Hard-to-Spell Food Words, a List

Speling iz trickie — especialy when u write bout food for a livving. Not only do you have to pen correctly the 250,000 or so words in the English language, but food and its lexicon are international, multilingual, and ever-evolving, meaning there are even more ways to make linguistic slips — and to make an ass out of yourself in print.

Behold our collection of hard-to-spell food words:

Robert Sietsema

macaron
ziti
bechamel
allioli (Spanish aioli)
lo mein
parfait
lasagna

Lauren Shockey

tlacoyos
gruner veltliner
soppressata
pissaladière

Victoria Bekiempis

zucchini
broccoli
Parmigiano-Reggiano
pierogi
spumante
okonomiyaki
shakshuka
sufganiyot

Lauren Bloomberg

Mediterranean (as in the cuisine)
Colicchio (as in Tom)
fettuccine

Brian Parks

smorgasbord