Italicized words in definitions are themselves defined in this glossary.

Abricot: apricot.

Acidulé(e): slightly acid.

Aligot: mashed potatoes with tomme and garlic: a specialty of the Auvernge.

Affiné(e): aged, usually used with reference to cheese.

Agneau: lamb.

….des Pyrénées: lamb raised on the northern slopes of the Pyénées.

….pré-salé: lamb raised on the salt marshes of Normandy.

Agrumes: citrus fruits.

Aigre: bitter or sour.

Aigre-doux: sweet and sour.

Aiguiette: a long, thin slice of poultry, meat, or fish.

Ail: garlic.

Aile: of poultry, the breast.

Aillé(e): flavored with garlic.

Aïoli: garlic mayonnaise; also salt cod, hard-boiled eggs, boiled snails, and vegetables served with garlic mayonnaise; specialties of Provence.

Airelle: cranberry.

Amer: bitter.

Amuse bouche or amuse gueule: appetizer offered without charge; folie du chef.

Ananas: pineapple.

Anchois (de Collioure): anchovy (esteemed salt-cured anchovy from Collioure on the Mediterranean coast near the Spanish border).

Anchoïade (de Collioure): blend of olive oil, anchovies, and garlic (filets of anchovies from Collioure, usually with strips of red peppers).

Ancienne, à l’: prepared in a traditional style.

Angélique: angelica.

Antillaise: garnished with citrus fruits.

À point: of meats, cooked medium-rare; also any ingredient cooked to a desired stage.

Appelation d’origine contrôlée (AOC): a specific definition of a particular wine, cheese, butter, fruit, or poultry, recognized by law.

Armagnac: brandy from the Armagnac area in southwest France.

Artichaut: artichoke.

Asperge: asparagus.

Assiette: plate.

Auberge: inn.

Auvergne: region in central France famous for its hearty cuisine featuring splendid pork products and cheeses.

Avocat: avocado.

Baba: a cake made of leavened dough, steeped in rum or Kirsch syrup after baking.

Badoit: brand name of a popular, lightly effervescent mineral water.

Baguette: a long, thin loaf of bread.

Baie: berry.

Baie rose: pink peppercorn.

Banane: banana.

Banyuls: a French sweet wine whose culinary uses are similar to those of port.

Bar: ocean fish similar to sea bass; also called loup on the Mediterranean coast, loubine or louvine in the south-west, and barreau in Brittany.

Bar de ligne: bar caught by line rather than net.

Barigoule (à la): a method of preparing braised artichokes with a stuffing of ham, French bacon, mushrooms, and herbs.

Barreau: see bar.

Basilic: basil.

Basque: denoting the area in the extreme southwest of France (Pays Basque), whose culinary specialties include fish, ham (Bayonne ham), and dishes prepared with tomatoes and/or peppers.

Baudroie: In Provence, monkfish or anglerfish.

Bavarois: Bavarian cream, a cold molded dessert of custard, gelatin cream and sometimes a fruit purée or other flavoring.

Béarn: region in south-west France, noted for meats, poultry and game; its culinary specialty is garbure.

Beignet: fritter, or fried pastry.

Bergamote: bergamot, a small sour citrus fruit similar to orange; a barley sugar flavored with bergamot essence, a specialty of the town of Nancy; name of a variety of pear.

Bétail: cattle.

Beurre: butter.

…citron: butter flavored with lemon.

…noisette: lightly browned butter.

Biftek: beef steak.

Biologique: organic.

Bistro: a bar or small restaurant.

Blanc(he): white.

Blanquette: classic stew of poached veal, lamb, chicken, or seafood, enriched with an egg and cream white sauce.

Braisé: braised.

Brebis: ewe.

Bleu(e): blue; of cheese, blue-veined; of cooking of meats, very rare.

Bleu de Bresse: a blue-veined cow’s-milk cheese produced in Bresse.

Blini(sserie): blini, a small, thick pancake, a specialty of Russian cuisine (a place where blinis are made or sold).

Boisson: drink.

Boles de picoulat: meatballs made of lamb or mutton with seasonings. A specialty of Catalan.

Bouche: mouth; used in expressions for appetizer, amuse bouche, mise en bouche, etc.

Bouillabaisse: a Mediterranean fish soup most closely identified with Marseilles, that includes a mixture of fish from that area, cooked in a broth of water, olive oil, onions, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, and saffron. The broth is separately seasoned with pepper-flavored mayonnaise, rouille.

Boulangerie: bakery.

Bourride: a Mediterranean fish soup that contains a mixture of small white fish, onions, tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and olive oil, thickened with egg yolks and aïoli (garlic mayonnaise).

Boutargue: dried, pressed roe of the gray mullet, a specialty of Provence and the Mediterranean; also called poutargue.

Braise (de sarment de vigne): embers (of vine stalks).

Brandade (de morue): a warm garlicky purée (of salt cod) with milk or cream or oil, and sometimes with mashed potatoes; specialty of Provence. In current usage, denotes a variety of mashed potato dishes.

Brasserie: originally a brewery, a brasserie today is a café or restaurant where beer and other drinks are served. Brasseries serve a limited menu (typically including oysters and choucroute garnie) and are open at any time of day and often until late at night.

Bresse: an area north of Lyon between the Saône and Doubs rivers, particularly noted for poultry and dairy products.

Brie: semi-soft cow’s milk cheese of which the best are Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun.

Brioche: yeast bread enriched with butter and egg.

...perdue: analogous to pain perdue.

Brioché(e): something made with brioche dough.

Brisure (de truffes): referring to something crushed (crushed truffles).

Broche, à la: spit-roasted.

Brochette: skewer; meat, fish or vegetables cooked on a skewer.

Buccin: see bulot.

Bulot: large sea snail or whelk, also called buccin.

Cabécou: small, round goat’s-milk cheese (also made with ewe’s or cow’s milk) from southwest France; also called Rocamadour.

Cabillaud: fresh cod, also called morue.

Cacao: cocoa.

Café: coffee.

Café au lait: coffee with milk.

Caille: quail.

Calanques: term denoting a dish associated with Mediterranean coast between Marseilles and Cassis, site of cliffs of that name.

Calisson: a candy made from almonds, candied fruits (melon and orange), orange-flower water and syrup; traditional specialty of Provence.

Calmar: a small squid; also called encornet and in the Basque region, chipiron.

Calvados: apple brandy made in the département of that name in Normandy.

Camarguais(e): from the Camargue, a swampy area in the Rhône Delta.

Camembert: semi-soft cow’s milk cheese of which the best is made in Normandy.

Canard: duck.

Cancalaise, à la: denotes any of several fish dishes prepared using oysters from the Bay of Cancale in Brittany, or other similar shellfish.

Canette: young female duck.

Cantal: large cylindrical cow's milk cheese made in the Auvergne.

Câpres: capers.

Cardamome: cardamom.

Cargolade: a mixed grill of snails, lamb, pork sausage, and sometimes blood sausage, cooked over vine clippings; specialty of Catalan.

Carpaccio: originally denoting a dish of thinly sliced raw beef, now often applied to any ingredient to emphasized that it is served raw.

Cassis: black currant; also a liqueur made from black current.

Cassolette: casserole.

Cassoulet: a casserole of white beans with various combinations of sausage, duck, pork, lamb, mutton, and goose. A traditional dish of south-western France.

Castagnol: semi-soft cheese the color of ivory, South-West France.

Catalan: an area in southern Langedoc, near the border with Spain.

Cavaillon: a town in Provence known for the orange-fleshed melon produced in the vicinity.

Cazette: a particularly refined form of hazelnut.

Cèpe: cep, a wild boletus mushroom.

Cerfeuil: chervil.

Cérise: cherry.

Ceylan: Ceylon.

Chalosse (comme en): a gastronomically renowned region in the south-west, close to the Pyrénées (as in Chalosse).

Champignon (sauvage): (wild) mushroom.

Chanterelle: a mushroom also called girolle.

Chantilly, Crème Chantilly: sweetened whipped cream.

Charlotte: classic cold dessert in which a deep dish or mold (charlotte mold) is lined with ladyfingers, filled with custard or other sweet filling and served unmolded; also in the hot version the dish is lined with crustless white bread sautéed in butter, filled with fruit compote, and baked; more generally, any dish prepared in a charlotte mold or the like and served unmolded.

Chartreuse: a green herbal liqueur made by the Chartreuse monks in the Savoie.

Chaud(e): hot.

Chèvre: goat; cheese made from goat’s milk.

Chevreau: young goat.

Chiffonade: shredded herbs and vegetables, possibly moistened with butter or cream for use as a garnish.

Chipiron (à l’encre): Basque name for small squid, also called calmar, encornet and supion (in its ink).

Chitake: shitake, a variety of mushroom originating in Japan.

Chocolat: chocolate.

Chorizo: a dry Spanish sausage flavored with red peppers and garlic.

Chou: cabbage. Also, a small, sweet or savory bun made from double-cooked choux pastry, pâte à choux; also called a pastry puff.

Choucroute (garni): sauerkraut (traditionally served with potatoes, sausages, bacon, and pork, but other ingredients such as fish are also offered; a specialty of Alsace).

Choux, pâte à: a rich pastry dough.

Charcuterie: pork products.

Chocolat: chocolate.

Chutney: chutney, a sweet and sour condiment.

Ciboulette: chives.

Cidre(doux): cider (sweet cider).

Citron: lemon.

Citron vert: lime.

Champignon: mushroom.

Clafoutis: traditional rustic custard tart, a specialty of the South-West.

Coco: a small white bean; also coconut.

Cocos paimpolais: large white beans named for Paimpol, Brittany.

Coeur: heart.

Coeur de filet: thickest and best part of a filet.

Coing: quince.

Colonel: lemon or lime sherbet doused with vodka.

Commander avant le repas, à: to be ordered before the meal.

Compagnard(e): rustic.

Complet: fully booked; with no more room for customers.

Compote: stewed fresh or dried fruit.

Compotée: a purée prepared by long cooking.

Concombre: cucumber.

Confit: a conserve, often pieces of duck, goose or pork cooked and preserved in their own or other fat; also fruit or vegetables preserved in sugar, alcohol or vinegar.

Confit de vin: a wine-based conserve.

Confiture: jam.

Conquises de l’Aveyron: sweet cakes; specialty of the Auvergne.

Copeau(x): shaving(s), as from chocolate or vegetables.

Coq au vin (rouge, blanc): mature rooster (nowadays more commonly chicken) braised in (red, white) wine.

Coque: cockle; also shell.

Coquillages: shellfish.

Coquille St-Jacques: scallop.

Corbeille: basket.

Côte d’agneau: lamb chop.

Côte de boeuf: beef rib steak.

Côte de veau: veal chop.

Côtelette: thin chop or cutlet.

Coulis: a liquid purée of raw or cooked vegetables or fruit.

Coupe: denotes a dessert served in a goblet.

Courgette: zucchini.

Crabe: crab.

Couscous: granules of semolina coated in flour; also the North African dish that includes the steamed grain, seasonings, broth, vegetables, meats, spicy sauce and sometimes chickpeas and raisins.

Craquant(e): crisp.

Craquelin: a preparation including a crisp component.

Crème: cream.

...anglaise: light egg-custard cream.

...brulée: a rich custard dessert topped with caramelized sugar.

...de cassis (framboise, etc.):liqueur of black currant (raspberry, etc.).

...fraîche: thick, sour heavy cream.

...fromage fermière: white cheese.

...patisserie: custard filling for pastries and cakes.

Crêpe(rie): thin pancake (snack bar or small restaurant specializing in crêpes).

Crêpe Suzette: hot dessert crêpe flamed with orange liqueur.

Crépine: caul fat.

Crevette: shrimp.

Croissant: a crescent-shaped roll made with puff pastry or a leavened dough.

Croque au sel, à la: served raw, with a small bowl of salt for seasoning.

Crostino: small slice of toast.

Croustillant(e): refers to a presentation of ingredients upon or enclosed in a shell of crunchy pastry.

Croûte (en): crust (in a crust; also refers to something so cooked).

Croûte de sel, en: in a salt crust; also, refers to something so cooked.

Croûtons: small cubes of toasted or fried bread.

Cru(e): raw (uncooked).

Crudités: assorted vegetables, mostly raw, served as an appetizer.

Croûton: a small cube of toasted or fried bread.

Cuillère: spoon.

Cuisine: kitchen; also style of cooking.

Cuisse: thigh or leg.

Cuisson: cooking.

Cuit(e): cooked.

Cuit(e) au plat: cooked flat.

Curry: curry.

Cuvée (particulière de la maison): blended wine (house wine).

Daurade: a sea bream, the most prized of a group of ocean fish similar to porgy known collectively as dorade.

Déclinaison: in culinary usage, a complete set of variations of something.

Dégustation: tasting.

Déjeuner: lunch.

Dés (de homard): dice-sized pieces (of lobster).

Dessert: dessert.

Désossé(e): boned.

Digéstif: after-dinner drink.

Dorade: see daurade.

Dos: back; also the meatiest part of a fish.

Doux, douce: sweet; also mild.

Eau: water.

….de source: spring water.

….douce: fresh water.

….du robinet: tap water.

….gazeuse: effervescent or carbonated water.

….minérale: mineral water.

Eau-de-vie: a brandy, usually fruit-based.

Ébène: ebony color.

Écaille: scale, as of a fish.

Échalote: shallot

Écorce (d’orange): (orange) peel.

Edel de Cleron: a cheese similar to Brie, produced in the Franche-Comté.

Embeurré de choux: buttery cooked cabbage.

Émincé(e): thinly sliced; also thin slices of meat served in a sauce.

Encornet: small squid; also called calmar, and in the Basque region chipiron.

Encre: ink, as of a squid.

Entier(-ière): entire.

Entrecôte: beef rib steak.

Entrée: first course.

Éperlan: smelt or whitebait.

Épice: spice.

Epigrammes d’agneau: Braised cutlets and breast of lamb coated with breadcrumbs and fried.

Escalope: thin slice of meat or fish.

Estragon: tarragon.

Été: summer.

Éventail: denotes food served in a fan shape or fanned out.

Fenouille: fennel.

Façon (à ma): (my) way of preparing a dish.

Farci(e): stuffed.

Farigoule: a liqueur made from thyme and other herbs, specialty of Provence.

Féra: a salmon-like lake fish.

Ferme, fermier(-ière): farm, farmer; generally refers to small-farm products; in cheese, refers to farm-made cheese and often means cheese made with raw milk; in chickens, refers to free-range chickens.

Feu: fire.

Feu de bois: wood fire.

Feuille: a leaf; a thin layer of something used to construct a mille feuille.

Feuilletée: puff pastry.

Feuillantine: a dish incorporating puff pastry.

Fève: fava bean.

Figue: fig.

Filet: in beef, veal, lamb or pork, the underside of the sirloin; in poultry and game birds, the underside of the breast; in fish, strips parallel to the backbone.

Financier: a small, rectangular almond cake.

Fine: thin or fine; most often used in tarte fine and fines herbes.

Fines herbes: a mixture of finely chopped herbs, usually parsley, chives, and tarragon.

Flambè(e): flamed by igniting the alcohol in an added liqueur.

Flan: tart or crustless custard pie.

Fleur: flower.

Fleur de sel: fine sea salt.

Foie gras d’oie (de canard): liver of fattened goose (duck).

Folie du chef: appetizer offered without charge; amuse bouche, amuse gueule.

Fondant: in menus, denotes ingredients melted or melted together.

Forestière (à la): (with) a garnish of wild mushrooms, bacon and potatoes; also, often denotes merely the inclusion of wild mushrooms.

Fourme d’Ambert: a blue-veined cow’s-milk cheese produced in the Auvergne.

Frais, fraîche: cool or chilled; also fresh.

Fraise: strawberry.

Fraisier: strawberry sponge cake.

Framboise: raspberry.

Franche-Comté: a province in east-central France comprising the Jura, Doubs and Haute-Saône districts. It is known for dairy products including especially cow’s-milk cheeses, and also for charcuterie, walnuts and a variety of fish, fruits and vegetables.

Fricassée: a classical preparation of chicken, meat or fish in which the ingredients are first sautéed over low heat, then coated with flour and cooked with white stock, wine and/or cream; also any stew served in a white sauce.

Frisée: curly endive salad green.

Frit(e): fried, usually deep-fried.

Friture: food that is fried, more especially deep-fried; most commonly a preparation of deep-fried small fish such as whitebait.

Fromage blanc: a smooth, low-fat cheese similar to cottage cheese.

Fruit: fruit.

Fumé(e): smoked.

Fumet (de champignons): fish stock (fish and mushroom stock).

Gamba: a large prawn.

Garbure: a soup made with vegetable broth, cabbage, and preserved goose; specialty of Béarn.

Garrigue: in areas of limestone soil in the south of France, the secondary growth of vegetation following deforestation, or an area supporting secondary growth.

Gascogne: Gascony, a region of southwest France; noted particularly for poultry and meats but also for other products including fish, fruit, and mushrooms.

Gaspacho: gazpacho.

Gâteau: cake.

Gelée: aspic.

Génépi: alpine wormwood; a digéstif flavored with that plant.

Gésier: gizzard.

Gibelotte: fricassée of rabbit in wine.

Gigot (de pré salé): leg, usually of lamb (leg of lamb grazed on the salt meadows along the Atlantic and Normandy coasts).

Gigotin: thigh (of poultry); interchangeable with cuisse.

Gingembre: ginger.

Girolle: a pale orange wild mushroom; also called chanterelle.

Gîte (rural): a modest lodging (in the country). 

Glacé(e): iced, crystallized or glazed.

Glace: ice-cream.

Golden: apple of the variety Golden Delicious.

Gougère: cheese-flavored choux pastry, a specialty of Franche-Comté.

Gourmand(e): as an adjective, denotes a generous number of ingredients or courses.

Grand Marnier: an orange-based liqueur.

Grand’mère: term applied to old-style home cooking.

Gratin: the crust formed on top of a dish when browned in a broiler or oven; also a preparation with such a crust.

Gratin dauphinois:a baked casserole of sliced potatoes with cream or milk, garlic, cheese, and eggs; pomme daupinoise.

Grenouille: frog.

Grillade: grilled meat.

Grillé(e): grilled.

Griotte: a slightly acidic, reddish-black cherry.

Griottine: a small griotte.

Gris: gray.

Groseille: currant, usually red currant

Groseille à maquereau: gooseberry.

Gruyère: in France, a generic name for a number of hard, mild, cooked cheeses from the Jura, including Comté, Beaufort, and Emmental.

Guérande: coastal city in Brittany, site of production of sea salt (sel de Guérande).

Guide Michelin (France): Michelin Guide to hotels and restaurants (in France), known as the Red Guide, updated annually. There are also Michelin tour guides, known as Green Guides.

Haché(e): minced.

Hachis (Parmentier): a preparation of minced or chopped meat or fish (a classical dish of chopped meat with potato purée).

Haricot: bean.

…blanc: white bean, shelled and usually dried.

…tarbais: haricot blanc from the vicinity of Tarbes in southwest France.

…vert: green bean.

Herbes: herbs

…de la garrigue: herbs from the garrigue in the south of France.

…de Provence: mixture of rosemary, thyme, summer savory, and bay leaf, often dried and blended.

Hiver: winter.

Hollandaise: sauce made with butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice.

Homard: lobster.

Huile (d’olive): oil (olive oil).

Huitre: oyster.

Île flottante: poached meringue floating on crème anglaise, used interchangeably with oeufs à la neige; classically, a layered cake covered with whipped cream and served with a custard sauce.

Ivoire: ivory-colored.

Jambon: ham

…cru: salted or smoked ham that has been cured but not cooked.

…de montagne: "mountain" ham, cured according to local custom.

…de pays: "country" ham, cured according to local custom.

Jardinier(-ière): gardener.

Jaune: yellow; applied to wine, refers to the sherry-like wine made from Savagnin grapes in the Jura district (Franche-Comté).

Jeune: young.

Julienne: cut into slivers

Jura: District in eastern France

Jus: juice.

Kir: an apéritif consisting of wine flavored with a liqueur.

...Royale: a Kir made with Champagne or other sparkling dry white wine.

Lait: milk.

Landais(e): refers to a dish inspired by the cooking of the Landes region in south-west France.

Langouste: clawless spiny lobster or rock lobster.

Langoustine: clawed crustacean larger than shrimp and smaller than lobster; prawn.

Langue: tongue.

Langue de chat: a narrow, delicate cookie.

Languedoc: area in southwestern France, center Toulouse, rich in culinary resources (particularly lamb, poultry and fruit) and in culinary tradition.

Languedocienne, à la: a term denoting certain dishes typical of Languedoc cookery, usually employing some or all of the following: eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, cep mushrooms, and goose fat or olive oil.

Lapereau: young rabbit.

Lapin: rabbit.

Lard(on): French bacon (cube of French bacon).

Larme: refers to an item shaped like a tear drop.

Larousse Gastronomique: an authoritative culinary encyclopedia.

Légère(ment): light(ly).

Légume: vegetable.

Lentilles (vertes de Puy): lentils (green lentils from the village of Puy, in the Auvergne).

Liason: thickening (as of a sauce) or something used as a thickening agent.

Lieu: pollack.

Lit (de salade): bed (of salad greens).

Lotte: monkfish.

Loup de mer: wolf fish or ocean catfish; name for sea bass in the Mediterranean.

Louvine: see bar.

Macaron: macaroon, a small cookie of almonds, egg whites, and sugar.

Macéré(e): steeped.

Mâche: Corn salad or lamb’s lettuce, a small, thick-leafed salad green.

Madeleine: a small, scallop-shaped tea cake.

Magret de canard (d’oie): breast of fattened duck (goose).

Maison: as an adjective, prepared on the premises.

Maltaise (à la): orange-flavored hollandaise (term denoting a preparation based on oranges).

Mangue: mango.

Marbré(e)(de truffes): marbled or mottled (with truffles).

Marc: eau-de-vie distilled from grape skins, seeds, and other debris left after the final pressing of grapes for wine.

Mariné(e): marinated.

Marjolaine: marjoram; also, a light almond and hazelnut sponge cake filled with three different creams, chocolate, butter and praline.

Marquise (au chocolat): delicate, smooth-textured (chocolate) cake.

Matelote, matelotte: a fish stew made with red or white wine and aromatic flavorings; most commonly applied to stews of eel or other freshwater fish.

Mayonnaise: a cold emulsified sauce consisting of egg yolks and oil blended together and flavored with vinegar, salt, pepper, and mustard.

Médaillon: a disk-shaped piece or slice, usually of fish or meat.

Mélange: mixture.

Mélanosporum: melanosporum, black truffle.

Melon: melon.

Mendiant: a preparation incorporating fruits du mendiant or other combination of nuts and preserved fruit.

Mendiant, fruits du: traditional mixture of figs, almonds, hazelnuts, and raisins.

Menthe: mint.

Merlan: whiting.

Mets (selon la saison): (seasonal) dish or preparation.

Meunière: style of preparation of fish that is seasoned, rolled in flour, and fried in butter.

Mi-(affiné, cru, cuit): half-(aged, raw, cooked).

Miel: honey.

Mignardise: a tiny cake or pastry.

Mignon: a favorite morsel of meat, usually the tenderloin.

Mille-feuille: puff pastry; a preparation built up of many thin layers, or feuilles .

Mique: a rustic stale-bread dumpling, specialty of the Sarlat area in the Dordogne.

Mirabelle: a green or orange-red plum.

Mise en bouche: appetizer.

Mizuna: a kind of mustard green.

Mixte: mixed.

Moelleux(-euse): mellow.

Moka: mocha.

Morille: wild morel mushroom.

Morue: salt cod; also fresh cod or cabillaud.

Moruette: fresh cod.

Mouillettes: strips of bread toasted on all four sides.

Moules: mussels.

Moulu(e): ground.

Mousse: a light, airy mixture usually containing eggs and cream.

Mousseu(se): mousse-like.

Mosaïque: a preparation of several ingredients in the form of a mosaic; usually a slice of pâté or terrine.

Mousseline: a mousse-like preparation whose consistency has been lightened by the incorporation of whipped cream, egg whites or butter.

Moutarde: mustard.

Muscat: a white grape used in wine-making; also denotes a wine, usually sweet, made with the muscat grape.

Myrtille: bilberry, a bluish-black European blueberry.

Navarin: a stew, usually of lamb or mutton.

Nectarine: nectarine.

Noilly: a vermouth-based sauce.

Noir(e): black.

Noisette: hazelnut or like a hazelnut in either appearance or taste; also, the center cut of a lamb chop, or similar cut of beef, veal or pork.

Noix: nut, specifically walnut; a nut-sized amount of some ingredient.

Nougat: candy of almonds and/or other nuts, egg whites, and honey; specialty of Montélimar.

Nougat glacé: frozen dessert of whipped cream and some or all of the components of nougat, often with candied fruit.

Nougatine: a candy made from caramel syrup, crushed almonds, and sometimes hazelnuts.

Oeuf(s): egg(s).

...à la neige: île flottante.

...en cocotte: eggs cooked in individual dishes in a hot-water bath. 

Oignon: onion.

Olive (de Nyons): olive, (olive of a black variety grown in the vicinity of Nyons in Provence).

Omble chevalier: a freshwater fish similar to salmon trout, found in lakes in the Savoie.

Omelette: omelet.

Onglet: a cut of beef similar to flank steak; almost interchangeable with biftek and entrecôte.

Oreillettes: thin, crisp rectangular dessert fritters, flavored with orange-flower water. A specialty of Provence.

Orange: orange.

Paella: a traditional Spanish rice-based dish containing vegetables, chicken, seafood, etc.

Pageot: a type of sea bream or porgy.

Pain: bread.

Pain au chocolat: A rectangle of croissant dough folded over a chocolate bar and baked.

Pain de campagne: country-style bread.

Pain perdu: a dessert consisting of slices of stale bread soaked in milk, dipped in eggs beaten with sugar, then lightly fried in butter; French toast.

Palombe: wood pigeon or ring dove.

Pamplemousse: grapefruit.

Panier: basket.

Paprika: paprika.

Parfait: a dessert mousse; also a mousse-like mixture containing poultry liver.

Parking: parking area.

Parmentier: term denoting a preparation in which potato is an important ingredient; after Antoine Augustin Parmentier (1737-1813).

Pâtes (fraîches): pasta (undried).

Pâté: minced meat that is molded, spiced, and baked; it is served hot or cold.

Patisserie: cake and pastry shop.

Paupiette: a thin slice of meat or fish spread with a stuffing and then rolled up.

Pavé: a thick slice of fish or meat, resembling a paving stone.

Peau: skin.

Pêche: peach.

Pêche Melba: poached peach with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce.

Pêcheur: fisherman.

Périgourdine, à la; Périgueux: denotes something, usually a sauce, enriched with foie gras and/or truffles; also applies to dishes characteristic of the Périgord region in south-west France.

Petit gris: small snail common in the garrigue of Southern France.

Persil (simple): parsley (flat-leaf parsley).

Pet de nonne: a small, dainty fritter.

Petit(e): small.

Petit déjeuner: breakfast.

Petit gris: a small land snail.

Pétoncle: a small scallop, similar to bay scallop.

Physalis: cape gooseberry.

Picoulat: see boles de picoulat.

Pigeon(neau): (young) pigeon or squab.

Pignons (de pins): pine nuts.

Piment: red pepper or pimento.

Piment d’Esplette: mildly hot chile pepper from Esplette, a village in the Basque region.

Pintard(eau): (young) guinea fowl.

Pissenlit: dandelion green.

Pistou: sauce of basil, garlic and olive oil, a specialty of Provence.

Pistouade: blend of olives, basil, garlic and olive oil.

Plat: dish.

…de résistance: main dish.

…du jour: today’s special.

Plat(e): flat.

Plate: flat-shelled oyster.

Plateau (de fromage): platter (of various cheeses).

Pleurote: soft-fleshed mushroom, usually wild but also commercially cultivated.

Poché(e): poached.

Pochage: poaching.

Poëlé: pan-fried.

Poilâne: designation of a popular sourdough bread made in Paris by Lionel Poilâne; the country-style loaves bear a signature incision in the form of a square.

Pointe (d’asperge): tip (asparagus tip).

Pois: pea.

Poire (Pochée): (poached) pear.

Poire Williams: a pear sherbet doused with pear eau-de-vie.

Poivrade: a pepper-flavored brown sauce made with wine, vinegar and cooked vegetables.

Poisson: fish.

...d’eau douce: freshwater fish.

...de lac: lake fish.

...de mer: sea fish.

...de rivière: river fish.

...de roche: rock fish.

Poivre: pepper.

...en grain: peppercorn.

 ...mignonette: coarsely ground pepper.

Poivron (rouge, doux): pepper, (red, sweet or bell pepper).

Pojarski: finely-chopped meat or fish shaped like a cutlet and fried.

Pomme: apple; also short for pomme de terre, potato.

Pomme(s) de terre: potato(es).

...beynacoise: potatoes cut in eighths parallel to the long axis, tossed in goose fat, oven-cooked at high heat, showered with a finely diced parsley and garlic, and served very hot (specialty of Beynac, near Sarlat in the Dordogne).

...dauphine: mashed potatoes mixed with choux pastry, shaped into small balls, and fried.

...daupinoise: a gratin of sliced potatoes, baked with milk or cream, garlic, cheese, and eggs; gratin dauphinois.

...frites: French fries.

...sarladaise: Sliced potatoes  tossed in goose fat, oven-cooked at high heat, and served very hot (specialty of the Sarlat area in the Dordogne).

Porto: port.

Pot au feu: traditionally, beef simmered with vegetables; also poultry or fish prepared similarly.

Poularde: fattened hen.

Poulet (rôti): (roast) chicken.

Poulet de Bresse: a high-quality chicken raised according to exacting specifications on farms in the Rhône-Alpes region.

Poulette: young chicken.

Poulpe: octopus.

Pralin: crushed almonds and/or hazelnuts coated with caramelized sugar.

Praline: an almond coated with caramelized sugar. Specialty of Montargis (Sologne).

Praliné: a filling for candies or chocolates, consisting of pralin crushed with cocoa or cocoa butter.

Prêle, prèle: horsetail, a fern-like plant.

Printemps: spring.

Printanière: garnish of diced spring vegetables.

Produits de la mer: seafood.

Provençale, à la: in the manner of Provence in Southern France.

Prune(au): plum (prune).

Prix selon grosseur, PSG: price according to size.

Purée: a creamy preparation usually obtained by blending cooked food; purée.

Quenelle: dumpling, usually of fish, veal, or poultry.

Quetsche: small, purple Damson plum.

Râble de lièvre (lapin, lapereau): saddle of hare (rabbit, young rabbit).

Raisin(de Corinthe): grape (a small, sweet, seedless red grape).

Rancio: with reference to fortified wines, the tang from aging in wood.

Rasteau: a strong, sweet dessert wine from the village Rasteau in the southern Rhône valley.

Ratatouille: a cooked dish of eggplant, zucchini, onions, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, and olive oil; specialty of Provence.

Raviole, ravioli: ravioli.

Reblochon: a mild and creamy cow’s milk cheese made in the Jura and Rhône-Alpes regions.

Réduction: reduction; the concentrated form of a broth achieved by prolonged simmering.

Rémoulade (céleri): sauce of mayonnaise, capers, mustard, herbs, anchovies and gherkins (shredded celery root with that sauce).

Repas: meal.

Rhum: rum.

Riche(s): composed of a lavish assortment of ingredients.

Rillettes (de canard, d’oie, de lapin, etc.): a spread of finely shredded pork, (duck, goose, rabbit, etc.).

Ris de veau (agneau): veal (lamb) sweetbreads.

Riz: rice.

Rizotto, risotto: creamy, flavored rice.

Rocamadour: see cabécou.

Rognons: kidneys.

Roquefort: a blue-veined cheese made from raw sheep’s milk, aged in the village of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon in south-western France.

Roquette: rocket or arugular.

Rose: (color) pink.

Rosé: (wine) rosé

Roti(e): roasted.

Rouergue: a former province in south-east France, capital Rodez, known for products such as tripes and pigs’ feet.

Rouge: red.

Rouget, rouget barbet: red mullet.

Rouille: a mayonnaise made with olive oil, garlic, hot peppers, bread, and fish broth.

Roux: sauce base or thickening of flour and butter.

Royale: prepared using relatively costly ingredients, e.g. Kir Royale.

Sabayon: zabaglione, a frothy sweet sauce of egg yolks, sugar, wine, and flavorings that is whipped while being cooked in a water bath.

Sablé(e): made with sweet pastry.

Safran: saffron.

Saignant(e): of cooked meats, rare.

Saint-Marcellin: small flat disk of cow's milk cheese made in the vicinity of Lyon.

Saint-Pierre: John Dory, a flat. white ocean fish.

Saison: season.

Salade: Salad; also, salad greens.

Salade Niçoise: salad made with all or most of the following: tomatoes, green beans, anchovies, tuna, potatoes, black olives, capers, and artichokes.

Salade verte: green salad.

Salmis: a classical preparation of game birds in which the bird is two-thirds roasted, stewed with mushrooms and served with a sauce made with the carcass and cooking juices diluted with wine; also a similar preparation of other ingredients.

Salon (de thé): lounge (tea room).

Salsifis: salsify.

Sandre: a freshwater fish resembling perch.

Sauce: sauce.

Saucisse: a small, fresh sausage.

Saucisson: usually a large, air-dried sausage such as salami.

Saupiquet: an aromatic wine sauce thickened with bread; in Languedoc and Rouergue, roast rabbit or hare served with a highly seasoned wine sauce containing the animal’s liver and blood.

Saumon (fumé, mariné): salmon (smoked, marinated salmon).

Sauvage: wild (as opposed to farm-raised salmon, game birds etc.).

Savarin: donut-shaped cake soaked in syrup.

Savoie: Alpine region of southeastern France, noted particularly for butter, milk, cream, and cheese; also lake fish (omble chevalier, féra), game and fruit.

Seiche: squid or cuttlefish; also called supioun.

Sel: salt.

Selon grosseur, SG: according to size.

Semoule: semolina, a milled product of hard wheat.

Service (non) compris: service charge (not) included in the prices indicated on the menu. The service charge is always included in the bill.

Sirop: syrup.

Sole: sole.

Sologne: region in central France, noted particularly for game and for mushrooms.

Sorbet: sherbet.

Soufflé: a mixture of puréed ingredients, egg yolks, and whipped egg whites, that puffs up when baked.

Soupe: soup.

Spätzle: dumplings of flour, eggs, and cream poached in boiling water; specialty of Alsace.

St-Jacques: coquille St-Jacques, scallop.

St-Marcellin: A cow’s milk cheese made in the vicinity of Lyon.

Sucre: sugar.

Supion: in southern France, squid; calmar.

Supioun, suppion: in southern France, cuttlefish; seiche.

Suprème: a boneless breast of poultry or a fish filet; also a veal- or chicken-based white sauce thickened with flour and cream.

Tapenade: a blend of (usually black) olives, anchovies, capers, olive oil, and lemon juice.

Tarte (fine): tart, (a thin and elegant tart).

Tarte Tatin: caramelized upside-down apple pie, made famous in the early 20^th century by the Tatin sisters in their hotel in Lamotte-Beuvron in the Sologne.

Tartine: piece of bread and butter; open-faced sandwich..

…de confiture: piece of bread and jam.

…grillée: piece of toast.

Tartiné(e): spread with something, e.g. butter or jam.

Tartine à la pomme: buttered apple slices.

Thé: tea.

Terrine: A pâté cooked in an earthenware container and sliced to serve while still in the container; also the container itself.

Terroir, du: containing regional ingredients or specialties.

Tétragone: New Zealand spinach.

Théière: teapot.

Thon: tuna.

Tiède: lukewarm.

Timbale: a small round mold with straight or sloping sides; also, a mixture prepared in such a mold.

 Toast: toast.

Tomate: tomato.

Tomme: generic word for cheese; in Savoie, any of several specific cheeses; in the Auvergne, curds used in making Cantal cheese.

Torréfié(e): toasted or grilled.

Toutière: a pastry dish filled with apples and/or prunes, and sprinkled with Armagnac; specialty of the South-West.

Tourain: soup of garlic onions and broth or water, thickened with egg yolks and seasoned with vinegar (specialty of South-West France).

Trait (d’huile): dribble (of oil).

Trappe d’Echourgnac: mild cow's milk cheese made in the Trappist monastery in Echourgnac in South-West France.

Trappiste: Trappe d’Echourgnac.

Tronçon: cut of meat or fish that is noticeably longer than it is wide; in the case of fish this generally means a cut from the largest part.

Truffe (noire): (black) truffle.

Truite: trout.

Tuile: a delicate, almond flavored cookie shaped like a curved roofing tile.

Turbot(in): (small) turbot.

Vanille: vanilla.

Veau: veal.

Végétalien(ne): vegan.

Végétarien(ne): vegetarian.

Velouté: classical sauce based on veal, chicken, or fish stock, thickened with a roux of butter and flour; also denotes any of variously seasoned classical soups thickened with cream and egg yolks.

Vert(e): green.

Verveine: lemon verbena, herb tea.

Vieille prune: plum eau de vie.

Vieux, vieille: old.

Vinaigre: vinegar.

Vinaigrette: oil and vinegar dressing.

Vivarais: region of south-central France west of the Rhône, noted particularly for fruit, chestnuts, poultry and game.

Volaille: poultry.

Williams: a variety of pear much used in cooking and in making eau-de-vie.

Xérès (vinaigre de): sherry (sherry vinegar).

Yaourt: yogurt.