The AnswerBank Articles

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

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