Food

Baking powder: leavening agent, composition, history and uses Baking powder A concise encyclopedia entry on baking powder: how it works, what it contains, its history, common types, culinary uses, and storage and substitution guidance.

Baklava: layered pastry dessert of the Middle East, Balkans, and Anatolia Baklava Baklava is a rich layered pastry of thin dough, nuts and syrup or honey with many regional variants across the Middle East, Balkans and Anatolia; often associated with Ottoman cuis…

Banana bread: origins, ingredients, variations and baking tips Banana bread Banana bread is a sweet quick bread made with mashed bananas. This article covers typical ingredients, common variations, historical background, basic preparation, serving ideas an…

Banana squash: description, uses, and cultivation Banana squash Banana squash is a winter squash with an elongated yellow shape and sweet, potato-like flesh. Related to butternut squash, it is used in roasting, purees, soups, and long-term stor…

Banchan: Korean shared side dishes and table customs Banchan Banchan are the small, shared side dishes served with rice in Korean meals. This article describes their types, presentation and etiquette, preservation techniques, historical and…

Barbecue: methods, history, regional styles, and cultural role Barbecue Barbecue (BBQ) is both a cooking method and a social tradition centered on slow-cooked, smoked, or grilled meat — with regional variations in equipment, sauces, and techniques arou…

Barq's: history, characteristics, and cultural role of the root beer brand Barq's Barq's is a North American root beer brand, known for its caramel color and caffeinated formulations; produced by The Coca-Cola Company and sold in several diet and flavored variet…

Basmati rice: aromatic long-grain rice of the Indian subcontinent Basmati Aromatic long-grain rice known for its fragrance, slender non-sticky grains and use in biryani and pilafs. Grown mainly in India and Pakistan; available as white and brown varietie…

Battenberg cake Battenberg cake is a light, chequered sponge cake wrapped in marzipan; known for its two-colour grid, use of jam to join pieces, and Victorian-era association with the Battenberg f…

Batter: culinary mixture, sports player, slope, and striking action Batter Batter is a polysemous English word: a thin flour-and-liquid cooking mix, a hitter in bat-and-ball sports, the act of striking repeatedly, or an inclined wall or slope used for sta…

Béarnaise sauce: definition, ingredients, history and culinary uses Béarnaise sauce Béarnaise is a classic French emulsified sauce of clarified butter and egg yolks flavored with shallot, tarragon and chervil. It is closely related to hollandaise and commonly serv…

Béchamel sauce (white sauce) Béchamel sauce Béchamel, or white sauce, is a classic French mother sauce of milk thickened with a flour-and-butter roux. It serves as a base for many derivatives and is used in dishes from lasag…

Beef: meat from cattle — types, cuts, production, cooking and cultural role Beef Beef is the culinary and commercial name for meat from cattle and other bovines. This article explains major cuts, production and grading, culinary uses, history, and notable disti…

Beer: manufacture, styles, history and cultural importance Beer Overview of beer as an alcoholic beverage and place name; ingredients, brewing steps, major styles, history and cultural significance of beer.

Bellini (cocktail) A classic Italian sparkling cocktail of Prosecco and peach purée, created in postwar Venice and served chilled in a flute. Popular at celebrations and brunches, with several modern…

Bento: Japanese boxed lunch — origins, components, and varieties Bento Bento is a Japanese packed meal built around rice and accompaniments. This article explains its typical components, containers, history, cultural role, and modern varieties such as…

Bergamot essential oil A fragrant citrus oil pressed from the peel of the bergamot orange. Used in perfumery, flavoring (notably Earl Grey tea), and aromatherapy, with distinctive aroma and notable safet…

Berliner (doughnut) A Berliner is a round, yeast‑raised fried pastry originating in Germany and Central Europe, typically filled with jam, custard or other sweet fillings and finished with sugar or ic…

Berry: botanical definition, common usage, examples and distinctions Berry A concise encyclopedia entry on berries: the botanical meaning, everyday usage, examples of true and false berries, histories, uses, and key distinctions.

Beurre noisette (brown butter) Beurre noisette Beurre noisette, or brown butter, is butter cooked until its milk solids brown, producing a nutty aroma and rich flavor used in sauces, baking, and finishing dishes in French and i…

Bibimbap: Korean Mixed Rice Dish — Ingredients, History, and Variations Bibimbap Bibimbap is a Korean rice dish of mixed vegetables, protein, and sauce served in a bowl. It has regional styles, ceremonial roots, and many modern variations including vegetarian a…

Big League Chew Big League Chew is a shredded bubble gum introduced in 1980 that imitates the appearance of chewing tobacco. Created by baseball figures and promoted by Jim Bouton, it is sold in f…

Big Mac (McDonald's sandwich) Big Mac The Big Mac is a signature double-deck hamburger introduced by McDonald's; known for its middle bun, special sauce and global recognition — and as the basis of the economic 'Big Ma…

Biltong: South African dried meat snack — origins, preparation, and varieties Biltong Biltong is a South African-style air-dried, cured meat snack made from beef or game. This article explains its origin, preparation, common varieties, cultural role, and how it diff…

Biryani — a fragrant South Asian rice and meat rice dish Biryani Biryani is a spiced, layered rice dish from the Indian subcontinent, prepared with aromatic rice, meat, fish, eggs or vegetables and slow 'dum' cooking; many regional variants exis…

Biscuit A biscuit is a small baked item whose form and meaning vary by region: a crisp, cookie-like snack in British English or a soft, leavened quick bread in American English.

Bismarck herring — pickled Baltic herring tradition Bismarck herring Traditional northern German pickled herring from Stralsund named for Otto von Bismarck; filleted Baltic herring preserved in spiced vinegar brine and historically packed in small w…

Bistro: Small French Restaurant and Its Traditions Bistro A bistro is a small, informal restaurant originating in France that serves modestly priced, home-style dishes. This article explains its characteristics, history, menu types and ho…

Bitterness: the taste, its biology, and culinary and cultural roles Bitterness Bitterness is one of the five primary tastes. This article explains its sensory basis, common bitter foods and compounds, evolutionary role, culinary uses, and notable variations i…

Black bean: varieties, uses, nutrition and culinary distinctions Black bean Overview of black beans: major botanical types (black turtle, black soybean, black adzuki, black gram), fermented black bean products, nutrition, cooking tips, selection and cultur…

Black pudding: origins, ingredients, regional varieties and culinary uses Black pudding Black pudding is a traditional blood sausage made from mammalian blood, fat and cereal or filler. This article outlines ingredients, preparation, regional names, culinary uses, and…

Black tea: production, varieties, history, and uses Black tea Black tea is a fully oxidized tea from Camellia sinensis, valued for its robust flavor, global varieties, and role in blends, trade, and everyday beverages across many cultures.

Blackberry pie: ingredients, history and regional variations Blackberry pie An overview of blackberry pie, its typical ingredients and preparation, historical notes, common variations and how it is served. Practical distinctions between fresh, frozen and j…

Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum): description, cultivation, uses, and history Blackcurrant Blackcurrant is a dark, tart berry (Ribes nigrum) valued for its vitamin C, concentrated flavor, and uses in preserves, drinks, and confectionery. It has a long cultivation history…

Blanquette de Limoux A traditional sparkling wine from Limoux in southern France, historically based on the Mauzac grape. Produced by ancestral or traditional methods, it is notable for apple and flora…

Blue cheese: varieties, production, and culinary uses Blue cheese Blue cheese is a family of mold-ripened cheeses with blue-green veins and a range of textures and flavors, produced from cow, sheep, or goat milk and important in European culinary…

Boiled egg: preparation, varieties, history, and uses Boiled egg A boiled egg is an egg cooked in its shell until the white and yolk reach preferred textures. This entry covers types, cooking effects, culinary uses, safety tips and notable facts…

Bok choy (pak choi): description, varieties, uses and cultivation Bok choy Bok choy, a leafy Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis), has succulent white stalks and dark green leaves. Used in Asian and global cuisines, it is valued for its mild f…

Bolognese sauce (Ragù alla bolognese) Bolognese sauce A meat-based Italian ragù originating in Bologna, traditionally paired with broad pasta. This article explains ingredients, preparation, history, and common variations.

Borscht: the beet-based soup of Eastern Europe and beyond Borscht Borscht is a family of sour, beet-centered soups originating in Eastern Europe. It has many regional forms, ingredients, and serving traditions across Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Rus…

Botan nabe (Japanese wild boar hot pot) Botan nabe Botan nabe is a Japanese communal hot pot of thinly sliced wild boar arranged like a peony, cooked with vegetables and broth. A winter specialty with regional broths, safety consid…

Bouillabaisse: traditional Provençal fish stew from Marseille Bouillabaisse Bouillabaisse is a classic Provençal fish stew from Marseille, built from local fish, shellfish and vegetables and commonly served with garlicky saffron rouille and toasted bread.

Bounty (chocolate bar) Bounty is a coconut-filled chocolate bar made by Mars. Launched in 1951, it is sold internationally in milk and dark chocolate versions, commonly packaged as two-piece bars.

Bourbon Bourbon most commonly denotes an American whiskey made from at least 51% corn; the name also applies to a European royal house, a vanilla variety, and several place names.

Bourbon whiskey Bourbon is a distinct American whiskey made from a corn-based mash, aged in new charred oak barrels and used both as a sipping spirit and in classic cocktails.

Bowl A bowl is a rounded, open-top vessel used worldwide to prepare, serve and eat foods and liquids; it varies by material, shape and cultural role from prehistoric times to modern des…

Boysenberry A cultivated hybrid berry in the Rubus group, known for its deep maroon color, complex flavor and culinary uses; developed by Rudolph Boysen and popularized commercially by Walter…

Brandy — distilled fruit spirit and its varieties Brandy Brandy is a distilled spirit made from fermented fruit, typically grapes. This article explains production, types (Cognac, Armagnac, calvados, grappa, eau-de-vie), aging, uses, and…