French Culinary Terms

Casserole is a noun for a baked dish consisting of mixed ingredients, typically including meat or vegetables, bound with a sauce and cooked slowly. It can refer to both the dish itself and the cooking vessel. In everyday use, it denotes comfort-food meals prepared for sharing, often versatile and hearty with layered flavors.

Charcuterie is a French-origin noun referring to Prepared meat products, typically arranged as a curated assortment of cured meats, cheeses, and accompaniments. The term can also denote a shop or display where such foods are sold. It is commonly used in English to describe an informal meat-and-cheese spread, often with a focus on artisanal, cured items.

Charlotte is a female given name and a noun referring to a city, district, or triangular pastry. In everyday use it denotes a person, place, or a named entity; as a proper noun it typically functions without articles and with capitalized form. The name carries a soft, multi-syllabic pronunciation and is widely recognized in English-speaking contexts.

Chinois is a French noun meaning a person of Chinese descent or a Chinese person. In culinary contexts it’s used to describe things related to Chinese cuisine or culture. The word is borrowed into English primarily in loan phrases, and in French it carries gender and number distinctions (un Chinois, des Chinois).

Clafoutis is a baked French dessert featuring a custard-like batter poured over fruit (traditionally cherries) and baked until set. It is lightly sweet, with a delicate, pudding-like texture and a subtly eggy flavor that complements the fruit. The term denotes both the dish and the batters used to create it, typically served dusted with sugar or powdered fruit.

Claire is a female given name and noun. In everyday use, it denotes a person named Claire or, less commonly, a reference to clarity or brightness in certain contexts. The name is pronounced with a single syllable and a crisp, close vowel, often functioning as a proper noun in conversation and writing.

Cocotte is a feminine French noun meaning a small, cooking pot or a chambermaid in some contexts. It is used chiefly in French cuisine and gastronomy, as well as in classic literature references. In English, it may appear in culinary writing or loanword usage, retaining French pronunciation and connotations of tradition and intimacy with cooking.

Compote is a dessert or fruit dish of stewed or simmered fruit, often sweetened and spiced, served as a topping or accompaniment. It combines whole or chopped fruit in a syrupy liquid, sometimes with wine or liqueur, and is enjoyed for its soft texture and intensified fruit flavor. The term is used in culinary contexts across many cuisines.

Coulis is a thin, strained sauce made from pureed vegetables or fruits, served as a garnish or base for savory dishes. It is typically smooth and pourable, often bright in color, and used to add texture and flavor without heavy chunks. The term is borrowed from French and commonly found in culinary contexts and recipe writing.

A small, flaky, crescent-shaped pastry of French origin, traditionally made by laminating dough with butter to form many thin layers. It is typically baked golden and crisp on the outside with a soft, airy crumb inside. The term is commonly used to refer to the pastry in many cuisines, with regional variations in sweetness and size.

A croquette is a small, breadcrumb-coated morsel, usually containing mashed meat, fish, or vegetables, that is fried until crisp. It is served as a snack or starter in many cuisines, often with dipping sauce. The term denotes both the fried preparement and its typical oblong or rounded shape.

Daube is a French-origin noun referring to a thick, flavorful stew typically made with beef, wine, vegetables, and aromatics; in culinary contexts, it also denotes a heavy pot used for simmering. The term emphasizes slow-cooked, braised preparation, often associated with Provençal or French cuisine. In some regions it can describe the dish or the vessel itself.

Emulsion is a stable mixture of two immiscible liquids (typically oil and water) where tiny droplets of one liquid are dispersed within the other, often with an emulsifier to stabilize the blend. It is widely used in foods, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The term emphasizes dispersion and stabilization rather than complete blending.

Escalope is a thin slice of meat, typically pounded to tenderness and fried or grilled. In culinary usage, it refers to a cut (often veal, pork, or chicken) that is flattened to a uniform thickness. The term is widely used in European kitchens and in menus, sometimes borrowed from French culinary vocabulary.