Articles by admin

Cavolo nero

Cavolo nero

Cavolo nero Pronounce it: ca-voll-oh nee-ro A loose-leafed cabbage from Tuscany, Italy. The leaves are a very dark green, almost black, hence its name, which translates as ‘black cabbage’. It has a pleasantly tangy, bitter…


Za’atar

Za’atar

Za’atar Pronounce it: zar-uh-tar This Middle Eastern and Levantine flavouring changes lives once tasted. It’s easy to understand why it is an essential part of daily life in so many countries. The word can mean…


Arborio rice

Arborio rice Pronounce it: ahh-bore-e-o rice The high-starch kernels of this northern Italian-grown grain are shorter and plumper than any other short-grain rice. When cooked the grains become soft in texture with a chalky centre….


Blackberry

Blackberry Pronounce it: blak-bear-ee A purply black-coloured berry comprising many individual seed-containing fruits surrounding a cone-shaped core. Wonderfully juicy, they’re good raw (straight from the hedge!) or cooked and are bursting with vitamin C. Wild,…


Broad bean

Broad bean Pronounce it: braw-d be-en A member of the legume family, broad beans are pretty hardy and adaptable – they grow in most soils and climates. They’re a great source of protein and carbohydrates,…


Broccoli

Broccoli Pronounce it: brok-o-lee Like cabbage and cauliflower, broccoli is a brassica and is sometimes known by its Italian name, calebrese. It has tight clusters of deep green buds and thick, edible stems and was…


Buckwheat

Buckwheat Pronounce it: buhk-weet Buckwheat actually comes from the seeds of a plant distantly related to rhubarb and is neither related to wheat, nor, technically, a grain.  It is usually found in ground form, but can also be bought…


Cacao

Cacao Pronounce it: kak-ow Cacao, cocoa and chocolate are all produced from the seed pods of Theobroma cacao, a tree native to the tropics of Central and South America but now grown internationally, including in…


Cauliflower

Cauliflower

Cauliflower Pronounce it: coll-ee-fl-ow-ah A brassica, like cabbage and broccoli, cauliflower is a mass of tiny, tightly packed flower heads (called curds), which grow from a thick central stem to form a single, round head,…


Coriander seed

Coriander seed

Coriander seed Pronounce it: kor-ee-and-er seed The small, creamy brown seeds of the coriander plant give dishes a warm, aromatic and slightly citrus flavour totally different to fresh coriander leaves. They are commonly used in…