Part 13
The Grand Food and Beverage Dictionary
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
"M"
Follow Wine, Dine, and Play:
This grand dictionary is broken down into 22 separate parts
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A glossary of terms used in recipes, cookbooks, wine lists, culinary journals, festival guides, and restaurants from around the world:
Search for food companies, products, cooking methods, world cuisines, beers, liquor, wine, traditional to tribal, Chef’s, Government regulations, world Military food doctrines, cooking materials, sources, pictures, display’s, and much, much more…
Search for food companies, products, cooking methods, world cuisines, beers, liquor, wine, traditional to tribal, Chef’s, Government regulations, world Military food doctrines, cooking materials, sources, pictures, display’s, and much, much more…
“This glossary is large but incomplete, and it is constantly being updated and revised. I encourage you the reader as a lover of food, beer, liquor, and wine to recommend any additions or modifications to this dictionary.”
– Chef Sean, September 2013
Last Updates made on April 15, 2017 with along way to go
Last Updates made on April 15, 2017 with along way to go
M
Macadamia Nut: A native to Australia, the macadamia is a fleshy white nut with a coconut-like flavor.
Maccheroni (Macaroni): A small pasta type made with semolina and water (rather than flour and eggs). Maccheroni comes in many forms, from elbow maccheroni to ditalini (very short, small tubes).
Macaroon:
Mace (Myristica fragrans): Is the bright red, ground outer covering of the nutmeg seed, and like nutmeg, also comes from the nutmeg tree. It has the flavor and aroma similar to nutmeg with slightly more tartness.
Macedoine: A blended combination of fruit or vegetables
Macerate: To soak a food in a liquid to infuse it with flavor.
Mâche: (a.k.a. Lambs' Lettuce), also known as corn salad or lamb's lettuce, comes in lovely little rosettes of dark green leaves attached in groups of 4 or 5 at the roots. It requires extra care when cleaning, since sand and grit tend to gather in nub of roots holding each rosette together.
Mackerel: Silver-blue skin, rich in Omega-3 and taste it works well with piquant flavors-try it with beetroot, vinaigrette or slow cooked onions. Very good pickled with onions and lemon rind.
Mackerel icefish:
Madame Mérigot (Chef): Author of La Cuisinière Républicaine (1795)
Madeira: Is a fortified Portuguese wine made in the Madeira Islands, and was a standard port of call for ships heading to the New World or East Indies. On long sea voyages, the wines would be exposed to excessive heat and movement, which transformed the flavor of the wine to a sweet orange liqueur.
Madrasi Masala:
Madrilène: A clear consommé with a tomato base, served jellied or hot
Maestro Martino (Chef):
Mafalde: Almost identical to Tagliatelle, only featuring frilled, ruffled edges
Magnus Nilsson (Chef):
Mahlab:
Maillard reaction:
Main Course:
Maine lobster:
Maitake Mushrooms (Grifola frondosa): Another very popular mushroom in Japanese cuisine that grows in large colonies and are sometimes referred to as the king of mushrooms, or the brain because it looks like a brain and has anti-tumor properties.
Maître d:
Maize:
Malanga Yautia (also called Tannia or Tanier): A relative of dasheen or taro, this tuber is prevalent throughout the Caribbean.
Malt liquor: Is an American term referring to a strong pale lager. In the UK, similarly-made beverages are called super-strength lager.
Maltagliati: Literally means 'badly (mal) cut (Tagliati)'. Therefore, maltagliati pasta basically comprises very roughly chopped shapes of pasta. It is often produced using scraps of leftover pasta dough.
Mamey Apple: The large tropical fruit, native to the New Worked, yields edible pulp that's tangerine in color. With a flavor similar to that of the peach, mammey turns up most often as jam.
Mamey Sapote:
Manager:
Mandarin Orange:
Mandoline: A compact, hand-operated machine with various adjustable blades for thin to thick slicing and cutting. Mandolines have folding legs and come in both wood or stainless steel frame models. They are used to cut firm vegetables and fruits with uniformity and precision.
Mango: Actually a native of India, this fruit has come to be known as "the fruit of the tropics."
Mango Chutney:
Mango Juice:
Manicotti: A stuffed baked pasta, manicotti translates as ‘sleeves’ in Italian and refers to large, tube-shaped noodles.
Manjar Blanco: Also known as manjar de leche or simply manjar, is a term used to refer to a variety of related delicacies in the Spanish-speaking world all milk-based. In South America it refers to a sweet, white spread or pastry filling.
Maple Bacon Coffee Porter: American Porter / 6.30% ABV The Funky Buddha Lounge & Brewery
Maple Syrup:
Marble Bead or Marble Rye: A marble rye is a dense loaf that typically twists pumpernickel rye dough with traditional rye, creating a festive “swirl” loaf with double the flavor. It is a popular delicatessen and party-sandwich bread, great for any sandwich that would be served on rye. Check out our recipes for grilled ham and cheese on marble rye and ham and Swiss Panini with fig jam on marble rye. See also rye bread.
Marbled Grouper:
Marbling:
Marc de Bourgogne's spirit:
Marc Veyrat (Chef):
Marcel Boulestin (Chef):
Marcelo Zana (Chef):
Marco Pierre White (Chef):
Marcus Samuelsson (Chef):
Margarine:
Marinade: A brine or pickling solution in which meat can be soaked before cooking to alter or enrich the flavor
Marinate: To let food stand in a mixture called a marinade (such as a liquid, dry rub, or a paste) before cooking. Liquid marinades are usually based on an acidic ingredient, such as wine or vinegar; dry marinades are usually salt-based.
Mario Batali (Chef):
Marion Berry:
Marjoram (Majorana hortensis): Comes from the Mint family. It is often mistaken for Oregano, but they are different. It is mainly used in flavoring meat dishes. Marjoram’s flavor is so delicate; it is best added toward the end of the cooking time to retain its flavor. Marjoram must be crushed before using.
Mark Anderson (Chef):
Marmalade:
Marmiton (pot and pan washer): In larger restaurants, takes care of all the pots and pans instead of the Plongeur.
Marrow: Soft tissue from the center of beef and veal bones
Marsala: A semi-dry Italian sherry wine
Marsala Sauce:
Marshal Zhukov's Imperial Stout: Russian Imperial Stout / 11.00% ABV Cigar City Brewing
Marshmallow:
Mashed Potatoes:
Martín Berasategui (Chef):
Martin Hadden (Chef):
Martynia:
Maryland Crab cakes:
Marzipan: A thick almond, sugar, and egg white paste used in confectioneries. Marzipan is mainly used in cakes and pastries of the European tradition.
Masa Harina: Corn dough used mainly for tortillas and tamales.
Masaharu Morimoto (Chef):
Masahiko Kobe (Chef):
Masking: To coven an item completely with a sauce or another ingredient
Masala Dosas: Potato-filled South Indian crêpes. The wrappers for the dosas are made from ground rice and urad dal lentils that have a black skin and a strong, earthy flavor.
Masala Mama India Pale Ale: American IPA / 6.00% ABV Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery
Mashed Potatoes:
Mashing: The process of combining a mix of milled grain (typically malted barley with supplementary grains such as corn, sorghum, rye or wheat), known as the "grain bill", and water, known as "liquor", and heating this mixture in a vessel called a "mash tun.”
Mastic:
Matsutake Mushrooms (Tricholoms Matsutake): Highly sought for their flavor and aroma’s in cooking.
Matt: American Strong Ale / 11.50% ABV Hair of the Dog Brewing Company / Brewery and Tasting Room
Matzoh, Matzo, or Matza: A cracker-like flatbread now consumed year-round, but also the ceremonial unleavened bread consumed by Jews during the Passover Seder. As told in the Bible (Exodus 12:39), during the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, there was no time to allow the bread to rise, so they baked unleavened bread to take on the journey. Unleavened bread is also used in the Christian celebration of the Eucharist, a narrative of the Last Supper when Jesus broke bread with His disciples during a Passover Seder. Traditionally made with wheat flour and water, matzoh can be found in whole-wheat and other versions (egg, egg and onion and grape juice, for example).
Maureen (Chef):
Max Hamburgers: Swedish Chain Restaurant
Max's of Manila: Philippines Chain Restaurant
Maxwell House Coffee:
Mayonnaise: A rich salad dressing emulsified by whipping together eggs, oil, and vinegar
Maytag Blue Cheese:
McDonald's: American Chain Restaurant
Mead: Also called honey wine, is an alcoholic beverage that is produced by fermenting a solution of honey and water. It may also be produced by brewing a solution of water and honey with grain mash, which is strained before or after fermentation.
Meat:
Meatball:
Meatloaf:
Melbourne Bitter: Is a beer brewed by Carlton & United Beverages, a subsidiary of Foster's Group. While originally having an ABV of 4.9%, it has since been reduced to 4.6% ABV.
Melegueta Pepper:
Melomel: A mead that contains fruit (such as raspberry, blackberry or strawberry)
Melon:
Menu:
Meringue:
Mesclun: Means "mixed" in Provencal and is traditionally composed of several varieties of wild-harvested, young greens. Most Mesclun sold today is cultivated--planted as beds of mixed lettuce seeds harvested when the leaves reach the desired size of 3 to 6 inches.
Medium: Term for meat that is hot with slightly red with more full pink color in the center. See meat temperature guide below.
Medium-Rare: A temperature term for a meat that will still be fully red in the center, but will be slightly warm. This is the standard recommended temperature for cuts of steak at most restaurants and steakhouses. See meat temperature guide below.
Medium-well: Term for a meat that has a small amount of pink in the center edges, and cooked throughout. See meat temperature guidelines below.
Meat Temperatures:
| BLUE | 100-110°f (38-43oC) | PITTSBURGH (B&B) | 115°f (46oC) |
| RARE | 120-125°f (49-52oC) | MEDIUM RARE | 130°f (54oC) |
| MEDIUM | 140-145°f (60-63oC) | MEDIUM WELL | 150°f (66oC) |
| WELL DONE | 155-160°f (68-71oC) | BURNED SHOE LEATHER | 170°f + (77+oC) |
Melange No. 3: American Strong Ale / 15.50% ABV The Bruery
Melon, casaba:
Melon, honeydew:
Melt: To dissolve or make liquid by heating
Memphis pork barbecue sandwich:
Menon (Chef): Author of Nouveau Traité de la Cuisine (1739), La Cuisinière bourgeoise (1746), etc.
Menthe: French word for Mint
Menu: The list of foods served or Bill of Fare
Meringue: Egg whites and sugar beaten together to form a white frothy mass, generally used to top pies and cakes
Mesclun: Found in specialty produce markets and many supermarkets, Mesclun (also called salad mix and gourmet salad mix) is simply a potpourri of young, small salad greens. The mix varies depending on the source, but among those greens commonly included are arugula, dandelion, frisée, mizuma, oak leaf, Mâche, radicchio and sorrel.
Meuniere: Pan fried, served with butter freshly browned, lemon juice, and chopped parsley
Mezzula:
Mezzalune: In Italian, this means ‘half-moons’. A semi-circular type of stuffed pasta. Also sometimes referred to as ravioli, or in the North of Italy, pansotti.
Mezzanine: The smallest of the penne’s, these half-thickness pastas are best matched with light vegetable sauces and tomato sauces.
Mezzi Rigataoni: Mezza or mezzi means half in Italian, therefore this pasta name means ‘half rigatoni’ (a shorter version of rigatoni).
Michael Chiarello (Chef):
Michael Symon (Chef):
Miche: A large French pan loaf; generally a rectangular, country-style bread.
Michel Bras (Chef):
Michel Guérard (Chef):
Michel Roux (Chef):
Michel Roux, Jr. (Chef):
Michelob: Is a 5% abv pale lager developed by Adolphus Busch in 1896 as a "draught beer for connoisseurs.” It was named after Michelob-Michelob, a Bohemian brew master from Saaz, in the region famous for its Saaz hops. In 1961, Anheuser-Busch produced a pasteurized version of Michelob which allowed legal shipment of the beer across state lines.
Microclimate:
Micronutrient:
Middle Eastern Cuisine:
Midnight Moon Creamery:
Mignon: Small pieces of beef tenderloin
Mikael Jonsson (Chef):
Milannaise: Generally used when some type of pasta is being served
Mild ale: Has a predominantly malty palate. It is usually dark colored with an abv of 3% to 3.6%, although there are lighter hued mild’s as well as stronger examples reaching 6% abv and higher.
Mild malt: Is often used as the base malt for mild ale, and is similar in color to pale malt. Mild malt is kilned at slightly higher temperatures than pale malt in order to provide a less neutral, rounder flavor generally described as "nutty.”
Milk:
Milkshake:
Miller Brewing Company: Is an American beer brewing company owned by the United Kingdom-based SABMiller. Its regional headquarters is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and produces Miller Light, Miller High Life, Miller 64, MGD (Miller Genuine Draft), Sharps, and Milwaukee’s Best.
Millet:
Mincemeat: A blended mixture of finely chopped cooked beef, currants, apples, suet, and spices
Mince: To cut food into very small, fine pieces
Mincing: Is a cutting technique designed to help release the flavors of the food. To mince means to reduce food 1/8 of an inch or less in size. Mincing does not require uniformity of shape, unlike dicing. It may involve grating foods, or can be coarse, medium, or fine.
Minerals:
Mini keg: Is a 5-liter keg produced for retail sales. Some brands come with a spout and pour from the bottom via gravity, while others may use a low cost pressurized tap.
Mini-Wheat’s – Kellogg's – (1978 – present):
Mint (Mentha piperita): Is the dried leaf of a perennial herb. There are over 30 species of Mint, the two most popular being peppermint and spearmint. Peppermint is the sharper of the two. Mint is strong and sweet with a sharp flavor and a cool after-taste.
Mint Tea:
Mints:
Mirepoix: Is the French name for a combination of diced onions, carrots, celery, and Herbs roasted or sautéed in butter. Sometimes ham or bacon is added to the mix. Mirepoix is used to season sauces, soups and stews, as well as for a bed on which to braise foods, usually meats, or fish.These ingredients are commonly referred to as aromatics.
Mirin: Is a Japanese condiment, which contains 14 per cent alcohol. Mirin is a combination of mocha-gome (glutinous rice), kome-koji (cultured rice), and shochu (distilled alcohol), mixed a fermented for 2 months. Production in this method is called hon-mirin. Well-known brands of Japanese Mirin are Takara and Mitsukan.
Mirin-fu chomiryo: A Mirin-style condiment containing less than 1 per cent alcohol, made to resemble the flavor of Mirin and is cheaper than hon-mirin.
Minestrone: A thick Italian soup made with vegetables, dried legumes, and pasta
Minute Steak: A small, fairly thin, boneless sirloin steak
Mise en Place: Literally "put in place" in French. Refers to the preparations for cooking, setting out bowls, pots, and pans and measuring, washing, peeling, and chopping and mincing ingredients.
Misty Grouper:
Mixed grill: A combination of any four broiled or grilled items, generally lamb chop, bacon, sausage, and tomato slices
Mixed Spice (Pudding Spice):
Mixing: To combine two or more ingredients
Mizuna: Is an Asian variety of mustard greens. It has spiky dark green leaves that have a surprisingly delicate texture and delightfully peppery.
Mocha: A flavoring made of coffee and chocolate
Moe's Southwest Grill: American Chain Restaurant
Molasses: Is a thick, brown to deep black, honey-like substance made when cane or beet sugar is processed. It is enjoyed as a sweetener in many countries, and most particularly in England where it is called treacle. For hundreds of years, molasses and sulfur, or treacle and brimstone were thought to have healthful benefits, and children were frequently given doses of the product.
Molcajete y tejolete: The Mexican term for "mortar and pestle" ‹ molcajete being the mortar, tejolete the pestle. The black basalt (volcanic rock), produces a rough texture on both pieces. They are used in the traditional manner for grinding spices and herbs and other mixtures.
Mold: A metal form in which you can shape certain foods to make them look more attractive
Mole: Mole is a spicy, rich Mexican sauce consisting of nuts, seeds, spices, chilies and occasionally chocolate.
Mole Sauce:
Momordica:
Manech Ewes:
Modelo: Grupo Modelo is a large brewery in Mexico. It has 63% of the Mexican beer market, and exports beer to most countries of the world, other than the United States. Its export brands include Corona, Modelo, and Pacífico. Grupo Modelo also brews brands intended solely for the domestic Mexican market.
Mollie Katzen (Chef):
Molsen Brewery: Canada
Monkey Bread: Also called pull-apart bread. Monkey bread is specialty bread that is rolled into small balls, dipped into butter, and baked in a tube pan (photo at right). When it is removed, the individual balls adhere together but are pulled apart individually. Monkey bread came onto the radar when Nancy Reagan served it in the White House. The origin of the name is obscure: some say that the breads resembles a monkey-puzzle tree, others attribute the action of pulling apart the bread with one’s hands to monkeys’ eating behavior. See pull-apart bread.
Monkfish: An unattractive specimen, its head accounts for half its body weight but the meaty flesh is great for cooking. Monkfish can withstand strong flavors such as garlic, chili, saffron, rosemary, and oregano.
Monopoly Cereal – General Mills (2003):
Monster Cereals: General Mills (1971 – present) Boo Berry – General Mills (1973 – present), Count Chocula – General Mills (1971 – present), Franken Berry – General Mills (1971 – present), Yummy Mummy – General Mills (1988–1993)
Monster Energy Drinks: Monster Energy is an energy drink, launched by the Monster Beverage Corporation in 2002. The regular flavor comes in a black can with a green tear-shaped M logo, implied to have been torn by the claws of a "monster.” The company is also known for supporting many extreme sports events such as BMX, Motocross, skateboarding and snowboarding.
Montbeliarde Cows:
Moon Pie:
Morels (Morchella angusticeps, Morchella esculenta, etc.): These elusive species are very popular with mushroom hunters. Known as mycrorrhizal as well.
Mornay sauce: Is a béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese, usually it is half gruyère and half parmesan, though Chef’s use different combinations of gruyère, emmental, or white cheddar. It is often served with seafood or vegetables. It is generally accepted that the name sauce Mornay refers to the diplomat Philippe, duc de Mornay (1549-1623), Governor of Saumur, and seigneur du Plessis-Marly.
MOS Burger: Japanese Chain Restaurant
Moses Jackson (Chef):
Mostaccioli (Penne Lisce): Means ‘small moustaches’. This pasta is a 2-inch tube pasta common to the Campania region of Southern Italy. (Like penne only without the ridges.)
Mother Of All Storms: English Barleywine / 14.00% ABV Pelican Pub & Brewery
Mountain Dew:
Mountain Spring Water:
Moussaka:
Mousse: A frozen dessert mainly consisting of either flavored custard or a fruit puree lightened with beaten egg whites and/or whipped cream.
Movies and Documentaries About Food:
Movies and Documentaries About Wine and Beverages:
Mozzarella: A fairly soft Italian cheese with a rubbery texture and is great to use in making pizza
Mr. Pibb:
Mr. T Cereal – Quaker Oats:
Mrs. Winner's Chicken & Biscuits: American Chain Restaurant
M’smen: Is a buttery, flaky Moroccan flatbread. It is traditionally eaten for breakfast with honey. It can also be prepared as a savory treat similar to pita, with caramelized onions and parsley or spiced ground lamb folded between the thin layers of dough.
Muffins: Are often referred to as “small cake-like breads” and quick breads, but this needs to be rethought: As recipes have evolved, the sugar and butter content of many muffins put them into the cake category. Many of them can pass as small, un-iced cakes.
Mug:
Mullet: Red Mullet is best in the summer months and cooked with the flavors of the Mediterranean. Take the scales off carefully then bake them completely with some fennel, lemon, and olive oil. Grey Mullet from the Cornish coast is best during late summer and early autumn.
Mulloway:
Multigrain Bread: A multigrain loaf can be made in any size and shape. While it is made of two or more grains, multigrain is not the same as wholegrain or whole grain. Naan, which means “bread” in Persian, is a flatbread similar to the original, pocket less pita. It is usually leavened with yeast and baked in a tandoor (clay oven). This distinguishes it from roti, which is cooked on an iron griddle called a Tava (almost all Indian breads are cooked on a grill or griddle). Bake your own naan (in a conventional oven) with this recipe. Read our review of Fabulous Flats Naan, shown in the photo at right.
Munch:
Mung Beans:
Munich malt: Is used as the base malt of the bock beer style, especially doppelbock, and appears in dunkel lager and Märzens in smaller quantities. While a darker grain than pale malt, it has sufficient diastatic power to self-convert, despite being kilned at temperatures around 115 °C. It imparts "malty," although not necessarily sweet characteristics, depending on mashing temperatures. ASBC 4-6/EBC 10-15, DP 40 °Lintner.
Munster: This Alsace Region cow’s milk cheese (AOC), comes exclusively from an area spreading between the East of the Vosges in Alsace and the West of Lorraine (where the cheese is called Géromé). Back in the seventh century, Irish monks settled in what is now called Munster Valley in Alsace. They created "Munster Kaes,” their goal being to preserve milk and feed their people. The cheese is rubbed by hand with a solution of rock salt, and water. This helps t0 flavor the cheese and prevent mold from developing. It is then transferred into caves. Every other day the cheese is washed and brushed. Recommended with a beer, or wines such as Alsace's Gewürztraminer or Pinot Noir, but also full bodied red wines such as Côte-Rotie or Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
Muscadine Grape:
Mushrooms of the World: There are wide variety of mushrooms used not only for cooking but for medical research. These varieties include: Black Trumpet, Bolete, Button, Caterpillar Fungus, Cepes, Chanterelles, Chicken of the Woods, Cremini, Enoki, Enokitake, Giant Puffballs, Hen of the woods, Honey Fungus, Lion’s Main, Maitake, Matsutake, Morels, Oyster, Porcini, Portobello, Reishi, Shaggy Main, Shiitake, Truffles, Turkey Tail, and Yellow Houseplant Mushrooms.
Muskmelons and Cantaloupes:
Mussels: Steamed open with wine and garlic or Asian flavors, mussels make a wonderful starter or light main course. Rope grown mussels tend to be meatier and cleaner than dredged ones, remove the beard and cook very simply and quickly-eat at once. New Zealand Green lip Mussels is larger and suitable for baking or steaming.
Mustard (Brassica hirta): Comes from the Broccoli family. There are two major kinds of mustard, the yellow and brown. It has a pungent flavor and is used in meats, sauces, gravies, and salad dressings.
Mustard collard:
Mustard Greens:
Mustard sauce (prepared mustard):
Mustard, potherb:
Mutton: The flesh or meat of a mature sheep
#-A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q-R S T U-V W-X Y-Z
Part 13
of the Grand Dictionary of Food and Beverages complete
by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Executive Chef
Father, Husband, Wine Drinker
Restaurant nut, History and
Star Trek lover
About Sean:
I am based out of St. Petersburg, Florida working in the food service industry for over twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down the experiences from a few restaurants, wine from the region that I tasted, and locations of interest such as Petra. Since that time, over 300 articles have been written, including fifteen restaurants from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide. There are articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & Grand Food Dictionaries; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write about.
Who is John Galt?
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Other articles of interest on Wine, Dine, and Play:
Shark Cage Diving in Gansbaai, South Africa
The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, UAE
TTFN
