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
Macadamia nut - The macadamia tree is a native of Queensland, Australia. It has an extremely hard shell, a buttery texture, and a high fat content.
Macaire - A potato pancake made with seasoned potato puree.
Macaroni - A tubular pasta 1/4 inch in diameter. It gets its name from the Italian word "maccherone", meaning fine paste. Its highly versatile pasta shape, allows macaroni to be topped with any sauce, baked, or put in soups, salads and stir-fry dishes. It can also be molded into a timbale or ring shape
Macaroon
- A small round cookie that has a crisp crust and a soft
interior. Many versions bought commercially have been thoroughly dried. These
cookies may be made from almonds, though coconut is common in the US. The may
also be flavored with coffee, chocolate, or spices. Amaretti, from Italy, are
a type of macaroon.
Macedoine
- A mixture of fruit or vegetables. Vegetable macedoine
are cut into small dice and used as a garnish to meats. Fruit macedoine are
cut in larger pieces and often marinated in sugar syrup with liqueur.
Macerate
- Soaking fruit or vegetables in wine, liquor, or syrup so
that they may absorb these flavors. Salt and sugar macerations are used to
draw excess moisture out of the food for a secondary preparation. This is done
for canning, jam and preserve making, and to remove bitter flavors from
vegetables.
Mache
- A wild lettuce with small round leaves that may be used
for salads or cooked and used as you would spinach. The taste is a little less
pronounced than spinach. Mache grows wild, and can be found in the fall. It is
cultivated in France, Italy, and the US from September to April.
Madeira - A fortified red wine that is made from white grapes and comes from the island of Madeira. It resembles a well-matured, full-bodied sherry.
Madeleine
- A small shell shaped cookie or cake made from a rich
batter similar to g‚noise. These may be flavored with almonds, lemon, or
cinnamon.
Magret
- The breast meat from a mallard or Barbary duck. These
ducks are specially raised for foie gras. Their breasts are large and have a
much thinner layer of fat than do the Peking or Long Island duckling.
Mai Tai – It is a potent cocktail that combines light and dark rums with different frit juices of choice served over ice.
Maitre d Hotel
Butter - This is the most common of all the
compound butters. It is flavored with lemon and chopped parsley and used to
garnish fish and grilled meats. Garlic may be added, but it would then be
called escargot butter.
Maple Syrup - It is the first finished product made from boiled map of the maple tree. This is the form most widely used in recipes.
Marengo
- A chicken stew made with wine, tomatoes, and garlic. The
stew is served over toast, garnished with crayfish and fried eggs. The modern
versions of this omit the eggs and substitute shrimp for the crayfish. Of
course, other liberties have been taken with this recipe to include black
olives, peppers, and veal. The dish is rumored to have been named for the dish
served to General Bonaparte after his army s defeat of the Austrians in the
battle of Marengo.
Margarine
- A solid fat invented in 1869 by the French chemist Henri
Mege-Mouries. Margarine was first invented to replace butter in cooking and
baking. It was then made solely of beef fat. Margarine is now made with a
variety of fats, alone or with others, along with the addition of water, whey,
yellow coloring, and vitamins. Beef fat is still used today, but with a higher
consciousness toward a healthier diet, it is very rare.
Margarita – The basic or classic Margarita is made using fresh lime juice, orange liqueur, and tequila served in a salt-rimmed glass. Whether plain, salted, straight up, on the rocks, or frozen, Margaritas are made in an array of flavors and colors.
Marinate - To let food stand in a mixture called a marinade (such as a liquid, dry rub, or a paste) before cooking. Some marinades are meant for lending flavor; whereas, those that include an acid (lemon, wine, vinegar, and yogurt) are meant for tenderizing. Of course, some marinades do both.
Marmalade - Marmalade is a jellylike preserve that contains pieces of citrus fruit and rind.
Marmite - (1) Marmite is a British product that is a concentrated yeast paste. It can be used on toast, sandwiches, or as an added ingredient in stews and casseroles. It is 100% vegetarian and it contains virtually no fat or sugar. Marmite has a distinctive savory taste, unlike anything else. It remains a popular food in Britain. (2) A French cast iron or earthenware soup pot with a lid.
Marsala - Marsala is a wine imported from Sicily. It is Italy's most famous fortified wine that ranges from dry to sweet. Dry Marsala makes a tasty aperitif. Sweet Marsala is used as a dessert wine and also to flavor. It is also a popular cooking wine.
Marshmallows - Marshmallow is a confection made from the root of the marsh mallow plant. When we think of traditional holiday meals, sweet potatoes with marshmallows always come to mind.
Marzipan
- An almond paste with the addition of egg whites. This
mixture is kneaded into a smooth paste and used to wrap or layer cakes and
candies. Marzipan is also shaped into figures of animals, fruits, and
vegetables, and sold in pastry or candy shops.
Mascarpone
- A rich triple cream, fresh cheese from Italy with a
texture resembling that of solidified whipped cream.
Matafan
- A thick pancake eaten sweet as a snack, or savory as an
accompaniment to cheese. They are also made with bacon, spinach, and potatoes.
Matelote
- A French fish stew made with wine. The Alsatian version
of this dish is made with freshwater fish, Riesling wine, and thickened with
cream and egg yolks. The Normandy version includes seafood and is flavored
with cider and Calvados. These stews are normally embellished with pearl
onions and mushrooms.
Matjes Herring
- A reddish herring that has been skinned and filleted
before being cured in a spiced sugar-vinegar brine.
Mayonnaise
- This is the mother of all of the cold egg and oil
emulsified sauces. Commercial versions are made with inferior oils and are far
to thick for proper utilization. A hand made version has a rich, subtle flavor
and silky texture. You should always use a neutral oil or a good olive oil.
Avoid using an extra-virgin olive oil, which will offer too strong of a flavor
for most usage.
Mead - A beverage made by fermenting yeast, honey, and water with flavors such as herbs, spices or flowers.
Melba
- The name of a popular dessert invented by Auguste
Escoffier. Poached peach halves are served with vanilla ice cream and topped
with fresh raspberry sauce.
Melba Toast – Melba toast is a very thinly sliced crisp toast that is served warm.
Menudo
- A soup similar to pozole with the addition of tripe and
meat broth. This, too, is served with assorted condiments for the diners to
choose from.
Meringue
- Whipped egg whites to which sugar has been added to form
a stiff paste. These are used to lighten mousses, cakes, and pastry creams.
Unsweetened versions are used to lighten forcemeats. Meringue is also baked in
a very low oven, forming crisp shells which are filled with fruit or ice
cream. Small dried meringue shells are called vacherin.
Merlot - A red wine that is similar to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Mesclun
- This is a mix of very young lettuces and greens. Often
this mix is stretched with herb or flower sprigs and bitter greens. These
greens should be dressed very lightly, with only best oil and vinegar, so that
their flavor will not be masked.
Mignardise - Small, one-bite sweets or delicacies, generally presented with the check, as a thank you from the restaurant. The French called them "preciousnesses." They are usually very simple but elegant desserts. In other words, it is the finish to a meal
Mignonette
- This is a term used to describe coarsely ground pepper
used for au poivre preparations and in bouquet garni. This is also used to
describe small round pieces of meat or poultry.
Milanese
- This is used to describe foods that are dipped in egg
and bread crumbs, sometimes parmesan cheese, and fried in butter.
Mille-Feuille
- Small rectangular pastries made of crisp layers of puff
pastry and pastry cream. This may also include savory fillings of similar
presentation. The word mille-feuille means a thousand leaves.
Mincemeat
- A sweet spicy mixture of candied and fresh fruits, wine,
spices, and beef fat. Earlier recipes for this used beef or venison meat and
beef fat. It is used primarily as a filling for pies served during the
Christmas holiday season.
Minestrone
- An Italian vegetable soup with beans and pasta or rice.
This may contain any number of vegetables, but for authenticity, meat is never
added.
Mint - Mint is the aromatic plant of the genus "mentha," used in infusions, to flavor liqueurs, sweets, syrups, and as a culinary herb.
Mirepoix
- A mixture of chopped onion, carrot, and celery used to
flavor stocks and soups. Ham or bacon are sometimes added to a mirepoix,
depending on the specific preparation.
Mirin
- A non-alcoholic version of sake/rice wine. It is sweet
and syrupy.
Mise en Place
- A term used in professional kitchens to describe the
proper planning procedure for a specific station.
Miso
- A paste made from fermented soy beans. This is used in
Japanese cooking for sauces and soups.
Molasses
- This is a syrup resulting from the crystallization of
raw sugar from the sap. Additional processing results in darker and stronger
tasting molasses called black strap.
Mole
- An assortment of thick sauces used in Mexican cooking
made of chiles. These sauces are made with one or many chiles, and flavored
with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nuts, seeds, and chocolate. Their flavor is
rich, smoky, and very complex. Some recipes are made with fresh herbs and have
a green color. Chicken, turkey, and pork are then simmered in this sauce.
Monkfish - A saltwater fish of which only the tail meat is eaten.
Monosodium
Glutamate - A sodium salt found in wheat,
beets, and soy bean products. It is used extensively in Chinese cookery, and
thought to help accentuate the flavors of certain foods. Many people suffer
serious allergic reactions to this so widespread use has been reduced to the
commercial food processing industry.
Morel Mushroom
- This is a wild mushroom with a honeycomb cap and hollow
stem. These are very dirty mushrooms and must be cleaned carefully. Morels
possess a wonderful earthy flavor, making them good candidates for soups,
sauces, and fillings.
Mornay Sauce
- A bechamel sauce with Gruyere cheese, sometimes enriched
with egg yolks. It is used mainly for fish and vegetable preparations.
Mortadella
- Large,lightly smoked sausages made of pork, beef, or
veal. These are specialties of Bologna, which is where the US version of this
sausage gets its name. Mortadella is a very smooth, pink sausage with a subtle
creamy texture. They are studded with cubes of pork fat and peppercorns.
Mostarda di Cremona
- These are fruits cooked and marinated in a spicy,
mustard flavored syrup. It is a classic accompaniment to bollito misto. These
fruits are also used in sauces for veal, and assorted stuffed pasta fillings.
Moussaka
- A layered dish of eggplant and lamb with tomatoes and
onions. This is all bound with bechamel sauce and cooked au gratin.
Mousse
- Sweet or savory dishes made of ingredients which are
blended and folded together. These mixtures may be hot or cold, and generally
contain whipped egg whites to lighten them. Cream is also used to lighten
these dishes, though when used in large quantities, these preparations are
called mousselines.
Mousseline
- As stated above, these are fine purees or forcemeats
that have been lightened with whipped cream. The term is also used to describe
a hollandaise sauce which has unsweetened whipped cream folded into it.
Mousseron Mushroom
- A wild mushroom with an off-white to beige color.
The flavor is full-bodied and the texture is fleshy like bolets.
Mozzarella cheese (fresh) - In Italian, mozzarella means to "chop off." Mozzarella cheese is one of the most popular cheeses used in Italian cooking. The cheese should taste fresh and reminiscent of milk. It should be mild and delicate. Some say it is bland, yet there is flavor. There should be a hint of sourness. If it tastes too tart or sour the cheese is past its prime. The color should be white; however, seasonally the cheese can be more yellow due to the cows' diet of grasses.
Mulligatawny
- A curried chicken soup adapted by the British from
India. Originally the soup was enriched with coconut milk and embellished with
almonds and apples. Newer versions make a lighter broth and flavor this with
curry and coconut.
Mustard
- Mustard is in the crucifer family, which includes turnips, radishes,
horseradish and watercress (all foods known for some degree of heat).
