Aioli—Garlicky, mayonnaise-like blend of oil and eggs.
Brioche—Rich, yeasty French bread with lots of eggs and butter.
Chiffonnade—Very thin strips of greens or herbs, such as basil.
Deglaze—Using a liquid, such as wine or stock, to loosen the delicious bits stuck to the pan after sautéing meat.
Epicure—A foodie. See also: Gastronome, Gourmet.
Free Range—Term for animals that get to roam the barnyard before slaughter.
Grass Fed—Term for animals that get to roam the grassy barnyard before slaughter.
Haricot Vert—Fancy French word for green string beans.
Infusion—Flavor extracted by steeping or soaking a solid (like an herb or fruit) in a liquid (like a sauce or alcohol).
Julienne—Food cut into matchstick-sized pieces.
Kosher Salt—Very coarse salt.
Latte—Espresso with foamy steamed milk.
Mesclun—Salad mix of young, small greens, like arugula, frisée, mâche, and radicchio.
Nigiri—A type of sushi—others are maki or inari—featuring a clump of vinegared rice topped with fish or seafood.
Organic—Food grown or produced without the use of chemicals, like pesticides.
Prix Fixe—A complete restaurant meal for a preset price.
Quinoa—A high-protein grain, lighter than rice and comparable to couscous.
Reduction—A sauce or liquid that has been thickened and concentrated by rapidly boiling.
Sustainable—Food produced without depleting resources or negatively impacting the environment, consumers, animals, or farmers.
Tapas—Small plates of Spanish-style appetizers.
Udon—Thick Japanese noodles—like soba noodles—usually made of wheat, and often served in soup.
Vinaigrette—Oil and vinegar dressing.
Whole Foods—A national chain of natural and gourmet foods grocery stores; also refers to foods as close to their natural state as possible.
X—There are no food terms beginning with X.
Yeast—Essential to making wine, beer, and bread, this single-celled organism ferments and gives off carbon dioxide.
Zest—The outer, colorful rind of citrus fruit, used to garnish or flavor dishes.