Æ september 18, 2007

æble
ædelkortlæbe
ædelmynte
ægnudler
ærter
ærteskok

U to Y

Uniq Fruit – This citrus fruit has various, odd shapes and its skin is pot-marked. It is a cross between a mandarin orange and a Pomelo (the original grapefruit). The crop isn’t large and its limited supply makes it expensive. The only problem is that by the time you learn to enjoy them, they are gone from the markets. They have a very short season and are available from December to April.

Umami (oo-MOM-mee) – Sweet, bitter, salty and sour are what we all learned as the four basic tastes. Now a fifth element of taste has been identified called umami. Umami is the Japanese word for “delicious” or “savory” but is regarded as broth-like or meaty tasting in Western cultures. The umami taste is most common in Asian foods, soups and stews, mushrooms, tomatoes and aged meats and cheeses. The most direct way most Americans have experienced this taste is in sautéed mushrooms as glutamate is abundant in all mushrooms. Other glutamate-rich foods include tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, bonito flakes, and kelp.

unleavened (uhn-LEHV-uhnd) – The word which describes any baked good that has no leavener, such as yeast, baking powder, or baking soda.

vanilla – Vanilla comes from the fruit of a thick tropical vine that is a member of the orchid family. It is often called “the orchid or commerce” because it is one of the two products of this enormous species with any significant commercial value. Interestingly, not only is the vanilla orchid devoid of scent, so is the vanilla pod or bean, which must be fermented or cured to develop the vanilla.

Vanilla vines are indigenous to southeastern Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, and northern South America. Tiny humming birds and a bee called Melipona pollinates vanilla. When it was transplanted to other parts of the world it did not produce beans until it was discovered that the small orchid blooms could be pollinated by hand. The vines grow around trees and when the flowers fall, the bean stops growing, thus it is very important to keep the flower from falling. That is why in Mexico, it was grown under the jungle canopy to protect it from high winds and hurricanes common to the tropics. It is important not to over pollinate the vine because this will dry it out and kill it.

pure vanilla extract – Amber-colored liquid made from vanilla beans, alcohol, and water. May contain sugar. Must contain at least 35% alcohol, and is the extractive of 13.35 ounce of vanilla beans.

vanilla flavor – A mix of pure vanilla extract and other natural substances extracted from natural sources other than the vanilla bean.

imitation vanilla – A mixture made from synthetic substances, which imitate the pure vanilla extract smell and flavor.

cookie vanilla – A pure vanilla extract made from a blend of Tahitian and Madagascar vanilla beans, which the Cook Flavoring Company says, is ideal for making cookies.

Veal Oscar – A classic Swedish dish. Traditional preparation for Veal Oscar has veal medallions topped with crabmeat and asparagus and a little béarnaise sauce.

vegetable oil – This is an expensive and an all-purpose blend of oils made from plant sources such as vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Most vegetable oils are made from soybeans and are high in polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat but low in saturated fat.

vegetable shortening – Vegetable oil (soybean or cottonseed) that is hydrogenated so it will be a solid fat. It is 100 percent fat with no water, milk fat, or other solids added. It is nearly flavorless and is used for imparting flakiness and tenderness.

veloute sauce (veh-loo-TAY) – Also called sauce blanche grasse or fat white sauce, rich white sauce. One of the five “mother sauces.” It is a stock-based white sauce that can be made from chicken, veal, or fish stock thickened with white roux.

allemande sauce – Veal veloute with egg yolk and cream liaison.

supreme sauce – Chicken veloute reduced with heavy cream.

vin blanc sauce – Fish veloute with shallots, butter, and fines herbs.

vermouth (ver-MOOTH) – All vermouths, both white and red, are made from white wine that is flavored with aromatic herbal extracts and spices. Dry vermouth is white and contains less sugar than red vermouth. It can be served as an aperitif. White vermouth can be substituted for dry white wine in cooking.

vinaigrette (vihn-uh-GREHT) – A sauce made with vinegar or a combination of vinegar, oil, and seasonings.

vinegar (VIN-ih-ger) – Vinegar is a natural product. It’s simply fermented fruit juice that’s become acidic. Vinegar is one of the oldest fermented food products known to man (predated only by wine and possibly by certain fermented foods made from milk).

distilled white vinegar – Made from a grain-alcohol mixture, it is commercially processed from grain alcohol. This vinegar is used widely in processed foods and preserves.

wine vinegars – These are made from red, white or champagne wines.

fruit and herb vinegars – These are wine vinegars that have been infused with other ingredients.

sherry vinegar – Made from sherry wine and is aged for a minimum of 6 years in a network of oak barrels.

authentic balsamic vinegar – See balsamic vinegar.

commercial balsamic vinegar – Is actually red-wine vinegar fortified with concentrated grape juice and sometimes caramelized sugar.

white balsamic vinegar – Cooked down grape juice is added to ordinary white wine vinegar to give it an amber color and slightly sweet flavor.

cider vinegar – It is milder and sweeter than most wine vinegars. Good cider vinegar is slightly cloudy, like fresh cider, and has a fruity, apple flavor.

rice vinegar – It is also called rice-wine vinegar. It is made from grain and not grapes. Japanese rice vinegar is milder and sweeter than the Chinese that tends to be more acidic and sharp. Look for “pure” rice vinegar to avoid those that are seasoned or sweetened.

malt vinegar – It is traditionally made from beer and is sometimes colored with caramel and infused with wood shavings

vol-au-vent (vawl-oh-ven) – A French term that means “flying in the wind,” which refers to the pastry’s lightness. It is a classic French puff pastry shell or cup with a lid that can be filled with a cream-sauce mixture with meat or vegetables. Also filled with fruit/custard mixture as a dessert. The shells can range in size from small individual ones to eight-inch ones. Can be served as an appetizer or an entree.

waffle (WAHF-fuhl) – A crisp, pancake-like batter product that is cooked in a specialized iron that gives the finished product a textured pattern, usually a grid. Also a special vegetable cut which produces a grid or basket weave pattern.

Waldorf salad – Also called Waldorf Astoria Salad. A classic American fruit salad that usually consists of apples, lemon juice, celery, walnuts, and mayonnaise.

walnut – One of the most valuable of nuts. The two most popular varieties of walnut are the English and the Black Walnut. English walnuts are the most widely available and are available year-round. Walnuts also make fragrant, flavorful oil.

walnut oil – An expensive and strongly flavored (nutty) oil, which is popular in Middle Eastern cooking, sauces, main dishes, and baked goods. It is often blended with more mildly flavored oils. To prevent rancidity, refrigeration is best.

wasabi powder – This is not real wasabi. The customary ingredients in the powdered version are horseradish powder (dried and ground regular horseradish), mustard powder, cornstarch, and artificial color (blue and yellow). It’s convenient and inexpensive but tastes nothing like real wasabi.

water chestnuts – A walnut-sized bulb covered by a tough russet-colored skin. In China they are eaten raw, boiled plain in their jackets, peeled and simmered with rock sugar, or candied. Except in the southern China, they are never used in cooking. In the U.S., water chestnuts are popular as an ingredient in cooked dishes. They re available fresh or in cans, either whole or sliced.

watermelon – Watermelon has been popular throughout the world, beginning with the Egyptians more than 5,000 years ago. It is said that explorer David Livingstone found watermelon vines in the Kalahari Desert in the 1850s.

Many historians theorize that watermelons could also have originated in the U.S., since French explorers found Native Americans growing watermelons in the Mississippi Valley. According to a number of sources, watermelon ripeness is primarily determined by three things: the fruit feels heavy for its size, its skin has a healthy sheen, and the underside of the fruit (where it sat on the ground) has turned a pale, buttery yellow. Look for watermelons that are symmetrical and free of bruises, cuts, and dents.

Worcestershire sauce (WOOS-tuhr-shuhr) – A condiment that was developed in India by the British. This thin, dark, spicy sauce got its name from the city where it was first bottled, Worcester, England. It is used to season meats, gravies, and soups. The formula usually includes soy sauce, onions, molasses, lime, anchovies, vinegar, garlic, tamarind, as well as other spices. The exact proportions of the ingredients remain the manufacturer’s secret.

yogurt, yoghurt (YOH-gert) – The word is Turkish. It is a dairy product made from milk curdled with bacteria. Recipes that most often call for yogurt are East Indian, Balkan, Russian, and Middle Eastern in origin. Cooks in those areas use yogurt in marinades and sauces. Because of its acidity, yogurt can be used to marinate and tenderize meats (as it often is used in India and the Middle East). Yogurt can also be used to bind ingredients loosely together, as in a sauce or salad dressing. Yogurts made in the U.S. are made of cow’s milk. Those of India and the Middle East are more likely to be of the richer goat, sheep, or yak milk.

Yorkshire Pudding (YORK-sheer) – First cousin to the popover, this is a traditional English accompaniment to roast beef. The batter for Yorkshire Pudding is exactly the same as a popover batter, but it is baked in roast beef drippings and becomes a main course “pudding.” It may be cooked in one large dish or in muffin tins as small individual puddings. It takes its name from England’s northern county of Yorkshire.

J

jalapeno pepper (hal-la-PAY-nyo) – Named after Jalapa, the capital of Veracruz, Mexico, these smooth, dark green (scarlet red when ripe) have a rounded tip and are about 2 inches long and 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. Although not as hot as other chile peppers, most people love the flavor this pepper has. Heat range is 3-6, depending on the variety. Besides their flavor, jalapenos are quite popular because they’re so easily seeded (the seeds and veins are extremely hot). They’re available fresh and canned and are used in a variety of sauces, sometimes stuffed with cheese, fish or meat, and in a multitude of dishes. In their dried form they are known as chipotles. Pickled, it is called cscabeche.

jambalaya (juhm-buh-LI-yah) – Jambalaya is a rich dish, which varies widely from cook to cook, but usually contains rice. It is said that Louisiana chefs “sweep up the kitchen” and toss just about everything into the pot for this rice dish that is highly seasoned and flavored with any combination of beef, pork, fowl, smoked sausage, ham, or seafood, as well as celery, green peppers and often tomatoes. Jambalaya, is the dish most obviously associated with the brief period of Spanish domination in New Orleans. Celestine Eustis, writing at the turn of the twentieth century, refers to it as a “Spanish Creole dish.” It is now considered the hallmark of Cajun cuisine.

jelly bean – Historians seem to think that jelly beans were introduced between 1896 and 1905. It is believed the jelly center is a descendent of a Mid-Eastern confection known as Turkish Delight that dates back to Biblical times. The shell coating is an offspring of a process called panning, first invented in 17th century France to make Jordan Almonds. The panning process, while done primarily by machine today, has remained essentially the same for the last 300 years. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that jelly beans became a part of Easter traditions.

Jelly beans quickly earned a place among the many glass jars of “penny candy” in general stores where they were sold by weight and taken home in paper bags. It wasn’t until the 1930’s, however, that jelly beans became a part of Easter traditions.

jerk – A term used for an island style of barbecue that includes marinating the meat in a green pesto-like mixture of herbs, spices, and very hot peppers.

jerk seasoning – A spicy Jamaican seasoning used to marinate fish, pork, chicken, and beef. The mix includes a blend of chiles, allspice, thyme, and lime juice or rum. Some jerk mixtures (jerk rub) are thick and are rubbed over meats before cooking. Other blends have more liquid added so that they can be used for marinating and basting. The slaves used this method to preserve their meat.

Jerusalem artichoke – It resembles the globe artichoke in flavor but is actually a member of the sunflower family.

Johnny Cake – Also called Jonny Cake. Johnny Cakes are the New England equivalent of the tortilla. The simplest recipes call for nothing but corn meal, boiling water, and a little salt. The batter should be fairly thin so that when fried on a hot griddle, the batter spreads out no more than a quarter of an inch thick.

julienne (joo-lee-EHN) – To cut food into thin sticks which are also called matchsticks. Food is cut with a knife or mandoline into even slices, then into strips.

Y

yams
ylette
yoghurt
yuba

T

Tabasco Sauce (tuh-BAS-koh) – It is a commercially made hot sauce that is considered the “King of All Pepper Sauces.” Available worldwide, and made in Avery Island, Louisiana by the McIlhenny family since the 1880s. Used as a table sauce and as a cooking ingredient.

taco (tah-KOH) – Taco in Spanish means a sandwich made with a tortilla. Like a sandwich, it can be made with almost any thing and prepared in many different ways. The taco can be eaten as an entree or snack. They are made with soft corn tortillas or fried corn tortillas folded over.

tamale (tuh-MAL-ee) – Tamales are a Mexican dish consisting of seasoned chopped meats or vegetables enclosed in corn masa (dough) and wrapped in a softened cornhusk. The savory packages are steamed and the cornhusks are peeled away before eating.

In Mexico, tamales are often served for special occasions, and the tradition of cooking tamales is passed from generation to generation. For the preparation of tamales, everyone in the family has a single task, from the oldest, who will probably be the one who prepares the cornmeal dough, up to the youngest that will cut the rope to wrap them.

tapa (TAH-pah) – Any type of food can be a tapa – anything that is easy to eat so that the natural flow of conversation is not interrupted. It is Spanish food served in small appetizer-sized portions. The word translates as “cover.” In Spain, tapas are served between meals, or maybe before that late dinner that begins at 10:00 p.m., in tapas bars. Lunch in Spain is traditionally served at 2:00 p.m. and dinner no earlier than 10:00 p.m.

Tapas can be as simple as a bowl of olives or something more hearty such as stuffed potatoes. In many Spanish restaurants, tapas are served free with a drink, the purpose being to keep you sober, and keep you going. After all, when you went back to sip your drink you weren’t going to throw what covered the glass away. Just eat it! And get another tapa in the process.

tartar, tartare (tar-ter) – (1) Tartar sauce – refers to the sauce made of mayonnaise dressing with chopped pickles that is commonly served with seafood. Also called “sauce tartare” in other countries. In French, it is loosely translated as ‘rough,’ as the Tartars were considered rough, violent, and savage.

(2) Steak Tartare – When tartare follows the word steak, this dish typically consists of raw ground beef or beef chopped finely and mixed with spices and topped with a raw egg and bits of raw onion.

tarte tatin (tart tah-TAN) – A famous French upside-down apple tart made by covering the bottom of a shallow baking dish with butter and sugar, then apples and finally a pastry crust. While baking the sugar and butter create a delicious caramel that becomes the topping when the tart is inverted onto a serving plate. There is one rule for eating Tarte Tatin, which is scrupulously observed. It must be served warm, so the cream melts on contact. To the French, a room temperature Tarte Tatin isn’t worth the pan it was baked in.

History: two French sisters, Carolina and Stephine Tatin, created the tart. The sisters lived in Lamotte-Beuvron, a small rural town in the Loire Valley, owned and ran the hotel called “l’Hotel TATIN” in the late 1800s. The elder sister, Stéphanie, dealt with the kitchen. She was a particularly fine cook but was not the brightest of people.

Her specialty was an apple tart, served perfectly crusty, caramelized and which melted in the mouth. One day during the hunting season, during the midday scramble, Stephanie placed her tart in the oven the wrong way round. The pastry and apples were upside-down but, nevertheless, she served this strange dessert without giving it time to cool.

The French call this dessert “tarte des demoiselles Tatin – the tart of two unmarried women named Tatin.”

tea (tee) – True tea, also known as traditional or China tea, comes from one plant, a camellia-like bush native to Asia. Listed below are some of the more common teas:

Black tea – The most common form of tea worldwide. It is prepared from green tea leaves which have been allowed to oxidize or ferment in order to form a reddish brew.

Darjeeling tea – Tea grown in the Darjeeling region, a mountainous area around the Himalayas of India. These (generally black) teas are well known for their crisp astringency.

Earl Grey tea – Unfermented, dried tea, more commonly found in China and Japan.

Jasmine tea – Black tea scented with jasmine flowers. It is typically made with green Pouchong teas as the base.

Oolong tea – A form of tea characterized by lighter brews and larger leaf styles. This tea is typically understood as a lightly fermented tea, between green and black tea.

Orange pekoe tea – Referring to the size of leaf, not quality of flavor, this term indicates a larger-size grade of whole leaf teas.

Tex-Mex – The cultural blending of Southern Texas and Northern Mexico cuisine.

Texas Toast – Texas toast, as it is most often called, is toast served with lunch or dinner and usually larger in size and density then regular toast. Of course this is served in Texas!

Thousand Island Dressing – It is made from bits of green olives, peppers, pickles, onions, hard-boiled eggs and other finely chopped ingredients.

tiramisu (teara-mi-SUE) – In Italian, tiramisu means, “pick me up.” It is a popular Italian dessert, which combines layers of rum-soaked lady fingers (delicate cookies), zabaglione, (Italian custard), mascarpone cheese, and chocolate. It is also known as Tuscan Trifle. This is a simple dessert that is easy to make and doesn’t need to be cooked.

toad-in-the-hole – A British dish consisting of a Yorkshire Pudding batter and cooked link sausages. When baked, the batter puffs up around the sausage. The best English sausages to use for this dish are Lincoln or Cumberland sausages.

tofu (TOH-foo) – Made from soybean curd, tofu is rich in high-grade protein. It is a cheese-like food made by curdling fresh soymilk. The curds are pressed into cakes and textures vary from soft to firm depending on how much water is extracted during processing. It also has no cholesterol and is easily digestible.

Tofu varieties include “cotton” and “silk,” firm and soft, respectively. Tofu is stored in water and should be thoroughly drained just before cooking.

Changing the water daily will keep it fresh longer. In addition to being served chilled, tofu appears in soups, nabe (refers to a variety of communal one-pot meals), and simmered, and deep-fried dishes.

torte (tohrt) – Torte is the German word for “cake.” It is a cake that uses groundnuts as the predominant dry ingredient in place of most or sometimes all of the flour. Although they may be single layered, tortes are often sliced into several layers and filled with whipped cream, jam, or butter cream. Tortes make a great dessert for the Jewish holiday of Passover, when flour can’t be used.

tortellini (tohr-tl-Eennee) – A filled pasta that has been twisted to form a ring usually two inches in diameter. They are stuffed with meat, vegetables, or most commonly, cheese.

tortilla (tore-TEE-yu) – (1) In Spain it is an omelet; (2) In Tex-Mex cooking, it is a round, unleavened thin bread made of either corn flour or wheat flour. Tortillas in Mexico almost always mean corn tortillas.

tournedos (TOOR-nih-doh) – It is a beef steak cut from the tenderloin, measuring ¾- to 1-inch thick and 2- to 2 ½-inches in diameter. Because they tend to be very lean, tournedos are often wrapped in pork fat or bacon prior to grilling or broiling. The classic way to serve them is on fried bread rounds and topped with a mushroom sauce.

trifle (TRI-fuhl) – It is a cake well soaked with sherry and served with boiled custard poured over it. The English call this cake a Tipsy Cake or Pudding and Tipsy Hedgehog. The word “trifle” comes from the Old French “trufle,” and literally means something whimsical or of little consequence.

truffle (TRUHF-uhl) – (1) A chocolate truffle is a confection made with chocolate, butter or cream, and other flavorings, such as liquers or coffe, rolled into a ball and often coated with cocoa, nuts, or more chocolate. They were named “truffles” because the finished candy somewhat resembled the famous fungus.

(2) The truffle is a fungus that grows from 3 to 12 inches underground near the roots of trees (usually oak, but also chestnut, hazel, and beech), never beyond the range of the branches. It is a tuber of unusual flavor and aroma, and is mainly round in shape, arrive in various sizes and are black, brown, white, and sometimes gray in color.

There are 70 varieties of truffles, 32 of which are found in Europe. It is savored in Italian and French cookery, and due to its scarcity, draws a very high price. They are highly prized for their exceptional flavors.

The high price of truffles, is due to the methodically slow and labor intensive harvesting process which involves the use of specially trained animals to route out the hard to find fungus. As truffles grow under the earth, they are located using the sensitive noses of specially trained dogs, which carefully dig them up with their paws. These dogs are referred as “tabui”, which strangely enough means “bastards”.

black truffle – These are the truffles of Perigord, often called black diamonds. They are the black diamonds” of French cuisine. They are the most revered truffle and have a black flesh with a network of white veins inside. The black truffle requires cooking to allow the flavors to be fully achieved. They are in season from January to March.

white truffle – These are the truffles of Piedmont, often called autumn truffles or fruit of the woods. The white truffle is best when shaved directly on the dish before eating. Their season is from October to December.

Oregon truffles

truffle oil – Truffle oil is extra-virgin olive oil that is infused with the essence of gourmet mushrooms. It is the most economical way to enjoy the flavor of truffles; a drop or two of this oil will enhance sauces, pastas, and salads.

I

insalata (ihn-sah-LAH-tah) – The Italian word for “salad.”

W

waterzooi
wonton
worchestershiresauce

S

Sachet d’ Epices – The term means “bag of spices” and consists of whole peppercorns, parsley stems, bay leaves, whole thyme leaves, and fresh garlic (wrapped in a bag of cheesecloth and suspended in the pot with butcher’s twine). The amounts vary according to the amount of stock.

saffron (SAF-ruhn) – Saffron, the yellow-orange stigmas from a small purple crocus, is the world’s most expensive spice. That’s because each flower provides only three red stigmas and it takes approximately 14,000 of these tiny threads for each ounce of saffron. One ounce of saffron equals the stigmas from approximately 5,000 crocuses. It takes an acre of flowers to produce a pound. It is imported from Spain.

sake (sah-kee) – It is an alcoholic beverage produced from rice in much the same way that beer is brewed from wheat and barley, but is termed a rice wine because its alcohol content is similar to strong wines. It is served either hot or cold.

salad – Comes from the Latin word “herba salta” or “salted herbs,” so called because such greens were usually seasoned with dressings containing lots of salt.

Salisbury steak (SAWLZ-beh-ree) – A beef patty that is broiled or fried with onions and served with gravy.

salsa (SAL-sa) – Mexicans define a salsa as a sauce, and all sauces as salsas. In Mexico sauces are a combination of fresh ingredients in which many are uncooked and served separately, to be added according to individual tastes. Salsas can be a mixture of raw or partially cooked vegetables and/or fruits, herbs, and, of course, chiles. Anything from vegetables, fruits, and nuts, to fish and meat can be used to make salsa, as long as the flavors blend well.

The combined ingredients are not a puree, but are distinct pieces, and are often uncooked. This definition would also include chutneys and fruit or vegetable relishes. If the salsa is uncooked, as in “pico de gallo,” it is referred to as salsa cruda or salsa fresca. If cooked it is usually called picante.

Many countries have similar dishes that are used to accent meals in tropical areas of the world: sambals in Indonesia, chakalaka in South Africa, chutneys from India, the fruit and chile mixes from the West Indies, and piccalillis of the American South.

sauté (saw-TAY) – A cooking technique which means to cook a food quickly in oil and/or butter over high heat. You can use a skillet or sauté pan, but make sure it is big enough to comfortably contain what you are cooking.

scallop (SKAHL-uhp) – Although hundreds of different species of scallops exist in our oceans worldwide, only a few of these species are harvested commercially on a large scale. The three you’re most likely to find at a fish market are Atlantic sea scallops, Atlantic bay scallops, and calicos.

Scoville unit – Scoville unit is the thermometer of the chile pepper. Established by Wilbur Scoville, these are the units of heat of a chile pepper. Units rank from 0 to 300,000.

H

habanero pepper (ah-bah-NEH-roh) – You might also know this Yucatan-raised, lantern-shaped chile as a Scot bonnet or Bahamian chile. Whatever you call it, with a fire reportedly 60 times that of a Jalapeno, these pods pack a punch. It is the hottest of all chiles in the world. It should be handled only while wearing plastic gloves. Ripe Habaneros, which are dark green, red, or orange-red, have a sweeter flavor and are fruitier than the green, unripe ones.

haggis (HAG-ihs) – Haggis is a Scottish dish made from sheep’s offal (windpipe, lungs, heart and liver) of the sheep, which is first boiled and then minced. It is then mixed with beef suet and lightly toasted oatmeal. This mixture is placed inside the sheep’s stomach, which is sewn closed. The resulting haggis is traditionally cooked by further boiling (for up to three hours).

This is the most traditional of all Scottish dishes, eaten on Burns Night (25th January; the birthday of Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, 1759-1796) and at Hogmanay (New Year’s Eve). Haggis is traditionally served as “haggis, neeps and tatties”. The neeps are mashed turnip or swede, with a little milk and allspice added, whereas the tatties are creamed potatoes flavored with a little nutmeg. To add that authentic touch, consume your haggis, neeps and tatties with a dram of good whisky.

haricot vert (ah-ree-koh VEHR) – The French term for green string beans, Haricot means, “bean,” and vert means, “green.” They are much thinner than regular green beans and traditionally have a much better flavor. They are also known as French green beans and French beans.

hash – A dish of chopped pork or beef combined with various chopped up vegetables and seasonings. Hash is often thought of as a dish that you throw into it whatever is left in the kitchen. In the 19th century, cheap restaurants were called “hash houses” and the workers in these restaurants were called “hash slingers.”

Haute Cuisine – Food that is prepared in an elegant or elaborate manner; the very finest food available. The French word “haute” translates as “high” or “superior.” Cuisine translates as “cooking” in general. Literally meaning “high cooking” or high-class cooking, the rich sauces, fine ingredients and exquisite taste of haute cuisine typifies classic French cooking.

Haute Cuisine Couture – It means “Recipe for Comfort” and it relates to the fashion world. It is first and foremost a form of expertise or savoir-faire, involving a craft that has endured for more than one hundred and fifty years. The origins of haute couture date back to Charles Frédéric Worth who, in 1858, founded the first true house of haute couture at 7, rue de la Paix, in Paris, creating original models for individual clients. Haute couture involves craftsmanship, the skill of the seamstress and embellisher (feather makers, embroiderers, milliners) who, each season, create the finery of the exceptional.

havarti cheese (huh-VAR-tee) – It is a light to pale yellow cheese with tiny holes “eyes” in its smooth body, it melts well when it is shredded. It is similar to Montery Jack cheese.

hazelnut – Also called filberts. According to a manuscript found in China, from the year 2838 B.C., the hazelnut took its place among the five sacred nourishments God bestowed to human beings. The cultivation of hazelnuts has been going on for over 4500 years. In olden times, the nut was used as a medicine and tonic. Up until 1940, most hazelnuts were imported to the United States from Sicily and Naples. Now the nuts are grown in Oregon and Washington. Nuts begin forming on the trees in the early spring. They mature during the summer months and are harvested in the early fall. The nuts usually grow in clusters of two or three, each nut covered with an open ended husk that extends beyond the rounded nut itself. When the nuts mature, they fall free from the husks to the ground where they are harvested.

hollandaise sauce (butter) – Uses butter and egg yolks as binding. It is served hot with vegetables, fish, and eggs (like egg benedict). It will be a pale lemon color, opaque, but with a luster not appearing oily. The basic sauce and its variations should have a buttery-smooth texture, almost frothy, and an aroma of good butter. Making this emulsified sauce requires a good deal of practice — it is not for the faint of heart. Béarnaise sauce, which is “related” to hollandaise sauce, is most often served with steak.

Hommard a L’amoricaine – Hommard in French means “lobster or crawfish” and amoricaine “mean in the style of America or American Sauce.” Also called Lobster a L’amoricaine.

hors d’oeuvres (or DERV) – Means little snack foods, small items of food or light courses, served before or outside of (“hors”) the main dishes of a meal (the “oeuvres”) which are intended to stimulate the appetite. The terms hors d’oeuvres and appetizers are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference: hors d’oeuvres are the small savory bites, typically finger food, served before a meal, while appetizers appear as the first course served at the table. The name hors d’oeuvres comes from the French and is literally translated as “out of the work,” but it’s more logical to think of it as meaning “apart from (or before) the meal.”

Horseshoe Sandwich – The sandwich is considered the signature dish or Springfield, Illinois, the home of Abraham Lincoln. This sandwich will make our arteries cringe and your taste buds rejoice. The sandwich starts out with two to three slices of thick toasted bread. On top of that you have two traditional choices: a thick fried ham steak or two large hamburger patties. Then a large amount of freshly made French fries are placed onto the top of it. The secret to this sandwich is the sauce that is poured over the top. Every restaurant and chef seems to have his or her own secret cheese sauce recipe. The name of the sandwich comes from the shape of the ham with the fries representing the horseshoe nails, and the heated steak platter as the anvil. If you order a Pony Shoe Sandwich, it is the same thing, but a smaller or half a Horseshoe portion (usually one slice of toast).

hushpuppies – A finger-shaped dumpling of cornmeal that is deep-fried (they are traditionally served with fried catfish). Hushpuppies, also known as corn dodgers. They are especially popular throughout the South.

V

vægt & mål
vælling
vagtel
valnød
valset spelt
valske bønner
vandæble
vandgrød
vandkastanie
vandmelon
vandspinat
vanille
vanilliegræs
vanillin
varmrøget laks
varmrøgning
vårsalat
vegankost
Vegetable marrow
vegetarkost
velsmagende mælkehat
Victoria blomme
vietnamesisk mynte
vild stedmoder
vildænder
vilde betelblade
vilde ris
vildgæs
vildsvin
vildt
vildtparaden
vinbjergsnegle
vinblade
vindaloo
vindrue
vindruekerneolie
vinsten
vinsyre
vintersar
violet basilikum
violet hekseringshat
voksbønne