Gourmet Food Glossary
- Anchovy
- tiny, strong-flavored fish sometimes used to stuff olives.
- Au Gratin
- a top crust of breadcrumbs (and often cheese).
- Béchamel
- a milk sauce thickened with flour and butter.
- Brandy
- distilled wine that emerges strong and heavy.
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- Chowder
- a thick soup made with potatoes and milk or cream.
- Cognac
- a high quality brandy named for a region in France.
- Coquille
- a dish made with scallops.
- Connoisseur
- an expert in his or her field.
- Crevette
- French for "shrimp".
- Dry
- a designation for any wine with less than six grams of sugar per liter (e.g. Chardonnay).
- Filet Mignon
- French for "small boneless slice", it's a 4 or 6 oz. steak cut from the end of the tenderloin.
- Garnish
- any small addition (e.g. lemon slices) to add appeal to the presentation of a gourmet platter.
- Gourmet
- a person devoted to the sensuous delight in food.
- Halibut
- a large, flat fish with white, light meat.
- Hors d'oeuvre
- French for "outside of the usual," this is any appetizer.
- Magnum
- a 3-liter bottle of wine
- Olive
- a single seeded fruit, grown in Mediterranean Europe, used in pickling and oils.
- Pasteurization
- method of destroying all bacteria, invented in 1800s and integral to the popularization of cheese.
- Presentation
- an integral aspect of gourmet dining, includes tableware, glassware and lighting.
- Port
- short for Portugal, this country's wine is dark red and strong.
- Sherry
- named for the Spanish town of Xeres, a strong wine.
- Rare
- designation in preparing meat, especially steak, meaning still red in the middle.
- Rheoboam
- a 5 liter bottle of wine.
- Scallops
- tiny, white shellfish, somewhat similar to oysters in shape and size.
- Truffle
- two different gourmet meanings: "a creamy chocolate candy" or "a delectable fungus."
- Vermouth
- the German word for "wormwood," the flavoring agent.
- Vinegar
- sour condiment produced by leaving wine open to the air.
