All Ingredients

This variety of thyme has a lemony flavor.

This has a strong lemon flavor that works especially well in teas and vegetable dishes. If you can't find it in the spice section, cut open lemon verbena teabags.

Thai cooks use these grayish green stalks to impart a lemony flavor to their dishes. Remove the outer leaves, then use about six inches of the base, discarding the top and the very bottom. It's best to cut lemongrass into large pieces that can be easily removed after the dish is cooked. Frozen lemongrass is a good substitute for fresh, but dried lemongrass (soaked in hot water) is only a fair substitute. Use powdered version (called sereh powder) only in a pinch.

Like other legumes, lentils are low in fat and high in protein and fiber, but they have the added advantage of cooking quickly. Lentils have a mild, often earthy flavor, and they're best if cooked with assertive flavorings. The best, most delicate lentils are the peppery French green lentils. These hold their shape well, but take longer to cook than other lentils. The milder brown lentils also hold their shape after cooking, but can easily turn mushy if overcooked. Indian markets also carry a wide variety of split lentils, called dal. Before cooking, always rinse lentils and pick out stones and other debris. Unlike dried beans and peas, there's no need to soak them. Lentils cook more slowly if they're combined with salt or acidic ingredients, so add these last. Bigger or older lentils take longer to cook. Store dried lentils for up to a year in a cool, dry place.

This Indonesian rhizome looks a bit like ginger, only it's smaller and darker. It's hard to find in the U.S., but your best bet is to look in Asian markets. It's sold fresh, frozen, pickled, dried, or powdered. Used the dried or powdered versions only in a pinch.

These are mild salad greens that are always served fresh, either in salads or as garnishes. There are four basic categories: iceberg lettuce, with leaves that grow in a dense "head," leaf lettuce, with loosely gathered leaves, butterhead lettuce, with tender leaves that form a soft head, and romaine lettuce, with closely packed leaves in an elongated head. Select lettuce that has rich color and crisp, fresh-looking leaves.

This Dutch cow's milk cheese is flavored with cumin and caraway seeds.

This Spanish liqueur is made up of 43 ingredients, with vanilla and citrus predominant.

This cow's milk cheese was invented by German-American Emil Frey, who wanted to make a domestic version of Limburger cheese. Borden acquired the brand after Frey died, and later sold the brand to a New Zealand outfit. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature. It's hard, and perhaps impossible, to find in the United States.

This is an Italian yeast with a delicate vanilla flavor. Look for this in Italian markets.

Light corn syrup is used to make everything from candy to fake blood at Halloween.

18 - 30% fat Unlike heavy cream, lower-fat substitutes like light cream, half-and-half, and evaporated milk tend to "break" or curdle when added to sauces. To prevent this from happening, heat the sauce over low or medium heat, or reduce the cream substitute before adding it to the sauce. Don't let the sauce boil. Cream sauces made with lower-fat cream substitutes also tend to have less body; to correct for that, consider adding 1 tablespoon flour or 2 teaspoons cornstarch to the sauce for every cup of evaporated milk substituted. Stir the thickener into a paste first to prevent lumps.

30 - 36% fat Unlike heavy cream or whipping cream, lower-fat substitutes like half-and-half and evaporated milk tend to "break" or curdle when added to sauces. To prevent this from happening, heat the sauce over low or medium heat, or reduce the cream substitute before adding it to the sauce. Don't let the sauce boil. Cream sauces made with lower-fat cream substitutes also tend to have less body; to correct for that, consider adding 1 tablespoon flour or 2 teaspoons cornstarch to the sauce for every cup of evaporated milk substituted. Stir the thickener into a paste first to prevent lumps.

This is a mixture of pureed prunes and apples that serves as a fat substitute in baking.

These small Italian olives are brine-cured.

This is an expensive and light French apéritif made with wine and brandy. There are two versions: Lillet Blonde (white) and Lillet Rouge (red).

With their buttery flavor, lima beans are great in soups or stews, or on their own as a side dish. The most popular varieties are the small baby lima bean = sieva bean and the larger Fordhooks. You can get limas fresh in their pods in the summer, but many people prefer to use dried lima beans. Shelled frozen limas are a good substitute for fresh, but canned limas aren't nearly as good. The biggest downside is that lima beans are harder to digest than other beans.

This is a very stinky and salty German washed rind cow's milk cheese. It's too strong to serve with most wines, so it's often served with beer. Use within a few days after purchasing. For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

These tart green fruits are similar to lemons, but they're more acidic and have their own unique flavor. Varieties include the common Persian lime = Tahiti lime and the smaller, less juicy, and more acidic Florida key lime = key lime = Mexican lime. When buying limes, select specimens that are dark green, smaller, thin-skinned, and heavy for their size.

This is a cross between a lime and a kumquat. It's similar in size and shape to a kumquat, but with a green or yellow-green skin. It has a strong lime flavor.

This excellent lemon-flavored Italian liqueur is often stored in freezers so that it can be served ice cold. It's hard to find in stores, but easy to make at home.

This delicious and fragrant rye bread is usually flavored with molasses, anise seed, and orange peel. Despite its exquisite flavor, it's hard to find in the United States.

These tart relatives of the cranberry grow only in cold climates. They're often made into jams, juices, sauces, syrups, or compotes. Scandinavians like to serve sweetened lingonberries with game.

The French use these for their cassoulets.

This is a spicy Portuguese smoked garlic sausage. You need to cook it before serving it.

Linguine ("little tongues" in Italian) consists of long, slender ribbons of pasta. It's often served with clams or shrimp.

Liqueurs are mixtures of spirits, sweeteners, and flavorings like herbs, fruits, nuts, and flowers. They're sometimes served as after-dinner drinks, but they're more often poured on desserts or mixed into cocktails, milk, or coffee. Some cooks buy miniature bottles of liqueurs to conserve on money and cabinet space.

Liquid honey is the most popular form of honey. It's extracted from the comb and is often pasteurized.

This is a very potent seasoning that imparts a smoky flavor to meat, fish, and vegetarian mock meat products. A little goes a long way.

This category includes various syrups, honey, and molasses.