Glossary of Cooking Terms

A five-segmented fruit that when slices are cut crosswise they are star shaped. The fruit has a golden yellow skin and a matching color translucent flesh, which is lightly dotted with dark seeds.

A food substance that is produced by cooking sugar until it melts and darkens into a nutty brown colored mixture that ranges in consistency from liquid to hard-surfaced.

A popular fruit snack or dessert made by coating an apple in caramel. To make the Caramel apple, begin by inserting a wooden stick into the stem end of an apple, so it can be used as a handle to hold the apple.

carmel, carmal, caremel, caramal,

A term most often applied to the process of melting sugar, either as a basic substance or to melt it when it is contained within a food.

A plant of the parsley family from which small, curved, brown colored seeds are obtained and used as a seasoning for savory dishes and many baked items.

An alcoholic beverage made with a cognac base that is flavored with the caraway seeds, providing a distinctively sweet flavor with a slightly bitter, nutty taste.

One of three main categories of basic nutrients (the others are protein and fat) that are used by the body for energy.

Gas produced during the fermenting process of wine. Carbon dioxide gas is the cause of bubbles in sparkling wine.

Italian pasta dishes that are served with a sauce (Carbonara sauce) made with cream, eggs, Parmesan cheese, small pieces of bacon and vegetables, such as peas.

The process of injecting carbon dioxide into wine to convert sugar into alcohol, an inferior process when compared to secondary fermentation in the production of sparkling wines.

A small Italian olive, round in shape and dark brownish violet in color. It is most often used to produce a high quality olive oil.

The fermentation of uncrushed, whole bunches of grapes in a carbon dioxide soaked atmosphere.

A plant from the ginger family that is grown in tropical regions. As the plant grows a pod or shell containing a strand of 15 to 20 tiny seeds begins to develop as it buds out.

A relative of the artichoke, this vegetable is grown for its edible stalks, much like celery.

A silvery, green colored vegetable that looks like flat celery stalks with a flavor resembling an artichoke, salsify and celery, only slightly more bitter.

Pronounced Cah-reen-Yawn or Karin-Yan. A grape varietal, used in the production of red wines, originating in the Cariñena District of Spain.

A grape varietal, used in the production of red wines, originating in the Cariñena District of Spain.

A variety of potato that is excellent as a new potato but is also grown and marketed as a maincrop potato.

A grape varietal, used in the production of red wine, originating in the Loire Region of France.

A short-grained Italian rice that features small plump grains, a high starch content, and a creamy texture when cooked.

A traditional Mexican food dish that is served as both a main dish and as a filling for various food wraps.

A small to medium sized squash ranging in diameter from 5 to 7 inches. Round and hard skinned, the inner, somewhat stringy flesh has a mellow, but sweet flavor similar to sweet potatoes.

The fruit growing from an evergreen tree that originated in the Mediterranean region and is now grown in warm climates throughout the world.

A large oval shaped Italian olive that is dark violet in color. It is brine-cured and has a firm textured meat providing a soft delicate flavor.

A member of a family of pigments (chlorophyll and anthocyanins are the other members) that is responsible for the coloration of fruits and plants.

An Italian food that consists of seared, rare beef tenderloin thinly sliced and served with a cold olive oil vinaigrette, which may have lemon juice added, and then topped with Parmesan cheese.

A large sized Mediterranean olive, darkish brown or red in color, that is prized for its oil.

A group of related carbohydrates produced naturally by boiling red seaweed. Three types of carrageenan are extracted from seaweed, which are Kappa, Iota and Lambda, each with distinct properties to assist with the processing and development of food products.

A plant from the parsley family with feathery green leaves sprouting from the top of the root and an orange root that can be eaten raw or cooked.

A snack food made from carrots as a key ingredient that is manufactured into the shape of a small chip or cracker-like product.

A sweet food spread made from carrots that are ground, chopped, or shredded to be combined with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cloves.

The juice made from carrots blended into a liquid form. Carrot juice is often promoted for its nutritional benefits, since carrots are rich in beta-carotene and contain anti-oxidants, vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, minerals iron, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium and other absorbable nutrients.

Most often this variety of soup is made as a creamy soup with a milk or soy base.

The combination of sweet and fresh flavors creates a thick and savory soup made from a mix of vegetables and sweet potatoes.

The process that occurs as food continues to cook despite being removed from the oven, the stovetop, the grill, or a roasting fire.

The process of letting meat rest after cooking. Since meat continues to cook when removed from any heat source such as an oven, it has become referred to as Carryover Cooking or giving food a rest, a time during which the temperature of the meat increases 5 to 15ºF.

A common utensil for use when slicing meats, poultry, fish and other food items....

A knife with an 8 to 15 inch blade used for carving large roasts, poultry, and filleting large fish.

A member of the muskmelon family, this fruit has a shape and look similar to a walnut.

A medium size Italian olive, oval in shape and dark violet in color, which is highly prized for its oil.

A variety of pasta that is shaped like a very narrow twisted and rolled tube. If it is turned on end it looks like an "S" and is typically made into lengths of 5 cm.

A small round chile, approximately 1 inch or slightly larger in length, that turns dark rusty to brownish red in color when mature.

A small kidney shaped nut harvested from a tropical American tree with a rich, buttery taste.

A very thin edible covering, either natural or some form of a synthetic, that is used to enclose ground meat and other ingredients that have been processed into a sausage product.

Synonym for barrel, used to store/age wine.

A tropical root vegetable, grown as a shrub in temperate zones of Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and South America, that is harvested for its root and leaves.

The name given to any food dish prepared with mixed ingredients that include a starch (pasta, potato or grain), a protein (meat, poultry or fish), and vegetables combined with a soup sauce to keep it all together and baked in a covered dish.

A round or oval-shaped baking dish with a lid that is used to cook a wide variety of ingredients that are made into the food dish often referred to as a casserole.

A hearty meat stew originating in southern France, that consists of a confit (most often duck, goose, or pork) that is combined with white beans, vegetables, and potatoes, placed in a pot, and slowly cooked to blend all of the flavorful ingredients.