The tiny, dried, kidney shaped seeds of the opium poppy plant. They have a crunchy texture and a nutty flavor, and are high in oil content. They are used as a filling or topping in various baked goods and in cooked dishes. Their colors range from beige to brown, blue, gray, to black.

The Spanish word for "pepper", this is a heart-shaped, red sweet pepper that measures 3 to 4 inches long and 2 to 3 inches wide. Among its various uses, pimento is made into paprika.

A leavening agent, which when mixed with liquids, causes bread to rise by releasing carbon dioxide. It's a combination of an alkaline ingredient (usually baking soda), an acid (cream of tartar), and starch (cornstarch). The most common type of baking powder is double-acting, which releases some gas first when it becomes wet and then more when heated in the oven.

To gently simmer foods (e.g. poultry, egg, fish, fruit) in a liquid (e.g. stock, salted water, sugar syrup, etc.).