B1 · Intermediate · Detailed Instructions · 179 words · ~2 min read

📝 The Old Recipe Clue

Language focus: Giving detailed instructions · sequencing

The Secret Recipe of Borough Market

Down by the river, Nadia found a row of old spice merchants. At the third stall, an elderly man recognised her family name at once. “Ferne? Of course! I gave her the recipe for her special spiced glaze, written out in my own hand.”

He produced a yellowed card and read it aloud while Nadia jotted down every single word. “First, warm the honey very gently. Then mix in a pinch of cardamom and a little orange zest. Finally, set the glaze aside to rest before you brush it over the warm loaf.”

“The real trick,” he added with a smile, “is to make everything from scratch, and never, ever to rush. Your great-grandmother understood that better than anyone.” Nadia listened, utterly spellbound, scribbling extra notes in the margin and picturing the finished bread.

“And remember,” the old man said warmly, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Words on a card mean nothing at all until you actually bake it yourself.” Clutching her precious notes, Nadia hurried back to the bakery, her heart pounding with excitement.

Key vocabulary (6 words)

merchantnoun
A person who buys and sells goods.
glazenoun
A shiny liquid coating brushed over food.
honeynoun
A sweet, sticky food made by bees.
cardamomnoun
A strong, sweet-smelling spice.
zestnoun
The outer coloured skin of a lemon or orange, used for flavour.
loafnoun
A shaped mass of bread baked in one piece.

Phrasal verbs in this episode

  • jot down — To jot down means to write something quickly.
  • mix in — To mix in means to add something and combine it.
  • set aside — To set aside means to keep something for later use.

Comprehension quiz

  1. Who gives Nadia the glaze recipe?

    • An elderly spice merchant
    • Pemberton
    • Her grandmother
    Show answer

    An elderly spice merchant

  2. What is the first step?

    • Warm the honey gently
    • Bake the loaf
    • Add the zest last
    Show answer

    Warm the honey gently

  3. “From scratch” means making it…

    • from the very beginning
    • from a packet
    • very quickly
    Show answer

    from the very beginning

  4. “Jot down” means to…

    • write quickly
    • throw away
    • read aloud
    Show answer

    write quickly

  5. “The proof of the pudding is in the eating” means…

    • you must try it to judge it
    • pudding is proof
    • never eat pudding
    Show answer

    you must try it to judge it

  6. “Set the glaze aside” means to…

    • keep it for later
    • throw it out
    • eat it now
    Show answer

    keep it for later

All 20 B1 episodes

More graded reading & practice