Definitions and ExplanationsWhat is Kosher? Kosher is a set of dietary laws that govern the way those of the Jewish religion eat. Kosher also pertains to the proper way of preparing food. If a food is not kosher, Jewish religion forbids the consumption of such. Foods that are not kosher are termed “treif”. Kosher, also known as [...]
What is Zaatar? – Spice Up your Food Zaatar is popular in Middle East countries. It is a common name for a family of related herbs from oregano, basil, thyme and savory. Zaatar is also a name used for a mixture of dried herbs and other spices such as sesame seeds, dried sumac and salt. [...]
What is Whey? Whey is the byproduct of cheese-making, the liquid that is separated once the curds have formed. Whey is also called “milk plasma”, and can come in the form of sweet whey of acid whey, depending on its source. Whey is semi-transparent and cloudy in appearance, with a watery texture. Similarly, the liquid [...]
What is Korean BBQ? Korean BBQ is the Korean way of cooking meats over a hot grill. Also called gogi gui, the meats used are usually beef, pork or chicken. The Korean way of grilling is usually by setting up a grill right in the middle of dining tables. These grills can be built in [...]
Gluten is a kind of protein that can be found in wheat and species related to it, such as rye and barley. It is found in most kinds of bread and cereals. It should be noted though that not all grains contain gluten, mainly because they lack the glycoprotein gliadin. Examples of these non-gluten grains [...]
What is a Continental Breakfast? A continental breakfast is on offer as a breakfast option at most hotels, lodges and inns. They are usually light and simple, in line with the traditional Mediterranean breakfast. The term ‘continental’ is used here to refer to ‘The Continent’, another term for mainland Europe. Continental breakfasts are usually served [...]
What is Gourmet Food? Gourmet is usually associated with food and cooking, a characteristic in which the process of preparation is taken on with utmost care and refinement, almost elevating it to the level of art. It is also referred to as haute cuisine (in the case of preparing dishes), a French term which is [...]
Kefir is a cultured milk product with various health benefits. Like yogurt, it has pro-biotic bacteria and yeast, which are good for digestion. It also contains lots of vitamins, amino acids, and minerals for superior defense against illnesses. The word “kefir” is Russian, but probably has its roots in the Turkish word “to froth”. This [...]
What is Dim Sum? Dim Sum literally means “touch the heart”. It is a type of Cantonese cuisine which comes mainly with a variety of small dishes that is served with Chinese tea. Dim Sum restaurants can be seen in many parts of the world, but it has been said that the real good ones [...]
What is Vegan? If your diet consists only of vegetables, fruits, grains, & beans, with absolutely nothing from the animal kingdom and no dairy products and its derivatives, that is “Vegan”. If you’re one of those people who stick to this kind of diet, then you’re a “Vegan”. Veganism is the strictest type of vegetarianism. [...]
What is Kosher Salt? Kosher salt is a coarse salt made without the additives such as iodide. However, some salt manufacturer adds a small amount of anti-clumping agents. It has much larger grain size compared to that of the typical table salt. Kosher salt is just like all the other salt, which is made up [...]
What is Diet? Most people do not normally think about the importance of nutrition until they encounter health problems. When this happens, the next step is to visit a doctor who is very likely to recommend that a nutritionist is involved in helping address the issue. The nutritionist will begin by looking at your current [...]
What is Binge Drinking? Binge drinking in the US is when a person consumes five drinks for males and four drinks for females (or more) alcoholic drinks in a row over a short period of time, typically two hours. Binge drinking in the UK is when a person drinks twice more than the daily limit, [...]
What is Xylitol? Xylitol is a natural sweetener that can be found in fruits and vegetables. Its physical appearance is similar to regular sugar (crystalline and colorless) as well as its taste. Xylitol differs from other sweeteners (sugar substitutes) because for one, it is all natural and two, its molecules are composed of five instead [...]
What is Amaretto? Amaretto is a type of liquor originated from Italy. In other words, Amaretto is an Italian liquor characterized by a bittersweet taste with a twist of almond flavor. The liquor is made from almond or apricot pits which is used as base for making the wine. The liquor’s name was originated from [...]
What is Xanthan Gum? Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide (a class of carbohydrates with multiple monosaccharides bonded by glycosidic bonds) taken from the coating of the bacteria strain Xanthomonas campestris. Xanthan gum is produced by introducing the bacteria strain to glucose, sucrose or lactose to undergo a fermentation process. After fermentation, the polysaccharide is derived [...]
What is a Brioche? Brioche is a type of French bread that is enriched with more fat from butter and/or egg yolks. It has a fine and almost flaky texture with soft crumbs that make it taste more like pastry than your usual bread. Brioche is believed to have come from a traditional Norman recipe. [...]
What is Quinoa? Quinoa is a crop which is similar to a grain. It is not actually a grain or a cereal. It can be best described as a pseudo cereal. The word quinoa is derived from the Spanish word quinua .The origin of quinoa can be traced backed to the days of Inca civilization. [...]
What is Ditalini Pasta? Ditalini is a type of pasta shaped like small tubes. Usually the width and height is the same for every piece of ditalini pasta. It is the small version of “ditali” pasta and its name means “little thimbles” in Italian. This refers to the fingers which can be put through the [...]
What is Brioche? Brioche is a highly enriched French bread, having a high content of egg and butter. Its rich, sweet flavor and rich texture gives it a pastry look. Most of the bakery shops in France sell brioche and it can also be cooked at home. The word brioche is derived from the old [...]
What is Corned Beef? Corned beef is beef that have been cured in salt for preservation purposes. The term ‘corned’ comes from the kernels of salt (which had the appearance of grains) that were originally used in the crock where the beef is held. Thought to have originated in Ireland, corned beef was the solution [...]
What is Muscle Milk? Muscle Milk is a protein supplement available in powder and ready-to-drink forms. It is a product from Cytosport promoted to bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts who want to burn fat, build more muscle, and have leaner bodies. It is intended for consumption before and after workouts and was formulated to provide muscle-growing [...]
What is Dukan Diet? The Dukan diet is a low-calorie and high-protein diet developed by Pierre Dukan, a French doctor who had vast experience helping obese people lose weight. The diet has been popular in France for several years already and is now getting worldwide acceptance. Dukan diet aims to be a simple approach to [...]
What is McRib? McRib is a controversial sandwich produced by the famous international fast food chain in the United States, McDonald’s. According to McDonald’s, McRib is composed of patty made from ground pork, onions, barbecue sauce and pickles. McRib was a test-market sandwich, which did very well in the markets of Nebraska and throughout other [...]
What is Brioche? Brioche is a highly enriched French bread, having a high content of egg and butter. Its rich, sweet flavor and rich texture gives it a pastry look. Most of the bakery shops in France sell brioche and it can also be cooked at home. The word brioche is derived from the old [...]
What is Jjampong? Jjampong or sometimes “Jjamppong” is a noodle soup, usually spicy, that is popular in Korea. Usually, seafood and other meats are mixed with the noodles to come up with a tasty treat. “Jjampong” is actually a Japanese word which means “mix”. But the noodle dish itself is attributed to the Chinese residents [...]
What is Gum made of? Gum is made of “chicle”, a substance found in sapodilla trees, which are native to Central America. These trees can be found in countries like Guatemala and Mexico. Chicle is like a rubbery sap of the tree and is mixed with flavoring to form the gum that we know today. [...]
What is Ferment? Ferment is something that can cause fermentation. It may be some enzyme, bacteria, yeast, or mould. In its transitive verb form, it means “to cause something to be fermented or undergo fermentation”. Like in food and drinks, some substances will cause them to ferment. Fermentation in general terms refer to the breakdown [...]
What is HCG diet? HCG diet refers to a very low calorie diet with HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin injections. This diet is promoted as another way of losing the extra pounds and fat in the bodies of obese people. Promoters of this diet claim that a person can lose at least a pound a [...]
What is Green Tea? Green tea is a beverage made from unfermented leaves of the plant called “Camellia Senesis”. Though it comes from the same leaves used in black tea, green tea leaves do not undergo fermentation resulting to a grassier flavor. The leaves from black tea are fermented which make the taste bitter. Tea [...]
What is Apple Cider Vinegar? When an apple cider undergoes a process of fermentation, the end-product is what people call apple cider vinegar. How is the fermentation process done? Yeast and bacteria break down the apple cider sugar and forms alcohol, in which later on will be formed into vinegar. Like any other type of [...]
What is Maize? Maize is a type of grain or crop usually used for cereals and other food products. It is called corn in other countries, and is extensively cultivated in many countries. After rice and wheat, maize is said to be the most important cereal crop. The word “maize” is a derivative of the [...]
What is Fizzing? Fizzing is what happens when somebody opens a carbonated beverage. It refers to the hissing sound and the bubbling of the beverage as a result of carbonation. Carbonation simply means the addition of carbon dioxide to some form of liquid to create a “fizz”. This idea is commonly demonstrated in opening beverages [...]
What is Everclear? Everclear is a known brand of grain alcohol bottled by the David Sherman Corporation, now called as Luxco. It is available in 75.5% (151 proof) and 95% (190 proof) variants. Everclear has the most high alcohol content among hard drinks and liquor. Most vodkas and rums only contain up to 120-proof or [...]
What is Cointreau? Cointreau is an orange-based liqueur containing 40% alcohol made a man named Edouard Cointreau in 1875. Its orange base comes from various peels of different varieties, including sweet and bitter orange types. Then it is added with water, sugar, and alcohol to complete the liqueur mix. Edouard Jean Cointreau, the father of [...]
What is a Flan? Flan is a dessert with eggs and milk as the usual main ingredients. Usually it is made into an open type of pastry like pies. It may also be mixed with other ingredients to add flavoring. One such ingredient commonly mixed to it is caramelized sugar. This is usually put on [...]
What is Hennessy? Hennessy is a brand of French or Irish cognac by the Jas Hennessy & Company, which happens to be the largest producers of cognacs in the world. Hennessy is classified as hard liquor and has 40% alcohol content. It may be taken straight from the bottle or mixed with other drinks like [...]
What is Garam Masala? Garam Masala is a spice mixture common in India and other South Asian countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. Spices added to the mixture are rich, bitter, or hot in flavor. Some variants of this spice mixture can contain more than 30 spice ingredients, but the most common variant contain coriander, cinnamon, [...]
What is Dal? Dal is a popular dish in many parts of South Asia like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. It is made of lentils, peas, or beans which are often split, dried and stripped of their hulls. They are usually eaten with rice as a side dish or as part of other [...]
What is Guava? Guava is a tropical fruit from the myrtle family (Myrtaceae). It can be found mostly in tropical climates like in Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, the Philippines, South America, and parts of Africa. Its tree is quite small and may grow to about 33 feet. Its trunk is very distinct and recognizable because [...]
What is Lutein? Lutein is a type of carotenoid with anti-oxidant properties. It is said to be present in various vegetables and fruits. Lutein also provides the orange and yellow pigments in mangoes, corn, carrots, tomatoes, squash, lettuce, spinach, kale, peas, and leeks among others. The human body is unable to produce this antioxidant, though [...]
What is Malt Liquor? Malt liquor refers to a beverage made with malted barley that has higher alcohol content than common or traditional beers. Some define it as any beverage with at least 5% or more alcohol content. It is sometimes called ale lager when the alcohol content is above 5% and up to about [...]
What is Cajun Cuisine? History of Cajun Cajuns are considered the descendants of the Acadian exiles. This ethnic group is rooted from Acadian settlers after the Great Expulsion during the French and Indian War in 1754 to 1763. This ethnic group occupied the state of Louisiana, USA.. Since they have started to settle in Louisiana, [...]
What is Kosher Wine? Kosher wine is a kind of grape wine that is produced according to laws of Judaism. This wine is specially made for the Jews. In Hebrew, Kosher wine is called “yayin kashér”. Before Kosher wine is sold commercially to Orthodox Jews, the wine should secure a seal of approval or what [...]
What is a Coffee Creamer? Coffee creamers are milk-based products added to coffee to modify its flavor. For some people, a creamer would mean putting on standard cream to coffee. Cream refers to the part of milk which contains the most butterfat. But for others, what they know as coffee creamer is basic milk. It [...]
What are EBT/Food Stamps? EBT/food stamps refer to Electronic Benefit Transfer – food stamps. This is a benefit given by the government to US citizens who may be unable to buy their own food. Under the SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, people living in poverty can avail of the “food stamps” benefit and get [...]
What does BBQ stand for? BBQ refers to barbecue, a type of grilled food loved by many people all over the world. Sometimes it is spelled “barbeque” in some countries which led to the shortened version “BBQ”. In other countries like New Zealand and Australia, BBQ is synonymous with “Barbie”. But barbecue or BBQ itself [...]
What is Bhuna? Bhuna is a technique in cooking that is popular in many parts of India. The technique involves the frying of various spices in very hot oil with the end-goal of having a paste-like texture and to bring out more of its flavor. But bhuna may also refer to an Indian dish wherein [...]
What is Tofu? Tofu is a type of food made from soy milk mixed with water and a curdling agent or coagulant. It is also called “soy bean curd” and looks like white cheese in appearance. It is said to have a bland taste but contains lots of protein and calcium. It is common for [...]
What is Food Coloring? Food coloring is literally something that is added to food to alter its color. It may be in liquid or in powder form and is used in the commercial setup and at home. Some even use them for a variety of projects in school or in the office. Adding or altering [...]
What is Dijonaise? Dijonaise is basically a sauce made from combining Dijon mustard and mayonnaise. One may opt to buy ready-made dijonaise or make his/her own dijonaise sauce. Dijon mustard and mayonnaise are both popular sauces and condiments and when mixed together, it is said to make a unique and smooth taste. The use of [...]
What is Nougat? Nougat is a type of candy made from mixing sugar, egg whites, and a paste made from nugat seeds. In some cases, honey is used instead of sugar. This type of candy is also commonly mixed with nuts that are roasted. Popular nuts mixed in the nougat mixture are almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, [...]
What is Sofrito? Sofrito refers to a sauce or culinary base involving garlic, tomatoes, and onions cooked or sautéed using olive oil. In traditional Spanish cuisine, these ingredients are chopped in little pieces and are sautéed in olive oil for about half an hour. The Spanish “sofrito” is also associated with the French word “soffritto”, [...]
What is SoBe? SoBe is brand of flavored beverages like teas, fruit juices, and flavor-enhanced water. The name “SoBe” is a shortened version of “South Beach” referring to an area near Miami Beach in Florida USA. The company started in 1996 as the South Beach Beverage Company with its beverage manufacturing facilities in Norwalk, Connecticut. [...]
What is Custard Powder? Custard powder is a powder made from cornflour and usually mixed with salt, annato coloring, and a variety of flavorings. Most custard powders are mixed with vanilla for the standard type of flavoring. And in terms of color, yellow is the common choice to give the impression that there are plenty [...]
What is Szechuan Beef? Szechuan Beef is a popular spicy beef recipe, created in typical Szechuan type of cuisine or cooking. In this particular recipe, the beef is usually sliced into thin strips and fried for a couple of minutes. After which, the fried beef strips will be stir-fried with a variety of spices and [...]
What is a Duxelle? Duxelle or Duxelles is a culinary mix of mushrooms, shallots, and onions which are sautéed together. This culinary mix is typically used as filling for pastries, as stuffing for some food items, as an addition to sauces and dips, and as food garnish. Usually mushroom tops are the ones chopped and [...]
What is Rucola? Also known as arugula, eruca, Italian cress, garden rocket, rocket, or roquette, rucola is an edible green leafy plant that belongs to the mustard family. Its scientific name is eruca vesicaria sativa and is said to be found only in countries near the Mediterranean region particularly Portugal, Turkey, Lebanon, and Morocco. Rucola [...]
What is Scotch? Scotch is the term for whiskey that is made and produced in Scotland. Some people refer to it as “Scotch whiskey” to differentiate it from other whiskeys that are produced in other countries, while others simply call the drink as “Scotch”. Scotch whiskey may come as single malt or single grain, blended [...]
What is Mava? Mava is most famous in India and is a key ingredient in making different kinds of delicacies or sweet dishes. Mava is basically milk, which has been processed and reduced to a semi-solid consistency. Mava is known by a number of other names. Among these are Khoya, Mawa, and Kiti. Do not [...]
What is Sage? Sage is also known in other culinary terms such as garden sage or common sage. It has the scientific name Salvia officinalis. This herb belongs to the family Lamiaceae which is a naturally growing plant in the Mediterranean region. Nowadays, it has already been naturalized and grown in many countries all around [...]
What is Tekka? Tekka is a mineral condiment prepared by using finely minced carrots, lotus root, ground sesame seeds, and burdock root or cocklebur. It is slowly cooked using hatcho miso and unrefined sesame oil. According to its maker, George Ohsawa, tekka is a strong condiment, which is similar to salt but has more complex [...]
What is Veal? Veal is the meat from young male cows, usually up to 6 months old. But sometimes, young male calves are slaughtered immediately after birth to produce “bob veal” – a highly priced variety. Sometime after birth, the male calves are separated from their mothers because they are considered to be of no [...]
What is Oat Bran? Oat bran is the edible outer part of the oat grain or kernel. These outer parts or husks were usually thrown after milling the oat grains. But since it was discovered that most of the oat’s dietary fiber content is in the husk, they are now kept nowadays. Oat brans may [...]
What is Tallow? Tallow is classically made from rendering beef fat, though other types of meat may also be used to make it. The beef fat used for rendering typically is taken from suet, which is a hard type of fat near the loins and kidneys. In the process of rendering, tallow is heated up [...]
What is Potassium Sorbate? Potassium sorbate refers to the salt or white crystal-like powder from sorbic acid. Because of its anti-microbial and/or fungicidal properties, potassium sorbate is mainly used as preservative for a variety of food items. Because potassium sorbate is able to stop the activity and growth of fungi, yeasts, and molds, food items [...]
What is Nopalea? Nopalea is a juice drink made from the fruit of Nopal Cactus or “prickly pear”. This juice drink is made by the company called Trivita and is marketed as good for wellness. The Nopal Cactus fruit has been used for centuries for its health benefits, and according to Trivita, drinking the Nopalea [...]
What is Port Wine? Port wine is special kind of wine also known as Vinho do Porto. It originated from Portugal and known to undergo vital fortification process, which offers it great flavor and aroma. This beverage is exclusively produced in the Northern provinces of Portugal specifically in the Douro Valley. The typical characteristics of [...]
What is Sazon? Sazon is a certain type of seasoned salt which is commonly available and found in the Mexican and Spanish markets. The common usage of the seasoning is utilized on fish, poultry and meats. However you could also find other artistic and creative meals where the seasoning is used to flavor stews and [...]
What is Subgum? Subgum is also alternately known as sub gum. It is a simplified and traditional type of Cantonese dish with other foreign expressions such as gam2, sap2, shi jin or pinyin. In its literal term, it is referred to as varied or numerous. This is one type of dish whipped with Chinese culinary [...]
