Adobo: A sauce or paste made from a variety of ingredients that may include chiles, salt, vinegar, garlic, and herbs.
Aioli: A simple mixture of garlic and mayonnaise.
All-purpose flour: An all-around flour with a fine texture that comes either “bleached” or “unbleached”.
Allspice: Usually used in ground form, allspice has a flavor like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Allspice is used in both savory and sweet dishes.
Anchovy: An oily fish, anchovy fillets often preserved in salt. Anchovy essence is also available. Both used as flavorings.
Anise: A licorice-flavored plant whose seeds and leaves are used to flavor a variety of dishes.
Baking Powder: A leavener that is used to cause breads and cakes to rise
Baking Soda: A leavener, that is used in breads and cakes. Baking soda can also be used to neutralize the acidity in certain dishes
Balsamic Vinegar: Dark brown vinegar from Italy, made from grape juice aged in wooden casks.
Basil: A member of the mint family, basil has a flavor similar to bay leaves and oregano, and somewhat minty. It can usually be found fresh or dried. Fresh basil is used to make pesto.
Bass: White fish with three types: sea, silver and striped.
Bay Leaves: An evergreen shrub, with aromatic leaves. used as a herb both fresh and dried.
Beignet: A deep-fried pastry, dusted with confectioner’s sugar.
Black Pepper: Whole peppercorns of varying colors used as a seasoning.
Brisket: A cut of beef from the belly, used for slow roasting, casseroles, stews or mincing.
Brown Sugar: Refined sugar with a thin coating of molasses, not to be confused with raw, unrefined sugar.
Buckwheat: A grain sometimes ground as flour.
Buttermilk: A sour milk that is made by adding microorganisms to whole milk.
Capers: Pickled flower buds that originate in the Mediterranean.
Castor Sugar: Superfine sugar.
Cayenne: A small, hot, chile pepper, usually used ground or in pepper sauces.
Celery Seeds: Dried celery seeds of, used in bread making, egg and fish dishes and Bloody Marys.
Chicon: A single bulb of chicory.
Chili Powder: A spicy blend of ground chile peppers and spices.
Chive: A relative of onion and garlic, chives have and a mild onion flavor. Available fresh and dried.
Chutney: A spicy relish, often preserved.
Cilantro: A pungent, leafy herb resembling flat-leaf parsley. Cilantro is sometimes called Chinese parsley, Coriander, or Mexican parsley. It is available fresh or dried.
Cinnamon: A sweet spice bark used as a flavoring.
Clarified Butter: Butter that has been heated and strained and all impurities removed, cooks at a higher temperature without burning.
Cloves: A sweet, pungent, spice used as a flavoring.
Coconut: The fruit of the coconut palm, used in both sweet and savory dishes.
Cod: A sea fish with flaky, white flesh.
Comino: Ground cumin seeds.
Coriander: Used in both seed and leaf forms for its unique flavoring. Also known as Cilantro.
Corn Syrup: Very sweet syrup similar to golden syrup.
Cornflour: A starch extract used to thicken sauces.
Court Bouillon: A savory bouillon made from fish stock. Court bouillon is used for poaching fish and as a base for fish sauces.
Cro?ns: Small cubes of crispy, fried bread used as a garnish.
Cumin: A spice frequently used in Latin American, Oriental, and Indian cooking. Cumin has a warm, salty-sweet flavor similar to caraway.
Curry Powder: A blend of up to 20 herbs and spices, curry powder is widely used in Indian cooking.
Dill: Also known as dill weed. Dill is an annual herb which grows to a height of about 3 feet. Fresh or dried, dill is used as a flavoring for a variety of dishes, including meat, vegetables, salads, and sauces.
Feta cheese: A creamy white Greek cheese made from ewe? and cow? milk and kept in brine to give a salty flavor.
Garlic: A bulb made up of sections of “cloves.” Garlic is closely related to the onion.
Garlic Salt: A mixture of salt and ground dehydrated garlic powder.
Gelatine: A setting agent, derived from animals, available as a powder or a sheet. Used to make jellies, mousses, etc.
Giblets: The heart, neck, liver, and gizzard of poultry.
Ginger: A root with a peppery, spicy flavor. Ginger is available in fresh root form, ground, crystallized, and candied.
Glucose: The natural sugar, found in fruit and other foods, which is easily absorbed by the body.
Gorgonzola: An Italian cow’s milk cheese, pale in color with blue veining.
Gumbo: A thick stew made with vegetables and meats that originated in New Orleans
Halibut: Flat sea fish with firm white flesh.
Hominy: Dried white or yellow corn.
Honey: Naturally sweet, syrupy liquid produced by bees.
Horn of Plenty: A woodland mushroom.
Horseradish: A root. used to make a hot sauce.
Hummus: A thick paste made from chickpeas and spices.
Italian Parsley: Also known as flat-leaf parsley, this plant has a stronger aroma and flavor than the curly-leafed variety.
Jamaican Jerk Spices: A concoction of spices that includes cinnamon, chiles, allspice, cloves, garlic, onions, and thyme.
Lard: Rendered and clarified, white pork fat, used for cooking.
Leek: Resembles a large scallion yet has a mild flavor. Used mainly in soups and stews.
Lemon Grass: A herb with a lemon flavor and odor, used as flavoring.
Mace: The outer skin of the nutmeg seed used for flavoring foods.
Maple Syrup: The sap of the maple tree, popular in the United States and Canada.
Marinade: A liquid sauce that is used to soften and flavor meats before cooking. Most marinades contain ingredients like vinegar, oil, lemon, wine, beer, herbs, and spices.
Marjoram: A green herb, used as flavoring.
Marsala: A fortified wine from Italy, Marsala is offered either sweet or dry.
Masala: A spice mixture used in Indian cooking that can include mace, coriander, and cardamom.
Mint: A green herb with a range of varieties, used as flavoring.
Molasses: A thick, dark, heavy sweet syrup.
Mozzarella: An Italian water-buffalo milk fresh or un-ripened cheese sold in whey.
Mustard: Mustard generally contains husked seed, plus wheat flour and turmeric. Water is added to produce a thick paste.
Mutton: The meat from mature sheep, dark red in color and rich in flavor.
Noodles: A type of pasta cut into thin flat strips.
Nutmeg: A spicey and aromatic seed that when grated is used to flavor both desserts and savory dishes.
Okra: Green pods mainly used in Southern U.S. dishes.
Olive Oil: The oil that is produced from ripened olives. The highest quality olive oil is Extra Virgin, which is the oil that is pulled from the very first press.
Olive: The small oval fruit of the olive tree, early olives are green, mature olives are black. It’s rich oil is used for frying, marinades, dressings and baking.
Oregano: An greenish herb used in a variety of Italian and Mexican dishes available in both in dried and fresh forms.
Oyster Mushroom: A grey or greyish-brown fungus that grows in clumps or clusters.
Paprika: A spice that is made from dried ground sweet red peppers.
Parmesan: Hard, cow’s-milk Italian cheese.
Parsley: A green herb used as flavoring, garnish or used as a vegetable.
Pasta: A dough made from durum-wheat semolina, water and sometimes eggs. Sold dried or fresh.
P?: A paste or spread made from meat or fish, can be of various textures from smooth to coarse.
Portobello Mushroom: A flat dark open mushroom.
Poussin: A small immature chicken, also called a spring chicken.
Prawn: Shellfish with several different varieties.
Rice Flour: An alternative to wheat flour also used as a thickening agent.
Rice Vinegar: A vinegar made from rice wine.
Ricotta: An un-ripened soft and creamy Italian ewe? milk curd.
Rock Salt: A salt derived from the seams of compacted underground sources.
Rosemary: An aromatic shrub with pungent leaves are used either fresh or dried as a flavoring.
Rump: Cut of beef from the lower back.
Saddle: The undivided loin from a meat carcass.
Saffron: An expensive spice that is pulled from purple crocus flower. It is used in a variety of dishes for its aromatic flavoring and deep coloring properties.
Sage: A aromatic herb used for flavoring.
Salt Pork: Similar to bacon but has a much higher fat content and is not smoked.
Scallop: A shellfish with firm and white flesh and an orange or pale red coral (roe).
Seasoned Flour: Flour with salt, pepper or spices added used to lightly coat meat or fish before stewing or frying.
Tamarind: A sweet and sour fruit that is used in Indian cooking as well as Worcestershire sauce.
Tarragon: A herb, often with an aniseed flavor, used as a flavoring.
Thyme: A grey-green aromatic leaves and small purple flowers, used as a flavoring.
Topside: Cut of beef from the rear of the animal.
Truffle: An underground rounded, irregular shaped fungus with a distinctive.
Vegetable Shortening: The vegetarian alternative to lard.
Vinaigrette: A simple mixture of oil and vinegar with the addition of herbs and spices.
Vinaigrette: A cold sauce made from a mixture of vinegar, oil, pepper, salt and flavorings used to dress green salads.
Whipping Cream: Cream with a fat content over 35 percent.
White Sauce: A basic bland smooth, thickened sauce used basis of many other sauces.
Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire Sauce is a spicy dark brown sauce, used as a flavoring or condiment.
Zest: The thin, brightly colored outer part of the rind of citrus fruits. It contains volatile oils, used as a flavoring.