| Term | Definition |
|---|
| mélanger | mix |
| disposer | arrange |
| peler | peel |
| ajouter | add |
| vider | empty |
| faire bouillir | bring to a boil |
| tamiser | strain/sift |
| faire chauffer | heat |
| faire fondre | melt |
| couper | cut |
| retirer | pull out |
| allumer le four | turn on the oven |
| arroser | baste/spray |
| vider | clean (a fish) |
| reverser | turn over |
| retirer | pull out |
| le temps du cuisson | the cooking time |
| écraser | crush |
| laisser mariner | marinate |
| glisser | slide |
| secouer | shake |
| remettre | put back |
| égoutter | drain |
| battre | beat |
| gratter | scratch |
| couvrir | cover |
| ôter | pull/take off |
| saler | salt (action) |
| poivrer | pepper (action) |
| griller | to grill/toast |
| grillez | toast; grill; roast (coffee) (action) |
| rôtir | roast (meat) |
| faire frire | fry |
| la poêle | frying pan |
| la spatule | spatula |
| la marmite | saucepan |
| la cuillère à soupe | tablespoon |
| la petite cuillère | teaspoon |
| le bol | a bowl |
| l'écuelle f | a platter (é) |
| la planche | a platter (p) |
| faire mijoter | simmer |
| incorporer | blend |
| faire fondre | melt |
| descendre la température | lower the temperature |
| remonter la température | raise the temperature |
| lisser | smooth (action) |
| laisser durcir | let harden |
| remplir | fill |
| graisser | grease |
| refroidir | chill |
| prêt | ready |
| racler | scrape |
| les bords | the edges |
| préparer les ingrédients | assemble the ingredients |
| monter au ruban | bring the mix to a creamy texture |
| beurrer | butter (action) |
| étaler | spread |
| préchauffer | preheat |
| la cuisson | the cooking (stage or time period) |
| le torchon | dish towel |
| casser | break |
| réserver | set aside for later |
| chemiser | line |
| râper | grate |
| éplucher | peel |
| imbiber | to soak |
| faire tremper | dip |
| démouler | remove from a mold |
| masquer | cover or frost |
| décorer | decorate |
| réaliser | complete or make |
| servir | serve |
| couper en tranches/rondelles | slice |
| verser | pour |
| coucher | lay on its side |
| faire ramollir | soften |
| répartir | distribute |
| saupoudrer | sprinkle |
| prélever | remove a portion |
| l'ébullition | the boiling point |
| transvaser | decant |
| débarrasser | clear off |
| un récipient | a container |
| éviter | avoid |
| fendre | split |
| récupérer | recover or collect |
| piquer | stick |
| napper | top |
| mouler | mold or shape |
| enrober | coat |
| affiné | aged |
| à la broche | cooked on a skewer |
| à la vapeur | steamed |
| à l'etouffée | stewed |
| au four | baked |
| bouilli | boiled |
| en daube | stew, casserole |
| en gelée | in aspic/gelatin |
| farci | stuffed |
| frit | fried |
| fumé | smoked |
| grillé | grilled |
| haché | minced, ground (meat) |
| séché | dried |
| aigre | sour |
| amer | bitter |
| piquant | spicy |
| salé | salty, savory |
| sucré | sweet(ened) |
| aiguillettes | long, thin slices (of meat) |
| aile | wing, white meat |
| aromates | seasoning |
| la choucroute | sauerkraut |
| crudités | raw vegetables |
| cuisse | thigh, dark meat |
| émincé | thin slice (of meat) |
| fines herbes | sweet herbs |
| le méli-mélo | assortment |
| le morceau | piece |
| au pistou | with basil |
| la purée | mashed potatoes |
| la rondelle | slice (of fruit, vegetable, sausage) |
| la tranche | slice (of bread, cake, meat) |
| la truffe | truffle (very expensive and rare fungus) |
| le boeuf bourguignon | beef stew (Burgundy) |
| la bouillabaisse | fish stew (Provence) |
| le cassoulet | meat and bean casserole (Languedoc) |
| le coq au vin | chicken in red wine sauce |
| la crêpe | very thin pancake |
| le croque-monsieur | ham and cheese sandwich |
| le croque-madame | ham and cheese sandwich topped with fried egg |
| le foie gras | goose liver |
| la piperade | tomato and bell pepper omelette (Basque) |
| la pissaladière | onion and anchovy pizza (Provence) |
| la salade (de) chèvre | green salad with goat cheese on toast |
| la salade niçoise | mixed salad with anchovies, tuna, and hard-boiled eggs |
| la soupe à l'oignon | French onion soup |
| la tarte tatin | upside-down apple pie |
| des abats | giblets, offal |
| des algues | seaweed |
| l'andouillette f | chitterling sausage |
| des béatilles | assorted organ meats |
| le boudin | blood sausage/pudding |
| la cagouille | snail |
| la cervelle | brains |
| des civelles | spaghetti-like baby eels |
| le civet | game stew thickened with blood |
| la crête de coq | rooster's comb |
| des cuisses de grenouille | frogs' leg |
| l'escargot m | snail |
| le foie | liver |
| le gésier | gizzard |
| la langue | tongue |
| le rognon | kidney |
| le sang | blood |
| le steak tartare | made with raw, mashed beef |
| la tête | head |
| des tripes | tripe (stomach lining) |
| le veau | veal |
| la viande de cheval | horsemeat |
| le repas | meal |
| le petit-déjeuner | breakfast |
| le déjeuner | lunch |
| le dîner | dinner |
| le goûter | snack |
| le hors d'œuvre, l'entrée (f) | appetizer |
| la soupe, le potage | soup |
| le plat principal | main course |
| la salade | salad |
| le dessert | dessert |
| la cuisine | kitchen, cooking |
| la salle à manger | dining room |
| le restaurant | restaurant |
| avoir faim | to be hungry |
| manger | to eat |
| déjeuner | to have breakfast or lunch |
| dîner | to have dinner |
| avoir soif | to be thirsty |
| boire | to drink |
| Je voudrais... | I would like... |
| commander | to order |
| Agneau | lamb |
| Aïoli | garlic mayonnaise |
| Américaine or armoricaine | sauce of white wine, Cognac, tomatoes and butter |
| Ananas | pineapple |
| Andouille | smoked tripe sausage, usually served cold |
| Anglaise (à l') | boiled meats or vegetables |
| Anguille | eel |
| Asperges | asparagus |
| Ballotine | boned, stuffed and rolled poultry |
| Bar | bass |
| Bâtarde | sauce of white roux (a mixture of flour and butter or other fat, usually in equal proportions, cooked together slowly and used to thicken sauces and soups) |
| Béarnaise | sauce made of shallots, tarragon, vinegar and egg yolks, bound with butter |
| Béchamel | sauce made of flour, butter and milk |
| Beurre blanc | sauce of wine and vinegar boiled down with minced shallots, then thickened with butter |
| Beurre noisette | lightly browned butter |
| Bière | beer |
| Bigarade | bitter orange used in sauces and marmalade |
| Bisque (crayfish, lobster, etc.) | rich, velvety soup, usually made with crustaceans, flavored with white wine and Cognac |
| Blinis | small, thick crêpes made with eggs, milk and yeast |
| Bœuf | beef |
| Bœuf bourguignon | beef stew with red wine, onions and lardons (lardons: small chunks of slab bacon) |
| Bombe glacée | molded ice cream dessert |
| Bordelaise | fairly thin brown sauce of shallots, red wine and tarragon |
| Boudin noir | blood sausage |
| Bouillabaisse | various fish (including scorpion fish) cooked in a soup of tomatoes, garlic, saffron and olive oil |
| Bourride | a soup usually made from fillets of large white fish; the creamy broth is thickened with aïoli and poured over slices of bread |
| Brie | cow's milk cheese with a soft, creamy inside and a thick crust, made in the shape of a disk and sliced like a pie |
| Brioche | a soft, often sweet, yeast loaf or roll enriched with eggs and butter |
| Brochette | on a skewer |
| Brochet | pike |
| Biscuits | cookies |
| Caille | quail |
| Calvados | distilled apple cider |
| Canapé | small piece of bread topped with savory food |
| Canard | duck |
| Carbonnade | pieces of lean beef, first sautéed then stewed with onions and beer |
| Carotte | carrot |
| Carré d'agneau | rack of lamb |
| Cassoulet | slow-cooked stew of dried haricot beans baked with various meats (pork, goose, duck and sometimes mutton) in an earthenware pot |
| Cèpes | prized wild mushrooms, same family as the Italian porcini |
| Cerises | cherries |
| Champignons | mushrooms |
| Chanterelles | prized wild mushrooms, trumpet-shaped |
| Charcutière | sauce of onions, white wine, beef stock and gherkins |
| Charlotte | dessert of flavored creams and/or fruit molded in a cylindrical dish lined with ladyfingers (if served cold) or strips of buttered bread (if served hot) |
| Chasseur | brown sauce made with shallots, white wine and mushrooms |
| Chèvre | goat cheese |
| Chevreuil | venison |
| Chou | cabbage |
| Choucroute | sauerkraut; often served with sausages, smoked bacon, pork loin and potatoes |
| Citron | lemon |
| Citron vert | lime |
| Chou-fleur | cauliflower |
| Clafoutis | a dessert of fruit (usually cherries) baked in an egg batter |
| Confit | pork, goose, duck, turkey or other meat braised and sealed in its own fat |
| Coquilles St-Jacques | sea scallops |
| Côtes d'agneau | lamb chops |
| Coulis | thick sauce or purée, often of vegetables or fruit |
| Court-bouillon | stock for cooking fish, meat and poultry |
| Crème chantilly | sweetened whipped cream |
| Crème pâtissière | a cooked egg custard used as a filling for tarts and cream puffs |
| Crêpe | a thin, tender pancake (see also Galettes) |
| Crêpe Suzette | crêpe stuffed with a sweetened mixture of butter, ground almonds, Grand Marnier, orange juice and peel |
| Crevette | shrimp |
| Croque-monsieur | grilled ham and cheese sandwich |
| Croûte (en) | in pastry crust |
| Crudités | raw vegetables |
| Crustacés | shellfish |
| Daube | beef braised in red wine |
| Daurade or dorade | sea bream |
| Ecrevisses | crayfish |
| Entrecôte | 'between the ribs'; steak cut from between the ribs |
| Epinards | spinach |
| Escalope | slice of meat or fish, flattened slightly and sautéed |
| Escargots (à la bourguignonne) | snails (with herbed garlic butter) |
| Faisan | pheasant |
| Financière | Madeira sauce enhanced with truffle juice |
| Poisson | Fish |
| Florentine | with spinach |
| Foie gras | liver of a specially fattened goose or duck |
| Fondue | a bubbling pot of liquid into which pieces of food are dipped, most commonly cheese and bread; can also be chocolate and fruit or various savory sauces and cubes of beef; also, vegetables cooked at length in butter and thus reduced to pulp |
| Forestière | garnish of sautéed mushrooms and lardons |
| Fraise | strawberry |
| Framboise | raspberry |
| Frangipane | almond pastry cream |
| Galantine | boned poultry or meat, stuffed and pressed into a symmetrical form, cooked in broth and coated with aspic |
| Galettes and crêpes (Brittany) | galettes are thin pancakes made of buckwheat flour and are usually savory; crêpes are made of wheat flour and are usually sweet |
| Gâteau | cake |
| Gelée (en) | in aspic (gelatin usually flavored with meat, poultry or fish stock) |
| Génoise | sponge cake |
| Gibier | game |
| Glace | ice cream |
| Granité | lightly sweetened fruit ice |
| Gratin dauphinois | sliced potatoes baked in milk, cream and grated Gruyère |
| Grenouille | frog (frogs' legs: cuisses de grenouilles) |
| Hachis Parmentier | a dish made with mashed and baked potatoes, combined with diced meat and sauce. Also considered to be the French equivalent of cottage or shepherd's pie |
| Hollandaise | egg-based sauce thickened with butter and flavored with lemon |
| Homard | lobster |
| Huître | oyster |
| Jambon | ham |
| Julienne | shredded vegetables; also a consommé garnished with shredded vegetables |
| Jus | juice; also a reduction or essence used as a sauce |
| Lait | milk |
| Langouste | rock or spiny lobster |
| Langoustine | saltwater crayfish |
| Lapereau | young rabbit |
| Lapin | rabbit |
| Lardons | small chunks of slab bacon |
| Lièvre | hare |
| Lotte | monkfish or angler fish; sometimes called 'poor man's lobster' |
| Madrilène (la) | jellied tomato consommé |
| Magret (Maigret) | breast of fattened duck, cooked with the skin on; usually grilled |
| Médaillon | food, usually meat, fish or foie gras, cut into small, round pieces |
| Morue | salt cod |
| Moules (marinières) | mussels (cooked in the shell with white wine, shallots and parsley) |
| Nantua | sauce of crayfish, white wine, butter and cream with a touch of tomato |
| Navets | turnips |
| Noisettes | hazelnuts; also, small, round pieces of meat (especially lamb or veal) |
| Nougat | sweet made with roasted almonds, egg whites, honey and sugar |
| Oeufs | eggs |
| Pain | bread |
| Parfait | sweet or savory mousse; also a layered ice cream dessert |
| Parisienne | garnish of fried potato balls |
| Pâtisserie | pastry |
| Paupiettes | thin slices of meat stuffed with forcemeat and shaped into rolls |
| Pêche | peach |
| Pigeonneau | squab |
| Pintade | guinea hen |
| Pissaladière | tart with onions, black olives and anchovy filets |
| Poireau | leek |
| Poire | pear |
| Pomme | apple |
| Pomme de terre | potato |
| Potée | various vegetables and meats boiled together |
| Poulet | chicken |
| Profiteroles | small puffs of choux paste often filled with whipped cream or crème pâtissière and piled high in a dish with chocolate sauce poured over |
| Provençale (à la) | with garlic or tomato and garlic |
| Quiche | savory tart of eggs filled with a mixture of cream and various fillings (such as ham, spinach or bacon) |
| Raisin | grape |
| Ratatouille | stew of eggplant, tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, onion and garlic, all sautéed in oil |
| Rémoulade | tangy cold sauce often flavored with capers, onions, parsley, gherkins or herbs |
| Ris de veau | sweetbreads |
| Rissole | type of small pie filled with forcemeat |
| Rognon | kidney |
| Rouget | red mullet |
| Rouille | a Provençal sauce, so called because of the red chiles and sometimes saffron which give it a 'rust' color; chiles are pounded with garlic and breadcrumbs and blended with olive oil; the sauce being served with bouillabaisse, boiled fish or octopus |
| Sabayon | whipped egg yolks, sweetened and flavored with wine or liqueur; served warm |
| Saint-Pierre | John Dory, a white-fleshed fish |
| Salade niçoise | salad of tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, anchovy filets, tuna, sweet peppers, celery and olives (also can include green beans, potatoes, basil, onions and/or broad beans) |
| Saumon | salmon |
| Sole meunière | sole dipped in flour and sautéed in butter with parsley and lemon |
| Soissons | garnished with green beans |
| Sorbet | sherbet |
| Spätzle | round noodles, often made from eggs |
| Steak au poivre | pepper steak; steak covered in crushed peppercorns, browned in a frying pan, flambéed with Cognac, often served in a cream sauce |
| Tapenade | a paste of black olives, often capers and anchovies, crushed in a mortar with lemon juice and pepper |
| Tartare | cold sauce for meat or fish: mayonnaise with hard-boiled egg yolks, onions and chopped olives |
| Tarte | tart, round cake or flan; can be sweet or savory |
| Tarte Tatin | upside-down apple tart, invented by the Tatin sisters |
| Tortue | turtle; also, a sauce made with various herbs, tomato and Madeira |
| Tournedos Rossini | beef sautéed in butter, served with pan juices, foie gras |
| Truffe | truffle; highly esteemed subterranean fungus, especially from Périgord |
| Truite | trout |
| Vacherin | ice cream served in a meringue shell; also, creamy, pungent cheese from Switzerland or Eastern France |
| Viande | meat |
| Volaille | poultry |
| à l'ancienne | in the old style |
| à la vapeur | steamed |
| à l'etouffée | stewed |
| à point | medium rare |
| abats | organ meats |
| abricot | apricot |
| addition | bill |
| affiné(e) | aged |
| agneau (de lait) | lamb (young-milk fed) |
| aiglefin, églefin | haddock |
| aigre | sour |
| aigre-doux | sweet & sour |
| aigrelette (sauce) | a sour or tart sauce |
| aiguillettes | thin slivers, usually of duck breast |
| ail | garlic |
| aile | wing of poultry or game bird |
| aile et cuisse | white meat (aile), dark (cuisse), usually chicken |
| aïoli | garlicky blend of eggs and olive oil |
| aligot | mashed potatoes with fresh Cantal cheese and garlic |
| alose | shad |
| alose à l'oseille | shad or other fish in light hollandaise garnished with sorrel |
| aloyau | loin area of beef |
| allumettes | puff pastry strips, also fried matchstick potatoes |
| amande | almond |
| ananas | pineapple |
| anchoiade | puree of anchovies, olive oil, vinegar |
| anchois | anchovy |
| andouillette | smaller chitterline (tripe) sausage |
| aneth | dill |
| anis | aniseed |
| arachide | peanut oil |
| araignée de mer | spider crab |
| ardoise | literally "slate" - refers to the day's specialties |
| agrumes | citrus fruits |
| aromates | spices and herbs |
| artichaut | artichoke |
| asperge | asparagus |
| assiette | plate |
| assiette du pêcheur | assorted fish platter |
| assorti(e) | assorted |
| au four | baked |
| aubergine | eggplant |
| aumônière | thin crèpe, filled, wrapped like bundle |
| aurore | béchamel or cream sauce with tomatoes |
| automne | autumn |
| auvergnat(e) | (style) often with cabbage, sausage, and bacon |
| avocat | avocado |
| baies | berries |
| baies roses | pink peppercorns |
| baigne | bathes |
| ballotine | usually poultry, boned, stuffed, rolled |
| banane | banana |
| bar | fish, similar to bass |
| Barbarie (canard de) | breed of duck |
| barbue | brill, fish related to turbot |
| baron | hindquarters - lamb, rabbit, etc. |
| barquette | small pastry shaped like a boat |
| basilic | basil |
| basquaise | Basque-style, usually with ham or tomatoes or red peppers |
| bavaroise | cold dessert, rich custard with cream and gelatin |
| bavette | skirt steak |
| beatilles | dish combining various organ meats |
| bécasse | woodchuck |
| beignet | fritter or doughnut |
| belon | prized, flat-shelled plate oyster |
| Bercy | fish-stock-based sauce thickened with flour, butter, shallots, white wine |
| berrichonne | garnish of braised cabbage, glazed baby onions, chestnuts, bacon |
| betterave | beet |
| beurre | butter |
| beurre noisette | lightly browned butter |
| biche | female deer |
| bifteck | steak (can be tough) |
| bigarade | orange sauce |
| bigarreau | cherry |
| Billy Bi, Billy By | cream of mussel soup |
| biscuits à la cuillère | ladyfingers |
| blanc (de poireau) | white part of leeks |
| blanc (de volaille) | usually breast of chicken |
| blanquette | veal, lamb, chicken, or seafood stew w/rich white sauce |
| blette | Swiss chard |
| bleu | bloody rare, usually for steak |
| blinis | small pancakes |
| bœuf à la mode | beef marinated and braised in red wine w/carrots, mushrooms, onions |
| bœuf au gros sel | boiled beef, with vegetables and coarse salt |
| boissons (non) comprises | drinks (not) included |
| bombe | molded, layered ice cream dessert |
| bonne femme | home style, meat with bacon, potatoes, mushrooms, onions |
| bonne femme (fish) | with shallots, parsley, mushrooms, potatoes |
| bonne femme (sauce) | white wine sauce with shallots, mushrooms, lemon juice |
| bordelaise | Bordeaux-style, also brown sauce of shallots, red wine, bone marrow |
| bouchée | tiny mouthful, bite-size |
| boudin | technically meat sausage, any sausage-shaped mixture |
| boudin blanc | white sausage (veal, chicken, or pork) |
| boudin noir | pork blood sausage |
| bouillabaisse | Mediterranean fish soup |
| bouilli | boiled |
| bouillon | light soup or broth |
| boulette | meatball or fishball |
| bouquet | large reddish shrimp |
| bourdaloue | hot poached fruit, sometimes wrapped in pastry |
| bourguignon(ne) | Burgundy-style, often with wine, onions, mushrooms, bacon |
| bouribut | spicy red wine duck stew |
| bourride | fish stew |
| bouteille de | bottle of |
| braise | live coals; braised |
| braiser | to braise, cook meat by browning, then simmering |
| brandade (de morue) | warm garlicky purée of salt cod, cream & sometimes mashed potatoes |
| brebis (fromage de) | sheep |
| bretonne | in the style of Brittany, dish served with white beans |
| bretonne (sauce) | white wine sauce with carrots, leeks, celery |
| brioche | buttery, egg-enriched yeast bread |
| broche (à la) | spit-roasted |
| brochet | pike |
| brouillé(e)(s) | scrambled, usually eggs |
| brulé(e) | literally, burned; dark caramelization |
| brunoise | tiny diced vegetables |
| buffet froid | cold buffet |
| bugnes | sweet fried doughnuts or fritters |
| buisson | literally bush; presentation (classically, crayfish) |
| bulot | large sea snail |
| cabécou | small round goat cheese |
| cabillaud | fresh cod |
| Caen (à la mode de) | usually cooked in calvados and white wine or cider |
| café (crème) (au lait) | coffee (with cream) ( with hot milk) |
| café Liègeois | iced coffee served with whipped cream, sometimes ice cream |
| cagouille | small snail |
| caille | quail |
| calamar | squid |
| campagne (de la) | country-style |
| canard | duck |
| canard à la presse | roast duck served with sauce of juices, red wine, cognac |
| canard de Barbarie | breed, with strong flavor |
| canard de Nantes | also canard de Challans, very delicate-flavored small duck |
| canard de Rouen | cross between domestic & wild, smothered not bled, special taste |
| canard sauvage | wild duck |
| caneton | young male duck |
| canette | young female duck |
| cannelle | cinnamon |
| carbonnade | braised beef stew with beer and onions |
| cardon | large, celery-like vegetable in artichoke family |
| carré d'agneau | rack or loin of lamb |
| carré de porc | rack or loin of pork |
| carré de veau | rack or loin of veal |
| carrelet | summer flounder |
| carte | menu |
| carvi | caraway seeds |
| casse-croute | snacks |
| casse-pierre | edible seaweed |
| cassis | black currant, black currant liqueur |
| cassolette | dish presented in a casserole |
| cassoulet | casserole of white beans, including various meats |
| caudière | chowder of fish and potatoes |
| caviar d'aubergine | cold eggplant purée |
| céleri | celery |
| céleri branché | celeriac |
| cèpe | large, meaty wild mushroom |
| cerfeuil | chervil |
| cerise | cherry |
| cerise noire | black cherry |
| cerneau | walnut meat |
| cervelas | garlicky pork sausage, or seafood sausage |
| cervelles | brains, of calf or lamb |
| chair | fleshy portion of poultry or meat |
| champêtre | rustic, simple presentation |
| champignon | mushroom (de bois) wild, (de Paris) cultivated, (sauvage) wild |
| champignons à la grecque | tiny mushrooms cooked with lemon, olive oil, spices |
| chanterelle | pale, curly-capped wild mushroom |
| chantilly | sweetened whipped cream |
| chapon | capon |
| chapon de mer | fish in the scorpion family |
| charcuterie | cold cuts, sausages, terrines, pâtés, also shop selling these |
| chariot (de desserts) | dessert cart |
| charlotte | molded dessert with ladyfingers, custard, fruit compote; cold or hot |
| charolais | light-colored cow that produces high-quality beef |
| chartreuse | dish of braised partridge and cabbage; also a liqueur |
| chasse | the hunt |
| chasseur | sauce with white wine, shallots, mushrooms, tomatoes, herbs |
| châtaigne | chestnuts |
| chaud(e) | hot (or warm) |
| chaud-froid | cooked poultry dish served cold, usually covered with sauce, aspic |
| chaudrée | fish stew, sometimes with potatoes |
| chausson | filled pastry turnover, sweet or savory |
| chemise (en) | wrapped in pastry |
| chevreuil | young deer |
| chèvre | goat cheese |
| chicorée | curly endive |
| chiffonnade | shredded, herbs and vegetables, usually green |
| chinchard | type of fish |
| chipiron | squid |
| choix (au) | a choice, usually may choose from several offerings |
| choron | Béarnaise sauce with tomatoes |
| chou | cabbage |
| chou frise | kale |
| chou rouge | red cabbage |
| chou vert | curly green savoy cabbage |
| choucroute | sauerkraut; also dish of sauerkraut, sausages, bacon, pork, potatoes |
| chou-fleur | cauliflower |
| chous (pâte à) | creampuff (pastry) |
| choux de Bruxelles | brussels sprouts |
| ciboulette | chive |
| cidre | cider, apple, or pear |
| citron | lemon |
| citron pressé | fresh lemonade |
| citron vert | lime |
| citronnelle | lemon grass (oriental herb) |
| citrouille | pumpkin, gourd |
| civelles | spaghetti-like baby eels |
| civet | stew of game thickened with blood |
| civet de lièvre | jugged hare; stewed hare thickened with blood |
| clafoutis | tart, made with crepe batter and fruit (usually black cherries) |
| claires | oysters (sometimes put in beds and fattened up before market) |
| clamart | garnish of peas |
| clémentine | small tangerine, from Morocco or Spain |
| cloute | studded with |
| cochon (de lait) | pig (suckling) |
| cochonnaille | pork products, usually an assortment of sausages or pâtés (1st course) |
| cocotte | casserole or cooking pot |
| coeur | heart |
| coffret | box-shaped pastry |
| coing | quince |
| colin | hake |
| colvert | wild duck |
| compote | stewed fresh or dried fruit |
| concassé(e) | coarsely chopped |
| concombre | cucumber |
| confit | duck, goose, or pork cooked & preserved in its own fat |
| confit | also fruit or vegetables preserved in sugar, alcohol, or vinegar |
| confiture | jam |
| confiture de vieux garçon | varied fresh fruits macerated in alcohol |
| congeler | to freeze |
| congre | eel or fish similar to eel |
| contre-filet | sirloin taken above the loin, tied for roasting, braising, grilling |
| convives (la totalité des) | all those gathered at a single table |
| copeaux | shavings |
| coq (au vin) | mature rooster stewed in wine |
| coque | tiny mild-flavored clam-like shellfish |
| coque (à la) | soft cooked egg, or anything served in a shell |
| coquelet | young, male chicken |
| coquillage | shellfish |
| coquille | shell |
| coquille St Jacques | sea scallop |
| corail | egg sac found in scallops, spiny lobster or crayfish |
| corbeille (de fruits) | basked (of fruit) |
| coriandre | coriander |
| côte d'agneau | lamb chop |
| côte de bœuf | beef blade or rib steak |
| côte de veau | veal chop |
| côtelette | thin chop or cutlet |
| cotriade | Brittany-style fish stew with butter, potatoes, onions, herbs |
| cou d'oie (de canard) | neck skin of goose, stuffed like a sausage |
| cœur de filet | thickest (and best) part of beef filet (usually châteaubriand steaks) |
| coulis | puree or raw or cooked vegetables or fruit |
| coullibiac | hot Russian pâté, usually filled with salmon and covered with brioche |
| coupe | cup; dessert served in goblet |
| courge | squash or gourd |
| courgette | zucchini |
| couronne | ring or circle, usually of bread |
| couteau | knife |
| couvert | place setting |
| crabe | crab |
| crapaudine | preparation of grilled poultry or game bird, backbone removed |
| crécy | carrot garnish, or carrot-based dish |
| crème chantilly | sweetened whipped cream |
| crème fouettée | whipped cream |
| crème pâtissière | custard filling for pastries and caked |
| crème plombières | custard filled with fresh fruit and egg whites |
| crépinette | small sausage patty wrapped in caul fat |
| cresson | watercress |
| cressonade | watercress sauce |
| crête de coq | cock's comb |
| creuse | elongated, crinkle-shelled oyster |
| crevette grise | tiny soft-fleshed shrimp that remains gray when cooked |
| crevette rose | small firm fleshed shrimp that turns red when cooked |
| criste-marine | edible algae |
| croquant(e) | crispy |
| croque-madame | toasted ham and cheese sandwich topped with an egg |
| croque-monsieur | toasted ham and cheese sandwich |
| croquette | ground meet, fish, fowl or vegetables bound with eggs or sauce |
| croquettes | usually coated in crumbs and deep fried |
| crottin (de chavignol) | firm goat cheese |
| croustade | usually small, pastry-wrapped dish (e.g., filled with fruit) |
| croute (en) | in pastry |
| croute de sel (en) | in a salt crust |
| cru(e) | raw |
| crudités | raw vegetables |
| crustacés | crustaceans |
| cuillère (à la) | to be eaten with a spoon |
| cuisse de poulet | chicken drumstick |
| cuisson | cooking |
| cuissot | haunch of veal, venison, or wild boar |
| cuit(e) | cooked |
| cul | haunch or rear, usually of red meat |
| cure-dent | toothpick |
| dariole | usually a garnish in a cylindrical mold |
| darne | a slice or steak from fish, often salmon |
| dattes | dates |
| daube | stew, usually meat |
| daurade | dorade or sea bream, similar to porgy |
| décortiqué(e) | shelled or peeled |
| dégustation | tasting or sampling |
| déjeuner | lunch |
| délice | delight, usually used to describe a dessert |
| demi-deuil | poached (usually chicken) with truffles inserted under skin. Also could be sweetbreads with a truffled white sauce |
| demi-glace | concentrated beef base |
| désossé(e) | boned |
| diable | with a peppery (often mustard based) sauce |
| dieppoise | dieppe style, white wine, mussels, shrimp, mushrooms, cream |
| digestif | after-dinner drink - liqueur |
| dinde | turkey ham |
| dindon(neau) | turkey in general |
| discrétion (à la) | on menu usually refers to wine without limit, at customer's discretion |
| dodine | cold, boned stuffed duck |
| dos | back, also refers to meatiest portion of fish |
| dos et ventre | back and front; both sides (usually fish) |
| douceurs | sweets or desserts |
| doux, douce | sweet |
| duglere | white, flour-based sauce with shallots, white wine, tomatoes, and parsley |
| duxelles | chopped mushrooms and shallots sautéed in butter, mixed with cream |
| eau du robinet | tap water |
| écailler | to scale fish, also an oyster opener or seller |
| échalotes | shallots |
| échine | spare ribs |
| écrevisse | freshwater crayfish |
| effiloche | frayed, thinly sliced |
| églefin, aiglefin | haddock |
| émincé | thin slice, usually of meat |
| encornet | small squid |
| endive | chicory or Belgian endive |
| entrecôte | beef rib steak |
| entrecôte mâitre d'hôtel | with herb butter |
| entrecôte marchand de vin | with sauce of red wine and shallots |
| entrée | first course |
| entremets | sweets |
| épaule | shoulder of veal, lamb, mutton, pork |
| épi de mais | ear of sweet corn |
| épices | spices |
| épinard | spinach |
| escabeche | sardines or marinated raw fish (vinegar or lemon juice and herbs) |
| escalope | thinly slices meat or fish, usually cut at an angle |
| escargot | land snail |
| escargot à l'alsacienne | simmered in Riesling, baked with garlic and parsley butter stuffing |
| escargot de Bourgogne | land snail prepared with butter, garlic, and parsley |
| escargot petit-gris | small land snail |
| espadon | swordfish |
| estofinado | fish stew from Auvergne w/dried cod, eggs, garlic, cream |
| estouffade | stew of beef, pork, onions, mushrooms, orange zest, red wine |
| estragon | tarragon |
| été | summer |
| étrille | small crab |
| étuvé | cooked in own juice, braised |
| éventail (en) | cut into fan shape (vegetables or fish) |
| façon (à ma) | my way (of preparing a dish) |
| faisan(e) | pheasant |
| farandole | rolling cart, usually of desserts or cheese |
| farci(e) | stuffed |
| farine | flour |
| faux-filet | sirloin steak |
| fenouil | fennel |
| fera | salmonlike lake fish |
| fermé(e) | closed |
| ferme(fermier) | farm-fresh |
| feu de bois (au) | cooked over a wood fire |
| feuille de chêne | oak-leaf lettuce |
| feuille de vigne | vine leaf |
| feuilletage (en) | (in) puff pastry |
| feuillete au foie gras | puff pastry layered with sausage and foie gras (extravagant first course) |
| fèves | broad beans or favas |
| ficelle (à la) | tied with a string; also small, thin baguette |
| figue | fig |
| financière | madeira sauce with truffle juice |
| fines de claire | elongated crinkle shelled oysters (fattened up in beds) |
| flageolets | small, pale green kidney-shaped beans |
| flagnarde, flaugnarde | hot fruit-filled batter cake |
| flamande (à la) | flemish style, usually with cabbage, carrots, potatoes, bacon |
| flambe | flamed |
| flamiche | savory tart with rich bread dough crust |
| flamiche aux poireaux | leek and cream tart |
| flan | sweet or savory tart or crustless custard pie |
| flanchet (de veau) | flank (of veal) |
| fletan | halibut |
| fleur | flower |
| fleurons | puff pastry crescent |
| florentine | with spinach |
| foe de veau | calf's liver |
| foie | liver |
| foie gras d'oie (de canard) | liver of fattened goose (duck) |
| foies blonds de volaille | chicken livers; chicken liver lousse |
| foin (dans le) | cooked in hay |
| fond | cooking juices from meat, used to make sauces; also, bottom |
| fond d'artichaut | heart and base of artichoke |
| fondant | melting; as in melted sugar flavored and used for icing |
| forestière | garnish of wild mushrooms, bacon and potatoes |
| four (au) | baked in oven |
| fourchette | fork |
| fourre | stuffed |
| frais, fraiche | fresh |
| fraise | strawberry |
| fraise des bois | wild strawberry |
| framboise | raspberry |
| frangipane | almond custard filling |
| frappe | drink served very cold or with ice |
| frémis | (quivering); barely cooked (oysters) |
| friandises | sweets, petit fours |
| fricadelles | fried minced meat patties |
| fricandeau | thinly sliced veal or rump roast, braised with vegetables, white wine |
| fricassé(e) | ingredients braised in wine with butter and/or cream added; stewed |
| frisée | curly, usually endive |
| frit(es) | french fries |
| fritons | coarse pork rillettes or minced spread (includes organ meats) |
| fritot | small organ meat fritter |
| friture | frying; also refers to preparation of small fried fish (ex. smelts) |
| froid(e) | cold |
| fromage | cheese |
| fromage blanc | smooth low-fat cheese, similar to cottage cheese |
| fromage de tête | head cheese, usually pork |
| fromage maigre | low-fat cheese |
| fruit de la passion | passion fruit |
| fruits confits | preserved fruits; generally refers to candied fruits |
| fruits de mer | seafood |
| fumé(e) | smoked |
| fumet | fish stock |
| galantine | boned poultry or meat stuffed, rolled, cooked, glazed with gelatin, cold |
| galette | crêpe made with buckwheat flour |
| galette | round, flat pastry, pancake or cake; sweet or savory |
| gambas | large prawns |
| garbure | generally a hearty soup of beans, cabbage, and pork or fowl |
| garni(e) | garnished |
| garniture | garnish |
| gâteau | cake |
| gaufre | waffle |
| gayettes | small sausage made with pork liver and bacon |
| gelée | aspic |
| genièvre | juniper berry |
| génoise | sponge cake |
| germiny | garnish of sorrel; sorrel and cream soup |
| gésier | gizzard |
| gibelotte | fricassée of rabbit in red or white wine |
| gibier | game |
| gigot | leg, usually of lamb (d'agneau) |
| gigot de mer | a preparation; usually large pieces of monkfish (lotte), oven-roasted |
| gigue (de) | haunch (of) certain game meats |
| gingembre | ginger |
| girofle | cloves |
| girolle | delicate, pale, orange wild mushroom, chanterelle |
| glace | ice cream |
| glacé(e) | iced, crystallized or glazed |
| glaçons | ice cubes |
| gougère | cheese flavored chou pastry (puff) |
| goujonnettes | generally describes small slices of fish, ex sole, usually fried |
| goujons | small catfish; or any small fish; or small piece; breaded & fried |
| gourmandises | sweetmeats |
| gousse (d'ail) | clove (of garlic) |
| graine de moutarde | mustard seed |
| graisse | fat |
| graisserons | crisply fried pieces of duck or goose skin; cracklings |
| grand veneur | usually a brown sauce for game, with red currant jelly |
| granite | water ice |
| gras | fatty |
| gras-double | tripe baked with onions and white wine |
| gratin | crusty-topped dish; also refers to a casserole |
| gratin dauphinois | baked casserole of sliced potatoes w/cream and sometimes cheese |
| gratin savoyard | baked casserole of sliced potatoes w/bouillon, cheese, butter |
| gratiné(e) | having a crusty, browned top; also onion soup |
| grattons | crisply fried pieces of pork, goose or duck skin; cracklings |
| gratuit | free |
| grecque (à la) | cold vegetables, usually mushrooms, marinated in oil, lemon, water |
| grelot | small white bult onion |
| grenade | pomegranate |
| grenadin | small veal scallop |
| grenouille (cuisses de) | frog legs |
| gribiche (sauce) | mayonnaise with capers, cornichons, and herbs |
| grillade | grilled meat |
| grillé(e) | grilled |
| griotte | shiny, slightly acidic reddish black cherry |
| grive | thrush |
| grondin | type of ocean fish used in fish stews such as bouillabaisse |
| gros sel | coarse sale |
| groseille | red currant |
| gruyère | hard, mild cheese |
| hachis | minced or chopped meat preparation |
| hareng | herring |
| haricot | bean |
| haricot blanc | white bean; usually dried |
| haricot de mouton | stew of mutton and white beans |
| haricot rouge | red kidney bean; also preparation of red beans in red wine |
| haricot vert | green bean, usually fresh |
| hiver | winter |
| hochepot | thick stew, usually oxtail |
| homard | lobster |
| hongroise (à la) | Hungarian-style, usually with paprika and cream |
| hors-d'œuvre | appetizer; also can refer to a first course |
| huile | oil |
| huile d'arachide | peanut oil |
| huile de pépins de raisins | grape seed oil |
| huitre | oyster |
| hure de porc | head of a pig or boar; usually headcheese preparation |
| hure de saumon | a salmon "headcheese", prepared with salmon meat, not the head I |
| ile flottante | classically layered cake covered w/whipped cream, w/custard sauce |
| ile flottantes | floating island of meringue in crème anglaise |
| impératrice (à l') | usually rice pudding dessert with candied fruit |
| indienne (à l') | East Indian style, usually with curry powder |
| infusion | herb tea |
| jambon | ham; also refers to thigh or shoulder of meat, usually pork |
| jambon cru | usually salt cured or smoked ham that has been aged but not cooked |
| jambon de Bayonne | raw, dried, salt-cured ham |
| jambon de Paris | lightly salted, cooked ham, very pale in color |
| jambon de York | smoked, English-style ham, usually poached |
| jambon d'oie (canard) | breast of fattened goose (duck), smoked or salted or sugar cured |
| jambonneau | pork knuckle |
| jambonnette | boned and stuffed knuckle of ham or poultry |
| jardinière | garnish of fresh cooked vegetables |
| jarret de veau | stew of veal shin |
| Jésus de morteau | smoked pork sausage from the Franche-Comte |
| jeun(e) | young |
| joue | cheek |
| julienne | slivered vegetables (sometimes meat) |
| jus | juice |
| kir | crème de cassis and white wine (usually, sometimes red) |
| kir royal | crème de cassis and champagne |
| kougelhopf | sweet, crown-shaped Alsatian yeast cake w/almonds and raisins |
| lait | milk |
| laitance | soft roe (often herring) or eggs |
| laitue | lettuce |
| lamproie | lamprey (eel shaped fish) |
| langouste | clawless spiny lobster; sometimes called crawfish or crayfish |
| langoustine | clawed crustacean, smaller than lobster or spiny lobster (prawn) |
| langue (de bœuf) | tongue (of beef) |
| languedocienne | garnish, usually of tomatoes, eggplant, and wild cèpe mushrooms |
| lapereau | young rabbit |
| lapin | rabbit |
| lapin de garenne | wild rabbit |
| lard | bacon |
| lardon | cube of bacon |
| larme | (teardrop); a very small portion of liquid |
| lèche | thin slice of bread or meat |
| léger(e) | light |
| légume | vegetable |
| lamelle | very thin slice |
| lieu (jaune) | pollack, a prized small (yellow) saltwater fish |
| lièvre | hare |
| limande | sole-like ocean fish, not as firm as sold |
| limande sole | lemon sole |
| lisette | small mackerel |
| lit | bed |
| lotte | monkfish or angler fish; a large firm-fleshed ocean fish, rich in flavor |
| lou magret | breast of fattened duck |
| loup (de mer) | Mediterranean fish, also known as bar, similar to striped bass |
| lyonnaise (à la) | in the style of Lyon, often garnished with onions |
| macédoine | diced mixed fruit or vegetables |
| macérer | to steep, pickle or soak |
| mâche | lamb's lettuce, a tiny, dark green lettuce |
| madeleines | small tea cakes |
| madère | madeira |
| magret de canard (d'oie) | breast of fattened duck (or goose) |
| maigre | thin, non-fattening |
| mais | corn |
| maison (de la) | of the house, or restaurant |
| maître d'hôtel | head waiter; also compound butter |
| maltaise | orange-flavored hollandaise sauce |
| mandarine | tangerine |
| mange-tout | literally, eat it all; podless green bean, snow pea, type of apple |
| mangue | mango |
| manière (de) | in the style of |
| maquereau | mackerel |
| maraichère (à la) | market-garden style; dish or salad that includes various greens |
| marbré(e) | marbled |
| marc | distilled residue of grape skins or other fruit after they've been pressed |
| marcassin | young wild boar |
| marchand de vin | wine merchant; also a sauce made with red wine, meat stock, shallots |
| marché | market |
| marée (la) | literally the tide; usually used to indicate that seafood is fresh |
| marennes | flat-shelled, green-tinged plate oysters; village where raised |
| mareyeur | wholesale fish merchant |
| marine | marinated |
| marinière (moules) | mussels cooked in white wine with onions, shallots, butter, herbs |
| marjolaine | marjoram; also, multilayered chocolate and nut cake |
| marmite | small covered pot; also a dish cooked in a small casserole |
| marquise (au chocolat) | rich chocolate mousse cake |
| marron | large chestnut |
| matelote (d'anguilles) | freshwater fish stew (or of eels) |
| mauviette | wild meadowlark or skylark |
| médaillon | round piece or slice |
| mélange | mixture or blend |
| méli-mélo | an assortment of fish and/or seafood, usually served in a salad |
| melon de cavaillon | small cantaloupe-like melon |
| ménagère (à la) | in the style of a housewife (simply prepared), onions, potatoes, carrots |
| menthe | mint |
| menthe poivrée | peppermint |
| menu d'affaires | (businessman's) - avoid - cell phones |
| menu de la mer | seafood menu |
| menu dégustation | tasting menu |
| menu du marché | fresh ingredients picked up by chef at market that day |
| menu du terroir | regional menu |
| menu gastronomique | extravagant or richly luxurious specialties |
| mets | dish or preparation |
| mets selon la saison | seasonal preparation |
| meunière (á la) | fish seasoned, floured, fried in butter, served with lemon and parsley |
| meurette | in, or with, a red wine sauce; also a Burgundian fish stew |
| meurette | red wine sauce w/mushrooms, onions, bacon, carrots |
| miel | honey |
| mignardises | petit fours |
| mignonnette | small cubes, usually of beef; also refers to coarsely ground peppercorns |
| mijoté(e) (plat) | simmered (dish or preparation) |
| mille-feuille | refers to puff pastry |
| mimosa | garnish of chopped hard cooked egg yolks |
| minute (à la) | prepared at the last minute |
| mirabeau | garnish of anchovies, pitted olives, tarragon and anchovy butter |
| mirabelle | yellow plum |
| mirepoix | cubes of carrots and onions, or mixed vegetables in braising for flavor |
| miroton (de) | slices (of); also stew of meats flavored with onions |
| mitonnée | a simmered soup-like dish |
| mode (à la) | in the style of |
| moelle | beef bone marrow |
| moka | refers to coffee; coffee-flavored dish |
| montagne (de) | from the mountains |
| montmorency | garnished with cherries |
| morceau | piece or small portion |
| morille | wild morel mushroom |
| mornay | cheese sauce |
| morue | salted or dried and salted codfish |
| mouclade | creamy mussel stew; sometimes flavored with curry |
| moule | mussel |
| moule de parques | Dutch mussels; usually fattened in beds |
| moule d'Espagne | large mussel, often served raw as part of seafood platter |
| moules marinières | mussels cooked in white wine, shallots, butter, herbs |
| moules-frites | snack of steaming bowl of mussels, French fries w/mayonnaise |
| mousse | light, airy mixture; sweet or savory |
| mousseline | ingredients lightened with whipped cream or egg whites (sauces) |
| mousseron | tiny, delicate, wild mushroom |
| moutarde (à l'ancienne en) | mustard (coarse grained) |
| mouton | mutton |
| mulet | mullet, a rustic-flavored ocean fish |
| mure | blackberry |
| muscade | nutmeg |
| museau de porc (bœuf) | vinegared pork (beef) muzzle |
| myrtille | type of blueberry |
| mystère | cone-shaped ice cream dessert; also meringue/ice cream/choc sauce |
| nage (à la) | aromatic poaching liquid (served in) |
| nantua | sauce of crayfish, butter cream and truffles; also garnish of crayfish |
| nappe | covered; as with a sauce |
| nature | refers to simple, unadorned preparations |
| navarin | refers to lamb or mutton |
| navet | turnip |
| niçoise | w/tomatoes, onions, anchovies, olives |
| nid | nest |
| nivernaise | in the style of nevers, with carrots and onions |
| nouilles | noodles |
| noisette | hazelnut; hazelnut flavored |
| noisette | also refers to small round piece (such as potato) browned in butter |
| noix | walnut; nut; nut sized |
| normande | refers to fish or meat cooked with apple cider or calvados; or sauce of seafood, cream, mushrooms |
| normande | also dessert with apples, usually served with cream |
| nouilles à l'alsacienne | noodles, usually with butter and cream |
| nouveau (nouvelle) | new or young |
| nouveauté | a new offering |
| noyau | stone or pit |
| œuf à la coque | soft-cooked egg |
| œuf brouillé | scrambled egg |
| œuf dur | hard-cooked egg |
| œuf en meurette | poached egg in red wine sauce |
| œuf mollet | egg simmered in water for 6 minutes |
| œuf poche | poached egg |
| œuf saut à la poêle | fried egg |
| œuf sur le plat | fried egg |
| œufs à la neige | (in the snow) sweetened whipped whites poached in milk/in custard |
| œufs au jambon | eggs and ham |
| offert(e) | offered; free or given |
| oie | goose |
| oignon | onion |
| omble chevalier | member of trout family with firm flaky flesh from white to deep red |
| omelette | aux fines herbs; au fromage (cheese); au jambon (ham) |
| onglet | cut similar to beef flank steak; biftek, and entrecote (can be tough) |
| oreilles (de porc) | ears (of pig) |
| orties | nettles |
| ortolan | tiny wild bird (now protected) |
| os | bone |
| oseille | sorrel |
| oursin | sea urchin |
| ouvert | open |
| paillard (de veau) | thick slice (of veal) |
| pailles (pommes) | fried straw potatoes (finely shredded) |
| paillettes | cheese straws, usually made with puff pastry and Parmesan cheese |
| pain | bread |
| paleron | shoulder of beef |
| paletot | (coat) skin bone and meat of fattened duck or goose |
| palmier | palm-leaf-shaped cookie made of sugared puff pastry |
| palmier (cœurs de) | palm hearts |
| palombe | wood or wild pigeon |
| palourde | prized medium sized clam |
| pamplemousse | grapefruit |
| panache | mixed; liberally used menu term to denote any mixture |
| panade | thick mixture used to bind (flour and butter, bread crumbs, etc.) |
| panais | parsnip |
| pané(e) | breaded |
| panier | basket |
| pannequet | rolled crêpe filled with sweet or savory mixture |
| papillote (en) | cooked in parchment paper or foil |
| paquets (en) | (in) packages or parcels |
| parfait | a dessert mousse; also mousse-like mixture of chicken, duck liver, etc. |
| parfum | flavor |
| parisienne (à la) | varied garnish , always includes fried potato balls tossed in meat glaze |
| parmentier | dish with potatoes |
| partager | share |
| passe-pierre | edible seaweed |
| pastèque | watermelon |
| pastis | refreshing long, cool drink; anise liqueur or flavor w/ice and water |
| pastise | anise liqueur |
| pâte | pastry dough |
| pâte à choux | cream puff pastry |
| pâte brisée | pie pastry |
| pâte sablée | sweeter, richer than pâte sucrée |
| pâte sucrée | sweet pie pastry |
| pâté | molded, spiced, minced meat, baked and served hot or cold |
| pâté en croute | pate baked in pastry crust |
| pâtisserie | pastry |
| pâtissier | pastry chef |
| patte | paw, foot, or leg or bird or animal |
| patte blanche | small crayfish |
| patte rouge | large crayfish |
| paupiette | thin sice of meat, usually beef or fish, filled, rolled, then wrapped |
| pavé | thick slice of boned beef or calve's liver; also king of pastry |
| paysan(ne) (à la) | country style; garnish of carrots, turnips, onions, celery, bacon |
| peau | skin |
| pêche | peach |
| pêche melba | poached peach with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce |
| pêcheur | usually refers to fish preparations |
| pelure | peelings, such as truffles, used for flavorings |
| perce-pierre | samphire, edible seaweed |
| perche | perch, finely flavored fresh water fish |
| perdreau | young partridge |
| perdrix | partridge |
| périgourdine (à la) | sauce, usually with truffles and foie gras |
| persil | parsley |
| petit déjeuner | breakfast |
| petit-pois | small green peas |
| petits fours | tiny cakes and pastries |
| petits-gris | small land snail |
| pétoncle | tiny scallop, similar to bay scallops |
| pets de nonne | small, dainty fried pastry |
| pibale | small eel, also called civelle |
| pièce | portion or piece |
| pied de mouton | meaty, cream-colored wild mushroom; also sheep's foot |
| pied de porc | pig's foot |
| pigeonneau | young pigeon or squab |
| pignons | pine nuts, or pignoli |
| pilau, pilaf | rice booked with onions and broth |
| piment (poivre) de Jamaïque | allspice |
| piment doux | sweet pepper |
| pince | claw; also tongs used when eating snails or seafood |
| pintade | guinea fowl |
| pintadeau | young guinea fowl |
| piperade | basque dish of peppers, onions, tomatoes, and often scrambled eggs |
| piperade au jambon | above served on slice of ham |
| piquant(e) | sharp or spicy tasting |
| pique | larded; studded |
| pissaladière | a flat open-face tart garnished with onions, olives, anchovies |
| pissenlit | dandelion (leaves) |
| pistache | pistachio nuts |
| pistil de safran | thread of saffron |
| pistou | sauce of basil, garlic, olive oil; also a rich vegetable soup |
| pithiviers | classic puff pastry dessert filled with almond cream |
| plat | a dish |
| plat principal | main dish |
| plate | flat-shelled oyster |
| plateau | platter |
| plateau de fruits de mer | seafood platter (raw & cooked combined) |
| plates côtes | part of beef ribs usually used in pot-au-feu |
| pleurote | oyster mushroom |
| plie franche | flounder |
| plombières | dessert of vanilla ice cream, candied fruit, kirsch, whipped cream |
| pluches | leaves of herbs or plants, generally used for garnish |
| poché(e) | poached |
| pochouse | freshwater fish stew prepared with white or red wine |
| poêlé(e) | pan-fried |
| pointe (d'asperge) | tip (of asparagus) |
| poire | pear |
| poireau | leek |
| poires belle Hélène | poached pears served on vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce |
| pois | peas |
| poisson | fish |
| poitrine | breast (of meat or poultry) |
| poitrine demi-sel | unsmoked slab bacon |
| poitrine fumée | smoked slab bacon |
| poivrade | peppery brown sauce of wine, vinegar, and cooked vegetables (strained) |
| poivre | pepper |
| poivre frais de Madagascar | green peppercorns |
| poivre noir | black peppercorns |
| poivre rose | pink peppercorns |
| poivre vert | green peppercorns |
| poivron (doux) | sweet bell pepper |
| polenta | cornmeal cooked with butter and cheese |
| pommade (en) | usually refers to a thick, smooth paste |
| pomme | apple |
| pomme en l'air | caramelized apple slices usually served with blood sausage |
| pommes (de terre) | potatoes |
| pommes à la vapeur | steamed or boiled potatoes |
| pommes à l'anglaise | boiled potatoes |
| pommes allumettes | very thin fries 1/4 x 2-1/2 |
| pommes boulangère | potatoes cooked with the meat; gratin with onions, sometimes bacon |
| pommes dauphinoise | basked dish of sliced potatoes w/milk, garlic, cheese |
| pommes dauphine | mashed potatoes mixed with chou pastry, shaped into balls & fried |
| pommes duchesse | mashed potatoes with butter, egg yolks, nutmeg garnish |
| pommes en robe | potatoes cooked with skins on |
| pommes frites | French fries |
| pommes gratinées | baked dish of potatoes, browned, often with cheese |
| pommes lyonnaises | potatoes sautéed with onions |
| pommes paillés | potatoes cut into julienne strips, then fried |
| pommes pont-neuf | classic fries, cut 1/2 x 2-1/2 |
| pommes soufflées | small thin slices of potato fried twice (inflate like pillows) |
| porc (carré de) | pork (loin) |
| porc (côte de) | pork (chop) |
| porcelet | young suckling pig |
| porto (au) | with port |
| portugaises | type of oyster |
| potage | soup |
| pot-au-feu | boiled beef with vegetables, often served in two or more courses |
| pot-de-crème | individual custard or mousse-like dessert, often chocolate |
| potée | hearty soup of pork and vegetables, generally cabbage and potatoes |
| poularde | fattened hen |
| poule d'inde | turkey hen |
| poule faisane | female pheasant |
| poulet (rôti) | chicken (roast) |
| poulet basquaise | basque style chicken, with tomatoes and sweet peppers |
| poulet de Bresse | high-quality, free-running, corn-fed chicken |
| poulet de grain | corn-fed chicken |
| poulet fermier | free-range chicken |
| poulpe | octopus |
| pousse-pierre | edible seaweed |
| poussin | baby chicken |
| praire | small clam |
| pralin | ground caramelized almonds |
| primeur | refers to early fresh fruits and vegetables |
| printanière | garnish of spring vegetables, cut into dice or balls |
| prix fixe | fixed-price menu |
| prix net | service included |
| profiterole | chou pastry desssert, filled with ice cream and topped with chocolate |
| provençal(e) | in the style of Provence; with garlic, tomatoes, olive oil |
| prune | fresh plum |
| pruneau | prune |
| pâtes (fraiches) | pasta (fresh) |
| purée | mashed Q |
| quenelle | dumpling, usually of veal, fish, or poultry |
| quetsch | small purple damson plum |
| queue (de bœuf) | tail (oxtail) |
| râble de lièvre (lapin) | saddle of hare (rabbit) |
| radis | small red radish |
| radis noir | large black radish |
| ragout | stew, usually of meat |
| raie | skate (fish) |
| raifort | horseradish |
| raisin | grape |
| ramequin | small individual casserole, also small tart |
| râpé(e) | grated or shredded |
| rascasse | scorpion fish |
| rave | root vegetables - celery, turnip, radish |
| ravigote | thick vinaigrette sauce w/vinegar, white wine, shallots, herbs, mayo |
| réchauffer | to reheat |
| reine-claude | greengage plum |
| reinette | fall and winter variety of apple |
| rémoulade | sauce of mayo, capers, mushrooms, herbs, anchovies, gherkins |
| rillettes (d'oie) | minces spread of pork (goose), or duck, fish, rabbit |
| rillons | usually pork belly, cut up and cooked 'til crisp |
| rince doigt | finger bowl |
| ris d'agneau | lamb sweetbreads |
| ris de veau | veal sweetbreads |
| rivière | river |
| riz à l'impératrice | cold rice pudding with candied fruit |
| riz complet | brown rice |
| rognonnade | veal loin with kidneys attached |
| rognons | kidneys |
| romarin | rosemary |
| rondelle | round slice |
| rosette (de porc) | dried sausage (of pork) usually from Beaujolais |
| rosé | rare (meat) |
| rôti | roast |
| rouelle (de) | slice of meat or vegetable cut at an angle |
| rouget (rouget barbet) | sweet, red-skinned fish commonly called red mullet; smaller, better |
| rouille | thick, spicy, rust-colored sauce, w/olive oil, peppers, tomatoes, garlic |
| roulade | roll, often stuffed |
| roulé(e) | rolled |
| roux | butter and flour mixed together to thicken sauce |
| sabayon | light sweet sauce of egg yolks, sugar, wine, flavoring, whipped as cooked |
| sable | shortbread-like cookie; also sweet pastry dough |
| safran | saffron |
| saignant(e) | very rare (for the cooking of meat) |
| Saint Pierre | mild, flat, white ocean fish; john dory |
| Saint-Germain | with peas |
| Saint-Hubert | sauce poivrade with chestnuts and bacon added |
| Saint-Jacques (coquille) | sea scallop |
| saison (suivant la) | according to the season |
| salade aux noix | green salad with walnuts dressed with walnut oil |
| salade folle | mixed salad, usually including green beans and foie gras |
| salade panachée | mixed salad |
| salade verte | green salad |
| salé(e) | salted |
| salicorne | edible algae |
| salmis | stewlike preparation of game birds or poultry |
| salpicon | diced vegetables, meat and /or fish in a sauce |
| salsifis | salsify, or oyster plant |
| sandre | perchlike freshwater fish |
| sang | blood |
| sanglier | wild boar |
| sarriette | summer savory; also called poivre d'âne |
| saucisse | small fresh sausage |
| saucisson | large dried sausage |
| saucisson de Lyon | pork sausage with garlic, pepper, sometimes truffles or pistachios |
| sauge | sage |
| saumon (sauvage) | salmon (wild, non-cultivated) |
| saumon d'Écosse | scottish salmon |
| saumon fumé | smoked salmon |
| saupiquet | classis aromatic wine sauce thickened with bread crumbs |
| sauté(e) | browned in fat |
| sauvage | wild |
| savarin | yeast-leavened cake shaped like a ring, soaked in sweet syrup |
| savoyarde | usually, flavored with Gruyère cheese |
| scarole | escarole |
| seiche | large squid |
| sel | salt |
| selle | saddle (of meat) |
| serpolet | wild thyme |
| service (non) compris | service (not) included |
| serviette | napkin |
| sirops | flavored syrup w/mineral water, seltzer, lemon soda (bar or cafe) |
| smitane ?? | sauce of cream, onions, white wine and lemon juice |
| soissons ?? | dried or fresh white beans |
| sole normande | sole poached in cider, garnished with mussels, shrimp, cream sauce |
| sorbet | sherbet |
| soubise | onion sauce |
| souffle | light sweet or savory mixture, served hot or cold |
| steak | beef steak |
| stockfisch | salted and air-dried codfish |
| succes (wrong) au pralin | meringue cake flavored w/caramelized almonds, layered w/butter cream |
| sucre | sugar |
| suprême | a veal- or chicken-based white sauce thickened with flour and cream |
| suprême | a boneless breast of poultry or a fillet of fish |
| tablier de sapeur | tripe that is marinated, breaded, and grilled |
| tajine | spicy North African stew of veal, lamb, chicken, or pigeon with veg |
| tanche | tench, a freshwater fish with mild, delicate flavor |
| tapenade | blend of black olives, anchovies, capers, olive oil, lemon juice |
| tarama | mullet roe, often made into a spread of the same name |
| tart tatin | caramelized upside-down apple pie |
| tartare | chopped raw beef, seasoned and garnished with raw egg, etc. |
| tarte | tart; open-face pie or flan, usually sweet |
| tarte au fromage | cheesecake |
| tartine | open-face sandwich; buttered bread |
| tasse | cup |
| tendre | tender |
| tendrons | cartilaginous meat cut from beef or veal ribs |
| terrine | earthenware container; also mixture cooked in the container |
| tête de veau (porc) | head of veal (pork), usually used in headcheese |
| thé | tea |
| thon | tuna fish |
| thym | thyme |
| tian | earthenware gratin dish; also vegetable mixture cooked in dish |
| tiède | lukewarm |
| tilleul | lime or linden blossom herb tea |
| timbale | small mold; mixture prepared in mold |
| topinambour | Jerusalem artichoke |
| tortue | turtle |
| toulousaine | Toulouse-style; usually with truffles or sweetbreads; cock's combs, etc. |
| tournedos | center portion of beef filet, usually grilled or sautéed |
| tournedos rossini | sauteed tournedos garnished with foie gras and truffles |
| tourteau | large crab with large claws full of deliciously sweet meat |
| tourtière | shallow cooking vessel; also pastry dish filled w/spples and/or prunes |
| tranche | slice |
| travers de porc | spare ribs |
| tripes à la mode de Caen | beef tripe, carrots, onions, leeks, spices, cooked w/cider and brandy |
| tripoux | mutton tripe |
| trompettes des mort | dark brown "horn of plenty" mushrooms |
| tronçon | cut of meat or fish (sliced from widest part) |
| truffe (truffé[e]) | truffle (with truffles) |
| truite | trout |
| truite saumonée | salmon trout |
| tuile | literally, tile; delicate almond-flavored cookie |
| turban | usually mixture or combination of ingredients cooked in ring mold |
| turbot(in) | turbot (small turbot) considered the finest of fish (and most expensive) |
| vacherin | dessert of baked meringue, with ice cream and cream; also a cheese |
| vallée d'ange | region of Normandy; also garnish of cooked apples and cream |
| vanille | vanilla |
| vapeur (à la) | steam(ed) |
| veau | veal |
| veloutée | veal or chicken based sauce thickened with flour |
| venaison | venison |
| ventre | belly or stomach |
| venus | American clam |
| verjus | juice from unripe grapes; once used in sauces instead of vinegar |
| vernis | large, fleshy clam |
| vert-pré | watercress garnish, sometimes includes potatoes |
| verveine | lemon verbena (herb tea) |
| vessie (en) | cooked in a pig's bladder (usually a chicken) |
| viande | meat |
| vichy | with glazed carrots; also a brand of mineral water |
| vichyssoise | cold, creamy leek and potato soup |
| vierge (beurre) | whipped butter sauce with salt, pepper, and lemon juice |
| vierge (huile d'olive) | virgin olive oil |
| vieux (vieille) | old |
| vigneron | wine grower |
| vinaigre (vieux) | vinegar (aged) |
| vinaigre de Xeres | sherry vinegar |
| vinaigrette | oil and vinegar dressing |
| vivant(e) | living |
| vivier | fish tank |
| vol au vent | puff pastry shell |
| volaille | poultry |
| Xeres | sherry (vinegar) |
| yaourt | yogurt |
| zeste | citrus peel, with white pith removed |
| bien cuit | well cooked |
| à point | medium |
| saingant | rare |
| bleu | blue (very rare) |
| cru | raw |
| la barquette | container / tray eg meat / tub eg margarine / punnet eg strawberries |
| le tupperware | used generically for plastic containers |
| la gamelle | mess kit / billycan / lunch box |
| farcir (eg des tomates farcies) | stuffed |
| fourrer (choses sont fermées et chaussons aux pommes) | filled |
| broyer | to grind /crush |
Combine with other sets
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