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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Banana
Banana Pronounce it: bah-nah-nah Probably the best known, most popular tropical fruit, their name probably derives from the Arabic for finger, ‘banan’. There are a number of varieties, inluding red bananas (which have a yellow-pink…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…