International Cuisine Trivia

1. Tabbouleh is a very popular Middle Eastern dish. What grain is typically used to make tabbouleh?

From Quiz A Mediterranean Dinner Party

Answer: Bulgur wheat

Bulgur is a parboiled whole grain with an appearance like cracked wheat. To make tabbouleh, it is not cooked, but soaked in water prior to assembling the salad. Of course there are different variations of the recipe, but tabbouleh is a salad typically made of bulgur, chopped parsley, diced tomato, mint, and onion. The salad is tossed with a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Some recipes add cucumber, which can give it more moisture, but also changes the consistency. With origins in Lebanon and Syria, tabbouleh is sometimes part of a mezze, or multi-coursed meal. There is a Lebanese National Tabbouleh Day celebrated on the first Saturday of July. Jaknginger thinks tabbouleh is not tabbouleh without mint.

From Quiz Sending Their Best

Answer: England

The earliest recorded reference to an apple pie comes from England in the fourteenth century. Apple pies were very popular in Europe and were introduced in American primarily by English immigrants but also Swedish ones. It took some time before apple pies were made in America, however, because the only native apples were crabapples. It took a while before apple seeds from Europe grew into fruit producing apple trees.

From Quiz Best Served Cold

Answer: From Capri

Insalata caprese consists of sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella and fresh basil leaves. It is seasoned with ground black pepper and served with olive oil. The recipe does not include bacon and eggs (that would be "alla carbonara") nor goat cheese ("formaggio di capra"). The "enraged" option refers to the pasta all'arrabbiata: pasta in a spicy hot tomato sauce. Non-Italians like to add some (balsamic) vinegar to the dressing. True Italian cooks consider this spoiling the insalata: only the finest olive oil ("extra vergine") is needed as dressing, and not something else. Another "capital sin" non-Italians could make in preparing an insalata caprese would be the use of mozzarella made of cow milk. The legal definition of mozzarella does not specify which milk should be used, but true Italians prefer the mozzarella made from milk given by the Italian water buffalo native to the southern part of Italy (especially Campania, the region which contains the island of Capri). Several sources indicate that this mozzarella di bufala Campana tastes far better than other varieties.

From Quiz Briskets and Biscuits

Answer: Groans

Ah, scones with a jam and clotted cream - "scones" that rhyme with "groans", or "scones" that rhyme with "dons", however you say it - can't be beaten with a nice hot cup of tea! Differing slightly from the biscuits that are eaten in the Southern USA, scones are a delight my Texan friends view with suspicion. But to be fair, I was sceptical about gravy made with bacon fat and milk being poured over "biscuits" and served to me for breakfast. In much of the English speaking world, cookies (USA) are called biscuits. Meaning "twice cooked", the term "biscuit", derives from the Latin "bis coctus".

From Quiz The Stir-Fry Solution

Answer: China

Stir-frying was brought to American by Chinese immigrants but it gained western acceptance after WWII. According to Buwei Yang Chao 1945 book "how to Cook and Eat in Chinese", Stir-frying is "a big-fire-shallow-fat-continual-stirring-quick-frying of cut-up material with wet seasoning. We shall call it 'stir-fry' or 'stir' for short. The nearest to this in western cooking is sauté". There are two basic techniques: chao and bao. Both techniques use high heat, but chao adds a liquid to make a sauce and the ingredients become somewhat softer In Bao where stir fries are more crispy because of the absence of a sauce or liquid. In both methods food is usually cut into small pieces before quickly cooking. Usually a wok is heated first then a small amount of oil is added, then spices which are tossed until fragrant, then chopped meat and vegetables are added and flash fried. If the Chao method is used, then combinations of soy sauce, vinegar, wine, salt, or sugar are added to make a sauce, along with any thickeners such as cornflour, water, or arrowroot. Sweet and Sour Pork, a western favourite, is a typical stir-fried dish. This method moved out of western restaurants into household in the 70s, not so much because the method facilitated healthy eating, but "everyone was buying a wok, and stir frying remained popular because it was quick." Families were struggling fitting a family dinner into crowded lifestyles but found that stir fry could produce dinner in less than quarter of an hour. Hence the stir-fry solution. This question was stirred up by Phoenix Rising Team Member 1nn1.

From Quiz This is the Life

Answer: Ratatouille

The bird is a tui. Put the rat with a tui and it sounds like you've got the dish Ratatouille, which coincidentally is the name of the 2007 film. The film revolved around the creation of this French dish. Ratatouille originally came from Nice in France and consists of stewed vegetables. Traditionally, each vegetable is sauteed first before being layered in a casserole and baked. The other answers are all stews.

From Quiz The Overlooked Aubergine

Answer: Middle East

Moussaka is a layered casserole type of dish, though different regions have their own variations. It usually also contains minced meat. Apart from the eggplant which is sauteed, it may also contain peppers, onions and tomatoes. In Turkey, the dish is served along with a rice pilaf. In the Balkans, a top layer of custard is added.

From Quiz Why I Love Ramen

Answer: Japanese

Instant noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando from Nissin Foods in 1958. They were first named Chikin Ramen. Noodles in a cup were introduced in 1971 by the same company.

From Quiz It's Beginning to Taste a Lot Like Christmas

Answer: White Christmas

White Christmas is made by melting hydrogenated coconut oil (which doesn't sound that tempting, so it's usually referred to by the brand name Copha) and allowing it to cool before mixing through the raisins and cherries, along with desiccated coconut, icing sugar, powdered milk and rice bubbles. Other dried fruits, such as dried apricots or glace pineapple, may also be added, along with nuts for a bit of crunch. A friend of mine uses white chocolate instead of Copha as the binding agent for her slice. The mixture can be set in a tray and cut into bite-sized squares, or placed into cupcake cases for easy handling.

From Quiz Kilted Kangas Country Food Tour

Answer: Beaver tails

Beaver Tails are fried dough, shaped to resemble a real beaver tail and are often topped with chocolate, candy and fruit. They gained White House recognition during U.S. President Barack Obama's 2009 trip to Ottawa. (Submitted by KittyKatey)

From Quiz Go Ahead....Make My Lunch

Answer: Korea

Recently the Republic of South Korea voted to expand their school lunch program to require each student to receive a healthy free lunch as part of their education. The annual expenditure of an estimated 850M USD is a high commitment towards making sure Korean children are able to best perform at school. Standard fare for the Korean school lunch includes the grain staple of rice and the local favorite of kimchi. Kimchi is essentially fermented mixed with heavily spiced vegetables. Most often kimchi is made from cabbage. The classic method for preparing kimchi is to ferment the cabbage underground in jars during the winter months. School lunches in Korea feature smaller amounts of meat and are normally low in both fat and saturated oils. In addition to the rice and kimchi students will see tofu, calamari, broth based soups as well as seasonal fruit and vegetable combinations.

From Quiz Food to Set Your Tastebuds on Fire

Answer: Brassicaceae (cabbage family)

The common name, which translates to mountain hollyhock, is somewhat misleading, as hollyhocks belong to Malvaceae, the mallow family. The Chinese translation is no better, as the name means mountain sunflower, which is in the family Asteraceae. Wasabi is difficult to grow and expensive to buy, with ginger sometimes replacing the real thing for commercial production. It is grown traditionally on the banks of mountain streams. This question was crafted by Phoenix Rising member VegemiteKid.

From Quiz Are You Going to Eat THAT?

Answer: shrimp and grits, collard greens, hushpuppies

The flavor and texture of salty shrimp (prawns) and buttery grits complement each other. Grits are made from ground corn (maize). Similar to polenta, a bowl of grits is often eaten with eggs for breakfast or as a cereal, usually without sugar. Collards are nutritious, strong tasting greens, usually cooked with ham or salt pork. Hushpuppies are small pieces of deep-fried cornbread batter, invented--as legend has it--to keep dogs quiet at outdoor fish fries.

From Quiz Here You Are Being Served

Answer: Dessert

Baked Alaska (also known as omelette norvégienne or omelette sibérienne) is a dessert that is presented as a slab of cake topped by a scoop of ice cream, the whole covered by meringue (stiff egg whites) and heated in an oven. The meringue acts as an insulating layer, so the ice cream does not melt. To prepare the dessert, you have to fill a bowl with ice cream, cover with cake, turn the dessert upside down, cover with meringue and bake in a preheated oven until the meringue takes a light brown colour. The geographic name involved in this dessert has no bearing on the place of origin, but was most probably inspired by the presence of (vanilla) ice. Allegedly, this dessert was invented in a restaurant in New York City.

From Quiz Source of the Sauce

Answer: Aleppo pepper

The Aleppo is also known as the Halaby pepper, it's considered to have a moderate heat level of about 10,000 on the Scoville scale. Its robust taste is fruity with hints of cumin, giving it a distinct and different flavour. It is mainly used in Middle Eastern cuisine.

From Quiz Vegetarian Awareness Moments

Answer: A Bedouin wedding

I say 'might' because this recipe is thought by many to be an urban/desert myth, with no definitive examples of it ever actually being eaten. The ingredients include one camel stuffed with one lamb. The lamb is stuffed with twenty chickens. The chickens in turn are stuffed with eggs and rice. Barbecue in a large open pit fire until tender and don't forget to leave me some of the hump!

From Quiz Cooking with Chilis is Always Caliente

Answer: United Kingdom

Phall (also known as paal, phal, phaal or fall), and not to be confused with the Bangalore (India) dish of the same name, was created in Indian restaurants in the United Kingdom. It is a tomato-based curry and uses a large number (usually at least ten) of Scotch bonnet or habanero chilies, making it even hotter than vindaloo and one of the hottest curries in the world. Anyone for a glass of milk, side of cucumber, or just a huge bucket of ice?

From Quiz You Double Dipped!

Answer: Switzerland

Fondue was created out of utility, as it was eaten by Swiss villagers when they were in the middle of freezing winter and only had stale cheese in their homes to eat. Heating the cheese in a pot made it edible and far tastier and it paired well with broken pieces of bread. It was also very popular in France, which is where the name originates and where the recipe first appeared in cookbooks, but it actually originated in Switzerland and was promoted as a Swiss National Dish in the 1930s.

From Quiz A Menu of International Dishes!

Answer: Gravy and cheese curds

To many, especially Canadian Maritimers, poutine is described as a "heart attack in a bowl"! Poutine is made with a very dark gravy and poured over fresh cheddar cheese curds to make a mushy mess on top of the fries. The dish originated in the Province of Quebec and is considered one of The Great White North's national dishes. Other Canadian contenders include: butter tarts, Nanaimo bars and a pastry known as a "beaver tail".

From Quiz Man Cannot Live By Bread Alone

Answer: 4th Earl of Sandwich

Sir Edward Montagu was the first Earl of Sandwich. The title was given to Montagu as a reward for his military service. His great-great-great grandson was the 4th Earl of Sandwich. The 4th Earl (1718-92) reputedly asked for some meat between two slices of bread so he could keep playing cards. Other stories suggest he was working and didn't want leave his desk or even that a relative introduced the idea of a sandwich to him.

From Quiz Food Capitals of the World

Answer: Artichoke

Castroville in California grows about 75% of the artichokes eaten in the U.S.A.. Since the 1940s the town has held an annual Artichoke Festival. Activities during the festival include cooking demonstrations, musical entertainment, a classic car show and a parade. Marilyn Monroe was an "Artichoke Queen" during a festival in the 1947 and William Hung was the "Artichoke King" in 2006. The cardoon is another member of the thistle family and sometimes called the artichoke thistle. It is edible. Good luck eating a Scottish thistle. I don't know if they are edible and it would be nasty getting past the thorns. The eggplant (aubergine) is a member of the nightshade family so it's related to the tomato and potato.

From Quiz Geography of Food

Answer: Hamburg

Hamburg is a city in northern Germany, often associated with the origin of the hamburger.

From Quiz The Home of Food

Answer: Cumberland Sausage

Cumberland sausages are made with roughly chopped meat and lots of pepper. It is traditionally coiled and sold by the length.

From Quiz Kiwi Kai

Answer: Green

A salad green with a slightly bitter taste, usually boiled. The leaves look similar to dandelion leaves and have a texture like lettuce. Puha grows wild in some places.

From Quiz Match Savory with the Country

Answer: Italy

Ravioli can be filled with cheese, spinach, meat, chicken or seafood. Lobster ravioli. Yum!

From Quiz Ethnic Jewish Food For Everyone

Answer: Knishes

The Empanada is very similar.

From Quiz Best Served Cold

Answer: Feta

The cheese used in Greek salad is feta: a white cheese made from sheep's milk (sometimes mixed with goat's milk) and preserved in brine. You may want to check the origin of the feta, for nowadays a large part of the industrial feta is made outside of Greece (and this industrial cheese is not always made from sheep's milk, as traditional feta should be). Haloumi is a Cypriot cheese made from the milk of sheep, goats and (rarely) cows that is served most often fried or grilled. Havarti is a Danish cheese made from cow's milk. Sulguni, perhaps the least familiar of the options, is a Georgian cheese made from cow's milk and/or buffalo's milk. It ripens in only a few days and then is pickled to preserve. A typical recipe for Greek salad is the following: mix chunks of various vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, red and green peppers), fresh parsley and black olives, add some chunks of feta on top, and pour over this dish a dressing made from olive oil, wine vinegar and dried oregano. Season with salt and black pepper. It is best to use olives from Greece, more specifically Kalamata olives.

From Quiz Dinner is Serval

Answer: Pork

Maybe a reason not to try this one out, cougar meat shares a lot of similarities with pork despite the fact that the animals behind them are vastly different. Trichinosis is probably good to know of for meat in general; it's a disease you can get from roundworms. This means that meat must be fully cooked (at a high enough temperature) to kill the bacteria inside. Freezing it does not work. In fact, outbreaks of this sort often occur when preparers attempt to make jerky, and if you're a hunter, jerky's a good way of keeping meat for longer. Cook. Your. Food.

From Quiz International Specialties

Answer: Snacking during an observed period of fasting

Sabudana khichadi is a traditional Indian snack made from tapioca pearls, coconut, potatoes and peanuts. It is a very popular food in the western part of the country. Because of its simplicity and lack of meat, it is very commonly eaten by Hindus and followers of other religions during religious holidays that require fasting. Nutritionally, sabudana khichadi provides eaters with a variety of vitamins and minerals.

From Quiz The Stir-Fry Solution

Answer: The nutritional value of food is retained

Steaming is a simple and gentle method of cooking that uses moist heat. No special equipment is needed for steaming; a pot to boil water, a rack on which to place the dish of food so that it does not touch the boiling water, and a pot lid are all that are needed. Steaming is widely regarded as a healthy method of cooking because it does not require additional fat to cook the food. Furthermore, as the food is not in contact with the boiling water, nutrients do not leach out of the food. Steamed food is very common in Chinese cuisine. Classic examples of Chinese steamed food include steamed fish, steamed egg, and steamed pork buns (char siew pau; pinyin: chashaobao). This question was gently cooked by Phoenix Rising team member purelyqing.

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Last Updated May 17 2025 5:44 AM

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