Persimmon Pronounce it: pur-simm-un This thin-skinned, golden fruit requires thought and time to enjoy at its best. When ripe and firm the flesh of traditional varieties is very astringent and unpleasant. However, once fully ripened,…
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Pinotage Pronounce it: peeno-ta-zh South African speciality Pinotage is South Africa’s unique grape, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, created in 1925. For many years it was a workhorse providing quantity but not necessarily…
Parsley Pronounce it: par-slee One of the most ubiquitous herbs in British cookery, parsley is also popular in European and Middle Eastern food. The traditional British choice is curly parsley, but flat leaved (Continental) parsley…
Purple sprouting broccoli Pronounce it: pur-pel spr-ow-ting brok-o-lee This untidy-looking, colourful cousin of broccoli can be used in much the same way. Leafier and deeper in colour than calabrese, it adds vibrancy and crunch to…
Pasta Pronounce it: pah-stah Pasta is the Italian name for Italy’s version of a basic foodstuff which is made in many countries by mixing a fine flour of ground grain with water to create a…
Peanut butter Pronounce it: pee-nut butt-ah Peanut butter starts with dry roasting peanuts, which concentrates and heightens their flavour and increases the proportion of oil to solids by getting rid of other moisture. As is…
New potatoes Pronounce it: n-ew po-tate-oes New potatoes have thin, wispy skins and a crisp, waxy texture. They are young potatoes and unlike their fully grown counterparts, they keep their shape once cooked and cut….
Pinot Gris Pronounce it: pee-no gree Wine bar favourite While the grape is basically the same, wines that call themselves Pinot Gris are usually richer in the elegant Alsace (French) style. A wine that calls…
Paprika Pronounce it: pa-preek-ah A spice that’s central to Hungarian cuisine, paprika is made by drying a particular type of sweet pepper, then grinding them to a fine, rich red powder. Its flavour varies from…
Prosecco Pronounce it: proh-sekk-oh Bubbling Prosecco is now one of the UK’s most popular alcoholic drinks. Not all varieties deliver profound lasting flavours and the bubbles may dissapear quickly, but this sparkling white wine’s production cost…