Describing Menu Items to Tourists
Contenido del curso
Estefany Dayana Alpuche Magaña
JULIA LEONOR TRIAY TORRES
FABIOLA GARCIA FROLA
Boris Turcios
Panuchos are a local dish from Yucatan. The base is a fried corn tortilla filled with black beans, so it's very crispy and a little greasy. Then comes the lettuce, which gives some freshness, and shreaded roasted turkey or chicken is placed on top, giving a smoky flavour. Finally, it's topped with a tomato slice, an avocado slice and some pickled red onion. If you preffer an option without meat, the turkey can be replaced with chopped boiled eggs.
The key idea is the texture, the flavor, the ingredients, and the cooking method.
MENU DESCRIPTIONS THAT SELL DISHES SAFELY – VOCABULARY WITH MEANINGS MENU STRUCTURE & ORDER - Starter — A light dish to begin a meal - Main course — The most substantial part of the meal - Dessert — A sweet dish served at the end of a meal - Side — Additional foods served alongside a main dish DESCRIPTION ELEMENTS - What it is — The basic type or identity of the dish - Texture — How the food feels (e.g., tender, flaky, crispy) - Flavor — How the food tastes (e.g., mild, savory, sweet, smoky) - One helpful detail — An extra point that helps imagine the dish TEXTURE VOCABULARY - Tender — Easy to cut or chew - Flaky — Breaks into light pieces (often for fish or pastries) - Soft — Gentle and not hard - Creamy — Smooth and rich texture - Juicy — Full of liquid and flavor - Moist — Slightly wet but pleasant - Light and fluffy — Airy and soft - Crispy — Crunchy on the outside - Crunchy — Making a sharp sound when bitten - Firm — Solid and steady texture - Chewy — Requires more effort to chew FLAVOR INTENSITY - Mild — Not strong or intense - Strong — Rich and powerful in taste FLAVOR PROFILE - Savory — Pleasantly salty or spicy (not sweet) - Sweet — Sugary taste - Smoky — Rich with a flavor like smoke - Nutty — Similar to nuts in flavor - Fresh — Tastes like it was just prepared COOKING METHODS - Grilled — Cooked over flame or hot coals; often smoky - Fried — Cooked in hot oil; usually crispy outside and soft inside - Baked — Cooked in an oven evenly all around - Roasted — Cooked at higher heat to brown the outside - Steamed — Cooked with water vapor; usually lighter - Raw — Not cooked; retains original texture and flavor SAFETY & DIETARY TERMS - Allergies — Health reactions to ingredients - Dietary restrictions — Limits on what a guest can eat - Vegetarian — No meat - Vegan — No animal products - Dairy-free — No milk or cheese products - Confirm with kitchen — To verify ingredients with the cook - Safe option — A dish suitable for someone with restrictions DESCRIBING FOOD CLEARLY - Translate local terms — Explaining unfamiliar words in everyday English - Help visualize dishes — Using sensory vocabulary to create a mental image - Guide choices — Helping guests pick suitable and safe options
