Shichimi togarashi Shichimi togarashi, a Japanese seven-spice mix, is a spicy-savoury blend of ground chillies, plus a variety of other ingredients that typically include sesame seeds, poppy seeds and citrus peel. Availability Find it in…
Bloody Mary Pronounce it: blud-ee meah-ree Reliably considered the best possible cure for a hangover, this long tomato juice and vodka-based drink might actually work. First, it is restoring some of the hydration that drinking…
Viognier Pronounce it: vee-oh-nyay A scented favourite Viognier is one of the great success stories of recent times. Never one of the easiest grapes to grow, production had shrunk back to a tiny amount in…
Lemon grass Pronounce it: le-mon gra-ss Although lemon grass is central to Asian cuisine, especially Thai, it works well in Western dishes, too. This mixing of flavours is sometimes called ‘fusion’. Also called citronella or…
Olive oil Pronounce it: ol-iv oyl Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It’s mainly made in the Mediterranean, primarily in Italy, Spain and Greece (though countries such…
Seitan Pronounce it: say-tan Seitan (or wheat gluten) is pure gluten, vegetarian protein, extracted from several types of wheat flour by a kneading and rinsing process, after which it is boiled for some time before…
Apple Pronounce it: ap-pel Grown in temperate regions, apples are one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits. There are over 7,000 varieties in existence, many of which are grown in Britain but, despite that,…
Agave syrup Agave syrup (also known as agave nectar) is a naturally occurring sweetener similar in consistency to honey, although slightly thinner. It is extracted from various species of the agave plant, which grows mainly…
Lettuce Pronounce it: lett-iss Lettuce are available in a vast number of varieties, and are either crisp or floppy, growing from a central stalk to form a spherical or lozenge-like head. Most of them have…
Lamb’s lettuce Pronounce it: lams lett-ess Sometimes known as Corn Salad, lamb’s lettuce has long spoon-shaped dark leaves and a distinctive, tangy flavour. It is used raw in salads as well as steamed and served…