Comida! South American Food and Drinks Quiz

Answer: Marinated in fruit juices

Older than Jesus Christ, the Cebiche features fish "cooked" in citrus-based mixtures, mostly lime and lemon. The citric acids in the fruit juices trigger a process called "denaturation" on the meat's proteins, which causes it to "cook". Due to the fish not being cooked with heat, the chef must be careful and the fish must be fresh in order to avoid food poisoning.

Answer: Panchos

Although "Perro Caliente" (literally, "hot dog) is what many Spanish-speaking nations call a hot dog, around the Plate River there is a variation referred to as "Pancho". The sausage is generally longer than the bun, and the toppings are usually kept simple, like molten cheese, fried onions or simple sauces.

Answer: It is usually really spicy

Although Bolivia has the "la llajwa", a sauce made with tomatoes and locoto (hot chillis), Bolivian food isn't characterized by its heat. In fact, excessive heat is usually not a characteristic of any South American countries, as opposed to, say, Thai, Indian, or Mexican food.

Answer: Rice and beans

Black beans, the foundation of the famous "Feijoada", are eaten with rice all over Brazil, and some consider a meal without this combination incomplete. Black turtle beans are cooked in water and served over the rice. Sometimes rice may be substituted by "Farofa" (cassava flour).

Answer: Milanesa

Although a Parmigiana involves breading meat, it is usually filled with ham and cheese, and covered with sauce after being deep-fried. A calabresa is a kind of sausage.

Answer: Mojito (rum, sugar, lime, club soda, mint leaves)

Although delicious, the Mojito is a Cuban drink, as you can tell by its rum base, and thus, a Central American cocktail (said to be Hemingway's favorite). The Caipirinha is perhaps Brazil's most famous cocktail, featuring its signature sugar-cane drink, the cachaça.

The Leche de Tigre ("Tiger Milk") is a byproduct of the ceviche, and is believed to be able to cure hangovers. A Pisco Sour is made with Peru's Pisco, a kind of grape brandy.

Answer: Drink some tea

The Mate (or chimarrão, or cimarrón) is an infusion made by adding near-boiling water (never boiling) to the dried, crushed leaves of the yerba mate. It is drunk with a special metal straw-like tool, and in specific containers varying from region to region. It is rich in caffeine, and due to its unusual flavor is considered to be an acquired taste, although every visitor must try it.

Answer: When you don't drink all that was served to you.

Although you don't have to accept a Mate, if you do, you should drink it until you hear a characteristic noise that lets you know that it is time to pass it back to the host, which will then refill the gourd and proceed to pass it to the next person. The host usually drinks the first Mate, to make sure that it is free of particulate matter and of good quality, or because some cebadores like to make the prepping with cold water.

Answer: Carménère

Carménère arrived in Chile being confused for Merlot, but later growers found out it was actually a different grape. Chile's minimal rainfall during the growing season greatly improves the Carménère quality.

Answer: Fernet

It has been described as a "Jagermeister without the sugar" or a "black licorice-flavored Listerine", the Fernet is quite popular, especially among the ladies, sometimes with Coca-Cola.