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MissMuppet · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:20 pm Post subject:

Every child's favourite tooth-rotter, sherbet, has a surprisingly long culinary history. Originally, a sherbet was a non-alcoholic drink, usually based on a fruit juice and called 'sharbât' in Arabic. The beverage entered Italian cuisine under the name 'sorbetto', which in its French incarnation became 'sorbet'. During the 19th century the sorbet became an ice to be eaten rather than drunk, and the cheap powdered form emerged in England at the end of that century.
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MissMuppet · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:21 pm Post subject:

Cheddar cheeses were once the result of a number of dairies in a parish pooling their milk to make one big wheel, leading to them being referred to as 'corporation cheeses'. One such hefty specimen was the 567kg cheese served at Queen Victoria's wedding celebrations - might such excess have caused a nightmarish wedding night?
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MissMuppet · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:21 pm Post subject:

Surely the simplest of pleasures, 'hasty pudding' consists of no more than flour and milk combined and heated like porridge, served sweetened and flavoured with a sprinkling of cinnamon or rosewater and served with a little butter. Hasty pudding was enjoyed as a delicacy in England during the 18th century - perhaps where the French developed their famous respect for English cuisine?
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MissMuppet · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject:

A certain species of ink cap mushroom (Coprinus atramentarius), which grows wild in the UK, contains a substance very similar to the active agent found in 'Antabuse', a drug administered to make alcoholics violently sick if they drink alcohol. The mushroom itself is said to be delicious, but you'll need to be teetotal for a few days either side if you don't want to mar the moment with illness.
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MissMuppet · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject:

Scones (pronounced 'skon' in Scotland and the north of England, and 'skoan' in the south) are not necessarily small baked cakes. Some scones are larger, flat cakes made to be served in wedges. Examples of this type of large scone are the singin' hinnie - an unsweetened scone from Northumberland containing currants, and the Yorkshire fat rascal, which is more akin to a tea cake.
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MissMuppet · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject:

Balsamic, of balsamic vinegar, means 'health giving'. Made from fermented grape must, balsamic vinegar is the traditional product of Modena in Italy and, when made by artisan methods, will take years to mature to the satisfaction of the Guild of Balsamic Vinegar-makers, who insist that all balsamic vinegar is tasted blind by an official before it can be sold with the traditional label of authenticity.
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MissMuppet · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject:

Fugu is the name for the species of poisonous blowfish enjoyed by the Japanese, and can literally be a meal to die for. The fish contains tetrotoxin, a lethal poison, which is stored in the fish's liver, gut, ovaries and skin. Only specially qualified chefs are permitted to prepare fugu for consumption, as the slightest carelessness could cost the diner his life!
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MissMuppet · Posted: Sun Sep 30, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject:

For all the forgotten lumps of cheese you may have shuddered to discover at the back of your fridge, you are unlikely to have found one as old as Saanen - a hard Swiss cheese that may be kept for up to 200 years! A Saanen is often made on commission to mark the birth of a child, and small portions of that Saanen are eaten at every subsequent birthday of that person's life.
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shanzi · Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:32 pm Post subject:

shire horse girl · Newbie Joined: 07 Oct 2008 Posts: 7 Location: uk

Wow am impressed with "my new knowledge"