Sourdough
Sourdough Pronounce it: sow–er-doh Sourdough is a method of leavening bread, based on uncooked bread dough (known as ‘mother dough’ or ‘sourdough starter’) that has soured and been populated by natural air-borne yeasts. It’s likely to…
Glossary
Lettuce
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…
Mulled wine
Mulled wine Pronounce it: mulld w-eye-n Like ice-cold Spanish sangria, warm mulled wine is essentially red wine that is slightly sweetened, flavoured with citrus, lightly spiced and, usually, finished with a spirit or liqueur. However, mulled wine…
Tortilla
Tortilla Pronounce it: tor-tee-ya In Spain, a tortilla is a kind of omelette, with ingredients added – frequently sliced cooked potato and onion. However, over in Mexico, a tortilla is a kind of flat unleavened…
Risotto rice
Risotto rice To create an authentic creamy Italian risotto, the use of specialist rice is imperative. It comes in various forms and is usually very pale in colour, stubby and smooth in texture. Grains range…
Turmeric
Turmeric Pronounce it: term-er-ik Turmeric is a fragrant, bright golden-yellow root that is most commonly seen and used dried and ground. Although sometimes suggested as an alternative to saffron, these flavours have nothing in common,…
Decant
Decant Pronounce it: dee-cant Decanting is the act of slowly pouring liquid from its original container into a different one. It’s a term that’s often associated with wine, where the wine is poured from its…
Sauté
Sauté Pronounce it: saw-tay A French term used to describe a method for cooking foods in a shallow pan using high heat. The food is cooked in the pan uncovered, in a small quantity of…
Sorrel
Sorrel Pronounce it: sor-rel Sorrel has a sharp, lemony flavour – the name derives from the French for ‘sour’. Highly regarded in France, where the leaves are used in soups and sauces, sorrel can also…
Couscous
Couscous Pronounce it: koos-koos Consisting of many tiny granules made from steamed and dried durum wheat, couscous has become a popular alternative to rice and pasta. It has a light fluffy texture which is a…