Word Of Mouth

Tortilla chips are fine on their own, but add a bowl of salsa or pico de gallo to the picture and snacking takes a delicious turn for the better. These two Mexican dips share quite a bit in common, but do you know what sets them apart? Depending on the recipe, the ingredients for salsa and pico de gallo can be nearly identical. What sets these two condiments apart is their texture and whether the ingredients are cooked or uncooked.

During Passover, Jewish dietary laws still hold true, but additional laws are added to them for the entirety of the week-long holiday. Here's everything you need to know.

Whether it’s topped with a few plump marshmallows or a heaping scoop of freshly whipped cream, a mug of piping hot chocolate is one of winter’s greatest pleasures. But wait — is what you have in your hands hot chocolate or actually hot cocoa? The terms are used interchangeably so often that it probably seems like they are identical beverages. While both mean an instant remedy for cold winter days, are they one in the same?

What’s not to love about Dutch ovens? They come in bright, beautiful colors; they can go straight from the oven to the tabletop; and you can braise, deep-fry, or even bake bread in them. This kitchen workhorse is usually a sign of a serious cook, and lots of recipes call for using a Dutch oven — but then what is a French oven? Are a Dutch oven and French oven the same thing with different names?

When I think of smooth and creamy desserts, the first two things that come to mind are pudding and mousse. While they share similar characteristics, these creamy, no-bake desserts have a few differences. Do you know what sets pudding and mousse apart? Did you know that pudding wasn’t originally served as a dessert? Far from it, actually. Pudding was originally a savory dish, made by mixing processed meat with a binder, like eggs, grains, or butter, then steamed, baked, or boiled.

Cocoa powder is a bit of a confusing ingredient. Some recipes call for unsweetened cocoa, some call for cocoa powder, some call for natural cocoa, and some call for Dutch cocoa. What does it all mean? What’s the difference? (And is there any relationship between cocoa powder and hot cocoa mix?) Let’s find out!

I remember this one time I didn't label my purchases from the bulk bin, and I couldn't remember what was in the bag. Were they split peas or lentils?

Do you know?

That sandwich you’re eating is more than just bread and meat, and when you call someone a “couch potato” it goes beyond that person being lazy. If you’re interested in where your food comes from, it might also interest you to know the actual origins of the words we use to describe it. I found the stories behind 10 words and phrases especially interesting or enlightening.

Even as someone who’s tested recipes professionally and written about food for years, I still always stumble when I’m about to write about a piece of fish — is it fillet or filet? What’s the difference? Turns out that it’s a bit complicated! There are similarities between the two words — they’re pronounced the same way, for instance: fiˈlā, with a silent “t” on the end. But then it gets a little more interesting.

Now you know.

Bisque and chowder — are they just fancy monikers for creamy soup? Is there really a difference? This question never crossed my mind until it was posed to me recently. My immediate thought was that the answer was obvious. Except, when I started to actually think about it, I really had no idea what set them apart. So, what exactly is the difference between bisque and chowder? Bisque and chowder are two very delicious and very similar types of soup.

I’ve been to a lot of Japanese restaurants where the noodle soups have an option of udon or soba noodles. While they’re both Japanese noodles and are sometimes used interchangeably, there are quite a few differences between the two. Here’s what you need to know! Udon noodles are made by kneading wheat flour, salt, and water. These white noodles are sold dried, fresh or frozen. Dried udon noodles can vary in thickness and can be quite dense.

When it comes to cooking with turmeric you have several options. Do you choose fresh turmeric, whole dried pieces, or the ground spice? I tend to prefer punchy, fresh turmeric in sautés and smoothies and ground turmeric for its color and ease of use in roasted vegetables and rice pilafs. Here’s a quick guide to fresh and dried turmeric and how to substitute one for the other. Fresh turmeric rhizomes (often called roots) look similar to ginger, a close relative.

Emma used the word hangry in her recipe for granola bars earlier today, and it made me think about this very helpful word, a word to signal impending storm clouds and danger, a word to fear. Do you get hangry?! What happens when you do? Oh — not familiar with the term? Let me bring you up to speed. This is a word you should know.Hangry is a word to describe the glowering state of hunger that has passed the pleasant edge of anticipation.

Mandazi [mahn-dahz-ee] noun: Fried doughnut or roll served as dessert or a warm teatime snack all over Kenya and East Africa. We came home one evening to our guest house in Kenya to find our very kind housekeeper, Helen, making a big basket of mandazi. They smelled delicious, like fried dough and warm flour. We asked Helen how they are made — read on for a super-quick video of frying mandazi! We ate these so quickly that we forgot to take a photo!

Irio [eer-ee-o], noun: In the Kenyan tribal language of Kikuyu, irio just means food. But it usually refers to a simple, plain dish of mashed potatoes, maize, and peas or greens.A couple years ago I spent a week in Kenya, in the highlands of the Rift Valley about an hour away from Nairobi. I really enjoyed the good food of this agricultural region. Here’s a very typical dinner dish: bright green irio!We ate plain Kenyan food all week, prepared by wonderful cooks.

Ugali [oo-gahl-ee] noun: In Kenya, ugali is the name for the most common mealtime starch: a thick, stiff porridge made from white cornmeal or red millet.In Kenya, ugali is one of the most common dishes you can find. Served with meat or mashed vegetables, it’s practically the national dish. It’s found throughout Africa, in fact; in South Africa it may be called pap, and in Zimbabwe you can find it by the name of sadza.

Omiyage, [oh-mee-YAH-geh] noun: the Japanese word for small gifts, usually edible, purchased for friends and co-workers while on a trip.Unlike in the Western world, where souvenirs are thoughtful but not expected, in Japanese culture buying omiyage is not optional. But there is an upside to this obligation: receiving omiyage in return, and with it a tasty peek into someone else’s travels.In Japan, every region is known for a food specialty of some kind.

God Shot, noun: The most perfect shot of espresso you’ve ever made or tasted.This is no mere shot of espresso grabbed and gulped on your way to work. This is the one espresso that is so perfect that it changes the way you think about coffee. Have you ever had one?I once had a god shot at Stumptown Coffee in Portland, Oregon, though I didn’t know to call it that at the time.

Considering that this week is French Week at the kitchn, it seemed only sensical to talk about the great act of affinage, an art that’s arguably just as important to the outcome of a cheese as the cheesemaking itself. And thanks to the French, we have a new vocab word to learn.Affinage is the act of aging cheeses. An affineur is the craftsperson who cares for cheeses after they’re made.

Viennoiserie [vyen-wahz-REE] noun: French for “Viennese specialties.” Baked pastries that use yeast, but that are also enriched with other ingredients. Examples include laminated dough products such as croissants, as well as brioche and danish.Viennoiserie may originally come from Vienna, but examples of this style include some of the most iconic French baked goods.

Carpaccio, [car-PAH-chi-oh] noun: An Italian antipasto dish of very thinly sliced beef, usually served raw or cooked rare and seasoned with olive oil and salt.This dish represents much of what we love about Italian cooking: fresh ingredients, pure flavors, and a simple presentation. Have you ever had it?Beef carpaccio is usually made from the most tender cuts of meat. The paper-thin slices are also cut across the grain so they practically melt in your mouth.

Mostarda, noun: A traditional northern Italian sauce or condiment made of candied fruits flavored and preserved with mustard seed.Mustard seeds?! Fruit and mustard might sound like a strange duo, but wait until you hear how it’s used!Mostarda isn’t really a sweet dish. Think of it more like a relish or a chutney, and it makes sense that you’d pair its sweet-sour flavor with boiled and roasted meats, cheese platters, and other savory dishes.

La Grigne [pronounced (roughly!): la green-yeh], noun: In baking terms, this refers to the little lip of crust that pulls away from the body of the baking loaf right along the score-marks slashed in the surface. In french, this literally means “the grin.”The bakers in our midst will know how challenging it can be to get a good grigne on their loaves. Here are a few thoughts on how to get it right!Just before going into the oven, artisan bakers (and industrious home bakers!

Pumpernickel, noun – An incredibly dense and strongly flavored dark bread made with a blend of coarse and fine rye flour originating in Germany.We love the heartiness and deep, almost bitter flavor of pumpernickel bread, especially with a little sharp cheese melted over the top! Making an authentic loaf of pumpernickel is one of our winter goals, plus we think it would look lovely on our Thanksgiving table!Do you like pumpernickel bread? Ever made it yourself?

Doufeu, noun – A cooking vessel with a concave lid to be filled with ice and promote condensation. French for “gentle heat.”As we get into braising and roasting season, we thought we’d take a look at this particular style of dutch oven. The concave lid is filled with ice to create condensation throughout the cooking process. Dimples on the underside of the lid are designed to distribute the moisture to the food.

Gianduja (jhe-yan doo yah), noun – A smooth spread made of chocolate and ground hazelnuts, from the Piedmont region in Italy. (Variation: Gianduia)Before Nutella, there was gianduja! Do you love this nutty chocolate butter as much as we do?We’d be happy eating a spoonful of gianduja straight from the jar, but it’s just as much a treat to spread it on a piece of toast, a croissant, or – luxuries of luxuries – warm baguette.

Porchetta, noun: A Southern Italian dish of roasted suckling pig stuffed with wild fennel and garlicFriends of ours who have traveled in Italy come back singing praises about this iconic Italian dish – making us grind our teeth in envy. This is one culinary adventure we’d love to have!Porchetta is traditionally made with a whole suckling pig that has been deboned, stuffed, and rolled back into shape. The head, legs, and trotters are also often left on.

affogato: n. An Italian, coffee-based dessert consisting of vanilla gelato (or ice cream) topped with a shot of espresso. Affogato means “drowned” in Italian.This is a really quick summer dessert (made better by a fancy name). Get some elaborate and boozy versions, below…Of course, hot espresso and cold ice cream doesn’t seem like a good combination. You might end up with more of a float or possibly a soup.

Chutney, noun: A type of condiment similar to salsa found in Indian cuisine.Every culture has their own version of an all-purpose sauce that can be used interchangeably as dip, relish, or condiment. In India, it’s chutney! What’s your favorite chutney recipe?There is no single recipe for chutney, and the variations from region to region and family to family are endless. In general, it’s a thick sauce that can be smooth or chunky.

Bannock, noun: A flat bread, popular in Canada and the northern United States, often made of oatmeal, barley flour or corn meal.We’re all about cooking and eating outdoors this month, so we perked up when we saw this rustic bread being prepared on an episode of Bobby Flay’s Grill It! It was, of course, baked right on the grill.According to the British Columbia Ministry of Forests and Range, Bannock was a staple in the diets of nearly all of North America’s first peoples.

macerate: v. To soften and infuse food (usually fruit) with flavor by steeping in liquid.This is a technique we talk about more often in the summer, since berries are one of the most common ingredients to macerate…Fruit compotes or pie fillings often call for macerating; the goal is to get soft, smushy fruit that’s broken down a bit and released a little liquid.

Beurre Manié [bur man-yay], noun: A kneaded paste of butter and flour added to a soup or sauce toward the end of cooking in order to thicken.If your dish is nearly done cooking and you feel that it’s soupier than you’d like, a simple beurre manié can save the day. Here’s how it works!If you add flour straight into hot liquid, you just end up with a clumpy sauce, right?

caul fat: n. The web-like membrane of fatty material that encases the internal organs of certain animals, like pigs, sheep, and cows.That’s all well and good, you say. But what on Earth do you do with this stuff? Well, we have the answer.

Rillettes [ree-yet], noun: finely chopped meat, cooked in fat, and shredded into a paste-like consistency. Traditionally served as a cold spread on bread.Rillettes are sometimes referred to as “poor man’s paté,” but made well, this dish is right up there with the best of them! Have you ever had rillettes?Rillettes were originally a way to use up some of the less desirable pork cuts like the neck, shoulder, or hind parts and also preserve meat for later consumption.

Chapati [chuh-pah-tee] noun: Pan-grilled unleavened flatbread eaten in India, East Africa, and most of South Asia.Chapati is ubiquitous in Kenya; big golden wedges of this flat, chewy bread were served at almost every meal. We loved it; the fried golden taste is so delicious, and it’s handy for sopping up extra meat and sauce. We were already familiar, too, with chapati from Indian cuisine.

Bavarian (bah-vare’-ian), noun: A stirred custard that is mixed with gelatin and then lightened with whipped cream, poured into mold, and allowed to set until firm.Here’s another classic French dessert to try next time you’re in the mood for something fancy!Bavarians date back to the days of French chef Marie Antoine Carême toward the beginning of the 19th century.

Gâteau St. Honoré (gah-toe saint on-or-ay), noun: Named for the patron saint of bakers, this is a confection with a pâte brisé (pie crust) base, a ring of pâte à choux on the outside with little pâte à choux puffs affixed to the outside with caramel, and then filled with pastry cream.In other words, a baker’s dream-come-true…or personal nightmare!This cake can be made as traditionally or as fancifully as you like.

Chantilly (chan-tilly or shahn-tilly), noun: Sweetened and flavored whipped cream.Isn’t it nice to know that there’s a name for everything, even the simple whipped cream that home cooks have made for eons?Chantilly cream is traditionally whipped cream sweetened with a bit of sugar and then flavored with either vanilla extract or brandy. Of course, there’s nothing stopping us from adding any other kind of extract from almond to licorice if we want to!

Court Bouillon (Court Boo-yee-an), noun: A flavored liquid used for poaching or steaming.Unlike regular chicken, beef, or even vegetable stock, a court bouillon can be quickly made and then used immediately – it literally means “quick stock”!Because it’s cooked for a half an hour at most, a court bouillon never reaches the same level of flavor or complexity as a full-term stock.

Clabber, noun: soured milkBack before there was baking powder to use as a quick leavener in baking, there was clabber. This was something that every farm wife or person with access to fresh milk could make, no additional ingredients necessary!To make clabbered milk, the fresh, raw milk was simply left out at room temperature. Bacteria in the milk would start converting the lactose (sugars) into an acid, causing the milk to thicken and sour while also keeping it from actually spoiling.

labneh: n. A fresh cheese made from strained yogurt, popular in the Middle East, that is served as a spread or formed into soft balls.Several of us here at the Kitchn were traveling over the holidays, and this is just one of the foods we fell in love with while eating overseas. We ate labneh for breakfast every morning while on a trip to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.Unfortunately, we kept forgetting to bring our camera to breakfast.

Le Trou Normand (luh trew nor-mahnd): A pause in the middle of a meal where everyone has a drink of brandy and then continues to eat.Folklore has it that the shot of alcohol burns a hole (“un trou”) in your stomach so that you can eat more food. This is something we definitely could have used last Thursday!At dinner parties, we tend to eat and drink throughout the evening, one conversation or platter of food simply rolling into the next.

Tournée (tour-nay): Literally, French for “turned.” In culinary terms, this describes a specific method for preparing and presenting vegetables by cutting them into uniform oblong shapes.If you really want to get fancy this Thanksgiving, you can have a go at “turning” all your vegetables! Just make sure you have a lot of extra time to spare before you start…Starchy vegetables like carrots, potatoes, and parsnips are good candidates for turning.

marron glacé (ma-rohn glay-say): n. A chestnut preserved in syrup, usually eaten out of hand like candy or used as a topping for desserts.Chestnuts are a common ingredient this time of year, so we thought we’d mention their french name, marrons, and take a look at one of the sweeter preparations…These suckers are expensive, for the fact that the process used to make them is extremely time consuming and difficult.

Unctuous (ung-choo-us) adj.: 1. Having the quality or characteristics of oil, slippery; 2. Containing or composed of oil or fat; 3. Abundant in organic materials, soft and rich.Nora’s post on Forsterkase cheese yesterday reminded us of this favorite food word! What foods say “unctuous” to you?To us, ‘unctuous’ is much more of a texture than a flavor. It’s that feeling of having your entire mouth coated with butter, oil, or sometimes a flavor.

tisane (tih-zahn): n. an herbal tea, made from steeping herbs, spices, or flowers in boiling water.We simply call this drink herbal tea. We rarely use its proper name, but unless a drink contains leaves from the actual tea plant, it is technically a tisane. Find out what’s in the unconventional one pictured above…Our Paris blogger Kristin made a tisane using a bunch of fresh sage. Get her technique here: More Sage Advice.

Bouillabaisse (buoy-ya-base), noun: A saffron-flavored fish stew from Marseille in the Provence region of France. Possibly one of our favorite seafood dishes, a traditional bouillabaisse does have some very specific ingredients. Find out more after the jump! According to purists, in order for a soup to be called a bouillabaisse, it absolutely must contain three elements: saffron, rascasse fish, and rouille sauce.

Coulis (coo-lee), noun: A dessert sauce made of pureed fruit that is just thin enough to be poured. The word coulis is actually derived from the French verb couler, which means to run! More details and a recipe after the jump…A coulis is typically not cooked or mixed with many other ingredients – though this “rule” is often bent or broken by our modern chefs! The point is to highlight the freshness and flavor of a single fruit.

galette (gah-leht): n. A round, flat cake with a flaky pastry crust, originating in France.We’ve been talking about crostatas a lot lately, and we started to wonder what the difference is between our beloved crostata and the more refined-sounding galette, plus how they both related to tarts…Turns out, a galette and a crostata are essentially the same thing (one French, one Italian). Both of them differ from tarts in the sense that a tart is baked into a tart pan.

Al Dente; adjective, Italian: Literally, “to the tooth.” In practice, this means cooked just enough to still be firm, where the center still remains a bit under-cooked and the pasta still offers resistance when chewed.In medieval times, pasta was cooked for an hour or more until it was soft, mushy, and offered no resistance. This was typical of all cooking at the time (ie, cooking food to death!

Chemesthesis, noun: The chemically stimulated sensation of pain and temperature in the eye, nose, mouth and throat.A sensation related to taste and smell, chemesthesis includes the tickle of carbonated beverages, the sense of heat from pepper, and the sense of cold from mint.

Ramekin (ram-eh-kin), noun: a small dish used for baking or serving. Simple, serviceable, and durable, ramekins are used in the highest of high end restaurants and the humblest of home kitchens. What’s so great about them? Read on…A set of ramekins was a recent addition to our arsenal of kitchenware. We’ve been using them for baking up things like dessert custards, miniature souffles, and individual cobblers.

Sabayon, noun (sah-bye-on): A sweet dessert sauce made of egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala. More details and a recipe after the jump!This custard sauce has Italian origins, but was long ago adopted into classical French cuisine. You might also see it called “zabaglione” or “zabayon” in recipes and on menus.Foamy and creamy, sabayon is lighter and (typically) less sweet than milk-based creme anglaise.

Aromatic; noun: Any herb, spice, vegetable or combination thereof that is used to infuse flavor into a final dish and add to its aroma.This is another building block for cooking without recipes!

Pudding, meaning dessert. Biscuit, meaning cookie. Clingfilm, meaning plastic wrap. I love the differences between British and English cooking (cookery!) words.It’s always disappointing when American publishers edited out the ‘dessertspoonfuls,’ ‘mince,’ and ‘courgettes’ when revising British cookbooks and I have never really understood why.

Mouthfeel, noun: The physical sensation of food in the mouth.This has always struck us as a rather odd and inelegant word. Drop it in conversation among non-foodies, and you’re likely to get a lot of blank looks and a few twitters!Yet, it’s also the most apt term for the concept we’re trying to describe–literally the “feel” of the food in your “mouth.”There are two sides to mouthfeel.

Lagniappe, lay-GNAP: a Cajun-Creole word meaning a small gift given by a merchant to the buyer at the time of purchase, often of food.Flipping through the most recent issue of Gastronomica, we noticed on the very last page is a section titled “Lagniappe.” It wasn’t a term we could remember hearing before.We discovered that the word has roots in the Spanish and Quechua words for “gift” or “giving,” and the practice of lagniappe originated in Louisiana.

Aux Fine Herbes (oh feen air’b): Translated literally from French, meaning “with fine herbs.” For culinary purposes, meaning a blend of four fresh herbs, one of which is always chervil.The other three herbs are traditionally chives, tarragon, and parsley, and they are always always fresh–or else the Classical French Chefs of Yore will cry bitter tears into their consomme!Combine equal proportions of each herb and mince them as fine as possible.