C

cabanossi - A salami-like type sausage. It is usuall made of pork and beef but there are chicken, duck and turkey versions.

cacciatore - (adjective) Italian word for hunter's style. Usually meat prepared in a tomato sauce, with herbs and other seasoning; often with mushrooms.

cajeta - is a Mexican confection usually made of sweetened caramelised goat's milk - or half goat's, half cow's milk. It has a similar taste to dulce de leche but it is not so thick. Typically used to accompny desserts.

A pizza calzone is folded over in a similar fashion to Cornish pasties or Spanish empanadillas.

caviar - Sturgeon eggs preserved in salt. Caviar comes in many grades and types. Real caviar is rare and there are many substitutes.

cellar  - name - a storage room beneath ground level; basement; cave. Usually cooler than the main floors and used for long term storage of wines and non-perishable food, or short term storage of food.

chickpeas, garbanzo beans - Round, beanlike seeds of a plant that is grown for food. Very popular in India, the Middle East, and Spain.

chai - The Indian name for tea.

chapati - A type of Indian flatbread, usually made with whole wheat flour and grilled or fried.

charmoula - A Middle Eastern marinade, and a Middle Eastern sauce, made of stewed onions flavored with vinegar, honey and ras el hanout spice mix.

chayote - A type of squash used in Latin American cooking. Chayote is has a pear shape and a taste similar to zucchini. Cook as you would zucchini or any summer squash. Chayote can also be eaten raw.

chile, chili, chilli - Any fruit of the Capsicum family (peppers) that is piquant, from mildly hot to scorching. Chili peppers are usually on the small side.

chili paste - A spicy Asian condiment. Typical ingredients are red chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and salt but they may vary. Use chili paste to season sauces, soups, and marinades.

chitlins, chitterlings - The small intestines of freshly slaughtered hogs. They are simmered until tender and, once boiled, they may be used in soups, or covered in batter and fried.

chomp - eating verb, informal - chew or bite hard and making a lot of noise noise; eat.

chow - name, informal - food. chow down - eating verb, informal - eat, especially the main meal during the day.

chutney - Indian sauce that is made from fruit, vinegar, sugar, and spices, cooked slowly until soft.

cider - A drink made usually from pressed apples where the juice is fermented producing an alcoholic drink. You may find places where this definition applies to "hard cider" while "cider" is just apple juice and it is not alcoholic. There is also pear cider.

cilantro - Frehs coriander leaf; also called Chinese, Thai, or Mexican parsley.

clotted cream - A dairy product made by heating shallow pans of milk to near 82°C, holding them at this temperature for about an hour and then skimming off the yellow wrinkled cream crust that forms - minimum 55% fat. Traditionally served with tea and scones in England.

conch - A mollusc gastropod - genus strombus - common in the Caribbean islands such as Turks and Caicos, Trinidad, or Jamaica. One conch steak typically weighs about 1/5 to 1/3 lb. These steaks are taken home, beaten with a device, such as a rolling pin, to tenderize, and then cubed for conch salad or conch fritters.

condiments - Edible substances we add to food to enhance flavor. Condiments range from simple seasonings such as salt and pepper to a more elaborate relish such as mustard or ketchup.

cornstarch, cornflour - A starch usually. made from corn used to thicken sauces.

cornmeal - Ground corn, ground maize.

consume - eating verb - eat or drink, used especially when eating or drinking large amounts.

couscous - A type of pasta made of semolina flour in the shape of tiny cillynders popular in North African cuisine. Typically steamed over a casserole, but there are pre-cooked variteis that take about 5 minutes to be ready. Couscous on its own has a nutty flavor, with an interesting texture as long as it is not over cooked, but it can be seasoned in many different ways.

cram - eating verb - stuff oneself or something with food.

crème fraîche - French tangy, thick cream, similar in taste and texture to sour cream. The cream is not pasteurized, containing bacteria that thickens it naturally. Crème fraîche is used in sauces and soups because it can be boiled without breaking, unlike sour cream.

cuisine - The foods of a particular country or region. The way those foods are prepared.