Food

Flan (British tart) Flan A flan is an open tart, common in British baking, made with a pastry or sponge case and filled with sweet or savoury ingredients. It differs from Spanish and Latin American custard…

Flatbread: types, ingredients, history, and culinary uses Flatbread Overview of flatbreads: simple doughs of flour, water and salt that appear worldwide. Covers ingredients, common varieties, preparation methods, historical role, and culinary uses.

Flavor: sensory perception combining taste, aroma, texture, and temperature Flavor Explore flavor as the multisensory experience of food and drink—how taste, aroma, texture and temperature combine, and how culinary and industrial techniques shape and evaluate fla…

Flour: Types, Production, Uses and Nutritional Notes Flour Comprehensive overview of flour: what it is, main types, how it is produced, common culinary uses, nutritional aspects and practical distinctions for cooking and baking.

Foie gras: production, culinary uses and controversies Foie gras Foie gras is a rich liver delicacy from ducks or geese, produced by specialized feeding. This article covers methods, culinary forms, history, cultural importance, and animal welfa…

Fondue: history, varieties, and serving traditions Fondue Fondue is a communal cooking tradition centered on a shared pot of melted cheese, hot oil, broth, or chocolate. This article explains its origins, typical ingredients, equipment, v…

Food: definition, nutrients, production, culinary roles and safety Food An overview of food: what it is, key nutrients, how it is produced and processed, culinary and cultural roles, common diets, distribution, and basic safety and preservation concept…

Food Additives: Purpose, Types, History and Safety Food additive Comprehensive overview of food additives: definition, common categories, historical uses (salting, pickling), modern applications, regulation, labeling, natural vs synthetic distin…

Food coloring: purpose, types, uses, and safety Food coloring An overview of food coloring: natural and synthetic colorants added to foods and drinks, their forms, common applications, regulation, safety considerations, and practical tips for…

Food court (food hall): concept, features, history and uses Food court A food court or food hall is a shared dining area with multiple food vendors and common seating. This article explains typical features, history, where they appear, uses, and how f…

Food group (nutrition) Food group Categories of foods grouped by similar nutritional properties or origin; used in dietary guidance to recommend balanced eating patterns and daily servings.

Food poisoning: causes, symptoms, prevention and distinctions Food poisoning An accessible overview of food poisoning: what it is, how infectious and toxic forms differ, common agents, symptoms, prevention steps, and why outbreaks occur.

Food preservation: methods, history, and practical uses Food preservation Overview of techniques used to extend food shelf life, why foods spoil, historical development, common traditional and modern methods, and safety considerations.

Food processing: methods, history, and role in the food system Food processing Overview of food processing: common methods, stages from harvest to packaging, historical development, uses, and distinctions between minimal and industrial processing.

Food pyramid: a guide to balanced eating and its development Food pyramid An accessible guide to the food pyramid: what it represents, the main food groups, history and modern alternatives, practical uses, and common criticisms of the model.

Fork (eating utensil and figurative uses) Fork A fork is a handheld eating utensil with tines used to spear and lift solid food. This article covers its design, materials, common types, history, etiquette, and other figurative…

Fortune cookie Crisp folded cookie containing a small slip with a short message; a novelty confection associated with Chinese-American restaurants and lighthearted predictions or advice.

François Pierre de La Varenne — founder of modern French cuisine François Pierre La Varenne 17th‑century Burgundian chef and author of Le Cuisinier françois (1651). He codified techniques and sauces (roux, béchamel, bisque), promoted fresh flavors, and shaped professional…

French dip sandwich An American sandwich of roast beef on a crusty roll, served with savory au jus for dipping. Though the name suggests otherwise, it is closely tied to Los Angeles, not France.

French food: traditions, techniques, regional specialties and global influence French food Comprehensive overview of French cuisine: its history, defining techniques and ingredients, regional varieties, notable chefs, and its worldwide cultural and culinary influence.

French fries Potato strips deep-fried or pan-fried until crisp; a global side dish and street food known variously as fries or chips with many regional styles and condiments.

French press (coffee plunger): design, use, history and health notes French press A manual coffee maker with a plunger and metal mesh filter that steeps coarse grounds in water. Produces full-bodied coffee and retains oils; known by several names and available i…

French toast French toast is bread soaked in a beaten-egg mixture (often with milk and sugar) and pan-fried. Served sweet or savory, it appears globally under many names including pain perdu, r…

Fresca Fresca is a citrus-flavored, low- or zero-calorie soft drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company, known for its grapefruit-like profile and use as a mixer and soda alternative.

Fried chicken: preparation, history, and cultural context Fried chicken Fried chicken is chicken coated in batter or seasoned flour and cooked in hot fat. This article covers techniques, regional varieties, history, cultural significance, safety, and c…

Fried egg: preparation, varieties, nutrition and culinary uses Fried egg A fried egg is an egg cooked in hot fat until the white sets and the yolk is left runny or firm; this article explains methods, common styles, culinary uses, safety and how it diff…

Fried rice: overview, ingredients, history and regional varieties Fried rice Fried rice is a versatile dish of cooked rice stir-fried with oil, aromatics, proteins and vegetables. It originated in Chinese cuisine and has many regional adaptations and cookin…

Frikandel (Dutch snack) Frikandel A frikandel is a skinless, deep-fried meat snack popular in the Netherlands and Belgium, commonly eaten at snack bars and served with fries, sauces and chopped onion.

Fritter: fried batter snacks and their global varieties Fritter A fritter is a fried food made from batter or breading around meat, seafood, vegetables or fruit. This article covers types, preparation, regional differences, history and common u…

Fromage frais (French fresh cheese) Fromage frais Fromage frais is a soft, creamy fresh cheese from France and Belgium. Mild and versatile, it is used in sweet and savory dishes and differs from cream cheese, fromage blanc and yog…

Frozen dinner: history, composition, packaging and cultural impact Frozen dinner A comprehensive overview of frozen dinners — prepared frozen meals (TV dinners), their components, packaging evolution, history, uses, nutrition, varieties and notable developments…

Frozen food: preservation, types, history and safety Frozen food Overview of frozen food: how freezing preserves food, common types, development of the industry, benefits and limitations, and basic storage and safety considerations.

Fruit salad A mixed-fruit dish served fresh or preserved, plain or dressed with juices, syrups, creams or yogurt; versatile as an appetizer, side or dessert with many regional forms.

Fruitarianism: diet, variations, history and nutritional considerations Fruitarianism Fruitarianism centers on eating mostly fruit, often with nuts and seeds. This article explains forms, motivations, health and nutrition issues, practical tips, and how it differs f…

Fry: cooking technique, young fish, and other meanings Fry Fry denotes cooking in hot fat, juvenile fish after the larval stage, and related idioms or names. This article explains methods, underlying science, historical notes, aquaculture…

Frying (cooking technique) Frying Frying is a method of cooking food in hot fat or oil. This article explains types, techniques, history, common uses, and safety considerations for shallow, pan and deep frying.

Frying Pan (Skillet): Design, Uses, History, and Care Frying pan Comprehensive overview of the frying pan (skillet): typical shapes and materials, cooking techniques like searing and sautéing, care and maintenance, and common variations.

Fudge: ingredients, preparation, history and varieties Fudge Fudge is a soft, sugar-based confection made from sugar, butter and milk or cream. This article explains its ingredients, cooking method, common variations, history, cultural uses…

Fufu — West African staple of pounded starchy dough Fufu Fufu is a soft, dough-like staple food from West Africa made by pounding or mixing cooked starchy roots or plantains. It is eaten by hand with soups and stews and has many regional…

Furikake: Japanese rice seasoning and condiment Furikake Furikake is a dry Japanese condiment of small flakes and granules—seaweed, fish, seeds and seasonings—sprinkled on rice, snacks and cooked dishes to add savory flavor and umami.

Gala (apple) Gala is a sweet, crisp dessert apple first developed in New Zealand by crossing Kidd’s Orange Red with Golden Delicious. It is widely grown for fresh eating and has several commerc…

Galette (French flat tart, savory pancake and pastry) Galette Galette: a French culinary term for rustic freeform tarts, Breton buckwheat pancakes, Epiphany king cakes, and regional cookies — a versatile category of flat, round or folded bake…

Game (wild animals hunted for food and sport) Game (food) Wild animals taken by hunting for food, sport or tradition; categories, examples, cultural uses, regulation, conservation and culinary notes on game and game birds.

Game pie: ingredients, history, and notable varieties Game pie A savory pastry filled with wild birds and mammals, game pie has ancient roots and regional varieties. This article explains ingredients, preparation methods, historical developmen…

Gari — Japanese sweet pickled ginger Gari Gari is thinly sliced young ginger pickled in vinegar and sugar, commonly served with sushi as a palate cleanser. This article explains preparation, variations, uses, history, and…

Garlic (Allium sativum): botany, culinary uses, cultivation, and safety Garlic Garlic (Allium sativum) is a bulbous allium used worldwide as a culinary flavoring and in traditional remedies. This article summarizes its botany, varieties, cultivation, cooking…

Garum: the ancient Mediterranean fermented fish sauce Garum Garum was a widely used fermented fish sauce in ancient Mediterranean cuisines. This article summarizes its production, varieties, culinary uses, economic importance, archaeologica…

Gatorade: sports drink brand, composition, history, and market role Gatorade Gatorade is a sports drink brand created in 1965 to replace fluids, carbohydrates and electrolytes lost in sweat. Manufactured by PepsiCo, it remains a dominant product in global s…