Nectarine
Nectarine Pronounce it: nek-tar-een A smooth-skinned variety of peach native to China, similarly flavoured to peaches with slightly more acidity. The flesh is light pink, yellow or white and is delicate and sweet.Nectarines are high…
Semolina
Semolina Pronounce it: swiss shard Pronounce it: sem-oh-leen-ah Semolina flour is pale-yellow in colour, high in gluten and used for traditionally made pasta, pizza, bread and biscuit doughs. The term ‘semolina’ comes from the Italian…
Lamb’s lettuce
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…
Marrow
Marrow A marrow is a cucurbit, which means it’s from the same family as the melon, cucumber, squash and courgette. The marrow is actually a courgette that has been left on the plant to grow a little longer; likewise, if…
Kombucha
Kombucha Pronounce it: kom-boo-char The ‘cha’ in the name is a clue to the basis of this ancient drink – ‘cha’ means tea and kombucha is based on tea whether green or black. The beverage is then lightly fermented…
Beansprouts
Beansprouts Pronounce it: been sp-rowts The two most common beansprouts are the green-capped mung bean and the bigger, yellow-capped soy bean. Widely seen as a major, somehow magic, ingredient, beansprouts have little more nutrition than other…
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…
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut Pronounce it: sow-er-krowt A diet staple of Germany and much of Central Europe, this is finely sliced cabbage subjected to lactic-acid fermentation. The process begins by adding salt to prepared cabbage; this draws liquid…
Muscat
Muscat Pronounce it: muss-cat The ‘grapey’ wine Muscat has a long history. The islanders of Samos in Greece are part of that history and still make sweet and fortified wines much as they did centuries…
Asparagus
Asparagus Pronounce it: a-spa-ra-gus Labour-intensive to grow, asparagus are the young shoots of a cultivated lily plant. They’re considered to be one of the delicacies of the vegetable world, with a price tag to match,…