REVIEW – The Cook’s Essential Kitchen Dictionary, Second Edition: A Complete Culinary Resource

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The Cook’s Essential Kitchen Dictionary: A Complete Culinary Resource

• Author: Jacques L. Rolland
• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Robert Rose; Second Edition edition (September 30, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778804941
• ISBN-13: 978-0778804949
• Cover Price $19.95

An exciting blend of food history, etymology, anecdotes, origins and culture.

How often have you found yourself in the middle of preparing a recipe when you come across an unfamiliar term? If you are like most people, the answer is probably quite often. Not recognizing a word and its meaning can diminish the pleasure of preparing a dish.

Discover thousands of definitions, along with a wealth of historical background for many words, in this completely revised edition. Each entry from the previous edition has been reviewed, vetted and edited to reflect today’s culinary landscape. The definitions are listed alphabetically for easy reference, and each includes British and American cooking terms, as well as many foreign language terms.

So whether you’re looking for an entertaining read or the answer to a specific culinary question, this delightful book offers a unique vantage point from which to expand your knowledge of food and your appreciation of cooking. It will make the adventure of cooking all the more enjoyable and will take you on a delightful journey through the world of food. For anyone who cooks or who simply loves food, this is an outstanding reference source and cookbook supplement.

JACQUES L. ROLLAND has a degree in culinary art and hotel management and is a certified sommelier. His appreciation and knowledge of food has been honed by the many cultures he has experienced. He is also the author of The Food Encyclopedia.

Have you ever been reading a recipe and come across something you had no idea what it was? Not even necessarily a food, maybe even a tool or piece of equipment? I know I have. Well, this book is full of answers for those questions. This book doesn’t have chapters, instead it’s set up like a dictionary, hence the title. Over 5,000 terms are defined in this book, including American, British, French, Italian and Spanish terms. The book is written in simple and easy to understand terms.

Did you ever go to look something up in the dictionary or encyclopedia and find yourself reading other words around it? That’s me. I think this book is actually pretty interesting as well as helpful.  Anyone interested in food will surely find this book helpful. Along with the thousands of definitions, there are also further explanations on different types of some of those items. for example, there is a definition for pasta, then there is a section under that explaining the types of pasta. Tea has types of tea, olives has types of olives, and so on.

This book would be perfect for anyone with an interest in food and/or cooking.

Can you remember one term you’ve encountered in cooking that you didn’t know what it meant?