Essential Cooking Terms and Techniques to Know

Some cooking terms in recipe books and on food websites may look unfamiliar or complicated at first. Many come from other culinary traditions and refer to a specific technique or ingredient. Knowing these terms makes recipes easier to follow and can build confidence in the kitchen. Here are some commonly used cooking terms and their meanings.

Texture and Cooking Techniques: Agar-Agar and Confit

Agar-agar is a plant-based gelling agent made from seaweed. It is used in pastry-making for recipes such as tarts, ice cream, jam, and marmalade. The term comes from a Malay word meaning “jelly”; agar-agar is also used outside cooking, including in dentistry. Confit is a French term for cooking an ingredient slowly for a long time in its own fat over low heat. Keeping the heat low allows the ingredient to become tender without browning. The technique is often used for fatty meats such as duck and goose.

Sauce and Soup Terms: Deglaze, Custard, and Bisque

To deglaze is to dissolve the flavorful browned bits left in a pan after cooking with a liquid, turning them into a sauce. For example, add water or wine to a pan used to cook meat and scrape the bits from the bottom with a spoon. Custard is a pourable dessert sauce made with milk, cream, sugar, and eggs. It is also known as pastry cream and is served with desserts such as cake and tart. Bisque is a creamy soup made with shellfish. The shells are pureed and cooked with fish or chicken stock, then passed through a fine strainer and finished with cream.

Terms from Global Cuisines: Panko and Galangal

Panko is a type of breadcrumb from Japanese cuisine that has spread around the world. It is coarser and airier than standard breadcrumbs, giving foods such as meat, chicken, fish, and meatballs a more pronounced crunch. Galangal, also known as blue ginger, is a root often available from spice sellers. A member of the ginger family, it is used to flavor soups and dishes in Thai, Indonesian, and eastern Indian cuisines. Though it resembles ginger, it has a sharper, woodier aroma.

Other Important Technique Terms: Skimming and Beurre Manié

Skimming means removing the dense, whitish foam that rises to the surface when boiling chicken, meat, or bones. Use a skimmer or spoon to remove it; this keeps the cooking liquid clear and improves its flavor. Skimming regularly can result in a cleaner-looking stock with a clearer taste. Börmaniye is the Turkish rendering of the French term beurre manié, a thickening mixture made by combining butter and flour. Add it to soups and sauces that are too thin, in small pieces, while the liquid simmers, whisking as you go.

What Does Fine Dining Mean?

Fine dining refers to an elevated restaurant experience in which ingredients are carefully selected, presentation is prepared with close attention, and dishes are generally served in small portions. The concept encompasses not only flavor but also the visual arrangement of the plate and the flow of service. Fine-dining restaurants often choose seasonal, carefully sourced ingredients, and their menus may change frequently. Minimal, distinctive dishes are among the features that set this experience apart from an everyday meal.