Culinary Terminology - P

Pâtissier: pastry chef, or the person responsible for all breads, pastries and desserts. For a job description, click here: http://www.apprenticesearch.com/fpTrades/patissier.asp

Prix fixe: a fixed price, or predetermined price for a complete meal, also known as table d'hôte.

Purée: a smooth pulp, or the action of processing food to a smooth pulp. Purée de pommes de terre = mashed potatoes. Seriously.

Paysanne: another one of those cuts that we have to master for the knife skills test. Paysanne is a flat cut.

Poisson: fish. Can also be used for capelin, plaice or poor cod (types of fish). How to remember? Puffer fish = poison.

Poissonier: Ah.....the fishmonger. Or, in our case, the chef occupied with all things fish. http://www.caterersearch.com/Articles/2005/04/27/42498/Chef+de+partie.htm

Pommes: Apples.

Pommes de terre: Potatoes, or literally "apples of the earth".

Potage: a thick, often creamy soup. For a recipe, see here: http://freezerflush.blogspot.com/2006/03/potage-with-chorizo.html

Potager: the station, or chef, responsible for soups and stocks. Incidentally, a potager is also the name for a French kitchen garden: http://www.southernaccents.com/accents/gardens/design/article/0,14743,613889,00.html

Poulet: Chicken. You'll be surprised, you probably know enough French by now to be able to follow this simple recipe for roast chicken: http://www.linternaute.com/femmes/cuisine/recette/305213/1111242014/poulet_roti.shtml