Competition

Congratulations to Adrian Baartels of Kenmare in Co Kerry who has won last month's competiton, and a cracking prize of a gorgeous and super-efficient Rösle food mill. (See www.smcckitchenware.com)

The correct answer, as to who first gave potatoes to Louis 14 and Marie Antoinette, was Antoine Parmentier, the Frenchman who is synonymous with spuds in France. Good guess but no cigar to all those who reckoned it was Francis Drake! Mr Baartels will be the man making the magic mash. And this month, another rollickingly desireable prize.

This month, our winner will receive a bottle of Pierlot Fils Grande Reserve Brut, a Champagne which has featured as Irish Times wine of the week, and is the house champagne at Ballymaloe House.

But this will be no ordinary bottle of Pierlot Fils Grande Reserve Brut - because for this month's competition Bubble Brothers, who import the wine, will make up a special label for the champagne, featuring the name of our winner, as part of the Bubble Brothers service of designing your own label for a special bubbly. (See illustration of the label they made for the premiere of 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin').

We are grateful to Billy Forrester's marvellous Bubble Brothers wine company for this special prize. The Bubble Boys aren't all about fizz, however, for Mr Forrester has been discovering some great wines in South West France, which are both fun to drink and excellent value. To sign for their internet Bubble Club, check out their website www.bubblebrothers.com.

And, to be that special person with your name on the label, answer this simple question: What was the name of the young pharmacist from Châlons-sur-Marne who first worked out the formula which enabled champagne houses to ascertain how much sugar was required to induce a second fermentation in the bottle?

His discovery has been described by the writer Nicholas Faith as 'the single most important step ever made in improving champagne'. He is largely forgotten today, but who was he?

Click here to submit your answer