Fresh dips have secured a place in the nation’s heart but how much do you know about the different flavours we love dipping into?

Guacamole dates back to the Aztecs – they referred to guacamole as ahuaca-mulli which translates roughly as avocado sauce or avocado mixture. The dish was prepared by mashing avocados, sometimes with tomatoes and onions.

The word ‘avocado’ comes from the ancient Nahuatl (a dialect of the ancient Aztec) word ‘ahuacatl’, meaning testicles - thought to be because of their shape!

The avocado was very popular with the Aztecs. They believed it to be an aphrodisiac. Another reason for its popularity was its significant fat content. The Aztecs had a very low fat diet and understandably a fruit that contained life sustaining fats and protein was highly regarded.

Houmous is the Arabic word for chickpea. The chickpea was cultivated around 7,000 years ago in the Middle East. So whilst we don’t know the actual history of houmous we do know that many versions have existed for thousands and thousands of years.

The word ‘salsa’ is the Spanish word for sauce. Salsa’s roots can be traced back to ancient times, extending as far back as the Aztec civilisation.

Tzatziki is a Greek word derived from the Turkish cacik, which means a form of chutney. Traditionally, Tzatziki is served as a Greek or Turkish meze, or appetizer. Tzatziki is one of the standard components of the Turkish kebab and Greek Souvlaki and gyros.

Taramasalata derives from two words: tarama, from modern Greek, which means cod’s roe and salata, which is Italian for salad.