Term: A la Grecque
Meaning: A la Grecque means with the addition of a tomato dressing of tomatoes, fresh herbs, lemon juice and olive oil. It usually refers to a dish of cooked vegetables, served cold as a salad, as in mushrooms ΰ la grecque.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Acid
Meaning: A term used to describe a cheese with a lightly sourish flavour.
Source: Cheese Net http://www.wgx.com/cheesenet/
Term: acidophilus milk
Meaning: Milk seeded with living Lactobacillus acidophilus bacteria used to improve the balance of beneficial bacteria in the intestines of the person who drinks the milk.
Source: Biotech/Food Glossary http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/wi008.html
Term: Acidulated water
Meaning: Water into which an acid substance such as lemon juice or wine vinegar is added and in which vegetables like celeriac, globe artichokes or salsify are immersed to stop discoloration.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Action Station
Meaning: Chefs prepare foods to order and serve them fresh to guests. Also called Performance Stations, or Exhibition Cooking. Popular items for action stations include: pasta, grilled meat or shrimp, carved meats, sushi, crepes, omelets, flaming desserts, Caes
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: Agneau
Meaning: lamb Amandine -- served with thinly sliced almonds, sauteed in butter.
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: Al dente
Meaning: An Italian phrase denoting the texture of pasta, rice and vegetables as tender or soft on the outside but still firm to the bite within; its literal translation is to the tooth.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: amino acids
Meaning: Long chains of amino acids make up proteins. About 20 are known. Some amino acids are made in the body; those that are not are called essential amino acids and must be supplied in food.
Source: Biotech/Food Glossary http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/wi008.html
Term: Ammoniated
Meaning: When certain cheeses are past their prime and overripe they will smell and often taste of ammonia. This particularly applies to soft cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. For those unfamiliar with this smell, it can possibly best be described by imagining
Source: Cheese Net http://www.wgx.com/cheesenet/
Term: Analytical
Meaning: Data from laboratory analysis of one or more food samples
Source: USDA http://www.usda.gov
Term: Anchovy
Meaning: An oily fish related to herring, the fillets are covered in salt for anything between a month and a year; use sparingly as their saltiness goes a long way.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Anchovy essence
Meaning: A natural juice concentrate from the anchovy.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Angelica
Meaning: A biennial herb used mainly in dessert cooking but can also be steamed and eaten as a vegetable. Frequently used to add to fruit when cooking to reduce the need for sugar; used in jams and preserves. Candied angelica is commonly used in cake and dessert
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Angels on Horseback
Meaning: baked bacon wrapped oysters
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: Annatto
Meaning: A colouring agent used to colour a great variety of cheeses ranging from English Cheddar to the French Maroilles. Annatto is a dye obtained from a South American plant.
Source: Cheese Net http://www.wgx.com/cheesenet/
Term: Annatto seeds
Meaning: Also known as achiote seeds, commonly used in South American cooking. The flavour of this spice is favoured less than its colouring properties. Commercially produced, it is used to give colour to cheese like Cheshire and Leicester and also smoked fish
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: antibiotics
Meaning: Pharmaceuticals obtained from microbes to prevent or treat infections by inhibiting growth of disease-producing bacteria and fungi.
Source: Biotech/Food Glossary http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/wi008.html
Term: antibody
Meaning: Protein produced in body tissues in response to the presence of a specific antigen. See antigen.
Source: Biotech/Food Glossary http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/wi008.html
Term: antigen
Meaning: Foreign substance that when introduced into body tissues, induces an immune response by a specific antibody. See antibody.
Source: Biotech/Food Glossary http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/wi008.html
Term: Antipasto
Meaning: Italian appetizers; usually includes olives, salami, peppers, marinated vegetable salads, sliced cold meats, cheeses, and other similar foods.
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: antisense
Meaning: Way to turn off a gene by putting a "reverse version" or "mirror image" version of the gene into a cell. See marker gene.
Source: Biotech/Food Glossary http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/wi008.html
Term: AOAC
Meaning: Association of Official Analytical Chemists, independent scientific organization which published a reference of methods used in analyzing the composition of foods.
Source: USDA http://www.usda.gov
Term: Aperitif
Meaning: A pre-meal drink.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Arborio rice
Meaning: The classic risotto rice from the north Italian region of Piedmont; a medium to long grain rice, it absorbs a lot of cooking liquid yet still retains a good bite in texture.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Arbroath smokie
Meaning: A whole smoked haddock with the backbone still inside. Good for poaching, grilling, fishcakes and pies, kedgeree and soup.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Architectural Cuisine
Meaning: Menu items that are stacked for height. Also called Vertical Cuisine.
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: Aroma
Meaning: A cheeses smell or odour which can vary from lightly aromatic to ferociously overpowering. Note that while most strong smelling cheese will also be strong tasting, this does not apply to all. Limburger is a case in point. The American cheeses Brick and L
Source: Cheese Net http://www.wgx.com/cheesenet/
Term: Arrowroot
Meaning: A flavourless starch extract of the maranta root, ideally used for thickening sauces, juices and syrups; when heated the starch turns to jelly and so thickens the liquid.
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: ARS
Meaning: Agricultural Research Service, USDA
Source: USDA http://www.usda.gov
Term: Artichaut
Meaning: artichoke, a member of the thistle family
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: Asafoetida
Meaning: An extremely pungent plant of the giant fennel family, commonly used in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. In fact, the dung-like smell of this spice is quite off-putting, but if you can overcome the stink, which disappears in the cooking process, the sm
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: Asperges
Meaning: asparagus
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: Aspic
Meaning: Aspic is the transparent jelly in which cold fish, poultry and meat are sometimes served. It is used as a garnish to glaze and protect fish and other foods from drying out (the clear aspic allows any garnish to be seen); and to set savoury foods in a mou
Source: BBC On-Line http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/
Term: assay
Meaning: Technique for measuring a biological response; a test.
Source: Biotech/Food Glossary http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/wi008.html
Term: Atwater System
Meaning: System developed by W.O. Atwater to calculate the energy contributed by protein, fat, and carbohydrates to foods.
Source: USDA http://www.usda.gov
Term: au Gratin
Meaning: Foods sprinkled with crumbs and/or cheese and baked until browned.
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: au Jus
Meaning: served with natural meat juices or gravy without thickening
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: au Lait
Meaning: (oh lay) with milk, as in Cafe au Lait
Source: UNLV Prof. Patti Shock http://www.unlv.edu/Tourism/glossary
Term: HG-72
Meaning: Home and Garden Bulletin No. 72, Nutritive Value of Foods
Source: USDA http://www.usda.gov
©2006 Michael L Hill Sr