a blanc - [ah BLAHNK] A French term meaning "in white" and identifying foods, usually meats, that aren't browned during cooking.

Abalone - [a-buh-LOH-nee] A gastropid mollusk found along the coastlines of California, Mexico and Japan. The edible portion is the adductor muscle, broad foot by which the abalone clings to rocks. As with any muscle, the meat is tough and must be pounded to tenderize it before cooking. Abalone, used widely in Chinese and Japanese cooking, can be purchased fresh, canned, dried or salted.

abbacchio - [ah-BAHK-ee-yoh] Italian for a very young lamb.

Abbaye de Belloc - [ah-bay-EE deuh behl-LAWK] Semihard sheep's-milk that's been made for centuries by the Benedictine monks at the Abbey de Belloc in the Pays Basque are of southwestern France. The cheese is traditionally made with milk from Manech sheep, though milk from other breeds may be used. It comes in 8 to 11 pound wheels with a hard brownish rind and a pale ivory interior. Abbaye de Belloc has a rich, buttery flavor with hints of nuts, fruit and caramel.

abruzzese - [ah-broo-TZAY-zeh] An Italian descriptor for dishes (from pasta to veal) characterized by the liberal use of hot chiles, in the style of Italy's Abruzzo region.

absinthe - [AB-sinth] Reputed to be an aphrodisiac; absinthe is a potent, bitter liquor distilled from wormwood and flavored with a variety of herbs. It has a distinct anise flavor and is 68 percent alcohol. (136 proof). Absinthe is usually diluted with water, which changes the color of the liqueur from green to milky white.

acerola - [as-uh-ROH-luh] A tiny tree and the small, deep-red, cherry-like fruit that grows on it; found primarily in and around the West Indies. The fruit, which has a sweet flavor and one of the highest concentrations of vitamin C, is used in desserts and preserves.

B & B -: A topaz-colored amalgam of benedictine and brandy. This spicy, herbal liquor offers the best of both spirits in flavor and texture and is more like a flavored brandy because it's relatively dry.

Baba - [BAH-bAh] Also called baba au rhum, this rich light currant or raisin-studded yeast cake is soaked in a rum or kirsch syrup. It's said to have been invented in the 1600s by Polish King Lesczyinski, who soaked his stale kugelhoff in rum and named the dessert after the storybook hero Ali Baba.

A leaf luster indicative of careful sorting and handling.