FOOD GLOSSARY - Schnecken to Shad Roe

SCHNECKEN (German):  Snails or snail-shaped buns.

SCHNITZEL (German):  Veal cutlet; an Austrian term for a thin slice of veal, breaded and fried, then served with anchovies and capers; known as Wiener Schnitzel (Vienna schnitzel).

SCHNITZEL HOLSTEIN:  Veal cutlet served with a fried egg and anchovies.

SCHNITZEL UN GNEPP:  A famous Pennsylvania-Dutch dish of ham with dumplings containing dried sweet apples.

SCONES:  Originally a Scottish griddle cake made of oats. Now it applies to a small biscuit cut in various shapes and baked in the oven, or sometimes on a griddle.

SCORE:  To cut narrow grooves or gashes part way through the outer surface of food. For example, solid fat like the top of ham is scored to release melting fat and to decorate; tough meats like cubed steaks are scored to make them tender.

SCOTCH WOODCOCK:  "Scotch woodcock" is no bird, but an egg dish. Toast is spread with anchovy butter or paste and topped with creamy scrambled eggs or creamed chopped eggs, then garnished with anchovy fillets and capers.

SCRAMBLE:  To prepare eggs or mixture containing eggs by stirring while cooking until mixture sets.

SCRAPPLE:  A meat dish, especially popular in various forms among the Pennsylvania-Dutch. It is made of minced pork, spices, and corn or other meal, cooked together, then chilled until molded, and later sliced and fried.

SCROD:  A young cod or haddock split down the back and with most of the backbone removed, ready for cooking. The term was originally applied to "scrodded" or shredded fish, particularly cod. The dish is native to the Boston, Mass. area.

SEAR:  To cook at a very high temperature for a short time in order to quickly form a brown crust on the outer surface of meat. This method increases shrinkage, but develops flavor, improves appearance.

SEMOLINA:  A meal consisting of the hard, coarse kernels of durum wheat. Designed for making the Italian pastes-macaroni, spaghetti, etc., semolina is quite granular and usually creamy in color.

SESAME SEED:  Seed of an herb grown in Asia, oval and rather flat, with a faint nutty odor and nutlike flavor. Also known as "benne" seed. Used by bakers on bread, rolls, etc., nice in salads and with fish. It's an essential ingredient in halvah, an Oriental confection. The seed yields an oil.

SHAD and SHAD ROE:  Shad is a herring-like fish, delectable baked or broiled. Eggs of the fish are called shad roe and are sometimes served creamed with the baked or broiled shad. They are considered epicurean fare when parboiled, then broiled and served on toast.