Delicious Dictionary

Cooking is simple when you know the lingo! My (growing) Delicious Dictionary will defines common cooking terms, tools and techniques in typical Cooking Clarified style — simple, straightforward, concise. Have a term you’d like defined — leave a comment and I’ll get right to it.

Baking

cooking food in a closed environment by surrounding it with hot, dry air. Similar to roasting, the term usually applies to breads, pastries, vegetables, fish and sometimes poultry. Learn more...

Baking Powder

a leavening agent that makes baked goods rise, requires only moisture to activate it. Learn more...

Baking Sheet

Rectangular metal pan with raised edges. Learn more...

Baking Soda

a leavener that makes baked goods rise, it requires a liquid and an acid to activate it. Learn more...

Blind Bake

cooking a pie crust before a filling is added. Blind baking prevents soggy crusts. Learn more...

Blood Oranges

A variety of orange known for its bright crimson flesh. Learn more...

Bouquet Garni

a sachet of herbs used to add flavor to soups, stews and sauces. Learn more...

Braise

to cook food over low heat in a flavorful liquid. The liquid should come about a third to halfway up the sides of the food. Learn more...

Buttermilk

made by adding bacteria to regular milk, its thick, curdled consistency gives baked goods added moisture and texture. Learn more...

Candy/Deep-Frying Thermometer

thermometers used to measure temperature of oils and candy, up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Learn more...

Cardamom

a spice frequently used in Middle Eastern, Indian and Scandinavian cuisines. Learn more...

Carryover Cooking

the cooking that occurs when food is removed from the oven or cooktop caused by the residual heat that remains in the food. Learn more...

Cinnamon

spice made from ground bark of tropical trees. Learn more...

Clarified Butter

also known as drawn butter or ghee. It's unsalted butter with the milk solids and other impurities removed. Learn more...

Compound Butter

butter with added ingredients for flavor. Learn more...

Cookie Sheets

Rectangular metal pan usually with one raised edge to allow cookies to slide off easily? Learn more...

Corn Starch

Fine, white powder made by grinding the ground starch found in corn kernels, most often used as a thickener. Learn more...

Cream of Tartar

fine, white powder made by purifying and grinding the crystals that form inside wine barrels during the wine-making process, also an ingredient in baking powder. Learn more...

Deglaze

adding a liquid to a pan and using a wooden spoon or a plastic or silicone spatula to scrape up any browned bits of food stuck to the bottom of the pan. Learn more...

Dutch Oven

round, heavy pots usually made of cast iron or enameled cast iron with tight-fitting lids that create a warm, steamy environment for cooking soups, stews or braises. Learn more...

Evaporated Milk

whole milk with 60% of the water removed, add an equal amount of water to use as you would regular milk. Learn more...

Flambe'

adding alcohol to a dish and igniting it to produce a flame. Learn more...

Garlic Paste

a flavorful paste made when garlic is minced and then ground to a smooth consistency. Learn more...

Greek Yogurt

made by adding active cultures to milk that’s been heated, its thick, creamy consistency results from being strained multiple times. Learn more...

Mandoline

countertop slicer used to cut foods into a variety of shapes and sizes that would be difficult with a knife. Learn more...

Microplane

long, thin metal tool with a serrated edge used for any number of grating tasks. Learn more...

Mirepoix

(pronounced meer-uh-pwa), a mix of coarsely chopped onions, carrots and celery. Learn more...

Nutmeg

spice made from the seeds of a tree native to the Spice Islands. Learn more...

Oven Thermometer

thermometer used to measure temperature inside your oven. Learn more...

Parchment Paper

paper with a thin silicone coating used to cover foods during cooking and line baking sheets and pans. Learn more...

Parmigiano-Reggiano

a hard, cow's milk cheese produced in a specific region in Northern Italy. Learn more...

Poach

to cook food in a liquid over very low heat. Learn more...

Prosciutto

A salt-cured, air-dried ham originating from Italy. Learn more...

Resting

letting food, especially meat and poultry, sit for a time before slicing or cutting after cooking. Resting meat and poultry keeps food moist. Learn more...

Risotto

an Italian rice dish made with Arborio rice, noted for its creamy consistency. Learn more...

Roasting

cooking food in a closed environment or over an open flame by surrounding it with dry, hot air. Similar to baking, roasting usually applies to meats, poultry, game and vegetables. Learn more...

Roasting Pan

heavy, deep rectangular pan with a reusable, metal rack, usually used for cooking whole poultry, fish or large cuts of meat. Learn more...

Sabayon

Sabayon (zabaglione in Italian) is a stirred custard sauce made of egg yolks, sugar and other flavors. The yolks thicken the saboyon, giving it a creamy consistency. Learn more...

Saute'

cooking food quickly at a high temperature in a small amount of oil -- just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Learn more...

Seasoned Flour

all-purpose flour with seasonings add it, can be as simple as salt and pepper or additional spices, as well. Learn more...

Shallots

member of the onion family whose flavor is a cross between onion and garlic. Learn more...

Sieve

(pronounced like give with an ‘s’), a mesh bowl, sometimes with a handle attached, used to strain liquids or sift dry ingredients. Learn more...

Slurry

a mixture of starch and liquid stirred together until the starch dissolves, used to thicken soups, sauces and stews. Learn more...

Sweating

cooking food, often vegetables, without browning it. The heat forces the oil in the food to rise to the surface, giving the food a sheen that resembles sweat. Learn more...

Sweet Potato

variety of potato known for its pale red flesh. Learn more...

Sweetened Condensed Milk

whole milk with 60% of the water removed plus added sugar, typically used to add richness and creaminess to desserts. Learn more...

Time Temperature Danger Zone

the range of temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees fahrenheit, the perfect temperatures for harmful bacteria to grow and multiply. Foods should only be left at these temperatures for short periods of time. Learn more...

Tongs

kitchen tool used to grip and turn foods while keeping your hands safely away from the cooking surface. Learn more...

Water Bath (Bain Marie)

used to gently cook delicate foods to keep them from overcooking, baking dish is placed in a larger pot or pan with 1-2 inches of hot water. Learn more...