The AnswerBank Articles

How can I find Asian food stockists in my area

A. There are hundreds of Asian food stockists in most UK cities, and lots of opportunity to buy online or mail order. If you're unsure about where to start, try looking at websites devoted to Asian01:00 Mon 25th Feb 2002

I want a bottle of really good sweet wine. What's the best

A. The Hungarian wine Tokaji, formerly known as Tokay, has long considered to be the greatest sweet wine on earth. The wine, made at the little town of Mad, in north-east Hungary, is reputed to01:00 Mon 25th Feb 2002

Where does red salt come from - and where can I buy it

A. Alaea red salt is unprocessed, mineral-rich sea salt from Hawaii, which is mixed with local red clay. In the late 18th century, Captain James Cook reported that the Hawaiians made excellent salt,01:00 Mon 25th Feb 2002

Is it true the Aga was invented in Sweden

A. The Aga was invented in 1929 by Nobel-prize winning Swedish physicist Gustaf Dalen (1869-1937). He was convalescing at home from an accident involving gas cylinders, when he noticed how much time01:00 Mon 18th Feb 2002

How can I cutback on the amount of salt I eat

A. It's well established that too much salt, over a period of time, can cause health problems, particularly high blood pressure and heart disease. But many of our favourite foods are packed with salt01:00 Mon 18th Feb 2002

Can chillies become addictive

A. Experts believe the charm of the chilli is due to a highly addictive chemical reaction. The substance that delivers the hit is capsaicin, an alkaloid with all the characteristics of a poison. On01:00 Mon 18th Feb 2002

Where in the world would I eat fried rat

A. Fried rat in garlic is considered a delcious starter in Latin America, Asia and parts of Africa. Many cultures choose foods which would bring horror to Westerners. Earthworm pie, for instance,01:00 Mon 11th Feb 2002

Is Cranberry juice really good for you

A. It's highly favoured by health experts at the moment. Apart from being a rich source of antioxidants and Vitamin C, cranberry juice has antimicrobial qualities, which makes it very effective at01:00 Mon 11th Feb 2002

Why is the food on public transport so bad

A. The best food you're likely to encounter while travelling is on an aeroplane. Restaurant critics Tim and Nina Zagat say that Singapore Airlines serves the best food. All passengers enjoy menus01:00 Mon 04th Feb 2002

Where does the best mineral water in the world come from

A. Italians claim - along with pasta and pizza - to bottle some of the purest mineral water anywhere, although it's a keenly contested competition, with brands such as Evian and Perrier being world01:00 Mon 11th Feb 2002

How did Mr Kellogg come to invent cornflakes

A. An American named Will Keith Kellogg had a professional interest in health and diet. He worked at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan, which was run by his brother, Dr John Harvey. This place01:00 Mon 04th Feb 2002

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, the01:00 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 -01:00 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 at01:00 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 an01:00 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 northern01:00 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. The01:00 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 successfully01:00 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 -01:00 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 producer01:00 Mon 21st Jan 2002