A very dark, concentrated flavored vinegar originating in Italy made from grapes. To create the best flavor for the recipes created in this cookbook, use an 18 year old aged balsamic vinegar.

A mixture of one egg with a couple teaspoons of cold water scrambled together with a fork that is used as a brushed on glaze for pastry before baking to add a nice finishing gloss to baked dough.

Known as a type of clarified butter, ghee can be found in the oil section at most grocery stores. Also, ghee can be found in the Indian section at many marketplaces. Ghee is made by cooking butter to seperate the milk solids from the fat. Once the milk solids are removed, the ghee can be kept at room temperature. Ghee is lactose free and can handle high cooking temperatures which make it optimal for sauteing, frying and baking.

A cheese made from goat's milk. There's many different kinds of goat cheese. The recipes in this cookbook use the soft goat cheese you can find in a "log" or ready crumbles in the deli section at most grocery stores.

A very thick lemon preserve made from lemons, eggs, butter and sugar.

A sweet and spicy chutney made with mango, raisins, vinegar, lime juice, onion, sugar and spices. It is usually found in the Indian section at most supermarkets.

Frozen, very thin unleavened dough found in the frozen food section of most grocery stores. Phyllo based recipes are generally made by using many layers of dough with butter or oil brushed between the layers and baked. Make sure you thaw the pastry and keep it damp (cover with a damp towel) while using.

Pre-packaged dough found in the frozen food section at most supermarkets. Once thawed, these rectangular sheets can be rolled into squares, cut into shapes, or made into one large piece by pinching the seams together.

A pre-cooked hard roll of polenta that can be found in the Italian section of most grocery stores.

A mixture of fat (usually butter) and flour used as a base for making sauces.

A whole wheat kernel. Wheatberries can be red or tan in color but the flavor is not noticeably different. They are high in fiber and hold their shape well in cold or cooked dishes. Check the cooking instructions for the best way to cook wheatberries. I like to use a pressure cooker to reduce cooking time.