Glossary of Cooking Terms

A stewing method used when the natural flavor from all the ingredients is desired rather than the flavor from the browning of the meat.

A partially refined sugar, which is light brown in color, coarse textured, and contains the natural molasses that is present in sugarcane.

A complex blend of spices that is used in the preparation of North African food dishes.

A hand tool that is typically used to extract juice from citrus fruits, such as oranges or lemons.

A cow's milk cheese, traditionally made in northern France, which has a cream-colored soft to firm texture surrounded by a thick orange, washed rind.

Various marinade and a spice mixtures that are made into seasoned pastes to be used as a rub, a marinade or a seasoning for a variety of foods before they are grilled or roasted.

An Italian wine that is made using the Passito Method in the Veneto region. During the drying process, the grapes may develop Botrytis Cinerea, giving them added intensity and fullness.

A written procedure for the preparation of a food item or items. Recipes typically include a list of ingredients and a set of instructions on the necessary steps to prepare the foods being described.

The process of rehydrating dried foods by placing the food in water or some other liquid, in order to bring them back to a resemblance of their original size, shape and texture.

An oval-shaped, long stemmed salad green with a mildly distinctive mustard taste.

A variety of banana, with a reddish-purple skin, that is shorter and plumper than the traditional Cavendish banana.

Small, dark red beans that have a slightly sweet taste. They are available precooked in cans or dried, which require soaking to rehydrate.

Pronounced bore-DOUGH. A regional red wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France.

A regional red wine produced in the Burgundy region of France. Traditionally, Red Burgundy is Pinot Noir varietal based.

A red or purplish cabbage that is more mild and sweet flavored than other cabbage.

A term used to describe one or many of the varieties of red-hot chilies that are grown throughout the world.

A common type of cooking pot that may be round, oblong, square, or oval shaped. Red clay pots can be used to roast meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables.

A berry, much like a small grape, native to France and northern Europe that is related to the gooseberry.

The most common variety of curry paste available, which is red in color and is typically made from fresh and/or dried red chiles mixed with other ingredients such as coriander, cinnamon, cumin seeds, shallots, garlic, lemon grass, and peppercorns.

A large, bright red apple with an elongated shape that has five distinctive knobs on the bottom.

A low-fat fish that is a member of the drum family, found along the southeastern coast of the United States and in the Gulf of Mexico.

A short, stout pumpkin squash that is a true field pumpkin and an heirloom variety of squash native to France.

A thick-skinned orange colored squash that has the appearance of an oblong pumpkin without the ridges.

A leafy salad green that grows from a stalk and spreads out to form a loose leafed bunch of greens with a decorative frilled red edging.

A fish that is not actually a mullet but a member of the goatfish family. It has mild flavored, firm white meat and few bones.

A dry onion that has purplish red skins and white flesh that is tinged with red....

Chopped red-hot chile peppers that are dehydrated to form flakes. They are used to add a hotter, spicier flavor to foods and are commonly found at pizzerias as a condiment for pizzas.

They are medium sized with thin red skin and white flesh that has a crisp, waxy texture.

A regional wine produced in the Rhône region of France. Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage are well known northern appelations of the Rhône that produce red wines.

A long grain unmilled variety of rice with a red bran that is grown in India. This rice has a nuttier flavor and is reddish-tan in color.

They are medium sized with thin red skin and white flesh that has a crisp, waxy texture.

A lean, round saltwater fish with flaky white flesh which has a firm, moist texture and a mild, sweet flavor.

A variety of tea that is made from the rooibos herb, native to South Africa. This tea is caffeine-free and is a good source of anitoxidants.

A common Italian heirloom variety of onion that is used to enhance the flavors in a variety of food dishes.

A beverage containing alcohol, which is produced from fermented grape juice. Red wine is a nonsparkling wine that may vary in color intensity and can be dry, which is nonsweet, semisweet or sweet.

Vinegar made from red wine, which has a stronger and more robust flavor than vinegar made with white wine.

A low-fat fish that is a member of the drum family, found along the southeastern coast of the United States and in the Gulf of Mexico.

A medium sized red apple that has creamy white flesh, which is firm and juicy. It has a sweet, mildly acidic flavor.

To thicken and intensify the flavor of a liquid by rapidly boiling the contents in an uncovered pan in order to evaporate excess liquid.

A term referring to foods in which the sodium content has been reduced. Reduced Sodium foods are important for individuals that have been placed on low sodium diets due to medical concerns, as too much sodium in the diet can lead to high blood pressure for some people.

Milk containing 2% percent milk fat. Many consider low-fat milks containing 1% or less of milk fat such as 1% low-fat milk or skim milk to be reduced-fat milks however, the actual classification for a reduced-fat milk is the variety labeled "2% reduced-fat" milk.

In reference to wine making, "reducing conditions" are the conditions that promote reduction (non-contact with oxygen).

A sauce made with the juices released from oven roasted or stove top cooked foods, such as meat, poultry or vegetables.

Descriptor of wine that has not encountered air for a long period of time.

A term that is most often used to describe whole grains that have been processed to remove the outer layer on each kernel of grain resulting in a kernel that cannot be classified as whole,/i> once it has been Refined.

A type of olive oil that has been highly processed in order to neutralize defects in the oil.

Descriptor for an elegantly balanced wine.

A fleshy evergreen plant with small tender leaves, cylindrical in shape, attached to tiny star shaped flowers.

A piece of equipment used by grape growers to measure the percentage of sugar in various grape samples being tested.

1. To immerse cooked food, generally vegetables, into ice water or under cold running water to stop further cooking and to retain its color.