Deglaze

Who uses it: Cooks, particularly sauce-makers
What it means: To collect the browned bits and drippings from the bottom of a pan by adding a liquid (usually broth or wine) and stirring. It's usually the first step in making a gravy.
How you can use it: When getting the last bit of good out of something. The word is pronounced "day-GLAHZ," in the French way, although you don't usually hear it said that way on the Food Network.

Headed down to Freeport (and then to Yarmouth) later this afternoon, but first I need to do some baking for Jen's baby shower, tomorrow. I am making toffee bars, an old standby, and a recipe for lemon bars that is new to me, and requires me to make my own lemon curd. I've never done that before, so we'll see how it works out. I'm also making finger sandwiches (cucumber, turkey & chutney, and peanut butter and jelly for the kids -- no fish, because I do not like fish, and since I'm the cook I get to say).

Lest you think that tomorrow's event will be all elegant and hoity-toity, I should mention that I will also be bringing two two-liter bottles of Diet Coke and a packet of Mentos, so we can all see the Diet Coke/Mentos phenomenon for ourselves. I saw it at a 4th of July cookout, and it is just as spectacular as the Internet video suggests.

No, you can't take me anywhere...