Foods That Start With F

Discover the yummy world of foods beginning with the letter F. Delight in flavors like figs, feta cheese, and fettuccine. Imagine biting into the sweet, juicy figs on a sunny afternoon. Feta cheese adds magic to a fresh salad or melts perfectly on a pizza. And those fettuccine noodles, with their creamy sauce, make any dinner special. Here’s an interesting fact: feta cheese has been a key part of Greek cuisine for over 8,000 years. Food lovers who crave new tastes will enjoy these delicious surprises. Dive in and find out which F-food might become your new favorite treat!

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Fajitas

Strips of meat marinated in lime juice, oil, garlic, and spices and grilled or cooked with sliced peppers and onions.

This Texan-Mexican American dish is traditionally served in a corn tortilla, but modern varieties combine fajita with rice, lettuce salad, guacamole, pico de gallo, and cheese.

It can also be made of only vegetables, as a vegetarian version.

Falafel

Falafels are Middle Eastern deep-fried chickpeas balls, eaten with pita bread.

A tahini sauce or yogurt with herbs often top falafel balls, along with sliced or chopped vegetables.

Falafel can be made of chickpeas or fava beans, or both, combined with garlic, parsley, coriander, and other aromatic herbs.

Being very represented in Middle Eastern cuisine, falafel can be found anywhere from fast-food stands, where it is sold as a pita bread sandwich, to restaurants where it is offered as an appetizer or on a flatbread.

Farmer Cheese

A type of pressed cottage cheese, so that all the liquid can get out, leaving a firm texture, that can be either sliced or crumbled.

Its acidic aroma is accomplished by adding stater and rennet into the milk.

It can be produced from cow, sheep, or goat milk.

This cheese is very versatile and can be added to pastry fillings, dips, sandwiches, and wraps, or salads.

Fava Beans

Fava beans are one of the oldest domesticated food legumes.

References to favas occur in both the Talmud and the Mishna, indicating they have been part of the Middle Eastern diet since at least the 4th century.

Beans are a great source of fiber, protein, fiber, iron, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and many other beneficial nutrients.

If you have never tried fresh fava beans, they’re really special– they have a mild, creamy flavor that compliments many spring dishes.

Fresh from the pod they are bright green and very pretty.

They have a short season, though.

If you’re looking at making a fresh fava bean recipe outside of spring, your best bet is to use frozen fava beans or use fresh/frozen lima beans as a substitute.

Fennel Seeds

Fennel seeds are the dried seed of the fennel herb and look like cumin seeds, only greener.

They have an aniseed flavor and a warm, sweet aroma.

They can be used on their own or in spice mixes such as Chinese five-spice powder and Indian panch phoran.

These dried seeds are used as a spice to provide an aniseed flavor and a warm, sweet aroma.

Feta Cheese

A soft and creamy, white goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese originally from Greece and especially popular in Mediterranean cuisine.

It is sold in big compact cubes that can be cut or crumbled.

Feta is made of milk curd matured in salty brine for a couple of months.

This strong and tangy-flavored cheese can be eaten grilled, as pie filling, on pizza, or in pasta, but most commonly in fresh salads like the widely known Greek salad.

Figs

The edible fruit of the Ficus genus of the large mulberry family with more than 1 000 species.

Figs were first cultivated in the Mediterranean and western Asia, but today can be found in North America as well.

The fruit has a very soft, thick skin of dark purple color.

Inside is the sweet and juicy white-pink pulp with numerous seeds.

Figs can be consumed raw, but more commonly they are sold dried for practical reasons – once picked, figs are good for up to ten days.

This is because they don’t ripen after being harvested, so they are always harvested when fully ripe.

Filet Mignon

Named after the French phrase meaning ‘’tender meat or filet’’, filet mignon is a specialty made of a cut of boneless meat from the small part of the tenderloin, sliced in one-inch thick pieces and grilled or fried over high heat.

It has the most tender texture compared to other steaks, and a mild, delicate flavor.

Filo Pastry

Filo or phyllo pastry is made of thin and crunchy layers of unleavened dough.

It is named after the Greek word ‘’φύλλο’’ which means ‘’leaf’’ as these layers are as thin as leaves.

Filo dough is made from flour, water, and oil, traditionally spread on a large table as thinly as possible without breaking the dough or, much easier, rolled using mechanical rollers.

The dough is then brushed with oil and water and layered with sweet or savory fillings.

This type of dough is especially popular in Balkan and Middle Eastern cuisine for making specialties like baklava (sweet pastry filled with nuts), börek or burek (filo dough stuffed with minced meat), and a variety of sweet and savory pies with cheese, apple, cherry, spinach, pumpkin, and other fillings.

Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years.

It is widely used as a staple seasoning in East and Southeast Asian cuisine.

Following widespread recognition of its ability to impart a savory umami flavor to dishes, it has been embraced globally by chefs and home cooks.

The umami flavor in fish sauce is due to its glutamate content.

Soy sauce is regarded by some in the West as a vegetarian alternative to fish sauce though they are very different in flavor.

Fish sauce is not only added to dishes as a seasoning but also used as a base in dipping sauces.

Fish Sticks

Bite-sized pieces of breaded fish, usually whitefish, that have been baked, fried, or deep-fried.

The most common fish used for this meal are cod, hake, or haddock, covered with batter or breadcrumbs that gets crispy when cooked, while the fish remains soft and tender.

Fish sticks are often sold frozen in supermarkets.

They were first mentioned in a recipe in the United Kingdom in 1900, where they are until today called fish fingers.

Flan

A dessert made of egg custard covered with creamy caramel sauce.

Sweet caramel sauce is poured into ramekins or into a pan and topped with cooked custard and then turned upside down prior to serving.

It has a rich, creamy and silky consistency.

This dessert is popular across Europe (especially Spain, France, and Portugal), Latin, and North America.

It is also known by other French names, crème caramel, and caramel custard.

Flaky Pastry

Type of unleavened pastry, similar to puff pastry, but uses less rolling and folding and therefore it is done in less time.

This is why it is referred to as quick or blitz pastry.

Just like puff pastry, it is made of dough and butter, but butter is mixed in with the dough instead of being spread in layers on top of it.

It is used in making sweet and savory pastries.

Flour

Flour is grains that have been dried and ground into powder.

It is usually made of wheat, but can also be made from many other grains, nuts and other substances.

Flour is made in a flour mill where the grain is put between two stones or steel wheels which are rubbed together to make the grains into powder.

The main kinds of flour used in cooking are all-purpose flour, self-raising flour, and cake flour.

Self-raising flour contains a leavening agent.

This makes the food rise (expand) during baking.

It produces lighter and softer baked foods by creating small bubbles.

Flour that does not have a leavening agent is called all-purpose flour, or plain flour.

Flour can also be made at home.

Some people like to make flour at home because when flour comes from the factory, the outer shells of the grains have usually been removed.

The outer shells have fiber which is needed for metabolism.

Flour has many nutrients.

You can even make flour out of things such as pumpkins, pumpkin seeds, brown and white rice, wheat, etc.

Focaccia

A flat Italian yeast bread, with a characteristic dimpled appearance.

It is made of strong flour dough, rolled out and poked all over to get the air out and keep the bread flat.

The original recipe comes from Ligurian cuisine, while many slightly changed versions were later created all around Italy.

Some of them are focaccia with cheese (“focaccia col formaggio”), a sweet version of this bread called “focaccia dolce” or the most common one, “Focaccia al rosmarino”, sprinkled with fresh or dried leaves if rosemary and olive oil.

Foccacine

Small, round-shaped types of flat focaccia bread, served as an appetizer or a snack.

They are formed into small rounds of dough, brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with garlic and herbs and oven-baked until crispy.

They are often made into mini pizzas, topped with olives or sliced and filled with prosciutto and rocket and served as a sandwich.

Foie Gras

Fattened liver of a duck or goose.

It can be slow-coked over low heat (cold preparation) or baked, sauteed, or pan-seared over high heat (hot preparation).

This French gourmet specialty has a full, rich, and buttery flavor.

It is often made into mousse, parfait, or pâté.

Foie gras is sold canned or in jars and somewhere even frozen, although a number of countries banned selling foie gras, due to the force-feeding and other cruel treatments of ducks and geese used for the preparation of this meal.

Fondant

Fondant icing is a thick sugar paste, cooked until smooth and compact.

It is a mixture of sugar, water, gelatin, and glycerol.

Additionally, it can be colored using food coloring.

It can be used in a liquid form as a filling or glaze for candies and pastries or kneaded and rolled like dough to cover cakes.

It can also be used to form small figurines and shapes to top cakes or cupcakes.

Fondant decoration is an especially popular choice for decorating wedding and birthday cakes.

Fondue

Hot pot of melted cheese previously stirred in the heated wine and seasonings until well combined and creamy.

Cornstarch can be added to thicken the mixture.

It is served hot in a fondue stove that is heated with a candle and eaten by dipping in bread pieces using forks.

Other than the cheese fondue, it is also used as a term for any meal that includes dipping food in melted blends.

Chocolate fondue is one of the most favored and it consists of dipping fruits (strawberries are a popular choice) or marshmallows into a pot of melted chocolate.

French Fries

Crispy potato strips, deep-fried or baked, seasoned generously with salt and served as a side dish or a snack.

They are crispy and salty on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside.

They can be simply served with ketchup, mayonnaise and other dipping sauces or, like in some variations, topped with cheese, gravy or meat.

This originally Western European dish gained its popularity around the globe as one of the most common side dishes and fast food snacks.

French Toast

Fried sliced bread previously dipped in egg and milk mixture, served as both a sweet and a savory meal.

As a sweet breakfast meal, it can be topped with honey, butter, fruits or just sprinkled with sugar.

When served as a savory meal, ham, bacon or scrambled eggs can be added.

Fried Dough

Deep-fried bread, made of yeast dough.

It appears as a large round-shaped, bubbly pastry sprinkled with powdered sugar, cinnamon or tomato sauce.

It can also be served with different toppings like maple syrup, chocolate sauce or honey as a sweet bread or garlic butter or cheese as a savory dish.

It is commonly served as street food in carnivals and amusement parks in the US.

Because of its shape and size, fried dough is also known by the names elephant ears in the US and beaver tails in Canada, where it was originally made.

Frittata

Italian omelet which combines eggs with vegetables, cheese, meat, herbs and seasonings.

Frittata has a trembling, not fully solid consistency.

Unlike other versions of omelets, it is not folded around the filling.

The recipe includes mixing beaten eggs with the remaining ingredients, pouring the mixture into a pan and flipping it over to cook the other side.

It may be shortly baked in the oven instead of turned over.

Another difference between omelet and frittata is that frittata is cooked slowly over low heat.

Frozen Yogurt

A frozen dessert native to the United States, with a creamy texture, similar to ice cream, but produced from milk instead of cream.

Therefore, it has less saturated fat, so it is considered a slightly healthier variety of frozen desserts.

It is made of yogurt bacteria mixed in with milk and flavorings, cooled at a temperature of −6 to −2 °C.

Fruit salad

Fruit salad is a dish consisting of various kinds of fruit, sometimes served in a liquid, either their own juices or a syrup.

In different forms, fruit salad can be served as an appetizer, a side salad, or a dessert.

When served as an appetizer or dessert, a fruit salad is sometimes known as a fruit cocktail (often connoting a canned product), or fruit cup (when served in a small container).

There are many types of fruit salad, ranging from the basic (no nuts, marshmallows, or dressing) to the moderately sweet (Waldorf salad) to the sweet (ambrosia salad).

Another “salad” containing fruit is a jello salad, with its many variations.

Fruit cocktail is well-defined in the US to mean a well-distributed mixture of small diced pieces of (from highest percentage to lowest) peaches, pears, pineapple, grapes, and cherry halves.

Fruit salad may also be canned (with larger pieces of fruit than a cocktail).

Fudge

Type of American candy made of three basic ingredients: sugar, butter and milk.

They are dissolved by being heated to the soft ball stage, then well combined and cooled, typically in a square-shaped pan.

Once cooled, they are cut into individual pieces of creamy and smooth fudge, that melts in the mouth.

Popular variations of the original recipe (which dates back to the 19^th century) include chopped nuts, fruits or chocolate added to the batter.

Funnel Cake

American type of deep-fried spiral cake, made by pouring batter through a funnel into hot oil and swirling it around.

It has a light and crispy texture and sweet taste similar to donuts.

It is served with powdered sugar and topped with fresh fruits or jams.

Funnel cake is a popular snack and dessert in the United States, traditionally served at fairs and carnivals.

Fusilli

Italian type of short pasta, traditionally made by rolling the wheat flour dough around a rod to create a spiral, curly shaped pasta.

It can be produced in three varieties – plain egg pasta (white), tomato-colored pasta (red), and fusilli colored with spinach (green).

It is one of the most sold types of pasta, usually served hot with a sauce and grated cheese or in cold pasta salads.

Thanks to its curly shape, this pasta has grooves that are good for holding onto any sauce.

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