sanitation
The maintenance of a clean food-preparation environment by healthy food workers.

sanitize
To kill pathogenic organisms by chemicals and/or moist heat.

sashimi
Sliced raw fish that is served with such condiments as a julienne of daikon radish, pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce.

sauce
A liquid accompaniment to food.

saucier
Sauté chef/station. The chef de partie responsible for all sautéed items and their sauces.

sausage
A forcemeat mixture shaped into patties or links, typically highly seasoned.

sauté
To cook quickly in a small amount of fat in a pan on the range top.

savory
Not sweet. Also, the name of a course (savory) served after dessert and before port in traditional British meals. Also, a family of herbs (including summer and winter savory).

scald
To heat a liquid, usually milk or cream, to just below the boiling point. May also refer to blanching fruits and vegetables.

scale
To measure ingredients by weighing, or to divide dough or batter into portions by weight. Also, to remove the scales from fish.

scaler
Tool used to scrape fish scales from fish. Used by scraping against direction in which scales lie flat, working from tail to head.

scallop
A bivalve whose adductor muscle (the muscle that keeps its shells closed) and roe are eaten. Also, a thin slice of meat.

score
To cut the surface of an item at regular intervals to allow it to cook evenly.

scrapple
A boiled mixture of pork trimmings, buckwheat, and cornmeal.

sear
To brown the surface of food in fat over high heat before finishing by another method (for example, braising or roasting) in order to add flavor.

sea salt
Salt produced by evaporating seawater. Available refined or unrefined, crystallized or ground. Also known as sel gris (French for "gray salt").

seasoning
Adding an ingredient to give foods a particular flavor. Also, the process by which a protective coating is built up on the interior of a pan.

sherbet
A frozen dessert made with fruit juice or another flavoring, a sweetener (usually sugar), and beaten egg whites, which prevent the formation of large ice crystals.

shred
Rub against a rough surface with medium to large holes or slits into strips.

simmer
To maintain the temperature of a liquid just below boiling. Also, to cook in simmering liquid. The temperature range for simmering is 185° to 200°F/82° to 85°C.

slice
Cut into thin pieces which are the same size.

sorbet
The French word for sherbert. A frozen dessert made with fruit juice or another flavoring, a sweetener (usually sugar), and beaten egg whites, which prevent the formation of large ice crystals.

soufflé
Literally, "puffed." A preparation made with a sauce base (usually béchamel for savory souffles, pastry cream for sweet ones), whipped egg whites, and flavorings. The egg whites cause the soufflé to puff during cooking.

sourdough
Yeast dough leavened with a fermented starter instead of, or in addition to, fresh yeast. Some starters are kept alive by "feeding" them with additional flour and water.

sous chef
Literally, "underchef." The chef who is second in command in a kitchen; usually responsible for scheduling, filling in for the chef, and assisting the chefs de partie as necessary.

spätzle
A soft noodle or small dumpling made by dropping bits of a prepared batter into simmering liquid.

spice
An aromatic vegetable substance, usually dried.

sponge cake
A sweet batter product that is leavened with beaten egg foam. Also called génoise.

springform pan
A round, straight-sided pan whose sides are formed by a hoop that can be unclamped and detached from its base.

stew
A cooking method nearly identical to braising but generally involving smaller pieces of meat and hence a shorter cooking time. Stewed items also may be blanched, rather than seared, to give the finished product a pale color. Also, a dish prepared by using the stewing method.

stir frying
A cooking method similar to sautéing in which items are cooked over very high heat, using little fat. Usually this is done in a wok, and the food is kept moving constantly.

stock
A flavorful liquid prepared by simmering meat, poultry, seafood, and/or vegetables in water with aromatics until their flavor is extracted. It is used as a base for soups, sauces, and other preparations.

stockpot
A large, straight-sided pot that is taller than it is wide. Used for making stocks and soups. Some have spigots. Also called marmite.

strain
Use a colander to let juices or liquids drain out.