The Pantry Glossary: Specialty Food Terms, Explained
The Pantry Glossary explains 425 words you will find on specialty food labels, menus and our own product pages, from AOP and bean-to-bar to garum, conservas, Ibérico seal colors and the aging rules for balsamic vinegar. Each entry gives a short, plain definition, and most link to something that shows the term in practice.
Terms cover cheese, charcuterie, tinned fish, olive oil, vinegar, chocolate, tea, coffee, pasta and grains, spices and chiles, honey, preserves, salt and sugar, sauces and condiments, baking, the bar, and the label and origin terms that tie them together. Jump to a letter below, or use your browser's find feature to search for a word.
0 to 9
00 flour
Italian flour milled to the finest grade, doppio zero; the grade describes fineness, not protein, and pizza versions are higher in protein. Try it: Caputo - Pizza Flour 00 - Antimo Red.
100% chocolate
A bar made of cacao with no added sugar, intense and bitter, showing the bean's origin most clearly. Try it: Fossa - Kokoa Kamili - Tanzania - 100%, Fu Wan - Taiwan 1 Ping Tung Chocolate - 100%.
A
Acacia honey
A very pale, mild honey from black locust blossoms, slow to crystallize. Try it: Savannah Bee Company - Acacia, Savannah Bee Company - Acacia Honey Straws.
Acetaia
An attic or loft where balsamic vinegar ages in barrels, exposed to the hot summers and cold winters of the Modena area.
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale
Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP is made only from cooked grape must, with no wine vinegar, and aged at least 12 years in a series of wooden barrels. It is sold only in a standard 100 ml bottle; Reggio Emilia has its own Tradizionale DOP.
Adobo
In Mexican cooking, a tangy red sauce of chiles, vinegar and spices used to marinate and preserve, as with chipotles in adobo. Try it: XILLI - Chipotles Adobados.
Affinage
The craft of aging cheese: turning, brushing, washing and controlling temperature and humidity until it ripens. An affineur is the specialist who does it.
Affinato (balsamic)
The designation for Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP aged at least 12 years.
Albacore
A tuna species (Thunnus alalunga) with pale, mild flesh; in Spain it is called bonito del norte. Try it: Gueyu Mar - Chargrilled Bonito (Albacore) In EVOO, Fishwife - Albacore Tuna W/ Spanish Lemon.
Aleppo pepper
Coarse, oily red chile flakes named for Aleppo in Syria, moderately hot and fruity with a hint of salt. Try it: Villa Jerada - Aleppo Chile Pepper Flakes.
Alpine cheese
Large, firm cooked-curd wheels from mountain dairies of the Alps and Jura, such as Comté and Gruyère, with nutty, brothy flavors.
Amaretti
Small Italian almond cookies, crisp or soft, flavored with bitter almond or apricot kernel. Try it: Chiostro - Crunchy Amaretti - Tower Tin, La Sassellese - Amaretti Cookies.
Amaro
An Italian bittersweet herbal liqueur style; non-alcoholic versions and amaro-soaked fruit borrow its flavor. Try it: Casamara Club - Como - Alpine Style Amaro Botanical Soda, St. Agrestis - Amaro Falso.
Amchur
Dried green mango powder used in Indian cooking to add sour, fruity tang. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Alphonso Mango Amchur.
AOC / AOP
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée / Protégée: the French protected designation of origin. The product must come from a defined area and follow set production rules. Try it: Olbia En Provence - Black Figs From Sollies A.O.P. Jam.
Aperitivo
The Italian ritual of a pre-dinner drink, often bitter and low in alcohol, served with small snacks. Try it: St. Agrestis - Phony Negroni, I Contadini - Pizza Style Tarallini.
Arabica
Coffea arabica, the species behind most specialty coffee, grown at altitude and valued for sweetness, acidity and aroma.
Arborio
A short-grain Italian rice that releases starch as it cooks, used for creamy risotto. Try it: Campanini - Arborio.
Ark of Taste
Slow Food's international catalog of foods, breeds and plant varieties at risk of disappearing. Listing a food is a call to protect it; a Presidium is the hands-on project that follows.
Aromatic bitters
A style of bitters built on warm spices and bittering roots, the classic seasoning for an Old Fashioned or Manhattan. Try it: Angostura - Aromatic Original Bitters, Dashfire Bitters - Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters.
Arrabbiata
Angry sauce: a Roman tomato sauce made spicy with dried chile and garlic. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Arrabbiata Pasta Sauce.
B
Balsamic glaze
Balsamic vinegar thickened into a syrupy sauce for drizzling, sold as crema or glaze. Try it: Giuseppe Giusti - Crema Classic Balsamic Glaze, Giuseppe Giusti - Crema Fig Balsamic Glaze - IGP.
Balsamic vinegar of Modena
Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP blends cooked or concentrated grape must with wine vinegar and is aged at least 60 days in wooden casks in the provinces of Modena and Reggio Emilia. It may be labeled Invecchiato after at least three years in wood and Riserva after at least five. Try it: Giuseppe Giusti - 2 Gold Medals - Aged Balsamic Vinegar Of Modena, Giuseppe Giusti - 3 Gold Medals - Aged Balsamic Vinegar Of Modena, all Vinegars.
Barnacles (percebes)
Goose barnacles, a Galician shellfish delicacy gathered from wave-beaten rocks, prized for a sweet, briny taste. Try it: Conservas De Cambados - Barnacles In Brine.
Barrel-aged maple syrup
Maple syrup rested in used spirit barrels, picking up notes of oak and whiskey. Try it: Runamok - WhistlePig Rye Whiskey Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup.
Barspoon
A long, thin spoon used to stir cocktails smoothly in a mixing glass. Try it: Cocktail Kingdom - Trident Barspoon, Cocktail Kingdom - Leopold Barspoon, all Barware & Cocktail Tools.
Batteria
The series of barrels of decreasing size and different woods used to age traditional balsamic; each year vinegar is moved down the line and topped up.
Bay leaf
The aromatic leaf of the bay laurel tree, simmered in stocks, beans and braises and removed before serving. Try it: Daphnis And Chloe - Selected Bay Leaves, Burlap & Barrel - Laurel Bay Leaves Ground.
Bean-to-bar
Chocolate made by a maker who controls every step, from roasting cacao beans to molding the finished bar. Try it: Bean To Bar Chocolate Book - America's Craft Chocolate Revolution - Megan Giller, all Chocolate Bars.
Bellota
Spanish for acorn. Ibérico de bellota ham comes from pigs fattened on acorns, grass and natural resources of the dehesa with no supplementary feed. Try it: Mercado Famous - Jamón 100% Ibérico.
Bergamot
A fragrant citrus fruit whose oil gives Earl Grey tea its signature aroma. Try it: Oliver Pluff & Company - Spiced Bergamot Toddy Kit, Dick Taylor - Lemon & Bergamot.
Biscotti
Twice-baked Italian cookies, dry and crunchy, made for dipping. Try it: Antonio Mattei - Dark Chocolate Biscotti Di Prato, Loison - Dolci Pensieri - Pear Biscotto.
Biscotti di Prato
Also called cantucci: the original Tuscan almond biscotti, sliced from a baked log and baked again until crisp. Try it: Antonio Mattei - Pistachio Biscotti Di Prato, Antonio Mattei - Dark Chocolate Biscotti Di Prato.
Bitters
Concentrated botanical extracts used by the dash to season cocktails. Try it: Dale DeGroff's - Pimento Aromatic Bitters, Bittermens - Hopped Grapefruit Bitters.
Bittersweet chocolate
Dark chocolate that, under US standards, contains at least 35% chocolate liquor; semisweet has the same minimum. Try it: all Chocolate Bars.
Black garlic
Garlic slowly aged with heat and humidity until the cloves turn black, soft and sweet with a balsamic note. Try it: Black Garlic Molasses.
Black lime
Limes boiled in brine and dried until black, used in Persian and Gulf cooking for a sour, smoky depth. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Black Lime & Chili Salt.
Black sage honey
A pale, mild honey from the black sage of the California coast. Try it: Savannah Bee Company - Black Sage.
Black tea
Tea whose leaves are fully oxidized before drying, giving a dark, brisk, malty cup. Try it: Mariage Frères - Yunnan Impérial, Mariage Frères - Darjeeling Master.
Bloom (coffee)
The first pour of hot water over fresh grounds, which releases trapped gas and makes the bed swell before the rest of the brew. Try it: Fellow - Stagg [Xf] Set.
Bloom (salami)
The powdery white mold on the casing of dry-cured salami, a natural part of traditional aging that helps it dry evenly. Try it: Mercado Famous - Salchichón Ibérico.
Bloomy rind
A soft white rind of mold, typically Penicillium camemberti, that ripens a cheese from the outside in, as on Brie and Camembert. Try it: Brets - Potato Chips - Camembert Cheese.
Blue cheese
Cheese pierced or inoculated so Penicillium roqueforti or a related mold grows in veins through the paste, giving a sharp, savory tang.
Bomba di Calabria
A spicy Calabrian condiment of crushed hot peppers in olive oil, used to add heat to pasta, eggs and pizza. Try it: Azienda Agricola Scalzo - Bomba di Calabria - Hot Pepper Paste.
Bonbon
A bite-size chocolate with a filling such as ganache, praliné or caramel, molded or dipped in a chocolate shell. Try it: all Truffles & Bonbons.
Bonito del norte
The Spanish name for albacore tuna caught in the Cantabrian Sea, prized for tinning in olive oil. Try it: Ramón Peña - Bonito Tuna In Olive Oil, Espinaler - Bonito Ventresca Premium Line.
Boquerones
Spanish white anchovies, fresh fillets marinated in vinegar, garlic and oil rather than salt-cured.
Bottarga
Salted, pressed and dried fish roe, usually from gray mullet or tuna, grated or sliced over pasta in Sardinia and Sicily.
Bramata
Coarsely ground cornmeal for a rustic, textured polenta. Try it: Moretti - Bramata Polenta.
Breakfast tea
A robust blend of black teas, often including Assam and Ceylon, made to stand up to milk. Try it: Mariage Frères - French Breakfast Tea, Mariage Frères - American Breakfast Tea.
Bresaola
Lean beef that is salted and air-dried until deep red; Bresaola della Valtellina IGP comes from the Alpine valley of Valtellina in Lombardy.
Brie
A soft French cow's milk cheese with a bloomy white rind; Brie de Meaux and Brie de Melun are the protected, traditional versions.
Brisling
The Norwegian name for sprat, a small oily fish often smoked and tinned like a baby sardine. Try it: Fangst - Brisling No. 1 - The Nordic Sardine - Baltic Sea Sprat Smoked w/ Heather & Chamomile, Fangst - Brisling No. 4 - The Nordic Sardine - Baltic Sea Sprat Mildly Spiced w/ Allspice & Clove.
Bronze-die pasta
Pasta extruded through bronze dies, which leave a rough surface that holds sauce. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Farfalloni, Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Fettuccine, Brown Bag.
Bucatini
Thick spaghetti with a hole through the center, the classic shape for amatriciana. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Bucatini, Gentile - Bucatini.
Buckwheat honey
A dark, malty, molasses-like honey from buckwheat flowers. Try it: Jacobsen Salt Co. - Raw Buckwheat Honey.
Burr grinder
A grinder that crushes beans between two burrs for an even particle size, which gives a more balanced brew than a blade grinder.
Burrata
A pouch of fresh mozzarella filled with stracciatella, shreds of curd soaked in cream, from Puglia in southern Italy.
Busiate
Long twisted pasta from Trapani in Sicily, traditionally wrapped around a thin rod, served with almond and tomato pesto. Try it: Morelli - Busiate Trapanesi.
C
Cacao fermentation
After harvest, cacao beans and their pulp ferment for several days, which develops the flavor precursors that roasting later turns into chocolate taste.
Cacao nibs
Roasted, crushed pieces of cacao bean, crunchy and chocolate-bitter, with no added sugar. Try it: Dick Taylor - Brown Butter w/ Nibs & Sea Salt.
Cacao percentage
The share of a bar's weight that comes from the cacao bean, cocoa mass plus any added cocoa butter; the rest is mostly sugar and, in milk chocolate, milk. Try it: Cacaosuyo - Cuzco 80%.
Cajeta
Mexican caramel made by slowly cooking goat's milk with sugar. Try it: Fat Toad Farm - Traditional Goat's Milk Caramel.
Calabrian chile
Small, hot red peppers from Calabria in southern Italy, sold dried, crushed or preserved in oil. Try it: Azienda Agricola Scalzo - Calabrian Hot Cherry Peppers In EVOO.
Camellia sinensis
The tea plant. Green, black, white, oolong and pu-erh teas all come from its leaves, processed in different ways. Try it: all Tea.
Camembert
A small, soft Normandy cow's milk cheese with a bloomy rind; Camembert de Normandie AOP is the protected raw milk version. Try it: Brets - Potato Chips - Camembert Cheese.
Cantabrian anchovies
Anchovies from the Cantabrian Sea off northern Spain, salt-cured for months and packed in oil. Try it: Fishwife - Cantabrian Anchovies In Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Olasagasti - Cantabrian Anchovy & Tuna Pate.
Capers
The pickled or salted flower buds of the caper bush, adding a briny pop to sauces and salads. Try it: Caravaglio - Capers In Olive Oil, ABC+ - Trout Fillets In Caper Sauce.
Cardamom
The aromatic seed pods of a plant in the ginger family, floral and citrusy, used in chai, baking and rice dishes. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Cloud Forest Cardamom (Seeds), Burlap & Barrel - Cloud Forest Cardamom Extract.
Carnaroli
An Italian risotto rice with a long grain that holds its shape while turning creamy. Try it: Campanini - Carnaroli.
Cassoulet
A slow-baked bean stew from southwest France with duck or goose confit, pork and sausage. Try it: Les Canardises - Duck Confit Cassoulet, Rancho Gordo - Cassoulet Bean.
Cavatelli
Small, hollow southern Italian pasta shells made by dragging dough with a finger or tool. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Cavatelli.
Caviar
Salt-cured roe of sturgeon; roe from other fish, such as salmon or trout, is sold under its own name.
Cebo de campo
An Ibérico feeding category: pigs raised outdoors on feed plus pasture. Hams in this category carry a green seal.
Chaat masala
A tangy Indian spice blend, usually with amchur, black salt and cumin, sprinkled on snacks and fruit. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Floyd Cardoz Chaat Masala.
Chai
Black tea brewed with warming spices such as cinnamon, cardamom and ginger, often served with milk. Try it: Mariage Frères - Chai Chandernagor, Dashfire Bitters - Chai'Walla Bitters.
Charcuterie
French for prepared meats: cured, smoked and cooked pork and other meats such as sausages, pâtés, terrines and hams. Try it: all Cured Meats.
Cheddar
A firm cow's milk cheese named for Cheddar in Somerset, England; the curds are stacked and turned in a step called cheddaring before milling and pressing.
Chermoula
A North African herb and spice sauce, usually with cilantro, garlic, cumin and lemon. Try it: Villa Jerada - Chermoula.
Chèvre
French for goat, and the common name for goat's milk cheese, from fresh and tangy to aged and ashed. Try it: Brets - Potato Chips - Goat Cheese & Espelette Pepper.
Chili crisp
Chinese-style chili oil with crunchy fried bits such as shallot, garlic or soybeans. Try it: Mama Teav's - Hot Garlic Chili Crisp - Mild, Fishwife - Smoked Salmon w/ Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp.
Chipotle
A ripe jalapeño that has been smoked and dried, sold whole, ground or in adobo sauce. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Smoked Chipotle Chili Flakes, XILLI - Chipotles Adobados.
Chocolate bloom
A gray or white film on chocolate caused by fat or sugar rising to the surface after temperature or humidity changes. It changes looks and texture, and melting and re-tempering restores the chocolate.
Chocolate liquor
Also called cocoa mass: finely ground cacao nibs, a paste of cocoa solids and cocoa butter, with no alcohol despite the name.
Chorizo
Spanish cured pork sausage seasoned with pimentón, garlic and salt, sweet or hot. Try it: Mercado Famous - Chorizo Ibérico, Mercado Famous - Whole Chorizo Serrano.
Chutney
A South Asian condiment of fruit or vegetables cooked with vinegar, sugar and spices, or a fresh herb relish.
Clams (almejas)
Small, sweet Galician clams, tinned in their own brine and graded by piece count. Try it: Conservas De Cambados - Clams 20/30.
Clothbound cheddar
Cheddar wrapped in cloth and rubbed with fat, then aged so it forms a natural rind and an earthy, crumbly character.
Cockles
Small, sweet bivalve shellfish; tinned cockles are a staple of Spanish conservas. Try it: Fangst - Hjertemusling - Limfjord Cockles In Coldpressed Rapeseed Oil, Gueyu Mar - Chargrilled Spicy Cockles (Pequeño).
Cocoa butter
The natural fat of the cacao bean, which melts near body temperature and gives chocolate its snap and smooth melt.
Cocoa powder
Cacao solids with most of the cocoa butter pressed out, then ground; it comes natural or Dutch-processed. Try it: Valrhona - Cocoa Powder.
Codfish (bacalhau)
Bacalhau is Portuguese salt cod, a national staple; tinned cod is also packed in olive oil with garlic. Try it: José Gourmet - Codfish In Olive Oil & Garlic, José Gourmet - Codfish w/ Parsley Pâté.
Colatura
Colatura di alici, an anchovy extract from Campania, Italy, made by aging cured anchovies, used by the drop to season pasta and vegetables. Try it: IASA - Colatura - Anchovy Extract.
Cold brew
Coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for many hours, then strained, giving a smooth, low-acid concentrate.
Cold-pressed
Oil extracted without added heat, which helps keep its natural flavor and aroma. Try it: Fangst - Blåmusling No. 2 - Limfjord Blue Mussels Smoked In Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil.
Comté
A French AOP Alpine cheese from the Jura made from raw cow's milk, ripened at least 120 days, with flavors from fruity to nutty and brothy.
Conching
Long mixing and aerating of liquid chocolate, from hours to days, which smooths texture and drives off harsh, acidic flavors.
Condiment balsamic
A balsamic-style condiment made outside the protected designation rules, often aged and syrupy. Try it: Cavalli - Classico - Condiment Balsamic Of Reggio Emilia, Giuseppe Giusti - Sweet & Sour Balsamic Condiment - Apple.
Confit
Meat, usually duck or goose leg, salted and cooked slowly in its own fat, then stored in that fat. Try it: Les Canardises - Duck Confit, Rougié - Duck Fat.
Confiture
The French word for jam. Try it: Confiture Parisienne - Orange Vanilla Jam, Confiture Parisienne - Lady Marmelade, all Jams & Jellies.
Conservas
Spanish and Portuguese for preserved foods; used for fine tinned seafood packed by hand. Try it: Conservas De Cambados - Barnacles In Brine, Conservas De Cambados - Small Scallops In Galician Sauce, all Tinned Fish.
Consorzio
Italian for consortium: the producers' body that protects a DOP or IGP name, promotes it and helps check that products meet the production rules.
Coppa
Cured pork neck or shoulder, salted, seasoned and dried, sliced thin; also called capocollo.
Coratina
An olive variety from Puglia known for intensely bitter, peppery oil.
Coriander
The dried seed of the cilantro plant, warm and citrusy, used whole or ground. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Red River Coriander Ground.
Cornichons
Small, tart French pickled cucumbers, classic with pâté and charcuterie. Try it: Maison Marc - Cornichons Aigre Doux (Sweet & Sour), Maison Marc - Malossol Cornichons.
Couscous
Tiny granules of rolled semolina, a North African staple steamed and fluffed. Try it: Zursun - Heirloom Grain Couscous, Karine & Jeff - Couscous Vegetables.
Couverture
Chocolate made with extra cocoa butter so it melts fluidly for coating and molding; pastry chefs often buy it as small discs called fèves. Try it: Valrhona - Chocolate Fèves - Guanaja 70%.
Craft chocolate
Chocolate from small makers who source specific cacao, often single origin, and make it in small batches, usually bean to bar. Try it: all Chocolate Bars.
Crema
The golden foam on top of a fresh espresso, formed by oils and gases emulsified under pressure.
Crème de marrons
A sweetened French chestnut spread, flavored with vanilla. Try it: Clément Faugier · Crème De Marrons.
Criollo
A traditional group of cacao varieties with pale beans and delicate, low-bitterness flavor, prized but scarce.
Crystallization (honey)
The natural process in which honey's glucose forms crystals and the honey turns thick and opaque; warming the jar gently in water makes it liquid again. Try it: all Honey.
Cumin
The earthy, aromatic seed of a plant in the parsley family, central to Indian, Middle Eastern and Mexican cooking. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Wild Mountain Cumin Seeds.
Curing salt
Salt mixed with sodium nitrite, and sometimes nitrate, used in measured amounts to cure meats, keeping them pink and protecting them during drying. It is often dyed pink so it is not mistaken for table salt.
D
Darjeeling
Tea from the Darjeeling hills of India, known for a light, floral, muscatel character. Try it: Mariage Frères - Darjeeling Master, all Tea.
Dark milk chocolate
Milk chocolate made with a higher cacao share than classic milk chocolate, often 50% or more, so it tastes richer and less sweet. Try it: Qantu - Oh La Vache! - Piura - Dark Milk Chocolate, Fossa - Coffee Banoffee Pie, all Chocolate Bars.
Dehesa
The open oak woodland pasture of southwestern Spain and Portugal where Ibérico pigs forage for acorns.
Dijon mustard
A smooth, sharp French mustard style made with brown or black mustard seed and white wine or verjuice. Try it: Edmond Fallot - Walnut Dijon Mustard, Edmond Fallot - Honey Balsamic Dijon Mustard.
Direct trade
A sourcing model in which a maker buys coffee or cacao straight from farmers or cooperatives, usually paying above commodity prices for quality. It is a business practice, not a certification.
Disciplinare
The official production specification for an Italian DOP or IGP, setting the area, ingredients, methods, aging and labeling a product must follow to carry the name.
DOC / DOCG
Denominazione di Origine Controllata and Controllata e Garantita, Italy's protected designations for wine. DOCG is the stricter tier, with tasting approval before release.
DOP / PDO
Denominazione di Origine Protetta (Italy) or Protected Designation of Origin (EU): the product is made, processed and prepared in a defined area by set methods. Try it: Wildly Virgin - Verde - Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Portugal), Gentile - Pomodirini Gialli Al Naturale (Piennolo Vesuvio Tomatoes).
Double-brewed soy sauce
Saishikomi: soy sauce brewed with soy sauce in place of salt water, making it darker, richer and more concentrated. Try it: The Japanese Pantry - Yugeta Shoyu - Double Brewed Soy Sauce.
Dragée
A nut or other center coated in layers of chocolate or hard sugar shell. Try it: Fev'co - Hazelnut Dragees, Dick Taylor - Chocolate Coated Almonds.
Dry-cured
Preserved by rubbing with salt, and sometimes spices, then air-drying for weeks to years, as with prosciutto and jamón. Try it: all Cured Meats.
Duck fat
Rendered fat from duck, used in French cooking for roasting potatoes and confit. Try it: Rougié - Duck Fat, China Live - Peking Duck Fat Popcorn.
Dulce de leche
A Latin American caramel made by slowly cooking sweetened milk until thick and golden. Try it: San Ignacio - Dulce de Leche.
Durum wheat semolina
Coarse, golden flour milled from hard durum wheat, the required base of Italian dried pasta. Try it: all Pasta.
Dutch-process cocoa
Cocoa treated with an alkali to soften acidity and darken color, giving a mellow flavor; it reacts differently from natural cocoa in baking. Try it: Valrhona - Cocoa Powder.
E
eAmbrosia
The European Union's public register of protected geographical indications for food, wine, spirits and aromatized wines, where every DOP, PDO, IGP and PGI name is listed.
Earl Grey
Black tea scented with bergamot oil. Try it: Mariage Frères - Earl Grey French Blue, Mariage Frères - Paris Earl Grey, all Tea.
Early harvest
Olive oil pressed from green, underripe olives at the start of the harvest, lower in yield and higher in grassy, bitter and peppery notes.
Egg pasta
Pasta made with eggs and soft wheat flour, tender and rich, typical of northern Italy in shapes like tagliatelle and pappardelle. Try it: Morelli - Pappardelline w/ Truffle.
Escabeche
A Spanish and Portuguese marinade of oil, vinegar and spices, used to pack mussels and fish. Try it: Ramón Peña - Mussels In Pickled Sauce 8/12 *Silver Line*, Ati Manel - Spiced Mussels In Pickled Sauce.
Espresso
Coffee brewed by forcing hot water through a compact bed of fine grounds under pressure, giving a small, concentrated shot.
Extra virgin olive oil
The top grade of olive oil, obtained from olives by mechanical means only, with free acidity of no more than 0.8 grams per 100 grams and no taste defects under the International Olive Council standard. Try it: Wildly Virgin - Forte - Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Portugal), Wildly Virgin - Verde - Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Portugal).
Extravecchio
Extra old: the designation for Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP aged at least 25 years, recognizable by its gold cap.
F
Farro
An ancient Italian wheat grain with a nutty, chewy bite, used in soups and salads. Try it: Agribosco - Organic Italian Farro Perlato, Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Farro Spaghetti.
Fennel seed
The sweet, anise-scented seed of the fennel plant, used in sausages, breads and spice blends. Try it: Daphnis And Chloe - Fragrant Fennel Seeds.
Feta
A Greek PDO brined white cheese made from sheep's milk, or sheep's milk with up to 30% goat's milk, ripened at least two months.
Finishing oil
A flavorful olive oil used raw, drizzled over finished dishes, rather than heated for cooking. Try it: Graza - Drizzle - Olive Oil.
Finocchiona
A Tuscan salami flavored with fennel seed, protected as an IGP.
First flush
The first spring harvest of a tea garden, prized for fresh, bright flavor. Try it: Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company - BLÅ (Blue), with Darjeeling First Flush.
Flake salt
Sea salt formed as thin, crisp flakes that crunch and dissolve quickly, used to finish food. Try it: Saltverk - Flaky Sea Salt, Maldon - Sea Salt.
Flavored tea
Tea blended or scented with fruit, flowers, spices or natural flavorings, a specialty of French tea houses. Try it: Mariage Frères - Marco Polo, Mariage Frères - Casablanca.
Fleur de sel
Delicate sea salt crystals raked by hand from the surface of salt pans, used to finish dishes. Try it: Dick Taylor - Fleur De Sel.
Foie gras
The fattened liver of duck or goose, a French delicacy served as a terrine or seared. Try it: Rougié - Duck Foie Gras.
Forastero
The large group of cacao varieties grown for most of the world's chocolate, hardy and robust in flavor.
Frantoio
Italian for olive mill; also the name of a leading Tuscan olive variety with fruity, peppery oil.
Free acidity
A lab measure of the free fatty acids in olive oil, expressed as oleic acid; extra virgin may have no more than 0.8%, virgin no more than 2.0%.
Fregola
Small toasted Sardinian pasta pearls with a nutty flavor. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Fregola Sarda, Toasted.
Fresh cheese
Unaged cheese eaten within days of making, such as ricotta, mozzarella, fresh chèvre and mascarpone, mild and milky.
Fruit curd
A smooth, rich spread of citrus or other fruit juice cooked with sugar, eggs and butter. Try it: Beirabaga - Fruits Of Portugal - Lemon Curd.
Fruit vinegar
Vinegar made from fruit wine or fruit infused into vinegar, such as raspberry or strawberry, bright and lightly sweet. Try it: Pommery - Raspberry Vinegar, Artisan Strawberry Vinegar.
Fusilli col buco
Long, hollow spiral pasta that twists like a telephone cord, made to trap sauce inside and out. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Fusilli Col Buco.
G
Ganache
A smooth emulsion of chocolate and cream, used as the center of truffles and bonbons and for glazing cakes. Try it: all Truffles & Bonbons.
Garbanzo bean
The chickpea, a nutty, firm legume used for hummus, stews and salads. Try it: Rancho Gordo - Garbanzo Bean.
Garum
A fermented seasoning sauce. The ancient version was made from fish; modern garums ferment ingredients such as mushrooms or grains for deep umami. Try it: Noma Projects - Mushroom Garum.
Genmaicha
Japanese green tea blended with toasted rice for a nutty, popcorn-like aroma. Try it: Mariage Frères - Genmaïcha Matcha Émeraude.
Geothermal salt
Sea salt evaporated with natural geothermal heat, a method Saltverk uses in the Westfjords of Iceland. Try it: Saltverk - Flaky Sea Salt, Saltverk - Arctic Thyme Salt.
Gianduja
A smooth blend of chocolate and hazelnut paste from Piedmont; a gianduiotto is the boat-shaped chocolate made from it. Try it: Venchi - Pistachio Gianduiotto.
Giardiniera
Italian pickled vegetables, crunchy and tangy. Try it: Marconi - Mild Giardiniera, Marconi - Hot Giardiniera.
Gift box (coffret)
Coffret is French for a presentation box; tea and chocolate makers use it for gift assortments. Try it: Mariage Frères - Grand Coffret Henri.
Gochujang
A Korean fermented paste of chile, glutinous rice, soybeans and salt, sweet, savory and spicy. Try it: We Love You - Sweet & Spicy Gochujang Chili Sauce.
Gooseneck kettle
A kettle with a long, thin spout that gives precise control of the pour for pour-over coffee and tea. Try it: Fellow - Stagg EKG Pro Electric Kettle.
Gorgonzola
An Italian DOP blue cheese of cow's milk from Lombardy and Piedmont, sold as soft, sweet dolce or firmer, sharper piccante.
Grains of paradise
Peppery, citrusy seeds of a West African plant in the ginger family, used like black pepper. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Grains Of Paradise.
Grana Padano
An Italian DOP hard cheese from the Po Valley, close in style to Parmigiano Reggiano, marked after at least 9 months of aging.
Grape must
Freshly pressed grape juice with skins and seeds, before fermentation; cooked must (mosto cotto) is the base of balsamic and saba. Try it: Leonardi - Saba Mosto d'Uva Cotto.
Green tea
Tea whose leaves are heated soon after picking, by steaming or pan-firing, to stop oxidation, keeping them green and fresh-tasting. Try it: Mariage Frères - Sencha Matcha Émeraude, Mariage Frères - Thé Vert Marco Polo.
Grenadine
A red cocktail syrup traditionally made from pomegranate juice and sugar. Try it: Raft - Grenadine Syrup.
Gruyère
A Swiss AOP Alpine cheese of raw cow's milk, firm and nutty, aged in cellars from several months to more than a year.
Guanciale
Cured pork jowl from central Italy, the traditional fat in carbonara, amatriciana and gricia.
Gyokuro
A Japanese green tea shaded for weeks before harvest, which makes it deeply sweet and savory.
H
Harissa
A Tunisian chili paste of dried peppers, garlic and spices. Try it: Les Moulins Mahjoub - Traditional Harissa (Organic), New York Shuk - Harissa BBQ Sauce & Marinade.
Harvest date
The date the olives were picked and pressed. Olive oil tastes best fresh, so a recent harvest date is a better guide than a best-by date. Try it: all Olive Oils.
Hazelnut spread
A sweet spread of roasted hazelnuts and cocoa, a cousin of gianduja. Try it: Il Colle Del Gusto - Noccioliva - Smooth Hazelnut Chocolate Spread.
Heirloom beans
Older bean varieties grown for flavor and texture rather than commercial yield. Try it: Rancho Gordo - Marcella Bean, Rancho Gordo - Christmas Lima Bean.
Herbal infusion (tisane)
A drink brewed from herbs, flowers, fruit or roots rather than the tea plant, such as mint or chamomile. Try it: Mariage Frères - Mentha Piperita.
Herring
An oily North Atlantic fish eaten smoked, pickled or tinned across Scandinavia and northern Europe. Try it: Fangst - SILD No. 1 - Norwegian Sea Herring Smoked w/ White Pepper & Ramson.
Hojicha
Japanese green tea roasted until brown, giving a toasty, low-bitterness cup. Try it: Fossa - Uji Houjicha Tea chocolate.
Hominy
Dried corn kernels cooked in an alkaline solution so they puff and soften, the base of pozole. Try it: Rancho Gordo - Prepared Hominy White Corn Posole.
Honey process
A coffee processing method in which the skin is removed but some sticky fruit is left on the bean while it dries, adding sweetness and body.
Honeycomb
Wax cells built by bees and filled with honey, eaten whole, wax and all. Try it: Bee Squared Apiaries - Honeycomb.
Hot honey
Honey infused with chiles, sweet and spicy, for pizza, fried chicken and cheese. Try it: Savannah Bee Company - Hot Honey, XILLI - Oaxacan Hot Honey.
I
Ibérico
From Spain's native Ibérico pig breed, prized for richly marbled cured meats. Under Spanish rules, Ibérico means at least 50% Ibérico breed, and the label must state the percentage when it is not 100%. Try it: Mercado Famous - Salchichón Ibérico, Mercado Famous - Chorizo Ibérico.
IGP / PGI
Indicazione Geografica Protetta / Protected Geographical Indication: at least one production step takes place in the named region. Try it: Giuseppe Giusti - Crema Raspberry Balsamic Glaze Of Modena - IGP, Giuseppe Giusti - Crema Fig Balsamic Glaze - IGP.
Immersion brewing
Brewing in which grounds steep fully in water before filtering, as in the French press and AeroPress. Try it: AeroPress - AeroPress Clear Coffee Maker.
Inclusion
Any ingredient mixed into or scattered on a chocolate bar, such as nuts, fruit, nibs, salt or spices. Try it: Dick Taylor - Milk Chocolate w/ Hazelnuts - 55%, Dick Taylor - Brown Butter w/ Nibs & Sea Salt.
Infused honey
Honey steeped with flavorings such as citrus, spices, salt or barrel wood. Try it: Bushwick Kitchen - Bees Knees Meyer Lemon Honey, Bee Squared Apiaries - Whiskey Barrel Aged Honey.
Infused salt
Salt blended or dried with flavorings such as herbs, citrus, chile, wine or truffle. Try it: Jacobsen Salt Co. - Rosemary Infused Sea Salt, Pinot Noir Salt - Infused Sea Salt.
Invecchiato
Italian for aged. On Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP it means at least three years in wooden barrels. Try it: Giuseppe Giusti - 4 Gold Medals - Aged Balsamic Vinegar Of Modena.
J
Jam
Fruit cooked with sugar until it sets into a spreadable preserve with pieces of fruit. Try it: all Jams & Jellies.
Jamón ibérico
Dry-cured ham from Ibérico pigs. Spanish rules use seal colors: black for 100% Ibérico de bellota, red for Ibérico de bellota, green for cebo de campo and white for cebo. Try it: Mercado Famous - Jamón 100% Ibérico, Mercado Famous - Jamón 50% Ibérico.
Jamón serrano
Spanish dry-cured ham from white pig breeds, registered in the EU as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed.
Jasmine tea
Tea, usually green, scented by layering it with fresh jasmine blossoms. Try it: Mariage Frères - Jasmin Mandarin.
Jelly
A clear preserve made from strained fruit juice and sugar, set firm with pectin. Try it: Mariage Frères - Earl Grey Impérial Tea Jelly.
Jigger
A double-sided measuring cup for pouring exact amounts in cocktails. Try it: Cocktail Kingdom - Japanese Style Jigger, Cocktail Kingdom - Leopold Jigger, all Barware & Cocktail Tools.
Jimmy Nardello pepper
A long, thin, sweet Italian heirloom frying pepper, also dried and flaked. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Jimmy Nardello Pepper Flakes.
K
Kampot pepper
Peppercorns grown in Kampot province in Cambodia, known for floral, complex heat. Try it: Comptoir & Co - Cambodian Black Kampot Pepper.
Kanzuri
A fermented Japanese chile paste from Niigata, made with chiles aged in snow, yuzu, koji and salt. Try it: Yuzu Kanzuri - Japanese Style Chili Sauce.
Koji
A mold (Aspergillus oryzae) grown on rice or grains; the starter behind miso, soy sauce, sake and many modern ferments. Try it: Noma Projects - Mushroom Garum, Haku - Smoked Shoyu.
Kombu
A kelp seaweed central to Japanese cooking, the backbone of dashi broth and a natural source of savory umami flavor. Try it: Porto-Muiños - Piquillo Peppers W/ Sweet Kombu.
Kosher salt
Coarse salt with large, irregular crystals that are easy to pinch, named for its use in koshering meat. Try it: all Salts.
L
Lampante
Virgin olive oil with defects or free acidity above 3.3%, not fit to eat as is and sent for refining; the name comes from its old use as lamp oil.
Lapsang souchong
A Chinese black tea dried over pinewood smoke. Try it: Mariage Frères - Lapsang Chinbara.
Lardo
Pork fatback cured with salt, herbs and spices; Lardo di Colonnata IGP is aged in marble basins in Tuscany.
Lava salt
Flaky sea salt blended with activated charcoal, giving black crystals; Saltverk makes it in Iceland. Try it: Saltverk - Lava Salt.
Leccino
A Tuscan olive variety giving mild, balanced oil; the olives are also cured for the table. Try it: I Contadini - Leccine - Red Olives In Brine.
Lemongrass
A tall tropical grass with a lemony, floral aroma, essential in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Drumstick Lemongrass.
Lentils
Small, quick-cooking dried legumes; small dark types such as black beluga and French green hold their shape best. Try it: Rancho Gordo - Black Caviar Lentil, Zursun - Heirloom Petite Golden Lentil.
Licorice
Candy flavored with the root of the licorice plant, popular in sweet and salted forms across Scandinavia. Try it: Lakrids By Bülow - Selection Box - 8 Flavors - Chocolate Coated Licorice, Jacobsen Salt Co. - Salty Natural Licorice - Pure Sea Salt Licorice Candy.
Lievito madre
Italian natural sourdough starter, used to leaven traditional panettone, pandoro and breads.
Lomo
Spanish cured pork loin, seasoned with pimentón and garlic and dried, lean and sliced thin. Try it: Mercado Famous - Lomo 50% Ibérico.
Loose leaf
Whole or large-leaf tea brewed in a pot or steeper rather than in a bag, giving room for the leaves to open. Try it: Loose Leaf Tea Steeper, all Tea.
M
Mackerel
A rich, oily fish with a meaty texture, a favorite for tinning in olive oil or tomato. Try it: José Gourmet - Small Mackerel In Olive Oil, José Gourmet - Smoked Small Mackerel In Olive Oil.
Mafalde
Long, flat ribbon pasta with ruffled edges, from Naples. Try it: Gentile - Mafalde.
Maldon salt
Flaky pyramid-shaped sea salt crystals from Maldon, England. Try it: Maldon - Sea Salt, Maldon - Smoked Sea Salt.
Manchego
A Spanish DOP pressed cheese from La Mancha, made only from the milk of Manchega sheep and aged at least 30 days for small wheels and 60 days for larger ones, up to two years.
Maple syrup grades
US Grade A maple syrup is sorted into four color and taste classes: Golden Delicate, Amber Rich, Dark Robust and Very Dark Strong. Try it: Runamok - Sugarmaker's Cut Pure Vermont Organic Maple Syrup, Runamok - Sugarmaker's Dark Wood-Fired Vermont Maple Syrup.
Maraschino cherries
Cherries preserved in syrup; the Italian original uses sour marasca cherries, as in Luxardo's. Try it: Luxardo - Maraschino Cherries.
Marinara
A quick Italian-American tomato sauce with garlic, olive oil and herbs. Try it: Bianco Di Napoli - Organic Marinara Sauce.
Marmalade
A preserve made from citrus, including the peel. Try it: Marchesi di San Giuliano - Organic Sicilian Red Grapefruit Marmalade, Yakami Orchard - Yuzu Marmalade, all Jams & Jellies.
Masa harina
Flour made from nixtamalized corn that has been dried and ground, used for tortillas and tamales.
Masala
Hindi and Urdu for a spice mix; every region and dish has its own, such as garam, chaat or vindaloo masala. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Floyd Cardoz Vindaloo Masala, Burlap & Barrel - Floyd Cardoz Goan Masala.
Mascarpone
A rich Italian cream cheese made by acidifying cream, the base of tiramisù.
Matbucha
A North African and Israeli cooked salad of tomatoes and roasted peppers with garlic and chile. Try it: New York Shuk - Matbucha w/ Olives & Mint.
Matcha
Finely ground Japanese green tea that is whisked into water, so you drink the whole leaf. Try it: Mariage Frères - Matcha Midori, Fossa - Matcha & Yuzu Chocolate.
Membrillo
Spanish quince paste, firm and sliceable, served with Manchego.
Microlot
A small, separately harvested and processed portion of a crop, usually coffee or cacao, kept apart so its distinct flavor can be traced to one plot or picking.
Milk chocolate
Chocolate with milk solids added. US standards require at least 10% chocolate liquor and 12% total milk solids. Try it: Dick Taylor - Milk Chocolate w/ Hazelnuts - 55%.
Miso
A Japanese fermented paste of soybeans, salt and koji. Try it: Tsuki - Scallop & White Miso Professional Ramen Base, Tsuki - Spicy Crab Miso Professional Ramen Base.
Mojama
Salt-cured, air-dried tuna loin from Andalusia, sliced thin and served with olive oil and almonds.
Monocultivar
Olive oil made from a single olive variety, the way a varietal wine is made from one grape. Try it: all Olive Oils.
Mortadella
A large, cooked Bologna sausage of finely ground pork studded with cubes of fat, often with pistachios; Mortadella Bologna is an IGP.
Mostarda
An Italian condiment of candied fruit with mustard heat, served with cheese and roasts. Try it: Casa Forcello - Pear Mostarda.
Mother of vinegar
The jelly-like mass of acetic acid bacteria that turns wine, cider or other alcohol into vinegar.
Moutarde de Meaux
A whole-grain mustard from Meaux, east of Paris, traditionally sold in a stoneware crock with a cork seal. Try it: Pommery - Meaux Mustard Stone Jar.
Mozzarella di Bufala Campana
An Italian DOP fresh pulled-curd cheese made from water buffalo milk in Campania and nearby areas, soft and milky.
MSC label
The blue Marine Stewardship Council ecolabel, used on wild seafood from fisheries certified against the MSC standard for sustainable fishing.
Muddler
A bar tool for crushing fruit, herbs and sugar in the glass. Try it: Cocktail Kingdom - Gary "Gaz" Regan Muddler, Cocktail Kingdom - Natural Wood Muddler, all Barware & Cocktail Tools.
Mugolio
An Italian syrup made from young mountain pine buds, resinous and sweet. Try it: Primitivizia - Mugolio - Pinecone Bud Syrup.
Muscovado
A moist, dark unrefined cane sugar that keeps its molasses, with a toffee flavor.
Mussels (mejillones)
Bivalves farmed on rafts in the Galician rías and tinned whole, often fried first and packed in escabeche. Try it: Ramón Peña - Mussels In Spicy Chili & Garlic Sauce, Fangst - Blåmusling No. 2 - Limfjord Blue Mussels.
N
Natural process
Also called dry process: coffee cherries dried whole with the fruit on, giving fruity, winey flavors.
Natural rind
A rind that forms on its own as the surface of a cheese dries during aging, without added molds, washes or wax.
'Nduja
A soft, spreadable spicy pork salume from Calabria, made with Calabrian chiles.
Negroni
An Italian cocktail of equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and bitter red aperitivo; non-alcoholic versions mimic the balance. Try it: St. Agrestis - Phony Negroni.
Nick and Nora glass
A small stemmed glass for stirred cocktails served without ice. Try it: Cocktail Kingdom - Nick & Nora Glasses.
Nixtamalization
The Mesoamerican process of cooking corn in an alkaline solution, usually lime, which loosens the hulls and makes dough possible. Try it: Rancho Gordo - Prepared Hominy White Corn Posole.
Non-alcoholic aperitif
An alcohol-free drink built to taste like a bitter aperitivo or cocktail, using botanicals, bitter roots and acidity. Try it: Curious Elixirs - Curious Elixir No. 2, all Non-alcoholic Cocktails.
Nougat
A chewy or crunchy confection of honey or sugar whipped with egg whites and nuts. Try it: Venchi - Nougatine, Torrone Pili - Torrone Di Tonara - Mandorle E Miele (Almond & Honey Nougat).
Nut butter
Roasted nuts ground until smooth or crunchy, sometimes with salt, sweeteners or spices. Try it: all Nut Butters.
O
Octopus (pulpo)
Cooked octopus, tender and sweet, tinned in olive oil, often with garlic or paprika. Try it: José Gourmet - Octopus In Olive Oil w/ Garlic, Ati Manel - Octopus In Garlic Sauce.
Ogliarola
A traditional olive variety of Puglia, giving gentle, almond-scented oil.
Olio nuovo
Italian for new oil: freshly pressed, often unfiltered olive oil bottled right after the harvest, bright green and peppery, best used soon.
Olive oil (blend grade)
Labeled simply "olive oil", a blend of refined olive oil with virgin olive oil, milder and lighter than extra virgin.
Olive pomace oil
Oil extracted with solvents from the paste left after pressing olives, then refined and usually blended with some virgin oil.
Oolong
Partially oxidized tea, between green and black, with floral to toasty flavors. Try it: Fu Wan - Charcoal Oolong Milk Tea chocolate.
Orange bitters
Bitters built on bitter orange peel, used in martinis and many classic cocktails. Try it: Regans' - Orange Bitters No. 6, Fee Brothers - West Indian Orange Bitters.
Orange blossom
The fragrant flower of the bitter orange tree, used as water or flavoring in Mediterranean sweets. Try it: Les Anis de Flavigny - Orange Flower Pastilles, Fee Brothers - Orange Flower Water.
Orange blossom honey
A light, floral honey from citrus groves in bloom. Try it: Bee Squared Apiaries - Orange Blossom Honey, Savannah Bee Company - Orange Blossom.
Orecchiette
Little ears: small, cupped pasta from Puglia, classic with broccoli rabe. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Orecchiette.
Oregano
A pungent Mediterranean herb of the mint family; dried Greek and Turkish oregano are especially aromatic. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Turkish Oregano Buds.
Organic (USDA)
Under USDA rules, "organic" on the front of a package means at least 95% certified organic ingredients, excluding salt and water; "made with organic" means at least 70% and may not carry the USDA seal. Try it: Agribosco - Organic Italian Farro Perlato, Les Moulins Mahjoub - Traditional Harissa (Organic).
Orléans method
A slow, traditional way of making wine vinegar in barrels partly filled with wine and a mother of vinegar, named for the French city of Orléans.
Orzo
Italian for barley: small, rice-shaped pasta used in soups and salads. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Orzo.
Oxidation (tea)
The browning reaction in tea leaves after picking; how far it goes separates green, oolong and black tea.
P
Padrón peppers
Small green Galician peppers, usually fried; most are mild, a few are hot. Try it: Ramón Peña - Sardines In Olive Oil & Padron Pepper.
Paella rice
Short, round Spanish rice that absorbs broth while staying separate in the pan. Try it: Matiz - Valenciano Paella Rice (Traditional), Matiz - Valenciano Paella Sofrito.
Palet breton
A thick, rich butter shortbread cookie from Brittany, made with salted butter. Try it: Filet Bleu - Palets Bretons - Pure Butter Shortbreads.
Pancetta
Italian cured pork belly, salted and spiced but usually not smoked, sold flat or rolled.
Panela
Unrefined whole cane sugar made by boiling down sugarcane juice, with caramel and molasses notes; also called piloncillo or rapadura. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Panela Cane Sugar.
Panettone
A tall, domed Milanese sweet bread leavened with natural starter, rich with butter, eggs, candied citrus and raisins.
Paprika
Ground dried red peppers, from sweet to hot; Hungary, especially Szeged, and Spain are the classic sources. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Szegedi 178 Hot Paprika.
Parmigiano Reggiano
An Italian DOP hard cheese made only from cow's milk, salt and rennet in a defined area around Parma, Reggio Emilia and Modena, aged at least 12 months.
Passata
Smooth, strained raw tomato purée used as a sauce base. Try it: I Contadini - La Rustica - Passata Di Pomodoro, I Contadini - La Gialla - Yellow Tomato Passata.
Pasta alla chitarra
Square-edged spaghetti from Abruzzo, traditionally cut by pressing dough through the wires of a frame called a chitarra, or guitar. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Pasta Alla Chitarra.
Pasta di Gragnano
An IGP dried pasta made only in the town of Gragnano near Naples from durum wheat semolina and local water, drawn through bronze dies and dried slowly.
Pastilles
Small hard candies, often flavored with anise, rose or violet, such as the anise pastilles of Flavigny in Burgundy. Try it: Les Anis de Flavigny - Anis Pastilles, Les Anis de Flavigny - Liquorice Pastilles.
Pata negra
A name for the finest Ibérico ham. Under Spanish rules it may be used only for 100% Ibérico de bellota products. Try it: Mercado Famous - Jamón 100% Ibérico.
Pâté
A smooth spread of fish, meat or vegetables. Portuguese fish pâtés are sold in small tins. Try it: Ati Manel - Smoked Sardine Pate, Ati Manel - Spiced Smoked Tuna Pate.
Pâte de fruit
French fruit jellies made by cooking fruit purée with sugar and pectin, then coating in sugar. Try it: Francois Doucet - Pâtes De Fruits, Francois Doucet - Pâte De Fruit Marbles.
Pecorino
Italian for sheep's milk cheese, made across central and southern Italy and in Sardinia, from young and mild to aged and sharp.
Pecorino Romano
A DOP hard sheep's milk cheese from Lazio, Sardinia and the province of Grosseto, aged at least 5 months for table cheese and 8 months for grating.
Pectin
A natural carbohydrate in fruit, especially apples and citrus peel, that sets jams and jellies when cooked with sugar and acid.
Pelati
Italian whole peeled tomatoes, packed in juice or purée. Try it: I Contadini - I Pelati - Whole Peeled Tomatoes.
Peppercorns
The dried berries of the Piper nigrum vine: black are picked unripe and dried, white have the skin removed, green are picked young. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Zanzibar Black Peppercorns.
Pesto alla genovese
Ligurian basil sauce pounded with pine nuts, garlic, aged cheese and olive oil. Try it: Ranise - Ligurian Basil Pesto.
Pesto rosso
Red pesto from Sicily and southern Italy, made with sun-dried or fresh tomatoes, nuts and basil. Try it: Ranise - Red Pesto w/ Sundried Tomatoes & Basil.
Peychaud's
A bright red, anise-forward New Orleans bitters, essential to the Sazerac. Try it: Peychaud's - Bitters.
Pici
Thick, hand-rolled Tuscan noodles, like fat spaghetti, often served with garlic and tomato or cacio e pepe. Try it: Morelli - Pici.
Picual
Spain's most planted olive variety, from Andalusia, giving robust oil with tomato-leaf and green notes.
Piece count
Numbers such as 8/12 or 20/30 on a tin of seafood give the approximate range of pieces inside; lower numbers mean larger pieces. Try it: Conservas De Cambados - Clams 20/30, Espinaler - Razor Clams 5/8 Pieces.
Piennolo del Vesuvio
Small cherry tomatoes grown on the volcanic slopes of Vesuvius and traditionally hung in clusters to keep through winter, protected as a DOP. Try it: Gentile - Pomodorini Gialli (Piennolo Vesuvio Tomatoes).
Piment d'Espelette
A mild, fruity chili from the French Basque village of Espelette, protected as an AOP. Try it: Brets - Potato Chips - Goat Cheese & Espelette Pepper, Les Mouettes d'Arvor - Sardines W/ Espelette Pepper.
Pimentón de la Vera
Spanish DOP paprika from La Vera in Extremadura, made from peppers smoke-dried over oak, sweet, bittersweet or hot.
Pink Himalayan salt
Rock salt mined in Pakistan's Salt Range, tinted pink by trace minerals. Try it: Jacobsen Salt Co. - Pink Himalayan Salt.
Piquillo peppers
Sweet red Spanish peppers, roasted over fire and peeled, often sold in jars or tins. Try it: Porto-Muiños - Piquillo Peppers W/ Sweet Kombu, Espinaler - Lodosa Whole Piquillo Peppers.
Pole and line
A fishing method where fish are caught one at a time with a pole and line. Try it: Fishwife - Albacore Tuna W/ Spanish Lemon, Ati Manel - Spiced Tuna Fillets In Olive Oil.
Polenta
Northern Italian cornmeal porridge, served soft or cooled, sliced and grilled. Try it: Moretti - Bramata Polenta.
Pomegranate molasses
Pomegranate juice reduced to a thick, tart-sweet syrup, used in Middle Eastern dressings and stews. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Pomegranate Molasses.
Porcini (cep)
A wild mushroom (Boletus edulis) with deep, nutty, savory flavor. Try it: Noma Projects - Cep Oil, all Mushrooms.
Pour-over
Coffee made by pouring hot water by hand over grounds in a filter cone, letting it drip through. Try it: Fellow - Stagg [Xf] Set, all Coffee & Tea Tools.
Praliné
A paste of caramelized nuts, usually hazelnuts or almonds, ground smooth and used to fill chocolates; dragées and pralines are related nut sweets. Try it: Fev'co - Hazelnut Dragees.
Preserved lemon
Lemons cured in salt until the peel turns soft and fragrant, a staple of North African cooking. Try it: New York Shuk - Preserved Lemon BBQ Sauce & Marinade, Les Moulins Mahjoub - Natural Preserved Lemons.
Prosciutto
Italian for ham; prosciutto crudo is salt-cured, air-dried ham, and prosciutto cotto is cooked ham.
Prosciutto di Parma
An Italian DOP ham made only from pork legs and sea salt in the hills around Parma, cured at least 14 months and branded with the ducal crown.
Pu-erh
A fermented and often aged tea from Yunnan, China, sold loose or pressed into cakes, with earthy depth.
Pungency
The peppery catch at the back of the throat from fresh, high-quality olive oil, a positive sensory attribute along with fruitiness and bitterness. Try it: Wildly Virgin - Forte - Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Portugal).
R
Raw honey
Honey that has been strained but not heated or finely filtered, so it keeps more pollen, aroma and texture. In the United States the term has no single legal definition. Try it: Jacobsen Salt Co. - Raw Buckwheat Honey.
Raw milk cheese
Cheese made from milk that has not been pasteurized. In the United States it must be aged at least 60 days at 35°F or above before it can be sold.
Razor clams
Long, narrow clams with a sweet taste; tinned razor clams are a Galician specialty. Try it: Conservas De Cambados - Razor Shells In Brine 4/6, Espinaler - Razor Clams 5/8 Pieces Classic Line.
Red wine vinegar
Vinegar made by fermenting red wine, sharp and fruity, a classic for vinaigrettes. Try it: Pommery - Red Wine Vinegar In Crock.
Refined olive oil
Olive oil treated to remove defects, color and flavor, with free acidity of no more than 0.3%; it is the base of blended olive oil.
Rennet
The enzyme, traditionally from a calf's stomach and now also microbial or plant based, that sets milk into curd for cheesemaking.
Ricotta
Italian for recooked: a soft fresh cheese made by heating the whey left from cheesemaking, sometimes with added milk.
Rillettes
French potted meat or fish, slow-cooked in fat, shredded and packed into jars to spread on bread.
Riserva (balsamic)
On Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP, Riserva means at least five years in wooden barrels. Try it: Cavalli - Riserva Nando - Balsamic.
Roast level
How long and hot beans are roasted. Light roasts keep more origin character and acidity; dark roasts bring smoky, bittersweet notes.
Robusta
Coffea canephora, a hardy coffee species with more caffeine and a heavier, more bitter taste than arabica, common in espresso blends.
Rock sugar
Large crystals of sugar grown slowly from syrup, used to sweeten tea gently as they dissolve. Try it: Mariage Frères - Sucre Candy (Cane Sugar) Pour Le Thé.
Romesco
A Catalan sauce of roasted peppers, nuts, garlic and olive oil. Try it: Espinaler - Romesco Sauce.
Rooibos
A naturally caffeine-free South African herbal infusion with a sweet, woody flavor. Try it: Mariage Frères - Marco Polo Rouge, Mariage Frères - Rouge Bourbon.
Roquefort
A French AOP blue cheese of raw sheep's milk, ripened at least 90 days in the natural caves of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon.
Rose petal confit
A delicate preserve of rose petals cooked in sugar syrup, used on toast, yogurt and pastries. Try it: Favols - Confit Of Rose Petals.
Rose petals (culinary)
Dried petals of fragrant roses such as the Damask rose, used in Persian, Middle Eastern and Indian sweets and spice blends. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Damask Rose Petals, Daphnis And Chloe - Damascena Rose Petals.
Rose water
Water scented with distilled rose petals, used in Middle Eastern and South Asian sweets and in cocktails. Try it: Fee Brothers - Rose Water.
S
Saba
Italian cooked grape must, reduced to a sweet syrup. Try it: Leonardi - Saba Dressing, Leonardi - Saba Mosto d'Uva Cotto.
Sablé
A crumbly French butter cookie; savory sablés use cheese. Try it: Filet Bleu - Sablés w/ Lemon & Almond.
Saffron
The dried stigmas of the saffron crocus, used in small amounts for color and aroma. Try it: BRINS - Lemon Saffron Marmalade, Burlap & Barrel - Herati Saffron.
Salchichón
A Spanish cured pork sausage seasoned with black pepper and spices rather than pimentón. Try it: Mercado Famous - Salchichón Ibérico.
Salmon (tinned)
Salmon fillets, often smoked first, packed in tins with oil or seasonings. Try it: Fishwife - Smoked Salmon w/ Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp, Fangst - Færøsk Laks No. 2 Faroe Islands Salmon.
Salsa macha
A Mexican sauce of dried chiles, seeds or nuts fried in oil. Try it: XILLI - Salsa Macha Con Cacahuate.
Salumi
Italian for cured meats as a whole, including whole-muscle cuts like prosciutto and coppa and sausages like salami. Try it: all Cured Meats.
Sambal
A Southeast Asian chili paste. Try it: Auria's Malaysian Kitchen - Lime Leaf Sambal.
San Marzano tomatoes
A long plum tomato prized for sauce. Only tins labeled Pomodoro San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP are certified, grown in set areas of the provinces of Salerno, Naples and Avellino. Try it: Gustarosso - Whole San Marzano Tomatoes.
Sardines
Small oily fish of the herring family; Portuguese and Spanish tins pack them whole in olive oil, tomato or with spices. Try it: José Gourmet - Small Sardines In Extra Virgin Olive Oil, José Gourmet - Smoked Sardines In Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Scallops (zamburiñas)
Zamburiñas are small Galician scallops, often tinned in a paprika and onion sauce. Try it: Conservas De Cambados - Small Scallops In Galician Sauce.
Sea salt
Salt made by evaporating seawater, in shallow pans by sun and wind or with heat. Try it: La Baleine - Fine Sea Salt From The Mediterranean Sea, all Salts.
Sea spaghetti
A long, thin brown seaweed harvested in the Atlantic, eaten like a vegetable or pasta. Try it: Porto-Muiños - Organic Sea Spaghetti In Brine.
Second flush
The early summer harvest of a tea garden, especially in Darjeeling and Assam, fuller and more muscatel than the first flush.
Sel gris
Gray, moist sea salt raked from the clay bottoms of salt marshes on the Atlantic coast of France, such as Guérande.
Sencha
The most common Japanese steamed green tea, grassy and fresh. Try it: Mariage Frères - Sencha Matcha Émeraude.
Sesame oil
Oil pressed from sesame seeds; toasted versions are dark and nutty and used as a seasoning, not for frying. Try it: The Japanese Pantry - Wadaman Black Sesame Oil.
Shakshuka
A North African and Middle Eastern dish of eggs poached in spiced tomato and pepper sauce. Try it: Villa Jerada - Shakshuka Blend.
Sherry vinegar
Vinegar made from sherry wine and aged in oak, nutty and mellow; Vinagre de Jerez is the protected version from southern Spain. Try it: Pommery - Sherry Vinegar.
Shio koji
A Japanese seasoning of rice koji, salt and water, used to marinate and add savory depth. Try it: The Japanese Pantry - Hanamaruki Liquid Shio Koji.
Shoyu
Japanese soy sauce; shiro shoyu is a pale, delicate style. Try it: Haku - Smoked Shoyu, Haku - Sakura Cherry Blossom Shoyu.
Shrub
A drinking vinegar: fruit, sugar and vinegar steeped into a tangy syrup for sodas and cocktails. Try it: Bittermens - Hellfire Habanero Shrub.
Sichuan pepper
The husk of a prickly ash berry, with a citrusy aroma and a tingling effect on the tongue. Try it: Goodnow Farms - Herbaceous Green Sichuan Pepper.
Simple syrup
Sugar dissolved in water, the basic sweetener for cocktails and iced drinks. Try it: Sonoma Syrup Co. - Classic Simple Syrup.
Single estate
Made from one farm or estate only, so the product reflects that one place. Try it: Fu Wan - Taiwan 1 Ping Tung Chocolate, Burlap & Barrel - Cloud Forest Cardamom (Seeds).
Single origin
Made from one named growing region or country rather than a blend. Try it: Goodnow Farms - Single Origin White Chocolate, Jacobsen Salt Co. - Raw Buckwheat Honey - Single Origin Honey, all Chocolate Bars.
Slow Food Presidium
A Slow Food project that supports a community of producers keeping a traditional food, technique or landscape alive, with shared production rules and a narrative label.
Slow-dried pasta
Pasta dried at lower temperatures over many hours, which helps it keep its wheat flavor and firm bite. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Spaghetti, Gentile - Spaghetti.
Smoked salt
Salt smoked over wood such as birch or oak, adding a campfire note. Try it: Saltverk - Birch Smoked Salt, Maldon - Smoked Sea Salt.
Smoked trout
Trout fillets smoked and packed in oil, mild and flaky. Try it: José Gourmet - Smoked Trout Fillets In Olive Oil, Fangst - Regnbue Ørred Danish Freshwater Trout.
Soba
Japanese noodles made with buckwheat flour, served hot in broth or cold with a dipping sauce. Try it: Buckwheat Soba Noodles, Green Tea Soba Noodles.
Sofrito
A slow-cooked base of tomato, onion, pepper and garlic for Spanish rice and stews. Try it: Matiz - Valenciano Paella Sofrito.
Soppressata
A coarse Italian dry-cured salami, often pressed flat, made in many regional styles from sweet to spicy.
Sott'olio
Italian for under oil: vegetables such as artichokes or peppers preserved in olive oil. Try it: Masseria Mirogallo - Artichoke Hearts In EVOO, Azienda Agricola Scalzo - Calabrian Hot Cherry Peppers In EVOO.
Sparkling tea
A carbonated, alcohol-free drink brewed from tea, served like sparkling wine. Try it: Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company - BLÅ (Blue), Copenhagen Sparkling Tea Company - Lysegron, all Non-alcoholic Cocktails.
Specialty coffee
The Specialty Coffee Association defines it as coffee recognized for distinctive attributes that give it significantly higher value in the market, judged through its Coffee Value Assessment.
Speck
Cured, lightly smoked ham from South Tyrol (Alto Adige), protected as Speck Alto Adige IGP.
Sprats
Small, oily fish from the herring family, often smoked and tinned. Try it: Fangst - Brisling No. 1, Fangst - Brisling No. 4.
Squid in ink
Small squid, sometimes stuffed with their tentacles, cooked and tinned in a sauce made with their own black ink. Try it: José Gourmet - Stuffed Squids In Ink, Gueyu Mar - Chargrilled Squids In Ink Sauce.
Squid ink
The black ink of squid or cuttlefish, used to color and flavor pasta, rice and sauces with a briny depth. Try it: Conservas De Cambados - Squid Ink In Jar.
Strozzapreti
Priest stranglers: short, hand-twisted pasta from Emilia-Romagna and central Italy. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Strozzapreti.
Sugo
Italian for sauce, usually a tomato sauce for pasta. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce, all Pasta Sauces.
Sumac
A tart, deep red spice from dried sumac berries, common in Middle Eastern cooking. Try it: BRINS - Wild Blueberry Sumac Spread & Preserve, Burlap & Barrel - Cured Sumac.
Sun-dried tomatoes
Tomatoes dried until chewy and concentrated, sold dry or packed in oil. Try it: Masseria Mirogallo - Sun Dried Tomatoes.
T
Taleggio
An Italian DOP washed-rind cow's milk cheese from Lombardy, soft and pungent with a mild, buttery center.
Tandoori
Food cooked in a tandoor clay oven, or the yogurt and spice marinade used for it, colored with chile and paprika. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Tandoori.
Tapenade
A Provençal spread of olives, capers and anchovies or herbs. Try it: Délices Du Luberon - Black Olive Tapenade.
Taralli
Crunchy ring-shaped crackers from Puglia, made with flour, olive oil and wine, served with aperitivo. Try it: I Contadini - Pizza Style Tarallini.
Tempering
Heating and cooling chocolate to set temperatures so the cocoa butter forms stable crystals, giving a glossy finish and clean snap.
Termite di Bitetto
An olive variety from Bitetto near Bari in Puglia, used for oil and for table olives. Try it: I Contadini - Termite Di Bitetto - Olives In Brine.
Terrine
A coarse pâté of meat, fish or vegetables cooked in a loaf-shaped mold, also called a terrine, and served sliced. Try it: Rougié - Duck Foie Gras.
Terroir
The combined effect of soil, climate, landscape and local know-how on how a food or wine tastes, the idea behind most origin designations.
Tinned fish
Seafood cooked or cured and sealed in a tin, ready to eat. Try it: The Magic Of Tinned Fish - Chris McDade, all Tinned Fish.
Tonic water
Carbonated water flavored with quinine, which gives its signature bitterness. Try it: Fentimans - Tonic Water.
Trapani salt
Sea salt from the salt pans of Trapani, on the western coast of Sicily. Try it: Jacobsen Salt Co. - Trapani Pure Italian Fine Sea Salt.
Tree-to-bar
Chocolate made by a maker who also grows the cacao, controlling every step from the tree to the bar. Try it: Fu Wan - Taiwan 1 Ping Tung Chocolate - 70%, Fu Wan - Taiwan 1 Ping Tung Chocolate - 100%.
Trinitario
A family of cacao varieties that began in Trinidad as a cross of Criollo and Forastero types, combining flavor and hardiness.
Triple-crème
A soft French-style cheese enriched with cream for a very high butterfat content, giving a buttery, spreadable texture.
Trofie
Short, thin twists of pasta from Liguria, traditionally served with pesto. Try it: Rustichella d'Abruzzo - Trofie.
Truffle
An aromatic underground fungus; truffle sauces, salts and chips carry its earthy perfume. (Chocolate truffles are a different thing: rounds of ganache.) Try it: Torres - Selecta - Black Truffle Potato Chips, all Truffle Products.
TSG
Traditional Speciality Guaranteed: an EU scheme that protects a traditional recipe or method rather than a place, so the product can be made anywhere that follows the rules. Jamón serrano is one example.
Tupelo honey
A prized honey from white tupelo trees in the river swamps of north Florida and south Georgia, buttery and slow to crystallize. Try it: Savannah Bee Company - Tupelo.
Turbinado
A partially refined raw cane sugar with large golden crystals and light molasses flavor; demerara is a similar style.
Turmeric
A ginger-family root, dried and ground into a golden, earthy spice used in curries and rice. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - New Harvest Turmeric.
Tyrosine crystals
The crunchy white specks in long-aged cheeses such as Parmigiano Reggiano and aged Gouda, formed as proteins break down into the amino acid tyrosine.
U
Udon
Thick, chewy Japanese wheat noodles served in broth or stir-fried. Try it: Udon.
Unfiltered olive oil
Olive oil bottled without filtering, so fine olive particles leave it cloudy; it is best used fresh.
V
Vanilla bean
The cured seed pod of a vanilla orchid; scrape the tiny seeds for flavor. Try it: Heilala Vanilla - Madagascan Vanilla Beans - Two Pods.
Vanilla extract
Vanilla beans steeped in alcohol and water to draw out their flavor, the most common way to bake with vanilla. Try it: Burlap & Barrel - Vanilla Extract.
Vanilla paste
A thick blend of vanilla extract and ground seeds, giving visible flecks of bean in custards and frostings. Try it: Heilala Vanilla - Pure Vanilla Paste.
Varietal honey
Also called monofloral honey: honey made mostly from the nectar of one kind of flower, so it tastes of that plant. Try it: Savannah Bee Company - Tupelo, Savannah Bee Company - Black Sage.
Venere rice
An Italian black whole-grain rice with a nutty, aromatic flavor, grown mainly in Piedmont. Try it: Campanini - Black Venus Rice.
Ventresca
Tuna belly, the richest and most tender cut, often tinned in olive oil. Try it: Espinaler - Bonito Ventresca Premium Line, José Gourmet - Ventresca "Tuna" In Olive Oil.
Verjus
Verjuice: the tart pressed juice of unripe grapes, used like a gentle vinegar or lemon in sauces, dressings and cocktails.
Vermouth
Under EU rules, an aromatized wine with added alcohol whose characteristic taste comes from wormwood (Artemisia); wine makes up at least 75% of the volume.
Vialone Nano
A semi-fine risotto rice from the Veneto that absorbs liquid well, favored for loose, wavy risotto.
Vincotto
A southern Italian condiment of grape must cooked down and aged, used like a syrupy balsamic. Try it: Gianni Calogiuri - Vincotto Originale - Condiment.
Virgin olive oil
Olive oil obtained only by mechanical means, like extra virgin, but with free acidity up to 2.0% and minor taste defects allowed.
W
Wakame
A tender seaweed used in Japanese soups and salads. Try it: Porto-Muiños - Seaweed Salad W/ Organic Vinaigrette, Porto-Muiños - Seaweed Salad In Olive Oil.
Walnut pesto
Salsa di noci, a Ligurian sauce of walnuts, garlic, cheese and olive oil, traditional with pansoti. Try it: Ranise - Ligurian Walnut Pesto.
Washed process
Coffee processing in which the fruit is removed and the beans fermented and washed before drying, giving clean, bright flavors.
Washed rind
A rind washed with brine, beer, wine or spirits during aging, which encourages orange, aromatic bacteria and a pungent, meaty flavor.
White balsamic
A pale, sweet-tart condiment of white grape must and white wine vinegar, cooked gently so it stays light in color. Try it: Acetaia Malpighi - White Dressing Prelibato, Giuseppe Giusti - White Wine Vinegar Condiment.
White chocolate
Chocolate made from cocoa butter, milk and sugar with no cocoa solids. US standards require at least 20% cocoa butter and 14% total milk solids. Try it: Mirzam - Alphonso Mango White Chocolate, Goodnow Farms - Single Origin White Chocolate.
White soy sauce
Shiro shoyu, a pale Japanese soy sauce brewed with more wheat than soy, delicate and sweet, used where color should stay light. Try it: Takuko - White Shoyu Soy Sauce.
White tea
Minimally processed tea made from young buds and leaves that are simply withered and dried, delicate and sweet.
Wild rice
The seed of aquatic Zizania grasses native to North America; true wild rice is hand-harvested from lakes, while much is grown in paddies. Try it: Wine Forest - True Wild Rice Mix, Rancho Gordo - California Wild Rice.
Wild-caught
Seafood caught from wild populations rather than farmed. The label says nothing on its own about fishing method; look for terms such as pole and line for that. Try it: Fishwife - Albacore Tuna W/ Spanish Lemon.
Wildflower honey
Honey from the mixed nectar of many local flowers, varying with place and season. Try it: Bee Squared Apiaries - Alfalfa Wildflower Honey.
Worcestershire sauce
A fermented English condiment with anchovy, tamarind and vinegar. Try it: Colonel Pabst - Large Colonel Pabst Worcestershire Sauce.
Y
Yerba maté
A caffeinated infusion of the leaves of a South American holly, traditionally sipped from a gourd through a metal straw. Try it: Mariage Frères - Polo Club - Maté Vert Marco Polo.
Yunnan
A province of southwest China known for golden-tipped black teas and pu-erh. Try it: Mariage Frères - Yunnan Impérial.
Yuzu
A fragrant Japanese citrus with a flavor between lemon, grapefruit and mandarin. Try it: Fossa - Matcha & Yuzu Chocolate, Noma Projects - Extra Spicy Corn Yuzu Hot Sauce.
Yuzu juice
The tart, aromatic juice of yuzu citrus, used in ponzu, dressings and cocktails. Try it: Yakami Orchard - Yuzu Juice Marugoto Shibori.
Yuzu kosho
A Japanese paste of yuzu zest, chili and salt. Try it: Yakami Orchard - Yuzu Kosho - Green Chili Pepper.
Z
Za'atar
A Levantine blend of wild thyme or oregano, sumac and sesame. Try it: Varah Gourmet - Zaatar Spice Almonds.
How we wrote this glossary
We wrote every definition in plain language and checked specific rules, such as aging minimums, acidity limits, label categories and production areas, against official and established references. Where we could not confirm a figure, we left the number out. Sources include the International Olive Council trade standard; the Consorzio Tutela Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP and the Consorzio Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena; the consortia for Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, Pecorino Romano, Pomodoro San Marzano dell'Agro Sarnese-Nocerino DOP and Pasta di Gragnano IGP; the European Commission's geographical indications pages, the eAmbrosia register and the EU regulation on aromatized wine products; the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture and the Ibérico producers' association ASICI on the Ibérico quality standard; the Queso Manchego DOP specification; US FDA standards of identity for cheese and cacao products; USDA Agricultural Marketing Service rules for organic labeling and maple syrup grades; the Specialty Coffee Association; and the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity.
See also
For where these foods are made, see the map of where our food comes from. For help choosing, read our buying guides for tinned fish, tea, chocolate and balsamic vinegar.
