From the brimful pots in the homesteads of Africa to the mouth-watering gourmet streets of Paris, there is always some food from around the world to stimulate everyone’s taste buds. What more, given the widespread craze for correct cooking, no doubt that smell of bacon or the sight of that oil-simmering sea bass in the deep pan has followed you all the way to the Internet as you search for quick recipes.
Yes, as you may have noted by now, sporty cooking challenges are everywhere and today, so we are giving you our two-penny worth of an alphabetical food challenge. The Greeks connote the second letter of the alphabet Beta as in ‘bacon, bass,’ you name it. What better way, then, than to array before you some 70 such odds and ends of cooking as you snatch that protein-rich bean meal, or that carbohydrate-loaded bread pudding! Besides, we will help the foods go down along with their associated histories.
Now the list:
Fruits
Banana, Black Grapes, Blackberries, Blood Lime, Blood Orange, Blueberries, Boysenberry, Brazil Nut, Black Cherry.
Vegetables and legumes
Beans, Basmati Rice, Beets, Black Rice, Black-eyed Peas, Bok Choy, Broccoli, Broccolini, Broccoli Rabe, Brussel Sprouts, Butter Lettuce, Butternut Squash.
Spices, oils and condiments
Balsamic Vinegar, Bamboo Shoots, Basil, Bay Leaves, Beets, Bell Pepper, Black Pepper, Bouquet Garni.
Meat and fish
Bacon, Bass, Beef. Bresaola, Blue Crab.
Dairy and Eggs
Butter, Bechamel, Bearnaise sauce, Butterscotch, Buttercream, Brown Butter, Bread Pudding, Blue Cheese., Bavarian Cream. Brie.
Grains and seeds
Barley, Bulgur Wheat.
Prepared foods
Broth, Biscuit, Buche de Noel, Burrito, Bun, Brownies, Brioche, Brine, Bread Pudding, Bread Crumbs, Bratwurst, Bouillon, Bonito Flakes, Bolognese, Bisque, Biscotti, Beignet, Barbeque, Bananas Foster, Banana Bread, Bagel sandwich. Baba Ghanoush. Baguette. Baklava.
Beverages
Beer, Barley Malt, Bloody Mary, Blue Curacao, Bourbon, Brandy.
Fruits that start with B
Banana
The banana is one of the most common and readily identifiable tropical fruits, and one of the richest sources of vitamins and other nutrients of all foods.
Its elongated and tapered form makes it a berry but in most references, it is classified as just a common fruit, and when unripe, a vegetable. India and China are some of the biggest banana producing countries while South America is one of the most perennial world sources of the fruit. Bananas are a staple in most parts of Africa.
How many calories in a banana? One cup of mashed banana contains 89 calories.
Black Grapes
Black grapes are deep purple in shade and are some of the most sought-after members of the Vitis vinifera family. Their origins include the Caspian sea’s southern tip near Azerbaijan and Afghanistan.
Latter-day varieties have become naturalized on the eastern coasts of Canada and the United States besides, much of South America. They have also been propagated in natural grape-growing areas of Europe such as Spain and Italy.
Are grapes good for you? Yes, grapes are good as they are rich in important nutrients like vitamins C and K, and have powerful antioxidants that promote health.
Related: Cotton Candy Grapes
Blackberries
A blackberry is the fruit of a bushy and often thorny tree overhung with clusters of deep-purple berries. The fruit is best known as a source of antioxidants and vitamins.
Some of the most prominent benefits of blackberries include their rich antioxidant content, high dietary fiber, vital vitamins such as C and K, and their ability to support brain health, digestion, and immune function.
Blood Lime
Blood limes are dark scarlet fruits and they little resemble limes. The name derives from the color of the fruits’ cross-section which are reddish or orange in color. Their place of origin and major production country is Australia. Some of the most popular recipes with the fruit include baking with figs. The pudding requires salt-free butter, eggs and flour which is then heated for an extended length of time.
Check the current price insights of lemons in Australia.
Blood Orange
Blood oranges are among the most interesting cross-sections among fruits. It is a cultivar of the common orange (Citrus sinensis). Some call it raspberry orange. Its most distinctive feature is the fiber-crossed blood-red color of its flesh. This scarlet hue comes from an antioxidant by the name of anthocyanin which a common orange does not possess. In nutrition, this orange is, like all citrus fruits, a very rich source of immunity-giving Vitamin C. Italy is the world’s biggest exporter of blood oranges.
Blueberries
Blueberries are some of the richest-colored fruits among berries. They have a light blue, verging on purple shade. Their origin is North America, a region first occupied by fruit-gathering humans fifteen thousand years ago before modern Europeans would discover the region in the late 1400s. South Africa is also a chief production belt, particularly along the Cape and Limpopo regions. China, Peru and the United States are currently the chief sources of the berry worldwide.
Boysenberry
Though a lesser known name among berries, the boysenberry is a culinary delight, nonetheless. It is a common factor among the more refined gourmets for making jam, sauces, cobblers and pies. Basically, the fruit is a hybrid of blackberries, loganberries as well as raspberries. Its fascinating coloring in-between purple and pink is testament to its high cross-breeding. Its taste falls between tart and sweet, and thus its culinary affinity for jam-making.
Brazil Nut
With its natural habitat in the Amazon basin where it germinates in the bush, the aptly-named Brazil nut is a resourceful fruit with more than one uses:
- Some eat it raw from its hard shell while others blanch it as cooked food.
- Its raw-eating nutrients include fiber for digestion and minerals like copper, Vitamins like thiamin, as well as protein.
- Brazil nut essential oil serves in the shampoo, soap-making and beauty products’ industry.
You might also like to read comprehensively on Brazil nuts prices in the US.
Black Cherry
As one of the most nutritional fruits, a black cherry contains antioxidants such as anthocyanins which provide its bright crimson color and that keep the body free of inflammation and bone-related ailments. Its source tree is the Prunus serotina which some call the rum cherry tree. The cherry’s leading growing countries include Chile and China, with the latter being the biggest exporter.
Vegetables and Legumes that start with B
Beans
Beans are some of the most common and readily available sources of plant-based protein worldwide. These legumes come in tens of varieties. The most typical of these include:
- Fava beans: these are harvested in spring in most temperate climates for their inner green peas that are soft as opposed to the tough pod enclosing them.
- Common red beans: also known as red beans, these are tough, slightly filled types, with an oblong appearance with a slight curve in the middle. They make for great daily recipes in many tropical countries.
- Flageolet beans: these are tiny dirty-green types with a neutral aroma at cooking. The French love them for their softness, which negates the need for pre-soaking during cooking.
- Kidney beans, white beans, e.t.c.
The biggest countries in bean production capacity include the United States, the Dominican Republic, Canada, Mexico and Ethiopia in that order, based on 2023 exporting data.
Basmati Rice
Basmati rice refers both to the cultivar of rice (Oryza sativa) and the aging of rice to give it its distinct flavor that distinguishes it from Jasmine rice and other types. It was first propagated in the Indus Valley of south-eastern Asia in ancient times. Indeed, India is currently the biggest exporter of Basmati rice, with Pakistan following in its wake. The most common application of this type is in preparing pleasantly smelling rice curries. In appearance, the grains are longish needles with pleasant rich white coloring. Basmati is a basic part of the eating culture in Nepal, India and subcontinental India.
Beets
These tuber-roots are a part and parcel of salads and also make for pickled side-dishes. First propagated in Western Europe, particularly Germany or southern Europe, probably Italy, beets came first to prominence as culinary tubers in 1542. They are rich sources of Vitamin B9 folate as well as minerals such as potassium and iron. Besides, they are common sources of vitamin C.
Black Rice
Also known as ‘forbidden rice,’ black rice is a glutinous kind of dark-tinted rice that grows in much of central and southeastern Asia. The biggest exporters of black rice worldwide include China at the top followed by Vietnam, South Korea and India.
As a food, black rice cooks in the same way as white rice, only that it can be combined with even butter. In the butter recipe, you need to heat butter in a pan at a low heat level, pour the washed rice on the melted content, together with almonds, after which you boil while stirring for ten minutes. When cooked fully, the rice is served with any salad from meat to vegetables.
Black-eyed Peas
Black eyed peas are great sources of manganese, Vitamin A, Vitamin B9, as well as fiber. Consuming them helps keep blood pressure at a normal rate, enhances digestion and maintains the skin’s bright sheen.
These legumes are within the budget of most buyers as they average $1.25 per kilo in most stores in the United States, currently. The biggest exporting nations of the produce, however, are Asian, with India and Myanmar leading the list.
Bok Choy
With its distinctive vertical sprouting of leaves gathered together like a green bouquet, Bok Choy strikes at first as both a spinach and cabbage. Its common name is actually ‘Chinese cabbage.’
Bok choy is one of the more choice cabbages that comes from mainland China. It is one of the oldest edible vegetables, dating back to 3500 years along the Yangtze River drainage area. Its flat, leafy character helps it come as a go-between for those who prefer neither collard nor cabbage sauces as it falls snugly between these.
Broccoli
A member of the Brassica oleracea species, Broccoli is one of the most striking vegetables when it is in the garden for it has the rare shape that gives the impression of a tiny tree with green stumps. The green vegetable has, alongside its lush vitamins, the following nutrients:
- Potassium at 9 percent of the daily value.
- Protein at 5 percent of the daily needs
Italy is the country of origin of this leafy cabbage and it is still one of the biggest exporters.
Broccolini
Similar to a typical broccoli, the broccolini typifies a smaller version with tiny florets but elongated stalks. It is comparably sweeter than its cousin, above, and its aroma is also mild. One of the recipes that can drive home the fact of its taste and aroma, is the ten-minute sautee recipe. This is where you add garlic as well as red hot chili in flake form and serve it with the steamed veggies for a finger-licking salad.
Broccoli Rabe
With its pointed leaves, you can tell the difference between a typical broccoli and the broccoli rabe. Indeed, they resemble but for this physical characteristic.
Differences also reach out to the sour taste of the stems, which are however a part of any culinary dish involving this cabbage family plant. It is best harvested for recipe-making when the leaves are just turning a bright green.
Brussels Sprouts
Like the name suggests, the probable point of origin for Brussels sprouts is nowhere else than Belgium around the 13th century. The sprouts make great salads when they are cut up or chopped.
They are also great at enriching fish tacos and as a roast for preparing crunchy chips. You can also steam it and wrap it into a stuffing with meat.
Butter Lettuce
Butter lettuce is designated as a great vitamin A, K and C source. It also boasts rich quantities of minerals like iron and calcium for strong bones and for fighting off arthritis. Butter lettuce can also be eaten raw.
Butternut Squash
Butternut squash is a cool weather squash that has a mildly sweet taste that comes off its inviting orange innards. Like other melons, its seeds and peripheral skin are left uneaten.
This winter squash is packed with vitamins, fiber and antioxidants for fighting inflammation. Its vitamin C content clocks around 35 percent of the daily value.
Dairy and Eggs that start with B
Butter
Butter is the end product of churned milk. Historically, archaeologists trace the discovery of butter to the accidental curdling of milk by a North African shepherd during a warm weather trek around 8000 B.C. So tasty did the solidified milky stuff in a sheepskin obviously turn out that depictions show that humans from that date on began churning milk to make butter.
Though most of us know it in solidified form, it is also, like milk, available in liquid form. Its content is 80 percent fat from dairy milk and less than 16 percent water. Thus, it has high content of calcium and iron like common milk. The most common recipes where butter is used include baking, sauce-making and bread lining at breakfast.
Bechamel
Taking a Bechamel sauce provides you with a range of ready nutrients that include:
- Calcium for strong teeth and bones at 13 percent of the Daily Value.
- 105 calories.
- Retinol at a whopping 9000 percent of the Daily requirements.
With that nutritional intro, you may be left wondering: what is Bechamel? It is a simple white sauce that comes from mixing butter,flour and whole milk. Its origin is Florence in Italy but its most widespread use as a milk-based recipe is France.
Bearnaise sauce
If you go for the egg yolk and butter as your basic foundation for your breakfast meal, then Bearnaise sauce is that go-to starter to count on. It is among the simplest-to-make mother sauces in France.
It requires just some extended curing of heated, scalding milk using a roux (basically butter mixed with flour). It is yellow in color and makes for a delicious sauce.
Butterscotch
If you know caramel, then butterscotch is no stranger at your table. It comes from a combination of sugar, syrup and butter. As the heating of brown sugar over the butter gets along, cream and salt are embedded, leading to a tart yet sweetly flavored product.
Buttercream
There are two conventional forms of buttercream, one from Switzerland and the other from Italy. The former requires the use of boiled water with added sugar, which you then add at boiling point to egg whites. On top of all this, you add a whip of butter to create a creamy wall around the egg.
The same thing happens with the Swiss recipe, only that instead of boiling sugared water separately, you mix it with eggs and wait to add butter later on.
Brown Butter
Brown butter is nothing strange to the creamy breakfast lover as it is nothing else but normal butter that has undergone sufficient heating to dissolve milk curds inside it. Unlike melted butter, brown butter dissolves just above the melting degree, and to this heating time caution owes its highly nutty flavor: an aroma that is not common in normal butter.
Bread Pudding
Bread pudding comes from a combination of bread, egg and fruit, with spicing. It best goes well with an ice cream dessert. Though a bread pudding may appear to be all carbs, it has some other surprising nutrients including:
- 5 grams worth of body building protein.
- 270 calories and 33 grams of carbohydrates.
Blue Cheese
Blue cheese is definitely a rich breakfast must-have because it comes from pure goat milk or conventional cow milk. One of the most unique parts of this cheese is its streak of turquoise green or blue shade that defines its surface. It is actually the result of a molded pudding that is shot into the milky sauce.
Bavarian Cream
A sure find in most elite restaurants, the supreme-sounding Bavarian cream is a custard egg-cream decorated with milk, sugar and thickened using gelatine. A whipping of cream on top gives it a lighter texture. It can also refer to pastry cream, which in France means cream that has been cured in a mixture of cornstarch. It is a great sauce for baking and similar recipes.
Brie
Among the most famous cheeses of the world emerges Brie, a pale-hued cream with spots of gray on its fringes. It is basically soft milk from a cow that has undergone soft curing with or without Pasteurization, though the latter hygienic routine is recommended.
Its name derives from the Brie area in France. Though its prolonged keeping in shelves makes it one of the longest lived milk by-products, prolonged keeping can however, impact on its taste.
Grains and Seeds that start with B
Barley
Barley, which also doubles as a young wheat crop, is a grassy cereal that provides energy-rich food nutrition in temperate countries. It also ranks among the oldest known crops grown by humans. Its earliest recorded date of propagation is 8000 B.C.
Russia, China and the Netherlands rank as some of the key sources of the grain. Its byproducts range from animal feed additives such as bagasse malt. In the beer industry, it makes grain residue. In terms of recipes, barley can be boiled normally to make broth. You just need a cupful of the grains which you boil for thirty minutes and serve with salt.
Bulgur Wheat
Bulgur wheat is a meal that is made from whole wheat that is boiled part-way and then kept aside to dry for ready eating. Turkey is a key country where this is a favorite staple. Among fiber-rich grains, bulgur wheat holds the crown as it has double the fiber content of other cereals like rice.
It also boasts a quadruple more times the value of folate than rice. The origin of this food from wheat dates back to Turkey and the Mediterranean countries, and some sources call it man’s first processed food.
Meat, Poultry and Fish that start with B
Bacon
Bacon is one of the costliest side belly streak cuts from a pig’s edible parts. It is of lower fat content when cut from the sides or lower sections of the back. In culinary terms, bacon has traditionally been smoked to ‘cure’ it, using salts or food-safe nitrates. It can then be boiled for ready eating or prepared as a roast. In the US, the term ‘bacon’ refers to side bacon while in other countries, it mostly refers to pork from the upper back sides and belly.
Bass
Sea bass comes from the family Serranidae and belongs to the genus Serranus. The fish are a space gray in hue and are quite pervasive in Southeastern European and North African waters. They can also be found in South America, particularly the Chilean coast.
If you are one of those who prefer to explore the seafood world, then two ready choices readily present themselves in sea bass, either in striped colors or in pure black tinge.
In culinary terms, cooking bass requires just a few pints of olive oil drizzling on a hot pan, upon which you place the fillets of the bass draped in salt. The skin should face the bottom so that it can turn a sumptuous golden brown before turning it over and serving it after a cooking bout of five minutes.
Beef
Cattle are some of the most important, not to say, revered animals in most parts of the world. As such, beef eating has been there since the earliest times after the Agricultural Revolution of 10,000 years ago when humans first domesticated cattle.
There are many beef parts to sample, including, the beef round from the hind leg of the cow, beef short ribs, beef skirt from the solid area just underneath the ribs and beef tenderloin that emanates from the backbone region. It is the softest part of beef and it is loved by most beef connoisseurs. Luckily for most of us who love meat, it is one of the more reasonably priced meat out there.
Bresaola
Mostly associated with cow meat, Bresaola is a kind of salted meat, mostly beef, that is dried in the air for curing purposes. It can also be a pork, veal or horse meat cut that has undergone aging for at least 60 days so that it turns hard.
The eye round is the cow’s part from which you can trace the cut for your sumptuous Bresaola. Its origin is Lombardy, thus its Italian name. The best recipes for the meat include parsley and olive oil, to replace some of the hardness.
Blue Crab
A blue crab is a member of the crustaceans that comes from either soft or hard shells. Not only is a blue crab a delicious culinary treat but it is also a source of minerals and beneficial nutrients. Some of the most essential ingredients you can derive from eating a cooked blue crab include, zinc, amino acids and calcium, besides enhancing low-cholesterol in the body with its low saturated fats.
Like most seafood, its omega oil content can be a best bet for beating cardiac-related disease. Eating the crab brings a similar nuance to that of other crustaceans, only that you will find the meat a bit rich in texture and sweet in taste. The blue crab is common in the Mediterranean coast, especially France.
Here are some more comprehensive market insights on French crabs. For prices, please check prices of crabs in France.
Ready meals and Various Dishes that start with B
Broth
Broth is a generic term for soupy foods that can contain more than one ingredient across all food groups. It can contain meat, vegetables and proteins. It can serve as the liquid foundation for making stew, sauce and salad and can also be poured into harder meals to soften them. Broth can also mean the simmering quality of boiling rich food.
Biscuit
Biscuits are made from whole wheat and sugar and are some of the most common global snacks. You may think that the snack is just an energy giving food but you will be surprised that it has these nutrients:
- Dietary fiber at 1.5 grams or 6 percent DV.
- Protein at 7 grams or 14 percent of the daily value.
- Iron (from milk ingredients) at 16 percent of the daily value.
The Netherlands, Mexico and Germany rank as some of the biggest biscuit exporting nations.
Nutrients in different biscuit types: fast food biscuit, popeyes biscuit, biscuit cheese, biscuit with ham, biscuit with gravy.
Buche de Noel
It is that time of the year and you have nothing to serve as a specialty for Christmas! This is where Buche de Noel, a French and Swiss holiday-making delicacy, comes in.
It is a chocolate cake that people eat as a dessert in the Alpines region of Europe during Christmas. It is also widely consumed in Italy and the UK, among other countries in Europe.
Burrito
Burrito refers to lovely flour-made tortillas that are made and wrapped with stuffing of a personal choice. The latter can be meat balls, legumes or even whole cereals like rice. The origin of these cylinder-shaped sweetmeats is Mexico where it is still a traditional snacking delight.
Bun
A bun is a sure find on most tables around breakfast time. Buns are basically cakes with a leavened bloat that anyone can make at home.
Typically, they require dough that has been kneaded into shape, water and salt-free butter with a separate pinch of salt on top. The cooking time is lengthy, from at least an hour to two-and-a-half hours.
Brownies
Among the more chocolaty snacks out there, none beats brownies in the chewing department for its spongy texture ensures preservation in the mouth for longer than other similar foods.
Brioche
A brioche is basically dough that has been loaded with ingredients. This enrichment can take the magnitude of anything from eggs to butter, all added in ample quantities. As such, it is a rich source of protein and calories.
Brine
Also known as brine water, brine is salt fluid with a high degree of sodium chloride, the source of common salt. It is harvested naturally from salty water reservoirs and it is rich with minerals including potassium and magnesium. You can add it on meat to keep the meat fibers soft and appealing.
Bread Pudding
Bread pudding refers to the enriched dessert that is a typical sight in most eating out sections of cities. It features slices of bread enamored to sandwiches of eggs in tandem with dried fruit pies. Its flavor and aroma can be a matter of choice, with many people serving it with ice cream.
Bread Crumbs
Making bread crumbs is as easy as pie:
- A single cup of dough-made bread crumbs.
- A half teaspoon of quality salt and an eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Half teaspoon of pepper or other Mediterranean seasoning.
Low heat these ingredients in oil for thirty minutes.
Bratwurst
This is a sausage that has its origin from two German words, Brat (meat) and Wurst (sausage). Bratwurst or chopped meat sausage is a culinary recourse for many people in parts of Europe, not just the country of origin. It is enjoyed as a traditional dish.
Bouillon
This refers to broth that has been left to simmer for an extended time. It can feature anything from meat to seafood and vegetables. Its distinctive feature from other broths is the characteristic strong flavor. It is popular in Haiti and other French speaking minor islands.
Bolognese
With its origin in Bologna in Italy, Bolognese is a must-have for sauce lovers visiting this part of southern Europe. It is made of meat dressed with spaghetti. It is a recipe that many can make for it just requires pasta, chili, meat and other ingredients over a heating period lasting two and a quarter hours.
Bisque
Bisque is among those minor-sounding foods with great additional benefits behind them. It is a soft, cream-filled soup with a lot of seasoning aids that the French serve with seafood including shrimp and lobster. Its nutritional value when featuring lobster includes:
- 12 grams protein.
- 20 percent vitamin A and 8 percent vitamin C of the daily value.
- 24 grams total fat, part of which is saturated.
- Minerals include iron at 4 percent and calcium at 10 percent.
Biscotti
Like the name suggests, Biscotti is Italian and a cookie to the boot. Like a common biscuit, it is crunchy in texture. Its making involves two stages:
- Kneading the dough into an oblong shape and baking it whole.
- Chop the oblong shape into tiny cookies and bake them again. You can add flavoring at this stage for a great breakfast with tea, coffee or other beverage.
Beignet
A clear favorite among eclair paste lovers, Beignet is a food that will always make it to an alphabetical list of foods that are snacks-rich. It is a basis of cuisine in New Orleans in the US, and requires flour, water, salt, milk and powdered sugar, all cast into a deep fry medium. It is sweet and delicate at the same time.
Barbeque
Though the word had been used in Spain for centuries for non-culinary terms, the term barbeque as applied to food came from Taino Indians in the Caribbean, who referred to a grill as such.
Today, a barbeque refers to any food that has been slowly-cooked over charcoal, grill or other direct heating medium. It also refers to tomatoes with vinegar sauces.
Banana Foster
The banana foster, as a conventional dish, came to be around the mid-20th century when a chef in a New Orleans’ restaurant used many of the bananas coming to the city in one dish.
It is more like a barbeque only that the banana mash is doused with some wine and lit to a burning point. Then it is eaten with a creamy side dish.
Banana Bread
A banana bread is unlike any other you have ever tasted. With all the common ingredients of a loaf including butter and eggs, saturated with leavening powder, it is however a game changer because its biggest chunk, besides the flour, are ripe bananas. Its daily value nutrition includes:
- 2 percent vitamin C.
- 10 percent Vitamin B6.
- 3 percent potassium and 7 percent iron.
Bagel sandwich
Bagel is not a sandwich, per se, as it is an extraordinary bread that can be served in sandwich form. Bagels in such a recipe first figure in scalding hot water, before they can be baked.
In baked form, the protein-rich flour brings about the pudgy texture. Furthermore, the baked product has affinity for any kind of topping you would wish.
Baguette
Maybe you have seen one in your bakery shop without recalling its actual name: but Baguette, a long, tapered French loaf with a sometimes ribbed exterior, is a favorite dough-made cake. Its distinct features include crispness of texture and a long oblong body.
Baklava
For anyone who has ever eaten at a Middle-eastern restaurant, it is most likely that they have ever come across nut-embedded cakes encrusted with honey and flavored with pastry and syrup. This is the Baklava, a sweet treat in any Turkish or Greek restaurant. Its origin is the Ottoman Empire’s galas.
Spices, Oils, and Condiments that start with B
Bell Pepper
Among color variations, none of the peppers can beat the versatility of the bell pepper in the tincture department. The most common of these sweet peppers are green. They turn a bright yellow when fully ripe. Others turn orange and yet others crimson.
Though they have inedible seeds, nothing else but the skin is thrown away in these sweet spices. They are mostly used in the making of sandwiches and casseroles.
Black Pepper
With its medicinal qualities and traditional use as a carminative that helps with flatulence, black pepper is a gastronomic delight that originates from Malabar in Southern India. It is distinct for its black pods but it is also available in brighter hues. As a spice, black pepper boasts more than meets the eye in the nutrition department. It is a source of:
- Vitamin K for fluid circulation in the body.
- Vitamin A for good sight, among other vitamins, like Thiamine, Riboflavin and B6.
- Minerals include manganese.
Bouquet Garni
Bouquet Garni is not a single product but a bundle of herbs in a pile. It is a typical source of soup flavoring greens and a potent alternative for making stews as well as sauces. As a French-derived name, it describes French cooking where the bundle of herbs is featured in a broth but removed from the cooking food prior to eating.
Bamboo Shoots
First used as food for their healthy content in China in the 2nd century B.C., bamboo shoots are the earliest growth of bamboo before it hardens. Some of the benefits of bamboo shoots include:
- Protein, and amino acid.
- Vitamins A, E and B6.
- Thiamine and niacin.
You will more often than not encounter bamboo shoots in the foods of the Orient from Cambodia to Laos and India. In Asia the use of bamboo shoots is believed to bring about weight loss, help in digestion and reduce bad cholesterol.
Basil
In appearance, basil consists of slightly green leaves of a soft nature and tender in texture. The sweet variety is a culinary first as it lends the taste buds the aroma of pepper tempered with that of cloves.
This is why it is a common sight in Southern European cuisine from Italy to Spain. Lemon Basil, on the other hand, is a south Asian variety that gives the tart aroma of a lemon.
Bay Leaves
A common part of the aromatic tradition in India and elsewhere, a bay leaf is an edible herb. It is mostly enjoyed in three forms:
- Fresh: the green leaves are put into food but removed from the cooking food before eating.
- Dried: similarly as above, the leaves are featured in a broth and removed from the cooking food before eating.
- Ground: the ground form of bay leaves is a less typical method of consumption with food but it is still practiced.
Beverages that start with B
Beer
No one looking for a good time will leave a beer drink standing on a pint-filled glass. Beer is essentially water and malted barley that has been fermented using yeast to a distinct flavor. Ingredients include yeast and other alcoholic portions. The biggest lager and ale exporters in the world include Mexico, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany.
Barley Malt
Of all alcoholic beverage additives, barley malt features as the most common flavoring element. It comes from dried barley that has been soaked in water till it re-germinates, beforehand. It is then smoked and this turns it into malt. Lager and whiskey distilleries use it as a common ingredient for flavoring their beers.
Bloody Mary
If you like vodka, then Bloody Mary may be your cocktail of choice.. Alongside vodka, its constituents include tomato juice, pickled fruits and other spices. It is no wonder then that there are some nutritional advantages for drinking this cocktail beverage.
Bourbon
Corn or maize lends much of its undervalued ingredients to the renowned flavor of Bourbon. The whiskey is 100 percent American and its name suggests that of the old Bourbon royalty in France.
Bourbon is however a more local name, with some sources pointing to Bourbon County in the State of Kentucky as its naming inspiration. It is made from aging corn and other distilled ingredients. Its alcohol content is 40 percent in a bottle while corn constitutes 51 percent of the total components.
Brandy
Brandy is a beverage of low alcoholic strength. It is a fusion of mashed grapes with a range of similar fruits. The end result is a beverage with as little as 35 percent alcohol and not more than 60 percent alcohol.
Balsamic Vinegar
A beverage emanating from Modena in Italy, Balsamic vinegar is a choice grape must extract. It can be a pure grape extract, meaning whole ingredients. It can contain all juice from the grape, together with the skin, seed and stalks, all crushed.
Because of aging requirements of at least 12 years, with premium ones awaiting 25 years before use, Balsamic vinegar is among the most expensive drinks out there.
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