If you’ve ever encountered a cooking term that you didn’t understand in a new recipe, you know how confusing it can be. From julienne to mince, there’s a whole slew of complicated terminology that seems foreign to the amateur chef. Here are a few simple definitions that will help you with your next adventure in the kitchen.

1. Braise. Braising involves browning meat or vegetables in a bit of hot fat before cooking them slowly in a shallow pool of liquid. This is a great technique to soften less tender cuts of meat or veggies.
2. Devil. To devil something, such as an egg, you simply coat it with a hot seasoning like hot sauce or mustard.
3. Dredge. Dredging means to coat something like meat or vegetables with flour, breadcrumbs, or cornmeal.
4. Flambe. This term is usually found in more gourmet recipes. It involves sprinkling a food with a liqueur and lighting it on fire before serving.

Glossary of Basic Cooking Terms [Les Petites Gourmettes]
Cooking Terms [Recipe Goldmine]
Glossary of Cooking Terms [UMN]
Glossary of Cooking Terms [Better Homes & Gardens]
Culinary Terms [About.com]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Rebecca Siegel

Shara Funari and Leigh Taylor Wyatt arrived at glass blowing from very different backgrounds. Shara didn't pick up the art until 2004, honing what was then a hobby at a public glass blowing studio in 2004. Leigh relocated to Texas in 2006 specifically to further her glass blowing career and to be closer to family. However, for both women, glass blowing eventually evolved into a passion; this is why they opened East Side Glass Studio in Austin.

At the studio, the public can come in to watch Shara and Leigh blow glass, or they can join in themselves. Intro classes are held a few times over the course of a month, teaching newbies the basics of glass blowing. Visitors can come in for a one-off experience where they learn the bare-bone fundamentals and then create their own glass masterpiece in a single session.

East Side Glass Studio
507 Calles Street
Austin, TX 78702
(512) 731-1702
www.eastsideglassstudio.com
www.yelp.com/biz/east-side-glass-studio-austin

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/a5400410

Stop in to this cozy little coffeehouse and café for a freshly brewed coffee drink and a bite to eat right in Bee Cave, Texas. If you need a little caffeine to rev up your motor, order a Cappuccino, Latte, or cup of brewed coffee. This cafe's specialty drinks include uber-yummy concoctions like Caramel Pecan Latte and Mocha Frappe. Specialty teas are also on the menu.

Breakfast fare here includes a Sweet Potato Biscuit topped with ham & apple butter, a Breakfast Croissant with scrambled eggs & cheese, Caramel Pecan Pancakes, and Breakfast Tacos with eggs, peppers, onions & cheese. Later in the day, you can order dishes like a Ham & Dijon Sandwich, a Southwest Chicken Salad, or a Grilled Portabella Panini.

Located in Bee Cave, Texas, Two Saints Baking Co and Café is open every day.

Two Saints Baking Co and Café
13011 Shops Parkway
Bee Cave, TX 78738
(512) 263-1166
www.twosaintsbakingcompany.com
www.yelp.com/biz/two-saints-baking-co-and-cafe-bee-cave

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Andy Melton