Panade: Bread and milk cooked to a paste.

Pan-Broil: To cook on a hot dry surface, pouring off grease as it accumulates.

Pan-Fry: To cook in a small amount of fat in a skillet.

Parboil: To boil until partially cooked. Cooking is generally completed by another method.

Parasites: Organisms that cause illness by living and feeding off a host organism. Does not necessarily cause disease.

Pare: To cut off outside covering.

Pathogenic Bacteria: Colorless and odorless bacteria that can cause disease in humans and animals.

Pavlova: A dessert (invented in NZ, not Australia:-) The main ingredients are sugar and egg white. A pavlova has crisp meringue outside and soft marshmallow inside, and has approximately the dimensions of a deep dessert cake. Commonly pavlovas are topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit, especially kiwifruit, passion fruit or strawberries.

Peel: Strip off outside covering.

pH: Is the measure of the level of acidity or alkalinity of a solution and ranges from 0 to 14. Pathogenic bacteria need a neutral environment to survive. High or low pH will not kill pathogenic bacteria but will not allow them to grow.

Pickling: Preserving fruits and vegetables in vinegar or brine.

Pit: To remove pit or seeds from fruit.

Poach: To cook in simmering liquid to cover, retaining original shape of food.

Polenta: Same as corn meal, also, a thick porridge made from cornmeal (also known as 'cornmeal mush', 'mamaliga').

Pot-Roast: To cook less tender cuts of meat in a little liquid, with or without browning first.