Cabernet Sauvignon: A superior red-wine grape cultivated in France and California.

Cake: Flour a finely ground low protein flour.

Calabaza: Baked pumpkin

Calamari: This ten-armed cephalopod, commonly known as "squid," is related to the octopus. They vary in size from 1 inch to 80 feet in length. The meat is firm and chewy, with a somewhat sweet flavor. Over-cooking can lead to a rubbery texture.

Calavo: California Avocados

Calico bass: One of a large number of North American freshwater fish closely related to the perch. Known for their bright, sunny colors, calico bass are also known as "sunfish."

California sheepshead: A saltwater fish belonging to the wrasse family. Also called ""fathead," and "redhead." Its meat is white, tender, and lean.

Calorie: Unit of heat

Canapé: A cracker, thin pieces of bread or toast topped with cheese & other ingredients, served as an appetizer.

Candlefish: A rich and oily mild-flavored fish. This variety of smelt is so named because Indians sometimes run a wick through their high-fat flesh and use them for candles. Also known as the "Eulachon."

Cane syrup: Thick, extremely sweet syrup made from the sugar cane

Capers: These are the sun-dried, then pickled buds of a bush native to the Mediterranean.

Cappuccino: An Italian coffee made by topping espresso with creamy foam

Caramelize: When sugars colours or browns due to prolong exposure to heat, also known as browning.

Caraway seed: The aromatic seed of an herb in the parsley family with a flavor described as a cross between aniseed and fennel.

Carbohydrates: Substances, mostly vegetable, composed of two parts hydrogen & one part oxygen, ie: sugar, starch, cellulose.

Cardamom: A pungent aromatic spice that is a member of the ginger family.

Carlonnade: Beef stew cooked in beer.

Carob: The dried and roasted pulp of a tropical tree sometimes used as a chocolate substitute

Carp: This freshwater fish ranges from 2 to 7 pounds and has a lean white flesh. It is the primary ingredient for the Jewish dish called "gefilte fish."

Casein: Principal nitrogenous part of milk

Cashew: An expensive nut used occassionally, it is high in fat and sometimes used as a replacement for candle nut.

Cassiabark: Interchangeable with cinnamon bark, it´s flavor is sweeter and not as spicy, it´s thicker and texture is not as smooth as cinnamon.

Caster Sugar: Super fine sugar, also known as bar sugar.

Catfish: This fish is firm, low in fat, and has a mild flavor. Most catfish are fresh water varieties, but there is a salt water variety that called the "hogfish." The channel catfish is considered the best for eating.

Cayenne Pepper: A hot red pepper powder made chiefly from the dried ripe pepper

Celery Seed: The seed of the wild "lovage," most of which is grown in India

Celery Salt: A seasoning composed of celery seed and salt.

Chablis: An elegant dry wine grown in northern Burgundy (France).

Chakinzushi: Sushi rapped with thin omelet

Chamomile: An aromatic flower that is dried and used to flavor tea

Champagne: A popular bubbling wine from France.

Chantilly creme: A French term that refers to dishes that are served or prepared with whipped cream.

Charcuterie: Preserved pork products.

Chardonnay: Wine from grapes used in making fine French champagnes and white burgundies.

Chartreuse: An aromatic liqueur originally made by the monks of a monastery in France

Chateaubriand: The largest end of the beef tenderlion cut, served with turned vegetables, this product is prepared for two or more people.

Chaudfroid: Meat or poached fish chilled and served cold, masked with a thick sauce and covered with aspic.

Chayote: (also known as christophine, chuchu, xuxu) A round or pear shaped white to dark-green tropical squash. May be smooth or corrugated, 3 to 8 inches long sometimes covered with soft spines. The firm, crisp flesh is more delicate in flavor than the familiar summer squash. Available in some Latin American markets the year round. Keeps two to four weeks in refrigerator.

Cheesecloth: a light and porous fabric use in many cooking applications, mostly used with a fagot or for straining stocks.

Chenin Blanc: A grape of French origin that produces excellent white wines

Chemiser: the clothing or lining to mold aspic or ice cream.

Chervil: A mild, aromatic herb of the parsley family

Chianti: A sturdy dry red Italian wine now more commonly packaged in a Bordeaux-type bottle.

Chicory: An endive relative with curly, slightly bitter leaves that are used in salads or cooked as greens.

Chiffonade: mostly fish wrapped in thin strands of lettuce and/or vegetables, cooked and sliced into medallions.

Chikuwa: A variety of Japanese fish paste cake.

Chili Pepper: Any of over 200 varieties of hot pepper.

Chilies and Peppers: Every podded pepper-sweet, pungent or hot-has a New World origin. The chilipepper family, called Capsicum, includes Hungarian paprika as well as the fiery peppers of Indian curry, the pickled peppers of the Middle East and the common sweet bell pepper. There are a number of groups within the family-Cayenne and tabasco are examples-and within each group there are hundreds of varieties of different shapes and hotness. Growers and canners of chilies rate the pungency, or heat, of chili peppers on a scale of I to 120. A jalapeno, which to our palates is a relatively hot chili, measures 15 on this scale.Remember that chilies lose their flavor quickly. Even dried chilies must be stored in a cool, dry place-preferably the refrigerator- in a tightly covered jar or tin.

Chili Powder: A seasoning mixture of dried chilies, garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, and cloves.

Chinese Parsley: A plant native to the Mediterranean and the Orient. It is related to the parsley family and is valued for both its leaves and its seeds--both of whose flavors bear no resemblance to each other.

Chinook Salmon: Considered the finest Pacific salmon. This high-fat, soft textured fish can reach up to 120 pounds. Also called the "king salmon."

Chipotle: A dark brick-red chili about 2 inches long, plump, tapered and twisted. Very hot, with a pungent, distinct flavor.

Chirashizushi: Assorted sushi

Chives: A fragrant herb with slender, hollow green stems and a mild onion flavor

Chocolate: A preparation made from cocoa seeds that have been roasted, husked, and ground.

Choucroutegarni: Alsatian disk filled with pork, sausage and/or sauerkraut.

Chouzame: Japanese for sturgeon

Chowchow: A mustard-flavored relish of vegetables and pickles

Chowder: Soups made with vegetables and meat, poultry or seafood

Chrysanthemum: when dried this flower is used to make tea often with a little sugar, every Chinese restaurant serves this tea

Chutney: an Indian style relish containing cooked or uncooked fruit, vegetables and spices.

Chuutoro: Japanese for semi fatty tuna.

Cilantro: A plant native to the Mediterranean and the Orient. It is related to the parsley family and is valued for both its leaves and its seeds--both of whose flavors bear no resemblance to each other.

Cinnamon: This spice comes from the inner bark of a tropical evergreen tree

Cisco: One of the most prized whitefish found in the Great Lakes and in Canada. May be prepared in any manner suitable for salmon. Also called "lake herring" and "chub."

Clarified butter: Butter with impurities removed, also known a drawn butter.

Clam: These bivalve mollusks come in two varieties. Hard-shell clams include littleneck, cherrystone, and chowder clams. The soft-shelled clams, such as steamer, razor, and geoduck clams, have thin brittle shells that can't completely close.

Clove: This spice is the dried, unopened flower bud of the tropical evergreen clove tree.

Cocoa: The fruit of the cocoa plant.

Coconut Water: The opaque white liquid in the unripened coconut that serves as a beverage for those living near the coconut palm.

Coconut cream: This is made by combining one part water and four parts shredded fresh or desiccated coconut meat and simmering until foamy

Cocotte: An oven-proof dish used for baking soufflés.

Cod: A popular lean, firm, white meat fish from the Pacific and the North Atlantic. "Scrod" is the name for young cod (and haddock) that weight less that 2.5 pounds. "Haddock," "Hake," and "Pollock" are close relatives of the cod.

Coddle: To simmer just under the boiling point for a short period of time.

Coho salmon: This high-fat variety of salmon provides a firm-textured, pink to orange-red flesh. Also called the "silver salmon

Colander: Sizable straining device with large perforations.

Compote: Stewed fruits.

Concassé: To chop roughly

Confectioners sugar: A finely ground white sugar, also known as powdered sugar.

Consummé: A stock prepared with egg then strained to produce a clear flavour-full broth.

Convection: To cook using dry heat & forced air.

Coriander: Almost never cooked, it is used as a garnish or in salsa to make pico de gallo, it has a unique flavour and is used in small quantities, also known as Chinese parsley or cilantro.

Corn Syrup: This is a syrup derived from cornstarch.

Coulis: A sauce made from the juice of fruit, pureed and forced through a fine strainer to remove any lumps or seeds, usually goes under the food product.

Crab: Any of a large variety of 10-legged crustaceans (shelled animals). There are freshwater and salt water varieties. It is the second most popular shellfish. (Shrimp is the most popular.)

Crappie: One of a large number of North American freshwater fish closely related to the perch. Known for their bright, sunny colors, crappie are also known as "sunfish."

Crayfish: Also called "Crawfish" and "crawdads." Crayfish are freshwater crustaceans that look like tiny lobsters. Crayfish can be prepared in any manner appropriate to a lobster.

Cream of tartar: A natural fruit acid in the form of a fine white powder derived from a crystalline deposit found inside wine barrels.

Creaming: Method of producing a smooth, creamy mixture by blending in an electric mixer at low speed.

Cremede menthe: Mint-flavored liqueur is available clear ("white") and green.

Creole: Type of French, Spanish, Indian and African cuisine, originated in the gulf states of America, especially in Louisiana by the Acadians from Quebec.

Cress: Any of various plants belonging to the mustard family

Croaker: Any of a variety of fish named for the peculiar drumming or deep croaking noise they make. These fish are firm and low in fat. The croaker family includes the black croaker, black drum, hardhead, kingfish, and redfish.

Croquette: Pureed vegetables breaded and deep fried or sautéed.

Croustade: Meat or poultry served in a pastry shell.

Croutons: Cubes of bread, seasoned and lightly baked or fried to a golden brown, popular on salads.

Cryovac: The process to wrap foods in plastic while removing all the air to prevent spoilage & meat can easily age

Cumin: This spice is a member of the parsley family and dates back to the Old Testament.

Cuminseed: Main ingedient in curry powder and often coupled with fennel seed

Cup: measuring volume in imperial format (8 fluid ounces), also known as c.

Curd: the coagulated product from soured milk, also used in the making of cheese.

Cusk: A large saltwater fish related to the cod. It has a firm, lean flesh. Also called "tusk" or "torsk."

Cuttlefish: A relative of the squid and octopus, the cuttlefish has ten arms that can reach up to 16 inches in length. "Sarume," which is available in ethnic stores, is cuttlefish that has been seasoned and roasted.

Curacoa: This is an orange-flavored liqueur made from the dried peel of bitter