Dictionary
Spanish Words Useful While Eating Out or Hiking in Tijuana
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Interested in seeing beautiful photographs from some of the unusual ingredients of some of the regional dishes of Mexico - like Huitlacoche? Click here to check out the definitive gourmet Mexican cookbook with recipies from all parts of Mexico. |
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Even if you speak Spanish but haven't been spent time dining in Tijuana, you may have trouble with some words used regionally. Print this page out and take it with you! |
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| Aderezo - | - Salad dressing |
| Agujas - | - Ribs |
| Ajo - (ah-ho) | - Garlic. |
| Aleta - | - Small wing or fin. "aleta de tiburón" is shark's fin. |
| Algas - | - Seaweed |
| Almeja - | - Clam. |
| Almendra - | - Almond. |
| Anguilla - | - Eel |
| Arroz - | - Rice. |
| Atole - (ah-toé-tay) | - A thick sweet drink made with grain. |
| Aves - | - Poultry. |
| Berenjena - | - Eggplant |
| Berros - | - Watercress |
| Bolillos - | - Rolls. |
| Burrito - | - Filling wrapped with a flour tortilla, no sauce on the outside. |
| Calabasa and Calabacita - | - Squash. |
| Caldo - | - Soup. |
| Callos - | - A very confusing word ! In Baja it means scallops, is often listed on menus as callo de hacho. Once I ordered callos in a Spanish restaurant and they brought tripe (stomach) and insisted they were "callos". Proceed with caution! |
| Camaron - | - Shrimp. |
| Carne - | - Meat. |
| Cebolla - | - Onion. |
| Cerveza - | - Beer. |
| Ceviche - | - Small pieces of raw fish marinated in lemon or lime juice, which "cooks" the fish slightly. Seasonings vary, but could be: cilantro, tomatoes, chiles, onions. |
| Champiñones - | - Mushrooms |
| Chicharron - | - Fried pork skin |
| Chiles en Nogada - | -Famous dish from Puebla. Basically, a chile stuffed with meat and fruit and covered in a white walnut sauce garnished with pomegranate seeds. |
| Chorizo - | -Highly seasoned pork sausage |
| Cilantro - (si-lan-tro) | -An herb used extensively in Mexican cooking. Frequently an ingredient in guacamole and salsa. The seeds of the cilantro plant are called coriander |
| Cocinado - (ko-see-na-do) | - Cooked |
| Codorniz - | - Quail. |
| Concha - | - Shell - "Ostion en su concha docena" translates to "a dozen oysters in their shell." |
| Deshuesada - | - Deboned |
| Docena - | - Dozen |
| Duraznos - | - Peaches |
| Escabeche - (es-cah-bee-chee) | - Pickled, usually used referring to pickled fish. |
| Escoces - | - Scotch whiskey |
| Fideos | - Noodles. |
| Flan - (flan) | - A custard with topping of carmelized sugar. |
| Fresa - | - Strawberry. |
| Glorieta - | - Traffic circle. Latin countries are very fond of these circular roads. They aren't complete unless they have a statute in the center. |
| Hongos (on-gos) - | - Mushrooms. |
| Horchata - | - A drink made with rice. |
| Huachinango - | - Red snapper . |
| Huazontle - | - Tall, thin, grain used by the Aztecs. Related to Quinona. We've only had it at La Fonda Roberto's and were not impressed with it, as it was baked in a chille relleno type dish. It was like eating straw. Perhaps it would be better served more traditionally, battered and deep fried. |
| Huevos (wev-os) - | - Eggs. |
| Huitlacoche - | - A gourmet delicacy fungus that grows on corn cobs. It looks and tastes somewhat like what the Chinese call Cloud ear fungus. To an inexperienced diner, it doesn't really have much taste. It has a chewy texture. See this article, which includes a picture and some huitlacoche recipies. |
| IVA | - Mexican value added tax. In most restaurants, the tax is included in the listed menu price, but some restaurants add it as a separate item on the bill. |
| Jaiba - | - Crab. |
| Jamaica - | - A tea made by steeping dry Hibiscus flowers. |
| Jamon - | - Ham. |
| Langosta - | - Lobster. |
| Leche Quemada - | - Creme Brulee |
| Manzana - | - Apple. |
| Mariscos - | - Seafood. |
| Medula - | - bone marrow |
| Mesera or Mesero - | - wait persons |
| Mole - | - A sauce. Often made with chiles, a small amount of chocolate, cinnamon, anise and ground nuts and seasme seeds. |
| Morron - | - Bell pepper. |
| Nido de Golondrina - | - Bird's nest soup - a Chinese delicacy |
| Nopalitos - | - Tender leaves of the cactus plant, most often found in salads. |
| Nuez - | - Nut. Plural: Nueces |
| Ostion - | - Oyster |
| Pan - | - Bread. |
| Parilla - | - grill - "pescado a la parilla" translates to "grilled fish." |
| Pechuga - | - Breast. |
| Pavo - | - Turkey. |
| Perejil - | - Parsley. |
| Pepino - | - Cucumber. |
| Postre - | - Dessert. |
| Propina - (pro-peé-nah) | - Gratuity, as in a tip for the waiter/waitress. |
| Pulpo - | - Octopus. |
| Queso - (k-so) | - Cheese. |
| Rellenos - (re-yéh-nos) | - Stuffed, filled. Frequently used with Chiles - Chile Relleno means stuffed chile, usually with cheese. |
| Res - | - Beef. |
| Riñconcitos - | - kidneys |
| Rompope - (Rom-póp-eh) | - An eggnog, sold bottled in liquor stores everywhere. |
| Sangria (san-greé-a) | - A sweet, chilled alcoholic drink. There are many recipies, but the essentials are red wine (usually burgundy), sparkling water and fruit juice. Also a carbonated soda without alcohol. |
| Sangria preparada - (san-greé-a) | - The drink mentioned above, but with the addition of vodka. |
| Selva negra | - Black Forest - as in ham, or cake . |
| Tasajo - | - Dried meat. Also used for a cooked meat dish, which tasted quite good to someone who is not fond of beef jerky. |
| Torta - (tor-tah) | - A sandwich made of roll and usually grilled. |
| Tortilla - (tor-teé-ah) | - An unleavened bread. Choose wheat or corn. |
| Tuétaro - | - bone marrow. More common: Medula |
| Vino Blanco - | - White wine. |
| Vino Rosado - | - Rosé wine. |
| Vino Tinto - | - Dark red wine. |
| Zetas - | - Used in Chinese restaurant to signify fresh mushrooms. |
| Zanahoria - | - Carrot. |
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email: pfisher@hungryhiker-tj.com |
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