CULINARY INFO
Kitchen Terminology Pt I

"DISCLAIMER"
The information contained here is supplied for your interest only and further research may be required.
I have gathered it from many sources over many years. While I attempt to insure they are crossed referenced for accuracy,
I take no responsibility for mistakes - additions or corrections are welcomed.

food
Food

Words or phrases in common use in the kitchen.
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CULINARY TERM DEFINITION
à la "In the style of"
à la broche to roast in front of an open fire on a spit
à la carte Dishes prepared to order and priced individually
à la Francaise In the French style
à la minute Cooked to order
abatis de volaille Chicken offal
abats Offal
aboyeur barker or caller (Fr); the person who calls out the orders to the kitchen brigade
accompaniments Items offered separately with a dish of food
agar-agar A gelatine substance made from seaweed
aiguillettes small strips of cooked meat or fish (from the French; anguiles, meaning needles)
ail garlic
aile Wing of poultry or game birds
ailerone Winglet
albarelle variety of boletus mushroom which grows on chestnut and white popular trees
aloyau de boeuf Sirloin of beef
alumette Matchstick shape
amino acid The basic material from which proteins are made of
antipasto Italian appetiser consisting of a variety of cooked, smoked and cured meats, seafoods, olives etc
apperail Prepared mixture
apprenti Apprentice - male
apprentie Apprentice - female
aromates Aromatic herbs or spices
arroser To baste
ascorbic acid Commonly known as vitamin C; found in citrus fruits and blackcurrants. Necessary for growth and good health
aspic A savoury jelly mainly used for buffet work
assaisonner To season
assorti An assortment
aubergine Eggplant
au beurre With butter
au bleu Usually applied to cooking meat: very under done
au bleu Also refers to poaching fresh whole trout ; as the sea slime turns a bluish hue
au four Baked in the oven
au gratin Sprinkled with cheese or breadcrumbs and browned
au jus a roasted meat dish that is dressed with its own juices
au maigre dishes prepared without meat
au natural dishes prepared simply and plainly without any extras
au vin blanc With white wine
bacteria Single celled micro-organisms (plural)
bacterium (singular)
bain-marie A container of water used for cooking or storing hot foods
ballontine A boned stuffed leg of poultry or game bird, it may be poached or roasted and served cold or hot
barde Strip of uncured bacon fat
barder To cover breasts of birds with thin slices of bacon fat before roasting
barquette A boat shaped pastry tartlet also a mould for baking such
Bavarois Bavarian cream; must have custard as its base
Bavaroise A mild punch, tea or coffee based, containing egg yolks, sugar and a liqueur
Bearnaise A derivative of hollandaise sauce, replacing the straight reduction with a tarragon reduction
beignets fritters
beurre Butter
beurre fondue Melted butter
beurre manie Equal quantities of butter and flour mixed to a smooth paste; used for thickening
beurre noir Blackened butter
beurre noisette Nut brown butter
bisque A thick shellfish soup
blanc White
blanc A cooking liquor of water, lemon juice, flour and salt
blanch To plunge into boiling water or oil for the purpose of whitening as in bones, retaining colour without fully cooking as with vegetables
blanchir French term for blanching
blanquette A white stew cooked in stock from which the sauce is made
bombe An ice cream speciality of different flavours made in a round mould
bonbons small sugar confectionery
bouchées A small puff pastry case: (a mouthful)
Bordelaise Red wine sauce with bacon lardons and baby onions
bouillé to boil
bouillon Unclarified stock (from the French word to bubble, as in when liquid boils)
bouillabaisse A fish stew; speciality of Provence
Bourguignonne A red wine sauce with the addition of button onions and mushrooms
bouquet garni A faggot of fresh herbs: parsley, thyme, bay leaf, usually tied inside pieces of leek or celery
braise To braise
brine A preserving solution of water, salt, saltpetre and aromates used for meats
brioche A delicate, French sweet bread, traditionally served at breakfast
broche (la) A roasting spit
brochette (la) A skewer
brouillé Scrambled
brunoise Small dice of fruit or vegetables
buisson a garnish of small groups of shrimps, also a method of twisting up pastry to a point
buttermilk Liquid remaining from the churning of butter
ca marche A term used at service time, to let the chefs' know that an order is to follow
calcium A mineral required for the building of healthy bones and teeth
calorie A unit of heat or energy
calvados An apple brandy
canapé A cushion of breador similar on which various foods are served as appetisers prior to a meal (cocktail party)
cannaloni Large tubes of pasta; which are stuffed and served in a sauce, also the name of the dish
cannelons small stuffed rolls of pastry or rice
capilotade a kind of hashed (ragout/stew)game or chicken
caramel water and sugar boiled together and reduced to make a golden brown ‘toffee’
carbohydrate A nutrient which has three main groups; sugar, starch and cellulose
carbon dioxide A gas produced by all raising agents
carbonnade A meat dish, stewed in beer
carte du jour Menu of the day
cartouche Round cover of greaseproof paper
casserole An earthenware dish with a lid, also the dish of food cooked in it
cassis A blackcurrant cordial/liqueur
cassolette Small paper case
caviar the roe of the sturgeon; beluga being the A grade
cellulose The coarse structure of fruit, vegetables and cereals
cervena Meat from New Zealand farmed deer
champignon French for mushroom
chantilly Whipped cream; sweetened and flavoured with vanilla
chapelure Crumbs made from dried bread
Charcuterie Pork butchery
Charcutier Pork butcher
chateaubriand Head of the fillet of beef
chaud Hot
chaud-froid A demi glace or velouté base with aspic or gelatine added; used for masking cold dishes for buffets
chauffant Pan of hot salted water used for reheating foods
Chef de Cuisine Head \ Executive Chef
Chef Sous Second in command
Chef de saucier Sauce Chef
Chef de potage Soup Chef
Chef de rotisseur Roast Chef
Chef de communard Staff cook
Chef de froitier Specialises in cold savoury dishes
Chef de poissonnier Fish Chef
Chef tournant Relief Chef
Chef de patissier Pastry Chef
Chef de partie Section leader
Chef de grillardin Grill Chef
Chef de nuit Head night cook
Chef de gardemanger Cold larder Chef
Chef de entremettier Vegetable Chef
Chef de rang Head station waiter
chiffonnade Finely shredded; usually lettuce
chinois A conical strainer
chlorophyll The chemical that gives plants their green colour
civet A brown stew of game; usually hare
clarification To make clear
clostridium perfringens A food poisoning bacteria found in soil, vegetables and meat
clouté Studded
coagulation The solidification of a protein which is irreversible
cocotte Porcelain or earthenware shallow dish, used for cooking
collagen and elastin Proteins in connective tissue, eg gristle, found in meat
commis Assistant cook
compote Stewed fruit
concassé Coarsely chopped
condiments highly flavoured seasonings or accompaniments
connoisseur Expert
consommé Basic clear soup
contrefilet Boned sirloin of beef
cook out The process of cooking the flour in a roux
cordon A thin line or thread of sauce
correcting To adjust the seasoning, consistency or colour
cote A rib or chop
cotelette Cutlet
cottage cheese A soft cheese made from skimmed milk
coulis A sauce, generally of strained, pureed fruit or vegetable
coupe Cut
coupe An individual serving bowl
court bouillon A well flavoured cooking liquor for fish
couverture A form of cooking chocolate
couverture A covering
crème Cream
crème fraiche Whipped cream and buttermilk heated to 24-29 C; usually bought commercially made
crémé To cream
crêpes Thin pancakes
croquembouche a dessert made up of filled profiteroles, stacked in a pyramid and coated with a (spun sugar)caramel
croquettes Cooked foods moulded into cylinders, panéed and deep fried
croûte A bed or cushion of fried or toasted bread
croûtons Cubes of fried bread
croustade Empty pastry case
crudités Small neat pieces of vegetables
cuisse [la] Leg
cuisse de poulet Leg of chicken
curd cheese A low fat soft cheese, approx. 11% fat
dariole A small mould as used for creme caramels
darne A slice of round fish on the bone
daube Meat stew pressure steamed in red wine
deglacer To swill out a pan in which food has been fried with wine, stock or water in order to use the sediment for the sauce or gravy; to deglaze
degraisser To skim off fat
dejeuner [la] Dinner
delice A cut of fish : a neatly skinned, trimmed fillet of
demi Half
demi glace A refined espagnol sauce
demi tasse French for half cup, refers to the bowls concentrated consommé is served in, also Italian coffees such as espresso
denté Teeth (Italian)
desosser To bone out meats
diablé Devilled; made hot and spicy
dilute To add water to
dish paper A plain dish paper
doily A fancy dish paper
drain To remove liquid from with a strainer
duxelle Finely chopped mushrooms and shallots cooked together
eggwash Mixture of egg and milk
emince Sliced
emulsion A mixture of oil and water which does not separate
entrecôte A steak cut from the boned sirloin
entrée The opening course to a meal, traditionally in Europe is dish served before the main course where fish or meat is served hot in a sauce
envoyez A term used at service time when calling away meals
escalope Thin slice of raw meat
espagnole Basic brown sauce
essai taste, sample
essayer To taste, to sample
estouffade Brown meat stock
étouffé To stew or slowly cook
étouffée A slowly cooked meat stew
etuvee Cooked in own juices
facile easy
farce Stuffing
farcé To stuff or used to described a dish that has been stuffed
fecule Fine potato flour
feuille Leaf or sheet (as in paper)
feuilletage Puff pastry
feuilleté Laminated
fines herbes Chopped parsley, tarragon and chervil
flake To break into natural segments
flambé To flame with alcohol
flan Large open fruit tart
fleurons Small crescent shaped pieces of puff pastry
flute 2 cm diameter slice of French bread
foie Liver
foie gras Goose liver (paté)
foncer To line the base of a stew pan with slices of ham or bacon
fond stock or bouillon (Fr for base)
fondant Melting; a soft kind of icing
fondue a preparation of melted cheese, also the equipment used for this (Swiss)
forcemeat a stuffing
frangipane a sweet mixture of
frappe Chilled
friandises Petit fours or sweetmeats
fricassee A white stew in which the meat, fish or poultry is cooked in the sauce
friture Deep fryer
froid Cold
fromage Cheese
fromage blanc A fat free, fresh cheese made from skimmed milk
fumé Smoked
fumet The essence or concentrated flavour
galantine A boned, stuffed whole bird (or breast of veal), it may be poached or roasted and served cold or hot
galette A French pastry or breakfast roll
garam masala A combination of Indian spices
Garde-manger The cold preparation section of a kitchen : see also Larder
garni To garnish
garnish Trimmings on a dish for presentation purposes
gateau A cake of more than portion and usually more than one layer
gaufre A thin wafer biscuit, baked or fried in a mould
gaufre Waffle
gaufrette A lattice cut potato dish, cut wafer thin
gelatine A soluble protein used for setting foods
Genoise a rich sponge cake
gibelotte A rabbit stew dressed with butter, onions and potatoes
gibier Game
glace A glaze
glacé Ice cream
glacé To glaze
gnocchi Italian word for dumpling
goujon Small strips of fish fillet
gourmande An epicure, a ravenous eater, a glutton
gourmet a judge of good food and living, one who appreciates (and knows about)good food and wine
gratinée To sprinkle with cheese or breadcrumbs and brown under the salamander
gras Fat, plump
graisse Grease or fat
gratis Free of charge
green Fresh, uncooked ; usually applied to fish
green ginger Fresh root of the ginger plant
grenadin small larded slice of veal fillet
grenouille Frog
grill A piece of equipment that cooks with heat from below (see also salamander)
groseille Berry



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