Hotel Glossary Terms

Desk in the hotel lobby where bell boys are positioned and may be contacted for their services.

The Bellboy would act like Porters. He would wait until guests finished their accommodating registration at the front counter. Then the Bellboy would take guests to their rooms, lifting their luggage and belongings as well.

Second-best quality of caviar, with large grey grains and about 5 per cent salt; the best quality caviar is called Malossol.

Beurre manié (burr-man-yay) - The method of combining equal amounts by weight of flour and soft, whole.

Beurre noir (burr-nwar) - The French term for 'black butter', whole butter cooked until dark brown (not black) sometimes flavoured with vinegar or lemon juice.

Beurre noisette (burr-nwah-zeht) - The French term for 'brown butter', whole butter heated until it turns light brown, giving off a nutty aroma.

Beurre rouge (burr-rooge) - French for 'red butter', an emulsified butter sauce made from shallots, red wine and butter.

The person who is responsible for charging to hotel guests all vouchers representing food, beverages, room service, and merchandise purchases.

Bind - To cause two or more items to cohere, unite or hold together. An example is to bind a croquette mixture.

Bisque (bisk) - Is a soup made from shellfish, the classic version of bisk is thickened with rice.

Round flat shape of minced raw beef or chicken, usually mixed with cream or butter and fried.

Bitters - Liquors flavoured with herbs, barks, roots etc. usually used as a cocktail flavouring agent.

Bivalves - Molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels that have two bilateral shells attached at a central hinge.

Blanc - French term for white. Example, Beurre Blanc (burr-blanhk) which is French for "white butter".

Blanch - To cook a food item partially and very briefly in boiling water/liquid or hot oil. Example blanching vegetables in boiling water.