I sat at my desk and pondered, “How can I help my fellow members at DivineCaroline with their cooking aspirations?” and then, it came to me ... a list of terms. Basic, yet a doorway to creativity. It’s a glossary of culinary tidbits I’ve crossed upon in my experiences. It’s concise, brief, and to the point. So the next time you come across a recipe you don’t quite understand, a method or style, it might just be here. Remember this, if you desire success in any chosen endeavor, follow the simple philosophy of the three P’s: Persistence, Perseverance, Procedure; do this and you’ll be just fine ... in learning, in creating, in life. Good cooking with you!
Glossary: Cooking 101
Abalone: It’s a mollusk, relation of the sea snail, whose flavor is similar in taste to the clam. It’s expensive as hell!
Acidulated Water: Water mixed with a little lemon or lime juice, or vinegar. It purifies and allows meats and vegetables to retain their natural color.
Adobo: A paste made with a mixture of chilies, Spanish spices and vinegar. You season meat with it.
Ail: It means garlic in French, Madames and Darlin’s!
Aioli: A cold egg and oil emulsion with olive oil and garlic ... it sure is tasty good tossed in a big leafy green salad, such as spring greens and fresh spinach. I always add lots and lots of parmesan cheese to it ... makes it real good!
Al Dente: Italian for “to the tooth,” so when you cook your pasta, it should slightly resist chewing, yet not be hard at the core of the pasta. Trial and error, baby! At least till you get your sensory method down pat. I take a strand of spaghetti out of the pot and throw it against the wall. If it sticks to it, perfecto! Flash cool it fast, if you don’t, the starch in it keeps on cooking.
Al Pastor: It’s Italian for grilling meat on an open flame or on a spitfire style barbeque. And here I thought Texans invented this method, when it was the Italian’s that had been doin’ it for 2500 years. Amazing, ain’t it!
Albumen: The protein of egg whites...just in case you want to impress your friends.
Alfredo: A pasta sauce made with unsalted butter, a taste of fresh minced garlic, heavy cream and the best damn parmesan cheese you can afford, and thicken it with raw egg yolks. This is the classic method. Old world style can’t be beat when making Alfredo sauce.
Amandine: This is French for anything cooked with almonds in it or on it. Yeah, you can spell it Almondine!
Andouille: Sausage made from the stomach and intestines of pork ... porker ... ahh hell, a pig! Sounds gross, don’t it! But a necessity in Cajun and Creole cusine. Three centuries of making it the same way, it must taste pretty damn good!
Antipasto: Leave it to the Italians to create a “little snack” of a meal to “peak your appetite” before you sit down to dine on the main meal. This is a big deal on one side of my family ... Man! They can lay a spread—Italian hams, pork, beef, fowl, sausages, salami’s, assorted cheeses, marinated vegetables, fruits, pastries, and on, and on, and on ... you get the drift!
Aspic: A gelatin “jelly” made from poultry or meat stock, wine or fruit juices to create meat, vegetable and fruit dishes. If you’ve ever eaten Hoghead Cheese, you know what I’m talking about!
Aubergine: Eggplant in Italian. I know what you’re thinking ... I did not know that! Now you do.
Bain-Marie: I always laugh when I say this cooking term ... a pronunciation faux pois—it’s a little inside joke! It’s a hot water bath contained in a stainless steel steamtable insert pan, then place a pan of cooked food on top of it to keep said product warm in chafing dish or buffet line unit. Also, use in Dutch Oven when cooking individual cups of custards, flan’s and mousse’s, keeping them from breaking consistency, curdling and burning.
