Glossary of Cooking Terms

Different in color from other more common white or grey sea salts, the Hawaiian Sea Salts are harvested from local minerals or lava deposits.

A type of bread that originated in Hawaii in the late 1950s, developed specifically by the Taira family of Hilo, who named the bread, “King’s Hawaiian® Sweet Bread." The recipe was inspired by a type of Portuguese sweet bread that was often supplied to sailors who preferred it during their lengthy ocean voyages.

A slightly sweet, round nut grown on shrubs and trees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

A soft spreadable nut butter made from the slightly sweet, round nut grown on shrubs and trees in North America, Europe, and Asia.

The oil obtained from pressing hazelnuts. The brown colored oil has a slightly sweet, nutty taste and is generally used as a flavoring for baked goods and for some sauces.

Descriptor of wine containing small floating particles that can be seen when held against a light, typically occurring in unfiltered wines.

A type of lettuce that has leaves that grow in a dense circular shape. There are many varieties of head lettuce, all of which are grouped into two categories: crisphead, such as iceberg lettuce and butterhead, such as bibb lettuce.

A method of training a wine grape vine without using a trellis.

Pork and veal meat from the head and shoulders that has been mixed with pork fat, vinegar and bay leaves, boiled, and then pressed into a mold before being chilled.

Descriptor of wine that is notably full bodied and high in alcohol content.

An early winter squash that combines a sweet dumpling with an acorn squash to produce a small acorn shaped vegetable.

The beef heart has a rich flavor and is best prepared by braising or stewing, because of the toughness of the meat.

The inner portion or heart of the stem from the cabbage palm tree, which is grown in tropical regions and temperate climates.

A descriptor, most often of red wines, with full-bodied, warm characteristics and high alcohol content.

A stovetop utensil designed to distribute heat evenly across the bottom of a pan.

A kitchen tool, typically made of materials such as wood, metal, or silicone plastic, that are specifically constructed to withstand high temperatures when used for baking or cooking foods.

The fatty liquid that rises to the top of milk when the milk is allowed to stand.

(Scientific Name: Hydnum repandum) Irregular in shape, the Hedgehog fungus has an indented or funnel-like cap that ranges in size from 1 inch to over 5 inches in diameter.

A female cow that has not borne any offspring.

A variety of tomato grown from open-pollinated seeds that produce a fruit that is very flavorful and well textured.

(Scientific Name: Grifola frondosa) Shades of gray-brown, white and tan decorate the layers of wrinkled caps on this delicate Asian mushroom, which grows multiple long stems from the base upwards as it forms a large leafy head.

The generic name given to any of the numerous varieties of plants that have fragrant leaves and stems used to season foods.

A utensil that is designed to hold loose quantities of herbs, spices or teas to be used for adding various flavors to liquids.

Butter that has been blended with herbs and other seasonings. It can be used as an ingredient for various dishes such as a stuffed chicken breast in which ingredients including the herb butter are stuffed into a split breast and baked.

A kitchen utensil that can be used to grind, crush, mince, or cut herbs into smaller bits for seasoning sauces, soups, salads, and other foods.

A type of utensil used to hold small amounts of herbs that are to be placed in simmering liquids in order the enhance or infuse the herbal flavors into the simmering solution.

Different types of Salami are used for the purpose of coating the outer casing with herbs, which serves to enhance the flavor of the meat both inside and out.

A type of vinegar that has been produced by soaking herbs in the solution in order to absorb the flavor of the selected herbs.

Descriptor of wine with the aroma of fresh grass, hay, and/or herbs. Also used to describe wines with a green pepper character.

Tea that has been flavored by adding herbs such as mint or rosemary to enhance the flavor of mildly flavored teas.

A variety of dried herbs grown naturally in the Provence region of southern France that are combined to create a savory flavoring for foods such as fish, meats, olives, potatoes, stews, soups, and sauces.

A descriptor of wine suggesting the aroma/flavor of herbs.

A variety of cheese, made from cow's milk, that is named for the county in New York where it originated.

Refers to a type of seal that is impervious to air. Some foods may be packaged in containers that are hermetically sealed in order to preserve freshness.

Most notably known as "Cinsault" or "Cinsaut". A grape varietal used in the production of light red wines, originating in the Rhône region of France.

Most notably known as "Marsanne". A grape varietal, used in the production of white wine, originating in the Rhône region of France.

A type of sandwich consisting of a split loaf of French or Italian bread that is filled with assorted meats, cheeses, vegetables, condiments, and seasonings, and then sliced into individual servings.

A very popular Swedish cheese made from cow's milk. It has a pale yellow color with a soft supple texture containing many small holes throughout.

A type of saltwater fish found in the colder waters of the North Atlantic. There are many varieties of herring and most of them grow to no more than a foot in length.

A cow's milk cheese that has a very strong aroma and flavor. The cheese is a light yellow in color with a red or brown skin.

A small charcoal grilling stove that consists of a cast-iron container that may be round, oblong, square, or rectangular in shape.

A type of nut that is grown and harvested from a family of trees that include hickories, walnuts and pecans.

Refers to foods that have been cooked and smoked in the enclosed chamber of a barbecue that is filled with smoke from the burning of hickory logs.

When cooking at altitudes above 3000 feet, adjustments in the quantities of some ingredients used in a recipe may be necessary.

This is a term that is used to describe cake batter that has a high percentage of sugar compared to the other ingredients that are used.

A black colored seaweed native to Japan that grows in small clumps of fronds with the appearance of tiny tree branches.

Found in regions adjacent to the Himalayan mountain range, the Himalayan Pink Salt is a natural, coarse-grained salt containing a high concentration of minerals.

A long-grain variety of rice with red bran that is cultivated in Nepal. Himalayan red rice has a rich, nutty flavor and a deep red color when cooked.

A long root or radish, up to a foot in length, that has a mild flavor and can be used as a garnish when sliced, an ingredient for salads, in cooked recipes, and for making pickles....

Thin, fragile, white Japanese noodles made from wheat flour. They are sold in straight strands that are dried and bundled.