Yvonne: Hello, I’m Yvonne Archer… welcome to 6 Minute English. And joining me today
is Kate. Hi Kate!
Kate: Hello Yvonne!
Yvonne: Now for many people, the best part of a meal is dessert. Kate, what can you tell us
about desserts?
Kate: Well, they're usually sweet and are served at the end of a meal. So, once you've
eaten your meat or fish, vegetables and rice for example, you might then have a
dessert.
Yvonne: Now, way back in 1575 the love of Queen Elizabeth’s life, Robert Dudley put on a
banquet – a feast - in her honour. And the banquet was made up of 300 desserts!
The Elizabethan banquet was held at Robert Dudley's home, Kenilworth Castle –in
the middle of England. And recently, two ‘food architects’ recreated the banquet.
So they made all the same dishes and the banquet was held in the same place. Kate,
have you ever heard the term ‘food architects’ before?
Kate: Yes, I have actually - 'food architects' do a lot more than just cook. Like an
architect, 'food architects' are masters of history, design, plans and construction.
But 'food architects' construct – or put together – beautiful things that we can eat
or drink. They make edible things.
Yvonne: So, 'food architects' use food and drink rather than bricks and concrete to create
beautiful, edible things. Now before we get back to that Elizabethan dessert
banquet, here's today's question: Kate, as you know, a Jaffa cake makes a great
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dessert. But what is the world record for the number of Jaffa cakes anyone has
ever eaten in one minute? Is it…
a: 8
b: 11 or…
c: 13?
Kate: Hmmm – I seem to remember Jaffa cakes being quite small, so I'm going to go for
13.
Yvonne: We'll find out if you're right later on.
So, 300 desserts were made for that Elizabethan banquet in 1575. It took 19 days
and hundreds of servants to prepare it. But recently, the banquet was recreated by
just two food architects. As we hear the BBC's Jonny Hogg reporting on it, try to
find out how many desserts he names - and what they were…
Jonny Hogg
Everything from exotic jams to delicately flavoured custard tarts were laid out and at the centre of
the table stood intricate sugar sculptures. Not all of the ingredients were so appealing; one dish - a
sort of sweet sausage - was made with ambergris, or whale vomit. Apparently it was a particular
favourite of rich Elizabethan lords
Yvonne: Kate, how many desserts did the BBC's Jonny Hogg name?
Kate: Well, I think I heard three: There were 'exotic jams' – so jams made from things
that aren't easy to find.
Yvonne: Which other desserts did the report name, Kate?
Kate: 'Custard tarts' – baked pastry cases filled with cold, thick custard. But they're much
more delicious than they sound!
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Yvonne: They are! So what does Jonny Hogg mean when he describes custard tarts as
'delicately flavoured'?
Kate: That they didn't have a very strong taste – so they were 'delicately flavoured' –
probably with very small amounts of spices.
Yvonne: And the third dessert I'll probably never forget!
Kate: Ah yes, I haven't heard of this one before. It's a type of sausage, but it's sweet and
was made of something called 'ambergris'.
Yvonne: Yes – but let's remind ourselves of what 'ambergris' is.
Jonny Hogg
Not all of the ingredients were so appealing; one dish - a sort of sweet sausage - was made with
ambergris, or whale vomit.
Yvonne: That was the BBC's Jonny Hogg. So, can you bear to tell us why 'ambergris' isn't
as appealing – or inviting - as some of the other ingredients used in the dishes at
the banquet, Kate?
Kate: Well, I'll try… 'ambergris' is actually whale vomit – the vomit of whales from the
sea!
Yvonne: Yuck! That's certainly not appealing to me. So, would you have tried the sweet
sausage, Kate?
Yvonne: Now both food architects were surprised at how well the Elizabethan's cooked and
at how delicious everything was - but Sam Bompa had a particular favourite at the
banquet. What was it - and what was the most important ingredient?
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Sam Bompa, Food Architect
One of my favourites is the Elizabethan cocktail we discovered. Wine, elderflower, an infusion of
heavy spirits and all the sorts of spices you'd put in mulled wine. Most importantly, it's finished
with gold leaf that's whipped into it. So that's 24 karat gold that you can drink down.
Yvonne: So Kate, what was food architect, Sam Bompa’s favourite dessert of the banquet?
Kate: It was a cocktail – so a drink which included alcohol, like wine.
Yvonne: Yes, but what was the most important ingredient, Kate?
Kate: Well, it was 24 karat gold leaf that was 'whipped' into it – so it was briskly stirred
into the liquid… guests were actually drinking 24 karat gold!
Yvonne: So, a cocktail that was definitely fit for the queen. OK, it’s time now for the
answer to today's question. What is the world record for the number of Jaffa cakes
eaten in one minute? Kate, your answer was?
Kate: I think it was( c) – thirteen.
Yvonne: That's right – and you're wrong! I'm sorry. A German man, Mr Schultz only
managed to eat 8.
Kate: Oh, is that all?!
Yvonne: Well that's all for today’s 6 Minute English – but do join us again soon.
