Ever read a recipe containing confusing cooking jargon? Step up and test your kitchen knowledge with this fun cooking terminology quiz! When done, see below for answers and term definitions.
1) What is the main purpose of a Bain Marie?
a) To extend cooking time to make food sweeter
b) To control temperature when baking
c) To make food more alkaline
d) To use dry heat to dehydrate food
2) Which kitchen utensil do you need most when trussing?
a) Kitchen string
b) A serrated knife
c) A muddler
d) A mezzaluna
3) Which method involves tightly rolling up greens & herbs to cut in thin strips?
a) Refresh
b) Section
c) Macerate
d) Chiffonade
4) Which food group is associated with barding?
a) Vegetables
b) Meats
c) Desserts
d) Leafy greens
5) Which is most associated with candy making?
a) Parboiling
b) Panfrying
c) Pearling
d) Sweating
6) Which of the following is a result of tempering?
a) Getting a crispy finish on chicken wings
b) Keeping eggs from cooking when added to hot liquid
c) Boiling a soup until the veggies are soft
d) Keeping the crust of a passionfruit pie from crumbling
7) What is a coulis?
a) An ice cream parfait
b) A brownie with raspberry filling
c) Another name for an egg yolk
d) Strained fruit sauce made with raw or cooked fruit
8) What should you use to bake something “en papillote?”
a) Hot baking sheet
b) Clay pot
c) Parchment paper
d) A quadruple layer of aluminum foil
9) What are you doing when you mix oil and vinegar?
a) Reconstituting
b) Emulsifying
c) Rendering
d) Weeping
10) What is a bouquet garni?
a) Fresh herbs tied together for flavoring food
b) Edible flowers tied together for a garnish
c) Four tablespoons of flour to make a roux
d) A baton of evenly cut vegetables
Answers to quiz:
1) b 2) a 3) d 4) b 5) c 6) b 7) d 8) c 9) b 10) a
Quiz word definitions:
Bain-marie – water bath used to control temperature when baking delicate foods like custards
Barding – covering meat to keep it moist and to infuse it with flavors
Baton – evenly cut pieces of vegetables about ¼” wide and shaped like batons
Bouquet Garni – fresh herbs tied together used to flavor foods when cooking, later removed
Chiffonade – a cutting method involving the rolling up of greens or herbs to cut them into thin strips
Coulis – strained fruit sauce made with raw or cooked fruit
Emulsify – mixing two liquids with varying characteristics to create one liquid
En Papillote – cooking food “in paper,” usually for seafood or chicken
Macerate – to soften fruits or vegetables with liquid
Mezzaluna – a knife with one or more curved blades and handles
Pearl – a candy making term to describe when syrup comes off a metal spoon in drops while cooking sugar
Reconstitute – adding water to bring condensed food back to a former consistency
Render – cooking meats to obtain fatty juices
Roux – thickening agent for sauces made from fat mixed with flour
Sweat – gentle cooking of vegetables in a little oil or butter until liquid evaporates and veggies become more tender
Temper – mixing cold and hot liquids gradually so the cold ingredients remain undisturbed
Truss – tying up a chicken with string so that it does not fall apart when cooking
Weep – when clear juices run out of meringues and other foods and negatively affect appearance and flavor
