Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts (2nd Edition) [Paperback]

Steven Labensky (Author), Gaye G. Ingram (Author), Sarah R. Labensky (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0130966223 | ISBN-13: 978-0130966223 | Publication Date: March 17, 2000 | Edition: 2

This unique, exceptionally comprehensive dictionary of the culinary arts defines approximately 20,000 terms (including “foreign terms” from all the world's cuisines, not just European). The entries are drawn from such varied categories as: foods, international foods, prepared dishes, preparation and cooking methods, tools and equipment, food chemistry, beers, spirits, and wines, hospitality and restaurant management, nutrition, food safety and sanitation, chef biographies, food history, and gastronomy. Measurement and conversion charts, phonetic pronunciations, cross-references, and origins and usage designations will be useful to professional or amateur chefs—or anyone who simply enjoys food.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Prentice Hall is taking advantage of the Webster's name in this title of a new dictionary of cooking. The three authors have written definitions for more than 16,000 culinary terms. Labensky appears to be the only author with a culinary background, having written a recent cooking-technique textbook with an accompanying videocassette.

The definitions are short, usually less than two sentences. Pronunciation is included for less familiar or foreign terms--levain, oyako nabe, sofrito. There are foreign words from Dutch, Portuguese Romanian, Swahili, Turkish, and many from Polish. Proper names are also defined--Beard, James, Jelly Belly, Shirley Temple, Spam, Spa Food. See references are used, although terms that appear within entries but also have entries of their own are not indicated. For example, country gravy is mentioned in the chicken-fried steak entry, but there is nothing to show that it also appears as a separate entry. The only illustrations are a few line drawings interspersed throughout the text. Most of the illustrations are for equipment--a sandwich spreader, an ice chipper, a reamer. Appendixes list metric equivalents, temperature equivalents, and stages of cooked sugar.

This is a good choice for cooking collections that need definitions only. The Cook's Dictionary and Culinary Reference (Contemporary Books, 1996) and Food Lover's Companion (2d ed., Barron's, 1995) contain derivations as well as definitions but have far fewer entries. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

This unique, exceptionally comprehensive dictionary of the culinary arts defines approximately 15,000 terms (including "foreign terms" from all the world's cuisines, not just European) -- drawn from such categories as: foods, international foods, prepared dishes, preparation and cooking methods, tools and equipment, food chemistry, beers, spirits, and wines, hospitality and restaurant management, nutrition, food safety and sanitation, chef biographies, food history, and gastronomy. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 522 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 2 edition (March 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0130966223
• ISBN-13: 978-0130966223
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,233 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #83 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Professional Cooking > Professional

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Divine details for the curious cook!, April 3, 2000

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This is the ultimate information resource for the curious cook. The information is accurate and includes almost every ingredient, food, or recipe description a new cook could ever want to know.

I was dissapointed not to find a description of Fleur de Sel which is the best salt you can purchase. With that said, I really have no other complaints. A work which includes so many multicultural ingredient explanations is worth all 5 stars.

~The Rebecca Review

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for the number of entries alone!, April 2, 2000

By 

JED (Eugene, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts (Trade Version) (Paperback)

I found this to be the best culinary dictionary if your purpose is for quick reference, pronounciations and the ability to actually find a particular word. If already in this industry, or an accomplished home gourmet it is a great reference. It was one particular term that sent me on this quest to find a well written and complete dictionary of culinary terms. If you are looking for a more complex reference that includes tables and formulation references, then perhaps a chef's companion would be a better choice, but for entries this is #1.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent basic culinary reference book, July 26, 2002

By 

Catherine S. Vodrey (East Liverpool, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Webster's New World Dictionary of Culinary Arts (Trade Version) (2nd Edition) (Paperback)

This friendly volume is crisp, concise (tens of thousands of entries in just under 500 pages), and attractive. It is not only inexpensive, but possibly one of the best culinary dictionaries available for the home cook who simply wants a decent resource for occasional questions.

My basic test for a culinary reference book is to look up "falernum" (a by-product of rum distillation which is used as a flavoring in fruit desserts--sort of along the lines of grenadine). Well, "falernum" isn't in here, but so much other stuff is that I'm not complaining.

The pronunciations are a little iffy on foreign language terms, and the definition brevity is sometimes confusing (kiu is listed as "an ancient Chinese beer." OK. Does that make it a beer from ancient times, or a really old fermented brew that's currently available?). Still, these are minor quibbles for an admirably complete book.