Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi

==================================================================================

4. CULINARY TERMS

1. ABATS-Meat
Meat items such as offal’s, heads, hearts, liver, kidneys, etc.

2. AIGULETTES-Thin
Thin strips of the fish, breast of poultry, cut lengthwise.

3. AGING -To improve the tenderness of meat which is held at a cold temperature.

4. A La-According
According to the style or a standard in vogue, such as a la francaise or according to
the French way.

5. A LA BOURGEOISE-Family
Family style-plain.
style

6. A LA BROCHE-Cooked
Cooked and roasted on a skewer. Meat or seafood served on a skewer.

7. A La Carte-Food
Food prepared to order; each dish priced separately.

8. ANGLAISE-To To cook a 1’anglaise means to cook plainly in water. It also means the
preparation of a dish dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, and fried.

9. APPETISER-It It is the first course, and it stimulates the appetite. Fruit juices, sherry,
cocktails or titbits could be served.

10. AROMATES-Vegetables
Vegetables like carrots, turnips, onions, leeks, herbs and spices that impart
aroma to the dish they are put in.

11. ASPIC-Clear
Clear meat or poultry jelly. It is a gelatin in a thin syrupy stage used to decorate
dishes in the larder.

12. ARROSER-To
To baste as in roasting.

13. ASSORTI-An assortment.

14. AU BLEU-InIn French, it means underdone, i.e. the meat is not cooked properly, and
another meaning is preparing and cooking of a live trout in cooking liquor.

15. AU FOUR-Baked
Baked in the oven.

16. AU GRATIN-FoodFood covered with a sauce sprinkled with cheese bread crumbs, dotted with
butter and baked or gratinated in a salamander.

17. AU JUS-Served
Served with natural juices or gravy.

18. AU NATURAL-Served
Served in a simple natural style.

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 1 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

19. BABA-yeast raised cake. A famous variety is flavoured and soaked in rum before
serving. Fruit, whipped cream is added. Baba au rum is cooked in rum.

20. BAIN-MARIE-A A hot water bath in which utensils containing various culinary
preparations are immersed to warm or for the purpose of poaching and reheating.

21. BAKING-Usually
Usually the food is put in the oven and cooked by dry heat.

22. BARBECUE-A A party in which usually meat (sometimes a whole carcass of animal fixed
in a rod) is basted and roasted in front of the people. It is usually held in the open. Meat
roasted in open fire is known as barbecued meat.

23. BARDING-Pieces
Pieces of pork/beef fat placed over the lean meat, fish or the breast of a bird
to prevent drying.

24. BARQUETTE-A
A boat shaped pastry tartlet with a filling.

25. BASTE-To To moisten food product with drippings or fat while cooking. The other term for
it is spooning of fat.

26. BARON-A
A double sirloin and rump of beef
beef:: also the saddle and two legs of lamb.

27. BAT-To
To flatten slices of raw meat with a cutlet bat, dipping it in water to prevent meat
from sticking to the bat.

28. BATTER-Mixture
Mixture of flour and liquid of a consistency that can be stirred. Batter could be
plain
n or with eggs. For the beignets and fritters, food items are dipped in the batter and fried.

29. BEATING-Regular
Regular lifting motion to bring mixture to smooth texture.

30. BÉCHAMEL-A
A basic sauce, white in colour, prepared with flour, butter and milk.

31. BEURRE FONDUE-Melted

Melted butter.

32. BEURRE NOISETTE-Butter

Butter heated to a nut brown colour.

33. BEURRE NOIR-Butter

Butter heated to a very dark brown colour.

34. BEURRE MANIE-Equal

Equal quantities of flour and butter mixed together used in sauces, etc.
for thickening.

35. BEIGNETS-Fritters,
Fritters, savoury or sweet, e.g. banana beignet. Bind To cohere, unite or hold
together. To the croquette mixture, egg is added to bind.

36. BISQUE-A
A cream soup from shellfish .

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 2 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

37. BLANC-White.

38. BLANCHING-To To submerge in boiling water for a short time. It is done in many ways;
tomatoes are dipped in boiling water to blanch, i.e. to remove the skin. Cauliflower is dipped
in boiling water to white the colour. French fried potatoes are put in hot fat to let a skin form
and to partially cook them.

39. BLANQUETTE-AA white stew of veal which has been stiffened in butter and then cooked
in white sauce.

40. BLEND-Thorough
Thorough mixing of two or more ingredients.

41. BOMBE-A A frozen dessert. A combination of two or more frozen mixtures (ice-cream,
(ice
sherbets or mousse)) packed in a round or melon shaped mould and frozen.

42. BOUILLON-Soup
Soup made of stock which is not as strong as consommé but stronger than
broth.

43. BOUCHEE-Very
Very small meat patty or pastry shell filled with meat, poultry or lobster.

44. BOUILLABAISE-The French

rench Provencale “stew” made of numerous types of fish;
combined with savoury spices and oil, served with toasted French garlic bread.

45. BORTSCH-An An unpassed soup with an accent on beetroot and is duck flavoured. Native
of Poland or Russia. The accompaniments
accompaniments are sour cream, duck bouchee and beetroot juice.

46. BOUQUET GARNI- A bouquet garni is an assortment of fresh herbs and other aromatic
ingredients tied in a bundle with string.A basic bouquet garni contains pieces of leek and
celery, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, and parsley stems .

47. BRIOCHE-A
A feathery light yeast cake. A favourite breakfast bun in France.

48. BROIL-The
The ancient term for grilling.

49. BRUNNOISE-Cut
Cut into fine dices.

50. BUFFET-Display self-service from a table of assorted foods.

Display of ready to eat foods. Often self

51. CAFÉ-Coffee.

52. CANDYING-Cooking
Cooking fruit in heavy syrup until transparent. Then drained and dried.

53. CANAPE-Small
Small pieces of fried or toasted bread topped with a wide variety of colourful
appetisers. Eaten with fingers. Small fancy oopen faced item.

54. CARTE DU JOUR-Menu

Menu for the day.

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 3 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

55. CANNELONI-Italian
Italian farinaceous dish. It is a pasta preparation stuffed with savoury
minced meat and rolled into cigar shapes.

56. CAPON-A A young male bird which has been castrated to improve flavour and to fatten.
Noted for its tenderness.

57. CARAMELIZE-To To heat sugar until it turns dark brown. Used for coating moulds and
flavouring dishes.

58. CASSOULET-A hot hors d’oeuvre

oeuvre shaped like a small drum.

59. CASSEROLE-An
An earthenware or pyrex fireproof dish with
wi a lid.

60. CAVIAR-Salted
Salted roe or eggs of fish, usually sturgeon, served as a sandwich spread or in
plates as appetisers.

61. CEPES-Species
Species of mushrooms.

62. CHAMPIGNONS-Mushrooms.
Mushrooms.

63. CHANTILLY CREAM-Whipped

Whipped cream.

64. CHAPELURE-Crumbs
Crumbs made from dried br
bread.

65. CHATEAUBRIAND-A A steak cut from the head of the beef fillet usually broiled. The
steak has been named after the Vicount of Chateaubriand.

66. CLARIFICATION-To To make clear, e.g. fat, stock or jelly. Claudfroid Veloute or demi-
demi
glaze with aspic or gelatine
tine used for masking cold dishes.

67. CHIFFONADE-Shreds
Shreds of lettuce or sorrel.

68. CHINOISE-A
A conical shaped wire mesh strainer.

69. CISEL-To
To cut a vegetable after the manner of a chaffcutting machine.

70. COAGULATION-Proteins
Proteins solidifying after the application
application of heat e.g. fried egg.

71. COAT-Cover with sauce.

72. CLOCHESOUS-Under
Under bell, usually glass.

73. CLOUTE-Studded,
Studded, e.g. clove, bay leaf in an onion.

74. COCOTTE Porcelain or earthenware fireproof dish.

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 4 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

75. CODDLING-Cooking
Cooking below boiling point, e.g. coddled
cod eggs.

76. COMPOTE-A
A dish of stewed fruit retaining their natural shape.

77. COOK OUT-Process

Process of cooking the flour in the roux, sauce or soup.

78. CONCASSEE-Coarsely
Coarsely chopped, e.g. blanched tomatoes or parsley, etc.

79. CONDIMENTS-Seasonings.
Seasonings.

80. CORRECTING-Adjusting
Adjusting the seasoning, consistency and colour of a dish.

81. CONSOMME-Clear Clear soup made from minced meat, aromatic vegetables, herbs and stock,
etc. It is clarified with egg white.

82. CORDON-To
To have a thin line of sauce.

83. COULIS- A thin fruitt or vegetable puree, used as a sauce.

84. COURT BOUILLON-A

A lightly flavoured cooking liquor in which fish is cooked.

85. CONTRE FILLET-Sirloin

Sirloin of beef, deboned.

86. COTE-A rib or chop.

87. CORDON-A
A thread or thin line of sauce.

88. CRACKLING-The crisp rindd of roast pork.

89. CROUTE-Rounds
Rounds made out of bread or brioche dough used as hors d’oeuvres or as a
garnish.

90. CROQUETTES-ThickThick white sauce or mashed potato base, plus minced meat, fish or
vegetables shaped as pipes dipped in beaten eggs, breadcrumbed and deep fired.

91. CROUTONS-SmallSmall dices of fancy shapes or fried or toasted bread used as a garnish for
soups or as underliner for all kinds of canapes.

92. CUISINE-Art
Art of cooking, preparation
preparat in the kitchen.

93. DARIOLE-A
A deep round sloping sided mould like a flowerpot.

94. DARNE-A
A section of fish cut across the bone of a large whole round fish.

95. DEGLACE-To swirl in a pan in which food has been cooked with wi
wine/
ne/ stock to extract
the sediment and essences.

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 5 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

96. DEMI-Half.

97. DEMIGLAZE-BrownBrown sauce made by reducing equal qualities of brown stock and brown
sauce (espagnole). Diable Devilled.

98. DRAIN-Place
Place food cooked in a strainer or colander.

99. DURUM WHEAT-Hard

Hard wheat with high gluten content used for making pasta and
semolina.

100. DREDGING-Coating with

ith dry ingredients, e.g. sugar or flour.

101. DEPOUILLER-To skim.

102. DOCKING-Making
Making holes in pastry goods to allow steam to pass.

103. DUXELLE-Minced
Minced vegetable stuffing or forcemeat consisting of mushrooms, parsley
and shallots.

104. DRIPPINGS-The fat and

nd juice which drops from roasting meats Animal fat is also
called dripping.

105. DUST-Sprinkling
Sprinkling fine sugar or flour.

106. EGG WASH-Brush

Brush food item with egg yolk.

107. EMINCE-Cut
Cut fine or shredded fine.

108. EMULSION-A mixture-oil

oil and yolk incorporated, does not separate on standing, e.g.
mayonnaise, hollandaise.

109. ENCASSEROLE-Food
Food served in the same dish in which it was cooked.

110. ENTRÉE-A
A main dish of meat or poultry for an informal meal.

111. ENTREMET-Refers
Refers to the sweet course, cold or hot.

112. EPIGRAMME-Boned
Boned breast of lamb.

113. ESCALOPES-To
To cut thin slices sideways.

114. ESTOUFFADE-Brown
Brown stock.

115. ESPAGNOLE-Basic
Basic brown sauce.

116. ETAMINE-Tammy
Tammy or double thickness of cheese cloth for straining soups and sauces.

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 6 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

117. FLEURON-Small
Small crescent sh
shape,
ape, puff pastry, used as garnish for poached fish, meat,
etc.

118. FARCE-Stuffing,
Stuffing, and farci means stuffed.

119. FARINACEOUS-It It is a word derived from the Latin word “Farina” meaning flour, a
wide-range
range of dishes mostly made from flour, e.g. spaghetti, macaroni,
ma etc.

120. FILLETS-Boneless
Boneless flesh under the loin of beef, veal or pork.

121. FLAKE-To
To break into natural segments (fish).

122. FLORENTINE-With
With spinach.

123. FLUTE-A
A long crisp roll of bread, thin slices cut on a slant and used for garnishing
soups.

124. FOIE GRAS-Flatted

Flatted goose liver.

125. FOOL-A A cold sweet dish made with sieved fruit and whipped to a light mixture served
with cream.

126. FORCEMEAT-Mixture
Mixture of minced or chopped meat and’ seasonings, used for stuffing.

127. FRAPPE-Partially
Partially frozen drinks
drink or desserts.

128. FRICADELLES-Meat
Meat balls or round cakes made with either raw or cooked meat.

129. FRICANDEAU-Is
Is a slice of veal taken from the topside of veal and cut with the grain
11/2" thickness.

130. FRICASSEE-Small
Small pieces of chicken, veal or rabbit cooked in white sauce, with the
addition of mushrooms, onions, etc. The other name for it is white stew.

131. FRITTERS-Small
Small pieces of vegetables, fruit, cheese, etc. dipped in batter and deep
fried.

132. FRITURE-A
A pan that contains deep fat.

133. FRIZZLING-Cooking
Cooking in small amount of fat until crisp.

134. FUMET-A
A kind of essence extracted from the bones and the skin of fish.

135. GALANTINE-Deboned
Deboned chicken or fish or meat is minced and stuffed. The forcemeat is
seasoned mixed with eggs and cream (optional). Placed in a mould with jelly and served cold.
Served at cold buffets or as cold meats for meals.

136. GARNISH-To
To embellish, to decorate, “Farniture” in French means to garnish.
==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 7 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

137. GELATINE-A A soluble protein got from cow’s hoofs. Sold in powder form or in sheets.
Used for jellies and for preparing aspics.

138. GHERKINS-Small
Small cucumbers (a few days old) usually pickled.

139. GIBLETS-Liver,
Liver, heart and trimmings from poultry.

140. GLAZE-A semi-transparent

transparent or glossy coating. Also to colour, gives elasticity to a
dough.

141. GLUTEN-Vegetable
Vegetable protein found in cereal especially flour.

142. GNOCCHI-Italian-Light
Light dumplings usually made from farina (cream of wheat).

143. GOULASH-A
A Hungarian beef stew with onions, tomatoes and paprika.

144. GOURMET-Connoisseur
Connoisseur of food aand drinks known as in epicure.

145. GRENADINE-Slices
Slices of veal, a little thicker than escalopes.

146. GRATINATE-To
To colour under a salamander or in the oven.

147. GRIDDLE-To
To cook on a solid surface or plate.

148. HASH-It
It is usually a rechauffe dish. A dish of meat diced or minced andseasoned.

149. HORS D’OEUVRES-Small

Small relishes or appetisers. Served as first course of a meal.

150. INDIEHNE-An
An oriental dish. Indian style dish.

151. INFUSION-Liquid
Liquid obtained from steeping a food, e.g. coffee and tea.

152. INCISE-Too make small cuts across the back of fish prior to cooking.

153. ISINGLASS-Fish gelatine-(used

(used for clarification).

154. JARDINIÈRE-Vegetables
Vegetables cut into batons.

155. JULIENNES-Refers
Refers to vegetables and meat cut into fine strips (match size) for soups
and salads.

156. JUNKET-ItIt is a light, easily digestible dish, good for invalids and children. It is a set
milk product because of the addition of rennet. It can be flavoured.

157. KEDGEREE-It
It is an Anglo
Anglo-Indian
Indian dish of fish, rice, eggs, and curried dish.

158. KOSHER-MeatMeat sold within 48 hrs. after holding, in accordance with prescribed Hebrew
religious laws or style of Jewish cooking with restrictions.
restrictions ~ Dietary

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 8 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

159. KROMESKYS-Similar
Similar to croquettes but it is dipped in a yeast batter and deep fried.

160. LANGOUSTE-Crayfish.

161. LANGOUSTINE-Spiny
Spiny lobster.

162. LIASION-Cream
Cream and eggs, blood, flour are used as thickening agents for soups and
sauces.

163. LARDING-Strips
Strips of pork fat inserted into meat with the aid of a larding needle. This
keeps the meat moist.

164. MACEDOINE-Mixture
Mixture of fruit and vegetables cut in even pieces; fruit salad.

165. MAITRE D’HOTEL-Sauce Sauce of softened butter, parsley, lemon juice butter chilled and
served with fish, steak, etc.

166. MARASHCHINO-Italian
Italian cherry cordial. Also a type of cherries.

167. MARINADE-A
A spiced mixture of vinegar, oil, spices or wine.

168. MARMITE-Stock-pot,
pot, or earthenware pot in which soup is served.

169. MACERATE-To
To soak (in flavoured syrup, wine or liquor) often applied to fruits.

170. MANDOLIN-A
A hand held mach
machine used for slicing vegetables, potatoes.

171. MASKING-To
To cover completely (usually with a sauce).

172. MATELOTES-Fish
Fish stew with wine, onions and seasonings.

173. MATIGNON-MincedMinced aromatic vegetables, ham (optional) thyme, bay leaf, used in
dishes to impart a good flavour.

174. MEDIALLION-Round
Round flat shaped piece of fish or meat.

175. MENU-List of fare.

176. MIGNONETTE PEPPER-Coarsely

Coarsely ground pepper.

177. MIREPOIX-Carrots,
Carrots, onions, celery, pork (salted optional) cut into fine dices, with
thyme, bay leaf. Improves
ves the flavour of the dish
dish.

178. MISE-EN-PLACE-Basic
Basic preparation in the kitchen before serving.

179. MONO SODIUM-A A flavouring added to meat products to increase glutamete flavour.
Known as Chinese salt/ajino
/ajino motto
motto.

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 9 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

180. MORTIFIER-To hang meat so as to ten

tenderize it.

181. MOUSSE-Applied
Applied to a very light dessert generally prepared with whipped cream, egg
whites, gelatin and sugar, etc. chilled and frozen. Also referred to meat dishes with egg,
cream, gelatin and seasoning, served for cold buffets.

182. NAPPER-To
To coat or mask with sauce.

183. NAVARIN-Mutton
Mutton stew with carrots and turnips.

184. NOODLES-Narrow
Narrow strips of dried dough, used in soups, as garnishes, and also used for
Chinese dishes.

185. PANADA-Thick
Thick white sauce.

186. PARBOIL-To
To partially cook.

187. PARMESAN-Italian
Italian cooking cheese. Hard sharp cheese, used as garnishes for soups
and used for sauce, etc.

188. PAUPIETTE-Stuffed
Stuffed rolled thin slices of meat, etc. braised.

189. PAYSANNE-Cut
Cut into uniform shapes, whether it is round, or triangles, etc.

190. PIMENTOS-Red
Red sweet Spanish pepper pod.

191. PIQUANT-Highly
Highly seasoned, tangy.

192. PLAT DU JOUR-Special

Special dish of the day.

193. POISSON-Fish in French.

194. POTAGE-Soup
Soup usually thickened.

195. PUREE-Pulp
Pulp or paste of vegetables or fruit, also a thick soup.

196. QUENELLES-VeryVery light dumplings, which are made out of fish, chicken, or meat,
poached and used as a garnish.

197. RAGOUT-Thick savoury French stew.

198. RAMEKINS-Food
Food baked in shallow baking china dishes. Individual small baking
dishes.

199. RASPINGS-Fine brown breadcrumbs.

200. RECHAUFFE-A re-heated

heated dish.

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 10 of 11
 Institute of Hotel Management, Pusa, New Delhi
==================================================================================

201. REDUCE-To concentrate a liquid by boiling, usually without a lid.

202. RELISH-A
A highly seasoned food item used as an accompaniment.

203. ROYAL-UsedUsed as a garnish for soups, cubes of a savoury custard. Also the name of a
kind of icing.

204. SABOYON- A foamy dessert or sauce made of egg yolks whipped with wine or liqueur.
205. SALAMI-Sausage
Sausage of pork, beef, highly seasoned.

206. SEARING-Browning
Browning surface by intense heat, usually meat. To form a protective coating
of coagulated proteins to retain the juices of the meat.

207. SCORE-To
To cut slits in the fat piece of pork before roasting.

208. SKEWER-A A metal or wooden pin to hold meat or poultry pieces while cooking, e.g.
seekh kabab, shami kababs.

209. SOUSE-Herrings,
rrings, etc. pickled in vinegar and spices.

210. SOUFFLE-Light
Light puffed baked custard.

211. SPIT-Pointed
Pointed metal rod to hold meat or poultry for roasting.

212. SUPREME-A
A fillet of a deboned fish or breast of a chicken. It is the tender portion of
the bird.

213. TABLE D’HOTE-Fixed

Fixed price meal. A meal of definite number of courses.

214. TERRINE-Forcemeat
Forcemeat stuffing moulded cooked and served cold.

215. TIMBALE-A A cup shaped mould usually made from meat, fish or vegetables added to a
custard mixture and finely decorated.
decorate

216. TRIPE-The
The white fatty inner lining of the stomach, chiefly ox which has large amount
of connective tissue which gelatinizes on boiling and so it is easily digestible.

217. TRONCON-A
A slice of flat fish with the bone.

218. VOL AU VENT-Puff

Puff pastry case.
cas

219. WOK-A
A concave pan used for stir frying.

220. WHIPPING-Rapid
Rapid beating to increase the volume of mixing air.

221. ZEST-The
The rind of orange or lemon grated and used for flavouring.

222. ZUPPA-Italian soup.

==================================================================================
BHM 111 & Food Production Page 11 of 11