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Chow Baby Food Glossary Category: Food and Drink > Baby food Date & country: 13/09/2007, USA Words: 494

Cassia buds
The dried, unripened fruit of the cassia tree, used as a spice for pickling.

Celeriac
A white-fleshed root vegetable, also known as celery root.

Celery flakes
Dehydrated celery used in soups, sauces, salads, dips, and stuffings.

Celery salt or seed
Pungent seed of the celery plant.

Centrifugation
The process of separating two or more liquids in a mixture by rotation in a container so that the lighter density liquid rises to the top. Used in olive oil manufacturing to separate olive oil from other olive liquid, including water.

Charlotte
A molded dessert composed of a filling surrounded by ladyfingers or bread. Apple charlotte is a golden crusted dessert made by baking a thick apple compote in a mold lined with buttered bread. Cold charlottes are made in a ladyfinger-lined mold and filled with Bavarian cream; frozen charlottes use frozen soufflé or as a filling.

Chaud
The French term for hot.

Chayote
A pear-shaped, light green squash that has a crisp, light flavor. Ideal for stuffing. Also can be prepared like zucchini or summer squash.

Chef
A culinary expert. The chief of the kitchen.

Chervil
Aromatic herb of the carrot family. Used in cheese dishes, egg dishes, soups, and salads.

Chicory
The roasted ground root of the chicory plant, related to the radicchio and curly endive. In New Orleans, chicory-spiked coffee, usually served as cafe au lait, has been a tradition since Napoleanic times.

Chili peppers
A general term for many varieties of peppers from mild to hot. Used in chili powder, pickles, hot sauce, soups, and sauces.

Chili powder
A blend of chili peppers, often also with cumin, garlic oregano, salt, paprika, and other spices added. Used for chili con carne, spare ribs, stews, appetizers.

Chipotle
Smoked dried jalapeno chiles. Used to flavor Southwestern and Mexican dishes. They are sold both dried and reconstituted in cans, in a vinegary sauce called adobo.

Chives
An herb with a mild onion-like flavor. Available fresh or freeze-dried. Used as a garnish, in soups or sauces, in salads, egg or potato dishes.

Chocolate liquid
The paste formed from roasted, ground cocoa beans. The most basic ingredient in all chocolate and cocoa products. Sometimes also called chocolate liquor.

Cholesterol
A fat-soluble waxy substance (sterol) made in the liver, transported in blood serum, and found in all foods of animal origin. An essential constituent of every cell, and especially critical for brain development. Associated with the formation of vitamin D, certain hormones, and bile acids used to digest fats. However, elevated levels of cholesterol can contribute to atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease

Cholesterol-free
Containing less than 2 mg cholesterol per 50 gram serving of food.

Chutney
An Indian fruit condiment containing vinegar, spices, and occasionally nuts, ranging in flavor from mild to hot. Often made with mangoes.

Chylomicrons
Largest and least dense of the lipoproteins, formed in intestinal wall cells following digestion and absorption of fats. Transport ingested fats to all body cells and permit those cells to remove needed fats. See also lipoproteins.

Cilantro
A parsley-like herb with a tangy taste often used fresh in Asian and Mexican cooking. Also known as Coriander or Chinese parsley. Its seeds may be dried and used whole or ground, for a flavor reminiscent of slightly burnt oranges.

Cinnamon
Bark from various trees of the cinnamon family. Used ground for bake goods and whole for pickles, hot drinks, and preserves.

Cinnamon sugar
Combination of sugar and ground cinnamon. Used to sprinkle on sugar cookies, baked apples, and buttered toast.

Cloves
The dried flower bud of the clove tree, known for its rich and pungent flavor. Used in pickling, baked hams, stocks, desserts, marinades, and spiced drinks.

Cocoa beans
Seeds found within the fruit pods of the cocoa tree, an evergreen cultivated mainly within twenty degrees north or south of the equator. The raw source for all chocolate and cocoa.

Cocoa butter
The yellowish-white fat removed from chocolate liquid under high pressure.

Cocoa powder
General term for the portion of chocolate liquid that remains after most of the cocoa butter has been removed. Includes breakfast cocoa, medium and low-fat cocoas, and Dutch-process cocoa.

Coconut milk
A mixture of one part water or milk to four parts shredded fresh or desiccated coconut meat, simmered until foamy and strained. Sometimes also called coconut cream. Available canned or frozen.

Coddling
Cooking just below the boiling point, as in the preparation of coddled eggs.

Comino seed
Aromatic, somewhat bitter seeds of the comino, a plant related to the carrot. Used in chili powders, pickles, spare ribs, and other meat dishes.

Condensed milk
Evaporated milk combined with sugar, and typically canned. Became very popular in wartime England as a preserved form of milk. Now used mainly in desserts and iced drinks like Thai iced tea. Because of its high sugar content it is more freeze-resistant that unsweetened milk or cream.

Confectioner's sugar
A finely powdered sugar, often used in frostings.

Coquille
The French term for shell.

Coriander seed
See Cilantro.

Cornmeal
Yellow or white degermed ground corn. Used to make tortillas and cornbread. Polenta and grits are other forms of cornmeal.

Cornstarch
A white, powdery thickener finer than flour extracted from the starch endosperm of corn. To avoid lumping, it must be dissolved in a cold liquid before it is added to a hot mixture. Characterized by a glazy, opaque finish.

Coulis
A thin purée of fruit sweetened with sugar.

Coupe
Ice cream topped with fruit and traditionally served in a stemmed glass or silver goblet.

Couscous
A grain-like hard wheat semolina that has been ground, moistened, and rolled in flour. Prepared by steaming and traditionally served with a stew, or combined with fruits and vegetables. A staple dish of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. Available in precooked, dried form in the United States.

Crab boil
Mixture of whole spices, such as bay leaves, peppercorns, mustard seed, and crushed red peppers, added to the stock or water for cooking seafood or fish.

Cream of Tartar
The common name for potassium bitartare, a by-product of winemaking. It is a major ingredient in baking powder and a means of stabilizing beaten egg whites.

Cream puff paste
A very light dough made by beating flour and then eggs into boiling water and butter. Once shaped and baked, it is crisp on the outside, and airy on the inside, forming a convenient container for filling. Fillings may be sweet, to make desserts such as cream puffs, éclairs and profiteroles, or savory, to make appetizers. The dough can also be deep-fried and rolled in sugar to make beignets (fritters). Also known as pâte à choux.

Crema Centroamerica
A Latin-style cream or soft cheese similar to mascarpone. Often even richer than whipping cream.

Crema fresca casera
A sweet liquid whipping cream used in Latin cooking.

Crema Mexicana
A Latin-style cream similar to whipping cream in fat content. Available in a sweet and liquid form like whipping cream, or tart and thick form like crème fraiche.

Crema Mexicana agria
A salty Latin-style cream similar to sour cream with a 15-20 percent fat content.

Crème Anglaise
A sweet custard sauce made from egg yolks, sugar and milk or cream that is cooked just below the boiling point to thicken. Often served as an accompaniment to sweet soufflés, fruit desserts, and cakes; also the foundation for Bavarian cream and frozen desserts such as rich ice cream.

Crème de Cassis
A sweet cordial flavored with black currants. It can be bought at most liquor stores.

Crème fraiche
A tangy, thick and rich cream. In France, fresh cream is unpasteurized and contains the bacteria necessary to thicken it naturally. In America, where all commercial cream is pasteurized, the fermenting agents need to be added. Combine one cup whipping cream and two tablespoons buttermilk in a glass container. Cover and let stand at room temperature (about 70ºF) from eight to 24 hours, or until very thick. Stir well before covering and refrigerate up to 10 days. An ideal addition for sauces or so…

Cremini mushroom
A type of wild mushroom.

Crèpe
A thin pancake.

Cumin
An Indian spice with a pungent flavor. Available in seed and ground form; also known as comino. Cumin is featured in Middle Eastern lentil and lamb dishes and Latin American dishes such as chili and tamales.

Curry powder
Any of a number of Indian spice blends, usually containing tumeric, garlic, coriander, comino seed, and ginger in variable proportions. Used to make curries, or stews, of meat, poultry, or seafood.

Cuttlefish
A rounder, thicker and chewier relative of the squid. A lean and nutritious type of seafood available in ethnic markets.

Dacquoise
A classic French cake composed of baked nut meringues layered with buttercream. One of several types of meringue-based desserts; others include succès, progrès, and japonais. The proportions, size and type of nut used varies from type to type.

Daikon Radish
A long sweet tasting radish used prominently in Japanese cooking. It can be found in most produce sections.

Daube
A slowly cooked French stew of meat or fish ibraised n wine and stock with vegetables and herbs.

Decantation
Process of drawing off a liquid without disturbing underlying sediment.

Deglaze
To add liquid such as wine, stock, or water to the bottom of a pan to dissolve the carmelized drippings so that they may be added to a sauce for added flavor.

Demi
The French term for half.

Demiglace
A thick, intensely-flavored, glossy brown sauce that is made by thickening a rich veal stock, enriching it with diced vegetables, tomato paste and Madeira or sherry, then reducing it until concentrated. Served with meat, poultry, or fish, or used as a base for other sauces.

Deterioration
Chemical changes that may occur in oils and fats during storage, resulting in poor color and flavor. Oxidation is caused by exposure to air, and accelerated by high temperature and strong light. Hydrolysis is caused by exposure to water, and accelerated by high temperature and microbiological agents such as molds and yeasts.

Diable
The French term for devil, typically used to describe spicy or hot preparation.

Dice
To cut into small cubes.

Diglyceride
Two fatty acid molecules plus one glycerol molecule.

Dill seed
Dried fruit of the dill plant known for its pungent flavor. Often used for pickles.

Dill weed
A pungent herb of the carrot family. Used in fish dishes, potato dishes, soups, and sauces.

Dock
To pierce pastry dough before baking to allow steam to escape and prevent the dough from bubbling.

Double boiler
An instrument for cooking without using direct heat. Usually consists of two saucepans that fit together, the bottom one filled with water and the top one with the mixture to be cooked. May be stainless steel, aluminum, or glass. Also known as a Bain Marie.

Drawn butter
Another term for melted butter.

Dredge
To coat with dry ingredients such as flour or bread crumbs.

Dust
To sprinkle with sugar or flour.

Dutch-process cocoa
Cocoa powder that has been treated with alkali to neutralize the natural acids; generally darker in color than natural cocoa.

Eau-de-vie
An 80 - 90 proof clear fruit alcohol. Framboise (raspberry) is a popular type.

Ecossaise
The French term for Scottish.

Emincé
Cut fine, or sliced thin.

Espagnole
The French term for Spanish. A mother, or basic brown, sauce.

Evaporated milk
A rich preserved milk that has much of the water content removed by evaporation. Less sweet and thick than condensed milk.

Farce
The French term for forcemeat or stuffing.

Farci
The French term for stuffed.

Farina
The inner portion of coarsely ground hard wheat.

Fat
Class of water-insoluble organic compounds known as lipids. The most concentrated source of food energy (nine calories per gram).

Fatty acids
Basic chemical components of fats. Fats are described according to the number of molecules of fatty acid that are attached to one molecule of glycerol, an organic alcohol. See Monoglyceride, Diglyceride, and Triglyceride.

Fennel seed
An herb of the carrot family, like dill and anise, but with its own distinct flavor. Used in rye bread, tomato sauces, sausage, and lentil soup.

Filé
Sassafras leaves ground into a powder. Used in gumbo and other creole dishes as a thickening agent.

Finnan haddie
Smoked haddock.

Fire point
Temperature at which volatile compounds from heated oil will ignite when brought into contact with a flame, and will continue to burn when the flame is removed.

Fish sauce
A pungent, salty liquid made from fresh anchovies. An essential ingredient of Thai cooking.

Flan form
A frame that support the sides of a flan, or tart, as it cooks.

Flash point
Temperature at which volatile compounds from heated oil will ignite when brought into contact with a flame, but will not continue to burn when the flame is removed.

Foam cakes
A subcategory of sponge cake in which air is beaten into whole eggs and sugar before the other ingredients (starches) are gently folded in. Genoise is one example of foam cake.

Fondant
A creamy white substance created by kneading cooked sugar syrup. Used as a filling for chocolates, or a frosting for cakes, petit fours, or pastries. Also flavored and made into individual sweets.

Forcemeat
Ground meat or meats mixed with seasonings and used for stuffing.

Framboise
A raspberry liqueur with a high alcohol content.

Frappe
The French term for shake. A simple sugar syrup mixed with fruit or other flavorings and frozen, then processed to a slightly slushy consistency. Served as a drink or a dessert. In some parts of the United States, a milk shake is called a frappe.

Free fatty acids
Basic components of fats, released by chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis. May be measured, as in the free oleic acid content of olive oil

Froid
The French term for cold.

Ganache
A rich mixture of semisweet chocolate and boiling cream, stirred until smooth. The proportions of chocolate to cream may vary, and the resulting ganache may be used as a cake glaze, or beaten until fluffy and used as a filling or base for truffles and other chocolate confections.

Garam Masala
An Indian spice mixture usually composed of coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, and black pepper.

Garbanzo beans
A popular ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, also known as ceci or chickpeas. Available canned or dried in most grocery stores.