French-English Food A-K

à point   cooked medium   : least cooked: (bleu, saignant, à point, bien cuit) : most cooked.

abaisse   : a thin layer of pastry, undercrust

abats   : organ meats (other than poultry giblets)

abattis   giblets   : poultry giblets

abricot   apricot  

acerbe   bitter   : (bitter; tart) to the taste

agneau   lamb  

agrumes   citrus fruit  

aïgo bouido   : Provençal garlic soup served over pieces of bread

aïgo-sau d'iou   : Provençal fish soup made with "water and salt"

aigre   sour  

aigre-doux   sweet-and-sour   : (bitter-sweet)

à aigrir   to turn sour   : (wine or milk)

ail   garlic   :
  - gousse d'ail = clove of garlic

ail semoule   garlic powder   :
  - gousse d'ail = clove of garlic

ail semoule   garlic salt   :
  - gousse d'ail = clove of garlic

aillé   : flavoured with garlic

aïoli     : a Provencal garlic mayonaise sauce, served as part of the aïoli complet [photo]

airelle rouge   cranberry   : Airelle is a general name applied to the "Vaccinium" berry shrubs. Airelle is used for the British bilberry (whortleberry) or the American blueberry (huckleberry) as well as the cranberry ("airelle rouge").

alevin   fry   : bait (tiny fish)

alimentation   food   : (food, groceries, nourishment, nutrition)

alose   shad   : a silvery fish, smaller than a herring

amande   almond  

amer   : bitter (also acerbe

amertume   bitterness  

amuse-gueule   cocktail snack   : (amuse-gueule; amuse-bouche)

ananas   pineapple  

anchois   anchovies   - a fish

anchois   anchovy   - a fish

anchoyade   anchovy purée   : Provençal purée made with garlic and olive oil

aneth   dill   : similar to fenouil

angélique   angelic  

anguille   eel  

anis étoilé   anise, aniseed   : (anis étoilé; badiane) the anise plant; its dried star-shaped fruit.

apple   pomme  

apron   : a fish from the Rhône river, related to perch

aromate   : aromatic plant; herb; spice

arôme   aroma, flavor   : (arôme = aroma; goût = taste; parfum = flavor of ice cream;

arrosé   sprinkled   : moistened; basted

artichaut   artichoke  

asperge   asparagus   :
  - botte d'asperges = bundle of asparagus

- pointe d'asperges = asparagus tips

aspic   aspic jelly  

assiette   plate  

aubergine   eggplant   : [Aubergine Farci]

avocat   avocado   : (avocado pear)

avoine   oats   : (flocon d'avoine = rolled oats; gruau d'avoine = porridge, oatmeal.

 

babeurre   buttermilk   :
  - "Lait Ribot" is a traditional fermented milk made in Brittany, made from fermented basbeurre.

badiane   anise, aniseed   : (anis étoilé; badiane)

à badigeonner   : paint on a coat [of egg white, for example]

baguette   bread stick   : a long narrow cylindrical loaf of white bread weighing 250 g. "Baguette" is the name for anything long and skinny, including drum sticks, strips of wood, etc.

banane   banana  

banon   : Provencal goat cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves, from Banon [Banon]

barbe-à-papa   cotton candy   : (grandpa's beard) English, also: candy floss

barbouillade   : stuffed eggplant or eggplant stew (Provençal)

basilic   basil  

baudroie   angler-fish   : (monkfish, frog-fish, sea-devil) also called lotte de mer

bavette (steak)   : minute steak; the top or skirt of beef

baveux   : moist, runny

bécasse   woodcock  

becassine   snipe  

beignet   doughnut   : (beignet, doughnut, fritter)

berlingot de Carpentras     : candy

bette   white beet  

betterave   beet, beetroot  

betterave rouge de Gardanne   : a regional red beet

beurre   butter  

bicarbonate de sodium   baking soda   : Available from pharmacies.

biche   doe   : (female deer)

bien cuit   cooked well done   : least cooked: (bleu, saignant, à point, bien cuit) : most cooked.

bière   beer  

bigarreau Pélissier   : a regional cherry

biscotin d'Aix   : cookie

blanc   white   :
  - fromage blanc = white cheese; vin blanc = white wine

blanc d'oeuf   egg white  

blanc de poireau   leek (stem)   : a tied bouquet of herbs: dill (2 sprigs); laurel (1 leaf); parsley (1 sprig)

blanchir   blanch   : boil the water, dip the food quickly, for a few minutes only

blé   wheat   :
  - germe de blé = wheatgerm

blé noir   buckwheat  

blette   beet, white   : [Tourte de Blette]

bleu   cooked very rare   : (blue), more rare even than saignant.

bleu de Queyras   cheese, blue moulded   : a regional blue-moulded cheese

blonde de Nice   : a regional orange of Nice

blondir   : cook [onions] only until transparent, not quite browning

bocal   bowl   : deep bowl with narrow top

bocal   jar   : glass (or earthenware) jar for canning preserves.

boeuf   beef  

boisson   beverage, drink  

boucherie   butcher shop  

bouchon   cork   : a bottle stopper, made from the bark of the cork oak (chêne liege)

bouchonné   corked   : wine that's gone off, with the taste of its cork

bouillabaisse     : a fish soup

bouilli   boiled  

boulanger   baker  

boulangerie   bakery  

bouquet garni   bouquet of herbs   : a tied bouquet of herbs: dill (2 sprigs); laurel (1 leaf); parsley (1 sprig)

bourride   : Provençal fish soup, prepared with tomatoes, garlic, onions, herbs and olive oil, and served with aïoli sauce.

bouteille   bottle  

braisé   braised  

brassadeau   scalded ring cake  

brebis   ewe   : female sheep

brocoli   broccoli  

brouillade   : a Provençal type of scrambled eggs

brousse du Rove   : fresh goat-milk cheese, from a goat raised for meat rather than dairy products

brousse du Var   : fresh sheep-milk cheese from the Var department

broyé   crushed   : (crushed, ground, pounded)

brûlé   burned, singed   :

 

cabillaud   codfish, fresh   - a fish :
  - salt cod = morue

cabillaud   fresh codfish   - a fish

cacahouète   peanut   :
  - pêche sanguine de Manosque = a local variety

cachaille   : cheese-product mixture

cade     : Nice-Toulon pancake

cajou   cashew   : (noix d'acajou)

calisson d'Aix     : almond-paste candy

calmar   squid  

câpres   capers  

capucine   nasturtium  

carambola   starfruit   : The carambola, or starfruit, is a large elongated yellow green fruit that is star shaped when cut across the bias; when they start to go a deep golden yellow they taste absolutely fantastic. [thanks, Chric Hockley]

cardon   cardoon   : an edible thistle, related to the artichoke, with edible root and leafstalks; leafstalks used as a garnish for some meat dishes

carotte   carrot  

carvi   caraway  

cassis   blackcurrant   : The red groseille is a red currant. The black groseille is called "cassis".

cassis, creme de   blackcurrant liqueur  

cébette   : like a leek; in Provence it's shredded for salads or eaten raw

céleri   celery  

cerfeuil   chervil  

cerise   cherry  

champignon   mushroom  

champigons   small mushrooms  

champoléon   : moulded raw cheese

chapelure   bread crumbs  

chapon   : crust rubbed with garlic

chapon   capon   : a young castrated and fattened rooster

chapon de mer   : rascasse rouge fish (for bouillabaisse)

charcuterie   cold cuts  

Chateaubriand   : a thick fillet of grilled tenderloin steak, especially from the fat cattle in Brittany around the town of Chateaubriant.

chevreau de lait   : milk goat (kid)

chichi-frégi   : a beignet

chicorée frisée   chicory lettuce   :
  - (chicorée frisée; endive frisée)

chique   : candy

chou   cabbage   :
  - chou-blanc: white cabbage; chou-rouge: red cabbage; chou pointu de Châteaurenard: a regional cabbage

chou de Bruxelles   brussels sprout  

chou-fleur   cauliflower  

choucroute   sauerkraut  

chutney mangue   mango chutney  

ciboule   scallion   : (scallion; welsh onion)

ciboule   spring onion   : (scallion; welsh onion)

ciboule   welsh onion   : (scallion; welsh onion)

ciboulette   chives  

cigale de mer   : shellfish

cinabre   cinnabar   : a bright-red pigment for coloring

citre   : a regional vine plant (Citrullus lanatus) related to the watermelon, used for making jam

citron   lemon  

citron   lemon  

citron de Menton   : a regional lemon

citron vert   lime  

citronnelle   citronella   : applies to various plants with a lemon scent: verbena, lemon balm, melissa, etc.

citrouille   pumpkin  

coco rose   : small bean, white with pink veins

coing de Provence   quince   : for jams

compote   : compote (eg. applesauce)

concombre   cucumber  

confit   : preserved, jelly: confit de canard is filleted duck cooked and preserved in its own fat; confit de [fruit] is candied, jellied or crystallized fruit.

confiture   jam  

confiture d'agrumes   : citrus-fruit jam

confiture de genièvre   : juniper-berry jam

congre   conger eel  

congre, tête   conger eel head  

coquelicot   poppy, wild red   : the wild red, or corn poppy, petals are used in salads, and in Provencal jelly

coriandre   coriander  

counne   rind, skin   : example: "couenne de porc" is porc rind

courge   squash  

courgette   zucchini   : [Courgette Farci]

craqueliln de Carpentras     : one of the "berlingot" candies of Carpentras

crème   cream  

crème aigre   sour cream  

crème chantilly   whipped cream  

crème èpaisse   thick cream  

crème fleurette   light cream   : a low-fat cream used in cooking, in place of crème fraîche; also "crème liquide"

crème fraîche   cream, full-fat   : used for making butter, sauces, etc.

crème pâtissière   pastery cream   : confectioner's pastery cream, made with flour, sugar, butter and eggs

crevette   shrimp   : scallion; welsh onion

croquant   : brioche cake

cuillerée   spoonful  

cuire au four   bake in the oven  

cumin   cumin   :

 

daube   beef stew  

daurade royale   gilthead   - a fish

à délayer   to thin   : (a sauce)

à dés   to dice   :
  - couper en gros dés = to dice; cut into chunks

à détailler   to chop  

dinde   turkey   :
  - dinde: hen turkey hen; dindon: tom turkey; dindonneau: young turkey

dorade   sea-bream   - a fish

doux   mild   :

 

eau   water  

eau de fleur d'oranger   orange-flower water   : Distilled from orange blossoms, especially the Bigaradier orange of Provence, and used in cuisine in Provence and North Africa. It's also used in some health/beauty products. The only on-line source (think) we've found is: Cassell-Wood/Londons; $14; http://cassell-wood.com/shopcassell-wood/

ébullition   boiling  

écaille   scale   : fish scale

à écailler   to shell   : (crabs), scale

echalote   shallot   : scallion; welsh onion

à échauder   to scald  

ecorce   rind   : fruit rind; fruit peel; rice husk

à écraser   to crush   : écrasé: crushed or flattened

écrevisse   crayfish, crawfish  

à écumer   to froth   : (to foam)

à éffiler   : cut into thin strips; strip the stringy part from string beans; flake almonds.

égoutter   drain   : drain off (water); strain (cheese)

à émietter   to crumble  

à émincer   to mince   : sliced thinly (meat or onions); shredded (vegetables).

emissole   dogfish   : Mediterranean, smooth dogfish, shark fish.

en dés   chunks  

en poudre   powder  

encornet   squid  

endive   chicory   : also known as white leaf.

endive frisée   chicory lettuce   :
  - (chicorée frisée chicorée frisée)

à enfourner   : to put into the oven

entrecôte (steak)   ribsteak  

entremets   : sweet desserts and sweet side dishes. The word origin is from "in-between dishes" served between courses at Middle-Ages banquets while the minstrels entertained.

à épépiner   to seed   : (remove the seeds)

épicé   hot  

épinard   spinach  

à éplucher   to peel  

à équeuter   to tail   : (a fruit)

estragon   tarragon   : tarragon

à étaler   to spread   : (spread out evenly)

à étendre au rouleau   to roll flat   : (dough)

étuvé   : à l'étuvé =until parboiled (still firm).

 

à faisander   to hang   : (game, for aging)

faitout, fait-tout   pot   : stew-pan, cooking pot
  - (faittout, marmite)

farci   stuffed vegetables   : (légumes farcis)

farine   flour   :
  - farine de sarrasin = buckwheat flour

faux-filet (steak)   sirloin steak  

favouille   small green crabs  

favouille [favouïo]   : small green crab

fenouil   fennel  

fève  

févette  

fiélas (congre)   conger eel  

figue   fig   :
  - figue de Tarascon

filet (steak)   tenderloin steak  

filet de dinde   turkey filet   :
  - truffe noire d'hiver = winter black truffle

filet de poulet   chicken breast  

filet mignon   filet mignon   : the small choice end of tenderloin of beef (or of veal or pork)

filets de poissons   fish filets  

fine julienne   thin-sliced vegetables  

fleur de Courgette   zucchini flower  

fleur de muscade   mace   : (spice; also called macis
  - fleur de muscade = mace spice

- noix de muscade = nutmeg

foie   liver  

à fondre   to melt  

fondu   melted  

fougasse   : a type of bread

fougassette   : an enriched bread

fougère musquée   celery   : celery

à fouler   to press   : (force with a pistul)

four   oven  

fourré   filled   : filled, stuffed, creamed

fraise   strawberry   :
  - fraise de Carpentras; frais du Plan de Carros

fromage blanc   : a soft white cheese like a thick yogurt

fromage de chèvre   cheese, goat  

fromage de chèvre frais   fresh goat cheese  

fromage rapé   cheese, grated  

fromage râpé   grated cheese  

fruit Confit d'Apt   : candied fruit

 

galinette   : a fish

gâteau   cake  

genièvre (genévrier)   juniper   : juniper; gin; geneva

géranium odorant   geranium  

germe de blé   wheatgerm  

gibier   game   : pheasant, boar, etc.

gigot   lamb leg   : Leg of lamb or leg of mutton, usually roasted

girelle   : a fish

girofle   clove   : "clous de girofle" are whole cloves, and "girofle moulu" or "girofle en poudre" are powdered cloves.

gnocchi   : A small Niçoise dumpling made from potato paste. [photo]
  - Our Provencal and Nicoise cuisine information is focused on this area, and often ignores other origins, either parallel or older. Gnocci, for example, is Niçoise, but it is also Italian (Nice and Italy were the same thing just over a century ago).

gousse   clove, pod   : clove (of garlic); pod (of bean or pea)

goût   taste   : (arôme = aroma; goût = taste; parfum = flavor of ice cream;

à goûter   to taste  

grain   seed   : seed (grape, mustard); bean (coffee)

graine   seed   : (of a plant)

grenade   pomegranate   :
  - grenade de Provence

griofle   gurnard   : (gurnard, gurnet = griofle, grondin)

grondin   gurnet   : (gurnard, gurnet = griofle, grondin)

gros sel   rock salt   : also suggested: coarse salt, sea salt, kosher salt. Gros sel is used for cooking; sel fin is used as table salt.

groseille   currant, red   : The red groseille is a red currant. The black groseille is called "cassis".

 

haricot   bean  

haricot blanc   white beans  

haricot coco rose d'Eyragues   : small local bean, called "coco rose" ( small white bean with pink veins)

haricot rouge   kidney beans  

haricot vert   green beans   :

 

(herbs)   bouquet garni   :

 

huile   oil  

huile d'olive   olive oil   :

 

infusion   herbal tea   :

 

jambon   ham  

jambonneau   knuckle of ham  

jaune d'oeuf   egg yolk  

jujube   jujube   : (from thejujube tree)
  - jujube de Provence

 

kaki muscat de Provence   persimmon   : [see flora]