glossary

Damper: Australian bush bread, made from flour, water (or beer) and salt, damper is commonly cooked in the hot ashes of a camp fire, or over glowing coals.

Danish Pastry: A sweet bread made by rolling and folding butter into yeast dough.

De-beard: A culinary term that means 'To remove the beard from the mussels'.

Decant: A wine term that means 'To pour a liquid from its original bottle into a glass container such as a carafe, decanter or jug'. This process allows you to separate the wine from any sediment that has settled in the bottle, and allows it to 'breathe'.

Decanter: A narrow-necked glass bottle or jug, usually with a glass stopper, used for storing fortified wines, wines and spirit

Decorate: This word is used mainly in sweet recipes and means to add something to a completed dish to make it look pretty or finish it off. For example, strawberries are placed on the top of a cake to decorate it.

Deep Fry: A term that means 'To cook food by fully immersing it within hot oil or fat heated to 170-180°C'.

Deep Fryer: A piece of kitchen equipment used for deep-frying food items in hot oil or fat.

Degustation: A hospitality term that refers to the tasting or sampling of food or drink from a menu.

Demerara Sugar: A raw, brown sugar with a rich, molasses-like flavour. Also, referred to as Turbinado sugar.

Devilled: A term that refers to any meat that has been marinated in a spicy, slightly sweet sauce. Common ingredients include mustard and Worcestershire sauce.

Devonshire Cream: A thick cream.

Devonshire Tea: A traditional English style afternoon tea, comprising scones, clotted cream and jam.

Dice: A culinary term meaning 'To cut food into precise small cubes'.

Dill: A popular herb, with feathery, dark-green leaves and pale yellow flower heads that produce large, flat and oval seeds.

Dill Pickle: A salty baby cucumber, pickled with dill seeds.

Dilute: A term meaning 'To weaken a liquid or flavour by the addition of water or other liquids'.

Dim Sim: A small, savoury Asian dumpling, usually steamed or deep fried, and made with pork.

Dim Sum: A selection of small dishes, either sweet or savoury, served at the same time.

Dissolve: A term meaning 'To incorporate a solid food and a liquid so that none of the original dry ingredient is visible'.

Doily or Doyley: Intricately cut paper liners that decorate the base of plates on which desserts, fruits or sweets are served.

Dolmades: A popular Mediterranean dish, Dolmades use a grape vine or cabbage leave that has been filled with cooked rice, nuts, currants or minced lamb.

Doner Kebab: A popular dish of Turkish origin, made with thinly sliced and marinated lamb, rolled into pita bread and served with hommos and salad.

Dory: A species of fish.

Double Crumb: A culinary term that means 'To pass through flour, egg and breadcrumb then just the egg and breadcrumbs again’ to give a thicker protective coating'.

Dough: Any flour that has been mixed with liquid to form a mouldable texture.

Dough Cutter: A small kitchen utensil, made from metal or plastic and available in a range of sizes and shapes, used for cutting dough.

Drain: A term that means 'To allow liquid to escape from a food that has been placed into a colander

Dredge or Dust: A term meaning 'To sprinkle with a thick coating of sifted icing sugar or flour'.

Dressing: A mixture of oil, vinegar and other ingredients used to enhance the flavour of salads.

Dried Fruit: Any fruit that has had its moisture removed to improve its shelf life and intensify its flavour.

Dripping: Animal fat produced after meat has been cooked. Often used as a substitute for butter during 'hard times'.

Dry: To remove moisture from a product.

Dry-fry: To pan-fry using the minimum amount of oil, or to fry a product in a non-stick pan.

Duchesse: Refer Pommes Duchesse.

Duck: A type of poultry, usually eaten between six weeks and three months of age, Ducks have brown coloured flesh and medium fat content.

Duckling: A young duck.

Du jour: A French term meaning 'Of the day' (i.e. a dish prepared especially for the day).

Dukkah: An Egyptian seasoning with groundnuts and spices.

Dulse: Refer Seaweed.

Dumpling: Either a mixture of ingredients moulded into small balls and dropped into soup or water until cooked or small balls of dough, again cooked in liquid (soups, stock, water, stews).

Durian: A large, firm fruit from Asia with a creamy white colour, gelatinous texture and strong, often pungent smell when ripe.

Dust: A term meaning 'To coat lightly', usually with flour or breadcrumbs.