Glossary
707
ceviche. A marinated raw fi sh dish served
throughout South America. (29)
chapatis. A fl at bread that is common in India. (33)
chasnidarth. A major cooking technique in Indian
cuisine that resembles Chinese sweet and
sour. (33)
chef’s knife. Also known as a French knife, it is a
versatile kitchen knife that has a long, smooth
blade for chopping, dicing, and mincing fresh
fruits, vegetables, and herbs. (9)
chelo kebab. Iran’s national dish, which consists
of thin slices of marinated, charcoal-broiled
lamb served with plain rice accompanied by a
pat of butter, a raw egg, and a bowl of ground
sumac. (32)
chiffon cake. Cake that is a combination of a
shortened and unshortened cake; cake that
contains fat and beaten egg whites. (23)
chilies. Term used in Mexico for hot peppers. (29)
chlorophyll. Green pigment found in green plants
(including vegetables). (14)
cholesterol. A fatlike substance that occurs
naturally in the body and is found in every cell. It
occurs only in foods of animal origin. (2)
chopsticks. Chinese eating utensils. (33)
chorizo. A dark sausage with a spicy, smoky
fl avor. (31)
chowder. Cream soup that contains pieces of
seafood, vegetables, poultry, or meat and is
made from unthickened milk. (16)
citrus fruits. Classifi cation of fruits, including
oranges, lemons, and grapefruit, that have a
thick outer rind and thin membranes separating
the fl esh into segments. (15)
coagulate. To thicken or form a congealed mass.
(Proteins are coagulated by heat and can cause
a mixture to thicken.) (16)
coagulum. Clumps of a protein food. (17)
cockles. A type of mussel common along the coast
of Wales. (30)
colander. A perforated bowl used to drain fruits,
vegetables, and pasta. (9)
colcannon. An Irish dish made with mashed
potatoes mixed with chopped scallions, shredded
cooked cabbage, and melted butter. (30)
collagen. Protein constituent of connective tissue in
meat. Collagen is tough and elastic but can be
softened and tenderized by cooking. (18)
combination oven. An oven that can do two types of
cooking, such as conventional and convection. (8)
comida. The main meal of the day in Mexico and
Spain. (29)
comparison shopping. Evaluating different brands,
sizes, and forms of a product before making a
purchase decision. (11)
compromise service. Style of meal service that
is a compromise between Russian service
and English service in which part of the food is
served from the kitchen and part is served at the
table. (24)
congee. A thick porridge made from rice or barley
often served for breakfast in China. (33)
conservation. The planned use of a resource to
avoid waste. (10)
consommé. Clear, rich-fl avored soup made from
strained, clarifi ed stock. (21)
contaminant. A potentially harmful substance that
has accidentally gotten into food. (6)
convection cooking. Method of cooking in which
foods are baked or roasted in a stream of heated
air. (8)
convenience food. Food product that has had
some amount of service added to it. (10)
cooking losses. Fat, water, and other volatile
substances that evaporate or are retained in
pan drippings or cooking liquid when meats are
cooked. (18)
cooking time. The total amount of time food in
a microwave oven is exposed to microwave
energy. (12)
course. A part of a meal made up of all the foods
served at one time. (10)
cover. The amount of space needed by each person
at a dining table; area on a table that contains
the linen, dinnerware, fl atware, and glassware
needed by one person. (7)
crayfi sh. A crustacean related to the lobster. (30)
Creole cuisine. Style of food popular in the
Southern United States that combines cooking
techniques of the French with ingredients of
the Africans, Caribbeans, Spanish, and Native
Americans. (28)
crêpe. A thin, delicate pancake that is usually rolled
around a fi lling. (30)
crisp-tender. Term used to describe vegetables
that have been cooked to the proper degree of
doneness. (14)
croissant. A fl aky, buttery French yeast roll shaped
into a crescent. (30)