Copy of `Chow Baby Food Glossary`

The wordlist doesn't exist anymore, or, the website doesn't exist anymore. On this page you can find a copy of the original information. The information may have been taken offline because it is outdated.

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

Melba sauce
A combination of puréed and strained fresh raspberries, red currant jelly, sugar, and cornstarch used to accompany Peach Melba, but also good with ice cream, fruit, pound cakes, and puddings. Created by the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier for the Australian opera singer Dame Nellie Melba.

Melba toast
A thin, dry toast that usually accompanies soups and salads. Created by Auguste Escoffier for opera singer Dame Nellie Melba.

Menthe
The French term for Mint.

Meringue
A foam made by beating egg whites and then sugar until very stiff, shiny peaks form. Used to lighten other mixtures, cooked as a pie topping, or cooked to provide a foundation for various cakes and desserts (see Dacquoise). See also Meringue, Swiss and Meringue, Italian.

Meringue, Italian
A type of meringue made by cooking sugar syrup to the firm-ball stage, beating the syrup into stiff egg whites, then whipping until cold.

Meringue, Swiss
A type of meringue made by heating egg whites and sugar over simmering water, then beating until stiff and cold.

Milk chocolate
A combination of chocolate liquid, extra cocoa butter, milk or cream, sweetener, and flavorings.

Milkshake
Milk, ice cream, and a syrup or other flavorings mixed in a blender until the ice cream is soft enough to be sipped through a straw.

Minced
Ground or chopped fine.

Mint
Refreshing herb with a cool aftertaste. Used as a garnish, in Middle Eastern cooking, and lamb dishes.

Mirin
A Japanese rice wine related to sake used only for cooking to add a touch of sweetness.

Mise en place
Literally 'put in place' in French. Refers to preparations for cooking, including setting out bowls, pots, and pans, and measuring, washing, peeling, chopping, and mincing ingredients.

Mistika
An Arabic gum with a hard, crystalline texture. Usually ground before adding to a recipe. Available in most Middle Eastern grocery stores.

Mixed pickling spice
A mixture of whole spices. Used for pickling and in soups and stews.

Mixed vegetable flakes
Dehydrated vegetable flakes containing celery, onion, carrot, green and sweet red pepper. Used in soups, sauces and stuffings.

Mojo
Cuban seasoning mix made of garlic, olive oil, and sour oranges such as Seville. Used as a dip, marinade, or sauce for vegetables and meats.

Molasses
The dark brown, thick syrup of the sugar cane. Available in light, dark, unsulfured, and blackstrap forms. Also known as dark treacle.

Mole
A spicy, rich Mexican sauce consisting of nuts, seeds, spices, chocolate, and peppers.

Monkfish
A saltwater fish of which only the tail meat is eaten.

Mono Sodium Glutamate (MSG)
A flavor enhancer made from sugar beets and wheat protein.

Monoglyceride
One fatty acid molecule plus one glycerol molecule.

Monounsaturated fat
A fat molecule that can hold one pair of hydrogen atoms. Found in most vegetable oils and in fish, and usually liquid at room temperature. Olive oil contains 77 percent monounsaturated fat.

Mousse
A dessert consisting of either a flavored custard or a fruit puree lightened with whipped cream.

Mustard seed
Seed of the mustard plant. Used ground as a seasoning for pickling, sauces, and for prepared mustard condiments.

Navarin
Lamb stew with root vegetables, cut green beans, tomatoes, and peas.

Neufchatel
A soft unripened cheese originally from Neufchatel-en-Bray, France, with a fat content of about 50 percent. Sold in the US as low-fat cream cheese.

Nibs
The meat of the cocoa bean.

Nicoise
A French term meaning from or in the style of Nice, France, characterized by the use of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and brown-black olives.

Noir
The French term for black.

Nouilles
The French term for noodles.

Nutmeg
The oval, brown, wrinkly seed of the nutmeg tree. Used grated to spice a wide range of both sweet and savory dishes.

Oeuf
The French term for egg.

Okra
A vegetable pod used mainly in gumbos, but also other soups, and served as a vegetable.

Oleic Acid
A fatty acid found in almost every vegetable and animal fat. Rich sources are olive and peanut oils.

Olive oil
Highly prized edible oil obtained from the pulp of olives (genus Olea europaea sativa). oil, used in both unrefined and refined states. Contains 77 percent monounsaturated fat. A prominent, healthy component of the Mediterranean diet.

Olive oil removal instructions
Put the soiled fabric on a flat, towel-covered surface. Cover the stain with a thick layer of cornstarch, salt, or baking soda. Allow to sit until the dry ingredient begins to cake. Scrape off the dry ingredient with a table knife. Launder as usual, in the hottest water recommended for the fabric.

Olive oil, extra light
Pure, mild flavored olive oil. Used for baking, sautéing and stir frying

Olive oil, extra virgin
The finest olive oil, characterized by a rich, fruity flavor and an acidity level of less than one percent. Used in dishes when a prominent olive oil flavor is desired.

Olive oil, pure
A combination of filtered olive oil and extra virgin or virgin olive oil, characterized by a full-bodied, mild flavor and an acidity level between one and three percent. Used for sautéing and stir frying, salad dressings, and pasta sauces.

Olive pomace oil
An inexpensive oil extracted from olive tree and fruit debris with the aid of solvents, refined, and then blended with virgin olive oil to add flavor. Production declining due to advances in olive pressing technology.

Oloroso
The Spanish term for fragrant and one of the two types of sherry, the other being fino. A dark, intensely fragrant, full-bodied sherry. Used with added sweeteners to make cream sherries.

Omelet
Seasoned eggs that are beaten and sautéed. The eggs puff as they cook, and are then rolled or folded before serving.

Onion
A pungent vegetable used in various fresh and dry forms (salt, powder, minced or chopped) as a seasoning.

Oporto
Portugal's sweet dessert wines (ports), named after Oporto, Portugal's second largest city, on the Douro river.

Oregano
See Marjoram.

Organoleptic test
Testing, especially of foods, by using sense organs to evaluate flavor, odor, appearance and even 'mouth feel'

Oxidation
In fats and oils, the process in which unsaturated fatty acids react with oxygen, resulting in rancidity.

Oxidized
Describing wine or other food that has been in contact with air too long, causing it to darken and small stale.

Oyster sauce
A bottled all-purpose Chinese seasoning made from oysters, water, salt, cornstarch, and caramel coloring.

Palm hearts
Hearts of young palm trees.

Pan broiling
To cook in an uncovered skillet, pouring of any fat during cooking.

Pancetta
An Italian cured meat made from the belly (pancia) of the pig, the same cut used for bacon. Salted and lightly spiced, but not smoked. Available at Italian markets and delis.

Papaya
A sweet tropical fruit. Contains an enzyme that is used as a meat tenderizer.

Papillote
Cooked in foil or parchment paper to seal in flavor, then served and cut open at the table.

Pappadums
Crisp Indian wafers made of legume flour, and sometimes also with rice flour added. Usually served with drinks or as a snack with accompaniments such as chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander, and chili.

Paprika
A form of red pepper, the Hungarian version being hotter than the Spanish. The method of grinding determines the flavor. Used for flavor and coloring of seafood, egg dishes, sauces, soups, and salad dressings.

Parboiling
To cook partially by boiling for a short period of time.

Parchment paper
A silicone-coated paper that can withstand high heat. It is especially good to use with sugar and chocolate to avoid sticking. Can often be reused several times.

Parfait
A dessert consisting of ice cream layered with a dessert sauce, fruit, or liqueur, traditionally served in tall, narrow, footed glass. In France, a parfait usually consists of frozen whipped cream and Italian meringue or just whipped cream.

Parmesan cheese
A hard cow's milk cheese from the Italian area of Emilia-Romagna ranging in flavor from sweet to sharp. Used for grating. Asiago and Romano cheeses can be substituted for Parmesan.

Parsley
A popular herb of the carrot family. Used to garnish or season stocks, soups, sauces, salads, egg, and potato dishes.

Parve (P)
Indicates that a food is kosher in that it is made without milk, meat, or any of their derivatives. Also Pareve.

Pastry Cream (Crème Patissière)
A cooked mixture of egg yolks, sugar and milk thickened with flour and/or cornstarch and finished with a little vanilla and often butter. Used as a filling in cakes, cream puffs, and fruit tarts. Sometimes flavored with liqueurs, chocolate, or coffee. When flavored with almonds or macaroons, it becomes a frangipane; with the addition of gelatin and Italian meringue, it becomes crème chiboust. Lighten pastry cream by folding in one part whipped cream to two parts pastry cream.

Pastry dough
The standard American dough for pies, made by cutting fat (butter, vegetable shortening, and/or lard) into flour and then moistening the mixture with water to form a dough. Salt is either dissolved in the water or added to the flour at the start. The more finely the fat is cut into the flour, the less flaky and more mealy the baked dough will be. Pâte brisée, French flaky pastry dough, uses the same proportions of ingredients, but the fat is always unsalted butter and the liquid may be water, wa…

Peach Melba
A dessert made with two peach halves, poached in syrup and cooled, then placed hollow side down on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and topped with Melba sauce and sometimes whipped cream and sliced almonds. Created in the late 1800's by the famous French chef Escoffier for Dame Nellie Melba, a popular Australian opera singer. See also Melba sauce.

Pêche
The French term for peach.

Pecorino
Italian sheep's milk cheeses, of which Romano is the best known. Used for grating.

Pepper
A widely used seasoning ground from the pepper berry. Black pepper is ground from the immature berries. White pepper is ground from the mature berries with the hull removed. Also used whole in pickling.

Pesto
An Italian sauce traditionally made with basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and Romano and Parmesan cheeses. Also used to describe many variations including different nut based pestos, different herb based pestos, sun-dried tomato pesto, and black olive pesto. Pesto tastes great with pasta, pizza, bread, meats, risottos, or stirred into soups.

Pesto, low fat recipe
Combine two tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon nonfat plain yogurt, two teaspoons lemon juice, one-quarter cup Parmesan cheese, one tablespoon grated pine nuts, three garlic cloves, and one cup fresh basil leaves, firmly packed. Blend all ingredients in a blender until almost smooth.

Petit
The French term for small.

Petits fours
Small fancy baked goods. Petits fours secs are delicate cookies often sandwiched with preserves, ganache or praline paste. Petits fours glacés are tiny iced cakes sandwiched with preserves, ganache, or buttercream and delicately decorated. Petits fours frais are miniature pastries like fruit tarts or eclairs that are filled either with pastry cream or buttercream.

Philadelphia ice cream
An ice cream made without eggs, using various combinations of milk, cream, sugar, and flavorings like fruit. Grainier in texture than custard-based ice cream. Also called uncooked ice cream.

Phyllo dough
Middle-Eastern, tissue-thin pastry sheets, similar to strudel dough. Used for appetizers such as spanikopita and desserts such as baklava. Sheets of phyllo are brushed with melted butter, layered, and filled before baking. Increasingly available in the freezer section of supermarkets.

Pickapeppa sauce
A sweet and sour hot pepper sauce from Jamaica.

Pico de gallo
A coarse uncooked tomato salsa that means rooster's beak in Spanish. In Jalisco, Mexico, the same term refers to a relish of oranges.

Pimiento
Ripe fleshy fruit of a sweet red pepper plant. Used as a garnish and mild flavor in salads, soups, or entrées.

Pine nuts
The off-white fatty seed of the stone pine. Used often in Italian, Spanish, and Middle-Eastern cooking. Also known as pignolias or pinon.

Pizzelles
Thin decorative Italian wafer cookies that are made in an iron similar to a waffle iron. They may be served flat or rolled into ice cream cones.

Plantain
A starchy, larger relative of the banana. Used fried, or boiled and mashed, in South American, African, and West Indian cuisines.

Polenta
A coarse yellow cornmeal that is a staple of Northern Italy. Steamed and served hot with various toppings, or molded, then cut into squares and fried or grilled.

Polyunsaturated fat
A fat molecule that can hold two or more pairs of hydrogen atoms. Found in most vegetable oils, and usually liquid at room temperature.

Pomegranate molasses
A Middle-Eastern bottled condiment made from yellow sour pomegranates cooked with sugar. Used to add a tangy flavor to savory dishes. Also called pomegranate syrup.

Poppy seed
Very small black seeds of the poppy plant. Used in baking breads, rolls, cakes, and cookies, and as a garnish for noodles.

Porcini Mushrooms
Dried Cepes mushrooms. Usually re-hydrated before use by soaking in boiling water. Available in most Italian markets.

Portobello Mushroom
A full-grown cremini mushroom, which is related to the standard button mushroom, easily measuring 6 inches in diameter with an open, flat cap. The name was developed as part of a marketing campaign in the 1980's. Used grilled or roasted to provide an earthy meaty flavor in sandwiches, salads, or alone. Available in most grocery stores. Also called Portobella.

Poultry seasoning
A mixture of spices and herbs such as sage, thyme, celery salt, and savory. Used in poultry, pork, and fish dishes or stuffings.

Pound cake
The ultimate butter cake, so named after the traditional proportions of its ingredients — one pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Baking powder is now sometimes also added.

Praline paste (Praliné)
A mixture of skinned hazelnuts (or hazelnuts and almonds) and hot caramel, which is first hardened and then pulverized until creamy. A perfectly smooth praline paste is difficult to make at home, but available in specialty food shops.

Preservative
Ingredient used to maintain product quality and freshness, by delaying or preventing spoilage and/or undesirable changes in color, flavor or texture.

Proscuitto
The Italian word for ham, used to describe an Italian style of raw ham. Proscuitto di Parma and Proscuitto di San Daniele are especially noteworthy.

Puff pastry (Millefeuille)
The multilayered buttery pastry used in Napoleons and palmiers. The characteristically thin, crisp, flaky layers are formed by repeated 'turns' of spreading butter onto an oblong piece of dough, folding the dough like a letter, and rolling it out again. Classic puff pastry is turned six times, creating over 1,000 layers of dough; millefeuille means 1,000 layers in French. Well-made puff pastry rises to five times its original volume during baking. As it bakes, the water in the dough converts to …

Pumpkin pie spice
A mixture of ground spices including cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.

Quahog
A large Atlantic Coast clam.

Quenelle
An oval poached dumpling usually made with veal or chicken.

Quiche
A pie made of egg custard, cheese, and sometimes ham or vegetables.

Quinoa
An ancient pearl-like grain from the Andes, rich in protein, lysine, calcium, and iron. Cooked like rice but requires less time and expands to four times its original volume. Delicate flavor similar to couscous. Used as a main dish, side dish, or addition to soups, salads or puddings. Available in most health food stores.

Ragout
A stew made from poultry, game, fish, or vegetables, thickened liquid, and seasonings. Ragouts may be brown or white. For a brown ragout, the meat is first browned in fat, then sprinkled with flour, cooked a little, and finally moistened with clear stock or water. For a white ragout, the meat is cooked until firm, but not colored, then sprinkled with flour and diluted with stock.

Raisin
A dried grape.

Ramekin
A small, shallow dish for baking and serving.