How to Say “Calphalon” and These Other Hard-to-Pronounce Foodie Brands

Photo: Taste of Home

It’s always fun to be a foodie…until you find yourself stumbling over those hard-to-pronounce foodie words like sous vide (pronounce it “soo-VEED”) and jicama (pronounce it “HEE-kah-mah”). But have no fear! We’ve got you covered with this guide to pronouncing the most unpronounceable foodie brand names of all time.

Cookware, tools and tableware

Calphalon: Pronounce this American brand of cookware, “CAL-fah-lon” (sorry, but it isn’t pronounced “Cal-fuh-LOAN“).

Henckels: Another German cutlery brand you’re probably mispronouncing. Say it as “HANG-kuhl” (not, “HENK-ehls“).

Laguiole: Don’t stumble over this French cookware brand. Say it “LAG-yohl” (not, “Lah-GWEE-ohl”).

Le Creuset: We’ve stumbled over this one more times than we can count, but this one’s really not too hard! Pronounce it “Luh Croo-say” (not “LAY CROO-set”).

Pillivuyt: Pronounce this French brand of porcelain tableware, “Pee-lee-VEE” (not, “Pill-ee-VOOT“).

Staub: Pronounce this German brand of cookware (which is owned by Henckels), “SHTAH-b” (not, “Stow-b”).

Wüsthof: This German cutlery brand is pronounced “VOOST-hoaf” (not, “Was-thoff“).

Foods

Barilla: Nope, this one does not rhyme with “gorilla.” Just say “Bar-EE-lah” instead.

Fage: This great yogurt brand doesn’t rhyme with “sage.” It’s actually pronounced “FAH-yey.”

Ghirardelli: We love Ghirardelli, but chances are you’re not pronouncing this Italian-American brand quite right. Say it “Geer-AR-deh-lee” (instead of “GEAR-a-deli”). Then whip up this grand Ghirardelli chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Kikkoman: This Japanese brand of soy sauce and other foods is said like “KEE-koh-mahn.”

Nutella: Who doesn’t love this delicious hazelnut spread? Next time you stir up one of our favorite Nutella recipes, say it as “NEW-tell-uh.”

Beverages

Cointreau: This French brand of orange liqueur should be said as “KWAN-troh” (NOT “coin-trew”).

Glacéau: Pronounce this French-inspired subsidiary of the Coca-Cola Company, “glass-SO.”

Hoegaarden: Pronounce this Belgian beer brand “HOO-gar-dehn” (nope, there’s no “hoe” in hoegaarden).

Lagavulin: This Scottish whiskey should be pronounced “Lag-ah-VOO-lin” (and not “Lah-GAH-vuh-lin“).

Meritage: This one is a tricky one. You’ll be tempted to pronounce this French feeling word “mer-i-tazh,” but in fact this California wine is said “MEH-ri-tijh” (rhyming with heritage).

Stella Artois: We’re all familiar with this Belgian beer brand on the shelf, but when it comes to saying the name out loud, say “STEL-lah Ar-TWAH” (not, “Stella ARE-toys“).

With this list in mind, you’ll be ordering and shopping like a pro. And don’t miss our guide to pronouncing these 20 foods you’re almost definitely pronouncing wrong.