vacherin – (French: vache, ‘cow’) soft, rich, cow’s milk cheese from France or Switzerland
vacherin – a meringue crust filled with cream and fruit
vanilla – sun-dried pod, of the orchid family, with a sweet flavour and smell. It’s mainly used to flavour sweet dishes.
variety meats – another term for offal, the internal organs and entrails of a butchered animal
velouté – classic French sauce made with white stock and thickened with roux
vegan diet – abstaining from eating all animal products such as meat, eggs, dairy and honey
venison – in Britain, meat from deer. In Northern America it includes meat from caribou, moose and other deer-like game.
verjuice – sour grape or crab-apple juice used in place of vinegar
vermicelli – (Italian: ‘little worms’) thin pasta noodles often used in soups
vermouth – a red or white wine-based alcoholic drink from the French or Italian Alps
viennoiserie – (French: ‘stuff from Vienna’) baked goods made from a yeast-leavened dough
vierge – (French: ‘virgin’) sauce made with olive oil or whipped butter, lemon juice, chopped tomato and chopped basil, often served with vegetables
vinegar – literally ‘sour wine’
vinaigrette – (French: ‘little sour wine’) salad dressing made of oil and vinegar
Viognier – white grape variety used in wine production
vodka – (Russian: ‘little water’) clear and relatively tasteless alcoholic spirit
vol-au-vent – (French) a small hollow case of puff pastry.