Rosemary
Rosemary Pronounce it: rose-mar-ee Rosemary’s intense, fragrant aroma has traditionally been paired with lamb, chicken and game, but it’s also suited to fish and bean dishes. Its shrub has light blue or pink flowers and…
Read MoreR
Rice syrup
Rice syrup Pronounce it: rais sirr-up Also known as brown rice syrup, brown rice malt and rice malt, this ingredient of Chinese origin is made by enzymic action on brown rice and, after further treatment…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
Rye
Rye Pronounce it: rai The richly flavoured seed of a common and widely grown grass, rye’s robustness in difficult climates has long made it an important source of protein in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe,…
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…
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 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…