Falafel Pronounce it: Fill-aff–ill An age-old mainstay of fast street food in virtually every Arabic-speaking and Eastern Mediterranean country, falafel is now firmly established in the West. Traditionally, small patties based on minced ful (dried…
Merlot Pronounce it: mer-low The crowd pleaser Merlot is the red that has come racing up the popularity stakes. It’s the variety – especially if it’s made in the New World – that you can…
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,…
Horseradish Pronounce it: hors rad-ish Horseradish root is larger than an ordinary radish, and has a hot, peppery flavour. It’s more likely to be eaten as a condiment, which can be found in varying degrees of heat….
Quinoa Pronounce it: keen-wah Tiny, bead-shaped, with a slightly bitter flavour and firm texture, quinoa may not be a household name just yet, but it is set for a starry future – as far as…
Quince Pronounce it: kwin-s The two different shapes – apple and pear in which quinces grow are an obvious clue to the fruits to which they are related. When ripe, they are very fragrant, with…
Swiss chard Pronounce it: swiss shard Also known as plain chard, Swiss chard has large, fleshy, tender, deep green leaves and thick, crisp stalks. Although they’re unrelated, chard is similar to spinach, but with a stronger, more…
Tayberry Pronounce it: tay-berree Like the loganberry, the tayberry is a cross between the red raspberry and blackberry. It is a cone-shaped fruit that can be 4cm (1½ inches) long. It has a strong aromatic…
Carrot Pronounce it: ka-rot The carrot, with its distinctive bright orange colour, is one of the most versatile root vegetables around – a result of its sweet flavour, which means it can be used raw…
Capers Pronounce it: kay-per Capers are the small flower buds of the Capparis shrub, which grows in the Mediterranean. As they’re picked by hand they’re fairly pricey but they’re a versatile store cupboard ingredient, and…