Persimmon
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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Pumpkin
Pumpkin Pronounce it: pump-kin Pumpkins are the most famous of all the winter squashes, and are most associated with Halloween lanterns. Inside the hard orange or yellow skin, the bright orange flesh is sweet and…
Peas
Peas Pronounce it: p-ees A type of legume, peas grow inside long, plump pods. As is the case with all types of legume, their sugars start to turn to starch as shortly after they’re picked,…
Peanut butter
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…
Panettone
Panettone Pronounce it: pan-it-oh-nay Tall, golden, enriched brioche-like bread that can be plain or with dried fruits and candied citrus peel, panettone has become a Christmas staple throughout much of the world. Panettone and variations…
Pandan
Pandan Pronounce it: pan-dan, sometimes pan-dah-nus Pandan is another name for the screw pine tree and its lanceolate, aromatic leaves are used in both sweet and savoury cookery. Nutty and green-tasting with sweet, velvety overtones,…
Pak choi
Pak choi Pronounce it: pak-choy This member of the cabbage family has a number of different names, including pak choi, bok choy, horse’s ear, Chinese celery cabbage and white mustard cabbage. Its structure looks like…
Pomegranate
Pomegranate Pronounce it: pom-ee-gran-at Now mainly grown in America, Spain, the Middle East and India, pomegranates originated in the area from Northern India to Iran. They have a round shape, like an apple, with a…
Pinotage
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…
Parsnip
Parsnip Pronounce it: par-snip The fact that the parsnip is a member of the carrot family comes as no surprise – it looks just like one, aside from its creamy white colour. It has an…