Food

Basic Vocabulary

Vegetables

French	English
Les légumes (m)	Vegetables
Une carotte	A carrot
Une tomate	A tomato
Une pomme de terre	A potato
Un oignon	An onion
Un poivron	A pepper (bell pepper)
Une courgette	A zucchini
Un concombre	A cucumber
Des haricots verts (m)	Green beans
Des épinards (m)	Spinach
Un champignon	A mushroom
Un chou	A cabbage
Un brocoli	A broccoli
Une aubergine	An eggplant

Fruits

French	English
Les fruits (m)	Fruits
Une pomme	An apple
Une banane	A banana
Une orange	An orange
Une fraise	A strawberry
Une poire	A pear
Une pêche	A peach
Une cerise	A cherry
Un raisin	A grape
Un citron	A lemon
Une mangue	A mango
Un ananas	A pineapple
Une pastèque	A watermelon
Une prune	A plum
Un pamplemousse	A grapefruit

Meat and Fish

French	English
La viande	Meat
Le poulet	Chicken
Le bœuf	Beef
Le porc	Pork
L'agneau (m.)	Lamb
Le canard	Duck
Le jambon	Ham
Le poisson	Fish
Le saumon	Salmon
Le thon	Tuna
Les fruits de mer (m)	Seafood
Les crevettes (f)	Shrimp
Un homard	A lobster
Les moules (f)	Mussels

Dairy Products

French	English
Les produits laitiers (m)	Dairy products
Le lait	Milk
Le fromage	Cheese
Le beurre	Butter
Le yaourt	Yogurt
La crème	Cream
La glace	Ice cream
La crème fraîche	Sour cream
Le lait entier	Whole milk
Le lait écrémé	Skimmed milk
Le lait d'amande	Almond milk
Le lait de soja	Soy milk
Le lait de coco	Coconut milk

Desserts and Sweets

French	English
Le dessert	Dessert
Un gâteau	A cake
Une tarte	A tart/pie
Un biscuit	A cookie/biscuit
Une glace	An ice cream
Une crêpe	A crepe
Une mousse au chocolat	A chocolate mousse
Une crème brûlée	A crème brûlée
Un bonbon	A candy/sweet
Une pâtisserie	A pastry
Une gaufre	A waffle
Une brioche	A brioche
Un macaron	A macaron
Un éclair	An éclair
Un croissant	A croissant

Discussing Personal Food Preferences

Here are some phrases to help you express your personal preferences for food:

French	English
Mon plat préféré est...	My favorite dish is...
J'aime bien les légumes, surtout...	I really like vegetables, especially...
Je ne mange pas de viande parce que...	I don't eat meat because...
J'adore les desserts sucrés.	I love sweet desserts.
Ce que j'aime le plus dans ce plat, c'est...	What I like most about this dish is...

Example Sentences:

• J'adore la cuisine italienne, surtout les pâtes. (I love Italian cuisine, especially pasta.)
• Je suis végétarien(ne), donc je ne mange pas de viande. (I'm vegetarian, so I don't eat meat.)

Cooking and Recipe Vocabulary

Cooking Verbs

French	English
Cuisiner	To cook
Préparer	To prepare
Couper	To cut
Mélanger	To mix
Rôtir	To roast
Griller	To grill
Cuire	To cook (in general)
Cuire au four	To bake
Peler	To peel
Faire fondre	To melt
Verser	To pour
Ajouter	To add
Battre	To beat/whisk
Réchauffer	To reheat
Faire dorer	To brown

Recipe Terms

French	English
Une recette	A recipe
Un ingrédient	An ingredient
Une étape	A step
Une portion	A portion
Une cuillère à soupe	A tablespoon
Une cuillère à café	A teaspoon
Une pincée	A pinch
Un verre	A glass
Un bol	A bowl
Un saladier	A mixing bowl
Une casserole	A saucepan
Une poêle	A frying pan
Un four	An oven
Un micro-ondes	A microwave
Un fouet	A whisk
Une balance	A scale
Un couteau	A knife

Common Ingredients

French	English
La farine	Flour
Le sucre	Sugar
Le sel	Salt
Le poivre	Pepper
L'huile (f.)	Oil
Le vinaigre	Vinegar
Le beurre	Butter
La vanille	Vanilla
La cannelle	Cinnamon
Le miel	Honey
Les herbes	Herbs
Le persil	Parsley
L'ail	Garlic
L'oignon	Onion

Kitchen Appliances

French	English
Un four	An oven
Un micro-ondes	A microwave
Un réfrigérateur/le frigo	A refrigerator
Un congélateur	A freezer
Un lave-vaisselle	A dishwasher
Un mixeur	A blender
Une bouilloire	A kettle
Un grille-pain	A toaster

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Exam Focus

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Let's take a look at how recipes have appeared in past French exams. In the old Junior Cert French course, a reading comprehension featuring a recipe was almost always included. While the new Junior Cycle French exams don't follow a strict pattern, the history of a dish—"La vraie histoire de la tarte Tatin"—along with an ingredient list, was included as Question 12 in the 2024 paper.

Although the format of the exam has evolved, practicing with these older papers is still valuable. They offer great preparation for similar types of questions that might appear, helping you become more familiar with the style of the exam.

Junior Certificate Examination 2019, Q2 (Higher Level)

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Step-by-Step Strategy for Tackling Recipe Questions

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1. Read the Title First The title gives you a quick idea of what the recipe is about. For example, "Tajine d'agneau aux pruneaux" tells you it's a lamb tagine with prunes, so you'll know what kind of ingredients and steps to expect.
2. Read the Questions Reading the questions before diving into the recipe helps you know what specific details to look for, saving time and avoiding confusion. Scan each question, noting the key words. Underline or highlight the question words (like "what," "how," "where") to make sure you understand exactly what is being asked.
3. Skim the Recipe for Main Ideas Skimming gives you an overall sense of the recipe, helping you spot the main ingredients and actions without getting stuck on unfamiliar words. Focus on the title, ingredients list, and action verbs to understand the general process.
4. Read the Recipe More Carefully With the questions in mind, carefully read the recipe to find the specific details you need to answer them. As you read, underline or highlight the parts that seem to answer the questions. This will help you find the answers more easily later.
5. Answer the Questions Methodically Answering questions one by one ensures you cover everything thoroughly. Start with the easiest questions first, if needed. Make sure your answers are clear and directly address what's being asked. Refer back to the text as needed.
6. Use Context Clues You won't always know every word, but that's okay! Use the context of the sentence or surrounding words to make an educated guess. For example, if you see the word "oignons" (onions) near an unfamiliar verb, it's likely related to cooking or preparing the onions. Use what you already know to help you figure out the rest.
7. Double-Check Your Answers Double-checking ensures you haven't missed anything and helps you catch any simple mistakes. Review each answer to make sure it matches the information in the recipe. Confirm that your answers fully address the questions-check the question word.
8. Stay Calm and Confident Staying calm helps you think clearly and recall what you've learned more easily. Remind yourself that you've prepared well! If a question seems difficult, don't panic—take your time and work through it logically.

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Let's apply the strategy to the "Tajine d'agneau aux pruneaux" recipe question:

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1. Read the Title First Title: "Tajine d'agneau aux pruneaux"

This tells us the recipe is for a lamb tagine with prunes. Knowing this helps you anticipate the ingredients and steps involved.

2. Read the Questions

• Before diving into the recipe, read the questions carefully:
  • (a) Which one of these four is not listed in the ingredients? (Onions, pepper, oil, garlic)
  • (b) What are you asked to do in point 5 of the cooking instructions?
  • (c) How should this dish be served? (Point 8 of the cooking instructions)

Focus on the key words like "not listed," "point 5," and "served" so you know what to look for.

3. Skim the Recipe for Main Ideas

• Ingredients: Quickly scan the ingredients list to get a basic idea of them.
• Method: Skim through the method to understand the basic steps. This will give you an idea of what the recipe involves and prepare you for the detailed reading.

4. Read the Recipe More Carefully

• Now, read the recipe carefully, focusing on the details that answer the questions:
  • For Question (a), check the ingredient list. When you come across any of the four ingredients specified in the question (Onions, pepper, oil, garlic), make a note of it. You can then identify which one is not listed.
  • For Question (b), check point 5: "Couvrir d'eau et faire cuire pendant une heure." (Cover with water and cook for an hour).
  • For Question (c), check point 8: "Servir avec purée de pommes de terre." (Serve with mashed potatoes).

5. Answer the Questions Methodically

• (a) Pepper is the ingredient not listed.
• (b) Point 5 instructs you to cover with water and cook for an hour.
• (c) Point 8 says the dish should be served with mashed potatoes.

6. Use Context Clues If you're unsure of a word, use the surrounding words to help you guess its meaning.
7. Double-Check Your Answers Go back to the recipe and verify that your answers are correct. Make sure pepper is indeed missing from the ingredients and that you've interpreted points 5 and 8 correctly.

The Marking Scheme:

Translation

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French	English
Tajine d'agneau aux pruneaux	Lamb Tagine with Prunes
Pour : 4 personnes	Serves: 4 people
Préparation : 20 minutes	Preparation: 20 minutes
Cuisson : 1 heure 20 minutes	Cooking: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingrédients :	Ingredients:
500 g de pruneaux	500 g prunes
500 g d'oignons	500 g onions
2 cuillères d'huile d'olive	2 tablespoons olive oil
1.5 kg d'épaule d'agneau	1.5 kg lamb shoulder
2 gousses d'ail	2 garlic cloves
1 cuillère de gingembre	1 teaspoon ginger
100 g d'amandes	100 g almonds

Méthode :	Method:
1. Faire cuire les oignons dans l'huile d'olive.	1. Cook the onions in olive oil.
2. Ajouter la viande et la faire dorer.	2. Add the meat and brown it.
3. Mettre la viande et les oignons dans une cocotte.	3. Place the meat and onions in a casserole dish.
4. Ajouter l'ail et le gingembre. Mélanger.	4. Add the garlic and ginger. Mix well.
5. Couvrir d'eau et faire cuire pendant une heure.	5. Cover with water and cook for one hour.
6. Ajouter les pruneaux et faire cuire pendant vingt minutes à feu doux.	6. Add the prunes and cook for twenty minutes on low heat.
7. Ajouter ensuite les amandes et bien mélanger.	7. Then add the almonds and mix well.
8. Servir avec purée de pommes de terre.	8. Serve with mashed potatoes.

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