The Food Programme

Nowhere else will you find a programme that juggles Elvis Presley's culinary history, questions over the origins of a 1970's crisp brand, references to Elizabeth David and some of the world's most unusual food sounds. Food writer Tim Hayward performs this feat in a special Christmas Day edition of The Food Quiz. Panellists Allegra McEvady, Richard Johnson and Chris Neill pit their gastronomic knowledge, grasp of food trivia and culinary history against each other. Categories include the devious "Into the Museum of Brands", a cult cookbook round as well as "What's Cookin'?" in which the teams have to identify a classic dish from the archives.Producer: Dan Saladino.

Dan Saladino explores the past, present and future of the most British of drinks, gin. And hears how a new generation of distillers is testing the boundaries of an old and familiar flavour. For decades vodka was the spirit of choice, not just for James Bond, but also for bartenders and mixologists (a recent term for the people who develop new drink recipes and cocktails). But more recently people have been reaching out for more interesting and complex flavours to replace the neutral taste of vodka. Gin was perfect.From as far back as the 12th century apothecaries had used juniper and its coniferous flavours in spirits to heal and revive. By the 17th century the Dutch had given us Geneva or Holland Gin, a rough, whisky like spirit with juniper at its base. As distilling techniques developed in the 19th century it became the refined gin we know today with juniper flavours being delicately mixed with botanicals like coriander, cinnamon, ginger and Orris.It's the challenge of blending and experimenting with these flavours that has attracted a new generation of gin distillers. Dan Saladino explains the history that has made this 21st century gin craze possible and finds out what is now drawing people to what was once Britain's most notorious drink.Producer: Dan Saladino.

Dan Saladino exlores how higher food prices are changing what we buy and how we eat. From increases in food related crime to shortages of ingredients, what else is in store?

Sheila Dillon talks to Food Award judges Jeremy Lee and Kath Dalmeny about some of the exciting grassroots developments in local markets around the country, focusing on the three outstanding examples of community food retailing which are transforming their communities in different and imaginative ways.

Sheila Dillon reports on the winners and finalists of The BBC Food & Farming Awards 2011.

Mark Bittman is a high-profile figure in the United States. He's the chief food writer for the New York Times, a broadcaster, and a bestselling author.Keen to understand the differences between the British and American food systems, one day he made a call out of the blue to Sheila Dillon. Once in London, he fixed up meetings with Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Arthur Potts Dawson.The Food Programme joins Mark on his personal journey into the world of the campaigning chef.Produced by Rich Ward.

Simon Parkes meets the people trying to come up with food ideas for the future. Will techniques used by experimental chefs become mainstream in the 21st century?Producer: Dan Saladino.

Sheila Dillon looks at the world of the commercial forager. As chefs become increasingly interested in sourcing wild ingredients, who are the people turning it into a profession? Producer: Maggie Ayre.

Used increasingly by the food industry in a wide array of products from chocolate, crisps, ready meals to sweets, palm oil is both a controversial ingredient and, for many, an unknown one.Used for centuries as a cooking oil in West Africa, palm oil has properties that make it a highly desirable and affordable component in food production. It is also used widely in animal feed, and in ever-larger quantities in South-East Asia as a cooking oil.The target of several high-profile campaigns highlighting environmental damage caused by the rapid unchecked spread of palm plantations, it currently does not have to be labelled as palm oil, only 'vegetable fat' or 'vegetable oil'.Dan Saladino goes on a journey to find out why the global use of this oil is growing so fast, and speaks to some of the key players in the palm oil world.Tim Hayward meets Lloyd Mensah from Ghanaian street-food caterers Jollof Pot to discover palm oil's use in traditional West-Africa cuisine.Dan follows the trail of this infamous and ubiquitous substance, ending at the Liverpool refinery of New Britain Palm Oil. Despite all the difficulties that the industry faces he asks if palm oil - actually an incredibly efficient, high-yielding crop - is the future for food?Produced by Dan Saladino and Rich Ward.

Sheila Dillon asks if the calorie is an outdated way of controlling diet and reducing obesity.