French to English Food Glossary - Patricia Wells

Lotte: monkfish or angler fish, a large firm-fleshed ocean fish.
Lotte de rivière (or de lac): fine-fleshed river (or lake) fish, prized for its large and flavorful liver. Not related to the
ocean fish lotte, or monkfish.
Lou magret: breast of fattened duck.
Loup de mer: wolf fish or ocean catfish; name for sea bass in the Mediterranean.
Louvine: Basque name for striped bass, fished in the Bay of Gascony.
Lucullus: a classic, elaborate garnish of truffles cooked in Madeira and stuffed with chicken forcemeat.
Lumas: name for land snail in the Poitou-Charentes region along the Atlantic coast.
Luzienne, à la: prepared in the manner popular in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a Basque fishing port.
Lyonnaise, à la: in the style of Lyon; often garnished with onions.
M
Macaron: macaroon, small cookie of almonds, egg whites, and sugar.
Macaronade: a rich blend of wild and domestic mushrooms and chunks of foie gras, smothered in fresh pasta;
specialty of the southwest. Also, macaroni with mushrooms, bacon, white wine, and Parmesan cheese; an
accompaniment to a beef stew, or daube; specialty of Provence.
Macédoine: diced mixed fruit or vegetables.
Mâche: dark small-leafed salad green known as lamb's lettuce or corn salad. Also called doucette.
Mâchon: early morning snack of sausage, wine, cheese, and bread; also, the café that offers the snack; particular to
Lyon.
Macis: mace, the spice.
Madeleine (de Commercy): small scalloped-shaped tea cake made famous by Marcel Proust; (the town in the
Lorraine where the tea cakes are commercialized).
Madère: Madeira.
Madrilène, à la: in the style of Madrid; with tomatoes. Classically a garnish of peeled chopped tomatoes for
consommé.
Magret de canard (or d'oie): breast of fattened duck (or goose).
Maigre: thin, non-fatty
Maïs: corn.
Maison, de la: of the house, or restaurant.
Maître d'hôtel: headwaiter. Also, sauce of butter, parsley and lemon.
Maltaise: orange-flavored hollandaise sauce.
Malvoisie, vinaigre de: vinegar made from the malvasia grape, used for the sweet, heavy Malmsey wine.
Mandarine: tangerine.
Mange-tout: eat it all; a podless green runner bean; a sweet pea; a snow pea. Also, a variety of apple.
Mangue: mango.
Manière, de: in the style of.
Maquereau: mackerel; lisette is a small mackerel.
Mara de Bois: small fragrant strawberry, like a cross between a domestic and wild strawberry.
Maraîchèr(e) (à la): market gardener or truck farmer (market-garden style; usually refers to a dish or salad that
includes various greens).
Marbré: striped sea bream, Mediterranean fish that is excellent grilled.
Marc: eau-de-vie distilled from pressed grape skins and seeds or other fruits.
Marcassin: young boar. At one year, a wild boar will weight 40 kg, a domesticated boar 120 kg.
Marchand de vin: wine merchant. Also, sauce made with red wine, meat stock, and chopped shallots.
Marée la: literally the tide; usually used to indicate seafood that is fresh.
Marennes: flat-shelled green-tinged plate oyster. Also the French coastal village where flat-shelled oysters are raised.
Marinade: seasoned liquid in which food, usually meat, is soaked for several hours. The liquid seasons and tenderizes
at the same time.
Mariné: marinated.
Marjolaine: marjoram. Also, multilayered chocolate and nut cake.
Marmelade: traditionally a thick purée of fruit, or sweet stewed fruit; today purée of vegetable, or stewed vegetables.
Marmite: small covered pot; also a dish cooked in a small casserole.
Maroilles: village in the north that gives its name to a strong-tasting, thick, square cow's-milk cheese with a pale brickred
rind.
Copyright Patricia Wells Ltd. All Rights Reserved
www.patriciawells.com
23