Bain-marie
Bain-marie Pronounce it: bah-marie Consists of placing a container (pan, bowl, soufflé dish, etc) of food in a large, shallow pan of warm water, which surrounds the food with gentle heat. The food may be…
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Basil
Basil Pronounce it: ba-zil Most closely associated with Mediterranean cooking but also very prevalent in Asian food, the herb basil has a sweet, strong aroma and flavour. There are three main Mediterranean types: sweet, with…
Brandy
Brandy Pronounce it: bran-dee Brandy is a distilled spirit made from virtually any fermented fruit or starchy vegetable. Distilling concentrates and helps purify the ethanol alcohol created by the fermentation; ethanol is an intoxicant used…
Barbera
Barbera Pronounce it: bar-bare-ah Pizza house star This is probably the first red wine anyone drinks in an Italian restaurant or pizza place. That’s because it can be cheap and very cheerful. The red, juicy…
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…
Blanch
Blanch Pronounce it: bla-anch The process of plunging ingredients – usually vegetables and fruit – into boiling water briefly, then draining and refreshing them in cold water in order to stop the cooking process. Blanching…
Beetroot
Beetroot Pronounce it: beat-root A favourite in 1970’s British salads (served cooked and pickled in vinegar), beetroot is a root vegetable with dark, purple skin and pink/purple flesh. It has also enjoyed something of a…
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…
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…
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…