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Cumin

Cumin

Cumin Pronounce it: q-min An aromatic spice native to eastern Mediteranean countries and Upper Egypt. This warm, flavoursome and slightly bitter spice derives from the seed of the Cumin plant and is traditionally added to…


Cashew

Cashew

Cashew Pronounce it: ka-shoo The seeds from the ‘Cashew Apple’ – a tree which bears bright orange fruit and is native to Brazil and the West Indies. They have a sweet flavour and crumbly texture…


Courgette

Courgette

Courgette Pronounce it: corr-zjet The courgette is a variety of cucurtbit, which means it’s from the same family as cucumber, squash and melon. It is the most popular vegetable of the squash family, being extremely…


Cauliflower

Cauliflower

Cauliflower Pronounce it: coll-ee-fl-ow-ah A brassica, like cabbage and broccoli, cauliflower is a mass of tiny, tightly packed flower heads (called curds), which grow from a thick central stem to form a single, round head,…


Chicory

Chicory

Chicory Pronounce it: chik-or-ee Also known as endive, chicory is a forced crop, grown in complete darkness, which accounts for its blanched white, yellow-tipped leaves. It has a distinctive, cigar-like shape, about 12cm long, and…


Celeriac

Celeriac

Celeriac Pronounce it: sell-air-e-ak The unsung hero of the vegetable world, knobbly, odd-shaped celeriac has a subtle, celery-like flavour, with nutty overtones. Try it as mash, in big-flavoured, slow-cook dishes, or in its classic form,…


Chianti

Chianti

Chianti Pronounce it: key-anti An area in Italy’s Tuscany region and name of one of Italy’s most famous red wines. The main grape in Chianti is the Sangiovese, and flavours can include cherries, raspberries, plums…


Chardonnay

Chardonnay

Chardonnay Pronounce it: shar-don-ay The global celebrity Chardonnay is one of the few grape varieties that has become more famous than the wines made from it. The fact that it is relatively easy to grow…


Colombard

Colombard

Colombard Pronounce it: co-lom-bah Wine-blender’s favourite Colombard will never be in the first division of wine grapes. Instead it is a stalwart of the supermarket bargain bracket, being relatively easy to grow. As it does…


Caramel

Caramel Pronounce it: ca-ra-mel This is white, granulated sugar melted until it browns, after which it sets clear and hard when it cools. A richly coloured caramel adds delicious, contrasting degrees of deeper flavour and…