Cooking Terms

Gnocchi is a small Italian dumpling made from potato, flour, and sometimes eggs. It’s typically boiled until tender and served with sauces or in soups. The word is borrowed from Italian and often treated as a plural noun in English, though many cooks refer to a single piece as a gnoccho in some regions.

Gouda is a semisoft, cow’s-milk cheese from the Netherlands, known for its mild to nutty flavor and distinctive aging notes. In everyday use, Gouda refers to the cheese itself and, by extension, to foods made with it. It is commonly used in sandwiches, melts, and as a table cheese, often featuring a smooth, creamy texture that varies with age.

Gruyère is a hard, alpine cheese from Switzerland, aged for several months to develop a nutty, fruity flavor and a springy texture. The term also designates the cheese’s origin and style, typically used in cooking and serving, often melted or grated. It’s widely recognized in European cuisine and is sometimes spelled Gruyère with the accent to reflect its French pronunciation.

Guacamole is a chunky Mexican dip made primarily from ripe avocados, onion, tomato, lime juice, and seasonings. It is typically served with tortilla chips and enjoyed as a fresh, savory condiment or appetizer. The term refers both to the dish and its main ingredient preparation, with conventional pronunciations reflecting Spanish-influenced phonology.

Halibut is a large, flat-bottomed saltwater fish commonly sold for food. As a noun, it refers to several species in thePleuronectidae family, notably the Pacific halibut and Atlantic halibut. In everyday use, it denotes a firm, white-meat fish with a mild flavor, typically prepared by baking, grilling, or pan-searing.

Hollandaise is a smooth, emulsified sauce made from egg yolks, clarified butter, and lemon juice, typically seasoned with salt and a touch of white pepper. It’s rich, velvety, and traditionally served warm, often with eggs Benedict or vegetables. The term denotes its Dutch-inspired style and is a staple of classic French technique in haute cuisine.

Jus is a noun that refers to a flavorful liquid produced by cooking meat, often used as a sauce or gravy. In culinary contexts, the term denotes the seasoned juices extracted during roasting or braising, sometimes reduced to intensify flavor. It can also appear in phrases like “jus de viande,” highlighting its French culinary roots and broad usage in food terminology.

Kimchi is a traditional Korean fermented vegetable dish, typically made with napa cabbage and radishes, seasoned with chili, garlic, ginger, and salt. It is spicy, tangy, and deeply savory, often aged to develop complex flavors. In linguistics, the word is borrowed from Korean and used as a (often plural) food name in English contexts.

Lasagna is a savory Italian dish of wide, flat pasta sheets layered with cheese, sauce, and often meat, baked until bubbling. In English, it refers to both the dish and the individual sheets themselves. The word is commonly used in American English and British English with slight pronunciation variation.

Laurel is a noun used to refer to a laurel plant or its glossy leaves, historically tied to achievement and honor. In myth and literature, a laurel wreath symbolizes victory. The term also appears in botany as the evergreen shrub Laurus nobilis and in names like Laurel Canyon. Its pronunciation centers on a single-stressed first syllable followed by a lighter second syllable.

Lecithin is a fat-transporting phospholipid found in plant and animal tissues, often used as an emulsifier in foods and cosmetics. It occurs naturally in the brain and liver and can be extracted from egg yolk or soy. In science and industry, lecithin denotes a mixture of phospholipids that stabilizes mixtures of oil and water.

Lobster is a noun referring to a large marine crustacean with a hard shell and prominent claws. In American and British usage it also denotes a reddish color and garments or scenes resembling that hue. The word is commonly used in culinary, seafood, and decorative contexts. Note: The primary meaning is the animal; the color sense arises from the shell’s characteristic reddish hue when cooked.

Lychee is a tropical fruit with a sweet, fragrant flesh and a bumpy red skin. In English, it is typically pronounced with an initial light 'ly' sound followed by 'chee,' producing a two-syllable accent on the second syllable. The term is used broadly in food writing, menus, and conversations about fruit cultivation and cuisine. Its pronunciation emphasizes a clear 'lee' or 'lih' onset and a crisp 'chee' ending.

Macadamia is a noun for a small tropical evergreen tree and its edible, creamy white nut with a hard shell. The term also refers to the nut meat commonly used in confections and cooking. In pronunciation, the emphasis falls on the second syllable, yielding a smooth, syllable-timed rhythm typical of borrowed botanical names.

Mace is a short, single-syllable noun referring to a club-like weapon or, more commonly today, a powdered spice used to flavor food. It can also mean an aerosol irritant used for self-defense. In everyday speech, it typically functions as a concrete noun with strong initial /m/ and a long vowel-less ending, often clarified by context. The term blends historical weaponry with culinary usage in modern English.

Mango is a tropical fruit with a fuzzy skin and bright, sweet, juicy flesh. As a noun, it refers to the tree that bears the fruit and the fruit itself. In everyday usage, you might talk about ripe mangos, mango salsa, or mango smoothies in both casual and semi-formal contexts.

Marinade is a seasoned liquid into which foods—typically meat or vegetables—are placed to absorb flavor before cooking. As a noun, it refers to the mixture itself and, less commonly, to the act of soaking in such a liquid. The term is used across culinary contexts to describe both the preparation step and the resulting flavored liquid.

Marmalade is a sweet preserve made from citrus fruit, often containing bits of peel, traditionally orange in flavor. It can also refer to a fruit spread with a bright, tangy profile. In some regions, the term extends to any soft fruit preserve, but citrus marmalades remain the classic standard in many English-speaking cultures.

Mascarpone is a rich, sweet Italian cream cheese, traditionally used in desserts and tiramisu. It is smooth, pale, and gently sweet, with a high fat content that yields a luxurious texture. In culinary contexts it functions as a dairy fat component that can replace butter or cream for creamy sauces and fillings.

Meuniere is a French culinary term used to describe a method of frying fish (usually sole) dredged in flour and served with brown butter, lemon, and parsley. As a noun, it denotes the dish or sauce style, and in some contexts can reference dishes prepared in that manner. The term conveys a light, delicate preparation associated with classic French cuisine.

Millefeuille is a French noun for a layered pastry, commonly called a Napoleon. It refers to a dessert composed of thin, crisp pastry sheets with creamy fillings between layers. The term emphasizes its many alternating layers and delicate texture, and is used in culinary contexts and haute-patisserie discussions.

Mint (noun) refers to the aromatic herb used in cooking and beverages, or to a place or thing producing fresh economy or novelty. It can also describe something new or in perfect condition, as in mint condition. In everyday language, it often denotes the herb or flavor, and in slang can imply something genuine or original. The term is concise, versatile, and common in culinary and collectible contexts.

Mirepoix is a chopped vegetable mixture, typically onions, carrots, and celery, sautéed as the flavor base for soups, stews, and sauces. As a culinary term borrowed from French, it refers to the aromatic foundation used to build depth in dishes. The word also appears in modern gastronomy writing and menus to indicate this classic soffritto-style base.

Miso is a fermented Japanese soy paste used as a base for soups and sauces, noted for its savory, umami flavor. As a noun, it refers to the paste itself or to dishes made with it. In everyday usage, people often talk about adding miso to broth or using miso as a seasoning component in soups and dressings.