A lot of cookbooks take it for granted that one knows specific terms for food preparation and cooking. When I first began cooking, coming from a family that relied heavily on convenience foods, I had no idea, for example, how dicing differed from chopping. As you become more familiar and exposed to cooking, you'll find that you can improvise from set recipes or even create your own, but for those of you who want to know exactly what the difference between roasting and broiling is, read on... Al Dente: An Italian expression that means "to the tooth", al dente usually refers to pasta, and cooking it just enough so that there is a pleasant firmness when chewed, but not too soft or underdone. Beat: When one beats ingredients, they are working vigorously to thoroughly combine and integrate them together. This can be accomplished with a wire whisk, spoon or electric mixing device. Blanch: Blanching is usually done so that the cook can remove the skin of nuts, fruits or vegetables. The item to be blanched is briefly put in boiling water, and then removed. Blend: Blending is the milder cousin of beating. This can be done with a spoon or electric appliance until the ingredients are integrated and smooth. Boil: Obviously, when bubbles have begun percolating at the water's surface. A rolling boil is a more intense one, when stirring it with a spoon does not cause the bubbles to cease. Braise: Braising is when you cook food in a covered pan over a low flame in liquid, such as vegetable stock or a marinade. Broil: To cook food in a pan under direct, high heat. Chop: Chopping means one is cutting food into smaller, non-uniform pieces. Cube: To cut pieces into more identical pieces, roughly shaped like a cube. Dice: Basically the same idea as with the above description, except the pieces are smaller. Fold: Most frequently used in mixing delicate ingredients, this is gentler than blending. Using a rubber spatula or spoon, cut down through the mixture, sweep across the bottom of the bowl and come back to the surface. Do this until the mixture is fully incorporated. Julienne: Food that has been cut into thin, matchstick strips. The food, for example, a potato, is first cut into strips that are approximately 1/8-inch thick. The slices are stacked and then cut into strips of an equal width. If the object is round, cut a small slice from the bottom so it will not roll on the work surface. Mince: To cut food into very small, non-uniform pieces. Purée: This means to blend food into a heavy but smooth consistency. One often uses a blender or an electric mixer for this. Roast: To oven-cook in an uncovered pan. Roux: A mixture of flour and fat, for example, soy margarine, that is slowly cooked over light heat and whipped with a wire whisk to break up clumps. This expands and is used to thicken foods, such as soups and sauces. Sauté: To cook food in hot oil, stirring frequently. A wok or frying pan is best for this. Simmer: To cook food in a gentle manner, just below boiling. Small bubble form slowly during a simmer. Stir-Fry: Sort of like a sauté, except the heat is higher. The contents of a stir-fry should be constantly stirred to keep from scorching.

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