Baba – small cake made from enriched yeast dough
Bacalao – dried, salt cod (Spanish)
Baghar – a melange of spices, herbs, oil, and vegetables (Indian)
Bagna Cauda – Warm dip made of anchovies, olive oil, and garlic (Italian)
Bain-Marie – to cook in water, to keep food hot in a water bath
Baked Alaska – dessert of sponge cake topped with ice cream and meringue
Baking powder – leavening agent combining acid with bicarbonate of soda
Baking soda – leavening agent used in baking powder
Baklava – a sweet dessert made of layers of flaky pastry with nuts
Ballotine – stuffed boneless game or domestic bird
Bamboo shoots – tender spear-shaped shoots used in stir-fries
Bangers – a British colloquial term for sausages
Bard – To wrap thin sheets of fat around lean meat
Barding – practice of wrapping lean cuts with back fat
Barfi – Sweet fudge dessert flavoured with saffron (Indian)
Baron – mutton or lamb; the saddle with legs attached
Barquette – small oval pastry shell with sweet or savoury fillings
Basil – quintessential Mediterranean herb
Basmati rice – fragrant, nutty, Indian long-grained white rice
Basquaise – food prepared in the Basque style
Baste – To brush drippings over food whilst cooking
Batter – liquid dough, usually thin enough to pour
Bavarian Cream – Cream made with pastry cream lightened with whipped cream
Bean curd (Tofu) – soft cheese-like paste made from soya bean liquid
Bean Sprouts – Highly nutritious sprouted green gram
Béarnaise – Most notable hollandaise sauce variation with tarragon
Béchamel – basic white sauce; one of the five mother sauces
Beef Negimaki – Thin-sliced beef rolls wrapped around scallions (Japanese)
Beef Teriyaki – Broiled beef served with teriyaki sauce (Japanese)
Beignet – French term for a type of doughnut
Belle Hélène – Best known as poached pears with ice cream and chocolate sauce
Beurre – Butter (French)
Beurre Blanc – Emulsified sauce made of a wine reduction blended with butter
Beurre Manié – a mixture of flour and butter used to thicken sauces
Bhaaji – general Indian term to describe vegetables
Bhakri – Unleavened flatbread made from sorghum flour (Indian)
Bharta – spicy, pulpy, mashed vegetable dish (Indian)
Bhel Puri – Mixture of puffed rice, lentils, onions, and chutneys (Indian)
Bhunao – To sauté or stir-fry in Indian style
Bind – To thicken a hot liquid or sauce
Biryani – an elaborate Indian dish made from spiced saffron rice
Biscotti – dry Italian cookies flavoured with almonds, chocolate, or anise
Bisque – rich shellfish soup made with shells
Black Bean Sauce – Chinese marinade of fermented salted black beans
Black Pudding – British blood sausage
Blanch – cooking foods in boiling water briefly, then shocking in ice water
Blanquette – Stew of white meats without initial browning
Blini – small pancakes made of buckwheat flour (Russian)
Blintz – stuffed crepe or thin pancake
Bok Choy – Chinese cabbage with long white stalks
Bollito Misto – Italian stew of various cuts of meat
Bolognese – pasta meat sauce often made with wine and tomatoes
Bonito – tuna flakes, dried, smoked and sometimes fermented seasoning (Japanese)
Boquerónes – Fresh white anchovies marinated in vinegar (Spanish)
Bordelaise – a brown sauce that includes shallots and red wine
Borscht – a rich soup from Eastern Europe containing beets or cabbage
Boston Rolls – Sushi roll with nori, rice, scallions, crab, and salmon
Boti Kabab – Marinated boneless cubes of meat cooked in a tandoor (Indian)
Boudin Noir – blood sausage, or black pudding
Bouillabaisse – a rich fish stew from southern France with saffron
Bouillon – reduced meat stock
Bouquet Garni – Sachet of herbs containing parsley, thyme, and bay leaf
Bourguignonne – Foods cooked in the Burgundy style with red wine
Braise – a cooking method involving browning meat first, then slow cooking in liquid
Brandade – purée of salt cod mixed with olive oil and potatoes
Bread – make your favourite loaf, make breadcrumbs
Bresaola – cured and dried beef fillet from Italy
Brioche – very rich bread with butter and eggs
Brochette – skewers of meat, fish, or vegetables grilled over flame
Grill – to cook directly under or above a high heat
Broth – liquid made by simmering meats, fish, or vegetables
Brown quickly sear food, especially meat, to enhance flavour
Brunoise – vegetables cut into fine dice
Bruschetta – garlic and olive oil toasted bread with toppings
Bulgur – cracked wheat made from a whole kernel
Butter – cooking fat made from cream containing a minimum 80% butterfat
Butterfly – To cut food down centre but not completely through
Buttermilk – Originally by-product of butter making