25 French Food-related Terms in English

25 French Food-related Terms in English 25 French Food-related Terms in English 25 French Food-related Terms in English By Maeve Maddox Note: The pronunciation of these terms varies according to how familiar the speaker is with French. Usually, getting close is good enough. I’ve included pronunciation for six terms that may be especially tricky for some English speakers. 1. la carte Food items that can be ordered individually and not as part of a set meal are ordered la carte. The French word carte means card or menu. For example, a true la carte menu would list each item separately, with individual prices: chicken legs, $4; broccoli, $2; rice, $1.50, and so on. 2. la mode This French expression means â€Å"according to the fashion† and can be applied to clothing, furniture, dances, or anything that goes in and out of style. In US usage, the term is applied as a post-modifier to desserts. It usually means â€Å"with ice cream,† as in â€Å"pie la mode.† 3. apà ©ritif An apà ©ritif is an alcoholic drink, taken before a meal to stimulate the appetite. 4. au jus    Chiefly US, au jus is used as a post-modifier to indicate that a dish, usually meat, has been prepared or served in a gravy containing its own juices. 5. au gratin A dish prepared au gratin has been sprinkled with breadcrumbs or grated cheese browned in the oven or under the grill. The French verb gratiner means â€Å"to brown.† 6. baguette A long, thin loaf of French bread. 7. bon appà ©tit A salutation before eating. 8. cafà © au lait [ka-fay oh lay] Coffee taken with milk. 9. cordon bleu    Literally, â€Å"blue ribbon,† the expression reflects the sense of â€Å"first class.† In culinary usage, â€Å"a cordon blue† is â€Å"a first-class cook.† 10. crà ¨me brà »là ©e A cream topped with caramelized sugar, served as dessert. 11. cuisine The ordinary word for kitchen in French, cuisine is also used to describe a manner or style of food preparation. 12. en brochette A brochette is a skewer. En brochette  refers to food cooked, and sometimes served, on  brochettes, or skewers, like shish kebab. Food served  en brochette  is generally grilled.   13. maà ®tre dhà ´tel  Ã‚   Maà ®tre is French for master. The maà ®tre d’hà ´tel is the host or manager of the â€Å"front† of a formal restaurant, the part that serves the customers. British speakers shorten the phrase to maà ®tre, but American speakers refer to this person as the maà ®tre d. The responsibilities of a maà ®tre dhà ´tel  generally include supervising the wait staff,  taking reservations, and welcoming guests. 14. omelette  (US omelet) A dish traditionally made of beaten eggs fried in a pan and folded over. Sometimes other ingredients are added to the egg mixture. 15. petit four A small fancy cake, biscuit, or sweet, usually served with coffee after a meal. The literal meaning is â€Å"little oven.† 16. plat du jour Literally, â€Å"plate of the day, the plat du jour is a dish prepared in addition to the usual menu, available only on that day. 17. pot-au-feu The literal meaning is â€Å"pot on the fire.† It can refer to a large traditional French cooking pot or to something cooked in one, usually a thick soup of meat and vegetables. 18. prix fixe [pree-feex] A prix fixe meal typically includes several courses, but, unlike la carte pricing, prix fixe indicates that all the courses are included under one â€Å"fixed price 19. roux   [roo] A mixture of fat and flour heated together and used in making sauces and soups. In the United States, a spicy roux is a staple of Cajun cooking in New Orleans. 20. sautà ©    The French verb sauter means â€Å"to jump.† Vegetables that are sautà ©ed are fried in a pan with a little butter over a high heat, while being tossed from time to time. 21. sommelier [so-mel-yay] A sommelier is a wine waiter or wine steward. 22. soupà §on   [soup-sohn] Soupà §on is French for suspicion. In cooking, a soupà §on is a very small quantity or slight trace of something, â€Å"a pinch.† 23. soupe du jour Like the plat du jour, the soupe du jour (â€Å"soup of the day†) is the advertised specialty on a given day. 24. vinaigrette A vinaigrette is a dressing of oil and wine vinegar, sometimes with herbs used with salads and cold vegetables 25. pià ¨ce de rà ©sistance [pee-es duh ray-seez-tahnce] In general usage, the phrase may refer to the prize item in a collection. For example, â€Å"The museum’s pià ¨ce de rà ©sistance is an exact reproduction of an American eighteenth century carpenter’s tiger maple chest.† In reference to food, the pià ¨ce de rà ©sistance is the main or most difficult-to-resist part of a meal. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Structure A Story: The Eight-Point ArcRound vs. AroundHow to Treat Names of Groups and Organizations