A Gourmet Glossary; The Language Of Fine Dining

I know of a girl who went on a date with a handsome Italian suiter, she ordered a steak tartare thinking it was real steak…

Lucky for the rest of us we can be better prepared when it comes to fine dining. Thank goodness for that.

And here it is; a list of fancy terms to help you avert any future awkward situations…

• A la carte A type of menu where each item is separately listed, described and priced, rather than part of a set meal. The opposite of a la carte is table d’hôte
• Al Fresco Literally translated is “in the open air”. It refers to eating outside in the open air.

• Amuse-bouche A single bite sized hors d’oeuvre usually served complimentary before the start of a meal, to tickle your taste buds. They’re different to appetizers in that amuse-bouches are not ordered, they’re are served complimentary and according to the chef’s selection.
• Antipasti Hot or cold appetizers served before a meal
• Apéritif A usually dry alcoholic drink taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite.
• Appetizer A small portion of food or beverage taken before an entrée to stimulate the appetite.
• Au gratin Translated into French it means “by grating”. When a dish is cooked au gratin its sprinkled/covered with breadcrumbs or cheese, or both, and baked until golden brown.

• Béarnaise sauce A sauce made with clarified butter, egg yolks and white wine vinegar and flavoured with herbs. It’s considered the child of hollandaise sauce.
  Bisque A rich and creamy seafood soup, authentically made with sautéed and ground crustacean shells.
• Broth: A thin soup made from meat or fish stock.
• Burrata A fresh Italian cheese made of mozzarella and cream.

• Canapé A one or two bite decorative hors d’oeuvre served on a type of bread, pastry or cracker with a savoury topping.
• Carpaccio An Italian dish made with raw beef or fish, sliced or pounded extremely thin, typically served as an appetizer.
• Ceviche A seafood dish originating from Peru, containing diced, fresh raw fish that has been cured in citrus juices
• Chimichurri An uncooked green sauce, mostly made of finely chopped parsley, garlic, oil and red wine vinegar.
• Confit A technique where the ingredient is cooked/poached slowly in its own fat at a low heat. Usually duck, but can include other meats
• Coulis A sauce made with pureed fruits or vegetable, used as a base or garnish
• Cure A method of preserving and flavouring where the food item is packed with a salt mixture to draw moisture out.

• Entrée The small course or dish served before the main meal in a three course meal

• Fillet A boneless piece of meat, poultry, or fish

• Gazpacho A cold soup made of raw blended vegetables. Widely eaten in Spain and Portugal
• Gremolata A green sauce made of finely chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic

• Harissa A fiery North African condiment made from dried chillies, garlic, cumin and olive oil
• Hollandaise A sauce consisting of butter and lemon juice, thickened with egg yolks over gentle heat
• Hors d’oeuvre Small dish served before a meal in European cuisine

• Nori Paper-thin sheets of dried seaweed used in Japanese cuisine

• Pomodoro Means tomato in Italian. Classic Italian tomato based sauce that’s thicker and smoother than marinara and is used as a pizza or pasta sauce

• Romesco A tomato based sauce which originates in the Spanish region of Catalonia, and usually additionally consists of red bell peppers, garlic, toasted almonds, olive oil.
• Roux Paste made by combining flour and fat over heat, used to thicken soups or sauces

• Sashimi Japanese delicacy made of thin slices of fresh raw fish or meat often eaten with soy sauce
• Sauté Fry food in a little oil over high heat.
• Sear Cooking food over high heat until its caramelized on the surface, to build flavor and texture.
• Sous-Chef The second in command chef in the kitchen, after the executive/head chef
• Steak tartare meat dish made from raw ground (minced) beef, served with a raw egg on top
• Sushi Japanese dish of vinegared rice, accompanied by raw seafood and vegetables. The key ingredient is the rice, therefore if there is no rice it isn’t called sushi

• Tempura A Japanese dish which consist of deep fried food (vegetables and sea food) which has been coated in a batter

• Umami Derived from the Japanese word for delicious ‘umai”,  is the fifth taste (others being sweet, sour, salty, bitter) which can be described as rich, savoury and meaty. It’s found in foods like tomatoes, cheese, meats.

I believe if you know the fancy word for “raw steak” served with raw egg, you can pretty much handle everything else when it comes to wining and dining.

Remember; good manners and good wine are timeless. Cheers to a life well-lived,

Makgoadi Ngoasheng