Blue cheese A semi-soft cow's milk cheese characterized by blue veins of mold and a very strong aroma. Maytag (Iowa, US), Stilton (UK), Roquefort (France), and Gorgonzola (Italy) are all types of blue cheese.
Boiled icing An icing similar to Italian meringue that is used as a filling and frosting for a number of old-fashioned American layer cakes such as devil's food cake.
Bombe A frozen dessert made by lining a special mold with ice cream or sorbet, The center cavity is then filled with a mousse, cream or parfait mixture. The mold is tightly sealed and the dessert is frozen solid before unmolding and serving.
Bouquet garni A bunch of herbs traditionally including parsley, thyme, and bay leaf that are put into a cheesecloth bag and dangled in a stockpot to infuse flavor.
Braise To brown food (usually meat) in oil, and then cook it slowly in a liquid (usually wine, stock, or water).
Breakfast cocoa Cocoa powder with at least twenty-two percent cocoa butter.
Brioche A French yeast bread with a sweet flavor and light texture, Similar to the Jewish Challah bread.
Brown cow An ice cream soda made with vanilla ice cream and root beer.
Brown sugar May be dark or light, the darker variety containing more molasses and having a stronger flavor. Usually measured for cooking packed. May harden if not stored in an airtight container.
Bulgur Whole wheat grains that have been boiled until tender and the husk slightly cracked, and then dried. Common ingredient in Arabic (burghul), Turkish (bulgur), and Cypriot (pourgouri) cooking. Available coarsely or finely ground.
Butter cake A standard cake base prepared by creaming butter with sugar to incorporate air, adding whole eggs or just yolks, flour, baking powder, and a liquid such as milk. Most American layer cakes are butter cakes.
Buttercream A flavored mixture of butter, sugar and eggs used to fill and frost cakes. Whole eggs, yolks or whites may be heated with sugar in a double-boiler and whipped cold (or alternatively, sugar syrup cooked to the firm-ball stage can be poured over the eggs), before adding the butter and flavoring. Also made by combining butter with pastry cream in a one-to-two ratio or with custard sauce in a one-to-one ratio.
C
Cafe The French term for coffee.
Calavo The trade name for California Avocados.
Calorie A unit of heat; 1 calorie = 3.968 BTU. The heat required to raise one gram of water one degree centigrade.
Calvados An apple brandy from Normandy, France made from cider that has been aged for up to two years and distilled.
Canadian bacon The large rib-eye muscle of the pork loin, which has been cured and smoked. Usually lean, making a good ham substitute for those watching their fat.
Canapé An appetizer prepared on a base such as a round of toast or a cracker.
Canard The French term for duck.
Candy thermometer Usually a large glass mercury thermometer that measures temperatures from about 40 degrees F to 400 degrees F. A frame or clip allows it to stand or hang in a pan during cooking.
