Glossary of Common Culinary Terms
| a la carte | separately priced; cooked to order |
| a la king | served in a veloute with sweet peppers & mushrooms (usually chicken) |
| a la maison | in the style of the house (restaurant) |
| a la mode | a local dessert served with ice cream |
| aging | meats held under controlled temperature for tenderizing |
| agneau | French: lamb |
| al dente | literally, "firm to the bite"; said of vegetables and pasta |
| allumette | match-stick shape & size; said of potatoes |
| amandine | served with almonds |
| appetizer | starting course used to stimulate appeptite |
| aspic | savoury jelly used to glaze/accompany cold foods ` |
| au gratin | topped with cheese and/or bread crumbs and browned; said of potatoes |
| au jus | served with its natural juices; said of beef |
| bain marie | steam table used to keep foods at serving temperature (above 140°F) or container used in steam table |
| bake | cooking by surrounding hot air |
| baked alaska | ice cream covered with meringue & then baked |
| bard | to cover with pork fat or bacon before cooking |
| barbeque | to cook on a spit or rack over hot coals; said of meat |
| baste | to pour juices released during cooking over meat and/or poultry |
| batons | cut into ¼" x 2" x3" sticks |
| bearnaise | hollandaise sauce flavoured with tarragon |
| bechamel | basic white sauce (part of the "mother sauces"), made by whisking cold milk into a hot roux (or vice versa) |
| beignet | French: fritter (e.g. donut) |
| beurre | French: butter |
| beurre manie | equal parts (by weight) of raw butter and flour, mixed into a paste (used to thicken sauces) |
| beurre noir | butter cooked to a dark brown colour with vinegar & brown sugar added |
| beurre noisette | butter cooked to a nut brown colour |
| bisque | literally, cream soup made from shellfish |
| blanc | French: white |
| blanch | foods partially cooked (in water or oil) prior to final use |
| blanquette | raqout made with savoury vegetables and meat in a white sauce made from stock; said of veal (but may also be pork, rabbit or poultry) |
| boil | to cook briskley in boiling water |
| bombe | molded ice cream or sherbert dessert |
| boeuf | French: beef |
| borscht | soup made from beets served with sour cream |
| bouillabase | fish stew flavoured with saffron |
| bouillon | broth |
| bouquetiere | garnished with bundles of fresh vegetables |
| braise | to cook covered in a small amount of liquid |
| brioche | rich yeast dough containing lots of eggs & butter |
| brochette | assortment of meat, fish and vegetables cooked on a skewer |
| broil | to cook with top heat |
| broth | flavourful liquid made from meats and/or vegetables |
| brunoise | cut into ⅛" dice (said of vegetables); or garnished with same |
| butterflied | meat or fish cut partially through & spread open |
| cafe | coffee |
| canape | small, bite-sized savouries on toast or crackers |
| canard | French: duck |
| caneton | French: duckling |
| capon | French: male castrated chicken |
| carte du jour | menu of the day |
| casserole | cooking vessel and/or serving dish; or a baked dish of meat, fish, cheese and vegetables |
| caviar | eggs of the sturgeon, served as an appetizer |
| champignon | French: mushroom (button); or garnished with same |
| chateaubriand | double steak cut from head of tenderloin (2 servings) |
| chaud | French: hot |
| Chaudfroid | cold jellied white or brown sauce used to cover cold meats or fish before decoration |
| Chef | person in charge (kitchen, dept, area) |
| chiffonade | very finely shredded |
| china cap | cone-shaped strainer |
| chop | to cut into irregular shaped pieces |
| choux de bruxelle | French: brussel sprouts |
| chowder | hearty, thickened soup made from fish, shellfish & vegetables |
| clarified butter | purified butter - butterfat & buttermilk removed |
| clearmeat | mixture of hamburger, eggwhites and mirepoix used to clear stock |
| coddled | lightly cooked eggs (about 1 minute) |
| compote | stewed fruit |
| compound butter | mixture of raw butter and flavouring ingredients |
| concasser | to chop coarsely |
| condiment | sauces, relishes, spices used to accompany food |
| consomme | a rich broth, cleared of impurities |
| coquille | a shell used as a vessel for cooking and service |
| coral | the roe or eggs of certain shellfish |
| course | food or group of food eaten at a time |
| court bouillon | seasoned liquid used for cooking/simmering fish and/or shellfish |
| crepe | a thin pancake |
| crevette | French: shrimp |
| croissant | crescent shaped layered yeast roll |
| croquette | foods bound & shaped cylindrically, breaded & fried |
| crouton | fried or toasted & seasoned bread, served with soup or salad |
| crustacean | sea creature living inside a jointed shell |
| deep fry | cooked by submerging into hot fat |
| deglace | dissolving food particles from saute or fry pan |
| demiglace | rich, brown sauce reduced by half |
| demitasse | strong black coffee served in ½ sized cups |
| diable | deviled |
| diced | cut into irregular shapes |
| du jour | French: of the day |
| duxelle | a farcie prepared from finely chopped mushrooms |
| emincer | to cut into very thin strips |
| en casserole | baked & served in an individual dish |
| entree | main course of a meal (originally, "before main dish") |
| entremetier | cook responsible for vegetables & pasta (may also include starches & appetizers) |
| espagnole | traditional brown sauce (mother sauce) made from veal stock, veal bones, beef stock and vegetables |
| etuver | to cook/sweat in its own juices; said of shellfish & fish |
|
filet (French) fillet (English) |
meat: undercut of loin of beef, lamb, veal, pork & game; cut from the fleshly part of the buttocks; boned breats of poultry; boned sides of fish |
| flambe | French: flambed |
| foie | French: liver |
| foie gras | liver of specially fattened geese |
| fond lie | brown stock thickened with corn starch |
| fondue | metled cheese |
| fricassee | white stew with meat (traditionally poultry) cooked in the sauce of the dish |
| fry | to cook in hot fat |
| froid | French: cold |
| fromage | French: cheese |
| fume | smoked |
| fumet | a flavourful stock, usually fish |
| garde manger | dept of kitchen responsible for cold food preparation (may also prepare limited hot foods) |
| garni | French: garnished |
| garnish | decorative edible item(s) used to ornament dishes |
| garniture | garnish; or the process of garnishing |
| glace de viande | meat glaze; a reduction of brown meat stock (veal, beef, lamb) |
| glace de voile | meat glaze; a reduction of brown chicken stock |
| glaze | reduced stock; shiny coating; browned finish |
| gluten | protein present in wheat flours |
| gram | basic unit of metric weight |
| griddle | to cook on a flat cooking surface |
| gratin | crusted with bread crumbs, cheese or both |
| grill | to cook on an open grid above heat |
| grille | broiled |
| grillardin | chef de partie responsible for grilled foods |
| hash | to chop; dish made from chopped foods |
| hollandaise | basic yellow sauce made from egg yolks & clarified butter |
| homogenize | milk processed to prevent cream separation |
| hors d'oeuvres | savoury pre-diner tidbits, usually hot |
| jardiniere | garnished with vegetables cut into batons |
| julienne | cut into small strips - ⅛" x ⅛" x 2½" |
| jus | unthickened juices from a roast; said of beef |
| jus lie | lightly thickened tomatoed veal jus |
| kilo | metric prefix meaning thousand |
| lard | to needle fat through lean cuts of meat |
| leavening (agent) | ingredients producing raising effect in baked goods |
| liaison | binding agent made from egg yolks & cream; more like a flavouring |
| litre | basic metric unit of volume |
| legume | dried vegetables of the pea and bean family |
| maitre d'hotel | restaurant manager |
| marbling | fat deposited in the muscle of an animal |
| marinade | seasoned liquid used for flavouring and tenderizing |
| marinate | to soak food in marinade |
| mayonnaise | basic cold sauce made from egg yolks & vegetable oil |
| menu | bill of fare; available dishes |
| meuniere | sauteed in butter & finished with beurre noisette |
| mince | to chop into very fince pieces |
| mirepoix | mixture of rough cut vegetables; usually carrots, onion & celery |
| mise en place | assembly of foods, garnish & equipment (literally, "in it's place") |
| mocha | mixture of coffee and chocolate |
| mollusk | sea animal that lives in a single or pair of shells |
| monter au beurre | to finish a sauce by swirling in raw butter |
| mornay | finished sauce made from bechamel & cheese |
| mousse | lightly fluffed food, usually dessert |
| navarin | brown lamb stew |
| nouvelle cuisine | modern style of cooking (with lighter sauces, etc) |
| noir | French: black |
| offal | variety meat |
| oeuf | French: egg |
| omelette | dish made from fried beaten eggs |
| pan fry | to cook uncovered in a small amount of hot fat |
| pate | savoury meat or fish paste (usually cooked) |
| patissier | chef de partie responsible for pastries |
| pilaf | rice cooked in stock with a 2:1 ratio |
| poach | to cook in a liquid between 160°-180°F |
| poissonier | chef de partie responsible for fish cookery |
| pomme de terre | French: potato (literally, "apple of the earth") |
| potage | soup naturally thickened during cooking |
| poulet | French: chicken |
| puree | food recued to smooth pulp |
| raft | coagulated clearmeat formed during clarification |
| ragout | stew |
| recipe | set of instructions to prepare a dish |
| reduce | to decrease liquid volume by simmering |
| reduction | concentrated flavouring liquids |
| risotto | moist rice dish made frmo short-grain glutenous rice (arborio) |
| riz | French: rice |
| roast | to cook foods in an oven or on a spit |
| roe | fish eggs |
| rotisseur | chef de partie responsible for roasting and frying |
| roux | cooked mixture of equal parts (by weight) wheat flour and fat |
| salamander | small over-head broiler used to glaze dishes |
| sauce | thickened flavourful liquid |
| saucier | chef de partie who prepares entrees & sauces |
| saute | to cook quickly in a small amount of fat |
| sear | seal surfaces of foods (meat, poulty, fish) at high temperature |
| shred | to cut into thin irregular strips |
| simmer | to cook in liquid at 185°-200°F |
| skewer | long wooden or metal pin used to hold food together |
| sous chef | second in command to chef de cuisine |
| steam | to cook by direct contact with steam |
| stew | to simmer foods in small amounts of liquid; dish made from meat, fish, vegetables |
| sweat | to cook in a small amount of fat without colouring |
| sweetbreads | thymus gland found in the neck of young animals |
| table d'hote | table of host; menu with set courses |
| tomalley | liver of lobster and some other shellfish |
| tournant | relief chef |
| tournedos | small beef steak cut from tenderloin |
| truss | to tie a bird ready for cooking |
| variety meats | organ gland or other meats not of the carcass |
| veloute | basic blonde sauce |
| viande | French: meat |
| vin | French: wine |
| vin blanc | French: white wine |
| vin rouge | French: red wine |
| zest | the coloured part of the skin of citrus fruits |