Mise en place your vocabulary with these culinary gems.
A boxed dinner product line introduced by General Mills in 1971 that combines seasoned pasta or rice with a powdered sauce mix, designed to be prepared with ground beef to create a complete main dish. It was marketed as an economical way to stretch ground beef and create a satisfying meal with minimal effort.
The visible pattern and texture created by the growth rings and cellular structure of wood, characterized by lines, swirls, and color variations. In design and manufacturing, 'wood grain' often refers to printed or applied finishes that imitate this natural pattern on non-wood surfaces.
Finely diced ingredients (meat, fish, vegetables) bound with a sauce, used as a filling or garnish. It's basically everything chopped up and moistened.
In culinary jargon, to enrobe food in a wet coating of flour and liquid before frying—essentially armor for your ingredients. The batter creates that golden, crispy exterior that makes fried foods irresistibly dangerous to your waistline.
A traditional Korean fermented side dish made from vegetables (usually napa cabbage or radish) seasoned with chili, garlic, salt, and other ingredients. Kimchi is a staple of Korean cuisine and is prized for its complex flavor, probiotic benefits, and versatility as both a condiment and cooking ingredient.
A flat, flexible kitchen utensil with a wide, thin blade used for flipping, spreading, scraping, or lifting food during cooking and food preparation. Comes in various materials including rubber, silicone, metal, and wood.
A heavy, lidded cooking pot typically made of cast iron or enameled metal, used for slow-cooking and braising on stovetops or in ovens. In slang, it refers to trapping someone under bedcovers after releasing flatulence.
Small, soft Italian dumplings made from potatoes, flour, and eggs, typically served with sauce and cheese. They have a light, tender texture and are a staple of Italian cuisine.
A succulent coastal plant with fleshy, pickle-like stems that are edible and prized in Mediterranean and British cuisines for their salty, crisp flavor.
A large, starchy tropical fruit that grows on trees in the Pacific Islands and other warm regions, with a bumpy exterior and pale flesh that can be roasted, boiled, or fried like a potato.
A small, dark purple plum with a tart flavor, traditionally used for preserves, jams, and cooking rather than eating fresh. The fruit grows on a specific variety of plum tree native to Damascus (hence the name), and has been cultivated in Europe for centuries.
A small Australian tree (Elaeocarpus angustifolius) that produces tart, native fruits used in cooking and bush tucker. The term can also refer to the fruit itself or, in Australian slang, to a disreputable person or swindler.
A small, thin British crumpet or griddle cake, typically served toasted with butter and jam or cheese. It's similar to a Welsh crumpet and characterized by its soft, porous texture with a slightly crispy exterior.
A sugary liquid secreted by flowers to attract pollinators, particularly bees; also used metaphorically to describe any delicious drink or something supremely delightful. In classical mythology, nectar was the drink of the gods.
A small, dark blue berry similar to a blueberry, native to northern Europe and Asia, commonly used in jams, pies, and traditional medicines. Known for its tart flavor and high antioxidant content.
A low bed on wheels or casters that rolls under a larger bed for storage, or to move something by rolling on wheels or casually walking. The verb form means to roll or move along smoothly.
A tropical plant (genus Smilax) whose roots were historically used to make a sweet, root-beer-like beverage popular in 19th and early 20th-century America. Once believed to have medicinal properties, sarsaparilla drinks were common at soda fountains and are still produced today as a nostalgic specialty.
A chewy or hard confection made from sugar or honey, nuts, and sometimes egg whites or gelatin, often found in candy bars and traditional sweets. Nougat varies in texture from soft and pillowy to brittle depending on preparation and ingredients.
A candy produced by Nestlé consisting of tiny, crunchy, fruity spheres in bright colors, often sold in dual-chambered boxes with different flavors in each section. Known for their tangy-sweet taste and distinctive shape and crunch.
Lightweight, durable plastic food storage containers with airtight lids, originally marketed through home sales parties where consultants demonstrated the products to guests. The term has become genericized to refer to any similar plastic food storage container.
The reliable workhorse beer you crack open for everyday mundane activities—golf, yard work, accidental home repairs, or surviving corporate Zoom calls—as opposed to the fancy craft stuff you save for actual human beings worth impressing. It's the beer equivalent of wearing sweatpants: functional, unpretentious, and nobody expects it to be glamorous.
A perennial tropical grass with an extensive root system, prized for its aromatic essential oil which has an earthy, smoky scent. Vetiver is widely used in perfumery, cosmetics, and traditional medicine, and the roots are also used to prevent soil erosion.
Coarse flour made from durum wheat, commonly used in Italian pasta, puddings, and Middle Eastern dishes; prized for its golden color and slightly gritty texture.
A perennial herb with slender leaves and a subtle anise-like flavor, commonly used in French cuisine to season fish, chicken, and sauces. Tarragon is one of the four fine herbs in classical French cooking.