AP Flour:
Abbreviation for All-Purpose Flour, a mixture of hard and soft wheat flours. It can be used for most any recipe.  
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Bain-marie:
French term meaning water bath. Used to gently cook foods by placing them in a cooking vessel and then surrounding the vessel with simmering water.  
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Bake:
To cook foods by surrounding food with hot dry air.  
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Blanch:
To cook an item briefly in boiling water or hot oil so it may cook evenly, tenderize, or loosen skin or shell.  
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Boil:
To cook foods in bubbling liquid at a temperature of 212 deg. F, the boiling point of water.  
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Bouquet Garni:
French term for small bundle of herbs, often consisting of parsley, bay leaf and thyme, wrapped in cheesecloth and tied with a string; used to flavor stocks.  
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Braise:
To cook food in a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered vessel. Meats are often browned in fat first for added flavor and color.  
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Brine:
Pickling or preserving foods by soaking in a water and salt solution to which a sweetener such as sugar is sometimes added.  
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Broil:
To quickly cook food under direct heat.  
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Brown:
To cook quickly in high heat to give foods a nice brown color and richer flavor.  
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Broth:
To cook a liquid in which the flavors of meat, meat bones, poultry, fish, vegetables or herbs are infused into the liquid through simmering.  
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Caramelize:
To heat sugar or cook foods to release their natural sugars, to a temperature of 360 deg. F, converting the sugars to a brown liquid state.  
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Cream:
To blend together thoroughly until it has a uniform, creamy consistency.  
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Deglaze:
Adding a little liquid to a hot pan to loosen the pan dripping after roasting or sautéing food to use as a base for creating a stock, gravy or sauces.  
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Dredge:
To coat with a dry ingredient such as flour, bread crumbs, or cornmeal.  
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Emulsify:
To blend two liquids together to create a smooth and usually thick consistency. A stabilizer such as egg or mustard is often used to ensure the emulsion does not break down. Mayonnaise and hollandaise are two examples of emulsions.  
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Fry:
To cook foods over moderate to high heat in a substantial amount of fat. Deep-frying completely submerges the food in the fat.  
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Grill:
To cook foods where the heat source is directly under the food.  
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Macerate:
To steep food in liquid; usually frsh fruit in liquer.  
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Mirepoix:
A French term for a mixture of chopped vegetables, usually including celery, carrots, and onions used to flavor sauces, stock and meats when roasting or braising.  
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Poach:
To cook a food barely covered in simmering liquid.  
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Reduce:
To boil a liquid, usually a stock, wine or sauce, to thicken its consistency and concentrate its flavor.  
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Roast:
To cook foods by surrounding food with hot dry air and having them baste in their own juices.  
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Sauté:
To cook foods quickly in a small amount of fat.  
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Sear:
To quickly cook the surface of a food especially meat or fish, over high heat, to brown the exterior.  
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Simmer:
To cook food in a liquid just below its boiling point.  
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Smoke:
To cure or cook foods imparting a smoky flavor by placing over heated wood chips in a sealed cooking vessel. Hot smoking will cook the food, cold smoking only imparts the smoke flavor and does not cook the food.  
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Steam:
To cook foods by surrounding with steam heat in a covered vessel.  
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Stew:
To cook food in a liquid over low heat and for a long time, tenderizing and blending the flavors.  
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Stir-Fry:
To cook small-cut foods quickly over high heat in a small amount of hot oil, constantly stirring.  
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Sweat:
Generally used on vegetables by cooking them in a small amount of fat, over low heat in a covered vessel, until they become soft and release moisture without browning.  
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