kitchen vocab

arduous

difficult and tiring; requiring significant effort

benign

gentle and kind

bewildered

confused and disoriented

cacophony

a harsh, discordant mixture of sounds

catharsis

the process of releasing strong emotions

constellation

a group of stars forming a recognizable pattern

desolate

empty and gloomy; deserted

enigmatic

mysterious and difficult to understand

flamboyant

tending to attract attention because of exuberance or boldness

forlorn

pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely

immutable

unchangeable over time

incongruous

not in harmony or keeping with surroundings

indolent

wanting to avoid activity or exertion; lazy

katsuobushi

dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna

kotatsu

a low, wooden table frame covered by a futon with a heat source underneath

lament

a passionate expression of grief or sorrow

lethargy

a lack of energy and enthusiasm

lucid

clear and easily understood; mentally sound

macrobiotic

a diet based on whole grains and vegetables

meticulous

very careful and precise

miso

a traditional Japanese seasoning paste

perplexed

completely baffled; very puzzled

plaintive

expressing sorrow; mournful

precocious

unusually mature or advanced in development

propitious

favorable; auspicious

reverberate

to echo, resound, or reflect

reverie

a state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts

scrutiny

critical observation or examination

somber

dark and gloomy

tenuous

very weak or slight; barely perceptible

transfigured

changed in appearance to become more beautiful or spiritual

transient

lasting only for a short time; impermanent

translucent

allowing light to pass through diffusely; semi-transparent

veranda

a roofed platform along the outside of a house