A culinary reference packed with thousands of straightforward definitions and fun tips and trivia Perfect for cooks, food lovers, and even trivia buffs, The Culinarian is a wide-ranging kitchen reference that no cupboard should be without. With plain-English definitions of everything from Absinthe to Zucchini, it includes fascinating culinary history, etymologies, and tips on selecting, storing, and using virtually every ingredient and piece of kitchen equipment imaginable. In addition to vital information like unit conversions and yields and equivalents, the book also includes cooking tips, lists, and trivia, from the heavily practical, such as common meat cuts and labeling terms, to the just plain entertaining, like lists of aphrodisiac foods and fun food cliches. Holds the answers to thousands of culinary questions, from how to choose a ripe mango or scale a fish to how they get the cream center inside a chocolate candy Includes descriptions and definitions of nearly 3,500 food terms, from ingredients and equipment to culinary techniques Compiled by expert researcher, lexicographer, and food lover Barbara Ann Kipfer Helpful cooking tips and sidebars on cooking quick meals, as well as shopping, storing, prepping, and garnishing If you've ever wondered how to trim an artichoke or what the difference between a sweet potato and a yam is, The Culinarian has all the answers you need.