Maple syrup: production, uses, history, and cultural importance Maple syrup A concise overview of maple syrup: how it is made from maple sap, its culinary uses, history in North America, production regions, grades, and cultural traditions.
Margarine: composition, uses, history and health considerations Margarine Margarine is a spread and cooking fat made from vegetable or animal lipids, produced to resemble butter. This article explains its composition, history, culinary uses and health is…
Marie-Antoine Carême: Architect of French Haute Cuisine Marie-Antoine Carême Marie-Antoine Carême (1784–1833) was a French chef and writer who systematized haute cuisine, created elaborate pastry sculptures, wrote influential cookery books, and served leadi…
Marinade: culinary soaking for flavor and tenderizing Marinade Marinade is the culinary practice of soaking foods in a flavored liquid to add taste and often tenderize proteins. Covers ingredients, techniques, safety, history, and differences…
Marmalade: citrus preserve with peel — uses, history, and varieties Marmalade Marmalade is a citrus-based preserve, traditionally made with bitter oranges and peel, used as a spread or glaze. This article explains ingredients, production, history, varieties,…
Mars (chocolate bar) Mars is a milk chocolate confection of nougat topped with caramel, produced by Mars, Incorporated since 1932; sold worldwide and similar to the US Milky Way product.
Marshmallow (confectionery) Marshmallow Soft, aerated confection made from sugar, water and a gelling agent; used in desserts, drinks, and snacks with many variations including vegan and spreadable forms.
Marzipan: almond-based confection and cake covering Marzipan Marzipan is a sweet paste of ground almonds and sugar or honey, used as a confection, a decorative modeling medium and a smooth cake covering. This article covers ingredients, prod…
Masala — South Asian spice blends: types, uses, and culinary role Masala Masala: South Asian term for mixtures of spices used as powders, pastes or tempering. Covers ingredients, common blends, regional varieties, preparation, storage, culinary techniqu…
Mashed potatoes Mashed potato Mashed potatoes are a prepared potato dish made by mashing boiled or cooked potatoes and blending them with fat and liquid; they appear in many cuisines and many family and festive…
Matcha: powdered Japanese green tea — production, uses and cultural role Matcha Matcha is a finely ground, shade-grown green tea powder from Japan. This article explains how it is made, graded, prepared, used in cooking and ritual, and how to judge and store q…
Mate (drink): traditional South American infusion and social ritual Mate (drink) Mate is a caffeinated herbal infusion from yerba mate popular across South America and beyond. This article covers its preparation, equipment, regional varieties, cultural role, hi…
Mayonnaise: composition, history, culinary uses and safety Mayonnaise Mayonnaise is a thick oil-and-egg emulsion used worldwide as a condiment, ingredient and base for many sauces. This article covers its makeup, preparation, history, common uses and…
Mead: fermented honey drink — origins, production, and varieties Mead Mead is an alcoholic beverage produced by fermenting honey with water and yeast. This article summarizes ingredients, production methods, historical background, regional traditions…
Meal A meal is an occasion for eating a prepared portion of food, typically combining several types of ingredients and occurring at set times or for social and nutritional purposes.
Measuring cup A measuring cup is a vessel marked for measuring volume of liquids or bulk ingredients. Covers types, materials, accuracy, common sizes, uses in cooking and standards for conversio…
Meat: definition, types, composition, uses, and cultural aspects Meat Meat is the edible flesh of animals. This article explains types (beef, pork, poultry, fish, game, offal), composition, culinary uses, production and safety, plus cultural, legal a…
Meatball (seasoned ground meat dish) Meatball A compact guide to meatballs: what they are, typical ingredients and cooking methods, historical roots and global varieties, common uses, and notable distinctions.
Meju: Traditional Korean Fermented Soybean Brick Meju Meju is a dried, naturally fermented block of soybeans used as the starter for staple Korean condiments such as soy sauce, doenjang, and gochujang.
Menu (list of dishes, types, history and design) Menu A menu is a curated list of dishes offered by an eatery. This article explains its history, common formats (à la carte, table d'hôte, tasting), design and management, and modern di…
Meringue: whipped egg-white dessert — types, technique and uses Meringue Meringue is a light, airy dessert made by whipping egg whites with sugar. This article explains basic ingredients, common methods (French, Swiss, Italian), culinary uses, history,…
Merlot (grape and wine) Merlot Merlot is a widely planted dark-skinned grape and the red wine made from it. Known for supple tannins and plum-like flavors, it is important in Bordeaux blends and grown worldwide,…
Meze: Eastern Mediterranean small plates and social dining tradition Meze Meze are small shared dishes from the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East served as appetizers or a communal meal, often with anise-flavoured liqueurs or wine and varying by regi…
Milk chocolate Milk chocolate is a sweet chocolate variety made with cocoa, sugar and milk solids. It evolved in the 19th century into the familiar solid bars and remains one of the most widely c…
Milk powder: production, types, uses, and storage Milk powder Milk powder is dehydrated milk used where refrigeration is limited. This article explains how it is made, main varieties, common uses, nutritional notes, storage and safety conside…
Milkshake Milk shake A milkshake is a cold blended beverage of milk, ice cream and flavorings. Served as a dessert or snack, it has many regional names and variations including malts, fruit shakes and…
Milk substitute Products that imitate animal milk using plant, grain, nut, or seed ingredients; used for dietary, environmental, medical, and culinary reasons.
Millet: Small-grain cereals — types, nutrition, uses and importance Millet Millet refers to several small-seeded cereal grains grown worldwide. Resilient and gluten-free, millets are nutrient-dense staples with varied uses, but they also contain antinutri…
Milo (drink) — chocolate‑malt beverage originally from Australia Milo (drink) Milo is a chocolate‑malt powdered drink created in Australia in 1934 and now produced by Nestlé. Mixed with milk or water, it is sold worldwide in powders, sachets and ready‑to‑dri…
Mince pie — British Christmas pastry with spiced fruit filling Mince pie A small British sweet pastry traditionally served at Christmas. Once savoury with meat and suet, it evolved into a fruit-and-spice filling called mincemeat; many modern variations…
Mint (candy): flavor, forms, production, history and notable brands Mint (candy) Overview of mint-flavored candies: characteristics, common forms, production notes, history and well-known brands such as Polos, Altoids and Mentos.
Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum): berry and sweetening protein miraculin Miracle fruit Miracle fruit is the berry of Synsepalum dulcificum. Its glycoprotein miraculin temporarily makes sour foods taste sweet; used historically in West Africa and studied for culinary…
Mirepoix (culinary aromatic base) Mirepoix (cuisine) Classical French aromatic mix of onions, carrots and celery used to flavor stocks, soups, sauces and stews; includes ratios, preparation, history, variations and culinary equivalen…
Mirin: Japanese sweet rice wine and cooking seasoning Mirin Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine used as a seasoning and glaze. This article explains its types, production, culinary roles, history, and how to choose or substitute mirin in co…
Miso: Japanese fermented soybean paste, varieties and culinary use Miso Miso is a traditional Japanese fermented paste made from soybeans, salt and kōji. Varieties differ by grain, color and fermentation time; it is used in soups, marinades, sauces and…
Miso soup (Japanese misoshiru): ingredients, history, and preparation Miso soup Miso soup is a traditional Japanese broth made by dissolving miso paste into dashi and adding ingredients like tofu, seaweed, and vegetables. It varies by miso type and regional pr…
Mississippi Mud Pie A rich, layered chocolate pie thought to have originated in mid-20th-century American home kitchens; known for its dense, gooey filling, crumb crust, and frequent pairing with ice…
Mitraillette: the Belgian fry-and-meat sandwich Mitraillette A hearty Belgian fast-food sandwich of bread filled with fries, meat and sauce. Common in Brussels, Flanders, Wallonia and northern France, served at friteries and late-night food…
Mixed drink (cocktails, long drinks and non‑alcoholic blends) Mixed drink A mixed drink combines two or more beverages or ingredients to make a new drink. It includes alcoholic cocktails, long drinks, punches and non‑alcoholic 'virgin' mixes, plus pre‑mi…
Mochi: Japanese pounded rice confection Mochi (food) Mochi is a Japanese sweet made from pounded glutinous rice or rice flour, known for its chewy texture and many regional varieties. It is central to New Year rituals and served in b…
Molasses: production, varieties, uses and historical role Molasses Molasses is the viscous syrup left after sugar extraction from cane or beet. This article explains its types, production, culinary and industrial uses, nutritional notes, and histo…
Morellino di Scansano — Tuscan Sangiovese-based red wine Morellino di Scansano Red wine from Scansano in the Maremma (Grosseto), built mainly from Sangiovese. DOC from 1978, DOCG from 2007; styles range from early-drinking to Riserva with firmer structure and…
Mortadella di Bologna Traditional Italian large-cased cooked pork sausage from Bologna, noted for its smooth texture, cubes of fat, and protected geographical status. Used as a cold cut, in sandwiches a…
Moules-frites: mussels and fries, a Belgian and northern French classic Moules-frites Moules-frites is a popular dish of steamed mussels served with French fries, associated especially with Belgium and northern France. It appears in many regional variations and is c…
Mozzarella: Fresh Italian stretched-curd cheese Mozzarella Mozzarella is a soft, fresh Italian cheese made by stretching curd. Varieties include buffalo (bufala) and cow (fior di latte); it is prized for melting, salads and delicate milky…
Mud pie: children's play and the chocolate dessert Mud pie Mud pie refers primarily to the informal soil cakes children make while playing and to a rich chocolate dessert (often called Mississippi mud pie). This article covers meanings, in…
Muesli: ingredients, history, preparation, and variations Muesli Muesli is a breakfast cereal of rolled oats, grains, nuts, seeds and fruit. Originating in Switzerland, it is eaten raw or soaked, in many homemade and commercial forms with varied…
Muffin (baked quick bread and English muffin) Muffin Overview of muffins: types, ingredients, preparation, history, uses and distinctions between American-style muffins and English muffins.
