C

CABERNET 
Variety of red grape, of two main types: Cabernet Franc,grown in the Loire and also Bordeaux; and Cabernet Sauvignon (not to be confused with Sauvignon), main constituent of the finest red wines of Bordeaux.

CABLIAUD
Name for cod (cabillaud).

CACAO
Cocoa (powder).
Crème de cacao: cocoa flavoured liqueur.

CACAHOUETTE/CACAHUÈTE 
Peanut.

CACHIR
Kosher.

CAEN
Capital of Calvados.

CAFÉ
Coffee or coffee-favoured.

CAHORS

Capital of the Lot department in Quercy.

CAlEU (D'ISIGNY) 
A giant variety of mussel which grows naturally at Isigny.

CAILLE
Ouail small bird, usually bred for the table. In the past often prepared with truffles and foie gras as well.
Cailles à la dauphinoise - wrapped in vine leaves and pork fat, roasted, with peas.
Aux raisins - roasted with white grapes.
À la romaine - casseroled with peas, onions and ham.

CAILLE
Curds, of milk, sometimes served with fritters.

CAILLEBOTTE 
Curds. Fresh, soft, white curd cheese, of cow's, goat's or sheep's milk, mild and creamy, often in a rush basket, made by farms and homes; also known as Pigouille when moulded.

CAJASSE
Sweet pastry from Périgord.

CAJOU

Name for cashew nut.

CAKE
Fruit cake.

CALADON
Dry almond cake from Languedoc.

CALISSO(U)N/CANISSOUN 
Marzipan sweet, also known as galichon and galichou.

CALVADOS 
Department and region in Normandie. Cider brandy, produced throughout Normandie and named after the region of origin.

À LA CAMARGUAISE 
In the style of Camargue.
With all or any of wine, brandy, tomatoes, garlic, herbs, orange peel, black olives.

CAMEMBERT 
The well-known cheese, small and circular with mild creamy flavour, said to have been perfected around 1790 by a farmer's wife. Named after a village in Auge.

CAMOMILLE
Camomile. Used in herb teas and vermouth.

CAMPAGNARDE/DU CAMPAGNE 
Countrified.
Omelette campagnarde - thick layered omelette enclosing rounds of fried sausage.

CANAPÉ
Cocktail snack. Piece of bread with titbit on it.

CANARD
Duck.

CANARD SAUVAGE 
Wild duck, mallard, also known as colvert.
Canard sauvage à la navarraise - stewed with sweet peppers and white wine.
À la tyrolienne - stuffed with apples, spit-roasted, with vinegar and redcurrant sauce.

CANCOILLOTTE 
Mixture of ripe Metton cheese, butter, garlic and white wine. From Franche-Comté.

CANETON
Duckling - the usual menu description for duck.

CANETTE
Female duckling.

CANISTRELLI 
Aniseed-flavoured nut cakes.

CANNEBERGE 
Cranberry, small red fruit often made into jelly. Also known as airelle rouge, coussinet and groseille de cheval.

CANNELLE 
Cinnamon, spice.

CANTAL
Department in Auvergne.
Also. Large cylindrical uncooked cheese (AOC), firm and yellow, with faint smell and nutty flavour. Made by mountain farms and dairies in Cantal, also known as Fourme de Cantal.

CANTALOU(P) 
Cantaloupe melon.

CAP CORSE 
Wine-based aperitif made in Corse.

CAPOUNS
Baked cabbage or Swiss chard (blette) stuffed with sausage, rice and cheese.

CAPRES
Capers, pickled flower buds of caper plant. Also known as tapéno.

CARAFE
Carafe, decanter.

CARAMBOT 
Tiny shrimp (crevette).

CARAMEL 
Caramel. Burnt sugar.
Fudge or toffee sweet.

CARAQUE 
Galleon.
Chocolate sponge cake.

CARCASSE 
Carcase.

CARDAMOME 
Cardamom, the spice.

CARDE
Name for rib or chard (blette).

CARDON
Cardoon, like coarse celery and related to thistle (chardon').
Cardons à la moelle (Lyonnais)- baked with bone marrow.
Cardons de Noël in Provence - in white sauce, a Christmas speciality.

CARÊME
Marie-Antoine Carême (1784-1833). Founder of classic French cookery. His name is associated with truffles, foie gras, cockscombs etc. 

CARI
Curry (powder).

CARIGNAN
Garnish of foie gras, asparagus, eggs and Anna potatoes.

CARIGNANE 
Grape variety used in wines of the South of France.

CAROLINE 
Small savoury pastry.

CAROTTE
Carrot. Two names are associated with carrots.
Crécy, as in potage Crécy - carrot soup.
Vichy, as in carottes Vichy - glazed carrots, cooked in water (properly Vichy water) with butter and sugar, sprinkled with parsley.
Carottes en cheveux d'ange - carrot jam.

CAROUBE
Carob bean.

CARPE
Carp, freshwater fish of ponds and rivers, sometimes enormous size.

CARRÉ
Rack, best end of neck, of lamb usually, but also pork and veal.

CARRE DE LEST 
White, creamy cheese similar to Camembert but softer in texture and taste.

CARRÉ DE LILLE 
Dark spice bread.

CARTE
Menu.
A la carte - menu which gives you the freedom to pick and choose, with each item separately priced, as opposed to (and probably more expensive than) menu, that is a fixed price meal.
Carte des vins - wine list.

CASSADE/CASSATE(S) 
Ice cream of two different flavours, with crystallized fruit. From Italian 'cassata'.

CASSE(-E)
Cracked, broken.

CASSEROLE 
Saucepan (rarely casserole dish).

CASSIS
Blackcurrant.
Short for crème de cassis - blackcurrant liqueur, speciality of Dijon. Not to be confused with Cassis.
Cassis - dry white wine made around Cassis in Provence.

CASSOLETTE 
Small portion of food.

CASSONADE 
Soft brown sugar.

CASSOULET 
Stew, essentially of haricot beans and different meats - pork, sausage and preserved goose. Cooked at length in a 'cassole' (earthenware pot), with garlic and herbs. Originally from Toulouse, with different versions including mutton, salt pork, partridge, fresh goose or preserved duck.

CAVE
Cellar, wine cellar.

CAVIAR(E) 
Caviar, sturgeon roe. Mainly of Russian origin, but also produced in Bordelais from sturgeon caught in the Gironde.

CAYENNE
Cayenne pepper.

CÉDRAT
Citron. Large sour citrus fruit grown in Provence and Corse, used in confectionery and liqueurs.

CÉDRATINE 
Citron liqueur, a speciality of Corse.

CÉLERI
Celery. Also short for céleri-rave.

CELERI-RAVE 
Celeriac. Type of celery cultivated for the root.
Céleri rémoulade - shredded, raw, in spicy mayonnaise.
À la sicilienne - in salad with artichokes, apples and tomatoes.

CENDRÉ
Cheese ripened in ashes, often from wine-growing areas.

CENDRILLON
Baked in ashes (e.g. pommes Cendrillon).
Small birds, flattened and grilled, often with truffle sauce.

CÉPAGE
General term for vine variety (e.g. Cabernet, Gamay).

CÈPE
Name for boletus (bolet).

CERF
Red deer.

CERFEUIL
Chervil, herb.
Cerfeuil bulbeux - turnip-rooted chervil, vegetable.

CERISE
Cherry.

CERNEAU 
Green, unripe walnut.

CERVELAS
Saveloy - smooth pork sausage originally made with brains (cervelles), large and lightly smoked. Usually poached, eaten hot or cold.

CHABI / CHABICHOU 
Small, cone-shaped goat's milk cheese, with strong smell and flavour, made by farms and dairies; also known as Cabrichiu, Cajassous, Chaunay, Civray and Cujassou. From Poitou.

CHABLIS
One of the most famous dry white wines.

CHABRIS
Brand of Valençay cheese.

CHAI
Wine and spirit cellar, especially in Bordelais.

CHAMBÉRY 
Capital of Savoie.
One of the best and driest vermouths (AC), with a herby aroma, made around Chambéry.

CHAMONIX 
Town in Savoie.
Pommes (de terre) Chamonix - dauphine potatoes with cheese.

CHAMPAGNE 
Province covering the departments of Marne, Ardennes, Aube and Haute-Marne. 

À LA CHAMPENOISE 
In the style of Champagne.

CHAOURCE 
Small cylindrical cheese (AOC) - white, soft, creamy, with fruity flavour. Made by dairies around Chaource.

CHAPELURE 
Breadcrumbs.

CHAPON 
Capon, castrated cock. In practice interchangeable with poularde and poulet.

CHARBON
Coal, charcoal.
Au charbon de bois - grilled over charcoal.

CHARBONNÉ (-E) 
Description for goat's milk cheeses dusted with charcoal to turn them blue.

CHARCUTERIE 
Prepared and cooked pork - hams, sausages, boudins, pâtés, brawns, knuckles. Shop selling such products, run by a charcutier.

À LA CHARCUTIERE 
In the style of the charcutier.
Sauce charcutière - piquant sauce of white wine, vinegar, shallots, mustard and gherkins, for pork. With charcuterie.

CHARDONNAY
Variety of white grape, also known as Pinot Chardonnay. Used to make Chablis and the fine white wines of Côte de Beaune, and essential to Champagne.

À LA CHARENTAISE 
In the style of Charentes.
Charentais - Charentais melon, originally from Charentes.

CHARENTES
Region covering the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime, the same area as the provinces of Angoumois, Aunis and Saintonge. 

CHARIOT
Trolley, of hors d'oeuvres or desserts.

CHARLOTTE 
Hot fruit pudding, usually of apples, baked in a mould lined with buttered bread. Known in France and England in the 18th century.

CHAROL (L) AIS 
Region in Bourgogne.
Breed of cattle with distinctive pale coats, considered excellent beef, originally from Charlollais.
Dry goat's milk cheese - farm-made in Charollais, also known as Autun.

À LA CHAROL (L) AISE
In the style of Charolais. Garnish of puréed turnips and cauliflower.

CHARTREUSE 
Carthusian. Liqueur made by Carthusian monks in the Massif de la Chartreuse (where the Carthusian order was founded in the 11th century) in Dauphine. A secret recipe of brandy-based drink with herbs and plants, in 2 colours.

CHASSELAS 
Variety of white table grape.

CHÂTAIGNE 
Chestnut, also known as marron.

CHÂTEAU
Castle.

CHATEAUBRIAND/CHÂTEAUBRIANT
The thickest part of the fillet of beef, usually for two people, often grilled, garnished with pommes château, and served with sauce chateaubr-and (white wine, shallot and herb sauce).

CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 
New castle of the Pope. Village in Vaucluse, so named from its 14th-century castle built for the Popes of Avignon. They too were responsible for the original vineyards, which now produce the most famous red wine (AC) of the Rhône, as well as a small amount of fine white wine.

CHAUD (-E) 
Warm, hot. Heat.

CHAUDÉ
Large plum tart.

CHAUDEU 
Orange-flavoured tart in Nice.

CHAUDRON 
Cauldron, kettle.

CHAUDRONNEE 
Kettleful.

CHAUSSON 
Puff pastry turnover with sweet or savoury filling.

CHEF
Chef, short for chef de cuisine. Head of the kitchen. A dish described as du chef should be a speciality of the restaurant.

CHEMISE
Shirt.

CHENIN BLANC
Variety of white grape, important in the Loire. Also known as Pineau de la Loire.

CHEVAL (pl. CHEVAUX) 
Horse. Horse meat.

CHEVALIER
Knight.

CHÈVRE
Goat. Short for fromage de chèvre. Goat's milk cheese.

CHEVROTIN DU BOURBONNAIS 
Cone-shaped, goat's milk cheese, eaten fresh or semi-dry, creamy to strong in taste. Farm-made, also known as (Chevrotin de) Conne and Chevrotin de Moulins / de Souvigny.

CHEZ NOUS 
At our place.
La tarte de chez-nous - our own special home-made flan.

CHICHI FRÉGI
Small round sweet fritter from Provence.

CHICON
Name sometimes given to chicory (endive). Also to cos lettuce (laitue romaine).

CHICORÉE (FRISÉE) 
Curly endive. In English, called chicory. In the USA - salad green like a frizzy lettuce.
Chicorée can also be applied to Batavian endive or escarole, properly scarole. Moelle de chicorée - stumps of curly endive, also known as gourilos.
Chicore sauvage - wild chicory, including the varieties barbe de capucin and pain de sucre.
Chicorée à café - chicory (root), used as an addition to or substitute for coffee.

CHIFFONNADE 
Preparation of vegetables, especially sorrel or lettuce, cut into thin strips or ribbons, often added to clear soups.
Sometimes means a green pea soup.

CHINE/CHINOIS(-E) 
China/ Chinese. Chinois. Small candied orange.

À LA CHINONAISE 
In Chinese style.

CHIP
Pommes (de terre) chip(s)- hot or cold potato crisps.

CHOCART
Apple pastry in Bretagne.

CHOCOLAT 
Chocolate.
Un chocolat - a cup of hot chocolate, a common alternative to coffee at breakfast.
Chocolat à croquer - plain chocolate.
Chocolate au lait - milk chocolate.
De ménage/à cuire - cooking chocolate.
Chocolt en poudre - drinking chocolate.

CHOIX
Choice, selection (e.g. omelette aux choix). Choice, fine.

CHOLANDE AUX POMMES 
Apple tart.

CHOPE
Beer mug. Glass of beer.

CHOQUART 
Cinnamon and apple pastry in Bretagne.

CHORIZO
Highly seasoned sausage, of Spanish origin in Pays Basque.

CHORLATTE 
Stuffed baked cabbage balls in Bourgogne.

CHOU
Cabbage.

CHOUCROUTE 
Pickled, fermented white cabbage, like the German 'Sauerkraut', processed commercially and sold throughout France typical in Alsace and Champagne.
Eaten cold or hot, usually cooked in pork or goose fat with onion juniper berries, white wine or kirsch.
Choucroute garni - with any or all of sausages, bacon, pork, fresh or smoked goose, potatoes.
Choucroute royale with Champagne.

CHOUÉE
Boiled, buttered cabbage, sometimes with boiled potatoes from.

CHOU-FLEUR 
Cauliflower.

CHOU-NAVET 
Swede, also known as rutabaga.

CHOU-RAVE 
Kohlrabi, delicately-flavoured, with round swollen stem.

CHOU ROUGE
Red cabbage.

CHOUX DE BRUXELIES 
Brussels sprouts

CIBOULE
Spring onion.

CIBOULETTE 
Chives, the herb; also known as appétit, cives and civette

CIGARE
Cigar. Name for grey mullet (mulet).

CITRON
Lemon. Not to be confused with lime (also known as citron vert), nor with cédrat - citron.
Citron pressé - fresh lemon juice, served as a drink with sugar.

CITRONNADE 
Lemon squash.

CITRONNÉ (-E) 
Lemon-flavoured.

CIVET
Rich stew of hare or venison, with wine, bacon, vegetables, and the sauce thickened with the blood of the animal.

CIVETTE
Name for chives (ciboulette).

CLAFOUTI(S) (AUX CERISES) 
Batter cake with black cherries. Traditionally given to grape harvesters.

CLAIRET
Light. Very light style of red wine, made in Bordeaux, Bourgogne and elsewhere.

CLAIRETTE 
Variety of white grape grown in the South of France.
Name for lamb's lettuce (mâche).

CLAM
Name for clam (palourde).

CLÉMENTINE 
Clementine, small citrus fruit.

À LA CLERMONT 
With cabbage rolls and salt pork or with chestnuts and onions.

CLOS
Enclosure.
Orchard, of apple trees.
Vineyard, originally walled, especially in Bourgogne.

CLOU DE GIROFLE 
Clove, the spice.

COCHON
Pig. Cochon de lait Saint- Fortunat - roast sucking pig stuffed with its liver, barley, herbs, sausages and chestnuts.

COCHON DE MER 
Triggerfish (baliste).

COCHONNADE/COCHONNAILLE 
Pork products.

COCKTAIL
Cocktail (party). Mixture. Sometimes means tiny, miniature.

COCO
Coconut, also known as noix de coco.
Local name for haricot bean.

COCOTTE
Casserole (e.g. poulet en cocotte: pot-roasted, casseroled chicken).
Small round dish, especially for oeufs en cocotte: eggs lightly cooked and served in cocotte dishes, often with cream.

COEUR
Heart, core.

COGNAC
Town in Charentes which has given its name to the world's most famous brandy, distilled from white wine grown in a strictly defined area, with the AC Cognac. The vineyards cover most of the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime and some of the offshore islands, but it is around Cognac itself that the finest brandy is pro-duced.

COING
Quince, like small tart apple, used in confectionery, especially for cotignac. Also known as codonat. Also fruit brandy made from quinces.

COINTREAU 
Colourless orange-flavoured liqueur, made at Angers by the firm of Cointreau.

COLIN
Hake, also known as saumon blanc, merlu(che). merlan, and canapé.

COLOMBE
Dove.

COLOMBINE 
Savoury croquette with outer layer of semolina and Parmesan cheese.

COLZA
Colza. See huile.

COMMANDE 
Order.
A la commande - cooked in the way you ask.
Sur commande - cooked to order.

COMMANDER 
To order (a meal).

COMMUN (-E) 
Common, usual.

COMPLET (COMPLÈTE) 
Complete, whole. Full.

COMPOSÉ (-E) 
Compound.

COMPOTE
Compote, stewed fruit, usually served cold.

COMPOTIER 
Fruit bowl, dish.

COMTÉ
County.
Also short for Franche-Comté.
Large round cheese (AOC), cooked, ripened 3-4 months,with slightly holey interior and fruity flavour. Also known as Gruyère de Comté, made in Franche-Comté.

COMTESSE 
Countess.
Crème comtesse - cream of asparagus soup.

CONCASSE (-E) 
Crushed ground. Of tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and coarsely chopped, used as a garnish or in salads.

CONCOMBRE 
Cucumber.
Concombres a la dijonnaise - stewed with oil, vinegar and mustard, as a first course.

CONFÉRENCE 
Conference pear.

CONFISERIE 
Confectionery, sweets. Confectioner's shop.

CONFIT (-E) 
Preserved. Candied, crystallized, especially of fruit.

CONFITURE
Jam, fruit preserve. Confiture d'oranges - orange marmalade.

CONSERVE 
Preserve, conserve. Tinned.

CONSOMMATIONS 
Drinks, snacks, ordered in a café.

CONSOMMÉ 
Clear soup, usually of beef, game or poultry and garnished with vegetables, herbs, pasta etc.
Consommé en gelée - cold jellied clear soup.

COQ
Cock, cockerel, in practice interchangeable with poularde and poulet.

COQ DE MER 
Name for box crab (calappe).

COQUE
Shell.

COQUELICOT 
Name for poppy (pavot).

COQUILLAGES 
General term for shellfish.

COQUILLE SAINT-JACQUES 
Scallop, shellfish with white flesh and orange coral.

CORDE
Sweet pastry.

CORDON BLEU/ROUGE 
Blue/red ribbon. The cordon bleu was originally awarded to female chefs.

CORIANDRE
Coriander.

CORNET
Cornet. Thin slice of ham, tongue. etc, rolled into a cornet and stuffed.
Cornet de jambon|d'York - of ham, also known as filet d'Anvers. Cornet-shaped pastry.
Cornet de glace - ice cream cornet. Horn shell, small shellfish; also known as escargot de mer.

CORNETTE 
Bitter salad green with crisp leaves.

CORNICE
Sweet pastry like a croissant in Bretagne.

CORNICHON
Gherkin.

CORNIOTTE 
Triangular cream cheese pastry in Bourgogne.

CORS
Corsica, French Mediterranean island, divided into the departments Corse du Sud and Haute-Corse.

COSSE
Pod, of peas, beans.

CÔTE
Rib.
Côte de boeuf - rib of beef, also known as train de côtes. Rib of a vegetable, particularly chard (blette).

COTELETTE
Cutlet, especially of lamb and mutton, as in the following examples.

COU
Neck.

COUCHE
Layer, bed. See also champignon.

COUENNES (DE PORC) 
Pork rinds, used in stews.

COULIS
Thick sauce or purée (e.g. coulis de tomates).

COULOMMIERS 
Creamy white cheese, similar to Brie de Coulommiers but smaller. Made by farms and factories around Coulommiers and elsewhere.
Demi-Coulommiers - smaller version.
Coulommiers Frais - soft fresh cream cheese.

COUPE
Dish, glass. Ice cream served in a coupe with fruit soaked in liqueur.
Coupe Jacques - lemon and strawberry ice cream, with fruit steeped in kirsch.

COUQUE
Small sweet brioche. Gingerbread. From the Dutch 'kock'-cake or something baked.

COURGE
General name for squash.

COURGETTE 
Courgette, baby marrow, zucchini.
Courgettes à la mentonnaise - baked, stuffed with spinach, cheese and garlic.
À la nicoise - sliced, fried with tomatoes and garlic.

COURONNE 
Crown.
Ring-shaped loaf.
Couronne de côtelettes rôties - crown roast of lamb.
Brioche en couronne - ring-shaped brioche.

COURT-BOUILLON 
Aromatic broth of vegetables, herbs and white wine or vinegar, mainly for poaching fish and seafood.

COURT (E)
Short.
Soupe courte (Provence)- mutton cutlets with onions, garlic, tomatoes and pasta.

COUSCOUS 
Semolina steamed over lamb or chicken and vegetable stew, usually with hot pimento sauce. North African origin.

COUSSINET 
Cushion. Name for cranberry (canneberge).

COUTEAU 
Knife.

COUVERT
Cover charge.
Couvert gratuit - no cover charge.
Couvert, vin et service compris - price includes cover charge, wine and service. Place, table setting.

COUVERTURE 
Cover.
Fine-grade pure chocolate.

CRABE
Crab.

CRAMIQUE
Raisin bun or loaf.

À LA CRAPAUDINE 
Spatchcocked, flattened (like a toad), and grilled. Often served with sauce diable.

CRAQUELIN 
Cracker, biscuit.
Oval brioche.
Light pastry, sometimes stuffed with apple.

CRÉMANT
Creaming.
Fully sparkling, the same as mousseux but not Champagne (e.g. Crémant d'Alsace, Crémant de Bourgogne, Crémant de Loire).

CRÈME
Cream, in various senses. Cream from the cow.
Crème Chantilly - stiffly whipped cream, sweetened and flavoured with vanilla or liqueur.
Crème fleurette - light cream, similar to whipping cream.
Crème fouettée - whipped cream.
Crème fraîche - slightly soured cream.
À la crème - in a cream sauce, with cream.

CRÉPAZE
Pancake layered with ham and cream, sprinkled with cheese.

CREPE
Large thin pancake, sweet of savoury, made of wheat flour (as opposed to galette).

CREVETTE 
Shrimp, prawn. Crevette grise - shrimp.

CRISPÉ
Fried bread dumplings in Périgord.

CROISSANT 
Crescent.
Crescent-shaped light yeast pastry for breakfast.

CROQUANT (-E)
Crisp, crunchy.
Almond petit four.
Honey biscuit in Auvergne and Limousin.

À LA CROQUE AU SEL
Eaten raw, seasoned with salt (e.g. artichauts).

CROQUEMBOUCHE 
Crisp-in-mouth. Elaborate tall cone of choux puffs filled with cream or custard, coated with caramel, traditional at weddings.
Cream-filled choux bun.

CROQUE-MADAME 
Toasted cheese sandwich filled with ham and fried egg.

CROQUE-MONSIEUR 
Toasted cheese sandwich filled with ham.

CROQUET
Crisp almond biscuit.
Type of croquette, usually made of noodle paste.

CROQUETTE
Small cylinder of food, egg-and-breadcrumbed and deep-fried. Either savoury, of potatoes or other vegetables, rice, pasta, cheese, meat, poultry, fish, or sweet, usually of fruit.

CROTTIN (DE CHAVIGNOL) 
AOC cheese (from goat's milk. Small, dry with sharp smell and taste, becoming more pronounced in autumn. Made in farms and dairies around Chavignol.

CROUSTADE 
Deep shell, made of pastry, bread, potato, rice or semolina, and filled, usually savoury.

CROUSTILLANT (-E) 
Crisp, crunchy.

CROUSTILLE 
Very thinly sliced fried potato.

CROUTE
Crust.
Slice of bread, hollowed out for filling or as an open sandwich.
Pastry case.

CROÜTON
Small cube or other shape of fried bread, used in soups, stews, salads or as a garnish.

CROZES-HERMITAGE 
Red and white wines (AC) grown around the hill of Hermitage on the Rhône.

CRU
Growth, in the usual translation.
In wine terms it is vineyard of special quality, often officially classified cru classé.
Cru - raw, uncooked (e.g. jambon cru).

CRUDITÉS
Selection of raw vegetables as a first course with cold sauces, dips and mayonnaises.

CRUSTACES
Crustaceans like crabs, lobsters, shrimps etc.

CUILLER/CUILLERE 
Spoon, spoonful.

CUIRE
To cook.

CUISINE
Cooking; kitchen.

CUISSE
Thigh.
Cuisse de poulet - chicken drumstick.
Cuisses de grenouilles - frogs’ legs.

CUISSON
Cooking. Cooking liquid (e.g. stock).

CULTIVATEUR 
Farmer's style.

CULTIVÉ(-E) 
Cultivated.

CUMIN
Caraway seed or cummin.

CURAÇAO
Orange-flavoured liqueur. Dutch in origin but also made in Northern France.

CURCUMA
Turmeric.

CURNONSKY 
Pseudonym of Maurice-Edmond Sailland (1872-1956), author of La France gastronomique in 32 volumes.

CUVÉE
Contents of a vat. Special selection or blend of wines.

Inspired by a dear book to me I discovered in Le Prieure Bourg Charente
The taste of France. A dictionary of French food & Wine
Published in 1982