Clove
Clove Pronounce it: klo-ve The dry, unopened flower bud of the tropical myrtle tree family used to flavour a wide variety of sweet and savoury dishes. Cloves can be used whole or ground to impart…
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…
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…
Red cabbage
Red cabbage Pronounce it: red cab-idge A favourite winter vegetable served hot with roasted game birds but equally good as a colourful and gratifying addition to any hot meal. It is usually long cooked with…
Tamari
Tamari Pronounce it: tam-aree Tamari is a Japanese version of soy sauce, the main difference being that it contains little or no wheat and thus little or no gluten, something that will be apparent on…
Tomato
Tomato Pronounce it: toe-mart-oh A member of the nightshade family (along with aubergines, peppers and chillies), tomatoes are in fact a fruit, but their affinity for other savoury ingredients means that they are usually classed…