Glossary

Ever read a menu you didn't understand? Pronounce a cheese name that was funkier than its smell? Didn't ask the waiter for fear of your table-mates? While we all love authenticity, if you don't read Italian, you simply don't read Italian. BC's Glossary hopes to help. (If you haven't caught on yet, BrunchCritic is a bit quirky - This ain't your typical Webster's.....)

Amuse-Bouche: Like an appetizer, the amuse-bouche is eaten before the main meal, but is something usually offered, (such as "compliments of the chef"), and not ordered. The amuse-bouche is usually small, only a couple of bites, the same for everyone at the table, and at upscale restaurants may be a symbol of the chef's skill. French in origin, amuse-bouche literally means "Mouth Amuser."

Anna W.: BrunchCritic.com contributor, Studied at La Varenne Ecole de la Cuisine (Burgundy, France), aspiring author and newlywed. We are glad she's back from her honeymoon so she can start writing again.

Assiette: French style antipasto

Au Gratin: Usually seen associated with Potatoes, au gratin refers to the specific preparation whereby an ingredient is topped with breadcrumbs or cheese and then baked to get a browned crust.

Bloody Cesear: A bloody mary that includes clam broth.

Brunchie: A New Yorker who adores brunch and brunches often. Not all foodies are brunchies, and not all brunchies are foodies. (Brunchie is a pending Trademark of BrunchCritic.com).

Burrata: A type of Italian Mozzarella cheese.

Chilaquiles: Think of a Mexican caserole. Made of corn tortilla strips sautéed with other ingredients such as mild green chiles, cheese, chorizo, and shredded chicken or beef. The dish may also be layered and baked like lasagna. Restaurants Mercadito and Choptank both have terrific Chilaquiles.

Compote: A chilled dish of fresh or dried fruit that has been slow-cooked in a sugar syrup, which may have liquor/liqueur and spices in it as well. The slow cooking method helps the fruit to retain its shape.

Confit: This ancient specialty originating in Gascony, France, is made through an old-fashioned method of preserving meat (typically goose, duck, or pork). It is salted and slowly cooked in its own fat. The meat is packed into a crock-pot and covered with its cooking fat, which acts as a seal and preservative.

Currant: A small seedless raisin often used in baking.

Fennel: The plant bulb and its seeds are used for cooking. Fennel plants have a light green/white bulb and long green stems. Fennel seeds can often be found in Italian sausage or Iranian dishes for flavoring.

Financier: A small, light, and moist French cake or teacake. Often baked in shaped molds and usually made with almonds.

Fra Diavolo: A dish that is prepared with Diavolo sauce (ie. Fra Diavolo or Al Diavolo) will be spicy and prepared with peppers, usually cayenne pepper, or in a red-crushed powder form.

Frittata: An Italian omelette where the ingredients are mixed with the eggs as opposed to being folded in. Frittatas are often firmer than omelettes and usually baked or broiled.

Grand Poobah: Matt Stevenson. BrunchCritic.com's lead web developer and tech ninja. Men Want to be him. Women want to be with him.

Grits: A dish made of coarsely ground corn, sometimes topped with cheese, bacon and/or sour cream. Grits are often associated with the Southern U.S, and the food is Native American in origin. To see a list of where to get "Great Grits," visit the Our Faves page.

Jenna H.: BrunchCritic.com Food Editor, Culinary Instructor, author, graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education, Brooklnite, mom, and a true Brunchie.

Marscapone: A triple-cream cheese that is often used in the preparation of Tiramisu.

Orecchiette: A type of pasta, typically in a small, oval shape, a little larger than a quarter.

Orzo: Rice-like pasta.

Panini: Basically a sandwich, and the term is Italian in origin. A panini is often served warm after pressed in a grill.

Panna Cotta

Polenta: A mush or porridge made from cornmeal, polenta can often be found on brunch menus mixed with cheese or maple syrup.

Porchetta: Pronounced "por-ketta" and similar tasting to bacon. A common nickname for porchetta is "Italian pulled pork."

Queen Of Brunch: AKA Andrea P., BrunchCritic.com founder and Editor. While she is not a huge fan of this nickname, a lot of people in Manhattan call her that when they see her.

Sofrito: Sofrito is a base to many latin dishes, and is made with peppers, onions, tomato & often celery, fennel, cilantro, garlic, & other spices as well. Palo Santo in Park Slope, Brooklyn makes a "Crack Corn" during brunch service with is divine, and made with roasted corn, cheese & sofrito. Find Palo Santo here: http://brunchcritic.com/search/?name=Palo%20Santo#/restaurant/280

Tapenade: Can be a garnish, a stuffing, or an appetizer usually served with crackers or bread. Olives are the base ingredient in tapenade, and it is usually made with finely chopped olives, garlic, capers, and select spices and herbs.

Torta: A Mexican sandwich served on an oval or oblong white roll (a bolillo or a telera). It's delicious! and served at most authentic Mexican restaurants for brunch and lunch.

Tripe: A type of food that is made usually from the cow or other animal stomach. Tripe is eaten in numerous parts of the world and the name varies in each culture, ie Scottish haggis, made from sheep.

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