Quiz answers

1. For hard cheese recipes, Cheshire was the popular choice. The paste was prepared using butter, sherry, nutmeg and mustard. The sugar was added to remove any bitter taste.

2. Napkins are a relatively new concept, but the Romans brought mappas to the table. A mappa was a linen pouch, used to wipe the mouths, and take home any remaining morsels.

3. The third group are those herbs where the flower is used both for flavour and for decoration. These would include sweet rocket, violet, primrose, blue borage and chives.

4. Some are indigenous to Mexico while others, including almonds, pine nuts, walnuts and sesame seeds, were introduced by the Spanish. These ingredients are often used as thickening agents.

5. This dish is traditional in the Liguria region, where large, wild, red mushrooms may be found. These are used as the base on which the birds are placed, nested and cooked.

6. Both red and rosé wines are produced in the Chablis region, but only the white wine produced from the region's Chardonnay grapes may bear the Chablis name.

7. Also known as sloke, it is farmed in Japan as nori and is the edible seaweed, laver. The green and purple varieties are a favourite Welsh ingredient.

8. The egg is cracked into a flat pan and the diameter and the depth of the yolk are measured. The greater the ratio between the height and the width of the yolk, the fresher the egg.

9. (a) The correct method is to hold the shell on the plate, then lift the oyster out with a fork. The liquid from the shell may be drunk from the shell afterwards.

10. Yes. Vodka is distilled from a base of rye or potatoes, so it contains fewer congeners. But reduction of these takes place during the long maturing process of an older whisky.

11. Because couscous swells when liquid is added, beverages are not usually offered with this dish. Mint tea is a popular drink taken about 30 minutes after the meal.

12. A company is operated by the directors, who are appointed to run the company and act as its agents. Shareholders do not have the authority to contractually bind the company in any matter.

13. Along with moong, maa, masoor saabat, kale channe and the sun-dried paste, variahn, these are all referred to as dal, or pulses.

14. This was a method of training. Food was served piping hot in the centre of the table. To be the first to sample the delicacies, fingers that could withstand heat were essential.

15. This is a dessert dish. The egg-shaped meringue mixture is poached in sweetened vanilla milk, from which a custard sauce is prepared.