PCA Food & Beverage Encyclopedia     A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

H   Haddock - A North Atlantic fish, the smaller cousin to the cod. The haddock has firm white flesh that is mild in flavor. Smoked haddock is called "finnan." Haggis is a Scottish dish made from a sheep's or calf's heart, liver, and lungs, minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for several hours. Haggis is traditionally served at Hogmanay and on Burns' Night. Hake - This low-fat saltwater fish, related to the cod, is found in the Atlantic and North Pacific. It's flesh features a white, delicate flavor. Halibut - A low-fat, firm white and mild-flavored fish from the flatfish family. Resembles a gigantic flounder. "Chicken Halibuts" weigh up to ten pounds and are considered the finest halibut. Halvah - A middle East confection made from ground sesame seeds and honey. Sometimes prepared with chopped, dried fruit and pistachios. Ham - The hind leg of a hog. The taste of ham is affected by the age and breed of the hog, as well as by the food that the hog was fed. The unprocessed meat is called "fresh ham," but most ham is cured. Hamburg Parsley - A parsley subspecies grown for its beige carrot-like root which tastes somewhat like a cross between a carrot and celery. Used in stews and soups. Also eaten as a vegetable. Also called "parsley root." Hamburger - Ground beef formed into a patty for use in a hamburger sandwich. The best type of ground beef to use for this purpose is lean ground beef, which contains about 15% to 20% fat. Hamburger is a fast food consisting of a fried patty of minced meat, usually served in a bread roll. The hamburger (without the bun) is said to have been invented by medieval Tatar invaders of the Baltic area around Hamburg, Germany, from where it takes its name. As a dish made from minced meat, onions, bread, and milk, it was taken to the USA in the 19th century. The hamburger in its present form spread from there and was reintroduced to Europe in the 1960s. Hammerhead is a robust, strong, rich, malty ale brewed by Clark's of Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Haricot is a highly seasoned stew of lamb or mutton and vegetables. Haricots Verts: Tiny green string beans. Harrier S.P.A is a light-brown bitter with a light, hoppy taste, from the Cotleigh brewery, Somerset. Harvest Ale Harvest ale is a staggeringly strong bottled ale with 11.5% alcohol is produced each year from the new season' s malt and hops by the Lees brewery in Manchester. This vintage brew can be laid down to mature in the cellar for several years.  Harvey Wallbanger - A sweet cocktail made with vodka, orange juice, and Galliano (an anise-flavored liqueur). Harveys christmas ale is a strong warming ale produced annually by the Harveys brewery, Lewes, Sussex. Harveys Firecracker is a beer that was bottled in honour of the emergency services who fought a disastrous fire at the Harveys brewery in 1996. It is a strong, dark pale ale with a smoky flavour. Harveys Sussex best bitter is a golden, hoppy bitter from Harveys of Lewes.  Harveys Sussex pale ale is a light, hoppy ale from the Harveys brewery. Harveys Tom Paine is a strong pale ale from Harveys brewery. Hasenpfeffer: A German stew made from rabbit. Hatters is a fine, light mild from the Robinson's brewery, Stockport. Havarti Cheese - A semi-soft, mild, yet tangy pale yellow cheese similar to "Tilsit." Named after "Havarti," the Danish experimental farm where this cheese was developed. Hazelnut - This nut is used whole, chopped, and ground in baking, candies, desserts, and salads. Also known as the "cobnut." Hazelnut Oil - This fragrant full-flavored oil is pressed from hazelnuts and takes on the flavor of roasted nuts. The nuts are often toasted for a browner color and better flavor. The nuts are never blanched. Head Cheese - This is not a cheese, but a sausage made from the edible parts of a calf's or pig's head that are combined with a gelatinous meat broth. Ingredients include cheeks, snouts, underlips and sometimes brains, hearts, tongues, and feet. Heads A Rolling is a medium strength ale brewed by the Ash Vine company. It is a pale beer with a powerful hop flavor.   Headstrong is a fruity bitter from the Blackawton brewery in Devon. Heart - The heart of most animals and birds are used in cooking. Some say that the best hearts are calf's or lamb's hearts. Hearts are sometimes stuffed with breadcrumbs and herbs or used in making gravies. Heart Nut - A kidney-shaped nut that grows on the outside of the cashew apple at its base. The shell is highly toxic. These nuts have a sweet buttery flavor and contain about 48% fat. More commonly known as "cashew nuts." Hearts of Palm - The edible inside portion of the stem of the cabbage palm tree. They are slender, ivory-colored, and have a delicate flavor reminiscent of artichoke. Hefe is a German term for unfiltered beer. Heifer: A young female cow that has not had a calf yet. Herb Bouquet: A mixture of tied herms used for seasoning in soups, sauces, and stocks. Heritage is a full-bodied beer with a roastmalt, fruity flavour from the Smiles brewery, Bristol. Herring - A small salt-water fish related to the shad, alewife, sardine, and the freshwater cisco. Herring is often pickled, smoked, and dressed in numerous sauces. Hersbrucker Weizenhier is a light wheat beer from the Springhead brewery, Nottinghamshire. Herve is a soft Belgian rennet cheese often incorporating herbs and ripened in a beer-soaked cloth. Hickory Nut - An extremely hard-shelled, high-fat nut used in cakes, cookies, sweet breads, and candies. They are also suitable in recipes calling for pecans. Hick's special draught also known as HSD, is a full-bodied, fruity cask bitter produced by the St Austell brewery, Cornwall. High Force is a complex, smooth beer with a sweet, malt flavour, from the Butterknowle brewery in Bishop Auckland. High Level is a sweet and fruity, bright, filtered brown ale brewed for the working men's clubs by the Federation Brewery in the north-east of England. It is named after the bridge in Newcastle which crosses the River Tyne. Highball - A cocktail composed of whiskey and soda water or plain water. It is most often served over ice in a tall glass. Highball is a long drink of diluted spirits. Usually it is whiskey and ice in a tumbler, filled up with soda water, but there are also brandy, gin, vodka and rum highballs. Highgate Dark Mild is a dark-brown, smooth mild produced in the Victorian tower brewery in Walsall, West Midlands. It is fermented using a vigorous four-strain yeast to give a complex flavor. Highgate Old Ale is a dark, red-brown, fruity ale with a complex flavor, brewed in winter by the Walsall brewery. Hobgoblin is a robust red ale sold in the cask and in the bottle in Britain, Europe and North America. It is produced by the Wychwood brewery, Oxfordshire. Hock is a class of light white Rhine wine. It possesses a distinct flavour, bouquet and delicacy of its own. Hog Maws - A pig's stomach, often stuffed with a sausage mixture, simmered, then baked. Hog Plum - The edible fruit of a tropical American tree that is plentiful in northeastern Brazil. It is bright yellow, oval, average an inch long, and features a soft, juicy sub-acid pulp surrounding a large seed. Also called "yellow mombin." Hoisin Sauce - A thick, reddish-brown sauce widely used in Chinese cooking. This sauce, composed of soybeans, garlic, chili peppers and spices, has a sweet and spicy flavor. Also know as "Peking Sauce." Hole in One is a strong golden ale from the Ash Vine brewery at Frome in Somerset. Hollandaise Sauce - A smooth, rich French cream sauce made from butter and egg yolks. Served over eggs ("Eggs Benedict"), vegetables, fish, and sometimes, meat. Holt's Bitter is a dry bitter brewed by the Holt's brewery of Manchester. Hominy - Dried white or yellow corn kernels with their hulls and germ removed. Also called "samp." Ground hominy is called "grits." This popular staple in the South and Southwest came to us from the Algonquin Indians. Homogenize - To create an emulsion by reducing all the particles to the same size. In milk and salad dressings, for instance, all the fat globules are mechanically broken down until they are evenly distributed throughout the liquid. Honey - The thick, sweet liquid made by honey bees from the nectar of flowers. In general, the darker the color of the honey, the stronger the flavor. Honey is the oldest sweetener known. Honey is a sweet syrup made by bees from nectar. Honeydew - Melons related to cantaloupes, casaba and Persian melons. Honeydew melons are used to accompany meat, seafood, and cheese. They are also used in salads, desserts, and fruit soups. Hopping-John is a stew of rice with peas or bacon, eaten in the West Indies and southern USA. Hors d'oeuvre: ( ohr-duh-vr ) (French) Petite appetizers or relishes. Serve as the first course of the meal. Horse Bean - This bean looks like a very large lima bean. The pod is inedible unless the plant is very young. Avoid pods bulging with beans as this is an indication of age. Also known as the "broad bean." Horse Meat - Taboo for Jews, horse meat is eaten in many parts of the world, particularly France and Belgium. The flesh is on the sweet side and can be mistaken for beef if flavored with garlic or some other strong herb. May be cooked like beef. Horseradish - The pungent root of the horseradish tree. Used in sauces and as a condiment to meat and fish. Horseradish has been used since long before Christian times; it is one of the five bitter herbs of the Jewish Passover festival. Hubbard Squash - A large winter squash of American origin. Often mashed and mixed with butter and seasonings. Also used in casseroles, muffins, and pies. Human Milk - Human breast milk is about 20 calories per ounce. It is about 40% carbohydrate, 50% fat, and 10% protein. Human milk contains certain protein immune substances that are lacking in cow's milk and infant formulas. Hummus - A thick sauce of mashed chickpeas (garbanzos) seasoned with garlic, lemon juice, and olive or sesame oil. Used both as a dip and as a sauce and often served on pita. Hyacinth Bean - An Old World vine of the legume family. The beans are black or white and are contained in a papery, beaked pod. Hydrogenate - The process of hardening an unsaturated oil into a semisolid by transforming it into a saturated fat.