FALL DINING GUIDE: MLT's Culinary Cheat Sheet

Artisanal: New movement that stresses individuality in cooking, “rescuing” food production from large manufacturers and only using the best ingredients regardless of the cost or strain involved—i.e. no additives and chemically altered ingredients.

Ceviche: South American dish with seafood “cooked” by the acids in citrus juice.

Day-boat scallops: Scallops taken from fishing boats out for just a day. Coral and ivory in color instead of stark white.

Dry-aged: The process of aging meat in a room with climate and humidity control. A crust forms and is then cut away, leaving tender and flavorful meat.

Elderflower: Flower of the elder tree. Can’t be eaten raw but is added to cake or muffins and used to make elderflower cordials. Rich in vitamins A and C; used to fend off colds.

Fusion: Combining different world cuisines in one dish. Increasingly popular but also controversial among purists.

“Hen of the wood”: Also known as maitake mushrooms, this tasty variety mushrooms grows at the foot of trees. Said to lower blood pressure and stem the spread of cancer and other diseases by strengthening the immune system.

Hudson Valley Foie Gras: Foie gras is the fattened liver of a waterfowl fed by a special process. Hudson Valley’s velvety, meaty variety is made with Moulard duck and typically served seared with a sweet, tangy fruit garnish.

Infusion: A method of extracting flavor from ingredients such as tea leaves, herbs or fruit by soaking them in a liquid (usually hot).

Kaiseki: A tasting menu in a Japanese restaurant; also a light meal or tea ceremony. Dishes are beautifully arranged and garnished. Used to be strictly vegetarian, but now light portions of meat and fish sometimes are included.

Kurobuta pork: Darker meat from Berkshire hogs—juicy and flavorful.

Locally sourced: Food products that are locally grown. A more ecologically sustainable alternative to mass food production.

Molecular: The application of science to the culinary arts in an effort gastronomy to discover why foods taste the way they do so they can be replicated.

Muddled: A term usually associated with mixed drinks. Ingredients are mashed or crushed together with a spoon or rod with a flattened end.

Nori: Paper-thin sheets of dried seaweed used for wrapping sushi. Rich in protein, vitamins, calcium and iron.

Organic: A set of production standards that spurns pesticides, fertilizers, waste or sewage, growth hormones, antibiotics, radiation, and additives.

Pork belly: A cut comprising the spareribs and a large amount of fat streaked with lean meat. Usually smoked and cured for bacon.

Slow food: Encourages eaters to savor local and cultural foods movement and abandon our mass-produced fast-food culture.

Spoom: A frothy sherbet made with sugar syrup and fruit juice or champagne. Halfway through the freezing process, the mixture is combined with uncooked meringue, giving it an airy texture.

Sweetbreads: Dish made of the pancreas or thymus gland of a young animal (usually a lamb or calf). Typically fried and served with lemon and/or butter.

AFGHAN: Kabul 106 Chestnut St., Philadelphia; (215) 922-3676, kabulafghancuisine.com

BURMESE: Rangoon 112 N. 9th St., Philadelphia; (215) 829-8939, phillychinatown.com/rangoon

ETHIOPIAN: Abyssinia 229 S. 45th St., Philadelphia, (215) 387-2424

INDIAN: Khajuraho 12 Greenfield Ave., Ardmore; (610) 896-7200, khajurahoindia.com

KOREAN: Pojangmacha 7021 Terminal Square, Upper Darby, (610) 352-1749

MOROCCAN: Marrakesh 517 S. Leithgow St., Philadelphia; (215) 925-5929, marrakesh.us

PERSIAN: Persian Grill 637 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill; (610) 825-2705, persiangrill.net