Glossary of Cooking Terms

A type of cookie that can refer to several types of products. The first type has a sweet flavor, is smaller and much thinner than a regular cookie, with a consistent texture that does not change.

A soft, bread-like cake with a surface of uniform indentations similar to a honeycomb.

A kitchen tool used for making waffles. The waffle iron basically consists of two irons forming a top and bottom, each with a honeycomb pattern that is hinged together.

A type of fish with a flavor that is much like that of albacore tuna except that it is slightly sweeter.

A black colored seaweed native to Japan and Atlantic waters growing in small clumps of fronds that are coarse and stringy in appearance.

A type of dry onion that gets its name from the town in Washington where the variety originated.

A type of freshwater fish that is not a pike at all, but is a member of the perch family.

A nut harvested from trees that are grown in many of the temperate regions of the world.

A type of bread flavored with walnuts that are chopped or ground. There are many variations of walnut bread, which is British in origin.

Oil that is obtained from walnuts that are pressed to extract the natural oil. The richly flavored oil makes it a good choice for use in salad dressings and sauces, but it is more expensive than several other popular oils such as corn oil or canola oil.

A descriptor of a wine that possesses a high alcohol flavor, but is pleasantly balanced by desirable qualities.

An Asian root plant, also known as "Wasabia japonica" that grows both in fields or adjacent to water in cooler climates.

An Asian snack made by coating dried peas with the sharp, hot flavored condiment known as "wasabi" that is one of the most important seasonings in Japanese cooking.

A critical element for all aspects of food preparation and consumption. Water is an important part of human health as it provides nutrients and oxygen to the body, works to regulate temperatures within the body, helps to hydrate all parts of the body from skin to organs, and is essential in keeping our body in top condition.

Crisp in texture, this food item is basically a cracker that is made with flour and water.

A corm or fleshy bulb that forms at the base of a plant known as the trapa natan, which is grown in streams and bodies of water.

An aquatic plant that grows along the muddy edges of bodies of water such as lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams, that is also grown commercially in fields that have been flooded to produce this plant.

A type of flour ground from water chestnuts, which are the edible tubers of an aquatic plant that grows along the muddy edges of lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams or is cultivated commercially in flooded fields.

A thin, dry, crispy-textured cracker that is made with flour, water and little or no salt.

An olive that is processed by repeated rinsing and soakings in water during a period of time that may be 6 to 12 months in length, and then placed into a salt brine.

A cooking utensil which is used most often to boil water for beverages made with additional ingredients that are best prepared with boiling water.

A type of barbecue cooker that uses indirect heat and smoke from wood chips that combines with the steam from a liquid to cook and flavor various types of meat.

A plant that is a member of the mustard family and is used as an herb and a salad green.

A popular fruit that grows on ground vines in a number of different shapes and sizes, all round and fairly large.

A large round root vegetable related to the turnip and horseradish family, with a crisp texture and a mild to sweet peppery flavor.

Made as a relish item, Watermelon Rind is a common food that is served as a snack, an appetizer, or an item placed on relish trays.

A descriptor of wine. See “thin”.

A Belgian stew that is prepared with fish, vegetables, and seasonings that are blended into a rich sauce of cream, butter, and egg yolks.

The fruit harvested from pods that grow on species of Wattle bushes, or trees as they are often referred to in their native environment of Australia.

A snap bean that is a golden yellow or purple colored version of the green bean....

A lightweight paper material that has been coated lightly with a wax substance on both sides of the paper.

Refers to a special paper that is coated with a thin film of wax on both sides of the paper.

A round saltwater fish that is moderately lean and has a moist, flaky textured flesh.

An older variety of apple that is able to endure and grow well in colder climates.

A term used to describe a wine that has a leak in the cork or capsule.

The term "weeping" is used to describe a meringue topping that oozes moisture, which gives a finished dessert an unattractive appearance.

A domestic aromatic long-grain rice that is generally sold as an unpolished or brown variety with the nutritious bran and germ left intact.

1. To use a heavy object placed on top of a prepared food for the purpose of squeezing out excess fat or liquid, or to force a food to form to the contour of a mold.

A descriptor of a well structured wine with a hint of excessive taste.

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

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

Most notably known as "Riesling". A grape varietal used in the production of white wine and is used as a blending agent in the production of Ice Wine in Canada.

A mildly flavored German sausage that is prepared with veal, eggs, cream, and seasonings.

A descriptor of wine with proportionate taste and aroma elements.

Meat that has been cooked for a longer period of time, leaving the center warm and darker in color, while the texture may be somewhat firmer.

A traditional method used for mixing flour with other ingredients to form dough used for preparing bread or other baked goods.

An English cheese made from the milk of Guernsey cows. It has a yellow color and is similar to Cheddar as it ages.

A traditional dish that originated in Wales, but is also popular in England and Scotland.

A cheese originating in the Cheshire area of England, which was traditionally a blue mold cheese.

A very sweet, ruby-red fruit that is much like a small cherry. It grows mainly in the West Indies and is an excellent source of vitamin C.