25.1 Culinary Vocabulary, Knife Cuts, Basic Sauces, and Accurate Measurement
Key Takeaways
Mise en place means having all ingredients measured, cut, and equipment ready before cooking begins.
A roux is equal weights of fat and flour cooked together, and a slurry is starch mixed with cold liquid before it is added to hot liquid.
Flour is spooned lightly into a dry measuring cup and leveled, brown sugar is packed, and liquids are read at eye level in a clear liquid measuring cup.
One tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons or 15 mL, and one standard cup equals 16 tablespoons or about 240 mL.
Fahrenheit equals Celsius multiplied by 9/5 plus 32, so 180 °C is 356 °F.
Cookery principles and culinary vocabulary form a single competency area of Foods and Food Service Systems. Examinees should recognize terms used in recipes and production sheets and measure accurately.
Common Preparation and Cooking Terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Mise en place | Everything in place: ingredients prepared and equipment ready before cooking |
| Blanch | Briefly plunge into boiling water, then into cold water, to set color, loosen skins, or inactivate enzymes |
| Parboil | Partially cook in boiling water |
| Sear | Brown the surface quickly over high heat |
| Deglaze | Add liquid to a hot pan to dissolve browned bits for a sauce |
| Reduce | Simmer to evaporate liquid and concentrate flavor |
| Baste | Spoon liquid or fat over food while cooking |
| Dredge | Coat lightly with flour or crumbs |
| Marinate | Soak in a seasoned liquid for flavor or tenderness |
| Cream | Beat fat and sugar until light and fluffy |
| Cut in | Mix solid fat into flour until it forms small particles |
| Fold | Gently combine a light mixture (such as beaten egg whites) into a heavier one |
| Whip | Beat rapidly to incorporate air |
| Temper | Slowly add hot liquid to eggs to raise their temperature without curdling |
| Al dente | Cooked until firm to the bite |
| Au gratin | Topped with crumbs or cheese and browned |
| En papillote | Baked in a parchment or foil packet |
| Garnish | Decorate a dish with edible items |
Aromatic bases: mirepoix (about 2 parts onion to 1 part carrot and 1 part celery) for stocks and sauces; the Filipino ginisa base of garlic, onion, and tomato; a bouquet garni (herbs tied together for easy removal).
Standard Knife Cuts
| Cut | Approximate size |
|---|---|
| Julienne (allumette) | 3 mm × 3 mm × 5-6 cm sticks |
| Batonnet | 6 mm × 6 mm × 5-6 cm sticks |
| Brunoise | 3 mm cubes |
| Small dice | 6 mm cubes |
| Medium dice | 12 mm cubes |
| Large dice | 20 mm cubes |
| Chiffonade | Thin ribbons of leafy greens or herbs |
| Mince | Very fine pieces, as for garlic |
| Paysanne | Thin, flat pieces about 12 mm across |
Uniform cuts cook evenly and look attractive.
Thickening Agents and Sauces
- Roux: equal weights of fat and flour cooked together; white, blond, or brown depending on cooking time.
- Slurry: cornstarch or flour mixed with cold liquid, then stirred into hot liquid to prevent lumps.
- Liaison: egg yolks and cream used to enrich and thicken; tempered before adding.
- Reduction: evaporating liquid to thicken.
Classical mother sauces: béchamel (milk thickened with white roux), velouté (white stock with blond roux), espagnole (brown stock with brown roux), tomato sauce, and hollandaise (an emulsion of egg yolks and butter). Many other sauces are made from these bases.
Measuring Techniques
| Ingredient | Technique |
|---|---|
| Flour | Stir or sift, spoon lightly into a dry measuring cup, and level with a straight edge; do not tap or pack |
| White sugar | Spoon or pour into a dry cup and level |
| Brown sugar | Pack firmly so it holds the cup's shape when turned out |
| Solid fat | Press into a dry cup to remove air pockets, then level; or use the water displacement method |
| Liquids | Use a clear liquid measuring cup on a level surface and read at eye level |
| Small amounts | Use measuring spoons, leveled |
Weighing is more accurate than measuring by volume, which is why quantity food production uses scales and weight-based standardized recipes.
Equivalents and Conversions
| Unit | Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 3 teaspoons = 15 mL |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tablespoons = about 60 mL |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons = about 240 mL |
| 1 pint (US) | 2 cups = about 473 mL |
| 1 ounce (weight) | 28.35 g |
| 1 pound | 16 ounces = 453.6 g |
| 1 kilogram | 1,000 g = 2.2 pounds |
Temperature conversion:
Example. An oven set at 180 °C equals 180 × 9/5 + 32 = 356 °F. A recipe calling for 350 °F needs (350 - 32) × 5/9 ≈ 177 °C.
Example of converting units. A recipe needs 2.5 lb of chicken. In kilograms, 2.5 × 0.4536 ≈ 1.13 kg.
Common Recipe Abbreviations
| Abbreviation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| tsp or t | Teaspoon |
| tbsp or T | Tablespoon |
| c | Cup |
| oz | Ounce |
| fl oz | Fluid ounce (volume) |
| lb | Pound |
| g, kg | Gram, kilogram |
| mL, L | Milliliter, liter |
| pc, doz | Piece, dozen |
| EP, AP | Edible portion, as purchased |
Measuring and Weighing Equipment
- Dry measuring cups in nested sizes (1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4 cup) for leveling.
- Liquid measuring cups of clear glass or plastic with a spout and markings below the rim.
- Measuring spoons for small amounts of leavening, salt, and spices.
- Digital and platform scales for weighing ingredients and portions; check them regularly with standard weights.
- Food thermometers (bimetallic stem or digital) calibrated in ice water at 0 °C.
- Ladles, dishers, and spoodles of known capacity for portioning in quantity production.
A recipe says to stir a mixture of cornstarch and cold water into simmering soup. What is this thickening mixture called?
Roux
Liaison
Slurry
Mirepoix
How should brown sugar be measured for a standardized recipe that uses volume measures?
Sifted and spooned lightly into the cup
Poured into a liquid measuring cup and read at eye level
Heaped above the rim without leveling
Packed firmly into a dry measuring cup and leveled
A baking recipe from abroad calls for an oven temperature of 375 °F. What is the closest Celsius setting?
About 190 °C
About 160 °C
About 175 °C
About 210 °C
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.