Glossary

Terminology that might need more clarification....

Accoutrements - "accessories" (France), garnishes, all the fixin's

Allspice dram - aka "pimento dram" (Jamaica), a liquor flavored with allspice berries (which come from the pimento tree)

Amuse Bouche - "mouth amuser" (France), a small offering from the chef to please the guest before the meal, usually one or two bites, not on the menu and free of charge

Aperol - (Italy), liqueur flavored with bitter orange, gentian, and rhubarb

Apertif/Aperitif - (France), a drink served before the meal to stimulate the appetite; often includes champagne, sherry, or herbal liquers

Aquavit - "water of life" (Scandanavia), a spirit flavored with spices and herbs, primarily caraway or dill

Avant-garde - "advance guard" (France), experimental, innovative, modern, and sometimes over-the-top cuisine

Aviation - (c. 1916) cocktail: gin, maraschino liquer, crème de violette, and fresh lemon juice

Béarnaise - (France), a sauce derived from hollandaise, but flavored with white wine, tarragon and shallots

Béchamel - "white sauce" (France), rich sauce made of butter, cream, and flour

Capicola - "head" and "neck" of a pig (Italy), dry-cured pork shoulder or neck

Chartreuse - (France), green liqueur made by Carthusian monks; secret blend of 130 herbal extracts; Fun fact: The color "chartreuse" actually comes from this liqueur; Variety: Yellow Chartreuse is milder and sweeter

Chorizo - (Spain), spicy pork sausage; flavors differ between Spanish, Portuguese, Mexican, and other varieties

Cloying - sickeningly sweet, excess of sweetness; can be used to describe flavors, scents, and sentiments :)

Con panna - "espresso with cream" (Italy); usually a double or single shot with a dollop of whipped cream

Crème Anglaise - "English cream" (France), a light, sweet custard often flavored with vanilla

Crème Brûlée - "burnt cream" (France), a dessert of rich custard topped with a layer of hard caramel; made by sprinkling sugar along the top and cooking with a broiler or blowtorch, served in ramekins

Crème Fraîche - "fresh cream" (France), a sour cream made with heavy cream or buttermilk and bacterial cultures; usually less sour than American sour cream

Demerara - natural brown sugar or sugar cane extract; no refining, no added flavors

Digestif - (France), a drink meant to aid in digestion; often includes brandies, bitter or herbal liquers, and fortified wines

Du jour - "Of the day" (France)

Falernum - (Latin), a sweet syrup or liqueur flavored with almonds, ginger, lime, and sometimes vanilla, cloves or allspice; Recommended: John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum (US)

Fernet Branca - (Italy), bitter herbal liqueur made from a secret family recipe of 27 herbs; Fun fact: the Branca family purchases 75% of the world's saffron to make this treasured amaro, thus skyrocketing the prices for the rest of us (about $900 per pound)

Frangipane/Frangipani - (France & Italy), a sweet filling made from almonds or almond flour, sugar, eggs, and butter

Garde manger - "keeper of the food" (France); the part of the kitchen reserved for preparation of cold dishes, usually salads and appetizers; also where dishes (hot or cold) may be seasoned and wiped before expediting

Gnocchi - (Italy), soft dumplings, usually made from potato or flour

Gratin - "upper crust" (France), a cooking technique in which the ingredients are topped with a browned crust, usually cheese or breadcrumbs

Haute cuisine - "high food" (France), food prepared and presented elaborately and meticulously

Hollandaise - (France), a sauce made of emulsified egg yolk and butter, seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and white or cayenne pepper

Jujube - a type of date cultivated in parts of Asia, usually red and dried or candied (image)

Last Word - (c. 1920) cocktail: gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liquer, fresh lime juice

Mirepoix - (France), a combination of vegetables, usually carrots, celery, and onions; often used as a flavor base for soups, stocks, sauces, and braised meats

Motoyaki - (Japan), topped with mayonnaise-based sauce and baked; usually served on an oyster shell

Negroni - (c. 1919) cocktail: gin, sweet red vermouth, bitters (usually Campari)

Old Fashioned - (c. 1862) cocktail: whiskey, bitters, sugar, and ice (to put it simply); sometimes muddled with orange or cherry (the subject of great debate)

Pancetta - (Italy), bacon made from pork belly and salt cured and dried for several months; unlike American bacon, it is not smoked

Panna cotta - "cooked cream" (Italy), a gelatinous dessert made of milk or cream, sugar, and gelatin

Prosciutto - (Italy), ham, aka "Parma ham"; dry cured, thin sliced, served uncooked

Punt es Mes - "point and a half" (Italy), a bitter Italian red vermouth; one "point" sweet and half "point" bitter

Ratatouille - (France), sautéed or stewed vegetables, often layered in a casserole

Roux - base or thickener for sauces and soups made of equal parts fat (usually butter) and flour

Shrub - "drinking vinegar" (England), syrup flavored with vinegar and various fruits; e.g. We made a Blackberry Shrub using apple cider vinegar, fresh blackberries and sugar.

Sidecar - (c. 1922) cocktail: cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice

Sriracha - (Thailand & Vietnam), a hot sauce made of chili peppers, vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt; the "Rooster Sauce" version most Americans consume is produced by Huy Fong Foods, Inc. in Los Angeles, California

Tzatziki - (Ottoman Empire), a yogurt-based sauce made with cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, salt, lemon juice, and herbs (such as dill, mint, parsley, etc.)  You can find several variations around the Mediterranean

Yamagobo - pickled root vegetable (Japan), usually burdock, ginger or radish

Yuzu - a Japanese citrus fruit (image)

Zest - the outer rind of a citrus fruit, usually peeled or grated for scent or flavor