The Cook's Essential Kitchen Dictionary: A Complete Culinary Resource

by Jacques Rolland

A fascinating blend of food history, etymology, anecdotes, origins and culture. Often, in the middle of preparing a recipe, an unfamiliar term pops up seemingly out of nowhere. Not recognizing a word and its meaning can diminish the pleasure of preparing a dish. This comprehensive reference is completely revised with its thousands of definitions and a wealth of historical background for cooking concepts and word usage. Each entry from the previous edition has been reviewed, vetted and edited to reflect today's culinary landscape. Ideal for any home cook or for anyone who simply loves reading about or eating food, this is an outstanding treat. Each food and beverage definition is listed alphabetically for easy access. British and North American cooking terms are included as well as many foreign language terms found in French, Italian and Spanish. For example, "cuisine bourgeoise" is common usage in French cookbooks, but what does it mean? Actually it's a sophisticated type of home cooking that includes some of the rich sauces and complex techniques of traditional French haute cuisine, that are simplified for the everyday kitchen. Or perhaps you have a love of words and are intrigued by their historical background and linguistic origins. So whether you're looking for an entertaining read or the answer to a specific culinary question, this delightful book offers a unique vantage point from which to expand the knowledge of food and your appreciation of cooking for any home chef, making the adventure of cooking all the more enjoyable.

416 pages, Paperback

First published September 4, 2004

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of The Cook's Essential Kitchen Dictionary, Second Edition: A Complete Culinary Resource by Jacques L. Rolland through Robert Rose, Inc.

French born, acclaimed chef and author, Jacques L. Rolland has went out of his way to offer an entertaining and educational dictionary that is sure to offer hours of pleasure to cooks and foodies all over the world. What's your culinary question? Do you want to learn more about the different varieties of basil, chocolate, coffee or oil? Let the author guide you on a culinary journey by expanding your knowledge of food and your appreciation with this must-have culinary resource.

The second edition has been completely revised with more than 5,000 alphabetized definitions from everyday to exotic words, including words like: gnocchi, kohlrabi, sake, udon, xanthan gum, zabaglione, and many more. It includes many American, British, French, German, Italian, Japanese and Spanish cooking terms plus many words have historical background, cross-referencing, multiple meanings and spellings, subtopics and varieties featured throughout the dictionary.

Cook's Essential Kitchen Dictionary, Second Edition: A Complete Culinary Resource by Jacques L. Rolland would make an awesome gift idea for that new college student, a newly wed couple, a housewarming showering, and just-because gift. I would have loved for someone to have gifted me a copy over three decades ago. I highly recommend this book. And, why not get yourself a copy? You could pick up one for a special friend, too!

[Sandra Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever been reading a recipe and wondered, "What is that ingredient?" or are you a novice cook that isn't quite sure what some cooking terms are? Have you ever wondered what flageolet, harusame, macerate, nam pla, udon or orgeat was? If so, this is the book for you! From ajowan to tzatziki and clary to vindaloo, cooking ingredients and terms are defined for you in this handy resource. There are nice, boxed sections throughout the book that contain things like varieties of apples, grades of butter, clam varieties, flour types and more. Set up alphabetically, it is easy to find what you're looking for quickly. As someone who loves to try different cuisines, I sometimes come across terms or ingredients I haven't heard of. If you'd have asked me yesterday what Appenzeller was, I wouldn't have been able to tell you. Now I know it is a Swiss cheese that is more "more moist and creamier than Emmental and much more robust than Gruyere"--and now I'd love to try it! I definitely recommend you add this to your bookshelf.

I received a copy of this book from Robert Rose Inc. for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.