Culinary Glossary

A holiday that celebrates the origin of the African American- Kwanzaa is a 7-day celebration to commemorate this- Karuma being the 6th day of feasting. When you ask as to  “ What are the common Kwanzaa foods served at Karuma ?”, a  briefing on the... -

N ever think of not visiting a country just because you don’t know the language. If in Spain, you must definitely try the hot and spicy pork, lamb and chicken delicacies, amazing varieties of fruits and vegetables and their unforgettable seafood.... -

The spice that I have chosen for the blog event "Mistress of Spices" is "CLOVE". Clove has derived its name from latin, meaning Nail. Clove is one of the main spice that we use while preparing many dishes for its strong fragnance. ... -

Ganache, a blend of cream and chocolate, can be additionally enhanced with any flavor in the rainbow.  The ganache-filled chocolates above, from John & Kira’s of Philadelphia. GANACHE A velvety smooth blend of chocolate... -

DARK CHOCOLATE Also known as sweet, semi-sweet, or bittersweet chocolate depending on the chocolate liquor: sugar ratio. An eating chocolate that contains 15% to 35% chocolate liquor plus cocoa butter, vanilla, lecithin as an emulsifier, and sugar o -

Tia Maria   A rum based , coffee-flavored Jamaican liqueur made from blue mountain coffee. It’s drier and lighter than kahlua.                             ... -

Jam   A thick mixture of fruit, sugar that is cooked until the pieces of fruit are very soft and almost formless. It is used as a bread spread , a filling for pastries and cookies and an ingredient for various desserts.   ... -

Scampi     The Italian name for the tail portion of any of several varieties of lobsters, the most well known being the Dublin   bay prawns. Scampo is the singular from of the word. On US restaurant menus , the term is often used... -

Pesto     Italian for pounded pesto is an uncooked sauce made with fresh basil, garlic, pinenuts, parmesan cheese and olive oil. The ingredient can be crushed, or make in fine paste. This classic , fresh tasting sauce originated... -

Ice wine   A rich, flavorful desert wine, which is made by picking grapes that are frozen on the vine, then before they thaw. Because much of the water in the grapes is frozen, the resulting juice is concentrated-rich in flavor and... -

Pancetta   An Italian bacon that is cured with salt and spices but not smoked. Flavorful, slightly salty pancetta comes in a sausagelike roll. It’s used in Italian coking to flavor sauces, pasta dishes, forcemeats, vegetables and meats.... -

Red bean   Popular in mexico and the southwestern united states , this dark red, medium-size bean is a favorite for making chili con carne and refried beans. Red beans are available dried in most supermarkets .     ... -

Pink lady   A cocktail consisting of gin, lemon or lime juice, grenadine, egg white and cream. It’s shaken with ice , then stained into a shallow, steamed cocktail glass.                 ... -

Lobster pick      Generally made of stainless, this long , narrow utensil is used to pull every shred of meat from the hard-to-reach cavities. The tip of a lobster pick can either be pointed or in the shape of a tiny,... -

Littleneck clam   Called littleneck on the east coast and pacific littleneck on the west coast, these small, hard shell clams have a shell diameter of less than 2 inches. They’re usually reserved for eating on the half... -

Primavera This Italian phrase means spring style and culinarily refers to the use of fresh vegetables as a garnish to various dishes. One of the most popular dishes prepared in this manner is pasta primavera, pasta tossed or topped with diced... -

Wasabi   This Japanese version of horse radish comes from the root of an Asian plant. It’s used to make a green-colored condiment that has a sharp, pungent, flery flavor. Wasabi, which is also called Japanese horseradish, is available... -

                      Pavlova   Haling from Australia, this famous dessert is named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlov a. It consists of a crisp meringue base topped with whipped cream and fruit such as... -

  Panko   Breadcrumbs used in Japanese cooking for coating fried foods. They’re coarser than those normally used in the create a deliciously crunchy crust. Panko is sold in Asian markets.       Image... -

Muscat grape   Any of several varieties of white or black grapes. The characteristic trait of the Muscat is its sweet, musky flavor. Muscat grapes are grown around the world in temperate   climates such as Italy,... -

Pastrami   A highly seasoned beef made from a cut of plate, brisket or round. After the fat is trimmed , the meats surface is rubbed with salt and a seasoning paste that can include garlic, ground peppercorns,... -

Jamaican hot chili As the name indicates, this bright red chili is extremely hot. It’s small (1 to 2 inches in diameter) and has a distorted, irregular shape. Jamaican hots are often used in curried dishes and condiments.   ... -

Matzo Brei A Jewish dish made with pieces of matzo that have been soaked in hot water, squeezed dry, then dipped in beaten egg and fried like French toast. Matzo brei is typically served with cinnamon-sugar, maple syrup or honey.   ... -

Molasses During the refining of sugar cane and sugar beets, the juice squeezed from these plants is boiled to a syrup mixture from which sugar crystal are extracted. The remaining brownish black liquid is molasses. Light molasses comes from... -

Oyster Mushroom This fan-shaped mushroom grows both wild and cultivated in close clusters, often on rotting tree trunks. They’re also called oyster caps, tree mushrooms, summer oyster mushrooms, pleurotte   and shimeji.   The cap varies in color... -

Juniper berry  These astringent blue-black berries are native to both Europe and America. Juniper berries are too bitter to eat raw and are usually sold dried and used to flavor meats , sauces, stuffing , etc. they’re generally crushed before use to... -

Prosciutto Italian for “ham”, Prosciutto is a term broadly used to describe a ham that has ben seasoned, salt-cured and air-dried. The meat is pressed, which produces a firm, dense texture. Italy’s parma ham is the true prosciutto,   although... -

Lima bean This new world bean was named for lima, peru,   where it was found as early as 1500. there are two distinct varieties of lima- the baby lima and the Fordhook (which are not adult baby limas). Both are pale green, plump-bodied and have a slight... -

  John Dory Found in European waters ,this incredibly odd-looking fish has an oval, flat body and a large, spiny head. The john Dory’s flesh is delicate and mild and can be cooked in a variety of ways including grilling, sautéing.   ... -

Lyonnaise Chicken Saute Sauté the chicken in butter and when it is half-cooked, add three fair-sized onions,finely sliced , tossed in butter and slightly browned. Complete the cooking of the chicken and the onions together, and put it on a dish. Swirl with... -

Prune A dried plum. Prunes can be traced back to Roman times and have long been a popular northern European winter fruit because they could be stored without problem. Although any plum can be made into a prune, those with the greatest flavor, sweetness and... -

Sole Au Gratin - Partly separate the fillets from bones on the upper side of the fish, and slip a lump of butter, the size of a walnut, under each. This done , place the sole on a well-buttered gratin dish, on the bottom of which a pinch of chopped shallots... -

Ricotta - This rich fresh cheese is slightly grainy but smoother than cottage cheese. It’s white , moist and has a slightly sweet flavor. Most Italian ricottas are made from the whey drained off while making cheese such as mozzarella and provolone.... -

Gnocchi  Italian for dumplings , gnocchi can be made from potatoes, flour or farina. Eggs or cheese can be added to the dough , and finely chopped , spinach is also a popular addition. Gnocchi are generally shaped into little balls , cooked in boiling water... -

Napoleon A delectable dessert made with crisp layers of puff pastry spread with crème patisserie and either glazed with a thin icing or dusted with confectioners sugar. Napoleons are usually made in small rectangular shapes just large enough for an... -

A fragment, full flavoured oil pressed from hazelnuts and tasting the roasted nut. Most hazelnut oil is imported from france and is therefore expensive. It can be purchased in cans or bottles in gourmet markets and many supermarkets. Hazelnut oil can be... -

Butchers' best-kept secret / Seldom-seen flap meat is giving better-known steaks a run for the money   Thin slices of pan-roasted flap steak are served with a red wine and shallot butter sauce, and accompanied by oven-roasted tiny... -

A BEVERAGE is a drink specifically prepared for human consumption. Beverages almost always largely consist of water. Water is essential for living, significantly more so than food. Death will usually occur after 1 week without any liquids but humans have been... -

Patisserie Name of various preparations made of pastry. Also applies to the art of the pastry cook as well as to the place where pastries are sold. Entremets French name of sweet dishes. Dessert Last course of a meal. Also commonly used to describe the sweet... -