CULINARY INFO
Kitchen Terminology Pt I
"DISCLAIMER"
The information contained here is supplied for your interest only and further research may be required.
I have gathered it from many sources over many years. While I attempt to insure they are crossed referenced for accuracy,
I take no responsibility for mistakes - additions or corrections are welcomed.
Food
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| CULINARY TERM | DEFINITION |
| à la | "In the style of" |
| à la broche | to roast in front of an open fire on a spit |
| à la carte | Dishes prepared to order and priced individually |
| à la Francaise | In the French style |
| à la minute | Cooked to order |
| abatis de volaille | Chicken offal |
| abats | Offal |
| aboyeur | barker or caller (Fr); the person who calls out the orders to the kitchen brigade |
| accompaniments | Items offered separately with a dish of food |
| agar-agar | A gelatine substance made from seaweed |
| aiguillettes | small strips of cooked meat or fish (from the French; anguiles, meaning needles) |
| ail | garlic |
| aile | Wing of poultry or game birds |
| ailerone | Winglet |
| albarelle | variety of boletus mushroom which grows on chestnut and white popular trees |
| aloyau de boeuf | Sirloin of beef |
| alumette | Matchstick shape |
| amino acid | The basic material from which proteins are made of |
| antipasto | Italian appetiser consisting of a variety of cooked, smoked and cured meats, seafoods, olives etc |
| apperail | Prepared mixture |
| apprenti | Apprentice - male |
| apprentie | Apprentice - female |
| aromates | Aromatic herbs or spices |
| arroser | To baste |
| ascorbic acid | Commonly known as vitamin C; found in citrus fruits and blackcurrants. Necessary for growth and good health |
| aspic | A savoury jelly mainly used for buffet work |
| assaisonner | To season |
| assorti | An assortment |
| aubergine | Eggplant |
| au beurre | With butter |
| au bleu | Usually applied to cooking meat: very under done |
| au bleu | Also refers to poaching fresh whole trout ; as the sea slime turns a bluish hue |
| au four | Baked in the oven |
| au gratin | Sprinkled with cheese or breadcrumbs and browned |
| au jus | a roasted meat dish that is dressed with its own juices |
| au maigre | dishes prepared without meat |
| au natural | dishes prepared simply and plainly without any extras |
| au vin blanc | With white wine |
| bacteria | Single celled micro-organisms (plural) |
| bacterium | (singular) |
| bain-marie | A container of water used for cooking or storing hot foods |
| ballontine | A boned stuffed leg of poultry or game bird, it may be poached or roasted and served cold or hot |
| barde | Strip of uncured bacon fat |
| barder | To cover breasts of birds with thin slices of bacon fat before roasting |
| barquette | A boat shaped pastry tartlet also a mould for baking such |
| Bavarois | Bavarian cream; must have custard as its base |
| Bavaroise | A mild punch, tea or coffee based, containing egg yolks, sugar and a liqueur |
| Bearnaise | A derivative of hollandaise sauce, replacing the straight reduction with a tarragon reduction |
| beignets | fritters |
| beurre | Butter |
| beurre fondue | Melted butter |
| beurre manie | Equal quantities of butter and flour mixed to a smooth paste; used for thickening |
| beurre noir | Blackened butter |
| beurre noisette | Nut brown butter |
| bisque | A thick shellfish soup |
| blanc | White |
| blanc | A cooking liquor of water, lemon juice, flour and salt |
| blanch | To plunge into boiling water or oil for the purpose of whitening as in bones, retaining colour without fully cooking as with vegetables |
| blanchir | French term for blanching |
| blanquette | A white stew cooked in stock from which the sauce is made |
| bombe | An ice cream speciality of different flavours made in a round mould |
| bonbons | small sugar confectionery |
| bouchées | A small puff pastry case: (a mouthful) |
| Bordelaise | Red wine sauce with bacon lardons and baby onions |
| bouillé | to boil |
| bouillon | Unclarified stock (from the French word to bubble, as in when liquid boils) |
| bouillabaisse | A fish stew; speciality of Provence |
| Bourguignonne | A red wine sauce with the addition of button onions and mushrooms |
| bouquet garni | A faggot of fresh herbs: parsley, thyme, bay leaf, usually tied inside pieces of leek or celery |
| braise | To braise |
| brine | A preserving solution of water, salt, saltpetre and aromates used for meats |
| brioche | A delicate, French sweet bread, traditionally served at breakfast |
| broche (la) | A roasting spit |
| brochette (la) | A skewer |
| brouillé | Scrambled |
| brunoise | Small dice of fruit or vegetables |
| buisson | a garnish of small groups of shrimps, also a method of twisting up pastry to a point |
| buttermilk | Liquid remaining from the churning of butter |
| ca marche | A term used at service time, to let the chefs' know that an order is to follow |
| calcium | A mineral required for the building of healthy bones and teeth |
| calorie | A unit of heat or energy |
| calvados | An apple brandy |
| canapé | A cushion of breador similar on which various foods are served as appetisers prior to a meal (cocktail party) |
| cannaloni | Large tubes of pasta; which are stuffed and served in a sauce, also the name of the dish |
| cannelons | small stuffed rolls of pastry or rice |
| capilotade | a kind of hashed (ragout/stew)game or chicken |
| caramel | water and sugar boiled together and reduced to make a golden brown ‘toffee’ |
| carbohydrate | A nutrient which has three main groups; sugar, starch and cellulose |
| carbon dioxide | A gas produced by all raising agents |
| carbonnade | A meat dish, stewed in beer |
| carte du jour | Menu of the day |
| cartouche | Round cover of greaseproof paper |
| casserole | An earthenware dish with a lid, also the dish of food cooked in it |
| cassis | A blackcurrant cordial/liqueur |
| cassolette | Small paper case |
| caviar | the roe of the sturgeon; beluga being the A grade |
| cellulose | The coarse structure of fruit, vegetables and cereals |
| cervena | Meat from New Zealand farmed deer |
| champignon | French for mushroom |
| chantilly | Whipped cream; sweetened and flavoured with vanilla |
| chapelure | Crumbs made from dried bread |
| Charcuterie | Pork butchery |
| Charcutier | Pork butcher |
| chateaubriand | Head of the fillet of beef |
| chaud | Hot |
| chaud-froid | A demi glace or velouté base with aspic or gelatine added; used for masking cold dishes for buffets |
| chauffant | Pan of hot salted water used for reheating foods |
| Chef de Cuisine | Head \ Executive Chef |
| Chef Sous | Second in command |
| Chef de saucier | Sauce Chef |
| Chef de potage | Soup Chef |
| Chef de rotisseur | Roast Chef |
| Chef de communard | Staff cook |
| Chef de froitier | Specialises in cold savoury dishes |
| Chef de poissonnier | Fish Chef |
| Chef tournant | Relief Chef |
| Chef de patissier | Pastry Chef |
| Chef de partie | Section leader |
| Chef de grillardin | Grill Chef |
| Chef de nuit | Head night cook |
| Chef de gardemanger | Cold larder Chef |
| Chef de entremettier | Vegetable Chef |
| Chef de rang | Head station waiter |
| chiffonnade | Finely shredded; usually lettuce |
| chinois | A conical strainer |
| chlorophyll | The chemical that gives plants their green colour |
| civet | A brown stew of game; usually hare |
| clarification | To make clear |
| clostridium perfringens | A food poisoning bacteria found in soil, vegetables and meat |
| clouté | Studded |
| coagulation | The solidification of a protein which is irreversible |
| cocotte | Porcelain or earthenware shallow dish, used for cooking |
| collagen and elastin | Proteins in connective tissue, eg gristle, found in meat |
| commis | Assistant cook |
| compote | Stewed fruit |
| concassé | Coarsely chopped |
| condiments | highly flavoured seasonings or accompaniments |
| connoisseur | Expert |
| consommé | Basic clear soup |
| contrefilet | Boned sirloin of beef |
| cook out | The process of cooking the flour in a roux |
| cordon | A thin line or thread of sauce |
| correcting | To adjust the seasoning, consistency or colour |
| cote | A rib or chop |
| cotelette | Cutlet |
| cottage cheese | A soft cheese made from skimmed milk |
| coulis | A sauce, generally of strained, pureed fruit or vegetable |
| coupe | Cut |
| coupe | An individual serving bowl |
| court bouillon | A well flavoured cooking liquor for fish |
| couverture | A form of cooking chocolate |
| couverture | A covering |
| crème | Cream |
| crème fraiche | Whipped cream and buttermilk heated to 24-29 C; usually bought commercially made |
| crémé | To cream |
| crêpes | Thin pancakes |
| croquembouche | a dessert made up of filled profiteroles, stacked in a pyramid and coated with a (spun sugar)caramel |
| croquettes | Cooked foods moulded into cylinders, panéed and deep fried |
| croûte | A bed or cushion of fried or toasted bread |
| croûtons | Cubes of fried bread |
| croustade | Empty pastry case |
| crudités | Small neat pieces of vegetables |
| cuisse [la] | Leg |
| cuisse de poulet | Leg of chicken |
| curd cheese | A low fat soft cheese, approx. 11% fat |
| dariole | A small mould as used for creme caramels |
| darne | A slice of round fish on the bone |
| daube | Meat stew pressure steamed in red wine |
| deglacer | To swill out a pan in which food has been fried with wine, stock or water in order to use the sediment for the sauce or gravy; to deglaze |
| degraisser | To skim off fat |
| dejeuner [la] | Dinner |
| delice | A cut of fish : a neatly skinned, trimmed fillet of |
| demi | Half |
| demi glace | A refined espagnol sauce |
| demi tasse | French for half cup, refers to the bowls concentrated consommé is served in, also Italian coffees such as espresso |
| denté | Teeth (Italian) |
| desosser | To bone out meats |
| diablé | Devilled; made hot and spicy |
| dilute | To add water to |
| dish paper | A plain dish paper |
| doily | A fancy dish paper |
| drain | To remove liquid from with a strainer |
| duxelle | Finely chopped mushrooms and shallots cooked together |
| eggwash | Mixture of egg and milk |
| emince | Sliced |
| emulsion | A mixture of oil and water which does not separate |
| entrecôte | A steak cut from the boned sirloin |
| entrée | The opening course to a meal, traditionally in Europe is dish served before the main course where fish or meat is served hot in a sauce |
| envoyez | A term used at service time when calling away meals |
| escalope | Thin slice of raw meat |
| espagnole | Basic brown sauce |
| essai | taste, sample |
| essayer | To taste, to sample |
| estouffade | Brown meat stock |
| étouffé | To stew or slowly cook |
| étouffée | A slowly cooked meat stew |
| etuvee | Cooked in own juices |
| facile | easy |
| farce | Stuffing |
| farcé | To stuff or used to described a dish that has been stuffed |
| fecule | Fine potato flour |
| feuille | Leaf or sheet (as in paper) |
| feuilletage | Puff pastry |
| feuilleté | Laminated |
| fines herbes | Chopped parsley, tarragon and chervil |
| flake | To break into natural segments |
| flambé | To flame with alcohol |
| flan | Large open fruit tart |
| fleurons | Small crescent shaped pieces of puff pastry |
| flute | 2 cm diameter slice of French bread |
| foie | Liver |
| foie gras | Goose liver (paté) |
| foncer | To line the base of a stew pan with slices of ham or bacon |
| fond | stock or bouillon (Fr for base) |
| fondant | Melting; a soft kind of icing |
| fondue | a preparation of melted cheese, also the equipment used for this (Swiss) |
| forcemeat | a stuffing |
| frangipane | a sweet mixture of |
| frappe | Chilled |
| friandises | Petit fours or sweetmeats |
| fricassee | A white stew in which the meat, fish or poultry is cooked in the sauce |
| friture | Deep fryer |
| froid | Cold |
| fromage | Cheese |
| fromage blanc | A fat free, fresh cheese made from skimmed milk |
| fumé | Smoked |
| fumet | The essence or concentrated flavour |
| galantine | A boned, stuffed whole bird (or breast of veal), it may be poached or roasted and served cold or hot |
| galette | A French pastry or breakfast roll |
| garam masala | A combination of Indian spices |
| Garde-manger | The cold preparation section of a kitchen : see also Larder |
| garni | To garnish |
| garnish | Trimmings on a dish for presentation purposes |
| gateau | A cake of more than portion and usually more than one layer |
| gaufre | A thin wafer biscuit, baked or fried in a mould |
| gaufre | Waffle |
| gaufrette | A lattice cut potato dish, cut wafer thin |
| gelatine | A soluble protein used for setting foods |
| Genoise | a rich sponge cake |
| gibelotte | A rabbit stew dressed with butter, onions and potatoes |
| gibier | Game |
| glace | A glaze |
| glacé | Ice cream |
| glacé | To glaze |
| gnocchi | Italian word for dumpling |
| goujon | Small strips of fish fillet |
| gourmande | An epicure, a ravenous eater, a glutton |
| gourmet | a judge of good food and living, one who appreciates (and knows about)good food and wine |
| gratinée | To sprinkle with cheese or breadcrumbs and brown under the salamander |
| gras | Fat, plump |
| graisse | Grease or fat |
| gratis | Free of charge |
| green | Fresh, uncooked ; usually applied to fish |
| green ginger | Fresh root of the ginger plant |
| grenadin | small larded slice of veal fillet |
| grenouille | Frog |
| grill | A piece of equipment that cooks with heat from below (see also salamander) |
| groseille | Berry |
