Wondering what some of the cooking terms mean? Well let us try to sort that out for you, and if there are terms that we've missed (as I'm sure there will be) please let us know so we can add them.
Demerara Sugar
Pale, mild raw cane sugar.
Demiglace
A rich brown stock reduced to only half of its original amount by simmering.
Demijohn
Large glass wine container which can hold up to 10 gallons.
Demi-Sec
A distinctive type of sweet champagne.
Demitasse
A small cup of black coffee.
Devein
To remove the gritty, grey-black vein running down the curved top of the shelled shrimp by slitting the back of the shrimp open and pulling it (The vein) out.
Devil To add hot or spicy ingredients such as cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce to a food.
Devonshire Cream
A smooth English clotted cream, akin to crème fraîche.
Dhal
The Indian term for lentils.
Dice To cut into cubes.
Digestives
Liquids or cordials often made with herbs and said to aid digestion. Usually drunk at the end of a meal.
Dijon
French prepared mustard made in the Dijon region from black or brown mustard seeds, blended with salt, spices and white wine or verjuice; has a clean sharp, medium-hot flavour, yellow-grey colour and creamy texture.
Dill
Annual plant and a member of the parsley family (Anethum graveolens); the feathery leaves have a parsley-like flavour with overtones of anise and are used fresh or dried as an herb; the flat, oval, brown seeds have a slightly bitter caraway-like flavour.
Dilute
To make a food less concentrated or strong by adding liquid.
Dip
A thick creamy sauce or condiment, served hot or cold, to accompany raw vegetables, crackers, processed snack foods such as potato chips or the like, especially as an hors d'oeuvre.
Direct heat A cooking method that allows heat to meet food directly, such as grilling, broiling, or toasting.
Dissolve
To cause a dry substance to become fluid or to absorb into liquid.
Divinities
Fudge, made with brown or white sugar.
Dobos Torte
A layer cake rich with chocolate cream and caramel.
Dogfish
Common name for a species of small shark valuable for vitamin C in its liver oil.
Dolci
Italian for sweet dishes.
Demiglace
A rich brown stock reduced to only half of its original amount by simmering.
Demijohn
Large glass wine container which can hold up to 10 gallons.
Demi-Sec
A distinctive type of sweet champagne.
Demitasse
A small cup of black coffee.
Devein
To remove the gritty, grey-black vein running down the curved top of the shelled shrimp by slitting the back of the shrimp open and pulling it (The vein) out.
Devil To add hot or spicy ingredients such as cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce to a food.
Devonshire Cream
A smooth English clotted cream, akin to crème fraîche.
Dhal
The Indian term for lentils.
Dice To cut into cubes.
Digestives
Liquids or cordials often made with herbs and said to aid digestion. Usually drunk at the end of a meal.
Dijon
French prepared mustard made in the Dijon region from black or brown mustard seeds, blended with salt, spices and white wine or verjuice; has a clean sharp, medium-hot flavour, yellow-grey colour and creamy texture.
Dill
Annual plant and a member of the parsley family (Anethum graveolens); the feathery leaves have a parsley-like flavour with overtones of anise and are used fresh or dried as an herb; the flat, oval, brown seeds have a slightly bitter caraway-like flavour.
Dilute
To make a food less concentrated or strong by adding liquid.
Dip
A thick creamy sauce or condiment, served hot or cold, to accompany raw vegetables, crackers, processed snack foods such as potato chips or the like, especially as an hors d'oeuvre.
Direct heat A cooking method that allows heat to meet food directly, such as grilling, broiling, or toasting.
Dissolve
To cause a dry substance to become fluid or to absorb into liquid.
Divinities
Fudge, made with brown or white sugar.
Dobos Torte
A layer cake rich with chocolate cream and caramel.
Dogfish
Common name for a species of small shark valuable for vitamin C in its liver oil.
Dolci
Italian for sweet dishes.
Dot
To sprinkle food with small bits of an ingredient such as butter to allow for even melting.
Dough A combination of ingredients including flour, water or milk, and, sometimes, a leavening agent, producing a firm but workable mixture for making baked goods.
Doughnuts
A sweet cake fried in deep fat, and made of yeast-leavened or baking powder-raised dough.
Drawn butter
Melted butter.
Dredge To sprinkle lightly and evenly with sugar or flour. A dredger has holes pierced on the lid to sprinkle evenly.
Dress
To trim or clean poultry or fish.
Drippings
The fat and natural juice that drips from roasted meats.
Drizzle To pour a liquid such as a sweet glaze or melted butter in a slow, light trickle over food.
Drippings Used for gravies and sauces, drippings are the liquids left in the bottom of a roasting or frying pan after meat is cooked.
Drupe
Peaches, apricots, and all plums are drupes, a juicy false fruit attached to a wooden pit in which an almond is enclosed.
Du jour
French term meaning ‘of the day’.
Dundee Cake
A rich fruitcake covered with blanched almonds.
Durum Wheat
A variety of hard wheat used for making pasta.
Dumpling
A small lump of soft leavened and seasoned egg, milk, and flour dough, shaped with two spoons or piped out of a pastry bag fitted with a nozzle. Usually it is poached in simmering water, but can be steamed over a stew.
Dust To sprinkle food lightly with spices, sugar, or flour for a light coating.
Dutch oven
A heavy cast-iron pot used for the preparation of stews, braises, and pot-roasts.
Duxelles
A medium-fine shallot-scented mushroom hash.
Dough A combination of ingredients including flour, water or milk, and, sometimes, a leavening agent, producing a firm but workable mixture for making baked goods.
Doughnuts
A sweet cake fried in deep fat, and made of yeast-leavened or baking powder-raised dough.
Drawn butter
Melted butter.
Dredge To sprinkle lightly and evenly with sugar or flour. A dredger has holes pierced on the lid to sprinkle evenly.
Dress
To trim or clean poultry or fish.
Drippings
The fat and natural juice that drips from roasted meats.
Drizzle To pour a liquid such as a sweet glaze or melted butter in a slow, light trickle over food.
Drippings Used for gravies and sauces, drippings are the liquids left in the bottom of a roasting or frying pan after meat is cooked.
Drupe
Peaches, apricots, and all plums are drupes, a juicy false fruit attached to a wooden pit in which an almond is enclosed.
Du jour
French term meaning ‘of the day’.
Dundee Cake
A rich fruitcake covered with blanched almonds.
Durum Wheat
A variety of hard wheat used for making pasta.
Dumpling
A small lump of soft leavened and seasoned egg, milk, and flour dough, shaped with two spoons or piped out of a pastry bag fitted with a nozzle. Usually it is poached in simmering water, but can be steamed over a stew.
Dust To sprinkle food lightly with spices, sugar, or flour for a light coating.
Dutch oven
A heavy cast-iron pot used for the preparation of stews, braises, and pot-roasts.
Duxelles
A medium-fine shallot-scented mushroom hash.
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