Past Quizzes

Edible Complex

What is not to eat?

o Yuzu
o Frascati
o Pithiviers
o Galangal

Yuzu – Japanese citrus used in soups, dressings, sauces, desserts, and sometimes, entrees
Frascati - Fruity Italian wine from the hilly region south of Rome; goes well with turkey
Pithiviers - French cake or pastry featuring frangipane sandwiched between flaky layers of puff pastry
Galangal – a knobby rhizome that looks like ginger, but tastes more medicinal with hints of eucalyptus; used in Asian soups and curries

A Seasoned Speculation

Which is not a spice?

o Sumac
o Grains of Paradise
o Shchi
o Wasabi

Sumac: Berries and seeds that add sourness
Grains of Paradise: A peppery spice, related to cardamom
Wasabi: Often called “Japanese horseradish”
Shchi: Russia’s famous cabbage soup

Winter Merrymakers

Which of these are (or were) unlikely to be served in winter?

o Syllabub and Frumenty
o Cava and Cavaillon
o Hippocras and Wassail
o Pompions and Sippets

So What’s
Syllabub, etc.? >

For a gargantuan gala . . .

Which Champagne bottle is the largest?

o a Jeroboam
o a Nebuchadnezzar
o a Methusaleh
o a Magnum

How’s your culinary Greek?

A delicious appetizer made with fish roe is: 

o Tarama Salata (mullet or carp roe processed with onion, parsley, and garlic)
o Tiropita (phyllo triangles, filled with feta and kefalotiri cheeses)
o Kefalotiri (hard cheese made from sheeps milk, named for a kefalo, or hat)
o Souvlakia (pork or lamb kebabs, marinated in red wine vinegar, olive oil, and herbs, then broiled or grilled)

Who said this?

"Wine is sunlight, held together by water."

o Robert Parker, wine writer
o Epictetus, Roman philosopher
o Mark Twain, author
o Galileo Galilei, astronomer and mathematician

What is the world’s oldest surviving cookbook?

o Herodotus’ The Histories
o Pliny the Elder’s Natural History
o Apicius’ De re Coquinaria (On Cooking)
o Nostradamus’ An Excellent and Most Useful Little Work

On average, how many pounds of chocolate per capita do Americans consume annually?

o 17.49
o 11.64
o 6.13
o 2.25

In 2000, the average per capita chocolate confection consumption in the U.S.was 11.64 pounds.

17.49 (U.K.)
11.64 (U.S.)
6.13 (Italy)
2.25 (Brazil)

Switzerland beat everyone with 22.36 lbs. per capita -- nearly double the U.S. figure!

Source: The Chocolate Manufacturers Association based on figures provided by CAOBISCO Secretariat, Brussels, Summer 1999; U.S. figures are based on the Commerce Dept. MA20D figures.

What did the first astronauts on the moon eat after landing?

o Hot Dogs
o Hamburgers
o Steak
o Turkey

According to FoodReference.com, Neil Armstrong and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin's first meal after landing on the moon included packets of roast turkey with all the trimmings—no doubt in deep-felt thanksgiving, and in following the tradition of our Pilgrim forefathers.

What percentage of consumers customize their meals to meet dietary preferences and needs?

o 15%
o 45%
o 70%
o 85%

According to National Restaurant Association research, over two-thirds of all consumers customize their meals. With a variety of options, the number of possibilities is staggering. For example, offering five choices of bread and fillings can lead to 120 ways to prepare one sandwich! As for an entire menu . . . (More...)

In a typical, midsize (200-seat) restaurant with the normal assortment of tables (2’s, 4’s, 6’s), how many table mixes (combinations of seating possibilities) are possible?

o 500
o 1200
o 4000
o 8000

There are more than 8000 table mixes possible in a typical 200-seat restaurant, according to the study, "Dedicated or Combinable" (referring to sizes/types of tables) conducted by Prof. Gary Thompson at Cornell University's Center for Hospitality Research. Through use of modeling software, Thompson's study shows how restaurateurs can make more money by purchasing and arranging the right combination of tables.

From the New Study on Yield Management in Restaurant. For the complete reports, and a list of others of interest, see the Center for Hospitality Research archives.