GLOSSARY

Culinary terms important to know:

1. Al Dente - al-DEN-tay. this has to do with the doneness of pasta. Al dente is slightly chewy. it is a little less cooked than most folks in the USA desire, but often the recommended texture.
2. Creaming - as a baking term, creaming means to combine the sugar and butter or margerine into a fully incorporated whipped consistency. as otherwise a cooking term it means to puree, usually, a vegetable  into a creamy state, as in cream of asparagus soup, and/or to add cream or a cream sauce to the food like in creamed spinach.
3. Mise en Place - mees - ahn- plaz. it means most literally: ... to put or set down in the best place. or "everything in it's place," this refers to a cooking method that maximizes efficiency,  cleanliness, and time management, when cooking. it has to do with preparing ahead of time, as well as placement of your food and equipment, tools utensils so they are easily at hand. as well it can refer to the placement of food in the cooking area or even in the pan. (as an example you don't have something boiling on a front burner that you will have to reach over to stir or such another pot behind it).