Food For Thought Trivia Quiz

Answer: Pride and Prejudice

Mr. Bingley mentions the white soup when he and his sister attend the Netherfield Ball. In Georgian England, white soup was often served at meals for upper society. Many of the characters in Austen's novels are upper society, as was Jane Austen herself.

Making this soup is time-consuming. Among its ingredients are chicken, unsmoked bacon, peppercorns, and veal or beef bones. I'm not a huge fan of spending a lot of time in the kitchen. However, I can appreciate the amount of work involved in preparing such a dish.

Answer: Heartburn

Nora Ephron based the book on her own turbulent marriage to journalist Carl Bernstein. The novel is filled with delicious recipes and for good reason: the narrator, Rachel, is a cookbook author.

There has been a debate over the origin of the pie's name. The general consensus has been that the limes used in this pie are grown in Key West, Florida, hence the name. One suggestion for the origin of the recipe came from Stella Parks, a cookbook author who developed the recipe for the Borden company in the 1930s. Borden is known for its brand of condensed milk, a key ingredient in the recipe.

Answer: A Christmas Carol

There is a lot of love to go around in the Cratchit family during the Christmas holiday which is at the centre of this novella from Charles Dickens, especially when Mrs. Cratchit prepares her Christmas pudding.

Originating in England during the 14th century, Christmas pudding was initially savory, made with beef, mutton, and currants. The recipe became sweeter over time when dried fruits and sugar were added.

Answer: Moby Dick

At one point during their travels, Ishmael, the narrator of Herman Melville's novel, and Queequeg, a harpooner aboard the whaling ship Pequod, stop at a tavern on the island of Nantucket and receive bowls of clam chowder served with salted pieces of pork. A bowl of New England clam chowder is hearty and would have gone a long way to satisfy the hunger of the seafaring duo.

Clam chowder was introduced at Boston's famous Ye Olde Union Oyster House in 1836, an establishment that is still in operation.

Answer: Like Water for Chocolate

Laura Esquivel's endearing novel is filled with recipes. In Mexican culture food and family are closely bound. The main character, Tita, is the youngest daughter. Per family tradition she is expected to remain single and care for her mother. However, Tita falls in love and everything changes.

Champandongo is prepared layering tortillas, adding beef seasoned with mole sauce, queso fresco (fresh Mexican cheese), dried pineapple and dried citron. At one point in the novel Tita is crying while preparing onions. The crying isn't entirely from her reaction to peeling onions. The title of Esquivel's novel is symbolic of Tita boiling over with anger while cooking, or according to the author, "like water for chocolate."

Answer: Under the Tuscan Sun

Tuscany is a region of central Italy. Author Frances Mayes's main character, Frances, wants to restore a dilapidated villa in Tuscany. The people she meets along the way, the friendships she develops, and a strong resolve enable Frances to fulfill her dream.

Lemon chicken piccata is a delicious recipe. It calls for skinless chicken breasts, chicken stock, capers, lemon juice (freshly squeezed) and angel hair pasta. What could be more Italian than a pasta dish?

Answer: Anne of Green Gables

This classic, first published in 1908 and written by Lucy Maude Montgomery, has been read and loved for generations. Feisty redheaded Anne Shirley is an orphan raised by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert on Prince Edward Island, Canada. The wonderful cast of characters and Anne's often misguided adventures elevate the book.

A funny moment (not to Anne) comes when Anne serves raspberry layer cake that she has prepared and presents to her family and the reverend's wife. The cake, however, includes an unexpected ingredient: liniment. Anne unintentionally used liniment instead of vanilla.

Answer: Jane Eyre

Popular during Victorian England, traditional seed cake was made with caraway seeds. The cakes were often served at tea parties and for good reason. The dryness of the cake could be easily offset when served with a hot cup of tea.

At one point in Charlotte Bronte's novel, Jane is accused of lying by the school superintendent. In a show of kindness, a teacher offers a piece of seed cake to Jane. After a steady diet of bad-tasting porridge, the cake undoubtedly would have tasted delicious.

Answer: Joy Luck Club

Amy Tan's heartfelt novel about the relationships between four Chinese immigrant women and their daughters is an enjoyable read. They meet regularly to play mahjong and enjoy good food. What makes this book so special, besides the recipes, are the interlocking stories of the characters.

Besides dumplings, there are many seasonings that go into wonton soup, although it looks deceptively simple when served. Dumplings are very much a part of Asian cuisine. I love wonton soup so much that I order it every time I eat out at a Chinese restaurant.

Answer: Alice in Wonderland

One can easily associate these tarts with tea parties and there are a few in Louis Carroll's classic "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland". Even the Knave of Hearts is accused of stealing the Queen's tarts.

There are many recipes for strawberry tarts, some have skinnier versions. The English use caster sugar in their recipe. Caster sugar is a very fine granulated sugar, somewhere between granulated sugar and powdered sugar.