Jack - 
A fish family of over 200 species, including pompano, amberjack, bar jack , blue runner, crevalle jack, green jack, horse mackerel (not a true mackerel), rainbow runner, rudderfish, trevally, yellow jack and yellowtail. Although some jack species aren`t particularly good to eat, many - particularly pompano - are considered excellent and have a rich, firm, delicately flavored flesh. Jacks are found around the world in the Atlantic, Mediterranean and Pacific

Jackfruit - 
This huge relative of the breadfruit and fig can weigh up to 100 pounds. Spiny and oval or oblong-shaped, the tropical jackfruit grows in parts of Africa, Brazil and Southeast Asia. When green, both its flesh and edible seeds are included in curried dishes. Ripe jackfruit has a bland, sweet flavor and is generally used for desserts. In the United States, jackfruit is only available canned.

Jagermeister - 
[YAH-ger-mice-ter] A 70-proof German liqueur that`s a complex blend of 56 herbs, fruits and spices. Serving Jagermeister (which means "hunt master") icy cold helps tame its assertive herbal flavor.

Jalapeno chile - 
[hah-lah-PEH-nyoh] Named after Jalapa, the capital of Veracruz, Mexico, these smooth, dark green (scarlet red when ripe) chiles range from hot to very hot. They have a rounded tip and are about 2 inches long and 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. Besides their flavor, jalapenos are quite popular because they`re so easily seeded (the seeds and veins are extremely hot). They`re available fresh and canned and are used in a variety of sauces, sometimes stuffed with cheese, fish or meat, and in a multitude of dishes. In their dried form, jalapenos are known as chipotles.

Jalousie - 
[JAL-uh-see, ZHAH-loo-zee, zhah-loo-ZEE] A small cake made with flaky pastry, filled with a layer of almond paste topped with jam. A latticed pastry topping allows the colorful jam filling to peek through.

Jam - 
A thick mixture of fruit, sugar (and sometimes pectin) that is cooked until the pieces of fruit are very soft and almost formless. It is used as a bread spread, a filling for pastries and cookies and an ingredient for various desserts.

Jamaican hot chile - 
As the name indicates, this bright red chile is extremely hot. It`s small (1 to 2 inches in diameter) and has a distorted, irregular shape. Jamaican hots are often used in curried dishes and condiments.

Jambalaya - 
[juhm-buh-LI-yah, jam-buh-LI-yah] One of creole cookery`s hallmarks, jambalaya is a versatile dish that combines cooked rice with a variety of ingredients including tomatoes, onion, green peppers and almost any kind of meat, poultry or shellfish. The dish varies widely from cook to cook. It`s thought that the name derives from the French jambon, meaning "ham", the main ingredient in many of the first jambalayas.

Jambon - 
[zhan , -BAWN ] French for "ham". Jambon fume is smoked ham, jambon cru is raw ham.

Jambon persille - 
[zham , -BAWN pehr-see-YAY] A molded dish of strips or cubes of cooked ham and chopped parsley held together with a meat-wine gelatin. It is served chilled and, when cut into slices, resembles a colorful red-and-green mosaic.

Jardiniere, a la - 
[jahr-duh-NIHR, zhahr-dee-NYEHR] The French term referring to a dish garnished with vegetables, which are served in individual groups arranged around the main dish.

Jarlsberg cheese - 
[YAHRLZ-berg] This mild Swiss-style cheese has large irregular holes. It hails from Norway and has a yellow-wax rind and semifirm yellow interior. The texture is buttery rich and the flavor mild and slightly sweet. It`s an all-purpose cheese that`s good both for cooking and for eating as a snack.

Jasmine rice; jasmin rice - 
An aromatic rice from Thailand that has a flavor and fragrance comparable to the expensive basmati rice from India, at a fraction of the cost.

Jell - 
To congeal a food substance, often with the aid of gelatin.

Jelly - 
1. A clear, bright mixture made from fruit juice, sugar and sometimes pectin. The texture is tender but will be firm enough to hold its shape when turned out of its container. Jelly is used as a bread spread and as a filling for some cakes and cookies. 2. In Britain, jelly is the term used for gelatin dessert

Jelly bean - 
This small, brightly colored, egg-shaped candy has a chewy, gelatinous texture and a hard candy coating. Jelly beans come in many flavors including lime, orange, licorice, cherry, chocolate, banana, etc. Jelly Bellies is a brand name that is now used generically to describe a miniature (about 1/2-inch-long) jelly bean. They come in many more exotic flavors such as piña colada, pink lemonade, chocolate fudge-mint, etc.

Jelly roll - 
Known since the mid-1800s, jelly rolls are cakes made of a thin sheet of sponge cake, spread with jam or jelly (and sometimes whipped cream or frosting) and rolled up. This type of cake is traditionally sprinkled with confectioners` sugar, rather than being frosted. When cut, jelly rolls have an attractive pinwheel design. The British term for jelly roll is Swiss roll .

Jerky - 
Also called jerked meat, jerky is meat (usually beef) that is cut into long, thin strips and dried (traditionally by the sun). Jerky was a popular staple with early trappers, just as it is with today`s backpackers because it keeps almost indefinitely and is light and easy to transport. It`s quite tough and salty but is very flavorful and high in protein.

Jewfish - 
Found off the coast of Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico, the true jewfish is a member of the grouper family and can weigh up to 750 pounds. (Giant sea bass are also sometimes referred to as jewfish.) Its firm, white meat is usually sold in steaks and fillets. Jewfish can be cooked in any manner suitable for grouper.

Jigger - 
1. Also called a shot or shot glass, a jigger is a small drinking glass-shaped container that usually holds about 1 1/2 ounces, but can also be a 1- or 2-ounce size. It`s generally used to measure liquor. 2. The term is also used to describe the quantity of liquid such a measure holds, as in "a jigger of whiskey".

John Dory - 
Found in European waters, this incredibly odd-looking fish has an oval, flat body and a large, spiny head. The John Dory`s flesh is delicate and mild and can be cooked in a variety of ways including grilling, sauteing and poaching. It`s rarely exported to the United States, but porgy may be substituted for any recipe calling for John Dory.

Jonathan apple - 
The spicy fragrance of this bright red apple is to some just as seductive as its juicy, sweet-tart flavor. The Jonathan is in season from September through February. This all-purpose apple is great for out-of-hand eating, and for pies, applesauce and other cooked dishes. It doesn`t fare well, however, when used as a baking apple.

Jordan almond - 
This large, plump almond is imported from Spain and sold plain as well as encased in hard pastel candy coatings of various colors.

Juicer - 
A manual or electric kitchen device used to extract the juice from fruit, and with some models, vegetables. Most of those used strictly for juicing citrus fruits have a ridged cone onto which a halved fruit is pressed. An old-fashioned form of this tool is the reamer, a ridged, teardrop-shaped tool with a handle. A reamer is used primarily for citrus fruits.

Jujube - 
[JOO-joo-bee] A tiny fruit-flavored candy with a hard, gelatinous texture.

Julienne - 
[joo-lee-EHN, zhoo-LYEHN] n. Foods that have been cut into thin, matchstick strips. The food (such as a potato) is first cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices. The slices are stacked, then cut into 1/8-inch-thick strips. The strips may then be cut into whatever length is desired. If the object is round, cut a thin slice from the bottom so it will sit firmly and not roll on the work surface. Julienne is most often used as a garnish. julienne v. To cut food into very thin strips.

Jumble; jumbal - 
Dating back to early America, this delicate, crisp, ring-shaped cookie was particularly popular in the 1800s. It`s like a thin, rich sugar cookie, often made with sour cream and, formerly, scented with rose water. Jumbles can also be made with other flavorings such as orange zest or grated coconut.

Juniper berry - 
These astringent blue-black berries are native to both Europe and America. Juniper berries are too bitter to eat raw and are usually sold dried and used to flavor meats, sauces, stuffings, etc. They`re generally crushed before use to release their flavor.

Jus - 
[ZHOO] The French word for "juice," which can refer to both fruit and vegetable juices, as well as the natural juices exuded from meat. Jus de citron is "orange juice," while jus de viande means "juices from meat." A dish (usually meat) that is served au jus is presented with its own natural juices.