Sweet Sixteen Trivia Quiz

Answer: Sweet candy

Turron is the Spanish version of nougat, and comes in various different flavours and textures. It is a must at Christmas time in Spain. The basic recipe involves honey, sugar and egg whites, with nuts, chocolate and/or other goodies added to make the variations mentioned.

Answer: Sweet candy

Nougat, though similar to turron, usually involves using corn syrup (or maple syrup), sugar and salt, and adding either nuts or candy (like gumdrops). The texture is usually quite chewy. Some candy bars (chocolate bars) have a nougat filling.

Answer: Sweet candy

Humbugs are striped hard candies (boiled sweets) often with a minty flavour. They can be black and white striped, though the ones I remember from childhood were two-tone brown. Humbugs are equally delightful whether crunched or sucked, though the latter makes them last longer.

Answer: Sweet candy

Their full name is polo mints, and they are shaped like life savers (another candy). Though they do the job of a breath mint, they are good as a simple snack at any time, and can also soothe an upset tummy. While polos are generally white and minty, multi-coloured fruit versions have also been produced.

Answer: Sweet endearment

As a term of endearment, "sweetheart" derives from Middle English words that mean a fast-beating heart, brought on by love. It has come to be used more generally and not only for one's spouse or dearest love. One might call one's pet by this term, or say of a helpful neighbour "He's a sweetheart!" after he's shovelled the snow from your path.

Note: There is a type of candy called Sweethearts, but I'd have used the plural to indicate them, not to mention the problem of trying to describe, for example, "humbug" as an endearment!

Answer: Sweet endearment

Sweet pea is often used when addressing children and dear ones of any age, and makes reference to the lovely flower that goes by that name. It is also familiar as the name of the baby adopted by the comic strip character Popeye, though that's spelled Swee'Pea.

Answer: Sweet endearment

To my way of thinking "sweet thing" as an endearment is more suitable for a romantic partner than any other relative or acquaintance, but that's just an opinion. It is simply another variation of this type of pet name.

Answer: Sweet endearment

While "ness" as a word means a headland (or a loch with a monster), that likely has little to do with the term "sweetness", sometimes applied with either affection or irony to a relation, partner or friend.

Fans of American football will recognize "Sweetness" as the nickname of late Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton.

Answer: Sweet movie

"Sweet Charity" (1969) is a musical movie directed by Bob Fosse and starring Shirley MacLaine. Based on a Broadway play of the same name, it also stars Ricardo Montalban and Sammy Davis Jr., with a pre-Chicken George ("Roots" (1977)) Ben Vereen appearing as a dancer.

Answer: Sweet movie

Romantic comedy "Sweet Home Alabama" (2002) stars Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey and Josh Lucas. One reviewer has described it as a Hallmark movie in a fancy skirt, and that isn't a bad description. My recollection is that I didn't completely agree with her final choice of partner, but who am I eh?

Answer: Sweet movie

Film noir drama "Sweet Smell of Success" (1957) starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis is well thought of by critics, but doesn't really resonate with me for some reason. It's about a Broadway columnist, a press agent and their professional and personal dealings. Curtis was nominated for a BAFTA as Best Foreign Actor.

Answer: Sweet movie

"Sweet November" (2001) is a romance starring Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, with Jason Isaacs and Greg Germann also appearing. The film was nominated for three Razzies, including Worst Actor (Reeves) and Worst Actress (Theron).

Answer: Sweet cake

Battenberg cake is said to have been created to celebrate the 1884 marriage of one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters to Prince Louis of Battenberg. Whatever its origin, it is delightful, consisting of checkered yellow and pink sponge cake, wrapped in marzipan. Oh, and the different coloured squares of cake have jam between them. I first had it on my first visit to England many years ago, and it quickly became a favourite.

Answer: Sweet cake

Pound cake has the easiest recipe ever! It's one pound each of flour, butter, sugar and eggs mixed together and baked. It's dense and lovely, and can be made even better by adding vanilla extract and a pinch of baking powder.

Answer: Sweet cake

Usually served with cream cheese icing, red velvet cake always seems a bit decadent to me. It's a layer cake, usually quite moist, and tasting of chocolate and vanilla with a hint of vinegar and buttermilk. It is known to have been served at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel as early as the 1920s.

Answer: Sweet cake

Talk about decadent! Black Forest cake (or gateau) might be the most decadent of all the cakes, with multiple layers of moist chocolate cake, cherries, Kirsch (a liqueur), whipped cream, dark chocolate, and did I mention the cherries? Although its origins are not agreed upon it is almost certainly a German concoction, with a recipe from 1927 said to be kept in an archive in that country.