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Culinary dictionary

General

una mesa para dos personas – a table for two persons
la carta / el menu – the menu
para mi... – for me...
la cuenta, por favor – the check/ bill please
IVA - VAT
menú del día – menu of the day
Cual es su especialidad? – What’s your specialty?
Soy alérgico – I’m allergic

On the table

los cubiertos – forks and knives
la cucharra - spoon
el cuchillo - knife
el tenedor - fork
el plato - plate
el vaso - glass
la servilleta - serviette
un cenicero - ashtray
aceite y vinagre – oil and vinager
pimienta y sal – pepper and salt
pan - bread
mantequilla - butter

Different plates

entrada - starter
plato principal – main course
postres - dessert
carne - meat
pescado (frito) - (fried) fish
mariscos – Shell and xxx fish
vegetariano - vegetarian
carne de caza - game
ensalada - salad
sopa - soup
caldo - bouillon
verduras - vegetable
helado – ice cream
fruta (del tiempo) - fruit (of the season)
bocadillo - bread roll
arroz - rice
! patatas - potatoes
! patatas fritas - fries

Kinds of meat

carne de ternera - veal
carne de cordero – lamb
carne de buey - beef
carne de cerdo - pork
pollo - chicken
pato - duck
conejo - rabbit
pavo - turkey
carne picada - meatloaf
chuleta - chop
escalope - escalope
solomillo - sirloin

Kinds of fish

almejas - mussels
atun - tuna
bacalao - cod
calamares - squid
cangrejo - crab
gambas - shrimps
langoustines / cangerjo - lobster
ostras - oysters
salmon - salmon
trucha - trout
dorade - dorad
lenguado - sole
merluza - hake

Vegetable

cebolla - onion
pimiento – paprika / sweet pepper
pimienta - pepper
esparros - asparagos
pepino - cucumber
champiñones - mushrooms
tomate - tomato
ajo - garlic

Fruits and nuts

menzana - apple
limon - lemon
fresas - strawberries
naranjas - oranges
plátano - banana
albaricoque - apricot
nueces - nuts
almendra - almonds
cacahuette - peanuts
nuez - walnut
miel - honey

Ways of preparation

a la plancha – baked on a plate
a la parilla - roasted
al horno – from the oven
al ajillo – with garlic
a la romana – battered
frito - fried / deep-fried
asado – oven cooked
hervido - boiled
estofado - stewed
cortado - cut
ahumado - smoked
rellenado - filled
gratinado - grated

medio - medium
hecho – well done
crudo - raw
fresco - fresh
caliente - warm
frío - cold
quemado - burned

Tastes

salado - salt
sin sal – salt less
dulce - sweet
pobre en grasa – low fat
ligero – easy to digest
picante – hot / spicy

Drinks

un café solo – black coffee
un café americano - big black coffee
un café cortado – coffee with a little milk
un café con leche - coffee with milk
un café sombre – coffee with lots of milk
un espresso - espresso
un té (con leche) – tea (with milk)
zumo de naranjas (natural) – orange juice (fresh)
leche - milk
aqua - water
con / sin hielo - with / without ice cubes

Alcohol

una cerveza (pequena / grande) – beer (small / large)
una caña – tap beer
una botellín de cerveza – a bottle of beer
un vino tinto – red wine
un vino blanco (seco / semi-seco / dulce) - (dry – half dry / sweet) white wine
un vino rosado - rosé
un fino de Jerez – dry sherry
un tinto de verano – red wine with sprite
una cava – Spanish champagne