Mise en place your vocabulary with these culinary gems.
Cutting vegetables into thin, matchstick-sized strips because apparently the shape of a carrot matters. It's the knife skill that separates professional chefs from people who own a mandoline and a collection of band-aids.
The natural juices from cooked meat, served as a light sauce. Not to be confused with gravy, because jus is French and therefore fancier, thinner, and three times the price. Ordering something 'au jus' makes you sound worldly even at Arby's.
A fancy French term for diced mixed vegetables served as a garnish, proving that everything sounds more sophisticated with an accent and an extra 'e'. Originally referring to ornamental flower pots (hence the name meaning 'female gardener'), it now describes the vegetable medley that makes your protein look less lonely on the plate. The culinary equivalent of putting flowers around the main event.
When a line cook temporarily helps another station that's drowning in tickets, because teamwork supposedly matters more than your own impending disaster. The kitchen's version of cross-training under fire.
A drink (usually whiskey-based) served over crushed ice with mint, consumed on hot days or during horse races. It's not culinary, but bartenders use the term constantly.
A high-caffeine cola brand launched in 1985 that marketed itself as containing "twice the caffeine" of regular colas, targeting consumers seeking a more potent energy boost. It became a cult favorite among programmers, night-shift workers, and students during the late 1980s and 1990s.
An evergreen shrub or small tree of the cypress family, known for its needle-like foliage and small, berry-like cones that are blue when ripe. Juniper berries are commonly used as a flavoring in gin and various culinary and medicinal preparations.
A brand of small, chewy fruit-flavored gum candies sold in boxes at movie concession stands and candy stores. Known for their dense, rubbery texture and vibrant colors, Jujubes have been a staple movie theater treat since their introduction in 1920.
A molded gelatin dish typically made with Jell-O brand gelatin and often containing suspended ingredients like fruit, vegetables, or mayonnaise, served as a side dish or dessert at American potlucks and family dinners from the 1950s through 1980s. The molds ranged from simple ring shapes to elaborate decorative designs.