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Favorite cooking word or phrase?

I've always been partial to "brown bits" and chiffonade. How about you?

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        1. re: BostonZest

          "zest"...probably one of my least favorite...why not just "grated lemon peel"?

          1. re: AnneM

            Because when you twist a well-carved piece of zest, you can watch the essential oils burst from it and fill the air and the food with citrus essence.

            1. re: AnneM

              Because the whole peel is the "peel" and the zest is just the zest? There are culinary uses for the whole peel, after all - marmalade being the most important. And "grated lemon peel" is a lot more cumbersome than "zest."

              1. re: curiousbaker

                And, it takes fewer characters to type, "zest," than "grated lemon peel... "


              1. re: Non Cognomina

                Definitely mise en place. It's a good word to say when you're trying to sound fluent. You just repeat it a few times.

                1. re: southernitalian

                  Mise en place for moi too! And, SI I'm sure your familiar w/ the Italian ones, also -

                  -86 _______
                  -pomme de terre
                  -pasta fazool

              2. re: akp

                Tony Bourdain - "don't F*&* with my mise!"

              3. mirepoix (we made up a word for a recent mirepoix I made using lots of leeks: mirepoireau)