Pineapple Pronounce it: pine-ap-pel With its tuft of spiky, dusty green leaves and cross-hatched, golden orange skin, the pineapple has an unmistakable appearance. A single pineapple is, in fact, a collection of multiple diamond-shaped fruits,…
Sangiovese Pronounce it: san-gee-oh-vai-zey Ambassador for Italy If you are trying to guess the grape variety in a Tuscan red wine, then there’s a good chance that it will be Sangiovese. It won’t necessarily be…
Barbera Pronounce it: bar-bare-ah Pizza house star This is probably the first red wine anyone drinks in an Italian restaurant or pizza place. That’s because it can be cheap and very cheerful. The red, juicy…
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…
Avocado Pronounce it: av-oh-car-doh Although it’s technically a fruit, the mild-flavoured avocado is used as a vegetable. Native to central America, there are four main varieties: Hass (considered to be the best), which has a…
Chestnut Pronounce it: chest-nut ‘Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…’ that kitsch old Nat King Cole song perfectly sums up the comforting, Christmassy appeal of this sweet, crumbly nut. In contrast to other nuts, chestnuts…
Green tea Pronounce it: green tee Green tea is precisely what it says. It is the green leaf tips of the tea plant, camellia sinensis, that have been dried without any cutting or tearing (which…
Seitan Pronounce it: say-tan Seitan (or wheat gluten) is pure gluten, vegetarian protein, extracted from several types of wheat flour by a kneading and rinsing process, after which it is boiled for some time before…
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…
Saffron Pronounce it: sah-fron The stigma of a type of crocus, saffron threads have a pungent and distinctive aroma and flavour – slightly bitter, a little musty, and with a suggestion of something floral. It’s…