Posted by A couple years ago, we sent out an article about restaurant vocabulary, and another one with a food list. We wanted to publish a new one featuring some sophisticated cooking terms, so you can understand the menu at a Michelin-starred restaurant and/or impress your friends with your last creation.
Here they are. Many terms are French, naturellement.
Salsa – sauce
Demi-glace – demi-glace
Bechamel – béchamel sauce
Velouté – velouté sauce
Deconstruir – deconstruct
Reducir – to reduce
Emulsionar – to emulsionate
Confitar – to confit (as in to cook something in fat at low temperature)
Flambear – to flambé
Ahumar – to smoke
Caramelizar – to caramelize
Encurtir – to pickle
Lacar – to lacquer
Nitrógeno líquido – liquid nitrogen
Infusión – infusion
Salar – to salt
Desalar – to desalt
Marinar – to marinate
Macerar – to macerate
Caldo / fumé / fumet – broth
Puré – purée
Soufflé – soufflé
Tartar – tartare
Maridaje – pairing
Textura – texture
Película – film
Espuma – foam
Gelatina – jelly
Emplatar – to plate
La jeringuilla – the syringe
El soplete – the blowtorch (be careful with this!)
Cacahuete mimético – mimetic peanut
Lastly, here are the seasonal menus at Akelarre, Pedro Subijana’s famous restaurant in San Sebastián. Can you understand what “Las hojas y el Foie bajo la lluvia” means? Neither can we, but it’s probably delicious!
La Eñe 