Bâtonnet

Definition

A stick-cut vegetable roughly 1/4 inch × 1/4 inch × 2-3 inches; the Goldilocks zone between julienne and chunky, requiring just enough precision to be annoying.

Example Usage

Cut the potatoes into bâtonnet before frying to achieve that perfect balance of crispy exterior and fluffy interior.

Origin

French: 'bâton' meaning stick or rod

Fun Fact

Bâtonnet is the most forgiving of classical French knife cuts for beginners, making it the gateway drug to knife skills

Source: Classical French culinary standards

Related Terms

Advanced

Fromagerie

A cheese shop, but saying it in French means the cheese costs four times as much and comes wrapped in paper instead of plastic. It's where you go to feel cultured while spending $30 on something that smells like gym socks and tastes like heaven.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

Patissier

A pastry chef, but the French title makes it sound like they graduated from Hogwarts instead of culinary school. These are the people who can make a croissant with 27 layers of butter and somehow still judge you for eating a Pop-Tart.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

canapé

A fancy bite-sized open-faced sandwich that appears at corporate events to convince you attendance is sophisticated. That appetizer costing $3 to make but charged at $40/dozen on the catering invoice.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Beginner

Small Plates

A dining concept where you order multiple tiny dishes instead of one normal-sized entree, thereby spending three times as much to eat the same amount of food. It's portion control disguised as a culinary philosophy and your wallet's worst nightmare.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Intermediate

supreme

A citrus segment with all membrane and pith removed, representing the Platonic ideal of fruit prep. Also the verb describing the process of creating these perfect segments while questioning your career choices.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Advanced

Bain-Marie

A fancy French term for putting one pot inside another pot of hot water. Essentially, you're giving your food a hot bath because apparently direct heat is too confrontational. Marie must have been very particular about her chocolate tempering.

🍳 Food / Culinary

Translate This Term

See “Bâtonnet” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Beginner

staffing

The perpetual HR challenge of finding, hiring, and occasionally yeeting employees to keep a business running smoothly. I...