Classical Cuisine Terminologies Quiz

Study Notes

Classical Cuisine Terminologies

À la carte: Menu structure allowing guests to choose individual dishes with separate prices.
Al dente: Pasta or vegetables cooked until tender yet firm to the bite, not completely soft.
À la mode:
- Dessert served with ice cream.
- Braised beef including veal shank julienne and vegetables.
- Dishes that are local specialties of specific regions (e.g., Tripe à la mode de Caen).
Alsacienne: Refers to dishes from Alsace, France, often featuring sauerkraut or goose liver.
Amuse gueule: Small bite-sized morsel served as a prelude to the first course (also known as amuse bouche).
Antipasto: Italian term for appetizers, with the plural being antipasti.
Argenteuil/Arshontoy: City near Paris known for asparagus, also associated with vegetable soups.
Barding: Technique of covering game birds or small poultry with thin pork fat to retain moisture while cooking.
Basting: Applying liquid over food being roasted or grilled to enhance flavor and moisture.
Batter: Mixture typically composed of flour with liquids like water or milk; usually includes eggs.
Béchamel sauce: White sauce made from roux and milk named after a court marshal of Louis XIV.
Beurre blanc: A sauce made from butter, white wine, vinegar, and shallots.
Beurre manié: Thickening agent made from equal parts of uncooked butter and flour.
Beurre noir: Butter that has been cooked until a deep brown color is achieved.
Binding: Process of thickening dishes using various agents.
Biscuit: Refers to sponge cake.
Bisque: Creamy soup made from pureed crustaceans or vegetables.
Blanquette: Creamy white stew made with white meat cooked in white stock.
Blind baking: Cooking a pastry shell partially or fully without any filling.
Blinnis: Mini yeast-raised wheat pancakes, often served with caviar.
Bordelaise style: Red wine sauce refined with bone marrow, named after the Bordeaux wine region.
Bouillabaisse: Traditional French fish and shellfish soup with saffron, typically served as a main course.
Bouquet garni: Bundle of herbs and vegetables tied together, used for flavoring.
Brine: Solution of salt and water, often seasoned with spices and sometimes sugar.
Cake: Food made by combining various ingredients with a sponge cake base.
Canapé: Small hors d'oeuvre made from bread or toast topped with various ingredients.
Caramel: Sugar cooked until golden brown.
Carcass: Refers to the whole slaughtered animal after butchering.
Casing: Synthetic or natural membrane (often pig or sheep intestines) used for sausages.
Cassoulet: Hearty stew made of beans and assorted meats, often associated with French cuisine.
Charcuterie: Term for the preparation of cured pork and various meat products, including sausages and pates.
Chateaubriand: Double-cut beef fillet from the head of the fillet, typically grilled.
Clam chowder: Classic New England soup made with clams and potatoes, known in Boston and Manhattan styles.
Clamart: Dish garnished with green peas, named after a city near Paris.
Clarifying: Process of refining butter and broth to separate solids and achieve clarity.
Coating: Technique of covering a dish with sauces, chocolate, or other toppings.
Colbert: Deep-fried sole named after French statesman Jean-Baptiste Colbert.
Compound butter: Butter mixed with herbs or spices to enhance flavor.
Concasse: Technique for preparing blanched, peeled, and deseeded tomatoes cut into cubes or quarters.
Confit: Meat preserved by poaching in its own fat, typically goose, duck, or pork.
Coulis: Pureed sauces made from fruits or vegetables.