Glossary of Cooking Terms

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 classic soup that was made in the Hobo camps across the U.S. as those who rode the rails became a part of the history of America.

The meat from the cheek of the hog, which is used in various dishes to provide additional flavoring.

A popular thick sauce used for Asian foods, both as an ingredient in cooking and also as a condiment.

An aromatic herb, with an aroma similar to nutmeg or black pepper, that grows 6 to 8 feet tall and is commonly used for seasoning Mexican food dishes and mole verde.

A medium sized, pale green colored olive from Spain that is round in shape. It is brine-cured and has firm, fibrous textured meat providing a soft fruity or sweet flavor that may be slightly bitter.

A long narrow fish that is found in the southern hemisphere ocean waters off the coast of Australia and New Zealand.

Thick, meaty fresh egg noodles that are popular for stir frying because their size allows them to pick up more sauce and provide more flavor.

A Jewish specialty dish that is basically a type of stuffed cabbage roll. Various mixtures of savory ingredients are placed onto large cabbage leaves, which are then rolled and cooked, either by baking or simmering on the stovetop.

Asian greens from the brassica rapa family of greens that are a hybrid of a stubble turnip crossed with a Chinese cabbage.

A traditional hard flatbread from Holland that is toasted, round in shape, flat-surfaced, and crispy.

A sauce made with egg yolks that are beaten as they are warmed slightly. Butter is gradually added along with lemon juice to create a thick, creamy sauce.

A descriptor for varieties of wine that are lacking the taste sensation between the attack and finish of the wine.

A term used to describe a knife blade which most often contains evenly spaced vertical indentations or "hollows" that have been ground out of the thickness of the steel blade.

A knife blade with concave beveled edges created by starting midway or lower from the top of the blade and grinding or tapering each side of the blade thinner toward the bottom or cutting edge by grinding a inward curvature.

A food dish made with potatoes that are precooked, cubed and then fried in butter or oil and seasoned with a variety of ingredients such as salt, pepper, onions, and bits of green herbs.

A corn product created by soaking white or yellow corn kernels in scalding water that is mixed with a chemical solution, such as a mild lye or slaked lime.

The process used by food manufacturers and processors to prevent or detain fat, such as the cream in fresh milk, from separating away from the liquid or water contained in a dairy product.

A Greek olive grown in the Arcadia or Morea region of Greece, along the Peloponnesian peninsula adjacent to the Aegean Sea.

A descriptor of wine that is not known as a great wine, but is flawless and straightforward.

A very sweet, thick fluid produced by honeybees from flower nectar. It is a natural sweetener that is used in many food dishes to increase the intensity of the flavor desired for the food.

A ham that is wet cured with honey consisting of at least one half of the sweetening ingredient used in the curing mix.

A type of mustard made with a combination of herbs and spices blended into a mustard base that is sweetened with honey.

A variety of tangerine that is high in sugar content, giving it a rich sweet flavor.

Often used to refer to hexagonal shapes or designs, this term also refers to a type of storage that is naturally created by honey bees for their use during winter months when their supply of fresh flowers are not available.

A variety of apple that has bright red and pale green outer skin and a cream colored crisp yet juicy inner flesh.

A melon variety that has a hard, cream-colored outer rind with an inner flesh that is pale green in color.

A descriptor of wine characterized by the flavor/aromas of honey. Wines that have been infected with “noble rot” typically possess a “honeyed” flavor/aroma.

A medium to large sized apple that has a round cone-like shape. It is golden yellow to yellowish green in color.

(Scientific Name: Lyophyllum shimeji) Small in size, this type of Asian mushroom is one of the numerous Shimeji varieties common to Japan.

A flowering plant that emerges with a hearty, tough stem that grows into a lengthy, winding vine.

An herb plant from which juice is extracted and used as an ingredient in cough drops and cough syrup and as a flavoring in candies.

The tasting of numerous wines that are from the same vintage but originate from different wineries.

(Scientific Name: Craterellus cornucopioides) A tender and somewhat fragile mushroom that has the appearance of a funnel or horn-shaped fungus.

A fruit that is a cross between a melon and a cucumber. It is native to southern Africa and grown in the United States, Portugal and New Zealand.

Refers to a variety of dishes that are usually bite-sized foods served before a main meal and are often served with cocktails.

A small pulse (legume) that is most commonly grown as a crop in India. It is used as a food for both human and animal consumption.

A pungent and spicy tasting condiment made from horseradish root that is served as a sauce for meat, a topping for appetizers, or as a dressing for sandwiches providing a distinctively hot flavor.

A powdered spice made from the root vegetable known as the horseradish root that is a member of the mustard family.

A fleshy white root vegetable harvested from a plant that is a member of the mustard family.

A Japanese term used to describe thin rolls of sushi. When the sushi is wrapped in nori (toasted seaweed) it is rolled up as a small circular tube-shaped creation that is then sliced into finger-sized rolled portions.

Descriptor of wine that is high in alcohol content and leaves a burning sensation on the palate.

A flat cake produced by pouring batter on a hot griddle or skillet to form round cakes that are cooked quickly at high heat.

A hot beverage made with melted chocolate or chocolate syrup mixed with milk and occasionally topped with miniature marshmallows.

Made with wheat flour dough, this type of bun may be made spicy flavorings, raisins, and/or bits of candied fruit or it may be made as a bun without the added flavorings.

Another name for a sandwich prepared with a sausage referred to as a frankfurter that is placed within a long split roll.

Made for use on a grill, this utensil is designed to cook hot dogs or sausages evenly, without grill marks or overly cooking the meat on one or more sides.

A spicy sauce used as a condiment or for flavoring various recipes. It is usually made with chiles, vinegar, and salt.

A method used to enhance the flavor of food by using smoldering wood at high temperatures during the curing process.

A method of cooking in which food is prepared (cooked) by placing it in a bath of hot water.