FOOD GLOSSARY - Cuisine to Daube

CUISINE (French):  Literally, kitchen. Cookery or a style of cooking.

CURLY ENDIVE:  A salad green, curly endive or chicory has narrow, fine, tight curls on a rather heavy rib. The outer leaves are dark green and the hearts bleached pale. The flavor is slightly bitter, especially in the outer leaves.

CUSTARD:  A mixture of milk, eggs, sweetening, and flavoring. Custards are classified as soft and firm. Soft or "boiled" custards are stirred while cooking. Firm or "baked" custards are cooked without stirring.

Custard Royale: A thick, unsweetened custard, often made of stock instead of milk; cut into fancy shapes and used for garnishes, especially in soups.

CUT IN:  To "cut in" means to mix shortening with dry ingredients by using a pastry blender, two knives, or a fork. This is the method that cuts a solid fat into fine particles and mixes them with dry ingredients. It's the initial step, and an important one, when you're making biscuits or pastry and the recipe calls for one of the solid shortenings.

CUTLET:  A small slice of meat from the ribs or leg, for frying or broiling, often served breaded. Also a small, flat croquette of chopped meat, fish, etc.

CYMLING:  A scalloped or "pattypan" summer squash. Also spelled cymlin, simling, simlin, cymbling, and cymblin.

DAGWOOD:  An enormous sandwich with many different fillings.

DAMPFNUDELN (German):  Steamed noodles.

DAMSON:  A variety of small, purple plum.

DANISH PASTRY:  Rich pastry made of yeast dough in a variety of shapes and fillings.

DARIOLE (French):  This term may refer to a kind of small cream-filled tart, to a small cup-shaped mold filled with various savory mixtures and baked or steamed, or to an appetizer containing caviar. The origin of the term is unknown.

DASHEEN:  A tropical and sub-tropical vegetable that is grown to some extent in our southern states. It is grown for the large central corms and the numerous small cormels which are cooked and eaten like potatoes. It has something of the potato flavor and texture.

DAUBE (French):  A spiced stew or a larded piece of meat; the name of a Creole-style pot roast.