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Rice

Rice

Rice Pronounce it: r-eye-s Rice is a grain, the seed of a type of grass, which is the most widely grown and the most important source of dietary carbohydrate on Earth. Generally grown in flooded…

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Rocket

Rocket

Rocket Pronounce it: roh-ket Rocket is a very ‘English’ leaf, and has been used in salads since Elizabethan times. It has a strong, peppery flavour, and the leaves have a slight ‘bite’ to them. If…


Rum

Rum

Rum Pronounce it: rhum Rum is a type of spirit based on sugar cane. First produced in the 1600s on slave plantations in the Caribbean, rum can be made directly from sugar-cane juice or from…


Rapeseed oil

Rapeseed oil

Rapeseed oil If you want a light alternative to other cooking oils, rapeseed is a great choice and has experienced a surge in popularity since around 2008. It’s produced from the bright yellow rape plant…


Radish

Radish

Radish Pronounce it: rad-ish The root of a member of the mustard family, radishes have a peppery flavour and a crisp, crunchy texture. Among the most popular varieties are the small, cherry-sized common variety which…


Risotto rice

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…


Redcurrant

Redcurrant

Redcurrant Pronounce it: red-cur-rant These shiny little berries grow low on bushes, hanging from the branches like rows of miniature gems. Their flavour is a little tart but they’re still sweet enough to be eaten…


Riesling

Riesling

Riesling Pronounce it: ree-zling Wine writers’ favourite Ask wine writers for their favourite variety and the one many will name is Riesling. The reason is its capacity to produce great wines across the world, all…


Raspberry

Raspberry

Raspberry Pronounce it: ras-beh-ree A member of the rose family, raspberries have a wonderfully intense, sweet taste, and many consider them to be the finest flavoured of all the berries. Raspberries grow well in cool,…


Radicchio

Radicchio

Radicchio Pronounce it: rah-dee-chee-o An Italian relative of chicory, radicchio is a forced crop and has distinctive red and white leaves. The exact nature of its colouring depends upon how much light it has been…