Glossary
Al dente
Italian for "to the tooth." Used to describe perfectly cooked pasta that is tender but still a bit chewy
Bake
To cook with hot, dry air in an oven
Batter
A mixture made from ingredients used to make cakes, cookies, and pancakes
Boil
To heat a liquid until bubbles constantly rise to its surface
Broth
A liquid rich with flavours of meat, seafood, or vegetables
Carbonation
Process that occurs when carbon dioxide dissolves into water causing it to fizz
Chocolate
A food often prepared in the form of a paste or solid block made from roasted and ground cacao seeds, typically sweetened
Concentrate
A denser or stronger liquid that has water removed from it
Couscous
A type of North African semolina (pasta) shaped like granules which are made from crushed durum wheat.
Cream
To mix ingredients together until they are smooth and creamy
Dissolve
To mix a fine-textured, solid substance such as sugar or salt, with a liquid until the solid disappears
Dredging
To coat wet foods with dry ingredients
Dust
To cover food, hands, or work surface with a powdery substance such as flour or confectioner's sugar
Flip
To turn an ingredient over usually with a spatula and a quick twist of the wrist
Garnish
To decorate a dish before serving. Also, the food used to decorate a dish.
Hummus
A mixture of mashed chickpeas, garlic, and other ingredients to enhance or change the taste
Knead
To work dough with your hands, using pressing folding, and turning motions.
Mash
To break down soft food by pressing on it with a fork, potato masher, or other tool
Mix
To stir together dry or wet ingredients until combined
Pinch
The amount of a dry ingredient that can picked up between your thumb, index, and or middle finger. Less than ⅛ teaspoon
Prick
To make indentations to the surface of a food, pastry, or container. Usually with a fork
Refrigerate
To place food into the refrigerator to chill or firm
Rise
The action of the gas being released by the yeast, baking powder, or baking soda in dough
Room Temperature
A comfortable neutral temperature used to soften, cool or defrost food
Set
When a liquid congeals, a dough, or batter becomes more solid as it cooks or cools
Shred
To cut an ingredient on the medium or large holes of a box grater
Snip
To cut delicate ingredients into tiny pieces using kitchen scissors
Steam
To cook food with the hot steam that rises from boiling water
Sugar
A sweet substance from sugar cane and sugar beet. It is used as a sweetener in food and drink.
Tofu
Bean curd made from mashed soybeans. It is used primarily in Asian and vegetarian dishes.
Vanilla Extract
A liquid flavouring made from vanilla beans
Whisk
To stir a liquid with a whisk by adding air, increasing the volume
Alfalfa Sprouts
Little green sprouts grown from alfalfa seeds. They are used to add crisp texture to salads and sandwiches
Baking Powder
A mixture of sodium bicarbonate, acidic substances, and a starch or flour. It is often used instead of yeast in baking
Beat
To mix ingredients vigorously, stirring with a spoon, fork, or beaters in a circular motion
Bon Appetit
French saying meaning to "enjoy your meal"
Brown
To cook food until it turns a light golden or dark brown colour
Carving
To cut and or design food from its natural state into sliced pieces or food art
Chop
To cut food into tiny pieces. Finely chopped pieces are small; coarsely chapped pieces are large
Consistency
How thick, thin, fine, coarse, smooth, or lumpy an ingredient or mixture of ingredients is
Confectioners Sugar
Finely powdered sugar with cornstarch added
Crush
To press down on an ingredient to reduce it to a paste or a powder
Divide
To split a batch of dough or batter or individual ingredients into smaller, usually equal batches
Drain
To pour off liquid, leaving solids behind. This is done using a colander or strainer
Edible
Able to be eaten
Flour
A powder obtained by grinding grain, typically wheat. Used to make bread, cakes, and pastries.
Grate
To draw food, such as cheese, across a surface of small, sharp-edged holes on a box grater-shredder.
Invert
To turn a piece of cookware upside down so that the food falls gently onto a cooling rack or a dish
Lengthwise
Food positioned or cut in the same direction as or parallel to the longest side
Melt
To heat a solid substance until it becomes liquid
Molasses
A thick brown syrup that is separated from raw sugar
Pitted
An item with the centre pit removed
Puree
To mash one or more ingredients until reduced to a smooth consistency
Reheat
Heating an item through that was previously cooked
Roasting
A cooking method that uses dry heat where hot air covers the food, cooking it evenly on all sides from an open flame or oven
Sauté
To cook food on the stove top with a skillet with little liquid or oil
Set Aside
To transfer or put ingredients to the side while completing a different part of the recipe
Simmer
To cook a liquid at just below the boiling point. The surface should small bubbles around the edge
Soften
To let an ingredient sit at room temperature until soft enough to spread
Stir
To move a spoon, fork, which, or other utensil continuously through dry or wet ingredients in a circular motion
Tender
State in which food is cooked and is soft enough to cut through and easily chew
Toss
To mix ingredients by tumbling them together with two spoons or two forks
Vermicelli
A thinner rounder rice noodle
Yeast
A microscopic fungus that makes dough rise
Appetizers
A food or drink that stimulates the appetite. Served before meals
Basting
To moisten with a liquid during the cooking process
Blend
To combine two or more ingredients thoroughly. Often takes using an electric blender
Broil
To cook food under a direct intense radiant heat
Buffet
A meal where multiple foods and dishes are set out and people can eat as much as they want
Chill
To refrigerate food until it is cold
Coat
To cover the surface of a food or a piece of equipment with butter, oil, flour, crumbs, or other ingredients
Cool
To let food sit at room temperature until it is no longer hot
Cream
A thick white fatty liquid which can be eaten in desserts or used as a cooking ingredient.
Dice
To chop food into small even size square pieces
Double Boil
Where contents of the upper pot can be cooked or heated by boiling water in the lower pot
Drizzle
To pour liquid or icing over food in a thin stream
Eggs
A food product produced from poultry. It is used as an ingredient and a main dish for baked foods
Fold
To gently combine ingredients together from top to bottom until mixed together
Grease
To rub a pan or baking dish with fat, such as butter or vegetable shortening, to prevent sticking
Julienne
To slice fruits, vegetables and meats into strips that resemble matchsticks.
Line
To cover a pan with aluminum foil, waxed paper, or parchment paper to prevent food from sticking
Mince
To cut food into very small pieces
Opaque
Not being able to see through
Preheat
To set the oven to heat up to a specific temperature
Reduce (Heat)
To turn down the heat. Reducing the heat takes place on the stove, oven, barbecue and anything that controls the temperature
Ripe
When food is fully developed and ready to be eaten
Roll out
To flatten dough with a rolling pin or flat object to smooth, even and thin out
Season to Taste
The addition of salt, pepper, and other spices/seasonings to food until it is to your liking
Shortening
A solid fat made from vegetable oil and used in cooking and baking
Slice
To cut food lengthwise or crosswise with a knife. Food could be thinly or thickly sliced
Spread
To apply a soft mixture or ingredient over another food in an even layer
Stir-fry
An Asian cooking method where ingredients are in a small amount of hot oil being stirred or tossed
Thicken
When food changes from a thin runny consistency to a thicker firmer one
Trim
To cut away any unneeded or inedible parts
Whip
To be beat rapidly with a whisk, electric mixer, or an eggbeater
Zest
The thin layer on the outer layer of the peel of citrus fruit