small strips of slab bacon, boiled and then browned. Lardons are used in a
number of dishes, such as Boeuf Bourguignon (Burgundy beef stew).
Lardy cake
English yeast breads spread with lard, sprinkled with sugar and raisins and folded a number of
times. It will have layers, but not as many as puff pastry.
lark
Song bird hunted in some European countries. The tiny bird is protected in the US.
Larousse-Gastronomique
Famous French encyclopedia of cooking, originally written by Prosper Montagn 1865 to 1948.
A foreword was written by August Escoffier. An alphabetical listing of foods, ingredients, dishes, utensils,
and historical references. First published in English in 1961. Revised English edition in 1984, 1,193 pages

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based on changes in new French edition published in 1984. The new French edition was published under
the direction of Robert J. Courtine. New English edition by American Jennifer Harvey Lang, who worked
on translated manuscript done in England. She made new entries understandable to Americans and
corrected errors in American food entries made the French version. Both new editions, French and
English, contain color photos.
larrup
Term for molasses used in the West.
Las Palmas
Port of the Spain/Canary Islands known for shipping center of the wine trade with England.
lasagna
Italian popular pasta dish consisting of large ribbons of cooked pasta baked with sauce and
cheese. The most simple, and most well known lasagna is made with tomato sauce. There are however
many variation, some with meat, others made with cream sauce, spinach, mushrooms and other sauces.
Basic is always the pasta shape and the fact that the dish was baked.
Pre-cooked lasagna noodles have come on the market.
Lascombes, Chteau
Wine estate in the Margaux region of Bordeaux, France.
lassi
Indian version of the Middle East laban, a yogurt drink. Always served cold. It can be served
salted or sweet. Sometimes flavored with mint, ginger, or coriander.
The beverage is from the area of Punjab where milk is a staple. There is little historical
information on the origins of the drink and it may be relatively recent.
late harvest
Term for wine made from late picked grapes. The grapes are picked after the general harvest
and only fully ripened bunches are picked. The resulting must is sweeter than from regular harvested
grapes.
The German term is Sptlese. See Auslese.
latex
Sap from certain trees. Of culinary interest is the sap of the papaya tree which contains papain.
See there.
Lathotyri
Greek sheep milk table cheese cured in olive oil.
latkes
Jewish/Yiddish potato pancakes. They were traditionally served at Hanukkah by the Jews of
Eastern Europe. The oil they are fried in symbolizes the lamp in the temple which had enough oil for only
one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight.
Latkes are eaten today throughout the year are accompaniments to meat dishes, are as a stand
alone dish served with sour cream.
The best latkes are made with grated raw potatoes allowed to drain off much water, blended with
grated onions, eggs and Matzo meal.
Latour, Louis
Maison Louis Latour, headquartered in Beaune, France, is one of the finest Burgundy ngociant.
Begun by the Latour family in the mid-1600's and presently run by the ninth generation Latour, and the
6th Louis.
Maison Louis Latour's annual production averages about 280,000 cases of wine from the Cte de
Beaune, Cte de Nuits, Beaujolais, Chablis and Macon. They also own 115 acres of Grand Cru and

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Premier Cru vineyards, including 23 acres of Corton-Charlemagne and 38 acres of the red Grand Cru
vineyard of Corton
Latour, Chteau
Premier cru wine estate of the Mdoc in Bordeaux, France. Named for a huge turreted fortress
that stood on the property for some 500 years. When the English lost the battle of Castillon to France in
1453, the French governor ordered the turrets lopped off to demonstrate to the owner, an English
sympathizer, what he would do to him if the governor caught up with him. But the owner went into hiding.
An early turreted tower is still featured on the label. The current "tour" or tower which can be seen
on the property is a small dome-topped tower.
The Chteau came into the hands of the renowned Sgur wine family, who also owned Chteau
Lafite and Chteau Calon-Sgur. The last time the Chteau changed hands was in the 1960's.
The wine is a blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon. Robust. Deeply-colored. Sturdy. Full-bodied,
austere, and can take many years to mature.
Second label is La Forts de Latour.
latteria
Italian sharp, creamy cow's milk cheese from the Friuli region of northeastern Italy. There it is
eaten as a spread on crusty bread.
Laudun
Rhne valley village in France known for ros and white wines.
laurel
Group of trees that includes the bay, avocado, cinnamon, and camphor. See there.
laurel leaf
Another name for bay leaf.
lavash
Armenian or Russian crisp bread often sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Also known as lepyoshka.
lavender
Perennial aromatic herb, used to make a fragrant herb tea and credited with fighting asthma and
easing tensions. There are a number of types.
Lavender is also used for perfume and sachet of dried lavender is hung is closets to repeal
moths.
Lavender honey is amber colored and popular in France.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Lavandula officinales.
laver
Red edible seaweed harvested along the coasts of England and Ireland. One type is sea lettuce,
a fine, silky plant used in soups.
The Japanese laver is dried into rolled into thin sheets called hoshi nori and askusa nori. It is
used in sushi and other dishes.
Also known as nori. See there.
laveret
Food fish related to char and living in the ocean and in deep freshwater lakes.
layer
Term for chicken raised for egg laying, as opposed to roaster which are raised for eating.

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Lazio
Province in Italy, region of Rome. It produces huge quantities of wine, most of them white.
Lazy Susan
Turntable or revolving tray placed in the center of a table. It is often used in Chinese restaurants
for large group of diners sitting at one round table.
Le Soleil
Belgian sponge cake with peaches, apricots and meringue.
lead pipe
Short order lingo for spaghetti.
leaf lard
Butcher term for pork lard rendered from the leaf fat, normally referred to as fatback.
leaf lettuce
Dark green, crisp texture, sweet flavored lettuce developed by the US Dept. of Agriculture for its
durability. It withstands warm temperatures without going to seed prematurely. The term is also used
generically for any green leaf lettuce.
Also known as loose leaf or bunching.
Lenyka
Hungarian white wine grape variety. A dry and a sweet wine version is made.
leather
Colonial term for fruit butter, cooked until very thick, spread out to cool and dry, and cut into
strips.
Leather
Cheese from the German province of Schleswig-Holstein, bordering on Denmark. It resembles
the Holstein Skim Milk cheese. Also spelled Leder, the German word for hide.
leaven
Term for sour dough, a small amount of dough kept to induce yeast fermentation in the new
batch.
In commercially produced sour dough bread, the strains of yeast are carefully controlled.
leavening agents
Additives in dough and batters to make the resulting product light and airy.
LEAVENING AGENTS CLASSIFICATION:
Chemical leavening agents - baking powder, baking soda which will produce a gas
activated with acidity, moisture and warmth.
Moisture - converted to steam during the baking process such as puff paste.
Natural leavening agents - such as yeast and sour dough.
Yeast - cells of minute fungi. See yeast.
Physical leaving agents - air whipped into batter, often in connection with eggs.

when

Lebanon food
The cooking of Lebanon is Influenced by the population which is half-Christian, half-Moslem, and
by the French which occupied the country before WW II.
DISHES INCLUDE:
fattush - bread and herb salad
fattheh - layered dish of pita bread, lamb, chick peas, yoghurt and spices
halawet el jebn - sweet semolina pudding, a specialty served during Ramadan
hadaf - type of baklava made with walnuts

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knafah - hair like pastry

mazza/mezze - large array of small appetizers
meshi bil maquedem - stuffed vegetables braised on a bed of sheep trotters
kabseh - lamb and rice casserole , also popular in Saudi Arabia
qashteh - clotted cream
quzi - whole lamb stuffed with rice, meat and nuts
shri khand - yogurt dessert, flavored with nutmeg, cardamom and saffron
tabbouleh -cracked wheat salad
Popular spirits include arrack. See there.
The climate is surprising friendly to wine-production, although the devastating wars are certainly
not. There is an average of 300 days of sun per year, adequate rainfall and mild temperatures in those
vineyards near the Mediterranean cooled by the gentle breezes. Due in large part to the wars, there are
few active wineries, but notable is Chteau Musar, which continues to produce fine wine amidst the worst
of circumstances.
Strong black coffee is popular, as it is in most Middle East countries.
lebany/lebbeneh
Middle Eastern thick yogurt made with goat's milk. The yogurt is hung in cheesecloth overnight to
allow the moisture to seep out.. The name literally translated means hung cheese.
Leben is a Middle eastern fermented cow's milk beverage.
Leberkse
Austrian/Bavarian meat loaf. Literally translated liver-cheese, but there is neither cheese nor liver
in the product. It is made with ground veal, pork and beef and baked in a loaf mold. Butchers used to
make it daily. Connoisseurs knew when the Leberkse came fresh from the oven, and lined up for the
still warm slices, eaten on rolls.
Leberwurst
German name for liver sausage. In the US, it is often called Braunschweiger after the city in
Germany. It is a soft, spreadable sausage.
In Germany, the Leberwurst can also be a sausage eaten hot. It is made in connection with the
slaughtering of pigs, when the innards had to be used quickly. The livers were made into Leberwurst,
and the blood into Blutwurst.
Lebkuchen
German name for gingerbread. Flat, dark spice and honey flavored cookies, served during the
winter, especially during the Christmas holidays when Lebkuchen is often shaped like Santa Claus.
Heart shaped Lebkuchen is a popular item at county fairs and open markets. Two cities in
Germany were famous for Lebkuchen, Nrnberg in Bavaria and Lbeck on the Baltic coast. The city
Basel in Switzerland is famous for a type of Lebkuchen called Springerle.
Gingerbread dough is allowed to rest a number of months to amalgamate the flavors, but it will
not ferment on account of the high sugar content. It will stay moist after baking for a number of months.
See gingerbread.
leche
Spanish word for milk.
leche frita
Spanish dessert specialty of the Rioja region. It is a creamy egg yolk-based custard, when solid
cut in slices, breaded and fried in oil. It is crunchy on the outside and soft in the center. Literally
translated the term means fried milk.
lechon asado
Spanish/Hispanic term for roasted suckling pig.
lechosa

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Spanish Caribbean word for papaya. See there.

lecithin
Natural emulsifier and antioxidant used in ice cream and chocolate. Lecithin also keeps water
and oil from separating. It occurs naturally in animals, plants and egg yolks. The commercial substance
is made from soybeans, corn and egg yolks.
Leckermulchen
German term for a person with a sweet tooth.
Lecs
Hungarian vegetable stew made with onions, peppers and flavored with paprika. It is often
served cold as appetizer.
lee
The sediment of any liquid. The term is often used in wine making.Also known as dregs.
Lee cake
Citrus flavored layer cake named after the Confederate Army General.
leek
Vegetable in the lily family with slender green leaves growing from a white stalk. Leeks are rich
in calcium and potassium. The flavor is distinct, and leeks are used as soup ingredient more frequently
then as vegetable. The most usable portion is the white stalk and it must always be cooked.
Leeks are popular in other cultures. French cuisine has a number of dishes based on leeks, and
leeks are eaten as vegetable or as appetizer in England. The Scottish cock - a leekie soup is a leek soup
with chicken and potatoes.
The best leeks are grown in sandy soil. When preparing leeks, the layers between the leaves
must be carefully separated and washed a number of times, because sand gets easily trapped.
There is also a type of wild leek commonly known as ramp. See there.
The Welsh celebrate St. David's Day by eating braised leeks.
Allium porrum.
lefse
Norwegian flat bread that resembles a tortilla in shape and texture, but lefse are usually made
with a mixture of flour and potatoes, cooked on a griddle. The dough remains soft and is often rolled
around fillings such as sour cream and/or fruit.
A packaged variety is made without potatoes and is sold under the brand name Viking Bread. It
is a thin saucer-shaped holiday bread.
left-handed peeled shrimp
Miniature prawns from northern Europe; they got their nickname from the fact that they are so
easy to peel.
Leghorn
Chicken breed for egg production.
legs
Wine term for the wine adhering to the inside of the glass after swirling it. The wine runs down in
small streaks and the size and speed is an indication of the viscosity of the wine.
legume/pulses
Generic name for one - celled, two- valved seed pods from plants in the fabacea group when
used dried.
Legumes have a high protein and starch content and are an important staple in many diets. The
best known legumes are peas, beans, lentils and peanuts.

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Leicester
English cows milk cheese made in the county of the same name. The cheese is considered one
of the best cheeses of England, resembling Cheddar, but it has a higher moisture content. It is dyed with
anatto seeds.
Leiden
Dutch cheese from the village by the same name. Cumin-flavored. It is normally spelled Leyden.
lemon
Citrus fruits from trees originally from northern India, and now widely cultivated in mild climates,
especially in Mediterranean countries and in California, Florida and the American South West. Lemon
trees do not grow well in tropical climates. The trees produce flowers and fruits all year. The fruits are
harvested while still green and are stored under controlled conditions to ripen and turn yellow when
needed.
The fruit juice is very acidic and lemon juice is strong enough to dissolve pearls over time.
Lemons have many culinary uses, the juice is used as flavor enhancer in dishes and in
beverages, and the rind contains an aromatic oil with many uses, such as in baking, cooking, in perfumes
and beverages. The term lemonade is directly derived from the word lemon. Grated lemon peel is often
used as cake ingredient.
Citron in French, Zitrone in German, limone in Italian, limn in Spanish.
Citrus limon. Citrus limetta, botanical name for the sweet lemon.
lemon balm
Herb with lemon-scented leaves used to make herb tea, sometimes combined with mint,
lavender, rosemary, or sage. Credited with fighting colds and fever and promoting long life.
Also used to make the restorative drink, Carmelite water.
Melissa officinalis.
lemon basil
See basil.
lemon blossoms
The blossoms are used in tarts, ice cream, as fritters and as lemon flower water.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Lemon curd
English dessert product manufactured with glucose, starches, lemon and flavors, and has the
consistency of pudding. It is eaten as spread with scones or as cake filling.
Lemon Meringue Pie
Popular pie made with lemon custard poured into a baked pie shell, topped with meringue and
browned lightly in the oven. Lemon meringue pie is considered the typical American dessert.
lemon mint
A slightly lemon-flavored variety of bee balm used for tea. Unlike most teas which should only
steep in hot water, lemon mint needs to be boiled for five to ten minutes to release the flavor.
Monarda citriodora.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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lemon grass
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Tall, slender, scallion like grass varieties

native to South East Asia. All contain citric oils
released when smashed or cut. It lends a distinct
lemony taste and aroma. The base can be peeled
of its tough exterior and finely minced. It can also
be pressed to yield lemon grass oil. Used to flavor
Southeast Asian, especially Thai dishes, such as
shrimp broth.
Available fresh in ethnic markets and also
dried and powdered, called sereh powder.
Lemon rind can be substituted for a
somewhat less authentic taste.
Also known as takrai.
Cymbopogan citratus.
lemon oil
Volatile oil in the rinds of lemons. It is available commercially as flavoring ingredient.
Lemon grass oil is distilled from the leaves and used in the perfume industry.
lemon peel
Lemon peels are available candied - boiled in sugar and dried - as garnish for cakes and as
baking ingredient.
lemons, preserved
Ancient method of preserving lemons in brine, lemon juice and spices, often cardamon. The
method originated around the Mediterranean and preserved lemons are frequently used in Moroccan
cooking.
Lemons are perishable and preserving them in brine is a time honored solution.
lemon sole
Flat fish harvested in the Atlantic ocean. The flesh is somewhat softer than flounder and other
sole species, but is still of excellent quality. Fish dealers often sell it as sole, which is perfectly legal.
Lemon Squash
English canned soft drink.
Lemon Stick
See Baltimore lemon stick.
lemon thyme
Herb in the thyme family with a faint lemon smell. It is used for herb tea, and also in cooking.
Thymus citriodorus.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
lemon verbena
Herb native to South America and used to impart a lemon flavor in salads and drinks.
Also known as citronalis.
Aloysia citriodora/triphylla.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

518

lemonade
Beverage made with lemon and sugar, probably the oldest soft drink in history.
Len de lElh
French white wine grape grown in Southwest France.
Lender's
Brand of commercially made bagels, the first national frozen brand. The company was started by
Harry Lender in New Haven, Connecticut in 1927. In July, 1986 they opened the world's largest bagel
plant in Mattoon, Illinois
lengkuas
See galangal.
lenguado
Spanish term for the fish sole.
Lent
Time of fasting in Christian religions leading up to Easter and lasting 40 week days. Lenten
dishes have been ingeniously invented to provide the pleasures of the table and yet follow the dietary
rules established by the church.
lentils
Tiny legume, sold dry, often green tinted to greyish, but some varieties are reddish pink, grey,
yellow, black orange and brown.
Lentils are ancien staples of Middle Eastern and Indian cooking, where they are referred to as
dal. They are served as main course, as side dish and often with rice. Lentil flour is used in Papadum, a
crisp Indian bread.
Most lentils in the USA are cultivated in the Palouse ( the French word for green lawn), a fertile
region at the Washington/Idaho border. Growing lentils in this region started 1916 by a farmer named J.
J. Wagner. He was a Seventh Day Adventist and interested in growing a crop that would substitute for
meat. About 80% of all lentils grown in the US are exported, mostly to Spain, Italy and Greece.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Crimson, Pardina
LePuy - French variety. Dark green. Green and brown varieties remain somewhat
firm after cooking so good in salads.
Persian - bright coral-colored. Soften after cooking so good in soups and dips.
Red Chief - quick cooking variety. Soften after cooking so good in soups and dips.
Red lentils - common to Bengali cooking, are fast cooking.
Linsen in German, lentilles in French, lenticchia in Italian, lenteja in Spanish.
Lens esculenta.
Leon Millot
French hybrid red wine grape.
Loville Poyferr, Chteau
Fine wine estate in St. Julien region of Bordeaux.
Loville Barton, Chteau, Loville Las Cases, Chteau
Two well regarded wine estates in the Bordeaux region of France.
lephet
Fermented tea leaves used in Burmese cooking.
lepre
Italian term for wild hare. See hare.

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Les Amis du vin

Wine society with chapters in many parts of the USA. It has changed in New York City to Wine
tasters Guild.
Les doubles
Belgian specialty of the town of Nivelles, south of Brussels. A pungent cheese mixture which is
served between two grilled buckwheat crepes.
Lescin
Ewes milk cheese from the Caucasus mountains.
Lett, David
American winemaker who pioneered the growing of Pinot Noir grapes in Oregon. He started The
Eyrie Vineyards in the Willamette Valley 1966. He also planted the first pinot gris, an Italian white wine
grape, in the US.
lettuce
Any variety of leafy plants which can be eaten uncooked. Lettuce is used overwhelmingly in
salads, but is used as vegetable in French and Swiss cooking. The ancient Greeks served lettuce soup at
the end of a meal to induce sleep. Lettuce was so appreciated in England during Henry VIII's time, that
his last wife, Catherine Parr is said to have sent emissaries to The Netherlands to get some.
In later times, it was denigrated as women's food, and was kept off the tables of English boarding
schools into the 20th century, because administrators thought it would make the boys effeminate.
Many lettuce varieties have come on the market, and their names can be confusing.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Bibb. Round crinkly-headed lettuce with a slightly crunchier texture than Boston. Mild, buttery
flavor. The heads are small. Bibb lettuce is considered a luxury lettuce, and is much used by hotel
caterers. It is named after the breeder John Bibb, and is often called Kentucky Limestone Lettuce.
Boston. Round crinkly-headed lettuce with a slightly less crunchy texture than Bibb. Mild, buttery
flavor.
Buttercrunch. Basically the same as Boston lettuce. A round crinkly-headed lettuce with a slightly
crunchy texture. Mild, buttery flavor.
Butterhead. Generic name for small round lettuces, including Bibb, Boston, buttercrunch. All
have a mild, buttery flavor.
Chicory. Name for a large group of lettuces. See there.
Cos. Another name for romaine lettuce. The name might have com from the Greek Island Cos.
Escarole. See there.
Frise. See there.
Grosse Blonde Parasseuse. This "big, lazy blonde" French variety is large and succulent with
yellow-green leaves.
Iceberg. The most common US lettuce with firm heads which can be cut into quarters. The flavor
is bland. When the word lettuce is not further specified in the US, it usually refers to iceberg lettuce.
Leaf lettuce - Also known as loose leaf or bunching. Dark green, crisp texture, sweet flavor.
Developed by the US Dept. of Agriculture for its durability.
Lambs lettuce. Small, delicate early spring lettuce with tiny leaves. The French name is mache.
Also called miner's lettuce or corn salad.
Lollo Rosso - A frilly, delicate lettuce. Also spelled Lollo Rosa.
Radicchio. Also known as red-leaf chicory. Starts to grow dark green tinged with red in the
summer. Leaves turn dark red during cold winter nights. Small tightly furled heads range from golf-ball to
fist size. Crunchy texture with strong somewhat bitter flavor.
Red Speckled - Was an almost extinct variety until small growers began to cultivate it again.
Romaine. Also known as Cos. Slender lettuce with long leaves, the lettuce used in Caesar
Salad. Discovered by the Romans on the Greek island of Cos. Cultivated for more than 2,000 years. The
large crisp, crunchy leaves range from rich green to pale yellow at the heart. Flavor ranges from mild to
slightly sweet.

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Tom Thumb lettuce - A small lettuce with a slightly sweet flavor.

Treviso radicchio- long leaf radicchio, the leaves resemble Romaine lettuce, but are red.
Lactuca savita.
Lettuce Entertain You
Fabulously successful restaurant company founded by Richard Melman in Chicago.
levain
French term for natural yeast used in bread baking.
Lever Model
The A high-tech 1987 version of the Screwpull corkscrew. User clamps it onto the neck of the
bottle, depresses a lever, then raises it to remove the cork. The cork can be replaced by reversing the
lever process.
levulose
Natural fruit sugar, a simple sugar found in fruits, vegetables and honey.
Also known as Levoglucose, Fructose or Fruit sugar.
levure
French term for commercial yeast.
Leyden
Spicy Dutch cheese named after the town of the same name. The cheese resembles Gouda.
The Dutch name is Komijne Kaas.
liaison
Culinary term for a liquid added to thicken a broth or soup, and to enhance flavor. The term is
most often used for a mixture of egg yolks and cream. The term can also be used for blood.
Thickening with liaison is always done at the last moment, and the liquid is not allowed to boil,
because the liaison will curdle.
Liatiko
Greek red wine grape variety.
liberation salt
Term used for saltpeter during the French Revolution because it was an ingredient in gunpowder.
liberty-cabbage
Term coined during World War I for the German word Sauerkraut. The term never caught on.

libation
Alcoholic drink or the art of drinking used humorously.
Also known as a ritual of offering wine to the gods.
lichen
Small, slow growing compound organisms or fungi and algae. They grow under the most
adverse condition in very cold weather.
Lichen are eaten by reindeer and have sustained explorers. See Iceland Moss.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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Lichine, Alexis 1913-1989

One of the world's most renowned and deservedly respected wine authority. A shipper,
salesman, winemaker and wine writer. An aggressive and shameless self-promotor, he nevertheless was
a great beneficial influence on the wine industry. He introduced many Americans to the world of wine.
Born in Russia, he emigrated to America and became a citizen, though he spent much of his life
in France at his Bordeaux Chteau Prieure-Lichine, which has always been open to the public (and is
now run by his son Sacha). Author of "The Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits" and "Guide to the Wines
and Vineyards of France". He died of cancer in June, 1989 at the age of 76.
licorice/liquorice
Flavoring derived from the root of the plant native to Europe. Actually, though licorice is used as a
food flavoring, substitutes are more often used because the root's extract is less aromatic than that of
other plants such as anise seed, fennel seed, star anise, and hyssop. The distinctive flavor comes from
anethole oil.
Licorice is used in candy, tobacco, liqueurs, and medicines.
LICORICE-FLAVORED LIQUEURS INCLUDE:
Absinthe - see there
Anisette - see there
Arrack - see there
Ouzo - see there
Pastis - see there
Raki - see there
Sambuca - see there
Bar drinks include Kiss Me Quick, Macaroni, Tiger Tail.
Glycyrrhiza glabra.
Liebfrauenstift
Vineyard surrounding the Gothic cathedral in Worms, Germany. The church is called
Liebfrauenkirche.
Liebfraumilch
German white wine, originally from made by the monks of the monastery Liebfrauenstift, in the
city of Worms. The name was originally named for the monks of the church, Liebfrauenminch or
Liebfrauenmnch in German, but the last syllable was eventually changed to milch, meaning milk.
Literally translated the name now is Holy Mother's milk. The wine is also produced in several Rhine
regions. The wine is a blend of several grapes, predominantly Sylvaner. The most famous Liebfraumilch
marketed in the US is Blue Nun, produced by the Sichel family.
The Moselle River version of Liebfraumilch is Moselblmchen.
lieblich
German wine term, referring to the gentle level of sweetness found in traditional German table
wines.
Liederkranz
Rich pungent cheese, the American variation of Limburger cheese. It is one of the two native
American cheeses - the other is Brick cheese.
The cheese was created by the cheese maker Emil Frey in 1882 in Monroe, New York. Frey
wanted to duplicate a German cheese called Schlosskse but created a completely new cheese in the
process.
Frey was a member of a German singing society, popular with German emigrants in the late 19
century. The member liked the cheese, started to buy it regularly, and soon the new cheese was named
in the honor of the society. The word means literally translated "Wreath of Songs".
Lige food
Industrial city in eastern Belgium, in the Ardennes, which has its own style of cooking.
FAMOUS DISHES ARE:

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Boudin de Lige - blood sausage

Caf Ligoise - ice cream and coffee
Gaufrettes - wafers
Herv l'exquis - Pungent cheese. See there.
Jambon d'Ardennes - Local ham. See ham.
Oie l'instar de Vis - Boiled goose with vegetables
Rognons de veau flambs - veal kidneys with juniper berries and flamed. Sirop de Lige - thick
molasses-like syrup of pears and apples
Also served are such Ardennes foods as game, dishes with marrow, dairy dishes, and
asparagus.
livre
French for wild hare. See there.
Life Savers
Round candy with hole in center, created by Clarence A. Crane in 1912 in Cleveland.
lights
British term for animal lungs. The name refers to the air bubbles that make the lungs float. They
are seldom used directly in cooking, but the Austrians invented a calfs lung stew called Beuschel.
light wine
Wine that is low in alcohol, if not necessarily in calories.
light/lite
Marketing term that refers to products lower in calories. The stylized spelling, "lite" has become
the more common. There are no government standards regulating the meaning of the terms light or lite
(except as it pertains to processed meats; in meats, it refers to a product that has 25% less calories than
usual).
Compared to the standard version, products so labeled may be lower in calories, lower in fat,
lower in sodium, or lighter in color.
See also light wine.
Lignin Vanillin
Technical name for artificial vanilla flavoring which is produced from the vanillin in wood pulp.
lilac
Tree blooming in early spring. The fragrant flowers are used to flavor candies, beverages and
sherbet.
Syringa vulgaris, spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
lilies
Lilies of the Valley are toxic, but recipes from the 17th and 18th century suggest that lilies were
eaten.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Lillet
Proprietary name for a wine-based apritif with 18% alcohol. Available white, which is more
common and red. White Lillet has an orangey, cidery, herbal flavor, the red has a medium-sweet plum,
cherry, herbal flavor. Both are usually served chilled, or over ice, or with club soda.
Lillet is manufactured in Bordeaux, France and is associated with the famous Chteau HautBatailley.

523

lima bean(s)
Flat bean, green when fresh or frozen and white when dried, one of the many bean varieties
which originated in the Americas. Whether Lima beans originated in Peru is open to speculation. Beans
were a major staple in Indian diets long before the arrival of Europeans. Succotash, a blend of corn and
Lima beans is an ancient Indian dish.
Lima beans are a strong source of fiber and are low in fat, therefore, they should appeal to diet
conscious people. Unfortunately, Lima beans have lost on popularity, and has become one of the
vegetable most detested by many people.
Dried lima beans have somewhat retained their popularity, and can be substituted for imported
flageolet or cannellini beans. West Cape May village in South New Jersey claims to be the Lima bean
capital in the world, but little is grown there now, and most domestic production is from California. The
Fordhook beans are large, Baby beans are a small variety, not immature beans. Lima beans were
originally toxic.
Also known as a butter beans, fava beans.
Phaseolus lunatus.
limande
French word for a flatfish, inferior to sole.
limau kestur
Singaporean small local lime.
Limburger
Belgium cheese, but often referred to as German cheese. A, semi soft, surface ripened, rich
pungent cheese. The American version of Limburger is made in Wisconsin.
The cheese was originally made in Lige, a town in Belgium and marketed in nearby Limburg.
The cheese is now made in many other countries, and is sold under a number of names.
Herv in Belgium, Schloss Kse, Marienhofer in Austria, Backsteiner and Romadur in Germany
and Austria, and Void in France.
lime
Tangy citrus fruit, resembling lemons in flavor. Most limes on the market are the Persian limes,
which are green and tart. The name comes from the Arabic l mah, but the tree is indigenous to Southeast
Asia.
The Key West lime is rather sweet, and yellow when ripe. Little is grown commercially today.
See there.
Lime was cultivated since Colonial times in the West Indies and in Florida. Eventually lime trees
were planted also in California.
Lime juice is used extensively in bar drinks and in baking.
Citrus aurantifoilia.
lime basil
Used in Thai cooking where it is known as bai mangluk. Smaller, paler leaves than the common
Italian basil. Also known as sweet balsam.
lime flowers
The flowers are used in tea and other beverages. Lime flower honey is renown.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
limequat
Cross between kumquat and lime. The tree is more frost resisting than the lime tree.
Limousin
Forest in central France. Oak from the Limousin forest is probably the most famous wood used
for cooperage. It imparts a slightly vanilla taste to the product.

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Limousin casks are used for aging Cognac, as well as some wines. The choice of wood is a very
personal decision of the wine maker. See aging, alcoholic beverages.
Limousin beef
Beef breed indigenous to the Limoge and Marche regions of France. The breed is known to
produce leaner meat than other breeds. It is considered in France "the butcher's animal" on account of
yield and quality.
Limousin beef is raised in Colorado and is commercially available. It is less fatty than American
corn fed cattle. Slaughtered at 14 to 16 months age, the meat is still tender.
limpets
Marine molluscs with a single cone-shaped shell clinging to rocks. They can be gathered at low
tide and eaten raw or in chowders.
limpin' Suzan
Southern dish of red beans and rice, also known as Hopping John.
Lincoln Runzas
Sandwich with a mixture of ground beef, cabbage and onions encased in a yeast dough shaped
to an oblong roll. The sandwich has origins in 18th century Russia, but was brought to Lincoln, Nebraska
by German farmers who had lived in Russia before re-emigrating to the U.S.
There is a Lincoln, Nebraska based fast food chain by the same name, which has franchises in
Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Colorado.
Originally called kraut runsas, then kraut baroques.
linden flowers
Flowers from the linden tree. Its yellow blossoms make a delicious tea, which is good as a natural
tranquilizer.
Also known as tilleul.
Tilia spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
ling
Aquatic plant cultivated in Asia with edible seeds. They are used boiled, as preserve and also as
flour.
Trapa bicornis.
lingcod/ling
Ocean food fish harvested in the cold Pacific ocean, but not directly related to cod. The fish can
be huge. The flesh is green or bluish while raw, but will turn white when cooked. The fish prized for the
oil in its liver which is used for the production of cod liver oil.
Known also as Blue Cod, Buffalo Cod or Cults Cod.
Ophiodon elongatus.
lingberry/lingberries
British name for the lingonberry, which can be found growing wild in the heather-covered bogs of
Scotland. Ling is an old name for a type of heather.
lingonberry/lingonberries
Small berries growing wild in Scandinavia, parts of Russia and in the Alps. The tiny red berries
resemble small cranberries in appearance. The berries are very tart and are always boiled with sugar.
Unlike cranberries, lingonberries require no bog to grow. They grow in acid soil, high in organic
matter. The leaves have a holly-like sheen and this low growing bush makes a decorative, cold hardy
ground cover. Some varieties grow up to 18" high; others are smaller. They also grow wild in the

525

heather-covered hills of Scotland, where they are sometimes called lingberries, ling being an old name for
a type of heather.
Lingonberries are served as condiment with game dishes are with pancakes. They are available
imported canned and in jars.
Also known as crowberries, because the crows like to eat them and mountain cranberries.
Vaccinium vitis-idaea.
Lingot d'Or
Belgian puff pastry with fruit and meringue.
linguica
Portuguese coarse-ground garlicky pork sausage, flavored also with cumin, cinnamon and red
pepper. Somewhat hard in texture. It is commonly used in Caldo Verde soup. See there.
The sausage is rough-textured and similar to the choriso, but the linguica is slimmer, longer, and
generally a little more finely-ground. Named because of its tongue-like appearance.
linguine/also linguini
Italian pasta, resembling spaghetti, but the strings are square, not round. Often served with clam
sauce in Italian/American restaurants.
Linzer Torte
Cake made with nuts and spread with raspberry jam, a specialty of Linz, a city in Austria.
lion meat
The animal is no longer legally hunted for food, but available from game farms. The meat is light
colored and resembles pork.
lion's head
Chinese specialty of the Shantung province. Meatballs simmered in a rich dark sauce, served on
cooked Chinese cabbage, spread out on the plate to look like a mane.
Liptauer Cheese/Lipt
Hungarian sheeps milk cheese, but made in other Eastern European countries under different
names. It is a pickled cheese, semi soft.
Liptauer cheese spread is made by blending Lipt cheese with butter, paprika, caraway seeds
and chives. It is often made with cottage cheese.
liqueurs
See cordials.
liqueur
Wine making term for the sugar, wine and yeast blend added to sparkling wine to induce a
second fermentation in the bottle. This blend is called liqueur de tirage. After the wine has fermented in
the bottle and the frozen yeast is expelled, a small amount of wine and sugar syrup is added to adjust the
flavor. This is called liqueur d expdition.
liquid bread
Nickname for beer.
Liquid Assets
Twice yearly wine investors' publication which lists wine prices at auctions. Not available in stores
or at newsstands. Published by Liquid Assets, 169 Nassau Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08542.
liquid smoke
Product which imbeds a smokey flavor to food. It must be diluted with water, and can be used to
marinate meats and fish.

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Liquore Galliano
See Galliano.
Lirac
Rhone/France wine village north of Tavel, famous for a ros wine.
Lisbon
Capital of Portugal. See Portugal food
listeria
Bacteria which can cause a disease which can affect the nervous system, provoke a miscarriage
and in rare cases can lead to death. It is found in unpasteurized milk, meat, raw vegetables and shellfish.
The European Government decreed that all cheeses sold must be with pasteurized milk - a ruling
that has been applied in the US for many years. It means that the artesian cheese makers, making small
batches of specialty cheeses will be out of business and cheeses that have been around for centuries will
disappear.
Listrac
Wine town in Bordeaux, France, producing dependable wines.
litchi/lichee/lychee
Topical fruits of the soapberry tree. The fruits which
have short season in July and August, grow in clusters of a
few berries to as many as 30. The typical fruit is about 1
inches in diameter, with a thin bumpy shell that changes
gradually from rosy to russet after picking. Some varieties
have yellow, pink or green skin. The brittle skin cracks off
easily to reveal a pearly white moist fleshy fruit.
The fruits are cultivated in China for at least 2000
years, and prized by the ancient emperors. Introduced in
Florida in 1883, but not cultivated there on any scale until the
last quarter of the 20th century. Difficult to grow and reactive
to weather conditions. Also, the fruit must be picked by hand
so they are not crushed or dropped. The fruit will quickly
sour, once its brittle protective shell is split.
The fruits are about ping-pong ball sized with a rustcolored shell. The flesh is juicy, aromatic, grape-like in
texture. The single seed is about 3/4" long and falls easily
away when the fruit is pulled open. The most prized litchis
have a shriveled "chicken tongue" seed, as these fruits are said to yield a higher ratio of pulp. The seed is
never eaten.
Fresh litchis have a sweet muscat-like taste, more succulent and luscious than the canned fruit.
Fresh litchis will keep refrigerated for a couple of weeks, but are best eaten soon after picking. They also
freeze well and can be dried. Dried litchis are called litchi nuts. Although they are often listed with fruits,
specifically tropical fruits, when they are still in their soft from, they are technically nuts.
Litchi nuts are dried fruit. As the fruit dries, the pulp shrivels around the seed and absorbs a
different flavor. The paper-thin, brownish-red shells are broken off, and they are eaten like nuts or candy.
Some of the best lychee come from Thailand's northern province of Chiang Rai, where an annual
festival is held to celebrate the harvest
Also known as litchis.
Lichi chinensis.
Liter
Metric volume measure. It is divided in 100 centiliters and 1,000 milliliters.

527

1 liter = 33.8 fluid ounces.

750 milliliters = 24 fluid ounces. It is the standard size of most wine bottles.
Little Joe's
Dish of ground meat, scrambled eggs and spinach used as sandwich filling. It is popular in San
Francisco, and is named after a restaurant there.
Little necks
Quahog clams, the smallest, name refers to their size. See clams.
Little Scarlets
Scottish wild strawberries.
Livarot
French cheese from the Normandy region. It is a soft, smelly cows milk cheese from the
Calvados area. It is often wrapped in dried leaves to keep the runny cheese in place. In France, the
cheese is nicknamed Le Colonel because the five red stripes on the package correspond to the insignia
for this rank in the French Army.
liver
Valuable food source, but becoming less popular. For many years calfs liver was popular
luncheon dish cooked in slices medium to rare and served with sauteed onions, apples or bacon. Liver is
covered with a thin, transparent skin that must be removed before cooking.
Chicken liver was also popular as accompaniment to egg dishes or pasta. Chicken liver is also
made into pat and spreads.
Chopped liver is a venerable Jewish delicatessen item, made with well cooked beef liver, onions
and hard boiled eggs, blended with chicken fat. It was a buffet staple at most Jewish parties.
For goose liver see foie gras.
Meat Buyers Guide # 701 - beef liver.
Meat Buyers Guide # 704 - calf liver.
Livermore
Wine town in Alameda county, California long recognized as wine producing region.
liverwort
Herb with medicinal properties and the family hepaticae. It grows on wet ground or on tree
trunks.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
liverwurst
Sausage made with finely ground liver, pork fat and meat. The sausage is almost spreadable.
The German word is Leberwurst. See there.
Livlander
German cheese with pungent taste. It is often called Hand Kse or Harz Kse.
Lizzy-run-up-the-hedge
Nickname for ground ivy. See there.
lobscouse
Colonial meat and potato stew, often basic fare on ships. The German version called Labskaus
was made with corned meat or herring and potatoes.
Also known as lob-scourse.

528

lobster
The highest rated crustacean with two pincers or claws, the cutting claw being larger than the
other claw. The true lobsters live in cold water on the bottom of the ocean and are cannibalistic and
cantankerous animals.
They will molt, or shed their shells frequently and the new shell remains soft and vulnerable for a
few weeks. During that time the lobster grows rapidly and is not harvested because the meat is soft and
watery. Lobsters can live for many years and can reach 20 lbs and more. However, the best meat is in
animals up to 5 lbs. Government regulations stipulate a minimum size for lobsters.
Lobsters are harvested and farmed mostly in the waters off New England.
They come closer to the shore during the summer. They are caught in traps called pots, baited with
rotten fish. Maine lobster has firm, flavorful flesh.
Live lobsters have dark, black-green very hard shell, which turns red after cooking. The color is
water un - soluble. Maine lobsters tend to be a little darker than those from Rhode Island or Long Island.
Lobsters are shipped live to practically all parts of the world, and stay live when kept moist and cold.
They are ocean animals and died quickly in fresh water.
Lobsters can be kept in tanks for a number of weeks, but since they are shipped with their claws
secured by rubber bands they cannot feed and eventually starve.
Female lobsters can contain roe - called coral - which is a delicacy. The female's tail tends to be
wider than the male's. On the underside of all lobsters, tiny flippers appear just below the main body
section and legs. If the top two flippers are thin and feathery, the lobster is female. If the flippers are long
and spiny, the lobster is male.
SIZES INCLUDE:
Chicken lobster - one pound or less.
Quarters - 1 pound to 1 pound.
Large - 1 to 2 pounds.
Jumbo - over 2 pounds.
It is not true that smaller lobsters are more flavorful. This theory was probably started by
marketers who had many more small ones to sell.
Spiny lobster are warm water crustacean and have no claws. Their meat is drier than the
genuine lobster. See Spiny lobster.
The Locust Lobster, also known as Sea Roach in Florida is a warm water lobster without claws.
A lobster-like shellfish found in the Mediterranean is the karavida.
Homard in French, Hummer in German, langosta in Spanish, aragosta in Italian.
Homarus.
Lobster l'amricaine
Classical French dish made with lobster, brandy, tomatoes, shallots, garlic and white wine. There
is also a Sauce Amricaine, made with the same ingredients, and served with fish and other seafood.
lobster butter
Culinary preparation by simmering lobster shells in butter. Fat will absorb the color and flavor of
lobster. Eventually the butter will turn red and acquire a strong flavor. It is strained and used to flavor
sauces.
Lobster Newburgh
Standard American hotel dining room lobster dish until the 1960's. The dish consisted of lobster
pieces served in a Sherry flavored cream sauce. Lobster Newburgh was often prepared in the dining
room, because it consisted of cooked lobster pieces sauteed in butter with Sherry wine and heavy cream
added, and the sauce was thickened with egg yolks or Hollandaise sauce. A little paprika was used for
color.
The dish was created at Delmonico's Restaurant in New York City. A Captain Wenberg
introduced the dish to the executive Chef Charles Ranhofer, and the dish was named after the captain.
When he he got into financial difficulties and could no longer pay his restaurant bills, the name of the
dish was turned around into Newburg, and eventually Newburgh.
Ranhofers cookbook mentioned the dish as lobster la Delmonico.

529

lobster pie
There are many versions, basically lobster chunks blended with cream sauce flavored with fish
stock, and baked under a pie crust.
lobster roll
New England snack, buttered lobster chunks served warm on a hot dog roll.
lobster salad
Basically any kind of cold shelled lobster is can be called lobster salad.
lobster sauce, Chinese
Sauce, used in Cantonese or Chinese-American dishes, such as shrimp with lobster sauce. The
sauce is made with fermented black beans and is commercially available. It does not contain lobsters.
lobster sauce, French
Classical rich sauce made with crushed lobsters, brandy, white wine, tomatoes and spices. It
can be part of an elaborate lobster dish, but also made to be served with poached fish.
Also known as Sauce Amricaine.
Lobster Thermidor
French classical dish created on January 24, 1894 by a Parisian chef working at the Caf de
Paris, and named for the play he attended that same evening at Comdie Franaise. The dish remained
popular into the 1940's, though it has declined in popularity of late.
The dish is also credited to the chef of Napoleon I, named after the month it was first served to
him.
The dish consists of partially cooked lobster, removed from the shell, cubed and placed back in
the shell with an herb, shallot, mustard, tarragon and egg yolk enriched white sauce, sprinkled with
Parmesan cheese and baked until done.
Lochan Ora
Scotch-based liqueur made by Chivas Regal.
locust beans
See carob.
lodge
Wine warehouse used to store Port wines in Oporto, Portugal.
Lodi
Apple variety developed in New York State in the early 1920's.
Lodigiano
Italian Grana (hard) cheese made near Lodi. The outside is dark and often oiled, the interior is
yellow, sharp and fragrant.
Also known as Lombardo.
Lodoicea Maldivica
Rare palm native to the Seychelles. It grows the largest and heaviest seed of any plant, a
"Siamese twin" coconut weighing 13 to 18 kilograms (28 lb to 45 lb).
Lffelbiskuit
German name for Lady Fingers. See there.
loganberries
Berries growing wild, and being cultivated. The fruits resemble blackberries in shape, but have
the color of red raspberries. They are slightly tart and somewhat waxy in appearance. The darker they

530

are the sweeter the flavor. Loganberries are available June through August and generally best in July.
The commercial production comes from the Pacific Northwest.
There is considerable disagreement whether they are a blackberry hybrid, a cross between
raspberries and blackberries.
Rubus loganobaccus.
Logroo
Spanish wine town and region in the Rioja district.
loh mai
Chinese/Buddhist/vegetarian specialty. A pressed bean curd appetizer made to resemble meat.
loi kaeo
Thai fruit dessert made of cut fruit in syrup and crushed ice, scented with rose petals or jasmine
flowers.
loin
The back part of an animal. Since it gets the least amount of movement and exercise it is the
most tender part.
Beef loin - Meat Buyers Guide #172
Lamb loin - Meat Buyers Guide #231
Veal loin - Meat Buyers Guide #331
Pork loin - Meat Buyers Guide #410.
Loire wines
River and wine growing area in western France. Along the river are a number of different
viticultural areas. Most wines of the Loire River valley are white, but there are also roses and a few red
wines. Some sparkling wines are made. The wines range from very dry to medium sweet, and are
pleasant, light and refreshing. Generally, they are light wines which do not age well.
GRAPES CULTIVATED:
Chenin Blanc, also known as Pineau de la Loire, Breton or as the Cabernet Franc
Muscadet
Cabernet Sauvignon.
VINICULTURAL LOIRE AREAS:
Muscadet - at the mouth of the river where it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, and the dry white wine
is excellent with seafood.
Anjou and Amboise - near the city of Angers, and including the Coteaux du Layon, and Coteaux
de la Loire. It produces some the the best Loire ros and also white wines.
Touraine - surrounding the town of Tours. The wines include sparkling, dry, semi-sweet, or
sweet. Mostly pleasant, light and refreshing. Includes the wines of Bourgueil, Chinon, Montlouis, Vouvray.
Saumur - known for its sparkling wines.
Chinon and Bourgueil - light bodied reds.
Vouvray and Montlouis - white wines from the Chenin Blanc grape.
Quincy and Reuilly - pleasant light white wines.
Pouilly-sur-Loire and Sancerre - some of the finest dry white wines of the Loire are grown along
the upper Loire, far from the Atlantic Ocean. The major grape is the Sauvignon Blanc which here is
known as Blanc-Fum.
The wines include: Pouilly-Fum, Sancerre and small quantities of a ros from the Pinot Noir
grape.
lollies
Australian and British slang for lollipops.
lollipops
Hard candy on sticks, known since the late part of the eighteenth-century.
Also known as lollypops.

531

Lombarts Calville
Dutch variety of apple with yellow skin when fully ripe, but it is usually harvested green. Good for
eating and processing.
lomi lomi
Salmon dish from Hawaii made originally with salted and dried salmon. The salmon is soaked to
remove salt, and then coarsely chopped, mixed with scallions and diced tomatoes. It is served cold as a
salad.
London Broil
The name of a dish, and not of a specific meat cut. Grilled beef, sliced and served with a sauce,
most likely mushroom sauce. The meat cut is not clearly defined. Many restaurants use beef flank, a
tender, but stringy muscle, which is quite palatable when sliced on a bias.
Supermarkets often call muscles cut from the beef round and other cuts London Broil.
long beans

Very long, slender green beans, common

in Oriental cooking.
Also known as snake beans.
Vigna unguiculata, spp. sesquipedalis.
long neck
Beer bottle with a long neck, popular in the
South.
Long Island duck
See duck.
Long Island Ice Tea
Alcoholic drink popular at the Jolly Swagman Inn in Hicksville, Long Island, New York. It looks
and deceptively similar to ice tea, though it's a powerful blend of gin, vodka, rum, tequila, triple sec and
lemon juice or lime, mixed with Coca Cola which gives the drink its tea-like appearance.
Long Island wines
The industry dates only to 1973, when the Hargraves started their vineyard at Cutchogue. They
discovered that the maritime climate and soil is similar to Bordeaux's.
Since then many potato fields have been planted with grapes. Cabernet Sauvignon and
Sauvignon Blanc do well on Long Island, especially on the North Fork. Chardonnay, Merlot, Riesling and
Gewrztraminer are also cultivated.
However, the climate is not particularly suited to Zinfandel, Petite
Syrah and Pinot Noir.
The Hargrave vinery was sold to an Italian family in 1999.
longans
Chinese fruits resembling lichees. This tropical fruit was originally only imported to the US, but is
now grown in Florida. It can be purchased and eaten either fresh, canned in syrup, or dried.
Longans are prized in northern Thailand, where they are known as lamyai, that every year a
festival is held in Lamphun, during the height of the harvest season.
Also known as Chinese Dragon Eyes.
Also known as Longyn.
Euphoria longan.

532

longhorn
Cattle breed, originally from Spain, which was widely raised by Texas rangers, and became the
cattle of the famous cattle drives. Longhorn cattle lost commercial importance when other breeds were
introduced in the 1920's.
Longhorn cheddar
Type of cheddar cheese named for its long cylindrical shape.
longjohn
Long, straight doughnut.
Longyan
Chinese white wine grape variety.
looseners
Coffee shop servers slang for prunes.
loquat

Fruit from an evergreen tree called Japanese

medlar, often used as ornamental tree in backyards. It
belongs to the same botanical family as apples. The name
means reed orange in Cantonese, where the fruit
originated.
Loquats resemble apricots and are about 2
inches long with a brown pit in the center. It is normally
sold in clusters. The fruit will blemish easily and is
therefore difficult to grow and to ship. It can be eaten fresh
or used in jams and jellies. Also known as Japanese plum
or nispero.
Eriobotrya japonica.
Lord Lambourne
Popular dessert apple variety widely grown in Europe. Round, regularly-shaped, with greenishyellow, red-streaked skin. The greenish-yellow flesh is soft, juicy and sweet.
Lorette potatoes
Classical French potato dish. Mashed potatoes mixed with cream puff paste, shaped and deep
fried. The proportion of potatoes to paste is about half and half. The mixture is often piped with a pastry
tube on parchment paper, and then the paper
is dipped in the hot fat to allow the potatoes to slide off.
Lorraine
Small, fresh cheese seasoned with pistachio nuts.
lotte
French term for monkfish. Only the firm fleshed tail is used. See monkfish.
lotte au poivre
French. Monkfish tails coated with crushed peppercorns and sauteed over a high flame. This
classical French dish might have been the inspiration for the blackened red fish of Cajun cooking, though
it is less spicy and less blackened than the American counterpart. A popular dish in bistros.
lotte l'oseille
Monkfish in sorrel sauce.

533

Lotus
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Sacred plant of Asia related to water lily and used

extensively in cooking. The root, seeds and leaves are
eaten.
Lotus leaves are steamed or eaten raw as salad.
Lotus roots are used as vegetable. They are
perforated with holes and are decorative. The roots are
available fresh and canned. The roots are also ground into
flour. Among the Chinese, sliced lotus root, with its lacy
texture, symbolizes letting the good luck shine through.
Lotus seeds are often served during Chinese
celebrations, such as Chinese New Year, to symbolize
plenty. They have a slight almond flavor and are usually
cooked, pureed and added to soups and desserts. Also
known as med bua.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Nelumbium nuciferum.
Lough Caum
Irish goat cheese from County Clare. Strong and somewhat acidic tasting.
Louisbourg chicken pie
Chopped chicken meat mixed with sausage meat and shaped into meat balls, cooked in chicken
broth with potato balls, then topped by puff pastry and baked.
Louisiana calas
Deep fried sweet rice cakes sold during carnival be street vendors in New Orleans.
Louisiana food
TYPICAL DISHES:
Dirty rice - Leftover rice, sauteed with onions, green peppers, celery, stock and
Gumbo - A thick, robust soup with many variations. Common are shrimp,
and file gumbo.
Hush puppies
Jambalaya - A stew of multi-ingredients, commonly including tomatoes, onions
countless seasonings and meat, fish or shellfish.
Mirliton - A hard-shelled vegetable pear. The softer inside is cooked like squash,
stuffed with ham or shrimp with a spicy sauce.
Okra
Oysters - raw, fried, Bienville, Rockefeller. See there.
Red-beans and rice.
LOUISIANA SWEETS INCLUDE:
Bread pudding - Often laced with whiskey.
Pecan pie
Pralines - A very sweet candy patty made from sugar and pecans.
See also New Orleans, Creole, Cajun.

giblets.
chicken, okra,

celery,
commonly

Loup de mere
French term for a fish in the bass family.

534

Loupiac
Wine-growing area in Sauternes, France producing sweet wines.
lovage
Large plant native to the Mediterranean with strong, aromatic oil. The plant can be eaten as
vegetable, or candied like angelica. The seeds are used in baking.
Levisticum officinale.
love and tangle
Two doughnuts twisted together before frying.
love apples
Term for tomatoes, which also can be found in other languages. It is probably based on the
erroneous translation form the Italian pomo de Moro to the French pomme damour. Since tomatoes
originated in the Americas, the name did not make much sense.
Lovers of the Stinking Rose
Garlic lovers' fan club. It studies the scientific aspects and history of garlic. As of 1991, there are
4,000 members.
Last available address: 1563 Solano Avenue, Suite 201, Berkeley, CA 94707
low mull
Meat and vegetable stew made with at least two meats.Also known as Mulligan stew.
low country cooking
The term low country cooking in America refers to the ethnic cooking found on the South Carolina
coast, especially Pawleys Island and the low-lying coastal country of South Carolina to Georgia. Its
culinary heritage, like that of Cajun and Creole, combines African, Caribbean, European, and native
American influences.
The earliest new world settlers were slaves from the sugar plantations in the West Indies in the
1670's. They brought with them the cooking style and ingredients of their African roots, such as yams,
okra, and sesame seeds, and also from the West Indies. These Afro-Americans were the dominant
population at that time, but there were also French Huguenot refugees, German Moravian farmers, and
Sephardim Jews from Spain and Portugal.
The cooking is peppery. Typical dishes include fresh seafood, especially crabs, shrimp, oysters,
grouper, hush puppies, fried okra, cole slaw, rice, butter beans, collards, rice, squash, peach cobbler.
Dinner is usually served midday
Holland and Belgium are known as the low countries in Europe.
low calorie
Term difficult to define because it is dependent on serving size and many other factors.
loweezies
Term in the local Boontling dialect of northern California for soda biscuits, named for Louisa who
made excellent ones.
Lowenstein, Eleanor
Leading antiquarian cookbook dealer, owner of the Corner Bookshop in New York City. She
purchased the Andre L. Simon (founder of The International Wine and Food Society) collection. Ms.
Lowenstein passed away in 1980. The collection is now with the American Wine and Food Institute
lox
Jewish/Yiddish word for fatty salmon cured in brine. Often the belly is used. The word is related
to the German word for salmon, which is Lachs.

535

luau
Hawaiian traditional feast. The word originally meant taro leaves. The term is also used for a dish
wrapped in taro leaves.
See Hawaii.
Lbeck
Port city in northeastern Germany on the Baltic Sea. The marzipan capital of the world and also
famous for Lebkuchen.
Lucullus, Lucius Licinius
Roman with incredible wealth, 114 to 57 BC. Lucullus spent his fortune on lavish meals.
One gourmet society in New York City is called the Lucullus Circle.
lucuma
Another name for star apple. See there.
lufer
Turkish small, delicate, but inexpensive fish, unique to the Black Sea, often served grilled.
Lugana
Italian dry white wine produced around the Lake Garda in northern Italy.
Luganeghe
Italian pork sausage, normally sold as Italian sausage. It is sold by weight rather than by links
and weight.
luk grawan
Thai name for cardamom.
luk chup
Thai very sweet dessert made of mung bean paste.
Lukanika
Greek pork sausage flavored with wine and coriander seeds, eaten as cold cut.
lumache
Italian dry pasta resembling little snails.
lumber
Hotel slang for banquet furniture.
lumpfish roe
Available orange and black varieties usually from Iceland, and served as caviar replacement
because it is much less expensive than salmon or sturgeon roe.
lumpia
Indonesian egg roll, quite popular in Holland.
Also known as loempia.
Lunar New Year
See Chinese New Year.
luncheon meats
Inexpensive cold cuts for sandwiches.

536

Lneberg (Luneberg)
Austrian cheese from the Province Vorarlberg. The cheese resembles Emmenthal.
Lunel
French sweet wine made in the Pyrenee region.
lupine
Any of a group of flowering plants in the pea family. The plants have white, beanlike seeds which
are eaten in some parts of Europe.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
lutefisk
Scandinavian dried cod fish, reconstituted by alternate soakings in water and a caustic soda
solution (which replaced the long-used lye). Derided by many for its pervasive old socks or over-the-hill
brie aroma, it esteemed by others for its ripe flavor and gelatinous texture.
Swedes eat it with cream sauce and hardtack; Norwegians eat it with melted butter and lefse
bread; and Danes prefer mustard sauce and flat bread. All eat it with potatoes.
Luxembourg
Tiny country sandwiched between France, Germany and Belgium. Wine is cultivated along the
Moselle River.
Luzern
Picturesque town in Switzerland on Lake Luzern, famous as tourist destination. The close by
Brgenstock is a mountain retreat with an excellent hotel complex.
lychee
See litchi.
lycopene
Phytochemical with strong antioxidant properties. It creates the color in tomatoes.
lympa
Table wine of ancient Pompeii, probably made from free-run juice. Sometimes mixed with sweet
wine to make confusum.
See defrutum.
Lynch-Bages, Chteau
Wine estate in the Bordeaux region of France. It produces sturdy red wines.
lyonnaise, la
French culinary term with dishes containing onions. The best known are pommes lyonnaise,
home fried potatoes with onions.
M. D.
Coffee shop slang for Dr. Pepper soda.
M. A .P.
Modified atmosphere packaging. A technologically advanced packaging first used in the 1980's.
It is a semi-permeable membrane, a breathable plastic film which allows certain spoiling gases to escape
and reduces the amount of oxygen to retard spoilage. It also regulates the exchange of other gases.
Especially useful for produce which once picked draws on its own energy, taking in and giving off gases.
M.A.P. can help produce to ripen without spoilage from trapped moisture.
The film varies for different products.

537

M. R. E.
Abbreviation for Military ready-to-eat meals. The meals were modified after the gulf war and
consist of twenty four menus including Pasta Alfredo and Jamaican spiced Pork Chops. Each package
includes extra cheese spread, individual bottle Tabasco Sauce, and M&M. The meals stay edible for up
to three years without refrigeration. A water activated heating element is used to warm the meals.
Modified M. R. E. are used for humanitarian relief and include vegetarian meals.
Macabeo
Spanish white wine grape, also known as Viura in the Rioja region, is the most widely planted
white grape variety in Rioja. See Rioja.
Tempranillo and Garnacha are the prominent red grape varieties.
Macabeo
Spanish white wine grape originally grown in the Somontano region, now grown in Rioja and
throughout Spain. Also known as viura.
macadamia nuts
The seeds of a tropical nut tree. The lush tree grows only in sub-tropical climates and prefers
mineral rich lava soil. The roots remain close to the surface, and the tree can easily be blown over. Thus,
most orchards are surrounded by wind-breaking pine trees.
Although macadamia nuts are usually associated with Hawaii, where most are grown, they are
actually native to Australia. They were discovered to be edible by Dr. John Macadam, secretary of the
Philosophical Institute of Melbourne, Australia. The seeds were taken to Hawaii in 1892.
An alternate version attributes the name of the tree to a John MacAdam, who promoted the
cultivation of the tree in Australia.
The trees require many years to bear fruit. The nuts grow inside shells, which are inside leathery,
difficult to crack husks, which hang in clusters. It requires 300 pounds of pressure per square inch to
crack them. Thus the nuts were especially rare before the 1950's when machinery was developed which
could crack them for commercial use.
The harvest in Hawaii begins in August and extends to March, with five pickings of nuts per
season. Though the nuts contain no cholesterol, most manufacturers roast them in coconut oil, a
saturated fat. However, they are nutritionally rich as well as sweet, creamy, crunchy tasting, and a cross
between delicate and rich.
Macadamia nuts are also cultivated in Guatemala.
Also known as Queensland nuts.
Macadamia ternifolia.
macaroni
Generic name for pasta in the shape of long tubes. In the USA, most macaroni is cut into short
pieces and slightly bent, called elbow macaroni. It ranks next to spaghetti as the most popular pasta in
the US.
macaroni and cheese
Popular all American pasta preparation. The standard recipe consists of small tubular macaroni,
cooked and mixed with cream sauce and American cheese. If homemade, the mixture is usually baked in
the oven for a short time, but most packaged brands use a soft cheese for immediate mixing and serving.
macaroons
Almond paste cookies. The name comes from the Venetian word,"macarone", meaning fine
paste. Earliest record of them dates to 791 in France. Macaroons were made at a monastery supposedly
in the shape of a monk's navel.
Italian macaroons are also sometimes called brutti ma buoni, which, literally translated, means
ugly but good.
Popular at Passover, though there does not appear to be any symbolic reason why.
At The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, almond macaroons were made every day fresh in two sizes
and offered to the guests free of charge.

538

There are also coconut macaroons on the market, but the original were always made with
almond paste.
maccheroni con noci e cacao
Macaroni dish, popular as a first course of Christmas dinner in the Umbria part of Italy. It consists
of macaroni with walnuts and cocoa.
mace
Nut shaped tropical spice. The ground shell or filmy red membrane of the nutmeg. The outside of
the nut is ground off and becomes mace, the inside is sold as nutmeg. There is little difference in flavor.
Both the nutmeg and the mace are encased in a fleshy husk which is delicious when cooked, but
unsafe uncooked. In fact, mace is poisonous, but not harmful in the small quantities used.
Mace is sold normally ground or in flakes, sometimes called blades.
Also known as tavitri.
Myristicae fragrans.
macdoine (macedoine)
French culinary term. Mixture of different foods, often used on menus to describe
a fruit salad. The word probable goes back to Macedonia, formally part of Yugoslavia, and also part of
Greece because the population consists of many different ethnic groups.
Macedonia is blessed with balmy temperatures and it became known as the Garden of Midas.
Fruit trees and wine grapes, notably Xynmavro and Negoska, are grown there. This probably explains
the connection with fruit salad.
macrer
French culinary term, to add liqueur to fruits to steep in for additional flavor. Macerate in English.
mche/mache
French name for a lettuce with medium to dark green small round, delicate leaves which form
cluster. Soft, creamy texture and sweet, nutty flavor. Expensive, delicate, and flavorful so best used raw
in salads. One of the first salads in Spring
Also known as corn salad, field salad, lamb's lettuce, or miner's lettuce.
Machiavelli
Famous Italian author, his name is now associated with the famous Tuscan wine Chianti
Machiavelli.
mackerel
Important food fish, living in the oceans north of the equator. The fish is metal blue, and has dark
meat with high fat content. Available salted, canned, fresh and frozen.
VARIETIES ARE:
Amberjack
Atlantic Mackerel, also called Boston Mackerel.
Bonito Mackerel, a large fish with strong flavor, term used for Spanish Mackerel harvested in the
Pacific.
Horse Mackerel, also known as Scad.
King Mackerel, harvested in the Atlantic ocean, also known as Kingfish.
Pacific Jack Mackerel, also called Pacific Horse Mackerel.
Spanish Mackerel, also known as chub, harvested in both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans.
Scomber is the European variety.
The American pompano is in the mackerel family.
Maquereau in French, Makrele in German, caballa in Spanish, sgombro in Italian.
Scomber scombrus.

539

Mcon (Macon)
French wine trading center in Southern Burgundy, and also of wines of that name. The wines
can be white, red or ros, most of it is red.
Mconnais is the area around Mcon, and produces excellent wines, such as the celebrated
Pouilly Fuiss and St. Veran.
Mcon Villages is an appellation for white wines from specific districts.
Macnnais (Maconnais)
Goat cheese from France.
Macqueline
French cheese made in the Department Oise and resembling Camembert.
Macoun apple
Apple variety developed in New York State in the early 1920's as eating apple.
macrobiotic diet
Eating the Macrobiotic Way is a philosophy, by George Ohsawa, a Japanese-American who died
in 1966. The word macrobiotic literally translated means big life. It is based on yin/yang principles as
espoused by Sagen Ishizuka. See yin/yang.
The diet includes vegetables, seaweeds and grains and only small amounts of animal products.
In addition to balancing "yin" and "yang" foods, it balances foods from the sea with foods from the land.
mad honey
Some honey can produce toxic effects, such as nausea, fainting, vomiting, excessive
perspiration, and potentially dangerous drops in blood pressure, although most commonly the effects
resemble a 24-hour virus.
Evidence of "mad honey" are found in history. It is said that in 410 BC, Persian soldiers went
mad after eating honey produced from the nectar of rhododendron, which contains gray-antitoxins.
Mountain laurel and sheep laurel commonly found in the eastern US also produce toxic effects.
Its is uncommon in commercially produced honey, because any toxicity is usually diluted throughout a
large batch. Small quantity honey, such as purchased from small farmers is more likely to be toxic. See
honey.
Madagascar
Island off East Africa famous for the cultivation of vanilla beans. See there.
made dishes
English old term for a main courses.
Madeira
Fortified wine from the Portuguese island by the same name. The wine is brought to an alcohol
content of about 20% by the addition of high-proof brandy.
The wine production was far more than the island's population could consume themselves and it
became the major export. But on long voyages, the fortified wine sloshed around in the barrels in the
sweltering holds of sailing vessels and developed smoky, caramel flavors. The wine is aged in estufas,
rooms heated to temperatures of over 100 degrees for several months, a practice that would be
calamitous for most wines. to duplicate the old shipping practices.
Madeira lovers in earlier times are said to have boasted that their best bottles had been "three
times around the Horn". Wealthy shippers sported a small suspended cask of Madeira in their offices
and visitors were expected to tap it lightly to set it in motion.
So Madeira turned natural deterrents into positives. Nature issued two other challenges which
almost ended the wine industry. Mildew struck the vineyards in 1852, cutting production to a third of its
volume in the succeeding 20 years. Then, in 1873, the phylloxera attacked, which wiped out most of the
vineyards in France and much of the rest of Europe. It took 15 years to replant the vineyards with
phylloxera resistant vines. See phylloxera.

540

Madeira, in addition to its unique style and ability to survive natural challenges, owes much of its
commercial success to historical incidents.
Drinking Madeira was popular in colonial America, perhaps as a defiant gesture. At that time, the
British decreed that all European goods destined for its colonies be transported in British ships and travel
via Great Britain. Madeira, though Portuguese-owned, is located off the coast of northern Africa and was
deemed outside decreed area. As the American colonies grew more estranged from the mother country,
drinking Madeira grew more common. It is said that the signers of the Declaration of Independence
celebrated the signing with a glass of Malmsey Madeira. Thomas Jefferson was known to be fond of
Madeira.
Madeira may just be the first American fad to have taken hold in England. British solders who
fought in the Revolution acquired a taste for the wine and brought it home with them. During the
Napoleonic Wars, shipments of their favored claret, Bordeaux red wine, was curtailed by the blockades
and they turned more warmly to Madeira, perhaps, like the Americans, fostered by emotions of defiance.
Meanwhile, back in America, Savannah, along with Boston, New York and Philadelphia, became
major ports of entry for shipments and had prestigious Madeira Clubs which met about once a month.
The light, pale Rainwater Madeira was first blended by William Neyle Habisham, a prominent Savannah
wine merchant.
Madeira wines are mostly named for the grape varieties they are made from, which also dictate
the sweetness and style of the wine.
MADEIRA WINES BY DEGREE OF SWEETNESS:
Sercial - driest
Verdelho - medium dry
Bual - sweet
Malmsey - the sweetest.
At one time, vineyard names were on the bottles, but this practice is no longer done.
Madeira sauce
Classical French sauce, a meat brown sauce, also called sauce demi-glace, flavored with
Madeira wine. The sauce is often served with baked ham and beef.
Madeleines
Little French cakes baked in scallop shaped molds.
maderis
Term for wine that has spoiled by storage in heat or by oxygen. The wine is usually brown and
has a smokey, off flavor.
Madiran
Rough tannic red wine from the Gascony region of southwest France.
madrilne
French term for in the style of Madrid. The term is most often used for Consomm Madrilne, a
pink beef consomme flavored with tomatoes, often served chilled.
The pink color expected by customers was difficult to achieve without adding food color, and
most restaurant served a canned soup or a home made soup dyed red, which gave the dish a bad name.
Properly made Consomm Madrilne is delicious.
Magenta
Italian town famous for a battle between France and Austria. The name appeared on menus.
It is also the name given to a dye.
Maggi, Julius
Inventor of a line of soup bases and seasoning, which became immensely popular in German
speaking countries. At one time, many inexpensive restaurants had a bottle of Maggi's Wrze on each
table.

541

maggot
Maggots are used as human food by some tribes. Eating maggots was shown on the TV Show
Survivors in summer 2000.
magnesium
Papayas are rich in magnesium. See papaya.
Magnum
Wine bottle size, twice as big as the normal bottle, or 1.5 liters.
Magratch Ruby
Russian red wine grape variety, a cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Saperavi.
magret de canard
French term for duckling breast from a force-fed bird.
Maguey
Ornamental plant cultivated in Mexico for fiber, food and for beverages made from the sap of the
huge fruit.
The fleshy leaves are squeezed and the liquid used as ointment. See Tequila and pulque.
Also known as agave.
mahimahi/mahi mahi
Pacific food fish commonly harvested in the waters off Hawaii and Polynesia. Also called dolphin,
but it is not related to the true dolphin, which is a mammal.
Mahimahi is moderately low in fat.
Mahon
Spanish cows and ewess milk cheese, soaked in brine and then rubbed with olive oil. The rind
is hard, but the interior is semi-hard.
Mai Tai
Rum drink made with lime and Curaao. The drink was on the Trader Vic's menu.
Maids of Honor
Custard tarts made with almond paste and fruit jam.
Maiden blush
Apple variety.
maiden's delight
Coffee shop slang for cherries.
maigre
French term for lean, and by extension for food made without meat and meat products.
Maile
Ewes milk cheese made in the Ukraine and in the Caucasus mountains. It is kept in brine for
storage. Maile Pener is a more fatty version of the same cheese.
Maille
French brand of mustard, now available in the US available with several flavors, including
shallots. Maille operates a boutique at fashionable Place de la Madlaine in Paris. The company belongs
to the AM Group (in 2000).

542

Mailly
Village in the Champagne region of France famous for their pinot noir grape production.
main course
Known in America as an entree. Old English words are removes and made dishes.
Main
German river.
Mainauer
German cheese resembling Mnster, made on the island of Mainau in Lake Constance, at the
border of Austria, Germany and Switzerland.
Maine food
The most northeastern state famous for lobsters and potatoes. It has an extensive coastline and
beside lobsters other fish are harvested. Canned sardines are a major product.
Maine potatoes are generally classified as Irish Potatoes. Baked beans are perhaps more
commonly found in Maine home-cooking than in Boston.
The short summer season produces excellent blueberries, apples and pears.
Maintenon, Franoise dAubigne
French Marquise, secret wife and lover of the French King Louis XIV. Her name appeared on
classical French menus.
Mainzer Hand Kse
Strong smelling German cheese, basically Limburger cheese. See there.
maison
French word for house. At one time, the word maison was used in connection with restaurant
names. La Maisonette was the name of the night club in the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan.
Maison dor
French term for golden door. The term was used as restaurant name.
matre d'htel
Often spelled maitre d'. French term for master of the household. The term, now old fashioned,
was used in elegant restaurants to describe a headwaiter.
matre d'htel butter
The most popular of the many butter mixtures in French cooking. The blend consisted of fresh
butter kneaded with chopped parsley, lemon juice, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. It is customary
rolled in wax paper to a roll about one inch in diameter, and chilled. The sliced butter is served on top of
broiled meat.
maize
The Spanish word for corn. The same word, with different spellings, is used for corn in many
European languages. See corn.
Maizena
Brand name of corn starch. Originally a German brand.
maizuna
Asian variety of mustard greens.
Major Grey's Mango Chutney

543

Brand name, see chutney.

majordomo
Spansih term for a chief steward, or the manager of a large household. The term is also used for
butler.
make it a virtue
Coffee shop slang, add cherry syrup to cola.
mako shark
See shark.
Mlaga/Malaga
Spanish fortified sweet wine from the Spanish region of the same name. The wine has a high
alcohol content. The better wines are made with the addition of sun dried Pedro Ximnez grapes to add
sweetness.
malakit
Philippine rice variety rich in gluten.
Malakoff
French soft cream cheese.
Malakoff Torte
Viennese chocolate cake, consisting of layers of lady fingers and cream.
Malakow
Battlefield in Sewastopol on the Crimean peninsular. The battle was won by the French general
Pelessier, who became later the Duke of Malakow. The name was used in the 19th century for culinary
creations, including a cake. The cake was quite popular in Vienna where is was spelled Malakoff.
malanga
Starchy tuber with pale or purplish
and somewhat slippery flesh. The flesh
turns grey when cooked. Used in Hispanic
cooking as thickening in soups, but also as
fries.
It must be cooked at all times.
Also known as eddo, taro.
Colocassia esculenta var.
antiquorum.

malanga
Fleshy leafed South American herb.
Also known as West Indian Kale.
Xanthosoma atrovirens.
malaqueta
A tiny, fiery red or green peppers harvested in Brazil. They are steeped in dende palm oil to
make the pimento sauce used in Bahian cooking, and is also added to many local dishes.
Also known as Malagueta, or Grains of Paradise.

544

malasol, also spelled malossol

Russian term for lightly salted. It is used for the best quality caviar.
Malaysia food
The Malayan peninsula is dominated by the country of Malaysia, with Singapore an independent
island state at the tip. The food is often minced and highly spiced. No pork is consumed for religious
reasons.
The food is much influenced by Chinese cooking. Rice is a staple.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Dalcar - stewed lentils, mutton, and vegetables in a curry sauce.
Ikan asam - fried fish in a spicy, sour tamarind curry.
Ikan bilis - small whitebait fish fried with a spicy soy and peanut sauce.
Kacang panjang - scallions sauteed with soybean curd.
Oporan - chicken with coriander and coconut cream.
Pecel istemewa - spiced chicken in a coconut sauce.
Sotong berkelar - fried squid with tomatoes and spices.
Tahu panjang - string beans sauteed with soybean curd.
Tauge panjang - bean sprouts sauteed with soybean curd.
The Peranakans are Straits-born people of Chinese roots when the Chinese men intermarried
with the local Malaysian women. The men are known as Babas and the women are known as Nonyas.
They developed a respected local food style is called Nonya, see there.
MALAYSIAN INGREDIENTS:
Alba - enugreek. See there.
Asam Pai - dried tamarind slices. See there.
Assam - tamarind. See there.
Bangkuang - yam beans, a type of sweet yams.
Bawal - pomfret, an ocean food fish. See there.
Bayam - spinach. See there.
Bijan - sesame seeds, also known as gingerly seeds. See sesame seeds.
Biji sawi - mustard seeds. See there.
Blacan - shrimp paste.
Buah keras - candlenuts. See there.
Bunga lawang - star anise. See there.
Bunga cingkeh - cloves. See there.
Cendawan - Chinese dried mushrooms.
Char choy - preserved mustard cabbage hearts.
Chim mei fun - rice flour.
Choy poh - pickled radish.
Daun bawang - scallions. See there.
Darn mien - fresh egg noodles.
Daun kesom - pungent leafy herb.
Daun ketumbar - cilantro. See there.
Daun limau purut - lime leaves.
Daun pandan - pandan leaves.
Daun pudina - mint. See there. Daun salam - bay leaf. Fah chew - Szechuan pepper.
Farn su mew - sweet potato greens.
Fu pei - bean curd skins, thin sheets collected before the soy coagulates.
Fuchok - crip, dried bean curd skins.
Gar lowe - daun Kadeok, shiny leaves from a wild growing tropical weed.
Ghee - clarified butter as used in Indian cooking.
Halia - ginger. See there.
Ho yow - oyster sauce. See there.
Hoe see - dried oysters.
Hollan dow - snow peas. See there.
Hung yan - almonds. See there.
Ikan kembong - mackerel. See there.

545

Jintan manis - fennel seeds. See there.

Jintan putih - cumin. See there.
Ju mong yow - pork caul. See caul.
Kacang Panjang - long Beans. See there.
Kan sui - alkali water.
Kangkong - green leafy vegetable that grows beside streams.
Karprupillai - curry leaves. See there.
Kas kas - poppy seeds. See there.
Kayu manis - cinnamon. See there.
Keladi - yams. See there.
Kerapu - grouper. See there.
Ketola - angled Loofah, a dark green gourd with angular ridges.
Ketumbar - coriander. See there.
Kong yu chai/ Ikan bilis - dried anchovies. See there.
Kuchai - chives. See there.
Kundor - green gourd.
Kunyit - tumeric. See there.
Labu Siam - chocho, pear shaped fruit of a climbing vine used as vegetable.
Lada - peppercorns. See there.
Lah lah - mussels. See there.
Lam keong fah - Bunga Kantan, the flower buds of a ginger variety used in curries.
Lap cheong - Chinese sausages, normally made with pork and sun-dried.
Lengkuas - galangale. See there.
Lin chee - lotus seeds. See there.
Lobak - Chinese radish.
Loh mei - glutinous rice. See there.
Ma lai chan - Blacan, shrimp paste available in cakes or in cans.
Mah yow - sesame oil. See there.
Mah tai - water chestnuts. See there.
Meehon - rice vermicelli. See there.
Mei chou - rice wine. See there.
Mien kon - dried egg noodles.
Mien kun - fried wheat gluten ball.
Mok Yee - wood ear mushrooms. See there.
Mok kua - papaya. See there.
Mui choy - salted and dried mustard greens.
Ng heong fun - five spice powder. See there.
Ping tong - crystal sugar.
Rebong - bamboo shoots. See there.
Sai yeong choy - watercress. See there.
Sambal - spicy chili mixture.
Sang chow - soy sauce. See there.
Santan - coconut . See there.
Sar Kok mai - sago. See there.
Sar keong - miniature member of the ginger family, both the leaves and rhizomes
used. See ginger.
Sayor sawi - mustard greens. See there.
Serai - lemon grass. See there.
Sohoon - transparent noodles made from green pea flour.
Su chai choy - Sayor manis, a green vegetable.
Suin mui cheong - plum sauce. See there.
Sun fun - tapioca flour.
Tai choy kohl - agar agar. See there.
Teemchok - dried soy bean curd.
Tepong Hoen Kwe - green flour made from peas or Mung beans.
Terong - eggplants. See there.

are

546

Tong choy - pickled Chinese cabbage.

Tai tou choy - dried preserved radish.
Tong hoe - Chinese spinach. See amaranth.
Tow sar - sweet bean paste made from cooked red beans.
Towfoo - bean curd. See there.
Towgeh - bean sprouts. See there.
Tung loong chew - bell peppers. See there.
Ubi kayu - tapioca. See there.
Ubi keledek - sweet potatoes. See there.
Udang kering - dried shrimp.
Wong Ah Bak - Chines white cabbage. See there.
Yea tong - Gula melaka, the dark brown cakes made from the sap of coconut palms.
Yee mien - fried noodles.
Yew to - cashew nuts. See there.
Yu loe - fish sauce. See Thai, Naam pla/nam pla.
Yu chee - shark fins. See there.
Fruits include ambarella, carambola, rambutan. See all.
Malbec
Red wine grape variety cultivated in Bordeaux and the Cahors region. Also grown in California.
Also known as Pressac.
malolactic fermentation
See fermentation.
Mallard duck
Largest of wild duck, a popular hunting bird.
Anas platyhynchos.
Malle, Chteau
French wine estate in Sauternes famous for sweet wine.
Mallomars
Graham cracker cookie, topped with marshmallow and covered with chocolate, made by
Nabisco. Sold only in cooler climate states, because the chocolate melts in warm temperatures.
Malmsey
Sweet, fortified wine made on the island Madeira from the Malvasia grape. Its prototype was an
ancient Greek wine, known as Monemvasia for the port from which it was shipped. The name became
Malvoisie in French, and eventually evolved into Malmsey in English, when the similar wine was
produced on the island of Madeira.
See Madeira.
Malpeque
Oyster from the Malpeque Bay on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Big, meaty oyster, fairly round
with a deep bottom shell.
Malpeque Oysters have been harvested by Indian fore thousands of years. The Latin name is
credited to Captain John Smith who landed in present day Virginia in 1607,
and gave all Atlantic oysters the name ostrea virginica.
malt
Germinating cereal, after is has been kiln dried. Malt is an basic ingredient in beer and
whiskey/whisky making, because it provides the sugar needed to ferment the wort . See there.
Malt is also manufactured as extract and syrup, and is used in baking, as flavor in candies, and
has many other uses. Malt was introduced to the soda fountain repertoire by William Horlick.
The most common malt is made from ground, kiln-dried sprouted barley.

547

548

Malt-O-Meal
Hot cereal popular in the 1930's and 1940's. A blend of wheat and toasted malt. Still made by the
Malt-O-Meal Company in Minnesota.
Malt powder
Powder flavored with dehydrated malt extract. The product has many uses.
Malt vinegar
Aromatic brown vinegar made from malted barley and beech shavings. After fermentation acetic
acid is induced. The vinegar is strained and often pasteurized.
The manufacture is connected to beer brewing and malt vinegar is popular in northern countries,
especially England.
maltagliati
Italian wide noodles, a specialty of the Friuli region.
Maltaise Sauce
Classical French Sauce, a Hollandaise sauce with the zest and juice of blood oranges.
See Hollandaise Sauce.
malted milk
Milk flavored with malt powder.
malting
The germination of barley or other grains, the first step in beer making. The grains are
moistened to sprout. The grains are spread about 1 foot high in a warm place, frequently turned until they
start to sprout. They develop diastase enzymes which convert starch into dextrin and fermentable sugar
maltose.
The sprouting is terminated by kiln drying.
Maltose
A white, crystalline product used commercially in syrups. It is related to sugar, a bi-product of
malted barley, thus of beer making. It is much less sweet than sucrose.
Also known as malt sugar.
Malvasia
Ancient white wine grape named after the Greek port Monemvasia. It is the world most widely
traveled grape name with many variation in spelling and character. Derivation of the name is also used
for grapes not related to Malvasia proper, such as Malvoisie in the Loir, Languedoc, Roussillone and
Savoie in France; and in Switzerland and Corsica confusingly for a different grape variety in each
location.
Malvasia was grown extensively on the Island Crete, and the Republic Venice imported huge
amounts of this wine that wine shops were called Malvasie.
Much Malvasia is produced in Italy and is used in such wines as Frascati , Marino, Est! Est!!
Est!!! and Galestro. Malvasia Candida is used in Madeira wine and gave its name to Malmsey Madeira.
Some Malvasia is grown in Rioja, Spain and in California.
Malvoisie is the medieval French name for the ancient sweet wine, originally known as
Monemvasia for the Greek port from which it was shipped. The name eventually evolved into Malmsey in
English, when a similar wine was produced on the island of Madeira.
Malvoisie
French name for the Malvasia grape. It produces sweet wines.
mamaliga
Rumanian corn meal mush, similar to polenta, often blended with bacon bits.

549

mammee/mamee apple
The fruit of a tropical evergreen native to Central and South America and the Caribbean. The
spherical fruit has a rough golden-brown skin and orange flesh, and can be eaten raw or preserved. It
can be made into jam, but is low in pectin and needs quince or hog-plums to make it gel.
Also known as Mamey, St. Domingo Apricot or South American Apricot.
Mammea americana.
mammoncillo
Tropical fruit growing in the West Indies. See quenepa.
Mamee Sapote/mamay sapote
Tropical fruit from South America and the Caribbean. It is the
national fruit of Cuba. Looking like a small football, it has a rough
brown skin and dense, orange-pink pulp. Its creamy pudding-like
flesh, with a honey-sweet flesh, is eaten raw or pureed into milk
shakes. It is sometimes cut open and sold as a street snack in
countries such as Peru.
See sapodilla.
Also known as black sapote or sapodilla.

manapua
Steamed bun with different fillings of oriental origin, and sold
by street vendors in Hawaii.
manatee
Endangered aquatic mammal, living in fresh water in Florida
and Central America. The animal was hunted for meat because it resembles veal.
Also known as sea cow.
Mancha, la
Large area south of Madrid, Spain, producing huge amounts of inexpensive red wine.
Manchego
Spanish/Basque ewes milk cheese. It is sold at different stages of maturation and therefore can
vary greatly in taste and texture.
mandarin
Hybrid small sweet citrus fruit, related to the orange, though with a distinctive flavor and a loose
skin that peels away easily from the flesh. The fruit was named mandarin, for the once ruling class of
China, because it is believed to have originated in China.
Mandarins comes with or without seeds.
Mandarin and tangerines are considered to be similar. Actually there is a minor difference
between the mandarin and tangerine. The mandarin originated in China and the tangerine originated in
India. However, the names and varieties are used interchangeably.
Mandarin oranges are cultivated in the Mediterranean, Asia and in California. Spain is a big
exporter of mandarins. They are popular as canned sections in fruit salad and as garnish.
VARIETIES:
Clementine is a sweet seedless hybrid between the mandarin and a variety of
orange.
Satsuma is a small mid-winter variety of Japanese origin and named for a peninsula
in
southern Japan. Unlike most tangerines, the satsuma is almost seedless. It is
grown in Spain for
export to Europe. Also grown in California.
Wilkins/Wilkings is the smallest commercially grown tangerine. It is only about 2 inches across.
Grown in California, Morocco, Brazil, and Spain.
The kinnow is a similar fruit, developed in California in 1915.
Temple oranges are a cross between mandarins and sweet oranges.

550

Tangelos are a cross between mandarins and grapefruits.

Also known as mandarin orange.
Citrus reticulata.
Mandarin cooking
Style of cooking for the emperors and upper classes of China. See China food, Peking regional
cooking.
Mandarin Napoleon
Belgian orange-flavored liqueur made in Antwerp. It is made from macerated tangerine peels
distilled with aged Cognac.
The liqueur is supposedly made from the recipe for the liqueur with which Napoleon wooed Mlle.
Mars, his favorite actress.
The Belgian chocolate company, Godiva, makes a chocolate filled with Mandarin Napoleon.
Mandilaria
Greek red wine grape variety.
mandjeskaas
Belgium cheese from the Brabant region.
mandolin
French name for a kitchen hand tool to shred and cut vegetables.
mandolini, also mandoletti
Italian almond cookies.

mandrake
Herb growing wild in Southern Europe and Northern Africa with medicinal applications.
Mandragora officinarum.
The American mandrake, also called May apple, is not related.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
mangetout/mange-tout
French name for snow peas. The peas are a special strain which does not develop strong pods.
They are very popular in Chinese cooking. Literally translated from French, it means eat all.
mangiafagioli
Nickname for the people of Tuscany/Italy because Tuscans use beans so predominately in their
cooking.
mungkut
Thai name for mangosteen, a tropical fruit. See there.
mango
Intensely flavored, succulent tropical fruit, with a slightly acidic sweet taste, although inferior ones
have a hint of turpentine in the taste. Mangos grow on trees native to India, where they have been
esteemed for more than 5,000 years. The name comes from the Tamil word "manga". The trees belong
to the anacardiaceae family.

551

The fruit is elongated with a thin skin which is green when unripe and yellowish red when ripe. It
has one large pit which is difficult to remove because the flesh clings to it. The average weight is about
one pound. Artists have been taken by its beautiful appearance, and it is said that the mango was the
inspiration for the paisley print.
The fruit is credited with having medicinal qualities, for digestion and for the blood and skin. This
sensuous fruit has been credited as an aphrodisiac, as a replacement, and as a help in cooling passions.
It is an important source of Vitamin A.
Mango is often referred to as the "king of
fruits", especially in India. Buddha was given a mango
tree as a place of repose. The leaves, fruit and wood
are used in Hindu rituals. The Indian emperor Akbar
so prized the fruit that he planted an orchard of
100,000 mango trees. In India, more than 1,000
varieties are said to be grown, including the prized
Alphonso and Dusehri.
Mangos are cultivated in most tropical
countries, epecially in Asia, also in Mexico, Florida,
and the Caribbean. Southern Florida is the major
commercial growing area in the continental US, where
most of the mangoes are yellow-skinned varieties.
California also grows some mangoes.
Ripe mangos are eaten raw as fruit, and green
mangos are eaten as snack sprinkled with salt. In
India, mangoes are often used as a vegetable in
cooking and are prominent in chutneys. The green mango is also dried and ground into amchoor
powder, which is used to impart a sour flavor to food.
There are between 500 and 1000 varieties, though only 8 or so are available in the US.
MANGO VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Alphonso, a prized Indian mango, from the area around Ratnagiri, the humid
southwestern
part of the country. Plump, rounded oval in shape, orange yellow in color, with a tangy-sweet yellow flesh.
An expensive variety which is largely exported.
Dusehri, Indian mango, from Utter Pradesh in the northern part of the country. Long, golden and
oval-shaped with saffron-orange colored flesh that is intensely sweet.
Francis, Haitian variety, much like the Indian Dusehri. Known as samarbehisht in
Persian, which literally translated means fruit from heaven.
Haden , a small, rounded Mexican variety, much like the Indian Alphonso. Available in the US
and one of the tastiest available here.
Keitt, very large. Available in the US. Yellow-green skin with a salmon tinge. Full flavored and
slightly lemony. Good texture.
Kent, large. Available in the US. Orange-y color with green speckles. Yellow-gold
flesh.
Langra, delicious Indian variety.
Sindoori, Indian variety from Andhra Pradesh in the south. Available in Spring.
Safeda, Indian variety from Andhra Pradesh in the south. Available in April.
Sindoori - An Indian variety from Andhra Pradesh in the south. Available in Spring.
Tommy Atkins, the most common variety in the US, though it is not necessarily the best tasting
and can be fibrous. Bright red skin.
A mango festival is held every April in Chachoengsao, Thailand.
Mangifera indica.
mango
In the Mid-West and Pennsylvania, the term also sometimes refers green bell peppers as well as
to pickled cucumbers and green pepper preparations

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mango powder
More commonly known as amchoor, it is made from unripe mangoes. The fruit is sliced and sundried, then powdered. Amchoor is pleasantly sour-tasting and used in northern Indian cooking.
Mangold
German name for a vegetables in the beet family with large green leaves. It is now cultivated
mostly for cattle food.
mangosteen
Tropical fruits growing on beautiful trees. The
fruits are not particularly attractive, being a dull
purplish-brown with four large sepals around the
stem. The thick skin peels away easily to
reveal a pearly-white to rose tinted flesh,
divided into segments. The fruit has the flavor
and texture of lychee. There are one or two
inedible pips in each segment.
The mangosteen skin is always
discarded before eating; It contains a lot of
tannin and is used in Asia to cure leather. The
flesh is eaten raw, and sometimes included in
fruit salad. The purplish juice will stain.
The mangosteen belongs to a family called the guttiferae, native to southeast Asia, and now
cultivated in Central America and Australia. Another member of the guttiferae family, the San Domingo
apricot Mammea america, grows wild in Central America and is cultivated experimentally in Florida. The
San Domingo apricot has the same leathery skin as the mangosteen, but the flesh is yellow and tastes
something like an apricot. It has three large pips.
Mungkut in Thai, manggis in Singapore.
Garcinia mangostana.
Manhattan clam chowder
Clam chowder made with tomatoes, potatoes and other vegetables, resembling Minestrone soup.
Purists have argued that a chowder, by definition, must be made with cream. It was said to have
been developed at the Fulton Fish Market by William H. Winters in the late 19th century, as a practical
measure when cream was rather expensive.
Manhattan clam chowder is also said to have been invented in Coney Island in the late 19th
century. Charles Ranhofer, a chef at Delmonico's restaurant, is also credited with its invention, though he
called his version Chowder de Lucines
Manhattan Cocktail
Alcoholic drink consisting of whisky, vermouth and bitters, invented mid 1870's at the Manhattan
Club.
manichi
Italian dry pasta in the shape small tubes similar to rigatoni.
manioc
Starchy root cultivated in most tropical areas, a distant relative of the rubber tree. In fact, the
Amazonian versions of this pest-resistant plant develop a gummy substance as self-defense against
tropical borers.
The plant grows very quickly, and flourishes in diverse tropical climates, from wet to dry. It needs
little or no cultivation and its large roots grow to a length of about two feet, with diameters of 2 to 6
inches. They can remain in the ground for months without deteriorating. However, once it is uprooted it
deteriorates rapidly. It must be eaten soon or dried and processed into flour.

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A staple of the poor in many tropical areas, it produces more calories per acre than any other
crop in the world, including other staples such as rice, corn and potatoes.
The raw roots contain hydrocyanic acid, its potency depending on season and variety. The roots
can be rendered harmless by cooking.
This plant was of major importance to the ancient tribes in Brazil who have cultivated it for some
4,000 years. Tools for processing manioc have been found the ruins of many ancient Indian dwellings. In
addition to the common uses of today, the Indians made tortilla-like bread, cracker-like wafers, and an
alcoholic beverage named cixei from the juice of the root, and they made sweet cakes with it.
The Portuguese settlers ate manioc and Portuguese explorers brought the plant to other tropical
areas, such as Africa, Asia, and Oceania. It is manufactured into tapioca.
In Brazil, two key species of mandioca are cultivated:
Aipim, a less toxic sweet variety, good for cooking which quickly eliminates the poisons.
Mandioca braba, a toxic, more bitter variety. This drier plant is preferred for making
flour,
although it needs extra processing to eliminate the poisons.
Also known as bitter manioc, mandioca in Brazil and as cassava .
See also cassava.
Manihot utilissima.
manna
Sweet substance obtained from manna ash trees, native to southern Europe. It is the hardened
sap, and collected when it oozes out of the bark. It is used as mild laxative.
The Manna mentioned in the Bible might have come from the tamarisk shrub growing on Sinai
Peninsular, Iran and Arabia. The shrub exudes honey like drops during June and July, which harden
during the cold nights and can be collected. There are many other theories about manna.
In Iran a confection is made with manna and flour.
Manna bread is made with rye flour, honey and sugar, sprinkled with coriander seeds.
Fraxinus ornus.
manninose
Soft-shelled clam, found in the Chesapeake bay.
manons
Belgian chocolates filled with fresh creme and covered with coffee or vanilla fondant. Always sold
with a date on the box and not sold after 10 days.
manteca
Spanish word for lard or cooking fat.
Manteca
Italian Mozzarella cheese with a center of sweet butter. Also spelled Manteche.
mantecados
Spanish sesame cake/cookies.
Mantet
Canadian apple variety, tapered at the calyx end. Greenish yellow, with red graining or streaks.
The related "Red Mantet" is, of course, red. The flesh is soft and good tasting.
Manuka honey
New Zealand thick, dark honey gathered from the prolific tea tree, leptosperum scorparium.
Manur
Serbian cheese made with ewes milk.
manzana
Spanish term for apple.

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manzana de aqua
Costa Rican water apple, a small red pear-shaped fruit.
Manzanilla
Very dry Spanish Sherry wine produced in Sanlcar de Barrameda about 10 miles west of Jerez
de la Frontera. The wine is popular around Sevilla, and is the traditional wine of bull fighters..
The Manzanilla Sherry exported is made in Jerez de la Frontera and is labeled fino. The wine is
less austere than the genuine Manzanilla.
manzanillo olive
Olive variety cultivated in California.
maple syrup
Syrup made from condensed maple tree sap. It is gathered in early spring, when the days are
warm and the nights are cold.
There are two main species of maple trees tapped for sap, the Black Maple and the Sugar Maple.
Both belong to the sycamore family.
Collecting maple syrup heralds the arrival of Spring in the New England, especially Vermont, and
in eastern Canada. In the 1600's the Indians taught the settlers how to collect the Spring sap of the maple
trees and boil it down to a syrup. The Indians used heated stones to boil the sap, a lengthy process.
Maple syrup poured over ice quickly congealed and was called jack wax.
The days should be sunny and the nights cold to make the sap flow. Boiling the sap is called
sugaring, the process is so named because the American natives boiled the syrup down completely to
sugar in order to store it.
Maple syrup is most commonly used on pancakes and waffles, but also used in baking and in
candies. It has become expensive, and many blends are on the market consisting of sugar syrup with
artificial maple flavoring or only a small amount of genuine maple syrup.
maple bar
Type of sweet roll popular in northwestern US.
maple sugar
Yellow brown sugar made from completely boiled down maple syrup.
maple wood
Good wood to use for barbecuing because it is low in resin.
Maque (maquee)
Cheese made in Belgium from cows milk, brick shaped.
maquereau
French for mackerel.
maracuj
Brazilian name for Passion fruit. The term also refers to a liqueur made with the Passiflora
quadrangularis variety of passion fruit, a somewhat acidic variety.
Marasca
Cherry variety grown in Italy and Yugoslavia. Most is distilled into a liqueur.
Prunus cerasus marasca.
Maraschino cherries
Conserved cherries used for garnishing drinks and desserts. They are available dyed with red
and green color, pitted, with and without stems.

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Maraschino liqueur
Aromatic white liqueur made in Italy from the Dalmatian marasca cherries. The liqueur was
created in Zara/Zadar, Croatia 200 years ago. The liqueur is often used to flavor fruit salad.
Marastina
Croatian white wine grape.
Maratelli
Italian rice, prized for making risotto. Not generally available in America.
Marathefticon
Cyprus red wine grape variety.
marble cake
Cake made with one part of the batter flavored with chocolate. When the mold is filled alternately
the two colors will provide a marble effect.
marbling
Tiny fat deposits imbedded within the red muscle of tissue of meat. The fat melts during the
cooking process and moistened the meat. It also makes the meat more tender, because the melted fat
separates the muscle fibers. Marbre in French.
Marbuzet, Chteau
The second wine of Cos d'Estournel. See there.
marc
Distilled grape brandy, made from the fermented pomace, the residue left after grapes are
pressed. The basic marc is rather rough and was considered an inexpensive brandy, but some marc is
lightly aged to a golden color and soft. The same product is called grappa in Italy.
Types of marc include Marc de Bourgogne which is made in the Burgundy region and Marc de
Champagne which is made in the Champagne region.
Marc comes from the French word for residue.
marcassin
French term for young boar. Marcassin is still served in the Ardennes region of Belgium.
Marcellin
French goat cheese.
marchand de vin
French butter mixture named for wine merchants. The butter is blended with reduced red wine
and shallots, parsley, and salt and pepper and served on steaks.
The term means wine merchants.
march
French term indicating market and by extension freshness.
Marches
Hard cheese made in Italy in the province of Tuscany with ewes milk. The cheese is named
after the adjacent province of Marche.
marchpane
Italian word for Marzipan. See there.

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Marco Polo
World traveler from the 13th century. He is credited with having introduced pasta to Italy when he
came back from his travels to the Orient. There is considerable doubt about this because pasta was
mentioned in Genoa already decades before Marco Polo returned from China.
It is also said that Marco Polo introduced the idea of iced desserts to Italy after seeing iced fruits
used to cleanse the palates after a meal in China. If this can be disputed, because the Roman used
flavored snow from the Vesuvio as palate cleanser. He is credited for introducing fireworks to Europe.
Marcobrunn
Famous German vineyard in the Rheingau region.
mare
Female horse. Mars milk was highly esteemed.
mared-sous
Belgian cheese, made by Trappist monks. Buttery soft, similar to Saint-Paulin.
Marengo
Town in Northern Italy where Napoleon I won a battle against Austria Army. When Napoleon
ordered dinner, his chef created a chicken dish with local ingredients, such as tomatoes, crayfish, herbs
and eggs. The dish became a staple on many restaurant menus.
Marenne
French oyster variety esteemed since Roman times. The oysters have green gills.
margarine
Butter substitute originally made with beef suet. Eventually, it was made with oil, and today
margarine is considered healthier than butter because it can be made low cholesterol with un-saturated
oils.
Margarine was created by Hippolyte Mge - Mouries in the 1860's to find a substitute for
expensive butter. The name can be traced to the Greek word for pearl margaron referring to its color.
Margarine has basically the same amount of calories and fat as butter, but margarine is lower in
unsaturated fats. There is low fat margarine on the market with considerably less calories.
Margarine comes in many forms: stick, tub, liquid, whipped, margarine/butter blends, diet, salted
and unsalted.
Margarita
Alcoholic mixed drink made with Tequila, Triple Sec or Cointreau and lime juice. There are
several claims to the origin of the drink, but it contains Tequila and it can be assumed that the drink came
form Mexico.
Also known as Margaritha.
Margaux
Wine commune in the Medoc area of Bordeaux. It includes the town of Cantenac, and the
prestigeous first-growth Chteau Margaux.
Margaux, Chteau
First-growth French Bordeaux wine estate with a long history, established in the 16th and 17th
centuries. In the early 18th century the French were exporting to England wines called Margouze, along
with several of its neighbors in the Mdoc, Lafitt and La Tour.
The estate belonged to the renown Ginestet family in Bordeaux, and was sold to the
Mentzelopoulos family in 1977. The family resides in the impressive Chteau and made the estate one of
the most elegant in the region with wines to match. Almost all wine produced is red.
The second label is Pavillon Rouge and dates from 1908. The white wine is Pavillon Blanc de
Chteau Margaux and is made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape.

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Margouze
The 18th century spelling of Chteau Margaux. See there.
Marguery
Parisian restaurant in the 19th century. It became famous with a fish dish, Filet de Sole
Marguery, which is still found on French menus. The poached fish is garnished with crayfish and
mussels.
Maria Theresia
Austrian Empress 1717 to 1789.
Maribo
Danish cheese resembling Gouda with small holes and red wax cover.
Marie Antoinette
French Queen 1755 to 1793. French Queen, Austrian by birth married to French King Louis XVI
at the inopportune time just before the French Revolution in the late 18th century.
One of the most famous quotes attributed to her during the French revolution is translated as "Let
them eat cake", which is really better translated as "Let them eat brioche." The queen and king were both
guillotined.
Marienhofer
Austrian cheese with high fat content made in the province of Carinthia. The soft cheese
resembles Limburger. See there.
Mariensteiner
German white wine grape.
Marigold
Annual flowers native to southern Europe. The yellow leaves are used as dye for cheese and
custards, and as tea. The flower pods are pickled as caper substitute, and the leaves used as salad.
There are three varieties with more or less the same uses:
Pot Marigold - Calendula officinalis.
Marsh Marigold - Caltha palustris.
Sweet marigold - Tagetes lucida.
Marigold petals are feed to chicken to improve the color of the skin.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Marillen
The Austrian/Viennese word for apricots. The German word is Aprikosen.
Marin, Franois
Cookbook writer of 18th century France. He already used the term "nouvelle cuisine" to
describe the up-dated, modern style in his cookbook published in 1739.
marinade
A liquid used to tenderize, flavor and preserve food. It usually consists of an acid such as
vinegar, lemon juice or wine, oil, vegetables and spices. The word comes form the word marinus or sea.
It should not contain salt, because it will draw juices out of the meat.
Marinades can be boiled to extract flavors from the spices and vegetables, or used raw. In either
case, the meat is always immersed in the cold marinade.
The term dry marinade is used erroneously. A better term would be dry rub.

558

marinara
Italian/American tomato sauce. Literally translated "in sailor's style", so named because it was
traditionally used by fishermen for fish and shellfish. It is a basic tomato sauce, with garlic, anchovies,
onions and parsley.
marinate
Verb to describe the process of marinating. See marinade.
marinire
French cooking term for sailor style. The word comes from the Latin marinus meaning sea.
Dishes la marinire are garnished with seafood.
Mario de Cenad
Apricot variety, an Eastern European apricot from Rumania and Czech. Round, yellow, and good
for eating fresh or processing
Marionberries
Cross between the Chehalem and Olallie blackberries from the Pacific North West. The berries
are almost black and contain tiny, almost undiscernible seeds. Sweet and mild tasting.
mariscos
Spanish term for seafood.
marjoram

Perennial herb in the mint family, closely related

to oregano. The cultivated sweet marjoram is used in
beef dishes, sausages, soups and stews.
Origanum marjorana/ maioren hortensis.

Mrkisch Hand Cheese (Maerkisch)

German hand cheese.
Marlborough pie
Open top apple sauce custard pie, often served
for Thanksgiving in Massachusetts

marmalade
Fruit preserve made from oranges, usually bitter oranges, with pieces of rind added. The word
probably comes from the Portuguese word for quince, mermelo, which in turn comes from the Greek meli
(honey) and melon (apple). The original marmalade was made from quince boiled with honey.
Folklore says it was so named because Mary Queen of Scots was given a mixture of sliced
oranges and sugar by a Spanish doctor to combat her seasickness on the journey to her coronation. It
seemed to work and thereafter she requested her "mer malade" or "sea sickness" medication whenever
she felt ill. Another folklore story tells a similar tale, but says the words are a contraction of "Marie est
malade" - Mary is sick.
The first orange marmalade probably was that made by Janet Keillor in Dundee, Scotland, to
make use of a batch of Spanish oranges which were too bitter for her grocer husband to sell.
The first major commercial brand was Baxter's, whose Castle brand was first made by George
and Margaret Baxter in Morayshire, Scotland in the mid-19th century. Their grandson later developed
Vintage Marmalade by maturing the preserve in whisky casks with a small amount of Scotch.

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Oxford students in the mid-19th century also consumed a sort of marmalade preserve, which
they called "Squish" to make the stale bread they were often served more palatable. Today, "Squish"
remains an essential item at Oxford breakfast parties.
Olden shred marmalade was developed in the latter 19th century to make a less bitter variety.
First a clear jelly is made, then finely shredded peel is added.
Today, the best marmalade is carefully made. Bitter Seville oranges from Spain are used and
most marmalade is manufactured in England and Scotland. The fruit is hand picked so as not to bruise
the skin, an important ingredient as it contains much of the flavor and vital aromatic oils. It is generally
made in relatively small quantities for a commercial product.
Much marmalade is still home-made in Great Britain.
The term Marmalade is used in German speaking countries for any kind of fruit preserve, in
English speaking countries exclusively for preserves made with oranges.
marmalade plum
Another name for mamee. See there.
marmite
French for soup kettle, and by extension the soup cooked in it. Petite Marmite is a clear soup,
made with fowl and beef, richly flavored with vegetables, and served with a marrow bone and toasted
sliced bread.
Petite Marmite Henri IV was a staple on French menus because the French king promised a
chicken in every pot.
Marmor Guglhupf
Viennese marble cake baked in a fluted mold. See marble cake.
Maroilles, Marolles
French soft, rich cows milk cheese resembling Pont l'vque. See there.
marone
Italian word for edible chestnut.
maror
Jewish term describing the "bitter herbs", that are part of the Passover Seder meal. The herbs
are eaten to represent the bitterness of slavery. Horseradish is the most commonly used.
marrons
French name for cultivated edibible chestnuts. Maroni in Austria.
marrons glacs
French term for chestnuts cooked in sugar syrup. They are used to decorate cakes or consumed
as candies.
marrow
The fatty material filling the center of bones. In cooking, beef marrow extracted from leg bones is
used. It can be fabricated into dumplings, often served in soup in Austria, added to brown beef sauces for
extra flavor and shine, or used in many other recipes. It must be soaked in cold water to extract all blood.
Marrow is rarely seen on restaurant menus today on account of dietary concerns. Marrow toast
was once served as savory. See there.
marrows
Old English term for zucchini, often called courgette in England.
Mars
The largest candy company in the world. The company was begun on a shoestring budget in
1911 by Frank C. Mars Tacoma, Washington. His son, Forrest Mars got involved early on and in 1923, at

560

the age of 39, he devised the Milky Way candy bar, the flagship product of the thriving company. Snickers
was introduced in 1932, Three Musketeers in the mid-30's. The Mars Bar, a sweeter version of the Milky
Way was developed for the British taste and was first introduced in Europe in the mid-30's.
M&M were created in 1940 and are one of the best selling candies in the US. M&M's come in two
versions, M&M's Peanuts launched in 1954, the #3 selling US candy product, and M&M's Plain, the #4
selling US candy product. Other products are Skittles, and Dove. Mars also owns Uncle Bens Rice,
Combos, Kudos and Twix snack foods and Kal Kan and Pedigree pet food companies.
The company is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with the major plant in Hackettstown, New
Jersey.
Forever Yours, was a vanilla Milky Way covered in dark chocolate, first made in 1926 and no
longer made as of the late 1980's.
Forrest Mars Senior died in July 1999 at the age of 95.
Marsala
Fortified wine produced around the city Marsala in Sicily, Italy. It is a dry wine fortified with grape
brandy to an alcohol content of 16% or more and sweetened with concentrated grape juice.
THE WINES ARE CLASSIFIED AS:
Marsala fini or particolare - 17% alcohol and 5% grape sugar.
Marsala superiori - 18% alcohol and 10% grape sugar. A dry version contains no grape sugar.
Marsala vergini or Solera - 18% alcohol and no grape sugar. It is very dry.
Marsala wine is often used In cooking, and mentioned as sauce ingredient with veal scallopini.
Unfortunately, most restaurants use inexpensive sweet sherry wine instead of the genuine product.
Marsala all uovo is a cordial.
Marsala chinato is an apritif wine flavored with quinine.
Marsanne
French white wine grape cultivated in the northern part of the Rhne Valley. It is made into a
white Hermitage wine, but is also used as blending wine in red Hermitage.
The grape is also grown in Australia. It makes a light dry white wine with a unique perfume aroma. The
grapes can also be dried to concentrate the fruit and make a sweet dessert wine
marsh samphire
See glasswort.
marshmallow
Confection made with gelatin, sugar, corn syrup and starch resembling cotton. Marshmallows
are used as filling in confections and cakes. They are relatively bland, but popular, especially when
toasted. They are a staple at campfires.
marshmallow plant/mallow
Tall plant related to hollyhock, native to Europe and North America. It grows in marshes and the
roots provide a tasteless, colorless gum, which was originally used to make marshmallow confections.
The flowers are used in tisane.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Althaea officinales.
Martigny
Small Swiss town in the Canton Valais, the center of the local wine trade.
Martini cocktail
Cocktail made with gin and dry Vermouth, shaken with ice cubes, strained and garnished with an
olive or lemon peel twist.
The origin of the name is controversial. Believed to have been invented in the 1860's by San
Francisco bartender Jerry Thomas, who also invented the Tom and Jerry. The original recipe is said to
have consisted of an ounce of Old Tom gin, a wineglass of Vermouth, a dash of bitters, two dashes of

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Maraschino, and ice, shaken together. He named the drink for the town of Martinez, California, the
destination of the customer who drank the first one.
The martini of today is a bit different, being predominantly gin with a little vermouth. The drink is
the subject of much opinionated bar conversation as modern day adherents declare that their choice
recipe should be the only way the cocktail is made. Concerns revolve primarily around the proportions of
the gin to the Vermouth, and also the brand of gin and Vermouth to be used, whether other additives are
used, whether it is stirred or shaken, whether ice is used and if it is crushed or in cubes, the glass it is
served in and what garnish is used, olive or lemon peel.
Drinkers concerned with how it is mixed may argue that shaking it with ice bruises the gin, and it
should only be stirred; "shaking" adherents argue that this releases the gin aromas.
A dry Martini is one especially low in vermouth. A "naked Martini" is one with no Vermouth at all,
being Gin simply shaken with ice and served in a Martini glass with a garnish.
Silver bullet is a large extra dry martini named for the slivers of ice tossed in as it is served.
A Martini with a pearl onion garnish is called a Gibson.
Martini, Louis M.
Famous Napa valley, California wine estate with roots going back to the 1900's.
Martinique rum
Full bodied pungent rum, resembling Jamaican rum.
martynia
Vegetable plant native to the Central Western States producing curved seed pods. The pods can
be pickled.
Also known as Unicorn plant.
Proboscidea louisianica.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Mary Jane
Candy bar made with molasses and peanuts.
Maryland, chicken
Restaurant dish consisting of a breaded chicken breast, corn fritters and served with a cream
sauce.
Maryland crab cakes
Specialty long popular on the Eastern shore of the Atlantic, but now appearing on fashionable
restaurant menus. The original recipe is simple. Good quality crab meat is blended with mustard, chives,
mayonnaise, eggs and some bread crumbs, shaped into patties, breaded and deep fried or griddle fried.
Maryland blue crabs
See blue crabs.
Maryland food
Famous local specialties are based on Chesapeake Bay blue crabs.
Crab boil - whole hard shell crabs are boiled with a fiery seasoning and brought to the table with
a wooden mallet to break open. It is a messy but fun affair.
He Crab Soup - made with tomatoes and vegetables.
Maryland crab cakes - Item found on many menus and in many versions. The original crab
cakes are made with fresh crab meat, Mayonnaise, chives, mustards,
fresh bread crumbs and egg.
The are lightly breaded and pan-fried.
She Crab soup - creamy crab soup.
Marzemino
Italian red wine grape variety mentioned in Mozarts opera Don Giovannis supper.

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Marzipan
Almond paste eaten as candy or as snack. Marzipan is made of blanched white almonds, ground
into a very fine paste, heated and blended with boiled sugar. The dense, fine mass can be rolled into
sheets and used on cakes. Marzipan is often modeled into flowers and roses, fruits or figurines. It can
dyed or painted, or flamed.
Marzipan originated in the Middle East. The history of marzipan is closely connected with trade.
Northern European countries with access to seaports became famous for marzipan, because they were
able to import the raw material, almonds and sugar, products from warmers climates. The cities Lbeck
in Germany on the Baltic coast, Odense in Denmark, and other cities in France, Belgium and Italy
became known for marzipan.
The difference between almond paste and marzipan is the manufacturing process.
Almond paste is manufactured as a baking ingredient and is not intended to be consumed raw.
Marchpane in Italian, pasta reale or royal dough in Sicily, massepain in French, Marzipan in
German, mazapn in Spanish. Pte damandes is almond paste in French.
Marzipan Herz
German word for a heart-shaped marzipan confection, often decorated with candied fruit, usually
presented in a special gift box as a romantic gift. Popular at fairs.
masa harina
White corn flour made of hulled corn with a finer texture than corn meal. Hominy is treated with
lime, the wet hominy is freshly ground to make a meal called masa. When the masa is dried, it is referred
to as masa harina.
Quaker Oats make the most widely distributed brand of masa harina in the US.
masala
Indian curry paste. There are many versions.
Mascara
Red wine with high alcohol content produced in Algeria, North Africa.
Mascarpone
Italian triple-cream cheese. Rich and soft, it looks like a whipped cream cheese. It has a fresh
taste, sometimes with a delicate nutty flavor, but it develops a tang as it ages. Sometimes also found
layered with other cheese(s), such as with Robiola in a Basil Torta.
The cheese is excellent as a
dessert cheese, especially when served with fresh fruit. It is also combined with ladyfingers to make the
popular Italian dessert, Tiramis, popularized in the US in the 1980's.
Also known as mascherpone.
mashan
Leaves of the palmyra palm used in Guatemala as wrapper for tamales
masking
To cover food with sauce or jelly.
Maslyanitsa
Russian Christian pre-Lenten butter festival held in pre-revolutionary Russia. One popular festival
food was blinis, sold from stalls that lined the streets
massepain
French term for small almond paste cookies.
Massena la
French culinary term for dishes garnished with artichokes.

563

Massenet, Jules 1842 - 1912

French opera composer in the late 19th century. He name also appeared on French menus.
Manon is his most famous opera.
Masson, Paul
Famous and large wine company located in Saratoga, California. The company was founded
Paul Masson, a French emigrant.
Master of Wine
Prestigious title in the wine trade, denoted by the letters MW after a name, such as Michael
Broadbent, MW. It is awarded only after the recipient passes a grueling examination consisting of written
and sensory tests.
mastic
Sap or gum harvested from an evergreen tree on the Turkish island Chios. The gum solidifies
into small licorice tasting crystals and they are used to flavor raki, the Turkish national drink.
masu
Japanese cube-shaped wooden container used for sake.
Matar
The Spanish name for the France's Rhone red wine grape varietal Mourvdre. The Spanish
name is sometimes used in California, and sometimes the name Mourvdre is also used.
mat (mate)
Argentinean and Paraguayan herb tea, commonly called yerba mat. The tea is made with the
leaves of trees in the holly family. It is drunk from a silver cup with a bent silver straw called bombilla.
The beverage is greenish yellow and resembles green tea. It contains a small amount of
caffeine.
Ilex paraguariensis..
matelote
French fish stew, made usually with freshwater fish such as carp or pickerel and flavored with red
or white wine.
Matelote made with red wine is also known as pochouse.
matelote d'anguilles
Belgian eel stew made with white wine.
Mateus
Portuguese pink sparkling wine, created in 1942 by Fernando van Zeller Guedes, and became
widely popular in the US. The taste was pleasant, but much success can be attributed to the unique
bottle shape (resembling the German Boxbeutel) and to the label which showed the neighboring Mateus
Palace. Guedes approached his neighbor for permission to use the name and palace on the wine label.
The neighbor chose one - time payment over royalties.
matignon
French term for a braised vegetable mixture containing ham, used as sauce ingredient.
matjes herring
Dutch word for a young herring that has not yet reproduced. The word might refer to a young girl,
called Meisje in Dutch, or to Matjes, friends or companions.
Matjes herring is sold fresh during the summer in Holland, when the herring travels from the
coast of Scotland to the coast of Holland. Matjes herring is available frozen or cured during the rest of
the year. A special curing process was discovered during the 14 century. The fish has between 12% and
25% fat content.

564

Matrassa
Russian red wine grape variety.
matsutake
Cultivated mushroom growing on pine logs popular in Japan. The mushrooms are available
fresh, canned and dried. They are related to the European blewit.
Tricholoma matsutake.
matzeknepfle
Jiddish for Matzo dumplings.
matzo
Jewish unleavened bread made with wheat flour and water. Traditionally part of the Passover
Seder, when three matzos are placed under a cover on a plate.
Matzo are baked only during the cold months of the year, because naturally occurring yeast cells
could contaminate the dough during production on hot weather. Passover matzo are made under the
strictest rabbinical supervision and must be baked within 18 minutes from the moment the dough is
mixed, in order to avoid any contamination with naturally occurring yeast.
Matzo is crisp and has plain taste. It makes it a good accompaniment for other foods and is also
eaten by non Jewish consumers. Matzo make an excellent palate cleanser when tasting wine.
Egg matzos are made with flour, apple cider and whole eggs. They are more nutritious and
should be eaten during Passover by only by the young, infirm or aged of Askenazi Jews of Eastern
European ancestry.
Jews of Sephardic ancestry can get permission from the rabbi to eat egg matzo during Passover.
Also known as matzoh, matzot, mazza.
matzo meal
Baked matzo ground into a fine meal. Matzo balls are little dumplings made with whole eggs, fat
and matzo meal. They are typically served in clear soup.
Maui Sweet, Mauis Onions
Large yellow or yellow-white mountain grown onion, cultivated on Hawaii's volcanic soil. Prices
are high because production is small, covering only about 100 acres, primarily in the Kula district.
Maultaschen
South German noodle dough pocket resembling ravioli. It can be filled with many different fillings,
even jam. It is used as soup garnish, as main course, or as dessert.
Mauzac Blanc
French white wine grape widely planted as producer of a sparkling wine called Blanquette de
Limoux.
Mauzac is grown in Gaillac, France and is permissible for use in Armagnac, though it is not used
in great quantities.
Mavrodaphne
Red wine grape variety widely planted in the Balkans and Mediterranean. The term is also used
for a sweet fortified dessert wine.
Mavron
Cyprus red wine grape variety. It is widely cultivated and produces dry red wines and the sweet
Commandaria wine when the grapes are allowed to dry in the sun.
Mavrud
Bulgarian red wine grape variety. It is the same as Mavrodaphne.

565

Maxim's Surprise
Cocktail made with peach puree, peach schnapps, and Cointreau, topped by Champagne.
Maximin Grnhaus
Small but famous vineyard in the Moselle region of Germany. Most of the land belongs to the
Von Schubert family.
Maxwell House
Brand of coffee made by General Foods and named for the hotel by the same name in Nashville,
Tennessee that was known for good coffee.
The advertising slogan still used is said to have been first uttered by Teddy Roosevelt upon
tasting the "good to the last drop" brew.
May wine
German Riesling wine flavored with woodruff, called Waldmeister in German. It is often served
garnished with strawberries. See woodruff.
Mai Wein in German.
May apple
Egg-shaped yellowish fruit inclosing numerous seeds of the American mandrake, a wild growing
herb. The American mandrake is not poisonous, the plant growing in Europe is.
Also known as hog apple, may pop, Indian apple and wild lemon.
Podophyllum peltatum.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Mayacamas
Name for a mountain range in California between the Napa and the Sonoma valleys. It is also
the name of a winery.
mayhaw
Tree, relative of the hawthorn, producing tart red berries that thrives in the bogs of Georgia.
The berries resemble small crab apples. They are best used in jam or syrup.
Also known as thorny tree.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Mayonnaise
Cold sauce or dressing based on egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar, spices and oil.
Mayonnaise was first produced commercially in 1912. The leading brand is Hellmans produced by the
CPC company.
The origin of the name is obscure. Mayonnaise is a classical French sauce.
In French cuisine the term mayonnaise in connection with a main ingredient is used to describe a
cold dish, such as Mayonnaise de Volaille, which is chicken salad.
mayonnaise colle
French term for mayonnaise blended with aspic jelly. It is used to cover cold fish and meat slices,
or to keep molded vegetable salads together.
mayonnaise tomate
Mayonnaise blended with tomato puree, used as sauce or dressing.
may pop
Fruit of a wild growing vine in the American South related to the passion flower vine.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

566

Maytag Blue
Deep blue veined cow's milk cheese. Sharp, tangy, creamy flavor, similar to Roquefort. Like
Roquefort, aged in a cool underground cave for at least 6-months.
Maytag Blue cheese is made near Des Moines, Iowa by a family-owned dairy. The cheese has
been made since the dairy's beginning in 1941.
mazagran glace
Frozen coffee drink.
mazamorra morada
Peruvian dessert, purple gelatin made from dried purple corn.
mazapan
Spanish white confection made of almonds and egg whites, and studded with crystallized fruit.
Not the same as marzipan, although the term is also used for marzipan. See there.
mazarin
French small almond tarts. Named after Jules Mazarin, French cardinal 1602 - 1661.
Mazola
Brand name for corn oil.
mazla
Adriatic food fish.
mazoum
Yoghurt product from Armenia.
Mazoyres Chambertin
Largest vineyard of Gevrey Chambertin in Burgundy, France.
Mazuelo
Spanish red wine grape, also known as Cariena. Grown in the Rioja region of Spain. It is largely
used for blending. It contributes tannin and acidity which helps the wine to age.
mazurka
Polish sausage flavored with caraway seeds.
mazza/mezze
Lebanese term for an array of appetizers in small dishes.
McCormick & Company, Inc.
Giant spice company located in Baltimore, Maryland.
McGinties
Apple pie made with dried apples that have been soaked, chopped, mixed with brown sugar,
cinnamon and butter, and baked in a pie shell with top and bottom crust. McGinties pie is served with
hard sauce or sweetened whipped cream
McIntosh
Apple variety, see apples.
mead

567

Fermented beverage based on honey, water and spices. Mead was a popular drink during
medieval times in England and Northern Europe.
meader
Tree fruit related to persimmon. See there.
meadowsweet
Medicinal plant containing salicylic acid.
Filipendula ulmaria.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
meagre
Ocean fish in the croaker family harvested in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.
meal
Term often used for unbolted corn flour.
meal terms in other countries
Abendessen - dinner in German
Almuerzo - lunch in Spanish
Cena - late night supper in Spanish
Comida - dinner in Spanish
Djeneur - breakfast in French
Desayuno - breakfast in Spanish
Diner - dinner in french
Dinner - dinner in English
Jause - afternoon snack in Austria
Lunch - midday meal
Merienda - afternoon snack break in Spain or the Philippines
Mittagessen - midday meal in German
Pranzo - dinner in Italian
Prima colazione - breakfast in Italian
Smrgsbordet - Swedish appetizer buffet
Souper - French term for the evening meal
Supper - late evening meal
meat inspection
All meat shipped interstate must be inspected by the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA). It is inspected for wholesomeness at the slaughterhouse and every time it is processed. To a
large extent the inspection is visual and it was difficult to detect bacteria in inspected meat. Radiation,
more frequent laboratory tests and better training of inspectors have been suggested.
The round inspection stamp identifys the slaughtering plant and the plant which processed the
meat further. The USDA has strict regulations concerning the physical condition of meat fabrication
plants and handling procedures. Larger plant have a resident inspector. There is concern that the USDA
is not doing enough to make sure all meat products are wholesome and there are recalls of contaminated
meat products.
If the meat is consumed within a state it is inspected by state inspectors. Since most meat is
shipped interstate it is inspected a number of times.
Mecklenburg
German cheese made with skim milk. The cheese is rather hard and can be used for grating.
mdallion
French term for small, oval portions of meat, poultry or fish.

568

media noche
Hispanic snack of a small sandwich of meat and cheese on an egg-dough roll, pressed on a hot
grill till the cheese melts.
Medici
Famous family in Florence, Italy during the 15th and 16th century. Catharina de Medici married
Henry II, King of France, and she is credited with bringing Italian chefs to the French court, who laid the
groundwork for classical French cuisine. She is also credited with introducing dinner forks.
Mediterranean food
Mediterranean food has become sort of fad and catchword for many restaurants, in the 1990's,
but often consists only of liberal use of olive oil, herbs and cous-cous.
The food from the Mediterranean coastal areas has often has more in common with that of other
neighboring coastal countries than with the food of inland areas. At the same time there is a difference
between the cooking the European, Middle Eastern and North African countries.
Overall the cuisine is characterized by the use of olive oil, herbs, whole grains, beans and fruits
such as lemons, almonds, nuts, apricots, raisins and dates. The meats used are lamb, goat and chicken.
Seafood is an important staple. There are many black dishes made with squid and cuttlefish ink.
Religious taboos often govern the diet.
See countries and regions listed under their names.
medium
Term to describe the degree of doneness of red meat.
The term medium in French is "a point".
Medjool
One of the largest, sweetest, and perhaps the most prized date variety. Along with the Deglet
Noor, it makes up most of the US crop. This plump and tender date originated in the Mediterranean area
in pre-Christian times. It is said that for many centuries these dates were reserved for the royal families.
At the turn of the century, a blight killed most of the Medjool palms, but the king of Morocco who
owned some of the remaining Medjools, saved the species by giving some trees to the US to be
propagated in southern California.
The fruit will keep covered and refrigerated for up to 2 months.
See dates.
medlar
Small, brown, apple-like fruit native to the Middle East , and cultivated in central and southern
Europe, but also grown in southern USA. The fruit is unusual looking, it has a sort of inverted calyx which
burrows down into the fruit and makes the seeds visible. The fruit is pointed at the opposite end.
This unusual fruit is edible only when rotted or bletted, an aging or rotting process. The fruit is
picked in November, before the first frost, and laid on straw to decay, until the flesh becomes sweet and
soft enough to eat with a spoon.
Medlar trees, relatives of the hawthorn and dog-rose, are now grown chiefly as ornamentals. The
fruit was popular in the Middle Ages before transportation shrank the world and made other fruits
available beyond their native areas. The medlar, because of the bletting process, had the advantage of
being available between seasons, at a time when other fruits were scarce. Best eaten raw, stewed or
served with cream or custard.
The Japanese medlar, Eriobotya japonica, is often confusingly referred to simply as medlar,
though it is a type of loquat, and is not related to the medlar.
Mespilus germanica.
Mdoc (Medoc)
Acclaimed wine region in Bordeaux producing world famous red wines, the area of the well
known chteaux.
The aera is divided into Bas Mdoc and Haut Mdoc. Wines not produced at a specific Chteau
are labled simply Mdoc or Haut Mdoc..

569

mee krob
Thai flavorful, crispy fried noodle dish.
meeting cake
Another name for the fruitcake, also called election cake.
meeting seeds
Colonial American nickname for fennel seeds. They were chewed at meetings and in church to
mask bad breath, especially the scent of alcohol.
megrim
Ocean flat fish harvested in European waters. The fish is less esteemed than other flat fish
species.
Mge-Mouries, Hippolyte
Inventor of margarine at the behest of Napoleon III.
Mehlspeisen
Austrian generic name for hot desserts, sometimes eaten also as main course at lunch.
The word means dishes made with flour and it was cheaper to serve a main dish consisting
mostly of flour than a meat or vegetable dish. Mehlspeisen were often eaten by the working class, but
refined versions became famous and beloved desserts.
Typical Mehlspeisen are Strudel with many different fillings, sweet dumplings made with yeast
dough or potato dough and filled with stone fruits, yeast rolls with Vanilla Sauce called Buchteln,
Schmarren (shredded pancakes), hot puddings and souffles.
mekabu
Japanese seaweed similar to wakame. Sold usually dried. It must be soaked before use.
melanzane
Italian name for eggplant.
Melba, Nellie, 1865 - 1931
Australian opera star for whom Melba toast and Peach Melba were named.
Melba Sauce
Popular dessert sauce consisting of raspberry puree. The invention of the sauce is credited to
Chef August Escoffier when he created the dessert Peach Melba.
The original dessert was not served with Melba Sauce.
See Peach Melba.
Melba Toast
Very thin, curled up toast created by chef Auguste Escoffier. The chef took toast, split it once
more, and toasted the split side again. The toast curled up a little. The toast was originally named toast
Marie, after the wife of Csar Ritz for whom Escoffier worked at the Htel Ritz in Paris.
It was renamed in honor of the Australian opera star Nellie Melba, who stayed at the Carlton
Hotel in when she was in London. While there she complained that the toast was too thick. He served
her split toast and eventually it was named after her.
Escoffier admired Melba, and created also Peach Melba. See there.
Melba toast is now available commercially, but it is flat, not curled.
meleagrina margaritifera
Pearl oyster, not a true oyster but a mussel.
Meleto
Famous wine estate in the Chianti region of Italy.

570

meliot
Sweet clover. The herb is used in cosmetics and occasionally in food.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Mello Roll
Manufactured ice cream treat, popular in the middle of the 1940's. It consisted of a thick ice
cream roll, wrapped in overlapping strips of paper, so when it was purchased, the salesperson would pull
the two strips from opposite ends, letting the ice cream fall into the cavety of a specially made cone of the
same shape and size
Melnik
Czech wine town producing the countrys best wines.
melons
Fruits, members of the same family as cucumbers, pumpkins, and squashes; and like them, they
grow on vine-like plants and have juicy flesh under a thin, tough, inedible skin, and a center filled with lots
of tiny seeds. Some newer varieties have been developed which are seedless. On account of cross
breeding many variations exist, and it is difficult even for experts to identify melons excactly. Melons are
cultivated away from cucumbers and squashes because they cross pollinate easily.
Melons do not ripen once picked, but will get softer.
Muskmelons include netted varieties, i.e., those that look as though they are covered in a brown
netting such as Cantaloupe, Charantais, Galia, Ogen, Persian and Santa Claus.
Muskmelons with smooth skin are Juan Canary, Crenshaw, Cavaillon and Honeydew. Their
flesh is either green or orange. When ripe, they have a rich, heady perfume which can be smelled when
the melon is held up to the nose. They will also yield slightly when pressed at the stem end.
Winter melons tend to be thick-skinned, ovoid and as the Latin name implies, have no smell,
making their ripeness difficult to determine. However, they can be aromatic once opened. Cucumis melo
var. inodorous.
COMMON MARKET VARIETIES ARE:
Cantaloupe - a netted summer melon with sweet flavor and strong aroma.
Casaba - melon of the Cucumis melo var. inodorus group has low sugar content .
Charentais - ball shaped summer melon with green pale skin and orange flesh.
Galia - A netted summer melon with sweet green flesh first developed in Israel
in the late 1970's.
Crenshaw - very sweet, a cross between Persian and Casaba.
Honeydew - smooth white skin and green flesh.
Juan Canary - sweet melon with little flavor.
Ogen - netted summer melon.
Persian - netted summer melon with dense flesh and delicate aroma.
Santa Claus - crisp and juicy.
Sharlyn - very sweet melon with soft flesh.
Watermelons do not belong to the cucumis melo species, but belong to citrullus vulgaris. They
originated in Southern Africa and have been cultivated since antiquity. The rind is often pickled.
Winter melon, also known as Chinese Winter Melon is a non-sweet green-skinned melon with
pale green flesh. It is used as a vegetable, particularly for soup, in Chinese cooking.
Midori is a Japanese flavored melon liqueur.
Cucumis melo spp.
Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet)
French white wine grape grown in the Loire Valley of France where it is used to produces the dry
Muscadet wine.
Despite its name it is not a grape permitted in Burgundy for wine, though it is originally from
Burgundy. It is still grown in Burgundy and fermented slightly into a verjus, which is used to flavor sauces
and vinegar.

571

Also known as Gamay Blanc and Pinot Blanc when grown in the US, but it is not the same Pinot
Blanc of Alsace or the Pinot Bianco of Italy.
The grape has been linked with Gouais Blanc, a grape variety grown in the middle ages but no
longer cultivated today.
melon fruit
See papaw.
melon plum
See pepino.
melon thistle
Cactus growing wild in the West Indies, Mexico and parts of South America. It resembles a huge
musk melon filled with liquid which is sought by cattle despite the thorns. The tiny red fruits are acidic but
edible.
Also known as Turks cap.
Melocactus.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
melon zapote
See papaw.
Melonseed clam
Clam harvested in the East China Sea and used in Shanghai cooking.
Melrose
Cookie developed by a suburban Boston bakery in the late 1800's. The bakery produced several
new cookie recipes and named them for the nearby towns and landmarks.
Other cookies are Brighton, Cambridge Salt, and the most famous of all, Fig Newton
Melrose
Apple variety. See apples.
melt
The spleen of animals, seldom used for food. The melt is encased in a skin pocket, and when
scraped out the pocket can be filled again. The Austrians invented a soup garnish made with scraped
melt spread in toast and baked.
Also known as milt. This term is specifically used for the male generative organ in fishes.
Milz in German.
Melun
French Brie cheese with a sharper flavor, and more texture than Brie. Also called Brie de Melun.
Memphis Pork Barbecue
Memphis, Tennessee calls itself the Pork Barbecue Capital of the World and hosts each May the
International Barbecue Cooking Contest, officially called Memphis in May.
Contestants from many parts of the US and Canada compete in teams, often in with elaborate
barbecue equipment and funny costumes.
Since the early 19th century, Memphis style of barbecued pork has been served with a spicy red
sauce.
men
Chinese usual method of roasting Peking duck, in which the duck is smothered in heat, while
hung in a verticle oven. An alternate method is the cha shao, or barbecue method. See there.

572

Mendip
English hard goats milk cheese.
Mendocino
North Coast county in California famous for vineyards in the Russian River valley.
Mendoza
Argentine wine producing province. It was settled by Italian emigrants who discovered that the
soil and climate lends itself to viticulture. Excellent wines are produced there.
menestra
Spanish term for mixed vegetable dish, and also for dried vegetables.
Menestra Riojana is a luscious hearty dish of the multitude of vegetables grown in Rioja, the
northern wine region.
menhaden
Commercial fish caught in the Atlantic. It is bony and oily, and not used for human consumption.
It is an important bait fish and food for other fishes. Much is used as fertilizer.
Brevoortia tyrannus.
menu
The term has different meanings:
Succession of dishes which harmonize, and are designed to provide a full meal.
Printed list of available dishes in restaurants. It is called menu la carte. The English term is Bill
of Fare. In old French it was called escriteau.
Menu has also become a computer term.
menu dgustation
Sample menu in fine restaurants. It consists of small portions many dishes to give the diner an
occasion to sample many dishes.
It is also an opportunity for the chef to introduce or experiment with new dishes.
meudo/menudo
Mexican tripe and hominy stew flavored with onions or green onions, chilies , garlic and cilantro.
Sometimes patas (steer hooves) are added to make the stew more gelatinous.
Meudo is traditionally served on New Year's morning as it is considered a cure for hangovers.
Merano
Charming small spa town in Northern Italy in former South Tyrol.
Mercader, Josep
Spanish/Catalan chef known for his refinement of Catalan cooking. He had a restaurant near
the French border in the Spanish town of Figueras
merci donnant
The French term for the American Thanksgiving holiday.
Mercurey
French Burgundy wine village, and the name used for the wines produced there. Most
production is red wine, made from the pinot noir grape.
mre de vinaigre
French term for vinegar mother. See vinegar
mernda
Italian/Florentine tea break.

573

merguez
Moroccan/Algerian fiery hot sausage. It is usually grilled.
merienda
Late afternoon snack break in Spain, usually for hot chocolate. In the Philippines it is an
afternoon snack of tea, cakes, and savories
Merille
French red wine grape variety used in inexpensive local wines.
meringue
Whipped and sweetened egg whites. Often baked or dried.
THERE ARE TREE BASIC VARIATION:
Meringue - made with powdered sugar.
Meringue - made with boiled sugar, also called Italian Meringue.
Meringue - gently heated until thick.
The invention of meringues is credited to the Swiss pastry chef Gasprini.
Merino
Sheep breed prized for wool and meat.
Meritage
Name for a group of California's Bordeaux-style blends. The name was chosen by a contest as a
marketing ploy. The major grape in the blends is Cabernet Sauvignon.
merkels
Local name in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia for morel mushrooms. The mushrooms can
be toxic, and should be blanched (boiled), and the water discarded, before use.
Merlot
Major red wine grape which gives softness, fruit and charm to many blended wines, but is also
used as primary grape in the luscious Chteau Ptrus wine and many lesser known wines of St.-Emilion
and Pomerol in France. Often, it plays a supportive role, such as in other Bordeaux areas where
Cabernet Sauvignon predominates. When blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, it cuts the harsh tannin
and softens and rounds out the wine.
Merlot is cultivated in many parts of the world. It is widely used in California , but also in Chile,
Australia and New Zealand, Spain, Yugoslavia, Rumania, and Hungary. In Spain, Merlot is part of the
celebrated and expensive Vega Sicilia. See there. In Hungary, Merlot is blended into the famous Bull's
Blood wine.
Merlot Blanc
French white wine grape. Little is planted today.
merluza
Spanish word for hake, a food fish.
merrythought
An other name for wishbone.
mesclun salad
Salad mixture popularized in the mid-1980's by Alice Waters, owners of Chez Panisse restaurant
in Berkeley, California. The assortment contains tender greens, such as delicate baby lettuce, peppery
wild greens, herbs, and tangy greens. The word is comes from Latin mesclumo, which means mixture.

574

Meseguera
Spanish white wine grape.
mesentery
Membrane, part of the intestine of animals. It is sometimes used as stew meat.
Mesitra
Russian/Ukrainian ewes milk cheese from the Crimea Peninsular in the Black Sea.
Meslier St. Franois
White wine grape variety from the Loire valley in France. It is permissible in Armagnac, though it
is not used in great quantities.
mesquite
Thorny shrub or tree of the South Western States and Mexico. Good wood to use for barbecuing
because it imparts an interesting character to food. It burns very hot and is relatively low in resin.
Mesquite grilling was popularized in the late 1970's and early 1980's, especially in the so called
California cuisine.
The pods are resemble carob and are edible, but mostly used for cattle feed.
Also known as algorroba, screw beans or cashaw.
mess
Army term used when a group of people eat together, especially as in mess hall. The term has
ist root in the Latin word missus, or food portion.
metate
Stone board use to grind maize/corn in Mexico.
Metaxa
Greek brandy, a brand name. Normally dark colored with caramel, and slightly sweeter than
Cognac. See there.
Metaxa is also a Greek licorice liqueur. It turns milky blue when mixed with water. It has an
earthy, brandy taste.
methanol
Antifreeze which was responsible for wine scandals in Italy and Austria in the mid-1980's. It was
added to wine to boost the viscosity and perception of sweetness. The illegally tainted wine was
discovered when an Austrian vintner tried to claim it as a business tax deduction. Methanol can cause
illness, eye problems, and even death.
mthode champenoise
The original method of producing Champagne and sparkling wines. Yeast and sugar are added
to the bottled wine, and it is fermented a second time in the bottle. See champagne.
Known as metodo classico in Italy.
Mthode Beaujolais
Method of fermenting wine. Semicarbonic maceration which avoids excessive extraction during
fermentation.
Methusalem
Champagne bottle containing 6 liter, the equivalent of eight standard bottles.
methylene chloride
Chemical solvent used to extract caffeine from coffee. Some question has been raised regarding
its safety, but the small residue in decaffeinated coffee is negligible, and the FDA approved its use.

575

methylxanthines
Class of chemical compounds which include caffeine.
Metternich, Clemens
Duke of Metternich, 1773 - 1859. Austrian politician, instrumental during the Congress of Vienna.
Some dishes were named after him.
The family owns the Johannisberg Schloss, a celebrated castle and vineyard on the Rhine river
in Germany.
Mettwurst/Metwurst
German sausage, rich and fatty and spreadable. It might have originated in Alsace.
Meunier
French red wine grape variety, the most used grape used in Champagne.
meunire
French culinary term, literally translated the four miller's wife. The term is used for food that is
dipped in flour and then sauteed. Supposedly, la meunire was always dusted with flour, or had
unlimited access to flour.
Meunire preparation are used for fish and pre-cooked vegetables. It is always finished with
brown butter, and in the case of fish, with lemon juice and parsley. There is no such thing as meunire
butter like some cookbooks claim.
meurette
French fish stew made with red Burgundy wine and accented with marc. See there.
Meursault
Old and famous wine town in Burgundy, France. Almost all production is white wine, and the
best wines carry the vineyard name in addition to appellation Meursault.
Meyney, Chteau
French Bordeaux wine.
Mexico food
Mexico is the primary source of vanilla, and gave the world chocolate, chilies, corn, tomatoes and
beans.
Cooking centers around corn, beans and rice, eaten at almost all meals. Corn was originally
ground on the stone board called a metate. Lime treated white corn meal called masa harina, see there,
is the base for corn tortillas, flat unleavened breads made in many sizes and often made fresh in
restaurants and supermarkets. It is also blended with oil or lard and used in many other preparations
including tamales, see there, filled corn husks.
Flour tortillas are made with wheat flour and also appear in many dishes.
Important are three dipping sauces, guacamole, see there, salsa verde, see there and salsa roja,
see there. Chili is part of most dishes. See there. Many dishes are served with sour cream or with white
cheese - queso blanco.
Unique is mole, see there, a chocolate flavored spicy sauce.
Dried beans are a major staple, the most common variety is red kidney beans, mashed and
heated with oil or lard.
BASIC INGREDIENTS:
achiote - the seed of the annatto tree. See there.
acitrn - special cactus leaves. See there.
adobado - sour chili seasoning paste.
aguacte - avocado. See there.
almeja - generic term for clams and mussels
almbar - generic term for syrup
ancho - see chili

576

calabacitas - young, meaty squash

calabaza - pumpkin. See there.
camaron - shrimp
cascabel - see chili
chayote - vegetable. See there.
chicharrn - crisp fried pork rinds, a popular snack
chipotle - smoked chili. See there.
chorizo - spicy sausage
cilantro - coriander leaves. See there.
coco - coconut. See there.
comino - cumin. See there.
epazote - herb. See there.
frijoles - generic term for dried beans. See there.
gordita - thick tortilla
huachinango - red snapper
huitlacoche - corn fungus. See there.
jalapeo - chili. See there.
jcama - root vegetable. See there.
limn - lime. See there.
maz - corn
manteca - lard
masa harina - corn dough. See there.
nopalitos/nopales - cactus leaves. See there.
pasilla - chili. See there.
pepitas - fried pumpkin seeds
pltano - plantain. See there.
poplano - chili. See there.
queso blanco - white cheese. See there.
serrano - chili. See there.
tomate verde - see tomatillo
tortilla - flat unleavened bread made with corn or wheat flour.
tostada - fried tortilla chips
tuna - see nopale, also name of tuna fish
BASIC DISHES ARE:
albndigas - meat balls
antojito - small appetizers
banocha - confection made crude brown sugar
bolillo - small roll
buuelo - fritter
burrito - stuffed flour tortilla
caldo - broth, clear soup
carne seca - dried meat, usually beef.
carnitas - small pork pieces
cebiche/ceviche - marinated raw fish. See there.
chalupa - flour tortilla in boat shape and filled
chilaquiles - layered tortillas with tomato and cheese.
chilaquiles verdes - tortilla shells topped with chicken, green sauce and cheese.
enchilada - filled tortilla dish
estofado - stew
fajitas - beef strips quickly cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers and chili
fiambre - cold cuts
flan - caramel custard
flautas - tortillas rolled into a tube shape and stuffed with meat.
frijoles refritos - refried beans
guacamole - avocado dip. See there.
guiso - stew

577

machaca - dried beef cooked with green chilis and wrapped in a flour tortilla.
menudo/meudo -tripe and hominy stew
mole poblano - turkey in a chili and unsweetened chocolate sauce.
mole - stew flavored with chocolate. See there.
mole negro - hotter, spicier version of mole poblano.
natilla - light custard
nopales/nopalitos - prickly pear cactus.
pan di huevo - light egg bread.
papatzui - rolled, stuffed tortillas, topped with pumpkin seed sauce.
pollo pibil - chicken seasoned with annato.
postre - dessert
pozole - beef and hominy stew.
quesadilla - cheese filled tortilla turnover
salsa roja - red tomato salsa
salsa verde - green tomato salsa
sopa de lima - chicken soup with lime.
sopes - thick tortillas, topped with refried beans, cheese and a piquant sauce.
taco - filled fried tortilla shell
tamal - filled steamed corn husk
BEVERAGES:
Aguardiente - basic distilled beverage made from sugar cane
Atole blanco - beverage made masa de harina, sugar and cinnamon.
Champurrado - chocolate flavored corn beverage.
Kahlua - coffee flavored cordial
Pulque - see there
Tequila - the national distilled beverage. See there.
Mexico is a major beer producer and exporter. Famous brands are Tecate, Dos Equis, and Carta
Blanca.
There is also wine produced, but most is distilled into brandy. Mexico is a coffee producers, but
most is consumed locally.
Mexican apple
See white sapote.
Mexican green tomatoes
See tomatillos.
Mexican potato
An other name for jicama. The plant is nor related to potatoes.
Mexican saffron
Saffron-like herb derived from the safflower plant. Sometimes used as a saffron substitute. It is
much less expensive than the genuine saffron. See there.
Mexican squash
Young, meaty squash, one of many types of squash available in Mexico.
Also known as calabacitas.
Mexican strawberries
The fruits of the hedge hog cactus, sweet, with tiny seeds and completely edible. The spines of
the hedge hog cactus are used as toothpicks in Mexico.
Echinocatus.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

578

Mexican tea
See wormseed.
Mezcal/mescal
Alcoholic beverage made in Mexico, normally 80 proof. The word comes from two Nahualtl terms:
maguey (melt) and calli (cooked). Mezcal is similar to Tequila, but the production technic is different. Like
Tequila, Mezcal is made from different varieties of the agave plants, but the hearts of the plants are
baked in rock pits before fermentation. In Tequila production, the hearts are steamed.
Mezcal was often served with a worm in the bottle, called Mezcal con gusano, but the beverage
exported to the US does not come with worms. Mezcal became an fashionable drink in the 1995's,
because it was considered a hand-made beverage.
See Tequila.
meze/mezethakia
Turkish or Greek term for hot and cold hors d'oeuvres.
Mezesfeher
Hungarian white wine grape, used in dessert wines. The name means white honey.
Mickey Finn
Alcoholic concoction with dubious ingredients. Micky Finns were supposedly served to a band in
San Francisco, which got sick and could not play in a competing restaurant.
Mickey
Though the term is more commonly used to connote a sedative, it also refers to a small bonfire
roasted potato, charcoal black on the outside and white on the inside.
micro climate
Wine term to describe the climatic differences in a wine region or even in a single vineyard. The
differences are caused by orientation to the sun, slope, vicinity of a large body of water, and other
influences.
micro lettuces
An other term for baby greens grown in greenhouses, normally no bigger than one or two inches,
used primarily as salads. These greens have little flavor, but look pretty on the plate, and are loved by
some adventurous chefs. Their names are also adventurous, such as Red Mustard, Bulls Blood Beets,
Gold Beet, Pea leaves, pea sprouts, Mountain Spinach and many more.
microwave
Indispensable piece of kitchen equipment widely used only since the 1970's. It is a type of oven
or enclosure that uses high frequency electromagnetic waves to heat food. The waves convert the food's
water molecules into steam, thereby cooking the food. As with pressure cooking, the less time that heat is
applied to food, the less nutrients are lost.
The length of cooking time is in direct relation to the amount and bulk of the food cooked. The
waves are reflected by metal and will cause electric sparks.
Over the years models which convert to regular ovens and brown the food have become
available.
Also known as an electronic oven.
Middle East food
The population is largely Moslem, except for Greece, Lebanon, and Cyprus which are
predominantly Christian, and Israel which is predominantly Jewish. As a result of the Moslem population,
pork and alcoholic beverages are less prominent. The Jews also do not eat pork.
Armenia is sometimes also considered to be part of the Middle East.

579

Yogurt is a common as the heat makes it difficult to keep uncultured dairy products. The
dominant starch is wheat, followed by rice, beans and lentils. Eggplant is the dominant vegetable. Onions
and garlic are common. Spices and herbs are used lavishly. The principle cooking oil is olive oil.
COMMON INGREDIENTS:
anise- native plant. See there.
bulgur or cracked wheat. See there.
carob - native plant. See there.
dates - native plant. See there.
figs - See there.
lebany - yoghurt made with goat's milk.
loquat - See there.
pomegranate - native fruit. See there.
sesame oil - See there.
tamarind - See there.
COMMON DISHES:
baba gannouj - See there.
fattoush - a salad of which the main ingredient is purslane. See there.
fesenjen - See there.
hummus - See there.
kataifi - shredded filo dough dessert
kibbe - lamb and cracked wheat meatballs or hash.
lavash - thin bread. See there.
pita - pocket bread. See there.
shri khand - yoghurt dessert flavored with nutmeg, cardamom and saffron.
stuffed grape leaves - See dolmas.
tabblouleh - cracked wheat salad with vegetables. See there.
Rich sweets are enjoyed as between meal snacks. Fruit is preferred for dessert.
See also Egypt, Greece, Iran, Israel, Lebanon food.
middy
Australian medium-sized beer glass.
Midi
French term, when applied to wine, inexpensive table wine grown in the Mediterranean belt of
France.
See Languedoc wines.
midnight noodles
Marketing name for black pasta, which is made with squid ink.
Midori
Brand name for a Japanese sweet melon-flavored liqueur.
mie de pain
French term for white bread crumbs. It is often implied that mie de pain is made from fresh bread
without crust, and bread crumbs are made with stale bread.
migaki nishin
Japanese dried fish.
mignonette
Herb used in Middle eastern cooking.
Reseda odorata.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

580

mignonette
French term for coarsely crushed pepper. Sauce Mignonette is a cold dressing consisting of
crushed pepper, oil and vinegar. It is sometimes served with oysters.
mignonettes
French term for small steaks, normally served in pairs. The term is used for veal and lamb.
Mignot
French cheese made in the Department Calvados in France. The cheese is soft and rich. A
summer and a winter version are made.
mijoter
French culinary term, braising over low heat, simmer.
mikans
Japanese variety of mandarins, usually sold with the leaves still attached.
Mike and Ike
Coffee shop slang for salt and pepper shakers.
Milan food
Milan/Italy is capital of the Lombardy region. Milanese cooking is primarily rice and butter based
rather than pasta and olive oil based cooking of much of the rest of Italy. It seems that breading food with
bread crumbs is connected with Milan. The term Milanese is often used in connection with breaded
foods, and the Wiener Schnitzel, see there, might have come from Milan because it was an Austrian
possession until the mid 1800's.
A cosmopolitan city, the foods and restaurants tend to be less regional and more international
that in other parts of Italy. In most of Italy, pasta or risotto is always served as a separate course, but in
Milan, risotto is often served along with a meat course such as osso buco. See risotto and osso buco.
See Italy food.
milanaise, la
French culinary menu term for breaded food served with tomato sauce.
Milanesas
Argentinean term for breaded beef cutlets. Literally translated Milanese-style, it was popularized
by the Italian population who emigrated to Argentina. In Italy, veal would have been used, but this was an
option in Argentina.
Milano
Italian cheese sold under different names depending on season. It is called Fresco and Quardo,
and when made in Fall Stracchino or Quartirolo. The cheese resembles Bel Paese.
Milazzo
Italian red wine made in Sicily around the town of the same name.
Milchrahm Strudel
Austrian warm dessert, a sweet cheese strudel baked in a milk and egg custard. It is too rich
today for many customers.
Mile High Pie
Dessert specialty of the Hotel Pontchartrain in New Orleans. It is a ten inch tall ice cream pie,
comprised of layers with several flavors including mint, and topped with whipped cream.
Despite what the name might suggest, Mile High Pie did not originate in Denver, the Mile High
City. The name refers to the appearance of the dish.

581

milfoil
See yarrow.
milk
Milk was once considered by the U. S. Department of Agriculture the perfect food, but studies
and simple observations demonstrate that a large segment of the worlds population is lactose intolerant.
See there.
Milk in the US is universally cows milk, milk from other animals such as goats, sheep and mares
seldom reach the market.
Milk is available year round, but interestingly, the peak availability is in Spring. This seasonal
variation used to be dramatic, but is less pronounced nowadays, due to better feeding practices in the
slower colder winter months as well as more cow breeding in warmer climates.
Milk contains amino acids, such as tryptophan, lactose, calcium, fat, minerals and water. The fat
content is regulated and consumers can choose between a wide range of milk products. Casein is milk's
main protein.
A good dairy cow gives about 12 to 15 gallons of milk per day. The record production by a single
cow in a single day is held by a Holstein cow in Indiana who set the record in 1975 at 24 gallons. A
sheep gives only about two quarts a day.
The taste of milk can vary by the animal breed, the feed, the composition of solids (as opposed
to the water content) in the milk, the fat, the lactose, the minerals (also known as ash), and the state of
lactation of the animal, as well as the season and the time of day of the milking.
The first milk bottle was introduced in 1888; before that milk was sold in open pails or cans. Gail
Borden Jr. invented condensed milk in 1853 and received the first patent for it in 1856.
Goat's milk leaves a dry finish and aftertaste. It can taste slightly sour and takes some getting
used to. If it tastes too "goaty", it's too old. Its molecular structure makes it generally more digestible than
cows milk.
Sheep's milk has a stronger smell and taste than cow's milk. It is very white in appearance.
Because it is naturally homogenized, the cream won't rise to the surface and it is difficult to extract the
cream to make butter.
TERMS:
acidophilus cultured milk - pasteurized or ultra pasteurized milk, usually low-fat or skim, to which
a concentrated culture of lactobacillus acidophilus is added. Sweet acidophilus milk contains the same
bacteria but is not incubated to complete its conversion process so it tastes like regular milk.
buttermilk - milk bi-product, after much of the butterfat has been removed. The name is
misleading to many who think it has butter added. It is a thinner liquid than milk, with a tangy taste.
CalciMilk - lactaid milk to which 500 milligrams of calcium per 8 oz are added.
carbonated milk - A new pop version is expected to hit the market in 1989.
certified or raw milk - unpasteurized milk handled by dairies that operate according to standards
set by the American Association of Medical Milk Commissions.
condensed milk - canned evaporated, sweetened milk that has a higher milk solids and fat
content than evaporated milk.
cultured buttermilk - pasteurized or ultra pasteurized low-fat or skim milk with nonfat dry milk
solids added. Cultured with Streptococcus lactic for acid and flavor.
dry whole milk - pasteurized whole milk with all water removed primarily by spray drying.
dry malted milk - whole dried milk, with 55 to 60% malt extract added before drying. Extra
strength Malted Milk has the double ratio of malt extract.
dry nonfat milk - pasteurized skim milk with fat and water removed. Made by spray drying or
foam-dry spraying (spraying hot air into concentrated skim milk). Vitamins A and D added.
evaporated milk - homogenized whole milk with about 60% of the water removed. It is processed
at ultra-high temperatures, then canned aseptically. Vitamin D is added. Adding vitamin A is optional.
evaporated skim milk - concentrated, fortified skim milk with about 60% of the water removed.
Vitamins A and D are added. Homogenization is optional.
Half-and-Half - mixture of milk and cream containing between 10.5% and 18% milk fat.
Pasteurized or ultra pasteurized, it also may be homogenized.

582

homogenized milk - milk is pumped through the very small openings of a

homogenizer under pressure of 2,000 to 2,500 pounds per square inch, which reduces the size of
fat globules and produces milk of uniform composition and palatability.
Lactaid Milk - brand name for low-fat milk in which an added lactase enzyme breaks down the
lactose into two digestible sugars. It was developed for people with a lactose intolerance. See there.
low-fat milk - pasteurized or ultra pasteurized milk whose milk fat content has been
lowered to 1% or 2%. Vitamin A must be added for milk shipped interstate, since it is lost with the
milk fat. Milk-derived ingredients are also added to increase its viscosity and opacity. Adding Vitamin D is
optional.
low-sodium milk - pasteurized and homogenized low-fat or skim milk whose sodium content is
reduced from 49 milligrams per 100 grams to about 2.5 milligrams.
skim milk - milk from which most of the fat has been removed or "skimmed" off
sweetened condensed whole milk - mixture of milk and a nutritive sweetener, such
as sucrose, from which about 60% of the water is removed to prevent spoilage. Because of the
added sugar, this milk cannot be used in place of evaporated milk.
ultra pasteurized milk - milk heated to temperatures above 290 degrees for at least two seconds
before or after packaging. This extends the product's shelf life under refrigeration without significantly
changing its nutritive value.
whole milk -milk for beverage use that must contain no less than 3.25% milk fat and no less than
8.25% nonfat milk solids, which include protein, carbohydrates and water-soluble vitamins and minerals.
MILK NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Buttermilk must contain at least 8% nonfat milk solids
Condensed milk must contain 8% butterfat, 28% milk solids and 45% sugar
Evaporated milk must contain not less than 7.9% butterfat and 25% milk solids
Dried milk, non fat - 1% butterfat fat
Dried milk, whole - 26% butterfat
Fresh milk, skim - at least less than 3% butterfat
Fresh milk, fat free - less than 0.1% butterfat
Fresh milk, whole - 8% milk solids and 3% butterfat
CREAM INFORMATION:
Cream must contain at least 18% butterfat to be called cream.
Coffee cream - 18% to 30% butterfat content
Half and Half - 11% butterfat content
Sour Cream - 18% or more butterfat, except low fat sour cream.
Whipping cream, light - 30% to 35% butterfat content
Whipping cream, heavy - 36% butterfat content.
MILK INFORMATION, OTHER:
human milk - contains 12% solids average
cows' milk - contains 12.6% solids, 3.3% fat, 3.3% protein average
goats' milk - contains 13% solids, higher fat than cows' milk, and the same protein.
sheeps' milk - contains 17% solids
buffalo milk - contains 16% solids, 7% fat, 3.7% protein.
zebu' milk - contains 13% solids.
See Paramasalat.
milk bread
Yeast bread made with milk rather than water.
milk chocolate
See chocolate.
Milk Duds
Caramel chocolate candies manufactured since 1926.

583

Milk, Federal milk pricing

A system was devised in 1937 to insure that fresh milk was available in all parts of the country.
The minimum price that farmers can charge for milk is fixed monthly by the Department of Agriculture
(USDA). The country is divided into 31 regions, and the set price is higher the farther the regions are
from Eau de Claire, Wisconsin, historically the center of the dairy industry.
The system has become obsolete, but changing it is politically very difficult. The system is still in
place in the year 2000, but regional compacts have been allowed. Like with all farm policies some
farmers benefit and other get hurt.
milk punch
Alcoholic beverage consisting of milk, sugar and Bourbon whiskey or rum.
milk shake
Beverage made with milk, syrup and ice cream blended together to a thick mush. Different ice
cream flavors and syrups offer many flavor combinations. The drink is best made in a blender. It is a
fountain drink, originating around 1896.
Milk shake can be considered and American contribution to gastronomy. They are now popular
in Latin America, where they are made with pureed local fruits.
Other names used are Frapp or Frappe, Frosted and Cabinet. Blizzard is a thick milk shake
sold at Dairy Queen stores.
milk sugar
See lactose.
milkweed
Bitter wild green, the tender young shoots are edible, tasting like asparagus. When boiling the
vegetable the water must be replaced several times to remove the bitter flavor.
The term is also used generically for any plant segregating latex.
Asclepias spp.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Milky Way
Popular candy bar made by Mars Company. It consists of caramel and chocolate malt-flavored
nougat, covered with milk chocolate. It is the first candy bar Mars made and was devised by Mr. Forrest
Mars Senior. The name reaches out to the universe as does their last name.
mille feuille
French term for puff pastry dough, and products made with puff pastry. The term means
thousand leaves, but there are far less than thousand leaves in the dough.
Milleens
Irish soft, creamy cows milk cheese.
millsime
French wine term for vintage. It has nothing to do with the millennium.
millet
Grain bearing grass cultivated as cattle feed and as human food. The seeds are ground into a
protein rich flour. The seeds are sweet and add a yellow tint to cakes. Millet is a staple in some African
countries and in the Middle East.
The USDA experimented with millet because it is drought resistant. Millet is still cultivated,
primarily for feed.
Setaria Italica.

584

million dollar baby

Nickname for the 1015Y Supersweet onion, because of the huge sums of money spent
developing.
millsweet
Lemon variety grown in Italy and California. The most common variety, it is distinguished by
having a prominent nipple at the end opposite the stem, with a furrow surrounding it.
Citrus limetta.
Milookhiyya
Arabic term for the edible green leaf of a plant in the hibiscus family. It is related to okra and
exudes a viscous liquid. The flavor resembles spinach. The plant is used tp thicken and flavor soups.
Also known as Spanish okra.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
milt
The reproductive organ of male fish. It is a delicacy and sometimes available fresh or smoked
and salted.
The term is also used for the spleen, also known as melt.
Mimolette
French cheese, ball shaped with brown rind and brilliant yellow interior. The yellow/orange color
is achieved by dying the cheese with annatto.
Cheese with the same name is also produced in Holland.
mimosa blossoms
Yellow fragrant blossoms are candied in France and used as decoration on cakes.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
mimosa
Garnish consisting of sieved hard boiled egg yolks and egg whites. The egg yolks are meant to
imitate the mimosa blossoms. It is used on cold dishes.
Mimosa
Alcoholic drink consisting of two parts Champagne to one part orange juice. The drink is popular
at bruncheon.
Also known as Buck's Fizz.
mince - meat
Mixture of chopped dried fruits and beef suet, flavored with rum or whiskey. Mince - meat It is
used as pie filling. It does not contain meat. It is normally purchased canned.
The recipe originated in England and goes back to colonial times. Mince - meat pies are usually
served in the winter, often with hard sauce. See there.
minceur
French term for thinness, slenderness. Cuisine minceur is promoted as diet cuisine, but being
French, it is also promoted as gourmet food.

mineral water
Water from a natural underground supply that contains an usual amount of minerals not found in
ordinary water. It be naturally carbonated, artificially carbonated or non-carbonated.
Table mineral waters have little discernable flavor.

585

Medicinal water have a large amount of dissolved minerals and can have a pronounced, often
disagreeable flavor.
Taking the waters for medicinal purposes was already practiced by the Greeks and the Romans,
and for centuries were considered an important medical tool to fight disease.
In Europe, as well as later in the United States spa towns were built at the sources of natural
springs, and it was considered necessary, pleasant and socially agreeable to spend time every year
drinking or bathing in mineral waters.
With the advent of modern medicine and changed life styles some of the old spa town are
struggling with an aging infrastructure and dwindling customer base. Some of the lost revenue is
replaced by the growing popularity of bottled water.
minerals
Generic term for bottled water containing a marked amount of minerals. Minral is the French
spelling.
Minervois
French red wine from the Midi region. A smaller amount of white and ros wines is also
produced.
minestra
Italian generic term for soup. It usually refers to a thick soup made with vegetables and starch.
Minestrone is a form of minestra.
Minestrone is a hearty vegetable soup, made with many different vegetables, tomatoes and pasta
or rice. There are many regional variations, the most famous made in Genua.
Minestrone is often served with grated Parmesan cheese. See there.
mini-roti
West Indian sort of stuffed pancake.
Minnehaha
Name for a variety of simple cakes. The name goes back to Longfellow's epic poem Hiwatha,
wich featured the Indian maiden Minnehaha.
Minors
Food company manufactoring refrigerated and dry soup and sauce bases. The company is
owned by Nestle Food services.
Minneola
Tangelo variety with a knob at one end of the fruit and a bright orange skin. Developed in Florida.
mint
Perennial herb used in herb teas or tisane, sometimes
mixed with other flavors.
Popular also as herb in Northern Africa, such as Morocco.
Mint tea is made very sweet but is refreshing when made with
fresh mint.
Mint is credited with medicinal power in healing
bruises and bee stings, as well as headaches and stomach
aches.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Agastache rugosa - Licorice mint, plant with mint
licorice leaves.
Agastache foeniculum - Anise hyssop purple flowers
which attract bees.

586

Mentha citrata - Bergamot, orange-scented.

Mentha rotundifolia - Apple mint
Mentha spicata - Spearmint, milder tasting mint than peppermint.
Mentha pulegium - Pennyroyal , used medicinally in ancient times.
Mentha piperita - Peppermint
Monarda punctata - Dotted mint, strongly flavored with high thymol content.
Mint was used as a meat tenderizer by early Americans. Basil is a member of the mint family.
Mentha spp.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
mint jelly
Commercial food product based on apple juice and artificial mint flavor, dyed green. It is routinely
served in restaurants in Britain and the USA with lamb.
Mint Julep
Alcoholic made with Bourbon Whisky, sugar, fresh mint and ice. The drink has been associated
with Derby Day in Louisville, Kentucky since 1809. The first recorded recipe appeared in 1803.
There are many recipes or correct ways to make a perfect Mint Julep. One plausible recipe
calls for preparing a sweet mint syrup in advance, by boiling water, sugar and mint leaves. The drink is
prepared with chilled syrup, bourbon, mint leaves and ice cubes. Mint Julep is served in a tall glass or in
a traditional sterling silver julep cup. The drink is garnished with an additional sprig of mint and the top
dusted with confectioner's sugar.
Enthusiasts do not agree as to whether the mint should be mashed or bruised, whether there
should be lots or little of it, whether to add a dash of sweet liqueur or not, or whether it should be served
with or without a straw.
The word julep comes from the Arabic julab or gulab, meaning rosewater.
mint sauce
English condiment consisting of sugar, vinegar and chopped mint leaves, traditionally served with
lamb. It is available in bottles.
Minterbrook
Oyster harvested in Puget Sound near Tacoma Washington.
Mintzitra
Pot cheese made with ewes milk in Macedonia.
minute la
Culinary term for dishes cooked to order.
minute steak
Thin steak cooked quickly and often served on bread as sandwich.
Mirabeau, Honor Gabriel Riquitti, 1749 - 1791
French politician, his name appeared on classical menus.
Mirabelles
German name for a small, yellow plums. The are used fresh, canned and also for a brandy
called Mirabelle.
miracle
Fried cookie in pretzel shape popular in colonial times.

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miraculous fruit
Berries from a wild growing tree in West Africa and also cultivated in tropical countries. The
berries taste tart, but make taste sweet anything eaten thereafter.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Mirassou
Famous wine growing family in California.
mirepoix
French cooking ingredient consisting of coarsely cut vegetables used as flavoring for stewed
meats, sauces and gravies. The proportions are 50% onions, 25% carrots, 25% celery. Crushed
peppercorns and bay leaves, bacon trimmings or ham and herbs are optional. These vegetables are
browned to give flavor to stocks and sauces.
Mirepoix
French city in the Department Arige.
mirin
Japanese delicate-flavored liquid condiment made from sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, and salt.
Available in dry and sweet varieties. The sweet mirin is used primarily in cooking.
mirliton
Southern US word for chayote squash, also known as vegetable pear. The vegetable is hardshelled, but the flesh is cooked like squash.
Mirliton is commonly stuffed in Louisiana with ham or shrimp with spicy sauce and baked.
See chayote.
mirlitons
French term for small puff pastry tarts with sweet fillings.
miroton
French stew made with sliced leftover boiled beef, simmered with onions, white wine and vinegar
and thickened slightly with flour. The Scottish version of the dish is called inky pinky.
mise en place
French professional cooking term. It implies that everything is in its place, ready to be used. The
term is also by service personnel.
Young cooks are trained to prepare a good mise en place, have everything ready for speedy
service.
miso/miso paste
Japanese paste of fermented soybeans, used to thicken and season soups, marinades and
sauces. Miso is available in wide variety of flavors, colors and textures.
BASIC CLASSIFICATION:
Aka (red miso) - dark brown and pungent.
Chu (golden miso) - mild.
Shiro (white or tan miso) - slightly sweet.
Miso paste is perishable and should be kept refrigerated. It will not freeze. Miso has a very high
salt content. American chefs have been experimenting with miso and have used it in non - oriental
dishes.
misoshiru
Japanese clear soup, with pickled vegetables and flavored with miso.

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Mission Haut Brion, Chteau

Famous vineyard in Graves, Bordeaux opposite the Chteau Haut Brion. It produces an
excellent red wine.
Mission Bell
Inexpensive wine brand made from mission grapes in California. It used to be a slang name for
generic cheap wines.
Mission
The first vitus vinifera red grape planted in North America. California was first settled by
missionaries who established missions, and the grape is believed to have been first planted by Jesuit
Juan Ugarte. It makes a rather simple wine and is not widely grown today.
Mississippi nuts
Another name for pecans.
Missouri currants
See clove currants.
mistelle
Blend of sweet grape juice and alcohol used in the manufacture of sweet wines and wine based
cordials.
misua noddles
Asian fine wheat noodles.
Mitzithra
Greek pot cheese made with ewes milk. It is often made in conjunction when making Feta
cheese. It can resemble cottage cheese or be solid.
Mixed Grill
Once popular restaurant dish consisting of a number of different grilled meats. The selection
traditionally included a single lamb chop, a slice of liver or kidney, a slice of beef or veal, a small sausage
and bacon. It came with a grilled tomato half and fried potatoes.
By extension the term mixed grill is also used for an assortment of grilled seafood, or vegetables.
mixed pickles
Condiment, pickled assorted vegetables.
Mixmaster
American kitchen appliance, introduced in the 1930's by Chicago Flexible Shaft Company, which
later changed its name to its prestigious product's name.
mizuna
Japanese bitter mustard green, with curly delicately spiked leaves, somewhat resembling
dandelion greens or frise. It has a light peppery, slightly lemony taste. Used as salad ingredient.
moa chee
Chinese glutinous rice candy, dusted with sugar and roasted sesame seeds.
Mocha
Coffee variety, Arabica type, named after the Yemen port Mocha. Production in Yemen is small
and coffee labeled mocha might be a blend of coffee grown in other Arabic African countries.
The term is also used for strong coffee flavored with a small amount of chocolate.
served in small cups. It is also frequently used in connection with desserts, such as mocha ice cream,
mocha cream and mocha cake.

589

mochi
Japanese rice cake.
mock apple pie
Early American recipe, popularized during the Depression when it appeared on Ritz cracker
boxes. It is made with crumbled crackers, water, sugar, lemon juice (or apple juice), cream of tartar,
margarine, and cinnamon and contains no apples.
The recipe has been reprinted periodically.
mock tenderloin
Cut of beef from the forequarter, located between the rib cage and the loin cage, close to the
kidneys. It is a juice piece of meat, resembling a tenderloin, and is often used for hamburgers, or when
properly aged as roast.
The cut is considered a by-product and is not identified in the Meat Buyers Guide.
Also called hanger, butcher tenderloin or hanging tenderloin.
mock turtle soup
Once popular soup in fine restaurants. When turtles became scares and expensive, and
eventually became endangered species, chefs created a soup without turtles that looked and tasted like
turtle soup.
It was a gelatinous soup made with calvess feet, plenty herbs and sherry wine. It faintly
resembled turtle soup but found enough customer acceptance to stay on menus for many years.
There was a thick and a clear version. It was even available canned.
Modena
Parmesan type cheese made in the US.
Modena
City in Italy famous for balsamic vinegar. See there. Nocino, a walnut cordial .See there.
Zampone, a stuffed pigs foot. See there.
molleux/ moelleux
French wine taster term for wine with body, usually a little sweetness. The term means moelle,
marrow.
mofongo
Puerto Rican dish of little balls of roasted and mashed plantains, pork cracklings and garlic.
Mohrenkpfe
Austrian/German dessert consisting of sponge cake half rounds, covered with chocolate icing,
and filled with whipped cream. The name literally translated means Negro heads.
molasses
Syrup, a by-product in sugar fabrication. It was the favored sweetener during Colonial times
because it was much cheaper than refined sugar. Molasses is the base for rum.
Molasses is available as light or dark, the dark also called blackstrap. The light molasses were
considered superior to dark molasses.
Molasses were used extensively in cooking to mask the odor and flavor of pork products,
because they were often rancid or spoiled. Boston baked beans, Boston brown bread and Amadama
bread are traditional New England recipes using molasses.
The Amish/Dutch Pennsylvania Shoofly pie is made with dark molasses.
Molbo
Danish cheese resembling Edam cheese in appearance and taste.

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mole negro
Mexican stew made with chili peppers, meat and chocolate. It is hotter and spicier version of the
popular mole poblano.
Mole negro is served in the area around Oaxaca.
Mole dishes dates back to pre-Columbian times, though they were named later for the Mexican
town Puebla because the nuns at the local abbey were credited with making the best mole. It became
known as Mole Poblano.
Mole is sometimes referred to as Mexico's national dish.
mole verde
Mexican sauce made with tomatillos. See there.
moleche
Italian soft-shell crabs of the Veneto region.
Molette
French white wine grape grown in the Savoie region of France.
Molire, Jean Baptist Poqulin, 1622 - 1673
French playwright, his most famous works are Le Tartuffe, Misanthrop. His name appeared on
menus.
Moliterno
Italian plastic type (pasta filata) cheese, made in Southern Italy. When made with ewes milk, it is
called Pecornio Moliterno.
molluscs
Generic name for water animals with a hard outer shells. They are classified as univalves,
having one shell, such as snails, conch and abalone, and bivalves such as clams, mussels and oysters.
Cephalops are considered molluscs, but they have a hard inner shell, such as squid, octopus and
cuttlefish.
Molucca
Island group in Indonesia, also known as Spice Islands.
monal
Colorful pheasant native to Tibet and western China. The bird is hunted for food and also can be
found in aviaries.
Also known as moonal, monaul.
Monastery cheeses
Many cheeses were developed at monasteries during the Middle Ages. The monks had the skill
and time to develop superior breeds of cattle, and consequently had access to good milk. They also had
the patience to make cheeses, learn about the process, and to pass on the knowledge.
LIST OF POPULAR MONASTERY CHEESES:
Cur Nantaise - cheese made in Brittany.
Pont lvque - ancient cheese developed in the Pays dAuge district in Normandy around the
13th century. The cheese resembles Camembert, but is square in shape.
Grand Murols - cheese from the Auvergne.
Kloster Kse - generic German term for cheeses made at monasteries.
Port Salut - developed at a Trappist monastery around 1815. In 1878 the name was registered
as Port du Salut. The name and cheese making process was acquired by a commercial enterprise
around 1900. A disagreement with the Trappist order eventually became a legal issue, and the cheese
was made under the name Port Salut.
Providence - cheese made by the monks of the monastery Bricquebec in Normandy.
St. Nectaire - cheese made since the Middle Ages.

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St. Paulin - closely related to Port Salut. To avoid and infringement lawsuit the name was
changed.
St. Rmy - cheese from the Vosges valleys.
Monastrell
Spanish red wine grape variety, the most planted variety after Garnacha and Tinta. The grape is
resistant to phylloxera and other diseases, but the wine oxidizes easily.
Monbadon
California white wine grape variety.
Monbazillac
Sweet white wine from the Bergerac region of France.
Moncenisio
Italian cheese of Gorgonzola type.
Mondamin
Trade name for a corn starch product.
Mondavi, Robert
Patriarch of the wine making family located in Napa, California. He created the wine Opus One
in joint venture with Baron Philippe de Rothschild of the French Chteau Mouton Rothschild.
Mondeuse noire
French red wine grape variety. The grape was extensively cultivated in Eastern France before
phylloxera; today the grape is grown in the French Savoie region.
mondongo
Puerto Rican stew of African origin with chopped tripe, pumpkin, and the root yauta.
Mondseer
Austrian cheese made around Mondsee, a town in the area of Salzkammergut near Salzburg.
The cheese is semi soft, and shipped in small wooden boxes.
Monell Chemical Senses Center
World famous center for the study of taste and smell, established in Philadelphia in 1968 by the
Ambrose Monell Foundation.
Monemvasia
An ancient sweet wine known by the name of the Greek port from which it was shipped. The
name evolved into Malvoisie in medieval France, and eventually into Malmsey in English.
Monferrato
Italian wine region in Piedmont producing the respected Barolo, Barbaresco, Freisa, Grignolino,
Gavi, Cortese wines, and the Asti Spumante sparkling wines.
Mongolian hot pot
Thin slices of lamb or other meat, fish and vegetables are cooked at the table in a simmering
broth, and then dipped into condiment sauces.
The dish is often served in Chinese restaurants.
monguetes
Spanish variety of string beans.

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Monica
Italian red wine grape variety grown on the island of Sardinia. It is used for a sweet wine with
high alcohol content with the same name.
monk's hood.
A poisonous herb.
Aconitum anglicum.
Monkey Bar
Trendy new York City restaurant located in the Elysee hotel.
monkey bread
Sweet yeast rolls baked together. They often contain raisins.
Monkey bread is also the fruit from the African Baobab tree.
monkey gland
Cocktail popular in Paris in the 1920's. It consisted of Gin, orange juice, grenadine and licorice
flavored cordial..
monkey house
Nickname for employee quarters at country clubs.
monkey nuts
Nickname for peanuts.
monkey rum
Distilled spirit resembling rum, made with sorghum molasses.
monkfish
Firm flesh ocean fish. The fish has a big head, and only the tail is eaten. The gray membrane
which encloses the flesh must be removed. The skin can be dried and used as wood polishing cloths.
Monkfish is nicknamed "poor man's lobster" because of its meaty texture and taste reminiscent of
lobster, at much lower cost than lobster.
Also known as angel shark, anglerfish, or goosefish.
Lotte or baudroi in French.
monoglycerides
Preservative and emulsifiers in food processing.
monopole
French, wine term referring to a trade mark on labels.
monosodium glutamate
Flavor enhancer, usually called MSG, which works differently from herbs and spices. MSG has
little flavor of its own but brings out the flavor in other foods. A little of it goes a long way and overuse may
produce an undesirable taste. It is a from of glutamic acid that is naturally present in meat, fish, cheese,
vegetables, as well as the human body.
MSG works best with low acid foods such as meat, fish, cheese and vegetables. It harmonizes
well with sour or salty flavors, but does little for sweet or highly acidic foods. It is not known exactly how it
works, but it is thought to restore original flavors to foods that have lost some of their flavor through
refrigeration or processing.
Production of the seasoning begins with fermentation of some natural foods, usually molasses, to
free the MSG powder.
Despite its natural origins, a small percentage of the population has adverse or allergic reactions
to this additive. Chinese chefs were famous or infamous for using a lot of MSG in their cooking. Thus,

593

there is malady referred to as "Chinese restaurant syndrome". The syndrome manifests itself by a flushed
or numb feeling in the face or a headache or heady feeling after consuming too much food with MSG.
Another danger of MSG is sodium. MSG does contain sodium, though less than table salt. MSG
is 12% sodium vs table salt is 40%.
In China, MSG remains a prized seasoning and a man named Zheng Qing produced and sold
fake MSG, a crime for which he was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Many Chinese chefs in America
no longer use MSG, or give the customer the option of requesting its omission.
Monostorer
Rumanian cheese made with ewes milk.
mono-unsaturated fats
Fats which do not raise the cholesterol level in the blood, and may even lower blood cholesterol.
Olive oil and peanut oil both contain mono-unsaturated fats.
Monselet, Charles
French cook book author in the 19th century.
Mont d'Or
Cheese made around Lyon, France for 300 years. It is a soft cheese resembling Pont l'vque.
Mont Cenis
Firm blue mold cheese made in Southeastern France.
Mont Blanc
Dessert consisting of pureed sweet chestnuts heaped on a meringue shell and garnished with
whipped cream. The dessert resembles the famous mountain because it is tall, and the colors resemble
rock and ice.
Montage
Wine brand of blended California and French wines, from a joint venture between Christian
Brothers and the Sichel winemaking family.
Montagn, Prosper
Famous French chef and author, 1865 - 1948. He was co-author of Larousse Gastronomique.
His positions as executive chef include Pavillon Ledoyen and the Grand Htel de Paris.
Montagny
White Burgundy, France, wine made with chardonnay grapes.
Montasio
Italian cheese from the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. Originally produced only in the
mountainous area of the same name, but now more widely made in the region of Friuli. It is a hard
cheese made with cows. goats and ewes milk and resembles Fontina.
Montavoner
Austrian cheese made near the Swiss border. The cheese is flavored with dried herbs.
monte au beurre
French cooking technic of adding cold, fresh butter in small nuggets to a finished sauce to add
flavor, sheen and body. The sauce cannot be boiled, or exposed to prolonged heat after the butter has
been added.
Montedoro
Large, oval Italian apricot variety. Very flavorful and one of the most delicious.

594

Monteglas
French/ aristocratic family.
Monteith
Large punch bowl with a scalloped rim on which the glasses are hung. Named for a Scotsman
who was renown for his fine punch recipe.
Montepulciano
Italian town in Tuscany famous for its wine called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. It is not made
with the grapes of the same name, but rather Sangiovese and other grapes.
Montepulciano
Italian red wine grape variety, the principal grape variety planted in the Abruzzi region, but also
planted in other parts of south-central Italy.
Monterey
County south of San Francisco and producing considerable amount of table wine.
Monterey
Cheese, also known as Jack was first made in 1892 in Monterey County, California. It is a softtextured cheese from California and is good in cooking because it melts beautifully.
The aged version is a hard cheese and is known as Dry Jack, a low-salt, hard, cheese, aged 7 to
10 months, with a nutty flavor. Extra-dry jack is aged 2 years for more intense flavor and is similar to
Parmesan.
Monthry.
French cheese resembling Brie.
Montilla
Spanish Sherry style wine made by basically the same methods as Sherry, but with no alcohol
added. The wine is dry and should be served chilled.
The term Amontillado is used to describe a rather dry Sherry wine and came originally from the
village Montilla.
Montils
French wine grape, also used in Cognac.
Montlouis
Wine growing town and area in the Loire valley of France, across the river from Vouvray. The
wine area include the towns of Montlouis, Husseau, Lussault, Saint-Martin-le-Beau.
The wines are all white and are similar in style to young Vouvray.
Montmorency
French sour cherry variety. Dishes named Montmorency always contain cherries.
The most popular dish is Canard la Montmorency (duckling).
Montmirel
Famous chef in the 19th century, he worked in Paris, Vienna and Rome.
Montpellier
French culinary term for herb butter served with grilled meat served with herb butter. Fresh butter
is creamed with pureed cooked spinach, chopped parsley, tarragon, hard cooked eggs, salt and pepper.
It is named after the town Montpellier in the South of France.

595

Montrachet
Small vineyard in Burgundy, France producing the most famous and expensive white wine of
France.
Montrachet
Popular French goat cheese. The cheese is shaped in 6-inch long cylinders, usually rolled in ash
or wrapped in chestnut or grape leaves. Young Montrachet will taste light and fresh. Overripe Montrachet
will taste acidic and reek of ammonia.
Montrachet
Famous restaurant in Manhattan.
Montravel
Medium-dry white wine from the Bergerac region of France.
Montrose, Chteau
Famous wine estate in the Mdoc region of Bordeaux, France. The red wine is sturdy and slow
maturing.
Monzelun
Sappy, tannin-rich wood from the Armagnac region of France, used in cooperage for aging the
local brandy. It imparts a heavy, rich flavor.
mold
Container to bake food in a specific shape, or container to shape food, such as chocolate, ice
cream and other products.
mold
Fungus growing on or in food if the conditions are right. Beneficial molds create the blue veins in
blue cheeses.
Surface mold is generally not toxic but indicates that the food could be spoiled and should be
discarded.
moo
Thai word for pork.
mooli
The Indian name for daikon radish. See there.
moon cakes
Chinese rich, round cakes made from nuts and honey or disks of dough containing red bean
paste, lotus seeds or lotus nut paste, nuts, and sometimes egg yolks to celebrate the Moon Festival.
The cakes are offered to the moon goddess, and are the only food offered to a deity that can also
be eaten, specifically by children. The theory is that the moon goddess loves children and wants to share
her food with them.
Folklore tells of how the Chinese hid secret messages in moon cakes, to spread the word about
an impending revolt that ended the tyrannical Mongol rule.
Moon Festival
Chinese celebration to honor the goddess of the autumn moon. Legend has it that the god of sun
and heat fell in love with her, but, frightened by his passion, she ran away. So angry was the god that he
scorched the earth. In response to the pleas of the people, the goddess promised her suitor that if he
were kind to the people, she would return to him once every year at the end of the harvest.
The festival takes place for several days around the end of October and beginning of November.

596

moonfish
Ocean food fish, a large beautifully colored fish harvested in warmer ocean waters. A number of
species are referred to under the same name.
Also known as jorobado, horse fish, horse head.
Vomer setipinnis.
The Mariposa moonfish is larger and belongs to the lampridae family.
moonshine
Illegally distilled whisky, normally corn whisky made in the Appalachian Mountains.
Also a dessert concoction from new England. It consisted basically of whipped egg whites,
heavy cream and preserved fruit.
Moors Diamond
American white grape developed by Jacob Moore around 1860's in the Finger Lake region of
New York state.
moras
Hispanic name for black raspberries. See there.
Moravian
German Protestant settlers who left Bohemia in the 18th century. They brought a rich culinary
tradition to the United States. Many settled in Pennsylvania. Their Christmas traditions are strong, and
an annual Christkindlmarkt featuring arts and crafts and gingerbread cookies is held in Bethlehem,
Pennsylvania.
moray
Eel like ocean fish.
Morbier
French cows milk cheese. It is distinguished by a layer of charcoal in the center.
morcilla
Spanish blood sausage. It is much dryer than the English blood pudding, or the German
Blutwurst.
morels
The first mushroom to appear in the Spring in forests, but difficult to find, impossible to predict,
and resisting cultivation. The mushrooms are usually dark brown, almost black, but some varieties are
white. White morels are meatier. They are cone shaped with a ruffles skin, and prized for their meaty
lush taste. The most flavorful are supposed to be the deeper, darker, woodier black morels vs. the beige
morels.
The best growing regions in the U.S. are the northern Midwest, such as, Michigan, Wisconsin
and Minnesota, the Pacific northwest, especially Oregon, and the Blue Ridge Mountains where they call
them merkel.
Dried morels have a more intense flavor than fresh morels. Morels can be toxic, and should be
par-boiled before use. Drying de-activates the toxin.
Morels have a poisonous look alike, called false morels. They can be distinguished by their freeform hats rather than the symmetrical hats of edible morels.
Like all mushrooms, morels should be washed just before use. The hat is often sandy, and it is
advisable to split large morels to remove the sand. They spoil easily, especially when kept in a tightly
closed bag.
A morel festival takes place every year in Harrison and in Boyne City, both in Michigan.
Morels are ascomycete, a relative to the truffle.
Morilles in French, Morcheln in German.
Morchella esculanta.

597

Morello
Dark red sour cherry variety.
Moreto
Portuguese red grape variety, used to make the wines of Bairrada.
Morey St. Denis
Burgundian village famous for its red wines. The celebrated vineyards are Bonnes Mares, Clos
de la Roche, Clos St. Denis, Clos de Tart and Clos de Lambrays.
Morgenduft
German apple variety, related to Rome Beauty.
Morgon
Prestigious vineyard area, or cru, of the Beaujolais/France region.
Morio Muskat
German white wine grape grown in the Rheinpfalz and in Rheinhessen.
Moristel
Red wine grape cultivated in Spain's Somontano region.
Mormon tea
Herb tea, since the Mormon religion forbids the consumption of any stimulants, including the
caffeine in coffee or tea. Wild weeds that grow in Utah were sometimes used by early settlers to make
tea.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Mornay Sauce
Classical French sauce. It is a white cream sauce enriched with grated cheese and egg yolks,
often flavored with the reduced stock of the dish it is served with, for instant fish. The sauce is spooned
over cooked food to be browned on top.
Named after Philippe Mornay, Seigneur de Plessis-Marly, French politician and author, 1549 1623.
Morocco food
North African kingdom, culturally related to France and Spain. It is a Moslem country, but wine
grapes are cultivated and wine is even exported. Food was traditionally eaten with three fingers of the
right hand, never the left hind, which is considered un-clean.
The typical starch is cous -cous. See there. Chermoula - spice mixture.
Bstilla/pastella/bisteeya is a famous specialty pie made with filo dough, layered with a mixture of
minced pigeon, eggs, lemon, and almonds, and seasoned with cinnamon and cayenne. It is sometimes
made with chicken in place of the pigeon.
Tajines/tadjin - lamb or muttom stew prepared in ceramic pot with a pointed lid with the same
name.
Vegetables include chick peas, squash such as zucchini, yams, peas. Mild truffles called terfezia
are found in the wild.
Famous are the Medjool dates. See there. Other fruits include citrus fruits, grapes, avocados,
custard apples, bananas, and also apples, pears, cherries, strawberries, and of course tangerines which
were named for the city of Tangier, although the fruit originated in India.
Ramadan, the Moslem time of fasting is observed.
Mint tea is the most common beverage. It is made very sweet and with a lot of macerated mint.
Sidi Harazem is a Moroccan brand of mineral water

598

Morocco wines
Moslem country with a small wine production encouraged by France, the colonial power which
occupied it.
The wines are red and produced around Meknes.
moros
Cuban dish of black beans and rice.
morrn
Spanish term for red pepper, roasted, peeled and preserved in oil or its own juice, used mostly as
a condiment or garnish.
The Spanish word pimiento means pepper in Spanish.
morselas
Portuguese blood pudding, a sausage. Sometimes referred to as morcella in Portuguese
communities in America. Similar to chourico mouro.
mortadella
Italian sausage of proud heritage from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Known also as
bologna in Italy.
Mortadella is a large, pale pink boiled sausage made of finely ground forcemeat of lean pork,
studded with small cubes of pork fat. The mixture is subtly flavored before being cooked. Since it is made
from good cuts of meat, it is much more expensive than American bologna, which is considered an
inexpensive luncheon meat.
Mortadella is the Italian word for myrtle, which originally was used to season this sausage. The
original sausage showed off the quality of the local pork, and it was important to choose the right pig for
flavor and texture. The legs of these prime pigs are usually used for prosciutto and the trotters for
zampone.
Mortadella was originally made in monasteries and kitchens of the wealthy in ancient Italy. The
process involves the pounding of pork with a mortar and pestle, and thus the name comes from an
abbreviated from of the Italian description "mortaio della carne di maiale". In the 14th century, a local
guild of sausage makers was formed.
Mortadella can be very large and have been made weighing 200 lb and more. Pig's bladder or
sometimes sheep's bladder)is used for the casing. For large mortadella, several bladders must be pieced
together. The large ones must also be tied with a rope or rope net before cooking.
Before cooking, the skin must be pricked so it doesn't burst. The mortadella produced in factories
is hung from hooks and circulated through room-sized kettles, at a low-temperature, to ensure even
cooking. The cooking process takes a day, or for the largest ones, as much as two days.
The first known recipe was found in Cristofor Messisbugo's "Libro Novo", dated 1557. According
to Messisbugo, first a pig's bladder is washed in water, then in red wine. The proportions of fat to lean in
the stuffing were even then a matter of individual taste. Large amounts of salt and red wine were used as
seasoning.
Mortadella had a role in a 1977 Sophia Loren film. After leaving her job in a mortadella factory,
Sophia Loren came to the US with a gift of the company product from her fellow employees. At the US
customs, officials would not permit her to bring in the sausage, so it was enthusiastically shared with the
people at the airport till it was finished.
Importation of meat products without permit is illegal.
mortar and pestle
Once important kitchen implement consisting of a massive bowl and a sturdy stomper in the
shape of a baseball bat. Large kitchen had them in different sizes fro smashing spices or coffee to
breaking meat fibers. Machines handle the tasks today.
morue
French for cod fish, generally referred to salted cod. Fresh cod is referred to as cabillaud.

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Moscatel
Generic name for sweet wines made in Spain, Portugal and in South America.
The Moscadel produced around the town of Setubal in Portugal is a fortified wine of high esteem.
Moscatel I the third wine grape used in Sherries, mostly for blending.
Moscato
Italian term for the muscat grape and its many varieties. Also the name of wines, most of them
sweet. The most important are:
Moscato di Canelli, named for the village near Asti, a sweet white wine. It is used in Asti
Spumante and vermouth.
Moscato Giallo is a sweet wine produced in North Italian region of Alto Adige, formerly South
Tyrol.
Moscato di Cagliari, Moscato di Pantelleria, Moscato di Siracusa and Moscato di Trani are very
sweet wines high in alcohol.
Moscophilero
Greek white wine grape variety.
Moscovite
French term for a frozen fruit dessert or cold fruit cream.
Moscow mule
Alcoholic drink made with ginger beer and vodka. It originated around 1947 and was created to
promote Smirnoff Vodka.
Mosel
German word for Moselle river.
Moselblmchen
Trade name for a blended slightly sweet wine from the German area around the Moselle River.
moss
Small herbaceous plants growing in a mass. Moss used for food are:
Chinese moss - see agar agar
Iceland moss - see there
Irish moss - see there.
Moselle
German wine growing region along the river with the same name. The major city is Trier. There
are many world famous vineyards along the river.
Riesling grapes are the only grapes grown, and since the region is on the Northern fringe of wine
growing areas, the wines have a relatively low alcohol content, and are slightly sweet. Late harvest wines
are occasionally produced.
Moshu Rabbenu
Israeli nick name for St. Peter's fish. Literally translated Moses Our Teacher's fish, the name
refers to the folk belief that this fish was fuller-bodied in Moses' time, before it was split in half when the
Red Sea was parted
mostaccioli
Italian dry pasta resembling penne.
Mostarda de Cremona
Italian condiment, pickled mustard fruits.

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mostelle
Mediterranean food fish prized for its liver.
mother
Concentration of yeasts used to produce vinegar. Often referred to as vinegar mother.
mother grain
The Incas called quinoa, the staple of their diet, the mother grain. See there.
motherwort
Perennial plant of medicinal value. It is the herb of life to the Japanese and a festival called
Kikousouki is held the ninth day of the ninth month called Month of Motherwort Flowers.
Leonorus cardica.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Moueix family
Wine shippers and vineyard owners in the St. Emilion and Pomerol areas of Bordeaux, France.
They own about half of the most prestigious of all Pomerols, Chteau Ptrus.
Other family properties are Chteau Trotanoy, Chteau Magdelaine, as well as Dominus in
California's Napa Valley.
Christian Moueix is the manager of the family-owned Chteau Ptrus. See there.
moulard duck
Cross of drake Muscovy or Barbary and the female Peking ducks. The breed was developed in
Israel for the production of foie gras, and is produced in the USA. The duck is sterile and the artificial
insemination is a closely guarded secret.
Moulard breasts are used in fine restaurants.
moules
French term for mussels.
Moulin des Carruades
The second label of Chteau Lafite-Rothschild.
Moulin--Vent
Prestigious vineyard area, or cru, of the Beaujolais region, probably the best. The vineyard is
crowned by an ancient windmill.
Mounds
Chocolate peanut bar created around 1920 by the Hershey Company.
mountain apple
Indian and Malaysian fruit about the size of a tennis ball.
mountain chicken
Slang for frogs in the West Indies.
mountain dew
Illegally distilled whiskey. The term was used first in Scotland, and eventually in Kentucky and
Tennessee.
Mountain Dew
Soft drink manufactured by Pepsi-Cola.

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mountain potato
Starchy Japanese glutinous yam, known as yama imo.
mountain oyster.
Testicles of bulls, pigs or lamb. They are a specialty in Western states and are usually breaded
and fried.
mountain whitefish
Fresh water whitefish, sport fish harvested in the stream of the Rocky Mountains in the US and in
Canada.
Also known as Rocky Mountain Whitefish.
Prosopium williamsoni.
Mourier Leopold Foundation
French Philanthropic organization founded 1840. Leopold Mourier was a chef who started the
organization to help other chefs in distress. His home in Paris belongs to the foundation and is used to
house young chefs while they study. It contains a valuable library.
Mourisco Tinto
Portuguese red wine grape variety grown in the Douro region.
Mourvdre/Mourvedre
French red wine grape variety cultivated in the South of France. The grape probably originated in
Spain. It is also known as Matar, and cultivated extensively under this name in Australia.
Once there were 3000 acres of Mourvdre grown in the US, but that amount dropped to less than
300 acres by 1990. The wine from this grape gave quality to wines blended with it, but its shy-yielding
vine made it impractical to grow on a large scale. The grape made a comback of sorts in 1989 and later,
due to the Rhne Rangers, a group of California vintners who experimented with Rhne valley varietals.
It continues to be cultivated in small quantities and was bottled in California as Mourvdre wine.
moussaka
Greek dish of Turkish origin. Baked eggplant and ground meat casserole. It became a popular
Armenian dish.
In Greece, one version is made with potatoes and ground beef, tomatoes, cheese, seasonings,
yogurt and eggs, but no eggplant.
mousse
Hot or cold food made of minced or pureed ingredients, mixed with beaten cream and egg whites
There are two versions. The hot mousse is made with raw meat or seafood and then poached. It
is served hot with a suitable sauce as first course or main course.
The cold mousse can be sweet or made with cooked meat, seafood or vegetables. The cooked
product is blended with gelatine and whipped cream, molded and chilled.
sweet and served as dessert.
Mousse is less popular today because it is considered fattening. Not too long ago, every
"continental" restaurant had chocolate mousse on the menu.
mousseline
French dessert resembling sponge cake. The term is also used for sweet mousse made in
individual portions.
Mousseline Sauce
Classical French sauce consisting of Hollandaise Sauce blended with whipped cream at the
moment of service. The sauce is served with poached fish and vegetables.
mousserons
French small mushrooms with a garlic smell.

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mousseux
French wine term meaning sparkling or effervescent. It is used for sparking wines that are not
made in Champagne because it is given that champgane is sparkling.
They differ from petillant wines, which are semi-sparkling.
mot
French term for must, the unfermented grape juice.
moutarde
French term for mustard.
Moutarde de meaux is a famous whole grain mustard.
mouton
French for mutton.
Mouton Baron Philippe
Famous Bordeaux, France wine estate located in Paulliac, not to be confused with Chteau
Mouton Rothschild. See there. The wine has about 25% Merlot and is therefore softer and more ready
for drinking.
Mouton Rothschild, Chteau
World renown wine estate in Bordeaux, France with a long history. The wines were rated only a
2nd growth in the Classification of 1855. The wines never got their appropriate official recognition as a 1st
growth until 1977.
Thus the motto of the Chteau until then was "Premier ne pui. Second ne daigne. Mouton suis.",
meaning "First I cannot be. Second I will not condescend to be. Mouton I am." The motto was probably a
paraphrasing of the motto of the noble and proud Rohan family which owned the Chteau, a family which
produced many generals, cardinals and also dukes to the Ancien Rgime, and had as its motto "Roi ne
puis. Duc ne daigne. Rohan suis."
The Chteau was owned by a succession of famous and infamous characters and eventually
became the property of Baron de Brane, a great 19th century viticulturist. Originally named simply
Mouton, the Chteau became Mouton-Rothschild in 1853, when it was purchased by Nathaniel de
Rothschild.
Perhaps its most colorful owner was Nathaniel's descendant Baron Philippe de Rothschild, who
began the tradition of having its labels painted by a different renowned artists every year. The artist
would be paid in cases of wine. He also opened a wine museum together with Paulin, his American born
second wife at the Chteau, which is open to the public. The Chteau is one of the most impressive in
the Mdoc, although it was in a dilapidated condition in 1853. The present building, known as Petit
Mouton was started 1880.
Baron Philippe started a joint venture with Robert Mondavi in Napa Valley, California to produce
Opus One.
Mouton-Rothschild wine contains more than 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, highest of any Mdoc
Chteau-bottled wine. The wines are so esteemed that two of the eight most expensive wines ever
bought at auction in 1987 were Moutons.
Mouton is the only first growth Chteau which does not have a second label.
Mouton Rothschild, wine labels
Baron Philippe de Rothschild took charge of the winery in 1922 and commissioned the poster
designer Jean Carlu to design a label for the 1924 vintage. The label apparently was to avant-garde, and
was discontinued. Since 1934 the labels mention the number of bottles vintaged.
Labels created by famous artists started again with the 1945 label, painted by Philippe Jullian. It
commemorated the victory over the German occupation forces. Notable artists include Jean Cocteau,
Salvador Dali, Henry Moore, Joan Mir, March Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky and Pable Picasso. Andy
Warhol created the 1975 label, and the 1977 label honored H. M. Elisabeth, The Queen Mother.

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The labels and their wines have become collector items, and the value of the wine has risen on
account of that.
Mouton Baronne Phillippe, Chteau
French Bordeaux wine estate named by Baron Phillippe after his late wife in 1977. Most wine is
red and highly esteemed.
Mvenpick
Restaurant chain founded by Ueli Prager 1948 in Switzerland. The chain operates hotels and
restaurants in a number of counties, including the March food courts.
The name means pick of the seagull, and was created when Ueli Prager saw a sea gull nose
diving into Lake Geneva.
Mox Lox
Surimi-based imitation lox. See surimi.
Moxie
Tradename of a bottled bitter soft drink.
Moyer's Prize
Apple variety popular in the 19th century.
Mozarinelli
Italian cheese made with buffalo milk.
Mozart Kugel/Mozartkugeln
Austrian confection made with nougat and marzipan and covered with chocolate. The bit size
balls (Kugeln) are wrapped in foil with a picture of the composer Mozart. The confection was invented
1890 by Paul Frst, a pastry chef and owner of a pastry shop in Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart.
The original Mozartkugeln are wrapped in silver foil with a picture of Mozart. A number of
companies make Mozart - Kugeln, including Mirabell company located outside Salzburg, and once
owned by Suchard/Kraft. The largest exporter is Reber, located in Germany just across the border from
Salzburg. Their Mozart Kugeln are wrapped in Gold foil.
mozzarella
Southern Italian cheese. The best of this smooth, creamy textured white Neapolitan cheese is the
mozzarella di bufala, but mozzarella can also be made from cow's milk or a combination of buffalo's milk
and cow's milk. In fact, cow's milk is the only milk permitted in the US for cheese productions. The best
Mozzarella is made by hand, rather than mass-produced by machine. Hand made Mozzarella is plump
and tender with a subtle, delicate, sweet taste, much better than the rubbery machine-made versions.
In Italy, most mozzarella di buffalo is cut with cow's milk because buffalo milk is harder to obtain,
and increases production costs. In the 17th century, Indian water buffalo were imported to Italy to work as
beasts of burden. The people started to make mozzarella cheese from their milk. In fact, the best
mozzarella is still made from the milk of the water buffalo, which gives the product a creamy texture and a
sweet-sour flavor
The cheese making process begins with a block of milk curd which is solidified with an enzyme.
The block is cut with a wood-framed "guitar", strung with wire. The curd is stirred in a large metal bowl
with 160 degree water. It is stirred with a wooden paddle, until it softens. Then it is kneaded, stretched,
and pulled like taffy. Timing is crucial. If it is cooked too long, it will be stringy; if it is undercooked, it will
be tough.
The kneaded cheese is then molded into balls, or sometimes other shapes, and tossed into cold
water to set. The outer layer should be smooth. It forms a protective coating, which seals in the milky
butterfat. Small balls of mozzarella are called bocconcini, meaning little mouthfuls. Sometimes mozzarella
is flattened into thick sheets, topped with prosciutto, rolled into a loaf, and sliced into pinwheels.
Sometimes, salted mozzarella balls are smoked over a hickory fire, which gives the skin a light-brown
color and the taste a woody character. Salted or smoked mozzarella will keep a little longer than

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unsalted, but should be refrigerated in plastic wrap, and kept only about three days. Mozzarella can be
frozen, but, if so, should only be used in cooking.
Some mozzarella is salted by being tossed into a brine.
Mozzarella is the preferred pizza cheese and is available for food service in various quality levels
and shapes.
Mr. Goodbar
Chocolate and peanut bar created around 1925 by the Hershey Company.
Mrs. Beaton's Book of Household Management
Victorian cookbook.
Mrs. Butterworth's
Lever Brothers fictional character representing breakfast products. The theory is that
personalization helps consumers relate to products.
MSX
Michinia nelsoni, a microorganism fatal to mollusks.
Mtsvane
Russian/Georgia wine grape which produces dry white wines, such as Manavi.
muamba
Angolan/African stew of chicken or fish, slowly cooked with pumpkin, peppers, and sweet potato
leaves.
muckamuck
Alaskan Indian word for food.
mud
Coffee shop slang for old coffee.
mud bugs
Louisiana nickname for crawfish, which refers to the fact that they live in the mud in fresh water
streams
mud crabs
Australian huge, bulbous crab with tremendous claws, and especially tasty meat. They average
four pounds in size
Also called mangrove crab.
mud pie
Rich frozen dessert consisting of crushed Oreo cookies mixed with melted butter and molded into
a crust. The pie shell is then filled with coffee ice cream and topped with semi-sweet chocolate and
whipped cream.
muddler
Small wooden pestle to stir cocktails, and to crush cocktail ingredients.
muffin
Breakfast pastry made in many flavors and sizes, often high in fat and sugar.
The English Muffin is a non sweet flat, soft yeast cake, which is best split and toasted. To
increase the toasting surface, English muffins should be torn apart with a fork than cut with a knife.
muffin stand
Tiered table implement to hold pastries and small sandwiches.

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Muffoletto, Anna
American Sicilian cookbook author and cooking teacher.
muffuletta
New Orleans specialty sandwich of meat, cheese, pickles, and olive salad, served in a round
sesame seed bun.
The sandwich was created in 1910 by Salvatore Lupo at the Central Grocery, in New Orleans,
Louisiana; and is still sold there by his grandson and namesake, Tommy.
A round Italian loaf with
layers of hard salami, ham and provolone, topped with olive salad. Originally made with the crushed
olives from the bottom of the olive barrel. Should be eaten cold, although some imitators serve it hot.
mugi cha
Japanese weak barley tea, commonly served cold in Japanese restaurants during hot weather.
mugwort
Edible wild leafy plant with unique leaf stalks that are reddish purple. The stalks are boiled in
Japan and are used in rice cakes.
Mugwort was commonly used in Britain. A sprig, or wort, was added to beer to season it or used
to make an iron-rich tea. Dried mugwort is aromatic, sometimes used in sachets.
Also known as chrysanthemum weed, St. Johns plant.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Artemisia vulgaris.
mulacolong
Southern Colonial chicken stew.
mulato
Chili variety.
mulberry/mulberries
Tree fruits, resembling, but are not related to raspberries. They are juicy and sweet with a slightly
musty flavor, but have smaller seeds than raspberries. There are a number of species, such as Red
Mulberry, Texas Mulberry, White Mulberry and Black Mulberry. The name is based on the Latin name
morum.
The trees were brought to America from Asia in the 19th century to feed the silkworms in the
budding silk industry. The industry didn't thrive here, but the trees did. Mulberries are available only 2 to 3
weeks a year and are very perishable, they are seldom sold fresh, but are sometimes sold dried in healthfood stores. Mulberries are not liked by gardeners, because the ripe, juicy berries drop of trees and stain
easily.
Also known as tree berries in Israel.
Morus spp.
mulled
Term describing a hot alcoholic beverage. It is most often made with wine, but can also be made
with beer, cider and other beverages. Sugar and spices are added to the hot liquid, and in some cases,
distilled liquors added to make up for the alcohol lost during the heating process.
Mller-Thurgau
German white wine grape. A cross between Sylvaner and Riesling, as is the lesser known
Scheurebe. Developed in 1882 and now Germany's predominant grape variety. It also makes some of
New Zealand's best wines
mullet
Ocean food fish popular in Southern states, especially in Florida. There are over a hundred
species in the family of mugilidae. The same name is also applied to a fresh water fish.

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In the family is red mullet, striped mullet, black mullet, Florida mullet and grey mullet. Burri is a
mullet harvested in the Mediterranean. Cured red mullet roe is referred to as tarama, and is the base for
taramasalata, a Middle Eastern salad/spread/dip.
Barbouni in Greek. Barbunya in Turkish.
Mulligan stew
Slang term for a meat, potato and vegetable stew. It is probably a hobo slang for any kind of
food he could find, and the origin of the name seems to be Irish .
Mulligatawny.
Indian chicken curry soup. The word means pepper water in Tamil.
munchies
Slang for snack food.
mung beans
Tiny, olive green beans widely cultivated in Asia. Ground into flour in India, used whole in stews,
and also sprouted.
Mung bean sprouts are popular in Chinese cooking, as well as salads and diet cooking in the US.
Good cooked, but also raw and crisp. They should be eaten while fresh, before they turn soft.
Also known as moong dal or green gram.
Phaseolus aureus.
Munkoyo
Alcoholic drink made in Zaire from corn and sorghum.
Munso, T. V.
Texas horticulturist specializing in identifying grapes varieties. He discovered the rootstock
resistant to phylloxera, and it was used to re-plant the vineyards in Europe.
Mnster (Muenster)
Cheese originally made in the Vosges Mountains near the German border, but now made in
made countries. It is a brick shaped semi-soft cheese with small holes. Mnster is the German name for
cathedral.
muqueca
Bahian/Brazil fish or shellfish stew, cooked in fish stock, coconut milk, dende oil and hot
peppers.
Murat, Joachim 1765 - 1815
French general, King of Naples. A fish dish with artichokes and potatoes is named after him.
murazzano
Italian sheep's milk cheese, with a nutty flavor.
murcotts
Florida variety of hybrid citrus fruits. Small to medium in size, flat, yellow-orange color, which may
be tinged with green or russet. Smooth, easy to peel. Has some seeds. Rich red flesh has an exceedingly
sweet honey sweetness and lots of juice. Good fragrance.
Also known as honey tangerines.
mre
French term for blackberry. Blackberries are sometimes added to intensify the dark color of wine.
Mureto do Alentejo
Portuguese red wine grape variety of local interest.

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murphy potatoes/murphies
Potatoes cooked buried under a campfire. The pleasure associated with them probably has
more to do with the fun of the outdoor situation. The potatoes usually come out of the fire encrusted with
charcoal on the outside and often undercooked on the inside.
Also known as mickies.
Musar, Chteau
The most prominent wine producer in modern day, war-torn Lebanon. The name, ironically
means "a place to visit". Owned by Serge Hochar and known for its Bordeaux-style wines.
During times of fighting, the grapes had to make the perilous journey from the Syrian and Moslem
controlled Bekaa Valley to the winery in Christian controlled East Beirut 60 miles away. The Chteau is
an ancient Moorish castle which straddles a 2,500 foot high plateau, about 20 miles North of the city of
Beirut.
The most important wine is red. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Syrah grapes.
This unfiltered wine, aged in French oak, is full-bodied, and full-tasting. With half the country's 3 million
people being non-drinking Moslems, and many of the rest preferring stronger spirits or being unable to
afford these fair-priced wines, most of the production is exported to countries such as Great Britain and
the US
Muscadelle
White sweet wine grape from Bordeaux, used as blending wine. It is also grown in Australia and
South Africa, and used in sweet wines. There is speculation that it is the true grape from Tokay in
Hungary, but that has not been proven.
Also known as muscadel, muscatel.
Muscadet
White produced in the Loire valley in France around the city Nantes.
Muscadine
Native American wine grape varieties, growing wild in the South. One prominent member is the
Scuppernong.
The wines have a unique flavor and are sweet because sugar must be added to the must to start
fermentation.
muscallonge
Fresh water food and sport fish in the pike family. They have local commercial value.
Also known as maskalonge or maskinonge.
muscat grape
Table and wine grape with many varieties and sub species.
The grape is cultivated in many countries, especially at the Mediterranean. The wines are
normally sweet and have a unique character.
Muscat Ottonel
White wine grape developed in the Loire Valley, but most is grown now in Alsace. The grape is
extensively cultivated in Austria.
Muscat Blanc Petits Grains
French white wine grape.
Muscat of Alexandria
White wine grape grown in southern Europe, California and South Africa.
Muscat Hamburg
Black grape variety grown as table grape, but also as wine grape in Eastern Europe.

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mush
Corn meal boiled in salted water.
mushi
The Japanese word for steamed.
mushrooms
General term for edible fungus. Mushrooms need moderately cool and moist conditions and an
old mine in Pennsylvania has now become the largest mushroom farm in the world. Many mushrooms
cannot be successfully cultivated, and must be hunted - searched for - in the wild. Some mushrooms are
toxic and there is a level of trust between the mushroom gatherers and the consumers.
MUSHROOMS CAN BE DIVIDED INTO:
Ground mushrooms - agaricus campestris. They can be both wild and cultivated.
Tree mushrooms - fistulina hepatica. Many cultivated oriental mushrooms fall in this group.
A fairy-ring is a circle of mushrooms in a grassy area, named for the belief that its where magic
fairies danced.
Mushrooms are available fresh, canned and dehydrated. The major mushroom types of culinary
interest are listed under their names.
In France, mushrooms picked wild can be taken to a pharmacy to verify that they are safe.
Mushroom lovers are called mycophiles, mushroom eaters are called mycophagists.
See also Czarnecki.
mushrooms, Chinese
See Chinese mushrooms.
Musigny
Famous red wine and vineyard in Burgundy, France. It is located in the Cte dOr, behind the
celebrated Clos de Vougeot. The vineyard has only 25 acres.
musk melon
Common melon variety, the most popular is the cantaloupe. Also classified as netted melon.
See melon.
muslin man
Street vendor in old New York who carried a muslin bag from which he sold such small items as
garlic and lemons
mussels
Bivalve molluscs thriving in oceans and in fresh water. The mussels used for food are normally
ocean mussels. In the US, the best come from Maine and are available from February through late April.
Mussels are cultivated - farmed- in many parts of the world. and are available year round.
Mussels should only be cooked when still alive. If the shells hold tightly closed, the molluscs is
alive. Mussels should be washed and scrubbed just before use, but never held in fresh water.
Occasionally the shells are filled with mud, and each mussel should be carefully checked.
Mussel farming involves dredging up inch-long, year-old mussels, referred to as seed, and
scattering them on beds. On and a half to two years late, the mussels are two to three inches long and
are harvested. Some mussels are also cultivated on strings suspended from poles.
Mussels are very popular in Belgium, especially in Brussels and Antwerp, where they are served
in a wide variety of ways. Moules marinire is a famous French dish consisting of mussles steamed with
shallots, white wine and cream.
Moules in French, Muschel in German, mejilln or almeja in Spanish.
Mytilus edulis, common blue mussel.
must
Unfermented grape juice during the process of becoming wine.

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mustaceum
Roman spice cake flavored with fennel. Commonly served for dessert at lavish dinners in
antiquity, it is thought to be the forerunner of the English spicy wedding cake.
Mustacioli are the present day Italian version.
mustard
Condiment, either prepared as paste or powdered, made from the seeds of the Crucifarae
mustard plant. There are a number of plants in the family brassica.
The seeds come from three plants and are either black, brown or white. Black seeds have the
strongest flavor. Canada is the world's largest producer.
The seeds are ground and blended with vinegar and spices. Turmeric is used as a coloring
agent. Many counties produces an amazing variety of mustards, ranging from very hot to mild and sweet.
The powdered mustard is often referred to as English mustard.
Mustard seeds are one of the most ancient flavoring agents, used from Greece, Egypt, China and
India. The Greek Aesculapius, son of Apollo is credited with creating it. Mustard became for century a
medicine applied to many different ailments. Mustard seed was mentioned by St. Matthew to
demonstrate the power of faith.
TYPES OF MUSTARD:
American - usually mild and most likely made with white mustard seeds and turmeric. The
Ballpark mustard is rather liquid and sweet.
Dijon, the most famous French mustard. The original recipe calls for ground mustard seeds
blended with white wine or verjus. No coloring agents and fillers are permitted. The recipe was codified in
1634, and mustard makers had to serve a three year apprenticeship under a master moutardier.
English - available as pungent powder made with brown and white seeds with some turmeric and
flour as stabilizer. The mustard powder must be blended with cold liquid to a paste, otherwise it will lump.
There is also a wet version of English mustard available.
French - the European mustard capital is Dijon in Burgundy. The mustard is generally made with
white wine and is pleasantly pungent. It is an all purpose mustard. The Meaux mustard is a whole grain
mustard made with mixed seeds. Bordeaux is dark brown and often spiced with tarragon.
German - mustard is often slightly sweet and is made in many versions. Famous is also mustard
made in the Czech Republic and in Poland.
There are mustard blends on the market made with honey, different fruit juices and other spices.
Mustard is a prepared condiment and does not need any cooking. It should be added to sauces
at the last moment.
Mustard seed flour was used medicinally.
Sinapis alba/brassica hirta - white, brassica juncea - brown, brassica nigra - black.
mustard greens
Salad vegetable with bright green, curly leaves with scalloped edges, that spread out as they
curve upward and inward. An excellent source of nutrients such as Vitamins A and C, niacin, calcium,
iron, potassium and crude fiber. Pungent and bitter tasting.
Also a Chinese vegetable, and known as gai choy in Chinese. Sometimes salted and pickled.
Brassica juncea.
mustard oil
The strong element which gives the plants of the mustard family their distinctive aromatic
qualities.
Allylisothiocynate.
mustard pickles
Pickled vegetables in a mustard dressing. Also known as Chow-Chow.
mustard powder
Dry mixture of white, black or brown mustard seeds.
Also known as English mustard.

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mut
French wine term for arresting fermentation of wine by adding brandy. It is used to make
apritifs and other sweet wines.
mutton
Mature lamb over one year old. It is seldom consumed today because it can have an assertively
rich taste, which can be delicious or unpleasant if the animal was poorly raised.
Mutton chop, cut from the saddle and extra thick was once a delicacy in Britain.
Mouton in French, Hammel in German, montone in Italian, carnero in Spanish.
MW
Abbreviation for Master of Wine. See there.
Mycella
Danish blue cheese made with cows milk.
myoga
Japanese pink flower which is eaten in pickled.
Myost
Scandinavian cheese, also made in the US. The cheese is generally light brown on account of
the caramelized lactose (milk sugar) used in the manufacturing process, but there are considerable
differences between cheeses made at different location.
Myanmar food
Formerly called Burma. South East Asian country with food adapted from India and Bengladesh,
its neighbor to the West, and China, its huge neighbor to the East.
Spices used are the same as in India. They include cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
and mixtures such as curry powder and garam masala. The Indian influence in cooking is in the use of
clarified butter, ghee, and Indian style flat bread. See India. Rice is the most important staple.
Herbs include lemon grass, coriander leaves, mint, and basil. Common spices are fish sauce,
shrimp paste, hot pepper, garlic, ginger, and green papaya. Coconut is used frequently.
Fruits include coconut, bananas, and durian of southeast Asia. Chinese influences from the north
find themselves in the steam cooking, noodle dishes, pork, lotus root and bamboo shoots.
Pork is popular, although the Lord Buddha died of tainted pork and the population is mostly
Buddhist.
The sea to the south makes the southern part of the country largely seafood based. Pe bout is a
fermented soy bean preparation. A typical Burmese dinner begins with clear soup, that is replenished and
drunk throughout the meal as a beverage. Then follows curry or stir fried dish, followed by a salad.
Food is usually eaten with the hands, without utensils. Flat bread and crisp vegetables help by
providing a base for smaller morsels or sauces. Containers of water are provided for washing hands.
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
Be baung kyam saing - shredded duck soup
Kyet - hin - kha asa thut - beef stuffed bitter melon
Kwa pyant - Spring roll
Lephet - fermented tea leaf salad
Mohinga - a classic fish soup
Nga wetma - fish curry
Payagyaw - yellow pea fritter
Wet nanyo kyaw - Anise flavored spare ribs.
myrrh
Ancient plant with fragrant anise flavored leaves that can be added to salads.
Myrrhis odorata.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

613

myrrh
The aromatic resin of a tropical shrub found in Oman and other Arabic countries.
Commiphora myrrha.
myrtle
Tropical evergreen shrub or tree with edible fruit. The volatile oil in leaves and wood are used in
the perfume industry.
Myrtus communis.
The Chilean myrtle produces glossy red or black berries.
Also known as Chilean guavas. Myrtus ugni.
myrtilles
French term for small, red berries, very acidic and tannic, related to lingonberries, cranberries
and bilberries.
Mystery Box
Feature of chefs competitions by which each competitor receives a similar box of ingredients,
unknown until the time of the competition, from which they must cook a complete meal. The chef cannot
therefore preplan his or her entry. The Mystery Box competition tests versatility and adaptability, needed
to create daily specials from fresh, seasonal and local ingredients.
N-Oil
Brand name for a calorie-reduced fat substitute, developed by the National Starch and Chemical
Corporation. Made from tapioca dextrin. It does not require special US government approval because it is
made from products generally recognized as safe.
Na H Co3
Baking soda. See there.
naam pla/nam pla
Thai salty fish sauce made from fermented fish. Thin and brown in color, it is to Thai cooking
what soy sauce is to Chinese cooking. Used to flavor nearly every type of dish, from meats, to fish, to
soup and salad.
naartje
Tangerine cultivated in South Africa.
Nabal
Avocado variety cultivated in Israel and available from January to April.
nab mono
Japanese one-pot dinner, stewed in a cast iron or earthenware pot. Literally translated "things in
a pot".
Nabisco
The commonly used name for the National Biscuit Company.
Nackenheim
Famous wine producing town in Rheinhessen, Germany. It produces wines made from both
Riesling and Sylvaner grapes.
nacho
Popular snack of Hispanic origin, consisting of tortilla chips with melted cheese and chili salsa.

614

nage, la
French culinary term for swimming, applied to something boiled in water, most often used in
connection with crayfish (crawfish). The word nage is sometimes applied to the cooking liquid.
Nagel cheese
North European cheese studded with cloves. The word nagel means nail.
Ngeles (Nageles)
Dutch cheese flavored with cloves and cumin seeds.
Nahe
River in Germany, tributary of the Rhine. There are numerous vineyards along the river, some of
them very famous.
nam prik
Thai hot dipping sauce made of tomatoes, garlic, chilies, shrimp paste and sugar.
Names, geographic, associated with food:
Boston Clam Chowder
Buffalo Chicken Wings
Brighton
Bourguignon

Cabernet Way, Placerville

Cambridge Salt
Cape Cod
Conney Island
Danish pastry
Frankfurter
Eggs Basin Street
Lincoln Runzas
London Broil
Maine lobster
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Melrose cookies
Nantua
New England boiled dinner
New Haven White Clam Pizza
Newton (Fig Newton)
New York strip steak
Ohio pudding
Oxford stew
Salisbury Steak
Succotash Point, Rhode Island
Wiener Schnitzel
Nancy
French variety of apricot, also grown in Italy and Greece. Large, oval, juicy and delicious. Most
available in early summer.
Nantais
French cheese from Nantes, available year round. The cheese is also called fromage de cur.
Nantes
City in the province of Brittany, in northwestern France. Some of the best duck are raised there.
The city is also known for vineyards that produce a dry muscadet wine.

615

Nantua, la
French culinary term for a dish garnished with crayfish. Nantua is a French town in the
Department Ain.
Nanyberries
Also known as sheepberries.
Viburnum lentago.
Napa Valley
The most famous wine growing region in California located north of San Francisco. The capital is
St. Helena.
Napareuli
Caucasian white wine.
Napfkuchen
German term for a fine yeast cake baked in a bunt mold.
Naples biscuits
Little sponge cakes.
Naples food
City in Italy. The name originated from the Greek word Nea Polis, meaning new city.
The cooking of this city is associated with pasta and tomatoes.
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
casatiello - Easter bread
pastiera - Easter pie made with ricotta and wheat kernels
panzerotti - deep-fried ravioli stuffed with ricotta.
sartu - see there.
scarpariello - chicken sauteed with garlic and oregano.
spaghetti - see there.
spigola - sea bass stuffed with rosemary.
The monzu tradition in Naples dates from the 19th century Bourbon rule. Monzu is a corruption
of the word "monsieur" and was the term used for French-trained chefs. They developed a fine cuisine
combining the local ingredients with French influences and are responsible for dishes like sartu.
Popular street foods include the sugar-dusted doughnut strips, zeppole.
See Italy food.
Napoleon
Pastry consisting of two or more layers of puff pastry, filled with pastry cream or whipped cream,
and often glazed with fondant icing.
napa cabbage /nappa cabbage
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

nappy
Small glass or chine dish used for accompaniments.
The plural is nappies.
naranja
The Spanish word for orange. Naranja amarga de
Sevilla is the name for the bitter Seville orange used in
Scottish and English marmalade..

616

naranjilla
Citrus fruit, literally translated, little orange. Also known as Quito orange.
nasaumps
Old Narragansett Indian cornmeal pudding, forerunner of the current Indian pudding.
Nascol
Wine from the island of Sardinia.
naseberry
Another name for sapodilla. See there.
Achras Zapote.
nasello
Italian name for hake. See there.
nashi pears
A species of Asian pears, cultivated in New Zealand. Harvested in February through April,
shipped chilled and are best stored chilled.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Hosui - golden colored skin
Kosui - golden colored skin
New Century or Shinseiki - yellow-green fruit
20th century or nijisseiki - yellow-green fruit
Shinsui - Golden colored skin, especially sweet taste.
See Asian pear.
nasi
Indonesian and the Malaysian word for rice.
nasi goreng
Indonesian fried rice with chicken, prawns, chili and eggs.
nasi kuning
Indonesian yellow rice, flavored wit turmeric and coconut water.
nasi padang
Indonesian meal of a series of small meat and vegetable dishes, served with rice.
nasturtium
Annual flower native to Peru. The flowers, seeds and leaves are edible. The leaves have a bite
like watercress and are good in salads. The flowers are mild and can be used as edible decorations.
The seeds can be pickled as caper substitute.
Tuber nasturtiums have edible roots and resemble small potatoes. They are cultivated in the
Andes.
Also known as Indian cress.
Tropaelum tropaelum/tropaeolacae.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
natillas
Spanish light egg custard.
Natives
English oyster variety.

617

natto
Japanese term for fermented soybeans. The soybeans are first steamed, then fermented for
several days with the natto bacillus. Natto is slimy, gooey and flesh-colored, with a somewhat rotten
aroma. The Japanese eat natto as a side dish mixed with rice, minced scallions, mustard, raw egg, and
soy sauce. It is also sometimes eaten in a fried cake.
The dish dates to the time of the shogun. Soldiers, exhausted from battle and with no food
supplies left, ate the boiled soybeans they had brought to feed their horses, which by that time, had
begun to ferment.
Natto is salt-free, high in protein and vitamin B, and easily digested.
Similar product in Burma is pe-bout, in Indonesia, and Nepal it is kinema.
natto triangle
Japanese term referring to the countries that eat natto or a natto-like preparation. The triangle is
formed by Japan, Burma and Indonesia.
Naturwein
German term for wine made without additional sugar. The term is no longer legal.
Today the terms Kabinett, Sptlese and Auslese identify un-sugared wine. See chaptalization.
natural
Term not clearly defined and undergoing frequent revisions. According to the
USDA it refers to meat products minimally processed and free of artificial ingredients. On other products,
it has no legal definition.
The term natural chicken is not clearly defined (in 1996). It means basically that the bird cannot
be fed artificial coloring agents, but it does not guarantee that the bird has not been fed antibiotics. The
term natural does address diets and living conditions. See also free-range chicken.
Natural birds can be injected with natural ingredients, such as salt and water during processing.
Navarin
French lamb or mutton stew garnished with small vegetables.
Navarra
Spanish wine growing region, just north of Rioja. The wines are mostly red and ros from the
Garnacha Tinta grape. The red wines are robust. The ros wines are refreshingly dry and elegant.
Some Tempranillo, Graciano, and Mazuelo grapes are also grown and used for blending with the
Garnacha Tinta.
Navel orange
Round thick-skinned seedless orange widely grown. Usually sweet and good for eating. They are
named for their distinctive raised embryo growth.
Navel oranges are a natural variety developed from trees shipped from Brazil in the 1870's and
cultivated in California. See oranges.
navelina
Navel orange cultivated in Spain, South Africa and the US. It tends to be a little tarter than the
Washington Navel Orange, especially when picked before fully ripe.
Navelines confites
Alsatian salt cured turnips resembling Sauerkraut.
Also known as Suara Riva in Alsace.
navet
French word for turnip.
navy bean
White bean in the kidney bean family, also called pea bean. It was standard fare in the US navy.

618

Neapolitan ice cream

Multi flavored ice cream in brick shape, served in slices.

Neapolitan medlar
Confusing name for a plant in the Hawthorne family. See there.
neaps
Scottish word for turnips, usually served mashed. The big rutabagas or swedes are used, not the
small white turnips.
near beer
Legal beer available during prohibition with an alcohol content of 1.5%.
Nebbiolo
Italian red wine grape. The name comes from the nebbia, the early morning fog that often hovers
over the slopes of the Piedmont region where the grape is predominant.
Nebuchadnezzar
Giant Champagne bottle containing 520 oz or 20 standard bottles. It is the largest size bottle and
requires a cradle.
Neckar
German river flowing into the Rhine, famous for castles and vineyard.
nectar
In classical Greek mythology, the wine of the gods. The name is also used for the juice or sap of
plants and fruits.
nectarine
Stone fruit with one single pit, smooth-skinned usually yellowish with a dark red blush. The skin is
more pleasant to eat than that of the peach. The flesh tends to be slightly firmer than that of the peach
and is generally golden, though white and red-fleshed varieties exist.
Nectarines are mutation of the peach, and occasionally a peach tree will produce a nectarine or
two spontaneously. Nectarines are not a cross between a peach and a plum as sometimes asserted.
Nectarines are rich in vitamins A and C. They should be allowed to ripen on the tree, though
unripe nectarines will improve somewhat if left in a warm place for a few days.
Nectarines, like peaches, probably originated in China. They were known to the Romans, but
they were rare in Europe until the 16th century. Now widely grown in California as well as Italy.
Freestone nectarines, like freestone peaches, have flesh that pulls easily away from the stone or
pit.
Prunis persica or Prunus nucipersica.
needlefish
Fish with a long, narrow head and jar and the family Belonidae. Commonly called gar fish.

ngociant/negociant
French term for wine merchant. Such companies are responsible for purchasing the wine or
grape must from growers, blending fermenting, aging and bottling them, thus their reputations can be
more important than the growers' names. The ngociants may or may not own their own vineyards.
Negoska
Red wine grape, indigenous to Macedonia in Greece.

619

Negra Mole
Portuguese red wine grape variety, the most important vinifera grape in modern Madeira wine.
Negrette
French red wine grape variety grown around Touluose. The wine is used as blending wine. The
Pinot St. George grape grown in California is actually a Negrette.
Negroni
Cocktail made with Punt e Mes, Gin and Campari, with a squeeze of lemon or orange.
Negus
Port wine punch made with brandy, sugar and citrus fruits. It was popular in Colonial times.
Neige de Florence
French name for extremely light and delicate pasta used as clear soup garnish. Often served in
flakes at the table and diners serve themselves spooning it into the broth.
The term is occasionally used for egg drops.
Nelson, Horatio 1758 - 1805
Famous British admiral who won the battle of Trafalgar.
Nelsons blood.
Slang for rum served on British naval vessels.
Nnin (nenin), Chteau
Large wine estate in Pomerol, Bordeaux region of France.
Nepal food
The cooking of the capital city of Nepal, Kathmanadu, is mostly like the cooking northern India.
The Dolpos mountain people have a Tibetan culture. Yak milk is the base for dairy products, such
as butter and cheese. The butter was made by agitating the milk in a yak-leather bag.
Their main beverages are yak milk and tea brewed very strong served with a large dollop of yak
butter and sometimes flavored with rock salt.
STAPLE ARE:
Changa - homemade beer.
Chatamari - flat, rice-dough bread topped with ground mutton and egg.
Chourpi - dried yaks' or goats' milk cheese, which must be chewed.
Dal - puree of black lentils.
Kinema - fermented soybean preparation, similar to the Japanese natto.
Momocha - mutton filled dumplings.
Pak -paste of yak butter, powdered cheese and barley flour.
Thali - a large metal plate of rice topped with an assortment of dishes.
Tsampa - barley flour
Nepal pepper
Name for a cayenne pepper variety, not native to Asia.
nepitella
Variety of wild mint, popular in Tuscany, Italy.
Nerello
Italian red wine grape variety grown in Sicily and Sardinia.
Nero d'Alvola
Sicilian wine grape.

620

Neroli
Powerfull and aromatic oil obtained by distillation of bitter orange blossoms and fruits.
Orange flower water is the fragrant liquid left after the distillation of neroli.
Citrus auaurantium var. bergamia.
Nessel
English soft cured cheese.
Nesselrode
Dessert component consisting of chopped dried fruits and chestnuts. When the component is a
major ingredient, the dessert can be named Nesselrode. It is most often used for a molded ice cream
dessert.
The name is derived from two historic figures:
Nesselrode, Karl Robert, Russian Chancellor, 1780 to 1862.
Count Nesselrode, Chamberlain to King Leopold 1st of Belgium.
Nest Eggs
Brand of eggs sold by farmers who are members of FACT Food Animals Concerns Trust. The
eggs are laid by unconfined hens.
The term is also used for an artifical egg left in a nest to induce the hen to continue laying.
Nestle
Giant food company headquartered in Switzerland.
netted melons
Summer melons which are covered with a beige or light grayish-brown netted skin.
They include cantaloupe, Charantais, Galia, Ogen, and Persian melons. Their flesh is either
green or orange. When ripe, they have a rich, heady perfume.
Also known asmusk melons and nutmeg melons.
See melon.
Cucumis melo reticulatus.
nettle, stinging
Green plant, growing wild in many parts of Europe. The leaves contain formic acid which
transmit a burning sensation when brushed against. The young leaves are cooked and eaten like
spinach in many countries.
Ortiche in Italian.
Urtica dioica.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
neua pad prik
Thai beef with chilies and ginger.
Neuchtel
Swiss canton (state) famous for its cheeses and white wine.
The wine is also called Neuchtel and is made with the Fendant grape. It is slightly effervescent
when young.
Neufchtel
Soft, mild fresh cheese, made originally in the village Neufchtel located in the French
Department of Seine Infrieur. The cheese is now made in many countries, including the US. The
cheese resembles cream cheese, but in some cases is also cured. Related cheeses are Bondon,
Malakoff, Petit Carr, Petite Suisse and others.
The original Neufchtel was made only during the winter.

621

Neuhaus
Belgium chocolate manufacturer.
Nevers
Capital of the French Department Nivre.
Nevers oak
Wood from the Nevers forest of France used in making cooperage for aging wines. It imparts and
almond-like taste to wine, especially when new barrels are used.
New Bedford pudding
Corn meal pudding sweetened with molasses.
New century pear
See Asian pear.
New England food
The food is cold weather comfort food going back to colonial times, and also having Indian roots.
It was based on corn, dried legumes, seafood especially cod and herring, clams, lobsters, salted meats,
cranberries, apples, pears and plums. The beach plum is native to New England. See cod.
The most famous dish is probably New England clam chowder made with salted fatback,
potatoes, chopped clams, chopped onions or leeks, milk and cream. Also known as Boston Clam
chowder. This clam chowder is considered the classical version, as opposed to the more recent
Manhattan clam chowder made with vegetables and tomatoes.
Maple syrup can also be considered a very native product. See there. Allspice, ginger, pepper,
mace, cinnamon and cloves were expensive but a necessity to mask the order of often rancid food.
TYPICAL DISHES AND INGREDIENTS ARE:
Anadama bread - See there.
Baked beans - baked with molasses
Bean porridge
Biscuits - often made with buttermilk
Cider - made from apples, the most abundant beverage beside water.
Codfish balls - Mashed potatoes mixed with salted cod, breaded and fried.
Fish chowders
Griddle cakes -often made with corn meal and rye flour
Hasty pudding - sweet corn meal mush
Hoe cake - corn griddle cakes
New England boiled dinner - See there.
Pompion - pumpkin
Red flannel hash - corned beef and potato hash with beets
Salt pork/bacon
Beverages included apple cider, tea and eventually rum, Madeira wine and claret.
New England boiled dinner
Variety of boiled meats, but always including beef brisket, poultry and various vegetables. It is a
hearty winter meal, and is served with mustard and horseradish. Some recipes include red beets.
There is controversy whether the brisket is corned or fresh.
New Haven White Clam Pizza
Pizza dough topped with freshly shucked whole clams, olive oil, oregano and garlic. Originated
at Pepe's Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven, Connecticut.
New Iberia
City in southern Louisiana, where much sugar cane is grown. It is known as Louisiana's sugar
bowl. Also the center of the rice growing industry.

622

New Jersey tomatoes

Tomatoes famous on the New York market for taste, size and succulence. It is not a special
species of tomatoes but rather a happy circumstance of nature and experience which make the tomatoes
so excellent.
New Jersey wine
As of 1999 there were 15 commercial wineries in New Jersey. Most are located in Hunterdon
County. One of these, Tewksbury Wine Cellars in Lebanon, New Jersey, holds a Garden State Wine
Growers Spring Festival.
There are also wineries in Burlington County.
In 1998 New Jersey produced about 960,000 gallons.
New Orleans food
The food of New Orleans is reflects the local culture, which is a blend of ethnic influences. The
finer cuisine has strong French overtones, but shows the local influences as well. The local people and
culture are referred to as Creole and Cajun. The term Creole refers to the early settlers of mixed French
and Spanish ancestry who settled in Southern Louisiana and mixed with the African settlers. The term
Cajuns is slang for Arcadians, the French-speaking people who migrated to the Louisiana Bayou country
from Nova Scotia in the 18th century.
SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
Andouille - spicy, plump sausages, often served with red beans and rice.
Black ham - baked ham with a spicy black crust that seeps into the meat.
Blackened redfish - seared on both sides on a red-hot grill.
Boudin - spicy pork and herb sausage, often including onions and rice.
Buster crabs - soft shell crabs.
Court bouillon - A rich spicy fish and tomato soup.
Daube - sort of beef stew, often served on spaghetti.
Debris - bits of roast beef served on biscuits, sandwiches and muffins.
Eggs Basin Street - poached eggs on rice fritters with red beans.
Eggs Sardou - poached eggs on artichokes, anchovy fillets, Hollandaise Sauce.
Etouffe - a rich stew
Grillades and grits - small broiled filets of beef or veal served with grits.
Gumbo - thick, robust soup with many variations.
Jambalaya - rice stew with multi-ingredients.
Muffuletta - meat, cheese, pickles, and olive salad, served in a large bun.
Oysters - in all forms
Oyster loaf - deep-fried served on a roll.
Oysters Bienville - baked on the half shell, minced shrimp, crab meat, cheese.
Oysters Rockefeller - See there
Po'boy - hero sandwich with fried oysters and Mayonnaise.
Red beans and rice
SWEETS AND BEVERAGES INCLUDE:
Beignet(s) - sweet square doughnuts, without the hole. served sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Cafe Brulot - hot coffee flavored with spices, orange peel, and liqueurs.
Cafe au lait - hot coffee mixed with hot milk, usually about half of each.
Chicory coffee - coffee flavored with the root of the chicory plant.
See Cajun and Creole.
New Year's Eve food customs
Afro-American - collard greens and green cabbage, the green colors to symbolize money, i.e.,
prosperity.
Austria - fried doughnuts called Krapfen.
China - fish. The word "yu" means fish, but a homonym of the word means abundance. Thus
through a play on words, fish symbolizes abundance. The Cantonese eat lotus root soup; the lacy pattern
of the sliced root symbolizes letting good luck shine through.

623

England - stuffed boars head.

Germany - Sauerkraut and pork, often stuffed pigs head.
Greece - vasilopita, a special bread, baked with a god-luck coin inside.
India - a special fudge called barfi.
Italy - chiacchiere, bits of fried dough which resemble beans, but are sweetened with honey, so
the wish for prosperity (symbolized by the beans) should be coupled with sweetness. In the Piedmont
region, risotto topped with melted Fontina cheese to symbolize fertility.
Japan - toshi koshi soba - Year end noodles. Very long noodles, often cooked with black beans.
Jewish New Year - Rosh ha-Shahnah. Pomegranate seeds to wish for the best in the coming
year.
Mexico - menudo - a tripe and hominy stew
Sicily - pizza.
Singapore - nian gao cakes made of sticky sweet rice.
Southern US - black-eyed peas and hog's head for good luck
Spain - twelve grapes eaten in the seconds leading up to mid-night.
New York blend
Tea sold by London's Fortnum & Mason department store. This blend of three Darjeerling teas
was created especially for brewing with New York water.
New York City food
New York is the gastonomic center of the US and probably of the world in the year 2000.
New York Sour
Cocktail, basically a whisky sour.
New York State wines
The state has an old wine industry which thrives despite difficult climate. The wine growing areas
are concentrated around the Finger Lakes in the center of the state and at the east end of Long Island.
Wine is also grown in the Hudson valley and near Buffalo on the shores of Lake Erie.
One pioneer was Dr. Konstantin Frank, a Russian emigrant who was convinced that vinifera
grapes can be cultivated. The Hargrave family on Long island pioneered Bordeaux style wines.
Much grape production is used for grape juice and grape jelly. There is a major sparkling wine
production by Great Western winery and Taylor.
New York System Hot Dogs
Style of hot dogs, which may or may not have originated in New York, but which has been
popular in Providence, Rhode Island for over 100 years. The sausages are only about 3-inches in size,
soft in texture, seasoned with celery salt, mustard and raw onion, and topped with a spicy sauce of
ground beef, chopped onion, tomatoes and chili powder.
New Zealand food
New Zealand's two major islands are strung out over a long area and the country's length would
be the equivalent of a strip of land from Germany to North Africa. A primarily agricultural economy, the
country in 1990's had 70 million sheep to 3.1 million people. It is a major exporter of agricultural
products. New Zealand lies in the Southern Hemisphere which means their seasons are the reverse of
ours. This has a major impact because New Zealand can export fresh fruits and vegetables to Europe
and the U.S. during the winter.
Two fruits were renamed by New Zealander exporters for greater marketing appeal. Kiwi's name
was changed from Chinese gooseberry, and Kiwano's was changed from African Horned Melon. Kumara
is a yam with dark red skin and creamy yellow flesh. Kumara is a major part of the Maori diet, so much
so that they even have a god of kumara, called Rongo.
FRUITS CULTIVATED AND EXPORTED:
apples
babaco
blackberries

624

black currants
blueberries
boysenberries
cape gooseberries
cherries
feijoa
goldfruit
gooseberries
grapes
kiwi
kiwano
litchi
nashi pear
passion fruit
pepino
persimmon
pitanga
tamarillo.
New Zealand is also an active exporter of seafood. Hoki is the most common commercial fish,
other fish include gurnard, hapuku, John Dory, orange roughy, oreo dory. Shellfish include: abalone, bluff
oysters, tohera, a bi-valve and cold water lobster. Especially famous are the Greenshell mussels
harvested from the remote South island bays.
Dairy products are used in desserts, which are referred to as sweets. The New Zealand version
of Pavlova consists of meringues filled with whipped cream and sliced kiwi.
The major meat exported are lamb and venison. New Zealand lamb is generally smaller than
American lamb and is exported in convenient, ready to use cuts. It has become a popular banquet item.
New Zealand venison is a major export industry. The venison is farm raised and harvested under
government inspection.
Cervena Venison is a brand name for the best quality of young deer, less than three years old,
raised on natural pastures. Deer were not native to New Zealand, but were brought there around the
middle of the 19th century.
New Zealand also exports Free Range Chicken. See there.
New Zealand spinach
Leaf vegetable native to New Zealand and supposedly discovered by Captain Cook. It has
greater resistance to sun and heat than other spinach.
Tetragonia expansa.
New Zealand wines
The wine industry is about 150 years old, but only in the early part of the 20th century the
industry became important as Yugoslavian and Lebanese immigrants planted vineyards on unwanted
land in the Northwest. The first wines were full-bodied and high in alcohol and often fortified. In addition to
battling poverty and prejudice, they had to battle the climate.
The vineyards are located in several areas around the North Island and in the northern part of the
South Island. White wines are far more successful than the red. The major white wine grapes used are
Mller-Thurgau, which has had the greatest success, Chardonnay, Chasselas, Chenin Blanc ,
Gewurtztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.
Red wine grapes grown include Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Merlot, Pinotage, Pinot Noir.
The wines have been greatly improved in recent years, and the characteristic herbaceous
overtones have been overcome in most of the better wines. Wines are now exported, and especially
those from the Cloudy Bay winery much admired.
Traditionally fortified wines are also produced.
Titoki is a local liqueur.
ngor
Thai name for rambutan, a tropical fruit. See there.

625

niacin
B complex vitamin which helps the body cells to use oxygen.
Niagra
White wine grape variety planted in the Finger Lakes region of New York state. It produces a
golden, sweet wine.
Niagra Peninsular
Canadian wine growing area in Ontario along the shores of Lake Erie. Some good red wines are
produced there.
Nioise
Female inhabitant of Nice, the city on the French Riviera. The term is often used on menus.
Nieheimer
German sour milk cheese ripened with hops, which give the cheese a distinct flavor.
Nielluccio
French red wine grape variety grown on the Island of Corsica.
Nierstein
Wine town in Rheinhessen, Germany. It produces famous white wines on extensive vineyards.
Nigella
Black seeds with a peppery taste often sprinkled on bread in the Middle East.
Also known as wild onion seed. The German name is Schwarzkmmel meaning black caraway,
but it is not related.
Also known as kalonji.
Nigella savita.
nigger-in-a-blanket
Derogatory term used by cowboys for cakes with raisins.
Nignon, Edouard
Famous French chef, author and restaurant owner.
nightingales' tongues
Dish purportedly served at Roman orgies, in their attempt to serve the most exotic fare.
Nihon shu
Japanese generic name for sak and wine.
nikogori
Japanese dish, the skin of fugu fish, served cold in an aspic. The skin has a slightly astringent
taste.
niku jagaa
Japanese stewed meat and potatoes. Niku is the term for meat.
Nilson, Christine
Famous Swedish singer, born 1843. Her name appeared on menus.
ni mono
Japanese term for boiled or simmered foods.

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nioi
Hawaiian condiment consisting of hot chilies, water and salt.
Niolo
French cheese from the island of Corsica. The cheese is made during the winter.
nip
British term for a small, 6 or 7 oz. bottle to hold ale, esp. a strong-flavored or high alcohol ale
which may be drunk in small servings.
nipple worth
Weed with bitter flavor related to dandelion. It can be eaten as vegetable or salad.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
nispero
Another name for loquat. See there.
no roll meat
Meat market term for ungraded meat. The USDA grade is applied with a roller stamp which runs
down the whole carcass.
no cow
Coffee shop slang for no milk.
Noah's boy
Coffee shop slang for a slice of ham. Ham was Noah's second son.
Noah's pudding
Turkish dessert of rose water scented milk custard.
Noah is also credited with growing wine, because he did not want to drink the water in which the
sinners drowned.
Nobelheurigen
Austrian wine tavern, the more elegant versions of the down-to-earth Heurigen. The term
Heurigen refers to a wine restaurant serving only wine grown on its own property. The wine served is
often very young.
See Heurigen.
nobel rot
English name for botrytis cinera. See there.
Nocello
Italian liqueur infused with whole, unshelled walnuts. Nocino is flavored with the green skins of
fresh walnuts. Most is made in the area of Modena in Northern Italy.
Nocken
German word for small oblong dumplings.
Noekkelost
Norwegian caraway seed spiced cheese resembling Leyden, the Dutch spiced cheese.
Also spelled Ngelost.
NOFA-NY

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Natural Organic Farmer's Association of New York, P. O. Box 454, Ithaca, NY 14851.
noggin
Old English volume measurement equivalent to a pint.
noisette(s)
French term for hazelnuts or filbert
Used as menu term, noisettes are small steaks from the tenderest part of the animal, usually beef
or lamb.
Beurre noisette is browned butter poured over a finished dish.
Noisettines
French pastry tartelettes filled with frangipane cream flavored with hazelnuts.
nokhodchi
Iranian chick peas snack.
non-soluble fiber
Fiber that passes through the body without being digested, unlike a soluble fiber which goes
through the bloodstream and consumes excess cholesterol.
noni
Hawaiian odiferous fruit which looks like a light -green potato. The fruit is used medicinally and
placed on the skin for its healing effects.
nonpareilles
The French term for without peer. It is used for small capers, and also for colorful sugar
sprinkles. The English spelling is nonpareils.
Nonya food
The cooking of the Peranakans, Singapores Strait born people of Chinese roots, and a
respected local food style. It is a spicy mix of Chinese, Malayan, Indian, and Arabic tastes.
Developed in the 15th century when Chinese traders settled in Malaysia and married local
Malaysian women. Their female offspring were called nonyas and the male offspring babas.
The Malayan influence is seen in ingredients such as coconut, tamarind, and fresh lime leaves.
Eventually other influences crept in, such as Indian cumin, cardamom, and curry powder. Thai influences
brought in lemon grass, shrimp paste, and chili peppers.
A major seasoning mixture is rempeh, a paste of fenugreek, coriander, cloves, cumin, cinnamon,
peppercorns, ginger, galangal, lemon grass, candlenuts, garlic, shallots, and chili peppers. Blacan is a
shrimp paste. See there.
Other ingredients are similar to Malaysian ingredients. See there.
DISHES INCLUDE:
Ang ku kway - glutinous rice cakes filled with sweetened mung bean paste.
Ayam buah keluak - stewed chicken and keluak nuts stuffed with minced pork
Baba cakes - spicy rice cakes
Babi panggang - pork roast, rubbed with spices and served with pickled vegetables
Babi pong tay - stewed pork with bamboo shoots
Bak kut the - pork rib "tea"
Bak chang - glutinous rice with meat dumplings
Bakwan kepiting - soup with crab and pork balls
Bengkah sara - sponge cake laced with hot chilies
Buah keluak - curried chicken
Cha cha - Sweet potatoes served with fruit jelly, coconut milk, and palm sugar
Kueh dodol - steamed rice flour cake, flavored with coconut milk and palm sugar
Kueh lapis beras - cake of alternating layers of sweetened rice and tapioca dough
Kueh - dumplings, also known as Nonya cakes
Laksa lemak - thick noodles in a coconut-based soup

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Lempur udang - glutinous rice cake filled with diced chicken and prawns
Mee siam - a rice vermicelli dish
Nasi lemak - banana leaves stuffed with coconut flavored rice a sambal
Nasi kunyit - yellow rice flavored with lemon juice, turmeric, and coconut milk
Otak-otak - spicy prawns or fish wrapped in coconut leaves
Poh piah - savory roll filled with shredded carrots and turnips, bamboo shoots
Pong tauhu - meatball and bamboo shoot soup
Rendang - beef in coconut cream
Satay babi - pork grilled satay-style on a skewer
Soto ayam - spiced chicken broth, with bean sprouts, rice cake
Sotong baka - barbecued cuttlefish
Tahu goreng - fried cubes of soy bean curd and sprouts in a spicy peanut sauce
Tee - pastry cups filled with crunchy vegetables, crabmeat and prawns
Udang nanas - prawns with pineapple.
DESSERTS INCLUDE:
Abomb - a sweet made of rice flour, sugar and bananas
Bubor cha cha - chunks of yam and sweet potato served with fruit jelly, coconut milk, and palm
sugar syrup
Kueh ubi goreng - tapioca pancake, flavored with the vanilla-like pandan leaf
Kueh talam - sweet rice cake flavored with coconut milk
Kueh dodol - steamed rice flour dumpling flavored with coconut cream and palm sugar
Kueh lapis beras - a sweet layered cake
Kway kochi - Black glutinous rice cakes filled with a paste of grated coconut and palm sugar.
COOKING UTENSILS INCLUDE:
Kuali (wok).
Batu lesong (mortar & pestle).
Batu giling (a stone roller used for pulverizing).
noodles
Pasta product. The European noodles are made with eggs, flour and sometimes water.
The Oriental noodles are made without eggs and with a wide variety of flours. They are listed
under their names.
nopales/nopalitos
Mexican term for prickly pear cactus, the most commonly eaten cactus. The paddle-shaped
leaves are de-thorned, cut into strips, and boiled or eaten raw. Only the young leaves are eaten. See
picture under cactus.
In Mexican markets huge piles of fresh nopales can be seen. A small amount is canned.
The fruit is prickly pear, called tuna in Mexico.
Opuntia vulgaris.
Norfolk dumpling
Steamed yeast dumpling served with strews or soup. It is also served sprinkled with sugar as
dessert resembling the steamed yeast dumplings served in Bohemia and Vienna.
nori
Edible seaweed normally sold dried in thin sheets, which become pliable when moist, and will
dissolve when wet. Especially high in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and Vitamins B1, B2, and niacin.
Multi-hued sheets indicate that they have not been dyed.
Nori is common in Japanese cooking, specifically Asakusa nori, the seaweed which is used in its
dried form as sushi wrappers. It is also deep-fried in tempura batter.
In Korea, nori is called kim, and it is commonly eaten seasoned with soy, sesame oil, and hot
peppers. American nori, distinguished by being dried in its natural blade shape, is often toasted to bring
out its unique taste, at the same time sweet and salty and nutty.

629

Norinda
Brand name for a liquid dietary supplement with medicinal properties. It is made with norinda
citrifolia, a tropical fruit with a long history in India and China, and also harvested in Tahiti and other
Pacific islands.
The fruit is bitter and has a foul odor, which is masked in the product.
Norman
Cattle breed widely raised in France.
Normande, la
French menu term indicating that the dish is made in the style of Normandy. It can be made with
mussels, or it can be flavored with apple brandy. Both are famous products of Normandy.
Normandy food
Area in the northwestern corner of France. Named for the Northmen or Vikings who pillaged the
area in the 9th century. One of only three French provinces where wine is not produced
Normandy is famous for seafood, especially mussels. Tree fruits include pears, apples.
Cheeses include Camembert, Pont-l'vque and Livarot. See there. Pays d'Auge. See there. The area
is renowned in France for dairy products, especially butter.
The lamb is known as pre sal. See there. The city Caen is known for a tripe dish. See tripe
la mode.
The famous apple brandy called Calvados is from Normandy. See calvados. Cider is the major
beverage.
The city Fcamp is famous for the Bndictine distillerie. See there.
North Africa food
See Morocco and Egypt.
Northern Sea Robin
Ocean food fish harvested in the Atlantic.
Also known as gurnard.
Northern Spy
Apple variety commonly cultivated in Michigan.
Norton
American native red grape variety.
Norway, cakes and pastries
Blotkake - cream layer cake
Inn og ut kaker - see there.
Julekake - Christmas coffee bread.
Kransekake - almond ring cake.
Lefser - crpes
Smkaker - small cakes
Vafler med syltetoy - waffles with jam.
Norway lobster
Term for a small ocean crustacean resembling lobsters, but with slender claws. related to
scampi. See there.
Norvgienne la
French culinary term for ice cream covered with meringue and baked. Basically a Baked Alaska.
nosh
Yiddish American word for snack, or for snacking. It comes from the German verb naschen.

630

Nostrale
Italian cheese made in two versions. Nostrale Duro is a hard cheese, Nostarle Tenero is a soft
version.
nougat
The term nougat is used for two distinct products. One is a pastry ingredient, the other is a
candy.
The pastry ingredient consists of caramel sugar, blended while hot with sliced almonds or
hazelnuts, cooled on a marble slab. It is sometimes made with honey and chocolate. The mixture can be
ground when cold. It is an ingredient in cake and candy fillings, or can also be shaped while hot into
decorative pieces.
The white candy nougat consists of beaten egg whites, to which boiling sugar, honey and
roasted almonds are added. Nougat is a major ingredient in the world's most popular candy bar,
Snickers.
Praline is basically the same as nougat, the pastry ingredient. See there.
Nougatine
French honey flavored candy, a specialty of the city Troyes in the department Haute Seine.
nouvelle cuisine
French cooking style which had its origins after WW II, and came into the forefront in the early
1970's, when it was so named. It is a philosophy of taking a new look at classic French cuisine, and the
result were dishes less dependent on rigid culinary traditions. These new dishes were lighter, with an
emphasis on fresh ingredients, short cooking time and freshness.
Nouvelle cuisine tends to be healthier cooking, but it is not necessarily low in calories, because it
still uses cream and butter. Often, reductions of stocks are used instead of classical sauces.
French cooking is evolutionary, and throughout French culinary history there are many so called
nouvelle cuisines. As early as 1739, Francois Marin described his new cookbook with this term.
Forerunners of the recent nouvelle cuisine movement are Paul Bocuse and the Troisgros
Brothers. The modern term is credited to Henri Gault and Christian Millau.
Nova
Commonly used abbreviation for smoked salmon cured with a milder brine. The name comes
from Nova Scotia where much Atlantic salmon is processed.
The term nova is used as a generic term to describe smoked salmon.
Novitiate de los Gatos
Jesuit seminary in Santa Clara Valley, California producing wines. Most is used as sacramental
wine, but some is sold to the general public.
Noyau
French cordial flavored with peach and apricot kernels.
Nsenene
Edible East African grasshopper.
Nubian
Goat breed used for its milk in the US.
Nuits St. Georges
Famous wine center in Burgundy.
Number 1 Wok/No.1 Wok/Head Wok
The head chef in a Chinese restaurant.
nung

631

Chinese food term meaning rich.

Nuns toast
Other name for French toast.
nuoc mam
Vietnamese. A briny sauce of fermented anchovies. The most popular flavoring, nuoc mam is to
Vietnamese cooking what salt is to Europe and soy sauce is to China.
There are many grades of nuoc mam. The best is the deeply flavored, dark amber sauce that is
the first to be drained off the anchovies after 6 months of barrel fermentation. After the first draw,
additional water is added, resulting in lesser grades with lighter color and flavor.
nuts
The fruits of various trees or shrubs consisting of a kernel enclosed in a hard or leathery shell.
Most nuts have a high in oil and protein content. They are listed under their names.
Peanuts are technically a legume. Litchi nuts, see there, are often classified as fruits, are
technically nuts. Water chestnuts, which are often listed under vegetables, are technically nuts.
Coconuts are also actually nuts, despite their size.
nut brittle
Toffee blended with nuts.
nut butter
Spread made of finely ground nuts. The best known is peanut butter, but there are many others
made from nuts.
nutcracker
Mechanical devise to break to outer shell of hard nuts. The popularity of canned shelled nuts
rendered the nutcracker a nice to have, but seldom used gadget.
Nutella
Band name of a chocolate hazelnut spread.
nutmeg
Fruit from the tropical nutmeg tree, a native of South East Asia. The nutmeg fruit gives us two
spices, the core called nutmeg; and the filmy red membrane cover which is dried and ground and is
called mace.
The fruit is encased in a fleshy husk which is delicious when cooked, but unsafe uncooked. In
fact, nutmeg is poisonous, but not harmful in the small quantities we use. Nutmeg is sold as both whole
nut or ground. Small graters are available to grate nutmeg when needed.
Connecticut is called the Nutmeg State because it traded with West Indian spices. Indonesia and
Grenada is a major exporter of nutmeg.
See mace.
Myristica fragrans.
Nutrific
Brand name for Oat-bran enriched cereal with raisins and almonds, introduced by Kellogg in
1987 and promoted with the cooperation of the non-profit American Health Foundation. This low-fat,
low-cholesterol product is packaged with a booklet about weight control, cholesterol, cancer detection,
and coronary risk factors.
Nuworld
American cheese developed by the University of Wisconsin. The cheese was a blue veined
cheese, and ultraviolet radiation was used to make the veins turn white. The cheese was made primarily
for manufacturers of cheese spreads who liked a cheese that did not turn grey in processing like blue
cheeses will, but production became too expensive, and the public refused to buy radiated cheese.

632

nyami
African edible underground stem or rhizome,
of the dioscoreaceae family. African slaves named
the American sweet potato "yam" in remembrance of
nyami, although American yams are generally
sweeter than nyami. Roasted, fried, or boiled, they
are served diced in soups or mashed often with palm
oil and spices. In Africa, there are other types of
sweet potatoes as well.
ame
Hispanic name for taro root.
1-2-3-4 cake
Cake made from 1 cup of butter, 2 cups of sugar, 3 cups of flour and 4 eggs.
See pound cake
O. D. gravy
Cowboy slang for brown gravy.
oak
The primary wood used for the cooperage, (barrel making) for aging wines, whiskey and some
brandies.
Coopers distinguish between American oak, Limousin oak, Nevers oak, and Yugoslavian oak.
Differences come from the various climates, different soils, amount of tannin, tight grain vs. larger more
absorbent grain.
South African oak is too porous and the vintners there must use imported oak.
The seed of the oak tree is called acorn, and is used to feed pigs.
See Smithfield Ham.
oat
Cereal grain, originally a wild grass introduced to the British Isles by the Romans. It is in
Scotland that oats have their greatest popularity, whether eaten as porridge in the morning, as a
thickener in soups, in scones or breads, as a coating for fish or other fried foods, in haggis, or in desserts.
In the US less than 20% of the crop is milled for human consumption, the rest for feed. Horses
prefer oats over any other grain. The average human consumption is three pounds a year in the US.
The most common form of oats for human consumption is rolled oats or quick-cooking oats. Both
are whole-grain products that contain oat bran. They are made with a process that involves rolling the
hulled grains, called groats, to produce flattened kernels with a short cooking time. For quick-cooking
oats, the groats are cut into several pieces before rolling.
Avoine in French, Hafer in German, avena in Italian, avena in Spanish.
Avena sativa.
oat bran
A soluble fiber that goes through the bloodstream and consumes excess cholesterol, unlike nonsoluble fiber which merely ushers food through the body.
In order to get a modest reduction in cholesterol, about 39 grams of oat bran must be consumed
every day. Many oat bran products don't contain enough.
oatcakes
Scottish crackers.
oatmeal

633

Ground or rolled oats to be used as breakfast cereal and in baking. Steel-cut or pinhead oats are
de-hulled and cut without rolling to various degrees of coarseness. Pinhead oats are mostly sold in
specialty stores, and should not be used in recipes unless specified because they require prolonged
soaking to soften.
The term oatmeal is also used for a hot cereal popular in Scotland where it known as porridge.
Common today is instant oatmeal, a processed food which does not require cooking. Instant oatmeal
often contains flavorings and raisins. Quick cooking oatmeal is pre-cooked and dehydrated.
Obaku
Japanese and Chinese Zen Buddhist vegetarian sect.
Obers
Austrian word for heavy cream. Schlagobers, often abbreviated as Schlag, is whipped cream.
Oblaten
Austrian/German term for a flat wafer. Used as garnish served with ice cream and as layers in
certain cakes.
The town and spa Karlovy, formerly Karlsbad, now in the Czech republic, was famous for their
Karlsbad Oblaten.
One famous dessert was Pischinger Torte, consisting of Oblaten layers filled with chocolate
hazelnut cream.
The term Oblaten is also used for the unleavened bread used in the Eucharistic consecration of
bread in the Catholic religion.
Oca
Tuberous plant, native to Peru. The
small tubers are edible when dried, but
acidic and poisonous when fresh. The dried
tubers can be boiled are steamed like
potatoes.
Also known as oka, occa.
Oxalis crenata.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic
or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of
the plant mentioned.

ocean perch
Food fish harvested in the Atlantic and the Pacific ocean. The range in color from flame red to
orange, but are also occasionally grayish.
Most fish is commercially filleted and frozen. Ocean perch is moderately high in fat.
Variations are known as redfish, rosefish, deep sea perch, red perch, longjaw rockfish.
Ocean Spray
Massachusetts based cooperative of cranberry growers. It includes growers in Massachusetts,
New Jersey and Wisconsin, and is the largest grower of cranberries and the largest producer of cranberry
juice in the world.
Ocean Spray developed the Craisin, a dried cranberry snack, in the late '80's.
chsle (Oechsle)
German term referring to the sugar levels in grape must and other liquids.
ocimum sanctum
See holy basil.

634

635

Ockfen
Famous wine village in the Saar valley in Germany. The production are Riesling wines cultivated
on steep hill sides with slate soil, and the wines are considered to be one of the best in favorable years.
Ocopio Coltelli
Italian restaurateur who opened the first caf house in Paris in 1672. He introduced coffee and
ice cream.
octopus
Marine mollusks harvested in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, with eight tentacles equipped with
suckers. Octopus is popular in Mediterranean countries, where it is served marinated as salad and in
stews. Octopus plays an important role in Asian cooking and is available smoked, dried, fresh and
canned.
Tako in Japanese, pulpo in Spanish, piovra/pulpo in Italian, poulpe in French,
Kracke in German.
Octopus vulgaris.
oenology
The science of viniculture. Oenologist, a person knowledgeable about wine making. Also
spelled enology.
Oenothque
Wine library, a collection of wines for display and tasting. The Italian term is enoteca.
oeufs
French term for eggs.
oeufs la neige
French dessert of poached oval-shaped meringues, meant to resemble eggs in appearance. The
meringue eggs are poached in water and served on a vanilla flavored custard, called creme anglaise.
The dessert is customarily served with treads of caramel sugar spun over the meringue eggs to provide
a pleasant texture difference between the crunchy caramel and the soft meringue. The caramel must be
applied just before service, because it would melt if in contact with the wet meringue for a long time.
Oeufs la neige are literally translated "snow eggs."
oeufs en cocotte
French menu term for eggs baked in a water bath in small china ramekin (cups). Normally a
garnish, such as creamed meat or vegetables is put first in the ramekin, and then the egg is broken on
top. The egg white should be cooked solid, but the yolk should still be soft when the dish is served. The
dish was a popular appetizer, but is seldom in demand today.
oeufs sur la plat
French term for fried eggs.
oeufs la coque
French term for boiled eggs, peu cuit is soft boiled, mollet is medium, and dur is hard-boiled.
offal
The edible innards of animals including sweetbreads, brains, liver, and tripe. The term commes
from "off" and "fall", referring to the things that fall off when an animal is slaughtered.
Offenbach, Jacques 1819 - 1880
French/German composer. The Tales of Hoffmann is his best known opera.
Ogden, Bradley
American famous chef.

636

ogen
Small melon with summer melon with a "netted" green skin and green flesh. When ripe, it has a
rich, heady aroma and will yield slightly when pressed at the stem end. It is grown in Israel and in
Hungary.
Also called ha-ogen.
ogo
See sea sprouts.
ogurtsy
Russian pickled cucumbers
Also known as argourcic or argursi.
Oh Henry!
Milk chocolate and peanut candy bar.
Ohio wines
Ohio was an important wine growing state until prohibition. German settlers cultivated wine
grapes on the bank of the Ohio river, and later large tracts were planted along the shores of Lake Erie
around Sandusky and on islands in Lake Erie.
The state still produces a considerable amount for local consumption and as altar wine for the
catholic church.
Ohio pudding
Sweet potatoes, carrots and brown sugar pudding.
oie
French term for goose.
oignons
French term for onions.
oils, for cooking
Oils are divided animal or vegetable oils. Animal oils include fish oils and oils derived from land
animals and used in the production of margarine and related products.
Vegetable oils come from a wide range of plants and fruits. They are listed under their names.
Some oils are treated to retain their flavor, others are manufactured to be neutral.
Volatile oils evaporate quickly and possess the characteristic flavor of the plant or seed, such as
coffee, citrus fruits and many others.
oiseaux sans tte
French dish of rolled, stuffed meat slices. Literally translated the term means "birds without a
head."
ojiya
Japanes noodles. See udon.
Oka
Canadian Trappist cheese, used to be made by the Trappist monks. The monks suspended all
commercial cheese production in 1964 when they had to give up their property.
okolehao
Hawaiian cordial made molasses, rice and the juice of ti roots. The cordial is an ingredient in a
number if Hawaiian cocktails.

637

okra
Shrub bearing small pointed, deeply-ridged pods full of tiny seeds. The surface is sometimes
slightly fuzzy or hairy. It is the fruit of an annual plant in the hibiscus family, native to Africa. Best when
picked young and small as older pods can be tough. Can be eaten raw but are best cooked.
Okra is the primary thickening agent in Cajun gumbo, and okra itself is sometimes refered to as
gumbo. Cooking brings out its glutinous texture, which makes it a good thickener to soups, and
overcooking will make it unpleasantly gluey. It will discolor when cooked in iron pots.
The glutinous texture is not always appreciated. In the Middle East, for example, pods are
soaked in salted lemon juice before deep frying to remove the glutinous texture.
Okra is available dried, frozen and canned.
Also known as bindi, bamya, bamies, quimbombo, gumbo or ladies' fingers.
Hibiscus esculentus.
Okra, Chinese
Large version of common okra. See okra.
Old Bay seasoning
Spice mixture developed by Gustav Braun, a
Baltimore spice dealer, for use with the local crabs.
Now sold in traditional blue and yellow tins by the
Baltimore Spice Company.
It is a combination of hot and savory
seasonings including celery salt, mustard, pepper,
laurel leaves, cloves, pimento, ginger, mace,
cardamon, cassia, and paprika. Also known as crab
boil.
Old fashioned cocktail
Cocktail made with Bourbon, and a sugar cube
sprinkled with bitters. It is normally garnished with a
maraschino cherry. See there.
Old Heidelberg
American cheese
Also known as Liederkranz.
Old Maids
Unpopped popcorn kernel. Also known as U.P.K's.
Old Telegram
American version of a Chateauneuf-du-Pape wine, Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe. The red
American wine is made by Randall Grahm at Bonny Doon Winery in Santa Cruz, California. Made 100%
from the Rhone wine grape Mourvedre. The intersting label looks like a telegram.
Old Tom Gin
Sweet British gin, also known as Plymouth gin. It is produced in very small quantities.
Old Wives fish
Colloquial name in St. Thomas for triggerfish. The fish is skinned, and the dried skins are used to
scrub pots, hence the name.
oleo
Oil manufactured from animal fats. It is used in the manufacture of margarine.

638

olestra
Brand name for a calorie-free fat substitute, developed by Proctor & Gamble. The compound
passes through the body without being digested and adds no calories or cholesterol.
olive(s)
The fruit of olive trees used as food and source of oil since antiquity. Olive trees have been
cultivated around the Mediterranean sea for thousands of years. Homer called it liquid gold, athletes in
ancien Greece rubbed it ritually all over their bodies. The olive tree was a symbol of abundance, glory
and peace, its leafy branches crowned the victorious in games and in war.
During Roman rules, olive trees had to be planted in the entire Mediterranean basin. In the land
of the Hebrews, King Solomon and King David placed great importance on the cultivation of olive trees.
Cutting down an olive tree was a major offense. Olive oil became a major article of trading, and for
cosmetic use was infused with spices, seeds and flowers.
The olive trees take about ten years to produce fruit, but can live for hundreds of years. The trees
require mild Winters and long, hot summers to produce fruit. A mature tree will produce between 30 to 40
lb fresh olives each year. The crop is mechanically harvested or hand picked.
Olives are green, purple or black, depending on when they are picked and how they are
processed. They can be salted, pickled, canned and dried. In the US most olives are grown for canning.
The canned black olives popular in the US are harvested green and undergo a lengthy process to make
them black and rather bland tasting.
Pitted olives are those with the pits removed. Green pitted olives are often stuffed with slivers of
pimento, almond or anchovy. This was originally done laboriously by hand. Only in the 1970's was the
process mostly automated.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Alfonso - French, large, purple.
Amfissas - Greek. Large, dark purple. Juicy and soft-textured. Sweet olive oil-like taste. They are
often packed in olive oil.
Atalanti - Greek. Also known as Royals or Royal Victorias. Large, round, greenish purple and
cracked to expose the flesh to the curing process. Fleshy texture. Their fruity flavor makes them good in
salads.
Calamta - Greek, light brown, large.
Cracked green - Green because they are harvested early in the season. Larger than Nafplion,
which are processed in a similar fashion. They are cracked before being cured to expose their flesh to the
curing process. They are strong tasting.
Domat - French, green.
Gaetea - French, purple.
Ionian green - Greek. An especially mild tasting green olive. Good in marinades.
Kalamata - Greek. Oval, smooth, dark purple. Renowned for their pungent flavor, meatiness and
juiciness. Packed in vinegar brine.
Ligurian - Italian dark olives.
Manzanilla - Spanish, often sold green, with and without pit, sometimes stuffed with pimentos or
almonds. In Spain, Manzanilla olives are sold in different
degrees of ripeness and can range in
color from light green to purple.
Nafplion - Greek. Green because they are harvested early in the season. Small and firm with a
sweet, nutty taste. They are usually cracked before they are cured to expose their flesh to the curing
process. Milder tasting than the generically named Cracked greens.
Nioise - French. Small, dark olives, popular in salads and other dishes, large availability.
Oil-cured. Black, ripe olives preserved in oil.
Royals/Royal Victorias - See Atalanti.
Thasos - Greek. Also known as Throumes. Black, sun-ripened and wrinkled from the drying on
salt beds. Rich, oily, salty, and slightly bitter. Dense, meaty texture.
Olea europaea.
olive oil
Oil extracted from olives since antiquity, probably the oldest source of oil in the world. The oil
contains mono-unsaturated fat, considered healthy and may even reduce blood cholesterol. For this

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reason and the demand for olive oil increased dramatically in the US. Olive oil can have a pronounced
flavor depending on grade and quality.
Quality regulations were formulated in 1986 by the Madrid-based International Olive Oil Council
(IOOC), which was established under the auspices of the United Nations. Member in 1997 are Algeria,
Cyprus, Egypt, the European Economic Community, Israel, Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey and Yugoslavia.
The objectives of the council are marketing, quality control and improving efficient production. The US is
not a member of the council, so its olive oils are not defined by the same standards.
Italy used and exported more olive oil than it was able to produce. It imported olive oil from Spain
and other countries and re-packed it. The new regulations must indicate now the country of origin.
TYPES INCLUDE:
Extra virgin - From the first pressing of the olives. It has a full, fruity flavor and the lowest acidity
level. For extra-virgin oil, the fruit is picked (the finest are hand-picked) before fully mature, and crushed
immediately at temperatures no higher than 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Olives crushed at higher
temperatures will yield more oil, but quality will suffer. The best grades of oil are greenish to green in
color; the lesser grades are yellower. A fine oil should be unctuous but not greasy and have a distinctive,
fruity, flavor.
Young oil might have a slightly bitter taste which will mellow as it ages. Extra-virgin oil accounts
for about 5% of American consumption of olive oil. Extra-virgin oil is further graded. Premium extra-virgin
olive oil is grown on small estates at very high altitudes, from 1000 to 2000 feet above sea level, usually
on limy soil in places such as Tuscany and Umbria in central Italy.
Virgin - From the first pressing of the olives. Virgin olive oil has up to 1.5% acidity. Virgin olive oil
accounts for only about 2% of American consumption.
Pure olive oil - Also comes from the first pressing, but has a lighter less fruity taste and higher
acidity level. Pure olive oil has up to 3% acidity and is sometimes called olio di oliva, huile d'olive, or just
olive oil. Pure olive oil accounts for most, about 93% of American consumption.
Olive Pomace Oil is a lower grade oil, made from the pressed olives with the aid of solvents.
There are also lower grades which are not exported to the US, such as, Italy's olio di sansa di oliva
rettificato, which is extracted with solvents from the residue of previously pressed olives.
In addition to quality levels, olive oils are defined by country and place of origin, and vintage.
Late-harvested olive oil from Liguria, Biancardo, is delicate with an almost sweet almond flavor and
slightly milky gold color. Olives left on the trees longer than usual can develop more acidity than is
permitted in oil labeled extra-virgin in Italy; only in years when the oil has less than .5% acidity can it
qualify for this label.
Most imported olive oil comes from Italy and Spain, and some also comes from Greece, Algeria,
Morocco, Tunisia, Turkey, France, Portugal.
Portuguese olive oil, especially that used as a condiment on Brazilian tables tends to be stronger
flavored. Olive oil will deteriorate. The oil will not become harmful, but its fresh fragrance will be lost.
Cold pressed oil is a quality standard, indicating that no heat was used to extract the oil.
Oliver, Chteau
Well known white wine estate in the Graves region of Bordeaux, France.
Olivet
French cows milk cheese made in the town of Olivet in the Department of Loiret. The cheese is
made in three versions, unripened resembling cream cheese, as blue cheese, and as fully ripened
cheese.
olla
Spanish term for pot, and by extension for stew.
olla podrida
Spanish medieval peasant dish. A large stew pot would remain on the fire and edible ingredients
and leftovers would be thrown into the pot. From time to time, meals would be taken out but the stew
was never started afresh.
To quote Don Quijote's pal Sancho Pansa in Cervantes' literary work, "with the diversity of things
in those pots I'm sure to come across something that I will like and that is good for me."

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The version made by the Sephardic Jews did not include pork and was called adafina. It was a
common Sabbath dish because it cooked itself on this day when observant Jews were not allowed to
perform any labor.
A modern version of olla podrida became Spains national dish. Today it is a stew made with
meats, vegetables and sausages in many variations.
Literally translated is means "rotten pot".
Olmtzer Quargel
Strong smelling cheese, flavored with caraway seeds, similar to Mainzer Hand Kse. The cheese
originated in the formerly Austrian town Olmtz, now in the Czech Republic.
Oloroso
Sweet, dark Sherry wine, one of the two basic types, the other is fino, which is clear, light and
dry.
Oloroso Sherry can range from medium sweet to very sweet. It should be served at room
temperature.
See sherry.
Olympia oyster
Oyster harvested in the southern Puget Sound of Washington State and the Humboldt Bay of
California. It thrives in cold, salty water. Until recently, it didn't grow large enough to be commercially
viable, but oyster farming technology developd about 1960 has lead to its development. It is still a tiny
oyster with a round and flat shell, but its flavor is robust with a pleasantly metallic aftertaste.
Ostrea lucida.
Omar Khayym
Egyptian red wine, named for the Persian poet and mathematician. It is said that the name may
be the best thing about it.
omble
French name for lake char.
ombra
Mid-morning or mid-afternoon wine break in Venice, Italy. The term, literally translated "shade",
refers to outside workers retreating from the heat of the sun to drink a glass of wine in the shade. Ombras
are often taken in the local pubs, called bacari.
omelet or omelette
Egg dish, beaten and cooked quickly in a frying pan or on a griddle over high heat. Omelettes
appear in many cultures and in many shapes.
The French omelette is rolled and folded into a pointed roll, or made flat. The center of a perfect
omelette should be creamy, not over-cooked. In French cuisine, omelettes are considered luncheon
dishes. They can be filled with many ingredients, such as cured meats, mushrooms, vegetables, herbs
and cheeses. They can also be filled with jam or preserves.
Spanish omelet is called tortilla. Italian omelet is a frittata. Both are usually served flat, not rolled.
Omelette souffl
French dessert consisting of stiffly whipped egg whites, flavored with sugar and various flavors,
then blended with egg yolks and a tiny amount of flour or starch; dressed on a platter and baked quickly.
Omelette souffl must be served immediately.
Omelette surprise
French name for Baked Alaska.
omnibibulous

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Amusing term, referring to a person who drinks every type of beverage, coined by H.L. Mencken
who himself was fond of drinking just about everything.
omnibus
French term for apprentice waiter or food runner.
on the rocks
Bar term for drinks served over ice cubes.
onctueux
French wine term for full bodied wines, high in natural glycerin.
Ondenc
French white wine grape, used as ingredient in sparkling wines.
one-hands
Barbados sandwich consisting of a soft bun with a fried fillet of flying fish. Popular at rum bars.
one-egg cake
Simple early American cake, consitsing usually of two layers, with jam spread between them.
One hundred Unities
Chinese spice, dried white petals of a lily plant with little flavor.
Known in Chinese as bok hop/bai ho.
one thousand year egg
Chinese egg preparation, raw eggs, often duck eggs, cured with lime, salt, ashes, tea and other
ingredients for about 100 days. They will become hard, translucent and bluish green.
One yard of flannel.
English ale drink, sometimes served warm.
onion(s)
One of the oldest vegetables known to man. Onions are in the lily family. Onions can be divided
into two distinct types, fresh and storage, both of which are available in yellow, white and red.
Fresh onions are sweet onions, grown in Winter and harvested in Spring and Summer. Their
flavor is generally sweet and mild, with a high sugar and water content. Their skins are thin and dry.
However, they are not as hardy and are more easily damaged than storage onions. Grown mostly in
Texas, California, Georgia and Washington State.
Sweet onions are low in the sulphur-containing compounds, such as pyruvate, that make ordinary
onions pungent and irritating to the eyes.
Most sweet onions except Walla Walla, come from two yellow varieties, the granex and the
grano.
BASIC VARIETIES.
Bermuda - early variety appearing on the market from March to June. There are white, yellow
and red varieties.
Boiling onions - refer to size and should be no more than one inch in diameter.
Spanish, - an early variety, sweet and mild. They can be red or white.
Storage onions - classified as globe onions, are available from August through March, and have
a dry skin and a low moisture and low sugar content, making them more durable to a longer shelf life.
They have a richer, more robust flavor. Good in soups, stews, sauces, and sauteed. Storage onions
should be kept in a dry, well-ventilated place.
Vidalia - prized yellow high yield variety granex hybrid grown in a delineated 19 county area of
southeast Georgia. Developed by Dr. Henry A. Jones in the early 1940's, and originally called the F1
Hybrid Yellow Granex. Though large in size, they are mild and sweet tasting and have a natural sugar
content of 12.5%.

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Walla Walla Sweets - cultivated in Washington State, similar to Vidalia. Round, golden.
Onions are available fresh and canned, dehydrated, as powder and frozen. Many popular onion
preparations, such as breaded rings, chopped and sliced onions are available frozen to the food service
industry.
Other members of the onion family are garlic, leeks, scallions, shallots. See under their listings.
Oignons in French, Zwiebel in German, cipolla in Italian, cebolla in Spanish.
Allium cepa.
onion rolls
White wheat rolls sprinkled with dehydrated onions before baking. The are popular in Detroit and
New York City.
onion skin
Thin, strong, translucent paper, once made from onion skins.
onion soup
Hearty soup made with sauteed onions and beef broth, seasoned with time and occasionally with
apple brandy. The soup is often served "gratine", meaning it has been put in an oven-proof serving dish
and baked in the oven. The proper way to make the soup is to put first one or two pieces of toasted
french bread slices in the dish, and then ladle the boiling hot soup in top. The bread will float to the top.
Then cheese, normally a mixture of Parmesan and Swiss cheese is sprinkled on top. The soup
is baked in a water bath in a hot oven until brown on top. Some restaurants put the soup under a broiler
to brown, but the strong heat makes the cheese stringy. Onion soup has lost on popularity in the US,
partly on account of dietary concerns.
ono
Hawaiian fish with moderate fat content
Also known as wahoo.
Oolong tea
Chinese partially fermented tea, often perfumed with Jasmin flowers.
opah
Ocean food fish, beautifully colored.
Also known as Kingfish, Sunfish and Moonfish. Lampris regius.
open-faced
Term referring to a sandwich made without a second slice bread on top.
opera
FOOD NAMED AFTER OPERAS OR OPERA PERSONALITIES:
Chicken Tetrazzini - famous soprano
Eggs Sardou - the playwright who wrote "Tosca"
Melba toast - Nelly Melba, famous soprano, also Peach Melba.
Spaghetti Caruso - Tenor Enrico Caruso.
Tournedos Belle Hlne - operetta by Offenbach
Tournedos Rossini - composer
Oporto
Portuguese city on the Douro river, the major shipping port for Port wine. Portuguese law
stipulates that port wine must be shipped from Oporto or from Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river, where
the major port wine firms are located.
The English name is Porto.
opossum

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Nocturnal animal, once an important food source for settlers and Indians, but seldom eaten
today. It supposedly tastes like a young pig.
Oppenheim
important wine producing town in Rheinhessen, Germany.
Opthalmo
Cyprus red wine grape variety.
Optima
German white wine grape.
Opus One
Bordeaux-style wine made in the Napa Valley, California. It begun as a joint venture between
California's Robert Mondavi and France's Baron Philippe de Rothschild of the prestigious Chteau
Mouton Rothschild.
The first vintage of Opus One was 1979 and was made at the Mondavi winery. In July, 1989,
ground was broken for an independent Opus One winery.
The wine is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
orach
Green plant related to spinach, very early growing. There are two varieties, red and green and
they can be used as vegetable and also in salads.
The plant can grow up to five feet tall, and can be harvested all summer long. The seed head
should be clipped.
Also known as mountain spinach.
Atriplex hortensis.
orange
The sweet orange, probably native to China, grows on evergreen trees, in some varieties flowers
and fruits growing at the same time. Orange trees are affected by frost but usually re-generate quickly.
Oranges can be classified.
THREE BASIC VARIETIES:
Thick-skinned - generally eating oranges. Varieties include Naval, which is large seedless and
easy to peel.
Thin-skinned - generally good for juicing. Skin not usually easy to peel. Varieties include Blood
orange and Valencia.
Bitter - used in cooking, marmalade and in cordials. Varieties include Bigarade and Seville.
Florida is the major producer of juice oranges, while California is the major producer of table
oranges. Oranges may go through a process of re-greening, a natural coloring process. Fruits picked
yellow or orange can turn green again after ripening if it is exposed to a lot of sun.
Orange juice is the most popular breakfast juice in the US. It is available pasteurized ready for
consumption or concentrated. In some cases the ready to drink orange juice is made from concentrate,
some of which might be imported. The first orange juice concentrate was produced in Florida in the
1940's.
The major orange varieties are listed under their names.
Orange in French, Orangen in German, arancia in Italian, naranja in Spanish,
orange blossom
Cocktail made with orange juice, orange flower water and gin. It was popular during prohibition.
See Neroli.
orange blossom honey
Light, delicate citrus tasting honey, much is produced in Spain, Israel and California.
orange extract

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Volatile oil made from orange rinds. It is used in baking.

Orange Flesh Honeydew
Melon with creamy white skin and orange flesh.
orange flowers
The fragrant flowers are used in jams, beverages, sherbet and liqueur. Orange flower water was
popular in Victorian times in England and is mentioned by Charles Dickens in Great Expectations.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Orange Julius
Fruit drink chain, and proprietary drink by the same name, which began with one store in Los
Angeles in 1926. The "menu" was limited to fruit drinks, with the specialty being the secret recipe frothy
orange juice and egg drink which gave the chain its name. The company, still based in Santa Monica,
California, has over 750 outlets world-wide, and has expanded into fast food items, such as fruit salads,
hot dogs, turkey dogs, nachos, french fries, and muffins.
orange-flavored liqueurs
Most are based on the bitter bergamot orange and contain the aromatic oils in the peel.
THE MOST IMPORTANT ARE:
Cointreau, France
Curaao from the island of the same name, or from Holland
Grand Marnier, France
Napoleon liqueur, France and Belgium
Southern Comfort, US
Triple Sec, France.
orange flower water
Essence used to flavor cakes and creams made from distilled orange flowers.
orange pekoe
Tea term referring to the size and age of the tea leaves, which greatly affects the flavor and
quality of the tea. Orange relates neither to color, fruit, taste, or blossom. The term is thought to have
been named after the Dutch House of Orange in an attempt at indicating quality.
The first or newest leaf that has opened is called pekoe. The slightly larger, older, and coarser
leaf is the orange pekoe. The larger and older the leaf, the harsher the flavor. See tea.
orange roughy
Ocean food fish harvested in the Pacific region around New Zealand and Australia.
orangeade
French term for a cold beverage flavored with orange juice, sometimes carbonated.
Orangeat
German word for candied orange peel, used in baking.
orangelettes
Dried unripe, small oranges.
orangequat
Hybrid fruit, a cross between kumquat and orange. See there.
Orbiere
Belgian specialty beer made with 6 kinds of malt and 3 kinds of yeast.

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orchid
Orchids used in gastronomy include the small Wanada orchids which are used to decorate
tropical drinks, and are also sprinkled on salads.
Vanilla is derived from a plant of the orchid family.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Order of Good Cheer/Order of Good Time
Dining group initiated by Samuel de Champlain in 1604 at the French colony Port Royal in Nova
Scotia. It was perhaps the first dining society in the new world. The society was a diversion in the harsh
Canadian winters.
Each night of the winter, a different colonists family provided the meal for the entire settlement.
There was much ceremony, showing off, and competition.
ordinary
Seventeenth century term for a tavern or inn.
orecchiette
Italian pasta in the shape of little ears.
oregano
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Tender perennial herb with many culinary uses,

the blossoms are also edible. Also called sweet marjoram.
Origanum vulgarities.
Greek oregano has more pungent flavor is than
common oregano.
Also known as wild marjoram, origano, organy.
Origanum heracleoticum.

Oregon wine
The now thriving Oregon wine industry was begun
in the Willamette Valley in the late 60's by David Lett.
Oregon is renowned for being able to cultivate
Pinot Noir grapes. Even the French, short on vineyard space in their own Pinot Noir regions have bought
land and wineries in Oregon. Chardonnay is also widely cultivated. One large winery is Chateau St.
Michelle in the Columbia Valley. Other wineries are Adelsheim, Eyrie Vineyards, Knudsen Erath, Ponzi
Vineyards, Rex Hill and Sokol Blosser.
Oreo
Brand name for America's best selling cookie. Made by Nabisco brands since 1911. Over 6 billion
are sold a year and it is estimated that Oreos comprise about 10% of the packaged cookie sales.
It is a pair of chocolate cookies sandwiching a sweet white sugar icing. The design on the
cookies is stamped out by rollers as the cookie comes down the assembly line. The pattern is a series of
four-leaf clovers around the word OREO, which is set inside the Nabisco trademark oval shape.
Oreo cookies are popular in other countries as well and plants produce them in Venezuela and
Ecuador.
A cookie resembling Oreo is Hydrox, made by Sunshine Biscuits.
organic
The term refers to traditional farming methods without synthetic fertilizers and chemicals such as
pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Organic produce amounts to a small percentage all US produce.

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Organic produce got a boost in 1988/9 when problems of food safety were in the news. Most
supermarkets have an organic produce section.
There is no Federal law governing what may be termed "organic" and few states have laws. As a
result, there is little surveillance of claims that a food is organic. The issue is being addressed on various
levels. Some states require growers or packers to meet certain standards before fresh produce or a
finished product can be labeled 'organic', but the requirements vary. A product that is truly organic usually
has a label indicating that a state or national organization has certified that it meets specific standards.
organic wines
The term has no clear definition, but it generally refers to wines made by organic farming
methods and no added chemicals in vinification.
There is a California Wine Alliance in San Francisco. Fetzer Winery in Mendocino County,
California actively supports the organic wine movement.
orgeat
Almond syrup, originally made with barley. Pulverized almonds are blended with sugar and a
solution of orange flowers. The strained liquid is used to flavor beverages.
Oriental apple pear
See Asian pear.
Originalabfllung
Old German wine term for estate bottled. It was replaced by Erzeugerabfllung.
Orkney
Scottish semi - hard cows milk cheese.
Orlando
Variety of tangelo, named for Orlando, Florida where it was developed. The orlando has a skin
which clings tightly to the fruit. A tangelo is a cross between a grapefruit and an orange.
Orly
Town outside Paris and of culinary fame for items dipped in batter, deep fried and served with
tomato sauce.
It is much better known as one of the two airports in Paris.
Orlow
Russian aristocratic family. The name appears on menus for a roasted veal saddle, filled with
foie gras and onion puree.
Aslo spelled Orloff.
ormer
Large mollusc resembling abalone harvested in the English Channel.
Haliotis tuberculata.
orris
Extract used as commercial baking ingredient. It is made from the orris root.
Iris germanica.
Orsires
Cheese made in Switzerland with firm, spicy paste, used for raclette.
ortalan
Bit-size song birds, protected in the US, but caught in nets during migration in Italy and France.
The birds are roasted whole and considered a delicacy. They were illegally served 1998 at a dinner in a
New York City restaurant. The event became a news story.

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ortanique
Large Jamaican variety of mandarin orange.
Ortega
German white wine grape.
ortica
Italian term for nettles. See there.
orujo
Spanish unaged brandy made in Galicia. It is used to make a potent drink called queimada,
meaning burnt.
Orvieto
Italian wine from the region of Umbria, in the center of Italy. The wine dates from the 13th
century. Artists of that time were often paid in wine. Historically, the wine was sweet, but now most of it is
dry. The wine is crisp and delicate.
The town is situated on a hillside, making it a strategically good spot for defense. Formerly on
Orvieto's site was one of the 12 towns of the Etruscan League.
Orville Redenbacher
Popcorn brand name.
oryza sativa
Botanical name for the variety of rice used in most Chinese restaurants in the US. The white
kernels cook to a fluffy consistency.
oryzivorous
Rice eating.
orzo
Greek grain shaped pasta.
Also known as minestra.
Oscar Tschirky
Swiss born Oscar was working at the famous Delmonico Restaurant in Manhattan when ground
was broken in 1891 at Fifth Avenue and 34th Street for the Waldorf Hotel. He applied for a position
immediately, and was hired as Matre dhtel, based on the excellent recommendations from the
distinguished clientele he served at Delmonicos.
Oscar remained with the hotel from March 1893 until it was demolished in 1929, and took part in
planning of the new The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on Park Avenue, which opened in 1931. Oscar retired in
the early 1940's. He published a cook book in 1896.
Oscar was in charge of the food and beverage department. He is credited with creating the
Waldorf Salad, Oscars Chocolate Marble Cake, and Oscars Planked Chopped Steak.
Oscars country estate in New Paltz, New York, is now owned by the Culinarian Home
Foundation.
Oschtjepek
Plastic cured cheese made from ewes milk in Slovakia. It resembles Caciocavallo.
osechi ryori
Japanese boxed assortment of traditional holiday foods.
oseille
French term for sorrel. See there.

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osetra
Sturgeon, smaller than the beluga sturgeon, which is the largest. The caviar is called osetra
caviar. Also known as osetrova.
oshaku
The art of pouring drinks by the geishas in Japan.
Ossetin
Cheese made in the Caucasus mountains form ewes or cows milk. The cheese is also called
Kasach or Tuschinsk.
osso buco
Italian specialty. Braised veal shanks, cut horizontally into two inch lengths to expose the marrow,
braised to melting tenderness with diced vegetables, tomatoes, white wine and grated lemon peel.
There are regional variations. In Milan, the dish is garnished with grated lemon rind, garlic and
parsley, and is often served with risotto.
ostrich
Ostrich meat has become a low cholesterol alternative for other meats because it is extremely
low in fat. Most meat is concentrated in the thighs and legs, the breast muscle is rather small. The meat
is dry and dark, and not as tender as poultry meat. It is best to cooked medium rare.
The eggs are edible and considered a delicacy. An average egg weighs about 3 lb and up to 15
eggs are laid in one clutch. Eggs can be prepared scrambled or as omelette.
Raising ostriches became a fad, but the market for ostrich meat is not yet developed.
ostriches' brains
Absurd item purported to have been served at ancient Roman orgies.
ostrich fern
Edible fern, called fiddle heads.
Oswego tea
Herb, native to North America and used as tea.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Monarda didyma.
Otaheite apple
Tropical egg shaped fruit with orange color, originally from Polynesia. The flesh is slightly acidic
and juicy, resembling pineapple.
Also known as Malay apple.
Spondis cytherea.
oursin
French term for sea urchin.
Ouzo
Greek popular, strong licorice flavored brandy.
Ovcji Sir
Ewes milk cheese made in the Slovanian Alps.
ovo-lacto vegetarians
People whose diet consists of eggs, dairy products and vegetables.

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ovos moles
Portuguese egg yolk confection from the town of Aveir served in a tiny pot. Literally translated
soft eggs.
Owen, Jeanne
Author of the innovative "A Wine Lover's Cookbook", published around 1940.
Oxalidaceae
Botanical family which includes carambola, spinach, Swiss chard, rhubarb and nettles. They all
contain oxalic acid.
Oxford John
Mutton stew, popular in Vrginia during colonial times.
oxidized
Wine term for wine exposed to air that has lost freshness and turned dark.
oxtail
Flavorful but obviously bony part, which is praised by chefs for soups and stews. Oxtails contain
much gelatin, which gives flavor and substance to braised dishes.
Due to streamlining efforts of the meat industry and sanitary concerns, oxtails are not longer sold
in some European countries.
Queue de boeuf in French, Ochsenschlepp in German, rabo de torro in Spanish.
oxtail soup
Oxtails make excellent soup, and both a clear version and a thickened version was found on
menus of fine restaurants. The soup was often flavored with a small amount of Amontillado sherry wine.
oxtail stew
Brown very flavorful stew. Oxtail contain much gelatine, which gives flavor and body to stew. It is
important that the oxtail sections are cut with a knife at their joints, and not chopped, because chopping
might leave small slivers of bones in the stew.
oyster
Edible bivalve mollusk, harvested and farmed since ancient times. Commercial farming methods
vary. One method sets young oysters, called seed, on shells laid out on trays; the advantage of this
method is that the oysters can be harvested with racks. Another method is to attach the "seeds" to stakes
anchored to the bottom of the bay. Another is the hanging method in which the oysters are suspended on
wires hung from racks. Hanging techniques were, in fact, used by the ancient Romans, but the modern
equivalent was developed by the Japanese in 1923, and first used in California in about 1960. This
method is space economical and has advantages of keeping the oysters off the muddy bottoms as well
as away from bottom predators such as the crab, stingray, and starfish.
Oysters filter about 100 gallons of water a day so their taste, texture, and nutrients are always
affected very much by the waters which they come from.
An oyster's size is usually related to its age, with the exception of Olympias which never grow to be very
big. Oysters are flushed with grit in tanks of clean salt water.
Fresh oysters are always tightly closed and filled with water, and they won't sound hollow when
knocked together. Fresh oysters should sparkle and have a crisp oceanic flavor. A bad oyster once open
will have an off-aroma and appear dry and swollen. Oysters should always be freshly shucked as they
start to deteriorate as soon as the muscle is cut. After a few minutes, they will start to taste flat.
The tradition of serving oysters with a pungent condiment dates to the days before refrigeration
and was done to mask the taste of those that weren't fully fresh. Shucked oysters are sold commercially
and are often used in restaurants in oyster dishes, such as fried oysters. They are sold by the gallon, in
their own juices, and stay fresh under refrigeration for a number of days.
Opening oysters requires skills, and for this reason some restaurants open oysters ahead of time
because they do not have the skilled personnel in the kitchen. Mechanical oyster opening devises have

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been invented, but human skills beat most machines. To open oysters, place the rounder shell on the
bottom so the water stays in. Hold firmly in a towel in the palm of one hand, with the hinge part toward
the palm, and start cutting by keeping the blade of the knife as close as possible to the top shell. Run the
blade around till you have severed the muscle that holds the shell halves together. Note the location of
the muscle as all oysters are the same.
Oysters are especially popular in the state of Washington around Seattle, where many are
harvested, including Hama Hama, Olympia, Penncove Select, Quilcene Bay, Shoalwater Bay, Westcott
Bay. The oyster industry in the northwest owes a lot to the Frenchmen who sought fast wealth in the
California Gold Rush, and though mostly disappointed in that pursuit stayed on, eventually emigrating
north.
In general, in the US, Pacific coast oysters tend to taste brinier than those from the East Coast.
Fresh oysters, served at oyster bars are popular in Louisiana where Bastian Bay, Bayou Cook,
Bayou La Batre, and Rocky Point are some of the popular varieties. The oysters are also served fried in
lard with a dusting of corn flour, or cooked as Oysters Bienville or Oysters Rockefeller. See there.
Oyster lovers, like wine lovers, have their own vocabulary for describing their treats.
Most oysters, especially US Pacific coast oysters, are named for the place from which they are
harvested.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Apalachicola - Florida. Medium size oyster with a greenish round and large cupped but pointed
shell from the bay of the same name off the Florida panhandle. Its flesh is firm with a mild, slightly sweet
flavor.
Bastian Bay, Bayou Cook and Bayou La Batr - Louisiana.
Belon - European oyster. Small and flavorful oyster, easy to identify by its round flat shell. Of the
European Flat species, it is native to the Belon River estuary off the coast of Brittany in France, but now
farmed on both coasts of the US. Those from New England (especially found off the coast of Maine) are
larger and stronger in flavor than those from California. It has a distinctive metallic flavor. Technically,
only those from Brittany should be called Belons.
Blue Point - Originally from Blue Point, on the South shore of Long Island. This oyster is no
longer harvested but the name is used generically to refer to any mild tasting Atlantic Ocean oyster.
Bluff oysters - tiny (1 in.) oysters from New Zealand's South Island.
Bristol - small to medium size oyster with a round shell and small cup, found off the coast of
South Bristol, Maine. Its plump flesh has a gamey, salty flavor. Bristol oysters are also harvested ibn
England.
Caraquet - large oblong oyster with a smooth brown shell, plump, firm flesh and briny taste from
New Brunswick.
Chesapeake Bay -Maryland and Virginia oyster harvested in the bay by the same name. It is
small to medium in size with a flat, with a round, small-cupped shell. It has a mildly sweet flavor.
Chincoteague - found off the coast of Maryland and Virginia in the Chincoteague Bay. Small to
medium in size, with a flat round shell. Its slightly sweet taste has a distinctive aftertaste.
Cotuit - from the Cotuit Harbor off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Medium to large in
size with a plump body and salty flavor.
European Flat - Species of oyster including Belons and similar oysters from other areas.
Golden Mantle - Vancouver, British Columbia oysters. Their small, fragile shells are gold in color
with a fluted, white ridge. They have delicate sweet flavor, reminiscent of watermelon and a clean
aftertaste.
Hama Hama/Hamma Hamma - mild tasting Washington State oyster from the Puget Sound.
Hog Island Sweetwater - found in the Tomales Bay north of of San Francisco. Small to medium
in size, with a fluted, deep-cupped shell. Its plump flesh has a creamy texture and smoky sweet flavor.
Kent Island - found off Kent Island in the Chesapeake Bay. Medium in size with an oval shell,
plump body and clean flavor.
Kumamoto - Pacific oysters introduced from Asia around the turn of the twentieth-century.
Harvested off the coast of Washington state and in the Tomales and Humboldt Bays - Northern
California. They have a creamy plump flesh with a mild fruity flavor.
Lasqueti Island oysters/Lasqueti Golden - British Columbia oysters.
Little Skookum Flats - Pacific coast oyster.

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Louisiana Gulf - found in the bayous of the Mississippi Delta. It has a thick shell, a soft fleshy
texture, and a slightly salty, slightly metallic flavor.
Malpeque - Prince Edward Island, Canada oyster. This oyster has an oblong, pointed shell and a
clean aftertaste and firm, juicy texture. It has a slightly bitter, lettuce-like flavor.
Minterbrook - found in Minter Creek which empties into Puget Sound near Tacoma, Washington.
It has a large shell with a sweet, melon-like flavor.
Olympia oyster, astray lucida - thumb-sized oyster, found in the southern Puget Sound of
Washington state and the Humboldt Bay of California. This is the smallest North American oyster, and
has a tiny round, flat shell. It thrives in cold, salty water. Until recently, it didn't grow large enough to be
commercially viable, but oyster farming technology since about 1960 has lead to its development. Its tiny
shell is round and flat, but its flavor is robust with a pleasantly coppery aftertaste. They remain small even
after four years.
Pacific Jumbo - found in Fanny Bay off the east coast of Vancouver Island. It is a large ouster,
four to five inch oblong, with a gray shell, ridged and rough. It is usually cut into pieces for eating. It has a
mild flavor and firm texture.
Pacific oyster - generic name for many oysters, most of them originally from Japan.
Penncove Select - Washington State oyster from the Puget Sound. Mild tasting.
Pine Island - plump, meaty oysters named for a strip of land in Bayville, Long Island, which was
once an island.
Portuguese/Portuguese - harvested off the coast of Vancouver, British Columbia. Its size ranges
from small to large, with a ruffled green shell with a rounded top. Its deeply cupped shell holds a plump
juicy oyster with a clean ocean flavor. Despite its name it is not the true Portuguese species. The
European Portuguese oyster came from Asia on the hulls of ships.
Preston Point - from Tomales Bay, California. Small to medium in size, it has a tiger-striped shell.
Its creamy flesh has a melony aftertaste.
Prince Edward Island - Canadian oyster, coppery ocean taste.
Quilcene - found in the Quilcene Bay in the Puget Sound off the coast of Washington state. It has
a crisp, cucumber-like, briny taste and a strong aftertaste.
Rhode Island Select - from the coast off southeastern Rhode Island. It has meaty flesh with a
crisp flavor.
Rock Oysters - also known as Sydney Rock oysters, are small with a thin frilled shell. Full flavor
and buttery consistency.
Rock Point - found in the Dabob Bay in the Puget Sound near Seattle, Washington. Small in size
with a fruity, yet mildly salty tasting with a mildly coppery aftertaste.
Rocky Point - Louisiana oyster.
Shoalwater Bay - briny, flavorful oyster from Washington State's the Puget Sound.
Sydney Rock - see Rock Oysters.
Tomales Bay - found in the Tomales Bay off the Coast of California. Medium in size with a black
ruffled shell which holds firm, plump flesh. It has a fresh, crisp, briny flavor.
Wellfleet - harvested off the coast of Wellfleet in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Its oval shell is small
to medium in size. Its flavor is clean and mildly salty.
Westcott Bay Petite - found in the Westcott and Tiger Bays off the San Juan Islands in the Puget
Sound in northwest Washington state. Its medium-size, deeply cupped shell is pinkish-white in color. Its
salty flavor may have a coppery aftertaste.
Westcott Flats - found in the Westcott Bay off the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound in
northwest Washington state. Intense briny taste.
Willapa Bay - found in the Willapa Bay off the southwest coast of Washington state. Medium in
size. Its multi-hued shell has a deep cup which holds a plump oyster with a clean taste, slightly salty and
slightly sweet.
Whitstable - English oyster.
Yaquina Bay - harvested in the Yaquina Bay off the coast of Oregon. Medium in size with an
oblong, craggy, chalk-white shell. It has a firm, but creamy texture and a mild flavor.
COMMERCIAL COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES, EXCLUDING LOCATION NAMES:
Crassostrea virginica - Eastern oyster - American oyster -cove oyster
Crassostrea gigas - Pacific oyster - Japanese oyster
Ostrea lucida/ostreola conchaphila - Olympia oyster - native oyster - Western oyster

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Ostrea edulis - edible oyster - flat oyster - Belon

Crassostrea rivularis - Suminoe oyster
Ostrea chilensis - Chilean oyster - chiloe
Classic wine accompaniments to oysters are Chablis, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadet, Dry Riesling
and Dry Champagne. Beer is also good.
Huitres in French, Auster in German, ostrica in Italian, ostra in Spanish.
oyster bar
Restaurant or area of a restaurant where freshly opened oysters are served raw on the half-shell
or as oyster stew. Customers stand up or sit on bar stools. Often, especially in the northern US, fresh
clams and chowders are also served. Beer is the most common beverage.
A famous oyster bar is located in The Plaza hotel in New York City and in the Grand Central
Station in New York City. There are also famous oyster bars in Boston.
oyster bath
Oyster purification plant to clean oyster. The method consists of placing washed oysters in tanks
filled with filtered and circulating sterile sea water. The oyster filter the water and clean themselves.
Oyster Bay
Town on the North shore of Long Island where oysters used to be plentiful, though they have not
been harvested in the wild there since 1930. The area is now an elegant residential place.
Oysters Bienville
Specialty of New Orleans. Oysters baked on the half shell, topped with minced shrimp, crab
meat, cheese and bread crumbs.
An other version consists of green peppers, onions, cheese, cream sauce and bread crumbs.
The dish originated at the restaurant Antoine's in New Orleans.
oyster crabs
Crabs living in the gills of oysters. Oyster crabs were commercially available and are served
dusted with flour and fried.
Pinnotheres ostreum.
oyster crackers
Small, hexagonal crackers, usually served with seafood chowder.
Oysters Kirkpatrick
Baked oysters covered with a sauce consisting of ketchup, chili sauce, chopped green peppers
and parsley, and topped with crisp bacon. The dish originated at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, and
is named after Colonel John C. Kirkpatrick.
oyster loaf
New Orleans and southern Louisiana specialty. It consists of fried oysters on a hero roll with
lettuce, tomatoes and Mayonnaise.
oysters mdiatrice
A specialty of New Orleans. The word mdiatrice is French for "peacemaker". Supposedly, this
dish is so good that it will soothe someone who is angry. Oysters are deep-fried in a seasoned batter and
served with tartar sauce on a French bread roll.
oyster mushroom
Edible mushroom cultivated on logs, resembling oyster shells, and smelling faintly like oysters.
Available commercially and at supermarkets.
oyster park
Pond for cultivating oysters.

654

655

oyster plant
Root vegetable, another name for salsify so named because the flavor of salsify is said to
resemble that of oysters.
See salsify.
oyster, poultry
Two oyster shaped pieces of meat located inside the back of the carcass.
Oyster Rockefeller
Oysters baked on a bed of chopped spinach and watercress, cooked and seasoned with shallots,
garlic and a liquorice or anise liqueur. The dish originated at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans
around 1840. The original recipe calls for scallions and many herbs. The 1896 Waldorf-Astoria cookbook
does not mention Oysters Rockefeller and neither does the 1893 Delmonico cookbook.
oyster sauce
Chinese/Cantonese staple seasoning sauce, available bottled.
oyster stew
Old fashioned, but once popular dish basically made with light cream and oyster juices brought to
a boil, celery salt was added, and shucked oysters were heated in the liquid until the oysters became stiff
without boiling. Celery salt and paprika was the seasoning. Oyster crackers were normally served on the
side.
The dish was so popular that oyster bars had little steam kettles, enough for one or two portions
mounted in view of the customers.
Ozark Gold
Apple variety.
pa amb tomaquet
Spanish/Catalan thick slice of crunchy bread, lightly toasted, covered with tomatoes, rubbed with
olive oil and garlic, and topped with the local anchovies.
po
Portuguese term for bread. Traditional Portuguese bread has a crisp, hard crust and dense,
chewy interior, from being baked with intense heat in a stone or brick oven.
Bread is served at most Portuguese meals.
The dictator Salazar kept bread prices the same for 30 years. As a result, bakers had to
compensate for the cost of producing the bread by making the dough lighter and using additives. In
recent years, however, there has been a return to the traditional style.
The Portuguese also make a soup from stale bread, called acorda.
po caseiro
Portuguese traditional bread with a dense crust and a moist, chewy interior.
po de Mafra
Portuguese classic country bread from the Mafra region, north of Lisbon. It has a dense crust and
a moist, chewy interior.
po de trigo
Generic term for Portuguese wheat bread, especially from the southern province Alentejo.
po-de-l
Portuguese spongecake made from egg yolks. A specialty of the town of Ovar. It is used as a
base for many other cakes.

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paan
Indian aromatic blend of spices and condiments, chewed with betel leaves. Its components turn
the chewers lips and teeth crimson. The mixture differs slightly from region to region, and the city of
Benares is purported to have one of the best blends of paan. See betel.
Paan-daan is the special container to hold all ingredients.
pacha
Jewish dish of jellied calf's feet seasoned with garlic.
Pacific crab
Another name for Dungeness crab. See there.
Pacific Islands beverages
On the Micronesian island of Ponape sakau is made from the pounded roots of a pepper plant.
See sakau.
On the Fiji Islands, the yaqona root is pounded in a mortar and mixed with water to make a mildly
narcotic drink called kava. See there. Often consumed with great ritual and a popular tourist attraction.
Pacific Jumbo
Oyster harvested in Fanny Bay off the east coast of Vancouver Island, and also in Oregon and
Washington State. It has a mild flavor and firm texture.
The oysters are four to five inch oblong, and the gray shell is ridged and rough. Large oysters are known
as knife and fork oysters.
Pacific North West
See Oregon wines, Washington State food.
Pacific oyster
Originally a Japanese oyster variety, now farmed at the Pacific Coast of the US.
Crassostrea gigas.
Pacific Sanddab
Flounder harvested from Alaska to Southern California.
pack
Distilled beverage made from molasses in Louisiana in the 19th century. It was basically a type
of rum.
package stores
Stores selling alcoholic beverages in packages, rather than by the drink. Liquor laws vary from
state to state. In some states, package stores sell all kinds of alcoholic beverages, in other states they
are not allowed to sell beer. In some states they can sell groceries and even beverage related items
such as glasses and other paraphernalia.
pacolilla
Another name for Indian pickle or India relish.
.
Also known as piccalilli or piccalillo. See there.
Padang
Spicy style of Indonesian cooking. Padang cooking takes its name from the port on the west
coast of Sumatra. See Indonesia food.
paddlefish
American sturgeon, also known as the spoonbill sturgeon because it has a spoon like upper jaw
about one third the length of its body. Most of the American caviar comes from this fish. It is a large fish

657

and can weight 60 lb. to 100 lb. Harvested in the Tennessee River and other tributaries of the
Mississippi River.
Polyodon spathula.
paddy
Term for rice before it has been husked. The word is from Malay padi.
paddy
Rice field.
paddy straw mushrooms
Cultivated Chinese mushrooms grown on wet rice straw, especially in the region of Canton. They
are available fresh or dried, and are used in many Chinese dishes.
Volvariella volvacea.
padrushka
Another name for parsley root.
paella
Spanish rice dish flavored with saffron and containing seafood, poultry and often sausages.
Paella is baked in an open black iron pan also called paella. See Spain food.
paglia e fieno
Italian pasta dish consisting of thin strips of white pasta and green pasta, mixed with peas,
prosciutto, butter and Parmesan. Literally translated straw and hay.
Paglia
Blue veined cheese made in Ticino, the Italian area of Switzerland.
Paglietta
Italian soft-ripening cheese. It resembles a small, flat Brie. It has a thin edible white rind, and a
rich straw-colored interior. Its soft texture becomes softer as it ripens. Its flavor is pungent and becomes
more intense as the cheese ages. It is good eaten plain with bread and wine.
Pago
Cheese made from ewes milk on the island of Pag, also called Pago, in the Adriatic Sea.
paico sour
Ecuadorian alcoholic drink.
pail fed
Term for calves fed with milk.
paillard/paillarde
Thin, pounded slice of meat, most commonly beef or veal cooked quickly, usually over a grill.
The term is also correct for slices of fish or flattened chicken breast. The term is attributed to the 19th
century Paris restaurateur Paillard.
paille
French term for straw. It is used in connection with wine when the grapes are dried on straw
mats to reduce the moisture and make them sweeter.
Pommes paille is the French term for deep fried thin potato sticks.
pain
French term for bread.

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pain d'amandes
Cookie, a hard almond cookie. A specialty of the Belgium Brabant region.
pain d'epices
French name for spice bread, gingerbread.
pain perdu
French term for French toast. See there.
pair of overalls.
Western term for two drinks served at once.
pak choy/pak choi
Variant spellings of bok choy. See there.
pak
The daily staple of the Dolpo people in the mountain valleys in western and central Nepal. It is a
pasty mixture of yak butter, powdered cheese, roasted barley flour known as tsampa, and tea.
The ingredients are put into a bowl and mixed by hand just before eating. For special occasions it
is made more palatable by mixing in a little precious sugar, which isn't readily affordable for daily use.
pakis
Indonesian vegetable, the tips of mountain ferns.
Paklum
Green tea of fine quality from South China. See tea.
pala
The flat wooden "shovel" with the long handle, used to move a pizza and bread in and out of the
brick oven.
Also known as pail.
Palace Court Salad
Artichoke stuffed with Dungeness crab meat, and served on a bed of lettuce. The salad
originated at the Palm Court of the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.
palacsinta
Hungarian term for very thin pancakes, often filled with apricot jam. The same item is called
crpe in French.
Palatschinken is the Austrian name.
Palamonte
Turkish spice mixture.
palava
African multi-ingredient spicy sauce. Literally translated it means "trouble" because of all the
trouble it takes to make.
Palestine soup
Old British name for a soup made from Jerusalem artichokes.
palm hearts
The hearts of the palmetto palm used as vegetable or salad.
See hearts of palm.

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palm oil/palm kernel oil

The basic cooking medium of West Africa. Also used in the Bahian cooking of Brazil, where it is
known as dend oil.
palm syrup
The concentrated sap of various palm varieties produced in the Middle East, India and Latin
America.
palm vinegar
Vinegar made with fermented palm juice, popular in the Phillippines.
palm wine
Generic name for fermented beverages made with the sap of palms. The most frequently used
palm species are coconut and date palms. See toddy.
Palmer, Chteau
Famous wine Chteau in the Margaux part of Medoc in the Bordeaux region. Co-owned by Peter
A. Sichel.
The second label is called Rserve du Gnral.
palmier
French term for a crisp flat cookie made of puff pastry feuilletage, shaped liked a spread palm
leaf. See puff pastry.
palmitate
Saturated fatty acid, used in small, non-harmful quantities in processed foods to add vitamin A, a
fat-soluble vitamin into the food.
palomillas del maguey.
Mexican nickname for worms living in the maguey plant and considered a delicacy. An other
name is gusanos de maguey. These worms are sometimes put in Mezcal bottles as decoration and as
flavor enhancer known as Mezcal con gusano.
See mezcal.
Palomino
White wine grape cultivated around the town Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucia, Spain to make
Sherry wine. The grape is also grown in California and South Africa where it is used to produce imitation
Sherry. In South Africa, it is used as blending wine and distilled into brandy.
There are two types, Palomino Fino and Palomino de Jerez.
pampelmousse
French name for grapefruit.
palolo
Pacific South Sea worm like creatures which are harvested when they appear on the surface
twice a year.
pan bigio
Italian crusty whole-wheat peasant bread made with a sticky, amorphous dough that is difficult to
handle.
pan de huevo
Hispanic/Mexican term for egg bread.

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pan drippings
The basic ingredient when making gravy. Pan drippings consist of caramelized meat juices and
fat and are created when roasting meat.
panach(e)/panache
French menu term for food in various colors.
panade
French term for binder, or filler in meat or fish stuffing. The word indicates that panade is made
with bread, but it can also be made with potatoes, rice or with cream puff paste.
Panades are added to provide starch to stuffings to increase volume, to absorb fat, and to make
the mixture smooth. The term is also applied to a thick bread sauce.
Also known as panada.
pancake(s
The forerunner of bread before ovens were invented or available. Ovens take a considerable
amount of fuel to heat, and bread baked quickly on griddles was more economical to produce. Pancakes
are found in many cultures, especially in tropical countries where they take the place of bread.
Pancakes are made with a variety of grains and flours and other starchy foods. They recipes
basically contain milk, eggs, starch, and sometimes baking powder or yeast. Ready to use dry and moist
pancake mixes are available for the food industry and for domestic use.
In Olney, England a pancake race has been run every year since 1445. Legend has it that in that
year, a housewife was just finishing making pancakes when she heard the church bells signal the start of
a local celebration. Out she ran, carrying her pan and flipping the pancakes as she went. A similar event
takes place in Liberal, Kansas, a sister city.
TYPES INCLUDE:
Blinis - Russian buckwheat pancakes. See there.
Crepes/crpes - See there.
Drop scones - Irish term for a type of pancakes
Flannel cakes
Flapjacks
Griddlecakes
Heavenly hots
Hot cakes
Lefser - Norwegian pancakes
Palacsinta - Hungarian pancakes, often served with meat or cottage cheese.
Ploye - See there.
Potato pancakes - Popular in German cooking. See potato latke.
Syrniki - Russian buttermilk pancake.
pancetta
Italian salt pork belly, normally rolled. It is often used in cooking to add additional flavor.
pancreas
Gland near the stomach necessary for digestion. It is often identified as sweetbread, which is
wrong. Sweetbread is the thymus gland in the neck of the animal. See sweetbread.
Pandora bream
Ocean food fish, the pandora is the European bream variety harvested in the Mediterranean.
See bream.
pane rustico
Crusty Italian bread.

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paneer kulcha
Indian unleavened, but slightly fluffy bread, sprinkled with Paneer cheese. Cooked in a tandoor
oven. See India food.
Paneer
Indian cheese similar to a farmer's cheese. Sometimes sprinkled with spices such as cumin.
The same type of cheese is called panir in Iran.
Panetier
Old French aristocratic term for the person in charge of bread storage and distribution on the
French Court.
panetire
French term for filled pocket made with bread dough. It is also a bread box in French.
panettone
Italian holiday yeast bread served at Christmas, especially in Milan. Some versions have
candied fruits and raisins. The cake originated in northern Italy during the fifteenth century and is baked
in a cone shaped mold lined with paper.
panforte
Italian sweet Christmas cake, dense and chewy, strongly flavored with honey, dried fruits, nuts,
and spices. Panforte it thought to have originated in Siena in the 11th century, because Siena was one
of the first cities in Italy to use sugar and spices from the Orient.
Panforte di Siena is dusted with confectioners' sugar. Panforte di cioccolata is flavored with bitter
chocolate and cocoa.
Literally translated, panforte means strong bread.
panini
Italian plural term for sandwiches. Panino is singular.
paninoteche
Italian bakery.
panna cotta
Italian dessert, literally translated cooked cream. Man versions exist, some are basic custards,
others are molded cream thickened with gelatin and served cold.
Pannarone
Italian cheese, also called Stracchino di Gorgonzola bianco or Gorgonzola dolce. It is not a blue
veined cheese.
pansotti
Italian fried or baked yeast-dough dumplings filled with meat or cheese.
pansy/pansies
Edible flowers, showy, colorful and mild-tasting. The center tastes slightly like root beer or
cinnamon. Pansies are used primarily for color and texture in salads. They were used to flavor
beverages and syrup. Smaller version is also known as Johnny-jump-ups.
Viola tricolor hortensis.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to recommend the
culinary use of the plant mentioned.
pantry
In commercial kitchens the section where cold salads, appetizers and sandwiches are prepared.
In some kitchens, hot beverages, desserts and ice cream is also served from the pantry.

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In homes, a closet or small room adjacent to the dining room where food and table service
equipment is kept.
panzanella
Italian salad based on stale bread. Slices or torn bits of stale, rough-textured bread are soaked in
water, squeezed and wrung in a towel until dry.
The bread is then made into a salad with olive oil, tomato wedges, onion rings, red wine vinegar,
basil, and salt and pepper.
Pamzanelle is the specialty of Tuscany.
panzerotti
Italian/Napels specialty. Deep-fried ravioli stuffed with ricotta.
paon
French term for peacock. The bird was served at banquets during the middle ages, but is seldom
served today.
paon cracheur de feu
Fire-spitting peacock, a specialty of Feudal France. The showpiece was accomplished by sticking
a stick of camphor inside the beak of the roasted bird. The peacock was the bird of choice for this
ostentation because its vivid plumage could also be reconstructed around the cooked bird.
pap pie
Cajun dessert of pudding flavored with almond and vanilla extract.
Pap and mouton.
South African snack of corn mash and mouton.
Pap and amathumbu.
South African snack of corn and tripe.
papa a la huancaina
Peruvian boiled potatoes in cheese sauce.
papa amarilla
Peruvian yellow potatoes, native to the Andes. They have a waxy texture which doesn't turn
mushy or starchy when cooked.
papas secas
Peruvian air/freeze dried potatoes, prepared since ancient times by the Incas as a way of
preserving them. Still used in stews.
Locally known as chuos.
papain
Enzyme which aids in digestion and is also used as a natural meat tenderizer. Related to pepsin.
Papain is naturally occurring in papaya and babaco.
papatzui
Mexican specialty of the Yucatan peninsula. Rolled,
stuffed tortillas topped with a pumpkin seed sauce.
Papaya
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Tropical tree fruit, oval shaped, and can be as large

as 20 lb. The fruit is native to South America and was

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brought to the Philippines and southeast Asia by the Spanish. Now cultivated in Mexico, California,
Hawaii and Florida. Columbus referred to papaya as the "fruit of the angels". It is sometimes referred to
as the Queen of tropical fruits or tree melon.
Picked firm with green skin which turns yellow as they ripen off the tree. Ready to eat when the
thin green skin turns yellow or yellow-green and the fruit yields slightly to the touch. Reddish-orange or
orange flesh. Its hollow center is filled with small gray black seeds. The seeds are usually discarded, but
have a pleasant peppery flavor and can be ground up and
used in breads or in salad dressing. The skin is not eaten.
Unripe fruit can be baked like squash.
Papaya bruises easily and must be harvested with
great care. Most papaya on the US market is about pear
size, but large papaya as big as watermelons appear in
ethnic markets.
Papaya is highly nutritious and also has medicinal
properties. It contains papain, which aids the digestive
system and is a natural tenderizer for meats. Papaverine,
which is derived from papaya is used as a painkiller.
However, papaya can cause allergic reaction in some
people.
The babaco fruit of Ecuador is a close relative. It is
a spontaneous cross between the mountain papaya and the chamburo.
Papaya is sometimes known as paw paw in South America and Britain, but it is not related to the North
American fruit, pawpaw. See there.
Known as lechosa in Puerto Rico.
Carica papaya.
papillote, en
French term for food baked in a paper bag. In restaurant service, heart-shaped parchment paper
is buttered, and the pre-cooked food is placed on one half of the sheet. The second half is folded over,
and the rim is folded and crimped to provide an air tight seal. The sealed bag is placed at the moment of
service in a hot oven. The developing steam inside the bag will make the paper puff up, and finish
cooking the food. The sealed bag is served immediately, and cut open in front of the customer.
The rather elaborate dish requires good timing between kitchen and service.
papillotte
French term for paper frills put at the end of rib and ham bones. They are considered old
fashioned. See en papillotte.
Also known as papilote.
Papin's Digester
The first pressure cooker, invented in 1679, was called Papin's Digester.
pappa al pomodoro
Italian/Tuscan specialty, it is a porridge of chopped tomatoes, mixed with olive oil, garlic, and
basil, cooked with bread.
pappadams
Indian lentil flour wafers, available in many flavors such as peppercorns, anise and others. When
deep fried or baked they blister and become crisp.
Also known as papadoms, papadams.
pappardelle
Italian pasta, wide ribbon shaped egg noodles. A Tuscan specialty.

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paprika
Red spice made from ground red peppers which originated in the Americas. The plant belongs to
the Chili family and was brought to Europe by Columbus. Within one century it found its way across the
globe into many cuisines.
It grows on a two-foot high shrub and the peppers are cone-shaped and pointed like chili peppers, but
less fiery tasting. Paprika was brought to Hungary by the Turks who occupied the land in the early 16th
century, and became the national spice of Hungary. No other food or flavor is more associated with
Hungary than paprika.
The Hungarians consume an average of 1.1 pounds of the spice per person per year. They use
lard in cooking and paprika blends well with it.. Paprika was cheaper than black pepper which had to be
imported from Asia, so it was well-suited to the largely peasant population of Hungary. Paprika taste can
range from mild to very hot.
HUNGARIAN PAPRIKA TERMS:
Exquisite delicate - klnleges
Delicate, nobelsweet - desnemes
Semi - sweet fldes
Rose - rzsa
Hot - ers
Hungary produces 12,000 to 13,000 metric tons of paprika a year of which about two-thirds are
exported, primarily to western Europe. The large red peppers are cultivated primaraly in the Szeged and
Kalocsa regions. Picking must be carefully done by hand in the Fall. The peppers are taken to mills where
they are dried in special ovens and ground. The spiciness generally depends on the strain and the
amount of seeds that are ground with the outside flesh, although all strains cultivated today are generally
milder than the original ones. Though somewhat perishable, paprika will keep its aroma for 6 months to a
year.
In Hungary, paprika is used in such dishes as gulyas, lecs, papriks prklt, halszl and many others.
See Hungary food.
A critical initial step in cooking with paprika is properly cooking briefly paprika in fat to develop the
full flavor. If the fat is too hot the paprika will burn and caramelize, resulting with a bitter flavor.
Spanish paprika is normally milder than Hungarian paprika and is the mostly available paprika in the
USA.
Capsicum annuum, capsium tetragonum.
papriks
Hungarian paprika flavored stew. The stew is made with a thick gravy and finished with sour
cream or thick sweet cream. The most popular dish is made with chicken.
Parencia
Cheese made with ewe's milk in Hungary and Slowakia. It is a pasta filata cheese.
Also called Parenitza.
Paramasalat
European brand name for a method of sealing milk in a sterile containers, therefore eliminating
the need to keep the product refrigerated until the container is opened.
Paramasalat is well accepted in Europe, but slow in catching on in the US because the consumers are
used to buying chilled milk.
parasol mushrooms
Umbrella mushroom, off white wild mushrooms, growing in summer and autumn near trees on
hillsides.
Macrolepiota procera.
Pardina
Spanish white wine grape.
pare, to

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Kitchen term to describe the process of removing the skins from fruits and vegetables and
shaping them in the process. The French term is tourner. Also known as trimming.
Parellada
Spanish white wine grape.
parfait
French for a sumptuous frozen dessert. The word means perfect, and the dessert is a rich
mixture of eggs, cream, sugar and flavoring, frozen in an ice cream mold.
In the US, the term parfait is most often simply ice cream of various flavors stuffed into a tall,
clear stemmed glass to display the layers.
pargo
Spanish term for the fish snapper. Pargo rojo is red snapper.
Parker House Rolls
Yeast rolls with a creased center created at the Parker House hotel on Boston in the 1860's.
The invention is credited to a German baker.
Parma
City in Italy, known for Parmesan cheese and Parma ham, more commonly known as prosciutto
ham. See there. The generic word for ham in Italian is prosciutto. The ham manufactured around Parma
is the genuine Prosciutto ham.
The ham is dry cured, rubbed with ground pepper and air-dried. It should be served as is, sliced
paper thin.
Parma is famous for violets and produces a violet flavored cordial called Rosolio alla Viola.
Parmentier, Antoine Auguste, 1737 to 1813
French government official, 1737 - 1813, who propagated the cultivation of potatoes, and also of
beet sugar. Dishes made with potatoes are often listed on French menus la Parmentier.
Parmesan cheese
Generic name for a group of hard cheeses that have been made for centuries under the name of
Grana in Italy. Parmesan cheese was first made in the area around the city of Bibbiano near Parma, but
is now made in other countries, including the US.
The original Parmigiano-Reggiano or grana tipico is only made in clearly defined areas around
Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna and Mantua. Other Parmesan cheese made outside this area,
but still in Italy, is referred to as Padano.
Parmigiano-Reggiano is made only from April to November 11, with cows milk from the
prescribed areas, and the cheese must be two years old before it can be sold. Cheese made in the
summer is dryer, and therefore better suited for grating than winter cheese, which can be eaten as
dessert cheese. The manufacturing date is stamped on each loaf, albeit in tiny letters.
Parmesan is considered the classic grating cheese of Italy with nutty, fruity flavor, slightly sharp,
slightly salty. It is also served as eating cheese with wine and fruits. The cheese has a waxy, mustardcolored rind and when genuine is stamped Parmigiano Reggiano. It has a richer, more complex taste
than its imitators.
Parmesan is traditionally not cut, but chiseled out of the loaf with a small dagger like device.
Properly cured Parmesan keeps almost indefinitely.
Grana Padano is made in many parts of northern Italy. The milk can come from many areas, the
cheese is made year round, and can be sold with less age than Parmigiano-Reggiano. The Grana
Padano cheeses differ in size and shape, fat content and slight differences in the methods of
manufacture. The cheese is cured a long time, at least one year, but high quality cheese is cured
considerably longer.
The whey by-product is fed to the pigs which are used for prosciutto or Parma ham.
Parmesan cheese made in the US is not aged as long as the cheeses in Italy. Grated Parmesan
cheese is often blended with Romano cheese, which is salty. Parmesan cheese is also made in
Argentine, and cheese labeled imported is not necessarily manufactured in Italy.

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In cooking, Parmesan cheese does not melt and get stringy. It is used with pasta, in risotto and
in many French dishes au gratin.
parrotfish
Tropical ocean food fish so named for its beak-like mouth and brilliant colors.
Also known as cacatois or pollyfish.
parsley
Popular biannual herb used more for decoration than for its flavor. There are basically two major
varieties.
Italian parsley - also called flat parsley. It is flavorful and an excellent cooking ingredient.
Curly parsley - used often as decoration and as all purpose parsley.
Petroselinium crispum.
parsley pie
English custard heavily flavored with parsley. It was popular in the sixteenth century.
parsley root
Parsley variety cultivated for its root. The root is used as a potherb in soups and stews. It tastes
like parsley, but much stronger, and is seldom served as vegetable. The flavor can also be compared to
celery root. It is easily confused with parsnips.
Parsley root is popular in central Europe.
Also known as Hamburg parsley, padrushka, or turnip-rooted parsley.
Petroselinum crispum var. tuberosum.
parsnips
Winter root vegetable, a member of the parsley family, native to Europe. The roots resembles
off-white carrots in appearance. They should be cooked un - peeled as they discolors easily.
Pastinaca savita.
parsons nose
The end piece of a fowls tail.
Also known as popes Nose.
part that went over the fence last
American slang for the poultry tail.
partridge
Game bird without a clear definition, because in the US many wild birds are called partridge. The
partridge of Europe, often referred to as gray partridge, is not found in the US.
The European partridge is a much esteemed wild bird with dark meat. The German name is Rebhuhn,
because it is often found in vineyards and feeds on the Reben, the German word for grape vines.
Perdreau in French, pernice in Italian, perdiz in Spanish.
Pascal celery
See celery.
Pasha
Brand name for a coffee-flavored liqueur.
paskha
Russian traditional Easter dessert. A molded pyramid-shaped cheesecake made from sugarsweetened ricotta or farmer's cheese, cream cheese, butter, egg yolk, and almonds. Often decorated with
candied fruit and whipped cream.
Traditionally it is decorated with Cyrillic letters XB for Christ is Risen.

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pass
Kitchen term for the pick-up counter because food is passed over from the chefs to the servers.
Pass-O-Guava
Hawaiian canned drink, a mixture of passion fruit and guava nectar.
passion flowers
The flowers of the passion fruit can be macerated with sugar. The resulting essence is used in
beverages.
Passiflora incarnata.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
passion fruit
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Tropical fruit, native to Brazil where it is known as maracuja. In

Australia and New Zealand the name Granadilla, the Spanish
word for little pomegranate is used. The structure of the fruit
indeed resembles pomegranate.
Passion fruit is cultivated in many hot regions, a redskinned variety is grown in Florida and a purple-skinned variety is
grown in California. Small and slightly oval about 3" in diameter,
with a thick, leathery purplish-brown or reddish black, inedible
skin. As the fruit ripens, the skin begins to shrivel. Under-ripe
fruit will ripen at room-temperature and will last refrigerated about
a week.
The fruit is a gelatinous mass of yellow-orange pulp and small
seeds. The seeds are usually eaten with the pulp, but are
sometimes strained out when the pulp is used in beverages and
smooth sauces. The pulp has an intense tropical flavor of acid
sweetness. The fruit is an excellent source of nutrients such as vitamins A and C, niacin , potassium and
crude fiber. Some of the fruit is sold fresh, but much is processed as seeded pulp and sold in cans or
frozen. In tropical countries passion fruit is a popular beverage flavor.
The provocative sounding name is often associated with passion of a prurient nature, but it actually has
religious origins. The fruit is named after the flowers of the same tree. The flowers were discovered by
17th century Jesuit missionaries in the jungles of South America. The intricate flower markings reminded
them of the instruments of torture used in the Passion of Christ.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Banana passion fruit - Passion fruit with an especially delicious taste. Commercially grown on a
small scale. Oval shape. Passiflora molissima.
Purple passion fruit - The most common purple passion fruit. Passiflora edulis.
Sweet granadilla - Passiflora edulis v. flavicarpa. Also known as yellow passion fruit or giant
granadilla. The seeds are larger, more oval, and slightly crunchy. Unlike the more common purple
passion fruit, the skin does not shrivel when the fruit is ripe.
Passion fruit is known as lilikoi in Hawaii.
Two alcoholic beverages made with passion fruit are Aliz, and La Grande Passion .
Passiflora edulis.
Passover
Jewish feast commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The name
refers to the Angel of Death passing over the Israelites' homes during the 10th plague in Egypt. The flight,
or Exodus, happened over 3,300 years ago.

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Of all Jewish holidays, Passover is the one that most involves food, and is filled with traditional and
symbolic foods. The holiday extends for eight days, but the first night, and also the second night for all
but Reform Jews, is celebrated with the Seder, a symbolic dinner.
The Seder dinner is accompanied by readings from the Haggadah.
SEDER DINNER COMPONENTS:
Baytza - roasted egg. A hard-boiled egg, with its oval shape, symbolizes the life cycle.
Charoset - A condiment of minced fruit (such as apples), nuts and wine. It symbolizes the mortar
the Hebrew slaves used to set the bricks during their forced labor to build edifices in Egypt.
Greens - These symbolize spring and renewed hope.
Karpas - A green vegetable to celebrate the arrival of Spring and dipped in salt water, which
represents the tears shed in slavery. In America, parsley or celery are commonly used.
Maror or chrain - Literally "bitter herbs", which represent the bitterness of slavery. Horseradish is
the most commonly used item.
Matzo - Matzo is the central symbol of the meal. This unleavened bread is a reminder of the
haste with which the Jews had fled Egypt, there was no time to allow the bread to rise. Three matzos are
placed on plate, under a cover to symbolize that the Jews had to leave in a hurry. Today, it is a custom at
the Seder to add a fourth matzo to the three covered matzos on the Seder table, in honor of the
oppressed Soviet Jews.
Zeroa - A roasted shank bone, symbolizing the paschal lamb sacrifice eaten as the Jews
prepared to leave Europe. Roasted chicken is also sometimes used.
Four cups of wine - They symbolize the four Biblical expressions of redemption. They also honor
the four matriarchs: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah.
A fifth cup for Elijah - Elijah is a prophet, thought to be the forerunner of the Messiah.
These symbolic foods are accompanied by such things as Kosher wine, gefilte fish, matzo ball soup,
roasted chicken or turkey or brisket of beef, "tzimmes" (a stew of carrots and prunes), potato "kugel"
(pudding), and flour less cake.
ANCIENT RULES GOVERNING LAMB PREPARATION:
If lamb is served, rules govern the preparation; it must not be roasted and be well done. The
ancient custom of roasting and eating the lamb of the temple sacrifice ended in 70 A.D. with the
destruction of the Second Temple. Later, in 1565, a written law forbade the eating of the whole animal on
Passover, in respect for the memory of the temple sacrifices. In addition to not eating the whole animal,
the coinciding preparation of roasting was also prohibited. This prohibition is less observed today.
MIDDLE EAST CUSTOMS:
The youngest child parades around the room, with a matzo tied behind his back, reciting "Thus went our
forefathers from Egypt, their kneading troughs bound up in the robes upon their shoulders." Then the
child symbolically knocks his head against the wall, in memory of the suffering of the ancient Jewish
children. In Turkey, preparations begin during the harvest, when some grain is set aside just for the
baking of the matzos. The feast ends with family members lightly stroking each other with green leaves or
vegetables, while offering blessings.
In Yemen, the diners lift the table and let it down with a thump. The whole table is a symbol of the Seder
plate, which they raise on high, as suggested in the Haggadah.
ASIAN CUSTOMS:
In India, the Seder plate is passed around the table. Each person holds it overhead for a minute.
Instead of the traditional foods, the meal is likely to consist of spinach baked with eggs, fried matzo, and
matzo pudding.
Elsewhere in Asia, charoset made with dates, nuts, pomegranates, and raisins, but without sugar
is served, because sugar is not considered Kosher for Passover.
Some Sephardic groups, stage a little drama. A "stranger" appears. The host asks, "Where have
you come from?" and the answer comes back, "From slavery in Egypt." "Where are you going?" "To
freedom in Jerusalem.
Some Hassidic groups reenact the crossing of the Red Sea, and splash water on the floor.
Participants dance across the water into freedom.
pasta
Pasta is flour mixed with water or eggs to a stiff paste, and extruded into hundreds of shapes.

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Marco Polo was credited with having introduced pasta to Italy when he came back from his travels to the
Orient, this is disputed now. It is established that the Italians were making pasta before Marco Polo went
to China in the 13th century.
PASTA QUALITY IS CONTINGENT ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS:
The flour - it must be hard wheat flour. The best is semola di grano duro, which is durum
semolina milled form hard wheat. This flour is coarser than ordinary bread flour. This flour is
high in gluten which traps the starch and provides texture. Durum semolina provides the natural
yellow color of quality pasta. Pasta makers select the flour carefully and take the source into
consideration. Some Italian pasta is made with wheat imported from Canada. Hard wheat flour
is cultivated in Italy, Turkey and other Mediterranean countries.
The water - mineral content of the water is attributed by Italian pasta makers to have a
major influence on quality. Some famous pasta makers use only well water rather than tap
water.
The mixing - the temperature most remain low to prevent the gluten to expand. This is
difficult to control because hard wheat semolina requires a considerable amount of force and time
to mix.
The extrusion - it is done with powerful machines, and again the temperature and speed
must be controlled. Some manufacturers use smooth surfaced Teflon coated dies. The Teflon
allows for fast extrusion, but make the pasta too smooth for sauce to cling to it.
The drying process - is crucial step. If the pasta is dried in high speed heat tunnels, it will
bake the pasta. Some manufacturers use a more gentle, time consuming low heat process,
carefully balancing the drying temperatures with the need to control bacterial growth.
PASTA CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR GROUPS:
Fresh pasta has not been dried, and is often sold fresh or frozen. It is also made occasionally on
site in restaurants and even in homes. There are numerous machines on the market to make small
quantities of pasta, but the dough is very stiff and requires much power to mix and shape.
Dried Pasta is available in many shapes and price ranges. Imported pasta is usually produced in
Italy and in Turkey.
Egg pasta, mostly egg noodles are made with whole eggs or with water and eggs.
PASTA CAN BE DIVIDED INTO FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
Pasta for soups - such as numbers, shells and many others.
Pasta for boiling - most dry pasta such as macaroni.
Pasta for stuffing - such as ravioli and tortellini.
Pasta for baking - such as lasagna.
In Italy, pasta tends to be less cooked, called al dente, and is less sauced than is typical in
America.
Many pastas varieties have picturesque names, often describing their shapes. Some pasta is
filled, such as ravioli and cappeletti, other pasta is baked in layers with fillings between, such as lasagna.
Italian emigrants created their own cooking and some pasta dishes popular in American Italian
restaurants are not well known in Italy. Pasta should always be cooked in large amounts of lightly salted
water which has been brought to a rolling boil. Stir the pasta with a large fork to be sure all strands of
pieces are separated. Cooking time depends on the thickness of the pasta dough, whether it is dried or
fresh, and also on personal preference of the final result. The most popular "doneness" is al dente (see
there), which is tender to the bite but not mushy. As soon as pasta is drained, it should be tossed with a
little oil to prevent sticking.
Many pasta varieties are listed under their names.
pasta e ceci
Italian dish of pasta and chick peas. A traditional dish of Roman Jewish cooking.
pasta e fagiol
Italian/ Venetian specialty. A soup of pasta and plump beans.
Pasta filata
Group of Italian cheeses, also known as plastic curd cheeses. When these cheeses are made,
the curd is immersed in hot water, and is molded, formed or stretched while still in a pliable condition.

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Following cheeses belong to this group:

Hard cheeses: Caciocavallo, Provolone and Provolette.
Soft cheeses: Mozzarella, Provole, Scarmorze and Provatura.
pasta primavera
Primavera means spring in Italian. Pasta mixed with small vegetables, cream, butter and
Parmesan cheese. The dish was created at Le Cirque restaurant in Manhattan.
pasta reale
Italian/Sicilian term for marzipan. Literally translated "royal dough".
pasta savoia
Italian/Sicilian round chocolate cookies.
past
Ostentatious, often huge, edible culinary centerpiece featured at upper class banquets of
medieval France. Forerunner of the current day pice monte. Sometimes it consisted of such excesses
as one bird stuffed into a larger bird, into a larger bird, etc., and the whole mess roasted.
pastis de nata
Portuguese pastry tart filled with a custard of egg yolks and heavy cream, and sprinkled with
cinnamon.
Also known as Belm tarts, for the Lisbon suburban town where they were first made in the 19th
century.
pastel
Spanish generic term for turnover that can be sweet or filled with meat, seafood or vegetables.
pastella
Moroccan slightly sweet tasting pie of minced meat, or chicken, chopped hard-boiled egg, raisins
and almonds, covered with a thin pastry.
Pastella is the European name for the Moroccan dish bstilla.
Pasteur, Louis
French scientist, 1822 -1895, who discovered that bacteria can be killed by heat. The process he
developed is called pasteurization.
Pasteurization does cause some loss in vitamins, for example, orange juice loses about 10% to
15% of its Vitamin C in the process. Pasteurization helped the US cereal market greatly, because people
usually have their cereal with milk.
pasticceria
Italian generic term for pastry.
Pasticciotti
Italian term for snack/pastry.
pastiera
Italian/Neapolitan Easter cake made with ricotta, flavored with orange flower water and citrus,
and studded with candied orange peel.
pasties
Baked pockets of bread filled with meat or vegetables, or both. Specialty introduced by Cornish
miners into Upper Michigan.
pastillage

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Sugar dough made originally with tragcanth (see there), now with less expensive gelatin and
powder sugar. Pastillage work appeared in Europe in the 16th century, when sugar was considered a
luxury ingredient. The sugar is made into a clay-like paste and used to create intricate centerpieces.
Pastillage can be painted with food colors and is sometimes used on cakes in lieu of canvas.
Pastillage is also known as gum paste. Although made with edible ingredients it is too hard and not
considered edible.

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pastilles
Fruit flavored lozenges.
pastina
Tiny, disc-shaped pasta product used in soups.
pastis
French aperitif flavored with anise, a relative of fennel and dill. It turns white when water is added.
Pastis is immensely popular in France, especially in Provence.
In 1915 anise flavored liqueurs were banned in France, because absinth, flavored with anise was also
flavored with wormwood, a dangerous substance. The law allowing anise flavored drinks, but not absinth,
was lifted in the 1930's. The predominant producer is Ricard.
Ricard became almost a generic name for pastis. The formula is a secret, but it is known to be
flavored with star anise, green anise, aromatic plants and licorice. Ricard is global the third largest liquor
brand behind Bacardi and Smirnoff. Other pastis brands are Pernod 51, Janot and others.
pastrama
European spelling for pastrami (see there).
pastrami
Cured and smoked beef, covered with crushed coriander seeds. Pastrami is hot smoked, so it
becomes edible without additional cooking. Some packers shorten the smoking process and steam the
meat. In all cases, pastrami can be eaten as is, but is usually steamed and eaten hot.
The most common and best piece to make pastrami is the plate, Meat Buyers Guide 1211E.
Pastrami is originally a Jewish dish from Romania. The word comes from pastra, to preserve.
Pastrami is popular in New York, and steamed pastrami on freshly cut rye bread is a staple in
delicatessen restaurants.
pastry
Generic term for baked sweet food of any kind.
Pastry cream
Basic custard cream, made with milk, sugar, egg yolks and starch. It is called pastry cream and
is a staple in pastry shops. It is often prepared from a dry mix.
Crme ptissire in French.
pastry tube
Conical metal or plastic tube with a patterned opening and attached to the end of a pastry bag to
decorate cakes or other food.
pasty
British term for meat turnovers.
Patagras
Cuban cheese resembling Gouda.
patas
Spanish word for feet. Feet are used in cooking because they contribute nourishment and also a
gelatinous texture. Steer hooves, are used in the Hispanic tripe stew called menudo. Chicken feet are
an important ingredient in chicken soup.
pat
Mixture of minced meat, usually including pork and liver, and often enriched with eggs, cream
and brandy baked in a crust. To keep pts moist, they are usually topped with or encased in fat, such as
bacon, salt pork or fat back, or caul fat. The difference between a terrine and a pt is that the pt is

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baked in a crust, the terrine is baked in an earthen dish. However, in today's usage, pts are often
baked without crust. In order to distinguish between the two, the term "Pat en crute" is often used.
Pt is often served as appetizer, and is available canned. The best known, and most luxurious pt is
made with goose liver, called pt de foie gras.
pte chou
French name for cream puff paste.
pte
French word for dough of any kind.
Pt de Foie gras
See foie gras.
pt de tte
French term for head cheese. The better word is hure.
patent still
Appartus for continuous distillation.
Also known as Coffey still, column still or continuous still.
patis
Philippino salty, amber-colored, liquid fish sauce. It is used as a flavoring in soups, stews, on rice,
and as a table condiment.
ptissier
Pastry chef. La Patissiere is a female pastry chef. Ptisserie is the generic name for pastries,
and also the shop where they are prepared and sold.
patna
See rice.
pato a la Sevillana
Spanish dish of duck with olives. As the name implies especially popular in the area of Seville.
Patras
Greek wine from the area around Achaea. The name is generic, and the wine can be red, ros
or white, and is often fortified.
pattypan squash
Summer squash, also called custard squash. See squash.
patty shell
Puff pastry shell or case filled with a hot stew, puree or creamed food, served as an appetizer or
as main course.
Also known as vol au vent. See there.
patum peperium
British term for anchovy butter flavored with herbs and spices. It was invented 1828 in Paris.
Also known as Gentleman=s relish.
Pauillac
Wine commune of the Mdoc area of Bordeaux, France. Within are some of the most celebrated
wine estates of the world, such as Chteau Margaux, Chteau Lafite, Chteau Mouton Rotschild,
Chteau La Tour and many others.

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Paulet, Mrs.
Woman from Wymondham, England, who is credited for developing Stilton cheese. However, a
Mrs. Orton of Little Dalby, and a Mrs. Stilton are credited as the inventors.
Paulsen, Pat
TV comedian, turned winemaker. He owned a 20,000 case winery in the hamlet of Asti in
Sonoma County, California, which was sold in August, 1988. His winery has produced award-winning
Chardonnays, and after its sale he continued to be involved in the marketing of the wines.
paupiette
French menu term for stuffed rolled food.
pav
Australian slang name for the popular dessert Pavlova. See Australia food.
pav
French culinary term for a square cold mousse, or a square cake.
pavidla
Russian damson plum cake.
Pavillon Rouge
The second label of Chteau Margaux since 1908.
pavo
Spanish name for turkey.
Paw Paw
Delicate tree fruit with high protein content and creamy texture. The trees look tropical with
leaves up to a foot long, but the trees are winter hardy. At least two must be planted together for
pollination.
Also known as Michigan Banana.
Asimina triloba.
The term is also used to refer to papaya in parts of South America and Great Britain. The North
American Paw Paw is not related to papaya whose botanical name is Carica papaya.
Pays-d'Auge
A valley in the Normandy region of France, with chalk-rich soil, known for its fine apple brandy
called Calvados and for its cheeses such as Camembert, Pont-l'vque and Livarot.
paysanne
French culinary term for peasant style.
payustnaya
Russian word for pressed caviar.
pea(s)
Vegetable, native to the Middle East, and now cultivated extensively in temperate climate.
There are many varieties, some can be eaten whole, others are shelled and eaten fresh, others
are dried and consumed whole or split. Most green peas are marketed shelled and frozen, because the
yield is small, and peas loose flavor soon after picking. It is said that Thomas Jefferson had more than 30
pea varieties planted at Monticello alone.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Black eye peas (see there)
Chick peas, also known as garbanzos and ceci (see there)

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Field peas - harvested when the pods are dry. Also known as legumes.
Garden peas - the common name for green peas
Petits pois - the French name for tiny peas
Pigeon peas (see there)
Snow peas, also known as mange tout. The pod is edible, also known as Chinese peas.
Sugar snap peas - a relatively new variety with a fleshier pod than snow peas.
Pea tendrils or shoots pea tendrils - the tender top part of the pea plant leaves, which are
snipped and used in Chinese cuisine just before the flower buds emerge.
Dried peas are available as whole peas, normally green, and split peas with the though shell
removed. Split peas can be yellow or green. Split peas cook much faster than whole peas.
Dried peas played an important role in the diet of cold countries, especially Germany, Holland
and England. Peas soup simmered with ham knuckles was a staple during the winter.
Pea bean is an other name for Boston bean.
Pisum sativum.
pea aubergine
Variety of small eggplant, round with pale green skin streaked with darker green.
Also known as gully bean.
Solanum torvum.
peach
Stone fruit or drupe in the rose family with velvety skin, sweet flesh and one large pit. There are
hundreds of varieties, but can be basically divided between clingstone, where the pit clings to the flesh,
and freestone, were the pit can easily be removed. Early season peaches are cling and semi-cling, that is
the flesh clings to the pit. Late season peaches are all freestone.
Peaches are thought to have originated in ancient Persia, now Iran, but may be native to India.
They were brought to America by the Spanish conquistadors in the late 1500's. Peaches germinate easily
and thrive in a variety of climates and thus they spread quickly in the New World.
The early Romans helped spread peaches throughout Europe. Peach trees are cold sensitive
and can freeze in severe winters and the blossoms can be damaged by late frost. However, they had
some difficulty growing them and thought the Persians had put a curse upon them. Symbolically,
peaches are associated with immortality and longevity. Peach blossoms are associated with promiscuity
and early superstitious peach growers avoided planting trees near a lady's window.
Among fruits, peaches are second in popularity only to the apple in the US, and are is grown
commercially in 34 states, especially California, South Carolina, Georgia, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Tree-ripened peaches are much better than those which must be picked early to be shipped.
The best peaches in the US are available in all summer and into early fall. Commercially available
peaches tend to be less fuzzy, because most are brushed and some of the fuzz is removed. Peaches will
oxidize and turn brown when cut. To peel plunge them briefly into boiling water, then into cold water.
There are yellow and white peaches. A ripe yellow peach will be a deep rich yellow color, while a
ripe white peach will be creamy gold. The flesh should yield to slight pressure, and the peach should
have an aromatic smell. If purchased not fully ripe, store in a sealed brown paper bag to hasten ripening.
Refrigerating peaches delays ripening.
Peaches are available fresh, canned, frozen and dehydrated.
Prunus, spp., Prunus Persica.
peach blossoms
The blossoms can be made into a strong tisane and used as beverage.
The peach blossom is an emblem of matrimony.
Peach blossoms are the state flowers of Delaware.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
peach brandy
Brandy based liqueur infused with peach essence.

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Peach Melba
Frozen dessert consisting of poached peaches covered with raspberry puree and served on
vanilla ice cream
There is a romantic story about this dessert. The famous chef Escoffier created the dish in the
1890's, after hearing the Australian opera star Nellie Melba sing the part of Elsa in Wagner's opera
"Lohengrin". The star stayed at the Savoy Hotel in London, where Escoffier was Executive Chef. He
created a dessert consisting of poached peaches, placed on a bed of vanilla ice cream, and covered with
spun sugar. The dessert was served between the wings of a swan carved of ice, because the swan
appeared in the opera. It was originally called " La pche au cygne".
Escoffier later added raspberry puree to the dish and it was on the menu of the Carlton Hotel in
London, where Escoffier worked after he left the Savoy. The raspberry puree is often called Melba Sauce.
The dessert is called in French Pche Melba.
The is some dispute about the dates and some historians claim that Nellie Melba did not appear
in London until 1900. By that time Escoffier worked at the Carlton hotel.
peachy
Peach cider made in Colonial times.
peacock
Large bird which appeared in medieval times on banquet. The relative popularity of peacock was
based more on the beautiful plumage, which was used to decorate the platters, than on flavor. The meat
is rather dry, and tastes like turkey.
peanut(s)
Peanuts are not technically nuts, they are are legumes encased in a soft shell, and grow below
ground. Though they are considered an all-American product, they originated in Brazil. Most are
cultivated in Alabama, Georgia, Texas and Virginia
Peanuts are highly nutritious, 150 years ago peanuts were eaten only by the slaves. They can be eaten
raw, but are better toasted or roasted.
THE FOUR BASIC TYPES OF PEANUTS GROWN IN THE US ARE:
Runner - provide the largest yield and are primarily grown for peanut butter.
Spanish -smaller kernels and are covered with a reddish brown skin.
Valencia -three or more kernels to a pod, usually roasted and sold in the shell.
Virginia - have the largest kernels.
Peanuts symbolize to the Chinese birth and long life, and they are often served at Chinese New
Year celebrations.
Also known as as groundnuts, monkey nuts.
Archis hypogaea.
peanut butter
Spread made of ground peanuts, seasoned lightly with sugar and salt. Commercial peanut butter
also contains a stabilizer, often vegetable oil. Peanut butter is available crunchy and smooth.
Peanut butter is believed to have been developed by a St. Louis physician, whose name has
been lost to history. It was first introduced in 1890, and promoted as a health food at the 1904 World's
Fair in St. Louis. George Washington Carver promoted the cultivation of peanuts and developed many
uses.
Peanut butter is very nutritious and American children grow up likening peanut butter and jelly
sandwiches.
peanut oil
Popular and inexpensive all purpose cooking oil with mild flavor. The oil is a little higher in
saturated fats than corn and olive oil.
Also known as arachide oil, arachis oil, ground oil.
peapeda

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Fruits, sub-species of the citrus family, which includes the so-called Kaffir lime, see there, which
is actually not a lime at all.
Most Peapeda are not eaten, but used cosmetically as a hair rinse or as an insect repellent.
pearl barley
Polished barley kernels used as soup garnish. See barley.
pear(s)
Tree fruits cultivated in temperate climate, a member of the rose family. There are over 4000
varieties. Fruits to be eaten raw are often referred to as dessert pears. Pears do not ripen well on trees
and are picked while still hard. They keep well refrigerated, and ripen from the inside out in a warm spot.
Pears are available fresh year round, and also canned, dehydrated and as frozen sections.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Anjou - large fruit with green to yellow skin. Good for cooking.
Bartlett - called the Williams pear in Europe. Buttery smooth texture.
Black Worcester - British cooking pear with darck purple skin.
Bosc - brown rough skin and crisp texture.
Clap's Favorite - An old variety.
Comice -Large pear, thick skin and coarse flesh. Very juicy when ripe.
Conference - European all purpose pear.
Devoe - A variety grown in New York State.
Forelle - Crips cooking and eating pear with red skin.
Kiefer - brownish red hybrid.
Napoleon - European dessert pear with clear, clean skin.
Hosui - Japanese pear
Packhams Triumph - New Zealand variety
Red Bartlett - Juice eating pear with yellow/red skin.
Poires in French, Birnen in German, peras in Spanish.
Pyrus spp.
pecan(s)
The nuts from a species of hickory tree native to the US. The Indians ate pecans and the word
pecan comes from the Indian word for "bone shell. The nuts resemble walnuts, but have a softer shell.
The colonists prized the nuts and planted pecan trees around the Southern US. They now grow
predominately in Georgia, Texas, Florida, and Oklahoma. Pecan nuts can be eaten raw or roasted and
are available whole or shelled. The most famous uses is for pecan pie.
Also known as Mississippi nuts or Illinois nuts.
Carya illinoensis.
pecan pie
Very popular and certainly native American desserts. It is typically made with a batter of
molasses, eggs, flour and pecans, poured into a pie shell and slowly baked.
Pcharmant
Full-bodied red wine from the Bergerac region of France. The name means charming little hill.
Pcher Mignon
Peach flavored liqueur/cordial with 18% alcohol content from Rousillon in Southwest France on
the Mediterranean. The liqueur is made from the local white Rousillon peaches. These peaches are
juicy and sweet, and available for only a few weeks in the summer.
Developed by Jean Merou who first marketed the product in 1983.
Pecorino
Generic term for Italian cheeses made from ewe=s milk. There are numerous kinds; the best
known is Pecorino Romano. On the Island of Sardina, much cheese is produced, and is often called
Pecorino Sardo, Sardo Romano or just Sardo.

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VARIETIES:
Pecorino Dolce - is colored yellow with annatto.
Pecorino Romano - from the region of Lazio, Abruzzi e Molise.
Pecorino Siciliano - from Sicily
Pecorino Toscano - firm-textured, its mildly tangy taste becomes more pungent as it ages. Also
known as Toscanello.
Other Pecorino cheeses are: Ancona, Cotrone, Iglesias, Leonessa, Puglia and Viterbo. These
cheeses are hard, sharp, and rather salty. They are used as grating cheese, often in place of Parmesan
cheese, although the Parmesan cheese is a cow's milk cheese and is not as strong tasting as Pecorino.
pectin
Carbohydrate that develops naturally in some fruits, such as damson plums, governor plums,
apples, currants and quince.
Pectin is used to jell, or thicken jams or jellies made from fruits not naturally high in pectin, such
as strawberries.
Pectin can be purchased as powder.
pedas
Term used to describe the spicy chili-based taste of Indonesian Padang cooking. See there.
Pedro Luis
South African white wine grape variety.
Pedro Ximnez/PX
Spanish white wine grape grown not only for the production of Sherry , but also planted
extensively in Southern Spain to produce a dry white table wine. The grape is also cultivated in the
Canary Islands, in Argentina, in Australia and in New Zealand.
The wine is used as blending wine and also in the production of the sweet Mlaga wine, when
the grapes are left to dry in the sun. See Sherry and Malaga.
peelers
Soft shell crabs in the process of shedding or sloughing. When caught by fishermen, they are put
into shallow water troughs called floats to complete the process.
Pejibave
Tropical fruit from a South American palm tree. Edible only when cooked.
Peking duck
Famous 200 year old Chinese preparation of duck which originated in Peking (now Beijing), the
capital of China. The traditional recipe calls for the White Peking duck breed, although now in China a
mixed breed, Yingtaogu is more commonly used. In the US Cherry Valley ducks, a hybrid raised once
on Long Island, are used.
The first restaurant serving this specialty is thought to be the Convenient and Friendly Shop, but
a more famous one is the Accumulated Virtue Roast Duck Restaurant, founded in the mid-18th century
both in Peking during the reign of Qing Emperor Qianlong.
The ducks should be over five pounds. Excess fat is removed by blowing through a small hole
under the wing and the air blown between the meat and the skin breaks up the fat and allows it to drip out
more easily. Then the ducks are coated with malt sugar and water and sometimes soy and vinegar, and
hung for one to three days to dry and tenderize.
The usual method of roasting it is hung in a vertical oven. Some chefs fill the hanging, roasting
duck with boiling water so it cooks more evenly and the meat stays moist. While the outside roasts, the
inside boils.
Alternate cooking method is cha shao in which the duck is barbecued on an open spit.
Eating of Peking duck is a ritual which begins with a presentation of the whole duck, head still
attached. Then a server slices off the crisp flavorful skin which is wrapped in thin steamed wheat

679

pancakes, along with strips of scallion, a dollop of hoisin sauce, or tianmianjiang sauce, or a sweet bean
sauce.
The next course consists of eating the duck meat. Then the carcass is removed to the kitchen
where a soup is made, and served at the end of the meal.
Peking duck
Chinese breed of duck which was cross bred in England with the Cherry Valley duck. The result
was the Yingtaogu breed which was re-exported back to China, where it is the duck most commonly used
in the prepared dish called Peking Duck.
pekoe teas
Term referring to leaf sizes. See tea.
pelmeni/pelmeny
Russian meat dumplings resembling ravioli, originally from Siberia. The meat filling is made with
pork, lamb or beef.
Households used to make them in huge quantities and kept them frozen outside the house in
burlap bags during the long, bitter-freezing winters
The dumplings are boiled or steamed and served with a dipping sauce. Siberians favor a mixture
of hot mustard and vinegar. Muscovites favor sour cream and butter. Also commonly served in clear beef
soups.
pelotas
Spanish term for balls, sometimes used for meatballs served in cocido. See there.
pemmican
Dried very fatty paste made with game or buffalo meat and flavored with wild berries. Pemmican
was American Indian food, and was quickly adopted by the early settlers. The word in the Cree language
means: The least food with the most nourishment.
Also known as pemican.
Peneteleu
Rumanian cheese made with cow's milk. It is a plastic curd cheese.
penicillium
Mold used in the production of cheeses. Penicillium candium is used in the production of
Camembert cheese; penicillium glaucum is used in blue veined cheddar, and penicillium roqueforti is
used in the production of Roquefort cheese.
penne
Tube shaped pasta.
Pennsylvania Dutch food
General term used for the cooking of the Amish settlers of the Mennonite Sect in Pennsylvania.
The settlers are of Palatinate German descent and the cooking reflect the wholesome food served 250
years ago in their homeland. Fill yourself up an clean the plate is a popular motto
The Lancaster market is famous for vegetables, preserves, apple butter and honey.
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
Corn meal mush - made with yellow corn
Corn relish - slightly sweet
Dried fruits - especially apples
Dumplings - flour dumplings served with stews
Fastnacht kuechle - yeast doughnuts
Fox grape jelly
Fried apples - popular dessert
Pancakes - often made with buckwheat flour

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Sauerkraut
Schnitz - dried apple pieces
Schnitz un gnepp - stew with pork or ham, dumplings and dried apples
Scrapple - See there.
Shoo-fly pie - molasses pie
Sweets and sours - seven varieties each served as relish
Food has become a popular tourist attraction and is served family style or buffet in many
restaurants.
pennyroyal
Perennial medicinal plant in the mint family used as ground cover. It has insect repellent
properties.
Mentha pulegium.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
peony
Showy flowers, the roots and flowers are considered edible. The flowers are used in China to
flavor tea and infused in wine. the roots are boiled and served as vegetable.
Pliny says peony is the oldest of all plants, and it was described already 320 B.C.
Paeonia spp.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Pepato
Southern Italian pepper spiced cheese.
peperoncini
Italian/Tuscan hot green peppers.
Pepin, Jacques
French chef and probably the most successful French cookbook author in the US. Jacques was
born in Bourg - en Bresse near Lyon, France. He became the personal chef to three French heads of
state.
in 1959 Jacques Pepin came to the US. He earned a degree B.A. and an M. A. at Columbia
University in eighteenth century French Literature. He is a frequent guest on TV and has written for the
New York Times, Bon Appetite, House Beautiful, Gourmet Magazine and Travel and Leisure.
He has written numerous books for the general public.
pepinello
Another name for chayote. See there.
pepino
Tropical fruit, small mauve or purple-striped,
golden melons with a silken texture and juicy flesh with
tiny edible seeds. They have a fragrant aroma and a
mildly sweet flavor reminiscent of melon or pears and
honey. Most US supply comes from New Zealand, in
May through June, though some are now grown in
California.
Also known as melon plums, melon plums.
Solanum muricatum.
pepitas

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Spanish word for toasted pumpkin seeds. They are used in Hispanic cooking for texture and
flavor.

pepper
Pepper, the spice in the shape of peppercorns. This spice originated in Asia, and was first
cultivated in India. It was a spice that appealed to European taste and became the object of trade wars
between European and Asian countries.
The spice grows on vines in the shape of small berries. The berries are harvested and dried.
They turn black after drying. The are called peppercorns and when ground produce black pepper.
The inside of peppercorns is white. White pepper is made by removing the black outside shell.
There is little difference in flavor between black and white pepper. White used for visual reasons to
avoid black specks in light colored sauces. Ground pepper looses flavor rapidly and there is a solid
reason for presenting pepper in restaurants freshly ground.
Green and pink peppercorns are available pickled in vinegar or dried. There is not much reason
for harvesting unripe peppercorns, and they could be slightly toxic.
There is confusion about the term pepper, because the plants in the family capiscum, native to
the Americas, are also called pepper. These plant range from mild peppers found in vegetable markets to
fiery chilies.
The spice paprika is made from a strain of capiscum peppers.
Poivre in French, Pfeffer in German, pimienta in Spanish, pepe in Italian.
Piper nigrum.
pepper, the vegetable
Member of the Solanaceae family, native to America, which also includes potatoes, tomatoes,
and eggplant, as well as the deadly nightshade. They become more nutritious as they ripen.
The term pepper is also used for a spice in the piper nigrum family. This confusion in
nomenclature dates back to the days of Christopher Columbus. His primary purpose was to find a
shorter route to India to obtain spices, primarily pepper.
Reaching the new world, he thought he had reached India, the key producer of spices. As a result, he
misidentified the natives as Indians, and assumed the hot chilies they used as seasoning was a type of
pepper. Thus, chilies and other members of the genus capsicum, which are not related to the genus
piper, are referred to as peppers.
There are basically two groups of peppers, the mild bell peppers and the chili peppers. See
under chili.
BELL PEPPER VARIETIES:
Bell pepper - crisp, bland tasting member of the genus capsicum, sometimes referred to as sweet
pepper. These peppers were originally green and turn red when ripe, but hybrid varieties are red, yellow
and even purple.
Nora - plump sweet red peppers, from Alicante in southern Spain. Mostly sold dried. Then they
are soaked in water at the time of use, mostly in paella and rice dishes. Sometimes sauteed with garlic to
make a sauce.
Padron - named after the town in Galicia where they originated. Only 12 to 2 inches long. They
resemble miniature green bell peppers. Generally sweet, but some can be fiery hot.
Paprika - see there.
Piquillo - scarlet red Spanish pepper from the regions of Navarre, Rioja, and Catalan. Eaten
fresh or purchased already roasted and peeled in jars. Mildly spicy and good grilled.
Capsicum spp.
pepper grass
Weeds in the mustard family. Garden cress and watercress are cultivated varieties.
Pepper sprout is a wild vegetable, also known as poor man's pepper.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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peppermint
Aromatic perennial herb, easily grown in temperate climates. The aromatic oil derived from the
leaves and stems is used to flavor cakes, drinks, candies and cosmetics.
See mint. Mentha
piperita.
pepperoni
Italian type dry sausage, fatty. Often used on pizzas.
pepperpot
See Philadelphia pepperpot.
pepperpot
West Indian stew made with the starchy tuber, eddoe. See there.
pepper steak
Steak dipped in coarsely crushed peppercorns, often served with a red wine sauce.
pepper steak
Once popular chafing dish item often served on buffets. Braised beef strips garnished with green
and red bell peppers and onions.
Pepsi-Cola
Cola soft drink, the biggested competitor to Coca Cola. Highest per capita consumption is in the
small city of Pikeville, Kentucky.
The company also makes Mountain Dew and Mountain Dew Sport (a competitor to Gatorade.
pepsin
Encyme, an essential ingredient in digestive juices. The substance is available as ferment in the
manufacture of cheeses.
Pepsin gum was popular in the US in the mid-20th century. The largest selling brand
was.Beeman's.
Peranakan
Straits-born people of Chinese roots. When the Chinese men came to Singapore and Malaysia
to work, they intermarried with the local Malayan women and adopted many Malayan customs.
The men are known as Babas and the women are known as Nonyas and developed a respected
local food style. Nonya cooking is a spicy mix of tastes including Chinese, Malayan, Indian, and Arabic
cooking.
Perc-O-Toaster
Extinct American appliance from the turn of the century. Designed for breakfast use, it was a
combination coffee maker/toaster.
percebes
Barnacles harvested on the West Coast of the US, in Spain, and in South America. Pried from
sea-washed rocks where they grow in clusters. Popular in Peruvian seviche. See there.
Also known as goose barnacles.
perch
Fresh water food fish harvested primarily in the Great Lakes, but also found in streams and lakes
in temperate areas of the US.
The fish is referred to as pan fish on account of its size. The best known is yellow perch, also
called lake perch, ringed perch, striped perch and coon perch.
Perca spp.
perche-pierres

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French name for the green vegetable known in English as samphire. It grows on sea cliffs in
France which gives it a salty flavor. In appearance, it resembles slender string beans. Used raw or
pickled.
Also known as Peter's cress or sea fennel.

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perdreau
French term for young partridge. Perdrix is a old partridge.
Prigord
Town in southwest France famous for truffle trade. Dishes made with truffles are sometimes
called la Prigourdine.
Prigord truffle is also known as the black truffle. See truffle.
Tuber melanosporum.
Perigueux Sauce
Brown maet sauce with truffles.
perilla leaf
Pungent leaf, used as a garnish in Japanese cooking. Known as shiso in Japanese.
Periquita
Portuguese grape variety.
periwinkles
Small sea snails. Served hot or cold, in or out of the shell. Common in French and Chinese
cooking. When served in the shells they must be pried out with a toothpick .
Also known as winkles.
Tiny French periwinkles are called bigorneaux.
Littorina littorea.
Perky, Henry
Denver lawyer who in the 1890's invented the process of preparing wheat for shredded wheat
cereals. The wheat is slightly softened with water and steam so that it can be put through a shredder. The
cereal or crackers are then formed.
Triscuits the brand name for a shredded wheat cereal.
Pernod
French, licorice flavored cordial. Opalescent green in color. A direct descendant of absinthe. 40%
alcohol. Normally consumed mixed with water.
See absinthe and pastis.
perrechicos
Spanish mushrooms. Literally translated "little dogs". The Basque name is perretxikos. So
delicate they must be eaten within 12 hours of picking. They grow beneath oak trees.
Perrier
Bottled mineral water from France.
Perrire
French term for stony vineyards.
perry
Alcoholic pear cider.
Persian apple
Old name for a peach, which was regarded by Europeans at the time of American colonization to
have originated in Persia, modern day Iran.
Persian lime
The most common lime variety with dark green color. The US supply is grown in California,
Florida, South America and the Caribbean. Also known as Tahiti lime. See lime.

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Persian melon
Summer melon with a "netted" skin. When ripe, it has a rich, heady aroma if held up to the nose
and it will yield slightly when pressed at the stem end.
Persian nuts
An old name for nectarines.
Persia food
See Iran.
persillade
French term for a mixture of chopped parsley, bread crumbs and garlic, sprinkled over roast
meat, especially rack of lamb. The dish would be called la persillade.
persimmon(s)
The fruit is intense orange, and occasionally yellow to bright red in color. It looks somewhat like a
small tomato with a large dried green calyx. Most are
picked for transport while underripe and allowed to
soften and ripen off the tree. The variety name is
Diospyros, meaning fruit of the gods. Persimmons
are native to both the Orient and America, although
the American varieties are less flavorful and thus have
not been widely cultivated. Now grown in fairly dry,
sub-tropical climates in North America, especially
California, and the Middle East, especially Israel. The
persimmon tree is a member of the ebony family. The
tree is tall and graceful with arching limbs and a
checkered bark. The fruit grows in late autumn and
winter when the tree is bare of leaves.
Perfectly ripe persimmons are sweet, rich and
spicy. Underripe ones are tart and astringent, they will
ripen at room temperature in three or four days.
The flesh of ripe persimmons freezes well, and freezing will remove the puckering traces of
tannic acid. If left to dry, persimmons will turn into date-like fruits.
The thin skin is edible and the flesh is like a firm gelatin.
Varieties differ slightly in shape from completely rounded at the bottom to slightly pointed. Some
varieties have brown seeds which are discarded before eating.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Chocolate persimmon - avilable on the West coast.
Early Golden - cultivar for northern climates.
Fuyu - group of rounded, plump, firm, flat-bottomed persimmons, such as Sharon fruits. A nonastringent variety, seedless variety.
Garretson - cultivar for northern climates.
Hachiya - The most common variety are elongated and become very soft when ripe.
Hicks - cultivar for northern climates.
Jiro - non-astringent variety available from New Zealand in April and May.
Meader - cultivar for northern climates.
Saijo - Oriental variety suitable for cultivation in cold climates.
Wabash - a bright red fruit.
Black sapote, diospyros ebenaster, is related to persimmons.
Also known as date-plum, khaki fruit, Sharon fruit or Virginia date.
Diospyros khaki , the Oriental variety.
Diospyros virginiana, the American variety.

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Peru food
The country of the Incas with a long, mostly arid and cold Pacific coast, high mountains in the
Andes and tropical jungle in the lowlands.
Peru is famous for the birthplace of potatoes and chili pepper varieties. Seviche is probably the
internationally best know dish. Seviche consists of raw fish and seafood marinated in lime and lemon
juice. See seviche.
Anchovy harvested in the cold Humboldt stream are an important commodity. Pigs and chicken
are the important meat animals. Llama and alpaca do not lend themselves to meat productions and are
kept as beast of burden, for wool and for milk.
ANDES FOODS ARE:
Corn - large kerneled variety, served on the cob and known locally as chocle.
Chili peppers - aji, mirasol and rocoto. See there.
Potatoes - in countless varieties including papa amarilla and chuo. See
there.
Quinoa - See there.
Tomatoes - a small green wild variety.
Ulluco - yellow tuber, eaten like potatoes.
TYPICAL DISHES:
Aji de gallina - chicken in a sauce of milk, bread crumbs, and hot chilies or aji.
Anticuchos - spicy, marinated cubed beef heart, barbecued on skewers.
Chupe - shrimp stew thickened with potatoes.
Cuy - guinea pig served roasted or stewed.
Mazamorra morada - viscous purple gelatin made from dried purple corn.
Papa a la huancaina - cold boiled potato in cheese sauce.
Seviche - raw fish and shellfish, marinated in lemon juice, onions, and chili peppers.
The most popular beverage is chicha morada, a deep purple non-alcoholic drink made from dried
purple corn. The most well known drink is the pisco sour. See there.
Peru has a small wine industry for local consumption.
Peruvian cherry
See cape gooseberry. See there.
Physalis peruviana.
Pesquera
Spanish red wine from the Ribera del Duero region, made by Alejandro Fernandez. The winery,
named for the town in which it is located, was begun only in 1972, and the current winemaking style was
first made in 1982. Aged at least 2 to 2 years in small American oak casks, less than its neighbor to the
west, Vega Sicilia , although the Pesquera reserva spends 4 years in oak.
The wine is deep, ruby red, rich, untuous, soft, complex and balanced.
Tinto Fino grapes are used with some Garnacha blended in; and some years a little white Albillo is also
added for acidity. Production is 20,000 to 25,000 cases a year, and the wines are of three quality levels:
crianza, reserva, and gran reserva.
pesto
Italian sauce made from fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil and Parmesan . It is most often
used on pasta.
Pesto is specialty from the port city of Genoa. Condiments that would be preserved with oil were
important with a sea faring population. The basil was local and would grow wild on steep hillsides, pine
nuts would grow in the Mediterranean region, garlic and oil were basic staples in Liguria, the area where
Genoa is located. Originally, the basil was squashed by pestle in a mortar, today food processors are
used, although purist claim that hand squashed basil will develop better flavor.
Pesto is also made with walnuts. The Ligurian sailors maintained an outpost in the Black Sea
where walnut flavored sauces are common, and they might have helped to create pesto. However, pesto
made with walnuts will turn reddish brown.

687

Peter's cress
Weed resembling slender string beans that grow on sea cliffs in France. The salty vergetables is
used raw or pickled.
Also known as perche pierres, or sea fennel.
peterrubi
Food taken home by food workers. Years ago, this practice was common in the food industry.
Today it is considered stealing.
ptillant
French wine term for semi-sparkling as opposed to having more vigorous bubbles, known as
mousseux.
Petit and Gros Manseng
French white wine grape varieties grown in Southwest France. The wine is promoted as a
seducer.
petit djeuner
French term for light lunch.
Petite Liqueur
Sparkling liqueur, made by Moet-Hennessy in France, and introduced to the US in 1985.
Produced in the Bordeaux region by the Charmat process, it is bottled in small round flasks with a
Champagne cork. It is made principally from Semillon grapes and also from Ugni blanc, Chenin blanc,
and Gros Lot grapes. The aroma has essences of chocolate, cognac , coffee , oranges and prunes .
Known as Petite Licorelle in Europe because it does not conform to the European Economic
Community's definition of liqueur.
Petite Marmite
Classical French clear soup made with beef, fowl and vegetables, often served with sliced
marrow, toasted croutons sprinkled with chives.
Petit Meslier
French white wine grape used primarily in the production of sparkling wine. The variety is being
phased out and replaced with more classic varieties.
petit sal
French term for pickled pork, often served as cold cut.
Petit Suisse
French cheese resembling cream cheese, with rather high fat content.
Petite Syrah
A red wine grape cultivated in California. There is disagreement whether the grape is a genuine
Syrah grape as planted in the Rhne valley of France.
petits fours
French term for small, delicate cookies. They can be sec - dry - or glacs - covered with icing.
The term literally means small ovens. On menus, the term is always plural.
petits pois
Literally translated from French little peas, they are the small green peas commonly served in
France. There is a tiny variety called petits pois, but sometimes early immature peas are also referred to
as petits pois and they do taste similar. Petits pois have a short season and thus are often available only
frozen canned.

688

A popular brand of canned petits pois was Le Sueur, which is owned by the Green Giant
Company, owned by Pillsbury.
petitgrain oil
Distilled from the young shoots, stems and leaves of the bergamot orange tree used in perfume.
ptoncles
French term for scallops.
Ptrus, Chteau (Petrus)
The most prestigious Chteau of the Pomerol region of Bordeaux . It is owned by the Moueix
family and managed by Christian Moueix. The signature wine is made from about 95% Merlot and 5%
Cabernet Franc.
The wine is extremely high priced for both its delicious taste and its small quantity. Only about
4000 cases are made each year.
Very few people in New York had heard about Chteau Ptrus until the late restaurateur Henri
Soul, owner of the famous French Pavillon in Manhattan, bought six hundred cases for his wine cellar
many years ago. The restaurant closed years ago, and the wine would be unaffordable today.
pets de nonne
French term for fritters made with puff paste. Credit for the invention is claimed by a non at the
ancien abbey of Marmourtier on the Loire.
Also known as soupirs de nonne.
petsai
Another name for Chinese cabbage, also spelled Pe-tsai.
Brassica pekinensis.
petscha
Lithuanian Calves' foot jelly.
Peynaud, Dr. Emile
Noted French oenologist. Until he retired in 1986, he was dean of oenological studies at the
University of Bordeaux. Though not ignoring the role of nature, he always stressed the importance of the
winemaker.
Pez
Square candy with peppermint flavor made by Pez Candy Company of Orange, Connecticut. It
was given a boost in the movie "Stand by Me". The company was originally Austrian.
Pfannkuchen
German word for pancake. In an extented sense, it is also a fried doughnut.
Pfeffernsse.
German spice cookies, popular during Christmas time. They are round and sugar frosted.
Also known as Pfefferkuchen.
Pfifferling
German name for a small, wild, yellow mushroom variety, called chanterelles or hedgrow in
English. See there.
Pfister
Cheese named after its inventor, Pfister Huber, a Swiss. The cheese resembles Emmental and
Gruyre cheese. See there.

689

Phaeophyta
Group of brown edible seaweeds.
pheasant
Game bird in the extended family galliformes. Pheasants are also farm raised, and these birds
have little game flavor.
The flavor of wild pheasants is improved by hanging the bird, still in the feathers by the neck in a
cool, well ventilated spot for up to one week. The aging makes the meat more tender, and the
decomposition setting in develops a certain flavor, which connoisseurs cherish. The french word
"faisande" means gamy aged, and is applied also to other game.
Today, aged game birds are no longer in demand, and pheasants are eaten freshly killed. Often
the birds served in restaurants are frozen.
An Old English custom is to serve pheasant with food pheasants likes to eat, such as chestnuts
and celery.
phenomenal berries
Similar to longanberries. See there.
Philadelphia food
Large and historic city in Pennsylvania.
BEST KNOWN DISHES ARE:
Philly cheese steak - See there.
Philadelphia Pepper Pot - See there.
Pretzels - See there.
Scrapple - See there.
Snapper soup - made famous by Bookbinders Restaurant.
Philadelphia cheese steak
Fast food grilled sandwich of thin slices of beef tossed with melted American process cheese or
Cheeze Whiz and served on an Italian style long hero roll, known locally as a torpedo roll. Choice of
toppings include sauteed onions, hot peppers, cherry peppers, mild or hot sauce and mushrooms.
The invention of the sandwich, a popular Philadelphia dish, is credited to Pat (Pasquale) Olivieri,
who first sold a thinly sliced steak sandwich at his hot dog stand in 1932. In 1934, Pat and his brother
opened Pat's King of Steaks, on 9th Street in South Philadelphia and the made the steak sandwich their
specialty, then adding cheese and gradually other toppings.
Also known as Philly Cheese Steak.
Philadelphia eggs
Old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel recipe. Poached eggs on English muffins with a slice of chicken meat,
topped with Hollandaise sauce.
Philadelphia Pepper Pot
Soup which originated probably in the Caribbean and was brought to Philadelphia by slaves. The
soup consists of green peppers, onions, celery and other vegetables cooked with diced tripe. The original
recipe calls for turtle meat, and tripe is a substitute. It can be assumed that the original soup was also
very spicy, compared to the mild version served today.
The soup is often thickend with flour Sptzle (little dumplings), and this addition is the result of the
vicinity of Pennsylvania Dutch country, which was settled by Germanic groups.
Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Popular brand of cream cheese.
Philadelphia sticky bun
Yeast bun covered with brown sugar icing and cinnamon.

690

Philippe, Claude
Catering Director at The Waldorf - Astoria Hotel during the second world war and the years
afterwards, popular with the Cafe Society crowd and the originator of the April in Paris Ball, which took
place every October and attracted High Society from around the world.
He was the ultimate showman, fluent in French and spoke English with a slight English accent.
His estate in Peekskill attracted man show business personalities and there was even a rumor about a
romance with Grace Kelly.
Claude Philippe created the Lucullus Circle, a gourmet society. He died in the late 1970's.
Philippe's/Philippe
Los Angeles cafeteria-style restaurant, credited with "invention" of the French Dip sandwich. The
founder was Philippe Mathieu who emigrated to Los Angeles from Provence, France.
Philippine lime
Tropical fruit, important ingredient in Philippine cooking because it provides the acidity which is
often lacking in other tropical Southeast Asian fruits. The climate precludes the growing of lemons, which
do not take well to the excessive heat and rainfall, nor do limes.
Despite its name, the fruit is not green like other limes. Both the skin and flesh are deep orange,
resembling a small tangerine. But the flavor is a cross between lemon and lime, thus a mixture of the two
can be substituted.
Philippines squeeze the juice over food as they eat it or incorporate it into dishes.
This attractive tree is also grown as an ornamental shrub in Florida and California.
Also known as calamondin/calamansi.
Citrus madurensis.
Philippine Islands food
Huge tropical island group with a culinary tradition influenced by Spain, the US and by its
neighbors.
There are two flavor groups, food cooked with palm vinegar, tamarind and Philippine limes, or
salty such as bagoong or patis fish sauces.
Adobo is national dish, a kind of sour stew made with pork or chicken, also with shrimp,
marinated, fried and boiled to a thick sauce or paste. It has many variations. The diet. is rich with
seafood. Philippine food is often fried.
Rice is an important staple and the terraced rice field of Banaue go back 2000 years. Important
high yield rice strains have been developed by the International Rice Research Commission have
increased yields dramatically, yet not without complaints about taste.
Merienda is an afternoon snack of tea, cakes and savories. Eating utensils are primarily the
spoon and fork, not chopsticks
DISHES INCLUDE:
Adobo - See above.
Balut - hard boiled duck egg with partly developed embryo
Bibingka - rice flour dessert sprinkled with cheese
Bucayo - coconut cake dessert
Gulaman - pineapple and coconut dessert
Kari kari - oxtail stew with rice and peanuts
Lumpia - sort of deep fried egg roll served with sour sauce
Morcon - rolled flank steak
Puchero - stew
Rellonong Manok - chicken stuffed with pork
Rellonong Alimango - stuffed fried crabs
Sinampalukan - seafood stew made with tamarind leaves, adding a sour flavor.
Sinigang - A meat or fish soup cooked with vegetables
Turon - fruit fritters.
Ukoy - sweet potato, vegetable and shrimp fritter
BEVERAGES INCLUDE:
Beer

691

Halo halo - sweet coconut milk with many garnishes, a dessert and beverage.
Lambanog - sweet palm wine.
phoa
Indian prepared rice product. A par-boiled rice which is compressed, then fermented.
phosphate
Old fashioned name for ice cream soda.
phrik
Thai. Small, searingly hot chilies.
Also known as prik khee nu.
phylloxera
Plant louse that attacks the root stocks of vinifera grapes, the best wine grapes. An infestation of
phylloxera destroyed the finest vineyards of France and most of western Europe in the 1860's and
1870's.
Phylloxera was brought to Europe on American vines. Most vineyards were replanted on
American root stock which seemed to be immune. However, phylloxera is not eradicated and is again
devastating vineyards, this time more so in the US than in Europe.
phytochemicals
Naturally occurring compounds in fruits and vegetables providing health benefits. They have no
nutritional value like vitamins and minerals, but these chemical substances may protect from certain
diseases.
piadina
Italian flat bread from the Emilia-Romagna region, made with flour, pork lard (an addition to the
original formula), salt, and water, and sometimes baking powder. Similar to pita, it is cooked on a griddle
or, originally, on hot stones. It is eaten plain or folded around meat, cheese, or vegetables as a sandwich.
picada
Spanish/Catalan paste or sauce made with almonds, garlic, parsley, fried bread, and sometimes
anchovies, used to flavor dishes, such as arroz negro .
Sometimes picada includes bitter chocolate, like the Mexican mole poblano .
Picada is used in the Catalan specialty mar y montaa.
picadillo
Cuban hash made with beef, minced olives cooked in spicy sauce. The word means hash in
Spanish.
Picardan
French wine grape grown in the Rhone Valley and used in Chteauneuf-du-Pape, et al.
piccalilli
Sweet sour Indian pickle or India vegetable relish flavored with turmeric.
Pichon-Longueville Baron Chteau
Famous wine estate in Pauillac, Bordeaux France.
Pichon-Longueville Lalande Chteau
Famous wine estate in Pauillac, Bordeaux, France.
Rserve de la Comtesse is the second label.
pickerel
Fresh water food and game fish in the pike family.

692

pickle
Foods that have been preserved in a flavored brine. The term is most often applied to small
cucumbers, called kirby, but other foods, such as meat, fruits and vegetables can be pickled. The acidic
ingredient in pickles is vinegar, Kosher or Jewish pickles are cured in salt brine without vinegar.
The pickling process is Dutch and is traced to the fifteenth century. There are many styles of
pickles.
PICKLE VARIETIES AND STYLES.
Bread and butter pickles - cucumbers with vinegar, turmeric, mustard, seeds, onions and sugar.
Cornichon - French term for very small, rather acidic pickles.
Dill pickles - flavored with dill seeds and garlic.
Gherkins - small pickles, they can be sweet or sour
Kosher pickles - cured in salt brine with garlic, mustard and coriander seeds.
Mustard pickles - flavored with mustard and sugar.
Piccalili - See there.
Pickled tiny onions - used as relish and as garnish.
Pickled cheese
Cheese made in warm countries, and are kept in brine to extend their keeping properties. Most
cheeses are made around the Mediterranean Sea. Typical examples are:
Brndza - made in Rumania.
Feta - made in Greece.
Domiati and Kareish - made in Egypt.
Teleme - made in Bulgaria.
pickled oysters
English once fashionable dish, but not common today. The oysters are first poached in their
own liquid, then preserved with vinegar, lemon peel, mace, and peppercorns.
pickled pork
Louisiana seasoning made of pork shoulders marinated in brine with spices. It is used in the dish
Red Beans and Rice.
picnic shoulder/ shoulder-arm picnic
Cut of meat taken from the shoulder and containing the arm bone, shank bone, and part of the
blade bone. The cut can be used for slow roasting or as stew meat.
Picnic Ham is the boneless cured and smoked picnic shoulder. The product is also refered to as smoked
picnic or smoked picnic shoulder, smoked callie, smoked cali, or California ham.
Meat Buyers Guide # 405.
picolit
Rare and prized white grape variety, grown in Italy's Friuli region. It has given the name to a
dessert wine made with slightly dried grapes.
picpoul
White Wine grape grown in the Rhone Valley and used in Chteauneuf-du-Pape, et al. A wine
grape common in the Midi in France. Also used somewhat in Armagnac.
pide
Turkish flat, pita-like yeast bread.
piddock
Edible bivalve mollusk found in holes in soft rocks at the English and French coasts.
pie

693

Food baked in pastry, filled in a pastry shell, or baked in a deep dish. Pies can be sweet or filled
with meat or vegetables, but most people associate pie with dessert.
There are two basic varieties,
the double crust pie, which has a crust on the bottom and on the top, and the single crust pie, which has
only one crust. In a deep dish pie, the crust is on the top, open face pies have the crust on the bottom.
The crust is always very flaky, and is made with shortening, not butter as in other pastries.
An exception is the Boston Cream Pie, which a made with sponge cake, filled with custard and
covered with chocolate icing.
What really pulls all pies together is the shape. A pie dish is a round, oven-proof dish, about 1"
deep, or deeper. Pie dishes are made often from aluminum and are disposable.
Pie cheese
Generic name for cheese used in baking, such as cottage cheese, baker=s cheese.
pie crust
Cooking tip. For fruit pies, coat the inside of the crust with a combination of 2 tablespoons of
water and 3 tablespoons of sugar before filling. This forms a seal which prevents the fruit juices from
seeping out and also prevents the crust from becoming soggy.
pie plant
American colonists' name for rhubarb.
pie washer
Slang term for bakers' helpers.
pice monte (piece montee)
Ostentatious culinary showpiece, a descendent of medieval banquets. It was inedible in most
cases.
pice de resistance
Old menu term for the main entree on formal menus, normally a large roast.
Piedmont wines
One of the most important wine growing region in Italy encopassing the Po valley. The capital is
Turin, an industrial city, but also the center of Vermouth trade.
The red wines include: Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera, Freisa, Gattinara, Ghemme, Grignolino and
Nebbiolo.
The white wines include: Gavi, Cortes. The sparkling wine is Asti Spumante.
Some of the simpler wines include: Barbera d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Alba, Nebbiolo d'Alba.
pig sandwich
Nashville, Tennessee specialty. Chopped barbecued pork, doused with sticky, tomato barbecue
sauce and served on a roll. Often spiked with Tennessee whiskey.
pig
Most of the pigs raised today are a cross between a small, plump, short-legged Chinese pig and
a skinny, long-legged, gamey European pig. This cross was developed by Robert Bakewell in Leicester,
England in the latter half of the 18th century.
Domesticated pigs have little hair and need shade. For this reason they often burrow in muds.
The are scavengers and feed on practically anything edible. They also grow fast and have large litters;
no wonder that pigs became popular food animals in many countries. However, the Jewish and Muslem
religions forbid the consumption of pork meat.
Small parasites or worms called trichinae can live in pigs and can be passed on to human beings
in undercooked pork. They are killed by heat. Modern Farm raise pigs are basically free of trichinae.
See also pork, suckling pig, cochinillo.
Roast suckling pig is known as porchetta in Italy.

694

pig out
Slang term meaning to gorge on food, though not necessarily on pork products.
pig's ears
Pastry/cookie made with puff pastry. The item is also called palmier.
pigs ears
Butcher item with high gelatin content. They can be stuffed and braised or used in head cheese.
pigs knuckles
Cured pig's knuckles are served in Germany often with Sauerkraut. The German name is
Eisbein.
pigs trotters/feet
Highly gelatinous muscles used in soups and often in Sauerkraut.
pigeage
French wine term, which refers to the stirring of fermenting grape juice in huge vats in order to
keep the must from overheating. Most winemakers have turned to mechanical paddles, but until the
1970's many employed men to take the "naked plunge". It was actually a dangerous undertaking,
because it is easy to slip in the vats and suffocate by the soporific gas created by fermentation.
The term is also used for holding down the grape skins with a large round wooden board, during
fermentation, to keep the skins in contact with the juice in order to extract the fullest flavor and color.
Known in English as heading down.
pigeon
Pigeons of gastronomic interest are farm raised and are about four weeks old. They are traded
as squab, and sold mostly to restaurants. Their dark meat is flavorful.
Wild pigeons are tough because they fly fast which makes the tough muscle. They can also be
infected, and are therefore not eaten.
The passenger pigeon, once the most numerous bird on earth was widely hunted for food and is
distinct today.
Pigeon peas
Beans, native to Africa, they take their name from their shape. Used usually dry, they are a
staple in the Caribbean, and are also used in India. The beans grow in a slightly twisted pod.
Available fresh in tropical areas where they are grown, but sold dried or canned in other locales.
Also know as spandules, gandules, Congo peas, goongo, gungo peas, red gram and Toor Dal.
Cajanus cajan.
pinoli
The Italian name for pine nuts . See there.
pignolo
Red wine grape from the Friuli region of Italy, decimated when phylloxera hit Italy in about 1921,
rarely cultivated today.
pike
Fresh water food and game fish in the family of Esox. The flavor of the fish is excellent, but on
account of its bony structure it is not popular.
In French cuisine it is used in quenelles de brochet, a much acclaimed fish dumpling dish.
Muskellunge is a large pike variety.
pikelet
English regional term for crumpets. See there.

695

piki
Paper-thin bread, made of blue cornmeal by the Hopi Indians in New Mexico.
The term is also used for hand made blue cornmeal corn flakes made by the Hopi Indians.
pilaff
Generic name for rice preparations of oriental origin. The rice is cooked with fat, aromatic liquid
and often with meats, shellfish and vegetables. One of the most basic staple foods in India and Pakistan.
In French cooking, pilaff rice is rice cooked shortly with butter or fat, and then simmered with a
precisely measured amount of liquid. When the rice is cooked, all liquid should be absorbed.
Also known as pilau or pilaf.
Pilchard
Sardine - like fish, caught off the Southern coast of England.
pili-pili/pilli-pilli
East African hot chili peppers, the Swahili word for pepper.
Also known as piri piri.
Pillsbury
Corporation founded as a flour milling company in 1869, it now owns such diverse companies as
Green Giant , Burger King, Haagen Dazs.
pilot wafers
See hardtack.
Pilsner
Style of beer named for the town of Plezen, formerly Pilsen in the Czech Republic. A light
Bohemian lager beer with a strong hop flavor. The Pilsner style has been widely imitated.
Pilsner Urquell is the most famous beer of Czech Republic.
Pilsner glasses are tall and gently V-shaped.
See beer.
pimento(s)
Red pepper, roasted, peeled and preserved in oil or its own juice, used mostly as a condiment or
garnish. Slivers of pimento are also used to stuff green pitted olives.
Pimiento in Spanish.
Also, the Jamaican name for the allspice tree. See there.
Pimento cheese
Cheese to which ground or diced pimento peppers are added.
Pimenton
The Spanish word for paprika.
Pimientos del Piquillo de Lodosa
Small, triangular, pointed red peppers from the Ribiera Alta region around Lodosa along the Ebro
River in Spain. The peppers grown there are so famous that they were granted denomination of origin.
Genuine Pimientos del Piquillo de Lodosa are roasted over charcoal to remove the skin, are
seeded and canned. Industrial canned peppers are washed to remove the seeds, and much flavor is lost.
The Pimientos del Piquillo de Lodosa are available canned.
Pimm's No.1 Cup
An aperitif made with gin, liqueurs, herbs, and citric extracts. Traditionally drunk in Britain at polo
matches and often mixed with carbonated lemonade. The version made for export to America is slightly
different from the English version since we do not have the same lemonade for mixing. Quite sweet in
taste, it is often served with a splash of lemon juice and a stick of cucumber for stirring. 33.5% alcohol

696

The "cup" in the name refers to the gin and cordial mixtures served in most old English inns and
pubs, including James Pimm's oyster bar in London's financial district, where Pimm's was invented in
1841. The number "1" once distinguished this mixture from others numbered two to six, each based on a
different spirit. As of 1972, only number "1" remains.
pinard
French slang term for an inexpensive red wine, though not necessarily a derogatory term like the
British "plonk".
pinch
Ill-defined measurement used for powdered spice. It is usually assumed as the amount that can
be held between thumb and forefinger.
pincho morundo
Spanish. Small meat kebobs. Popular as a tapas in Andalusia. See tapas.
pine kernels
British term for pine nuts.
Pine wood
The wood is not recommended for barbecuing because of its high resin content. It can produce
carcinogen benzopyrene in food.
pine nut(s)
The seed kernels obtained from the cones of certain pines. The cones are heated in order to
spread the scales and allow the nuts to be extracted.
These pines grow in such diverse places as Italy, Turkey, China, Switzerland, Mexico, and in the
US in Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The tiny nuts have a soft-shell that can be cracked with the
teeth to extract the small slivered kernel. Most pine nuts are sold shelled.
Also known as pion or pinyon nuts or Indian nuts, because they were eaten by the native
Americans, and are indigenous to the American southwest. Commonly referred to by their Italian name,
pignoli. They are used in Italian pastries and in pasta dishes.
Also known as pignon, pinon and pignoli.
Pinus pinea.
pine nut oil
Light brown oil with delicate flavor made in France. It is rather expensive and is used in salads.
pineapple
The only edible member of the bromeliad plant family, named for its superficial resemblance to a
pinecone. With its crown of leaves, and rich taste, it is sometimes called the king of fruits. Grown
throughout the tropics, especially in climates with a heavy rainfall. Principle exporters are Hawaii, the
Ivory Coast, and Dominica. Pineapples are grown under glass on the Azores Islands.
Written about by Christopher Columbus when he returned from the New World and pineapples
were Introduced to the European table in the 17th century. .
Pineapples will not ripen once picked. A day before they mature a rush of sweet sap shoots from
the roots into the fruit, ripening it all at once. It is only at this moment that the fruit is suitable for picking.
Ripe pineapple will give off a sweet smell if held up to the nose. Most pineapples reaching the markets
are by necessity picked un-ripe and do not develop the same flavor as they have in the tropics.
Pineapples contain bromelin, which tenderizes protein. This means that they cook well with
meats and fish, but it will decompose gelatin derived from animal sources. Cooking destroys the enzyme.
Ripe pineapples have a very sugar content and ferment easily. In some areas pineapple juice is
used to make alcoholic drinks and vinegar.
The pineapple became the symbol of hospitality in New England on account of trade with the
west Indies.
Ananas comosus.

697

698

Pineapple cheese
Cheddar type cheese made originally in Litchfield County, Connecticut about 1845. The cheese
has no pineapple flavor, but is shaped like a pineapple, which is the symbol of hospitality.
Pineapple guava
Alternate name for feijoa, so named because it resembles guava in taste, though it is only
distantly related.
Also known as Brazilian guava and guavasteen in the West Indies.
Feijoa sellowiana.
Pineapple melon
Small two-portion watermelon. Its flesh resembles pineapple in appearance, thus the name.
Grown in Israel. It is not a cross between the watermelon and the pineapple.
Citrullus lanatus.
Pink gin
Gin drink popular among the British who worked in the colonies such as India. It was simply gin
with a dash of bitters, which turned the liquor pink.
pink lady
Frothy bar drink popular in the 1930's, just after the repeal of Prohibition. It consists of Grenadin
syrup, apple jack, gin and egg white.
Pinole
Name of a drink from the Southwest, consisting of chocolate, sugar, milk and thickened with a
small amount of masa harina .
Pinole
Dry and ground grains or grass seeds, used by Indians and by explorers as food. It can be eaten
dry, and also mixed with water.
Wild plant can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Pinot
Possibly the oldest cultivated grape variety in the world. It is believed to have come to France
with the Greeks at least six centuries BC. Widely cultivated by monks and other members of religious
orders.
There are red and white grapes called Pinot. The Pinot noir is the grape of many famous
Burgundian red wines, and a blending wine used for Champagne. Because it is a red grape, the clear
juice must be abstracted from the skins very quickly before it takes on any color from the dark skins.
Burgundy vineyards were untended after The Great Plague, and were replanted by monks with
the Gamay grape. Philippe le Hardi, Duke of Burgundy, banned the Gamay, and spearheaded the revival
of the Pinot Noir.
The grape needs a dry climate, hot sun and cool nights. It is difficult to grow and nowhere
achieves the success of Burgundy. Chalone Vineyard in Monterey County, California was the first to
focus on the Pinot Noir in America. Oregon is thought to have the most success of any American area.
The grape has become a challenge for wine makers in several other countries, notably the US,
Italy, Australia and New Zealand.
It is called Sptburgunder in German and Pinot nero in Italy.
The white grape has a number of varieties, the Pinot blanc, Pinot gris are planted in many
countries and carry local names, the Pinot Chardonnay in Burgundy is not really a Pinot.
Pinot Blanc
Alsatian French white wine grape, also cultivated in other countries.
Pinot Bianco

699

Italian white wine grape. Not the same as the Pinot Blanc grown in US.
Pinot Blanc
White wine grape cultivated in California. The California Pinot Blanc is different from the Pinot
Blanc in Alsace and from the Pinot Bianco of Italy. American Pinot Blanc is the same grape as the
French Melon de Bourgogne.
Pinotage
Red wine grape which is a cross between pinot noir and cinsault . Grown in New Zealand.
Pinto beans
Kidney shaped dry beans, with light brown specks.
Phaseolus vulgaris.
Pinwheels
One popular canaps consisting of thin sliced white bread rolled around a filling, chilled and
sliced.
pinzimonio
Mixture of aromatic seeds served as a palate cleanser at the end of an Italian meal.
Pia colada (pina)
Refreshing cocktail made with rum, cream of coconut and pineapple juice. The cocktail is popular
in tropical countries and supposedly was created at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
pion nuts
The Spanish name for pine nuts . Also spelled pinyon nuts.See there.
Piora
Cheese made in the Canton Tessin in Switzerland, resembling Tilsit.
pipe(s)
British term referring to the barrels used to age Port wine. Also a quantity of Port. A pipe ranges
between 117 gallons, the equivalent of 56 cases of wine, and 145 US gallons.
The standard Madeira pipe holds about 110 US gallons.
Pipe regate
Italian dry pasta in the shape of small pipes.
Piperade sauce
Spanish/ Basque sauce of cooked tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and garlic, and sometimes with
a little Parmesan cheese. The French version uses also cooked egg yolks.
Piperine
The active ingredient of black pepper, an alkaloid. It stimulates perspiration, and therefore cools
the body. This explains the popularity of highly spiced foods in hot countries.
pipikaula
Hawaiian dish made with dried beef.
Pipo Cream
French blue cheese.
Piquepoul Gris

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French white wine grape grown in the Rhne Valley, and in small amounts in Northern Spain.
The wine is used as blending wine.
piquette
French term for imitation wine made with pressed out grape skins and stems, sugar and water.
There is so much wine in the world that there is no need to make fake wine.
piqui
Amazon wild growing enormous fruit trees. The softball sized fruits have thick greenish tan skins
and are gathered and sold at local markets.
Caryocar villosum.
piro (pirao )
Brazilian sauce that can be made with rice flour, flavored with coconut milk. Around the area of
Bahia it is made of toasted manioc flour, cooked in fish broth and flavored with pepper, tomatoes and
onions. It is served with fish.
piraruc
Brazilian large Amazon river fish. One of the largest fresh-water fish in the world. It is fastgrowing and can grow to six feet in length and over 100 pounds in just 18 months. It can reach as much
as 15 feet long and almost 300 pounds in weight. However, dangerous over-fishing has significantly
reduced the supply in terms of numbers and the size of fish.
It is usually caught by harpooning in slow moving areas of the river or its streams or in shallow
lagoons. Some is caught at night by "telegraph harpooning" in which a funnel-shaped net is strung across
a stream and held in place by poles. As a piraruc swims into the funnel, he jostles the poles and the
fisherman can judge when he'll come through the opening in the tunnel and be harpooned.
The flesh of the piraruc is delicate and good tasting. Some of it is salted and dried like cod.
It's name, literally translated, means bony-tongue, and the tongue can be dried and used to file
wood, but the piraruc is perhaps more famous for its rough scales. The scales of the fish are large and
thick, drying to a brittle, abrasive, curved disk. They are used as nail files.
Arapsima Gigas.
piri piri
African shrimp dish from Mozambique, influenced by Portuguese and Brazilian cuisines. Broiled
shrimp seasoned with lemon and chili peppers.
pirog/pirogi
Eastern European/ Russian turnovers either boiled or baked and filled with a wide variety of
fillings including cabbage, potatoes, buckwheat, sauerkraut, meats and pot cheese.
Boiled pirogi are made with noodle dough eaten as main course with browned onions or as soup
garnish. Baked pirogi are made with yeast dough and served as appetizer.
Pirogi are also filled with apples or blueberries and served as desserts.
Also known as pierogi.
pisancalla
Peruvian corn used by the Incas for popping. See popcorn.
Pissaladire
French Mediterranean/ Provence pizza -like pie. Thick bread dough crust, topped with onions,
anchovies, and black olives.
pissenlit
French term for dandelion, a tribute to the plants power as a diuretic. The English translation is
pissy-bed.
Pischinger Torte

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Austrian cake consisting of Oblaten wafers, see there, layers filled with chocolate butter cream.

pisco sour
Peruvian drink made with pisco, a distilled brandy. Ecuador's version is called paico sour.
piss clams
Soft shell clams, often served cooked in broth or steamed and called steamers.
pistachio
Nut native to southern Europe and Asia Minor and now grown in California, used in desserts, ice
cream and as snack.
The kernels are light green, covered with a light brown skin, encased in a buff or light brown
shell. For eye appeal, nuts sold in the shell are often dyed red. Most pistachios nuts sold retail are salted,
without the salt they might taste bland or stale.
To remove the skin from the nuts, soak in hot water for just about 1 minute. Rub the nuts in a towel
briskly to remove the skin. To crisp them, spread in a single layer and warm in a pre-heated 300 degree
oven for about 10 minutes.
Pistacia vera.
pistou
French Provenal soup seasoned with basil.
pita bread
Flat round yeast bread about five inches across. It is baked quickly in a flat oven to puff up, but
remain soft. Pita bread will form a pocket when cut in half and pulled open. The pocket can be filled with
a variety of fillings, and is eaten as a sandwich.
Pita bread It can be made with a variety of flours, including white or whole wheat. It is popular
throughout the Middle East, and is available in the US in Armenian, Greek, Turkish and other ethnic
neighborhoods.
In Israel, pita is often eaten with hommos and tahineh.
pitanga
Cherry-like fruit, but is not botanically related to the cherry. Also sometimes referred to as
Surinam cherry, a term confusingly also used to refer to the acerola , whose botanical name is Malphigia
glabra.
An attractive, bright-red fruit which grows in clusters like cherries. However, it has deep regular
furrows and may contain more than one seed.
The name pitanga is Portuguese, as the shrub was discovered in Central America by the
Portuguese explorers, who spread it around the world. Now grown in Israel, Australia and New Zealand.
The slightly sour fruit is good in jams and jellies. The fruit also combines well with other fruits, such as
citrus. The rich, dark red leaves and white flowers make this an attractive ornamental shrub as well.
Also known as Brazilian cherry, cayenne cherry, petanga.
Eugenia uniflora.
pitahaya/pitaya
Colombian sweet cactus fruit with translucent kiwi-like flesh
in both texture and flavor.

Pitcairn Island food

South Pacific island settled by the mutineer crew of the
Bounty in 1790. Its isolated location, between Tahiti and Easter
Island, and its small size makes the food choices very limited. In

702

addition, an Adventist missionary who came to the island in 1887 convinced the islanders that pigs and
crayfish were unclean, and to this day they are not usually eaten.
Readily available supply of fish, such as shark, wahoo, nanwe and opapa, three popular local fish fruits
and tropical fruits such as oranges, mangoes, plantains, breadfruit, grapefruit, avocado, bananas,
coconuts and sugar cane.
Beans, beets, cabbages, cassava, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce, and peas are cultivated.
Arrowroot is grown, but flour must be imported.
The most representative dish is pilhi, which is grated sweet potatoes wrapped in banana leaves.
LOCAL FOOD TERMS:
cocknuts - coconuts as they were known in 18th century England
wekle - food in the local dialect
fei - plantains.
pith
The inner, often bitter white layer of citrus rind .
pithiviers
French specialty dessert, from the village of the same name. It is a puff pastry cake filled with
almond paste.
Pitmaston Pineapple
English variety of apple.
pizza
Flat yeast bread topped with a wide variety of toppings. The dish if of Italian origin, but breads
topped with ingredients is popular in countries around the Mediterrean Sea.
To make good pizza, flour with a high gluten content, and a very hot oven are essential. The best pizzas
are baked in a hearth (brick) oven, because the heat is even.
The toppings can vary widely. The original pizza was topped with a thick tomato sauce,
seasoned with oregano, and sprinkled with mozzarella cheese. New pizza variations do not use
tomatoes, and the cheeses vary greatly.
PIZZA TYPES:
Chicago Pizza is baked in a heavy skillet.
Margherita Pizza is named for the Queen of Savoy who visited Naples in 1889. The crust is
spread with tomato sauce and topped with the local cheese, fior di latte, and a little grated Pecorino or
Parmesan, minced basil and olive oil.
Neapolitan pizza has a thin crust, and is round.
Sicilian Pizza has a thicker crust than Neapolitan Pizza, and is cut in rectangles.
According to Pizza Hut restaurant chain, about 11% or the restaurants in this country, or 38,000,
specialize in pizza. Americans consume 22.5 pounds of pizza per capita per year. Over 670 million
pounds of cheese were melted on pizzas in 1987. Pepperoni is the favorite topping. About 60% of the
pizzas sold have thin crusts.
See also Pissaladire, the Provenal specialty.
pizzeria
Pizza store.
pizzaiuolo
Italian term for master pizza-maker. It takes two or three years of apprenticeship.
pizzocheri
Italian pasta made with buckwheat. Traditionally served with potatoes and cabbage.
pla kapong
Thai delicate, local saltwater fish.

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placenta
Italian/Neapolitan flat bread.

plaice
Flatfish in the flounder family. The term is often used in England.
Plie in French. Also known as American plaice, dab, sanddab.
plain-leaved escarole
Winter variety of chicory. Also known as Batavia or Batavian endive, describing its somewhat
flatter leaves. See chicory.
planked
Term for dishes cooked on wooden boards. The wood imparts flavor and also keeps the food
moist.
Fatty fish, such as shad, salmon and mackerel are often used. The planks must be soaked first
to prevent them from burning in the hot oven, then the food is placed on the top, seasoned with a sauce
or flavored oil, and baked. Often used are cedar shingles.
Years ago, planked steaks, specifically chopped steaks, were staples on many restaurant menus. It was
a make believe gimmick, because the items were cooked on the broiler and then put on wooden boards
often surrounded by mashed potatoes and vegetables.
With the advance of wood fired pizza ovens in restaurants, young chefs have rediscovered the
true advantages of cooking food on wooden planks.
Plant de Graisse
French white wine grape used in the production of Armagnac.
importance.

The grape is loosing on

plantain
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Cooking bananas, eaten as a starchy

vegetable in tropical countries. Their banana-like
flavor comes out only through cooking.
Plantains are a staple and can be baked, fried or
boiled. They are often cut thin and deep-fried like
potato chips and sold packaged as plantain chips
or banana chips.
They turn from green to yellow to black as they
ripen. Some varieties ripen to pink and deep red.
When ripe, they look like overripe regular
bananas.
Platanos in Spanish. Also known as kayla.
Musa paradisiaca.
Planter's punch
West Indies drink of rum, fruit juices and spices. The term is also used for dark rum, especially
Jamaican rum.
plat sauter
French cooking utensil, a saute pan.
plate
Butcher term for a beef cut close to the short ribs and the brisket.

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Plavac
Slovanian white wine grape.

705

pleurotte
French term for oyster mushrooms.
plin
Italian pasta specialty of the Piedmont region. Little pinches of fresh pasta dropped into boiling
water.
Plombire
French ice cream dessert made with a large amount of whipped cream folded into the frozen mix.
plongeur
French term for pot washer in commercial kitchens.
plonk
British slang term referring to inexpensive nondescript
common term in Australia.

and often poor quality wine. It is a

plov
Georgia/Russian dish of rice stew with mouton and vegetables.
Also known as plow.
plover
Sea shore bird once hunted for meat. Most species are protected.
ploye
Simple thin pancake made from buckwheat flour and whole wheat flour, water and baking
powder, but without milk and eggs. Ploye is a dish of the Arcadian residents of the St. John River Valley
in northern Maine.
pluck
The British word for the heart, liver and lungs of an animal.
pluck, to
To remove the feathers from a bird.
Plugra
Brand name for unsalted European-style butter, developed by Hotel Bar Foods and made in
America. The name comes from the French "plus gras", and it means literally translated more fat. Plugra
butterfat content 82%, similar to most European butter. The butterfat content of American butter is 80%,
and thus contains more water. Plugra butter also has more of the delicate fresh cream flavor of unsalted
butter.
Plum
Stone fruit or drupe growing on trees in temperate climate. They are in the same family as
almonds, apricots, peaches, and cherries. Plums originated in Asia and in North America.
There are many varieties, and they can be roughly divided into three groups:
Japanese plum
European plums
American plums.
Of the many varieties, some are sugary sweet and others are quite tart and cannot be eaten raw.
The color is not generally an indication of ripeness, because of the different colors of the different
varieties. The black-skinned varieties are generally sweeter than the red-skinned varieties.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Angeleno - dark late harvest plum.
Beach plum - wild relative to the cultivated plum, native to the sandy beaches of northeastern
North America and the Great Lakes. Prunus Americana spp.

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Black Amber - black skinned plum with yellow flesh, available June to July.
Burbank - deep red plaum./
Damson - European variety named for the city of Damascus. A purple-skinned variety, best used
for cooking. Their high pectin content makes them good for use in jellies.
Greengage - European variety, known as Reine Claude in French.
Italian Prune Plum - purple-skinned European variety, good for cooking and baking.
Kelsey - sometimes mislabeled Greengage. A green-skinned European fruit that ripens to a
golden hue. Sweet, but generally less juicy than the black or red plums.
Mirabelle, small golden European variety. Best used for cooking. It is also used for Mirabelle
brandy.
Santa Rosa - Deep red-skinned with golden flesh. Common in California.
Simka - heart shaped plum with red skin.
Prune plums are purple freestone plums often used for dried prunes. Good for eating plain, they are also
good in tarts and cakes, since they can be easily pitted and sliced.
Plum wine is popular in oriental countries.
Prunus spp.
plum blossoms
Powdered blossoms are used in Chinese cooking, and dried blossoms are used as tea.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to recommend the
culinary use of the plant mentioned.
plum pudding
English steamed or boiled suet pudding made with dried fruits molasses, flour and eggs. Prunes
are not usually used.
See Christmas pudding.
poach
Cooking process in a liquid below the boiling point. The term is most often used in connection
with eggs and with fish and eggs. The amount of liquid is immaterial unless it is used to make a
corresponding sauce.
pocket soup
Colonial term for concentrated meat stock. The modern version is glace de viande.
poler
French cooking term for slow pot-roasting in the oven with fat, vegetables and a small amount of
liquid. The lid is removed some time before the product is cooked to allow browning.
There is a special heavy pot called pole.
poi
Hawaiian fermented taro paste, available fully prepared. It is used as dip. Poi was originally a
paste made from many different fruits and tubers, such as taro, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, bananas and
plantains. It was a basic diet component.
point,
French term for meat that has been cooked medium.
Poisons in food
Most foods have natural poisons in defense of animals. These poisons are harmless to humans
in small quantities, or have been diluted by years of breeding.
NATURAL TOXINS IN FOOD ARE:
Almonds - amygdalin and cyanide
Apricots - cyanide in kernels
Basil - carcinogenic in huge quantities
Cabbage - emits cyanide gas while cooking

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Cassava - cyanogenic glycoside

Eggplants - naturally toxic
Fava beans - hemolytic anemia suspectable
Fugo - Japanese fish. The liver is deadly.
Garlic - allergic reactions
Gooseberries - rhodomytrus
Horseradish - mustard oil
Morel mushrooms - gyromytrin
Mussels - saxitoxin
Nutmeg - myristicine
Peanuts - possible allergic reactions
Pink peppercorns - allergic reactions
Sweet peas - amino propionitrilete
Tomatoes - solanine
Tonka beans - warfarin
Vermouth - wormwood
Most mushrooms are poisonous.
poissonier
French term for fish cook in large commercial kitchens. La poissoniere is the female fish cook in
large commercial kitchens.
Poissonire is a fish kettle shaped to accommodate the shape of the fish. It is long for round fish
such as salmon and trout, and diamond shaped for flat fish such as turbot. The English term would be
fish poacher.
Pojarski
Chopped veal or chicken patty shaped like a cutlet, breaded and served with a sour cream
sauce. The name originated with an innkeeper in Tzarist Russia who was ordered to serve veal cutlets to
the visiting Tzar. He did not want to kill his only calf, so he created a chopped chicken cutlet.
Also spelled Pojarsky.
pokeweed
Perennial plant with poisonous roots and red edible berries and shoots.
Phytolacca americana.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Poland food
Polish food related to Russian and German food. The borders shifted so often in history that
there is no distinct Polish food style.
Poland is a rich agricultural country with a large cattle industry. Pork is raised, chicken and
geese are used and the Baltic seacoast allows for a large fishery industry. Carp is the important fresh
water fish, often cooked with a raisin and gingerbread sauce.
Wheat, potatoes, beets and cabbage are cultivated in large amounts. Wild mushrooms are
harvested in forests. Common spices are dill and caraway seeds. Kwas is a liquid made with shredded
red beets fermented with rye bread. The sour liquid is used as soup seasoning.
POPULAR PRODUCTS AND DISHES:
Barshch - the Polish borscht, a substantial soup made with kwas. See there.
Bitki - meat balls served in sour cream
Blintzes - small pancakes
Chlodnik - cold barhch with buttermilk and cucumbers
Fruit soups made with berries
Ham - especially from Krakow is exported in large quantities.
Kielbasa - pork sausage
Kishka - pork liver and buckwheat loaf
Nalesniki - small pancakes filled with sweet cottage cheese

708

Pierogi - See there.

Pierozki - cottage cheese dough turnovers
Tea is more common than coffee, and hot tea is known as herbata. Beer is popular. Vodka is
prepared with many flavors.
polenta
Corn meal mush. It can be made soft and served like mashed potatoes, or cooked to a stiff paste
and cut into pieces when cold. These pieces can be fried, baked or grilled. Polenta has been
"discovered" by American chefs and appears on many menus. Often polenta is flavored with cheese or
other ingredients.
pollock
Ocean fish in the cod family but considered inferior to cod. The fish is harvested in the Atlantic
and most of the catch is processed.
Walleye pollock is harvested in the Pacific and usually salted. It is also known as Alaska pollock
Also known as pollack, Boston bluefish, American pollock or coalfish.
Pollachius virens.
polo
Iranian term for rice cooked with other ingredients such as meats and vegetables.
Also known as pilaf/pilau.
polonaise
French culinary term often applied to vegetables. The vegetables, such as cauliflower,
asparagus, broccoli and others are steamed or boiled, and covered at the moment of service with a
mixture of bread crumbs, chopped hard boiled eggs and parsley, quickly cooked in butter until browned.
Polvorones
Spanish flaky, powdered sugar cookies, flavored with anise. Popular in Andalusia.
polysorbate 60
Emulsifier used in commercial baking.
pomace
The pulpy residue of skins and seeds left over after pressing grapes and other fruits.
Vinaccia in Italian.
pomegranate
Ancient fruit tree, probably native to Persia (now Iran).
The fruit is about the size of an orange and contains many
seeds, red pulp and juice. The dried seeds are used as
decoration, and the juice and pulp is used in desserts and
jellies. Grenadine syrup is made from pomegranate juice.
Only ripe fruits will yield red juice and pulp.
To remove seeds from pomegranates, cut into quarters
and remove soft seeds with fingers. The numerous seeds
represented fertility to Jews.
The name is French from pomme - apple and grenate - many.
Punica granatum.
pomelo
Large citrus fruit with thick skin and rather acidic flesh.
It can be eaten raw.

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Pomerol
Small wine district east of Bordeaux, France. Most wines are red and are sold as Pomerol, but
the district is also home to the famous Chteau Ptrus.
pomfret
Ocean food fish harvested in the Indian Ocean.
Stromateoides argentus.
Fish in the family Bramidae harvested in the Atlantic and Pacific is also called pomfret.
Pommard
Small village in Burgundy, France producing outstanding and popular red wines.
Pomme
French term for apple. Pomme de terre is the term for potato, meaning apple of the earth.
pommes souffles
French term for puffed fried potatoes. The method of making potato slices puff up was invented in
France, and came to the US allegedly by Antoine Alciatore. See there. Pommes souffles are mentioned
in The Epicurean, the book published 1893 by Charles Ranhofer, Chef at the Delmonico Restaurant in
New York, and in Escoffiers Le Guide Culinaire.
To make pommes souffles Russet potatoes are cut in very even slices, about 1/8 in. thick, and
fried in fat at low temperature until cooked throughly, but not crisp. During the frying process, the potatoes
should be moved around to cook evenly. When the potatoes are cooked, they are removed. To make the
potatoes puff up like pillows, they are fried again, this time in very hot fat. The trapped steam makes
them puff up to resemble pillows.
Pompadour, Jeanne Antoinette, 1721 to 1764.
Marquise de Pompadour, lover of the French King Louis XV.
pompano
Tropical ocean food fish in the jack family with no scales and few bones. The Florida pompano is
an excellent fish and therefore in great demand. Pompano is also harvested in the Pacific.
Pompano was served often en papillote. See there.
Also known as butterfish, cobblerfish and palmenta.
Trachinotus carolinus.
pong tauhu
Singaporean/ Nonya specialty. Meatball and bamboo shoot soup. The meatballs are made of a
mixture of pork, shrimp, and bean curd.
Pont Neuf
Ancient bridge in Paris built on huge stone supports. The term was used on classical French
menus for potatoes cut into fairly large chunks, representing the boulders of the bridge. It appeared on
old menus as Pommes Pont Neuf.
Pont l'vque
Soft cheese manufactured in the Department of Calvados, France, from cow's milk. The cheese
resembles Camembert and other soft, mold ripened cheeses, but is shipped in 43 in. square wooden
boxes.
The cheese dates back at least to the thirteenth century, and preceded Camembert by
hundred=s of years. The cheese is pale yellow inside, with countless tiny holes. It has a soft, taffy - like
consistency.
Cheeses resembling Pont l'vque are: St. Rmy, Brioler, Steinbuscher and Romadur.
Pony

710

Small stem glass, usually containing 1 oz used for serving brandy or liqueurs.
poo cha
Thai crab cakes steamed in banana leaves.
Poona
Round, flat cheese made originally in New York State. The origin of the name is not known. The
cheese resembles Limburger.
Poor boy
Hero sandwich. See there.
poor man's lobster
Monkfish was nicknamed "poor man's lobster" because of its meaty texture and taste reminiscent
of lobster and its much lower cost.
Monkfish has been discovered as an elegant fish, sold under the French name lotte, and is no
longer inexpensive.
popcorn
Corn kernels that pop, and burst when heated. Corn contains moisture, even when dried. When
heated, steam develops and it takes considerable force to break the outer cover, therefore the corn will
burst and make a popping noise. Starch is dense and the released starch will expand. Cooked popcorn
is much voluminous than the original kernels.
Kernels that do not pop have a damaged outer cover, or do not have sufficient moisture to
expand and break the shell.
Popcorn is made at home frequently in the microwave oven. Commercial operations have fully
automated pocorn poppers.
The corn used comes from a strain called pericarp.
popes eye
English term for the small kernel of fat usually encountered in the center of a lamb or pork leg.
Popes nose
Slang term for the rump of a cooked fowl. It was probably a slur against catholics.
popover
Light, muffin shaped baked item, usually served as bread, or with roast beef. Popovers are made
with a rich batter, filled into very hot and well oiled muffin tins, and baked in a very hot oven. The pop up,
but are hollow inside.
Popovers are an adapted version of Yorkshire pudding, served in England with roast beef. The
difference is shape, Yorkshire pudding is baked in a pan and cut into slices, popovers are baked in muffin
tins.
poppy flowers
Poppy blossoms have been used to flavor cordials and syrup.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions.
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

This entry is not intended to

poppy seed
Tiny, slate blue seeds used in baking, often sprinkled on rolls or bread. Popular in Eastern
Europe and Austria as pastry filling, such as Strudel and Danish. To be used as filling, seeds are must
be ground then boiled with milk and sugar to a stiff paste. Poppy seeds carry oil and can get rancid.
Mohn in German, amapola in Spanish, pavot in French, pappavero in Italian.
Papaver somniferum.
popsicle

711

Frozen lemonade on a stick. The invention is credited to Frank Epperson in Oakland, California.
porgy
Food fish harvested in the Mediterranean and along the Atlantic seaboard, member of the perch
family. The fish is considered a panfish. The fish is also harvested in the Pacific.
Also known as scup.
Pagrus pagrus.
pork
Pork is featured as white meat and careful breeding has produced animals with little fat and
meat with a rosy color. Top quality pork is firm, fine textured and much leaner than years ago.
Modern hog production practices have just about the danger of Trichinosis, see there, and many
chef serve pork slightly pink.
Pork is such universal meat that it can be served with sauces and sweet condiments are glazed
fruits.
Most pork cuts are listed under their names.
Porker is a pig fattened for meat.
prklt (porkolt)
Hungarian stew, seasoned with paprika and onions. It is so closely related to goulash (gulyas).
Prklt contains diced meat, paprika, lard or bacon and onions. In addition tomatoes, green
peppers, and the stew is drier than goulash. There's much debate about the difference between the two.
porridge
Thick mush made with rolled oats and cooked in water or milk. It is a specialty of Scotland and
normally eaten for breakfast with sugar and cream, or sprinkled with salt.
porringer
Small dish often made of silver given as christening gifts to parents. It was intended to serve
porridge from it.
Port wine
Fortified wine made in the Duero region in northern Portugal. The name is derived from the
shipping port Oporto, which was shortened to Port by British shippers. All Port wine exported must be
labeled Porto to distinguish it from Port wine made in other places.
The wine is made from sweet grapes, and during fermentation grape brandy is added to arrest
fermentation and bring the alcohol level to around 20%. The wine is then aged in oak barrels. Most wine
is sweet, although a dry port is also made.
There are basically three types, Ruby Port, rather young and fruity, Tawny Port is darker and
often sweeter, and White Port.
Most Port is blended with wines from different years to achieve a uniform product. However, in
very favorable years a shipper might declare, after considerable aging, a vintage Port, which means the
year when the wine was made is put on the label. This does not happen every year, and not with all
shippers at the same years. Vintage Ports are expensive and meant to be stored for many years.
Shippers keep wine in their library 100 years and longer.
Old Port will develop a crust or sediment in the bottle and must be carefully decanted. There are
fancy contraptions on the market which will tilt the bottle ever so slowly.
Port from California or from New York State may be quite good when properly made.
Port Medway Flat
Oyster harvested around Port Medway near Liverpool, England. The oyster is
cultivated in Europe since 500 BC, and also for many years on both coasts of North America.
Also called the European flat.
Port du Salut

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French cheese made by the Trappist monks the Abbey at Port du Salut near Laval in the
Department of Mayenne, France. The cheese is still made by Trappist monks in a number of countries.
Cheese not made by Trappist monks is called St. Paulin in France, Port Salut in other countries.
The cheese was created in the early Middle Ages. The Trappist monks lost the abbey in 1233 to
the monks of St. Genevive, and regained it in 1815. By 1850, the monks the cheese has become so
much in demand that the monks had to purchase additional milk from local farmers. By 1878 the name
was registered to protect it against infringements. Eventually, the cheese was made by commercial
cheese manufacturers under the supervision of the Trappist monks.
Some cheese makers started to use the name Port Salut, or St. Paulin. French courts affirmed
that both names belong to the Trappist monks, although Port Salut is now made in many other countries.
The cheese is mild, buttery and resembles Gouda or Bel Paese.
porter
Heavy, dark brown ale. See beer.
Porterhouse
Thick steak cut from the short loin of beef, containing the T bone and part of the tenderloin.
Porterhouse steaks from Prime grade animals are so large that they are mostly served to two customers.
The name goes back to coach stops, or porter houses of the early 1800's. Allegedly an innkeeper
in New York City named Martin Morrison served the steak the first time around 1814.
Meat Buyers Guide # 1173.
Portmanteau steak
Steak with a pocket filled with oysters.
Portugaise, la
French culinary term for dishes cooked with tomatoes.
Portugal food
Portuguese cooking is not Spanish cooking. It is influenced by the cooking of the former
overseas possessions, by the wide range of seafood available and also by the products that must be
wrestled from the difficult terrain. Curry spices, brought back by the explorer Vasco da Gama in 1497
appears in many dishes. The Portuguese fishermen traveled every year to the Grand Banks on the North
Atlantic and fished for cod. The salted cod was then dried in Portugal and became a staple and also an
export article.
Tascas are little taverns. The inhabitants of the city Oporto are called tripe-eaters because the
King Henry the Navigator needed so much salted beef for his fleet that only tripe was left for the local
population.
Portugal is famous for sweets, many of them of Arabic origin and the recipes lovingly preserved
in convents. Portugal is a large producer of almonds and marzipan confections are popular.
Portugal imports coffee from Brazil, and from Angola, Mozambique and other African countries.
Coffees are carefully selected and blended at local stores.
FAMOUS DISHES ARE:
Aorda - shellfish stew flavored with cilantro. See there.
Amijoas na cataplana - clam stew with ham and tomatoes
Bolinhos de bacalhau - codfish cakes
Broa - corn bread
Caldeirada - fish and shellfish stew made with fresh and salt water fish
Caldo verde - a kale and potato soup
Canja - chicken broth with lemon and mint
Chourio - pork sausage
Escabeche - fish fillets sauteed and then pickled with vegetables.
Figos recheados - stuffed figs baked with almonds and chocolate
Linguia - sweet pork sausage
Maapo - marzipan. See there.
Massa sovada - sweet yeast bread

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Morcelas oces de Arouca - little sweets in sausage shape

Ovos moles - egg yolk and sugar confection molded into many different shapes
Papos de anjo - angels breasts, a syrup soaked cake
Presunto - mountain cured ham
Pudim flan - caramel custard
Rojes comino - braised pork with cumin and coriander
Trouxa de vitela - roast veal.
See also cork.
Portugal wines
Portugal is famous for Port Wine, but also produces a wide range of non fortified wines. The
country is further south than France and there is plenty sun to ripen the grapes, but the climate is
moderated by winds blowing from the Atlantic and from the North.
In the north a pleasant dry white wine is cultivated called vinho verde. The wine undergoes a
second fermentation and can be slightly effervescent.
The D o mountainous wine region produces red, white and ros wines. The red wines are known
for strong color and full flavor. They are aged in wood and will age in the bottle.
Colares wine are cultivated on sandy coastal vineyards and even on the beach protected by
dams. The wines escaped the phylloxera pest. The light red wine is made from the Ramisco grape.
Bucelas is a rather sweet white table wine cultivated north of Lisbon.
Moscatel de Setabul is a famous sweet wine.
Portugal produces sparkling wines and also some excellent sweet wines beside Port and
Madeira. See Madeira, Lancers, Mateus.
Portuguese sweet bread.
Sweet yeast bread loaf, sometimes served with, or baked with sausage slices.
Pao doce in Portuguese.
portulaca
See purslane.
Porty Reek long-lick
Sailor=s slang for molasses.
posole
Corn kernels with skin removed and treated with slaked lime, which gives a distinctive flavor.
They are the base for hominy grits, masa harina, corn nuts and other products.
Atole is coarsely ground posole.
posset
English concoction made with milk, cream, sherry, egg yolks, spices and sugar served in special
adorned china containers. The recipes varied but posset was served to invalids instead of a meal.
pot cheese
Fresh cheese, the very basic cheese. Other names are cottage cheese, ricotta, cream cheese,
queso blanco, Quark, Topfen, Rahmkse.
pot roast
Meat, usually beef, browned and braised with vegetables, tomatoes and aromatic liquids. The
resulting stock is made into a gravy. The French term is boeuf brais.
pot pie
Meat and vegetable pie made in a deep dish and covered with a pie crust. The most popular is
chicken pot pie.

714

Pot au feu
French rich soup made with different meats and vegetables. The elegant version is Petite
Marmite.
Pot-likker
Southern term for leftovers in pots. The term became politicalized, because it referred to the
leftovers slaves were allowed to eat.
potage
French word for soup. Potage du jour is the soup of the day. Potager is the French term for
soup cook. In large kitchens, one or more cooks specialize in making soups.
potassium acid tartrate
Bi-product of tartaric acid , it is the potassium salt of tartaric acid, better known as cream of tartar.
Also known as potassium bitartrate.
Potato
Tuber, native to the Andes Mountain in South America. One of the most important food crops in
the world. Potato can be grown at higher altitudes and colder climates than any other important food
crop. See Irish potato blight. They vary in size, color and appearance enormously.
In the US, the harvest season is late September and October. The most popular varieties are
stored and available year round.
Potatoes can be classified as high starch and low starch or waxy varieties. High starch are flaky
and are generally the russet type. They are best used for baking and mashing. They are also used for
making potato dough, such as used in potato gnocchi or potato dumplings. Luther Burbank developed
the russet potato about 120 years ago and his name is associated with the most grown high starch potato
varieties. These potatoes are commonly referred to as Idaho potatoes, although a large quantity is grown
in Washington State and to a lesser extent in Maine. They are mealy and will not stick together when
cooked.
Waxy potatoes do not fall apart when cooked and are often used for potato salad. In Austria, a
special variety of waxy potato was called Kipfler, because it resembled in shape a "Kipferl" (croissant).
Related are the "fingerlings" in shape and starch content.
BASIC CLASSIFICATION:
Long whites - for boiling and salads
Round reds - boiling and salads
Round whites - boiling, salads and frying
Russet - baking, frying and potato dough.
POTATO VARIETIES:
Blue Caribe - small potato suitable for boiling
Cherries Jubilee - red and white striped
Creamers - round white with high starch content used for mashed potatoes
Fingerling - available yellow and red
Green Mountain- old New England varieties
Irish Cobbler - all purpose
Kathadin - old New England varieties
Kennebec - all purpose Maine potatoes
Long Island - long white potatoes, most fields are covered to vineyards
New potatoes - early season potatoes, usually very small
Orange Russet - round baking potato
Red Pontiac - small red potatoes useable for boiling
Ruby Crescent - useable for boiling
Russet - baking potatoes
Yellow Finn - resembling fingerlings, but it has a higher starch content.
Yukon Gold - yellow flesh potato
Russet potatoes are graded by size and shipped in 50 lb cartons, ranging from 35 to 140
potatoes per carton. The average hotel size is 80, steakhouses buy 50 to 70 size.

715

Potatoes are also available canned, rarely used today, dehydrated in many shapes and frozen as
fries, hash brown, slices and shells.

716

Potatoes can be fermented and distilled. One distilled product is inexpensive wodka.
Leading potato growers are China and Russia.
Solanum tuberosum.
Potato cheese
Old fashioned German cheese containing mashed potatoes and flavored with caraway seeds.
The cheese is no longer made, because it does not conform to government regulations.
potato flour
Starch made from potatoes. It can be used like corn starch. It has extensive industrial uses.
Also known as potato starch, fecula.
potato salad
Popular dish of German heritage. There are many recipes for hot or cold potato salad. It is most
often made in the US with Mayonnaise, but in Germany with crisp bacon and an oil and vinegar dressing.
potato snow
One of the countless potato dishes. Boiled Russet potatoes are drained and left a few minutes to
dry. They are then, while still hot, pressed through a potato press directly into a serving bowl.
The potato press is called ricer.
potluck
Meal of leftovers, or of ingredients that happen to be available.
potted meat
English term for preserved meat paste, usually covered with rendered.
important provision for travelers

Potted meat was

potted shrimp
English dish of tiny shrimp cooked in butter and served as spread or appetizer.
Pouilly Fuiss
French white wine from Burgundy which has become a staple in many French restaurants in the
US, perhaps the wine was fun to pronounce, easy to drink and not terrible expensive.
Pouilly Fum
French white wine from the Loire Valley, often confused in restaurants with Pouilly Fuiss, a
Burgundy wine.
poultry
Term for domesticated gallinaceous birds.
pound cake
Loaf shaped cake made with equal amounts of sugar, flour, butter and eggs. It is often served
with coffee or toasted with fruits as dessert. Variations are raisin and lemon pound cake.
Pousse caf
Drink made by pouring carefully layers of different color liqueurs in into a narrow, tall glass. The
concept is to have the layers clearly showing, and not mixing the ingredients.
poussin
French name for baby chicken. The closest item on the US market is Cornish hen.
pouts
Small members of the cod family harvested in European coastal waters.
Also known as ocean pout. Gadus luscus.

717

poutine
French Canadian snack of french fries, cheese and gravy.
Powan
Type of whitefish.
Powidl
Austrian name for prune butter, also known as lekvar in the US.
praakes
Jewish cooking, an other name for stuffed cabbage.
Prahoc
Condiment fish paste from Cambodia. The fish is salted, air dried and fermented.
prairie chicken
Slang name for grouse.
prairie oyster
Cocktail consisting of an unbroken egg yolk, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar and pepper, a cure
for hangovers.
praline
Mixture of equal amounts caramel sugar and sliced almonds. The almonds are added when the
sugar is light brown and liquid, and toasted briefly. The praline is poured on an oiled marble slab to chill
quickly. It can be ground when cold, and must be stored in a dry place. Praline paste is commercially
available.
Praline is an ingredients in dessert preparation.
pralines
French term for fine candies named after Gabriel de Choiseul, Duke of Praslin 1712 to 1785.
The European name for filled chocolates, also called bonbon.
Prato
Gouda type cheese made in Brazil. The Portuguese name is Queijo Prato.
Prattigau
Cheese resembling Limburger made originally in the Prattigau Valley in Switzerland, but is also
made in France.
prawn
Salt water crustacean resembling shrimp. There is much confusion about the name. In England,
the term Dublin Prawn is applied to a salt water crayfish, called Scampi in the Mediterranean.
In the US, the term prawn is often used for shrimp, especially large shrimp. There is a slight
difference between shrimp and prawns, but it is not defined.
pr-sal.
French term for salt meadow, and in extension, for lamb raised on Atlantic Coast meadows. The
salty ocean air is transferred to the grass the lamb feed on, and makes the meat especially delicious.
prebuggiun
Italian herb mixture containing black salsifis leaves.

718

Preiselbeeren
German word for small, red acidic berries with high tannin content growing on Alpine meadows.
Related to cranberries, but with more intense flavor. The English name is lingonberries. Available canned
imported form Scandinavia. The berries are very tart and are always boiled with sugar.
Preiselbeeren are served with game dishes or desserts, especially pancakes.
Premier cru
French wine term for first growth wines in Bordeaux and Chablis.
preserves
Generic term for any kind of canned or bottled food but the word is used today mostly for fruit
pieces or whole berries boiled with sugar. Another name for jam.
pressure cooking
Cooking with higher temperature because water under pressure will get considerable hotter than
212 degrees. It takes place in a heavy sealed pot equipped with a pressure valve and a safety valve. It
is used in homes to reduce cooking time of legumes, potatoes ans though meat.
Prestst
Swedish cheese, also called Saaland Pfarr.
pretzel
Baked bread twisted into a loose knot. The origin of the pretzel goes back into antiquity, and
pretzels were popular in Germanic countries for centuries. Pretzels are available as soft and as hard
pretzels.
Hard pretzels are often poached in water containing lye before baking. Pretzels are available in
many shapes and sizes, and are usually covered with coarse salt.
Soft pretzels are sold by street vendors in Eastern cities, and eaten with yellow mustard in Philadelphia.
The German word is Bretzel.
prickley pear
The fruit of a cactus studded with fine needles. The flesh is sweet, pink and the small seeds are
edible. See cactus.
Also known as Barbary fig, Indian fig, cactus pear, Sabra.
Prieur Lichine, Chteau
Small wine estate in Cantenac-Margaux area of Bordeaux, France. The late owner, Alexis
Lichine became a wine writer and was quite popular in the US. See there.
prik
Thai small hot chilies. Not native to Thailand but brought there from South America by
Portuguese missionaries in the 17th century.
Primativo
Italian red wine from the very south of Itlay, harvested early in the season and drunk young.
primeurs
French term for the first vegetables and fruits on the market.
primrose
Flowers that can be candied, pickled in vinegar or used in salads.
Primula vulgaris - English primrose.
Primula sinensis - Chinese primrose.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

719

printanier
French menu term for spring like.
printanire.

Dishes garnished with young vegetables are called la

Process cheese
Cheese that has been grated or ground, blended with other ingredients and melted. In order to
have conformity in flavor and texture, different cheeses are used in the blend. The cheese blend is
pasteurized in the process. The most common processed cheese is made with cheddars, but Swiss
Cheese is also used.
The process goes back to the late 19th century, when processed cheese and canned cheese
was developed in Switzerland and Germany. European processed cheese is often package in portion
size, foil wrapped triangles.
Processed Cheese Food most contain at least 51% cheese, the rest can be dairy derived
additives.
profiteroles
French term for cream puffs. Profiteroles are made with puff paste, baked and filled with pastry
cream or whipped cream. Some versions are iced with sugar, other are filled with ice cream.
Profiteroles can also be filled with non sweet creams and pastes. Very tiny profiteroles are often
served as soup garnish. The creation of profiteroles is credited to the French Chef Taillevent.
progressive dinner
Meal during which the diners go to different houses for each course. It is often a neighborly
affair, organized by church groups.
Prohibition
Era from 1920 to 1933 during which no beverages containing more than 1/2% alcohol could be
manufactured, transported or sold in the US. The prohibition grew out of lobbying efforts by Temperance
organizations.
It was repealed in 1933.
prohibition cocktails
Although alcoholic drinks could not be legally served, prohibition sparked the creation of a
number of bizarre drinks.
Goldfish cocktail consisting of Goldwasser, gin and Vermouth.
Zani Zasa consisting of gin, apricot brandy, egg white, lemon juice and grenadine.
pronghorn
Game animal in the antelope family.
proof
Term to describe the percentage of alcohol in a liquid. It always represents double the amount of
the alcohol present. 80 proof means that the liquid contains 40% alcohol.
The term proof is
usually applied to beverages containing more than 25% alcohol, below this level the alcohol is expressed
in percentages.
propyl gallate
Antioxidant used in food manufacturing.
prosciutto
Italian generic word for ham. Outside Italy, prosciutto normally refers to air dried ham from the
region of Emilio Romaga. The center of production is around the city Parma. Air dried prosciutto is
available in the US imported from Italy, but also from domestic packers.
Prosciutto di Carpagna is from the southern fringes of the Emilio Romaga region.

720

Provatura
Southern Italian plastic cured pasta filata cheese. It resembles Mozzarella when fresh, and
Caciocavallo when aged.
provenal, la
French culinary term for dishes containing garlic, and sometimes tomatoes. The term is derived
from the Provence area in south center France with Mediterranean climate and famous for herbs and
aromatic flowers used in perfume production.
Providence
French cheese originally made in the monastery of Bricquebec in France. The cheese resembles
Port du Salut.
Provole
Italian fresh, plastic cured cheese made with buffalo milk.
Provolone
Italian plastic cured cheese from the region of Campania now made in many countries. Typically,
Provolone is pear shaped, and can weigh from a few pounds to 200 pounds. The cheese is often seen in
stores hanging from rafters. Provolone is also shaped like a large sausage, and is appropriately called
Salami.
Provolone is often smoked. The cheese becomes sharper with age and can taste like sheep milk
cheese, although it is normally made with cow=s milk.
Prunandise(s)
French prune-nut candy from the Southwest corner of France, a famous specialty.
prune d'Ente, also called pruneau d'Agen
French plume variety much esteemed in Southwest France along the Lot River, named after the
port on the Garonne river, where most fruit was shipped. The prunes are the pride of the land.
The prunes are also manufactured into four convection varieties: plain, dusted with sugar, stuffed
with marzipan (almond paste) and preserved in Armagnac brandy.
prune
Dried plum. The most common varieties dried are Italian plum and the French Agen. Prunes are
available canned and as prune juice. See plum.
The term is also used for any plum suitable for drying.
Prunelle, Crme de
Sweet liqueur flavored with blackthorn plum.
psari
Greek generic term for fish.
ptarmigan
Game bird in the grouse family from the Arctic region.
Lagopus lagopus.
puchero
Spanish meat stew or thick soup.
Also known as olla podrida, cocido.
pudding
Term applied to many different desserts without any obvious relationship. The word is probably
derived form the French word boudin which is food cooked in a skin, such as a sausage.

721

Old English puddings were made with dried fruits and beef suet, rolled in parchment paper and
steamed. About the only pudding of this genre still served today in Plum Pudding. See there.
Other puddings are basically sweetened cereals, such as corn meal, rice or semolina. Bread
pudding is made by baking bread slices in a sweet custard.
Pudding is often a cold dessert, made from milk thickened with tapioca or corn starch, and
flavored with spices such as vanilla, or with chocolate.
pueblo bread
Yeast bread in the shapes of animals or celestial objects, baked by the Indians of the South
West.
puff pastry
Basic pastry dough consisting of equal amounts of flour and butter by weight. Most of the flour is
blended with water to a pliable dough, the butter is blended with the remaining flour. The flour dough and
butter are worked into thin layers by rolling and folding a number of times. The dough will rise on
account of the steam generated by the butter folded into the dough, and baked items will be flaky. The
preparation is time consuming, requiring skill and a cool room. Puff pastry dough is available frozen
commercially and also in selected gourmet stores.
Puff pastry dough contains no sugar. When it is used in desserts, icings and fillings provide
sweetness. Common items made with puff pastry dough are Napoleon, patty shells and palm leaf
cookies.
Commercial puff pastry is often made with margarine and other fats rather than butter.
Puff pastry is called mille feuilles in French, Bltterteig in German.
pulassan
Tree fruit from South East Asia resembling lychee.
Puligny Montrachet
Village in Burgundy, France producing esteemed white wines, considered the best dry white
wines from France.
pullet
Young chicken. The term comes from the French word poulet.
pulque
Mexican alcoholic beverage made from the sap of the maguey or century plant, and fortified with
acacia root. The white, viscous beverage played a role in Aztec religion, and was consumed and
venerated in connection with the rabbit theology.
Distilled pulque becomes Tequila.
pulses
Generic name for dried legumes such as beans, peas and others.
Pultost
Norwegian cheese made with sour milk.
Pumpernickel
Dark bread of German origin made with rye flour and colored with molasses. It is darker and
sweeter than the German Schwarzbrot.
pumpkin
Large squash, technically a fruit, cultivated in Europe since antiquity and in Mexico since about
5000 years. Pumpkin is used primarily as pie filling during fall and winter and made into soup. Canned
pumpkin puree eases preparation considerably. To process fresh pumpkin the pieces must be cut in
chunks and steamed, boiled and baked, the flesh scraped out and pureed.

722

Pumpkin dishes are traditionally flavored with allspice, mace, cinnamon, cloves, ginger or
nutmeg.
Varieties include calabaza and winter squash.
Pumpkin seeds are available roasted and are eaten as snacks. Cucurbita pepo.
pumpkin seed oil
Thick, brown to green oil with slightly smoky taste. The major producer is the province Styria in
Austria. The oil is expensive and should be used as flavoring oil in salads or on grilled foods.
punch
Beverage with various blended ingredients. The typical punch contains citrus juices, sparkling
water, sugar, wine or a distilled beverage, and herbs, spices and fruits.
The name is Hindu meaning five, and refers to the five ingredients needed to make punch. It was
originally made with arrack, a brandy distilled from the fermented sap of the toddy palms or molasses in
Indonesia.
Planters punch is the made with rum and citrus juices.
Punt e Mes
Brand name for a vermouth type beverage. As legend goes, a 19th century stockbroker was
trying to order a drink when, thinking about the business of the day, he distractedly called out "punt e
mes". The bartender brought him the lightly sweetened vermouth and bitters that the customer was fond
of and the drink was thus named. Literally translated " a point and a half".
puntillitas
Spanish tiny whole squid. Popular as a tapas in Andalusia.
pupu
Hawaiian term for appetizers and snacks. A pupu was featured on Trader Vic=s menus.
puris
Indian deep fried breads.
purslane
Flowers with thick, fleshy stems, which are edible. The leaves are sometimes used in a salad or
pickled.
Also known as portulaca.
Portulaca oleracea.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
puttonoys
Baskets or hoppers used for grape picking in the Tokay region of Hungary. When a sweet wine
called Aszu is produced, the number of patens used is indicated on the label. More puttonoys means
sweeter and richer wine, 5 being the highest.
Qoorma
Pakistan mutton stew.
Quacheq
Cheese from Macedonia and Greece made with ewe's milk.
Quady, Andrew
California wine maker, based in the San Joaquin Valley. He has made his name with fortified
dessert wines, such as Port, and the proprietary wines Elysium and Essencia.

723

quagliette
Italian word for quail.
Quagliette di vitello. Italian, rolled and stuffed veal cutlets. Literally translated little veal quails.
quahog
Large hard shell clams, harvested off the coast of New England, especially off the coast of Rhode
Island, and off Long Island. They can be tough, but are good in chowder or minced into clam cakes.
In parts of New England, quahog refers to any hard shell clam. Elsewhere, especially in Long
Island, it refers to only to very large clams. Smaller clams are called Cherrystones and still smaller are
Little Necks.
Also known as Venus clams.
Venus mercenaria.
quail
Small migratory game birds found in one variety or another throughout the world. A quail weighs
less than pound. The quail in North America are known under a number of names. The most common
quail is called bobwhite quail in the North and partridge in the South.
The European quail is a different species, and tastes more gamy than the American quail.
Coturnix coturnix.
Most quail commercially available are farm raised. They taste like chicken dark meat. Wild quail
have darker, drier, gamier meat.
Quail are low in fat and care must be taken in cooking them so they don't become too dry.
QUAIL VARIETIES IN NORTH AMERICA ARE:
Bobwhite, also called blue quail
Canadian quail
Gambels quail
Japanese quail
Montezuma quail
Pharaoh quail
Colinus spp.
Wachtel in German, caille in French, quagliette in Italian, cordorniz in Spanish.
quaking custard
New England soft custard made with whipped egg whites.
Qualittswein (Qualitaetswein)
German wine term for quality wine. It was permitted for wine made with additional sugar to
increase the alcohol level in rainy years.
Qualittswein mit Prdikat is the designation of the highest quality of German wines. The label
always carries an additional designation such as:
Kabinett
Sptlese
Auslese
Beerenauslese
Trockenbeerenauslese
These wine must be made without added sugar.
Quark
German generic word for cottage cheese. Quark is made with both the whey and the curd, and
the whey proteins add nutritional value. American cottage cheese includes a lactic culture that is not
present in quark, so there is a difference in flavor. The product closest to quark is farmer cheese.
quart
Liquid measurement, one fourth of a gallon or 0.946 liters.
Quartirolo

724

Italian cheese made in Lombardy in autumn. See Stracchino or Milano.

quasi de veau
French term for a veal muscle where the loin joins the leg.
quatre pices
French spice mixture consisting of ground white pepper, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.
Commercial mixtures often consist of more than 4 spices, normally pepper, nutmeg, paprika,
cloves, bay leaf, thyme, marjoram and basil.
quatre-quatre
French/Breton version of pound cake.
Quebec cooking
Hearty cooking influenced by the French settlers, the harsh climate and the catholic church which
declared at one time 165 days of abstinence from meat. Fortunately there is an abundance of seafood
which became a staple.
Other local products are maple syrup, game, cranberries, blueberries and wild herbs.
TYPICAL DISHES TODAY ARE:
Cretons - pts
Fves au lard - baked beans
Poutines -french fries with gravy and Cheddar sauce
Ragot de boulettes - meatball stew
Soup aux pois - yellow pea soup
Tarte au sucre -maple syrup pie.
Tourtire - pork pie.
Queensland nuts
See macadamia nuts.
queimada
Spanish potent drink made with unaged brandy, called orujo, popular in Galicia.
Quejo de Serra
Portuguese sheep cheese with a soft, oily and rich texture.
quenelles
French term for dumplings. Quenelles were popular in classical French cuisine and appeared in
various shapes and sizes, ranging from tiny for soup garnishes to large served as appetizers and main
course. Most were meat or fish based, often containing a starchy binder called panade.
A famous dish was quenelles de brochet (pike dumplings), and their fluffiness was a benchmark
for the quality of the cuisine.
In German, quenelles are called Klsse, Nocken or Nockerln. Gnocchi is the Italian word for
quenelles.
quenepa
Small, green-skinned fruit, with big slippery seeds. Grown in Puerto Rico and the West Indies.
Also known as mammoncillo.
queso
Spanish word for cheese.
queso aejo
Mexican cheese. Translated it means aged cheese. Dry, crumbly cheese served with enchiladas
and other dishes. When covered with chili powder it is called Queso Enchilado.

725

queso blanco
Spanish/Hispanic generic name for many varieties of cheeses; the most common cheese in
Hispanic countries. It is a cow's milk cheese, and is often served fresh, or with little age.
queso de bola
Mexican cheese in the shape of a small ball. It resembles Edam (see there) cheese.
queso de cavallo
Venezuelan cheese in pear shape. The name means Horse Cheese, but it is made with cow's
milk.
queso de crema
Hispanic name for Cream Cheese. It is made in many countries in South America, and marketed
under local names.
queso de Cincho
Cheese form Venezuela made with sour milk.
Also known as Queso de Palma Metida.
queso de hoja
Cheese made in Puerto Rico. The cheese, when cut, resembles layers of leaves piled on each
other, therefore the name Leaf Cheese.
queso del pais
Spanish name for country or native cheese.
queso de prensa
An other name for Queso Blanco.
queso de puna
Fresh cheese, resembling pressed cottage cheese, made in Puerto Rico.
queso fresco
Generic Spanish name for fresh cheese, or pot cheese.
Quetsch
Alsatian word for plums and for a plum brandy.
queue de boeuf
French word for ox tail.
quiche
Tart filled with unsweetened egg custard. The most popular quiche is Quiche Lorraine, originating
in the French Province Alsace Lorraine. This quiche is flavored with cooked onions, bacon, chives and
Gruyre cheese.
Many other quiche varieties have been invented, and at the Peacock Alley Restaurant at The
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel different quiche was served every day of the week. For dietary reasons, the rich
egg yolk and cream containing quiche has lost on popularity.
quick bread
Baked good leavened with baking powder, and made with little sugar. The term could be used
for muffins, biscuits and related products.
quiescently frozen
Refers to commercial products frozen without being stirred. Ice cream needs to be frozen to stir
in air while it is being frozen, so it cannot be quiescently frozen.

726

Quilcene
Oyster harvested in the Quilcene Bay off the coast of Washington state.
quince
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Acidic tree fruit native to western Asia, around Iran and

Iraq, where it still grows wild. It is now cultivated in temperate
climates.
Quince is related to the apple and pear, but is most
often used in preserves rather than eaten out of hand. The fruit
resembles a large yellow pear, or sometimes an apple, but the
skin is covered with a furry down, which must be rubbed off
before cutting or peeling. The seeds are grouped in the center
like an apple. It has a hard, grainy flesh and is too tough to eat
raw, but it is prized for its delicate flavor when cooked. It turns
an attractive deep pink when cooked. Naturally rich in pectin,
quince makes a good jelly.
The word marmalade probably comes from the Portuguese word
marmela for quince. The word from Latin meli (honey) and
melon (apple). The original marmalade was made from quince
with honey.
Qunce are in season mid-autumn. They can be bought unripe and allowed to ripen in a sunny place.
Quince paste is made from pureed quince and sugar. It is firm to be cut into slices.
Quitten in German; membrillo in Spanish, cotogna in Italian, coing in French. Cydonia vulgaris.
Quincy
Wine growing area along the central Loire River in France. Along with its neighbor Reuilly, it
produces pleasant light white wines.
quinine
Alkaloid product from the bark of the cinchona trees. It has a bitter taste and was blended with
sweet wine and sugar to make it more palatable. Eventually apritif wines such as Dubonnet, Saint
Raphael and Byrrh were developed with quinine flavor.
Quinquina is the generic term for these types of apritif wines.
quinoa
Staple grain of the Incas, drought and frost resistant, cultivated since at least 3000 BC. The
ancient Incas called it the mother grain. Quinoa is of the chenopodium family which makes it technically
a fruit rather than a grain, although it is considered a grain.
When the Spanish conquered the Incas, they adopted some their foods such as potatoes and corn, but
they overlooked this important grain.
The tiny, disk-shaped seed, similar to millet in appearance, has a light, subtle nutty flavor. It
contains more protein than rice and a balance of amino acids, rich in calcium and iron, high in fiber, low in
sodium, high in oil but with no cholesterol. It has a chewy texture with a hint of crunchiness which comes
from the narrow band about its periphery which separates from the seed during cooking. When cooked, it
quadruples in size.
Most commonly ivory in color though it may also be white, pink, orange and even red, purple, or
black. An annual plant that grows 3 to 6 feet high. When harvested, the seeds are covered with saponin,
a resin-like, bitter substance which must be removed by washing the quinoa in alkaline water. The seeds
are prepared like rice or made into flour for bread. In the Andes, the leaves are used as a vegetable or for
animal feed, the stalks burned for fuel, the saponin-filled wash water used as a shampoo.
Quinoa is cultivated in Colorado and is also considered for cultivation in arid Third World
countries such as Ethiopia.

727

Also known as goosefoot, and in Japan as hie.

Chenopodium quinoa.

728

quinta
Spanish, Portuguese word for farm. The word is often found on Port labels referring to a
particular vineyard.
quillquia (quillquina)
Culinary and medicinal plant from the Andes. The leaves are used to flavor rice and salsas.
Also known as killi in Bolivia.
Porophyllum ruderale.
quisquilla
Spanish/Galician tiny shrimp which is eaten shell and all.
Quitten
German term for quince. Quittenpaste is a popular Christmas treat.
R.D.A.
Abbreviation for Recommended Dietary Allowance needed to maintain good health. It generally
varies slightly by age and sex. It differs from U.S.R.D.A., the United States Recommended Daily
Allowance, which refers to the minimum amount of the nutrient needed by people over 4 years of age.
Rabacal
Portuguese cheese made in the vicinity of Coimbra. The cheese is flat and rather firm.
rabbit
Small mammal found wild and domesticated in the US. Rabbit meat is available frozen but is not
popular although it resembles chicken in color and taste. Rabbits are often considered pets, and some
people would not eat rabbit meat for this reason.
Rabbit was considered the poor man's meat in Europe, because rabbits would feed on vegetable
scraps and grow very fast. They are popular in French cooking and are often served with white wine or
mustard sauce. In England rabbits are served with prunes and currant jelly, in Germany roasted.
American chefs have put rabbit dishes on the menu, but they have never become a success with
American diners, despite the fact that rabbit meat is lean and healthy.
Rabbits are related to the hare, a wild animal with dark meat. The gamy meat of hare is
completely different from rabbit meat.
Hare is prepared in Germany as a rich stew called Hasenpfeffer. For some reason the name has
caught on erroneously in the US for any kind of rabbit stew.
Lapin in French, coniglio in Italian, Kaninchen in German, conejo in Spanish.
rabbit fishes
Warm water ocean food fish with a venomous spine and lean crumbly flesh.
Also known as cordonnier brisant, ratfish, spine foot, puffer.
Rabelais, Franois
French writer, monk and physician, 1495 to 1553. He wrote enthusiastically about wine, and is
still quoted.
Rabigato
Portuguese white wine grape.
rble de lievre
French term for the back and legs of hare.
rabo
Spanish term for tail. Rabo de Toro is a bulls tail, often stewed in a wine sauce. Especially
popular in the Andalusian region

729

Raboso
Italian red wine grape variety of high tannin and acids content. It is useful as blending wine. The
wine is cultivated in Treviso, north of Venice.
racahout
Beverage slurry of Arabian origin made with aromatic herbs, sugar and homey and a starch such
as tapioca, arrowroot or other starches.
Also known as racahout des Arabes.
raccoon
Animal hunted, but seldom eaten. The omnivorous, nocturnal animal has dark and stringy meat.
Rackhouse
Structures in which distilled beverages, especially Bourbon whisky, is aged in wooden kegs. In
Kentucky, rackhouses rely on nature for temperature control. Most rackhouses are six to seven stories
heigh, are airy and made of wood. The temperature within the rackhouses can vary dramatically
depending on season and on the height where the barrels are stored. The master distiller decides when
to rotate the barrels and when to bottle the whisky.
rack
Butcher term for rib saddle section, normally applied to lamb, veal, pork and smaller animals.
The Lamb rack is sold wholesale as a double rack and contains eight rib bones. It is referred to in
the Meat Buyers Guide as # 204.
The veal rack is sold wholesale as double rack and contains seven rib bones. It is referred to in
the Meat Buyers Guide as # 306.
The pork rack is sold split, and is referred to as Pork Loin Center Cut, and contains 8 rib bones.
It is identified in the Meat Buyers Guide as # 412.
The frenched rack refers to a split rack with the spine bone removed, and the meat removed
between the ribs.
A Crown Roast of Lamb consists of two or more frenched racks tied together to form a crown.
racking
Wine term for transferring wine from one vat or cask into an other to leave sediments behind, and
to age wine in a different environment. There is always a wine loss of 2% to 3%.
raclette
Swiss dish made of melted cheese. The name comes from the French word racler, to scrape off.
Raclette originated in the Canton Vallais, and is referred to as one of the Swiss national dishes.
A large wheel of Bagnes cheese is cut in half, and the cut side is exposed to heat. As the cheese melts,
it is scraped off on to a plate and eaten while still soft with bread and boiled jacket potatoes, pearl onions,
and gherkins.
Originally, the cheese was melted over an open wood fire, but electric raclette grills are now
used.
The melted cheese has a strong smell and the dish lends itself more to rustic eating in wood
cabins than in elegant dining rooms or in small apartments.
Radener
German skim milk cheese, a hard cheese made in the province of Mecklenburg in northern
Germany.
radicchio
Red lettuce/vegetable, member of the chicory or endive family with deep ruby and white
variegated, round or spear-shaped leaves. The small tightly furled heads range from golf-ball to fist size.
The texture is crunchy, the flavor is strong and somewhat bitter. The vegetable is originally from the
Mediterranean. It starts to grow dark green leaves tinged with red and the leaves turn dark red during
cold winter nights.

730

Radicchio is mostly eaten raw, mixed with other salad greens to cut down on the bitterness, but
it can also be stir-fried or baked or gilled. It is an excellent source of vitamins.
Radicchio keeps well refrigerated, and much is imported from Italy.
Also known as red-leaf chicory.
Cichorium intybus var. foliosum.
radish
One of the oldest cultivated garden roots vegetable which grows rapidly. There are many
varieties, most are eaten raw in salads. Radish sprouts are used in Chinese restaurants as vegetable.
Radishes are normally pungent.
TYPES INCLUDE:
Black radish - usually more pungent than the white radish.
Daikon - long slender white Oriental radish, milder than other varieties. It is also used cooked as
vegetable.
Red radish - the common radish used in salads and as appetizer. The color is water soluble and
when soaked will become pale.
Spanish black radish - long slender black skinned radish.
White radish - famous in Bavaria where it is spiral cut, salted and eaten with beer.
Despite its name, the horseradish is not related to the radish
Raphanus sativus spp.
Radolfzeller
German cheese made around Lake Constance, resembling Mnster. See there.
Ragged Jack
Variety of blue-gray kale which originated in England. Now popular on the West coast of the US.
ragi
Millet variety cultivated widely in Africa.
ragot (ragout)
French term for stew. Technically it is not always a stew, because the ingredients could be
cooked separately and then mixed with a sauce, whereas a stew indicates that the ingredients and sauce
are cooked together.
The term comes from French ragoter, to re-awaken the taste.
Ragusano
Italian/Sicilian cheese, mild and mellow when young, but sharp and used as grating cheese when
aged.
rahat lokum
Turkish rose water scented dessert, also called Turkish delight.
Rahm
German term for cream. It appears frequently on cheese labels.
Rahmkse
German cheese made with cream. The cheese is often soft and buttery, and in some cases
resembles cream cheese.
raie au buerre noir
French/ Belgian fish dish. Ray served with with black (browned) butter and lemon juice. Many
fish dishes in French cooking are served panfried with buerre noir. See there.

731

rail
Large family of game birds of little culinary interest today. Most were hunted in marshes in
Florida. The largest is the Clapper-rail, it weighs plucked and eviscerated only about 3 oz.
Also known as mud hens or water hens.
Rallinae spp.
railway pudding
Old fashioned and simple English jam pudding frequently served on long distance trains.
Also known as Manchester pudding.
rainbow trout
See trout.
Rain Forest Rescue
Effort introduced by the Arbor Day Foundation to preserve wilderness in Mexicos El Triumfo
Biosphere Reserve to help the locals farmers to continue growing coffee in the shade and therefore
preserve the forest rather than grow coffee in full sun after destroying the forest.
Shade grown coffee grows slower and is more expensive. See coffee.
Rainforest Crunch Cookies
Cashew and Brazil nut cookies developed by the Vermont-based Community Products
Organization to earn money for the preservation of the rainforest. The company, established by Ben
Cohen, co-founder of Ben and Jerry's ice cream, donates 40% of the profits to the cause.
Rainforest crunch cookies are baked in Yonkers, New York at the Greyston Bakery, which is run
by Zen Buddhist monks. 60% of their profits go to environmental and peace charities.
Ben & Jerry's produces candy and ice cream under the Rainforest Crunch label as a protest
against the wanton destruction of tropical forests. It is made from nuts harvested in rain forests to
demonstrate non destructive uses of rain forest trees.
A San Francisco company, Dandy Doggie, makes a dog snack with the nuts, and calls it Bowser
Brittle.
Rainier cherries
See cherries.
Rainwater Madeira
Name for very light Madeira wine. See there.
raisin bread
Pound cake in loaf shape studded with raisins. Supposedly created by American writer Henry
Thoreau.
raisin
French term for a concentrated fruit preserve, often made with pears, grape juice and sugar.
raisins
French term for fresh grapes.
raisins
Raisins are dried grapes. They are available seedless, made from seedless grapes, and seeded
grapes, which have their pits removed during processing. The color of raisins can range from golden
yellow to dark brown. Very light raisins are often bleached with sulfur dioxide during processing.
The important varieties for raisin production are Thompson Seedless and Muscat. Currants are
small dark raisins produced mainly in Greece. Sultanas are large light colored raisins. Some of the best
Sultanas come from Smyrna or Izmir, Turkey where they are known as Smyrna raisins.
California is a leading raisin producing state.

732

Raki
Turkish popular licorice flavored alcoholic beverage, normally mixed with water.
Ramadan
A month-long period of fasting in the Islamic religion, the ninth month of the Moslem lunar year,
as the Muslim calendar draws to a close. Ramadan is the month when the Koran was revealed to the
prophet Mohammed.
Ramadan is the month when all Moslems show their respect for the Koran. It is a month of
daylight fasting from sunrise to sunset, and complete abstinence from eating, drinking, smoking and sex.
The faithful fast all day but eat rather heartily in the evening. At dusk, the daily fast is broken, often
communally, with a meal called iftar or evening breakfast. It is started with the maghrib prayer. The
celebrations often last all night, and at daybreak tebbalin drummers walk the streets to remind people to
eat their last meal before the new day starts.
As the fasting month comes to an end, with the first sliver of the new moon in the sky, the festival
of fast breaking begins with the following daybreak.
Because of the diversity of the Muslim cultures, there are no universal symbolic foods, except for
the dates eaten to break the fast.
The traditional food eaten varies from country to country. In Turkey and Iran, the fast is broken
with blessed water, in Morocco with Harira soup and in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt with a sweet drink
called sharab gamar el din, made with dried apricots and water.
Dates are the traditional foods eaten to break the fast in most countries.
Some cultures, such as the Muslims in Singapore, celebrate the end of Ramadan with the feast
of Hari Raya Puasa
Ramadou
French ewes milk cheese.
rambutan
Tropical fruit from a tree of the same family as the lychee. A small fruit, growing in clusters, its
bright red hairy skin pulls apart easily to reveal juicy white flesh, which resembles lychee in both
appearance and taste. The color darkens with age. The lychee-like white pulp is sold fresh and canned.
Also known as hairy fruit, referring to its appearance. The word rambutan means hairy in
Malayan.
Ngor in Thai.
Nephelium lappaceum.
ramen
Chinese term for noodles. Ramen has become a generic word for a packaged noodle soup
product.
ramequin(s)
French culinary term with two meanings:
1. Small, individual, oven-proof china cups with straight edges. They are used for dishes baked
or cooked and served in their container, such as souffles, poached eggs and many others. The term is
used for the container as well as for the dish itself. The US term is souffle cups or ramekin.
2. Small cream puffs, made with puff paste, usually flavored with grated cheese.
Also known as ramekin.
Ramisco
Portuguese red wine grape variety used in Portugals most famous Colares wines.
Ramos gin fizz
Cocktail consisting of gin, lemon, juice, sugar, egg whites, orange flower water, cream and
shaken together vigorously. The drink originated in New Orleans, where it is still the most popular
cocktail. It was concocted in the 1880's by Henry Ramos, owner of Ramos Imperial Cabinet Bar and
Saloon.

733

ramps
Wild leeks, a native American member of the onion family. Ramps grow wild in Eastern US,
particularly in the Appalachians of West Virginia and Tennessee. They grow as far north as Canada, as
far west as Minnesota, and as far south as Georgia.
Ramps can be harvested in the Spring and are popular with foragers. They are found in forests or
soil enriched by decaying leaves. They are the size of scallions, with slender bulbs and broad green
lance-shaped spreading leaves like leeks. Only the leaves show above the soil, but they are easy to find
by their smell. Ramps are the most pungent member of the onion family with strong garlicky smell.
Ramps must be picked before the heat of summer when the leaves become tough and bitter.
Ramps can be eaten raw, cooked or pickled and are often cooked with eggs, with potatoes, or in
soup. The smell permeates the house, especially when they are cooked and the breath when they are
eaten. Before eating, the fibrous roots must be cut away and the plants must be washed clean of the soil.
The thin membrane which coats the bulb should be pulled off and the roots trimmed away.,
They are liked by their aficionados for the same reason they are disliked by their detractors.
Ramp festivals take place in several localities, and most diners gather the ramps themselves.
The largest annual ramp festival is the Richwood, West Virginia "Feast of the Ramson". Two other events
of long standing are an April dinner in Helvetia, West Virginia and the Haywood County Ramp Festival
held the first week in May in Waynesville, North Carolina.
Also known as Ail des bois, or wild garlic, in French speaking Canada.
Allium tricoccum.
rampion
Garden plant with edible leaves used raw in salads and long, slender roots cooked as vegetable.
Rangiport
French cheese, basically the same ad Port Salut. See there.
Rangpur lime
An Indian variety of lime, globular and the size of a small lemon. It is very acidic and used in
cooking.
Citrus limonia.
rape seed oil
The seed and oil of the rape plant are very low in saturated fat even lower than safflower or
sunflower oils, but contains erucic acid. The acid can be removed by processing, and only oil that which
is low in erucic acid can be sold in this country.
See Canola oil.
Brassica napus.
rapini
Alternate name for bitter broccoli, a vegetable, also kpown as broccoli rabe. See there.
rarebit/Welsh rarebit
Cheese dish consisting of cheddar cheese melted with highly seasoned beer. The resulting thick
sauce is served over toast points. The dish was once popular in Night Clubs as a later supper dish.
ras el hanout
Moroccan all purpose spice mixture available in many variations.
rascasse
Mediterranean food fish, a member of the Scorpaenidae family, related to the sculpin found off
the western US coast and red scorpion found off eastern US coast
Racasse is an ingredient of the
authentic bouillabaisse.
Scorpaena scrofa.

734

rasgulla
Bengali dessert. Boiled farmer's cheese balls soaked in rose water and served in a simple sugar
syrup.
rasher
English and Irish term for a bacon strip or thin slice of ham..
Streak bacon rashers are cut from the flank or belly, and collar rashers are cut from the neck.
raspberries
Fruits cultivated on perennial shrubs in temerate climats. The popular, delicate berries vary in
color from red to nearly purple. Golden raspberries can be found in American markets in the Spring.
Raspberries represent the largest berry crop in Washington State. Actually a cluster of tiny fruits or
drupes, each enclosing its own hard, but edible seed.
Raspberries spoil quickly. They are sold in half pint containers and should be handled as little as
possible. They are popular as jam and also as syrup.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Black raspberries
Brandywine
Dewberry - a matte-finish raspberry
Golden raspberries - Also known as cloud berries, developed from the red
raspberry.
Chambord is a liqueur flavored with raspberries
Framboise in French, Himbeeren in German, frambuesas in Spanish, lampone in Italian.
Rubus idaeus.
raspberry vinegar
Vinegar flavored with raspberries, it is made by adding ripe berries to white vinegar and
macerating for a number of days at room temperature. The vinegar is then strained and pasteurized.
rassolnik
Russian beef soup with kidneys and pickled vegetables, such as ogurtsy , which are pickled
cucumbers.
The term comes from the Russian word rassol, meaning brine or pickle
Also spelled rossolnikl or rossolnik.
Rasteau
French fortified sweet white wine made in the lower Rhne Valley.
rata kosong
Indian prata pancake, served plain, with bowls of thin curry gravy or simply sprinkled with sugar.
Literally translated empty prata.
ratafia
Almond-flavored biscuits, topped with custard and whipped cream served as banquet dessert in
England in the 19th century.
ratafia
French generic term for sweet cordials made by macerating in plain brandy kernel of different
fruits, citrus peel or vanilla beans.
These brandies were popular during Victorian times and often home-made.
Ratafia
French apritif wine made in Champagne with brandy and unfermented grape juice.
ratafia biscuits
British term for almond macaroons. See there.

735

ratatouille
French vegetable stew from Provence, made with eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, sweet peppers,
garlic, olive oil and seasonings.
Rathskeller/Ratskeller
Old German term for a distinguished restaurant. The word Rat is best translated as senator, and
Keller is cellar.
rattan
Butterfly shaped purple and white flowers honored in China in many festivals and also baked into
cakes.
Kraunhia floribundia.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions.
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

This entry is not intended to

rattle snake
Poisonous snake hunted for fun or for protection, and also eaten.
Rausan Sgla, Chteau
Famous wine estate in the Margaux region of Bordeaux, France.
Ravat
Wine grape, a cross between American and vinifera grapes. The grapes produce red and white
wines, and are grown in the US and in France.
Ravello
Charming Italian wine village near Naples. the wines produced there are not remarkable, but are
pleasant.
ravier
French term for oval or rectangular glass or china dishes. They are used for serving cold hors
doeuvres, salads, antipasto and related items.
Raviggiolo
Italian soft, sweet cheese made in Tuscany.
ravigot sauce
French term for two sauces, one served hot and one cold.
Cold sauce is a spicy herb sauce. Sauce Ravigot is more spicy than Sauce Verte, also a herb
sauce.
Hot sauce ravigote is a velout seasoned with vinegar and white wine and finished with chopped
herbs.
ravioli
Italian filled egg pasta, normally square, and filled with a wide range of fillings. Ravioli had
humble beginnings as an inexpensive pasta dish, but have been discovered by young chef and made
elegant, such as Lobster Ravioli.
The sizes have also changed, from small ravioli used as soup garnish to large ones served one
to a portion as appetizer.
Noodle dough made into pockets and filled are also found in many other cultures and many
different names and shapes.
raw bar
Restaurant term for seafood bars featuring clams, oysters and other seafood usually eaten raw.
However, cooked shrimp and crab claws are normally also included.

736

raw sugar
See sugar.
ray
See skate.
ray gurnard
Ocean food fish, armor plated, also known as sea robin.
An other specie is called red gurnard.
Rayon
Cheese made in the Canton Fribourg, Switzerland. It is a Swiss cheese type, and most is
exported to Italy.
Rayon dOr
White wine grape from the Loir valley in France. The grape is cultivated in California.
Ra ni i
Serbo/Croation meat skewers.
razor clams
Soft shell clams found in the Atlantic coast in New England in the shape of a razor. The clams
are always cooked, either fried or in chowders.
razorback
Pigs raised on peanuts, acorns and corns for the production of Virginia Ham.
RDA, Recommended Daily Allowance
The average daily amount of essential nutrients needed to maintain good health.
re-greening
Natural coloring process which occurs in some citrus fruits. A fruit which has turned yellow or
orange can turn green again after ripening if it is exposed to a lot of sun. This process is common in citrus
such as Cuban oranges, some grapefruits, limes, pomelits, pomelos and others.
Rebelle
Bordeaux merchants's blended wine made with Syrah and Grenache grapes in addition to the
traditional Bordeaux grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Because French wine law does
not permit the use of the Syrah and Grenache in Bordeaux wines, the wines are named Rebelle.
Reblochon
French cheese made in the French Alps for hundreds of years. Reblochon means second
milking in French. The cheese is round, soft with a reddish to brown rind.
Rcamier, Julie (Recamier)
French beauty and author, 1777 to 1849. Her name appeared on classical menus.
rchaud (rechaud)
French for warming oven. The term is also used for a small table size stove.
rchauff(e)
French term for re-heated.
Recioto
Italian sweet red wine made with sun dried grapes in the Valpolicella region near Verona.

737

The wine is occasionally made lightly effervescence.

rcolte (recolte)
French term for harvest, used as verb and as noun.
red bay
Tree growing wild in the Okefenokee swamp with aromatic leaves.
red beans and rice
New Orleans specialty and a staple of the local home cooking. The Louisiana dish might have
originated with African slaves, but the combination of beans and rice is also popular in Latin America.
red beets
See beets.
red bream
Ocean food fish harvested in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The bream group
of fish has many varieties.
Also known as dorade and porgy.
Red cabbage
Cabbage variety, actually dark purple in color. The color is strong and is water soluble. It is
emphasized by the addition of vinegar or other acid.
Delicious raw in salads or braised with apples. See cabbage.
Brassica oleracea, spp.
Red Cheshire
English cows milk cheese colored with annatto. The cheese is crumbly and slightly salty.
red chili
See chili.
red clover blossoms
Plant native to the US, used by the Indians to make a fragrant, medicinal tea to treat coughs.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
red cooking
Chinese cooking method, popular in Shanghai. It involves slow braising of food in a lightly
sweetened soy sauce and wine or vinegar marinade, flavored with star anise and ginger, resulting in
highly enhanced flavor and tenderness of texture
red crab
Deep sea crab, fished off the coast of New England. Under utilized specie. Most harvest is
canned. The whole crab weighs up to two pounds.
red currant.
See currants.
Red Delicious
Popular apple variety, also widely grown in France and Italy. Smooth, dark red skin, sometimes
slightly streaked. Elongated in shape with pointed ribs at the calyx end. The soft, white flesh is juicy and
aromatic at its best, but can be pulpy and flavorless.
See apples.

738

Red flannel hash

Corned beef hash with diced beets. The hash consequently gets red. It might have originated in
the Green Mountains of vermont.
red grained black truffle
Edible mushroom growing wild in England but rarely used. They cannot be compared to the
black truffles from France.
Tuber aestivum.
red gram
Indian name for a variety of pigeon peas.
red eye gravy
Ham gravy popular in Southern US, made with ham drippings.
red herring
Smoked herring, the name refers to the color of their skind after smoking.
Red Hots
Brand of pungent cinnamon candy.
Red Hots
Slang term for hot dogs.
red kidney bean
Bean variety ranging in color from dark red to light brown, popular in Mexican cooking.
Phaseolus vulgaris.
red leaf chicory
Another name for radicchio. See there.
red lentils
Common to Bengali cooking. See lentils.
Also known as Egyptian lentil.
Lens culinaris.
Red Misket
Bulgarian white wine grape.
red mullet
Ocean food fish considered a delicacy. Connoisseurs eat the fish un-gutted.
Also known as goatfish.
Rouget in French.
red pasta
Pasta colored with tomato paste.
red peas
The name for red kidney beans in Jamaica.
red pepper
See chilie peppers and cayenne.

739

red sauce
Slang word for any sauce made with tomatoes. It could refere to a cocktail sauce, a marinara
sauce, a red clam sauce or any other sauce that is red.
red scorpion
Ocean food fish harvested off the eastern US coast. Related to the sculpin found off the coast of
California.
red sea bass
See bass.
red snapper
Important and popular food fish harvested in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. The white flesh
of the red snapper is low in fat and very tasty.
The fish can reach eight pounds, but commercial sizes are between two pounds and five pounds.
Pago rojo in Spanish. Mexican red snapper is huachinango.
red sorrel
See Jamaican sorrel.
red velvet cake
Cake allegedly once popular at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan. Over the years the hotel
received requests for the cake recipe, so the Executive Chef Arno Schmidt and the Pastry Chef Willy Ritz
at the time had to create a recipe to fill the requests. They came up with a pound cake mixture, dyed red,
and covered with a Grenadine frosting. People loved the recipe, the cake was never served.
red, white, and blue picnic
New England, especially Boston tradition served on the Fourth of July. It consists of red salmon,
white potatoes, and blueberry pie.
red wine
Wine made with red, blue and purple grapes. The juice is basically clear the color pigment is
inside the skins. The length of skin contact determines the color of the wine.
Ros wines are red wines which have been fermented with little skin contact. Some ros wines
are blends of red and white wines.
red wine vinegar
Vinegar made with red wine. It should be aged in oak casks. The color basically is the
determining factor how it should be used. The flavor differences between white wine and red wine
vinegar are slight, unless the vinegar is flavored with herbs or spices.
Sherry wine vinegar has a distinct flavor.
red yeast
Granulated Asian yeast used in fermentation.
Redenbacher, Orville
Popcorn brand.
redfish
Ocean food fish low in fat. Commonly eaten through out the US in the late '80's after chef Paul
Prudhomme popularized it as blackened redfish.
redhorse
Fresh water food fish. There are many species with local names.

740

reduce
Cooking term referring to boiling a liquid until it is very concentrated. In French cooking, reducing
sauces play a large part.
The term reduction refers to the reduced stock or pan drippings. It is the base for many sauces.
reduced calorie
Foods so labeled must contain at least a third fewer calories than the standard for that food.
redwood
Wood that can be used for cooperage for aging wines.
California. Most is used in construction and in furniture.

Redwood is harvested in northern

reed bird
Generic title applied to many small birds living in reeds. The best know is the bobolink, a tiny but
fatty fish hunted in the South.
Dolichonyx oryzivorous.
Reeses Peanut Butter Cups
Chocolate peanut butter candy manufactured by the Hershey Company.
Reforme, la
French term for dishes named after the famous private Reform Club in London. The chef Alexis
Soyer is credited with creating the Sauce Reform served with lamb chops.
Refosco
Red wine grape native to the Friuli region.
refrescos
Latin American term for tall thirst-quenching drinks.
Refresco de tamarindo is a Costa Rican drink made with tamarind.
Reggiano
Italian grana type cheese resembling Parmesan.
Reggio Emilia
Area in Northern Italy where most Parmesan cheese is produced.
regional wines
Wines named by the region from they come from without identifying them further. Usually simple
wines, blended from many different wines from that region. For example the terms Burgundy, Bordeaux
or Chablis from France are regional wines.
American bulk wines named after regions, such as Rhine wine, Burgundy and Chablis are named
for style, not for region and often do not even approach the typical style of the region. They are made to
appeal to a wide range of un-discriminating wine drinkers.
Regner
German white wine grape.
Rehoboam
Champagne bottle containing 6 bottles = 4.5 Liter
Reichensteiner.
German white wine grape.

741

Reims
French city famous for its cathedral and as Champagne center. Under the city are miles of
galleries and tunnels used to store champagne.
Also spelled Rheims.
Reine-claude
French term for greengage plums.
reindeer and caribou
Large mammals, some living semi domesticated in arctic countries around the world,
domesticated for their for milk, meat and hide, and as indispensable draft animal. Without reindeer the
northern people could not survive.
The meat of heifers about 3 years old resembles mild venison or beef. Reindeer ham is a
delicacy in Sweden.
Reinetten
German apple varieties.
The term reinette was used originally for apples propagated by grafting.
Reinhartshausen
Famous German castle and wine estates in the Rheingau. The property belonged to the heirs of
the German Emperor.
Rjane, Gabriele, Charlotte 1857 - 1920
Acclaimed French actress whose name appeared on menus.
relev
French menu term, seldom used today. It is used to describe the dish that follows the soup.
relish
Generic name for any kind if spicy and chunky condiment.
remouillage
French term for second stock or refill. After the stock is drained off, the remaining bones often
still contain nutrients and gelatine. In French kitchens, the bones are routinely boiled again with water to
extract flavors and nutrients still left. The resulting stock is inferior, but it still has uses in a kitchen.
Rmoulade (remoulade)
French cold sauce, made with Mayonnaise and chopped capers, gherkins, anchovies and herbs.
removes
Old English term for an entree or main course.
remuage
French wine term for turning and gently shaking champagne bottles to make the yeast settle
against the cork, to be removed later. The process was tedious, and required much experience. It is
done by machine in many places. See champagne.
Also known as riddling.
rendang
Indonesian hot, chili-spiced beef stew, flavored and thickened with coconut milk. The stew was
originally made with tough buffalo meat, and thus it stewed for a long time over a low flame to tenderize it.
Coconut milk is known locally as santan.

742

Rengli, Seppi
A Swiss born chef, equally skilled at classic dishes and innovative cuisine of his own design.
Former Executive Chef at the Four Seasons Restaurant when it was owned by Paul Kovi and Tom
Margittai. One of the chefs who brought spa cuisine out of the spas and into elegant dining rooms in the
1980's.
rennet
Ingredient in cheese making. It is made from rennin and pepsin, inorganic enzymes extracted
from the lining of calfs fourth stomachs, an agent that quickly converts milk into curds and whey.
Kosher cheese must be made with a different curdling agent, because meat products and milk
can never be mixed together. Commercial cheese is therefore not kosher.
rennet custard
The best-known brand is Junket, which was popular in the 1950's
renvers(e) (renverse)
French term for invert, and to take out of the mold. It is sometimes used on menus, such as
Crme renverse.
Repeal
End of prohibition 1933. See Prohibition.
Requeijo
Brazilian soft cheese.
Rserve
French wine term often found on labels without any specific or legal meaning.
reserva
Spanish wine term referring to wines aged a prescribed number of years in oak casks, and then
in bottles.
Gran reserva wine must be aged until the sixth calendar year, of which 24 months must be in
oak.
The rules change depending on locality, type of wine and other factors.
Rserve de l'Admiral
The second label of Chteau Beychevelle.
Rserve de la Comtesse
The second label of Chteau Pichon-Longueville.
Rserve du Gnral
The second label of Chteau Palmer.
restaurants
Eating places open to the public. The name comes from Latin "to restore". The first restaurant
opened in France in 1762. Before that, few people traveled, not only because of primitive methods of
transportation, but also because roads were arduous. The few travelers in pre-restaurant times ate from
charcutiers, rtisseurs, and traiteurs, or stayed in private homes or in monasteries. The catholic church
maintained through centuries places were pilgrims and travelers could stay and eat. In Salzburg, Austria,
the Benedictine monks opened a place to eat in the year 800.
The first private establishment was opened by a boulanger , which means baker in French, but
also could be a proper name, on what is now the Rue du Louvre in Paris, to serve "restoratives" to
travelers and passing pedestrians. Boulanger hung out a sign in Latin stating "Venite ad me omnes qui
stomacho laboratis et ego restaurabo vos." (Come to me, all of you whose stomachs are in distress, and I
will restore you.) Thus, restaurants were born and took their name from part of the quote.

743

Restaurant Associates
Restaurant group which was and still is responsible for many of New York City's best, most
unique, and most enduring restaurants. including the Four Seasons,
as well as the sadly departed La Fonda del Sol and Forum of the Twelve Caesars.
Its founders were the late Joe Baum and Jerry Brody. Well-known employees were Albert
Kumin, Allan Lewis, Chef Albert Stckly.
Not all of its restaurants are white table cloth establishments; it also designed the small Zum Zum
chain of counter top eating places specializing in sausages and soups.
The Four Seasons was sold to entrepreneurs Paul Kovi and Tom Margittai in 1973.
R.A., as the company is referred to operates the restaurants in Rockefeller Center (except the
Rainbow Room), The Metropolitan Opera, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, many employee dining
facilities and also has a substantial catering business. It is owned 2000 by the Compass group.
Restaurateur
Restaurant owner, also the chef in a large kitchen who prepares specialty dishes.
rtesek
Hungarian term for strudels.
Retsina
Greek wine flavored with pine resin. It has been described as smelling like turpentine and an
acquired taste is needed to enjoy it.
Wine casks were pitched with resin in antiquity, and people got used to the taste.
Reuben
Toasted sandwich of pastrami or corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing on
pumpernickel bread.
The sandwich is popular in New York City delicatessens. It is important that the sandwich in
made in the proper sequence. The cheese must be closest to the bread because it should.
Reuilly
A wine growing area along the central Loire River in France. Along with its neighbor Quincy, it
produces pleasant light white wines made with Sauvignon Blanc grapes.
Reunion Vanilla
See Bourbon vanilla.
Rveillon
French term for Christmas dinner served after attending midnight mass. The term is also used
for new years eve dinner.
Reynire, Grimod de la
French author, pen name for Alexandre Balthasar Laurant, 1758 to 1838. Famous gastronomic
works are Almanach des Gourmands and Manuel des Amphytrions.
Rheingau
German name for the wine growing region broadly along the Rhine river where it towns due west
for about 20 miles. The area stretches from Mainz to Rdesheim, and the vineyards are located on the
north shore, facing south.
FAMOUS WINE TOWNS ARE:
BingenWinkel
Eltville
Geisenheim
Hallgarten
Hattenheim

744

Hocheim
Johannisberg
Kiedrich
Martinsthal
Oestrich
Rauenthal
Steinberg
Vollrads.
Almost all wines are white and made with the Riesling grape.
Rheinhessen
German wine region on the Rhine river and beyond from Mainz south to the city Worms.
THE FAMOUS WINE VILLAGES ARE:
Alshheim
Bingen
Bishofsheim
Bodenheim
Dienheim
Gunterblum
Harxheim
Laubenheim
Nackenheim
Nierstein
Oppenheim
The wines are white, and most are made with the Mller Thurgau grapes.
Rheinpfalz
German wine growing area with a history going back to Roman times, known in English as
Palatinate. The German name is a corruption of the word palace, and the English word is based on
Palatine, one of the seven hills of Rome, famous for castles.
Most wines are white, but red wines are also produced, and much wine is rather inexpensive and
sold in large amounts in wine stores and supermarkets. However, there are some excellent Rieslings,
and Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen are much sought after.
FAMOUS TOWNS ARE:
Bad Trkheim
Deidesheim
Forst
Kallstadt
Knigsbach
Leistadt
Ruppertsberg
Wachenheim.
Rhine wine
American generic term used for white wines. The government does not stipulate which grapes
can be used, or where it is made. The wine is often sold as bulk wine in gallon containers.
rhizome
A fleshy root, an underground stem, sometimes consumed as vegetable or seasoning.
rhododendron
Shade loving shrub with large fleshy leaves and beautiful flowers, originally from the island
Rhodes in Greece. It is reported that the flowers can be turned into a jelly.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

745

Rhoditis
Greek white wine grape variety.
Rhne
The Rhne river begins in the Swiss Alps, traverses Lake Constance, and flows through
southeastern France into the Mediterranean. Along the river are famous towns, such as Lyon of culinary
fame, and many wine-growing areas.
The wines grown in Switzerland are white and light, the wines made around Seyssel in France
are made mostly into white sparkling wines, and further south the climate is hotter and drier than
Bordeaux or Burgundy. The wines grown there are referred to as Rhne wines. Most of the wines are
red, but white wines are also made from the Marianne and Roussanne grapes. In addition, the fine rose
wines, Tavel and Lirac, are made in the Rhne valley.
At their best the wines possess elegance and finesse with a delicious fruitiness, but the lesser
ones can be heavy, harsh and tannic
MAJOR RED WINES INCLUDE:
Chteauneuf-du-Pape
Cornas
Cte Rotie
Ctes du Rhne
Crozes-Hermitage
Gigondas
Hermitage
St.-Joseph
St.-Pray.
WHITE WINES ARE:
Condrieu and Chteau Grillet.
GRAPE VARIETIES:
Bourboulenc
Cinsault
Clairette
Counoise
Grenache
Mourvdre
Muscardin
Picardin
Picpoul
Roussanne
Syrah
Terret Noir
Vaccarese
Viognier.
Rhne Rangers
Group of California wine makers who foster the development of wines from the traditional grapes
of France's Rhne Valley. The group was founded in 1987 by Steve Edmunds of the Edmunds St. John
Winery in Berkeley and John Buechsenstein of McDowell Valley Vineyards in Mendocino County, and as
of Fall of 1989 had 16 members, including Randall Grahm.
The basic philosophy of the group is that much of California's climate is similar to that of the
Rhne Valley more than France's Bordeaux or Burgundy regions, and the California wine industry is
missing the boat on the Rhne grapes.
Rhne valley food
The city Lyon is considered the gastronomic capital of France.

746

rhubarb
Perennial plant native to Tibet with strong taste from oxalic acid. The stalks are cooked with
sugar to make them edible. The plant is poisonous, only the stalk are totally safe to eat.
Rhubarb is technically a vegetable, but classified as a fruit by the US Customs Service since
1947. It is an important distinction as the import duty is lower on fruit than on vegetables.
It is said to have been first brought to the US from England, by Benjamin Franklin in 1770. It
became quickly popular as pie filling, especially with the Pennsylvania Dutch. Rhubarb roots need
chilling temperatures. It is widely grown throughout the northern US. Major producing regions are the
Washington's Puyallup Valley, Utica Michigan, Oregon, northern California, and New York State.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Chipman's Canada Red - deep red variety, inside and out.
Red Right Through - espite its name, it is red outside but green inside.
Valentine - deep red variety, inside and out.
Also referred to as "pie plant" by the early American colonists.
Guatemala rhubarb, Jatropha Podagrica, is totally poisonous and not edible; it is irritating even to
the skin.
Rheum rhaponticum, rheum officinale.
rhum
French term for rum.
Ribeauvill
Famous wine village in Alsace, France.
Ribeiro
White wine of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. it is traditionally served in white ceramic cunca cups
Ribera del Duero
Wine growing region, along the both sides of the Duero river (known as the Duoro in Portugal) in
northern Spain often discussed in partnership with its neighboring region, Rueda. Ribera del Duero was
designated an official region only in 1982.
Ribera del Duero produces a range of wines from the lush, velvety, full-bodied, balanced red
wines, of the western part of the region to the lighter more elegant wines mostly from a single grape
variety in the eastern part of the region.
The wines are mostly from the Tempranillo grape, which is sometimes blended with the
Garnacha and/or Albillo. Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Merlot are also grown, but these are
permitted by wine law only where they are already established.
The region produces some of Spain's finest and most expensive wines, including Vega Sicilia
and Pesquera. The region has the microclimate and chalky soil ideal for vineyards. There the
Tempranillo grape ripens fully to make an especially intense, high alcohol wine.
Ribier
A variety of table grape.
Ribisel
Austrian term for currants.
Johannisbeeren.

Rote Ribisel are red currants. The German word is Rote

Ribiseltorte
Austrian/Viennese red currant torte with a streusel topping.
Riboflavin
Vitamin B, it helps the body to release oxygen.
Also known as vitamin B - 2.

747

Ribolla Gialla
Italian white wine grape of ancien history. Its origin can be traced to Greece. The wine is grown
in Northern Italy, but also under slightly different names in Slovania.
Ribolla gialla is also a red wine grape from the Friuli region of Italy. Decimated when phylloxera
hit Italy in about 1921, these vines were rarely replanted.
ribollita
Italian/Tuscan specialty. Literally translated reboiled, it is a very thick minestrone-like soup of
beans, cabbage, and other vegetables and thickened with bread.
Ribston Pippin
Apple variety, it was introduced in 1704 in Yorkshire, England. probably the forerunner of the
delicious Cox's Orange Pippin.
ribs
Term for meat and surrounding bones from the breast cage and abdomen. The Meat Buyers
Guide recognizes following cuts:
Beef Short Ribs Meat Buyers Guide # 123
Beef Short Blade Ribs Meat Buyers Guide # 123A
Beef Short Ribs trimmed Meat Buyers Guide # 123B
Beef Short Ribs Meat Buyers Guide # 123C
Beef Back Ribs Meat Buyers Guide # 124
Lamb Ribs Denver Style Meat Buyers Guide # 209A
Veal Ribs are called Veal Breast Meat Buyers Guide # 314
Pork Spareribs Meat Buyers Guide # 416
Pork Spareribs St. Louis Style Meat Buyers Guide # 416A
Pork Spareribs, Breast Bones Meat Buyers Guide # 416B
Pork Loin Back Ribs Meat Buyers Guide # 422
Pork Loin Country Style Ribs Meat Buyers Guide # 423
rib eye
Butcher term for the boneless beef rib, referred to Meat Buyers Guide # 112.
Ricard
French brand name for a popular licorice flavored liqueur, the descendent of absinthe. Ricard is
amber-colored, and it turns opaque when mixed with water. It is 90 proof and has an intense licorice
taste.
Other popular brands similar to Ricard are Pernod and the American Herbsaint.
rice
The cereal grain originated in India and Indonesia and is used as human food since about 7000
years. It has been cultivated since 5000 years. More than one billion people in the world are involved in
growing rice, more than any other agricultural crop. It is the most important crop in Burma and featured in
its flag. Cultivation eventually spread over the rest of Asia, parts of Europe and in the 1600 hundredths's
to the new world.
Rice has been grown in the United States since Colonial times, and in 1775 exported 66 million
tons. In the US rice was first grown in Charleston and eventually in the Southern States East of the
Mississippi.
Rice is a symbol of fecundity. In Hindu marriage ceremonies, as well as in Western cultures, the
couple is showered with rice at the wedding.
The United States are one of the top ten producers of rice and most rice grown in the US is
exported The long grain varieties are grown in Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, the medium
and short grain varieties are grown in California.
Rice field are flooded to suppress weeds and to support the fragile stems during the growing
season. The fields must be drained for harvest.

748

Non sticky rice varieties such as Basmati and Southern Long Grain have high levels of amylose
starch and cook dryer.
There are obviously many varieties.
TYPES OF RICE INCLUDE:
Ambemohor - Indian rice packed in mango blossoms to absorb the scent.
American Long Grain - originally cultivated in South Carolina but now produced in
Arkansas, Texas and Louisinana.
Arborio - short-grained, polished Italian rice, translucent with an opaque center. It is most
commonly used to make risotto.
Basmati - long, slender grained Indian rice, prized for its fragrant aromatic qualities.The name
literally means "queen of fragrance" and the rice has a delicate nutty aroma and flavor. Its firm texture,
lets it keep its shape when cooked. Usually it is white, though it can be brown if the outer layer of bran
has not been removed. High in protein and low in cholesterol and low in calories.
Brown rice - not one single variety of rice but rather rice which still has the outer layer of highfiber bran. It will take longer to cook.
Calrose - the trade name for a California grown medium - grain rice.
Carnaroli - short-grained, polished Italian rice, similar to Arborio but slightly faster-cooking. Like
Arborio, it is most prized for making risotto.
Carolina Gold - long grain hulled and polished rice, grown in many parts of the world and very
popular. A South Carolina law states that only enriched rice can be sold. The reason for this law is that
when rice is polished the processing strips many nutrients, which must be put back in. The law neglected
to account for unpolished rice that retains its nutrients in the first place.
Converted rice - trade name of Uncle Ben, part of the Mars Candy Company. The rice is precooked before milling to improve nutrition and lengthen shelf life. The process goes back to India.
Flaked rice - rice processed through rollers.
Glutinous rice - also called sticky rice, is misnamed because it has no gluten. The
rice will
stick together when cooked and can be eaten easily with chop sticks. The white glutinous rice is used in
Oriental cooking, including sushi.
Gobindavog - very small rice from Bangladesh.
Jasmin - Indian rice with delicate aroma.
Jiresal - Indian rice in the shape of cumin seeds.
Khao hom mali - flavorful Thai Jasmine long grain rice, prized for its delicious taste.
Maratelli - Italian rice, prized for making risotto. Not generally available in America.
Minute rice - fully cooked dehydrated rice, also called instant rice. The product is constituted by
adding boiling water. It generally lacks flavor and texture.
Mochigome - super sticky rice, it is often used in food manufacturing.
Patna - important city on the Ganges river in India and is a major distribution center for rice. The
name became a trade mark for rice in Europe.
Pearl Rice - short grain rice grown in California and suitable for risotto.
Pecan/Wild pecan - fluffy brown rice.
Popcorn rice/Louisiana popcorn rice - developed by Louisiana Agriculture Station, it has a
popcorn-like aroma when cooked.
Short grain - the grains swell and absorb much liquid. The rice is often used for desserts.
Texmati - brand name for specially grown rice, large kernels and off-white color.
Vialone/Vialone Nono - short-grained, egg-shaped, polished Italian rice which, like
Arborio,
is most prized for making risotto. Not generally available in America.
Valencia - Spanish rice most often used for paella. See there.
White rice - polished pearl rice, milled to remove the husk and bran.
Wild rice - not actually a rice, but a grass seed. See there.
Beverages made from rice are sake, mirin.
Flavored Rice Mixes are available as Long Grain and Wild Rice Blends
Riz in French, arroz in Spanish, Reis in German, riso in Italian, plural risi.
Oryza sativa, spp.
Rice-a-Roni
Brand name for a rice and pasta mix first marketed by Vincent de Domenico in 1957.

749

rice bean
Small brown elongated beans cultivated in China, India and the Phillippines. They taste like rice.
Phaseolus calcaratus.
rice bran
The outer husk of the rice kernels eaten as dietary supplement.
rice flour
Gluten free flour used as thickening agent and for Asian noodles.
Rice Krispies
Cereal introduced by Kellogg in 1927 as the conversational cereal
crackle, and pop when milk is added.

because it goes snap,

rice noodles
Used in regional Chinese and Singaporean cooking. Cooked rice is mashed and the pulp is
shaped into noodles.
Known as bee hoon in Singapore.
rice paper
Thin, edible sheets made with rice flour and water rolled between heated rollers. The sheets are
brittle when dry, and become pliable when moist. They are used in baking to provide a foundation for soft
cookies such as macaroons.
Rice Pudding
Old fashioned dessert, one a staple in coffee shop, employees cafeterias and hospitals.
It consists of milk and rice cooked slowly together until the rice is very soft, and the mixture is
porridge like in consistency. Rice pudding is normally sweetened with sugar, and often raisins and
cinnamon are added. Rice pudding tastes best when served room temperature, and in some restaurants
it is made fresh every morning, and is never refrigerated.
Rice absorbs a lot of liquid, and the normal recipe calls for 1 qt milk to 1/4 cup of rice. It is
advisable to add a small amount of sugar to the milk to prevent it from scorching. The rest of the sugar is
added after the rice has been cooked, because if all sugar is added at the beginning the kernels are not
able to absorb the liquid and the rice will not get soft.
rice puffed
Rice heated in sealed cylinders until the moisture inside the kernels turns into steam and
explodes, pulverizing the starch. The rice puffs up several times its original size.
rice stick noodles
Thin rice noodles. Chinese rice stick noodles are called py mei fun; Thai rice stick noodles are
called sen mee.
Also known as rice vermicelli.
rice vinegar/rice wine vinegar
Vinegar popular in Japan and China. Some of the best Chinese rice wine vinegar comes from
Shaoxing. It is made with soured fermented rice brew. There is a difference between Chinese and
Japanese vinegar. Japanese vinegar is generally softer and milder than Chinese vinegar.
Japanese rice vinegar is su, flavored vinegar is sushi su. Mirin is a sweet rice wine vinegar blend
for cooking. See there.
rice wine
Fermented cereal beverage technically a beer. Popular in Asia where it is known under many
names.
Japanese rice wine is called sak, see there. Philippine rice wine is called tapuy.

750

ricer
Kitchen tool to puree cooked potatoes, firm vegetables and chestnuts. The food is pressed
through perforated metal plate and emerges as long strings.
Richbourg
One of the greatest vineyards in Burgundy, France. The red wine is sturdy, long lived, and
expensive on account of quality and limited production.
Richelieu
A number of classical French dushes were named Richelieu. There are three famous historical
figueres with this name:
Duke of Richelieu, Cardinal, 1585 to 1642. French politician, head of the French government
under King Louis XIII.
Richelieu, Louis, Franois Armand 1696 - 1788
Armand du Plessis, Duke of Richelieu 1766 - 1822
One of them is quoted as saying: If God forbade drinking would He have made wine so good?
Richensteiner
German white wine grape. Also grown at Ireland's only commercial winery, Coisreal Longueville.
It is a hybrid of Madeline, Anjevine, and Calabreser Frohlic. The Richensteiner is weather hearty, and will
produce in damp, cold, low-light climates.
Ricotta
Italian soft low fat cheese resembling fine cottage cheese. Ricotta fresca is especially mild and
sweet tasting. Often used in desserts, especially in cheese cake. The cheese is made from the
coagulable substance of whey, and therefore a by-product of other cheeses.
The name means recooked.
riddle
Wine term used in connection with making sparkling wines. It means turning and tilting the
bottles ever so slightly to get the yeast to settle in the neck.
Many wine companies use machines, but famous companies insist that hand riddling is better.
Called remuage in French.
Ridel
French man who is credited with inventing the round wooden box for Camembert. He made
shipping Camembert over larger distances possible.
Riedel
Austrian glass manufacturer. Riedel glasses take into consideration the flavor nuances of wine
varieties and developed wine glass shapes to bring out the wine to its fullest advantage. The glass has a
high lead content which allows a thinner rim.
The company was founded 1756 in Bohemia, now Czech republic, and moved to Kufstein,
Austria after World War II. It is a family business for ten generations and is managed now by George J.
Riedel.
Riesengebirge
Czech goats milk cheese made in the mountain of Bohemia. The area was settled by Germans,
and the name is the German name for the mountains.
Rieslaner
German white wine grape.

751

Riesling
The most important wine grape in Germany, it produces their finest white wines. The Riesling is
also grown in Alsace, Austria, Yugoslavia, South Tyrol, Switzerland, South Africa, Australia, Chili and in
many parts of the US.
The Riesling grape prefers a cool climate, and plantings in southern parts generally do not
produce the same quality as Riesling grown in Germany. Riesling wine can be stored for a considerable
length of time. Riesling produces a rather sweet must, and many German Riesling wines are slightly
sweet to very sweet. The reason is that the limited exposure to sun in major wine growing areas in
Germany do not produce enough sugar in the must to make a dry, and yet a full bodied wine. For this
reason, the German vintners are forced to stop fermentation, and leave some residual sugar. The
German public has become accustomed to slightly sweet Riesling wine. However, the sugar can be
fermented out, and Riesling produced in Alsace and other parts of the world can be bone dry.
Riesling can be made into a sparkling wine called Sekt in German. It can also be left on the
vine, and under favorable condition produce outstanding world class sweet wines. The quality of grapes
is often indicated on the wine label, starting with Auslese, Beerenauslese and
Trockenbeerenauslese. If grapes are left on the vine until frost, are very sweet, yet perfectly balanced
Eiswein can be produced.
THE NAMES OF RIESLING IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES ARE:
Germany:
Rheinriesling,
Moselriesling,
Rheingauer,
Johannisberg,
Hocheimer,
Klingelberger, Kleinriesling
France:
Riesling blanc, Petit Riesling, Gentile Aromatique
Italy:
Riesling renano bianco
Switzerland:
Petit Rhin, Riesling
Austria:
Rheinriesling, Weisser Riesling
Czech:
Rzlink
Yugoslavia:
Rjanski Rizling
Hungary:
Rajnai Rizling
Rumania:
Riesling de Rhin
Russia:
Risling Rejnski
U S A:
White Riesling, Johannisberger Riesling.
Rieussec, Chteau
French Sauternes (sweet) wine.
rigatoni
Italian dry pasta in the shape of short grooved tubes.
Rig Jancsi
Austrian/Hungarian dessert, an assembly of three chocolate preparations consisting of a Sacher
cake base, filled with ganache cream and topped with chocolate icing.
Rigotte
French soft, fresh cheese made with either cows or goats milk.
rijst tafel
Dutch term for a dish originally from Indonesia. The main ingredient is naturally steamed rice,
and a large number of different sauces and side dishes are served in succession.
TRADITIONAL COMPONENT ARE:
babi kecap - pork cooked with lemon grass, garlic and ginger
bebottok - meatballs seasoned with coriander seeds
daging madura - spiced beef
gado gado - salad with peanut dressing.
krupuk - shrimp chips
mati sapi - fried eggs
nasi uduk - spiced rice
nasi goreng - fried rice

752

nasi putik - steamed rice

pisang goreng - banana
sajor madura - onion peanut sauce
sambal goreng telor - eggs in hot sauce
sambal goreng tauge - beans sprouts
sambal goreng ati - liver cooked with coconut milk, tamarind and kemiri nuts
sate (satay) manis - small charcoal grilled skewers
saus kacang pedis - spicy peanut sauce
sayar tumis - stir fried vegetables
rillettes
French meat spread, often made with duck or pork cooked in its own fat. Rillettes are popular in
bistros and brasseries. There are many regional types of rillettes in France.
Salmon rillette is a newer creation and consists of ground fresh and smoked salmon mixed with
oil and butter
Also called rillauds.
rind
The outside skin of citrus fruits. It consists of the outer layer of aromatic zest and the often bitter
white pith. See also chicharron.
Ring King.
Machine that makes automatically baking powder doughnut. The name is owned by the Krispy
Kreme Corporation. One Ring King machine is now in the National Museum of Natural History in
Washington.
ringmaster
Type of imperial sweet onion, so named because it makes great onion rings
Rinnen
Polish/German sour milk cheese. The name is derived from the German word Rinnen for the
wooden troughs used in the manufacture.
Rioja
Wine district in Spain, producing most of the red wines exported to the US. The region is in
northern Spain, between Barcelona, the Pyrnee Mountains and Basque country. It is dotted with small
towns, castles, churches and hills.
Though best known for its red wines, white wine is also produced. The major red wine grape is
Tempranillo, which is blended with Garnacha for body and color.
THE THREE MAJOR WINE GROWING AREAS:
Rioja Alta - to the West. The best of the three. Clay and limestone soil.
Rioja Alavesa - to the North. Also quite fine. Chalky clay soil.
Rioja Baja - to the East. Its drier climate produces robust wines which are largely used
for
blending.
The Spanish wine industry got a boost in the late 19th century, when the phylloxera blight which
decimated the vineyards of Bordeaux, France brought many French wine makers to Rioja to produce
wine there. The French brought with them their traditions and aging techniques, which the Spanish
maintained after the French left.
The better red wines are aged in American oak.
QUALITY DESIGNATIONS ARE:
Gran reserva, must be aged in oak for at least 2 years and in the bottle for at least three, before
being released.
Reserva, must be aged in oak for at least 1 year, and further in the bottle. Must be
at least
3 years old before being released.
Crianza, Must be aged at least one year in oak and one year in the bottle. Crianza also means
vintage.

753

Rioja wine is usually blended from more than one grape.

MAJOR GRAPE VARIETIES:
Calagrao - white wine grape
Garnacha - makes a high alcohol red wine. Mostly used for blending.
Graciano - makes a fresh, fruity, flavorful red wine.
Maturana - white wine grape
Mazuela - red wine, largely used for blending.
Tempranillo - the most important red wine grape.
Turrants - white wine grape
Viura - white wine grape. Sometimes a little is blended into red wines.
MAJOR SHIPPERS ARE:
Bodegas Bilbainas
Bodegas Franco Espaolas
Federico Paternina
La Rioja Alta
Marqus de Murietta
Marqus de Riscal
Rioja foods
Rioja part of the Basque region of Spain. The cooking is hearty. Popular ingredients are
potatoes, tomatos, peas, beans, asparagus, fruits, chorizo sausage. E
whites are used for clarifying wines and therefor egg yolks are used in many dishes.
SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
cordero asado lechal/lechazo -milk-fed lamb,
hojaldre con setas - puff pastry filled with mushrooms
hojaldre almendras - sweet almond pastry
leche frita - fried custard
melocotones - sweet juicy local peaches
menestra riojana - mixed vegetable dish,
picadillo sauce - piquant cold sauce
pimientos rellenos- peppers stuffed with garlic-seasoned ground pork and egg
pochas riojanas - casserole of chorizo and haricot beans
revuelto de ajos - soft scrambled eggs wlith garlic shoots.
Riola
French soft ewes or goats milk cheese. It resembles Mont dor. See there.
Riparia
Native American grape.
Vitis riparia.
Rippchen und Kraut
German dish consisting of smoked pork loin and sauerkraut. A specialty of the city Frankfurt.
Rippespeer
See Kassler Rippenspeer.
ris
French for sweetbread. Ris d'agneau is lamb sweetbread, ris de veau is veal sweetbread.
riserva
Legal Italian wine term for wines at least three years old.
risi e bisi
Venetian dish, a thick soup of rice and young spring peas. Also a mixture of rice and peas.

754

risotto
Famous northern Italian rice dish, made with short-grained, polished rice such as Arborio,
Carnoroli, Maratelli, or Vialone Nono, which will absorb about three times their volume in liquid. Risotto
must be soupy and flavorful, but the kernels should still be firm, called al dente. The flavors vary and
depend on the broth garnishes cooked with the rice.
Popular risotto flavors are saffron, chicken stock, mussels, mushrooms and shrimp.
risotto alla Milanese
Italian saffron-scented risotto. As the name implies, it is a specialty of the city of Milan. It is
usually creamy in texture, like the classic risotto.
The dish is also sometimes referred to as risotto all'onda to distinguish it from a drier version,
risotto al salto, which is pan fried till the edges turn a lightly brown.
risotto al Rubesco
Italian/Tuscan specialty,
grapes.

risotto cooked with wines from the local Sangiovese or Canaiolo

risotto al salto
Italian pan fried risotto alla Milanese. Cooked risotto is pan fried until the edges turn a toasty,
crisp brown, which lends a delicious contrast to the creamy center.
Risotto al salto was probably developed as a way to use leftover risotto.
risotto di seppiolina
Italian dark risotto made with squid ink. A specialty of Venice.
rissol(e), verb
French menu term for brown and crisp food, such as Pommes Rissolles, which are small, oven
roasted potatoes.
The term also applies to turnover pastries. The original rissols were deep fried.
rissoler
French verb for browning food in fat.
ristra
Mexican string of dried chilies.
Riunite
Italian wine made by a cooperative of growers. It was blended to meet specifically the taste of
young people unsophisticated in wine drinking.
Riunite was It was for a while the largest imported wine brand, because the wine was easy to
drink, slightly sweet, inexpensive and well advertised. The importer was Villa Banfi.
Rivero
Spanish wine district at the border with Portugal. The wines are red and fruity.
Rivesaltes
Southern French wine district known for dessert wines with high alcohol content.
riz
French term for for rice.
Riz Djon Djon
Haitian meat and rice casserole.

755

Rizcous
Brand name for a rice product developed by Lundberg Family Farms in Richvale, California. The
cracked and roasted brown rice resulted in a fine-textured grain which cooks quickly and resembles
couscous.
Rizzared haddie
Scottish term for sun-dried haddock.
Rkatsiteli
White wine grape, native to Georgia, formally Russia, named after the town Tsinandali. The
grape is extremely hardy and was successfully planted in Upstate New York by Dr. Constantin Frank. In
the Ukraine, in Georgia and other Southern Republics, the grapes can become very sweet and are used
in dessert wines. Rkatsiteli is also grown in Bulgaria.
Rkatsiteli is also the name of a crisp dry wine.
roach
Fresh water food fish in the carp family. There are different species with the same name.
Roannais
Small wine town west of Lyon.
roast, to
Cooking method for meat. Roasting is probably the oldest method of meat cooking. originally spit
roasting over open. Now roasting more often refers to cooking in an oven with dry heat. However, new
roasting ovens have been developed which inject steam to reduce shrinkage, so the differences between
roasting and steaming are getting blurred. Roasting differs from baking in that baking is always done in
an enclosed area.
roaster
Chicken raised for eating, as opposed to a layer which is raised for its egg laying. The term
refers to size. Roasters weigh from 3 lb up.
Roaster is also a term for a an open roasting pan, often oval.
Rob Roy
Cocktail made with Scotch Whiskey, sweet Vermouth and bitters. There is also a dry version
which uses dry Vermouth.
robata yaki
Japanese open hearth grilling.
Robert E. Lee cake
See General Robert E. Lee cake.
Robiola/Robiola di Roccaverano
Italian soft ripened cheese made in Lombardy with goat's milk. Moist, rich and cream-colored, it
resembles cream cheese in appearance, but has a tangy, slightly biting taste. The name robilola is also
used more loosely for a taleggio-like cheese. Sometimes also found layered with other cheese(s), such
as with Mascarpone in a Basil torta. Buttery-soft, it makes a good bread or cracker spread
Also known as robbiole and robiolo.
Robola
Greek white wine grape variety.

756

robusta
Coffee bean variety . The more common type of beans in most major brands, since it gives a
higher yield and is cheaper than arabica, the other leading variety. The beans are twice as high in
caffeine than arabica beans.
Rocamadour
Small goat cheese from central France also known as Cabecou des Causses de Rocamadour.
Rocamadour is also a city by the same name, which is also renowned for its walnut oil.
rocambole
Plant in the onion family resembling mild garlic.
Also known as sand leeks.
rock candies
White refined sugar in large crystals.
Also sugar boiled to 233 degrees and allowed to crystallize on strings or wooden sticks. They
are available as coffee stirrers.
Rock Cornish Hen
Small chicken, a cross between White Rock and Cornish birds, thus the name. The birds have no
gamy taste. People erroneously believed that it is a game bird.
The entertainer Victor Borge was a breeder of Vibo brand Cornish hens and his friend Claude
Philippe, catering director at The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel made them a popular banquet item in the 1950's.
rock fish
General name for a group of rather large food fish from the Pacific ocean.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Blackfish
Bocaccio
Red rockfish
Spanish flag
Striped bass
Yellowtail rockfish
All are in the family Sebastodes or Scorpaenidae.
rock oyster(s)
Australian small, thin, frill-shelled oysters, with a full flavor and buttery consistency. Also known
as Sidney rock oysters.
rock lobster
Lobster species without claws, most harvested in warm waters, but also in cold waters in the
south Atlantic. Much is processed as frozen lobster tails. The meat is considered dryer and less flavorful
than Maine lobsters.
Known also as langouste or as spiny lobster.
rock melon
Another name for cantaloupe
rock weed
Edible brown seaweed.
rock salt
Coarse salt, often made from sea water.

757

Rock Point
Oyster found in the Dabob Bay near Seattle, Washington. Small in size with a fruity, yet mildly
salty and mildly metallic taste.
rockahominies
Narragansett Indian cornmeal pudding, forerunner of the Indian pudding.
rockling
Family of ocean food fish.
rocket/rocket lettuce
Mediterranean salad plant , popular in Italy and in Italian-American communities in the New
World. Also popular in Cyprus. It is dark green, narrow-lobed salad green, pleasantly bitter, peppery,
pungent. The best are young leaves about 3 inches in length. Older leaves develop a tough stem and are
best used in stir-fried dishes.
Rocket is usually mixed with other salad greens because it is too strong in taste for many people.
Also known as arugula, rokko, roquette, or rucola.
Eruca vesicaria.
Rocky Mountain Oysters
Fried bull's or lamb testicles. This tasty and nourishing delicacy was often eaten in cattle grazing
areas, such as those in the foothills in the Rockies.
Bulls testicles are also known as swinging steaks.
rocky road
Baskin Robbins ice cream flavor based on a milk shake made with marshmallows and nuts.
roe
Eggs of various fish varieties. It is very perishable and cannot be frozen. Invariably salt is used
as preservative. The amount of salt determines often the quality level.
TYPES OF ROE:
Buck roe - the soft roe, or milt roe of the male fish.
Cod roe - available smoked and used for taramasalata, a Middle Eastern dip
Herring roe - called komochi in Japanese.
Hontarako - Japanese salted, dried cod roe.
Karasumi - Japanese mullet roe, pressed and dried.
Lump fish roe -often dyed and sold as caviar.
Salmon roe - consumed like caviar.
Sturgeon roe - genuine caviar.
Tarako - Alaskan pollack (pollock) roe.
Tarama - cured red mullet roe.
Roffinac
New Orleans cocktail made with whiskey, grenadine and soda.
Roffinac
New Orleans oyster and shrimp dish.
Louis Philippe Joseph Roffinac was a major of New Orleans.
rognons de veau
French term for veal kidney.
Rognons de veau la Ligoise
Belgian specialty of the town of Liege. Roasted veal kidneys with juniper and a dash of gin.

758

rojak
Singaporean/Indian crabs or prawns, cuttlefish, bean curd, potatoes, boiled eggs, and other
items, fried with flour and served with salad vegetables and chili sauce.
Roll
English cylindrical hard cheese made with cows milk.
roll
Small, individual yeast breads made in a variety of shapes and flavors and flours.
rolled oats
Cereal made from oats that have been ground into meal, steamed, rolled into flakes, and dried.
rolled foods
Food is rolled to make it more attractive, to add stuffing or to facilitate cooking.
beef bundles - often filled with scallions in oriental cooking
braciolone, brociolette, involtine, and messicani - Italian terms
maki - Japanese term often used for sushi and shashimi.
oiseaux sans tte - rolled chicken cutlets in French
paupiettes - generic French term for rolled food, such as meat of fish fillets
Rouladen - German term
veal birds - stuffed veal slices.
Rollmops
German term for a herring fillet, rolled around a pickle, or sliced onions, or Sauerkraut, and
marinated. The term is used in the US.
Rollot
French soft ripened cheese resembling Camembert. See there.
roly-poly
Southern US specialty. Biscuit dough rolled out flat, filled with crushed berries, rolled up, and
simmered in water.
It is considered a pudding in England and traditional nursery food.
Romadur
German soft ripened cheese, most of it made in Bavaria. It resembles Limburger, but is less
smelly and less salty. Other names used for the same cheese are Schlosskse, Haaracher,
Hochstrasser and Kremstaler.
Romagna
The Eastern half of the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. See Italy, food of.
romaine lettuce
Lettuce with large, crisp, crunchy leaves that range from rich green to pale yelllow at the heart.
Flavor ranges from mild to slightly sweet.
Also known as cos or cos lettuce, because it was believed to have been first grown on the island
of Cos (or Kos) and discovered there by the Romans. Cultivated for more than 2,000 years. See lettuce.
Roman orgies
Roman orgies provided an opportunity for social climbers to show off and included repulsive
excesses of every item the host could think of. There was a circus of countless whole animals roasted
and every bird imaginable over the spits, and such absurd exotica as camels' heels, elephant trunks,
nightingales' tongues, ostriches' brains, and parrots' heads. It is reported that there was even the horrific
dish of eels which had been fattened on the flesh of slaves.

759

The orgies could last a number of days and the appetite of the diners was rekindled by frequent
vomiting.
Some wine used was fermented in clay pots buried in the ground as was also done by the
ancient Greeks.
Romane, La
Tiny, but famous vineyard in Burgundy, France producing one of the rarest red wines.
Romane Saint Vivant
Famous vineyard in Burgundy, France, next to Romane Conti. It was owned by the Priory of
Saint Vivant from 1232 until the French revolution. The wine is red, and is considered one of the best.
Romane Conti
Most famous red wine produced in the Cte d Or region of Burgundy, France. The estate is
named after Prince de Conti who owned it from 1760 to 1795.
Romano
Grating cheese from Italy. It was originally made with ewes milk and called Pecorino Romano,
but is made now with cows milk.
Also known as Incanestrato.
Romanello resembles Romano cheese.
Romanow
Russian aristocratic family. The last Tzar was a Romanow. The term appeared on menus in
connection with luxurious dishes. The only dish still appearing on menus are Strawberries Romanoff.
Different versions exist but it is basically a mixture of squashed ripe strawberries, sweet wine or liqueur,
and often whipped cream and crumbled Macaroons. The original dish is credited to the chef Creme.
Mike Romanoff from Hollywood also takes credit for the invention.
Also spelled Romanov or Romanoff.
Rome Beauty
Large flattish apple, with versions ranging from greenish to the more common American bright
red version. Refreshingly tart, it is good for eating and especially for baking.
Related varieties, grown in several countries such as Argentina, Italy and Germany, include
Gillet's Seedling, Hoary Morning, Imperatore, Morgenduft, and Rimskaya Krasvita.
Romeiko
Greek red wine grape variety, much cultivated on the island of Crete.
Romeo & Juliet
Brazilian dessert, a combination plate of cubed guava paste and white cheese.
Romorantin
White wine grape from the Loire valley in France.
Ronsard, Pierre de
French poet from the Loire valley describing the charms of the local wines and the local maidens.
rooster spur peppers
Chili pepper variety resembling the spur of a roosters claw, grown in small private lots.
root beer
Refreshing non alcoholic beverage flavored with an infusion a barks, and herbs. The beverage is
slightly fermented. The sap of the yucca tree is used to make the froth in root beer.
Root beer was invented by Charles Hines, a Philadelphia pharmacist in the mid-19th century.

760

ropa vieja
Cuban dish. Literally translated "old clothes". Shredded beef with red and green peppers
Roquefort
French pungent, blue-veined sheep's milk cheese with a tangy and unique taste. It is named after
the southern French town of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon. The cheese is aged in caves in the town of
Roquefort, where the mold occurs naturally. To insure conformity, the cheese is inoculated with a mold
producing Penicillium before placed in the caves for aging, but the natural warmth and airflow in the cave
are still essential for the mold to grow properly.
Roquefort is one of the oldest and best known cheeses of the world. Legend has it that the
cheese was discovered when a shepherd left a meal of cheese and rye bread in the caves and found it
again a few weeks later, when it was covered with blue mold. It turned out to be delicious.
Roquefort is an internationally registered brand name and can only be made in Roquefort.
Roquefort Dressing, a staple on many restaurant menus must be made with genuine Roquefort cheese.
Some restaurants substitute illegally less expensive blue cheeses.
The classic wine match for Roquefort is the sweet, rich Sauternes.
roquette
Perennial bitter salad green, also known as arugula, rockette lettuce, or rucola. See arugula.
Eruca vesicaria.
Rosa Bianco
Striped lavender variety of eggplant.
rosado
Spanish word for pink or blush wine. The term refers to wine that has been made from red grapes
or a mixture of red and white, fermented with little skin contact.
The Italian term is rosato.
Rosamund
Apple variety available August to October. Related to James Grieve.
rose
Ornamental flower. Rose fruit is called rosehip. It can be dried and used as tea, or cooked with
sugar into jam. Roses are often planted in vineyards because they are extremely susceptible to the odium
mildew and therefor indicate when spraying is necessary.
Rose petals add a delicate aroma, slightly sweet flavor and a nice touch to salads, jams, sorbets,
and ice cream. They can also be candied, i.e., preserved in sugar for a decorations on desserts.
Rose water is an aromatic liquid made from rose petals. Widely used throughout the Middle East,
the Orient, the Balkans and North Africa for both cooking and as perfume ingredient. The ancient Arabic
word for rosewater, julab, and the ancient Persian word, gulab, are the origins of the modern word julep
although the American Bourbon and mint drink does not contain any rosewater.
TWO TURKISH DESSERTS MADE WITH ROSE WATER ARE:
Noah's pudding, Rose water scented milk custard.
Turkish delight, also known as rahat lokum.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
rose apples
The fruits of tropical ornamental trees share the name. The small fruits are used in jams and
jellies.
Also known as jambrosade.
Eugenia jambos.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

761

rose extract
Solution of the essential rose oils, also called attar.
ros
French term for pink, and when applied to wine made from red or dark grapes fermented with
little skin contact.
The wine should be drunk chilled.
roselle
Fruit native to tropical Asia, with fleshy red sepals used in drinks and preserves. The fruits
resemble cranberries and grow in pods.
Also known as Jamaican sorrel, red sorrel, shrub, and sorrel, a term which more commonly
denotes a salad green.
Hibiscus sabdariffa.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
rosemary
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Perennial herb with pine needle-like leaves and

tiny blue flowers. The name is Greek and comes from
dew ros and sea marinus.
The spiky leaves contain oil of camphor, thought
to be good for head ailments, including alleviating
baldness. Also thought to improve memory, thus a
symbol of remembrance.
The herb is often used with roasts lamb or with
wild mushrooms. Rosemarinus, meaning dew of the
sea, was named by the ancient Romans because it
thrives near salt water. The blossoms are used in tea.
Rosmarinus officinalis.

Rosette
Medium-dry white wine from the Bergerac region of France.
rosefish
See John Dory.
Rosh ha-Shanah/Rosh Hashana
Jewish New Year. Food customarily eaten: Hallah/challah, honey cakes, taiglach (honey
pastries), carrot tzimmes, pomegranate seeds to wish for the best in the coming year and fish.
Rossini, Giachiomo
Italian opera composer, 1792 to 1868. He was a gourmet and gourmand, and some dishes were
named after him. The only dish still appearing on menus is Tornedos Rossini, which are small filet
mignons topped with slices of foie gras, truffle slices and Madeira sauce.
rosso
Italian word for red, sometimes found on wine labels.
Rsti
Swiss shredded potatoes fried in pancake shape.

762

rostrum
Term for the elongated body shell of shrimp.
Rotberger
German red wine grape variety.
Rotgipfler
Austrian white wine grape, planted extensively in the Gumpoldskirchen district around Vienna.
Rothschild
Famous bankers family who owns two out of the five best Chteaus in Bordeaux.
The famous 19th century chef Carme worked for Rotschild in Paris. Some dishes, such as Souffl
Rotschild, are named after family members.
roti
Indian Hindi word for bread, often a flat griddle bread.
In the Caribbean the term roti is used for a West Indian bread resembling pancakes, often rolled
around a curried meat or vegetable filling.
rti/roti
The French word for roasted(verb) and roast (noun).
As wine term it is used for sun dried grapes.
Rtisserie (rotisserie)
1. French term for a restaurant serving primarily roasted meats and steaks.
2. Equipment for spit roasting meats.
rtisseur (rotisseur)
French term for roast cook.
Rouen
Town in Northwest France. Some of the best duck are raised there. When they are used for
canard la presse, they are strangled to keep the blood in the bird, because the blood is used to thicken
the sauce. Sanitary regulations do not allow to ship birds without bleeding.
See canard la presse.
rouget
French generic term for fish with red coloring. There are many different species, but the term is
correctly applied for red mullet.
Rouget, Chteau
Vineyard in the Pomerol region of Bordeaux.
Roughy
See Orange Roughy.
rouille
French pepper sauce. There are two types. One type is made by adding saffron and hot red
pepper to aioli, a garlicky paste. The second type is a thick paste of bread, garlic, cooked potatoes, broth,
oil and peppers.
See aioli.

763

roulade
Food shaped in a roll, such as a jelly roll, also rolled and stuffed meat or fish slices. Rouladen is
a popular dish in Germany, stuffed and braised beef rolls.
Round
Butcher term for two muscles located in the leg. They are classified as Top Round and
Bottom/Flat round.
The Top Round is a large piece, often braised whole or cut in slices and braised. When slow
roasted or boiled whole with spices and is sold as roast beef in delicatessen. Also known as Inside
Round.
Meat Buyers Guide #168 - Top Round
Meat Buyers Guide # - cooked Top Round.
The Bottom Round/Flat Round is an elongated piece and considered dryer than the Top Round.
It is divided into the Eye Round and Outside round. Also known as Gooseneck and as fricandeau, a term
applied to veal.
Meat Buyers Guide # 171- Bottom Round/Flat Round.
Meat Buyers Guide # 608 - Corned Flat Round.
Meat Buyers Guide # 624 - Corned cooked Flat Round.
Roussanne
French white wine grape cultivated in the Rhne valley, and permitted in the red Chteauneuf du - Pape. It is also the main grape in the white wine Chteau Beaucastel.
Roussanne is used to make some of the local white wine and blended into some red One of the
few American wines made from Roussanne is Le Sophiste which blends Roussanne with Marsanne
In the Rhne village of St.-Pray, Roussanne is known as Roussette.
Roussillon
Southern French province on the Spanish border and Mediterranean producing huge amounts of
plain table wine, and also sweet fortified wines.
roux
French term for flour and fat cooked together to use as thickener for sauces. There are three
basic roux varieties based on color. The color is determined by cooking time.
White roux - used for white cream sauces.
Blond roux - is beige colored and used in light brown sauces.
Brown roux - is cooked until the product is light brown.
White roux is made with butter, both blond and brown roux are made with fat, oil or pan drippings,
because butter would not stand the temperature needed to brown the flour. Brown roux is important in
Cajun or Creole cuisine.
Roux is used today less then years ago, because thick sauce are considered fattening. Today,
sauces are often thickened with corn starch, or not thickened at all.
The origin of the roux is difficult to trace. A manuscript from the 15th century by Giuliano Bugialli
mentioned roux. La Varenne used roux as principal thickening agent in sauces around 1651. Before that,
sauces were usually thickened with ground almonds or stale bread.
rowans
The fruits of the mountain ash tree, small berries extremely bitter growing wild in Northern
Europe. The are used as preserve to serve with game.
Roxbury Russet
Apple variety developed in Massachusetts in the seventeenth century.
Royal
Apricot variety, originally French, also cultivated in the US and New Zealand, and thus has two
seasons.
Also known as Goldrich and Perfection.

764

Royal Brabant
Belgium cheese made of the Limburger type.
royal icing
Egg white icing for decorating. The icing will dry and become brittle. It is the preferred icing to
decorate elaborate wedding cakes.
It is made by stirring thoroughly sifted confectionary XXXX sugar with egg whites, about 5 oz
sugar 1 each egg white and a little cream of tartar.
royal mushrooms
Prized red or yellow - capped wild mushrooms.
Known in Italian as funghi reali. Also known as orange amanti.
Amanita caesarea.
Royal Reds
Deep-water shrimp harvested in the Gulf of Mexico. They get their name because they become
lobster-red when cooked, and are quite large.
royale
French term for egg custard. The custard can be sweet, or flavored with various purees, herbs
and cheese.
Firm royale can be served as soup garnish when cut into small pieces.
Royalp
Swiss made Tilsit cheese. See there.
royan
French name for sardines, especially for small sardines.
Rubicon
Proprietary name for a Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine made in California's Napa Valley at a
winery owned by Francis Coppola. The wine is kept in barrels at the winery for an extended time and
released only after seven years of aging.
Rubin
Apple variety related to James Grieve.
rubines
Purplish-red variety of Brussels sprouts.
Rubired
California hybrid red wine grape variety.
Ruby Cabernet
California red wine grape variety, cross between Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache or
Carignan, created at the University of Davis in California by Dr. Harold Olmo in 1946. First planted in the
Napa Valley, but little grown today.
Ruby Red is used mostly for blending .
Ruby Port
Port wine with deep red color, but not necessarily aged or of special characteristics.

765

Rdesheim (Ruedesheim)
Famous little wine town in the Rheingau directly on the river Rhine. The vineyards are on steep
terraces, and are difficult to maintain. All wines are white Riesling, and much is consumed by tourists
locally.
rue
Perennial plant with strong offensive odor, bitter taste, but of medicinal value. It can be irritating.
The branches were used to sprinkle holy water in churches.
Also known as herb ograce.
Ruta graveolens.
Rueda
Wine growing region in northern Spain, formerly known as Tierra de Medina, west of the Ribera
del Duero region. Rueda is primarily a white wine region, producing fresh, crisp wines from the Verdejo
grape, though it formerly produced sherry-like wines
rugelach
Yiddish pastry, cookie. A cream cheese and butter dough, rolled around walnut filling.
Also known as walnut horns.
rughetta
Bitter, wild salad green found on the isle of Capri/Italy.
Rulnder
German grape wine variety, also known as pinot gris. A white wine grape variety which originated
probably in Burgundy. The wine is planted in Germany since 1711, but reference to it was made in
Hungary already in the 14th century. Rulnder ranks as top quality grape variety, especially in the
Sptlese and Auslese classes.
Rully
Small Burgundy, France wine town known for white wines and red or pink sparkling wines.
rum
Sugar cane distillate made from molasses. The first rum is thought to have been made in
Barbados in the 17th century. It was the chief source of alcohol in the New World and gained world wide
currency during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
British troops spread the product through the New World. Legend has it that the colonists were so
fond of it that George Washington was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses after distributing free
rum to voters. The beverage is also said to have lubricated Paul Revere's throat after his historic late
night ride. The British Navy supplied a rum ration to all sailors from the mid-1700's until 1969.
Rum is the most popular beverage spirit in the Caribbean, where it is drunk straight, on-the-rocks,
or in countless cocktails, such as the daiquiri or pia colada, punch, or Planter's Punch. Rum is also
used as a rub to prevent colds and as an offering to the gods. It is an important ingredient in black bean
soup and in North American holiday cakes.
The great variety in rums concern the proof (from 80 proof to 151 proof), color the aroma and
taste. Basically the industry distinguishes between while (or light rums) and dark rums. Rums can be
white, gold, dark, aged, and specialty rums. Most islands and countries have their own brands and styles.
Jamaica, known for its dark, full-bodied, rich-tasting rums, is perhaps the oldest commercial rum
producing country in the Caribbean. Jamaica also produces lighter rums.
Puerto Rican rum, on the other hand, produces mostly light dry white rums, which are good as
mixers. The Virgin Islands produce a variety of rums. Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe, and Guyana
produce mostly golden rums, with complex tastes. The most popular brand in the US, Bacardi, was
originally made in Cuba (once a major shipper of rum to the US), but is now made in Puerto Rico.
Other sugar cane distillates are made from fermented fresh juice.

766

GENERAL RUM CATEGORIES:

White-Lightning Rums - clear "white" colorless rums of the highest proof, including cachaa from
Brazil.
White Rums - Bacardi Light and Don Q Light from Puerto Rico and Appleton White from Jamaica.
Dark Rums/Black Rums - Bacardi's Black, Meyers's Planters Punch From Jamaica, Don Q Gold
from Puerto Rico, Bermuda Gold from Dominican Republic, Goslings Black Seal from Bermuda, Mount
Gay from Barbados, Demeraran from Guyana, South America, and Rhum St. James from Martinique.
Specialty Rums - Bacardi Gold Reserve and Vizcaya from Puerto Rico, and Rhum Barbancourt
Reserve du Domaine from Haiti.
rum shops
Open-air pub in Barbados, where sandwiches called cutters or on-hands are also available.
rum
Australian slang for drinking mate.
Rumah makan Padang
Fast food restaurants in Indonesia
Rumania food
Balkan country with Roman rather than Slavic roots. The national dish is ghivetch, a vegetable
stew, similar to ratatouille. It is said that pastrami originated in Rumania. Well known are stuffed
cabbage and excellent pork sausages. The cornmeal mush is referred to as mamaliga.
Rumania is a wine growing country and exports to the US rather inexpensive wines.
Rumford, Benjamin 1752 - 1814
American inventor, who was interested in nutrition and the preservation of food. He was knighted
in Bavaria and received the title Count Rumford.
Rumohr, Karl Friederich von
German cookbook author.
Joseph Knig.

His major work was first published under the name of his chef,

rumpsteak
Beef cut, often made from the top butt, and served grilled. There is no precise definition from
what muscle the steak should be cut.
runcible
Utensil for serving hors d'oeuvres. A fork with broad tines on both sides and a slightly sharp
prong in the center. The name has no known origin and is believed to be a nonsense term coined by
Englishman Edward Lear in the 1870's
Runesten
Cheese, originally from Denmark, but also made in the US. The cheese resembles Swiss
cheese, but is smaller, and is often wrapped in red transparent film.
runner bean
Type of beans with long pods used as vegetable. See beans.
runzas
Runza sandwich is a mixture of ground beef, cabbage and onions on an oblong roll which has
origins in 18th century Russia. Some versions are served with cheese, and there are modern Italian
variations. Sold by a Lincoln, Nebraska food chain by the same name, which has franchises in Nebraska,
Iowa, Kansas and Colorado.
ruoti

767

Italian dry pasta in the shape of wheels. Ruotini are small wheels, used as soup garnish.
Rusch, Herman
Famous chef born 1907 in Switzerland. He worked for a number of well known chef at the
Simiramis Hotel in Cairo, Egypt, the racetrack in Rome, Italy, Hotel Schweizerhof in Bern, the Jungfrau
Victoria in Interlacken and the Lausanne Palace Hotel, all in Switzerland.
Herman worked at the Swiss Pavilion during the 1939 Worlds Fair in New York City. He met his
wife Violette in New York. After working a number of New York Hotels, he was Elected President of the
Socit Culinaire Philanthropique. He took the first American Team to the HOSPES Culinary Salon in
Bern, Switzerland.
In 1955, he was appointed Executive Chef at the Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs,
West Virginia. He organized the first formal apprenticeship program at the hotel.
Herman Rusch became Supervising Chefs for the US Olympic Teams, and eventually Chairman of
Housing. He served a total of 42 years with the Olympic Committee. He died in the 1990's.
rusk
Old fashioned term for dried breads or biscuits, often applied for twice baked ship biscuits.
russe, la
French term for Russian style. It can refer to the names of dishes and also to a type of table
service in which the dishes are presented to the guests, who help themselves, as opposed to the more
elaborate service la franaise. Russian service is commonly known as butler service in the US.
russet potatoes
See potatoes.
Russet
Group of apple varieties which usually have a tasty, nutty flavor. Varieties include Egremont
Russet and Roxbury Russet.
Russia food
The huge country had two distinct cooking styles, the cooking of the aristocracy and the cooking
of the farmers and laborers. The middle class cooking was obviously based on income, but is was
usually rich. The Russian aristocracy was fascinated by Western culture, traveled extensively and
patronized the best hotels in France and England. They hired French chefs when possible to work in their
palaces in Russia. Some Russian dishes found their way into classical French cooking and appeared on
restaurant menus in western Europe. American restaurateurs fell in love with shashlik and Beef
Stroganoff, often changed from the original version beyond recognition. Russian salad, a Mayonnaise
vegetable salad, and eggs la russe - deviled eggs also survived.
Russian meals often started with a generous buffet called Zazuski loaded with hams, smoked fish
salads, roasts and poultry.
After the 1917 revolution in Russia many titled members of the aristocracy managed to flee to
the West and it became chic to be Russian. The fine New York City hotels had Russian kitchens serving
Russian specials up to the 1960's.
The brutal winter made conserving food a necessity. Food was often pickled or smoked.
Potatoes and cabbage were often the staple for many months. The western part, now the independent
country Ukraine was considered a bread basket and produced good crops of wheat, rye, barley,
buckwheat and oats. Mushrooms are harvested and used in many dishes.
Russia is always connected to sturgeon caviar. See there. Pollution, over fishing and poaching
has taken its toll on caviar production. Sturgeon, especially the smaller sterlet appeared in menus in fine
restaurants and homes, often cooked with a sour cream sauce and dill. Borscht in many variations and
spellings is a hearty soup made with vegetables, cabbage, meat and red beets. Often beet juice is added
just before the soup is served to make it red.
TYPICAL DISHES ARE:
Blinchiki/blinis - buckwheat yeast pancakes filled with cottage cheese and served with sour
cream or eaten plain with caviar.

768

Kapusta - term for cabbage or soup made with cabbage

Kasha - buckwheat groats
Kholodetz - calf's foot jelly
Kissel/kisyel - fruit puree thickened with potato starch.
Koulibiaka - fish loaf with mushrooms, kasha, vesiga in yeast dough
Kulich - Easter cake baked in the shape of an Orthodox priests hat and decorated with the
Cyrillic letters X-B, Christ is risen.
Luli kebab - ground lamb on skewers
Ogurtsy - peeled pickled cucumbers
Okruschka - cold soup made with kwas. See there.
Oladji - yeast dumplings served with brown butter and stewed fruits
Paskha - Easter cheese cake. See there.
Pavidla - plum butter. See lekvar.
Pelmeny - noodle dough turnovers filled with ground lamb, usually served im consomme or with
spicy mustard and sour cream
Pirozhok - meat-filled flaky pastry
Rassolnik/Rossolnik - chicken soup with cucumber juice, vegetables and ogurtsy.
Sasuki, sakuski - appetizers
Satsiva - chicken in walnut sauce
Schchi/Stchy - beef soup with sauerkraut and sour cream.
Shashlik/shashlyk - marinated lamb broiled on a skewer.
Seljanka - ham and sauerkraut broth
Stroganoff - tenderloin tips in creamy mustard sauce with wild mushrooms and sour cream,
sprinkled with pickled cucumbers.
Syrniki - pancakes made of buttermilk curds, served with whipped cream or sour
cream and jam.
Schipownik - rose hip preserve
Uschki - deep fried noodle dough turnovers.
Varniki - Boiled meat ravioli.
Vatrouchi - meat filled yeast pastries.
The Georgian region is noted for its fine food, which is more Mediterranean than Russian in
character. There is more use of herbs, spices, and hot pepper.
Russia beverages
Russia is well known for tea. It is fermented black tea served from a samovar, a hot water kettle
that can range from elaborate silver pots to utilitarian electric versions available in most kitchen stores.
The samovar keeps water hot. The tea itself is brewed separately to a strong essence, and then mixed
with hot water when needed.
Russia is a large wine producers and a major portion is made into a rather sweet sparkling wine.
The quality of wine does not meet the expectations of Western buyers.
Vodka is the spirit of choice made in many variations and flavors. See there.
Russian dressing
American salad dressing consisting of Mayonnaise, chili sauce, green peppers, pimentos and
chives.
It is one of the standard dressings in restaurants and on supermarket shelves.
Russian salad
Once popular, now old fashioned salad made with diced potatoes, carrots and other vegetables
blended with mayonnaise.
Russian tarragon
Variety of tarragon, greatly inferior to the French variety, and it should not be substituted for
culinary use. Artemisia dracunculoides.
Russian river

769

Wine growing area in California north of San Francisco and wets of Napa valley.
rutabaga
Large root vegetable in the turnip family with yellowish flesh. The vegetable is very hardy and
can be cultivated in Scandinavia and Northern Russia. The vegetable is served traditionally mashed in
Scotland and served with haggis.
Known as Swede and neeps in England.
Brassica napobrassica.
Ruwer
Little river in Germany, a tributary of the Moselle, it gives its name to a wine growing region. Rur
in German.
Ryan, Timothy L.
Famous chef, participant as captain in the US National teams to the Culinary Olympics, Senior
Vice President of Education at the Culinary Institute of America.
Ryazhenka
Ukrainian thick baked fermented milk. The milk is placed in a bowl in a warm place for a few
hours until it ferments. It is then baked in a slow oven for about 3 hours until a thin brown crust forms on
top and the milk turns beige. The crust is considered the most delectable tidbit.
rye
Cereal grain with low gluten content native to Asia. When used in bread, wheat flour must be
added. The grain is used in American Whiskey, Holland gin and even for beer.
Rye was widely cultivated in England and on the Continent during the middle ages. It has lost
much appeal as bread ingredient.
Secale cereale.
rye bread
Dark bread made with a blend of wheat flour and rye flour. It is popular with many ethnic groups.
Jewish-style rye bread is common in the East, often flavored with caraway seeds. Pumpernickel
is a type of rye bread flavored with caramel color.
rye whiskey
American whiskey made with rye, barley and corn, and barrel aged at least one year. It must be
made with at least 51% rye.
Ryefield
Irish cheddar-like cheese from County Cavan.
saan choi
Also known as slippery vegetable. Spinach-like in appearance, it is prized for its mucilaginous
texture when cooked.
Saanen
Cheese from Switzerland, also called Walliser Kse. The cheese resembles Emmenthal cheese
when fresh, but is often aged for many years. It becomes hard, resembling Parmesan. It can become so
hard that it must be shredded with a special tool. It was used as a family heirloom because it kept for
many years. On special occasions, a small amount of cheese was served.
Swiss name is Hobelkse, because the shredder is called Hobel.
Saar
River in Germany, tributary to the Moselle, with vineyards close to the border with Luxembourg
and France. The wines are on steep slopes, and most are planted with Riesling grapes.

770

saba
Italian, the boiled down must of unfermented grape juice, used in making balsamic vinegar.
Before sugar was known, saba was used as a sweetener in Italy.
sabayon
Warm dessert sauce made by whipping egg yolks with sweet wine and sugar until the sauce is
thick and foamy.
Sabayon in French, zabaglione in Italian.
sabls
French tiny butter cookies. The name is based on sandy, because the cookies are so rich that
they crumble.
sablefish
Pacific Ocean large black food fish. A member of the skillfish family. The fish has scales and is
kosher. Sablefish has rich flaky meat and is often sold smoked in Jewish delicatessen.
Also known as black cod, but not related to cod.
Anoplopoma fimbria.
Sabra
The Israeli name for prickly pear, a sweet
tasting cactus fruit. The term also refers to nativeborn Israelis, taking their name from the native fruit.
The Israelis gave the fruit the same name as
the native-born Israeli women, because they claim
that, like the fruit, the native-born women are prickly
on the outside and sweet on the inside
Prickly pear is also known as barbary fig,
cactus pear, Indian fig, tuna in Mexico. See there.
Opuntia ficus-indica

Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

saccharin
Artificial sweetener 500 times sweeter than sugar. Developed in 1879 from coal tar as an
antiseptic. Saccharin was the most widely used artificial sweetener. It was banned in the 1970's as
cancer producing, this claim has been refuted.
saccharomyces
The yeasts in wine fermentation.
saccoula
Greek term for a type of soft cheese made from drained yoghurt.

Sacher Torte
Austrian/Viennese cake. It was created in 1832 by Franz Sacher when he was a young
apprentice pastry chef working for Prince Metternich.
It is a rich, dense, bittersweet chocolate cake with apricot jam filling and chocolate icing. The
cake has many imitators, but the original, served at the Sacher Hotel, is adorned with a chocolate seal
proclaiming that it is the genuine product.

771

Demel, the most famous pastry shop in Vienna also claims the right to the original Sacher Torte
recipe. The case involved Austrian courts for years, and eventually the Demel Sacher Torten are also
allowed to carry a seal attesting for for being genuine. To distinguish the two the Demel Sacher Torten
are not split and filled with apricot jam. The Torten are exported in attractive wooden boxes.
Sacher Torte is traditionally served with whipped cream, called Schlag in Austrian dialect. For a
while Austria was portrait on American television as the happy Schlag country.
sack
Term for a dry and amber wine in Elizabethan times. It was mentioned by Shakespear. The term
was originally used for many different wines but eventually it came in use for sherry wines only. A
modern sherry brand is "Dry Sack"
sacramental wine
Wine used in Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, and Lutheran ceremonies. Canon law decrees that
the wines must unadulterated and made with fermented grape juice and limits the alcohol content to 20%.
The wines are usually a blend from different grapes varieties and fortified with brandy or neutral spirits to
preserve them.
Sales increase substantially during Easter when many more people go to Church and receive the
Eucharist.
Mont La Salle Altar Wine Company in the Napa Valley is the largest producer of sacramental
wine in the US. The winery, once owned by Christian Brothers was bought by four former Christian
Brothers employees when the rest of that company was sold to Heublein.
The need for sacramental wine stimulated wine cultivation throughout the world.
Sacy
French white wine grape, allegedly of Italian origin, grown in small amounts. around the Chablis
region. The grape is also known as Tresallier, the wine is used as blending wine.
saddle
Butcher term for the back of an animal. It is used for mostly for veal.
Veal hindsaddle - Meat Buyers Guide # 330
Lamb hindsaddle includes both legs - Meat Buyers Guide # 230.
safflower oil
Eating oil derived from the seeds of the safflower plant. It is very low in saturated fats and high in
polyunsaturates. The oil is basically flavorless, but good in salads when used with seasonings or blended
with olive oil.
The oil has a high smoking point, but can take on an unpleasant flavor and aroma when heated.
Safflower oil is used in India for many years.
Safflower is a herb of the thistle family, the same family as the daisy. Its reddish-orange flowers
are used to make dyes known as Mexican Saffron.
Carthamus tinctoria.
saffron
The world's costliest spice consisting of the dried stigmas of a crocus plant, a small bulb,
actually a corm, which produces beautiful purple flowers. Enclosed in each blossom are three frail red
thread-like stigmas. About 4,500 blossoms, vast acreage and intense labor are required to obtain one
ounce of saffron. The world production in 1999 was 300,000 pounds.
The name comes from the Arabic "azafran", meaning thread. It was discovered around 3000 B.
C., and used as flavoring, as natural yellow dye, as perfume, as medicine, and to show homage.
Cleopatra used it in her cosmetics, the ancient Greeks perfumed theaters with it, and the ancient Romans
sprinkled it in Nero's path.
The crocus is native to Turkey. Arabs brought saffron to Spain in the 8th century. The saffron
industry was centered in Spain, and the country produced 70% of the world supply. Most saffron grows
in the La Mancha region of central Spain. The largest producer now is by far is Iran. A very small amount
is cultivated in Pennsylvania. There is interest from growers in other regions and information can be

772

obtained from www.saffroninfo.com. Other saffron exporting countries are Greece, Italy and France. It is
reported that Greek saffron has a higher coloring strength than Spanish saffron. Since color and flavor
are related, Greek saffron is more potent than other saffron. India also cultivates saffron. A monk named
Madhyantika is credited with having brought saffron to India. The Kashmir region of India is the world's
second largest growing area.
The saffron crocus emerges from the soil in the Fall, unlike some garden varieties which herald
the start of Spring. Monda is the Spanish term for the process of separating the stigmas from the flower
at the exact spot. Saffron pickers are called Mondadors in Spain. Dry roasted, the stigmas become
saffron.
Quality is determined by the intensity of color, flavor, and aroma. Saffron has a pungent taste
and penetrating aroma. It is sold by weight as dried stigmas resembling thin treads. Saffron is also
available powdered, but the product may be adulterated. Mexican saffron is a product derived from the
safflower plant.
Saffron used as a dye imparts a distinct, though somewhat impermanent, yellow-orange color.
The flag of India is saffron, white and green.
Also known as kesar, zafraan.
Spanish azafran, German Safran, French safran, Italian zafferano.
Crocus sativus.
Saftgulasch
Austrian beef goulash. The beef stew is not thickened with starch.
sage
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Perennial, hardy herb which thrives in average

soil, but needs plenty of sun and not too much water. It is
native to the Mediterranean. In the garden it is beneficial to
other plants, as its spikes of blue flowers attract bees. The
leaves are oval gray-green. The blossoms are also edible
and used in tea.
Sage is used in cooking, especially in dressings,
but also with pork. There are many varieties of sage.
Medicinally, sage has been used in herb teas as a
universal panacea, notably as a promoter of long life, and
also to ease sore throat. The ancient English drank sage
tea before they got tea from China and India. In turn, they
introduced sage to the Chinese who prized it when they
could afford it.
Sage Clary - attractive medicinal plant. The seeds were soaked and used as eye bath.
Salvia sclarea.
Sage, farinaceous - Perennial plant with slender leaves.
Salvia farinacea.
The common sage is salvia officinalis.
sage cheese
Cheese flavored with sage. It is either a cheddar type, or a granular type cheese with a green
mottled appearance.
sago
Dried granular starch made from the pith of the trunks of sago palms growing in Asia. The palm
is cut down just before fruiting, and the pith is grated, washed and dried. Sago for export is shaped into
little balls the size of tapioca. See there.
The product is interchangeable with tapioca which it also resembles.
Metroxylon sagu.

773

Sagrantino
Italian red wine grape variety grown around Perugia. The grapes were originally dried to produce
a sweet wine, but today most wine is dry. The grape has been associated with St. Francis of Assisi.
saguaro
Tree cactus growing wild in Mexico and South Western states. The fruits are edible and are two
to three inches long and have a bland flavor.
Also known as suwarro.
Carnegiea gigantea, cereus giganteus.
sah gawt
Chinese name for jicama. See there.
Saibling
German term for a fresh water food fish in the trout family.
saignant
French term referring to medium rare. Although the term implies that the steak is still bloody,
Continental Europeans generally eat steaks more well done than in the US, and saignant is more
medium rare than rare.
saindoux
French term for pork lard.
Saingorlon
French cows milk cheese with sharp taste and specs of blue mold.
Saint milion
Ancient wine town in Bordeaux, France. Around the town are many famous wine estates, such
as:
Chteau Ausonne
Chteau Beausjour
Chteau Blair
Chteau Canon
Chteau Cheval Blanc
Chteau Clos Fourtet
Chteau Corbin.
Chteau Croque Michotte
Chteau Figeac
Chteau La Gaffelire
Chteau Magdelaine
Most wines are red.
Saint Estphe
Wine district in Bordeaux, France.
FAMOUS ESTATES ARE:
Chteau Cos d Estournel
Chteau Calon Sgur
Chteau Montrose.
Saint George
Famous catholic saint, also a wine district in Bordeaux, France.
Saint Germain
French term for dishes containing green peas.

774

Saint Honor
Patron saint of French bakers. Gteau Saint Honor is a confection made with cream puffs and
caramel sugar.
Saint Hubert
Patron saint of hunters.
Saint Jacques
French term for scallops.
Saint Joseph
Red wine from the Rhne valley in France.
Saint Julien
Town in the center of Haut Mdoc, in Bordeaux, France. The town is famous for red wines.
THE BEST ESTATES ARE:
Chteau Loville Poyferr
Chteau Loville Barton
Chteau Loville Las Cases
Chteau Gruaud Larose
Chteau Ducru Beaucaillou
Chteau Beychevelle
Chteau Talbot.
Saint Macaire
Wine-growing area in Bordeaux, near Sauternes and producing sweet wines, and also some dry
and some medium dry wines.
Saint Martin
Patron saint of the Loire valley. His celebration is on November 11.
Saint Nectaire
French cheese from the Auvergne, in the Loire Valley.
Saint Paulin
Cheese basically identical with the cheeses Port-Salut and Port du Salut. Yellow, creamy semisoft cheese with little smell.
Saint-Sans Charles Camille, 1835 - 1921
French opera composer. His name appeared on menus.
Saint Pierre
French term for Peter Fish or John Dory. See there.
Saint Raphal
French apritif wine flavored with quinine, available red and white.
Saint Romain
Burgundy wine village producing red and white wines.
Saint Saphorin
Swiss dry white wine made with the Fendant and Chasselas grapes.
Saint Vran
White wine from the Macon region of Burgundy, around the area of Pouilly-Fuiss, but generally
less intense than Pouilly Fuiss.

775

Saint Vincent
Patron saint of the wine growers in Burgundy. His holiday is celebrated January 22nd.
Sainte Croix du Mont
Very sweet white Bordeaux wine, not as famous as Sauternes and Barsac, but nevertheless
delicious.
Sainte Foy
Bordeaux wine region producing semi sweet white wines.
Sainte Maure
French goat cheese from Touraine in the Loire valley. It comes in 6 or 7-inch logs. Full-flavored
with a pleasant aroma when fresh, but grainy and salty when overripe.
Sainte Roseline, Chteau
French ros wine from the Provence region.
See also St.
saithe
Ocean food fish related to pollack/pollock harvested in the North Atlantic. Much catch is pickled,
smoked and canned, sold in Germany as Seelachs.
Also known as coley/ coalfish.
sakau
Slightly narcotic drink popular on the Micronesian island of Ponape. It is made from the pounded
roots of a pepper plant.
A great ritual surrounds its consumption. The name of the drink means to get drunk in the local
language. The smashed roots are wrapped in hibiscus bark, doused with water and twisted like a wet
towel to squeeze out a slimy green liquid which is served communally in a coconut shell. It is customary
to contort your face and shiver a bit, attesting to the drink's potency. It has a bitter aftertaste that numbs
the lips and tongue
sak/sake
Rice beverage made from fermented and brewed rice. Sak is technically a beer.
Rice is polished, washed, soaked, steamed, fermented, pressed, stored, filtered and clarified, skimmed,
and pasteurized. Its alcohol content of about 16%, which is much higher than most beers.
Sak dates at least to 731 AD. There are nearly 3,000 sake breweries in Japan. Locally produced
sak, made in small breweries is known as jizake. Most of the sak consumed in the US is made in the
US, especially in California by Japanese-owned firms.
Sak is usually served warm in little bottles known as tokuri or tokkuri. It is also drunk from the
cube-shaped wooden containers called masu.
Sak is the generic Japanese term for all alcohol.
SAK VARIETIES ARE:
Genshu
Undiluted sak with full body taste and higher alcohol
content.
Ginjo-zukuri
Light bodied beverage, with tartness, unique and slightly fruity flavor.
Expensive and difficult to find.
Honjo-zukuri
Sak produced with traditional brewing technics.
Junmai-shu
Pure rice sak made with koji rice, with no added alcohol or sugar.
Ki-ipon
Junmai-shu sak of distinction.
Kijo-shu
Heavy and sweet sak with high alcohol content, often served as aperitif.
Koshu
Sak aged 2 - 3 years before bottling.
Nigori-zake
Coudy sak , filtered with coarse open weave
sacks.

776

Taru-zake

Sak aged in cypress casks where color, aromas and flavor elements
are absorbed into the sak .
Wine-type sak is produced with yeast strains also used for making wine. Alcohol content is
about 13%.
sak kasu
The lees or dregs of rice beer, left by the fermenting process. After the rice mixture is fermented,
it is filtered and skimmed. The golden clay-like mass that remains is the kasu. This is mixed with mirin or
sak and sugar to make a marinade. It has been used to preserve food in Japan since sak was first
made
sak kasu black cod
Fish dish served in Seattle's Japanese restaurants. Sable fish marinated in sake kasu, which
imparts a sharp, but lightly sweet flavor to the fish.
salabat
Phillipine ginger tea.
salad
Culinary term with many interpretations. It even cannot be classified as cold food because there
are hot salads. Salads are any kind of raw or cooked food blended with a dressing.
salad burnet
See burnet.
salad fork
Broad fork with four tines, smaller than a meat fork.
salad oil
Oils are listed under their names.
saladier
French term for salad bowl.
salade frise aux croutons et lardons
French traditional salad popular in bistros and brasseries. It consists of curly endive, strips or
cubes of smoked bacon, and a dressing of bacon fat vinaigrette. Sometimes served with a poached egg.
Salade Nioise
Popular salad from the French Riviera, especially in the area around Nice. The classic recipe
calls for string beans haricots verts, tomatoes, boiled potatoes, capers, anchovies and olives. It is
normally served with grilled or canned tuna. The dressing is olive oil, vinegar, and garlic.
The salad is also served as the filling of a sandwich called pan bagnat.
salade russe
Composed salad consisting of diced and cooked root vegetables and peas mixed with
mayonnaise. It was a popular salad on buffets and is still popular in many countries.
Also known as Russian Salad.
salak
Indonesian fruits with apple taste resembling potatoes. Some varieties are poisonous, but these
are not harvested. Those available in markets are considered safe.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

777

salam leaves
Leaves widely used in Indonesian cooking.
salamella
Italian spiced fresh pork sausage, not the same as salami. It is best known as Italian sausage.
Also known as luganeghe.
Salamana
Soft ewes milk cheese made in Southern Europe.
salamander
Overhead broiler, cheese melter. Food that needs browning on top, such as food au gratin or
glazed, is put under the salamander. Before gas as cooking fuel became available, a shovel filled with
embers was held over the food.
Electric salamanders are also available.
Salamanzar
Large size wine bottle containing 12 regular bottles, the equivalent of one case.
Salame
Cheese shaped in a roll. Salame is the Italian word for a sausage.
salami
Hard, rather spicy sausage of Italian and Hungarian origin. Hungarian salami is made with pork,
Italian Salami was made with either pork and beef, and long ago with donkey meat. Italian salami is
available today made with beef only, with pork or a combination of both.
Hungarian salami is always seasoned with paprika, the national spice. Genua salami is made
with beef and is available kosher.
ITALIAN SALAMI VARIETIES:
Salame Calabrese - spicy.
Salame dei cacciatori - hunter style
Salame di Felino - made in Parma.
Salame Finocchiona - spiced with fennel seeds.
Salame Milanese - made with pork, veal and beef.
Salame Romano - square shaped.
salangane
See birds nests.
salchichn
Spanish smoked pork sausages used for cold cuts.
Salchicha is the generic Spanish word for sausage.
salep
Starchy meal of a terrestrial orchid. The orchid grows wild in throughout the Middle East
Salap powder, when blended with boiling milk will swell up to a pudding like constituency. Much
was used as nutritious beverage.
The word salep is Arabic,and means testicles of the fox.
salepli dondurma
Turkish ice cream made with salep. Salep hat a high mucilage content, which makes the ice
cream solid. It is often served with knife and fork.
saleratus
Baking powder in the early nineteenth century. It was made from potassium bicarbonate. It was
eventually replaced by baking soda, and then by baking powder.

778

Salisbury steak
Ground beef patty named for the British physician D.H.Salisbury who prescribed the dish as a
steady diet, three times a day, to his patients. He was believing that to be healthy one has consume a
lot of meat.
The ground beef is mixed with minced onions, parsley, salt and pepper, shaped into ovals and
broiled. It is sometimes served with gravy and often accompanied by mashed potatoes. Unlike a
hamburger, it is not served on a bun, but is sometimes served on a slice of toast, which usually functions
only to soak up the juices as it becomes rather too soggy to enjoy.
In modern usage, chopped steaks made with beef, but without seasoning, are often named
Salisbury Steaks and restaurant menus.
Sally Lunn
English sweet, rich yeast buns. The name originated in the nineteenth century in Bath, England
and is supposedly derived from a woman who sold these breads on the street.
Sally Lunn was popular in colonial America.
sallys
Term for female Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. Sooks are mature females, which measure less
than the legal requirement for harvesting.
Jimmys or No.1 Jimmys are male crabs; the males generally contain the most meat for their size.
Salm
Old German term for salmon. The more modern word is Lachs.
salmagundi
English cold meat salad often containing anchovies and hard boiled eggs arranged on lettuce in
symmetrical patterns,.
The name comes from French salmigondis, items mixed together. Washington Irving referred to
salamagundi as a stew or salad of many ingredients.
Salmana
Cheese made in Southern Europe from ewes milk. The cheese is ripened in bladders. The
cheese is spreadable, and also used in cooking.
Salmanazar
Large champagne bottle containing twelve regular bottle or nine Liters.
salmi
French game bird stew. The meat is cooked first, cut in pieces, and then the sauce is added.
salmon
Migratory fish commonly harvested in the northern Pacific and Atlantic and at the coasts of
Scotland and Ireland. The migration of salmon is still not fully understood.
Some salmon species spawn only in fresh water, at the exact spot where they were born. The
young fish, called parrs, leave their spawning ground and spend their lives in the ocean. Some famous
salmon river have become polluted and the fish has disappeared. The Rhine in Germany was once
famous for salmon. Thre is also freshwater salmon harvested in the Great Lakes.
Other salmon rivers have been dammed. Despite fish ladders salmon often is not able to reach
the spawning grounds. Smaller dams are being torn down to allow fish to swim upstream unimpeded.
Silting is also a problem in dammed rivers.
WESTERN SALMON NATIVE TO THE PACIFIC OCEAN:
Chum - also called Silverbright
Pink - also called Humpback
Sockeye - also called Red
King/Chinook - preferred for smoking on account of its high fat content.

779

Coho - also called Silver

Arctic char - fish in the salmon family.
Atlantic salmon has peachy color and a high fat content. It is most sought after for smoking. The
oil and fat salmon lay down during their years at sea is the fuel they use to swim upstream to spawn,
since they stop feeding once they enter fresh water. In some rivers, salmon fishing is a big sport.
Seasons are established to guard against over fishing.
Salmon farming has become a large industry in a number of countries and most salmon
consumed in restaurants is farmed. The major exporting countries are Norway and Chile. Farmed
salmon is available year round, but at its best and least expensive in the Summer. The feed can be
regulated to produce salmon with different fat content and color hues for different markets.
Some salmon is harvested on the East Coast, but not in commercially viable supply. Eating
poached salmon is a Fourth of July tradition, especially in New England. The practice is said to date from
the time of Abigail Adams, though that is questionable.
American slang sometimes refers to salmon as Alaska turkey because it is frequently eaten in the
north-western states.
Saumon in French, Lachs in German, salmone in Italian, salmn in Spanish.
salmon berries
Berries resembling pale orange raspberries native to the Pacific Northwest. They have been
harvested since before America was colonized.
Salmon berries are not generally commercially available.
Ribes spectabilis.
Salmon Chambord
Classic French dish, named for the Chteau Chambord on the Loire river built by the French King
Francis I.
Salmon fillets are simmered in red wine and a rich sauce is made from the reduced fish stock and
salmon bones. The elaborate garnish consists of truffles, crayfish and other items.
Salmon Caviar
Available in various qualities and egg sizes, ranging in color from dark red to golden yellow.
Also known as keta.
Salmon canned
Most canned Salmonfor the US markets is produced in Alaska. There are five species of
Alaskan Salmon, all varying in color, texture and cost. Most Canned Salmon is packed in brine. There are
some specialty packs of smoked or flavored salmon packed in oil available, but they have little
commercial distribution.
VARIETIES:
Chum or Kea Salmon - pale colored, coarse textured, the least expensive variety.
Coho or Silver Salmon - orange - red flesh, all purpose use.
King or Chinook Salmon - color ranges from deep red to white, rich in oils, excellent for salads.
Pink Salmon - pale color, less expensive than Red Sockeye.
Red Sockeye Salmon - deep red and firm, used in salads.
Salmon, smoked
Salmon, because of its high fat content, lends itself to smoking. Scotland is famous for high
quality smoked salmon. Smoked salmon is available in many different sizes and quality levels. Most is
cold smoked, but fully cooked hot smoked salmon is also on the market. Smoking is relatively easy and
many chefs smoke salmon in their kitchens.
Smoked salmon is available as full sides, ranging from to 2 and 3 lb to 10 lb. The sides are
available machine sliced and whole. Slicing smoked salmon requires practice, it is always started at the
tail, and the slices should be large and paper thin.
Nova originally referred to the mildly cured Atlantic salmon as made in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Also known as Gasp salmon.
Lox is brine-cured fatty salmon from large fish. It is only lightly smoked if at all.

780

salmon trout
Ocean food fish with light pink meat, but less fatty than salmon.
Also known as Sea trout.
salmonella
Bacteria that causes contamination in food, most commonly in poultry. It is killed by heat.
Though it is common, careful handling can keep the damaging effects under control. It will spread rapidly
in temperatures from 40 to 140 degrees, providing moisture and nutrients are available. It will go dormant
below 32 degrees.
SAFEGUARDS TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CONTAMINATION:
Keeping raw poultry away from other foods
Keeping work surfaces, knives and hands clean after handling poultry
Cooking poultry to 170 degrees internal temperature.
Often salmonella contamination occurs when frozen turkey is defrosted outside the refrigerator,
then stuffed and cooked too slowly, so the bacteria has a chance to spread in the stuffing, which most
likely will not reach 170 degrees.
Salmonella is also found in eggs, though graded eggs are sanitized which kills the bacteria on the
outside. Traditionally, problems of the bacteria with eggs were associated with cracked or soiled eggs
which allow the bacteria to get inside the shell. However, scientists have found salmonella in eggs which
appear fine and they caution against eating foods which use raw eggs in their preparation.
Many commercial operations use shelled pasteurized eggs.
Salmonella has appeared in such diverse products as melons and alfalfa sprouts.
salmorejo
Chunky style of gazpacho served in Cordoba/Spain. See gazpacho.
Saloio
Portugese cheese with pronounced flavor. The small cheese resembles hand cheese.
saloon
American term for a bar or tavern. The term was often associated with dangerous and unsavory
characters, mostly on account of Western movies. The temperance movement which culminated with
prohibition started as a movement against saloons where men spent too much time and money.
The term is also used for a dining room on ships or a more refined cocktail lounge in England.
saloop
Beverage made with sassafras bark, milk and sugar. See there.
salpicon
French culinary term. It always consists of diced cooked food blended with a sauce. It can be
hot or cold. The term has been picked up in other languages to describe dishes with no relation to the
original meaning.
salsa
Spanish/Hispanic term for sauce. It is often used in connection with Mexican food. Salsa roja is a
fresh tomato and onion sauce flavored with chili peppers, cilantro , vinegar and oil.
Salsa verde is spicy green sauce made from minced tomatillos, jalapeo peppers, and
seasonings.
The sauces are served hot or cold.
Salsa verde is also known as salsa cruda.
salsa forte
Italian/Hispanic term for a hot sauce made with chili peppers.
salsamenteria
Italian delicatessen and sausage shop.

781

salsify
Root vegetable, with a delicate flavor that resembles oysters. The long narrow roots were more
commonly eaten in Victorian times.
Salsify are normally boiled and then blended with sauce or fried. They are seldom eaten raw.
Black salsify is a related plant.
Also known as oyster plant.
Tragopogon porrifolius.
salsiccia
Italian generic name for sausage.
salt
Sodium chloride, a mineral essential to the human diet. It occurs naturally in salt deposits and in
the ocean. Salt occurs naturally in animals, but not in vegetables.
Salt mines exist in diverse places. The romantic city of Salzburg, Austria is actually named "salt
hill" for the mines it stands upon. About one-quarter of the city of Detroit sits upon old salt mines.
Salt has been used as a preservative since ancien times and was considered a very valuable
commodity. English words such as salary and sausage can be traced to the Latin word for salt.
Salt also lowers the temperature of liquids and made frozen desserts possible. Salt dissolved in
water is called brine.
TYPES OF SALT:
Rock salt, crystal salt - natural salt from salt mines. The version used for snow removal contains
toxic additives.
Kosher salt - coarse rock salt made under rabbinical supervision. It is not different in flavor from
table salt, although some recipes specify Kosher salt.
Table salt - finely ground rock salt often blended with calcium silicate, dextrose and potassium
iodide.
Flavored salt - blends of salt and spices or flavors, such as garlic powder, onion powder and
other flavors.
salt cod
Cod fish split, salted and air dried. Salt cod can range from moist to very dry, and in all cases
requires soaking in cold water to make it edible.
The history is fascinating how fish harvested in the North Atlantic, cured and dried in Scandinavia
and in Mediterranean countries, became a staple. Cod was abundant and therefore cheap. Portuguese
and Spanish fishermen sailed to the rough and cold waters around New Foundland and Iceland. The fish
was caught from small boats with only one person on board and lowered from the mother ship It was
dangerous and hard work.
Salted cod did not spoil, not even in tropical climates, and became useful provision on sailing
ships. During the seventeenth century, salted cod was shipped to the Caribbean islands to feed the
slaves on sugar plantations, and salted cod, called bacalao, is still popular there.
The Catholic Church had strict rules commanding a non meat diet during lent and on Fridays.
Salted cod became an affordable and easy to store meat substitute.
The name cod comes from the Anglo Saxon word gad or goad, which means stick or roads,
used to stretch the fish to dry.
Bacalhau In Portuguese, bacalao in Spanish, Stockfish in German, morue in French.
salt dough
Inedible dogh made with salt and starch. It is used for decoration, and when varnished can last
many years.
salt, kosher
Coarse table salt considered more flavorful than ordinary salt. It has become fashionable for
chefs and food writers to specify kosher salt in recipes, although at the end nobody is able to taste the
difference.

782

Salt Lake City Scones

Deep fried yeast bread dough. In the 1850's the Mormon women who came from the East
served them with honey and butter.
salt pork
Pork was often cured with salt to keep it from spoiling.
salt potatoes
Potatoes boiled in strong salt water. The are a specialty of Syracuse, New York.
salt stick
Oblong yeast roll sprinkled with coarse salt and often with caraway seeds.
saltpeter
The common term for potassium nitrate used for pickling and preserving meats.
saltimbocca alle romana
Italian/Roman dish of thinly pounded veal cutlets sauteed with sage and prosciutto ham.
saltwater taffy
Salt-water taffy is an Atlantic City's specialty, although they are made in other cities as well.
There are two major taffy companies in Atlantic City, Jamess and Frallingers. Enoch James in
1880, and Joseph Frallinger in 1885 started to make taffy in Atlantic City and sold it in colorful metal
boxes. These boxes became popular souvenir items during Victorian times. The two companies have
merged and get their taffy made by the same factory, but the factory insists that there is a difference
between the two brands.
According to legend, salt-water taffy got its name when taffy was left out to cool on the beach,
and a spray of ocean water hit it. It was natural that reference to the ocean was made for products sold
in Atlantic city.
Salt-water taffy is available in 17 flavors, plus chocolate covered and sugar-free varieties. It is
made with a pinch of salt, but no salt water. The demand for taffy has somewhat diminished for health
reasons.
salumeria
Italian sausage shop.
salus
Brazilian container lined with a germicidal substance for storing vegetables intended to be eaten
raw.
Salvador
California red wine grape variety.
salver
Small footed tray for serving drinks.
Salzburger Nockerln
Austrian dessert, consisting of meringue, blended with egg yolks and a small amount of flour,
baked and served at once. The French version is omelette souffl.
An other version of Salzburger Nockerln consists of baking the mixture in a shallow pan on top if
a small amount of milk.
Salz
German term for salt. A number auf towns contain the word Salz such as Salzgitter, Salzburg and
Salzwedel.

783

Salzgurken
German term for cucumbers pickled in brine with spices, but no vinegar. The cucumbers are
often peeled.
Salzstangen
German term for salt sticks, sometimes also sprinkled with poppy seeds. See salt sticks.
Sam Houston cake
Southern U.S. layered white cake with chocolate-flavored filling and topping.
sambal
Generic name for spicy accompaniments in Asian cooking as side dishes served with rice and
curry. They consist of minced onion preparations, fruits, dried fish, shredded coconut.
Sambal blacan Malaysian/Singaporean/Indonesian. A fiery condiment made by mixing blacan
with ground fresh chilies, and limau kesturi, a small lime.
Sambal kangkong santan Singaporean. A spicy preparation of shrimp, kangkong greens, and
coconut milk.
Sambal timun, relish of cucumbers and pineapple.
Sambuca
Italian liqueur, licorice and elder-flavored, crystal clear in appearance. The name comes from the
berries of the elder bush. See there.
The best known brand is Sambuca Romano. Sometimes it is served with three coffee beans
added to the glass for good luck.
samneh
Arabic term for clarified butter from cows or sheeps milk. It has a distinct flavor and is used in
cooking.
samovar
Russian urn to boil and keep hot water for tea. Usually made of silver or copper. Modern
samovars are heated electrically and are made of stainless steel. Tea is not brewed in the samovar.
The samovar has space on top to keep a small tea pot filled with tea essence.
samp
Hulled Indian corn, the term is also applied to large size hominy.
samphire
Wild plant indigenous to Europe. There are two unrelated plants with the same name.
Rock samphire is used as vegetable, the English name for the green vegetable known in French
as perche-pierres. It grows on sea cliffs in France which gives it a salty flavor. In appearance, it
resembles a slender string beans. Used raw or pickled.
Also known as Peter's cress or sea fennel.
Crithum maritinum.
Marsh samphire is also known as glasswort, it is used in salads. See glasswort.
Salicornia europea.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Samso
Danish cheese resembling Swiss Emmental cheese, named after the island where it originated.
San Antonio food
The population of San Antonio in Texas is a mixture of Anglo and Mexican. Street vendors sell
taco-polaco, a Polish sausage in a Mexican tortilla. Fritos were invented there.

784

San Benito
County and wine district in northern California, directly east of the Monterey Bay. Most vineyards
are on the hills south of the towns Hollister and San Juan Bautista.
One famous vineyard is Almadn.
San Bernardo di pecora
Italian sheep's milk cheese, drum-shaped with a firm texture. Its "grassy" taste goes well with
fruits, such as apples or pears.
San Domingo apricot
Tropical fruit in the family of guttiferae, the same family as the mangosteen. See there.
San Domingo apricots grow wild in Central America and are cultivated experimentally in Florida.
They have the same leathery skin as the mangosteen, but the flesh is yellow and tastes something like
an apricot. The fruits has three large pips.
Mammea america.
San Francisco New Joe's Special
Omelet made with ground beef, spinach and onion. It was invented at Original Joe's in San
Francisco, by previous owners of the restaurant.
San Francisco Bay
Fine wine district benefitting from the cool Pacific ocean breezes and waters of the many
estuaries.
San Jose
City in central California south of San Francisco. It was a major agricultural center and the prune
capital of the world before it became the center of Silicone Valley, the computer capital.
San Sebastian
The capital of the Basque region of Spain.
Sancerre
Town and wine growing area on the Loire River in France, across the river from Pouilly-sur-Loire.
It produces a white wine from the Sauvignon Blanc grape similar to Poully Fum, and small quantities of
a ros wine from the Pinot Noir grape.
The wine from the area is sold as Sancerre.
The area is also known for its Crottin de Chavignol cheese.
sancocho
Generic Hispanic term for meat and vegetable stew.
sand cake
Cake with high butter content so it is crumbly and resembles sand. The German name is Sand
Torte.
sand dab
Atlantic and Pacific food fish in the flounder family. The fish is normally pan size. The fish is
called plaice in England and plie in French, although the European species have slightly different
markings.
sand shark
Ocean food fish with though leathery skin and gelatinous bones. The flesh resembled swordfish
and is sometimes sold as such.
Also known as dogfish.
Squalus acanthias.

785

sandalwood
Tree native to India. The bark contains an aromatic oil that is used as flavoring in perfumes, ice
cream and baked goods. it was also used as coloring agent in food.
sandwich
Sandwich consists of bread with filling. It can be best described as two slices of bread
surrounding sliced meat or salad filling. However, it can also be three slices of bread layered with the
filling or it can be served open-faced, that is, with the filling atop one slice of bread with no slice on top. It
can be warm or cold. Hamburger on a bun and hot dog on a roll can be considered sandwiches.
The name is credited to John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich, who was an addicted
gambler in the 18th century. He invented the sandwich so he could keep one hand free for card playing
and eat at the same time at the Beefsteak Club in London.
Popular salad sandwiches are chicken salad, egg salad, shrimp salad on various breads or rolls.
Popular sandwiches with sliced fillings include roast beef on a kaiser roll, corned beef or pastrami on rye.
Popular hot sandwiches include meat loaf on a hero roll.
Sandwiches can be all American or foreign specialties. Foreign sandwiches include the
Scandinavian open-faced Smrrebrd, the French Croque-Monsieur and pan bagnat, or Italian Panini.
Large, overstuffed sandwiches on French or Italian bread are known as hero sandwiches,
submarine, and with many other local names.
SPECIFIC SANDWICHES INCLUDE:
Bacon, lettuce and tomato - abbreviated BLT.
Club sandwich - consisting of lettuce, tomato, bacon, chicken or turkey in two or three layers.
Cuban sandwich - cold cuts, lettuce, tomatoes on a white roll.
Reuben - rye bread, Russian dressing, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and sliced corned
beef, grilled to melt the cheese.
Muffuletta - New Orleans specialty, a large sandwich of meat, cheese, pickles and olive salad.
Po'boy - New Orleans specialty, fried oysters with shredded lettuce and Mayonnaise
on a white roll.
Sandwiches are being invented every day, and there is much confusion about terminology and origin.
sandwiches de miga
Argentinean term for thin sandwiches, paper thin bread rectangles filled with layers of cold cuts
and other fillings.
sangaree
Sweetened wine drink closely related to sangra. See there.
Sangiovese
Italian red wine grape. It is the major grape in Chianti.
sanglier
French term for wild boar.
sangra
Spanish alcoholic cold beverage made with wine, citrus juices, sliced citrus fruits and carbonated
water. Red wine is normally used in Spain because the name of the beverage is based on sangre,
blood.
sangrta
Mexican cocktail containing acidic orange juice, Tequila, grenadine, and a dash of hot chili
pepper or Tabasco. Originally the drink was made with pomegranate juice.
Another recipe calls for
a mixture of tomato juice, orange juice, tequila, lime juice, and a dash of hot chili. The name comes from
sangre, blood.
Yago is a commercially bottled brand.

786

Sankt Martin
German wine town in the Palatinate district.
Sankt Nikolaus Hospital
German charity home for the aged on the Moselle river across from Bernkastel. The home owns
famous vineyards in Graach, Bernkastel and other places.
sansho
Japanese mild-flavored, aromatic pepper from the prickly ash plant.
Santa Claus melon
Oval melon with streaked, yellow and green skin, with honeydew-like flesh named for the time of
the year it was traditionally available. Now it is available as early as mid-summer. Green color in the skin
indicates ripeness. The flesh is mild and sweet. The melon is about 1 foot long.
See melons.
Santa Clara
Town and county south of San Francisco, once important as wine growing area, and now
important in computer development.
Santa Gertrudis
American cattle breed started in 1910 at the famous King Ranch near Corpus Christi, Texas by
crossing Brahman bulls and Shorthorn cows. The purebreed will thrive in semi arid and tropical regions.
Santa Giustina
Light Italian red wine produced outside Bolzano, former part of Austrian South Tyrol.
Santa Lucia
Patron saint of the Parmesan cheese makers.
Santa Maddalena
Delicious Italian red wine produced outside Bolzano, former part of Austrian South Tyrol.
Santa Maria
Vineyard area in California in San Louis Obispo county.
Santa Rosa
Plum variety grown in California.
Also the major city of Sonoma County, north of San Francisco.
santan
The Indonesian word for coconut milk. It is used in virtually all Padang dishes as both flavoring
and thickening agent.
Santenay
Wine village in Burgundy, France, well known for their white and red wines.
Santos
Important city and port in Brazil, know as coffee trading and shipping center. One coffee brand is
called Santos.
saor
Italian sauce of onions, vinegar, raisins, and pine nuts, used on fish.

787

Saperavi
Russian Georgian red wine grape variety, which produces a dry tannic red wine that will age
well. Much is grown in Crimea, the Ukraine, and in the Caucasus region. The wine is used as a blending
wine and also in a very sweet fortified wine.
Wines made from Saperavi include Mukuzani, named for the town it comes from, and Aguna, a
ros wine.
Sapodilla
Oval brown tropical fruit which resembles a small football, it has a rough brown skin and dense,
orange-pink pulp. It has a central arrangement of shiny black inedible seeds in a star shape if cut across.
It grows on trees native to South America from which the Mayans obtained chicle, chewing gum.
Its creamy pudding-like flesh, with a honey-sweet taste, is eaten raw or pureed into milk shakes.
It is sometimes cut open and sold as a street snack in countries such as Peru.
Related varieties are the sapote calocarpum mamosum, which has a large central seed and
green sapote calocarpum viride, and the star-apple chrysophyllum cainito.
Not related to the white sapote.
Also known as chicle, chickoo, dilly, mammee sapota, marmalade plum, sapodilla plum and
naseberry.
Achras sapota/manilkara zapota.
Sapsago
Cone shaped grating cheese flavored with herbs, made in Switzerland. It is also known as
Schabziger, Glarnerkse, Grnerkse and Kruterkse. The basic flavoring herb is dried clover. The
taste is unusual.
sapucayas
South American nuts resembling Brazil nuts.
Sara Lee Baking company
Large diversified food company founded by Nathan Cummings. The name was picked on the
theory that a personalization helps consumers relate to the products. The name is actually the first name
of the daughter of the company's founder.
Saratoga chips
Thin potato chips supposedly originated in Saratoga, New York in 1853. Charles Ranhofer,
Executive Chef of the Delmonico Restaurant, mentions Saratoga chips in his cook book in 1893.
The chef August Escoffier gives a recipe for pommes chips in his book Le Guide Culinaire,
published 1902. The potato slices are deep fried and available as snack with many flavors and in many
sizes.
Sardelle
German term for anchovy.
sardine
Strong tasting, oily ocean food fish harvested in immense numbers. The fish will deteriorate
rapidly and is available fresh only in coastal cities. The smaller fish are usually canned. Canned
sardines are available packed in oil or water, and with different spices and sauces. Portugal and France
are famous for the quality of their sardines.
Pilchard are larger sardines. Norwegian sardines are called sprats.
Sardinia pilchardus.
sardine box
Small elegant silver box with pictures of sardines engraved were used to serve sardines,
because they were then a very expensive luxury item.

788

Sardo
Cheese made on the Italian Island of Sardinia. It is made with ewes and cows milk. The cheese
can be used for grating when aged.
Sardou, Victorien
French playwright after whom the dish Eggs Sardou was named.
Sarma
Jewish cooking, stuffed cabbage braised in a sweet sour tomato sauce and raisins.
Sarmali
Stuffed grape leaves, also called Dolmas.
Sarrazin
Blue cheese made in the Swiss Canton Vaud.
sarsaparilla
The bitter, licorice extract from the roots of a Mexican tree. It is used in baked goods, ice cream
and soft drinks such as root beer.
It is also the name for a carbonated beverage flavored with ginger and other flavors.
Smilax aristolochiaefolia.
sartu
Italian/Neapolitan specialty. Rice with tiny meatballs, sausages, chicken livers, peas, mushrooms
and cheese.
sashimi
Japanese traditional dish which has gained acceptance in the US. It consists of raw fish,
artistically cut and presented. It is most often served in connection with sushi, which is raw fish wrapped
around vinegar rice. Sashimi must be made with the freshest possible fish. Raw tuna, with its taste and
texture of rare beef, is especially delicious and easy on the neophyte.
Cutting sashimi properly is both a skill and an art. It also requires a razor sharp knife.
FOUR BASIC SASHIMI CUTS:
Hira giri - The flat cut which is most common. The result is strips about an inch wide, an inch and
a half to two inches long, and 1/4 to inch thick.
Kaku giri - The cubic cut, often used for tuna.
Ito zukuri - The string shape, often used for squid. Also good for small fish, from which larger
pieces cannot be properly cut.
Usu zukuri - Paper thin slices, often used for bass, porgy or fugu. The fish is cut so thin it is
transparent. The pieces are often spread on the plate like the petals of a flower.
FISH POPULAR IN SASHIMI:
maguro - red tuna
toro - the prime white tuna.
sass
New England Yankee term for stewed vegetables.
sassafras
Tree in the laurel family native to North America with many culinary uses. The bark of the roots is
a flavoring in root beer and also brewed into a fragrant tea called sass tea. It was thought by early
Americans to help thin the blood after the winter weather. Sass tea was much prized in England for its
medicinal value. It is now considered carcinogenic and is no longer sold.
The leaves are dried and ground into a powder called fil, a thickener used in Cajun gumbos. A
beverage named saloop is made from it.
The wood can be used in barbecues, and it gives off a lovely aroma while burning.
Sassafras albidum, sassafras variifolium.

789

sassamanesh
American Indian name for cranberries. See there.
Sassella
Excellent red wine made in Lombardy, Italy.
Sassenage
French blue cheese, made in the village of the same name.
Sassicaia
Italian wine developed by Mario Incisa della Rocchetta in the region of Bolgheri, southwest of
Florence and now produced exclusively by his descendants. Made from about 70% Cabernet Sauvignon
and 30% Cabernet Franc grapes. Made commercially only since 1968 and still made in small quantities.
The wine is aged in oak barrels.
satay
Generic term for little skewers of meat or fish in South East Asia.
satay ayam
Malayan/Indonesian skewered chicken chunks.
Saticoy
Oval melon in the cantaloupe family.
sato imo
Japanese vegetable with a slightly glutinous root.
Also known as mountain potato.
Satsuma
Citrus fruit, named for a peninsula in southern Japan. Similar to tangerine in taste and
appearance. However, unlike the tangerine, the satsuma does not contain pits.
sauce
Thickened liquid to accompany a dish. The term is not interchangeable with gravy, though in
some cases the terms are misused. Sauce can be independent from the dish it is served with, such as
chocolate sauce served with ice cream. Gravies are always part of the cooking process, such as a pot
roast gravy.
There are literally thousands of sauces, although the French try to organize the sauces by mother
sauces, from which all other sauces are derived. This is possible only for French meat sauces, and does
not include the sauces from other cultures or manufactured sauces.
FRENCH MOTHER SAUCES:
Bchamel - white sauce or cream sauce
Demi glace - reduced and fortified brown meat sauce
Espagnole - basic bown meat sauce
Hollandaise - sauce made with egg yolks and melted butter served warm
Mayonnaise - sauce made with egg yolks and oil, served cold
Tomato sauce
Velout - white sauce made with veal, chicken or fish stock thickend with roux.
The variation are endless and once the rigid classification is no longer adhered to. In many
cases the classic French sauces have been replaced by reduced meat, fish or vegetable stocks, or by
purees called coulis, or by quick sauces made with concentrated ingredients such as beurre blanc, which
is a delicate blend of shallots cooked with white wine and vinegar, cream and fresh butter.
There are many bottles and canned sauces on the market, and there is no clear distinction
between canned sauces and condiments.

790

saucier
French term for chef in charge of making sauces in large commercial kitchens. The position of
saucier was the most prestigious position, and the saucier often acted as chef in charge.
saucisse
French generic word for sausage.
saucisson
French large and fatty smoked pork sausage. There are many different types of sausages on the
market.
The term is often applied specifically for a coarse pork sausage, available in many flavors. A
popular dish is Saucisson en Crute (baked in a pastry crust).
saucisson d'Ardennes
Salami from the Ardennes region of Belgium.
Sauerbraten
German pot roast. The meat is marinated with vinegar, sugar, and seasonings before cooking.
In the US, the sauce is often thickened with ginger-snap cookies. Sauerbraten was considered the
quintessential German restaurant dish, beside Sauerkraut, although Sauerbraten is relatively unknown in
some areas of Germany.
Sauerkraut
German word for pickled and fermented green cabbage. The name used in the US is German,
because Sauerkraut used to be a staple food in Germanic countries during the long winters.
The concept of preserving vegetables in salt brine originated in the Orient. To make Sauerkraut
cabbage is shredded, mixed with salt and spices such as juniper berries or caraway seeds, tightly packed
in containers and fermented. It is available fresh, but in the US more likely canned.
Choucroute in French. Nicknamed Liberty cabbage.
saumon
French word for salmon.
Saumur
French wine town and district in on the Loire river. Most wine is white, but also a considerable
amount of sparkling wine is produces, and exported as Saumur Mousseux.
saurel
Pacific ocean food fish.
Also known as horse mackerel or scad.
Trachurus symmetricus.
sausage
Sausage is ground meat, filled in a casing and sold fresh or cured, smoked or air dried, boiled or
raw. Sausages can be made with fish and other ingredients, but for all practical purposes meat is the
main ingredient. The casing used to be the intestines of animals but artificial casing are often used.
Some sausage are made without casing and pressed by machines into a roll shape.
The word is derived from the Latin words salsus meaning salted and salsicia meaning something
prepared by salting.
The development of sausage is tied to the spice trade, as spices became more available
sausage makers created different sausages and they were often named after the city, such as
Frankfurter, Bologna and others.
Since sausage making offered an opportunity to cheat by substituting inferior or spoiled
ingredients powerful guilds established themselves to watch out that the ingredients are appropriate and
the weights are proper. A certain percentage of sausages is water because meat can absorb water when
finely ground and blended while cold.

791

Sausages were created in China and the method traveled to the Western World often as a way to
preserve meat and to use meat parts which otherwise would go to waste.
The most famous sausage making countries are Germany, Italy and France, followed other
European countries.
Saussignac
Medium-dry white wine from the Bergerac region of France.
sauter
French cooking term, also used in English. It is used in the past sense on menus, which is
saut(e) or sauted. The basic term means to toss, because food is cooked in a shallow pan and tossed
around. The term has been expanded to include cooking in shallow pans without tossing. The correct
English term is pan-fried.
On some menus the term saut is erroneously described as cooking with wine or other liquids.
Sauter implies that the food is cooked with fat of some kind.
The term saut can also be used on French menus to describe a stew.
Sauternes
Small town south of Bordeaux, France, and the name of a wine district producing some of the
best sweet wines in the world.
The wine is made with Smillon, Sauvignon Blanc and some Muscadet grapes. They are
allowed to stay on the vines until attacked by botrytis, a beneficial mold which allows water to evaporate
and the reaming juice to become more concentrated.
Frank Prial said: "The mold permits the water in the grape to seep through the skin and be
evaporated by the warm autumn sun. Left behind is an intensely concentrated and extremely sweet juice,
but it retains all its natural acid as well."
THE FAMOUS CHTEAUX ARE:
Chteau dYquem, probably the most famous single vineyard sweet wine in the world.
Chteau Climens
Chteau Coutet
Chteau Guiraud
Chteau Haut Peyraguey
Chteau La Tour Blanche
Chteau Lafaurie Peyraguey
Chteau Rayne Vigneau
Chteau Rieussec
Chteau Siglas Promis.
Chteau Siglas Rabaud
Chteau Suduiraut
French Sauternes is often served with foie gras (goose liver).
In the US the name Sauterne is use generically for any kind of white wine, often dry.
sauteuse
French cooking utensil, basically the same as a sautoir, although with a differently sloped rim.
sautoir
French cooking utensil. Round pan with low, straight rim, used to saut items which are made
with a gravy based on the the resulting pan drippings. In large kitchens, sautoirs are available in many
sizes. They were made of copper with a tin lining, now they are made of heavy stainless steel, aluminum
or a Teflon coated metal.
Sauvignon Blanc
White wine grape commonly cultivated in the Loire Valley in France, Bordeaux, California,
Australia and New Zealand. Distinguishable by its grassy, herbaceous aroma and crisp, dry taste.

792

In the Loire Valley, it is used in some of the area's best wines, Pouilly Fum and Sancerre. There,
the grape is known as Blanc-Fum. The word fum means smoked and the Loire wines are sometimes
described as having a smoky taste.
Sauvignon vert
White wine grape cultivated in California and as blending wine. It is not a true sauvignon.
Savannah Georgia specialty
She-crab soup - creamed soup made with the meat and roe of female crab.
savarin
Round yeast cake, soaked with rum or brandy and often served warm. It is named for BrillatSavarin, the 18th century writer, whose main subject was cuisine.
Savarin, Brillat, Anthelme. 1755 to 1826
Parisian judge, who wrote books about gastronomie. His most famous book is Physiologie du
gout.
Savatiano
Greek white wine grape variety.
saveloy
English sausage of the cervelat type. It is lightly smoked and eaten steamed. See cervelat.
Savignin
French white wine grape cultivated on a very limited scale in the Jura, the area bordering on
Switzerland.
Savigny Les Beaune
Small town in Burgundy, France known for its red wines.
Savoie
French region in the foothills of the Alps known for skying, cheese and wine. The Jacquere grape
grown there makes a crisp, delicate, white wine.
savory/savoury
Small, spiced tidbits. In British cookery, the last course of a meal.
savory
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Herb in the mint family used in game dishes,

salads and with vegetables with a taste resembling
thyme. The German name is Bohnenkraut (bean
herb), which indicates its primary use.
Summer savory is an annual.
Satureja montana.
Winter savory in a hardy perennial with a
similar flavor.
Satureja hortensis.
Savoy cabbage
Curly cabbage with round, yellow-green
leaves. Savoy cabbage is tender and will cook
quicker than green cabbage. It is delicious cooked. It

793

was allegedly introduced by Catherine de Medici from the province Savoy in Italy.
Savoy cabbage is not eaten raw and cannot be used in Cole Slaw recipes. See cabbage.
Savoy Hotel
Famous London hotel built by DOyle Carte 1889 and managed Csar Ritz, the food operation
was under the guidance of August Escoffier. See there.
sawo
Indonesian fruit with pear-like taste and snake-like skin.
saxifrage
Wild leafy vegetable growing in rock crevasses. Locally known as deer tongue and as branch
lettuce.
Sazerac
Cocktail popular in New Orleans made with whiskey, bitter and a licorice flavored cordial.
Sbrinz, also Spalen
Cheese from Switzerland, but now produced also in other countries. It is a hard garting cheese.
The name comes from the Swiss-German word Spalen, wooden containers.
scabbardfish
Ocean food fish harvested in the Atlantic, especially popular in Portugal. The fish has dagger-like
teeth and a compressed body.
Also known as frogfish.
Trichiurus spp.
scad
Tropical ocean food fish in the family Decapterus.
Scallions
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Mild, bulb - less onion with bright green leaves and

white stalk. It is used mostly raw. The common name is
spring onions.
In Louisiana, green shallots are also sold as
scallions.
Also known as Welsh onion, cibol or rock onion.
Allium cepa.

scallops
Bivalves with beautiful shell harvested in many parts of the ocean. The edible part is the adductor
muscle which is quite large compared to the rest and to other bivalves, because the scallop is an active
swimmer, unlike oysters and mussels. Scallops propel themselves through the water by opening and
closing the shell, thus using and developing the adductor muscle.
Scallop roe or coral, a pink crescent in appearance is a delicacy but seldom reaching the market
because it is very perishable. Scallops must be shucked earlier than other bivalves because the shell
never completely closes and the flesh can spoil more readily.
The trade distinguishes between the smaller bay scallops and the larger sea scallops. Bay
scallops were for many years considered more delicate and elegant than sea scallops and were

794

consequently more expensive. Young chefs discovered that the larger sea scallops are more flavorful
and juicier when quickly cooked and left slightly underdone.
Scallops require fast cooking, sauteed over high heat or broiled, especially if they have been
frozen. Those that have been frozen will give off a lot of water when cooked, especially if cooked slowly.
The scallop shell has become a symbol for pilgrims to the shrine of Santiago (St. James) in
Spain, and also a trade mark for a gasoline company.
Coquille St. Jacque was a standard dish on French menus. It consisted of poached bay scallops
in a cream and mushroom sauce, put back into the shell and browned under the broiler. The rough
treatment made the scallops shrink and too well done. The dish is seldom served today.
Ptoncles in French, Jakobsmuscheln in German, congiglia in Italian, venera in Spanish.
Pecten spp.
scallop crabs
Tiny crabs living as parasites inside scallop shells.
scalloped
Cooking term for food baked in a shallow dish. Still appearing on menus are scalloped potatoes,
basically boiled sliced potatoes baked in cream or milk or scalloped tomatoes baked with a generous
amount of bread crumbs to soak up the juices.
scallops, dried
Small dried scallops are an important ingredient in Chinese cooking. They resemble small brown
buttons.
Also known as compoy.
Scamorza
Italian oval shaped cheese made in the Abruzzi mountains in central Italy. The cheese was
originally made with buffalo milk, but is now also made with cows milk.
The cheese is related to Mozzarella. It is eaten fresh, but is often smoked, or used for cooking.
A soft version was made with goats and cows milk, often flavored with herbs.
Also known as scamozza.
scampi
Italian/Venetian name for a small salt water crustacean related to lobster. Scampi were once
abundant in the Mediterranean sea and are usually broiled with garlic and oil. This cooking method is also
applicable for shrimp, and many restaurants sell Broiled Shrimp Scampi which is misnomer because
shrimp or not scampi.
Scanno
Italian ewes milk cheese.
Scented Geraniums
Perennial flower with scented leaves used in Victorian times in baking.
Also known as Rose geranium, sweet scented geranium.
Pelargonium graveolens.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Schabzieger
German name for a cheese made in Switzerland. See Sapsago.
Schamser
Cheese made in the Swiss Canton Graubnden, also known as Rheinwald.

795

Scharlachberg
German mountain with red soil, hence the name which means scarlet, on the Rhine river near
Bingen. It produces famous white wines.
Scharzhofberg
Vineyard on the Saar river in Germany producing great white wines.
Schaumwein
German name for effervescent wine, commonly called Sekt.
schav
Jewish soup made with water, sorrel leaves (sourgrass) and eggyolks. It is considered parve and
can be served with either meat or dairy dishes.
Scheurebe
German white wine grape, a cross between Sylvaner and Riesling and named for the viticulturist
Georg Scheu who developed it in 1916.
The grape is used in the production of dessert wines. It is also grown in California.
Schiava
Italian red wine and table grape cultivated in northern Italy.
Schiava Grossa
Italian red wine grape variety, also called Trollinger in Alto Adige, the South Tyrol region of Italy.
The name Trollinger is probably derived from Tirolinger.
Schilcher
Austrian pink wine made in the province of Styria from Blauer Wildbacher grape variety. The
growing area is small.
Schillerlocken
German name used to describe two completely different kinds of food.
Schillerlocken - a pastry made with puff paste, rolled around a hollow tube, baked and filled with
whipped cream, meringue or pastry cream.
Schillerlocken - a marinated fish roll, often made with dogfish or herring, filled with Sauerkraut
and raw sliced onions, marinated in vinegar, spices and salt.
Schiller is a famous German poet, and Locken is the German term for locks.
Schillerwein
German pink wine made in the province Wrttemberg.
Schinken
German term for ham. The term is often used in connection with sausages containing ham, such
as Schinkenwurst.
Schioppettino
Rare red wine grape from the Friuli region of Italy. Decimated when phylloxera hit Italy in about
1921, these vines were rarely replanted.
Schlachtplatte
Austrian/Tyrolean specialty, huge platter of roast, boiled and smoked meats, sausages, and
sauerkraut.
The dish was originally prepared when pigs were slaughtered.
Also known as Bauernschmaus. A similar dish in Switzerland is called Bernerplatte, in Alsace
choucroute garni.

796

Schlesischer Sauermilchkse
Czech cheese resembling Handkse. The name is German.
Schloss
German term for castle. It is often found on wine labels and can also mean the wine estate.
Schloss Bckelheim
Vineyard area in Germany on the Nahe river.
Schlossberg
German for mountain or hill with a castle on top. It is often found on wine labels, even when the
castle no longer exists.
Schlosskse
Soft ripened small cheese made in Austria and Germany. It resembles Limburger.
schmalz
Jewish/Jiddish name for rendered chicken fat.
Schmalz
German generic word for lard, usually pork lard.
rendered goose fat is called Gnseschmalz.

Rendered butter is called Butterschmalz,

Schmalzbrot
Germa term for bread spread with pork, goose or chicken fat
schmear
Jiddish term for spreadable food, such as cream cheese.
Schmidt, Arno
Executive Chef, food and beverage director author and food consultant. Born in Salzburg,
Austria and after having worked in a number of countries, he came to New York City in 1959 and worked
at the Hotel St. Regis. After a stint with Restaurant Associates and other hotels, he joined the Culinary
Institute of America, when it was located in New Haven, Connecticut. He worked for 10 years as
Executive Chef at The Waldorf-Astoria and was there during the bi-centennial year, when the celebrities
of the world came to New York City.
Arno Schmidt worked at The Plaza Hotelin New York as Food and Beverage Director and
started a consulting business in 1985. He is the originator of Menuspell, a computer menu spelling
software available by calling (800) 787 1455 and of this encyclopedia.
Schmidt, Jimmy
An American chef famous for his cooking at London Chop House restaurant in Detroit, Michigan.
schnapps
American spelling for inexpensive distilled spirit, often sweet and fruit flavored. The German
spelling is Schnaps.
Schnitzel
Austrian/German term for meat cutlet. The best known is Wiener Schnitzel, a breaded veal
cutlet.
The origin of the famous breaded Wiener Schnitzel is probably Milano, Italy.
Schnburger

797

German white wine grape.

Schne van Boskoop
Dutch apple variety with greenish-yellow or reddish-yellow skin. The apple is large and firm with
a tart, juicy flesh. Good for eating or processing.
schooner
Term for a large beer glass.
Schoppenwein
German term for open wine served by the glass.
refreshment or snack.

Schoppen is a colloquial term for liquid

Schramsberg
California winery started in the Napa Valley by German immigrant Jacob Schram in 1862. Wellknown for its sparkling wines made by the method champenoise. Their sparkling wines are still riddled by
hand.
Schtzenkse
Austrian cheese of Romadur type.
Schwarze Katz
German white wine from around Zell on the Moselle river. The wine is a commercial blend and
popular for its name and logo, black cat.
Schwarzenberger
Cheese made in Hungary, Austria and Bohemia. The rather smelly cheese is often consumed
with beer.
Schwarzwald
Area of southwestern Germany, known for its fruit brandies and hams.
Schwarzwlder Ham is smoked with juniper wood. See Black Forest.
Schwarzwlder Kirsch Torte
German chocolate cake flavored with Kirsch, with sour cherry filling, chocolate cream and
whipped cream.
The American name is Black Forest Cake. It was a staple on many restaurant menus.
sciue' sciue'
Neopolitan black pasta specialty made with squid ink.
sclopits
Wild leafy plant found in the Friuli region of northern Italy. One of its uses is in the local pasta,
fregozoz.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
scomber
Name for mackerel harvested in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean.
scombroid
Food poisoning which occurs naturally in poorly refrigerated tuna, mackerel and related species.
It is an odorless toxin which cannot be removed by cooking.
scone(s)

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Baking powder biscuits popular in English speaking countries for breakfast and afternoon tea
snack. Scones in England are normally triangular shaped, in the US they are round. They are eaten with
butter and jam or marmelade.
VARIATIONS INCLUDE:
brown scones - made with half wholewheat flour and half white flour.
fruit scones - sweetened with castor sugar and with dried fruit.
drop scones - An Irish term for pancakes. Also known as Scotch pancakes.
puftaloons - Australian griddle baked scones.
tattie scones - Scottish scones made with potato dough.
Other names for scones are: Fat Rascals, Rock Cakes, Singin Hinnies.
scoop sizes
Scoops are graduated by the approximate number of scoops contained in one quart.
#
volume measure
30
2 tbsp
24
2 tbsp
20
3 tbsp.
16
4 tbsp.
12
5 tbsp.
10
6 tbsp.
6
10 tbsp.
scorzonara/scorzonera
Parsnip-like root vegetable with black skin native to Europe related to salsify. Found in the
Ligurian region of Italy and also in Catalonia, Spain. The name means black serpent; thus, it is also
sometimes called viper's grass.
Its leaves are used in the herb mixture, prebuggiun, which is used to flavor the local frittata and
ravioli. The fleshy roots are boiled or steamed.
Also known as black salsify.
Scorzonera hispanica.
Scotch bonnets
Searing hot chili peppers, grown in the Caribbean.
Scotland food
Scotland has again its own parlament and there is renewed pride in this ancient country. It has
an interesting, though little respected cuisine.
The predominant meat is lamb and mutton. Aberdeen Angus and Belted Galloway cattle are
world famous.
The national dish is haggis, sheep stomach filled with meats and oats. See there. Cured
moutton leg, mutton chop, and stews are often served.
Scottish game, especially game such as venison and hare are hunted. Game birds are
pheasant and partridge. The most famous game bird is grouse. Capercaillie is the largest, followed by
black grouse, white grouse and red grouse. London restaurants took pride in getting the first grouse of
the season on the table. Roast grouse was traditionally served with bread sauce, currant jelly, toasted
bread crumbs and its own roasting jus.
Seafood plays an important part. Scottish salmon, smoked or fresh is of outstanding quality, but
little is now available commercially. Scottish smoked salmon is often raised someplace else and only
processed in Scotland. Other seafood includes herring, prawns, cod, mussels, cockles, scallops, and
fresh water trout.
Oats, potatoes and barley are used for starch, root vegetables appear in many dishes.
The rough weather makes the cultivation of many tree fruits difficult, but berries are excellent and
imported dried fruits, especially raisins and sultanas are used in many dishes.
The city Dundee is the home of the marmelade. It is reported that a ship carrying a cargo of
Seville oranges took refuge in the harbor of Dundee in the early eighteenth century. A James Keiller

799

bought the oranges cheaply and Mrs. Keiller made a preserve with the bitter oranges. Baxter is a famous
Scottish food company.
Scotland developed its own dialect.
SCOTTISH FOOD TERMS:
baps - yeast rolls, buns
brambles - wild blackberries
broonie - brownie
bubblu - jock - turkey
collops - braised steak
drop scones - pancakes
neaps/neeps - turnips
partan - crabs
stovies - meat hash
tatties - potatoes
COMMON DISHES INCLUDE:
Arbroath Smokies - herring or small haddocks split and smoked
Bannocks - griddle baked oat cakes
Black pudding - blood sausage
Black bun - dark fruit cake
Boiled leg of lamb with caper sauce
Butterscotch
Caledonian cream - cottage cheese and marmalade dessert
Clapshot - mashed potatoes and turnips
Clootie - steamed yeast bread
Cock - a Leekie - leek and chicken soup garnished with prunes.
Cod with mustard sauce
Cullen skink - fish soup with mashed potatoes
Dulse - seaweed. See there.
Dundee fruit cake
Finnan haddie - smoked haddock. See there.
Haggis - the national dish. See there.
Hotch - potch - lamb and vegetable stew or thick soup
Howtowdie - stuffed roast chicken
Inky pinky - hash made with leftover beef
Kedgeree - salmon and rice hash. The name is probably Indian origin.
Pies and puddings
Porridge
Potted herring
Scones - biscuits made with flour or potatoes. See scone.
Scotch broth - A light soup of vegetables and barley.
Scotch woodcock - appetizer of anchovies and srambled eggs on toast
Scots eggs - soft boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat, breaded and fried
Shortbread - cookies
Skirlie - oat meal mush with onions and beef suet
Speldings - small dried cod
Stovies - meat hash
Tipsy laird - trifle. See there.
Tweed kettle - poached salmon
Scotland beverage
The best known beverage is whisky. American and Irish whiskies have always been spelled with
an "ey", but Scotch and other whiskies are spelled whisky.
The first recorded reference to Scotch Whisky was made in 1494 by Friar John Cor, but
distillation occurred much earlier. The name whisky is derived from a Celtic word usigebeatha, meaning
water of life.

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The fabrication of whisky start out like beer. The cereals used are usually barley. The barley is
wetted and left in a warm place to sprout. During this carefully controlled process, called malting, starch is
converted into sugar. The kernels are roasted, to develop a caramel flavor, milled and soaked with hot
water. This liquid is known as mash. Peat is used for malting or lightly toasting the barley, and this
imparts the characteristic smoky flavor.
The mash is fermented and the liquid is called beer. The beer is then distilled to a liquid with
about 125 proof.
All whisky is aged in wooden casks, often in used Bourbon casks imported from the United
States or in old Sherry casks. The legal minimum aging in casks is three years. High quality whisky are
aged much longer and are naturally expensive. Whisky does not ages once bottled.
Most Scotch Whisky are blends made by mixing anywhere from 15 to 50 single malt or grain
whiskies. This assures uniform quality, but also indicated that the whisky is not older than the blends
used. Aged whisky is blended and then laid away in casks.
Single malt whisky can be blends of malt whisky only, without grain whisky, or un-blended
Highland malt whisky made at one distillery.
The major producing areas are the Lowlands, where most grain whisky is made, the Midlands
north of Glasgow and Edinburgh and the Highlands in the North, including the Orkney islands. Other
important producing areas are Campbeltown, islay and the Hebrides. Spyside north of the Cairngorm
and Crampian mountains is the home of Glenlivet brand and many other famous whiskies.
Liqueurs made with a Scotch whisky base are Drambuie and Lochan Ora.
There are numerous recipes for beverages using scotch whisky, ale, sugar and spices.
Scotto, Charles
Executive Chef, founder of the American Culinary Federation (ACF) in New York City. Born 1886
in Monte Carlo, he worked for the illustrious chef August Escoffier before coming to the United States in
1914. After working in various first class hotels, he opened the Hotel Pierre in New York City as Executive
Chef where he stayed until his death in 1937.
Charles Scotto was so well regarded by his peers that even August Escoffier came to the
opening of the Hotel Pierre in 1930 when he was past eighty years of age. Charles Scotto was the
President of the Vatel Club and held officer`s positions in other chefs organizations.
scrapple
Philadelphia breakfast meat made with boiled ground pigs' snouts, tails, ears and liver, mixed
with cornmeal mush, formed into loaves, then sliced and fried.
Scrapple is popular in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
screw beans
See mesquite.
screwdriver
Refreshing drink made with orange juice and champagne. It is often served at brunch.
Screwpull
Simple to operate and effective corkscrew invented and manufactured by a Texan in the late
1970's and still made by his company, the Hallen Company in Houston. As the teflon-coated screw is
turned into the cork, the cork is removed at the same time. Forerunner of the more high-tech version, the
Lever Model developed by the same company.
scrod
See cod and Boston cod.
scrumpy
Traditional style of cider made from small sweet apples in the West Country of England. It can be
drunk slightly aged, and is good up to three years.
sculpin

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Rascasse-like fish harvested off the California coast. Related to the red scorpion fish of the
eastern US coast.
scup
Ocean food fish in the sea bream family, related to porgy.
Scuppernong
Native American white grape variety resembling sweet muscat grapes in taste. It is grown
extensively in the South for grape juice and grape jelly.
Wine made with scuppernong grapes was once popular and sold under a number of brand
names, including Virginia Dare. The wine can have a foxy taste, and is no longer popular. The grape is
named after the North Carolina river.
scurvy grass
Perennial plant of European origin growing wild and cultivated resembling strong tasting
watercress.
The plant is of medicinal value as antiscorbutic and laxative.
sea bass
Ocean food fish with firm white meat in the family Serranidae.
Known as spigola and branzino in Italy, suzuki in Japanese, levrek in Turkish, Loupe de mere in
French. See also bass.
sea biscuit
See hardtack.
sea bream
Ocean food fish with over 200 species, such as scup, porgy, pandora and Japanese bream.
sea breeze
Cocktail made with vodka, cranberry juice, and grapefruit juice.
sea cucumber
See trepang.
sea fennel
Another name for the green vegetable known in French as perche-pierres. Also known as
samphire or Peter's cress. It grows on sea cliffs in France which gives it a salty flavor. In appearance, it
resembles slender string beans. Used raw or pickled
sea grape
Sweet fruits growing on clusters on trees in tropical countries. The plant is not related to grapes.
Also known as shore grape.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
sea horse
Dried seahorses are used in Chinese cooking.
sea kale
Summer vegetable which grows wild along the seashores of western Europe. It looks a little like
broccoli and tastes a little like asparagus. It is not related to curly kale.
The leaf tips can be eaten raw, but the stems, the tastiest part of the plant, must be lightly boiled.
Also known as silver kale.
Crambe maritima.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

802

Sea legs
Brand name of a surimi product shaped like Alaskan crab legs. See surimi.
sea pie
Colonial recipe for a meat and fowl stew flavored with dried apples and molasses.

803

sea prunes
See beach plums.
sea robin
Ocean food fish. It gets its name from the large wing like pectoral fins. Most of the edible meat is
in the tail.
Also known as gurnard.
Sea salt
Salt obtained by evaporation of sea water. The water is evaporated in tidal ponds, filtered to
remove impurities and than evaporated in heated pans. Sea salt has only 84% to 86% sodium.
The Great Salt Lake in Utah is an important source for salt.
sea snails
See abalone, conches, periwinkles.
sea sprouts
Crunchy seaweed hydroponically grown. See seaweed.
sea trout
Ocean food fish, often sold under the name weakfish. The fish is in the drum family and rather
abundant.
sea urchin
Spiny sea animal, not a mollusc but an echinoderm, prized for its buttery tasting, pale-orange
roe, also known as coral. The name comes from the old English definition of the word urchin, hedgehog,
as the urchin resembles this spiny land animal.
Sea urchins are very perishable and appear on the New York markets only during winter. They
are difficult to open, as the shell is hard and the spines can inflict injuries.
Sea urchins are harvested to a large extent for the Japanese market where they are used in
sushi bars. The coral is much esteemed and is called uni. The coral is also used as garnish in fish
dishes, or whipped raw into hot cream fish sauces.
SPECIES INCLUDE:
Cidaris tribuloides - harvested in the West Indies. A small species.
Diadema setosum - harvested off the coast of Southeast Asia.
Paracentrotus lividus - harvested in the Mediterranean. A large species that grows up to 4" in
diameter, not counting the long spines.
Strongylocentrus droebachiensis - harvested in the North Atlantic.
Strongylocentrus franciscanus - very large and prized sea urchin harvested off the coast of
California. Can be as much as 5 inches in diameter, not including the long spines.
Strongylocentrus purpuratus - medium size sea urchin prized for the flavor of its coral.
This delicacy, which has not always been appreciated, has been nicknamed whores's eggs
among fishermen around the state of Maine.
Also known as sea egg.
Oursin in French, See-Igel in German, erizo de mar in Spanish, riccio di mare in Italian.
Diadematoida.
sea weed
One of the most underutilized foods, though it has been eaten since ancient times. Vikings, Celts,
and Romans all ate seaweed, and it is a major component in many Japanese dishes. But in the modern
Western world, vegetables are mostly the cultivated variety. Sea weed are nutritious and are high in
Vitamins B1, B2, C, E, K and niacin.
They are supposedly a cure for high tension and arteriosclerosis. The major drawback, nutritionally
speaking, is the salt content which can be high in some types, but often the salt can be rinsed out with
fresh water.

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Colloids from sea weeds are used as emulsifiers, stabilizers and thickeners in many prepared
commercial foods such as baked goods, jellies, salad dressings and ice cream.
Most American seaweed is harvested from the wild, but budding industries are cultivating it in
places such as Maine, North Carolina, Florida, Washington State, California, Hawaii and also Canada. It
is sometimes sold fresh, preserved in salt or brine, but most often dried, especially since most varieties
have a short shelf life. Lacking cellulose, a fiber found in land vegetables, they discolor and spoil quickly.
Seaweeds are most likely to be found in health-food stores or in Asian and West Indian markets.
Dried seaweed will increase in volume significantly when soaked. Typically, 1/3 ounce of dried
seaweed will increase to about 1 cup rehydrated. Dried seaweed can be cut with scissors, but wet
seaweed should be cut with a knife.
Edible seaweed has basically three color classifications: red, brown, and green.
TYPES OF SEAWEED INCLUDE:
agar, a red seaweed, usually sold as agar-agar. See there.
alaria esculenta, related to tangle, the edible kelp of Scotland and Ireland, and also to wakame,
but it is much tougher in texture and requires longer cooking. Best harvested in spring. Usually sold dried.
aonori - A Japanese algae, usually used in a powdered
green form.
arame, a phaeophyta or brown seaweed. Rich in iron and calcium. Can be served by itself,
marinated in soy and vinegar, or tossed into salads or stir-fry dishes.
asakusa nori, the most common Japanese nori.
carrageen, also called Irish Moss, dark, purplish-red seawwed used as jelling agent.
dulse, rhodphyta, red seaweed, rhodymenia palmata. Found in the North Atlantic and Pacific
Northwest. Purplish-red in color. Best harvested in spring. Usually sold dried. It can be eaten raw, dried or
rehydrated, in salads or mixed into cream cheese spreads. It was once eaten as a snack in New England
and Western Europe. It cooks fast and can be stir-fried in butter or added to soups. Also called
Neptune's girdle.
gracilaria, a crunchy-textured seaweed, similar to sea sprouts or ogo.
hijiki , a phaeophyta or brown seaweed. Especially high in calcium, potassium and fiber content.
Brown when fresh, it turns black when dried. Crunchy in texture, nutty and meaty in taste, it can be used
in salads, soups, and stir-fried dishes, such as with sauteed onions.
kelp, a phaeophyta or brown seaweed, it can grow up to 200 feet in length. Harvested off the
coast of New England, it is best in spring. Usually sold dried, it can be crumpled into salads, soups, and
onto popcorn. In its powdered form, it is used as a salt substitute. Sliced, it can be stir-fried or swirled into
noodle dishes, soups, or stews.
kim - the Korean name for nori.
kombu - Phaeophyta or brown seaweed, sold in dried flat sheets. This Japanese kelp is used as
a flavoring in dashi, a light broth. It is also used shaved as a flavoring in vinegar or soy sauce. It can be
used as food wrappers, or swirled into cooked dishes, be they fried, roasted, or stewed. Mixed into
rehydrated dried beans, it works as a softening agent.
laver - An English name for nori.
nori, a rhodphyta or a red seaweed, although some inferior versions on the market are dyed
green. Sold in thin brittle sheets that will soften when moist, and disintagrate when wet.
Especially high in calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and Vitamins B1, B2, and niacin. Multi-hued
sheets indicate that they have been dyed green. Nori can be shredded into salads or soups. Nori,
specifically Asakusa nori, is the seaweed which is used in its dried form as sushi wrappers. American nori
or laver, distinguished by being dried in its natural blade shape, is often toasted to bring out its unique
taste, at the same time sweet and salty and nutty.
Rock weed - A Phaeophyta or brown seaweed
Sea lettuce, chlorophyta or green seaweed. It looks like lettuce, has the texture of romaine, and
has a slightly spicy taste. Fresh or dried, it makes a good salad ingredient or addition to soups
Sea palm, postelsia palmaeformis. Found on the rocky coast in the Pacific Northwest. The whole
fronds are attractive and tasty in soup and stir-fried dishes. Fresh, it has a noodle-like texture. Dried it has
a crunchy texture and makes a good snack. Also known as sea noodle.
Sea sprouts, a rhodphyta or red seaweed. Known in Japan as ogo. Crunchy in texture, similar to
Gracilaria. It is hydroponically grown by Villa in the Grove Hydroponics of Redlands, Florida which has
trademarked the English language name. The brownish-red crunchy sprigs are used in Caribbean,

805

Japanese, Polynesian cooking. Low in fats and carbohydrates, but high in protein, minerals, potassium.
This tropical vegetable doesn't take well to refrigeration, but will keep at room temperature for a little
while. It can be used in salads, in hot dishes, as a thickening agent in soups and dips, and as a
seasoning when dried.
tangle - The name for the edible kelp in Scotland and Ireland which is related to alaria esculenta
and also wakame.
wakame - A Phaeophyta or brown seaweed. Undaria pinnatifida. Available fresh, preserved in
salt, and dried. Popular in Japan where it is used in miso soup, sukiyaki, or rice. Cooked with other
vegetables, it has a softening effect. Good with stir-fried with onions, or with noodles. Dried, it makes a
good crisp snack. Rehydrated, it looks like slippery spinach. Related to alaria esculenta or tangle, which
is harvested from the Atlantic.
Xuancai , a weed found in the lakes of the Hangzhou region of China. It is used to make a sorrellike soup.
Seager ham
Ham from Suffolk, England, smoked and air dried.
SEARCH
Acronym for Southwest Endangered Arid Land Resources Clearing House, a non-profit
organization located at 2509 North Campbell Avenue, Box 325, Tucson, Arizona 85719. They specialize
in native American seeds of the Southwest and heirloom seeds.
Seattle food
The downtown Pike Place Market is a must for any food enthusiast. Stalls sell a wide variety of
interesting, fresh, and high quality local fish, shellfish and produce.
With a large Japanese-American population, there are many Japanese restaurants and sushi
bars. A specialty of the local Japanese restaurants is sake kasu black cod.
There are several local beers.
Espresso is also prevalent, although it is not known exactly why, since there is no strong Italian
presence. It may be because of the local Scandinavians who appreciate good, dark, rich coffee. It may be
the locals' general attention to good food and beverages. It may be because there are several local
coffee roasting plants.
Starbucks, the successful national coffee bar chain started in Seattle and educated the American
public about coffee and the necessity of spending money to get a good cup
Sebastiani
One of California's oldest wine making families. The winery was begun by an Italian immigrant
Samuele Sebastiani in 1904 in Sonoma Valley, and passed down to son August when he finished college
in 1937. August built the winery into one of the most prominent wine businesses in California.
August Sebastiani, was a charming man and a master at subtle publicity. A self-described farmer,
he favored overalls as his daily dress. A family-minded man, he credited his wife Sylvia as one of the
Valley's best cooks, and he brought his two sons and daughters into the business.
When he died, the oldest son, Sam, inherited his grandfather's name and control of the winery.
For years the winery had thrived specializing in jug wines. Young Sam had other ideas. He started to
make the more expensive "boutique-style" wines that his father disdained. Meeting with objections from
the other family members, who were major stockholders, Sam was ousted in 1986. His brother Don left
his political career to take over the Sebastiani winery.
Sam and his wife Vicki started their own winery nearby, bottling wines under the name of Viansa,
an invented name from Vicki-and-SAm.
sec
French term for dry, when used in connection with wine the opposite of sweet.
The Italian term is secco.

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second label
Celebrated wineries will select only the best wines for the wines they are famous for. The
remaining wine, often from younger grape vines, is either sold off in bulk or used in wines made by the
same winery, but with a different label. This wine is usually less expensive, and is referred to as second
labels. This practice common in Bordeaux. Some of these second labels have a following of their own,
although they are not up to the status of the first label.
WELL KNOWN SECOND LABELS:
Bahans-Haut-Brion - Chteau Haut-Brion.
Chteau Marbuzet - Cos d'Estournel.
Chteau Clairefont - Chteau Prieur-Lichine.
Haut-Bages-Averous - Lynch-Bages.
La Moulin des Carruades - Chteau Lafite-Rothschild.
La Forts de Latour - Chteau Latour.
Les Fiefs de Lagrange - Chteau Lagrange
Pavillon Rouge - Chteau Margaux.
Rserve de la Comtesse - Chteau Pichon-Longueville.
Rserve de l'Admiral - Chteau Beychevelle.
Rserve du Gnral - Chteau Palmer.
In California, many second labels are vinified separately from the start.
Seder
Dinner celebrated by Jews on the first or second night of the feast of Passover,
accompanied by readings from the Haggadah.
See Passover.
sediment
Deposit or crystals found in older wine, a natural development as wine ages in a bottle.
It might form a mask inside a bottle of old red wines, but it is completely harmless. Wines with
heavy sediment should be decanted, meaning poured carefully from the bottle into a carafe.
See-Igel
German term for sea urchin.
Sgur
Renowned wine family in Bordeaux, France before the French Revolution, when they owned
Chteau Lafite, Chteau Latour, and Calon-Sgur
Seibel
French red wine grape variety, a hybrid grape of declining commercial interest.
Sekt
German name for sparkling wine.
Champagne.

Sparkling wines made in Germany cannot be called

sel pic
French term for a spice salt mixture, available commercially.
selle
French term for loin.
Selles-sur-Cher
French goat cheese, from the area around the Cher River in the Loire Valley. The cheese is sold
as 3-inch truncated cones, covered with a blue powdered charcoal, which helps it to dry and encourages
the growth of blue molds. Aged for about three weeks, it is a firm textured cheese with a light goat cheese
aroma and a fresh, mild, slightly nutty aroma.

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Seltzer
As defined by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, seltzer is carbonated mineral water. However,
the term is often more loosely used to define carbonated tap water, without any flavor.
Seltzer is carbonated salt-free water, a sort of club soda without salt. The name comes from the
German/Prussian town Nieder-Selters. The naturally carbonated mineral water was called Selterser
Wasser.
self - raising flour
Flour blended with baking powder and sometimes a little sugar and salt. It was created for
making pancakes, saving the cook the trouble of measuring ingredients. It is often used in baking cakes.
semifreddo
Italian dessert term. Literally, half cold, a frozen molded dessert, similar to a mousse. Usually it
contains whipped cream and eggs (often in the form of meringue or zabaglione). Sometimes liqueurs or
pieces of cake are added. The resulting product does not feel as cold on the palate as ice cream and
can easily be sliced for serving. The best-known semifreddo is the meringue-based biscuit Tortoni.
Smillon
White wine grape often used as blending wine because the grape lacks acidity. Smillon is
cultivated in California, Australia and New Zealand.
It is a grape used in making Cognac. See there.
Seminario
Portuguese white wine grape with high yield.
Semmel
Austrian/German name for hard wheat roll, normally a Kaiser Roll.
Semmelkndel
German/Austrian dumplings made with stale white hard rolls, called Semmel. The dumplings are
a popular starch in Austria and Bavaria.
semolina
Coarsely ground durum (hard) wheat. It is ground into different size kernels. It is the basic
ingredient for high quality pasta.
sen mee
Thai name for rice stick noodles. The Chinese version is py mei fun.
SENAC
Brazilian acronym for the National Organization of Commercial Education. Included in its
technical training are cooking programs, and they operate restaurants under the SENAC name
throughout Brazil.
Senate bean soup
White bean soup, a traditional menu item in the US Senate dining room.
Sencha
The most common variety of green tea in Japan, though little is exported.
Snecterre
French whole milk cheese, made originally in St. Nectaire. Cylindrical and weighs about 1 lb.
Septimer
German white wine grape.

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Septmoncel
French blue cheese, also known as Jura Bleu.
Sercial
Madeira/Portuguese white wine grape. The direst, lightest Madeira wines are made with this
grape.
Srine
Red wine grape, another name for the Syrah. Thought to have been brought from the Middle
East during the Crusades.
Serra da Estrella
Portugese cheese. The cheese is made with ewes milk, sometimes blended with goats and
cows milk.
serrano chili
See chili.
Serrano ham
Spanish ham made since antiquity in the Catalan area of the Pyrenees of Spain, made from
acorn fed Iberico pigs.
The ham is a salt-cured ham with a texture and flavor at its optimum after one year of curing. It
can be served raw, thinly sliced like Prosciutto Ham or Westpahlian Ham.
Jamon de Serrano in Spanish.
service la franaise
The term is old fashioned and is used when food is served from platters or service tables.
Service la franaise started when during the reign of the French King Louis XIV a service style
was introduced at Versailles which consisted of overabundance of as many as 200 dishes on elaborate
platters put on the table at one time.
serviette
French term for napkin.
Servin Blanc
South African white wine grape variety.
sesame buns
Flaky Chinese sesame buns are called shao bing.
sesame oil
Rather expensive oil with a pronounced taste. It is usually used in combination with milder
flavored oils. The thicker darker versions, from China and Japan, have the most intense flavor. The
middle Eastern version is lighter and less aromatic. Sesame oil is also available very hot and pungent,
and is used as condiment.
American versions sold in natural food stores have a very light somewhat nondescript taste,
totally unlike their Oriental counterparts.
Sesame oil is popular also in Mexico.
Also known as Benne oil or Gingelly oil.
sesame paste
Paste made from ground seeds used in Middle eastern dishes and in the popular confect halvah.
Also known as tahina.

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sesame seeds
One of the world oldest spices native to India, and important oil seed crop. The seeds are white,
red, brown or black. The difference is visual and doesn't affect the taste.
The taste is rather bland. The seeds are used in baked goods, candies and in sauces.
Tahine is a sesame paste and is used in Middle Eastern cooking. The best known dish is baba
ganoush, an eggplant dip blended with tahine paste.
Halvah is a sesame candy, popular in Israel.
Also known as benne seeds.
Sesamum indicum s.orientale.
Ste
French town on the Mediterranean, center of vermouth production. See there.
seto fuumi
Japanese spice mix.
sve
French wine term. Literally translated muscle, it refers to the body in wine.
seven spice pepper
Japanese spice mixture consisting of two hot and seven aromatic spices, although the spice
components can vary.
Also known as sichimi togarashi.
seven sweets and seven sours
Pennsylvania Dutch term for many different condiments served with main courses. They are
pickles, relishes, apple, cranberry and pear chutneys and many others.
seviche
Peruvian/Latin American raw fish and shellfish dish, marinated with lime, lemon or citrus juice,
onions, and chili peppers. It is often served with slices of boiled yams and corn.
Restaurants in Peru specializing in seviche will often place the array of seafood in front of the
customer to select from, and prepare the seviche to order.
Also spelled ceviche.
Seville
City in Anadalusia, Spain. Sevilla in Spanish.
Seville Orange
Small, rough skinned oranges with pale flesh and usually many seeds. They are somewhat bitter
tasting and are the best variety for marmalade. Both he juice and skin are used in marmalade.
Seville is the earliest known cultivated orange in the western world, having been introduced into
Europe by the Moors in the 5th century AD. A hybrid of the Seville orange is the bergamot.
Seville Oranges are popular in Cuban, Dominican, and Haitian cooking.
Also known as bitter orange, bigarade or sour orange.
Known in Spanish as naranja amarga de Sevilla.
Citrus aurantium.
Svre et Maine
French wine district producing Muscadet Svre et Maine, a dry wine. The district is in Brittany.
Sevruga sturgeon
See caviar.
Sex on the Beach
Cocktail made with vodka, peach schnapps and orange juice.

810

Seyval blanc
White wine grape planted in the Hudson Valley.
sfogliatelle/sfogliatelli
Italian pastry flaky pastry, often in the shape of a shell, filled with creamy mixtures of ricotta and
candied fruit.
sha guo
Chinese clay pot cooking vessel.
shad
Food fish related to herring harvested on both the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts. The fatty fish
lives in the ocean and returns to fresh water to spawn when it is caught.
The shad season begins in northern Florida in February and ends in July in the St. Lawrence
River.
The fish is very bony and it takes great skill to bone it properly. Boned shad fillets have long
slashes where the bones were removed.
The fish is delicious smoked and also baked on wooden planks. The French serve shad with a
sorrel sauce and claim the sorrel dissolves the bones.
The shad roe are considered a delicacy. The tiny eggs cluster in a firm cake and have an
assertive taste. The roe must be washed thoroughly to remove any blood clots.
A shad festival is held every spring on the Delaware River.
Also known as allis.
Maifisch in German, alose in French.
Alosa sapidissima.
shaddock
The largest fruit of the citrus family in the grapefruit family with thick, pulpy skin. The taste is
somewhat bitter. Originated in the Orient; the seed was brought to the West Indies in the 17th century on
a ship captained by a man named Shaddock.
Also know as pomelo/forbidden fruit.
Citrus grandis.
shag barks
See hickory nuts.
shake
See milk shake.
Shakers/Shaker Cooking
The cuisine of the American religious sect which flourished in the mid-19th century.
Characterized by simple, plentiful, wholesome food, simply but well-prepared, often communally, that is,
by a group of women. The Shakers were primarily involved in farming and crafts such as furniture
making. The communities existed mostly in the North. The cuisine is hearty with an emphasis on home
grown vegetables and herbs.
Shaker seeds
The Shakers were said to be the first to package and market vegetable garden seeds, so these
seeds were first known as Shaker seeds.
shallot
Bulb vegetable in the onion family with milder flavor and less sugar than onions. Shallots are
about the size of walnuts and are an ingredient in sauces, but are also served roasted as vegetable.
They do not taste like garlic, as often reported.
Allium aggregatum/ascalonimcum.

811

Shamouti
Also known as Jaffa Orange, it is now grown in limited quantities in the United States.
Shand, P. Morton
English food author in the 1920's. He wrote A Book on Food and A Book on Wine.
shandy/shandygaff
Beverage consisting of equal parts of ale and ginger ale. English in origin, and drunk by the
British in India because it was a good foil for the spicy curry.
Another version is the lemonade shandy, made with sparkling lemon soda.
Shanghai
Large city in China, known for its flavorful dishes. The cooking of the fertile eastern delta of the
Yangtze River around the port city of Shanghai. Similar in style to the Chiaotung cooking of the Shantung
province and that of Suchow. It is characterized by a richness of flavor known as "xian", an elusive
characteristic that unifies flavor elements so well that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Salt water and freshwater fish and shellfish are common focal points in many meals. A seasonal
specialty is the freshwater hairy crab, unique to this region, and there is also excellent river shrimp.
Saltwater specialties include yellow fish and melon seed clams from the East China Sea.
Common are lamb and beef dishes from the Moslem population and smoked meats.
Local vegetables, grown in one of China's most fertile areas, are also featured. Common
preparations include stir-fried or red-cooked dishes.
Rich, heavy use of pork and beef fat, sugar, meat, and eels. Red cooked dishes. Other dishes
include hsi hu vinegar fish, bright moon red pine chicken, su tung po pork and egg rolls.
See China, regional cooking.
shank
Tough but flavorful meat cut. It is excellent in stews and stocks because it is gelatinous and
gives a good meaty flavor.
Slow braising will tenderize the meat. Beef shanks are used as stew meat, veal shanks are used
in Italy as osso buco, lamb shank have been discovered to make a very flavorful, yet lean stew, and are
also braised with cabbage.
Whole shanks from tender veal are roasted whole in Austria and Germany, where they are
known as Haxen where they are a restaurant specialty.
Veal hind shanks are classified in the Meat Buyers Guide as # 337, the cut shanks for Osso Buco
as # 338.
shank bone
Roasted lamb shank, part of the Passover Seder meal, called zeroa in Hebrew. It symbolizes the
paschal lamb sacrifice. A chicken bone is used when no lamb is available.
shanklish
Syrian sun dried yoghurt cheese.
Shantung/Shandung
Chinese province near Peking. Together with the provinces of Hopeh and Henan, the cooking is
known as Peking cuisine.
Some of the finest cooking in China is Peking cuisine as that was the seat of the imperial
government. Most banquet food is Peking food. It is distinguished by the use of much meat. It favors
noodles over rice. There are breads made from the wheat of the nearby plains; breads are not so
common around much of China.
See China food, regional cooking.

812

Shaoxing
Region of China, South West of Shanghai, next to Hangzhou. Famous for its rice wine and rice
wine vinegar.
Shaoxing vinegar
Prized vinegar from Shaoxing, China. The rice wine base is made from glutinous rice, wheat,
water, yeast and jiumu, or mother wine. The mixture is warmed in large vats for four days to start the
fermentation. Then, it is cooled and put into smaller vats to undergo a secondary fermentation.
After about 100 days it is heated again to 200 degrees to cleanse it of bacteria, and the wine is
poured off into 25-gallon jars. The brew rests for at least three years in these jars, till some of the alcohol
evaporates and the taste mellows. As with the Italian balsamic vinegar, the longer it rests, the more
fragrant it becomes.
shark
Family of voracious ocean fish, some harvested for food. Shark has a leathery skin with no
scales and soft bones.
Mako shark has been used as a substitute for swordfish, though it is less moist, less delicate and
somewhat pinker in color than swordfish.
Shark meat is often smoked or just salted and dried. It was sold in England as Folkstone Beef.
SHARK VARIETIES HARVESTED FOR FOOD:
Dogfish - Galeorhinus laevis
Mako
Spiny dogfish - Squalus acanthias
See shark fins.
shark fins
Chinese delicacy which consists of the dried fin cartilages of various shark varieties. Many
sharks are wasted for their fins. Fishermen will cut the fins off the living fish, and dump it back into the
sea to die.
The fins are parboiled and then dried. The gelatinous fins dissolve when boiled into thin strands
and are used in soups.
Shark fin needles are completely cleaned fins.
Sharlyn
Round to oval cantaloupe type melon with netted skin. The flesh is white. See melon.
Sharon fruit
Seedless, less tart, "no-pucker" member of the fuyu family of persimmons, from Israel's Sharon
region. Shiny orange in appearance, and can be eaten raw. The flesh can be apple-hard or apricot-soft,
covered with thin, edible skin.
High in potassium. One Sharon fruit has more than twice the potassium of an average size
banana. Also high in Vitamin A.
Diospyros khaki.
shashlik/shashlyk
In Russia, the name shashlik refers to any meat cooked on a skewer. In restaurant usage,
shashlik is cubed lamb, marinated, and broiled on a skewer.
Years ago the dish was considered elegant because it was served on ridiculously long skewers
or swords, often set ablaze with an alcohol drenched cotton ball.
See also shish kebab.
shea butter
Oil extracted from the fruits of the shea tree native to tropical Africa. The fresh nuts are enclosed
in a green, edible pulp.
she-crab soup

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Soup specialty of the coastal area around Charleston, South Carolina and Savannah, Georgia.
The soup is made with the meat and roe of female crabs, made with butter, flour, milk and cream,
onion juice, mace, and sometimes a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Mock versions use crumbled egg yolks to simulate the roe.
shechiat
Hebrew term for ritual slaughter performed by a Shochet. The entire shechiat process is
supervised by Bodkim inspectors and Mashgichim.
The animal must be killed by a swift continuous stroke cutting the trachea and esophagus. The
knife, called Chalef, must have no blemishes.
shepherds pie
Ground or minced cooked lamb and gravy covered with mashed potatoes and baked in a pie
dish.
sheep
See lamb.
sheepberries
Edible berries of the black haw shrub.
Viburnum prunifolium.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
sheeps eyeballs
They are considered a delicacy in the Middle east and are presented to the guest of honor or the
eldest person on the table. They are cooked in the head, and then removed.
sheepss head
Delicay in the Middle East, usually served roasted.
sheeps milk
American sheep are generally bred for wool and meat, and not for milk production. Therefore, a
typical US ewe produces about one quart milk a day during the 100 days of lactation.
sheep sorrel
Wild, lemony tasting salad green, so named because a clump of it resembles a sheep's head in
appearance. Wild plants are potentially toxic. This entry is not intended to recommend the consumption
of this plant.
sheep's testicles
They are usually served fried.
Known as amorettes d'agneaux in France.
sheepshead
Ocean food fish, extensively harvested in the Gulf of Mexico. The fish has distinctive five to six
dark vertical bars on the sides and broad, strong incisor teeth. The meat is white and flaky.
Archosargus probatocephalus.
The fresh water variety is harvested in eastern North America.
Aplodinotus grunniens.
shellfish
It can be grouped into two divisions:
Crustaceans, which have an articulate body, such as lobsters, crabs, shrimp and crayfish.
Mollusks, invertebrates such as clams, scallops and mussels.

814

shepherd's purse
Edible wild green, related to the mustard plant. Its springtime, leafy new growth can be used in
salads.
Capsella spp.
sherbet
Frozen dessert made with milk and fruit flavors, often fruit purees. The name comes from the
Middle east and was applied originally to fruit beverages made without milk.
Also, the word sherbet is Australian slang for beer.
Sherry
Fortified wine originally from the area of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain, though other countries
produce fortified wines called sherry. Brandy is added after fermentation to raise the alcohol level to
about 18%. The name comes from an anglicized pronunciation of Jerez. The French name is Xrs. The
port was originally named Seris by the Arabs.
The area around Jerez is flat, hot, dry, and the soil varies from chalky, clay to sandy. The grape
variety is mostly Palomino. As soon as the grapes are pressed the must is fermented in oak barrels.
Then the wine is classified into two groups. The finer and clearer wines will become Fino and
Amontillado, the other wine will become Oloroso.
The fino and amontillado wine will be fortified with brandy to about 15%, placed in oak casks
about three quarter full, and a surface mold called flor will develop naturally. It is this flor which gives
sherry its unique flavor. Eventually the wine will be stacked in barrels on top of each other, and the wine
in the top casks will be blended with wines on the next tier and so fort. Younger wine will be added to the
top cask to maintain the process. Sherry is therefore always a blend of many different vintages. The
process is called solera method.
To Oloroso sherry a syrup is added called vino dulce and vino de color.
Vino dulce is a
concentrated essence made with sun dried Pedro Ximenez grapes. Vino de color is concentrated grape
juice.
TYPES INCLUDE:
Fino, straw colored, very dry. It should be served chilled. The best is Manzanilla produced only
in the seaside town Sanlucar de Barrameda, which is probably responsible for the salty tang in its taste.
Amontillado is a nutty, rich, amber colored fino, made in dry and medium-dry styles. It should be
served chilled or at room temperature.
Oloroso has a sweet, walnut, full-bodied aroma and taste. It is dark amber. It should be served at
room temperature.
The sherry commerce was for many years connected with London.
Sherry casks
Used Sherry casks are used to age Scotch Whisky. There are whisky producers in Scotland who
pay much attention to this matter and consider only casks made to store Oloroso Sherry.
Sherry
Town in Wisconsin.
Sherry Peppers Sauce
A rich-tasting commercially bottled condiment sauce made in Bermuda. It can be purchased mail
order from: Outerbridge Peppers, Ltd.; P.O. Box FL 85; Smith's Parish, FLBX; Bermuda. Tel: 809 2930259. Fax: 809 293-2810.
shiitake/shiitake mushrooms
Most widely used mushrooms in oriental cooking cultivated on
logs, originally on the logs from the shii tree. There are 420 strains of
shiitake mushrooms. Shiitake take as long as 6 years to grow in the
wild, but only 6 weeks under cultivation.

815

The parasol shaped mushrooms are gold to brown, with cream-colored interior.
They are wonderfully firm, yet plump in texture. The woody stem is tough and flavorless and is not eaten.
The taste can be garlicky or lightly earthy. High in nutrients niacin, iron, potassium and crude fiber.
Available dried or fresh.
Also known as Chinese black mushrooms. Tong gu in Chinese.
Lentinus edoles.
shilpata
Stone board used to grind spices in India, particularly in the Bengal region. Similar to the Mexican
board called a metate, which is used for maize.
shin
Butcher term for a tough but flavorful beef muscle from the shank, which is the lower leg part.
Slow cooking will tenderize the meat.
shinbikiko
Japanese rice flour, sometimes used for dredging foods for deep-frying.
shirataki noodles
Japanese noodles made with starch derived from dried tubers called devils tongue, konnyako in
Japanese.
The translation is white waterfall noodles.
Shiraz
Red wine grape, see Syrah.
Shirley Temple
Non alcoholic cocktail created for children and named for the famous movie star. The cocktail
usually consists of ginger ale, garnished with a Maraschino cherry and served in a champagne or cocktail
glass to mimic the an alcoholic drink.
The term is seldom used today.
Shiroka Melnishka Losa
Bulgarian red wine grape variety.
shirred
Method of preparing eggs baked in flat china dishes. The origin of the term is unknown.
shish kebab
Ground meat on skewers served under many names throughout the Eastern Europe and the
Middle east.
shiso
Pungent green or purple perilla leaf, a Japanese staple, used as a garnish or a sushi wrap. The
flavor is strong and distinctive. It is usually used raw, seldom in marinades and almost never cooked,
because it will turn black and bitter when heated.
Also known as beefsteak plant.
Perilla fructescens.
shit on a shingle
Slang term, especially in the army for creamed chipped beef served with toast.
shitashi
Japanese dish of spinach leaves marinated in sake, soy sauce, and soup stock, and shaped into
small ovals and rolled in toasted sesame seeds.

816

shochu
Japanese potent distilled liquor made from rice or sweet potatoes, and often flavored with plum,
lemon, lime, or sesame.
shoe soles
Louisiana cinnamon rolls.
shojin ryori
Japanese Zen vegetarian dining practiced by monks of the contemplative Rinzai sect, brought
from China in the 12th century. The preparation and eating of the food is according to religious discipline
and the meal, to which a monk brings their own eating utensils, is eaten in meditative silence.
. Literally translated to prepare food according to the pure way of Buddha.
shoofly pie
Pennsylvania Dutch molasses pie.
short crust
Pastry crust with high fat content. It will become short, or crumbly when baked.
short order lingo
Coffee shops, diners and soda fountains, are expected to serve food quickly, particularly for
breakfast or lunch.
THESE RESTAURANTS HAVE THEIR OWN LINGO SUCH AS:
AC - Sandwich made with American cheese
Adam and Eve on a raft - Two poached eggs on toast
Adam's Ale - water
All the way - chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream
An another - coffee
A - Pie - apple pie
Arizona - buttermilk
Axle grease - butter
Baby - glass of milk
Barked Pie - pie with baked top crust
Belch Water - glass of seltzer
Bird seeds - cereal
Black and White - chocolate soda with vanilla ice cream or chocolate malted
milk
Black Bottom - Chocolate sundae with chocolate topping
Black Stick - chocolate ice cream cone
Blonde - coffee with cream
Blue Bottle - Bromo Seltzer
Blue plate special - chef's special
Bossy in a bowl - beef stew
Bowl of red - chili con carne
Bow wow - hot dog
Brand bossie - cook a hamburger.
Break it and shake it - put eggs in a drink
Breath - onion
Bridge Four - four of anything
Bucket of - scoop
Bucket of hail - glass with shaved ice
Bullets - baked beans
Burn - a malted milk shake with chocolate
Burn it and let it swim - float
Burn one all the way - chocolate malted with chocolate ice cream
Burn the British - toasted English muffin
Canary Island Special - Vanilla soda with chocolate ice cream

817

Carefree - tip (gratuity)

Cat's Eyes - tapioca
Chicago - Pineapple soda
China - rice pudding
Choc in - chocolate soda
Choker hole - doughnut
Chopper - table knife
City Juice - tap water
Clean up the kitchen - Hamburger or hash
C. O. Highball - Castor oil
Coke pie - coconut pie
Cold Spot - glass of ice tea
Coney Island Chicken - Frankfurter
Cowboy - Western omelette
Cow Juice - milk
Cow feed - green salad
Crowd - three of anything
Dead eye - single poached egg
Dog and Maggot - cracker and cheese
Dog biscuit - cracker
Dusty Miller - chocolate sundae with malted milk
Easy over - eggs turned over
Echo - repeat the order
Eighty-one - glass of water
Eighty-six - out of an item. The term comes from railroad jargon where it was used to telegraph
that a yard was unable to fill an order
Eve with a lid on - apple pie with cheese
Fifty-five - root beer
Fifty one - hot chocolate
Filet - a la mode (served with ice cream)
First lady - spare ribs
Five - large glass of milk
Fly Cake - raisin cake
Forty-one - lemonade
Gentleman will take a chance - hash
George Eddy - customer who leaves no tip
Go for a Walk - take out
Graveyard Stew - milk toast
Gravel train - sugar bowl
Ground hog - hot dog
Hamlette - ham omelette
Harlem - chocolate soda
High and dry - plain sandwich without any spreads
Hold the hail - no ice
Hot spot - tea
House Boat - banana split
Ice the rice - Rice pudding topped with ice cream
Irish turkey - corned beef and cabbage
Jerk - ice cream soda
LA - serve with ice cream
Lead pipe - spaghetti
Looseners - prunes
Lumber - toothpick
Maiden's delight - cherry
Make it a virtue - add a cherry
Mama - marmalade

818

Mike and Ike - salt and pepper shakers

Mud - black coffee or chocolate ice cream
Murphy - potatoes
Nervous Pudding - Jell-o
Noah's boy - slice of ham
No cow - without milk
OJ - orange juice
On the hoof - hamburger cooked very rare
On wheels - food to be taken out
Pair of drawers - two cups of coffee
Pittsburgh - toast is burning
PT - pot of tea
Put out the lights and cry - liver with onions.
Radio - tuna salad on toast
Rhinelander - chocolate soda with vanilla ice cream
Sand - sugar
Sea dust - salt
Shoot it yellow - lemon syrup added to a soda
Sinkers and Suds - coffee and doughnuts
Sneeze - pepper.
Thirty-one - lemonade
To the left - lemon syrup
To the right - cherry syrup
Twenty one - lemonade
Vermont - maple syrup
Virgin Coke - coke with cherry
Warts - olives
Wreath - cabbage
shortbread
Cookies with high fat content, normally shortening. These cookies are popular in many countries,
and the most famous are made in Scotland.
Canestrellis are Italian shortbread cookies from the province of Piedmont.
shortening
Generic term for solid cooking fats except butter and margarine. Shortening is used for baking
and frying and its name refers to baking because a dough with high fat content will make the product
short or flaky. Traditional pie crust is always made with shortening.
Shorthorn
Cattle breed imported from England in 1783.
extensively used in the corn belt.

The breed makes high quality beef and is

shoulder
Meat that gets more exercise than the rump and saddle and therefore needs slow roasting or
braising to get tender.
Beef shoulder, Meat Buyers Guide # 113, is called chuck in the food industry and is broken into
various cuts, such as:
Shoulder Clod, Meat Buyers Guide # 114
Shoulder Clod Roast, Meat Buyers Guide # 114A
Square Cut Boneless Chuck, Meat Buyers Guide # 115. It is considered the tastiest cut for
chopped meat.
Lam shoulder is sold as Square Cut, Meat Buyers Guide # 207, and is also divided into smaller
cuts.

819

Veal shoulder is called Square Cut, Meat Buyers Guide # 309, and is sold not split. It is divided
into a number of cuts, such as Shoulder Clod, Meat Buyers Guide # 310, and Veal Scotch Tender, Meat
Buyers Guide # 310 C. The Foreshank can be used for osso buco, but is less desirable.
Pork shoulder, Meat Buyers Guide # 403 is available partially skinned. The most important parts
are Picnic Shoulder, Meat Buyers Guide # 405 and the Boston Butt, Meat Buyers Guide # 406.
shredded wheat
The wheat is slightly softened with water and steamed so that it can be put through a shredder.
The cereal is formed by piling the shreads, all in running in the same direction, into large cakes, which are
then put through a cutter to form the biscuits. The process was invented by Henry Perky in the 1890's.
The major manufacterer is Nabisco.
shrikhand
Indian dessert of sweetened yoghurt, a specialty of the western state of Gujarat.
shrimp
Immensely popular crustacean available in many sizes and belonging to many species. Most of
the US supply come from the Gulf of Mexico, Panama or is farm raised in the Orient. Most have been
frozen, which makes the shells pinker, softer and the flesh blander tasting. Some of the best are those
with brittle blue-black shells from Florida and North Carolina.
Shrimp are available head on and head off. Head on shrimp are often sold fresh and used in
Oriental restaurants.
Head off shrimp are graded by size, the largest being the most expensive. Sizes range from U
(under) 6 to 10 per pound to 40 per pound ans smaller. The standard restaurant size is 16 - 20 per
pound, shell on.
Shrimp are often sold shelled and cooked, with or without tails, and many restaurants purchase
for receptions frozen cooked and peeled shrimp. The 16 to 20 size will equivalent o 25 to 30 count
cooked and peeled.
Shrimp are usually frozen in blocks for commercial use, or IQF (individually quick frozen).
Shrimp pieces are used for shrimp salad. Very small shrimp are sold cooked and frozen in cans for
commercial use.
The French thumb-nail sized variety are called crevettes grises, larger shrimp are called prawns
in England. Scampi are not shrimp but salt water crayfish.
SHRIMP VARIETIES:
Black Tiger, Penaeus monodon. Dark or bluish grey , black stripes.
Cannocchie or mantis shrimp. Italian. No equivalent in the US.
Chinese White. Penaeus chinensis. Almost always farmed raised, mild flavor.
Ecuadorean, Penaeus vannamei. Resembling Gulf Whites.
Gulf Brown, Penaeus aztecus. The wild variety frequently tastes of iodine.
Gulf Pink, Penaeus duorarum. Pink white raw.
Gulf White, Penaeus setiferus. Grayish white, normally the best.
Kerala - from southern India.
Royal Reds - A deep-water shrimp found in the Gulf of Mexico. They get their name because they
become lobster-red when cooked.
Crevettes in French, gambas, cigales, and langoustinos in Spanish, Garnelen in German,
gamberetto di mare in Italian.
shrimp chips
Dry, thin chips that will puff up when fried. They are available in different colors and popular in
Asian cooking. There is little, if any shrimp flavor.
shrimp creole
Creole stew made with tomatoes, peppers and okra.

820

Shrimp de Jonghe
Baked shrimp and seasoned bread crumb dish. It was the house specialty of Jacques restaurant
in Chicago.
shrimp dried
Small dried shrimp are an important ingredient in Chinese cooking.
different sizes.

They are available in

shrimp in lobster sauce

Chinese-American dish, invented by Cantonese chefs for American tastes. Less popular today
than it was in years past, because the sauce is heavily thickened with cornstarch. The lobster sauce does
not actually contain lobster, but is so named because it was originally developed for use on lobster
Shrimp Louis
Old fashioned restaurant salad. Cold cooked shrimp in Russian dressing with a little whipped
cream.
shrimp paste
Pungent seasoning paste used in South Asian cuisine. The Thai name is kapee.
Pazun ngapi in Burmese, blatjan, terasi in Indonesia.
shrimp, potted
See potted shrimp.
shrimp wiggle
Creamed shrimp and rice dish, an easy to prepare chafing dish concoction.
Shrove Tuesday
The last Tuesday before the Christian period of Lent begins. Lent is a period of 40 days of fasting
and cutting down of the pleasures of the table. Shrove Tuesday was traditionally day of feasting and
emptying the larder. Also known as mardi gras.
The next day is Ash Wednesday, a day when souls are cleansed and shriven of their sins.
shrub
Plant also known as Jamaican sorrel, red sorrel, roselle, and sorrel, a term which more
commonly denotes a salad green.
Hibiscus sabdariffa.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
shrub
In the late eighteenth century, a tall refreshing, and attractively ruby colored drink popular in
southern US, often made with Jamaican sorrel, brandy or rum based spirit flavored with citrus peel.
shuck
To remove mollusks form their shells. The size and shape of the shucking knives varies
depending on the mollusk to be shelled. Oyster knives are often equipped with a shield or flange.
shungiku
Japanese name for an Asian variety of edible chrysanthemums, also grown in Washington State.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Siacarello
French red wine grape variety grown on the Island of Corsica.

821

Siamese ginger
See galanga.
Siberia
Term used by class conscious restaurant patrons for a section of the restaurant not very
desirable. This section could be too close to the kitchen, or to the entrance door, or just not considered
chic for whatever reason.
Sichel, Peter Allan
Member of the prestigious Sichel wine family. Cousin of Peter M. F. Sichel. Owner of Chteau
d'Angludet and co-owner of Chteau Palmer, both in Cantenac-Margaux, in Bordeaux, France.
Sichel, Peter M. Ferdinand
Chairman and CEO of H. Sichel Sohne, a German wine firm best known for its Blue Nun
Liebfraumilch. Peter, a brilliant, cordial and affable man, with a light-hearted wit, lives in Manhattan with
his Greek-born wife Stella, but he travels considerably and spends much time at his office in Mainz, West
Germany. Peter was born in Germany, where he lived till age 12 in 1935, when his family sent him to
England to study, then in 1939 to Spain and Portugal, and in 1941 to the US. Although they were
prominent wine merchants, the whole family, being Jewish had to flee Nazi Germany. As a young man in
the US, Peter served in the US Army, Office of Strategic Services, out of which came the CIA. This
brought him back Europe, to France, and as soon as the war was over in 1945, he returned to Germany
to re-start the family wine business
Sicily food
The Italian island was called Trinacria by the Greeks who colonized it before Christ. The cooking
is influenced by the waves of invaders who occupied and fought over the strategically located island.
Greek, Arabs, Italian and Spanish influences are found in Sicilian cuisine. Arabs introduced sugar cane to
Sicily.
One of the most popular pasta sauces is puttanesca, a tomato and caper sauce allegedly served
in bordellos.
See Italy food.
Sicily wines
The most famous wine is Marsala, a fortified wine. See there. The other wines are table wines
and to a large extent consumed locally.
sidecar
Cocktail made with brandy, orange flavored liqueur and lemon juice. The cocktail pre-dates
World War II and probably originated in Europe. It is seldom ordered today.
Sidi Harazem
Moroccan brand of mineral water.
Siegerrebe
German white wine grape used as blending wine, very sweet but low in acids.
Siglas Rabaud, Chteau
Sauternes, France wine estate.
Silesian
Soft cheese, sometimes flavored with caraway seeds, made in the Silesian mountains of the
Czech Republic.

822

silk squash
Cylinder shaped squash characterized by deep green color and deep ridges lengthwise along the
skin.
Known as see gwa in Chinese.
sill
Scandinavian word for herring. Also known as sild.
sillibub
Frothy beverage consisting whipped of milk, wine and cider. The beverage will curdle on account
of the acidity in wine or cider.
Also known as sillabub, sillybub. See syllabub.
Sillery
Village in the Champagne district of France, once famous for a still wine.
Silvaner
German spelling of the Sylvaner white wine grape.
Silver Bullet
Martini cocktail made with six-ounces of gin, a dash of vermouth, and a twist of lemon peel, with
silvery slivers of ice
silver dragees
Shiny, silver covered sugar balls, available in various sizes for decorating cakes and cookies.
Very popular in Hungary as cake decoration during Christmas.
Silver Fir
French liqueur from the Jura Mountains made with fir buds.
Also known as Liqueur de Sapin.
silver hake
Ocean food fish called whiting in Europe.
silverside
English term for corned outside round/top round of beef.
SilverStone
Brand name for a non-stick coating for cooking pans, developed by DuPont. A carbon-flourine
polymer, more durable than Teflon.
simmer, to
Cooking term describing slow cooking in liquid. In many cases, the cooking liquid will become
part of the dish.
It differs from poaching that in poaching the cooking liquid is often not part of the dish.
Simnel cake
Fruit cake popular in England named for the fourth Sunday in Lent, which was called Mothering,
or mother visiting Sunday, on which domestic help was given off to visit their mothers.
Simon, Andr Louis
Co - founder in 1933 of The International Wine and Food Society, headquartered in London,
England. The society has chapters in most English speaking countries. The largest chapters are
California and New York City.
Andr Simon died in 1970.

823

Simon, Ab (Abdullah)
Wine importer, a deservedly respected force, both for his honorable character and his
professional accomplishments in the wine importing industry. Born in Baghdad, of a textile merchant
father who traded a good deal with Britain, Ab was schooled in Britain, and later at American University in
Beirut. Being of Jewish heritage, anti-Semitic incidents back in Iraq in 1941 convinced him to move to the
US, and met and married another Iraqi Jew, lovely Francine In.
After a stint in the textile industry in New York with his brother, he pursued his personal interest in
wine, taking a job with R. U. Delapenha in 1952. By 1962, he had learned the business well and became
president of Delapenha. In 1965, he sold Delapenha to Heublein, took a job with Austin Nichols, and
made that company a major force in the imported wine business. In 1974, he moved to Joseph E.
Seagram & Sons, starting their imported wine business from scratch, under the name of Chteau &
Estates Wine Company. He built Chteau & Estates into the largest US importer of fine imported French
wines.
simple syrup
Sugar boiled with water used to soak pastries and for other uses. The sugar content should be
28%.
Simple Eggs
Brand name for low cholesterol egg product with 45 milligram cholesterol per egg compared with
215 milligram for a regular large egg. Made by Michael Foods of Minneapolis (800) 245 5073.
Simplesse
Calorie-reduced fat substitute developed by the NutraSweet Company. Made of egg and milk
proteins processed to resemble fat in texture and taste.
Simpson's-in-the-Strand
London, England restaurant of long standing. Dickens ate there in the 1850's when then it was
already long established. Originally, it was a chess club and coffee house. Appropriately, the menu tends
toward the very traditional and was known for sumptuous roasts carved in the dining room.
singe
To pass a bird after plucking over a flame to burn off fine hair. Years agio commercial kitchens
had gas jets for this purpose installed in their butcher shops.
Singapore food
Singapore is an island only 226 sq. miles in size, which became an independent country rather
than stay as a Malaysian state in 1965. Its multi-ethnic culture probably has more diversity per square
mile than any country on earth. There are native Malayans (people from the Malayan peninsula which is
made up mostly of the country of Malaysia), Peranakans (people of Chinese roots who have merged that
culture with the Malayan culture), ethnic Chinese (people who maintain a strong association with their
Chinese heritage), Indians (mostly Tamils and Muslims from southern India), Indonesians, and countless
Westerners (predominantly those of British heritage). All of these groups have brought their own cuisine
which taken together comprise something uniquely Singaporean.
Banana leaf restaurants are popular in Singapore. See there.
Hawker food was served by street peddlers from carts. It includes a wide range of dishes. The
food is still popular but is now organized into hawker food centers with numerous privately run food stalls.
It is delicious, inexpensive fast food.
Hokkien, group of traders from the Chinese Fukien province. Their food is heartier than other
cuisines of China, but is often oily or heavy with pork fat.
The cooking of the Peranakans see Nonya food.
Ingredients are basically the same as Malaysia.
SINGAPOREAN DISHES INCLUDE:
ang ku kway - glutinous rice cakes filled with sweetened mung bean paste
assam/asam - the word means sour, and it refers to tamarind and its slightly sour taste

824

ayam buah keluak - spicy chicken cooked with black keluak nuts
ayam goreng - fried chicken with thin curry gravy
bak kut the - pork rib tea
bee hoon- rice vermicelli, used in Hokkien mee
bhuna matar- Indian snack of dried peas
biryani - Indian Muslim saffron rice cooked with seasoned chicken or mutton
chao gio - Vietnamese spring roll
char kway teow - thick rice flour noodles and yellow noodles in black bean sauce
char siew pau - Chinese steamed buns filled with sweet minced pork
chee cheongmfun - Chinese soft rice noodles with sauce
chee kway - small rice cakes, mixed with shrimp and shallots, and sauteed in lard
chiku - fruit, see there
chili crabs - Popular dish of stir fried crabs in the shell
chook - rice porridge, flavored with chicken, pork, tripe, or duck eggs
chou guo tiao - fried rice noodles
chou guo tiao - fried rice noodles
curry tiffin - British curry lunch commonly served on Sunday
dalcar - Indian stewed lentils, mutton, and vegetables in a curry sauce
dosa/dosai- Indian split-pea flour pancake
duku - golf ball-sized fruit with a golden brown skin
durian - Fruit native to the Malayan peninsula See there
fishhead curry - popular dish served at banana leaf restaurants
ice kachang - shaved ice over jelly and nuts and topped with a syrup
ikan pepes - Fish cooked in spices, wrapped in banana leaves
ikan sambal - small deep-fried fish in chili sauce
ikan bilis - Whitebaits fried with soy, spices, and peanuts
ikan asam - Malayan fried fish in a spicy, sour tamarind curry
nian gao - Chinese New Year cakes made of sticky sweet rice
pau/Chinese pau - dumplings
tahu - beancurd.
Singapore apple
Poisonous, inedible tropical fruit. Also known as pong pong, bintaro and, in Malay, betak-betak.
Cerbera Odollam.
Singapore Sling
Cocktail invented at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. It containins gin, cherry brandy, Centra,
Benedictine, lemon and pineapple juice.
Single malt Scotch
Whisky made in Scotland consisting of one single malt whisky. Traditional Scotches are blends of
different whiskies, which can be made of various cereals. Single malts come from one single distillery,
and are entirely made from malt whisky.
Singing Hinnie
English local term for griddle cake, so called for the hissing noise when the batter is dropped on
the hot griddle.
sinigang
Philippino meat or fish soup cooked with vegetables and sour fruits.
sinker
Slang word for doughnut.
Sion

825

Tiny village nestled in the Alps in the Canton Vaud, Switzerland. There is some wine cultivated
on the steep slopes, most outstanding is the red Dle.
Sir Iz Mjesine
Cheese made in former Yoguslavia from ewes milk.
Sir Mastny
Cheese made in Montenegro, part of Yugoslavia.
Sir Posny
Cheese made with ewes milk in Montenegro, part of Yugoslavia.
Siraz
Serbian semi soft cheese.
sirloin
Beef loin, also called Strip Loin. The name might have come from the French "surloigne" or
"above loin". A more romantic story reports that it was so named by Charles II in 17th century England.
When the magnificent roast was presented, the King declared that the huge loin of beef should have a
title and he dubbed it Sir Loin. Jonathan Swift told a similar tale in the 18th century attributing the
knighting to King James I. Two sirloins together form a Baron, a popular cut in England late 19th century.
The sirloin is identified in Meat Buyers Guide as # 179 bone in, and as # 180 boned.
sirloin steak
Steak cut from the beef strip loin.
Meat Buyers Guide # 1179, bone in, # 1180, bone out.
sirup
Thick, sweet liquid made from sap or other natural ingredients, or from sugar and flavors. The
different sirups are listed alphabetically.
Also spelled syrup.
skate
Flat-bodied ocean fish in the ray family with an elongated tail and with wide wings. The most
edible part are the wings. They are very gelatinous and are excellent.
Unlike most fish, it is best when allowed to mature in the refrigerator for two or three days so that
the flesh becomes firmer and more palatable. Over aged it will develop an unpleasant ammonia flavor.
Skate wings are best sauteed in black butter and served with lemon juice or capers.
Raia, spp.
skee
Boontling dialect of northern California term for whiskey.
skim milk/skimmed milk
Milk from which most of the fat has been removed, "skimmed" off. See milk.
skink
The term in its modern use in Scotland refers to a non-alcoholic broth, either a beef broth or the
more common a fish broth called cullen skink.
The word skink derives from Middle High German and denotes a thin, weak beer.
skirret
Plant cultivated for its white roots resembling salsify.
skirt steak

826

Beef cut from the animal's diaphragm muscle, which resembles a sash or girdle, thus the name.
When it is high quality, the tasty cut can be broiled like a steak. It is good when marinated and cooked
by quick searing. The outer part of the cut is thicker, with more fat marbling, thus is a little more tender.
Its most common preparations include ethnic dishes such as Mexican fajitas, Eastern European
rolled beef.
Meat Buyers Guide # 121C.
skordalia
Greek sauce or dip made from garlic, olive oil and potatoes.
skula
Fermented milk drink from the Carpahtian region of central Europe.
skunk cabbage
So named for the smell it emits. This smell attracts pollinating bugs. The thick, pale leaf stalks
are boiled and the water must be changed 2 or 3 times. The offensive odor eventually cooks off
Sky Bar
Chocolate peanut candy bar.
skyr
Yoghurt drink from Iceland.
slaw
See cole slaw.
sliders
The early name for White Castle hamburgers. They were cooked on a hot griddle over a bed of
minced onions, so they steamed rather than browned on the griddle.
Slim Jim
Brand name for a salted beef snack. During the manufacturing process, a small amount of lactic
acid culture is added to start a slow fermentation, which gives the product a distinctive bite.
Slipcote
English cheese, also known as Colwick, made inRutlandshire County since the mid 18th century.
It is a soft cheese, and when ripe, the skin will slip off.
slipper lobster
Small meaty spiny lobster, harvested along the Hawaian reefs.
slippery vegetable
Spinach-like in appearance, it is prized for its mucilaginous texture when cooked.
Also known as saan choi.
Slivovitz
Plum brandy from Yugoslavia. It is clear and dry.
sloe berries
The fruits of the blackthorn bush, a thorny shrub in the plum family. Most is used to make sloe
gin. The fruits are very astringent but become more edible after frost and can be made into jams.
The Black Sloe shrub cultivated in the South is a different species.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

827

sloe gin
Deep red liqueur flavored with sloe berries.
Sloppy Joe
Hearty, spicy meat sauce made with onions, green peppers and ketchup, served over bread,
most often a hero roll.
Also known as skilletburger, because it was made to order in a skillet.
Slovenia food
Former Yugoslav republic, located northwest of that country. The country is catholic, was part of
the Austrian Hungarian Empire and is more oriented towards Austria than to its Slavic neighbors.
The food is based on root vegetables, pork cracklings, strudels, buckwheat, and eggs. It is
influenced by the border areas of Hungary, Austria, and Italy and includes dishes such as goulash,
dumplings, and polenta.
Slow Food
International movement that got its start at the end of 1989, to promote the leisurely enjoyment of
food, and the social interaction of dining. It strives to promote a less frenetic life style and family values.
The US chapter is headquartered in New York: Slow Food U.S.A., 107 Waverly Place, New York, NY
10012.
slump
Colonial dish consisting of flour dumplings cooked in stewed apples.
smokaker
Norwegian small cakes.
smallage
Wild celery with strong, pungent taste.
Apium graveolens.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Smaragd
Austrian/Wachau wine quality designation created 1983. The wine can be made with any grape
variety, but the alcohol content must be at least 12%. The grapes must be fully ripe when harvested, and
the wine must be able to age. Smaragd is the name of a small lizard known to love sun living beneath
rocks in the vineyards.
See also Federspiel and Steinfelder.
smart
Colonial New England term meaning a tangy or tart flavor, such as that of cooked and sweetened
cranberries
smartweed
An edible wild green, found in cultivated areas.
Also known as polygonum.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Smederevka
Serbian white wine grape.

smelt(s)

828

Small, slender food fish in the salmon family, but with white flesh, harvested both in salt water
and fresh water. The fish is very perishable and is sold frozen, whole retail and to food service. They are
normally deep fried or pan fried and eaten whole because the bones are soft.
SUBSPECIES ARE:
Delta smelt.
Eulachon, also known as candlefish or Columbia River smelt.
Longfin smelt.
Night smelt.
Pond smelt.
Rainbow smelts, also known as ice fish.
Surf smelt, also known as silver smelt.
Whitebait smelt.
The town of Yachots in Oregon claims to be the best place for smelt catching.
Also known as sparling.
Japanese pond smelt is wakasagi.
smetana
Eastern European type of sour cream used in meat dishes and in desserts. In French classical
cuisine existed a sour cream sauce called Smitaine.
Also known as smitane, smatana, smetten.
Smirnoff
Brand name for a domestic vodka.
Smith Haut Lafitte, Chteau
Famous wine estate in the Bordeaux region of France.
Smith, Jeff
TV chef known as "The Frugal Gourmet", he is also an ordained United Methodist minister
Smithfield ham
Pungent salt-cured, lightly smoked, and aged ham and named after the town Smithfield in
Southeastern Virginia. Made from razorback hogs. Originally, the meat came from local peanut and acorn
fattened hogs which have a good oily sheen and nutty flavor; now may be made from other hogs.
The ham are salt cured for 30 to 45 days, then rubbed with crushed black pepper, and smoked
slowly at 90 degrees for about 6 months. The hams are further air dried for one year, and packaged for
sale in canvas bags. Sodium nitrate is used during the dry curing process to prevent spoilage and to
enhance the color.
It is possible that British sailors brought the process from the Orient. Smithfield and Chinese
hams both have a zingy taste and taut texture. A more likely theory is that the colonists learned the
technique, which allowed them to safely store large quantities of meat, from the Warrasquoyacke tribe.
Smithfield ham is rather slaty and must be soaked before it is slowly baked or simmered. Fully
cooked Smithfield ham is available in excellent quality.
Smithfield ham is the genuine Virginia ham and should not be confused with ham prepared
Virginia style baked with pineapple rings and brown sugar.
smokies
See there.
smoked cheese
A number of cheese varieties are smoked. See under their names.
smoked duck
Chinese/ Szechuan. The duck is marinated in Chinese wine, seasoned with ginger, cinnamon,
orange peel, and smoked over a charcoal fire sprinkled with wood chips and red tea leaves.

829

smoked fish
Many fish and seafood products are smoked and are listed alphabetically. They are:
Arbroath smokie
Bloater
Bckling
Smoked cod fillets
Smoked cod roe
Smoked eel
Smoked haddock/Finnan haddie
Smoked halibut
Kipper
Smoked mackerel
Smoked monkfish
Smoked mussles
Smoked oysters
Smoked roe
Smoked salmon
Smoked sardines
Smoked shark
Smoked sprats
Smoked sturgeon
Smoked trout
Most are listed alphabetically.
smoked picnic shoulder ham
A cut of meat taken from the shoulder and containing the arm bone, shank bone, and part of the
blade bone. Most of this cut is covered with skin which protects it during smoking.
smoking
Ancient way to preserve food. Smoking foods originated in China, in the warmer provinces of
Sichuan, Hunan, and Hubei, as a way of flavoring food.
There are basically two ways, hot smoking at about 180 degrees which will cook food, as
opposed to cold smoking which is done over a slow fire at temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees.
The creosote in wood smoke is the preservative, along with salt and spices.
The Chinese often use tea to smoke foods. Most of their smoking for a brief 15 minutes or so
after the food is already cooked. It is strictly a flavor enhancer.
smoko
Australian ranch workers' afternoon tea break. It refers to tea boiled up in a large kettle, enjoyed
with cake and a cigarette or "smoke. The term is also used on the Falkland Islands.
smorgasbord/smrgsbord
Swedish buffet set with canned, marinated and smoked fish, ham, cold cuts, salads, cheeses and
bread varieties.
The term became a popular generic term for buffet, and ii contains often hot dishes, such as
meat balls and potatoes.
Even Jewish caterers have adopted the word and call the reception appetizer buffet
Smorgasbord.
Smrgs is the Swedish word for buttered bread or open sandwich, smrgsbord is the ButterBread-Table.
smrrebrd
Danish variety of abundantly topped, though small, open-faced sandwiches on buttered bread,
such as rye or pumpernickel. The butter is essential, as it keeps the bread from getting soggy from the
toppings, which often include fish or pickles.
Literally translated "buttered bread".

830

smothered dishes
Southern US cooking term for dishes cooked in gravy. In Louisiana, the term probably grew out
of the Cajun use of the French word touffe, which literally means smothered.
The term might also have originated form the habit of covering meat simmering in sauce with a
plate to keep it down.
Smyrna raisins
See sultanas.
snack
Food eaten in a hurry or intermittently.
snack mix
Any mixture of nuts and tiny crackers, usually lightly seasoned, eaten with cocktails or for just
plain snacking.
snails
Snails are gastropod molluscs and have been eaten since antiquity. There are land snails and
sea snails, called winkles, see there. The two most common varieties are the small petit gris type and the
larger Burgundy snail. Also somewhat prevalent is the white Spanish snail. Most US snails are petit gris
,helix aspersa Muller, also referred to as the Brown Garden Snail, European Brown Snail, or the common
garden snail, and California is the major producing state.
The obvious difference between snails and slugs is that snails carry their houses, or shells.
Slugs do not.
Snail have very little taste and are flavored with garlic and wine to make them tasty.
Most of the Burgundy type snails, helix pomatia Linne, actually do not come from Burgundy
although many are processed and eaten in that region of France. Most Burgundy snails come from
Turkey, China, and eastern Europe, and many come from the French province of Savoy, near the Swiss
border. The use of pesticides, the expansion of cultivated vineyards, and amateur snail gatherers keep
the snail population in Burgundy under control.
Snails possess prolific reproductive abilities. The snail, being a hermaphrodite, can change sex
as needed. Dr. Albert Mead, a University of Arizona biologist has estimated that any one snail could, in
theory, give rise to 16,000,000,000,000,000 snails within five years or some 4,500,000 snails for every
person on earth.
Snails are usually purchased canned, and the houses are sold cleaned separately. When
preparing snails fresh from scratch they must be purged of off-flavors or toxic materials from food they
might have ingested. To purge them, place inch of moist cornmeal in the bottom of a container, put in
the snails, and cover with a securely fitting, but ventilated lid or grating so the snails can breathe but not
escape. Allow snails to eat the cornmeal and purge themselves for at least 3 days. The snails can be kept
this way for a long time although the cornmeal should be changed every two days to keep it from
molding. The snails will feed, then crawl up the side to rest.
Then boil the snails for 15 minutes in boiling water seasoned with bay leaf. Drain in a colander
and remove the meat from the shells with a pick or pointed knife. Then cut away the 1/4 inch black
stomach or gall found on the tail end where the snail is attached to the shell. Rinse snail under cold
water.
To prepare the shells, boil them for 30 minutes in water with teaspoon baking powder added
for each quart. Drain, rinse thoroughly under cold running water, and dry them.
The French term is escargot , and this term is usually used on menus. Escargots Bourguignonne
are baked in their shells with butter, garlic, shallots, white wine, salt and pepper.
The Italians also enjoy snails. The Italian-Americans of the San Francisco area enjoy the local
snails which they refer to as bobaluchias.
In the French city Cognac, the local snail that feeds on the grape leaves is called the cagouillard
and is the symbol of the city.
Snail eggs have come on the market, but have never become a marketable commodity.
Escargot in French, caracoles in Spanish, Schnecken in German, lumaca in Italian.

831

Jewish/German Danish Pastry in snail shell shape is called Schnecken in New York.
snake beans
Very long, slender green beans, common in Oriental cuisines.
Also known as long beans.
snake gourd
Vegetable in the same family as the snake eggplant. A narrow, elongated gourd, which grows to
as much as 3 feet and curls at the end.
Also known as snake melon or snake cucumber.
Solanum Melongena Serpetinium.
snake
Snake is eaten in Oriental countries, often skinned alive. The blood and sex organs are
considered delicacies and aphrodisiacs.
In China snakes are a prized treat, especially in winter. It is believed that snake meat heats the
body and protects it against the cold, and that the more venomous the snake the more potent the meat.
Hunting for snails have decimated some species and are there concerns about their survival.
In the US, rattlesnake meat is available commercially.
snake plant
Inedible house plant.
Sansevieria trifasciata.
snap beans
Also known as zydecos.
snapdragon
Edible flower.
Antirrhinum majus.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions.
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

This entry is not intended to

snapper
Ocean food fish in the family Lutjanidae. The best known is the red snapper. Other snappers of
commercial interest are:
Gray snapper - harvested in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mutton snapper - harvested in the tropical Atlantic ocean.
Yellowtail snapper - harvested in the Florida keys.
Snapper
Name used for snapping turtles. See turtles.
Snapple
Beverage Brand name for soft drinks in glass bottles.
snaps
Old English word for cookie, the most common use is Ginger Snaps.
snickerdoodles
Old fashioned cookies made with dried fruits and cinnamon.
Snickers
Brand name for a candy bar consisting of peanut butter, nougat and milk chocolate. A Mars
company product, and the largest selling candy bar in the US.

832

snipe
Generic name for small European game birds. The tiny birds feed on insects and and are often
cooked with its entrails like woodcock.
snow ball
Ice cream shaped like a ball and rolled in coconut flakes, served with a sauce. It used to be a
favorite banquet dessert.
snow peas
Peas which are eaten with the pod. It is a special strain of peas, but must still be eaten when the
pod is young, not fully ripe and the peas not fully formed. Snow peas are used in many Oriental dishes.
They are not the same strain as the newer sugar snap peas, which is also fully edible.
Also known as sugar peas, Chinese peas and mange tout in French. The latter term, literally
translated "eat all", refers to the fact that the whole vegetable is edible.
Soave
Italian dry white wine produced around the town of the same name in upper Italy. The vines are
trained on picturesque high trellises. The wine is shipped in tall, green bottles.
soba
The most popular Japanese noodle type. They are made with buckwheat flour and are available
in various flavors, including green tea, called Cha Soba.
There are soba-ya restaurants in Japan, specializing in soba dishes.
socca
French thin pancake/wafer made with chickpea flour and olive oil. A specialty of Nice.
Societ Culinaire Philanthropique
French chefs association founded in 1865 headquartered in New York City and chapters in other
locations. It is the administrator of the Jules Weber Foundation, The Culinarians Home Foundation and
the sponsor of the annual Salon of Culinary Arts. The association pays sick and death benefits and also
a pension.
The president 1999/2000 is Jean Pierre Stoehr.
sockeye salmon
See salmon.
soda
Generic term for a carbonated, non alcoholic beverage. Mostly a Northeast US term. Known as
pop in the West or Mid-West. In the South, the products are usually referred to by a brand name.
soda
Chief ingredient in baking powder. It needs acid to activate.
See baking powder and baking soda.
Baking soda was used to keep vegetables greener during the cooking process, but it destroys
quickly vitamins.
soda bread
See Irish soda bread.
soda clerk
Often called the professor or soda jerk after the jerking motion needed to draft soda, it was
popular, sought after employment.
A good soda clerk could be compared with a good bartender, and in famous soda fountains the
clerks enjoyed considerable income and prestige. Soda clerks normally worked in pairs.

833

soda cracker
Thin, plain cracker made with white flour, salt and soda. It used to be popular as staple food
because it could be kept a long time.
soda fountain
Restaurant specializing in soft drinks and ice cream. Often the fountain had a counter wit bar
stools. Soda fountains could be found in drugstores, movie theaters, coffee shops and general stores.
The popularity faded after the second world war.
When manufactured carbonated water became available around 1810 and soda fountains arrived
around 1830, flavors were added to carbonated water. Around 1858 Gustavus D. Dows started to build
ornate marble soda fountains, and the craze to build elaborate fountains with marble and brass lasted
until the turn of the century.
soda water
See mineral water.
sofrito
Puerto Rican condiment made with onion, green peppers, sweet chili peppers, cilantro, garlic,
and diced ham, cooked into a paste and colored with annatto seeds.
The term is also used in Italian cooking. See Italy food.
soft cookies
Soft cookies were the big hit in the 1970's and 1980's. Proctor & Gamble discovered a way of
making them by combining two types of dough, an outside layer which crystalizes and turns crunchy
several days after being baked, and an inside dough that remains soft.
soft drink
Generic term used in America and Australia, but not widely used in Britain, to denote a sweet,
non-alcoholic, often carbonated beverage. When carbonated, it is also referred to as soda pop. In 1977,
soft drinks replaced coffee as America's national beverage. By 1986, US beverage consumption was
dominated by soft drinks with an average of 42 gallons per capita, compared to the #2 coffee with about
25 gallons per capita.
Consumption is highest during the hot summer months. Ironically, though consumed to quench
thirst, the sugar-sweetened sodas can leave you thirstier, a phenomenon which no doubt produces a
cycle which accounts for some of the high consumption.
Although some soft drinks contain no caffeine, and are so labeled, many do contain caffeine.
soft shell clams
Clams with a soft shell. Soft shell clams are the proper clams for steaming, because the flesh is
soft when cooked. They are harvested on both coasts of North America.
Called steamers, steamer clams, Ipswich clams, long clams or piss clams in New England.
Mya arenaria.
See clams.
soft shell crabs
Blue crabs harvested when molting. When crabs molt, the skin is soft, pliable and therefore
edible. The crabs can be eaten whole. These crabs are a spring delicacy, with the season starting in
early March and continuing into the summer. They are best are eaten early in the season when they are
most tender. Later in the season they become leathery.
The crabs are sorted by size and sold live by the dozen in flats.. They come in three basic sizes:
jumbos, prime and, the smallest, hotel. They are also available frozen, but loose much flavor during the
freezing process.
Peelers are crabs in the process of shedding or sloughing. When caught by fishermen, they are
put into water troughs, called floats, to complete the process.
It is illegal to harvest soft shell crabs in
the Pacific.
Moleche are the soft shell crabs of Italy's Veneto region.

834

soft shell crawfish

Crawfish harvested when molting and eaten whole. Since most crayfish are raised in ponds or
rice paddies it is legal to sell them.
Soissons
French large white beans.
soja
See soy bean.
sole
Ocean food fish immensely popular and often not clearly defined. A bottom feeder flatfish, it is
marketed as gray sole, lemon sole, flounder, English sole and petral sole. Since most fish is sold filleted,
only experts can identify the exact specie.
Food service buys fillets of sole by size, and often frozen.
There is also confusion about the term Dover sole because it its used for two different species.
The Pacific Dover sole is an excellent food fish.
The European Dover sole is harvested in the North Sea and considered an expensive delicacy.
It is imported from Holland and France.
Classical French cuisine lists many dishes for sole, some of them are still served.
Solera
See sherry.
Soljanka
Russian fish and Sauerkraut soup.
Solomon Gundy
Jamaican pickled red herring.
Soltner, Andr
Famous French chef and restaurateur, born in Alsace. He came to New York with Andr
Surmain to open the restaurant Lutce on 249 East 50th Street. Eventually Surmain returned to France
and Andr Soltner managed to purchase the restaurant.
Together with his wife Simon, who managed the dining room, Lutce became the most
celebrated French restaurant in the United States. His attention to quality was legendary but also his
concern for his employees.
Andr started the practice of spending time in the dining rooms greeting guests, and his kitchen
was located at the entrance so he could personally welcome customers when they came in. He did not
sell his celebrity status to endorse products and open other restaurant ventures because he felt on
obligation to his customers. He was personally in the restaurant every day and during thirty years missed
only few days.
solybubbe
Early Middle English word, the antecedent of the word syllabub or sillabub.
somen
Japanese very fine wheat noodles. Often served chilled.
sommelier
French term for wine steward or wine server. Sommelire is the female term. The word comes
from saumalier, a medieval word for teamster or horse handler. The saumalier was eventually put in
charge of all edibles, inclusive wine.
In the US, the sommelier is basically the wine server, although the person often has a great input
on the wine list.

835

In fine restaurants in France, the sommelier is also in charge of the wine cellar, in charge of
selecting and buying wine. There is a potential conflict of interest if the same person who buys wine is
also in charge of selling wine. Very few restaurants in the US maintain wine cellars. In many cases there
is a lack of suitable storage space, and the emphasis is on inventory turnover rather than buying wine
when young and keeping it to maturity.
The concept of sommelier has never really caught on in the US, partly because the in depth
interest in wine drinking is not there, partly because the public is confused about tipping the sommelier,
and also to save labor costs.
Somontano
Wine producing region of northeastern Spain, registered as a D.O. in 1985. Dark, limey soil.
Its native grapes include: Moristel, Garnacha, Mazuelo or Carin~ena (which is no longer grown
there in quantity), Macabeo, Viura, and Alcan`o'n. Now Tempranillo and Cabernet are also grown.
Sonoma
Town and county in northern California famous for wine cultivation. The town was founded
Franciscan monks who established missions California which was than Mexico, and brought grapes and
viticulture.
Sonoma has become one of the most important wine growing regions, rivaled by Napa further
east. There are many wineries, and the diverse climate allows for experimentation with many grape
varieties.
Long established wineries are Korbel, known for sparkling wines, Sebastiani, Buena Vista, Simi,
Sonoma Vineyards, Souverain and Italian Swiss Colony.
sooks
Mature female blue crabs, or Sallys, which measure less than the legal requirement for
harvesting.
sopa
Spanish/Hispanic term for soup, but often used for a substantial stew.
sopa cana
Spanish specialty of the area around Gredos. A bread and garlic soup made with milk rather than
with broth.
sopa de lima
Mexican specialty of the Yucatan peninsula. Chicken soup, flavored with lime juice, garnished
with shredded tortillas and pumpkin seed sauce.
sopaipillas
Mexican dessert made of fried baking powder dough sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and served
with honey.
sopes
Mexican thick tortillas, topped with refried beans, cheese and a piquant sauce.
soppressata
Italian cold cut.
sops
Old word for milk soaked bread, it gives its name to the soupsop fruit which has a pulpy white
texture.
sorbet
French term for for fruit ice, also called Italian ice or water ice. It is made with fruit juices only. In
the US, sherbet is made with milk and fruit flavors.

836

837

sorbic acid
Preservative used in cheese, syrups and dried fruits to inhibit mold growth.
originally from the berries of the mountain ash tree.

It was made

sorghum
Drought resistant plant, a type of millet with tiny nutritious seeds, widely grown for animal fodder
in the Midwest. It was propagated by the USDA as a solution to periodic droughts.
Sorghum is widely cultivated in Africa and Asia.
Sorghum molasses is produced from the crushed stalks.
Also known as Kaffir corn, Egyptian rice corn, Guinea corn and African corn.
Sorghum vulgare.
sorghum syrup
Dark golden syrup made from sorghum cane. The cane is crushed and the juice cooked,
skimmed and evaporated to produce the syrup.
Sorghum syrup is used in place of molasses in the American South. Though it tastes a little like
light molasses, sorghum's high sugar content distinguishes it from molasses, which is the byproduct of
sugar refining.
sorrel
Edible wild and cultivated vegetable with spade-like leaves and sour flavor. It has a delicate
texture and a refreshing, slightly lemony, almost minty taste.
Sorrel is a member of the buckwheat family, which includes rhubarb. Of European origin, it is
high in oxalic acid, and should not be consumed in large quantities. Sorrel is most often used as salad
ingredient, or boiled and pureed, and then used to flavor sauces and soups.
The best known soup is the French Germiny or Potage Sant. It is made with chicken stock,
thickened with egg yolks and heavy cream, and flavored with boiled sorrel leaves. Sorrel is used in
connection with shad, because the acid is supposed to dissolve the bones. Shchav is a popular Russian
summer soup.
Also known as sour grass, docks or French sorrel.
Oseille in French. Sauerampfer in German, cavallo sauro in Italian.
Wild sorrel rumex acetosa.
French cultivated sorrel rumex scutatus.
sorrel punch
Jamaican sweet beverage made with sorrel buds and gingerroot, steeped in rum.
SOS/Share Our Strength
Group of chefs and food professionals dedicated to relieving hunger in America. The hold fund
raising events and receive commercial support.
Soubise, Charles de Rohan, Duke 1715 to 1787
Prince de Soubise under Louis V, was not especially successful on the battlefield, but off the
battlefield was an talented and innovative cook. His invention, Pure Soubise, bears his name.
soubise
French white onion sauce or onion puree, used as component in a number of dishes.
souffl (souffle)
Culinary term for a fluffy dish. Souffl could be sweet or made with cheese or with the puree of
cooked ingredients such as meats, shellfish or vegetables. More often, however, souffles are considered
hot desserts. They are baked in a straight edge china dish, and must be served immediately because
they will deflate quickly when leaving the oven.
There are two basic hot soffl dessert recipes. One is based on a boiled paste, to which egg
yolks, flavors such as liquors or chocolate, or the puree are added. This basic mix can be made ahead of
time. When needed, beaten egg whites are folded into the base and the souffle is baked. For cosmetic

838

reason, a baked souffle should rise above the rim of the dish. Souffles are always served with a
matching sauce.
The other type of hot souffl is based on beaten egg whites and sugar, into which a fruit puree is
folded. Again, the mixture is baked.
Non sweet souffles are made with a base of a thick cream sauce or puff paste, blended with the
cooked ingredient, egg yolks and whipped egg whites. The are served as hot appetizers.
Frozen souffls are basically ice cream concoction, frozen in souffl dishes. The mixture should
over the rim of the dish and the top sprinkled with cacao to mimic the look of a baked souffl.
soul food
Food associated with the African-American population. It is based on inexpensive ingredients
easily available in the South, such as pork meat by products, sweet potatoes, mustard and collard
greens, beans and other products. Dishes include chitterlings, black eyed peas, hominy grits and ham
shanks.
Soul food has become an expression of pride in the cultural heritage of African Americans.
Soul, Henri
French restaurateur, 1903 to 1964. Henri Soul came to New York City as General Manager of
the French Pavilon Restaurant for the Worlds Fair 1939. His career path had taken him before to the
best restaurants in Paris and London, and he was an accomplished Mitre d htel.
When the Second World War broke out, the restaurant was closed and Soul returned to France
to join the army. In 1940, the French government decided to open the French Pavilon Restaurant once
more, and Soul was sent back to New York. After the fall of France, Soul decided to stay in New York
and opened the French Pavilon restaurant at 5 East 55th Street in Manhattan.
Soul became great influence on the New York French restaurant scene, and for many years the
Pavilon was considered the best French restaurant in the USA. The restaurant moved to Park Avenue
and 57th street, and the former location became the Cte Basque, also under his management.
Soul employed a number of famous chefs, Pierre Franey being one of them.
soup
One of the oldest and most varsatile dish. Since the invention of the cooking vessel food was
boiled together to became a sort of soup or stew. The name is derived for the Latin suppa.
Soups can be hot and cold, thick or clear. The basic ingredients can be any kind of meat, fish,
fowl, shellfish, vegetables, grains, seeds, fruits and bread.
Clear soups are made by boiling an ingredient which will transfer flavor to the liquid, such as
bones, meats, vegetables, fish and others. The basic liquid is called stock in English, and when further
seasoned and when sufficient flavorful becomes a clear soup. The soup is normally garnished, or served
with vegetables, meats or some other garnish.
Consomme is the French term for a clarified stock. The stock is clarified with albumin such as
egg whites, ground meat, fish or other suitable ingredient. The proper French spelling is consomm. It
can be served hot or cold.
Thick soups are thickened with ingredients which will, when boiled, thicken the soups. One is
roux, a blend of fat and flour cooked over low heat to develop taste. Thick soups are also thickened by
their basic ingredients, such as starchy vegetables or legumes. These soups are often referred to as
puree on menus.
The word potage is of French origin and at first referred to anything cooked in a pot. Today, the
term refers to soup. In France, it refers to a smooth soup in particular. Chowders and bisque are old
words referring to thick soups.
Liaison is a mixture of cream and egg yolks added to a soup to thicken it.
Cold fruit soups are made with fresh or preserved fruits blended with dairy products, or pureed
and chilled. They are eaten as an appetizer in some countries, such as Hungary and Scandinavia.
The largest selling canned soup in America is Campbell's Chicken Noodle, introduced in 1933.
souper
French-Canadian term for the evening meal. The English term is supper.

839

sour balls
Hard candy, formed into small balls, and having a slightly sour taste. Known as acid drops to the
British
sour cream
See cream.
sour orange
Seville orange.
sourdough
Natural leavening used to make bread. It is combination of flour, small amount of sugar and
water exposed to the air in a warm place. It will pick up wild yeasts and gradually ferment or "sour". The
resulting mixture, or "starter", is then used to leaven a batch of bread. Some of the batch is saved and
used as starter for the next batch. Starter should be kept refrigerated under sterile conditions, so it
doesn't pick up other organisms or flavors.
Sour dough is the oldest method of making yeast leaved bread. Yeast will multiply rapidly when
there is moisture, food and warm temperature. It is therefore difficult to make yeast bread in tropical
countries.
The famous San Francisco sourdough starter began during the gold rush days.
sour mash
Fermented grain mash used in the fabrications of some whiskies consisting of new mash blended
with mash from the preceding run. It is used for Bourbon whisky.
sour sop
Tropical fruit native to the Americas. A large fruit with fleshy spines on the thick, soft, pale-green
inedible skin. It turns brown when ripe. It is heart-shaped, giving it the alternative name bullock's heart.
Because of its pulpy white texture, it is named for "sops", and old word for milk soaked bread. It has a
creamy, but biting taste. Inside is creamy white flesh and large black seeds. It has a sharper flavor than
the cherimoya, but is still very sweet.
Also known as bullock's heart, corossol, guanabana, or prickly custard.
Annona musicata.
sous chef
French term for the second chef in command in large kitchens. The term is often misused in the
industry.
Sous vide
French term for under vacuum. Food cooked in a hermetically sealed plastic bag either with
steam or in a water bath at gentle temperatures.
The system was developed by George Pralus in Lyon, France to reduce shrinkage of fatty meat
such as foie gras, and to avoid drying out inevitable during the normal roasting and braising process. It
can be kept under refrigeration for up to three weeks till it is ready to be heated and served. The results
are fresher and tastier food than food that had been frozen or sterilized. It is widely practiced in Europe
and was used experimentally in the 1970's by hotel chains in the US.
One of the forerunners in producing sous vide items in the US was Grard Haute Cuisine in
Fairfax, Vermont which used sous vide products in its own restaurants as well as selling them to other
outlets. The fashionable department store Bloomingdales in Manhattan carried his products. Grard
Haute Cuisine brought the sous vide concept to the US because it allowed them to offer a varied menu
quickly and economically, especially in light of the irregular business of a small town fine restaurant.
Other companies experimenting with sous vide are Culinary Brands in Sausalito, California, and
Culinary Resources in New York City. They maintain rigid sanitation and refrigeration standards. The
packaging material is Cryovac, made by W. R. Grace & Company. Marriott hotels and restaurant
experimented with custom packed sous vide vegetables for banquet service.

840

Since the food is in a hermetically sealed bag and cooked very gently there is the chance that
botulism, a fatal toxin develops. In order to meet the Federal Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points
program expensive monitoring equipment is necessary.
Boil in the bag food has been around for many years. The difference is that sous vide food is not
sterilized and therefore tastes better but has inherent dangers.
Sousao
Portuguese red wine grape variety used in Port wine in California and South Africa more than in
its native Portugal.
souse
Gelatinous pork product with pickles and red sweet peppers.
sousing
Term for marinating fish, often cooked in the marinade. Best known is soused herring.
Southdown lamb
English breed and also term for lamb raised on salt meadows in the south of England.
See Pr sal.
South Africa food
The population is a blend of many different ethnic groups including Malaysian, Indian, English,
native African and the original Dutch settlers, called Boers. Each group retains much of its cooking and
eating habits.
Rock lobster tails are harvested in the cold South Atlantic and are a large export commodity.
South Africa wines
Vinifera grapes have been cultivated in South Africa for many generations, and the Groot
Constantino vineyard was established in 1684. By the 19th century South African wines were well known
in Europe, the chief customer being England.
The vineyards are located generally in the western part of the Cape Province. The area is
blessed with sunshine and it is at times difficult to produce delicate white wine. By 1999 had a large
inventory of unsellable white wines and the country is undergoing a major re-planting of vineyards with
red grape varieties such as Merlot. South Africa makes excellent fortified wine such as port, sherry and
others.
South Carolina Society for the Promotion of Agriculture
Network which collects and distributes seeds, with the aim of improving the quality of crops in
terms of nutrition, appearance, and taste.
South Texas Antelope
Nilgai antelope, native of India, was introduced to South Texas about 50 years ago. The animal
was allowed to roam free on the Kings Ranch. It is marketed as Broken Arrow Ranch Venison to the
hospitality industry.
Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
Seed company specializing in heirloom seeds at P.O. Box 158, North Garden, Virginia 22959.
Southern oyster pie
Combination of oysters, butter and Saltine crackers.
Southern Comfort
Bourbon-based liqueur, flavored with peaches and oranges. "Grand old drink of the South".

841

Southernwood
Perennial herb native to Southern Europe. The leaves are used for as flavoring in alcoholic
beverages and as aphrodisiac. Branches of southernwood were strewn in bedrooms. The strong
smelling leaves are an insect repellant.
Also known as lads love, Maidens ruin, old man, Southern wormwood.
Garderobe in French.
Artemisia abrotanum.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Southern U.S. food
Typical ingredients are pork, country ham, collard greens, cornmeal, corn pones, peanuts,
sorghum, sweet potatoes, and turnip greens.
Smothered dishes - In Louisiana, the term probably grew out of the Cajun use of the French word
touffe, which literally means smothered, and it refers to dishes made with a cooked roux as are
touffes. In southeast, they are braised dishes cooked in gravy, usually with sliced onions.
Black-eyed peas - are popularly eaten, and are considered a good luck dish for the
New Year.
Beaten biscuits - backing powder biscuits in which the stiff dough is beaten.
Biscuits - famous, made with soft wheat flour
Brunswick stew - meat stew with different meats
Chitterlings - baked pork intestines
General Robert E. Lee cake - has a lemon-flavored filling and frosting.
Grits - corn meal mush
Hopping John - black eyed peas and rice mixture
Hush puppies -corn meal fritters
Jenny Benedict - a rum cake
Lady Baltimore cake - filled with pecans, figs and raisins. First made in the 1800's. Named for
the southern woman who was married to Lord Baltimore.
Lane cake - Flavored with bourbon or brandy and filled with fruit and nuts
Red eye gravy - ham dripping gravy favored with coffee
Red rice - rice baked with tomato paste
Sam Houston - White cake with chocolate-flavored filling and topping
Southern fried chicken - flour dipped chicken served with white pan gravy
Spoon bread - soft baked corn mush. See there.
See also soul food.
soutirage
French term for drawing wine from one container into an other, the same as racking.
souvlakia
Greek skewered, broiled lamb chunks or ground lamb patties. Often served wrapped in pita
bread.
sovereign
Champagne bottle size containing 34 bottles or 26 Liter. It is seldom available and requires a
cradle to use it.
spokewheels
Yellow, egg-shaped fruit with a large single seed.
Spondias cytheria
sowens
English/Irish/Scottish oat porridge served with milk. It was considered once a Halloween dish.

842

soy bean
Annual plant cultivated in China since about 3000 years. Called the cow of China since the plant
produces sprouts, milk, sauces, flour and cooking oil.
The first soybeans in the US were planted in 1766 in Thunderbolt, Georgia by a former British
sailor who was imprisoned in China and observed the cultivation of the plants. Benjamin Franklin was
familiar with soybeans. Botanists William Morse and P. Howard Dorsett collected over 4000 plant
specimens in China and Japan in the 1930's. Henry Ford experimented with Soybeans to produce oil
and plastic like material. Soybeans are a major export of the US.
Soybeans are higher in protein than meat and milk, and also contain about 16% oil.
Most soybeans are used in the food industry for oil and as food additive. Soybeans are also
used in industrial production of paint, adhesives and many other products.
The Food and Drug Administration is allowing makers of soy products to claim on their labels
that 6.25 grams of soy protein in each serving can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease as part of a
healthy diet low in saturated fats. Soy is rich in isoflavones, which can act like hormones in the body.
Soy has a cholesterol reducing effect.
TYPICAL SOY PRODUCTS ARE:
Edamame - bright green whole soybeans, available frozen shelled or in their pods. Also known
as sweet bean. Edamame are served as snacks in Japanese restaurants.
Miso - resembles peanut butter, and is available in colors ranging from dark brown and salty to
wine colored sweet and mellow.
Soy cheese - cheese substitute available as different types. It can be used in casseroles,
Mexican foods and on sandwiches. Soy cheese without added casein will not melt well.
Soy flour - gluten free flour used as baking ingredient.
Soy meats - is used as meat substitute and as filler in many manufactured products.
Soymilk - can be substituted for dairy milk in soups, sauces, over cereals and in smooth drinks.
Soy sauce - see there.
Soy sprouts - sprouts with the large seeds still attached with high protein, vitamin and oil content.
Tempeh - fermented firm paste, often blended with cereal and can be grilled.
Tofu - available in soft, firm and extra firm textures. Also known as bean curd. Silken or soft tofu
can be pureed and is used in salad dressings and desserts. Firm tofu can be stir-fried.
TVP - granules made from compressed soy flour used as meat extender, it can be used in meat
sauce.
soy flour
The flour has no gluten and cannot be used as main component in bread, but is added to many
products to increase the protein content.
soy oil
Partly hydrogenated oil with mild flavor used in Oriental cooking. Soy oil sold in health food
stores is cold pressed.
soy protein
Processed soy beans to be used as extender in meat products. When it is used, it must be
mentioned on the label.
soy sauce
Oriental condiment sauce, made by allowing a mixture of pressure cooked and mashed soy
beans, mixed with equal amount of roasted wheat kernels and a "starter" yeast to ferment. The mixture is
fermented with the aspergillus culture, mixed with brine and aged up to two years. Aging takes place in
glass tanks, but cedar vats were used in the past. The sauce is filtered and pasteurized.
Chinese Buddhist monks discovered fermented grain mash (shih) as flavoring agent. The sauce
was introduced to Japan by Zen Buddhist monks because they were vegetarians.
THERE ARE THREE MAJOR TYPES:
Japanese sauce - natural brewed and available dark and light. Japanese varieties are usually
lighter than their Chinese counterparts. Naturally brewed soy sauce is called shoyu in Japan.
Chinese sauce - basically heavier in flavor than Japanese sauce.

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Non-brewed sauce - made by using chemicals and flavoring agents.

All contain sodium, although "lite" or "low-salt" versions contain 40% to 50% less.

Soyer, Alexis, 1809 - 1858

Famous English chef concerned with feeding the poor. He organized soup kitchens and
developed inexpensive nutritious recipes.
Spa
Town in the Belgian Ardennes, with mineral wells used for medicinal and recreational purposes
since Roman times. The waters provide beneficial for bathing and drinking. The bottled water from Spa is
lightly sparkling and very refreshing
The term Spa been added to the English vocabulary to describe recreational places with mineral
wells.
In German, the name is Kur Ort. During the 19th century and the first part of the
20th century it was socially expected to spend some weeks every year at a Kur Ort.
spa cuisine
Diet cuisine, popularized at the Golden Door spa in Escondido, California. Characterized by
attention to low calorie but attractively presented food made with the best, freshest ingredients.
The name was also used by the Four Seasons Restaurant in New York City, who claim that they
coined the name
Spade fish
Ocean food fish. Also known as Angle fish or porgy.
Chaetodipterus faber.
spaghetti
The most popular pasta variety in the US. The name means string, because the pasta is shape
into long strands.
spaghetti alla chitarra
Italian pasta, a flat-sided spaghetti, made by cutting the sheets of dough on a tightly strung
wooden frame, with narrowly spaced wires, like those on a guitar.
Literally translated spaghetti guitar-style.
spaghetti squash
Winter squash, the flesh is stringy and can be scraped out, resembling spaghetti. Good baked,
removed from the shell, and tossed with butter, cream, cheese, and salt and pepper.
Spaghetti Caruso
Spaghetti served with chicken liver. It used to be a popular restaurant dish. See Caruso.
Spam
Brand name for a canned luncheon meat made by the Hormel company, the only canned
luncheon meat with national distribution. A bologna sausage like mixture of ham, salt, and preservatives.
The name is a contraction of spiced ham.
Spain food
The Iberian peninsular has a colorful history and cooking styles were shaped by the invaders and
by the Spaniards themselves who invaded and conquered Mexico and large parts of South America and
brought back to Europe corn, potatoes, chili, chocolate, tomatoes and many other products.
The Arab conquerors brought to Spain and thereby to Europe the secrets of distillation, the use of
saffron and many uses for almonds.

844

Spain has produced a number of internationally known dishes and food products. It is the worlds
leading producer of olive oil, see there and saffron, see there. Thanks to Spain paprika became a
common spice, and chili an indispensable ingredient in hot climate cooking around the world.
Lesser known outside Spain are hams marketed as Ibrico ham, or Serrano ham.
Comida is the main meal, often served mid afternoon. La cena is the evening meal and it is
served late. In the southern Spain restaurants get busy at 10 PM.
Three Spanish dishes are immediately internationally recognized.
Gazpacho, see there, is soup served cold based in pureed vegetables.
Paella, see there, is a rice dish with seafood and meat, cooked in a flat Paella pan. Tapas, see
there, are snacks eaten in bars and restaurants. Tapas have become a sort of fad in trendy bars.
Eggs are important to Spanish cooking and many meals feature some sort of egg dish or
ingredient. In the wine country, egg yolks are an important ingredient in many dishes as the whites are
used for clarifying the wines.
Spain has an extensive fishing industry in both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic ocean.
Popular seafood is baby eel, eel, cod, flounder, hake, octopus, sardines, shrimp., squid, trout, tuna.
The important meats are pork, sheep, goats, veal and to a lesser degree beef. Chicken and
other poultry are popular, and so are rabbits. Domesticated pigs are occasionally deliberately allowed to
cross breed with wild boar and the resulting in delicious meat.
There is extensive hunting for game, including boar and game birds.
One dish encountered throughout Spain under different names and with varying ingredients is the
cocido. Basically a soup or stew, it is slowly simmered and always contains meats, sausages, vegetables
and legumes.
SPANISH CHEESES:
Burgos - pungent cheese from Old Castile
Idzabal - sheeps milk cheese from the Basque country
Manchego is the best known Spanish cheese exported. Other cheeses are
Queso de cabrales - blue cheese made with a blend of goats, cows and sheeps milk.
SPANISH HAMS:
Ibrico - from the Iberian pig which is allowed to roam free. Also known as acorn ham or jamn
de bellota, because of the acorns eaten by the herds that roam oak
groves. Strong sweetish flavor.
Moist with fat. Cured for at least two years, and very expensive.
Serrano - named for the Spanish sierras where it was first cured, it is now made throughout
Spain. Made from farm-raised pigs of northern European breeds such as the British white. Cured for at
least one year. Less moist or fatty than jamn de bellota.
Jamn de jabugo - ham from the province of Huelva. Deep-red in color.
Spain has distinct provinces, separated by geography and for centuries isolated by politics.
These provinces developed distinct languages and cooking styles.
REGIONAL SPECIALTIES:
Andalusia
The region was cultivated by the Romans who planted olive groves that are now a major
economic factor. The cuisine has also been influenced by the Moors who brought their spices from
northern Africa. Sevilla is the most famous city, and the world famous sherry wine is produced in Jerez
de la Frontera. See there.
ajo blanco con uvas - gazpacho with garlic and almonds garnished with grapes
almejas - clams and mussels
boquerones - white anchovies.
chanquetes - tiny, sticks of fried fish.
coquinas - tiny, clams in garlic sauce.
cordornices - grilled marinated quail.
gazpacho - cold vegetable soup.
huevos a la flamenca - shirred eggs baked with vegetables
pato a la sevillana - duck with olives.
pescado frito - fried fish
pincho morundo - small meat kebabs
puntillitas - tiny whole squid.
riones al Jerez - kidneys in a sauce flavored with Sherry.

845

snails, prawns, and tiny fried fish, squid stewed in tomato sauce
Catalonia
Barcelona noted for its great cooking is the capital of this region and the official language is
Catalan beside Spanish. The region encompasses the Costa Brava. Its cuisine originated with the
Romans and incorporates Spanish, French, Mediterranean influences. Common ingredients are olive oil.
A foremost chef of modern Catalan cuisine was Joseph Mercader.
arros xat and arros de peix - rice and fish dishes
arroz negro - rice with squid ink
botifarra - blood sausage
cap I pot - veal salad
escalabada and sanfaina - vegetable stews
exqueixada de bacalao - salt cod salad
habas a la Catalana - fava beans with sausages
langostinos - spiny lobsters
merluza - hake
pa amb tomaquet - oil and tomato soaked bread
romescu - almond hot seasoning sauce
rovellons - wild mushrooms
sardinas - sardines
xanfaina - stir fried vegetables
zarzuela and suquet de peix - seafood stews
Extremadura
calamares en su tinta - squid
chorico - fatty pork sausage
olla podrida - soup stew with many ingredients
Galicia
The northwestern region of Spain along the Atlantic coast, it is famous for its fine seafood.
caldo Gallego - white bean and Swiss chard soup
empanadas - turnovers filled with meat.
fabada Asturiana - bean soup
papas - potatoes
Levante
Region on the east coast of the Mediterranean famous for cultivation of peppers, vegetables and rice.
ali-oli - garlic oil dip
cigales - scampi. See there.
naranjas - oranges. See Valencia oranges.
paella - rice casserole. See paella.
sofrito - onion, garlic, ham and tomato hash
sopa al cuarto hora - shrimp soup with rice
New Castile/Madrid
Capital of Spain and the center of the country.
callos a la Madrilea - tripe and tomato stew
cocido Madrileo - stew with beef, chicken, ham bone, vegetables and chick peas pisto
manchego - tomato, pepper and squash stew
sopa de ajo - garlic bread soup with poached egg
Old Castile and Len
chochinillo asado - suckling pig especially in Segovia and Arvalo.
cordero - lamb, especially baby lamb
Desserts are often sweet and many are of Arabic origin, the recipes lovingly saved by nunns.
Many recipes call for imported spices and liberal use of honey and almonds.
DESSERTS INCLUDE:
alfajores - almond and honey confections.
carne de membrillo - quince paste
churros - fritters
flan - custard
leche frita- fried custard

846

natillas - egg custard

polvorones - flaky, powdered sugar cookies, flavored with anise.
tarta de Santiago - almond cake marked with the cross of Santiago (St. James).
Spain beverages
The country is a huge wine producer and is famous for sherry, see there. The best internationally
known wine regions are Rioja, see there, famous for red wines and Penedes, well known for white wines
and for sparkling wines, called cava. See there. The most expensive wine is Vega Sicilia made in the
center of Spain close to the Portugese border. See there.
Spanish wines had the reputation of being drinkable, enjoyable wines without much class and
distinction. This has changed and strict wine laws have been established. Wines are governed by
Denominaciones de Origen.
SPANISH WINE TERMS:
aada (anada) - vintage or age. It often refers to the new, unaged wines
aejo (anejo) - term for aged
blanco - white
clairete - red wine, especially a light-bodied red wine.
cosecha - vintage year.
crianza - literally translated, with aging, it refers to a wine which doesn't leave the bodega until
the third calendar year after the vintage, and 12 months of that time the wine must be aged in oak casks.
D.E. - Specific Denomination.
D.O. - Denomination of Origin, equivalent to the French D.O.C. See there.
gran reserva - wine which doesn't leave the bodega until the sixth calendar year after the vintage,
and 24 months of that time the wine must be aged in oak casks
porrn - long necked glass wine jar.
reserva - wine which doesn't leave the bodega until the fourth calendar year after the vintage,
and 12 months of that time the wine must be aged in oak casks.
rosado - wine made from red grapes or a mixture of red and white, fermented without skin
contact. It differs from clarete which is made with skin contact.
tinto - red wine, especially a full-bodied wine.
vino - wine
vino rancio - an old style of wine made by ageing white wine in the open air in large, partially
stoppered jugs. The effect is a sherry-like wine.
Xtacoli - white wine from the Basque region.
See also Albario, albariza, Pesquera, Torres, Vega Sicilia, Mlaga, Tarragona, Malvasia de
Sitges, Ribera del Duero.
Grape varieties and specific wines are listed under their names.
Spain is a large and famous producer of brandies. Spanish brandies are customarily colored and
flavored with reduced grape must, which make them slightly sweet. In France, brandies are normally
colored with caramel sugar.
Sangira is a refreshing wine drink. See there.
Spanferkel
German name for suckling pig, normally served roasted.
spanakopitta
Greek flaky vegetarian turnover filled with spinach and feta cheese.
Spanish artichoke
See cardoon.
Spanish Bayonet
Plant in the yucca family with edible fruits raising from a center stalk.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

847

Spanish crabs
Ncora - a type of crab found in northwestern Spain.
Santiaguio - a tiny crab found in northwestern Spain, named for the red cross on its head
Spanish lime
Florida fruit, not related to lime at all, though it has a similar flavor. The fruit resembles lychee
nuts. It has a brown, tough skin. The fruit is eaten by sucking the milky flesh from the seeds.
Also known as mamoncillo.
Melicocca bijuga.
Spanish Mackerel
See mackerel.
Spanish okra
Leafy plant related to okra and the hibiscus. The leaves are eaten primarily in Egypt and the
Middle East. Like okra, they have the effect of thickening the liquid in which they are cooked.
Available in ethnic stores dry, canned or fresh.
Meloukhia Corchorus olitorius.
Spanish omelette
Flat omelette made with onions and diced potatoes, often flavored with garlic.
Spanish salsify
See vipers grass.
spare ribs
Usually pork ribs, and most likely baked with barbecue sauce.
TYPES ARE:
Pork spareribs with 11 ribs and cartilage- Meat Buyers Guide # 416.
St. Louis spareribs are split lengthwise and most cartilage is removed - Meat Buyers
Guide# 416 A.
Back ribs are cut from the loin and should have at least 8 ribs- Meat Buyers Guide # 422.
Country style ribs are the whole loin ribs - Meat Buyers Guide # 423.
sparkling wines
Generic term for effervescence wines. Wines made in made in Champagne, France are usually
called Champagne, in Germany Sekt, in Spain Cava and in Italy Spumante.
sparkling Burgundy
Sparkling wine, mostly red and of acceptable quality. It is often labeled Crmant de Bourgogne.
The same wine is also made in California and in New York State.
spats
Young oysters up to the age of one year.
Sptburgunder
German term for pinot noir grapes variety.
Sptlese
German wine term meaning late picking. Since the grapes are allowed longer time on the vines,
the resulting wine is normally sweeter. See late harvest.
Sptzle/Spaetzle
German/Swiss term for small dumplings made with a soft flour and egg dough, either scraped
from a board or pressed through a sieve into boiling water. A Swabian specialty is Leber Sptzle.

848

Also known as Sptzl.

speakeasy
Illegal drinking clubs, created during Prohibition, when consumption of alcoholic beverages was
forbidden in the US. You had to knock and say the secret code word to be admitted.
Some famous restaurants started as speakeasies.

849

spearmint
Popular flavoring for chewing gum, the major producer of this gum is The Wrigley Company.
Dentyne also has a spearmint version.
Specialty Game Birds
Company located in Ferndale, in the Catskill region of New York state, producer of foie gras.
See there.
Speck
German term for bacon or salted cured fatback.
speculaas
Belgian/ Dutch/North German spicy almond cinnamon cookies. These crunchy molded cookies
are traditional at Christmas time when they are molded in the shape of St. Nicholas on his donkey. The
Dutch version is topped with almonds.
speed-well
Bar term for an easily accessible shelf which holds the most popular spirits.
speedwell
Plant which was used to make herb tea which is credited with medicinal value as a stimulus to
the brain. Once known as th de l'Europe, or the tea of Europe, because of its universal popularity and
use. In the US, the plant is considered mostly a garden pest.
Veronica officinalis.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
spelt
Type of wheat cultivated in Europe. It is considered healthier than other wheat. The kernels,
harvested while still green are sold as dietary supplement.
Grnkern in German. Also known as farro.
Triticum spelta.
Spenwood
English ewe's milk cheese from Berkshire.
spice
Vegetable substances, such as fruits, berries, leaves, barks and nut used for seasoning and
preserving food. Most grow wild or are cultivated in tropical climates, and are connected with a turbulent
history of wars, religion, intrigue, betrayals, adulteration and cruelty to bring them to the market.
The search for spices by Western countries brought alien nations and cultures into contact the
first time.
Spices are essential to tropical climate cuisines, and in old Europe were especially prized for
masking averaged and offensively gamey raw ingredients. It was to find a sea route to India to obtain
spices that Christopher Columbus first set out on his explorations.
The supply of clove, nutmeg and and pepper were causes for religious wars and explorations.
The Moorish forces that conquered Spain controlled the land on both sides of the entrance to the
Mediterranean and so controlled the spice trade to Europe. After the Catholic forces of Europe managed
to expel the Moors from Spain and the two leading seafaring nations at the time, Spain and Portugal
started to explore the oceans. Portugal was able to establish a foothold in India and discovered for
Europe the Moluccas spice islands. Eventually the Dutch wrestled control over present day Indonesia
from the Portuguese and controlled to trade of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves.
Spices are listed under their names.

850

spice bush
Shrub native to temperate North America. The twigs and leaves were used for tea considered a
stimulant.
Also known as Benjamin bush or Wild Allspice.
Benzoin aestivale.
spice bread
Cookies flavored with honey, cinnamon, tumeric, nutmeg, gloves and other spices. They were
popular in Europe, because it could be kept a long time before getting stale. Some cities, such as
Nrnberg and Lbeck in Germany were famous for their cookies. They are popular during Christmas.
Lebkuchen in German, pain d'e'pice in French
Spice Islands
Island group in Indonesia, also known as Moluccas. So named because of their predominance in
the clove trade.
spiced beef
Irish pot roast popular at Christmas. The beef is rubbed with spices and marinated in Guinness
beer. It is usually served cold.
spider
Heavy cast iron three legged skillet with a lid. The major cooking utensil of Americans in pioneer
times. Also known as a Dutch oven, though a Dutch oven is now a plain large, lidded cooking pot
spider bread
Fried bread dough, also known as Baptist cake, dough ball, fried bread, huffle-duffle, and
morning glory.
spiedie
Hot sandwich of marinated chunks of meat, charcoal-grilled, served on a wooden skewer on
Italian bread. The meat can be beef, lamb, venison, pork, or chicken. The marinade is generally olive oil
based, with red-wine vinegar, garlic, and seasonings.
Its invention is credited to Italian immigrant Augustino Iacovelli, who came to Binghamton, New
York in 1929. He was not a professional cook and made the sandwich on his own backyard grill. His son
Guido now owns a chain of Spiedie restaurants which are located from Rochester, New York to King of
Prussia, Pennsylvania. Guido says that originally the grilling "stick was picked green, peeled, then dried.
The flavor of the stick permeated the meat, so you had a combination of the flavor of the stick with the
meat and charcoal.
In restaurants, spiedies are sold by the stick, along with thin slices of Italian or French bread to
wrap around it and pull it off the skewer. Beer is the most common accompaniment.
There is a three-day spiedie festival the first week in August, including a spiedie cook-off
spiedini alla Romana
Thick slices of bread, layered with mozzarella cheese and anchovy paste, coated with egg batter
and baked
Spiegeleier
German term for fried eggs.
spilanthes
Medicinal herb from South America. The leaves can be used in salads, but will cause numbing of
the tongue and should be used sparingly. The are used to numb toothache.
Spilanthes.

851

spinach
Leaf vegetable, also used as salad green. The dark green leaves may be deeply grooved and
crinkly or flat. Strong texture and flavor. Very nutritious, though it contains a lot of oxalic acid. For this
reason children generally do not like spinach and are coaxed to eat spinach by referring to the cartoon
Popeye who received his strength by eating spinach.
There are basic two varieties: Curly and flat leaf.
A close relative is Swiss chard.
Epinards in French. Spinat in German, spinaci in Italian, espinaca in Spanish.
Spinacia oleracea.
See also orach.
spinach beet
Beet grown as leaf vegetable, a spinach-like relative of Swiss chard.
Also known as beet green, spinach green.
Beta vulgaris.
spiny bitter gourd
A round variety of bitter gourd whose warts are somewhat pointed.
Momordica cochiniensis.
spiny lobster
See langouste.
spirits, potable
Alcohol obtained by distillation of a fermented mash made with grains, fruits such as grape juice
and starchy tubers. In all spirits the proportion of ethyl alcohol varies, and the flavors are impacted by the
flavors of the mash and many other factors. See distillation and specific brandies under their name.
Spitzkse
German cheese flavored with caraway seeds.
split
Bottle size often used for Champagne or sparkling wines, equal to of a regular bottle, or about
6oz.
sponge
Bread making term which refers to yeast blended with a small amount of sugar, flour and water,
and left on a warm place to ferment. The sponge is then added to the other ingredients to start the
fermentation. Also called starter.
sponge cake
Cake made with beaten egg yolks, sugar, flour and beaten egg whites. One of the basic cake
preparations.
spoon warmer
Silver holder with a hot water compartment, used to keep spoons warm on a buffet table. Useful
in olden times when homes could be quite cold without modern central heating.
spoon bread
Southern US specialty, especially popular in Virginia. Ingredients include white or yellow
cornmeal (though the white may be more traditional), boiling water to scald the meal, eggs, milk, melted
butter, salt, usually baking powder, sometimes sugar. The mixture is baked in lightly greased pans, or
stove-top in a skillet. The consistency should be soft, but not runny, and perhaps firm enough to pick up
with the fingers
Often thought to be named for its custard-like texture, so that it's best eaten with a spoon, but the
name may actually derive from the Indian word for porridge, suppawn or suppone. Also known as batter

852

bread or egg bread. White settlers in the 19th century, however, were probably the first to make spoon
bread.
Also known as batterbread.
spot
Small ocean food fish harvested in the South Atlantic.
Also known as pinfish and Jimmy.
See also Lafayette.
Diplodus holbrooki.
Spotted Dick
Irish/English suet pudding made with sultanas mixed into the dough. The pudding is steamed
and served with a warm dessert sauce.
sprats
Ocean food fish, related to herring. The fish is oily, rather small and are often smoked or canned
like sardines. The fish is plentiful in the Baltic Sea and popular in Sweden and Poland. It can be cooked
un-gutted.
Also known as Briesling.
Clupea sprattus.
Spring lamb
Lamb slaughtered the same year it is born. The official slaughtering season for the U. S.
designated Genuine Spring Lamb actually extends from March 1st through early October.
Spring lamb can be up to 10 months old. Baby lamb is about 8 weeks old although the term is
sometimes used to denote somewhat older animals, up to 3 months old.
spring onions
See scallions.
spring rolls
Asian dish consisting of a vegetable filled wonton skin roll and deep fried. Also called egg rolls.
Springerle
Swiss molded cookies that look like bisque pottery, flavored with anise.
sprinkles
Colored sugar pebbles. Sprinkles are available in many colors and sizes, including silver and
gold.
Sprinkles probably originated in Germany, where they were used on Christmas cookies.
In the US, sprinkles are popular with ice cream. The multi-colored sprinkles used to decorate
cakes were sometimes called "hundreds and thousands" in England and early America.
Known as jimmies in New England. Nonpareilles in France, meaning without peer.
Sprite
Trade name of a soft drink.
sprite melon
Portion size yellow melon.
spritz
German term for light sparkle. It can be produced in the bottle, or by adding CO2.
Spritzer

853

German term for white wine mixed with club soda or seltzer. It is often served with a lemon peel
and with ice in the US.
spritzig
German term for effervescent.
spruce
Evergreen tree which was the source of chewing gum for the North American Indians and it was
the first commercially produced gum, Adams' New York No. 1.
spruce beer
Beverage resembling root beer made with the cones and twigs of spruce. It is no longer popular.
spumante
Italian term for sparkling wine.
spud
Slang for potato.
squab
Culinary term for unfledged pigeon. The meat is darker than chicken meat. The standard size for
an eviscerated bird is 14 - 16 oz.
squash
Generic term applied to a wide range of vegetables in the gourd family. They come in a wide
range of colors, shapes and sizes. Most squashes are grown in warm climates, but some varieties can
withstand cooler temperatures. Most varieties originated in the US, but are now widely grown throughout
the world. Related are cucumbers and melons.
Squashes are broken into two general groups: Summer and Winter, but the season doesn't have
to do with when they are available, but rather whether they are picked young (summer) or not (winter).
Tiny squash are cultivated because they look pretty and can be eaten whole, but have little flavor.
Summer varieties, are generally smaller and have smaller seeds. The seeds and skin are usually
edible. Mature summer squashes will also develop a hard rind and large seeds. Most summer squashes
can be eaten raw.
SUMMER SQUASHES INCLUDE:
Crookneck - yellow or pale orange with a hook-shaped neck.
Custard marrow - yellow zucchini type
Custard squash - a small flattened squash, similar to a scallop squash.
Indian tindoori - see tindoori.
Pattypan - available as summer or winter squash
Scallop squash - a small flattened squash, similar to a custard squash.
Table queen - ranges from pale greenish to deep orange in color.
Vegetable marrow - British term for zucchini
Yellow squash - available as winter squash also
Zucchini - Also called marrow squash or courgettes in Britain.
Winter varieties tend to be larger and more fibrous and can be stored in cool places for a
considerable length of time. They have tough skins which are not eaten. The skins are cut away or
scooped out.
WINTER SQUASH VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Acorn - in green, white and golden varieties. Good baked and mashed. Also known as Des
Moines squash
Big cheese - heirloom variety
Blue hubbard Butternut - bulbous yellow squash with pale orange flesh
Buttercup - good in soups
Chiverre - Central American pumpkin-like squash

854

Cymling - also known as Pattypan

Golden nugget
Hubbard - warty green squash
Pattypan - available in white and gold varieties
Pumpkin - See there
Silk squash - curving pointed cylinder shape, deep green, with deep ridges known as see gwa in
Chinese.
Spaghetti - see there
Turban - Similar to acorn squash in texture and taste.
OTHER VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Acorn zucchini
Calabacitas - young meaty squash, also known as Mexican squash.
Calabaza - Spanish/Hispanish squash.
Filipino - also known as Danish
Krbis - German generic term for squash
Mayo Blusher - A large, sweet winter squash with a white skin that turns pale pink after
harvesting. Native to the Southwest.
Mexican squash - more commonly known as calbacitas.
Potiron - French squash resembling pumpkin
Red Delicious - Good in soups.
Straightneck
Cucurbitaceae spp., cucurbita pepo - summer squash, cucurbita maxima - winter squash
squash blossom
The blossoms from either summer or winter squash are some of the few edible flowers that can
be cooked, they are good lightly breaded and deep-fried. They can also be stuffed with cheese, poultry or
seafood, and poached or fried. Rich in vitamin C.
Eaten more often than other edible flowers, perhaps because they are associated with a
vegetable more than with aromatic flowers. They have been eaten since ancient times and are widely
used in the cooking of American Indians and Mexicans. Cucurbita Pepo.
squid
Mollusk related to the octopus with ten tentacles (the octopus has eight) and a slender elongated
body. The animal is popular in Mediterranean and Asian cooking. The Italian name is calamari , and
fried squid rings have become an accepted appetizer.
Squid contain an ink like fluid which is ejected as a defense ploy. The ink is used to color and
flavor sauce, pasta, or rice.
Most squid is sold cleaned and frozen. Available also dried, canned and smoked.
Also known as inkfish, and related to cuttlefish.
squirrel
Arboreal rodents. The gray ones are supposed to be the best for eating, and they were hunted
when other meat was scares. Squirrel were part of the original Brunswick stew recipe.
squish
A nickname for marmalade. Oxford students in the mid 19th century consumed a marmalade-like
preserve, which they called squish to make the stale bread they were often served more palatable.
Today, squish remains an essential item at Oxford breakfast parties.
St. Amour
Prestigious vineyard area, or cru, of the Beaujolais region in Burgundy, France.
St. Claude
French goat cheese, made in the Department Jura.
St. Benoit

855

French cheese with a coating of charcoal. The cheese is usually soft ripened.
St. Anthony
Saint who is frequently depicted with a pig at his side, although he led a ascetic life. His feast
day in January 17, and celebrated in parts of Italy with pig slaughtering.
St. Emilion
Wine growing area in the Bordeaux region of France. As in neighboring Pomerol, Merlot is the
primary grape, and the wines are usually blended with Cabernet Sauvignon.
St. Emilion
Grape variety, important in the Cognac region and in Armagnac. The grape is known as Ugni
Blanc in Southern France and Algeria and the Trebbiano in Italy. The white wine made from this grape is
fruity and can be quite good. The grape and the region have no relationship to each other.
St. John's bread
The name St. John's bread refers to St. John the Baptist who lived on locusts and honey when
he went into the wilderness. It is believed that the term locusts referred to this bean and not to the insect.
Also known as carob or locust bean.
Ceratonia siliqua.
St. Johns wort
Ancient medicinal herb used to make painkilling lotions.
Hypericum perforatum.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
St. Joseph
Wine district in the Rhone valley, near the prestigious Hermitage. It produces a relatively lightbodied red wine made from 100% Syrah grapes, which is tannic when young but softens as it ages two or
three years.
There is also a white wine made from the Roussanne and Marianne grapes.
St. Julien
Wine commune of Bordeaux, France. One of the smaller Medoc communes, located between
Pauillac and Margaux.
THE MOST FAMOUS CHTEAUX ARE:
Beychevelle
Branaire-Ducru
Ducru-Beaucaillou
Gloria
Gruaud-Larose
Lagrange
Langoa
Leoville-Barton
Leoville-Poyferre
Pichon-Longville
Talbot.
St. Laurent
Austrian red wine grape variety.
St. Marcellin
French goat cheese. Blue mold is on the surface, but not in the center.
St. Maure

856

Cylindrical French goats milk cheese with a long straw through the center.
St. Pray
Village in the Rhne wine district in France, known for its white wine made from the Rossanne
grape, which there is known as Roussette, and the Marianne . The wine resembles white Hermitage.
Some wine is made into a fruity sparkling wine.
St. Peter's fish
Food fish harvested the Sea of Galilei. Also known as Galilean Comb, because of the form of its
large dorsal fin, and nicknamed Moshe Rabbenu in Israel, meaning Moses Our Teacher's fish, because
of the folk belief that this flat fish was fuller-bodied in Moses' time, before it was split in half when the Red
Sea was parted.
The fish is in the tilapia family, a firm-textured, lean, mild-tasting, salt and fresh water fish.
One species is winter hardy and can survive under ice.
Also known as John Dory, Tilapia, or in French as St. Pierre.
Tilapia Galilei.
St. Raphael Gold
Brand name for an aperitif wine with 16% alcohol. Amber-colored with an intense vanilla, nut,
orange rind, and aromatic wood flavor. Usually served on-the-rocks with a squeeze of lemon, or mixed
with club soda.
St. Regis Hotel
One of the oldest luxury hotels in New York City, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 55th Street.
The hotel belonged to the Astor family until 1960. It is now a Sheraton Hotel and is again a luxury hotel.
The restaurant in the hotel is Lespinasse and has its own kitchen and Executive Chef. It was
Gray Kunz in 1991. The Executive Chef for the hotel was Michael Carrer.
St. Regis
The foremost brand of non-alcohol wine in America. The wines are made from California grapes,
and include a:
California Blanc made mostly from Chenin Blanc and French Colombard grapes.
California Rose made mostly from Chenin Blanc, French Colombard, and Barbera grapes.
California Rose made mostly from Barbera grapes.
California Champagne.
The company also sells a Chamay Sparkling Cider, imported from the Normandy region of
France, made from the filtered apple cider of bittersweet apples.
St. Rmy
French cheese made in the Vosges valley.
St. Rochelle
American made semi-soft Scandinavian-style cheese, similar to Havarti, made by Steuben
Foods, Jamaica, New York.
St. Stephano
German cheese resembling Bel Paese.
St. Louis Toasted Ravioli
Ravioli that has been deep-fried, not toasted. Invented by accident in the late 1930's at Oldani's
restaurant in St. Louis, Missouri. A cook named Fritz accidentally dropped a boiled ravioli into hot
grease. It bubbled up and looked appetizing, so he made a few more and sent them to the bar.
Nowadays, they are often breaded and sprinkled with Parmesan.
Stachys sieboldii
Botanical name for Chinese artichoke

857

858

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

Famous California wine cellar in the Napa Valley. The owner and founder is Warren Winiarski.
Hawk's Crest is the second label of Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.
Stamp and Go
Jamaican dish of marinated salt cod, mixed with flour and sauteed tomatoes, onions, and garlic,
and cooked like small pancakes. Usually served as an hors d'oeuvre.
Stangenkse
German cheese resembling Backsteiner. The name refers to its shape.
Stanitzl
Austrian name for cone, probably form Turkish. A Viennese pastry is a baked cone filled with wild
strawberries and whipped cream.
star anise
Licorice-flavored spice, it is the five-pointed fruit of a magnolia-like tree. This aromatic dried spice
has been used for centuries in Chinese and Japanese cooking. It is a main ingredient in five-spice
powder.
Also known as Chinese anise, Aniseed star, badian.
Illicium verum.
star apple
Tropical fruit originally from South America and the Caribbean, and commonly found in Jamaica
and Haiti. Spectacular appearance and delicious, mild sweet flavor. Thin purple skin surrounds purple
flesh which graduates to white as it nears the center.
When cut across, the transparent seeds form a star-like pattern in the gelatinous flesh.
Not related to the star fruit averrhoea carambola, despite the similarity of name.
Also known as cainito.
Chrysophyllum cainito.
starch
Human energy food found in microscopic grains in fruits, roots and vegetables. Most accessible
for human use are starches found in wheat, corn, rice and other cereals, in potatoes and cassava roots,
in sago and arrowroots.
Starches can be divided into industrial starches used in many products, and starches for human
consumptions.
Starches can be converted in syrups and sugars.
star fruit
Tropical fruit about the size of a small cucumber, but with deep groves. When the fruit is sliced
horizontally, the resulting slices resemble stars. Its waxy skin starts out green and ripens to yellow. The
fruit is acidic. High in ascorbic acid or vitamin C.
There are two varieties on the market, Green Star Fruit, also called Cucumber Tree Fruit, and a
yellow variety called Star Apple. Both are in the shape of a five pointed star when cut across.
The Green Star Fruit is sour and cannot be eaten raw. Also known as carambola, granadilla (in
the West Indies) or barbardine, belmbing in Indonesia. See picture unser carambola.
Averrhoea carambola.
Starking
American apple variety, also grown in Argentina, Italy, Germany, and England. Slightly elongated
and deep red, with yellowish-white, juicy, and sweet-tart flesh. Good for eating and available year round.
Related varieties include Double Red Starking, Starking Delicious, and Top Red.
starter
Fermenting yeast mixture for bread baking, especially sourdough. Also known as sponge.

859

Statler, E. M.
Founder of a hotel company, owned since 1954 by Hilton Hotels Corporation. Statler opened the
first property in Buffalo, NY. The hotel featured a bathroom in each guestroom, a novelty for its time.
Hotels with shared bathrooms often charged extra for their use. Many hotels at this time were shabby,
and some hotels roomed strangers together, even if they had to share a double bed.
Statler did away with these policies, and instituted new amenities, such as circulating ice water in
all guest rooms, full length mirrors, free radio when it became available, and free newspapers, keyholes
placed above the door knobs, and double doors, called servidors, which allowed valets to pick up and
deliver laundry without entering the rooms.
An other feature were sample showrooms for the use of salesmen on the top floors, and large
central kitchens, which could serve all restaurants and most banquet room from one location. One of the
best laid out kitchen was in the New York Statler Hotel. Unfortunately, the kitchen was demolished.
When Mrs. Statler sold the company to Hilton after her husbands death, the Statler company
controlled 104,000 guest rooms. The selling price was $111 millions. Part of the money was placed in
the Statler Foundation, which donated large sum to education. One major benefactors is Cornell
University.

Stayman Winesap
American apple variety cultivated in Virginia.
steak frites
French/ English term for grilled steak served with crisp french fries.
steak
Piece of meat which is tender enough to be broiled. The most popular meat is beef, and the most
popular cuts are sirloin and tenderloin.
The term is also correctly used for meat other than beef, although the more popular term with be
cutlet.
steak tartar
Chopped beef eaten raw. Very lean ground beef mixed with minced onion, capers, raw egg yolk,
salt and pepper. During the preparation, which should always be done at the last moment before service,
some oil should be blended in to make the mixture smoother and juicier. If the ground meat is very cold,
almost frozen, the meat color will stay fresh and red.
Tartar steak is named for the ancient Mongolian horsemen, the Tartars, who invaded much of
eastern Europe in the 12th and 13th centuries, and ate their beef raw, not taking time out from their
pillaging to cook it. Legend has it that they would tenderize their meat by placing it under their saddles
and riding on it before consuming it raw.
Tartar steak is sometimes disparagingly referred to as raw Hamburger, it is perhaps closer to the
original scraped beef dish that was eaten raw in the German city of Hamburg, from which the Hamburger
originated.
steam beer
Beer manufacturing process developed on the West Coast to eliminate the need to store the beer
in cold cellars. It is named for the hissing sound which is released when the keg is tapped. Anchor is the
largest selling brand.
steam table
Commercial kitchen equipment, consisting of a water bath in which food is kept hot, especially
sauces and soups. There are also electric steam tables in use which keep the food hot with dry heat.
For many years, food was prepared in large batches and kept hot on the steam table for a long
time to the detriment of quality. This happened especially in cafeterias, inexpensive restaurants, bars
and in commercial food service. Today, fine restaurants cook most dishes to order, and steam table
food has become a generic term for overcooked food. Better equipment and customer awareness
forces even commercial operations to operate as much as possible without steam tables.

860

The French term is bain marie.

steamboat
Chinese specialty. A sort of fondue where diners cook their own meats, seafood and vegetables
in a chafing dish filled with simmering stock.
Also known as Hot Pot and under other names.
steamers
Soft shell clams, normally steamed, served with their own broth and melted butter. They are
seldom shucked raw because the shell is too soft and brittle.
The purge the clams from sand, corn meal is sprinkled over the clams for about one hour before
the steamers are used.
The term can also refers to steamed hard shelled clams.
Also known as piss clams. See soft shell clams.
steams/steamies
French-Canadian word for hot dogs. Aka chiens chauds.
steen hovoli
Greek ancient from of cooking in a dirt covered pit over smoldering coals, also known as
klephtica, the cooking of thieves. The cooking pot was of clay, brass, or iron. The pot is sealed
sometimes with dough, and the food is cooked slowly.
The cooking is also known as steen stamma, referring to a special clay pot, or Exohiko, of the
countryside, which refers to any hidden enclosed cooking.
steep, to
Verb, to immerse in a liquid to extract flavors, such as tea immersed in hot water, or herbs in
vinegar.
steer
Young ox castrated before maturity.
Stefanie Torte
Austrian/ Viennese chocolate and almond layer cake.
Stein
German term for stone, often used for beer mugs made from earthenware.
Steinberg
Esteemed vineyard in the Rheingau region of Germany, planted with Riesling grapes, and
adjacent to the Kloster Eberbach.
The vineyard was planted by the Cistercian monks in the 12th century, the same monks who
established Clos de Vougeot in Burgundy, France.
Steinbuscher
German soft cheese, made originally in the Province Brandenburg.
Romadur.

The cheese resembles

Steinfelder
Austrian/Wachau wine designation created 1983. The wine can be made with any grape variety,
and the alcohol content cannot exceed 11%. Steinfelder is the name of a grassy plant growing on the
steep vineyard slopes.
See also Federspiel and Smaragd.
Steinhger

861

German juniper berry flavored brandy from the Westphalian town Steinhagen.
brandy is drunk ice cold and marketed in a stoneware bottle.

The popular

Steinpilze
German name for porcini mushrooms. See there.
Steinwein
German wine from Franconia, usually sold in a squat Bocksbeutel bottles.
Stelk
Irish name for colcannon, the mashed potato and cabbage dish.
Stella
The largest selling beer brand in Egypt.
stemberries
Strawberries with the long stem on, often used for dipping in chocolate.
Steppe
German/Russian/Austrian cheese resembling Tilsiter.
sterlet
Food fish, the smallest in the sturgeon family. See there.
stew
Cooking term for cubed food simmered in its own juices until tender. Most often applied to meat,
such as beef stew, lamb stew etc., but the term is also applied to vegetables
sticky bun
Yeast pastry brushed with honey, molasses or syrup to make it extra sweet and sticky to the
touch.
Also known as honey bun.
sticky rice
Glutinous rice, a staple in many Asian cultures. The rice is often referred to as short grain rice. It
must be washed or soaked in water before it is steamed. Sticky rice was probably to developed to ease
eating with chop sticks.
This rice of the subspecies japonica contain high levels of amylopectin starch which makes it
clump together when cooked. This rice is used in Japanese dishes sushi and crab cakes. Premium
varieties are akirako-machi and koshihikari; both have tiny, pearl like kernels.
Mochigome is a super sticky rice, often used in food manufacturing.
still wine
Wine without any perceptible amount of carbon dioxide gas after fermentation.
still
Apparatus to separate alcohol from a liquid by means of heat. Types of stills include pot, alembic
or Coffey still.
Stilton
One of the greatest cheeses of the world, a pungent flavored English blue-veined cheese. The
cheese was first made about 1750 in Leicestershire. The name is attributed to the town Stilton, where it
was first sold. Stilton cheese is now made in various parts of England. The cheese is sometimes served
with holes poked into the cheese, drenched with Port Wine and then scooped out. Stilton cheese lovers
scorn at the practice.

862

Stinging nettle
Stinging weed with saw tooth hairy leaves growing abundantly wild in Europe. Edible, often used
as spinach, but also used as herb in cheese and as flavoring in beer. More popular in Europe.
Urtica dioica.
stir-frying
Chinese cooking method becoming increasingly popular in the US. Cut food is cooked quickly
over high heat in a shallow pot, called wok.
stock
Liquid made from boiling bones, often with spices and vegetables. When the bones are browned
in the oven, the resulting stock will be brown. Stock is the base for many soups and sauces. Stock can
be made from any bones, but most likely from either beef, veal, chicken or fish bones.
The liquid is the base for making soups and sauces.
Vegetarian stock is made without bones from root vegetables and cabbage.
A broth is a stock made with the purpose of using it as soup.
Stock
Distillery and wine merchant established in 1884 in Trieste. Credited with being the first to make
extra dry vermouth.
Stockfish
German term for salted dried cod.
stoemps
Belgian vegetable staple consisting of a combination of potatoes and other vegetables, mashed
into a coarse puree.
Stolichnaya
Vodka brand imported from Russia.
Stolichnaya Crystal is a limited edition vodka made by the Crystal Distillery in Moscow. It is
known as Golden Ring vodka in the Soviet Union and considered to be the purest vodka because it is
drawn from the center or "golden ring" of the distillation tank. It is also filtered more slowly than most
vodkas.
stone ground
Term referring to grains that are ground in grist mills between rotating by granite stones, and to
the manufacturing process. These mills were traditionally powered by water and it was slow, laborious
process.
Modern mills use high speed steel rollers that produce a less wholesome, highly refined flour,
because the grinding creates heat that removes nutrients and alters the flavor.
stone
Term for fruit pit. The term freestone refers to peaches or nectarines which have flesh that pulls
easily away from the pit, as opposed to clingstone which, as the name implies, clings to the pit.
stone boiling
Ancient cooking method of placing very hot stones in a liquid. The method is still used in the
traditional clambake.
stone crabs
Crabs harvested in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. The crabs have a very hard shell. Only
the claws are eaten.
Stone crabs are a Miami specialty.
Also known as moro crab.

863

stone fruits
Fruits with a single pit or stone.
THE MOST AVAILABLE ARE:
Apricots
Cherries
Nectarines
Peaches
Plums.
Also known as drupe fruits.
Stoneybrook pie
Another name for Derby pie used in the Carolinas. See Derby Pie.
stout
Type of dark beer, it can be divided into bitter and sweet stout.
Bitter stout, often called Dublin stout, a top fermented beer often served at room temperature.
The most famous brand is Guiness Extra Stout.
Sweet stout was once called Milk Stout, supposedly because a farmer had the right to pass to the
Mackeson Brewery yard in England, but more likely got its name from the lactose used in brewing. The
beer is dark and mild.
stovies
Scottish dish of potatoes cooked with the meat and drippings of leftover roast.
stracchi
Shreds of pasta noodles, literally translated "rags".
stracchino
Italian cheese from the Lombardy region. Outside of Lombardy the same cheese is called
crescenza and tends to be creamier with a gentler flavor. It is a cow's milk cheese from animals that
have been grazing in mountain pastures. Square in shape, with no rind, it has a creamy white color. It has
a melted cheese texture when fully ripe and a tangy, lactic acid taste.
stractto
Italian specialty from Florence. Pungent stew of beef and pork sausages, described as a Tuscan
pot roast.
Strassbourg
See Alsace food.
strawberries
Fruit native to both the old and new worlds, widely cultivated in many varieties, but still found
growing wild in sonny spots in forests and meadows. Wild strawberries are much smaller than cultivated
ones.
The cultivated strawberries are grown with scientific precision, the fields are treated with
chemicals to eliminate weeds, the plants are surrounded with plastic sheets to reflect the suns and keep
weeds down, fertilizers are liberally applied, and harvesting is fast to get the berries quickly to the market.
The results are large, juicy berries, rather inexpensive during the early spring and summer
season.
Major suppliers are Washington State and California, off season Mexico and New Zealand.
Florida supplies strawberries in the winter. Plant City, Florida calls itself the Winter Strawberry
Capital of the World.
Strawberries will not ripen once picked. Stemberries are strawberries with the long stems left on.
Fresas in Spanish; Erdbeeren in German, Frais in French, fragolas in Italian. Fraises des bois is
the French word for small, wild strawberries.
Fragaria, spp.

864

strawberry daiquiri
Alcoholic drink made of rum, lime juice, and strawberries or strawberry liqueur, usually served
frozen, i.e., on crushed ice or frozen into a slush itself.
strawberry guava
Guava with pink skin and flesh. See there.
Psidium cattleianum.
Strawberry pears
Fruits growing on high climbing cactus growing wild in Mexico. The fruits are bright red, pear
shaped with a taste resembling strawberries. They are edible fresh and are also used in cooking.
Hylocereus tricostatus or cereus triangularius.
strawberry shortcake
Popular American dessert consisting of a split baking powder biscuit liberally moistened with
sliced strawberries steeped with sugar, and heaped with whipped cream.
As the name indicates, it should be made with short -bread, an other name for biscuit, and not
with sponge cake as it is often served in restaurants.
Strawberry spinach
Leafy weed sometimes cultivated and used as cooked vegetable and also producing tiny red
berries with no particular flavor.
Related to Lambs' Quarters and Good King Henry. Also known as strawberry blite.
Chenopodium capitatum.
Stravecchio
Aged Parmesan cheese.
Streusel
German term for a mixture of butter, flour and sugar sprinkled over yeast cakes. The term is now
part of the American vocabulary.
string beans
The common green bean, so named because the pods were seamed with a though fiber, which
had to be removed before cooking. The modern string beans do not need cleaning any longer. See
beans.
Haricots verts in French, habichuelas in Spanish.
string cheese
American Mozzarella type cheese twisted into ropes, and the individual strings can be pulled off.
striped bass
Important ocean and brackish water food and game fish once almost extinct.
conversation methods stabilized the population and the fish. The fish is also farmed.
Also known as rockfish.
See bass.

Strong

striped mullet
Ocean food fish esteemed for its roe. Salted mullet roe is used in the Greek taramasalata dip,
and is known as poutargue in French and botargo in Italian.
striped-tiger prawns
Large shrimp with distinctive strips, extensively farmed.

865

Stritzel
Austrian/Viennese term for a long bread loaf. It is often used for long, braided coffee cake.
strozzapreti
Pasta shape, braids.
struan
Ancient Celtic multi-grain bread. Some current recipes use corn meal, wheat-bran flour, rolled
oats and cooked brown rice. Usually topped with poppy seeds.
Strudel
Austrian/German roll shaped pastry consisting of a filling encased in dough. The best known
Strudel is the Viennese Apfel Strudel, which is made with a very thin filo dough, called Strudel Teig in
Austria.
Strudel with fruit fillings are the most popular, but Strudel can also be filled with meat and
vegetables. The dough can also vary, in Germany Strudel is often made with puff pastry or yeast dough.
The name referrers primarily to the shape, which resembles a sausage. The term indicates a roll.
struklji
Slovenian dumpling.
Stck
German term for piece, used as wine term it is a volume measure for a casks containing 316 gal,
or the equivalent of 133 cases wine.
Stuckie
Submarine sandwich in Boston.
stuffed cabbage
Popular dish in Hungary, Poland and Austria. It was also popular in the US. Old fashioned
Jewish cooking include stuffed cabbage filled with beef, buckwheat and braised with raisins
stuffed grape leaves
Dish popular throughout the Middle East. The leaves are normally stuffed with ground lamb and
rice, flavored with lemon juice, mint and garlic and braised.
Dolmas/domathes in Greek.
stuffies
Rhode Island quahog clams stuffed with a mixture of bread crumbs and sauteed minced onions.
sturgeon
Fresh water food fish, once abundant but now scares on account of water pollution and over
fishing. Sturgeons are slowly coming back when the water is clean, and the Hudson River in New York
State has again a sturgeon population, as well as other rivers in the US such as the Mississippi and the
Great Lakes. Sturgeon is also harvested in Pacif Coats rivers, and is also farmed in California.
Russia was famous for their sturgeons, especially from the Caspian Sea and from the Volga
River. The Caspian sturgeon has suffered much from pollution and illegal poaching for caviar. The best
caviar is obtained from sturgeon, the meat is often smoked and sold at delicatessen.
The ancient fish has no scales but armored plates and soft gelatinous bones. The spine marrow
is called vesiga, see there.
STURGEON SPECIES:
Beluga - a huge fish which can weigh up to 1,000 lbs
Kaluga - huge fish harvested in the Armur River in Siberia. It can yield up to 400 lb caviar.
Osetra - a medium size fish
Sevruga - a smaller fish
Sterlet - harvested for its fine meat.

866

See caviar.
sub/submarine
Sandwich made with an Italian bread loaf, split lengthwise, some of the soft center removed,
sprinkled with olive oil and vinegar, seasoned with oregano, and filled generously with salami, tomatoes,
lettuce, mozzarella or provolone cheese and roasted pimentos. Many version exist. One of the best is
made in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Also known as a hero sandwich or hoagie in New England.
succory
See chicory.
succotash
Corn and bean stew, usually made with lima beans. The name can be traced to the Narraganset
Indians.
The Indian name was spelled Sukquttahhash by the early settlers.
Succoth
Jewish Feast of the Tabernacles, an eight-day harvest celebration. Fruits are hung in a small
symbolic shelter or tabernacle.
suckling pig
Young piglet weighing 6 or 7 pounds, that has been fed only on its mother's milk, and has never
been allowed to run free. It is moist and tender. It is usually roasted whole and presented with a apple in
its snout.
Suckling pigs are popular in many cultures, especially in South East Asia and in South America.
Cochon de lait in French, Spanferkel in German.
Sucralose
Brand name for a low calorie sweetener made from sugar and approved by the FDA on April 1st
1998. The product is 600 times sweeter than sugar, has no aftertaste and can be baked.
sucre
French term for sugar.
sucrose
The common white sugar.
sucrose polyester
Known by the initials SPE, a synthetic fat developed by Proctor & Gamble (P&G) in 1971, by
researchers seeking a super nutritious food for pre-mature babies, though the product required almost 20
years of additional development before it could be used on the wide-scale market.
P&G's version is known by the trade name Olestra. Since the body doesn't absorb SPE, it
contributes no calories; thus, it is slated for use in products for adults as a replacement for saturated fats.
Suduiraut, Chteau
Great wine estate in Sauternes, France producing a wonderful sweet, full bodied wine.
suet
Beef fat with very high smoking point, it and was used for frying potatoes for flavor and for
maintaining crispness.
The best suet comes from around the kidneys and tenderloin. It is high in cholesterol.
Suet was used in England for steamed desserts.
sffig

867

German wine term for wines that are easy to drink, the term is related to saufen, which means
gulping down liquids.
sufganne
Mediterranean ancient sweet spongy fried pastry. Popular since the time of the Maccabees.
Sufganiyot is the Jewish version, eaten especially at Hanukkah.
sugar
Sweetener made with sugar beets cultivated in temperate climates or with sugar canes
cultivated in the tropics. One major producer is Cuba.
Sugar was an expensive novelty imported along with spice well into the Middle Ages. It was still
an expensive rarity during Elizabethan England around 1600.
The word sugar might come from the Sanskrit sarkara, which became eventually the Arabic
sukkar, the Greek sakchar, the Latin saccharum, the German Zucker and the French sucre.
The sugar cane probably originated in tropical Asia and was cultivated on a small scale in North
Africa. European sugar production commenced in Sicily in the 12th century, and spread to the Southern
Europe and the Canary Islands.
Columbus brought cane to the American West Indies from the Canary Islands during his second
voyage. Sugar cultivation is labor intensive and triggered the slave trade. By 1600 the sugar industry
was well established and sugar was exported to Europe on a large scale.
Spanish planters soon discovered that the molasses residue from sugar making fermented
easily, and they began to make rum. See rum.
Beet sugar was discovered when Europe became too dependent on imports from overseas. The
German scientist Margraff and his pupil Franz Carl Achard developed a successful method to extract
sugar from beets. The first factory opened near Breslau, then Germany and now Poland in 1801.
Napoleon I encouraged beet sugar production in France.
Corn syrup is a widely used sweetener for soft drinks.
True raw sugar is not sold in the U.S. because it contains contaminants which make it unsuitable
for humans. Most sugar sold as "raw" in the U.S. is actually turbinado sugar, which is processed, but
slightly less so than white sugar. It contains the same nutrients as white sugar and is really not much
different.
SUGAR TYPES:
Brown sugar - is available dark and light. It is used for flavoring and will cake easily.
Castor sugar - British term for superfine table sugar.
Colored sugar - novelty item of sugar crystals indifferent colors.
Cube sugar - white sugar moistened and pressed into cubes for tee or coffee service.
Demerara - brown sugar in large crystals, originally from Guyana, South America.
Fine granulated - finer and mostly used for cakes.
Granulated sugar - the ordinary, standard white sugar.
Icing sugar or confectioners sugar - contains small amount of corn starch to prevent caking.
Rock sugar - sugar in large crystals often colored amber. It is sold on small skewers as coffee
stirrers or as candy.
Palm sugar - dark sugar made from the sap of East Indian palm trees.
Powdered sugar - super fine, resembling flour.
Vanilla/Vanillin sugar - confectioners sugar blended with vanilla flavor, popular by home bakers
in Europe. A leading brand is Dr. Oetker.
See Lactose, Maltose and Sucrose.
sugar apple
See sweetsop.
sugar, boiling
Sugar will melt when heated and will go through various stages before burning up. This process
is essential to candy making and is also used by pastry chefs to create boiled icings and decorations.

868

Sugar with a small amount of syrup or cream of tartar is blended with a small amount of water
and brought to a boil, preferable in a copper pot. As the sugar boils the sides of the pot must be washed
down with a wet brush to prevent any crystals forming.
The sugar mixture will become rapidly hotter, and each stage is carefully monitored with a
thermometer. The sugar will change color over 320 degrees and will become caramel, and rapidly burn
to a dark brown mass.
Sugar flowers and other decorations are made with sugar boiled between 315 to 320 degrees,
depending on weather and personal preferences. The sugar is poured on a marble slab to cool off and
folded and pulled until shiny while still hot. Food colors are added at this stage.
When the sugar is shiny it is kept under a heat lamp to keep it pliable and shaped into flowers
and other decorations. The sugar can also be blown like glass. Boiled sugar, ready to use is available
commercially.
Boiled sugar decorations will attract moisture and must be kept in a dry environment, usually in
glass cases with lime stones or chemicals which absorb moisture.
SUGAR BOILING STAGES:
Thread - 230 to 234 degrees
Soft ball - 234 to 238
Medium soft ball - 238 to 245
Firm ball - 245 to 250
Hard ball - 250 to 265
Soft crack - 265 to 272
Medium crack - 272 to 290
Hard crack - 290 to 320
Caramel - 320 to 345.
sugar house
New England term for barn where maple sap is reduced to maple syrup.
sugar melon
One of many melon varieties, very sweet and once considered for sugar production.
sugar snap peas
Strain of peas, developed in 1979 by Calvin Lamborn of the Gallatin Valley Seed Company. The
high producing plant produces a juicy-crisp, sweet flavored pod. Like snow peas, the pod is fully edible
and delicious, but unlike snow peas, they are eaten when the bean is fully ripe and the inside kernels are
plump.
sugar, spun
Sugar spun into fine treads used for decoration. The sugar and a small amount of corn syrup is
boiled to 310 degrees, cooled slightly and then quickly spun between two rods by dipping a metal brush
into the hot sugar. It is a messy, and time consuming affair. In humid weather the sugar will attract
moisture quickly and become a stringy mess.
Less elaborate and equally effective is cotton candy as sold at fairs. The world famous Four
Seasons Restaurant in New York City installed a cotton candy machine many years ago in the pastry
pantry and is able to make cotton candy instantaneously to decorate desserts.
sugar syrup
Basic sugar and water mixture used by pastry chefs. The normal proportions are two parts
sugar to four parts water, and boiled 5 minutes.
The German term is Luterzucker.
Sugarbush Maple Spirits
Distillate of maple syrup, first made by Vermont Distillers in 1989.
sugaring

869

The boiling of the maple sap into maple syrup; the process is so named because the American
natives boiled the syrup down completely to sugar in order to store it.
sugaring
Wine term for adding sugar to the unfermented must to increase the alcohol level. It is regulated
by law. The French term is chaptalisation.
sukuma wiki
African/Kenyan preparation of collard greens with onions, tomatoes, chili pepper, oil, and lemon
juice, thickened with a little flour. The literal translation of this one-pot dish is "stretch the week"
sulfites
Preservative found in wine, fruits, and vegetables, such as salads. Safe for most people, though
asthmatics can have bad reactions to them
Sulka Torte
Austrian/Viennese chocolate cake filled with wine-flavored cream, served at the Sulka Cafe in
Vienna.
sulphur
Chemical used in the cultivation of wine grapes and manufacturing of wine. It is used as a
pesticide, to sterilize casks and to retard fermentation.
Sulphiting is adding sulphur to grape must.
Sulphuring is burning sulphur wicks in empty casks.
Sultana
Better known as Thompson Seedless, a California white grape variety. Most is dried for raisins,
some is sold as table grapes, and a considerable amount is used for blending wine.
sultana(s)
Raisins made from small white seedless grapes. In America, Thompson's seedless grapes are
used. Some of the best sultanas come from Smyrna or Izmir, Turkey where they are known as Smyrna
raisins.
suluguni
Russian/Georgian cheese mozzarella-like in texture, but has the tang of a goat's milk cheese. It is
used to stuff the prized bread khachapuri
sumac/sumak/somagh
Slightly sour, lemon flavored, rust brown spice. Used in Iran, especially with their national dish,
chelo kebab. It is made from the ground berries of the sumac tree.
Sumak in Turkish.
sumac
Shrub growing wild, native to the United States with shiny green leaves and red clustered berries.
It is related to the cashew family, Anacardiaceae.
The red berries are edible and can be used for flavoring a slightly sour drink.
The poisonous sumac grows in wet areas instead of dry spots, and has white berries.
All flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Summer Delight
Tomato introduced by the W. Atlee Burpee Company in 1987. Juicy, flavorful, medium-large and
red.

870

summer melon
see melons.
summer pudding
Traditional English dessert, a sort of bread and fruit pudding. A shell of plain bread is placed in a
dish or bowl, filled with summer fruits such as currants, raspberries, strawberries, and gooseberries. Left
overnight, the bread soaks up the fruit juices that seep out and becomes richly colored. The dessert is
usually served unmolded. When black currants are used, the bread becomes almost black and the
dessert is called "top hat"
summer truffles
see truffles.
Summerred
Apple variety, cross between McIntosh and Golden Delicious. Large, elongated and deep red in
color. Its firm, white flesh is juicy and full-flavored. Good for eating.
sun dried tomatoes
Dried tomatoes, originally in the sun in Mediterranean countries as an inexpensive process to
preserve tomatoes. The tomatoes have a strong, concentrated tomato flavor, are leathery to the touch,
and must be reconstituted before use. They are best soaked in oil or vinegar; they will impart a strong
tomato flavor to sauces, stews and many other dishes.
Sun dried tomatoes have become widely available and are found on many restaurant menus.
They are now processed in many countries, including California.
sunberries
Sweet berries resembling blueberries but growing on an annual plant.
Solanum spp.
sunchoke
Other name for Jerusalem artichoke.
sunfish
Generic name for a large group of food fish harvested both in fresh water and in the ocean. The
name refers to their brightly colored bodies.
Mola mola.
sunflower
Native American flower bearing seeds that are used for oil and eaten as snacks.
sunflower oil. Widely cultivated in the US and in eastern Europe.
Sunflower seeds are high in polyunsaturated fat. They contain proteins, vitamin E, thiamin, and
minerals.
sunflower oil
Cooking oil popular in Eastern Europe and Mexico. The oil is low in saturated fats. The oil has a
mild flavor and oily texture and is best used as salad oil. Hot sunflower oil can become unpleasantly
strong.
Sunnysilver Pie
Pie popular with reporters staying at the Old Union Hotel in Flemington, New Jersey during the
Lindbergh/Hauptman trial in 1935. It is a fluffy lemon pie.

Suntory
Large Japanese brewing company.

871

suppawn/ suppone
Indian word for porridge. See also spoonbread.
spreme/supreme
French culinary term applied to the top part of fowl or fish, which is normally considered better
than other parts.
By extension, a silver dish created in the US, consisting of a rather large chalice shaped
container which could be filled with ice, a fitting ring, and a small insert. This dish was used to serve fruit
salad, and for many years banquet menus listed Fruits Supreme.
suquet/suquet de peix
Spanish/Catalan seafood stew often cooked in an earthenware dish called cazuela.
Zarzuela is another Catalan seafood stew. It is also the generic name for musicals or operettas.
sur lie
French term meaning, literally, "over lees". Wine which is bottled directly from the fermentation
barrels still containing the sediment or lees, particularly common in Muscadet wines.
Surati
Indian cheese, also known Panir. It is the best known cheese in India, named after the town
Surat in the Bombay Province. The cheese is made with buffalo milk.
surf and turf
Dinner combining seafood and steak. The idea is believed to have begun in Sheepshead Bay,
Brooklyn in the late 1800's for the prolific eater Diamond Jim Brady. The seafood is normally a lobster tail
or a number of large shrimp.
surgeon fish
Tropical food fish harvested in coastal waters.
scalpels on its tail.
Also known as doctor fish.

The fish has two sharp blades resembling

surimi
Processed fish product made to resemble in shape and taste shellfish. The fish, usually pollock is
made into a paste, seasoned, and shaped to resemble shellfish such as crab meat, crab legs and shrimp.
The process was devised Japan in the `70's. Often marketed under brand names such as Sea Legs
and Mox Lox.
Surimi has become a popular crab meat substitute.
In New Zealand, the plentiful hoki is used in surimi.
Surinam spinach
See Amaranth.
Surinam cherries
The term is confusingly used to refer to two unrelated fruits, the Acerola or Malphigia glabra as
well as the Pitanga or Eugenia uniflora.
Furthermore, neither the Acerola nor the Pitanga are related to the cherry, though both fruits
resemble the cherry somewhat in appearance.
Acerola Surinam cherries are native to Brazil and grow on decorative shrubs. Cherry-like in
appearance, they have the distinction of being the richest of all fruits in vitamin C.
The fruits are too sour to be eaten raw, but are good in jams and preserves. They are cultivated
for medicinal purposes.
The Pitanga, also referred to as Brazilian cherry, Cayenne cherry, or Petanga has a slightly sour
taste, but can be eaten raw.

872

surubim
Brazilian large, striped Amazon river fish, although dangerous over-fishing has significantly
reduced the supply in terms of numbers and the size of fish.
sushi
Japanese vinegared rice. It is eaten with raw fish and shellfish, and the dish is commonly referred
to as sushi. Raw fish without rice is sashimi.
suspiros
Portuguese meringue-like cookies. Literally translated "sighs".
sss
German word for sweet.
Sssreserve
German wine term for adding sweet, unfermented grape juice to young wine of the same area.
Suwannee chicken
Southern US nickname for turtle.
Swaar
Apple variety popular in the 19th century.
Swabian cooking
Regional German cooking, from the South-West province of the same name. Specialties include
liver flavored Sptzle, Maultaschen (a sort of ravioli), and Sauerkraut.
Swabian wines include white wines from the Riesling grape and red wines from the Trollinger
grape.
Swaledale
English cheese resembling Wensleydale. See there.
Swamp cabbage
Not actually a member of the cabbage family, but a relative to the sweet potato.
Also known as ung choi or water spinach.

Ipomoea aquatica.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
sweat, to
Cooking method for vegetables, especially onions. Cooking in a small amount of oil over low
heat without browning.
sweaty saddle
Australian wine term used to describe the intense, leathery aroma of some Syrah wines,
especially those grown in the Hunter Valley of Australia.
Swedes
British for turnips, the term refers to the big rutabagas, rather than the small slender, carrotshaped white turnips.
sweet and sour
Flavor juxtaposition common to Chinese cooking, though it is used in Western cuisine as well, for
example Duck with orange sauce. The flavor combination usually includes a sweetener such as sugar or
honey with a sour such as vinegar or citrus juices.

873

sweet balsam
See lime basil.
Sweet Cicily
Perennial herb native to Europe. The hardy herb is a flavoring agent in Chartreuse, and the
leaves can be used in salads. The long taproots have been used as vegetable.
Also known as giant chervil.
Myrrhis odorato.
All flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
sweet curd
Cheese term applied to cheeses made with the cheddar process, but without letting acidity to
develop.
sweet flag
Perennial herb native to India with huge leaves which were used to thatching roofs. The leaves
were used as insect repellant. The fleshy roots have a lemon smell and are used in cosmetics and in
beverages.
Acorus calamus.
sweet granadilla
Variety of passion fruit, also known as yellow passion fruit, because of its attractive golden color.
The seeds are larger, more oval, and slightly crunchy than the more common purple fruit. Unlike the
purple passion fruit, the skin does not shrivel when the fruit is ripe, so look for fat sleek, shiny fruit.
Also sometimes known as or giant granadilla because of its larger size although giant granadilla
also refers to the Passiflora quadrangularis variety of passion fruit.
See passion fruit.
Passiflora edulis v. flavicarpa.
sweet onions
See onions.
sweet pepper
See bell pepper.
sweet potatoes
Starchy root tuber, a member of the morning glory family. It is a different plant from the yam,
dioscorea opposita, although the names have become almost interchangeable. The sweet potato is
generally sweeter than the starchy yam, and the darker the color, the sweeter it tends to be.
The tubers are elongated with thin, grayish-red skin. The flesh is either whitish or slightly purplish
when cooked. There is a yellow-fleshed sweet potato which is erroneously referred to as a yam or
Louisiana yam.
The International Potato Center in Lima, Peru has identified more than 5,000 varieties of sweet
potato. They are native to tropical America and widely cultivated in warm climates, including China.
According to the North Carolina Yam Commission, "In the United States, two basic types of
sweet potatoes are grown. The North Carolina sweet potato industry uses the term "yam" to describe the
coppery-skinned, moist, golden-red sweet potato grown in that area. The other variety of sweet potato
has a somewhat drier flesh and is usually light yellow or pale orange in color."
This distant relative of the potato, is indigenous to the tropics, and must be grown in warmer
climates. They were originally known as batatas or padadas. The flesh of sweet potato is denser than that
of the typical white potato. Only the tubers are edible, the leaves are not.
Sweet potatoes were brought to Spain by Christopher Columbus, and were considered by the
Europeans to be an aphrodisiac. Early explorers introduced sweet potatoes to North America.

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Three main types are distinguished by their color and texture. The most popular in the US is the
pale-yellow dry-textured version favored by Northern growers for their hardiness. The moister, sweeter
dark orange type referred to as yams is more popular in the South. The white-fleshed type, once the most
popular in North America, is most similar to the African Nyami.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Boniato - A white-fleshed sweet potato.
Kumara - Ipomoea batatas poir. American sweet potato grown in New Zealand.
Ipomoea batatas.
sweet tooth
Leckermulchen in German.
sweet woodruff
See woodruff.
sweets
Generic term for for desserts.
sweetbreads
Thymus glands of young bovine animals and lamb. It is sold in two lobes or clusters. They
should be soaked to wash out all blood, and must be par-boiled for 10 minutes in slightly acidic water
seasoned with pepper corns and sliced onions.
The boiled sweetbreads can be broiled or served with rich sauces. They are a delicacy, but have
lost much on popularity.
sweetened condensed milk trivia
A Latin American dessert recipe calls for boiling a can of sweetened condensed milk, still in the
can, in a pan of boiling water, until it becomes a caramelized custard consistency. Caution should be
used. Most importantly, the top of the can must be fully opened and removed, and foil lightly placed on
top. An unopened can is in great danger of exploding.
The dessert can also be made by emptying the milk into a pie plate, covering it with foil, placing it
in a shallow basin of hot water, and baking it at 425 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until caramelized. It
creates a rich custard. Chill before serving. Alternatively, the milk can be cooked in a double boiler,
stirring contantly, until lightly caramelized.
See condensed milk.
sweeteners, artificial
Sugar has a relatively high calorie count and substitutes are used for dietary reasons.
Saccharin, a petroleum derivative, discovered in 1879, popularized early 20th century. It is not
metabolized by the body and has no calories. Mixing it with other sweeteners eliminates the slightly bitter
aftertaste. President Theodore Roosevelt, a diabetic loved it. Used in cosmetics, toothpaste and cough
syrups as well as sweeteners. Sweet 'N Low is the major brand name
Aspartame - Introduced in 1981. As of 1992, 75% of the sweetener market. 180 times as sweet
as sugar. Unstable when heated, but a new variant may work for use in baked goods. Used in diet
sodas. Equal is the major brand.
Acesulfame-K - Approved by the FDA in 1988. A crystalline sweetener, marketed as Sunette by
Hoechst Celanese. Used in chewing gums, dry beverage mixes, and puddings. Major brand name:
Sweet One.
Alitame - Up and coming. Can be used in baking. Made by Pfizer Laboratories. An amino-acid
compound with a shelf life 2 to 4 X longer than aspartame's.
Cyclamate - Banned in 1970. Now being re-evaluated by the FDA. Made by Abbott
Laboratories.
Sucralose - Up and coming. A Johnson & Johnson product. Derived from ordinary table sugar,
but 600 times as sweet.
Sweetener 2000. Up and coming. 10,000 times as sweet as sugar. No calories. Made by
Nutra-Sweet Co.

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Thaumatin - a genetically engineered substance that replicates a protein found in certain berries.
Used in Israel, Britain and Japan
sweetmeats
British term for candies.
sweetsop
Tropical fruit native to the Americas with thick, soft, spiny, inedible skin enclosing creamy white
pulpy flesh and large seeds. It is named for "sops", an old word for milk soaked bread. It is a close
relative to the cherimoya.
Ready to eat when the skin yields lightly to the touch. They are marketed underripe because
they will ripen at room temperature. Best eaten chilled.
Also known as sugar apple. Anona squamosa.
swinging steaks
Slang term for testicles, notably bull's testicles which are eaten. Also known as Rocky Mountain
oysters.
Swiss chard
Vegetable of large, flat ribbed deep-green leaves, with thick fleshy white or red stems. Related to
beets, but without the red bulbous root, so only the leaves are edible.
Especially good in the cooler months as hot temperatures wilt it.
Also known simply as chard. See chard.
Bette or blette in French.
Beta vulgaris var. flavorescens.
Swiss cheeses
Switzerland is famous for cheeses, made with great care and tradition. Many different cheese
are made in Switzerland.
THE MOST IMPORTANT CHEESES ARE:
Alpenkse is a generic name for cheeses made locally in the Alps.
Appenzeller, with a delicate flavor, pea size holes, useable for fondue. It is made in Appenzell
since the 6th century. The wheels weigh about 15 lb.
Emmenthaler - the most famous cheese, usually just called Swiss cheese. See there.
Gruyre, a firm, naturally ripened and aged cheese with a more pronounced flavor than
Emmentaler, but with smaller or no holes. It is made in the Gruyre district in Switzerland and dates back
to at least 1115, when it was first mentioned. The wheels weight 65 to 85 lb.
Raclette, a cheese suitable for melting. The French word means "to scrape off", and the cheese
is most often used for the dish of this name. Raclette cheese is sold under many names, such as Bagnes,
Gomser, Belalp and Belsano. The cheese is made with partly skimmed cow's milk and the wheels weigh
12 to 18 lb.
Royalalp is a Tilsit like cheese made since about 1890's be a cheese maker named Wegmueller.
Wheels weigh about 15 lb. The cheese is a dessert or snack cheese.
Saanen is a hard grating cheese called Hobelkse in German because it is not cut with a knife
but with a cheese plane (Hobel). The cheese ages well and was often given as a birthday gift to a
newborn, and at every consecutive birthday little pieces were eaten by the family. The cheese weighs
between 30 to 50 lb.
Sap Sago, known in German as Schabzieger is a green grating cheese. The color and flavor is
obtained by mixing the cheese with dried milled clover, especially grown for this purpose. The cheese is
a cooking cheese for sauces, pastas and
soups. The cheese is cone shaped and weighs about 3
oz.
Sbrinz is an ancient grating cheese, probably going back to Roman times. The weight is
between 40 to 90 lb.
Spalen cheese is named after the wood container is was transported in from the Alps called
"Spalen". It is a table cheese and weighs from 45 to 100 lb.

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Swiss cheese is the generic name for a cheese which originated in Switzerland. The cheese is
called Emmenthaler in Switzerland and other German speaking countries. It has a mild, nut-like flavor,
and rather large holes. The original cheeses are made in large loaves, up to 3' across, and weighing
between 160 and 230 pounds. The cheese is the best known cheese made in Switzerland, and
originated in the 15th century outside the city Bern in the Emmental valley. Swiss cheese is made in
many countries. The genuine cheese is marketed as Switzerland Swiss, stamped in red on the rind.
Tte de Moine was originally produced in the Monastery of Bellelay in the Jura mountains. The
translation is "monk's head" because the cheese is made in cylindrical shape, which are cut on top
resembling the tonsure heads of monks. The weights are 2 to 4 lb.
Tomme Vaudoise, Tomme Gruyere and Swiss Dessert are soft cheeses resembling Brie, but
much smaller.
Vacharin Mont d'Or is a rennet cheese, made only in the Winter. The weights are 1 to 3 lb.
Vacharin Fribourgeoise is an ancient variety from the French speaking part of Fribourg. It was
first exported 1448. The cheese is often used for Fondue Fribourgeoise, a melted cheese dish made with
water rather than the customary wine. It weighs about 12 to 18 lb.
Many cheeses are listed alphabetically under their names.
Swiss cheese plant fruit
Native tropical American fruit, and now also grown commercially in Australia.
Long, scaly dark green skin, with a pineapple-banana, slightly sour flavored pulp.
The name "Swiss cheese plant" comes from the leaves which are naturally slashed and contain holes.
Somewhat of a chameleon, it is also called the "fruit salad fruit" because it is claimed that, if you
cut off a piece and leave the rest in the refrigerator for a while before cutting off another, the next piece
will taste quite different from the first piece.
It doesn't bear fruit when cultivated in hothouses.
Good raw and eaten plain or pureed into milk shakes or ice cream.
Also known as ceriman or simply monstera.
Monstera deliciosa.
Swiss Roll
Sponge cake jelly roll.
Swiss steak
Braised beef steak, usually cut from the bottom or top round. The meat is pounded and floured,
browned and braised with tomatoes, onions and other vegetables.
Swiss steak was once a popular restaurant dish in the US. It has no relationship with
Switzerland.
Switzerland food
The small center European country has four official languges German, French, Italian and Rto
Roman. It is a conservative country and the food is influenced by the neighboring countries. Home
cooking is influenced by ethnic roots.
Tourism is a major industry and fine hotels featured a conservative classical French menu. For
many years the discipline, attention to details and work ethics of Swiss chefs were much sought after in
fine hotel kitchens throughout the world. Some young chefs have been exposed to different cooking,
spices and ingredients and have started to create exciting new restaurants. Overall the food in
restaurants is excellent, served professionally but is still conservative and a little boring.
The popular meats are beef, veal, pork and chicken. The lakes provide trout, pike, Saibling fresh water fish in the trout family and the famous Omble chevalier , a fish in the char family and
harvested in the Lake Leman. Crayfish is the only native shellfish.
Switzerland is famous for cheeses, listed seperately, and also for chocolates.
TYPICAL SWISS DISHES:
Aargauer Rblitorte - carrot cake
pfel Basler Art - baked apples in custard
Basler Lekerli - type of gingerbread
Berner Platte - variety of boiled meats with sauerkraut.

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Birchermsli - rolled oats with cream and fresh fruits served as breakfast cereal
Blanquette - white stew made with veal, chicken or lamb
Bollito misto - Italian boiled meat dish
Bndner Rohschinken - air dired ham
Bndnerfleisch - air dried beef. See there.
Cheese souffl - made with Emmenthal and Parmesan cheese
Fondue - melted cheese dish. See there.
Geschnetzelte Kalbsleber - shredded veal liver
Kalbshaxe - roasted veal shank
Knob celery salad - knob celery/celeriac is a popular vegetable
Maultaschen - ravioli dish from the German section
Minestrone - Italian vegetable soup. See there.
Poulet grill diable - grilled chicken with mustard crumbs and bacon
Raclette - melted cheese dish. See there.
Roast Venison - game dishes are popular
Rsti Potatoes - hash brown potatoes, a signature dish
Truite au bleu - poached trout. See there.
Vacherin glac - meringue base filled with ice cream
Wild mushrooms
Zricher Leberspiessle - liver skewers
Zricher Geschnezeltes - shredded veal with mushrooms, cream, a signature dish.
Switzerland beverages
The wines of Switzerland are not particularly distinguished, but the whites can be crisp, fresh,
fruity, and dry and pleasant.
The main wine growing areas are near the French and Italian borders and include: Chablais,
Dzaley, Neuchtel, Tessin, Valais, Vaud.
THE WINE GRAPES OF SWITZERLAND INCLUDE:
Chasselas or Fendant - a white wine grape.
Gamay - a fruity red wine grape.
Pinot Noir - which is used to make Dle and a Ros called oeil de perdrix or eye of the partridge.
Dle is the major red wine and it is usually a light-bodied blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay grapes.
Fruit brandies, especially from the areas around Basel and around lakes Luzern and Zug are very
famous. Best known is the Kirsch from Zug.
swizzle
Alcoholic long drink popular in the West Indies made with spirits, lime juice, bitters and crushed
ice.
Swizzle Stick
Wood or metal stirrer used to disperse effervescent gases in drinks.
swordfish
Important food fish harvested in harvested in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The huge fish is
immensely popular as restaurant fish to the extent that there are serious concerns about over fishing.
Some chefs have banded together and refuse to serve swordfish for this reason. The US Department of
Fisheries declared that swordfish is not an endangered species.
In the 1960's, a dangerous build up of mercury was found in swordfish but apparently that scare
has passed.
Xiphias gladius.
Sycamore figs
The fruits of large tropical shade trees of ancient history and cultivated in Egypt and Syria.
The trees are related to figs, and the fruits resemble small figs of inferior quality.
See figs.

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Sydney rock oyster(s)

Small, thin, frill-shelled Australian oysters, with a full flavor and buttery consistency. Also known
as rock oysters.
syllabub
Alcoholic beverage made with wine, milk and heavy cream, mixed brandy, spice, and lemon
juice, whipped to a milky foam. This frothy dessert drink originated in England and was common on the
18th century English banquet table.
In Tudor England, syllabub was a hot drink. In America, where it is most prevalent in the South, it
is usually served cold or room temperature.
Sylvaner
White wine grape popular in Germany and Austria. The predominant grape in Liebfraumilch.
Spelled Silvaner in German.
symposium
Ancient Greek drinking party. It has not much in common with todays symposium.
Syrah
A red wine grape, grown in France's Rhne valley. It produces a tannin rich, dark full-bodied
wine. It is the predominant grape of France's Rhne Valley, where it is and used in Chteauneuf-duPape.
The petit sirah extensively cultivated in California and in Australia is a different variety.
syrniki
Russian pancakes made of buttermilk curds, served with whipped cream or sour cream and jam
Szamorodni
Hungarian wine made with the Furmint grape in the Tokay region. It can range fro dry to sweet.
Szathmary, Louis
Late Chicago chef, Hungarian born, owner of the long famous Bakery restaurant. He donated his
large cookbook collection to Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island. He deserves credit for
getting the status of the chef changed to professional.
Szechuan cuisine
See China food.
Szkely gulyas
Hungarian goulash (stew) made with pork,and Sauerkraut, seasoned with paprika. The dish is
finished with sour cream or heavy cream.
T-bone steak.
Steak cut from the short loin of beef still containing the T shaped bone. The tenderloin is part is
smaller than in the porter house steak. See there.
Meat Buyers Guide # 1174.
taamiya
Term for falafel in Egypt. See falafel.
Tabasco
Hot red pepper cultivated mostly in Louisiana. It is the main ingredient in Tabasco Sauce. See
there.
Tabasco Sauce

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Commercial condiment sauce, made with chili peppers, salt and vinegar. The sauce is very hot.
Made in Louisiana by the McIlhenny family since 1868.
tabbouleh
Middle Eastern cracked wheat salad with parsley, mint, green onions, tomatoes, olive oil and
lemon juice.
See bulgur.
Also known as tabouleh, tabooley, tabbouleh.
table waters
British term for bottled mineral waters.
Tche, La
Famous Burgundy, France in the region of Vosne Romane vineyard and the wine produced
there. The quantities are small.
The French term tch means stained, but to what extent the name is directly connected with the
famous red wine is open to speculation.
taco
Mexican sandwich based on a fried tortilla shell filled with salads and meats. The normal filling
consists of lettuce, shredded cheese (queso blanco), diced tomatoes, guacamole, cold meat sauce, refried beans and chili.
Served in Mexico in taqueras.
taco-polaco
Street food of San Antonio, Texas. As the name suggests, it blends Mexican and Polish cultures.
It is a Polish sausage, wrapped in a Mexican tortilla.
tacu-tacu
Peruvian rice patty served with baked beans and stewed goat.
Tafelspitz
Austrian/Viennese beef cut which is traditionally served boiled. The dish goes back to the
Austrian Hungarian Empire, when Hungary supplied Vienna with high quality beef, and the Emperor
Franz Joseph supposedly eat boiled beef every day for lunch. Tafel mean dinner table, and the piece is
considered the finest beef cut for boiling.
Old Viennese diners would specify the exact slice they would want. Tafelspitz is often served
with apple horseradish sauce or creamy chive sauce. The typical vegetable accompaniments are
creamed spinach and potatoes.
The meat cut is the bottom sirloin butt triangle, Meat Buyers Guide # 185C or 185D or the top
triangle of the bottom round. In normal restaurant service, all parts of the top sirloin butt Meat Buyers
Guide # 184 are used.
Tafelwein
German term for table wine. The frequently changing German wine laws stipulate that the region
where the wine comes from, but not vineyard, is identified on the label. The wine is most likely served by
the glass in German restaurants.
taffy
Candy made with sugar and molasses boiled with butter and water. The boiled sugar is twisted
and pulled, which gives it a chewy texture and shiny appearance.
The saltwater taffy from Atlantic City, New Jersey was famous, because it was allegedly made
with ocean water. See saltwater taffy.
Tafi
Argentinean cheese.

880

tagliarini
Flat ribbon egg pasta from the Piedmont area in the north of Italy. Available also blended with
spinach and called tagliarini verdi.
tagliata
Italian paper-thin slices of beef filet, quickly sauted in hot oil.
tagliatelle
Italian pasta in the shape of narrow noodles, a specialty of Bologna. Very similar to fettuccine.
Tagliatelle alla panna is a famous dish made with with cream and Parmesan cheese.
tagliolini
Italian pasta resembling thin spaghetti.
tah dig
Crisp rice crust, scraped from the bottom of the rice cooking pot and eaten in chunks with chelo
kebab, the Iranian national dish.
tahine/tahineh
Sesame seed paste, a basic ingredient in Middle Eastern cooking.
Also spelled tahini or tahina.
tahu telor
Indonesia/Java. Deep fried bean curd served with egg and a slightly sweet sauce.
tailgate picnic
Meal with family and friends, using the rear door of a van or station wagon as buffet table. It is
often served when visiting a sport stadium.
With minivans replacing station wagons, the term is out of fashion.
Talbot, Chteau
Famous, large wine estate in Bordeaux, France. It produces a rich, slow maturing red wine.
tap room
Term for saloon or bar specializing in draft beer. Tap rooms were often located in hotels and
women were discouraged or not allowed to enter. The term is British and old fashioned, seldom used
today in the US.
Taillevent, Guillaume Tirel, 1310 - 1395
Famous chef for the 14th century King Charles V of France. His name was Tirel nicknamed
Taillevent. Tirel was an innovative chef, is credited to have written the first French cookbook, Le
Viandier, although he could not read or write and had to dictate it.
Taillevent is the name of a long standing 3-star Michelin-rated restaurant in Paris.
tajine/tadjin
Moroccan spicy mutton, lamb or chicken stew with olives. Named for the earthenware casserole
with a conical top, tajine salouis in which it is cooked.
See Morocco food.
take out/take away
Food, ready to eat, picked up at a restaurant or store, and eaten elsewhere. It has become a
major segment of the hospitality industry.
Taleggio

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Italian semi-soft cheese from the region of Lombardy. It has a pale orange washed rind. The
cheese is mild with a slightly pungent taste, and it becomes creamier as it ages. Brescienella is a more
pungent version of this cheese. The cheese is excellent with bread, wine and with fruit.
Tali
Russian cheese, also called Eriwani.
Talleyrand, Charles Maurice, Duke
French politician, 1754 - 1838, who employed the celebrated chef Carme for a while.
tallow
Tallow is used by chefs to carve or mold figures for buffet decorations. This practice is old
fashioned, but still seen. Hard tallow can be carved, soft tallow can be molded.
Some chef have their own recipe for tallow, consisting of shortening, rendered suet and wax.
Talmouse
Classical French puff pastry appetizer filled with cheese.
tamale pie
Corn mush and meat pie seasoned with chili.
tamale
Mexican dish consisting of a corn or other starch mixture, seasoned, wrapped in corn husks or
banana leaves and steamed. Tamales can be stuffed with meats or cheese, even with sweet fruits and
eaten as dessert.
The standard tamale dough is made with Masa Harina, a lye treated corn flour, mixed with hot
water and lard to a stiff paste.
Steaming food wrapped in leaves is found in many cultures where leaves are available year
round.
Tamara
Indian spice, a blend of anise seeds, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cloves and coriander.
Tamarack Liqueur
Bourbon whiskey based cordial flavored with maple syrup, first made by Vermont Distillers.
tamarillo

Tropical fruit, glossy purplish-red,

red or golden, egg-shaped,
with a
slightly pointed end. It is pale orange
inside with a circle of small black seeds.
The tart, bitter-sweet taste has been
described as a cross between a plum,
raspberry and persimmon.
Native to Peru and cultivated in
many tropical countries. High in vitamin C
and low in calories.
Tamarillos can be eaten plain or
with a dash of sugar. Because of their
strong acidity, they are good combined
with meats, in making sauces or preserves and commonly used in chutney. Tamarillos are often called
tree tomatoes because of their physical resemblance, but they are not botanically related.
Also known as jambolan, Java plum.
Cyphomandra betacea.

882

tamarind, Spanish
Apple sized fruit found in Africa, India and the West Indies.
Vangueria madgascariensis.

883

tamarind
Tropical fruit pods with sour taste, native to Africa or Asia. The seeds were brought from India to
the West Indies in the 17th century. It now grows on large trees in most tropical and sub-tropical areas of
the world, including South America, Africa, Mediterranean countries and southeast Asia. Popular in
ethnic cuisines, such as that of India, Thailand and many African countries.
The brown pods are sometimes sold in their semi-dry form, but more often as a compacted,
sticky mass. When buying compacted fruit, check for telltale holes indicating insect penetration. The pods
are available in summer and autumn, but the pulp is available year-round. Their high sugar content
makes them high in calories, but the pulp is quite acidic.
Used in chutney, sauces, nectars and Worcestershire Sauce. A syrup is made from the pods and
used to flavor drinks in Asia, the Middle East and South America. The natural enzymes have a thirst
quenching effect. Also used as a base for fruit sauces. Tamarind paste is a seasoning in South Asian
cooking.
Tamarind was mentioned in the Bible.
Also known as Indian date, tamar hindi in Arabic and Hebrew. Asam djawa in Indonesia.
Tamarin in French, tamarindo in Spanish.
Tamarindus indica.
tamban
Singaporean small fish or sprat.
tambaqu
Brazilian large Amazon River food fish with tasty olive-green flesh. The fish it eats fruit and nuts
that have fallen into the river from jungle trees.
Over-fishing has significantly reduced the supply in terms of numbers and the size of fish.
Tamie
French cheese made by the Trappist monks in the Savoy region.
Tamiiosa Romaneasca
Romanian ancient white wine grape. It produces very sweet wines.
tammy cloth/tamis
Cloth used in commercial kitchens to strain liquids.
Tampa Cuban Sandwich
Hero sandwich, a specialty of Yuba City in Tampa.
tandoor
Indian barrel-shaped clay oven, used in tandoori cooking. It is heated with glowing charcoal at
the bottom, which imparts a smoky flavor to the meats or bread cooked in it. The charcoal heats the oven
to 800 degrees or more.
The term tandoori refers to cooked or bakked in the oven. Gas fired ovens are frequently used in
restaurants.
tandoori cooking
Simple, fast method of cooking in a hot clay pit, which originated in Syria for baking bread. In the
early 19th century, tandoori cooking was developed for other foods, especially the lean meats available,
by nomadic tribes in Peshawar in northwestern Pakistan. Pakistan was then a part of India; thus tandoori
became a method of Indian cooking.
Since tandoori cooking had peasant origins, status-conscious Indians were slow to universally
adopt it. For years, it was ignored by the upper-classes.
As used today, lean meats are marinated in herb yogurt, then skewered and quickly cooked in
the glowing hot tandoori oven. The trademark orange color does not contribute flavor per se, but has
been traditionally applied to indicate that the meat was cooked by this method. In addition to the
searingly hot ovens, the yoghurt marinade speeds the cooking process by tenderizing the meats.

884

The red color is from spices and vegetable dyes.

tang
Section of knife blade that extends through the handle. High quality knives have a full tang
extending all the way through the handle, secured with three rivets. Three quarter tang has three rivets
but the bottom of the tang is encased in the handle. Rat - tail tangs are embedded in the handle and
have no rivets.
The thickness of the blade and tang is important. Good knives are thickest where the blade
meets the handle, and then the tangs taper off slightly thinner, but evenly through the handle.
Tang
Brand name for orange juice powder, a trademark of General Foods. It was taken on space
flights.
A cocktail called TNT is made with Tang and Tequila. It is often served hot.
tangelo
Citrus fruit, cross between a tangerine and grapefruit. The name comes from a combination of
tangerine and pomelo. The fruits are large, round and sweet, deep orange in color with a bulge at the
stem end. They are easy to peel.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Cushman's Honeybells - seedless, sweet and extra-juicy.
Orlando - developed in Florida. Oval to round and medium to large in size. Light to
deep
orange color. Pebbly peel of medium thickness, which clings tightly to the fruit. Very juicy.
Mineola/Minneola - developed in Florida, a distinctive variety with a knob at one end
of the
fruit. Round to somewhat bell-shaped. Also known as a honeybell. Medium
to very large. Deeporange to red-orange color with a smooth to pebbly peel. Few
seeds.
Seminole - round, from New Zealand.
Citrus spp.
tangerine
Hybrid citrus fruit, a small sweet orange with loose skin. Literally, the name means orange of
Tangier, a Moroccan city, though it is believed that the tangerine originated in Asia. It is also known as
mandarin orange, referring to the ruling class of China.
Actually there is a minor difference between the mandarin and tangerine, the mandarin originated
in China and the tangerine originated in India. However, the names and varieties are used
interchangeably.
Tangerine/mandarins sections are often canned and are a staple in commercial food service
organization. The fruit is also used in liqueurs.
Tangerines are served during Chinese New Year celebrations to symbolize good luck.
Citrus reticulata.
tangle
Edible kelp. See seaweed.
tangleberries
Wild variety of hucklberries native to North America.
Also known as blue huckleberry, dangleberry.
Gaylusacia frondosa.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Tango Cocktail
Other name for Bronx Cocktail, consisting of gin, vermouth and orange juice.

885

tangor
Citrus fruit, a cross between an orange and a tangerine, but it is most similar to the tangerine.
There is considerable confusion in deciding wether a fruit is a tangerine or a tangor.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Clementine
King
Temple - originally bred in Jamaica and now grown mainly in Florida and Israel. It has a
distinctively darker orange skin. Not to be confused with Temple oranges..
Tannat
French red wine grape variety with high tannin grown in Southwest France. It is a blending wine,
although the main ingredient in some provincial wines.
tannia
Tropical tuber used as starch with hairy brown skin.
Also known as coco yam.
tannin
Chemical substance occurring naturally in wood bark, wood, roots and stems. It is used for
curing and tanning leather. In wine making tannin comes from the skins, stems of grapes. Since red
wines stay on contact with grape skins and stems longer than white wines, the tannin content is higher.
Tannin is also picked up from aging barrels, which are normally made from oak.
The taste make the mouth pucker. Tannin is a preservative in wine and for this reason red wines
will last longer than white wines. The sediment encountered in older red wines is primarily tannin.
tansy
Strong-smelling perennial herb, with a camphor-like odor. Popular in times past in England where
it was used as an aid in digestion and to calm the nerves.
Used to flavor cakes and puddings which in Elizabethan times were eaten on Easter Sunday.
The strong smell is also used to ward off moths.
Tansy pudding was a dessert served at Mount Vernon, George Washingtons home. It was
made with cherries instead of tansy.
Also known as buttons, common tansy, golden buttons.
Tanacetum vulgarities.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Tanzenberger
Austrian cheese resembling Limburger. See there.
Taoists
Religious/cultural group that believing that eating the proper foods restores balance to an ailing
body. They divide food into five categories based on taste. Each category is thought to nourish a different
body organ and its functions.
Bitter foods - affect the heart as well as the small intestine.
Salty foods - affect the kidneys and bladder
Sweet foods - affect the stomach, spleen, and pancreas.
Sour foods - affect the liver and gallbladder.
Spicy foods - affect the lungs and large intestine.
Taoists believe that the ideal diet includes equal amounts of each food category, that too much of
a food type will over stress the body organ and too little will weaken it. Taoists believe that the typical
American diet includes an overabundance of sweet and salty.
Taos lightning
Strong distilled brandies made at Taos, New Mexico when it was still part of Colonial Spain.

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Tap
Used as noun it is a spigot or faucet inserted into casks to drain off liquid, such as in tap beer.
Used as verb it is inserting the devise.
tapas
Spanish appetizers served in bars. Tapas are usually displayed on the bar where they are
selected and eaten standing up. They can be anything from a slice of cheese, ham or sausage on a slice
of bread to grilled mushrooms, shrimp, baby eel, snail or quail preparations. Tapas are served on small
dishes.
The term probably comes from the Spanish word tapar, meaning to cover. It is said that tapas
were originally small slices of bread placed on top of a glass to keep the flies out.
Tapas have become a fad in upscale restaurants in the US.
tapenade
French/Provenale dip made with grilled eggplants, garlic and oil.
Also known as caponata.
Tapioca
Dried starch extracted from the cassava or manioc root. Used as a thickener in puddings, soups,
and sauces. It is available in granules, and is pure starch.
Pearl tapioca is made by forcing the moist starch though sieves.
Tapioca is also used as laundry starch.
Manihot esculenta.
tappit hen
Rare, squat wine bottle that holds 48 oz and more, used in Bordeaux in the 18th century. The
term is also used in Scotland for a tankard with an ornamented protruding lid.
taqueras (taquerias)
Mexican taco parlors.
taradito
Peruvian dish consisting of marinated raw fish. It is basically the same as seviche, although
taradito is only marinated in lemon or lime juice.
Seviche is marinated with citrus juices, spices and onions. See there.
tarako
Japanese preserved roe made from Alaskan pollack/pollock.
Momojiko in Japanese.
tarama
Cured red mullet roe.
taramosalata/taramasalata
Middle Eastern, especially Greek and Turkish fish roe paste made with olive oil, lemon juice and
soaked white bread. Usually served with pita bread. The roe is usually salted and smoked mullet roe or
carp roe called tarama.
taratoor
Arabic term for a dip based on tahina. See there.
targola
The fruit of the Indian tar or tad palm. The jelly inside the fruits is edible.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

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tarhonya
Hungarian dried pasta, flour and egg dough pressed through a sieve shaped into small barleylike pieces. The term Tarhonya might be of Turkish origin.
Taro
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Hawaiian food plant cultivated in tropical countries especially on Pacific islands and in the West
Indies. Taro is planted and harvested at the same time. Farmers
harvest the root part of the plant by yanking it out of the ground,
hacking off the foot-long root, and they replant it by pushing the top
back into the soil.
The plant has large leaves, the roots are white, gray to lilac.
The roots of the Royal Taro have a red sap. The starchy corm are
used to make poi , the Hawaiian Islands' staple. In Hispanic cooking
they are used as starch and to thicken stews. The leaves are used as
vegetable and are known as dasheen. See dasheen.
Taro is related to philodendron.
Also known as Kalo, Dranu or Eddo.
Colocasia antiquorum/ colocasia esculenta.
tarpon
Famous game fish harvested in the South Atlantic.
Also known as Kingfish.
Tarpon atlanticus.
tarragon
Culinary herb. There are two varieties, French and Russian tarragon. The French variety has
superior, but stronger taste, and should be used sparingly. Its most common uses are in Sauce
Barnaise, and in tarragon vinegar. Russian tarragon is less esteemed.
French tarragon - artemisia dracunculus.
Russian tarragon - artemisia dracunculoides.
Estragon in French, Estragon in German, estragn in Spanish.
Tarragona
Province and city in Spain on the Mediterranean coast with considerable wine production.
Tarrantez
Grape formerly grown on the island of Madeira until it was wiped out by the phylloxera epidemic.
See there.
tart
Open-faced pastry. The crust should have a crumbly texture. The tarts can be filled with pastry
cream and fruit, but also with onions, cheese and cream.
Also another word for a prostitute, which makes for some naughty jokes.
tart
Term to describe a sharp, sour taste.
Tartar Steak
See steak tartar.

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Tartar sauce
Cold sauce made with mayonnaise, chopped capers, onions, pickles and anchovy. Originally,
tartar sauce was made with boiled egg yolks, mashed and blended with oil.
It is believed to have
been named for the Tartars who were ancient Mongolian horsemen and eat cold food.
Tartar sauce is served with breaded fried food, especially shrimp and fish.
Also known as Tartare Sauce. See steak Tartar.
tartaric acid
Organic compound found in such foods as grape juice. Extracted, it has several uses. Its most
common use in the home kitchen is to stabilize the foam in beaten egg whites. It also inhibits the
crystallization of sugar in candy making. It is also a component in baking powder.
It can be found as harmless deposits of white crystals in older white wines.
It is marketed as cream of tartar.
See cream of tartar.
tarte flambe
Alsatian cheese tart, served as appetizer.
tarte tatin
French upside-down apple cake served warm. The official name is Tarte des demoiselles Tatin.
The bottom of a suitable cake pan is covered with caramel sugar and butter, sliced apple pieces are
placed on top and then covered with a pie or sweet cookie dough.
Tarte tatin is served inverted, so the caramelized apples are on top. Firm apples, such as
Granny Smith should be used.
tarte ldjote
A specialty of the Brabant region of Belgium, served around the town of Nivelles. A pungent tart
made with cheese, onions and beet leaves. It was first served in the 11th century by the abbesses of St.
Gertrude, and today it is traditionally served to the poor on the May 4th holiday of Katamai, a dialect
corruption of the French quatre mai.
tarte au Maroilles
Specialty of northern France, tarte made with a brioche-like dough, topped with Maroilles cheese.
tartelette
French term for small tarts. The term is used for tartelettes with sweet and with non sweet
fillings. Small tartelettes are often served as hors doeuvres.
tartines
French term for thin, buttered bread slices.
tartufai
Italian truffle collector.
tartufella
Italian cheese, cave-ripened, semi-soft, with a hint of truffle flavor.
tartufi/tartufi bianchi
Italian name for white truffles. See truffles.
Tuber magnatum pico.
tartufo nero
Italian term black truffle.
tasajo
South American cured and salted beef.

889

Also known as beef jerkey.

taste
Research has shown that humans are born with the ability to distinguish the four basic tastes:
Sweet, sour, bitter, and salty.
Babies and children have a naturally strong preference for sweet. Female babies react to smells
more than male babies.
tastevin
French wine tasting cup, often seen around the neck of Sommeliers. It is used in frequently in
Burgundy, and the Burgundian wine society is called Confrrie des Chevaliers du Tastevin.
tatties
Scottish slang term for potatoes.
taupinire
Aged goat cheese.
tautog
Ocean food fish harvested on the Atlantic Coast.
Also known as blackfish.
Tautoga onitis.
Tavel
A ros wine from the Rhone valley in France. Made predominately from the Grenache grape,
though it may include several other grape varieties. Another ros wine made in the Rhone valley is Lirac,
but it is not as prized as Tavel.
tavern
Taverns are places where alcoholic beverages are consumed. During Colonial times taverns
became important institutions and were eventually regulated by ordinances and government restrictions.
Taverns were divided into two distinct categories: Ordinaries and saloons. Ordinaries were
respectable establishments where the wealthy and proper citizens would meet to discuss business and
politics. Ordinaries had to be located within a short distance from the village church so that clergy and
churchgoers could visit them after the sermon.
Ordinaries were so important for social life that every had to have one.
Saloons were rowdy, loud places where the workers, farmers and proletarians met to drink,
commiserate and gamble. Rum, Bourbon and ale were the drinks of choice.
Ordinaries were eventually replaced by restaurants and country clubs, saloons offered free food
to attract customers. Prohibition targeted saloons as unsavory places which lured men away from home.
After prohibition saloons never gained the notary they had but neither offered the fun.
Tavern on the Green
Restaurant located in the Central Park in New York City. The structure was built in 1870 in rural
Victorian Gothic style to house 200 sheep. Park Commissioner Robert Moses converted the building to a
restaurant, which opened October 20, 1934. The management companies changed a number of times,
and the restaurant lease was acquired by flamboyant Warner LeRoy. After a lavish 10 Million renovation,
the restaurant reopened on August 31, 1976.
Tavern on the Green is one of the largest grossing restaurants in the US.
taverna
Small inn and bar. The term is used in Greece.
tavola di amicizia
Literally translated, it means friendship table. It is the large, casual dining table found in Italian
farmhouse kitchens.

890

Tawny
Wine term describing a warm, reddish-brown color. The color is usually achieved by aging, and is
used in connection with aged sweet Port wine.
tayberries
Berries which look and taste like giant raspberries, a hybrid developed in Scotland and found in
the Pacific Northwest.
TBA
Abbreviation for the German wine Trockenbeerenauslese. See there.
Tchelistcheff, Andre
One of California's foremost eonologists, born in Russia in 1901. Andre Tchelistcheff worked
from 1938 to 1974 at Beaulieu Vineyards, building its reputation,
into one of California's finest, and he has continued to consult to them along with many of California's
finest wineries and wine makers, including to the wine estate of Francis Coppola.
tchorba
Yugoslavian chicken soup, seasoned with basil.
tea
After water, the most widely consumed beverage worldwide, believed to have first been brewed
in 2737 BC by Chinese Emperor Shennung.
Tea grows on an evergreen shrub in sub tropical regions and needs very wet climate, but also
soil with good drainage. It is often cultivated on mountain slopes. The shrub is pruned frequently to
encourage it to spread and to control height. The leaves are carefully picked by hand at frequent
intervals. Only the new shoots are picked, called flush. There is considerable variances in the size of
leaves, the smallest being the most flavorful. Tea companies distinguish between first, second and third
flush.
Several different tea types are gathered from the same shrub, strictly by the size of leaves.
Tea was first brought to Europe by the Dutch East India Company in the early sixteenth century.
It came to Colonial America around 1680.
Americans were tea drinkers until the Revolutionary War, but the high tea tax, which brought on
the Boston Tea Party, as well as an emotional break with tea and the new world's abundance of coffee,
tea was replaced as the national beverage. Coffee was replaced by soft drinks in the 1970's as the most
popular manufactured beverage.
There were always health benefits credited to drinking tea and recent research has shown that
tea contains phytochemical catechin and flavonols. Both are believed to reduce the risk of developing
coronary heart disease, stroke and some types of cancer.
THE MAIN TYPES ARE:
Black tea, the leaves are fermented (oxidized). This tea is preferred in the western
world
and in Russia.
Green tea, the leaves are not fermented and is popular in Asia.
Olong/Oolong is partly fermented tea.
THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS CONSIST OF:
Withering - drying the tea, but still keeping the leaves still flexible
Rolling - sending the leaves to rollers to break the cells and roll the leaves
Firing - drying the tea leaves
Fermentation - black tea is fermented before drying by spreading it under controlled
temperatures and humidity.
The processed tea is sifted and graded accordingly. The largest leaves are inexpensive teas.
The next sizes are named according to local customs. The finer the particles, the quicker they will steep.
Tea dust can be of excellent quality, but is often shunned and used in inexpensive teas. See tea bags.
Tea is most often blended to assure a uniform product because soil and climatic changes
between growing periods affect the flavor of tea. Small samples are received by brokers and tested for
quality, flavor and color. Often flavored blossoms and herbs, such as Jasmin, are added.

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There are, as can be expected, thousands of tea brands and varieties, from single estate teas to
blends and brand names.
TEA TYPES AND VARIETIES BY COUNTRIES:
African teas - teas cultivated in Kenya and in Malawi.
pressed into bric
Chinese teas - Brick Tea - a prized and very expensive Chinese tea, aged 8 to 10 years. It is
China black and green teas - available in many varieties as plain, scented and sorted by leaf
size.
Chrysanthemum tea - flavored with the flower blossoms, and is available green or black.
Keemun - large leaf black tea.
Dragon Well - associated with the eastern Chinese province of Chekiang.
Monkey Pluck - Chinese tea grown on steep cliffs and supposedly picked by specially trained
monkeys.
Oolong - black tea not thoroughly fermented, most comes from Taiwan/Formosa and China.
Fragrant Flakes - associated with the southeastern Chinese province of Kiangsi.
Iron Buddha - Chinese green-tipped tea, high in tannin, with a strong metallic taste.
Jasmine - black or green tea blended with Jasmin blossoms. The tea is very aromatic.
Pu-Li - black tea from the Yunnan province of southwestern China.
Ceylon teas- The name is still used, although the country is called now Sri Lanka. Golden orange
in color with a delicate aroma and taste. The tea resembles Indian tea.
Dimbula, Kandy, Luaka, Nuwara Eliya and Unva are varieties.
Formosa tea - old term for teas cultivated in Taiwan. It produces black, green and Oolong teas.
Lapsang - tea with smoky flavor from Taiwan.
Pouchong - slightly fermented tea from Taiwan.
Indian teas - Assam - district in Northern India, the source of some of the finest teas.
Darjeerling - one of India's finest teas. From northern India in the foothills of the Himalayas.
Earl Grey - blend developed in 1784. Chinese black teas, faintly scented with oil of bergamot.
Named for the Peer for whom it was created. Nilgiri is a tea growing region.
Japan teas - normally green teas. The best are fired with great care in bamboo baskets.
Varieties are Banch, Ggyokuro, Kokei Cha, Matcha, sencha Fuku Jyu.
Java and Sumatra - teas produced in Indonesia resembling Indian tea.
Gun Powder - large leaf green tea.
Instant powdered tea was first made in the 1930's. Now sold unsweetened as well as sweetened
and/or with flavorings, a typical instant ice tea with sugar contains about 85 calories per 8 oz. glass.
Tea leaves are also used in cooking as in tea-leaf eggs, and in smoking foods such as chicken
and duck. Also used for stir-frying. Green tea is also used to make ice cream.
Fermented tea leaves contain tannin, which makes the tea bitter if left in the water too long.
Cha is the Chinese generic term for tea.
In Japan the tea ceremony has ritual significance. It is called cha - no - yu. The tea used is a
powdered green, whipped with a bamboo whisk in a ceramic bowl.
See tea terms about leaf sizes.
Thea sinensis.
tea bags
Tea bags have been around since 1902. Long popular in the US, they were slower to be
adopted in Britain, though now they account for the largest share of the market.
Tea bags were invented in England during the Victorian time. In order to fill tea bags by
machines efficiently, broken leaves were used, which are of lesser quality than whole small leaves.
Some manufacturers even used the smallest broken leaves, called dust. Tea dust is not necessarily bad
quality tea, but it can be adulterated easily. The quality was not as good as fine loose tea and tea bags
got a bad reputation.
There was also concern about flavors transferred from the paper and glue to the beverage. Tea
bags gave some people stomach discomfort as they are made with chlorine-bleached paper. Today tea
bags are sealed without glue and the paper is completely flavorless. Good quality tea is used in most tea
bag brands.
See Teekanne.

892

tea biscuits
English small, sweet cookies.
tea caddy
Old English term for a box, usually made of silver or fine wood with a lock on it
keep tea, which at one time was very expensive.
tea clippers
Sailing ship raced in the mid 1800's to bring tea from China. The most famous was Cutty Sark,
which became the trade mark of a whisky brand.
tea cozy
Cloth cap or cover to keep tea pots hot when on the table.
tea de-caffeinated
TWO METHODS ARE USED:
De-caffeinating with ethyl acetate.
De-caffeinating with carbon dioxide. This method is more expensive but the flavor of the final
product is noticeably better.
tea egg
Perforated metal or china devise, usually egg shaped. Loose tea is placed in the tea egg, which
is lowered into the hot water until the tea has the desired strength.
Also known as tea ball.
tea-leaf eggs
Chinese popular dish during Chinese New Year as eggs symbolize rebirth and good fortune.
Hard-boiled eggs with their shells gently cracked, but not removed are simmered for about an hour in a
broth of water, soy sauce, star anise and tea leaves. The broth penetrates the cracks so the egg
resembles marble.
tea ladies
British office workers whose sole responsibility is to serve tea throughout the work day. Once
quite popular, but nowadays replaced mostly by vending machines or self service centers.
tea room
Essentially a British term for a restaurant serving tea and light food but no alcoholic beverages.
Tea rooms were considered by women as safe places to go.
tea smoking
The Chinese often use tea to smoke foods. Most of tea smoking is for a brief period after the food
is cooked. The tea should be fresh to impart the best flavor.
tea sock
Wire hoop lined with a cotton bag to be lowered into the tea pot. The dry tea is placed in the bag
and removed when the tea is sufficiently flavored.
tea substitutes
Many herbs, blossoms and leaves are used to make tea. There are also many blends of tea with
other herbal ingredients on the market. This is perfectly legal as long as the ingredients are clearly
indicated on the label.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plants mentioned.

893

tea tax
Tea has been the source of revue for governments in many consuming and exporting countries.
The first reference to a tax on tea appeared in Chine over twelve hundred years ago. A duty on tea was
imposed in England by Charles II in 1660, and in 1722 the combine total of the fixed duty and the ad
valorem import duty on tea was 200 per cent of the landed price.
This situation led to smuggling, large scale adulteration and to the American revolution.
tea terms
OP - Orange Pekoe, designation of leaf size, the smallest leaves.
BOP - Broken Orange Pekoe
BOPI - BOP Imperial, larger than standard BOP
PF - Leaves smaller than BOP
GFOP - Golden bud flowery Orange Pekoe
GBOP - Golden broken Orange pekoe
TGFOP - Golden tips BOP
FTGFOP1 - Finest Darjeeling tea
SFTGFOP1 - Super fine Darjeeling tea
tea towel
Special linen towel for drying cups and removing traces of tannin from china. The tradition of
using a special towel began in the early 1700's when the British found Irish linen was the most effective.
Also referred to as a tea cloth.
Teal duck
Wild duck, one of the smallest duck hunted for food. It was approved as Lenten dish by the
Catholic church because it feeds on fish.
Tee
German word for tea. Teekanne is a leading German tea company which developed 1946 a
folded double tea bag not using any glue. The company started 1888 in the Austrian Hungarian
monarchy.
Teewurst
German spreadable sausage made with pork and beef. It is a high quality sausage and used to
make dainty sandwiches served with tea.
teff
Staple grain in Ethiopia. The very tiny grain is rich in iron and can be white, brown or purple. It is
used for making the traditional Ethiopian bread/pancake called injera.
Also known as Love grass.
Eragrostis abyssunica.
Teflon
Brand name for a non-stick surface for cooking pans. Non-stick pans are advantageous in low-fat
cooking.
Tegetthoff, Wilhelm 1827 - 1871
Austrian admiral, his name is associated with some dishes.
teinturier
French term for grapes with purple or red juice, which is rare, because almost all grape juice is
white. These grape are used to add additional color to certain wines.
tel kadayiff
Armenian dessert, shredded wheat pastry, soaked with honey syrup.

894

Teleme
Turkish cheese, also called Brndza de Braila. It is a pickeled ewes or goats milk cheese, and
also made in Bulgaria, Greece and Rumania.
Tellicherry pepper
Very hot pepper from Mangalore on the southwest coast of India.
Tellier, Charles
French engineer who pioneered refrigeration on cargo ships that made shipments of frozen meat
from South America to Europe possible.
In 1877 the Tellier and Jullien Company were given a five year monopoly by the Argentine
government to ship frozen meat overseas.
Tembleque
Puerto Rican light coconut pudding.
tempeh
Soybean based fermented product, resembling chicken in taste, color and texture. Made from
beans which have been ground, soaked overnight, baked, cooled, fermented with rhizopus culture, and
formed into small firm white cakes.
Tempeh is originally from Indonesia, and is consumed by vegetarians and health food
enthusiasts.
tempered wheat
Term used in connection with the manufacture of matzos. Tempered wheat has been soaked in
water to soften it, but is not allowed to sprout or ferment. This wheat is permitted for matzo baking except
during Passover, when un-tempered (not soaked wheat) must be used.
temple orange
Another name for clementine. See there.
Tempranillo
Spanish red wine grape, also known as Tinto Fino or Tinto del Pais. The major grape of the Rioja
region, Ribera del Duero and also in the Somontano area of northeastern Spain.
It makes wines of deep color, good aroma, and good fruit taste. It is often blended with the
Garnacha especially in the Rioja.
tempura
Japanese batter-coated deep-fried fish and vegetables. Tough perfected by the Japanese, the
dish was actually introduced to them by Portuguese missionaries in the late 16th century.
The batter is light and delicate and the Japanese character for tempura appropriately resembles
the character for heaven.
tempura bars
Japanese. Restaurants specializing in serving tempura. The customers sit at counters and the
tempura is presented in many small servings so it is always hot and crisp.
tench
European fresh water food fish in the carp family.
Also known as Doctor Fish.
Tinca tinca.
tenderizer
Product made from the papain enzyme, derived from the papaya plant. The tenderizer, when
sprinkled over meat, will make it more tender. It is de-activated when heated and therefore safe to eat.

895

tenderloin
Muscle located inside the rib cage. Since it gets virtually no exercise it is the most tender part of
an animal.
It is often called filet.
tendons
French culinary term for breast slices, usually from veal or lamb. One famous dish is tendons de
veau braises, a French traditional dish made with slices of veal breast braised with onions, celery,
carrots, garlic, and white wine.
It is a good example how inexpensive meat cuts can be used.
Tennessee whiskey
Corn whiskey made with the sour mash process.
tentsuyu
Japanese dipping sauce for tempura.
tepary bean
Bean cultivated by the native American Indians, now being grown again. It is drought and heat
resistant.
Phaseolus acutifolius latifolius.
teppan-yaki/teppanyaki
Japanese style of cooking in which the chefs dice the food before your eyes. It is characterized
by energetic slicing, stirring, tossing, and basting on a flat, searingly hot stainless steel counter top.
Popularized in the US by the Benihana restaurant chain.
Tequila
Distilled Mexican beverage made with the fermented juice of the mezcal plant, also called
maguey or agave. The drink is named after the town Tequila, where the best mezcal plants are
cultivated. It is the national drink of Mexico and available in many quality levels.
The plants are slow to mature, and produce a large core filled with sweet sap. The sap is called
agua de miel , honey water in Spanish. It ferments rapidly, and the resulting alcoholic beverage is called
pulque.
Distilled pulque yields a clear brandy. The Spaniards introduced distillation to Mexico in the early
1500's and the brandy is called Mezcal. All Tequila is Mezcal, but the better products, especially from the
upland valleys near Guadalajara in the state of Jalisco, or in Tamaulipas are called Tequila.
Inexpensive Tequila is often blended with neutral grain spirits. When Tequila is made with 100%
agave pulque, is mentioned on the label.
Special drinking style is associated with Tequila. When drunk pure, the rim of the glass is dipped
in salt, and the drink is followed by biting into a wedge of lime.
Traditional Tequila is seldom aged. Oak aged, hand crafted boutique Tequila has entered the
market and is competing with fine brandies. Tequila aging is regulated, Mezcal aging is not.
AGED TEQUILA VARIETIES:
Plata - not aged in oak
Reposada - aged 2 to 11 months in oak
Aejo - aged for two years.
Boutique Tequila has become very sophisticated. There is consideration of microclimates, age of
agave plants, genus of plants, harvesting and other factors. Special Tequila is made from wild growing
plants and is rare and expensive.
Tequila colored with caramel is sold as Golden Tequila. It is not an indication of quality unless
indicated on the label. There are many cocktails based on Tequila and by far the most popular is
Margarita, made with lime juice of Cointreau or other sweet cordial.
OTHER TEQUILA COCKTAILS ARE:
Brave Bull
Matador

896

Paloma
Tequila Sunrise.
KEY BRANDS ARE:
Chinaco
Cuervo.
Don Julio
El Tesoro
Herradura
Lapiz
Patron
Porfidio
Sauza
A tequila flavored beer has come on the market.
Terbash
White wine rape variety grown in Tadzhikistan, Uzbekistan and the Crimea. It is cultivated as
table grape, for table wine and as base for dessert wines.
terefa
Jiddish/Jewish term for non-Kosher. Also known as trefe.
terer
Term for yerba mat , the South American herb tea, when served cold. Terer is usually not
sweetened but flavored with an herb mixture called yuyo, mint or lemon.
terfezia
North African truffles, they are white and look like the famous Italian truffles. They smell more
like a mushroom than a genuine truffle, and are much less expensive.
teriyaki
Japanese seasoning marinade and sauce made with soy sauce, mirin, sugar, vinegar spices.
Terlano
White wine from the province of Alto Adige, formerly South Tyrol, named after a small village.
The wine is dry and should be drunk young.
Teroldego
Italian red wine grape variety grown exclusively in Trentino. It is low in tannin, but high in acids
and bitter. It is a local wine to be drunk while young.
terpene
Natural chemical found in plants such as juniper berries, especially American berries.
Terrantez
Madeira/ Portuguese white wine grape.
terrapin
Small turtle living in brackish water. The Diamondback is considered the best species. Terrapin
dishes were once considered a delicacy served in fine restaurants. The gelatinous meat had little flavor
and was always served in a rich sauce heavily seasoned with Madeira wine.
The turtle was killed by plunging it into boiling water. To shorten the suffering, a clamp was fixed
at the neck to keep the head out of the shell when the turtle was immersed in boiling water. The turtle
was then boiled in veal and chicken stock until tender.
The carapace was removed, and the meat carefully picked from the bones. Attention had to be
paid to not rupturing the gall bladder. The meat pieces where then boiled again in the gelatinous stock
until very soft.

897

There were two basic preparation which differed very little.

Terrapin Baltimore - the cooked meat blended with brown meat sauce (demi glace), and
seasoned with cayenne pepper and Madeira wine.
Terrapin Maryland - the cooked meat blended with reduced heavy cream, Madeira wine and
thickened with Hollandaise sauce.
Terret noir
French red wine grape variety grown in the Rhne Valley and permitted in Chteauneuf - du Pape.
Terrets Blanc and Terrets Gris
French white wine grape varieties extensively grown in Southwest France. The variety can
produce grape bunches that are black, white and grey. The wine is used in the production of Vermouth.
terrine
Culinary term for a finely ground meat or seafood paste cooked in a porcelain dish called terrine.
There is very little difference between a terrine and a pat. Basically, the terrine is served from
the dish it was baked in, the pat is served out of the dish, but there are exceptions to the rule.
terroir
French wine term, difficult to explain. It basically means the taste of the particular soil where the
grapes are grown, but in a much broader sense it also means the specific location which influences the
micro climate. It almost has a mystical connotation combining the history, labor, ownership and love for
the land into a fuzzy concept.
Terroir could be used as a negative term to describe a specific unpleasant flavor the wine picked
up.
The German term is Bodengeschmack.
Terzolo
Italian cheese term to distinguish Parmesan type cheeses by season.
Terzolo is made in winter.
Maggengo in summer
Quartirolo in fall.
Tessin
German name for the Swiss Canton with Italian population. It is called Ticino in Italian.
testicles
Bull's testicles are a nourishing and delicious delicacy. Though people have sought to make them
more acceptable by giving them nicknames, such as Rocky Mountain oysters and swinging steaks.
tte de veau
French term for calfs head. Calfs heads are often served boiled and then fried, in a sauce, or
cold in aspic jelly.
tte moine
Cheese from the Swiss Jura region.
tte de cuve
Generic French wine term used for the best part of any particular pressing, blend or batch of
grapes. The term is often used for special quality Champagne.
Tetilla
Mild Spanish cheese from Galicia.

898

Tetrazzini, Luisa
Italian opera singer. Spaghetti Tetrazzini is named after her. It consist of thin spaghetti, mixed
with mushrooms and cream sauce, and baked with cheese. The dish was a luncheon staple in New York
Hotels in the 1950's.
Tex-Mex
Cooking style using Mexican dishes and ingredients adopted for American taste. Nachos and
Fajitas are the best examples.
Texas 1015/1015Y Supersweet
Texas Spring onion of the sweet grano variety. It was developed in the 1980's by Dr. Leonard
Pike, a professor of horticulture at Texas A & M University. It is named for its optimum planting date of
October 15.
Also known as the million dollar baby because of the huge sums of money spent in its
development. The onions are very large, delicious raw and extremely mild. It also has longer storage
potential than most other Spring onions. Available April through June.
Texel
Dutch ewes milk cheese made on the Island of the same name.
Teysha Cellars
Texas winery. The name comes from the native American word for Texas. Opened in late 1988,
is the first publicly held winery in Texas. Teysha Cellars is located in Lubbock, the wine growing region of
Texas. The wines are made from Zinfandel, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon
grapes.
Thai/Thailand food
Other than the ever present rice, most dishes are spicy, but with a delicate balance of hot, sweet,
salty, piquant, and bitter. Not all Thai food is searingly hot and in many dishes the worst of the hot can be
avoided by simply removing the small hot chilies, known as phrik or prik khee nu, from a dish.
Originally, Thai food was a simple meal grilled on a wood fire or boiled in a clay pot. Chinese
influences are seen in the steamed fish, use of soy sauce, and stir frying. Indian influences are seen in
the curried dishes. A meal consists of several small course, served in quick succession. The Thai's are
also big snackers.
Stir frying is the predominant cooking method. The traditional Thai wok is a wide pan with a softly
rounded bottom, though Chinese-style woks are widely used.
The food is generally eaten with a fork and spoon, although chopsticks are sometimes used,
particularly for noodles. Most food is cut into bite-size morsels in preparation, so knives, a considered a
symbol of aggression, are not generally necessary.
Rice is the foundation of the cuisine, and there are many varieties. Especially prized is khao hom
mali, a delicious, long grain rice. Another common starch is sen mee, rice noodles.
Thai curries generally are coconut based. The word gaeng is used to describe curries and
soups., and the liquid is generally coconut milk. Thai curry is eaten over rice and is a sauce rather than a
stew.
In Thai cooking, curry paste is used rather than curry powder. Krung gaeng is the generic word
for curry paste, and is often made with fresh ingredients.
CURRY PASTE VARIETIES:
Krung gaeng ped, very hot and reddish
Krung gaeng keo wan, green curry paste used for poultry, but also very hot
Krung gaeng som, orange, sour curry paste
Mussaman, Indian style curry paste
Krung gaeng karee, yellow curry paste.
Soups are common as a meal in themselves or as a part of a meal. Salads are popular. Oil is not
used in dressings, but the ubiquitous nam pla sauce often is.
TYPICAL DISHES:
Gaeng chow nuer - fish and vegetable curry.

899

Gaeng rawn - Bean thread noodle and vegetable soup.

Gaeng neua - Beef curry.
Gaeng mussamun - Chicken with green curry sauce.
Gai takrai - Boned chicken thighs, deep-fried and garnished with shredded lemon grass and
chopped nuts.
Gai takrai - Boned, deep-fried chicken thighs, garnished with shredded lemon grass and chopped
nuts.
Gouy tiew phad - Stir-fried rice or noodles.
Kao soi - thick curried soup with egg noodles, topped with thin, deep-fried noodles. A specialty of
the northern city of Chiang Mai.
Laab - Ground chicken flavored with lemon grass and chili, served on a bed of shredded lettuce.
Laab moo - Minced pork with fish sauce, lemon juice, mint and green chilies. A specialty of
Chiang Mai, a city in the north.
Miang indo - Chicken with minced water chestnuts.
Pla kapong - A delicate, local saltwater fish.
Poo cha - Crab, deep-fried in the shell.
Tom kha kai - Thai. Chicken coconut soup, flavored with galingale.
Tom yum gung - Hot and sour soup.
Tom yam kung/tom yaam goong/tom yum gung - Lemon shrimp soup, flavored with coriander.
Thai desserts are basically custards with different flavors, sticky rice dishes, fried or poached
fruits, candied fruits and sweet fritters.
Thai ingredients
Bai Karree - curry leaves. See there.
Bai Toey Hom - the leaves of the panadus tree.
Bai Horapa - sweet basil. See there.
Bai Grapao - - holy basil, similar in appearance to the common Italian basil, but with purple
stems and sometimes purplish leaves
Bai Mangluk - basil, more hairy than sweet basil
Be Mee - fresh, thin egg noodles
Ceun Chai - celery. The Thai variety is more leafy and has a stronger flavor.
Chompoo - rose apple. See there.
Dang Noi/Man Sum Palung - tapioca. See there.
Durian - See there.
Hed Hunu - wood mushrooms
Hed Hom - Chinese dried mushrooms
Ka - galanga/galangale - a sweet fragrant rhizome, a cousin of ginger root.
Kabucha squash - Thai orange squash
Kamin - turmeric. See there.
Kanoon - jackfruit. See there.
Kapee - shrimp paste. Pungent ingredient available dried and in jars
Kha - See galanga.
Khao hom mali - flavorful Jasmine long-grained rice
King - ginger. See there.
Kluay - Bananas, frequently used fruit and the related plantain as vegetable
Krachai - lesser ginger, a rhizome related to ginger but milder
Kratiem - garlic. See there.
Lamut - sapodilla. See there.
Lamyai - longan. See there.
Leenchee - lichee. See there.
Luk Grawan - cardamom. See there.
Mafueng - star apple, also known as carambola. See there.
Mak Kam - tamarind. See there.
Makeua Puong - pea eggplant, varying from dark purple to yellow, green/white
Makrut - kaffir lime. See there.
Malakor - papaya. See there.

900

Mamuang - mango. See there.

Manao - lime. See there.
Maprao - coconut. Coconut milk is made by grating and squeezing. See there.
Mee - generic name for noodles.
Mellet Yira - cumin. See there.
Mungkut - mangosteen. See there.
Naam pla/nam pla - A salty fish sauce.
Nam prik - thick chili and garlic paste, flavored with nam pla fish sauce
Nam Pla - fish sauce made from fermented fish or shrimp
Nam Tan Peep - palm sugar. See there.
Ngor - rambutan, tropical fruit . See there.
Noi Nar - custard apple, also known as cherimoya. See there.
Pak Chee - coriander. See cilantro and coriander.
Poy Kak Bua - star anise. See there.
Prik Thai - black pepper. See there.
Prik - chili peppers, an indispensable ingredient in cooking. See there.
Puak - taro. See there.
Sakay - breadfruit, see there.
Saus prik - Hot chili condiment sauce
Sen Mee - rice noodles, also known as rice vermicelli. See there.
Sen Yai - fresh rice noodles.
Som Or - pomelo. See there.
Supparot - pineapple. See there.
Takrai - lemon grass. See there.
Ton Hom - green onions, scallion. See there.
Woon Sen - cellophane noodles. See there.
Fruits are very important to Thai cuisine. Several festivals celebrate the various fruits as well as
the fruit harvest. Most ropical fruits are cultivated or grown in Thailand.
Most are listed under their names. See there.
Dips play an important role. They are chili based sauces, condiments or relishes which
accompany main dishes and vegetables. Nam prik are uncooked dips, lon are boiled sauces.
thali
Indian term for a metal food tray on which smaller bowls are placed.
Thanksgiving
American national holiday celebrating the first harvest in the new world. The first Thanksgiving
took place in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts to thank the Wampanoag Indian tribe for their help in
surviving the first winter.
The food included oysters, eel, corn bread, popcorn, goose, venison, watercress and berries. It
is not recorded whether turkey was served.
Traditional foods are roast turkey, sweet potatoes, venison, pumpkin, corn pudding, cranberry
sauce and apple pie.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is known in French as merci donnant.
The Colony
Popular bar drink in the 1930's, just after the repeal of Prohibition.
The Waldorf-Astoria
Famous luxury hotel located in Manhattan and owned by the Hilton Hotels Corporation.
The site of the original Waldorf hotel, on 34th Street and Fifth Avenue was occupied by a
mansion owned by William Astor and his wife Caroline Schermerhorn Astor. He commissioned the
mansion torn down and replaced by a hotel named Waldorf. The opening date was March 13, 1893.

901

Astors cousin, John Jacob Asters, opened the Astoria hotel next door, and eventually the two
hotels were operated jointly. The hotels were connected by a corridor, and the lavishly dressed ladies
walking from one hotel to the next were compared to Peacocks, therefore the name Peacock Alley, which
is still used as the name of a restaurant in the hotel.
The original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel was torn down in 1929 and replaced by the Empire State
Building.
The new hotel opened in 1931 in a completely different location, at Park Avenue between 49 and
50 Street. It occupies a whole city block, is 47 stories tall. The hotel is in Art Decco style and is a New
York historical landmark.
President Herbert Hoover sent a note to the hotel when it opened. He moved there in 1933.
George Bush lived there when he was Ambassador to the United Nations. The hotel is the
official residence of the ambassadors to the United Nations.
Every president since McKinley has visited the hotel.
General Douglas McArthur resided at the hotel in his retirement.
The Waldorf Salad was created there. Some of the Executive Chefs ware Gene Scanlan, the first
American born chef, Arno Schmidt, an Austrian who was the first chef hired from outside the organization
and worked there from 1969 to 1979, Kurt Erman, German born, who was Sous Chef for many years, and
John Doherty, American and CIA graduate.
See Oscar Tschirky.
Thenay
French soft ripened cheese resembling Camembert.
theobroma
Stimulant derived from the cacao plant.
Thiamine
Vitam B, it helps the body to obtain energy from food.
thimble berries
Wild black raspberries, found in New England. They gave their name to the Thimble Islands off
the southern Connecticut coast.
Also found in Washington State where they known as salmonberries.
Rubus occidentalis.
thistle
The thistle is the emblem of Scotland and it is reported that wild thistles are eaten there.
Vegetables in the thistle family are artichoke and cardoon. See there.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Thomar
Portuguese cheese.
Thomas, Jerry
Nineteenth century San Francisco bartender who is credited with having invented the Martini
cocktail.
Thompson seedless
White grape variety, used both as table grape, for raisins and as blending grape in brandy and
sparkling wine. It was developed in 1872 in Yuba City, California.
Thousand island dressing
Salad dressing based on Mayonnaise, with chopped pickles, tomatoes, chili sauce, boiled eggs
and peppers, thinned with vinegar and cream.

902

Three sheets in the wind

Sailors term for being drunk, apparently because the sails were not properly hoisted and fluttered
in the wind, endangering the ship.
Three Musketeers
Chocolate bar created 1932 by the Mars Candy Company. It consists of cocoa-flavored nougat,
covered with milk chocolate. In the 1980's, the 8th best selling candy in the US.
three-glass chicken
Chinese/Chinese-American dish, so called because it braised in a glass of soy sauce, a glass of
water and a glass of wine along with garlic and ginger.
thump
Irish term for mashed potato and cabbage.
Also known as colcannon.
Thyme
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Culinary perennial herb native to the

Mediterranean and named for the Greek word for
incense thymon, because it was originally used in
incense. The modern Greek word for thyme is thymari.
BASIC VARIETIES:
Common thyme - thymus vulgaris.
Lemon thyme - thymus citriodorus.
Lemon creeping thyme - thymus azoricus.
Thyme is used in many recipes and goes
especially well with beef dishes. The blossoms are also
edible. They are attractive to bees, which makes for a
wonderful honey.

ti leaves
Leaves used in Hawaiian cooking to wrap food. The leaves are inedible.
Ti Kuan Yin
Chinese dark bitter tea drink, often consumed to aid digestion of rich, slightly oily food. Served
both before and after a meal.
Also known as Iron Maiden.
ti-les
Tropical fruit, round or oval, normally orange colored with dry, sweet flesh.
Tia Maria
Jamaican rum-based liqueur flavored with coffee local spices.
Tientsin pears
Tropical fruits resembling pears but not directly related. The yellow, oval fruits are usually eaten
raw.
Tierra de Medina
The former name for Rueda, Spain.

903

tiffin
British term used in India for lunch. The verb tiff meant to take lunch.
tiger lily
Edible flower, the dried buds are used in Chinese cooking.
Lilium tigrinum.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions.
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.

This entry is not intended to

tiger nut
Small tuber with sweet crispy flesh native to Spain. Most is made into a refreshing drink in
Valencia called horchata de chufa.
The Spanish name is chufa.
tiger prawns
Very large shrimp, as big as 1/4 pound each. See shrimp.
Tiger puffer fish
Fish used in fugu.
Sphoeroides rubripes.
Tignard
French hard, blue veined goat milk cheese.
tilapia
Food fish, firm-textured, lean, mild-tasting. There are salt and fresh water species. Although a
fish from tropical waters, winter hardy species for fish farming have been developed.
Species include, St. Peter's fish, John Dory, St. Pierre in French.
Tilefish
Food fish, rather inexpensive, caught on the Atlantic seacoast.
Also known as yellow snapper.
Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps.
Tillamook
Oregon cheddar cheese made around the town of Tillamook. Cheese making started when Joe
Champion landed in Tillamook Bay in 1851, started a dairy farm, and needed a market for his milk.
Cheese making was the answer, and already in 1855 a ship, called the Morning Star, was used to
transport the cheese to markets along the Columbia River. To this day, the Morning Star is the trademark
of the Tillamook cheese cooperative.
tilleul
French word for Linden flowers. The fragrant yellow flowers of the linden tree, are used since the
17th century in teas and as flavor in baking. The flowers are picked and dried quickly in the shade.
Tilleul is credited with having medicinal powers as a natural tranquilizer. Prized by the French.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Tilsit/Tilsiter
Cheese originally made in formerly Tilsit in East Prussia, now Sovetsk in Russia. The cheese is
now made in Germany, the US and in other countries. The cheese is rather mild and resembles
Limburger. See there. Caraway seeds are sometimes added.
timbale
French word for a small, round mold or cooking utensil. By extension, the word is used for dishes
cooked in them. The mold is usually lined with dough and baked.

904

tin
Soft metal used to line the inside of copper pots, because of its corrosion resistant powers.
Tin will wear off, and copper pots had to be re-tinned periodically.
tinaja
Spanish earthenware containers to ferment and store wine.
tindoori
A tiny round cucumber-like member of the squash family from India. The slightly bitter taste can
be masked if served hot. Green or red in color. Used in salads and stir-fried dishes.
Also known as tindori, tindola, parwal or ivy gourd.
Trichosanthes dioeca.
tine
The prongs of forks.
tinnie
Australian slang for a beer.
Tinta Amarello
Portuguese red wine grape variety used in Port wine.
Tinta Cao
Portuguese red wine grape variety grown in the Douro region.
Tinta Francisca
Portuguese red wine grape variety grown in the Douro region.
Tintilla
Sweet wine produced in Spain near the city of Rota.
tinto
Spanish generic wine term for red wine, especially a full-bodied wine. Clarete, another red wine
term usually refers to a light-bodied wine.
tinto
Colloquial Spanish/Hispanic term for strong black coffee.
Tinto del Pais
Spanish red wine grape, also known as Tinto Fino, but more commonly known as Tempranillo.
The names Tinto del Pais and Tinto Fino are more often used in the Ribera del Duero region. In
Portugal, the grape is known as Tinto Roriz. It is the major grape in Spain's prestigious wine, Vega
Sicilia.
Related is Tinto Barroca,. Tinta Barocca is the South African spelling for the same grape.
Tinto de Madrid
Spanish red wine grape variety of undistinguished character.
tipsy cake
Often used term for any kind of sponge cake soaked with rum or brandy.
Tipsy Parson
British dessert commonly known as trifle. See there.
Also known as Tipsy Squire.
tirage

905

French wine term for transferring wine from casks to casks or into bottles.
In the Champagne district is means that when the wine is bottled, sugar and yeast is added to
start a second fermentation.
tiramis
Italian rich dessert consisting of strong espresso coffee and rum soaked sponge cake or
ladyfingers, layered with sweetened mascarpone cheese, often sprinkled with chocolate, and sometimes
topped with whipped cream. It is said that the dish was first served as a restorative in a Venetian bordello
in the 18th century.
It became quite popular in fine Italian restaurants in America in the late 1980's, though it was
traditionally a home-style dessert in Italy. Literally translated it means pick me up or lift me up.
The Japanese Asahi Breweries have come out with a soft drink, Tira using some tiramis
ingredients.
Also spelled tirami s.
Tiregand/Chteau Tiregand
The largest wine property of Bergerac, France. It makes Pecharmant wine.
Tirol
The German spelling of Tyrol.
Tirolerkndel
Austrian bread dumplings made with Bauernspeck, the Tyrolean smoked bacon.
Tirynthos
Greek apricot variety.
tisane
Tea or infusion of herbs, pine needles, heather flowers, fruits, fruit peels, citrus rind, tree barks.
Commonly used for medicinal purposes.
It is the French word for herb tea, from the Greek ptisane and Latin ptisana . These words
referred originally to the barley broth prescribed by ancient doctors.
Teas made with flowers come under the category of herb teas.
BOTANICALS USED FOR TISANE INCLUDE:
arborvitae
birch
borage flowers
chamomile
goldenrod
ground ivy
lavender
raspberry leaves
red clover blossoms
sassafras root
strawberry leaves
tilleul (also known as linden flowers)
wormwood.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plants mentioned.
tisane de champagne
Old fashioned term for second pressing champagne light in color and alcohol.
Tischwein
German term for table wine. Tisch is the German word for table.

906

Tivoli
Town close to Rome, Italy, the former site of the palaces of the Roman Emperors. Tribur in Latin.
tlilxochitl
Ground vanilla pods used by the Aztecs to flavor coffee.
toad in a hole
British dish of meat or sausage pieces baked in a batter. Often Kidneys were used.
toast
Bread or yeast cake that has been sliced and browned.
French Toast is bread dipped in a blend of eggs and cream and fried in butter or on a griddle. Melba
Toast is very thin toast, available commercially. It was invented by chef Auguste Escoffier at the turn of
the century when he split toast once more and toasted it again. The very thin slices curled slighlty and
were very crips. French toast is pain perdu in French.
toaste
In medieval France, plates were not yet used. Wealthy diners eat off flat dried bread, known as
toastes, and sent the bread to the poor when they were done.
tobikko
Japanese name for flying fish roe used in sushi and as garnish on fish dishes.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Black tobikko - mild with black color
Orange tobikko - mild, orange colored
Red tobikko - deep red
Spicy red tobikko - flavored with hot peppers
Wasabi tobikko - flavored with Japanese horseradish
tobinambour
French term for Jerusalem artichokes. See there.
Tocai Friulano
Italian white wine grape grown, as the name indicates, in Northern Italy. Despite its name, the
vines did not come from Hungary, although this is disputed. It is a widely planted grape variety.
tocinillo del cielo
Spanish dessert. Literally translated "custard from heaven."
tocino
Spanish term for bacon.
toddy
Hot alcoholic beverage made usually with rum, fruit juices, water and spices.
toddy
Fermented palm sap. Also known as palm wine.
toffee
Popular chewy candy. The term could be derived from tafia, a dark molasses rum because toffee
was originally made from dark molasses.
Also known as taffy or toffy.
tofu
Soybean product. Beans are soaked, ground, and cooked and the resulting soy milk is pressed
out. Naturally occurring calcium sulphate in the soy milk causes it to coagulate rapidly. The whey is then
poured off the top and the remains are pressed into cakes.

907

Tofu is not totally fat-free, but very low in saturated fat. It is an excellent protein supplement. Tofu
is a staple in Asian cooking and is available in many grades of firmness. It is available in many US
supermarkets, and have found a following from vegetarians and diet conscientious people.
Ag t fu is fried tofu in Japanese.
See soy.
tohera
Large New Zealand shellfish in the oyster family. They are protected and harvesting them is
severely restricted.
tohu
Gram or chick peas product resembling tofu, used exclusively in Burmese cooking.
tokny (tokany)
Hungarian/Romanian beef strips simmered in their own juices. Many versions exist.
Tokay dAlsace
Wine grape variety, also called pinot gris. The wine produced is not sweet.
Tokay
Famous Hungarian wine produced in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains around the village
of Tokay. The wine is usually sweet, and the sweetness is indicated by the number of puttonoys,
containers of handpicked over-ripe grapes added to the must. The number of puttonoys is indicated on
the label, and seldom wine with more than five reach the market. The grape are effected by noble rot,
which decreases the water content of the grape juice.
There is a legend that the wife of Prince Gyrgy Rkczi I of Transylvania refused to pick the
grapes on the Oremus Hill vineyard in 1650 fearing an attack by the Turks. The grapes stayed on the vine
and developed the noble rot which makes the sweet Tokay Asz so deliciuos.
Sweet Tokay Asz wine was esteemed for many centuries, and since the very sweet wine with
the highest number of puttonoys can be made in only small quantities, it was often reserved for emperors
and high nobility.
An even sweeter and rarer wine is Tokay Eszencia, made only with over-ripe grapes pressed by
their own weight. This incredible expensive wine is made only in years when the over-ripe berries of
exceptional quality and quantity are available.
Tokay also produces a rather dry table wine. Imitation Tokay wines are made by blending sweet
wines. It is made in California, and is not expensive.
tokkuri
Japanese small bottle that warm sake is served in.
Toll house cookies
Chocolate chip cookies. The recipe is credited to Mrs. Ruth Wakefield and her husband, who
operated the Tollhouse Inn in the area of Whitman, Massachusetts in the 1930's. She added Nestle semisweet chocolate chips to her cookie batter.
Tom and Jerry
Hot alcoholic beverage consisting of creamed egg yolks with sugar, whipped egg whites, hot milk
or water, and brandy. The recipe is of English origin.
Tom collins
Tall drink, made with gin, lemon juice, sugar and sparkling water. The term is old fashioned.
Tom Fuller
Dish from the southern part of Appalachia consisting of dried venison, corn, peas and beans.
The origin of the name is not known.

908

Tom Thumb lettuce

Small lettuce variety.
Toma di Carmagnola
Italian cheese. Soft-ripening with a Brie-like taste with a hint of truffle.
Toma della Langhe
Italian cheese, made from sheep's milk.
Tomales Bay
Oyster harvested in the Tomales Bay off the Coast of California. Medium in size with a black
ruffled shell which holds firm, plump flesh. It has a fresh, crisp, briny flavor.
tomalley
The greenish, soft substance in lobsters. It is the liver and a delicacy.
tomates concasses
French culinary term for chopped tomatoes. It is a basic component of many dishes. Tomatoes
are peeled, seeded, diced and cooked with onions until much moisture has evaporated.
Tomatillos
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Small fruits resembling small green tomatoes but

have a loose papery husk. Technically they are not
tomatoes, and the flavor is a little different. They are
usually sold green, but get yellow when ripe. Tomatillos are
the main ingredients in salsa verde or salsa cruda.
Tomatillos are grown in Mexico for centuries.
Also known as tomate verde, tomate de cscara,
jamberries, ground cherries and frescadilla.
Physalis ixocarpa.

tomato
Annual rapidly growing plant of the solanaceae family, which also includes potatoes, eggplant,
and peppers, as well as the deadly nightshade. Botanically a fruit in the berry family, classified by the
Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a vegetable because of the way it is used.
Tomatoes are native to South America and requires full sun and warmth to mature properly.
Introduced in Europe by the 15th century Spanish conquistadors, first used only as ornamental plants.
Introduced in Naples, when Italy was under Spanish rule, they had some acceptance there. The
Italians began cooking with them in the mid 16th century. The Italians called the fruit pomo d'oro or
golden apple because most of these early varieties were small and yellow. The Italian word pomodoro is
derived from it.
In France, the tomato was thought to be an aphrodisiac and was called pomme d'amour or love
apple.
But most of Europe was slow to accept this fruit. When they were first eaten by these groups,
they were cooked for hours to rid them of their suspected poisons. The fruit of course is not, but the
leaves are.
Tomatoes will ripen off the vine and are often shipped hard and green, and ripened with ethylene
gas. They should not be refrigerated. Tomatoes are best if they can be picked ripe and eaten right away.
Tomatoes are less good if refrigerated. When a tomato is cut, linolenic acid is converted by enzymes into

909

Z-3 hexenal, the chemical responsible for tomato smell, but chilling quiets this enzyme activity and it will
take some time, even days, for it to regain its potential.
Tomatoes have health benefits which are only now scientifically understood. The color in a
tomato is from a phytochemical called lycopene, which has strong antioxidant properties. Heat releases
the lycopene.
Tomatoes can be peeled by dipping in boiling water.
TYPES OF TOMATOES INCLUDE:
Cherry tomatoes - Good for hors d'oeuvres or in salads.
Beefsteak - big slicing tomatoes, the best come from New Jersey.
Green tomatoes - A tart unripe tomato with a firm texture. Good cooked such as fried. Not the
same as the green tomatillos. See there.
Holland tomatoes - Popular tomatoes grown in hot houses.
Plum tomatoes - Small, oblong, thick skinned tomatoes. Their drier flesh, relatively speaking,
makes them better for cooking, such as in stews or purees. Because of their thick skins, it is best to skin
them before cooking.
There are thousands tomato varieties. Jersey tomatoes are not a specific variety, but are simply
tomatoes grown there. Plant scientists are constantly working to produce durable varieties with more
taste. The oval-shaped plum tomatoes are best for making sauces or ketchup.
Among the Chinese, tomatoes symbolize joy and virtue.
Lycopsercium esculanta, lycopsercium spp.
tomatoes, heirloom
Tomatoes not generally available and cultivated for nostalgic reasons. Some varieties are:
Cherokee Purple
Debarao
Flamm
German
Great White Beefsteak
Green Zebra
Moskovich
Nepal
Valencia
Wonder Light
Yellow Brandywine
tomato products
Tomatoes are canned in huge quantities and in many forms. The acid in tomatoes made canning
difficult before special lined cans were developed. Tomatoes were first put up in jars.
Chef August Escoffier ordered preserved tomatoes in jars when he worked at the Savoy Hotel in
London.
Typical products are tomato ketchup, tomato chutney, crushed or whole tomatoes,
tomato paste, cooked down under vacuum to a thick paste, tomato puree less reduced than paste,
tomato sauces.
tomatoes, sun dried
Sliced or tomato halves that have been dried. The quality depends to a large extent on the
ripeness of the tomatoes.
Drying tomatoes originated in Mediterranean countries. Sun dried tomatoes are mostly imports,
but some product is made in the US.
tombo
Hawaiian albacore tuna.
tomcod
Ocean food fish, resembling cod but much smaller. The fish is also harvested in the Pacific.
Also known as frostfish.

910

Microgadus tomcod.
tomma della Valcuvia
Italian cheese resembling Brie cheese.
Tomme
French cows milk cheese. A number of varieties exist, such as Tomme aux raisins, Tomme de
Savoie, Tomme Boudane, Tomme de Beauge, Tomme de Beaumont, Tomme de Boudave.
The word tomme - or Tome - is the generic word for cheese in the local dialect of the Savoie.
tompa
Nepalese millet beer, usually a home brew.
Tom Collins
Refreshing bar drink made with gin, lemon or lime, sugar and soda water.
tong ho
Chinese vegetable similar to spinach.
tongs, bottle
Iron devise shaped like a clamp used to break off the neck of wine bottles. When heated red hot,
placed at the neck for a minute, and the neck then wrapped in a ice cold towel, the neck was expected to
break off.
tongue
Flavorful meat. It must be boiled before use to make it tender. Smoked beef tongue is a
sandwich and delicatessen meat.
Tongue is considered kosher when produced from properly slaughtered cattle. For this reason it
is a meat often found in New York delicatessen.
Veal and lamb tongues are available fresh or boiled and pickled in jars.
The German word for tongue is Zunge, and it is used in large chunks in a specialty sausage
called Zungenwurst.
Meat Buyers Guide # 614 for smoked beef tongue.
tonir
Armenian outdoor oven, often used to bake lavash bread. See there.
tonka bean
Dark, aromatic seed cultivated in tropical South America or Mexico. Because of the similarity in
aroma to vanilla, the extract, or coumarin, is sometimes used in manufacturing imitation vanilla extract.
Imitation vanilla containing coumarin is not approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
Also known as the tonqua bean or coumara-nut,
tonkatsu
Japanese fried pork cutlets.
tonneau
Term for a volume measure used in the wine trade in Bordeaux. A tonneau is 900 liters or
equivalent to 100 cases of 12 bottles each.
toothpicks
Nickname for Arkansans because of the way some early settlers used their knives.
Tootsie Roll
Chocolate confection invented around 1896 by Leo Hirschfield in New York.

911

top choice
Wholesale meat term. Meat is can be graded voluntarily by the USDA, and the second highest
grade, after prime is choice. Much meat fall into this category, and there is a quality difference between
meat close to prime specifications, or to the next lower grade.
Many meat buyers specify top choice for meat closer to prime, but it is not an official grade.
top hat
Name for an English summer pudding made with black currants.
top sirloin
Term for beef muscle called sirloin butt where the loin joins the leg. It is identified as Meat
Buyers Guide # 184. The meat is tender and can be used for steaks. It was often used for club steaks.
Topfen
Austrian term for cottage cheese.
Topfenkndel
Austrian dessert, cottage cheese dumpling served hot with brown butter and sugar.
Topfkse
Sour milk curd cheese made in Germany and poured into earthen pots.
topinambour
French term for Jerusalem artichoke. In the 17th century, when the vegetable was introduced to
France from America, there was at the same time an exhibition on Brazil featuring a tribe called the
topinambours. The name was then associated with the New World vegetable, even though the Jerusalem
artichoke is native to North America.
Also sometimes called artichauts de Canada in France. When they were first introduced, they
were also known as poire de terre.
One French preparation is Pure Palestine, because of confusion due to the English language
name.
toque blanche
French term for chefs hat, literally translated white hat. Many romantic stories notwithstanding,
neither the height, number of pleats nor width of band have any significance. Chefs are required to wear
hair protection, and since the chefs uniform is white, it made sense to make the hat white as well. It had
to be washable, and had to be starched, because in hot, steamy kitchens a floppy hat would not work
well.
Tall hats are not practical, because chefs would touch the hood in low ceiling kitchens. Pictures
from the turn of the century show chefs with rather low hats.
Chefs hat today are usually made of paper and are disposable. Many restaurants use baseball
caps instead of chefs hats.
In England is a chefs club and the members are wearing black hats.
See also Greece food, chef's hats.
torchio
Screw press used to make bigoli pasta in Venice. The dough is forced through the machine, and
it comes out in thick strands resembling spaghetti.
Torgiano.
Italian wine from Umbria.
tori katsu
Japanese fried chicken.
toro

912

Japanese term for the prime, fleshy belly portion, or sirloin strips tuna prized for sashimi or sushi.
tororo
Japanese gooey yam, usually served grated and added to sauces and soups.
tororo konbu
Japanese seaweed. See there.
torpedo roll
Large roll used for hero sandwiches and Philadelphia cheese steaks. The name obviously refers
to their shape.
Torpedo is the name for a hero sandwich.
torrejas
Cuban French toast sweetened with sugar syrup.
Torres, Bodegas
Spain's largest privately owned wine producer, it was established in 1870 and is located in the
Paneds region. The family makes 16 different wines in a range of quality levels, for a total production
reaching about 1 million cases a year, about 40% of which is exported. The family owns vineyards
throughout the Paneds region.
WINES INCLUDE:
Gran Coronas Black Label - a fine, prestigious wine made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. A
wine meant for aging.
Sangres de Toro - Literally translated Blood of the Bull. It is a reasonably priced, full-bodied table
wine, made for drinking early. It has the largest production and sales of any Torres wine.
There are other wine labels.
Torres also has wineries in Chile and in California.

913

torrone
Italian nougat candy, a specialty of the Piedmont district.
Torrontes
White wine grape native to Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain.
torsetas
Wild mushrooms of the Spanish Rioja region.
torsk
Scandinavian term for cod.
torsk
England term for a specific North Atlantic fish in the cod family.
Also known as cusk, brosme.
torta
Italian cheese specialty, layered cheeses, usually seasoned with herbs, vegetables such as
mushrooms, fruit, nuts, or smoked fish such as salmon.
One of the best and most popular is basil torta made with basil and pine nuts layered between
mascarpone and robiola cheeses.
torta savoia
Sicilian/Italian thin chocolate cake.
Tortalpina.
Italian cheese similar to Fontina. See there.
Torte
German generic term for layer cake or any round cake.
tortelli
Italian filled pasta, as it is known in Mantua, filled with pumpkin - zucca Americana.
The same pasta in nearby Ferrara it is known as cappellacci.
tortellini
Italian small stuffed half moon shaped pasta, filled with meat or cheese, folded in half and sealed
by pinching the round edge. There are many regional versions.
Tortelloni is a large tortellini, a specialty of Bologna.
tortilla
Spanish name for omelet.
Tortilla paisana - potato and vegetable omelet.
Tortilla espaola - potato omelet.
tortillas
Mexican thin, flat unleavened breads, the ancien basic staple in Mexico. They are made in sizes
from 6 inches to 12 inches and larger.
Tortillas are made either from corn meal or wheat flour and baked on a griddle. Originally,
women flattened the dough by hand or in a tortilla press, and baked it on a stone. Wheat tortillas are
more common in the northern area where wheat rather than corn is the major grain.
Corn meal tortillas are made with masa harina, see there.
Most Mexican supermarkets have a tortilla section where fresh tortillas are made by machine all
day. Restaurants frequented by tourists might make tortillas in a corner of the dining room.

914

Gorditas are thick homemade corn tortillas. Literally translated, the name means little fat ones.
Tortillas de harina de trigo - wheat tortillas.
Tortillas de masa harina - corn tortillas.
tortoise
See terrapine and turtle.
Tortoni
Frozen dessert made originally at the Caf Neapolitan in Paris in the late 18th century and
named after the owner, Tortoni. It is ice cream mixed with toasted almonds, or with other nuts.
Eventually, the dessert became a staple in American restaurants, often called Biscuit Tortoni.
Toscanello
Another name for Pecorino Toscano cheese, a grating cheese made with ewes milk.
toshi koshi soba
Japanese year end noodles, New Year's special. Very long noodles, often cooked with black
beans.
Tostados
Snack of deep fried corn tortillas.
tostones
Cuban term for double-fried plantains.
tou les moi
French term for a starch made from the archira plant cultivated in tropical countries. The starch
resembles arrowroot.
Canna edulis.
Touareg
Cheese made by Berber tribes in North Africa. The leaves from the Korourou tree are used to
coagulate the milk. The cheese is not salted, and is left to dry until very hard.
Toucinho do Cu
Portuguese sugary almond and egg yolk delicacy. Baked in a spring from pan and served in
wedges. Literally translated bacon from heaven.
Touloumisio
Greek cheese with pungent taste made from goat's milk. It is a pickled cheese sold in brine
resembling feta.
Toulouse goose
French breed of geese raised for foie gras. Also raised in New York State.
Toulouse sausage
Coarse pork sausage from Toulouse, France. The sausage is braised with beans in the famous
Cassoulet de Toulouse.
Tour Blanche, Chteau
Wine estate in Sauternes, France producing sweet wines. It is connected with a viticultural
school.
Tour Figeac, Chteau
Famous wine estate in the Bordeaux region of France.

915

Touraine
French province in the Loire Valley, often called the Garden of France, famous for wine.
Touriga Francesa
Portuguese red wine grape variety used in Port wine.
Touriga Nacional
Portuguese red wine grape variety used as blending wine in Port and in red D o.
Related is Touriga Francesa.
Tournedos
French term for small beef filet mignons, normally served two pieces to a portion. Tournedos are
traditionally served on a base of toasted bread or other ingredients to prevent the tournedos from getting
cooked too much while the garnish is added. Classical French cuisine contains many different Tournedos
dishes, distinguished by the garnishes and sauces that are served with them.
tourner, to
French verb to shape vegetables. The shape resembles footballs, but in classical cooking the
number of cuts are clearly defined.
tourschou
Armenian pickled cabbage salad with black olives and sesame oil.
tourte
French generic term for tart. Many versions exist, some are sweet, others filled with vegetables
and cheese.
The word is from Latin turtus, meaning shaped round. The German term Torte for round cakes
can also be traced to the same Latin root.
Torteau fromager
French specialty on the Vende region, a goat cheese tart.
tourteaux
French hard shell crabs, similar to American stone crabs.
Tovarich
Cocktail made with vodka, kummel, and lime juice.
Tower, Jeremiah
Innovative American chef, credited with having created, along with Alice Waters California cuisine
at Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California. Now, owner and chef of Stars restaurant in San
Francisco.
Traben-Trabach
Twin cities on the Moselle river in Germany famous for wines.
trade whiskey
Term for cheap inferior quality whiskey that was sold to the Indians.
traganth
Natural resin obtained from Asian shrubs in the Astragalus family, used to make inedible sugar
decorations, especially showpieces for window displays. It is now used as thickener in food processing.
Tragant has been replaced for the most extent by pastillage, a gelatin sugar and corn starch
mixture.
Also spelled tragacant.

916

traiteur
French term for the person who prepares and sells take out food. I older times he was a street
vendor, a popular supplier to 19th century bourgeois homes. The modern meaning is caterer or
delicatessen shop and shop owner.
tramezzini
Italian/Venetian large sandwich.
Tramin
Old name for a tiny Austrian village in the now Italian province Alti Adige. It might have given its
name to the Traminer grape.
Traminer
White wine grape, grown in Germany and elsewhere,
Gewrztraminer.

though elsewhere it is known as

tranche
French for slice.
tranche des anges
Romantic French term meaning the angels share, referring to the portion of Cognac lost to
evaporation as the Cognac ages in barrels.
trappers butter
Bone marrow of freshly killed animals.
Trappist cheeses
The Trappist monks made cheese for hundreds of years. The best known is Port du Salute.
Trappiste
Cheese made with cows milk since 1885 in a monastery near Banjaluka, Bosnia is sold as
Trappist cheese.
Trappiste beer
See beer.
trash fish
Fish with little commercial value. An annual fund raising event was started about 20 years ago in
Provinctown, Massachusetts to raise money for the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, and in the
process elevate peoples awareness of under used seafood.
Many species discarded as trash or sold as fertilizer years ago appear today on menus of fine
restaurants and command high prices.
trasi udang
Oriental shrimp seasoning paste popular in Indonesia and Singapore. Shrimp are mixed with salt
and sun dried, dyed red and mashed.
Sambal goreng is a condiment made with chili and trasi udang.
Trauttmansdorf
Austrian nobility. A cold rice pudding was named after them.
Travancore
Tea grown in the South of India. The tea has less flavor than teas grown in the higher elevation of
North India, and are used primarily for blending.

917

Travnik
Albanian ewes and goats milk soft cheese. The cheese is also known as Vlasic.
treacle
British term for molasses syrup, a by-product of cane sugar refining. It is used in candy and in
desserts. Available as dark and golden.
Treasure Cave
Blue cheese, made by the Treasure Cave Blue Cheese Company in Fanibault, Minnesota. The
cheese is ripened in sandstone caves.
Trebbiano
White wine grape, originally from Italy, but grown in most wine producing regions. It is one of the
most widely planted white wine grape. Some production is distilled into brandy, especially in the
Charentes region of France. Trebbiano wine was also used as a blending wine in Chianti and is the
principal grape in Soave wines.
Known as Ugni Blanc in France and as the St. Emilion in the Cognac region of France.
Trecce
Italian plastic cured cheese, braided or interlaced.
tree tomato
An other name for tamarillo. It is called a tree tomato only because of its physical resemblance to
the tomato. See tamarillo
Cyphomandra betacea.
trefoil
Herb used as a garnish.
Mitsuba in Japanese.
Trifolium.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions.
recommend the culinary use of the plants mentioned.

This entry is not intended to

Treixadura/Treicadura
White wine grape native to Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain.
trenette
Italian ribbon pasta from Liguria. It is often served with Pesto Genovese.
Trentino
Province in Northern Italy, formerly in Austrian South Tyrol, producing pleasant wines, much
consumed locally or exported to Austria.
Trenton cracker
Small crackers, originally made in Trenton, New Jersey, but now in Lambertville, New Jersey.
The crackers are served with oysters and chowders. The initials of the Original Trenton Cracker
Company are stamped as O.T.C. on each cracker.
Trepang
Tropical mollusk, a seas slug, considered a delicacy. Usually sold dried. It must be soaked, and
it will expand considerably. It will become gelatinous when cooked.
Also called sea cucumber, sea slug or bche-de-mere.
Holoyhuria edulis.

918

Tressot
French red wine grape variety of little commercial value grown in Northeast France.
treviso
Salad plant in the endive family.
triage
French wine term for picking and choosing by hand newly harvested grapes to eliminate unripe or
rotten fruit.
Trianon
The name of two palaces in Versailles, France.
tricale
Grain resulting from a cross of durum wheat, which is hard red winter wheat, and rye. The flour
is stronger tasting than wheat flour. The whole grains can be cooked as pilaff, and the sprouts are used
is salads.
trichinosis
Small parasites - Trichinella spirals - or worms living in pigs. They are killed by heat, but can be
passed on to human beings in undercooked pork
It was imperative that pork was always cooked well done, but young chefs routinely undercook
pork, and the public accepts it. Probable modern pigs do not longer carry trichinae.
Trier
The most important city on the Moselle river in Germany. The tradition of wine growing goes
back to the Roman times, and there are still Roman ruins.
tries
Wine making term, referring to the successive trips of pickers through a vineyard to select only
the ripest grapes, especially for grapes affected by botrytis (noble rot).
Trieste food
City on the Adriatic sea. It was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and the closest seaport to
Vienna. The city changed hands between Yugoslavia and Italy. It is now Italian.
The cooking is a blend of Italian, Austrian and Croatian dishes. A famous female chef from
Trieste, now in New York, is Lidia Bastianich Matticchio.
See Italy food.
trifle
The quintessential English dessert, consisting of sponge cake layers soaked with sweet wine or
fruit juice, alternating with pastry cream and whipped cream. Trifle is best presented in a glass bowl to
show the tantalizing layers. The whipped cream topping is usually decorated with angelica and candied
cherries, or in an updated version, fresh fruit.
The origin of the name is unknown, but references in print date back to 1598. Originally, trifle was
a simple frothy combination of cream and rosewater, sweetened with ginger and sugar. By the mid-18th
century, trifle had become a more substantial concoction of sweet wine-soaked biscuits. In the 19th
century, the marriage between the trifle and the other reigning dessert of the times, the syllabub took
place.
To quote the noted English food writer Elizabeth David: The syllabub and the trifle were
eventually amalgamated to make one glorious, sticky mess.
The term hardly a trifle refers to richness.
Known in Southern U. S. as Tipsy Parson or Tipsy Squire. The Italian version is called zuppa
inglese.

919

triggerfish
Ocean food fish harvested on the Atlantic coast. The fish is popular in the South. There are
noumerous species.
Balistes.
trighona
Greek pastry made with ground nuts and filo (phyllo) dough.
Trimalchio's feast
In the play Satyricon a character named Trimalchio holds a vulgar bacchanalian feast. Thus,
Trimalchio, a former slave, reveals his origin.
Trinacria
Early name for Sicily. The name was given to the island by the Greeks because of its triangular
shape, who colonized it before Christ.
Trincadeira
Portuguese grape variety.
Trinidad food
Over the centuries, many cultures merged in Trinidad and this is refelcted in the food.
Best known is probably roti, the Indian flat chapati bread. In Trinidad, the name referres to the
ubiquitous sandwich of flat bread, rolled around curried fillings. Curried dishes, reflecting the Indian
ancestry of many present inhabitants, are most popular.
Green coconuts are used for rum based drinks. Dasheen bush is a green vegetable used to
make callaloo.
OTHER DISHES ARE:
Boiled blue crabs
Buljol - dried fish.
Callaloo - purred mixture of okra an taro flavored with salted pork, eaten with rice
Cassava and corn dumplings
Coocoo - corn meal and okra gruel with coconut milk.
Corn soup
Cow skin and cow heel soup - gelatinous soup with split peas and vegetables.
Green Banana salad
Pelau - cinnamon spiced rice and peas
Seafood, shark -often smoked over corn husks and bay leaves, sun dried.
tripe
The lining of the beef stomach, available cleaned, pre- cooked, and white. Tripe is not popular in
the US, but there are a number of esteemed tripe dishes in other cultures, especially in France. Tripe is
when cleaned is lean and gelatinous, but has little flavor on its own.
Tripes la mode de Caen are slowly cooked in a gelatinous broth, flavored with the local apple
jack, called Calvados.
Tripes Lyonnaise are flavored with onions.
A Mexican tripe stew is called meudo.
Triple crme
Group of French cheeses, very rich as the name indicates. According to French law, triple
crme cheeses must contain 75% butter fat when fresh. The cheese is made with a mold that gradually
ripens the cheese from the interior to the exterior. The shelf live is short. Boursault and Boursin are
widely available triple crme cheeses.
Triple Sec
French orange flavored liqueur. See also Cointreau.

920

Triscuits
Cracker made by Nabisco. Made the same way the company makes shredded wheat. The
process was invented by Henry Perky in the 1890's. The wheat is slightly softened with water and then
steamed so that it can be put through a shredder. The Triscuit wafers are formed by piling and lightly
pressing the shredded wheat, first in one direction and then in the other, giving the cracker a woven-like
appearance. .
triticale
Grain, a cross between wheat and rye, developed in the 1970's.
trocken
German wine term meaning dry. When a wine is called trocken it is dry, but when the word
trocken is compounded into other descriptions and can refer to a sweet wine, as in
Trockenbeerenauslese. See there.
Trockenbeerenauslese
German wine term. Literally translated, the word means, dry-berries-specially-picked. Often
referred to as simply TBA, an abbreviation of the three key elements that make up the word. It is made
from grapes left on the vines until they are shriveled and trocken. The wine balances intense sweetness
with acidity is a fabulous, expensive wine.
Trois glorieuses
Third weekend in November celebrating the end of the wine harvest in Burgundy with wine
auctions, dancing, singing and, of course drinking Burgundy wines.
Tronchines
Swiss name for meringue.
Trotanoy, Chteau
Small vineyard in the Pomerol region of Bordeaux, France.
trotters
Feet of calves, pigs and sheep.
Trottevielle, Chteau
Wine estate in St. milion, Bordeaux, France.
trou du milieu
French. Literally translated "hole in the middle". Ice cold alcoholic drink or alcoholic granit,
served during multi-course dinners. The trou is intended to create a "hole" in the stomach, leaving room
for the next courses.
One of the best known is Trou Normande. It is always made with Calvados, the famous apple
brandy from Normandy.
Trousseau Gris
California white wine grape variety.
trout
Fresh water game and food fish. There are two basic groups, Lake Trout, related to the salmon
family, and River Trout. The rainbow trout is a native river trout specie.
Trout-farming is the second largest fish farming industry in the US, though it is a distant second
to catfish.
VARIETIES OF IMPORTANCE:
Brook trout, lake trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, arctic char.
Trout is considered an elegant food fish, more popular in Europe than in the US. Smoked trout is a
delicacy.

921

Sea trout, also called weakfish is a salt water fish not related to trout.
Truite in French. Forelle in German, trucha in Spanish, trota in Italian.
Trouville
French soft ripened cheese resembling Pont lvque. See there.
trouxas de ovos
Portuguese dessert, sweetened egg yolks rolled into cylinders. Tricky to make. Spoonfuls of
strained yolk are dropped into boiling syrup until set into sheets. The sheet are then rolled into a bundle
and served in a thin clear sugar syrup.
Troyes
French cheese resembling Camembert. See there.
Truck farms
Vegetable farms, which sells most of their produce directly to consumers on markets in cities.
With increasing awareness about nutrition and freshness of food green markets have been set up
in many cities, often specializing in organically grown fruits and vegetables.
truffles
Mushrooms growing wild underground in Southern Europe. Small quantities of truffles have also
been found growing wild in Oregon and Washington state in the US., in Yugoslavia and in Spain.
Truffles grow around oak trees, but also near willows, poplars, beech, and nut trees. Truffles are
harvested by having pigs or dogs sniff the ground. Attempts to cultivate truffles commercially have not
yet yielded measurable results, therefore truffles are very expensive. See truffle cultivation.
Truffles were once the food of the lower classes. In the 19th century, they were known as
"potatoes for the poor". But their culinary value was discovered and they began to be over-harvested.
Many classical French dishes from the nineteenth century use truffles lavishly. They are definitely an
acquired taste.
Truffles are available fresh in season and sold by weight sorted by size. Truffles are also
available canned as whole truffle and truffle peelings. These are often used as sauce garnish. Black
truffles are also available frozen. Many truffle flavored products are on the market, but they are often
flavored with synthetic flavors.
There are basically to major varieties, the black truffles and white truffles, although the color
ranges from dark black to greyish white.
Black truffles are most commonly found in France, in the Perigord and Languedoc regions. The
black truffle season runs from November into February/March. Black truffles must be cooked.
White truffles are often called Italian truffles, known as tartufo bianco in Italy because most
truffles are white, or more specifically a grayish white with a slight lavender tinge. They are generally
more expensive than black truffles.
The white truffle season runs from October until December, and in some cases until February.
They are highly perfumed, which a distinctive, heavy, musky aroma of earth and damp leaves. The center
of the truffle market is in Alba, but many truffles come around the town Asti. Truffles are found at the
Monferrato hillsides of Piedmont, Umbria, Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna.
Black truffles are also found in Italy and are referred to as summer truffles. They are less
expensive but also less pungent than the white truffles.
White truffles are usually served raw, shaved over fresh pasta, risotto, polenta, or even soft
scrambled eggs.
Legend has it that the first truffle was eaten by a hunter who found the tuber inside a pig he
roasted. After eating it, he proselytized about its wonderful flavor to his neighbors.
In Italy specially trained dogs are used exclusively to sniff out truffles. The dogs are starved for
several days. Then they are given a meal into which a little old truffle is mixed, so the dog will associate
the scent of the truffles with eating. When the dogs sniffs out a truffle, they are kept tightly leashed while
the hunter digs up the truffle and the dog is fed instead with some bread. The truffle hunters in Italy are
known as tartufai.
Black truffle - tuber melanosporum

922

White truffle - tuber magnatum pico

Summer truffle - tuber aestivum
truffle butter
Butter creamed with finely minced truffles. Used with broiled meats.
truffles, chocolate
A rich chocolate confection, with a filling of dense, intensely sweet chocolate mixture and a
coating of pure chocolate, sometimes also rolled in unsweetened cocoa powder.
Concocted by French candy makers and round, blackish brown, dense and rich in appearance,
they are a tribute to the Perigord truffle.
truffle cultivation
Truffles are being cultivated in many parts of the world, but the results are not yet in, and it is
hard to say to what extent these efforts will be successful. Companies and locations in truffle raising are:
Arotz, in the province of Sonria outside Madrid, Spain.
Dripping Springs, Texas.
Istria (formerly Yugoslavia).
New Zealand.
La Truffe, California.
Even the wild truffles harvested in France are to a certain extent cultivated. The land, called
truffires, is planted with oak and other vegetation. After about twenty years, truffles might grow under
the oak trees, but there is no guarantee.
Two California professors, Dr. Moshe Shifrine and Dr. Randy Dorian grew Perigord truffles in
large, flat trays, in a dark, sterile, quiet room. After about one year they were able to harvest marble size
small truffles.
truffle oil
Oil perfumed with truffles. In many cases, the flavor is artificial and it is advisable to read the fine
print on the label.
trug
Shallow, rectangular garden basket.
Also an old British measuring unit for wheat equal to 0.67 bushel.
truite au bleu
French term for poached trout which must have a bluish sheen when it is served. Live trout is
covered with a slippery film, which turns blue when cooked in acidic water. The concept is to kill the trout
just before service, handle it as little as possible to preserve the slippery film, and poach it in slightly
acidic water.
A live trout will burst and twist during poaching, which is a sure sign that it was still alive. A fish
killed some time ago will retain its shape.
In Europe, some restaurants specialize in Truite au bleu and have fish tanks in restaurants.
Guests point to the fish they would like, and are charged by the weight of the fish.
The dish is popular in German speaking countries, and is known as Forelle blau.
trumpets of death
Black/purple chanterelle mushrooms, known in French as trompette de la mort. Despite their
name, they are safe, edible and delicious.
truss
To tie birds so they will retain their shape when cooked. This is normally done with twine, or
sometimes simply with a metal or wooden skewer.

923

try
Verb, an other term for rendering. To cook small pieces of fatty meat or suet until all fat is cooked
out. The remaining pieces should be crisp and are called cracklings when made from pork fat back.
tryptophan
Amino acid found in milk. It is converted in the brain to serotonin, which is believed to have a
soporific effect.
tsampa
Nepalese roasted barley flour.
Tschil
Armenian cheese, also known as Telpanir or Zwirn.
Tsitska
Georgian/Russian wine grape. Also a dry white wine by the same name.
tswin
Alcoholic beverage made with corn by Indians in the South West.
tube pan
Round baking pan with a center tube. Hot air entering the tube will bake the cake more evenly.
The mold is also used for gelatin molds.
tube
Australian slang for a can of beer.
tubers
Vegetable that grows underground, frequently starchy.
tubetti lunghi
Italian dry pasta, commonly referred to as elbow macaroni.
tucker
Australian slang for food. A tucker bag is a bag used to carry food.
tulip
Edible flower. The multi-color petals make a nice garnish. They can also be stuffed with a dip or
salad once the pollen and stigma have been removed.
The bulb is not edible.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
tulsi
Indian basil, sacred to the god Vishnu. See basil.
tulum
Turkish pickled cheese.
tuna
Ocean food fish in the mackerel family. The fish is highly esteemed in Japan, where much is
consumed as sushi and sashimi. The tuna auction at the Tokyo fish market is the biggest in the world
and prize fish can command price In Japanese markets, the fish is butchered carefully, and the cuts are
differentiated by fat content, color and muscle fiber.
Fresh tuna has also become a valued menu item in many American restaurants. It is often broiled
rare.

924

Canned tuna fish has been a staple in American households for many years. Canned tuna is
available packed in oil or in water, and as solid, fancy, chunk, flaked and grated. Inexpensive tuna in the
flaked and grated categories are imported and used in commercial feeding operations.
The calorie content of canned tuna is dependent on the size and age of fish, were harvested and
other factors. It is possible that tuna packed in water has more calories than tuna packed in oil.
Over fishing and the slaughter of dolphin trapped in tuna nets are of environmental concern.
THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMERCIAL SPECIES ARE:
Albacore - used for canning and sold as white meat tuna.
Bluefin - the largest fish, much sought after at the Japanese market.
Bonito - in the mackerel family, cannot be legally labeled tuna.
Hawaiian yellowfin - locally called ahi.
Other tuna species are skipjack and kawakaw. There are many local names used for tuna, and in some
cases the same names are used locally for different species.
Thunnus spp.
tuna
Mexican name for the fruit more commonly known as prickly pear. See there.
Also known as Barbary fig, cactus pear, Indian fig and sabra.
Opuntia ficus-indica.
Tung Ting
Fresh-water lake in the Hunan province of China noted for its delicate tasting shrimp.
Also known as Dongting.
Tunisia food
Dates are a major export.
SPECIALTIES AND FOODS INCLUDE:
Breek or brik - meat filled phyllo turnovers
Couscous - Tunisian couscous is especially sweet. See there
Harissa - fiery condiment.
Tabil - a spice mixture, used in things such as stews.
Tunesia also produces wines.
turban squash
Winter squash.
turban
Food term when the food is molded in a ring mold.
turbot
Large flatfish with excellent flavor and gelatinous dense flesh. The genuine turbot is fished in the
Eastern part of the Atlantic ocean. Turbot on the US market is normally imported, and is very expensive.
Pacific turbot is a relatively inexpensive fish of lesser importance.
Turbotire is the French term for a diamond shaped pot with perforated insert used to poach
whole turbot. This is seldom done today.
Psetta maxima.
Turducken
Louisiana specialty consisting of a boned turkey, stuffed with a boned duck, and layers of meat or
seafood stuffing. It is an odd Cajun concoction. It is available from Herberts Specialty Meats in Maurice,
Louisiana, and from Charlies Specialty Meats in Franklin, Louisiana. The birds weigh about 12 to 16 lb.
A related specialty is pigturducken, made in Texas.
turkey
Large gallinaceous bird native to North America. Wild turkeys can still be encountered. Turkeys
are one of the most important food birds, raised on large farms with scientific precision. Since the meat,

925

without skin, is lean and rich in iron, it is sold not only as meat for roasting, but also in numerous
manufactured versions.
Self-basting turkeys are injected with water and vegetable oils. Much of the turkey's fat is in the
skin, and much of that is saturated fat.
Melagris gallopava.
Turkey food
Large Mediterranean country with a long history of expansion into Eastern Europe during the
Ottoman Empire. This brought exposure to Middle Eastern food to many countries such as phyllo dough,
see there, many spices and coffee. Even the croissant is supposedly modeled after the half moon in the
Turkish flag.
Turkish hors d'oeuvre are called meze. The same term with slightly different spellings is used
throughout the Middle East. Zeytinya lilar is a generic term for dishes cooked with olive oil.
Turkish ingredients are typical Middle eastern items. Eggplants, olives, onions, pine nuts and
yoghurt are often used. Honey and currants are used in desserts. The Turkish cheese is a white cheese
made from sheeps milk. Yufka is a pliable dough, available ready to use. Folded oiled parchment paper
is used frequently to wrap food to be baked or grilled.
Fruits such as dates, figs, quince, apricots, lemons, oranges, raisins, and currants; nuts such as
cashews, pistachios, walnuts. Yoghurt is used in many dishes.
TURKISH FOOD INCLUDES:
Asure - pudding made with beans, chick peas and dried fruits.
Beyin salatasi - lamb brains, a much esteemed delicacy.
Brek - pastries made with yufka dough in many shapes and with many fillings, but always with
cheese added.
Cacik - yoghurt cucumber dip/soup
Dolmasi - stuffed leaves, either cabbage or grape leaves. Dolmasi means stuffed.
Ezme - mixed vegetables.
Hnkr Be endi - Sultans delight, a meat and eggplant puree dish.
Hummus - chick peas dip
Karides - shrimp.
Kasarli kfte - ground lamb on a skewer.
Kebabi - skewers.
Kfte - meat balls, usually made with lamb.
Kftesi - little balls, they can be made with meat or cheese.
Kudzu - lamb
Lebni - yoghurt, garlic, dill and walnut appetizer
Levrek - sea bass.
Midye tava - fried mussels.
Patlican salatasi - eggplant salad
Pastirma - cured spiced beef resembling pastrami. See there.
Pilaki - vegetable stew or dip
Pilf - rice, often blended with vegetables, meat, currants and pine nuts.
Pilkisi - dried bean salad.
Pili - chicken.
Piyaz - white bean and tomato salad
Shish kebab - the traditional kebab, lamb, tomatoes and green peppers cooked on a skewer.
Tarama - fish roe dip.
TURKISH DESSERTS INCLUDE:
Ashure - cold dessert made with cereal and flavored with rose water.
Baklava - phyllo triangles baked with walnuts, butter and sugar.
Helva - semolina cooked with cream and milk served hot or shaped into little balls.
Kadayif - shredded phyllo dough baked with nuts and butter, and soaked with
honey. There are a number of variations. Also known as kadais.
Kazandibi - custard.
Revani - tarts soaked with syrup.
Tulumba - puff paste fritters soaked in syrup.

926

The most popular aperitif is the licorice flavored raki. See there.
Turkish coffee
Middle Eastern way of preparing coffee. Finely ground coffee mixed with sugar is brought to a
frothy boil in a special copper pot. It is drunk not strained, and has the consistency of an espresso slurry.
It is also known as Greek coffee, and under other names in different countries.
Turkish delight
Turkish rich sweet confection made with almonds, egg whites and honey.
Also known as lokum.
Turkish wine
Although a Moslem country, wine is produced and openly consumed. Some of the better wines
are the white Villa Doluca and the white Kavaklidere.
turmeric/turmuric
Spice made from a tropical rhizome, bright yellow/orange inside, related to ginger and arrowroot.
Usually used in its dried and powdered form. Turmeric powder is bright yellow in color. A major
component in curry seasoning and the coloring agent in mustard. Turmeric was used as cloth dye
throughout history and is considered a preservative. Turmeric seeds are often used in pickle spice.
Turmeric flavor and color predominates in ballpark mustard. In cooking for Chinese celebrations,
meats such as roasted pig are sometimes coated with turmeric to frighten away any evil spirits which
might still linger in the carcasses.
Also known as kunjit, haldee, haldi.
Curcuma longa/domestica.
turnip
Root vegetable with a large white or yellow bulb, served boiled, mashed or braised. Small turnips
are a delicacy in France and served as garnish with stews and as vegetable.
Turnip greens are a Southern US. specialty and often cooked with bacon or ham shanks.
Called Swedes in Britain, where the term generally refers to the large rutabagas or yellow turnips.
Navets in French.
Brassica rapa.
turnip parsley
Another name for parsley root, see there.
turnover(s)
Baked item folded over a filling, which results normally in a triangular or round shape. A variety of
dough can be used. The fillings can be sweet, such as fruits, cottage cheese or jams, or meat, seafood or
vegetables.
In the northern Mid-West, a turnover is sometimes called a pocketbook.
turon
Philippine deep fried fruit pastry. Chunks of fruit are wrapped in pastry, sprinkled with sugar, and
deep fried. Served hot.
The dessert is probably of Spanish origin.
turophile
Cheese lover.
turps
Australian slang for alcohol, the term is derived from turpentine.

927

turtle, sea
Sea turtles are endangered species and cannot be harvested. Turtle meat was used in soups,
and frozen turtle steak were available in the US commercially until the 1960's. They did not have much
flavor.
Calipash is the fatty, gelatinous dull greenish substance. It was used in soups.
turtle eggs
Turtle eggs are legally harvested commercially on a stretch of beach in Costa Rica. The harvest
is regulated and supervised, and it is assumed that controlled harvesting will not jeopardize the survival of
the endangered species.
To quote Harriet Ross Colquitt in "The Savannah Cookbook":
"They should be cooked about 20 minutes in unsalted water - and opinion differs widely as to the
most recherch method of disposing of them after they have been correctly cooked. One camp holds that
anyone who knows what is what simply pinches a little hole in the very elusive shell, inserts a little
Worcestershire sauce and salt into the opening, and bolts the whole thing, much as if it were a bitter dose
which should be disposed of as quickly as possible, and about which the less said the better. Others hold
that the whites of the eggs, which never get firm, no matter how long you cook them, were never meant
for eating purposes anyhow, and that the correct form is to open the egg, take out the yellow, season it to
taste and eat it like a gentleman.
turtle herbs
Commercial herb mixture to flavor turtle soups. It consists of basil, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme
and marjoram. There is no longer a market.
turtle soup
The soup was a popular item in elegant restaurants throughout the world. The large sea turtle
was used. Big hotels bought the whole turtle and slaughtered it on premise. Smaller hotels bought frozen
or fresh turtle meat, or canned turtle soup. Making turtle soup was a long process, starting with
slaughtering the unwieldily beat, which could weigh over 100 pounds, bleeding it, boiling, and cutting
open the carapace. The green fat and some gelatinous pieces were boiled for garnish, the rest was
boiled with beef for many hours.
The soup was basically a strong beef consomme, flavored with turtle herbs and thickened with
arrowroot. Madeira wine was added for additional flavor. Described in "Alice in Wonderland" as "beautiful
soup so rich and green, waiting in a hot tureen".
In Victorian England turtle soup was served with a glass of ice cold milk and rum punch.
TURTLE SOUP VARIATIONS:
Boula -Boula - Turtle soup mixed with green pea soup, topped with whipped cream and glazed
under the salamander.
Testudo Soup - Turtle soup mixed with sorrel, cream and egg yolks.
Key West Turtle - creamed turtle soup.
The large sea turtle is an endangered specie, and turtle soup can no longer be served.
Tuscan food
The areain Italy is known for its hearty country fare, liberal use of olive oil, rosemary, sage,
fennel and nepitella, a wild mint.
Tuscany is famous for the Chiania, special breed of beef. It appears on menus as bistecca alla
Fiorentina.
See Italy food.
Tuscany wine
Tuscany produces a huge amount of red wine, some of it world famous. The wines are listed
under their names, such as
Brunello di Montalcino
Chianti
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Vin Santo and many others.

928

Tuscarora rice
Another name for wild rice, see there.
Tuschinsk
Russian cheese.
tusk
Ocean food fish related to hake. See there.
Also known as ling.
tutti frutti
Italian, meaning many different fruits, normally dried. The term is applied to desserts, but also to
chewing gum.
TV-Dinner
Complete frozen dinner for one person, consisting of appetizer, main course and dessert. The
first TV dinner was introduces by Swanson & Co. In 1953, and consisted of turkey, cornbread dressing,
gravy and peas. It sold for 98 cents. Appetizers and desserts were added later.
twankey
Tea term indicating size, not quality.
Twdr Sir
Serbian cheese.
Twinkies
Brand name for a product invented at and still made by the Continental Baking Company. The
inventor, Jimmy Dewar, developed them in the Chicago branch in 1930; and the product is most popular
in that area. Dewar also named the product. The name came to him when he saw a billboard for Twinkle
Toes shoes.
Twirl-O-Ghetti
A pasta fork sold at new York's Hammacher Schlemmer. It works much like an eggbeater. The
diner holds the plastic tube-like stem, which encases a shaft. The other hand turns a handle and the tines
of the fork twirl up the pasta.
Two cents plain
Old fashioned New York City name for soda water or seltzer.
Tworog
Russian sour milk cheese.
txacoli/txakole
Spanish/ Basque wine from the northern part of the region, near the Atlantic coast, made near
the sea in Getaria, but protected from the salty air by sand dunes. The wine is a blend of red and white
grapes, light and acidic, fruity to be drunk young. Can be slightly sweet and lightly ptillant.
txangurro
Spanish stuffed spider crab, specialty of the Basque coastal city of San Sebastian.
txistorra
Spanish. Small sausages with minced pimento, a specialty of the coastal city of San Sebastian.
Tybo

929

Danish cheese flavored with caraway seeds.

Tydeman's Early
Large, round, regularly-shaped apple, which ripens to bright red with pale yellow showing
through. The soft, juicy flesh is slightly acidic. Good for eating, but not for processing. It has a short
season around the end of August and it does not keep well.
Tyrell's Long Flat Red
Australian red wine blended from Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tyrell's Long Flat White. An Australian white wine.
Tyrol
English spelling for the Austrian province Tirol.
Tzatziki
Greek yoghurt dip flavored with garlic.
tzimmes
Jewish stew of carrots and prunes.
U. S. R. D. A.
United States Recommended Daily Allowance. The term refers to the minimum amount of the
nutrient needed by people over 4 years of age.
R.D.A. is the Recommended Dietary Allowance needed to maintain good health.
U-Brew, do it yourself breweries
Recreational brewery which allows customers to make their own beer under supervision. The
concept is that making beer can be social and fun. U-brews started in the mid 1990's.
udder
Part seldom used today as human food, but once used to wrap kebabs.
Ude, Louis Eustache
Chef and author famous during the 19th century.
udo
Japanese perennial plant producing edible shoots resembling asparagus. The vegetable can be
consumed raw as salad or cooked. The raw vegetable has a resinous flavor.
Aralia cordata.
udon
Japanese white wheat flour noodle resembling spaghetti, popularly served for lunch, especially
in Osaka, in a bowl of kelp broth.
Kitsune-udon or fox noodles, named for their golden color, are served with aburage, deep-fried
pieces of bean curd; kotsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) or sliced scallions are often used for a garnish.
Ojiya is an udon soup made with leftover rice.
Udon-suki is a hardier version of the dish.
ugli fruit
A cross between a mandarin and a grapefruit which occurred spontaneously in Jamaica and is
now marketed commercially. It is indeed uglier than most citrus, having a yellowish, rough, warty skin
which is often discolored, and sometimes yellowish-orange in color. The name is said to have been given
the name in Canada, which received the first exports, and the Jamaicans use the name as a marketing
attention-getter. The taste is not particularly outstanding, and is sometimes a little sour.
Citrus spp.

930

Ugni Blanc
White wine grape variety. Known as such in Algeria, but known as St.-Emilion in Cognac and as
Trebbiano in Italy.
Uitsmijter
Dutch sandwich consisting of sliced meat on bread topped with fried eggs. The term means
bouncer, because the dish was traditionally the last meal before the restaurant closed.
uisge beatha
The Gaelic word, meaning water of life, from which the word whiskey is derived. In the Middle
Ages, monks made a spirit which they called uisge beatha.
Ukiah
Wine growing town in Mendocino county, California.
ullage
The amount of liquid missing in a bottle or cask. It is normally caused by evaporation, but can
also be caused by leaking.
ulluco
Peruvian potato variety. Small and thumb-shaped with iridescent yellow-green flesh.
Ulster Fry
Irish meal consisting of bacon eggs, sausages, and potatoes.
umami
Japanese for delicious or savory and by extension for glutamate found naturally in some food
such as seaweed, oily fish but also in cheese, meats and some vegetables. Umami in food will increase
the perception of bitterness in wine.
umbles
Deer intestines, once made into umble pie also kown as humbles pie. See there.
Umbira wines
Famous wines are Orvieto and Torgiano.
um boshi
Japanese fruits that look like pickled red plums, though actually they are hard green apricots,
cured with the red shiso leaf. Sometimes used to make a sweet, clear tea.
Also known as salted plum.
umeshu
Japanese plum wine.
unagivasan
Japanese eel restaurants.
Uncle Ben
Brand name for rice manufactured by the Mars Company. The name was created on the theory
that personalization helps consumers relate better to food products.
underground poultry
Australian slang for rabbit.
Underberg

931

German bitter.
Ungarisches Gulasch
German menu term meaning Hungarian goulash, which is redundant, because goulash is a
Hungarian dish.
uni
Japanese term for sea urchin roe, often encountered at sushi bars.
Unicum
Brand name for a Hungarian bitter after-dinner digestif made by the Zwack company.
Unkraut
German term for for weeds.
unleavened bread
Bread made without leavening agents. It is found mostly in countries with a hot climate. God
examples are matzo, tortilla, arepa, chapati and many others.
Upside down cake
Cake with the filling placed on the bottom of the mold before baking, and inverted after the cake
is baked.
The most common cake in the US is made with pineapples. In France, the famous Tarte Tatin
made with apples is an upside down cake.
urchin
See sea urchin.
Uri
Hard cheese made in the Canton Uri, Switzerland.
Urticaria
Allergy to certain foods, especially mollusks, strawberries, peaches and other fruits.
Uruguay
South American republic with large cattle industry. It also produces wine which is consumed
locally.
Useren
Cheese made in Switzerland, also called Osera in Italy. The cheese is mild.
usu zukuri
Japanese sashimi paper thin cut. The fish is cut so thin it is transparent. The slices are often
spread on the plate like the petals of a flower.
uszka
Polish egg pasta pockets, filled with mushrooms and often served as soup garnish.
Uszka means little ears in Polish.
uxi
Amazon fruit bearing tree. The fruits are thin skinned and grainy.
Endopleura uchi.
V-8

932

Vegetable juice made by the Campbell's company. Though it looks like tomato juice it is made
from eight different vegetables.
vaccarese
Wine grape grown in the Rhne Valley in France and used in Chteauneuf-du-Pape wine.
vacherin
French dessert based on dried meringue circles, filled with cream or fruits.
Vacherin glac consists of a meringue bottom filled with ice cream and topped with whipped
cream.
Vacherin
Name for a number of different cheeses made in Switzerland and in France.
TYPES OF VACHERIN CHEESES:
Vacharin la Main - firm, hard rind cheese with a soft interior
Vacherin Mont d'Or - satiny, rich cow's milk cheese from the Alps. Made from late summer milk
and sold only November through January.
Vacharin de Fribourg - soft cheese
Vacharin Fondue - spiced cheese resembling Emmenthal cheese.
Val d'Aosta
Region in the Northwestern corner of Italy. Famous for Fontina cheese.
See Italy, food of.
Valdiguie
French red wine grape variety once extensively grown in Southwest France, but now of declining
commercial interest.

Valenay
French goat cheese in the shape of a truncated pyramid, dusted with blue-gray cinders. A firm,
supple cheese with a goat aroma and slightly nutty flavor. Inferior versions are salty and acidic.
Valencia
City and region on the east coast of Spain. Noted for its oranges and for the frothy white local
beverage called horchata. See there.
The Arabs first brought oranges to Valencia.
valerian
Medicinal perennial plant. The roots are used. Also known as allheal.
Valerian officinales.
Tanacetum vulgarities.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Valomilks
Candy from Kansas consisting of milk chocolate with a runny marshmallow enter. Sifers is the
major brand.
Van der Hum
South African tangerine flavored liqueur.
Vandermint Dutch
Brand name for a chocolate and mint-flavored liqueur.
Vandycke

933

Obscure term for trimming a fish tail to accentuate the V shape.

vanilla
The pods of a climbing vine, and the only edible member of the orchid family, the plant is native
to Mexico, but most of the vanilla fields in Mexico have been taken over by oil fields and easier to grow
orange groves, and what little is grown there is consumed domestically. Vanilla is now grown in many hot,
humid, tropical climates. Most of the vanilla consumed in the US is from the Bourbon Islands in the Indian
Ocean (Madagascar, Reunion, and the Cormoros Islands) and also from Tahiti. Vanilla is also grown in
the West and East Indies, the Seychelles, Indonesia, Uganda, and the Tonga Islands.
The taste of the bean depends on where the bean is grown, its species, and how it is cured.
There are about 50 species, but the most common is the narrow, tapering vanilla planifolia or vanilla
fragrans. The Mexican and Madagascan vanillas are the same species, vanilla planifolia, because the
latter was grown from cuttings of the former. Tahitian vanilla has larger beans and a stronger flavor.
Vanilla flavor is so common that it seems to be a generic flavor. Often thought of as the opposite
of chocolate, which is interesting since the two have many similarities, including growing climate and
history. Also, many chocolate recipes call for vanilla as an ingredient. In fact, vanilla is the second most
important ingredient in the chocolate beverage, "chocolatl" consumed by the Aztecs.
The Spanish explorers in the 15th century first noticed the use of vanilla when they observed the
Aztecs flavoring their "chocolatl" with the ground vanilla pods. The Aztecs called the vanilla "tlilxochitl"
meaning black pod. The explorers brought it back to Europe where it was used to enhance chocolate and
tobacco. The Spanish named it vanilla, meaning little pod.
In Europe, vanilla was considered an aphrodisiac, and was forbidden to young people and
monks. In fact, this was the reason why monks were banned from eating chocolate which frequently was
flavored with vanilla.
Before the 20th century, vanilla had other non-food uses in Europe as well. It was thought to have
medicinal powers in aiding digestion, soothing headaches, and counteracting melancholy and anemia.
The vanilla bean was traditionally difficult to grow because the reproductive parts are separated
and the plant cannot pollinate itself, and without pollination, there are no pods. Bees that lives only in
Mexico were able to pollinate the plants. However, in 1836 Charles Morren, a Belgian botanist,
discovered a way to pollinate the bean by hand, and the vanilla industry thrived in other areas.
Vanilla is expensive because it is labor intensive to produce. Commercial production begins with
controlling the vines. Left unpruned, the vines would grow into trees over 30 feet tall. They must be
pruned or bent into loops to keep the beans within reach. The beans are still pollinated by hand using the
process developed in 1836.
Once fertilized, a full-sized six to ten inch pod grows in about six weeks, but the pods take four to
nine months to mature. They are picked just as their green color starts to turn yellow. At this point, the
beans have neither flavor nor fragrance. Then the curing process begins. The beans are sweated, dried
and fermented to release the vanillin and other flavor components. The curing process is usually
repeated until the pods are dark brown and completely shriveled. Outside each processed, shriveled,
brown pod is a white powder containing the flavor components, and inside reside tiny black specks of
vanilla. The sequence from picking through production can take up to six months, and about five pounds
of green pods produce only about one pound of dried beans.
If the whole dried beans are expensive, they are not readily perishable. Their usefulness can be
extended by storing them in sugar; they will flavor the sugar which can then be used, and the bean can
still be steeped in milk or liquid to abstract more flavor. After steeping, the bean can be dried off, and
reused.
Most vanilla reaches the US in the from of dried beans. The commercial extract is made by
soaking ground beans in alcohol and percolating the mixture much like coffee, though the mixture, about
35% alcohol, is never brought to a boil.
Scientists in California are now producing natural vanilla flavor without the use of beans, by using
vanilla cells.
In Mexico, where some of the finest beans are grown, an imitation vanilla is also made from the
bean of the tonka tree. See there. But though the appearance of the bean and the taste of the extract are
similar to the real thing, the imposter contains coumarin, a blood thinner, which could be dangerous.

934

For years, artificial vanilla, Lignin vanillin, has been produced from wood pulp and coal tar vanillin
is only one of the nearly 200 flavor components, albeit perhaps the most important, which give real vanilla
its complex taste and aroma.
Most of the vanilla used is in the from of extract, produced by soaking cured, chopped vanilla
beans in alcohol and water. Vanilla flavor can also be gotten by steeping a split vanilla bean in a cooking
liquid. After the flavor is imparted, the beans can be removed, dried and reused.
Vanilla not only has its own wonderful flavor, but it mixes well with other flavor, often having a
heightening effect on them.
Vanilla planifolia.
Vanilla sugar
THERE ARE TWO TYPES:
Mixture of powder sugar, starch to avoid caking and a flavoring component, which can be natural
or synthetic.
Natural vanilla sugar made with vanilla beans, usually split stored in sugar to impart flavor. A
previously used vanilla beans will be effective, but should be completely dried after its first use before it is
put into the sugar.
Vanillin
The component in the vanilla bean which gives it its fragrance. This component is also found in
the Indian spice asafetida, in asparagus, and in wild roses. It emerges from the vanilla beans when they
are cured.
Valais
Swiss Canton along the upper valley of the Rhne River producing wine on steep slopes. The
famous wines are the white Fendant, made with the grape variety of the same name, and the red Dle
made with Pinot Noir and Gamey grapes.
Valdepeas
Wine term originally applied to common wines grown in La Mancha, Spain, south of Madrid. It is
not a legal term to describe these wines.
Valdepeas wines have now been defined as wines produced in a limited area made with
specific grapes.
It is also the name of a red wine grape.
Valmur
Grand Cru vineyard in Chablis, France.
Vareniki
Russian cheese ravioli served in broth.
Valpolicella
Italian red wine produced northwest of Verona. Much wine is consumed as table wine, but some
is aged in wood and is a premium wine.
Valtellina
Italian wine district near the Swiss border. The red wine cultivated on the terraced hillsides are
dark red and mature slowly.
Var
French region on the Mediterranean producing red, ros and white wines.
Varenne, Francois-Pierre
French chef who wrote "Le Cuisinier Franoise", published in 1651. Varenne was the chef to the
Marquis d'Uxelles. The renowned La Varenne cooking school in Paris was later named after Varenne.

935

varietal wine
Wine named for the particular grape that is its main ingredient, such as Chardonnay, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling or Zinfandel.
American law says that in order for a wine to bear a varietal name it must contain at least 75% of
the grape, in France a wine must contain 100% of the grape. Geographic names are most prevalent in
France; only in the Alsace region are varietal names common. In the rest of Europe varietal names were
sometimes used, such as Grner Veltliner in Austria. Many wines are blends and cannot use the varietal
name. They are named after geographic areas and vineyards.
In other cases, the grape varieties permitted is regulated by custom and law. It becomes
therefore redundant to identify the wine by grape variety and more important by region and vineyard.
Most Bordeaux wines are blends, and the vineyards are important because the quality between vineyards
vary greatly.
The issue is inconsistent and adds confusion to wine labels. Chianti is a blended wine from the
Chianti region, Verdicchio is a grape variety, and both wines come from Italy. A German wine label might
say Riesling despite the fact that this particular vineyard can only grow Riesling grapes as mandated by
law.
The practice of naming wines after grape varieties became prevalent in parts of the world where
the vineyards were not well known. This is especially true when the wine industry started in California,
Australia and New Zealand.
vark
Indian term for thin sheets of genuine silver or gold foil, used for decorative purposes on
elaborate desserts and other dishes in upper-class cooking. Tasteless and odorless, but edible.
Vark can be purchased in Indian grocery stores. See India food.
Vartzami
Greek red wine grape variety.
vasilopitta
Greek New Years cake baked with a good-luck coin inside.
Vstgotst (Vastgotaost)
Swedish cheese.
Vatel, Franois, 1635 - 1671
French chef and matre d'htel to Prince de Cond. When preparing for a feast to honor the
French King Louis XIV and his retinue at Chteau Chantilly, he felt humiliated that he was short 2 of the
25 roasts needed. For the next day's feast, he hoped to redeem himself. Searching the horizon for the
fish arriving for the Friday nights meal, he saw only two carts instead of the expected 12 from the distant
Atlantic seaport. It was too much for him to bear. He adjourned to his room and stabbed himself, taking
three attempts before he managed the fatal stab. Had he been that persistent in facing and overcoming
the adversity in the kitchen, he would have seen the other 10 carts arriving.
There is a French chefs society called the Vatel Club in New York City. As far as is known, no
member committed suicide.
Vaucluse
French wine growing area in the lower Rhne valley producing many famous wines, such as
Chteauneuf du Pape, Gigondas and others.
veal
Bovine animals up to three months of age are classified as veal, over three months and up to one
year as calves. They can be graded by the USDA, but many producers prefer to sell veal under their
brand names. Plume de Veau is one brand name. Many companies sell nature veal and claim it is as
good as branded veal.
Veal grades are U.S. Prime, U.S. Choice, U.S. Good and U.S. Utility. For grading information
see Beef grading.

936

Milk fed veal is confined to small stalls and fed a concentrated diet of milk, vitamins and other
feed. The meat is rosy pink.
Veal cutlets are normally cut from the leg. Tenderized cutlets and frozen breaded cutlets are
normally made with a lesser grade veal or calf, and run through machine which will cut small incisions in
the meat to make it more tender.
IMPORTANT VEAL WHOLESALE CUTS:
Hotel Rack, seven ribs - Meat Buyers Guide # 306
Chuck Square cut - Meat Buyers Guide # 309
Breast - Meat Buyers Guide # 313
Loin - Meat Buyers Guide # 331
Leg - Meat Buyers Guide # 334
Most food service operations no longer buy wholesale cuts but boned and trimmed pieces.
Veal Francese
Dish invented by Italian restaurateurs in the US. It is not clearly defined, but is usually a veal
cutlet, quickly sauteed and served with white wine sauce and lemon juice.
veal glue
Old seventeenth century English term for a rich veal broth.
Veal Parmigiana
Italian/American dish consisting of a breaded and fried veal cutlet topped with tomato sauce and
melted mozzarella cheese.
veau
French term for veal.
Vaud
Swiss Canton on the north shore of Lake Geneva. It produces white wines.
Vega Sicilia
Famous Spanish wine made in Valbuena, Ribera del Duero. It is Spain's most expensive wine.
Wines of longevity and complexity. High in alcohol, about 13.5%.
The varietal mix is approximately 60% Tempranillo, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, and
the remainder Malbec and the local white grape Albillo. The blend varies.
The wine is aged in 225 liter barricas (barrels) made of French and American oak crafted right at
the winery. Some new barrels are bought every year.
The production is about 20,000 cases of red wine annually.
QUALITY LEVELS:
Valbuena 3.0 - aged about 1 years in small oak barrels, and then transferred to large vats to
age and released about 3 years after harvest.
Valbuena 5.0 - released about 5 years after harvest.
Unico gran reserva - the top classification, is aged 10 years before being
released. It is produced from the oldest vines and is never fined or filtered.
Vega Sicilia is now owned by a large multinational company, which owns also extensive wineries
in Tokay, Hungary.
vegetable marrow
English name for zucchini squash.
vegetable oil
Any oil produced from a seed, such as peanut, corn and many others.
vegetable oyster
Another name for salsify because the flavor of salsify resembles oysters.

937

vegetable patty
Hamburger substitute consisting of vegetables, flour and other non animal binders. A number of
companies created vegetable patties and they have become an expected menu item in restaurants. Soy
bean products are often used.
vegetable pear
Another name for chayote squash. See there.

938

vegetable protein
Soybean based products which can be used as binders in meat products and in the manufacture
a meatless products.
vegetarians/vegetarianism
Diet which has attracted a considerable number of followers, especially on college campuses.
There are many levels of vegetarianism. Ovo-lacto vegetarians eat eggs, dairy products and vegetables.
Some eat also fish.
veggies
Slang term for vegetables in general.
velout
French sauce made with white stock and roux . Any stock can be used, such as chicken, veal or
fish as long as it is white. It is considered one of the basic, or mother sauces in French cooking, and is
often finished with cream and egg yolks.
velout
French wine tasters term to describe soft, velvety and silky older wines.
Velveeta
American pasteurized process cheese spread, made by Kraft since 1928. It is a mixture of
cheese, whey, sodium phosphate, salt, and lactic acid, and the coloring agent annatto. Also comes in a
slightly hot Mexican style with bits of jalepeo peppers.
veitchberries
Berries in the loganberry family. See there.
Rubus spp.
Veltliner
Austrian white wine grape. One of the most popular wines is called Grner Veltliner.
vendace
Fresh water food fish in the whitefish family.
Coregonus vandesius.
vendage
French term for grape harvest, but the term is is not used on labels to indicate vintage.
Vendemmia in Italian.
Vendima in Spanish.
Weinlese in German.
vendage tardive
French wine term for late harvest wine. It generally indicates that the wine is sweet.
Vendme (vendome)
French soft ripened cheese, resembling Camembert, made in the Department Loir-et-Cher.
Vendme, Csar, 1594 - 1667
Duke, son of French King Henri IV.
Veneto
Italian hard (grana type) cheese, also called Venezza. It is similar to Asiago.

939

venison
The term refers to any game meat from deer, elk, reindeer, roebuck or any game animal with split
hoofs and red meat.
The meat is dark and tasty and sold under the generic name venison. The meat has gained on
popularity because it is very lean. The loin of younger animals can be cooked medium to rare, the meat of
older animals it can be though and dry. The meat will improve by aging. If aging is not practical it should
be marinated and braised.
European cooks routinely larded venison meat to add fat and moisture, but few chefs today
possess larding needles necessary for this purpose. See larding.
See deer.
venus clam
Another name for quahog clams. See there.
VEQPRD
Portuguese wine term for sparkling wines meeting established standards. Regions entitled to this
appellation are Douro, Bairrada, Do and Varosa.
verbena
Plant used in herb tea. Praised by the early Greeks and the French. The flowers are used in
Turkish cooking to flavor beverages.
Also known as vervain, blue vervain, or holy herb.
Hiera botane in Greek; herbe sacre in French.
Aloysia citriodora.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Verdelho
Madeira/Portuguese white wine grape, the most widely planted white grape on the island of
Madeira.
Verdi, Giuseppe
Italian opera composer, 1813 to 1901. A number of dishes and restaurants are named after him.
Verdicchio
Italian white wine grape. The most popular wine is Verdicchio Casteli di Jesi. Much Verdicchio is
used in the Spumante sparkling wine production.
Verdiso
Italian white wine grape cultivated in northern Italy.
Verdojo
Spanish white wine grape. Much is used in the production of Cava, the Spanish sparkling wines.
Vergennes, Comt Charles
French foreign minister who supported American independence.
variety is named after him.

A native American grape

verjus
Unfermented grape juice, sweet or acidic depending on the grape variety and state of ripeness of
the grapes used. It can be used as vinegar or as sweetening agent in cooking and in balsamic vinegar.
The term is also used for slightly fermented juice from unripe grapes and other fruits. Often used
in sauces.

940

Vermentino
Corsican/French white wine grape, also grown in Sardinia and Italy.
blending wine and as a table wine.

The wine is used as

vermicelli
Italian pasta, fine noodles, used mostly for soups. The term means little worms.
Vermont, Inc
Cooperative marketing venture to promote the food of small Vermont producers. Begun in 1984
by Jerome Kelley
Vermont Distillers
Distilling operation begun in Vermont in by local businessmen Steve Israel and Brian Tyrol, with
the help of Eric Bauer and Peter Kamenstein. Their production of vodka, gin, and more unique local
products Tamarack and Sugarbush Maple Spirits began in early 1989.
Tamarack Liqueur is a bourbon-based cordial flavored with maple syrup. Sugarbush Maple
Spirits is a rum-like distillate of maple syrup.
vermouth
Alcoholic beverage based on wine, herbs, botanical and fortified with brandy. Said to be the third
oldest beverage in the world after water and wine.
Botanical that might be used are: Artemisia flowers, anise, bitter gentian root, cardamon,
centaury, chamomile, Chinese rhubarb, citrus peel, cloves, coriander seeds, dittany, flowers, hyssop,
juniper berries, marjoram, orris root, quinine, sage, sandalwood, teas, vanilla beans, wormwood and
yarrow.
Developed during the Renaissance, it became popular in the late 18th century in Torino, Italy
where the key ingredients, wine and botanical were readily available. vermouth is credited with medicinal
qualities.
The two major producing countries are France and Italy. Their vermouth differ in flavor.
Vermouth is produced in many countries including the US, often by the same companies located
overseas. It is consumed as aperitif and as cocktail ingredient.
THERE ARE FOUR STYLES:
Secco (dry white)
Bianco (sweet white)
Rose (semi-dry rose)
Rosso (semi-sweet red)
French vermouth -usually pale in color and dryer than Italian vermouth.
The word comes from German for wormwood
Vernaccia di San Gimignano
Italian white wine grape.
Vernatsch
Italian red wine grape variety of German origin, grown in Alto Adige, the South Tyrol region of
northern Italy. Other names are Schiava Grossa, or Grossvernatsch.
Verona
Italian town famous for Romeo and Juliet, and for Soave, Valpolicella, Bardolino, Chiaretto and
other wines.
vert pr (pre)
French garnish for grilled meats or roasts. Literally translated green meadow. Obviously, the
garnish ingredients must be green and usually consists of water cress.
vert(e)
French term for green. Sauce verte is a cold herb sauce based on Mayonnaise.

941

Vertache
French term for a green plum variety.
vesiga
The spine marrow of sturgeons. It is sold usually in its dried form, in a long narrow ribbon. It
requires about five hours of soaking in cold water and three or four cooking in broth before it can be
used. Reconstituted it has a gelatinous texture
The most common use for vesiga is in coulibiac, a Russian fish loaf baked in yeast dough. It is
used more for its texture than taste. The closest substitute is tapioca boiled in fish stock.
Vsiga in French.
vessels
Containers to hold liquids. Bottles and holding vessels include:
Basquaise - A squat bottle, similar to the German Bocksbeutel.
Armagnac (see there).
Bocksbeutel - squat German wine bottle. A flagon used for Steinwein.
Pornes/porrnes - Spanish water or wine jugs.
Tokuri/tokkuri - traditional small sake bottle.

It

is

used

in

Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin

Famous champagne producer named in 1805 Veuve Clicquot when the then 27 year old widow
took over the business. She is credited with developing the process of removing the sediment in the
bottle neck by freezing.
Vialone
Italian short-grained, egg-shaped, polished rice commonly for risotto.
It is like not generally available in the US. Arborio rice is a good substitute.
viande
French word for meat.
Viande de grison
French name for Swiss air dried beef. Lean beef, normally from the round (leg) is salted and
slowly dried in fresh mountain air. It is named after the Swiss Canton (state) Grison or Graubnden. The
cool mountain air and steady breeze is perfect for air drying beef. It is served sliced very thin, often with
melon or other fruits.
Called Bndnerfleisch in German.
viande seche
French, dried meat, normally beef.
vibration cooking
Improvisational cooking with your common sense. Although the term was coined by ethnic
groups, and relies on the cook's adaptability to use foods at hand, it tends to seek out good quality
ingredients.
Vichon
White wine made by Robert Montavi in California from condensed grape must made in
Languedoc, France.
Vichy
Spa in southwest France. The local mineral Vichy water is bottled and marketed world wide.
Vichy water was used in a braised carrot preparation called Carrots Vichy, but this is seldom done today.

942

Vichyssoise
Cold potato and leek soup, created by the French Chef Louis Diat at the Ritz hotel in New York
City. He called the soup Vichyssoise because he grew up near Vichy in France, and his mother made it.
During World War II, French chefs in New York City tried to change the name to Crme Gaulloise
because they hated the Nazi associated Vichy government. The name change never took hold.
Victoria sponge cake
Old English term for pound cake. See there.
Victory gardens
Term for home gardens to grow vegetables during the first and second world wars.
Vidal Blanc
New York State hybrid white wine grape variety.
Vidalia
Sweet onion prized for its mild taste, as well as its high yield per acre and disease resistance. It
was developed by Dr. Henry Jones, a research director at the Desert Seed Company, in the early 1940's.
Originally called the F1 Hybrid Yellow Granex, it was renamed for the Georgia town Vidalia, where it was
grown. By Georgia law, only onions grown in 19 southeastern counties may be marketed as Vidalia
onions. Vidalia onions require a mild climate, low sulphur soil and 12 hours daylight . The combination of
these conditions is perfect in southeastern Georgia.
Vidalia onions are available primarily in May and June.
Vienna food
The capital of Austria has been a melting pot for many eastern European cultures and many
Viennese dishes originated in Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, the
Balkan states and even in Italy. There is hardly a dish which cannot be found, spelled slightly differently,
in a neighboring country. However, it was refined and improved in Vienna.
In Viennese households the preferred cook was Bohemian and in hotels the pastry chef
Hungarian.
Viennese cooking has an almost mystical reputation with Austrians and many restaurants and
hotels throughout the country advertised Viennese Cuisine to distinguish from the more basic local
peasant fare.
The most authentic and original contribution to gastronomy is the attention paid to boiled beef.
The Viennese developed an almost scientific method of carving the beef carcass into cuts suitable for
boiling, each with a proper name, which would appear on menus. Much cattle came from Hungary and
was of excellent quality. The most famous beef cut is the Tafelspitz. The boiled beef is served with a long
selection of hot and cold sauces, potatoes and creamed or pureed vegetables.
It was said that the Emperor Franz Joseph ate boiled beef every day. The resulting beef stock
inspired numerous soup garnishes, such as little dumplings made with semolina or bread, shredded thin
pancakes and many others.
The Hungarian goulash, a beef stew flavored with paprika is made with great attention to the
basic recipe, and then available with different garnishes, each with a precise name.
Veal is of excellent quality, and roast veal, including roast veal shanks are on many menus.
Wiener Schnitzel is a breaded veal cutlet, pounded thin, pan fried and served with lemon wedge and
assorted salads. The breading should be light and fluffy, and the standard garnish found internationally
of capers and anchovies are not Viennese at all. Veal cutlets without breading are also served in many
variations.
Chicken dishes centered around a boned and breaded bird called Backhendel. With chicken
inexpensive today the dish has lost much of its luster. Roast capon is available in many restaurants.
Roast goose and duckling are popular winter dishes.
Pork is also popular, often prepared in connection with Sauerkraut.
Game is available in season, especially roebuck, hare, pheasants and other wild birds.
The local variety of fish is limited to carp, which is eaten on Christmas Eve, trout, Huchen, a
Danube catfish and a fish called fogosh from the Hungarian lake Balaton.

943

The most famous sausage resembles the hot dog and is called Frankfurter in Vienna. It is
smoked, sold in pairs and is a popular snack.
Vienna is famous for desserts. There are two basic varieties, hot desserts which are eaten often
as main course, or after a meal, and cold desserts, cakes and Torten. The variety is endless, and the
cold desserts are often served with whipped cream, called Schlag in Austria. The most famous dessert is
the Strudel, a roll shaped concoction which can be filled with fruits, such as apples, and served warm or
cold.
Vienna claims to have brought coffee to Center Europe when the retreating Turks left some
coffee bags behind. The Turks never conquered Vienna. Over the centuries, Vienna has created coffee
houses where people could drink coffee, read the newspapers and while the day away.
COFFEE SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
Einspnner - Strong coffee with whipped cream.
Kapuziner - Strong coffee steamed with hot milk and sometimes topped with whipped cream. It
resembles cappuccino.
Kleiner Brauner - Small coffee with milk. Literally translated, a little brown one.
Maria Theresia - Black coffee with orange liqueur, whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Mlange - Large coffee with hot milk.
Mlange mit Schlag - Large coffee with hot milk and whipped cream.
Mokka - Strong black coffee, served in a cup slightly larger than demitasse.
Trkischer Kaffee - Turkish coffee. Finely ground coffee and sugar brought to a gentle boil in
special copper pots. The coffee should foam when served, and is not strained.
Verkehrt - Coffee flavored milk, about one part coffee to four parts milk.
CAKE SPECIALTIES INCLUDE:
Dobos Schnitten - Thin sponge cake layered with chocolate cream and glazed with caramel
Imperial Torte
- Chocolate cake layered with almond paste, and topped with
marzipan.
Krapfen - doughnuts.
Marmor Guglehupf - Bunt cake baked in a fluted mold, marbled with chocolate or poppy seeds.
Sacher Torte - Dense, rich bittersweet chocolate cake, with apricot jam filling. See there.
Stanitzl - A cone of dough, filled with wild strawberries and whipped cream.
See also Austria food.
Vienna sausage
Generic term for small canned sausages. They have nothing in common with Vienna.
vieux
Masculine French term for old, vielle is the feminine term.
Vieux Chteau Certan
Famous wine estate in Pomerol, Bordeaux, France.
Vieux Telegraphe, Domaine du
French wine from the Rhone valley, a type of Chteauneuf du Pape which requires five of six
years of aging before it comes into its own.
vigneron
French term for winemaker and wine grower.
vignoble
French term for vineyard area.
Vila Nova de Gaia
Portuguese town across the Duoro River from Oporto. Most port wine shippers are located there.
The spectacular bridge over the river was constructed by Eiffel.

944

Villafranca del Peneds

Wine town south of Barcelona, Spain, and the center of the sparkling wine production, called
cava in Spain. The principal town is San Sadurni de Noya.
Villard Noir
French red wine grape variety planted in the Southwest and other parts of France.
Villard Blanc
French white wine grape, productive but in the process of being phased out and replaced with
more valuable vines.
Villeroi Sauce
French sauce used to cover, or mask food. The sauce had a high gelatin content, and when the
food was chilled, the sauce became solid. The food was then breaded and fried. Old fashioned.
The sauce is named after a distinguished French aristocratic family.
Villiers
French cheese made in the Department Haut-Marne.
vin
French term for wine made form fermented grape must. If it is made from other fruit it must be
identified as such.
vin blanc
French term for white wine. Vin rouge is red wine.
vin de liqueur
French term for sweet fortified wine. The term is used often for a blending wine added for
additional sweetness.
vin de lanne
French term for wine less than one year old, young wine.
vin de paille
French sweet wine produced from grapes that have been sun-dried on straw mats after they
have been picked. The drying reduces the water content in the grapes, and makes them sweeter. Paille
is the French term for straw.
vin de primeur
French term for very young wine. The Austrian term is Heurigen.
vin de table
French. Pronounced van duh tahb. Regional French wines. Literally translated "table wine",
these are the sort of wines drunk in French homes everyday
vin de tte
French term for wine made with free run must, it can be the best quality because the grapes were
not crushed and pressed. Tte means head in French.
vin du pays
French, literally translated "wine of the country", the term refers to a simple local wine.
vin mousseux
French term for sparkling, or effervescence wine.

945

vin nouveau
French term for new wine, less than one year old.
vin rouge
French term for red wine.
vin sur lie
French term for fresh fermented wine before final filtering. The wine is not completely clear and
has a yeast flavor. The term lie means lees, dregs.
vinaccia
Italian term for the grape pomice which includes the pulp, skins, seeds, stems and occasionally
leaves, and is used in making grappa, the fiery brandy.
vinaigre
French trem for vinegar meaning vin aigre, sour wine.
vinaigrette
French salad dressing consisting of vinegar, oil and spices.
sometimes added.

Mustard, salt and pepper are

Vindaloo
Searing hot curry, a specialty of southern India. The meat (commonly goat, lamb or chicken) or
shrimp is marinated in the spices with vinegar. It is then cooked in the marinade.
vinegar
Acidic liquid which can be made with wine or cider, from distilled grain alcohol or wood. The most
common is white vinegar with about 5% acidity strength. There are many vinegar varieties produced by
different ethnic groups and by the fancy food industry.
Vinegar can be made at home with a vinegar mother, commercially available. It is a sticky,
flabby mass that converts wine or cider into vinegar. The vinegar mother, Mre de vinaigre in French, will
continue to expand and grow as long as there is a suitable liquid and favorable temperature.
TYPES OF VINEGAR:
Balsamic - see there.
Cider - any kind of fermented cider can be made into vinegar. See cider.
Fruit - when fruits, especially berries, are steeped in vinegar some flavor will
transfer. Popular fruit vinegars available are raspberry, currants, pineapples and many more.
Herb - many herbs can be used to flavor vinegar. The best known is tarragon vinegar, followed
by basil, thyme, rosemary and lavender.
Malt - see there.
Rice - See there.
Wine - See there.
vinegar pie
Old dessert, seldom made today. It consist of a vinegar flavored custard, made without milk,
baked in a pie shell.
vinegar candy
Confection flavored with vinegar resembling butterscotch.
vinetto
Italian term for small, or little (not quantity) wine.
vinho
Portuguese term for wine.

946

vinho Regional
Portuguese wine term, regional wine. It is not the most prestigious category.
vinho de Mesa
Portuguese wine term, basic wine from Portugal.
Vinho verde
Light Portuguese wine produced near the Spanish border north of Oporto in the northern
province of Minho. The wine is generally white, but also ros and occasionally red wine is made.
Literally translated green wine, but referring the fresh rather than color.
viniculture
General term for producing wine from cultivation to the finished product.

vinifera
Botanical name for the plant which has become through centuries of cultivation and
experimentation thousands of different grape varieties.
vino
Italian and Spanish term for wine.
vino bianco
Italian term for white wine.
Vino rosso, Italian term for red wine.
vino de arrosto
Italian term for full bodied red wine intended to be served with roasts.
vino de color
Spanish term for concentrated grape juice used to flavor and color Sherry wines. The must is
boiled down to a syrupy consistency and then blended with a small amount of Sherry wine and carefully
aged.
vino de mesa
Spanish term for table wine.
vino da messa
Italian term for sacramental or altar wine made according the church regulations.
vino di Taglio
Italian term for blending wine.
vino da tavola
Italian term for table wine.
vino tinto
Spanish term for red wine.
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
Celebrated Tuscan, Italy red wine made around the town of the same name with Sangiovese and
other grapes. The 17th century poet Francesco Redi referred to it as the king of all wines.
vino rancio

947

Spanish old style of wine made in the Pnedes region by ageing white wine in the open air in
large, partially stoppered jugs. The effect is a sherry-like wine.
vin santo
Italian wine. A unique style of amber-colored dessert wine. It is made from partially dried grapes,
pressed and sealed into small barrels. Contrary to most wines, it is subjected to extremes of weather.
Beyond this, the wine is difficult to define.
The grapes may be strung from rafters to dry or they may be laid out on mats. Unlike most other
wines, Vin santo cannot be described by the grapes it's made from; it can be made from a blend of white
grapes or red grapes, or just one variety, such as the Malvasia. The withered grapes may be pressed as
early as November after the harvest or as late as March. It is fermented with or without the assistance of
a "mother". A wide variety of barrels are used. The result is a bewildering array of styles and quality
levels. It can range from sweet to dry, from superlative to undrinkable. However, the results are not just a
product of luck so a good producer can be depended on to make a good bottle

Vino sfuso
Italian term referring to wines sold while still in the barrel.
vintage
Term to indicate the year when the wine was made. certain wine are blend from different years,
such as most Sherries, Port, Champagnes and other wines. Obviously they do not indicate the vintage.
The same is true for many distilled spirits.
Viognier
White wine grape variety, originally a Rhone wine varietal, but also grown in California.
violet
Perennial edible flower, both the leaves and flowers can be eaten. The purple or pink blossoms
have a sweet, sometimes spicy flavor. They are used in salads for flavor and decoration.
Violet blossoms can be candied in sugar and used as a garnish on cakes and desserts. They are
commercially available. Candied violets will last for a long time. Escoffier mentioned a violet flavored
sherbet.
Also known as English violet, sweet violet, wood violet.
Viola odorata.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
viper's grass
Scorzonera, another name for black salsify. See there.
Virginia date
The native American variety of persimmon. See there. The term refers to the fact that if the fruit
is left to dry, the persimmon will turn into a date-like fruit.
Virginia ham
Cured and very lightly smoked ham from razorback hogs. They are leaner and tastier than
regular hogs, and often feed with peanuts. Virginia ham is salty and must be soaked before it is cooked.
It is best baked after soaking with a sweet glaze to counterbalance the saltiness. Smithfield is a town in
Virginia famous for ham production. The ham is marketed as Smithfield ham, but genuine Virginia ham is
also produced at other locations in Virginia.
Virginia style ham is ham baked with sugar or a sweet glaze. It is often sold in delicatessen and
restaurants as Virginia ham, which is erroneous. See Smithfield ham.
Virginia
Irish cheddar-like cheese.

948

949

Vitamins
Chemical compounds found in normal diet in sufficient quntities to maintain health.
VITAMINS LISTED ALPHABETICALLY:
Vitamin A - essential for normal growth. Sources are: Green and leafy vegetables, carrots, sweet
potatoes, liver, egg yolks, butter, cheese, fish roe, apricots, prunes, peaches, milk, cream and fish liver
oil. Not water sullable.
Vitamin B/ Thiamin - appetite stimulant, essential for proper utilization of food and the normal
functioning of the digestive tract. Sources are: Avocados, squash, grains such as wheat, enriched flour,
lean meat, liver, chicken, many fruits and yeast.
Vitamin B 2/Riboflavin - necessary to convert food into energy the body can use. Sources: Liver,
organ meats, eggs, milk, cheese, peanuts, whole grain cereals, green vegetables.
Vitamin C/Asorbic Acid - preventation of scurvy and hemorarrhages, regulation of the hearth
muscle, reduction of oxidation of food, formation of healthy gums and bones. Sources: Citrus fruits,
berries, peppers, cabbage and other leafy green vegetables. Vitamin C gets destroyed by heat and
disolves in water. The acerola (see there). has the distinction of being the richest of all fruits in vitamin C,
and it is cultivated for medicinal purposes. Believed to reduce the symptoms of a cold, though it doesn't
prevent colds. Why it works is not known.
Vitamin D - necessary to the proper utilization of calcium for healthy bones and theets. Sources:
Sunlight, egg yolks, fatty fish such as salmon, herring and shad, eggs, butter, and other dairy products.
Niacin/Nicotinic Acid - conversion of food into energy. Sources: Lean meats, chicken, liver,
salmon, eggs, milk, green leafy vegetables.
There are other vitamins, but their importance in nutrition is rather little. Vitamin losses are caused by
long storage, especially of vegetables containing vitamin C, drying of food, oxidation by exposure to air,
heat, soaking in water, adding baking soda cooking green vegetables, long storage of cooked food.
Most vitamins can be produced synthetically.
Fat soluble vitamins are A, D, E, and K. Water soluble vitamins are in the B omplex and vitamin
C.
Viterbo
Italian cheese made with ewes milk, and flavored with wild artichoke.
viticulture
The growing of wine grapes.
Viticulteur is the French term for wine grower.
Viura
Spanish white wine grape originally grown in the Somontano region, now grown in Rioja and
throughout Spain.
Picked early in the season. Viura wine can be drunk young, fresh and crisp with little or no aging
in wood. Viura wine also ages well, and some is aged in oak for a full-bodied style with vanilla-like flavors.
Sometimes a little is blended into red Rioja wines to give them a little acidity.
Also known as Macabeo, especially outside of the Rioja region.
Viz (Vize)
Greek grating cheese resembling Romano.
VLQPRD
Portuguese wine term, quality fortified wines produced in determined regions.
vodka
Clear distilled beverage of Russian and eastern European origin. Basically odorless and
flavorless, it is made from grain, potato or other root vegetables. Vodka manufactured in the US is made
from grain and is about 80 to 100 proof. Vodka is drunk straight ice cold, or as cocktail ingredient. The
most famous cocktail containing vodka is Bloody Mary.
Flavor infused vodkas range from pepper to various fruits and exotic spices. They have become
popular and new names and flavors reach the market often.

950

Void
French cheese resembling Limburger.
vol au vent
French name for patty shell made with puff pastry. Vol au vent can be made in many sizes, from
tiny, bite size to large shells serving 10 people.
The translation of the French name means flying in the wind because the shell is supposed to be
light and airy.
Bouches is the French term for bit size patty shells served as hors doeuvres.
Volatile oil
Natural oil in fruits, spices and vegetables carrying much flavor, but evaporating rapidly when
exposed to air.
volire, en (voliere)
French tern for game birds decorated with its own feathers. The practice is not sanitary and has
disappeared.
Vollrads, Schloss
German famous wine estate in the Rheingau centered around a beautiful caste built in 1355,
owned by Graf Matuschka Greiffenklau. The wine carry on the label the name Schloss Vollrads and the
specific type, such as Auslese, Trockenbeerenauslese etc.
Volnay
Famous little town in Burgundy, France producing celebrated red wines.
volpine
Lagoon fish harvested in the area around Venice, Italy.
Vongerichten, Jean-Georges
Talented and successful chef, born in Alsace France. He apprenticed at the famous Auberge de
l'Ill and worked for restaurateur/consultant Louis Outhier.
Vongerichten, Jean-Georges made a name in America when he opened the prestigious
Restaurant Lafayette in New York City's Drake Hotel. His fresh, creative style relies heavily on fish,
vegetables and light sauces. He owns and operates restaurants in New York City and London.
vongole
Italian term for clams. Razor clams are known as cannelli.
Vorarlberg
Austria province at the borders with Switzerland and Germany. It makes a sour milk cheese by
the same name.
The province exported for many years cheeses to the US under a number of brand names.
Visne Romane
Celebrated wine town in Burgundy producing some of the most elegant and expensive Burgundy
wines, such as Romane Conti, Richbourg, La Tche, La Romane and others.
Vouvray
Wine growing town in the Touraine area of the Loire Valley in France, also the wine grown there.
About half the wine produced there is sparkling, and with a bit of residual sugar they can be long lived.
Primary grape is the Chenin Blanc.
Menu-Pineau is a particular wine from Vouvray.

951

VQPRD
Portuguese wine term, supplementary designation for wines that conform to established norms,
such as grape varieties, soil, climate, viticultural and wine making technics.
Vranac
Yugoslavian red wine grape variety.
Wachau
Austrian wine region on the Danube river west of Vienna.
Wachenheim
German wine town in the Palatinate (Pfalz) region. Most wines are white.
Wachstum
German wine term for growth. It is no longer used on wine labels.
waffles
Breakfast dish, cookie or dessert, made with a batter consisting of milk, eggs, flour, leavening
agent such as baking powder or yeast, some fat and sugar, baked on a special waffle iron with a grid-like
pattern and a heated lid.
Belgian waffles are thick, made with a special waffle iron and are served as dessert with whipped
cream and fresh fruit.
Waffles are originally from Holland and Scandinavia. Norwegian waffles are called vafler.
Gaufrette in French, Waffel in German, galletta in Italian, barquillo in Spanish.
wagyu
The Japanese cattle bred for used for Kobe beef. See there.
wakame
See seaweed.
Waldin
Avocado, large, spherical variety of the Guatemalan type. Developed in Florida, and also grown
in Mexico. It is picked mostly in August and September.
Waldorf Salad
Salad created for the opening of the hotel in 1893. It consists of diced apples and celery, mixed
with mayonnaise. In later years, the salad was sprinkled with walnuts and became a staple in many
restaurants.
At The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, the Waldorf Salad was a staple on the luncheon menu as main
course, and was garnished with three types of finger sandwiches:
Raisin bread with marmalade
White bread with cream cheese and jelly
Date nut bread with peanut butter.
The Waldorf Salad is mentioned by Oscar of the Waldorf in his cook book published 1896.
Walewska, Maria
Polish duchess, alleged lover of Napoleon I when he invaded Poland. Her name appeared on
menus for a fish garnished with shrimp, cream sauce and truffles.
walking onion
The plant has three foot stems with clusters of little bulbs. The stems bend over and the bulbs
touch to ground and start to grow, hence the name.
The plant grows in full sun and is winter hardy.
Also called Egyptian Tree Onion.
Allium cepa Ziviparum.

952

Walla Walla
Sweet onions named for the area in southeast Washington state where they are grown. The
onions are very large, 3" to 4" across, golden in color and mild tasting.
The seed was brought from Corsica by a Frenchman, Peter Pieri. Arbini, named for John Arbini
is a particular strain of onions developed in 1925 and is often referred to as French Onion.
The Walla Walla Gardeners' Association is the cooperative that has overseen the interests on the
onion farmers since 1916.
Walla Walla onions are sometimes referred to locally as French onions.
Waller
German/Austrian name for a Danube catfish.
walleye
Fresh water game fish, often called erroneously pike. It is in the perch family.
Stizostedion vitreum.
wallfish
British nickname for snails.
walnut
Tree growing in temperate climate throughout Europe, the Middle East and the US and Mexico.
The trees are cultivated for their nuts and for the hard, richly grained wood. The tree is native to Greece
and Asia Minor, and is recorded since antiquity in the Middle East. The nuts are eaten raw, and are also
used in cooking, baking and in confections.
Walnuts are extensively cultivated in many states, especially California for their lumber and fruits.
Black walnuts have an exceptionally hard-shelled, dark colored nut, with a deep rich flavor. They
are grown in Mississippi and in the hardwood areas of central Italy. California walnuts are a Persian
variety and produce a softer-shelled, flavorful variety. All trees are in the Juglans family.
Pickled whole green walnuts in the shell are a British specialty. They are pickled wit vinegar,
caramel and spices and are eaten whole as condiment.
A walnut flavored liqueur is Nocello.
Juglans nigra, the American black walnut.
Juglans regia, spp.
walnut liqueur
Liqueur made by macerating walnut husks in brandy and sugar. One brand is Nocello.
Also known as brou, eau de noix.
walnut oil
Expensive oil with a pleasant taste. The oil has a low smoking point and should be used in
salads rather than for frying. France and Italy are major producer. Once opened it can become rancid
rather rapidly.
wanigan
Supply wagon or cooks boat during colonial times. The name is probably Indian origin.
warabi
Japanese fern shoots picked wild in the mountains of central Japan.
Warwickshire
English cheese resembling Derby. See there.
wasabi
Japanese horseradish, often served with sushi dishes. Most restaurants use wasabi powder,
which will, when mixed with water become a pungent green paste.

953

Washington pie
Early American cake, usually two or more layers, and with jam spread in between and icing on
the top. It is not a pie at all.
The name and recipe is attributed to Martha Washington.
Washington food
The state of Washington has a distinctive cuisine, the result of its location between the sea and
some of the major tree fruit and berry growing areas in the US.
The coastal city of Seattle is famous for its local seafood, especially many varieties of oysters.
The dominant sea food is salmon, halibut, oysters and the famous geoduck clam.
Washington is the major producer of rhubarb in America and Walla Walla onions. See there.
One of the most important crops is berries, especially in the Spring. The predominant commodity
is raspberries with an annual production is 23 million pounds, followed by strawberries, cranberries and
blueberries. Washington also produces wild mushrooms.
Tree fruits include pears, plums and cherries. Washington is a large apple producer, and the
state has adopted its own grading system to maintain quality.
WASHINGTON APPLE GRADES:
Washington extra Fancy
U. S. Extra Fancy
Washington Fancy
U. S. Fancy
U. S. No. 1
VARIETIES GROWN IN WASHINGTON AND THEIR SEASONS:
Red Delicious - available year round
Golden Delicious - available year round
Fuji - available year round
Granny Smith - available year round
Gala - available September to December
Winesap - available October through August
Breaburn - available October through July
Rome Beauty - available October through June.
Washington state beers include the light styles of Olympia and Rainier and the more full-bodied,
assertive styles of Ballard Bitter, Hales Pale Ale, Henry Weinhard, Pyramid Wheaton, Red Hook ESB,
and Thomas Kemper Bock.
See also Seattle food.
wassail
Alcoholic beverage made with spiced ale, cider or liquor. The name comes from the Old Icelandic
wes hal which loosely translated means stay in good health or wishing good fortune. Therefore the
appropriate toast is wassail and the appropriate response is drink-hail.
It was served from the Wassail bowl.
Wassailing is an Anglo-Saxon mid-winter celebration. Prodigious quantities of liquor, particularly
hard cider, were drunk.
water
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION (FDA) DEFINITIONS:
Bottled water - water sealed in bottles or other containers for human consumption
Club soda - tap water that has been filtered, artificially carbonated and has mineral slats added
for flavoring.
Distilled water - water with minerals removed by distillation.
Drinking water/processed water - bottled water that comes from a government approved source
and then filtered or treated in some manner before bottling. The water can be blended, and can come
from a tap, well, lake and other sources. The water is processed, such as the addition of chlorine or other
chemicals and the addition or deletion of mineral salts.
Flavored waters - Any processed water with flavors added.

954

Mineral water - there are no national standards for mineral water and thecomposition can vary
greatly.
Natural mineral water - The European standards specify that any water from a natural spring can
be called mineral water if mineral waters are present as the water flows at the source. The mineral
content is usually 500 milligrams dissolved minerals per liter. In some states the mineral content must be
stated on the label.
Natural water - water obtained from protected underground sources without processing.
Seltzer - tap water filtered and artificially carbonated.
Sparkling water - water with carbonation, which can be natural or added.
Spring water - water from a deep underground surface. If the water remains un-processed it can
be labeled Natural Spring Water.
water bagel
Term which should be redundant as all bagels should be first boiled in water before baking.
However, the food industry has developed imitation bagels which are not boiled. See bagel.
water, bottled
Bottled water consumption in the US experienced tremendous growth in the 1970's and 1980's,
going from about 1.5 gallons per capita in 1976 to about 7.2 gallons in1999. Bottled waters can be
classified as still waters and carbonated waters. Some waters are naturally carbonated, others have CO2
added.
Bottled water sales increased dramatically when easy to use plastic bottles were introduced.
Carrying a water bottle around became a status symbol, even if it did not make much sense.
Bottled waters include the following brands:
Apenta - Hungary
Appolinaris - Germany
Artesia Salt-free - San Antonio
Badoit - French mineral water
Evian - France
Gastein - Austria
Pellegrino - Italy
Perrier - France
Poland Springs - Maine
Rmerquelle - Austria
Saratoga - New York
Sidi Harazem - Morocco
Spa - Belgium
Vichy - France
Vitel - France
Yporca from Paraguay
Bar l Eaux, a Parisian water bar in the 16th Arrondissement, serves about 130 different waters.
Eau in French, Wasser in German, agua in Spanish, acqua in Italian.
water chestnuts
Fruits of aquatic plants used in oriental cooking.
TWO VARIETIES:
trapa natans - can be eaten raw, cooked and as flour.
trapa bicornis - eaten boiled or pickled with sugar and honey.
The Chinese water chestnuts is a tuber called pi tsi and is usually sold canned. They are
common in Chinese cuisine, and are often served during Chinese New Year celebrations to symbolize a
wish for many children. Their crisp white flesh is encased in thin dark brown or black skin.
Eleocharis spp.
water chinquapin
American Indian name for the acorn like fruit of the American lotus.
chestnuts.

It resembles water

955

Nelumbo lutea.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
water ices
Frozen fruit juice with acidity, such as lemon juice added, to balance the flavors. Water ices are
often called Italian Ices. Granits in French.
Sherbets are made with milk, fruit pulp and a stabilizer, such as egg whites or gelatin.
water mint
Wild mint which makes a good tea to combat nausea.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
water lemon
Fruit of the Jamaica honeysuckle, pale yellow and edible.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions.
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Laurifolia.

This entry is not intended to

water lily
The roots of a number of water lily species have been consumed in the Orient and the Middle
East since antiquity. They were also eaten by American Indians.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
water maize
The seeds of a number of tropical water lily species. The greenish black seeds the size of peas
were an important food source for Amazon Indians.
Victoria regia.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
water smoking
Moist-heat smoking method which involves hot smoke from charcoal passing over a water tray to
produce smoke flavored steam.
water spinach
Delicate tropical vegetable plant used in South Asian cooking.
Ipomoea aquatica.
watercress
Salad plant with dark green leaves and spicy, peppery, pungent taste. It is widely cultivated and
is used as garnish or ingredient in Oriental dishes. It holds up in stir-frying.
Many restaurants garnish steaks with a sprig of watercress.
Nasturtium officinale.
watermelon
Watermelons are of a different genus than most other melons which are cucumis melo. But like
other melons, they grow on vines which wind along the ground.
They are of African origin, but for years have been grown in warm regions of other parts of the
world, notably the American south. They are generally large and heavy, weighing from 5 to 10 pounds.
They have a bright red pulp and numerous black seeds. They range in shape from oblong to round, and
the skin varies from dark green to pale green, or alternating stripes of the two shades. The flesh contains
a high percentage of water, so much so that a spigot can be inserted and the water drained off for a
watermelon beverage.

956

Many varieties are available now and some are seedless, others have yellow flesh. Small
watermelons are called Sugar Babies.
In some areas, such as, the West Indies, watermelons are smaller, round, and have a pale, offwhite rind, but they are the same red color inside. Loving (or Lulling?), Texas stages and annual
watermelon thumping festival.
There are also seedless watermelons. In addition to its obvious culinary advantage, they keep
better because they has no seeds which generate ethylene gas and make the flesh around them mushy.
These seedless melons tend to be redder, with thinner rinds, and are especially sweet.
Citrullus lanatus, citrullus vulgaris.
watermelon seeds
They are sometimes served during Chinese feasting, such as during the Chinese New Year.
They symbolize a wish for many sons.
Waters, Alice
Innovative American chef credited with having created, along with Jeremiah Towers California
cuisine at Chez Panisse Restaurant in Berkeley, California.
waterzooi/waterzo
Flemish/Belgium stew, usually made with chicken or fish, with boiled potatoes in a thick broth.
Usually served in huge portions
wats
Ethiopian stews often seasoned with berbere. See there. Usually eaten with injera, a spongy flat
bread.
wax bean
Beans with yellow colored pods, an immature form of a kidney beans.
weakfish
Ocean food fish, also called sea trout. The name referres to their tender mouth.
Also known as Squeteague.
Wealden Rounds
English cheese.
Wear-Ever
Brand of aluminum cookware.
Wechsberg, Joseph
American food and travel writer of Czech origin.
BOOK TITLES ARE:
Blue Trout and Black truffles
Dining at the Pavillon
Red Plush and Black Velvet
Sweet and Sour
The Continental Touch
The Story of Melba and her Times
Some of his articles were published in the New Yorker Magazine.
weever
Ocean food fish with venomous spines. The fish is usually cooked whole.
Trachinus draco/trachinus vipera.

957

Wehlen
Small wine town on the Moselle river in Germany. It produces excellent white wines and one
vineyard is decorated with a gigantic sun dial, called Sonnenuhr, which gives the name to a famous wine.
Weibel
Well known wine company located in Mission San Jose in Alameda county, California.
Weights and volume of metric equivalents.
WEIGHT EQUIVALENTS:
1 pound (16 ounces) = 453.6 g
1 ounce = 28.35 g
3 ounces = 100.00 g
35.27 oz = 1 kilogram (1000 g)
VOLUME EQUIVALENTS FROM GALLON TO LITERS:
1 gallon = 3.783 liter
1 gallon = 4 quarts
1 quart = 0.945 liters
1 quart = 2 pints
1 pint = 0.472 liters
1 pint = 2 cups
1 cup = 0.236 liter
VOLUME EQUIVALENTS FROM LITERS TO GALLONS:
1 liter =1.05 quarts, or 33.9 fluid ounces
750 mm = 25.42 fluid ounces
500 mm = 16.95 fluid ounces
250 mm = 8.47 fluid ounces
Wein
German term for wine. Weisswein is white wine. Rotwein is red wine. Schaumwein is sparkling
wine, often called Sekt.
Weingut
German term for wine estate.
Weinstein
German name for tartar, the naturally occurring acid in wine, which can become tiny crystals,
which are harmless.
Weinstrasse
German term for road meandering through wine country, well marked for tourists.
Weissbier
German beer made mostly with wheat mash, and is low hops. The light yellow color and
refreshing taste makes it a popular summertime beer.
Weissbier is the name used in northern Germany. In Bavaria the beer is called Weizen Bier.
Weissherbst
German ros wine made along the shores of Lake Constance.
Weisslacker
Bavarian cheese with strong smell, and smeary surface. It is often called with the genric name
Bierkse.

958

Weisswurst
German term for a veal sausage made with milk, served hot poached. The sausage is especially
popular in Munich, where the Weisswurst is made every morning, and fuss is made about eating it fresh
before the church bells peel at noon.
Well-bred Loaf
Food company begun by Judy Glicken, a former social worker, and Steve Caccavo, a former
guitar teacher, in New York City 1974. They began by making brownies, hallah, Irish soda bread, and
pound cake.
well-done
Steak term, meaning fully cooked. Bien cuit in French.
Wellfleet
Oyster harvested off the coast of Wellfleet in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Its oval shell is small to
medium in size. Its flavor is clean and mildly salty.
Wellington
Arthur Wellesly, Duke of Wellington, 1769 to 1852. Beef Wellington is supposedly named after
him. See Beef Wellington.
Welschriesling
German white wine grape.
Welsh onion
See scallion.
Wensleydale
English cheese. One variety is blue veined, and one is white. The cheese is semi soft.
Wente
Famous California wine family and wine company founded in 1883.
Werder
German semi soft cheese, made originally in West Prussia, now Poland.
Wesley, John 1703 - 1791
British founder of the Methodist church who remarked that wine is one of the noblest cordials in
nature.
West Friesian
German cows skim milk cheese.
Westcott Bay Petite
Oyster harvested in the Westcott and Tiger Bays off the San Juan Islands in northwest
Washington State. The oysters are medium-size, and the shells are pinkish-white in color.
Western
Egg omelet made with blended green peppers, ham and onions.
Westphalia Cheese
German sour milk cheese.
Westphalian Ham
Famous lightly smoked and air dried ham from Germany.

959

wet market
Outdoor or somewhat sheltered market, open to several sellers, which has wet floors from the
washing of vegetables, the fresh fish brought in, etc.
wets
French fries with gravy. The term appears on menus by Richard Melman of Lettuce Entertain You
Enterprises in Chicago.
whale
Ocean mammal which can only be hunted in very limited quantities by small ethnic groups.
Whale oil was once an important industrial commodity and was used as lamp fuel and processed
for human consumption.
Whale meat is reported to resemble beef in color and texture, and must be boiled or braised.
See blubber.
wheat
One of the most important grains in the world, and of great importance to the US farmers.
WHEAT CLASSIFICATION BY PLANTING TIME:
Winter wheat - planted in the fall and harvested in mid summer
Spring wheat - planted in spring and harvested late summer
WHEAT CLASSIFIED BY OTHER CHARACTERISTICS:
Density - hard, semi hard and soft
Color - white, amber or red
Protein strength - strong, moderate or weak.
WHEAT PRINCIPAL VARIETIES IN THE U.S. :
Hard red spring wheat - with high gluten content, used for bread flour.
Hard red winter wheat - also used for bread flour.
Soft red winter wheat - used for cake and pastry flour.
Durum wheat - hard wheat used for semolina for pasta production.
Winter wheat - seeded in fall and harvested in spring and early summer.
WHEAT PRODUCTS:
Bran - the outer shell of wheat kernels.
Bulgur - crushed whole kernels, used in Middle eastern dishes. See there.
Wheat germs - the germ or embryo of the wheat kernel. It contains oil.
Triticum sativum, triticum spp.
wheat bran
Partially ground husk, a fiber no-soluble by humans. It ushers food through the body.
wheat bread
Generic term for bread made with wheat flour. It can be made with bleached flour, blended flour
or with whole wheat flour.
If whole wheat bread is labeled 100% whole wheat, it must contain 100% whole wheat flour and
will be high in fiber. Caramel color is often added to whole wheat bread. See bread.
Wheaton Shucking Machine
Oyster opening machine using infrared light, developed at the University of Maryland in 1968. It
did not catch on.
whelks
Marine snails with spiral shaped hard shells and massive body. The Italian name is Scungilli,
and is found under this name in Italian restaurants.
Buccinidae undatum.
whey

960

Cheese making term, the liquid remaining when the curds and fat are removed.
whipped cream
Heavy cream whipped until thick. The fat content has to be at least 36% to become thick.
Whipped cream can be flavored with sugar and other flavors, but it will not store well, because the sugar
will absorb moisture and make the cream watery. Whipped cream in commercial operations is often
blended with stabilizers.
Crme Chantilly in French, Schlag in Austria, crema batida in Spansih.
Whiskey/whisky
Distilled grain beverage. Traditionally, American and Irish whiskeys have been spelled whiskey.
All others, including Scotch, Canadian, Irish and Japanese are spelled whisky.
See Scotland beverage for information about the manufacturing process.
DEFINITIONS:
Blended - blend of different spirits, but at least 20% must be 100 proof straight whiskey
Bottled in bond - whiskey in storage before tax is paid. The Bottled in Bond Act from 1894 has
exact stipulations what kind of distilled spirits can be warehoused
and how long.
Bourbon - Made in the United States from a fermented mash containing at least 51% corn. It
must be distilled at no more than 160 proof and aged in new, charred oak barrels for at least two years.
Canadian Whisky - All Canadian Whisky sold in the United States are blends of different
whiskies. Traditionally they contain a high percentage of rye, barley, corn and wheat.
Irish Whiskey - Most are a blend of several whiskies of different ages made with different grains,
although single malts are also available. The malt used in Irish whiskies is dried in coal fired kilns and
does not have the smokey character of Scotch whiskey.
Moonshine - Illegal distilled spirits.
Neutral Spirits - Any distilled spirit at 190 proof without noticeable aroma.
Proof - Alcohol content expressed in double the percentage the beverage
contains. 80 proof whiskey contains 40% alcohol.
Scotch Whisky - Blended or single malt products produced in Scotland. Single malt must be
produced entirely from malted barley in one single distillery. Blended Scotch Whiskies are the products
from several different distilleries and can contain neutral grain alcohol.
Sour mash - process developed to insure quality continuity. A portion of the previous days mash
is added to the new mash. The process was developed in the 1840's by Dr. James C. Crow.
Tennessee Whiskey - Straight whiskey produced in Tennessee from fermented mash containing
at least 51% corn, then passed through charcoal before aging.
Straight whiskey - distilled at proof not exceeding 160 and aged in new oak barrels at least two
years. The proof at bottling must not be lower than 80.
White dog - Unaged distillate before blending and aging. Also known as green whiskey and high
wine.
white bass
Fresh water food fish harvested for sport rather than commercially.
Also known as sunfish.
Roccus chrypsos.
white beans
White dried beans, larger than kidney beans used in Italian cooking. there are many varieties.
Known as cannellino beans.
Faceless vulgaris.
white cabbage
Other term for green cabbage, the most common variety of cabbage. The outer leaves are
green, but the inner leaves are white.
It is used when color is important, such as in cole slaw and in sauerkraut.

961

White Castle
Name of a fast food chain specializing in Hamburgers. As early as 1921, it promoted its
hamburgers for take out with the still lively phrase "Buy 'em by the sack."
Its tiny hamburgers,
originally priced at 5 cents, were called "sliders". They were cooked on a hot griddle over a bed of minced
onions, so they steamed rather than browned on the griddle. In 1995, the company served 395,608,401
patties in 302 outlets.
White Cheshire
English cheese dating back to the 12th century. There are two varieties, the red Cheshire is
colored with annatto dye, and the other is white. The flavor is the same.
White chocolate mousse
Cold dessert based on white chocolate rather than the more common dark chocolate. It was
created by Michel Fitoussi in 1977 at the Palace restaurant in New York City. It became soon a faddish
dessert.
white crab
Another name for Dungeness crab, because of its snow-white meat
white currant
Pale variety of currant, less acidic. There are red, dark and white varieties.
Ribis sativum.
white diamond
Poetic name for white truffles found in Northern Italy. The gem of a nickname refers to the fact
that the mushrooms are treasured for their gustatory gifts as well as their rarity which makes them
extremely expensive.
white goods
Beverage trade term referring to clear, white distilled spirits, such as gin, vodka and light rum.
white hots
Hot dogs sold at the popular Vic and Irvs refreshment stand since the 1930's in Rochester, New
York made with spicy ground veal, split and then grilled.
White House
The home and office of The President of the United States has only recently enjoyed the
services of renowned chefs. Starting with the Kennedy administration, French-born Ren Verdon was
hired, followed by Henry Haller. When Haller retired in 1987, an American-born and trained Chef was
hired from the kitchens of the Greenbrier Hotel.
Before President Kennedy, the kitchens were managed by the Armed Services.
White, Jasper
Innovative American chef and owner of Restaurant Jasper in Boston, Massachusetts. Many of his
dishes are inspired by the Italian and Portuguese cuisine which came to Boston in the late 19th and early
20th centuries.
White lady
Cocktail made with gin, lemon juice and Cointreau.
white melon
Round smooth-skinned, pale yellow melon available from New Zealand January through March.
white mulberry
See mulberries.
Morus alba.

962

white mustard
Mustard seeds can be white and black. The white seeds are milder than the black seeds.
Mustard is made with a blend of both.
White Peking
Duck breed which originated in China and is used to make Peking duck. It is the ancestor of the
popular US Long Island duck. See duck.
white pepper
Pepper powder ground from the dried pepper berry after the black outer layer is removed.
White pepper is marginally milder than black pepper. It is used to avoid black specks in light
colored sauces. It is a visual issue.
white peppercorns
See peppercorns.
white radish
See radish.
White Russian
Cocktail is made from vodka, Kahlua, and cream.
white sapote

Tropical fruit, originally from Mexico and now grown in

Florida and California. Outwardly, it resembles an apple, with a
slightly pointed bottom. Chartreuse to canary in color; the soft,
sweet, cream-colored flesh is bland, with suggestions of tropical
fruit flavors, depending on variety. Usually eaten out of hand,
but also made into desserts and ice creams, like the cherimoya.
However it is not to be confused with the cherimoya
Anona cherimola. Both fruits are known as custard apple.
White sapote is not related to mamey sapote and black
sapote Diospyros ebenaster or to sapodilla Achras sapota.
These fruits are all described under their alphabetical listing.
Also known as Sapota chico.
Casimiroa edulis.

white sesame seeds

See sesame seeds.
white sauce
Sauce made with white roux, which is flour slowly cooked in butter, margarine or oil and milk. In
classical French cooking, the milk was often flavored with onions, cloves and peppercorn.
Cooking flour with fat removes the raw taste, and also makes it possible to blend with milk to
become a smooth sauce. It is important that the sauce comes to a full boil, and boils a few minutes. For
this reason, it is best to heat the milk to the boiling point before it is added to the cooked roux. This way,
the sauce will boil quickly. Some recipes call for the sauce to be made in a double boiler which is sheer
nonsense, because the sauce will not boil properly.
White sauce is a basic sauce used in many recipes. It should be seasoned with salt, pepper and
nutmeg.

963

White sauce is the American name for Sauce Bechamel.

white wine
Wine made from grape must without skin contact during fermentation. Most white wine is made
from white grapes, but is also made from red grapes. In the US the White Zinfandel became popular. It
is a red grape variety, but the wine is not allowed to ferment with the skins and therefore stays white.
whitebait
Tiny fish, the fry of sprat and herring, popular in England where they are often rolled in oatmeal
and fried. They were originally caught in the Thames, before the river got polluted.
Also available in the US.
whitefish
Fresh water fish, harvested in rivers and in the Great Lakes. The fish is in the salmon family,
although the flesh is white or greyish.
Cisco is the major species with many sub species.
The fish is fatty fish, and it lends itself to smoking. Smoked whitefish is can be kosher, because
the fish has scales and therefore is a popular staple in Jewish delicatessens.
Small smoked whitefish is called chub.
Ceregonus spp.
whiteys
Fisherman's term for blue crabs which have a gleaming white underside. They have recently
molted, are no longer soft shell, but they haven't quite filled out their new shells yet. They are usually
used for canned or processed crab meat.
whiting
Ocean food fish in the cod family with lean meat harvested in the North Atlantic. Much catch is
frozen and used in commercial fish products.
Also known as silver hake.
Whitstable
Oyster variety harvested in England, famous in Europe.
witch
Ocean flat fish resembling sole.
whole wheat flour
Flour containing all of the wheat grain, with nothing taken away and nothing added. Nutritionally
valuable as a source of natural fiber. High in vitamin B, more so than white flour.
whore's eggs
Nickname for the sea urchins.
whortleberries
See bilberries and huckleberries.
wiener
Hot dog type sausage named for Vienna. It is an abbreviation of Vienna Sausage.
The sausage is known as Frankfurter in Vienna.
The sausage is sometime spelled Weiner, which helps the pronunciation, but is wrong. The
German word for Vienna is Wien.
Wienerbrd

964

Term used in Scandinavia, with different spellings, for Danish pastries, because the dough
making method originated in Vienna, Austria.
Widgeon
Wild duckling variety.
wild boar
The ancestor of our domestic pigs with darker meat. The males have fearsome husk and when
cornered are dangerous. Few if any are left in the wild, but game reserves release farm raised boar for
hunters.
In the Ardennes region of Belgium, they are domestically bred, then released and hunted for
sport. The young boar is called marcassin in French.
wild rice
Cereal grain in the aquatic grass family that grows in marshes like rice and looks like large brown
rice after harvest. It used to be harvested by the Chippewa Indians by traditional methods from flatbottomed boats.
It is found only in the northern regions of North America and is cultivated in Minnesota and in
Canada. Wild rice is also cultivated to a small extent in Italy.
Wild rice is esteemed for its nutty flavor and is expensive. Most is marketed as blend with regular
rice. When buying wild rice the percentage of whole and broken kernels determines the price. For most
uses, rice with a high percentage of broken kernels is adequate.
The thick shoots, when peeled are used in Chinese cooking.
Also known as Indian rice, Tuscarora rice, crazy oats, water oats and water rice.
Zizania aquatica.
wild strawberries
Tiny strawberries with pronounced taste harvested in fields and meadows. Very few reach the
market, and small strawberries resembling in shape are being cultivated.
Frais du bois in French.
Wild Turkey
Brand of straight rye whiskey.
Willapa Bay
Oyster harvested in the Willapa Bay off the southwest coast of Washington state. Medium in size.
Its multi-hued shell has a deep cup which holds a plump oyster with a clean taste, slightly salty and
slightly sweet.
Wilstermarsch
German cheese, also called Holsteiner Marsch, resembling Tilsiter.
Wiltingen
Little town in Germany on the Saar River, famous for its white Riesling wines.
Wiltshire
English hard cheese resembling Derby.
Wimpy burger
Nickname for hamburger. The name arose in the 1930's from a popular Popeye comic strip
character, J. Wellington Wimpy, who was excessively fond of hamburgers.
In England, Wimpy is still synonymous with hamburger.
Windermere catchup
Windermere catchup is made in the Lake District of England and is flavored with mushroom and
horseradish.

965

Flavored ketchup were once popular in England, including oyster and mussel versions.
wine
Fermented fruit juice. The most common fruit is grape must, but wine can be made from berries
and almost any other fruit, but must be named accordingly. When the label just says wine, it must be
made from grape must.
wine, calories
Virtually all table wines contain 100 to 110 calories per 5 oz. serving. The calories in dry wines
come primarily from the alcohol, so red and white wines are basically the same.
In sweet wines, calories come from both the alcohol and the sugar and can go as high as 180
calories per 5 oz serving
wine cooler
Wine drink popularized in the mid-1980's. A blend of white wine, carbonated water and fruit juice.
The wine represents only about 30% to 40% in most coolers. Thus they are low in alcohol, about 4% to
6%.
The leading wine cooler in the US in 1986 was Bartles & James made by E. & J. Gallo, with
nearly one-quarter share of the market. The second largest brand was California Coolers made by
Brown-Forman and third was Sun Country Cooler made by Canandaigua Wine Company.
Blending wine with soda to make a refreshing drink is not new, but bottling it with fruit juice was a
marketing success.
wine cork
See cork.
Wine Institute
Industry organization in California to further the interests of the wine industry.
wines, low alcohol
Low alcohol wines contain 7% alcohol or less. They can be made by blending slightly fermented
wine with grape juice and water.
No alcohol or de-alcoholized wines are any wines with an alcoholic content of 0.5% or less. Dealcoholized wine can be made by several two key methods:
The alcohol can be removed through distillation. The wine is heated and the alcohol is
evaporated off.
The alcohol can be removed through membrane filtration.
wine palm
See coquito.
wine quality forecasting
Wine experts follow the progress of wine closely while still on the vine, shortly after the first
fermentation and while the wine is aging. It takes much experience and luck to predict how a certain wine
will develop, especially when the wine normally takes many years to reach its prime.
Wine merchants sell to the public futures, wine one or two years before it is released. The price
is based on demand and on the mostly optimistic predictions of wine merchants.
Orle Ashenfelter, a Princeton economic professor devised a mathematical formula for
determining a wine's quality before it has developed and without tasting it. The formula takes into account
all growing factors such as soil, climate, temperature, rainfall, grape variety, etc. and is based on
historical data. He is right many times, but misses out on the fun of tasting wines.
wine, rare bottles
As of May 1988, the eight most expensive bottles ever sold at auction were:
$156,450 for a 750 ml bottle of 1787 Lafite bearing the initials "Th.J.", sold 12/85 in London.
$60,000 for a double-magnum of 1858 Mouton sold 11/87 in Chicago.

966

$56,000 for a 750 ml bottle of 1784 Yquem bearing the initials "Th.J.", sold 12/86 in London.
$44,880 for a double-magnum of 1832 Lafite, sold 4/88 in London.
$38,000 for a jeroboam of 1870 Mouton, sold 10/84 in Houston.
$31,000 for a bottle of 1735 Johannisberg Riesling Graflich Schnborn'scher Eigenbau, sold
11/87 in Eltville, West Germany.
$31,000 for a 750 ml bottle of 1822 Lafite, sold 5/80 in San Francisco.
$30,000 for a 375 ml bottle of 1784 Margaux bearing the initials "Th.J.", sold 6/87 in Bordeaux.
wine server
See sommelier.
wine, serving temperature
Old red wines - 65 to 68 degrees
Young red wines- 60 to 65 degrees
Dry white wines and ros wines - 50 to 55 degrees
Sparkling wines and sweet wines - about 40 degrees, although very fine sweet

wines should be

wine vinegar
Vinegar made from wine. Both white or red wine can be used. It is a simple process, vinegar
mother is added to wine, and stored at room temperature or slightly higher. Oxygen is needed for the
conversion of wine to vinegar and for this reason, the container should not be filled to the top.
The best wine vinegar is manufactured in Orleans, France by a slow fermentation process.
All wine producing areas also produce vinegar such a sherry vinegar, champagne vinegar and
many others. It is often an expedient way to use wine not suitable for bottling, or to use wine that has
turned into vinegar.
Wine vinegar can be flavored with fruits and spices like any other vinegar.
Winesap
Apple variety.
winged bean/winged string bean
Unusual Asian bean with frilly, chartreuse pods. Commonly found in the Philippines. Interesting
looking and nutritious, but with no distinctive flavor. The taste is somewhere between a string bean and a
soybean.
Can be served raw such with dips as they are nice and crunchy, or steamed or stir-fried.
Also known as Goa bean.
winged pea
See asparagus pea.
winged yam
Southeast Asian very large yam, weighing up to 20 lbs.
Dioscorea alata
Winkel
Little German wine town in the Rheingau. The most famous wine comes from Schloss Vollrads.

Winston
English apple variety, a cross between Cox's Orange Pippin and Worcester Pearmain. Slightly
conical in shape, with greenish-yellow skin which turns orange-red as it ripens. White, crisp flesh with a
good flavor for eating, but not suitable for processing.
wintergreen
Herb with aromatic leaves used to make spicy-sweet teas in New England.
Also known as checkerberry.

967

Gaultheria procumbens.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is
not intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
winter melon
Winter melons are thick-skinned and ovoid. See casaba melons.
winter melon/Chinese winter melon
Picture courtesy of Melissa's Inc. (800) 588 1281

Large melon resembling water melon on the outside, with

white translucent flesh and small white seeds. It is a cooking
melon, and it absorbs the flavors of the other foods so it is often
used in soups. The whole melon is often carved out and used as
a soup tureen, often with designs artistically carved into the dark
green rind. Clever cooks wrap the melon in plastic so it will not
collapse and spill the soup on the table.
Also known as ash pumpkin. Dong gwa.
Benicasa hispida.

winter savory
Culinary herb with a stronger taste than summer savory. See savory.
Satureja montana.
Winzer
German term for wine farmer. Winzerbrot is a crusty white bread which is eaten to cleanse the
palate when drinking wine.
witch hazel
Shrub, the seeds are used in cosmetics and medicine.
Hamamelis virginiana.
witchetty grubs
Australian aborigine food. The silky worms found in the roots of outback trees. They are cooked
into a soup.
Withania
Cheese made in the East Indies. The milk is curdled with the berries of the Withania tree. It is
made berries when, for religious reasons, animal rennet can not be used.
witloof
Belgian/Flemish name for Belgian endive, which is also known there as chicore.
Literally translated from the Flemish, it means white leaf. See endive.
woandsu
African food plant resembling peanuts. The flour has chestnut flavor and is highly nutritious.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
wok
Chinese cooking shallow pan. It is inserted in the stove and rurrounded by heat,

968

wolf fish
Ocean food fish with little commercial value.
Wonder bread
Brand name of a soft mild tasting, white bread made by Continental Baking Company since 1925.
Wonton wrappers
Thin squares of dough ready to be filled and then steamed or fried.
Also known as egg roll skins.
woo kok
Chinese fried taro puffs.
wood, baking and grilling
Wood for grilling and for heating pizza ovens must be well aged. The preferred wood varieties
are oak, hickory, mesquite, white ash, pecan and cherry.
Pine has a high pitch content and will splatter while burning.
Most cities do not allow in restaurants ovens that are heated exclusively with wood because of
pollution and sooth concerns. The ovens are heated with gas to minimize wood burning.
wood duck
Non-migratory game bird found in the marshlands and forest of southern Louisiana. The bird
feasts on wild pecans and is prized in Cajun cooking.
Aix sponsa.
wood ear mushrooms
Mushrooms cultivated on decaying wood, a popular ingredient in Oriental cooking. Available
dried and fresh.
woodcock
Small game bird more popular in Europe than in the US. The bird feeds on worms and insects,
not on grains. In Europe, the birds were sold not eviscerated because the intestines were considered a
delicacy when chopped, seasoned and baked on toast. The toast was served with the roasted bird.
Cocker Spaniel dogs were bred for hunting woodcocks.
Bcasse in French.
woodruff/sweet woodruff
Perennial herb popular in Germany, where it is added to wine. The crushed leaves smell like
vanilla and fresh grass. The plant grows in acidic soil, in damp locations and can tolerate shade. The
plant has tiny white flowers and was used as holiday decoration in medieval churches.
The wine flavored with woodruff is called in German Mai Wein. It is usually Rhine wine, in which
a bunch of woodruff has been steeped. The leaves, when ingested in large quantities can cause vomiting.
Woodruff is also used to make herb teas.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Waldmeister in German.
Asperula odorata.
Flowers and wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not
intended to recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Worcesterberries
Black berries related to gooseberries, and probably native to North America.
Ribis divaricatum.

969

Worcestershire sauce
Commercial steak sauce. One ingredient is tamarind. The origin of the sauce is Indian, and in
1832 the ex- governor of Bengal brought the recipe to Worcester, England and asked the sauce to be
duplicated. It did not meet his expectations.
Years later one keg of sauce was found in the cellars of a store belonging to Mr. Lea and Mrs.
Perrins and they found the aged sauce delicious.
Worms
Little German medieval town with a Gothic cathedral surrounded by a vineyard. The vineyard is
owned by the church as endowment and is called after the cathedral Liebfrauenstift.
This gave the name to the Liebfrauenmilch wine. See there.
wormseed
Mexican herb also known as epizote or Mexican tea.
Chenopodium ambrosioides.
wormwood
Perennial herb, the infamous ingredient in absinthe supposed to make people sick. The bitter
herbs are still used to flavor vermouth and anise flavored alcoholic beverages but with a much lower
proof (alcohol content) than absinth. Perhaps wormwood was not so much the culprit than the high
alcohol content. See absinth.
The German name is Wermut, and gave its name to vermouth.
Artemisia absinthium.
Wild plants can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
wort
The intermediate liquid in beer-making before fermentation.
wraps
Rolled sandwich using a flour tortilla as base. Wraps became o modish item in the mid 1990's
and even inspired restaurants concepts. The popularity has died down.
wrass
Pacific food fish, not especially flavorful.
Also known as California sheephead, hog fish, seorita, slippery dick, tautog.
Labrus.
Wrzburg
German city famous for beer and wine.
Wrzer
German white wine grape.
Xanthia cocktail
Cocktail made with gin, cherry brandy and Cointreau (see there).
Xarel-Lo
Spanish white wine grape used in Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine. Most is grown around San
Sardurn de Noya, where the Cava industry is centered.
Xrs (xeres)
French name for Sherry wine.

970

xian
Elusive quality describing Oriental food, especially Shanghai cooking. In fresh foods it is the
sweet/salty contrast such as found in fresh shrimp, tomatoes, or crisp pears.
In recipes it is the characteristic that unifies flavor elements so well that the whole is greater than
the sum of its part.
Xian
Region of China.
Xingu
Brazilian beer, also known as Black Beer with a pungent, stout like, but slightly fruity, flavor. The
beer is named for the Xingu River, an arm of the Amazon. However, it is now made in a small town
southwest of Rio.
xocatl
Aztec beverage made from powdered cacao beans and vanilla beans.
xoxo
Another name for chayote. See there.
Xtacoli
Spanish white wine from the Basque region
xuancai
Chinese word, which literally translated means "water shield" describing an edible seaweed
found in the lakes of the Hangzhou region of China, used to make a soup.
Xynisteri
Cyprus white wine grape variety, a blending wine used in the Commandaria dessert wine.
Xynmavro
Red wine grape indigenous to the Macedonian and Amynteon regions of Greece. It makes wines
which are astringent when young, but they can develop a supple elegance as they age. Blanc de noirs, a
white wine is also made from it, as well as a ros wine.
ya chui
Chinese term for fresh coconut water. It is drunk as a beverage.
yabbies
Australian small, delicate, fresh water crayfish-like shellfish.
Yachats
Crab fishing town on the Oregon coast
yacn
Ancient tuber native to the Andes and now grown on California's Central coast
yak
Mammal domesticated in Mongolia and surrounding countries. The milk of the yak is the basis for
dairy products in Tibetan cuisine and also that of other mountain people such as the Nepalese Dolpos.
Yak butter is often made by hand by kneading the milk in a yak-leather bag. The butter is widely
used in those cultures, including adding a large dollop of it to tea. A hard cheese, chourpi, is made from
yaks' milk.
yaki
The Japanese word for grilling.

971

yakitori
Japanese dish of marinated grilled chicken pieces, usually on a skewer.
Yale boat pie
Deep dish pie made with shellfish and meat. It is named after Yale University in New Haven,
Connecticut.
Yale cocktail
Cocktail consisting of gin and bitters.
yam
The tuberous roots of a vine which probably originated in Asia. The plant grows in tropical areas.
It is a different plant from the sweet potato, Ipomoea batata, which originated in the Americas. African
slaves, upon first tasting the New World sweet potato called the yam-like vegetable "nyam" or "nyami",
starting the confusion. What some Americans call yam is actually a sweet potato.
The yam is generally starchier than the sweet potato. It is an important food crop in many parts
of the world. On the Pacific Island of Ponape, yam can reach as much as 600 pounds, and are described
as 2-man, 4-man, and 6-man yams, depending on how many it takes to lift them. In the South Pacific
Trobriand Islands, the yam is so revered that ornate house are built to display them.
There is a yellow-fleshed sweet potato which is confusing referred to as a yam or Louisiana yam,
although a yam is a different vegetable. However, the yam and the sweet potato can be prepared the
same way.
According to the North Carolina Yam Commission, in the United States, two basic types of sweet
potatoes are grown. The North Carolina sweet potato industry uses the term yam to describe the
coppery-skinned, moist, golden-red sweet potato grown in that area. The other variety of sweet potato
has a somewhat drier flesh and is usually light yellow or pale orange in color.
Yam can be baked, boiled, mashed, candied, used in cakes and pies, and is used as a fertility
drug in Japan. Roasted yams are a popular street snack in Mexico City. Foutou or foufou is an African
dish of meat and vegetables with mashed yam topping.
VARIETIES INCLUDE:
Aerial yam, Dioscorea bulbifera - from tropical Africa and Asia whose tubers grow exposed and
resemble small orange sweet potatos.
Chinese yam, Dioscorea esculenta - white flesh and hairy, scaly skin.
Cush-cush, Dioscorea trifida - the only species native to the New World. Now popular in Africa
as well. Reddish skin, sometimes a few hairs, slightly scaly.
Guinea yam, Dioscorea rotundata - yellow flesh. Somewhat large, weighing up to 10 lbs. The
most common US yam. Also popular in the West Indies and West Africa.
Ube, also known as Purple yam - popular in the Philippines where it is also used in ice cream.
Winged yam, Dioscorea alata - from southeast Asia. Very large, weighing up to 20 lbs.
Also known as igname or ame in Hispanic markets.
Dioscorea spp.
Yama biko honshimeji mushrooms
Small delicate mushrooms developed in Japan.
yaqona roots
Roots used to make a mildly narcotic drink called kava on the Fiji Islands.. The roots, which looks
like twigs, are pounded in a mortar and mixed with water. Often consumed with great ritual and a popular
tourist attraction. See kava.
Yaquina Bay
Name of oyster found in the Yaquina Bay off the coast of Oregon, medium size with an oblong,
craggy, chalk-white shell. It has a firm, but creamy texture and a mild flavor.

972

yard-long bean
See asparagus bean.
yard-of-ale
Tall trumpet-shaped beer glass with a bulb bottom. It was designed that innkeepers could serve
carriage drivers who remained high up on their coach seats. The tall glass enabled them to reach the
driver.
The glasses are difficult to drink from as the beer sloshes out as the glass is tipped, but they
were not designed for comfort.
Nowadays the glasses are used in some pubs for fun and enjoyed by young people who test their
skills at drinking beer without spilling too much. The glass requires a wood stand to rest without falling
over. In many cases it is too tall to be washed at the bar sinks.
yaourti
Greek term for yoghurt.
yarrow
Herb growing wild in many parts of Europe. Its botanical name is said to come from its use by the
Greek hero Achilles who treated his soldiers' wounds with yarrow for its styptic effects. Its common name
is a corruption of the Anglo-Saxon name gearwe.
A hardy perennial weed, the bane of many lawn gardeners. It grows in any average soil, but likes
a lot of sun. Its main food use is to include the leaves in salads. More common is the medicinal use. The
leaves can be applied as a poultice directly to cuts and wounds, or boiled in water, cooled and the liquid
used to soak bandages.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
Also known as milfoil.
Achillea millefolium.
yatsufusa
Japanese highly flavorful of hot pepper.
yaupon
Shrub in the holly family growing wild on the coast of southern states. The twigs and leaves were
used to make tea, called Black Drink by the native Indians. The Creek Indians gathered large amounts of
leaves and twigs every year and celebrated a festival based on the beverage.
The leaves have medicinal properties.
Also known as Yopon or Carolina tea.
Ilex vomitoria, ilex cassine.
yautia
Root vegetable, a yam-like tuber, with hairy brown skin and white flesh. Also grown for its arrowshaped leaves. Originally from India or southeast Asia, and now cultivated throughout the tropics. It is
related to taro.
Also known as pomtannia, tannia, cocoyam, malanga or tanier.
Xanthosoma sagittifolium.
yazu
Japanese green, sharp flavored citrus fruit.
yeast
Cells of minute fungi. There are many species, some naturally occurring in the air, others
carefully cultivated for specific purposes. The fungi feeds on sugars providing the right conditions, such
as temperature and moisture is present. Yeast induces fermentation and is the basis for turning liquids
into alcohol. By doing so, it will produce the gas carbon dioxide.
In baking, this gas formes the small bubbles which make the dough rise. Yeast for baking is
available fresh or dried. Fresh yeast is sold in the form of cakes in various sizes. The basic proportions

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for fresh yeast 8 oz yeast to 10 lb flour. The effectiveness of yeast in governed by temperature, the salt,
fat and sugar content of the dough. Yeast is killed at 138 degrees.
Louis Pasteur in 1857 demonstrated that zymase, the enzyme in the yeast produces
fermentation. Up to that time fermentation was considered an unexplained miracle. Since then wineries
and beer brewers carefully cultivate yeasts to suit their specific conditions and objectives.
Wild yeasts still play a role in producing the flor in sherry production. See there.
yeast extract
Seasoning paste made with yeast and vegetable extracts.
Yeast conversion table from fresh to dry.
oz (14 g) fresh yeast = 1 envelope dry yeast
1 oz (28 g) fresh yeast = 2 envelopes dry yeast
Yeast Proofing Temperature Chart
Sweet dough = 95 to 98 degrees, humidity 80 %
Bread dough = 80 to 82 degrees, humidity 80 %
Note: Yeast dies at 138 degrees
Yellow Bellflower
Apple variety popular in the 19th century.
yellow bird
Cocktail made with orange juice, lemon juice, rum, apricot brandy and banana liqueur.
yellow lime
See key limes.
yellow perch
Fresh food water fish.
yellow potato
Peruvian variety of potato, known there as papa amarilla.
yellow turnip
Another name for rutabagas.
Yellow Transparent
Apple variety with a bright green skin. Introduced into France from Russia in the 19th century. Its
white, juicy flesh is slightly tart.
yellowfin tuna
See tuna.
yellow fish
Saltwater fish harvested in the East China Sea and Indian ocean.
yellowtail
Ocean food fish harvested in the Pacific.
snapper.
Hamachi in Japanese.

In the Caribbean, yellowtail is a variety of small

yema
Spanish wine term for the juice from the first pressing of the grapes, considered prime juice. The
Palomino yema is used in the finest Sherries.

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yemas
Spanish term for egg yolks.
yemas de Santa Teresa
Spanish convection once made by nuns, a specialty of the city of Avila.
yerba
Spanish term for herb. Yerba buana is mint.
yerba mat
An invigorating, but generally bitter-tasting, herb tea, made from the yerba plant. The tea is
popular in central South American countries, such as, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Sometimes made in and drunk from traditional vessels such as a gourd, a cow's horn cup or a wooden
cup, and sipped through an aluminum straw or bombilla. A cup, or guampa, of yerba mat is enjoyed at
all times of day. Men often share a communal cup when they gather to talk
Yerba mat is traditionally drunk hot and sweetened, and sometimes flavored with cloves,
cinnamon or allspice. In modern times also drunk cold. When cold, it is called terer and is not
sweetened, but flavored with an herb mixture called yuyo or yuyos, mint or lemon.
Yerba is a native South American plant high in caffeine. Its use go back for centuries, and the
leaves are sometimes chewed by the Indians. The plant is rich in vitamins E, A, and C, pantothenic acid
and chlorophyll.
Also known as Jesuit tea.
Ylex Paraguayensis.
yifu noodles
Chinese egg noodles in nest shape sold pre-cooked.
Also known as efu noodles, yi noodles.
yin/yang
Chinese theory that life is a balance of two forces. "Yin" is the passive or feminine force; in foods,
it is represented by most vegetables.
"Yang" is the active or masculine force and is represented by animal products and most cereals.
The yin/yang theory is the basis of the macrobiotic diet .
Yingtaogu
The breed of duck most commonly used in the prepared dish called Peking Duck. See there.
ylang-ylang
Tree native to the Phillippines. The flowers are distilled and the oil is bitter and aromatic. It is
used to flavor ice cream, soft drinks, candy and baked goods. The leaves are aromatic with honey-like,
flowery aroma and are used in perfumes.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
yoghurt/yogurt
Smooth-textured fermented milk product, low in fat, high in calcium, potassium and protein. The
fat content varies, but most yoghurt is marketed as low fat diet food. Yoghurt is made with two strains of
bacteria which curdle the milk and give it a naturally slightly acidic taste. This taste is balanced out by the
addition of fruit and sweetener in many commercial products.
Frozen yoghurt is available in many flavors and as soft serve or as hard yoghurt.
Yoghurt can be substituted for sour cream in cooking. When cooking with yogurt, do not boil
avoid curdling. American yoghurt consumption has increased substantially since 1960.
Yoghurt is ancien Middle East food, and is extensively used in Indian cooking. Turkish cooking
also uses yoghurt. The word is of Turkish origin.
YOGURT DRINKS INCLUDE:

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Ayran - Turkish
Laban - Middle Eastern
Lassi - Indian
Kefir - similar to a yogurt drink, but actually a different product from yogurt.
TYPES OF YOGHURT INCLUDE:
Lebany - thick Middle Eastern yogurt, made with goat's milk.
Ryazhenka - thick baked Ukrainian yoghurt, made with pasteurized, unhomogenized milk.
Sakoulas - thick creamy Greek yoghurt.

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Yom Kippur
The Day of Atonement in Judaism, a time of fasting.
York ham
Famous ham, mild and delicate. It must be boiled or baked before use.
Yorkshire Pudding
British roast beef accompaniment made with pancake batter poured into a hot pan, baked until
brown, and served dribbled with roast beef juice. The pudding was originally made with the pan
drippings, which contributed flavor.
A related version is called popovers, the batter is poured into individual hot muffin molds, oil is
used instead of beef fat, and the popovers are baked until fluffy and crisp.
Yquem, Chteau
The most celebrated and expensive sweet wine from Sauternes, France. It is owned by the Lur
Saluces family for two hundreds years. There is litigation about the ownership between family members.
The wine is made with mostly Smillon and some Sauvignon Blanc grapes, and the fruit is left
until attacked by noble rot pourriture noble or botrytis and the grapes have reached the highest sugar
content.
One of the most expensive wines ever bought at auction was a bottle of 1784 Yquem bearing the
initials "Th. J.", referring to Thomas Jefferson. It sold in December, 1986 for $56,000
The second label of Chteau dYquem is Y and is a dry wine produced from younger vines or
from grapes not attacked by noble rot.
yuba
Japanese crisp, brittle bean curd skin.
Also known as dried bean curd.
Yuca
Tuber from the American tropics used like potatoes in Hispanic cooking. This bland-tasting,
starchy tuber must be cooked. It is usually served in chunks or mashed like a potato. It is also grated
used in pan de yuca, a specialty bread.
Also known as cassava or manioc.
yucca
Wild plant found in the south western parts of the US. The edible species are Spanish Bayonet,
Adams Needle and Bear Grass Yucca. The fruits can be eaten raw, but are most often roasted. The
flowers are used in soups and desserts.
Flowers can be potentially toxic or cause allergic reactions. This entry is not intended to
recommend the culinary use of the plant mentioned.
See Spanish Bayonet.
Yugoslavian oak
Wood commonly used for cooperage to age wines and spirits. Because it is plentiful, and less
expensive than other oak, such as that of Limousin or Nevers, it is often imported for use in the US.
Like all woods, it imparts flavor to wine and some wine makers prefer other oak.
yuzu
Japanese fragrant citrus fruit also known as citrus junos. The peel is used as a garnish.
Citrus junos.
zaatar
Syrian spice mix.

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zabaglione
Italian specialty of Sicily, a thin custard dessert sauce made of sugar and egg yolks, gently
whipped over gently simmering, not boiling water. Normally flavored with sweet wine, such as Marsala. It
was a popular dessert in fine restaurants, where it was made by a captain table side.
Known as Sabayon in English and French.
Zagat Guides
Restaurant guides which began with a New York edition in 1979. Next came Boston,
Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Chicago, New Orleans, Los Angeles and San Francisco, followed
by other cities as well as hotel guides and food store guides. Begun by Tim and Nina Zagat, a pair of
lawyers with the idea that guides summarizing the opinions of the dinners themselves are better than
those written by one writer, especially since even the most discrete writer is usually known to
restaurateurs. Thus the guides are developed froma compilation of diners' opinions on questionnaires.
Zahidi
Date variety. See there.
Zakuski
Russian term for assorted appetizers, once lavish during the Tzarist times.
Zalema
Spanish white wine grape.
zamburia
Spanish tiny scallop.
zamia
See coontie.
zampone
Italian pork sausage stuffed into the skin of pig trotters. It is a specialty of the city Modena in the
Emilia Romagna region. The stuffing resembles salami.
zancarn
Spanish casserole made of veal and vegetables.
Zander
Fresh water food and game fish harvested in lakes and rivers throughout Europe.
Also known as pike perch, sandre.
Zandvoort
Small Dutch port once famous for herring processing.
Zante currants
See currants.
Zanzibar
An island off the East coast of Africa. It is part of Tanzania . Zanzibar and surrounding islands
produces most of the world supply of cloves. See there.
zarzuela
Spanish/ Catalan seafood stew.
Zarzuela is also the generic name for light musicals.
Zazvorniki
Czech and Slovakian Christmas cookies. They must be made weeks ahead to get soft.

978

zeeze
Term for coffee in the Boontling dialect of northern California.
Zell
Small wine town on the Moselle River in Germany. See Schwarze Katz.
Zelny gulas
Czech version of Hungarian gulyas made with sauerkraut.
Zen
Japanese/Chinese Buddhist religion which adheres to strict vegetarian eating.
Various sects have varying eating traditions:
Obaku. The monks of the Obaku sect of Zen, which began in China and was brought to Japan in
the mid 17th century, believe that salvation depends on simple faith rather rigorous self denial. These
beliefs are reflected in their cooking, fucha ryori, which is complex and tasty. In China, the diners serve
themselves from a common pot, but in Japan, the food is served to the individuals.
Rinzai. A contemplative sect which was brought to Japan from China in the 12th century. Their
cuisine, shojin ryori, literally translated means to prepare food according to the pure way of Buddha. The
preparation and eating of the food is according to religious discipline and the meal, to which a monk or
diner brings his own eating utensils, is eaten in meditative silence.
zenmai
Japanese fern shoots picked wild in the mountains of central Japan.
Also known as warabi.
Zephir
Mild Mediterranean wind. The term was on menus used to describe poetically small, delicate and
light appetizers, usually a type of mousse.
zephyrina
Colonial cookies from North Carolina.
Zeppelinwurst
German liver sausage.
zeppole
Sugar dusted yeast doughnut strips or balls. A popular street food in Italy, especially in Naples.
Often found at Italian street fairs in the USA.
zeroa/z'roa
Jewish term for roasted shank-bone, served at the Passover Seder to symbolize the early
paschal sacrifice at the Temple in Jerusalem. See Seder.
zest
Fine strips made of the outer layer of citrus fruit rind. It contains aromatic citrus oils and is less
bitter than the whole skin. The easiest way to get zest is to peel the fruit with a potato peeler and cut the
skin with a knife. There is also a zester on the market, which scraps the skin and produces fine strips.
Zest is used to flavor and garnish sauces and other dishes.
zhug
Hot spice blend used in Yemen/Saudi Arabia.
Ziegel
Austrian cheese in brick shape.

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Zierpfandler
Austrian white wine grape, planted extensively in the Gumpoldskirchen district around Vienna.
Ziger
German cheese, also called Schottenziger. It is the German version of Ricotta. See there.
Zilavka
Macedonian white wine grape.
Zimt Sterne
German cinnamon flavored cookies in star shape,
translates into cinnamon stars.

popular at Christmas time.

The term

Zinfandel
Red wine grape considered native to California. Zinfandel wines range from light to full-bodied
and intense. The red wine is powerful and robust. White Zinfandel has become popular, it is often pink
and made by fermenting the grape must with little skin contact.
The origin of the grape has been the subject of much research and speculation. It was linked to
the Italian grape Primitivo, then to Hungarian grape varieties brought to the US by Colonel Haraszthy.
The latest research traces the American Zinfandel grape to the Plava grape variety grown on the
Croatian Peljes c Peninsula on the Adriatic Coast.
zipperskinned tangerine
Term referring to a clementine, because of its easy to break skin. See clementine.
ziti
Italian dry pasta in the shape of small tubes.
Znojmo gulas
Czech version of Hungarian gulyas garnished with gherkins. It is named after the city of Znojmo,
called Znaim in German.
zombie
Strong cocktail made with different rums and citrus juices.
zoo
Slang term for employee dining room in hotels and clubs.
zoolack
Fermented milk drink.
zucca
Italian term for pumpkin. See there.
zucchini
Summer squash, a member of the cucurbita family. Prolific growing squash with edible skin and
soft seeds. Easy to grow, inexpensive and available year round. The smaller vegetable is more
esteemed than the larger pieces. Zucchini blossoms are served stuffed or fried.
Also known as Italian marrow, vegetable marrow and courgette.
Cucurbita pepo.
Zucco
Muscat wine produced in Sicily, Italy.

980

zuccotto
Specialty dessert of Florence, Italy. A molded sponge cake, richly layered with whipped cream,
chocolate, and fruit.
Zungenwurst
German blood sausage with large chunks of boiled pickled ox tongues and bacon.
consumed as cold cut.

It is

zuppa
Italian generic term for soup.
zuppa alla pavese
Italian clear beef consomme served boiling hot over a slice of toasted bread and a broken egg.
zuppa inglese
Italian cold dessert consisting of sponge cake, fruits, whipped cream, pastry cream and generous
additions of liqueur or sweet wine. It is served in bowls and can be quite liquid, therefore the name zuppa,
which means soup.
The dessert is known as English Trifle.
Zwack
Viennese cordial and liqueur company named after the founding family.
Zweigelt Blau
Austrian red wine grape variety, developed at the Klosterneuburg research station.
Zwicker
White wine from Alsace, France.
Zwieback
Dry toasted bread or cake slices. The word is German for twice baked.
Zwiebelkuchen
Alsatian/German quiche like, onion pastry.
Zwyieka
Polish pork sausage used as cold cut.

981