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…
B
Body – light, medium, full
Body – light, medium, full Pronounce it: bo-dee One of the useful ways to distinguish between wines is to indicate the body of the wine. It’s an indicator of the way the wine feels in…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 –…
Barley
Barley There are two types of barley available- pot barley and pearl barley. Pot barley is the more nutritious of the two but is less readily available and takes longer to cook. It is less…
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…
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…