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.
Macadamia Nut
A round nut. It is the fruit of a subtropical evergreen native to Australia but most that reach the market come from Hawaii (also grown in California).
Macaroni
Eggless pasta made from flour or a combination of flour and semolina, water, and a small amount of salt. Often used to refer to elbow-shaped pasta.
Mace
A spice that tastes and smells like a pungent version of nutmeg. Mace is the bright red membrane that covers the nutmeg seed. After the membrane is removed and dried it becomes a yellow-orange colour. It's sold ground and, less frequently, whole (in which case it's called a "blade").
Macerate To soak raw, dried or preserved fruit or vegetables in liquid to soften or absorb the flavour of the liquid.
Macedoine
A blended combination of fruit or vegetables
Madrilene
A clear consommé with a tomato base, served jellied or hot.
Magnum
A single bottle with a capacity of two bottles or about 2/5 gallon, or 160 centilitres.
Mahimahi
A firm-fleshed fish with a light, delicate flavour.
Mandoline
A slicer that can be fitted with diverse cutting blades.
Marble To gently swirl one food into another.
Marc
eau-de-vie, a spirit distilled from the residue of grapes or other fruit after wine has been pressed and strained. Calvados is the marc made of apples.
Maréchale, à la
Small cuts of meat and poultry which are breaded and fried in butter. Green asparagus tips and truffles are usual in the garnish.
Marennes
A type of oyster found in French waters. Highly prized for flavour.
Marinade
A brine or pickling solution in which meat can be soaked before cooking to alter or enrich the flavour.
Marinate To combine food with aromatic ingredients to add flavour.
Marinière
To cook shellfish with white wine. Also, a garnish with mussels.
Marjoram A herb and member of the mint family (Origanum marjorana) native to the Mediterranean, has short oval, pale green leaves, a sweet flavour reminiscent of thyme and oregano and a strong aroma; also known as sweet marjoram.
Marmalade
A citrus jelly that also contains un-peeled slices of citrus fruit.
Marrow
Soft tissue from the centre of beef and veal bones.
Marzipan A paste (of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites) used to fill and decorate pastries.
Marsala
A semi-dry Italian sherry wine.
Mash To beat or press a food to remove lumps and make a smooth mixture.
Matelote
A rich fish stew flavoured with red or white wine and herbs.
Mayonnaise
A rich salad dressing emulsified by whipping together eggs, oil, and vinegar.
Mead
An alcoholic drink of fermented honey and water.
Medallion A small round or oval bit of meat.
Melon - a member of the gourd family Cucurbitaceae; grown on vines worldwide, these fruits generally have a thick hard rind, many seeds and a sweet juicy flesh.
Melt
To dissolve or make liquid by heating.
Menu
The list of foods served in a restaurant.
Meringue Egg whites beaten until they are stiff, then sweetened. It can be used as the topping for pies, or baked as cookies.
Meuniere
Pan fried, served with butter freshly browned, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
A round nut. It is the fruit of a subtropical evergreen native to Australia but most that reach the market come from Hawaii (also grown in California).
Macaroni
Eggless pasta made from flour or a combination of flour and semolina, water, and a small amount of salt. Often used to refer to elbow-shaped pasta.
Mace
A spice that tastes and smells like a pungent version of nutmeg. Mace is the bright red membrane that covers the nutmeg seed. After the membrane is removed and dried it becomes a yellow-orange colour. It's sold ground and, less frequently, whole (in which case it's called a "blade").
Macerate To soak raw, dried or preserved fruit or vegetables in liquid to soften or absorb the flavour of the liquid.
Macedoine
A blended combination of fruit or vegetables
Madrilene
A clear consommé with a tomato base, served jellied or hot.
Magnum
A single bottle with a capacity of two bottles or about 2/5 gallon, or 160 centilitres.
Mahimahi
A firm-fleshed fish with a light, delicate flavour.
Mandoline
A slicer that can be fitted with diverse cutting blades.
Marble To gently swirl one food into another.
Marc
eau-de-vie, a spirit distilled from the residue of grapes or other fruit after wine has been pressed and strained. Calvados is the marc made of apples.
Maréchale, à la
Small cuts of meat and poultry which are breaded and fried in butter. Green asparagus tips and truffles are usual in the garnish.
Marennes
A type of oyster found in French waters. Highly prized for flavour.
Marinade
A brine or pickling solution in which meat can be soaked before cooking to alter or enrich the flavour.
Marinate To combine food with aromatic ingredients to add flavour.
Marinière
To cook shellfish with white wine. Also, a garnish with mussels.
Marjoram A herb and member of the mint family (Origanum marjorana) native to the Mediterranean, has short oval, pale green leaves, a sweet flavour reminiscent of thyme and oregano and a strong aroma; also known as sweet marjoram.
Marmalade
A citrus jelly that also contains un-peeled slices of citrus fruit.
Marrow
Soft tissue from the centre of beef and veal bones.
Marzipan A paste (of ground almonds, sugar, and egg whites) used to fill and decorate pastries.
Marsala
A semi-dry Italian sherry wine.
Mash To beat or press a food to remove lumps and make a smooth mixture.
Matelote
A rich fish stew flavoured with red or white wine and herbs.
Mayonnaise
A rich salad dressing emulsified by whipping together eggs, oil, and vinegar.
Mead
An alcoholic drink of fermented honey and water.
Medallion A small round or oval bit of meat.
Melon - a member of the gourd family Cucurbitaceae; grown on vines worldwide, these fruits generally have a thick hard rind, many seeds and a sweet juicy flesh.
Melt
To dissolve or make liquid by heating.
Menu
The list of foods served in a restaurant.
Meringue Egg whites beaten until they are stiff, then sweetened. It can be used as the topping for pies, or baked as cookies.
Meuniere
Pan fried, served with butter freshly browned, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
Mignon
Small pieces of beef tenderloin.
Mignonette
Coarsely ground white or black pepper.
Milannaise
Generally used when some type of pasta is being served.
Mille-Feuilles
Literally, “a thousand leaves”, this is the flaky pastry the Middle East introduced into European cuisine, layered with cream, and topped with jam and icing.
Mince To chop food into tiny, irregular pieces.
Mincemeat
A blended mixture of finely chopped cooked beef, currants, apples, suet, and spices.
Minestra
Italian; a thick soup of meat and vegetables.
Minestrone
A thick Italian soup made with vegetables, dried legumes, and pasta.
Minute Steak
A small, fairly thin, boneless sirloin steak.
Mirepoix
A mixture of fairly fine, diced vegetables such as carrots, onions, and celery.
Mirin
Heavily sweetened rice wine used as cooking wine. You can substitute sweet white wine.
Miso
A thick paste made from fermented and processed soy beans. Red miso is a combination of barley and soy beans and yellow miso is a combination of rice and soy beans.
Mix To beat or stir two or more foods together until they are thoroughly combined.
Mocha
A flavouring made of coffee and chocolate.
Moisten Adding enough liquid to dry ingredients to dampen but not soak them.
Molasses
A thick, sweet, brownish-black liquid that is a by-product of sugar-refining; used in breads, cookies and pastries for its distinctive, slightly bitter flavour and dark colour.
Mold
A metal form in which you can shape certain foods to make them look more attractive.
Mornay sauce
A rich cream sauce with eggs and Parmesan cheese added.
Moussaka
A traditional dish of the Balkan peninsula, and generally known as Greek. There are many variations, but all are layered casseroles of vegetables and ground meat. A good example is a combination of eggplant with tomatoes and lamb.
Mousse
A frozen dessert made mainly with whipped cream, sweetening, and flavouring.
Mousseline
A sauce made by folding whipped cream into hollandaise. Or, a very light forcemeat based on white meat or seafood lightened with cream and eggs.
Mozarella
A fairly soft Italian cheese with a rubbery texture and is great to use in making pizza. Can be made from Buffalo, or cows milk.
Muddler
A rod used to crush and mix fruit and sugar in drinks. Also, used to free the bubbles in champagne.
Muffin
A drop batter baked in individual pans and served as a quick bread
Mulled Wine
Wine, usually red, that is heated, but not boiled, with sugar and spices, such as cinnamon stick, ground mace and whole cloves.
Mulligatawny
English version of chicken or lamb soup served with rice. The original is Indian.
Mushroom
Any of many species of cultivated or wild fleshy fungus, usually consisting of a stem, a cap (which may have gills) and mycelium; available fresh or dried and eaten raw, reconstituted or cooked.
Mustard
Any of several species of a plant that is a member of the cabbage family; the seeds are used for a spice and the leaves are eaten as vegetables.
Mussels
Edible molluscs found under seaweed clinging to the rocks on the seashore.
Mutton
The flesh or meat of a mature sheep.
Small pieces of beef tenderloin.
Mignonette
Coarsely ground white or black pepper.
Milannaise
Generally used when some type of pasta is being served.
Mille-Feuilles
Literally, “a thousand leaves”, this is the flaky pastry the Middle East introduced into European cuisine, layered with cream, and topped with jam and icing.
Mince To chop food into tiny, irregular pieces.
Mincemeat
A blended mixture of finely chopped cooked beef, currants, apples, suet, and spices.
Minestra
Italian; a thick soup of meat and vegetables.
Minestrone
A thick Italian soup made with vegetables, dried legumes, and pasta.
Minute Steak
A small, fairly thin, boneless sirloin steak.
Mirepoix
A mixture of fairly fine, diced vegetables such as carrots, onions, and celery.
Mirin
Heavily sweetened rice wine used as cooking wine. You can substitute sweet white wine.
Miso
A thick paste made from fermented and processed soy beans. Red miso is a combination of barley and soy beans and yellow miso is a combination of rice and soy beans.
Mix To beat or stir two or more foods together until they are thoroughly combined.
Mocha
A flavouring made of coffee and chocolate.
Moisten Adding enough liquid to dry ingredients to dampen but not soak them.
Molasses
A thick, sweet, brownish-black liquid that is a by-product of sugar-refining; used in breads, cookies and pastries for its distinctive, slightly bitter flavour and dark colour.
Mold
A metal form in which you can shape certain foods to make them look more attractive.
Mornay sauce
A rich cream sauce with eggs and Parmesan cheese added.
Moussaka
A traditional dish of the Balkan peninsula, and generally known as Greek. There are many variations, but all are layered casseroles of vegetables and ground meat. A good example is a combination of eggplant with tomatoes and lamb.
Mousse
A frozen dessert made mainly with whipped cream, sweetening, and flavouring.
Mousseline
A sauce made by folding whipped cream into hollandaise. Or, a very light forcemeat based on white meat or seafood lightened with cream and eggs.
Mozarella
A fairly soft Italian cheese with a rubbery texture and is great to use in making pizza. Can be made from Buffalo, or cows milk.
Muddler
A rod used to crush and mix fruit and sugar in drinks. Also, used to free the bubbles in champagne.
Muffin
A drop batter baked in individual pans and served as a quick bread
Mulled Wine
Wine, usually red, that is heated, but not boiled, with sugar and spices, such as cinnamon stick, ground mace and whole cloves.
Mulligatawny
English version of chicken or lamb soup served with rice. The original is Indian.
Mushroom
Any of many species of cultivated or wild fleshy fungus, usually consisting of a stem, a cap (which may have gills) and mycelium; available fresh or dried and eaten raw, reconstituted or cooked.
Mustard
Any of several species of a plant that is a member of the cabbage family; the seeds are used for a spice and the leaves are eaten as vegetables.
Mussels
Edible molluscs found under seaweed clinging to the rocks on the seashore.
Mutton
The flesh or meat of a mature sheep.
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