Food terms just don’t translate

Wait a minute! I thought the L.A. Times was an English-language newspaper [“Nothing Fancy About It,” by Irene Virbila, June 22].

I am a frequent traveler, and my friends consider me a better than average cook. I like to cook and eat all kinds of food from all countries.

However, in less than 2 1/2 columns Virbila managed to use no less (maybe more) than nine foreign references to the food she described at Hatfield’s: an amuse, agua fresca, croque-Madame, hamachi, jambon de Bayonne, brioche, beignet, panna cotta and gelee.

I recognize most of these, but I did think amuse was a verb, not a noun. Do I now have to read her reviews with my Larousse at hand?

LEE J. SOSKIN

Studio City