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A Yiddish term for countryman or neighbor.

Lardon (plural: lardons) is a French word for a small matchstick slice of bacon.

Leaven literally translates to lighten, and in baking leaveners are used to lighten dough. Leaveners work by incorporating gas bubbles into the dough. Leaveners can be created in the way the dough is formed, but they can also be added in the form of baking soda, baking powder or yeast, among other things. For more information on leaveners, click here.

Lemongrass is a tall grass that is native to Southeast and South Asia. Its fresh, citrusy flavor and aroma are prized by Asian cooks and it is used for tea in Asia, Latin America and Africa. When you buy it fresh, it almost looks like a scallion, with long green leaves and whitish bulb at the root end, but its taste and aroma are completely different. To use lemongrass discard the outer leaves and woody parts and use the tender, purplish interior. Lemongrass is increasing available fresh in the produce section of the supermarket, but if you can’t find it, it is available frozen and bottled. Thai Kitchen is a good source for bottled lemongrass spears. If you can’t find any of these, substitute 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon dried lime zest per stalk of lemongrass. It won’t be quite the same but it will be close.

The lingonberry is a red berry that grows in cold climates. It is similar to the cranberry, but not as large or as tart. They’re available in some markets or online. If you can’t find them, try wild blueberries.

A Litvaker is a Jew with roots in Lithuania. This name is most often used in Israel. The four common interpretations of the term are: a person from Lithuania; a derogatory name for a Jew from Lithuania; an educated person who has been schooled in the style of the academies of Vilna (a Jewish ghetto during World War Two); or an educated person who has a snobbish behavior due to the belief that their education is superior. It is generally used as an insult by non-Lithuanians. For more information on Litvaks and Litvaker, click here.

A locavore is someone who only eats food that is local. Typically, 100 miles is the maximum distance to be considered local, with urban locavores usually accepting foods from a slightly larger range. This method allows people to eat very fresh food; however, it can be difficult to maintain for people who live in areas where fresh produce is not grown all year. 

For our purposes, any dish that is 300 calories or fewer per serving is designated low calorie.

Our low-carb recipes are those with fewer than 15 net grams of carbohydrates per serving.

Our low-cholesterol recipes have fewer than 2 milligrams of cholesterol and 2 grams or fewer of saturated fat per serving.

Our low-fat recipes contain 3 grams or fewer of fat per serving.

Our low-fiber recipes contain one gram or fewer of fiber per serving.

Our low-sodium recipes contain fewer than 140 milligrams per serving.

Lumpia are a Filipino appetizer. They are wraps filled with sauteed meat, fish, seafood, or poultry, combined with sauteed vegetables. They are often fried, but not always. They are usually served with a garlic or soy dipping sauce.