Welcome to our English/French Dictionary!
This is by NO means a definitive list - and we welcome any suggestions or ideas, for any terms or words that may have been missed out........please leave your suggestions in the forum, rather than this thread!
Please bear in mind that all languages have their regional linguistic differences - and that some terms may be peculiar to a particular region of France and/or her Colonies!
This is the English to French Version - there will be another thread for French to English!
albacore liche - a fish
alevin nonat : alevin, fry, young fish
alevin poutine : alevin, fry, young fish
almond amande
anchovy anchois - a fish
anchovy purée anchoyade : Provençal purée made with garlic and olive oil
angelic angélique
angler-fish baudroie : (monkfish, frog-fish, sea-devil) also called lotte de mer
anise, aniseed anis étoilé : (anis étoilé; badiane) the anise plant; its dried star-shaped fruit.
anise, aniseed badiane : (anis étoilé; badiane)
apple pomme
apricot abricot
aroma, flavor arôme : (arôme = aroma; goût = taste; parfum = flavor of ice cream;
artichoke artichaut
asparagus asperge :
- botte d'asperges = bundle of asparagus
- pointe d'asperges = asparagus tips
aspic jelly aspic
avocado avocat : (avocado pear)
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bake in the oven cuire au four
baker boulanger
baker's yeast levure de boulanger
bakery boulangerie
baking powder levure chimique : One "sachet" (11g packet) is about 2 teaspoons.
baking soda bicarbonate de sodium
banana banane
barley orge
basil basilic
basket panier : usually a wicker basket.
bayleaf laurier : (also laurel leaf)
bean haricot
beef boeuf
beef stew daube
beer bière
beet, beetroot betterave
beet, white blette
bell pepper poivron : bell pepper (green, red, or yellow) [poivron farci]
bell pepper, green poivron vert : bell pepper (green, red, or yellow)
bell pepper, red poivron rouge : bell pepper (green, red, or yellow)
beverage, drink boisson
bitter acerbe : (bitter; tart) to the taste
bitterness amertume
blackberry mûre : blackberry, brambleberry, mulberry
- mûrier noir = fresh blackberry
blackcurrant cassis : The red groseille is a red currant. The black groseille is called "cassis".
blackcurrant liqueur cassis, creme de
blanch blanchir : boil the water, dip the food quickly, for a few minutes only
blanchaille blanchaille : very tiny fish from the Mediterranean.
boiled bouilli
boiled corn polenta jaune
boiling ébullition
bone marrow moelle
bottle bouteille
bowl bocal : deep bowl with narrow top
braised braisé
bran bread pain de son : similar to whole wheat bread (pan complet)
bread pain : [Pain à l'Ancienne]
bread crumbs chapelure
bread stick baguette : a long narrow cylindrical loaf of white bread weighing 250 g. "Baguette" is the name for anything long and skinny, including drum sticks, strips of wood, etc.
broccoli brocoli
to brown à revenir : (to soften - cake)
to brown, singe à roussir
brussels sprout chou de Bruxelles
buckwheat sarrasin
buckwheat blé noir
buckwheat bread pain de sarrasin
burned, singed brûlé
butcher shop boucherie
butter beurre
buttermilk babeurre - "Lait Ribot" is a traditional fermented milk made in Brittany, made from fermented basbeurre.
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cabbage chou :
- chou-blanc: white cabbage; chou-rouge: red cabbage; chou pointu de Châteaurenard: a regional cabbage
cake gâteau
cantaloup melon : (cantaloup de Cavaillon) [Cavaillon]
capers câpres
capon chapon : a young castrated and fattened rooster
caraway carvi
cardoon cardon : an edible thistle, related to the artichoke, with edible root and leafstalks; leafstalks used as a garnish for some meat dishes
carrot carotte
cashew cajou : (noix d'acajou)
cauliflower chou-fleur
celery céleri
celery fougère musquée : celery
celery salt sel de céleri
cheese, blue moulded bleu de Queyras : a regional blue-moulded cheese
cheese, goat fromage de chèvre
cheese, grated fromage rapé
cherry cerise
chervil cerfeuil
chestnut marron : from the Châtaignier; the nuts from the marronnier are inedible
chick pea pois chiche
chicken poulet
chickpea pancake panisse : Provencal thick pancake made with chickpea flour.
chicory endive : also known as white leaf.
chicory lettuce chicorée frisée :
- (chicorée frisée; endive frisée)
chicory lettuce endive frisée :
- (chicorée frisée chicorée frisée)
chili pepper poivron pimenté
chilled rafraîchi : or cooled
chives ciboulette
to chop à détailler
chunks en dés
cilantro : coriandrum sativum - coriander, Chinese parsley; herb with aromatic leaves and seeds resembling parsley.
cinnabar cinabre : a bright-red pigment for colouring
citronella citronnelle : applies to various plants with a lemon scent: verbena, lemon balm, melissa, etc.
citrus fruit agrumes
clove girofle : "clous de girofle" are whole cloves, and "girofle moulu" or "girofle en poudre" are powdered cloves.
clove, pod gousse : clove (of garlic); pod (of bean or pea)
cocktail snack amuse-gueule : (amuse-gueule; amuse-bouche)
coconut noix de coco
coconut milk lait de noix de coco
cod, salt morue - a fish :
- fresh codfish = cabillaud
codfish, fresh cabillaud :
- salt cod = morue
colander passoire : une passoire conique (conical colander) is used to "filtrer au chinois"
cold cuts charcuterie
conger eel congre
conger eel fiélas (congre)
cooked medium : à point
cooked rare saignant : More rare than à point but not as rare as bleu.
cooked very rare bleu : (blue), more rare even than saignant.
cooked well done bien cuit : least cooked: (bleu, saignant, à point, bien cuit) : most cooked.
to cool à réfroidir : or chill.
coriander coriandre
cork bouchon : a bottle stopper, made from the bark of the cork oak (chêne liege)
cork liege : the material; the bark of the cork oak (chêne liege)
corked bouchonné : wine that's gone off, with the taste of its cork
corn maïs : (American corn = English maize; English corn = American grain)
corn-bread pain de mais
candy floss : barbe-à-papa - (grandpa's beard) also cotton candy
country bread pain de campagne : usually a large, round loaf, dusted with flour.
cranberry airelle rouge : Airelle is a general name applied to the "Vaccinium" berry shrubs. Airelle is used for the British bilberry (whortleberry) or the American blueberry (huckleberry) as well as the cranberry ("airelle rouge").
crayfish, crawfish écrevisse
cream crème
cream, full-fat crème fraîche : used for making butter, sauces, etc.
to crumble à émietter
to crush à écraser : écrasé: crushed or flattened
crushed broyé : (crushed, ground, pounded)
cuckoo wrasse labre - a fish
cucumber concombre
cumin cumin
currant, red groseille : The red groseille is a red currant. The black groseille is called "cassis".
to cut up à tronçonner : (into sections or lengths)
cuttle-fish seiche :
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dandelion pissenlit : used in some old-time Provencal cooking
to dice à dés - couper en gros dés = to dice; cut into chunks
dill aneth : similar to fenouil
doe biche : (female deer)
dogfish emissole : Mediterranean, smooth dogfish, shark fish.
doughnut beignet : (beignet, doughnut, fritter)
drain égoutter : drain off (water); strain (cheese)
drumstick pilon : drumstick, leg of poultry
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eel anguille
egg oeuf
egg white blanc d'oeuf
egg yolk jaune d'oeuf
egg, boiled oeuf à la coque : steak or hamburger topped with a fried egg
egg, fried oeuf dur le plat
egg, hard-boiled oeuf dur
egg, poached oeuf à la moelle : with a white-wine and bone barrow sauce
egg, poached oeuf poché
eggplant aubergine : [aubergine farcie]
eggs, scrambled oeufs brouillés
endive scarole
ewe brebis : female sheep
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fennel fenouil
fig figue :
- figue de Tarascon
filet mignon filet mignon : the small choice end of tenderloin of beef (or of veal or pork)
filled fourré : filled, stuffed, creamed
finger bowl rince-doigts : [Camargue]
fish poisson
flavour saveur : (arôme = aroma; goût = taste; parfum = flavour of ice cream;
flour farine :
- farine de sarrasin = buckwheat flour
food alimentation : (food, groceries, nourishment, nutrition)
food nourriture
four spices quatre-épices : a blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pepper.
french toast pain perdu
to froth à écumer : (to foam)
fry alevin : bait (tiny fish)
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game gibier : pheasant, boar, etc.
garlic ail :
- gousse d'ail = clove of garlic
garlic powder/granules ail semoule :
- gousse d'ail = clove of garlic
garlic salt ail semoule :
- gousse d'ail = clove of garlic
geranium géranium odorant
giblets abattis : poultry giblets
gilthead daurade royale - a fish
gingerbread pain d'épice
goose oie
grape raisin
grapefruit pamplemousse
grated râpé : or shredded.
green beans haricot vert
green pasta pâte verte
ground beef steak haché
grouper mérou - a fish
Guinea Fowl pintade
gurnard griofle : (gurnard, gurnet = griofle, grondin)
gurnet grondin : (gurnard, gurnet = griofle, grondin)
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haddock stockfish - a fish
ham jambon
to hang à faisander : (game, for aging)
herbal tea infusion
Herbes de Provence Herbes de Provence
hog-fish rascasse : used for bouillabaisse
honey miel
hot épicé :
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infusion tisane : an infusion of herbal tea
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jam confiture
jar bocal : glass (or earthenware) jar for canning preserves.
jujube jujube : (from thejujube tree)
- jujube de Provence
juniper genièvre (genévrier) : juniper; gin; geneva
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kidney rognon
kidney beans haricot rouge
to knead à malaxer, pétrir : (dough); to work (butter)
to knead à pétrir, malaxer : (dough)
knuckle of ham jambonneau :
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ladle louche
lamb agneau
lamb leg gigot : Leg of lamb or leg of mutton, usually roasted
lamb, dried moutounesso
laurel leaf laurier : (also bayleaf)
lavender lavande
to leaven à levain : (the "raising" compound in bread) see leveure (yeast)
leek poireau
leftovers rogatons : slang for the leftovers of a meal.
lemon citron
lemon balm mélisse : melissa; lemon balm
lettuce laitue
lettuce salade
licorice réglisse
light cream crème fleurette : a low-fat cream used in cooking, in place of crème fraîche; also "crème liquide"
liver foie
lobster langouste : spiny lobster or rock lobster; also called crawfish.
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macaroni macaroni
mace fleur de muscade : (spice; also called macis
- fleur de muscade = mace spice
- noix de muscade = nutmeg
maize maïs : (American corn = English maize; English corn = American grain)
mango chutney chutney mangue
marbled marbré : (also persillée for blue cheese)
marjoram, sweet marjolaine : sweet marjoram; see also oregano (wild marjoram)
meal repas
meat viand
meat chunks viande en dés :
medlar fruit nèfle du Japon
to melt à fondre
melted fondu
mild doux
milk lait
to mince à émincer : sliced thinly (meat or onions); shredded (vegetables).
minced beef steak haché
mint menthe
morel morille : a tasty mushroom; dark brown conical cap, pitted with cavitites.
mortar mortier : heavy bowl for grinding with a pestle; pilon = pestle
moulded moulé
mullet muge - a fish
mushroom champignon
mussel moule
mussels moules :
- moules marinières = mussles cooked in white wine with onion or shallots
mustard moutarde
mutton mouton :
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nasturtium capucine
nettle ortie : used in some old-time Provencal cooking [Tourte de Haute Provence]
noodle nouille
nutmeg muscade : Nutmeg is "noix de muscade", often just called "muscade".
nutmeg noix de muscade :
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oats avoine : (flocon d'avoine = rolled oats; gruau d'avoine = porridge, oatmeal.
octopus poulpe
oil huile
old, aged vieux
olive olive
olive oil huile d'olive
omelette omelette
onion oignon : [oignon farci]
orange orange : orange de Nice; blonde de Nice
orange-flower water eau de fleur d'oranger : Distilled from orange blossoms, especially the Bigaradier orange of Provence, and used in cuisine in Provence and North Africa.
oregano origan : wild marjoram; sometimes called marjolaine (sweet marjoram)
oven four
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pandora, red pageot : larger than sea bream (dorade) and less delicate flavor; also called "rosseau"
pandora, red rosseau : larger than sea bream (dorade) and less delicate flavor; also called "pageot"
paprica paprika
parmesan parmesan
parsley persil
parsnip panais
paste paté
peach pêche :
- pêche sanguine de Manosque = a local variety
peanut cacahouète :
- pêche sanguine de Manosque = a local variety
pear poire :
- poire crémesine et martin-sec = a regional pear
peas petit pois
to peel à éplucher
to peel à peler
peel zeste : peel (of lemon, orange)
pepper poivre
peppermill moulin à poivre
persimmon kaki muscat de Provence
pestle pilon : short thick club for pounding substances in a mortar
pickled saumuré
pie tarte
pie, covered tourte
pimento piment : pimeinto, red pepper, hot pepper, capsicum
pine nut pignon
pineapple ananas
pistachio pistache
plate assiette
plum prune
pomegranate grenade :
- grenade de Provence
pomme apple
poppy, wild red coquelicot : the wild red, or corn poppy, petals are used in salads, and in Provencal jelly
pot faitout, fait-tout : stew-pan, cooking pot
- (faittout, marmite)
potato pomme de terre :
- pomme de risoul et pointue de Trescléoux = mid-season potatoes
- pomme de terre de Pertuis = mid-season potatoes
potato pancake paillasspm : thin pancake made with shredded potatoes.
powder en poudre
to press à fouler : (force with a pistul)
prune pruneau
pumpkin citrouille
pumpkin potiron :
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quarter quart :
- un quart de vin = a carafe with 25 cl of wine
quiche quiche
quince coing de Provence
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radish radis
raisin raisin sec : (dried grape)
ravioli ravioli : stuffed pasta
raw vegitables panier de crudités : served whole or chopped, in a basket; eaten by hand, with or without "dipping".
recipe recette
red mullet rouget : small red fish used in Provencal cooking; also applies to goatfish or surmullet.
red mullet rouget de roche - a fish
red scorpion fish rascasse rouge : chapon de mer fish (for bouillabaisse)
red-eye rotengle : also called gardon rouge, or rud; (freshwater)
ribsteak entrecôte (steak)
rice riz : [Camargue]
rind ecorce : fruit rind; fruit peel; rice husk
rind, skin counne : example: "couenne de porc" is porc rind
ripe mûr
roast rôti
roast rôti : meat roast; "rôti de porc": pork roast; "rôti de dinde": turkey roast.
to roast à rôtir
rocambole rocambole : aka Spanish garlic; a large wine coloured bulb that is used similarly to shallots; grown in the South of France
rock salt gros sel : also suggested: coarse salt, sea salt, kosher salt. Gros sel is used for cooking; sel fin is used as table salt.
roll petit pan
to roll flat à étendre au rouleau : (dough)
rolled roulé
rosemary romarin
rye bread pain de seigle
rye bread pain de seigle :
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saffron safran
sage sauge
salt sel
salt pork petit salé : salt pork, or salt chine of pork
salt, pepper sel, poivre
salted salé
sandwich bread pain de mie : white, sliced bread
sardine sardine
sauerkraut choucroute
savory sarriette
to scald à échauder
scalded ring cake brassadeau
scale écaille : fish scale
scallion ciboule : (scallion; welsh onion)
sea bass loup - a fish
sea-bream dorade - a fish
sea-urchin oursin violet
to seed à épépiner : (remove the seeds)
seed grain : seed (grape, mustard); bean (coffee)
seed graine : (of a plant)
to seer à saisir : Begin the cooking by seering the outer surface hot and fast: put a small amount of oil in a pan, bring it up to a high temperature, put in the food, spread out, to quickly brown the surface, turn to brown the other side(s).
shad alose : a silvery fish, smaller than a herring
shallot echalote : scallion; welsh onion
shark requin - a fish
to shell à écailler : (crabs), scale
sherbert sorbet
shrimp crevette : scallion; welsh onion
sieve tamis
to simmer; cook slowly à mitonner : simmer, stew slowly, with low heat, in water or bouillon (also mijoter)
- prepared very carefully (Mitonnée aux Cinq Légumes)
- cook long and slowly (ragoût)
sirloin steak faux-filet (steak)
skate raie : or ray
snipe becassine
to soften à ramollir
sorrel oseille
soup soupe
sour aigre
sour cream crème aigre
spaghetti spaghetti
spicy relevé : or seasoned.
spinach épinard
spoonful cuillerée
to spread à étaler : (spread out evenly)
spring onion ciboule : (scallion; welsh onion)
sprinkled arrosé : moistened; basted
squash courge
squid calmar
squid encornet
starfruit carambola
starling sansonnet : étourneau sansonnet = Sturnus vulgaris, common starling, a bird, and sometimes delicacy in Provencal and Corsican dishes.
steak steak
steam vapeur
stew ragoût
to stir slowly à remuer : also to toss (a salad); mix
straw paille
strawberry fraise
stuffed Guinea-hen pintade farcie
stuffed vegetables farci : (légumes farcis)
sugar sucre
sulphur soufre
sweet-and-sour aigre-doux : (bitter-sweet)
sweetbread ris de veau : also ris d'agneau (of calf, lamb or kid goat)
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to tail à équeuter : (a fruit)
tail queue
tangerine mandarine : manderin orange or tangerine.
tarragon estragon : tarragon
taste goût : (arôme = aroma; goût = taste; parfum = flavor of ice cream;
to taste à goûter
tea thé
tenderloin steak filet (steak)
thick cream crème èpaisse
to thin à délayer : (a sauce)
thyme thym : - wild thyme is serpolet
tomato tomate : [Tomate farci]
truffle truffe
- truffe noire d'hiver = winter black truffle
tuna thon - a fish
tunny thon rouge - a fish
turbot turbot - a fish
turkey dinde :
- dinde: hen turkey hen; dindon: tom turkey; dindonneau: young turkey
turkey filet filet de dinde :
- truffe noire d'hiver = winter black truffle
to turn sour à aigrir : (wine or milk)
turnip navet :
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umber fish ombre commun : or freshwater grayling
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veal veau : calf's meat
vegetable légume
vermicelli vermicelles
vervain verveine
vinegar vinaigre
virgin vierge :
- huile d'olive vierge = pure cold-pressed olive oil
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walnut, nut noix
warmed réchauffé : or re-heated.
water eau
watermelon pastèque
wheat blé :
- germe de blé = wheatgerm
wheatgerm germe de blé
whipped cream crème chantilly
white blanc :
- fromage blanc = white cheese; vin blanc = white wine
white beans haricot blanc
white beet bette
whiting merlan - a fish
whole wheat bread pain complet : similar to bran brad (pain de son)
wild thyme serpolet
wine vin
woodcock bécasse
worn usé : red wine that has faded in quality because of age.
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yeast levure :
- levure chemique = baking powder
- levure de boulanger = baker's yeast
yogurt yaourt :
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zucchini courgette : [Courgette farcie]
zucchini flower fleur de Courgette
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French Tart
JoyfulCook
Scottschef
............and even if I am way too old for French class....... 
