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G   Galangal is a seasoning derived from the dried root of Alpinia officinarum, a plant found in China and the East Indies. Galantine is a dish which consists usually of a white meat, well flavoured and made into a roll. It is served cold and has a glazed surface. Gamay is a type of grape used to produce red wine. It produces a fruity wine such as French Beaujolais. Gammon1 is a cured or smoked ham. The term is often applied to the hindquarter of a side of bacon, cooked either whole or cut into large rashers (gammon steaks). Garam masala is an aromatic mixture of spices, extensively used in curries. Garbanzo Bean - The round irregularly shaped buff-colored legumes with a firm texture and a mild nut-like flavor. Also called "chick-peas" and "ceci." Used in salads, soups, and stews. Garde Manger: (French) The person in charge of cold meat department or the department itself. Gargoyle is a tasty cask bitter from the Lichfield brewery in the Midlands. Garlic - A hardy bulbous plant related to leeks, chives, onions, and shallots. A powerful seasoning that can be used with almost any non-sweet dish. Garlic remains in the body and affects the breath and even the skin's odor. Garnish: To decorate. Also referring to the food used to decorate. Garniture: French for garnish. Gateau (French) Cake. Gaufres: (French) Wafers. Gazpacho - A cold summertime soup from Spain. This uncooked soup contains a puree of tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions, celery, cucumber, bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Sometimes served with croutons and hard-boiled eggs. GB Mild is a smooth, malty, fruity bear brewed by the Lees family brewery in north Manchester. Gefilte Fish - This popular Jewish dish consists of ground fish mixed with eggs, matzo meal, and seasonings that have been formed into balls or patties then simmered in vegetable or fish stock. The fish used is usually carp, pike, or whitefish. Gelatin - An odorless, tasteless, and colorless thickening agent that forms a jelly when dissolved into hot water then cooled. Used in jellied desserts, salads, and cold soups. Available in both flavored and unflavored varieties. Genoa cake is a rich fruit cake, usually decorated with almonds. Georges bitter ale is a light, refreshing bitter from the Courage brewery which was formerly Georges, in Bristol. Gewurztraminer - An excellent white-wine grape that is grown in Germany and California. It is pink and yields a spicy, heavily perfumed, soft wine. "Gewurz" means "spice" in German. Ghee - Butter that has been melted to separate the milk solids from the liquid on the surface. This liquid is simmered until all the moisture evaporates and the milk solids begin to brown. The result is a clarified butter that keeps well. Gherkin - The young fruit of a small variety of dark green cucumbers grown especially for pickling. The French call this pickle "cornichons." Giblet - "Giblets" usually refers to the heart, liver, gizzard, and sometimes the neck of poultry. All of these except for the liver are normally used to flavor stocks, soups, and gravies. Gibson - This drink is identical to the Martini, which is made with gin and vermouth, except that it is garnished with a white cocktail onion. This drink was named after the illustrator Charles Gibson, the creator of the famous "Gibson Girl." Gimlet - A cocktail composed of sugar syrup, lime juice, vodka (or gin) and sometimes soda water. Gin - An unaged liquor using of distillates from barley, corn, or rye, and juniper berries. London dry gin is colorless. Hollands gin is a Dutch gin that tastes very different from other gins because of its large proportion of barley malt. Ginger - A tropical plant cultivated for its root. The flavor is peppery and sweet, the odor is spicy. Used to flavor candy, soups, meat, poultry, curries, gingerbread, and cakes. Also the chief flavoring agent for ginger ale. Ginger Beer is a low alcohol style of beer flavoured with root ginger. Ginger Tom is a ginger-flavoured ale from the Hoskins & Oldfield brewery, Leicester. Gingersnap is a dark, orangey-coloured wheat beer, brewed with fresh root ginger from the Salopian brewery, Shrewsbury. Ginkgo Nut - A delicately sweet nut from the heart of the inedible fruit of the maidenhair tree. Particularly popular in oriental cooking. Ginseng - The Chinese name for this sweet licorice-flavored root means "human-shaped root." Often used in teas, ginseng has been credited over the centuries for being everything from a restorative to an aphrodisiac. Gjetost Cheese - A Norwegian cheese made from goat's and cow's milk whey. The brown color and sweetness are the result of slow cooking the milk until its colors caramelize. Scandinavia's "Mysost" cheese is made using cow's milk only. Gladstone is a refreshing, smooth bitter from the McMullen brewery, Hertford. Glogg is a hot alcoholic mixed drink, originally from Sweden, consisting of sweetened brandy, red wine, bitters or other flavourings, and blanched almonds. Glucose - Glucose is a sugar. The most common form of this sugar is called "dextroglucose"--commonly referred to as "dextrose." Corn syrup is a form of glucose made from cornstarch. Glutinous Rice - Also called "pearl rice," this rice is actually gluten-free. It is the preferred variety in the Orient because it is sticky and therefore easily handled with chop sticks. Gnocchi are dumplings made of pieces of semolina pasta, or sometimes potato, used to garnish soup or served alone with a sauce. Goa Bean - A fast-growing, high-protein legume. Also called the "winged bean." This bean is entirely edible, including the shoots, flower, roots, leaves, pods, and seeds. Tastes somewhat like a cross between the cranberry bean and the green bean. Goat - Goat meat has been eaten in other countries for centuries, but it never got very popular in the U.S. Most goat meat comes from kids--goats under 6 months old. Kid meat is as tender and delicate as lamb. Goat Water is a goat stew made in Montserrat. Goatfish - Goatfish is so named because of its two long "whiskers" that resemble a goat's whiskers. The meat is firm and lean. This fish is normally available only on the East Coast and through the Florida Keys. Goat's Milk - Goat's milk can often be found canned in supermarkets. Fresh goat's milk is sometimes available in health food stores. This milk is often made into goat cheese, which is better known as "Chèvre." Gobo - This slender root vegetable has brown skin and grayish white flesh. Used in soups as well as with vegetables and meats. Also known as "burdock." Godfathers is an award winning real ale from the Itchen Brewery in Hampshire, England, made with four varieties of hop. Gold Label is England's best-known bottled barley wine. This spicy, warming brew is produced by Whitbread. Golden best is a fine mild from the Timothy Taylor brewery, Keighley, Yorkshire. Golden bitter is a fruity bitter from Archers in Swindon. Golden Brew is a golden, aromatic, bitter from the Smiles brewery, Bristol. Golden Cadillac - A creamy, gold-colored cocktail made from Galliano, white Creme de Cacao, and heavy cream. Golden syrup is a pale yellow syrup made by the evaporation of cane sugar juice. It is less sweet than sugar and is generally used to flavour puddings. Goose - Any of many species of fatty, web-footed wild or domesticated birds that are larger than ducks. The female is the "goose," the male is called the "gander." Roasted goose is traditional holiday fare in many European countries. Gooseberry - Large tart berries used in jams, jellies, pies and desserts. The English and French use this berry to make gooseberry sauce for use with boiled or baked mackerel. Goosefish - This large low-fat, firm-textured salt-water fish has a mild, sweet flavor that compares with lobster. Also called "angler fish," and "monkfish." Gothic ale is a dark ale from the Enville Farm brewery, Staffordshire. Gouda Cheese - This is Holland's number one exported cheese. It is mild and has a nut-like flavor that is similar to Holland's number two exported cheese, edam. Some goudas are flavored with cumin or herbs. Gourmet: (French) Connoisseur of culinary delights. Governor is an amber bitter from the Hull brewery. Graduate is a roasted-malt-flavoured premium bitter from the Morrells brewery, Oxford. Granadilla - A tropical fruit native to Brazil, but now grown in the U.S., New Zealand, and Australia. The flavor is sweet, yet tart, and has a perfumy tropical fragrance. Also called "passion fruit." Granary bitter is an amber-coloured beer with a bitter, fruity character, from the Reepham brewery near Norwich. Granola - A food composed of grains (mostly oats), nuts and dried fruits. Grape - Any of thousands of varieties of edible berries that grow in clusters. "Slip-skin" varieties have skins that slip off easily. Table grapes are eaten out-of-hand. Grapes used for wines are highly acid and generally too tart to eat. Grape Leaves - The large green leaves of grapevines. These leaves are often used in the Middle East to wrap foods, such as "dolmas," for cooking. Also called "vine leaves." Grapefruit - So named because they grow in grape-like clusters. These large citrus fruits are grown in Arizona, California, Florida, and Texas. They are available in both seeded and seedless varieties. Grapeseed Oil - Oil derived from the seeds of grapes. Used in salad dressings and for sautéing. Grasshopper - A sweet after-dinner cocktail made with cream, Creme de Menthe, and white Creme de Cacao. Gravy - A sauce made from meat juices and combined with a liquid broth, wine, or milk, plus a thickening agent such as flour or cornstarch. Before refrigeration, sauces were used to help hide the taste of foods that were going rancid. Great Northern Bean - A very large white bean with a distinctive, delicate flavor. Popular in the Midwest for baked bean dishes. Can be substituted for any variety of white beans for most recipes. Green Bean - A small green bean that is eaten in its long green pod. The green bean used to have a fibrous "string" down the center of the pod; this characteristic has been bred out of the species. Also called "string bean." Green Beer is a term applied to a young beer which has not had time to mature. Green Pea - A small, round green vegetable from the legume family. Also known as the garden pea. Unlike snow peas, which are eaten pod and all, green peas are eaten without the pod. Used by the Greeks and Romans long before Christian times. Grenache is a type of grape often used to make rose wine, it is a component of French Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes du Rhone and most other appellations from the south of France. Grenadine - A brilliant scarlet non-alcoholic syrup made from the juice of pomegranates. Used to color and flavor drinks and desserts. Called "grena dine" because was originally available only from the island of Grenada in the Caribbean. Grits - "Grits" refers to any coarsely ground grain such as corn, oats, or rice. Today, most "grits" are hominy grits. Grits are available in coarse, medium, and fine grinds. Grog is a nautical term for rum and water. It derived its name from admiral Edward Vernon who wore grogram breeches and was hence called 'Old Grog'. In 1745 he ordered his sailors to dilute their rum with water, and hence the mixture became known as grog. Ground Allspice - Comes from the pea-sized berry of the evergreen pimiento tree, native to the West Indies and South America. Named "allspice" because it tastes somewhat like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Ground Beef, Extra Lean - Also called "ground round" or "ground sirloin, this type of ground beef contains approximately 11% fat. Ground Beef, Lean - Also called "ground chuck." The fat content is approximately 15% to 20%. This form of ground beef is flavorful, yet doesn't shrink excessively--it's the favorite choice for making hamburgers. Ground Beef, Regular - This form of ground beef is usually made from the lower cost cuts such as brisket or shank. The fat content is up to 30%. Ground Cherry - Also known as "cape gooseberry," this fruit has a bittersweet, juicy flesh. This fruit is eaten out of hand and used with meats, pies, jams, and savory foods. Ground Husk Tomato - A small fruit, also called the "Tomatillo," that is related to the tomato and the cape gooseberry. Their flavor is said to resemble a cross between lemon, apple, and herbs. Used in guacamole and many sauces. Ground Mace - Mace is a spice made from the membrane that covers the nutmeg seed. Tastes like a stronger, more aromatic version of nutmeg. Ground Pepper - The result of grinding peppercorns, the berries of the pepper plant. Ground pepper is the world's most popular spice. (Salt is not a spice--it's a mineral.) Ground pepper stimulates gastric juices and aids in digestion. Grouper - This true sea bass, found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, has a lean firm flesh. Its skin has a strong flavor and should be removed prior to cooking. Groupers have the ability to change to the color of their surroundings. Grouse - A small, low-fat game bird. Quality birds should have no odor. Gruyère Cheese - A Swiss processed cheese made from whole cow's milk. Light yellow with small holes. Tastes like Swiss, except a bit sharper. GSB is a dry, fruity bitter from the Elgood brewery near Wisbech. Guacamole - Mashed avocados. Sometimes contains lemon or lime to prevent discoloration and seasonings such as cilantro (coriander), chili powder, red pepper, finely chopped tomatoes, and green onions. Guanabana - The large, dark-green, slightly acidic and pulpy flesh of the fruit of a small West Indies tree called the "soursop." Not surprisingly, this fruit is also called "soursop." Guava - A sweet, aromatic tropical fruit from the myrtle family. Used in jams, jellies, preserves, sauces, and beverages. Can also be eaten out of hand. Gueuze is a ripe blend of old and new Belgian lambics which causes a secondary fermentation to occur resulting in a distinctive sparkling beer with a fruity, sour dry taste. Guinea Fowl - A relative to the chicken and partridge, the female (hen) makes better eating than the male. The taste has been described as "pleasantly gamey." Guinea fowl were raised and eaten by the Greeks and Romans. Guinness Extra Stout is a bottled stout made with unmalted roasted barley and heavily hopped to give a very bitter taste. Guinness is an Irish stout brewed in Ireland and other parts of the world. It has a smooth texture due to the nitrogen dispensing system used in the draught beer. Gumbo Filé - A seasoning and thickening agent made from the young leaves of the sassafras tree. Originated from the Choctaw Indians who lived in Louisiana prior to the settlers' arrival. Used to make the creole specialty "gumbo." Gunpowder is a liquorice-black mild from the Coach House brewery, Warrington. Gunpowder tea is a fine variety of green tea (often from China), each leaf of which is rolled into a pellet.