Glossary of Cooking Terms

A rich, Italian wine to which brandy has been added to convert the sugar into a higher alcohol content.

Pronounced mahr-sahn. A grape varietal, used in the production of white wine, originating in the Rhône region of France.

A fluffy, soft candied food that is made from egg whites, gelatin, and corn syrup.

Soft and fluffy in texture, this candied food is made from egg whites, gelatin, and corn syrup.

A food presentation material, semi-firm in texture, that is made of finely ground almonds or almond paste, sugar, and egg whites.

Translated from Spanish into English it means "dough flour", an ingredient that is a powdered form of a dough made from dried hominy.

An Italian cheese-like product made from cream skimmed off cow's milk that is processed to become a spreadable food.

Cooked potatoes, with a small amount of milk added, that have been mashed to a smooth fluffy consistency.

To disguise something by completely covering it with sauce or by adding a flavoring to hide its real taste.

A traditional meat dish served in South America that consists of beef (flank steak or similar) that has been spread with a mixture of ingredients and rolled into a log shape to be cooked together.

Most notably known as "Mourvedre". A grape varietal, used in the production of red wine, originating in the Catalonia region of Spain.

A traditional Japanese green tea made from young Gyokuro leaves that are finely ground into a bright green colored tea powder.

Descriptor of wine with an odor of “burnt matches” (sulfur dioxide gas). The aroma will evaporate with airing or decanting of the wine.

Pieces of fruits or vegetables that are cut to a 1/8" julienne cut strip and then cut into approximately 2-inch lengths.

A mixture of minced vegetables, such as carrots, onions and celery, and herbs sautéed in butter, used to add flavor to soups, stews and sauces.

Descriptor of wine that is fully developed and ready to be consumed.

Unleavened cracker bread or flat bread that is baked into thin sheets to be easily broken apart for serving individual pieces.

A round dumpling that is most often served in a chicken broth soup. The Matzo ball is made by combining Matzo meal (crushed dried flatbread), oil or butter, eggs, and seasonings together, forming the mixture into round balls approximately 1 inch or so in diameter.

Common in Jewish kitchens, this type of soup consists of a broth that contains several round, soft dumplings known as Matzo Balls.

A traditional Jewish breakfast or brunch food that is made by moistening broken pieces of matzo with hot water and then drying the Matzo before dipping it in egg batter.

Jewish unleavened bread that is ground into a fine or medium-textured meal to be used for baking, breading fried foods and for thickening soups, stews and other food dishes.

A dry onion grown in Hawaii, that have brown skins and a sweet tasting flesh that is best when eaten raw, but it can also be cooked.

A medium size olive from Italy that is purplish-black in color and round in shape.

An oval-shaped dried bean common in Latin American cooking. Medium in size and ivory-yellow in color, the Mayocoba Bean is similar to a pinto bean in appearance and flavor.

A sauce made with egg yolks, olive or vegetable oil, mustard, and lemon juice or vinegar, and various seasonings.

A variety of blue cheese that comes from the state of Iowa in the U.S. It is a traditional farmhouse cheese made from unpasteurized cow's milk.

Most notably known as "Carignan". A grape varietal, used in the production of red wines, originating in the Cariñena District of Spain.

A compound butter that is made by adding lemon and parsley to soft creamed butter.

A light to dark red apple with tints of green covering a very juicy flesh that provides a sweet, tangy (almost tart) flavor.

Descriptor of wine with diminishing flavor, lacks body and depth.

Types of grain that have been coarse ground to provide a gritty mixture for a baking ingredient.

The units that are used to indicate length, area, volume, mass, and temperature....

A cup-shaped kitchen utensil, varying in size from 1/4 to 5 cup measures that are used to hold specific amounts of both dry and liquid ingredients.

A spoon-shaped kitchen utensil, varying in size from a dash to 1 tablespoon or 15 milliliter measures that are used to hold specific amounts of both dry and liquid ingredients.

The process of calculating and determining the specific amount of an ingredient required by using a standard measurement device, such as a measuring spoon, measuring cup or measuring utensil.

The fleshy part of an animal that is used for food or the edible part of something, such as the nuts inside of nut shells.

Often used by those who make their own meat ingredients for sausages or meat dishes, Meat Grinders are a common utensil for grinding a variety of ingredients that may include seasonings desired for personal tastes in the foods being prepared.

A food dish made from ground meat and other ingredients, which are combined and baked in a pan.

A long shaft or thin rod inserted through pieces of meat and other foods to hold several pieces together while cooking over a grill or roasting over a fire.

A group of meat products that include: sliced beef, jellied beef loaf, jellied corned beef, deviled ham, Geotta sausage, chopped ham loaf, ham and cheese loaf, headcheese, honey loaf, luncheon meat, macaroni and cheese loaf, minced luncheon spread, Mortadella bologna, old fashioned loaf, olive loaf, pepper loaf, pickle and pimento loaf, scrapple, Souse of Sulz, and veal loaf.

The flavorful juices that are produced when meat and vegetables are cooked in water for long periods of time.

A tool used for tenderizing meat. This kitchen utensil, usually in the form of a mallet with a flat or point-protruding shaped suface, is used to pound against the meat in order to break apart the tough fibers.

A process to reduce the toughness of meat fibers in a cut of meat. Tenderizing breaks down the meat fibers and softens the meat, making it easier to chew and more palatable.

An arrangement of cooked meats placed on a tray to be served as an appetizer. A variety of cold cuts and deli meats are typically arranged with garnishes of vegetables, fruits, cheeses, and greens.

A high covered roasting pans that is oval shaped with deep sides and a large domed cover.

A device used for checking the doneness of meat or other foods to ensure that the appropriate and safe internal temperature has been achieved.

A small portion of ground meat that has been seasoned and rolled into a round ball-like shape.

A kitchen utensil, also known as a meatballer, that forms small portions of seasoned ground meat into round balls.

Descriptor of wine in reference to lean meat. “Meaty” wine is full-bodied, firm in structure, and considered “chewable”.

A term referring to a small, flat, round or oval shaped portion of meat, generally a tender piece, or other food that is small and round.