Foods That Start With W

In this piece, I will be listing various kinds of food that begin with the letter W.

See the whole food dictionary!

Wafer

A thin, crisp biscuit is usually sweet-flavored.

Wafers can be round or square and usually have a very dry texture.

A large number of candy bars and cookies is made by adding layers of sweet fillings in between the layers of the wafer.

Waffle

Waffles are made of batter cooked in special hot irons that give them a textured pattern.

They are a popular breakfast dish, usually served topped with cream, fresh fruits, butter, or sweet syrup.

Some of the most famous waffles in the world are Belgian waffles, which are crispy and much lighter compared to American waffles, which are more compact and dense. 

Wakame

Japanese curly leafed saltwater algae.

They are known as the Undaria pinnatifida species of the brown algae family. Wakame algae have a slightly sweet flavor and they are often used in Japanese salads and soups.

Wallenbergare

Wallenberg is a Swedish dish generally consisting of ground veal, cream, egg yolks, and coated in breadcrumbs.

It is traditionally served with boiled or mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, and green peas.

There are various theories about the origin of this recipe.

Waldorf Salad

A salad named after the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York where it was made for the first time.

The traditional recipe includes chopped celery and apples tossed in a mayonnaise dressing.

In the modern variety of this salad, nuts and grapes are also added.

The salad is served as an appetizer or the main dish, usually on top of lettuce.

Walnut

An edible seed of trees in the genus Juglans.

Botanically it is a drupe made of a tough wood-like shell with a seed inside.

The seed is made of two separated halves covered with a thin brown coat.

Walnuts are calorie-dense, high in manganese, zinc, and B vitamins.

They are consumed as nuts – chopped in salads, ground in desserts, or raw as a snack.

Wasabi

Japanese plant related to horseradish which is why it is also known as Japanese horseradish.

It can be finely ground into a bright-green powder used as a spice.

The powder is made into a wasabi paste, which is traditionally served with sushi and sashimi.

It has a very sharp, spicy flavor.

Washed Curd Cheese

Various types of cheese made by removing whey and adding water to wash the curd.

This process removes lactose sugar that the bacteria could change into acid.

They are cured not longer than a few months so they are usually mild in flavor.

Some of the most well-known types are Edam, Monterey Jack, Gouda and Danbo.

Water Chestnut

Tuber vegetable native to Southeast Asia, Oceania, and Africa.

It is also called the Chinese water chestnut, even dough botanically is not related to nuts.

It is made of edible white flesh that can be cooked or ground into flour.

Water chestnut is a very nutritious vegetable.

It mostly consists of water and carbohydrates and valuable vitamins (B, C, and E), and minerals (zinc, potassium, and manganese).

Water Spinach

Tropical leafy vegetable with hollow stems, native to Southeast Asia.

It grows in water or damp soil.

Water spinach is also known as Chinese spinach as it is very popular in this cuisine.

Usually, it is stir-fried with other vegetables.

It is very nutritious: it contains vitamins C and E, riboflavin, iron, and magnesium.

Watercress

A leafy green vegetable that is grown in water.

It is a member of the cabbage family originally cultivated in Europe and Asia.

Watercress is often eaten in salad or sandwiches or used as a garnish.

It adds a peppery, slightly bitter flavor.

It is 95 % made of water and a great source of vitamin K and C.

Watermelon 

Large, round fruit of the gourde family grown in tropical and temperate climates.

Like other melons, it is very high in water content and low in calories.

It provides a good amount of vitamin C.

Watermelon consists of red or pink flesh with many small black seeds inside an unedible thick, striped, dark green rind.

The flesh is very sweet and juicy.

Watermelon is a very popular summer fruit eaten sliced or in juice.

Wheat Flour

A type of cereal grain flour produced from grinding wheat.

It is classified into soft, medium, and hard varieties based on the amount of gluten they are made of.

Another classification divides this flour into the whole grain, white or brown.

Wheat flour provides many important nutrients, including B vitamins, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and phosphorus.

It is highly versatile in cooking, especially important in baking pastries, bread, cakes, cookies, and making pasta.

White Wine

Light yellow or yellow-grin alcoholic beverages produced from green or yellow-colored grapes.

White wines can have different aromas including fruity, nutty, and caramel, and they can be classified into sweet, dry, sparkling, and fortified types.

Some of the most famous are  Pinot noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, and Sauvignon blanc.

Besides drinking, white wine is suitable for cooking, used in risotto, sauces, vegetable and meat dishes.

White Bread

A type of bread made from refined grains, resulting in a product that is very light in color.

The refining process removes many nutrients including fiber, vitamin B, and iron.

White bread is an important food staple in many regions around the world.

It is known as the sandwich bread, but it can be served with any meal including stews, soups, chilies, and meat.

White Button Mushroom

Small to medium-sized mushroom with a round white cap, native to Europe and North America.

It is also known as a common mushroom.

This type of mushroom has an earthy flavor and a very firm, spongy consistency which turns tender when cooked.

It can be used in many stir-fried dishes, grilled or sauteed.

It is rich in B vitamins and phosphorus.

White Cabbage

A type of cabbage with pale green leaves attached to the firm white stem.

The leaves are smooth and tightly packed.

This cabbage variety is also known as Dutch.

Its texture is very crunchy when fresh, while cooking makes this cabbage very soft.

It is mild in flavor and rich in vitamin C and K.

White Chocolate

A type of chocolate of white color, that doesn’t contain cocoa solids, unlike other varieties of this famous confectionery.

For this reason, it tastes much sweeter than dark or milk chocolates.

White chocolate is produced of cocoa butter, milk, and sugar.

It may include flavorings like vanilla, fruits, or nuts.

This chocolate was first introduced by the Swiss company  Nestlé in 1936.

White Rice

A short-grain type of rice, produced by milling the husk, bran, and germ.

This results in losing most of its nutritional value, including fiber and vitamins, but increases its shelf-life.

White rice is high in starch, so it gets to be very sticky when cooked.

This makes it a good choice for sushi or rice pudding.

White Sapote

An exotic tropical fruit, also known as Mexican apple or Casimiro.

It is a member of the citrus family Rutaceae.

This is a drupe with cream or green pulp coated with inedible green to yellow skin.

The pulp is sweet and mild in flavor, which is often compared to banana.

The texture of this fruit is soft, creamy, and smooth.

The seeds inside the pulp are bitter and can have a narcotic effect.

White Vinegar

White vinegar is a type of spirit vinegar.

This is a stronger variety of vinegar that can contain up to 20 % 5% acetic acid, but most commonly is made of 4–7% acetic acid and 93–96% water.

It is very versatile and therefore it can be used in salad dressing, pickling, baking, marinades, sauces and dips.

Due to its antimicrobial properties, white vinegar is very useful in house cleaning, especially combined with baking soda.

Wild Rice

A long, thin, and black or brown grain mainly cultivated in North America.

It is grown in four varieties, with three being native to North America and one to Asia.

This rice is high in antioxidants, fiber and protein, and a good source of vitamins B and minerals.

Wiener Schnitzel

An Austrian specialty made of a thin veal cutlet, breaded and fried until golden.

This dish was originally mentioned in a cookbook from the 19th century in Vienna, which is why it is called Wiener schnitzel (‘’Viennese cutlet’’ in the German language).

It is usually served with lemon slices or with French fries as a side dish.

Winter Squash

A variety of squashes consumed when fully matured, the opposite to summer squashes which are eaten when the skin is still soft and edible.

With winter squashes only the flesh and the seeds inside the skin can be consumed.

The most commonly cultivated and eaten winter types of squash are butternut, acorn, delicata squash, and pumpkin.

---