Papaya
Papaya Pronounce it: pa-pie-ah Native to tropical America, papayas are a large fruit also known as paw-paws. They have vibrant pinky-orange flesh and a sweet, juicy flavour similar to peach. Though their grey shiny seeds…
Damson
Damson Pronounce it: dam-sun A small fruit with vibrant dark blue skin and a strong, sour flavour, damsons are similar to plums and a member of the rose family. They have a large stone and…
Carrot
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…
Vodka
Vodka Pronounce it: vod-ka Originally associated with Russia, Slavonic, Baltic and Scandinavian countries, vodka has become one of the world’s favourite spirits, largely based on its supposed lack of flavour and it being undetectable on…
Quinoa
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…
Cumin
Cumin Pronounce it: q-min An aromatic spice native to eastern Mediteranean countries and Upper Egypt. This warm, flavoursome and slightly bitter spice derives from the seed of the Cumin plant and is traditionally added to…
Sumac
Sumac Pronounce it: soo-mak This wine-coloured ground spice is one of the most useful but least known and most underappreciated. Made from dried berries, it has an appealing lemon-lime tartness that can be widely used. In…
Malbec
Malbec Pronounce it: marl-bek The Argentinian hero Malbec was once one of the regular participants in Bordeaux blends. Today it has fallen out of favour. Further south in Gascony it still has a role to…
Semillon
Semillon Pronounce it: sem-ee-yon Chameleon grape Semillon is a gorgeously adaptable grape that makes one of the most unique dry white wines as well as appearing in some of the world’s most famous sweet wines….
Pinotage
Pinotage Pronounce it: peeno-ta-zh South African speciality Pinotage is South Africa’s unique grape, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, created in 1925. For many years it was a workhorse providing quantity but not necessarily…