FOOD GLOSSARY - Mandel Torte to Pot Marigold

MANDELTORTE (German):  Almond Torte.

MANGO:  A tropical fruit with one long fuzzy seed, more like a peach than anything else. The rich orange flesh is aromatic and tastes like a combination of peach-pineapple-cantaloupe. The kind that is commonly sold is the Hayden mango, larger than a pear, with a rosy, smooth skin. It is fine for preserves, or for eating raw. Mangoes are an important ingredient in genuine chutneys. The term mango often is applied to pickled peppers stuffed with a mixture of cabbage and vegetables.

MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER:  A thick vegetable soup with clams and thyme seasoning.

MANICOTTI:  A thin, rectangular-shaped macaroni product stuffed with a ricotta cheese mixture, then baked in a sauce.

MAPLE SUGAR and SYRUP:  These are made from the sap of hard maple trees. Maple sugar is sold as maple cream, which has the consistency of peanut butter, as stirred sugar, which is similar to brown sugar, and as soft and hard maple sugar. Maple candies are a fondant made of pure maple frosted with a crystal of pure maple sugar. Maple syrup is made by concentrating maple sap or by solution of maple sugar. Syrups which are not pure mapIe are less expensive than the pure syrups. The composition of blended syrups is stated on the label.

MARASCHINO CHERRIES:  Royal Ann cherries, pitted and cooked in a sugar syrup, artificially colored and flavored.

MARBLE CAKE:  A loaf cake made by placing alternate spoonfuls of light and dark cake batters into a pan. A variegated effect is thus produced.

MARBLING (in meats):  A term used to describe the fat intermingled in the lean of meat. It gives the meat a mottled or streaked appearance. It is not to be confused with the white connective tissue which replaces it when the animal grows past the peak-of-flavor age. Marbling is a definite mark of fine-quality meat.

MARENGO:  This is the name of a town in Italy where Napoleon fought one of his most important battles, defeating the major portion of the Austrian army in June, 1800. Chicken Marengo is said to have originated there when it was served to the victorious Napoleon. Mushrooms, tomatoes, wine, and garlic are important ingredients. Veal marengo is made in the same way.

MARGARINE:  See Fats, Oils, Shortenings.

MARGUERITE:  Usually a salted cracker spread with boiled frosting, sprinkled with nuts, coconut, or chocolate pieces and baked until golden. It may also be a cracker prepared by melting a marshmallow upon it. Sometimes the term refers to a sponge cake baked in a small shape.

MARIGOLD, POT:  Flower petals of the hardy annual plant have been used in cooking for hundreds of years. Fresh petals are used as a garnish for salads. A yellow coloring has been made from it as a substitute for saffron. It is used for coloring butter, cheese, cakes, cookies, as well as for making such unusual specialties as marigold buns. The petals give a rather exotic flavor for shellfish dishes, chowders, stews.