- Many proper names and common names are spelled differently depending on their history, country, origin, region or tradition. We have favored the French spelling as officially given by the French Academy and we have indicated in brackets the word vernacular and its origin as well as the spelling variants that we have encountered. For example for the French word " Borscht »(Word from russian borsch himself from German Bartsch meaning rock), we will find the spellings: borchtch, bortch, borstch, borscht, borchte, borsch, borschte, bortch.
Another example: for the French word " bulgur »(Word from turkish bulghur, of Persian origin which means wheat steamroom). We will also find: bulgur, bulghur, boulghur, burghul, borghol, bourghol.
- As far as possible, we have indicated the origin of unusual culinary words and their meaning. As, for example, for the reindeer of Canada the " caribou ": Canadian word, coming from Algonkin -indian tribe- and meaning " digging with a shovel Because he digs snow to find his food.
- In addition to French, some words are written in their original characters, for example for the word tzatziki : (in Greek τζατζίκι, pronounced dzadziki, sometimes written jajiki). However, we have limited the use of complex Chinese or Japanese ideograms.
Note on the spelling of Italian products: The French grammatical rule requires that we add an "S" to a word already put in the Italian plural and used in a French context such as for example: des spaghetti Bolognese. While in an Italian description we will have: degli spaghetti with ragùsystem. (spaghetti being the Italian plural of spaghetti, diminutive from Latin string et signifying "string").
We will write "salami or salamis" (salami being the Italian plural of salami meaning "salty thing"). We will also write " gnocchis au cheese » gnocchi being the Italian plural of dumpling which means in italian little bread.
We will write (just like in Italian) un cannelloni ou un macaroni.
The words in the singular "un salamo ", " a spaghetto " or even "a gnocco ' being more than rarely used, although we find these last two words in the singular in the Large menu of dishes and dishes of this encyclopedia.
Conversely, we will not see the words " carpaccio " or " Risotto »Used in the plural. In fact (and often) it is up to the creative spirit of chefs to make the exception that proves the rule.
- Weighting rule: Where possible, we have adhered to the following weighting statements:
- from the simplest to the most complicated
- from the lightest to the heaviest / fat
- from the finest to the largest
- from the most fluid / soft to the hardest
- from the most neutral to the most colorful.