Recipe Terms

Use a spoon to make circular or figure 8 motions.

• blend
• mix
• stir
• combine

Use this technique to beat ingredients very rapidly to bring in air and increase volume, as in whipping cream

• whip
• fold
• cut-in
• stir

Use a pastry blender or two knives and a cutting motion to mix solid fat with dry ingredients, like when making a pie crust

• cut in
• fold
• cream
• stir

Use a rubber scraper to gently combine ingredients in a delicate mixture such as folding beaten egg whites into a mixture.

• cream
• fold-in
• whip
• cut-in

To cut food into small irregular pieces.

• mince
• cube
• dice
• chop

To chop food into pieces that are as small as possible.

• dice
• fold
• mince
• chop

Cut into evenly shaped pieces about 1/2 inches on each side.

• pare
• cube
• dice
• grate

Cut into evenly shaped pieces about 1/4 inch on each side.

• dice
• cube
• mince
• chop

A decoration on food, such as a sprig of parsley

• season
• garnish
• drain
• grease

To coat the surface of a pan with fat, such as butter, margarine, or oil

• brush
• garnish
• season
• grease