Eat, Drink, Think

in Spanish
An English-Spanish / Spanish-English
Kitchen Companion

Lourdes Castro

Ten Speed Press

Berkeley

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 To my late grandmother, Eva Rodriguez Cuetara,
an extraordinary Spanish teacher whose love of the language was contagious.

Copyright © 2009 by Lourdes Castro

Cover illustration copyright © 2009 by Ediciones Malinalco, www.edicionesmalinalco.com

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of
the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com

Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered
trademarks of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

is on file with the publisher

ISBN: 978-1-58008-954-8

Printed in Canada

Design by Nancy Austin

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

First Edition

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 co n te n t s

Introduction vii

English-Spanish 1

Spanish-English 137

Quick Reference 313

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 i ntroduct ion

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 “Necessity, who is the mother of invention.”
—Plato, The Republic

A few years ago, I was asked by organizers of an event for the James Beard Foun-
dation to serve as a translator for famed Spanish chef Juan Mari Arzak. I was to sit
next to chef Arzak during a dinner cooked by several of Spain’s brightest culinary
stars. My responsibility was simple—help him navigate the media and offer assis-
tance with dinner guests who did not speak Spanish.
In the process of working out the logistics for a dinner cooked by seven
foreign-based chefs, it became evident to the organizers that they needed help
communicating with the Spanish chefs. Specific ingredients needed to be sourced
and equipment ordered. As a native Spanish speaker, I stepped in as a liaison.
The menus were intricate, and, before I knew it, I was mentally searching
for the English word for cigalas and percebes while at the same time coming up
with the Spanish word for fennel and pig’s cheeks. I had anticipated issues with
regional ingredients but I had taken for granted that these items would have a
readily available English translation.
A few months after the Spanish dinner, I was presented with another priceless
experience: I was asked to serve as a personal translator for renowned Australian
chef Tetsuya Wakuda during his weeklong stay in Madrid for a culinary confer-
ence. Talk about a reversal of fortune. This time I was to pair my American English
with Chef Wakuda’s Australian dialect, and then use my Cuban Spanish to trans-
late the information for Spaniards. If there was ever a need for a Spanish/English
dictionary of culinary terms, that was it.

One Language for Many Cultures and Cuisines

While the differences in vernacular among Spanish-speaking countries are well
known among native speakers, the divergence is not often recognized by those

viii
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 ix

new to the language. And never is this more apparent than when speaking of
food. Not only does each Latin American country have its own cuisine and culi-
nary history, the words used to refer to ingredients, equipment, and technique
vary among the countries. Take a banana, for example: the fruit may be referred
to as plátano, cambur, banano, or gineo, depending on what country one is from.
Eat, Drink, Think in Spanish was written as a tool to help English and Spanish
speakers communicate more effectively regarding matters of gastronomy. I out-
line the various Spanish words used to refer to an ingredient, provide phonetic
pronunciations, and touch on country specific terms and national dishes.
To bring order to all this information, the book was compiled and organized
in a specific manner. The following notes will help you navigate the dictionary
and get the most out of its information.

Notes for Using this Book

This book is divided into two parts. The first half of the book lists terms alpha-
betically in English, followed by the Spanish translation. The second half of the
book lists terms alphabetically in Spanish, followed by the English translation.
All entries contain the following: term name, translated term, Spanish phonetic
pronunciation, term category (see below), and the definition.

Terms

About two thirds of the terms have both English and Spanish names (i.e. water/
agua), which are found in both parts of the book and are easily cross-referenced.
You will also see cases where the terms are cognates, with the same word serv-
ing in both languages. I’ve included entries for these terms because it would not
be readily apparent otherwise that they are cognates. The remaining terms do
not have English translations (i.e. fajita, chimichurri, tortilla); such words are found
only in the Spanish-English part of the book.
Some terms have more than one Spanish translation. For example, peach can
be referred to interchangeably as durazno or melocotón. In these cases, you will
see multiple Spanish words listed with the English term in the English-Spanish
part of the book. However, the Spanish-English part includes entries for each of
the Spanish synonyms; I encourage you to use those entries to help you select
the most appropriate translation.
In some cases, the translation depends on the form of the word—whether
it’s used as a noun or a verb. You will see definitions for each form in such entries.

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 x Eat, Drink, Think in Spanish

Lastly, like most reference books, similar terms are grouped together: for exam-
ple, the many varieties of beans are listed as “bean, green,” “bean, navy,” “bean,
pinto”. Likewise, cuts for specific types of meat follow the main entry for that type
of meat; you will find sirloin steak listed under Beef, sirloin.

C at e g o r i e s

As a way of helping you further understand the meaning of a term, all terms are
identified under one of the following categories: Baking & Pastry, Beverage, Con-
diments, Cooking Method/Technique, Descriptor, Dish, Equipment, Fish & Shell-
fish, Fruit & Vegetables, Game, General, Grains & Cereals, Herbs & Spices, Meat,
and Nuts & Oils.
Categories are especially helpful with terms that have multiple meanings. For
example, whisk can either refer to a kitchen tool (agitador) or a technique (batir).
In these cases, both definitions will be listed in the entry for whisk, with each
definition accompanied by its Spanish translation and category.
Whisk Agitador ah-hee-tah-DOHR
Equipment Definition text.

Batir bah-TEER
Cooking Method/Technique Definition text.

S pa n i s h Wo r d s W i t h out a n En g l i s h T r a n s l at i on

Most Spanish terms that do not have an English translation are country specific,
meaning that they are words used to describe a Spanish speaking country’s
national or typical dish, or its indigenous ingredients. In these cases, the country
is listed in parentheses next to the term. For example, chimichurri is a raw oil-
based sauce made with lots of parsley. It is commonly served alongside meat in
Argentina. It is also the name of a similar style sauce served in Nicaragua. This
entry appears as follows:
Chimichurri chee-mee-CHOO-rree
Condiment (Argentina) Definition text.
(Nicaragua) Definition text.

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 xi

P r onunc i at i on Gu i d e

All Spanish terms are directly followed by a phonetic pronunciation. Keep the
following in mind when pronouncing Spanish words:

• For the most part Spanish vowels are short.

Vowel Sounds like As in…

A ah Father
E eh Bet
I ee Beer
O oh Coat
U oo Food

• Accented syllables are capitalized. For example, the pronunciation for tequila
is written teh-KEE-lah.

• Syllables for a single word are connected with hyphens. The phonetic pro-
nunciation of two words are separated by a space. For example, chile jala-
peño is written CHEE-leh hah-lah-PEH-nyo.

• The pronunciation of the letter V is very similar in sound to B. You will notice I
use B instead of V in the phonetic pronunciations, as I feel it results in a more
authentic sound.

• The letter H is always silent.

• The letter Ñ is not pronounced like an N but rather like ny as in canyon.

• RR signifies a rolling r sound.

Qu i c k R e f e r e nc e

In the appendix you will find a quick reference chart listing the cuts of meat (beef,
chicken, veal, and so on). This is very helpful as there are various Spanish names
for each cut of meat.

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 En gl ish-S pa nis h

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 2 Eat, Drink, Think in Spanish

A
Abalone Abalón / Abulón ah-bah-LOHN / ah-boo-LOHN
Fish & Shellfish A mollusk found along the coastline of California, Mexico, and
northern Spain. An abalone is a univalve whose shell is the source of mother-of-
pearl. Fresh abalone is a delicacy but it can also be found canned, dried, and salted.
Acid Ácido AH-see-doh
general From the Latin acidus, meaning sour, the taste associated with ingredients
(vinegar, citrus fruit) possessing a pH below 7. Because acid breaks down cell walls it
can change the texture and appearance of foods.
ENGLISH-SPANISH A

Acidulate Acidular ah-see-doo-lahr

Cooking Method / Technique To add an acid. Acidulated water is water that has
had some vinegar or lemon juice added to it.
Acorn Bellota beh-YOH-tah
nuts & oils The nut of the oak tree. Acorns are consumed primarily by wildlife.

Additive Aditivo ah-dee-TEE-voh

general Substances added (intentionally or not) to food to preserve its flavor, nutri-
tion, or quality, or to aid in its processing or preparation.
Aerate Gasificar gah-see-fee-KAHR
Cooking Method / Technique To incorporate air.

Agar Agar ah-GAHR

Herbs & Spices A setting agent or thickener derived from seaweed. Often referred
to as Japanese gelatin, agar differs from gelatin in that it sets at room temperature
and is five times more powerful than gelatin, requiring less to be used. It is tasteless
and serves as a vegetarian option to gelatin.
Agave Agave ah-GAH-veh
Fruit & Vegetables A succulent (water-retaining) plant that grows in Mexico, Cen-
tral America, and the southwest United States. Poisonous when raw, agave develops
a mildly sweet flavor when cooked. The sap collected from the agave plant is used to
make tequila. Agave nectar is also used as a sugar substitute.
Air dry Secar al aire seh-KAHR ahl AH-ee-reh
Cooking Method / Technique To dehydrate through exposure to air.

Albumin Albumina ahl-boo-MEE-nah

general The protein found in egg whites. Albumen, spelled with an “e,” is another
word for egg white.
Alcohol Alcohol ahl-KOHL
Beverage Ethyl/ethanol that is found in alcoholic beverages. It is produced by dis-
tilling fermented sugars obtained from fruit or grains. Pure ethyl alcohol boils at
173°F and freezes at -173°F.

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 3

Alfalfa sprout Brote de alfalfa BROH-teh deh ahl-FAHL-fah

Fruit & Vegetables A thin, long stem produced by a sprouted alfalfa seed. They are
often used in salads and sandwiches.
Allspice Pimienta de Jamaica pee-mee-EHN-tah deh hah-MAH-ee-kah
Herbs & Spices A berry of the evergreen pimiento tree. The name comes from its
flavor, which is a combination of nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves. The
spice can be purchased in whole or ground form. It is used in both sweet and savory
cooking and is also referred to as Jamaica pepper.
Almond Almendra ahl-MEHN-drah

ENGLISH-SPANISH A
nuts & oils The kernel of the almond tree encased in a hard, inedible shell. Almonds
are available in markets blanched (without their thin, brown skin) or with the skin on.
Almond extract Esencia de almendra / Extracto de almendra eh-SEHN-see-
ah deh ahl-MEHN-drah / eks-TRAK-toh deh ahl-MENH-drah
condiments A flavoring produced by combining almond oil with ethyl alcohol.
Since the flavor of almond extract is intense, use the proper amount of the best-
quality extract you can find.
Almond oil Aceite de almendra ah-SAY-teh deh ahl-MENH-drah
nuts & oils A specialty oil that is made by pressing almonds.

Almonds, ground Almendras molidas ahl-MENH-drahs moh-LEE-dahs

nuts & oils Almonds that have been pulverized into a coarse powder. This is
achieved with a food processor or mortar and pestle. When almonds are ground,
a small amount of sugar is typically added to absorb some of the oil and prevent a
paste from forming.
Almonds, sliced Almendras troceadas ahl-MENH-drahs troh-seh-AH-dahs
nuts & oils Almonds that have been sliced thinly lengthwise.

Aluminum foil Papel de aluminio pah-PEHL deh ah-loo-MEE-nee-oh

Equipment Thin sheets of aluminum. Aluminum foil can be found in rolls or indi-
vidual sheets. The foil is opaque and extremely pliable and can withstand freezing
temperatures and very high heat.
Amaranth Amaranto ah-mah-RAHN-toh
Grains & Cereals A plant high in protein. Both the seeds and leaves of amaranth
can be eaten. Most commonly the seeds are ground into a flour, which does not
contain gluten, and used to make breads. The leaves can be cooked or eaten raw
in a salad.
Anchovy Anchoa / Boquerón ahn-CHOH-ah / boh-keh-ROHN
Fish & Shellfish A small, silvery blue fish from the Mediterranean coastline that is
filleted, salt-cured, and canned. Some are also smoked. Anchovies are salty and tend
to be used sparingly.

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 4 Eat, Drink, Think in Spanish

Anchovy paste Pasta de anchoas PAHS-tah deh ahn-CHOH-ahs

Condiments A paste made from a combination of mashed anchovies, water, vin-
egar, and spices used as a condiment for its distinctive salty taste. It can be used in
recipes or spread on toast as a canapé.
Angelica Angélica ahn-HEH-lee-kah
Herbs & Spices An aromatic herb that is a member of the parsley family and thrives
in northern, cold climates. Its stems and leaves are commonly used in baking, often
blanched and candied for decorating cakes and pastries. The roots and seeds are
also used for making liqueurs.
ENGLISH-SPANISH A

Anise Anís ah-NEES

Herbs & Spices An herbaceous plant that is a member of the parsley family and
has a distinctive sweet licorice flavor. Its leaves and seeds are used in both sweet
and savory preparations. This is the flavor found in liqueurs such as anisette (anís in
Spanish), aguardiente, and pastis.
Annatto paste Pasta de annatto PAHS-tah deh ah-NAH-toh
Herbs & Spices The pulp surrounding the achiote seed in an annatto tree. Found as
well in powder form, this derivative is used primarily as a coloring agent for items
such as cheese, rice, and butter.
Annatto seed Achiote ah-chee-OH-teh
Herbs & Spices The seed of the annatto tree, sometimes referred to as achiote seed.
This spice is used as much for coloring (bright orange red) as flavor (earthy, slightly
musky). It can be found in whole or powdered form.
Antioxidant Antioxidante ahn-tee-ohks-ee-DAHN-teh
general A substance that inhibits oxidation. From a culinary point of view, oxida-
tion results in browning and in food becoming rancid. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C),
for example, is a natural antioxidant that is often used in food preparation against
oxidation.
Appellation Apelación / Denominación ah-peh-lah-see-OHN / deh-noh-mee-
nah-see-OHN
descriptor A geographical designation applied to a grape-growing area controlled
by governmental rules. The rules of appellation address issues such as grape variet-
ies and yields per acre and vary by country and even by region. The goal of an appel-
lation is to produce a high-quality product.
Appetizer Aperitivo ah-peh-ree-TEE-voh
general Technically the first course served at the table. An appetizer should be
bite-size and is meant to stimulate the appetite. The term is often wrongly inter-
changed with hors d’oeuvre.
Apple Manzana mahn-SAH-nah
Fruit & Vegetables One of the oldest cultivated fruits. The apple has over a thou-
sand varieties that vary in color, texture, and flavor. Apples can be eaten raw or

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