Question 1

If you were in France and wanted to sample some French desserts, where would you go?

Accepted Answer

Patisserie - Patisseries sell pastries.  Boulangeries sell bread.  Many French shops have specialty names for their particular speciality.

Question 2

If you went to an Italian restaurant and ordered Chicken Florentine, what ingredient makes the dish "Florentine"?

Accepted Answer

Spinach - "Florentine" originated when Marie de Medici (of the ruling family of Florence) married King Henry II of France and introduced Italian cuisine to the royal court.

Question 3

Americans usually think of "marinara" as any tomato-based sauce.  But Italians would expect what as part of the sauce?

Accepted Answer

Seafood - "Marinara" is from the Italian word "mar" (sea) because marnara is usually served with seafood.

Question 4

Croissants are a staple of French cuisine.  What kind of dough is used in making croissants?

Accepted Answer

Laminated dough - The process of making croissants involves creating dough with layers of butter between, folding it over and rolling it until it has dozens of layers before forming and baking.

Question 5

One of Canada's contributions to international cuisine is the ultimate comfort food: poutine.  What is added to fries and gravy that makes it poutine?

Accepted Answer

Cheese curds - It actually hurt to suggest tofu on poutine... I apologize sincerely to all Canadians everywhere.

Question 6

Sushi is one of the great successes of Japanese international cuisine.  What does "sushi" refer to?

Accepted Answer

Rice - Most folks mistakenly think sushi refers to raw fish, but it's "sushi rice" that defines sushi, not the added ingredients.

Question 7

One absolute essential for French cuisine is "mirepoix", a set of aromatic vegetables that are the base for most French dishes.  What vegetables are they?

Accepted Answer

Onion, celery, carrot - Anyone who attempts French cooking without these ingredients is likely to run into serious problems.

Question 8

Here's a culinary language question: what does "vinegar" literally mean?

Accepted Answer

Sour wine

Question 9

Marguerita pizza is a popular "artisanal" variety of pizza.  Which of the following is used in making marguerita pizza?

Accepted Answer

Fresh basil - Marguerita pizza is often just 4 ingredients: dough, tomato-based sauce, mozzarella, and fresh basil.  That's it.

Question 10

This soup is now considered part of the cultural identity of Vietnam.  What is it called?

Accepted Answer

Phở

Question 11

Goulash is a popular dish with heavy national associations.  Where is goulash from?

Accepted Answer

Hungary

Question 12

Bouillabaisse is a seafood stew famous in the Mediterranean and now worldwide.  Where did it originate?

Accepted Answer

Marsaille

Question 13

Chinese cuisine is actually made up of several regional styles of cooking.  Which is traditionally considered the hottest?

Accepted Answer

Szechuan

Question 14

What do they call shrimp served over pasta with white wine, olive oil, garlic and Parmesan cheese?

Accepted Answer

Scampi

Question 15

A famous Cajun stew usually featuring crayfish, Andouille sausage, okra or filé, and a dark roux served over rice is commonly known as what?

Accepted Answer

Gumbo

Question 16

Russian cuisine involves many foods, but one iconic dish is said to have as many recipes as cooks who make it.  What is the name of this soup?

Accepted Answer

Borscht

Question 17

Pizza is one of the most popular dishes worldwide.  Which city is most often said to be place modern pizza was born?

Accepted Answer

Naples - This will cause much debate, but Naples is most often recognized as the birthplace of modern pizza.

Question 18

Bread is the single most consumed food in the world, each region having its own style.  Which of the following is NOT a type of bread?

Accepted Answer

Pierogi

Question 19

Thin slices of grilled marinated beef (often called "Korean barbecue" in the West) are a classic dish in Asian cuisine.  What is the proper Korean term for the dish?

Accepted Answer

Bulgogi

Question 20

Westerners often think of curry as a spice but it's actually a wide family of spice blends used (usually in sauces) throughout south and south-eastern Asia.  What spice is most common to curries?

Accepted Answer

Turmeric

Question 21

Food groups are separated into general categories.  Which food group causes vegans the most concern?

Accepted Answer

Proteins - While animal products hide in many foods, proteins include the majority of sources vegans wish to avoid.

Question 22

What term is used to describe a person who eats fish but avoids mammals and fowl?

Accepted Answer

Pescatarian

Question 23

What class of food making includes creating ham, sausage, cured meats and similar products?

Accepted Answer

Charcuterie - Culinary purists may go so far as to say charcuterie ONLY deals with pork products, but most include forcemeats such as pâtés and cured non-pork meats such as bresaola in the category.

Question 24

Italian cuisine has which common distinction dividing Northern Italian dishes from Southern Italian?

Accepted Answer

Butter vs olive oil - Since olives grow more easily in the south of Italy, most cuisine originating north of Rome uses butter as a fat instead.

Question 25

Which of the following European culinary terms does not basically mean "thin slices of meat"?

Accepted Answer

Wurst - Wurst refers to sausage, i.e. ground meat, while the other terms all refer to thin cutlets vs other methods of preparation.

Question 26

Yakitori is a Japanese dish of chicken skewered and grilled.  What might you find a similar dish if you ordered it in Indonesia?

Accepted Answer

Satay - Satay and yakitori are both skewered and grilled meats, though satay usually has peanuts in the sauce vs the sweet/salty glaze of yakitori.

Question 27

Ceviche is a popular seafood dish with origins in Peru.  What makes ceviche different from other seafood dishes?

Accepted Answer

It's "cooked" using citrus juice

Question 28

A kind of Ethiopian bread traditionally made with teff (a kind of grass seed) similar to tortillas or crepes.  What is this popular African food called?

Accepted Answer

Injera - All of these are flatbreads, but injera is much thinner as it is made from a batter on a hot griddle, not from a dough as most flatbreads.

Question 29

Rice is a widely consumed staple for much of the world and comes in many varieties.  "Wild rice" is different from other styles.  Why?

Accepted Answer

It's not rice - Wild rice is not true rice but is a seed from the zizania family of grasses and not related to Asian rice at all.

Question 30

British food has long been unjustly maligned, fish and chips being an international favorite for decades.  What kind of fish is considered traditional for the dish?

Accepted Answer

Cod - Though several white fish may be used, cod is the go-to fish for traditional fish and chips.  Ironically, this national dish of England is likely a dish originating with Jewish immigrants

Cuisine Trivia: Food! Glorious Food!

2) If you went to an Italian restaurant and ordered Chicken Florentine, what ingredient makes the dish "Florentine"?

3) Americans usually think of "marinara" as any tomato-based sauce. But Italians would expect what as part of the sauce?

4) Croissants are a staple of French cuisine. What kind of dough is used in making croissants?

5) One of Canada's contributions to international cuisine is the ultimate comfort food: poutine. What is added to fries and gravy that makes it poutine?

6) Sushi is one of the great successes of Japanese international cuisine. What does "sushi" refer to?

7) One absolute essential for French cuisine is "mirepoix", a set of aromatic vegetables that are the base for most French dishes. What vegetables are they?

8) Here's a culinary language question: what does "vinegar" literally mean?

9) Marguerita pizza is a popular "artisanal" variety of pizza. Which of the following is used in making marguerita pizza?

10) This soup is now considered part of the cultural identity of Vietnam. What is it called?

11) Goulash is a popular dish with heavy national associations. Where is goulash from?

12) Bouillabaisse is a seafood stew famous in the Mediterranean and now worldwide. Where did it originate?

13) Chinese cuisine is actually made up of several regional styles of cooking. Which is traditionally considered the hottest?

14) What do they call shrimp served over pasta with white wine, olive oil, garlic and Parmesan cheese?

15) A famous Cajun stew usually featuring crayfish, Andouille sausage, okra or filé, and a dark roux served over rice is commonly known as what?

16) Russian cuisine involves many foods, but one iconic dish is said to have as many recipes as cooks who make it. What is the name of this soup?

17) Pizza is one of the most popular dishes worldwide. Which city is most often said to be place modern pizza was born?

18) Bread is the single most consumed food in the world, each region having its own style. Which of the following is NOT a type of bread?

19) Thin slices of grilled marinated beef (often called "Korean barbecue" in the West) are a classic dish in Asian cuisine. What is the proper Korean term for the dish?

20) Westerners often think of curry as a spice but it's actually a wide family of spice blends used (usually in sauces) throughout south and south-eastern Asia. What spice is most common to curries?

21) Food groups are separated into general categories. Which food group causes vegans the most concern?

22) What term is used to describe a person who eats fish but avoids mammals and fowl?

23) What class of food making includes creating ham, sausage, cured meats and similar products?

24) Italian cuisine has which common distinction dividing Northern Italian dishes from Southern Italian?

25) Which of the following European culinary terms does not basically mean "thin slices of meat"?

26) Yakitori is a Japanese dish of chicken skewered and grilled. What might you find a similar dish if you ordered it in Indonesia?

27) Ceviche is a popular seafood dish with origins in Peru. What makes ceviche different from other seafood dishes?

28) A kind of Ethiopian bread traditionally made with teff (a kind of grass seed) similar to tortillas or crepes. What is this popular African food called?

29) Rice is a widely consumed staple for much of the world and comes in many varieties. "Wild rice" is different from other styles. Why?

30) British food has long been unjustly maligned, fish and chips being an international favorite for decades. What kind of fish is considered traditional for the dish?