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
Vacherin - A crisp, sweet meringue shell used as a serving vessel for fruit and ice cream.
Vanilla
- A plant native to Mexico now common in areas throughout
the West Indies and Indian Ocean. The pod is used to make extracts which we
use in cooking. The whole pod may also be purchased and used as a fragrance or
split and scraped to allow the tiny seeds to flavor the dish. It is generally
thought of as a sweet spice, used in custards, creams, and cakes. It is also
used in savory dishes with vegetables or seafood. There are also imitation
vanilla flavorings using synthetically produced vanillin. These can be found
in liquid and powder forms.
Vaporize - To turn liquids into gasses.
Vegemite - Vegemite is considered as much
a part of Australia's heritage as kangaroos and the Holden cars. It is
actually an Australian obsession that has become a unique and loved symbol of
the Australian nation. A Vegemite sandwich to an Australian kid is the
equivalent of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to an American kid - but the
taste is QUITE different! Australian children are brought up on Vegemite from
the time they're babies. It is said that Australians are known to travel all
over the world with at least one small jar of Vegemite in their luggage, for
fear that they will not be able to find it.
Vegemite is one of several yeast extract spreads sold in Australia. It
is made from leftover brewers' yeast extract (a by-product of beer
manufacture) and various vegetable and spice additives. It is very dark
reddish-brown, almost black, in color. It's thick like peanut butter, it's
very salty, and it tastes like - well let's just say that it is an acquired
taste!
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.
Velouté
- A sauce of various stock bases thickened with a roux.
This is used as a base for other more complex sauces, though it may be used
alone.
Vermicelli
- A very fine round noodle which means "small worms".
These are thinner than spaghetti and thicker than capellini.
Vert - (French) Green.
Viande - (French) Meat.
Vichyssoise
- A chilled soup of potatoes and leeks. Other versions now
use zucchini, apples, and carrots.
Victual
- Food or other provisions.
Vinaigrette
- A sauce commonly used to dress salads, comprised of oil
and vinegar. Emulsified vinaigrettes use egg and/or mustard to stabilize the
dressing. Other combinations using acids other than vinegar, such as wine or
citrus juice, are also called vinaigrettes.
Vindaloo - The spiciest of all curry dishes. Vindaloos primarily come from central and southwestern coastal India . They are composed of a complicated roasted spice blend which includes mustard seeds, cumin seeds, ginger, peppercorns, fenugreek seeds, cloves, coriander seeds, and tamarind concentrate. One must include red chilies in the mix. Vindaloo sauce is usually served with meat over rice. You can purchase commercial vindaloo pastes and sauces in most Indian grocery stores or the ethnic food aisle in larger grocery stores..
Vinegar - 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). The word "vinegar" is derived from the French word "vin" (meaning wine) and "aigre" (means "sour"), indicating that it first occurred naturally from the spoilage of wine.
Vitello Tonnato
- Thinly sliced roast or braised veal, served cold with a
creamy, piquant tuna sauce. This combination may sound a bit unusual, but is
surprisingly delicious.
Vol-au-Vent
- A large round pastry case which is filled with a sauced
mixture of meat, seafood, or vegetables then topped with a pastry lid.
