Mise en place your vocabulary with these culinary gems.
A punny fusion of 'Mexican' and 'excellent' used to describe something relating to Mexican culture or food that's particularly outstanding. It's the kind of dad joke that somehow became actual slang, probably uttered most frequently at taco trucks.
Chocolate-covered clusters featuring nuts (usually almonds, peanuts, or cashews) and caramel, despite having absolutely nothing to do with actual monkeys. A delightfully bizarre candy name that somehow works.
A dark, low-gravity ale served at British pubs to people who think stronger beer is 'too much'—basically beer for folks who want flavor without commitment. The training-wheels beer.
A light, airy confection made by whipping air into cream, chocolate, or pureed fruit. It's what you make when you want dessert but also want to feel like you're eating a cloud.
A mixture of vegetables cut into uniform 1/4-inch cubes, often used in salads or as garnish; named after Macedonia because it's a diverse mix of ingredients getting along.
The tactile sensation and texture of food in your mouth—creamy, crunchy, smooth, grainy, etc. It's the non-flavor part of flavor that separates a good dish from an unforgettable one.
To finish a sauce by whisking in cold butter just before service, adding richness, shine, and body. It's the culinary equivalent of a power move—literally mounting the sauce with butter.
To chop food into very fine, small pieces using a knife. The precursor to dicing that's even finer and more chaotic looking than its organized cousins.