The AnswerBank Articles

Fresh ginger looks so strange. What should you check for when buying

A. Try and pick a piece with translucent skin. Reject any that look shrunken or wrinkled, with dried-up tufts of fibre at the break. The older the tuber, the darker and more wizened the skin, the00:00 Mon 04th Feb 2002

What foods will I eat at a Chinese New Year bash

A. In northern China, the weeks before the holiday, which starts this year on February 12, are devoted to preparation of foods for the festivities. Many families make meat dumplings called jiaozi -00:00 Mon 04th Feb 2002

Have I seen the stately home 'Gosford Park' before

Wrotham Park A. If there is a sense of deja vu when you Gosford Park, that is because you have probably seen that house before in many other guises. The film, directed by Robert Altman, is set at00:00 Mon 04th Feb 2002

Vanilla Sky is the remaking of a foreign film. Why does Hollywood always steal other people's ideas

A. The latest Tom Cruise blockbuster, Vanilla Sky, is an attempt by Hollywood to remake a foreign-language hit, Alejandro Amenabar's Spanish puzzle picture Open Your Eyes, made in 1997, for an00:00 Mon 04th Feb 2002

Who invented whisky - the Scots or the irish

A. The debate between the Scots and the Irish over the whisky title goes back to the Dark Ages. The first legal distillery in the British Isles was in Northern Ireland. Bushmills, on the northern00:00 Mon 28th Jan 2002

Just how healthy are the 'healthy' brands offered by supermarkets

A. Food retailers have been quick to pick up on consumers' desire for healthy eating - and convenience and are trying to attract health-conscious shoppers with their own healthy eating ranges. The00:00 Mon 28th Jan 2002

Why is risotto rice different from other rice

A. Risotto is one of the great Italian dishes which has become increasingly popular recently. There is actually no such thing as risotto rice. The Italians simply took the rice that grew successfully00:00 Mon 28th Jan 2002

How is 'smoked' fish smoked

A. The art of smoking fish is an ancient one, but it is still thriving in traditional smokehouses around Britain. Many places smoke fish - anything from salmon, mackerel, trout and even cod's roe -00:00 Mon 21st Jan 2002

How do you make sense of a wine label

A. Wine labels give you information about a wine's origin, its alcoholic degree, its vintage (assuming it is the product of a single year rather than a blend of harvests), the name of the producer00:00 Mon 21st Jan 2002

What's the difference between Beaujolais Nouveau and ordinary Beaujolais

A. The Beaujolais Nouveau tradition was started originally as a marketing scheme. It turned into a good way of improving the Beaujolais cash flow by selling lots of wine only a few weeks after the00:00 Mon 21st Jan 2002

Why was Marmite given to WW1 troops

A. The health-giving properties of Marmite were recognised almost as soon as it went into production. It was created in 1902, the same year as the coronation of Edward V11, and was soon picking up00:00 Mon 14th Jan 2002

Which foods give you the most energy

A. Researchers have identified a list of energy-promoting edibles, which the body converts into fuel. These include apricots, dates, avocadoes, bananas, watercress, nuts, oats, wholemeal pasta, liver00:00 Mon 14th Jan 2002

Can cinnamon ward off colds

A. CInnamon, mixed with wine, was traditionally a cure for winter's infections. Its popularity spread to Britain and it was used widely during the Black Death in the hope it would prevent infection.00:00 Mon 14th Jan 2002

What's the best time of year to make marmalade

A. The best marmalade is made from Seville oranges which have a very short season. The small sweet Spanish fruit are available at their best from mid-January for the next four weeks. Many people buy00:00 Mon 07th Jan 2002

How can I shop for an organic veg box online

A. There are several companies offering green veg boxes online in the UK. Try Farm-A-Round Ltd (greater London only) at www.farmaround.co.uk, Organics Direct at www.organicsdirect.co.uk, Simply00:00 Mon 07th Jan 2002

What does 'Fairtrade' mean on food labels

A. The Fairtrade Foundation was set up in Britain in 1992 to define standards and promote the Fairtrade label, and it set out to get larger commercial manufacturers interested in their products. The00:00 Mon 07th Jan 2002

Why is garlic such an important ingredient

A. Garlic has been taken since time immemorial for a variety of medical problems. Garlic was originally a simple country remedy for treating coughs, including whooping cough. It was reputed to have00:00 Mon 31st Dec 2001

What is a savoury cocktail

A. Mixologists at some of London's most exclusive celebrity watering holes have come up with a flamboyant blend of cocktail for the party season - Cup A Soup. Clubs like Groucho, Attica, Atlantic Bar00:00 Mon 31st Dec 2001

Which bread is best for mopping up gravy

A. An exhaustive study had led scientists to believe that the Italian bread ciabatta is best for mopping up British gravy. Dr Len Fisher, an Australian biophysicist and honorary research fellow at00:00 Mon 31st Dec 2001

What are the health benefits of nuts

A. Nuts are packed important vitamins and are being hailed as one of nature's wonder drugs. Vitamin E, comonnly found in nuts and cabbage, is a powerful protector of the brain and may even help00:00 Mon 24th Dec 2001