FOOD GLOSSARY - Barbecue to Bechamel Sauce

BARBECUE:  The term, from the French barbe a queue, meaning "head to tail," implies the cooking of a whole animal. To barbecue, as it is now loosely used, means to cook with direct heat in a broiler unit, over coals, or in the oven and basting frequently with a highly seasoned sauce during cooking. In modern usage, barbecue can mean foods cooked or served in such a sauce.

BAR-LE-DUC (French):  A preserve formerly made of seeded whole white currants. Now gooseberries and other berries are used. It is named after Bar-le-Duc, a town in France.

BARLEY SUGAR:  A confection liked by the English, made by heating sugar just to the point where it begins to melt and caramelize, forming coarse grains.

BASTE:  To moisten foods during cooking with pan drippings, water, or special sauce, to prevent drying, or to add flavor.

BATH BUN:  English yeast bun, usually with currants, originally from Bath, a city in southwestern England.

BATTER:  A flour and liquid mixture usually containing eggs, sugar, and leavening, soft enough to be stirred or mixed with a spoon, as opposed to dough, a similar mixture which is so stiff that it must be mixed with the hands, or rolled on a board or cloth and cut. Usually you speak of cake or pancake batter, cooky or bread dough.

BATTER BREAD:  A southern corn bread, also called southern batter or spoon bread. It is soft enough to be served with a spoon and eaten with a fork.

BATTER CAKE:  (Also known as flapjacks, pancakes, griddle cakes, and hot cakes.) A form of hot bread made from a pour batter, cooked on a griddle.

BAVARIAN CREAM:  Molded dessert with a gelatin and cream base.

BAVAROISE (French):  Molded dessert of Bavarian cream; a la Bavaroise: Bavarian style.

BÉARNAISE SAUCE (French):  A yellowish sauce made of egg yolks, white wine, vinegar, and spices such as tarragon, chervil, shallot, parsley, etc. The sauce was named after Henry IV of France, a gourmet king who came from Beam.

BEAT:  To make a mixture smooth, or add air by using a brisk whipping or stirring motion with a spoon, an electric mixer, or a hand rotary beater. If you use a spoon, mix vigorously with a rapid over-and-over rotary motion. If you are doing your beating with an electric mixer or a hand rotary beater, use medium-to-fast speed.

BEATEN BISCUIT:  Southern biscuit without leavening, tenderness depending upon long beating with a mallet or use of special biscuit machine.

BÉCHAMEL SAUCE (French):  A white sauce, made of chicken stock, cream or milk, flour, butter and usually seasoned with onion. The name is sometimes applied to all sauces having a white sauce foundation. This famous French sauce is said to have originated with the Marquis de Béchamel, maître d'hôtel of Louis XIV.