Alloy

Alloy refers to various chemical elements which have been bound together into one material. Alloys have been developed to take advantage of certain material properties; in metal, this may be hardness and corrosion resistance. The result of an alloy is therefore a material which contains properties which had not before been available in this combination.

Anti-friction properties

This refers to the level of friction present when two materials are slid along each other. If there is only a small amount of friction, the material can be considered to have good anti-friction properties. If little friction is present, a knife is easier to cut with and less force is required.

Aquaculture

Aquaculture, or fish farming, refers to businesses practising controlled breeding of fish, mussels and other seafood. This form of mass production can be practised in still or flowing water, and is intended to combat the effects of overfishing. It is also used to stock or restock pools for angling.

Au jus

Jus (French for "in its own juice") is the name given to a concentrated stock which is often made from bones, seasoning and left over meat. The fat is skimmed off. Due to the gelatine present in the bones, jus jellifies when cooled. Jus is used to add flavour to gravies.

Backbone

Another word for the spine. Tracing this helps you when filleting.

Batons

Batons come from the French cooking term of bâtonnets and refers to vegetables cut into sticks. The sticks should be square all the way through.

Blade

This part of the knife is the central element of the cutting tool. The behaviour of the knife is different depending on how rigid or flexible the blade is.

Blade guard

A blade guard is a type of case in which the knife blade is inserted when not in use to avoid injury and to allow the knife to be stored or transported safely. Generally made of plastic, they are also produced for different blade lengths.

Blanching

Blanching refers to a step in food preparation in which the food is thermally treated. You blanche vegetables, fish or meat by quickly dipping them into simmering water. This strengthens the colour and flavour, as well as shortening the total cooking time. Once food has been blanched, it needs to be dunked into cold water so that it doesn't continue cooking. Vegetables are blanched before being deep frozen. This reduces the enzyme activity so the taste, colour and vitamin content is not negatively affected.

Bolster

This is the thick part between blade and handle. The bolster makes it easy to see if a knife has been forged, as well as balancing the knife.

Boning

To bone means to remove the fish and joints from raw meat or fish. To do this, you need to cut as close to the bone as possible. For a fish, which also has a number of tiny, thin bones, you will need to use a pair of fish tweezers.

Brunoise

Brunoise refers to finely dicing vegetables. It can also refer to finely diced, sweated vegetables. The tiny dice can be used in a consommé, in sauces, mixed with rice and pasta, or in a salad.

Butchering

This refers to the separating meat or poultry into its component parts. What these exact parts are, what they are called and exactly how they are cut varies from region to region.

Butterfly

Butterfly refers to a special way of cutting meat. You start by making a cut into the meat, stopping before you can cut all the way through. You then make a second cut behind the first one, this time cutting all the way through. Then, the meat can be folded out into a large slice. Butterflying is especially used when cutting escalopes.

CAD

CAD stands for Computer Aided Design, which enables you to "build" a product on a computer. CAD systems simplify the drafting and implementation of complex technical solutions.

Candy

This is the process used to preserve fresh fruit and vegetable by increasing the sugar content to at least 70% and reducing the water content.

Carcass

The carcass is the remaining set of bones after removing the flesh from meat, poultry and fish. The carcass includes any meat and skin particles still attached to the bone. With crustaceans, the carcass refers to the empty shell. Carcasses serve as a basis for soups and sauces.

Carpaccio

This is an Italian term and originally referred to raw beef fillet which had been cut wafer thin. These days we use the term to refer to a variety of wafer-thin sliced food, most of which has also been marinated.

Carving

Carving means cutting cooked meat, poultry and large fish into slices and/or their component parts to be served. A carving fork is used to hold the food in place while a carving knife is used for cutting.

Casserole

A casserole consists of diced meat, poultry or vegetables in a thickened sauce. The meat is first browned in a pan before onions and other vegetables are added before slowly cooking in an oven. It is particularly suitable for meat with a high fat ratio of fat or gristle as the slow cooking tenderises the meat.

Chateaubriad

This is taken from the thicker end of the tenderloin.

Chiffonade

Chiffonade is a cutting technique in which leaves – for instance lettuce leaves or from herbs – are laid on top of each other, rolled up together and then cut into fine strips.

Chops | Cutles

Chops (cutlets) are obtained from the neck and hind leg of pork, beef, lamb or veal.

Claw grip

This is used to hold foodstuff in place when cutting the foodstuff is gripped by the thumb and little finger while the knife in the other hand cuts along the folded fingers, only slightly coming into contact wth the knuckles.

Coating

This refers to a material applied to a knife to improve the surface structure of the blade. It reduces friction when cutting, and the ability of foodstuff to adhere to the blade. A coating is usually applied for optical or hygienic reasons.

Concasse

Concasse refers to finely diced fruit flesh with no skin or seeds. It comes from the French "concasser" and means to crush, or roughly chop. It is most often used with tomatoes, where tomato concasse refers to skinned and deseeded finely diced tomato flesh.

Confit

This designates meat and poultry which has been cooked in fat over a number of hours at a low temperature.

Cooking

This describes the process which changes food from raw to cooked. There are a number of different methods:
1. Boiling = Cooking in water of about 100°C / 212°F.
2. Frying = Cooking in hot oil or fat, generally in a pan. Deep fat frying involves immersing in hot oil or fat.
3. Baking = Cooking in hot air in an oven. This term is generally used for baked goods such as bread or cake.
4. Sweating = Cooking at a low temperature in water.
5. Grilling = Placing under flames.
6. Steaming = Cooking with steam.
7. Roasting = Cooking with oil or fat in an oven. This is generally used for meat.
8. Simmering = Cooking in hot water of just under 100°C / 212°F.

Coral

Coral is the term used to refer to the roe of crustaceans and molluscs. When raw, the coral has a colour ranging from greenish to black. In scallops, it is orange. When cooked, it changes to a reddish hue. Coral is considered a delicacy and is used as seasoning for soups and sauces.

Cross contamination

This term describes one piece of food being contaminated by another. If, for instance, vegetables are cut with a knife which was previously used for raw poultry, salmonella from the poultry could be transferred on to the vegetables and contaminate them. There are set hygiene rules and standards to prevent cross contamination.

Curing

To cure meat, you treat it with a substance such as a nitrate salt-like potassium nitrate. The meat developes a heat-resistant red colour and a cured taste. Curing is mostly combined with smoking (fish), dry-curing (ham) or cooking (pork knuckle).

Cut view

Cut view refers to the visual appearance of the cut surface of a foodstuff.

Cyrogenic tempering | Ice hardening

Cyrogenic hardening refers to a process in which metals which have just been hardened are cryogenically cooled then warmed again. This special hardening process produces flexible blades which are able to hold their edge and are particularly corrosion resistant.

Dorsal fin

The dorsal fin is found on the back of a fish and stabilises the fish when it is moving upright through water. The dorsal fin needs to be carefully moved before filleting or otherwise preparing a fish as it can have very sharp edges, which can even cause inflammation when touched.

Duroc pig

This breed of pig is known for the quality of its meat. Originating from the US, the Duroc can grow to 350 kilos. The species is often bred for its excellent qualities and tasty meat, and still makes up a large proportion of the pork available in the US today. The Duroc is now known in many parts of the world. Its meat is beautifully marbled and tender, with an intensive flavour.

Duxelles

Duxelles is a fine semi-spread made of finely minced cooked mushrooms. They can be used in stuffing, as a sauce or dip, or to garnish dishes.

Edge

The edge is the sharp side of the blade. This is the most important part of the knife and responsible for clean, precise cutting.

Edge geometry

The exact form of a knife edge is referred to as the edge geometry. The geometry of the edge is essential for the useful life and sharpness of a knife.

Edge retention

Edge retention refers to a knife edge's resistance to various types of wear. It defines how long a knife stays sharp when used in a certain way.

Edge shape

Different types of cutting need different types of knife. A knife edge can be smooth, serrated or fluted. Depending on type and purpose, knives may be ground on one or both sides.

Escalope

An escalope is a thin slice of meat, fish or poultry, which is generally breaded before being cooked. Meat and poultry escalopes are usually pounded with a steak hammer to tenderise them by breaking down the connective tissue.

Farce

A farce, French for filling, is a very fine mass of meat, fish or vegetables, which has been chopped up in a meat grinder, pounded in a mortar or ground in a food processor. It is used mostly as a filling or stuffing for pies and pâtés, vegetables, meat or fish.

Fat covering

The fat covering refers to the fatty tissue located on various pieces of meat, such as, for example, the loin. Depending on the preparation method, this is cut off (rack of lamb) or left intact (rump steak).

Faux fillet | Sirloin

A faux fillet, or sirloin, is meat cut from the shoulder of a cow or pig, as its shape often looks like a real fillet. It generally has a higher fat content and a stronger taste than a fillet, as well as not being as tender, with tendons running through it. This cut of meat therefore needs to be braised, not fried.

Fillet

A fillet is a cut of meat which comes from under the back muscles of an animal. This is an area which is placed under very little stress, meaning the meat is particularly tender and low in fat. Fillets can be cut from both sides of the spine and are considered the best pieces of meat. The cut of meat from this area known as tenderloin is the most tender and desired piece of meat. Only two percent of a cow can be cut into fillets.

The French cut filet mignon (tender fillet) is taken from the smaller end of the tenderloin, while medallions are cut from the middle.

Chateaubriand steak is taken from the thicker end. In poultry, the entire breast meat which can be detached from the carcass is considered to be fillet meat. Fish fillets are deboned meat from either side of the backbone. "To fillet" refers to the removal of the edible parts of an animal. This word can have a different meaning depending on the type of meat. With fish, for example filleting refers to the removal of the meaty side sections.

Flank

The thin muscle that surrounds the abdominal cavity in animals is called the flank. The meat is commonly used for goulash or stew. When preparing fish, the corresponding part is usually removed.

Flash rust

The first signs of metal corrosion – rust stains on the surface of the blade – are known as flash rust. Colloquially, this simply describes a layer of rust on a surface that can be easily cleaned off.

Flat fish

Flat fish belong to the genus bony fish and have a flat shape which has adapted to life on the sea or river bed. Their eyes are both on the coloured top of their bodies. Examples of flat fish are plaice, turbot, halibut, flounder and sole. Flat fish can be cut into four small fillets.

Forging

Forging refers to the abrupt, continuous forming and reforming of metal through pressure and hitting. Forging a knife requires 45 different steps. A knife is referred to as forged when it has been created from a glowing hot piece of steel under high pressure, and no welding was involved. The forging process thickens the high-quality steel which immensely improves the structure and strength of the knife. This improves the knife's ability to stay sharp. Forged knives are optimally balanced and therefore very pleasant to work with.

Frenching

Frenching ribs means cutting all the fat away along the rib bones and exposing them.

Garnishing

This can refer to the cutting of fruit and vegetables into decorative shapes to add visual pleasure to a dish or buffet. It can also refer to adding a small amount of salad vegetables to a dish.

Glazing | Icing

Glazing and icing are terms describing the coating of dishes with cooked meat juice, jelly, sugar solution, fat or chocolate glaze. It serves to improve the appearance and protect the product. The liquid is applied with a brush and solidifies after cooling.

Grain

This describes the pattern in which muscular fibres have grown in a piece of meat.

Granton edge

A granton edge describes a blade which contains small indents. These indents create air cushions when cutting so that less foodstuff adheres to the blade.

Grind

The grind is an essential component of the sharpness and stability of a knife. Different types of grind are bevelled, hollow, wedge and chisel. These grinds may incorporate a granton or serrated edge.

Guard of honour

This is a fancy way of presenting two racks of lamb. The trimmed racks are crossed and then tied together so the effect is of two lines forming a guard of honour.

Gutting

Gutting refers to removing the guts and other innards from fish, meat and poultry.

HACCP

HACCP is the abbreviation for the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points concept. This concept is designed to prevent risks in food preparation that could lead to food poisoning. It is mandatory for any company which is involved in the production, processing or distribution of food.

Hammer technique

This is a cutting technique where the knife blade is pushed down with even force. Only the middle and the heel of the blade are used for cutting.

Hardness

This is the resistance a material has against the mechanical penetration of another body: basically, the strength of a material. The harder a blade is, the longer it keeps its sharpness. Knife hardness is measured in Rockwell (HRC).

Heat treatment

This encompasses a number of different processes where the physical properties of an item are intentionally changed without affecting its outer appearance. This can be used on knives to affect the hardness, toughness, elasticity and edge retention. There is a differentiation made between processes which change the microstructure of a material and processes which change the material at surface level. The former category includes hardening. This is crucial for knife blades as a non-hardened blade would be unusable.

HRC

HRC comes from HR Hardness Rockwell from the hardness scale and testing process, and C, referring to cone. The hardness test is performed with the aid of a conical diamond. HRC is the unit in which material hardness is measured. The higher the HRC value of a blade, the harder the steel it is made of is.

Iberian pork/pig

The Iberian pig is a tiny breed from Spain and Portugal. The pigs roam semi-wild on meadowland. They mainly eat acorns, making their meat particularly juicy and aromatic. The meat is threaded with fine veins of fat. Also known as "Pata Negra" because of their black haunches, these pigs can also develop intramuscular fat.

Julienne

This specialist term refers to finely and evenly cut vegetable sticks. It is often used for root vegetables and cabbage. Juliennes can be added into consommés, garnishes, used in a side dish or just to decorate.

Larding

Larding involves puncturing a hole of about 1cm / 0.39inch into the top of a roast with a sharp knife or a lard needle and filling this with bacon fat or lard. This makes the meat particulary flavourful and keeps it moist. The slices of bacon fat are skewered on to the lard needle which is pulled through the meat along the grain.

Lardons

This is belly pork diced to a size of about 1cm / 0.39inch.

Légumes cannelés (fluted vegetables)

This expression describes vegetables that are cut into a decorative fluted form. Vegetables cut in this way are mostly used for decoration.

Légumes tournés (shaped vegetables)

Légumes tournés are vegetables that are cut into shapes, sculptured or have had holes cut out of them.

Lever technique

In this cutting technique the blade is placed perpendicular to the foodstuff. Then, the length of the blade is drawn through the foodstuff in a downwards movement until the blade has completely reached the board and the foodstuff has been cut in two.

Low-temperature cooking

This is a technique in which meat is browned at a high temperature then cooked at a low temperature for several hours. Slow cooking at a low temperature means that the cell structure of the meat remains intact so that very little juice is lost and the meat remains tender.

Mangalitsa pig

The Mangalitsa pig is an old domestic breed from Hungary. This is still a pure breed and is characterised by a curly, woolly coat. The Mangalitsa has enjoyed a new surge in popularity because of its tender, juicy, beautifully marbled meat. Its thick coat and robust immune system enable the pig to spend the entire year outdoors. Mangalitsa are not fattening pigs; they have a slow, healthy growth. They are stress resistant and therefore not particularly susceptible to sickness.

Marbled

Marbled refers to the distribution of fatty tissue running through a piece of meat, particularly in beef. The fatty threads make the meat aromatic and juicy. The quality of a piece of meat can be determined by how marbled it is.

Marinating

Marinating involves covering meat or fish in a flavoursome, often acidic liquid: a marinade. While covered, the herbs and spices are absorbed into the meat or fish, which becomes more tender and aromatic. Originally, marinating in a saline solution was used to conserve food on a long journey. And even today, various forms of acidic marination, using among other things, vinegar or lemon juice, are commonly used for the preservation of meat, fish and vegetables.

Medallion

This is a disc-shaped piece of meat, ideally cut from the middle of the tenderloin. However, it can also be used to describe almost any muscular meat with little gristle which can be suitably flash fried. The type of meat is included in the name (e.g. veal medallion). It can also be used for fish or even seafood.

Membrane

Membrane refers to the fine white skin that divides a citrus fruit into individual segments. When filleting the fruit, the membrane must be removed.

Mincing

This term can refer to a cutting technique for cutting herbs finely. One hand guides the knife up and down in a rocking motion while the other hand stabilises the tip. Foodstuff which adheres to the blade is removed and pushed back into the cutting pile. The food is cut until all the pieces have been cut equally finely.

Neck tendon

The neck tendon allows various animals to retain their typical head and neck positions. The connective tissue which forms the tendon cannot be used and must be removed.

Nouvelle cuisine

Nouvelle cuisine refers to a development in French cuisine from the 1970s. It is characterised by the maxims that the focus should be placed on the original taste of a product, that dishes should be kept simple and that new paths should be trodden in preparation and presentation.

Oxidisation

Oxidisation is a chemical reaction which frequently occurs in fruit and vegetables. The oxygen in the air reacts with various elements in the food, making these turn brown.

Palette knife

This is a flat knife, sometimes called a frosting spatula, with a wide blade used for icing or serving. It is either straight or offset.

Parisienne

In the classic French cuisine Parisienne (or à la Parisienne) refers to a garnish consisting of potato croquettes and artichoke bases filled with a julienne of mushrooms, pickled tongue, and truffles. Parisienne also refers to balls scooped out of vegetables with the so-called Parisienne scoop (or melon baller).

Pavé

This is a French word referring to a square or rectangular serving of food. Pavé de boeuf is essentially a large steak, usually from beef fillet.

Pectoral fins

Pectoral fins are the fins of a round fish, located on the front of its chest. These are cut off before filleting.

Peeling

This is a step in food preparation where thin skin and peel in removed. In contrast to skinning or paring, only the uppermost layers are removed. It is typically used for removing the skin or peel from vegetables (e.g. tomatoes) and fruit (e.g. peaches).

Pen

This is essentially a squid's backbone.

Poaching

Poaching is a cooking method for delicate food. Items such as fish or egg are placed into simmering water. Sometimes the lid is placed on top. The ingredients are simmered in the pot for as long as necessary. This conserves many of the original vitamins, colours and flavours. Items can also be poached in a bag or holder.

Polishing

A blade is polished after being ground to remove any final unevenness from the surface. This enables the knife to glide easier through foodstuff with very little force applied.

Pound | Tenderise

Pounding a fish involces flattening a piece of meat with a steak hammer. The pounding changes the cellular structure, with the connective tissues breaking down.

Quiche

The quiche is a French culinary classic. It consists of a round, flat shortcrust pastry base and crust with a savoury filling. The basis of this filling is milk and eggs although other ingredients such as spinach, leek or bacon are generally added.

Rack of lamb fillet

Rack of lamb fillet, sometimes known as cannon of lamb, is a very special delicacy. It refers to a fillet, removed from the rack, that is longer than a traditional fillet of lamb. This cut of meat is located beneath the long back extensor muscle of the lamb.

Rivet

Tubular rivets are used in a range of knives to attach the handle. They connect the tang to the formed handle. Knives from Friedr. Dick are injection moulded meaning the rivets are purely there for optical, not technical reasons.

Rolling chop

This refers to a cutting technique where the knife is used in a smooth, flowing cutting motion. The point of the knife is placed on the board while the rest of the blade is pushed simultaneously down and forwards. The knife always stays in contact with the board.

Rondelles | Rounds

Rondelles or rounds are even round slices.

Roundfish

Most edible fish belong to the category roundfish. They have a round, wedge-shaped body, a robust backbone and a symmetrical appearance. Roundfish have two fillets and a distinctive dorsal fin.

Rust

This is a type of corrosion which occurs when there is a chemical reaction between iron or steel and oxygen or water. The reddish-brown marks are signs that the iron has decomposed.

Salmon technique

The salmon technique is a special method for separating the meat clean from the skin or tendons. The flexible knife is used to cut parallel to the skin at a very slight angle. The skin is pulled tight with the other hand.

Sashimi

Sashimi is one of the most popular ways of preparing food in Japanese cuisine. Fresh fish fillets are cut into slices of about 3mm / 0.12inch and served raw. Other seafood such as squid, mussels or prawns can also be made into sashimi. In contrast to Nigiri sushi, sashimi doesn't contain rice. It can be served with wasabi, soja sauce, ginger and vegetable garnish.

Sautéing

Sauté in a special type of frying. Thinly cut ingredients are fried at an extremely high temperature (between 160°C / 320°F and 240°C / 464°F) in a deep pan.

The pan cannot be heavily filled as all ingredients need to be able to sauté side by side in the fat. The food is turned by swinging the pan from side to side. A special sauté pan has a long handle, a wide flat bottom and straight sides. The wide opening at the top helps steam to escape better.

Scaling

This term describes the removal of the fish scales from the skin of a fish. Sometimes also called descaling, this procedure is necessary as the scales are essentially tiny fragments of bone and therefore cannot be eaten. It is best to use a fish scraper to scale a fish, although you can also use the back of a chef's knife.

Scoring

Scoring fish, meat and poultry has various advantages. If you score the rind of a particularly fatty piece of meat, the fat can run out more easily, giving you a crispy layer of crackling. Scoring fish and meat also reduces the cooking time, as well as ensuring that the item is evenly cooked. Scored ingredients also take on the flavours of a marinade or sauce better than unscored.

Scoville

Scoville is the unit by which the hotness or spiciness of a food is measured. It is named after the pharmacist Wilbur L. Scoville and describes how much a hot product needs to be diluted so that the the hotness can no longer be felt. In order to neutralise one millimetre of pure capsaicin, for instance, you would need 15,000 litres of water.

Sharpening

When sharpened, a knife loses signs of wear and tear – microscopically tiny dents in the blade. This means that a knife which has become dull can once again have an optimum sharpness with a smooth edge. Generally, a knife is sharpened along the length of its blade.

Sharpening steel

This is a tool with which dull knife blades can be repaired by making them sharp again. A sharpening steel is made of hard steel with either a round, oval, square or flat cross section. It has a handle, and finger protection. Depending on the manufacturer, sharpening steels range between 60 and 70 HRC. As a comparison, knives have a hardness of 56 HRC or more. There are many different types of sharpening steel, the majority only available through specialist retailers.

Sharpening steel cuts

The sharpening steel contains cuts with different levels of roughness. There are various different cuts, depending on the required material removal. The degree of coarseness or fineness determines the type of cutting surface that can be achieved.

Sharpening stone

These are flat, rectangular stones for sharpening, grinding and honing knives. They are available in a variety of sizes and qualities and with varying coarseness. Different types of stone can create different effects.

Sharpness

The sharpness of a knife defines its ability to cut well. The sharper a knife, the easier it is to cut with. Technically, a cut is an unbroken movement which separates a unit into two pieces. The cutting ability of a knife together with its ability to keep its sharp edge are defining quality characteristics. The main driver of a cut is the pressure applied. A good cutting knife is created in such a way that the edge is as thin as possible. The thinner the edge, the greater the pressure which is transferred into the cut. The edge of a blunt or dull knife is too thick to easily glide through the food. A sharp knife penetrates deeper into the food than a dull knife used with the same pressure.

Silverskin

This refers to the silver, shiny skin which isn't eaten, and needs to be trimmed off.

Sous vide

Sous vide describes a method for cooking meat, fish or vegetables in an airtight bag placed in water, at relatively low temperatures of under 100°C / 212°F. The low temperatures work due to the higher rate of heat exchange in water compared to that in an oven.

Spatchcocking

Spatchcocking is a technique used for preparing poultry. The breast bone is carefully removed from the complete animal so that it can be pushed completely flat before cooking.

Steak

A steak is a slice of beef suitable for frying, grilling or barbecuing. Steaks which come from other types of animal refer to this in their names. For large fish, steaks (salmon steak / tuna steak, etc.) can be cut perpendicular to the spine.

Steaming

Steaming is one of the gentlest cooking methods. It has been used in China for millennia. Water is heated in a saucepan or a wok and bamboo baskets with the items to be cooked are piled on top so that the steam can collect and spread through the baskets. Western cuisine first started to steam food in the 20th century with the introduction of the steamer and pressure cooker.

A lid with an airtight seal is placed on the pressure cooker and the water is brought to simmering point. The increased pressure in the pot pushes the temperature to about 120°C / 248°F which halves the average cooking time. Today, steamers are no longer driven by pressure; instead, hot steam is used for cooking. The lowest unit in a steamer is a container in which water simmers. Food is placed into one or more containers on top of the simmering water. The food is cooked through the rising steam. This conserves the original flavours, vitamins and minerals.

Stock

Stock is a broth, jus or reduction that is produced by frying, steaming and boiling vegetables, meat and fish. The stock is the basis for soups and sauces.

Stud

This is a solid ring used to attach the knife's handle to the tang. It is available in a number of different materials such as metal, plastic or wood.

Sweating

Sweating refers to cooking vegetables at a low heat for a short time and with very little fat. You shouldn't be able to detect a smell of roasting. When being sweated, the vegetables start to slowly lose their liquid and become cooked through. It is important to regularly stir or turn the vegetables.

System provider

A system provider is a supplier who develops complete systems or system components and assembles and delivers them. System providers typically have a high level of in-house development.

Tang

The tang is an extension of a knife's blade which goes into the handle. Its function is to secure the handle and keep the knife stable. It is not always visible as it sometimes disappears straight into the handle.

Tartare

Tartare is beef which has been finely chopped or minced. Generally, the meet has come from a beef fillet. It is free from fat and gristle and is served raw. It is also possible to make a tartare out of fish. Whatever the ingredients, freshness is paramount.

Tempura

Tempura is a Japanese way of battering and frying various ingredients. The food is battered then dipped into bubbling fat. Alongside vegetables, seafood and fish are also good ingredients for tempura.

Trimming

If you trim food, you remove all the inedible or unwanted pieces. This includes excess fat, gristle, and skin.

Tunnel technique

The tunnel technique is an extremely safe cutting technique as your fingers can't be injured. The foodstuff is secured in place with the thumb and fingertips of one hand, with the palm arched - the tunnel. The knife is guided into the tunnel to cut.

Useful life

The useful life us the time period in which you can continuously use a tool without it showing any signs of wear. It is the time that is spent cutting before the knife becomes so dull that it be has to be sharpened.

Whisking

Whisking involves frothing up sauces, soups or purees with a whisk. Often, whipped cream or cold butter is combined at the same time. This makes the dish creamy, light and airy. Whisking creates an emulsion of fat in water.

Whole foods

Whole foods are foods which have been minilmally treated or refined which come from organic farming practises. Great emphasis is placed on the freshness. Whole foods include wholegrain products and unrefined grains, milk which hasn't been heat treated, and untreated fruit and vegetables. Preparing dishes is done while conserving as much goodness as possible. Artificial additives are not allowed.

Zest

Zest refers to extremely thin strips of the outer skin of citrus fruit or some vegetables. It is scraped off with a zester.