Full English Trivia Quiz

Answer: Romans: 1c AD

W. Somerset Maugham suggested that "to eat well in England you should have breakfast three times a day." This includes consuming some of the many regional sausages and meat products whose availability have become more widespread over the centuries.

The word 'sausage' derives from the Latin 'salsisium' and means that it has been salted. Black pudding was developed as a means to ensure none of the pig was wasted and beside the blood of the pig, it contained onion, barley and cubes of pork. Local variations are enjoyed all across the UK; Lancashire's version uses celery seed and herbs. White pudding is made from pork fat, oatmeal, onions and suet, and occasionally, pieces of pork meat.

Answer: Angles & Saxons: 4-6c AD

The Saxons and Angles travelled to 'Engla land' (it later became England) from their home on a peninsula on the eastern coast of Jutland and brought with them some of their traditional dishes. They mixed ground rye grain with a little wheat or perhaps barley (available regionally) and honey, and some olive oil that was present thanks to the previous Roman occupation. Flat bread-style loaves were baked in clay ovens on the hillside or in the one-roomed huts they called home.

Dozens of regional breads such as laver cakes or soda bread were also developed over time and, depending on where you are ordering your Full English, may be offered one as a side-dish. The bread is sometimes dipped in water and fried in lard or butter. Yum.

Answer: Romans: 1c AD

Though the use and cultivation of onions has been around for millennia, it was the Romans who introduced this treasure to Great Britain. Consumed as part of the Full English they are often found fried next to the tomatoes or mixed with the cabbage and potatoes in bubble and squeak.

When they were introduced, however, they had medicinal uses as well. They were made into a syrup to alleviate coughs and colds. They have also been used on occasion to cure earache or warts (allegedly!).

Answer: Angles & Saxons: 4-6c AD

A must in the tradition of an English full breakfast, the curing of bacon (then called bacoun) was known in the UK as far back as the Saxon era. In addition to the meat, the fat was used by the Saxons in cooking.

The belly and loin of pigs was cured using the Wiltshire curing method in which the meat was immersed in brine for three to four days, then left in a cool cellar to mature for two weeks. Pigs have been selectively bred for centuries to provide the best meat for this process.

Answer: Explorers:12c AD onwards

Tomatoes arrived in the UK sometime around the 1590s, courtesy of Spanish conquistadors who had just been 'visiting' in the Mesoamerican region. Once tomatoes arrived in Europe, they were adopted with alacrity in most places. In England however, it took longer for them to become a regular feature in the menu. Records exist of one herbalist of the era who thought that because they were related to the nightshade plants that they were dangerous to eat and published a leaflet to that effect.

Once people realised they were safe to eat they became a much-prized feature of the English breakfast. Tomatoes are also stewed with a variety of spices to create the sauce or chutney that accompanies the Full English.

Answer: Romans: 1c AD

Cherries came to the UK with the Romans, who prized them so much that they were given to Roman soldiers in their rations. It is thought that as they went along, they ate the cherry and spat out the pips, creating what are now known as England's wild cherries.

The 'warm' period that engulfed Europe from around 250 BC to AD 400 meant that very different crops could be grown. Grapes were grown in the north of England in milder conditions than might be expected today. Both cherries and grapes can be made into jam or a compote to accompany a Full English.

Answer: Angles & Saxons: 4-6c AD

Brawn was a traditional dish of the Angles and Saxons who made England their home. It was made from the head of a pig, and sheep. There a several varieties and it's likely that the Angles and Saxons made them in accordance with the way they did in the places they came from, adjusting the ingredients to fit with what they found in their new home.

The brawn used the cooked meat of the animal; it was seasoned, and formed into a loaf shape that could be cut into slices. Head cheese gained its name because it used the muscle meat from the head of the animal and because of its cheese-like texture.

Answer: Explorers:12c AD onwards

Potatoes came to England with explorers between 1588 and 1593. They quickly became an integral part of a meal, replacing the turnip or swede as a staple of the peasant diet. Leftover cooked potatoes are combined with cabbage to create bubble and squeak, or mixed with an egg to create a patty which is fried to make a kind of hash brown.

It's a more recent, but popular, addition to the Full English.

Answer: Romans: 1c AD

The Romans liked to bring all the comforts of home with them when they were expanding their empire, and their customary food was included. While not always offered as part of a 'full English', bubble and squeak, of which cabbage is a key component, is a popular breakfast dish and a good way to use up left-overs.

There are many varieties of cabbage today, but it's thought that there were originally just two, an Asian (Chinese) variety and a European one. In each case, their ability to retain water was important in its survival. Not that they knew it then, but it was also a great source vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Answer: Explorers:12c AD onwards

Haricot beans were brought to the UK in the early 16th century by explorers who travelled to the Americas. The bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) has a number of common names including navy, white and Boston. Used for centuries by the native Americans to create a stewed dish, it was modified by the English who soaked the beans for several hours, then put them, with other goodies, in a casserole dish to cook overnight.

Baked beans became a standard offering in the Edwardian era when landholders held house parties and filled the sideboards in the dining room with as many dishes as possible. Mr. Heinz helped when he tinned them in the late 1800s, making them a convenient addition to the breakfast menu!