We, here at TPW, like our food. We like to think of ourselves as pretty well educated in the language used to jazz up a menu. But even we get caught out. Recently we burst out into a chorus from Mary Poppins when we saw chimichurri on the menu. It also elicited a cacophony of bad Dick Van Dyke impersonations. You know the sort!

But The Telegraph Lifstyle section has come to our rescue in its aptly named article The Obscure Restaurant Menu Glossary: do you know your guajillo from your girolles?

Written in a jaunty style it debunks the pretension that some menus hide behind, while at the same time offering a handy glossary of terms. So now we’re armed with this, the restaurant chosen for our annual Christmas bash had better look out and not use the word croustade on the menu or else there will be some raised eyebrows!