Glossary A
Abaisse is the French food term which means "rolled-out pastry". It refers to a term in pastry-making that is generally used to describe a rolled out piece or sheet of pastry to a certain thickness, depending on the use for which it is intended.
Abaisse is also used to describe a layer of sponge cake or biscuit.
Abat-Faim refers to a culinary and antiquated French term; the French for, literally, a "hunger-reducer" or "hunger suppressant", such as a substantial joint of roast beef; "grosse pièce de viande or pièce de résistance" . Hence it comes to mean the piece de resistance- something to cut at and come again.
It refers to the first dish served to guests to suppress, beat, reduce the grumblings of their stomach. Abat-Faim is, however, obsolete with the emergence of the French term hors-d'oeuvre or appetizer in English which is not meant to reduce, beat or suppress hunger as in Abat-Faim, but implies raising or increasing the appetite.
Abat-Faim is pronounced "a-ba-fin".
Abdug or Dugh: a refreshing tangy drink of yogurt diluted with plain or mineral water and lightly salted. Often served with meals or as a refreshment by itself.
Abdug is also very popular in South Azerbaijan. This version of Azerbaijan's yoghurt soup has no rice and is served in the summertime with ice cubes. It may include raisins, chopped walnuts and rose petals. At the table, each person may add crushed dried, toasted lavash or paper-thin bread in the soup.
Ajo Blanco refers to a Spanish soup. It is one of the local foods from Jaen, the capital city of Andalusia. Ajo Blanco is soup made with almonds, olive oil, eggs, garlic, salt, vinegar and water.
Ajo being the Spanish for garlic, and blanco means white, Ajo blanco literally means "white garlic (soup)".