On menus, it sometimes seems that French terms are used to make a dish seem fancier or more exotic than it is. Thus a modest dish of fried chicken livers becomes Foie de Volalaille Sautée. You would pay more for that, wouldn't you?
In recipes, these terms become a kind of shorthand for the recipe writer, describing a preparation in many fewer words. Instead of asparagus soaked in a dressing of oil, vinegar and herbs, the recipe may simply describe it as “asparagus vinaigrette.” The goal of this glossary is to help decipher those pesky French terms.
See also the Glossaries C to E, F to O, or P to Z.
Go to Wiktionary for pronunciations.
Glossary of French Cuisine
A to B
À gratin, gratiné- dishes with a coating of bread crumbs, often with butter and grated cheese, browned in the oven or under a broiler
À la mode- literally, in the current style, often applied as a scoop of ice cream served on a piece of pie
Agneau- lamb
Ail- garlic
Aioli- (aka Beurre de Provence) garlic sauce, made in a similar way as mayonnaise
Amande- almond
Amandine- incorporating almonds, e.g. amandine garnish: brown butter with shredded almonds
Anchoix- anchovy
Anguille- eel
Apértif- a small alcoholic drink served before a meal to stimulate the appetite
À point- cooked to medium-rare, usually said of beef, especially steak
Artichauds- artichokes
Asperges- asparagus
Aubergine- eggplant
Au jus- with juice, usually a beef broth served with roast beef
Avocat, poires d'avocat- avocado
Au naturel- served in a natural state (e.g. asparagus au naturel is simply boiled)
Bain-marie- water bath: cooking dish set in a larger pan half-filled with water to moderate the cooking heat when dealing with delicate foods
Banane- banana
Béarnaise- in the style of the Bearn region; an egg-thickened butter sauce flavored with tarragon and shallots
Béchemal- a roux-thickened sauce flavored with onion, cloves and bay leaf
Bercy- A sauce of white wined and fish stock, flavored with sautéed shallots, thickened with beurre manie
Beurre- butter
Beurre manié- thickening agent or flour kneaded into an equal amount of butter (2 Tbsp will thicken 1 cup of thin, hot liquid)
Beurre noisette & beurre noir- (aka brown butter and black butter) clarified butter, cooked slowly until light brown (noisette) –or-- very dark brown (noir), the latter usually lifted with vinegar or lemon juice and (especailly for fish) chopped capers
Bier- beer
Bifteck- beef steak
Bisque- a rich, thick cream soup, usually made with fish –or-- a rich frozen dessert, usually containing powdered nuts or macaroons
Bitok- beef steak, hamburger
Blanc- white
Blanch- pouring boiling water over food to loosen skins (e.g. tomatoes or peaches) –or-- boiling for a specified time, then plunging the food into cold water to set the color and stop any further cooking
Blanquette- a stew of veal, lamb or chicken in a cream sauce
Boeuf- Beef
Bon appetit- greeting that encourages your guests to enjoy their meal
Bonbon- a sweet made of, or dipped in fondant
Bonne femme- home style, usually a dish simply cooked, accompanied or garnished by several vegetables
Boudin noir- blood sausage or black pudding
Bouillabaise- a rich fish soup made of several varieties of fish and seafood, with a white wine broth
Bouillon- a clear, delicately seasoned soup, usually made from lean beef stock
Bouquet garni- a bunch of parsley, bay leaves and assorted herbs, tied in a bundle, used as a flavoring when cooking soups or stock
Bourride- A Mediterranean fish soup similar to boulliabase. It uses aromatics like garlic, onions, orange peel and sometimes saffron. It's usually thickened with egg yolks and flavored with aoli.
Braise- to cook meat by searing in fat, then simmering in a covered dish in a small amount of liquid
Brioche- a rich egg bread (a favorite for French toast)
Brouillé- scrambled
Brulée- broiled, especially a sugar crust on some desserts, e.g. crème brulée
Brun- brown
Buerre meunière- (aka lemon butter) brown butter with chopped parsley, lemon juice and seasoning
Larry Ervin - Foodie, self-taught cook and cookbook addict, I never met a recipe I didn't want to twist, simplify, add or switch out ingredients.
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