Ever Wondered About Food? Complete Series 3

Synopsis

The six programmes in this series look at the history and uses of cheese, seafood, eggs, potatoes, chicken and mushrooms.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Year of release

2005

Year of production

2005

Availability

Out of distribution

Notes

Broadcast on BBC2 in 6 weekly parts, beginning 30/4/2005

Subjects

History; Catering

Keywords

food; food technology; social history

Online availability

URI

http://www.ouwcb.co.uk/viewerdefault.asp?CompID=12336&Baudrate=0

Price

£34.99

Delivery

Download

Distribution Formats

Type

DVD

Format

Region 2 PAL

Price

£15.00

Availability

Sale

Duration/Size

180 minutes

Year

2011

Sections

Title

Ever Wondered about Cheese?

Synopsis

This first programme in the third series is on the history of cheese, revealing the legend of it being accidentally discovered over 5,000 years ago by a nomad travelling across the desert with a saddle pack filled with milk. Also that Samuel Pepys made time to bury and save it from the Great Fire of London, and that the expression, big cheese came from medieval times when a large round of cheese signified higher social standing. The programme also looks at how processed cheese revolutionised the lunchbox, asks just why port is associated with stilton and finds out why artisan cheese has become so popular. In the kitchen, Paul Merrett demonstrates an Italian twist on the cheese fondue, the science behind making a great sauce to give an ultimate macaroni cheese and a delicious ricotta and lemon cheesecake.

Duration

30 mins

Title

Ever Wondedred about Seafood?

Synopsis

This programme dives to the bottom of the ocean to present the story of seafood. The Romans had a particular passion for oysters but is there any truth behind oysters being an aphrodisiac? In the 19th century a new age of transportation dawned and seafood stopped being just a coastal food - trains allowed it to be readily available in towns and cities. Rich and poor alike would eat it and it became the staple diet for the working classes.
Today it is as popular as ever - but what technology allows seafood to be transported from faraway places onto our plates? The programme also reveals the secret and the story behind our love of prawns. In the kitchen, Paul Merrett reveals what chemical reactions happen to prawns when they change from grey to pink when cooked. Also how to cook fantastic ‘unchewy’ calamari , a classic Moules Marinere and the best way to eat oysters.

Duration

30 mins

Title

Ever Wondered about Eggs?

Synopsis

Eggs are a truly universal food and the world tucks into nearly two billion of them every day. This programme looks at the 5000 year story of nature’s perfect meal including how to make powdered eggs palatable, why the Lion brand saved the British egg, and the truth behind the salmonella food scares. In the kitchen Paul Merrett makes an authentic Spanish Omelette, he explains the science behind cooking a perfect poached egg to use in Eggs Benedict, what the secret is behind creating superb soufflés and how to rustle up Eggy Bread

Duration

30 mins

Title

Ever Wondered about Potatoes?

Synopsis

Potatoes have been around for about 6000 years and are the most popular vegetable on Earth. Globally we grow 293 million tons a year in thousands of varieties. After discovering potatoes at the foot of the Andes, the Inca Indians were the first to cultivate them and they were brought to Europe from South America by 16th century Spanish explorers. One story has it that the crisp was invented in 1853 by a disgruntled chef reacting to a diner who complained that his potato chips weren’t thin enough. We now eat more than 12 billion bags of crisps a year. In the kitchen, Paul Merrett makes twice-fried chips with garlic mayo, potato pancakes and potato wedges pronto and explains why you need science and a potato ricer to create the perfect mash.

Duration

30 mins

Title

Ever Wondered about Chicken?

Synopsis

Chicken is a staple food the world over. In today’s modern mass-producing world, chicken is cheap, it blends with hundreds of different flavours and it has a very healthy image. In Britain we eat around 16 million chickens per week and they form 40% of the UK’s overall meat intake. This programme looks at chicken lovers from Henry VIII to Mrs Beeton, investigaters just how nutritious chicken soup really is, and why it’s a fast food favourite. In the kitchen, Paul Merrett shows how understanding science and a good red wine can produce a great Coq Au Vin, what’s needed to create a spicy marinade for Chicken Kebabs, cooks the perfect Roast Chicken, and reveals the secret bit of chicken that all chefs love to eat.

Duration

30 mins

Title

Ever Wondered about Mushrooms?

Synopsis

Mushrooms have been seen with awe and suspicion for centuries - the Aztecs saw them as food of the gods and the Romans liked eating them with honey. Also, for the Romans, mushrooms could be used for a darker purpose than eating. Emperor Claudius was poisoned by his wife when she slipped him a toxic mushroom in order to ensure her son Nero’s accession to the throne. This programme reveals why Asian civilizations have understood the properties of mushrooms and have cultivated them for food and medicine for thousands of years and how unusual Japanese mushrooms such as shimeji, nameko and eyringi are being cultivated in Britain today. Also what is a mushroom flush, how do mushroom growers cultivate mushrooms all year round and what is the technology behind Quorn, a £100 million brand of mycoprotein produced from a fungus? In the kitchen, Paul Merrett shows how to achieve a perfect warm mushroom salad, reveals the science behind some of the spices used in a mushroom bhaji, what the secret is behind cooking the ultimate mushroom risotto, and how to create the best ever mushrooms on toast.

Duration

30 mins

Production Company

Name

Open University Production Centre

Distributor

Name

Canny Store

Web

https://cannystore.com/ External site opens in new window

Phone

01789 207440

Address

The Mansley Centre
Timothy’s Bridge Road
Stratford upon Avon
CV37 9NQ

Name

Open University Worldwide

Web

http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 1908 274066

Address

Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA

Notes

NB. As of May 2016 Open University Worldwide are no longer distributing DVDs. They have posted this message on their website: ‘Unfortunately Open University Worldwide Limited has decided that product sales are no longer viable given the reduced funding to Higher Education institutions and diminishing demand for the products we have traditionally stocked. At present the Open University Students Association (OUSA) will continue to sell the "Good Study Guide", and we are in discussion with other possible distributors to continue to make The Open University’s products available for purchase. As soon as we have any information on other channels of distribution we will update this notice’. Some products are still available via second hand dealers on Amazon.co.uk