Food

Brasserie: French-style restaurant and its characteristics Brasserie A brasserie is a relaxed French restaurant originally linked to breweries; it offers professional service, printed menus and hearty dishes, and differs from bistros and cafés in st…

Bratwurst: German sausage — origins, varieties, cooking and serving Bratwurst Bratwurst is a German fresh sausage made from pork, beef or veal. This article covers its origins, typical ingredients, regional varieties, cooking methods and common accompaniment…

Bread: Types, Ingredients, History and Cultural Importance Bread Bread is a staple baked food made from a dough of flour and water. This entry explains its basic ingredients and processes, major types, history, uses, storage, nutrition and cultu…

Bread and Salt: Slavic Welcome Ceremony and Symbolic Food Bread and salt Bread and salt is a traditional Slavic greeting in which a loaf of bread and a dish of salt are offered on an embroidered towel to honor guests; it symbolizes hospitality, prosperi…

Bread roll — types, ingredients, history and culinary uses Bread roll A compact overview of the bread roll: definition, regional names and varieties, common ingredients and preparation, culinary uses, and notable distinctions across Europe and beyond…

Breakfast: meaning, varieties, history and common practices Breakfast Breakfast is the first meal of the day. This article explains what breakfast is, its origins, common components and regional varieties, and notes about nutrition and cultural impor…

Breakfast sausage A seasoned fresh sausage, most often made from ground pork, served at morning meals. Overview of ingredients, varieties, preparation, safety, and how it differs from other sausages…

Brewing: the production and science of beer Brewing Brewing is the controlled process that turns grain, water, hops and yeast into beer. This article outlines ingredients, step-by-step production, historical context, common uses and…

Brie — soft cow's‑milk cheese from France Brie Brie is a soft, creamy cow's‑milk cheese with an edible white rind. Originating in the Brie region of France, it is eaten fresh or baked, served with fruit, bread or wines and made…

Brillat-Savarin — French triple‑cream cheese Brillat-Savarin cheese Brillat‑Savarin is a rich, soft, white‑rinded French triple‑cream cow’s milk cheese created in the 1930s, known for its velvety texture, mild tang, and customary pairings with Cham…

British cuisine: traditions, regional dishes and modern evolution British cuisine An overview of British cuisine: its characteristics, history, regional variations, common dishes and contemporary developments, from hearty roasts to multicultural influences.

Broth — culinary liquid used as soup base and cooking stock Broth Broth is a flavored cooking liquid made by simmering meat, bones, fish or vegetables. Used as a base for soups, sauces and grains, its definition and preparation vary by region and…

Brunello di Montalcino Brunello di Montalcino is a prestigious Tuscan red wine made from Sangiovese grown around Montalcino. It is known for firm structure, long aging, single-varietal purity and collect…

Bubble tea (Boba): Origins, Varieties, and Global Popularity Bubble tea Bubble tea, also called boba or pearl tea, is a Taiwanese tea-based drink featuring chewy tapioca pearls. This article covers its ingredients, varieties, history, preparation, and…

Bubblegum Chewing gum formulated to allow formation of bubbles; its history, composition, varieties, uses, and environmental and cultural impact.

Budweiser: American lager and global beer brand Budweiser Budweiser is a widely distributed American pale lager, introduced in 1876. Known for a rice-malted recipe, mass-market profile, high-profile advertising and long-running naming and…

Buffet (self-service dining): overview, types, history and safety Buffet A buffet is a self-service system where food is displayed for diners to choose and portion themselves. Common in hotels, events and restaurants, buffets vary by format and require…

Bulgogi: Korean marinated grilled beef Bulgogi Bulgogi is a Korean dish of thinly sliced, marinated meat that is grilled or pan‑fried. This article explains its ingredients, preparation, history, regional variations, and how it…

Bun (bread roll): types, composition, history and culinary uses Bun A bun is a small, often round bread roll—baked or steamed—found in sweet and savory forms worldwide. This article covers ingredients, varieties, preparation, cultural roles, storag…

Burger: Types, History, Ingredients, and Cultural Significance Burger A burger is a sandwich centered on a cooked patty—traditionally beef—served in a split bun. This article outlines its components, origins, common variations, cooking methods, safet…

Burrito: Origins, ingredients, and regional styles Burrito A burrito is a portable Mexican-style wrap of a wheat tortilla filled with proteins, beans, rice, vegetables and sauces. This article explains its composition, history, regional va…

Bushel (unit of dry volume) Bushel A bushel is a traditional unit of dry volume used chiefly in agriculture. It equals 4 pecks or 8 gallons; imperial and U.S. definitions differ (≈36.3687 L vs ≈35.2391 L) and it is…

Bushfood (bush tucker): traditional Australian native foods and their uses Bushfood Bushfood, or bush tucker, refers to foods native to Australia traditionally used by Indigenous peoples — plants, animals and insects — now part of cuisine, commerce and cultural pr…

Butter: composition, production, varieties, and culinary uses Butter Overview of butter: milkfat composition, production methods, types (salted, clarified, ghee, non-cow milks) and culinary uses from spreading and baking to sauces and frying.

Butter cake: ingredients, methods, history and uses Butter cake Butter cake is a family of cakes that use butter as a primary fat; learn its ingredients, mixing methods, history, common varieties, storage and practical baking tips.

Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) Butternut squash A winter squash with sweet, nutty orange flesh and tan skin. Grown on vines and used in soups, roasting, baking and purees; also known as butternut pumpkin or gramma in some countr…

Butterscotch: ingredients, production, uses, and history Butterscotch Butterscotch is a sugar-based confection made from brown sugar, butter and cream. This article explains how it’s made, how it differs from caramel and toffee, its history, common u…

Cabbage: biology, varieties, culinary uses and cultural importance Cabbage Cabbage (Brassica oleracea Capitata Group) is a leafy cruciferous vegetable grown worldwide. Covers its botany, varieties, cultivation, culinary uses, fermentation, nutrition and n…

Café: coffeehouse, culture, menu, history and regional variations Café Comprehensive overview of cafés: their purpose, typical offerings, social role, historical origins, regional differences and legal distinctions, plus examples of common menu items…

Cake A cake is a sweet baked confection typically served as a dessert or for celebrations; this article explains its form, ingredients, history, preparation methods and main varieties.

Calamari: culinary uses, preparation, and cultural context Calamari Calamari refers to squid prepared as food. Covers parts used, cooking methods, selection and storage, serving and pairings, nutrition and sustainability, and basic safety and tende…

Calvados — Normandy apple brandy Calvados (drink) Calvados is a distilled apple (and sometimes pear) brandy from Normandy, France. This article explains its production, regional appellations, history, culinary uses, and how it dif…

Camembert (French soft cheese) Camembert cheese Camembert is a soft, bloomy-rind cheese from Normandy, France. Known for its creamy texture and earthy rind, it exists as a protected traditional product and as widely produced mod…

Candy (confectionery): overview, types, history, and health Candy Candy, or confectionery, covers a wide range of sweet (and sometimes spicy) confections made from sugar and flavorings. This article outlines ingredients, varieties, origins, produ…

Candy bar A candy bar is a portable confection formed into a bar shape. Typically chocolate-coated, it can contain nougat, caramel, nuts, wafers, fruit or cereal and differs from nutrition b…

Candy cane (traditional Christmas confection) Candy cane Hard, cane-shaped boiled-sugar candy, usually white with red stripes and peppermint flavor; associated with Christmas and used ornamentally and in many culinary variations.

Cantaloupe (muskmelon): description, varieties, cultivation and uses Cantaloupe Cantaloupe is a type of muskmelon with sweet orange flesh, grown worldwide. This article covers its characteristics, main varieties, cultivation basics, culinary uses, and distinct…

Canteen (place) — institutional food service and dining facility Canteen (place) A canteen is an on-site food service in institutions such as schools, workplaces, hospitals or military bases, typically offering simple, low-cost meals and functioning as a commun…

Caramel: composition, preparation, varieties and culinary uses Caramel Caramel is a sweet, amber to dark-brown product formed by heating sugars. This article explains what caramel is, how it forms, common varieties, culinary uses, history and practica…

Caramel apple (taffy apple) — coated autumn confection Caramel apple An apple coated in soft caramel and often decorated with nuts, chocolate or candy. Served on a stick and popular at autumn fairs and Halloween; sometimes called taffy or toffee app…

Cardamom: varieties, botany, uses and cultural significance Cardamom Cardamom is a spice from two genera in the ginger family, prized for aromatic seedpods used in cooking, beverages, and traditional medicine across Asia and beyond.

Carrion: ecology, scavengers, decomposition and cultural importance Carrion Carrion is the dead body of an animal that fuels scavengers and decomposers. This article explains what carrion is, who eats it, how it decomposes, its ecological roles, and relate…

Casserole: one‑dish baked meals, techniques, history and common varieties Casserole Casserole denotes a class of baked, one‑dish meals prepared in a deep vessel with a binding liquid. This article covers characteristics, ingredients, techniques, history, regional…

Cassoulet: Traditional Languedoc Bean and Meat Casserole Cassoulet Cassoulet is a slow-cooked French casserole of white beans and mixed meats from Languedoc, known for regional varieties (Castelnaudary, Toulouse, Carcassonne) and its earthenware p…

Castella (Kasutera): Japanese sponge cake with Portuguese roots Castella Castella (Kasutera) is a moist, fine‑grained Japanese sponge cake of Portuguese origin. Made from eggs, sugar, flour and starch syrup, it is a Nagasaki specialty, often sold as omi…

Cauldron: large cooking vessel, history, uses and cultural meanings Cauldron A cauldron is a large metal cooking vessel heated over fire. This article explains its construction, materials, historical development, practical uses, and cultural symbolism.

Cauliflower: description, cultivation, uses and history Cauliflower Cauliflower (a cultivar of Brassica oleracea) is a nutrient-rich vegetable used worldwide. This article covers its botany, varieties, culinary uses, origin, and notable facts.

Caviar: Sturgeon Roe, Production, Culinary Use, and Conservation Caviar Caviar is salted sturgeon roe prized as a luxury food. This article covers what caviar is, how it is produced and graded, its culinary uses, historical sources, and modern conserva…