Adobo - A sauce or paste made from a variety of ingredients that may include chiles, salt, vinegar, garlic, and herbs.

Aioli - A simple mixture of garlic and maynaise.

à la carte - Items listed on a menu that are priced seperately

All-purpouse flour - An all-around flour that comes either "bleached" or "unbleached". The texture is fine

Allspice - Native to the Caribbean and South America, these berries are usually sold dry either ground or whole. This spice is similar in taste to a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves.

Andouille sausage - A smoked, spicy pork sausage that is popular in Cajun recipes such as gumbo and jambalaya.

Anise - A licorice-flavored plant whose seeds and leaves are used to flavor a variety of dishes.

Bacalao - Dried salted cod.

Baking Powder - A leavener that is used to cause breads and cakes to rise

Baking Soda - A leavener, also known as bicarbonate of soda, that is used in breads and cakes. Baking soda can also be used to neutralize the acidity in certain dishes

Beignet - A deep-fried pastry, dusted with confectioner's sugar, made popular in New Orleans.

Braise - A method of cooking that involves browning meat or vegetables in oil or butter first, then slowly cooking the food in a small amount of liquid.

Brine - A water and salt solution used for pickling or preserving.

Broil - A method of cooking where the food is placed directly underneath or above the source of heat.

Bulghur Wheat - Wheat kernels that are often used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes.

Buttermilk - A sour milk that is made by adding microorganisms to whole milk.

Capers - Pickled flower buds that originate in the Mediterranean.

Alla Carbonara - A pasta sauce that consists eggs, cheese, and cream.

Casserole - Concoctions of food that are baked in various-sized deep dishes. Usually all the ingredients are mixed together or layered before cooking and topped with cheese.

Castor Sugar - Superfine sugar.

Coriander - Used in both seed and leaf forms, coriander is used throughout the world for its unique flavoring. Also known as Cilantro.

Couscous - Course semolina that is used in many North African and Middle Eastern dishes. Usually it is steamed and served as a side dish to lamb or other meats.

Dice - To cut or chop food into small cubes

Drippings - The juices and fat that is collected from the pan of cooked foods.

Dutch Oven - Large deep pots that are covered with a tight-fitting lid.

Falafel - Deep-fried balls of chickpeas. Popular in the Middle East and North Africa

Flambé - A method of cooking in which foods are splashed with liquor and ignited.

Garam Masala - A collection of spices that are used in Indian cooking. There are numerous combinations but the most common include: chiles, coriander, black pepper, mace, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cumin.

Gazpacho - A cold soup that originated in Spain. Ingredients include: tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, celery, garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice.

Gherkin - Very young pickling cucumbers that are packed in brine.

Gumbo - A thick stew made with vegetables and meats that originated in New Orleans.

Harissa Sauce - A Tunisian hot sauce made from chiles, garlic, cumin, coriander, and olive oil.

Hollandaise Sauce - A sauce made with egg yolks, butter, and lemon juice

Hominy - Dried white or yellow corn.

Hummus - A thick paste made from chickpeas and spices.

Irish Soda Bread - Bread that is leavened with baking soda. Currants are often added.

Italian Parsley - Also known as flat-leaf parsley, this plant has a stronger aroma and flavor than the curly-leafed variety.

Jamaican Jerk Spices - A concoction of spices that includes cinnamon, chiles, allspice, cloves, garlic, onions, and thyme.

Jambalaya - A Creole dish that is made with rice, tomatoes, onions, and meat.

Julienne - To cut food into thin strips.

Kebab / Kabobo - Marinated meat that is skewered and grilled.

Knead - To press and fold dough in order to give it a smoother consistency needed for leavening.

Ladyfinger - A finger-shaped spongecake that is used in various dessert recipes like Tiramisu.

Leek - Resembles a large scallion yet has a mild flavor. Used mainly in soups and stews.

Linguiça - A thin Portuguese sausage flavored with garlic.

Mace - The outer skin of the nutmeg seed used for flavoring foods.

Marinade - A liquid sauce that is used to soften and flavor meats before cooking. Most marinades contain ingredients like vinegar, oil, lemon, wine, beer, herbs, and spices.

Marsala - A fortified wine from Italy, Marsala is offered either sweet or dry.

Masala - A spice mixture used in Indian cooking that can include mace, coriander, and cardamom.

Miso - A Japanese fermented soybean paste used in cooking.

Naan - East Indian flat-bread made with flour.

Nutmeg - A spicey and aromatic seed that when grated is used to flavor both desserts and savory dishes.

Nuoc Cham - A Vietnamese fish sauce mixed with chiles, garlic, lime juice, and ginger.

Okra - Brought to the Americas from Africa, these green pods are mainly used in Southern U.S. dishes.

Olive Oil - The oil that is produced from ripened olives. The highest quality olive oil is Extra Virgin, which is the oil that is pulled from the very first press.

Oregano - An greenish herb that originated in the Mediterranean, oregano is used in a variety of Italian and Mexican dishes. It can be purchased both in dried and fresh forms.

Pad Thai - A dish from Thailand that is made with rice noodles, tofu, eggs, chiles, garlic, bean sprouts, fish sauce, and peanuts.

Paella - A dish from Spain that is made with rice, saffron, vegetables, meats, and seafood.

Paprika - A spice that is made from dried ground sweet red peppers.

Parboil - To partially cook food in boiling water for just a few minutes.

Pierogi - Polish dumplings filled with meats, potatoes, and spices.

Pirogi - Russian pastries that filled with meats and potatoes. They can either be baked or fried.

Quesadilla - Flour tortillas, filled with meats, cheeses, spices, and vegetables, then folded in half and baked.

Quiche - A pastry shell that is filled with eggs, cheese, cream, meats, and vegetables.

Reconstitute - To add liquid to dehydrated food in order to bring it back to its original form.

Reduce - To boil or simmer liquids in order to reduce its size.

Roast - To cook meat or vegetables on an open pan inside an oven.

Saffron - An expensive spice that is pulled from purple crocus flower. It is used in a variety of dishes for its aromatic flavoring and deep coloring properties.

Salt Pork - Similar to bacon but has a much higher fat content and is not smoked.

Sauerbraten - A German dish that is prepared by marinating meat for a few days then roasting it in its own marinade.

Sauté - To cook food in oil or butter on a pan over a heat source.

Sear - To seal in the juices of meat by browning it on all sides in a very hot pan.

Tabbouleh - A cold Middle Eastern dish that consists of tomatoes, bulgar wheat, lemon juice, onions, parsley, and olive oil.

Tahini - A paste made from sesame seeds.

Tamarind - A sweet and sour fruit that is used in Indian cooking as well as Worcestershire sauce.

Turmeric - A popular Indian spice that is used widely for it aromatic and coloring properties.

Vinaigrette - A simple mixture of oil and vinegar with the addition of herbs and spices.

Whisk - A utensil that is made from looped wires for the purpose of mixing or blending ingredients into a smooth consistency.