Soya beans
Soya beans Pronounce it: soi-yah beenz Soya beans and soy beans are exactly the same and the names are used interchangeably according to fashion, preference or habit. The many subsequent products, such as soya/soy sauce,…
Glossary
Runner bean
Runner bean Pronounce it: Run-ner beens Runner beans have been growing in South America for over 2,000 years, and are a popular garden vegetable in Britain too. Stronger in flavour and coarser in texture than…
Negroamaro
Negroamaro Pronounce it: negr-ah-mah-ro Southern Italian speciality Negroamaro means literally ‘black, bitter’ and that more or less describes the grape. The pleasure of Italy for the winelover is discovering its several hundred native grapes and…
Garlic
Garlic Pronounce it: gar-lik Part of the lily, or alium, family, of which onions are also a member, garlic is one of the most indispensible ingredients around, and plays a central role in Mediterranean and…
Oats
Oats Pronounce it: ohtz Oats are processed by rolling (steamed and pressed) or steel-cutting (cut into pieces). There is little difference nutritionally between the two styles, but steel-cut oats do take longer to cook. Although…
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…
Strawberry
Strawberry Pronounce it: straw-bare-ee Once available in Britain for just a brief period during the summer, strawberries are now a year-round fruit, thanks to imports from warmer climates. However, the varieties grown for export tend…
Angelica
Angelica Pronounce it: an-gell-ik-ah This sweet ‘herb of the angels’ is a member of the parsley family and was once thought to be a remedy against witchcraft, poison and plague. Its pale green, celery-like stalks…
Asafoetida
Asafoetida Pronounce it: Ass-a-feh-te-dah/Ass-a-feh-tee-dah This is a gum from a variety of giant fennel, which naturally has a horrid and offensive smell, rather like rotting garlic, as in foetid. Yet it is considered the most…
Basil
Basil Pronounce it: ba-zil Most closely associated with Mediterranean cooking but also very prevalent in Asian food, the herb basil has a sweet, strong aroma and flavour. There are three main Mediterranean types: sweet, with…