SABAYON (sah-bah-YAWN) - The french name for Zabaglione from Italy. It is a dessert made by whisking together egg yolks, wine (traditionally Marsala), and sugar. This beating is done over simmering water so that the egg yolks cook as they thicken into a light foamy custard. Traditional Zabaglione must be made just before serving and the warm froth can be served either as a dessert by itself, or as a sauce over cakes, fruit, ice-cream or pastry.

SALSA (SAHL-sah) - The Mexican word for "sauce," and can signify cooked or fresh mixtures. Salsa cruda is "uncooked salsa"; salsa verde is "green salsa," which is typically based on tomatoes, green chiles etc. A broad selection of salsas — fresh, canned or in jars — is available and they can range in spiciness from mild to mouth-searing.

SARLADAISE () - The 'mashed potato' of south west France, Sarladaise is served in every one of Sarlat's 67 restaurants. Ubiquitous to the point of exhaustion this filling local staple is, nevertheless, fantastic if made well. Basically, the dish is just potatoes and garlic sautéed in duck or goose fat, but, of course, you could use olive oil for a healthier alternative.

SESAME (SEHS-uh-mee) - History tells us that sesame seed is the first recorded seasoning, dating back to 3000 b.c. Assyria. It grows widely in India and throughout the Orient. The seeds were brought to America by African slaves, who called it benné (pronounced BEHN-nee) seed , and it subsequently became very popular in Southern cooking. These tiny, flat seeds come in shades of brown, red and black, but those most commonly found are a pale grayish-ivory. Sesame seed has a nutty, slightly sweet flavor that makes it versatile enough for use in baked goods such as breads, pastries, cakes and cookies, in confections like the Middle Eastern "Halvah" and in salads and other savoury dishes.

SHALLOT (SHAL-oht) - The name comes from Ascalon, an ancient Palestinian city. The 2 main types are the "Jersey" or 'false', the larger of the two, and the more subtly flavoured 'true' shallot. Fresh green ones are available in the spring and have a mild onion flavour.

SHANK - The front leg of beef, veal, lamb or pork. Though very flavorful, it's full of connective tissue and is some of the toughest meat on the animal. It therefore requires a long, slow cooking method such as braising or slow roasting.

SKORDALIA (skor-dahl-YAH) - A Greek sauce or dip made with pureed baked potatoes, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar, parsley and sometimes bread crumbs or ground nuts. Skordalia is served with various dishes including grilled meats, poultry and fish, soups and as a dip for raw vegetables and/or bread.

SORBET (sor-BAY) - A french word for "sherbet", which Italians call sorbetto. Sorbet is sometimes distinguished from sherbet by the fact that it never contains milk and has a softer consistency. Savoury or lightly sweetened sorbets are customarily served either as a palate refresher between courses or as dessert. They are sometimes also referred to as Ices or Granitas .

SORREL (SOR-uhl) - A variety of hardy perennial herb belonging to the buckwheat family. The most strongly flavored of the sorrels is the garden or belleville sorrel, also called sour dock and sour grass . The mildest variety is dock sorrel, also called spinach dock and herb patience dock . As all sorrel matures it becomes more acidic. Sorrel leaves are shaped much like those of spinach and range from pale to dark green in color and from 2 to 12 inches in length. Fresh sorrel should be chosen for its bright green, crisp leaves. The more acidic sorrels are used to flavor cream soups, pureed as accompaniments for meats and vegetables or used in omelets and breads. In the spring, when at its youngest and mildest, sorrel is used in salads or cooked as a vegetable. It's high in vitamin A and contains some calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and vitamin C.

SOUFFLE (soo-FLAY) - A light, airy mixture that usually begins with a thick egg yolk-based sauce or puree lightened by stiffly beaten egg whites. Soufflés may be savoury or sweet, hot or cold. Baked soufflés are much more fragile than those that are chilled or frozen because the hot air trapped in the soufflé begins to escape (causing the mixture to deflate) as soon as the dish is removed from the oven. Savoury soufflés are usually served as a main dish, are almost always hot and can be made with a variety of ingredients including cheese, meat, fish or vegetables. Dessert soufflés may be baked, chilled or frozen and are most often flavoured with fruit purees, chocolate, lemon or liqueurs. They are customarily baked in a classic soufflé dish, which is round and has straight sides to facilitate the soufflé's rising. .

STAR ANISE (star-anees) - A star-shaped, dark brown pod that contains a pea-sized seed in each of its eight segments, it is native to China, and comes from a small evergreen tree. Although the flavour of its seeds is derived from anethol (the same oil that gives Anise seed its pronounced flavour), Star Anise has a different heritage — the magnolia family. Its flavour is slightly more bitter than that of regular anise seed. In Asian cuisines, Star Anise is a commonly used spice and tea flavouring. It's also widely used to flavour liqueurs and baked goods in Western cultures.

STROGANOFF (STROH-guh-noffs) - Named after the 19th- century Russian diplomat Count Paul Stroganov, this dish consists of thin slices of tender beef (usually Tenderloin or Top Loin), onions and sliced mushrooms, all quickly sautéed in butter and combined with a sour-cream sauce. Stroganoff is often accompanied by Pilau Rice.