Food Glossary Flashcards
Semolina
sem-uh-lee-nuh
Semolina is a type of durum wheat used for pasta making and other applications where high gluten is needed. Gluten, a protein found in cereal grains, is what gives pasta its chew or texture when you bite into the noodle.
Prosciutto
proh-shoo-toh
Prosciutto is an Italian ham cured by drying and typically served in very thin slices.
Guanciale
wahn-chall-eh
Guanciale is an Italian cured meat product prepared from pork jowl or cheeks. Its name is derived from guancia, the Italian word for ‘cheek’.
Prosciutto Cotto
proh-shoo-toh k-oh-t-oh
Prosciutto Cotto or “cooked ham” is bright pink in color and lighter in flavor than its crudo cousin.
Allium
AL-lee-um
All onions, garlic, shallots, chives, green onions
Nightshade
nahyt-sheyd
tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant
Legume
le-gyoom
beans, peanuts, peas, etc.
Aioli
ahy-oh-lee
a flavored sauce made of garlic, salt, mayo, and olive oil
Crudo
kroo-doh
a dish of raw fish or seafood, typically dressed with oil, citrus juice, and seasonings
Hamachi
ha-mah-chi
the Japanese name for Pacific yellowtail, especially when used in sushi and sashimi.
Sumac
soo-mak
a shrub or small tree of the cashew family, with compound leaves, fruits in conical clusters, and bright autumn colors.
Bomba Sauce
Bomb-ba saws
Bomba is a traditional sauce from Calabria, Italy. Our sauce is made from eggplant, garlic, calabrian chili, red wine vinegar, fennel pollen and olive oil
Mignonette
min-yuh-net
a condiment usually made with minced shallots, cracked pepper, and vinegar. It is traditionally served with raw oysters.
Puccia Bread
poo-chi-uh bred
traditional bread baked on an open fire from Puglia, Italy. Ours is made using our long-fermented pizza dough in the pizza oven.
Crudites
crew-da-tay
assorted raw vegetables served as an hors d’oeuvre, typically with a sauce into which they may be dipped.
Pomodoro
Pom-uh-door-oh
freshly made tomato sauce
Marcona Almonds
mar-cone-uh all-monds
a type of sweet, gourmet almond from Spain that is very popular in Mediterranean countries.
Capers
kay-purs
Capers are the pickled flower buds of a thorny, trailing shrub that grows like a weed all over the Mediterranean. It’s a stubborn, ornery plant, difficult to cultivate, with a preference for dry, stony places. You’ll find it growing from rocky cracks and crevices and climbing stone walls, like a Mediterranean ailanthus.
Cacio e Pepe
kach-e-oh pep-ay
a pasta dish from the cuisine of the city of Rome. Cacio e pepe means “cheese and pepper” in several central Italian dialects.
Vongole
von-goal-ay
denoting pasta served with clams and a light sauce of olive oil, garlic, and sometimes tomatoes.
Frisee
friz-zay
a type of chicory that has exploded onto gourmet plates. The exotic plant resembles a lettuce gone horribly awry, with a pale green explosion of frizzy leaves that adds a frisky note to green salads.
Endive
en-dive
an edible Mediterranean plant whose bitter leaves may be blanched and used in salads.
Pepperoncini
pep-per-on-chi-knee
Pepperoncini are known as fairly mild peppers. The Italian word “pepperoncini” is the plural form of “pepperoncino.” In Italy, it actually refers to the hotter varieties of chili peppers generically known as “pepperone.”
Branzino
bruhn-zee-no
mild white fish popular in Italian cuisine and usually roasted whole and served with lemon. Also called European bass.