UK Food Glossary | Food Terminology

aubergine - US eggplant. (purple, vaguely egg-shaped vegetable)

beetroot - US beet

Bermuda onion - also called Spanish onion- a sweet onion. This may vary by region. Another possible alternative is the 1015 onion

biscuits - in the UK, same as US cookies, small sweet cakes usually for dessert. In the US, a type of non-yeast bread made of flour, milk, and shortening, usually served with breakfast - small, and similar to what much of the world refers to as 'scones'.

black treacle - similar to blackstrap molasses

brinjal - Indian word for eggplant / Aubergine

cabanossi - US pepperoni

capsicum - another name for red/green/yellow bell peppers

castor/caster sugar - somewhat finer than US granulated sugar. Similar to US superfine sugar.

chickpeas - also called garbanzo beans, ceci beans

Chicken Maryland - in Australia, refers to chicken leg with both thigh and drumstick attached. In the US, refers to any parts of chicken, crumbed, browned in hot fat, baked and served with cream gravy.

Chinese parsley - also called cilantro and coriander

cider - widely varying definition! A drink (almost) always made from pressed apples, to many people but not all it is alcoholic. US usage is typically that 'cider' is not alcoholic and 'hard cider' is. If in doubt, ask.

cilantro - the leaf of the coriander plant. Also called Chinese/Thai/Mexican parsley,vand green corriander.

cockles - clams

confectioner's sugar - same as powdered sugar or UK icing sugar

cookies - UK biscuits

cordial - in the US, a synonym for liqueur in UK, NZ, Australia, a thick syrup (which may or may not contain real fruit) which is diluted to give a non-alcoholic fruit drink

cornflour - cornstarch. Used to thicken sauces etc. Usually made from wheat

cornmeal - ground corn (maize).

courgette - US zucchini. A long, green squash, looks something like a cucumber.

cream of wheat - sometimes called farina

dessicated coconut - dried coconut shreds, similar to US coconut shreds. In the US, coconut is usually sold sweetened, this is not so common in other countries.

digestive biscuits - almost the same as US graham crackers.

donax - clams

double cream - somewhat heavier than whipping cream

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eggplant - UK aubergine (which see)

essence - US extract

extract - UK essence

farina - sometimes called cream of wheat

filberts - also called hazelnuts

garbanzo beans - also called chickpeas

graham crackers - similar to UK digestive biscuits

granulated sugar - somewhat coarser than UK castor/caster sugar.

green onions - same as spring onions or scallions

green shallots- an inaccurate but occasionally used description for spring onions

grill - In the UK, the same as US broiler; in the US, a device for cooking food over a charcoal or gas fire, outdoors.

Habanero pepper - similar to Scotch bonnet pepper

half and half - a mixture of half cream and half whole milk

hazelnuts - sometimes called filberts

heavy cream - same as whipping cream or UK double cream

icing sugar - US confectioner's or powdered sugar. The finest kind.

ladyfingers - little finger-shaped sponge cakes used in desserts. "Ladies' fingers" is the US vegetable okra.

lemonade - in the US, a drink made of lemon juice, sugar and water; in the UK, a carbonated drink that doesn't necessarily contain anything closer to a lemon than a bit of citric acid. Sprite (TM) and 7-Up (TM) are examples of what would be called lemonade in many countries.

marrow - US summer squash. Also 'vegetable marrow'.

melon - a family of fruits. All have a thick, hard, inedible rind, sweet meat, and lots of seeds. Common examples: watermelon, cantaloupe

molasses - similar to UK treacle

pawpaw - papaya, also persimmons in some places, or even a third fruit, Asimina triloba. If I were you I'd check with the recipe author.

polenta - same as corn meal, also, a thick porridge made from cornmeal. (also known as 'cornmeal mush', 'mamaliga')

powdered sugar - same as confectioner's sugar or UK icing sugar

rock melon - cantaloupe

scallion - also called spring onion or green onion or scallion

Scotch Bonnet pepper - similar to Habanero pepper

shallots - not green/spring onion - small pointed members of the onion family that grow in clusters something like garlic and have a mild, oniony taste.

single cream - US light cream

Spanish onion - also called Bermuda onion. Large and not as "hot" as standard onions. This nomenclature may vary in some regions. Often used to mean "Red Spanish Onion" which is not so much red as purple

spring onion - also called scallion or green onion

squash - a family of vegetables. All but two have a thick, hard, usually inedible rind, rich-tasting meat, and lots of seeds. A well-known if not wide-spread example is the pumpkin. There are also things called summer squashes, which have edible rinds, milder meats, and usually fewer seeds. An example of this type is the zucchini or courgette.

tomato sauce - in UK/NZ/A ustralia, a homogeneous dark red sauce containing (typically) tomatoes, sugar, salt, acid, spices, - much the same thing as US ketchup. In the US, a more heterogeneous concoction, served in and on more foods such as pasta.

whipping cream - in US, cream with at least 30% butterfat (light cream (18%) and heavy cream (36%))

zucchini - UK courgette

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UK Food Glossary | Food Terminology

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