Farmer cheese: A form of cottage cheese from which most of the liquid has been pressed. Very dry farmer cheese is sold in a loaf that is firm enough to slice or crumble. It has a mild, slightly tangy flavor.

Fennel: A crisp, fragrant vegetable with a mild licorice flavor. Its edible bulb and stalks can be used like celery, and its seeds can be used for seasoning.

Fermented black beans: Salty and pungent black soybeans used in Chinese cookery. Available as Asian grocery stores in jars or plastic pouches. Soak beans 30 minutes before using. Store unused beans in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Feta cheese (FEHT-uh): A soft, white, tangy cheese made from goat's or cow's milk, often used in Greek and other Mediterranean cuisines.

Flaxseeds: Tiny, oval-shaped brown seeds, also called linseeds. Bland in flavor, they are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Very high in fiber. Vegans sometimes use a slurry of ground flaxseeds and water as an egg replacer in baked goods.

Fruit-juice concentrate: Concentrated, frozen fruit juices, used as a sugar substitute. When using concentrates, pick a mild flavor, such as white grape juice, so other flavors are not overwhelmed. When replacing sugar in a recipe with fruit-juice concentrate, you may need to reduce the amount of other liquids.