1. Moet
Pronounced: ‘mo-wett’, darling!
When visiting Domaine Chandon in the Yarra Valley, one of the many interesting points your tour guide may tell you, is the correct pronunciation of Moet. Commonly pronounced 'mo-aye', the ‘t’ at the end should be pronounced, as Moet is Dutch in origin.
2. Bruschetta
Pronounced: ‘brew-skeh-tah
This fabulous antipasto from Italy is commonly mispronounced ‘brew-sheh-tah’. It’s a hard habit to break, but swap the ‘sheh’ out for ‘skeh’. Your Italian waiter will thank you for it.
3. Maraschino
Pronounced: ‘ma-ra-skeeno’
Those tiny, sweetened, preserved cherries that are responsible for eliciting interesting reactions from individuals - depending on how you feel about them - are often pronounced, ‘mara-sheen-o’ cherries. Like bruschetta, the ‘ch’ in maraschino should be pronounced with a ‘k’.
4. Anise and star anise
Pronounced: ‘an-is’
Whilst both herbs share a common name, they derive from different plants. Nevertheless, the 'anise' is pronounced the same. Anise is commonly mispronounced, ‘a-niece’.
5. Acai
Pronounced: ‘ah-sigh-ee’
Acai is a dark purple berry, similar in shape to a grape. It has become very popular, due to its high concentration of antioxidants. Often mispronounced ‘akai-ee’, the correct pronunciation is very similar to the Japanese beer, Asahi. Cheers to that.
6. Quinoa
Pronounced: ‘kin-wah’ or ‘keen-wah’
This one is tricky and has been pronounced several different ways since it became the latest ‘superfood’ of choice. Variations include ‘queen-oh-ah’ and ‘kin-oh-wah’. If it’s all too hard, just point at the menu and tell the waitstaff, ‘I’ll have this one, please’.
7. Pho
Pronounced: ‘fuh’
This popular Vietnamese noodle soup is commonly mispronounced, ‘foe’. The debate on the correct pronunciation is ongoing, but the most commonly accepted version is ‘fuh’. Remember this joke to help remind you of the correct pronunciation: Please proceed to the pho queue to place your order.
