The AnswerBank Articles

Is vintage wine a sound investment

A. For many people, paying through the nose for aged vintages might not be an option, but it is an investment to buy relatively cheap wine to drink at a later date. Investing in wines of the future00:00 Mon 10th Sep 2001

Can junk food be good for you

A. Researchers in the US have just discovered that healthy chemicals called flavanoids - found in chocolate - act like aspirin to protect the heart. Their experiment showed that eating a few bars of00:00 Mon 10th Sep 2001

Could BSE happen again

A. The Government has introduced strict legislation covering farming, abattoir and meat handling practices. There are however loopholes whuch nutritionists are concerned about. The use of cattle meat00:00 Mon 03rd Sep 2001

How is strawberry beer made

A. Most fruit beer, which is hugely popular in Belgian and France, is basically wheat beer to which fruit juice or syrup is added at the end of fermentation. Belgian breweries sell the beers in00:00 Mon 03rd Sep 2001

Do mulberries still exist

A. Mulberries are rarely found today; especially not on supermarket shelves. Many mulberry trees have been chopped down, but there are a few still to be found in ancient gardens and they date to the00:00 Mon 03rd Sep 2001

What is a roux

A. Roux is the name given to the mixture of butter and flour that forms the basis of the classic white sauce called bechamel. The butter is melted in the pan, the flour is stirred to form a smooth00:00 Mon 27th Aug 2001

Is it true people buy milk in bags in India

A. Almost all milk is sold in India is tough plastic bags, and 32.5 per cent of milk sold in Switzerland is packaged in the same way. The bags- made from tough plastic - are 'greener' than milk00:00 Mon 27th Aug 2001

What is the most popular breakfast drink

A. Tea has always been the UK's favourite drink, but it's losing its place at breakfast to fruit juice. Research shows tea and a traditional fry-up have been replaced by muesli and a vitamin-packed00:00 Mon 27th Aug 2001

What is instant coffee

A. Instant coffee is coffee that has already been brewed, then evaporated in chimney towers using hot air. Manufacturers are notoriously secretive about processing, but instant remains an00:00 Mon 20th Aug 2001

What is pasta fresca

A. It is what the Italians call fresh pasta. Italians make and eat a small amount of fresh pasta, but it's a craze that has really taken off in the UK and the States. Most Italians serve fresh pasta00:00 Mon 20th Aug 2001

What's the best-selling drink

A. Coca Cola is this country's biggest selling drinks brand, with UK sales estimated at 665- 660 million, ahead of Nescafe and Stella Artois. The fruit drink Sunny Delight, however which enjoyed a00:00 Mon 20th Aug 2001

Where does vermouth gets its name from

A. Vermouth takes its name from the German for its main flavouring compound wormwood (wermut). The Latin name for this plant is artemisia absinthium, meaning vermouth is a second cousin to absinthe,00:00 Mon 13th Aug 2001

Does organic food taste better

A. Organic farmers tend to rear traditional livestock and poultry breeds and grow more traditional species of fruit and veg. These animals breeds are often hardier and more resistant to disease. They00:00 Mon 13th Aug 2001

Which flowers are edible

A. There are thought to be over 100 edible plants in the UK hedgerow. Foragers can also find wild parsnip or celery in parts of East Anglia, wild cabbage, blackberries, elderberries and fungi. 00:00 Mon 13th Aug 2001

What do you need to set up a bar at home

A. If you're into making cocktails at home, fresh fruit, juice and ice are the most important ingredients. Having the right equipment is essential, and depending on how seriously you take it, a00:00 Mon 06th Aug 2001

Is tequila made from cactus

A. Tequila is a distillate of the blue agave , one of over 200 strains of this family of desert lilies which grow across Mexico. There's a popular myth that tequila comes from cacti , but the agave00:00 Mon 06th Aug 2001

How pure is pure on a food label

A. The problem is manufacturers and consumers' notions of wholesome and pure food often different. Manufacturers who flout new labelling standards to be introduced in the autumn could now be fined00:00 Mon 06th Aug 2001

Is brown bread the new white

Hovis, the baking giant, has produced a brown bread with the taste, texture and colour of white. The new product is called Best of Both and contains enough fibre and wheatgerm to be classified as00:00 Mon 30th Jul 2001

Where is the world's top water-only bar

A. A new basement water bar in Paris at Colette, a 'styledesignsartfood' concept store, stocks more than 100 brands of water and is establishing a reputation as the top watering hole. Customers are00:00 Mon 30th Jul 2001