Japanese for "black sesame seed".

When sugar syrup is cooked, water evaporates and sugar concentration increases as well as the temperature of the syrup. The soft-crack stage is when a bit of syrup dropped into cold water solidifies into flexible threads that will bend slightly before breaking. The temperature of the boiling sugar syrup at this stage is between 270°-290°F.

A Latin term meaning "water of life", referring to distilled spirit.

To cut lines into the surface of foods (e.g. meat, fish), usually in a diamond pattern. This is done to help foods absorb more flavors, cook faster and more evenly, as well as for appearance.