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  • Bakewell tart

    photo of traditional bakewell tarts

    A Bakewell tart is a confection originating from Bakewell, a town in Derbyshire, England. Historically, it was served at any holiday occasion. Nowadays one could eat them on any day, usually with a cup of tea. Commercial versions are easily available.

    The tart consists of a shortcrust pastry shell, topped with a layer of jam, another of frangipane, and a topping of flaked almonds. The tart itself could be a large round, or a tray bake, which is then sliced into portions, or – as shown above – made into little, cup-cake-sized portions.

    The Bakewell pudding predates the Bakewell tart and the latter is thought to be a 20th century alteration.  The Bakewell pudding has a flaky pastry shell according to Mrs Beeton, although the pudding’s earliest record, by Elizabeth Acton in 1845, makes no mention of pastry.

    Recipe

    Felicity Cloake’s perfect Bakewell tart

  • Almond

    photo of shelled almonds

    Almonds are the nuts of the almond tree, a close relative of the peach, apricot and plum.

    The are two types of almonds – bitter and sweet.

    The bitter almonds contain prussic acid but can be used sparingly to produce oils, extracts and flavourings, eg for the liqueur amaretto.

    The sweet almonds are the ones which are generally eaten.  They are often used in desserts, and are the main ingredient of marzipan and frangipane. They can also be used in savoury dishes, particularly fish. Trout with almonds was a particularly ubiquitous bistro dish in the 1960s.

    Almonds can be ground to make flour, which provides a gluten-free alternative to the more commonly used wheat flour.

    Chef’s Tip

    Blanched almonds are almonds with their skins removed. Make removing almond skins easier by scalding the almonds with boiling water, then leave them in the water for about five minutes. This should make them much easier to peel.  Alternatively, you can buy them already peeled.

  • Bay leaf

    Photo of fresh bay leaves along with some spices

    Bay leaves are the aromatic leaves of several plants, especially the bay laurel, which are used in cooking. They are used to add fragrance and flavour to a wide variety of dishes in Europe, the Americas, and in Asia, particularly stocks and stews. They help to add a good depth of flavour. The leaves are usually added whole and removed at the end of the cooking process.

    Some laurel plants, which may have leaves which look similar to edible bay leaves, are poisonous to humans and livestock – so if you are growing your own rather than buying a commercially available brand, then take great care that you have the right plant! Leaves sold commercially are usually dried prior to packaging.

    Bay leaves are also said to be useful for repelling vermin, eg cockroaches and mice, if scattered around in the pantry.

  • Vinegar

    various bottles of oils and vinegars

    Vinegar literally means ‘sour wine’ and it was originally produced by the acetic fermentation of wine.  Whilst there is some evidence that it existed in Britain in pre-Roman times, it was the Romans who introduced it more fully. The Romans were very keen on it as a condiment, for cooking and even – well watered down – as a drink.

    When wine was not available, vinegar was made from other ingredients, such as ale. This is the origin of malt vinegar, which is so popular in Britain especially on fish and chips. This is unsurprising in a country without lemons.

    Despite the ubiquity of malt vinegar in Britain, in recent decades there has been a greater interest in a wider variety of wine vinegars, including those flavoured with herbs and spices.

    These days the most common culinary uses of vinegar is as a cooking ingredient (eg for vinaigrette), for pickling, and as a condiment.

    In addition to its culinary uses, vinegar has also had various other roles to play in industry, medicine and the household, such as for cleaning and disinfecting.

    More information

    See also Balsamic Vinegar for more details about the artisan vinegar from Modena, Italy.

  • Adzuki bean

    photo of raw, organic, red aduki beans in a bowl

    The adzuki bean originates from Japan and is sometimes also called azuki, aduki, or red mung bean in English. The bean is also commonly cultivated in Asia and it is the red variety which is most widely grown. However, other varieties are available, eg white, grey, black and even mottled.

    The adzuki bean most Scoffopedia readers are most likely to encounter is a small reddish-brown bean with a cream-coloured sprout, which looks like a seam. The bean has a sweet, nutty flavour. In Asia, especially Japan and China, the bean is sometimes cooked, pureed and sweetened for inclusion in desserts. In Western cuisine, it’s most likely to be used in soups, stews and salads.

    The bean is said to have health-giving properties, reputedly benefiting the liver and kidneys. It’s highly prized in Japan for this reason.

  • Achaar

    three bowls of Indian pickles

    Aachar is the name for pickles of the Indian subcontinent. They are usually made by finely chopping fruit or vegetables and marinating them in brine or edible oil, and seasoning with spices. Some regions use the same technique for meat and fish.

    The most common pickles of this style are made from mango and lime, but others are made from a wide variety of ingredients, eg cauliflower, garlic, radish.

    These can be homemade or bought commercially.

    Recipe

    The Tarla Dalal website has lots of achaar recipes.

  • Wormwood

    Photo of the herb wormwood

    Wormwood is a bitter tasting, woody herb which has been used for centuries to flavour drinks. Its Latin name is Artemisa absinthium, which is where the drink absinthe gets its name.

    The name wormwood comes from the original German name for the plant, wermut, as the plant was believed to be a remedy for intestinal worms.

    Wormwood is a key ingredient in absinthe and vermouth.

  • Vermouth

    Photo of Italian red and white vermouth

    Vermouth is an alcoholic drink made from a red or white wine base infused with any of a wide variety of aromatic herbs. It’s mostly used as a basis for cocktails. Its name comes from one herb in particular – wormwood.

    Vermouth is produced in the foothills of the Alps on both the French and Italian sides, where the necessary herbs are readily available.

    The commonest French vermouth is a dry white version, as used to make ‘dry Martini’ cocktails. Italian vermouth, by contrast, is mostly sweet. Both white and red (bianco and rosso) are made. The red vermouth is a key ingredient in the cocktail ‘Manhattan’.

    The most famous producers of vermouth include Martini, Rossi and Cinzano.

  • Eggnog

    photo of a Christmas scene with eggnog

    Eggnog is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based alcoholic beverage. Traditionally it’s made with whisked egg yolks, sugar, cream and brandy, rum or bourbon. The egg whites are whisked until foamy and added just before serving.

    It’s often drunk at celebrations, especially Christmas.  It’s commercially available premixed but it’s also easy to make at home.

    See also Advocaat and Zabov All’uovo which are traditional Dutch and Italian eggnogs respectively.

    Recipes

    Try Felicity Cloake’s perfect eggnog recipe

    BBC’s homemade eggnog

  • Dauphinoise

    Celeriac dauphinoise

    What is it?

    Gratin dauphinoise is a traditional French dish made with sliced potatoes, baked in cream, seasoned with nutmeg and garlic. Other vegetables can be cooked in the same way.

    The celeriac dauphinoise pictured above has been made as an individual portion but it’s more usual to make a large dish and split it into portions after baking.

    Recipes

    River Cottage potato dauphinoise

    Not Delia’s celeriac dauphinoise