Glossary of Cooking Terms

A flat ribbon pasta that is 1" to 1 1/4" wide and can have a smooth or crinkled edge, used in main dishes, as a side dish and in salads.

Term used in the evaluation of wine describing clarity, not color. The appearance can be described as crystal clear, brilliant, cloudy, or contains sediment.

A grape growing region. Each appellation has its own regulations for wine making.

Appelation of Controlled Origin. A French system initiated in 1935 to safeguard the highest quality producers of various food products, such as cheese, meat and wine, providing a designation that could be used if the producer achieved specific standards and met certain criteria in order to be assigned this designation, also known as AOC.

A French system initiated in 1935 to safeguard the highest quality producers of various food products, such as cheese, meat and wine, providing a designation that could be used if the producer achieved specific standards and met certain criteria in order to be assigned this designation, also known as AOC.

A traditional cow's milk cheese produced in various sized wheels in the Appenzell region of Switzerland.

A small portion of food served before the main part of a meal in order to stimulate the appetite.

A type of tray built to serve appetizers while also holding wine glasses. Made from plastic, wood, metal, or composites, the Appetizer and Wine Serving Tray is designed to function as either individual serving trays for each guest or as a larger version with multiple glass holders so wine and appeatizers can be served to guests as the tray is carried around.

A round or oval shaped fruit that is harvested from lower growing trees found in most of the temperate regions of the world.

A condiment made basically from pureed apples combined with sugar, cinnamon, and vinegar.

A beverage produced from pressing the pulp of apples to extract the liquid. Sweet cider is apple juice that has been pasteurized, but has no alcohol content.

A tool used to extract the core from the apple without cutting the apple into sections and then individually cutting out each part of the core.

A type of fruit juice that is made from the pulp of apples processed for their juice.

A tool used to trim the outer skin of an apple from the apple flesh. This device will most often remove the core while removing the skin around the apple, leaving it cored and either whole or sliced.

A sweetened sauce made from cooked apples and spices. Applesauce can be smooth or chunky, very sweet or tart, and can be flavored with other fruits to create a blend.

A kitchen utensil that is used to cut whole apples into individual sliced wedges, while also cutting around the core so that the seeds and core can be easily discarded.

A type of quick bread, leavened with baking powder and baking soda, used as a tea bread or dessert bread.

Term used to describe an easy to drink, pleasurable wine.

A yellow-orange fruit harvested from small trees native to China, but are grown in many other regions of the world.

Apricot kernel oil is obtained from the dried kernels of the apricot tree. The oil is obtained by removing the pit from the apricot and cracking the shell of the pit in order to access the kernel covered by the shell.

A hybrid stone fruit that is a cross between an apricot and a plum. The fruit is predominately an apricot, being 3/4's apricot and 1/4 plum with a smooth orange outer skin, without fuzz, that covers a bright orange juicy flesh.

A Scandinavian alcoholic beverage distilled from potatoes or at times, from grain, which is then flavored with spices.

A grape varietal, used in the production of red wine, originating in the Iberian Peninsula of Spain.

A variety of seaweed native to Japan that grows in large thick leaves, which are processed into very narrow grass-like strands, very similar in appearance to Hijiki seaweed.

A large dark green oval shaped olive from Spain that is brine-cured and flavored with rosemary.

A very small light greenish-brown colored olive native to Spain that contains a soft-textured delicately flavored meat.

A bright red, slender chile measuring less than 3 inches in length and related to the cayenne chile.

A type of rice, named after a town in northwest Italy, that is one of the most popular varieties used for Italian risotto recipes.

An air-dried, salt cured, uncooked ham from Belgium, which is sliced thinly for serving and has an appearance and flavor that is similar to Italian prosciutto ham.

A French sheep's milk cheese produced in various sized wheels. It has a firm, hard texture that is perfect for grating and a slightly sweet, nutty flavor.

A flat bread made from corn flour that is a traditional part of many meals in South America.

An edible oil obtained from the nuts grown on argan trees that is used for cooking and seasoning.

A small to medium size red apple that matures into a deep purplish-red color that may have an appearance of being almost black in color.

The arm roast, which is cut from the beef chuck primal, is one of the most popular pot roasts.

Also called picnic roast, the pork arm roast is a fresh cut that comes from the shoulder primal.

A specialty cut of meat taken from the shoulder primal of beef, pork, lamb, or veal.

A type of brandy known for its distinctively soft, rich flavor. Produced in Gascony, which is a region located in southern France southeast of Bordeaux, Armagnac is similar to Cognac but has an older history.

A large shaped pasta that is has the appearance of multiple layers of half-rounded ruffles forming irregular wavy shapes that surround a smooth inner surface.

Term used to describe the smell of a young wine. More specifically, it refers to the distinct aroma of the grape variety.

Term used to describe a wine with a prominent character such as grapey, spicy, or flowery.

A variety of rice that provides a natural aroma when cooked and a flavor that may taste somewhat like roasted nuts or popcorn.

A farmhouse cheese, made from a combination of cow and goat's milk, that is produced in the Lyonnais region of France as small rounds of cheese.

Italian in origin, this sauce is considered to be one of the fiery or spicier types of tomato sauces from Italy.

A South American chile that is native to Boliva and not very common outside of this region.

A tropical plant native to the Americas that is grown for its fleshy round tubers, which produce an edible starch after processing.

Thin white, semi-transparent noodles that are made from arrowroot starch. They are similar to cellophane noodles in appearance.

A tall flowering plant related to the thistle family of plants that is native to Mediterranean regions and now grown in a variety of locations throughout the world.

The fleshy base section of the artichoke, which is referred to as the artichoke bottom.

The fleshy center section of the artichoke, which is referred to as the heart of the artichoke.

A sauce made from artichoke hearts that is served over or stuffed into vegetables, added to pasta or rice, or served as a condiment for a variety of foods and appetizers.