How do you pronounce this thinly-sliced, buttery, cured meat on top of this delicious asparagus salad? Let’s consult the Dining Dictionary, shall we?

Proscuitto, pronounced “Pro-shoot-tow” is delicious over asparagus.

It was slightly mortifying. I was having lunch at an Indian restaurant with a colleague who ordered some additional chutney, that wonderful sweet-savory, chunky condiment. Only problem was, she pronounced it “choootney.” But hey, at least she tried. I’ve also been with people who didn’t order something they wanted because they were afraid of mispronouncing the item. And it’s possible one of those people was me and it was a the name of a seafood dish and that I ordered chicken instead. Possibly. A lot of people are in the same situation my relative and I are, what with all the wonderful, international foods out there – you’re literally speaking another language.

When I was approached to provide RealFoodTraveler.com readers with a quick and easy Dining Dictionary, I jumped at it.

Learning how to pronounce Pho and other unfamiliar dishes makes dining fun. From Muffuletta (Moo-Fa-La-Tuh) and Pho (Fuh), to Macaron (Mack-Uh-Ron) to Poke (Poh-Kay), let’s go bravely into restaurants, stop being embarrassed and start ordering and enjoying some fabulous food, people! Thank you to The Holiday Place for providing the article. Here’s the link to their chart.

Fo’ sure, most of us have been pronouncing this delicious noodly soup incorrectly. It’s pronounced “Fuh.” Duh.

Hungry for more? We bet this dictionary would come in handy experiencing the Street Food of Hong Kong. Read this article about an adventurous food tour.