Food

Doritos — Flavored Tortilla Chip Brand Doritos Doritos are a popular brand of seasoned corn tortilla chips introduced in 1966 by Frito‑Lay, available in many flavors worldwide and often eaten with dips, in recipes, or as a snac…

Dough: composition, types, and culinary roles Dough Dough is a malleable paste of flour and liquid used worldwide to make breads, pastries, flatbreads, fried treats and other foods; its consistency and treatment determine final text…

Doughnut (Donut): Types, History, Preparation and Cultural Role Doughnut A doughnut (donut) is a sweet fried confection made from dough or batter. This article explains common types, ingredients, origins, preparation methods, and its place in modern foo…

Dr Pepper Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink introduced in the 1880s, known for its unique blend of flavors, wide variety of formulations, and long-running American marketing presence.

Dragonfruit (Pitaya): appearance, varieties, cultivation and uses Dragonfruit Dragonfruit (pitaya) is a sweet, water-rich cactus fruit native to the Americas and now grown in tropical regions. This entry reviews appearance, varieties, cultivation, pollinatio…

Drink (beverage): types, uses, and importance Drink A drink (beverage) is a liquid consumed to provide hydration, nutrition, flavor or ritual. Covers major categories, basic composition, cultural roles, health and safety, and enviro…

Drinking straw: history, types, uses and environmental issues Drinking straw A drinking straw is a narrow tube used to sip beverages. This article explains its design, materials, historical origins, common uses, and contemporary environmental and accessibil…

Drinking water: sources, treatment, uses and safety Drinking water Comprehensive overview of drinking (potable) water: sources, common contaminants, treatment methods, standards, uses, consumption needs, reuse and global challenges.

Drive-through (drive-thru): overview, design, history and uses Drive-through Drive-through service provides contactless, vehicle-based transactions at restaurants, banks and other venues. This article explains design, history, typical uses, advantages, crit…

Dumpling: global varieties, preparation, history and culinary roles Dumpling Overview of dumplings — small dough or wrapped-food parcels found worldwide — with types, cooking methods, historical notes, culinary uses and distinguishing features.

Durian (Durio): the spiky, strong‑smelling tropical fruit Durian Durian is a large, spiny tropical fruit from Southeast Asia, famed for its pungent aroma and creamy flesh. It is culturally important, used fresh or in cooked dishes, and comes in…

E number (European food additive code) E number Standardized codes for food additives used in the European Union and elsewhere; classifies additives by function, links to an international numbering system, and reflects regulator…

Earl Grey tea — bergamot‑flavoured tea blend Earl Grey tea Earl Grey is a scented tea traditionally flavoured with oil of bergamot. Named for Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, it began as a black tea blend and has since diversified into many va…

Eating: biology, nutrition, culture, and health Eating Overview of eating as a biological process and cultural practice: how food provides energy and nutrients, digestion and diet, health effects, and practical guidance for balanced ea…

Éclair: French filled choux pastry Éclair An éclair is an oblong French choux pastry, baked from pâte à choux, filled with cream and finished with a sweet glaze. Popular worldwide, it appears in many flavors and is usually…

Edam cheese: Dutch semi-hard cheese from the town of Edam Edam cheese Edam is a mild, semi-hard Dutch cheese named for the town of Edam. Sold in rounds often coated in colored paraffin wax, it is versatile in cooking, ages into firmer styles, and has…

Egg (food): composition, nutrition, uses and safety Egg (food) A food article on eggs: their structure, nutritional value, culinary uses, safety and storage, and distinctions such as bird eggs versus fish roe and caviar.

Egg white (albumen): composition, culinary uses, and functional properties Egg white Egg white (albumen) is the clear, protein-rich portion of an egg. Low in fat, it serves structural and culinary roles—from foams and meringues to clarifying and binding—while also…

Eggnog — traditional creamy holiday drink Eggnog Eggnog is a sweet, dairy‑based beverage made from milk, cream, sugar and eggs, often spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon; served plain or with spirits during winter holidays in North A…

Eggs Benedict Classic American breakfast of toasted English muffin topped with cured pork, a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. Popular brunch item with many regional and dietary variations and…

Emeril Lagasse — American chef, restaurateur and television personality Emeril Lagasse Emeril Lagasse is an American chef and TV personality known for Emeril Live, New Orleans–inspired cooking, signature catchphrases, cookbooks, restaurants and a national influence o…

Emmental cheese (Emmentaler): Swiss cow‑milk cheese famous for its holes Emmental cheese A mild, nutty Swiss cow's‑milk cheese recognized for its characteristic 'eyes'. Covers production, bacteria and aging, regional varieties, culinary uses and legal protections.

Enchilada: traditional Mexican rolled tortilla dish and its variations Enchilada Enchilada — a classic Mexican dish of a filled tortilla bathed in chile-based sauce. Covers origin, ingredients, preparation, regional varieties, serving suggestions and difference…

English muffin Small round, flat yeast bread split and toasted for breakfast; noted for a coarse, nooked interior and use in dishes like eggs Benedict.

Entomophagy — Human and Animal Insect Eating Entomophagy Entomophagy is the practice of eating insects. This article explains the term, occurrences in humans and animals, common edible species, nutritional and environmental aspects, prod…

Entrée (course) Entrée An entrée is a course in a multi-course meal; its meaning varies by region, commonly referring either to a starter or to the main course. Overview, composition, history, regional u…

Espresso: concentrated Italian coffee and its preparation Espresso Espresso is a concentrated form of coffee brewed by forcing hot water through finely ground beans under pressure. This article explains its characteristics, history, equipment, and…

Essen, Germany: Ruhr metropolis and cultural centre Essen Essen is a major city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Historically an industrial and mining centre on the Ruhr, today it is known for cultural institutions, shopping, and the Z…

Falafel: fried chickpea or fava bean patties of the Middle East Falafel Falafel are deep-fried balls or patties of ground chickpeas and/or fava beans, seasoned with herbs and spices. A common Middle Eastern street food, served in pita or as part of a m…

Famine: causes, effects, history, and responses Famine An accessible overview of famine: definition, typical causes, health and social impacts, historical patterns, and measures for prevention and relief.

Fanta — history, flavors, composition and global presence Fanta Fanta is a fruit-flavoured carbonated soft drink created in 1940. This article reviews its origin, ingredients and many regional varieties, marketing, and the brand’s global spread…

Farmer: role, practices, and history Farmer Overview of farmers: people who grow crops and raise livestock, their methods, history, types of farming, and their role in producing food and managing land.

Farming: Cultivation of Crops and Animal Husbandry for Food and Raw Materials Farming Overview of farming: deliberate cultivation of crops and rearing of livestock for food and raw materials, tracing Neolithic origins, regional spread, and effects on settlements, so…

Fast casual restaurant A category of eatery blending the speed and convenience of fast food with higher-quality ingredients, moderate prices, and limited table service—popularized in the United States an…

Fast Food: Overview, Characteristics, History and Cultural Impact Fast food Concise encyclopedia entry on fast food: what it is, typical features, historical development, economic and cultural role, health and environmental concerns, and distinctions such…

Fasting: practices, history, and health considerations Fasting Fasting is the voluntary restriction of food, drink or other pleasures for a time. This article outlines common forms, religious and cultural origins, health effects, exceptions an…

Fat (macronutrient and lipid compounds) Fat Fat is a macronutrient composed of lipids and fatty acids. It stores energy, forms cell membranes, aids vitamin absorption, and occurs in varied dietary forms with distinct health…

Feces (stool): composition, appearance, uses, and health relevance Feces Solid waste from the digestive tract. Covers composition, appearance and measurement, practical uses (fertilizer, fuel, research), medical significance, and cultural aspects.

Feta cheese — Greek brined curd cheese: origins, production, culinary uses, and legal status Feta cheese Feta is a traditional Greek brined curd cheese made mainly from sheep's milk (often with some goat's milk). This article describes its characteristics, production, history, common…

Fettuccine Alfredo: history, ingredients, and modern variations Fettuccine Alfredo Fettuccine Alfredo is a simple Italian pasta dish of fettuccine, butter and Parmesan. This article covers its origin, traditional technique, variations (including the cream-based U…

Filé (powdered sassafras leaves) Filé Filé is a powdered spice made from dried sassafras leaves, used as a thickener and flavoring in Cajun and Creole cooking, most notably as a finishing seasoning for gumbo.

Finger food: handheld dishes, appetizers and cultural traditions Finger food Overview of finger food: definition, common examples, cultural traditions, serving occasions, etiquette, preparation and safety, regional variations and modern trends in handheld e…

Fish and chips Fish and chips: the British fried fish fillet and potato chips dish — ingredients, preparation, history, regional variations, cultural role and modern context.

Fish processing: methods, stages, uses and industry practices Fish processing Production steps and handling of aquatic animals from harvest to consumer: methods, preservation, history, products and distinctions between wild-caught and farmed fish.

Fish sauce: fermented seafood seasoning used across Asia Fish sauce Fish sauce is a salty, savory liquid seasoning made by fermenting fish or krill. Widely used across Southeast and East Asia, it provides umami, salt, and depth to many dishes and e…

Fish stock (food) Fish stock is a flavored cooking liquid made by simmering fish bones, heads, and aromatics; used as the foundation for soups, sauces and other seafood dishes. Regional forms includ…

Fishmonger: trade, skills, history and modern role in seafood supply Fishmonger A fishmonger sells fish and seafood at retail or wholesale levels. This article explains the trade's tasks, history, market role, safety and sustainability concerns, and how the pr…

Fishstick (fish stick, fish finger) Fishstick A fishstick is a breaded or battered white-fish portion, usually sold frozen and reheated by baking or frying. Popular as a quick, child-friendly meal, with many regional variation…