Culinary Arts Exam Questions with
Verified Answers Latest Update
mise en place - Answer-everything in its place
pince - Answer-to caramelize tomato paste on top
aioli - Answer-garlic Mayonaise
a la minute - Answer-Cooking food at the moment it is needed; cooked to order.
albumen - Answer-The protein portion of an egg white.
alkali - Answer-A substance that tests at higher than 7 on the PH scale. Baking soda,
sodium bicarbonate, is an example.
all-purpose potatoes - Answer-A type of potato with moderate moisture and starch.
They hold their shape after cooking and are suited for boiling, steaming, sauteing, oven
roasting, braising, and stewing.
allumette - Answer-A matchstick cut that is 1/8 x 1/8 x 1-2 inches. It is normally used for
potatoes.
amuse-bouche - Answer-A single bite of food; a bite-sized hors d'oeuvre. Not ordered
by the guest but served at the Chef's discretion.
anthocyanin - Answer-A flavanoid pigment that gives fruits and vegetables their red,
purple, and blue colors.
anthoxanthin - Answer-A pigment in fruits and vegetables that changes from white or
clear to yellowish as the cooking liquid increases from acidic to alkaline.
antipasto - Answer-Any typical Italian hors d'oeuvre that is served hot or cold. It means
"before the meal," and the traditional first course or course before the pasta. It may
include an assortment of cured meats, seafood, olives, cheeses, relishes, or marinated
vegetables.
aquaculture - Answer-The farming of fish and shellfish.
area chef - Answer-The cook that manages one of the dining facilities or a specific
function.
aromatics - Answer-Vegetable or plant ingredients used to enhance flavor and
fragrance.
,aseptic packaging - Answer-A process in which a food product and its package are
sterilized separately and then combined and sealed in a sterilized atmosphere, typically
vacuum-packed. This type of packaging maintains a product's flavor for many months.
Does not need to be refrigerated until it has been opened.
aspic - Answer-A flavorful, clarified stock set with gelatin.
au sec - Answer-Literally, "with dryness." Describes a liquid that has been reduced until
has almost cooked away during deglazing.
bain marie - Answer-A water bath used to cook foods gently by surrounding the cooking
vessel with simmering water. Also, a double boiler arrangement.
baking - Answer-The technique of cooking food by dry heat acting by convection, not by
radiation.
barbecue - Answer-A slow moist-heat cooking method that is typically used for beef
briskets, beef or pork ribs, and pork shoulders. The smoldering wood used for heat
creates a smoky flavor.
barding - Answer-Wrapping a thin sheet of fatback or caul fat around an item so the
meat does not dry out during cooking. The item will not have a flavorful crust, but will
have a moister interior.
basic or simple stock - Answer-Strained liquid produced by cooking vegetables, meat,
or fish and other seasoning ingredients in water.
baste - Answer-To spoon hot fat over the top of an item.
batonnet - Answer-A cut that is 1/4 x 1/4 x 2-2 1/2 inches
batters - Answer-Coating made from flour, liquid, and often a chemical leavener that
protect, color, crisp, and puff or lighten a product.
bechamel - Answer-A grand sauce that is made from milk and a pale roux and flavored
with an onion piquet.
betalains - Answer-Red and yellow water-soluble pigments found in some fruits and
vegetables. Give beets their purplish-red color.
beurre blanc - Answer-A butter emulsion sauce traditionally consisting of a cooking
liquid (cuisson) whisked with softened whole butter.
binders - Answer-Thickening agents, typically eggs or panadas, that are used in
forcemeats.
, biological hazards - Answer-Dangers to the safety of food cause by disease-causing
microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, mold, and fungi.
bisque - Answer-A rich, thick, creamy shellfish-based soup that is thickened with a rice
or a roux, then pureed. It can also feature tomato or corn in place of shellfish.
bitter - Answer-One of the basic tastes; harsh or astringent.
blanching - Answer-The method of immersing food or bones in boiling water or hot fat to
partially cook as a way to preserve their color, texture, and flavor. Foods immersed in
boiling water are then submerged in an ice-water bath to stop the cooking process.
blanquette - Answer-A white stew traditionally made from white meat (veal) or lamb.
The main item is simmered with mirepoix, drained and combined with garnishes, and
finished in a sauce. It is traditionally finished with a liaison of egg yolks and heavy
cream.
bleu cheese - Answer-A molded, ripened, crumbly cheese that is spotted or veined
throughout with blue, blue-gray, or bluegreen mold and has a distinct odor.
bloom - Answer-The effect that occurs when beef is taken out of vacuum-sealed
packages, is exposed to oxygen, and begins to take on bright cherry-red color. Or, to
soften gelatin in lukewarm liquid. Also describes the silver "dust" that forms on solid
chocolate that has been exposed to high temperatures.
boiling - Answer-Using a large amount of rapidly bubbling liquid to cook food quickly by
transferring heat from the liquid to the food. Has a temperature of 212 degrees F.
borulism - Answer-A food-borne illness caused by toxins produced by the anaerobic
bacterium Clostridium botulinum. Grows well in low acid, anaerobic environments, such
as improperly canned protein foods, potatoes, or vegetables.
bounds salad - Answer-A salad that contains hearty ingredients, such as cooked meats,
poultry, shellfish, potatoes, eggs, or pasta, and is bound together by a thick dressing.
bouquet garni - Answer-A bundle of fresh herbs and vegetables tied together that
enhances and supports the flavors of a dish.
boxed meat - Answer-The restaurant industry term for primal and subprimal cuts of beef
that are vacuum-sealed, packed into boxes, and shipped to restaurants, butchers, and
supermarkets for sale.
braising - Answer-A slow simmer of whole or portion cuts of the main food item that is
cooked in a small amount of liquid in a tightly covered pot. It is usually started and the
stove-top and finished in the oven.
