B2.1 - How to describe food

How to describe food and dishes B2.1

• Food vocabulary
• Tastes vocabulary and collaborative reading
• Giving opinions about food facts. Agreeing and disagreeing

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Discuss in small groups

• How important is food in your life? What does food mean to you?
• Do you agree that if something tastes great, it's probably bad for you?
• What did you eat for lunch today? Did you choose this dish because it was healthy, cheap or because it was... well, just very tasty?
• Are you a fussy eater? What kind of food do you hate?
• Do you have an open mind about food, or do you always eat the same things?
• When was the last time you tried food from a different country? What was it and did you enjoy it?
• What is your favourite meat dish, fish dish, snack, ice cream, fruit and vegetable?
• What do you usually drink with your meals?

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Put these words into three groups:

knife and fork • boiled • salty • grilled • salt and pepper • roast • delicious • tasty • sweet • oil and vinegar • fried • spicy • chewy • baked • rich • tasty • steamed • smoked • chopsticks • serviette • stewed • oily • tender • plate • spoon • tough • menu • glass

a) how food is cooked b) taste and texture c) things on a table

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Match the correct combinations.

1 grilled / tender / tough / raw 2 fresh / frozen / white / tuna
 3 fillet / rare / medium / well-done
 4 green / prawn / fruit / egg
 5 chicken / beef / lentil / tripe
 6 steamed / stir fried / boiled / roasted
 7 bottled / tap / still / sparkling 
8 low-fat / chocolate / homemade / strawberry

a ice cream b stew
 c water
 d steak e vegetables f salad 
g meat 
h fish

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In pairs think of a food to match each adjective.

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Some expressions to describe food

That cheese smells / tastes disgusting (what other adjectives can we use?) It has a very strong (other adjectives?) flavour / taste / aroma / smell The texture is quite creamy / chewy (can you add more words?) It's a kind of vegetable / side dish / spice. It's a bit like an oyster, but smaller / but not as big. It's made from plums or pears / a special kind of bean. It's cooked with tomatoes and onions and spices. It's served when it's hot / as a snack / as dessert / cold

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Read these descriptions. What are they?

This food is soft and it tastes sweet. It is made from cream, sugar and fruit or chocolate. It is eaten very cold, usually in summer. This food is crunchy and it can be salty or sweet. It is often eaten in the cinema.

Your turn! Write down two descriptions and ask your partner

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Some expressions to describe food

That cheese smells / tastes disgusting Can we say 'That cheese is smelling / tasting disgusting? Why? / Why not? (Discuss in pairs)

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Describing food - Example

This is a photo of one of my favourite desserts: apple strudel. I think it is typical from Austria and Germany, but I am not very sure. In fact, the first time I tried it I was travelling around the south of Germany.

The photo is mouthwatering. Apple strudel is made from apples, raisins, pastry, sugar and cinnamon. It tastes sweet. Its texture is crispy in the outside and smooth in the inside. It smells really well. It's a bit like apple pie, but tastier.

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Describing food - Your turn

Think of a dish that you really like or hate. describe it taking into account: its appearance its taste its texture its smell ingredients or how it's made is it similar to other dishes? how it's cooked or served your opinion HOMEWORK: write a recipe for your dish HERE

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