Bramley apple
Bramley apple Pronounce it: bram-lee app-el A large, flattish cooking apple, green in appearance but sometimes with specks of red. The flesh is white, juicy and acidic and when boiled it turns into a frothy…
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Bicarbonate of soda
Bicarbonate of soda Bicarbonate of soda, or baking soda, is an alkali which is used to raise soda breads and full-flavoured cakes such as gingerbread, fruit cake, chocolate cake and carrot cake. It needs an…
Blueberry
Blueberry Pronounce it: bloo-bear-ee Blueberries are one of the few edibles native to North America and credited with being particularly high in antioxidants. They’re now grown very widely internationally but the ever-increasing number of varieties…
Brussels sprouts
Brussels sprouts Pronounce it: bruss-ell spr-ow-t The quintessential Christmas dinner veg, Brussels sprouts are throught to have been cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century – hence the name. Although they’re related to cabbage –…
Balsamic vinegar
Balsamic vinegar Pronounce it: bal-sam-ick vin-ee-gah True Balsamic vinegar is an artisan product from Modena, in Emilia Romagna, Italy, and is made with grape must (juice) that is simmered to make a concentrate, allowed to…
Butternut squash
Butternut squash Pronounce it: buttah-nut skwash Butternut squash is one of the most popular varieties of winter squash or pumpkins. That is, types that are long keepers rather than short, such as summer’s courgettes. All squash are native to…
Bamboo shoots
Bamboo shoots Pronounce it: bam-boo shoo-tz As expected, these are the very young shoots of many types of bamboo. They must be thoroughly cooked before use because most will contain elements poisonous to human beings….
Blackcurrants
Blackcurrants Pronounce it: black-cuh-rant The most intensely coloured and flavoured of all currants, blackcurrants are highly aromatic and have a delicious tart flavour. Recent research findings suggest that eating blackcurrants can help prevent the onset…
Beansprouts
Beansprouts Pronounce it: been sp-rowts The two most common beansprouts are the green-capped mung bean and the bigger, yellow-capped soy bean. Widely seen as a major, somehow magic, ingredient, beansprouts have little more nutrition than other…
Baking powder
Baking powder Pronounce it: bay-king pow-dah Baking powder is a raising agent that is commonly used in cake-making. It is made from an alkali, bicarbonate of soda, and an acid, cream of tartar, plus a…