Slices
Seeds
culinary glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Galantine
- A pate-like dish made of the skin of a small animal,
most often chicken or duck, which is stuffed with a forcemeat of this animal.
Additional strips of meat, blanched vegetables, and truffles are also layered
with the forcemeat. This is then wrapped or tied and poached in broth.
Galantine are always served cold with their aspic, where as ballottines may be
hot or cold. These terms are often used interchangeably.
Galette
- This is French for pancake, usually sweet, made of
batters, doughs, or potatoes. Brioche-type dough or puff pastry are often
used. Small short butter cookies were once also called galettes. The term has
now been stretched to include preparations made of vegetables or fish.
Different from a croquette, these cakes are not breaded.
Galia melon - They resemble a small cantaloupe and have a light golden-yellow skin when ripe. Their flesh is lime green and tastes similar to a sweet honeydew melon.
Ganache - Ganache is a rich chocolate mixture made by combining chopped semisweet chocolate and boiling cream and then stirring until smooth. The proportions of chocolate to cream can vary, and the resulting ganache can be used as a cake glaze or beaten until fluffy and used as a filling or as the base for truffles and other chocolate confections.
Garam Masala
- This is an Indian curry mixture with a more complex
flavor and aroma. The mixture is always made fresh by the cook, never
purchased pre-ground. The mixture may include cumin, fennel, coriander,
cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, pepper, chiles, and caraway. These spice mixtures
vary greatly between cooks and different dishes. Garam Masala is also used as
a condiment, being added to a dish at the end of cooking.
Garbanzo bean - Also known as ceci or chickpeas. They are very popular in Mediterranean cuisine.
Garde Manger - (French) The person in charge of cold meat department or the department itself.
Garlic - The pungent, segmented bulb of the perennial plant Allium sativum, a member of the Lily family, closely related to the onion. Among the oldest known cultivated plants and most universally popular cooking herbs, garlic appears extensively, both raw and cooked in the cuisines of southern Europe and is considered essential to many dishes in Italy. The peeled cloves can be preserved for short periods in jars of oil.
Garnish - A decorative edible accompaniment that is added to a finished dish entirely for eye appeal, such as a sprig of mint or parsley. A garnish may be eaten but that is not its purpose.
Gateau - (French) Cake.
Gaufres - (French) Wafers.
Gazpacho
- A cold vegetable soup served throughout all of the
Spanish countries. The most common version is one made with a coarse puree of
fresh tomatoes flavored with vinegar and olive oil, embellished with diced raw
vegetables like onions, cucumbers, and peppers. A light gazpacho is made with
a puree of cucumber, and served with an array of garnishes for the diner to
choose from. Roasted almonds, avocadoes, and croutons are common garnishes.
Gelatin
- A protein produced from animals, used to gel liquids. It
is found in granular and sheet form.
Gelato
- An Italian frozen dessert.
Genoise
- A very rich sponge cake made with eggs and butter. This
may be eaten as is with whipped cream or fruit, but also used as the
foundation for many other cake preparations.
Gewurztraminer wine - A variation of the Traminer grape (meaning ‘of the village of Tramin’*) which itself is a variation/mutation of the distinct and ancient Muscat grape. The name Gewürz is curious in that, although its German translation means ‘spicy’ (in fact the official protected title only came into being in 1973), its French and Italian names (traminer musque, traminer parfume, termener aromatico ) lead one to believe that the wine’s perfumes would indicate a more accurate translation.
Ghee
- The Indian name for cooking fat. Most commonly used is
clarified butter made from the milk of buffaloes and yaks. In regions where
milk is unobtainable, mustard and sesame oil are used.
Giblets - The trimmings from poultry such as the liver, heart, etc..
Ginger - A Southeastern Asian (originally) plant cultivated for its spicy aromatic rhizomes. It comes in powdered, preserved, and fresh forms. It is most commonly used in Asian cooking, showing up in savory curries, marinades, rice, tea, or just eaten as a sweetmeat in its crystallized form. In western cooking, the use of ginger has been limited to confectionery and pastry making.
Ginger root - This knobby, light beige-colored rhizome comes in two varieties: young and mature. Young ginger is more tender and milder in flavor and can be used with its skin on. Mature ginger has a more assertive, peppery bite. Both should be firm and free of wrinkles. Grated, slivered, minced and sliced ginger can be used in a range of dishes - from marinades and stir-fries to curries and soups.
Glace
- A highly reduced stock used as an essence in flavoring
sauces and enriching soups and stews. Veal glace is used for all meat
preparations and stands up the best to the long reduction required. Fish and
shellfish glaces are used, but their flavor can become edirtye tasting and
bitter from too long of a reduction.
Glucose - A thick, clear form of sugar which is produced by the breakdown of starch cells that have been treated with acids or enzymes and then fermented to form sugars. The thickness of the liquid glucose depends on how much the starch cells have broken down. It can be produced from corn, starch, potatoes, grapes, and honey (corn being the most common).
Gluten
- The protein found in wheat flours.
Glycerin - A clear, sweet syrupy liquid extracted from animal fats and vegetable oils, and is a by-product of soap manufacturing. It is used (in small amounts) in certain cake, pastry, and icing mixtures. The reason being that it is able to draw moisture from the air, keeping these products most and extending their shelf life.
Gnocchi
- These are small dumplings made with flour, potatoes, and
eggs. Other versions include spinach, semolina, sweet potatoes, chopped herbs,
and parmesan or ricotta cheese. Once the gnocchi are made they are cooked in
boiling water, and then sauced or tossed with melted butter. Some recipes call
for cooking the gnocchi in broth. Gnocchi is also the name of a pasta with a
similar shape.
Gorgonzola cheese - The most popular of the Italian blue cheeses. Made of cow's milk, fat content 45%, and is very soft and tender. The thick veins are created from the addition of penicillin glaucum, a mold, which is primarily grown in laboratories today. Originally, Gorgonzola was aged in caves, but now it is mass-produced by creating controlled environments. Named after a village in Italy.
Gouda cheese - Gouda was first made in the vicinity of Gouda, in the Province of South Holland, Netherlands. It can range from semi-soft to firm with a smooth texture. It is made from whole or partly skimmed cow's milk. It is usually shaped like a flattened sphere and it usually has a wax coating (a more mature Gouda has a yellow wax coating and black wax or a brown rind suggests it has been smoked and aged for over a year). Gouda melts quickly when it is shredded and heated.
Gougere
- A savory pastry made of choux paste flavored with
cheese. This may be made in individual puffs or piped into a ring of puffs,
which is served with a pool of sauce in the center of the ring.
Goujonettes - Goujonettes are small strips cut from a fillet, often breadedm or dipped in batter, and then deep-fried.This cut has approximately the same dimensions as an adult's index finger.
Gourmet - (1) A gourmet is a person of impeccable taste. A gourmet is not only concerned with the quality of the food and wine he serves, but also with the way the food he chooses harmonizes with each other. (2) Food of the highest quality that is perfectly prepared and presented.
Gourmand - A French word for a person who appreciates fine food. Considered to be a step about a gourmet. It is said that basically the word means a "glutton."
Grana - Grana is a class of hard grating cheeses from Italy, which were developed in the 13th Century in the Po Valley. One-quarter of Italian milk production goes to making Grana cheese. Most are aged for up to four years, yet they have a smooth texture and "melt in your mouth."
Grand Marnier - Orange flavored, cognac based liqueur from France.
Granita
- A coarse fruit ice similar to sorbet, without the
meringue, which is often flavored with liqueurs.
Granola
- A combination of assorted toasted grain (oats), dried
fruits and nuts usually served as a breakfast cereal. Some blends are
sweetened with honey and/or brown sugar.
Granulated Sugar - Regular sugar for everyday use.
Grappa - An old alcoholic beverage made from the remnants of wine-grape pressings (whatever was leftover, including stems, seeds, and skins). Grappa has been made in Italy since at least the sixteenth century. The first grappa makers were probably frugal farmers seeking a way to use up the leftovers from the winemaking process. Like balsamic vinegar and wine, the price goes up depending on the vineyard, and the aging process. Although grappa is a thoroughly Italian beverage, similar concoctions are produced in other nations, including the United States. In Spain it is aguardiente, the French call it marc, and the Greeks have their raki.
Gravlax / Gravad
Lax - Whole salmon fillets that have been cured
with salt, sugar, and pepper, then flavored with dill. The salmon is then
sliced paper thin and served with pumpernickel bread, sour cream, capers,
onion, and lemon. Other spellings for this are gravadlax and gravlax.
Grecque
- Foods that are prepared in Greek style. This is usually
used for dishes with lemon, garlic, and olive oil. But the addition of
tomatoes, peppers, and fennel often allows a dish to be called … la grecque.
Green onion - A green onion can be classified as a type of scallion. As the name scallion applies to several members of the onion family, including a distinct variety called scallion, immature onions (commonly called green onions), young leeks, and sometimes the tops of young shallots. In each case the vegetable has a white base that has not fully developed into a bulb and green leaves that are long and straight. Both parts are edible.
Gremolata
- A mixture of chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon peel.
This is added to stews at the end of their cooking time to add a pungency to
the dish. Used in some recipes for osso buco a la Milanese, and Hungarian
goulash.
Grissini
- Italian bread sticks.
Gruyere
- A moderate-fat cow milk cheese with a rich, sweet, nutty
flavor that is prized for both out-of-hand eating and cooking. It is usually
aged for 10 to 12 months and has a golden brown rind and a firm, pale-yellow
interior with well-spaced medium-size holes.
Guacamole
- A dip made of mashed avocadoes seasoned with onions,
tomatoes, chiles, and cilantro. This is mostly eaten as a dip for fried corn
chips, but it is also very good with raw vegetables. You may also use it as a
filling for burritos and tacos.
Gumbo
- A thick soup/stew made with meat or seafood served over
plain white rice. Okra, filé powder, and roux. All methods are acceptable, and
all are considered traditional
