Glossary of Cooking Terms

poly unsaturated fat, poly-unsaturated fat,

A soft, round, pure white feathery mushroom with caps that average 5 to 8 inches in diameter but can grow to 12 inches.

The stems, skin, and pips remaining after harvest. Is sometimes distilled making a raw brandy.

pomagranite, pomegranite, pomagranate, pomergranite, pomergranate, pomegrante, p...

A traditional Middle Eastern ingredient made from the sugar in the juice extracted from fresh pomegranates.

A syrup, made from the seeds of a tart variety of pomegranate that is commonly used as a flavoring in Middle Eastern cooking.

Pronounced paw-muh-rhawl. The smallest wine producing area of the Bordeaux region of France, therefore there is a limited supply of these wines available.

An Italian term for "tomato" which translates to "golden apple" referring to the first tomatoes grown that were golden yellow in color with an apple-like shape.

A fairly small fish, averaging about 2 pounds, with a high fat content. It is found in the Atlantic off North Carolina to Florida and the Gulf coast to Texas.

Descriptor of wine with little or no acid and/tannin content, and high alcohol and body character.

A small purplish-black Italian olive that is brine-cured and packed with vinegar oil providing a crisp nutty flavor to its firm meat.

Considered to be a farmhouse type cheese, this variety is produced around the Normandy region of France from unpasteurized or pasteurized cow's milk.

A Japanese sauce that is used as a dipping sauce for poached meats, dumplings, fried foods and seafood; as a sauce added to sauteed foods during cooking, or a salad and cooked greens vinaigrette; or as a dressing for Asian noodle dishes.

A French word for a type of bread starter. The mixture consists of a portion of yeast, which is allowed to activate in warm water for several minutes.

A timing device most often used when cooking poultry such as chicken or turkey. Made from plastic, this type of timer consists of a hollow pointed section or probe containing a heat sensitive mechanism that pops out as the meat reaches the desired cooking temperature.

A special variety of dried corn that contains a high moisture content. About 14% of the composition of the kernel is water, which creates steam when the kernel is heated.

This kitchen appliance or piece of kitchenware may be any utensil that is used to pop kernels of corn on a stovetop, in a microwave or over an open fire.

A very fine-grained salt that sticks better to popcorn and other foods such as French fries.

An airy, puffed bread roll similar to a quick bread that is served for breakfast or dinner to accompany other foods prepared for the meal.

A baking pan or baking utensil as it may also be referred, specifically designed to hold popover batter so the popover, as it bakes, can rise up into a large, airy pastry-like shape.

Poppy seed oil is obtained from the small dark seeds of the poppy flower. It is a good choice for salad dressings because of its smooth, subtle flavor.

Tiny, bluish-black, round seeds, found in the poppy flower, which have a nutty-like flavor.

Small circular or various shaped containers that hold sweet contents that are frozen so they take on the shape of the container.

Pots and pans made of materials, such as cast iron or aluminum that have had porcelain enamel applied as a coating.

An Italian roast pork dish traditionally made by slow roasting a suckling pig stuffed with ingredients and basting it with olive oil during the cooking process to keep it moist.

A lean fish with a coarse texture and delicate flavor, consisting of a large family of fish found in temperate and tropical waters all over the world.

A term customarily applied to the meat of a pig that is under a year old. The pig carcass is generally split into two sides of pork; each consisting of four primal cuts known as the shoulder, loin, leg/ham, and side/belly.

The loin is located on both sides of the backbone starting at the shoulder and continuing back to the hind leg.

The skin of a pig that is deep-fried in lard to make light, crunchy chips. The chips are high in protein and contain no carbohydrates.

A reference that can apply to several different cuts of pork used for roasting, referred to as: the loin roast, shoulder roast, butt roast, blade loin roast, pork tenderloin, sirloin roast, crown roast or rolled ham roast.

A type of sausage consisting of fresh ground pork that is seasoned with sage and pepper.

For many this term refers to a cooked breakfast cereal common in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Scotland that is made from oats.

A grain used to produce a porridge that may become a breakfast cereal or a rice pudding, depending on the country.

A wine fortified by adding grape alcohol partway through the fermentation. The wine is kept in oak for a relatively short time, then fortified and aged in bottles.

The Porterhouse is a crosscut beefsteak containing part of the tenderloin and part of the top loin, which are separated from each other with a "T" shaped bone.

The measuring of portions to guarantee that the amount served is what was specified.

Cuts of meat that are cut to an individual serving size from a primal or sub-primal cut.

The dividing up of a larger quantity into specific serving sizes or portions.

Scoops, available in mechanical and non-mechanical types, that are used for measuring, portioning, and forming.

A rich flavored, meaty textured mushroom, which has a large, flat, dark brown cap that grows up to 5 inches in diameter when mature.

Known by its historical significance as a food preservative during earlier times, this variety of natural salt comes from the evaporation ponds surrounding the Portuguese ocean waters.

A thick piece of quilted material or woven pad used to protect your hands from the heat of hot cookware, casseroles, or other hot items that cannot be handled with bare hands.

A baked dish that consists of a bottom and top pastry crust with pieces of meat or poultry, vegetables, and a creamy sauce contained between the crusts.

A cut of beef or pork, which is prepared by browning the meat and then cooking the meat very slowly in a covered pot that contains a small amount of liquid.

Similar to a beef stew, this type of soup is made with a cut of meat suitable for pot roasts (round or chuck) that is mixed with vegetables and a rich broth.

A small Asian dumpling that is stuffed with a variety of ingredients such as meats or fish, vegetables and seasonings, that are wrapped and pan cooked before serving.

The dough covering that encloses the ingredients used to make a small Asian dumpling known as a Pot Sticker or a Wonton.

A rich French custard that is traditionally served in small cups, such as ramekins or other similar baking vessels that can be placed in an oven or microwave, and served chilled.

Often considered to be a spatula without a handle, the Pot or Pan Scraper is made to assist with the cleaning of contents remaining in pots, pans, bowls, dishes, plates, and other kitchen ware.

A traditional French soup that combines fresh peas and water with finely chopped shallots to make a thick creamy soup.