FOCUS ON LANQUAGE

EATING

TO FEED: give food to; nourish

mouthful, bite (n.):1) as much (food) as fits in the mouth; 2) (humorous) a, big word that is difficult to say
snack: small amount of food; informal eating between meals
morsel: a very small piece of food
tidbit: a choice morsel (perhaps tender + bit)
helping: a serving, portion of food
seconds: (slang) a second serving of food
bite (v.): to cut with the teeth for eating
chew: to crush food with the teeth
gnaw: keep biting steadily on something large/hard to eat

crunch: crush (dry or hard) food mostly with the teeth\
nibble: take small bites (out of something)
devour: eat up quickly and hungrily
munch: eat something with a strong movement of the jaw, especially making a noise (see crunch)
wolf (something) down: aggressively eat without good manners
swallow: move (food or drink) down the throat from the mouth
gulp: 1) to swallow hastily; 2) to make a sudden swallowing movement as if surprised or nervous consume: to eat or drink

TASTE

palate: the roof of the mouth; taste
palatable: agreeable to the taste

TYPES OF MEALS / SERVING OF FOOD

refreshment(s): a light meal or a snack, usually served after a meeting or at a social gathering
feast: a splendid, especially public, meal
picnic: 1) a meal eaten outdoors on an excursion; 2) an easy task
cookout: a meal cooked and eaten outdoors, often while camping
potluck: a group meal where everyone brings some type of food (salads, desserts, etc.) or whatever they chose to make an interesting (no-host) meal
brunch: a late breakfast + lunch, often eaten on weekends between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. as first meal
square meal: a traditional meal which includes a nourishing balance of foods
continental breakfast: European-type meal of coffee and a sweet roll
bag lunch/brown-bag: a simple lunch carried to work/school in a paper bag
greasy spoon: an dirty or unappetizing diner or restaurant

A FOUR-COURSE MEAL:

an elaborate meal which has four parts:

First course: appetizers (sometimes fruit or shellfish cocktail)

Second Course: soup, salad, bread or rolls

Third (Main) Course: a meat, poultry or fish entree with cooked vegetable and potatoes, pasta or rice

Fourth Course: dessert

to season: to give special taste to food by adding salt, pepper, herbs and spices
herb: 1) a plant that has a fleshy stem; 2) an aromatic plant used in medicine or seasoning. In American English pronounced (‘ERB), with a silent “H”
spice: 1) an aromatic or pungent plant substance used as flavoring; 2) something that adds zest or flavor

HERBS AND SPICES FOR COOKING

ALLSPICE: baking spice with the flavor of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg
ANISEED: licorice flavored spice
BASIL: clove-flavored herb used with poultry
BAY LEAF: herb used to flavor sauces and as a garnish
CARAWAY: seeds of a parsley-like plant used to flavor breads and cakes
CARDAMON: eucalyptus-flavored spice used as either pods [curries] or seeds
CAYENNE: hot spice
CHILI: hot spice, from chili peppers
CHIVES: mild onion-flavored leaves for salads
CINNAMON: pungent sweet spice for cakes, fruit, etc.
CLOVES: pungent spice used whole with baked fruits or ground in baking
CORIANDER: seeds with the flavor of orange peel
CUMIN: seeds used in curries
DILL: spice with mild flavor used with fish, salads and sauces
FENNEL: herb with mild flavor used with fish sauces
GARLIC: onion-flavored bulb
HORSERADISH: hot, pepper-flavored root
MACE: husk of nutmeg, used whole or ground
MARJORAM: spicy leaves (like thyme) used with meat dishes
MINT: spearmint flavored leaves
NUTMEG: spice used ground for sweet and savory flavoring
OREGANO: mint herb used in Greek and Italian dishes
PARSLEY: fresh peppery flavored leaves
PAPRIKA: mild, sweet pepper for spicy meat dishes
ROSEMARY: strongly flavored leaves used with lamb
SAFFRON: vivid yellow spice for rice and fish dishes
SAGE: strong, butter leaves used in stuffings
TARRAGON: herb with sweet leaves used in vinegar and mayonnaise
THYME: herb used in stuffings and meat dishes
TURMERIC: spice with vivid yellow color used in curries
Three spellings for SEASONED TOMATO SAUCE: ketchup, catsup, catchup

 COOKING TERMS FOUND IN RECIPES

BAKE: To cook by dry heat, usually in an oven. Sometimes it is done in ashes, under coals, or on heated stones or metals. When applied to meats, it is called roasting.
BARBECUE: To cook food rotating over charcoal and basting with a seasoned sauce.
BASTE: To moisten meat or other food while it cooks, which adds flavour and prevents drying of the surface. The liquid is usually melted fat or oil.
BATTER: A semi-liquid mixture of flour, liquid (usually milk or milk and water), and eggs or other ingredients, thin enough to be poured.
BEAT: To lift a mixture over and over with a brisk, regular motion. This makes the mixture smooth or brings air into it.
BLANCH: To submerge in boiling water for a short time and then plunge into cold water.
BLEND: To mix thoroughly two or more ingredients.
BOIL: To cook in water, or a liquid mostly water, so that bubbles rise continuously and break on the surface.
BRAISE: To brown meat and vegetables in a small amount of fat, then to cover and cook slowly in the juices or in a small amount of added liquid.
BROIL: To cook by exposing the surface of food to direct heat.
BROWN: to cook meat in a skillet to make brown and tasty
CARAMEL: Sugar syrup heated until it browns.
CARMELIZE: to melt sugar slowly over a low heat
CASSEROLE: An ovenproof dish with a close fitting lid used for stewing; also the name of the food cooked in it.
CHILL: to cool food by placing over ice or in the fridge
CHOP: To cut into small pieces with a sharp tool, such as a knife.
COMBINE: to join two or more ingredients together
CORE: To remove the core, as to core an apple.
CREAM: To work one or more foods until soft and creamy, using a spoon or other implement. Usually applied to fat and sugar in place of blend.
CROQUETTE: Minced or mashed meat, fish, or vegetables mixed with sauce, coated with crumbs, and fried in deep fat.
CRUMB: To coat with crumbs, to cover or dress with crumbs.
CUBE: To cut in small pieces about 1 centimetre in size.
CUT: To divide food materials with a knife or scissors; to combine fat and dry ingredients with the least amount of blending.
CUT IN: mix shortening with flour until shortening is distributed evenly
DICE: To cut in cubes about 1/2 centimetre in size
DISSOLVE: to melt
DREDGE: coat with flour or sugar
DUST: sprinkle food lightly with breadcrumbs, flour/sugar
DRAIN: to free food from liquid
FILLET: To remove the bone (usually used offish)
FLAKE: to separate food gently with a fork
FLAMBE: desserts served or covered with flaming spirit
FOLD IN: To mix two or more ingredients by lifting a spoonful of the mixture at one side of a bowl. laying it over the top and putting the spoon back into the mixture at the other side of the bowl.
FRY: To cook in fat; applied especially to a small amount of fat, also called saute or pan-fry; to cook in a large amount of fat, also called deep-fat frying, or “French fry”.
GARNISH: to decorate food
GRATE: To shred food by rubbing against the sharpened holes of a grater.
GRILL: Similar to broil.
GRIND: to reduce food to paste with a grinder (hamburger)
GRAVY: liquid in which food is cooked, or the thickened liquid made from it
INFUSE: steep in water or other liquid
JARDINIERE: garnished with vegetables
JULIENNE: To cut food in matchlike strips.
KNEAD: work dough with hands: press, stretch and fold
MARINATE: soak meat or poultry in oil, vinegar, wine or other seasoned liquids to allow the essence of that – liquid to steep into the food
MARINADE: the seasoned liquid in which food has been soaked
MASH: To reduce to a soft pulpy state by beating or pressure.
MELT: heat until changed from solid to liquid form
MINCE: To cut with a knife or scissors into very fine pieces.
MIX: to combine different ingredients together
PAN-BROIL: To cook uncovered on a hot, ungreased surface as a frying pan. Fat is poured off as it collects.
PAN-FRY: To cook in a small amount of fat.
PARBOIL: To boil food in water until partly cooked.
PARE or PEEL: To cut or strip off the outside covering, especially of fruit and vegetables.
POACH: to cook in simmering liquid
PRE-HEAT: turn the oven on 10 minutes before it is needed
PUREE: Vegetables, meat, or fruit, usually cooked, and passed through a sieve. ROAST: To cook, uncovered, in an oven.
ROAST: to cook food in an oven
ROLL: place a small ball of dough on a board and roll with a rolling pin
ROUX: A mixture of fat and flour used for thickening sauces and soups. It is left white for a white sauce or browned for a brown sauce.
RUB IN: To mix together fat and flour by rubbing them between the thumbs and fingertips.
SAUTE: To brown quickly in a small amount of fat.
SCALD: To heat just below the boiling point.
SEAR: To use high heat briefly to brown (and seal) the surface of meat before braising or roasting.
SEASON: To add flavouring, such as salt and pepper.
SEASONING: aromatic dried herbs used to increase food taste and appearance
SHRED: make small, long and narrow pieces usually used for garnishes
SIFT: To separate with a sieve, as the fine parts of a substance from the coarse.
SIMMER: To cook in a liquid, almost boiling: bubbles form slowly and break below the surface.
SOAK: to cover food with liquid until very wet
SQUEEZE: to drain out all the liquid from a food by crushing or pressing it
STEAM: To cook in steam with or without pressure. The steam may be applied directly to the food as in a steamer or pressure cooker, or it may be applied indirectly as in a double boiler.
STEEP: To allow a substance to stand in a liquid below the boiling point for the purpose of drawing out flavour, colour, or other qualities.
STEW: To cook slowly in a covered utensil with food covered with liquid held at simmering temperature.
STIR: To blend two or more ingredients with a circular motion.
STOCK: A liquid in which food has been cooked.
WHIP: To beat rapidly in order to introduce air and thus produce expansion of the food. Applied to cream, eggs, and gelatine dishes.
ZEST: outer, colored skin of citrus fruit

By Erin Bouma