Amaranth Pronounce it: am-uh-ranth Amaranth is a protein-rich, gluten-free pseudo-grain (like quinoa) and a distant relation to Swiss chard and spinach. An amaranth plant produces multiple seed heads, each of which can yield up to 5,000 seeds. It is…
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Arrowroot powder Pronounce it: a-row-root Arrowroot powder is a type of starch that can be used instead of cornflour in many ways, including baking, but is most appreciated as a thickener of liquids because it…
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,…
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….
Almond Pronounce it: arr-mund or al-mund Sweet almonds have a subtle fragrance that lends itself well to baking and also works well with fish and chicken. Classic almond dishes include trout and almonds, Bakewell tart,…
Avocado Pronounce it: av-oh-car-doh Although it’s technically a fruit, the mild-flavoured avocado is used as a vegetable. Native to central America, there are four main varieties: Hass (considered to be the best), which has a…
Asafoetida Pronounce it: Ass-a-feh-te-dah/Ass-a-feh-tee-dah This is a gum from a variety of giant fennel, which naturally has a horrid and offensive smell, rather like rotting garlic, as in foetid. Yet it is considered the most…
Asparagus Pronounce it: a-spa-ra-gus Labour-intensive to grow, asparagus are the young shoots of a cultivated lily plant. They’re considered to be one of the delicacies of the vegetable world, with a price tag to match,…
Albariño Pronounce it: al-bar-een-yoh Spain’s seafood white In Spain, Albariño is one of wine’s new kids on the block. Twenty years ago it was little known – it was only in 1986 that the Rias…
Aduki bean Pronounce it: a-dook-ee beens The aduki bean is a tiny, reddish-brown bean with a cream coloured seam and sweet, nutty flavour. It is particularly popular in Asian cooking, most often used for sweet…