The AnswerBank Articles

Which cookbooks have changed our cookery

A. Cookery books which emerged after the Second World War are credited with changing the tastes of British cookery. Elizabeth David's Mediterranean Food, published in 1971, was the first glimpse for00:00 Mon 22nd Oct 2001

What's the most popular film soundtrack

A. The main theme from Jaws has been used time and again since its release in the 1980s. Films that have used it for its 'comedy' value include The Secret of My Success, Swingers, Airplane, Top00:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

In the Godfather trilogy, what do oranges signify

A. In every film, eating oranges is a sign a character is about to die. The scene in The Godfather where Vito buys oranges from a street vendor before being shot starts a link between citrus fruit00:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Why does wine cost so much

A. Good wine has always cost much more in Britain that Europe. British Chancellors rarely cut wine taxes, and as a result, buying cheap wine can be false economy as little of whay you pay actually00:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Are there more blakcberries around than usual

A. Reports suggest this has been a record harvest of wild fruit. The heavy rains of last year - along with a mild winter without much frost - means there has been a very large crop of berries in00:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

What is a Kentish cob

A. A Kentish cob is a type of hazlenut, though larger and longer, and there are various types, all cultivated to be eaten green and fresh. The cob season tails off towards the end of October. It has00:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Are most apples we buy imports

A. Around 85 per cent of all apples sold are bought in supermarkets - three-quarters of those are imports, primarily from France, South Africa, the USA and New Zealand. The UK imports 188,000 tonnes00:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

How can you tell a safe mushroom from a lethal one

A. You must be really sure you've identified a mushroom correctly before deciding it's safe to eat. Tales that you can just peel a mushroom to make it edible, or that poisonous ones turn blue when00:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

What can you tell me about bay leaves

A. Bay leaves come from the Sweet Bay or Bay Laurel tree, known botanically as Laurus nobilis. The elliptical leaves of are green, glossy, and grow up to three inches long. The plant belongs to the00:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

Is 2001 a good year for champagne

A. The French champage industry has been badly hit by the wettest weather for 120 years. The weather has resulted in outbreaks of the grape disease botrytis in what little harvest there has been. 00:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

What is genever

A. Genever is Dutch gin which has been around for centuries. Gin, made from juniper berries, arrived in Flanders in the late 14th century. It was first used as a health tonic and Lucas Bols, father00:00 Mon 01st Oct 2001

With what dishes would you celebrate the Jewish New Year

A. The advent of Rosh Hashanah or Jewish New Year is celebrated with traditional Jewish dishes at large family gatherings. Many of the recipes have been handed down through generations. At Passover,00:00 Mon 01st Oct 2001

What are the origins of salt and pepper

A. They both have long individual histories, but the significance of their presentation together on dining tables probably goes back to feudal times. It was then that they were first set out in a00:00 Mon 01st Oct 2001

Where is Pisco drunk

A. Pisco is a South American brandy, which is renowned as a Chilean speciality. Peru, however, claims it was the first to make the drink as the town of Pisco is Peruvian. It took its name from a00:00 Thu 27th Sep 2001

Is potato blight a thing of the past

A. Potato blight can still wipe out whole crops and threaten farmers' production. The fungus that causes the blight can be controlled using artificial fungicides, but organic farmers are banned from00:00 Mon 24th Sep 2001

Why do some lentils need soaking

A. For several reasons: to soften them, to help them take up other flavours before cooking and to make sure that you've got rid of any toxins in the skins. This latter doesn't really apply to most00:00 Mon 24th Sep 2001

How can you cook with pumpkins

A. Demand for pumpkins has shot up in recent years, and they herald the approach of autumn. Warmer temperatures mean farmers have produced more and more pumpkins., although this year's crop may not00:00 Mon 17th Sep 2001

What's the best British cheese

A. Cheddar and Stilton remain the most popular British cheeses, but cheesemakers are reporting a growing export trade to the continent. There are over 400 different types of cheese made in Britain00:00 Mon 17th Sep 2001

What's the most enduring food product in the world

A. One of the most enduring products of the 20th century is the tinned ham classic Spam. Since it was launched in Austin, Minnesota in the US, 64 years ago, more than five billion tins of the stuff00:00 Mon 17th Sep 2001

How can you tell where your joint of meat has come from

A. Meat eaters can now get to see their preferred joint of meat, still grazing contentedly on the farm. Shoppers who buy Greenstuff products - a branded range of organic Irish beef, lamb and sausages00:00 Mon 10th Sep 2001