Glossary

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GLOSSARY OF CULINARY TERMS

Almendoas de Pascoa—Portuguese sugar coated almonds, often tinted in pastel colors
Amaretti—Italian style almond macaroons
Amaretto—a sweet, almond flavored Italian liqueur containing apricot pits, almonds or both
Ambrosia—American Southern style fruit salad containing pineapple, coconut and oranges
Antipasti—plural of Antipasto, “before the meal” in Italian, the traditional first course of an Italian meal, usually including cured meats, olives, pickled peppers, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and cheeses such as provolone or mozzarella; antipasto items vary greatly by region
Arugula—an edible, lettuce-like annual plant used in salads and sandwiches. Arugula has been cultivated as an herb in the Mediterranean region since Roman times.
Aura—a Finnish blue cow’s milk cheese named for the Aura River near where it is produced. Imported under the name Midnight Blue by Valio imports.

Bagel—a bread product, originally from Poland, traditionally shaped by hand in the form of a ring and boiled in water, then baked
Baguette—a long, thin loaf of French bread with a crisp crust
Bakewell Tart—an English pastry containing a shortbread crust, jam filling and frangipane (almond macaroon) topping. Named after the town in England where it originated
Baklava—a pastry containing ground nuts, honey and thin phyllo dough, popular in Greece and throughout the eastern Mediterranean region.
Banh Mi—Vietnamese style sandwich on a French Roll containing pickled vegetables and fresh cilantro with a variety of possible fillings
Barm Brack—Irish style yeast bread containing tea and raisins
Basil—a bright green aromatic herb used extensively in Italian, Vietnamese and Thai cooking, a key ingredient in Caprese Salad
Battenberg Cake—a light sponge cake of English origin baked in a checkerboard pattern from two colors of batter. Purportedly named to honor the marriage of Princess Victoria (granddaughter of Queen Victoria) to Prince Louis of Battenberg, Germany
Bavarian Cream—a molded dessert of French origin made of gelatin, custard, whipped cream and other flavorings
Bee Sting Cake--(Bienenstich) a German dessert originally from Munich made with a sweet yeast dough with a baked on topping of caramelized almonds and filled with vanilla custard, butter cream or whipped cream
Beignets—French style square deep fried pastries
Biscotti—plural of Biscotto, Italian “twice baked” crisp cookies, intended to be dipped in coffee
Blini—thin Russian pancakes, usually served with savory toppings
Blondies—American style baked dessert bars containing brown sugar, butter, eggs and flour
Borscht—Russian beet soup, often garnished with sour cream
Bouquet Garni—a bundle of herbs, usually tied together with string or placed in a mesh bag, used to flavor stocks, soups, stews or other dishes in French style cooking; the bouquet is cooked with the other ingredients but removed before the food is served
Branson Pickle Relish—England’s most popular sweet pickle relish. It contains a variety of vegetables, as well as apples and dates in addition to gherkins. Served with cheese and cheese sandwiches
Brie—a soft, cow’s milk cheese named after the region in France from which it originated
Briki—a small brass or copper pot with a wide bottom and narrow top designed to make and serve Greek coffee; a pouring spout facilitates serving the coffee, and a long handle helps to prevent burns while the coffee is being boiled
Brioche—a French style enriched bread with a high butter and egg content
Brownies—American style flat baked dessert squares, usually chocolate, with a chewy, fudgy texture
Bundt—a pan used to bake cakes in a molded ring shape. Cakes that are baked in a Bundt pan

Caesar Salad—a salad of Romaine lettuce and croutons with a dressing containing parmesan cheese, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce and other savory ingredients. Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant living in San Diego, is credited with inventing this salad.
Caldo verde—Portuguese kale and potato soup, sometimes containing linguica sausage
Calvados—an apple brandy from the French region of lower Normandy
Caprese salad—Italian style tomato, basil and mozzarella salad
Canapé—a small, savory decorative food, held in the fingers and eaten in one bite
Cannoli—plural for Sicilian style pastries baked in tube shapes and filled with a pastry cream containing ricotta cheese, candied fruits and bits of chocolate
Cassata alla Siciliana—Sicilian style golden cake filled with ricotta cheese, nuts and candied fruits
Cardamom—a fragrant spice grown in India and the surrounding regions. Used extensively in both Indian and Nordic cuisine
Caviar—Salt-cured fish eggs, traditionally the roe from wild sturgeon in the Caspian and Black Seas, considered a delicacy and eaten as a garnish or a spread; today, the eggs of other fish, such as salmon, steelhead and trout are also prepared as caviar.
Cha—the Chinese word for tea. Also adopted into the Japanese and Portuguese languages as the word for tea.
Cha de limao—an aromatic digestive tisane made with lemon zest and honey, popular in Portugal
Chai—Indian tea made with black tea, spices and milk
Challah—Jewish style leavened braided bread served at the Shabbat meal
Charlotte—a decorative dessert comprised of a custard or Bavarian cream filling surrounded by lady fingers
Charlotte Russe—a “Russian Charlotte,” a molded custard dessert surrounded by lady fingers, purported to have been first created by chef Marie-Antonin Careme to honor his Russian employer, Czar Alexander I
Charoset—an uncooked combination of dried fruit, nuts and spices served at Passover
Cha Shu Bao—Chinese steamed dumplings filled with barbecued pork
Cheddar cheese—a relatively hard, off-white, sometimes sharp tasting natural cow’s milk cheese, originally produced in the English village of Cheddar, in Somerset, the most popular cheese in England
Chess Pie—a sweet pie originally from England but now popular in the American south, consisting of a single crust filled with a custard-like filling containing eggs, butter, sugar, vanilla and sometimes cornmeal or corn syrup, but not milk or cream
Chevre—Cheese made from the milk of goats. The word Chevre is French in origin, but goat cheese is widely produced throughout the world.
Chiffonade—a chopping technique in which herbs or leafy green vegetables are cut into long, thin strips by stacking the leaves, rolling them tightly, then slicing the leaves perpendicular to the roll
Chocolate Biscuit Cake—an English dessert composed of cookies (called “biscuits” in England) combined with melted chocolate and other flavorings
Chocolate Fudge—a smooth, creamy confection which is soft, very sweet and rich, traditionally made by boiling sugar, butter and milk together and later adding chocolate, popular in America since the 1880s, now available in a variety of flavors
Chocolate Mousse—a chocolate pudding of French origin incorporating beaten egg whites and whipped cream to create a light and airy texture
Chole—Indian chickpea curry
Choux pastry—a French style light pastry dough made only of butter, eggs, flour and water, used to make a variety of pastries including eclairs and cream puffs
Chutney—a condiment associated with Indian and other south Asian cuisines composed of a wide possible variety of vegetables, spices and fruits
Cilantro—a green herb, very similar to parsley in appearance but stronger in flavor, used widely in Vietnamese, Indian, Mexican and California cooking
Cordial—a fruit, spice or flower flavored liqueur. Cordials were originally intended for medicinal purposes
Cotija—a hard, salty white cow’s milk cheese, originally produced in Cotija in Michoacán, Mexico, often served crumbled or grated as a topping for tacos, burritos or other dishes
Cotswold—a variety of English Double Gloucester cheese, (a semi-hard cow’s milk cheese,) blended with chives and spring onions
Coulis—a thick sauce made from pureed and strained fruits or vegetables
Cream (verb)—to beat butter and sugar together until it is light and fluffy as the first step in making a cake batter or cookie dough
Crème Anglaise—a light pouring custard used as a dessert cream or sauce
Crème fraîche—the French name for a thick sour cream used in both savory and dessert sauces
Crostini—plural of crostino, an Italian appetizer consisting of a small slice of grilled or toasted bread with toppings
Crudité—traditional French appetizers consisting of sliced or whole raw vegetables, sometimes dipped in vinaigrette or other dipping sauces
Croutons—Small pieces of toasted and flavored bread used to add texture and additional flavor to salads and other savory dishes
Crumpets—small, round griddle cooked yeasted pancakes of English origin
Cumin—a flowering plant native from the eastern Mediterranean region to India; its seeds are used as a spice, either whole or ground, in the cuisines of many countries

Dashi—Japanese broth for soups and noodle dishes, usually made from fish stock
Devonshire clotted cream (mock)—a thick cream made from full-cream cow’s milk, steam heated and left to cool slowly in shallow pans. Health regulations prevent its export from the counties of Devon and Cornwall in southwest England where it is produced, so American cooks make Mock Devonshire Clotted Cream by combining whipping cream and sour cream. At a Cream Tea, Devonshire Clotted Cream is served on scones.
Dim Sum—Cantonese style cuisine presented in a variety of small dishes, often served from rolling tea carts and always served with tea
Dulce de leche—milk caramel of Spanish origin, popular in Mexican cooking

Éclair—an oblong pastry of French origin made of choux dough, filled with cream and iced with chocolate or fondant icing
Elderflower—the sambucus, a flowering plant called Elderflower in English; the flowers are used in France, Austria and Central Europe to produce a syrup used to make Elderflower Cordial, a sweet liqueur; the flowers and leaves are also used to make marmalade and other desserts
Empanadas—small stuffed pastries of Spanish origin filled with savory or sweet fillings and baked or fried
Espresso—coffee brewed by forcing a small amount of nearly boiling water under pressure through finely ground coffee beans to create a highly concentrated coffee drink served in small portions; the technology for brewing espresso was developed in Italy by Angelo Moriondo, who obtained a patent for an espresso making device in Torino in 1884

Falafel—a traditional Middle Eastern food consisting of a deep fried ball or patty made from chickpeas, fava beans or both
Farmer’s (or Farmer) cheese—unripened, pressed cottage cheese with a solid texture, made by adding rennet and bacterial starter to acidify milk
Feta—a Greek style brined curd white semi-hard crumbly sheep’s milk (or a combination of sheep’s milk and goat’s milk) cheese, produced in Greece since the Byzantine Empire, used as a table cheese or as an ingredient in Greek salads or cooked dishes such as spanakopita (Greek spinach and cheese pie)
Flan—Spanish and Mexican style baked caramel custard
Focaccia—an Italian style flat yeasted bread with a dough similar to pizza, usually baked as a rectangle and topped with olive oil and herbs
Fourme D’Ambert—a French cheese of ancient origin made from raw cow’s milk from the Auvergne region
Framboise—a raspberry liqueur of French origin
Frangipane—Italian style almond paste similar to marzipan
Frittata—an Italian style egg-based dish similar to a baked omelet or crustless quiche, including additional ingredients such as cheese, meats, herbs or vegetables
Futomaki—Japanese type of sushi—seasoned rice rolled in sheets of seaweed and filled with seasoned vegetables and strips of cooked egg

Gajar Ka Halwa—Pakastani style sweet carrot pudding
Ganache—a rich chocolate mixture used to make icing or truffles in the French style by pouring hot cream over chopped chocolate, stirring and refrigerating to achieve a pouring, spreading or solid consistency
Gazpacho—a cold soup originally from Andalusia in southern Spain, made from uncooked summer vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, garlic and herbs, popular in Spain and Portugal, especially during the hot summer months
Gelée—a French term to describe a food preparation which includes gelatin
Ghee—A specialized type of Indian clarified butter made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, used in Indian cooking, medicine and religious ceremonies for thousands of years
Gorgonzola—strongly flavored Italian unskimmed cow’s milk blue cheese produced in Gorgonzola, Milan, for centuries
Grand Marnier—an orange flavored cognac liqueur created in 1880 by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle
Gratin—a cooking technique of French origin in which ingredients are baked or broiled in a shallow dish to produce a brown topping, sometimes using breadcrumbs, cheese or eggs. The shallow ovenproof dish in which a gratin is cooked is also called a gratin.
Gravlax—a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon cured in salt, sugar and dill, usually served as an appetizer, thinly sliced on rye bread with mustard dill sauce
Greek Coffee (also called Turkish Coffee)—a method of preparing unfiltered coffee by boiling roasted and finely ground coffee beans, usually with sugar, in a pot and serving the coffee in a small cup in which the grounds are allowed to settle on the bottom; popular throughout the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe
Gruyere—a hard yellow cheese named after the town of Gruyere in Switzerland
Gulab Jamun—Indian sweet round dumplings soaked in syrup

Hard Sauce—a dessert topping made of equal parts of butter and powdered sugar, traditionally served with Fruitcake and steamed puddings
Har Gao—Chinese steamed shrimp dumplings
Haupia—Hawaiian style coconut gelatin pudding
Havarti—a semi-soft Danish cow’s milk cheese
Herbes de Provence—a mixture of dried herbs traditionally used in the cooking of Provence in southeastern France, including but not limited to savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme and oregano, typically added to meat or fish before grilling or used in vegetable stews; Herbes de Provence are added to food ingredients before cooking, not sprinkled on afterward like salt and pepper
Hoisin Sauce—a dark, pungent, sweet and salty sauce used in Chinese cuisine as a glaze for meats, a flavoring in stir-fried dishes or as a dipping sauce or topping; ingredients vary by region, but most Hoisin Sauce contains soy sauce, red chilies and garlic
Hoppin’ John—a savory Southern American dish comprised of black eyed peas and rice, often combined with spices and meat
Hot Cross Buns—small buns made of sweet yeast dough and flavored with spices and dried or candied fruit, popular in England since antiquity; in the Middle Ages these buns were marked on the top with an icing cross and eaten on Good Friday and later throughout the Lenten season and on Easter
Horchata—a refreshing Mexican drink of Spanish origin made from soaked rice and almonds flavored with cinnamon, vanilla and sugar
Hummingbird Cake—a Southern American style layer cake containing bananas, pecans and pineapple
Hummus—a savory Middle Eastern spread made of pureed chickpeas, olive oil and spices

Inarizushi—a Japanese type of sushi comprised of seasoned rice stuffed into a pocket of fried tofu, called “cone sushi” in Hawaii

Jalapeños—bright green glossy chili peppers with very hot seeds, used extensively in Mexican and Vietnamese cooking
Jarlsberg—A mild, buttery cow’s milk cheese with large, regular holes, produced in Jarlsberg, Norway
Jordgubbstarta—Swedish strawberry cake, a white cake filled with fresh strawberries and served with whipped cream

Kalalmata olives—large purple olives with a smooth, meaty texture, named for the city of Kalamata in Greece, where they are grown
Kahlua—a coffee flavored, sugar based liqueur from Mexico
Kalua Pig—a whole pig, wrapped in leaves and cooked using the traditional Hawaiian method in an underground oven called an imu
Kalua Pork—slow cooked pork flavored with Hawaiian sea salt to create a taste similar to Kalua Pig, often served shredded with poi and cooked cabbage
Kamaboko—Japanese style fish cake made from white fish processed with other ingredients and steamed, usually sold in small semi-cylindrical loaves, sometimes tinted pink on the outside
Kanten—a thick, gelatin-like Japanese dessert, served in cubes or slices, originally made from agar, a jelly-like substance derived from algae, discovered in the mid-1600s in Japan by Mino Tarozaemon
Keer—Indian rice pudding, often containing milk or cream, sugar, cardamom, raisins and chopped pistachios
Kimpira gobo—burdock root cut into matchstick sized pieces and braised with carrots and other seasonings in the Japanese style
Kir Royale—a French cocktail containing crème de cassis (a black currant liqueur) topped with Champagne
Kirsch—also called kirschwasser, “cherry water” in German, a clear, colorless cherry brandy, often added to desserts such as Cherries Jubilee, Black Forest Cake or Chocolate Truffles
Kosher—foods that conform to the Jewish dietary laws known as kashrut, described in the Torah
Kourabiedes—Greek style shortbread-like cookies, typically containing almonds and adorned with a single clove
Kransekake—Norwegian ring cake, also popular in Denmark, a series of concentric rings of almond macaroon cake, layered on top of each other to form a steeply sloped cone shape—served on festive occasions such as weddings, baptisms and Christmas
Kugel—a baked pudding or casserole, usually made from egg noodles or potato, a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dessert, often served at Shabbat
Kukui nuts—the nuts from the Kukui tree, also called the Candlenut tree, a flowering tree which grows widely in Southeast Asia and Hawaii, where it is the state tree because of its many uses; Kukui nuts were burned in ancient Hawaii to provide light, and the oil has been used in oil lamps; traditionally, Kukui nuts are added to the Hawaiian marinated fish dish, poke, but Hawaiian chefs warn that Kukui nuts should be eaten sparingly, as eating too many could cause indigestion
Kulich with Paskha—Russian Easter Bread, made from yeast dough flavored with citrus and raisins, baked in a can to produce a tall, round loaf and served with Paskha, a sweetened cheese spread

Lassi—a refreshing Indian drink made from yogurt, salt, sugar and sometimes pureed fruit such as mangoes
Lemon curd—a dessert spread, topping or cake filling made from fresh lemon juice, sugar, butter and eggs, traditionally served with scones for Afternoon Tea
Lemon verbena—an annual herb with edible leaves and flowers used as a fragrant flavoring in baked goods, drinks, syrup, ice cream and other sweet or savory foods
Leyden with Cumin—a Dutch yellow hard cheese made from part skim cow’s milk and seasoned with cumin seeds, historically made in the Leiden area
Linguica—a Portuguese smoke cured pork sausage seasoned with garlic and paprika
Lox—a fillet of brined salmon, traditionally thinly sliced and served on a bagel with cream cheese and garnished with tomato, sliced red onion and sometimes capers

Macerate—to soften a food item by soaking it in a liquid; fruits or berries are often macerated to absorb the flavor of the liquid into the food, and herbs can be macerated to release the flavor of the herbs
Madeleines—small, shell-shaped sponge cakes of French origin.
Malasadas—Portuguese doughnuts made from yeast dough and sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, also popular in Hawaii
Manchego—a firm, buttery Spanish cheese, made from the milk of Manchega breed sheep. Often served with quince paste
Mandolin—a hand-held kitchen device used to create thin slices of vegetables and other food items
Manju—Japanese pastries, usually made from sticky rice dough filled with sweetened bean paste. Often elaborately decorated with floral and other seasonal motifs.
Maraschino cherries—a preserved, sweetened cherry, originally produced in Croatia; American maraschino cherries are usually made from light colored cherries such as Queen Anne, which are then colored with red food coloring
Marmite—an English condiment popularly served on toast. This black, savory spread contains yeast extract.
Marsala—Italian sweet dessert wine produced near the city of Marsala in Sicily
Marzipan—sweetened almond paste, originally made in the Middle East and transported to Europe by the Middle Ages
Mascarpone—Italian style cream cheese
Matzo—meal made from unleavened bread, used extensively in Jewish cooking
Mel Puro de Portugal—Portuguese honey
Meringue—a topping for pies and other desserts made from sweetened and beaten egg whites baked until slightly dry and crispy
Mexican Wedding Cookies—Mexican butter cookies with ground nuts, identical to Russian Tea Cakes
Mint Julep—a cocktail popular in the American South consisting of bourbon, water, crushed or shaved ice and fresh mint, traditionally served in silver cups
Mizuna—a Japanese green with feathery leaves and a piquant, slightly spicy taste, sometimes called Japanese mustard; an ingredient in Japanese New Year’s soup
Mochi—a Japanese rice cake made from short grained glutinous rice, pounded into a paste and molded or shaped, usually into flat round discs; an ingredient in ozoni, Japanese New Year’s soup.
Molasses—a strongly flavored dark sweet syrup which is the byproduct of refining sugarcane or sugar beets, called black treacle in Britain; the third boiling of the sugar cane produces blackstrap molasses, a very robustly flavored dark molasses traditionally popular in the American South
Morello cherries—dark red sour cherries, popular in ancient Greece, Rome and Persia before the first century
Mozzarella—a semi-soft white or slightly yellow cheese, originally produced in southern Italy and traditionally made from water buffalo milk. American mozzarella can be made from cow’s milk.
Musubi—Japanese style snack made of rice, seaweed and flavorings such as egg or Spam

Namasu—a Japanese dish consisting of raw vegetables such as cucumbers marinated in rice vinegar; sometimes fish or shellfish are included
Nan—Indian flat bread baked in a Tandoor oven
Napoleons—a rectangular pastry of French origin made of layers of puff pastry filled with pastry cream and topped with icing

Ogo—also called ogonori and sea moss, an edible seaweed eaten along the coasts of Japan, Southeast Asia, Hawaii and the Caribbean, usually eaten cold; ogo is the source of the thickener, agar
Onion kulcha—Indian round leavened wheat bread with onions
Oregano—a strongly scented perennial herb widely cultivated in warm regions such as the Mediterranean basin, used extensively in Italian cooking for pizza and other sauces, also used to flavor meat in Turkish cooking and for Greek salads; oregano is also used in Mexican and South American cooking and in California cuisine
Ozark Pudding—A dry fruit custard containing walnuts, named after the Ozark Mountain region of Missouri where the dish originated
Ozoni—Japanese New Year’s Soup consisting of a clear fish flavored broth with fresh vegetables, slices of kamaboko (fish cake) and mochi (sticky rice dumplings)

Palmier—slightly sweet French pastry made from flaky puff pastry dough shaped in the form of a palm tree
Pan de Muertos—“Bread of the Dead,” a slightly sweet yeast bread decorated with a skull motif to celebrate the Mexican Dia de los Muertos , “Day of the Dead” festival on the Feast of all Souls, October 31
Panforte—a dense Italian fruitcake of ancient origin containing dried figs, prunes, raisins and nuts
Panna cotta—an Italian style dessert made from sweetened cream that has been thickened with gelatin and molded
Papadum—Indian lentil crackers
Pareve—a classification of food in kashrut (Kosher cooking) for edible substances that contain neither dairy nor meat ingredients and can therefore be eaten with either dairy or meat, provided that the pareve food is served with plates and utensils used only for the meat or dairy foods with which the pareve food is being consumed
Parkins—small, chewy gingerbread oatcakes popular in Ireland and northern England
Parmesan cheese—a hard, pale yellow cow’s milk cheese usually used for grating, originally produced in Parma, Italy
Paskha—a sweetened cheese spread, molded and served with Kulich, Russian Easter Bread
Pastel de Almendras—Spanish almond cake containing ground almonds in the batter, served sprinkled with powdered sugar
Pastel de Nata—Portuguese egg yolk tart
Pasties—small savory hand pies of English origin, usually containing cooked meat or vegetables wrapped in pie dough and baked
Pate—a French style mixture of cooked ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste and often flavored with spices or brandy
Pate sucree—French style sweet pastry used for piecrusts and other pastries
Persian Tea (chai, pronounced cha-ee in Persian)—a concentrated black tea made from Earl Grey, Darjeeling, or a blend of black teas, brewed in a teapot for 10-15 minutes, stained into a clear glass tea cup and topped with additional freshly boiled water from a kettle or a samovar, served on a tray with sugar cubes
Pestle—a heavy tool with a rounded end used in food preparation to crush items such as herbs or spices
Phyllo—Greek style very thin sheets of pastry used in making baklava and other desserts or savory dishes such as spanikopita
Pico de Gallo—a Mexican style fresh salsa made of chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, cilantro and other spices
Pigs in blankets—a savory snack of English origin consisting of sausages wrapped in pastry and baked
Piroshki—Russian style individually sized baked or fried buns stuffed with a variety of meat or vegetable fillings
Pita—a Greek and Middle Eastern round, chewy, slightly leavened flatbread made of wheat flour, used to serve appetizers such as Hummus; Pita can be split open to form a pocket bread for serving falafel and other Greek and Middle Eastern sandwiches
Poi—Hawaiian style cooked and mashed taro root, a staple in Hawaiian cooking, usually served as a condiment to accompany pork, fish or chicken dishes
Poke—Hawaiian style cubed, spiced and marinated raw or seared fish
Polenta—a central European style thick, savory porridge made from boiled cornmeal; the thickened cornmeal can later be baked, fried or grilled and flavored with a variety of cheeses or spices
Port wine (Vinho do Porto in Portuguese)—a Portuguese fortified wine produced in the Douro Valley in northern Portugal; a sweet red wine served as a dessert wine
Prosciutto—Italian style dry cured ham, usually served thinly sliced and uncooked
Proseco—an Italian dry sparkling wine named for the village of Prosecco near Trieste where the Glera grapes, from which the wine is made, grow
Provolone cheese—an Italian style full-fat, semi-hard cow’s milk cheese originally produced in Casilli near Vesuvius, where it is still made; Provolone is widely produced today in a variety of shapes in various locations in Italy, the United States and South America
Pullman bread—a squared shaped sliced white bread
Puree—a cooking technique in which the ingredients are mashed or processed into a smooth blend; the mashed substance is also referred to as a puree

Queen of California Cake—Dark chocolate torte with apricots and ground almonds
Queso Fresco (Fresh Cheese, also called Queso Blanco, White Cheese) a creamy, soft, mild unaged raw cow’s milk (or cow’s milk and goat’s milk) cheese, originally from Spain and now produced in Mexico and South America as well; this fresh, lightly flavored cheese may be eaten from the table or added to other dishes
Quiche Lorraine—French style savory bacon and cheese pie, named for the Lorraine region of France where it originated
Quince Paste—a sweet condiment made from cooked quinces, often served in Spain with Manchego cheese

Radicchio—a type of lettuce with a small compact head, reddish purple leaves and white veins, somewhat resembling a cabbage, slightly bitter in flavor, usually used in salads, but can be braised or steamed
Raita—an Indian savory yogurt side dish, also used in Pakistani and Bangladeshi cuisine, comprised of yogurt flavored with raw or cooked vegetables such as carrots and cucumbers and sometimes seasoned with coriander, roasted cumin seeds, mint, cayenne pepper or other spices; raita serves as a cooling agent in contrast with the heavily spiced curry dishes with which it is often served
Ramekin—a small heatproof glazed ceramic or glass bowl used for cooking and serving various dishes
Ricotta—a soft white, slightly sweet tasting Italian style whey cheese made from sheep’s milk
Romaine—a type of lettuce with very long and large crunchy leaves, which are usually torn into bite-sized pieces for salads such as Caesar’s Salad
Roquefort—one of the world’s best known blue cheeses, a tangy, moist sheep’s milk blue cheese from the south of France, aged in the natural Combalu Caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon
Rosemary—a sweet smelling herb with small, needle-like edible leaves and edible flowers, used extensively in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and California cuisine to flavor meats and other savory dishes
Rosewater—a flavored water made by steeping rose petals in water, used extensively in Persian and Middle Eastern cuisine since ancient times; rosewater also has cosmetic, medicinal and religious uses
Royal icing—a hard white icing made from softly beaten egg whites, powdered sugar and sometimes lemon juice or vanilla, used to decorate Christmas cakes, Gingerbread houses, etc., and to pipe flowers and other decorations on cookies and other desserts
Russian Tea Cakes—Russian butter cookies with ground nuts, identical to Mexican Wedding Cookies

Salade Nicoise—French style vegetable, tuna and anchovy salad
Sally Lunn bread—a buttery, slightly sweet white yeast bread of English origin, popular in the American South
Samosas—Indian style savory pastries filled with vegetables
Samovar—a metal container traditionally used to heat and boil water, used in Russia, Persia and other Eastern European and Middle Eastern areas to provide hot water for making tea; samovars are often decorative
Sandbakkelser—Swedish “sand tarts,” molded and filled butter cookies
Sammartini (also called Cuccidati)—Italian spiced fig cookies originally from Sicily and traditionally served at Christmas
Sao Jorge—a semi-hard Portuguese cheese made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, produced on the island of Sao Jorge in the Azores
Sato imo—Japanese name for a “mountain potato,” a small, taro- like root vegetable used in Japanese cuisine; an ingredient in Japanese New Year’s soup
Sauté—a method of cooking that uses a small amount of oil in a shallow pan over relatively high heat; the ingredients are usually cut into pieces to facilitate fast cooking
Schmaltz—rendered chicken or goose fat used for frying or as a spread on bread in Central European cuisine and in the United States, particularly identified with Ashkenazi Jewish cooking
Schnapps—a strong alcoholic drink resembling gin and often flavored with fruit such as apples, pears, plums, cherries or apricots, popular in Germany, Austria and Switzerland
Sherry—a fortified sweet dessert wine made from white grapes near Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia in Spain, produced in Spain since pre-Roman times; the word “Sherry” is an Anglicization of the place name “Jerez”
Shortbread—a crunchy butter cookie of Scottish origin containing only butter, sugar and flour
Shumai—Chinese steamed pork dumplings, often served in dim sum restaurants
Simple syrup—a sweetening agent composed of equal parts of sugar and water boiled until the sugar dissolves, used to sweetened cold drinks such as iced tea and lemonade because sugar does not dissolve readily in cold liquids
S’ Mores—American style dessert snacks made by layering and toasting a graham cracker, a piece of a chocolate bar and a marshmallow, often made over a campfire
Snickerdoodles—American style cinnamon flavored butter cookies
Somen—Japanese cold seasoned noodle salad
Sorbet—a frozen dessert made from sweetened water with flavoring such as fruit juice, fruit puree, wine or liqueur
Sorghum—a syrup made from sorghum grass whose stalks have a high sugar content, produced in the American South where it is colloquially referred to as “sorghum molasses” and often served over biscuits
Spanakopita—Greek style savory spinach and cheese pie baked in phyllo pastry
Spritz cookies—German style butter cookies made in a cookie press to create a variety of shapes
Strata—a savory layered casserole containing bread and other ingredients such as meat, cheese and eggs
Stilton—a strongly flavored English blue or white cow’s milk cheese in production since the 1700s; only cheese produced in Derbyshire, Leicestershire or Nottinghamshire may be sold as Stilton cheese
Stollen—German Christmas bread, a yeast bread containing fruits, nuts and sometimes almond filling
Sushi—Japanese finger food made of seasoned rice shaped and topped with fish, vegetables or egg. Makizushi is sushi rolled in seaweed sheets and filled with fish, egg or vegetables.

Tabasco—a very hot American liquid red pepper seasoning first produced in 1868 by Edmund McIlhenny, who moved from his native Maryland to Louisiana around 1840; his company, which makes McIlhenny Tabasco Sauce, is still operated by his descendants
Tandoori—foods cooked in a Tandoor, a cylindrical clay or metal oven used for cooking and baking, widely used in south, central and western Asia and the Caucasus
Tapenade—a Provencal dish consisting of finely chopped olives, capers, anchovies and olive oil, usually eaten as an hors d’oeuvre or as a spread on bread; the name is derived from the Provencal word for capers, tapenas
Taro Rolls—yeast rolls containing poi, Hawaiian style mashed taro root
Tarragon—a perennial herb with slender branches stems and small leaves which produce a delicate, subtle, lemon and licorice flavor, used to enhance the taste of eggs, fish, chicken, salad dressings and other savory dishes and sauces
Tarte Tatin—French style apple and caramel tart
Tempeh—a traditional soy product originally from Indonesia and very popular in Java, made from a natural culturing and fermentation process that binds the soybeans into a firm cake and retains a high protein, fiber and vitamin content
Thyme—a perennial herb used for medicinal and culinary purposes since the ancient Egyptian and Greek eras; the Romans disseminated thyme throughout Europe as a flavoring for cheese and liquor; thyme retains its flavor well after being dried and is included in Bouquet Garni and Herbes de Provence, French style herb mixtures used to flavor a variety of soups, stews and other savory foods
Tiikerikkakku—Finnish tiger cake, a chocolate and orange marbled pound cake
Timbale—derived from the French word for “drum,” a timbale is either a drum-shaped baking pan or the food that is baked in a drum shape; timbales can be large, like Panettone bread or small like food items baked in cupcake pans
Tofu—also known as bean curd, a food made from coagulating soymilk and then pressing the resulting curds into firm white blocks; tofu originated in China during the Han Dynasty, approximately 2,000 years ago and remains an important component in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines
Tobiko—the Japanese word for flying fish roe, often used in making certain types of sushi; natural tobiko has a red-orange color, a mild smoky or salty taste, and a crunchy texture; in some dishes tobiko can be substituted for Russian caviar
Torte—a dense, one or multi-layer cake, often containing ground nuts or breadcrumbs, usually baked in a spring form pan and iced and decorated, especially popular in Austria, Hungary, Germany and Switzerland; typical traditional tortes include Austrian Sacher Torte, a chocolate cake with apricot jam filling; Black Forest Torte, a German style chocolate cake with cherry and whipped cream filling, and Hungarian Dobos (also called Dobosh) Torte, a five layer sponge cake filled with chocolate buttercream, topped with caramel and coated on the sides with ground nuts
Tres Leches Cake—a cake of Spanish origin popular throughout Mexico and South America, comprised of a golden sponge cake over which a mixture of three milks, whole milk, canned evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk, has been poured
Trifle—a dessert of British origin composed of left-over pound cake layered with custard, fruit, jam, nuts, broken cookies or a variety of other ingredients, including brandy or sherry, and topped with whipped cream; traditionally served in a footed clear glass trifle bowl, making all of the ingredients visible
Triple Sec—originally Curacao, a variety of Curacao, an orange flavored liqueur made from the dried peels of bitter and sweet oranges; often an ingredient in cocktails, also used in baking and creating desserts
Tri-tip—a cut of beef from the bottom sirloin subprimal cut, a small triangular muscle usually used for grilling or roasting with salt, pepper, garlic and other spices and served in slices, very popular in California and sometimes referred to as Santa Maria Steak
Truffles—a chocolate confection made of ganache, a combination of heated cream and melted chocolate and formed in a rounded shape, named after the highly valuable fungus which it resembles; truffles are often rolled in cocoa powder or coated with additional chocolate and may contain nuts, fruit or liqueur
Truffles—the fruiting body of a subterranean fungus, usually found in proximity to the roots of trees; many species of truffles have been highly prized as food since antiquity and continue to be very costly additions to the cuisine of the Middle East and Mediterranean areas, and feature prominently in French and Spanish cooking
Tsukemono—Japanese preserved vegetables, usually pickled in salt brine, served with rice, drinks or as a side dish with meals
Turbinado—crystalized golden brown sugar, also called demerara

U, V

Victoria Sponge—a golden sponge cake named for Queen Victoria of England, who purportedly preferred this cake with her Afternoon Tea; Victoria Sponge can be served as a single layer with fruit and whipped cream, or split and layered with jam or lemon curd filling
Vinaigrette—a salad dressing or marinade made of oil and vinegar seasoned with a variety of herbs and spices and usually containing salt
Vodka—a strong alcoholic drink distilled from cereal grains or potatoes, and composed primarily of water and ethanol, popular in Poland, Russia and other Eastern and Northern European countries

W, X, Y

Waldorf salad—a salad comprised of fresh apples, celery and walnuts, dressed with mayonnaise and served on a bed of lettuce, first served at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City between 1893 and 1896; Oscar Tschirky, the maître d’hôtel at the Waldorf, is widely credited with creating the recipe
Worcestershire sauce—a strongly flavored sauce based on a recipe from India and first manufactured in Worcestershire, England, often served with meats and cheese dishes

Zaruski—Russian appetizers intended to accompany vodka
Zest—the outer peel of a citrus fruit, often grated and widely used in baking and cooking; the white pith beneath the zest is bitter and should be discarded