A dry French brandy made from apples.

Known since ancient times, cantaloupes were named for the papal garden of Cantaloupe, Italy. The orange-fleshed cantaloupe, which South Africans usually call spanspek, is among the most nutritious of the melon family. Cantaloupes are rich in Vitamins A and C, as well as in folic acid and potassium. Look for ones that are well netted or webbed, with a yellow, background and pleasing aroma. If any stem is showing, the melon was picked prematurely and won?t taste as sweet as one allowed to ripen on the vine.

A small, smooth round fruit wrapped in its own papery case that resembles a Chinese lantern. It's also known as physalis.

Capers are pickled flower buds of a shrub native to the Mediterranean and also parts of Asia. Usually they are packed in brine but can also be preserved in salt. They should be rinsed before use to remove excess salt.

Dark brown, curved seed; familiar rye bread seasoning.

Cardoman is an aromatic spice that comes from south-western India. Its seeds are contained in small pods. The spice has a pungent aroma, a spicy-sweet flavour and is usually used in east Indian cooking. It is preferable to use the pods, either removing the seeds and grinding them or grinding the whole pod, loose seeds lose their flavour quicker.

The fruit of the cashew tree, originally from South America, however it's now widely cultivated. The nut has a white kidney-shaped kernel that is rich in vitamin A and has a high fat content.

True caviar is the salted and matured eggs or roe of the huge female sturgeon fish and considered to be a great delicacy. The most famous being from the Caspian Sea and processed in Russia and Iran. Beluga is the most expensive variety. Varieties in colour are from grey to shiny jet black and they range in size- from the size of a pin head to eggs the size of seed pearls.

Cayenne pepper is the ground form of hot red pepper; it looks quite similar to paprika, and is extremely hot. It is derived from the flesh and seeds of chilli pepper.

Celeriac is also called root celery. It has a large, knobby root with thick skin that must be peeled. Inside the flesh is sweet and peppery and similar to stalk celery in flavour.

Celery grows in bunches that consist of leaved ribs. It's a green leafy vegetable with long edible stalks.

Tiny brown seeds with a strong celery flavour. Dried seeds of celery, can be used when making bread, egg and fish dishes. They are ground with salt to make celery salt and Bloody Marys.

Cellophane noodles are thin, almost translucent noodles made from mung bean starch. They may also be called Chinese vermicelli or bean-thread noodles.

These small fruit can be red, black or yellow and white flushed with pink. There are sweet and sour varieties. Sweet cherries have soft juicy flesh., while the sour ones are acidic.

Chervil is a herb with a mild flavour of parsley and tarragon.

Chickpeas are the pea-like seeds of a bushy plant. They're round with a nutty flavour and frequently used in Central Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. There are two groups of chickpeas - desi and kabuli- distinguished by seed size, shape and colour. They also have different growth requirements and end uses. Chickpeas are an excellent source of carbohydrates and protein, which constitute about 80% of the total dry seed weight. Crude fibre is mostly located within the seed coat. They are also rich in phosphorus, calcium, folate and Vitamin C.

Some are long, narrow and no thicker than a pencil while others are plump and globular. Their heat quotient varies from mildly warm to mouth-blistering hot. A chilli's colour can be anywhere from yellow to green to red to black. Another form of chillies are the dried version which are available all year. Chillies are cholesterol free and low in calories and sodium. They're a rich source of vitamins A and C, and a good source of folic acid, potassium and vitamin E.

It's a blend of spices including cumin, chili peppers, oregano, garlic.

Grass like herb with a pungent onion- like flavour.

This preserve contains fruit or vegetables, vinegar, sugar and spices. It can range in texture from chunky to smooth and in degrees of spiciness from mild to hot. It's cooked slowly until thick, while some chutneys are a combination of fresh fruits, chopped, seasoned and served uncooked. Whe cooked, chutneys require long, slow cooking to bring our all the flavours, to tenderise all the fruits.

Ciabatta is a moist Italian bread made with Olive oil.

Aromatic bark of cinnamon or cassia trees. This sweet spice comes from the bark of several tropical trees. The bark is removed, dried and rolled up to make a tube. Cinnamon is sold dry as sticks but also often as a powder.

This butter is cleared of its water content through heating and then straining. It can then be cooked to higher temperatures without fear of burning.

Dried flower buds of a tropical tree; pungent, sweet flavour. Cloves can be found whole or in ground form.

The fruit of the coconut palm, the coconut has a very hard woody shell with a thick, hairy covering. Inside the shell there is a firm white pulp and the hollow centre contains a sweet milky-white liquid which is drinkable. The pulp is rich in fat.

Don't mistake coconut milk to be the liquid inside the nut, it's the extract of freshly grated coconut flesh after soaking in hot water and straining off the liquid. It is readily available in tinned form from Asian and Caribbean stores and also from a variety of supermarkets. Although coconut cream is sold in hard blocks, it can be diluted with hot water before using or added straight to the simmering liquid in the pan.

White sea fish with flaky flesh, it can be bought fresh or frozen, whole or as steaks and fillets.

Coriander is the world's most commonly used herb. Native to southern Europe and the Middle East, the plant is available worldwide. Both the fresh leaves and seeds are used. The herb has a fresh taste, similar to orange, and is an important ingredient in curry. It's also called dhania and or cilantro.

Round, light brown, hollow seed; slightly sweet, musty flavour

Cornflour is the starch extracted from maize which is soaked and ground to separate the germ and the bran. It contains no gluten. It cuts down the need for fat as, unlike other flours, it blends to a smooth cream with liquid.

Using the same flour that goes into pasta, couscous is made by rolling and coating durum or hard wheat semolina grains in fine wheat flour. Couscous is also the name of a dish in which the grains are steamed together with a spiced stew of vegetables and/or sometimes meat or chicken.

It's the French term for custard cream, made with sugar, egg yolks and milk flavoured with vanilla.

French for pasteurised cows' milk to which a lactic bacteria culture has been added. This thickens the cream and gives it a distinctive sharp flavour. It is richer than soured cream.

Crème pâtissière or pastry cream is a thick custard.

These are small cubes of bread that have been fried and then drained and cooled.

Cold sauce made from port, orange and lemon juice and redcurrant jelly.

Small seed resembling caraway, but lighter in colour.

A mixture of 16 to 20 spices, Generally contains differing amounts of turmeric, chilli powder, coriander, cumin, ginger, pepper; different brands vary greatly in flavour and hotness.

A sweet sauce, usually quite thick, made from milk, egg yolks, sugar and cornflour. It also comes in a ready-made powder form that can be mixed with heated milk to make the sauce.