Chilli
Chilli Pronounce it: chill-ee Part of the capsicum family, chillies come in scores of varieties and colours (from green through to yellow, orange and red) and are one of the most popular spices in the…
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Apple
Apple Pronounce it: ap-pel Grown in temperate regions, apples are one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. There are over 7,000 varieties in existence, many of which are grown in Britain but, despite that,…
Maple syrup
Maple syrup Pronounce it: may-pul sir-rup The rising spring sap of a number of varieties of maple tree native to northeast America, mainly in Canada but also in such US states as Vermont. The syrup…
Paprika
Paprika Pronounce it: pa-preek-ah A spice that’s central to Hungarian cuisine, paprika is made by drying a particular type of sweet pepper, then grinding them to a fine, rich red powder. Its flavour varies from…
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc Pronounce it: sew-vin-yon blonk Mouthwatering and fresh When the world got tired of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc was ready to step into its shoes. The producers of New Zealand led the charge with their…
Chervil
Chervil Pronounce it: chur-vil Chervil is an annual herb that looks similar to flat leaf parsley but with a finer stem and more delicate, almost wilting leaves. It has a faint aniseed flavour and is…
Merlot
Merlot Pronounce it: mer-low The crowd pleaser Merlot is the red that has come racing up the popularity stakes. It’s the variety – especially if it’s made in the New World – that you can…
Radicchio
Radicchio Pronounce it: rah-dee-chee-o An Italian relative of chicory, radicchio is a forced crop and has distinctive red and white leaves. The exact nature of its colouring depends upon how much light it has been…
X.O cognac
X.O cognac Pronounce it: exx-oh con-yak Created in 1870 for the personal use of Maurice Hennessy and his family and friends, X.O is a type of distilled wine and is widely considered the ultimate in…
Jerusalem artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke Pronounce it: jer-oo-sa-lem ar-tee-choke This vegetable is not truly an artichoke but a variety of sunflower with a lumpy, brown-skinned tuber that often resembles a ginger root. Contrary to what the name implies,…