FOOD GLOSSARY - Liaison to Lord Baltimore Cake

LIAISON (French):  A thickening; a mixture of egg and cream used for thickening and enriching sauces and soups.

LICORICE:  A small European plant of the pea family from the root of which is obtained a juice used in flavoring candy, drinks, and medicine. Also spelled liquorice.

LIME:  A small citrus fruit almost round in shape. The juice is aromatic, refreshing, sour. Their characteristic flavor makes them especially valuable in cold drinks or to squeeze over a wedge of melon or a compote of cooked fruit. They are at their best when their skins are bright green. Limes should be kept in the refrigerator.

LINGONBERRY or LINGBERRY:  A red berry, smaller than our cranberry but much like it. It is beloved of the Swedish people and is used as a sauce for their pancakes, in jellies and jams. and as juice.

LINGUINE (Italian):  A narrow, flat noodle about 1/8 inch wide, meaning literally "little tongues."

LINSEN (German):  Lentils.

LINZER TORTE:  A German cake that looks like an open-face jam pie.

LITCHI or LICHEE:  The litchi is a small Chinese evergreen tree now being cultivated to a limited extent in California and Hawaii. Its fruit, lichee nut, as usually purchased in Chinese stores, consists of a dried raisin-like pulp enclosed in a fragile shell.

LIVER SAUSAGE or LIVERWURST:  A sausage made from pork livers and trimmings, seasoned, and packed in casings of various sizes.

LOBSTER and LOBSTER TAILS:  The true lobster is distinguished by his huge claws (pincers) which contain large pieces of sweet white succulent meat. They are found off our North Atlantic coast. Most of our supply comes from New England, the largest part of it from Maine. When the true lobster is boiled or broiled as soon as it is taken from the sea, it has a juicy, tender taste and flavor that defies description. Lobster tail comes from a large ocean crayfish (or crawfish) and is not closely related to the true New England lobster, though it is often confused with it. The tail sections of ocean crayfish, usually sold frozen, are called rock lobster to distinguish them from the true lobster. Most of those sold in the United States come from South Africa and Australia. The meat of the rock lobster tail, although not quite as fine-textured, tastes very much like the true lobster and is very delicious when prepared and eaten with a cold cocktail sauce or used in "made" dishes calling for lobster meat, for example, with a favorite cream sauce.

LOBSTER THERMIDOR:  Cut-up cooked lobster meat mixed with a sauce, returned to the lobster shell, sprinkled with cheese (sometimes crumbs, too), then browned in the oven or under the broiler.

LONDON BROIL:  Flank steak from high-quality beef, broiled very quickly, and carved in very thin diagonal slices.

LORD BALTIMORE CAKE:  A famous yellow layer cake put together with a frosting and filling which usually includes candied cherries, crushed macaroons, and blanched almonds.